Shortly after the Four disappeared with grins on their faces holding their signed law books, Du and Seul came looking for Hyang.
“What is it?”
After asking why they had come, Hyang saw the law books in Du and Seul’s hands and sighed.
“Sigh… bring them here.”
“Yes!”
The moment Hyang gave permission, Du and Seul quickly opened the books’ covers.
As Hyang dipped his gold brush in ink and moved to sign, Du and Seul hastily added a condition.
“Ah! Father! Not there, but a little lower… Yes, that’s the spot, right there.”
After signing where his two sons had indicated, Hyang asked them.
“Why there?”
“We still need Grandfather’s signature too. Now that we’ll be establishing our own households after the weddings, shouldn’t we have at least one family heirloom?”
“Ah…”
With a short sigh, Hyang gave orders to Du and Seul.
“Tell your younger siblings who need it to come immediately. But only for today.”
“Yes!”
Watching the two disappear excitedly, Hyang muttered quietly.
“They’re definitely their father’s sons…”
Before long, Hyang’s children flooded in with law books in hand.
The story about the Four and Hyang’s children quickly reached the ministers’ ears. Hearing the story, Hwang Hui opened his mouth while looking at Kim Jeom.
“Young people these days certainly move quickly.”
At Hwang Hui’s words, Kim Jeom nodded.
Though they didn’t say it, Hwang Hui and the other elder ministers had thought the same thing. However, they hadn’t been able to act so readily.
“There’s dignity to consider…”
“What if this leads to gossip later…”
While the older officials hesitated like this, the young ones had boldly acted.
“If I were just ten years younger, I might have done the same.”
“Oh? Would you like some medicinal tonic?”
“Take some of my tonic first.”
While conversation mixing jest and earnestness continued, a eunuch entered the meeting room.
After making a respectful bow, the eunuch immediately spoke.
“His Highness commands: ‘Today only.'”
Bang!
The moment the eunuch’s words ended, all the ministers and vice ministers in the meeting room simultaneously jumped up and rushed outside.
The ministers and vice ministers who burst from the meeting room sprinted toward their offices at full speed.
However, there were four exceptions. These four were Hwang Hui, Kim Jeom, Kim Jongseo, and Hwangbo In.
Led by Hwang Hui, the Four ran toward Geunjeongjeon Hall.
After arriving at Geunjeongjeon at full sprint, the four asked a eunuch to announce their arrival. While catching their breath waiting for the eunuch to return, Kim Jeom asked Hwang Hui.
“Huff huff My lord! Since when huff huff had you been preparing?”
“Since the limited editions were first mentioned. At least until my great-grandchildren’s time, they won’t be able to enter government service, and since we have no wealth, I should at least pass down an heirloom.”
“Ah…”
At Hwang Hui’s answer, Kim Jeom, Kim Jongseo, and Hwangbo In nodded.
Hwang Hui’s sons Hwang Chi-sin and Hwang Bo-sin had been caught embezzling compensation funds meant for landowners affected by mining pollution, resulting in the confiscation of all their property and ten-year forced labor sentences.
Implicated in his sons’ corruption and his son-in-law’s assault case, Hwang Hui had to make a choice:
-Half his property confiscated and lifelong service at the Records Bureau, but allowed to pass the remaining half to his children. -All property confiscated and lifelong service at court, but receiving full legal salary and maintaining the honor of being a powerful minister.
At this crossroads, Hwang Hui had no choice but to choose the latter.
In the aftermath of this incident, all of Hwang Hui’s sons underwent thorough investigation. Minor corruptions were discovered among his remaining sons as well. Though these would have been considered minor by previous standards, because Hwang Chi-sin and Hwang Bo-sin’s case was so serious, his other two sons were also forced from their official positions.
Thus, Hwang Hui had said it would be his great-grandchildren’s time before they could properly enter government service.
After finishing his answer, Hwang Hui asked Kim Jeom in return.
“When did you prepare, then?”
“Didn’t you just say it earlier? We’re just slow to act.”
At Kim Jeom’s answer, Kim Jongseo and Hwangbo In behind them thought simultaneously:
But you moved pretty quickly too.
“And when did you two prepare?”
At Kim Jeom’s question, Kim Jongseo and Hwangbo In showed the books in their hands. They were holding collections of ancient poetry and classical texts.
“What matters is receiving His Highness’s signature, not the book itself, right?”
“Indeed.”
At Kim Jongseo and Hwangbo In’s answer, Kim Jeom and Hwang Hui turned slightly and whispered.
“They certainly… chose well, didn’t they?”
“Indeed.”
Thump thump thump thump.
Before long, the sound of officials’ running feet echoed through the ground as they passed through Geungjeongmun Gate.
Meanwhile, hearing the story through his secretary, Sejong smiled and ordered:
“Go summon the Crown Prince. While we’re at it, we should make this definitive.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“And if the Chief Royal Secretary and Senior Secretary wish to participate, they may.”
“Your grace is boundless, but this humble one doesn’t have a law book…”
“Classical texts or poetry collections are fine too. Isn’t my signature what’s important?”
At Sejong’s words, the Senior Secretary and Chief Royal Secretary bowed deeply with bright faces.
“Your grace is boundless!”
Thus, on that day, Sejong and Hyang had to provide signatures for a total of 57 people.
