"Expanding the board?"
"It means using merchants and officials to strengthen the economy and national power of Joseon. It is about increasing the size of Joseon."
Hyang drew three squares, each the same size as the first one, and divided them again.
"The foundation of their wealth lies in agriculture. We must nurture commerce and industry, grow our economic power through trade, and expand our territory to increase the number of self-sufficient farmers. If we can achieve this, they will become relatively weaker.
As you can see from this drawing, they initially held three-quarters of Joseon in their hands and controlled it, but by expanding our size, they will only hold one-sixteenth. They will weaken from seventy-five percent to less than twenty-five percent, meaning they will be weakened by more than a third.
We can then impose taxes on them, and they will have no choice but to follow the trend."
Upon hearing Hyang's words, Sejong slapped his knee.
"I see! So there was such a strategy!"
Sejong was pleased with Hyang's answer, but soon pointed out a problem.
"But, you see, even if we nurture merchants and officials, the aristocrats must ultimately be the main consumers. The common people do not have sufficient wealth."
"Father, please look at the bigger picture."
"Look at the bigger picture? Hmm... Ah! Are you talking about trade?"
"Exactly!" Hyang nodded, impressed by Sejong's understanding.
"Yes, we will grow our size through trade."
"I see, if we engage in trade, we can break free from the limitations of land and grow our size. If the aristocrats remain tied to the land as they are now, they will not be able to keep up with the pace of growth. The yield from farmland has its limits."
"That's right."
As Hyang agreed, Sejong immediately pointed out another issue.
"But, you see, expanding commerce and industry requires seed money. And most of that seed money is in the hands of the aristocrats. If they invest their wealth in commerce and industry, won't their power only grow contrary to your expectations?"
Hyang nodded at Sejong's observation.
"That's true. Growing commerce and industry requires seed money, and trade also requires seed money. If the court remains passive, the aristocrats will become the moneylenders and monopolize the profits. To prevent that, Joseon, or rather, the court must become the moneylender."
"The court must become the moneylender?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang explained the concept of a bank, specifically a national bank.
Upon hearing the explanation, Sejong's face lit up with admiration.
"I see! If we do that, the merchants who need seed money will be able to borrow it at low interest, and the court will be able to control the movement of wealth!"
"If the court firmly grasps the ability to control, we can create a new market called the investment market."
"Investment market? A market where seed money is treated as a commodity for trade. Hmm..."
Sejong stroked his beard, lost in thought.
After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.
"If we move as you say, we will need a large number of officials. Wouldn't that benefit the aristocrats?"
"We will need professionals who are well-versed in this area rather than those who have only studied Confucianism. In simple terms, there will be a significant increase in those entering official positions through various fields."
"That is also a problem. There are many who, as soon as they rise to official positions, act arrogantly and abuse their power."
"There is a saying: 'If you want power, give up wealth; if you want wealth, give up power.' However, it is also true that it is difficult to make a living with the current salaries. We must realize the salaries while also placing restrictions."
Hyang explained the concept of a 'pension' and how to use it as a restriction, continuing his words.
"Looking at the current examination system, in principle, anyone who is not of low birth can take the exam, but in reality, most candidates are aristocrats. The common people do not have the luxury to study comfortably. Therefore, it would be a way to select those with intelligence among those with at least minimal education and then educate them for the state."
"Are you suggesting we educate all the common people?"
"I believe it is reasonable to guarantee at least minimal education for those of commoner status. The common people should know how to avoid injustices, and if they suffer injustices, they should be able to report them to the state."
At Hyang's words, Sejong fell silent.
After a long period of contemplation, he spoke.
"There are two crucial problems. One is the budget, and the other is... literacy. The budget can be resolved by developing mines and changing the tax system as you mentioned, but literacy is a difficult issue."
"I believe you can surely solve it, Father."
"Are you placing too much faith in me?"
"No!"
Hyang's firm belief made Sejong smile.
"I must not become a shameful father."
While Sejong and Hyang were deeply engaged in their discussion about the future, some officials from the Office of Censorate were gathered in a gisaeng house in Namchon, discussing matters.
However, unlike the warm atmosphere of Sejong and Hyang's discussion, the mood among the censors was one of deep anger and indignation.
"To imprison the ministers, this cannot be allowed!"
"That's right!"
"The law is breaking down, the law!"
The drunken censors raised their voices in outrage.
Among them, one voice rose above the rest.
"The root of all this misfortune is the Crown Prince! That child, barely ten years old, is trying to control state affairs! This is unacceptable!"
"Hey, Go-cheong!"
"We must replace the Crown Prince..."
"Hey, Go-cheong!"
A fellow censor sitting next to him urgently tried to stop him, but Go-cheong was full of bravado.
"Why! Am I wrong? It is true that the laws of state affairs have been disrupted since the Crown Prince intervened!"
"No matter what, he is the nation's foundation. As the former Chief Censor said, such words should not be spoken carelessly!"
"That former Chief Censor is currently suffering humiliation!"
"That can be addressed through a petition! Have you not heard the saying, 'The mouth is the gate of disaster'? If you bring trouble upon yourself, that is one thing, but do you intend to bring trouble upon your family and clan as well?"
"It is the duty of a censor to speak the truth, what is the problem with that!"
"The time and place are the issues!"
At his colleague's advice, Go-cheong had to close his mouth.
However, unable to suppress his anger, he continued to down his drink.
As time passed and the atmosphere grew tense, Go-cheong, with bloodshot eyes, embraced the shoulder of a gisaeng sitting next to him and made a proposition.
