The defiant residents, realizing the gravity of the situation after just one volley, immediately fell to their knees as if they had never resisted, waving clasped hands and wailing:
“再給我一次機會! (Give me one more chance!)”
“我會做任何事情! (I’ll do anything you say!)”
Despite the residents’ wails, the official’s attitude remained ice-cold.
“His Majesty has already given three chances. It was you who kicked those chances away. There will be no more chances! Settle your affairs within one time-division!”
At the official’s resolute response, the defiant residents rose with tears in their eyes and headed toward their homes. Only the families of those killed in the earlier volley remained in the empty space.
“Take the corpses.”
The families of the dead carefully watched the soldiers as they lifted and carried away their dead relatives’ bodies.
Though they began preparing to move, progress was sluggish. They moved their hands slowly, desperately clinging to whatever hope might remain.
Seeing this, the Imperial military commander ordered his subordinates:
“Light the fires!”
Shortly after, a large bonfire was lit in one corner of the open space, and the commander ordered his subordinates:
“When time runs out, set fire to the homes of the defiant ones!”
“Yes, sir!”
Hearing the order through the interpreter, the village head desperately raised his voice:
“Hurry and pack your things! The soldiers will set fires! Hurry! Quick!”
People who heard the village head’s desperate cries finally began frantically packing their belongings. Having already witnessed bloodshed, they immediately understood the situation.
One time-division later, the commander ordered his subordinates:
“Set the fires.”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldiers who received the commander’s order began setting fire to the pillars and rafters of the defiant ones’ houses. The wooden pillars and rafters, dried out as winter gave way to spring, caught fire immediately, and the residents inside came rushing out with whatever belongings they had hastily gathered.
As the residents emerged, soldiers carrying torches entered and set fire to everything remaining inside.
The defiant residents, gathered again in the open space with black smoke rising from all directions as their backdrop, looked at the Imperial soldiers with terrified eyes.
“Everyone has come out, my lord.”
Hearing the village head’s words through the interpreter, the official issued his next order:
“Gather all the men, both remaining residents and malcontents alike. Once gathered, have them dig up all the graves of the malcontents’ ancestors.”
“What?”
When the village head wore a troubled expression at hearing this incomprehensible and extremely uncomfortable order, the official continued:
“It is His Majesty’s command that we will not tolerate leaving traces of those who refuse to live as Imperial subjects. Therefore, dig up the graves and cremate all remains. As a final mercy, we will provide urns for the ashes.”
“…Yes.”
Following the official’s order, the village head mobilized the men to dig up all graves containing the defiant residents’ ancestors and cremate the remains.
With the considerable number of remains, cremation would normally take significant time. However, the meticulous Empire had already prepared massive amounts of firewood.
Thanks to oil-soaked, thoroughly dried firewood, the cremation finished quickly, and the ashes were placed in urns.
Once the collection of ashes was complete, the defiant residents had to leave the village immediately.
Under the Imperial army’s strict surveillance, the residents leaving the village continuously looked back, tears flowing.
***
Such bloody expulsions occurred throughout the Liaohe region.
“The number of those expelled and moving toward Shanhaiguan currently stands at approximately 1.2 million. We expect the final total to reach about 2.4 million.”
At Kim Jong-seo’s report, Hyang smiled slightly.
They’re not even treating them as people.
Though it had become an Empire, Joseon still maintained distinctions in counting units for people.
‘Won (員)’ was used for counting officials, ‘in (人)’ for counting yangban or lower officials, ‘myeong (名)’ for counting common people, and ‘gu (口)’ for counting slaves.
However, Kim Jong-seo hadn’t used any of these. It meant they weren’t even treating them as animals, let alone people.
Composing his expression, Hyang nodded and responded:
“Well done. Please tell those working in the field to endure just a little longer.”
“I receive the Imperial command.”
As Kim Jong-seo finished his response, Lee Sachul, the Minister of Education, raised an issue.
“Your Majesty, expelling these unconscionable ones who refuse Imperial rule from the Northern Territory is truly a righteous action. However, digging up their ancestors’ graves seems excessive even upon reflection.”
To Lee Sachul’s point, Hyang responded firmly:
“As I’ve said before, it’s not excessive at all. Why should the roots of those who don’t even exist in the Empire remain within Imperial territory? Judging by their behavior, they would use those graves as an excuse to try setting foot in the Empire again given time. Does that make any sense?”
“However, recklessly digging up ancestral graves goes against propriety far too much…”
“We’re not desecrating their corpses, so don’t worry. I’ll say it again, we must not make the foolish mistake of leaving the roots of those who don’t exist in the Empire. Looking back through history, the Central Plains people habitually claim anything good as their own, and when given even the slightest opening, it’s in their nature to squeeze through and fulfill their greed. Therefore, it’s best to prevent such possibilities from the start. We must ensure there’s no room for such claims even after a hundred or thousand years pass.”
As a side note, Hyang’s words became prophetic.
Several centuries later, many Chinese people petitioned the Imperial government claiming ancestral connections to the Empire’s Northern Territory and requesting permission to reside there without foreign screening. When such requests flooded in en masse, the Imperial official’s response was simple:
“Without household registry records, it cannot be recognized.”
