Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 205

In this way, King Sejongs royal decree was delivered to the entire Joseon military.

Military etiquette is about paying respect to rank! Therefore, it is only natural that those who do not adhere to military etiquette, even if they are not Joseon natives, should be punished for violating military discipline!

As the stern royal decree was issued, the Joseon military strictly adhered to etiquette for their superiors, regardless of whether they were Joseon natives or not.

During this process, there were those who unexpectedly benefited from it, and they were the Hangwae (Koreans of Japanese descent).

Since the late Goryeo period, there had been a small number of Hangwae, and most of them served in the military.

The problem was that most of them were discriminated against for being Japanese, just like the Japanese pirates, regardless of their rank.

Even the Hangwae who had risen to the rank of military officer through their military achievements were discriminated against.

However, with the issuance of King Sejongs royal decree, they too were able to receive the treatment befitting their military officer status.

*

The situation did not end with their incorporation into the Joseon military.

They also had to engage in fierce competition, just like their kinsmen who had gone to Hanseong.

Since weve joined the military, we should aim to become generals, right?

Yes, thats right!

Then youll have to work hard. For now, ranks have been determined based on the size of the tribe or origin, but thats the end of the special treatment. From now on, its up to you to handle your responsibilities.

At the words of Joseons thousand-man commander in charge, the Jurchen military officers gulped.

Which ones get promoted quickly? Its not simply the ones who fight well alone, but those who are good at commanding will be promoted faster. Keep that in mind.

Yes, sir!

When accepting the Jurchen people, the Joseon military had set two conditions.

Must be well-versed in Hanja (Chinese characters).

Must be able to speak the Joseon language.

The first condition was due to the paperwork that a commander naturally had to handle, and the second condition was also an essential requirement.

Thanks to that, there were no Jurchen people starting from the Thousand Character Classic, but military strategy was not an easy subject to learn, so they had to rack their brains.

Studying at this age!

Whenever the Jurchen people gathered among themselves, they would lament to each other, but they also had to study fiercely.

This was because the Joseon military officers working beside them were intensely engaged in studying.

And it was because they had to face a frustrating reality.

The reality they faced was that they had to pay respect and give deferential treatment to their young superiors who were still wet behind the ears.

The royal decree that military etiquette is about paying respect to rank, not to the person did not only apply to Joseon natives.

The Jurchen people and Hangwae also had to show the utmost respect to their Joseon superiors.

*

Traditionally, and for the most part, the Joseon militarys superiors were still relatively old.

Therefore, there was little psychological discomfort in paying respect to them.

Even for the Jurchen people, who were called barbarians, it was basic to show courtesy to the elderly.

However, in the process of strengthening the military, the Joseon army was getting younger.

As a result, while the high-ranking officers were still middle-aged and elderly with gray beards, the mid-level and lower-level officers were getting younger.

Because of this, many Joseon officers desperately studied military strategy and strived to achieve results in order to avoid seeing unsightly scenes.

And this atmosphere quickly spread to the Jurchen people and Hangwae as well.

*

Of course, Hyangs influence played a significant role in bringing about these changes in the Joseon military.

The rule that behind every change, there is the Crown Prince, which was openly circulated among the officials, did not spare the Joseon military either.

Hyang played a significant role in supplying new weapons and establishing tactics to maximize the effectiveness of those new weapons.

This was not only because Hyang was a military enthusiast but also because he had knowledge and experience gained from serving in the military in the 21st centuryalthough his knowledge was barely superficial, and his experience was only at the level of a private.

The value of military knowledge that had continuously developed over a long period of more than 500 years, approaching 600 years, could not be carelessly discussed.

During the extensive reforms that involved completely dismantling and reassembling the Joseon military, Hyang, the Ministry of War, and the top-ranking military officials focused on the issue of nurturing commanders to lead the new generation.

Even now, there are many young military officers in the army. And through the military academy established by His Majestys strengthening of the military, more and more officers will join.

Indeed, that seems to be the case.

At Hyangs words, the elderly generals and officials nodded in agreement. They also seemed to have high expectations for King Sejongs policies.

Confirming the favorable response from the elders, Hyang continued, However, the most important thing is to identify talented individuals among them, isnt it? Looking at the history of our country and China, there have been quite a few wars where great losses were suffered due to overlooking talented individuals.

Thats right!

Absolutely!

The elders vigorously nodded at Hyangs words.

As veterans who had experienced all sorts of battles, Hyangs words resonated deeply with them.

I, too, have read many books out of interest in the military and military studies. I have also read all the military histories I could get my hands on. After reading and pondering over them, I came to the following conclusion. Eunuch.

Yes, Your Highness.

At Hyangs command, the eunuch hung up a chart. Hyang flipped through the pages with a pointer and continued speaking.

So, Ive classified the types of military commanders as follows.

What Hyang had written down was the famous Four Types of Officers.

On the paper of the chart, four main types were listed.

Chonggeun (clever and diligent), Chongtae (clever but lazy), Ugeun (foolish but diligent), Utae (foolish and lazy).

