Chapter 110: Poison (1)
After reading the entire contract, the ministers' expressions grew even more bewildered.
'Strengthening supervision over the Ihwa pattern was the right thing to do, but... with just this...'
Sejong carefully observed the facial expressions of his ministers.
Chief State Councillor Maeng Sa-seong, Left State Councillor, and Minister of Taxation Kim Jeom wore expressions suggesting they had some inkling but hadn't fully grasped it, while the other ministers still looked completely lost.
In that situation, only one person—Hwang Hui, who had returned to Hanseong for his quarterly report—wore an expression of understanding.
"Does the Administrative Officer understand?"
"I understand."
"Good. How do you evaluate it?"
"On the surface it appears to be a loss, but the more one examines it, the more there is almost no harm to our Joseon."
"You got it exactly right."
Sejong answered briefly then glared at the ministers.
"I am greatly disappointed in you all today. Can I truly entrust the fate of this Joseon to you?"
"Please spare us!"
At Sejong's rebuke, all the ministers bowed their heads to the ground and cried out.
"From now on, do not merely examine the surface (表) of matters, but carefully inspect the depths and the underlying reality (裏) within."
"We will engrave this deeply in our minds!"
"And Hwang Hui, Administrative Officer, hear me. As you can see, there is no one in the court who understands matters as well as you. Continue your duties until the Tumen River matter is concluded. I look forward to your return."
At Sejong's words, Hwang Hui prostrated himself and answered.
"Your grace is boundless!"
* * *
As soon as the morning assembly ended, Hwang Hui was immediately dragged to the State Council building.
"What exactly does it mean that His Majesty and the Crown Prince have done things properly?"
At I Jik's question, Hwang Hui asked back instead.
"Do you truly not know? What about Lord Maeng?"
"It seems to be related to the Ming imperial family somehow, but I'm not sure..."
"Good heavens..."
As Hwang Hii looked at them in disbelief, the other Six Ministers shouted in unison.
"That's exactly why we're asking you to explain!"
When even the Six Ministers pressed him, Hwang Hui explained what Sejong and Hyang had intended.
- While Ming's fiscal scale is said to be large, the scale of expenditure is equally large. Therefore, the amount the Ming Emperor personally gains through this joint venture is no small sum for him.
To protect this gain, the Ming Emperor will take various measures, and this becomes a great benefit to our Joseon.
- First, as they crack down on counterfeits bearing the Ihwa pattern, Ming people will naturally come to perceive goods marked with the Ihwa pattern as high-priced luxury items.
Thereafter, goods marked with the Ihwa pattern will receive treatment one grade higher than products from other countries, even if the quality is the same.
"I understand, but I still don't understand why His Majesty and the Crown Prince would be pleased with just that. It feels like there's something more... but I can't quite grasp it."
"Huu~."
At Maeng Sa-seong's words, Hwang Hui let out a small sigh and answered briefly.
"It may not be in the short term, but looking at the long term, the Crown Prince has now administered poison to Ming."
"Poison? Poison?"
At Hwang Hui's words, Maeng Sa-seong, who had been thinking deeply, was appalled.
"Good heavens! Who on earth could have conceived such a thought... It was the Crown Prince! Such a poisonous heart at that young age!"
"What on earth are you saying!"
"Don't just speak in riddles, explain it to us!"
Under pressure from the other ministers, Maeng Sa-seong looked at Hwang Hui and opened his mouth.
"Let me test whether my thinking is correct."
"Please do."
"Then..."
Maeng Sa-seong began to speak his thoughts.
- The wealth entering through the merchant guild is unearned income for the Emperor.
- If the Emperor is wise, it will end as funds for moderate luxury, but if not, he will become addicted to luxury and seek to enjoy even greater extravagance.
- In this situation, if they attempt to adjust the profit distribution ratio, the partnership will break according to the contract, and once that happens, the Emperor, already addicted to luxury, will begin dipping into the national treasury to fund his extravagance.
- Eventually, due to such extravagant trends, Ming's finances will become unstable, and they will fall into internal troubles.
"That is why I called it poison."
