Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: The Use of the Useless (1)
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I stared quietly at the Status Window, which no longer startled me no matter when it popped up.
[Required Goal: Impeach 3 or more and send them into exile (Achieved: 2)]
📍 [Hidden Sub-goal 1: Impeach a 3rd-rank court official or higher (Not Achieved)]
📍 [Hidden Sub-goal 2: Make the king accept the remonstrance (Not Achieved)]
Just as Kim Seonhaeng, the Right Junior Secretary who had become something like my informant after the anonymous accusation incident, had told me.
Lee Jaehae had finally been sent into exile.
Even though I currently held no official post, the fact that I had been in charge of the Lee Jaehae exam paper defacement case hadn't changed, so while handling the matter, I had submitted a single petition in his defense.
Thanks to that, instead of being torn apart alongside Lee Yangje like a set by the furious Yeongjo, Lee Jaehae managed to get off with just exile.
When Kim Seonhaeng came by and delivered Lee Jaehae's message of gratitude along with a modest gift as requested, I even felt a sense of accomplishment.
Now, it was time to focus on completing the remaining core objective and, to that end, making a comeback to the political scene.
And for that, I needed a lot more money.
My official stipend felt like a resort voucher occasionally handed out at events by a company—something I often forgot even to collect.
The two pillars currently sustaining my livelihood were Pyo Cheolju's Chunshik Ranch and Lee Jaemun's Samhwadang.
First, on the ranch side, even without me pulling any strings, it was nearly my exclusive domain.
Jo Jimyeong, the joint investor, kept dipping into his own investment funds to curry favor desperately with those in power.
Most who fell out of favor with the king returned to office soon enough, but if you crossed Jo Jaeho within the Little Faction, that didn't happen. I finally understood why party doctrine could be scarier than the king himself.
I no longer needed Jo Jimyeong anyway. Even before, I had connected directly with the Crown Prince to lend horses to the military officers, and now even Jang Taeso of the Right Patrol Office was dealing with us, so we had plenty of buyers.
Jang Taeso wasn't particularly corrupt.
He just wasn't at the level of Park Mun-su or Hwang Jeong, who could create something from nothing like the philosopher's stone. The Joseon government wasn't going to supply the Patrol Office with horses on time just because they demanded it.
So the ranch was truly becoming 'my ranch,' just as the name suggested.
This is why naming things properly matters.
However, in terms of steady revenue, Samhwadang was the reliable one.
Merchants in the capital rushed to borrow money at the ridiculously low annual interest of 40 percent.
And about 20 percent of them had to forfeit their shops instead of repaying the debt.
Of course, I didn't lend to yangban elites. Couldn't exactly flog them. Once I rose to a position where I could flog those guys, I'd expand operations that way too.
The salt and rice transport business I was preparing with pawn-broking as seed money also showed promise. It required negotiations with the entrenched Gyeonggang merchants who had long held those rights, so I wasn't rushing it.
The change came in the 'illegal liquor crackdown' area.
After I was dismissed from my position as a Censorate Inspector, the Ta gu bong faction's liquor toll collection inevitably had to stop.
What could I do without enforcement authority anymore? My colleague Kim Wonhaeng, who had also been a Censorate Inspector, was such an upright scholar that while he might turn a blind eye, I couldn't push him to take over the racket.
So that side was currently closed for business.
However, the illegal liquor we had seized in the meantime was aging nicely in some hideout in Seoul.
With the liquor ban—which everyone except me thought would be lifted soon—dragging on, this booze had become our house specialty, served only to trustworthy, high-status guests in secret.
And Hong Gyehui, as Deputy Commander of the Capital Garrison and a 3rd-rank official in the Equal Service Agency, more than met those criteria.
When Jangbok announced (the expected) Hong Gyehui's visit, I turned my eyes from the Status Window and straightened my attire.
Hong Gyehui looked to be in good spirits.
The liquor had been stored in the cellar for a long time, but I wasn't too worried.
Why would someone who fusses over their health drink anyway? It reminded me of those people in Germany who made a fuss about 2nd-class carcinogens in some beer, only to go quiet when told, 'Alcohol is a 1st-class carcinogen.'
