The first thing Hyang tackled after being burdened with Sejong’s work was classification.
“This is already in progress… this is just planned… and this is merely conceptualized…”
Sorting through the piles of books and scrolls one by one, Hyang let out a long sigh.
“Sigh… The affairs in New Frontier are urgent too…”
Despite his complaints, Hyang continued the classification work without rest.
It wasn’t just simple categorization.
“I’ll write out a list, so go to the Office of Records and bring back copies.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The eunuchs assigned to Changdeok Palace and the officials assigned to assist with Hyang’s work traveled back and forth between Changdeok Palace and the Office of Records, carrying loads of copies according to Hyang’s orders.
Among them, those responsible for neglecting document management were discovered, reprimanded, and demoted.
Interestingly, the place they were demoted to was also the Office of Records.
The person whose title changed from ‘Office of Records Supervisor’ to ‘Records Clerk’ clearly demonstrated what ‘the expression of one who has fallen into hell’ looked like.
Despite all this commotion, Hyang’s work speed was unmatched.
The young eunuchs and officials watching from the side were inwardly clicking their tongues.
‘To process things so quickly yet make almost no mistakes! It’s beyond human capability!’
‘So this is why the ministers and officials would have fits just hearing the word “situation”!’
Hyang had his own reasons.
“I need to finish quickly and hand it over to my younger brothers! That way I can return to New Frontier and tackle Area 51!”
Thanks to his busy classification work, forgetting meals and rest for his own goals, Hyang could see the near end in just two days.
“Now only that remains…”
Looking at the books—less than ten volumes left—Hyang picked up the topmost book.
“Let’s see… Miscellaneous Thoughts Record, Volume 1?”
With a bored expression, Hyang checked the title written on the cover and began reading the contents by turning the cover.
However, as the pages turned, Hyang’s expression grew increasingly serious.
“Could it be…”
With his face hardened, Hyang examined all the titles of the remaining books.
“They’re all Miscellaneous Thoughts Records…”
Frantically checking the contents of the remaining volumes, Hyang grabbed Volume 1 and hastily stood up.
“I’m going to Sugang Palace to visit the Venerable Emperor! Inform them in advance!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
***
Arriving at Sugang Palace, Hyang immediately sought out Sejong.
With a eunuch’s help, Sejong rose from his seat and commanded the eunuch.
“I’m thirsty. Go and bring some medicinal tea.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After moistening his throat with a sip of the medicinal tea the eunuch brought, Sejong smiled at Hyang.
“So, what brings you here? You already paid your morning respects, so I wonder what the matter might be.”
At Sejong’s question, Hyang respectfully offered the Miscellaneous Thoughts Record to Sejong.
“It’s because of this.”
Taking the Miscellaneous Thoughts Record from Hyang, Sejong still smiled as he spoke.
“Ah, this? I wrote it to kill time. Living as a retired elderly man in the back chambers, don’t I have time to spare? With time abundant and nothing to do, only idle thoughts come to mind.”
At Sejong’s answer, Hyang made an incredulous expression.
“You say you have time to spare when there are countless projects the Venerable Emperor is promoting or planning?”
“Hehe~. Compared to when I ruled the mainland during the kingdom era, or when I governed New Frontier after passing the throne to His Majesty, isn’t this nothing?”
“…That’s true.”
‘Indeed, that’s true.’
At Sejong’s words, Hyang nodded. All duties and responsibilities for managing the empire rested with the emperor. The Crown Prince and Venerable Emperor merely served as political patrons and advisors.
Therefore, compared to their frontline days, they certainly had more time.
Especially for Sejong, who had been a workaholic, time would have been even more abundant.
Understanding the situation from Sejong’s words, Hyang unconsciously grumbled.
“Sigh… Even though I’ve only briefly examined them, they should all be submitted to the challenge records, and most would be of ‘Moving Mountains’ difficulty level…”
At Hyang’s muttering, Sejong’s eyes brightened.
“Ho? Does His Majesty see value in those miscellaneous thoughts?”
“Yes. Very highly.”
“How interesting! The emperor and other ministers just said they were amusing thoughts—that is, they all consider them fantasies or delusions, yet His Majesty alone differs? On what basis?”
At Sejong’s question, Hyang inwardly swore and hastily made an excuse.
“Haha. Aren’t I someone who has imagined and created various things? It’s a different experience.”
“Is that so? Deputy Director Jeong Inji thought similarly to the others.”
“Well… Deputy Director Jeong only handles the operation of the research institute and Area 51.”
“Is that so?”
“I shall take my leave!”
“Do so.”
Watching Hyang hastily bow and leave, Sejong made a peculiar expression.
“Hmm…”
Leaving Sugang Palace, Hyang looked at the Miscellaneous Thoughts Record in his hand and let out a hollow laugh.
“Haha! You call this killing time? This?”
Looking at the record with a chuckle, Hyang continued inwardly.
‘Indeed, you’re truly extraordinary…’
“But still…”
Hyang felt a strange sense of kinship while looking at the Miscellaneous Thoughts Record.
When Hyang had passed the throne to Wan and became Crown Prince, stepping back, he had dreamed of ‘work-life balance.’
