Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 199

Episode 199: The beginning of spring. (4)

When Hyang saw the plan posted from the military unit, he let out a long sigh.

“Whoa~. They have all become water demons… Who on earth brought in this bad water?”

If the ministers and King Sejong had heard this, it was a calming scent that would have grabbed the back of their necks.

* * *

Fifteen days later, in a tile-roofed house in Andong.

“What a shame! Jinsa Kim Chang-seop, come out and receive the royal decree!”

At the sound of the magistrate’s loud voice coming from outside the gate, the large gate of the tile-roofed house opened and Kim Chang-seop, the person involved, came out in a huff.

“Are you Kim Chang-seop?”

Kim Chang-seop hastily answered the question of the county governor, who had a stern expression on his face as if it were the first time they had met, even though it had been a long time since they had seen each other.

“yes. That’s right.”

“This is the command of His Majesty the Lord, so quickly refine your clothing!”

At the local officer’s order, Kim Chang-seop quickly turned around and refined his clothes.

Afterwards, the ceremony before receiving the edict was held politely, and then the prefectural governor read the edict.

“Jinsa Kim Chang-seop, please listen. As I read your appeal, I could not hold back my tears at your patriotic loyalty. Even though he was buried in the middle of the night, how could he not be happy that his patriotic loyalty for his country shines through?

I am grateful to the gods of heaven and earth that there are still talented people left in Joseon.

How can someone with such patriotic loyalty be buried in the middle of the night?

Therefore, Kim Chang-seop, upon receiving this letter, immediately come to Hanseong and inform the military corps.

“In military service, show everything you have for the well-being of Joseon.”

After reading the letter, the county governor presented it to Kim Chang-seop.

“Congratulations. “Opportunities like this are rare, so I sincerely congratulate you on being selected for the position.”

“yes? yes? thank you.”

The county magistrate, who handed the letter into the hands of Kim Chang-seop, who still looked dazed, congratulated him once again and turned around.

Things like this happened all over Joseon.

The noblemen who received King Sejong’s letter headed to Hanseong, full of dreams and hopes.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the northeastern frontier, talk was going on about King Sejong’s proclamation.

“I think there are still many people down there who don’t know what the world is like.”

Hwang Hee nodded at Choi Yun-deok’s words.

“They are frogs in a well. “Thank you for my headache.”

“Troublesome? why?”

In response to Choi Yun-deok’s question, Hwang Hee pointed to the proclamation.

“This proclamation gives me a headache. Looking at the current situation of the Jurchen people, there are quite a few of them who have surrendered (come and submit themselves) due to being oppressed by the power of the Joseon army led by Tao Won-su. However, I am worried that people who will look down on Joseon and commit unreasonable acts will jump out after seeing this proclamation.”

“Hmm…”

In response to Hwang Hee’s point, Choi Yun-deok stroked his beard with a serious expression.

Hwang Hee’s concerns also had merit. In the opinion of ordinary Koreans, the Jurchen people were ignorant barbarians.

However, the Jurchen people were by no means ignorant barbarians.

They were cunning.

In addition, quite a few of them had intellectual capabilities comparable to those of Joseon’s noblemen.

If these people belittled Joseon and took action, great chaos would come again in the northeastern region, which was seeking stability.

However, contrary to Hwang Hee’s concerns, Choi Yun-deok soon smiled and answered.

“I think it’s okay to add it.”

“yes?”

“With the current capabilities of the Joseon military, they can be easily suppressed. On the contrary, the more things you hide, the more they will become suspicious and begin to distrust you. “Then it will be even more of a headache.”

Hearing Choi Yun-deok’s words, Hwang Hee stroked his beard.

“He has a point, but….”

“I can guarantee this, having dealt with the Jurchen tribe in the North and the Japanese pirates in the South.”

“Hmm…”

As Hwang Hee was lost in thought, Choi Yun-deok added.

“Unless the Yeojin bastards want to face the Green Tiger Army, there is no one who would do something stupid with a piece of proclamation.”

“okay.”

It was Hwang Hee who nodded with a relieved face at Choi Yun-deok’s words.

* * *

The Jurchen people called the Joseon army the Nokho army.

This was because the outside of the plate armor worn by the Joseon military was covered with dark green cotton cloth.

