The first construction section of the paved road began at Gwanghwamun and extended to Sungnyemun, cutting through the heart of Hanseong from north to south.
This road was one of the most important in Hanseong, alongside the east-west thoroughfare of Unjongga, so Hyang mobilized all available labor.
While coordinating the schedule, Hyang discussed ways to gather manpower.
"If we are short on labor from Hanseong, we should recruit from nearby Bu and Gun."
"The farming season has just begun."
"Let’s draft one person from every household, but only for ten days. After those ten days, we can draft from other households."
The official, who had been calculating for a moment, nodded.
"That seems feasible."
With the method of mobilizing labor decided, Hyang took a moment to rest and sighed.
"Hoo~, at least we’re not bringing people from the southern provinces like during the reigns of Taejo or Taejong."
Hyang sighed deeply at the reality that they were only gathering labor from near Hanseong.
"Hoo~. If only we had a few excavators and bulldozers... and concrete mixers..."
As the construction began, Hyang found himself missing the construction machinery of the 21st century.
In a reality where most tasks were done by manpower, and when things got tough, they relied on oxen or donkeys, Hyang became even more determined.
"No matter what, I will make a steam engine first!"
"Huh? Why the sudden chill...?"
"Are you feeling it too?"
The officials and craftsmen researching steam engines and various tools in the research institute and District 51 suddenly felt a chill run through their bodies.
"It seems we need to eat some herbal medicine..."
"Do you know any good doctors?"
Even in the 21st century, such a construction would have been divided into sections, and Hyang had to do the same.
However, the scale of these sections was so small compared to the 21st century that it brought tears to his eyes.
Still, Hyang did his best to maximize efficiency.
He gathered labor from the nearby regions and created tools to enhance productivity.
Among these, the most produced were concrete mixers and handcarts.
From small mixers operated by manpower to large ones using oxen or donkeys, Hyang explained their usage to the managers and supervisors.
"Use the large mixers on the main road from Gwanghwamun to Sungnyemun, and the small mixers on the surrounding smaller roads."
"That should work. The key to making the lime mortar is mixing sand, gravel, and quicklime well, and this mixer seems very useful."
The managers and supervisors were quite pleased with the mixers.
As Hyang had reported, the most important thing when using lime mortar was that the main components, quicklime, sand, and gravel, were mixed well.
In traditional lime mixing, water, sand, and lime were mixed and applied to the wall, but the thinner lime mortar made this difficult.
When they first made quicklime in District 51, this issue was pointed out immediately.
In the end, Hyang recalled memories from the 21st century and came up with the idea for the mixer, which the craftsmen were able to create after several trials and errors.
"Stop! Stop!"
The workers pouring lime mortar over the gravel and rebar halted at the supervisor's shout.
"Who mixed this lime mortar?"
At the spot the supervisor pointed to, a cart stood, and seeing the lime mortar loaded in the cart, the supervisor was furious.
"This lime mortar! Who mixed it?"
"It was from that mixer over there..."
"Bring that damned thing here!"
The worker who had brought the cart followed the supervisor with a sullen face.
"Is this it?"
"Yes."
Upon hearing the worker's answer, the supervisor picked up a clipboard.
Finding the name of the responsible person on the list, the supervisor raised his voice.
"Chief Jang! Chief Jang Manguk! Where are you?"
At the supervisor's shout, a hairy man rushed over.
"What is it?"
"How can you send lime mortar mixed like this? Huh? Is this lime mortar? It looks like porridge!"
"Yes?"
At the supervisor's scolding, Chief Jang inspected the lime mortar in the cart and looked dismayed.
The lime mortar in the cart looked extremely thin even to him.
"If we sprinkle this, will it even set properly? No, will it even have the right strength?"
"I’m sorry!"
"Remix it and send it back! If something like this comes again, you know your neck is on the line!"
"I will make sure it’s done properly!"
"Ugh! We’re already pressed for time! You can’t even mix lime mortar properly!"
