Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 128

Chapter 128

Five days after the decision to establish the bank, a report came to King Sejong.

“Is the Crown Prince residing in the Record Bureau?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Why?”

At the question posed by King Sejong, the ministers tensed up.

‘What is he planning this time?’

‘What kind of trouble is he going to cause now?’

‘Please, don’t bring any more trouble! Really!’

While the ministers internally cursed, prayed, and hoped, the chief secretary answered.

“According to reports from the attendants serving him, the Crown Prince is there to supplement the response to the command you gave, Your Majesty, as it was slightly inadequate.”

“Ha! Truly befitting of the Crown Prince!”

King Sejong burst into laughter, filled with pride and admiration, upon hearing the report, while the ministers clenched their eyes shut and cursed inwardly.

‘Damn it!’

At the same time, Hyang, organizing documents in the Record Bureau, was cursing as well.

“Damn it! The conclusion is, after all, civil engineering!”

* * *

Five days after the chief secretary’s report, and ten days in total, Hyang appeared before King Sejong.

“Father, I have brought the second proposal regarding the command you issued.”

King Sejong’s face lit up with joy.

“I have been waiting. Present it quickly.”

“Yes, Father.”

As Hyang walked to the center of the main hall, the ministers focused their attention on him.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen all of you.”

After greeting the ministers lightly, Hyang cleared his throat and began to speak.

“The first thing I thought of in carrying out the command you gave, Father, was the bank. There is no change in my belief that the bank is the optimal solution to break the economic shackles between the landlords and tenant farmers.”

Upon hearing Hyang’s statement, King Sejong and the ministers all harbored the same question.

‘But what is the problem?’

Sensing their confusion, Hyang continued to speak.

“But, if only a bank is constructed, unexpected problems may arise.”

“What kind of unexpected problems?”

At King Sejong’s inquiry, Hyang immediately responded.

“It is the problem of transportation.”

“Transportation?”

As Hyang brought up the issue of transportation, King Sejong and the ministers began to ponder why it would be a problem.

King Sejong was the first to understand.

“Indeed, that’s true. The people need hundreds, if not thousands, of different goods, but these goods are not produced everywhere. If the landlords monopolize these goods, it could become another form of shackles.”

At King Sejong’s response, Hyang blinked in surprise, unable to close his mouth.

‘I hadn’t thought of that?’

“Prince?”

Frozen by an answer he hadn’t considered, Hyang was jolted back to reality by King Sejong’s call and bowed his head.

“I am overwhelmed, Your Majesty. I was momentarily bewildered when you pointed out something I hadn’t considered! I am deeply impressed by Your Majesty’s wisdom!”

At Hyang’s flattering remarks, King Sejong smiled and replied.

“It was merely good fortune. But as a father who has lived longer than you, it’s only natural that I have seen things you haven’t.”

The ministers looked frustrated at King Sejong’s reply.

‘So what are we?’

‘Damn it! If we’re talking about age, I’m as old as his grandchild!’

‘Are you saying we should just die?’

“Eh? Why do you all look like that?”

At King Sejong’s question, the ministers quickly composed themselves and bowed their heads.

“We were simply in awe of Your Majesty’s wisdom!”

“Your Majesty’s intelligence is a blessing to Joseon!”

The ministers, represented by the chief ministers, showered King Sejong with praise, to which he replied with a slightly embarrassed face.

“Ha! As I said to the prince, it was just a bit of luck. How can I compare with your insights and wisdom? The difference in our ages speaks for itself.”

“Your words are too generous!”

“We are deeply grateful!”

Despite bowing their heads in unison at King Sejong’s words, the ministers had mixed feelings.

‘Is this really a compliment?’

‘It doesn’t feel like one…’

‘It sounds like he’s saying we’re not living up to our age…’

Regardless of what the ministers thought, King Sejong’s attention was focused on the Crown Prince.

“So… Prince, what was your solution to the problem?”

At King Sejong’s question, Hyang discussed the issue he had considered.

“As Your Majesty instructed, not all goods are produced in one place. Therefore, goods needed from other places must be transported. However, with limited transportation, the volume of goods is restricted, and those far from the production sites must pay higher prices. Consequently, tenant farmers with low income will inevitably have to borrow money from landlords again.”

At Hyang’s words, the Minister of Punishments posed a question.

“Why would they borrow money from landlords if there’s a bank?”

The Minister of Personnel, Heo Jo, immediately responded.

“Unless the bank’s storage continuously produces unlimited wealth, and considering there’s a limit to the property that can be used as collateral, infinite lending is impossible.”

“Isn’t that the same for landlords?”

Still puzzled, the Minister of Law and Punishments asked another question.

At this, Kim Jeom raised his voice.

“Look here, Your Excellency! Unlike the bank, landlords charge interest on the loans they provide! Do you not see the difference?”

“Ahhh…”

Chastened by Kim Jeom, the Minister of Law and Punishments closed his mouth with an embarrassed expression.

As he fell silent, Hyang continued.

“This is the first problem arising from limited transportation, and the next issue is communication. Due to delays in reporting urgent matters like droughts, floods, or epidemics, there’s insufficient time for response. This delay in the bank’s response means the people will again be bound to the landlords.”

“I see.”

King Sejong and the ministers nodded in understanding.

Believing that King Sejong and the ministers grasped the issue, Hyang presented his proposed solution.

“Therefore, the solution I propose is to expand the road network throughout Joseon.”

