Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 152

Jjangra

Helo Bam

152. Seeds of Unrest (1)

With the creation of the ‘Automated Loom’ and the determination of the winning bidder, Joseon’s commercial world was poised for significant expansion.

“If things continue like this, Joseon’s merchant class can revive! No, it will grow even bigger!”

Many merchants envisioned a prosperous future and began to act decisively.

“What can make money?”

“Hmm… Should I try trading in this item?”

To capitalize on the growing market, merchants scoured Joseon for potentially profitable goods.

They didn’t limit their search to Joseon alone. More ambitious merchants ventured into Ming China and Waeguk (Japan).

“Why go to Waeguk? What can you get there?”

“Who knows?”

“It’s a place where you could lose your head in broad daylight for no reason!”

“So, I’m thinking of just going to Daenae (Ming) and Kyushu!”

Numerous merchants traveled throughout Joseon, Ming, and Waeguk in pursuit of new opportunities.

However, not all merchants were so proactive.

“Even if we are merchants who chase after profit, we shouldn’t take reckless risks.”

“That’s right. For commerce to truly grow, there needs to be currency, but Joseon doesn’t have much, right? No risks. No risks. We need to be realistic right now.”

Although their choices varied based on individual values, the overall scale of Joseon’s commerce was steadily increasing.

It wasn’t just commerce that was flourishing. Skilled artisans also began to actively leverage their abilities.

They had excellent role models to emulate.

Consort Shin was accumulating wealth in Hanseong through gyebang [a type of rotating credit association], and the Song Il-cheol couple was amassing enough wealth to sustain their descendants for generations with just one wire mesh. The Song Il-cheol couple served as a prime example.

The presence of artisans working in District 51, known as ‘Nari,’ also motivated Joseon’s artisans to take risks.

Among the artisans who embraced challenges, the mother-of-pearl lacquerware artisans were the most successful.

As Italian artisans introduced glass mirrors to the market, mother-of-pearl lacquerware artisans created various lacquerware furniture and accessories incorporating mirrors.

These furniture and accessories became a ‘must-have’ item for women in Joseon, Ming, and Waeguk.

“Jihwaja! Strike while the iron is hot!”

Hyang, after reviewing the report from the Ministry of Taxation, immediately requested Sejong to organize a competition.

It was the ‘1st Joseon Furniture Competition’.

The first-place prize was ‘Silver 10 nyang,’ which might not seem like a substantial sum. However, renowned artisans from across the country gathered in Hanseong.

This was due to the competition’s additional incentives.

-The palace will purchase all products made by the 1st to 5th place winners.

-The names of the 1st to 5th place winners will be posted in government offices nationwide, as well as in the Joseon trading post in Shandong and the Waegwan (Japanese trading post) [a designated area for trade with Japan].

The key attraction was that the winning products would be allowed to bear the plum blossom crest, with five crests for 1st place down to one crest for 5th place.

“Will it really work?”

Sejong was unsure about Hyang’s proposal, but Hyang was brimming with confidence.

As demonstrated by Geumpil and other instances, the plum blossom crest symbolized the highest quality.

Furthermore, the ranking system added another layer of competition. A fierce battle for rankings was anticipated.

“It will definitely be a hit!”

And the outcome aligned with Hyang’s expectations.

Queen Soheon, the concubines, the Crown Princess, Yangje, and Yangwon, who were appointed as judges, meticulously examined the submitted works with eager eyes.

Observing the women’s expressions, Hyang muttered to himself.

‘I’ve seen that look before! That was the look my mother and aunts had when they saw luxury bags!’

That was how the 1st to 5th places were determined.

And as a result, Sejong and Hyang’s wallets were emptied.

The submitted works were given to Queen Soheon as tributes, but they had to purchase the remaining items.

Although Sejong and Hyang’s wallets suffered, things proceeded as Hyang had predicted afterward.

With the added prestige of being ‘a work made by an artisan who won an award at a competition hosted by the King of Joseon,’ merchants from Ming and Waeguk eagerly lined up to acquire the products.

