Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 622

Episode 622: Their Choice (2)

Jinpyeong answered confidently, but Hyang did not forget his advice.

“It has been a little over a year since the North became our stronghold. “The Jurchen people of the region that had already become the headquarters of our empire in the early days of Gyeongjang do not have much to worry about, but that is because they have just been incorporated into the people of our empire.”

Jinpyeong immediately responded to Hyang’s advice.

“In the olden days, during the Three Han Dynasties and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were people who lived as one group with us. Although after the fall of Balhae, the Northern Dynasty, there was strife between its successors and its predecessors, now that they have become one again, they will adapt right away. “There is no strong imperial army standing there.”

“But don’t forget to be extra careful. Especially considering your personality, wouldn’t you be moving locally as soon as you’re ready? You must not forget that you are a member of the imperial family. “You know what I mean?”

Jinpyeong was moved by Hyang’s words and bowed down on the floor.

“Your Majesty is so worried about God that the Hwang Eun is devastated!”

“That guy…”

Hyang’s inner thoughts about Jinpyeong were quite complicated.

‘Considering the history I knew, he is someone I should pay the most attention to, but when I think about his actions so far, I feel like I am looking at my younger brother who is a terminally ill-mannered fanatic… I am confused, confused!’

Since he himself was a late-stage enthusiast, it was a scent he felt a strange kinship with.

Jinpyeong, perhaps aware of Hyang’s feelings, suggested something to Hyang.

“I would like to make a request to Your Majesty to ensure safer and smoother operation of the railway in Sosin Bukji. Please accept (readily listen to my recommendations).”

“Listen and decide.”

“Please allow us to use the name ‘Dragon’s Road,’ which was the name used by the Jurchen people for the railway in the past.”

“‘The Way of the Dragon’?”

“yes.”

“Hmm…”

Hyang began to think deeply about Jinpyeong’s request.

‘Let’s see… Didn’t you say that there are still people who hold ancestral rites next to the railroad tracks when something happens? ‘Wouldn’t it be okay now that I don’t have to worry about people’s opinions?’

After thinking for a while, Hyang soon made a decision.

“I give permission.”

“Hwang Eun is devastated!”

“And is there anything else you need?”

“Even if it takes time, the budget needs to be a little more…”

“Hey, you bastard!”

Hyang screamed at Jinpyeong’s words.

“We haven’t even set a budget yet, so what kind of extra orders are there!”

Jinpyeong smiled as if he was embarrassed by Hyang’s scolding.

“Ahaha… it has become a habit… and the Ministry of Finance and Economy has given us a very tight budget…”

“Go ahead and tell me about that! get out!”

“yep!”

“for a moment!”

Hyang stopped Jinpyeong, who was about to take a bow and leave at the same time as he answered, and threw another bait.

“Keep in mind that you have to be good at Bukji before you can be entrusted with Shinji.”

“I will keep this in mind!”

Hyang, who sent Jinpyeong away like that, let out a long sigh.

“Whoa~.”

‘When I see that bastard, it doesn’t seem like that dog’s dream was a dog’s dream…’

It was a scent that still couldn’t forget the dream in which ‘Gye Yoo Cheolnan’ appeared.

* * *

After leaving Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jinpyeong excitedly headed to Area 51. Jinpyeong entered the ‘Railroad Research Institute’ located inside Area 51 and gave an order as soon as he sat down.

“Call all surveying team leaders!”

“yes!”

“Calling all the Iron Horse research team leaders!”

“yes!”

Soon after, everyone who had received Jinpyeong’s call gathered at Jinpyeong’s office.

“Is everyone gathered?”

“ancient!”

Jinpyeong looked at the faces of those gathered one by one and opened his mouth.

“His Majesty finally gave permission.” “Oh oh!”

“at las!”

Those gathered in the office clenched their fists in joy at Jinpyeong’s words.

Did you say it was a papillary species? As Jinpyeong took charge of iron horse and railroad-related affairs in earnest, similar iron fanatics gathered around him.

These were people who built their favorite iron horses and carriages, laid railroad tracks, and enjoyed watching the iron horses run on the railroad tracks.

