Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 360

360. What Increases When Shared: Work and Desire (2)

The Sadaebu [Scholar-officials], thoroughly scolded by Hyang, had no choice but to retreat with gloomy faces, carrying their straw mats and axes. Hyang turned away, watching them.

“Tsk! And they call themselves…”

The Sadaebu gnashed their teeth at Hyang’s blatant rebuke.

The commoners around them sneered at the sight of the Sadaebu.

“I bet they strutted around their hometowns, acting like nobles.”

“Did they just act tough? I bet they got all worked up whenever they saw a female servant!”

“Pwahahaha!”

“You villains!”

One of the Sadaebu, holding an axe, roared and approached the commoners who were jeering.

“Hiek!”

Some of the commoners screamed and backed away at the sight of the Sadaebu’s fierce face, as if he were about to swing the axe at any moment.

However, others rolled up their sleeves and stepped forward.

“Why? Did the Crown Prince say something wrong? Or are you upset that your dirty laundry is being aired? Go ahead and swing! But be prepared to have something broken or die.”

“You lowly things!”

As the scholar’s face turned red and he raised the axe high, the men who had been arguing with him clenched their fists and lowered their stances.

In that tense moment, a young Sadaebu who had been watching nearby stepped in.

“Stop! What a disgraceful scene! How can a Sadaebu resort to violence! Aren’t you ashamed!”

“Get out of the way! Are you telling me to tolerate these lowly things insulting the Sadaebu!”

“If there is a fault, you should persuade them with reason! Why are you trying to use violence!”

“These guys who insult the Sadaebu only understand a beating!”

As the Sadaebu with the axe shouted, Hyang’s voice was heard from behind.

“Then, I also insulted you. Will you beat me too?”

“Heok!”

At those words, the Sadaebu’s face, which had been filled with murderous intent, turned pale.

‘I forgot! Or did he not enter the palace after all?’

The Sadaebu, with a pale face, reluctantly turned around, trembling.

There stood Hyang, arms crossed, glaring at him. And with him were the Sadaebu who had submitted the joint appeal, kneeling on the ground, watching his every move.

In the end, the scholar in question threw the axe aside and knelt on the ground, begging for forgiveness.

“I have committed a crime worthy of death! Please, spare my life!”

“Why? Don’t you want to come at me with the axe?”

“I couldn’t control my anger and showed my true colors! Please forgive me!”

However, Hyang’s rebuke did not stop.

“The more one learns and cultivates oneself, the more prudent one becomes. But to lose your temper at a few sarcastic remarks and resort to violence, how can you be called a gentleman!”

“I am sorry! Please forgive me!”

Seeing the scholar’s state, Hyang turned to the Royal Guard Captain and ordered.

“Take him to the Uigeumbu [interrogation office] and report (發告) him. The charge is attempting to harm people by wielding a weapon recklessly in a public place (衆人環視). And I was one of the targets.”

“Your Highness! Absolutely not! Your Highness! Please spare me!”

The scholar, terrified by Hyang’s words, desperately raised his voice, but Hyang simply replied.

“The iron horse has already left [it’s too late to turn back]. Take him away.”

“Yes!”

“Your Highness! Your Highness!”

The scholar called out to Hyang as he was dragged away by the Royal Guards, but Hyang cleanly ignored him.

“Do you want to see the Uigeumbu too?”

“Ah, no!”

The Sadaebu who had been kneeling on the ground quickly gathered their straw mats and axes and disappeared.

Hyang, watching the Sadaebu disappear as if fleeing, moved his steps towards the other main players in the incident.

As Hyang approached, the gathered commoners quickly prostrated themselves on the ground.

“You may rise.”

“Aigo, how can we, lowly ones….”

Hyang chuckled at the sight of the commoners lying flat on the ground and continued.

“You were quite outspoken earlier, weren’t you?”

“Are the noblemen we don’t know the same as Your Highness?”

Hyang burst into laughter at the honest answer.

“Hahaha! That’s the right answer! It’s alright! I permit you to rise!”

At Hyang’s permission, the commoners clumsily got up from the ground.