This was the idea of the incense.

The plate armor that covered most of the body heated up in the sunlight when the day got hot.

To prevent this, the outside of the plate armor was wrapped with cheesecloth.

“While I was wrapping it…”

The scent dyed the cheesecloth dark green.

Thanks to this, the armor was less likely to sparkle in the sunlight, allowing the Joseon army to get closer to the Jurchen people.

This dark green armor became a symbol of the Joseon military. And as the development of the northeastern region progressed, the Joseon Army began to be called Nokho County.

The Jurchen people, who had never clashed with the Joseon army, disparagingly referred to the Joseon army as the ‘Green Fox Army’.

“No matter how many people flock around, a fox is still a fox! “A cunning fox who knows how to pull a surprise attack!”

They ridiculed the Joseon army, which used surprise attacks and ambushes as its main tactics, calling them foxes.

However, for the lucky Jurchen people who survived after being attacked by the Joseon army, the ‘ho’ in ‘Nokhogun’ was not a fox but a tiger.

“It’s not a fox, it’s a tiger that’s cunning like a fox! “Those criminals are running around in droves!”

Those who survived the Joseon army’s attack were filled with fear and cried out:

* * *

Hearing Choi Yun-deok’s words full of confidence, Hwang Hee nodded with a look of relief on her face.

“I feel reassured that Marshal Dow is so confident. By the way, what do you plan to do with Odori?”

When Hwang Hee mentioned the Odori tribe, Choi Yun-deok looked embarrassed.

“I’m a little worried about that. Since you rarely see a gap….”

“Wouldn’t it be better to give orders to Lee Jing-ok?”

Choi Yun-deok shook his head at Hwang Hee’s suggestion.

“That’s not possible. His Majesty the Lord ordered us to deal with it discreetly. But Jing-ok is the kind of guy who will attack without question and finish it off… Jing-ok is someone who doesn’t think about diplomacy.”

“Of course.”

Hwang Hee nodded to Choi Yun-deok’s evaluation.

* * *

The reason why King Sejong ordered the Odori tribe to be dealt with was because of the bad relationship that had existed since the reign of King Taejong.

Yeongyeonggacheopmokah (童孟哥帖木兒 Aisingaoro Muntemu), who leads the Odori tribe, was the leader of the Jurchen tribe that had been subordinate since the reign of King Taejo.

However, as Taejong ascended to the throne following King Taejo and the Ming Emperor Yongrak ascended to the throne, Cheon Mok-ah defected to the Ming.

From this point on, the bad relationship between the Odori tribe and Joseon began.

King Taejong did not want the Odori tribe, located near the family’s origin, to be taken over by the Ming.

Because of this, conflict continued between the Joseon army and the Odori tribe, and the Odori tribe moved to where the Huligai tribe led by Ahachu was located.

After some time passed and King Sejong ascended the throne, the Odori tribe returned to their original residence near Hoeryeong.

Cheopmokah expressed her intention to return to Joseon and said she would leave her son as a hostage, but King Sejong refused.

“There is no need for hostages. If you need anything, let me know. “I will support you.”

Although the relationship was seemingly friendly, King Sejong was determined to get rid of Ahachu’s Huligai and Cheopmoka’s Odori.

‘We can’t leave the border to people like bats! Removing it is the best option!’

That is why King Sejong gave orders to Choi Yun-deok.

-If you see a gap, remove the Odori immediately.

* * *

Choi Yun-deok, who explained that leaving it to Lee Jing-ok would cause more harm than good, smiled and continued.

“Fortunately, the Orangkai tribe is located to the left and right of Odori. And the Olryanghap tribe has definitely returned to Joseon, and what’s even better is that they don’t have a good relationship with Odori.”

Hearing Choi Yun-deok’s words, Hwang Hee stroked his beard and nodded.

“Then I guess I’ll get a chance sooner or later.”

“It will be so. At that time, it will depend on how long Cheopmokah and his family can endure.”

“I hope it doesn’t take too long. “I can’t believe how much the underdog under me is being bullied…”

Choi Yun-deok pretended to know about Hwang Hee’s complaints.

“By subtraction… do you mean Kim Jong-seo?”

In response to Choi Yun-deok’s question, Hwang Hee nodded silently.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kim Jong-seo was talking with Lee Jing-ok.

