Innovation and Revolution (2)
Yi Yeon stared straight into the eyes of Lee Hwang. The expression on his face screamed utter disbelief, yet it left Yi Yeon utterly speechless. Still, he asked in a tone that betrayed no emotion, “Why are you so astonished? Could it be that you do not even consider your slaves to be human beings?”
“No, Your Majesty. We have never treated them that way. We treat all our slaves the same as we do the rest.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Believe it or not, His servant lives in quarters no better than the slaves’ and eats no better than they do.”
“Tch!”
Yi Yeon snorted in open disdain. The absurdity of it all left him momentarily stunned. According to Suhoguk’s investigation, the man’s words were true. It was a downward leveling that surpassed even communist equality—yet he claimed to treat the former Lord Chancellors, such as Kwon Cheol, father of Kwon Yul, exactly the same. Compared to what ordinary people ate, he described it as a royal feast, eating not once but several times a day. Thankfully Kwon Cheol had accepted the words and thereafter lived with great frugality. That was why Lee Hwang now seemed to take pride in his own austere life.
‘Why live like this at all?’
He could not understand it. With so much wealth yet living in a space no larger than one room, eating and sleeping there, and hiding his fortune while training slaves, he appeared to be the very picture of hypocritical virtue.
‘He should just spend it freely. That would at least help the economy keep turning.’
He glared at Lee Hwang, who sat in silence. “Then why did you teach your sons to pursue Yangcheon-gyohon?”
“T-t-that is…”
Lee Hwang started in shock. He had kept the matter secret because it was so disgraceful, yet the king already knew. Yi Yeon recalled Kim’s words and pressed him. “You know, don’t you? Even in the Song dynasty where your Neo-Confucianism originated, they demanded the abolition of the slave system. And we who dismiss such things know that even in the small nation of Japan, they never made slaves of their own citizens.”
“What…?”
“Yet here we are. We who claim to revere benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom have instead ignored those very virtues while expanding slavery—even on our own people.”
“Y-Your Majesty! This minister has committed a crime of death!”
Lee Hwang flattened himself against the floor like a pancake. Every word the king spoke was irrefutable. He could not even argue; he would only be scolded. Worse still, he feared he would be buried as a hypocritical virtue. He was not afraid of death, but he would never die as a hypocritical virtue. That would be the ultimate disgrace for a scholar who had spent his entire life teaching and learning Neo-Confucianism. Yi Yeon looked down on him with contempt and changed the subject, for he knew the man would not shift his fixed beliefs. “Have you heard? The movements of the surrounding nations are unusual, they say.”
“What movements, Your Majesty?”
“The Ming envoys came three times demanding we hand over the daepongchong. You knew that, did you not?”
“I only heard that the king had given it.”
“Yet you show no reaction?”
“What kind of reaction?”
“Ha…”
Yi Yeon could find no words. The ministers had poured out their fury, yet this man showed none. The demonstration of firepower from the Hwaryeokgun had been so astonishing that the news had spread faster than the wind—reaching Ming and Japan alike within a month. The envoys had come requesting the daepongchong in quick succession. It had been exactly as he planned. Faster than expected, but still as he had foreseen. When the mining-rights dispute stalled, he had ordered a preemptive strike using private mercury fulminate. So he had shown his power. To lift the morale of his ministers and the people.
‘I told Li Chengliang to judge for himself after seeing it.’
Fortunately the man had waited. He had judged no loss would come of it. As planned, he had refused the envoys outright, citing some made-up excuse. The king had even grown angry and sent them away, knowing the conditions could only be enforced if they were treated like outsiders. Sure enough, the Ming sent another delegation. This time it was a supremely arrogant envoy who dared to warn that the king might suffer an ill. The perfect tool—much like the opportunistic Kim Seong-il. Yi Yeon had played frightened and promised the daepongchong. Instead he had demanded conditions. He could not simply hand them over. He asked for the right to mine minerals in Liaodong. The envoy had then flown into a rage, calling the demand absurd. So Yi Yeon had written a solemn oath promising no troops would be stationed. Only then were the conditions accepted. Free mining rights for all minerals except gold and silver, in exchange for a monopoly on celadon and glass mirrors—originally for the Ming imperial court, but now for the Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng and the actual power broker. The eunuchs Yao Chen and Li Qing had broken their word, so the contract was void; there was no awkwardness. Eighteen daepongchong had been delivered, complete with one hundred and eighty rounds. The number that had become a curse in his previous life was now packed with meaning. Li Chengliang had been promised the same celadon and mirrors at the same price. It was a promise made to him. Of course the ministers already knew the content. They simply did not know it had been part of the king’s grand plan. Yi Yeon still felt the ghost of “Impossible, Your Majesty” ringing in his ears. He had not even told them the phrase “mercury fulminate is useless without gunpowder.” He had wanted to watch their reactions. To his surprise they had all cried out in unison, “Impossible, Your Majesty!” Only then had he realized: no one wanted to be the weak nation’s minister ever again. ‘They have grown confident because we showed real strength.’ The ministers had fiercely opposed even giving up the daepongchong, insisting they would never grovel before Ming again. Some had even suggested fighting one last duel. ‘It took me forever to calm them.’ Now it was too late for that. “We must strengthen ourselves. Persuade the ministers.” And still some had not come to their senses. One of them was Lee Hwang, standing before him. “I had no choice but to hand over the daepongchong we artisans worked so hard to develop. I had to sacrifice them. Yet you show no reaction?”
“Why should I?”
“But there cannot be two suns in the sky, and there cannot be two kings on earth. The unification of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States was the law of heaven and earth, an unchanging principle of the ages.”
