Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 593

Episode 593: Open Heaven – It rolls again today. (1)

When Joseon was biting its last breath, Mochiyo and Norihiro were talking at a place in Yamaguchi, Suokuni.

* * *

Yamaguchi was the center of the new power of the Ouchi shogunate, which was called the Suo shogunate or Boshu shogunate, which was established when Ouchi took power over the Japanese government.

The castle where Ouchi Mochiyo, head of the Ouchi family and head of the shogunate, stayed, was nicknamed Joseon Castle.

It was a castle built based on the Joseon-style castle designed by Hyang.

Of course, at the center was a huge castle tower that was five stories tall, not including the stylobate. Due to the characteristics of the castle tower and other buildings, it was a hybrid castle that complexly mixed the characteristics of Joseon and Japan.

And overlooking from the top of this castle tower was the Emperor’s new palace.

This was the result of Mochiyo accepting the opinion of the Munchi faction.

Even if he was a famous and insignificant entity with no real power, he had to keep the emperor in his hands to maintain the legitimacy of his regime.

However, leaving one’s home base in the western part of Honshu and the northern part of Kyushu and settling in Kyoto was like abandoning one’s roots.

Therefore, the Munchi faction proposed keeping the emperor within Ouchi’s sphere of influence, and Mochiyo accepted this.

Of course, this caused a huge backlash from Kyoto residents. The backlash from the residents of Kyoto, who had been proud of it as the place where the emperor stayed and the capital of the Japanese kingdom since ancient times, was enormous.

-The damage suffered by Kyoto in the last war was serious, so it will be continued only while it is restored.

At the end of the last civil war, Ouchi had to resort to a trick of moving the emperor and court from Kyoto to Yamaguchi under the pretext of the chaos caused by all kinds of looting and arson.

In this way, a major event occurred that shifted the center of Japanese power and culture from the east to the west.

As a side note, this ‘Emperor’s expulsion from the palace’ incident led to the birth of deep-rooted regional sentiments in the west and east of Japan.

* * *

“okay. “Did you learn a lot from this deployment?”

Norihiro answered Mochiyo’s question by bowing his head.

“Yes, I have truly learned a lot.”

“Let’s take a listen.”

“The first thing I learned was that there is a difference between a soldier and a warrior.”

“Hoo~.”

Norihiro told Mochiyo about the differences between soldiers and samurai.

Norihiro experienced a kind of culture shock while seeing the Joseon navy that joined him on this expedition.

Even soldiers of the lowest rank carried out the orders they received and strictly enforced military discipline. However, the warriors sent by the Japanese lords were literally a band of thieves.

“I felt that we needed to teach more than just how to fight well. Only then will a truly elite army be created.”

“I see. And again?”

“I learned the importance of the land.”

“What is the importance of land?”

“To be precise, it is the importance of the river area. “I had the opportunity to talk with Joseon’s Gyeongsang Woosusa, and I really learned a lot from him.”

“Big teaching?”

“yes.”

Norihiro told Mochiyo what the Gyeongsang Master had said to him.

– If you’re going to take care of it like that, shouldn’t you take care of something that will allow you to acquire wealth more permanently?

– There are many things, but the most representative one is land, right?

Norihiro, who listened to the words of the Gyeongsang Woosusa, continued speaking.

“Even if you loot and gain wealth, you will only benefit for a few years. If you gain people, you will be able to gain a hundred years of prosperity. However, if you gain strength, you will be able to gain at least a thousand years of prosperity.”

“It’s the richness of a thousand years…”

Mochiyo pondered Norihiro’s words with a serious expression. Looking at Mochiyo’s expression, Norihiro continued speaking with an expression full of conviction.

“Our family’s long-cherished wish is to become the master of the world. Although the Shogunate has now been established, it is not enough to be called the true master of the world. This is because there remain lords who call themselves monarchs. “Only by abolishing the large and small feudal states that have torn the world apart and uniting them will a true world be created.”

“That’s right.”

When Mochiyo agreed, Norihiro’s voice became even stronger.

“After unifying the world into one world, we must gain a wider territory. ‘Release the Japanese invasion (脫倭入朝)’ is our family motto. Soja, this is what I felt after seeing Joseon’s actions. Joseon will become even more prosperous and stronger by taking control of the vast regions of Liaodong and Liaoxi. We must do the same! We must achieve true unification of the world, develop talented people, and expand our power!”

“It takes a long time.”

“Look at the case of Joseon! Could they have done such a deed with only one or two years of preparation? It must have taken decades of preparation! In that case, we just need to anticipate a hundred years and move forward! Through a hundred years of preparation, our family will enjoy a thousand years of glory!”

“A hundred years of preparation, a thousand years of film…”

Mochiyo, who was pondering Norihiro’s words, soon nodded sharply.

“Let’s do that!”

According to this decision, the shogunate began to secretly make plans and move.

The first plan was to close the provincial government. For the success of this plan, the most important priority was to reduce the power of fiefdoms rebellious to the shogunate, and the shogunate had the best means for this.

They were soldiers from a territory that advanced into the Ming Dynasty.

As time passed, the number of Japanese who entered the Ming Dynasty increased significantly.

-Withdraw as quickly as possible. As soon as negotiations with the Ming are concluded, they will be considered pirates.

As soon as the message from Joseon was received, the shogunate sent a withdrawal order to all feudal lords. Here, a little trick was used: a strong recommendation was made to the territories loyal to the shogunate, and a formal notification was given to the territories that were opposed to the shogunate.

In a situation where the Ming Dynasty was in full swing, most of the fiefdoms that distanced themselves from the shogunate lightly ignored the shogunate’s orders.

