Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 459

Episode 459: Changing People pt.2. (4)

‘Clothing reform’.

To be precise, the idea is to change everything from hairstyles to fashion to be more efficient.

This was an area in which Hyang continued to take on new challenges but continued to experience bitterness.

The best example was when I tried to fix my topknot and gacha, but ended up having to break my intentions.

“Damn it…”

When Hyang had to break his will like that, he couldn’t hold back his anger and had to swear.

But Hyang never gave up and continued to look everywhere for a solution. However, even though we worked hard to find a solution, the answer did not come easily.

“With topknots, you can somehow get away with sanitary issues, but with doubles, there is no answer…”

Hyang’s face was gloomy as he muttered while tapping his fingers on the desk.

“No, the hygiene issue is also difficult….”

In the first attempt to propose eliminating the topknot due to the ‘sanitation issue’, King Sejong and the ministers all responded with one voice.

“If hygiene is an issue, wouldn’t it be okay to wash your hair often?”

Thanks to this, a new industry called ‘washing room’ emerged, but it was not a perfect solution.

“Damn it…”

Hyang continued to curse, but the situation was changing without him knowing it.

The military was at the forefront of such changes.

* * *

Long-distance mobile patrols patrolling long distances in the Liaodong region and naval forces sailing far out to sea were both facing the same problem.

‘There is not enough clean water.’

This was a common problem that plagued long-distance mobile patrols and naval forces.

At first I didn’t think this was a problem.

“Have you ever not washed your hair in a month or two? “What’s the problem?”

I thought so, but as this happened repeatedly, problems began to arise.

In particular, the naval forces, who had to pass through hot and humid regions, began to suffer from all kinds of skin diseases as they were unable to wash their hair for at least a month and a half after setting sail – simply put, until they arrived in Malacca.

As these incidents became more frequent, members of the same party made efforts to find the cause and solution, and found the answer.

“Hygiene is a problem!”

To solve this problem, everyone on board the ship, regardless of their status, had to bring at least five sets of underwear and outerwear.

Then, following Hyang’s suggestion, he washed and washed his body with fresh water obtained using a distiller installed on the ship.

However, no matter how much water was obtained using a distiller, it was not an abundant amount, so this alone could not be the answer.

Clothes were somehow manageable, but the top-knotted hair was a breeding ground for all kinds of pests.

“The topknot is the problem!”

The ship doctors concluded this: And with these data and conclusions, Hyang argued for the elimination of clichés, but was pushed back.

However, the poor conditions on board forced the naval commanders to make a decision.

“Let me encourage you to cut your topknot!”

It had to take the form of ‘recommendation’ to quell opposition from not only soldiers but also officers from the nobility.

This was the same situation for the Army’s long-distance mobile patrol unit.

Even on land, it was not easy to find a stream or spring with clean water.

Even if it looked like a river or spring that seemed clean on the outside, if you made the slightest mistake, you could suffer from all kinds of water-borne infectious diseases, starting with an upset stomach.

Therefore, even if you could find clear water, you had to go through the cumbersome process of boiling it at least once.

Therefore, the clear water treated in this way was used primarily for drinking, and keeping the body clean always took a backseat.

Because of this situation, long-distance patrols also had to suffer from skin diseases. Especially in the hot and humid summer, in addition to skin diseases, I suffered from pests that smelled and attacked me, and my helmet and hat were infested with lice and fleas.

In the end, Yuksu-gun also recommended removing the topknot.

Of course, King Sejong’s approval was needed to implement this policy.

King Sejong asked with a serious face the military’s request that came through Jo Mal-saeng.

“The topknot is a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation since the Joseon Dynasty. Do we really need to get rid of it?”

Jo Mal-saeng and the Chief of Staff answered King Sejong’s question right away.

“There are certain things that the military in charge of national defense must do in order to properly carry out its mission. “Maintaining the soldiers’ strength is one of the things that must be done.”

In response to the military’s response, King Sejong had no choice but to give sanction.

“If you must do it, do it. step! “Do not force something, but keep your original intention and only encourage it.”

“I certainly will!”

In this way, topknots began to disappear from the military.

* * *

With the removal of the topknot, high-ranking military officials had all kinds of concerns, but the backlash from officers and soldiers on the front lines was less than expected.

“what. “It’s better to get a haircut than to suffer from rashes.”

“Your hair is growing again, why…”

“And… are there just one or two guys without topknots?”

The last words that came out were the sincerity of the native Korean people.

As the expansion of the Joseon Dynasty progressed and the area of Joseon expanded, indigenous people from other regions, not the natives of Joseon, penetrated into Joseon society.

And the place where most of the foreigners who came in this way were located was the military.

Thanks to this, the Joseon army was filled with people with all kinds of hairstyles.

Not only the Koreans with their topknots and the Jurchen people with their pigtails, but even those who had their hair shaved off or had their hair shaved off.

The changed mindset of the Joseon military also played a role.

‘The question is not who you are, but whether you do your job well or not!’

Based on this change in mindset, cliches began to disappear little by little.

* * *

The changes that started in the military soon began to spread to society.

“Hmm… I guess if a man wants to be treated like an adult, he has to wear a topknot!”

