Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 31

31. The Coup of the Year (9)

Ten days later, the Chief Royal Secretary reported to Sejong.

“Your Majesty, the head of the Song merchants, Jang, has presented thirty pairs of oxen.”

“Thirty pairs of oxen? Why?”

The Chief Royal Secretary explained the reason for Sejong’s question.

“He said he presented them in the hopes of being of some help with the cowpox vaccination being implemented by the nation.”

Sejong’s face brightened at the Chief Royal Secretary’s report.

“Is that so? I should meet him in person.”

“Your Majesty! Meeting with a lowly merchant in person would be beneath Your Majesty’s dignity!”

The Chief Censor stepped forward to dissuade him, but Sejong snorted and rose from his seat.

“Hmph! That lowly merchant has presented thirty pairs of oxen, something even the ministers haven’t done! Ask yourselves who has damaged my dignity!”

The Chief Censor was silenced by Sejong’s rebuke, and Sejong left Geunjeongjeon Hall [the main hall of Gyeongbok Palace] with the guidance of the Sangseon [a high-ranking eunuch] and Seungji [royal secretaries].

In the large courtyard in front of Geunjeongjeon Hall, the merchants stood in rows.

“His Majesty the King is here!”

At the Sangseon’s cry, the gathered merchants prostrated themselves on the ground and bowed deeply.

“Rise.”

At Sejong’s command, seated on a chair brought by the eunuchs, the merchants stood up respectfully with their hands clasped.

“So, you presented oxen?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Upon hearing rumors that His Majesty needed oxen for cowpox vaccinations, I decided to present them.”

“Thirty pairs of oxen is no small amount of wealth. What made you think of doing such a thing?”

“Wealth is useless without people, and commerce cannot thrive if the people are not at peace.”

Sejong clapped his knees at the head merchant’s answer.

“A wise answer to a foolish question!”

Impressed by the head merchant’s answer, Sejong glanced at the ministers who had followed him out and muttered as if for them to hear.

“Commerce cannot thrive if the people are not at peace. Isn’t he much better than those who sit in comfort and only talk?”

“…”

The ministers had no choice but to remain silent at Sejong’s indirect criticism.

Having landed a blow on the ministers, Sejong posed a question to the merchants standing in the courtyard.

“So, you presented the oxen to be used for cowpox vaccinations?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Thirty pairs, matched as male and female, and all fully grown. And lastly, they have never had cowpox.”

“Hahaha! How meticulous! Indeed! Thirty pairs that have never had cowpox will be a great help! You have given such great help for the sake of the nation, is there anything you desire? Do you want a government position? Or do you want something else?”

At Sejong’s question, the head merchant bowed his head and answered.

“How could a lowly merchant dare to desire a government position? Moreover, I have only done what I could as a citizen of Joseon [Korea during the Joseon Dynasty], so how could I desire a reward? If I have any wish, it is that my family all live in Gaeseong [a city in North Korea]. Therefore, when you expand the cowpox vaccinations, I would be grateful if you would start with Gaeseong.”

The head merchant paused, gauged the reactions of Sejong and the ministers, and immediately added.

“It is merely a small wish of a lowly merchant who only knows how to trade.”

“There is much debate regarding the efficacy of cowpox vaccinations. But you are certain that cowpox will definitely work?”

“As a father with children, who does not wish for their children’s well-being? Moreover, it is something decided by Your Majesty, so is there any need to doubt it?”

Sejong burst into laughter at the head merchant’s answer.

“Hahaha! Very well! I shall issue an order to start with Gaeseong!”

At Sejong’s confirmation, the merchants immediately prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted loudly.

“Your benevolence is boundless!”

“Your benevolence is boundless!”

While the merchants were shouting their thanks, Hyang, having heard the news, entered the courtyard.

“Seja [Crown Prince], you’ve come?”

“Yes.”

Sejong raised his hand and pointed to the merchants.

“Aren’t they truly admirable people?”

“Yes, Father. I want to thank them. May I?”

“I permit it.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Having received permission from Sejong, Hyang descended the steps and walked towards the merchants. As Hyang approached, the merchants all bowed.

“We greet the Crown Prince!”

