< Chapter 30: Gapjin Reform (8) >
Chapter 30: Gapjin Reform (8)
From the next day, memorials began flooding in to Sejong again. While many agreed with the Crown Prince's opinion, the opposition forces led by the Chief State Councillor and Chief Censor were also formidable.
- The Crown Prince's opinion appears good at first glance, but it is truly a dangerous notion. According to the Crown Prince's view, if the goal is good, one need not consider the rightness or wrongness of the means. This is a very dangerous way of thinking. As the purpose must be just, so too must the means be just.
Thus began a fierce debate between the Greater Scholar Faction, which agreed with the 'Theory of Many Vessels' advocated by Hyang, and the Lesser Scholar Faction, which agreed with the 'Theory of One Vessel' upheld by orthodox Neo-Confucian scholars who claimed only Neo-Confucianism was correct.
This debate that began thus intensified with the implementation of the 'Reform' decided by Sejong, and throughout Sejong's 6th year, the Gapjin year, countless memorials, resignations, and dismissals continued in succession. And it became the beginning of what would be called the Gapjin Controversy, where Joseon's literati split into two and waged fierce battle.
* * *
The story of Hyang's presentation of his views and the debate between conservative officials and Hyang that followed soon spread to those living in Hanyang, and subsequently triggered a chain reaction.
The victims of this chain reaction were the sons of prestigious families.
"By the time our grandson enters government service, the Crown Prince will have either inherited the throne or certainly hold real power. Given the Crown Prince's inclinations, one cannot take on important duties by simply faithfully learning the Confucian classics alone. Therefore, from now on, he must faithfully learn not only the Confucian classics but also the Hundred Schools of Thought."
"Yes, Father."
"This applies to you as well. Where do you think the Crown Prince's disposition comes from? For the survival of our family, you too must apply yourself."
"...Yes, Father."
In the homes of officials and literati families who examined the flow of events and sought their family's prosperity, they began researching not only Neo-Confucianism but also the Hundred Schools of Thought.
Meanwhile, the families of the anti-Crown Prince faction were not idle either.
"We cannot simply stand by and watch His Majesty and the Crown Prince head down the wrong path! To make His Majesty and the Crown Prince return to the right path, thorough logical refutation is the only answer! You must thoroughly delve into the Hundred Schools of Thought to discover their weaknesses!"
"Yes, Father."
"Why is our grandson silent? The Crown Prince is the same age as you, so when you enter service will be when the Crown Prince steps forward. If you don't start working hard now, you will bring shame upon our family!"
"Your grandson is already working hard..."
"So this fellow who claims to work hard is only now grasping the Analects! Son! Bring the switch immediately!"
"Father, please calm your anger..."
"I said bring it!"
Thanks to that monster Hyang, the calves of boys in literati families within the capital never had a peaceful day.
* * *
Around the same time, Hyang was replaying the recent debate in his mind.
"Spouting everything I wanted to say cleared my chest, and the feeling that even my Father has taken my side was good, but..."
Hyang trailed off with a tired face. According to the eunuchs of the Eastern Palace, memorials showing favor to Hyang's views and those expressing opposition from officials were lining up. The quantity was so great that among the Secretaries of the Royal Secretariat, officials were collapsing from overwork one after another, to the point where Sejong specially bestowed royal food and tonic medicine.
Hyang, who had been thinking with blank paper before him, burst into a hollow laugh.
"I guess it's fortunate I reincarnated in early Joseon? If I had reincarnated in late Joseon and spouted off like this, I would have immediately been called a 'traitor to scholarship,' and deposing the Crown Prince would be the baseline, or if things went wrong, I'd end up in a wooden cask. Anyway, is it fortunate that there are officials supporting me this time?"
Pausing his words, Hyang tapped his finger on the desk and looked toward Geunjeongjeon Hall.
"Soon the cowpox inoculation begins. If good results come from the cowpox inoculation, the scales will tip in my favor..."
Trailing off, Hyang turned his gaze to the ceiling and sighed.
"Haa~. Do my best and await heaven's will?"
* * *
Sejong Year 6. Gapjin Year, the third day of the first lunar month.
"Begin!"
"Yes!"
As the Minister of Personnel's command fell, the many medical officials and female physicians who had been waiting, and simultaneously the officials who would conduct population surveys, and the soldiers who would guard them against any unforeseen circumstances, left the palace gates and scattered in pairs in all directions.
"By royal command!"
At the cry of "By royal command!" heard outside the brushwood gate, an entire family in a thatched house rushed out and knelt. Seeing the family kneeling with bewildered expressions, not knowing what was happening, the official explained the reason.
"By order of His Majesty, we will conduct inoculation to prevent smallpox! Everyone, line up! Men go before the medical official here, and women all line up before the female physician over there!"
"Pardon? You say prevent smallpox?"
"Did I not say so? Line up quickly. Ah! Have you ever had smallpox before?"
"No, sir."
"Then line up!"
"But, we have no rice or cotton cloth to pay."
At the head of household's answer, the official replied immediately.
"It is free."
"Is that really true?"
"You rascal! How dare you doubt a royal command!"
At the official's shout, the head of household bowed deeply until his head touched the ground, then gestured to his family.
"No, sir! Quickly, line up! Hurry!"
Following the head of household's command, the family members lined up divided by gender.
"Have you ever had smallpox before?"
"No, sir."
"What about other family members?"
"None of us have ever had smallpox."
"I see. Then unbutton your jacket."
Thus the inoculation proceeded. Men received cowpox inoculation on their shoulders in the courtyard, while women removed their jackets behind screens set up on one side. The official standing nearby unfolded his writing board and recorded personal details.
"By the King's command, we receive an injection to prevent smallpox! And it's free!"
As rumors about the cowpox inoculation spread, Hanyang was greatly astir.
