Chapter 52: Rejoicing in Fandom, Weeping in Fandom. (17)
"Oh! It moves!"
Sejong clapped his hands in delight at the sight of the train moving.
Watching the scene with a proud expression, Hyang spoke.
"This is the land transportation using the steam engine that I have envisioned. If the research succeeds, one could travel from Hanseong to Busan in a single day. No, one could travel from the southernmost tip to the northernmost tip of this Joseon within a day. If that comes to pass..."
When Hyang stopped speaking, the attention of Sejong and the ministers focused on him. Bearing the gazes of Sejong and the ministers all at once, Hyang delivered his conclusion.
"If that comes to pass, the pulse of Joseon, which has stopped, will beat again."
"The pulse of Joseon will beat again?"
"Yes, exactly. Examining the current situation, Joseon's pulse has stopped. There is almost no movement of goods, and the people cannot escape the land where they were born; they live and die on that same land.
As a result, unless it is a fairly major event, they do not know what is happening outside and live unchanged lives.
Then who benefits the most? Only the landlords who dominate those villages benefit. Is that not the case even now? Why did Your Majesty prohibit commoners' complaints? Even though there are as many losses as gains."
When Hyang mentioned the 'Prohibition of Commoners' Complaints Law,' the faces of Sejong and the ministers stiffened.
Joseon strengthened centralization from the very founding of the nation. In that process, clashes between local indigenous forces and officials sent from the central government were inevitable.
When such clashes occurred, it was a natural sequence for petitions to pour in like water. There were more than a few occasions when petition documents, submitted individually or jointly by local scholars registered in the Hyangso of the problematic districts, filled Sejong's desk.
Ultimately, Sejong made a decision.
"The sages said that the ruler and the teacher are one! Local officials are those who went out to carry out my will on my behalf! Just as it is not proper for a child to criticize their parents, criticizing them is also not proper!"
Citing the classics, Sejong created the law prohibiting commoners' complaints, and this was implemented with the agreement of King Taejong, who was then the Retired King.
However, the Crown Prince's remark about 'gains and losses' implied that there were problems with the 'Prohibition of Commoners' Complaints Law.'
"Does the Crown Prince believe that prohibiting commoners' complaints was not right?"
"Under the current circumstances, blocking commoners' complaints was an unavoidable choice. However, as time passes, those who will use this to satisfy their own greed will emerge. Is Your Majesty not also conducting reforms to prevent that?"
"That is true."
"I believe that all things in this world have a beginning and an end. Humans have lifespans, so how can laws not have lifespans?"
"That is indeed true."
At Hyang's words, Sejong nodded. Hyang continued speaking while looking at Heo Jo, the Minister of Personnel, standing behind Sejong.
"I believe what is important about a law is not its content, but the principle it expresses. Your Majesty prohibited commoners' complaints because you wished for Your Majesty's will to be properly extended even to those remote mountain villages, so once the reforms are completed, won't it become unnecessary?"
"That is true."
Sejong nodded repeatedly, and Heo Jo, known as a strict principleist, also nodded.
When Hyang first came to know Heo Jo, it was when Heo Jo moved from the Prime Minister's faction to Sejong's faction. Expecting that if a purge occurred, he would be swept away along with the Prime Minister, Hyang had tilted his head at Heo Jo's change of course.
"A principleist? Why does he waver like this?"
As time passed and Hyang compiled rumors coming through various channels, he revised his evaluation of Heo Jo.
"This gentleman was a royalist faithful to the ideology of supporting the king. How precarious..."
Adjusting his evaluation of Heo Jo, Hyang blurred his words.
'If problems arise with the Avengers later, this will be a card I can use.'
Having thus passed one hurdle regarding the 'Prohibition of Commoners' Complaints Law,' Hyang continued his explanation.
"To show how blocked Joseon's roads are now, even if there is a village famous for apples and pears, it is hard to see them if you go just over one mountain, and if you go over two mountains, it reaches a point where it would be fine to say 'I heard there is such a thing.'"
'Tsk! I want to eat Ancho's dried mackerel... Argh! I went off track again!'
