Chapter 181: I Am Not a Saintly King (1)
"I apologize. The tenant farming positions have already been filled."
"Oh dear! What shall we do!"
The tenant farmer who had come seeking to lease government-owned farmland collapsed to the ground with a hollow expression at the words of the official from the Ministry of Personnel.
"Oh dear, husband!"
"Father!"
As the head of the household collapsed, his family members who witnessed it rushed to him and tried to help him up.
"Husband, please get up! Quickly!"
"Father, please stand up!"
Though his family wept and tried to raise him, the farmer whose legs had lost all strength sat on the ground with a dazed face and muttered.
"They said we could lease the finest paddy fields in all of Joseon at a cheap price, so I came all this way without sparing a thousand li.... What shall we do.... What shall we do...."
"Father!"
"Husband!"
The official watched the family in turmoil with a look of pity, then cautiously spoke up.
"Sir. Would you like to hear what I have to say for a moment?"
"Yes?"
"It wouldn't do to just turn back now, would it?"
At the official's question, the tenant farmer wiped his tears and answered.
"That's true, but what can I do? It may be shameful and pathetic, but I suppose I must go and plead."
"Then, how about this? You're well aware that we're currently developing the Northeast Region, correct?"
At the official's question, a glimmer of light began to return to the tenant farmer's eyes.
"Yes. I've heard the rumors. Didn't many people leave for there last year or the year before?"
"We've gained much land through this development. But there's no one to cultivate it. What do you think? Would you like to go there and make a fresh start?"
"But... clearing land is not an easy task."
The official nodded at the tenant farmer's words.
"I know well. That's why His Majesty the King has granted tax exemption for five years, and for the following five years, only half the taxes will be collected. Furthermore, food supplies will be provided for the first two years, and farming tools as well. Finally, a farming horse will also be provided."
At the official's words, the tenant farmer sprang to his feet as if he had never been despondent.
"A farming horse too? Such an expensive thing?"
"It's all because His Majesty the King took pity on the people. It is a grace beyond measure."
At the official's words, the farmer quickly ran up to him.
"Then! The land! How much land will be given?"
"Starting from a minimum of 2 gyeol (approximately 2 jeongbo, 36 majigi) up to 4 gyeol. How about it? Will you give it a try?"
At the official's question, the tenant farmer looked back at his family standing behind him. The family members who had been listening to the official's explanation all nodded their heads.
Seeing his family's reaction, the tenant farmer grabbed the official's sleeve.
"I will do it! I will go! We will depart immediately!"
At the tenant farmer's answer, the official smiled and continued.
"The journey to the Northeast Region is long. We've prepared ships now, and once enough people gather, we'll depart immediately, so for now, stay at Gyeongsang Jwasuyeong. When you go to the naval headquarters, they'll provide you with a place to stay. Food as well. Everything is free. It is His Majesty the King's royal command."
"Oh my goodness!"
At the official's answer, the tenant farmer faced north and made a deep bow.
"The grace is beyond measure! I pray you enjoy a long life! Long live! Long live! Long live!"
It was a tenant farmer praying for Sejong's longevity.
* * *
Such scenes became commonplace at government-owned farmlands throughout the Three Southern Provinces. Among the tenant farmers who missed opportunities because they arrived slightly later than their competitors, many chose to head north.
Of course, there were quite a few who chose to return to their hometowns where they had lived, but most chose to head north in search of new opportunities.
"Land! They say I'll have my own land!"
The biggest reason tenant farmers chose to go north was that they would have 'their own land.'
Meanwhile, officials from the Ministry of Taxation busily performed their duties among the tenant farmers.
"You have the departure certificates for yourself and your family, correct?"
"Huh? Yes."
At the Ministry of Taxation official's question, the tenant farmer rummaged deep into his piled-up belongings and pulled out a sheet of yellow paper.
"Here it is."
"Your hopae identification tag as well."
"Yes."
After confirming that the name and household registration written on the certificate matched what was recorded on the hopae, the Ministry of Taxation official made a record in the document he was carrying and moved on.
"And do you have the land registry passbook?"
"Yes, that's here too!"
After receiving the passbook, the Ministry of Taxation official confirmed the passbook owner's name and hopae number written inside, added it to his records, and returned it to the tenant farmer.
The Ministry of Taxation official returned the hopae, certificate, and passbook while informing him of important matters.
"Once you go north and settle in the development area, you must report to the household registration office at the local government office within five days. Otherwise, you won't be able to receive what His Majesty the King has promised."
"Huh? Yes! I will certainly do so!"
"Then take good care of your belongings."
Having finished his work, the Ministry of Taxation official walked briskly toward where other tenant farmers' families were located.
After the official left, the tenant farmer looked at the certificate in his hand and muttered.
"This is a lump of gold...."
* * *
Once a certain number of people gathered, the tenant farmers began their journey north.
Tenant farmers gathered in Honam and Yeongnam were taken aboard military ships and headed north, while those gathered in the Chungcheong region began moving north by land under military escort.
When people departed like this, large-scale dispatches ran throughout all of Joseon.
One group of dispatches headed to the hometowns that those going north had left behind, while other dispatches went up to Hanseong.
The reports brought by the dispatches that came up to Hanseong were immediately examined by officials from the Ministry of Taxation, the Ministry of Personnel, and the land registry offices.
The reports that officials verified and organized were then submitted to Sejong.
Checking the reports that came up daily, Sejong looked at his ministers with a relieved expression.
"The 4th Plan and 5th Plan seem to be proceeding smoothly."
"That is correct."
"I think all of this is thanks to your hard work, my ministers."
"You praise us too highly! If Your Majesty had not established this entire plan from the beginning, it would have been impossible!"
At Yi Jik's answer, the other ministers all nodded and muttered inwardly.
