Chapter 257
Thanks to King Sejong cutting the timeframe in half, personnel selected from the Ministry of National Defense, the Army Headquarters, and the Ministry of Finance and Economy gathered in one ce to revise the n.
The first to speak were those from the Ministry of National Defense and the Army Headquarters.
“First, let’s base the geographical data on what we acquiredst time.”
“Wouldn’t that be risky?”
“We have no choice but to prepare as thoroughly as possible before starting, and then deal with any variables or shorings that arise on the spot.”
“There are limits to on-site response as well.”
“That’s true.”
As the debate continued, the attendees had to agonize over finding a suitable alternative.
“How about this?”As a naval officer who was searching through various reports to find an alternative spoke up, the attention of everyone in the meeting room focused on him.
“Do you have a good idea?”
“It’s using the Haeung-ss warships.”
“The Haeung-ss? Considering their size, they can’t carry much…”
An immediate objection was raised, but the initial proposer shook his head.
“I’m not suggesting we entrust transportation to the Haeung-ss. I’m saying we use them as dispatch ships.”
“Use the Haeung-ss as dispatch ships?”
The eyes of those gathered in the meeting room began to sparkle.
“Please exin in more detail.”
At the urging of the others, the proposer soon began to exin in detail.
“Among the Haeung-ss shipsunched so far, there are a total of 6 warships that have been assigned to the navy andpleted training. We will rotate these 6 ships.”
“Rotate them?”
“It would go something like this. 2 ships will be on the ind to be conquered, another 2 ships will be at Wonsan Port, 1 ship will head towards Wonsan, and thest 1 ship will head from Wonsan to the ind. Among the 2 ships staying in Wonsan, 1 will maintain a standby state, and the other will be under maintenance. Among the 2 ships staying on the ind, 1 will handle regrmunication with the shiping from Wonsan, and the other will be in charge of delivering urgent news.”
“It’s like a waterwheel turning.”
“That’s right. What do you think?”
The attendees who heard the proposer’s exnation huddled together and began to murmur.
“It seems pretty good, doesn’t it?”
“But won’t we be short on warships to deploy to Tsushima and for East Sea patrols?”
“For Tsushima, we should be fine with <i>panokseon </i>for the time being, right? To be honest, the main purpose of deploying warships to Tsushima was to deal with the Japanese pirates, right? It’s to keep the Lord of Tsushima on a leash. And for the East Sea patrols, can’t the Haeung-ss ships in charge of regrmunication handle that as well?”
“Still, it’s a bit…”
“Before this summer ends, 5 more Haeung-ss warships and 3 more Challenger-ss warships will beunched, so we just need to endure a little.”
“In that case…”
After the conversation continued in this manner, it was decided to establish a high-speedmunicationwork using the Haeung-ss ships.
***
As one agenda item was settled, a debate erupted over another issue.
The topic of the second debate was ‘Where should wend?’
With the map of the target ind ced in the center, the opinions of the attendees were divided into two.
“The bestnding spot is the bay on the east side of this southern protrusion!”
“The bay on the west side of the ind is better than that!”
In 21st-century terms, it was a division of opinions between ‘Uchiura Bay’ and ‘Ishikari Bay’.
The opinions of those supporting Uchiura Bay were as follows:
– Looking at the ind’s terrain, this bay is the optimal location for defense.
– This is because the shape of this southern protrusion is like a curved finger. The bay located inside is shaped like a jar, so if we construct fortresses on the southern and northern protrusions of the bay, which are like the mouth of the jar, defense will be easy.
– Considering the subsequent exploration of the ocean located to the east of the ind, there is no better ce than this. Once we exit the bay’s entrance and head east, we will immediately reach the ocean.
However, the rationale of those supporting Ishikari Bay was also formidable.
– To reach the bay on the southern protrusion, we must pass through the narrow strait between Japan’s main ind and the ind.
– This has a high possibility of causing conflicts not only with the Japanese pirates but also with Japan’s navy.
– Rather than wasting time andbat power in unnecessary armed conflicts, it is more efficient to select the bay on the west side of the ind as thending point.
– ording to the report from Challenger Ship No. 3, the bay on the west side directly connects to a wide in. However, the bay on the south does not. Considering the subsequent expansion of territory and the relocation of people after securing the beachhead, the bay on the west side is optimal.
– The subsequent exploration n should continue with the unfinished exploration of the northern waters of the ind, not the exploration of the ocean to the east of the ind. The ocean explorationes after that.
The confrontation between the two sides continued in a stalemate. As both sides presented reasonable arguments, a decision could not be easily reached.
In the end, the attendees, exhausted from the endless debate, keenly felt the need for a mediator.
“Let’s ask the higher-ups!”
“Let’s do that!”
And so, this issue was elevated to the Army Headquarters and the Ministry of National Defense. However, even the Ministry of National Defense and the Army Headquarters ended up being split into two, and it ultimately reached King Sejong.
***
“A difficult problem remains a difficult problem.”
Even King Sejong, who received the report, muttered with a perplexed expression.
“What do you all think?”
At King Sejong’s question, the ministers also split into two, and a debate ensued.
Watching this scene, King Sejong’s eyes turned to Hwang Hui and Kim Jong-seo. Since it was his proposal, Hwang Hui could not return to Hamgil Province and was stuck in Hanseong.
Thanks to this, Kim Jong-seo, who had unexpectedly seized good fortune, was enjoying the ‘Nights of Hanseong’.
Seeing Hwang Hui remaining silent even amid the ongoing debate, King Sejong spoke.
“What does the Provincial Governor think?” (The official title was Provincial Governor of Expulsion and Promotion<sup>[1]</sup>. However, due to the tongue-twisting name, it was often shortened to Provincial Governor, andter, Provincial Governor became the official title. [Note 1])
At King Sejong’s question, Hwang Hui took a moment to organize his thoughts and then spoke.
