Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 78

Jjangra

Hello, Bomb!

78. SimCity Hanseong, SimCity Joseon (2)

Sejong was accompanied by Hyang on his trip to Gangwon Province.

“It’s been a while since father and son have traveled together.”

Sejong had been reluctant to leave until the very last moment, but once they set off, he began to enjoy the journey.

“Indeed, Father. However, the roads are definitely a problem.”

Sejong nodded at Hyang’s observation.

“You are right. The roads must be improved, even for the success of the Gyeongjang [agricultural reform]. We don’t know when the railway will be completed.”

Hyang immediately bowed his head at Sejong’s words.

“I am humbled. My abilities are insufficient…”

“It’s not your abilities that are the problem, but the capabilities of this Joseon. Unless there’s another way.”

Hyang flinched at Sejong’s subtle gaze.

He had prematurely revealed the idea of a railway as a shock therapy of sorts, but everyone knew that it was uncertain when it could actually be started.

However, with no one sure how the results of the Gyeongjang, which was being declared and carried out step by step, would turn out, the railway was a symbolic entity that could actually demonstrate its potential.

Of course, there were side effects.

From a certain point on, Sejong subtly needled and nagged Hyang more frequently.

The procession, heavily guarded by cavalry, moved slowly along the narrow road, centered around Sejong, who was subtly pressuring Hyang, and Hyang, who was starting to feel the pressure.

* * *

Sejong had been reluctant to leave Hanyang, but as the shadow of the capital receded, he gradually began to perk up.

“It feels so good to be on an outing after so long!”

“You have been too immersed in state affairs lately.”

Sejong nodded at the words of the accompanying Royal Secretary.

“I suppose that’s true. It might be good to take breaks like this from time to time.”

“Indeed.”

Hyang, who was listening to Sejong and the Royal Secretary’s conversation from behind, clenched his fist lightly.

‘He may not like YOLO, but he values work-life balance! Of course!’

Hyang, who was a self-proclaimed ‘incurable terminal 덕후 (deokhu) [otaku/enthusiast]’ in the 21st century, surprisingly disliked the word ‘YOLO (You Only Live Once)’.

‘YOLO is a waste of life!’

It was a somewhat contradictory argument, but Hyang didn’t particularly like YOLO or SNS [Social Networking Services].

“What about making 덕후 (deokhu) [otaku/enthusiast] activities your profession, or posting your work on SNS as soon as you create it?”

Hyang always responded the same way to the rebuttals of his friends—friends in the purely dictionary sense, not those he had made through 덕질 (deokjil) [otaku activities].

“There’s a difference in productivity! I’m productive, and YOLO people are consumptive! What do you think people are!”

It was a completely unconvincing argument.

* * *

As Sejong was enjoying his leisure while heading towards Hoengseong, Gangwon Province, flames soared in one part of Hanyang.

February 15th, the 8th year of Sejong’s reign.

It was the beginning of the ‘Great Hanyang Fire,’ an event that brought unprecedented damage in actual Joseon history, except for wars.

“Fire!”

The fire started at the house of Jang-ryong, a male servant belonging to the Insun Department.

The fire that consumed Jang-ryong’s house spread to the surrounding area on the northwest wind that was blowing at the time.

The thatched roofs of the 초가집 (chogajip) [traditional Korean thatched-roof houses], where ordinary Joseon people lived, were the perfect material for fire to catch.

The embers that flew up on the wind quickly spread to the roofs of nearby 초가집 (chogajip) [traditional Korean thatched-roof houses], and the number of houses that began to burn increased exponentially.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! There’s a big fire! You must evacuate immediately!”

“What!”

Queen Soheon, upon receiving the urgent report that a fire had broken out, jumped up from her seat and went outside.

“Please evacuate quickly!”

“Silence! A fire has broken out in the capital, and you speak of fleeing! Summon the Royal Guards immediately and put out the fire!”

Queen Soheon, who was pregnant with Grand Prince Geumseong at the time, began to direct the efforts herself, with her belly bulging.

“Summon the ministers immediately! And find out how far the fire has spread!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

According to Queen Soheon’s orders, the court ladies and eunuchs began to move diligently.

While the palace eunuchs and court ladies were moving frantically, the ministers who had been summoned rushed to Queen Soheon.

“The ministers shall immediately command the Police Agency to put out the fire!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“And send a messenger to Hoengseong to inform His Majesty!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

However, the fire, carried by the wind, only widened its range instead of being suppressed.

“The fire is spreading more and more, Your Majesty!”

Queen Soheon, after receiving a report on the situation from Hwang-hee, bit her lip and made a decision.