In the beginning, this was mainly a negative reaction, but little by little changes continued over time.

“It’s so easy to wash and dry!”

“It’s really convenient because you can just draw water from the well and slurp it up!”

Joseon men, realizing the convenience of short hair, began cutting their topknots one by one.

And the report related to this went straight to Geunjeongjeon, and King Sejong stroked his beard.

“‘Reluctance to get rid of topknots is decreasing.’”

King Sejong, who was checking the contents of the report, looked at the ministers.

“Shall I try cutting it too? “What do you think?”

None of the ministers immediately answered King Sejong’s question.

After a long silence, Hwang Hee came forward.

“I think it would be better to take a little more time and look into it.”

“…Let’s do that.”

And Hyang, who heard this story, muttered with an expression of bewilderment.

“When I told him to do it, he held on to it…”

Even though the topknot was disappearing, there were quite a few people who insisted on wearing the topknot until the end.

“I’m not even in the middle! “Why cut off your topknot!”

“Uh-huh! “You have the dignity of a nobleman!”

There were many people who insisted on traditional values and insisted on topknots, but there were also people who insisted on topknots for unexpected reasons.

“You need at least a topknot to cover it up!”

They were people suffering from hair loss.

* * *

And this change in hair shape also brought changes to the hair salon.

The job went beyond simply washing hair and trimming topknots to also caring for hair that had been cut off from topknots.

They created a new source of income by cutting off their topknots, straightening their messy hair, and using perfume or oil to create a matching hairstyle.

And in this area, there was a competition for pride among the hair salons.

Since the Three Han Dynasties, men in this land have loved to show off. Therefore, it was a common era for men to wear earrings in all kinds of shapes.

In such a situation, it was very important for urban fashionistas to be able to have their own hairstyle, breaking away from the standard hairstyle (of course, they pursued individuality with hair clips and other decorations).

Thanks to this, the store, which was rumored to have a “skilled hairdresser,” immediately became a thriving business and competition for pride arose.

* * *

Although the topknot was riding the wind of change, it was still unchanging and there were many things that made the scent worry.

And the most representative one among them was the women’s gacha.

From Queen Soheon above to the women of Yeomjip below.

There were differences in size and decoration, but there were no married women who did not wear gacha.

“I need to fix this…”

Hyang, who was aware of the problems with the gacha, thought about a way to get rid of the gacha, but there was no easy answer.

“If you make a mistake, you will be ripped off for the rest of your life.”

It was a vivid scent that reminded me of the painful memory of saying something wrong in the past and having to pray to the Crown Princess and Emperor Yangwon for help.

In the end, after thinking for a while, Hyang went to Area 51 and gathered the craftsmen.

“Those who are good at making jewelry will go forward! “In particular, craftsmen who know what women like should come out right away!”

While the craftsmen were secretly paying attention to the incense’s command, the first person to come out was Pietro.

‘It looks like something interesting is going to happen and I can’t be left out!’

As soon as Pietro opened the door, other craftsmen began to step forward one by one.

“…9. 10. That’s it! Let the rest go in!”

After selecting the craftsmen, Hyang dragged them to his office.

“Please take a seat.”

Hyang gathered the artisans in the conference room attached to the office and got to the point.

“From now on, you will start a new project together with me.”

“You said it was a piece of jewelry?”

“That’s right. It’s about making jewelry. “This accessory has a big goal.”

Hearing Hyang’s words, the craftsmen swallowed their dry saliva and fixed their eyes on Hyang.

Hyang, who had thus attracted the attention of the craftsmen, got to the point.

“The purpose of this accessory is to replace the gacha.”

As soon as Hyang’s words left his mouth, the craftsmen shouted at the same time.

“It’s impossible!”

“For women, the gache is an item they cannot take off even if they want to!”

“The women will never stay still!”

The craftsmen shouted that it was impossible, but Hyang’s expression was stern.

“It may be difficult enough to seem impossible, but we must make it happen. There is nothing more dangerous and troublesome than a gacha. “You probably don’t know either, right?”

“….”

The craftsmen fell silent at the question of incense.

As they were craftsmen who had made accessories for the queen and her concubines, they knew very well what a gache was.

‘It’s the perfect thing to catch people.’

In the end, the craftsmen who realized that Hyang’s intention was firm asked Hyang with an expression that they had no choice.

“Then what kind of accessory do you think you have?”

The scent answered the artisans’ questions right away.

“It’s Cheopji and Jokduri.”

After hearing the item Hyang had chosen, the artisans kept their mouths shut and carefully considered the possibilities.

‘If you want to wear a jokduri, you need a cheopji.’

‘Maybe there are cases where you just go around as a concubine?’

‘To use Cheopji properly, you need Cheopji hair, and then you need legs (someone else’s hair), just like the gacha… Ah! The amount is quite small!’

‘If you make a Cheopjido well, it’s nice to look stylish.’

‘It’s a foot head… I think it would be okay considering it’s a flower crown…’

The craftsmen who had been silently considering the possibilities for a while made their own decision and opened their mouths.

“It seems possible.”

“I think it could be done if we do well.”

Hyang’s face brightened as he heard the craftsmen’s words.