Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Great Equalization Law (2)
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Joseon is a nation of thrill-seekers.
Whenever an interesting rumor or event breaks out, everyone catches the fever and can't stay still.
Especially among officials, yangban nobles, merchants from the city markets, and the common folk of Hanyang, who had to stay hyper-sensitive to political affairs and changes just to survive—it was even worse for them.
That's why they went wild over Joseon's very first blood petition: the dramatic plea of "If you're not going to listen to me, then just cut off my head instead."
"Dol-soe, you know about that Junior Councilor Kim guy, right?"
"Of course. Who in Hanyang hasn't heard of the man who petitioned with his blood and demanded they chop off his head if they weren't going to heed his words? You'd have to be a total barbarian not to know."
Among Hanyang's citizens, even combining everyone who could read hanja at least roughly still came to less than 5%. Of course, compared to rural villages elsewhere, that was enormously high—but literate people were still few and far between.
That said, separate from intelligence, there wasn't a single soul who didn't know what currency was.
The reason was simple. Back when King Taejong Yi Bang-won ruled and King Sejong hadn't yet ascended the throne, they'd issued debased coinage... The yangban officials were exempt as "non-regulated entities," so they suffered no losses.
But for the common people, using anything but the debased coins got you cracked down on mercilessly. So every person in Hanyang had suffered some degree of harm, regardless of scale.
And naturally, among the acquaintances and relatives of the men chatting here, there were those who'd run into serious trouble for using the bad coins.
Thus, Kim Dae-bung—who'd staked his life opposing currency—was inevitably hailed as Hanyang's hero, a great minister, a loyal subject. He was the man who'd stepped up, ready to die, to fight the debasement on their behalf. Anyone who saw him in a bad light couldn't be called human.
"I heard Junior Councilor Kim was released from the Office of Investigations."
"For real?"
"They say the former king himself went to the Office and set him free. And there's a notice posted at Gwanghwamun saying they're scrapping the coins altogether!"
"...... I buy the part about no coins, but how do you know the former king went there himself?"
"My cousin's brother-in-law's a runner at the Office."
"Ah, got it."
The man had initially brushed it off as no big deal.
But soon he let out a whoop of joy at the news that the damned currency scheme was dead.
"Long live the king! Long live! I thought that cursed coinage was gonna turn Hanyang into a wasteland, but now we don't have to worry about that anymore."
"All thanks to Junior Councilor Kim."
"We're saved, saved!"
Both men here remembered the days when debased coins were enforced in Hanyang. At first, they were great—easier to carry than rice.
But eventually, you couldn't even pay taxes with them. People figured they were worthless and switched to rice or cotton cloth for trade... only for the unlucky ones to get caught, beaten half to death with rods, or crippled for life.
Once they'd barely recovered, entire families got dragged off as slaves, or exiled.
Terrified, trade ground to a halt altogether. Merchants who'd lived pretty well in Hanyang—not rolling in riches, but comfortable—ended up penniless. It happened all too often.
Of course, now that the currency push was halted, it was all ancient history.
As Hanyang buzzed everywhere with talk of this alone, Kim Man-deok—who'd gotten wind of the news—put his merchant savvy and insight to work.
"...... What are you gentlemen talking about?"
"And who might you be?"
"I'm Kim Man-deok, a tenth-rank merchant from Unjong House over there, selling little things like dried persimmons, dried anchovies, and paulownia woodware."
The market's top rank was "master," then fifth-rank, then tenth. A tenth-rank meant you were doing fairly big business in Hanyang.
And Kim Man-deok was dressed to show it off: silk robes and a gat hat that would've gotten a lowly trader in trouble with the law.
The two men, who'd been chatting casually until a moment ago, suddenly turned polite.
Joseon was a status society, but no one dared ignore a rich merchant.
"I'm on pretty close terms with Junior Councilor Kim, so stories about him pique my interest. Mind filling me in with a bit more detail?"
Dol-soe, the more talkative of the casual pair, asked cautiously.
"Who exactly are you, sir, to speak of knowing the Junior Councilor so well?"
"Ah, I've been close with him since his days as magistrate of Jinhae County. Back then, he even visited my home personally."
