He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 141

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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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Matchlock Gun and Northern Expedition (5)

If the Ministry of War plans everything necessary for conducting war, including military supply transport, then the Ministry of Taxation takes on the role of securing the budget to execute those plans.

This means that the Ministry of Taxation is the place suffering from intense work next to the Ministry of War.

My father-in-law, who is known as the practical ace of the Ministry of Taxation, is also being overworked like squeezing a dry rag, so when I saw him up close, his face didn’t look very good.

He must have suffered to death.

“Our son-in-law is truly remarkable. I’m just a low-ranking official at the Ministry of Taxation, so I don’t take on weighty responsibilities, yet I feel like I’m dying from overwork. But I don’t see much fatigue on my son-in-law’s face.”

“Is that so? Actually, I’m also having a hard time because my work has increased.”

“Our Ministry of Taxation works overtime daily, but the Ministry of War hardly works overtime, right?”

This is possible because Right State Councilor Jo Mal-saeng properly sets priorities between unnecessary work and work that must be done immediately, and I process it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Honestly, without Jo Mal-saeng, our Ministry of War would also be experiencing an overtime hell even worse than the Ministry of Taxation.

“Well, seeing that our son-in-law came to our house to meet me on this precious holiday instead of being with my daughter, it seems like there’s something you want to ask. I would like to have a drink with my son-in-law whom I’ve met after a long time and talk about various things… but I don’t have the energy for that. Please understand.”

“When the war is finished later, I’ll treat you to ginseng wine.”

“Ginseng wine, where did you get such a precious thing?”

“The Hanyang Market merchants offered it on their own.”

In the 21st Century, you should never accept such things, but in Joseon, not accepting them could actually be problematic.

Once, when I refused the massive gifts they gave me, saying I couldn’t accept them…

A rumor spread throughout Hanyang Market that ‘Petition Officer Kim Dae-bung inspects various corruptions committed by merchants and sends some of the worst ones to Goryeo.’

Then they came to find me, voluntarily repented for their sins, and offered gifts four times more than before.

Since then, I changed my strategy and always accept them at a moderate level.

If commerce stops because such rumors spread from not accepting gifts, it would deal a fatal blow to Joseon’s economy.

“…At this rate, the medicinal herb merchants will even bring deer antler to offer.”

There really was someone who brought deer antler to offer me.

When I heard the story, it was something that an unnamed physician from the Royal Medical Office had relocated (embezzled) to maintain his livelihood…

I thought accepting this would cause big trouble, so I told him to take it back.

“Father-in-law, hasn’t the Royal Court’s budget been greatly depleted from mobilizing over 25,000 troops this time? So how about you and I join forces to contribute some wealth?”

“My son-in-law only earns money to use for national affairs. Actually, I was thinking about it too. Since His Majesty opened his private treasury and provided as much as 20,000 seom of white rice, we can’t just sit still either.”

Joseon is a country where not observing proper etiquette and manners is actually a crime under criminal law.

To put it more simply, even if an action isn’t a crime under criminal law, you can still be punished just for being deemed insolent.

So a whopping 20,000 seom was spent from the royal private funds, and wealthy officials like us don’t contribute money?

You never know when or for what reason you might be reprimanded or punished.

Rather than getting cursed at and having money extorted from us, it’s cheaper to pay up when they’re asking nicely.

“So how much should we contribute?”

“How much can you pay right now?”

“I think I can somehow manage up to 30,000 seom of white rice. If I pay more than that, I’d be giving away my business capital, which won’t do.”

“Then I’ll somehow manage to contribute up to 10,000 seom. If we combine our contributions to about 40,000 seom, the Royal Court won’t dare slander your merchant guild, brother.”

Right now, Kim Man-deok is essentially like someone who simultaneously owns a large corporation and works as a civil servant in the Ministry of Strategy and Finance in Korean terms.

He’s making enormous profits through various confidential information obtained while working as a civil servant.

Since he’s gained many benefits from working at the Ministry of Taxation, it’s proper for him to contribute that much.

“People say we’ve made enormous money thanks to working as bureaucrats, but now that I have to pay such a large sum, my stomach does hurt a bit.”

“Isn’t that what taxes are all about? It’s not like the merchant guild won’t function without that money, and we won’t be in immediate trouble… but it’s natural to feel regretful about paying such a large sum.”

Father-in-law clicked his tongue.

“Still, as someone who holds a government position, if you begrudge such wealth and don’t pay what you should, wouldn’t you likely end up like Ryu Jeong-hyeon?”

