Black Corporation: Joseon

The price Sejong paid was a change in family composition.

Unlike in the history before Hyang’s intervention, Sejong had only one queen consort, three concubines, and one royal consort. As a result, instead of having 18 sons and 4 daughters, he had 10 sons and 3 daughters.

To sum it up, rather than researching Hunminjeongeum during the spare time created by having Hyang act as regent, he researched Hunminjeongeum during the time he would have spent having more children.

***

While Sejong tried to pass on administrative duties and Hyang skillfully avoided them in an intense game of hide-and-seek, the ministers proceeded with the tasks they had to do.

In Beijing, the Forbidden City.

“Welcome, envoys from Joseon.”

The Xuande Emperor, seated on his throne, welcomed Lee Maeng-gyun and his entourage from Joseon.

“We greet Your Majesty. Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years.”

Lee Maeng-gyun and his entourage paid their respects according to protocol.

Having received their respects, the Xuande Emperor smiled slightly and asked Lee Maeng-gyun.

“There are two reasons Joseon sends envoys urgently: unexpected good news or unexpected bad news. So, which is it this time?”

“We have come because of the Jurchens, Your Majesty.”

“The Jurchens? I thought they were quiet these days?”

Expressing doubt at Lee Maeng-gyun’s statement, the Xuande Emperor soon recalled something and nodded.

“Ah! Is it because of that ‘Dragon’s Path’? I was about to send envoys myself.”

The smile on the Xuande Emperor’s face had turned cold. Seeing this, the Ming officials and eunuchs began to swallow dry saliva with pale faces.

“If you hadn’t come so quickly, Gyeongbokgung might have been a bit noisy.”

At these ice-cold words, Lee Maeng-gyun and the other Joseon envoys immediately prostrated themselves and cried out.

“We came running as soon as we heard the news, yet we are still this late! We absolutely have no ulterior motives!”

***

While the changes in Joseon and Europe were significant, the biggest change was in Beijing.

The Xuande Emperor was still alive.

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, the Xuande Emperor had died two years ago in 1435. He was succeeded by the Zhengtong Emperor, who became emperor at the young age of 9, and from this point, the great empire of Ming began to make cracking sounds.

However, in the history after Hyang’s intervention, the Xuande Emperor was healthily handling state affairs.

The starting point was Hyang’s visit to Beijing.

Impressed by Hyang’s extraordinary demeanor despite his young age, the Xuande Emperor began to inquire about Sejong and Hyang.

In the process, when the Xuande Emperor learned about the diet and exercise Hyang had recommended to Sejong, he immediately began to adjust his diet and exercise similarly.

Moreover, his lifespan increased as he stabilized the finances with the massive profits coming in through the joint venture trading company created with Joseon, and the enormous wealth obtained during the great purge related to currency circulation, which also reduced his psychological pressure.

The impact of the Xuande Emperor’s prolonged survival on Ming was tremendous.

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, the size of Ming’s economy had doubled during the Xuande Emperor’s reign.

However, in the history after Hyang’s intervention, it was producing an unprecedented result of nearly tripling in growth.

But as there is darkness where there is light, not everything was good.

Rapid economic growth was leading to price instability, and speculation aiming for sudden wealth was rampant.

In particular, various trading cities that were gradually growing in size were suffering from housing shortages, and real estate prices began to soar.

There were also problems in the political sphere. Through several consecutive great purges, officials and eunuchs focused on self-preservation under the Xuande Emperor’s reign of terror. Their daily routine became creating and proposing policies that would please the emperor, rather than debating right and wrong.

Of course, this was similar in Joseon. However, Sejong accepted opinions that opposed his will if they were better. But the Xuande Emperor’s subjects were his faithful yes-men.

***

In response to the envoys’ desperate excuses, the Xuande Emperor asked in a still chilling voice.

“Is that so? Joseon has absolutely no impure intentions?”

“That is correct! This is merely due to the foolish actions of the narrow-minded Jurchens!”

Lee Maeng-gyun explained about the commotion caused by the Jurchens who saw the railroad.

“Hmm…”

Stroking his beard while listening to the explanation, the Xuande Emperor asked again.

“So, the Jurchens, ignorant of worldly affairs, mistook the iron horse for a dragon and called the railroad the ‘Dragon’s Path’? Is that what you’re saying?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm…”

Having heard the answer, the Xuande Emperor fell into thought again, and Lee Maeng-gyun and the other Joseon envoys swallowed dry saliva while staring at the Xuande Emperor’s face.

After pondering for a moment, the Xuande Emperor seemed to have made a decision as he nodded and spoke.

“I’ll believe that this incident was not Joseon’s deliberate intent. Until now, Joseon has not done anything to break my trust.”

“Your Imperial grace is boundless! Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years!”

“Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years!”

At the Xuande Emperor’s decision, all the Joseon envoys cheered three times.

After concluding the matter thus, the Xuande Emperor continued with another question.

“I’ve heard many rumors about this since the iron horse began running in Hanseong. Compared to the iron horse of that time, how much has the iron horse now called a dragon improved?”

“It has become somewhat usable, Your Majesty.”

“Explain in more detail.”

“Yes. The size is…”

At the Xuande Emperor’s command, Lee Maeng-gyun explained to the best of his knowledge. While listening to Lee Maeng-gyun’s explanation, the Xuande Emperor asked no questions and only stroked his beard.

When Lee Maeng-gyun’s explanation ended, the Xuande Emperor ordered the envoy.

