Black Corporation: Joseon

When King Sejong arrived at New Territory’s bridgehead, all officials and soldiers stationed there rushed out to welcome him.

“We greet Your Majesty!”

“We greet Your Majesty!”

“You’ve worked hard. You may rise.”

After helping the officials and soldiers up, Sejong took their hands one by one.

“You’ve truly worked hard, well done.”

The officials and soldiers who received handshakes and praise from Sejong wept with emotion.

“We merely did our duty! Your gracious praise overwhelms us with gratitude!”

“Your grace is boundless!”

“Ten thousand years!”

“Ten thousand years!”

Moved by Sejong’s praise, the officials and soldiers shouted until their throats were raw.

***

After this wave of cheering passed, Queen Soheon and the royal concubines moved to prepared quarters, while Sejong joined officials at the New Territory Development Headquarters built in the center of the bridgehead.

Entering the headquarters’ conference room, Sejong began reviewing the situation.

“Bring the documents not yet sent to Hanseong.”

“Shouldn’t you rest first after such a long voyage?”

“We worry for your health, Your Majesty.”

Though officials tried to stop him, concerned about fatigue from the long voyage, Sejong firmly refused.

“Seeing your appearances makes any thought of rest vanish.”

The officials became sheepish at Sejong’s words.

Though they wore clean official robes for Sejong’s arrival, most were badly faded and worn.

“Quickly bring the documents.”

“Yes.”

***

Soon, documents began piling up in the conference room.

As papers stacked neatly, Sejong fired questions continuously.

“Is the rotation of personnel between here, the bridgehead, and the eastern garrison proceeding smoothly?”

“Yes, lower-ranking soldiers and officials rotate every eighteen months, while senior officers rotate every two years.”

“Why the difference?”

“If everyone changed simultaneously, it could disrupt ongoing operations in the region. We implemented the difference to prevent this. Similarly, rotations with the mainland occur every three years for lower ranks and every five years for senior officers.”

“Is that so? That’s fortunate.”

Sejong nodded with relief at the officials’ answers.

***

This natural rotation system developed through accumulated experience.

Administrative officials were essential to manage Joseon’s expanded territory, which now included Daesuldo and the Northern Islands beyond the northern and northeastern regions where Jurchens had operated.

However, indefinite postings in unfamiliar outer territories demoralized officials and soldiers.

“Damn! This is basically exile!”

To prevent such demoralization, Joseon actively implemented the rotation system.

They maintained morale through rotations – small-scale between the more Joseon-ized bridgehead region and outer areas, and large-scale between mainland Joseon and the territories. Additionally, they incentivized territorial service with better performance evaluations and other carrots.

***

Having confirmed no major issues with personnel management – “personnel is everything” as the saying goes – which he considered most urgent, Sejong began reviewing documents with a more relaxed expression.

However, as he read through the documents, his expression gradually darkened. Consequently, the officials grew increasingly anxious.

“Hah…”

After roughly reviewing the stacked documents, Sejong sighed deeply and spoke.

“Still much lacking.”

The documents submitted to Sejong all said essentially the same thing:

We’re conducting various operations and achieving certain results. However, we need various things to achieve proper results.

More simply put:

Send this, send that, send everything!

At Sejong’s assessment, the most senior official stepped forward to explain.

“We’ve spent time mapping New Territory’s general geography, and crucial equipment like steam engines only arrived recently. Thus, we lack many things.”

Before he finished speaking, another official jumped in:

“Moreover, even our rough survey shows New Territory’s landmass is beyond imagination. Even with the arrived equipment operating properly, shortages will continue for quite some time.”

“We’ve been requesting for years, but the court keeps deferring due to budget issues.”

“The fortunate thing is that New Territory overflows with resources to strengthen the nation. Once we establish proper infrastructure, it will ease concerns for both New Territory itself and the mainland.”

Though this final positive note emerged, Sejong responded indifferently.

“I confirmed that in the reports.”

***

New Territory’s earth overflows with iron, coal, and all sorts of minerals!

Years ago, when receiving survey results from mainland prospectors, the entire court from Sejong down had cheered.

Watching Sejong and the ministers’ reactions, Hyang had internally muttered:

That place is literally a cheat key!

****

“Hmm…”

After hearing the officials’ responses while glaring at the documents, Sejong soon reached a conclusion.

“First, identify what’s immediately necessary among these.”

“Pardon?”

“Immediate necessities. Things that would cause survival issues without them, like medical supplies or weapons.”

“Ah, yes!”

Understanding Sejong’s order, the officials hurriedly began sorting documents.

“This must be included.”

“This could be removed…”

“It cannot be removed!”

As selection issues arose, the conference room quickly grew noisy. Each official argued for the necessities of their duties while opposing others’ claims.

Absorbed in this heated debate, the officials forgot Sejong’s presence.

“Hut!”