Kim Man-deok wasn't wasting time idly chatting with randos. He had clear intent.
One of those intents was to ride the skyrocketing fame of Kim Dae-bung—the man whose stock was surging in the court and Hanyang—to boost his own value and position.
Bluntly put, a powerful market merchant A could be dismissed. But a merchant favored by the loyal subject Kim Dae-bung, savior of the Joseon people from currency hell? Untouchable.
That's why Kim Man-deok had followed Kim Dae-bung all the way from Jinhae. Time to reap the investment—so naturally, he had to spread the word.
"Is that really true?"
"Why would a tenth-rank merchant in Hanyang's markets lie to you lot for no reason? And what kind of man is Junior Councilor Kim, that I'd tarnish his name with falsehoods?"
Dol-soe's friend needed good gossip too. So Kim Man-deok providing it (their close ties) matched perfectly what they all wanted.
"No way... Junior Councilor Kim was really magistrate of Jinhae?"
At this point, Kim Dae-bung's name rang louder than Ryu Jeong-hyeon, Hwang Hui, Maeng Sa-seong, or Heo Jo.
Before the blood petition, he'd only been known in court circles. Among Hanyang's commoners, hardly anyone had even heard of him.
Blame his rank cap at junior sixth grade. So the info on him boiled down to "the guy who opposed currency."
Their eyes sparkled at this fresh scoop.
"Even back as Jinhae magistrate, his heart was ever for the people. He cut taxes for the poor, took no bribes, and bent every effort to save those suffering under the emergency grain loans."
"They say a great tree shows promise from its first leaves. Junior Councilor Kim truly is remarkable."
In any era, merchants spice things up a bit for promotion and sales.
Kim Man-deok was no exception: he added flavor without straying from facts, just enough kick to hook you.
"And that's not all. His Majesty himself thinks highly of him, assigning him key work at the Hall of Worthies. Word is, even the ministers of the Six Ministries consult him on major matters."
"His Majesty would never overlook such excellence."
"It was His Majesty who picked him as top scorer in last year's audience exam, and sent him straight to Jinhae as magistrate."
By praising king and Kim Dae-bung in tandem, he planted the ideas of a wise king and a future prime minister seamlessly in their minds.
Kim Man-deok smiled inwardly at how perfectly it was going.
Kim Dae-bung becoming prime minister was a done deal. No— he'd surely rise to Chief State Councillor.
But talent alone wasn't enough; you needed political savvy too, and not be hated by the people.
The current Chief State Councillor, Ryu Jeong-hyeon—master of fiscal shortfalls—sat there only because Yi Bang-won had specially appointed him for austerity measures. Normally, he'd never have climbed that high.
'Even Hanyang's markets are full of gripes about him.'
So Kim Dae-bung couldn't end up like that. Personal gain mattered most to Kim Man-deok, sure—but wouldn't the nation thrive faster with a man like Kim Dae-bung as Chief State Councillor, even a day sooner?
Kim Dae-bung lived for serving the realm; if his aid sped his rise, he'd be thrilled at all he could accomplish.
And in that process, Kim Man-deok would score big too—maybe even become a market master down the line.
Of course, Kim Dae-bung himself just wanted to push the Bangwon Law (Great Equalization Law) and resign quick... but Kim Man-deok had no clue.
No, a guy who just wanted to quit moderately wouldn't work this hard.
He must crave Chief State Councillor more than anyone—but his spirit of "duty before self" was so ironclad that he'd occasionally bend for "loyalty to king and love of country."
"In Jinhae, he served the people with utmost devotion; in Hanyang, he offered his life in petition for them... Imagine how much better the realm would be if such a man rose higher."
"Sure would."
Kim Man-deok gave them a bit of "business expense"—er, small gifts—to spread the word well.
"These are dried persimmons from Jinhae. Delicious stuff."
"Oh, sir, you shouldn't have."
"About a seom (18L) each. Share with folks around so they can taste."
A little bribe sealed the deal smooth as silk.
Soon enough, tales of just how exemplary an official Kim Dae-bung was spread through Hanyang.
Kim Dae-bung himself, upon hearing, was utterly dejected.
"...... No... At this rate, I can't resign..."