Hwang Hui nodded at Maeng Sa-seong's explanation.
"I had the same thought."
The Minister of Justice, who had been listening to Hwang Hui and Maeng Sa-seong, raised an objection.
"Isn't that too optimistic? Let's say the contract falls through because of that. If we sell independently according to the contract, would the Ming Emperor simply watch?"
"That is why I said to view this long-term, not short-term."
"Hmm?"
At Hwang Hui's words, the ministers wore puzzled expressions. Just as Hwang Hii was about to speak, the Minister of Taxation opened his mouth first.
"Our Joseon doesn't necessarily need to go to China to sell goods. Think about when the current reforms are completed. If things go according to plan, we can simply create trading ports in our Joseon. And trading ships from all nations under heaven will gather at those ports. Including Ming's trading ships. Then we won't need to go all the way to Ming."
"Ah!"
"I see!"
"And when that situation develops, our Joseon's products will become even more precious goods in Ming."
At the Minister of Taxation's words, the ministers nodded.
Just then, Maeng Sa-seong looked at Hwang Hui and said a few words.
"Of course, there will be much work to do in the north as well."
"Ugh."
Hwang Hui felt utterly daunted at the thought of going back up.
* * *
Meanwhile, at Gangnyeongjeon Hall, Sejong and Hyang were having tea and conversation.
"Truly, you have worked hard. You succeeded in the plan while enduring humiliation—that diligence needs no witness for me to know."
"I am at a loss for such excessive praise."
"You rascal."
At Hyang's modesty, Sejong smiled faintly. But that smile was short-lived, and Sejong's face filled with worry.
"However, this father remains troubled by the repeated mentions of subject state and vassal state."
At those words, Hyang answered calmly.
"It was a battle for justification. We made the request, but His Majesty the Ming Emperor acknowledged that this transaction is clearly a transaction between nations. We threw away a little justification and took actual benefit."
"That is so."
Thanks to that, hadn't the clarification of ancestry records, which had been dragging on for so long, been resolved in one stroke? Furthermore, the issues of tribute women and eunuchs had been settled together.
At that moment, Hyang continued speaking.
"Among the sayings passed around, there is one that goes 'If you're going to suck up to someone, suck even their toes.' To make the opponent let down their guard and succeed in a plan, what wouldn't one do?"
Hyang had circled around the words, unable to directly say 'Suck until their asshole is raw.'
However, Sejong's face was still full of concern.
"But my pride is a bit wounded. Even now, whenever envoys come and subtly slip in words about feudal lords, vassal states, and subject states, I burn with anger."
"When the reforms are complete and the Eastern Expansion is finished, they won't be able to say such things anymore. Unless they have lives to spare, there will be no humans bold enough to come to this Joseon and spout such words."
"That will likely be so. But won't they still say such things among themselves?"
At Sejong's words, Hyang answered with an expression saying it was nothing.
"Let them. As the saying goes among common folk, 'Even kings get cursed behind their backs.' What gain is there in worrying about them chattering among themselves? Rather, it's merely amusing."
"We can let such chatter from Ming people pass, but what worries me is that such people will certainly emerge within our Joseon as well."
At Sejong's words, Hyang laughed coldly.
"Isn't that good? Such people are ones who should have been filtered out long ago. Rather, it will be a good opportunity."
"That may be so."
From one side, the historians who had been recording the conversation between father and son were writing while breaking out in cold sweat.
-The historian comments:
There is a saying, 'To be a great man, one must have a poisonous heart.' However, the Crown Prince's poisonous heart can be called an extreme poison capable of killing ten thousand people.
After a while, Hyang ordered the historians and recording clerks.
"Historians and clerks, step out for a moment."
At Hyang's words, the historians collectively expressed their refusal.
"Our duty is to record everything of state affairs and transmit it to posterity."
At the historians' words, Hyang scoffed.
"Hmph! When posterity won't even see it, who will know whether it was recorded properly or not? Step out."
"We cannot!"
At the historians' and clerks' refusal, Hyang warned them.
