Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 442

Episode 442: Pavement Stone (4)

After Hwang Hui and the other ministers seemed to understand, Hyang added.

“Of course, it is possible that Ilji, Many Kingdoms may not be properly established and it may become Ilji, One Country. But yes. Whether human or animal, the torso is much larger than the head, but the torso cannot replace the head. I think this is also true of the federal system I thought of.”

“No matter how big the body is, it cannot replace the head… That’s a good thing to say.”

“That’s right.”

King Sejong and the ministers nodded and expressed admiration at Hyang’s words.

Looking at that scene, Hyang muttered to herself.

‘It is notorious in Africa, Asia and Ireland, but the Commonwealth is still the most useful. Of course, that damn notoriety is the problem…’

The relationship Hyang was thinking of was the relationship between Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Although they may seem sparse, they are the ones who continue to have a strong connection.

‘Of course, that relationship may be because the majority of those countries are white people with roots in England, but if you look at it that way, didn’t the Native Americans also say that their origins were in Asia?’

“… Crown Prince?”

“yes? yes!”

Hyang, who had lost herself in Samcheonpo while letting her imagination run wild, quickly returned to reality when she heard Sejong’s voice calling her.

“I’m sorry. “I was thinking about something else for a moment…”

“What were you thinking about?”

“I’m sorry.”

Seeing that Hyang had come to his senses, Sejong immediately asked a question.

“As you said earlier, it seems truly beautiful that Joseon is playing the role of head. “Then what do you think Joseon should protect and share in order to continue its role as head?”

“There are three things you must keep.”

“Three things? “Isn’t that too little?”

“Absolutely not.”

Sejong’s eyes actually lit up at Hyang’s firm answer.

“okay? Let’s take a listen. What are those three things?”

“Intellectual capital is food self-sufficiency. The reason is….”

Hyang explained why those three things must be observed.

-Joseon must have the most pioneering knowledge regarding physics and technology for making objects. This goes without saying.

King Sejong and the ministers nodded to the first reason.

Sejong went one step further.

“Then I understand why capital must be protected.”

Hyang nodded strongly at Sejong’s words.

“That’s right. Of course, the newly acquired landless land will be larger than the mainland in terms of governance. However, if mainland Joseon takes the lead in securing and operating the most important capital, that is, seed money, it can sufficiently maintain its leadership.”

“That’s right, that’s right! “This is so!”

At Hyang’s words, Kim Jeom nodded his head in agreement, breaking his neck.

Hyang smiled and gave a small nod to Kim Jeom before continuing.

“For the first knowledge part, I only talked about physics and technology to make it easier to understand, but the ideological part must also maintain its position as a pioneer.”

“Thoughts?”

“Isn’t the reason we treat the Ming with great respect simply because the Ming is large?”

After asking that short question, Hyang closed his mouth.

But no one knew what the scent was trying to say. Thanks to this, the air inside Geunjeongjeon suddenly became heavy.

In an atmosphere where even feathers felt as heavy as rocks, the first to speak was Sejong.

“okay. I fully understand the necessity of that part, and it is something that we must achieve. “Thank goodness there are people who are best suited to entrust this to me.”

At King Sejong’s words, all the ministers and ministers nodded.

* * *

‘The people, regardless of whether they are high or low, pursue only wealth and material possessions, so morality is thrown into the ground!’

‘It is important to find the truth hidden in physics and find convenience, but it is also important to enlighten and teach the truth!’

As appeals with this content surfaced, King Sejong established a research institute to study Confucianism. However, both King Sejong and the local ministers were not pleased with the growing voices of idealists, as they were far removed from orthodox Confucianism. Therefore, the research institutes created in this way were filled with former officials with administrative experience as well as Confucian scholars, and there was a constant war of words between them.

And King Sejong and Hyang watched from the side, fanning themselves hard.

“popcorn! “I need popcorn!”

This was the line that Hyang shouted every time he heard their argument.

* * *

“Okay, I understand the first and second reasons. So why is food self-sufficiency important? In the case of the terra incognita that we have just discovered, it is said to be a forested plain just a short distance from the coast. “Then wouldn’t the problem of farmland be solved?”

Hyang nodded to Sejong’s question.

“That’s right. Maybe so. If that happens, our country will definitely be able to escape from food shortage.”

“Then hasn’t the problem of food self-sufficiency been solved? Even if there is a problem with the food situation in the mainland, if it is solved by bringing in food from the source…”

King Sejong, who had been talking up to that point, suddenly stopped talking. Sejong, who was thinking about what he had just said, shook his head.

“Right. That would be a problem….”

“That’s right. Therefore, we must maintain food self-sufficiency.”

Meanwhile, the ministers began to grumble inwardly at the conversation between King Sejong and Hyang.

‘It started again! ‘A Zen question that only rich people know!’

‘Ah-oh! ‘Are they bragging about how smart they are?’

Hwang Hee came forward and asked if he knew how the ministers felt.

“As you said, even if it is remote land, it is ultimately the same land of Joseon. Just as it is natural to send grain from Gyeongsang or Jeolla when there is a bad harvest in Gangwon-do, isn’t it natural for Wonji to help when there is a problem on the mainland?”

I answered Hwang Hee’s question because I smelled it.

“The problem is that if we make even the slightest mistake, the seeds of independent farmers on the mainland will dry up. Among the countries of the West, there was a country called Rome…” ‘I

heard that Rome began to tremble knowingly or unknowingly after it took over Egypt, right?’

