Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 177

177. The End of Gyeongjang (2)

As February of the 12th year of King Sejong (1430, Gyeongsul Year) approached, the distribution of the *hopae* [identification tags] was nearing completion in most of Joseon, including the Samnam region.

After confirming the situation, Sejong issued two royal decrees.

-For this year only, manumission [freeing] of slaves will be permitted even during the spring famine. However, the conditions to be observed when manumitting slaves remain the same.

-We are recruiting tenants to cultivate the farmland confiscated from the rebels. The land tax will be 30%, the same as for crown lands, and preference will be given to those who have families.

Due to the two royal decrees issued by Sejong in quick succession, a massive population shift occurred throughout Joseon.

* * *

The first thing that happened was the manumission of slaves.

Landlords who had to pay high taxes for owning slaves in the autumn of the Giyu year began to hurriedly manumit their slaves as soon as Sejong’s special permission was issued.

However, this process was not smooth.

“Who should I manumit, and how….”

According to the decree promulgated by Sebong, the criteria for manumission were as follows:

-If the slave to be manumitted has a family, the entire family should be manumitted. However, if the children are adults, they are not included in the family.

-When manumitting, property sufficient to live on for three months must be provided.

-Manumission should not be carried out during the spring famine.

-Slaves (both male and female) over the age of 60 should not be manumitted.

“Hmm…. This time, manumission is allowed during the spring famine, so there shouldn’t be any problems….”

Those who owned slaves began to rack their brains over who to manumit and how.

Of course, those who were worried like this were the landlords who had survived the previous rebellion.

At least those who owned 20 to 30 or more slaves were the ones worrying about this issue, while those with only four or five slaves found the decision surprisingly easy.

In a *yangban* [aristocratic] household in Chungcheong Province, the owner, Song Saeng-won, was talking with the slaves in the yard of his small tiled house, which was just over 20 *kan* [a traditional unit of measurement for houses].

“Your children have become adults this year, haven’t they? I will manumit them.”

“Oh! Thank you, sir!”

Song Saeng-won’s wife, who was sitting next to him, spoke to the slave couple with a gentle expression.

“You are old, so just grow old with us.”

“Thank you, madam.”

In this way, it was common to prioritize the manumission of the adult children of slaves.

And among those who were watching the situation, there were some who took a more active approach.

In Gang Jinsa’s tiled house in Haenam, Jeolla Province, Gang Jinsa, who had gathered the slaves, made a bombshell announcement.

“I will manumit all of you this time! Would it be comfortable for anyone if some are manumitted and others remain slaves? I will manumit everyone!”

The slaves bowed deeply and expressed their gratitude for Gang Jinsa’s generous decision.

“Thank you, sir!”

“You will continue to do the farming and household chores you have been doing, but I will pay you wages.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Unlike the slaves who were constantly bowing and expressing their gratitude, Gang Jinsa’s family was full of worries.

“Father, are you really sure about this?”

“Father, this decision….”

When his family showed concern about the decision to turn all the slaves who did farm work and chores into wage laborers, Gang Jinsa rebuked them instead.

“Madam! Don’t you know how the world is changing? And you, you fool! How can I trust and hand over this family to you, the eldest son of this family, when you have such poor judgment!”

Gang Jun-man, the eldest son, had to prostrate himself on the floor at Gang Jinsa’s scolding.

“I am sorry!”

“This is a time of upheaval. To survive in this era, our family must be one step ahead of others!”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“You answer well….”

Gang Jinsa, who was looking at Jun-man with a pathetic expression, explained why he had made this decision.

“The biggest reason why the king made this decision is to secure tax revenue, but it is also to weaken the power of landlords like us. Perhaps the kings after this one will strengthen these policies even more, not reverse them. So, what should we do? Should we rise up like those fools in the fall?”

“No, we shouldn’t.”

Gang Jinsa clicked his tongue at his eldest son’s answer.

“Tsk! Think before you speak!”

* * *

Many slaves were manumitted from large and small *yangban* families across the country and came out into the world.

The first place the manumitted slaves headed to was the local government office.

In Gijang-gun, Gyeongsang Province,

“You’ve been manumitted and come here?”

“Yes, sir.”

The magistrate of Gijang-gun, after hearing the slaves’ story, called an official from the Ministry of Taxation who was in the next building.

The official from the Ministry of Taxation looked at the slaves after hearing their story.

“Follow me.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Ministry of Taxation official, after giving orders to the slaves, politely bowed to the magistrate.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

“We are all working together for the country, so cooperation is natural. Good work.”

“Thank you.”

After exchanging light pleasantries, the Ministry of Taxation official led the slaves to the Ministry of Taxation building.

The magistrate of Gijang-gun, who had sent the Ministry of Taxation official away, became serious.

“That man has so many blemishes under his eyes…. Hmm….”

The magistrate of Gijang-gun got up from his seat and walked towards the clock on the pillar of the main hall. Looking at the time on the clock and the calendar next to it, the magistrate’s face became anxious.

“My term is not long…. Who should I send a gift to? These days, they don’t even accept gifts…. Who should I send it to to avoid the Ministry of Taxation….”

The magistrate of Gijang-gun was anxiously calculating his connections.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Taxation official, who had taken the slaves into the Ministry of Taxation building next to the government office, sat down and looked at the slaves.

“So…. You’ve been manumitted?”

“Yes, my master said that I need to change my *hopae* too….”

“That’s right! Tell me your name, date of birth, and whose slave you were.”

“Yes. I was from Oh Saeng-won’s house in Baenamugol….”

The Ministry of Taxation official, after hearing the slave’s personal information, rummaged through the registers on one side of the bookshelf and took out the register.

“Here it is.”

