There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 343

344. The Age of Romance (1)

The time was ripe for romance, the twilight of Goryeo and the dawn of Joseon [two Korean dynasties].

Those who had weathered these turbulent times were not just men, of course.

The principle that one could not survive in chaotic times without grit applied even to the palace maids.

In the decades spanning the previous and current dynasties, the palace’s owner had changed hands several times against their will.

Perhaps due to these historical circumstances, there were many extraordinary individuals among the palace maids of this era.

A prime example was the rose-like maid who, when given a complaint to massage harder, shouted, ‘Do you think you have ten knees?’ and assaulted Kil Bang-won’s knees.

Lee Bang-won, unexpectedly attacked by a palace maid, was furious, but surprisingly, Rose survived without serious repercussions. In that respect, she had better luck than the king’s brother-in-law or in-laws.

There was another who was no less spirited than Rose.

That was the palace maid So-bi, who, enraged that Queen Soheon had given her (what she considered) unnecessary work, tore the Queen’s clothes.

Surprisingly, So-bi didn’t die either. The retired king and his ministers hinted that she should be executed, but Sejong, perhaps tired of seeing blood in the palace, ended the matter with only an interrogation. Truly, Lee Bang-won’s karma was deep and profound.

Even though the trajectory of history had been greatly distorted, the palace maid So-bi was still serving the Crown Prince, as in the original history.

However, during Joo So-hwa’s personnel reshuffle, So-bi was assigned to the East Palace [residence of the Crown Prince], and she began to harbor resentment.

‘I have served the superiors for so long, but due to the Queen’s supposed jealousy, I have been banished to the East Palace where the young Crown Prince resides. This is no different from being slandered and exiled!’

For Joo So-hwa, it was a matter of replacing Lee Je’s attendants while also assigning an experienced maid to the Crown Prince, but in So-bi’s mind, it was a clear demotion.

‘I, who served the King, am now tending to the Crown Prince. If this is not a demotion, then what is?’

In the days when Lee Je was the Crown Prince, the East Palace was rumored to be the center of power, but after Lee Dan came, it naturally returned to its original function.

Therefore, So-bi’s misunderstanding did not dissipate, and her resentment only grew day by day.

Finally, upon receiving the order to mend the Crown Prince’s clothes, So-bi’s anger exploded, and she shouted without realizing it.

‘I’ll tear these clothes to shreds!’

In the original history, she would have torn the Queen’s clothes, but now she was in the Crown Prince’s residence.

Her target naturally became the Crown Prince’s clothes entrusted to her.

She began to take out the Crown Prince’s clothes indiscriminately, unable to contain her anger.

‘…….’

However, after a moment, she could only be slightly stunned, forgetting her rising anger.

‘Is there someone else harboring resentment besides me?’

It was impossible to tell if these were the Crown Prince’s clothes or a beggar’s rags.

It seemed impossible unless someone had deliberately damaged them, but So-bi had heard rumors about Crown Prince Lee Dan.

She couldn’t imagine how he managed to make the Crown Prince’s clothes look like this.

She recalled hearing that the court ladies of the Clothing Department suffered so much that when he was sent out to play, the Queen would dress him in plain clothes that could be easily torn.

‘Then why leave them in tatters and entrust me with this troublesome task!’

With that thought, So-bi recharged her anger and tore the clothes.

However, since the clothes had already been deconstructed to the point of resembling deconstructionism [a style of design], they were not suitable for releasing So-bi’s anger.

So-bi, who didn’t gain more than the sensation of swinging a baseball bat at an already shattered porcelain, was momentarily lost in a sense of futility.

Soon, her eyes found a seemingly intact target.

Feeling a sense of relief, So-bi was about to tear the clothes apart when she suddenly tilted her head.

‘Why isn’t this tearing?’

So-bi muttered, turning the clothes inside out.

It was surprising that the Crown Prince’s activewear (?) was generally in such a miserable state, but this one maintained its shape. However, she couldn’t find any particular differences from the other clothes.

