There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 243

< Water Knows the Answer (1) >

“Hum~ Huhu hum~”

I hummed as I left Nam Jae’s house.

If I hadn’t been quick-witted enough to suggest Jenga, I would have died a pathetic death from embarrassment.

As I was about to happily climb into the rickshaw pulled by No-bun, my eyes suddenly widened.

“Wait! No-bun, stop!”

Even if he didn’t understand the word ‘stop,’ No-bun, with his years of experience as an attendant, immediately halted and turned to me.

“Wh-What’s the matter?”

Instead of answering, I strode into a nearby alley.

There was a rustling sound, but he couldn’t escape my grasp.

I immediately reached out and grabbed the back of his neck.

“It’s been a long time, Your Highness.”

“…I wish I never saw you again.”

You again.

The one I captured was none other than the stalker, Min In-saeng.

Damn it, shouldn’t a historian be following my father around?

Why are you loitering around someone else’s house?

Then, Min In-saeng said confidently.

“His Majesty is preoccupied with state affairs from morning till night, so other historians who attend him will record it. But how can the stern brush of a historian stay only within the palace?

Since Your Highness visited the Right State Councilor’s house twice, I followed you.”

I should have dismissed him a long time ago.

I just left him alone because he contributed to catching Ming spies.

‘Should I just send him to a remote post?’

Come to think of it, how many years has it been since Min In-saeng became a historian, and he still hasn’t had a change of position?

For a moment, I wondered if the country was so short of people, but originally, historians have concurrent posts.

The work of a historian is surprisingly demanding, so a person like Min In-saeng, who believes that recording the king’s actions is his mission given from birth, must be continuing to take on the role.

“Which government office are you in now?”

“I am ashamed to say that I am a junior censor in the Office of the Inspector General, Your Highness.”

“You went to the Censorate?”

I was dumbfounded and asked.

For a man like Min In-saeng to go to the Censorate, has the prestige of that pure and important post been diminished? [The Censorate was responsible for monitoring government officials and upholding moral standards.]

Did I give the existing censors so much trouble that the Censorate became a shunned position?

Just as I was looking at him with cold eyes, wondering if this Min In-saeng was falsely accusing people since the Censorate was also an impeachment agency.

“By the way, that was a brilliant game, Your Highness. No wonder the Right State Councilor liked it.”

“You saw that too?!”

The walls of the detached room were high, so where did you see it from?

Now that he’s seen me playing undressed Jenga with Nam Jae, I can’t let him live.

Even if he just saw it, if I let Min In-saeng live, this will definitely be recorded in the Veritable Records [the official historical records of the Joseon Dynasty].

“Keuk, keuk, I must record that Your Highness created this amazing game…”

“That’s not all you’re going to write!”

I grabbed Min In-saeng by the collar and shouted.

There’s no way that Min In-saeng, who is full of a strange sense of duty, wouldn’t mess with the historical records.

I took out a memo pad from Min In-saeng’s pocket and confiscated it.

“P-Please return the historical records, Your Highness!”

I suppressed the struggling Min In-saeng and thought.

‘Should I just cut him off?’

After a moment of hesitation, I shook my head.

If I did that, he might really create a Joseon version of Dispatch [a Korean tabloid known for celebrity gossip], now that he’s lost his main job, and follow me around every day.

He also has merit in exposing Dongchang [a political faction], so I’ll let him off once again.

“From now on, be faithful to your work in the Office of the Inspector General. Only act as a historian within the palace.”

I clicked my tongue and released Min In-saeng.

Then, Min In-saeng calmly straightened his disheveled hat and said.

“Ah, Your Highness. Come to think of it, there was someone among my colleagues in the Office of the Inspector General who wanted to see Your Highness.”

I was dumbfounded that the guy who had been acting like he was about to die with a pale face had completely changed his attitude, but this is Min In-saeng.

“What reason do I have to meet him?”

The power of the Office of the Inspector General is strong, but from my point of view, isn’t he just a low-ranking official?

In the first place, for a member of the Censorate to personally want to meet the Crown Prince, it’s either a favor or an attempt to get in line. Scram!

“It’s nothing like that, he just says he has a matter he wants to meet and suggest to you. He says that if he can just submit his request, he won’t bother you again…”

“Hmm.”

I stroked my chin and pondered.