Hyang explained the reason using the example of Rome.

“… Therefore, for the sake of social stability on the mainland, we must maintain an appropriate level of food self-sufficiency.”

“Ah…”

The ministers, including Hwang Hee, all nodded at Hyang’s explanation.

The scent of the ministers began to harden.

“You must never forget the efforts that Abama has made to foster self-employed farmers in Joseon since she started making gyeongjang.”

The first thing I did when I started building a lighthouse was to destroy the landowners.

Of course, the biggest goal at this time was to wrest control of local villages from the landlords, but it was also a reality that self-employed farmers fostered through this process were becoming a major source of income for Joseon’s finances.

“Hmm… So, does that mean we should avoid greatly fostering agriculture in remote areas? Of course, I understand that self-sufficiency is necessary for the stability of the mainland…”

The Hyang immediately responded to Kim Jeom’s remarks, unable to hide his disappointment.

“No, we need to nurture them. This will also need to be fostered on a large scale. We have to prepare in case there is a famine in the mainland and self-sufficiency becomes difficult…”

Pausing for a moment, Hyang glanced at the officers and the masters and lowered his voice.

“There is a saying like this, right? ‘If our house catches fire, it’s chaos, but if someone else’s house catches fire, it’s the best spectacle.’”

At Hyang’s words, not only Kim Jeom but also King Sejong and the ministers all showed angry expressions.

“No way…”

When Kim Jeom made a no-brainer expression, Hyang smiled bitterly.

“There are neighbors around us who are dangerous to us. “It may not sound good, but if necessary, shouldn’t we at least throw out a spark?”

At that moment, all the ministers thought the same thing.

‘Such wickedness!’

“The magistrates and magistrates should organize themselves. “In protecting the country, sometimes you have to be prepared to do injustice.”

“I follow your orders.”

The magistrates and state governors responded to King Sejong’s command by bowing their heads, but the content of the post was slightly different.

– says the officer.

It may be the fate of a politician to be prepared to do injustice in protecting the country. However, I think it is not good to talk about injustice before it even begins.

However, sometimes there are countries where you want to start a fire rather than just throw a spark.

* * *

The presentation of the scent was already coming to an end.

“Is there anything else the Crown Prince would like to say?”

“yes.”

In response to Sejong’s question, Hyang gathered her thoughts for a moment and opened her mouth.

“I know very well what the ministers are worried about right now. A newly discovered landless land. Mujuji couldn’t even confirm how big it was. Of course, there will be indigenous people there, and even if they submit to Joseon’s people, there is a definite possibility that the superiority and inferiority will be reversed.”

The ministers nodded at Hyang’s words.

“But now, think again about the strength of our Joseon Dynasty. How much wider is it than when you started? Even if you exclude the Daeseoldo and Jongjangdo areas, it is almost twice as large as before. Nevertheless, the forest area of the northeast still remains endlessly unexplored, and although adventurous attempts must be made, the old Goguryeo land of Liaodong remains. “I am confident that if we manage this region properly, the mainland of Joseon will be no less difficult.”

“wait?”

“Hoo?”

The ministers who were examining the map at Hyang’s words nodded with their eyes shining.

* * *

Although the climate was harsh, the unexplored forest areas of the northeastern region – known as East Siberia in history before the intervention of the township – continued to yield timber and other valuable resources.

Not only the forests and resources, but also the indigenous people who had settled in the forest areas were one by one returning to Joseon and gradually becoming the people of Joseon.

Because of this, the Ministry of National Defense had to update the map every month. This was because I had to fill in information about the area I had newly learned through valuable tribes.

As Joseon secured the forest areas of the northeastern region, it was quietly approaching the eastern border of the Liaodong region, which was controlled by the Ming Dynasty.

And King Sejong and military commanders muttered similar words every time they looked at the map.

“Someday…”

* * *

As Hyang’s remarks ended, Sejong came to a conclusion.

“From what I hear, I think the crown prince’s plan is quite good.”

“It is indeed so.”

“That’s right.”

Hwang Hui and the ministers responded to King Sejong’s words.

Seeing the positive reactions of the ministers, King Sejong added.

“However, this is just one person’s idea, so there will be some shortcomings. So, gentlemen, please elaborate and report based on the crown prince’s plans.”

“I follow your orders.”

“And the Left Deputy Prime Minister.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

When Sejong singled out him in particular, Kim Jeom lowered his head with a very nervous expression.

“I think we need to increase the budget. However, since we cannot increase our tax revenue carelessly, I think we will have to release the funds we have saved up.”

Kim Jeom answered Sejong’s words by closing his eyes tightly.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As if he knew Kim Jeom’s feelings, Sejong added.

“However, unconditionally loosening it will not help the country, so look at this year’s and next year’s expenditure items and reduce what can be reduced.”

Kim Jeom responded in a loud voice to King Sejong’s command.

“I follow your orders!”

* * *

Not long after the meeting ended, Kim Jeom stormed into the Office of the Minister of National Defense.

“Choose!”

“What do you mean?”

“Eulsik long guns and Eulsik freight cars! Choose one of the two! “Both cannot be mass-produced at the same time!”

“But…”

“Even the Gap-style rifle is no match now! So take your pick! “Your Majesty didn’t say that anything that can be reduced should be reduced!”

Jo Mal-saeng had to make a choice with tears in his eyes due to Kim Jeom’s words.

“I will choose the Eulsik Hwacha.”

As expected, it was a choice befitting the firepower-mad Joseon people.

* * *