Hurriedly organizing his thoughts, Hyang continued.
"However, if we lay rails like this and run trains, we can move many people and goods at once, so Joseon, stagnant like a pond, will flow mightily like the Han River."
"Hmm..."
After Hyang's explanation ended, Sejong stroked his beard and fell into deep thought.
"Lord Jeong."
While Sejong was pondering, Hwang Hee called out to Jeong Cho in a small voice.
"What is it, Lord Hwang?"
When Jeong Cho asked the reason, Hwang Hee pointed at the model locomotive and trains with the tip of his chin and asked.
"Will such toy-like things actually have utility?"
At Hwang Hee's words, Jeong Cho smiled scoffingly and responded.
"Does Lord Hwang see that as merely His Highness's amusement?"
"No, I am simply curious whether it will actually have utility."
"Do you see the chunks of iron placed on the carts being pulled behind?"
"I see them."
"All together, that is 10 geun (6kg). The toy Lord Hwang mentioned is moving while pulling 15 geun including the weight of the carts. Do you get the sense?"
At Jeong Cho's words, Hwang Hee closed his mouth. The same was true for the other ministers nearby.
Meanwhile, Sejong, who had been repeatedly pondering, threw a question at Hyang.
"It is a well-known fact from the previous dynasty that our Joseon's roads are in terrible condition. Therefore, both the previous dynasty and our Joseon primarily use ships to transport goods. Will that railroad have the capacity to replace that?"
"It will require a lot of wealth during the construction process, but as time passes, the wealth invested, and more, can be sufficiently recovered. And regarding water transport, a significant amount is lost every year when transporting tax grain collected from the Three Southern Provinces (Chungcheong, Jeolla, Gyeongsang) by ship. The amount of tax grain that disappears every year due to reasons such as ships sinking in storms or running aground on rocks is usually about one-tenth of the amount that comes in a year. No, isn't the situation such that losing only one-tenth is considered successful?"
"That is true."
"Would that be true?"
"Hm?"
At Hyang's question, Sejong and the ministers' ears perked up. Hyang continued speaking while looking at Sejong and the ministers.
"The sailors of the transport ships moving tax grain are experienced people. Would such people not know the signs of a storm? Or would they not know the locations of rocks on a route they travel repeatedly? It is simply passed over because there is no certain evidence, is it not?"
"That is true..."
At Hyang's point, Sejong and the ministers nodded. As Hyang pointed out, most of the tax grain collected from the Three Southern Provinces was transported to Hanseong via transport ships. In that process, the amount of tax grain disappearing due to various accidents was quite large. The court had also established various measures to prevent such losses, but no optimal solution had emerged. Once a ship went out to sea, communication was impossible until it arrived.
'No! In an era where even Cheonan and Wonju are called part of the capital region! Becoming incommunicado just by crossing the Han River makes no sense! A country with land as small as a palm!'
Hyang persistently laid out the advantages of the railway.
"It is not only useful for the movement of people and goods. It is also very advantageous for communication."
At Hyang's words, Sejong stroked his beard and nodded.
"'Advantageous for communication.'... Indeed that would be so. If, as you say, one can arrive from the southern or northern tip to Hanseong within a day, we would be able to receive urgent reports more quickly. Then we would be able to respond more quickly and accurately."
"That is so. Of course!"
Seeing Hwang Hee and other ministers about to speak, Hyang raised his voice. As Hyang's voice grew louder, the mouths of the ministers who were about to say something closed tightly. Having blocked the ministers' mouths, Hyang continued.
"Of course, even now there are beacon mounds to signal urgent reports with beacon fires. However, beacon fires can only inform about matters related to national defense. And even then, one can only know that something has happened in a certain direction, and to learn detailed information, one must wait for a report to arrive. If mishandled, one might miss an important moment while waiting for the report."
"... That is true."
At Hyang's point, the ministers nodded. Hyang continued.
"Urgent reports are not limited to war. There are also epidemics, floods, and droughts. If we can receive news quickly whenever such disasters occur, would we not be able to respond with a bit more leeway?"
