Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 406

406. Short Story (3)

As the people scattered, screaming, the officials of Onsu-hyeon scrambled into action.

“It’s not a monster! Come back!”

The officials shouted, but the people wouldn’t listen.

“If that’s not a monster, what is it, then?!”

“Looks like the legendary Bulgasari!”

“That’s right! It’s definitely a Bulgasari!” [A mythical creature in Korean folklore that consumes metal.]

“Run! Just run!”

Yelling all sorts of nonsense, the people vanished in an instant, leaving the officials of Onsu-hyeon looking bewildered.

“Bul… Haa~”

With the appearance of the ‘Bulgasari,’ a creature that had been part of Korean folklore since the end of the Goryeo Dynasty [918-1392], the officials sighed, placing their hands on their foreheads.

“How far did they run this time?”

The officials, looking around for the scattered populace, sighed again at the sight of them already fleeing towards Namsan Mountain.

“Haa~. Already over there….”

“Did they learn the shrinking-earth technique [a Taoist magic allowing one to travel great distances]? Haa~”

Sighing, the officials mounted their horses and headed to Namsan, where the people had sought refuge.

* * *

The people, persuaded by the officials and cavalry to return from the mountain, cautiously gathered near the tow truck. The officials sighed once more at the sight.

“Haa~.”

“Oh my~. They look ready to bolt at any moment.”

As the people reassembled, Sejong appeared from the passenger car.

“We greet His Majesty the King!”

The officials led the way, prostrating themselves on the ground, and the people hurriedly followed suit.

Sejong, stepping out of the passenger car, smiled slightly and replied.

“I apologize for startling you. I will be staying here for a while, so please don’t be too alarmed by my presence.”

“We would never dare! Your Majesty is the ruler of this country; we will simply follow your orders!”

The magistrate of Onsu-hyeon declared, and the other officials and people bowed their heads.

However, Sejong gently shook his head and responded.

“Magistrate, listen closely. Your loyalty is admirable, but blind obedience is not true loyalty. Never forget that true loyalty means speaking out against unjust orders.”

At Sejong’s gentle rebuke, the magistrate, his face reddened, raised his voice once more.

“I will engrave it in my heart!”

After the commotion, Sejong departed for Onyang Haenggung [a royal villa or detached palace], receiving the cheers of the people.

“I will prepare a palanquin.”

At the Royal Secretary’s words, Sejong lightly waved his hand.

“No need. It’s not far, and the walk will do me good. The weather is pleasant, too.”

“But….”

The Royal Secretary looked troubled, but Sejong smiled and began to walk.

“I’ve been told so often that walking is good for my health; isn’t this a perfect opportunity? Hahaha!”

* * *

Having settled in at the Haenggung, Sejong focused on reassuring the local population.

On the third day of his arrival,

Sejong summoned the people of Onsu-hyeon, held a feast, and distributed a small amount of money.

“My presence may cause some inconvenience, but I ask for your understanding and cooperation during my stay.”

“Oh my! Don’t say that! When would we ever have the chance to sit in a place like this? It’s something to brag about for the rest of our lives!”

At Sejong’s words, the people bowed deeply, almost touching their heads to the ground, assuring him that they were fine.

However, Sejong had a specific reason for calling the people together and comforting them in this way.

* * *

Looking at the historical records before Hyang’s intervention, the kings of Joseon chronically suffered from skin diseases. To treat these ailments, they regularly visited hot springs.

This was also true for Sejong.

He frequently visited hot springs in Baecheon, Pyeongsan, Icheon, Onyang, and other regions to alleviate the persistent skin and eye problems that plagued him.

However, because these locations were quite distant, Sejong ordered an investigation into closer alternatives.

At that time, rumors circulated about a hot spring in Bupyeong, so Sejong instructed the governor to investigate. The response he received, however, was quite unexpected.

-The people destroyed the hot spring.

There was indeed a hot spring in Onsu-gol (now Onsu-dong), which belonged to Bupyeong Dohobu [a major administrative division], but the local residents, upon hearing the rumors, had blocked it off.

This was because the hot spring had become a source of trouble for them.

Whenever the king arrived to enjoy the waters, they were subjected to various forms of forced labor and had to endure the watchful eyes of the royal guards.

They could somehow tolerate this, knowing it would end when the king departed. However, the real problem arose afterward.

As rumors spread about the hot spring’s existence, people with skin diseases and even leprosy flocked to the area. This influx led to public order issues and made life uncomfortable for the residents. Furthermore, the hot spring water, if it flowed into the rice paddies and fields, would ruin the crops.

Therefore, the people had cut off the flow of hot spring water using stones and soil.

Consequently, the governor of Bupyeong was reprimanded by Sejong, and Bupyeong Dohobu was demoted to Bupyeong-hyeon [a smaller administrative division]. (Note 1)

This was why Sejong held a feast for the people of Onsu-hyeon and distributed money, hoping to avoid a similar situation.

* * *

During his stay in Onsu-hyeon, Sejong made an effort to connect with the people.

He visited nearby villages, farmed alongside the residents, and shared alcohol and meat with those weary from their labor.

“Your Majesty! A person from Asan-hyeon has arrived, claiming to want to offer you rice cakes.”

At the Royal Secretary’s announcement, Sejong was overjoyed and ordered.

“Oh ho! They are truly loyal! Let them in!”

Following Sejong’s order, a group of people entered, led by an old woman leaning on a cane, her back bent with age.

Supported by men and women who appeared to be her family, the old woman, staggering and relying on her cane, attempted to bow upon seeing Sejong.

“A humble one is seeing the King….”

As the old woman faltered while trying to bow, not only the nearby eunuchs but also Hyang and Sejong rushed to her aid.

“You don’t have to bow; please, sit down. Eunuch, bring a chair!”

