“歡迎來到！你在找什麼樣的飲料？(Welcome! What kind of drink are you looking for?)”
The server at Beautiful Wine[1] approached the branch director’s table, stumbling through halting Chinese.
Studying the server’s face, the branch director spoke:
“I’m from the Contract[2].”
The server’s face froze at these words. He had heard that those who controlled the entertainment district were from the Sword Contract[3] headquarters. Recently, others claiming to be from the Sword Contract had come to inspect the place.
“Please wait a moment.”
The server responded with a stiff expression and tone before disappearing into the back of the establishment.
Watching this, the branch director asked his subordinates:
“What do you think? Could this be a military-created organization?”
“For that, it reeks too much of military.”
“Agreed. If it were a military intelligence organization, it wouldn’t smell so obviously of military.”
Stroking his chin at his subordinates’ words, the branch director countered:
“Could it be inexperience? Aren’t they all scholarly types from both military and civil service examinations?”
“Since the Goryeo era, the military examination has attracted all sorts. Even illegitimate sons like us could enter if lucky – those types wouldn’t be this sloppy.”
“Hmm… You think so?”
“People are coming.”
At the lookout’s warning, the branch director and his subordinates halted their conversation.
“You say you’re from the Contract?”
A man wearing a military jacket approached their table with a fierce voice.
Pulling up a chair and sitting down heavily at their table, the man crossed his arms and spoke with an aggressive expression:
“So, what brings the Contract members who control Liaoyang’s entertainment district here?”
The branch director responded with a smile:
“We came to visit since a new establishment opened. Thought we might offer help if needed.”
“Help? Or looking to exploit us?”
To the man’s provocative question, the branch director maintained a friendly smile:
“We don’t do such unprofitable things these days.”
The man continued his provocative manner despite the branch director’s words:
“What I learned in wartime was to be most wary of those who act friendly to your face.”
The branch director responded with a fierce smile:
“Didn’t you learn that thrashing about like a wounded boar will get your jaw blown off rather than just taking a hit from behind?”
The man’s face grew fiercer at the branch director’s pointed warning. He tapped the campaign medal on his military jacket while responding:
“I survived fighting those stinking barbarians on the battlefield. If you want to blow off my jaw, be prepared to lose at least two jaws in return.”
“That might be true. But the problem is our Contract members aren’t just one or two in number.”
“…”
“It’s fine to show force, but watch your surroundings before picking fights. If we came to fight or take over this establishment, we wouldn’t have come so quietly.”
“… Think we’ll just roll over?”
“That’s why I’m saying we don’t have such intentions. If we did, we wouldn’t have come with just this small group.”
“Sigh…”
The man let out a long sigh at the branch director’s words and lowered his aggressive stance.
“I’ll trust you for now.”
“That would be wise.”
“Then why did you come today?”
The branch director answered with his characteristic friendly smile:
“Since your establishment has settled in Liaoyang’s entertainment district, we came to explain the local regulations, and since your place is called Beautiful Wine, we thought we’d taste the alcohol too.”
The man’s expression softened somewhat.
“Hmm… While I can’t speak for other things, I’m confident about our alcohol.”
As the conversation lengthened, the atmosphere gradually softened on both sides.
“… So. We help each other during disasters like fires. When disputes arise with customers, don’t resort to violence carelessly but resolve them through Contract members. If that doesn’t work, report to the Inspection Corps or Police Bureau. Distribution of opium or illegal alcohol is forbidden, as is prostitution in unauthorized locations. Human trafficking is prohibited. Don’t borrow or lend at usurious rates. Try not to fall behind on Shop Contract[4] membership fees…”
The man analyzed the regulations carefully as the branch director’s subordinate explained them, then looked back. Behind him stood other men wearing similar military jackets. Receiving their silent question, the men looked at each other and nodded.
Seeing this, the man made his decision.
“Very well. We’ll join the Shop Contract.”
“A good decision!”
The atmosphere in the establishment softened as they passed this hurdle.
“Well! Now let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Ha Min.”
“Park Gyu-seop.”
After introductions, Ha Min moved to his next interest:
“Now, let’s taste this alcohol you’re so proud of!”
Park Gyu-seop responded heartily:
“Wait just a moment! You won’t be disappointed!”
Shortly after, ceramic bottles and cups were placed on the table.
Ha Min’s eyes widened after draining a full cup in one go.
“This is remarkable! Everyone, try some!”
The subordinates who emptied their cups at Ha Min’s words couldn’t hold back their amazement.
“Magnificent!”
“How can it taste like this!”
“This quality would only be found in Seoul’s finest pleasure houses!”
Ha Min turned to Park Gyu-seop while listening to his subordinates’ exclamations:
“Where did you get this alcohol?”
“One of my companions who opened this tavern with me brewed it. That fellow there.”
The branch director and his subordinates fixed their gaze on one of the men standing behind at Park Gyu-seop’s answer. The man receiving their admiring looks smiled sheepishly while wiping under his nose.
After downing a couple more cups in succession, Ha Min tilted his head and continued:
“This tastes exactly like noble house soju. Is he from a noble family?”
Park Gyu-seop explained in response to the branch director’s question:
“His mother was formerly a slave in a noble house before being freed during the reforms. She learned it then.”
“But the method of brewing soju is a noble house secret that outsiders wouldn’t know?”