The official, after checking the register, wrote the date in the blank column and entered the word ‘manumission’.

“Give me your *hopae*.”

“Yes, sir.”

The official, after receiving the *hopae* from the slave, handed it to the craftsman behind him.

The craftsman skillfully removed the frame of the *hopae* and took out the iron plate. The craftsman placed the iron plate on the anvil, put the steel stamp on one of the blank spaces on the iron plate, and struck it hard with a hammer.

Thud!

After confirming that it was properly stamped, the craftsman reassembled the frame, re-stamped the seal, and handed it to the official.

“Here it is. Hmm…. Do you have a job?”

“No, I don’t. I was going to be a tenant farmer, but…. They say there are no vacancies.”

The Ministry of Taxation official began to fish slyly at the slave’s answer.

“Really? Hmm…. Road construction will begin across Joseon this spring…. They say that the road from Dongnae to Hanseong will also be under construction. How about going to work there? You can work at the port until spring. What’s the point of doing nothing?”

The slave eagerly bit at the Ministry of Taxation official’s bait.

“Is that so? I’ll go! I’ll do it!”

The official’s face lit up at the slave’s answer and continued.

“Really? Wait a little bit. It’s dangerous and boring to go alone, isn’t it? If there are enough people, I can arrange transportation, so you can go safely and comfortably, right?”

“Yes, I’ll do that!”

While listening to the slave’s answer, the Ministry of Taxation official looked at the faces of the other slaves behind him. Seeing that most of the slaves, mostly young men, were making similar expressions, the Ministry of Taxation official cheered inwardly.

‘Yes! A big catch! A full load!’

Upon receiving a report that a large number of manumissions were expected, the court immediately devised countermeasures.

“Proceed as planned, as this situation was already anticipated.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

According to Sejong’s orders, express messengers were sent to the Ministry of Taxation’s monopoly offices and the Joseon *Jeonjang* [loan office] across the country.

The orders sent by the court to the monopoly offices and the Joseon *Jeonjang* were simple.

-Get as many people out of the countryside as possible and absorb their wealth into the *Jeonjang*.

According to the orders sent by the court, the officials of the Ministry of Taxation were now fishing for the slaves who had become commoners.

The Ministry of Taxation official, who had succeeded in sending the manumitted male slaves to the construction site, now cast his fishing line at the female slaves.

“So…. Have you found a job?”

“We haven’t found one yet.”

“Can you weave?”

“What woman of this age can’t weave?”

The Ministry of Taxation official gave a satisfied smile at the female slaves’ answer.

“A large spinning mill is scheduled to be built in Daegu and Gyeongsan this time. They are looking for women who are skilled in weaving. How about it? Are you willing to do it?”

“It’s a bit far….”

When the female slaves hesitated slightly, the Ministry of Taxation official shook the bait gently.

“Didn’t you say that there are no proper jobs here? Then, what will happen in the end? You will either live day by day as a day laborer or, if you’re unlucky, you’ll have to live as a prostitute, right?”

“That’s true….”

When the Ministry of Taxation official pointed out the reality, the female slaves nodded with serious faces. Even though many female slaves often experienced harsh things just because they were female slaves. Of course, the law defined such things as illegal, but the law is the law and reality is reality.

In the end, the female slaves had no choice but to bite the Ministry of Taxation official’s hook.

“We’ll do as you say, sir. But….”

“It seems like a really good opportunity, but the road to Daegu is far….”

When the female slaves hesitated at the last minute, the Ministry of Taxation official patted his chest and made a boast.

“Of course! Would I tell a woman to go alone on that long and dangerous road to Daegu! If there are enough people, I will arrange transportation! What will you do?”

In the end, the female slaves had no choice but to accept the Ministry of Taxation official’s offer.

* * *

Another person stepped forward in front of the slaves who had received proof that they had become commoners on their *hopae*.

“Hey, why don’t we talk about the future together?”

“Huh? The future?”

“Listen to my story for a moment. I am Lee Il-se from the *Jeonjang*. You’ve heard about the *Jeonjang*, haven’t you?”

“Yes, the one that the King established….”

“That’s right! I work in the place that the King established, so don’t be suspicious and follow me for a moment.”

Thus, the slaves followed behind the *Jeonjang* employee and crossed the threshold of the *Jeonjang* with dazed faces.

* * *

Upon entering the *Jeonjang*, the *Jeonjang* official led the slaves into a large conference room created on one side of the *Jeonjang* – the *sarangbang* [men’s quarters] of the original owner of the house.

“First, take a seat.”

“Yes….”

As the slaves sat down, the *Jeonjang* employee slowly got to the point.

“Now~. What do you see out that window?”

At the employee’s question, the slaves turned their heads. When they saw the scenery of Apsan through the wide-open window of the conference room, the slaves answered in unison.

“We see a mountain.”

“That’s right. Then….”

The employee closed the window. The employee, who had closed the window covered with *hanji* [traditional Korean paper] paper, asked the slaves.

“You can’t see it now, right?”

“Yes….”

“This is your future. You can’t see anything…. In other words, it’s bleak if you go out there like this.”

“Yes?”

When the slaves were perplexed, the employee opened the window again and continued.

“Ah, really! Think about it! You will now leave this place and go to work in another place, right? And if you work, you will receive wages, right? Then what will you do with that? You will have money in your hands right away, and all kinds of merchants and prostitutes will flock to you, aiming for that money. If you spend a few days having fun like that, all that will be left is empty hands. You will continue to live as a pauper until you receive your next wages. Isn’t that right?”

At the employee’s words, the slaves nodded without realizing it. Because they had experienced various merchants sticking to them as soon as they were manumitted and left their master’s house.