Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 424

424. Expected and Unexpected (1)

Hyang, having left Geunjeongjeon [the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace], was grumbling as well.

“Seriously, why can’t that old man, who’s still perfectly healthy, just pass on the work instead of throwing bait everywhere?”

The moment Sejong mentioned his younger brothers’ achievements in Geunjeongjeon and subtly praised Hyang, Hyang immediately sensed danger.

‘This is dangerous! I’ll get caught if I’m not careful!’

Sensing the crisis, Hyang immediately returned the praise to Sejong and escaped from Sejong’s grasp.

Worrying that the following eunuch might hear, Hyang grumbled quietly and ordered the eunuch.

“Prepare the horse, as I will stop by the research lab before heading to Area 51.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

While the eunuchs and guards moved to bring the horse, Hyang looked at Geunjeongjeon and muttered to himself.

“I have a rough idea of what Father is thinking… Considering the current communication and transportation resources, an independent institution is the only answer.”

Hyang had a sense of what Sejong was thinking.

* * *

Although it was a stagnant period, the Korean Peninsula and the areas regained in the early days of Gyeongjang [a period of land reclamation and military expansion] were running smoothly.

The problem was the recently acquired areas such as Daeseol Island, Jongjang Island, and their surrounding regions.

Hyang was gradually bringing the natives into Joseon’s fold by using the monopoly, which he nicknamed ‘Joseon’s Miracle Water,’ followed by merchants, and stable jobs symbolized by mines and logging sites. However, there were urgent matters scattered everywhere.

Unifying the script with Hunminjeongeum [the Korean alphabet] and teaching both the native languages and Korean simultaneously was gradually reducing the problem of accidental conflicts, but as communication improved, various complaints increased.

However, it took a tremendous amount of time for these complaints to arrive in Hanseong [old name for Seoul], for solutions to be created, and then for them to return to the respective regions.

Therefore, talks about an independent organization with appropriate authority to solve this problem began to emerge within the court.

-The newly created organization should be established on Daeseol Island. Because it is located in the middle of connecting the northern archipelagoes and Hanseong.

-Also, considering the population of natives residing on Daeseol Island, it is the best place to serve as the center of foreign administration.

Thus, the establishment of an independent institution and the appropriate location were taking shape, but they always had to stop at the last part.

‘So, who is the person in charge?’

This was the exact issue.

The position of integrating and managing everything in the newly incorporated areas of Joseon’s foreign territories—from administration to national defense—was a position that could easily lead to treason and execution with the slightest mistake.

The only two who could sit in this position without incident were either the Crown Prince or the Retired King.

However, sending the Crown Prince, who was to inherit the throne, to a foreign land was very dangerous. If the Crown Prince were to contract an unknown disease for which there was no cure, or if he were to lose his life in an armed conflict, it would be a terrible situation.

The best option was the Retired King, but there was no Retired King in Joseon now.

That said, it was also unreasonable for Sejong, who was at the height of his reign at the age of 40, to become the Retired King.

“Wait, wouldn’t it be possible? The Crown Prince is already 23 years old, isn’t he?”

“Huh? That’s right? And if we consider the abilities he showed while acting as regent during the suppression of the Yi Man-ju’s rebellion…”

However, no official publicly uttered these words.

Because no one was brave enough to tell a king who was working passionately and showing his best abilities to abdicate the throne.

In the end, Sejong was trying to pass on the responsibility, Hyang was desperately trying to avoid it, and the officials who had to watch them were secretly burning inside.

* * *

“Even if it’s short, it’s certain that I’ll be forced to be a regent or abdicate the throne within 5 to 10 years.”

Hyang continued to grumble. The target of Hyang’s grumbling was the Joseon Navy.

“There’s this problem with the navy working too hard!”

The navy, having confirmed the existence of the archipelagoes located north of Daeseol Island and east of Jongjang Island, was enthusiastically advancing eastward.

However, the winter sea of the North Pacific, which was rough to the point of being incomparable to the notoriously rough winter sea of the East Sea [Sea of Japan], made navigation almost impossible. Of course, it was possible to navigate if one was willing to take the risk, but the Joseon Navy still lacked everything to make such a reckless challenge.

Therefore, the Joseon Navy established and proceeded with another plan.

They created naval bases on islands with terrain that made it easy to obtain drinking water and avoid rough waves. While spending the winter at the bases they built, the navy maintained their ships and prepared for the next voyage.

Soon, settlements for the families of the navy personnel were created near the naval bases, and trading posts with the natives were established.

Thanks to the navy’s hard work, the New World was about to be discovered. Therefore, Hyang made the prediction of ‘5 years if short, 10 years if long.’

With the Joseon Navy’s enthusiastic exploration, it was certain that Alaska and the west coast of the North American continent would soon be discovered and reported.

If the American continent, a treasure trove of various resources, was discovered, many Joseon people would soon immigrate. However, due to Joseon’s chronic problem of a lack of population, Joseon would inevitably incorporate the Eskimos and the natives of the North American continent as Joseon citizens.

And when that happened, an independent institution to manage the North American continent would inevitably be established, and Sejong would have to move to that position.