“Of course, there’s still much work in New Frontier, but given the Venerable Emperor’s nature, the foundation must be well laid. I can enjoy my hobbies while handling things moderately.”
However, not long after arriving, Hyang frowned.
“This isn’t right…”
Managing that vast territory called New Frontier, which was still expanding, was no easy task.
Especially as he contacted the Mexica sooner than expected and encountered Europeans crossing the Atlantic, his initially planned ‘work-life balance’ was thrown in the trash.
To have leisure and enjoy what he wanted to do at his own pace, the current emperor Wan would need to pass the throne to the current Crown Prince and come to New Frontier as Crown Prince.
Preparing for when he’d dump work on Wan and return to the mainland, Hyang was writing his own ‘bucket list.’
“Of course, only if I don’t die before then…”
This was why Hyang felt that sense of kinship.
***
Returning to Changgyeong Palace, Hyang steeled his resolve and opened the Miscellaneous Thoughts Record.
“If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it… I just need to classify them. The real struggle will be for the research institute scholars.”
That day, scholars at the research institute complained of inexplicable chills and collectively applied for leave.
Regardless, Hyang diligently proceeded with classification while examining the record’s contents.
—They say the world revolves around the energies of yin-yang and the five elements. But what about the energy that Hyang named ‘thunder energy’ or ‘thunder force’? It’s difficult to explain with traditional yin-yang and five element energies. Are yin-yang and five element energies truly the only forces that move the world?
“This should go to the Natural Philosophy Department. Grade… Moving Mountains, moderate level.”
—Current measurement systems are numerous and varied, making them difficult to coordinate. The empire unified length units based on the Yeongjo ruler, and weight units as well. However, looking at the origins of these measurement systems, they were originally based on the human body and grains. Since all people have different builds and grains have different kernel sizes, errors are inevitable.
Therefore, measurement units that won’t produce errors anywhere in the world are necessary.
“The difficulty suddenly jumps? This is a joint project for the Mathematics Department and Natural Philosophy Department. Difficulty: Moving Mountains, upper-upper level.”
While setting difficulty levels and designating appropriate departments, Hyang crossed his arms and sighed.
“Sigh… Moving Mountains difficulty keeps popping up from the start… There’ll be more than a few people cursing me even after I die. Still, it must be done.”
After moistening his throat with prepared black bean tea, Hyang moved on.
—Dance and song are inseparable from the entertainment people enjoy. To properly express dance and song, accurate musical notation is absolutely necessary. Since the notation methods of the empire and Europe are completely different, compare them to find suitable methods.
“This is a bit easier. And Anpyeong will like it. Grade: Carpenter’s Awl, upper-moderate.”
Later, when Anpyeong received the assignment, he threw a fit.
“How is this Carpenter’s Awl grade! You even participated in creating the Imperial March!”
Honestly, Anpyeong was an innocent victim. Music wasn’t Hyang’s hobby area.
Though he briefly caught his breath, Hyang sighed as he turned to the next page.
“Sigh… Damn it…”
Sejong’s miscellaneous thoughts varied across all fields.
—When people fall ill, it’s common to treat them with medicine. However, there are often cases where people feel helpless unable to find suitable medicinal materials depending on time and place. If we could know which parts of medicinal materials show efficacy, and if humans could create these artificially, wouldn’t we reduce the tragedies of people dying from missing the right timing?
“Medical Institute and Chemistry Department. Moving Mountains, moderate-upper.”
—Military Medical Institutes and Jesaengwon throughout the empire treat poor people. However, even when prescribing the same treatment for the same symptoms, some patients improve while others don’t.
Could the same symptoms actually be different illnesses? If so, is accurate diagnosis possible with just pulse-taking and inquiry?
Medical texts describe techniques for cutting flesh and bone to examine inside. But we can’t always cut flesh and bone, can we?
Isn’t there a way to look inside the human body without cutting flesh and bone?
After reading the problematic item several times, Hyang pondered for a while before reaching a conclusion.
“…Medical Institute, Engineering Institute, Mathematics Department, Chemistry Department, Natural Philosophy Department. Difficulty: Moving Mountains, upper-upper-upper.”
A new grade was born.
With a tired expression, Hyang opened the next page and shook his head.
“Politics this time?”
—Currently, the empire’s power is concentrated in the emperor. Since the Joseon era, successors to royal power have been thoroughly trained and shaped as royal material. However, no matter how much training is given, we cannot deny that those lacking qualifications may inherit imperial power. Should this happen, not only the imperial family’s safety but the entire empire could lead to national ruin.
Is power sharing the only answer to avoid this? If shared, to whom and how much power should be distributed? And what methods exist to prevent abuse of power by those who receive shared power?
“Institute of Science. Moving Mountains, upper-upper.”
—Since ancient times, those advocating ‘equal distribution of wealth’ have occasionally appeared.
As the empire’s economy grows, the gap between rich and poor will certainly widen and become problematic.
Then those advocating ‘equal distribution of wealth’ will emerge again to deceive the people. Measures to prevent this are needed.
“Also Institute of Science. Moving Mountains, upper-upper-upper.”
While steadily proceeding with classification work and reaching the 6th volume, Hyang froze completely.
“Everything so far has been mere play.”