< Chapter 27: Gapchin Reform (5) >
While Sejong and Hyang were enjoying their lunch together, the great and small officials were moving busily, forgetting even their midday meal.
"Writing tools! Writing tools!"
The officials who had returned to their respective offices hurriedly dipped their golden brushes in ink and began writing on paper.
"What did he say again?"
"Damn it! There's too much to write down!"
Those who had taken the announcement of a nine-year-old lightly now searched their memories, transcribing what Hyang had said.
While officials from the State Council and the Six Ministries struggled with paper before them, there were some who surprisingly had leisure. One such group with leisure was the military officials.
"Say, Commander Seong. Could you understand what the Crown Prince said?"
"If I had understood those words, would I still be a Byeoljeol Commandant?"
"Kuk! That's true."
Those smiling bitterly were ones who had risen through the military examination. Though Sejong had added a classics section to the military examination immediately after ascending the throne, there were still many who were closer to ruffians in official robes.
Another group was the officials from the Ministry of Taxation. Thanks to bringing writing tools from when they first gathered, the Ministry of Taxation officials could summarize key points whenever needed. Thanks to this, when break time came, the Ministry of Taxation officials could leisurely enjoy their lunch.
* * *
Hyang's announcement, longer than expected, ended as the evening sunset was fading.
Having finished the announcement, Hyang looked at Sejong and the ministers.
"Are there any questions?"
"..."
Not a single official opened their mouth immediately at Hyang's question. Since no one spoke even after waiting a moment, Hyang put a period to it.
"Then I will conclude my policy statement announcement here."
Having finished speaking, Hyang respectfully bowed to Sejong, who was seated above him.
"You worked hard. Let's have dinner together shortly."
"Yes, Father."
Sejong, looking at Hyang with an expression that couldn't hide his pride, turned to the ministers.
"Let us end here for today. You have all worked hard."
At Sejong's words announcing the conclusion, all the officials rose from their seats and respectfully bowed.
When Sejong and Hyang exited Geunjeongjeon Hall, the ministers also began to leave.
Starting with the high-ranking officials, the faces of ministers coming out of Geunjeongjeon Hall were more serious than ever before. If there was a difference, it was that while the high-ranking officials only carried writing tools, the ministers from lower-ranking to mid-ranking officials also carried chairs in their other hands.
"Prime Minister, what do you think?"
"What do I think? I'll freeze to death!"
In response to the Left State Councillor's question, the Chief State Councillor answered irritably.
"I must write a memorial immediately! The Crown Prince packaged it with fine words like 'Hongik Ingan,' but he is ignoring traditional values! Not only that, in establishing laws, he intends to follow the teachings of the Legalist school rather than the Confucian school, so I cannot help but lament!"
The Chief State Councillor, shouting loudly, walked briskly toward the State Council building.
Similar reactions were coming from the remonstrance officials of the Office of the Inspector General as well.
"We must write a memorial immediately!"
"Indeed!"
"The Crown Prince's words may seem correct at first glance, but they follow the hegemonic way of the Legalist school! This follows the oppression of Qin Shi Huang, so we must definitely block it!"
Amidst various opposing words flying about chaotically, the intensity of the rhetoric grew stronger.
"If necessary, we must even consider replacing the Crown Prince!"
"Wait! Isn't that too extreme?"
"What's too extreme? Isn't the current King also not originally the Crown Prince!"
"Shh!"
The colleague who covered the mouth of the remonstrance official who made the problematic statement looked around and gave a warning.
"Hey! Watch your words! Do you think you have iron armor around your neck?"
"Why? Did I say something wrong? A mere nine-year-old is saying things he shouldn't be saying! This means we must impeach the guest scholars of the Crown Prince's Tutorial Office who didn't teach him properly, and also point out that His Majesty has faults! Education should be strict by nature, yet they only praise him saying he's doing well, which is why such terrible things are happening!"
"Then just say education needs to be strengthened, going as far as replacing the Crown Prince is..."
"Look at the current situation! Even if we try to correct him, things have already gone completely awry! For the sake of benevolent governance, immediate replacement would be better!"
"Good grief! I told you your voice is too loud!"
The colleague warned the remonstrance official whose voice was growing loud again while looking around. However, the young censors from the nearby Office of the Inspector General and Office of the Censor General pretended not to notice.
But the warning remonstrance official knew well. Even though they seemed to tacitly agree by pretending not to know now, when crisis actually struck, there would be more than one or two who would come forward to report.
Meanwhile, unlike those raising their voices like that, there were also quite a few officials who actively agreed with the Crown Prince's opinion.
"Heh! My insides feel refreshed for the first time in a while!"
"I agree! After only hearing words that chase clouds, hearing something realistic and worth considering makes me feel like my ears have been washed clean. Hahaha!"
"Loyalty and filial piety are important, but there is something that must be protected first to maintain them, and that is trust between the state and the people! My, that was truly a famous saying!"
"Did you see His Majesty's expression? He looked like he would adopt it as policy right this instant."
"Since the Crown Prince is so brilliant and His Majesty is wise, this is our Joseon's great fortune!"
The officials continuing to praise Hyang and Sejong were mostly practical administrators from the Six Ministries, led by the Ministry of Taxation and the Ministry of Personnel. For the practical administrators who suffered from budget securing and all sorts of administrative problems, what Hyang pointed out and the related countermeasures, along with Sejong's favorable response, was like cool water piercing through their stifled chests. While the Six Ministries' officials were showing favorable reactions to Hyang and Sejong, the voices of the censors from the Office of the Inspector General and Office of the Censor General reached their ears.
