Chapter 63: Variables (2)
While an uproar broke out over the search for the princess's consort, the royal court was also in turmoil. The cause of the commotion was the 'Candy Monopoly.'
"The decision to monopolize candy has been reached, but what would be the best method to implement it?"
In response to Sejong's question, the ministers immediately offered their answers.
"We believe it would be best to transfer retail rights to suitable merchants."
Following this, the ministers argued back and forth—Song merchants were better, no, Gyeonggang merchants were better. To Sejong's ears, this sounded like: 'I took bribes from Song merchants,' 'I took bribes from Gyeonggang merchants.'
Sejong's face grew increasingly fierce as he quietly watched the ministers debate. Finally, Sejong struck the document on his desk with his fist and shouted.
"Gal!"
At Sejong's shout, the debating ministers fell silent and immediately bowed low.
Over the heads of such ministers, Sejong's rebuke continued.
"Are you ministers properly listening to my words and actually thinking? It has been only a few days since I declared the implementation of Gyeongjang and spoke of the policy measures for it and the preparations needed!"
"We are mortified!"
"Look back at the answers you ministers gave to my question just now! Are your answers truly for the sake of Gyeongjang? Or are they answers for the gifts that will come to your homes? Are they answers for this Joseon? Or are they answers for your own storehouses?"
At Sejong's rebuke, the ministers all prostrated themselves and knocked their heads on the floor.
"Please kill us!"
"Please kill us!"
The ministers who had been crying out 'kill us' together began to break into cold sweat at Sejong's following words.
"You say kill you, kill you... I will see how this policy is made, and based on the results, I will decide whether to grant your wish or not."
"Gasp!"
Startled by Sejong's warning, the ministers all raised their voices in unison.
"We will do our utmost!"
"We will devote our very lives!"
Watching the ministers answering while trembling, Sejong glared at the Chief State Councilors prostrate at the very front.
"I will speak to the Chief State Councilors. I placed you in the position of Chief State Councilor because I trusted the evaluation of you. However, lately my disappointment has been quite great."
"We are mortified!"
"Please kill us!"
The Chief State Councilors prostrated themselves flat against the floor, knocking their heads in apology. Sejong's eyes were cold as he looked at them.
"I hope you will not disappoint me further. I warn you—if I see any shortcomings compared to the rumors I heard about you, I have no reason to keep you in those positions. Do you understand? Left State Councilor and Right State Councilor."
"We will engrave it in our bones!"
"We will absolutely not disappoint you!"
Hwang Hee and Maeng Sa-seong, who had been publicly singled out, responded with pale faces full of cold sweat.
Unlike the atmosphere of the frozen ministers, Sejong proceeded with the meeting in a dry voice.
"Then, let us move to the next agenda item."
"Yes! The next agenda is..."
"The next is..."
"Tsk!"
Watching the ministers hurriedly checking the next agenda item, Sejong clicked his tongue. Their flustered appearance was not to his liking at all.
* * *
As Hyang began his transmigration and actively started interfering, various variables emerged. Among such variables, some were what Hyang had predicted, but many were things even Hyang had not anticipated.
One of those unexpected variables was that Sejong's evaluation standards for the ministers had become extremely severe.
'Even a child who just turned ten thinks of these things, so why can't they!'
'Why can't they think of it first? If I have to tell them everything in advance, is there any reason to place them in the positions of Chief State Councilor or Minister?'
As comparisons were made with Hyang, who would figure things out on his own and sometimes even present solutions in advance, Sejong's standard of evaluation became Hyang himself. And the victims of these raised hurdles were Hwang Hee and Maeng Sa-seong.
'I definitely heard from His Majesty that their abilities were outstanding. The evaluation of the surrounding officials was the same. So why?'
They were capable men recognized by Taejong, Sejong's father.
However, Sejong could not hide his disappointment as he observed the two men's work abilities after placing them in the Chief State Councilor positions.
'Are my eyes too high? Or was the evaluation of the two men too generous? To say it's the latter, there are many saying the same thing, and to say it's the former, their insufficient skills are visible to my eyes...'
Watching Hwang Hee and Maeng Sa-seong show abilities below his expectations, Sejong had to think deeply.
'Should I really entrust them with heavy responsibilities? For the success of Gyeongjang, someone more outstanding than anyone else is needed.'