I don’t really like the members of the Censorate. Or rather, I ‘didn’t’ like them.

Those who are not high-ranking officials, but who are in charge of the hands and feet of the Three Offices [The Censorate, the Office of the Inspector General, and the Office of Special Advisors], are mostly newly appointed officials who have only studied and have been appointed to pure and important positions.

To put it nicely, they are pure, and to put it badly, they are bookworms who don’t know practical affairs and don’t know how to compromise.

That’s why I was always challenged whenever I tried to do something.

However, those who had subtle 신경전을 [nerve wars/battles of wits] with me in the beginning have already been 참교육 [thoroughly educated/reformed] and have moved to other departments after gaining some experience.

Perhaps because the newly appointed members of the Censorate saw my achievements, or because they heard about their seniors being confined to 굴락 [a type of punishment involving confinement] under the pretext of 사가독서 [a form of study leave], they did not show any particular spirit of challenge.

‘Rather, I heard that during this smallpox vaccination development, the members of the Censorate requested to erect a monument to commemorate it.’

Of course, since the members of the Censorate also serve as the king’s sword, my father must have moved them from behind to create a political effect.

Nevertheless, judging from the reaction of the members of the Censorate, it doesn’t seem like it was something they reluctantly did, so I can say that all the old grudges (?) have been resolved.

If there is affection coming, there must be affection going.

It’s not like my face will wear out if I see him once, and if it’s a favor, I can make him experience the rice chest in the storage room before sending him back.

“It wouldn’t hurt to meet him. So, what’s his name?”

“He is Park Seo-saeng, who is currently serving as a Remonstrance Official in the Office of the Inspector General, Your Highness.”

Park Seo-saeng.

I’ve heard that name somewhere.

Then, a certain memory suddenly came to my mind.

===

Park Seo-saeng was the most active person in introducing waterwheels during Sejong’s reign.

However, since Crown Prince Lee Je only knows three Joseon Dynasty scientists, Jang Yeong-sil, Lee Cheon, and Jeong Yak-yong, such historical facts are of no significance.

Originally, Park Seo-saeng became interested in waterwheels after returning from Japan as a Tongsinsa [a diplomatic envoy] during Sejong’s reign.

Right now, he is just someone who was dismissed for suddenly scattering the procession while riding a horse when Taejong visited Geonwonneung [the tomb of King Taejo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty], and has barely returned to his position.

However, history has already been greatly distorted for a long time.

Crown Prince Lee Je, who visited Ming, stuffed waterwheel books he obtained in Nanjing into his luggage and returned, thinking they would not be of much help.

While practical books brought from Ming were being explosively copied and published, these waterwheel books also spread, and coincidentally, they fell into the hands of Park Seo-saeng, who was dismissed and reading books at home.

And Park Seo-saeng, who had thoroughly read the waterwheel books during his dismissal period, began sending emails to the East Palace [the residence of the Crown Prince] as soon as he was reinstated.

===

Originally, a memorial [a formal written petition or report] is something that a subordinate submits to the king through the Royal Secretariat.

So, I, as the Crown Prince, should not receive it.

I shouldn’t, but the East Palace receives dozens of spam emails every month.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m in charge of one axis of state affairs at the level of acting on behalf of the king.

The contents are very diverse, and some people write 축문 [prayers] asking for blessings, while complaining about their grievances is the least of it.

Perhaps the only ones worth reading are the support requests sent by 기인 [local strongmen or influential figures].

But among them, the person who occupies the most shares was none other than Park Seo-saeng, whom Min In-saeng mentioned.

‘He’s got a lot of passion.’

I made a subtle expression.

Returning to the East Palace and looking at the pile of emails Park Seo-saeng sent, they were all about introducing waterwheels.

He’s not just copying the contents and sending multiple copies, but he’s arguing in detail the reasons why waterwheels should be introduced in each article.

‘If that’s the case, shouldn’t he go to the Ministry of Public Works instead of the Office of the Inspector General?’

He got first place in 을과 [the second tier of the civil service examination], so he probably doesn’t have the grades to go to the Ministry of Public Works.

The reason he was reinstated to the Office of the Inspector General might be because of his past grades.

‘But I have no intention of messing up because of the waterwheel distribution.’

I shook my head and thought.

I remembered a story that Hyung Jin-hyuk told me a long time ago.