As a side note, complaints arose among officials who hadn’t received signatures. However, when Sejong heard of this, he immediately dismissed them.
“Fortune is called fortune because it doesn’t come twice. If fortune continues, it’s not fortune but daily life. And shouldn’t we also consider those who spent large sums at the auction?”
Hearing Sejong’s words, the officials had to accept them. However, as the saying goes “get slapped in Jongno and take it out at the Han River,” some small-minded ones sneered at colleagues who had seized their fortune.
The same was true of the Four. Hearing whispers nearby, Han Myeong-hoe snorted.
“Hmph! Idiots! Haven’t they heard the stories of Lord Jeoljae and Lord Jibong? Haven’t they realized what’s important yet? With such lack of insight… how do they expect to advance…”
The unfortunate officials who heard Han Myeong-hoe’s sneering had to swallow their anger. Though they were furious, Han Myeong-hoe’s words were undeniably true.
Late March of King Sejong’s 31st Year (1449, the year of Gisa).
New notices were posted at government offices and stores across Joseon.
The newly posted notices concerned the Opening of Heaven ceremony and the weddings of the Wan-Du and Seul brothers.
“Opening of Heaven means declaring imperial status?”
“That must be it.”
A farmer, overhearing the scholar-officials’ conversation, joined in.
“Begging your pardon, but what does ‘declaring imperial status’ mean?”
One of the scholar-officials answered the farmer’s question.
“It means our Joseon is becoming an empire. His Highness will become Emperor.”
“Does Emperor mean he’ll become the Son of Heaven?”
“That’s right. It’s truly the greatest celebration.”
After hearing the explanation, the farmer thought for a moment before speaking again.
“If it’s such a big celebration, there must be discounts at the government stores?”
“Probably so?”
Hearing the scholar-official’s answer, the farmer bowed deeply with a bright face.
“Thank you kindly for explaining!”
Watching the excited farmer disappear, one of the scholar-officials wore a displeased expression and grumbled.
“Like an ignorant commoner who doesn’t even know what’s important! I ought to right now-!”
“Patience, have patience.”
As the complaining one seemed about to cause a scene, another scholar-official nearby held him back.
“After all, we’ve won a great victory against Ming, and the Foundation Law’s promulgation is complete. Isn’t it obvious to everyone that the Opening of Heaven ceremony will follow, leading to imperial status? The wedding matter is natural too. Given the circumstances, isn’t it natural for the people’s interest to focus on the government stores?”
“Ugh!”
“Haha! Nothing better than a drink and a game of Go to calm heated feelings. Let’s go to the entertainment house! I’ll buy you a drink!”
At these words, the scholar-official who had been fuming moments before allowed himself to be dragged along.
Meanwhile, Gyeongbok Palace was bustling with preparations for the Opening of Heaven ceremony.
“No matter how much we do, the work never decreases!”
“Where am I? Don’t tell me this is the Records Bureau?”
Wails could be heard daily from every government office on Six Ministries Street.
This was understandable, as they had numerous tasks to handle simultaneously:
-Affairs related to newly acquired territories in Liaodong, Liaohe, and Dongfan (old name for Taiwan) -Administrative reorganization and key personnel selection for imperial transition -Review of development plans for Divine Territory to be delivered to Sejong who would soon return there -Preparation for the Heaven-Worshiping ceremony for Opening of Heaven and imperial declaration -Preparation for abdication to follow immediately after the ceremony -Preparation for the Crown Prince and his brothers’ weddings
In terms of difficulty, the latter three were nothing compared to the first three.
“After all, we were going to declare empire status, hold the weddings, and abdicate anyway.”
Since the Economic Reformation’s ultimate goal had been declaring imperial status, preparations had been steady. If anything, victory in the war against Ming had reduced concerns.
The Crown Prince and his brothers’ weddings were similar.
Except for being held just days apart, everything could be done according to long-established protocols, so there was nothing difficult about it.
The abdication issue was also worry-free.
Unlike King Taejong’s time, this wasn’t a political maneuver but a necessary issue overlapping with Divine Territory development. Particularly since Hyang had been serving as regent all this time, there were almost no problems with the transfer of power.
However, the first three issues kept causing overnight work.
It wasn’t simply about drawing new borders, but dealing with the residents of those areas, especially the Han Chinese who had migrated from the Central Plains. While Dongfan wasn’t a major issue, the scale of Han settlers in Liaodong and Liaoshi regions was considerable, and there were many who didn’t welcome Joseon’s rule.
“We can’t just leave them be, but killing them all would be even more problematic…”
Finally, searching for the most appropriate solution, Hyang had to reach a conclusion.
“Let’s expel them. That seems like the best option.”
All the ministers nodded at Hyang’s decision.
As a result, the Ming people who had entered Liaoshi and Liaodong had to pack their bags. Naturally, this process caused chaos.
Those who packed silently and those who naturalized to become Joseon citizens weren’t problematic.
Those who accepted the expulsion order received safe escort to the border under Joseon military protection.
Those who naturalized worked on adapting while receiving Joseon household registries and identity tags.
However, those who refused both naturalization and departure caused trouble.
“No matter what anyone says, this is Ming territory! We are Ming people!”
“Drive out the Joseon devils!”
“Charge!”
Bloodshed occurred as some resorted to violence.
However, due to the overwhelming military disparity with Joseon forces, their uprisings all failed, leaving only many casualties.