I heard that lately at the Ministry of Taxation, they curse people who don’t pay taxes and engage in severe usury as being no different from Ryu Jeong-hyeon.

That phrase has stuck perfectly to Father-in-law’s lips too.

Still, it’s a good thing for Ryu Jeong-hyeon.

Every scholar in Joseon wants to leave their name in history, and it seems that bastard’s name will continue to be used in Joseon for a long time to come.

Though it’ll be used in phrases like “bastard like Ryu Jeong-hyeon” or “deserves to end up like Ryu Jeong-hyeon”…

Anyway, since his name has been preserved, even the dead Ryu Jeong-hyeon would be happy.

Well, what else can a dead bastard do anyway?

“But since I’m being so loyal and patriotic… isn’t there some profitable information available?”

“Ha, really, this is just this once.”

30,000 seom of White Rice is a fortune that could buy about 70 moderately-sized Tile-roofed Houses in Hanyang.

You could think of it as 70 luxury Apartments in Seoul.

He’s readily offering such money, but if there’s no reciprocation for it, that wouldn’t make sense according to Joseon customs either.

Let me see, a method that would help national interests while allowing Father-in-law to make big money…

“Father-in-law, around April next year, a great army of 25,000 mobilized by the Royal Court will cross the National Border. Then Rice prices in Hamgyeong Province will rise significantly.”

“Next April…”

“Buy Rice from Samnam at reasonable prices and sell it in Hamgyeong Province. Then you’ll be able to make big money that will more than make up for the losses you’ve incurred this time. However…”

Kim Man-deok cut off my words abruptly and interjected.

“Son-in-law, I may hold a minor position, but I’m still an official of the Royal Court. How could I try to make enormous profits from Rice? I’ll only raise the price by exactly 30% of the purchase price. If I sell the surplus Rice from the Eight Provinces to Hamgyeong Province at that price, even if grain prices rise due to this war in Hamgyeong Province, the number of people starving to death will be significantly reduced.”

It was the same during Napoleon’s time, and all pre-modern armies could never adequately feed their soldiers with supplies sent from the Central Government alone.

This is because there’s the serious problem of transportation.

No matter how efficiently I manage supplies and scrape together materials to send, local procurement would be essential.

In that process, Rice and other grain would be consumed in large quantities, so in Hamgyeong Province where Rice is already precious, Rice prices would skyrocket tremendously.

But if Merchants like Father-in-law sell Rice while leaving only ‘reasonable profits’, we could protect to some extent the Common People who would die from the aftermath of Rice shortages.

“That’s all well and good, but…”

“Yes, Father-in-law.”

“Honestly, I feel it’s unfair that only I have to pay out so much money. Ahem, wouldn’t it be good to give other Merchants a chance to serve their country loyally as well?”

I must have been too trapped in 21st Century thinking.

Current Merchants don’t pay various taxes including corporate taxes like 21st Century companies.

They’re only paying about 10% of their income based on Account Books they’ve prepared themselves…

‘Those Account Books are naturally full of creative Accounting too.’

There wouldn’t be anything particularly wrong with collecting a bit more taxes from such people.

No, the Common People will also face heavier tax burdens due to the coming war…

It wouldn’t make sense to only exempt the merchants from additional taxes.

“As expected, Father-in-law is truly wise.”

“It’s just the wisdom of an old mule. After all, haven’t I lived decades longer than my son-in-law?”

Hmm, but I’m too busy with my current duties to urge the merchants to voluntarily pay taxes? No, threaten? That’s not it either.

Right, I don’t have the capacity to encourage them.

Actually, I could do it if I tried, but that would mean additional overtime work.

So I should give Father-in-law the opportunity to personally implement the excellent idea he came up with himself.

This is absolutely not passing the buck.

I’m giving him a golden opportunity to achieve merit.

“Father-in-law.”

“Why are you looking at me with those eyes?”

“You want to become a Senior Official, don’t you?”

Father-in-law shook his head.

“I plan to retire after reaching Junior Official rank. As I get older, I can feel my health continuously deteriorating. Just having our family become proper Yangban thanks to you is enough…”

“No. Actually, when I heard that you return home after finishing your arduous duties and study the Four Books and Three Classics instead of seeking rest, I was deeply moved. I believe that dedication will continue unchanged.”

“I read the Four Books and Three Classics to understand human duty…”

“Loyalty to the king and love of country is also human duty.”

Father-in-law can never win against me in a debate on Confucianism.

Because I’m a champion of the Confucian tournament (civil service examination).

“I’ll speak to the Minister of Taxation about this. If you handle this matter well, you’ll be promoted soon and become a 7th rank official before long.”

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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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