“It is a pleasure to meet you.”

It was amusing to see a young child acting like an adult and speaking with such formality, but the tense merchants were in no state to notice.

Hyang walked right up to the merchants and took the head merchant’s hand.

“I am truly grateful.”

“Oh, my! To hold the hand of such a lowly merchant! What an honor!”

“What is wrong with the hands of those who do their best in their profession? Rather, they are truly precious hands.”

The head merchant was genuinely moved by Hyang’s words and bowed deeply.

“An honor! It is an honor!”

“Neither Father nor I will criticize you for working hard. We will not despise you for being merchants. However, I have one request: please walk the righteous path. As long as you do not seek to make a fortune overnight and cause suffering to other people, you will not be oppressed for being merchants.”

The head merchant answered in a loud voice to Hyang’s request.

“I will engrave it in my heart and act accordingly!”

The head of the Song merchants, having met the King and the Crown Prince and left the palace, looked back at the palace with a satisfied expression.

“A wise ruler has appeared. A wise ruler. Two of them.”

“Indeed.”

“I have heard much about His Majesty’s extraordinary nature, but the Crown Prince was also extraordinary. Although it was a brief meeting, he was definitely not an ordinary person. I had only heard rumors and the words of those who participated in the Gold Writing Competition [a competition where participants write with gold ink], so I thought he was just an eccentric…”

The merchants who had accompanied him all added a word each to the head merchant’s words. The head merchant nodded at the merchants’ words and turned around.

“Let’s have a little hope. If the owner of the palace has such a character, we may be able to roam the four seas like our ancestors of old.”

“Yes, Head Merchant.”

The head merchant, who had been walking with a satisfied expression, suddenly became fierce.

“Come to think of it… the Crown Prince is like that, so why is my grandson like that! Argh! It makes my stomach churn!”

As the head merchant grumbled, thinking of his troublemaking grandson, someone muttered softly from behind.

“It’s because the seed is different…”

“Shhh!”

* * *

The rumor that ‘a Song merchant released wealth and presented oxen to the King’ spread quickly.

“As expected of a Song merchant.”

“As expected of a merchant.”

“They may be merchants, but look at the result. They say they’re starting the cowpox vaccination from Gaeseong.”

The local gentry and the influential figures of the surrounding villages became the topic of conversation among the people who were sharing the rumors.

“It’s not just the Song merchants. Have you heard the rumors about Scholar Kang of Gamgol, beyond the back mountain?”

“What about Scholar Kang of Gamgol?”

“They say he found five pairs of oxen that have never had cowpox and set out to present them.”

“Really?”

“It’s not just Scholar Kang. They say that Magistrate Choi of Narutgol is also busy running around looking for oxen.”

A farmer who heard the story cursed.

“Damn it! What is our town’s magistrate doing that it’s so quiet here?”

“He’s probably too busy patting the backside of the concubine he brought in the fall before last.”

“That’s right… He doesn’t move a muscle when his wealth is being depleted, but he’s only busy when he’s filling his own belly.”

“He’s the kind of man who only releases wealth when buying silk to cover the concubine’s backside… We’re just born with such unfortunate fates.”

As the rumors spread, the relationship between the local gentry and the people gradually widened. Of course, the gentry who took the lead in releasing wealth to find oxen and wrote petitions advocating for the nationwide implementation of cowpox vaccination received the absolute support of the people of their villages. However, such gentry accounted for less than 30% of the total nationwide.

Sejong, having received reports from the governors, including the petitions, glared at the ministers.

“What did you say before? It is not right for the nation to interfere in the small affairs of the countryside? ‘Harsh government is fiercer than a tiger’ [a Korean proverb about the dangers of oppressive rule]?”

The anti-Crown Prince faction ministers, including the Chief State Councilor, had to bow their heads at Sejong’s rebuke.

“We are deeply sorry!”

“We are deeply sorry!”

The ministers bowed their heads and begged for forgiveness, but Sejong waved his hand without hiding his anger.

“Enough. Prepare for the nationwide implementation of cowpox vaccination.”

“We are deeply sorry, but the finances are not good enough for nationwide implementation.”

“Wasn’t it decided to receive the price of the oxen from the local wealthy families for the financial problem?”

