Black Corporation: Joseon

Episode 1061: Gambling. (5)

“It also attracts people… Hmm…”

Hyeon began to struggle with his words at the words of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It wasn’t just Hyun. Starting with Han Chi-hyeong, the other ministers also fell silent and fell into deep thought.

“To be honest with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this is a proposal that is difficult to decide whether to accept or reject. You are well aware of this, right?”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs bowed his head and responded to Hyun’s words.

“I know your beliefs well. But it is better to increase your friends than to increase your enemies. What could be better than if you could take on more risks instead of sharing the profits in moderation?”

“If anyone among them has any sense, they would know our intentions, right?”

“Anyone who can sense our intentions will know that this is an offer they cannot refuse.”

“They may prepare a sword to stab us with the profits we gave away. How will we do this?”

“What benefit will they gain by doing so? Rather, it will only cause greater harm. People with ideas would not do such foolish things.”

Han Chi-hyeong refuted the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ words.

“Is there one or two stories where you thought that way and ended up in trouble?”

In response to Han Chi-hyeong’s rebuttal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised a counterargument again.

“Why does the imperial army exist? The empire is a power that is already difficult to find an opponent for. A power has its own management and diplomacy skills.”

Hyun showed curiosity at the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ words.

“Hoo? What is that?”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs responded immediately to Hyun’s question.

“No matter how small or poor your opponent is, you must deal with it with courtesy and sincerity, but you must hold a club in your hand. And when you swing, you must swing without mercy.”

In response to the Foreign Minister’s remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Ryu Sun immediately pointed out the problem.

“Do you see that it is not the duty of a gentleman?”

“Doing the duty of a gentleman towards someone who is not a gentleman is not a gentleman, it is only a fool. What is the reason why Duke Yang of the Song Dynasty is ridiculed even now, more than a thousand years later?” ”

But royal politics…..”

“The world is not the era of kings, but the era of defeat!”

“No matter how the trend of the world is, it is like that. If you have learned the words of the sage, you should strive to realize the royal road!”

“That’s right! If you say you follow the trend because it is the way it is, then what kind of gentleman would you be?”

“Reality is reality! Before we are gentlemen, we are ministers of the empire! If you’re running an empire, you can’t forget reality!” As

the voices among the ministers grew louder, Hyun raised his hand to block the conversation.

“Stop. Be quiet! It doesn’t look good!”

At Hyeon’s command, the ministers all bowed their heads and fell silent. Hyeon looked at the ministers and continued,

“The ministers’ verbal exchange did not look bad. But isn’t now the time for that war of words? Why are you so caught up in the side stories that you forget the main point?”

“I apologize!”

The ministers bowed their heads and apologized to Hyun’s point. However, Ryu Sun denied Hyeon’s words.

“Your Majesty, the Emperor, but your Majesty, the war of words that has just taken place is I see it, not as a side note. This is considered an important battle of words that will determine how the empire conducts diplomacy. When Emperor Wen founded the empire, he declared ‘Hongik Ingan’ as the national poem. What is the meaning of Hongik Ingan? The goal is to benefit people widely. How could that person be the only citizen of the empire? If you look at it that way, diplomacy is the best means to carry out national policy.”

As soon as Ryu Sun finished speaking, Left Vice Prime Minister Seong Jun stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, Hwang Gong-hao, but Right Deputy Prime Minister’s words are very idealistic. No one can deny the beauty of what Deputy Prime Minister Woo said. But those words are just empty cries. I am accusing you of pandering to the current trend, but you cannot survive by ignoring the current trend!”

“Your Majesty, your Majesty the Emperor…”

When Ryu Sun opened his mouth to retort again, Hyeon raised his hand.

“It would be better to stop. Ministers, be careful.”

“I am telling you that the Emperor is the Duke…”

“If you are the Emperor, do not say anything that will be the Emperor!”

Hyeon’s words instantly froze the entire Daejeon. Hyeon spoke to the ministers in a fierce voice. .

“Emperor Wen and Emperor Taisang both said this. ‘Those who run a country must always have both feet planted on reality.’ ‘Always be considerate. Even if it’s a good time, aim for the next best thing, not the best. Even if it’s a crisis, aim for the lesser evil, not the worst. Self-respect is the best for those who run a country.’ Do you not know what this means?”

“……..”

None of the ministers opened their mouths in response to Hyun’s question. Hyeon pointed to Ryu Sun.

“Deputy Prime Minister Wu, please listen. I don’t think what you said is wrong, but I don’t think it’s right either. Efforts to realize Hongik Ingan and royal politics are commendable, but we must not forget reality. Please keep this in mind.”

Ryu Sun bowed his head and responded to Hyun’s order.

“I will keep this in mind.”

Hyeon, who cautioned Ryu Sun, ordered the ministers.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs’ proposal is worth thinking deeply about. I’ll give you two days. Sirs, please gather your thoughts until then.”

“Let’s follow my orders!”

* * *

Hyeon, who had gone through such a commotion, looked for Hyang and complained.

