# Chapter 87: The Tragedy of Concrete (2)
The first phase of the paved road construction was a road running north-south through the heart of Hanseong, starting from Gwanghwamun and ending at Sungnyemun.
Along with Unjongga, which crossed Hanseong from east to west, it was the most important road in Hanseong, so Hyang mobilized every available laborer.
While adjusting the schedule, Hyang discussed the labor mobilization plan.
"If we lack the manpower that can be mobilized from Hanseong, we must bring in workers from nearby prefectures and counties."
"But the busy farming season has just begun."
"Draft one person from every other household, but only for ten days. After those ten days, draft one person from different households."
An official who briefly calculated the numbers at Hyang's words nodded.
"That seems workable."
Thus the labor mobilization method was decided, and Hyang, who got a brief moment of rest, vented his complaints.
"Phew~, at least it's fortunate we're not bringing people all the way from the Samnam region like in the time of Taejo or Taejong?"
Hyang let out a long sigh at the reality where mobilizing labor from near Hanseong was something to be grateful for.
"Phew~. If only we had a few excavators and bulldozers... and ready-mix concrete trucks too..."
Having started the construction, Hyang particularly missed the construction machinery of the 21st century.
Facing the reality where most work was done by human labor, and oxen or donkeys were mobilized when things got a bit difficult, Hyang steeled his resolve even more.
"No matter what happens, I'm making the steam engine first!"
"Hmm? Why the sudden chill...?"
"You too?"
The officials and artisans researching steam engines and various devices at the research institute and Area 51 suddenly felt chills throughout their bodies.
"Perhaps we should get some tonic medicine..."
"Do you know any skilled physician?"
* * *
Even in the 21st century, for construction of this scale, the work would be divided into sections, so Hyang likewise had to proceed with the construction in divided sections.
However, the scale of those sections was tear-inducingly small compared to the 21st century.
Still, Hyang tried his utmost to maximize efficiency.
Not only did he mobilize manpower from areas near Hanseong, but he also created devices to improve efficiency.
Among them, the most produced were concrete mixers and wheelbarrows.
Hyang created everything from small mixers turned by hand to large ones using oxen or donkeys, and explained their usage to the managers and supervisors.
"Use the large mixers on the main road connecting from in front of Gwanghwamun to Sungnyemun, and use the small mixers on the smaller surrounding roads."
"That should work well. With hoejuk, it's important to mix sand, gravel, and slaked lime well, and this mixer seems very useful."
The managers and supervisors really liked the mixers. As they had reported to Hyang, the most important thing when using hoejuk was that its main components—slaked lime, sand, and gravel—had to be well mixed.
With traditional lime mortar, the mixture of water, sand, and lime was mixed by troweling it against a wall, but with hoejuk, which was thinner than lime mortar, this was not easy.
At Area 51 as well, when they first made slaked lime, this was the first problem pointed out.
Ultimately, Hyang rummaged through his memories of the 21st century and came up with the idea for the mixer, and after several rounds of trial and error, the artisans were able to produce one.
* * *
"Stop! Stop!"
The people who were pouring hoejuk over gravel and rebar stopped their work at the construction supervisor's shout.
"This hoejuk here! Who mixed this!"
A cart stood at the spot the supervisor pointed to, and the supervisor was flying into a rage looking at the hoejuk loaded in the cart bed.
"This hoejuk! Who mixed it, I said!"
"From... from that mixer over there..."
"Drag that damn thing and follow me!"
The laborer who had been pulling the cart followed behind the supervisor with a distressed face.
"Is this the place?"
"Yes."
Hearing the laborer's answer, the supervisor picked up the writing board he was carrying. Finding the responsible person's name from the list inserted in the board, the supervisor raised his voice.
"Foreman Jang! Foreman Jang Mangok! Foreman, where are you!"
At the supervisor's shout, a hairy man came running quickly.
"What seems to be the matter?"
"What are you trying to do, sending hoejuk mixed like this! Huh? Is this hoejuk? It's rice gruel!"
"Excuse me?"
At the supervisor's shout, Foreman Jang examined the hoejuk in the cart and looked dismayed.
The hoejuk in the cart was extremely watery even to his eyes.
"If you pour this, do you think it will harden properly! No, never mind hardening—do you think it will achieve proper strength!"
"I'm terribly sorry!"