Jinpyeong gave orders to those people.

“We will send an official letter of cooperation to the Ministry of National Defense, so the survey team will collect and analyze as much information about the northern region as possible. “If you do it right from the beginning, you can reduce mistakes along the way.”

“yes!”

“Keep in mind that if the surveying team does it right, it will prevent the upper management in charge of construction from playing around later!”

“yes!”

“Do not worry!”

“If there are people like that, I will throw Chidogon out!”

* * *

The notoriety of the surveying team leaders, or rather the railroad construction surveying team, was famous.

When conducting surveys in advance to lay a railroad, it was common to enter all kinds of difficult terrain. And at this time, even if you go a little deeper into Joseon and nearby areas, wild animals such as tigers and bears were in a situation where they were taking over. As they surveyed in rough terrain where all kinds of wild beasts were installed, their temperament became very rough. The members of the surveying team were obsessively meticulous because proper measurements and records were needed to build a proper railroad.

Thanks to this, if there was even the slightest hint of mischief by the companies working on the railroad, the surveying team members noticed right away and completely grounded it.

Thanks to these achievements, the government later deployed railway construction surveying teams to large-scale civil engineering projects carried out in the country. Thanks to this, the merchants in charge of construction had to deal simultaneously with the officials of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Development, who were in charge of supervision, and the mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law of the railway construction surveying team.

* * *

“Are there any worries about the surveying party and how is the research on the new iron horse going?”

“Prototype coming soon!”

“I’ve said this time and time again, but the Northern Territory is so large that it goes beyond imagination. Existing iron horses cannot handle that area. “We need an iron horse that is stronger, faster, and goes further!”

“Do not worry! “You will be satisfied!”

Jinpyeong nodded at the confident answers of the research team leaders and continued speaking.

“His Majesty said that only if good results are achieved in the Northern Territory, will a new world be possible! “Don’t forget this!”

“ancient!”

“Then get out there and move right away!” “ancient!”

With a strong answer, the class leaders left Jinpyeong’s office. Jinpyeong, who was left alone in the office, looked at the map hanging on one side and muttered.

“If the Northern Map is successful, Shinji’s map will be added.”

Jinpyeong’s eyes were burning brightly as he looked at the map.

“I have no intention of ending up as such a mediocre general! I will definitely leave my name in the history of this empire. As monarchs, I will not be greedy because I have incomparable people like my father and older brother! Especially because I have an older brother, if I become a monarch, I will only end up with notoriety and a bad reputation, so that is absolutely impossible! I will leave my name in history using iron horses and railroads! “I will leave behind a reputation, not an infamy or a bad name!”

If you smelled a scent, ‘It wasn’t a dream!’ It was Jinpyeong who once again pledged his resolve to say this.

* * *

The next day, Hyang gave orders to Kim Jeom and the Minister of Finance and Economy.

“… Therefore, I hope that the Left Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance and Economy will allocate a reasonable budget so that it can be implemented starting next year.”

“I follow your orders.”

Kim Jeom accepted it with a calm expression, but Park Jong-woo spoke with a slightly worried expression.

“In any case, it was absolutely necessary since the northern region became a stronghold of our empire. The only thing I’m worried about is money. “A railway that covers the entire northern region would require enormous funds, and the situation in the western region, as well as in the Ming region, is not good.”

Hyang, who had been pondering Park Jong-woo’s concerns for a moment, soon came up with an answer.

“Let’s put 30% of the stake in the Bukji Railway into the investment treasury.”

“You mean railroad shares?”

“That’s right.”

Kim Jeom expressed his opposition to Hyang’s answer.

“If you think about the benefits that will be gained from the railway, there will be a lot of positive response, but it is absolutely necessary, right? If you do something wrong, you will also be asked to take shares in businesses monopolized by the country. And those who have acquired shares will use their shares to interfere with management. “If you do something wrong, you may be criticized for enriching the rich by sucking the blood of the people.”

“The Left Deputy Prime Minister’s words are correct.”

Park Jong-woo stepped in to help with Kim Jeom’s words. In response to their objections, Hyang explained at length.