Hyang continued his explanation.Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m nov𝒆lb(i)n.c(o)m

Chonggeun refers to those who are intelligent and diligent. Being intelligent, they are well-versed in military strategy, and being diligent, they perform their duties well. However, these individuals have their own fixed framework, so when something happens outside that framework, they struggle to find solutions quickly. Moreover, since they are smart and good at their jobs, if they harbor ill intentions, they can cause immense harm. Therefore, they should be assigned to staff or administrative roles, and a strict system of rewards and punishments must be in place.

Indeed

The elders nodded at Hyangs explanation.

Next, Chongtae refers to those who are intelligent but lazy. Their characteristics are

As they listened to the description of those who are intelligent but lazy, the elders looked at Hyang with a peculiar gaze.

Isnt he talking about himself?

Based on what they had seen and heard so far, Hyang himself was a prime example of an intelligent but lazy person.

Regarding the development of new weapons and various tools, there was no one who could compete with his excellence. However, when it came to delegating tasks, Hyang was also unrivaled.

This sounds like self-praise, doesnt it?

But based on my experience, Chongtae (clever but lazy) is indeed the most suitable type for top commanders.

The elders pondered over various thoughts while listening to Hyangs explanation.

That is all.

As soon as Hyangs explanation ended, all the elders nodded in agreement.

It is truly a clear classification. Indeed, when observing the military commanders, they can be categorized in such a way.

It reminds me of my former superior. He was the epitome of a foolish but diligent person. I cant even count how many life-threatening crises I faced because of him

The elders, who had experienced all kinds of battles, strongly resonated with Hyangs classification. Seeing their agreement, Hyang proceeded further.

Therefore, I believe the evaluation of commanders should be conducted according to these four criteria. Of course, the evaluation alone shouldnt be limited to that. I think the tactics should also be aligned with this.

Hyang began explaining the concept of mission-type command system to the elders.

*

The military elders, who strongly resonated with Hyangs proposal, immediately started applying it to the military.

Consequently, not only the military officers but also the soldiers began to move busily.

Especially the military governors who were assigned ranks from jeong to jong-9 (ranks), and the soldiers who were scheduled for promotion to military governors, had to go through hardships to pass the new standards.

*

The four types of military officers mentioned by Hyang clearly demonstrated what a ripple effect was.

Upon receiving the report, King Sejong posed a question at a meeting with his ministers.

Have you all heard about the four criteria that the Crown Prince mentioned?

Yes.

Despite his young age, the Crown Prince shows such profound insight. This is a great fortune for Joseon.

As the ministers competed to praise Hyangs insight, King Sejong smiled contentedly.

No parent dislikes hearing their child being praised.

Soon, King Sejong brought up the main point after composing himself.

In my opinion, the four criteria classified by the Crown Prince should not be limited to only military officers. Is the fierce struggle for survival and victory limited to war? Daily life is just as fierce as war, so wouldnt it be wise to apply these criteria to all departments of the government and evaluate the promotion and demotion of officials accordingly?

At King Sejongs words, the ministers closed their mouths and began to ponder.

His Majestys words are not wrong.

But why do I have a feeling that Ill be exhausted? Why?

Its certain that personnel evaluation will become even more tiring!

As if knowing the ministers thoughts, King Sejong continued.

Of course, the tasks related to personnel affairs will become a bit more difficult, but there is a saying that personnel is everything. Considering the future of our Joseon, I believe it must be applied.

Realizing that King Sejong had already made up his mind, the ministers had no choice but to surrender.

Do as you wish, Your Majesty!

In this way, the criteria for evaluating government officials changed.

The reactions of the officials who heard the news were largely divided into two types.

One group worked even harder, while the other group simply focused on diligently carrying out their assigned tasks.

I know my limits well. I dont have the capacity to dream of becoming a high-ranking official, so Ill just get promoted moderately and receive a pension later. Thats it.

The ministers clicked their tongues at the officials reactions.

Rather, it becomes easier to differentiate them. Is this also a good thing?

*

Due to this situation, the Jurchen people had to suffer to the point of their mouths reeking, both at the northern borders and in the Six Ministries.

You should live an ordinary life!

Dont even dream of living off the governments rice!

The heads of households who returned after enduring such hardships said those words to their children, but whenever they said that, their wives eyes gleamed with determination.

Talk some sense!

Are you telling him to just farm?

No matter what anyone said, in Joseons situation at the time, the fastest way to rise in status was to become a government official and live off the governments rice.

Therefore, in the households of the surrendered Jurchen people, they began urging their children to study.

The same was true for the neighboring Joseon villages.

*

As a side note, after the establishment of the Samin schools and as Jurchen and Joseon children began learning in the schools, the competition became even fiercer.

In particular, to enter government service or become a regular employee of a large merchant group, a graduation certificate from a higher education institution was mandatory, leading to intense competition for entrance exams.

Joseon and Jurchen mothers started running around, fluttering their skirts for their childrens education.

As a result, the prestigious educational institutions in Joseon were located either in Hanseong or the northeast region.

The nightmarish period for Joseon and Jurchen children began 500 years earlier.

*

Putting aside the side story, as Joseon accelerated the absorption of the surrendered Jurchen people, there were also those who found themselves in a difficult situation.

Those who faced difficulties were the ones who chose Ming instead of Joseon, symbolized by Odori.