Chapter 124: To Arabia (3)
Having tasted coffee, Sejong introduced it to his ministers as well.
"This is the Qahwa that those Huihui people brought, which we call tea."
"Is that so?"
The ministers, seated in the conference room beside the main hall of Gyeongjeongjeon, gazed blankly at the teacups placed before them at Sejong's words.
"The color is truly peculiar."
Looking at the black coffee, Yi Jik expressed his observation.
It was a roundabout way of saying what he really wanted to say: 'The color is pitch black and not appealing at all.'
At Yi Jik's words, Sejong smiled and agreed.
"Indeed. The color is truly peculiar. When I first saw it, I thought it was medicine."
"The fragrance is also unusual."
At Maeng Sa-seong's evaluation, having smelled the distinctive bitter aroma of roasted coffee, Sejong nodded.
"I felt the same way. Come! Let us drink! First, take just a small sip, and then add some sugar to suit the flavor. If you add tarak, the flavor becomes even smoother, but tarak is difficult to obtain, and even without it, it is pleasant to drink."
"Yes, y-yes..."
When Sejong urged them to drink, the ministers repeatedly nodded their heads. But their faces were filled with hesitation.
'Judging by the color alone, it looks like some kind of decoction... Both tonic medicine and poison medicine have similar colors. Is this Qahwa tea a tonic or poison?'
"What? Why aren't you drinking?"
"W-we are drinking!"
At Sejong's prompting, the ministers squeezed their eyes shut and raised their teacups.
'B-bitter!'
Having taken their first sip, the ministers hurriedly found the sugar bowls and dissolved the sugar.
As sweetness was added and drinking became easier, the ministers began to savor the coffee with somewhat relieved expressions.
"How is it?"
At Sejong's question, the ministers offered their impressions one by one.
"At first it was only bitter, but afterward, a slight nuttiness and sourness can be felt. It is truly subtle."
"The fragrance is also unusual. It is difficult to define in a single word, but it has its own charm."
"Isn't it? I think so as well."
Thus, in a much more comfortable atmosphere, Sejong and the ministers enjoyed their coffee while engaging in various conversations.
After finishing a cup of coffee and returning to the main hall to attend to state affairs, Sejong asked the ministers.
"How do you feel?"
At Sejong's question, the ministers answered with surprised faces.
"It is truly amazing! Before drinking that tea, my body and mind were exhausted, but now vitality is flowing through me!"
"Indeed! It is truly a mysterious tea!"
Looking at the faces of the ministers who now brimmed with vitality compared to before drinking the tea, Sejong wore a satisfied expression.
"The Crown Prince has brought us something truly good."
"Indeed!"
"Now then, since your energy seems restored, let us work. Let us begin!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Ah, and I will distribute this Qahwa powder appropriately to each government office, so please have a cup when you grow tired."
"We are deeply grateful for your grace!"
Later, hearing this news through the eunuchs, Hyang chuckled.
"Those yangban who only drank green tea are now drinking coffee... In 21st century terms, it's like someone who only drank coffee suddenly drinking a highly concentrated caffeine beverage. The caffeine kick must be killer. If Father did this knowingly, he's quite a wicked man."
Shaking his head at Sejong's scheme, Hyang brought his coffee cup to his lips.
* * *
Not long after, the ministers were appalled by Sejong's scheme.
"I-I can't sleep!"
The officials who had eaten their evening meal and leisurely drank coffee were astonished to find themselves liberated from the sleep demon that had always tormented them.
"What could be the cause?"
The officials who had escaped the sleep demon sought the reason.
"The only thing different from usual is that Qahwa. Could it be that it not only invigorates but also drives away sleep!"
Having discovered the reason, the officials looked toward Gangnyeongjeon and Donggungjeon.
"Is this a command to not even sleep and just work!"
* * *
Though they said such things, beginning with Sejong, both high and low officials became instantly addicted to coffee.
