Chapter 60

Chapter 60

The Sprout of Capitalism (5)

My plan to graft fresh and good for the body British-style capitalism onto Joseon is truly proceeding in various ways.

But why.

This world’s best artist Park In-ho is wholeheartedly polishing Joseon, but the feeling of not becoming British Mk.II but gradually... becoming Prussia.

Actually I know the answer.

Britain is the only country in the world where industrialization and modernization occurred spontaneously, and the rest of the countries all rolled rice balls here and there to achieve industrialization and modernization after witnessing Britain’s results.

No matter how much I say ‘this tastes killing? Try try!’ sane pre-modern people absolutely do not try to eat this, so ultimately can feed only after tying all limbs and even putting on a blindfold capitalism.

To do reform from above ultimately what pops out is Prussian-style reform. A kind of convergent evolution. But what to do this has the best grades?

Since I wholeheartedly advised for Joseon until now, even if realizing a bit of profit now no one will say anything.

My first target was precisely the Gyeonggang merchants.

***

As Joseon’s merchants there are Song merchants of Gaeseong, Man merchants of Uiju, Nae merchants of Dongnae, Yu merchants of Pyongyang etc. but... as expected there is no huge force that can follow the Gyeonggang merchants.

Among these Song merchants and Man merchants are managed through the connection link called Im Sangok.

They inserted Geumseong Sanghoe, in other words Lee & Gladstone Company as a cushion during China trade and borrowed the grace of the Union Jack and reaped vast profits.

Since returning to Joseon I have not gone to the northwest, but if going there I am confident of reigning as a Michael Jackson-level superstar. There is no other person as open to commercial activities as me.

Peddlers?

Those guys are not that strong originally. Peddlers may have personal force or information power but do not have much money. If have money why wander instead of opening a store and settling?

And the Nae merchants are waiting.

Waiting only for this great black ship riding superman Arthur Lee to wide open the Japanese market...

Then the Gyeonggang merchants?

“Because of that blue-eyed monster!”

“If that bastard died no regret...”

“Quiet. If wanting to keep the neck!”

The ‘gyeong’ of Gyeonggang merchants points to the capital Hanyang and ‘gang’ is of course rivers like the Han River.

They practically monopolized Joseon’s water transport, and above all were delegated the transport of grain transport tax grain. Collusion with the power class is needless to say.

They operated places called yeogak, think of it as a combination of business motel and large warehouse and bank and sales agency. Since have money and power like large corporations make a platform and eat brokerage fees.

Also since monopolizing water transport of course deeply involved in shipbuilding, the work of making ships. Practically Joseon’s shipbuilding was no different from their share.

But the situation changed.

As the peak of power they colluded with Kim Jwageun suddenly flipped.

‘Kill all the monopolizing brokers!’

Here some of the Gyeonggang merchants died once. Friends whose friendship with Kim Jwageun was insufficient.

Next Kim Jwageun himself was hit by an iron mace and became a corpse.

Heonjong and his friends whose national granary was empty attached ‘treason’ to the surviving merchants. Quite a few Gyeonggang merchants hung again.

And the one putting the final hit is precisely this body, Arthur Lee.

“Joseon’s ship-related technology is very backward. I will provide the best ships so there will be no more suffering in grain transport.”

“Joseon obtaining you is truly the great fortune of the ancestors!”

The court refreshingly transferring interests was never only because afraid of Britain’s punch.

Because the Gyeonggang merchants’ evils far transcended imagination that much.

Skimming part or all of the grain being transported.

Putting water in the grain to swell and skimming again as much as the swollen volume.

Deliberately sinking with the grain transport ship.

Market price manipulation through monopolizing. Not other things but doing this bullshit steadily with rice the lifeline and there were times riots broke out.

Anyway now that this guy that guy all sentenced to death and property confiscated and became a mess.

Lee & Gladstone Company snatched the core interests of the Gyeonggang merchants grain transport and water transport and seized Joseon’s logistics.

But what can you guys do?

Anyway ended up being replaced while putting on airs saying there is no way to replace themselves and eating for a long time why harbor resentment toward me?

Lee & Gladstone Company bought decent ships from China and India recklessly, and sold the remaining ones at cheap prices to other merchants too. The traditional shipyards the Gyeonggang merchants held all died from lack of work and the boatmen and sailors who were unemployed were employed as our sanghoe employees under decent conditions.

The yeogak the Gyeonggang merchants held? Just bring it. <​Port modernization> is going out. Instead of such shabby yeogak taste the latest Western-style buildings a bit.

Seized logistics so now Joseon’s blood vessels are mine.

If railways open here even the nerves are mine.

Unless the Joseon court goes crazy and thrusts a knife saying will nationalize all this, with just this I have brought in one goose that lays golden eggs at home.

“These guys seem to be showing suspicious movements...”

“Just crush. Surely not leaving still?”

“Haha. Don’t worry. Foolish merchants opposing the court’s policies to fill my belly how dare see tomorrow’s sun?”

So power is good.

Roughly concluded the Gyeonggang merchants matter too so now gradually facing Japan.

Another matter arose.

***

Hanyang was peaceful today too.

