Ten days later, the Chief Secretary reported to King Sejong.
"Your Majesty, the head of the Songshang, the Zhang family, has presented thirty pairs of oxen."
"Thirty pairs of oxen? Why?"
In response to Sejong's question, the Chief Secretary explained the reason.
"They presented them hoping to contribute, even a little, to the smallpox vaccination program being implemented by the state."
Sejong's face brightened at the Chief Secretary's report.
"Is that so? I must meet him in person."
"Your Majesty! Meeting a lowly merchant directly would be a dishonor to Your Majesty's dignity!"
Despite the Chief Censor's objections, Sejong snorted and stood up from his seat.
"Tsk! This lowly merchant has presented thirty pairs of oxen, which even the ministers wouldn't offer! Reflect on who is truly dishonoring my dignity!"
The Chief Censor was left speechless by Sejong's rebuke, and Sejong, guided by the Chief Secretary and the Attendant, left the Gyeongjeong Hall.
In the large courtyard in front of Gyeongjeong Hall, the merchants stood in a line.
"His Majesty has arrived~."
At the Attendant's announcement, the gathered merchants prostrated themselves on the ground, bowing deeply.
"Rise."
At Sejong's command, the merchants, who were seated on chairs brought by the eunuchs, stood up respectfully, clasping their hands.
"So, you presented the oxen?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I heard that oxen were needed for the smallpox vaccination and decided to present them."
"Thirty pairs of oxen must have required a significant amount of wealth. How did you come to think of this?"
"Accumulating wealth is meaningless without people, and commerce cannot thrive if the people are not at peace."
Impressed by the head merchant's response, Sejong slapped his knee.
"Indeed, a wise answer to a foolish question!"
Sejong, admiring the head merchant's response, glanced at the ministers who had followed him, as if to make them listen.
"Commerce cannot thrive if the people are not at peace. Isn't this far better than those who sit in comfort and merely talk?"
"..."
The ministers, rebuked by Sejong, could only remain silent.
Having given the ministers a taste of their own medicine, Sejong turned to the merchants in the courtyard and asked,
"So, you presented the oxen for the smallpox vaccination?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. They are thirty pairs of oxen, each a matched pair of male and female, and they are all fully grown and have never had smallpox."
"Hehehe! Truly thoughtful! Indeed, thirty pairs of oxen that have never had smallpox will be a great help! Since you have provided such significant assistance for the state, do you have any requests? Do you want an official position? Or something else?"
In response to Sejong's question, the head merchant bowed his head and answered.
"How can a lowly merchant like me desire an official position? Moreover, I have merely done what any citizen of Joseon should do. How can I ask for a reward? If I have a wish, it is that my family, who all live in Kaesong, could be vaccinated first when the smallpox vaccination program is expanded."
Pausing for a moment, the head merchant looked at Sejong and the ministers before adding,
"It is just a small wish of a lowly merchant who only knows how to do business."
"Many people doubt the effectiveness of the smallpox vaccination. However, you seem to be confident that it will work?"
"As a father, who would not wish for their children's safety? And since it is a decision made by the wise Your Majesty, there is no reason to doubt it."
Sejong burst into laughter at the head merchant's response.
"Hahaha! Good! I will issue an order to start the vaccination in Kaesong!"
At Sejong's clear answer, the merchants immediately prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted,
"Your grace is boundless!"
"Your grace is boundless!"
While the merchants were expressing their gratitude, Heung, who had heard the news, entered the courtyard.
"Prince, have you come?"
"Yes."
Sejong raised his hand and pointed to the merchants.
"Are they not truly admirable citizens?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I would like to thank them. May I?"
"Permission granted."
"Your grace is boundless."
With Sejong's permission, Heung descended the steps and walked to the merchants. As Heung approached, the merchants bowed deeply.
"We greet the Crown Prince!"
"Nice to meet you."
Although it was amusing to see a young child speaking with the formality of an adult, the merchants, who were extremely nervous, did not notice.
