There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 26

“Then, get in touch with the Song merchants and summon them to Hanyang.”

The officials gathered at my command blinked.

“Does the Crown Prince intend to deal with them directly?”

I nodded at Maeng Sa-seong’s question.

“Is there a problem?”

Were they about to say it’s unseemly for the Crown Prince to sit face-to-face with lowly merchants?

However, Maeng Sa-seong brought up a different concern.

“Merchants are keen on profit and excel at cleverly gaining advantages. I fear it may reflect poorly on the Crown Prince.”

Come to think of it, I had heard that merchants of this era were half swindlers and half gangsters.

Even if that was an exaggeration, it meant they were no ordinary people.

All the more reason for me to see them directly.

“Things that could be done if left to the officials of the Office of the Capital Defense Command often go awry. Let’s just see them directly without further ado.”

Even in modern times, if you just stand by, things often go to hell without the higher-ups knowing.

Would the petty officials of the Office of the Capital Defense Command be any different?

While the officials were exchanging glances at my words, someone stepped forward coolly.

It was Hwang Hee, who had just earned points with me for resolving the traffic issue.

“Your Highness, please leave it to me.”

Hwang Hee said reassuringly.

“You?”

“There’s no need for the Crown Prince to personally intervene. I will negotiate with the Song merchants and meticulously ensure there is no deception.”

‘Well, there’s no need to use a butcher knife to catch a chicken.’

With Hwang Hee coming forward like that, I also wondered if that was the case.

Dealing with the Song merchants wasn’t the only thing I had to do, so if a trustworthy person could handle the supply procurement, that would be fine.

Hwang Hee seemed to have quite a bit of experience and looked more reliable than Maeng Sa-seong or Heo Jo.

‘Okay, let’s give it a try.’

After all, he was a renowned statesman who would leave his name in history.

===

The Gaeseong merchants, commonly known as Song merchants, were a representative merchant group of Joseon.

Their history was much older than the newly established Joseon, as they had accumulated wealth through trade with the Song Dynasty since the reign of King Hyeonjong of Goryeo.

Naturally, they had strong ties to Gaeseong that matched their long history.

“So, the relocation of the capital to Hanyang has finally been decided?”

Song merchant leader Oh Jong-soo asked.

He was a seasoned merchant in this field, a large-scale merchant who had navigated the chaos of the late Yuan Dynasty by traveling to the Central Plains before the ban on overseas trade was lifted.

“Yes, leader. The Crown Prince and several officials have already gone to inspect the site for developing Hanyang.”

“For the Crown Prince, who is still wet behind the ears, to be serving as the Director-General of the Hanyang Construction Office, His Majesty’s trust must be considerable.”

No one is as well-informed as merchants when it comes to rumors.

Moreover, since the Crown Prince was creating many wondrous items, his every move was bound to be of great interest.

“Among the artisans gathered here, there isn’t a single household that doesn’t use the Crown Prince’s stove.”

The Song merchants had even sent people to the Military Supplies Office to learn the stove’s manufacturing method.

Although there were no impoverished people here who were afraid to light a fire for fear of firewood, there was no one who didn’t save where they could.

That was the reason they had become wealthy.

“If only we could somehow obtain the white porcelain powder.”

“They say the Crown Prince is only making tribute goods to be sent with the tribute envoys, effectively blocking the path.”

Oh Jong-soo had frequented the markets of Gaeseong since the days of King Chungjeong, who was just over ten years old, and had steadfastly engaged in trade amidst the chaos of the Red Turban invasions, the Japanese pirate raids, the return of troops, and the founding of Joseon.

He had witnessed the reigns of King Chungjeong, King Gongmin, King U, King Chang, King Gongyang, Taejo, Jeongjong, and Taejong.

He wasn’t the only one who had endured the turbulent times.

However, even he was seeing things like white porcelain powder for the first time.

“The Crown Prince is no ordinary person.”

Perhaps the construction of Hanyang would also be easily accomplished under his leadership.

That was why those who did not want it had contacted the Song merchants, leading them to gather like this.

“I heard an order for dyes came in from Hanyang this time?”

“That is correct.”

One of the artisans said.

“But the elders say to delay the import of materials as much as possible.”

“Tsk tsk, those elders couldn’t stop the relocation of the capital in the court, so they’re borrowing the hands of us merchants?”

The Song merchants were bearing the burdens requested by the government and receiving considerable benefits in return.

They naturally maintained close relationships with the high officials of Gaegyeong, but wasn’t this too much?

“Leader, isn’t this something we always do?”

Delaying materials to be supplied to the government with various excuses or providing inferior goods and pocketing the price of superior goods was something they always did.

After all, the inspections were done by petty officials.

It wouldn’t be any different with the Hanyang Construction Office. They wouldn’t even check properly if bribes were flowing, so it was an easy task to manipulate them appropriately.

“But the relocation of the capital is at stake now.”

It was something that could cost them their heads.

“What do we get out of it?”

“They said that if the capital moves to Hanyang, the Song merchants will also suffer a blow.”

“So, we’re the only ones taking the fall?”

Oh Jong-soo chuckled.

Laughter spread to the other artisans.

Unlike the gentry whose houses and lands were all tied to Gaeseong, the Song merchants were not.

Of course, if the capital moved to Hanyang, the center of the economy would also move there, so it wasn’t entirely welcome.

“If we block the dyes and disrupt the Hanyang construction, naturally there will be many complaints in the court. And they’ll use that opportunity to try and overturn the relocation issue again…

In the end, they’re just putting our necks on the line?”

Did they really think of the merchants as their pet dogs?

If things went wrong, it wouldn’t end with just one underling’s head.

