Chapter 209
Chapter 209
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: Brother's Country (1)
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In the 18th century, with no railroads, telegraphs, or steamships, everything moved at a snail's pace.
Britain's Opium Crusade, even trying to lure France in by dangling Indochina as bait—not to mention Emperor Qianlong's preparations for a "war to protect humanity," issued through edicts across his territories—would take years at minimum.
Of course, the eye of the storm knows nothing of the storm itself. Kim Unhaeng was busy amassing wealth in Pyeongan Province.
Just as former Chungcheong Governor Yi Il-je had done, the provincial governor was required to make annual tours of his domain, rooting out corruption and inspecting granaries.
Normally, this would take a full month. But for Kim Unhaeng, a few days were more than enough.
Instead of a grand procession befitting a governor's dignity, he would show up out of nowhere with just a single servant. The "giant merchant slinging a bow" had become the nightmare of every official in Pyeongan.
"Y-Your Excellency, bypassing the checkpoints like this disrupts procedure..."
At moments like these, Kim Unhaeng turned into the ultimate pragmatist, bellowing at them.
"The aggrieved cries of the people reach all the way to Pyongyang. Does any general in the world send word to bandits at the gates before marching out to crush them?"
The corrupt officials were stripped of their posts and sentenced to labor reeducation. Their ill-gotten gains were recovered into the national treasury (account holder: Kim Unhaeng).
As fans of civil servants are wont to do, the people of Pyeongan welcomed him with open arms.
"The last inspector general and military commander dragged hundreds of soldiers around under the pretense of 'patrols,' leaving nothing behind wherever they passed. But Your Excellency truly understands the burdens of the people."
"When the Governor went undercover as a royal inspector in Hamgyong, he commanded the treacherous mountains of the Six Garrisons to part, and even lightning followed his horse—or so they say, and it wasn't just empty talk!"
In any case, northern governance suited northern tastes, which was why it had developed that way. Another commoner chimed in excitedly.
"Makes sense, doesn't it? Heard about the Manpo Garrison magistrate? He planted potatoes on empty land under the excuse of feeding the troops, pocketing the harvest himself. Then the Governor's arrow pierced the potato right through his hand, and he fainted dead away!"
Manpo Garrison Magistrate Yi Han-pung was a capable military officer who would later rise through the ranks to become a commander and even a provincial military governor.
His bold attempt to boost military rations with potatoes wasn't bad, nor was his eye for selecting a spot near what would become famous in modern times as the "Great Hongdan Potatoes." His fatal mistake, however, was not paying patent fees to the potato prince, Kim Unhaeng.
"But how is that carriage so fast? I caught a glimpse once—dust flew up in a flash, and it was already miles away."
"Ah, that's because the Jangdong Kim clan has received the dragon vein from Inwangsan Mountain in Seoul for generations. That famous shaman Yeoni is there too. How else could the Governor know about every bit of local graft in remote villages? The resentful spirits flock to Yeoni, who reports it all to him."
"Discussing state affairs with a shaman?"
The valid concern from a somewhat literate onlooker was promptly dismissed by the crowd. In Pyeongan, where central advancement was a pipe dream for most yangban, respect came hard without money or land.
"If it's to root out corrupt officials, why not? Didn't our Pyeongan Cheolsan deputy magistrate appease the vengeful spirits of those wronged sisters a century ago?" (Referring to Jeon Dong-hil's feat, the inspiration for the Tale of Janghwa and Hongryeon.)
Far from undermining the Governor's authority, this only amplified it.
As if invoking the urgent imperial decree "Handle with utmost speed [急急如律令]," East Asian religions had long been deeply influenced by established bureaucracies.
Thus, shamanic rituals typically summoned "jurisdictional" deities or had higher gods subjugate lower ones.
The shamans of Pyongyang's Geumsu Mountain or Yeongbyeon's Yak Mountain, who served powerful mountain spirits said to foresee centuries ahead, held out until the end. But as winter passed, even they acknowledged the Nietzschean end Yeoni brought. Every branch chief of the Shaman Safety Planning Department now had a gold-fringed rice chest enshrined in their shrines.
It was, truly, the spiritual centralization of Pyeongan Province. Many baksu shamans abandoned their trade to join the wind-and-drum corps, merging into the military as a bonus.
