He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 58

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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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Secret Royal Inspector Kim Dae-bung (9)

Only 30 years have passed since the chaotic and terror-ridden Former Goryeo came to an end.

Since this was a handwritten world without computers or Excel, administrative documents were naturally a complete mess.

Therefore, I had thought that if we conducted a proper land survey, we would find plenty of omitted land, whether due to insufficient administrative capacity, mistakes, or deliberate intent.

“This is absolutely ridiculous, really. It’s so absurd it makes me laugh just looking at it. Don’t you think so, Mandeok?”

Kim Man-deok, who was organizing documents beside me, answered.

“Yes, Royal Inspector. The Land Survey Method is truly remarkable. It’s much faster, simpler, and more accurate than previous land surveying methods. Moreover, with the active cooperation of the Common People living in the villages, we’ve found every single piece of hidden land without exception. It will now be impossible to cultivate fields without paying taxes anywhere in the Eight Provinces of Joseon.”

That would be truly wonderful, but unlike animals, humans are creatures who come up with all sorts of ingenious ideas to survive the more they’re cornered.

If the Land Survey Method results in taxes being imposed on all fields in visible locations, the yangban landlords will somehow create tax-exempt lands, whether by clearing mountains where human footsteps and eyes don’t reach, or by developing wastelands.

Or they’ll try to reduce taxes even a little by having Local Clerks and magistrates collude to leave out appropriate amounts, just like before.

What I can do now is the best I can manage.

The foundation of administration is to thoroughly examine what can and cannot be done, and to do one’s best within the realm of possibility.

“Before surveying the land with the Land Survey Method, it was recorded that Anseong County had 13,026 gyeol of farmland, but after surveying with the Land Survey Method, it increased to 32,567 gyeol. It’s unbelievable that it increased by more than two and a half times.”

“I agree. I never thought there would be this much hidden land.”

When Yu Jip-il first introduced the Land Survey Method and surveyed land in three counties in Hwanghae Province, I heard that the land area increased 3-5 times compared to the original records.

And the taxable land increased by 1.5-2 times.

So I expected tax collection to increase significantly…

I didn’t expect such results during King Sejong’s era, which was Joseon’s greatest period of prosperity and when administration functioned best.

“If the land area increased by 2.5 times, that means the taxes to be collected this year also increased by 2.5 times. What do you plan to use the additionally collected taxes for?”

“If someone other than me had come as Secret Inspector, they would have used only part of it for the Government Office budget and distributed the rest to the Common People.”

In Joseon, a Confucian nation, extreme tax reduction advocates like Ryu Jeong-hyeon are respected and revered as economic experts.

Even Lee Bang-won and King Sejong kept that bastard in the position of Chief State Councilor and spared his life, knowing full well that he engaged in severe usury, because he was regarded as an economist on the level of Adam Smith or Keynes in Joseon.

Therefore, according to Joseon’s flawed economic theory, if taxes are collected abundantly, the truth is that they should be returned to the starving people of Joseon…

“However, just because taxes are collected abundantly doesn’t mean blindly returning them to the Common People is the answer.”

“As My Lord said, if we distribute rice, it will fill their empty stomachs for now, but once they eat it, it will all be gone.”

“I will gather craftsmen and pay them wages to have them produce the new farming tools that Jang Byeoljang has created. I will also build reservoirs to ensure sufficient water for farming. Naturally, I will generously give rice as wages to the common people who participate in the work.”

I may not know about other civil engineering projects, but water management construction is directly connected to improving the livelihood of the people living in Joseon.

Not only does it minimize damage during droughts, but it also facilitates the supply of agricultural water, increasing agricultural production and expanding the farmable land.

If sufficient agricultural water is secured, we can introduce rice transplanting methods to create a system where barley is harvested in spring and rice in autumn. Then food production would nearly double.

“You are indeed wise. And when I examined the Buddhist temples involved in this tribute in Anseong County, I could see that these bastards have made quite a profit.”

One corner of Kim Man-deok’s mouth curled up wickedly.

“As My Lord well knows, the temples’ practice of falsifying the prices of tribute goods is a deeply rooted evil custom.”

“When I was appointed as County Magistrate of Jinhae, the temple bastards I encountered had inflated tribute goods prices by more than double to line their own pockets.”

So I vividly remember that as soon as I was appointed as Magistrate of Jinhae, I had all the monks in the temples arrested and sent to Hanyang for punishment.

“These bastards have embezzled as much as 500 seom of white rice. In the process, they undoubtedly abused their power against the merchants selling tribute goods.”

“To think that even these bald monks would abuse their power. We should arrest all those bald monks and throw them in prison, and write an official report demanding severe punishment for the Head Monk and other high-ranking monks.”

“Don’t you intend to severely punish all of them?”

