Chapter 88: Autumn (1)
Under Hyang's direction, the road paving proceeded smoothly.
Sejong, who had climbed to the gate tower of Gwanghwamun with Hyang, marveled at the road spread before his eyes.
"Hmm~, rebar and concrete... ah, did you say it's called 'hoejuk'?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
At Hyang's answer, Sejong nodded.
Before his eyes now lay a bright gray road stretching from Gwanghwamun all the way to Namdaemun.
The main road, slightly bent to block the fire energy (火氣) of Gwanaksan from reaching directly, boasted a width of 50 gan (approximately 100m) and stretched north to south.
"Truly, it clears one's chest!"
Sejong, who had been marveling at the road stretching refreshingly to the south, turned his head to look at Unjong Street (雲從街).
The road with a width of 30 gan (approximately 50m), crossing Hanyang east to west and overlapping with the main road leading to Namdaemun, also stretched out refreshingly.
"Is it all finished now?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang shook his head.
"Only about 60% is completed."
"This is only 60%?"
"There are finishing touches for the paving, and we need to complete the drainage canals and sidewalks on both sides of the road."
"Is that so?"
Sejong, who had come down from the gate tower while listening to Hyang's explanation, stepped out of Gwanghwamun.
"Make way! Clear the path! His Majesty is passing through!"
At the eunuch's sharp call, those working on the construction withdrew to both sides and prostrated themselves on the ground.
"Continue with your work."
At Sejong's command, the prostrated workers all rose and resumed their tasks.
"Your, Your Highness..."
"Hm?"
Hyang, seeing an official approaching hesitantly, looked back at Sejong.
"Your Majesty, there is something I need to check briefly. May I take my leave for a moment?"
"Do so."
"Your grace is boundless."
Hyang, having bowed to Sejong, moved to one side following the official.
Sejong, looking with satisfaction at Hyang giving instructions while examining maps with officials and supervisors, turned to the ministers who had accompanied him.
"He seems to have become much more mature, does he not?"
At Sejong's question, the Chief State Councillor answered immediately.
"He has always been composed, but now he may truly be called a grown man."
"Does the Minister think so as well?"
Sejong continued to look at Hyang with a pleased expression.
Perhaps due to his family heritage, Hyang had grown rapidly. Now approaching twelve years of age, Hyang was a full head taller than children of his age.
It wasn't just his height. When dealing with officials and craftsmen, Hyang had naturally become accustomed to speaking in the ha-oche style.
However, Hyang had his own complaints.
"I sleep at least 8 hours minimum, and I maintain good nutrition! Why can't I grow faster!"
It was Hyang showing impatience because his siblings were literally growing day by day.
Before the rainy season began, the road construction crossing Hanyang from east to west and north to south was completed.
Thanks to being coated with oil mixed with graphite and baked, the road had turned dark gray, and the edges filled with lime to make them white stood out clearly even at night.
Walking on the firmly stretched road, the people all exclaimed in admiration without exception.
"Truly amazing, isn't it?"
"Right? Right?"
"They say the Crown Prince did this?"
"That's what I heard!"
"Wow! The Crown Prince is so young, how does he know such amazing things?"
"His seed must truly be different..."
Such were the residents of Hanseong expressing their admiration at the newly paved roads.
The people, who had been praising while looking at these newly created roads, when the rainy season began, their amazement turned to praise for Sejong and the Crown Prince.
No matter how much rain came, the newly paved roads never turned into quagmires.
Though water pooled in places here and there, most of the rainwater drained away through drainage canals built on the left and right sides of the roads.
The sidewalks built next to the roads were the same. The sidewalks, where sand was laid and concrete blocks were placed, only got wet from rain but never turned into mud.
Thanks to this, no matter how much it rained, the people of Hanyang no longer had to walk with difficulty covered in mud as before.
"Let's go see the new roads of Hanseong!"
"Let's go!"
'They say the newly laid roads in Hanyang are that amazing!'
Through rumors spread by merchants and peddlers, many people from provincial cities and villages flocked to Hanyang to see for themselves.
Of course, these were not common people tied to farming, but those who lived somewhat prosperously.
