Chapter 28: Winds of Change (6)

Chapter 28: Winds of Change (6)

Hi there! My name is Kirara and as you might have guessed, I absolutely adore everything that sparkles. My love for reading webnovels and light...

The next day, as King Sejong and Hyang had anticipated, memorials began pouring in from the morning.

“Truly diligent.”

As the rolled-up memorials piled up, the Royal Secretary complained, to which all other chiefs nodded in agreement.

“I thought we’d have at least two days...”

“Did they stay up all night? They have such great stamina. I get scared just crossing the threshold of the inner quarters.”

As the chiefs grumbled while looking at the memorials, the Chief Secretary stepped forward.

“Will complaining lessen the work? Start by categorizing them.”

“Categorize?”

“Don’t you remember from yesterday? There were those who criticized the Crown Prince and those who supported him. So, categorize them into two groups.”

“Wouldn’t there be those who fall in the middle?”

“Would those in the middle write a memorial?”

“Ah...”

At the Chief Secretary’s words, the chiefs unknowingly nodded. Although they didn’t say it, among those who fell in the middle were the chiefs themselves. And among the chiefs, none of them had written a memorial.

In any case, after half a day had passed since the morning assembly began in the Pyeonjeon Palace (audience hall), trays full of categorized memorials were brought to King Sejong.

“There’s so many.”

Looking at the piled-up memorials before him, King Sejong commented while looking around at the ministers.

“You are all truly diligent.”

At King Sejong’s pointed remark, the ministers silently bowed their heads.

“Let’s take a look anyway.”

King Sejong untied the string that held the rolled-up memorial and read its content. As he read through each one, his expression grew increasingly stern. Finally, irritated, he put down the scroll and ordered the eunuch.

“Bring the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Shortly after, Hyang entered the hall, following the eunuch.

“Did you call for me?”

“Yes, sit down.”

As Hyang courteously took a seat, King Sejong began rummaging through the rolled-up memorials. After a moment, he picked one up and began to speak.

“It seems there are still many who do not fully understand what you said yesterday, Crown Prince. Explain it to them once more. Chief State Councilor!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Read the memorial in front of the Crown Prince properly.”

At Hyang’s outcry, the Chief State Councilor closed his mouth. Hyang continued to press the Chief State Councilor.

“Who are the ones that take advantage of their neighbors’ hardships, lending them money at exorbitant interest rates until they are forced to sell themselves or become refugees, and then swallowing up their now-ownerless land? They are the local scholars that you spoke of, Chief State Councilor! Tell me, who is more terrifying to powerless people than the tigers? Is it the officials of the royal court, or the local scholars?”

“That is...”

“Speak!”

“··· It is the local ··· scholars.”

“Indeed!”

Upon hearing the answer from the Chief State Councilor, Sejong slapped his knee and replied, while the anti-Crown Prince faction ministers, including the Chief State Councilor, tightly shut their eyes.

‘It’s over!’

“Do you need more explanation, Your Excellency?”

At the question from Hyang, the ministers remained silent. Seeing this, King Sejong searched through the pile of petitions and handed another one to Hyang.

“The people who submitted them are all different, but the content seems as if it was copied by one person, quite amusing. However, this one is written differently, so read it.”

“Yes.”

Hyang unrolled the petition and began to read it carefully.

“Hoo~.”

As Hyang finished reading the petition and straightened her back with a sigh, King Sejong opened his mouth.

“It’s a petition from the Office of the Historiographers, would you like to summon the petitioner?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

“Alright, what do you think?”

“‘There is no such thing as sound consumption. If consumption is encouraged, the trend of luxury will spread, and merchants, who pursue profits, will fan the flames. Artisans will only create luxury items, and farmers will stop farming and only seek quick fortune. Eventually, society will change from one that venerates virtue to one that worships wealth. That’s why the ancient sages established the hierarchy of scholar-farmer-artisan-merchant.’—”

Hyang paused, lost in thought, and then opened his mouth again.

“It seems right at first glance, but I think the person who submitted this petition should be punished.”

“Why?”

“First of all, the petitioner said the ancient sages established the hierarchy of scholar-farmer-artisan-merchant, but in none of the classics I’ve read have the sages ever said to establish such a hierarchy. When they mentioned the four classes, they meant ‘all the people.’ However, this confusion is like covering the eyes and ears of a fool, and it is truly an act of disloyalty! I believe such a person should be strictly disciplined!”

Upon Hyang’s insistence on punishment, the eyes of not only King Sejong but also the ministers present in the hall widened. Hyang had said a lot and had many debates up until now, but had never directly asked for punishment to be administered.

“This person worries about extravagant lifestyles spreading, but rather, it’s better to have extravagance. It’s because we can tax luxury goods. But look at the nobles of Joseon now! They wear hemp clothes and boast of their frugality, but in their storerooms, grains and cotton fabrics are rotting away. Is there virtue in not wearing silk clothes? Is there virtue in reading only the classics while wearing hemp clothes, ignoring the cries of starving people during famine and spring famine? The author of this appeal says that ‘even with scarce resources, contentment and delight in poverty are the way to follow.’ Your Majesty! I dare to speak! That’s not contentment and delight in poverty, it’s self-abandonment! I beg you earnestly, please expel this treacherous minister who pretends loyalty with cunning words!”

The shocked Chief State Councilor quickly intervened in response to Hyang’s strong remarks.

“Your Majesty! The person who submitted this appeal is a censor of the Office of the Inspector General. It is a censor’s job to offer remonstrance. Punishing a censor for not liking their writing is tantamount to blocking freedom of speech!”

“What this person has submitted is not a remonstrance but a wicked word! Our Joseon has already specified in the law that there is a distinction between good people and lowly people, but there is no distinction between the four classes of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. What qualification does this author have to divide the people into the four classes and discriminate? With such a wicked heart in those who should speak the truth to the monarch, will there be any right words? Punishment must be administered immediately!”

Kirara

Hi there! My name is Kirara and as you might have guessed, I absolutely adore everything that sparkles. My love for reading webnovels and light novels is just as bright and shiny, and I have a passion for bringing these stories to life through translation. If my translations are your cup of tea, kindly consider fueling my passion by purchasing me a Ko-fi or subscribing for early access to advanced chapters of all my translated works.

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