Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 88
Episode 88: Autumn (1)
Under the leadership of the township, the road paving progressed smoothly.
King Sejong, who climbed the gate tower of Gwanghwamun with incense, was amazed at the road unfolding in front of him.
“Hoo~ Rebar and concrete… oh, did you say it’s called plaster?”
“Yes, Abama.”
Sejong nodded at Hyang’s answer.
Now before his eyes was a bright gray road that started from Gwanghwamun and stretched all the way to Namdaemun.
The road, which was slightly curved to prevent direct fire from Gwanak Mountain, boasted a width of 50 gan (approximately 100 m) and stretched straight from north to south.
“How refreshing!”
King Sejong, who was admiring the road stretching straight to the south, turned his head and looked at Unjong Street.
The 30-gan (approximately 50m) wide road that crosses the east and west of Hanseong, overlapping with the main road leading to Namdaemun, was also stretched out neatly.
“Is everything done now?”
Hyang shook her head at Sejong’s question.
“Now about 60% is over.”
“This is 60%?”
“There is also work to be done on the paving, as well as maintenance of drainage channels and sidewalks on both sides of the road.”
“Is that so?”
King Sejong came down from the gate tower while listening to the explanation and left Gwanghwamun.
“Huh! Back off! Let’s go to Sangammama!”
Those who were working on the merchant ship’s gargoyle retreated to the left and right and prostrated themselves on the ground.
“Keep doing what you’re doing.”
All the workers who had bowed to King Sejong’s orders got up and continued their work.
“My dear….”
“Huh?”
When Hyang saw the official approaching hesitatingly, he looked back at Sejong.
“Abama, I have something to check for a moment. Can I leave your seat for a moment?”
“So be it.”
“I am devastated.”
The Hyang who gave advice to King Sejong moved to one side along with the official.
King Sejong, who was looking at the map with the officials and directors and happily watching Hyang directing the situation, looked back at the ministers who had come with him.
“Don’t you think you’ve become a lot more mature?”
Yeonguijeong answered King Sejong’s question right away.
“You’ve always been dignified, but now you can definitely call yourself a ledger.”
“Do you think so too?”
It was King Sejong who was constantly looking at the incense with a happy face.
Perhaps because of the family’s history, the scent grew rapidly. Now that she is twelve years old, Hyang is a head taller than other children her age.
It wasn’t just about being tall. It was a scent that Haoche had become accustomed to even when dealing with officials and craftsmen.
However, the scent had its own dissatisfaction.
“I’m getting at least 8 hours of sleep every now and then, and I’m eating well! Let’s grow up quickly!”
It was a scent that literally showed impatience over the younger siblings growing up day by day.
Before the rainy season began, road construction crossing Hanseong to the north, south, east, and west was completed.
Thanks to baking with glaze mixed with graphite, it turned dark gray, and the road along the edge, made white by filling it with lime, was clearly visible even at night.
As they walked along the tightly stretched road, everyone let out exclamations of exclamation.
“Isn’t this really amazing?”
“Right? Right?”
“Is this what the crown prince did?”
“That’s right!”
“Hey! “For someone so young, Crown Prince, you know all these amazing things, right?”
“The seeds are definitely different….”
The residents of Hanseong exclaimed in exclamation as they looked at the newly paved road.
The people who had been praising the newly built road went beyond being amazed when the rainy season began and changed to praising King Sejong and the crown prince.
No matter how much it rained, the newly paved roads never turned into mud.
Although water accumulated here and there, all the rainwater drained away through drainage ditches built on the left and right sides of most roads.
The same was true for the sidewalks built next to the road. The sidewalk, which was made of sand and concrete blocks, only got wet from the rain and did not turn into mud.
Thanks to this, the people of Hanyang did not have to struggle to walk around covered in mud like before, no matter how much it rained.
“Let’s go see Hanseong’s new street!”
“Let’s go!”
‘I heard the new road in Hanyang is so amazing!’
As rumors spread through merchants and laborers, many people from local cities and villages flocked to Hanyang to see the sights.
Of course, they were not ordinary people tied to farming, but people who made a living in their own way.
