Black Corporation: Joseon

Hyang, who had just left Geunjeong-jeon, was also grumbling.

“Why is that still-healthy old man trying to pass on work by scattering bait?”

The moment Sejong started mentioning the achievements of his siblings and subtly gilding Hyang’s face in Geunjeong-jeon, Hyang immediately caught the danger signal.

‘This is dangerous! If I’m not careful, I’ll fall for it!’

Sensing the crisis, Hyang immediately reversed the situation by gilding Sejong’s face and then slipping away from Sejong’s grasp.

Grumbling quietly in case the following eunuch might hear, Hyang ordered the eunuch.

“I’ll be stopping by the research institute before going to Area 51, so prepare the horses.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

While the eunuchs and guards moved to bring the horses, Hyang looked at Geunjeong-jeon and muttered softly.

“I have a rough idea of what Father is thinking… Given the current communication and transportation resources, the only answer is an independent agency.”

Hyang had some sense of what Sejong was thinking.

***

Although it was a period of stagnation, the Korean Peninsula and the areas regained during the early stages of the reforms were running without major issues.

The problem was with recently acquired regions like Daeseoldo, Jongjangdo, and their surrounding areas.

Using the monopoly offices nicknamed “Joseon’s Muandan (Sweet) Water” by Hyang, followed by merchants, and stable jobs symbolized by mines and logging camps, they were gradually bringing the indigenous people into Joseon’s embrace. However, situations requiring quick resolution were scattered everywhere.

By unifying the written language with Hunminjeongeum and simultaneously teaching the indigenous languages and Korean, spontaneous conflicts were gradually decreasing, but as communication improved, various civil complaints were increasing.

However, it took an enormous amount of time for these complaints to reach Hanseong, for solutions to be created, and then for them to return to the respective regions.

Because of this, discussions about an independent agency with appropriate authority to resolve these issues began to emerge within the government.

-It’s best to establish the new agency in Daeseoldo. This is because it’s located between the northern islands and Hanseong.

-Also, considering the population of indigenous people residing in Daeseoldo, it’s optimal to make it the center of external administration.

While the creation of an independent agency and its appropriate location were taking shape, it always had to stop at the final point.

‘So, who’s in charge?’

This was the crucial part.

A position that integrated everything – from administration to national defense – in the newly incorporated outer regions of Joseon was perfect for losing one’s head on charges of treason with just a small mistake.

Only two people could safely sit in such a position.

Either the Crown Prince or the Retired King.

However, sending the Crown Prince, who was to succeed to the throne, to the outer regions was a very dangerous move. If he were to contract an unknown disease with no known cure, or lose his life or face problems in an armed conflict, it would be truly terrible.

The best option was the Retired King, but Joseon currently didn’t have one.

It was also unreasonable for Sejong, who was in his prime at 40 years old, to become the Retired King.

“Wait, maybe it’s not so unreasonable? The Crown Prince is already 23 years old, right?”

“Huh? That’s true. And if we consider the ability he showed during the regency while suppressing the rebellion led by Yi Manchu…”

However, no minister dared to voice this opinion publicly.

There was no one brave enough to tell a king who was working passionately and showing the best of his abilities to abdicate.

In the end, it was a situation where Sejong was trying to pass on the work, Hyang was desperately avoiding it with evasive maneuvers, and the ministers could only watch them knowingly or unknowingly, all while feeling increasingly anxious.

***

“It’s certain that I’ll either be forced to act as regent or accept abdication within 5 years at the shortest, or 10 years at the longest.”

Hyang continued to grumble. The target of Hyang’s complaints was the Joseon navy.

“Even the navy working too hard causes problems like this!”

After confirming the existence of islands to the north of Daeseoldo and east of Jongjangdo, the navy was passionately advancing eastward.

However, the winter sea of the North Pacific, which was incomparably rougher than the East Sea known for its harshness, made navigation almost impossible. Of course, navigation could be attempted if one was prepared to take risks, but the Joseon navy was still lacking in everything to make such reckless challenges.

Therefore, the Joseon navy established and proceeded with a different plan.

They created naval bases on islands with terrain suitable for easily obtaining drinking water and sheltering from rough waves. While wintering at these bases, the navy repaired their ships and prepared for the next voyage.

Soon, settlements for navy families were created near the naval bases, along with trading posts for the indigenous people.

Thanks to the navy’s hard work, the discovery of a new continent was imminent. This is why Hyang made the prediction of “5 years at the shortest, 10 years at the longest.”

With the zealous exploration of the Joseon navy, it was certain that the western coastline of Alaska and North America would soon be discovered and reported.

Once the American continent, a treasure trove of various resources, was discovered, many Joseon people would soon migrate there. However, due to Joseon’s chronic problem of insufficient population, it was certain that Joseon would inevitably have to incorporate the Eskimos and indigenous people of the North American continent as its citizens.

And when that time came, an independent agency to manage the North American continent would inevitably be established, and Sejong would have to move to that position.

There was a possibility that Jinpyeong or Anpyeong could go instead of Sejong, but it was certain that the ministers would not accept this.