As people flocked to see the new roads like this, a new type of business was born in Hanseong.
It was an inn that combined restaurant and lodging business.
Of course, there were already establishments like guesthouses and riverside taverns, but more affordable lodging businesses had emerged.
Hyang, listening from the side to the report submitted to Sejong, had to suppress his laughter inwardly.
'Even in the 21st century, didn't people flock like that to see the 63 Building when my father was young?'
Sejong, who received the report, also smiled.
"It's understandable to be amazed. Even We were like that when We first saw it... However, when many people gather, vile ones targeting them also congregate. Thoroughly prepare against this."
"We heed your command!"
* * *
'Hanseong New Road Tourism' reached its peak when the autumn harvest ended.
This was because farmers who had finished harvesting and gained leisure joined the tourism procession.
And those who toured and returned began to pester the magistrates and yangban of their own districts.
"Let's pave roads like that in our area too!"
"Good heavens! It was truly amazing!"
Such petitions were particularly strong in the major cities of each province - Jeonju, Gyeongju, Yeongheung, and Pyongyang.
"What's wrong with our city? Is the history lacking? Are the people lacking?"
Leading figures of those regions began submitting joint petitions to Sejong.
Due to the petitions coming in from across the country, Sejong summoned Hyang and the ministers.
"How should We handle this?"
At Sejong's question, Hwang Hui stepped forward representing the ministers.
"The intention is good, but there is no proper method. Even looking at this Hanseong new road construction, one-third of the construction period was spent waiting for iron to arrive from Anju. If we approve these petitions in this situation, problems will arise in the supply of materials."
"That is true..."
Sejong, nodding at Hwang Hui's point, looked at Hyang.
At the silent question, Hyang immediately stepped forward to answer.
"In the current situation, the Prime Minister's point is correct. Anju is currently researching and applying methods to increase production. However, if we divert iron needed by the people to road construction, the people will suffer. The same applies to quicklime. The current production from District 51 is insufficient. Building factories dedicated to production must come first."
"Then the budget becomes the problem... Is it fortunate that silver and gold mines have been developed?"
Sejong muttered with a frustrated expression.
* * *
The most important thing in carrying out the Gyeongjang reforms was securing finances.
Prospectors dispatched nationwide by Sejong's order successively brought information about mines. Based on this information, Sejong and the ministers first selected mines to excavate.
The most important criterion for selection was 'places difficult for Ming to discover.'
For this reason, places like the Unsan Gold Mine, where large amounts of gold and silver were confirmed to be buried, but which overlapped with the travel routes of envoys coming from Ming, were excluded for the time being.
"Let's excavate this place later when we become stronger."
"We heed your command!"
Though the command was given, neither Sejong who gave it nor the ministers who received it looked very pleased.
"Because the country is weak, even easy tasks must be done with difficulty."
At Sejong's complaint, the ministers all prostrated themselves.
"Please forgive our incompetence!"
"Please execute us!"
* * *
In that process, mines in the Gangwon Province region began to be excavated first.
An exception was the Gahaksan Gold Mine located in Gwangmyeong Valley (present-day Gwangmyeong City) in Siheung-gun.
"There must be at least one mine nearby that can be used in case funds are urgently needed."
It was Sejong's decision in preparation for any eventuality.
Thus, while secretly excavating and storing gold and silver, Sejong also expanded trade with Waeguk (Japan).
"Identify what the Japanese like besides Buddhist sutras!"
As a result of Dongnae officials and merchants moving according to Sejong's order, learning that ceramics were sought after after Buddhist sutras, Sejong changed Gwangju's government kiln into a state-run enterprise called 'Joseon Ceramics Company.'
Afterwards, the Ministry of Revenue, having received Sejong's order, consulted with Dongnae merchants.
'We will grant priority, but not monopoly.'
The Dongnae merchants, who wanted monopoly, had to accept Sejong's will since it was so firm.
* * *
Afterwards, the Waegwans installed in the three ports - Busanpo, Naeipo, and Yeompo - were consolidated into just one location at Busanpo. This was to prevent too many Japanese from entering Chosun and engaging in illicit trade.
