He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 7

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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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Normalizing Tribute Tax (4)

An unexpected village festival was held in Baenamu Valley of Jinhae County.

This was because the newly arrived Magistrate had promised to reduce the burden of tribute tax that had been tormenting them terribly.

On top of that, he distributed half a straw sack of rice to each household.

A Magistrate who looked after the common people so well and worked so efficiently would be nowhere else in the world…

The villagers held this festival to share this joy and happiness together.

They slaughtered a pig and several chickens, making delicious meat soup that was placed on everyone’s table.

Everyone was waiting only for the Village Chief’s declaration to start the feast.

“Long live His Majesty who sent us such an excellent person as our Magistrate!”

The villagers raised their bowls filled with makgeolli high into the sky.

Gapdol, who had given birth to his second child a few days ago, eagerly raised his wine cup along with everyone else.

“Long live His Majesty! Long live our Magistrate!”

“Please stay with us for just 10 more years, Magistrate!”

According to missionary records, the adults of Joseon, both men and women, were truly heavy drinkers, and everyone emptied their makgeolli in an instant.

Even though it was the same makgeolli they drank every day during their afternoon break.

The makgeolli they drank now was exceptionally sweet and refreshing.

“This makgeolli tastes amazing! Another cup here!”

“Hey, Gapdol! You don’t drink alcohol that hastily. You’ll die like that, die. Drink a bit slower.”

“Uncle Cheoljin, are you nagging even on a day like this? Aren’t you tired of it?”

“Even if it’s a good day, still. If you drink so hastily, you’ll end up going to see King Yama while trying to have one more drink. Don’t you know that?”

“Since uncle nags like this, my wife has picked up the habit and scolds me every day. Please speak a bit more nicely. I’m not immature anymore. I’m a proper head of household with two children, a head of household!”

Even while saying this, Gapdol poured a cup of alcohol for Cheoljin.

That man was annoying with his constant nagging from the moment he opened his eyes, but he knew he was also a person of deep affection… And right now, this was a good occasion anyway.

“Yes, come to think of it, you’re really fortunate.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our Magistrate just took office, so he’ll govern this county for at least 2 years before leaving, right? How much will he improve our livelihood during those 2 years before he goes?”

Gapdol had lived in Joseon for a full 25 years. During that time, he had experienced over 13 different Magistrates.

Since these Magistrates were human beings, there were all types of Magistrates.

There were crazy bastards who came empty-handed when taking office but returned with dozens of carts loaded with precious local specialties, earning themselves the lasting reputation of corrupt officials.

It wasn’t that there were no Magistrates who made efforts not to torment the Common People and were praised for their integrity and honesty.

However, while reducing taxes during bad harvest years was one thing, there had never been a single Magistrate who reduced taxes when there wasn’t even a bad harvest.

Even during bad harvests, Tribute Tax was something that wasn’t reduced, yet there was a Magistrate who would reduce that Tribute Tax?

If people from neighboring counties heard this story, they would curse first, asking what kind of nonsensical bullshit this was.

In fact, both Gapdol and Cheoljin felt like the current situation was a dream.

The Tribute Tax that had been severely bending their backs would be reduced from now on…

“Are you saying you’re envious that I’ll live through these good times longer than you, uncle?”

“Are you telling me to hurry up and die?”

“If you feel wronged, live until 80. Then you’ll enjoy the good times longer than me, won’t you?”

The man called Cheoljin stopped responding and hurriedly ate the meat soup and rice in front of him.

He avoided the conversation because he had nothing to say in response to Gapdol’s words.

“Uncle, you can’t match me in verbal sparring, can you?”

“Be quiet and hurry up and eat your food too. Look over there. Those starving uncles are eating up all the meat soup.”

The place Cheoljin pointed to was full of people devouring meat soup and rice as if they had been starving for a week.

The meat soup that had filled an earthenware pot bowl disappeared in the blink of an eye, and they were emptying several bowls of rice.

It was a sight that would have shocked Kim Dae-bung and made him grab his neck, wondering how people could eat that fast.

Gapdol smiled broadly as he watched that scene.

“If the new Magistrate continues to treat us well like now, we’ll be able to live much better than before. What do you think, uncle?”

“That goes without saying. If only the Tribute Tax is reduced, I could immediately feed my children three meals a day instead of two, couldn’t I? Or else, I could gather the leftover Rice and buy at least one majigi of farmland.”

Gapdol imagined his children and wife eating even one more bowl of rice to their fill.

And buying at least one majigi of farmland in his name, working hard on his own land, and by the time his children got married, having exactly one gyeol of farmland and living by cultivating only his own fields.

Just the thought made my eyes well up with tears, and a smile spread across my face.

“… Hey, are you crying?”

“I’m not crying, old man… Why are you saying such disgusting things today? Just drink your liquor.”

“Liquor my ass…”

All the villagers were genuinely joyful today.

They were happy that the new Magistrate had returned half a straw sack of rice to them, and they felt hopeful that they could live a slightly better life than before.

“Long live His Majesty! Long live the Magistrate!”

“Hey, what if the nobleman hears you?”

“Who cares? Long live His Majesty! Long live the Magistrate!”

