Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Sniper Elite (1)
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Chungcheong Inspector Yi Ilje—what kind of man is he?
I'd never even heard of him in the future.
Yeah, I just said knowledge from the future isn't needed, but honestly, I had none.
Still, you can infer useful info from the mere fact that he's unknown.
The fact that I'd never heard of him means he was just one of those middling bureaucrats from Yeongjo's era.
That's viewing history on a grand scale, though. For folks living in this time, it's different.
First off, his current post is锦伯, Inspector of Chungcheong—a top-tier provincial position.
He can inspect and punish a county magistrate like me, and he even holds military authority.
A few years back, he served as deputy envoy to the Qing dynasty and got his name on the roster as a senior official in the Border Defense Council. He's one of the era's rising stars.
The moment I got my posting, I naturally investigated him first. Park Jiwon, who's become my de facto intel service, helped a ton.
Surprisingly, the start of his career mirrors mine.
Yi Ilje was also first selected for the Office of Diplomatic Correspondence. But he got tangled in some incident (not beaten with a stick) and was dismissed, only to be specially recruited later via King Gyeongjong's exam with top scores.
In his youth, he made sharp critiques as a censor in the clean posts.
He even blasted his own Little Faction without mercy, earning praise for being clever and "MZ-generation sharp." That helped him dodge the Crab Sauce King's purge of the Little Faction too.
But even the crankiest old-timer was once a stiff-backed, idealistic youth.
After years passed, Yi Ilje bent to the winds of the times.
Not like our crude, bold clerks, though.
Yi loved flashy memorials to the king touting his grand new national policies, making sure everyone noticed.
Yeah, just your typical office type.
While I was in Seoul, he came up to Hanyang and submitted plans on military supplies.
I think they were adopted. I didn't feel it personally, but he's apparently seen as one of the top military policy experts of the day.
But according to Park Jiwon, during Yi's time as Pyeongan Military Commander, there was major corruption.
With the inspector coming, the entourage is grand, and when scholars gather, such tales naturally come up over drinks.
But it wasn't a flattering story.
Yi oversaw building a fortress at Seorimjin near Cheolsan in Pyeongan.
Up to here, fine. Smart way to build without Qing notice (Joseon needed Qing permission for walls), and visible achievements to build merit—solid ambition.
Then the problem hit.
The finished "fortress" was a flimsy wall just a few feet high.
Short on funds, Joseon-style? No, Pyeongan is wealthy.
Plus, why not collect taxes in Pyeongan? Isn't that what they're for?
Obvious by now. What I heard matches.
Yi embezzled half the construction funds collected for the wall.
Half became the wall; the other half exists only in ledgers in Yi's warehouse accounts.
A true fortress of the scientific monarchy.
Half in our material realm, untouchable by anyone. What could breach it?
How's this guy a border defense heavyweight?
Ah, got it. Gotta build interdimensional forts to count as a military expert under the scientific monarch?
I can't publicly jab at this scandal right now.
Timing and position don't align.
Only censors can trash superiors, and even they risk dismissal.
Otherwise, juniors can't critique seniors, no matter the fault.
How'd no one impeach superiors in that long faction war history?
They did—plenty. And most (the impeachers) got punished. Joseon folks just do what they want, right?
I'm not that live-for-today type, though.
Sheesh, the top reason I want to be a civil servant is job security—why am I scared of getting fired?
Anyway, not hard. Just clear a path to snipe the inspector safely.
Explain to my dad Kim Yonggyeom, send a letter—he'll hook me up. He's low-rank, but his friends are big shots.
Dirty? Petty? Jealous? Then be filial more. Filial piety's root of all virtues for exactly this.
More crucial: timing.
Yi hasn't done squat to me yet.
No choice. Time for Shin Manheung, beaten every three days till 70, to sober up and plan; for a wandering inspector to get word; to round up Mokcheon folk—shortest estimate, one or two months.
I don't know Yi and Shin's connection.
Plus, touching a fellow yangban like me for lowly clerks breaks the rules.
Naive folks might think an inspector won't bother over that.
But Yi's Little Faction. Plenty reason to resent me, a Noron. He wasn't on my low-favor list 'cause he was out of Seoul then.
Keeping that in mind, I carefully compiled and stashed my "Yi Ilje Notes."
Then decided to use the time till he moves wisely.
