Chapter 76
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 076
Chapter Title: Cataclysm (1)
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Kingdom of Joseon.
Hanyang.
"Even today's sunlight is so radiant, just like His Majesty's virtuous achievements!"
The brilliantly named Sejong National Academy student Yu Hong-gi began his day with habitual flattery as naturally as his morning greetings.
"Why are you suddenly praising His Majesty's virtues from the crack of dawn? Is there some market festival opening or something?"
"From this radiant light to these paved roads, nothing lacks His Majesty's virtue. Shouldn't a true academy student praise it every time they behold the wonders of the world?"
His friend, fellow academy student Oh Kyung-seok, muttered something under his breath and shook his head, but Yu Hong-gi paid him no mind.
After all, the sons of lowly interpreters—mere mid-level officials—were flocking from noble houses across the eight provinces of Joseon, begging temples and shamans to let their sons enroll in the academy. If that wasn't a virtuous achievement, what was?
The Sejong National Academy, towering where Sungkyunkwan once stood in Banchon, swelled daily like rising dough, forming a vast hub of learning.
Surrounding the Sejong National Academy were the Sejong Elementary School, Sejong High School, Sejong Kindergarten, and others clustered together. Just a short walk from this dense school district brought a flood of shops catering to students.
If asked for the place in Joseon with the most Western flair today, Banchon would top the list without question.
Jeongdong, home to the British and French legations, reeked even more of the West, but it swarmed with Westerners to the point where it barely felt like Joseon soil anymore—more like some foreign outpost.
Thus, Banchon symbolized the new Joseon, miraculously reviving through imported Western civilization.
"Hey, young scholars! Get your newspaper, newspaper!"
"Come have a cup of tea!"
"Fresh hot bread's out, bread!"
"Aren't you hungry? You need a proper breakfast to fill your stomach before school!"
"You've got some time left. Rice? Or coffee?"
"Rice sounds good."
They quickly recalled how much coin they had left in their pockets.
"Gotta grab the newspaper first."
"Lemme see it after you're done."
"Need that new book too. I still haven't finished the 'Eul' volume."
"And cigarettes."
"Then matches too. Good thing liquor prices dropped."
Even tallying just the essentials made their futures look bleak.
Of course, considering interpreters earned good money despite lacking prestige, it was amusing to see their sons trembling over a few coppers.
But with 'His Majesty's virtue' at stake, it was a serious issue.
Sungkyunkwan, before the Sejong National Academy, had provided dorms and meals for all scholars. How could a superior academy do less?
Thus, academy students received full scholarships, three meals a day at the cafeteria, a dedicated library, and even 'uniforms'—special student attire.
But then some treacherous Western sycophant meddled, twisting things.
'From what I've observed, those taught to handle money from youth grow into fine officials.'
'And what do you propose?'
'Give students pocket money, then review their spending at term's end. It'll separate the promising sprouts easily.'
'It would distinguish honest officials from corrupt seeds—a fine plan.'
What Yi Asul proposed resembled a 21st-century allowance ledger, but Joseon scholars steeped in Confucian ethics saw it as a integrity test.
They claimed it wouldn't affect appointments, but who'd believe court promises blindly and call themselves academy material?
In an instant, students—regardless of family wealth or influence—found themselves equal, weeping and laughing over single coins. Any gambling or luxury in their ledgers would shatter appointment dreams.
So they skipped tempting British tarts for their usual rice house.
They hadn't yet forsaken their stomachs for cafeteria slop.
"Welcome!"
"Two bowls, please."
"Right away!"
Banchon's countless rice houses teemed with students dodging tasteless academy meals.
Students poured in endlessly, then out just as fast, bowls clattering in frenzy for a spell.
Soon, hefty bowls arrived before them too.
The staple for commoners and laborers risen since opening ports.
Queen Victoria's virtuous gift, dubbed 'Goryeo Thousand-Character Victory Rice.'
It was curry rice.
Academy lessons taught rice gushed abundantly from distant India, Annam, and China's Yangtze regions. But cheap Annam rice lacked stickiness, turned fluffy, and had an odd smell—unbearable as Joseon-style cooked rice.
But it was cheap.
For the price of Joseon rice, you could buy several times more Annam rice.
Joseon folk, earnest about meals, never bowed to Annam rice's trials.
Fried rice proved tolerable first, then porridge or noodles followed.
Progress exploded from there.
Factories with many workers or shops serving masses switched en masse to Annam rice porridge, noodles, and makgeolli. An era dawned where buying food beat cooking at home.
And one more thing.
Curry powder, eaten by Indians, imported and revolutionized Joseon tables.
This powder was miraculous.
Even trash meals became edible with it.
Joseon people dumped Queen Victoria's magic powder into soups, stews, kimchi, rice, and noodles without restraint.
The two young students devoured their curry stew like wind scattering frost, tossed coins, and rose like everyone else.
The taste barely satisfied hunger, but this murky curry was what industrial vanguards sweated over to revive Joseon.
A young scholar vowing to lead the new Joseon couldn't complain before such rice.