"Mix it again and send it! Also, if something like this comes again, know that your neck will be the first to fly!"
"I'll send it properly made!"
"Ugh! As if there isn't enough time already! Can't even make hoejuk properly!"
The supervisor who had poured out his frustrations on Foreman Jang clicked his tongue and left the scene.
Foreman Jang, who had been scolded by the supervisor, glared at the laborers in charge of mixing with a face full of anger.
"Which one of you made this?"
"..."
When no one raised their hand at Foreman Jang's question, he shouted angrily.
"Which bastard made this hoejuk! If no one comes out while I count to three, I'll make all of you do nothing but haul things under that scorching sun!"
At Foreman Jang's shout, the laborers' gazes all focused on one person.
"Was it you?"
"I... I'm sorry!"
"You bastard! I told you to make hoejuk, who told you to make gruel! I asked you to get the ratio right even if it's hard, didn't I!"
"I'm sorry!"
"Fine! Take that and make it properly! If you make it like that again, know that I'll cut you off right away!"
"Yes, yes!"
The warned laborer pulled the cart and headed to the mixer he was in charge of.
As such incidents occurred several times at the site, reports eventually reached Hyang.
"Can you not even properly supervise the mixing of hoejuk?"
"We are deeply ashamed!"
At Hyang's reprimand, the supervisors all had to bow their heads.
"It is certain that there is no time to spare in the construction period. And I know well that it is not an easy task, but what do you intend to do if such shoddy work keeps occurring?"
"We will ensure this never happens again!"
"Do not forget that you are officials with official ranks. Also, do not forget that such civil engineering projects will continue in the future."
Hyang's warning, heavily laden with the meaning 'If you mess up, there will be no promotion,' made all the supervisors answer with loud voices.
"We will do our utmost!"
After this road construction, a new proverb was born among the people.
'Told to make hoejuk, they made gruel.'
It was a proverb satirizing the situation where work was entrusted but not done properly.
* * *
Many devices proposed by Hyang and created by artisans were used at the road construction site.
Among those devices, there was one item that not only those working at the site but also ordinary people really liked.
It was the wheelbarrow.
Carts were already common in Joseon.
However, existing carts had very high load beds.
But Hyang created a new wheelbarrow based on the handcarts commonly used in the 21st century.
The wheelbarrow made using pig iron mass-produced at the first state-run steel mill built in Anju last year under Kim Deok-su's direction was much sturdier than carts made until then.
"This, this is a marvelous thing!"
The laborers who used the wheelbarrow for the first time were unanimous in their praise.
Seeing the laborers' reaction, the supervisors immediately reported upward.
"Carts, carts, we need more carts!"
Of course, the fact that wheels had to be made of wood and iron plates since there was no rubber was Hyang's single regret.
It was an instant before ordinary people recognized the value of the wheelbarrows used at the construction site.
"That looks really useful?"
Merchants who saw the people's reaction smelled money.
"It's flying! Flying! I smell money!"
Merchants who smelled money and looked into the origin of the wheelbarrow lamented as soon as they found out.
"Area 51 again!"
"The Crown Prince again!"
However, the truly quick merchants hurriedly sought out government offices.
"Excuse me, sir. Where should I go to find the Intellectual Property Management Office?"
The official who received the merchant's question looked the merchant up and down and opened his mouth.
"To register, or to use?"
"To use."
At the merchant's answer, the official raised his hand and pointed in a direction.
"Go into the Ministry of Taxation over there and turn left, then go to the right door of the building that appears."
"Thank you kindly."
"Nothing much, just make lots of money and pay your taxes generously. Drive those Taxation Ministry fellows to death. Damn bastards... always making noise about the budget..."
"Excuse me?"
"Never mind, just go about your business."
"Yes..."
Thus the official and merchant each went their separate ways.
* * *
The 'Intellectual Property Management Office' was an institution Hyang had requested King Sejong to establish as an official central agency.
"Um... I understand the meaning of 'protecting the property rights of those who first create new devices.' However, since you call it intellectual property, it seems to include knowledge as well—is that correct?"
At Hwang Hui's question, Hyang nodded.
"That is correct. I mean to include technology and knowledge as well."
"With tangible objects like devices, proof is easy since they are visible, but knowledge is intangible. Wouldn't it be difficult to easily recognize?"
"That is true. Therefore, it must be written in visible text and reviewed."
"But isn't sharing knowledge with each other a beautiful thing?"