At sunrise, when they came to work with sleepy eyes and drank a cup of coffee, the powerful effect of high-concentration caffeine—eyes focusing and energy circulating—was something one could not escape once tasted.
"It really was poison!"
"But why can I not quit?"
Refilling their empty cups with coffee, the officials shed tears.
The reaction of the officials who had grumbled, "Is this a message to not even sleep!" when they first tasted the caffeine effect, changed as such.
"I can only endure by drinking this!"
As the high and low officials sought coffee so frequently, the work increased for the clerks and government slaves who handled the miscellaneous tasks of the offices.
Before the officials came to work, they would place kettles filled with water on braziers and prepare clean cotton cloths for straining coffee. Afterward, preparing jars containing roasted coffee powder and jars containing sugar became their morning routine.
And whenever they had a chance, they would clean the cups the officials had used, continuously replenish the cleanly washed and dried cotton cloths, and finally, roast green coffee beans and grind them to replenish the consumed coffee powder.
However, after several trials and errors, the officials who grasped the importance of roasting petitioned Sejong, and a minor position called 'Heukduchawon' at rank 9 was newly established.
And this minor position became the first official barista in Joseon, no, in the world.
All of this happened within less than a month after Hyang had informed Sejong about the taste of coffee.
* * *
However, an unexpected side effect occurred in an unexpected place.
The Queen's bedchamber. Having conducted state affairs with Queen Soheon and briefly fallen asleep, Sejong asked in a voice heavy with sleep when Queen Soheon, lying beside him, kept moving.
"Is something uncomfortable?"
"No, it is just that sleep does not come..."
At Queen Soheon's words, Sejong raised his body.
"Is there something weighing on your mind?"
"No. It is simply that I cannot sleep."
"Shall I call the royal physician?"
"It is not that serious. Ah..."
Queen Soheon, trailing off, murmured to herself.
"Is it because of that tea?"
"Tea? What tea?"
"Recently, I was feeling somewhat depressed, so I drank some Heukducha."
"Ah... drinking that tea does make sleep difficult."
At Queen Soheon's words, Sejong nodded. Sejong gently patted Queen Soheon's shoulder.
"Do not be too conscious of not being able to sleep. Just rest comfortably and you will be able to sleep soon. Let us sleep."
"Mm~."
At Sejong's words, Queen Soheon made a nasal sound and acted coquettishly. As Queen Soheon burrowed into his embrace and acted coquettishly, Sejong cleared his throat.
"Ahem! Ahem... the night has grown late..."
"Mm~."
"Well then..."
In any case, Sejong, who had just entered his thirties, was still in his prime. At his wife's coquettishness after a long time, Sejong became aroused.
The next day, Sejong ended up sleeping in late for the first time in a while.
As such incidents occurred frequently not only with Queen Soheon but also with the concubines, Sejong finally issued a royal decree.
-Consorts are forbidden from drinking more than 2 cups of Heukducha per day!
-Drinking Heukducha after evening is forbidden!
* * *
Meanwhile, merchants who heard rumors about Heukducha visited the Ministry of Taxation.
"We wish to purchase Heukducha as well."
"Heukducha?"
At the merchants' words, the Ministry of Taxation official checked the records and made a troubled expression.
The coffee beans brought by Mansur's party were not a large quantity, and even though only about a month had passed, the amount consumed by the palace and government offices was considerable.
"It will be about a year before they return... In that case, if we subtract the amount we need to keep in reserve..."
The Ministry of Taxation official, calculating the quantity while moving the abacus beads, answered.
"The amount that came in this time is not much. If we sell, about 1 gwan (approximately 3.75kg) would be possible."
"1 gwan per merchant?"
"No, 1 gwan in total."
"I will buy it!"
"No, I will buy it!"
At the merchants' clamor, the Ministry of Taxation official leisurely brought his coffee cup to his lips and asked.
"So, how much will you pay?"
