Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 68

I was born as the daughter of a low-ranking concubine [a secondary wife or consort] (68).

The unauthorized absentees swept away by the spark I ignited recently were mostly low-level officials.

I heard that the more ambitious one is to climb up, the more diligently they clock in, and the busier the department, the better it is for advancement.

Anyway, among those dismissed, there were also members of families of meritorious subjects who had contributed to suppressing the rebellion, so some people expressed some dissatisfaction.

When some ministers grumbled about this, the King subtly changed the subject to the discussion of rewarding the meritorious subjects related to the now-settled revolt.

When a rebellion is suppressed, the rebels’ property is confiscated.

And when rewarding meritorious subjects who contributed to preventing the rebellion, the confiscated property was distributed to them.

The King bestowed rewards upon the meritorious subjects and asked his vassals about granting favors to the descendants of the meritorious subjects, exempting them from dismissal this time only. Since the number of meritorious subjects was not large, there were not many descendants of dismissed meritorious subjects.

As a result, an argument broke out between the meritorious subjects and the other ministers.

In conclusion, they compromised by not paying their salaries for half a year, and for now, they would move on, but they concluded by saying that they would check more strictly in the future. And following that, the conversation flowed to the opinion that low-ranking officials did not have to come to work every day and work for 5 to 6 hours (10 to 12 hours), and that it would be better to reduce the number of people in such leisurely departments.

And as they focused on that topic, they passed by without much mention or complaint about the slaves usually distributed as rewards to meritorious subjects.

In Joseon [historical Korean kingdom], if you are caught plotting treason, your three clans are exterminated.

The three clans refer to the maternal family, paternal family, and in-laws based on the individual. Mainly, men are executed, and women and children become slaves.

Originally, they were given as rewards to meritorious subjects, but this time they did not distribute slaves to them, so they all became government slaves. Of course, along with the slaves who were serving in the rebels’ houses.

‘Since it was discovered before they started the rebellion in earnest, there weren’t that many meritorious subjects.’

And as far as I knew, the King was negative about increasing the number of private slaves any further.

However, the government slaves had to be used by the country in the end, but in a situation where things were already running smoothly with the existing personnel, adding more people was also a hassle.

“Crown Prince, what do you think is the best way to handle the slaves?”

“Wouldn’t it be appropriate to use them where the state needs them?”

The two, with the pudding I had made, or rather, the food that was eventually renamed ‘Yeonrango (軟卵固)’ [soft egg confection] due to the Crown Prince’s opposition, were having a serious conversation in front of them.

There were many who became slaves due to treason, but there were also many who were not suitable to be sent to the military.

And as I sadly stared at the pudding, which was maintaining its original form, I blurted out a suggestion without thinking when the conversation between the two was cut off.

It was because I remembered what I had said about professional soldiers before.

“Wouldn’t it be better to allow existing government slaves to be exempted from their status (免賤: *myeonjeon*, to be freed from the status of the lower class and become a commoner) if they serve in the military for a certain period? Then we can fill their places with new slaves, right?”

“Hmm.”

“It wouldn’t be bad if we said that their families could also be freed if they fulfill the period for a few more years.”

If they roll around like that for several years, they’re practically professional soldiers.

It’s also a good way to convince the noisy old ministers about the exemption.

“Or can’t we just make them do forced labor (奴役: *noyeok*)?”

“Forced labor, do you know what forced labor is?”

“Can’t we create new jobs in civil engineering projects, mines, and salt fields, even if there are no jobs now?”

I said it, but why does it all seem like they’re going to be whipped?

“Yes, mines.”

“?”

“Sia [term of respect for a royal daughter] is truly brilliant.”

“I am honored, Father.”

According to what I heard from the Crown Prince later, the King liked my first opinion and later supplemented it more logically and used it as a system.

And the second opinion, which I thought had just passed, was also accepted in a different way later.

