Black Corporation: Joseon

Ten days later, an overseer1 arrived with a report for King Sejong.

“Your Majesty, the Great Head of Merchant Song group has offered up thirty pairs of cows.”

“Thirty pairs? Why?”

King Sejong asked, to which the overseer explained, “They said it was to help with the government’s cowpox vaccination campaign, even if just a little.”

Hearing this report, Sejong’s face immediately brightened, his mouth grinning, “Is that so? I must meet this meritorious person myself.”

“Your Majesty! Meeting a lowly merchant face to face would harm your dignity!” the Chief of Censor tried to dissuade him.

However, King Sejong just snorted and stood up, “Hmph! That lowly merchant has offered up thirty pairs of cows that even the high-ranking officials haven’t! Ask yourself who truly had harmed my dignity!”

Silenced by King Sejong’s rebuke, the Chief of Censor couldn’t helped but shut his mouth.

Later, King Sejong left the Geunjeongjeon Hall with the guidance of the chief eunuch and the overseer.

In the large courtyard in front of the Geunjeongjeon Hall, a group of merchants were lined up.

“Presenting His Majesty!”

At the chief eunuch’s declaration, the gathered merchants prostrated themselves in unison.

“Rise.”

Immediately after King Sejong’s command, who was seated on a chair brought by the inner officials, the merchants respectfully stood up, with their hands folded together under their sleeve’s garments.

“So, are you the ones who offered up the cows?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Upon hearing rumors that you needed cows for cowpox vaccination, we decided to offer them.”

“Offering thirty pairs of cows must have required a significant amount of wealth. How did you all come to such a decision?”

“Your Majesty, abundant wealth alone bears no fruit without the presence of your loyal subjects. The prosperity of our trade shall not flourish if the people do not find solace and peace.”

King Sejong slapped his knee at the great merchant’s response, exclaiming proudly, “What wise answer to a such foolish question!” Admiring the great merchant’s response, King Sejong discreetly shifted his gaze at the high-ranking officials who had followed him, as if to tell them to listen carefully.

“Trade shall not flourish if the people do not find solace and peace. Isn’t that much better than those who only talk while sitting in comfort?”

“···.”

The officials had no response to King Sejong’s sharp remark.

Having scolded the officials, King Sejong asked the merchants standing in the courtyard. “So, tell me about the cows you offered up for the cowpox vaccination.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We have thirty pairs of cows, male and female, and they have just matured. Lastly, they have never had cowpox.”

“Hahaha! How meticulous! Indeed! Thirty pairs of cowpox-free cows will be a great help! You have given so much to the country. What do you desire? A government position? Or something else?”

“Your Majesty, as a humble merchant, how could I dare to desire a government position? I have merely done my duty as a loyal citizen of Joseon, and I do not seek any reward for my service. However, if I may express a small wish, it would be that our families may all live in Gaeseong2. Your Majesty, I humbly request that you consider expanding the cowpox vaccination campaign, starting from Gaeseong, for the well-being of our people.” Pausing briefly, the great merchant glanced at King Sejong and the rest of the courtiers before adding more, “This is only a small wish of a lowly merchant who only knows how to trade.”

“I have been hearing many different opinions regarding the cowpox vaccine’s effectiveness. However, I must ask, do you all truly believe that this vaccine will completely eliminate the threat of cowpox?”

“Your Majesty, what father would not desire the safety and well-being of his children? Moreover, this matter has been decided by your wise judgment. Is there any reason to doubt your decision?”

Listening to the great merchant’s response, King Sejong burst into great laughter. “Ha ha ha! Very well! Let’s start with my own palace! Issue the order!”

At his clear answer, the merchants immediately prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted loudly, “Long live Your Majesty! “Long live Your Majesty!”

As the merchants were shouting their words of gratitude, Hyang, who heard the news, entered the courtyard.

“Prince, have you come?”

“Yes.”

King Sejong raised his hand and pointed to the merchants. “Aren’t they truly remarkable subjects?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I would like to express my gratitude to them; may I?”

“Granted.”

“Thank you.”

With King Sejong’s permission, Hyang walked down the stairs to the merchants. As Hyang approached them, all the merchants bowed together in unison.

“Your Highness, we are honored to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you.”

The sight of the young child speaking politely like an adult was amusing, but the tense merchants didn’t notice that the crown prince had walked towards them before grabbing the great merchant’s hand.

“I am truly grateful.”

“Oh my! To hold the hand of such a lowly merchant like me! What an honor!”