* * *

Not everything unfolded as smoothly as Hyang had anticipated.

The memorials written by the local yangban (scholar-officials) [members of the landed gentry], who were already displeased with Sejong’s actions, began to inundate the carts once more.

After reviewing the memorials, Sejong summoned Hyang again. This time, Hyang was prepared.

He had heard rumors of ‘a large number of memorials arriving from the provinces.’

“You know what to do, right?”

“Yes, Father. Should I start with this one?”

Hyang swiftly pulled over a stack of memorials, untied the scrolls, and began to read them.

“How is it? Are there any worthwhile writings?”

Hyang, diligently reading and categorizing the memorials, sighed and responded to Sejong’s question.

“Hoo~. It’s a waste of paper.”

“Is that so…? I was hoping there would be some decent people this time…”

Sejong couldn’t conceal his disappointment at Hyang’s answer. He still yearned to find talented individuals.

‘Well… the situation is still that there is a shortage of talent…’

Hyang understood Sejong’s feelings. Despite all the efforts to fill positions, there was still a lack of qualified individuals in the current Joseon court and administrative organizations.

“Hoo~. Whether it’s this guy or that guy, they’re all just saying ‘Luxury is a shortcut to national ruin, blah blah blah’… They shouldn’t be wearing silk robes themselves.”

Hyang, grumbling as he examined the memorials that primarily contained sentiments such as ‘Luxury is a national disease, so the current behavior should be prohibited, and commerce should be strictly controlled,’ nervously untied the memorials.

Hyang, who had been reading the memorials with a nonchalant expression, suddenly straightened his posture and his eyes lit up.

“Look at this?”

Hyang, carefully reading the memorials, picked up the memorial in question and approached Sejong.

“Father, I think I found one.”

“Is that so? Give it to me.”

At Hyang’s words, Sejong was delighted and accepted the memorial.

Sejong, after reading the memorial, clapped his knee.

“That’s right! I’ve found someone with deep thoughts after a long time!”

“That is correct.”

The memorial that Hyang found predicted trade disputes.

-As a rule, no one simply watches others take away the wealth piled up in their own storehouse.

-Currently, looking at the situation in Joseon, it is taking in huge profits from Ming and Waeguk. Fortunately, the products currently sold to Ming and Waeguk are mainly luxury goods, so there is little potential for major problems.

-However, merchants will want to earn more and more profits, and eventually, they will even sell low-margin products.

-Selling everything from luxury goods to low-priced goods and bringing in wealth from Ming and Waeguk could provoke hostility from Ming and Waeguk.

-If the degree becomes severe, Ming may exert pressure using its power as a suzerain state and a great power, and the Wokou (Japanese pirates) [Japanese pirates who raided the coasts of China and Korea] will become active again.

-To solve this, we must select items that do not harm our Joseon and have them produced and sold in Ming and Waeguk. By having the wealth obtained from Ming and Waeguk circulate within Ming and Waeguk, and Joseon only brings in a reasonable amount of wealth, we can continue trading steadily without losing goodwill.

“Not bad.”

Sejong nodded after reading the memorial. Sejong separately classified the memorial in question to one side.

Before long, he began to use memorials as an opportunity to discover talent.

And as this became a custom, another trend was created.

It was called ‘Sangso Byeolsi (Memorial Special Examination),’ where people dreamed of rapid success by using memorials.

* * *

In the end, the local yangban were furious when their claims were once again ignored.

“This is the tyranny of the King!”

“In this state, can it be said that freedom of speech exists!”

“If things continue like this, Joseon will collapse!”

The local yangban believed that Sejong was committing tyranny by ‘closing his ears and covering his eyes.’

“We must find a way.”

“That is correct.”

An ominous atmosphere began to circulate among the local yangban.

As the harvest season of Sejong 11th year approached, Sejong threw bombs at the local yangban.

The first bomb was the ‘Slave Law.’

-The status of a child born to a bi (婢, female slave) follows the status of the father.

-If the father of a child born to a bi is a yangin (commoner), the child will become a yangin.

