Chapter 70: People (3)
Even when Yi Sun-ji was studying for the civil service examination in his hometown, he found greater joy in solving arithmetic problems as a brief diversion than in reciting Confucian classics.
His talent was such that his parents seriously deliberated over his future.
"Husband, wouldn't it be better to have our Sun-ji take the technical examination instead?"
"Technical examination? Bah! Let us pretend I never heard that! Even if he passes the technical examination, what would he become but a minor official in some obscure post? We have the family's dignity to consider!"
"But even after passing the small and large examinations, one needs family connections to rise above a court official rank. Does our family have such power?"
"Cough!"
"And do you think our Sun-ji has that kind of capability?"
"C-cough! Well, that may be true, but..."
Yi Sun-ji's father trailed off.
He knew well enough his son's scholarly aptitude.
While the Confucian learning essential for a scholar's success was merely adequate, his mathematical learning was exceptional.
The problem lay in Yi Sun-ji's disposition.
He was amiable and easygoing, fond of jokes, yet he also possessed a poisonous tongue that could silence an opponent or make an enemy with just a few words.
His father's greatest concern was that sharp tongue.
'Even if he achieves great success, he will stir up trouble out of nothing with that tongue...'
Ultimately, Yi Sun-ji's parents reached a tentative agreement.
"The small examination is coming soon. Let us decide after seeing the results."
And when Yi Sun-ji returned after taking the small examination and announced the joyous news—that he had not only passed the small examination but had also been assigned to an organization directly under the Crown Prince—his parents were thrown into an uproar.
"Slaughter every ox in the village! Kill the pigs, kill the chickens, kill anything that can be killed! A great celebration has come to our family! It is a feast!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Wait! Wait!"
Relatives and friends who had rushed over upon hearing the news of celebration at Yi Sun-ji's house stepped forward to stop his father's rampage.
"You will slaughter the oxen and pigs and end up butchering the very pillars of the house! We know it is a celebration, but this is too excessive!"
"Is this an ordinary celebration? My son, my son! Has entered directly under His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! What does it matter if we butcher the pillars!"
"It is good that he has gone directly under His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, but isn't the starting position a minor official post? And we must consider the funds for Sun-ji and his wife's household in Hanyang. The salary will already be meager, do you want them to live in wretched poverty?"
"Hmm? Th-that is true."
At his relative's counsel, Yi Sun-ji's father came to his senses.
Thus, a feast was held that was quite grand though smaller in scale than originally planned. It was a celebration grand enough that even the local magistrate overseeing Yangseong came to offer congratulations.
* * *
Upon taking his position at the research institute, Yi Sun-ji demonstrated his talent.
He passed the elementary mathematics in just ten days, intermediate mathematics in a single month, and advanced mathematics handled by the Huihui adherents in two months.
Having received the new recruits' mathematics education report, Hyang discussed it with Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji.
"I wish to grant Yi Sun-ji a rank of junior fifth grade."
"However, he has only just passed the small examination."
"While we have no objection, other parts of the court may raise concerns."
At Hyang's opinion, Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji expressed their concerns, but Hyang shook his head.
"If he has the ability, he should receive treatment befitting it!"
"That is true, but..."
"Then I have nothing more to say."
At Hyang's insistence, Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji acquiesced. They too had received benefits.
* * *
During the recent audit, the two men were recognized for their merits and promoted to junior second rank Jeongheon Daebu and senior second rank Gajeong Daebu respectively.
Their official ranks remained unchanged, but their noble titles had risen.
Such benefits were not limited to them alone. Among the research institute's officials, those with low ranks received rank promotions, and those at junior official rank or above received title promotions.
These benefits extended to the artisans who had worked together as well.
Jang Yeong-sil's position was changed from Byeoljwa to Jeongnang.
"How shall I repay this boundless grace!"
Upon hearing that his position had changed from Byeoljwa to Jeongnang, Jang Yeong-sil wept as he thanked Sejong and Hyang.
Rising from slave status to Byeoljwa was already miraculous, but changing from Byeoljwa, an unpaid position without stipend, to Jeongnang, which actually received a salary, carried another meaning entirely.
