Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 201

Episode 201: The Chief’s Favorite – Monopoly. (1)

Through the human resources support center established by the Joseon government, the lives of the Jurchen people gradually became more stable.

Although the income was not high, it was a great blessing for the Jurchen people to have a steady stream of wealth whenever they worked.

Unless they were a large tribe, the lives of the Jurchen people were more difficult than those of Joseon farmers. Because of this, many Jurchen people robbed the villages of Joseon and Ming people.

But now that I had wealth, I could go to Hojo’s monopoly and buy the supplies I needed whenever I wanted.

Hojo’s monopoly was the symbol of Gyeongjang and a favorite (specially loved by many people).

* * *

As the market progressed, Hojo’s monopoly shop was freed from a miserable situation.

At first, it was just a place to monopolize salt and candy.

Therefore, the Hojo officials who were first assigned to the monopoly office were very dissatisfied.

“I studied hard and passed the exam, but now I’m running a business!”

The dissatisfaction of the officials was considerable, but not a single official submitted his resignation right away.

This was because the only goal they had to study writing was ‘to enter the civil service (出仕)’.

It wasn’t long before the officers who had been grumbling at the monopoly office started screaming.

An enormous amount of work was entrusted to them, not just selling salt and candy.

– Copy the land register and family register of the county, which is the most remote area where the monopoly office is located, as well as the nearby prefectures

– Copies will be made in two copies, with one copy sent to the monopoly office and the other copy sent to Hanseong.

The Hojo officials at the monopoly who saw the order sent from Hanseong looked as if it was nothing special.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done some brush work.”

“It’s a bit long, but it’s easy enough.”

Officials of the monopoly office consulted with officials of monopoly offices in neighboring counties to adjust the number of counties they would be responsible for and began work immediately.

Although the amount of work was considerable, the two Hojo officials assigned to each monopoly office carried out the work quickly. The reason they were able to proceed so quickly was because the monopoly store was open only one day every five days.

However, even after that, the amount of work coming from Hanseong began to increase.

-Research the number of slaves owned by landowners in each county and county.

-Research and record how much you harvest when harvesting barley in the spring and rice in the fall.

In particular, as the harvest volume reached the fourth year of Gyeongjang, the increase or decrease in the amount compared to the previous year had to be recorded, and the increase or decrease in the average amount had to be recorded and reported to Hanseong.

This was an enormous workload for the two officials assigned to each monopoly.

Thanks to this, the number of Hojo officials assigned to the monopoly office increased to four as the second half of the Gyeongjang period began.

But the workload continued to grow. As the establishment of the Joseon Battlefield was being prepared and the circulation of currency was being prepared, the number of jobs showed no signs of slowing down.

In addition, the number of products handled at the reseller was gradually increasing. There were some items added by the government, but there were also quite a few items added due to complaints from the people.

What was added by the government were small-volume, high-price products such as spices.

The products added by the people were mainly products that were difficult to obtain in mountainous areas.

For example, in places like Gangwon-do, there were quite a few people looking for paper.

“Do you want me to get some paper?”

“yes. It is said that the place where small people live is a place where even breadwinners do not enter. So there was no paper to put on the door.”

“So you came 30 ri (approximately 12 km)? “Over that mountain?”

“yes.”

The Hojo official looked embarrassed when he saw the people’s expressions, but at the same time, he understood their feelings.

Gangwon-do as well as many other places in Joseon were in this state. Because the road was rough, there were many places that even pedestrians could not enter.

Of course, when it became the size of a county, a five-day market was held and many laborers came in, but the probability of getting the necessary goods when you really needed them was not very high.

That is why people flocked to Hojo’s monopoly. As expected, we had to go all the way to the military, but the monopoly was always a place where goods came in on a regular basis.

In the end, the governor of Hojo had no choice but to listen to the people’s request.

“I understand. I’ll try to save it once. But it will take at least a month. “Are you okay?”

“yes!”

“Is there anything else you need besides paper?”

As this type of purchasing agency becomes more frequent, it is also on the agenda of arbitration.

In the end, the government decided to expand the types of goods handled at the monopoly.

“It’s a big waste to just increase the number of items. “Tell us to accurately identify the items that are essential but not easily available in each region.”

The ministers responded to King Sejong’s command by all together.

“You are truly a worthy man! “I follow your orders!”

Thanks to this, the work of officials assigned to the monopoly office increased again.

As things progressed like this, the types of goods handled at the monopoly began to increase rapidly.

“This… I don’t know if we’ll have to call it Joseon Mart instead of a monopoly store sooner or later?”

After hearing the report, the scent was enough to make me say this to myself.

* * *

The products sold at monopoly stores became more diverse, but the things they sold in common were salt, candy, and medicine. Medicines were sold as much as salt and candy.

* * *

People in remote areas treated their illnesses through folk remedies passed down from generation to generation. There were quite a few treatments that were effective, but there were even more that were not.

Accordingly, King Sejong summoned royal doctors and gave orders.

“Even though it is a disease that can be easily treated, there are many people who are in big trouble because they do not have the right treatment! “Come up with an answer to this with your knowledge!”

“I take orders!”

Since it was a solemn commandment from the king, they responded immediately, but the doctors looked perplexed.

“What the people can easily eat is by boiling it down into medicine, but isn’t making medicine carelessly one of the taboos?”

