"The ship has arrived at Jemulpo!"
"Is that so? Did everything come in without any issues?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Under the command of King Sejong, who had procured hunting falcons, Jin Eungsa was dispatched.
Naturally, merchants accompanied the trading party, returning with substantial profits.
They also received generous gifts in return for the falcons offered as tribute.
As always, they set aside half of the funds received from the merchants to purchase rice.
Given the large sum spent, the rice was brought in using Ming ships to Jemulpo.
"Did the books and items arrive as well?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
While Sejong and the ministers were concerned about the grains, Hyang's interest lay elsewhere.
Hyang was focused on the books recording Zheng He's expeditions and the optimal goods for trade.
Two days later, an enormous number of crates arrived at the palace.
The crates were placed in the courtyard in front of the Geunjeongjeon Hall, and to check the contents, Hyang, the ministers, and even Sejong came out to the courtyard.
As the crates were opened and the contents examined, the scholars of the Jiphyeonjeon looked at Sejong with astonished eyes.
"Your Highness, these appear to be originals, not copies."
"What?"
The court was bustling with discussions about the nationwide expansion of the falconry system, but there were many other matters to attend to, and Sejong and the ministers proceeded with their discussions.
"How well has the issue of the falcons to be sent to Ming been resolved?"
"The falconers of the Eungbang have captured and are transporting five falcons."
Sejong frowned at the ministers' response.
"Five... The falconers and the common people must have suffered greatly."
"I am deeply sorry."
"Please research a compensation system for this."
"Understood."
After resolving the issue regarding the falcons to be offered as tribute, Sejong and the ministers moved on to the next agenda.
"What would you like to receive in return for the falcons offered as tribute?"
"First and foremost, sulfur and copper would be best."
The Minister of Military Affairs quickly mentioned sulfur.
In a situation where gunpowder weapons were becoming increasingly important, securing sulfur and copper was essential.
However, sulfur was not produced in Joseon, so it had to be obtained mainly from Ming and Waeguk, making the supply quite difficult.
Copper was similarly challenging.
In fact, copper was even harder to obtain than sulfur.
Copper was not produced in Joseon either, and the problem was that both Ming and Waeguk had high domestic consumption, making it difficult to export.
Ultimately, copper and sulfur made up the largest part of the tribute trade between Ming and Joseon, with books and cotton cloth being the remainder.
After continued discussions, it was largely decided to request sulfur and copper, as suggested by the Minister of Military Affairs.
"And what else would be good?"
As soon as Sejong finished speaking, Hyang jumped in.
"There are essential books we must obtain!"
"Essential books?"
Sejong and the ministers turned their attention to Hyang's statement.
"What kind of books are those? We have most of the important scriptures in Joseon."
"They are not scriptures. They are the records of Zheng He's voyages."
"Records of Zheng He's voyages?"
When Sejong showed confusion, the Minister of Rites pretended to know.
"Oh! There is a eunuch named Zheng He among the Emperor's attendants."
"But what are these voyage records?"
"He led a fleet on an expedition under the Emperor's command."
"Oh! I have heard rumors about that."
Sejong nodded at the Minister of Rites' response.
He was not the only one; most of the ministers nodded in agreement.
In the fifth year of King Taejong's reign, there had been a commotion in the court when it was rumored that a eunuch under the command of the Yongle Emperor would lead a massive fleet composed of enormous ships on an expedition.
When the Joseon court received information that such a grand fleet was to set sail, they were on high alert.
- Where was the destination of that grand fleet? Joseon? Or Waeguk?
Amidst the tense atmosphere, it was reported that the fleet was heading not to Joseon or Waeguk, but to even farther seas.
Only after confirming that the rumors were true could Taejong and the court relax their vigilance.
"But why do you need those voyage records?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang looked puzzled.
"Why do we need them? They are worth their weight in gold!"
Though Sejong asked, seeing the ministers with similar expressions made Hyang's blood pressure rise.
'These people, no! These people really!'
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Hyang explained why Zheng He's voyage records were important.
- Zheng He visited countries that Joseon had never reached, and those records are the voyage logs.
- If we obtain those records, we will know which countries have what Joseon needs.
- It's not just about knowing the countries.
We will also learn about the routes, travel times, and dangers, allowing us to reduce trial and error.
"Hmm... Is that so? Hmm... That might be..."
"Hmm... Hmm..."
Listening to Hyang's explanation, Sejong nodded slowly, showing signs of understanding, but the other ministers still looked confused.
Seeing this, Hyang felt a mix of frustration and exhaustion.
'These people really...
They are not even clueless old men from the countryside...'
Regaining his composure, Hyang provided an easily understandable example.
"Think about the most important weapon of our Joseon soldiers, the horn bow. Among the materials used for the horn bow, the most crucial is the water buffalo horn. But where do we obtain this water buffalo horn now? Mostly from Ming. But does Ming easily part with it?"
"Not at all."
In response to Hyang's question, the ministers all answered in unison.
The horn bow of Joseon was famous for its powerful might.
Therefore, Ming did not sell much of the water buffalo horn, which was a key material for the horn bow.
As a result, Joseon had even suggested selling water buffaloes instead, but they had received no response until now.
Thus, even though the Joseon court strictly prohibited smuggling, they actively encouraged it when it came to water buffalo horns.
Ultimately, a significant portion of the water buffalo horns needed by Joseon had to be brought in through Waeguk and Ryukyu.
As the ministers began to understand, Hyang added,
"Are water buffaloes only found in the southern regions of Ming? They can also be found in the southern regions of Waeguk and Ryukyu, but I have heard that they are common in places like Dai Viet or the ancient name of Thailand, Siam. Especially in the case of Siam, an envoy came during the reign of King Taejo, but there has been no proper trade since then. What is the reason? It was because we did not know the way."