Looking at the faces of the commoners standing in their places, Hyang addressed the men who had been arguing with the scholar.

“Are your bodies made of iron? Why would you provoke someone holding an axe?”

The men smiled awkwardly at Hyang’s words and replied.

“It was clear that he had never swung an axe before, so why be afraid?”

“The arm holding the axe was trembling; he wouldn’t have been able to swing it properly!”

Hyang chuckled at the commoners’ answers but did not forget to remind them.

“Still, life is precious, so call the authorities in such situations.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Then go back to what you were doing.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Having finished talking with the commoners, Hyang looked at the scholar who had stepped in to mediate.

Was he about Hyang’s age? The scholar, who appeared to be in his late teens, was tall and had a sturdy build. (Note 1) However, he must not have been from a well-off family, as the durumagi [traditional Korean overcoat] he was wearing was patched up in many places.

Hyang stared at him intently and asked a question.

“Weren’t you scared?”

“I was scared, but how could I simply overlook a Sadaebu intimidating people with violence? As someone who studies the teachings of the sages, I could not simply let it pass.”

“A commendable spirit. So, what is your name?”

“My name is Han Myeong-hoe.”

The moment he heard the name, Hyang’s body froze.

‘Here!’

He had encountered a person filled with various evaluations such as ‘Joseon’s greatest traitor’ and ‘the stormy petrel of the era’.

‘This is an opportunity! I’ll cut off any connection with Jinpyeong!’

Hyang made a decision in an instant but proceeded with additional verification.

“What is your father’s given name?”

“My late father (先親) used the character Gi (祺) and served as a Censor in the Office of the Inspector General.”

“Is that so? How old are you?”

“I will be seventeen in October.”

‘Let’s see…. According to the records I vaguely remember, Han Myeong-hoe lost his parents early (早失父母)? Judging from the fact that he mentioned his late father, it seems roughly correct. Anyway….’

Analyzing the person and the situation, Hyang smiled slightly and looked at Han Myeong-hoe.

“It was truly a good opportunity, wasn’t it?”

Han Myeong-hoe, who was momentarily bewildered by Hyang’s words, immediately lowered his head as soon as he understood the meaning.

Han Myeong-hoe, who lowered his head, felt cold sweat running down his back.

‘As expected, the Crown Prince, the rumors were true!’

Han Myeong-hoe’s sudden action was calculated.

* * *

Han Myeong-hoe, born as the grandson of Han Sang-jil, who served as Daedaehak [Great Scholar] in the Office of Royal Decrees and was a meritorious subject in the founding of the nation, saw his family decline after the death of his parents, Han Gi and Lady Yi of Yeoju.

Like the saying, ‘When a minister’s dog dies, mourners flock, but when a minister dies, no one is there,’ the family fortunes declined sharply with the untimely death of his father, Han Gi. Of course, they were not desperately poor, but they had been pushed to the periphery of power since the reign of Taejong, and Han Gi’s untimely death inevitably led to the decline of the family.

Fortunately, with the help of his paternal granduncles, Han Myeong-hoe was able to learn Chinese classics and study under Ryu Tae-jae in Gangwon Province.

While under Ryu Tae-jae, Han Myeong-hoe formed friendships with Kwon Ram and Seo Geo-jeong and recently returned to Hanyang.

“I must revive the fallen family!”

He was determined and prepared for the civil service examination, but the situation was not easy.

Hoping against hope, he wrote appeals whenever issues arose, but he had to face repeated setbacks because the answers he provided were not what Joseon and the court, which had changed a lot due to the Gyeongjang [Land Reform], wanted.

Still, Han Myeong-hoe did not give up. He worked tirelessly to find out what the current court wanted and pondered how to apply it to what he had learned.

In the process, the ‘Partial Revision of the Civil Service Examination System’ was announced, and all hell broke loose.

“To support (贊) or to oppose (反)….”

Han Myeong-hoe, who was thinking not about his own standards but about how to stand out, immediately got up when he heard about the joint appeal.

“This is an opportunity!”