If the fearsome monarch uttered just one word, the Song merchants would be in mourning in an instant.

“Then, should we faithfully supply the goods according to the Crown Prince’s orders?”

But Oh Jong-soo laughed and shook his head.

“What merchant gives everything they ask for without haggling? It would be good to test whether the Crown Prince is truly the person who can shake the country as rumored.”

Whether the opponent is easy to deal with or not is not determined by their position.

Even if the opponent is an emperor, if they are indecisive and foolish, the merchants here can swindle them.

It’s easy for them to subtly take advantage of someone who lacks awareness.

There was no reason for them to be intimidated and obediently listen to the Crown Prince’s words.

“Quote twice the market price.”

Oh Jong-soo, who ordered them to engage in appropriate collusion, gave that order.

===

Since I couldn’t make plans with just documents, naturally most of my day was spent inspecting the sites.

Of course, my grandfather didn’t show his face at these troublesome matters.

I pointed to a distant place with a riding crop.

“Did you say the Military Supplies Office will be built near Yongsan River?”

The river from Gwangjin to Hangangjin at the foot of Mount Achasan is called Yongsan River.

The Military Supplies Office was planned to be built in this area.

“Yes. Wouldn’t a scale of about 100 *kan* [traditional Korean unit of measurement for buildings] be sufficient?”

Was that the size of the Military Supplies Office in Gaeseong?

But I shook my head.

“It should be at least 300, no, 500 *kan*.”

The Military Supplies Office was currently only in charge of weapon production, but the production of white porcelain powder and other items I had created was also gradually increasing.

Even if we were to separate the departments later, I was thinking of building a large complex and creating an industrial park now.

Above all, as the number of Hanyang residents increased, the demand for various goods would also increase significantly, so wouldn’t we need to build that kind of industrial park to meet all those needs?

‘If we’re going to use waterwheels, we need to improve the streams too.’

Not only that, but the streams flooded whenever it rained, causing damage to the houses, so dredging the streams was one of the core projects of Hanyang construction.

And what to do with this sewage.

“If people live together, epidemics are bound to occur. These wastes are inauspicious, so they must not be thrown carelessly on the streets.”

It would be good to create sewers like in Rome and flush all the waste away, but for now, even feces and urine are useful.

We could collect the excrement scattered on the streets to create saltpeter fields or make fertilizer.

‘Then we need to build a system to match that.’

Everything was money, money, money.

‘I hope the white porcelain powder sells quickly.’

I prayed anxiously.

The white porcelain powder that the envoy to celebrate the emperor’s birthday had taken.

The key was how much of an impact it would create.

If all goes well, we could sweep up all the money from the women of Ming Dynasty.

Thanks to the silver conversion method, silver was accumulating quite a bit, but there was nowhere to use this silver domestically.

We need people who will accept silver.

‘Should I develop something else?’

I had already used my brain too much on the immediately faced Hanyang construction, so I couldn’t think straight even if I wanted to invent something.

‘Sigh, this damn perverted taste is causing problems.’

Just because I like development doesn’t mean I want to work.

I work because I want to see the results.

I was really busy.

While I was examining the terrain of Jongno and discussing the scale of the market to be built, Hwang Hee approached me slyly.

“Has the discussion with the Song merchants been completed?”

“Yes, it has.”

A person had come from Gaeseong yesterday to adjust the order quantity.

The Song merchants had grumbled that the quantity was too large, but it seemed like they had worked things out well.

As expected of that Hwang Hee.

‘Among the yellow and black cows, the one who works the best is Hwang Hee…!’ [A Korean idiom meaning that Hwang Hee is the most reliable and hardworking person.]

“Give me the signed documents so I can review them.”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t it natural for me to look over them?”

It’s not difficult to skim through something like this.

Then Hwang Hee started sweating profusely.

‘Why is this guy like this?’

Is he sick?

“Well, since Your Highness ordered me to take full charge, I will handle it myself. Please review it later.”

Something felt strange.

His superior is asking for the documents, but he’s resisting?

“I entrusted you with the negotiation with the Song merchants, not the refusal to review them. Guard!”

At my words, Yi Cheon, who was in charge of guarding me, strode forward.

Only then did Hwang Hee hand over the documents from his chest with a face like he was being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

‘He should have done this from the start.’

I quickly skimmed through the documents.

However, the unit price did not match what I knew.

I glared at Hwang Hee and asked.

“Why has the unit price doubled?”

Hwang Hee hurriedly replied to my question.

“The Song merchants said that even if they receive silver right now, there is nowhere to use it due to the lifting of the ban on overseas trade, so they asked for food and cotton cloth of the same value. However, isn’t silver the only thing that the Office of the Capital Defense Command can allocate right now?”

“So you decided to give them twice as much?”

“Even if we try to find other places, the amount of dye they have is insufficient, and they don’t accept silver, so I gave them some leeway, considering the circumstances.”

It was too cumbersome to choose means of transaction such as cotton cloth and food, and it was too late now.

In the end, we had no choice but to go through the Song merchants to secure the dye.

That was Hwang Hee’s excuse.

‘These guys are taking advantage of their monopoly and acting brazenly.’

From the perspective of Hwang Hee, the intermediate worker, he had to make the deal happen somehow, so he took the Song merchants’ side.

‘But this is the Joseon Dynasty.’

If they act brazenly, the court will really step in and cut them open.

I couldn’t believe that Hwang Hee had compromised with the Song merchants for this reason.

“Hwang Gyeong-ryeok [Hwang Hee’s official title]. You….”

Having thought of one possibility, I opened my mouth.

“Did you take a bribe?”

End

ⓒ Pitkong