There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 344

345. The Age of Romance (2)

Contrary to Yi Jae’s misconception, the right to Geumnanjeon [a special privilege granted to certain merchants] was not a right that existed from the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty.

The right granted to the Yukijeon [six licensed stores] and Sijeon [government-licensed shops] merchants in the late Joseon period, allowing them to crack down on street vendors who dared to do business without even registering as businesses, was the Geumnanjeon right.

However, Baek Dal-won, living in the age of romance, came to a similar conclusion.

‘I barely put out some useful technology, and those who haven’t received permission are rushing in to take advantage of it. Doesn’t it seem like the Nanjeon [unlicensed merchants] trying to sneak into the Sijeon?’

The Sijeon, established in the planned city of Hanyang [old name for Seoul], was granted the right to trade only to those selected from among the merchants of Gaeseong in the past.

However, as the population of the capital increased and spending grew, the Sijeon, which supplied goods to Hanseong [another old name for Seoul], grew significantly. To suck up even that sweet juice, peddlers gathered at the entrance, laying out stalls and starting to trade.

As Sijeon merchants who had duly paid the price for admission, they could not stand idly by such unscrupulous behavior.

Hansang [merchants of Seoul] immediately dispatched to crack down on them, so most of them were pushed out to Namdaemun Market [a large traditional market in Seoul], but the negative view of Nanjeon, once embedded, did not fade away.

“A patent is something that must be acquired by paying money to the country, right?”

“That’s right.”

Yi Jae was thinking of introducing administrative fees and stamp duties to Joseon on this occasion.

Administrative demand is exploding, but there is a limit to securing additional budget for government offices, so he was thinking of starting with the soon-to-be-established Patent Office.

“Those who do not have legitimate rights are no different from thieves. We cannot stand by and watch thieves extorting others’ profits and running rampant. The Sijeon also rolls up their sleeves and steps up when such a situation arises.”

Yi Jae did not say, ‘Aren’t you guys doing that kind of thing as you please?’

Originally, if there are no provisions in the law, customary law is followed, and if there is no customary law, the principles of reason are followed, which is the principle of civil law.

And according to Joseon standards, beating up those who trade in front of their Sijeon without permission and taking away their goods is a reasonable area in terms of custom or reason.

‘Isn’t there a risk that patents will be recognized as the right to legally beat others?’

However, the concern did not last long.

If it’s really unfair, the magistrate will examine and resolve it.

The part he needed to pay more attention to was the examination and registration of patents.

“The examination of patents must be conducted strictly, and if anyone misinterprets the received patent to harm people or take away goods, they must be severely punished.”

There was a slight discomfort, but Yi Jae always had the belief that once he set something in motion, it would somehow roll on its own.

Thus, the work of establishing the patent system began to gain momentum.

* * *

Of course, he didn’t imagine that the patent system would work well from the beginning.

As news spread through the Jobo [official gazette], Dyoheunsaenggak [various news sources], Yeoheungsunbo [local newsletters], and Pungmun [rumors], in line with the aim of encouraging private technological development, hundreds of patent applications were received as soon as the news was released.

Among them were ambitious declarations of intent from people who had been tinkering with something in their rooms, but it was natural for all sorts of strange applications to be received.

“A method of sowing rice seeds and harvesting them…? A method of plowing fields with an ox and a plow? This is not a technology that he developed, but a method that everyone is using.”

I knew it.

I expected that there would be some unscrupulous people who thought, ‘Since no one has patented it, shouldn’t I be the first to apply?’

Most of the hundreds of patents that came in were submitted by Yangyachi [low-class people] who were trying to get a free ride on patent applications.

If a patent is granted, they will have to get permission from them to farm in this country.

Of course, there was no intention of granting a patent for such an application.

‘I feel like hitting them with a club.’

I was going to catch those who heinously delayed the examination by submitting such applications and hit them with a club, but I decided to just leave them alone.

I wonder if someone will claim to patent the sun.

“Reject such applications unconditionally from now on.”

“Not only should they be rejected, but they should also be caught and fined!

Farming is the foundation of the country, but they are plotting to prevent others from even harvesting by claiming that they invented the existing farming method, so their wickedness is beyond description!”

“Well, there’s no need to fine them.”

No matter how absurd a patent is, it cannot be punished.

If (officials think) they catch and punish absurd and ridiculous patents, wouldn’t even a real invention be punished for offending the officials?

Then people will be afraid and avoid the patent system that they have worked so hard to create, which would be a misfortune.

The right thing to do is to automatically reject such ridiculous patent applications without even looking into them.

‘Anyway, I received the fee.’

The waste of administrative power caused by applications that are just trying to poke at something they can’t eat is replaced by fees. I’ll have to use it well for the Patent Office budget.

‘I can’t look into everything in the future, so I think it would be better to entrust it to someone else.’

In the process of weeding out ridiculous patents and separating the wheat from the chaff, the principles of patents were established.

‘Now, who should I entrust this to?’

When I looked around, all the officials avoided my eyes.

It seems that no one wants to take charge of the Patent Office, which looks like it will only cause trouble without getting anything.

Especially since it is a newly established government office, there are many things to pay attention to.

‘I have no choice.’

“Seongnyeong, you’ll have to take charge.”

“Yes, yes?”

Grand Prince Seongnyeong, who had only entered the court following his brothers, was startled.

‘Did you think I would let you play forever?’

The Patent Office is currently treated as a government office that well-being bureaucrats avoid, but it is actually a position where you can give out favors as much as you want if you want to.

If you grant patents to strange things, a lot of crazy things will happen, so you need someone who can judge objectively.