'Truly, this father and son are not human.'
'Can such an ingenious plan really come from a human mind?'
The ministers offered words of praise to Sejong while harboring emotions close to awe.
* * *
Immediately after the successful suppression of the Giyu Rebellion, Sejong established this plan.
The proposals from the 1st Plan through the 6th Plan were supplementary measures for the Gyeongjang reforms currently being implemented.
Through the occurrence and suppression of the Giyu Rebellion, the power of local scholar-officials had weakened, and these were revised plans aimed at implementing the Gyeongjang reforms more quickly and on a larger scale.
If these plans succeeded properly, the Gyeongjang reforms, now in their 7th year, would be able to conclude successfully.
Among the plans created in this way, the '4th Plan' was to persuade as many tenant farmers as possible who had not received farmland among those who had moved to government-owned farmland through the '3rd Plan,' and have them migrate north. It was a plan that could instantly solve the migration to the northern regions, which had been sluggish despite various incentives offered until now.
The '5th Plan' was to test the state of Joseon's land transportation routes and information transmission capabilities.
Dispatches that departed from their starting points had to carefully record and report to their superiors the number and condition of relay stations they passed through, the state and size of roads they traveled, travel time, and more.
The reports that came up in this way were compared and updated with existing records held by the Ministry of Taxation, Ministry of Works, and Ministry of Military, as well as records from research institutes that had traveled throughout the country for astronomical observation. Road construction would proceed based on the final documents created through this process.
Additionally, each regional government office and land registry that received administrative documents brought by dispatches had to verify changes and write reports to submit to Hanseong. In Hanseong, the administrative documents that came up were compared with those sent directly from departure points and documents from destinations to confirm whether errors occurred and their scale.
All of this process was the '5th Plan' that Sejong had designed. Though I added a touch of MSG to the flavor, almost all of it came from Sejong's mind.
* * *
Though he confirmed that the situation up to the '5th Plan' was proceeding smoothly, Sejong did not forget to instruct his ministers.
"The 4th Plan and 5th Plan will soon come to an end. So I ask that you do not relax your vigilance until the end and do your utmost for success. Only then will the '6th Plan' that begins in autumn succeed."
At Sejong's instruction, the ministers all bowed their heads and answered.
"We will crush our bones and shatter our bodies in service!"
The final '6th Plan' that Sejong and the ministers were preparing was none other than the 'Migration Schools.'
* * *
"Let us stop here for today."
Having finished the discussion on the '4th Plan' and '5th Plan,' and after coordinating opinions on various pending issues that had piled up afterward, Sejong declared a recess.
When Sejong declared a recess, the ministers paid their respects and exited Geunjeongjeon Hall.
Once all the ministers had left, Sejong let out a long sigh with a face full of exhaustion.
"Phew~. I am tired."
"Shall I summon the royal physician?"
At the chief attendant's question, Sejong shook his head.
"It's not that bad yet. I want to be alone for a moment, so please step outside for a while."
"Yes."
"The historians as well, please step outside."
The historians, accustomed to Sejong's words, gathered their writing tools, paid their respects, and exited Geunjeongjeon Hall.
Coming down from the throne, Sejong quietly stretched and walked to where the map was hung.
Standing before a map depicting all of Joseon, the Jurchen region, the virgin lands to the east, the Shandong region of Ming, and part of the Japanese islands, Sejong raised his finger and pointed to the Northeast region.
"Within this year, I will recover all the territories I mentioned to Ming. And the migration policy will also be completed. Once the relocated people are fully settled, the Jurchen tribes will also be pacified. If that happens...."
Sejong traced his finger across the virgin lands to the east.
"If that happens, we immediately advance eastward. If we explore these virgin lands and make them part of Joseon's territory, Joseon will advance even further. If done properly, even Ming will not be able to treat us lightly."
Having said that much, Sejong let out a long sigh.
"Phew~, the problem is that there are no people. The population difference is too great."
According to the household census conducted annually, Joseon's total population, including commoners, was approaching 5 million. Compared to the 4.3 million identified at the beginning of the Gyeongjang reforms, it had increased significantly, but Ming's population was exceeding roughly 60 million. (Note 1)
Simply compared, the difference was more than 12 times. The difference in military power arising from this made it impossible to recklessly turn Ming into an enemy.
'If war breaks out, we could win the first few battles. But if Ming decides to continue the war, we will lose.'
Even without the analysis of the Joseon Army General Staff Headquarters, anyone could see that defeat was inevitable in this situation.
"The conclusion is that we must increase the population. Just as the Crown Prince prevented smallpox with cowpox, we must catch as many other diseases as possible to prevent population loss. Food supply can be solved through expanded territory, so there's no worry, but the problem is talent...."
Sejong tapped the map at Joseon's mainland with his finger and muttered.
"The Migration Schools are the starting point. Through this, we will cultivate and utilize talent. If necessary, we must employ women as well. If we cannot do that...."
Sejong let out another long sigh.
"Phew~. Joseon will collapse."
With a heavy heart, Sejong, who had been chewing on his own words, shook his head.
"I will absolutely not let such a thing happen. Absolutely!"
Having made his resolution, Sejong turned around.
"The ministers don't know, but if the '6th Plan' succeeds properly, we must execute the '7th Plan' before long. To not miss the timing, we must finish preparations as quickly as possible."
Mentioning the '7th Plan' that even the ministers didn't know about, Sejong opened the door and called the chief attendant.
"Chief attendant. I will go to Gangnyeongjeon Hall. I am tired today, so I will retire early."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
* * *
Note 1) Population Changes and Social Changes in China. Northeast Asian History Network.
http://contents.nahf.or.kr/item/item.do?levelId=edeah.d_0004_0030_0020_0010