Chapter 92: The Mismatch of a Lifetime - Joseon Thermal Power Corporation

The messenger could not speak for shock and fell prostrate at once. The daimyo he served had rejoiced to hear that the Joseon forces had triumphed. Once tormented by Oda ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Nobunaga's occupation of Kyoto, he now breathed easier. Then he inquired whether bestowing a title upon the Joseon king would not please him, for Joseon claimed to be the guardian of the Ouchi clan and had come to reclaim lost Chikuzen. Naturally the king approved; no one disliked titles, not even the king of Joseon. So he had bullied the puppet _Tenno_ into accepting the post of _Kansei Taishogun_. How foolish. The Joseon king Yi Yeon had met aboard the ship showed no interest in such trifles and looked thoroughly annoyed. There must be another meaning. "You would not plan to conquer this land?" "It already seems conquered..." "What?!" "You doubt it?" "Ah..." The messenger hung his head in despair. That expression was so comical it made Yi Yeon burst out laughing. "Ha ha ha! Magnificent! Magnificent!" Though news traveled no faster than rumors in this age, the messenger's actions showed the _Tenno_ and _Shogun_ lived as if cut off from the world. 'Joseon was the same.' After becoming its king by accident, memories of Joseon from the _Seonjo_ era remained bleak. Palaces held no secrets, but the outside world was impossible to guess. Centralization existed on paper, yet reports arrived filtered like through a net, and even relays were few. Worse, famished people starved in spring, and royal granaries were empty from the late king's waste. No one stepped forward to fix it. At least the conservative and extremist factions had collapsed and talented Confucian scholars flooded the court. 'He ruined it all.' Seonjo never asked how the world turned; he only watched the Ming and stirred internal strife for power. When Hideyoshi united Japan and prepared to invade Joseon, he ignored everything. His ministers did the same. A few sensed war and offered solutions, but most obsessed over factional squabbles or pleased the king. 'They had no choice.' One wrong word could doom entire clans, so no one spoke truth. After Jeong Yeolip's rebellion, survivors hid. That was why he had kept ministers close. Anyone facing the same threat would do the same. 'Thanks to me, they are still holding their own despite my absence.' Smiling at every Hanyang report, he learned of rapid growth except for news from Inspector General Sim Ui-gyeom. The men must have felt the same. Joseon troops had suddenly appeared, and the Ouchi clan reference confused them. They were judging by a closed world. Or perhaps mistaken. The Joseon king sent a relief army to help the _Tenno_ of the same blood. Ridiculous, yet possibly true. Since they mentioned titles, the _Tenno_ accepted the _Koma_ clan descended from ancient _Goguryeo_ kings and was doing well. In the end, the ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Japanese islands could be incorporated into Joseon without major trouble. The _Tenno_ line traced to Baekje, and even the _Shogun_ seemed friendly to Joseon. So he told the trembling messenger again, "I have no intention of killing the _Shogun_ or _Tenno_ you serve. Tell them one nation cannot have two kings. Do not resist but submit. Then I will not only spare them but provide a path to survive. Understood?" "Y-yes..." Before arriving here he had planned to kill both. Why keep them alive? Only to cause trouble. But hearing the ridiculous words changed his mind. Keeping them alive seemed better. 'That way the arrows of blame would fly.' People changed constantly; no matter how kind one was, resentment would come later. So he chose the useless _Tenno_ and _Shogun_ as targets. Of course if they submitted. 'Or I would have to finish it.' A problem might arise, but he had no more time to waste. No need to worry. They would turn if he helped. After reclaiming farmland from daimyo and samurai and dividing it, thirty percent tax and twelve percent rent would still leave _Dongjoseon_ people well fed and housed. The nearly eighty-year war was ending, so grain would no longer be wasted as rations, and people said the amount they ate was already tiny. 'If we raised chickens and ducks, surplus would remain.' A thousand years ago, Emperor _Demmu_ banned meat from his Buddhist devotion, and it continued. Sudden reversal could cause chaos. According to Mr. Kim, assassinations in the palace were frequent after the ban was lifted. So he would only lift the ban on chicken. Ducks were river fish and still eaten. For now Joseon would not need to ship rice here. 