Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 179
Episode 179: The end of Gyeongjang. (4)
The 12th year of King Sejong (1430, Gyeongsul year).
Mid January. After the New Year’s celebrations were over and state affairs began in earnest again, King Sejong gave orders to his ministers.
“Promulgate a proclamation regarding the state-owned fields confiscated in the Giyu Rebellion.”
“I follow your orders!”
“Please accurately disclose all information related to the criteria for receiving tenant farming and rent taxes so that the people can move with proper knowledge!”
The ministers once again bowed their heads in response to King Sejong’s request.
“I will keep this in mind!”
In this way, the ministers reviewed the contents of the proclamation once again. When King Sejong’s final approval was finally made, a proclamation was posted throughout Joseon, not only in the Samnam region but also in the Gyeonggi region and the northwest region.
It was a formal proclamation related to the state-owned fields secured through the ‘Giyu Rebellion’.
If the proclamation issued before was in the nature of ‘something like this will happen soon, so prepare’, the proclamation issued this time was a proclamation with detailed information about it.
1. The government is looking for people to farm the confiscated fields. In qualifications, priority is given to those who are raising a family as adoptive parents.
2. The rent for state-owned fields is 30%, the same as for Gungbangjeon, and the tax rate imposed on tenant farmers follows the law.
3. The size of the field to be allocated is from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 5, and this is based on the grade of the land and the number of family members of the applicant.
4. Those who had been tenant farming on the land before it was confiscated as state-owned fields must choose according to the following cases.
A (甲). A person who had his own land, but due to unavoidable circumstances, entrusted the fields to weightlifters (leaning on someone else’s influence).
In this case, choose one of the following two methods:
one. By looking at the family register, they retrieve the land they had donated and become self-employed farmers.
In this case, ownership of the land is recognized and a new family register and land register are prepared.
However, since they have become self-employed farmers from tenant farmers, they are obligated to pay taxes accordingly.
Instead of looking for land to put on land, they continue to live as tenant farmers.
In this case, the person who signed the tenancy contract is guaranteed the right to tenancy until death, and the tax rate is also collected according to the standards of tenant farmers.
However, if the person who made the contract dies, the contract becomes invalid.
Eul(乙). A person who continues to live as a tenant farmer without any investment in land.
The person belonging to group B responds in the same way as the second plan of plan A, but the contract period extends to the person currently renting the farm and his son.
5. A person who has his/her own field, but cannot produce at least 1 grain of harvest due to the small field. A person who has been in charge of sharecropping, but also owns a small field that does not produce at least 1 grain of rice, can sharecrop up to 2 grains of field.
However, this case is limited to cases where the remaining farmland is distributed to those who applied for sharecropping.
6. Among those who belong to B and those who are exempted from this family who were tenant farming in places other than Yeokdo land, those who do not have land can move and receive tenant farming without distinction of region. However, this part is limited to those who have a document proving that they meet one of the three conditions above issued by the head of their hometown.
* * *
When the ‘Proclamation on Tenancy in State-Owned Fields’ was posted in government offices across the country, the people who had been tenant farmers had to think hard.
They worked so hard that people came to see the doctor one after another.
Boeun, Chungcheong-do.
A farmer came to the lawmaker’s office located in the marketplace.
“Councilman Nari. “Please take some medicine…”
“Are you here because you have a headache too?”
“yes.”
In response to the farmer’s answer, the doctor roughly took out several medicinal herbs, combined them, and held them out.
“It’s 50 won.”
As the doctor spoke, the farmer grunted and opened his pocket.
“I’ve lived well without thinking about anything until now, but now that I’m all old, what kind of trouble am I going through?”
“Are you also worried about the issue of renting?”
“yes. “The Jinsa family that had been renting the farm was completely wiped out by this treason…. Thanks to you, I am now dying from a headache.”
The lawmaker gave advice to the farmer’s complaint.
“You and your children’s future are at stake, so think carefully. “Don’t just drink and do things while you’re drunk.”
“Yes…”
As the farmer walked out, shaking his head, another farmer entered the room.
“Are you here because you have a headache?”
“Yes….”
“Keuung….”
With a small groan, the doctor mechanically combined the medicinal ingredients.
When such incidents became frequent, the congressman piled up a bunch of paper with medicinal herbs in front of the medical room and put up a sign.
-headache pill. 500 won per pack.
Until the issue of state-owned fields was somewhat resolved, the lawmaker was able to increase sales like never before.
* * *
Most of those who were seriously worried about being in the hands of Uibang were those who fell under clause 4 of the proclamation.
For these people, it was their daily routine to sit on a table in the front yard with neighbors in the same situation, share a bowl of rice, and exchange opinions.
“Should I just live as a tenant farmer?”
“You man! Since ancient times, if you are a farmer, you have to have your own land, right?”
The homeowner nodded to the neighbor’s words and pointed out the problem.
“At first glance, that is correct, but taxes are the problem. Taxes.”
“Of course, it’s disturbing because the tax rate is more than double the difference right now, but that doesn’t mean we should rent, right? Except taxes, don’t you start with rent and add up! “You should also consider that if you die, your sharecropping will be cut off!”
“Our eldest child is smart, so we don’t have to farm…”
“Are our second and third children really bad?”
“Kkeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…”
The farmer, who had been complaining at his neighbor’s criticism, screamed when he saw his second and third children coming in covered in dirt.
“You damn bastards! Abby’s head is turning red thinking about you guys, but she’s just hanging out! “These are mine!”
“Oh my, you idiot! “Why are you suddenly grabbing the kids and making such an uproar?”
When the farmer, unable to control his anger, picked up a nearby stick and started to catch the children, his wife, who was in the kitchen, ran out and started to stop him.
