He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 26

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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 (5)

The end of work at Joseon government offices is timed to match the ‘departure’ of the highest-ranking person in that office.

At the Ministry of Taxation, it’s the Minister of Taxation; at the Ministry of Rites, it’s the Minister of Rites; at the Ministry of War, it’s the Minister of War – all officials leave work simultaneously when their respective ministers depart.

It’s also common sense to arrive earlier than the ‘Minister’ for work.

Finally, the sound of bells and drums announcing yusi (5 PM to 7 PM) echoed through the Ministry of Taxation.

The sound announcing yusi to the officials was practically a signal that it was acceptable to leave work…

From the Vice Minister of Taxation at the top down to the government slaves of the Ministry of Taxation at the bottom, everyone united in watching for signs from Minister of Taxation Hwang Hee.

If he didn’t leave work and worked overtime, all officials in the Ministry of Taxation would have to work overtime, but if Hwang Hee left work, everyone could join in leaving and enjoy ‘a life with evenings.’

Hwang Hee, who had been the center of everyone’s attention, stood up from his seat and spoke.

“What are you all doing? Thanks to Kim Soo-chan (Kim Dae-bung), we’ve established guidelines for the most urgent problems, so why would we need to work overtime? Everyone except the night duty officer may leave.”

At his words, bright smiles appeared on the officials’ faces. They thought they were going to die from exhaustion, working non-stop except for lunch time when slaves brought food from home after arriving at the office.

Being able to leave without working overtime was as precious and joyful as rain during a drought.

Everyone was grateful to Kim Dae-bung in their hearts. Of course, within a few minutes they would remember that Kim Dae-bung was the cause of their overtime work and curse him inwardly.

“We shall take our leave, Your Excellency.”

“Rest well and arrive on time tomorrow. This Magistrate will come to work around the end of myosi, so keep that in mind.”

The work hours for Joseon officials vary by period, but usually take place during myosi (5 AM to 7 AM). When work is urgent, they arrive as soon as myosi begins, and when work isn’t urgent, they arrive near the end of myosi.

Therefore, what Hwang Hee just said was a declaration that there would be no overtime or extended work tomorrow either… The officials cheered inwardly.

“Yes, we understand.”

“Don’t overdo it at the gibang just because you’re leaving on time.”

After saying that, Hwang Hee immediately set off on his way home.

It was a precious on-time departure, so why would he bother holding up the officials with unnecessary talk?

Going home to rest comfortably wouldn’t even be enough time.

As Hwang Hee was getting into his palanquin to go home, he happened to see Minister of Rites Heo Jo.

“Isn’t that His Excellency the Minister of Rites?”

At those words, Heo Jo responded warmly.

“Is the Minister of Taxation also leaving on time today?”

“Thanks to Kim Soo-chan, we’ve found a way to distribute markets to all counties nationwide. Now the Ministry of Taxation won’t have to work overtime for a while.”

“Heh heh, I too was troubled recently by not knowing why civil examination passers only came from Hanyang, but when I asked him, didn’t he give me a crystal clear answer right away? That’s how I was able to leave on time.”

“So that happened. Well then, what answer did the Minister of Rites hear?”

A smile appeared on Heo Jo’s face.

He was remembering the joy he felt when he found answers thanks to Kim Dae-bung, that all-purpose consultation tool who solved problems in an instant, like Zhuge Liang reincarnated in the present age.

“Currently in Joseon, for special examinations (irregular exams) excluding the triennial examinations, we don’t announce the test dates nationwide. So those taking special examinations are inevitably limited to those living in Hanyang or those with connections to government officials.”

“Now that I hear it, that’s true.”

“So from now on, even when there are national celebrations or urgent need to increase the number of officials, we’ve decided to generally issue proclamations to all counties and prefectures nationwide and allow three months’ notice. Then scholars from the provinces will also come to take special examinations, so won’t the situation of only Hanyang scholars passing the civil examinations disappear?”

“As expected of Kim Soo-chan. If we do that, there won’t be any cases of scholars missing exams because they don’t know when civil examinations are being held. As for me…”

Hwang Hee told Heo Jo about the problem he had asked Kim Dae-bung and the answer he received. Heo Jo nodded and agreed throughout.

“… Kim Soo-chan is truly a talent like a great roc. To think he’d propose increasing ranked officials by 364 at once. His boldness is unmatched.”

“Saying that collecting more taxes benefits the people… honestly, he seems like a madman sometimes.”

“A madman, you say. I once overheard junior officials from the Ministry of Rites (officials below rank 6) gossiping about Kim Soo-chan. They called him a disaster because he increases work like crazy.”

“Heh heh, well there is that aspect to him.”

“It’s not entirely wrong, but how can mere junior officials dare gossip about a senior official (rank 6 and above)? So I took time to give them a brief education on proper etiquette.”

At those words, Hwang Hee just laughed. Considering Kim Dae-bung’s actions, it was impossible not to gossip about him to some degree, but to give them light education (at least 2 hours of lecturing) for doing so…

This incident would have become known throughout the entire Ministry of Rites, so those fellows would have been scolded all day long.

Hwang Hee sympathized with them. It seemed like they received too harsh a punishment compared to the crime they committed.

