Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: King Yeongjo Comes (1)
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I've had plenty of time to think about this gacha system in the meantime.
And I've already decided on my approach.
The slight delay was because it seemed like this Ascension to Premiership Chart system had some way of responding to my situation.
So, it felt advantageous to pull as close as possible to the moment of King Yeongjo's invasion.
Judging by the titles on the chests—Byeong, Jeong, Mu—they're probably around 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade.
Gap and Eul are likely more expensive than my total coins or not unlocked at this stage.
Now, which one to buy...
Hoarding resources early on is generally frowned upon in both RPGs and strategy sims.
Better to splash out now, figure out the patterns, than to panic later when you actually need them.
I'll buy the 100-coin 'Byeong' chest.
There'll be more hidden sub-objectives for coins anyway.
And I have the 'Foresight' trait that can turn those hidden ones visible—the one I got from the provincial exam.
Nothing to lose, so let's try it before buying.
Nope, doesn't work.
Figures it wouldn't be that easy.
Anyway, here goes.
It's only 3rd grade, so nothing amazing, but ideally something mental-based.
Not expecting full hypnosis like Won Gyun, but mind-reading would be nice.
Yeah, something like 'Gung Ye's Interest Technique' would be great.
Unless the user is a total moron, reading thoughts makes manipulation a breeze. It all depends on the wielder.
Open up, treasure chest!
A suspiciously cheap sound effect rings out. Like one of those adult arcade prize machines—pop, not bang.
What the hell is this?
Why'd it switch from great historical figures to traitorous scum all of a sudden? Because it's 3rd grade?
The name alone screams 10th-grade trash skill.
'Shin Sukju's Resolve'—that's like 'Lü Bu's Filial Piety' or 'Gojong's Wisdom.'
Did I just blow the gacha?
Sehwa had been handling some of my private duties in my place while I was swamped with Yeongjo preparations.
As she sorted letters from our Seoul informants, she tilted her head at me.
"You did this last time too. Is something bothering you?"
Sehwa really watches me closely when we're together.
I hurriedly made an excuse.
"No. With His Majesty's procession drawing near, my heart is heavy with apprehension. It's unavoidable."
Thankfully, she bought my shameless lie. Sorry.
"Soon you'll be constantly at court, serving His Majesty at his side. How can you show fear already? You're wise, and with my help, nothing will go wrong."
Maybe using the king as an excuse every time I act weird made it consistent, because Sehwa took my hand encouragingly. Our king's image really sucks.
I stroked Sehwa's head in return. Aside from guys doing it to each other in this era, it's a friendly modern gesture.
"Your words give me great strength."
Unlike Sehwa's slight smile, my mind was a mess.
What the hell does this garbage skill even do?
Couldn't test it with Sehwa nearby.
What if it's some AoE nuke like 'turns the six around you into the Six Executed Ministers'? That'd be disastrous.
I stopped Sehwa as she rose to fetch me a drink to calm my nerves. Not now.
Excusing myself to clear my head, I stepped outside and started puzzling it out seriously.
Some sleep ability? Puts people to sleep when you open a book? That's weird.
Wait, but it doesn't activate after drinking.
What did Shin Sukju do drunk?
I recalled that infamous anecdote where he got wasted and nearly broke Sejo's arm (probably mistook the liquor bottle for a club. Relatable).
So, what ability did drunken Shin Sukju lack in that moment?
After discarding hypotheses, a plausible one hit me.
Shin Sukju's greatest ability.
The power to instantly recognize the strong and victorious—and submit.
Even if it meant betraying all his sworn friends.
It's not as easy as it sounds. True betrayal requires mental fortitude equal to unwavering resolve.
Both demand convincing yourself. Unwavering resolve at least gets praise.
So, it's an ability that instills the 'certainty' to make that resolve.
And one more minor fact.
Shin Sukju's no divine portrait painter like Seonjo or Won Gyun, so this skill is an image, not literal history.
The 7-day seal might even be the growing period for sukju greens. The humor's so sharp I wanna smack it.
I'll master this system someday and shove it back at you scammers who tricked this naive civilservice student.
Back to reality, I activated the skill.
Thankfully, no screams of Six Executed Ministers unfolding nearby. I cautiously headed home.
My guess was right.
The next day at the yamen, I first dragged in the 'cane-waiting crew' and beat them.
Local economy boomed, petty thieves multiplied—now with a queue.