The neighboring farmer, who was talking about the mess, quickly moved to his house.
The farmer returned to his house and opened the door to the new room he had built last spring.
“Heaven, heaven, earth…”
The farmer, who saw his son memorizing the thousand characters with a happy expression, soon made up his mind.
“Look, wife! “Let’s share our stories!”
* * *
Unlike those who had entrusted their fields to farm and were worried about the crossroads of choice, those who had originally been tenant farmers had no particular concerns.
On the contrary, there were some who were greedy.
“okay? “Are you going to continue with your original sharecropping?”
“yes. Originally, I had no land of my own and no other talents, so I decided to continue tenant farming.”
“okay?”
“I just want to increase my sharecropping.”
“You want to increase farmland? “Give me the trophy.”
“hey.”
The Hojo official who received the royal tablet opened the family register and land register and looked at the data.
“I’m qualified, but… won’t it be too much for my strength?”
The farmer answered the Hojo official’s question with a smile.
“My eldest child is now one person.”
“First one? Hmm… I’m still twelve years old?”
“I picked up a field stone not long ago.”
“Hoo!”
At the farmer’s answer, the Hojo official let out a light exclamation.
* * *
Among the children of noblemen during the Joseon Dynasty, when the men turned 15 to 20 years old, they wore topknots and hats, and the women combed their hair and wore hairpins. Because weddings took place around the same time, the common belief that ‘marriage = coming-of-age ceremony’ arose, but if you really look at it, coming-of-age ceremonies and weddings were separate events.
Meanwhile, the coming-of-age ceremony for ordinary people was a little different. If you prove your strength by lifting a stone called ‘Deuldol’ weighing about 100 geun (approximately 60 kg) and offer food to the adults in the neighborhood by saying ‘Jinseo-teok’, you can be treated as an adult. (Note 1)
* * *
Farmer’s Although he was impressed by the words, the Hojo official did not stamp them right away.
“The affairs of the country must be strict, so bring the firstborn to prove it. Then I will listen to your request.”
“You can just do it…”
“What did you just hear? It’s the country’s business. If what you say isn’t a lie, what’s the problem? “Come and pick up one stone and that’s it.”
“yes. “I understand.”
The peasants left the government office under the pressure of the government officials. The Hojo official grumbled as he looked at the peasant’s back.
“If you make a mistake, you will immediately be sent to the Record Office to catch someone…” *
* *
As time passed, many peasants left their hometowns where they had lived until then and began to move to the Samnam region.
The fields they were targeting were those that the landowners who participated in the rebellion had cultivated themselves using their slaves. Because farmland was the economic source of landowners, it was the best land for farming. Because flood control work was carried out by requesting government officials, using coercion, or even using slaves, the best farmland that was immune to any drought or flood was waiting for them.
To ensure the safety of these moving peasant families, the government sought various methods.
“As long as you have a battle card and a battlefield account, you will never starve!”
Before they departed, local officials and battlefield officials explained the government’s support plan, including how to use the bankbook.
“… So, if it looks like it’s going to be dark on your way, stop by a nearby government office or barracks. Then I will give you a place to sleep. Even if it’s a tent, wouldn’t it be better than being homeless? “If something goes wrong while sleeping out, it’s food for the tiger.”
“Yes!”
“And if you run out of food in the middle of the day, tell the government or barracks. Then you will be able to buy dry goods cheaply.”
“I understand, thank you!”
In this way, the families of the peasants who set out on the road were able to travel easily. In some cases, nearby soldiers even provided escort.
Under such protection, the peasants praised King Sejong.
“You are a saint! “A saint has been born!”
“cancer! “You are a saint!”
* * *
While the peasants were praising King Sejong, Kim Jeom was reporting to King Sejong in the government.
“… Thanks to. “We have been able to clearly reduce the inventory of dry goods that are nearing their expiration date.”
“Good job.”
The biggest purpose of King Sejong and the government’s support for the peasants who emigrated was to maintain public order.
“It’s good that they set out on the road, but if they become refugees, everything will be in vain. “We need a plan for this.”
Following King Sejong’s orders, the ministers put their heads together, and the result was the support measures mentioned above.
“Among the difficulties faced by those who migrate, the biggest problem is finding a place to sleep and food. “There will inevitably be people who try to use this as an opportunity to make a lot of money by doing various tricks, so this must be prevented in advance.”
Sejong nodded at Heo Jo’s explanation.
“That’s an obvious explanation. So, did you come up with a solution?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Heo Jo talked about the solution the ministers had come up with.
The solution the ministers came up with was to provide sleeping quarters to the peasants at local government offices and barracks located on the road to the Samnam region.
“… If the scale is small, you can provide an empty room in the government building. If it is large, you can set up a tent.”
“It’s better than being homeless.”
Sejong, who was nodding his head at the ministers’ explanations, pointed out another problem.
“If that’s all you need to do to get a place to sleep, then what about food?”
In response to King Sejong’s question, Jo Mal-saeng stepped forward.
“We will sell the county’s dry goods at cost price.”
“The health of the army?”
“Yes, among the dry goods currently being stored, there are quite a few that have a short storage period left. “If we start processing this dry mass and sell the older dry mass, we can recover the money spent on manufacturing and solve the storage problem.”
King Sejong, who was thinking deeply about Jo Mal-saeng’s answer, burst into laughter.
“The officers have also become more cunning.”
At King Sejong’s words, the ministers simultaneously shouted in their hearts.
‘How can you compare to His Majesty and the Crown Prince!’
“Anyway, this is a command that kills two birds with one stone, so please implement it right away.”
“I follow your orders!”
* * *
(Note 1) http://blog.daum.net/nohyd/61