However, Hyoryeong is not good at refusing, so he is not suitable for this position, and Chungnyeong is already in charge of the Jiphyeonjeon [Hall of Worthies, a royal research institute]. So, our youngest.

‘Why do my younger brothers seem to work more selflessly than the officials?’

Chungnyeong is such a perfectionist and workaholic, but even my half-brothers sent to Liaodong [a region in China] are surprisingly not distracted.

If I call them to Hanyang to enjoy a vacation, they don’t even meet people and stay at home.

I don’t know why, but maybe they are refraining from taking bribes?

How commendable.

‘If you have thousands of burly miners under your command, you might have other thoughts, but there’s no sign of that.’

I can’t completely exclude blood ties after all.

“Your Majesty, Grand Prince Seongnyeong is still young, so he is not suitable for taking office.”

Seongnyeongdaegun’s father-in-law, Seong-eok, stepped forward and said, but I waved my hand and replied.

“The position of director is originally like an honorary position, so wouldn’t it be okay if Gyeong helps him well?”

Seong-eok’s experience is not inferior to anyone else’s, so he will be suitable for assisting with practical work.

However, Seongnyeongdaegun will ultimately have to take responsibility when something goes wrong, so he won’t be able to let go completely. Study hard.

Originally, our brothers are smart, so they will get used to it with just a little effort.

Fighting.

* * *

Dongnae [a district in Busan, South Korea].

Although commerce and industry are rapidly developing throughout Joseon, there are regional differences.

The most active areas are the capital and its surrounding areas, as well as the northeastern regions, including Hamheung, and the mining areas throughout the country.

The same goes for Dongnae.

People have been going out to sea to catch seafood since ancient times, and with the emergence of many aquaculture farms in the vicinity, the demand for various fishing gear is exploding.

Above all, Jang Yeong-sil, who can be said to be the most famous artisan in Joseon today, was once a government slave in this Dongnae.

“Really, these days, you can succeed just by having one rolling skill.”

“Well, I think that’s always been the case, but government slaves are different. If it weren’t for the reign of the current King, would they even be able to dream of such a thing?”

“If our magistrate enters the court, will he bow down to Yeong-sil, calling him ‘Sir’?”

“Oh, Yeong-sil? By now, he’s risen to the rank of Dangsanggwan [a high-ranking official title], so it wouldn’t be strange if he received greetings from his subordinates every holiday.”

If Jang Yeong-sil, who is lucky if he doesn’t have to work overtime on holidays, heard this, he would be dumbfounded, but such facts were not very important to them.

The important thing is that the world has come where even humble blacksmiths can succeed.

Even if they don’t have the innate talent like Jang Yeong-sil, it’s not difficult to get rich in Dongnae, where private handicraft industry has begun to develop.

The reason why books like Gigye Doseol (Illustrated Book of Machines) from the capital are circulating is also for that reason.

Since the content was not easy for the blacksmiths, gatherings in the form of studying the books together or buying and sharing equipment with each other were spreading.

The shocking news from far away Hanyang struck them.

“Patent?”

“Yes! This time, the blacksmiths in Dongpyeong applied for a patent through the government workshop of the Gamyeong [provincial office], didn’t they?”

“What does that have to do with us?”

They heard that a new system called patent was being implemented, which would guarantee rights by paying money if there was a newly invented item.

Even if they heard it, they thought it was someone else’s business.

However, the artisan, whose face was bruised, shouted in anger.

“They came in and caused a ruckus, saying that the seaweed farming equipment we were selling was patented by them, and they took away all the things we made!”

“What!”

The artisans rose up in anger.

“The seaweed farming equipment wasn’t made by them, was it?”

As far as they knew, it was made by His Majesty the King and improved by Jang Yeong-sil, a government slave in Dongnae in his childhood.

“That’s a bamboo-made one, and they say theirs is different because it’s made of oak! And the equipment they took away was oak-made!”

The workmanship is the same, and the material is something you can get anywhere, but how can there be such a thing as saying that this is an oak-made one, so it’s something I made?

“Did those guys really get such a patent?”

“That’s not likely! Most likely, they’ve only applied for a patent and are already bragging as if the results have come out.”

They must be using their numbers to be tyrannical.

The artisans gathered there all gritted their teeth.

“We can’t just stand still. Such a patent will not be accepted, but they have been doing this kind of thing since before, so we have to fight back!”

“If a large-scale violent incident occurs, the government will not stand still.”

The government may not care if one or two guys get beaten up, but if dozens of people clash, it’s a big deal.

Wouldn’t it be better to petition the government, using the excuse that they are causing trouble even before the patent comes out?

“Of course, that’s something we’ll do together, and we should unite among ourselves to prepare for the guys to attack. At least so that they can be intimidated by the number of people on our side and back down.”

“That’s right. It would be better to work together even if we hire a Weijibu (外知部) [private legal representative] to file a lawsuit.”

Weijibu is a private legal representative in the Joseon Dynasty.

To put it simply, they are lawyers, but in Joseon, which does not recognize the existence of legal representatives because they cause litigation, it is strictly illegal.

So, you need both money and guts to find a Weijibu, but if you gather a number of people, both will be somewhat satisfied.

“It seems that the Dongpyeong guys have formed a similar gang and applied for a patent.”

“Those guys have been sharing technology among themselves since before.”

“We can’t just stand still. Since we’ve formed a group, let’s study technology together and work together when applying for patents. It seems that we can’t handle those guys alone.”

The guilds that were gradually forming were rapidly taking shape due to the patent wars that were breaking out here and there.