Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 242

Episode 242: Secret Envoy (4)

The Joseon fleet, which encountered the fleet sent by the Ouchi family, anchored in Shimonoseki.

“Welcome news agency!”

Ouchimorimi (大內盛見), the eldest son who will lead the Ouchi family, warmly welcomed Nam Ki-ju and his group.

* * *

The reason why Ouchimorimi warmly welcomed Nam Ki-ju and his party was because the Ouchi family was one of those who benefited the most after King Sejong’s royal palace.

Among the Japanese merchants staying in Waegwan, those who held a large share were those sent by the Ouchi family.

That wasn’t all. One of only 10 printed copies of the Tripitaka Koreana in Japan was located in Ouchi, and many monks and Buddhist believers were making pilgrimages to Rujikoji Temple in Yamaguchi, which enshrined it. The wealth that came from these monks and pilgrims was also not small.

* * *

During the four days they stayed in Shimonoseki, Nam Ki-ju and his group rested rather than rested.

He had to participate in all the banquets hosted by Morimi and receive visits from scholars and noble families from nearby areas.

“It is an honor to meet a highly knowledgeable envoy from Joseon.”

Nam Ki-ju and his party could not rest even when they rested, as they discussed various things with the visiting intellectuals and nobles, wrote articles, drew pictures, and distributed them.

While the envoys were spending time like that, the navy on the Panokseon that the envoys had come on was busy moving around. After completing maintenance, the supply of drinking water and food was promoted.

“The work is finished.”

“Good job. But…”

The captain who was receiving the report looked at the soldiers moving below and then turned to the commander.

“The soldiers didn’t cause any accidents, right?”

* * *

The captain had reason to worry. This was because I knew that before departing from Dongrae, there were all kinds of rumors going around among the naval soldiers about Japanese women.

-They say Japan is full of women!

-It is said that the women of the Japanese country, even those who are not courtesans or prostitutes, not only let you sleep with them if you ask them out for a night, but even sleep with them! That too for free!

When it became known that this rumor was spreading among the soldiers, the higher-ups became concerned.

A ship was an object that had to rely on the sky for everything from the time it set sail until it returned to port. If a storm were to occur along the way, the ship and its crew would all be turned into ghosts in an instant.

Thanks to this, most sailors of civilian merchant ships as well as soldiers in the navy had a strong tendency to live their lives without thinking about tomorrow.

If such people went to another country after only hearing rumors about it, military discipline could break down and international problems could arise.

In the end, the temperance officer had to step forward and warn the soldiers.

“Those who go to Japan and recklessly break military rules will be punished!”

* * *

The captain was unable to hide his worries because he knew what was going on in Dongrae. This was because if something unpleasant happened, he would also have problems with his promotion.

The manager smiled and answered the captain’s question.

“Even the soldiers don’t know how precious their lives are, so things like that don’t happen.”

The captain sighed at the manager’s answer.

“Whoa~. That’s fortunate, but sometimes the problem is that they can’t control their blood.”

“That’s true, but… they also seem to refrain from going out after the first day.”

“huh? why?”

“Why do they smell so bad….”

“Huh?”

The captain couldn’t believe his ears at the unexpected answer.

* * *

After Hyang mass-produced soap and strengthened hygiene education, the people of Joseon became much cleaner. By paying attention to hygiene, the incidence of various diseases, including skin diseases, decreased, and people who saw the effects began to pay more and more attention to hygiene.

Before we knew it, the people living in Joseon had become the cleanest people among the three countries in Northeast Asia.

* * *

The issue of Japanese sexual culture was a controversial issue even in the royal court.

“If we get a military port on Tsushima Island and open a port in Japan and mines there, it will definitely be a problem. Even if only single people are sent to military ports and mines, they will become stained with Japanese customs, which will cause problems. Even if only those with families are sent, their entire families will be stained with Japanese customs. If these people return to Joseon, it is certain that morals among the people will collapse!”

King Sejong nodded to the criticism raised by the Saheonbu.

“I think this is something to seriously consider. So, please gather people together and think of a solution.”

“I follow your orders!”

Because of King Sejong’s order, the ministers gathered together senior and new officials and held a meeting to discuss measures.

It was quite unexpected to have young officials attend the meeting. But the ministers also had their reasons.

“These days, my body isn’t the same as it used to be. “I need to prepare for the next one.”

“Is that true of you too? “I am also a young man…”

Since they had been in government service since the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, they were preparing to step down. It was a stepping stone to entrust the next job to those with long experience and to allow young people to gain experience by seeing the work in action.

The problem was that Sejong was not someone who would just let go.

Through that process, the ministers who formed a sort of task force entered into a meeting.

“It is easy to make a fatal mistake by making a decision based on fragmentary hearsay, so we must look into it in detail!”

“I think that makes sense.”

Following this decision, we began an investigation into Japanese customs and culture among anti-Japanese rebels and Japanese merchants.

And all the young officials who saw the customs of the Japanese nation that they had collected in that way became enraged.

“Such promiscuous customs!”

“This is barbarism! barbarity!”

While the younger officials were in an uproar, the older officials reacted a little differently.

“The civil war in Japan lasted quite a long time, right?”

“I heard that a civil war was in full swing when I took office, so it had been a while.”

“Looking at the records, it lasted almost 60 years.”

Senior officials who were discussing the civil war that took place during the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties of the Japanese Empire nodded and concluded.

“If there was a civil war of that magnitude, it would be natural for such a custom to be created.”

“yes?”

Younger officials questioned the conclusions of older officials.

Seeing that, Yeonguijeong Lee Jik came forward and explained.

“You guys have never experienced war, right?”

“We experienced several invasions by Japanese pirates.”