"Oh!"
At Hyang's words, the ministers all exclaimed in realization.
It was something they remembered well.
During King Taejo's reign, an envoy from Thailand had come and offered tribute, and King Taejo had shown interest in trade, but they had not achieved any significant results, and it had ultimately ended up as a vague memory.
In fact, most of the ministers at that time thought, 'We were deceived!'
Moreover, from King Taejo to King Sejong, most of the ministers who moved the court believed that one of the biggest reasons for the fall of Goryeo was commerce.
- The powerful families who colluded with merchants fell into luxury, corrupting the state, and all the harm fell upon the powerless common people.
Sharing such thoughts, the ministers of the court and the scholars of the common people moved based on Confucianism, believing that to avoid such a situation, the scholars should practice frugality, and the state should focus on the basics.
Though they spoke thus, the main source of income for the scholars, who were also landowners, was the crops produced by the farmers.
Ultimately, the harsh lives of the farmers and common people did not change much.
As a result, the clash between the ministers who operated the state based on such a mindset and Hyang led to the purging of the chief ministers and high officials.
In the end, Hyang's argument was accepted, and it was decided to obtain Zheng He's voyage records.
Along with the cages containing the falcons, the envoy set off for Beijing.
"Thank you for your hard work in coming here."
"The Emperor's grace is overwhelming."
In response to the greetings from the Yongle Emperor, the chief envoy and the deputy envoy bowed their heads in gratitude.
The Yongle Emperor, looking at the falcons in the cages with satisfaction, spoke.
"Now that we have received such precious gifts, we must return the favor. What does Joseon desire?"
"We wish for sulfur and copper."
At the chief envoy's response, the Yongle Emperor turned to the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.
"The Grand Secretary should consult with the envoys and provide an appropriate amount of sulfur and copper."
"I will obey the Emperor's command."
After giving the order, the Yongle Emperor looked at the Joseon envoys and spoke.
"Is there anything else you desire?"
"I apologize for asking, but we would like a copy of the expedition records written by the eunuch Zheng He."
"Oh? The records of Zheng He's expedition?"
The Yongle Emperor showed curiosity at the interpreter's words.
"Why does Joseon want that?"
In response to the Yongle Emperor's question, the chief envoy deeply bowed and explained the reason.
"Our Joseon is a small country located in a corner of the vast world, and we do not know how wide the world is. Thanks to Your Majesty's grace, we have come to know that there are many countries in this world.
This alone is enough to move us to tears, but we have also heard that Zheng He, under Your Majesty's command, has spread the Emperor's and the Empire's prestige across the seas.
Although we have come to know the vastness of the world through Your Majesty's grace, we are like a frog that has just escaped from a well and does not yet know the breadth of the Yangtze River.
Therefore, we wish to understand the vastness of the seas and the prestige of the Empire that has reached those seas, and thus we desire a copy of the records."
The words conveyed by the interpreter were enough to make one feel a bit embarrassed.
Of course, this speech was not created by the ministers.
It was a line crafted by Hyang during a mock discussion with the ministers and Sejong.
After creating that line, Hyang returned to his room, scratching his arms and grumbling.
"Ah! That was so cheesy it gave me goosebumps! Goosebumps! I really laid it on thick! Even though I said it, ugh! Goosebumps!"
"Ha ha ha!"
The Yongle Emperor, who heard the words through the interpreter, burst into hearty laughter.
Laughing so hard that he wiped away tears, the Yongle Emperor spoke.
"This current king of Joseon truly possesses virtue! He knows his place well! Better than his father or grandfather!"
At the Yongle Emperor's words, the Joseon envoys gritted their teeth.
However, they endured and bowed their heads.
"The Emperor's grace is overwhelming!"
"Indeed! A small country in the corner wishes to understand the vastness of the seas, so we must give it! Grand Secretary, prepare a copy and send it to Joseon!"
"I will obey the Emperor's command!"
As the Yongle Emperor's order was given, the Joseon envoys raised their arms high and shouted.
"The Emperor's grace is overwhelming! Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor!"
Thus, the records written by Zheng He arrived in Joseon.
The problem was that it was not a copy but the original that had come.
"Is this an administrative error?"
"Isn't this a problem?"
Caught off guard by an unexpected issue, Sejong, along with Hyang and the ministers, was deep in thought when a scholar from the Jiphyeonjeon, opening another crate, found a sealed letter.
"Here is a sealed letter!"
The Minister of Rites, receiving the expensive silk envelope containing the letter, opened the seal and read it, tilting his head in confusion.
"What is it?"
"It is a letter from the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet."
"Let me see."
Receiving the letter from the Minister of Rites, Sejong read it and showed an even more puzzled expression.
"I still don't understand."
Seeing the reactions of the Minister of Rites and Sejong, Hyang interjected.
"May I read it?"
"Yes, go ahead."
Receiving the letter, Hyang quickly checked the contents.
The letter was simple.
- This has gone through the proper procedures, so Joseon should not doubt it or inquire further.
After reading the letter, Hyang tilted his head.
'No matter how I look at it, the feeling is...'
After reading it several times, the atmosphere of the sentences conveyed this message.
- Just put it away! No, it's not stolen goods! Just put it away! And don't say a word! Shh! Shh! Just put it away!
As Hyang pondered over this, he recalled memories from the 21st century and muttered to himself.
"Was it indeed a chicken rib?"
"What do you mean by chicken rib? Do you know what that means, Your Highness?"
Hyang's muttering caught Sejong's attention, who asked.
Hyang nodded.
"Yes, it is my personal opinion, but..."
Hyang began to explain.