He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 39

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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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Daedong Law (4)

Chief State Councilor Ryu Jeong-hyeon was extremely displeased with the current affairs unfolding in the Royal Court.

“What do you think of the Bang-won Law, Left State Councilor?”

Left State Councilor Lee Won was someone who had once served as Chief State Councilor, and he shared similar beliefs about financial matters with Ryu Jeong-hyeon.

So Ryu Jeong-hyeon asked this question thinking that among the Three State Councilors, at least Lee Won would take his side.

No matter how much Lee Bang-won wanted to push forward the Bang-won Law, if two of the Three State Councilors opposed it, even if they couldn’t completely block its implementation… they could delay its enforcement.

According to information he had received through the Royal Physician, Lee Bang-won’s health had been noticeably deteriorating recently… so if they could just hold out for a few more years, there was a high probability the Bang-won Law would fizzle out.

‘The Bang-won Law must not happen.’

If currency were implemented, Ryu Jeong-hyeon could clearly see that Joseon’s economy would completely collapse.

That’s why, as recorded in the Annals of King Sejong, he had deliberately implemented ‘currency enforcement’ with unreasonably strict standards.

Of course, the targets of these strict standards were mere leather craftsmen and powerless common people whom Ryu Jeong-hyeon could kill without any particular problem.

He deliberately pushed harshly for a policy that was bound to fail (it was also the worst policy for nobles who kept all their wealth in rice). He was confident that if only the common people died because of currency, the benevolent King Sejong would surely stop its implementation.

In the current Joseon, King Sejong’s currency implementation itself had been completely thwarted by Kim Dae-bung’s written memorial, so from Ryu Jeong-hyeon’s perspective, his wealth was preserved since transactions could still be made based on rice’s value…

Nevertheless, he had extremely personal and very selfish reasons why he had to oppose the Bang-won Law.

“The Bang-won Law… doesn’t the system itself seem quite good? Naju is famous for pears, but in reality, those who actually operate orchards don’t even amount to 1 percent of the population. Most common people grow rice. So most common people have to go around trying to buy pears they don’t even produce themselves for tribute tax… and in this case, that effort and inconvenience is too great.”

“That is true. That’s why last year we allowed Buddhist temples to purchase tribute goods on behalf of the common people, didn’t we?”

“That did reduce the burden the common people had to bear. Previously, if they had to pay 2 seom of rice per household to buy tribute goods, now it’s been reduced to about 1 seom. But the Bang-won Law leaves no room for wicked merchants or Buddhist temples to interfere… they say collecting just 18 doe of white rice per 1 gyeol of land would be sufficient.”

The sufficient amount mentioned here included tribute goods that local governors would offer as ‘gifts’ to central government officials, relatives, and acquaintances, as well as the costs needed to operate local government offices.

Ryu Jeong-hyeon sighed inwardly.

That gentleman Lee Won was definitely not an upright official either, and during Lee Bang-won’s reign as king, he had used his power to forcibly take a merchant’s daughter as his concubine. He couldn’t understand why he was acting so clean in front of him now.

Even without speaking ‘directly,’ he should have understood what he was trying to say.

If the tribute tax system were changed to the Daedong Law, the burden placed on the common people would decrease, and then unless there was a crop failure, the common people would no longer ‘starve.’

The common people also knew that borrowing at high interest was like cutting their own flesh, so unless their wives and children were about to starve to death immediately, they wouldn’t borrow at high interest.

Because if they borrowed at high interest, the only end was losing all their wealth and the entire family becoming slaves.

“I think the intention to reduce the burden on the Common People is good. However, if we receive all Tribute Goods as White Rice, how are we going to transport all of that? Rather, lowering taxes and practicing frugality (reducing the budget) would be the only good method.”

“I agree with that opinion, but Retired King has set his will. How can we block this?”

Ryu Jeong-hyeon stood up from his seat.

Then he used a privilege that only someone second to none and above ten thousand in Joseon could use.

Namely, deciding his own quitting time and leaving work as he pleased.

Originally this would naturally be unacceptable, but Ryu Jeong-hyeon used the excuse of being sick to take sick leave, approved it himself, and then left the office.

Returning home, he immediately began the task of finding flaws in the Bangwon Law.

All to somehow delay the implementation of this law.

**

What caught my eye when I arrived at the Ministry of Taxation was the sight of Government Officials worn down and haggard from work.

Was it because of King Sejong’s mysterious work allocation method that worked Joseon’s officials like graduate students?

