Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 725

725. Jang Yeong-sil’s Legacy (2)

The reaction in Seoul to the Shinji Haenggung [a detached palace or secondary residence for the royal family] reconstruction plan was almost exactly as Hyang had predicted.

“Hoo~. How can he start such a large project as soon as he arrives…?”

Wan sighed, holding the report in his hand. He examined the report several times, and then sighed again.

“The Board of Audit will throw a fit. But it’s absolutely necessary, so this time I’ll have to ignore whatever the Board of Audit says.”

* * *

And as Wan predicted, a memorial [formal written petition] criticizing the Haenggung reconstruction was submitted by the Board of Audit.

The main points of the Board of Audit were as follows:

-We acknowledge the need to support the smooth settlement of Shinji’s natives and immigrants. However, it is not right to focus on the reconstruction of Shinji Haenggung when there are many other alternative projects, including railroads and roads.

-From ancient times, it has been said that ‘ivory chopsticks and jade cups’ are the beginning of a country’s downfall [a metaphor for excessive luxury leading to ruin]. If mere ivory chopsticks and jade cups are like that, what about an excessively large palace?

-Even if we examine all precedents from the past and present, there has never been a case where the palace of a tributary state is larger than the palace of the suzerain state [a dominant state that controls or protects other states]. This is a tremendous discourtesy.

Wan read the memorial from the Board of Audit and refuted it point by point.

-In addition to the reconstruction of the Haenggung, supporting settlement through large-scale civil engineering projects such as the construction of railroads and roads is also a good method. However, only a small number of those who have immigrated to Shinji are familiar with civil engineering, and the natives do not even know how to handle ironware. The Haenggung reconstruction is the best place for them to learn skills and gain experience.

-It is natural to be wary of extravagance, as in the saying of ivory chopsticks and jade cups. However, most of the wood going into the Haenggung is timber cut from nearby, and the same goes for the stone.

Since almost no gold or silver is used, it is unreasonable to call it extravagance.

-Shinji is not a tributary state but a territory of the Empire. The Empire’s supreme law prohibits discrimination between the mainland and other regions, so what are you talking about tributary states for?

-Finally, Shinji is the palace where the Retired Emperor resides. Just as parents cherish their children, it is natural for children to cherish their parents. That is filial piety [respect and devotion to one’s parents, a core Confucian value]. Are you trying to make me an unfilial person?

Among the answers Wan gave, the last two items caused the Chief of the Board of Audit and the Board of Audit officials to turn pale.

-They violated the Empire’s greatest law, the supreme law, and are trying to make the supreme being, the Emperor, an unfilial person.

If Wan, the Emperor, was determined, a justification was created to start a bloodbath.

In the end, the Board of Audit had no choice but to wave the white flag.

“Our thoughts were short-sighted. Please forgive us.”

“Tsk! Just knowing is enough.”

The Chief of the Board of Audit flinched at Wan’s clicking of his tongue, but still continued.

“However, it is true that a considerable amount of finances are going into Shinji.”

“Tsk! Have you forgotten who is staying in Shinji right now?”

At Wan’s pointed remark, the Chief of the Board of Audit made an ‘ah-cha’ [expression of realization] expression and bowed his head.

“My thoughts were short-sighted. I was just blinded by the enormity of the budget and made a mistake. Please forgive me.”

“I also know well what the duties of the Board of Audit are. The finances for operating the Empire are the taxes paid by the people, so it is your duty to ensure that they are not used carelessly. The Retired Emperor in Shinji knows the importance of your duties and the budget better than anyone else. So your concerns are unfounded.”

“I am sorry.”

“If you are sorry, don’t create things to be sorry about. What a waste of time! Tsk!”

The Chief of the Board of Audit flinched at Wan’s clicking of his tongue and just bowed his head.

What was interesting was that every time Wan clicked his tongue, all the officials inside the main hall flinched.

‘Agh! That tongue-clicking sound!’

