He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 111

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Resocialization of the Butcher (2)

Jo Mal-saeng is laughing beside me.

“As expected, our Jukheon (Kim Dae-bung’s pen name) suits the State Council best. From now on, you’ll stay in the State Council for life until I resign. And Jukheon can be my successor. Very good, very desirable.”

As Jo Mal-saeng said, I was transferred from the 4th rank Jeonhamsa of the Subordinate Offices under the Ministry of Public Works to the State Council.

When I was being transferred, Minister Jo Mal-saeng, who is about lifelong slave number 2 or 3, asked about my intentions, suggesting that an unprecedented rapid promotion might be necessary…

But I declined it.

What I want is to work for the Common People, not to barely get permission to retire at over 90 years old like Hwang Hee in a very chaotic political situation.

My dream is to work just until retirement age, retire gracefully, and then leisurely live while touring around Joseon that has developed through my touch.

What kind of terrible proposal is this, like buying sweet and sour pork for a poor college student while telling them to go to graduate school and even do postdoc?

‘If I had accepted that proposal, my court rank would have changed suddenly.’

Hwang Hee, who was looking at Jo Mal-saeng, clicked his tongue.

“What’s so desirable about it? The color of those Official Robes is the problem, the problem. Do the Official Robes that senior officials wear even suit our Secretary Kim?”

“I am already receiving too much advancement compared to my abilities and accomplishments, earning the jealousy of many. If I were to rise to the ranks of senior officials this time, I would receive even more envy and jealousy, and as warned in the saying ‘youth’s success brings no good fortune,’ having too many enemies due to success at a young age might make my later years unfortunate, wouldn’t it?”

Actually, I don’t think I’ll die from receiving poison due to envy and jealousy, or die being called a traitor after getting involved in some factional strife.

What I’m worried about is experiencing ‘unfortunate later years’ of being worked to death by King Sejong like Hwang Hee.

I don’t want to experience unfortunate later years of working with a bent back, leaning on a staff, and eventually even riding a Palanquin around inside Gyeongbok Palace.

I’m being serious.

When I said this, Maeng Sa-seong, who had somehow entered the State Council, burst into loud laughter.

“That doesn’t seem like something Secretary Kim should say, considering you submitted a petition about Chief State Councilor Ryu Jeong-hyeon saying ‘Isn’t that fellow the very ghost of Goryeo?’ Actually, even if Secretary Kim were to rise to a senior position right now, who could oppose it? Anyone who opposes would have to face His Majesty the Retired King wearing the black Gonryongpo separately.”

“I don’t really know how long I’ll continue receiving such grace, do I?”

Even now, Lee Suk-beon, who went into exile and hasn’t returned, once advanced too quickly at a young age, but because he acted too arrogantly, he got caught up in the purge of Lady Min’s family and went into exile, and still hasn’t returned.

At least when he went into exile, his property wasn’t confiscated, so they say he doesn’t go hungry and lives quite leisurely… but how would I know if I might end up following that guy’s path?

In government service, even when there are opportunities for advancement, you shouldn’t just take everything that’s offered.

Hwang Hee looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.

“If I had my way, I’d want to take a break from State Council duties today and send word to my home to bring alcohol and food so the State Council officials could have a drink together. But since the situation isn’t very good right now, let’s deal with the relief and reconstruction issues for the people of Hanyang first. Jukheon, do you have some ideas prepared?”

What am I, some kind of policy vending machine?

Asking me to come up with measures for relieving and reconstructing the people of Hanyang without any advance notice, expecting me to just produce them on the spot.

This is what’s truly frightening about those gentlemen.

Before they use someone, they shower them with so much praise it makes you dizzy, then they work you to the bone like this.

The prime victims of this are me, and Kim Jong-seo and Hwangbo In, who have been reassigned as State Council inspectors.

‘Actually, I’ve prepared everything in advance.’

Just like when taking an exam, you study intensively for the questions you expect to come up, and in situations like this, it’s easy to predict what questions will arise.

“I heard that Gyeongchang has taken out 1,000 seom of white rice and 500 seom of soy sauce to provide relief for the people.”

“That’s right. The people who lost their homes and property have to worry about their next meal first. We can’t let them starve, can we?”

“While His Majesty’s intention to distribute food to them is truly noble, it’s still not right to distribute it without receiving any compensation in return.”

All public budgets must be used as efficiently as possible.