“The efficacy of cowpox is not yet certain, so if we receive the price of the oxen, there will be a backlash from the scholar-officials…”

“Shut your damn mouth right now!”

Sejong exploded at the Chief State Councilor’s continued opposition. The words that came out, not in formal language but in vulgar language, froze the entire main hall.

Sejong roughly rummaged through the petitions and reports placed on the desk. Sejong, holding the report he had taken out in his hand, threw the report at the Chief State Councilor.

“Duplicity. Duplicity, I’ve only heard of it, but that duplicity was right in front of my eyes! Do you know what that report is? It is about the cowpox vaccination implemented in Hanseong [old name of Seoul] this time! Not a single one of you ministers has not had the cowpox vaccination. Not a single one! If you have a mouth, try to make an excuse! You yourselves took the lead in vaccinating your families, but you say that the nationwide implementation should not be done because the efficacy is unknown? You hypocritical pseudo-gentlemen! Ugh! I don’t even want to see your faces! I will directly exercise my authority on this matter, so don’t you dare open your mouths! Financial problems? If there is not enough wealth, we will confiscate the stipends and assets of you State Councilors and the Office of the Inspector General to expand it! It will be over for you with a few gifts! Get out of here right now!”

At Sejong’s shout, filled with anger, all the ministers, starting with the Chief State Councilor, slammed their heads on the floor and shouted.

“Please kill us!”

“Your Majesty! Please kill us!”

“Get out right now!”

“Your Majesty!”

“Ugh! I’d rather get out!”

Unable to contain his anger, Sejong kicked his seat and left.

“Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty!”

The ministers called out desperately in unison, but Sejong left the main hall without looking back.

The ministers who remained in the main hall all turned their arrows of criticism to the Chief State Councilor.

“Being the Chief State Councilor!”

“Why can’t you even distinguish between what to say and what not to say? Have you gone senile?”

“…”

The Chief State Councilor was silent, with his eyes closed, under the concentrated fire of the ministers. However, only his face, which had turned red, and his trembling beard were representing his emotions. Leaving such a Chief State Councilor behind, the ministers sought a solution.

“What is the best thing to do now?”

The Minister of Personnel, who was pro-Crown Prince, asked the Minister of Finance, who grumbled and answered.

“What else can we do! Is there any answer other than waiting for punishment on a straw mat [a traditional form of punishment where officials wait outside the palace for the king’s judgment]? After waiting for punishment on a straw mat, we must create a plan for nationwide implementation.”

“That would be the best.”

The Minister of Finance glared at the Chief State Councilor and said as if for him to hear.

“My knees are already aching, and now waiting for punishment on a straw mat! Even in the dead of winter! I don’t know if you have any sense or not! Ugh! Let’s go!”

“Let’s do that.”

With the Minister of Finance in the lead, the pro-Crown Prince ministers rushed out of the main hall. The ministers of the anti-Crown Prince faction, who had only been watching, soon followed them out of the main hall, and soon only the Chief State Councilor, the historians, and the scribes remained in the main hall.

The Chief State Councilor, who had been left alone with his eyes closed, sighed deeply.

“Hoo~. I have lived too long. I have lived too long.”

* * *

The commotion that took place in the main hall immediately reached Hyang’s ears.

“So, where did Father go?”

“His Majesty went to find the Queen.”

“I understand. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Hyang, having sent the eunuch out, sighed softly.

“Hoo~. Have the ministers in the main hall’s learning abilities deteriorated? If they have experienced so many things, they should know how to avoid it by now… Or are they still fighting for dominance?”

The pro-Crown Prince ministers were asking the same question as Hyang.

“Minister! Minister!”

The Minister of Finance, who was preparing a straw mat for waiting for punishment, turned his head at the Minister of Personnel’s urgent cry.

“What’s wrong, Minister?”

The Minister of Personnel took a breath and opened his mouth.

“The Chief State Councilor is writing a petition saying that it is not right for the King to exercise his authority!”

“What!”

At the Minister of Personnel’s words, the Minister of Finance was greatly surprised and jumped up from his seat.

“Has this old man really gone senile!”

End

ⓒ Gukbbong