“Mobilize all available personnel to protect Changdeok Palace and Jongmyo Shrine [Royal Ancestral Shrine]! It’s okay to abandon the government offices and warehouses!”

“If we do that, we will lack the manpower to put out the fire!”

“If a fire breaks out in a private house, evacuate the people first rather than trying to put out the fire.”

It was a harsh order in some ways, but it was an order that both Queen Soheon, who gave the order, and the ministers who received it understood the necessity of.

If Jongmyo Shrine and the palace were to burn down, the political responsibility would be secondary, and an enormous amount of wealth would be required for restoration.

* * *

“Your Majesty! Urgent news from the capital!”

“What urgent news is it?”

Sejong, who was taking a break almost near Hoengseong, rose from his chair at the Royal Secretary’s words.

“They say a great fire has broken out in the capital!”

“What! Turn the horses around immediately!”

A military officer who was escorting Sejong stepped forward to stop him.

“Your Majesty, the sun will set soon. The night road is dangerous…”

“Go! Immediately send a messenger to every government office on the way to the capital! Tell them to mobilize soldiers to light the way!”

“I obey your command!”

At Sejong’s command, the military officers selected messengers and conveyed Sejong’s orders.

“Giddy up!”

The messengers who received Sejong’s orders drove their horses and ran, and Sejong gave orders to those who were escorting him.

“We are returning to the capital immediately! Prepare yourselves!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

As Sejong hurriedly led his people and rode his horse, the sun had completely set.

“This is a bit dangerous…”

As Hyang worried, looking at the darkening road, the road brightened.

The local magistrates, who had received orders through the messengers Sejong had sent in advance, had mobilized soldiers to light the way.

With soldiers holding torches standing in rows on the left and right of the road, the horses of Sejong’s party raced along the road with a rough rumble.

And Hyang realized one thing.

‘This guy is a good rider?’

* * *

Thanks to riding his horse without rest, Sejong was able to return to the palace that night.

“Welcome back.”

“I’m glad you’re safe. You’ve worked hard.”

Queen Soheon seemed to relax only then at Sejong’s praise.

“Escort the Queen inside.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Sejong, after sending away Queen Soheon, who was struggling with her full-term pregnancy, immediately began to check the situation without even changing his military uniform.

“What’s the situation?”

“It seems that the big fire has been mostly contained.”

“What is the extent of the damage?”

“We are currently tallying it. Fortunately, Jongmyo Shrine and Changgyeong Palace have escaped the fire.”

“Hoo~.”

Sejong, who let out a long sigh, examined the situation in more detail.

“What about the displaced people?”

“We are currently counting them.”

“Thieves will try to steal things, taking advantage of the chaotic situation, so strengthen the security.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“It’s cold, so contact the military camp and have them set up tents.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After such a hectic night, a report came in that the big fire had been contained.

“That’s a relief.”

As Sejong wore a relieved expression, people’s screams were heard from outside.

“Fire!”

“It’s a fire!”

As the cry of ‘Fire!’ began to be heard again, Sejong jumped up from his seat.

“Where is it!”

“We are currently checking…”

As Hwang-hee was about to give an order, an official rushed in from outside.

“Your Majesty! There’s a fire!”

“Where is it!”

“It’s near the Jeonokseo (Prison)!”

“Put out the fire immediately!”

“Yes!”

At Sejong’s command, the officials conveyed Sejong’s orders with urgent faces.

Sejong’s face sharpened as he sorted out the situation for a while.

“It’s strange that the fire has started again when it was almost contained! Someone must have set the fire! Find the arsonist!”

“I obey your command!”

Thanks to the desperate efforts of the officials and the people, the Great Hanyang Fire could be contained.

Amidst the smell of burning everywhere, Sejong sorted out the situation.

“Report the damage situation that has been confirmed so far.”

“Yes, first of all, excluding infants and the elderly, 9 men and 23 women have died. We are identifying those who died in their homes by comparing them with the family register.”

“Hoo~. What about the houses?”

“We are currently counting them, but even if we exclude the outbuildings of the Insun Department and the Jeonokseo (Prison), there are at least 1,800 houses.”

“Oh dear… They’ve lost their homes in this winter…”

As Sejong lamented, Hyang interjected.

“Father, losing a home is a big deal, but losing food is an even bigger deal. People without food are more likely to commit crimes.”

“That’s right! I need to contact the rice warehouse in Bupyeong right away.”

Hyang pointed out the problem with Sejong’s words.

“Even if you contact the rice warehouse, it will take a long time to bring it and process it. The amount of dried rations stored in Area 51 is considerable, so use that first.”

“There are more than one or two people who have lost their homes, is that possible?”

“We can make time to process and bring it from the rice warehouse.”

