Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 329

329. Those Who Wait, Those Who Move (6)

“Only numbers can answer!”

The officials heading towards Geunjeongjeon [the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace] frowned at the loud cry coming from the research institute.

“T-that…”

“How can they be so arrogant…”

“Tsk! It’s just a trivial field of study…”

“They don’t read the scriptures of the sages and cultivate virtue, so they make such noises…”

“Ahem! Ahem!”

The officials, who had been criticizing the researchers, stopped talking at the sound of a cough from behind and stealthily turned their heads.

“Hiccup!”

“Lord…”

Jeong Cho was glaring at them with a fierce expression.

‘I’m doomed!’

The faces of the officials, who had been gleefully gossiping, turned pale.

* * *

To someone who didn’t know him, Jeong Cho might have seemed like a washed-up old man, pushed out of power as the vice director of the ‘Joseon Institute of Science and Technology Development,’ a politically marginalized institution.

However, those who knew even a little about the power dynamics within Gyeongbokgung Palace would never have looked down on Jeong Cho.

Although he was only the vice director, his rank was Jeongheon Daebu [a high-ranking official title] of the second rank. That was a significant position in itself, but the fact that his superior, the director of the research institute, was the Crown Prince was even more important.

Sejong and his eldest son, the Crown Prince, who had seized absolute power after purging the veteran ministers just before the reforms began.

Assisting such a Crown Prince was not something a washed-up old man could do.

That was why the officials who had been caught gossiping by Jeong Cho had turned pale.

* * *

Jeong Cho, glaring at the pale and flustered officials, began to growl at them.

“What, a trivial field of study? What are you, who can’t even do your jobs properly without the help of those who have mastered that trivial field of study?”

“We are sorry.”

“We have behaved disgracefully…”

“You petty men. Your disgraceful behavior is something that even children just learning etiquette in the Samin Party [a political faction] wouldn’t do. Know your own shame! Tsk! How on earth are those ministers managing their subordinates! I’ll have to say something! Tsk!”

The officials, watching Jeong Cho’s retreating figure as he headed towards the research institute in Donggungjeon [the Crown Prince’s residence], grumbled with tearful faces, expressing their uncomfortable feelings.

“We’re really doomed…”

* * *

As March began and the weather started to warm up, a dispatch arrived from Jeolla Navy Headquarters.

“An envoy from the Ouchi clan?”

“That is correct.”

The Royal Secretary, answering Sejong’s question immediately, presented the report to Sejong.

“Hmm…”

Sejong, making a humming sound, read the report and looked at the ministers.

“Have the Minister of National Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs also read it?”

“Yes, we have confirmed the copies.”

“If the contents of the report are accurate, then the envoy had no choice but to come to Jeolla Navy Headquarters instead of the Waegwan [Japanese trading post] trading post.”

Sejong nodded at the words of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

* * *

As Joseon began trading with foreign countries, Jeolla Navy Headquarters, especially Mokpo Navy Headquarters, was transforming into an unofficial international trading port. To prevent epidemics, Mansur’s merchant fleet had to stop at Mokpo Navy Headquarters first, and the Challenger-class battleships traveling to and from Tianzhu [ancient name for India] were entirely under the jurisdiction of Jeolla Navy Headquarters.

The same was true for ships traveling to and from Waeguk (Japan). Ships carrying raw ore mined from the silver mines operated in conjunction with Ouchi entered Mokpo Navy Headquarters.

It wasn’t just ore that was secretly brought in from Waeguk.

Thanks to the successful establishment of the reinstated Lord Won (Minamoto clan), the former governor of Kyuju, large quantities of cotton grown on consignment were also scheduled to arrive from the latter half of this year, Imja year (Sejong 14, 1432).

To conceal the collusion with Ouchi, Joseon actively operated the sea route connecting Waegwan-Dongnae-Tsushima-Honshu.

The biggest reason for being able to actively operate this route was the trading posts established in Nagato and Naniwa (present-day Osaka).

Merchants from small territories in the archipelago, either inland or without large ships to navigate the sea, sought out the Joseon trading posts in Nagato and Naniwa.

The scale of transactions made through these merchants was considerable, so the number of ships mobilized for regular voyages between Dongnae and Nagato and Naniwa gradually increased.

As the volume of goods between Joseon and Waeguk gradually increased, significant changes began to occur between the two countries.

* * *

For Joseon, the biggest change was that it could easily conceal a significant portion of its trade with Ouchi, in addition to the economic benefits.

As the number of fleets traveling between Joseon and Waeguk increased, and the size of the Joseon navy stationed in Tsushima to protect them grew, the foothold of the Wokou [Japanese pirates] pirates disappeared. Thanks to this, they avoided the unwanted exposure of the collaboration between Ouchi and Joseon.

In Waeguk, internal situations that had been gradually changing were increasingly coming to the surface.

The biggest change was that Joseon’s products had penetrated deep into Honshu and Kyushu. And these Joseon goods were becoming the spark that would change Waeguk.

The problem was that this change was not in a good direction for Waeguk.

* * *

Merchants from all kinds of territories, large and small, flocked to the Joseon trading posts to purchase Joseon goods and sell them in their own territories.

The goods they took with them included many luxury items for lords and high-ranking samurai, but also many items used by ordinary people.

For example, while lords and high-ranking samurai would buy high-quality white porcelain and celadon bowls and tea sets, ordinary people would buy earthenware pots.

Joseon merchants, both government-approved and ordinary, adopted the same sales method.

-Expensive goods in Joseon are sold at high prices, and cheap goods are sold with a thin profit margin.

That was why ordinary people in Waeguk were able to purchase items such as earthenware pots.

