Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 23
[ Episode 23 Gapjin Gyeongjang (甲辰更張) (1) ]
Episode 23 Gapjin Gyeongjang (1)
The period when smallpox caused the most damage was the spring hunger period. The main route of transmission of smallpox was through breathing and skin contact between people.
Due to these characteristics, the period when smallpox was most prevalent was between fall and the spring famine. This was because as the weather got colder, people gathered in one room as families. However, in midwinter, smallpox did not spread quickly.
This was because people did not engage in outdoor activities due to the cold wave. And in the fall, the harvest was over and there was plenty to eat, so even if you were infected with smallpox, your chances of survival were high. Even though there were aftereffects such as turning into a pimple or experiencing various disabilities.
But the spring hunger period was fatal. As people roamed the mountains and fields in search of food, smallpox spread quickly over a wide area. In addition, as malnutrition occurred, the body’s resistance decreased and the death rate rose sharply.
For this reason, the government set a goal to end vaccination against cowpox before the spring famine arrived.
* * *
While the people of Hanseong were busy preparing for cowpox vaccination, the envoys who had gone to Ming returned.
The envoys who returned from the Ming reported the results of their envoys.
“…Therefore, from now on, Ming will send all envoys to Joseon as civil servants. Here is a document issued by His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Good job.”
King Sejong opened the scroll posted by Yeonguijeong Ryu Jeong-hyeon and checked the contents, then looked back at the ministers.
“It would be a good idea to decorate this and hang it in the banquet hall of Mohwaru (predecessor of Mohwagwan).”
“This is a wise decision.”
The ministers all expressed their agreement with King Sejong’s words. This was because no matter how courageous the envoy was, he would not be able to show off his arrogance in front of the emperor’s handwritten document. if. Are you feeling cocky? It would be like holding a knife to one’s own throat.
“You’ve overcome one big hurdle, but what happened to your boss’s problem?”
“As expected, it was not easy to reach agreement in that regard. “To begin with, we decided to establish a business in Shandong Province.”
“is it?”
According to Yeonguijeong’s explanation, the Joseon Dynasty wanted the area near Shanhaiguan (山海關) as a likely candidate, while the Ming wanted the area near the Yalu River.
The problem was security in the Liaodong region. Although the Ming Dynasty maintained national defense and public security based on the Wei-So system, the Liaodong region was where not only the Jurchen tribe but also bandits were installed. Therefore, the envoys always had a certain number of troops acting as guards.
If a permanently operating superior was created and many merchants flocked to it, it was certain that a fairly large force would be stationed in the superior to protect the superior and escort the merchant, and this is where a problem arose.
Joseon did not want the Ming army to be permanently stationed near the Yalu River, and the Ming did not want the Joseon army to be stationed on a large scale right in front of Shanhaiguan.
Because of this, Ming officials and Joseon envoys had to engage in a fierce war of words.
Yeonguijeong, who was reporting to King Sejong, told of a skit that took place during the war of words.
“While the situation was going sluggish, one of the Ming officials came up with a new proposal.”
“New offer?”
“The idea was to create a market exactly in the middle between the Ming Dynasty and our Joseon Dynasty.”
“Ho-oh, so? “What happened?”
“He didn’t show up the next day.”
“Haha!”
With the short skit in between, Ming and Joseon continued to spin in a treadmill. When the two sides got tired of the war of words, the Yeonguijeong came up with a new proposal.
“Then how about opening the port?”
“You mean the port?”
“That’s right.”
Ming officials were lost in thought at Yeonguijeong’s proposal. After a long time, the officials nodded.
“That’s a good opinion.”
“It’s worth considering.”
The Ming officials, who had reached a consensus among themselves, questioned the Joseon envoys.
“Do you have a place in mind that would be a suitable candidate? “I will present it to His Majesty the Emperor.”
In response to the favorable response from Ming officials, Yeonguijeong proposed a suitable candidate site.
“How about Shandong?”
“Shandong?”
“It’s Shandong…”
When Yongyijeong mentioned Shandong, the Ming officials stepped back and whispered.
The officials who had been whispering for a while first took a step back.