“That’s right. It is basic to check the patient’s condition through medical examination and pulse…”

These doctors were surprisingly strict.

However, they could not help it because most of the people they treated as patients were members of the royal family or high-ranking officials. If you make even the slightest mistake, you could end up in exile or, if worse, lose your head. Because of this, they had no choice but to become strict.

“I can’t help it. “Let’s go to the crown prince!”

“That must be right!”

Hyang, who heard the doctors’ complaints, immediately asked a question.

“I myself have read quite a few medical books. “If you look at the medical book, I understand that in addition to the list of medicinal ingredients, the amount to be added is also set.”

“That comes in approx. “To make a proper medicine, you have to understand the exact condition of the patient and add or subtract the amount of medicinal ingredients to make the medicine.”

“The medicine needed now is an emergency medicine. “It is a medicine that stabilizes the condition rather than a cure, so it seems that the amount should be adjusted based on medical advice and experience.”

“Haona….”

“In the past, when a serious illness occurred and you went for treatment, didn’t you give a large amount of medicine unless it was a very critical patient? Think of it like that.”

“aha!”

The medical doctors who caught Hyang’s words had their faces brightened and said their words in unison.

“Thanks to you, I found the answer! Thank you so much!”

“Thank you!”

When the medical doctors expressed their gratitude, Hyang waved his hands as if it was no big deal.

“The work became easy because the doctors were excellent.”

The county that sent the medical doctors had an ambiguous expression.

“It’s a first aid kit… It looks like I’m not going to catch something…”

Hyang, who was contemplating with his frown scrunched up as if he was chasing something with only a tail visible in the fog, suddenly snapped his fingers.

“right! opium!”

Hyang hurriedly got up from his seat and looked for the inner coffin.

“shell! You will see Abama! “It’s urgent, so get ready right now!”

“yes? yes!”

* * *

Hyang visited Geunjeongjeon and immediately told King Sejong his business.

“Stop the cultivation of cherry blossoms? why?”

Hyang immediately answered King Sejong’s question.

“You probably know that many people get the juice from cherry blossoms and use it as a first aid medicine.”

“Know. “I heard it’s quite useful.”

“But if you drink too much of this cherry juice, you will hallucinate and become addicted. “If you become addicted, you will find more and more cherry blossoms, and if you cannot get them, you will resort to violence and commit crimes to get them.”

“What is the basis?”

“This is a common point in many medical books.”

At Hyang’s words, King Sejong looked back at his ministers. As reading medical books was a hobby of the nobility, as was studying industry and learning, many of his subjects nodded.

After checking the reactions of the ministers, Hyang continued speaking.

“There are many Uibangs throughout the Joseon Dynasty, and this time, medicinal herbs are sold through a reseller. Therefore, please prohibit the general public from growing poppies and appoint someone to grow only the amount to supply to the doctors.”

At Hyang’s words, King Sejong looked back at his ministers.

“What do you think?”

The ministers who were calculating in their minds answered King Sejong’s question in unison.

“I think it’s reasonable.”

As there was no opposition from the ministers, King Sejong came to a conclusion right away.

“Then let’s do it. “From now on, people can easily obtain medicinal herbs, so it would be right to prevent them from getting close to dangerous things like cherry blossoms.”

As a result, an order was issued banning the cultivation of poppies throughout Joseon.

However, there have always been people with tree frog symbols, so there were people who secretly manufactured and distributed poppies. Therefore, throughout the history of Joseon, there was a constant game of hide and seek between drug gangs and those cracking down on them.

* * *

However, in this process, a spark flew in a useless place, and it hit Sejong.

“Addiction is really scary. This may be the reason why there have been sayings such as ‘too much is too little’ and ‘the right is proportional’ since ancient times.”

“That’s right.”

As the ministers responded with one voice to King Sejong’s words, Hyang’s gaze turned elsewhere.

The place where Hyang’s gaze was directed was the candy jar placed in the place where the merchant ship was located under the sugar house.

“Abama. “It looks like the candy jar over there is bigger than before?”

“Ah… I’ve been drinking tea a lot these days…”

“Abama, I told you before, but if you eat too much candy, you’ll get thirsty, and then you’ll get sick…” “

There’s no problem yet! “You can take care of that!”

Sejong interrupted, but Hyang continued, glaring at a certain part of Sejong.

“well? The speed at which my younger siblings are being born these days….”

“Get out, you bastard!”

King Sejong, who drove out Hyang, ordered the merchant ships.

“Change it to a smaller jar.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Sejong’s eyes narrowed at the bright voice of the merchant.

“Why do you like it so much?”

“God was worried too….”

“Okay… change it right away.”

With a groan, Sejong threw up his hands.

* * *

As medicinal herbs were sold in Hojo, more and more people visited the monopoly.

Of course, there was a standard for selling medicinal herbs at monopoly stores, but only in places where there was no clinic within 5 ri (about 2 km) in any direction.

But there were countless places like that. It was a great blessing for the people to be able to obtain medicinal herbs from a monopoly.

“I guess I can live now!”

“That’s right. From now on, small illnesses will become less likely to become big illnesses!”

“This is all the king’s grace!”

“cancer! A saint has been born! Seonggun!”

Words of praise for King Sejong flowed from all over Joseon, and the public’s approval rating soared.