He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 30

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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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Currency and Direct Petition (1)

Today too, the atmosphere at the Ministry of Finance Main Office was peaceful and harmonious.

It wasn’t like birds were chirping and flowers were blooming in full glory… but everyone’s faces were blooming with bright smiles.

Despite the work baptism from King Sejong, who turned all Joseon officials into ‘graduate students’ and is most revered by 21st-century university professors, they had been able to achieve ‘on-time departure’ for nearly… 10 whole days.

The atmosphere was so good that Minister of Finance Hwang Hee even chuckled when he saw a deputy minister who committed the grave sin of not greeting him.

Normally, seeing someone so absorbed in work that they lost their senses, he would have thrown a work bomb at them saying they were being very loyal, and would have had to reprimand such behavior that deviated from ‘proper etiquette.’ But everyone was so happy that he didn’t even want to give such a scolding.

“Now, everyone work hard today for another on-time departure.”

“Yes, Minister.”

“Kim Jeongnang, have you finished calculating how much budget will be needed for the salaries of officials who will supervise the markets being established in each county?”

“Yes, sir. And I’ve also roughly calculated how much tax revenue will be collected.”

“This evaluation period, all Ministry of Finance officials might receive the highest grade. Very commendable.”

This was all possible because they had entrusted difficult and complex problems to Jiphyeonjeon GPT Kim Dae-bung and ordered him to come up with solutions.

Hwang Hee decided to send precious ingredients like ginseng and dried abalone to the Jiphyeonjeon slave who was working hard on his behalf.

They sometimes fed cattle octopus as nutritious food, so how would humans be any different?

While everyone was happily smiling, a low-ranking official in green clothes came to find Hwang Hee with a serious expression.

“Sir, we have a big problem.”

“Haha, what could it be? What, did rats eat the rice stored in the warehouse? A few bags of rice going missing is always happening…”

“It’s not that kind of matter… Kim Soo-chan from Jiphyeonjeon has devised as many as 17 new farming tools together with Jang Byeoljwa from Sangui-won.”

Upon hearing this, Hwang Hee slumped into his chair. He wondered if he had misheard something.

They had created over 10 new farming tools.

And this was at a time not long after they had put Kim Dae-bung in Jiphyeonjeon and said everyone should share him. He wondered if this made any sense.

However, unless that low-ranking deputy was out of his mind, he wouldn’t deliberately tell lies that would break this warm atmosphere…

Hwang Hee’s face crumpled at the reality that the on-time departure he had taken for granted today had vanished.

“Tell me in detail.”

“Following Kim Soo-chan’s proposal, Jang Byeoljang from Sangui-won and the craftsmen worked overtime and devised as many as 17 new farming tools. Their effectiveness is said to be extremely outstanding.”

When good farming tools are made, agricultural production increases. When agricultural production increases, naturally the living standards of the common people also improve.

Common people who used to eat only two meals a day would be able to have three meals, and the yangban landlords could also become wealthier by obtaining more rice. So the creation of new farming tools is good news for everyone here.

There’s one problem, just one real problem.

The Ministry of Taxation would be at the center of planning the budget needed to distribute these new farming tools, the methods for distribution, and the policies.

That’s why Hwang Hee was shocked not by the benefits the farming tools would bring, but by his own future of having to endure endless overtime work.

“… Let me see the official report first to know what kind of items these are.”

Hwang Hee snatched the official report from the junior official with the urgency of a fisherman reeling in a catch. As he read through the contents of the report one by one, a smile bloomed on Hwang Hee’s face.

With such items being created, agricultural production would increase quite significantly in the future. He didn’t know exactly how much it would increase, but wasn’t Hwang Hee himself a wealthy landowner with vast fields?

So his wealth would increase tremendously. Though he wasn’t quite a corrupt official, Hwang Hee, who was very fond of money, couldn’t help but be delighted.

“Hehe, this is truly excellent. With such farming tools created, farming will become much more convenient.”

Using the dragon tail (a hydraulic water pump), they could send water even to places where irrigation canals couldn’t be dug before. That would increase the amount of land that could be cultivated.

The device called a foot-operated water wheel would also be of great help in drawing water from below to above.

Especially the thing called geojunggi – Kim Dae-bung had only described it as ‘making it easier to lift soil or stones’ when building reservoirs…

But this was an item that could be very useful when building fortresses too.

Most of the losses from injuries when building fortresses occurred when lifting heavy stones to a certain height… and this could reduce that? It was a tool that must be adopted immediately and unconditionally.

“Things would improve greatly if we introduced these tools… I should have the tenant farmers in our household use these right away. Moreover, their design is quite simple, so the government craftsmen (artisans affiliated with government offices who provide free labor for a certain period) could easily make them. It’s truly good, but…”

The fact that the Ministry of Taxation would have to plan the budget needed to make this many varieties of tools and the policies needed for their introduction finally came to mind.

Hwang Hee couldn’t even imagine how quickly King Taejong Lee Bang-won, who must be smiling contentedly after seeing that official report, would order their rapid introduction.

“Now regular work hours are over.”

Though it was merely a muttered soliloquy, the declaration of “end of regular work hours” stuck in everyone’s ears.

The faces of all the Ministry of Taxation officials, clerical staff (similar to local clerks), and government slaves hardened instantly.

“What are you all doing? Prepare for overtime!”

After declaring overtime preparations, a court eunuch came to the Ministry of Taxation to deliver King Sejong’s command.

“King Taejong Lee Bang-won was extremely satisfied watching His Majesty and the royal family members use the new Farming Tools together at Jeokjeon (where the king directly performs the Royal Plowing Ceremony [the ritual of holding a Plow and tilling the fields] and tests various Farming Methods).”