Jang Yeong-sil was not the only one whose fortune had improved.
The artisans of the Military Ordnance Directorate, including Master Artisan Go, also received changes in rank and department.
They transferred to positions directly under the research institute. During this transfer process, artisans at the supervisory level like Master Artisan Go saw their ranks rise from Chambong to Bongsa.
"Your grace is boundless!"
"We shall devote our very lives!"
Upon hearing of their rank promotion, the artisans wept with gratitude like Jang Yeong-sil.
In Joseon society where the class discrimination of scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant existed, they had been treated worse than farmers, but now they had achieved 'social advancement' where they could be addressed as 'na-nim' (sir/master).
What moved them particularly was that Sejong himself had personally bestowed these new ranks upon them. This was Hyang's work.
"Would it not be fitting for Your Majesty to personally congratulate them?"
"Me?"
"If Your Majesty personally congratulates them, they will gain hope and will be absolutely loyal to Your Majesty."
At Hyang's words, Sejong fell into thought.
Hyang's words were an excellent suggestion.
Between commoners like these at the bottom and himself stood the scholar-officials.
To a king like Sejong, the scholar-officials were a 'double-edged sword.'
They were a solid support base for the king, but at the same time, they were the ones who bound the king's hands and feet.
After brief contemplation, Sejong reached a conclusion.
"Your words are correct!"
Thus, Sejong personally summoned Jang Yeong-sil and the artisans, bestowed their appointment documents, and offered encouragement.
"I have given you these appointment documents to praise the merits you have accumulated, and simultaneously to warn you. That your rank has risen means your responsibilities have grown proportionally. Do not forget this and do your utmost."
"We shall etch Your Majesty's solemn command into our very bones!"
"We shall devote our very lives!"
As Sejong listened to the artisans' tearful responses, he saw Hyang's face filled with satisfaction.
Seeing this, Sejong added words in that moment.
"Though I call you 'you all' now, I hope for the day when I and the Crown Prince will call you 'minister' instead of 'you all.' May I have such expectations?"
"We shall stake our lives to answer Your Majesty's expectations! We shall never disappoint you! Long live His Majesty!"
"Long live!"
"Long live!"
It was the moment when a support base that could be called almost 'religious' toward Sejong and Hyang was formed.
* * *
Because such a precedent existed, Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji did not show particular resistance to Hyang's words and immediately acquiesced.
Once the two agreed, Hyang immediately requested Sejong's approval.
"Junior fifth grade? Is that not too high?"
"In the case of the Sungkyunkwan students previously and this time's small examination graduates, they start at junior sixth grade. So..."
"That is precisely my point. Even those who received the most excellent results among them start at junior sixth grade, so is junior fifth grade not excessive?"
"It is because his ability is fully sufficient."
At Hyang's words, Sejong firmly expressed his refusal.
"If that ability is demonstrated only through educational results, I cannot accept it. If you wish to grant that rank, bring results that can prove it. The highest rank I can approve now is junior sixth grade."
"But, Your Majesty."
When Hyang tried to offer a rebuttal, Sejong raised his hand to stop his words.
"Crown Prince. I know well that you are intelligent and handle matters decisively. And I know well that you value reward and punishment.
However, the most fundamental thing in all of this is 'fairness' and 'impartiality.'
This Yi Sun-ji may be a talent as you say. No, he surely is.
But if I grant him junior fifth grade immediately as you request, will those working in other departments accept it?
They will not recognize Yi Sun-ji's talent but will think it is because he entered your research institute.
Therefore, I can only give junior sixth grade. Do you understand what I mean?"
At Sejong's words, Hyang nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I shall follow Your Majesty's will."
"Thank you."
Thus, Yi Sun-ji began at junior sixth grade.
* * *
"Oh my, I can't take it anymore!"
"I'm dying, dying!"
"This is hell!"
After beginning their life at the research institute, the graduates who had entered together with Yi Sun-ji began wailing.
The mathematics lessons that began immediately upon entering were difficult, but the practical work was even harder.
When the new researchers complained, the senior researchers watching them offered a word.
