< Chapter 9: Sprouting... Carcinogenesis? (2) >
"Cheong? Speak."
Once Sejong's permission was granted, Hyang turned to look at the court attendant. Another court attendant who had followed Hyang respectfully presented a slightly larger box to Sejong.
"Hmm?"
Sejong showed curiosity as he opened the newly received wooden box. Inside the new wooden box were filled with pen nibs and pen holders. However, the pen nib he had received were inlaid with silver on gold, and the pen holders were likewise splendidly decorated with lacquer. But this one was simply made of gold with only plum blossoms engraved on it, and the pen holder was merely well-crafted wood.
"Please bestow these gold pens upon the royal scribes and officials."
"This?"
"Yes. The royal scribes are recording the works of Your Majesty and the ministers without a moment's rest. Since this is work that requires considerable effort, I thought there should be implements that help even a little."
Sejong, who had been thinking for a moment about Hyang's request, discussed it with his subjects.
"We think the Crown Prince's opinion is truly good. What do you all think?"
The subjects who had tried the mass-produced(?) pen nibs that Hyang presented all agreed with Sejong's decision.
"I believe Your Majesty's will is correct!"
"Even at such a young age, thinking of his subjects like this - how can one not call this a beautiful scene?"
Following the subjects' approval, the royal scribes who would be the actual users also tried them and expressed satisfaction.
Thus, the pen nibs and pen holders were decided as official office supplies(?) of the court and palace.
Hyang, who had returned to his room, smiled and murmured.
"Now, what kind of butterfly effect will this bring?"
With the presentation of the pen nibs and pen holders named 'Gold Pens,' the favorability of the bureaucrats toward Hyang began to rise. In particular, young officials including the royal scribes began to show exceptional favor toward Hyang.
"Have you tried the gold pen that His Highness the Crown Prince made?"
"I have. It's quite good!"
The ones who liked it most were, as expected, the royal scribes. No matter how much they used fine brushes, writing according to traditional calligraphy with arms raised and brushes held vertically was quite an ascetic practice. But when using the gold pen, the arm naturally lowered, reducing the pressure on the wrist and entire arm.
Additionally, Hyang created and presented writing tablets.
"When a military commander conducts command, there are times when urgent orders must be issued. I made this to help with that. I thought it would be good to use it together with the gold pen."
"Good!"
Sejong was pleased and ordered these to be mass-produced and supplied to the military along with the gold pens.
The response of military commanders to the supply of gold pens and writing tablets was half and half. Young commanders and commanders with literary cultivation showed very favorable reactions, but commanders who were illiterate had no choice but to make embarrassed expressions.
However, Hyang could understand Sejong's decision.
As soon as Sejong ascended to the throne, he inserted the Four Books into the military examination subjects. Hearing this story, Hyang nodded.
"That's right. It's not an era where individual bravery or martial power determines the victory or defeat of war. It will be even more so in the future."
Hyang, who was anticipating the changes that this simple office supply called 'writing tablet and gold pen' would bring to the military, tilted his head.
"Is Sejong even thinking of replacing personnel in the military?"
While the writing tablet met with mixed reception in the military, there were those who enthusiastically welcomed the writing tablets. These were the lower-level officials of various government departments along with the royal scribes. When following the king while holding rolled-up books made of blank paper to record or when conducting inventory surveys or other field investigations. Writing in books was not an easy task. This was because the book floating in the air provided no support at all. But the writing tablet was an item that definitely solved that difficulty.
As this situation developed, the demand for gold pens and writing tablets skyrocketed, and the Directorate of Armaments became busy.
As gold pens and writing tablets were supplied to the court and military, many people began bringing gold pens used in the Six Ministries or military units outside to use them. Not only were they convenient to use, but the plum blossom pattern engraved on the nib also gave owners a sense of pride.
In Unjong-ga, a young scholar choosing seafood at a fish shop asked the merchant the price.
"How much is it?"
"Well... it's two mal and three doe of polished rice in total. But since you're a regular customer, just give me two mal and two doe."
"That's quite expensive."
"Oh my~ isn't it winter? The waves are rough so ships can't set sail."
"In summer, seafood spoils in the hot weather so it's expensive, and in winter, ships can't go out because of rough waves so it's expensive... When exactly is seafood cheap?"
"Hehehe."
The scholar, who glared once at the merchant's face as he evaded with laughter, extended his hand to the merchant.
"Give me the ledger. And the inkstone."
"Here it is."
The scholar scribbled in the ledger the merchant presented.
"The items purchased today... Two mal of rice."
"Sir!"
"Make it two mal. Isn't it good that it's neatly cut off?"
"Sigh~."
The merchant, who was sighing, noticed the gold pen in the scholar's hand and his eyes lit up.
"Is that the rumored gold pen?"
"Have you heard of it?"
"Yes. I heard that these days, everyone who works in the government has at least one."
The merchant, examining the gold pen with eyes full of curiosity, clicked his tongue.
"It looks really easy to write with."
"It's very good for carrying around and writing, or for writing urgently. Now! I have urgent business to attend to, so please deliver to my house."
"Take care, sir!"
After seeing off the scholar, the merchant spat with all his might.
"Hack~, ptui! Urgent business, my foot! Is going to the gisaeng house the urgent business? He'll probably spend lavishly at the gisaeng house after cutting down two doe!"
The merchant, who was spewing curses at the scholar who had recklessly cut down the price, clicked his tongue.
"That gold pen looked really convenient... seems like it could make some money?"
* * *
Whether quite a few people had similar thoughts, items imitating the gold pen began to appear one by one. Rumors about these items went straight into the palace and became a topic of discussion in the morning assembly.
"Your Majesty. Lately, disrespectful acts are occurring in the marketplace."
