Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 198

198. The Beginning of Spring (3)

As memorials opposing the road construction continued to flood the court, Sejong issued a royal edict.

“There are those who oppose the road construction currently being undertaken by the court.

They argue that the roads in their villages are already sufficient for the movement of goods and people, claiming it is a useless endeavor and demanding the construction be halted.

However, this is like seeing the world through the eyes of a frog at the bottom of a well [a Chinese idiom for limited perspective], and I cannot help but feel sorrow for their narrow-mindedness.

Looking at the current state of Joseon, the roads are narrow and treacherous, making it difficult for goods from one village to reach even the neighboring two, and people routinely abandon long journeys.

Thus, the people of Joseon do not know the vastness of the world and are trapped in a narrow framework, becoming increasingly isolated, which is truly lamentable.

The road construction was started to solve this problem. I hope that as the roads widen and become more convenient, many people will experience ease of travel and come to know the vastness of the world. Joseon will prosper only when the people know the breadth of the world and understand what they must do.

Secondly, the concern that the morals of the villages will become disordered is valid. To prevent this as much as possible, additional soldiers will be deployed, so the people should not worry and continue their livelihoods.

Lastly, they say that well-paved roads pose a problem for national defense, which is the height of foolishness.

They argue that well-paved roads make it easier for enemies to move, which is not good, but do they not consider that our Joseon soldiers can move even faster?

And why do you not trust our Joseon soldiers? Years ago, we conquered Tsushima Island [an island between Korea and Japan], and even now, brave men are defending the north from the Jurchens [nomadic tribes north of Korea]. These are the soldiers of Joseon.

Is it the soldiers of Joseon that you do not trust, or is it me?”

Due to the last sentence of Sejong’s proclamation, the scholar-officials who had been vocally opposing the road construction became tight-lipped.

Distrusting national defense was tantamount to distrusting the king, which could be construed as disloyalty.

‘Speaking out of turn could lead to trouble!’

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the local scholar-officials quietly put away their desks, ceasing their written protests.

* * *

Meanwhile, Hyang chuckled after reading Sejong’s proclamation.

“Those guys… Do they not have a single military officer among their relatives? No… Maybe it’s fortunate they don’t? If they had heard talk about national defense, their heads might have been smashed right away…”

Joseon’s national defense was greatly strengthened to the point where Hyang could make such jokes.

No court official or military officer denied that Hyang had played the biggest role in the significant strengthening of Joseon’s national defense.

The first creations from the ‘Area 51’ that Hyang badgered Sejong into creating were gunpowder weapons and defensive gear.

“I was called a jack-of-all-trades, but my main focus was military affairs! With me around, I can’t just let this slide! Besides, I’m the Crown Prince! Are you going to stop the next king from caring about national defense? Did you take out a solid insurance policy or something?”

Hyang, making full use of his political standing, steadily produced military equipment.

The military equipment that Hyang created was recognized for its performance and mass-produced and deployed.

“It costs a lot of wealth to make them.”

“But the performance is several times the wealth invested. Besides, His Majesty has given his approval, so what choice do we have?”

The Ministry of Taxation and Finance groaned, but Sejong strongly pushed forward.

The military sector was an area in which Sejong also had great interest. Moreover, Sejong, who had dreams of pioneering the north, absolutely needed the weapons that Hyang made.

As weapons with powerful performance that even Ming [the ruling dynasty of China at the time] could not match were being supplied, Hyang persuaded Sejong.

“The numbers in the ledger are just numbers! We need to train proper soldiers and military officers!”

Joseon was a conscription-based country. According to the system implemented since the reign of Taejo [the founder of the Joseon dynasty], Joseon could theoretically mobilize 300,000 soldiers in times of emergency.

‘Theoretically…’

However, due to the irrationality of Joseon’s tax system and the contradictions of the conscription system itself, there were many who avoided military service.