‘Except for the rivets.’

Only the metal rivets, sparsely hammered in, stood out, as if someone had temporarily secured the torn seams.

But the fact that they were attached to already torn clothes meant that this garment was no different from the others, didn’t it?

So-bi carefully pulled the fabric pinched between the rivets.

‘……!’

The feeling was different.

So-bi, who had been tearing apart the Crown Prince’s other clothes until just now, could clearly feel it.

‘The fabric is definitely the same.’

She had heard stories about cotton gins that separated cotton, spinning machines that spun thread to make fabric, and so on.

It seemed that they had not yet been distributed nationwide, but Hanyang [old name for Seoul], especially this palace, was where such devices were born and first used.

However, it was impossible to say that the strength of the thread itself had increased so dramatically.

Of course, as it was the clothing of the royal family, especially the precious Crown Prince, they would have used the best materials, but it would have been about the same.

‘But this is…’

The metal rivets, hammered in here and there, stretched out, holding the seal tightly, firmly gripping even the areas that were likely to tear.

It was the principle of rivets.

In the original history, it was a method invented to prevent wear and tear by hammering metal buttons into areas that receive a lot of stress, such as the pockets and zippers of jeans.

Even in modern times, when jeans have become fashion rather than work clothes, traces of rivets still remain.

In the original history, So-bi left her name as an extraordinary clothes tearer, but she couldn’t help but pause in front of this epoch-making discovery.

‘Wait a minute, this doesn’t seem like something I can just pass over?’

As she had spent many years in the palace, she was very familiar with the palace’s affairs.

‘She can’t kill her personality, though.’

The emotions she had been excited about had subsided slightly due to embarrassment and surprise.

So So-bi was able to calmly assess the current situation.

His Majesty likes these kinds of inventions and discoveries very much.

And he generously rewards and commends those who report them, regardless of their status.

You can see that from Jang Yeong-sil, who rose from a slave to become a leading figure in the court.

So-bi soon folded the clothes she had torn, one by one.

They were a little damaged because she had used them as a target for her anger, but everyone in the palace knew that the Crown Prince was rough with his clothes, so it seemed that no one would suspect her.

‘I was ordered by the Queen to mend His Highness the Crown Prince’s clothes, but no matter how I look at it, this humble servant’s sewing skills are not up to the task, so I came to ask for your help. Please take care of it in the Clothing Department. If it seems impossible, I will inform the Queen. I have something to report to His Majesty separately, so I’ll be on my way.’

‘…….’

Leaving the Clothing Department ladies in a state of bewilderment, So-bi quickly left the Clothing Department.

If they saw the clothes that were completely ruined, they wouldn’t dare to tell her to take responsibility and mend them. Thinking about it, it seemed that the first thing she had done wasn’t entirely without results.

She felt a little sorry for the Clothing Department ladies, but if she didn’t want to let this discovery go to waste, she had to quickly create ‘results’ through ‘experiments,’ wouldn’t she?

The fact that she had something to report to His Majesty was, at least, not a lie.

* * *

‘Even a mere palace maid has devised a way to mend clothes on her own! This must be generously rewarded!’

I shouted in delight after seeing the clothes that the palace maid, whether her name was So-bi or Saengsan, had brought.

Then Yoo Jeong-hyeon said with a sullen expression.

‘Your Majesty, mending a mere torn ribbon is something that women have always done, so is there really a reason to reward her?’

Mend your own clothes first before you say that, you old man.

It’s a reward that comes out of my slush fund anyway, and he’s acting like a miser, as if he’s worried about my money.

But what was the invention that first made the people look up to me and follow me?

It was the improved stove.

What’s the next most well-received invention? A washboard.

The principles and manufacturing are both simple, but they are things that are most closely related to the daily lives of the people.

Whether I make rifles or machine guns in the Military Supplies Department, the people would be more grateful for something that would save them even a little bit of effort.

That’s why those inventions received such a warm response.

