Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 359
Episode 359: What increases when divided, work and swearing (1)
Once the situation was settled, the government moved quickly. Amidst the busy movement of redeploying personnel and checking the situation according to the coordinated results, a secret envoy with a handwritten letter from King Sejong crossed the sea.
Morimi, who received King Sejong’s handwritten letter, checked the contents and opened his mouth.
“I don’t think this will be decided right away, so please wait a moment.”
“That’s right.”
Morimi, who had envoys on standby, butted heads with his retainers.
“You all heard it together, so there’s no need to repeat it. What do you want me to do?”
“If you include the planned training period, you will be staying in Joseon for almost 10 years, and then you can become a naturalized Korean.”
“Joseon’s governance and our governance are completely different, so what use would it be to learn Joseon’s governance?”
In the beginning, those who expressed opposition were dominant. However, as they noticed that Morimi’s expression was not very good, the opinion to accept Joseon’s proposal began to become more dominant.
The beginning was Mochiyo, who was recognized as the next lord.
“You have to accept it. Now our territory is growing in strength. There will definitely be limitations to the old ways. Therefore, we must learn how to govern Joseon, which is growing stronger day by day. “We must learn Joseon’s governance and escape the limitations of our territory.”
* * *
While managing Iwami’s silver mine along with Joseon, Mochiyo was gradually becoming addicted to Joseon.
To be precise, it was against Joseon’s policy. And the beginning was a workers’ dispute that occurred at a silver mine.
As his subordinates said, Ahn Sang-taek suggested Joseon’s method to Mochiyo, who was considering military suppression, and Mochiyo accepted the proposal.
Because the results were good, Mochiyo began to secure information about various policies carried out by Joseon.
While conducting research using the information he had obtained, Mochiyo became addicted to Joseon.
“This is what governing is like! Our territory must change like this! “No, not just our territory, we must change the world like Joseon!”
To add, the Japanese people did not mean the whole world, but all of Japan.
Therefore, when Emperor Taejo of the Ming Dynasty sent an envoy regarding the Japanese pirate issue, the relationship between the Ming and the Japanese became soured due to a passage in the reply sent by Takauchi Ashikaga, who was the shogun at the time.
-The world does not belong to any one individual.
In Takauchi’s case, ‘Japan does not belong to me alone.’ However, from Zhu Yuanzhang’s perspective, ‘the whole world does not belong to one emperor of the Ming Dynasty.’ (Note 1)
* * *
As soon as Mochiyo agreed, the retainers who agreed with his opinion also began to raise their voices.
“That’s right! When we, Ouchi, take control of the world, we must govern it as if it were a great nation. To achieve this, we need people who know how to govern large and developed countries. This is a great opportunity!”
“The shogunate and other lords are still at the level of frogs in a well. If you want to get ahead of them, you must first get ahead of them in governance!”
“you’re right!”
“That dastardly Mr. Shoni continues to seek opportunities in Tsushima. Only by learning everything we can from Joseon and winning the world will we be able to completely subjugate the Shawnee clan. Governing is just the beginning!”
The situation turned completely in favor. Morimi, seeing the reactions of his retainers, smiled broadly and made a decision.
“good night! Accept Joseon’s offer! Let’s learn everything we can and take this world into the hands of our Ouchi!”
“hot!”
To Morimi’s declaration, the retainers bowed down on the floor and responded loudly.
* * *
Morimi did his best to realize his dream of overthrowing the Muromachi shogunate ruled by the Ashikaga clan and taking control of the world.
Using the shogunate’s joint trade, he sent people to the Ming and sent messengers to Joseon to make peace and accept cultural goods.
In the process, Morimi, like Mochiyo, became increasingly addicted to Joseon.
The splendor of the great empire that I heard about from those who visited the Ming Dynasty was admirable, but the remarkable development of Joseon told by those who visited Joseon was almost astounding.
Whether officially or unofficially, all Joseon envoys who came to Ouchi were highly knowledgeable and full of wisdom. Every time the envoys came and went, Morimi sighed at the backwardness of the territory he ruled.
In particular, when Morimi heard the story about the iron horse, he was shocked as if he had been struck by lightning.
‘A cart that moves without a horse! This is it! Joseon is the future I dream of! Our country is not as great as the Ming Dynasty and we don’t have much! The only path we must take is the path Joseon takes!’
‘(Japan) I will hold the world in my hands!’
The family’s long-held wish, passed down from generation to generation, was now turning into a religious belief rather than a political ambition.
“It is the highest mission given to me and my family to transform this underdeveloped world into an advanced country like Joseon!”
“You need to change everything, starting from what you wear, what you eat, and what you use! “The only way to protect our family and the world is to break away from Japan and follow Joseon’s path!”
Later, an idea that historians called ‘post-Japanese theory’ or ‘post-Japanese invasion’ began to sprout.
* * *
Whatever the background, the envoy who received Morimi’s acceptance immediately returned and reported to King Sejong.
“exactly? “The internal public opinion accepted it?”
“Yes, Your Highness. “I just said that they are valuable talents who will run the territory, so I hope you will teach them well.”
King Sejong grinned and responded to Lee Maeng-gyun’s answer.
“This is a request from someone who has made peace with us, so please do your best. And keep in mind that we can’t keep holding on to such important talent.”
“I will keep this in mind!”
Not long after King Sejong’s order, the Japanese who came to study in Hanseong stopped classes and listened to the government’s announcement.
“… So, once you complete the course, you will be put to work immediately and learn practical skills.”
