Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 149

Episode 149: Fall of that year. (4)

“I’ve been there.”

After returning to the Pioneer Corps headquarters, Kim Jong-seo went straight to Hwang Hee’s office and announced his return.

Hwang Hee, who was wrestling with a mountain of documents, raised her head, looked at Kim Jong-seo, and opened her mouth.

“You’re good~. do well. “I brought you here to get a brush cut, so you went out and cut me with a knife and then sat down?”

“sorry.”

“That’s it. “There are no injuries, right?”

“yes.”

“Then wash, change clothes, and get to work right away.”

“I… can’t I just take a day off today?”

When Kim Jong-seo requested a break at Hwang Hee’s order, Hwang Hee leaned against the back of the chair and glared at Hwang Hee.

“Did I give you an order to go around and cut people like that?”

“no. But…”

“You used to sing that you would return to Hanseong within 5 years, right?”

“…I’ll get to work right away.”

It was Kim Jong-seo who immediately gave up on Hwang Hee’s words.

“Ah, those who went to Musan….”

“They already returned the day before yesterday, and both the family register and land register have been confirmed and payment has been completed.”

“Yes….”

Kim Jong-seo, who tried to go a little easier using the excuse of ‘failure’, could not hide his disappointment, and Hwang-hee added a short word to Kim Jong-seo.

“I have things on my desk that need to be done right away, so do them right away.”

“…yes.”

“Within 5 years….”

“I’m going, I’m going!”

* * *

As Hwang Hee formed the pioneering team, Kim Jong-seo naturally became the second-in-command.

Kim Jong-seo was not positioned as second-in-command from the beginning. When Hwang Hee was first appointed, there were several people with similar experience and qualifications to Kim Jong-seo.

The reason Kim Jong-seo stood out among these people was because he was the first to give a good answer to the problem posed by Hwang Hee.

Thanks to this, by the time the pioneering team arrived in the northeastern region and began work in earnest, Kim Jong-seo had established himself as the steadfast second-in-command.

As the Northeast Pioneer Corps began to move in earnest, Hwang Hee first appointed them and those who worked with them organized a basic administrative organization. Once the administrative districts were completed, local officials were sent from Hanseong or noble tribal chiefs of the Jurchen tribe were appointed as local officials to stabilize the administrative organization.

While pioneering the northeast, Kim Jong-seo trained the officials of the pioneering team.

“That’s what I see. The first goal, complete annexation of the Duman River region, will be completed in 5 years. In just 5 years, I will leave this horrible place and return to Hanseong!

Even one day late in those 5 years? I die and you all die too! So, you guys, brace yourselves!

Do I make a mistake in my research and have to start over again? Die.

Are you late for payment due to incorrect document preparation? I lag behind.

Have you ever lost or damaged a document and had to fill it out again? I’ll take your breath away! Do you understand?”

“yes!”

The officials responded immediately to the threats of Kim Jong-seo, who did not hide his extreme love for Hanseong.

Even as officials, returning to Hanseong early was something they wanted to do. They were all drafted from the Hanseong government. All my family and friends were in Hanseong.

* * *

As things went on, the positions of Hwang Hee and Kim Jong-seo became established as ‘mother-in-law and sister-in-law’ to the officials of the pioneering team.

Thanks to this, the officials were upset and relieved whenever Kim Jong-seo was broken by Hwang Hee.

“Great! “Why are you scolding me?”

As those broken days continued, Kim Jong-seo argued with Hwang Hee. Hwang Hee gave a simple answer to Kim Jong-seo’s question.

“Because you are the administrative officer.”

“yes?”

“If there is a problem with the documents submitted from below, should I chase after them and scold them one by one? It is your job to first check if there is a problem and reduce my workload. On the other hand, it is your responsibility to find the right person for the tasks I hand over.”

Kim Jong-seo kept his mouth shut at Hwang Hee’s point, because it was correct.