“What’s wrong with the hand of someone who works hard at their job? If anything, it’s a truly valuable hand.”

At Hyang’s words, the great merchant bowed deeply with heartfelt gratitude.

“It’s an honor! Truly an honor!”

“Neither His Majesty nor I will criticize you for working hard. We will not despise you for being merchants. However, I humbly request that you conduct your business with integrity and uphold the principles of fairness and honesty. It is my hope that you will refrain from pursuing wealth through unethical means that could cause harm to our fellow subjects. As long as you stay true to these values, there shall be no discrimination or persecution against you as merchants.”

At Hyang’s request, the great merchant reacted in a loud voice, “I will keep your words in my heart and follow them!”

After meeting the king and the prince, the great merchant, who had left the palace, turned his gaze at the palace with a satisfied face.

“A sage king has been born, two of them even.”

Upon hearing the great merchant’s words, the fellow merchants who had accompanied him chimed in, “Indeed, that is true. I’ve heard that His Majesty is exceptional, but the Crown Prince is also extraordinary. Although our encounter was brief, he was certainly not an ordinary talent. I only heard rumors and what others who participated in the writing contest said, and thought of him as merely an eccentric individual…”

The great merchant, who had been nodding in agreement, turned around, “Let’s place a little hope on him. If the palace’s ruler has such character, perhaps we can roam the four seas just like our ancestors did.”

“Yes, my lord.”

With a contented face, the great merchant walked down the road when his expression suddenly turned fierce in an instant. “Now that I think about it… Why is my grandson behaving like that, while the Crown Prince is like this! Ugh! It’s infuriating!” As he grumbled, recalling his mischievous grandson, someone behind him muttered softly.

“It’s because the seeds are different…”

“Shush!”

Eventually, the rumor that “the Song Merchant Group” was relinquishing its wealth by presenting cows to the king” spread quickly among the people.

“It’s the Song Merchant group, after all.”

“Who would have doubted for him to be a businessman?”

“Even though he’s a businessman, look at the results. They are vaccinating the people using the cows from the capital.”

As the people discussed the rumors, the local leaders of their village and surrounding villages became the topic of conversation.

“It’s not just the Song Merchant group. Have you heard about the scholar Kang in Gamgol village beyond the mountain?”

“What about Scholar Kang of Gamgol?”

“They say he secured five pairs of cows that didn’t have smallpox and sent them to the capital.”

“Really?”

“It’s not just Scholar Kang. Choi Saengwon from Narutogol is also busy collecting the cows.”

A farmer who heard the conversation spat out a curse, “Those bast*rds! What is our local leader doing that it’s so quiet?”

“Maybe he’s too busy beating his concubine’s butt*cks since he recently brought her during the fall of the year before last.”

“Darn it… When it’s time to accumulate wealth, he doesn’t even move a muscle, but when it’s time to fill his stomach, he’s suddenly busy.”

“That’s right… He only releases his wealth when it’s time to buy silk for his concubine’s butt*cks… Our fate is truly miserable.”

As the rumors spread, the gap between the local notables and the common people widened. Of course, the notables who took the lead in spending their wealth to acquire cows and advocate for the nationwide implementation of vaccination received the absolute support of their fellow villagers. However, such notables only accounted for less than 30% nationwide.

Receiving the reports that came up through the overseers and the petitions, King Sejong glared at his ministers.

“What was it that you said earlier? That it is not appropriate for the kingdom to meddle in the minor affairs of rural areas? That oppressive rule is more fearsome than a tiger?”

At his reproach, ministers from the anti-Crown Prince faction, including the Chief State Councilor, had no way but to bow their heads.

“We deeply apologize!”

“We deeply apologize!”

Although all the courtiers begged for his forgiveness by bowing their heads, King Sejong could no longer hide his anger and waved his hand dismissively. “Enough. Prepare for the nationwide implementation of the smallpox vaccination.”

“But Your Majesty, our finances are in a dire state for a nationwide implementation.”

“Didn’t we decide to finance this by collecting money from the local landowners?”

“If we collect money for a smallpox vaccination whose effectiveness is not yet proven, the nobles will revolt…”

“Shut your da*n mouth right now!” King Sejong exploded at the continued opposition coming from the Chief State Councilor.

The mood in the hall swiftly turned icy as soon as King Sejong mentioned vulgar language, which was not expected during his speech. Afterward, he roughly went through the petitions and reports placed on the desk. After picking up a report, he threw it at the Chief State Councilor’s direction.