“…Why on earth is everyone so upset? I do not know. No, it’s okay to be in the clear water. I can only sigh as I leave the main topic aside and fight while holding on to the side branches. At the thought of it all, I want to fire everyone from their jobs.”

“Is there anyone who can fill that position?”

“Whew~. That’s the problem. So I’m leaving it at that. Even if you fill it with a new one, it seems certain that the same thing will happen again.” Hyang

responded to Hyeon’s complaint with a grin.

“Think positively. It’s all because the empire can make a living.”

“Are you saying it’s the era of peace?”

“I’m not sure if it’s the era of peace or not. Even at this very moment, there are probably many people in various parts of the empire who are hungry or shedding tears because of injustice. However, I can assure you that life has definitely become easier compared to before. Yes, that kind of debate is happening. Among the sayings that have been circulating among authors for a long time, there is something like this. ‘If a child goes without food for three days, even noblemen climb over the walls of other people’s houses.’ Now that the people of the empire have more room to live, they are able to consider what is right and what is good and bad. Do you think the people will consider morality when their lives are difficult? Before that, there will be a stabbing.”

At Hyang’s words, Hyeon nodded with a brighter face. Seeing Hyang’s complexion, Hyang asked Hyeon’s intentions.

“What does the Emperor think of the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ proposal?

” I don’t think there’s anything bad about it. It could give power to an emperor who was close to the empire, and if things went well, it could also increase the power of the pro-imperial faction within the Ming Dynasty court. “If there is a problem, it is the people.”

Hyang nodded at Hyeon’s words.

“I agree.”

And this was the same for the ministers.

* * *

From a rational perspective, the Foreign Minister’s proposal was a good one. However, emotionally It was a highly objectionable proposal. This was because the Ming and Empire had fought two wars that risked the survival of the country. However, as time passed, the volume of trade between the two countries increased significantly, and merchants from both countries actively traveled back and forth across the West Sea. There was a commercial trade going on. However, there was still a high level of rejection and distrust between the ruling class of the empire and the Ming elite.

“Japan is better than the Ming!”

was even said among the people of the empire. They suffered hardships due to Japanese pirates. Because of the memories, Japan also did not look good. However, the Japanese were literally bandits, and the hostility had been greatly diluted as their seed had dried up after the conquest of Tsushima Island and Gyeongjang. But it was not the Ming. They still lost their families or were maimed in the last two wars. There were many people left behind. Under these circumstances, collaborating with the Ming was not an easy task.

* * *

Hyeon, who had been complaining a lot, passed away and Hyang, who was left alone, muttered to himself.

‘Reminds me of the Yesong controversy?’

After the death of King Hyojong, the political dispute that took place over the formalities of the funeral of Queen Jangryeol, King Hyojong’s stepmother, was called the Yesong Controversy. It started as a debate over the rules of mourning clothes, but it soon developed into a political struggle. As Neo-Confucianism was the state religion of the Joseon Dynasty, the issue of the king’s legitimacy was raised. It was because it had expanded. The same was true of the war of words that took place today. It started with the danger of the proposal put forward by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but soon it expanded into a question of whether it was in line with national policy or Neo-Confucian values, and a mess broke out. ”

Now that I think about it,” I forgot. Hongik Ingan was a national poem, but Silsagusi was also a national poem.”

Hyang took out a blank sheet of paper and began writing a document to send to Hyeon. And two days later, at a meeting held to discuss the approval or disapproval of the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ proposal, the proposal was passed. This time too, There were formidable objections, but it was because of what Hyun said:

“In the national poetry of the Empire, there are Hongik Ingan, but there is also Silsa Gusi. Think deeply about what will truly be helpful to the empire and its people.”

* * *

Not long after the prefecture made its decision, envoys from the empire visited Yamaguchi and Beijing. The proposals brought by the envoys were discussed at the official gatherings of Beijing and Yamaguchi. A fierce war of words began to take place. This war of words was more intense in Beijing. As soon as Emperor Shenghua and his royal family heard the proposal, they immediately responded positively.

“The problem is those ministers.”

Another powerful group in the Ming Dynasty said, The question was whether the orthodox bureaucracy, or more specifically, the natives of the Ming Dynasty, would accept this. Therefore, Seonghwaje’s royal forces prepared thoroughly and kept an eye on the other party’s movements. And soon, they were delivered with good news that was not bad news.

” Eh? ‘The cards were divided?’

The orthodox bureaucracy in Beijing was divided into two over the pros and cons.

* * *

When they first heard the Empire’s proposal, most of the Beijing bureaucracy scoffed.

“Hmph! What a great proposal the Koreans have brought!”

“Oil? What kind of oil is that, so why should we join hands with the Koreans?”

But soon, those well-versed in the trend began to think differently.

-Oil is a more versatile resource than coal.

-But it is something that does not come from Ming.

-Joseon has oil, but we cannot buy it from Joseon forever.

-Myeongdo also needs its own independent and stable supply and demand channels.

“If you think about it this way, do you think it would be a good idea to join hands with Joseon? Because we can confidently build our own independent supply and demand route no matter what!”

“Do not be ridiculous!”

In this way, it was divided into two factions.