Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 92

Episode 92: Strangers (3)

After meeting King Sejong, the members of the group called out to the members with solemn faces.

“What’s going on?”

“The decree has come down. “We must succeed faster than other sectors.”

At the words of the relay race, all the relay members’ eyes lit up. In any case, now that he had become the king’s secret servant, there was an opportunity to make a contribution.

“What name are you?”

In response to the members’ questions, Gyeju spoke about the order with a perplexed expression.

“The order is to find the numbers that meet the following criteria.”

“yes?”

“huh?”

The expressions on the faces of the relay members who heard the explanation from the relay were also full of embarrassment.

“So… Are you saying that I should look for a Kyushu with outstanding beauty among the Kyushus who are reputed to have a good heart, or a Kyushu with a kind heart among the Kyushus who are reputed to be beautiful? And that too between the ages of twelve and fifteen?”

“If she had that kind of beauty, her body would also be slender and voluptuous…”

Gyeju silently nodded at the staff’s words.

“Are you looking for a concubine?”

“It’s not Gangnyeongjeon, it’s Donggungjeon. “I requested it directly from the East Palace.”

The relay members shouted at the same time in response to the relay.

“Atta! “You know the nobleman’s style!”

In any case, as soon as the decision was made, the staff began to come up with the names of suitable candidates.

“The other standard is… a family that used to be a prestigious family, but is now a family whose power is tilted, or a family that is just starting to grow its power…”

“Seochon Jo Jinsa’s second child is very close, but….”

“Seongbuk-dong this one. Jangryeong’s eldest son is also fine…”

When suitable wives and children emerged as candidates, others quickly spoke.

“Jinsa Jo’s second child is dangerous, so Jaeb said work has begun!”

“The same goes for this general! Relay!”

At the words of the members, the member’s face also became serious.

“If it’s a jab, what about go-jabs?”

“yes!”

“Stop it now!”

“yep!”

At the relay’s order, the staff quickly left their seats and went outside.

* * *

The ‘jabs’ that the staff talked about were promiscuous people who preyed on the women and girls of merchants and farmers for a small fortune.

The origin of the name ‘jaebi’ started from the drum jab of the soundboard, called janggo jjabi. In order to sing well, the drummers had to match the beat with the drum and janggo well and add chuimsae to add excitement.

However, if the drum jap players were upset, they would often mess up the game by beating the drums and janggo players, so the singers, especially female singers, had to please them and do as they asked.

For that reason, those who seduce women and keep them under their control were given the nickname ‘Jabgi.’

In the 21st century, there is a theory that the word ‘jaebi’ changed to ‘swallow tribe’ over time, so in families with money and women of marriageable age, the most wary of ‘jabi’ was ‘jabi’. (Note 1) )

The targets that the jabs mainly targeted were women who were close to the standards that Hyang wanted.

Women known to have a certain level of wealth and reputation and to be beautiful were the prey of high-ranking merchants.

Among these women, the first prey to be targeted were those whose marriages were almost decided, or women whom powerful men had chosen to make as concubines and then commissioned their agents.

If they even went to bed together, things would get too big, so the guys seduced the women to an appropriate level. When they crossed over like that, Jaebi and those who were with her tried to find the woman’s parents.

“There are bad rumors going around about your daughter. “I heard that there will be a marriage soon….”

If this happens, the woman’s parents will either follow their words and give a large amount of wealth in tears or take a concubine from a noble family to a man from a powerful family who has been in good hands with the people. ) had to be sent to

* * *

“I guess it’s not too late!”

After hearing the reports from the relay members, the relay racers made a decision.

“Stop the jabs’ work! Make sure to block it!”

“Are you sure? Shall I kill you?”

“You idiots! “Do you want to see the chaos in Pocheong?!”

After gathering his thoughts for a moment, the relay leader gave an order.

“Crush all the jabs’ legs! “You can’t go outside until the marriage of the East Palace is decided!”

“yep!”

Depending on the relay’s decision, a large-scale jab hunt took place by the sword relay.

* * *

“Gasp!”

The eastern region of Hanseong. A man was running, out of breath, through the maze-like alleys. The hat he was wearing had disappeared somewhere, as if it had rolled on the ground, and the scroll was covered in a lot of dirt.

The man who had just turned the corner of the alley sighed.

“this!”

It was a dead end.

