Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 410

Episode 410: Lord of War. Hua Merchant (1)

The changes in Joseon through Gyeongjang were not just changes in Joseon.

The Ming and Japanese countries also began to move in a direction quite different from their history before the intervention of Hyang.

First of all, looking at the case of the Ming Dynasty, the development of commerce was more prosperous compared to the history before the intervention of Hyang.

The person at the forefront of that development was Emperor Seondeok.

Unlike the history before intervention, Emperor Seondeok did not strengthen the ban on the sea, but responded by making it more flexible.

First, the scale of joint trade with Japan was slightly expanded. Accordingly, the volume of trade between the Japanese Muromachi shogunate and the Ming Dynasty increased.

In addition, several merchants were opened in coastal areas such as Ming, Fujian, Jiangsu, and Guangdong, and merchants who received permission from the Ming government were allowed to trade with neighboring countries.

Of course, this permission could only be obtained by paying a considerable amount of money.

Merchants who paid money and received permission from the Ming government were able to open a store in the Ming Dynasty and launch a ship for three years to trade.

Therefore, medium to large merchants in the region, as well as inland merchants, rushed to pay money to purchase trade permits and launch ships.

Here, Emperor Seondeok and another member of the Ming Dynasty government were hidden.

At the time of its initial implementation, the Joseon Navy’s naval control was just beginning to grow.

Therefore, the sea between the Ming and Japanese Joseon Dynasties was crowded with pirates and Japanese pirates.

Accordingly, Emperor Seondeok built a naval fleet and entrusted it with escorting the merchant fleet. In addition, merchant ships were permitted to arm themselves. However, merchant ships that could be armed were limited to those that paid money to purchase trade rights from the Ming Dynasty.

And in order to manage this, 100 officials and soldiers searched the ship like they were catching rats before departure.

Because there were carrots and sticks, merchants paid money to purchase trade rights, which was a significant help to the finances of the clan.

Of course, this policy was borrowed from the policy applied by the Joseon Dynasty to the Joseon Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, and the Mansur Dynasty.

And as time passed and Joseon secured control of the West and South Seas, the number of pirates and Japanese pirates decreased.

After receiving the report, Emperor Seondeok moved a significant portion of his navy to the southwest and put pressure on the pirates.

“It is considered dangerous to empty the East Sea (North Korea’s West Sea). “Wouldn’t it be a big deal if Joseon had a different mindset?”

The ministers expressed opposition to the naval forces’ movement and disposition, but Emperor Seondeok just snorted.

“joy! Are our Ming and Joseon connected only by the sea? And why don’t you leave behind a navy of an appropriate size?”

“But…”

“What you guys are doing right now is just worrying about nothing. “Keep your mouth shut!”

The ministers and eunuchs all fell silent like clams at Emperor Seondeok’s words.

* * *

In order to foster Ming’s commercial world and at the same time make its finances sound, Emperor Seondeok implemented many policies.

One of them was to strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, just like in Joseon.

Even during this period, Chinese imitation and counterfeiting were notorious. Most of the items said to have been found in tombs from the old Qin Dynasty or the Three Kingdoms period of the Han Dynasty were fake, and even among the medicines that put people’s lives at stake, counterfeit products were circulating around.

Imitation and counterfeit products were not the only problem. When a rumor spreads that an item made by a certain merchant or craftsman was popular, other merchants soon released products that were exactly like it.

It was a trend of disregard for intellectual property rights that later historians called “Sanchae (den of bandits) culture.”

Naturally, Emperor Seondeok and his ministers were well aware that this trend was an obstacle to fostering healthy commerce. Therefore, although a lot of effort was made to eliminate this trend, it did not disappear easily.

However, this trend disappeared when Hyang directly negotiated with Emperor Seondeok and launched a joint venture.

The products distributed by the merchant, a joint venture between the Ming emperor and the king and royal family of Joseon, were extremely popular products.

Naturally, it was natural for unauthorized copies of these items to be distributed.

And when Emperor Seondeok received the report related to this, he became furious.

“This is making light of the promise I made. “If you look down on my promise, you look down on me, and this is high treason!”

* * *

Emperor Seondeok was furious and immediately began crackdown. It was not a simple crackdown, but a large-scale violent suppression using the military.

This crackdown resulted in tremendous bloodshed. The mere disappearance of one family crest or another was to the point of being cute. It even happened that a village disappeared. This was not a simple crime, but high treason.

The top where unauthorized copying was discovered was immediately destroyed by the military. The area where the sign at the top was hung was destroyed, leaving no stone unturned, and the ground was dug up to bring out hidden treasures. And the bodies of the dead people were buried in the pit that was created.

And based on the ledgers obtained from the top and interrogations of those involved, even those who received bribes were tied up and purged.

In this process, Emperor Seondeok did not forget to create competition between alumni and the Geumwiwi.

“I will give you 30% of the confiscated wealth as a reward! “This is a reward given to thank you for your loyalty to me!”

At Emperor Seondeok’s declaration, the alumni and Geumuiwi shouted loudly for national independence.

“Long live your Majesty the Emperor! hurray! Long live!”

In this way, the reckless copying that had been practiced indiscriminately, staining the Central Plains with blood, gradually disappeared. Of course, illegal copying still took place deep inside, but unauthorized copying that was done openly and openly like before has disappeared.

And the ‘Imperial Intellectual Property Registry’, modeled after the example of Joseon, emerged.

* * *

The central continent suffered as a result of this bloody storm, but there was also the opposite effect.

The payoff was that the power of the emperor, symbolized by the Emperor Seondeok, was further enhanced. Of course, even before that, the emperor was called ‘the Son of Heaven’ and was a symbol of power.

However, the emperor did not hold all power. The ‘pro-kings’ who settled here and there on the continent shared a significant portion of the emperor’s power.

