Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Beans Planted Where Beans Grow (5)

If saying the post office makes money weak 21st century people might think ‘yes? Why does that make money? Those guys are full of deficit?’.

But now is the romantic 19th century.

Home phones that compete with the post office, beepers, cell phones, Cyworld, NateOn, smartphones, psionic colors all do not exist.

- Something the examples are strange...

So, the post office of this era is an institution that combines all those things.

Must imagine a huge public institution that is a company exclusively in charge of internet and communication and even has monopoly to compare with the post office of this era.

“How different from the postal relay?”

“The point that anyone can freely send letters and luggage if paying the usage fee is the core.”

“Does that leave that much profit?”

“Yes. Now everyone entrusts to servants or passing travelers, but how much would Joseon people want to send letters if not for having no way to send somewhere?”

“Hmmm...”

“Your Majesty. This post thing is truly worthy of being called royal business.”

Heonjong who grew only in the nine-fold palace looked somewhat suspicious, but Lee Ha-eung who lived as a wild Joseon person even hearing the sound of <​funeral house dog> had eyes shining very brightly. Perhaps was President Crab in a previous life.

“Is this that much?”

“Yes. First please say will receive all petitions only by post. If a scholar with a mouth will use the post until dry and worn.”

I will correct.

Just Joseon people love control too much.

Far transcending the concept of ‘free letter exchange between individuals’ the idea ‘petitions are also letters between scholars and the king. Let’s entrust all petitions to the post office.’ immediately pops out.

“If doing so the backlash of Confucian scholars seems big? If even raising a petition to the king has to use wealth which scholar would welcome?”

“Regarding that there is one method.”

“Does Britain also have a similar system?”

“Yes. It is called stamp duty.”

What kind of country is the British Empire. A country bloodshot in collecting taxes.

Where else is there a means to tear taxes as easily and conveniently as stamp duty in the pre-modern era.

“Raising a letter to the king if writing on any shabby paper how is this not an immoral thing? Must write on paper made through a neat process to be a correct thing as a scholar. And it is stamping a seal proving that this paper is paper satisfying the court’s correct regulations.”

“That is, stamping a seal informing that went through legitimate procedures?”

“And in this process the country’s public power was consumed so paying a modest fee.”

In Joseon people’s heads thoughts like too stingy, petty might arise.

But if a 21st century Korean one would know. Every time issuing certified copies of real estate registers or seal certificates paying a few hundred won a few thousand won little by little if gathering all that how much big money would it be?

Above all stamp duty is a tax paid only by people using the service. Farmers digging dirt and living in the countryside almost have no matter of paying this tax, only guys scratching their butts in the corner of the room saying Confucius said Mencius said ‘hmm, bored shall I raise a petition denouncing the times’ pay this tax.

Once piercing the post office profit businesses are endless.

Only send letters? Parcel delivery is also possible.

If the introduction of stamps succeeds can naturally also handle postal money orders. 21st century people who turn on the financial app and do account transfer when sending money to others don’t know but 19th century people if not giving cash postal money orders are the safest and most convenient means.

“If widely handling this post sending servants will become a very awkward thing and exchanging letters through the post office will become natural.”

Would be.

“So it will become truly convenient for places like the Office of the Inspector General to inspect letters, so for cracking down on traitors and arresting there seems nothing as good as this post system.”

...Right. I lost. I lost to Joseon people who as soon as talking about the post office system start thinking of censoring letters!!

“Hmm. Then just try once. Let’s discuss soon.”

“Understood.”

How to utilize the post office?

How to widely inform this system to people and make them accept easily?

For 21st century people of course that answer is also prepared.

- What trying to do?

Once Joseon’s first post office opens, as a pilot case send letters here and there.

- Greeting letters? Well. Since you also have people with acquaintance in Joseon one way or another...

The letter I will send is precisely this.

<​This letter first started in Britain and while going around once a year gave luck to the recipient and now this letter transferred to you must leave your side within 4 days. Including this letter must send 7 to people who need luck...>

- Really you only turn your head exceptionally in this direction? Yes?

What sound.

This is just bestowing a bit of know-how to quickly master the new civilization seeing for the first time. The fact that can raise a few buildings with just stamp revenue in that process is a modest bonus.

And really really honestly... compared to people trying to do censorship or traitor hunting or whatever aren’t I very mild taste?

***

Joseon was changing day by day.

I love Hanyang’s Sungnyemun.

The sun rises above Sungnyemun.

Since the great king Lee Hwan the Great leads us forward, was there ever a time in Joseon dynasty history when such a wise His Majesty ruled the country?

- Stop! Daring to sing that scary song! Won’t shut the mouth immediately!

Come to think of it the jar ghost feels a bit weak to ‘that person’.

- The Dragon King is a king.

Yes. But?

- But ‘that person’ was the Son of Heaven of the Middle Kingdom. Since king and emperor our abilities were in a superior-subordinate relationship.

Is this... correct? So?

- That, originally, even when cutting a big tree in the village say ‘it’s the royal order so follow’ to the mountain god or shouting ‘quickly quickly as commanded’ when catching ghosts are all like wisdom of public official life. So the groups following that person also have not very good compatibility with me... not very...

Hmm. Such a thing.

