Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 460
Episode 460: Changing People pt.2. (5)
‘The crown prince and artisans are making something again!’
At the rumor coming from Area 51, the wealthy families perked up their ears and the government officials began to break into a cold sweat.
“What are you planning to do this time?”
“Please don’t do anything during the budget deliberation period!”
It was the sadness of officials who could not bear to say openly who they were. The superiors comforted the lower-level officials when they complained.
“But if done right, isn’t it a good thing because it will be a great help to your finances?”
When the superiors stepped forward, the subordinates responded with tears in their eyes.
“But if His Majesty the Prime Minister’s approval falls, we will have to research and write everything again from scratch!”
“The higher-ups don’t know! Just say ‘Hey! Reduce the number!’ “He says it so easily, but every time he does that, we die!”
The higher-ranking officials let out a long sigh at the complaints of their subordinates.
“Whoa~. Please be patient. “Will this too pass?”
“You weren’t passing by? And the waves only hit once?”
“….”
Eventually, the rumor circulated and reached King Sejong’s ears.
King Sejong, who heard the rumor, immediately called Hyang.
“I heard you’re starting something new again.”
“yes. “I have been thinking about something for a while and am devising it with the craftsmen.”
“This is not just one or two things that have happened, so are you doing it again? “Is it absolutely necessary?”
Hyang immediately responded to Sejong’s point.
“of course.”
King Sejong and the ministers’ eyes sparkled at Hyang’s concise answer.
According to past experience, the Crown Prince had a habit of showing when explaining a new job he had started.
There was a lot of talk about things that had a low chance of success or required a lot of budget.
However, if there is a high probability of success and will bring enormous benefits, the explanation is short and concise.
In this case, even if King Sejong or the minister pointed out the issue of funds, the city’s answer was the same.
“This is something that will bring huge profits. “We need that kind of budget.”
That was the end of it. There was no further detailed explanation.
However, King Sejong and his ministers had to open their pockets. As Hyang assured, the benefits that came afterward were enormous.
Because there was such a precedent, the eyes of King Sejong and his ministers sparkled. And in this situation, the wallet was half-open.
“okay? So what are you making this time?”
“We are making items to replace women’s gacha.”
Disappointment spread across the faces of King Sejong and the ministers at Hyang’s answer.
“Didn’t you say that you wanted to get rid of the gacha before, but you were told that it was impossible?”
“yes. And I also heard advice that everything is fine.”
“But are you trying again?”
“yep!”
“Is it really necessary?”
“It is also essential for the health and beauty of the women of Joseon.”
At Hyang’s answer, curiosity began to appear on Sejong’s face again.
“I already know that women are having a hard time due to the weight of their bodies, so I understand their health. But why do we need to get rid of the gacha for the sake of beauty?”
“That is…”
Just as Hyang was about to answer, he felt something strange and looked around.
‘Why are you so quiet?’
Hyang, who was looking around in the deathly quiet atmosphere of Geunjeongjeon, made a bewildered expression.
Everyone, from the ministers to the eunuchs, were listening to Hyang’s words with extremely serious faces.
‘no! Why are people of the age who will be able to smell the scent from behind a folding screen the day after tomorrow so focused? And there are eavesdroppers! ‘Why are the internal officers so interested?’
“Is it Crown Prince?”
“yes? yes!”
Hyang, who was at a loss for words due to the unexpected situation, immediately came to her senses at Sejong’s urging and continued speaking.
“Since ancient times, a woman has been called a beauty if she has assorted colors. And among this assortment, there is the Sanzang (三長). The head must be long, the hands must be long, and the neck must be long. “The gacha was done for the long-headed one among the three heads, but it ruins the requirement of having a long neck.”
“Are you ruining the long neck?”
“yes. Due to the weight of the body, the neck is bent and the shoulders are shrunk, causing the fat around the neck to rise and become unsightly. Simply put, harmony is lost.”
“Hmm….”
“Indeed….”
Not only King Sejong but also the ministers nodded at Hyang’s explanation. In particular, the older ministers had faces of strong sympathy. This was because the appearance of the insiders, who were as old as themselves, was similar to what Hyang had mentioned.
Seeing the reaction of King Sejong and the ministers, Hyang raised his voice a little more.
“So, if you make and use jewelry that can replace the gacha, you will be able to achieve even more beauty by harmonizing the three pieces.”
“Hmm…”
At Hyang’s explanation, King Sejong snorted and fell into deep thought, while the ministers whispered in low voices.
“It seems plausible…”
“That’s right.”
“The harmony of colors is important…”
While the ministers were whispering, King Sejong opened his mouth.
“If you make jewelry like that, will the royal workshop have a monopoly on it?”
“Isn’t it too much to just think about the example of gacha? “It will only serve as a cornerstone.”
“It’s the cornerstone….”
King Sejong, who was thinking about Hyang’s words, came to a conclusion.
“You are the one to persuade Junggungjeon.”
“… yes.”
Hyang, who was forced to answer, grumbled inwardly.
‘and! ‘Abama, your evasive maneuvers are amazing!’
King Sejong, who knew well the obsession of women in pursuing beauty, very naturally avoided danger.
And the officer who recorded all of this wrote as follows:
-… In this way, the king approved the crown prince’s plan.
The officer says: The reason women insist on gache even though they have a hard time with it is because of their obsession for beauty. This is something that only women can say.
The gacha was expensive, so how much more expensive are the new accessories? I’m wondering if I should open a real house and do a side job.
* * *
And when about two months had passed, Hyang took the Crown Princess and Emperor Yangwon and headed to the Junggungjeon.
“welcome.”
Queen Soheon, who welcomed the incense with a happy face, looked at the incense with a face full of curiosity.