“Good! Do that!”

“I obey your command!”

When Sejong allowed it, Hyang immediately called an official and conveyed the order to Area 51.

As security became an issue, Sejong issued orders to the ministers regarding this.

“Immediately order the military camp to dispatch troops. Let’s maintain security with the dispatched troops and the personnel of the Police Agency.”

“I obey your command!”

“And set up tents on the empty sites where the fire broke out, so that those who have lost their homes can rest.”

“I obey your command.”

“Finally, have 5 guards watch each room and the center of each neighborhood in places that have escaped the fire, and have 순관 (Sungwan) [patrol officer] and 별순 (Byeolsun) [special patrol officer] inspect each district.”

“I obey your command!”

Sejong, who had issued orders regarding the maintenance of security, paused for a moment and sorted out his thoughts.

“There is something that I find strange about this disaster. We almost caught the big fire in the first fire, but why did the second fire break out? In the first place, fire spreads easily even with a little carelessness, but I don’t understand. This must be someone’s arson, so put up a notice.”

Sejong decided on the contents of the public notice to catch the arsonist as follows.

-If you catch and report the person who set the fire, all commoners will be given a government position regardless of their class, and 천민 (cheonmin) [the lowest class in Joseon society] will be freed from slavery. In addition, we will pay a reward of 200 rolls of cotton cloth.

* * *

The great fire, which turned much of Hanyang into ashes, was surprisingly quickly brought under control.

The first reason was that the family register secured through continuous smallpox vaccination was of great help.

Because they knew exactly how many people lived where, the damage investigation proceeded quickly, and manpower mobilization was also easy.

The second reason was that Hyang’s dried rations played a big role.

The warm 죽 (juk, porridge) with plenty of meat was a great help to those who had suffered great physical and mental damage in the cold winter.

The dried rations that Hyang had made and stored played their part sufficiently until the rice that was processed and sent from the Bupyeong rice warehouse arrived.

There was only one side effect….

“Okay, come and get the rice.”

“Um, sir….”

“Why?”

“Can’t you give us dried rations instead of rice?”

“Huh?”

“The jars were all burned in the fire.”

“….”

“The pickles are all cooked and can’t be eaten? There’s no salt… Can’t you just give us dried rations?”

The taste of the displaced people had been upgraded, which was a fatal side effect.

And the merchants visited Area 51 to meet Hyang.

“What is the reason for finding me?”

“I want to produce dried rations.”

“Huh?”

“It’s very useful as food to eat on the road when traveling, and it can be stored for a long time, so it’s perfect as emergency food. And it tastes and smells good, so it’s perfect as a special dish.”

Hyang shook his head while listening to the merchant’s explanation.

‘The merchant’s intuition!’

* * *

Meanwhile, many people actively pursued the arsonist’s arrest warrant ordered by Sejong.

“We have caught the arsonists.”

“How many people are there?”

“There are 11 people in total.”

Sejong gritted his teeth at the answer from the Minister of Justice.

“What kind of beggars were they doing?”

“They are from Bukcheong, Gilju, and Yeongheung, and most of them are water sellers.”

“Water seller? Could it be!”

“That’s right, what Your Majesty is thinking.”

Sejong slammed the armrest at the Minister of Justice’s answer.

“Have you ever seen such presumptuous people! They did this for their own benefit! Execute them by dismemberment, execute all the men in their families by hanging, and make their wives and daughters slaves!”

“I obey your command!”

Due to this ruling, tragedy struck many families, but few people felt sorry for them. Those who lost their property and even their families in an instant needed someone to vent their anger on.

* * *

The first phase of recovery was completed with the execution of the arsonists and the distribution of 300 석 (seok) [unit of volume, about 180 liters] of relief rice and soy sauce to the displaced people.

“Even if the houses lost in the fire are built on their own, we need to take measures against the fire….”

Sejong, who slightly blurred his words, looked back at Hyang.

“Crown Prince. Would you like to try it? No, you’re still too young, so I should leave it to someone else.”

“I will do it! Just leave it to me!”

“Can you really do it?”

Hyang answered firmly to Sejong’s question with suspicious eyes.

“I’m confident!”

“I’ll trust you.”

“I obey your command!”

Hyang, who answered confidently, left the Pyeonjeon Hall [Royal Council Hall] to prepare.

Sejong smiled slightly as he looked at Hyang’s back as he left the Pyeonjeon Hall.

“So, what will you show me this time?”

“I can’t miss the SimCity live-action version… Huh?”

Hyang, who came out of the Pyeonjeon Hall with great vigor, stopped walking for a moment and tilted his head to the side.

“Why do I feel like I’ve been caught?”