The Seed of Prosperity (11)
Yesterday, as Sim Tong-won returned home, he immediately picked up the broken mirror.
“Are you going to smash me to bits like this?”
His face twisted along the cracked lines, yet the reflection was startlingly clear—far sharper than any bronze mirror he had ever seen. That only made the loss sting all the more.
He had assumed the king had appointed him trade commissioner purely for his utilitarian value. After all, he was adaptable, unlike the rigid ministers, and he had cultivated good relations with merchants.
But the king had also warned he could be discarded at any moment.
“This is the last one… the last one…”
He couldn’t interpret the words.
“He means he’ll no longer spare me,”
he understood all too well.
“All this time I thought he didn’t know… but he did.”
What he had done was shake the foundations of the other man’s position. Anyone else would have reacted with fury.
“To strike at his throat when there’s nothing left to say…”
Yet the king had shown no sign of anger.
He still couldn’t understand.
“Now he’s bringing it up after the fact…”
There must have been a purpose.
“What exactly do you want from me?”
He had spoken only because there was a reason—however clumsy it seemed at first glance.
The king had appeared soft, but he had somehow won over the hearts of his ministers and made them watch his back.
He had done exactly the same.
The king was furious.
The memory of being scolded for helping flashed through his mind.
“Does anyone actually dislike being scolded?”
There was no such person.
So why did he still not understand?
After the king left, the eunuch arrived and glued new glass over the cracks to keep the pieces from scattering. He also presented a box filled with mirrors as a gift.
No matter how many times Sim Tong-won counted, it was clear the king had orchestrated everything deliberately.
“He must have wanted something… even if he didn’t show it.”
Sim Tong-won’s eyes widened. He turned and opened the box.
“So that’s it!”
Among the beautifully wrapped silk-covered mirrors lay a single letter.
*
Sim Tong-won recalled the letter’s contents and addressed the eunuchs.
“Your Excellencies, I have heard that far to the west, in the Western Regions, there is a saying: ‘If you catch meat for me, I can eat only one meal, but if you teach me how to catch it, I can eat and live forever.’”
“…”
“…”
“So I would like to discuss the proper method of catching meat with you, Your Excellencies, for the rest of our lives.”
The interpreters’ words hung in the air. The eunuchs exchanged glances and wore greedy smiles. They had lived long enough in the deadly Ming palace to grasp the meaning instantly.
“Splendid! If this meat is as good as you say, we will accept it without delay.”
“But monopoly must be strictly guaranteed,”
they said in near-perfect unison, as though they had been twins.
“Of course.”
“Although the world is vast, we shall conduct all transactions through you. As you can see, this porcelain is almost worthless as a measuring device.”
“You wish to set the price first?”
Li Cheng—Li Qing—asked sharply.
“No, Your Excellency.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“The price is for you to decide, not for me. But the profit ratio must be set.”
“Ah!”
Li Qing raised his thumb and turned to the eunuch beside him.
“I heard Joseon has nothing but stiff-necked ministers. But here you are.”
“…”
The eunuch Yao Chen—simpler in appearance—nodded thoughtfully.
“The more slippery they appear, the more one must be cautious.”
Sim Tong-won knew that people with two faces were usually greedy. And he himself was exactly that kind of man.
He recalled the king’s final letter once more.
‘Do not be greedy for small gains and lose great ones. Discard the minor for the major.’
“Your Excellencies, what if I propose this?”
Sim Tong-won tossed out the words with a faint smile.
He understood negotiation was about patience, and the Ming envoys were famous for being slow to act. So he watched quietly.
After a long silence,
—clap, clap, clap—
“Hahaha…”
Yao Chen laughed loudly and clapped.
“You are the Trade Commissioner?”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Commissioner! Become a subject of the Ming instead. With a man like you, I could push you up. But!”
Yao Chen took a sip of tea, raised his teacup, and continued.
“I must obtain the manufacturing method for this porcelain. Only then can I grant you a life of wealth and glory.”
The mention of wealth and glory brought the broken mirror to mind. Sim Tong-won’s eyes sharpened.
“I am grateful for the kind words, but I must decline. After all, I cannot know when my time will come, so please understand.”
“Hah… What a pity. You might have become someone like Li Chengliang.”
“He is a military man, is he not?”
“Whether military or civil, if one possesses talent, becoming a governor in our Ming is no difficult matter.”
“I am sorry, Your Excellency.”
Sim Tong-won wanted to refuse, yet he shook his head.
Having lived so long, selling the king’s mirror for gold needles was far more urgent than chasing the governor’s post. It was his lifelong dream.
But Yao Chen did not let him go. He offered increasingly tempting incentives, even hinting he could reverse youth itself.
Fortunately, Sim Tong-won did not believe it.
‘Do you take me for a fool? If such a drug existed, they would have swallowed it themselves.’
Though displeased, he bowed respectfully.
“Your Excellency, I am sorry, but I must now speak plainly.”
Yao Chen stared fixedly at him.
‘Just as I heard.’
Unlike the Ming, Joseon’s scholars still clung to outdated Neo-Confucianism. Sim Tong-won had not expected them to swallow the bait.
A Yangming scholar who valued action would have been less rigid, but a formalist of Song learning would be utterly inflexible.
Yet the reason for all the empty talk was simple. If he accepted, good; if not, he would be distracted and the negotiation would be easier.
“Speak then.”
“Yes, Your Excellency. Even the finest porcelain can only be valued when sold to someone who understands it. I do not know anyone who does.”
“Then you must be that person?”
“Indeed, Your Excellency. In my opinion, you are. So I ask only for a thirty percent share.”