The money spent on creating bizarre art pieces that aren’t even pleasant to look at in front of city halls, district offices, and various government buildings could provide hundreds, maybe even thousands of orphans with access to Korean, English, and math online courses.

If they study and go on to university and even get jobs, they’ll become self-sufficient and pay taxes too – how wonderful would that be?

Or we could build dozens of small but warm houses where war veterans could live.

Actually, caring for people who are starving because they have nothing to eat is a very beneficial use of the budget, but…

“Have those who received relief rice and soy sauce build at least makeshift shelters in exchange for the food they received. Otherwise, many will freeze to death in this cold weather.”

Joseon’s winters during this period are much colder than 21st-century winters.

Joseon officials know this too, so they’re somehow trying to accommodate them in government offices and asking civilian houses to take them in as well…

But government offices weren’t built for people to live in originally, so there are limited places where fires can be lit, and civilian houses are already cramped – who would want to take in strangers?

Because of this, most fire victims are enduring by taking turns like first watch, middle watch, and last watch, entering the warm places in government offices only at certain times to briefly escape the cold…

How many will freeze to death sleeping rough without homes in February’s cold…

“After building those makeshift shelters first, next we’ll mobilize them to build thatched houses on the collapsed house sites. With many people working together, it should be finished relatively quickly.”

“Building thatched houses shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“There are plenty of trees around Hanyang, including on Bukaksan Mountain, so we can use those to build them.”

Talking about cutting down trees suddenly reminds me of something.

Right now in the Early Joseon Period, there are so many trees on the mountains that it’s not a problem, but after the Manchu invasions when ondol heating systems began to be used in earnest throughout Joseon…

Because they cut down mountain trees for firewood, by the end of the Korean Empire period, there were hardly any trees left on the mountains.

When describing the landscape of Joseon from that era, the expression “red soil” appears frequently, and the reason for that term was that with no trees on the mountains, the iron in the soil oxidized and was exposed, creating that appearance.

For the sake of improving the welfare of the Joseon Common People, I must definitely establish coal mining operations someday.

“Your words make sense. I’ll implement it as you suggest. Still, if the relief grain runs short…”

I responded to Hwang Hee’s words by simply sending him an intense stare without saying anything.

That was enough.

Because Minister Hwang Hee personally declared surrender.

“Our household has quite a bit of wealth. Do I look like such a miser that I can’t do that much for the people of Hanyang? What do you take me for, Ryu Jeong-hyeon?”

“I’m truly grateful that you would say such a thing, Minister. Though it’s modest, I’ll also contribute about a thousand seom of white rice.”

When I said I would contribute, Kim Jong-seo, who was passing by, dropped a pile of official reports.

Then, despite being junior grade 5 while I was senior grade 4, he looked me in the eye and signaled ‘Are you crazy?’

I decided to pretend I didn’t notice.

Because when news spreads that I, who threw myself into suppressing this Great Fire of Hanyang, even donated my own wealth…

In Joseon, a country of propriety and etiquette where falling into disfavor could turn even the lightest offense into something as heavy as a mountain, all the government officials would have to contribute truly enormous sums.

Even I would probably be shocked if I had to spend 1,000 seom of white rice as an unexpected expense.

But unlike Korean civil servants who normally live only on their salaries, Joseon civil servants turn various budgets into their salaries through marine literature-style repositioning.

In other words, though it’s unavoidable due to the times, to speak truthfully, they’re embezzling ‘national funds.’

While I can’t bring myself to interfere with this practice…

If you’ve repositioned national funds for your own use, you should at least have the conscience to give some back when the country is in crisis.

“… You’re not thinking of reporting what you just said to His Majesty right away, are you?”

“I’m planning to tell him the day after tomorrow.”

If I contribute 1,000 seom, at least 10,000 seom will definitely come out from the royal private funds.

Maybe even more than that.

Then the burden on the ministers will increase accordingly, so I should give them plenty of grace period.

“Let’s do it that way. Yes, this perfectly solves the relief problem. Now, let’s discuss the most important matter from here on.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“How should we handle the new butchers (what we call the butchers we know)?”

We can’t just leave them as they are.

If we leave the current butchers alone, innocent common people will become victims again.

They’re not Joseon people, but they’re not heinous criminals either.

They should be either hot or cold – these ambiguous ones are the real problem.

“We must make them Joseon people by any means necessary.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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