1592 The Empire We All Dreamed of - Chapter 337



Only Krnovel

1592 The Empire Everyone Dreamed of (337)

Rice and Money

The next day, Yun Geun-su and the other criminals departed from Yangju-mok and passed through Yeoncheon before arriving at Wonsan Port two weeks later.

There were three or four medium-sized ships and one large ship moored at the dock.

“Oh my, my whole body hurts.”

“Hey, we came here by cart, right? Don’t say things like that, considering the people who came on foot.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, then you should at least shoot some arrows.”

The atmosphere gradually brightened as we moved away from the city.

Yoon Geun-soo also did not interfere separately, and this was partly due to the sense of liberation from the infighting in central politics, even if it was forced. Looking back, it was all useless.

“But is it really true that there will be no disadvantage to the clan?”

“Is there really a need to deceive us at this point?”

“yes?”

Considering that it was a kind of royal revolution, the fact that the system of collective punishment was not applied was also a big factor.

“Now is it time to go on a boat? It is truly a varied experience.”

“Anyway, it seems better than walking on a rough mountain path.”

The escort officer who was talking to someone at the dock approached Yoon Geun-soo.

“That’s all for now. Enjoy the rest of your journey.”

“Thank you for everything.”

The military officer, with his head bowed, boarded the group of swordsmen onto the blind ship.

“Take a boat. It will be easier than walking.”

“The leaders in particular ride on the great ships.”

“Move quickly.”

Then an old man approached. He had long white hair tied back, and his back was straight. His face was red and white and he looked healthy.

“Hehehe, my name is Jeon Su-gil. Nice to meet you.”

“… … .”

Clang, thud.

One large fleet ship and four medium fleet ships sailed north along the coast.

“If you go by land, you will have to walk for at least twenty days, but if you go by sea, it will take less than ten days at most.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to know your title.”

Jeon Su-gil blinked at Yoon Geun-soo’s question.

“I am in charge of managing personnel under His Majesty’s orders.”

“Managing people? Is that the job of the Ministry of Personnel?”

“I am carrying out various missions under orders directly from His Majesty the King, so I can say that I am similar to the Internal Affairs Officer of Joseon.”

Jeon Soo-gil turned his gaze as if he was only going to do that.

‘Are you talking about the King of Goryeo’s confidant?’

Yoon Geun-soo looked at Jeon Soo-gil again. Fortunately, his gaze was focused on the player, so his rudeness was not ordinary.

“We have sinned and are now in exile.”

“I understand what you mean. The point is, you want to know what happens next?”

Yoon Geun-soo nodded.

“I think it would be okay to tell you about the situations of the people who have been transferred so far.”

‘Communication is quick and direct.’

“The assignment is given according to the severity of the crime. For example, the princes including Prince Imhae who committed evil deeds are working in a coal mine. The former Sungkyunkwan professor who committed corruption… … .”

It was no different from the explanation given by Jeong Hyeon-ryong, whom I met at Yangju-mok.

It was a new feeling to hear the names of the troublesome grand generals and some familiar ones.

“Now that I hear it, no matter how evil the person was, he didn’t kill anyone.”

“Yes. If there were exceptions… … .”

Jeon Soo-gil frowned as he recalled the memory.

“There was a man who killed refugees and disguised himself as the head of a Japanese army and had his name listed in the Register of Meritorious Subjects. Even His Majesty said that he could not just leave that person alone.”

He made a pose of cutting his throat with his thumb.

“Meanwhile, there was a man who took the heads of civilians who had been massacred by the enemy. He later earned merits in the Battle of Haengju, and you gave him a chance.”

‘He is principled but open-minded. Is he a saint?’

“Who is His Majesty the King of Goryeo?”

“Heh heh heh.”

Although it was a bit rude, Jeon Soo-gil willingly opened his mouth.

“So what I’m saying is… … .”

Crash, thud.

The fleet cut through the waves.

* * *

“My name is Park Mu-ryang.”

“I am Park Mu-ryang.”

“The weather is nice.”

“The weather is nice.”

“I don’t like it. I’ll negotiate again.”

“I don’t like it. We will negotiate again.”

Park Moo-ryang wrote down the spelling he had expressed verbally, word for word, on paper.

The white man nodded his head repeatedly, seemingly satisfied.

“Excellent. Your learning speed is extraordinary. You seem to have a talent for languages.”

“It’s all thanks to the teacher.”

“I just do my best with what I receive. I’ll stop here for today.”

“Thank you for your effort.”

Park Mu-ryang stood up from his seat and bowed respectfully.