***
While many in the Northern Territory headed toward Shanhaiguan with tears of regret, not a few people had a change in perspective.
“This… could be a great opportunity to make money if played right!”
Those who saw opportunity in crisis immediately visited their county’s land administration office.
“What brings you here?”
“I’d like to lease more farmland.”
“You want to lease more farmland?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
***
After the Reform, based on the concept of Royal Land Ownership, all land in Joseon became the king’s property. This applied even to large landowners who had inherited land for generations. Whether a large landowner or a small farmer with just a palm-sized plot, they could only be recognized as having lease rights.
Using this as a foundation, the government made it impossible for landlords to arbitrarily raise tenant farming fees.
-You’re just a tenant yourself, how dare you act high and mighty! Give the land back!
This naturally provoked resistance. However, when these opposing forces were largely swept away through the Giyu Rebellion, Sejong established this system permanently.
And Hyang, who had suggested this method to Sejong, whistled softly.
“Now it’ll be harder to play games with real estate.”
This system was applied to all regions of the Empire.
***
And those who learned of this system found opportunity in the Northern Territory.
“The thing about this land is that those idiots who got kicked out already cleared it all! No need to suffer clearing the New Frontier! You’d have to be the world’s biggest fool to miss out on this land!”
The sadness of neighbors being expelled just yesterday had somehow vanished into the distance, and the remaining residents visited the land administration office, nurturing dreams of becoming wealthy farmers.
***
While many in the Northern Territory frequented government offices dreaming of wealth, others emerged who dreamed of wealth through different means.
Specifically, they thought to gain wealth through violence.
During the height of the expulsions, Min Sin, the Minister of Defense, submitted a report to Hyang.
“What is this?”
“An unfortunate incident has occurred in the Northern Territory.”
“An unfortunate incident?”
Hyang’s face twisted fiercely as he examined the report’s contents.
“These bastards deserve worse than death!”
The report’s contents could be summarized thus:
- During the process of escorting expelled defiant ones to Shanhaiguan, incidents occurred where defiant ones were murdered and their possessions hidden.
- Investigation reveals the ringleader to be one Hong Yun-seong. A group of military officials under Hong Yun-seong’s leadership mobilized their subordinates to carry out these acts.
- According to investigations thus far, approximately 2,000 defiant ones died in this process.
Bang!
Violently striking his desk, Hyang raised his voice:
“Have you ever seen such damned bastards! Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, listen! There may be others who have committed similar acts, so investigate thoroughly!”
“We receive your command!”
“And relay my orders once more! ‘This operation is being conducted for the Empire’s peace! Those who instead sully the Empire’s name and harm its peace will face extreme punishment!’ Relay it exactly!”
At Hyang’s command, all ministers including Hwang Hui bowed their heads and responded in unison:
“We receive your command!”
“Huuu~”
Barely suppressing his anger with a long exhale, Hyang’s eyes gleamed as he examined the report again.
Hong Yun-seong? That Hong Yun-seong?
“It says here the ringleader is Hong Yun-seong – what kind of person is he?”
“He became a military official through nepotism as Hong Je-nyeon’s second son. According to those around him, he is extremely greedy.”
“No wonder he committed such an atrocious act…”
It is that Hong Yun-seong. That bastard also abused power out of greed and suffered all sorts of trials after death. Perfect! Let’s clean this up while we’re at it!
Having reached a conclusion, Hyang asked Hwang Hui:
“What punishment would be appropriate in such a case?”
“Though they were defiant ones against the Empire, they were not those who resisted with force. The crime of murdering such people and hiding plundered possessions greatly violates military law, so execution would be most appropriate.”
Hyang nodded at Hwang Hui’s answer.
“Have the ringleader Hong Yun-seong and his accomplices executed regardless of rank. Also, thoroughly investigate their assets and recover all hidden property to the national treasury. And issue another warning to all Imperial troops involved in this operation.”
“We receive your command!”
After issuing these orders, Hyang muttered inwardly with a bitter expression:
This will add to my notorious reputation. Hmm… I should leave some explanation.
“I command the court historians and scribes.”
The historians and scribes looked at Hyang with tense expressions at his attention.
Do we have to leave again?
However, Hyang’s following words were entirely different:
“Historians and scribes shall record without omission the expulsions in the Northern Territory and today’s events, and record these words of mine without omission. While future generations may view these expulsions as excessive, they were unavoidable for the Empire’s peace. I have handled this fairly by standards appropriate to this era, so I hope future generations will not judge carelessly by their own standards.”
The historian who recorded this far added:
-…The Emperor spoke thus, and we record everything without omission.
The historian says: Following Imperial law, institutions, and edicts is natural for Imperial subjects.
From ancient times, if one dislikes the temple, one leaves the priesthood. If one refuses both to comply and leave, forced expulsion is natural.
Appropriate punishment was also given to those who committed unconscionable acts during this time.
What’s the problem?
However, progressive world historians in later years criticized this expulsion along with Sejong’s Hwacheok cleanup as inhumane treatment.
And scholars on the opposite side countered such criticism:
“Didn’t you read the Veritable Records? Are you illiterate?”
Meanwhile, other scholars shook their heads as they pondered Hyang’s words:
“A figure from centuries ago already foresaw such situations. Was he even human?”