“But why did you stop?”

“Because you are good at your job.”

“I don’t think it’s a compliment.”

“that’s right. But it will all be a good experience for you. Do you know by any chance? “Will you take my place after I die?”

At Hwang Hee’s words, Kim Jong Seo revealed his true feelings without realizing it.

“I think I’ll die first before that?”

“shut up! “Go out and do some work!”

Kim Jong-seo, who was kicked out by Hwang Hee, continued to grumble.

“What kind of old man comes here and has a better complexion?”

As Kim Jong-seo complained, Hwang Hee’s face began to turn red as she left Hanseong.

Kim Jong-seo, who was returning to his room, saw Hwang-hee’s servant boiling medicine and grumbled again.

“Damn tonic.”

* * *

For some time now, the royal magistrates of Hanseong had been steadily sending health medicine to Hwang Hee.

“It’s really nice to see the friendship between the captains.”

Hwanghee grumbled as Kim Jong-seo envied her while looking at the medicines wrapped in silk cloths.

“The raincoat is a piece of cake… I’m telling you to take medicine, endure it, and work to stay healthy until you die. “That’s not a gift, that’s poison!”

“Then I will take that poison instead…”

“Use it! “Go and work!”

Hwanghee always took the medicine whenever it came, whether it was an expression of friendship or malice.

Hwanghee seemed to have received the effects of the tonic well and was flying around with a bright complexion.

It flew so well that rumors spread among officials of various government offices in Hamgil Island, including Gilju.

‘Admiral Hwang is aging backwards!’

* * *

Kim Jong-seo took a bath to remove the dust and fatigue from his body, changed into his official uniform, and returned to his office.

“Whoa~.”

Kim Jong-seo looked at the pile of documents piled up on his desk and sighed. Kim Jong-seo, who was sitting on a chair and staring blankly at a stack of documents, muttered softly.

“It’s the position of the chief inspector…”

If Hwang Hee’s words didn’t appeal to you, it was a lie. It was every official’s dream to become a government official or a magistrate and hear the title of governor after entering the civil service and holding a government position.

“Is that why you dragged it around like that?”

Working in the northeastern frontier was incredibly stressful and stressful. Therefore, Hwang Hee determined the order of officials working in the pioneering team and sent them a ten-day vacation each time they sent a regular monthly report.

Considering the travel time from the frontier to Hanseong, even if it was a 10-day vacation, the maximum time spent at home was two or three days. Therefore, the officials who received leave rode their horses and ran for dear life. At times, the cavalrymen carrying the reports would lag behind the officials.

The advantage that officials belonging to the Pioneer Corps had over those working in Hanseong was that they could obtain high-quality horses at a low price.

As the saying goes, ‘What we have in abundance are those who are good at fighting, and what we lack is everything else.’ As is the northeastern region, powerful and good running horses raised by the Jurchen tribe were common. Thanks to this, officials were able to return to Hanseong quickly without having to rely on the post office.

* * *

Of course, Kim Jong-seo did not receive this kind of vacation.

“Great! “Why me!”

“bastard! “Even if you die, you’ll be with me!”

It was Kim Jong-seo who followed Hwang Hee to Hanseong only when Hwang Hee gave quarterly reports directly to King Sejong.

Even after returning to Hanseong, Kim Jong-seo could not enjoy the ‘Hanseong life’. I had to stand in front of King Sejong with Hwang Hee and make a report, and when I left the palace, I had to head to the gibang with Hwang Hee, not home.

In the gibang, people of similar rank to Kim Jong-seo were gathered together with other Jeong Seung-panseo.

Although they were gathered in one room, the Jeongseung magistrates gathered among themselves to drink and talk, and Kim Jong-seo sat down with people who seemed to be in a similar situation to him.

“What are we going to do about this?…”

In response to Kim Jong-seo’s complaint, the person sitting across from him spoke with a similar expression.