In short like the Eastern Depot or Embroidered Uniform Guard under the emperor, the Red Guards under Chairman Mao also had sufficient power to degrade the guy who was Dragon King or whatever to a mere jar ghost. The world of ghosts is also really hard to live.

- Must! Must remove at least that Mao guy! Please Arthur! That guy is the enemy who imprisoned me in the jar! Quickly get up, Arthur!

Let’s put the jar ghost burning resentment toward Mao aside for a bit. Since don’t even know if the sparrow slayer is born now.

Joseon was truly dynamically changing.

Westerners began revealing their appearance on Joseon land one by one, and these all possessed objects or technologies Joseon people had never even thought of.

Honestly speaking there were things I don’t know why Joseon people are enthusiastic about, and conversely things I a future person think must necessarily introduce but Joseon people do not regard favorably at all.

For example such things.

“If building this clock tower in the middle of Hanyang marketplace the dignity of the ancestral temples and altars and the royal family will truly stand upright.”

Heungseon-gun Lee Ha-eung who keeps saying build a large clock tower instead of the ambitious dream of rebuilding Gyeongbokgung.

“Since Westerners will frequently come and go on Joseon land from now on, I think it is right to build a new hall to entertain and lodge them. How about raising a new building for Westerners referencing the example of Dongpyeonggwan?”

...Now looking just seems anxious wanting to do construction. Isn’t construction precisely the instinct of Joseon people.

Meanwhile Heonjong really drew the sword.

Entered the preparation work for land reform.

“Will do land survey.”

Land survey, in modern terms measuring land and registering.

Similar to 21st century people struggling somehow to pay less tax, the technique any scholar-official of this era does is precisely somehow not reporting the land one has to the country and long-conning.

The king’s position is only ‘let’s collect our taxes fairly and squarely?’, but from the position of guys with land it becomes ‘no we lived well without paying tax until now and now have to pay tax?’ so no way quiet.

“······.”

“······.”

But now it was quiet.

Well who would act up after specially screening the jujube tree traitor hanging. As expected tax collection is not done with words but with fists.

Moreover there was one more reason the court officials are quiet now.

“Ministers listen. I heard the British army advanced right in front of Beijing is this true?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The Qing army collapsed without proper resistance and the British army advanced to Tianjin and the Jin Khan fled to Rehe.”

How much Joseon people dislike Qing can be known just from word choice.

Whether in private or public they don’t use the words ‘Qing’ or ‘China’ well.

Then what do they call?

‘That country’.

Lord Voldemort whose name must not be called has existed on Joseon land from hundreds of years ago. Joseon people absolutely did not quietly call Qing Qing.

The Qing emperor is also similar.

Compared to attaching full name titles like Shenzong Wanli or whatever to the emperors of the long-perished Ming, Qing emperors if possible cover with pronouns as much as possible or just call Qing lord.

But now not even Qing lord but called Jin Khan, in other words Khan of Jin. Dropped one more grade.

“From when hearing the words that the Jin Khan does not govern the country with virtue and rebellions swarm in all directions of the Central Plains I knew such a thing would happen. How would a country holding that huge Central Plains land collapse easily? Without losing the Mandate of Heaven how can the one called emperor abandon the capital and flee?”

“Truly right words.”

The ministers and Heonjong both had very thick face skin.

‘Not governing the country with virtue? Isn’t that the words Your Majesty said?’

‘We also seem to have had a rebellion not long ago.’

‘Your Majesty also wanted to flee but was caught by Kim Jwageun and couldn’t even flee, right.’

But because they have the wisdom not to say the words boiling inside they are all officials sitting in the court. Friends who said as they wanted were all rocket delivered next to Kim Jwageun.

“Ah! Truly sad! Even this foolish one only associated with various Western countries with faith receiving the assistance of excellent ministers and could immediately correct the country and save the people in misery. How base and without eyes is the Jin Khan that he can abandon even this easy thing and make the people suffer such hardship?”

Heonjong now seeing Qing as dick and enthusiastically dissing.

However the ministers were also yangban who never fall behind in sucking the king and chewing Qing.

“This subject quietly observed the heavens and the vital energy was fuller in Haedong than any other time and just gazing at the blue light seemed like the eyes would go blind!”

“A farmer in Asan discovered a copper sparrow while plowing the field!”

“Hunters in Hamgyeong Province saw a giraffe and phoenix in the mountains, the remaining traces were truly strange and definitely traces of spiritual beasts not ordinary beasts!”

“If there was a king-like king in the Central Plains how could such auspicious signs continue on the vassal Joseon land?”

Heonjong who was leisurely appreciating the praise medley for a while opened his mouth again.

“But the Jurchens are originally vicious and have no virtue seeds, so if Westerners conclude a treaty and withdraw they will definitely try to threaten our eastern country of propriety and vent their anger.”

“Yes.”

“Your Majesty. Military state affairs are a more important point than any other time. Please order and train a strong army.”

“Your words are truly right! The Jin Khan will definitely reveal that vicious inner mind the same as the byeongja year, to not suffer the same humiliation as then the army must precede all things!”

The madman declaration of all-in on only the military.

However Joseon people who heard the sound that Tianjin is burning and Beijing is about to be pierced were busy enthusiastically responding instead of the cliché lines of accumulating virtue.

Yes.

Manchuria... have to go?

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Author's note

Tonsillitis.. it is... Kieek...

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