"Disrespectful acts? Tell me."
"They say gold pens made by imitating the gold pens that His Highness the Crown Prince made and presented are being circulated."
When one subject reported this, another subject quickly chimed in.
"This is disrespect among disrespect! To dare imitate precious items engraved with the royal pattern! Heavy punishment must be imposed!"
"Please impose heavy punishment!"
As the subjects' chorus(?) continued, Sejong, who had been thinking for a moment, opened his mouth.
"We could make a decision on this immediately, but We think the opinion of the Crown Prince, the interested party, is also important. We will hear the Crown Prince's intention and then make a judgment. Sang-seon, call the Crown Prince."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After a while, Hyang, who was called by Sejong, entered the main hall.
"Did you call for me, Father?"
As Hyang, who had politely paid his respects, opened his mouth, Sejong answered with a smile.
"Yes, We called you because We wanted to ask for the Crown Prince's judgment."
"What judgment could I, still so young and inexperienced, make?"
"We know well your cleverness, so do not feel burdened and answer."
"I understand, Father."
Sejong explained the story about the gold pen to Hyang.
"...and so the subjects argue that merchants who privately imitated and circulated the gold pen should be severely punished. Crown Prince, what do you think?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang closed his mouth and fell into thought.
The appearance of an eight-year-old child furrowing his brow and worrying was unexpectedly cute. At that sight, Sejong and the subjects gathered their gazes with smiles.
After continuing to ponder for no short time, Hyang opened his mouth.
"My humble thought is that the Directorate of Armaments' main task is making weapons for national defense. Therefore..."
* * *
One month later, the Ministry of Revenue.
People gathered in one of the many rooms of the Ministry of Revenue.
"Is everyone gathered?"
At the young official's question, the attendees all bowed their heads.
"Yes, sir."
"Please wait a moment."
The official went outside, and Hyang entered, guided by the Minister of Revenue.
Those sitting around the table placed in the room prostrated themselves on the floor as soon as Hyang entered.
"We卑微 merchants greet His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Rise and sit in your chairs."
"How could we sit while His Highness the Crown Prince is present?"
"As long as you do not commit crimes, you may sit in your chairs. Sit in your chairs."
At Hyang's firm answer, the attendees took their seats. Hyang, who sat in a chair with the help of the Ministry of Revenue official, took out imitated pen nibs and pen holders from his bosom and placed them on the table.
"I heard these items are circulating in the marketplace."
The merchants, seeing the pen nibs and pen holders Hyang took out and placed down, immediately prostrated themselves on the floor and answered.
"Our merchant group has never committed such a disrespectful act!"
"Our merchant group is the same!"
"I didn't call you to punish you. Sit in your seats."
Despite Hyang's words, the merchants couldn't easily stand up. At that sight, Hyang, who clicked his tongue slightly, opened his mouth again.
"Don't make me say it twice."
"Get up quickly and sit in your seats!"
At Hyang's warning, the Minister of Revenue hurriedly urged the merchants. When the merchants sat in their seats again, Hyang brought up the main topic.
"His Majesty has given a royal command."
The royal command that Hyang revealed was as follows:
- The production of gold pens and pen holders is transferred from the Directorate of Armaments to merchant groups.
- The selection of merchant groups to produce is made by choosing the merchant group that offered the lowest price among those that passed quality standards.
- The selected merchant group stamps the plum blossom, the symbol of the royal family, on the produced gold pens to indicate they are official products.
- The selected merchant group gains the qualification to sell the produced gold pens in the marketplace. Thereafter, if gold pens without the plum blossom seal or forged ones are discovered, both producers and sellers will be punished with extreme punishment.
- Merchant groups producing gold pens pay 20% of sales revenue to the state.
- Selling price in the marketplace is prohibited from being more than 60% higher than the price sold to the court.
- Quality inspection by the Ministry of Revenue four times a year. The timing is irregular, and officials from the Ministry of Revenue who make unannounced visits randomly obtain gold pens and inspect quality. If failed, the plum blossom official seal will be immediately confiscated and the contract terminated.
- If the contract is terminated due to the above problems, a new merchant group is selected. Companies that had their contract terminated cannot participate in bidding for one year.
The merchants who heard the conditions Hyang stated closed their mouths and began to think. Among the merchants pondering various things, one opened his mouth.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince. It is embarrassing to say, but..."
"Is there a problem?"
"What is the standard for the price sold in the marketplace?"
"It's the final selling price. Why, is there a problem?"
"It is embarrassing to say, but while a 60% margin seems generous, considering the wages to give to craftsmen and the margin that peddlers will take, only 30% of that 60% can be taken by us. If the state takes 20% from there, what we can take..."
"Stop!"
Hyang interrupted the merchant's words with a rough voice.
"Are you now speaking falsehoods before whom? Fine. Let's say 30% is your margin as you say. But I said 20% of revenue. If it's 20% of 30%, isn't it only 6 parts? Do you know what kind of place this is and speak falsehoods? Minister of Revenue! Immediately throw out that disrespectful person and remove that merchant group's bidding qualification!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
As soon as Hyang's order fell, the Minister of Revenue gave the order. Hearing the Minister of Revenue's order, soldiers of the Royal Guard came in and dragged out the problematic merchant.
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
After the commotion subsided, Hyang glared at the merchants.
"His Majesty and We think that merchants are also important beings as the people. Because in living life, it is impossible for one person to make everything needed alone, it is natural law that intermediaries are needed. However! As long as there are those like that man who use vile methods, you merchants will not be able to escape being treated as lowly! Keep this in mind!"
"We will keep it deeply in mind, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
< Chapter 9: Sprouting... Carcinogenesis? (2) > End
ⓒ Guk-bbung