“You’ve heard rumors about me. “The fact that the crown prince is here now means that the result has come out, right?”
“Yes, mama.”
“Are you confident? “Even though she is my mother, if I don’t like her, I will hit her without hiding anything.”
“You will like it.”
Hyang confidently responded to Queen Soheon’s warning.
Queen Soheon’s eyes lit up at the confident appearance of Hyang.
“Go to Lady Jang and tell everyone to come.”
“Yes mama.”
After a while, all of King Sejong’s concubines gathered in Queen Soheon’s room.
“You guys come this way too. “If you want to give a proper evaluation, you also have to do the same.”
“Yes mama.”
At Queen Soheon’s order, the crown princess and Yangwon Yangje also moved to the place where Queen Soheon and her concubines were.
“Now then, let’s see! Let’s count. “Take it out somewhere.”
“Yes mamama.”
At Queen Soheon’s command, Hyang looked back at the eunuchs who followed.
“Please come forward.”
“yes.”
At Hyang’s command, the eunuchs came forward with the bundles they had brought.
The eunuchs carefully placed the bundles on the floor, untied the knots, and placed the black wooden boxes on the floor.
“Hoo?”
“Oh my goodness!”
“Oh, you’re so pretty!”
Queen Soheon looked at the boxes with bright eyes and let out an exclamation.
It wasn’t just Queen Soheon. King Sejong’s concubines who saw the boxes also let out exclamations without realizing it.
The wooden box, which was carefully lacquered and the edges finished with copper decoration, looked unusual at first glance.
Looking at the reactions of Queen Soheon and the concubines, Hyang was inwardly delighted.
‘yes! Unlike other luxury bags, they are not packaged in incredibly luxurious boxes! ‘I heard you ate half of the package!’
-The high price of a luxury bag will cost half of the cost of the box.
It was a scent that made me nod slightly, recalling a story that was circulating in the 21st century.
Queen Soheon, who had been distracted by the box for a moment, soon came to her senses and looked at the incense.
“There’s a saying that goes around among authors, ‘It tastes better than an earthen pot,’ right?”
“yes. “I am confident that the flavor of the sauce will be good.”
Hyang responded confidently and unlatched the box on top. Hyang opened the box, tilted it at an angle and showed the contents to Queen Soheon.
When Queen Soheon saw the contents of the box, she clapped her hands in admiration without realizing it.
“creation! “Be pretty!”
Inside the box, there were beautifully placed Cheopji and Cheopji Hair made by craftsmen with great care.
Queen Soheon, who was looking at Concubine Ji and Concubine Head as if fascinated, called her court lady, who had a similar expression.
“I guess I should give Lady Jang a try.”
“Yes mama. Guys!”
Queen Soheon, who removed the gacha from her head with the help of her court ladies and court ladies, tied the cheopji hair with her hair and wore it again.
“Bring a full-body mirror and look at it.”
“yes.”
Queen Soheon looked slightly disappointed as she stood in front of the full-length mirror brought and erected by the court lady and examined her hair.
“It’s pretty, but it seems a little lacking.”
“There is also this.”
At Queen Soheon’s words, Hyang opened another box and showed the inside. Inside the box was a set of colorful jokduri and silver pins that connected and fastened the jokduri and the cheopji.
“Lady Jang!”
“Yes mama!”
Queen Soheon, who was equipped with a set of cheopji and jokdori, turned around in front of the Jeonshin Shrine, looked around, and then looked back toward the incense.
“Let’s count.” “It is truly beautiful.”
“thank you.”
“More than anything, I’m so glad that my head feels light. “Thank you, Seja.”
“Do you like it?”
“I like it very much. I’ll have to use this instead of gacha from now on. “It’s true.”
Hearing Queen Soheon’s words, Hyang bowed her head with a bright face.
“Thank you so much!”
The fact that she was liked by the women residing at Gyeongbokgung Palace as No. 1 in rank meant that Cheopji and Jokduri would become the trend in the future.
However, Hyang secretly looked at the expressions of the other women. From King Sejong’s concubines to Crown Princess Yangwon and even the ladies-in-waiting, the faces of the women were full of envy and greed.
When Hyang saw that, he immediately turned around the stacked boxes.
“Please take these.”
“creation! thank you!”
The women accepted the box with joy and examined its contents. As the women gathered together to examine the contents of the box, they soon discovered one characteristic.
“Are the animals in Cheopji aligned with the ranks of the internal register?”
Hyang immediately nodded in response to Queen Soheon’s question.
“That’s right.”
Queen Soheon nodded at Hyang’s answer.
“I like it even more that you thought about it so carefully.”
In addition to the accessories made by Hyang, there were also decorative hairpins that were worn on the left and right sides of the head to add style.
The new headdress made by incense was welcomed by women. After receiving all kinds of compliments from Queen Soheon, Hyang came out and whistled softly and muttered.
“Hwiyu~. “Now that’s a success!”
Hyang’s assurances were not bluffs. Less than two months later, women living in Hanseong began to wear Cheopji and Jokduri instead of Gachae. And in less than half a year, this trend spread throughout Joseon.
In order to take advantage of this trend and make money, gache craftsmen and craftsmen who handle gold and silver jumped into the manufacturing of cheopji and jokduri.
The animals to be placed on the Cheopji were determined according to the status of the women wearing them, but there were no restrictions on materials, so gorgeous Cheopji were created using gold, silver, and precious stones. There were also no restrictions on the decorative pins placed on the left and right, so they showed off their splendor. .
In the end, in order to get the right assortment of Cheopji and Jokduri headdresses, you had to pay money similar to a decent gacha.
Thanks to this, there were many middle class people who still used gache, and the lower class had no choice but to continue to use dulemeori and nose head.