The supervisor poured out his frustrations on Chief Jang and clicked his tongue as he left.
After being scolded by the supervisor, Chief Jang glared at the workers responsible for mixing.
"Which one of you did this?"
"..."
When no one raised their hand at Chief Jang's question, he shouted angrily.
"Which bastard mixed this lime mortar? If no one speaks up in three seconds, you all will be stuck under the blazing sun doing nothing!"
At Chief Jang's shout, all the workers' gazes focused on one person.
"Is it you?"
"I-I’m sorry!"
"You fool! I told you to mix lime mortar, not porridge! I told you to get the ratios right, even if it’s hard, didn’t I?"
"I’m sorry!"
"Enough! Take this and mix it properly! If you do it like this again, I’ll fire you on the spot!"
"Yes, yes!"
After being warned, the worker took the cart and headed to the mixer he was responsible for.
As such incidents occurred repeatedly on site, reports eventually reached Hyang.
"Are you saying you can’t even supervise the mixing of lime mortar properly?"
"I apologize!"
Under Hyang's reprimand, the supervisors all bowed their heads.
"It’s clear that we don’t have much time. And I know this isn’t an easy task, but what are we going to do if such shoddy work keeps happening?"
"We will ensure this doesn’t happen again!"
"Remember that you are officials who have received ranks. And don’t forget that such civil engineering projects will continue in the future."
The warning from Hyang, filled with the meaning of 'If you mess up, there will be no promotions!' made the supervisors respond loudly.
"We will do our best!"
After this road construction, a new proverb emerged among the people.
"When told to mix lime mortar, they mix porridge."
It was a saying that mocked those who failed to do their assigned tasks properly.
At the construction site, many tools suggested by Hyang and made by craftsmen were used.
Among those tools, there was one that was very well received not only by those working on site but also by the common people.
That was the handcart.
Carts were already common in Joseon.
However, the existing carts had very high cargo areas.
But Hyang created a new handcart based on the rear carts commonly used in the 21st century.
The handcarts made using pig iron produced in the first state-owned ironworks in Anju under Kim Deok-soo's supervision last year were sturdier than any cart before.
"This, this is amazing!"
The workers who used the handcart for the first time were all praising it.
Seeing the workers' reactions, the supervisors reported immediately.
"Carts, carts, we need more carts!"
Of course, the one regret Hyang had was that they had to make wheels from wood and iron plates since there was no rubber.
The common people quickly recognized the value of the handcarts used on the construction site.
"That looks really good!"
Seeing the people's reactions, the merchants caught the scent of money.
"It's coming! It's coming! I smell money!"
As the merchants searched for the source of the handcarts, they lamented upon discovering it.
"Another from District 51!"
"Another from the Crown Prince!"
However, the truly quick merchants hurried to the government office.
"Excuse me, sir. Where do I go to get to the Intellectual Property Management Office?"
Upon hearing the merchant's question, the official looked the merchant up and down before speaking.
"Are you trying to register or use it?"
"To use it."
Upon the merchant's answer, the official raised his hand to point in a direction.
"Go into the Hojo, turn left, and you’ll find the building on the right."
"Thank you."
"What? Make sure to earn a lot of money and pay your taxes generously. Let those Hojo bastards suffer. Those damned fools... always whining about the budget..."
"Excuse me?"
"Enough, get back to work."
"Yes..."
With that, the official and the merchant went their separate ways.
The 'Intellectual Property Management Office' was an institution created at Hyang's request to formally establish it as a central agency under Sejong.
"Uh... I understand the meaning of 'to protect the property rights of those who create new tools.' However, since you mention intellectual property, it seems that knowledge is also included, correct?"
Hwang Hee asked, and Hyang nodded.
"That's right. We want to include technology and knowledge as well."
"Things like tools are visible, so proving them is easy, but knowledge is intangible. It’s hard to recognize easily, isn’t it?"
"That’s true. So we’ll need to write it down in visible terms and submit it for review."