In addition to the existing mines, they developed places where they suspected there were ore veins and recruited people to work as miners. It was hard, but before looking for them in private homes, they first hired beggars from the relief center that opened around the same time as me.

Seeing that he was thinking of expanding the scale by finding ore veins (鑛脈: *gwangmaek*), it seemed that he was trying to reduce the number of unemployed people with this opportunity.

Mine development was something that had been tried several times in the past, but the ministers opposed it, saying that the existing mines were enough and that it could encourage extravagance.

‘Well, considering that everything was torn apart here and there during the late Joseon Dynasty and the Japanese colonial period, it would be better to just dig and use it now.’

We don’t know what the future holds, so it would be better to add to the country’s finances now than to save it.

And I heard that the development of silver mines and the lead-silver separation method (鉛銀分離法: *yeoneun bunri beop*, a technique to extract silver using the difference in melting points of lead and silver. It was invented during the reign of Yeonsangun, but it was not properly utilized in Joseon.) seemed to have been continued without being buried.

‘Ah. Is it because of that that the monetary economy is more developed than I thought?’

Fortunately, it seems to be well maintained as a national secret, but you never know who will leak it to Japan again. It seems to be regarded as important, so it will last longer than before.

Anyway, I thought that matter was just going to pass, but after a while, the King gave me an unexpected reward.

“In Siyoungwon?”

“Yes, Ongju [royal title for a princess].”

He said that he gave me some of the people who became slaves this time to use in Siyoungwon.

To me……?

What……? Why……?

To my puzzled question, the answer came back that I had contributed to calming the public sentiment.

‘Oh……. Is that how it works?’

Originally, when rumors of a rebellion spread, public sentiment would be shaken and the atmosphere would become ominous, but I coincidentally took care of the beggars at the right time, and the atmosphere became warm.

In addition, the atmosphere towards me and the King was not bad as the past was revealed by sending the lunch box.

Anyway, that’s the reason.

The demolition of the building where my private residence would be built was not yet complete, and I had plenty of court ladies to attend to me as I only lived in the palace, so I didn’t really need slaves.

So this means that I should use them as labor in Siyoungwon.

‘If it’s labor that doesn’t require a salary, it sounds good, but it’s a bit unsettling.’

I heard that there are many women, children, and the elderly, so I wondered if they were half dumping it on me.

But when I think about it, it was more comfortable for me to keep them than to go anywhere else.

When I returned to my residence and informed Gai, he looked a little tired, but he received the list of slaves without complaint.

“It seems that there are many who were ladies and young ladies from noble families.”

“Hmm.”

For a moment, I thought it would have been okay if Jihwa hadn’t run away, but I quickly denied it, thinking that she wouldn’t necessarily have become my slave.

Besides, if her official status is openly a slave, the daughter of a traitor, there will be difficulties in her romance with the Crown Prince.

This novel was not that genre.

Probably.

“They are women from noble families, so they must know how to read and write, right?”

“I have heard that there are rare cases of women from noble families who are highly educated, but it would be better not to expect too much.”

“Hmm. Still, they must know Eonmun [Korean alphabet], right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, for now…… let’s go and classify them ourselves.”

“Yes?”

***

So this time again, I secretly slipped out of the palace.

I said it would be okay since I would be going back and forth to that side once the private residence was completed, but Gai looked displeased. The Sung Gyeom Sabok [royal guard] who accompanied me this time just smiled.

“How’s the atmosphere?”

“Everyone is embarrassed. How could people like us have ever employed people?”

As Sung Gyeom Sabok said, everyone was embarrassed by the sudden appearance of slaves.

Of course, the children were the same, so they were awkwardly keeping their distance, bowing to each other, and only doing housework.

“Still, it’s fortunate that Court Lady Min is here.”

“It’s a good thing to have an experienced manager.”

In the meantime, only Court Lady Min was busy assigning the newly arrived slaves to their lodgings and assigning them tasks.

As expected, it was worth paying her salary.

“No, I’ll do this…….”