Although both Jinpyeong and Anpyeong were Sejong’s children and Hyang’s younger siblings, in terms of political relations, they were Hyang’s strong competitors.

Therefore, such risk factors could not be freely unleashed.

“Especially Jinpyeong…”

Having anticipated this far, Hyang shook his head while mentioning Jinpyeong. Although Jinpyeong had evolved from an iron horse enthusiast to a steam engine enthusiast, Hyang was still uneasy.

And this was as far as Hyang had thought about what would happen in the “5 years at the shortest, 10 years at the longest.”

***

Finally mounted on the horse brought by the eunuchs and guards, Hyang lightly kicked the horse’s flank.

Neigh!

As the horse carrying Hyang began to move, the guards immediately surrounded and moved with him.

“Depart!”

“Depart!”

Even as he headed towards the research institute, Hyang muttered with a face full of discontent.

“Why are these guys so slow anyway?”

The “these guys” Hyang referred to were the Portuguese and Spanish.

According to rumors coming through the navy traveling to Alexandria and through Mansur, Europe was in turmoil.

Due to the small bomb Hyang had thrown, Europe’s religious and ideological circles had turned into a “chaotic mess.”

Almost every day, religious figures and intellectuals were issuing statements and papers, engaging in fierce debates and verbal battles.

‘It’s a time when secular power and papal power are clashing, so I’ll buy some time by adding a little spice.’

This was Hyang’s plan, but the effect of the spice was stronger than expected.

This deviation from expectations was, as usual, due to Hyang.

Various products and artifacts created under Hyang’s leadership and introduced to Europe were far beyond the technological level of that time.

Moreover, Joseon, as seen through the letters sent by those who had gone there, appeared to be far more advanced than the Europe they lived in. And Sejong, who led such a Joseon, also seemed to be no ordinary person.

And when European intellectuals learned that all these amazing products and artifacts were created under Hyang’s command, they focused their attention on Hyang as well.

At some point, Joseon came to be seen as an ideal land, and Sejong, the monarch of Joseon, and Hyang, who was to succeed him, were regarded as the “philosopher kings” mentioned by Plato.

The questions thrown by someone regarded as a symbol of intelligence and knowledge became a sword that mercilessly stabbed at the sore spots of Europeans, causing Europe’s religious and ideological circles to suffer.

And merchants and monarchs began to use every means to secure the route to “Joseon, the land of flowers.”

Not only Portugal and Spain, but also England and France passionately built ships and launched them into the sea to secure the route to Joseon.

And the ships and sailors that set out to sea began to create colonies and military bases, planting flags densely along the west coast of Africa.

While passionately exploring, they engaged in fierce battles to eliminate competitors whenever they encountered ships from other countries.

Later, scholars studying this period described it like this:

-The western sea of Africa was dyed red with the blood of sailors, and the land of Africa was soaked with the blood and tears of the indigenous people.

While the countries west of the Mediterranean and east of the Atlantic were engaged in fierce competition at sea, countries in the Mediterranean region, including Italy, were making different plans.

It was the construction of a canal connecting Suez, where Joseon ships arrived, and the Mediterranean.

It would certainly be a difficult construction project requiring enormous costs, but the canal thus created would certainly provide massive profits.

However, this plan was in a stagnant situation due to conflicts and checks from various entities with vested interests.

The monarchs and merchants of the countries in the region were creating chaos by repeatedly uniting and separating according to their interests, regardless of religion.

And unlike the movements in the ideological world, these economic movements were being reported to Hyang immediately.

That’s why Hyang had complained about their slowness.

“Come on! How long has it been since they explored the west coast of Africa and headed south, and they still haven’t rounded the Cape of Good Hope? With that passion they supposedly showed at the auction house, they should have rounded it long ago! You guys need to hurry up and appear so I can use you as an excuse to bury myself in the research institute! History’s already a bit off track, so appear a bit faster, will you!”

However, contrary to Hyang’s words, history wasn’t just “a bit” off track, but “greatly” off track.

***

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, Sejong publicly declared his intention to have Hyang act as regent this very year, the 19th year of his reign.

Although all the ministers, both great and small, came out in opposition, Sejong pushed forward with the regency based on the following reasons:

-The Crown Prince is old enough, so he needs to learn the practicalities of politics.

-My health is not good.

0Since last year, bandit groups have been rampant, and as famine worsens, many vagrants are joining these bandits, which shows the limits of my abilities.

In addition to these public reasons, Sejong pushed for the regency because he needed time to research Hunminjeongeum. (Note 1)

However, with Hyang’s intervention, history veered off course.

Through nationwide water control projects, the damage from droughts and floods was minimized, and grain was actively imported and supplied to the people.

As a result, the occurrence of vagrants greatly decreased, and conversely, vagrants began to settle down again.

Gaining confidence through these results, Sejong actively implemented various reform policies, including the major reforms, and Joseon continued to grow and develop.

Moreover, Hunminjeongeum, which was supposed to come out at least 10 years later, was created in a more refined state and was being actively used.

Of course, it was inevitable that there would be a price for these changes.

***

Note 1) “Reading King Sejong’s Annals in One Volume” by Park Young-gyu, Woongjin Knowledge House