Neo-Confucian scholar Kim Unhaeng, however, merely marveled at Yeoni's eloquence and resourcefulness. After comparing ledgers and tax records, he said cheerfully,
"This is more than enough to report to the capital without shame. With New Year's approaching, it might be best to head up now."
Kim Unhaeng needed to shuttle back and forth to Seoul diligently to avoid suspicions of plotting a second Yi Gwal rebellion. Se-hwa smiled meaningfully.
"A jutting stone takes the blows. To avoid envy from petty officials, wouldn't it be wiser to report 'humbly'?"
"Indeed. Your virtue in curbing my arrogance runs deep."
And so, for the New Year of the following year (1764), Northern Grand Duke Kim Unhaeng led his family briefly to Seoul.
Even after skimming his success fees and "humbly" underreporting, his fiscal achievements were unprecedented. Then again, no prior Pyeongan Governor had engaged in massive smuggling or plundered his own people.
Crown Prince Yi Hwon was overjoyed. It silenced the court's grumblings about treating Pyeongan like a feudal vassal state.
Addressing his ministers, Yi Hwon began,
"A military commander slain by brigands is no trifling matter. Nor was the recent tragedy in Piguok. Such upheavals shake the harmony of yin and yang, and only an extraordinary man can restore order."
Who, then, was this extraordinary talent who had done just that? The answer was the man before them.
"Kim Unhaeng's posts shall remain unchanged until the people's loyalty in Pyeongan is secured and the garrisons stabilized."
It was akin to "sharing the pain until the economy improves." Any minister claiming it impossible would simply become the next Northern Grand Duke. Yi Hwon wasn't some tyrant ignoring counsel.
And should they fail to match Kim Unhaeng's results, they'd learn firsthand that "the tongue is an axe to the body," as per the Mingasim-bang's golden rule. Even Deputy Prime Minister Seo Myeong-eung resolved to mentally excise Pyeongan from Joseon's map starting now.
Meanwhile, word of East Sea Alliance Merchant Fleet Admiral Kim Unhaeng's visit to the capital spread like wildfire through Chang'an.
People who longed to meet him but balked at the long journey to Pyongyang now swarmed with New Year's gifts in hand, using the holiday as an excuse.
Among them was a boy of thirteen or so.
Pak Je-ga, the second son of the late Eastern Bureau Deputy Minister Pak Pyeong—who had aided Kim Unhaeng against Grand Minister Chae Je-gong—and future pillar of the Silhak school.
Three years prior, after Pak Pyeong's death, his widow and son had been driven out—not due to jealousy from a principal wife, as Kim Unhaeng had suspected when Pak Pyeong entrusted his son to him. The principal wife had died before Pak Pyeong.
The reason wasn't absurd.
Pak Pyeong had brazenly seized someone else's house and given it to his concubine, Lady Yi.
After his death, the crime surfaced, and his wife's family expelled them to avoid collective punishment. Pak Je-ga and his mother had nearly been exiled to Hamgyong Province.
But Kim Unhaeng wouldn't abandon a political ally, even if he discarded blood kin. When he bought the house, the property suddenly became "legitimately transacted."
With the three-year mourning and ancestral rites complete, it was natural for Lady Yi—ever focused on her son's connections and education—to instruct him thus:
"I'll provide whatever you need, so just focus on your studies. Never forget the Dog-Beating Stick Governor's grace, diligently pay your respects, and befriend the scholars who frequent that house. Especially since his eldest son, Kim I-hwan, is your age—that's perfect."
Pak Je-ga replied stoically and withdrew.
He had reason to be stoic. Truth be told, he didn't want to go to that house. The eldest son his mother mentioned terrified him most.
But how could he defy a mother who lived only for him? Pak Je-ga bought pastries from Namdaemun Kaoru Bakery, made from plain cotton yarn spun by his mother from wool supplied by the Jangdong Kim clan.
Since the bakery's profits went to the Dog-Beating Stick Governor, offering these gave Kim Unhaeng double the benefit. A true future Silhak scholar.
Yet as Pak Je-ga entered Jangdong, he was blocked by a scion of the Silhak-destroying clan.
"Long time no see. Where you headed? Looks like New Year's greetings at our house with those in hand?"
Kim I-hwan spoke with needless familiarity. Pak Je-ga nodded awkwardly, and Kim I-hwan leaned in like he was sharing vital intel.