Therefore, in the conquest of Tsushima Island in the first year of Sejong’s reign, even the scholar-officials and commoners residing in the southern provinces had to be forcibly conscripted.

The only exception was the slaves. Slaves were human, but not human, according to the law.

“Now that I’ve started, I’m going to make sure that the Joseon army in dramas that just dies as soon as they appear will never exist again!”

Determined, Hyang overturned the military service system completely, dragging in not only military officers but also officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Taxation and Finance.

It was through such labor pains that the Joseon army underwent a complete transformation.

That was why Hyang laughed at the scholar-officials who submitted memorials after reading Sejong’s proclamation.

* * *

“There are still many who don’t know how the world works.”

“We should just drag these guys into the military and make them roll around…”

The military officers who read Sejong’s proclamation showed a similar reaction to Hyang. Kang Gyeong-in, one of the military officers who was ridiculing the scholar-officials with a face full of scorn, suddenly grabbed a fellow military officer.

“Hey, you. What did you just say?”

“Huh? What do you mean, what did I say?”

“Didn’t you say we should drag them into the military and make them roll around?”

“I did… Why?”

Unlike his bewildered colleague, Kang Gyeong-in continued with a serious face.

“There are branches of the military that are lacking, even if we create a military academy, right? Like administration or supply.”

“That’s true.”

At Kang Gyeong-in’s point, his colleague nodded.

As Sejong ascended the throne, military officers were also required to have literary knowledge, so the academic level of military officers was gradually increasing. However, military officers were military officers, so the most important factors in promotion were martial arts and military achievements. Therefore, the support sections in the rear continued to be understaffed.

“So, I’m saying we should drag those who submitted the memorials and have them take on the work.”

At Kang Gyeong-in’s words, his colleague shook his head.

“Would they do it? They’re scholar-officials, after all?”

“If they’re so concerned about the country and are so indignant, but then refuse to do it when asked, they’re hypocrites! They have to take responsibility for what they said!”

“Oh?”

At Kang Gyeong-in’s words, his colleague also made a face that said, ‘That makes sense.’ He wasn’t the only one. The military officers who were listening to the story around Kang Gyeong-in also showed similar expressions.

“How about we work out a detailed framework?”

“Shall we?”

The plan that was born by chance was quickly documented and sent to Jo Mal-saeng.

“Not bad. Bring it to me properly.”

“Yes!”

As the military officers who had obtained permission happily retreated, the Vice Minister of the Military Affairs voiced his concerns.

“Sir, will it be alright?”

At the Vice Minister’s concern, Jo Mal-saeng replied with a nonchalant expression.

“If they are scholar-officials and gentlemen, they should naturally follow. Unless they want to be criticized as ‘hypocrites who speak one thing and do another.'”

“Isn’t it also a problem that almost none of those who make such a fuss are proper people?”

“Don’t we know from experience? They’ll do it if you push them. If they really don’t, we can charge them with arbitrarily reporting false information to the king and throw them into the Record Office [a government archive]. I heard they’re complaining about a shortage of people in the Record Office these days. Perfect.”

Jo Mal-saeng, who was telling the Vice Minister the solution, suddenly stopped talking and stroked his beard. After pondering this and that for a while, Jo Mal-saeng smiled evilly.

“Hmm… Wait, this is good? If we filter them well, we can use the decent ones in the Ministry of Military Affairs, and send the mediocre ones to the north. I heard that Chief Commander Choi and Commander Hwang are complaining about a lack of people… And, we can just throw the ones who are completely below standard into the Record Office… Good, good. Isn’t it?”

At Jo Mal-saeng’s question, the Vice Minister of the Military Affairs nodded. The face that had been full of initial worry was gone, and only an evil face remained.

* * *

As the Gyeongjang [a period of intensive learning and reform] was in progress, the ministers and officials of the court had a ‘common enemy.’

The ‘common enemy’ they were thinking of was the local scholar-officials. Every time memorials from the local scholar-officials came up, the court officials would pour out a barrage of curses.

