Chapter 96
Chapter 96
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Transportation Reform (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I just went to the Ministry of Finance.
Not to do anything bad.
Just to request a little more budget from the Minister of Finance.
Minister Jo Gye-saeng saw me and grumbled with a sour face, looking far from pleased.
"His Highness ordered extra budget for the Naval Shipyard, so I squeezed out 5,000 seom of white rice from thin air. That's half of what the Military Armory needs to produce every weapon in Joseon—half."
"How could I not appreciate Your Excellency's consideration? As head of the Naval Shipyard, I am always grateful to you."
"Your words flow as smoothly as water. True, thanks to you, Joseon's finances have become much more abundant. Court revenues have tripled compared to before—that's 600,000 seom in white rice terms. But with revenues up, the court's expenditures have ballooned just as much, haven't they?"
"I am well aware."
These days, even in decent-sized towns and markets in the provinces, they're collecting shit and piss to make gunpowder.
The leftovers from gunpowder production are mixed with straw and such to create compost, which is distributed to the farmers.
On top of that, the magistrates are personally touring villages, smashing toilets near wells and enforcing strict waste management.
And a not-insubstantial budget is being poured into maintaining and expanding the markets we've set up across the country.
We're also hiring officials to manage and oversee commerce like mad.
"His Highness recently noticed the overtime at the Ministry and said it's because there aren't enough officials for the workload. He ordered civil service exams every year for the next five years, selecting 100 from the second exam each time."
"That means 100 more officials every year."
"Even if I assigned them all to the Ministry, it wouldn't be enough, so I requested increasing it to 150. Special permission was granted. And the stipends for them aren't cheap either."
"Isn't this necessary investment for Joseon?"
"That's why I haven't gone to your place to chew you out for inflating expenditures. Look at the faces of the Ministry officials—can you see how exhausted they are?"
Listening to the minister, I turned to check the complexions of the Ministry officials.
They all had hollow eyes, with dark circles under them.
King Sejong the Great had recently issued a no-overtime decree, saying, "I don't get to work overtime, so why should you?"
So they'd be trying to clock out on time and get enough sleep whenever possible, yet they looked like that.
How insanely busy must the work be?
"We're slaving away like this, and here you come from the Shipyard asking for more budget because it's not enough? Doesn't that strike you as too much?"
Jo Gye-saeng let out a deep sigh.
"...You're not the type to waste money frivolously, Kim Je-gal. I'll somehow scrape together the budget. So, how much do you need for what?"
In dramas, you sometimes see bosses throwing files at subordinates making reasonable requests, yelling if they think they're climbing the ladder.
But that's drama fodder—never okay in reality.
Even if the subordinate is objectively wrong, exploding like that invites grudges and workplace harassment claims.
So the minister's approach just now—acknowledging the point but explaining the tough situation to softly reject—is the way to go.
And adding nuance that he'll listen and accommodate as much as possible?
That makes opposition nearly impossible.
In normal cases, anyway.
"Director Hwang brought 47 shipwrights from Ming. Providing them minimal food, clothing, and shelter requires at least 800 seom of white rice."
"No matter how valuable their skills, they're still artisans. That seems too generous..."
"Other artisans are only conscripted 2-3 months a year, so they can scrape by with their own earnings the rest of the time. But Shipyard artisans work year-round, so their rations must fully sustain them."
"If I could, I'd give 800 or even 1,000 seom. But the court has no such slack right now. So 400 seom for now, and I'll push it to 600 next year somehow."
Money is finite, but needs are endless.
Yet fail to spend properly when needed, and you miss big opportunities.
"Your Excellency, Joseon needs a lot of ships right now, one way or another."
"'One way or another'? That's uncharacteristically vague from you."
"With markets sprouting nationwide and commerce booming, production and trade of local specialties will skyrocket. People won't limit them to their towns—they'll want to sell across regions to get rich."
A smile crept across Minister Jo Gye-saeng's face as he listened.
The taxes from merchants at those markets now form a huge chunk of the court budget.
If they scale up to national operations, their incomes—and tax revenues—will soar even higher.
"Indeed. As you say, future Joseon will need countless ships. But the ones the Shipyard's building are proper warships, aren't they? Operating and maintaining them will cost a fortune too. We must consider each naval station's situation. For construction, let's see—around 2,000 seom of white rice..."
2,000 seom of white rice could build about six panokseon warships.
Excluding the cost of onboard weapons.
Bokseon would cost a bit less.
Still, 2,000 seom isn't enough for all Joseon needs.
"Your Excellency, at least 15,000 seom of white rice."
Jo Gye-saeng froze in place at my words.
As if it was absurd.
"The Shipyard's ships will all be warships, but I have no intention of tying them to naval stations. I plan to use them for grain transport."
"Grain transport for taxes? True, the Commutation Law needs it to work properly."
"What if we use them for transporting tax grain and also charge merchants to carry their goods and passengers?"
"Let civilians use warships? Even from you, that's hard to swallow..."
I have zero intention of handing over whole ships.
Each costs over 300 seom of white rice to build.
Enough to buy a tiled house over 100 pyeong in Hanyang.
Ships can just sail away if lent outright—am I crazy enough to suggest that?
"We'll charge for transporting goods and people, but the navy handles operation, of course. Each province's naval stations would cover maintenance costs and gain massive revenue. Plus, it fills the navy's lack of sailing experience."
"Using warships like merchant ships has those upsides."
"This would let the Ministry drastically cut budgets to naval stations."
In 21st-century modern states, soldiers just train and do base work—that's the norm.
Pre-modern armies did whatever to fund themselves.
The Training Command did printing and publishing, even minted coins.
The Military Supply Command strong-armed folks into buying 1,000-won anchovies for 10,000 won.
Joseon's military produces salt and grows specialties for budget now...
But letting merchants use navy ships like merchant vessels earns money and experience—far better.
In America, they treat it as officer training for merchant marine, legally designating schools as 'merchant marine academies'...
'Only fools wouldn't do it.'
"Long-term, it saves navy costs and boosts Joseon's growth—how great is that?"
"......11,000 seom. Really can't do more."
"Thank you, Your Excellency."
Jo Gye-saeng rubbed his forehead and sighed.
"No more this year, so if you need extra, use your family fortune. Come begging again, and I'll sprinkle you with salt."
I requested this knowing the Ministry's finances—figured I could squeeze out up to 10,000 seom.
If I knew they truly had nothing, I wouldn't have come. Demanding the impossible is just silly.
"If more is needed later, I'll petition His Highness directly."
Jo Gye-saeng blinked at my words.
"To properly implement the Commutation Law nationwide and benefit the people, we need lots of ships. If production falls short, it hinders His Highness's care for them. How could I, as a subject, stand by?"
Improved logistics would make people's lives so much easier.
Until now, poor commoners had no choice but tenant farming, paying 50% rent and plowing anyway.
But with options like working for merchant houses or workshops?
Tenant needs stay the same, but choices expand...
Yangban won't let land lie fallow—they'll lower rents.
Like how Western serfs got better treatment after the medieval Black Death.
"I'll request from the inner treasury."
With that, I left the Ministry.
Now with the funds secured, once the Ming artisans adapt, we can start soon.