The man turned around in a hurry and stopped without even taking a single step. Three men wearing black robes were blocking the entrance to the alley.

“Where are you running away to?”

“ah! Brothers! Why on earth are you doing this?”

“It’s nothing. I was in charge of a big job, but you guys were a bit difficult. So, I’m just trying to keep him quiet for a few months.”

“ah! Shit! If that’s the case, why don’t you just tell him to stay at home! “Why are you trying to turn people into idiots?”

“If you guys tell me to stay home, will I just stay home? And what kind of harsh words are you talking about that make you an asshole? We’re not that scary people. All it takes is breaking one leg? If you lie down quietly for a few months, you’ll feel fine, so what’s the big deal…”

“Shit! Save people! “Save people!”

‘Save people!’ At the shout, heads rose above the walls of nearby thatched huts, but they quickly disappeared under the fierce gaze of the swordsmen.

“Now… it’ll be over soon, so be quiet.”

“If you continue, I will break you down little by little. “What do you want to do?”

“Damn it!”

In the end, the man gave up and lay down on the ground.

“Ah shit! I don’t know! “Eat it grilled or boiled, whatever you want!”

“I will do that a long time ago. “You’re giving people a hard time.”

A member of the Sword Realm walked towards the desperate man and held out a wooden stick.

“Put it in your mouth. “If you do something wrong, you bite your tongue.”

“shit! Shit! For some reason, my dreams last night were disturbing! Hehe!”

The man who spat put the branch in his mouth and closed his eyes tightly.

“evil!”

A moment later, screams erupted from inside the alley, and two swordsmen came out carrying the man in question.

“I’ll take you home. And while I’m gone, I’ll also call the congressman.”

“So let’s just end it at home and run away and make it difficult for each other.”

“Ahhh….”

“Come on, let’s go. “Because there are still people left to deal with.”

Geomgye’s ‘jaebi hunting’ was persistent and persistent. There were many people who were caught running around and had their legs broken, and many people who were sleeping in their homes or rooms had their legs broken by swordsmen who suddenly came in.

Thanks to this, lawmakers were able to earn a handsome income.

“Ah shit! “I have to leave Hanseong for a while!”

In the end, those who still had strong legs took all their possessions and crossed the river.

“We’ll have to hold out in the south for a while!”

It was the moment when jabs disappeared from Hanseong and the area near Hanseong.

* * *

‘A series of mysterious assaults are taking place within the capital!’ With this intelligence, the Left and Right Pocheongs were put on alert.

“Find out what happened and report it!”

At the command of Captain Podo, Podo military officers and missionaries led their men and entered the investigation.

Podo military officers and missionaries who investigated the victims’ personal information reported it to Captain Podo with puzzled faces.

“All those affected are Jabs?”

“That’s right. “It seems like someone who got angry at the tricks of the jabs put a line in the sword system.”

“The victim is a criminal, and the perpetrator is also a criminal….”

As the leader Podo of the Left Pocheong pondered, one of the Podo military officers made a suggestion.

“Aren’t they the ones who couldn’t be caught anyway because they didn’t have a defense or supporting evidence? Wouldn’t it be better to just cover it up?”

“Then why is there a national law and why is there a provincial office? “Think about it!”

“I’m sorry!”

Captain Podo, who gave the military officer who made the problematic statement a reprimand, concluded:

“I will have to ask His Majesty the Lord for an answer… I will also visit Upocheong…” After seeing

the appeals submitted by the left and right grape captains, King Sejong immediately summoned the grape captains.

“I read the appeal filed by the officers carefully. But there is one thing I am curious about. “What is this ‘jaebi’ thing?”

King Sejong, who did not know the meaning of the word because it was made from Idu, asked the grape captains the meaning of ‘Jjagi’.

“Hmm…”

King Sejong, who heard Jaebi’s intentions from the grape leaders, stroked his beard and thought hard.

‘Hoo? Is this the killer guys’ answer to the order I gave them? It’s surprisingly fast. The effect is good… You shouldn’t use it often, but if you use it often… no. Then the rule of law goes out the window. ‘The rule of law must be upheld.’

King Sejong, who had been mulling over various ideas, came to a conclusion.