* * *
As Sejong's disappointment grew, Hwang Hee and Maeng Sa-seong also felt like they were dying. Since they had taken their seats after the eminent senior ministers were purged, they had to do their utmost for survival and to maintain power. However, as soon as they sat in the Chief State Councilor positions, what they faced was the massive wall called 'Gyeongjang.'
"Just what... does that entire household only produce monsters!"
Having read all twenty-some volumes containing the policy measures related to Gyeongjang, Hwang Hee drank alcohol with Maeng Sa-seong and lamented.
If the previous king, Taejong, maintained his regime through rule by terror and constrained the officials, the current king was constraining the officials through work itself. And not simply throwing work at them and ending it, but designing everything with such perfection that it was difficult to tamper with, then evaluating how the ministers handled it.
If the ministers simply followed along, they would become rice thieves wasting the budget. They had to find shortcomings in the policy measures and supplement them to live up to the name of ministers.
In the case of Chief State Councilors, they had to produce improvement measures that could yield results beyond simple supplementation.
Of course, all of this was not an official standard that Sejong had clearly laid out. However, they could definitely feel it every time Sejong examined the measures the ministers presented. And rumors about this had already spread throughout the capital.
Men who finished their daily work and emptied their cups of rice wine at taverns brought up the topics of the capital as drinking snacks.
"Do you know the most commonly heard words on the Six Ministries Street these days?"
"Is this the best?"
"You got it right!"
"Then, it's my turn next. Do you know what the next most common words are?"
"Compared to what I heard..."
"Puhahaha! Exactly that! And finally..."
"Tsk tsk tsk!"
"Puhahahahaha!"
The men sharing the story burst into laughter as they emptied their cups. It was because they were witnessing the arrogance of the noble officials being brought down.
However, the expressions of the noble officials who happened to hear the rumors were not very good. After all, those were the words they most commonly heard from their superiors. And the origin was Sejong.
"Is this the best?"
Every time Sejong asked this, the ministers had to break into cold sweat. And for Hwang Hee and Maeng Sa-seong, one more sentence was added.
"Compared to what I heard, it's quite..."
Finally, Sejong would irritably push aside the report and click his tongue.
In the end, the two men, who had not even been in the Chief State Councilor position for a few months, found the urge to throw in their resignation letters rising within them.
"I want to quit!"
* * *
In the end, the ministers who had received Sejong's rebuke had to rack their brains to find new measures.
"Still... shouldn't the Ministry of Taxation dispatch personnel directly?"
"From the Ministry of Taxation? To the eight provinces of Joseon? How far?"
"For the monopoly to work properly, it must go at least to the Dohobu..."
"If that happens, the Ministry of Taxation offices will be completely empty!"
"Then what do you suggest? If we leave it to merchants, we'll all be dismissed."
"No, being dismissed would be lucky. Have you forgotten what happened last time?"
All the ministers knew that Sejong wanted the Ministry of Taxation to directly manage it. However, with the realistic shortage of officials, they could not give a clear answer and were going in circles.
In the end, Hwang Hee stepped forward to resolve the situation that was like a hamster running on a wheel.
"Let us hold a civil service examination."
* * *
"Hold a civil service examination? Hmm..."
When Sejong stroked his beard and trailed off, Hwang Hee explained in more detail.
"That is correct. For the financial consolidation through the monopoly to work properly, the Ministry of Taxation must directly manage it. However, the number of officials currently in the Ministry of Taxation is far too insufficient. Therefore, we will supplement the personnel through the civil service examination."
Though Hwang Hee's explanation continued, Sejong's expression did not improve much. After thinking for a moment, Sejong passed it to Hyang.
"It's a bit lacking... Crown Prince, what is your opinion?"
Having received the pass from Sejong, Hyang answered immediately.
"Holding a civil service examination is a good thing, but time is pressing and it also requires significant expense."
"That is true."
"Therefore, if I may state my opinion, I would say that the students of Sungkyunkwan should be immediately put into practical work."
"The students of Sungkyunkwan?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Think back to the events of the Imin year."
"Imin year? Imin year... Ah!"
In the 4th year of Sejong's reign, the Jeolla Province Governor submitted a memorial.
-Students of Sungkyunkwan who care for their aged and sick parents have been appointed as local school instructors in their hometowns to support their parents. However, they are being restricted from taking the civil service examination because their attendance days at Sungkyunkwan are insufficient. Please resolve this.
Upon receiving the memorial, Sejong, through the Ministry of Rites, allowed Sungkyunkwan students caring for aged parents to take the civil service examination regardless of their attendance days.
As Sejong nodded, seeming to remember, Hyang continued speaking.
