Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 218

As the latter half of the reform era progressed, the people living in Joseon began to change gradually.

During the transition from the 7th to 8th month of the Gyeongsul year (1430), farmers were sweating profusely in the midsummer heat.

Its a bumper crop this year too!

In the major agricultural areas of the Korean Peninsula, farmers shouted in joy, looking at the rice paddies filled with rice plants.

The flood control projects initiated by Hyang from the transition period between the 3rd year of Sejong (1421, the Sinchuk year) when he was appointed as Crown Prince, to the 4th year of Sejong, continued year after year, resolving the water supply issues throughout Joseon.

As the water shortage problems began to be resolved, and as the climate gradually became warmer, the harvest started to improve steadily.

However, the people did not stop and be satisfied with that. The commoners made compost and maintained the waterways to increase the yield even slightly.

It was not only the commoners who made efforts. The court was also busy.

***

We should compile a book gathering the knowledge of the people familiar with farming! Who will do it?

At Sejongs question, Hyang immediately stepped forward.

I will do it, Your Majesty!

Having taken on the task, Hyang returned to the research institute and summoned Jung Cho and Jung In-ji.

It is a royal command from His Majesty. Select those who will lead this project.

Yes, sir.

Although it was an abruptly assigned task, Jung Cho and Jung In-ji did not express any dissatisfaction. Whatever the reason, it was the responsibility of the officials to free the people from hunger.

As a result of the dedicated efforts by the research institute personnel, the Nongsa Jikseol (Straight Talk on Farming) was completed in the 9th year of Sejong (1427). It was an appearance 2 years earlier than in the history before Hyangs intervention.

Print this book and widely distribute it!

Following Sejongs order, the Straight Talk on Farming was mass-printed and disseminated nationwide.

The distribution of Straight Talk on Farming elicited a huge response not only from farmers in the provinces but also from the officials encouraging agriculture.

It was because, unlike the old Chinese agricultural books that had been used as guidelines until then, this was an agricultural book tailored to Joseons environment and circumstances.

As agricultural output increased in this way, some undesirable things also happened. The local landlords who gained more profits from the increased yields became greedy.

As they pursued their own interests in this way, they crossed the line, and the Giyu Year Rebellion broke out, which ended with them being annihilated by Sejong.

***

Hyang did not stop at completing the Straight Talk on Farming.

First, Hyang obtained from Sejong a portion of the royal farming land in Heukseok-ri, Habuk-myeon, Gwacheon-gun present-day Heukseok-dong.

2 gyeol of rice paddies, 1 gyeol of fields, and Mount Seodal should be enough.

Having secured the farmland and the hillside, Hyang posted notices and sent out cooperation documents to gather renowned farmers and officials interested in agriculture.

From now on, your task will be to improve crop varieties.

Hyang had created a research institute dedicated to seed improvement.

Reporting on this, Hyang concluded as follows:

It will take at least 10 years for this research institute to show some results.

10 years Can you wait that long?

Knowing Hyangs nature of trying to see results as quickly as possible, even staying up all night once he set his mind to start something, Sejong asked with genuine concern.

At Sejongs question, Hyang answered with a helpless expression.

Farming is not something that can yield immediate results no matter how impatient I am, is it?

In response to Hyangs answer, Sejong made a brief comment.

Thinking of the folly of plucking seedlings to help them grow ()^[1], you have really matured.

Sejong praised Hyang, mentioning the story from Mencius Gongsun Chou chapter.

***

Because Hyang said it would take at least 10 years, the researchers at the research institute were envied by other researchers.

We are plagued with work every day, but it must be truly enviable to leisurely farm!

Whenever they heard such remarks, the researchers at the Seed Research Institute burst into anger.

If you envy it so much, come and try doing the work!

The work at the Seed Research Institute was no easy task either.

Whether it rained or the sun was scorching hot, they had to go out to the fields every day to record the growth status, and if there were problems with pests and diseases, they had to investigate the causes and results one by one and write reports.

That was not all. The tasks they received from Hyang were also out of the blue.

The best example of such an unexpected task was the oriental melon. The oriental melons of this period were not the same as the ones Hyang had tasted in the 21st century.

Theyre not oriental melons, theyre radishes

To the extent that Hyang called them radishes, the oriental melons of this period had low sugar content. In most cases where commoners ate oriental melons, it was when there was a barley famine and there was nothing to eat. Although the sugar content was low, they contained carbohydrates, had firm flesh, and had adequate moisture, so they could fill the stomach.

Because oriental melons were closer to emergency food rather than a fruit vegetable symbolizing summer, Hyang immediately added a task to the Seed Research Institute.

It was a truly random order for the officials.

Theyre not sweet, so make them sweet? How?

***

It was not only the rural areas that changed.

Cities also began to change. The urban areas designated as large capital-level cities {Daedohobu) , pastoral cities (Mok), and small-level cities (Dohobu) also slowly started to change their appearance.

The first thing that began to change was the roads.

I heard the new roads in Hanseong are so good!

Not heard they are good, they are good.

Then, lets pave new roads too!

The paved roads that Hyang supervised and constructed during the restoration process after the great fire that burned Hanyang in the 8th year of Sejong (1426) were called new roads and became a hot topic. It became not just a talk of locals but a nationwide topic.

I heard the newly paved roads in Hanseong are so amazing!