When Hwang Hui and other officials looked puzzled, Hyang gave an example.
"My Lord, do you know why the term 'revision' (tuiko) came about?"
"Yes."
"My Lord has revised your work for several years to create beautiful prose. But what would you do if someone else took that prose and used it freely and became famous? No, what if they used that prose to pass the civil service examination as top scholar, and everyone recognized it as their work?"
Ultimately, the Intellectual Property Management Office came to handle all intangible knowledge as well.
With the establishment of this office, many patents began to be registered. Most came from Hyang's research institute and Area 51, but there were others as well.
As the Intellectual Property Management Office operated, interesting things began to happen—among those who registered their original technologies or devices just in case, some families saw their fortunes rise overnight.
Seeing this, artisans, merchants, and impoverished scholars began to devote themselves to invention or new technology development.
Joseon was slowly beginning to see the embers of the Industrial Revolution ignite.
* * *
While the wheelbarrow was establishing itself as a new hit product, there was someone who was examining the wheelbarrow closely.
"Junior Official Jang, do you have a grudge against the wheelbarrow? Why are you glaring at it so fiercely?"
At a passing colleague's question, Jang Yeong-sil smiled awkwardly and stood up.
"Ah... I wanted to see the structure in more detail."
"If you want to see the structure, you can go to the Area 51 archives or the research institute archives... and with Junior Official Jang's friendship with His Royal Highness, couldn't you even have it brought out from the Eastern Palace vault?"
"The blueprints are important, but seeing it with my own eyes is the only way to satisfy me..."
"Hahaha! Junior Official Jang, you're truly an odd one too!"
The rumor that 'Jang Yeong-sil is showing interest in the wheelbarrow' reached Hyang's ears a beat late. This was because Hyang was extremely busy with the restoration after the great fire and the road paving construction.
Upon hearing the rumor, Hyang immediately summoned Jang Yeong-sil.
'Surely it's not that matter...?'
"Junior Official Jang. I heard you've been showing interest in the wheelbarrow lately."
"Yes, Your Royal Highness. Actually, I... wanted to create a new palanquin, and I thought the structure of the wheelbarrow would be helpful. This palanquin, you see, moves on its own..."
"Absolutely do not try to make it alone! That is an order! Immediately form a development team and proceed! Also, everything must have my permission!"
Hyang was startled and cut off Jang Yeong-sil's words. At Hyang's completely different reaction from usual, Jang Yeong-sil was puzzled but bowed his head, suppressed by Hyang's severity.
"Yes, yes! I will do so!"
Even though Jang Yeong-sil said he would, Hyang, whose mind was not at ease, called a eunuch.
"Immediately bring Lord Jeong Cho and Lord Lee Cheon!"
"Yes, Your Royal Highness!"
After giving the order to the eunuch, Hyang glared at Jang Yeong-sil.
'Man! If something goes wrong, your neck will fly off! Why do you look so unjust!'
When Jeong Cho and Lee Cheon, who had come running at Hyang's summons, arrived, Hyang ordered them to organize a development team.
"Is it really necessary to form a development team just to make a palanquin?"
"Junior Official Jang, explain."
"Pardon? Yes, Your Royal Highness."
At Hyang's command, Jang Yeong-sil explained about the palanquin he wanted to create.
Hearing Jang Yeong-sil's explanation, Jeong Cho and Lee Cheon wore somewhat dumbfounded expressions.
"You're saying the palanquin moves on its own?"
"Is it possible for something to move on its own?"
At Lee Cheon's reaction, Hyang interjected.
"If you argue that way, isn't the locomotive the same?"
"Ah..."
At Hyang's point, Lee Cheon made an expression of realization, but Jeong Cho raised a counterargument.
"A locomotive has bulk and runs on specially laid tracks. However, a palanquin moves on already existing roads, and its bulk is smaller than a locomotive."
"That is why I'm saying we should form a development team. Wouldn't it be useful in many ways if successful? For the people's livelihood and also for military purposes."
At Hyang's words, Jeong Cho and Lee Cheon fell into deep thought.
After much deliberation, Jeong Cho and Lee Cheon gave their answers.
"It's worth trying."
"Even if it fails, it seems we would gain something."
"Good! Immediately form a development team!"
And so, the 'Anyeo' that had erased Jang Yeong-sil from history bounced in an unexpected direction.