"Naval forces?"
"That's right!"
As Hyang explained, her voice grew stronger.
"When I first mentioned the establishment of a naval force, I thought briefly and spoke of the Ming Dynasty's Shandong. Afterward, I deeply regretted it and ultimately fell into despair."
"Despair? Why?"
"The trading port established in Shandong will not only be used by the Ming and Joseon. Once the products of Ming and Joseon gather there, other countries wishing to trade will eventually flock to that place as well. Nearby, the Japanese will head there, and from afar, countries like Dai Viet and even more distant lands will gather for trade. Just think of the wealth we could acquire from those who gather there."
At Hyang's words, Sejong recalled the customs duties he had promised to the Ming Dynasty.
The amount anticipated by the Ministry of Revenue at that time was by no means small.
If Ming and Joseon were already significant, what would happen when the Japanese, Dai Viet, and other unknown countries were added? Sejong's heart raced.
"Then, how about we also establish a trading port? It may be a bit late, but it seems we could compete."
"That is precisely where I fell into despair. Our Joseon..."
Hyang replied with a gloomy expression.
"We have no naval forces to secure maritime power."
At Hyang's words, Sejong looked puzzled.
"No naval forces? I don't understand."
"On paper, we have naval forces, but in terms of capability, it is dismal."
"Dismal? Have you forgotten that the recent conquest of Tsushima was possible because of our navy?"
"How could I forget?" Hyang stood up and walked to the bookshelf in the study.
After rummaging through various books, she returned with one and opened it to explain its contents to Sejong.
"This is the record of the recent conquest of Tsushima. As you know, a total of 17,285 soldiers were mobilized for the conquest, with 227 ships deployed."
"I see."
"Simply put, that means each ship carried between 70 to 80 men, and more than half of them were non-combatants. The actual fighting force is only half of that."
"I see."
"Moreover, there is another problem. The number of 227 ships sounds impressive, but many of them are small vessels that would risk their lives just crossing the strait between Busan and Tsushima."
"I see."
"It is well known that our Joseon army is weak in close combat against the Japanese. To offset this, artillery is essential, but such small vessels cannot carry artillery. Is this just a problem for the three provinces' navy that participated in the expedition?"
As Hyang explained, Sejong's face grew serious.
"It is indeed a problem."
"If we establish a trading port, it is clear that not only the Japanese but also pirates will flock there. While Ming can quickly gather forces to defend against this, we Joseon cannot. Look at the recent conquest of Tsushima. No matter how much it was a military expedition, we had to scrape together every available soldier, including farmers, except for those who were actually farming. What if the Japanese took advantage of the gaps left by our expedition and invaded?"
"Consider the criteria for mobilization. We not only gathered combat troops but also those who could operate ships. In other words, we lack naval forces."
Sejong nodded at Hyang's points.
Reports had come in during the Tsushima expedition that the southern coast of Ming was suffering from Japanese raids.
At that time, King Taejong had sighed in relief.
"Truly a blessing from heaven!"
Recalling the past, Sejong nodded.
"I see."
Sejong's face was more serious than ever.
The memories were vivid.
The Tsushima lord had promised submission after the conquest, and around the same time, the Ming had suffered greatly from the Japanese.
As a result, the recent movements of the Japanese had quieted down, but no one could guarantee that they would remain quiet.
Hyang continued, considering the worst-case scenario.
"If the movements of the Japanese and pirates become so severe that they are uncontrollable, Ming may issue a maritime ban. They would block the sea routes and relocate coastal residents inland. Ming has a vast land, so even if they move their people inland, they have room, and the inland waterways are developed, so they wouldn't have much to worry about. But what about us Joseon? Is there land for our people to move to? We could implement a policy of empty islands, but that would only bind our own hands and feet."
At Hyang's words, Sejong silently nodded.
After a moment of refreshing her throat, Hyang continued.
"In the end, the optimal maritime defense strategy for us Joseon is only aggressive defense. Wasn't the conquest of Tsushima executed for the same reason? We must build larger ships and strengthen our firepower."
Sejong nodded at her words.
"You are right. The problem is... the budget."
"Yes, the budget is the issue. To increase the budget, we must expand our revenue, but relying solely on agriculture will burden the people. Ultimately, as I mentioned before, we must increase trade to expand our tax sources."
"I see. Hoo~."
Sejong sighed deeply and stood up.
"I feel like I've come to cool my head but only ended up with more burdens."
"I am deeply sorry."
"No. As the ruler of Joseon, I must endure hardships for the prosperity and strength of this nation."
In the end, after reviewing various issues, Sejong reached a conclusion.
"Regardless of the circumstances, we need wealth to make it possible! Without wealth, it is just a castle built on sand!"
Having reached this conclusion, Sejong sent out official documents to the local governors across the nation.
"Immediately find those skilled in mining and send them to the palace!"
In response, the local governors began to search their jurisdictions thoroughly for those skilled in mining and sent them to Hanyang.
Meanwhile, in the court, Sejong, Hyang, and the ministers discussed what to seek first.
"We need to find gold and silver."
"We must not seek gold and silver! Ming may demand them as tribute!"
"But we need gold and silver to secure resources for the budget! If Ming makes a demand, we must negotiate diplomatically!"
As the debate dragged on, Sejong made a decision.
"For the success of our Joseon's endeavors, we must mine gold and silver. If Ming's demands arrive, we will resolve it through diplomacy then."