“I will try to present it to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“I hope there is a good answer.”
Three days later, Ming and Joseon officials gathered together again.
“Your Majesty has decided. “I permit the establishment of a Joseon superior office in Shandong.”
In response to the Ming official’s words, Joseon’s envoys, including Yeonguijeong, responded politely.
“I accept your Majesty’s favor.”
As Emperor Yongle made his decision, things proceeded smoothly.
“How about naming the superior Joseon Hall and setting the location as the site of the old Silla Room?”
“If it is the location of Silla Room…”
The Ming official pointed out the location of Silla Room on the map with his finger. After checking the location on the map, Yeonguijeong nodded.
“I think that place would be good.”
After deciding on a location, what came up on the agenda was how to maintain it. To be precise, it was a matter of construction and maintenance costs.
“How about paying the port tax?”
“We must take a boat and cross the sea. “You also have to think about the risks.”
In order to receive a little more, Joseon continued to push and pull to give a little less.
In the end, after a tedious push and pull, the Ming and Joseon agreed to collect 1 penny of the transaction amount as customs duties from the Ming and Joseon merchants who traded goods at the Joseon Pavilion. Instead, the Ming agreed to construct all the buildings for the Joseon Pavilion.
“It’s okay…”
King Sejong, who had been calculating profits and losses while listening to the Yeonguijeong’s report, nodded. When King Sejong responded positively, not only the Yeonguijeong who finished the report but also the ministers who came as envoys all sighed in relief.
“okay. So when will the Joseon Pavilion be able to open?”
“We are expecting next summer.”
“is it? Hmm….”
After gathering his thoughts for a moment, Sejong opened his mouth.
“I decided to move on from that… Did the merchants who accompanied me do a good job?”
In response to King Sejong’s question, Yeonguijeong looked at Hojopanseo. Judge Hojo, who received a glare from the Yeonguijeong, quickly responded.
“Everyone left a big mark. “Those who made the least left behind three times as much, and those who made the most left behind twenty times as much.”
“Twenty times? “What did you sell?”
At the words ‘twenty times’, the eyes of not only King Sejong but also the ministers present widened. Judge Hojo quickly answered King Sejong’s curious question.
“It was a hundred-year-old wild ginseng.”
“Ah…”
“Yes, if it’s wild ginseng.”
King Sejong and the ministers nodded in response to Judge Hojo’s answer. Wild ginseng was one of the best medicines. Even in Joseon, wild ginseng was difficult to find and was expensive as it was called.
“So how much did Hojo walk?”
Panseo Hojo answered King Sejong’s question right away.
“It costs 4,000 nyang.”
“4,000 nyang!”
“Huh!”
King Sejong and the ministers were excited by Hojopanseo’s answer. With just 1000 silver coins (十成銀) or 1 thousand silver nyang (兩 37.5g), you could buy a sack of white rice (approximately 144 kg.) even in a bad year. And one island of white rice was enough to feed a typical commoner’s household for at least a month.
What surprised King Sejong and his ministers was that the amount of 4,000 nyang was only 10% of the total net profit.
“So, the total profit is 40,000 nyang?”
“Huh~. “Four full-time customers showed up in one trip.”
“There are four full-seated people….”
The influence of the ‘full-seated people’ was enormous. Manseokkun had the influence to influence not only the town where he was located but also half of the province. To put it mildly, the saying, ‘When the crowd moves, the governor comes out to meet them with beoseonbal’ was spread around the streets.
Of course, the number of merchants who participated in the commercial trade exceeded dozens, and it would be an excessive analogy to compare them with the merchants who had accumulated wealth for decades. But at least people with considerable wealth appeared in large numbers.
And that too in just one trip.
“Your Majesty the Crown Prince has arrived.”
“Come on in.”
Hyang, who came to Pyeonjeon (便殿) at King Sejong’s call, paid homage to King Sejong.
“Did you call me, Abama?”
“okay. I called you because I thought you should know. “The amount collected from the merchants who joined this envoy troupe was 4,000 nyang.”
“4,000 nyang is a considerable amount.”
“The crown prince isn’t that surprised, is he?”
