King of Commerce, Yeonsan-gun Ch.40
Controlling the Reins
Kyungsik, influenced by media portrayals of 'multiple personalities,' often thought in terms of clichés from those narratives. However, human consciousness is far more complex than that.
For instance, there's the phenomenon of split-brain patients—individuals whose corpus callosum, the structure that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, has been severed. These patients experience unique symptoms because their left and right hemispheres operate independently.
The left hemisphere typically controls the right side of the body and is responsible for language processing, while the right hemisphere controls the left side and handles more visual and spatial information.
An experiment with split-brain patients illustrates this well:
The patient's left eye is shown a snowy scene, while the right eye sees a picture of a chicken. When asked to select objects that match these images from a set of cards, the right hand (controlled by the left brain) picks a chicken-related item. The left hand (controlled by the right brain) picks a shovel, reasoning that it's needed to clear the snow.
When asked why they chose these items, the patient says, "I picked the chicken because you make chicken from it." And for the shovel, they say, "To clean the chicken coop," fabricating a reason because the left hemisphere, responsible for speech, tries to make sense of the actions without knowing the right hemisphere's input.
This experiment reveals that while each hemisphere can have distinct thoughts, the left hemisphere often rationalizes actions, creating a unified sense of self, even if it's not entirely accurate.
In Kyungsik and Yi Yong's case, their consciousnesses don't split into "Light Yi Yong" and "Dark Kyungsik" as one might see in fiction. Their knowledge and memories are distinct, but their emotions and will influence each other. Both personalities perceive their actions as their own, creating a complex, intertwined state where neither experiences dissociation.
This intricate dynamic means each personality believes their actions are entirely their own, even though they're influenced by both.
For instance, Yi Yong seeks absolute power and is irritated by the officials' dissent but lacks a clear vision for its use. Kyungsik, on the other hand, values democracy and is critical of Confucianism, aiming to transform Joseon into a modern, prosperous state using his knowledge. This combination results in the appearance of listening to the media while acting antagonistically toward the scholars.
Since Yi Yong has no specific goals for his power, Kyungsik's vision of a modern state fills that void. Conversely, Kyungsik lacks personal ties to Yi Yong's circle, so Yi Yong's emotions and will dominate those interactions.
Actions like cherishing Queen Shin stem from Yi Yong, who attributes his behavior to "a mysterious and powerful future knowledge." Writing in Chinese or speaking Middle Korean—tasks Kyungsik has never done—are also heavily influenced by Yi Yong's will.
When Kyungsik experiences strong emotions or tries to use modern terms, Yi Yong's influence wanes, leading to behavior that seems alien to the people of Joseon.
Activities like secret excursions to observe the populace originate from Kyungsik, as Yi Yong is indifferent. Yi Yong's indulgence and love for extravagance are suppressed by Kyungsik's frugality.
Their combined consciousness leads to actions that are sometimes contradictory but always perceived by each as their own.
However, when influenced by substances like alcohol, Kyungsik's consciousness fades, and Yi Yong's takes over entirely. Kyungsik essentially 'lives' in Yi Yong's body, making Yi Yong the dominant personality.
Kyungsik, not being a neuroscientist, couldn’t articulate this complexity. Instead, he likened their situation to something from 'Dragon Ball Z,' where characters Goku and Vegeta merge to become Gogeta, sharing memories and a unified self, only to see each other as separate entities again after splitting.
Though slightly different, this analogy satisfied Kyungsik’s understanding.
Yi Yong didn’t grasp the full meaning but felt a sense of agreement.
Understanding his condition wasn’t necessary for Kyungsik anymore. What mattered was preventing a recurrence of an incident where Yi Yong acted alone, especially if it led to another outburst about his mother.
‘I now understand Vegeta’s frustration when he vowed never to fuse again after splitting from Goku…’
Unlike Vegeta, Kyungsik disliked both separating and the idea of fusing again. His focus now was on avoiding excessive drinking to keep Yi Yong’s consciousness at bay.
The officials were terrified when the king dismissed himself to his quarters. Was the king genuinely asking about his drunken statements, or was this a loyalty test?
Regardless, it felt like a ticking time bomb. When the king returned to the throne room, the senior ministers, including Noh Sa-shin and Shin Seung-seon, quickly recommended exhuming and reinterring the deposed Queen Yun's remains.
Kyungsik, caught off guard, could only agree. “Let’s proceed as you suggested. The Ministry of Rites should prepare the procedures for reburial.”
In the original timeline, such talk about Queen Yun’s reinterment emerged during Yeonsangun’s first year, leading to fierce clashes with the court officials. This was because the late King Seongjong had despised Queen Yun and decreed that no honors should be restored to her.
However, in this altered history, Kyungsik had already dismantled the opposition by purging the Yoon brothers and implementing reforms. Most dissenting officials had been exiled, leaving no one to challenge the king on this issue.
Despite the urgency of state matters, Kyungsik felt an inexplicable sense of unease. This feeling seemed tied to Yi Yong’s consciousness, now that he knew Yi Yong was still present.
Trying to understand his emotions, Kyungsik concluded it was regret. He didn’t regret his drunkenness but felt this emotion stemmed from Yi Yong’s perspective.
‘Did Yi Yong regret something? Maybe he also acted irrationally under the influence of alcohol.’
Kyungsik considered writing to Yi Yong and deliberately drinking to switch personalities for an answer but dismissed it as impractical and dangerous.
Furthermore, Yi Yong’s influence seemed to affect his ability to write in Chinese characters, making such an experiment unreliable.