“phew.”

He sank into the sofa in his office, looking tired.

‘The English language puts the action itself before the subject of the action. There is no special honorifics, and Sir is added at the end of the words. It is closer to an intention to submit than a courtesy.’

He used to approach language from the perspective of culture and customs, and then the principle became apparent.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

“Sir, I have come to pick you up.”

“It’s already this late. Haha.”

He got up, went to the mirror, and adjusted his clothes.

“Where is missing?”

“None. Everyone was present.”

Park Mu-ryang was laughing.

“Well, there’s no way I’d miss out if they gave me money.”

“Everyone looks like they’ve just weathered a typhoon.”

“Hahaha, let’s go.”

As I left the office, I saw a wide open door at the end of the hallway. Park Moo-ryang walked in without hesitation.

Thud thud.

“The president is coming.”

The people who had been chatting and becoming friends all stood up at once.

They were practitioners of the eight major trading groups covering Taiwan, Ryukyu, Satsuma, and Shikoku.

“Meet the steel bank president.”

“Hello, Mr. Banker.”

“The captain… … .”

“Nice to meet you.”

Surprisingly, every greeting I received was in Korean.

“You must be busy, but you’ve come a long way. Everyone, please sit down.”

The upper management sat down as if obeying orders.

Their uniformity was no less than that of the generals of a military camp. If you think about it, the Steel Bank, which controlled the funds of Northeast Asia, might have been no different from the shogun to these merchants.

“Let’s get straight to the point.”

As Park Mu-ryang waved his hand, the secretary handed over the materials.

“The treasures seized in this war are estimated to be approximately 300 gwan (1,125 kg) of gold and 1,200 gwan (4,500 kg) of silver. There are also some cotton textiles and spices.”

Gulp.

Even without the sound of a pin dropping, the sound of needles being drawn could be heard here and there.

“We paid out dividends according to the ratio you invested.”

He handed over the document.

“First, the upper part of Uto was given 40 kan of gold and 150 kan of silver, the upper part of Hyuga was given 35 kan of gold and 120 kan of silver, the upper part of Imabara was given 30 kan of gold and 100 kan of silver, the upper part of Kochi was given 25 kan of gold and 100 kan of silver… … .”

Park Mu-ryang finished speaking after drinking a glass of water.

“I will leave the distribution of the small groups that participated under my command to those present. Does anyone have any objections to this?”

“Thank you for your consideration, sir.”

Satsuma Sansha Union representative Shokyō tendered his resignation as representative.

Park Mu-ryang also finished politely.

“Steel Bank will continue to be with you in the future.”

“Thank you for your effort.”

It is hard work for many people to come together and discuss their own interests. However, if there is a strong central point, it is beneficial for everyone as it can save time and effort.

Those who had finally let go of their burdens chatted happily.

“By the way. How long do you plan on visiting?”

“I plan to leave 80% of it to you.”

“Okay. We have to distribute it to the upper level of the mountain, so we will withdraw the entire amount.”

“Oh, you must have had a hard time.”

Gold, silver, and grain are representative means of wealth and are easy to exchange or store. However, from the perspective of the upper class, more sophisticated units were desired.

“I think the whole year will pass by as I think about re-measuring and re-certifying for distribution.”

“Let’s do our best. What’s the point of worrying about pirates these days?”

“That’s true.”

The top brass whined about the difficulties of managing the goods.

Park Mu-ryang naturally intervened.

“That’s good timing. Bring it.”

“Yes, sir.”

After a while, the secretary came with a sack and poured it on the table.

Slurp.

“What is this?”

“It’s a coin. It’s a currency I’ve never seen before.”

The upper management blinked.

“There’s a slogan engraved on it. Is it 1 pun? Or is it 1 nyang for something a little bigger?”

“The silver coin here is worth 1 won.”

Shokyo picked up the coin and examined it closely.

‘It’s definitely my brother’s face.’

“This is a sophisticated currency that I have never seen before. Could this be it?”

Park Mu-ryang nodded and spread his arms.

“We have been using silver coins or coins of the name for a long time. Wasn’t it quite inconvenient? This time, Goryeo has minted currency, which is expected to be widely used in Joseon and the Beijing area.”

“Goryeo and Joseon, and even the Northern Ming!”

What if Kyushu and Honshu were to join? The upper management was thrilled at the prospect of such a huge market.

“For 10 pun, you get 1 jeon as a small coin, for 10 pun, you get 1 nyang as a large coin, and for 10 nyang, you get 1 won as a small silver coin. 1,000 pun is 100 pun, 10 nyang is 1 won. Oh, and.”