King Sejong was surprised by the calm appearance and asked a question. Not only Sejong but all the ministers could not hide their surprise at the calm appearance of the scent.
“Are you bold? Or maybe you don’t really know yet?”
“Well…”
While the ministers were whispering quietly, Hyang still answered with a calm expression.
“It’s not that surprising, is it? Merchants also participated because they thought they could leave a big mark and were confident. And the merchants who participated did their part, so what is there to be surprised about?”
21st century. Although it was a series of precarious economic situations, it was Hyang who lived in Korea, which steadily maintained its position as a world-class economic power. Although he got kicked out of the job, he was a civil servant who also worked in the economic sector. For a person who was used to trillions, thousands of units – only a few hundred million even when converted to 21st century economic units – did not impress him that much.
“That’s right. “They are quick-thinking merchants, so they wouldn’t have made a move if they weren’t confident that they could make a big profit.”
Sejong nodded his head in understanding at Hyang’s answer. While the ministers also nodded as if they understood, Hyang continued speaking.
“It is time to do some research on how to achieve these benefits consistently.”
“Isn’t that why you’re making a superior?”
“It is not the existence of the superior that is important, but the goods the superior sells that are important. “What was the item that the merchants in the name of Grand Inspector Hopan wanted most?”
“It was impossible to sell because there was a total shortage, but the most sought-after item was, of course, a gold pen, followed by medicine and medicinal materials.”
Sejong showed interest in the answer that an unexpected item was selling well.
“Medicine?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Ming is a large country. “There won’t be a shortage of Tang materials, right?”
“They say there are too many counterfeit products being distributed.”
“Huh~. “It’s an item that involves people’s lives, but it’s a fake.”
King Sejong sighed at Judge Hojo’s answer and the ministers also shook their heads. Hyang, who was listening to the story next to him, also shook his head.
‘As expected, it’s a country of counterfeit goods!’
“Even if it was a medicinal ingredient, what kind of medicine were you looking for?”
“It was beef yellow cheongsimhwan. As expected, there were a lot of counterfeit products…”
“I see. “The Crown Prince…”
King Sejong, who was about to ask Hyang’s opinion, stopped talking. This was because the crown prince’s eyes were sparkling frighteningly.
“Do you think you have a good idea?”
“Please gather the herbalists and herbalists! “I think we can greatly increase the country’s financial income while improving the health of the people!”
“The herbalist and the Simmani?”
Sejong thought for a moment about Hyang’s answer and then immediately took hold of his pulse.
“Wait… is the crown prince trying to grow medicinal herbs?”
“That’s right!”
‘As expected, King Sejong! If you say ah, you will understand right away!’
Hyang bowed his head with a bright smile on his face. Unlike the Crown Prince, who had a bright smile on his face, all the ministers had expressions of incomprehension. The only one who seemed to understand was Hojo Panseo.
“Crown, please explain in more detail.”
“yes. “Abama.”
As soon as King Sejong’s command was given, the scent began to be explained immediately.
– Medicinal herbs and wild ginseng are mainly dug up and supplied by herbalists and simani. A problem arose during this process: supply was not constant. In particular, there is a popular belief that one cannot dig up more than one root of wild ginseng that has grown for more than 50 years unless the mountain spirit guides it.
-However, if you research carefully, you will find the soil and feng shui where herbs grow well, and experienced herbalists will know this well.
-Therefore, if we can find out its characteristics, artificially create such an environment, and then grow it, we can provide a stable supply, and if that happens, the price of the medicine will also drop, making it much easier for the people to obtain the medicine.
“… In addition, we will be able to secure a product that we can continue to sell even during the Ming Dynasty.”
As soon as Hyang’s explanation was finished, all the ministers nodded.
“I think your opinion is really good.”
Starting with the Yeonguijeong, ministers expressed their approval. This was because they had no reason to oppose since they had seen with their own eyes the results of enormous wealth coming into the country.
It was good up to this point. Soon after, Judge Hojo threw a bomb. Although he did not intend to do this at all.
[Episode 23 Gapjin Gyeongjang (1) ] End
ⓒ Gukbbong
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