Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Gunpowder and Hygiene (1)
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Speaking frankly, the Japan policy I spearheaded is practically the same as one that encourages the Wokou.
Historians will read the memorial I submitted under Jo Mal-saeng's name and evaluate it like this.
"Up until now, the Wokou couldn't properly dispose of the luxury goods and slaves they plundered from Ming coastal cities, so trade wasn't active. But after free trade was permitted in Jeongui County on Jeju Island, transactions of Ming slaves and luxury goods flourished there, boosting the Wokou's momentum day by day."
In other words, securing the vast Joseon market would energize the Japanese scoundrels' economic activities.
"Kim Jeong-rang."
"Yes, Minister."
"Let's take a short walk."
Jo Mal-saeng led me to a secluded spot where no one was around.
If Jo Mal-saeng were a man and I a woman, it would have looked terribly suspicious.
It would have staged a scenario of an uncle-age man heading off for a secret rendezvous with a friend.
No, if this were Japan, with Jo Mal-saeng's great power...
Ugh, just thinking about it is horrifying.
How did I end up with such wicked thoughts?
Maybe I should seriously find a shaman and perform an exorcism to drive out the Japanese ghosts.
It's all because of those evil Wokou.
Because they've tormented Joseon, I've constantly dwelled on their true nature to deal with them efficiently, and now even the forbidden knowledge sealed in my doujinshi-filled eyes has resurfaced.
Jo Mal-saeng confirmed no one was nearby and cautiously asked.
"Using the strategy you proposed, all the Wokou have flocked to the Ming. It's a huge blow to the Ming, but on the flip side, Joseon's people are enjoying great peace."
The Ming's foreign policy, especially regarding Japan, can be summed up in one phrase.
"Too scared of maggots to even make soybean paste."
Joseon people must make soybean paste to survive.
If they can't, they'll have to live on plain rice alone.
So brewing paste is a matter of survival, but if they're too afraid of maggots from improper brewing to even try, what happens?
They end up eating only plain rice.
The Ming wants to develop its economy? They should ramp up trade and build a navy to drive out the Wokou...
But their solution to eliminate Wokou damage is "no one lives on the coast"...
What absolute morons.
Obsessed with the theory that luxury goods lead to overspending and national ruin, they ban production and consumption of quality, expensive items. What's the difference?
"I hear the Ming is relocating all coastal residents inland to Liaodong and turning the coast into a defensive zone."
"That's right. I heard that too, and it cooled my insides like iced water on a hot summer day. I do have a bit of a greedy streak for wealth... but I'm no corrupt official like Ryu Jeong-hyeon, nor a traitor... How could I look kindly on the Ming dogs who've demanded excessive tribute from Joseon all this time?"
I inadvertently shot Jo Mal-saeng a protesting glance.
You're about to take a massive bribe from Kim Do-ryeon soon and get impeached for it.
For such a man to say he just chases wealth a little without crossing the line...
It's about as convincing as King Sejong saying he doesn't like meat.
However, while I can't agree he's not corrupt, I wholeheartedly agree the Ming are the axis of evil in this era—the root of it all.
"The Ming barbarians maintain their savage customs, demanding princesses and eunuchs as tribute, then send Joseon eunuchs to extract massive amounts of local products, sucking the marrow from our people's backs. And they strut around as the suzerain state, expecting us to revere them. It's utterly ridiculous and revolting."
Just let the Coup of Earth and Wood happen, and I'll turn the Ming into a wasteland.
I may not conquer as far as Manchuria, but I'll crush them so thoroughly they won't recover for 100 or 200 years.
Isn't that the mission bestowed on anyone born and living on this peninsula—not just Joseon folk?
"But you didn't call me aside just to chat about this."
Jo Mal-saeng's face suddenly darkened, and he let out a deep sigh.
"First off, I'm planning to move warships from Gyeonggi and Hwanghae to Jeongui County so the Wokou won't even dream of raiding. They're not idiots, so they won't easily turn to piracy and ruin trade, but as the saying goes, 'seeing treasure stirs the heart.' With massive luxuries, 사라능단, gold, silver, rice, horses trading, who knows when impulse might strike."
Most violent crimes we hear about—murder, rape, arson—aren't premeditated.
Someone's in a bad mood today, sees a passerby, anger surges irrationally, and they kill.
Dumped by a girl, feeling down, spots a woman, rage boils over into rape. That's the criminal mindset.
And plenty demand leniency, claiming it was a spontaneous crime, not planned.
The Japanese essence is no different from those criminals.
So, as Jo Mal-saeng said, preventing impulsive crimes through vigilant oversight is key.
"This isn't just about showing force. If we resolve to, we must have the power to turn Tsushima to dust with just the warships at Jeongui. For that, above all, we need cannons and gunpowder. Cannons are feasible with the copper the Japanese bring, but gunpowder..."
The Ming has saltpeter mines, so making niter—the core of gunpowder—isn't hard for them.
There are records of the Ming generously gifting so much niter to early Joseon out of pity that mouths gaped wide.
But Joseon lacks natural niter deposits...
So the earth-scooping troops must collect it voluntarily from donations.
Those crazy earth-scoopers once stormed Sungkyunkwan, digging up toilet-adjacent soil, even ransacking yangban privies.
That eased with the advent of shinjeonjeochobang and primitive niter bed tech, but that's far in the future.
"Earth scooping is the biggest issue."
Procuring soil is as tough as it gets.
"In my view, since earth is essential for gunpowder, we have no choice but to expand the earth-scooping troops and make them dig more."
"It'll burden the people more, but no helping it."
"Give the earth-scoopers proper rations, and ensure households they visit for soil provide some vegetables or a dou of rice. That'll reduce complaints greatly."
From the homeowners' perspective, getting something in return softens the blow.
Plus, the scoopers' work is filthy drudgery, with pay barely preventing starvation.
Like marines in self-sufficient marine lit, they must rampage in others' homes during scoops to scrape living expenses.
"Their labor is grueling and dirty, yet the court has cited budget shortages and never paid proper rations. From now on, give them one seom of white rice monthly, up to four mal extra for the diligent, to support their livelihoods. If any still cause trouble, flog them to enforce discipline. That should solve the major ills."
"We'll do that. The court's flush with budget now; we can manage it."
One seom plus four mal monthly is overly generous for a common soldier by Joseon standards.
But their work is brutally hard and nasty.
Jo Mal-saeng knows, so he agrees it's necessary.
"...I'll submit a dispatch ordering all county offices nationwide to ramp up gunpowder production. The retirement bell just rang, so hurry home. I'll beat you with a stick for needless overtime."
"Yes, Minister."
My father-in-law at the Ministry of Finance once said.
One day, with extra work, he stayed one si-jin (two hours) late.
Next day, Minister of Finance Jo Gye-saeng was summoned to Cheonchu Hall. The king said excessive overtime harms the body, failing filial piety.
And as a ruler meant to edify the people, it discourages filial virtue.
He added that he himself climbs mountains daily per Yi Bang-won's orders to train, so officials must follow suit and care for their health.
After that, on-time retirement became mandatory in all Joseon offices.
"Then I'll take my leave."
After declaring retirement, I left the Ministry of War straight home.
I'd prefer walking, but yangban officials must maintain face, so donkey it is.
With servant Gap-seok holding the reins, no less.
What utter inefficiency.
Riding a donkey should just be the rider alone, so why drag along a rein-holding servant?
Reason? Nowhere in sight. Sighing at this absurd commute, I stared at the ground.
Looking closely at the road, dog poop littered everywhere.
Until now, I'd brushed it off as typical Joseon...
"Come to think of it, all this excrement is gunpowder material."