Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 679

679. Birds of a Feather (9)

“Welcome! What kind of drinks are you looking for?”

The shopkeeper of ‘Fine Wine’ approached the table where the branch manager and his group were seated, speaking in hesitant, broken Chinese.

In response, the branch manager studied the shopkeeper’s face and said, “You’re with the ‘Gye’ [a local gang or association].”

At the branch manager’s words, the shopkeeper’s face tightened. He knew that the Sword Fraternity, from the main branch, supposedly controlled this pleasure district. Recently, some people claiming to be from the Sword Fraternity had come around, subtly investigating.

“Please wait a moment,” the shopkeeper replied, his tone stiff, and disappeared into the back of the store.

Watching him leave, the branch manager turned to his subordinates. “What do you think? Is it an organization created by the military?”

“It feels too much like the military to actually be the military.”

“Exactly. If it were a real military reconnaissance operation, it would be more discreet.”

The branch manager stroked his chin. “Could it be inexperience? Aren’t the graduates from both the military and civil service exams just scholars at heart?”

“Since the Goryeo Dynasty, the military examination has attracted all sorts. Even those of us from less-than-ideal backgrounds can sometimes get in. If it were them, they wouldn’t be so obvious.”

“Hmm… is that so?”

“Someone’s coming,” the lookout warned, and the branch manager and his men fell silent.

A man in a military-style jacket, his voice rough, approached their table.

The man dragged a chair over, plopped down, crossed his arms, and glared at them. “So, what brings the ‘Gye,’ who supposedly control this pleasure district of Yo-yang Fortress, here?”

The branch manager smiled. “I heard a new store opened, so I came to see if I could be of any assistance.”

“Help? Or are you trying to muscle in?”

The branch manager chuckled. “I don’t do things that lose me money these days.”

The man remained aggressive. “I learned in the war to be wary of those who are nice to your face. They’re the ones who stab you in the back.”

The branch manager’s smile turned sharp. “Didn’t you also learn that if you act like a wounded wild boar, you’ll just get your jaw blown off instead of your back stabbed?”

The man’s expression darkened. He tapped the war medal on his jacket. “I survived fighting the *Duenom* [derogatory term for Chinese] on the battlefield. If you want to blow off my jaw, you’d better be ready to lose at least two jaws in return, right?”

“Maybe. But there’s more than just a few of us from the ‘Gye,’ isn’t there?”

“…”

“It’s good to test each other, but look around before starting a fight. If we were here to fight or take over, we wouldn’t have come so quietly.”

“…You think we’ll just stand by and let you?”

“That’s why I’m saying we don’t intend to. If we did, we’d have brought more than just this many people.”

“Hoo~.”

The man sighed, visibly relaxing. “I’ll trust you for now.”

“That would be wise.”

“So, what brings you here today?”

The branch manager smiled again. “Now that this store is establishing itself in the Yo-yang Fortress pleasure district, I came to explain the local rules and, since the store’s called ‘Fine Wine,’ to sample the liquor.”

The man’s face softened slightly. “Hmm… I can vouch for the taste of the liquor, at least.”

* * *

As the conversation continued, the tension eased.

“…So, if there’s a fire, we help each other. If there’s a dispute with a customer, don’t use violence; resolve it through a ‘Gye’ member. If that doesn’t work, report it to the patrol unit or the police station. No opium poppies or illegal liquor. Prostitution is prohibited where it’s not allowed. No human trafficking. No loan sharking. Merchant association fees [점계, a type of merchant guild] must be paid on time…”

The man carefully considered the regulations explained by the branch manager’s subordinate, then looked back at the other men in military uniforms gathered behind him. They exchanged glances and nodded.

The man made his decision. “Alright. I’ll join the merchant association.”

“That’s a good decision!”

* * *

The crisis averted, the atmosphere inside the store became more relaxed.

“Well then! Let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Ha-min.”

“I’m Park Gyu-seop.”

After the introductions, Ha-min moved on to the important matter. “Now, let’s taste this liquor you boast about!”

Park Gyu-seop grinned. “Just wait! You won’t be disappointed!”

Soon, a porcelain teapot and cups were placed on the table.

Ha-min’s eyes widened as he poured a cup and downed it in one gulp. “This is amazing! Everyone, try it!”

The subordinates who emptied their cups exclaimed in admiration.

“캬!”

“How can something taste this good!”

“This is the kind of liquor you’d only find in the finest courtesan houses in Seoul!”

Ha-min turned to Park Gyu-seop. “Where did you get this liquor?”

“One of the comrades who started this tavern with me brewed it. That friend over there.”

The branch manager and his subordinates stared at a man standing behind them. The man, under their admiring gaze, shyly wiped his nose and smiled.

Ha-min tilted his head, emptying a couple more cups. “It tastes like soju from a noble family. Is he from a noble family?”

Park Gyu-seop explained, “That friend’s mother used to be a slave [婢] in a noble family and was freed during the reforms. She learned it there.”

