There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 114

So, what do those eccentrics have to do with Jang Yeong-sil?

Looking around with this question in mind, Maeng Sa-seong stepped forward to explain.

“We couldn’t just let the eccentrics idle around, so from the previous Goryeo dynasty, we had them cultivate fallow land [unused or unplanted land] or mobilized them to build palaces, assigning them miscellaneous tasks.

Currently, we are assigning them appropriately when there is necessary work to be done.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, I remember deploying manpower here and there when building Hanyang.

The eccentrics must have been included in that.

“Then they should just work hard, so why did they hit the child? We can’t just leave these guys alone?”

I was furious, rolled up my sleeves, and dragged Jang Yeong-sil away.

“Come here!”

I went to the lodging where the eccentrics were staying and shouted.

Belatedly, No-bun shouted.

“The Crown Prince is here!”

Then, about a dozen men emerged hesitantly.

They offered their respects when I appeared, but their demeanor wasn’t very respectful.

‘They look like reserve sergeants.’

But that wasn’t important.

I brought Yeong-sil forward and said.

“You must know this child!”

Then the eccentrics looked at each other.

It seemed like no one knew who would step up to answer.

After a fierce battle of wits, one person stepped forward.

He introduced himself as the eccentric Mal-eulgeon (末乙巾) [a name, possibly a pseudonym, reflecting his eccentric nature].

“Yes, we know him.”

“Why did you assault this child?”

“That… we didn’t assault him.”

Mal-eulgeon said with a deep sigh.

“The child’s face is like this, and you say you didn’t hit him?”

Then Mal-eulgeon said as if frustrated.

“That slave child came and snooped around, then questioned why the *Tossil* [a type of greenhouse or hothouse] wasn’t built yet.

So, we just gently caressed him.”

Adding to that, the eccentrics standing behind him expressed their dissatisfaction.

“Even though we are commoners and sons of local gentry, we are called and treated like public servants like dogs!”

“How can we tolerate even this slave looking down on us?”

I was taken aback by their spirit.

If it was just rebellious, I would break their skulls to calm them down, but it seemed like their resentment was overflowing into their bones.

“What is all this nonsense?”

Then Maeng Sa-seong, who had a subtle expression next to me, stepped forward and said.

“Didn’t Your Highness order the construction of *Tossil* some time ago?”

“Huh?”

I quickly recalled my memories.

Come to think of it, I had just acquired a large new house in Changdeok Palace, so I was planning to build a greenhouse in the East Palace to grow vegetables.

‘Wouldn’t it be good for my younger siblings’ emotional well-being if they cultivated a garden?’

Of course, it wasn’t easy.

As soon as I revealed my plan, opposition poured in.

‘Your Highness, summer is hot and winter is cold, which is the consistent principle of the four seasons. Also, flowers bloom in spring and wither in winter, which is the consistent nature of plants and trees. How can you say it is in accordance with the principles of heaven?’

‘Anyway, they never listen from the beginning when I try to do something.’

But as always, I neatly ignored these tackles.

If they like the principles of heaven so much, they should just go into the mountains and live as naturalists.

However, I couldn’t just ignore one person’s opposition.

‘Your Highness, this is luxury, luxury!’

It wasn’t just anyone, but Heo Jo who foamed at the mouth like this, so I was at a loss for words.

This guy isn’t just like this to me, but he’s strict with other people, making sure they don’t do anything weird.

‘No, I’m nominally the Crown Prince of the country, so is it really that luxurious to grow vegetables and eat them in winter?’

Since Heo Jo has this class-breaking mindset, the day he shouts for people’s liberation with a sickle and hammer may not be far off.

Please don’t join that communist party that worships strange gods.

However, Heo Jo said sharply.

‘It doesn’t matter if you eat fruit, but to heat the *Tossil* in winter, you must burn fuel, right?

It’s not like you have to eat fresh fruit and vegetables, so why bother wasting fuel?’

‘No, how much would that cost….’

Anyway, because of Elder Heo Jo’s opposition, I had to find a way to build a greenhouse while minimizing fuel input.

