I Humbly Beseech You to Repel Them with an Iron Mace (3)

Kim Jang-ik, the father of County Magistrate Kim Daebung, was an exceedingly ordinary yangban, except that his possession of one hundred gyeol of farmland made him a fairly wealthy one.

Unlike his son, he was like most yangban with a little money: he had a weakness for women and kept several concubines.

He was not a loyal subject who would risk his life for the people like Kim Daebung, but he lent grain to impoverished people at the low interest rate of around 3 hal (30 percent), far below Joseon's average...

He was a reasonably good yangban who did his utmost not to slight his legal wife, his concubines, or their children.

Yet as he watched Kim Daebung grow and observed his upright conduct and attitude, he had much to learn from him, and he slowly began to change.

That change manifested in his declaration that he would actively step forward to spread and promote the use of Hunminjeongeum, newly created by the king.

"There isn't anyone in Yanggu County who opposes His Majesty's creation and promulgation of Hunminjeongeum, is there?"

Kim Jang-ik nodded in agreement at that.

"Last month, all the seonbi of Yanggu County gathered and succeeded in uniting our intentions. So I imagine no one would come forward now to say otherwise. But I believe this matter should not end at mere agreement. His Majesty created Hunminjeongeum with a sacred purpose despite all the difficulties, so should we not roll up our sleeves and work hard to assist him in this great undertaking?"

"You are right, Myeon Chief. Are we not seonbi—people who support the king above and enlighten the people below? As seonbi of Yanggu County, it is only right that we help His Majesty with the Hunminjeongeum project he has begun."...