‘However, the palace maid So-bi said that she did not do it for the sake of reward, so we cannot tarnish the palace maid’s loyalty with money, can we?’

‘That’s just what she says.’

Even if she didn’t do it for the sake of reward, we must give her a reward so that others will see it and follow suit.

In particular, palace maids, who are closely related to housework and have no men or are separated from their families, are in the best position to take on the challenge of invention.

Instead of causing trouble by having affairs with each other or going outside the palace, they should emulate this attitude.

Even if you do cause an accident, I can’t cover for you even if I want to. The ministers will rise up like a swarm of bees and make a fuss.

‘Thinking about it, I feel sorry for the palace maids.’

They are destined to be confined to the palace for the rest of their lives and remain chaste.

‘…….’

‘Yes, yes, I understand. You guys are more pitiful.’

I waved my hand at Noh Bun, who was looking at me with an expression that said, ‘How dare you say such a thing in front of me.’

‘These days, the palace maids seem to be particularly listless.’

‘In fact, Your Majesty is also responsible for that.’

‘What are you talking about? I don’t lay a finger on the inner court.’

I raised an eyebrow at Noh Bun’s words.

‘That’s the problem. Usually, by Your Majesty’s age, several of them would have already been favored and promoted to court ladies, and some of them would have even had children and received concubine titles.’

‘And?’

‘Once they become palace maids, all they can hope for is advancement. In reality, there are only a few children who can rise to the level of concubine, but there is a difference between having the door open and not showing any room at all.

But Your Majesty only has the Queen by your side, so they are all just looking at the ground instead of rising in status. So they’ve all become despondent.’

‘Then what should I do?’

‘It’s very easy. Withdraw your intentions even now and bestow your favor every day as much as you’ve put it off… Your Majesty, the Queen!’

Noh Bun, who saw Joo So-hwa appearing stealthily, yelped in surprise.

When Joo So-hwa glared at him with an expression that said he was talking nonsense, Noh Bun was greatly alarmed and shouted.

‘I, this subject, am only offering loyal advice out of concern for the affairs of this country!’

‘Loyal advice, my foot! It’s the ranting of a traitor!’

Leaving Joo So-hwa, who was grinding her teeth, I was lost in thought.

‘All the palace maids can aim for is advancement.’

That’s right.

The ministers who enter the court also aim for success and fame, but the palace maids must be even more desperate.

For them, the palace is their whole world.

‘It would be nice if there was a chance to turn their eyes elsewhere.’

I saw potential in So-bi.

I don’t know where she got the inspiration, but she made something like the buttons on jeans.

‘It’s definitely a sign that the reward system is effective.’

I’d like to hold a His Majesty’s Invention Contest.

However, there is a limit to the way I value and reward inventions one by one.

It will be even more so when the leadership of technological development begins to shift from the government to the private sector.

Then, in the end, we have no choice but to leave it to the market.

A system that guarantees exclusive rights and induces more profits.

That is…….

‘It must be a patent.’

Once the system is in place, anyone can jump into the ranks of this invention.

If a sense of copyright is created in the process, the writings of Hanseong Geosa that are illegally circulating will be cracked down on.

‘Anyway, I was going to release my writing as open source, so it doesn’t matter.’

Still, it’s too much to sell ‘Revised Edition of Old Scholar and Lady Joo (Ending Revised Version)’ under the name of Hanseong Geosa.

At least put the title of fan fiction on it.

‘Anyway, the establishment of the patent system is the biggest key…….’

Administrative power has increased dramatically, but can we really put that much effort into guaranteeing patents?

But surprisingly, the solution was simple.

‘Isn’t it a matter of cracking down on them directly?’

I was stunned and asked back at Baek Dal-won’s words, who had entered the palace to discuss this issue.

‘Crack down? Who on whom?’

‘The person who has the patent, on the guy who copies and sells it.’

I smacked my forehead.

That’s right.

Even in this era, there was a system to punish those who disrupt the market.

It’s called ‘Geumnanjeon Authority’ [government-approved exclusive merchant rights].