Today's were scrap-metal pilferers planning to forge extensions. Metal's pricey era.
Unlike those scoundrels, I'd planned an honest 30% commission on seized gongs.
I was outraged.
'Crop destruction' charge applied instantly—heavy crime in an agrarian state.
And a special order to Eoji.
"Eoji, hit 'em lightly. Make it last."
"Y-yes."
"Agh! Aaagh! Officer, sir, the magistrate's order... didn't you hear... light... uwaaagh!"
"Good job. He can still talk—truly light."
I activated the skill in the gap.
Multitasking: test the ability, process backlog. Efficient governance.
All three being beaten had faint, dim auras hovering.
Compared to Sehwa's bright, expansive one covering the whole office, negligible.
Not enough samples for certainty, but bigger and brighter seems smarter; smaller and dimmer, dumber.
Beat them deliberately to test variables. As expected, fluctuated with condition.
Shimmering like steam from a kettle—hard to quantify precisely. But...
'Not a dud pull.'
Confirmed: this skill has massive value.
SSR depending on user.
Especially for pacifists like me.
For berserker types who smash heads with clubs, it'd hinder courage. But we're not Bronze Age; no barbarians among modern folk.
And it's not just intellect like scholarship or administration.
Eoji's decent-sized too. Surprisingly, Jangbok beat average slaves.
Still, no one tops Sehwa.
Regrettably, can't see mine. Mirror doesn't work.
Mine's best, obviously. C'mon, I'm modern-born.
Hong Daeyong, visiting next day, matched Sehwa's level.
Impossible?
Ah, reflects social status too. Fitting for social master Shin Sukju's resolve.
Overall 'human value composite score' across all fields.
But Hong Daeyong didn't gain much from status.
He's unemployed. Barely edges Sehwa socially.
Among recent contacts, even great exam passers. Yet Hong topped them.
Considering unemployed warrior-scholar, innate talent's exceptional. That concert was stellar.
Oblivious to my thoughts, Hong Daeyong half-greeted.
"Tomorrow, His Majesty arrives."
"Brother-in-law, rest easy. All prepared."
I smiled awkwardly.
Now technically senior by marriage, so honorifics. Calling same-age 'hyungnim' feels oddly gross.
Hong thinks drop formalities? Try it if you want a beating. He's brother-in-law; I'm magistrate.
Hong Daeyong grew serious.
"Onyang's been wailing from rowpalace renovations all autumn. Magistrate, you saved Jiksan folk. Our clan has ties not just Cheonan but Jiksan too—grateful."
Leveraging Namyang Hong network and my authority, Mokcheon and Jiksan moved as one.
Without them, I'd have summoned village heads, elders, district chiefs for direct orders.
But that'd be official county business.
Treating royal procession like enemy raid—joint evac/intro op—too risky.
Commoners pleased, but king might resent. Especially Yeongjo.
No guarantee of smooth execution without deep buy-in. Blind obedience derails.
Thus, Namyang Hong Tobong branch acted like apartment mom cafe or stock signal room.
Even moderns trust word-of-mouth over official notices. Messengers over messages.
Hong mobilized civilians; I backed with official yamen guarantee. Perfect civ-mil comms.
We praised efforts, clasped hands solemnly.
Tomorrow, Yeongjo comes.
Yeongjo 26th year (1750), 9th month—King Yi Geum of Joseon launched destructive march from Seoul.
Historically accurate timing.
Yi Geum was modern in ways.
Compassionate, ever-thinking of people—unprecedented meeting merchants directly.
Flashy reforms: just two months prior, the famed Even Service Law (halving military cloth tax).
Obviously, filling halved revenue? Ministers' job.
Benevolent king too busy for trivia?
May, sacked Park Pilgyun after three months, installed crony Hong Bonghan as Treasury Vice Minister. They'll handle.
(Park felt no grudge at standby; relieved even.)
Yi Geum's procession orders pure benevolence.
"Severely punish any seizing food/clothes from people."
But his train carried scant provisions. Extravagance forbidden.
Starve the king?
Torn robes on high officials? Broken hatstrings? No local tailors.
Can't vintage-fashion ragged officials at Onyang. Not Han's puppet emperor stamping seals with awls.
Soldiers 'naturally' started sourcing rice, sides, cloth.