When the Ministry of Taxation officials heard those words, they thought they were truly dead.

Several new Farming Tools had been made, and His Majesty and the royal family had tested them right before King Taejong Lee Bang-won’s eyes, and King Taejong Lee Bang-won was pleased with what he saw?

Good heavens, this absolutely had to be rushed.

If they didn’t hurry, they would commit an irreverent crime and who knows what tragic fate would befall them.

“And His Majesty has graciously bestowed Royal Meal Grants (meal tables personally granted by the king) upon the Ministry of Taxation and Ministry of Public Works.”

It meant they would provide a sumptuous feast, so work yourselves to death.

Hwang Hee and the other officials prostrated themselves and bowed in gratitude to the king upon hearing those words.

The officials’ eyes all reddened from overwhelming gratitude. These were absolutely not tears shed because regular work hours had gone out the window.

It was their resolve to be grateful for the king’s grace and to serve loyally and patriotically.

At the same time, Hwang Hee realized one more thing.

If they pushed Kim Dae-bung too hard, that bastard would also throw work bombs back at them.

**

Meanwhile, Lee Bang-won was having a delightful time forcing King Sejong, who rarely moved around, to move against his will.

“His Majesty, after doing farm work that I don’t usually do, my back and shoulders are aching.”

Lee Bang-won laughed heartily.

“That’s because you neglect exercise. Didn’t Confucius also emphasize archery and horsemanship among the Six Arts that a Scholar should naturally possess?”

“That is true, but…”

“That’s precisely because only by moving your body diligently can you gain the strength to read books for long periods. Do, you possess the virtue of caring for the Common People and valuing your subjects, but… with your body like that.”

People of the Joseon era didn’t know what lifestyle diseases were. However, they instinctively knew that being fat was not good for one’s health.

In Lee Bang-won’s eyes, King Sejong was far too fat… so he thought he should bring him out like this occasionally to make him move his body from time to time.

“While it’s good to put effort into state affairs, make sure to walk in the gardens, ride horses, and sometimes participate in Royal Hunts (military training combined with hunting) to exercise your body.”

“Yes, His Majesty…”

Joseon is a country of filial piety. So when his father, the Retired King, tells him to exercise, he must do it.

So King Sejong, while quite plump until now, had not yet reached a seriously obese state.

“The plow you’re using now is one that Kim Dae-bung newly designed and made. How useful is it?”

“It seems to plow much better than the one used during last year’s Royal Plowing Ceremony.”

“I see. Since it can lessen the hardships of the Common People, this is truly fortunate.”

It wasn’t fortunate for King Sejong. Since the Royal Physician and Court Eunuch agreed with King Taejong Lee Bang-won’s opinion and didn’t tell him to stop, King Sejong had to plow the field until sweat poured from his entire body.

Lee Bang-won only stopped him with a hearty laugh after seeing sweat streaming all over King Sejong’s body.

“You may stop now.”

“… Thank you.”

“But is Lee Hyang still watching the Dragon Tail?”

“Yes. He seems to be quite fond of the Dragon Tail.”

Lee Bang-won went to where Crown Prince Munjong Lee Hyang was.

There, Lee Hyang was continuously watching the Water Pump with interlocking gears that turned to draw up water from lower places.

“Wow, keep going! Keep turning it more!”

Lee Bang-won chuckled heartily seeing his grandson show interest in such farming equipment.

Usually, as the crown prince, he had to focus only on his studies, so it must have been difficult enduring that pressure.

Today, seeing him laugh while watching new machinery operate seemed perfectly fitting for a child of that age.

“Lee Hyang.”

“Great-grandfather! According to what I heard from Kim Sang-on, if we install that Dragon Tail at the Han River, we can pump up lots of water to fill the irrigation canal. Then farming would be truly convenient.”

“Indeed, you too resemble your father and are truly intelligent.”

“I also want to become a king who can take good care of young Common People like great-grandfather and His Majesty!”

A smile appeared on Lee Bang-won’s face.

To think that the spirit of loving the people had already taken root in the heart of his five-year-old grandson Lee Hyang. Not to mention his third son Lee Do.

He is a king who loves the Common People more than anyone, and is wiser than anyone… He will surely bring great benefit to the people of Joseon in the future.

Even when he can no longer protect Joseon, Joseon will enjoy peace and prosperity.

So now he even feels like he wants to rest a bit.

He still couldn’t rest yet.

“Doya.”

“Yes, His Majesty.”

Lee Bang-won steeled his resolve and spoke.

“The Yuan Dynasty became extremely prosperous by using paper money (paper currency like jeo-hwa). Since Joseon is already using cloth currency like five seung fabric, there’s no reason we couldn’t use paper money as well, is there?”

“… Yes, that’s correct.”

“Moreover, if markets were established in every county nationwide, and exchange offices (places where paper currency is exchanged for rice) were set up… wouldn’t the common people prefer to use paper currency instead of rice, which is difficult to carry around?”

King Sejong agreed, though somewhat reluctantly. If currency became widely used, the nobility would no longer store their wealth only in ‘rice.’

Then the rice that had been piled up and rotting in the nobles’ warehouses would pour out and enter the mouths of the common people, making them more prosperous.

Furthermore, paper money could simply be printed…

“No, paper currency has failed before…”

“His Majesty, then how about making people use copper coins as the Song Dynasty did?”

Paper currency was just scraps of paper, so its credibility was low.

So they could melt down ‘copper,’ which had physical form and was treated as a precious material among people, to make copper coins.

King Sejong thought the same way.

“Indeed, you are wise. Yes, let us make copper coins widely used to benefit the common people.”

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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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