“Argh, damn it! I’m already busy enough to die!”

“If they’re so great, they should step up and do the work themselves!”

The orders and tasks given by Sejong were difficult but rewarding. It was clear to them that Joseon was gradually moving towards the path of wealth and power.

However, the local scholar-officials were ‘unworthy bastards who deserved to be cursed for three days and nights.’

“Those who give advice without knowing properly!”

This was the common assessment of the officials working in the central government.

Ironically, the ones who showed the most hostile reaction to the memorials of the local scholar-officials were the censors of the Office of the Inspector General and the Office of Censors. This was because the items that were invariably included in the memorials were criticisms of the Office of the Inspector General and the Office of Censors.

-It is the fault of the Office of the Inspector General and the Office of Censors that they did not stop His Majesty from making a misjudgment! Therefore, they must be severely punished!

Every time he saw such sentences, Sejong smiled and handed the memorials to the Chief Censor and the Chief of the Office of Censors.

“What do you think?”

“We must severely punish this insolent person!”

“That’s right!”

The Chief of the Office of Censors and the Chief Censor were in a state of fury as if they would beat the person who submitted the memorial to death if they were in front of them.

The other ministers were the same. It was only natural that once they had power, they would not want to share it with others.

However, as the ministers suffered from overwork as the Gyeongjang progressed, they all cursed in unison every time such memorials came up.

“Then let them try it themselves!”

“Do they know the field?”

“Who is he living where! Find out the address! Shake him up!”

* * *

In the end, the proposal created by the officials belonging to the Ministry of Military Affairs and the military was submitted to Jo Mal-saeng.

“Not bad! I will submit it as it is!”

Jo Mal-saeng, who had taken the proposal, immediately ran to Sejong and submitted the proposal.

Sejong, who carefully read the proposal submitted by Jo Mal-saeng, ordered the Chief Royal Secretary.

“Summon all the councilors and ministers of each ministry.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Before long, the councilors and ministers all gathered in Geunjeongjeon Hall [the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace]. After confirming that everyone was gathered, Sejong handed the proposal of the Ministry of Military Affairs to the Chief Eunuch.

“Let’s all read it and talk about it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The councilors and ministers who received the proposal from the Chief Eunuch took turns reading the contents of the proposal carefully.

“Huh…”

Lee Jik, who had finished reading the proposal, was dumbfounded and let out a rough breath.

“In my life…”

Lee Jik trailed off, but the expression on his face as he looked at Jo Mal-saeng was telling the next story.

The faces of the ministers who read the proposal were also the same as Lee Jik’s.

“What do you all think?”

At Sejong’s question, the councilors and ministers looked at Sejong. After looking at Sejong for a while, Maeng Sa-seong opened his mouth.

“It is truly an evil plan that a gentleman should not think of carelessly. However, I think it is the best plan to make those who do not know reality recognize reality.”

“Even though it’s evil?”

“Isn’t reality worse?”

At Maeng Sa-seong’s answer, Sejong smiled.

“The Chief Councilor is right. The plan submitted by the Ministry of Military Affairs is truly evil. However, reality is even harsher, so let’s take this opportunity to inform the frogs in the well about the world.”

In this way, the ‘Human Resources Supply Plan’ submitted by the Ministry of Military Affairs was passed unanimously.

The historian who recorded all these scenes added the following.

-…As a result of all the ministers agreeing, the Sang (King) allowed the execution of the Gye (Plan) of the Ministry of Military Affairs.

The historian says.

Looking at the current court, the gentlemen who discuss morality have all disappeared.

Even if you look at the Gye [Plan] submitted by the Ministry of Military Affairs, you cannot find morality even if you wash your eyes and look for it. It is full of only deception.

However, this historian also likes the Gye of the Ministry of Military Affairs, so it is truly bitter.

I can’t die alone.