Wokou Can Be Put to Good Use (8)

Our envoy group dispatched to Tsushima returned to Hanyang and received tremendous hospitality.

That was because we had succeeded in getting the Tsushima lord's declaration of submission, while also pocketing 1,100 nyang in silver.

Because we had achieved such a feat without spilling a drop of blood, the local magistrates along the route from the south all the way to Hanyang came out to greet us and show us hospitality.

Sejong, seated on the throne, looked at us and smiled brightly.

“The chief envoy and the vice envoy must have had a very hard time, going all the way to the far-off Wae country.”

“We are unworthy of such grace, Your Majesty.”

If we had taken a ship from Incheon to Tsushima, we actually would not have suffered that much, and it would have taken far less time.

But the Wae pirates—no, the Wae bastards—were still in the middle of evolving from pirates into the Joseon navy through voluntary enlistment, so open-sea travel was impossible.

Taking a ship would have been faster and more comfortable, but the odds of dying were so high that there was nothing we could do.

So we went by horse... but my butt and thighs hurt so badly that, recalling that horrible memory, I never want to go to Wae country again.

“From the Tsushima lord's letter of submission, it says that although they failed to properly crack down on the Wae pirates, I still showed them favor, and they were so deeply moved by that grace that they wanted to learn from Joseon. This is not a direct statement that they will become Joseon subjects, but isn't it basically saying they are considering becoming Joseon subjects in the future?”

At Sejong's words, Shin Jang, the leader of this envoy group, answered.

“Indeed.”

“The sages said that barbarians must be ruled with virtue so that they are moved from the heart and transformed. Just as the Tsushima lord has been transformed, can't we say that Joseon from now on is not some ‘Dongi’ but a proper civilized nation?”

The Sinocentric order, that is, the worldview centered on China, can be summed up in a single sentence.

‘All countries except China are barbarians!’

That is why Joseon is sometimes called Dongi, meaning eastern barbarians.

But Joseon is treated specially by the Ming and is called the ‘land of courtesy,’ receiving treatment equivalent to a civilized nation... though that is really just diplomatic courtesy.

Therefore, by the standards of this age, we Joseon people have been a bit cowed by the Ming, the strongest country in the world...

But by making the Tsushima lord bow his head this time, I managed to ease that a little.

“In addition, we brought back not only all kinds of precious gifts but also as much as 1,100 nyang in silver, greatly reducing the burden of the silver tribute demanded by Great Ming. All of this is the merit of the chief envoy and the vice envoy.”

After the discovery of the lead-silver separation method and the development of the Dancheon silver mine, gold and silver output increased quite a lot.

However, before that, Joseon had to wring the people dry every year just to prepare 150 nyang of gold and 700 nyang of silver for the tribute to Ming.

Some people argue that because Ming repaid Joseon with several times what it received, it was ultimately a profit anyway... but absolutely not.

It's easier to think of it like this.

In Korea, three apple mangoes can easily cost well over tens of thousands of won, but in the Philippines, three apple mangoes cost around 3,000 won.

So even if you tripled the Philippine price of apple mangoes, that would still only be 30 percent of what it costs to buy three apple mangoes in Korea.

“Chief Envoy Shin Jang has served the court for a long time and made great contributions to civilizing the Tsushima lord, so I will promote him by two ranks, make him Jaheon Dae-bu of the lower second rank, and appoint him Minister of Punishments.”

“I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty.”

“In addition, I will bestow five bolts of Ming silk, three saddled horses, five slaves, and five du of pepper.”

Shin Jang's eyes grew a little red.

As I once heard somewhere, the most moving moments for an official are when they become a dangsanggwan and are called a minister, and when they reach the second senior rank as a panseo and become the head of one of the Six Ministries...

Now that he has become a minister of the Six Ministries, it must feel especially moving.

“I will also promote Vice Envoy Kim Daebung from the lower fifth-rank Bongjik-rang to the upper fifth-rank Bonghun-rang, and bestow three bolts of Ming silk, one saddled horse, and five du of pepper.”

“I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty.”

I thought I might not be promoted this time... but my rank went up one grade.

Since it was an unexpected promotion, it's a happy miscalculation.

“And for Minister of War Jo Mal-saeng, who devised the plan to civilize the Tsushima lord, I will promote him and confer on him the lower first-rank title of Sungjeong Daebu.”

A smile appeared on Jo Mal-saeng's face as he was elevated to a first-rank post.

Yes, Jo Mal-saeng, enjoy yourself to your heart's content for now.

From what I heard around Hanseong, it looks like the bribes you've been taking are about to blow up soon.

Once that does, you'll be someone who can never become a Chief State Councilor for the rest of your life.

Before you die, you'll be worked even more severely than Hwang Hui, who at least was allowed to resign and spend his later years at home.

“The chief envoy and vice envoy may return and rest for now.”

As soon as Sejong said we could leave early because we had suffered, Heo Jo immediately submitted a remonstrance.

