He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 40

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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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Daedongbeop (5)

There are no perfect humans in this world, and there are no perfect systems or laws either.

All countries in the 21st century have adopted democracy, but democracy is absolutely not perfect either.

It was adopted simply because it has far fewer flaws than ‘absolute monarchy’ which must rely solely on the monarch’s capabilities.

The Daedongbeop naturally doesn’t have only advantages either.

However, the number and degree of its disadvantages are far less than collecting tribute goods.

Therefore, ahead of implementing the Bang-won Law, we must spare no effort to minimize disadvantages and maximize advantages.

But judging from Ryu Jeong-hyeon’s expression as he visited the Ministry of Taxation, it doesn’t seem like he came with ‘good intentions.’

“Minister of Taxation.”

At his words, Hwang Hee showed a tense expression.

“As you well know, Joseon’s roads are extremely inconvenient. Among the officials here, there’s no one who doesn’t know how inconvenient Joseon’s transportation is. Everyone suffered so much traveling from their hometowns to Hanyang to take the civil service examinations.”

If you watch Joseon period dramas or historical dramas, you can often see scenes of people gathering to stay overnight at inns on mountain paths.

And not just staying for one night, but for several days at a time.

It wasn’t because there was a culture of using inns as hotels for entertainment, or a culture of using inns as lodging for tourism… It’s because if you walk mountain paths day and night, large tigers would suddenly appear and devour people with a roar.

Using the roads is extremely inconvenient, and since there are few plains, you must inevitably pass through treacherous mountain paths if you go even a little far.

I too had a really hard time when I went to Hanyang to take the civil service examination.

“The mountain paths are extremely treacherous, and when staying at private homes on the way to take examinations, you can often hear stories of tigers coming out and devouring people. Roads that aren’t mountain paths are equally treacherous.”

Ryu Jeong-hyeon walked toward me with high spirits, step by step.

A gentleman who is no less than the Chief State Councilor coming close to me and pressuring me like this… I felt tremendous pressure.

Of course, compared to what I felt when presenting a written memorial before Lee Bang-won who was wearing a black gonryongpo and even holding an iron mace, this was nothing.

‘What method could you possibly use to kill me.’

Changing my thoughts like this made me feel somewhat more at ease.

In fact, that bastard is someone who obediently followed Lee Bang-won’s wishes and reached this position.

He didn’t hesitate to make all sorts of accusations and even carried out the role of killing ‘Sim On’, which is how he was able to rise to that position.

By Joseon era standards, Ryu Jeong-hyeon is a man who has committed countless crimes that could warrant execution at most or pardoning at least, all depending on the king’s mood and will.

A bastard just like the treacherous ministers of Former Goryeo who increased the number of slaves through usury and gradually devoured land nationwide. He even gave government positions to those who were good at collecting usury.

Well, to be precise, he gave them positions as ‘station masters’ responsible for post stations, and if they performed well, he would transfer them to become regular government officials.

“With roads this treacherous, how could we transport the white rice collected from each county? Do you think that would be easy?”

How could the words of this Chief State Councilor be so identical to what Song Si-yeol said when he opposed the Daedongbeop?

Song Si-yeol had opposed the Daedongbeop for these very reasons.

The Daedongbeop? I truly think it’s a law with excellent intentions. It’s about reducing the burden on Joseon’s people and helping them live well – who would oppose such a thing?

However, transporting rice is no easy task. Joseon has too many mountains, making it difficult to use carts. So how would we transport that heavy rice?

You say we can transport it by waterway? Water transport is all well and good, but depending on weather and environmental conditions, boats often capsize or sink. Each time that happens, not only are tax losses substantial, but the workers engaged in grain transport die endlessly.

Isn’t the essence of the Daedongbeop ultimately tax reduction? So rather than implementing the Daedongbeop with its many side effects, it would be better to simply reduce taxes by one-third to lessen the people’s tax burden.

I know that bastard Song Si-yeol truly loved Joseon (or more precisely, a Joseon completely dominated by the Seoin), and seeing Ryu Jeong-hyeon say similar things, it seems his love for Joseon is also extreme. They say when things reach extremes, all rivers flow to the same sea – perhaps their essence is the same…

It’s truly fascinating how their logic and reasoning are perfectly aligned.

“Since carts can’t be used on mountain paths, we’d end up having to conscript the people to carry loads on A-frame carriers. Let’s see, Kim Soo-chan.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“According to the Bangwonbeop, we collect 18 du of white rice per gyeol of dry field, right? Then for 1,000 gyeol of fields, we’d need to collect 18,000 du, which amounts to 180 seom of white rice. Truly an enormous amount.”

The weight of 180 seom of white rice amounts to a whopping 32.4 tons. Considering that an ox cart used in Joseon can carry about 500kg…

You’d need 65 oxen to transport that amount.

If carried on A-frame carriers, since one person can usually carry about 100kg, you’d need 324 porters in this case.

Thus, the implementation of the Daedongbeop was seriously hampered by transportation problems.

“Of course, we wouldn’t transport all of it by A-frame carriers. When moving it to Hanyang, we’d try to use water transport whenever possible. But even that isn’t an easy task.”