I heard they dont turn into mud even when it rains!

This was the part that drew the attention of the people from other regions. At that time, it was common for Joseons roads to become a mess as soon as it rained. Even the roads in urban areas that were solidly compacted turned into puddles and mud as soon as it rained.

Eventually, the rumors spread and became more and more exaggerated.

I heard that no matter how much it rains, if you walk on the new roads, you wont even get wet!

In reality, unless you wore straw sandals, it was impossible to avoid getting your feet wet no matter how new the road was. However, it was true that the degree was less.

From the beginning of paving the roads, a slight slope was given so that the center of the road was slightly raised, allowing rainwater to flow to both edges, and drainage ditches were dug along those edges. As a result, it prevented feet from becoming muddy like the previous dirt roads and greatly reduced the degree of getting wet.

In the end, unable to resist their curiosity, people from the provinces set out on excursions to Hanseong. The relatively well-off provincial scholar-officials moved first, and the farmers went up to Hanseong after the autumn harvest was over.

It was solely to see the new roads.

As people came to Hanseong for excursions, it had a butterfly effect of newly establishing or properly setting up lodging businesses and restaurants along the way to handle accommodation and meals.

Having seen the new roads paved in Hanseong, the people from the provinces, especially those from urban areas, rose up and demanded that new roads be paved in their cities as well.

As petitions poured in one after another, Sejong gathered the ministers. Amidst the fierce debates for and against, Hyang voted in favor.

Why is that?

If only Hanseong has this convenience, everyone will flock only to Hanseong. We must prevent this. This is the first reason.

At Hyangs words, Sejong and the ministers nodded their heads.

Although there was a saying circulating by the locals, Send people to Hanseong and horses to Jeju Island, those people were talents, not all sorts of riffraff.

Hyang continued to explain the reasons why new roads should be paved in provincial cities as well.

There are many people looking for work in the cities of the provinces as well. We can provide them with jobs. We can mobilize these experienced individuals for the nationwide road construction projects to be carried out later. And since we need to have people to manage the newly built roads, new jobs will be created. This is the second reason.

Thats good.

At Hyangs explanation, Sejong immediately gave a positive assessment. Even in this period, there were unemployment problems. Hyang continued.

Lastly, if the roads in the downtown areas are well organized, permanent markets can be established. As people gather in this way, it becomes easier to know what the common people are saying. If you pay just a little attention, that is.

I really like that!

As Sejong showed a pleased expression, Kim Jeom immediately stepped forward to oppose.

Although what the Crown Prince is saying is good, the budget is an issue! The budget is insufficient to pave all the urban areas of Joseon.

In response to Kim Jeoms opposition, Hyang immediately presented an alternative.

Is there a need to construct all urban areas simultaneously? For now, we can start with the most populous urban areas. If petitions come from urban areas that have been pushed back in order, tell them to bear the financial burden. Arent the granaries of the landlords full of wealth? Tell them to use it. Will they take it with them when they die?

My boy! Well said!

At Sejongs exclamation, which popped out for the first time in a long while since the debate with Ryu Jeong-hyeon, the court froze on the spot.

The historian should

Sejong, who tried to stop the recording, saw the historians already enthusiastically wielding their pens and shut his mouth.

Anyway, in that way, the roads in provincial cities also began to be paved. It was in the 9th year of Sejong (1427).

***

As the paving of roads in provincial cities began, the officials who had supervised the paving construction in Hanseong and those who had commanded the workers went down to the provinces.

Among the provincial cities, the first to start paving were Gaeseong, which was treated as the second capital, and the bu (major cities: Jeonju, Gyeongju, Yeongheung, Pyongyang) nationwide.

Those who came down from Hanseong gathered the officials and merchants in charge of the construction in the respective bu (village)and took out a thick book.

What book is this?

Its about the rules to follow and the facilities that must be installed when paving new roads.

The thickness

Looking at the book boasting a tremendous thickness, people gulped. Seeing those people, the supervisor who came down from Hanseong strongly warned:

There were quite a few who were scolded or kicked out by His Highness the Crown Prince for not properly following whats written here during the construction in Hanseong. In that sense, read these.

The supervisor carefully took out an order from his sleeve and handed it over.

Read it carefully.

Those who saw the order turned pale.

Not only was the content written in the order formidable, but the problem was the handwritten approval of Sejong at the end of the order.

Perhaps due to the power of the order personally signed by Sejong, the construction proceeded thoroughly according to the principles, literally. The supervisor, of course, and the foremen who came down together meticulously carried out the construction.

They say Seoul (Note 1) people are nitpicky, but theyre really strict!

Not only the local officials and merchants directing the construction but also the laborers clicked their tongues, but the supervisor and foremen were thorough.

The reason they had to be thorough was soon revealed. As the construction progressed to a certain extent, inspectors periodically came down from Hanseong to check everything. Even the supervisor and foremen who acted like grim reapers at the site were shaken down like mice in front of cats before the inspectors.

***

Note 1) The origin of the name Seoul is considered by academia to date back to the Silla period of the Three Kingdoms era. Source: Seoul History Publication Institute.

https://history.seoul.go.kr/nuri/etc/sub_page.php?pidx=153716087297

https://www.cultureyard.net/blog/chinese-idiom-ya-miao-zhu-zhang[]

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