Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 135

135 People who change. (3)

It was not until the afternoon that the guards and Malbok, who had gone to Podocheong, returned.

“What happened to my brother?”

“It was five lashes.”

“Right.”

When Hyang saw Malbok following behind the guards, he pointed to a chair on one side of the office.

“Come and sit here.”

“Yes sir.”

Malbok hesitated and sat down on the chair, and Hyang shook his head.

“Sit comfortably. “Are you so sick that you can’t even sit on a chair?”

“Oh no! It’s just that it’s my first time in a place like this…”

Hyang burst into laughter at Malbok’s words.

“Is the guy named First blocking the Crown Prince’s way?”

At Hyang’s words, Malbok suddenly knelt down on the floor and bowed his head.

“I have committed a mortal sin!”

“It’s okay, sit on the chair.”

“Yes…”

As Malbok sat down on the chair again, Hyang got to the point.

“Want me to tell you what you can do?”

“Yeah yeah!”

In response to Malbok’s answer, Hyang looked at Malbok’s outfit.

“Well… for a guy who asks for something to do, he’s neatly dressed and has a sturdy body. “Aren’t you the guy who had a hard time due to lack of work?”

“That’s it…”

Malbok told Hyang about his life story.

When Malbok was five years old, both his parents died from an infectious disease. Malbok, a deceased mother, was raised by her grandmother. To raise Malbok, Malbok’s grandmother did all kinds of odd jobs.

Malbok, who saw his grandmother’s hardships, was around the time he was eight years old and went to find work as an errand boy at a merchant’s store.

“Is there anything for an eight-year-old to do?”

“Well, I did chores inside the store and ran errands nearby. “The store owner was a nice person and used a lot of kids like me.”

“Is that so? This is truly a good person. Then why are you looking for something to do when you can just keep working there?”

Malbok answered Hyang’s question by scratching his head.

“Most of the comrades who started working with me studied writing and industry and worked as storekeepers, but I was stupid and only knew about 300 Chinese characters and was not good at arithmetic… I started getting decent wages last year when I started lifting stones. The store where I work now has enough workers to carry luggage. And then I started to notice…”

“So you’re looking for something to do?”

In response to Hyang’s question, Malbok nodded his head loudly.

“Yes! I thought about working as a porter in Mapo Pier, Noryangjin, or Jeju, but there are already too many people there and I can’t make any money. “I thought about becoming a soldier or a breadwinner, but I also worried about my grandmother who would be left alone.”

“Hmm…”

At Malbok’s words, Hyang put down his gold pen and fell into trouble. Hyang, who was thinking hard while tapping her fingers on the desk, asked Malbok a question.

“I’m not completely blind, but I only know 300 characters, and I know how to do arithmetic, but I’m not very good at it…”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“It’s really ambiguous… haha.”

Hyang let out a long sigh.

‘Even in the 21st century, these are the most ambiguous types of friends!’

Even in the 21st century, these friends were truly troublesome.

Even though I was a fan of fragrances, my grades were excellent, so it worked out well.

Friends who used to play in the background quickly found their own aptitudes and found their own positions.

However, many teachers had to suffer from hair loss while trying to solve the career problems of children who occupied such an awkward middle position.

Of course, ‘I will live well on my own.’ There were quite a few teachers who just ignored it.

Hyang, who was contemplating looking at the horse’s clothes, held a gold pen in her hand and continued to ask questions.

“Other than letters or arithmetic, Malbok, what are you good at and like?”

“I love moving around! That’s why I always went first when delivering from the store!”

“Is that why you said you were going to do the work?”

“yes!”

“Other than that, is there anything else you’re good at that you can boast about?”

Malbok excitedly answered Hyang’s question.

“I know the entire geography of Hanseong by heart! I memorize the geography of the four main gates of Hanseong – north, south, east and west! I also memorize the entire geography of Dongri, where the road was rebuilt after the last fire. “Even if it’s my first time going to a place, I memorize the route right away after just one trip!” Hyang was truly impressed by Malbok’s pride. Although it cannot be compared to Seoul in the 21st century, today’s Hanyang was also a very complex and prosperous city.

“That’s amazing!”