Sejong, holding the old woman’s hand and helping her into a chair, looked at the men and women who had accompanied her with a pleased expression.

“Is he your son?”

“Yes.”

“How old is your mother (慈堂) [a respectful term for one’s mother]?”

“She is ninety-four this year.”

“Ninety-four!”

Everyone, including Sejong, was astonished by the old woman’s age.

“Longevity is the greatest blessing bestowed by heaven; congratulations. You have received a great blessing.”

At Sejong’s words, the old woman bowed her head and replied.

“I have witnessed many good things and endured many hardships in my long life. Especially during the rampant Japanese pirate raids, I often wished for death and cursed the sky for my tenacious existence. However, since Your Majesty became the ruler of this country, such troubles have vanished, and I am filled with gratitude. So, I made these rice cakes; please accept this humble offering.”

Her words may have lacked formal etiquette, but they were filled with sincerity.

Sejong nodded, his eyes slightly moist.

“I will gladly accept them. Royal Sangseon [a high-ranking eunuch], bring the rice cakes.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Royal Sangseon brought the basket containing the rice cakes and presented it to Sejong. Sejong took a rice cake from the basket and put it in his mouth.

“It’s truly delicious. Thank you.”

Sejong, patting the old woman’s hand, took the basket of rice cakes and returned to his seat, ordering the Royal Secretary.

“Reward that old woman with 10 gold coins.”

“I obey your order!”

Sejong, sitting down, took another rice cake from the basket and ate it. It may not have been as luxurious as the rice cakes he had eaten in the palace, but it tasted even better.

“Can I have one too?”

At Hyang’s question, Sejong smiled and held out the basket.

“It contains the heart of the people, so let’s share it together.”

“Your grace is boundless.”

(Note 2)

* * *

That evening, Sejong and Hyang spent some time together, something they hadn’t done in a while.

“Do you remember what the old woman said today?”

“Yes.”

“I hope that the happy times she spoke of will last for many years to come.”

“Your Majesty will surely achieve it.”

“You have to work hard too.”

“I will also work hard.”

“By the way, it’s so much more convenient now that currency is widely used and Joseon’s capabilities are growing.”

At Sejong’s remark, Hyang nodded in agreement.

Before the Gyeongjang [Sejong’s reforms], a large-scale event like this would have caused a major upheaval. Preparing the vehicles and horses to transport the royal family was one thing, but gathering clothes, food, cloth for rewards, other supplies, and medicine for emergencies was an even greater undertaking.

As a result, any royal movement required a follow-up team larger than the main party.

However, with the widespread adoption of currency and the growth of Joseon’s commercial sector, this burden had been significantly reduced.

Of course, clothes and medicines still needed to be prepared in advance, but the biggest change was in the amount of food required. They only needed to bring enough basic provisions to last until they reached the Haenggung. The rest could be purchased immediately using currency at the jeonmaeso [government-licensed shops] or markets located in the villages along the way.

The same held true after arriving at the Haenggung. Instead of distributing cloth or grain to comfort the people, they gave money, and the food consumed during their stay, as well as the alcohol and meat given to the people, were all sourced from nearby markets and jeonmaeso.

This benefited both sides. The market and jeonmaeso rejoiced at the unexpected windfall, and the royal family appreciated being able to purchase fresh food readily.

The key factors that made this possible were, as mentioned earlier, the widespread use of currency and the growth of Joseon’s commercial scale. The fact that a huge group, comprising almost the entire royal family and about one-third of the court, could be supplied without any major issues was particularly noteworthy.

Although they had come to the hot spring for medical treatment, Sejong, witnessing the tangible results of the Gyeongjang, looked more relaxed and reaffirmed his commitment.

“Now that I have seen with my own eyes that my efforts have not been in vain, I must work even harder in the future.”

“Please take care of your health. Your Majesty’s well-being is the top priority.”

“Thank….”

Sejong, about to respond with a pleased expression at Hyang’s advice, suddenly stopped and glared at him.

“Speak properly. What do you mean by what you just said?”

“Yes, of course, I wish Your Majesty a long and healthy life, don’t I?”

“So, what is the reason for wishing me a long and healthy life? Isn’t it because you want me to hold on as long as possible and delay the regency or abdication? And you’re planning to pick and choose only the tasks you want to do during that time?”

“Of course not!”

Hyang vehemently denied it, but he was sweating internally.

‘Did he find out? No way? He must have just guessed?’

Sejong, seeing Hyang’s expression, growled.

“I feel like I should hand over the research institute and Area 51 to the court and make you the regent….”

“Oh, Your Majesty!”

“I’ll be watching.”

* * *

‘I’ll be watching.’

Sejong put it into practice the very next day.

“I will issue an order to the Crown Prince. In our Joseon, there are already places with hot springs, and rumors of hot springs are spreading in many other locations. According to medical texts, hot springs are highly beneficial to people’s health, yet the people are hesitant to develop them. Create a plan to address this issue and submit it. The deadline is two days before our return to the palace.”

Sejong, giving the order to Hyang, added.

“The reason I am assigning this task to the Crown Prince is that the ministers accompanying me are currently occupied. Fortunately, the Crown Prince is not currently involved with the research institute and Area 51, so he has free time and is well-suited to take on this task. Therefore, I expect the Crown Prince to do his best.”

At Sejong’s order, Hyang bowed his head and replied.

“I obey your order.”

‘Aww, payback!’

* * *

Note 1) Guro Story of Ogoryu Village.

https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=localpr&logNo=110169916547

Note 2) When Sejong visited Onyang Hot Spring, the author created this based on the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, which stated that an old woman from Asan-hyeon presented rice cakes.

Sejong the Great Annals read in one volume. Sejong 15th year edition. Written by Park Young-gyu. Woongjin Knowledge House.