"I understand."
Once the issue of mining gold and silver was settled, the discussion moved on.
"Then, we will proceed with gold and silver as discussed, but what else should we seek?"
In response to Sejong's question, the ministers answered in unison.
"Copper! It is essential for making artillery and minting coins!"
Sejong wrote down gold, silver, and copper, then asked, "And what else?"
The ministers fell into thought at Sejong's question.
Observing their silence, Hyang interjected.
"In my opinion, iron, coal, limestone, and sulfur are also necessary."
"What is coal?"
"Simply put, it is a stone that burns. It has been used as fuel since the Song Dynasty in China."
Hyang explained coal in response to Sejong's question.
After hearing Hyang's explanation, Sejong and the ministers nodded.
"If we use such stones instead of firewood, we can prevent the destruction of forests."
"Indeed. We have made many efforts to prevent deforestation, but it has not been easy. The reason is that it is used as fuel, but if we use coal, we can stop deforestation."
Following the ministers' responses, Hyang continued.
"If the state monopolizes the supply of coal, it will also become a sufficient resource."
"I see!"
"I understand coal and iron, but why do we need limestone?"
"It is needed for smelting iron and for construction."
"For construction?"
"I only know the theory..."
Sejong concluded, "Then let's postpone the priority of limestone."
"Yes."
Although Sejong postponed the priority, Hyang was not particularly disappointed.
'This limestone is the most common thing in this peninsula!'
Listening to the conversation between Sejong and the ministers, Hyang recalled the words of Teacher Samcheongpo.
"Iron, coal, cement! These are the essentials that opened the era of the Industrial Revolution! Simply put, these three are the basic set for the industrial revolution! Capital? Ha! Without that, can an industrial revolution happen?"
However, the most controversial item was sulfur.
"Your Highness, sulfur does not exist in our Joseon."
"That's right. Sulfur can only be obtained from Ming or Japan."
"I know that as well. Your Highness, sulfur does not exist in our Joseon."
Even Sejong stated that sulfur was not produced in Joseon, but Hyang did not back down.
"Why are you so sure? It could be something we have yet to discover!"
"We have yet to discover it?"
"Your Majesty. It exists in Ming and Japan, but it does not exist in our Joseon? Don't you think that doesn't make sense?"
'Damn! Even crude oil can be found if you dig deep enough!'
"Hmm... that seems possible..."
"Hmm..."
At Hyang's words, the ministers and Sejong all appeared thoughtful, considering the possibility.
"Of course, it may be in a location that is harder to mine than in Ming or Japan. But think about the uses of sulfur. It is used as a medicinal herb, but its most important use is in gunpowder. Gunpowder, the most crucial item for national defense, relies on sulfur as its key ingredient. If we depend on imports for such an important material, we could face significant trouble at any time!"
When Hyang mentioned 'national defense,' Sejong and the ministers immediately reached a conclusion.
"Yes! Let's search for it!"
"It seems Your Highness's opinion is correct!"
"I think it is wise to pay a little more attention to those who are mining!"
In the end, sulfur was also included in the exploration list.
As capable miners from all over Joseon arrived, Sejong and the ministers established an organization called the Resource Office.
"First, let it be a permanent institution under the Ministry of Construction, and the head will also serve as the Minister of Construction."
"I understand."
The miners belonging to the newly established Resource Office received ranks from 8th to 9th and their salaries were determined.
Looking at the miners gathered in the courtyard of Geunjeongjeon, the Minister of Construction announced their duties.
"From now on, your task is to travel across Joseon and find the minerals listed here. If you find them properly, there will be rewards, so do your best."
At the Minister's words, the miners all bowed and replied.
"We will do our best!"
"Your Majesty, we greet you!"
At the miners' shout, they immediately prostrated themselves on the ground and bowed.
"The commoners present themselves to Your Majesty!"
"Get up. Who calls you commoners? You are all my precious subjects."
At Sejong's words, the miners' faces filled with gratitude as they replied loudly.
"We are deeply grateful!"
"May you live long and prosper!"
The miners shouted for Sejong's longevity with all their might.
Watching them with a pleased expression, Sejong raised his hand, and the noise quieted down.
Once the miners settled down, Sejong continued.
"I apologize for assigning you such a difficult task. However, the prosperity and strength of Joseon depend on the results you produce, so I hope you will do your best in your assigned work."
At Sejong's words, the miners all bowed deeply and replied.
"We will give our all!"
With Sejong's exhortation concluded, the miners scattered across the nation.
Packing their belongings, the miners left the palace and checked the minerals they needed to find on the list.
"I understand gold, silver, and copper, but... coal? What is that?"
"Oh! I've heard of that. It's a black, shiny stone that burns, right? They say it's used as fuel in China and in blacksmiths."
"A stone that burns? That's quite a marvelous thing."
"Sulfur? Does it even exist in our country?"
"I guess that's why they told us to find it."
"Limestone? Isn't that a common stone? Is there a use for it?"
As the miners discussed the list, their gaze soon focused on a corner of the list.
"Report immediately upon discovering the following ore? A black, shining stone, similar to coal, but does not burn and breaks easily?"
"What is this?"
"I feel like I've seen it before, but I'm not sure..."
The ore that confused the miners was an item that Hyang had added.
The name of that ore was graphite.