At Ha Min’s observation, Park Gyu-seop responded with a bitter smile:
“Were slaves ever treated as people?”
Ha Min nodded at Park Gyu-seop’s words. Slaves were beings who could never escape their master’s grip until death. Therefore, even if a slave knew how to brew soju, it would have been overlooked.
Park Gyu-seop’s explanation continued:
“Though freed through His Majesty’s reforms, she was too afraid of her former masters to brew soju. Only when the master’s household was destroyed for involvement in the Giyu Rebellion did she start brewing again. For survival.”
“With this quality, it should have been quite famous?”
Park Gyu-seop grinned at Ha Min’s observation:
“That fellow’s clever. Not only did he learn his mother’s brewing method, but he improved it.”
“Improved?”
“His home is in Mokpo. After tasting the alcohol Westerners drink there, he learned their brewing and storage methods to improve it.”
“My, my~ Impressive. Very impressive.”
Thanks to alcohol, the best catalyst, the atmosphere improved further.
As drinks were passed around, Ha Min began carefully asking what he really wanted to know:
“Seeing your campaign medals, it seems you fought in both the Uiju and Liaodong battles?”
“That’s right. My companions and I all went through that hell.”
“Hmm~ Then you could have risen higher if you’d stayed in the military? Even as enlisted men, you could have reached at least Pacification Commissioner or Chief Banner?”
Park Gyu-seop wore a bitter expression and drained several cups in succession at Ha Min’s question. After emptying the cups, he let out an alcohol-laden sigh.
“Sigh~ We saw some dirty things.”
“Dirty things?”
“Claiming dead comrades were alive while embezzling supplies and military currency, even switching their own achievements with those who died bravely leading troops.”
“How can such evil people exist in this world!”
Ha Min raised his voice as if more outraged than Park Gyu-seop himself, filling Park’s cup again.
“Here! Here! Have another drink and tell us about those bastards!”
After the drinking session ended, Ha Min patted Park Gyu-seop’s shoulder with a flushed face.
“Enjoyed the excellent drinks! Let’s get along well!”
“Indeed!”
“See you later then! Whew! I’m drunk!”
Ha Min’s subordinates supported him as he walked in zigzags out of Beautiful Wine, breathing heavily with intoxication.
As soon as they left the alley where Beautiful Wine was located, Ha Min straightened his posture.
“What do you think?”
“The story seems quite credible.”
“Fifty-fifty?”
His subordinates thought carefully before answering Ha Min’s question:
“More like seventy-thirty?”
“I’d say eighty-twenty.”
“Hmm…”
After stroking his chin in thought, Ha Min soon reached a conclusion:
“Time to write a report. The Imperial Guards will be busy.”
A few days later, Hyang checked the report that came through the Imperial Guard Commander with a serious expression, reviewing its contents again.
“A ‘military intelligence agency’… It’s not impossible.”
“However, neither the Minister of Defense nor the Chief of Staff reported anything.”
Hyang responded gravely to the Imperial Guard Commander’s words:
“I hope it’s needless worry, but a secret agency unknown even to the Minister of Defense or Chief of Staff might have been created. Hmm…”
After drumming his fingers on the desk while humming, Hyang soon reached a conclusion.
“Commander, investigate their military records reported by the Secret Guards. Verify if they really served on those frontlines and if they truly were discharged.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“And investigate their superiors too. Embezzling funds by falsifying dead soldiers’ records and even stealing their military achievements – if their words are true, this is tantamount to treason!”
“We shall investigate down to the last hidden hair. However… how Your Majesty knew about this is the issue.”
Hyang smiled bitterly at the Commander’s observation:
“You’ll have to work hard for a few days.”
The next day, Hyang ordered Han Myeong-hoe:
“Go to the Office of Records and bring all records related to war expenses from the last war!”
“Pardon? Why such a request?”
“Something has been bothering me every time I recall the last war – I need to verify it!”
“…Yes.”
“Ah! Also bring the daily journals and casualty records from the war!”
“…Yes.”
As he left with the orders, Han Myeong-hoe muttered quietly:
“If this goes wrong, a bloodbath could sweep through the military. Both His Majesty and the Emperor have such monstrous memories…”
As Han Myeong-hoe noted, both Sejong and Hyang had excellent memories. Even with records submitted months apart, if there were inconsistencies, that day would end in disaster.
Even the scandal of Hwang Hui and Seo Dal in the history before Hyang’s intervention was discovered because Sejong remembered it.
And this memory served as Hyang’s excellent excuse.
Following Hyang’s orders, Han Myeong-hoe and the State Council officials visited the Office of Records and brought a cart-load of reports to Hyang.
“Bring maps too!”
“Yes!”
Using a large room in Gangnyeongjeon Palace as a workspace, Hyang soon summoned Wan, Du, and Seul.
“Mark the frontline movements on the maps by date! Make separate tables for battle records and casualty records by date! Also record the daily supply distributions and military currency issuance status throughout the war period!”
Following Hyang’s orders, Wan, Du, and Seul proceeded with their work while searching through records. Hyang also spread out records while muttering internally:
Let’s see who dies first!
And not long after, Hyang screamed internally:
Ah! I need a computer!
Soon after, all royal family members, including Prince Pyeongwon, were summoned to assist with the analysis work.