Yi Geum told aides:
"No consort, no crown prince—to avoid burdening people. Ordered Hong Bonghan stay Seoul. My utmost for subjects."
Thus, retinue shrank drastically.
Even core staff short.
Modern CEOs think halving biz halves staff (or less). Usually realize when zero needed.
Joseon flexible vs. Korea. Officials 'naturally' bolstered temps.
Yi Geum's train: frugal, considerate.
Yet screams echoed: homes stripped of grain, folk dragged.
Rebels always start 'purge wicked ministers,' not 'kill king.' Reason.
Monarchs pure; villains below.
Good king, sly ministers: by ninth month full moon Cold Dew, reached Jiksan County.
I glanced at my aides.
Jiksan clerks less seasoned than Mokcheon's in my politics, but resolve burned fierce now.
Last checks on 'preparations.'
"Roads clean?"
"Not a pebble, sir."
"Bridges?"
"Twelve oxen fine."
"Houses emptied properly?"
"Fortunate you got procession count precisely, sir. Per your wise order, one house per tong (five households) cleared to kin/neighbors. No valuables, clothes left."
"Good. Guide soldiers to those empties from each tong. No rowdy intrusions."
"Naturally."
"Undesirables secured?"
"Leave it us. Any impertinent whiners to royal ear till return? Locked till then."
"What grievances in these two counties under you? Such are slanderous thugs—rightly jailed."
This real?
These wicked, sly, bribe-gobbling uppity clerks?
Skill shows their auras beefy too. Imagination?
Confucius right.
Good king farms personally: furrows neat in year. Fires pots: shapes perfect in year.
Noble leads by example: world rites restored.
Some ask why such fuss—Jiksan not destination.
Even I thought overkill for stele.
Only magistrate in Joseon history with such systematic civ-mil prep.
But mustering elites to greet king, I realized: not excessive.
Procession vanguard: Training Guard, founder Seonjo's elite time troopers. Natural for mobility aid.
One scout heralded arrival. Combat ~5.
Prostrated, peeking: soon palanquin visible.
Last seen ~year post exam/awards.
Curtains parted timely—face faintly glimpsed. Human-like, barely.
Glancing slyly, focused.
Blasphemous groan escaped.
Overwhelming.
Why no fear then?
Like massive wildfire erupting.
Not size alone—moderns couldn't block.
Sado's madness understandable.
Transcendent madness birthed transcendent power, horrifyingly.
As king.
Same size, varied impressions.
High saturation, low brightness aura: abyssal chaos boiling.
Bubbling, sinking, churning. Surging sporadically.
Not personality/emotions. Or it'd be Interest Technique.
Yeongjo's: impressionist brushstrokes, beautiful even.
But knowing owner: crushing tension.
Thus, my emotion reflected.
Why bestow such on him?
No species gap that vast—status amplified, but staggering.
Aides' auras decent. Vs king: meaningless.
Lower officers... blasting trumpets as flies? Perfect.
That's Yeongjo Yi Geum?
Political monster sacrificing son/brother for glory—his power?
No despair needed.
No rebellion/revolution.
Glad dodged Sado route. Fleeing as magistrate: right call.
Ascension game's doomed; life ain't.
Stats don't guarantee win—nuanced, robust.
Arriving king granted boon.
'Special favor': audience for lowly magistrate.
I advanced, humbly overwhelmed.
1. Even Service Law discussed long before Yeongjo; meant offset military cloth via other corvees (ships, salt). Not Yeongjo halving without plan.
But direction existed; at enactment, truly said 'others like you devise offsets for one horse's reduction' (Yeongjo Annals, 26/7/9).
2. Park Mun-su zero-budget fleet ep: Yeongjo hated budget gripes on projects.
Once, ministers balked Ganghwa castle over burden/cost: 'Scale of labor/funds not king's concern (=no budget talk).' 'Personally wielded shovel with troops'—ideology conquers (Diary of Royal Secretariat, Yeongjo 19/11/5).
Example: Park Mun-su.
Known secret royal inspector, but brief; often troubleshooter for castles, earthworks, canals, ships via grit.
Post-death, lamented no alchemist like 'Yeongseong-gun alive? Easy'—Hong Bonghan shared regret.
3. Park Pilgyun-Hong Bonghan Treasury shifts exact historical timing.
Personal guess, no scholarly basis: placed crony for core Even Service execution? High posts short tenure vs modern, but no coup—three months too brief.