Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Once Sejong’s command was issued, Kim Jeom took Lim Soonwook and began to move.

“Alright, let’s have a discussion. His Highness should also come.”

As Kim Jeom left the scene, a sense of urgency began to emanate from the other ministers.

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

At Sejong’s inquiry, the Heo Jo stepped forward to answer.

“Your Majesty! Having read the plan submitted by Lim Soonwook, it seems that it’s not just a matter for the Ministry of Taxation! It requires coordination among various ministries!”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

At Heo Jo’s’s words, Sejong, stroking his beard, asked. Heo Jo replied urgently,

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Hmm… There’s merit in that. Chief Secretary, go and bring back the Crown Prince, the Minister of Taxation, and Lim Soonwook.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Shortly after, Hyang, Kim Jeom, and Lim Soonwook returned to Geunjeongjeon Hall with the Chief Secretary.

Sejong, seeing the expressions of Hyang, who wore a subtle smile as if understanding the situation, Kim Jeom, who looked as if he had lost everything, and a bewildered Lim Soonwook, smiled faintly and commanded the Chief Secretary.

“It seems like a long discussion, so bring chairs. Ah! And a desk too.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Thus, chairs and a large desk were placed in the middle of Geunjeongjeon, and the ministers and Hyang sat around it. The chief seat was left vacant to not obstruct Sejong’s view from the throne, and Lim Soonwook sat directly facing Sejong.

“The Crown Prince will lead the proceedings.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As Hyang took charge according to Sejong’s command, Heo Jo was the first to speak.

“Firstly, as he is a graduate of the civil service examination, can we address him as ‘Scholar Lim, the Scholar’, instead?”

“Yes.”

Once the matter of addressing Soonwook was settled, Heo Jo dove into his question.

“Do you think rickshaws and carriages have enough potential?”

“Looking at Hanyang alone, they definitely have potential.”

“Why is that?”

“After the recent fire, the main roads connecting the east, west, south, and north of Hanyang have been paved with gravel. This means that even in rain or snow, the roads won’t turn into muddy paths, allowing for the effective use of wheeled vehicles.”

“I see…”

As Soonwook answered, Heo Jo nodded, and the Minister of Public Works also chimed in.

“But aren’t many of Hanyang’s roads still dirt paths?”

“That part also needs to be paved soon. The citizens of Hanyang are already experiencing the convenience of gravel roads.”

“But…”

Before the minister could finish, Soonwook continued.

“Of course, paving roads requires a significant investment. However, even looking at Hanyang, the lack of stable jobs means more people are resorting to day labor. Paving roads would provide these people with a stable source of income.”

As Soonwook mentioned the issue of stable jobs, the ministers nodded in agreement. After clearing his throat, Soonwook continued,

“Moreover, as people gain experience through this project, we can eventually expand road paving nationwide. This growth in construction and related industries can help move people from solely focusing on agriculture to other sectors.”

At Soonwook’s words, Sejong and the ministers all turned their gaze to Hyang.

Hyang shook his head, indicating that he hadn’t given Soonwook any prior information.

Sejong and the ministers’ eyes began to sparkle even more upon confirming this silent answer.

‘A talent indeed!’

‘A capable talent, ready to be employed immediately!’

‘We must recruit him, no matter what, for my ministry!’

While harboring their desires, the ministers proceeded with their cautious verification.

“Scholar Lim, you argued for the immediate sale of 20 rickshaws. What’s the basis for that?”

At Kim Jeom’s question, Soonwook answered with a slightly embarrassed face,

“That’s due to the limit of my resources.”

“And if there were no financial constraints?”

“Then I would start with 100. I would set up stations around Jongno, Bukchon, Namdaemun, and Seodaemun, with 25 rickshaws each. Of these, 20 would operate daily, and 5 would rest.”

“Hmm…”

“That makes sense.”

