Due to the death of Emperor Hongxi, the political situation between Joseon and the Ming Dynasty became unclear, and the event planned for the autumn of the year Eulsa to invite the tribal chiefs of the Jurchen had to be postponed.
"Truly regrettable. Truly regrettable. Tsk!"
"That is indeed the case, Your Majesty."
As Sejong expressed his regret and smacked his lips, the ministers also nodded in agreement.
"I have no choice but to invite the Jurchen tribes next year. Let's handle other matters first."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Regarding the transplanting method, what were the results of the investigation?"
* * *
Over two years, the nationwide water management project significantly reduced concerns about floods and droughts.
Encouraged by this, Sejong ordered the start of research on the transplanting method.
"The Ming Dynasty produces a lot of rice not only because of the climate but also due to the transplanting method. Since rice is our staple food, we should start researching the transplanting method."
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
Following Sejong's order, the transplanting method, which had been secretly used in the Hasamdo region, began to be publicly applied to rice farming.
Officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue were dispatched to the selected regions to conduct thorough investigations.
* * *
In response to Sejong's inquiry about the investigation results, Minister Hyejo of the Ministry of Personnel immediately answered.
"Considering only the yield, the lowest increase was 15% compared to direct seeding, and the highest was 25%. On average, the yield increased by about 19.8%."
"Is that a significant increase?"
Sejong's question was answered by Hwang Hee.
"Compared to the rumors, it's not a large increase."
"Why is that?"
"Ample fertilizer and sturdy farming tools are necessary, and most importantly, we need high-yield varieties."
Sejong stroked his beard at Hwang Hee's answer.
"Then, do we need to obtain seeds from the Ming?"
"The rice from the Ming also has issues."
"What issues?"
"It has less stickiness compared to our Joseon rice. Therefore, there are cases where the rice distributed as relief or payment is collected and exchanged for Joseon rice. The most common exchange rate is 3 seok of Ming rice for 2 seok of Joseon rice."
Sejong's expression turned troubled at Hwang Hee's answer.
"I thought that expanding water management facilities would solve the transplanting method issue, but it seems that's not the case."
"However, if the necessary facilities are secured and the seed problem is resolved, it will be a very good method."
"Is that so? In what way?"
"It can reduce the number of people engaged in farming."
"Hmm?"
Sejong showed strong interest at Hwang Hee's words.
* * *
The most significant aspect of the economic development was the enhancement of commercial and industrial capabilities.
A large part of the plan was to strengthen commercial and industrial capabilities and use them as a foundation for urbanization.
Urbanization was crucial for Sejong in many ways.
As commerce and industry developed, people would gather in their centers, and as people gathered, cities would be formed.
With the formation of cities, the monetary economy, which had been a key focus of previous kings, would quickly take root.
Moreover, as people gathered in cities, the landowners would lose their influence, and royal authority would be strengthened.
While strengthening Joseon's capabilities, Sejong aimed to strengthen royal authority.
This was the core of the economic development Sejong pursued.
Of course, when analyzing Sejong's economic development strategy, Hyang pointed out a problem to Sejong.
"Urbanization can strengthen royal authority, but it can also become the biggest threat to it."
"Father knows. If the livelihoods of those who gather in the cities are threatened, the royal authority will be in danger."
"That is correct."
Hyang nodded with a worried expression.
'Like the French Revolution, which started in Paris! The birth of communism was also due to the poverty of workers!'
Seeing Hyang's worried face, Sejong smiled.
"How long will it take for the livelihoods of those who gather in the cities to be threatened?"
"Uh... Well..."
"If it takes that long for urbanization to happen, how many people will actually abandon their fields and leave?"
"Very few, I believe."
"Then, who will be the first to flock to the cities that are just starting to develop?"
"Probably the displaced people."
Sejong nodded at Hyang's answer.
"That's right. There are still many displaced people wandering aimlessly in our Joseon. Urbanization is necessary to settle them."
Hyang nodded at Sejong's explanation.
'Tsk. The industrialization I learned about has different goals and processes...'
The industrial revolution Sejong was promoting through economic development was different in cause and process from what Hyang had learned in textbooks.
The Western industrial revolution was driven by commercial capital, which grew larger and pursued more wealth, leading to revolutionary technological and institutional advancements.
However, the economic development Sejong was pursuing was similar to the economic development plans implemented by the military dictatorship of the Republic of Korea.
* * *
Given this situation, Sejong showed interest in Hwang Hee's words.
"Reduce the number of people engaged in farming? How?"
"The core of the transplanting method is transplanting. When seedlings are planted in flooded fields, the number of times the fields need to be weeded and managed is significantly reduced."
"Hmm... That makes sense."
At the time, the direct seeding method, which most Joseon farmers used, involved scattering rice seeds in flooded fields.
This method required continuous weeding and management from the moment the seeds sprouted, making it labor-intensive.
"Reducing labor... "
As Sejong showed interest, Hwang Hee provided an actual example.
"There is an elderly couple in Gyeongsang-do. Their sons were all killed by the Japanese pirates, and they lived with their two grandsons. However, this couple used the transplanting method to farm, and except for transplanting and harvesting, they managed a 1 jeol (η΅, 2750~11000 pyeong) of rice field by themselves."
"How did they manage transplanting and harvesting?"
"They borrowed slaves from nearby landowners for transplanting and harvesting and paid them."
"Hmm? As the saying goes, old ginger is the spiciest... Indeed, the old saying is true."
"That is correct. If we use the village cooperative and mutual aid, there will be no need for most of the people to be engaged in farming."
"Indeed, that is true!"
Sejong was delighted and slapped his knee at Hwang Hee's words.
However, as soon as Hwang Hee finished speaking, the Minister of Justice raised an objection.
