Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 141

Episode 141: The Running Crown Prince, I Am the King, and the Rolling Ministers. (3)

As soon as the announcement was made that Hyang would build a restaurant and eat there with the people of the institute, court ladies and eunuchs, the officials stood up.

“This is against etiquette! “Where can the crown prince of a country eat with his subordinates?”

To the remarks of the officials, which did not deviate even an inch from King Sejong’s expectations, Hyang responded exactly as he had said to King Sejong.

-First, there is the issue of hygiene. Even if you use a front plate, there may be hygiene issues.

-Secondly, even though we eat together, it’s not like we’re having a meal, it’s just that we’re in the same place. The usage times for myself, the research institute staff, the court ladies, the courtiers, and the royal family are separated.

-Lastly, this is my personal opinion, but those who work in the palace are also people who have received the rank. How can they be treated like beggars?

After listening to Hyang’s explanation, the officials looked at King Sejong. Sejong, who received the attention of the officials, defended his hometown.

“I also think the crown prince’s opinion makes sense. Looking back, it is common for subordinates to skip meals when superiors skip meals. Add to that the increased meal time, so wouldn’t this be a waste? “I will not say more about the issue of hygiene as it is a problem pointed out by many doctors and lawmakers.”

As they continued to defend the area all the way to Sejong, the voices of the officials lost their strength. But they continued to ask questions about etiquette.

“But in terms of etiquette…”

As the officers continued to question etiquette, King Sejong added.

“Tueseon (退膳) So what is the beginning of Sangmulim? It means that the king shares the precious food he eats with his subjects. This shows through actions the love and trust that a king can show to his subjects. “Wouldn’t the restaurant created by the crown prince be seen as not just a place to eat together, but a retreat of great significance?”

The officials had to keep quiet about King Sejong’s logic. It was because I was pushed out of logic.

On the day when the grand dining hall of the East Palace was completed and opened for the first time, King Sejong left Geunjeongjeon and headed to the East Palace.

“welcome.”

When Hyang, who had been waiting in advance, bowed and greeted King Sejong, the Crown Princess, Emperor Yang Won (the title for the crown prince’s concubine) and Jeong Cho, who had been waiting with him, along with other members of the research institute, officials, and court ladies all gathered in unison. I prostrated myself and bowed. The royal soldiers who guarded the Donggungjeon nearby instead politely paid military honors.

“See you, His Majesty the Lord!”

“insect!”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Those who paid their respects to King Sejong straightened their posture.

King Sejong, who encouraged those working in the East Palace, especially the research institute, looked back.

“Let’s take a look at a restaurant like that.”

“Yes Abama.”

Guided by the fragrance, Sejong looked around the restaurant.

King Sejong asked Hyang a question while looking around the communal dining room, which was structured to enlarge the Soju room of the East Palace and connect the dining spaces.

“You divided the restaurant into several areas?”

“Yes Abama. No matter how much we eat together, it becomes a burden when a subordinate eats with a superior.”

“is it?”

Hyang answered King Sejong’s question firmly.

“That’s right.”

Among those who followed Hyang’s answer, the lower-ranking officials nodded in unison.

‘Are we going to separate from each other and eat together? ‘I’d rather just take poison!’

‘It’s not enough to get scolded during work hours, so you have to scold me instead of eating during meal time?’

“But if we eat together and talk, wouldn’t we be able to become closer and talk about work?”

“Meal time is rest time. “You need to get some rest to become more efficient.”

“He is like that too.”

Sejong nodded and agreed to Hyang’s answer. When King Sejong made no further comment, the lower-ranking officials sighed softly without realizing it.

“Whoa~.”

Meanwhile, Hyang explained the area to Sejong.

“This area is where I, the Prime Minister, and other senior officials eat meals.”

“It’s neat.”

Sejong nodded while touching the tables and chairs that sparkled with oil and moved on to the next area, guided by the scent.

King Sejong continued to ask Hyang questions as he continued to inspect the areas where middle- and lower-level officials ate together, as well as the areas where eunuchs and court ladies ate.

“So you separated the court ladies’ area?”

“Yes, according to etiquette…”

“Well done, well done… but isn’t the space too small?”

“We will divide people into groups, decide on turns, and then have them take turns eating.”

“Hmm… So what time is meal time?”

“Oclock (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), starting at 1 p.m.”

“It’s okay. Now that I think about it… it’s almost 5 o’clock now, isn’t it?”

Sejong glanced at the clock on the wall and looked back.

“Since I’m here, I guess I’ll have to eat something later.”

“Go ahead.”

Hyang answered quietly. At that moment, the faces of Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji, who were standing behind, turned white.

‘shit!’

King Sejong washed his hands at the wash basin provided on one side, and guided by the scent, he picked up his plate and moved along the food table to put rice and side dishes on it.

Every time King Sejong stood in front of him, his servants and court ladies bowed deeply, and King Sejong said with a smile.

“Don’t be overly polite during meal times. “I came here to eat, not to receive me.”

“I am devastated!”

King Sejong was intrigued as he received rice and soup.

“That’s interesting. You can receive more or less praise as you wish. “If we do it right, we can reduce waste.”

“That’s right. But, Abama. “Please put some more lettuce.”

“Crown….”

“It’s for Abama’s health. You have to eat your vegetables well…”

“Put more! Pack it in really hard!”

Sejong cut off Hyang’s words and ordered Suksu in an irritated voice. Sejong looked at the lettuce piled up on the plate and glared at the scent.

“He said he doesn’t even touch the dog while eating.”

“Well, dogs are bitten so you shouldn’t touch them, right? As I said before.”