"That is true."
The ministers also increasingly leaned toward the railway being useful. Hyang called Jeong Cho.
"Deputy Director, present the plan to His Majesty."
"Yes, Your Highness."
At Hyang's command, Jeong Cho, together with Jeong In-ji, brought out a pile of thick books and placed them on the table where the railway model was located.
"What is this? Hmm... 'National Territory Comprehensive Development Plan?'"
"It is a policy proposal to strengthen Joseon's capabilities based on Joseon's geography and economic situation, population distribution, and underground resource distribution reported by the Resource Bureau, surveyed while traveling around the country to observe astronomy. I wrote it hoping it would be of some help to Your Majesty's reforms."
Sejong counted the number of books Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji had placed.
"One, two, three...... forty-two. That doesn't quite match the word 'a little'?"
"It is a little."
"Hmm..."
At Hyang's answer, Sejong opened a book and sighed.
"Hoo~."
Inside the book, sentences written in small letters were densely packed. Reading through the densely written sentences, Sejong grumbled quietly.
"I come to hate metal pens at times like this."
The reason officials preferred metal pens over brushes was because they could write smaller letters. While brushes could also write small letters using fine-pointed brushes, metal pens could write much smaller letters than that. Thanks to this, paper consumption was reduced compared to before, which was good, but for the ministers whose eyesight was gradually declining, it was an ordeal. Because of this, Sejong had to specify the minimum size for letters to be written in official documents.
Having briefly examined the contents of the book placed on top, Sejong handed the book to Hwang Hee.
"I believe it is sufficiently worth reviewing. Examine it together with the ministers."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After passing the books to Hwang Hee and the ministers, Sejong surveyed the interior of the room where the railway model was placed. This was because his attention had been focused on the railway model that caught his eye as soon as he opened the door and entered, leaving no leisure to examine the surroundings.
"There are many maps?"
"Yes. They are maps of Joseon created based on the world map from Zheng He's navigation records and surveys conducted by researchers who went out for astronomical measurements to revise the calendar."
"Hmm..."
Sejong, who had been examining the map of Joseon hanging on the wall, turned to look at Hyang.
"It is much more precise than the old maps."
"Thanks to the researchers' efforts."
"Your hard work is visible. You all come and see as well."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As soon as Sejong's command fell, the ministers approached and began to examine the maps. The one showing the deepest interest was Jo Mal-saeng. Having examined the maps, he requested to Sejong.
"Your Majesty, what the military needs most are precise maps. Now that the military system has been reformed and talents have gathered, there are many deficiencies in carrying out their intentions, and maps are among them. Please give these maps to the military."
"The Minister of War has spoken truly well. Crown Prince, hand over these maps to the military as well."
"I will follow your command. However, since these are not yet proper completed versions, will that be acceptable?"
"Not completed versions?"
"It has only been seven months since the research institute was established. With people also insufficient, proper results cannot come out."
"People are insufficient?"
When Sejong was pondering, Jeong Cho spoke earnestly.
"The shortage of talent is truly a serious problem. Even now, the officials of the research institute, including myself, cannot even go home properly."
"To that extent?"
At Sejong's words, Jeong Cho nodded with a face that looked almost ready to cry.
"As Your Majesty sees, the tasks we have undertaken are not just one or two. There is much work and few people, so how could we be at ease?"
"Can't we just gather more people?"
At Sejong's question, Jeong Cho answered while choking up.
"The word has spread that the work is hard, so people don't want to come. At first, I brought them by promising to raise their ranks, but every time the number of people increased, His Highness increased the work as well... As Your Majesty can see, it has only been a little over half a year since the research institute was created, yet we have made that many instruments and carried out that many tasks. And there is not a single easy task among those tasks."
Recalling the hardships of that time, Jeong Cho could not properly continue his words with tears welling up in his eyes.
At the old official's wretched appearance, Sejong glared at Hyang. Receiving Sejong's sharp gaze, Hyang lightly stuck out his tongue and acted charming.
"Heh!"