Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Chief State Councillor Slayer (5)
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In Joseon, the assembly where the king and his ministers gathered to discuss state affairs was called the johoe, or morning court.
Typically, this gathering included King Sejong, the three chief ministers, the Left and Right Second Ministers, the Attending Officials, and the ministers of the Six Ministries, all coming together to deliberate on the nation's business...
But today, there was a rather special attendee.
He was dressed in a black dragon robe and openly showed his discomfort right beneath the throne—a man named King Taejong Yi Bang-won.
The ministers had no idea what agenda had brought Taejong to the morning court, but there was one thing they could guess.
Prime Minister Hwang Hui and Jo Mal-saeng exchanged glances.
'Looks like someone stirred up some Goryeo remnant nonsense, my lord.'
'Indeed. The atmosphere feels off—blood winds are brewing.'
As their silent conversation heated up, Sejong called out to the Second Deputy Minister in a solemn voice.
"Second Deputy Minister."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Have the Second Deputy Minister read the memorial submitted by former Hall of Worthies Chief Scholar Kim Dae-bung."
The moment Kim Dae-bung's name was mentioned, the ministers, led by Hwang Hui, felt a chill run down their spines, every hair standing on end.
Resigned Kim Dae-bung and the Iron Fist King Yi Bang-won appearing in his black dragon robe.
It was clearly not a good combination.
It evoked something gruesome, like the horror of eating fermented skate and dried persimmon at the same time.
Under everyone's scrutiny, the Second Deputy Minister hurriedly began reading the memorial.
Its contents were utterly shocking.
It detailed, in great length, the usurers—those whose kin could only oppose the Bangwon Law.
"In times of famine, Your Highness and the people are filled with worry, pondering how to avoid starvation. Yet the usurers, when famine strikes, bring out fine liquor to toast, gleefully anticipating the vast fortunes they will reap through their exorbitant interest. To them, famine is the perfect time to make money and grow their wealth."
Upon hearing this much, Ryu Jeong-hyeon felt an ominous fire envelop his body, cold sweat trickling down his back.
Usury was legal in Joseon, but the laws of Joseon bent to the king's mood.
Even Hwang Hui, Jo Mal-saeng, and Maeng Sa-seong had each been implicated in major corruption scandals. Yet they had been exonerated due to their proven abilities.
Of course, he himself was a minister slightly more capable than Hwang Hui, and he had amassed his wealth 'within the bounds of the law.'
Until now, no matter what the Office of the Inspector General impeached him for, he had boldly wielded power, claiming, 'I have never broken the law.'
But...
'This is extremely dangerous!'
"In good harvest years, the people's granaries are full, so even during the spring lean months, they need not borrow rice from usurers. But in famine years, with no grain to eat and stay alive, they have no choice but to borrow from them come spring. Borrowing in famine means repaying at chang-ri rates (50% interest) or gap-ri rates (100% interest). How immensely profitable is that business?"
Yi Bang-won and Sejong's faces hardened further.
They had already read the memorial and knew its contents, but hearing it again stirred their rage, twisting their guts.
What good was a king's lifelong devotion to Joseon and its people?
When parasites like these usurers were sucking the people dry.
"This minister has heard the stories of the commoners who borrowed from usurers, and they could not be more tragic. To avoid starving today, they borrow at exorbitant rates, only to grow poorer next year. In the end, those who inherited fields from their parents must sell them, and those without must watch helplessly as their daughters are dragged off as slaves, reduced to playthings for yangban lords."
Tears fell from Sejong's eyes.
Imagining the anguish of parents, forced to watch their infinitely precious, lovingly raised children become slaves and the toys of old, ugly yangban, living wretched lives.
His chest tightened in pain, tears welling up unbidden.
Joseon's laws had not yet regulated this, for the royal authority had not extended that far.
"Thus, the usurers amass enormous wealth. And so, they always wish for the people to remain poor and destitute."
Kim Dae-bung truly desired the happiness of the people.
That was why he wrote this memorial.
Moreover, he figured that by writing it and taking down the Chief State Councillor, he would be seen as a troublemaker who had beheaded a high minister, securing his 'eternal freedom (resignation).'
"This minister has never lived in Goryeo. But I am certain that those who have tormented and squeezed the suffering people through usury are the remnants and ghosts of Goryeo."
At the mention of Goryeo's remnants and ghosts, all the ministers flinched.
And the memorial finally focused on the one person Kim Dae-bung truly aimed to eliminate.
"This incompetent minister, having committed disloyalty by requesting resignation for failing to uphold the virtues of Retired King Taejong and Your Highness the King, was preparing for rural retirement when I heard a hideous tale. That tale concerns the Chief State Councillor..."
Kim Dae-bung's memorial detailed the story of Gap-seok.
Gap-seok, starving with nothing to eat, borrowed grain from Ryu Jeong-hyeon. The next year, unable to repay due to a sudden rent hike, Ryu Jeong-hyeon's servants appeared with an official writ and dragged off his daughter as a slave.