“Look at Jingok. “It looks like the Jurchen tribe has almost been cleared out, but why isn’t Tao Wonsu withdrawing his troops?”

“Hyung Kim, isn’t there still one left? “No, two?”

At Lee Jing-ok’s words, Kim Jong-seo nodded as if he understood something.

“Oh, that tribe on Mt. Baekdu?”

“That’s right. Those reed-like bastards. “I’ll just give you the other one.”

“Tsk.”

Kim Jong-seo clicked his tongue slightly at Lee Jing-ok’s words.

To the Joseon Dynasty, Ahachu and Yeongyeongacheopmokah were symbols of betrayal and must be eliminated someday.

Of course, in addition to the reason that they had to be eliminated because they were traitors, Lee Man-ju’s Hulagai and Yeongjae Mok-ah also had to be eliminated for national defense reasons.

This was because the two tribes were located north of the Yalu River, northeast of the Duman River, and on Mt. Baekdu.

In order to secure the natural defenses of the Yalu River, Duman River, and Baekdu Mountain, the elimination of the two tribes was essential.

Lee Jing-ok grumbled with a face full of dissatisfaction.

“I think I want to attack right away and wipe them out, but there is the problem that both of them are subjects of the Ming Dynasty who received official positions from the Ming Dynasty… This is why I hate politics!”

“I hate politics too.”

“Isn’t Brother Kim an official of the royal court? “What if such a person hates politics?”

“It’s a job, it’s a job. “I’m just a stylish guy who wants to enjoy the night in Hanseong.”

Lee Jing-ok grumbled inwardly at Kim Jong-seo’s words.

‘That’s why you hear the sound.’

In the pioneering area of Dongbuk-myeon, Kim Jong-seo was famous as a ‘thug.’

Even the Jurchen tribe went so far as to call Kim Jong-seo an ‘old horse.’

If you ask me to do it, I do it better than anyone else, but before that, I was running away and wandering around.

Like an old horse that has gone through all the hardships and only has its wits left.

Kim Jong-seo continued to complain, whether he was aware of Lee Jing-ok’s grumbling or not.

“Oh~. I miss Hanseong. I miss the Gibang alleys of Unjongga and Bukchon! “Now I even miss the smell of poop from Cheonggyecheon!”

Kim Jong-seo, who openly expressed his love for Hanseong, proposed a plan to Lee Jing-ok.

“How about using the Jurchen cavalry?”

“Jurchen cavalry? ah! “You mean the outposts?”

“that’s right!”

Kim Jong-seo recently mentioned the newly formed Jurchen troops within the Joseon Army.

* * *

As Joseon pioneered Dongbuk-myeon, many Jurchen tribes became noblemen.

Hwang Hee thought about ways to gather these valuable Jurchen people and manage them easily.

When Hwang Hee was having trouble finding the answer, Kim Jong-seo came up with the answer.

“Aren’t civilians going to come from the south in a little while?”

“yes.”

“If they want to farm, they need to clear land, but isn’t the situation a situation where there is a lot of land but not enough people?”

“That’s right.”

“How about recruiting personnel from Jurchen people?”

“huh?”

Kim Jong-seo’s plan was as follows.

-As mentioned earlier, the new settlement lacks people compared to the land area.

-Recruiting Jurchen men who wish to farm.

-Those recruited in this way are hired as hired hands and put into the reclamation work of those who came as civilians.

-This way, Joseon farmers can quickly clear farmland, and the Jurchen people can learn how to clear land and farm.

-Jurchens were recruited as hired laborers, so they were paid wages. This must be paid by the government, but they can recover a significant amount of money by spending it at the monopoly office.

-If we proceed in this way, we can settle many Jurchen tribes.

“It’s okay.”

When Hwang Hee responded positively, Kim Jong Seo immediately continued speaking.

“Of course, due to the issue of wage payment, the approval of His Highness the Prime Minister is required. In that case, you should go to Hanseong, right? “The captain said that I should always move with him, so I will prepare to go to Hanseong!”

“hey! “Why does the story turn out like that!”

I screamed, but Kim Jong-seo had disappeared before I knew it.

Looking at Kim Jong-seo like that, Hwang Hee grumbled.

“That damn bastard….”