Chapter 152: Elements of Unease. (1)
With the creation of the "automatic loom" and the winner of the bidding competition decided, Joseon's commercial world began preparing to expand its scale even further.
"If things continue like this, Joseon's merchant class can be revived! No, it will grow even larger!"
Many merchants dreamed of a hopeful future and began moving actively.
"What can we make money from?"
"Hmm... Shall we try doing business with this inventory list?"
To make money in an ever-expanding market, merchants searched throughout the Eight Provinces of Joseon for profitable items.
No, they didn't just search Joseon. More aggressive merchants even combed through Ming and Japan.
"Why go to Japan? What is there to gain from there?"
"Who knows?"
"It's a neighborhood where your head can fly off in broad daylight for no reason!"
"That's why I'm only planning to visit Daenai and Kyushu!"
Many merchants traveled through Joseon, Ming, and Japan seeking new opportunities.
However, not all merchants were aggressive.
"Even if we are merchants who chase after profit, we cannot recklessly take risks."
"Right. For commerce to grow properly, there needs to be currency, but Joseon doesn't have that, does it? Taking risks won't do. No risks. Now is the time to face reality instead."
Though they made different choices according to their respective values, overall, the scale of Joseon's commerce was gradually growing.
It wasn't only commerce that grew. Artisans who possessed their own skills began actively utilizing the techniques they held.
This was because they had the finest examples before them.
The most representative example was the couple Song Il-cheol and his wife - the wife gathering wealth from Hanyang through her weaving business, and the husband accumulating wealth through a single wire mesh that would feed his descendants for generations.
It wasn't only the Song Il-cheol couple. The existence of artisans who came to be called "Nari" while working in District 51 was also a reason that drove Joseon's artisans to take risks.
Among the artisans who took on challenges, those whose business improved the most were the nacre lacquerware artisans.
As glass mirrors created by Italian artisans flooded the market, nacre lacquerware artisans produced various lacquer furniture and accessories with mirrors attached.
These furniture pieces and accessories became "Must have" items not only in Joseon but also among women of Ming and Japan.
"Wonderful! When the water comes in, one must row!"
After confirming the report that came up through the Ministry of Taxation, Hyang immediately requested Sejong to hold a competition.
It was the '1st Joseon Furniture Competition.'
The first prize was '10 nyang of silver,' which might seem like a small amount. But renowned artisans from across the country gathered in Hanyang.
This was because of the supplementary prizes of the competition.
- From 1st to 5th place, all products created will be purchased by the palace.
- From 1st to 5th place, the names of the winners will be announced at government offices nationwide, commercial establishments in Shandong, and the Japan Agency.
The core of these was that the products would be allowed to bear the pear blossom pattern - from 5 flowers (1st place) to 1 flower (5th place).
"Will it really work well?"
Sejong did not have certainty about Hyang's proposal, but Hyang was full of confidence.
As already known from Geum Pil and others, the pear blossom pattern symbolized the highest quality.
On top of that, there were even grades. Future competitions for ranking could be expected.
"It will definitely succeed!"
And the result was exactly as Hyang had predicted.
Queen Soheon, who was appointed as a judge along with the concubines, the Crown Princess, and the Consorts Yang-je and Yang-won, examined the submitted works carefully with sparkling eyes.
Seeing those women, Hyang muttered inwardly.
'I've seen those eyes before! When my mother and aunts saw designer bags, they had exactly those eyes!'
Thus, from 1st to 5th place were decided.
And as a result, Sejong and Hyang's wallets were emptied.
The submitted works went to Queen Soheon as tribute, but they had to spend money for the others.
Though the incident of Sejong and Hyang's wallets being emptied occurred, afterward things went as Hyang had predicted.
With the added packaging of "works created by artisans who won awards at a competition hosted by the King of Joseon," merchants from Ming and Japan lined up to wait for the products.
* * *
Not everything proceeded smoothly according to Hyang's predictions.
The local Hyangban, who had already been displeased with Sejong's actions, began filling carts again with petitions they had written.
Seeing the petitions, Sejong called Hyang again. This time, Hyang was also mentally prepared beforehand.
This was because he had heard the rumor that "a large number of petitions have come up from the provinces."
"Do you know what to do?"
"Yes, Father. Should I start from this side?"
Hyang quickly pulled a pile of petitions toward him, untied the scrolls, and began reading the petitions.
"How is it? Are there any writings worth using?"
Hyang, who had been reading and sorting the petitions diligently, sighed and answered Sejong's question.
"Sigh~. It's a waste of paper."
"Is that so... I was hoping there might be some decent ones this time..."
Sejong couldn't hide his regret at Hyang's answer. He was still a Sejong who couldn't hide his desire for talent.
'Well... talent is still in short supply...'
Hyang could understand Sejong's mind. Even after filling and filling, the current Joseon court and administrative organs still lacked talent.
"Sigh~. This fellow and that fellow are all just saying 'luxury is the direct path to national ruin, so blah blah blah'... They should stop wearing those silk robes themselves."
Muttering while examining petitions whose content was mostly 'luxury is a disease of national ruin, so the current behavior must be prohibited and commerce must be strictly blocked,' Hyang irritantly untied the petition's knot.
Hyang, who had been reading petitions with a bored expression, suddenly straightened his posture and his eyes began to shine.
"Look at this."
Hyang, who had been reading the petition carefully, took the petition in question and approached Sejong.
"Father, I think I've found one."
"Really? Let me see."
At Hyang's words, Sejong brightened and received the petition.
Reading through the petition, Sejong slapped his knee.
"Indeed! We've found a thoughtful person for the first time in a while!"
"That is correct."
The petition Hyang found had predicted trade disputes.