Construction happening from all sides day by day, yangban sipping coffee or chocolate in cafes, commoners arguing in taverns over which stone fight troupe is Hanyang’s strongest.

Thinking that just a while ago all of Hanyang almost became ashes it was peaceful enough to be truly surprising.

And I was sitting on the wooden veranda blankly smoking tobacco.

Since an important story say in advance, I am not a smoker. Absolutely I am not a heavy smoker, nor do I go around spreading dirty smells.

Nevertheless the reason holding a lit long pipe is first because this long pipe is a precious object bestowed by the king of Joseon, and another is according to Joseon’s medical knowledge tobacco is a medicinal herb that nourishes the stomach so only prescribed the appropriate prescription called tobacco to soothe my sour insides.

So I am not a smoker.

How long would I have been sitting blankly like that.

The sound of the door bursting open was heard, and the person inside slowly walked out.

It was the royal physician.

“Congratulations, Minister. Pregnancy is certain.”

“That, really?”

“Certain.”

“Thank you. Really thank you!”

“His Majesty prepared some medicinal herbs in advance. Will decoct a good decoction for pregnant women, so if telling the servants to take care morning noon evening it seems fine.”

“Thank you! Will not forget this grace!”

“Must say to His Majesty not me.”

The mind becomes distant.

Heonjong and Lee Ha-eung who always made sinister smiles seeing me as the period without news lengthened no longer made that fucked smile but gave sincere comfort and worry. That was 3 times more fucked.

But now that time also ended.

The first child.

Fuck. In this primitive land, uncivilized 19th century the life of a pregnant woman is obviously fly life. What to do from what?

Why did I not read many medical stories? As soon as falling to the past should I have challenged making blue mold by fermenting bread too?

Unlike me stamping my feet, Lizzy was truly calm.

“Would there be anything special?”

“Still don’t know!”

“Nothing will happen. Certain. The child is telling. Still the Lord thinks I have things to do here.”

Faith.

Just looking at that miscellaneous ghost attached next to me my inner faith is being scraped off drop by drop.

- Huh? Me?

Right. Come to think of it was curious so let’s ask once.

If there is a miscellaneous ghost like you does god really exist? Whether exists, if exists whether really the Christian god or Buddha, or at least the Jade Emperor or Cthulhu waiting is curious.

- There is a four-character idiom prepared for stupid guys like you.

Oh. What?

- Heaven’s secrets leaked.

Fuck. Joking?

- Can tell... but the moment hearing your life until now ends there.

Die? Just hearing?

- Keep asking don’t. This Dangbaekjeon-level idiot. No law that life ending is only death... don’t cross the line for mere curiosity resolution. Others all live well not knowing?

Truly rarely the Dragon King emitted a divine presence befitting something with the character ‘king’ attached, and at that moment I instinctively sensed that the moment hearing the <​answer> it would not be strange whatever really happens.

Whether hit by lightning, become a salt rock, go crazy, turn one’s back on the secular world and become a monk, wear a bamboo hat and wander Joseon’s eight provinces...

If none then as none, if exists then as exists the current my world will shatter.

Right. Such things are not things to care about. Since when was I such a devout believer.

The method to resolve this pent-up anger is still only one.

Before anger fills inside and fire disease occurs discharge something boiling.

But a excellent person like me does not simply vent anger, but by acting for everyone’s public good advances society one step further.

So absolutely no personal resentment.

“Criminal Kim Byeongyeon receive the rope!”

“Ah, no? I am just a wandering traveler but crime?”

“A descendant of a prestigious great clan not doing state affairs but abandoning the household and wandering writing vulgar writings? The head of the household who should preserve the household abandoned wife and children and fled and made blood bruises in the parents’ chests if this is not a crime what is!”

Kim Byeongyeon.

Joseon’s wandering poet much more famous by the nickname Kim Satgat.

His long journey ended on a certain day in 1854, after being caught by postal soldiers who suddenly flocked and forcibly delivered home.

But even if the one who wandered for a lifetime sits at home will only eat side-eye rice.

When he who was embarrassed even to see the children’s faces was secretly dreaming of escape.

People flocked again.

“Kim Byeongyeon has long wandered Joseon’s eight provinces and been in the lowest places so among this country’s scholar-officials is more knowledgeable than anyone about the lives of naked and poor people. Thus appoint to the postal bureau clerk-”

Official post?

Postal bureau?

In the moment of uh uh he had already become an official, went to court and even had an audience with the king, recited the set template lines of boundless grace and went to work at the postal bureau. Truly bewildered.

“The famous Elder Kim Satgat official post! Welcome.”

“Wandered around for a lifetime... don’t know what official work I can do like this.”

“Don’t worry. There is work the master can do best.”

Postal bureau.

And the secret organization hidden under it, the Ikmunsa.

“The master just wander as before and if discovering profiteers eating the country lead postal soldiers and beat them.”

“That... isn’t it secret royal inspector?”

“Inspectors only crushed corrupt officials. We just crush all. Just the upper line ordered to crush merchants still not knowing the world changed and fleecing the people-”

Kim Satgat.

Wandering resumed.

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