“Now that ‘Hongik Ingan’ has become a national poem, there will inevitably be demands to open the government’s monopolized businesses to the private sector.”

At Hyang’s words, Kim Jeom and Park Jong-woo looked like they couldn’t understand the reason. When Hyang saw that expression and was about to explain further, Hwang Hee came forward.

“’It broadly benefits people.’ It was written in the national anthem, but they will insist that the country takes the wealth that should go to the people through monopolistic companies. So, they will insist that state-run projects be converted to private ownership.”

“ah!”

Hearing Hwang Hee’s explanation, the ministers all looked like they had taken a hit. In response, Minister of Education Lee Sa-cheol raised his voice.

“This is ridiculous! Most of the companies run exclusively by the country are companies that supply products or materials that make essential items for the people. Therefore, that argument makes no sense. Firstly, because of the characteristics of the companies just mentioned, most state-owned companies are monopolies. If such companies are taken over by the private sector and cannot properly control prices, the people will suffer greatly. This is truly a violation of national policy. Second, even if the shares of state-owned enterprises are released to the private sector, only a very small number of people with great wealth will own most of the shares, and they will receive most of the profits. “This is also a violation of national regulations!”

Hwang Hee calmly responded to Lee Sa-cheol’s protest.

“It is a fact that many people in this empire already know that the imperial family and the state’s monopolies are making a lot of money. So, ‘Where and to whom did all that much profit go? ‘Let’s hand over the government’s monopoly to the private sector so that the people can share in the profits.’ If you say that, there will be more than one person who will fall for it.”

“Wouldn’t it be okay to disclose the profit and loss table every year?”

“Isn’t the first thing that will catch the eyes of the people those enormous benefits? Rather, I think there are more people who are trying to take advantage of this to avoid tax fraud.”

“That’s so…”

Hyang muttered to herself as she looked at the faces of Lee Sa-cheol and the calm faces of Hwang-hee, who looked like they were going crazy with injustice.

‘Whether on the right or the left, this was used to take power.’

In world history before the intervention of the township, there were quite a few people who came to power with the motto of ‘creating new profit tools and efficient economic operation through privatization’, and conversely, there were many who came to power with the motto of ‘a society in which all profits are shared by nationalizing all industries’. There were quite a few people who were caught.

As a result, both sides had something in common: they did not have a good ending.

Hyang, who was listening to the conversation between Lee Sa-cheol and Hwang Hee, quietly joined the conversation.

“I would like to explain further, is that okay?”

The ministers responded in unison to Hyang’s words.

“I will listen!”

The scent went straight into the description.

“That’s why we decided on 30%. Since the remaining 70% is held by the state and the imperial family, those who own 30% cannot interfere with management. ah! It would be nice to include a special clause! ‘You can receive dividends of profits, but you cannot exercise management rights.’ This clause. Also, I would like to place a limit on purchasing this 30% share. No matter how much money one has, one person cannot purchase more than 5 li. Additionally, purchase eligibility is limited to men and women who have reached the age of majority, and purchases can only be made at an investment safe located in one’s residence. If you are a person who immigrated from another region, you can only purchase if it has been more than 5 years since you moved. First of all, this is what comes to mind. What do you think?”

After hearing Hyang’s explanation, the subjects began to weigh the number of cases.

After a while, Hwang Hee came forward as the representative and answered.

“I think it would be better to follow the plan your Majesty suggested.”

“There are quite a few holes, right?”

“Isn’t it the responsibility of the minor gods to handle that part?”

In response to Hwang Hee’s answer, Hyang smiled and nodded…

“Then, let’s proceed. “I will only trust you.”

“I will do my best!”

The officer who recorded all of this added:

-So the subjects accepted the plan presented by the emperor.

The officer says:

It’s natural for people to chase wealth, so there’s nothing to blame as long as you don’t break the law. However, it would be problematic for wealth to be concentrated in the hands of a few people, so I think it was right for the emperor to stop this.

By the way, how much money do I have on the battlefield?

The voice of Hyang was heard in the ears of the officer recording it.

“Hmm… I guess I’ll have to get the typewriter in as soon as possible.”