Immediately, the Minister of Public Works objected.

“Road construction is already being carried out continuously.”

“Indeed, but the issue is with the duration and nature of the road construction. Let’s consider the current situation. Construction begins after the harvest and enters into winter, lasting for about five months until the end of the hungry season. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“During the harsh winter, construction requires significant labor and progresses slowly, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The Minister of Public Works nodded in agreement with Hyang’s points, acknowledging their validity.

Digging through the frozen ground in winter was an extremely difficult task, especially in 15th-century Joseon without modern heavy machinery. Most of the work had to rely on manual labor and animal power.

As the Minister of Public Works kept nodding, Hyang pointed out the resulting problems.

“Just like the construction of canals and reservoirs, road construction started as a form of relief work. However, if the bank becomes established, this kind of relief-oriented road work must stop.”

Kim Jeom then intervened.

“I understand what the Crown Prince is saying. However, the reason for construction in that period was not only for relief purposes but also due to the availability of labor. During the farming season, it is not possible to take people away.”

“It’s easier to take people out during the farming season.”

“What?”

“Eh?”

Hyang’s response, which contradicted conventional wisdom, made everyone from King Sejong to the scribes recording the session doubt their ears.

“Prince, the farming season is called so because it’s a busy time for agricultural work. How can it be easier to take people away then?”

King Sejong questioned, to which Hyang explained.

“It’s because of the transplanting method, Your Majesty.”

“The transplanting method? Hmm… Wasn’t that used to increase yield?”

King Sejong remarked, and Kim Jeom added.

“Yes, although the increase in yield was less than expected.”

Kim Jeom’s comment led Hyang to continue.

“Yes, the increase in yield was less than expected, so even now, researchers and farmers are working hard to find varieties that can increase yield. But the number of farms using the transplanting method is increasing, isn’t it?”

Kim Jeom replied with a slightly embarrassed face.

“That’s true. Even if the increase is less than expected, the poorest soils show at least a 10% increase.”

As Kim Jeom mentioned, the number of farms adopting the transplanting method was growing, as it allowed for at least a 10% increase in yield compared to the direct seeding method.

“In the best fields, where ‘even spitting brings a great harvest,’ the yield increase was at least 80%.”

Hyang then explained another effect brought about by the transplanting method.

“The ministers have focused only on the yield increase brought by the transplanting method, missing its other effects.”

This caught the strong interest of Kim Jeom, who was in charge of financial matters. For him, it was something he couldn’t overlook.

“What other effects are you referring to?”

“Sowing and transplanting seasons only require intense labor for a short period. Once these are over, there’s a surplus of labor until the harvest season.”

“Really?”

Hyang then explained the changes brought by the transplanting method.

– The transplanting method, where seedlings grown to a certain extent are transplanted, allows rice to grow stronger compared to direct seeding, as long as the seedlings can withstand the initial shock.

– Due to the characteristics of flooded rice fields, the variety of weeds that can grow is limited. This significantly reduces the frequency and manpower needed for weeding.

– Thus, apart from the initial seeding and growing of seedlings and the harvesting period, a significant amount of labor is available.

“…Let me give an example. Two years ago, there was a petition from Muan County in Jeolla Province. The county magistrate reported that after the transplanting was completed and there was spare labor, they were able to finish road maintenance before the rainy season.”

King Sejong nodded as he recalled the incident.

“That’s right. At that time, I praised the magistrate for his wise handling and gave a favorable assessment. Indeed, indeed…”

As King Sejong continued nodding, the discussion between Kim Jeom and Hyang progressed.

“So, Prince, you suggest using the surplus labor from the farming season for road construction?”

“Not exactly drawing labor. That would not sever the link between landlords and farmers. I’m thinking of establishing a guild specialized solely in road construction.”

“That would lead to unnecessary expenditure! It’s not feasible!”

Kim Jeom strongly opposed the idea, raising his voice, and Hyang responded just as emphatically.

“My intention in forming a guild is not for relief work. It is to create a professional group focused on civil engineering as a regular industry!”

“Really?”

Taken aback by this unexpected proposal, Kim Jeom hesitated, and then Heo Jo interjected.

“Are you suggesting moving the surplus labor from rural areas to urban settings?”

“Exactly that!”

At Hyang’s firm affirmation, Heo Jo looked troubled.

“But whether there will be enough workforce to draw from the rural areas is questionable…”

As Heo Jo expressed his doubts, Hyang turned to Kim Jeom.

“Minister of Taxation! How much has the rural population increased? Or rather, how much has it decreased?”

Kim Jeom promptly answered Hyang’s question.

“Since the new land survey, the annual average death rate has decreased to about 60% compared to before the survey.”

“Ah! I see!”

At Kim Jeom’s response, King Sejong exclaimed in realization.

“I had forgotten! Since we started vaccinations against smallpox and distributed medicinal herbs, the mortality rate has significantly dropped! It’s an oversight on my part! I cannot express enough apologies to the ministers!”

When King Sejong acknowledged his oversight, the ministers unanimously disagreed.

“Not at all, Your Majesty!”

“It’s our fault for failing to assist Your Majesty properly! Please punish us!”

“Punish us!”

After the comical scene of everyone insisting on their own apologies ended, King Sejong turned back to Hyang.

“I will consider deeply the policy you’ve proposed.”

“Your graciousness is overwhelming!”

At King Sejong’s decision, Hyang bowed deeply.