< Episode 23: Gapchin Reformation (甲辰更張) (1) >
Episode 23: Gapchin Reformation (甲辰更張) (1)
The period when smallpox caused the greatest damage was the spring famine season. The main transmission routes for smallpox were respiratory exchange and skin contact between people.
Due to these characteristics, the period when smallpox primarily broke out was from autumn through the spring famine season. This was because as the weather grew cold, people would gather together as families in single rooms. However, the spread of smallpox was not particularly rapid during the depths of winter.
This was because the cold waves kept people from engaging in outdoor activities. And in autumn, since the harvest had ended and food was plentiful, even those infected with smallpox had higher survival rates. Though they might suffer sequelae such as pockmarks or various disabilities.
However, the spring famine season was fatal. As people roamed mountains and fields searching for food, smallpox spread rapidly across wide regions. Combined with malnutrition that weakened the body's resistance, the mortality rate would surge dramatically.
For these reasons, the court set as its goal to complete cowpox vaccinations before the spring famine season arrived.
* * *
While busy with preparations for cowpox vaccination for the people of Hanseong, the envoys who had gone to Ming returned.
The envoys who returned from Ming reported on the results of their mission.
"...Therefore, Ming will henceforth send only civil officials as envoys to Joseon. Here is the document issued by His Imperial Majesty."
"You have worked hard."
King Sejong, having verified the contents of the scroll presented by Chief State Councillor Ryu Jeong-hyeon, looked back at his ministers.
"It would be good to have this framed and hung in the banquet hall of Mohwaru (the predecessor of Mohwagwan)."
"A wise decision, Your Majesty."
At King Sejong's words, the ministers all expressed their agreement. No matter how arrogant an envoy might be, they could not behave presumptuously before the Emperor's handwritten document. If they did? It would be an act equivalent to placing a knife to their own necks.
"We've passed one major hurdle. What became of the trading post matter?"
"As expected, reaching an agreement on that part was not easy. To speak from the conclusion, we decided to establish a trading post in Shandong Province."
"Is that so?"
According to the Chief State Councillor's explanation, Joseon had wanted the area near Shanhaiguan as a prime candidate, while Ming had wanted somewhere near the Yalu River.
The problem was the security situation in the Liaodong region. Though Ming maintained defense and public order based on the Weisuo system, the Liaodong region was a place where not only the Jurchens but also bandits ran rampant. Therefore, the envoy missions always moved with a certain scale of military escort.
If a permanently operating trading post were established and many merchants gathered there, a sizable military force would surely be stationed to protect the trading post and escort the merchant caravans. This was where the problem arose.
Joseon did not want Ming troops permanently stationed near the Yalu River, and Ming did not want Joseon troops stationed in large numbers right before Shanhaiguan.
Consequently, Ming officials and Joseon envoys had to engage in fierce verbal battles.
The Chief State Councillor, reporting to King Sejong, spoke of a brief episode that occurred during these debates.
"While the situation was at a standstill, one of the Ming officials proposed a new suggestion."
"A new suggestion?"
"It was to create a market at the exact midpoint between Ming and our Joseon."
"Oh? And so? What happened?"
"From the next day onward, he was nowhere to be seen."
"Hahat!"
With this brief episode between them, Ming and Joseon continued going in circles. When both sides were exhausted from the debates, the Chief State Councillor put forward a new proposal.
"Then how about opening a port?"
"A port?"
"Yes."
At the Chief State Councillor's proposal, the Ming officials fell into thought. After some time passed, the Ming officials nodded.
"That is not a bad idea."
"It is worth considering."
Having reached agreement among themselves, the Ming officials asked the Joseon envoys a question.
"Do you have any suitable candidate locations in mind? We will submit it to His Imperial Majesty."
At the Ming officials' favorable response, the Chief State Councillor proposed an appropriate candidate location.
"How about Shandong?"
"Shandong?"
"Shandong..."
When the Chief State Councillor mentioned Shandong, the Ming officials stepped back and whispered among themselves.
The Ming officials, who had been whispering for quite a while, took one step back.
"We will submit this to His Imperial Majesty."
"We hope for a good answer."
Three days later, the Ming and Joseon officials gathered together once more.