- Since ancient times, no one just watches others take the wealth accumulated in their own storehouses.
- Looking at Joseon's current situation, we are bringing in enormous profits from Ming and Japan. Fortunately, the goods currently sold to Ming and Japan are mainly luxury items, so there is little likelihood of major problems.
- However, merchants will want even greater profits, and eventually they will sell even small-profit, high-volume goods.
- If they sell everything from luxury items to low-priced goods with small margins, bringing in wealth from Ming and Japan, they could incur hostility from Ming and Japan.
- If the situation becomes severe, Ming will use its power as a suzerain state and great nation to apply pressure, and in Japan, the Wako will become active again.
- To solve this, we must select items that will not harm Joseon and have Ming and Japan produce and sell them. By making the wealth obtained from Ming and Japan circulate within Ming and Japan, and Joseon taking only an appropriate amount of wealth, we can continue commerce steadily without losing people's hearts.
"Not bad."
Sejong nodded after reading the petition. Sejong separately sorted the petition in question to one side.
At the very least, he had started using petitions as an opportunity to discover talent.
And as this became established as a practice, another trend was created.
It was called the 'Petition Special Examination (上訴別試),' and people who dreamed of rapid advancement using petitions began to appear.
* * *
In the end, the local Hyangban seethed with anger as their arguments were dismissed once again.
"This is tyranny by His Majesty!"
"Can we say that the avenue for speech (言路) exists in this situation?"
"If things continue like this, Joseon will collapse!"
In the view of the local Hyangban, Sejong was "closing his ears and covering his eyes" while practicing tyranny.
"We must find a way."
"Indeed."
An increasingly unsettling atmosphere began to circulate among the local Hyangban.
When the harvest season of Sejong's 11th year approached, Sejong dropped bombs on the local Hyangban.
The first bomb was the 'Slave Law.'
- The status of a child born to a female slave (婢) follows the status of the father.
- If the father of a child born to a female slave is a commoner, the child will have commoner status.
- If a child born to a female slave has commoner status, the female slave who gave birth to the child shall be freed.
- If the father of a child born to a female slave is married, the above provisions do not apply.
It was precisely this part where a slight argument had occurred between Hyang, Sejong, and the ministers.
"Isn't this too heartless?"
At Hyang's point, Sejong and the ministers all shook their heads.
"No, it is not. Minimum morality must be maintained."
"That is correct. Without this provision, there would be disturbances in the countryside every day."
At the firm attitude of Sejong and the ministers, Hyang had no choice but to take a step back.
'Well, considering the times...'
"Hmm... It is a bit regrettable, but this seems acceptable."
The reaction of most local Hyangban was similar to the above.
However, what concentrated the local Hyangban's attention was the latter part of this law.
"A provision about 'freeing slaves'?"
"Why freeing slaves all of a sudden?"
The latter part of the 'Slave Law' dealt with the freeing of slaves.
- Slaves cannot be freed during the spring hardship period.
- When freeing a slave, wealth sufficient for three months of living must be provided.
- When a slave has formed a family, they must be freed as a family unit. However, adult unmarried male slaves (奴) and female slaves (婢) among the children are excluded.
At this part, Hyang clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. If we had included adults too, there would have been an uproar immediately... But..."
Pausing briefly, Hyang burst into a chuckle.
"This is a poison clause. Looking at it calmly, Father also has quite the swindler tendency."
The most unexpected thing in these continuing provisions regarding freeing slaves was the final clause.
- Male and female slaves over 60 years of age cannot be freed.
This part was oddly something Hyang had strongly argued for.
"Crown Prince, according to your usual arguments, this part seems to make no sense?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang answered immediately.
"That is not so. It is consistent with my usual arguments."
"Why?"
"When combined with the other laws that follow, the Hyangban will have no choice but to free the slaves. Then the first ones to be freed would be the elderly who have no value as labor."
"Ah!"
At Hyang's explanation, Sejong and the ministers exclaimed in admiration and nodded. Seeing this, Hyang muttered inwardly.
'Was that what the American history professor said when I took it as a general education course in the 21st century?'
At that time, the American history professor had told the students this:
- Before the war, southern plantation owners who had been so opposed to slave emancipation welcomed it after the war ended. Why? Because they could comfortably dispose of old slaves who only ate food without working.
Recalling memories of the 21st century, Hyang muttered with a bitter face.
'In today's Joseon, welfare for the elderly without family connections is something we can't even dream of. We have no choice but to leave it to the Hyangban.'
* * *
Thus, the reaction shown by most Hyangban to the Slave Law promulgated in the autumn of Sejong's 11th year was largely similar.
'It's not completely satisfactory, but it's acceptable enough.'
However, a small number of Hyangban examined the laws with eyes full of suspicion.
'The provisions regarding freeing slaves are suspicious. Why were provisions about freeing slaves included suddenly?'
'It's too suspicious to simply understand it as having created standards for freeing slaves and move on.'
'That too, but why now of all times?'
With eyes full of questions, the Hyangban focused their attention on the movements in Hanyang.
And after some time, when another law was promulgated, the Hyangban completely forgot their suspicions.
What was promulgated following the 'Slave Law' was the 'Law Regarding the Treatment of Passed Candidates Who Have Not Entered Government Service.'
The content of the newly promulgated law was simple.
'Those who have passed the literary licentiate examination and more than 10 years have passed, and those who have passed the military licentiate examination and more than 5 years have passed, without entering government service, shall be deprived of tax exemption benefits. Furthermore, they shall be removed from the Hyang-an (鄕案). Only those who have retired from government positions or those recognized for meritorious service and received honorary positions may have their names recorded in the Hyang-an.'
It was a law that would blow away the honor of those who swaggered around calling themselves scholar-gentry in the provinces.