“It’s best to see as little blood as possible. Of course, even if they’re low-ranking monks, those who claim to follow Buddhist law yet covet wealth and suck the lifeblood of the people have committed crimes. Depending on the severity of their crimes, we’ll have to carry out flogging or beating.”

High-ranking monks like the Head Monk will probably be exiled by Lee Bang-won and end up doing hard labor buried forever in remote regions, or they’ll lose their heads.

“When did they say the new County Magistrate would arrive?”

“I sent a bailiff to check, and they said he’ll arrive the day after tomorrow.”

“Since we’ve roughly finished the urgent matters, we should start preparing to leave from today.”

“Yes, Royal Inspector… And regarding the assets of Ibang and the other six officials…”

Kim Man-deok’s eyes gleamed. He must be coveting the land and wealth that those six officials possess.

Well, I’ll spare their lives as promised, and I’m thinking of letting them take enough wealth to live without problems in a new place…

Since I’m sparing their lives, they should pay the price for it.

“Have Ibang and the six officials’ assets bought up by you at an appropriate price. If they refuse to sell, make them face the reality of who else would buy their assets besides you.”

“Thank you, Royal Inspector.”

These six officials are local influential figures who have deeply rooted themselves in this land since the Goryeo period.

Naturally, they must own much land and possess considerable wealth.

“Watching them, those six department guys are quite capable. They’d be perfect for your trading company to employ.”

“Thank you.”

I’m truly a generous person.

To give some property to these corrupt people including Ibang, and even arrange jobs for them (guaranteed slave labor).

“Continue to help me diligently from now on.”

When the Bangwon Method spreads nationwide and becomes established, Joseon’s commercial economy will grow several times larger than it is now.

If I give Kim Man-deok the most profitable position among them, he’ll become a merchant several times bigger than he is now.

And the Early Joseon Period was a time when not only common people but all kinds of lowborn people were recognized for their talents and promoted to success.

Though I’ve never met him directly, there was a person named Park Ja-cheong who was obsessed with civil engineering, and despite being a slave during the Goryeo period, he rose to the first rank.

Even during the reigns of Taejo and King Taejong, there were numerous cases of people from lowborn origins being appointed to government positions after their martial arts talents were recognized.

When King Sejong granted Jang Yeong-sil an official position, there was much discussion about whether his abilities were worthy of receiving a government post… but no one said it was impossible to grant an official position to a lowborn person.

“And when news spreads that I’ve established proper order here, other counties will naturally do well on their own.”

Anseong County Magistrate Lee Seok-do became a headless ghost exactly three days ago by Lee Bang-won’s command.

Moreover, when they learn through rumors that surveying land with the Land Survey Method is inevitable, they’ll realize it’s better for them to do it themselves rather than having me come to do it.

The magistrates of the counties I’ll inspect will also do well on their own.

**

The story of Secret Inspector Kim Dae-bung naturally reached Kim Ki-deok, the County Magistrate of Ansan in Gyeonggi Province as well.

An unprecedented madman who beheaded a fourth-rank County Magistrate as soon as he began his inspection tour.

Moreover, someone who surveyed land without a single error and increased tax collection by 2.5 times, even knowing it would earn resentment from the local nobles.

“Until now, I was planning to negotiate casually with the nobles and finish by increasing it only about 80%, while deliberately slowing down the process…”

During that process, no small amount of gifts had flown to Kim Ki-deok.

Ansan’s Land Documents, various Special Products, rice, silk, and so on.

Enough wealth for not only himself but even his children’s generation to live comfortably without working.

And he thought that just doing this much would naturally earn him an ‘excellent’ personnel evaluation, allowing him to become a 4th rank official after completing his term…

But what if Kim Dae-bung came to his county and uncovered all the hidden land, exposing all the document manipulation?

“A bloody storm would sweep through our county, wouldn’t it?”

Kim Ki-deok’s neck wouldn’t survive either.

Wealth and glory were nice, but what good would they be if pursuing them led to a dog’s death?

“Is Ibang here!”

At those words, Ibang hurried over.

“Yes, Magistrate.”

“Right now, gather all the yangban of the county to the Government Office! I will personally persuade them that they must actively cooperate with land surveying using the Land Survey Method.”

“But Magistrate… don’t the local yangban My Lords find the Land Survey Method quite troublesome?”

“Can you take responsibility for those words if a Secret Inspector comes to our county?”

At the mention of Secret Inspector, Ibang’s face turned deathly pale.

Setting aside the fact that they deployed in secret, Ibang was well aware of the achievements Kim Dae-bung had accomplished, having heard about them.

“Tell them if they want to pay even a little less in taxes, they should cooperate!”

In Gyeonggi Province, and not just Gyeonggi Province but in counties that had heard rumors of the Secret Inspector, they began voluntarily and eagerly implementing the Land Survey Method.

They wanted to prevent at all costs the disaster of a Secret Inspector being dispatched to their county.

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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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