The Government Officials looked tired and worn down from fatigue, but somehow they were in a state where it didn’t interfere with their work, so they were enduring through sheer grit and determination while working.

“… Looks like leaving on time is screwed today too.”

“Still, if we work like this for just three days, it’ll be a holiday.”

“After three days, I’ll be able to sleep to my heart’s content. I should have time to write a resignation petition…”

“Still, isn’t it better than the County Governor of Jinhae? That guy is working 7 time periods (14 hours) a day without rest, dealing with the aftermath of what Kim Soo-chan started. He can’t even rest on holidays, they say. Thanks to that, he has no time to manage his wealth, and unlike other governors, he can’t drink alcohol with courtesans, lamenting that this is hell on earth.”

The distance between those Government Officials over there and me is only about 15 meters. In other words, since a new person has come to the Ministry of Taxation, they should recognize me as the new person and show some reaction.

Just how worn down by work and mentally exhausted must people be to show no reaction at all?

Hwang Hee, who brought me here, laughed like a madman.

“Hehe, the Bangwon Law, you see.”

“Yes, Minister.”

“It’s truly a great law. A law that can reduce the burden on the Common People and enrich Joseon’s finances. But wouldn’t there be quite a few practical problems?”

“Yes, that’s correct. But how could any law be eternally unchanging, and how could it be perfect? Even when Jo Yong-jo was created during the Tang Dynasty era, the Common People all took that law lightly and rejoiced, but now it has become an evil law that eats away at the people of Joseon… Laws are ultimately like clothing – when they wear out, we must take the trouble to remove them and change them to better laws than before.”

“… You seem to roughly know the problems.”

“Yes. I know them well.”

I am the person who drafted the Bangwon Law. In other words, I know very well which parts of this law are problematic.

And in my mind, I have all the information on how to solve or improve these problems in what direction.

Adjusting the systems to fit the circumstances of early Joseon won’t be easy work, but…

If I just endure a little hardship, I can give hope as gifts to countless common people, and King Sejong’s Joseon will develop even further.

There will be an enormous amount of work to do, but I’ll do exactly that much and then submit a resignation petition.

From what I know, King Sejong didn’t order ‘lifelong service’ unless someone had committed serious crimes like Hwang Hee or Jo Mal-saeng.

Since I haven’t committed any crimes, both Lee Bang-won and King Sejong will be reluctant but will allow my resignation.

Well, as a precaution for any unforeseen circumstances, if I step down using marriage – a great matter of human ethics – as an excuse, it would be simply resolved. And then I just wouldn’t say I’d return to office forever.

“I believe the Bang-won Law is precisely the law that can rescue the poor common people who still live in pit houses and give them new hope as a gift.”

“You harbor great aspirations like a giant roc in your heart. Indeed, because you harbor such great aspirations, you were able to offer loyal counsel without any fear even before the Retired King’s iron mace.”

Some historian said.

Even during King Taejong’s era, the majority of common people lived in pit houses. However, from King Sejong’s era onward, as the people’s circumstances improved, everyone was able to live in ‘thatched houses.’

Both pit houses and thatched houses are humble dwellings, but this is equivalent to moving from a 5-pyeong rooftop room without electricity to about a 20-pyeong detached house in Korean terms.

So I remember hearing that King Sejong’s period was considered the time when Joseon developed most rapidly and stably, which is why everyone views it as an ideal era.

Given these circumstances, people still long for and respect King Sejong even now, more than 500 years after his death.

Whether it’s divine mischief or just coincidence, I now possess the power and knowledge to present a better future to the countless people living in King Sejong’s era.

As a History Department graduate, I remember once aspiring to become an excellent politician like Joseon’s renowned ministers, passing the administrative examination only to taste the bitterness of reality and become frustrated.

“Kim Soo-chan, what on earth are you thinking about?”

Ah, I must have been spacing out.

“My apologies, Minister. There’s a problem that just came to mind… And as I was thinking about a solution for it, how to organize this…”

Hwang Hee looked at me like he was looking at a madman.

No, I was just normally thinking of things that could become problems.

Then a figure appeared at the Ministry of Taxation who was both Joseon’s greatest loan shark and also served as Joseon’s Chief State Councilor.

“The intent of the Bangwon Law is good, but… since there are these problems. Have the Ministry of Taxation review these as well.”

Ryu Jeong-hyeon smiled wickedly and leisurely extended a document.

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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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