“Unbelievable! The hypocrisy that I have only heard of is right in front of my eyes! Do you even understand the contents of this report? It is about the smallpox vaccination campaign conducted in Hanyang! And yet, not a single official among you remained unvaccinated. Not one! If you have anything to say, speak now! You hypocrites! First, you all get vaccinated and then claim that you don’t know whether it is effective, and we should not roll it out across the nation? You hypocritical pseudo-gentlemen! Ugh! I can’t stand the sight of you! I, the King, will personally exercise my authority on this matter, so you all better keep your mouths shut! Financial issues? If we face any monetary problems, I will deduct them from your salaries and properties. It will only require a small portion of your precious gifts! Leave my sight at once!”

At Sejong’s furious outburst, all the officials, starting with the Chief State Councilor, bowed their heads to the ground and shouted, “Please execute us!”

“Your Majesty! Please execute us!”

“Get out now!”

“Your Majesty!”

“Ugh! I’d rather leave myself!” Unable to contain his anger, King Sejong stormed out of the hall.

“Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty!”

Although the officials called out in unison, Sejong did not look back and left the hall. The remaining officials in the hall all directed their arrows of criticism at the Chief State Councilor.

“How could you act like this, Your Great Excellency!”

“Why can’t you distinguish between what should and shouldn’t be said? Have you gone senile?”

“…”

The Chief State Councilor remained silent with his eyes closed amid the concentrated barrage from the ministers. However, his reddened face and trembling beard alone spoke for his emotions. The ministers, with the Chief State Councilor in front of them, searched for a solution.

“What should we do now?”

In response to the question from the Minister of Personnel, a member of the royalist faction, the Minister of Taxation grumbled, “What do you mean what should we do? Is there any other answer besides ‘repentance ritual3? After the repentance ritual, we need to come up with measures for nationwide implementation.”

“That would be for the best.”

The Minister of Taxation glared at the Chief State Councilor as if telling him to listen carefully. “With my old, rickety knees already aching, a ‘repentance ritual’? And in this severe winter cold Do you even have any sense at all? Ugh! Let’s go!”

“Let’s go.”

As the Minister of Taxation led the way, the royalist faction ministers filed out of the main hall. The ministers of the opposing faction, who had only been observing, soon followed suit, leaving only the Chief State Councilor, the officers, and the scribes in the main hall.

With his eyes closed, the Chief State Councilor, who was now truly alone, sighed deeply, “Sigh~. I have lived too long. Too long.”

◈◈◈

The commotion in the main hall reached the ears of the chief eunuch.

“So, where did the Prince go?”

“His Highness went to see the middle-ranking eunuch.”

“I see. Good work.”

“Yes, sir.”

After dismissing the inner servant, the chief eunuch sighed quietly, “Sigh~. Have the ministers in the main hall lost their ability to learn? After going through all that, they should have known how to avoid trouble by now… Or are they still fighting amongst themselves?”

The same question was on the minds of the royalist faction ministers.

“Minister! Minister!”

While preparing a mat for the ‘repentance ritual’, the Minister of Taxation turned his head at the desperate cry of the Minister of Personnel.

“What is it, Your Excellency?”

In response to the Minister of Taxation’s question, the Minister of Personnel opened his mouth, catching his breath, “His Excellency, the Chief State Councilor, is writing a petition saying that it is not right for the King to exercise one-sided authority!”

“What?!”

At the Minister of Personnel’s words, the Minister of Taxation was shocked and jumped up from his seat.

“Has His Excellency really gone mad?!”

Translator’s Notes

Lol. The political drama in the last few chapters really cracks me up

Footnotes

도승지 (都承旨), Doseungji was a high-ranking official who was responsible for managing and supervising royal ceremonies, rites, and events, as well as acting as an intermediary between the king and other government officials.[↩]개성 (開城): Gaeseong is a city in North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, which was an important city during the Goryeo and Joseon periods.[↩]席藁待罪 (석고대죄) is a Korean idiom derived from the Hanja characters 席 (석, seok, meaning “mat”), 藁 (고, go, meaning “straw”), 待 (대, dae, meaning “wait”), and 罪 (죄, joi, meaning “crime” or “offense”). This idiom refers to waiting for punishment or trial while sitting on a straw mat. In other words, it means to await punishment for one’s crimes or offenses. Otherwise, known as the ‘repentance ritual’ one would normally see in Kdramas.[↩]