“What did you say?”
“How can a small eastern nation whose sun rises first possibly endure the greatest empire of all, Ming? If we do not submit, we will suffer great calamity.”
“Ha…”
Yi Yeon bit back a laugh. The man still believed the abolition of slavery was urgent. Only then could the plan move forward. That was why he had used him. If Lee Hwang took the lead, it would be no problem. But the scholar was drowning in reverence for the three bonds and five relationships. ‘Should I just discard him?’ Of course he could expose him as a hypocritical virtue and forcibly abolish slavery. But the resulting chaos would ruin every step he had taken so far. More than ten thousand followers followed him, plus their retainers. Yi Yeon took a deep breath and steadied himself. ‘Once a wrong thought is fixed, it is hard to turn.’ He had seen it before. Even when he knew something was wrong, he had still followed it rather than criticize, lest his position crumble. “Hmph…”
Yi Yeon exhaled deeply. Lee Hwang shrank back. The man based his words on the Neo-Confucianism he had studied, yet he could not fathom what a young king might do. Looking at him, Yi Yeon delivered the words that would change everything. “If you do not change, neither will your followers. This is the last resort.”
“Are you saying you will seize my wealth and make my children slaves?”
“What?”
“No. If the law of heaven says a small nation must follow a great one, then…”
“Th-that…”
Lee Hwang stammered, unable to continue. The logic he himself had spoken was flawless, and he was young; he would do such things without hesitation. Then the problem would no longer be his alone. The reason he had hoarded wealth was for his children. He believed that even if he lost his official posts, as long as he had money they would live in luxury. Moreover, though the king had abolished the blood ties, mentioning related families to turn his retainers into slaves seemed possible. “…No! Your Majesty! This minister has committed a crime of death! Your Majesty!”
Lee Hwang flattened himself once more. Now the hypocritical virtue was no longer the issue. It was the very survival of his family—whether his clan would be extinguished or not. Yi Yeon lowered his voice and spoke with force. “You still believe the slave system must be maintained?”
“No, no, Your Majesty…”
Lee Hwang shook his head vigorously and denied it. “Slaves are also citizens of this country. Is that not so?”
“Correct, Your Majesty!”
“They are the same as us and can become fine servants of the realm. Did I speak wrongly?”
“No, Your Majesty! You speak the truth!”
“That is why I do not wish to abandon them. I wish to use them to develop and protect the nation.”
Yi Yeon fell silent and studied Lee Hwang. The man looked mentally shaken, yet he held firm. ‘The pride of a scholar is something else.’ Even after receiving words of shame, he still stood. Yi Yeon decided it could not end here. He could not afford to let him collapse. “Then I will say this again. I wish to entrust you with the task of abolishing the slave system. What do you think?”
“I-I will obey, Your Majesty…”
Yi Yeon chuckled. As expected, the man doted on his children. “If you do well, you will become a worthy man remembered in history. Do not slack off or lose focus. There will be no second chance.”
“Yes, yes! I will devote myself wholeheartedly, Your Majesty…”
“You must. My patience has limits.”
“I understand, Your Majesty!”
After that day, all who had followed Lee Hwang fell into utter despair.
* * *
Yi Sun-sin stood motionless, watching Kwon Yul and Hwang Jin as they laughed and played snowball fights on the training ground. The two, whose ages differed by an entire generation, got along swimmingly, paying no heed to the curious stares from around them.
“Hmph…”
He envied them. He wanted to join in and play like he had as a child. The Hwaryeok Military Academy, something he had only heard about, had stunned him from the first visit. The terrifying firepower displayed by the Hwaryeokgun had felt as if the world itself was being remade. After paying respects to his mother and returning two months later, the academy brought yet another shock. Furnishings he had never seen or heard of filled the place. The classroom was built of sturdy baked bricks. Wide wooden window frames now held glass, something said to be extraordinarily expensive. The floor was smooth wood, with neatly lined desks and chairs. When a piece of chalk was rubbed on the blackboard, white, red, yellow, and blue letters appeared clearly. Not only that. The dormitory had beds—two-story ones. There were also individual desks and, of course, baths where hot water was always ready in large pools. Turn the tap and cold and hot water flowed freely. The entire academy was called the heavenly palace of the Jade Emperor, though there were no celestial maidens. Yet the training and education were merciless. Wake before dawn, climb Baekaksan, and receive strict lessons from the professors and harsh drills from the instructors. “What are you thinking?”
He turned at the sound of someone calling. It was Jeong Yeo-lip. “Just some random thoughts.”
“Oh?”
Yi Sun-sin nodded shortly. On the first day of admission, the king—then the principal—had instructed that all should respect one another. Then, inside the school, speech should be simple and clear, ending only with the syllables “ga,” “na,” “da,” “kka,” “ji.” To anyone. At first it was difficult to get used to, but once he started, it became easy, and he understood why. ‘If he had not said that, the mixed regional dialects would have made it impossible to understand one another.’ The principal, though young, seemed to foresee everything. Jeong Yeo-lip raised his hand and crooked his index finger. “How is it?”
“Good!”
“Five-won bread again today?”
“Of course.”
Three months after admission, the principal brought a new weapon. He demonstrated it, and everyone stayed silent in amazement. Though its power was less than the daepongchong, it fired six shots in the blink of an eye. The principal had declared that anyone could use a revolver for practice whenever they wished. Someone asked if they could wager, and the principal had allowed it—provided the stakes were under five wons. That way skill would improve faster. In the first shooting test he had scored perfect and taken first place. Then the top student, Jeong Yeo-lip, would seek him out for challenges whenever he was bored. Fortunately.
* * *