"His Majesty has decided. He permits the establishment of a Joseon trading post in Shandong."
At the Ming official's words, the Joseon envoys including the Chief State Councillor answered with respectful bows.
"We are deeply grateful for His Majesty's grace."
With the Yongle Emperor's decision, matters proceeded swiftly.
"Let the trading post be named the Joseon Hall, and how about establishing its location on the old Silla Quarter site?"
"The Silla Quarter site..."
The Ming official pointed to the Silla Quarter's location on a map. Having confirmed the location on the map, the Chief State Councillor nodded.
"That place seems good."
After settling the location, the next issue that arose was the method of maintenance. To be precise, it was the matter of construction and maintenance costs for the trading post.
"How about paying a port entry fee?"
"We must cross the sea by ship. You must consider the risks involved."
Ming pushed to extract a bit more, while Joseon tried to give a bit less, continuing their tug-of-war.
Finally, after tedious back-and-forth, Ming and Joseon agreed to collect one percent of the transaction amount as customs duty from Ming and Joseon merchants trading goods at the Joseon Hall. In return, Ming agreed to construct all buildings to be established in the Joseon Hall.
"Not bad..."
King Sejong, calculating the gains and losses while listening to the Chief State Councillor's report, nodded. When King Sejong showed a positive response, the Chief State Councillor who had finished his report, as well as the ministers who had gone as envoys, all breathed sighs of relief.
"Very well. Then when can the Joseon Hall open?"
"We are anticipating next summer."
"Is that so? Hmm..."
After organizing his thoughts for a moment, King Sejong spoke.
"Let that matter pass as is... Did the accompanying merchants do well in their business?"
At King Sejong's question, the Chief State Councillor looked at the Minister of Taxation. The Minister of Taxation, receiving the Chief State Councillor's glance, promptly answered.
"They all made large profits. Even those who made the least gained three times their investment, and those who made large gains earned twenty times their investment."
"Twenty times? What did they sell?"
At the word 'twenty times,' not only King Sejong but also the eyes of the seated ministers grew wide simultaneously. At King Sejong's question filled with curiosity, the Minister of Taxation promptly answered.
"It was hundred-year-old wild ginseng."
"Ah..."
"If it's wild ginseng, that makes sense."
At the Minister of Taxation's answer, both King Sejong and the ministers nodded. Wild ginseng was the finest of fine medicines. It was something difficult to obtain even in Joseon, where one paid whatever price was asked.
"So how much did the Ministry of Taxation collect?"
At King Sejong's question, the Minister of Taxation answered immediately.
"It is four thousand nyang of pure silver."
"Four thousand nyang!"
"Gasp!"
At the Minister of Taxation's answer, King Sejong and the ministers were struck dumb. With pure silver or heavenly silver, one nyang (37.5g) could buy a sack of white rice (approximately 144kg) even in a famine year. And one sack of white rice was enough to feed an average commoner household for at least a month.
What surprised King Sejong and the ministers was that the amount of four thousand nyang was only one-tenth of the total net profit.
"Then the total profit is forty thousand nyang of pure silver?"
"Heoh~. From a single trade mission, four 'ten-thousand-seok' wealthy men have appeared."
"Four ten-thousand-seok men..."
The influence wielded by a 'ten-thousand-seok man' was enormous. A ten-thousand-seok man possessed influence that could sway not only the county where he resided but half of the entire province. It reached the point where the saying "When a ten-thousand-seok man moves, the Provincial Governor comes out to greet him barefoot" spread through the marketplace.
Of course, dozens of merchants had participated in the trade mission, and comparing them to ten-thousand-seok men who had accumulated wealth over decades was an excessive analogy. But at the very least, people possessing considerable wealth had appeared in large numbers.
And that from just a single trade mission.
"Crown Prince has arrived."
"Let him enter."
Hyang, who came to the Pyeonjeon (Private Hall) at King Sejong's summons, paid his respects to King Sejong.
"Did you call for me, Father?"
"Yes. I called you because I thought you should know. The amount collected from the merchants who accompanied this envoy mission is four thousand nyang of pure silver."
"Four thousand nyang is no small amount."
