Chapter 218
The construction of the papermaking factory was essential to Joseon’s development.
Somehow, I ended up taking direct charge of this construction project.
No, to be precise, I was forced into it.
Minister of Works Yi Cheon argued that, viewed broadly, building a new papermaking factory would promote education—the foundation of the nation’s future for a hundred generations—so it was only right for Kim Daebung to break ground on this important project.
With every minister except Hwang Hui and Jo Malseng, who were still enjoying their vacations, voting in favor, I blinked once and found myself appointed supervisor of the construction site.
“I may technically be a dangsanggwan, but assigning someone of that rank to supervise a construction site...”
By the standards of twenty-first-century South Korea, it was like assigning a vice minister—or, in military terms, a three-star general—to oversee the construction of a new factory for a defense contractor.
Only in Joseon could something this absurd happen.
Caught completely off guard, I was dumbfounded, but what could I do? If they told me to do it, I had to do it.
That was the sorrow and misery of being a civil servant.
Even if this was a relatively small-scale task for a dangsanggwan, building Joseon’s first large-scale papermaking factory was undeniably important and could have a major impact on the nation’s development.
‘I should do my best at the task I’ve been assigned.’
All the money I was authorizing right now had come from taxes paid by the people.
Since every penny represented the people’s blood and sweat, I had to spend it as efficiently as possible.
“Jeong Cheomjeong, don’t you think the construction is moving a little slowly?”
Jeong Bun gave me a look of utter disbelief.
“My lord Deputy Director, it takes at least five months to build a factory this size. But because you’ve come here to supervise us, even the master carpenters are saying they’ll finish within four months.”
“Among the officials of the Six Ministries, you know the most about civil engineering, so I don’t think you’re talking nonsense. Still, just look at how relaxed everyone is.”
I turned my eyes toward the carpenters and other laborers at work.
It was obvious that they were all taking things easy.
They weren’t exactly slacking off, but they showed no intention whatsoever of working quickly or efficiently.
“From the way they saw wood, swing their axes, and use their planes, every one of those carpenters is unbearably slow. Look at the people carrying mud, too. Don’t they seem awfully leisurely?”
“It only looks that way because you’re in such a hurry, my lord.”
The longer the work continued, the more unnecessary expenses piled up, and the longer I would have to remain stuck here.
Heo Jo, my immediate superior in all but name, had said this as he sent me here...
Because I would feel burdened by the unexpected advancement I had received because of that bastard Bangchon—or rather, His Excellency the Chief State Councillor...
he told me to take it easy for a few months and clear my head.
My only job here was to inspect the construction for embezzlement and ensure that the laborers were being paid properly.
After spending time here, I even felt as though I had become a salary thief, so I was uneasy even when resting after finishing my work.
‘Even my salary, when you get right down to it, comes from the people’s blood-and-sweat taxes.’
“Minister Heo also told you to rest and take it easy while you’re here, didn’t he? I’ll handle the practical construction work, so why don’t you go visit your father, who lives nearby?”
“Are you telling me to visit my family during working hours?”
“Didn’t His Majesty also order you to take some time to catch your breath when he sent you here? You’ve risen in the world, so put on your hongdanryeong (the red official robe worn by a dangsanggwan) and return home in glory.”
“Tomorrow is my day off, so I’ll do that then.”
In Joseon, there were several official posts whose purpose was essentially to let their holders collect a salary and take a long rest.
The positions belonging to the Central Military Commission were like that.
Heo Ju, the older brother of Heo Jo, who had once harassed me relentlessly over matters concerning ritual propriety, was a prime example: as a second-rank Panjungchubusa, he received an annual stipend equal to a minister’s, virtually like a pension.
Therefore, since His Majesty King Sejong had told me he would assign me an easy task and that I should consider it a chance to rest while working...
no one could really complain even if I said I was going to visit my parents during working hours.
“That may be so, but let me tell you what I think. From what I’ve seen, they’re working so slowly because they want to receive their wages for as long as possible.”
“You mean they’re working slowly to keep receiving their wages?”
“Think about it. If you were paid the same whether you spent a month working slowly and lazily or a month working yourself to the bone, what would you do, Jeong Cheomjeong?”