“Hehe! “It’s a pitiful reinjection!”

Malbok scratched his head and looked embarrassed at Hyang’s praise.

Looking at that, Hyang smiled slightly, but immediately turned into an embarrassed expression.

‘It’s really ambiguous…’

But Hyang couldn’t disappoint Malbok, who had trusted in her and risked her life.

‘But you can’t lie.’

Hyang honestly explained the situation to Malbok.

“I want to give you the answer right away, but it’s not easy.”

“Yes…”

At Hyang’s reply, Malbok looked downcast and blurted out his words.

“Come back in fifteen days. I will find an answer by then. Wait for me here at the main gate of Area 51 in 15 days. Until then, work hard at your current job.”

“yes? yes! yes!”

Malbok, who was downcast, kept nodding his head with a bright smile on his face at Hyang’s words.

“Then go back. “Your grandmother must be worried.”

“yes! yes! Thank you! Thank you!”

Malbok got up from his seat and went out, bowing repeatedly until his head touched the ground.

After sending off the horse’s clothes, Hyang let out a long sigh.

“I did say it first, but… it’s a shame.”

* * *

That evening, King Sejong visited Hyang when he returned to the palace.

“Did you call me?”

“okay. “I heard that one of the people presented a difficult problem?”

Hyang smiled shyly and answered Sejong’s question.

“Yes, it is not easy.”

“Still, this father believes in you. “You will produce good results.”

“I will do my best.”

In response to Hyang’s response, Sejong smiled and nodded. The ministers who remained in their seats also looked at the scent with warm smiles for the first time in a long time.

“It is the greatest blessing and gift for a politician to have the people trust and rely on him. “This is truly a good thing.”

King Sejong nodded and responded to Yeonguijeong Lee Jik’s words.

“yes. “That’s a good thing.”

The scent poured cold water on the warm atmosphere of King Sejong and his ministers.

“By the way. “Shouldn’t we enact new laws?”

“statute? What decree?”

In response to Sejong’s question, Hyang pointed out reality.

“There are more than one people who saw what happened today. Will they stay still from now on?”

In response to Hyang’s point, not only King Sejong but also the ministers swore at the same time.

“Holy shit! “Huh!”

King Sejong and the ministers, who had swore swear words without realizing it, looked at each other with frustrated faces.

“A risk! Hum!”

King Sejong cleared his throat and ordered his ministers.

“I’m sure a lot of similar things will happen. “There are newspapers, but there are more than just a few people who speak highly, so let’s think about it.”

“yes.”

After observing the atmosphere, Hyang quickly pulled out.

“Soja, I will go back and think about Malbok’s matter.”

“… Do it.”

King Sejong glared at Hyang, who was quickly leaving, and motioned for her to leave. Hyang quickly bowed and left Geunjeongjeon.

The officer who recorded all of this ended as follows:

-… So the ministers and ministers discussed legislation to prepare in case something like today happens again.

The officer says:

It seems like the area in front of Gwanghwamun will be noisy for a while.

* * *

“This isn’t easy…”

Hyang, who assured Malbok but couldn’t find a clear answer even after five days, muttered with a perplexed expression.

“I thought I would be able to find the answer right away after listening to Malbok’s special skills…. Sigh….”

Hyang-hyang whetted his appetite at the difficult problem that could not be easily solved.

The first thing I thought of when I smelled the scent was ‘delivery.’

“I heard that you know the geography of Hanseong well…”

He thought it would be enough to give him a cart, but Hyang soon found the problem.

“There are so many alternatives to the delivery business!”

If you go to the ferry terminal or in front of the merchant, you will find a lot of not only the merchant’s delivery men but also laborers looking for work with their bags on their backs. And if the house was large enough to have goods delivered, there were already slaves.

“The conclusion is that the delivery business is a failure….”

Feeling a headache as there was no easy answer, Hyang opened the office window.

“Shit! “The weather is so good!”

The soldiers’ laughter was heard in the ears of Hyang, who was swearing at the spring scenery.

“haha! Run, run!”

“Run!”

“huh?”

Where the soldiers’ sounds were heard, two carts carrying soldiers were racing. There were pickaxes and shovels in the luggage compartment of the cart carrying the soldiers, as if they were carrying out construction work on the camp.