"But Father's at the palace right now. Give them to me instead and come along. Why the long face? I'll make sure he gets them. Handing them to a servant like Jangbok just means some guy stuffs his face. The scholars close to your uncle (Hong Daeyong) are gathered at my uncle's (Kim Jeok-haeng) place—let's go there."
The Pak family's livelihood, evident from Lady Yi's work, was propped up by Se-hwa.
Kim Unhaeng couldn't liaise directly with a governor's household, so Kim I-hwan used that as an excuse to drag Pak Je-ga out since childhood, bossing him around endlessly.
Pak Je-ga felt uneasy but followed, heeding his mother's words. If those "scholars" were there, it would be worthwhile.
Kim I-hwan dropped Pak Je-ga at the apothecary, chatted at length with his uncle, then left. The gaunt Kim Jeok-haeng merely beckoned silently.
And so, Pak Je-ga ended up molding Baekryeon Church export Kim Family Great Restorative Pills in place of Kim I-hwan.
But he needn't feel duped.
As promised, "scholars close to Hong Daeyong" like Yi Deok-mu—a "distinguished bastard scholar"—were gathered there.
His mother might wish associations with noble heirs, but at Pak Je-ga's age, he was drawn to those sharing his hardships.
Yi Deok-mu was a name even Pak Je-ga knew. Staring blankly at the rare sight of scholars kneading medicine like rice cakes, he slipped in,
"Aren't you Master Hyeongam, famed for your vast learning? Why stoop to an apothecary's work?"
Yi Deok-mu smiled faintly.
"Didn't expect a boy like you to know a bookish fool like me. I'm not sure myself. My wife pushed me to earn something, so I thought of leveraging my familiarity with Master Seongho's Complete Works of Ten Thousand Things for a spot at Pyeongseon-gwan. But they sent me here to help."
The others were similar: scholars Kim Unhaeng had gathered after confirming sluggish production of Baekryeon Church export pills during his Seoul visit, flying into a rage at the shortfalls.
For bastards, apothecary work wasn't degrading, and their medical knowledge preserved the pills' reputation. There was even a boy Pak Je-ga's age named Yu Deok-gong.
Pak Je-ga subtly urged Yi Deok-mu to quit this drudgery.
But Yi Deok-mu shook his head.
"Money was never my goal. I'm waiting for Master Hong Dam-heon (Hong Daeyong) to introduce me to Westerners and broaden my horizons. The Jangdong Kim clan's audit office only attracts Noron elites—this is better."
Hong Daeyong had stepped down after his Naksan Observatory duties.
Fearing more mishaps, Kim Unhaeng hadn't recommended him for further posts—a shortsighted move. Now free, Hong Daeyong channeled his social prowess as something like chairman of the Joseon Foreigner Support Society.
Pak Je-ga grew curious.
"Could I join too? I've heard Western teachers entertain at the Crown Prince's quarters, but are there more Westerners?"
"Why not? Master Dam-heon befriends scholars regardless of legitimacy; he'd love a bright kid like you. As for Westerners... well, I don't know them all, but..."
Yi Deok-mu's ensuing explanation captivated Pak Je-ga.
Joseon's foreigner recycling program had fully taken root.
Hongmo foreigners like Yust van der something-or-other mostly settled in shipbuilding.
No full-rigged warships yet, but the Dutch were solidifying lumber industries and navigation foundations. Only the most trusted Dutch handled "risky" ship-related ventures.
British mostly shuttled between Wangsimni SIT and the Ministry of War.
Admiral Hyde Parker had sadly withered away in rage and depression. But Captain James Cook steadfastly mapped Joseon, living comfortably. Greenwich scholars for lunar observations enjoyed Hong Daeyong's protection at the observatory.
Naturalists were welcomed by Pyeongseon-gwan directors. Rumors swirled that Noryangjin Pak clan heads and others covertly funded Daniel Solander and Joseph Banks for tailored taxonomy papers.
Unknown to Yi Deok-mu, however, the British got top treatment not as scholars, but as painters.
They worked at the now-established Eastern Magazine publishing house and Training Bureau editorial office.
Though Jeong Seon had passed, his stark backgrounds lived on in prints. Beneath them unfolded rivalry between Ban Sang-byeok and British artists. Sydney Parkinson, first to depict Australian Aboriginals, now sketched a different sort of nude locals.