As people flocked to see the new road, a new industry was born in Hanseong.
It was a tavern that served as both a restaurant and lodging business.
Of course, there were existing guesthouses and wooden bars, but cheaper lodging companies were born.
Hyang, who was listening to the report to King Sejong, had to suppress her laughter.
‘In the 21st century, even when my father was a child, people flocked to see the 63 Building?’
Sejong also smiled after receiving the report.
“It’s amazing. Gwain did the same thing when he first saw it… But when a lot of people gather, the bad guys who target them are also attracted. “Be thoroughly prepared for this.”
“I follow your orders!”
* * *
‘Hanseong Sinjak Road Tourism’ reached its peak with the end of the fall harvest.
This was because farmers who had free time after the harvest joined the tourist parade.
And when they returned from sightseeing, they began to roast the heads and noblemen of their town.
“Let’s build a road like that too!”
“Atta! “It was really good!”
Particularly, the places where these petitions were strong were in the districts of Jeonju, Gyeongju, Yeongheung, and Pyongyang.
“What about our wealth? Does it come with history? “Do you need someone?”
The local officials began to survive and appeal to King Sejong.
Due to appeals coming from all over the country, King Sejong summoned local government officials and ministers.
“What do you want me to do about this?”
In response to King Sejong’s question, Hwang Hee appeared on behalf of the ministers.
“The intention is good, but the method is not right. Looking at the construction of Hanseong’s new road, 1/3 of the air time was wasted waiting for the iron to arrive from Anju. “If we accept the appeal in this situation, there will be problems with the supply and demand of materials.”
“That’s right…”
Sejong, who was nodding at Hwang Hee’s point, looked at the scent.
Hyang immediately started answering the unspoken question.
“In the current situation, Captain Woo Ui-jeong’s point is accurate. Anju is still researching and applying ways to increase production. However, if the steel needed for the private sector is invested in road construction, the people will suffer. The same goes for slaked lime. The amount currently produced at Area 51 is not enough. “Building a factory for specialized production comes first.”
“Then the budget is an issue… Is it fortunate that silver and gold mines have been developed?”
Sejong muttered with a frustrated expression.
* * *
The most important thing in the progress of the palace was securing finances.
Prospectors dispatched throughout the country by order of King Sejong brought back information about the mine one after another. Based on that information, King Sejong and his ministers selected mines to be mined first.
The most important selection criterion was ‘a place that is difficult for people to notice.’
For that reason, it was confirmed that a large amount of gold and silver were buried, including the Unsan Gold Mine, but places that overlapped with the travel routes of envoys from the Ming were excluded.
“Let’s mine this place later when we are stronger.”
“I follow your orders!”
The order was given, but neither King Sejong who gave the order nor the ministers who received the order looked very good.
“The country is weak, so easy tasks have to be made difficult.”
In response to King Sejong’s complaints, the ministers bowed in unison.
“Please forgive the gods for their incompetence!”
“Please kill me!”
* * *
In that process, mines in the Gangwon-do region began to be mined first.
The exception was the Gahaksan gold mine located in Goengmegol (present-day Gwangmyeong-si) in Siheung-gun.
“There should be a mine nearby that can be used in case funds are needed urgently.”
It was King Sejong’s decision to prepare for an emergency.
By knowingly or unknowingly mining and storing gold and silver, King Sejong also expanded trade with Japan.
“Instead of profanity, figure out what the Japanese like!”
As a result of the actions of the officials and merchants of Dongrae according to King Sejong’s orders, King Sejong learned that ceramics were the next thing he looked for after Buddhist scriptures, so he changed the government ceramics in Gwangju into a state-run enterprise called ‘Chosun Ceramics Corporation’.
Afterwards, Hojo, who received orders from King Sejong, held discussions with merchants in Dongnae.
‘I will give you priority, but not exclusive rights.’
Dongrae merchants wanted monopoly, but King Sejong’s will was so firm that they had to accept it.
* * *
Afterwards, the Waegwans installed in Sampo, Busanpo, Naeipo, and Yeompo were consolidated into only one location, Busanpo. This was to prevent too many Japanese entering Joseon and smuggling trade becoming rampant.