"Your Majesty! While village cooperatives and mutual aid can be a solution, they can also become a problem!"
"Another problem?"
"Please consider why village cooperatives and mutual aid were banned."
"Oh... I see."
Sejong's expression darkened at the Minister of Justice's words.
Village cooperatives and mutual aid were means to strengthen rural communities.
The problem was that local aristocrats and powerful families used the solidarity created by these means to strengthen their own power.
Even if that were not the case, most of the peasant uprisings at the end of the previous dynasty were led by farmers who gathered through village cooperatives.
Therefore, while local officials could mobilize the people, the government banned the formation of informal organizations like village cooperatives and mutual aid.
Ironically, while the central government banned village cooperatives and mutual aid, local scholars advocated for the use of 'hyangyak' (village covenants) infused with Confucian ideals.
Although this claim by local scholars subsided when the political purge involving Jo Gwang-jo occurred, it eventually spread nationwide when the sarim (scholar-officials) took power.
In the end, Sejong could only reach a tentative conclusion.
"There is not enough evidence that the transplanting method will definitely increase yields, and the methods to solve the labor mobilization problem are still insufficient. Let's conduct more research."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
"Let's take a break."
Sejong, who declared a recess, stepped outside and sighed deeply.
"Phew~. Nothing is easy..."
"Father!"
Sejong, who was frowning over the unsolvable problem, turned his head with a smile at Hyang's energetic voice.
"What is it?"
Hyang grinned and exclaimed in response to Sejong's question.
"I've made a thresher!"
"Thresher?"
"Yes!"
Sejong's curiosity was piqued by Hyang's proud answer.
"Alright, let me see it."
"It's in the front courtyard of Geunjeongjeon!"
"Is that so? Sangsun, call the ministers."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A short while later, Sejong and the ministers gathered in the front courtyard of Geunjeongjeon.
"Is this the thresher the Crown Prince made?"
"Yes!"
Sejong looked at the thresher in front of him as he listened to Hyang's answer.
It was a wooden frame, resembling a table with two legs broken off, with thin iron rods densely nailed at narrow intervals.
Sejong commented after seeing the thresher.
"It looks like a comb with legs attached."
"That's exactly how I made it!"
Hyang answered with a proud voice.
While traveling between the palace and District 51, Hyang had the opportunity to observe the farming practices of the farmers in Hanseong.
"If only I could make a tractor, it would be a huge hit."
Hyang, who had been watching the farmers work purely with animal and human power, smacked his lips.
However, Hyang did not push for further progress.
There were many other things to make besides that.
Hyang came up with the idea for the thresher while observing the harvesting and threshing in the fall.
"This is the second time I've seen it... It's really a symbol of inefficiency."
To thresh the rice, the farmers laid mats in the yard and placed stones or wooden mallets, then beat the rice stalks with all their might.
Seeing this, Hyang thought it was the epitome of inefficiency.
The process of beating the rice stalks against stones and wood, gathering the scattered grains, and winnowing the grains mixed with dirt and pebbles were all inefficient.
"There must be a better way..."
Hyang pondered to find a solution to the inefficient threshing process.
However, Hyang could not easily find an answer.
In the 21st century, the threshing process he had seen was done in one go with a combine harvester.
Hyang found the solution while combing his hair after washing it.
Seeing the fine-toothed comb in the hands of a palace maid, Hyang clapped his hands.
"This is it!"
This is how the thresher in front of Sejong was created.
Hyang was proud of the thresher he had made.
'Until now, I've just been remaking things others have made, but this is my original creation!'
However, the thresher Hyang made was the holtae, which had been used in Joseon since the mid-period.
Despite his ignorance in this area, Hyang's thresher proved to be much more efficient than the existing methods.
Encouraged by the results, Sejong issued an imperial order to the ministers.
"Draw a detailed diagram of this thresher and spread it throughout the nation!"
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
Once again, the cavalry set out across the nation.
Farmers who tested the thresher based on Hyang's diagram all cheered.
"It's really convenient!"
"Maekso! Break the wooden mallet! We'll use it for firewood!"
"Who made this thing?"
The farmers, amazed by the usefulness of the tool, wondered who had made it first.
"The Crown Prince made it."
Hearing the answer, the farmers began to murmur.
"How did he think of this?"
"Indeed. Is he really different...?"
"No matter how different he is, still! Who else can make such things so easily? My son just breaks jars! Son! You're going to die today!"
* * *
In February of the 8th year of Sejong (1426, Byungo Year), Sejong held a martial arts competition and hunting event in Hongseong, Gangwon-do.
This was a major event where not only the existing military officials but also famous martial artists from across the nation gathered in Gangwon-do, as good performance could lead to special recruitment into the military.
As a result of this butterfly effect, the bandits who had settled in Gangwon-do suffered greatly.
- Those who contribute to bandit suppression will receive bonus points.
Due to Sejong's announcement, the martial artists who were moving to participate in the competition did not move alone but formed groups and attacked the bandits' hideouts.
While the bandits who had settled in the famous high mountains of Gangwon-do suffered, the day for Sejong to depart was approaching.
"The weather doesn't seem good. Perhaps we shouldn't go..."
"We must go, Your Majesty!"
"Many people have already moved due to the imperial order! We cannot let those who left their homes with dreams of success fall into despair!"
"Please understand, Your Majesty!"
As Sejong hesitated, the ministers unanimously requested that he depart.
Following the ministers, Hyang also pleaded with Sejong.
"Since the imperial order has already been issued, I believe you should move."
"Ugh... Alright."
Sejong, who groaned, had no choice but to move.
"Alright. Let's go! Go!"
"Your grace is boundless!"
At Sejong's decision, the ministers all shouted, "Your grace is boundless!"
Seeing the ministers' reactions, Sejong warned them.