In addition, there were products that ordinary people in Waeguk had to buy, and those were steel farming tools and kitchen knives made in Joseon.

While the Wado swords, meticulously crafted by skilled artisans, had been recognized as masterpieces since ancient times even in China, the quality of iron farming tools and kitchen knives used by ordinary people was poor.

Therefore, if ordinary people in Waeguk had even a little extra money, they would unconditionally seek out Joseon-made farming tools and household goods.

As the social atmosphere in Waeguk changed in this way, only about two years after the establishment of the trading posts in Nagato and Naniwa, the number of blacksmiths and potters who were closing their businesses began to increase. Except for a very few renowned masters, they could not compete with Joseon.

Hyang, after receiving and reading the related report, muttered with a cynical expression.

“Is this a reversal of the situation with Japanese screwdrivers and American screws?”

* * *

In the 21st century, Korea had caught up with or surpassed developed countries, especially the United States and Japan, in many areas. However, it was still lagging behind in some areas.

The things that could be felt most acutely were general tools and consumable parts, symbolized by ‘Japanese screwdrivers and American screws.’

Many technicians, seeing Japanese screwdrivers that were reasonably priced and of excellent quality, and American screws that didn’t strip even after being screwed in and out several times, muttered the same thing.

“That’s why the damn Korean stuff is no good…”

Korean tools that were more expensive than Japanese ones if they had similar quality, and screws that stripped immediately if you put even a little force on them if they were cheaper than Japanese ones, symbolized Korea’s technological prowess until the late 20th century.

Of course, Korean companies that made such tools and parts also knew about this and invested a lot of money and effort to improve quality. However, by the time the results came out, Chinese products had taken over the market.

* * *

One of the changes that Joseon goods brought about in Waeguk society was that a military buildup competition began without anyone knowing, and that competition gradually began to accelerate.

The road back to their territories after going to the Joseon trading posts was always fraught with danger. It was only a matter of time before the Wokou pirates, who had been pushed ashore as the Joseon navy seized control of the sea, turned into bandits.

And although the Muromachi shogunate had been established for quite some time, bandits created by those who had been defeated and pushed out of the conflicts of the Northern and Southern Dynasties still existed.

As the number of bandits increased, military force was needed to protect the merchants doing business. Therefore, the lords mobilized soldiers to protect the merchants.

The problem was when these armed merchants passed through other territories. Needless to say, it was the same for hostile territories, and even friendly territories could not let their guard down whenever soldiers entered.

Thanks to this, the lords all increased their military power and at the same time laundered the identities of the guards belonging to the merchants. The reason for laundering their identities was, first, not to provoke other territories, and second, to conceal their own military buildup.

However, no matter how hard they tried to hide it, it was only natural that all those movements would come to light at some point. And the moment that happened, the surrounding lords openly began a military buildup competition.

This military buildup competition, which was taking place without anyone knowing, stimulated the vigilance of the shogun of the shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshinori.

Yoshinori, who had a harsh side that created the word ‘fear of ten thousand people,’ reacted nervously. He strengthened the military power directly under the shogunate and punished or confiscated territories if even the slightest sign of abnormality was seen.

All of these movements were immediately transmitted to Hanseong [the capital of Joseon] through the government-approved merchants in the trading posts.

Hyang muttered with a strange expression after reading the report.

“Is this going to start the Warring States period [a period of social upheaval, political intrigue and near-constant military conflict in Japanese history] a little earlier?”

* * *

Similar stories were being told between Sejong and his ministers.

“Isn’t there a chance that another rebellion will break out among the Waeguk people because of this?”

Jo Malsaeng answered Sejong’s question immediately.

“There is a high probability of that happening.”

Lee Maenggyun added, following Jo Malsaeng’s words.

“A rebellion may not break out immediately, but it will definitely break out.”

“It will definitely break out?”

“Yes, considering the nature of the Waeguk people, it will definitely break out.”

“Hmm…”

Sejong stroked his beard and pondered at Lee Maenggyun’s answer.

After thinking for a moment, Sejong turned to look at Jo Malsaeng.

“Minister of National Defense, if a rebellion breaks out among the Waeguk people, the Wokou pirates will definitely appear and cause trouble. What are the defenses against this?”

“Yes. We are strengthening the navy’s power and strengthening the communication network in the three southern provinces.”

“The country is at peace only when the military is properly prepared. I will trust you.”

At Sejong’s request, Jo Malsaeng bowed his head and answered loudly.

“I will engrave it in my heart and do my best!”

Sejong, having finished talking with Jo Malsaeng, turned to look at Heo Jo.

“If a rebellion breaks out in Waeguk, what should we do with the Waegwan trading post in our Joseon?”

“We must mobilize the military and confiscate all weapons in the Waegwan.”

“That could become a diplomatic problem.”

Lee Maenggyun, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, answered immediately at Sejong’s point.

“If a rebellion breaks out, it means that there is no government in Waeguk for us to deal with.”

“Is that so?”

“That is correct. We must thoroughly control the Waegwan until someone appears to quell the chaos and sort out the situation.”

Sejong, nodding slightly at Lee Maenggyun’s answer, turned to look at Jo Malsaeng.

“Minister of National Defense.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Prepare and submit a plan to control the Waegwan in the event of a rebellion in Waeguk.”

“I will obey your command!”

Sejong, having given the order to Jo Malsaeng, complained to the ministers.

“Haa~. That existence called Waeguk is truly like a double-edged sword. If it is peaceful, it creates problems because it is peaceful, and if it is chaotic, it creates worries because it is chaotic…”

The ministers all nodded at Sejong’s assessment.

* * *

It was in this situation that the envoy sent by Ouchi arrived.