Thoroughly reading the county ledger (minus the embezzlement manual), nothing urgent needs my attention.
Makes sense. Who'd invade this central nowhere? Maybe a brush with Yi Injo's rebellion years back—old news.
Doubt the clerks wrote honestly, but no big bandit hordes. Worst foes: tigers and famines.
I rechecked gunpowder and arms, sealed tight—'cause who knows who might shoot a hole in my head—then got to my work.
Spring farm prep? Summer dike building?
Nah, can't now. Clerks all back Shin—how?
What I did: backed Jangbok's stellar takeover of the county office slaves.
'Your Excellency, the slave you brought is insolent, beating folks arbitrarily—total nuisance.'
'Even demands tribute like rice cakes, booze, meals, cash for your "private" needs. Please deliver fair punishment like day one!'
Such plots from disloyal elements never reached my ears.
Idiots. Punishment isn't for hating the crime—it's for hating the person.
My response matched Eoji's case.
"Jangbok. No relation, right?"
"None, sir."
"Good. Keep at it."
Then, "Yeah, I told him to fetch snacks. So?"—and the schemers deflated.
These slaves are clerk cronies. "Insolent beating"? I can guess why.
Hating me, they ignored or sabotaged Jangbok's (my) errands, picking fights constantly.
Their fault. Beat harder, Jangbok. I get it sitting down.
Not Jangbok's intent, but my cover let me consolidate from the bottom up.
Don't scorn commoners. Used right, they're gold in this era.
'Cause their handlers—rival yangban or upper class—underrate them.
Even if a top IT firm makes near-human AI, no one watches their "machine" feelings.
Visiting your girl's place for fun? You don't shoo the live-in cat (unless it attacks, mistaken for harassing owner).
Slaves are exactly that.
Everywhere and nowhere.
Now you see why countless rebellions fizzled on slave snitching.
Wild part: no "fellow human" view, so no guarding tongue or hands around slaves.
Didn't know pre-human-rights awareness showed like this.
But slaves have ears and mouths, contrary to belief.
More: even dumbest slaves outjudge 21st-century top AI with adaptability.
Voice/face recognition baseline. Feed 'em—they recharge. Cloneable!
Can't rule Mokcheon as dreamed without them.
I used Jangbok (magistrate can't chat slaves direct) to win them over.
"Our magistrate looks rough but repays loyalty handsomely. Follow, get rewarded. Like saving Eoji from starving outside the walls—right, Eoji?"
"Y-yeah. Beat. Fed. Me."
"Skip the beating part."
Or,
"I get your worry. Magistrate leaves soon, future scares you? Don't. By then, six clerks loyal to him'll be in hell, replaced. Impress now—warehouse guard later means perks."
Or,
"Our magistrate's tight with the crown prince... What's that? Idiot! King's son, next king. Anyway, deep ties—how dare clerks touch him?"
"Right, by hierarchy, can a steward stab the master on butler orders? Drift, and you're done!"
Such sweet talk flowed.
Soon, many slaves read the winds and flipped to me.
If born yangban, Jangbok'd rule politics.
Owner can't lag.
I proudly hung Seoul gifts from the prince: scrolls, paintings, stationery.
Couldn't sell 'em anyway—huge effect.
Clerks who'd half-killed Shin but bowed outwardly: when reporting, ask casually about "that," brush off.
"Got to see the crown prince in Seoul once—his gifts. Just scholarly mementos from debating classics, no big treasure.
South posting, so encouragement note... Feared loss on road, brought keepsakes to recall grace; rest at home."
Key: play it casual, everyday stuff.
Avoided Sado ties in Seoul—fine here.
Prince till the stocks—milk it.
Clerks awed.
"Ooh, no wonder... Even our crude eyes saw scrolls and paper gleaming."
Fibbed a bit.
Saw prince once; these are most gifts.
Not much given. Purpose: poem collab proof and gag order, not posting cheer.
Rest true.
Regrettably, not "big treasure" as said—most factual.
Hoped for silk post-meeting; none came.
One audience usually nets silk/gold even sans talk—isn't that the rule? No Great Learning?
Soon learned: prince short on cash. All "his" anyway—why need money?
Strange books, booze, snacks on IOU everywhere.
For lenders, write off for peace—bad debt. Not huge yet.
One reason Yeongjo raged later.
Hanyang merchant debts from revelry shook guilds; unpaid.
