He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 22

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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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Jiphyeonjeon GPT (1)

Looking at the ministers gathered in Pyeonjeon Hall, King Sejong spoke.

“In this world, there are far too many false gentlemen who, just by listening to their words, seem capable of governing the realm and act as if they’re sages like Confucius, full of pretentious virtue. However, they only speak grandly while being nothing but empty husks in reality, utterly useless to the world. Is this not so, Minister of Personnel?”

“Yes, that is correct. Even mere idle nobles harbor ambitions for high positions and speak of organizing this chaotic world… but quite a few of them lie around in their rooms without reading a single character from books, just playing around and hoping for good fortune to come their way.”

In Joseon too, there are countless yangban who use civil service exam preparation as merely an excuse to pretend to be nobles, when in reality they can’t even properly read the Four Books and Three Classics.

While all yangban should study and become models for the surrounding Common People through learning and virtuous conduct…

Since each book contains tens of thousands of Chinese characters that must all be read and memorized entirely, it’s no ordinary task. That’s why there are countless yangban who don’t study but have lofty aspirations.

“Furthermore, there are many young people who, in their youthful rashness, don’t know their own immaturity and lack of ability, yet speak only of grand ambitions.”

Though King Sejong himself was only 26 years old, qualifying as a young man, his abilities were already outstanding enough to be recognized by Lee Bang-won. Therefore, the young people he just mentioned did not refer to himself.

From the perspective of the future master of what would be called the Sejong plantation, who would make all of Joseon’s officials into ‘graduate students,’ most new officials were like this.

King Sejong, who loves all Common People (including officials), throws them work at a level they can achieve if they push themselves to their limits, so they can fulfill the ambitions they had when first entering government service.

It’s King Sejong’s grace, trying to help them somehow achieve the ambitions they spoke of. Of course, the ministers say this isn’t grace but grinding people in a millstone…

In Joseon, a Confucian state, it’s simply the king’s great benevolence.

“However, those like former Jinhae County Magistrate Kim Dae-bung, who at a young age harbor great ambitions and put them into action to benefit the Common People, are extremely rare. Therefore, I am truly delighted to have gained such a minister. This must have been how King Wen’s Father felt when he employed Jiang Taigong, how Emperor Zhaolie felt when he obtained Zhuge Liang.”

Kim Dae-bung is only 19 years old now. Even assuming he lives only until 60, that means he’s a talent who will devote the next 41 years to Joseon.

Moreover, unlike capable people like Hwang Hee or Jo Mal-saeng who have the serious flaw of being excessively greedy for wealth, he seems to have no such defects… As soon as he was appointed as Jinhae County Magistrate at the 6th junior rank, he immediately corrected the county’s livelihood with outstanding ability.

Doesn’t this clearly mean that he doesn’t pursue personal gain and profit, but has the ambition to serve only the Royal Ancestral Shrine and State while bringing peace to the Common People?

Preventing this minister, who is more capable and incorruptible than anyone, from fully displaying his abilities and ambitions would be committing a great sin that a monarch must not commit.

King Sejong truly thought so.

Furthermore, nurturing his talents and abilities would also be the monarch’s duty.

“Where would it be good to send former Jinhae County Magistrate Kim Dae-bung? All of you, speak without reservation.”

At those words, Minister of Personnel Heo Jo immediately responded.

“His Majesty, while former Jinhae County Magistrate Kim Dae-bung’s abilities are truly remarkable, he is still young in age. Therefore, shouldn’t he take charge of matters related to etiquette, law, and education at the Ministry of Personnel while being taught what principles an official and a human being must uphold?”

Next, Hwang Hee interjected.

“Your Majesty, I, Hwang Hee, Minister of Taxation, humbly report. Including this incompetent subject, there is no one in the Ministry of Taxation who understands the Principles of Commerce. Therefore, even when we examine the official reports on how Kim Dae-bung operated the market, we cannot grasp those subtle principles. So we think day and night, analyze and ponder, but cannot reach a clear answer… Therefore, please send him to the Ministry of Taxation, so that the ministry officials will not suffer from problems they cannot solve.”

King Sejong was troubled.

Heo Jo’s words made sense, and Hwang Hee’s words also made sense.

He even thought how wonderful it would be if there were two Kim Dae-bungs instead of one.

Then he could place one in the Ministry of Taxation and one in the Ministry of Personnel.

“The Minister of Personnel’s words make sense, and the Minister of Taxation’s words also make sense.”

Then the other ministers also spoke up.

“Your Majesty, Kim Dae-bung is material who should become a minister of the nation in the future. Then shouldn’t he first learn how to manage people in the Ministry of Personnel? Please send him as a bureau chief to the Ministry of Personnel.”

“His ideas are very flexible, so if he comes to the Ministry of War, he will show excellent talent in creating various new weapons and managing military supplies. And seeing the skills he showed as a local official, wouldn’t he also be good at cultivating and managing military farms?”