“That was a good explanation. The envoys may return and rest. Regarding this matter, I will write an imperial edict to the king of Joseon.”

“We are deeply grateful.”

After dismissing the envoys, the Xuande Emperor ordered the ministers present in the hall.

“It seems that the iron horse made by Joseon has become quite useful. What do you think?”

In response to the Xuande Emperor’s question, the Minister of Revenue stepped forward and answered.

“They said it can run a thousand li without rest at the speed of a horse, and carry hundreds of people and hundreds of thousands of guan (1 guan = 3.75kg) of cargo in wagons at once. Of course, there must be some exaggeration, but even accounting for that, I think it would be quite useful.”

The Xuande Emperor shook his head at the Minister of Revenue’s statement.

“The Minister of Revenue is wrong. Why should Joseon exaggerate? This statement is probably considerably understated. Have you forgotten what kind of country Joseon is in all our dealings with them?”

At the Xuande Emperor’s rebuke, the Minister of Revenue immediately prostrated himself with a pale face.

“My thoughts were short-sighted! Please forgive me!”

The Minister of Revenue desperately begged for forgiveness. If he made even a slight misstep here, he would be immediately dragged to the execution ground and lose his head.

“Of course, it’s hard to believe before seeing it with your own eyes. Even I, despite saying this, find it difficult to believe easily. I only said that because I’ve seen Joseon’s track record so far… And I agree that it would be quite useful. Therefore, I won’t punish the Minister of Revenue. Stand up.”

“Your Imperial grace is boundless! Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years!”

After shaking up the Minister of Revenue like this, the Xuande Emperor turned to the other ministers.

“I’ll say it again, the iron horse that Joseon is using in that Jurchen land seems quite useful. So, what should we do?”

In response to the Xuande Emperor’s question, one of the Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet stepped forward and spoke.

“I think it would be unwise to demand the problematic iron horse as tribute. How about requesting the blueprints?”

A military official from the Ministry of War countered the Grand Secretary’s suggestion.

“Why waste time? It would be easier and faster to just receive it as tribute.”

An official from the Ministry of Revenue rebutted this statement.

“Have you forgotten what the Joseon envoy said earlier? The cost of making one iron horse is 2,000 taels of gold, 2,000 taels of gold! Do you think it’s possible to lay tracks and run them throughout the empire with just one or two iron horses? If we demand all that quantity as tribute, making return gifts will create a hole in our finances!”

To this, the official from the Ministry of War raised his voice again.

“Why should we give return gifts to a small country like Joseon for each item? A small country like Joseon should be grateful just for us preserving their national body and live while only watching the face of our great Ming! Why should we be considerate of Joseon?”

The military officials around nodded at these words.

“That’s because if we mistreat Joseon, we’ll be in danger too.”

The military officials, with faces full of pride and arrogance, suddenly turned pale at the sound of the Xuande Emperor’s voice.

With an expression of contempt, the Xuande Emperor glared at the pale-faced military officials and continued speaking.

“You must know the power of the musket troops and artillery units of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, don’t you?”

“Yes, we know it well.”

“Joseon is a country that possesses more musketeers and artillerymen than the musket troops and artillery units belonging to our Embroidered Uniform Guard. Although their overall military strength is less than ours, they have even greater firepower in terms of artillery and firearms. And it’s not just about size. The Joseon people have been researching and distributing firearms like madmen since they first encountered them. So, do you consider such a Joseon as insignificant?”

At the Xuande Emperor’s question, the military officials unanimously prostrated themselves.

“Please forgive our shallow knowledge!”

But the Xuande Emperor’s rebuke continued.

“Why did the Hongwu Emperor, who was a hero of his age, pay so much attention to and pacify Joseon? Also, why did the Yongle Emperor, who made the world tremble when he drew his sword, make peace with Joseon? It’s because if we underestimate Joseon, we might be caught off guard.”

The Xuande Emperor suddenly corrected himself at this point.

“Ah! I’m not saying that our Ming would lose if we fought with Joseon. Joseon would attack prepared to perish, and we want to prevent others from taking advantage while we deal with such a Joseon. But why are you, who should know this best, belittling Joseon?”

“We were foolish, Your Majesty!”

The military officials continued to bang their heads on the floor, begging for forgiveness at the Xuande Emperor’s rebuke. Seeing this, the Xuande Emperor sighed.

“Sigh~ I understand your pride, but underestimating Joseon is absolutely forbidden. I’ll let it go this time, but remember there won’t be a second chance. Stand up.”

“Your Imperial grace is boundless!”

“We will engrave this in our bones and hearts!”

“Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years!”

Like the Minister of Revenue, the military officials who had survived just one step away from death shouted “ten thousand years” at the top of their lungs.

***

After settling the situation, the Xuande Emperor posed a question to the Grand Secretary in question.

“Why do you say we should demand the blueprints?”

“As mentioned earlier, if we demand the iron horse as tribute, we would have to give several times more in return gifts. This would be fatal to the empire’s finances and must be absolutely avoided.”

“So you suggest demanding the blueprints as tribute?”

At the Xuande Emperor’s words, the Grand Secretary corrected himself.

“Not as tribute, but we should request to purchase them. And since blueprints alone would present many difficulties in actual production, we should ask them to sell three or four actual iron horses.”

“Not tribute, but purchase?”

To the Xuande Emperor’s reconfirmation, the Grand Secretary answered firmly.

“Yes, purchase, Your Majesty.”