“Are administrative officer Kim Jong-seo also brought in?”

“That’s right. “Your name is…”

When Kim Jong-seo cautiously opened his mouth, the man sitting across from him smiled and answered.

“Is there such a thing as this? I’m sorry! My name is Hwang Bo-in! “Right now, I’m being dragged around under the chief inspector over there.”

Kim Jong-seo also laughed at Hwang Bo-in’s words.

“As you know, my name is Kim Jong-seo. “Right now, I’m being dragged around by a leash by Captain Hwang Hee.”

The statement began with a conversation between Kim Jong-seo and Hwang Bo-in.

Their ages ranged from their 20s to their 40s, but they all had similar grades.

But there was one biggest thing in common. Everyone who was brought here was bullied by the laughing and chattering old people over there.

At some point, the people gathered like this began to laugh and chat in unison. There were gisaengs next to them, but perhaps because they felt the same way about suffering in a similar class, they instantly became friends and became friendly with each other.

“It’s really nice to see.”

“That’s right.”

The officials and magistrates who were talking at the head table smiled at the sight. Kim Jeom said as he raised the glass filled by the gisaeng sitting next to him to his mouth.

“At the shortest, 10 years, at the longest, 20 years. At that time, they will be harassing the chief minister by filling up the pyeonjeon.”

“I guess so.”

At Kim Jeom’s words, the other ministers also nodded and emptied their glasses. Their faces were full of emotions as they emptied their glasses.

“Indeed, we too are very old.”

“I’m old.”

“It was truly an eventful life.”

As Meng Sa-seong said, their lives were truly turbulent.

They were the people who were at the center of all kinds of big and small events, such as the dynasty change and the prince’s rebellion in Goryeo and Joseon, and came out with their whole body to overcome the crisis.

“We have traces of Goryeo left, but they will have no traces.”

“They will become proper subjects of Joseon.”

While they were talking with an expression of insight into life, Heo Jo made a joke to Hwang Hee.

“Of course, Captain Hwang is suffering along with them.”

The other ministers burst into laughter at the same time at Heo Jo’s words.

“Thank you for your hard work. Captain Hwang.”

“I’ll give you my medicine regularly.”

Hwang Hee laughed and accepted the joke from the ministers.

“Do you know what is common in the Northeast? This is the musk of sea turtles and deer antlers from the east of the Duman River. I will send it according to the number of people I have. Since we’re growing old together, wouldn’t it be better to go together when we go?”

It was Hwang Hee who defeated the ministers with a single blow.

* * *

“Hmm… It’s the position of the Minister…”

Kim Jong-seo, who kept muttering the word ‘Chief Minister’, thought of the shining faces of Hwang Hee and the ministers and shook his head.

“Everyone is sleeping backwards in age… I wonder what kind of medicine they are taking… I wonder if the next episode will only be filled with old monsters…

” While thinking about it, Kim Jong-seo remembered an acquaintance he had met while drinking.

“Is this friend Hwang Bo-in doing well?”

“lily! “The captain will quickly process the documents and send them to you!”

“Okay!”

Kim Jong-seo came to his senses at the sound of a servant coming from outside the door and hurriedly opened the documents.

* * *

The report on ‘the ministers and the poor people being dragged around by them’ went directly to King Sejong through the Geomgye.

“Hoo~. “Look at this?”

King Sejong’s eyes sparkled when he received the report after dismissing all the officers for sleeping.

‘The eyes of the magistrates are more demanding than anyone else’s. But even though we are not related by blood, they drag us all the way to the gibang? Hoo…’

“Shall I call you?”

Sejong muttered to himself and immediately shook his head.

“No, no. “If you do it wrong, the realm of swords may be revealed.”

Sejong, who judged that the harm could be greater than the benefit, soon gave up his mind.

Sejong put the report in a secret space and took out phonology books next to him.

“Let’s see… what I’ve been thinking about so far…”