Park Mu-ryang picked up the silver coin.

“I will maintain the value of 1 won as the value of 1 seok of white rice.”

“Is the value guaranteed by the Steel Bank?”

Park Moo-ryang shrugged his shoulders. It was an expression that said, ‘Are you asking something obvious?’

A unified currency could significantly reduce overhead costs. The important thing was that the savings were directly translated into net profits.

“Would it be possible to receive this dividend in cash?”

“I request you to re-enact this.”

The steel bank guarantees its value. Behind it are the South Sea naval base and the emerging power of Goryeo.

The response from the attendees was unsurprising.

* * *

What is a gentleman?

He is a man who studies, seeks the truth, debates with logic and reason, and does not hesitate to speak frankly even in front of the king. In times of war, he does not hesitate to empty his family fortune and become a leader of an army.

Joseon was a country that continued to exist thanks to the devotion of such scholars.

The world collapsed. Before he died, Hyung Yoon Du-su regretted, saying, “I closed my eyes and ears.” That woke Yoon Geun-su up.

Did the country stand upright by expelling the enemy? No. If so, who is to blame for the disaster of Imjin Year?

This year, 69-year-old Yoon Geun-soo asked himself again.

“What is a gentleman?”

Why do people only repent when they are about to die?

Joseon, a country founded by scholars, might have been destroyed by scholars. If that were the case, then perhaps it should never have been started in the first place.

Anger turned to self-loathing.

What is the difference between those Japanese who brandish knives and those comrades who try to eliminate the opposition because they have different opinions? I saw in them the image of my brother and myself in the past.

Pushing was the last resort to stop them and himself.

“This is all we can do.”

If we split again as some say, it will be the fault of those who remain.

Clang, thud.

Yoon Geun-soo put strength into both hands that held the boat.

thud.

As the Great Battleship docked at the pier, a foothold was laid.

Rattling.

“Come this way, Your Majesty. Those behind you, please follow.”

“Come on, let’s go. Everyone stand up.”

“Put your hands on the shoulders of the person in front of you. This is for balance, don’t go in or out. Safety first.”

Yoon Geun-soo and the others followed Jeon Su-gil’s instructions obediently.

“Thank you for your hard work on your journey.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

As you can see from the coast, it was a huge port.

It was surprising how the entire area was lined with endless scaffolding, each filled with boats of all sizes. Looking closely, I saw that the area I turned to the left was also filled with scaffolding.

“Wow, there’s such a big port in the world.”

“Compared to this, Jemulpo is like a rural fishing village.”

The scene of unloading using a pulley was captured in the eyes of those who were looking around the port with curiosity.

“Oh my, it looks like it weighs about 1,000 geun (600 kg).”

“There seems to be some mysterious logic to the movement of three or four people pulling the rope.”

“How amazing. Is this the principle of Wanghak (Yangminghak)?”

Yoon Geun-soo’s gaze was always directed to one side.

“Come forward, leaders.”

“Huh? You must have been comfortable. Come out quickly!”

The leaders of the swordsmen stood and formed a line behind them, forming a roughly five-line formation.

“Please wait a moment and listen while you eat.”

“To make a living here, you have to work. First, you have to be a frontier security guard. Think of it as being like a constable. Second, you have to be a mine manager. This is also similar. Third, you have to be a dock worker.”

The soldier pointed to the dock workers. Even in the cold weather, there were shirtless men sweating as they carried goods and pulled carts.

“If you work for 10 years, you will be accepted as a commoner.”

Yoon Geun-soo glanced to the side.

“That applies to us too.”

“Well, it’s a little different, but is there a rush? Let’s eat first. I’m sure it’ll be edible.”

As he said, the meal with freshly caught seafood was exquisite.

“Next is an interview with the Prime Minister.”

“Prime Minister?”

“In Joseon terms, he is the person who can be called the Prime Minister.”

After tidying up my clothes, I arrived at a place one flight of stairs away from the restaurant. There, the manager of Goryeo was.

“Nice to meet you. Well, we are both busy so let’s keep it brief.”

He looked through the document page by page.

“I appoint Kim Jeong-eop, a former official of the Ministry of Finance, to the 3rd grade of the Ministry of Finance. I appoint Yoo Mong-ryeong, a former official of the Hongmungwan, to the 5th grade of the Ministry of Education. I appoint Im Won-yeong, a former official of the Ministry of Rites… … .”

Those who received the notice just blinked.