Furthermore, Ryu Jeong-hyeon had stationed his servants across the provinces to run usury operations. Those who collected well were appointed as post station masters, and upon completing their terms, even given military posts.
At this point, Sejong ground his teeth. The grinding was so loud that everyone in the hall could hear it.
At the same time, Yi Bang-won rose from his seat.
He shot Sejong a meaningful glance, signaling him to say what needed to be said.
Understanding the look, Sejong abruptly stood from the throne.
"...Chief State Councillor."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Are you a minister of Goryeo, or of Joseon?"
Cold sweat poured from Ryu Jeong-hyeon's face and body.
He knew exactly what Sejong's words implied.
"This minister is a servant of Joseon, Your Highness."
Sejong shook his head.
"Upon deep reflection, I see that you are no servant of Joseon."
"What do you mean, Your Highness? This minister has devoted his life to the ancestral temple and state altar. I have done my utmost to efficiently collect and utilize the taxes from the people. That is the path to enriching the state and strengthening the military, as discussed by Master Kim."
Before Kim Dae-bung appeared, Joseon's economic policy had prioritized reducing tax collection. The belief was that the less tax gathered, the better the people would eat and live.
Joseon followed Confucian teachings, and all agreed on that policy...
But now, they realized indiscriminately low taxes were killing the people.
Kim Dae-bung's market policies in Jinhae County were the prime example.
Taxes had been raised, yet instead of resentment, the people praised Kim Dae-bung, submitting petitions of a thousand names and erecting a stele of merit. This shattered their old assumptions.
"Joseon is a nation that embraces its people. Thus, we sought to reduce taxes and lighten their burden. We believed lowering taxes was truly for the people's sake..."
Sejong looked at Ryu Jeong-hyeon and flashed a bloodthirsty smile. Seeing it, the ministers thought of Yi Bang-won.
Sejong's dragon robe was clearly red, yet it seemed to turn black in that instant.
"Kim Dae-bung has personally proven that properly collecting taxes serves Joseon and its people. It revealed that your long-held policies were mere armchair theories. Yet I did not greatly doubt your loyalty. I knew of the usury, but since everyone does it, I meant to gloss over it appropriately."
Sejong hadn't even viewed negatively how Ryu Jeong-hyeon had led the charge to execute his own father-in-law, Sim On. He saw the demotion to commoner status as part of curbing outer relatives' influence out of loyalty.
But excessive loyalty and treason were separated by a mere sheet of paper...
And in his repeated obstructions of the Bangwon Law...
Sejong's view of Ryu Jeong-hyeon—somewhere between loyal servant and treacherous minister—had been finalized by Kim Dae-bung's memorial.
A treacherous minister, a power-abusing schemer ruining the nation.
One trying to turn Joseon into a Goryeo where powerful clans devoured everything.
"Your slaves are scattered across the provinces, and those who collect usury well are appointed post station masters, later even given military ranks. Putting it all together, if this is not treason, then what is it? You're the very powerful clans of Goryeo—powerful clans."
Ryu Jeong-hyeon stiffened in place.
"Your various oppositions and delays to the Bangwon Law can only be seen as protecting your usury racket."
"Your Highness, this minister acted only for Joseon."
Sejong had no desire to hear his excuses.
"What are the Royal Guard doing?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Arrest Ryu Jeong-hyeon and take him to the Royal Secretariat for imprisonment. Strictly interrogate whether he is connected to those who submitted memorials opposing the Bangwon Law this time, and uncover the truth."
Ryu Jeong-hyeon was dragged away whimpering.
"The Royal Secretariat shall treat this wretch who blocked the Bangwon Law as a great rebel and interrogate him harshly."
Soon after, the full extent of Ryu Jeong-hyeon's ruthless profiteering through usury and his fabrication of memorials to oppose the Bangwon Law came to light.
**
Immediately after the interrogation, Ryu Jeong-hyeon and Kim Jeom were hauled out to the Hanyang execution ground, their bodies mangled from all manner of torture.
Due to Sejong's edict treating it as tantamount to treason, the crime of implicating family members applied—even to the household's three clans, all males aged 15 and above.
Sejong concisely and swiftly recited why these men were traitors, then proclaimed:
"The traitors Ryu Jeong-hyeon and Kim Jeom have sucked the people's lifeblood dry, just like the power-abusing ministers of the previous Goryeo dynasty. Thus, the two shall be executed by dismemberment (in Joseon, known as lingchi), and all males aged 15 and above of their households' three clans shall suffer decapitation, to set the national law aright."
Yi Bang-won watched the scene with a satisfied smile.
While resolving issues through dialogue was good, those who crossed the line must be harshly punished to maintain order.
Executing Goryeo's ghosts by dismemberment was truly the right course.
"Carry out the execution!"
That day, more than dozens were put to death.
Yet not a single Hanyang commoner mourned or grieved their passing.
On the contrary, all rejoiced.
For the ghosts of Goryeo had been exorcised.