“Go easy on them.”

“I’ve mellowed out a lot too. It was only 1 si-jin (2 hours) of lecturing. For me, that’s showing considerable restraint.”

“… Let’s not even talk about it. That aside, Kim Soo-chan is going to get quite a harsh scolding from the Chief Minister (Ryu Jeong-hyeon) within a few days.”

Chief State Councilor Ryu Jeong-hyeon, a moneylender who stood at the forefront of Joseon’s tax policy of ‘unconditional tax reduction.’

A miserly minister who accumulated vast wealth through petty schemes that couldn’t be punished under Joseon’s national laws, making even Hwang Hee click his tongue in dismay.

His beliefs and the policies Kim Dae-bung advocated were completely opposite. In other words, Kim Dae-bung was someone who would inevitably make Ryu Jeong-hyeon grind his teeth.

Ryu Jeong-hyeon was only holding back because he was watching Lee Bang-won and King Sejong’s reactions… but he had disliked Kim Dae-bung from the beginning. Collecting more taxes to help the people?

From a stubborn Confucian perspective, this is a terribly wrong policy.

“Does the Minister of Taxation oppose Minister Ryu’s policy?”

“I supported it in the past, but not anymore.”

Hwang Hee changed his thinking a bit after hearing Kim Dae-bung’s story.

While collecting too many taxes indiscriminately isn’t good, he came to understand that collecting too few taxes indiscriminately results in eating away at the people.

Therefore, he came to believe that collecting appropriately and spending correctly is what serves Joseon.

Nothing else matters – didn’t Kim Dae-bung show this directly while serving as Jinhae County Magistrate?

Even though he collected 40% more taxes, the people voluntarily erected a Merit Stele and all four classes of people (including nobles) submitted a Petition of a Thousand People.

“I wasn’t part of Joseon’s founding.”

“That’s the same for me too.”

“I just went because the country called and I coveted power, but Minister of Rites is different, isn’t he? You lent your strength right when Joseon was founded. I only waited until they gave me a higher position because I desired it.”

Hwang Hee is a minister who covets wealth to the point of being close to a corrupt official. Even after taking office, he always maintained his beliefs.

Therefore, during King Taejo’s reign (Lee Seong-gye), he was dismissed from office several times for maintaining his beliefs.

“If the Chief State Councilor tries to crush Kim Soo-chan, I will submit a petition to stop it. Kim Soo-chan is truly a talent this country needs without doubt. Moreover, unlike me, he has no personal greed. He’s a loyal subject who thinks only of the Royal Ancestral Shrine and State day and night.”

Heo Jo smiled wryly upon hearing his words.

“I think the same way. In that spirit, I left work on time today – how about a drink?”

“Good. Is the Minister of Rites buying?”

“I’m poor. Unlike someone else.”

Heo Jo was truly an incorruptible official from whom not even a speck of dust would come out even if the Three Offices deliberately investigated him. So Hwang Hee really had nothing to say.

If he felt wronged, he could just not accept the massive gifts sent from various regions. But since Hwang Hee couldn’t do that, he had only one choice.

“… I’ll buy.”

**

“At least I managed to avoid overtime work. Damn, do they think I’m some kind of search engine or something?”

It’s only my first day at deungcheong, so why are they throwing so much work at me?

The Ministry of Taxation has Hwang Hee rushing over asking how to distribute markets nationwide.

The Ministry of Rites demands I come up with countermeasures, saying they don’t understand why civil examination passers are concentrated only in Hanyang.

The Ministry of Public Works keeps pestering me for advice on how to build embankments nationwide…

What is this? I’m not some GPT.

Still, thanks to all that running around, I did manage to avoid that damn audience ceremony.

To be precise, the Chief Scholar of Jiphyeonjeon subtly hinted that I should prepare for the audience ceremony, but Deputy Scholar Jeong In-ji quietly dragged me away… which made it possible.

“I feel like I’m going to die. Really going to die.”

It seems like they’ll keep throwing questions at me like this in the future, and I wonder if I can handle it.

Forget everything else, right now I just want to wash up and sleep.

That way I can do what I need to do tomorrow.

“Have you returned, my lord?”

“Yes, Dolsoe. Tell them to prepare the dinner table.”

“Yes, my lord. And ah, Miss Gyeoul is waiting inside.”

“… That bastard Kim Man-deok…”

Kim Man-deok was able to safely establish his position in the Sijeon, which had become half-gangsterized, by leveraging my power.

Originally, joining the Sijeon Guild would require paying enormous amounts of money… but he succeeded in joining the Sijeon almost for free by having his deep relationship with me, a candidate for future minister, recognized.

Since then, Kim Gyeoul often comes to our house to help with household chores.

Honestly, I am grateful… no wait, such a pretty woman often appears to help me, so I’m extremely grateful. But I should also consider Kim Gyeoul’s feelings.

“Sigh, I should talk to Gyeoul. If she’s coming even though she doesn’t want to because of her father, I’ll tell her I’ll make good excuses to decline.”

There are many ways to decline without hurting Kim Man-deok’s feelings.

“Is this also an event, I wonder?”

I muttered to myself, then after enjoying the meal that was brought, I called for Kim Gyeoul.

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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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