'Rather, rice would ship here.' Once Kantō plain was developed, this land would become a supply base for conquering Ming. Yi Yeon planned the opposite of colonial policies in past empires. Not exploitation but care. Only then would Joseon people follow even under financial rule. In this way Yi Yeon intended to govern _Dongjoseon_ invisibly, like the Jews in America. * * * * * The Joseon people across the islands heard of the great victory and celebrated everywhere with cheers of "Long live!" Spring drought had been harsh, but heavy rains before reservoirs emptied brought bountiful harvest again. Thus, despite reaping finished, farmers enlarged reservoirs and repaired canals everywhere. They had realized the reservoirs' importance and volunteered. Samseongi's father loaded sand and cement onto his father's cart, then spoke to his sons. "Enough for today." "Why, Father? One cart is worth so little." "Money can be earned again." "Still..." "Enough. Any news from Samseongi?" "Yes, Father. A month has passed. Do not worry." "Indeed. So let's dress up and drink together." "Really, Father?" "Of course I am." "Then it is true." During this time Samseongi's father had not touched a drop of alcohol. He had joined the _Hwaryeokgun_ to feed his younger brothers when times were hard, and no word came from the islands. That meant Samseongi lived. Before leaving the _Hwaryeokgun_ sent word of casualties to families at once. Yet upon reaching home, Samseongi's mother clutched a letter. With trembling hands. Suddenly his father felt his head spin and staggered. Saseongi rushed to steady him, and Oseongi asked his mother, "Mother! Who brought the letter?" "U-um, the postman Ch'ilbong..." "Ah! A letter of concern. Give it here, Mother." Oseongi hurriedly tore the envelope and read the letter, then spread it wide and shouted, "Look! My words were right." "What?" "Yes, Mother. If anything wrong, it would be from the _Hwaryeokgun_, not Ch'ilbong." "Let me see." Samseongi's father snatched the letter and read loudly. "Mother, Father, I am doing very well. Do not worry. Exchange the postal notes for money and use them to build our house. Postal notes?" "Here, Father." Before leaving for the islands, Yi Yeon had ordered the post office opened. Ordinary soldiers could then send news. Otherwise, merchants or couriers carried messages. That caused losses and slow delivery. But with the post office beside the police station, regional command, and Joseon Bank, news reached any island within ten days. They also operated a postal note system for soldiers. Although paper money had begun, they could not carry it. So ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠soldiers exchanged notes at the post office for cash to send home. When exchanging, the note number and exchange officer were recorded, making problems solvable and giving peace of mind. Oseongi handed the note to his father and tilted his head curiously. "But Father, the note seems wrong." "Why?" "Look here." "Oh! Indeed." Samseongi's father blinked at the number. The amount was two thousand won. "Surely not two won?" "No. Four zeros follow the two. Still, twenty thousand is huge..." "What is wrong?" It was not ordinary. Twenty thousand exceeded two years' salary for a ninth-rank official and Samseongi's two years' pay. "Father, I will check at the post office. Please keep reading." "Go on." The sum was too large to trust, but curiosity about Samseongi made him read again. "Do not be surprised. This time I was promoted to sergeant. The king also granted land worth one hundred _baekbaek-ji_." "Then you must farm it?" "It does not seem so. It says the land was purchased." "Where?" The slow-reading father frustrated Oseongi, who took the letter and scanned quickly. Then he cheered. "Wow! Our Samseongi is rich!" "How?" "Ten thousand won is from the land the king gave and sold. The rest is ten thousand from rewards for this war." "Really?" "Yes, Father. Do not worry. All salary is saved. Promotion also raised it." "Truly?" "Yes, Father." "Wonderful. I was worried after sending money for your wedding." Yi Yeon had distributed one _baekbaek-ji_ to every soldier in the _Hwaryeokgun_ 1st Infantry Division under Gwon Yul guarding the north, as well as those who fought this war. Even those who did ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not fight suffered hardship in the meantime. Still, soldiers who earned merit deserved special rewards. Without that, no sense of achievement. For brave soldiers like Samseongi, ten thousand won was given as reward, and seven thousand to Chun-shik the assistant archer. Still, profitable. Over three hundred thousand _nyeong_ of silver obtained, and the Iwami mine already under control for more. Besides the farmland granted to _Hwaryeokgun_ and _Dongjoseon_ troops, vast land remained. Investigation showed Tsukushi Plain in Kyushu held thirty-six thousand _baekbaek-ji_ and Kumamoto Plain twenty thousand. Moreover, they were fertile. Tsukushi lay same latitude as Jeju, Kumamoto further south. Rice production enormous, each yielding one million four hundred thousand and one million two hundred thousand _sok_ annually, roughly three million three hundred thousand _sok_ in Joseon measure. Joseon counted one hundred forty-four liters one _sok_, Japan one hundred eighty. The land would be given to farmers as reward. Soldiers who wished to sell received ten thousand and the land repurchased. Money spent where needed to activate the economy. That evening Oseongi family prepared a lavish feast to celebrate Samseongi's promotion and raise their house to two stories with the money sent. * * * * *

The Mismatch of a Lifetime

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