Lim Soonwook’s explanation led Sejong and the ministers to nod in understanding. Bukchon was mainly inhabited by high-ranking officials. Namdaemun and Seodaemun areas were populated by lower-ranking officials, but also served as gateways for nobles coming from the provinces. The Jongno area was a gathering place for those working in government offices and nearby large trading companies.

Unlike the ministers who nodded, Hyang tilted his head in thought.

“Setting up stations means having rickshaws wait there, but wouldn’t roaming the streets of Hanyang attract more passengers?”

Recalling ’21st-century taxis,’ Hyang posed this question, to which Lim Soonwook explained why that wouldn’t work.

“Roaming around increases the risk of becoming victims of crime. Not stationing at a designated place means constantly carrying fares, which poses a safety risk.”

“I see, I had forgotten that.”

Hyang nodded at Lim Soonwook’s explanation.

‘Not some GTA Hanyang…’

Despite efforts to strengthen law enforcement, Hyang grumbled inwardly about the still precarious security in Hanyang, or rather Joseon.

Lim Soonwook continued his explanation:

“The stations where the rickshaws will be positioned will serve several functions:

First, they will collect fares in advance from passengers to minimize disputes and ensure the safety of the rickshaw pullers.

Second, they will manage the shifts of the rickshaw pullers.

Third, they will maintain and repair the rickshaws.”

Concluding his presentation with the standards for the fares, Lim Soonwook ended his proposal.

“With this, I conclude my suggestions regarding the operation of rickshaws.”

“Well done.”

“Good work. Now, let’s talk about the carriages.”

“Excuse me?”

Exhausted from explaining the operation of rickshaws, Lim Soonwook was taken aback by Kim Jeom’s suggestion to discuss carriages.

“May I take a brief rest before we proceed?”

Seeing Lim Soonwook’s panicked reaction, Kim Jeom chuckled and explained,

“We have many more issues to address besides your proposal.”

“Yes…”

As Lim Soonwook weakly responded, Hyang interjected,

“Still, through the rickshaws, we have understood the necessity and benefits of such operations. The carriage part should be somewhat easier now, right? What do you think?”

“That sounds reasonable.”

“Phew~”

Realizing that his explanation would be significantly shorter, Lim Soonwook let out a sigh of relief.

Observing Lim Soonwook, Hyang smiled and offered some advice,

“Relax. Being too tense will only tire you out faster. There’s much more to do ahead.”

“Thank you immensely.”

Lim Soonwook bowed his head in gratitude at Hyang’s advice.

‘But why do I feel so uneasy?’

Suppressing a rising sense of foreboding, Lim Soonwook sat down to prepare for the next agenda.

* * *

The discussion about the carriages proceeded more smoothly than expected, just as Hyang had anticipated.

“Considering the size of Hanyang, the length of the city walls is over 40 li (approximately 16 km). Internally, from Heunginjimun to Donuimun is slightly over 10 li (about 4 km), and from Gwanghwamun to Sungnyemun is just under 5 li (about 2 km).”

Explaining the area of Hanyang, Lim Soonwook added,

“It’s a vast city. Of course, it’s modest compared to a metropolis like Beijing, but I believe we can pride ourselves on its cleanliness.”

At Lim Soonwook’s words, the ministers turned their gaze to Hyang.

The size of Hanyang had already been determined during the relocation of the capital, but the issue of cleanliness was largely addressed by Hyang. Receiving the ministers’ gaze, Hyang replied with an embarrassed smile,

“As the saying goes, ‘a blessing in disguise.’ We benefited somewhat from that fire.”

* * *

During the reconstruction following the great fire that turned more than half of Hanyang into ashes, Hyang focused most on road paving and sewage management.

“It’s an opportunity! Like SimCity!”

In the reconstruction process, Hyang implemented sewage facilities by recalling books from the Roman Empire and his memories from the 21st century.

U-shaped concrete conduits were constructed not only under roads but also linked to newly developed residential areas to facilitate sewage discharge. The system was designed to handle not only domestic wastewater but, if possible, even human waste from toilets.