"Those damned bastards!"
"Hey! Patience!"
The Six Ministries' officials who heard the censors' remarks cursed without exception. Some with hasty temperaments rolled up their sleeves trying to grab collars, and nearby colleagues blocked and restrained them. At such commotion, the officials from the Office of the Censor General and Office of the Inspector General also stopped walking, and the two sides glared at each other.
"False gentlemen who cling to power!"
"False gentlemen who only have alive mouths!"
The officials, disparaging each other as false gentlemen and exchanging curses while facing off, soon spat phlegm on the ground and turned their backs.
"Hack~. Ptui! Let's go! Talking with such false gentlemen will only dirty our ears!"
"Hack~, ptui! Who says I will! Let's go!"
Thus turning their backs, the officials shouted to their colleagues.
"Let's write memorials! Memorials are the only answer!"
"Indeed!"
Thus the 'Policy Statement Controversy' that would leave the unofficial history record 'raised the price of paper in Hanseong' came to occur.
* * *
Whether knowing or not knowing that such commotion was occurring among the officials, Sejong and Hyang were enjoying dinner together in harmony.
"Today's announcement was very good."
"Thank you."
"Though it's the policy statement of a mere nine-year-old, even I missed many things. There were truly many policies I wanted to adopt and implement immediately."
"Thank you. However, to be honest, if you were to implement them right now, they would be policies that are unreasonable."
At Hyang's point, Sejong nodded and opened his mouth.
"Because of the budget?"
"That's right. To be honest... though it is presumptuous, I believe it would be good to postpone the circulation of copper coins you plan to implement next year."
"Is it because of the payment guarantee issue you mentioned earlier?"
"That is correct."
"If it's that problem, couldn't we just start with the finances that are secured first?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang put down his spoon and opened his mouth.
"If that happens, all the issued copper coins will enter the storehouses of the local magnates and be buried, and the people who actually need them will continue to trade with rice and cloth."
"The issued copper coins will enter the storehouses of local magnates? Why?"
"It's simple. No matter how well you store rice and cloth, it's hard to last more than five years. But copper coins are different, aren't they? The volume is also small."
At Hyang's answer, Sejong nodded with his arms crossed.
"Hmm... I see. Then how should we solve this?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang looked at the historians and scribes seated to one side, then leaned his body toward Sejong and whispered quietly.
"In my mind, we should spend 10 years, or at least 5 years if short, to prepare firmly, and then strike all at once. Like waging war, no, it is war."
As Hyang leaned forward, Sejong also leaned forward and asked again in a small voice at Hyang's answer.
"War?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang answered in an even smaller voice.
"It is war. A war to determine whether the state becomes the subject moving this Joseon, or the local magnates who have been coiling in the regions since the ancient Three Han era. Only by winning this war will Joseon truly establish itself as Your Majesty's state."
"I see."
Clatter! Crash!
While nodding at Hyang's answer, Sejong straightened his body at the sudden noise and looked at where the sound came from.
The noise came from where the historians and scribes were. As the father and son Sejong conversed in small voices, the historians and scribes who had stretched and leaned their bodies as much as possible to hear had fallen over, causing the commotion.
"Really... if you're tired, you should switch with others, what kind of unsightliness is this?"
At Sejong's rebuke, the historians and scribes immediately bowed their heads.
"We are mortified!"
"Though we are mortified, could you let us know what conversation you two shared? We must record it..."
"It is a private conversation between father and son. Do not concern yourselves with it."
"...Yes."
Though he said that, the historians added the following sentence:
- The historian says: In discussing the policies of a nation, there should be no hiding. However, today His Majesty and the Crown Prince hid much in discussing the critical matter of currency operation, which is not right.
After that small commotion passed, the chief eunuch entered and conveyed the ministers' reactions.
Having heard the chief eunuch's story, Sejong put down his spoon as if he had lost his appetite.
"You've worked hard. Crown Prince, have you finished eating?"
"Yes."
At Hyang's answer, Sejong pushed the table forward.
"Then clear the tables. And bring out the tea tray."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After the eunuchs entered and cleared Sejong and Hyang's tables, Sejong and Hyang sat facing each other with teacups between them and conversed.
"Starting tomorrow, memorials will pour down like rain."
His Majesty the Chief Royal Secretary will have some hardship."
"I should send some royal food to the Royal Secretariat."
"That is a wise decision."
The father and son, having expressed condolences in advance to the Royal Secretariat officials who would suffer from the pouring memorials, continued their conversation.
"Father, could you tell me how the smallpox vaccination for Hanseong residents is progressing?"
"The palace has already finished all vaccinations, and preparations for residents living in Hanseong are also already complete. In three days it will be New Year's Day, so we will start vaccinations from the third day of the first month."
"I only hope that many people will escape smallpox through vaccination."
"I also have the same mind as you, Crown Prince. If we only block smallpox, you will have achieved a great merit."
"What great thing have I done? Everything is Your Majesty's decision. I have no merit to gain."
"You rascal."
At Hyang's answer, Sejong looked at Hyang as if he was admirable.
'If the smallpox vaccination brings the results I thought of, no one will be able to stop you. No, even if someone tries to stop you, I will remove them all! Because that is the work for me and this Joseon to rise greatly!'
Sejong looked at Hyang, making a firm determination in his heart.
'Crown Prince! You will become my finest treasured sword! Let us become the foundation stone together for the rise of this Joseon!'
Suddenly, Hyang felt an inexplicable chill wrap around his body.
'What is this? This uneasy feeling?'
< Chapter 27: Gapchin Reform (5) > End
ⓒ Gukppong