“I, Heo Jo, Minister of Rites, humbly petition. Judging from the memorial submitted by the envoy group, Ministry of War Jeongrang Kim Daebung quickly became friendly with the Wa people and had an outstanding talent for civilizing them.”

I have never civilized the Tsushima lord.

I just suggested that if you kept acting out, I'd replace the Tsushima lord.

“The Tsushima lord Jong Jeong-seong was moved by Kim Daebung's character and learning, and even accepted his calligraphy in exchange for five bolts of black silk. He also said he hoped there would be many outstanding people like Kim Daebung in Tsushima.”

Sejong also agreed with that.

“That is right.”

“If Kim Daebung, who can so move even the barbaric Tsushima lord, whose rites and propriety have fallen to the ground, can move even His Majesty the Emperor and the ministers of Great Ming, he would be able to greatly reduce the tribute burden placed on Joseon.”

Heo Jo's eyes flashed as he looked at me like a hawk about to snatch its prey.

Apparently one of this man's nicknames was Peregrine Falcon...

He seems to be thinking of sending me to the Ministry of Rites and working me to the bone for a very, very long time.

“I, Jo Gye-saeng, Minister of Finance, respectfully report. The Minister of Rites' words are also right, but right now the most urgent and important matter is making a separate market in Jeongui-hyeon where the Wa people can trade. So I think Kim Daebung should be allowed to work in the Ministry of Finance.”

“I, Jo Mal-saeng, Minister of War, respectfully report. What the Minister of Finance said is not wrong, but the one best suited to dealing with the Wae pirates is Kim Daebung... He should be kept on as a Jeongrang in the Ministry of War.”

What's this situation?

It's not like I'm starring in some harem story about white-haired old ministers obsessing over me.

Why are the ministers of the Six Ministries all so desperate to take me for themselves?

Anyone looking at this would think some old geezers were obsessing over me, falling apart, and starring in some regret-filled movie.

Sejong, faced with this situation, stopped their tug-of-war with a cheerful laugh.

“Kim Daebung, a Jeongrang in the Ministry of War, even found time during his service at the Hall of Worthies to devise farming tools. So even if Kim Daebung is serving in the Ministry of War as a Jeongrang, he should still be able to handle work from other offices. Minister of War, keep that in mind and allow Kim Daebung to help with work from other offices as appropriate.”

I saw it—the smile that appeared at the corners of King Sejong's mouth.

“And these days the officials say they have a lot of work and end up doing a lot of overtime, which may look good on the surface, but in reality people tend to become lax once they start thinking they can just work at night.”

I know that too. I'm the main reason all sorts of work keeps getting dumped on the court.

At the same time, the ministers also know that I am a major contributor to the flood of work at court.

“Since I started leaving work right on time every day and going mountain climbing with His Majesty the Retired King, I came to realize that it's more efficient and better to finish work within working hours no matter what. So all court officials are to refrain from overtime except in truly urgent cases.”

...... Uh, I'm done for.

Until now, when I threw out a work bomb, because it was for the good of the country, everyone else would still work overtime a bit and handle it diligently...

But from now on, every bit of work I create will have to come with a full outline and policy written out by me before I hand it over.

In other words, it means I have to work like hell from the moment I take office until I leave, so that all officials can leave on time.

“I hereby dismiss today's court assembly.”

**

And, just as I expected, the next day, the moment I arrived at court, the officials of the Six Ministries appeared with mountains of work—some caused by me and some not.

If Jo Mal-saeng hadn't cut several of them down in the middle, the paperwork alone would have piled up to my height.

And the working atmosphere in the Ministry of War was different from before, too.

“His Majesty has forbidden overtime by royal decree! Do whatever it takes to finish your work on time! If you slack off, I won't forgive you!”

If anyone does the work even a little carelessly, King Sejong, with his hawk eyes, will make Minister of War Jo Mal-saeng deeply regret it.

So now Joseon's public officials have to work themselves to the bone in order to work "without overtime."

At this rate, we'll even end up making sandwiches to eat.

I'd better get even busier than before, too.

While I was being stuck with other departments' work on top of the Ministry of War's, my father-in-law came toddling over.

“Son-in-law.”

“Yes, Father-in-law.”

“Think of it as saving my life and help out with the Ministry of Finance first.”

When Kim Mandeok, my father-in-law, entered office, he supposedly hardly had to go through the new-official initiation rite at all.

He braced himself, laid out a lavish spread of mountain-and-sea delicacies, and even prepared bribes, but the Ministry of Finance supposedly only ate the meal and didn't accept the bribes.

So back then, both my father-in-law and I were very happy, thinking it was a real relief...

But as they say, there's no free lunch, and once I returned to the Ministry of War, my father-in-law took over the task of dumping the Ministry of Finance's work on me.

As a result, the Ministry of Finance became the department that made the most use of Kim Daebung.

“Please send a servant to collect the documents in half a shijin (one hour).”

“Thank you.”

That day, all the officials in our Ministry of War were able to leave work on time.