"The greatest goal of Sungkyunkwan students is to take the great examination and become officials. So what would be the problem with putting them into practical work a few years early?"
At Hyang's words, Hwang Hee interjected.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's words seem correct at first glance, but for what purpose is the great examination held? It is to select those of superior ability. If Sungkyunkwan students are unconditionally sent out to official positions, we might end up giving official posts to incompetent individuals."
When Hwang Hee pointed out the problem, Hyang made an expression of disbelief.
"What are the tests that Sungkyunkwan students take every month? Isn't it enough to select those with excellent grades first? Furthermore, it is even better to view this as a type of examination. Won't administration run smoothly only if those who know practical work well become officials?"
At the word 'practical work,' some ministers sighed and nodded. In particular, the Minister and Vice Minister in charge of the Ministry of Taxation were nodding their heads greatly.
Meanwhile, Hyang's words continued.
"In particular, there is a reason why students must handle work related to the budget. Those who know well the importance of the budget can create proper policies rather than empty theories. Therefore, this can be the most important examination."
"I believe His Highness's words are correct."
At Hyang's rebuttal, Hwang Hee had to raise the white flag. Watching this, Sejong reached a conclusion.
"Order Sungkyunkwan to supplement the officials of the Ministry of Taxation. And establish Ministry of Taxation-direct monopoly offices at minimum down to the county level."
"We receive your command."
At Sejong's decision, the ministers answered with their heads bowed. It was a natural result that the voice of the Minister of Taxation, for whom personnel reinforcement had been decided, was the loudest.
However, Hwang Hee's face was deeply creased. This was because the look in Sejong's eyes as he watched Hwang Hee was not very favorable.
In the end, Hwang Hee, having left the court that day, had to drink heavily and vent his frustration.
"Damn father and son!"
* * *
Thus, while Ministry of Taxation-direct monopoly offices were being established nationwide, urgent news arrived from Ming.
"The Ming Emperor has died!"
It was the death of the Yongle Emperor. Having received the urgent news, Sejong discussed countermeasures with his ministers.
"Form a condolence delegation as quickly as possible."
"We receive your command."
"Is there anything you know about the Crown Prince who is becoming the new Emperor?"
At Sejong's question, the ministers fell silent. At this sight, Sejong clicked his tongue.
"Tsk!"
As soon as Sejong clicked his tongue, the ministers shouted reflexively.
"We are mortified!"
"Enough! You officials, immediately find physiognomists known to be skilled and include them in the condolence delegation! And among the royal physicians, select those skilled in mangjin (diagnosis by visual examination) and include them in the delegation!"
"We receive your command!"
* * *
While a delegation was hastily being organized to offer condolences for the Yongle Emperor's death, Sejong sought out Hyang.
"Will you also be acquiring books through this envoy mission?"
"It's not a delegation going for a good purpose, but we can't miss the opportunity, can we? Once the official trading post being built in Shandong is completed, it won't be this complicated."
"I see."
Sejong nodded at Hyang's answer, then rummaged through his sleeve, took out a paper slip, and held it out to Hyang.
"Then, please also acquire books related to this."
"Huh? Yes."
Having received the paper slip and seen its contents, Hyang looked at Sejong with rounded eyes.
"Your Majesty. Is this phonology?"
"It is."
'Could it be! Already?'
Hyang barely managed to calm his trembling heart and asked Sejong the reason.
"Your Majesty. May I ask the reason?"
"I'm frustrated. That's why. The ministers who fill the hall are ministers in name only. Rice thieves. If they only do what they're told, what need is there for ministers? New people are needed. But looking at the situation in Joseon, that too is not easy."
Shaking his head and sighing, Sejong continued speaking.
"There are too few people. No, there are many intelligent ones, but those who cannot read the damn Chinese characters are more than one or two. If I create and distribute a writing system that they can easily learn, they too can gain opportunities, and I can also obtain capable people—a double benefit, wouldn't you say?"
At Sejong's explanation, Hyang nodded without realizing it. However, Hyang wanted to know more.
"But why phonology?"
"In the books from the West that you acquired, all the writing systems I saw were writing that represents sound. In my thinking, it seemed that representing sound would be easier to read and understand than representing meaning."
"Then, couldn't Your Majesty issue a direct command?"
At Hyang's question, Sejong burst into a bitter laugh.
"Those damn ministers would never just let that pass easily."
"Ah..."
And so, Hyang ended up handling Sejong's book purchases.