“The Ministry of Public Works is currently conducting civil engineering projects using common people in various places… but we can’t get a grasp on what to do. But if Kim Dae-bung comes and distributes corvée labor evenly among the people and even seeks help from the yangban, the work will become much easier. So please send him to the Ministry of Public Works.”

If Kim Dae-bung had seen this situation, he would have summarized it with this one phrase.

‘The ministers are obsessed with me.’

However, in the eyes of King Sejong, who had made all of Joseon’s officials like graduate students, this scene looked truly beautiful. So much so that a smile naturally formed on his face.

“Since the ministers cannot decide where to send Kim Dae-bung, it seems the court session will only drag on uselessly. So have you ministers organize your opinions and report directly to me.”

After King Sejong’s dismissal declaration, the ministers immediately flocked to the State Council.

**

The ministers of the Six Ministries gathered at the State Council raised their voices at each other.

The Three Chief Ministers also wanted to join in and voice that he should be sent to the State Council, but unfortunately, the State Council couldn’t give Kim Dae-bung a position matching his rank, so they had nothing to say and remained quiet…

“No, Minister of Personnel, isn’t this going too far? You know better than anyone how our Ministry of Taxation officials are working these days, how can you say such things?”

“The Ministry of Personnel has important tasks of creating examination questions for the civil service exams and establishing the nation’s laws. The Ministry of Justice only enforces criminal law, but isn’t it the Ministry of Personnel that creates the foundation?”

“Our Ministry of Taxation can’t even understand the market that the former Jinhae County Magistrate (Kim Dae-bung) created. So we need to put out the Ministry of Taxation’s urgent fire first.”

“Didn’t he already write and submit several official reports on how to operate and manage the market?”

“Minister of Personnel, try it yourself. See how difficult this is.”

Jo Mal-saeng, Minister of War, interjected into the fight between Heo Jo, Minister of Personnel, and Hwang Hee, Minister of Taxation.

“Since King Taejo passed away, the Jurchen tribes have been eyeing Joseon’s national border with keen interest. To stop them, we keep talking about gathering soldiers and whatnot… but ultimately, to block them, we must settle people at the border. To do that, we must create military farms. If there’s the best person to be responsible for creating military farms in the Northern Region, who would it be?”

“Does it make sense to assign someone who served as a local official once to an even more difficult local position?”

“Minister of Taxation, this is for the good of the nation.”

“I too am speaking for the good of the nation.”

The other ministers also continued to discuss why Kim Dae-bung was necessary for their respective departments.

However, unlike the other Six Ministries, everyone was gradually pushed back by the Ministry of Taxation’s compelling appeal, as they had to work almost non-stop from arrival to departure and even do overtime.

“Ministry of Taxation officials are human too, human. I also hate working overtime… And Kim Dae-bung isn’t someone who will only do Ministry of Taxation work…”

Just then, Jeong In-ji, the Vice Chancellor of Jiphyeonjeon, appeared at this gathering.

Hwang Hee scolded him for his late arrival.

“Why are you so late? The other high officials have been discussing where to place former Jinhae County Magistrate Kim Dae-bung since earlier.”

Jeong In-ji looked at Hwang Hee and the other ministers and smiled slyly.

That smile gave Hwang Hee an uneasy feeling.

“His Majesty has appointed former Jinhae County Magistrate Kim Dae-bung as Suchan of Jiphyeonjeon.”

Hwang Hee couldn’t hide his surprised expression.

If they brought Kim Dae-bung to the Ministry of Taxation, they could make that fellow who had dumped mountains of work on the Ministry of Taxation clean up the pile of work himself, and they could enjoy the happiness of leaving work on time…

It was almost done now, just a little more pressure and it would definitely work out…

Hwang Hee had planned to entice the naive Kim Dae-bung and keep him under his command until he retired, enjoying a comfortable official life. His happy dream vanished like bubbles in an instant.

“What do you mean by that?”

“It’s a royal command, Your Excellency. Isn’t it also in military strategy that the best move lies in deceiving others?”

“… No, you… How could you do this? How much I’ve cherished you! Vice Chancellor, how could you do this to me?”

Hwang Hee saw leaving work on time slipping away before his eyes, the reality of work-life balance crumbling. Everything seemed to turn yellow before his eyes.

He suddenly wanted to submit a resignation letter.

Jeong In-ji was also a seasoned official, though not as much as those present here.

Therefore, he decided to provide an answer that would satisfy everyone, including Hwang Hee.

“Jiphyeonjeon is a place that researches scholarship and studies policies that benefit Joseon. Everyone here knows our Suchan Kim’s (Kim Dae-bung’s) loyal and patriotic heart… If you bring difficult matters from the Six Ministries to him, he will help as much as he can.”

At his words, the dying Hwang Hee immediately came back to life and let out a cheer of joy.

“Vice Minister, you’re the best. I’ll buy you a drink today. On such a pleasant day like today, I should tell all the Ministry of Taxation officials to leave work on time.”

At the same time, Kim Dae-bung felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.

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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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