-If a child born to a bi becomes a yangin, the bi who gave birth to the child will be granted manumission (freed from slavery).

-If the father of a child born to a bi is married, the above clause does not apply.

It was precisely in this part that a slight debate broke out between Hyang, Sejong, and the ministers.

“Isn’t it too heartless?”

At Hyang’s criticism, Sejong and the ministers all shook their heads.

“No, it is not. At least minimal morality must be maintained.”

“That’s right. If that clause is not there, there will be daily disputes in the villages.”

Hyang had no choice but to step back at Sejong and the ministers’ firm attitude.

‘Well, because the times are like this…’

“Hmm… It’s a bit disappointing, but this is fine.”

Most of the local yangban’s reactions were the same as above.

However, the local yangban’s attention was focused on the latter half of this bill.

“Clauses regarding ‘manumission’?”

“Why suddenly manumission?”

The latter half of the ‘Slave Law’ dealt with the manumission of slaves.

-Slaves cannot be manumitted during the spring famine season.

-When manumitting a slave, they must be given enough wealth to live for three months.

-If a slave has a family, the entire family must be manumitted. However, this excludes unmarried no (奴, male slave) and bi (婢, female slave) who have become adults among the children.

Hyang clicked his tongue at this part.

“Tsk. If it included adults, there would be an immediate uproar… But…”

Hyang paused for a moment and burst into a chuckle.

“This is a poisonous clause. When you look at it, Father is quite the con artist.”

The most unexpected thing in the regulations regarding manumission that followed was the last clause.

-No and bi over the age of 60 cannot be manumitted.

Funnily enough, this part was strongly insisted upon by Hyang.

“Crown Prince, according to your usual claims, this part doesn’t make sense, does it?”

At Sejong’s question, Hyang immediately replied.

“No, it is in line with my usual claims.”

“Why?”

“When combined with the other bills that follow, the yangban will have no choice but to manumit the slaves. In that case, the first ones to be manumitted will be the old people who have no value as labor.”

“Ah!”

At Hyang’s explanation, Sejong and the ministers exclaimed and nodded. Seeing their expressions, Hyang muttered inwardly.

‘Was that what the American history professor who I chose as a liberal arts course in the 21st century said?’

At the time, the American history professor had said this to the students.

-Before the war, the Southern plantation owners were so opposed to the emancipation of slaves, but after the war ended, they welcomed the emancipation of slaves. Why was that? They could comfortably dispose of the old slaves who were just eating and doing nothing.

Hyang, reminiscing about his memories of the 21st century, muttered with a bitter face.

‘In the current Joseon, welfare for elderly people without relatives is something that cannot even be dreamed of. We have no choice but to pass it on to the yangban.’

* * *

Thus, the reaction of most of the yangban to the Slave Law promulgated in the fall of Sejong 11th year was similar.

‘It’s not entirely to my liking, but it’s somewhat acceptable.’

However, a minority of the yangban examined the bills with suspicious eyes.

‘The clauses regarding manumission are suspicious. Why did they suddenly include clauses regarding manumission?’

‘It’s too suspicious to just understand it as creating standards for manumission and move on.’

‘But also, why now of all times?’

With questioning eyes, the yangban focused their attention on the movements of Hanseong.

And a little later, as another bill was promulgated, the yangban completely forgot about their suspicions.

Following the ‘Slave Law,’ what was promulgated was the ‘Law on the Treatment of Unappointed Graduates.’

The content of the newly promulgated law was simple.

‘Those who have passed the Saengwon examination [a lower-level civil service examination] and have not taken office for more than 10 years, and those who have passed the Jinsa examination [another lower-level civil service examination] and have not taken office for more than 5 years, will have their tax benefits revoked. Furthermore, they will be stripped from the hyangan (鄕案, local gentry register) [a register of local elites]. Those who can be listed on the hyangan are limited to those who have retired from government office and those who have received honorary positions in recognition of their meritorious service.’

It was a bill that would shatter the prestige of those who paraded around in the provinces as sadaebu (士大夫, scholar-officials) [members of the ruling class].