"What will be said from now on is the most extreme of extreme secrets. If these words leak outside, a great incident will occur. If that happens, without question, your necks will be the first to be cut.
No, to prevent such an incident, I should cut your necks right here and now. Will you still remain in your places despite that?"
"It is our duty!"
As the historians and clerks stood firm, Sejong spoke.
"This is my command. Step out."
"It is the law of the state! We cannot step out!"
"What? You rascals?"
Just as anger began to surface on Sejong's face, Hyang suddenly had an idea.
'Wait! It's already a given that those Chinese fellows will run their mouths later, so if I create an official record as grounds at this opportunity?'
Having reached a conclusion, Hyang stopped Sejong.
"Father. How about letting them stay?"
"Let them stay?"
"Yes. Wouldn't we be able to create grounds to silence those who will later make their own judgments and noisily chatter?"
At Hyang's words, Sejong quelled his anger and thought deeply about what Hyang meant.
Eventually, understanding Hyang's intention, Sejong burst into a laugh.
"You're truly one who would catch fish even if thrown into water—you never let anything slide."
"Your grace is boundless."
Smiling faintly, Sejong glared at the historians and clerks as he spoke.
"Very well. Sit and record every single word without omission."
"Your grace is boundless!"
"However, if even a single word of this conversation leaks outside, I will have your heads!"
At Sejong's stern command, the historians and clerks answered while sweating coldly.
"We will obey the command!"
Even while bowing their heads to answer, the historians' brushes did not rest.
-Thus, the conversation between His Majesty and the Crown Prince came to be recorded.
The historian comments:
Recording everything accurately without omission is the basic posture of a historian, but being coerced somehow doesn't feel good.
With the historians and clerks present, Hyang continued his conversation with Sejong.
"Have you heard the rumors about the Kingdom of Dai Viet?"
"Rumors about Dai Viet?"
"I speak of 'Outer King, Inner Emperor.'"
At Hyang's words, Sejong nodded.
"I have heard. The current Emperor invested him as King of Annam, did he not?"
"That is correct."
"Are you suggesting our Joseon also do 'Outer King, Inner Emperor'?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang shook his head.
"No. Not such empty trappings, but to truly become an empire and robe Your Majesty in the Yellow Dragon Robe—that is this son's wish."
In that instant, the historians and clerks froze completely. They simultaneously had the same thought.
'Damn it! We shouldn't have insisted on staying!'
For a moment, a subtle emotion swirled across Sejong's face.
"The Yellow Dragon Robe..."
"What would be the reason His late Majesty King Taejo, after the retreat to Wihwa Island, sent a state letter calling himself the Acting Administrator of Goryeo? It is power. To put it bluntly, looking at Ming alone, even a vassal king has sat on the emperor's throne. Though we call ourselves a subject state for now, ultimately power decides everything."
Regardless of the historians and clerks making pained faces as the words increasingly crossed dangerous lines, Hyang continued speaking.
"If this Joseon grows prosperous and our territory expands, there will be no one to oppose Your Majesty ascending the imperial throne. Of course, the population problem is an obstacle, but that too will increase quickly if Joseon becomes prosperous. When that happens, even if we call ourselves a subject state, whatever Ming people say will be merely their own shouting. In other words, a moral victory."
'Manipulating history? Let them try!'
"Moral victory?"
At the unfamiliar term, Sejong expressed doubt, and Hyang explained its meaning.
After hearing Hyang's explanation, Sejong nodded.
"Truly an amusing saying. Yes, it would be entertaining if Ming people achieved such moral victory. But, Crown Prince, if what we are doing now fails to succeed, we will be the ones achieving moral victory. Never forget that point."
At Sejong's admonition, Hyang answered strongly.
"I will engrave it deeply in my mind! Furthermore, we will achieve true victory and once again in a thousand years contend for the hegemony of all under heaven, proclaiming anew our destiny as masters."
'Since we're rewriting history anyway! Can't stop at just soup—we need the whole meal!'
Similar emotions lingered on the lips of both Hyang and Sejong.
Though the historians also wore pained expressions, somehow the heroic spirit rising from a corner of their chests could not be erased.