“Brewing soju is a noble family secret. How would she know?”

Park Gyu-seop smiled bitterly. “Slaves weren’t treated like people.”

Ha-min nodded. A slave was property until death. Even if a slave knew how to brew soju, it would have been ignored.

Park Gyu-seop continued, “She was freed by His Majesty’s reforms, but she was afraid of her former master and didn’t brew soju. Then, when the master’s house was implicated in the Gi-yu Rebellion and destroyed, she started brewing again. As a way to make a living.”

“This should be famous by now?”

Park Gyu-seop grinned. “That guy is something else. He not only learned his mother’s method but improved it.”

“Improved?”

“That friend’s from Mokpo. He tasted the liquor that the *Seoi* [people of low social status] drink there and learned how to improve the brewing and preservation.”

“Heo~. Amazing. Amazing.”

* * *

Thanks to the liquor, the atmosphere improved even more.

As the cups flowed, Ha-min asked what he was really curious about. “Looking at that war medal, it seems you fought in both the Uiju and Liaodong battles, right?”

“That’s right. My comrades and I went through that carnage.”

“Heo~. You could have risen higher if you’d stayed in the military. You could have become at least a Jinmu or Gigong [military ranks]?”

Park Gyu-seop made a bitter face and emptied his cup. He sighed, the alcohol heavy in his breath. “Hoo~. I saw some dirty things.”

“Dirty things?”

“I saw them claiming dead comrades were alive to embezzle supplies and military currency [軍幣, today’s military scrip], and even swapping the merits of those who bravely commanded and died with their own.”

“How can there be such bad guys in the world!”

Ha-min raised his voice, feigning outrage, and refilled Park Gyu-seop’s cup. “Come on! Have another drink and tell me about those bad guys!”

* * *

As the drinking party ended, Ha-min patted Park Gyu-seop on the shoulder, his face flushed. “I enjoyed the good liquor! Let’s get along well in the future!”

“Let’s do that!”

“See you later! Ooh! I’m getting drunk!”

Ha-min, reeking of alcohol, staggered out of ‘Fine Wine’ with his subordinates supporting him.

As soon as he left the alley, Ha-min straightened up.

“What do you think?”

“It’s a pretty believable story.”

“Fifty-fifty?”

His subordinates, deep in thought, replied, “About 7 to 3?”

“I’m seeing it as 8 to 2.”

“Hmm….”

Ha-min stroked his chin and came to a conclusion. “I’ll have to write a report. The Royal Guard will be busy.”

* * *

A few days later, Hyang, having read the report from the Royal Guard commander, reviewed it with a serious expression.

“‘Military reconnaissance agency’… The possibility exists.”

“However, the Minister of National Defense and the Chief of Staff haven’t reported anything.”

Hyang replied gravely, “It would be good if it were just a worry, but a secret agency that even they don’t know about may have been created. Hmm….”

Tapping the desk, Hyang made a decision. “Royal Guard Commander, investigate their military records [兵籍] that Mil-wi reported. Check if they actually served on the front lines and if they were truly discharged.”

“Yes.”

“And shake up their superiors as well. They fabricated records of dead soldiers to embezzle money and goods, and even stole military merits. If their words are true, this is treason!”

“I will thoroughly investigate. However… the problem is how His Majesty knew about this.”

Hyang smiled wryly. “We’ll have to suffer for a few days.”

* * *

The next day, Hyang ordered Han Myeong-hoi, “Go to the Record Office and bring all the records related to war expenses from the last war!”

“Yes? Why?”

“Every time I think about the last war, something bothers me. I need to confirm it!”

“…Yes.”

“Ah! And bring the diaries and daily casualty records from the war as well!”

“…Yes.”

Outside, Han Myeong-hoi muttered, “If things go wrong, there will be a bloodbath in the military. By the way, both His Majesty and His Highness have monstrous memories….”

As Han Myeong-hoi said, both Sejong and Hyang had excellent memories. Even if records were submitted months apart, inconsistencies would lead to severe consequences.

The scandal of Hwang Hee and Seo Dal being exposed before Hyang intervened was due to Sejong’s memory.

And this memory was Hyang’s excellent excuse.

At Hyang’s order, Han Myeong-hoi and the officials of the Seungjeongwon went to the Record Office and brought a cartload of reports to Hyang.

“Bring the maps as well!”

“Yes!”

Hyang turned one of the large rooms in Gangnyeong Hall into a workshop and summoned Wan, Du, and Seul.

“Mark the movement of the front lines on the map by date! Create separate tables for battle records and casualty records for each date! Record the status of supplies and military scrip issued daily during the war!”

Following Hyang’s order, Wan, Du, and Seul searched through the records and began their work. Hyang also opened the records and muttered, ‘Let’s get this over with!’

And soon, Hyang screamed inwardly, ‘Ah! I want a computer!’

Before long, the members of the royal family, including Prince Pyeongwon, were summoned to help with the analysis.