There was a possibility that Jinpyeong or Anpyeong might go instead of Sejong, but it was certain that the officials would not accept it.

Jinpyeong and Anpyeong were both Sejong’s children and Hyang’s younger brothers, but in terms of political relations, they were Hyang’s strong competitors.

Therefore, these risk factors could not be freely released.

“Especially Jinpyeong…”

Hyang, having predicted this far, shook his head while mentioning Jinpyeong. Jinpyeong had evolved into a steam engine enthusiast following his iron obsession, but Hyang was still uneasy.

And this was what Hyang thought would happen in ‘5 years if short, 10 years if long.’

* * *

Soon, Hyang, who had mounted the horse brought by the eunuchs and guards, lightly kicked the horse’s flank.

Hee-hee!

As the horse carrying Hyang began to move, the guards surrounded him and moved.

“Departure!”

“Departure!”

Even while heading to the research lab, Hyang muttered with a dissatisfied expression.

“By the way, why are those guys so late?”

The ‘those guys’ that Hyang mentioned were the Portuguese and Spanish.

According to rumors coming through the navy going to and from Alexandria and Mansour, Europe was in chaos.

Due to the small bomb that Hyang had thrown, Europe’s religious and ideological circles had turned into a ‘chaos of confusion.’

Almost every day, religious figures and intellectuals were issuing statements and papers, engaging in fierce debates and arguments.

‘It’s a time when secular power and the Pope’s power are clashing, so I’ll add a little seasoning to buy time.’

This was Hyang’s plan, but the effect of the seasoning was stronger than expected.

The reason why the expectations were off was because of Hyang.

Various products and artifacts created under Hyang’s leadership and introduced to Europe were far beyond the technological level of the time.

In addition, Joseon, as seen through the letters sent by those who went to Joseon, seemed to be much more developed than the Europe they lived in. And Sejong, who led such Joseon, also seemed to be no ordinary person.

And, having learned that all the products and artifacts that impressed them were created under Hyang’s command, European intellectuals were also focusing their attention on Hyang.

At some point, Joseon was regarded as an ideal land, and Sejong, the ruler of Joseon, and Hyang, who would succeed him, were regarded as the ‘Philosopher King’ mentioned by Plato.

Thus, the question thrown by someone regarded as a symbol of intelligence and knowledge became a knife that mercilessly stabbed the sore spots of Europeans, and Europe’s religious and ideological circles were suffering.

And merchants and monarchs began to use all sorts of tricks to preempt the road to ‘Joseon, the Land of Flowers.’

Portugal and Spain, as well as England and France, were enthusiastically building ships and launching them into the sea to secure sea routes to Joseon.

And, while exploring so enthusiastically, they engaged in fierce battles to eliminate competitors when they encountered ships from other countries.

Later, scholars who studied this period expressed it this way.

-The west sea of Africa was stained with the blood of sailors, and the land of Africa was stained with the blood and tears of the natives.

While the countries west of the Mediterranean and east of the Atlantic were fiercely competing at sea, the countries in the Mediterranean region, including Italy, were setting up other plans.

It was the construction of a canal connecting Suez, where Joseon’s ships arrived, and the Mediterranean.

It was certain that it would be a difficult construction project that would cost a tremendous amount, but it was certain that the canal thus opened would provide enormous benefits.

However, this plan was in a sluggish situation due to the conflict and checks of various entities with vested interests.

The monarchs and merchants of the countries in the region were repeatedly forming and breaking alliances, regardless of religion, depending on their interests, creating a mess.

And, unlike the movements in the ideological world, these economic movements were being reported to Hyang immediately.

Thanks to this, Hyang was complaining that it was slow.

“No! How long has it been since they explored the west coast of Africa and went south, but they still haven’t rounded the Cape of Good Hope? If they had the enthusiasm they showed at the auction, they would have already rounded it! You guys need to hurry up and show up so I can use you as an excuse to hole up in the research lab! Since history has already been twisted a little, show up a little faster, please!”

However, unlike Hyang’s words, history was not ‘a little’ twisted, but ‘a lot’ twisted.

* * *

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, Sejong publicly declared in Sejong 19, which is this year, that he would have Hyang act as regent.

All the high and low officials opposed this, but Sejong pushed for the regency with the following grounds.

-The Crown Prince is old enough to learn political affairs.

-My health is not good.

-Since last year, bandits have been rampant, and as famine has worsened, many displaced people have joined the bandits, so this is due to the limitations of my ability.

In addition to these public reasons, Sejong pushed for the regency because he needed time to study Hunminjeongeum. (Note 1)

However, as Hyang intervened, history was twisted.

Damage from droughts and floods was minimized through nationwide water management projects, and grain was actively imported and supplied to the people.

Thanks to this, the number of displaced people was greatly reduced, and conversely, displaced people began to resettle.

Having gained confidence through these results, Sejong actively implemented various reform policies, including Gyeongjang, and Joseon continued to grow and develop.

In addition, Hunminjeongeum, which would have been released to the world at least 10 years later, was created in a more refined state and was being actively used.

Of course, it was inevitable that there would be a price to pay for these changes.

* * *

Note 1) The Annals of King Sejong in One Volume. Written by Park Young-gyu. Woongjin Knowledge House.