"You don't seem very surprised, Crown Prince?"
At Hyang's calm demeanor, King Sejong was rather surprised and asked a question. Not only King Sejong but all the ministers could not hide their surprise at Hyang's calm appearance.
"Is he simply bold? Or does he still not properly understand?"
"Well..."
While the ministers whispered among themselves, Hyang answered with an equally calm expression.
"Is it really something so surprising? The merchants also calculated that they could make large profits, and they participated because they had confidence. And those merchants who participated accordingly fulfilled their role—what is there to be surprised about?"
21st century. Hyang had lived in Korea, which maintained its position as a top-tier economic power in the world despite continuous precarious economic situations. Furthermore, though he had quit in the middle, Hyang had worked as a civil servant—and in the economic sector at that. To Hyang, for whom figures in the trillions were familiar, thousands—even converted to 21st century economic units, barely a few hundred million—did not bring much excitement.
"That is true indeed. Since they are quick-calculating merchants, they wouldn't have moved without the certainty of obtaining large profits."
At Hyang's answer, King Sejong nodded and showed understanding. While the ministers also nodded as if they understood, Hyang continued speaking.
"Now is the time to study how we can steadily obtain such benefits."
"So that's why we're creating a trading post?"
"What's important is not the existence of the trading post, but what goods to sell at the trading post. Minister of Taxation, what were the items Ming merchants most desired?"
"Overall, it was a situation where things sold out as soon as they were available, but the most sought-after item was gold thread, followed by medicines and medicinal ingredients."
At the answer that unexpected items had sold well, King Sejong showed interest.
"Medicinal ingredients?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Ming is a vast country. Surely Tang medicinal ingredients wouldn't be lacking?"
"They say there are too many counterfeit goods in circulation."
"My goodness. Counterfeits for goods where human lives are at stake."
At the Minister of Taxation's answer, King Sejong lamented, and the ministers shook their heads. Hyang, listening from the side, similarly shook his head.
'As expected, the land of counterfeits!'
"Putting medicinal ingredients aside, what medicine did they seek?"
"It was Uhwang Cheongsim Hwan. Again, because there were many counterfeits..."
"I see. Crown Prince..."
King Sejong, about to ask Hyang's opinion, stopped mid-sentence. It was because the Crown Prince's eyes were shining intensely.
"You seem to have a good idea."
"Please gather the herb gatherers and simmani! I believe we can greatly improve the people's health while also substantially increasing the nation's fiscal revenue!"
"Herb gatherers and simmani?"
At Hyang's answer, King Sejong thought for a moment then immediately grasped the point.
"Wait... Crown Prince, are you planning to cultivate medicinal herbs?"
"Exactly!"
'As expected, King Sejong! He understands immediately!'
With a face full of delight, Hyang bowed deeply. Unlike the delighted Crown Prince, the ministers all wore expressions of incomprehension. The only one who seemed to understand was the Minister of Taxation.
"Crown Prince, explain in more detail."
"Yes, Father."
As soon as King Sejong's command fell, Hyang immediately began his explanation.
-Medicinal herbs and wild ginseng are mainly supplied by herb gatherers and simmani who dig them up. A problem arises in this process: the supply is not consistent. In particular, there's even a saying that wild ginseng that has grown for fifty years or more cannot be dug more than one root in a lifetime unless the mountain spirit designates it.
-However, if we investigate thoroughly, there must be soil and conditions where medicinal herbs grow well, and experienced herb gatherers would know this well.
-Therefore, if we identify those characteristics and artificially create such an environment to cultivate them, we can supply them stably, and if that happens, the price of medicinal ingredients will also drop, making it much easier for the people to obtain medicinal ingredients.
"...Furthermore, we will secure goods that we can continue to sell to Ming as well."
As soon as Hyang's explanation ended, the ministers all nodded.
"Crown Prince's opinion seems truly excellent."
Starting with the Chief State Councillor, the ministers expressed their agreement. Having seen with their own eyes the result of enormous wealth entering the country, they had no reason to oppose.
Up to this point, things were good. Then the Minister of Taxation dropped a bomb. Though it was not at all his intention.
< Episode 23: Gapchin Reformation (甲辰更張) (1) > End
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