“Heok!”

The debating officials suddenly remembered Sejong sitting at the head seat. Panicked, they immediately prostrated themselves.

“To show such unseemly behavior! We are mortified!”

“Please forgive our disgraceful conduct!”

Sejong waved off their pleas with an unconcerned expression.

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

“Pardon?”

“Anyway, have you finished selecting?”

“Ah? Yes, Your Majesty!”

Looking at the documents after the officials’ response, Sejong muttered:

“Still too much. Let’s see…”

Subsequently, Sejong thoroughly picked apart the officials’ selection. Through this process, their selection was reduced by another third before Sejong finally expressed satisfaction.

“This should do.”

***

Two days later, the fleet that brought Sejong prepared to return.

“Admiral Gang.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Calling the fleet commander, Sejong handed over a large wooden box through a eunuch.

“Send this to the court immediately upon reaching Wonsan. It contains my letter.”

Admiral Gang immediately responded:

“Yes! I shall certainly do so!”

“I’m counting on you.”

“I shall do my utmost!”

And Admiral Gang faithfully executed his orders.

Upon reaching Wonsan, he immediately requested special delivery and had the box rushed to Hanseong.

***

Thus Sejong’s box went straight to Gyeongbok Palace.

The fact that it contained ‘King Sejong’s personal letter’ meant the wooden box was delivered directly to Hyang without intermediary steps, and ministers were summoned to Seunghwadang.

“Father has sent a letter.”

“Quite a substantial amount of correspondence?”

“We’ll see when we open it.”

Breaking the box’s seal, Hyang removed Sejong’s letter. After verifying the royal seal and seal state on the envelope, Hyang opened it and removed the letter.

“The Crown Prince and ministers shall see…”

The calmly beginning letter’s contents were as follows:

Having safely arrived in New Territory and inspected the situation, I find significant differences from what we heard in Hanseong.

This appears to be an issue of time lag rather than fabrication or corruption.

Consequently, more things are needed than anticipated in Hanseong.

Therefore, secure and send the items on the enclosed list to New Territory as quickly as possible.

Additionally, those in New Territory thirst for mainland news. Also, I worry about the unsettling situations in Japan and Europe heard just before departure. Thus, operate regular ship service dedicated to information delivery.

Initially assign mechanized sailing vessels for information delivery, but later it would be good to build dedicated ships prioritizing speed over cargo capacity.

“…that concludes it.”

After reading the letter aloud, Hyang handed it to Hwang Hui. After Hwang Hui and the ministers finished passing around and reading the letter, Hyang asked:

“What do you think?”

“Regular communication ships seem appropriate.”

“Indeed.”

Hyang nodded at the ministers’ response. Though Hyang handled all state affairs, it was still a regency. Consulting Sejong on issues like diplomacy and defense could reduce potential political problems.

With the ministers’ positive response, Hyang quickly decided:

“Then let’s proceed according to Father’s wishes. Let’s secure and send the requested supplies to New Territory as quickly as possible, and organize regular ships for communication. We’ll also pursue dedicated ship development as quickly as possible within budget constraints.”

“We receive your command!”

“We shall investigate available budget.”

The ministers proceeded efficiently. Watching them, Hyang suddenly grew serious.

What’s this? Suddenly feels ominous. Why this feeling?

And as Japan’s situation changed, Hyang would learn why that ominous feeling had emerged.

***

Seong Sam-mun and Han Myeong-hoe, dispatched to assess Japan’s situation, had reported to Hyang:

• A major battle between the Ouchi clan and Shogunate is certain come spring.

Jo Mal-saeng nodded at Seong Sam-mun and Han Myeong-hoe’s conclusion.

“That’s reasonable. Winter is too cold for action, and summer too hot for fighting. Especially in Japan, with its long rainy season and humidity – gunpowder could be ruined. Autumn is harvest time, and war then would ruin crops and lead to starvation.”

“So spring is the only answer?”

“Indeed.”

Hyang nodded at Jo Mal-saeng’s response.

“I agree.”

However, even when spring came, Japan remained in stalemate.

The main reason was Hyang’s condition on weapons sales:

No sales without Ouchi clan guarantee!

Hearing this condition, Japan’s lords faced a choice.

“The Shogunate offers them freely…”

“Not quite free – they say pay later, don’t they?”

“I hear Joseon’s teppō performs better…”

After such deliberation, lords began choosing between Ouchi and the Shogunate.

Though most were neutral at first, when rumors spread of neighboring domains – generally unfriendly ones – acquiring gunpowder weapons, they were forced to choose.

This situation created the stalemate. Both Ouchi and Shogunate became busy coordinating between newly joined lords.

Militarily, they restrained from combat to train suddenly increased gun troops.

As Japan’s situation changed thus, massive sales revenue flowed to Joseon, and Sejong wasn’t about to let that pass.