"Is it hard? Can't do it? Then report to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and transfer somewhere else. We only need to accept those among your fellow graduates who want to come here. Rather than suffering with people forced to work, we can just endure a little more of what we've already been doing."
At the senior researcher's words, the new researchers immediately fell silent.
The work at the research institute was hell, but the outside was also hell.
Escaping this hell required resigning and leaving, but under the newly changed system, if they quit and left, they would simply become commoners.
Even if they took the examination again and re-entered, they would have to start from the beginning in the same hell.
When the new researchers despaired, the senior researchers subtly offered a carrot.
"Don't just think it's hard, try to find meaning in the work. If you do it properly, both His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Majesty will give generous rewards. And this work becomes interesting as you do it."
The senior researchers at the research institute had reached the level of 'enjoying the pain' in just one year.
No, having traveled across the country and conducted various experiments at District 51, they had become enthusiasts.
While other new recruits were spending time in hardship, Yi Sun-ji found every day enjoyable.
* * *
Thanks to the exceptional talent he showed in mathematics education, Yi Sun-ji was able to be put to practical work in less than four months.
However, his talent being so exceptional naturally bred jealousy.
Furthermore, Yi Sun-ji was the youngest among those who had entered together.
On top of that, he received the highest rank.
Eventually, they began calling Yi Sun-ji a 'freak.'
"Hey there, freak!"
"Where are you going, Lord Freak?"
Whenever they called him a freak, Yi Sun-ji responded with laughter.
"Hahaha! What is it?"
But as soon as he judged that those jealous of him had crossed the line, Yi Sun-ji began to counterattack.
Having received 'Jwarang,' the highest rank among the new entrants, and the position of 'Research Supervisor,' his weapon was another talent only his family had known about: 'poisonous speech.'
It was Yi Sun-ji's job to review the assignments when researchers brought them in.
"Here are the results. Please review them."
Having received the results, Yi Sun-ji snorted and began his calculations.
"Let us see. Hmm hmm... Hmm? Hmm? This calculation is wrong."
"Excuse me? Where?"
"Here, this part. To get something this easy wrong... were you thinking of a gisaeng at your regular brothel while calculating?"
"Ngh..."
From then on, Yi Sun-ji's poisonous words began pouring onto the researchers.
"My goodness... to get something this easy wrong... you need to take the mathematics lessons again."
"My, my... isn't this the most basic addition? Getting addition wrong—if mental calculation is hard, use written formulas, use formulas!"
"You're saying to use formulas for just this? Do you have paper to spare?"
"You got this wrong? Count on your fingers and toes! If you get basic single-digit addition and subtraction wrong, what are you even doing!"
"Is the object on top of your neck something attached because it looks empty without it, or is it there for thinking?"
"Is your skull three times thicker than others? Otherwise... even with a brain the same size as others, one could solve this... getting something this easy wrong is impossible! Unless you have a much smaller brain than others, there's no way to get this wrong!"
"Do you perform well at night? Working like this, promotion is already out of reach, so you should at least perform well at night to avoid being divorced..."
......
"Argh!"
"Oh! That bastard!"
Having been thoroughly verbally shredded by Yi Sun-ji, the researchers had to pour out their grievances to the moon as soon as they left the palace gates after work.
Yi Sun-ji's notoriety reached even the ears of superiors like Jeong In-ji and Jeong Cho.
"This Jwarang seems to work people quite viciously."
At Jeong Cho's words, Jeong In-ji immediately replied.
"That is correct. However, it is also true that the results are better because of it."
"Sometimes one must be harsh to manage subordinates, so let us leave it be for now."
At Yi Cheon's suggestion, Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji nodded.
"Let us do so."
In truth, though the three did not say it aloud, they all thought similarly.
'It may be presumptuous, but this Jwarang might get along well with His Majesty or His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Neither of them has a good temperament either.'
The truth was, all three of them also did not have a reputation for good temperament among their subordinates.
Rather, seeing Yi Sun-ji receive trust from Jeong In-ji and Jeong Cho, everyone made comments behind their backs.
"Birds of a feather flock together!"
"Does one need a filthy temper to receive a good rank?"