Yeongjo paid publicly—royal face in the mud.
But now, folks itching to lend to sole heir? Joseon's full.
Waste on future unknown?
Me? Nah. Guy's endgame: 0.5-pyeong wood shack (land excluded).
Clerks naturally awed, reverent, scared.
This stick-happy new magistrate? Prince's direct man.
I didn't hide; rumors flew. Shoe-leather talk—dismissed as brag.
Few fake prince gifts risking necks (can't swear none).
Young, ruling faction lineage, top exam—next-gen star.
To Joseon eyes, next-gen soon.
King 56 this year. Dying next? Unshocking.
Problem: Yeongjo freakishly long-lived. Only I know.
Results quick. Head tribute bearer (gongsaeng here, tongin in Seoul/Gyeonggi) Jo Manguk switched first.
"Shin Manheung's thugs brutalized slaves and clerks; now beholding your bright rule, clouds part."
Gongsaeng usually clerk's son; mid-faction, slave. Near bottom.
Key to his flip: first spotting my poached slaves' shift.
Thus, bottom-up power shift snowballed.
After gongsaeng: messengers, then punishment clerk—more flips, faster swell. Silly for bean-sized office, but.
Shin Manheung's long networks resisted hard. Half the six needed my direct purge.
Easy with ledger original.
Shin's brother Shin Jibeung, workshop head, strongest holdout. Brother grudge fueled.
But what can you do?
Day brother beaten, rally all to storm office, kill/subdue me. Too late.
Ledger and my clerks unearthed Shin Jibeung's dike embezzlement like Yi's—two years back.
Brothers nicely got long "vacations."
No need kill. Pre-hyangcheong takeover, messy aftermath.
Just socially kill 'em.
Jail limits freedom.
Flaying achieves same.
Butt/thighs torn—can't walk. Joseon can't afford prisons—good pick.
Ancient systems have reasons.
Visitors to beaten clerk homes plentiful at first.
I randomly picked some for fun sleuthing.
Truth one; crimes popped easy—beginner mystery. No grandpa-name stake.
Fear public doubt my fairness, explained personally.
Unrelated to Shin bros; pure stern national law.
Smart Mokcheon choice obvious. Visits to outsider Shin and workshop Shin dried up.
Who calls commoners dumb? This sharp.
'Hope Seoul court runs this smooth later.'
Shin bros, who'd gripped office—done. No inspector aid, no recovery.
Just 'cause small-county clerks. Simple beatings work on "weak" with setups.
But pro scholar-assoc pros—thick backs, exams passed, 25-year Six Streets vets under Crab King—not easy.
Can't just whack if annoyed. Wait, did once.
Shifted to positive future.
'Time to make money.'
Now control clerk exploitation structure.
Note: control, not destroy.
Cut middlemen—producers/consumers win. Direct trade perk.
Now direct-trade folks via clerks.
Worry tricks? Assign proven loyalists (ditched Shin) to watch.
Mokcheon "illegal shaman ops" banned under Seomunpyo's name. Takamsan too deep/rough—might miss.
Folk burden tolerable; my bonus fat.
Still squeezed same, but less—key.
No more beatings.
Pain relative. Livelier homes, no beatings—top benevolence?
Imagined folk praising, erecting steles—heart thrilled. What if blocks Seoul return?
Shiny prospect has shadow.
What for my clerks?
Honestly, no way now.
Mokcheon poor: 0.5 gyeol per house max.
Damn. Neighbor Jiksan? Snooped—double our fields.
Plus gold dust gushing. Why us?
Oh well. Need think.
Then unexpected guest: Hong Daeyong.
Yeah, that geocentric guy.
Exam-passed me knew useless "Joseon scholar musician" bit.
Status Window highlighted him recently.
'But why you from there?'
This life, heard name via cousin Kim Wonhaeng. Didn't know Cheonan.
Felt Park Jiwon vibe.
Practical scholar? Nah.
Both "scholars"? Nah—yangban young masters. Hong my age.
Common: sudden buddy act.
"I study under Miho Master (cousin Kim Wonhaeng), so your grace and house ties bind teacher-student. Not lighter than father-son.
Yet no call from next county? Waited out—came boldly, risking sin."
First face, like brothers. Same as rumor-hearing Park Jiwon.
No way... this "practical learning"? In-crowd study?
Like Park, house-face tied—awkwardly received him.