‘First, dig the ground and build walls around it with straw and soil.’

The secret insulation material I taught when I went to the Northeast, rice husks and rice husk charcoal, were also generously used.

Then, yellow soil was carefully applied to the walls on all sides, and a heated floor was made on the bottom.

I connected the improved stove I made to efficiently supply heat.

‘The problem was the skylight.’

I couldn’t use expensive glass, so I was quite troubled, but this problem was solved surprisingly easily.

If you apply oil to Korean paper, it becomes translucent enough to allow light to pass through, although not as much as glass.

On sunny days, it could function well enough even without using the stove.

Paper and oil aren’t cheap, but….

‘It’s much cheaper than glass.’

Thanks to my control over the Buddhist community, the supply of paper was plentiful.

Monks were voluntarily engaged in paper production.

Thanks to my development of cottonseed oil, the oil was not plentiful, but it was quite usable.

‘I have to build one like this first to apply it to other places.’

I had taken care of all the technical problems, so I was just waiting for the construction, and this happened.

“I, I heard that Your Highness the Crown Prince ordered the completion of the *Tossil* several days ago, but the eccentrics didn’t think about working according to the order, so I just said a word in passing.”

Jang Yeong-sil said in a barely audible voice.

Jang Yeong-sil is a well-known passionate boy in Hanseongbu [the capital’s administrative division].

But not everyone works with the same mindset as Jang Yeong-sil.

It’s not like they didn’t want to work anyway, so when I urged them to build the *Tossil*, they got hit.

‘Damn it, this guy is talking nonsense too.’

Even though I brought him directly, who would just let it go when a government slave says that?

I said, looking at the eccentrics.

“Still, should you hit people?”

“We didn’t hit him hard, we just tapped him appropriately….”

His eyes are bruised, but are you just making excuses that you just tapped him a few times?

“Oh, the truth has already been revealed, but are you still making excuses? Do you want to be dragged to Hanseongbu and get hit with a club?”

“Ah, no, that’s not it….”

Mal-eulgeon was sweating profusely as I shouted like this.

He would have never imagined that a mere slave child would have such a backer as me.

“I’m sorry.”

“Apologize to Yeong-sil, not me.”

“…Although I was angry, I’m sorry for hitting you recklessly. Forgive me.”

Mal-eulgeon and the eccentrics apologized to Jang Yeong-sil.

I looked at Jang Yeong-sil and said.

“You were wrong to scold the eccentrics recklessly. They are not your subordinates, are they?”

“I was too eager. I’m sorry.”

Jang Yeong-sil also apologized to the eccentrics, and the situation ended in an uncomfortable atmosphere.

“And the *Tossil* construction….”

I opened my mouth.

Then the eccentrics’ bodies stiffened.

Just because I made peace with Jang Yeong-sil doesn’t mean that the problem of the eccentrics not completing the *Tossil* has been resolved.

It was true that these guys were dragging their feet.

‘Shouldn’t I punish them for this?’

I thought so.

But there was one problem here.

‘Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is privately building a *Tossil* and punished the eccentrics for delaying it. How can such a thing happen!’

According to Maeng Sa-seong’s explanation, the eccentrics were only faithful to their role as hostages until the early Goryeo period.

However, as the position of the local gentry gradually declined through the military regime and the Mongol invasion, they were demoted from ‘precious bodies’ to ‘just kids being held in Seoul,’ and it reached the point where they were told, ‘Don’t just play around, help with chores.’

So, strictly speaking, there was no basis for using the eccentrics like slaves.

‘In short, they are people who have no reason or desire to work.’

Still, they would be the sons of fairly loud local officials in their hometowns.

I understand why they don’t want to work like this.

This is no exception for Joseon people, so they shared the perception that ‘Oh, they are commoners, so they are pitiful,’ but they were just standing by without a solution.

There was no immediate alternative to fill the labor force, and there was no reason to do so.

‘This is just the Joseon Dynasty version of public service.’