Sejong, who wielded a whip, also held out a carrot. This greatly increased the amount and type of goods that Japanese merchants who arrived in Busanpo could trade.
The people who benefited the most from this situation were Ouchi and the Nine Judo Masters.
Joseon issued trade permits preferentially to the two regions that originally had a strong relationship with Joseon.
In addition, permission was granted to build a large building in Busanpo, strengthening the position of Ouchi and Gujujeoldosa.
Thanks to this, it was Tsushima Island that became urgent. Dodo Woong-wa, the leader of Tsushima, had to rush to Hanyang himself and fight in front of King Sejong.
“After the last conquest, you promised loyalty, but there is no evidence that you have kept it! How long will Gwain have to watch over your people!”
“God forgive me for my disloyalty!”
After Dodoungwa’s earnest efforts, Tsushima Island was barely able to maintain its trade volume.
* * *
The trade complex created in Busanpo was booming with trade with Japan.
Although there was a trading port established by the Ming Dynasty in Shandong, Japanese merchants preferred Busan.
Although a large Ming navy was stationed in Shandong, their main mission was to protect the maritime traffic route between Ming and Joseon and to defend the southeastern coast of Ming.
Therefore, Japanese merchants preferred Busan to the dangerous Shandong.
In Busan, Japanese merchants mainly imported Buddhist scriptures and teaware from Joseon and paid for them with silver.
And among the silver that came in through taxes, it was gradually piled up in the government’s warehouse.
King Sejong was pursuing a light economic policy based on the finances he had gradually accumulated through these processes.
Although there was an unexpectedly large amount of expenditure to recover from the recent great fire in Hanseong, there were no problems with the construction of the palace.
Even though Hojo’s officials had to give up living a humane life.
* * *
Sejong warned his ministers.
“The fact that the people are unable to grant their wishes even though they desperately want it means that the capabilities of the officials as well as the officials are still insufficient. “I hope you keep this in mind and make a little more effort.”
“I will keep this in mind!”
Although they answered vigorously, the ministers were in danger of death.
‘Better kill me! ‘Kill me!’
‘How much more effort do you have to make here!’
After saying a word to his ministers, King Sejong looked back.
“Seja, why is the Anju steel mill’s performance slowing down?”
“This is because in the process of expanding the scale again, new facilities were introduced and we are in the process of applying them. Normal operations will be possible before the end of the year.”
“It would be really nice if that were the case. “These days, I am once again realizing the importance of iron.”
“Here comes the Emperor.”
The National Steel Mill in Anju was living up to King Sejong’s expectations.
The steel mill that Kim Deok-soo built by hiring not only his colleagues but also people nearby, soon produced large quantities of wrought iron and steel after going through various trials and errors.
Hojo calculated the production volume of the Anju steel mill and immediately reported it to King Sejong.
“With just one national steel mill, we can provide the steel and iron steel that our government needs every year.”
“is it? However, as the demand for iron continues to increase, starting with the military, issue orders to steel mills to find ways to increase production.”
“I follow your orders!”
After receiving the order, Deoksu immediately rushed to Hanseong and apologized to Hyang.
“To increase production, we need to grow kilns or build new ones, but people are the problem!”
“People?”
To put it simply, Deoksu explained that to double production, at least four times more manpower would be needed.
“The area that needs the most manpower is the boycotters. “I have to keep working the bellows, and that’s not an easy task!”
Hyang immediately responded to Deoksu’s groaning.
“is it? “I will find the answer as soon as possible.”
What Hyang, who took on the problem, found was a centrifugal blower that enlarged the centrifugal pump installed in the water drain.
“It is axial power, not manpower, so if used well, it will be of great help.”
The centrifugal pumps made by Hyang were hastily transported to the steel mill in Anju.
Together with the officials who arrived with the blower, Deoksu manufactured new large-scale kilns and began test production.
And all the rejected iron produced through such trial and error was moved to Area 51.
“Isn’t it a waste? Let’s find a place to use it.”
While looking for a way to recycle the defective iron, a fire broke out in Hanseong, and all the iron was made into rebar and used for road construction.