Gazing at the midday sun reignited their sense of duty as they walked to school—but a sly bowl of makgeolli tempted them into a tavern.
Even vanguards needed makgeolli, so this was fine.
The same time.
Mrs. Elizabeth Leigh bustled about from morning.
Neither Joseon's strict rules nor Western etiquette could restrain her.
Post-birth confinement demanded thirty days of isolation for recovery, but she rose after mere days, diving into paperwork.
Joseon women donned overcoats and stirred only after sunset when men vanished, but she roamed Hanyang and Incheon freely, directing projects.
"We must finish this by year's end."
"We're doing our utmost."
"Utmost? We need perfection. Were you planning to half-ass it?"
"N-no, ma'am!"
The top priority: Gyeongin Line railway construction.
Without it, Joseon's logistics would stagnate forever. Nothing beat it for funneling vast imports into Hanyang's massive market.
Even now, pre-opening, it was clear.
Joseon lacked exports, so most cargo was imports—yet they guzzled them demonically.
British cotton cloth just started arriving in force, dubbed 'jade ocean wood,' sweeping the market. Joseon's cloth trade was upended.
Rice too.
Joseonites lumped Chinese, Indian, Southeast Asian imports as 'Annam rice.' Busan and Incheon ports swarmed with Joseon capitalists building distilleries.
Annam rice liquor meant fortunes!
Bloodshot-eyed Joseonites turned rice to liquor, liquor to silver like vengeful foes.
With cheap booze heralding prosperity, they guzzled—but vast quantities vanished at ports and Gyeongin sites before reaching Hanyang.
Rice and cloth alone caused chaos; others needed no mention.
Joseon nobles favored coffee and chocolate; Chinese sugar floods had them inhaling it like pigs.
Pepper once precious, now cheap imports dusted every soup they loved.
Luxuries and exotic Western goods flew off shelves among elites; books sold out endlessly.
Where did Joseon offset this trade deficit?
Neighboring China and Japan, naturally.
Firearms from Hanyang Arsenal—where the king poured heart—loaded onto British ships for China... only 'seized' by Taiping rebels, diverted to Nanjing. Joseon never traded with Taiping; greedy British merchants did.
Joseon merchants in Japan repackaged Busan imports for quick sale, pocketing huge arbitrage profits.
She well knew why her husband obsessed over rails.
Gyeongin alone perfected Hanyang as a consumer hub; Gyeongbu and Gyeongui would unify Joseon into one market.
"The interior needs more sophistication."
"Here too, ma'am?"
"Of course. This will be Hanyang's new heart."
After inspecting Gyeongui progress, she toured Hanyang sites.
Building churches and cathedrals.
Legations.
And hotels, sure to boom.
Joseon inns couldn't hold Westerners long; a proper Hanyang hotel would print money.
"When the hell is Yi coming back?"
"Your husband, ma'am? From what I know—"
"Whatever. He's busy. It's fine."
Arthur's return kept delaying, but those claiming his invite arrived daily off Incheon.
Only she could greet them properly.
"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Leigh!"
"Delighted. Here to spread the Gospel in Joseon? He wrote you'd be splendid—begged me to look after you."
"Ah...! Thank you! May the Lord's blessings be upon you all!"
Missionaries.
Those tasting bitter defeat in China and Ryukyu.
Catholics enjoyed leeway in Far East missions: long entrenched in Qing, slow progress in Joseon via SSR talent Kim Dae-gun.
Protestants differed.
Fragmented denominations scattered local know-how.
Arthur ensnared frustrated missionaries with honeyed words, recharging confidence, then shipped them to Joseon.
Elizabeth in Hanyang welcomed with warmth and favor.
"Heavens, a Western meal after so long."
"Nothing fancy—eat up."
"No! Oh my!"
The Joseon court, once screaming isolation and barbarian expulsion, now devoured missionaries greedily. Who better to import Western knowledge from afar?
Westernized Kim Ja-geun House offered hot Western dinners with brandy.
Meet pre-arrived Westerners, sate social cravings.
One Gospel word granted audience with king and ministers.
"Joseon's urgent needs: hospitals and schools. Will you take charge?"
"Gladly! Your Majesty, entrust it to me—I'll devote myself to Joseonites!"
Seamlessly gauged needs, broke ground on local missions.
"Sent letters home claiming successful Joseon missions."
"Heavens, winning the king's trust so fast. True missionary caliber."
"Nonsense. All thanks to my husband."
Hearing missionaries thriving with drones in Joseon, home churches poured support.
Foreign currency Joseon craved flowed in.
"Mrs. Leigh, help me build a hospital for Joseonites?"
"Naturally. God's will."
Extreme East Colonization Company's buildings.
Leigh & Gladstone Company's Bibles.
Hauling forex, aid.
Allied supply amid Crimean frenzy.
New Joseon Sepoy munitions and command influence.
"Daddy's earning big in China. Miss Daddy, huh?"
"Paa!"
Home, Elizabeth caressed her precious daughter.
Joseon was theirs now.