Anyway, if I punished them in connection with building the *Tossil*, there would be more than one or two people who would rush in and say it was right.

The Censors or the Censors or the Censors.

‘Even if they are Censors now.’

They, who had lost in the bet with me, were locked up in the training institute and were doing ‘Saga Reading’ and barely escaped.

After that, they avoided me whenever our eyes met, as if they didn’t want to get involved with me anymore.

But they wouldn’t just let go of such a good cause.

‘It won’t have much impact on me, but still, the *Tossil* construction will definitely be off the table.’

The eccentrics were anxiously watching me, wondering if I would scold them for the *Tossil* construction, but as my worries grew longer, the atmosphere changed.

Mal-eulgeon plucked up his courage and stepped forward.

“Your Highness, it is true that the construction of the *Tossil* has been delayed, but the commoners are being mobilized for various historical projects without receiving proper compensation.

Please be lenient.”

Then the eccentrics behind him spoke up.

“No one appreciates even if we work hard. Even if we get hurt while working, the country doesn’t step in to take care of us, so who can we trust to work?”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince is fair and just, and I have heard that you have created various instruments with a heart that loves the people. Please understand the pain of the eccentrics.”

‘Hmm, I’m getting weak again.’

I know that I’m kind, so I can’t just push the eccentrics recklessly.

I was troubled and stroked my chin.

In the end, the biggest problem is that there is no compensation for the eccentrics.

The country is sorry for that, but it has no intention of improving it.

“Well, it is wrong to impose excessive work on you without giving you proper wages.”

Maeng Sa-seong looked at me as if saying, ‘Are you saying that?’ but I slyly ignored him.

Still, I give you plenty of bonuses.

‘And I don’t make you do excessive work.’

My subordinates whine that there is too much overtime, but I am a true boss who assesses people’s abilities and assigns only the work that they can accurately do.

“However, if you quit working right now, the country will be in great trouble. So, I will try to find a way to provide you with appropriate compensation.”

I said to the eccentrics.

“Are you satisfied with this?”

The eccentrics exchanged glances.

It is not within my authority to liberate the eccentrics and send them back to their homes right now, and they would not want that either.

As expected, the eccentrics nodded.

“If Your Highness does that for us, we couldn’t ask for more.”

“Then build the *Tossil* first.”

If you refuse even this, I will throw you all into the gulag.

===

The problem of the eccentrics cannot be solved alone or within Hanseongbu.

I had no choice but to sit face to face with Lee Bang-won.

Lee Bang-won listened to my concerns and nodded.

“Hmm, it’s definitely a valid issue.”

“Right?”

“Yes.”

I waited for Lee Bang-won to continue, but Lee Bang-won had no answer.

“….”

“….”

‘Well, my father wouldn’t have a great solution either.’

This is a problem that has been going on since the Goryeo Dynasty.

Lee Bang-won would not want to pay the costs that he has not paid until now.

The compensation to be given to the eccentrics does not fall from the sky.

‘Can’t we just live like this?’

This would be the common thought of everyone except the eccentrics.

“It’s a pity, but the eccentrics have been in charge of various construction projects and reclamation for over a hundred years, so how can we recklessly release them?”

“I’m not saying to release them. I’m saying to give them proper compensation.”

“Where does that money come from?”

“….”

I closed my mouth.

Strictly speaking, it’s not that there is no money to give, but everyone would oppose it.

Lee Bang-won said with a bitter smile.

“I wish I could just throw them some nominal job to appease them.”

“I know,”

Should I give them a blank certificate of appointment?

I heard that in times of war, compensation was given in the form of positions instead of money.

Positions instead of money….

“That’s it!”

“Ah, you startled me.”

Lee Bang-won flinched.

I grabbed my father’s hand and said.

“As you said, the eccentrics are good at various construction projects. And they have to go back to their hometowns someday.”

I looked at Lee Bang-won and asked.

“That… is that right?”

Lee Bang-won answered reluctantly, and I said to him.

“Then, how about specially hiring these people for local development?”

End

ⓒ Pitkong