The Common People living in Jinhae County held hope for the politics that Kim Dae-bung would unfold in the future.

Since he had reduced taxes in an area that other governors couldn’t even touch, they were filled with expectations about how much their lives would improve from now on.

**

The best politician in the world is not a kind politician.

Even if their lifestyle is somewhat dirty and corrupt, the person who improves the food, clothing, and shelter situation of that country’s citizens – that person is a good politician.

Therefore, rather than showing the Common People a truly scholarly appearance in this County, I will become a Magistrate who makes them praise me themselves, saying their lives changed between before I came and after I arrived.

If I don’t do my job properly, those two gentlemen Hwang Hee and Heo Jo will drown me, so there’s fear of that too…

Since I’m doing this anyway, how wonderful would it be if I do my job properly and remain as a ‘good Magistrate’ to the Common People.

“Magistrate, Magistrate… Have you heard that news?”

“What news are you talking about? Right now This Magistrate is extremely busy dealing with lawsuits pouring in from everywhere and reviewing how taxes were spent.”

“In all the villages in our County, the villagers spontaneously held festivals in gratitude for the Magistrate’s good governance. I’ve been working as Ibang for quite a long time, but this is the first time I’ve seen a Magistrate receive such respect and love from the Common People without anyone ordering it.”

“This Magistrate merely did what should naturally be done.”

I knew there were bastards who deserved to die for embezzling Tribute Tax along the way to fill their own bellies, and in this County, those happened to be the corrupt monks. How could I not know that situation.

Would it make sense for someone to just leave a cancerous tumor alone when they know it’s eating away at life?

You have to remove the cancerous tumor first, even if it means scraping together every penny you have and don’t have. Otherwise, it would completely rot the Common People and the County.

“I’ve also worked as a Local Clerk in this County for nearly 30 years, but this is the first time I’ve met such a wise magistrate like you. I truly respect you, Magistrate.”

Even if you eradicate corruption and improve people’s livelihoods, you can’t accomplish everything all at once. Just like how the student ranked last in class can’t get a top grade on the college entrance exam even if they study intensively for a month.

If you truly want to get a top grade, you need to assess your level and, if necessary, build your foundation by studying from elementary and middle school basics.

You can’t overturn everything at once when Local Clerks claim their salaries aren’t fixed and even the lowest-ranking clerks secretly pocket 10 seom of rice each month.

You’d end up killing the patient while trying to cure them.

So in the spirit of taking things one step at a time, I limited this tribute tax corruption crackdown to those ‘corrupt monks’ and thoroughly crushed them.

“I’m grateful you put it that way.”

“But aren’t you pleased, Magistrate?”

“Of course I’m pleased. The county magistrate position was the first post I received after Rising to Fame and Honor, so the pressure was immense.”

Actually, if King Sejong, Heo Jo, and Hwang Hee hadn’t shown such excessive interest in me, I wouldn’t have felt such tremendous pressure.

I could have just lived as I wanted, as someone who ‘enjoys’ giving Harsh Training to those committing corruption.

But of all people, the person I met the day before taking the final palace examination was that slave-driving professor King Sejong…

“But hearing such praise and gratitude from the Common People makes This Magistrate feel like I’m doing well, which is very rewarding.”

This is why power is so thrilling. Being able to influence the lives of thousands, tens of thousands of people by applying the policies and beliefs I’ve developed in practice.

Any human being would inevitably become addicted to this pleasure, truly.

So I think it might be fine to stop here.

When Hwang Hee and Heo Jo receive reports about what I’ve accomplished here in Hanyang, they’ll give me a standing ovation.

‘But why should I stop here?’

Since I’ve already started, I should see it through to the end.

While I don’t like being worked to death by King Sejong in Joseon, as someone who lived as a Korean, if I got the chance to possess someone in Joseon and do what I always wanted to do…

Does it make sense to do nothing when the opportunity is right in front of me? If there’s something I want to do, I should try everything.

“But it’s still too early to stop.”

The local clerk gave me an anxious look. Yes, this time I overlooked your corruption without pursuing it.

And King Sejong worked corrupt officials like yellow oxen.

“From now on, our county will allow the common people and merchants to freely open markets. Start by finding suitable land near the county for opening a market, then think about how to operate it and report back to me.”

“Yes, Magistrate.”

… Those bastards are corrupt officials. Even if they’re not quite at Lee Wan-yong’s level, they’re at least equivalent to pro-Japanese military police sergeants.

In other words, I need to introduce appropriate overwork to reform their mental state.

It’s quite fortunate for me that these guys aren’t upright and loyal retainers.

“Get it done within a week.”

“Oh my, Magistrate. If you push work that way, all the local clerks will die.”

Those bastards are corrupt, but I am not corrupt. What does this mean, you ask?

It means I can freely use ‘Then die’ on those bastards.

“… Let me see, regarding this tribute tax, the official report to His Majesty hasn’t been…”

Quick-witted Clerk Kim bolted outside in the blink of an eye.

And from outside the Dongheon, his booming voice could be heard.

“Call the Tax Clerk and all the other local clerks right now! We’re going to build a market in the county within a week! Is there anyone who says they can’t do it? If you don’t want to die, just do it!”

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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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