In a way, the reason group projects fail is similar to why those men are working so slowly.
No matter how diligently I researched the material and prepared the presentation, even if I became an exemplary presenter...
I would receive the same grade as the idiots who had done nothing.
So I might as well do nothing and dump everything on the group leader.
By the same logic, if the carpenters and laborers here received the same wages whether they worked halfheartedly or diligently...
wouldn’t they try to work slowly and stretch the job out for at least another month?
They couldn’t stop working altogether or simply put down their tools, since the supervisor might notice and do who knew what to them, so they compromised at a pace slow enough not to give anyone grounds for complaint...
‘They’re deliberately working slowly.’
“There’d be no reason to work hard. In fact, working lazily would let them collect their wages for longer, so they’ll try to delay the project as much as possible.”
“Exactly. Now, how can we make them work faster?”
“...... They’re saying it will take four months, so I’ll order them to finish within two months.”
“That wouldn’t be wise. The craftsmen may be deliberately working slowly right now, but if we suddenly order them to finish in half the original time, their morale will fall and their complaints will only grow.”
There would also be a high chance of shoddy construction as they did whatever was necessary to meet the deadline.
If that happened, all the money we had spent building the papermaking factory could end up being wasted.
“So why don’t we call their daemokjang (chief construction supervisor) and tell him this? Even if they finish the construction in one month, we’ll pay them four months’ wages, so they should work harder and finish more quickly.”
“If the construction really were completed within one month, wouldn’t that be wasteful?”
“If we leave things as they are, building the papermaking factory will take four months anyway, won’t it? In that case, whether they slack off or work themselves to death, we’ll have no choice but to spend four months’ wages.”
“I see.”
“So if we tell them that they’ll receive exactly four months’ wages whether they finish early or late, they’ll start thinking this way: Let’s finish quickly and go work somewhere else.”
Otherwise, they might decide to finish the job quickly, collect four months’ wages, and spend the next few months resting comfortably.
Even if they were working lazily, they were still working, after all.
It was better to spend money they had already received and enjoy themselves than to suffer while working.
“Bring the daemokjang here now.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Before long, a white-bearded daemokjang came before me and stood there uncertainly.
When I had been a junior fourth-rank official, situations like this had merely made him fidget awkwardly, but now it was obvious that he was so anxious that his pupils practically shook in their sockets.
“Oh dear, my lord... Have we done something wrong?”
“No, you haven’t.”
In fact, they had done something wrong.
They had deliberately worked slowly and lazily on a project that could be completed in less than four months so they could pocket more wages.
But every craftsman in Joseon did this, so I decided to let it slide.
‘They may be slow, but at least they’re doing the work properly.’
“However, I’m going to change the way your wages are paid.”
“Yes, my lord... I understand.”
“I won’t cut your wages. In fact, I’ll change the system in a way that benefits you—or rather, increases your earnings.”
An incentive and performance-based pay system benefited both workers and employers.
“You said it would take about four months to build this papermaking factory.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then let’s do this. Regardless of when the construction is completed, you and the carpenters under your command will receive four months’ wages. For example, even if it takes half a year to build the papermaking factory, you’ll still receive only four months’ worth of wages.”
Of course, if a natural disaster occurred during construction or problems procuring materials extended the schedule, I would naturally pay them the proper additional wages.
However, if the schedule grew longer not because of such circumstances but because those fellows worked carelessly, I was declaring that I would not pay them a single penny more, no matter how long it took.
“On the other hand, if you build the papermaking factory in two months, I’ll still give you the same four months’ wages.”
“Are you saying that the faster we finish the construction, the more profitable it will be for us?”
“Exactly. But if you rush the work and cause defects by doing a shoddy job... you’ll see me again at the Ministry of Justice.”
Since I had promised them a bonus for finishing quickly, I also had to warn them not to cut corners and do a slapdash job.
Otherwise, in their greed to finish as quickly as possible, they might do careless work in places that wouldn’t be visible.
“Understood.”
“Work hard. The more accurately and quickly you finish the job, the more profitable it will be for you.”
After hearing me, the daemokjang immediately went off to chew out the carpenters under his command.
“You rotten bastards! From now on, move briskly! His Excellency reprimanded me because you lot have been doing such a sloppy job!”