‘I thought I wouldn’t hear it anymore!’

‘Well, who raised the current Emperor… and who raised that person…’

Forcibly suppressing the goosebumps that rose every time they heard the tongue-clicking sound, the ministers glared at the troublemaker, the Chief of the Board of Audit.

‘Why did you have to say such unnecessary things!’

‘Did you even properly examine the plan sent by the Retired Emperor?’

‘Should I send a bunch of tonics!’

Knowing the feelings of those ministers, Wan looked at the Chief of the Board of Audit with a mischievous expression.

“Since you are so concerned about the affairs of Shinji, how about going to Shinji to assist the Retired Emperor?”

The Chief of the Board of Audit, his face turned pale at Wan’s suggestion, replied in a trembling voice.

“I, I am too old and frail for such a heavy responsibility.”

“As far as I know, you are among the youngest of the ministers and vice-ministers seated in Geunjeongjeon [the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace] right now?”

“My body has been weak since I was young…”

“Tsk! Enough! If you’re frail, then it can’t be helped!”

The Chief of the Board of Audit sighed inwardly at Wan’s words.

‘I’ve escaped the crisis.’

However, Wan’s attack was not over.

“By the way, isn’t it the job of the Board of Audit to examine everything in the national administration and find the wrong parts? But if you are so frail, will you be able to do that job properly? I am concerned that something unfortunate may happen due to my carelessness, so it would be good for you to step down.”

At Wan’s words, the Chief of the Board of Audit tightly closed his eyes. But it was already an irreversible situation.

In the end, the Chief of the Board of Audit had no choice but to request resignation.

“My health is not good, so I would like to resign from my position. Please accept it.”

“You have worked hard during your time.”

After hearing Wan’s answer, the Chief of the Board of Audit bowed respectfully and quietly left Geunjeongjeon.

Watching the Chief of the Board of Audit leaving with slumped shoulders, the ministers swallowed dry saliva.

‘I forgot! The current Emperor is also a son of the dragon [a descendant of royalty]!’

‘He inherited the blood of the Retired Emperor and the Grand Retired Emperor, and he grew up watching what the Retired Emperor did! We must never underestimate him!’

‘I forgot that there is no one in that family who doesn’t hold a grudge!’

Wan’s presence had been weak, overshadowed by Sejong and Hyang. Because of this, the ministers had been taking Wan lightly from some point on.

However, watching the scene of Wan cutting off the Chief of the Board of Audit’s head right now, the ministers had no choice but to be on edge again.

* * *

‘The Emperor has cut off the Chief of the Board of Audit!’

This rumor spread faster than the wind throughout Gyeongbokgung Palace and Yukjo Street [the main administrative street in Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty].

“This is the Emperor’s tyranny!”

“Freedom of speech must not be blocked!”

“We must write a memorial immediately!”

The officials of the Board of Audit were furious and immediately rose up. Seeing the noisy scene of writing memorials and holding sit-down demonstrations, the Chief of the Board of Audit shouted.

“What kind of disgraceful behavior is this! Stop it immediately!”

“But, Chief!”

“This time, His Majesty’s decision is right! Rather, we should be paying our respects a hundred times over for accepting the resignation without questioning the crime!”

At the words of the Chief of the Board of Audit, the Board of Audit officials asked with puzzled expressions.

“Chief, what crime? What crime have you committed?”

The Chief of the Board of Audit replied with a bitter expression to the questions of the Board of Audit officials.

“The crime of not keeping my word. As an official who must speak frankly, I abandoned my duty for the sake of personal comfort, so I have committed a crime worthy of death.”

“Ah…”

The Board of Audit officials nodded slightly at the words of the Chief of the Board of Audit.

The Chief of the Board of Audit had made excuses and refused Wan’s order – although the words were a suggestion – to ‘go to Shinji and control it directly if you are so worried,’ and Wan had ridiculed this. And, as the Chief of the Board of Audit said, Wan would have been justified in questioning the crime for this reason. No matter how much time had passed, their ideological foundation was Neo-Confucianism, and consistency between words and actions was one of the guidelines that gentlemen had to follow.