When writing in Korean or using modern terms unfamiliar to Yi Yong, Kyungsik maintained control. This automatic “translation” of his thoughts into Joseon-era expressions was convenient but hindered conscious communication with Yi Yong.
Realizing that continuously dissecting their shared consciousness was impractical, Kyungsik returned to his duties.
State affairs mostly followed Kyungsik’s will. It seemed unlikely that Yi Yong harbored grand plans to modernize and industrialize Joseon.
Working reassured Kyungsik of his presence and control. Frustrated, he wondered if constant lecturing in economics was necessary to assert his dominance.
Perhaps Yi Yong was exploiting him, leaving him with the drudgery of administration while appearing only during personal moments, like with Queen Shin.
Returning to his duties, Kyungsik refocused on state matters, starting with a delegation from Japan.
During this period, Joseon was troubled by Japanese who, posing as officials, sought to exchange meager tributes for silk and other valuables.
This time was different. The Japanese shogun had sent an official envoy.
Although Kyungsik’s grasp of East Asian history was limited, he knew Japan was in the midst of the Sengoku period, a time when even the shogun held limited power.
The Japanese letter read: “To the King of Joseon, from the King of Japan, Minamoto no Yoshitaka (Ashikaga Yoshizumi)… We are in dire straits. Could you please provide us with 20,000 bolts of silk, 10,000 bolts of cotton, and 100,000 in paper currency?”
“Wait, what do they want?”
The scribe clarified, “They request 20,000 bolts of silk, 10,000 bolts of cotton, and 100,000 of our paper currency.”
“Paper currency? They’re asking for our banknotes?”
Why did they need Joseon’s currency? Kyungsik pressed the envoy for more details.
Japan's currency history predates Korea’s. Beyond the imitation Tang coins, real currency circulation started in the mid-12th century, relying heavily on imported Song dynasty coins.
However, the Ming dynasty’s restrictive trade policies limited the influx of Chinese coins, while Japan’s market economy expanded. This created a significant currency shortfall in Japan.
This led to the circulation of counterfeit and low-quality coins, forcing Japan to occasionally ask Joseon if they had surplus coins.
But Kyungsik had revolutionized Joseon’s currency system with theories incomprehensible to everyone at the time. Despite limited to bustling regions, Joseon's new currency circulated nationwide.
Japanese residents in the trading ports witnessed this shift, especially in Ulsan, where they saw paper money in use.
Ulsan, though not yet a full-fledged city, was transforming. With the establishment of the trading post and market, it quickly became a commercial hub.
The Japanese residents observed the use of paper currency in trading, especially in the bustling markets for rice and other goods.
Recognizing the potential value of stable foreign currency, they saw an opportunity in Joseon's banknotes.
The Japanese envoys sensed an unusually warm reception from the Joseon court. Initially, they feared a ruse to politely decline their request.
However, the King’s enthusiastic inquiries about their interest in the banknotes and their intended use suggested otherwise.
The envoys speculated, “The Joseon King must take pride in his new currency and its recognition by Japan.”
This gave them hope that while silk and cotton might be harder to secure, the banknotes could be attainable.
They weren't wrong.
Kyungsik was eager to provide Japan with banknotes and more. He envisioned establishing markets and trade offices, advising them on currency policy, and even opening ports and signing trade treaties.
He felt grateful for the high school history lessons on modern East Asian treaties, especially the Ganghwa Treaty. In his world, it was Joseon dictating terms to Japan.
In this unique historical context, he saw a chance to dominate Japan economically, leveraging its dependency on Joseon's goods like cotton.
He had already learned that Joseon exported 500,000 bolts of cotton annually through official trade, with private trade likely exceeding that.
Given the annual export volume, even a modest 20% tariff could generate significant revenue.
Historically, by 1680, 40% of England’s revenue came from land taxes, 30% from excise taxes, and 30% from customs duties. By reforming land taxes and introducing excise and customs duties, Kyungsik saw potential to vastly increase Joseon’s revenue.
Moreover, he had planned to invest in the textile industry, aligning perfectly with Japan’s need for cotton.
He felt as if fortune had smiled upon him with this timely opportunity.
Kyungsik planned to make Japan Joseon's exclusive market, securing their dependency on Joseon's goods while preventing any inclination towards isolationism.
He thought of the Ganghwa Treaty but envisioned it as Joseon imposing terms on Japan.
There was no need for gunboat diplomacy. With Japan in a weakened state, Kyungsik saw an opening to bind them economically to Joseon.
He was confident that this approach would secure Joseon's dominance in the region.
Behind Yi Yong’s friendly smile, Kyungsik harbored grand plans to exploit Japan's needs.
Kyungsik realized he thrived on managing the kingdom. Yi Yong could focus on romantic pursuits with Queen Shin while he masterminded Joseon’s transformation.
*1: Neuroscience and cognitive science continue to suggest that consciousness and free will might be by-products rather than primary drivers of behavior. The split-brain experiments support this view. However, in the context of this story, these ideas are used as a fictional device. Think of it like the explanations used in manga like "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" or the "Baki" series.
*2: This event originally took place on February 29, 1497, in Yeonsangun’s third year. Historically, the Japanese asked for 10,000 bundles of coins. In this story, the success of Kyungsik's currency system leads the Japanese to request banknotes instead.
*3: While early Joseon focused on state-controlled trade, private trade expanded rapidly in the late 15th century. Despite the state’s attempts to regulate private trade, the volume of unofficial trade often surpassed that of official channels. This economic backdrop sets the stage for Kyungsik’s plans to leverage customs duties and further open the market.
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