Kim I-hwan was a fan. In truth, Kim Unhaeng stuffing his son in the apothecary was to deny him time filching Eastern Magazines during palace visits—but ironically, it backfired on future Silhak scholar Pak Je-ga.
Russians mostly served in Pyeongan local forces. No one expected scholarship from "Hunnic" types, so their footing was stable.
Yet the Russian expedition boasted Mikhail Lomonosov, worth ten top scientists alone.
Lomonosov's desperately recreated "air wings" (a spring-driven helicopter prototype) earned fervent support from Yi Deok-ri and Wangsimni SIT.
The savvy political scientist didn't stop there. Promising colored glass with just equipment and manpower, he caught Park Ji-won's interest—the Jeju magistrate once plotting Beijing glass imports.
Pak Je-ga and even Yu Deok-gong had sidled closer to listen. At the end, Yi Deok-mu sighed deeply.
"Without Governor Kim Dog-Beating Stick and Chundang, when would the world see such times?"
The boys nodded, and Yi Deok-mu lowered his voice.
"I'm not just chasing novelties. You may have heard: the Qing Emperor, save for Joseon, ravages every neighbor, igniting wars."
No one had told this to bastards. Pak Je-ga and Yu Deok-gong swallowed hard.
"They call it suppressing rebels, but who follows poison arrows gladly? Yet our land draws barbarians from all sides to submit and discourse as Western scholars. Where, then, lies true Sinocentrism?"
Thankfully, no Westerners were present.
But Yi Deok-mu's imprudence halted there.
"Enough chatter! At this rate, we'll miss the deadline!"
Kim Jeok-haeng stomped, lest his brother drag him to potato deputy commander in the penal forces. The bastard commando squad resumed molding mystery ingredients into balls, recapturing the holiday spirit.
Rushing back too soon would make it look like I was obsessed with Pyeongan. So I decided to stay in Seoul awhile.
From New Year's Day to the fifteenth, all Joseon lounged in holiday mode. Naturally, most spent it with family and kin, as Joseon folk do.
So I did the same.
"Brother, if you miss the deadline by the time I return, you're coming to Pyeongan with me."
"You brat! Who made you king? Twisting offices to your whim? You've overstepped a vassal's duty!"
"The one overstepping is your debt, brother. Or just mold some goat dung or mud."
"Fool. This is an apothecary—can't sell stuff that causes diarrhea and cramps. Not heavenly elixirs, but with honey, pine nuts, licorice powder. Even swapped recipes with Westerners. Just wait."
Why was this guy suddenly turning into a real doctor?
I left in disgust. Better squeeze him when parents weren't around.
But my plan fizzled.
Someone in a similar bind—plagued by an incompetent older brother, sharing my "younger sibling" status—called for me.
It was Yedu Grand Prince Yi San, who had lingered like a ghost until now.
Author's Note
1. Cheoljik is a North Korean punishment stripping officials of rank and sending them to grueling labor in farms or mines—'production units.' In-story, it's akin to Joseon's cheolgun exile. Korea lacks a direct modern equivalent.
2. Modern potato hub Daedongdan County was Musan County in Hamgyong during Joseon—different from Manpo Garrison but nearby.
3. "Tal-ip" (house seizures) plagued Joseon. Typically, elites coerced commoners into fake deeds. Some disguised as brides in sedans, refusing to leave. Yeongjo cracked down obsessively, like on alcohol bans. Palace diaries mention tal-ip under him more than all other kings combined. But efficacy is dubious—reports inflated to avoid punishment. In-story Yeongjo 37 case oddly lists 'exam passers,' 'former magistrates,' 'left constables,' 'bastards'—shady figures passed over with a shrug. History accepts Pak Pyeong's guilt, but post-mortem, no punishment; excluding specific crimes, women/kids couldn't be exiled, so their slaves went to Hamgyong instead.
4. Yi Deok-mu was legitimate, but his father a bastard, placing him in that class. He specialized in Confucian exegesis but penned encyclopedias like Complete Works of Cheongjang-gwan, proving polymathic.
5. Lomonosov's helicopter and glass were real Russian inventions. Park Ji-won's glass import scheme appeared in Chapter 144, "Northern School Adventure" part.