“If you catch the murderers committing a crime, arrest them immediately, but if not, continue the investigation until you secure clear evidence. Even though the person harmed is an unscrupulous criminal who defiles the purity of an innocent woman, there is a reason why national law exists, so private sanctions should be prohibited. Do you understand the meaning of Gwain?”

“I accept your command!”

After receiving the answer from King Sejong, the leaders of the left and right Podocheong who left Geunjeongjeon faced each other.

“Do you understand what His Majesty the Lord means?”

“It seems like they are saying that if you are caught in the field, you will be caught, but if not, you should just let it go. is not it?”

“I think so too. To be honest… Don’t those guys with broken legs deserve to die?”

“yes.”

Meanwhile, Gyeju, who heard King Sejong’s orders through a link planted in Pocheong using bribes, gathered the Gye members.

“… This is an order from His Highness the Prime Minister. What does it sound like to tell me?”

“Are you saying we should just leave the jabs alone?”

“No, then there will be a problem in selecting the Crown Princess?”

As various stories continued, smart people spoke up.

“This seems like advice from His Highness the Prime Minister.”

“advice?”

“I’m saying don’t do it openly. To be honest, was the last jab hunt a bit noisy? “You’re probably telling me to be quiet because the whole of Hanseong has been turned upside down.”

“aha! As expected, he’s awesome!”

“Use it!”

Gye-won, hearing a nickname he didn’t like, rolled his eyes and explained it to Gye-ju.

“If the last jab is noisy like a hunt, the grapevine moves. Then, both the palace and us will become uncomfortable. So, if you’re going to do something, handle it quietly. “His Majesty the Lord quietly gave us a warning and a plan.”

“Right.”

Gyeju nodded at Jjanggu’s explanation, and the attendants around him grumbled slightly.

“Oh my gosh… Some guy’s name is just spinning around…”

“This is why I hate high-ranking noblemen. Why are you acting so proud…”

“Quiet!”

Gyeju, who kept the staff quiet, organized the situation.

“Are you finished sorting out the jabs?”

“yes. Among those still remaining in Hanseong, there are none with healthy legs.”

“I heard that the guys from Bukchon and Unjongga have also finished cleaning.”

“good. Then, select as many characters as possible that meet the standards given by His Majesty the Lord! “You have to choose a lot to make the right decision!”

“All right!”

As time passed, Hyang tilted his head after receiving a related report through an internal officer.

“‘Jap’? What you’re doing is a swallow? You just broke your leg? “Did all the good guys cross the river and go south?”

As Hyang tilted his head, a hypothesis came to mind.

“Could it be that the swallow from Heungbujeon is this swallow?”

* * *

So, when the ‘jaebi hunting’ was in full swing in Hanseong, a merchant ship arrived in Jemulpo.

Workers carrying cargo at a dock full of merchant ships traveling between Shandong and Jemulpo showed curiosity when they saw an unfamiliar-looking ship.

“Where is that boat?”

“It’s not a famous ship, is it?”

While the workers showed curiosity, the soldiers in charge of inspection, along with a military officer, approached the ship docked at the dock.

“Where are you from?”

At the shout of a military officer, a foreigner in official uniform came down from the ship on the pier.

“Thank you for your hard work. My name is Said Hamed Mohammed Al Ottaibi, and I work as a trainee at the research institute. I am on my way after receiving the command of His Majesty the Prime Minister and carrying out my mission. Here…”

Said reached into his sleeve and took out a scroll.

“This is a document with a name written on it.”

After untying the knot of the scroll and checking its contents, the military officer looked at the date written at the end and then turned to Said.

“Are you coming back after almost two years?”

“That’s right.”

“Thank you for your hard work. Permission to disembark. Oh, don’t forget that you have to go through customs!”

“yes. Well then, good luck.”

At Said’s gesture, people began to come down through the pier.

“for a moment!”

The military officer who was watching those disembarking from the falcon raised his hand to stop them and looked for Said.

“Look! “What are those prisoners over there!”

At the place pointed out by the military officer, two Westerners were standing with their hands and feet handcuffed and shackled.

Said looked at the people the military officer had pointed out and responded with an expression that said it was no big deal.

“They are slaves. “I did it because I was afraid he might run away.”

“Even if you run away, you’re still in the boat?”

“We’re on land now, aren’t we?”

“That’s true, but Nobira….”

“To be exact, they are glass craftsmen.”

—–

Note 1) Korea University Newspaper. 2003.09.25.