“Ah, no. I’ll do it.”

“Can’t I just do it?”

The scene I faced when I arrived at Siyoungwon reflected that atmosphere.

A slave with a fair face, who had been a noble until recently, and a child who was still a little grimy from the streets, were awkwardly arguing with each other over the laundry, saying that they would do the laundry themselves.

‘It’s better than fighting or mistreating them.’

I smiled and stepped between them.

“Children should also learn housework, so there’s no need to do everything for them.”

“!”

The slaves, who were startled by my sudden voice, stood up, and the children who had been living here were brightened.

“It’s the landlady unni [older sister]!”

That title is still valid.

Even those who didn’t know who I was seemed to have a rough idea when Court Lady Min came out and greeted me, and their faces were full of tension.

“Agissi [term of respect for a young lady]. Have you come?”

“Yes. Court Lady Min must have been embarrassed by the sudden increase in people.”

I first had the new people brought in. Court Lady Min would have taken care of the roll call, so I didn’t need to check it.

I didn’t want to treat them harshly just because they had become government slaves, and these people seemed to be trembling with fear after falling into the status of government slaves, so I soothed them appropriately.

Not me, Gai.

“Life here will be somewhat rough compared to before, but Ongju does not intend to treat you unfairly, so you don’t have to tremble too much.”

“We are just grateful for Ongju’s grace.”

Everyone answered in unison as if they had practiced, and bowed their heads.

It may seem like lip service, but in fact, it was needless to say that being under me was more comfortable for them in many ways than going to another house.

It would be terrible if they went to a house they knew. A person who had been on the same level until then suddenly becomes a master, and they would be scared of what might happen to them.

In comparison, it wasn’t too bad if the master they had to serve was still a young royal.

‘Everyone is trembling too much, so I feel like I did something wrong.’

They must have been terrified because they had been dragged to the Uigeumbu [Joseon’s judicial and police organization] and suffered hardships before coming here.

I heard that there were still some people who couldn’t adapt to the life that had been thrown into the mud overnight and showed resistance, but the people around them seemed to have persuaded them well.

It was unfortunate, but I can’t free them right away.

‘They have nowhere to go right now.’

Their property has been confiscated, and their acquaintances won’t want to be involved with the rebels, so it won’t be easy to rely on them.

‘Later, when Jihwa appears and reinvestigates the treason and clears the false charges, there may be people who are released.’

So it’s better for me to protect them for a while. It’s also true that I need help right now.

Gai, as I had told him in advance, first started investigating their specialties.

Not all women from noble families lived without getting their hands wet, so they must have had special skills. The daughters-in-law of the head families must have mastered the cooking methods for the food to be offered at the ancestral rites.

It would be a waste if there were high-quality personnel and they were not used in the right places.

“Those who can read and write letters and Chinese characters, please raise your hands.”

“Are there any who are good at embroidery?”

“Who is good at sewing?”

“Who is confident in cooking?”

Since I had given them a heads up in advance, Gai and Court Lady Min classified those who raised their hands and wrote down their names.

Of course, there were overlapping fields, so we decided to check the more outstanding fields later or turn them to the side where help was needed.

And whether it should be said to be natural. Unfortunately, there were also people who had no talent at all.

They were bowing their heads as if they were embarrassed and wronged by the fact that they had nothing to do, but it didn’t really matter. Everyone could read and write Eonmun, and there were many things they could do even if they had no talent.

Still, just in case, I decided to give those who hadn’t tried it a chance to learn it first.

This was an opportunity given not only to the slaves but also to everyone in Siyoungwon.

What if they have no talent even after learning it?

‘If they can’t do anything, they just have to make up for it with their bodies.’

No matter how untalented they are, they can still pick up firewood, do laundry and dishes, and carry and soothe crying children.

Besides, there are many sick people here, so we need people to take care of them.

But unexpectedly, there were also bold people among the children who were about to be labeled as incompetent.

A girl who seemed to be in her late teens raised her hand.