After organizing his desk, the Chief of the Board of Audit gave a final order to the Board of Audit officials.

“Do not forget the consistency between words and actions! It is our job to speak frankly, even at the risk of our lives!”

* * *

That night.

“Hoo~.”

The Chief of the Board of Audit, sitting alone in the Sarangbang [a detached study in a traditional Korean house], sighed as he looked at the moon in the night sky.

“Suddenly resigning and coming out makes me feel lost.”

As he was struggling to calm the feeling of being lost after suddenly becoming unemployed, a servant approached and reported.

“Sir, you have a guest.”

“A guest? At this hour?”

The Chief of the Board of Audit expressed doubt at the servant’s words. As he became the Chief of the Board of Audit, the number of guests visiting his house decreased significantly. He deliberately blocked guests from visiting because he could be caught up in scandals related to corruption. And now that he had resigned, there were few who would seek him out.

“I don’t know. Where did they say they came from?”

“They said they came from the palace.”

“From the palace? Show them in.”

“Yes, sir.”

After sending the servant away, the Chief of the Board of Audit straightened his clothes again and left the Sarangbang.

‘Why from the palace? For what reason?’

The Chief of the Board of Audit, with a face full of curiosity, stood on the veranda of the Sarangchae [a building attached to the main house] and waited for the guest. As soon as he saw the guest in question, he went down barefoot and prostrated himself.

“I greet Your Majesty!”

The Chief of the Board of Audit guided Wan to the seat of honor in the Sarangbang.

“I’m sorry for coming to visit you suddenly in the middle of the night.”

“Ah, no.”

Wan looked at the Chief of the Board of Audit and apologized first.

“I came to apologize for what happened during the day.”

“Ah, no. The crime of not keeping my word was a great crime as the Chief of the Board of Audit. I am grateful that you ended it with resignation.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“No.”

“It’s not that I don’t know your heart for the Empire and me. But this time, you were unlucky.”

“What do you mean by unlucky?”

Wan answered immediately to the Chief of the Board of Audit’s question.

“Recently, the discipline of the court has been very lax. Well, it’s a natural thing. The Empire’s administration is running smoothly, and we don’t have to worry about Ming [the Ming Dynasty of China] for the time being. But if we let our guard down, that’s when all the problems start, right?”

The Chief of the Board of Audit answered immediately to Wan’s question.

“That’s right.”

“So, I did today’s work as a warning to others.”

“You did well. What is my safety if it is for the sake of Your Majesty and the Empire?”

“I am truly grateful that you think so.”

Wan, thinking that he had relieved the burden on his mind, got up from his seat.

“I will call you again in a few days, so take it as a vacation until then and rest comfortably.”

“Isn’t my resignation already decided?”

“It hasn’t been documented yet.”

“Ah…”

Wan smiled brightly as he looked at the Chief of the Board of Audit, who had a strange expression with all sorts of emotions mixed together.

“Do you think it’s easy to fill a vacant position? Why would I kick out someone who is already doing a good job? This is what I learned first from the Grand Retired Emperor and the Retired Emperor. ‘Use those who do their job well until the end.’ Have you forgotten Grand Scholar Hwang Hee and Jo Mal-saeng?”

“Ah…”

At Wan’s words, the Chief of the Board of Audit nodded without realizing it. Hwang Hee and Jo Mal-saeng were both caught in power-related corruption cases. And Sejong and Hyang used them until they died.

Watching the Chief of the Board of Audit nodding like that, Wan did not forget to warn him.

“As I said, it was a warning to others, so keep in mind that you are not without sin. If I had really made up my mind, it wouldn’t have ended with resignation. I would have thrown you straight into the Records Office. Keep this in mind.”

At Wan’s words, the Chief of the Board of Audit prostrated himself and replied.

“I will engrave it in my heart!”