And because of the bloodshed caused by Emperor Seondeok, much of the power that the pro-kings had taken was returned to Emperor Seondeok.

After the storm of bloodshed, those in power and the wealthy prayed with earnest hearts.

“I hope this bloody wind will end just this once…”

But the bloody wind they had so desperately wanted to avoid blew once more.

The name of the blood storm that blew this time was ‘currency’.

* * *

As everyone knows, Joseon’s use of currency was useful, and in particular, seeing that Joseon’s silver banknotes were exerting influence as far away as Malacca, the government of the Ming Dynasty also decided to create and distribute currency – not exactly actual currency, but paper money. did.

And as the circulation of currency began, two problems that arose and hindered Emperor Seondeok.

The two problems that held back Emperor Seondeok were counterfeit notes and private money.

The issue of counterfeit currency was a problem from the time it was prepared for issuance. To prevent this problem of counterfeiting, a precise currency disc that cannot be counterfeited was needed. However, since it was impossible to develop this with the Ming Dynasty’s technological capabilities, Joseon ultimately had to produce currency discs and a printing press to present it.

On the day that the currency disc and printing press made in Joseon arrived, Emperor Seondeok praised the Joseon envoys but treated his subjects harshly.

“Why can’t we make Joseondo?”

Before the currency printed in this way was circulated, the government of Ming sent samples to government offices throughout the central plains to display them. This was to prevent misidentification and use of counterfeit bills.

However, less than six months after the circulation of currency began, an appeal was filed stating that counterfeit currency was discovered.

Emperor Seondeok looked at the ministers with an expression of bewilderment after seeing Wife come up with the petition.

“You confused this with pneumoconiosis? Are all the people of the empire blind-eyed?”

The counterfeit money in Emperor Seondeok’s hands was so crude that anyone could tell it was a counterfeit note.

When Emperor Seondeok was worried about the quality of the people he ruled, the assistant cabinet minister stepped forward and answered.

“The area where the appeal came from is a remote area of heaven. “I think it’s because it’s a place where people don’t really know what’s going on in the world.”

“Huh…”

Shaking his head with a sigh, Emperor Seondeok gave an order.

“Make samples again and send them to remote areas without fail.”

“I follow your orders!”

However, less than three months later, another complaint was made that another counterfeit note had been discovered. This time the problem was even more serious, as it was discovered in Sichuan, a city with many people, although it is far from Beijing. And although it was still crude, the workmanship was more advanced than last time.

Emperor Seondeok, who accepted the forgery along with his appeal, glared at the cabinet secretary.

“Don’t you have anything to say to Jim?”

“Please forgive me for my sins! “Please save me!”

“Bring out the interest!”

“yes!”

At Emperor Seondeok’s order, the soldiers of the Jinuiwi came in and dragged away the cabinet secretary. Emperor Seondeok responded coldly to the assistant cabinet secretary’s cry for help.

“Does Jim need to show mercy twice?”

Staring at the ministers and eunuchs who were literally frozen, Emperor Seondeok immediately gave an order.

“Immediately mobilize all available manpower from the Gold Medal Committee and Alumni to bring down the counterfeiters! These are traitors who harm the empire, so we must show absolutely no mercy! Anyone who shows even the slightest laxity will be charged with high treason!”

To Emperor Seondeok’s command, classmates and executives of the Geumwiwi responded loudly, sweating coldly.

“I come to receive the royal command!”

According to Emperor Seondeok’s orders, a bloody wind blew in the Sacheon region. Because it was a matter of their own risk, the Goldsmith Committee and Dongcheong officials persistently tracked down the counterfeit organization. During the tracking process, not only were there real members of the organization, but there were also quite a few people who were caught in the process of being framed. However, Alumni and the Geumui Committee did not distinguish between them and arrested them first and then proceeded with torture.

In this way, about 20,000 people disappeared from the execution ground in the Sacheon region alone, and counterfeit money disappeared.

* * *

Emperor Seondeok, who solved the problem of counterfeit currency, meticulously examined currency-related issues and corrected and supplemented any insufficiencies.

“Although the use of currency has increased, the rate of increase is not fast compared to the size of our empire. what is the reason?”

The new assistant cabinet secretary responded to Emperor Seondeok’s question.

“There are quite a few merchants who still use their own dictionaries, so to speak, slips.”

“why?”

In response to Emperor Seondeok’s question, the Cabinet Secretary explained why they used their own slips.

-First of all, the top leaders lack faith in the currency issued by the country. The reason is because we remember the failure of the Qiaocho (??) issued by the Yuan Dynasty and the Damingbocho (????) issued in the early days of the empire.

-Next, it is to hide their wealth. In order to use currency, they must bring and exchange physical gold and silver, but they do not want their wealth to be revealed in the process.

“Why are you trying to hide your wealth?”

“It’s because of taxes.”

In response to the new Assistant Cabinet Secretary’s answer, Emperor Seondeok gritted his teeth and hit the armrest with his fist.

“These killers!”

At Emperor Seondeok’s shout, everyone, including the assistant cabinet secretary, fell flat on the floor.

“If you are a citizen of the empire, it is natural to pay a certain amount of taxes! Are you using a dictionary to avoid paying that tax? “I will issue an imperial decree immediately!”

It was once again a cry calling for bloodshed.

* * *

Author’s note.

hello?

This is Gukppong, who writes ‘Black Enterprise Chosun’.

The series was delayed because I had been feeling chest pains since yesterday and went to the hospital to get diagnosed.

The doctor said that it seemed like indigestion caused by stress. However, if you continue to feel pain after taking all of the prescribed medication, they advise you to go to a large hospital and receive a detailed diagnosis.

I hope this time passes without any problems.

And now I really need to lose weight.