"How about sharing a moment of intimacy with me tonight?"
"You have had too much to drink. Your intoxication is excessive, so let us save that for another time."
When the gisaeng politely declined with a smile, Go-cheong's face darkened.
"You wretched girl! Who are you to refuse me!"
At Go-cheong's outburst, the gisaeng's smile vanished.
Standing tall, she confronted Go-cheong.
"Isn't a gisaeng merely a beast wearing human skin, lower than the four occupations? How could a noble aristocrat share intimacy with a beast? Ah! Do you perhaps have a peculiar taste?"
"You wretched girl!"
Go-cheong's face turned red with anger at the gisaeng's words.
The atmosphere, which had been filled with music and laughter just moments ago, fell silent in an instant, and a fellow censor stood up to intervene.
"Hey, Go-cheong."
"You wretched girl! Do you wish to die?"
"Are you flaunting your power over a mere gisaeng? You speak like a noble aristocrat, yet your actions are those of a despicable lowlife. Go ahead, try to kill me."
"You wretched girl!"
Just as Go-cheong, unable to contain his anger, raised his fist to strike, the door burst open.
At the entrance stood a giant, towering over everyone, with a long bamboo staff tucked under his arm.
The giant's imposing presence made Go-cheong hesitate and step back.
The giant, glaring at Go-cheong, spoke.
"You are overly intoxicated. How about returning home now?"
"That sounds good! Hey, Go-cheong. Let’s go back."
A colleague stepped in to mediate, but Go-cheong was caught in a dilemma.
He wanted nothing more than to strike that insolent gisaeng, but seeing the giant standing firm made him unable to act.
Seeing this, his colleague roughly pulled on Go-cheong's arm.
"Hey, Go-cheong! You’ve had too much to drink! Let’s go back!"
Thus, the censors left the drinking establishment.
It was only natural that Go-cheong would be humiliated.
As predicted by the gisaeng, news of Go-cheong's disgrace spread throughout the capital in less than a day.
The rumor that "a censor from the Office of Censorate drank and caused a scene in a gisaeng house" quickly reached the ministers, who began to investigate the incident.
As the investigation began, the censors started to protest.
"This is tyranny aimed at suppressing the Office of Censorate and blocking the voice of the people!"
"This disregards precedent!"
The censors, along with the ministers and even the king, would not hesitate to risk their lives if they deemed something wrong.
As a result, they were granted considerable freedom in return for the risks they faced.
It was customary for censors to have no regard for social hierarchy and to drink during work hours without facing punishment.
In other words, even if they caused a significant disturbance, it was common practice to turn a blind eye.
However, this time the ministers had justification.
"To force oneself upon a state-owned gisaeng and attempt to use violence is a disgrace to the court officials and the name of the aristocrats!"
Ultimately, after the investigation, Go-cheong was found guilty, and Sejong delivered the verdict.
"It is a grave sin for a censor, who should criticize the unjust, to act unjustly himself, believing in his own power. The sinner shall be immediately stripped of his official position and sentenced to five hundred li of exile."
"I accept the command!"
Following Sejong's orders, Go-cheong was immediately sent into exile.
However, Go-cheong's case was handled even more severely.
Generally, when someone in office was exiled, they would depart from their own home without an escort.
Moreover, it was customary for the state to provide horses and food, allowing the convict's children or servants to accompany them and serve them.
However, in Go-cheong's case, he was to be taken away in a cage with a sword around his neck.
This was because it was revealed during the investigation that Go-cheong had said, "We must depose the Crown Prince."
Upon receiving this report, Sejong was furious and added to his punishment.
"To mention the deposition of the Crown Prince is a crime of treason. However, since it was said by a lowly man who uses violence against a gisaeng, I will not go as far as to execute him. However, change his sentence from five hundred li of exile to one thousand li, and have him taken away in a cage with a sword around his neck."
"I accept the command."
Of course, Sejong was already aware of the previous petition.
He had withheld punishment upon receiving the petition, waiting for a situation like this to arise.
As a result, the censors had to be cautious with their words.
After hearing the full story of the incident from the East Palace, Hyang smacked his lips.
"When it comes to wit, they say the gisaeng's wit is the best in the world... truly fierce."
As Hyang mentioned, the wit of Joseon gisaengs was famous.
During the Gye-yu Jeongnan, when Su-yang seized power, there was an incident where court officials held a drinking party in a gisaeng house.
One drunken minister, enamored with a gisaeng, requested to share a bed with her.
"You were with that man yesterday, and today you are with this man. As a flower in the streets, how about sharing a bed with me this time?"
In response to the minister's words, the gisaeng immediately retorted.
"You entered Gyeongbokgung yesterday, and today you enter Myeongnyeong Palace, so I, a flower in the streets, would be the perfect match for you."
Sejong did not only pass judgment on Go-cheong's crime.
"The sinner Ryu Jeong-hyeon attempted to lead the king astray with his narrow-mindedness, which can be considered deceiving the king. Therefore, Ryu Jeong-hyeon shall be executed, and all his family shall be made into state slaves. Furthermore, his property shall be confiscated."
"I accept the command."
"Additionally, the Uijeong and the Left Minister, along with the Chief Censor and the Chief of the State Council, who formed a faction with him, shall be exiled two thousand li away. However, their families shall be left as commoners, but eighty percent of their property shall be confiscated."
"I accept the command."
As a result, the old ministers who had gained fame during Sejong's early reign met an end different from the original history.