A smile appeared on Ryu Jeong-hyeon’s face, and his voice was so gentle and affectionate it couldn’t be more so. Someone who didn’t know him might mistake him for a very refined and dignified gentleman.

However, that man’s true nature is absolutely not kind.

That man rose to the position of Chief Minister, which would be equivalent to Prime Minister in modern South Korea. Could such a person have reached that position if he couldn’t properly act ‘virtuous’ when necessary?

“When I was Minister of Taxation, I managed transport ships to carry tax grain from each county to Gyeongchang (central government warehouse). About 100,000 seom of white rice comes into the Ministry of Taxation every year. Transporting that was no ordinary task.”

This is precisely why the implementation of the Daedongbeop was delayed.

Tax grain from Jeolla, Chungcheong, and Gyeongsang provinces comes to Hanyang by sea route… During King Taejong’s reign, when transporting tax grain with 10 transport ships, 1 out of 10 would sink.

Well, honestly, this is clearly an exaggeration. In reality, 1 out of every 10 ships wouldn’t have sunk.

However, it’s an undeniable fact that ships continued to sink and people died.

“Transport ships carrying hundreds of seom of white rice would sink quite frequently. Every year, 5 to 10 ships would go down. Building one ship costs 200 seom of white rice, and it would carry 400 to 500 seom of white rice inside… So per ship, a whopping 700 seom of tax grain became fish food. And that’s not all? There would be dozens of sailors aboard, and they too would lose their lives in vain.”

“Is that so?”

“If the Bangwonbeop is implemented, wouldn’t we need to operate dozens of times more transport ships than now?”

… No, that’s not right. Even if we collect 18 du of rice per gyeol, 15 to 16 du of that would be consumed by the Magistrate personally, sent as holiday gifts to officials and relatives by the Magistrate, consumed by Ibang and other government office workers, and used for local taxes.

When renowned ministers like Ryu Seong-ryong, Lee Hang-bok, and Lee Won-ik advocated for the Daedongbeop after the Japanese invasions, did they argue for nothing when they said collecting just about 1 du per gyeol would more than suffice to solve all tribute goods to be sent to the central government?

But this man couldn’t possibly be unaware of that.

And if we collect 1 du of white rice, would it go up to Hanyang in the form of ‘white rice’ as is? That’s not the case.

The white rice would be exchanged for tribute goods before being sent up.

“Chief Minister, when I briefly served as Jinhae County Magistrate, I observed that the severe problems with tribute goods stemmed from Buddhist temples acting as Saju intermediaries (middlemen who receive payment for tribute taxes and exchange them for tribute goods locally) and committing all sorts of corruption in the process of handing them over to Gyeongju inspectors (who inspect tribute goods before they’re sent to the Royal Palace). The Gyeongju inspectors tried to handle affairs fairly and impartially, but the Saju intermediaries committed all manner of corruption and evil deeds.”

In fact, both Saju intermediaries and Gyeongju inspectors are bad. They’re both rotten to the core.

Still, I didn’t mention Gyeongju inspectors because they’re untouchable figures who rose to the highest positions among ‘Market Guild merchants’ and sent their daughters as concubines to princes, royal relatives, and ministers…

Everyone must know well. That both are rotten.

“The Bangwonbeop prohibits Saju intermediaries from receiving tribute goods for rice and instead has government offices directly collect tribute payments in rice according to law. Government offices will directly purchase tribute goods with the collected rice and send them to Hanyang. So there’s no need to urgently increase transport ships to send tribute goods from each county to Gyeongchang, as the Chief Minister worries.”

“…”

“And when I was Jinhae County Magistrate, I heard from merchants that Joseon’s sailors always sail only along coastal waters according to national law. But throughout Joseon’s eight provinces, especially the Lower Three Provinces, the coastal sea routes are treacherous with many reefs, making them dangerous waters that even experienced sailors avoid.”

The merchant mentioned here is none other than Kim Man-deok. When I heard him talking while drunk once, he complained about how pitiful Joseon’s sailors are…

‘If you become a minister, my lord, please don’t make sailors navigate coastal waters.’

That’s what he said. I agree with his words.

For example, after King Jeongjo died, private merchant ships took over the transport of tax grain, and they conducted ocean voyages instead of coastal navigation, sailing much faster and easier than the naval soldiers. This proved that the Panmok Canal and everything else had no great significance.

“So Merchants often sail far around the sea, and this way they can navigate much more safely than sailing along the coast.”

Ryu Jeong-hyeon’s expression soured.

“The Common People are now suffering and starving to death because of corrupt Local Clerks and Buddhist Temples acting as Saju. As one who receives the nation’s salary, how could I hesitate in correcting this?”

“… You had all the solutions ready.”

“Yes, Chief Minister.”

I answered calmly.

“The Bangwon Law will become a law that opens a better tomorrow for the Joseon people. It will be pursued without negligence, so do not worry.”

I think I should supplement the problems, then watch the new Bangwon Law be implemented, and submit my resignation letter after that.

This would all be good for Joseon and good for me… wouldn’t that be the case?

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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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