“high. All right.”
“I would like to add that the intensity of classes will become more intense in the future.”
The color began to drain from the faces of the international students as they heard Teacher Gamjeong’s words.
“yes?”
“Your lord asked His Majesty the Lord, ‘Please teach us well, as they are precious talents who will run the territory.’ I said so. So how could we be negligent?”
“Hi….”
“Then make up your mind and follow along.”
“Hi….”
The international students responded to the teacher’s emotional words with half-fazed faces.
The classes so far had been difficult, but they said that future classes would be even more difficult.
Later, all the international students who completed the course and were assigned to work screamed.
“Class was more comfortable!”
And those who returned to Ouchi and took charge of the work harassed their subordinates.
“mind! Did you say this is also work! “When I worked in Hanseong!”
* * *
Although the matter with Ouchi ended well, the interior of Joseon was once again in turmoil.
It was because of the government’s proclamation announcing ‘partial revision of the past system’.
“What nonsense is this, opening the door to women!”
“Say! “No way!”
The men of the local nobility, who were outraged by the idea that women would also be entitled to see civil service exams, took action.
“Write an appeal! Appeal!”
“no! I have to go up to Hanseong! Eat! Take your axe! “I will raise my branch appeal!”
“Let’s cut taxes together!”
In this way, rumors of appeal once again poured into Gyeongbokgung Palace. The monks and state clerks of Seungjeongwon who received the appeals sighed longingly when they saw the mountain of appeals.
“Whew~ I expected it, but…”
However, since it was their job to pre-screen and classify the appeals, the monks and juseo opened the envelope and began to read the contents.
The monks and judges who were reviewing the appeal showed unusual behavior: they put yellow paper on most of the appeals that were opened and put them to one side.
“I think I need to contact the runner’s office and ask them to take more pictures.”
“yes? How many copies would be appropriate?”
“First, let’s start with about 100 sheets.”
“That would be appropriate. “You go and get some scorpions and get some rest.”
“yes.”
King Sejong and his ministers, who predicted that the appeals would be delayed, had printed a response containing an appropriate answer.
* * *
“Please inform me!”
“That’s it~. “Please inform me!”
“huh?”
Hyang, who was returning to the East Palace after working at Area 51, stopped talking when he heard shouts echoing in front of Gwanghwamun.
“What’s going on? “Do you want me to notify you?”
“I will find out and come back.”
In response to Hyang’s question, the eunuch who accompanied him rushed forward to check the situation.
The eunuch returned a while later and reported the situation to Hyang.
“It’s called a branch appeal.”
“Branch appeal? For what? Could it be because of this amendment to the civil service examination system?”
“yes.”
“Oh my… Tsk!”
The scent that was briefly put on the tongue was directed to those who were shouting at the horse.
“Lowering! “It’s dangerous!”
“Lowering!”
The Naegeumwi members in charge of escorting were shocked. Speaking of branch appeals, protests were held with axes, which are dangerous blades, next to one another. Naegeumwi and others tried to stop him, but Hyang smiled and answered.
“I trust you guys.”
At Hyang’s words, the Naegeumwis rode their horses in front of Hyang with an expression that said there was nothing they could do.
“We will take the lead.”
* * *
Hyang got close to the protesters and got off his horse and walked. The protesters raised their voices as the scent approached, surrounded by layers of Naegumwis who dismounted from their horses together.
“Lowering! You are both a Crown Prince and a subject at the same time! The duty of a subject is to speak directly to the king and prevent wrong decisions from coming out. Why have you neglected that duty?”
“I’m getting it back! Why are you neglecting this!”
In response to the cries of the protesters, Hyang muttered softly.
“You have a big voice and a big liver.”
“Foot!”
“Big!”
At Hyang’s words, the Naegeumwi soldiers standing guard around him gritted their teeth to suppress their laughter.
“Jang Villa.”
“Yes sir.”
Hyang raised his finger and pointed at the protesters and commanded.
“Starting with the person sitting on the right, please bring an ax and a letter of appeal one by one.”
“Yes sir.”
After a while, Hyang read the appeal letter brought by the villa and looked at the axe.
“Hmm…”
Hyang, who was snorting, took out a gold pen from his sleeve, scribbled down the petition, and returned it to the villa.
“Give it back and tell it to read what I wrote out loud.”
“Yes sir.”
After a while, the scholar who heard the words through the villa unfolded the appeal. The scholar’s arms trembled like aspen trees as he checked that there was little scent.
“What are you doing?”
At the urging of the incense, the scholar gritted his teeth and shouted loudly.
“Please fill out your wife’s registration!”
The people around him started whispering at the scholar’s shout.
“What did you just mean by that?”
“well?”
While they were whispering, one of the people who was somewhat literate clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk tsk…. I got scolded openly.”
“What did His Majesty the Crown Prince say?”
“You said the ax blade and writing skills are the same.”
“huh?”
The people who heard the commentary burst into laughter when they saw the ax held by the scholar in question.
“Fuha!”
The scholar’s ax was rusty red.
A similar evaluation followed thereafter. Even ‘the edge of an ax is sharper than writing skills.’ The scholar who received the evaluation ended up crying on the spot.
Looking at the scholars like that, Hyang raised his voice.
“If you don’t want to see women wearing official uniforms, take your civil service examination and pass the exam! “There are so many things to say when you can’t even pass the exam!”
* * *
Note 1) Military strategy of the Joseon Dynasty. P.61. Ministry of National Defense Military Compilation Research Institute.