Yeonguijeong waved his hand at the young officials’ answers.

“Aye~. “The Japanese invasions you experienced at your age were nothing compared to the Japanese invasions at the end of the Joseon Dynasty.”

That was the case.

* * *

The Japanese invasion of the late Goryeo Dynasty devastated the southern region of Goryeo. To prevent this, the Goryeo army moved desperately, and in this process, Yi Seong-gye, whose name was raised, founded the Joseon Dynasty.

The calming of the Japanese pirates’ movements, which had been so extreme, began with the heavy losses suffered by the Goryeo army, which had introduced artillery in the late Goryeo Dynasty. Afterwards, as Joseon came into power, it took in Japanese lords and launched an active offensive, including the conquest of Tsushima Island. Lastly, it was due to the crushing defeat suffered by the Ming Dynasty during the period when the conquest of Tsushima Island was in progress.

Afterwards, the Japanese pirates attempted to attack Joseon several times, but were thwarted by the Joseon navy, which had begun to strengthen through Gyeongjang, making it difficult to find Japanese pirates in the coastal waters of Joseon.

That’s why Lee Jik responded like that.

* * *

After taking a sip of black bean tea, Lee Jik continued speaking.

“Do you know what is the first thing that dries up when something like the Japanese pirates’ rebellion that occurred at the end of the Joseon Dynasty becomes prolonged?”

“I do not know.”

“It’s a man. These were low-ranking soldiers brought in while farming and catching fish. Those who only knew how to fight with their fists were used as sword holders and arrow holders, and they were the first to dry up. After that, the seeds of the middle and lower-level military officers who commanded them will dry up.”

Lee Jik’s words reminded Hyang of a line from a movie he saw in the 21st century.

-Do you know how long the average survival period of a new second lieutenant who was first sent into combat during the Vietnam War was? 16 minutes! It was 16 fucking minutes!

‘Whether then or now…’

While Hyang was lost in such thoughts, Lee Jik continued to speak.

“Then do you know what happens? I don’t know about the city, but even if you go a little out of the way, it becomes difficult to see men. Then do you know what happens next? Seeds are becoming scarce. In order to get that seed and continue the family or farm and have children to support, things like that happen that people say you are promiscuous.” (Note 1)

Yeonguijeong’s words were full of the pain of those who survived a time full of confusion. .

“So, don’t criticize me for being promiscuous just by looking at one piece. “There is no law that prevents similar incidents from happening to our Joseon.”

After Lee Jik finished speaking, Kim Jeom continued.

“It’s not that those Japanese people don’t know morals. If you had looked at the records properly, you would have seen the extinction of a small noble family that took place in that corner of the Japanese Empire. This is what happened when the lord’s daughter volunteered because she could not overcome the humiliation of being treated with fear. If it were just promiscuous and barbaric, something like that wouldn’t happen. So, as Vice Admiral Yeonguijeong said, don’t judge rashly by only looking at fragments, but take a broader and deeper look.”

“yes.”

The young officials responded to Kim Jeom’s advice with sincerity. Those senior ministers left advice that would become their bones and flesh.

Hyang, who saw the scene, was immediately immersed in doubt.

‘Then what are the videos and Internet stories in the folder on my computer in the 21st century?’

Hyang, who had doubts, immediately asked the elders.

“If so. “Is there no possibility that this primitive and promiscuous custom will continue?”

Ijik answered Hyang’s question.

“If the current regime that Mr. Jok-ri holds is maintained stably for a long time and the lives of the people are stabilized and edification is improved, it is highly likely that it will disappear in a short period of time. However, if the Jok-ri regime’s lifespan is short and a long-term civil war continues, it will become a traditional custom.”

“okay.”

Hyang gave a short answer and shouted inwardly.

‘Warring States Period!’

However, the young officials’ point was not wrong.

“It is a shame that the Japanese country has such a custom. However, this is a big problem when we think about the people of Joseon who will immediately go to Japan and settle down there.”

“Then what should I do?”

“We need to block contact by erecting barriers around military ports and the residences of our superiors.”

“Is that possible? “Isn’t that true when you look at the Waegwan area?”

Senior ministers reacted skeptically to the young officials’ answers.

Despite the social atmosphere of strong hostility toward the Japanese due to the Japanese invasion and the strict entry and exit control, Japanese customs were significantly introduced among the Joseon people around the Waegwan.

That is why the senior ministers responded with skepticism.

Since then, various measures have been developed, but most of them were designed to block contact, so they were not well received.

Hyang, who was watching the scene from one side, joined the meeting.

“Rather than preventing contact, why not educate them?”

“Are you talking about edification? Should we send scholars?”

“Anyway, many Koreans who go to the mines with their bosses will move as a family. “Then shouldn’t we also establish a social democratic school to educate the children of that family?”

“ah!”

The officials, who simultaneously let out exclamations at Hyang’s words, immediately proceeded with the meeting.

After that, the meeting proceeded smoothly.

The results from the meeting were summarized as follows.

-We run a social democratic school for Korean families who have come to live in Japan.

-The Japanese were envious of our Joseon’s academic achievements, so when they see a social democratic school like this, they will try to get their children into it.

-Using this situation, they educated the Japanese and at the same time made them admire Joseon. Then, among the noble families of the Japanese nation, there will be those who will send their children to Joseon to study.

-Ultimately, through this process, noble families loyal to Joseon were created and political influence over the Japanese country was secured. Use this influence to maintain the safety of Joseon.

Hyang looked bitter as he watched the process of coming to this conclusion.

‘Is it not a folk painting for the emperor, but a folk painting for the Joseon dynasty? There is no such thing as a myth…’

* * *

Note 1) https://www.huffingtonpost.kr/2016/12/26/story_n_13780142.html