‘He said that even Taejong and Sejong failed to distribute waterwheels.’

I didn’t know it well when I heard those words, but after falling into this era, I think I know.

Waterwheels were already introduced during the Goryeo Dynasty, but they are hardly used in Joseon.

It’s not exactly because Joseon people are stupid, but because of the 하상계수 [seasonal variation in river water levels].

In the summer, there are floods to the point where houses are washed away, but in the winter, even large rivers dry up, so you can only use it for about half a year out of the year.

That’s why I’m doing that 똥꼬쇼 [butt dance/struggle] with the livestock.

I don’t know how long I’ve been trying to use 축력 [animal power] to make it work.

“Do you understand? Waterwheels are not suitable for Joseon.”

I calmly persuaded Park Seo-saeng, who was kneeling in front of me.

It’s annoying that he spammed the East Palace with emails, but I can’t punish such a passionate guy.

‘As expected, he’s a member of the Censorate, so he doesn’t really know the reality.’

He’s more active than other people who only know how to say Confucius and Mencius, so it’s commendable, but it would be better for him to experience the difficulties of the field a little more.

Should I tell my father to send him to the Ministry of Public Works?

I think that would be more suitable for him.

“Your Highness, may I say something?”

“Speak.”

I took the attitude of ‘I will listen to your words’ with dignity.

Even though my words are all correct.

“Your Highness’s words that waterwheels can only be used for half a year are correct.”

‘That’s right, that’s right.’

“However, Your Highness, where else can you use it for half a year?”

“Huh?”

I dropped my arm at Park Seo-saeng’s words that denied the premise.

Was Park Seo-saeng the owner of a positive mindset that the cup was half full?

“The cost of installing and repairing waterwheels is not small, but if you install waterwheels and only use them for half a year, who would be happy and try to bring in waterwheels? Everyone will try to do things by hiring people as they used to.”

Joseon is already a country where the value of people is cheap… Huh?

‘No. At least now, the value of people is not cheap.’

Isn’t that what Lee Bang-won [King Taejong’s personal name] considered when he pushed for the Daedong Act [a tax reform act]?

Now is the early Joseon period.

Compared to the late period, the population is far less.

Then, is it really profitable even if you only use it for half a year?

“And waterwheels are mainly used for irrigation, and for this, it is not even half a year, but it is enough to water for about 100 days. I know well because 수전 [paddy fields] is active in my hometown, Seonsan.”

‘You can get your money’s worth even if you only use the waterwheel for 100 days?’

But I still couldn’t believe Park Seo-saeng’s words.

“Ah, no. If that was good, there would be no reason not to use waterwheels until now.”

I heard that Sejong also failed to distribute waterwheels, so I can’t make a decision just by believing the words of Park Seo-saeng, a 백면서생 [bookworm/scholar who lacks practical experience].

Park Seo-saeng nodded and said.

“It is true that Mr. Baek Mun-bo brought in waterwheels in the previous dynasty, but it did not work well.”

‘That’s right.’

There is no failure without a reason.

There must be a reason why they couldn’t use waterwheels in the field, so they failed in both Goryeo and Joseon.

“However, that is only because the workmanship was clumsy. There is no problem with the structure, but the production is not skillful, so there is often severe leakage, so which people would want to use waterwheels?”

Wait a minute.

Then, is this really because of a lack of skill?

“However, since Your Highness has shown your will, the artisans of the Military Supplies Office are all making elaborate instruments, and the 기인 [skilled craftsmen] in the provinces are also familiar with civil engineering and production. Isn’t now the perfect opportunity to distribute waterwheels throughout the country?”

Park Seo-saeng shouted excitedly.

If it’s really because the artisans’ skills are lacking and the distribution has repeatedly failed according to his words…

‘The waterwheel is, not to blame?’

It seemed like a path was visible.

Park Seo-saeng seems to be thinking of waterwheels only for irrigation, but the uses of waterwheels were endless.

My lips curled up.

—

Park Seo-saeng was the person who directed the introduction of waterwheels during Sejong’s reign. During this period, waterwheels were mainly criticized for lack of efficiency and leakage due to clumsy production, so widespread distribution failed.

Nevertheless, the waterwheel made by Park Seo-saeng is said to have survived until recently under the name “Mujawi.”

< Water Knows the Answer (1) > End