"But isn’t it beautiful to share knowledge with each other?"
As Hwang Hee and other officials looked puzzled, Hyang provided an example.
"Sir, do you know why the term 'revision' came about?"
"Yes."
"You have spent years revising to create beautiful sentences. But what if someone else takes those sentences and uses them freely to become famous? No, what if they use those sentences to pass the highest exams, and everyone thinks they belong to them?"
In the end, the Intellectual Property Management Office began to handle not only tangible tools but also intangible knowledge.
Many patents started to be registered in this newly established office.
Most of them came from Hyang's research institute and District 51, but there were others as well.
As the Intellectual Property Management Office operated, interesting things began to happen, as some who registered their original techniques or tools suddenly found themselves wealthy overnight.
This led to an increase in craftsmen, merchants, and even impoverished scholars who were devoted to invention or developing new technologies.
Slowly, the spark of an industrial revolution began to ignite in Joseon.
As the handcart became a new hit product, there was someone observing it closely.
"Chief Jang, do you have some grudge against the handcart? Why are you glaring at it so fiercely?"
At the question from a passing colleague, Jang Yeong-sil smiled awkwardly and stood up.
"Oh... I just wanted to see the structure in more detail."
"If you want to see the structure, you can go to the library in District 51 or the research institute. With your connection, you could even pull it out from the royal treasury."
"While the blueprints are important, I feel I need to see it with my own eyes to be satisfied..."
"Hahaha! Chief Jang, you truly are one of a kind!"
The rumor that 'Jang Yeong-sil is interested in the handcart' reached Hyang's ears a beat late, as he was too busy with the restoration from the great fire and the road paving project.
Upon hearing the rumor, Hyang immediately summoned Jang Yeong-sil.
"Surely, it’s not about that, is it?"
"Chief Jang, I heard you’ve been showing interest in the handcart lately."
"Yes, Your Highness. Actually, I am trying to create a new palanquin, and I thought the structure of the handcart would be helpful. This palanquin would..."
"Do not attempt to make it alone! That’s an order! Immediately form a development team to proceed! Also, everything must have my approval!"
Hyang interrupted Jang Yeong-sil in shock.
Jang Yeong-sil, taken aback by Hyang's completely different reaction, bowed his head under Hyang's pressure.
"Yes, yes! I will do so!"
Though Jang Yeong-sil agreed, Hyang, still uneasy, called for an attendant.
"Bring Jeongcho and Lee Cheon here immediately!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
After giving the order to the attendant, Hyang glared at Jang Yeong-sil.
"You fool! If you mess this up, your neck is on the line! Why do you look so wronged?"
Upon arriving, Jeongcho and Lee Cheon were commanded by Hyang to organize a development team.
"Is it really necessary to form a development team to create a palanquin?"
"Chief Jang, explain."
"Yes? Yes, Your Highness."
At Hyang's command, Jang Yeong-sil explained the palanquin he wanted to create.
Upon hearing Jang Yeong-sil's explanation, Jeongcho and Lee Cheon looked somewhat bewildered.
"A palanquin that moves by itself?"
"Is it really possible for it to move by itself?"
At Lee Cheon's reaction, Hyang interjected.
"If we think about it that way, isn’t a locomotive the same?"
"Ah..."
At Hyang's point, Lee Cheon had an 'ah!' expression, but Jeongcho raised a counterargument.
"A locomotive is large and moves on dedicated tracks. However, a palanquin moves on already laid paths and is smaller than a locomotive."
"That’s why we should form a development team. If successful, it could be useful in many ways, not just for the people's livelihoods but also for military purposes."
Hyang's words made Jeongcho and Lee Cheon fall into deep thought.
After a long deliberation, Jeongcho and Lee Cheon finally responded.
"It’s worth a try."
"Even if it fails, there will be something to gain."
"Good! Form the development team immediately!"
Thus, the 'an-yeo' that had made Jang Yeong-sil disappear from history took an unexpected turn.