Hyang, who saw the scene, burst into laughter.

“Yes, there are small pleasures like that…”

Hyang suddenly stopped talking and snapped his fingers.

“That’s it! shell!”

“Yes sir!”

“Call Go Bongsa!”

“Yes sir!”

* * *

On the 15th day of the promised day, Malbok paced in front of the main gate of Area 51 with a nervous look on his face.

The gatekeeper said a word when he saw the horse wearing such a look.

“It’s still a long way for His Majesty the Crown Prince to come, so what trouble is it that you’ve already come?”

“But how could Cheongeo come later than the Crown Prince?”

At Malbok’s words, the gatekeeper nodded without realizing it.

“Well, that’s true…”

It was impossible to make a single citizen wait for the Crown Prince.

Has it been about 1 hour (2 hours)? A group of cavalry approached Area 51 from afar.

“He is coming!”

At the gatekeeper’s shout, the soldiers guarding the main gate straightened their posture. And the people slowly gathered around.

“What kind of people are they?”

One of his subordinates answered the gatekeeper’s question, which made him very nervous.

“I heard a rumor about that Malbok. “We all gathered because we were curious.”

“I wonder if anyone is not Korean….”

The gatekeeper grumbled and gave orders to the soldiers, seeing the characteristics of the Koreans, who seemed to be saddened by their strong curiosity.

“Just in case, tell people to step back!”

“yes!”

Under the control of the soldiers, the people slowly retreated.

After a while,

“Your Majesty the Crown Prince, let’s go!” Open the way!”

Malbok and the people around him immediately fell to the ground and the gatekeeper and soldiers gave a military salute.

“insect!”

“Thank you for your hard work. “Here’s the sign.”

The gatekeeper stepped back after checking the secret ticket handed over through the internal official.

“I have confirmed. Pass! “Open the door!”

“Open the door!”

Hyang, who was looking around while waiting for the door to open, was delighted when he saw Malbok lying on the ground.

“hey! Malbok! You come in with me! “I think I found the right answer!”

“yes! Lowering!”

Malbok responded vigorously to Hyang’s answer and stood up.

* * *

Hyang entered Area 51 with Malbok and moved to another place with Malbok.

“It’s the answer to your problem.”

“What is this?”

Hyang smiled and answered Manbok’s question after seeing the object in front of him.

“It’s called a rickshaw.”

“A rickshaw?”

Hyang walked around the rickshaw with Malbok and gave a detailed explanation.

“… So, we pick up guests at a place created after this and take them to their destination. You get paid for it. What is it like? “I heard you like to move around?”

“Thank you so much! Seong-eun is devastated!”

At Hyang’s words, Malbok bowed down on the floor and expressed his gratitude. Hyang, who saw that, smiled and opened her mouth.

“haha! I’m happy that you’re satisfied! But how will you calculate it?”

“yes?”

When Malbok looked confused, Hyang asked with a somewhat ferocious expression.

“Were you planning on using this Crown Prince of Joseon for free?”

“Oh no! “This is absolutely unfair!”

“Do you have any wealth to pay the bills?”

“… I will earn it and pay it back. “If you can’t pay me back, you can make me your slave.”

“That’s it! Do it like this! “Come here once every fifteen months for six months and report what you felt while driving the rickshaw.”

“See?”

“okay. As I was dragging it around, I realized where the problem was. Or something like a road problem somewhere in Hanseong. “If you report properly once a fortnight for six months, the rickshaw will be yours.”

“I will definitely do that!”

“Don’t forget. “It’s a promise I made with the crown prince.”

“I will never forget!”

“Then…”

Hyang got on the seat of the rickshaw and looked at Malbok.

“Let’s run to Gwanghwamun!”

“Yes sir!”

Malbok’s rickshaw leaving Area 51 immediately attracted the attention of Hanseong residents.

Upon arriving at Gwanghwamun, King Sejong, who heard the story, came out and inspected the rickshaw.

“Did you say it was a horse suit?”

“Yes yes! majesty!”

“Work hard and take care of your grandmother well.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

In this way, Malbok became the world’s first rickshaw puller.