The people making the joint appeal now were clearly fools who did not know the flow of the times.

If they were such fools, they would surely cause an incident. And if he used that incident well, he would be able to gain an opportunity to reveal himself.

Convinced of the opportunity, Han Myeong-hoe ran to Gyeongbokgung Palace and observed the situation. While he was waiting, Hyang arrived and rebuked the Sadaebu who were making the joint appeal.

‘Will something happen? Or will it end like this? It can’t end like this….’

Did his earnest wish come true? One of the Sadaebu, enraged by the commoners who were mocking them, took an axe and intimidated the commoners.

‘This is an opportunity! If I miss this, it will be a lifelong regret!’

Although he was afraid of the axe, Han Myeong-hoe jumped in front of the commoners and created a confrontation.

He thought he had caught the Crown Prince’s eye, but the Crown Prince already knew Han Myeong-hoe’s intentions.

Han Myeong-hoe, who lowered his head, remembered the words his father had said when he was young.

‘His Majesty is great, but the Crown Prince is even greater. If you go into public office, you must think twice and act.’

* * *

As Han Myeong-hoe was despairing that his carefully planned opportunity had failed, he heard Hyang’s voice.

“Yes. Sometimes silence is also a good answer. And…. the ability to seize an opportunity (勿失好機) is also a good ability. I want you to be here tomorrow morning until Gwanghwamun Gate opens. Ah! You must also prepare and bring your household register (戶口單子).”

At Hyang’s words, Han Myeong-hoe involuntarily raised his head and looked at Hyang. Hyang, still smiling, continued.

“Whether your ability is only to seize opportunities or whether you are a truly capable person will be proven in practice. Do you understand what this means?”

At Hyang’s question, Han Myeong-hoe immediately prostrated himself on the ground and replied.

“I will do my best!”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Han Myeong-hoe, who was lying on the ground, did not get up until Hyang disappeared inside Gwanghwamun Gate.

After Hyang’s figure disappeared and Gwanghwamun Gate closed, Han Myeong-hoe got up from his seat. The commoners who were watching the scene around him applauded and congratulated him.

“Congratulations! Sir!”

“Congratulations!”

“Thank you, thank you.”

Han Myeong-hoe, bowing his head in response to the congratulations, quickly left the place.

Turning into an alley and out of people’s sight, Han Myeong-hoe clenched his fist.

“It’s done! It’s the beginning!”

* * *

Meanwhile, Hyang, who entered Geunjeongjeon Hall to report his return to the palace, paused at the unexpected situation.

“Huh?”

Starting with Sejong, all the ministers were looking at Hyang with sparkling eyes.

“I report my return, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, you have worked hard.” Sejong replied lightly and immediately got to the point.

“I heard you caused another incident on the way back to the palace?”

“Yes, there were those who did not properly understand the will of Your Majesty and the court and insisted that only their narrow views were correct, so I said a word to them.”

“You did well. But that wasn’t the end of it, was it?”

‘Anyway, the news network of Gyeongbokgung Palace is as fast as 5G….’

Forcing a bitter smile, Hyang immediately continued.

“Yes, among them, one foolish person used violence to intimidate the people, so I sent him to the Uigeumbu. And I met a pretty good person among them.”

“Is that so? What kind of person is he?”

“He was called Han Myeong-hoe, the son of Han Gi, who served as a Censor in the Office of the Inspector General.”

At Hyang’s introduction, the ministers soon recalled their memories.

“Ah!”

The ministers, recalling the information about Han Gi, immediately reported to Sejong.

Sejong, listening to the ministers’ words, stroked his beard and nodded.

“I have heard of him too. I thought he was a capable person, but it was a pity that he died young. So, what did you think of Han Gi’s son?”

“I cannot know his detailed character, but his ability to improvise seemed to be the best. He seemed to be a person who could avoid the worst, if not the best, no matter what unexpected situation occurred.”

“Is that so?”

The more Hyang spoke, the more Sejong and the ministers’ eyes sparkled.

* * *

Note 1) https://www.mk.co.kr/news/culture/view/2015/10/959590/