I too trusted my skills and downed a cup. Hong Gyehui spoke.
"It didn't make it to the higher-ups' reports, but I know full well that no one put in more effort in this matter than you, nephew. I'm glad I can repay you now."
"What have I even done? I don't know where to put myself with Your Excellency's excessive grace."
The repayment wasn't anything fancy.
Looking at the dispute between Lee Yangje and Lee Gyeongje over Lee So's estate, it wasn't much different from modern times.
The most valuable part of Lee So's assets was the fields and paddies he held in Boryeong County, Chungcheong Province.
Lee Yangje's side claimed the principal wife had seized all the land and driven them out, while Lee Gyeongje's side said the wastrels made such a fuss they had no choice but to sell the land and hand over the money. No one could figure out where the hell that land had vanished to.
Lee So's principal wife had indeed driven out Chojeong and the children. But while she hadn't sold the land, she had given them money. As usual in such cases, both sides had exaggerated to favor their narrative.
The squabble among those thugs didn't matter.
What mattered was that Lee So's principal wife had stated that she 'sold the land.'
Therefore, ownership of that land no longer belonged to Lee So's principal wife.
It belonged to me.
Hong Gyehui, having cleanly severed his connection to the anonymous accusation thanks to me, had begun punishing the insolent schemers on my advice.
Lee So's family, already shattered beyond repair with no remnants left, couldn't resist the immense pressure from the powerful Deputy Commander of the Capital Garrison.
Even if they were royal kin, they were scraps now—like trying to fight a sharp sword with a gun that only had its handle left after the bullet exploded inside.
In Joseon, real estate transactions required appending contracts each time a sale occurred, so most land deeds formed several volumes of paperwork.
The advantage of having all history compiled for easy verification also made forgery straightforward.
To avoid the horrific crime of making a 'false statement about selling land' in the king's personal audience, they had no choice but to alter the history themselves.
Pawn-broking was good, ranching was good, but the foundation of Joseon industry was farming.
I, who could never dream of being a landlord in modern Korea, was now one. Solid.
Already feeling full, I asked,
"There won't be any more issues now, right?"
"Hm? Ah, since I was tangled in this unsavory business too, I ought to submit a resignation, but at 3rd-rank, requesting dismissal monthly is routine. If you become Prime Minister, it's daily. Ha ha ha! Nothing much to worry about. I was planning to request it from the Little Heir anyway."
"From the Little Heir?"
Wouldn't that be too obvious? Everyone knew the Crown Prince couldn't arbitrarily dismiss someone of Hong Gyehui's stature anyway.
But Hong Gyehui was a cut above me, as expected.
"No one can accuse us of fooling the blind. Why do you think I submitted the Equal Service Facts to the Little Heir? Equal Service Agency work boils down to counting bamboo tallies and money. His Highness can't oversee that personally. This is the Grand Heir's intent to delegate some agency duties to the Little Heir."
Ah, I see.
I had thought he gave the manual to the Crown Prince to let him learn about the Equal Service Law for face-saving, but it was really to shield the noisy, headache-inducing agency issues with the Crown Prince.
The more I learned, the clearer it became: Yeongjo was meticulously petty and thoroughly spiteful.
I smiled and said,
"In that case, I should inform the Little Heir that Your Excellency, a rare upright scholar hard to find among 3rd-rank officials, must be retained even if it means pulling out the carriage chest."
"Goodness! A scholar is only truly honorable when aged and without office. Are you trying to disgrace me, nephew?"
Hong Gyehui burst into laughter. Then he lowered his voice.
"If I have another favor to ask of you, nephew, I suppose I should offer a gift."
"Pardon?"
I tried to brush it off as a joke, but Hong Gyehui didn't give me the chance.
"Do you know of Myeongji Island in Kimhae?"
"The place famous for its salt? I've heard it's the most profitable in all eight provinces."
It was true. Myeongji Island salt had the Yeongnam region—far larger than modern markets relative to population—as its hinterland and was easy to transport along the Nakdong River, making it prime for the salt trade.