After fierce price competition, a merchant was decided, and as the official handed over the sack containing 1 gwan of coffee beans, he asked.
"But has the rumor about this tea already spread?"
"Oh my! Do not even mention it! Those preparing for the civil service examination are looking for it tremendously!"
As some of the officials working in government offices had secretly taken small amounts home, and the coffee spread to the private sector, rumors about coffee had spread widely.
With the rumor circulating that 'Just one cup and you can stay up all night without any problem!' coffee had even earned the nickname 'Suhakcha' (Study Tea).
At the merchant's answer, the Ministry of Taxation official who was drinking coffee chuckled and murmured.
"Even if they pass the exam, suffering awaits them, so what's so good about that..."
At the official's words, the merchant grumbled inwardly.
'Of course! You've already made it, so you can say such things!'
Whether in the 21st century or 15th century Joseon, 'civil servant' was a symbol of 'stability.' In particular, as Sejong promoted reforms, the recruitment of officials increased, and salaries became sufficient for actual living, so those studying for the civil service examination gradually increased.
Moreover, with the rumor circulating that 'The ban on Northwesterners and secondary sons from holding office will be lifted soon!' even the Northwesterners and secondary sons who had been in despair joined the competition.
* * *
As Joseon continued to change in this way, the departure of Mansur's party was approaching.
"Has the investigation of the ship the Huihui people came on been completely finished?"
"Yes."
At Jo Mal-saeng's answer, Sejong continued his inquiry.
"Was there anything new?"
"The hull strength is no match for our Panokseon, but the material used for waterproofing was truly peculiar."
"What did they use?"
"They used asphalt. Though called asphalt, it was not made from the pine resin we know, but was made from black, sticky oil that emerges from the ground."
"Is that so? Hmm~."
Sejong uttered an exclamation.
"There are still many things in this world that we do not know."
"Indeed, Your Majesty."
"Father, this son wishes to ask Minister of War something for a moment."
"You may proceed."
"I am deeply grateful."
Having expressed his gratitude to Sejong, Hyang posed a question to Jo Mal-saeng.
"By any chance, do you know the cost of the asphalt they use?"
"Yes. I have investigated. It was 1/10th the price compared to asphalt made using pine resin."
At Jo Mal-saeng's answer, Hyang made a proposal to Sejong.
"Father. The most important thing in building and maintaining ships is waterproofing. If we purchase their asphalt, this can be done cheaply. How would it be to add asphalt to the list of items to request from them?"
"That would be good. Do so."
"I am deeply grateful!"
With the decision to 'import asphalt,' Sejong moved on to another agenda.
"Has the selection of naval officers and interpreters who will board this voyage been completed?"
At Sejong's question, the Minister of Rites and Jo Mal-saeng immediately answered.
"Preparations are already complete. We have selected 6 young men from among the interpreters fluent in Ming Chinese."
"For the navy as well, we have selected 6 men skilled not only in artillery but also in navigation."
"You have worked hard. You have informed them well that there is much to do on this voyage?"
"We have already sufficiently informed them, and they are all full of enthusiasm."
"Is that so?"
Sejong, who had been thinking about something for a moment, spoke.
"Prepare a banquet for the officers and interpreters who will depart this time. I will encourage them."
At Sejong's decision, the ministers all bowed their heads and answered.
"If His Majesty personally encourages them, they will do their utmost. We are deeply grateful for your grace!"
Two days later, a banquet was held at Gyeonghoeru. At the gathering for the first people of Joseon to leave Northeast Asia, Sejong personally filled the cups of the officers and interpreters and encouraged them.
"When our Joseon leaves this corner and advances to distant foreign lands, the work you have done will shine. Therefore, do your utmost on this voyage and complete your assigned missions."
"We will engrave this in our bones and dedicate our bodies to fulfillment!"
Five days later, Mansur's fleet departed from Jemulpo.
They were the first people of Joseon to advance to the open ocean.