“Will you proceed with the matter of sending Kim Jong-seo as a secret envoy, as we didst time?”
“That’s right.”
“In that case, I rmend the bay on the west side.”
“The incident in Kyushu is rted to the choice of the bay? Hmm… I see.”
King Sejong, who had been pondering Hwang Hui’s words for a moment, nodded his head and turned his gaze. Seeing Hyang seated below the throne, King Sejong asked a question.
“What does the Crown Prince think?”
At King Sejong’s question, Hyang immediately answered.
“I agree with the opinion presented by the Provincial Governor. The actions in Kyushu will also provoke the Japanese king, so if we openly cause incidents in the north, he may overreact.”
“That’s right. But it seems like you have something more to say?”
“It’s because of the people living on that ind. I read a record that there are indigenous people.”
“Ah.”
At Hyang’s point, King Sejong nodded his head.
***
It wasn’t just the military that took action after confirming the report submitted by the captain of Ship No. 3 and the subsequent copy of the ship’s log. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also took action.
In the ship’s log of Ship No. 3, there was a record of contact with the indigenous people of the ind. To avoid unnecessary conflicts, the captain of Ship No. 3 attempted tomunicate. However, since he couldn’tmunicate with the indigenous people, the effort to find someone capable of writtenmunication continued. Through this process, he found someone who knew Chinese characters and exchanged written messages, learning that they called themselves ‘Ainu’.
ording to the captain’s report, the reactions of the indigenous people were not favorable, but they were not unconditionally hostile either.
After having a more in-depth conversation, he was able to ascertain that they were not on good terms with Japan’s main ind to the south and returned.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after thoroughly analyzing the captain’s report and the ship’s log, searched the records of the Records Office.
By analyzing the records from the Records Office and the information obtained from inquiring with the merchants at the Japanese trading post, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs deduced that the title ‘Seii Taishōgun''<sup>[2]</sup>, referring to the shogun of the bakufu, was rted to them.
“The pieces seem to fit roughly, don’t they?”
“They do. Report it.”
****
Seeing King Sejong’s reaction, Hyang continued.
“Considering the securing of the beachhead and the expansion of the upied territory, contact with the indigenous people there is inevitable. In that case, I think we should also prepare in advance a way to ept them as the people of Joseon. Shouldn’t we avoid causing conflicts by going unprepared?”
“That’s true. However, it won’t be easy.”
“It might be surprisingly easy if we fill in theircking aspects. Wasn’t it the same with the Jurchen people?”
At Hyang’s words, King Sejong and the ministers nodded their heads.
“Filling in theircking aspects…”
As King Sejong muttered, Hyang immediately followed up.
“Don’t we have the Office of Monopoly?”
“Aha!”
As Hyang mentioned the ‘Office of Monopoly’, King Sejong and the ministers simultaneously eximed.
Seeing this, Hyang smiled slightly and muttered inwardly.
‘While Western explorers lured indigenous people with ss ornaments, we have the Office of Monopoly!’
As Hyang mentioned the Office of Monopoly, Hwang Hui added.
“The Office of Monopoly will certainly be much more useful than force. There are Jurchen tribes that surrendered because of the Office of Monopoly.”
“I think so too.”
As King Sejong agreed, Jo Mal-saeng interjected.
“It’s better to establish a rtionship through trade rather than prioritizing force. The mostcking thing for our Joseon military is manpower.”
At Jo Mal-saeng’s words, King Sejong let out a long sigh.
“Phew… Is it only the military that’s like that?”
At King Sejong’s sigh, Kim Jeom, the Minister of Finance and Economy, interjected.
“As Joseon’s poption is rapidly increasing, Your Majesty’s concerns will soon be resolved.”
“I hope that dayes quickly.”
King Sejong replied to Kim Jeom’s words with a genuinely earnest expression.
***
As royal lectures progressed, Joseon’s poption began to increase.
The spread of cowpox vination, the strengthening of hygiene education, and the pre-preparedrge quantities of medicinal ingredients prevented the spread of epidemics.
In addition, as irrigation facilities and farnd were improved, food production also started to increase.
Moreover, the surrender of the Jurchen people also ounted for a significant portion of Joseon’s poption growth.
With the addition of various conditions, the graph representing Joseon’s poption growth was showing an increasingly steep upward trend.
Confirming the graph, Kim Jeom muttered with a face full of delight.
“If we continue like this, we will soon surpass 7 million. And when the children born these days reach adulthood, form families, and have children of their own, even 10 million won’t be a dream.”
A poption of 10 million.
If Joseon’s capabilities continued to be strengthened as they were now, and new technologies were introduced, surpassing a poption of 10 million would mean no longer having to unconditionally bow down to the Ming Dynasty.
It was the revival of a powerful nation that even the rulers of China in the past could not treat recklessly.
***
Although the conversation briefly went off on a tangent, King Sejong reached a conclusion.
“I will draw a conclusion. Our Joseon army will establish a beachhead at the bay on the west side.”
“We will follow yourmand.”
“And while preparing thoroughly in case of armed conflict, make sure that Joseon does not take the initiative in attacking first. Let’s have faith in the Office of Monopoly.”
“We will engrave it in our minds!”
Following King Sejong’s decision, the operation to conquer this unimed ind entered full-scale preparations.
Although slightly derailed, Joseon’s external expansion had officially begun.
***
Note 1) In 1466 (12th year of King Sejo’s reign), the title was changed from Provincial Governor of Expulsion and Promotion to Provincial Governor. This is based on the author’s imagination.<ol><li>都觀察黜陟使[?]</li><li>征夷大將軍[?]</li></ol>