“Because there is Joseon anyway! Just ask the Joseon navy!”

“Even if it means losing more in profit distribution, I will not listen to the shogunate!”

It was funny for those who followed the orders of the shogunate when they sent troops to the Ming Dynasty, but they refused to follow the orders of the shogunate.

And those who refused the orders of the shogunate were rounded up as pirates and subjugated by both Joseon and the shogunate.

As a result, the power of the fiefdoms that opposed the shogunate was greatly weakened, and the shogunate began to pressure them step by step.

* * *

The war ended with the defeat of the Ming Dynasty, but the war of the Joseon Dynasty did not end.

“Work workload is not decreasing!”

“help me!”

“It would be better to become the record office’s jangseung!”

Government officials screamed at the flood of reports that came in not in volumes but in cartloads.

“The war is over, but why doesn’t work decrease?”

“I know yeah!”

Officials, overwhelmed by the influx of work, literally shifted all their manpower to work.

“Are you applying for emergency leave? “In this situation right now?”

In response to the subordinate’s request for leave, the governor glared at the applicant with an expression as if he were going to eat him. The protagonist in question blushed and spoke slurred.

“I’m sorry, but this time I got married…”

“Are you still single?”

“I spent a long time studying math and my participation was weak…”

“Tsk!”

The governor clicked his tongue lightly and stamped the application form.

“No!”

“yes? why!”

“Now that the war has stopped the selection of the next generation, are you going to get married? “And you still manage it?”

“Ha haona….”

“And can’t you see the backlog of work over there? “It’s been a few days since I’ve been busy with other things, so I haven’t been able to see the streets outside, let alone leave the house. Would you like to get married while resting comfortably?”

“Hahaona….”

“It’s already too late, just delay it by a few months. “Do you think the bride will run away?”

“Yes…”

Seeing the old bachelor in tears, the governor held out a carrot.

“Instead, let’s pay a very long sudden fee at that time. “I also give you a reward.”

“… All right.”

And even women could not avoid this situation.

“What are these documents?”

“These are things I want you to look at.”

“I received emergency payment for childbirth, right? The baby will come out soon…”

“So, I chose documents that don’t require an on-site inspection or require additional documents. “Take care of yourself and deal with it.”

“yes? yes?”

“Then have a safe delivery! “All you have to do is have someone send the documents as soon as they are finished.”

“yes? yes? yes? lily! lily!”

The official, who had already disappeared out the door, did not answer when called.

“Hey you bastard! You’ve had a baby! uh!”

All I could do was burst out in anger.

* * *

The current situation was the worst even for Joseon officials who were worn out through past experiences.

Follow-up measures related to the amount of supplies and wealth consumed during the war and the number of soldiers killed or maimed were basic.

Issues related to the creation of administrative districts in Liaodong and Liaoxi, which became completely Joseon’s strongholds, selection of administrators to be dispatched to the newly established administrative districts, and various issues related to educational institutions to be established in the newly incorporated areas, etc.

The administrative work that had to be handled by all administrative organizations in Joseon exploded at once.

Another heavy burden was added to the officials who were overwhelmed with this explosion of work.

It was ‘Qingjegeonwon (稱帝建元)’.

It was necessary to not only decide on a new country name and era name for Joseon, which was to be transformed into an empire, but also to prepare a ceremony to announce it to heaven.

“As long as the Hwangudan (? 丘壇) is properly built for the event, 70% of it will be over, and the name of the country and era can only be decided when His Majesty the Prime Minister returns, so why are even we, who have nothing to do with the work, making such a fuss… Huh~. ”

A manager who was too busy with work sighed and complained, and a colleague next to him spoke up.

“Because that is the biggest problem.”

“huh? what? “Building a club team?”

“No, His Majesty the Lord is returning. Do you think it will end with His Majesty the Lord returning and becoming emperor? “Don’t you know His Majesty the Lord’s personality?”

“….”

The official, who thought about Dongryong’s words for a moment, frowned.

“Holy shit!”

The Sejong they experienced was a boss who did not overlook even the slightest error.

“Tsk! How on earth do you get work done? It is true that the official in charge of the work made a mistake. Because there is a lot of work. But isn’t it the job of superiors to immediately spot and correct such mistakes? But what is this incorrect document in my hand? Did you look into it properly? “Please answer!”

“I’m sorry!”

“If you apologize, don’t create something to apologize for!”

“Please kill me!”

“Do you really want me to kill you?”

“I take responsibility and resign….”

“I refuse to allow it. “If you can’t decide, could you please cool off for a moment at the records office?”

If there was even the slightest error, the Prime Minister had to suffer a bloody blow.

* * *

September, 30th year of King Sejong’s reign (1448, Mujin year).

A time when Chuseok has passed and autumn colors are rampant. King Sejong arrived at Wonsan Port.

Starting with Hyang, all the ministers who came out to greet King Sejong bowed deeply as soon as they saw him.

“I would like to meet Your Majesty the Lord!”

Those who bowed deeply and welcomed King Sejong’s return with one voice.

“Thank you for your hard work. You have achieved a great cause, and your merit is truly great. “I will never forget the hard work of my servants.”

“I am devastated!”

In such a joyful atmosphere, luggage began to be unloaded from the ship and frigate on which King Sejong had come.

“I have a lot of baggage.”

Sejong smiled warmly and accepted Hyang’s words.

“Ah, because of the war, there were quite a few cases that were arbitrarily executed in Shinji, so I brought them this time. “I need to discuss it again with you and the ministers and make a proper decision.”

Hyang looked tired of Sejong’s words and muttered.

“That’s ‘quite’?”