Having wielded the whip, Sejong also offered a carrot. He greatly increased the quantity and types of goods that Japanese merchants arriving at Busanpo could trade.
The biggest beneficiaries in this situation were the Ouchi clan and the Kyushu Tandai.
Chosun first issued trade permits to the two regions that had traditionally maintained strong ties with Chosun.
Furthermore, by granting permission to build large buildings at Busanpo, the position of the Ouchi clan and Kyushu Tandai was strengthened.
Thanks to this, what became desperate was Tsushima. The lord of Tsushima, Sō Sadakuni, had to personally run to Hanyang and perform the five-body prostration before Sejong.
"After the last expedition, you promised loyalty, but there is no evidence you have kept it properly! How long must We tolerate your kind!"
"Please forgive my disloyalty!"
After Sō Sadakuni's desperate pleas, Tsushima was barely able to maintain its trade volume.
* * *
Thus, the trade complex created at Busanpo was booming with trade with Waeguk.
There was a trade port established by Ming in Shandong, but Japanese merchants preferred Busan.
While a large Ming naval force was stationed in Shandong, their main duties were protecting the maritime traffic route between Ming and Chosun and defending Ming's southeastern coast.
Therefore, Japanese merchants preferred Busan over the dangerous Shandong.
At such a Busan, Japanese merchants mainly imported Chosun's Buddhist sutras and tea sets, paying in silver.
And among the silver brought in, what came in as taxes was piled up in the court's storehouses.
Based on the finances accumulated through such processes, Sejong was promoting the Gyeongjang reforms.
Although there was an unexpected large-scale expenditure to restore the great fire that occurred in Hanseong, no problems arose in implementing the Gyeongjang.
Though the officials of the Ministry of Revenue had to give up living like humans.
* * *
Sejong warned the ministers.
"Not being able to grant what the people earnestly desire means that not only We but also the Ministers' capabilities are still insufficient. Please keep this in mind and make even more effort."
"We will engrave this deeply in our hearts!"
Though they answered vigorously, the ministers had faces like the walking dead.
'Just kill us instead! Kill us!'
'How much more effort do we need to make here!'
Sejong, having said a word to the ministers, turned to Hyang.
"Crown Prince, why has the performance of the Anju Steelworks stalled?"
"It is because new facilities were introduced in the process of expanding the scale again, and we are in the process of applying them. Normal operation will be possible before this year ends."
"That would be truly good. These days, We are realizing the value of iron anew."
"I am overwhelmed with gratitude."
The Anju National Steelworks was receiving all of Sejong's expectations.
The steelworks that Kim Deok-su built by hiring not only his colleagues but also people from the surrounding area, after going through various trials and errors, soon began mass-producing wrought iron and steel.
The Ministry of Revenue, calculating the production of the Anju Steelworks, immediately reported to Sejong.
"With just the one national steelworks, we can supply the wrought iron and steel that our court needed annually."
"Is that so? However, demand for iron continues to increase starting from the military, so order the steelworks to devise ways to increase production."
"We heed your command!"
Deok-su, having received the order, immediately ran to Hanseong and pleaded with Hyang.
"To increase production, we need to enlarge the furnaces or build new ones, but the problem is people!"
"People?"
To put Deok-su's explanation simply, to double production, at least four times the labor was needed.
"The part that needs the most labor is the bellows operators. They have to keep working the bellows, but that's no easy task!"
At Deok-su's groaning, Hyang immediately answered.
"Is that so? I will find an answer as quickly as possible."
Having taken on the problem like that, what Hyang found was a centrifugal blower, an enlarged version of the centrifugal pump installed at the waterworks.
"It's not human power but livestock power, so if used well, it will be of great help."
The centrifugal pumps Hyang made were quickly moved to the steelworks in Anju.
Together with the blower and officials who arrived, Deok-su newly built large furnaces and began test production.
And among those trial and error, the substandard iron produced was all moved to District 51.
"It's not a waste, is it? Let's find a way to put it to use."
While searching for ways to recycle the defective iron like that, a fire broke out in Hanseong, and all that iron was made into rebar and consumed in road construction.