"When will they come to our house?"
"They said to prepare in advance because for about five to ten days there will be fever and blisters will form on the shoulder, right? And not to burst the blisters?"
In households where no one had suffered from smallpox, adults stood outside their gates pacing, waiting for the medical teams whose arrival time was uncertain, while households that had already received inoculation were busily moving about preparing cold water and clean towels.
"Thank you for your hard work!"
"Not at all."
"We haven't prepared much, but please at least have a bite to eat before you go."
Those who visited literati or well-off families received generous hospitality after the inoculation was complete. When well-prepared food and alcohol came out, those receiving hospitality enjoyed their meals with smiles.
"Here, have a drink."
When the head of the house offered a wine cup, the official in charge of the group politely bowed and spoke.
"We are grateful for your kindness, but as we are currently performing official duties, we cannot touch alcohol."
"Is that so..."
It wasn't only the wealthy who treated the medical teams with alcohol and food. In neighborhoods where many poor people lived, they gathered grain and food through collective effort and treated the medical teams.
"You likely don't have much to eat yourselves, are you sure about this?"
"If we lack food, we can eat sparingly, but isn't smallpox different? It's cheap for the price of a life."
"Heoh..."
The officials who heard the people's answers sighed. Most of the young officials who had just entered government service pounded their chests, their hearts heavy at the people's words.
"With things like this! What exactly is wrong with the Crown Prince's words?"
* * *
Not all residents of Hanyang welcomed the cowpox inoculation. A significant number of physicians submitted a joint memorial.
"...Generally, examining examples from ancient and modern times, there has never been a case where human diseases and animal diseases were the same. Yet what is this bizarre method of using cow's pus to treat human smallpox? How is this different from summoning a shaman who believes in strange forces and chaotic spirits to perform a ritual? Bah!"
Sejong, angered while reading the memorial, threw it down and shouted at the ministers.
"Do these people even know what they are saying when they spout such nonsense? A physician's proper duty is to save people's lives and keep them disease-free. Physicians are supposed to constantly research symptoms, develop new techniques, and seek medicinal ingredients to devise treatments, yet what? Bizarre? Shamans who believe in strange forces? Can these people even be called physicians! Sangseon! Tell the Mayor of Hanseong immediately to arrest these fellows!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
By the angry command of Sejong, the physicians who had submitted the joint memorial were all imprisoned.
"We have been wronged!"
"We are innocent!"
The imprisoned physicians cried out their injustice, but Sejong did not forgive them.
"Administer 20 strokes of the rod to all the criminals!"
By Sejong's command, the physicians who had submitted the joint memorial were all released only after receiving 20 strokes of the rod each.
While such commotion was taking place, the cowpox inoculation and population survey of residents living in Hanyang were completed.
"...Thus, after tallying everything, it has been confirmed that a total of 103,328 people, including commoners and lowborn, reside within the Four Great Gates of the capital."
"You have worked hard."
While Sejong was commending the report from the Minister of Personnel and the Minister of Taxation, the Chief Royal Secretary entered carrying a tray full of memorials.
"The Crown Prince has been quiet these past few days, what memorials are these?"
"These are not related to His Highness the Crown Prince, but memorials regarding cowpox inoculation. They are memorials requesting that cowpox inoculation be performed in their districts as well."
"Is that so?"
At the Chief Royal Secretary's words, Sejong quickly untied the strings binding the scrolls. As he read through the contents written in the memorials, Sejong unconsciously let out a sigh.
"Heoh~."
The contents of the memorials written by local leaders and physicians from various regions of the Eight Provinces of Joseon were earnest.
- The work of protecting the people from smallpox must be carried out swiftly.
- There are already several successful cases, so there is no reason to experiment again. This only wastes time.
- This is a matter of giving even a thread-thin hope to the people, so it must proceed without delay.
- If this is due to a shortage of cows, we will spend our wealth to procure all cows within a hundred li in all directions and offer them as tribute. No treasure is more precious than human life.
"Ministers, please read these as well."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Following Sejong's command, the ministers took turns reading the memorials.
"What do you think should be done?"
Though it was a question with an obvious answer, none of the ministers answered immediately. Even the Minister of Personnel and Minister of Taxation, known to all as the pro-Crown Prince faction, only watched for others' reactions.
Sejong was angry, but he could understand. The memorials submitted were only a tiny fraction compared to the number of local leaders residing throughout the Eight Provinces of Joseon. Considering the costs required for cowpox inoculation and the tasks to be executed simultaneously, there would certainly be considerable resistance. And such resistance could lead to resistance against royal authority, and would likely proceed to impeachment of ministers as scapegoats.
"Call the Crown Prince..."
Sejong was about to call for Hyang but soon stopped. Given Hyang's personality, he would immediately advocate for nationwide inoculation without considering rights or wrongs. However, if resistance to cowpox inoculation turned into political movement, this could become a major stain on Hyang's reputation.
In the end, Sejong had no choice but to retreat a step.
"Let us take a bit more time to think about this matter."
"...Yes, Your Majesty."
It was an uncomfortable conclusion for both Sejong and the ministers.
* * *
While Sejong and the ministers were worrying about a clear answer regarding the nationwide implementation of cowpox inoculation, there were people cautiously exchanging words at a large merchant guild on Unjong Street.
"...So, what did His Highness the Crown Prince do?"
"They say he submitted a memorial advocating for immediate implementation, but it was not accepted."
"He must be greatly disappointed."
"I heard he is writing memorials every day."
"Heoh~."
The old man sitting in the seat of honor listening to the report sighed and fell into thought. After repeated deliberation, the old man finally made his decision.
"I suppose we'll need to spend some wealth."
< Chapter 30: Gapjin Reform (8) > End
ⓒ Gukbbong