“Do we really have to do it this way?”

Despite complaints from officials and citizens, who found Hyang’s meticulous supervision almost oppressive, Hyang silenced them with a single retort.

“Do you all want to eat rice cooked with sewage?”

Silence followed. In Joseon, it was already common sense to build wells and toilets far apart, so no one could argue against Hyang’s point.

Watching the officials and people grumble, Hyang continued,

“It may be bothersome and hard now, but think of the future. People are already flocking to Hanyang. If we don’t handle this properly from now, in less than ten years, everyone in Hanyang will be living with diseases.”

With the completion of the reconstruction nearing, Hyang petitioned Sejong to enact ‘Laws on Road Usage.’

The laws included regulations on segregating pedestrian walkways and roads for horse-drawn carriages, directions for carriage traffic, and prohibitions against urinating or defecating on streets. Although residents of Hanyang and people from other cities complained about these new laws, Sejong strongly pushed them through.

Initially called a ‘harsh law,’ the people soon couldn’t deny its benefits as they saw cleaner streets and enjoyed a more comfortable living environment.

* * *

Lim Soonwook continued explaining about the operation of carriages.

“Since carriages can carry more people at once, they can operate effectively even with lower fares compared to rickshaws.”

“That makes sense.”

The ministers nodded at Lim Soonwook’s observation.

Before long, a large map of Hanyang was spread out, and Lim Soonwook pointed to the east, west, south, and north on the map as he continued.

“10 li east to west, 5 li north to south. It might seem short, but it’s actually a considerable distance when you decide to traverse it.”

At Lim Soonwook’s words, the Minister of Law and Punishments nodded in agreement.

“It would be challenging in summer or winter.”

“Not just the seasons, but also the time wasted by those who need to come to the central areas for work is an issue. But with carriages, we can reduce this waste of time.”

“Hmm…”

The ministers nodded at Lim Soonwook’s words, and Hyang’s eyes sparkled.

‘Hmm… maybe… it’s a good test!’

Deciding on this, Hyang asked Lim Soonwook,

“Scholar Lim, as more people are coming to Hanyang, what do you think could be a solution to this issue?”

Lim Soonwook pondered for a moment before responding to Hyang’s question.

“The most basic solution is to eliminate the need for people to come to Hanyang. People are flocking to Hanyang because they cannot sustain their lives in their villages or other cities.”

“That’s true…”

Everyone, starting with Sejong, nodded in agreement at Lim Soonwook’s answer. Clearing his throat, Lim Soonwook continued,

“Therefore, if the entire territory of Joseon is properly developed, people won’t need to flock to Hanyang. Of course, this might sound like an armchair theory, but I still believe we need to strive to make it a reality as much as possible.”

“You said the most basic solution and an armchair theory, then what would be a more practical approach?”

Following Hyang’s question, Lim Soonwook immediately responded.

“We need to develop the areas within ten li (approximately 4 km) of Hanyang’s walls. First, extend the paved roads beyond the four main gates, and extend the carriage operations to those areas. Only then can we prevent excessive population concentration in Hanyang. Preventing population concentration is key to addressing housing, sustainable livelihoods, and health issues.”

At Lim Soonwook’s answer, Hyang clenched his fist and nodded vigorously towards Sejong.

Sejong, noting Hyang’s reaction, asked Lim Soonwook,

“What is your eldest son doing now?”

“Excuse me? He is currently learning the trade at a trading company.”

“Is that so? How long has he been learning?”

“It’s been five years.”

“Then, you could hand over the business to him?”

“Excuse me?”

Lim Soonwook, baffled and unable to comprehend Sejong’s words, stared blankly. Sejong then spoke,

“Wrap up your business and come to the court. Five days should be enough, right?”

“Excuse me? Yes? Yes? Yessss!”

Lim Soonwook was taken aback by Sejong’s bombshell announcement.

[T/L Notes: Another slave worker acquired! +1]