“If you can’t even talk about it…”

Sejong, who was complaining about the interference from the scent, was delighted when he saw the iron plate at the end of the food table.

On the iron plate, delicious-looking pieces of pork belly were being grilled making a loud noise.

“Hoo~. “Is it grilled pork?”

“yes.”

“Short meat also has its own good flavor. “Please fill it up.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Sejong, filled with rice and vegetables and grilled pork belly on an organic plate, sat down at a table on one side with the aroma.

“It’s really unique because there are layers of scaffolding and flesh. “What do you call it?”

“It’s called three-tiered meat.”

Hyang taught King Sejong how to eat pork belly wrapped in lettuce.

King Sejong showed interest in the description of the scent and wrapped the wrap.

“Is it already the season for buru to come out?”

“We grew it on a trial basis in a glass greenhouse. “The yield is good.”

“I see. Where…. The author says, ‘Autumn Buru closes the door and eats.’ “It’s such a delicacy, but I wonder what the early buru is like.”

Sejong made a large dish by layering several pieces of lettuce, topped with grilled pork belly and thinly sliced garlic, scooped up the ssamjang placed on one side with chopsticks, rolled it up, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Hyang’s mouth widened when she saw the enormous size of the ssam entering Sejong’s mouth.

‘no! Do you carry out punishment like the comedians on those mukbang shows? ‘Just one bite!’

Sejong, who had chewed the enormous ssam only a few times and swallowed it, was amazed as he wrapped a new ssam.

“It’s truly delicious!”

* * *

After happily eating lunch at the restaurant and enjoying coffee in the room facing Donggungjeon, King Sejong returned to Geunjeongjeon at a leisurely pace.

“Please, Your Majesty, please~.”

The ministers who were waiting inside Geunjeongjeon for the departure of the merchant ship all checked their posture and bowed.

“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.”

Ijik shook his head at the words of King Sejong, who came to the party house while receiving courtesy.

“No. “How was the meal you ate at the East Palace?”

“It really has a good flavor. “Whenever you have time, you can stop by…”

King Sejong, who was happily expressing his impressions, suddenly stopped talking and became lost in thought.

“majesty?”

Lee Jik, who was worried when he saw Sejong suddenly stop talking, carefully called Sejong. Sejong raised his hand and said at Lee Jik’s call.

“Wait a moment.”

Hearing King Sejong’s words, the ministers looked at him with faces full of anxiety.

‘What are you planning to do again?’

‘If only the chief minister and the crown prince were together in one place!’

They were ministers screaming in silence with faces filled with fear.

Sejong, who had been pondering for a while, wondering if he knew what was going on, opened his mouth.

“We should install a restaurant like the one in Donggungjeon at Geunjeongjeon and the Sixth Military Government Office.”

“yes?”

“Isn’t the job of mediation something that consumes a great deal of mental energy? For me, it is part of the etiquette to eat food during the day, but it is not so for the nobles and the officials of the six ancestors, so it is a big problem. If you expend too much mental energy, your energy will drop quickly. “Wouldn’t it be possible to replenish energy by creating a restaurant like the one in the East Palace and having people eat lunch during the day?”

The ministers carefully calculated what King Sejong said. Even now, in the middle of the day, officials who could not stand their hunger went out to buy food nearby or had servants bring lunch from home and eat it.

‘It won’t cause any damage.’

Ministers who thought there was no harm agreed to King Sejong’s proposal.

“As you wish!”

In this way, restaurants were created in Geunjeongjeon and Yukjo Government Office.

As the restaurant was built, the response from officials was mostly favorable. However, some had a shocked expression.

“What’s going on with you? “I’m just sitting there counting the grains of rice.”

The manager who was chewing on his colleague’s question answered.

“It feels like eating fodder that is given to cows before plowing the field.”

“Even if I say it…”

* * *

A deep night as March slowly transitions from March to April.

“I’m having trouble sleeping. “Let’s take a tour of the merchant ship.”

“yes.”

After finishing work and before going to bed, King Sejong quietly left Gangnyeongjeon and walked away.

King Sejong, who had been looking around Gyeongbokgung Palace, headed towards the gate tower of Gwanghwamun. King Sejong, who climbed the gate tower and looked at the night view of Hanseong, turned his eyes to the place where the six dynasty government offices were located.

“The light is still on.”

“They say there are a lot of officials working late these days.”

“okay?”

After hearing the merchant’s answer, King Sejong took a step forward.

The next morning.

As soon as the assembly began, King Sejong asked Yeonguijeong about the scene he saw yesterday.

“Are there a lot of officials who work that late?”

“It’s not a lot.”

“Huh~. “Then you must be tired. Is there a place for the officials to sleep?”

“Each government office has a sleeping quarters, but there are not enough of them.”

“Hmm… that’s a problem. “After suffering so much, I can’t even rest properly…” As

King Sejong made a sad expression, the ministers prayed earnestly in their hearts.

‘So please do less work!’

‘All you have to do is reduce the work!’

“Huh… what should I do…”

Sejong thought for a moment and came to a conclusion.

“Build a building to be used as a sleeping quarters for each government office. In the night duty room, beds were placed in two tiers so that as many officials as possible could rest comfortably. “Let’s set up a washroom so we can do simple washing up.”

“… I follow your orders.”

The ministers answered in tears.

The officials who heard King Sejong’s command were also in tears.

“You made me eat at the government office, but now you’re saying I can’t even go home!”

“The children can’t even recognize their father’s face!”

“Resignation office right now…”

Although they said they would use the resignation office, the officials were not able to use the resignation office.

This is because the moment you submit your resignation letter and leave the government office, many future benefits, including pension, disappear.