“Hmph… Thirty percent? That is excessive, is it not?”
“Then, Your Excellency, what share do you have in mind?”
“Ten percent, how about it?”
“I greatly admire Zisi’s commentary on the Doctrine of the Mean by Confucius’ grandson.”
“Haha!”
—clap, clap, clap—
Yao Chen clapped again and raised his thumb.
The Trade Commissioner before him was nothing like the stiff ministers he had met. Gentle in appearance, yet clearly greedy.
Yet he had not shown it. He had instead drawn out the deal.
It was fascinating. A man like this was more than enough to become a governor.
“Truly a pity. Had he been born in our Ming, he would have been governor long ago.”
“I am grateful, Your Excellency, but I do not possess such talent.”
“Why do you think you lack it?”
“My studies have loftier ambitions.”
“Haha!”
Yao Chen laughed heartily and nodded.
“Splendid! Wonderful! Then let us negotiate terms.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Surprisingly, the porcelain price negotiation concluded smoothly. They agreed to deliver the porcelain and receive a twenty percent share. Monopoly was also secured.
In return, the merchants would handle paper and pencils separately, with additional support promised.
Yet one problem remained.
Sim Tong-won spoke with a grave face.
“If Your Excellencies return again, that would be fine. But such cases have been extremely rare, so I cannot expect it and worry for you.”
“Hmph… Are you afraid others will demand the porcelain as well?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. We have promised monopoly, but the situation is truly awkward.”
“We cannot yield on that either. The price would surely collapse. Then Joseon would suffer.”
“Correct. That is why I have prepared something even better to replace it.”
“Oh? Something more valuable than porcelain?”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
The eunuchs exchanged astonished glances. They wondered what could possibly surpass porcelain.
Sim Tong-won called for his servant.
The prepared servant brought a box of mirrors wrapped in silk.
Sim Tong-won smiled confidently.
“Please open it.”
Yao Chen nodded. Li Qing hurriedly untied the silk.
“Ah!”
A startled cry escaped Li Qing’s lips. The reflection in the mirrors was astonishingly clear.
“How is it?”
“W-what is this?”
“Mirrors made of glass.”
“Truly glass?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. These are instruments crafted by Joseon artisans using glass.”
Li Qing carefully handed the mirror to Yao Chen.
The eunuch stroked his chin and let out a long sigh.
“Hmph… This is truly a treasure.”
He already owned glass beads, ornaments, and vessels, yet he had never seen a glass mirror—and had never even considered making one.
Greed surged within him. The porcelain had pleased him, but these glass mirrors were infinitely more valuable.
“Commissioner?”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Can this also be given as monopoly? I will sell it as high as possible. I will grant you a thirty percent share of the profit.”
Sim Tong-won wanted to laugh, but he held it in.
‘As I thought—everyone is the same.’
A moment ago he had strutted under the pretext of the Emperor’s envoy, yet no such arrogance appeared now. The famous Ming slowness had vanished, replaced only by greedy eyes.
He could not understand the king’s true intent. Yet he had to follow it. The king had warned him, and even left a letter.
“I am sorry, Your Excellency. I cannot sell these glass mirrors.”
“What?”
Li Qing shot to his feet and shouted.
“You cannot sell them?! Then why did you show them?!”
Sim Ui-gyeom nodded in understanding, reached into his sleeve, and produced a copper coin.
“From now on, Joseon intends to mint coins using these as currency. However, our land does not have much copper.”
Sim Ui-gyeom said no more, bowed his head, and waited.
Li Qing could not restrain himself.
“Then what do you propose?”
“Please grant us mining rights for minerals in Liaodong.”
“What?”
Li Qing looked alternately at Sim Ui-gyeom and Yao Chen in confusion.
“Hmph!”
Yao Chen spat and raised a hand to stop him.
“You know General Li Chengliang controls that region?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. I do.”
“Do you truly believe such a demand would succeed?”
“Gold and silver need not be touched,”
“Hmph… If the conditions are that simple, perhaps. But what gain is there for me?”
“We will send five hundred of these mirrors every year.”
“Truly?”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Without compensation?”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Hmph…”
Yao Chen closed his eyes and pondered.
The offer was tempting. The conditions were easy to accept. Yet suspicion lingered.
‘If they can sell the mirror for millions, why make this proposal? I would buy copper with it.’
‘Then why do this?’
Too many thoughts crowded in.
‘Is he trying to scheme with Li Chengliang? Unlikely.’
Li Chengliang had deep roots in Joseon, but his loyalty to the Emperor was absolute.
‘Then what?’
Yao Chen opened his eyes and studied Sim Tong-won’s face. It was serious, and no suspicion could be read in his eyes.
Even so, deciding was difficult. A wrong choice could cost his life.
But the gleaming mirror swayed his heart.
‘This is just surveillance of Li Chengliang.’
The more he hesitated, the larger the immediate profit loomed. The bait was too sweet to ignore.
He decided to take the gamble.
“Very well. I will use my influence to grant the mining rights under these terms. But you must keep your promise.”
Sim Tong-won smiled and bowed.
“Thank you, Your Excellency. I will honor the promise. If you doubt me, send inspectors.”
Having sealed the secret pact with the Ming eunuchs, Sim Tong-won sighed as he left the reception hall.
‘What kind of game is this…?’
Golden and silver phantoms danced before his eyes. He could not comprehend the king discarding them to seek copper in Liaodong.
It was only natural. He had not known the true purpose of Yi Yeon’s words.
Even if he had, he would not have understood.
That was why Yi Yeon had left the letter.
* * *