How prime? It originally had hundreds of salt pans and kilns, but Yeongjo had long ago established a separate government warehouse called Sansan Warehouse, strictly banning private operation by law and monopolizing it for the central government.
But the purpose of 'strictly banning by national law' was the same in the 21st or 18th century.
It was to stop 'pesky commoners' from eyeing rights beyond their station and let policymakers and their closest cronies eat it up among themselves.
Sansan Warehouse was no exception; it hadn't stripped salt kiln rights from royals. It merely banned private appointment of minor officials called cha-in and installed supervisors.
Hong Gyehui said,
"Exactly. In fact, the Sungseon Earl's house held receipt rights to two of the salt kilns there. But unlike fields, the ownership is clear-cut, so if we dither, it'll go to some other royal. Before that, the Equal Service Agency plans to nominate a supervisor for the island and submit a request to the Little Heir."
While Yeongjo's anger over the curse incident hadn't cooled, handle it subtly through the Crown Prince.
Even Yeongjo couldn't nitpick a mere salt kiln supervisor appointment. I worried a bit since it was Yeongjo, but he probably wouldn't.
The key to this matter was speed.
I racked my brains quickly. This meant he was offering me 'recommendation rights' for the supervisor position.
Not something for exam-passed elites, so no Gangnam Daeseong students. Nor could I send outsiders like Lee Jaemun or Pyo Cheolju.
An ideal candidate would be a yangban son who failed exams, got office via connections, and bounced around practical posts... but no one came to mind.
Regrettable. Because I'd only befriended gentlemen so far, I had no lowly associates for times like this. If I asked for time, Hong Gyehui would just find someone else.
Then something flashed through my mind like lightning.
There was. Such a guy.
Very close by.
"There's a son from a decent house who's long handled such practical affairs."
"Oh ho, really? Who might that be?"
I gave him the name.
And three days later, my own brother Kim Jeokhaeng was appointed to Myeongji Island via the Crown Prince's approval of the request.
The family was secured. As a connection appointee, he'd done stints as county magistrate and such. Even I thought no one was more fitting.
Convincing him in that short time had been a bit tough.
He was ready to sue me for high treason. Only after some petty hinting at the debts he'd borrowed from me over the years could I ship him off to Kimhae.
Farewell, brother.
Make a ton of money. I'll push more people your way as I can afford.
Fortunately, my sister-in-law didn't seem too displeased.
Her husband was often away from home anyway, and though I hadn't realized it, as the eldest daughter-in-law, she must have felt her dignity suffer since I was basically propping up the family finances.
Thus, my brother, off to fulfill his duty as eldest son (while trembling), received send-offs from the entire clan.
After that, our own family prepared for travel.
Sehwa was quite excited. Well, it was her first trip back to her parents' home.
"The timing worked out perfectly. You have business in Chungcheong Province, and Father (Hong Eok) wants to check on the household before next year's exam season."
"Indeed. Sorry I haven't taken you often amid my busyness. This time, I'll pay respects in Cheonan and head straight to Boryeong to inspect the land, so you catch up with your family."
"I'm part of this house too. How could I be indifferent to the estate? As the saying goes, a good wife worries when the home falls into hardship. I should go along. My parents are both in Seoul anyway, so no need for long stays in Cheonan."
Sehwa seemed worried I'd half-ass the inspection like men tend to. It was a long trip, but she wouldn't be walking, so I didn't oppose strongly.
Still, long-distance travel wasn't trivial in this era, especially cost-wise. We needed an efficient itinerary.
So, heading south anyway, I decided to stop by Gangnam Daeseong.
The new Gangnam Daeseong building, constructed by hiring idle southern commoners over winter, was incomparably larger than before.
With spirit tablets of sages and even an ancestral shrine, it could pass for a private academy. Of course, no sacrifices since they cost money.
Some spots still needed finishing touches, but no big deal.
As long as it looked dignified on the outside. We skimped maximally on interior finishes and heating.
Why would a scholar need a lavish hall for study? Shelter from wind and rain sufficed.
I'd heard Spartan kids even slept on thorn-filled beds on purpose. Gangnam Daeseong actively imported Western ideas for reform.
More a training ground than a school, the inner courtyard was quite spacious.