Heung walked up to the head merchant and took his hand.
"Thank you very much."
"Oh! For a noble like you to take the hand of a lowly merchant! What an honor!"
"What is wrong with the hand of someone who does their best in their profession? On the contrary, it is a truly precious hand."
Moved by Heung's words, the head merchant bowed deeply.
"An honor! An honor indeed!"
"Neither I nor your Majesty will criticize your hard work. We will not look down on you for being a merchant. However, I must advise you to walk the right path. As long as you do not seek quick profits at the expense of others, you will not be oppressed for being a merchant."
In response to Heung's advice, the head merchant answered loudly.
"I will remember and follow your words!"
After meeting the king and the prince and leaving the palace, the head of the Songshang, Zhang, looked back at the palace with a satisfied smile.
"A wise ruler has appeared. A wise ruler. And not just one, but two."
"Indeed."
"I have heard that the king is extraordinary, but the prince is also remarkable. Though our meeting was brief, he is certainly not an ordinary person. I had only heard rumors and thought he was just a peculiar individual..."
The merchants who accompanied Zhang all added their own comments. Nodding at their words, Zhang turned around.
"Let's have a little hope. If the ruler of the palace has such a character, we might be able to travel the four seas like our ancestors did."
"Yes, Master Zhang."
Walking with a satisfied smile, Zhang suddenly looked angry.
"Thinking about it, why is my grandson such a troublemaker? Ugh! I'm so angry!"
Muttering about his mischievous grandson, Zhang heard someone behind him whisper.
"It's because the seeds are different..."
"Shh!"
* * *
The rumor that the Songshang had spent money to present oxen to the king spread quickly.
"Of course, it's the Songshang."
"Who would say they're not merchants?"
"Though they are merchants, look at the result. They say the vaccination will start in Kaesong."
As the rumor spread, the local gentry and the people of the village and surrounding areas became the topic of conversation.
"It's not just the Songshang. Have you heard about the scholar from Gang village beyond the back mountain?"
"What about the scholar from Gang village?"
"He is said to have found five pairs of oxen that have never had smallpox and presented them."
"Really?"
"It's not just him. The student from Naro village, Choi, is also busy looking for oxen."
Hearing this, a farmer cursed.
"Damn! What is our village scholar doing, being so quiet?"
"He must be busy hitting the concubine's behind he brought in last autumn."
"Indeed... He only moves when it's time to fill his own belly."
"He only spends money when it's time to buy silk for the concubine's clothes... Our fate is truly miserable."
As the rumor spread, the gap between the local gentry and the people grew. Of course, the gentry who took the lead in spending money to find oxen and wrote petitions advocating for the nationwide implementation of the vaccination program received the absolute support of their fellow villagers. However, such gentry did not exceed 30% nationwide.
Receiving the petitions and reports from the provincial governors, Sejong glared at the ministers.
"What did you say before? That the state should not interfere in the small matters of the countryside? That harsh government is more ferocious than a tiger?"
In response to Sejong's rebuke, the Chief State Councillor and other anti-prince ministers had to bow their heads.
"Your grace is boundless!"
"Your grace is boundless!"
While the ministers bowed and begged for forgiveness, Sejong, with his anger still visible, waved his hand.
"Enough. Prepare for the nationwide implementation of the smallpox vaccination."
"Your grace, the national finances are not in good shape for a nationwide implementation."
"Wasn't it decided to collect taxes from the local gentry to address the financial issue?"
"Collecting taxes when the effectiveness of the vaccination is still uncertain would provoke resistance from the gentry..."
"Shut your damn mouth right now!"
Sejong exploded at the Chief State Councillor, who continued to oppose. The informal language that slipped out froze the entire hall.
Sejong roughly searched through the petitions and reports on his desk. Finding the report he was looking for, he threw it at the Chief State Councillor.
"Hypocrisy. I've only heard about it, but here it is right in front of me! Do you know what this report is about? It's about the smallpox vaccination program implemented in Hanyang this time! Not a single one of you ministers