And in that yard, about thirty second-term Gangnam Daeseong students were running drills.
'Shin Sukju's Chastity' had activated only this morning after drinking with Hong Gyehui last time. Scanning the panting scholars, a few stood out.
One was Kim Jong-su, grandson of former Ministry of Treasury Vice Minister Kim Hu-ro.
Father was unremarkable, skip; grandfather was awesome—the Noron powerhouse who had just been promoted to Chief State Councillor and served as Yeongjo's therapist, Kim Jaero.
Couldn't reject his admission. His skills seemed solid too.
Others included Won Inson, son of Won Gyeongha whom he'd asked me about before, and Seo Myeongseon—whose father had been Minister of Rites but was dead, from a prestigious house, and talented enough to recruit despite no close high officials.
This batch looked promising for pass rates.
I quietly stepped into the yard and called over Park Jiwon, who was barking orders at the 'juniors.'
This gathering also celebrated Hong Daeyong, Yu Eonho, and Sim Hwanji, whose appointments I'd recently pulled strings for. Park Jiwon was too young to join this time.
Park Jiwon plopped down grumbling.
"Ugh, how can they break through that brutal exam hall and snag front seats like this? In my view, they need five more years of training."
Immediate backlash poured from the first-termers.
"Ha ha, at this rate, 'the tadpole doesn't know its parents' applies three generations back!"
"Jongmi (Park Jiwon), remember when that hulking son of the Kim Vice Minister grabbed you in the exam yard? We two charged in and saved you, right?"
"Why bring up ancient history..."
Scratching his head sheepishly, Park Jiwon resorted to his go-to: changing the subject.
He looked at me and said,
"Oh, by the way, Brother. Have you heard of Sunam Academy in Gyeongan (modern Gyeonggi Gwangju-si Gyeongan-dong) down south?"
I paused mid-bite on a snack, thought... nope. Was there such a place? Even in Gwangju County, Gyeongan was pretty far.
"The master's name is An Jeongbok, and Sunam is his pen name. Grandson of Yang Gi-jae (An Seowoo's pen name, An Jeongbok's grandfather), who served as Vice Minister of Rites in the Hyojong era. He's friends with Seongho (Lee Ik) in Ansan-myeon, Gwangju (modern Ansan-si), and inherited his scholarly style."
An Jeongbok? Lee Ik?
Wait, those impractical Silhak scholars from textbooks?
Sim Hwanji, listening beside, confirmed my guess.
"I've heard rumors too. Supposedly, the guy's no good! Self-taught without proper teachers in youth, he's into nonsense like physiognomy and math—more sorcerer than scholar, they say."
"That's the reputation. Doesn't have many students, but lately with Gangnam Daeseong's fame spreading, his pupils are wavering. Already struggling financially—poor guy."
"Ha ha! Let them move if they want. But can spineless ones survive here?"
Seems correct.
But unlike Sim Hwanji's view, Lee Ik and An Jeongbok end up in textbooks later.
Such a waste. Why are these talents buried in the countryside with Silhak nonsense?
I needed to guide them right soon.
If finances were tight, money might sway them.
But money alone wouldn't do. What would appeal to Silhak types?
Then I overheard Sim Hwanji and Park Jiwon again.
"Lately, he's scrambling to get books from some Western country despite tight funds."
"Books not even in the capital? Must be pricey if from Yanjing."
In that moment, I felt a profound life insight.
Like my brother, or the weird science books from the Crown Prince.
Heaven does not create people without fortune, nor does earth grow nameless grass [Xunzi].
Look closely, and there's value.
Author's Notes
1. The subtitle 'The Use of the Useless' is a maxim from Zhuangzi, meaning 'the utility of the useless' or 'nothing in the world is truly useless.'
2. Myeongji Island belonged to Kimhae in the Joseon era but is now part of Busan.
3. Both An Jeongbok and (still-living) Lee Ik were quite poor. Lee Ik inherited much but squandered it on illnesses, etc.; An Jeongbok inherited nothing and spent heavily on medical needs too.
4. As you know, Kim Jong-su and Seo Myeongseon became key ministers under King Jeongjo.