King of Commerce, Yeonsan-gun Ch.49

New Route 3

The wild and bewildering adventure of Choi Maldong's fleet finally concluded. They returned and reported to the court, where they also received the official document from Ryukyu.

The southern goods they brought back, such as pepper, sappanwood, and sugar, were valuable enough to recoup the construction costs of the ship.

From Gyeongsik’s perspective, this was a surprisingly successful outcome.

They secured the sea route to Ryukyu, and the Naval Training Institute could now utilize the recorded navigation logs.

They also secured a Japanese lord who would open his port to Joseon ships.

This was a mission given with the thought that it would be good if accomplished but not critical if it wasn't. It was successful, which was fortunate.

They confirmed that the large ship was sufficiently capable for ocean navigation, and that skilled sailors could handle adverse winds and currents.

Additionally, they identified the types of southern goods traded in Ryukyu and realized that purchasing them directly from Ryukyu was much cheaper than going through Japan.

The fleet could now import sulfur for gunpowder, copper for cannons, and buffalo horns for bows, making it an essential military supply route.

The next step was to send more fleets to gather detailed information on this southern route, using astronomers and geographers to create maps, study seasonal winds and currents, and establish contact with other Japanese lords on the route to Sakai.

However, there was a problem.

"Sub-Captain Choi Maldong failed to control the sailors."

Choi Maldong was completely disregarded by the sailors, who democratically ran the fleet through marathon meetings. This lack of authority led to a chaotic, albeit democratic, operation.

While Choi’s position might seem minor since he bought it, it was comparable to a major or lieutenant colonel in modern military terms.

The sailors, who had previously served as navigators on smaller ships, held ranks between the 7th and 9th grades. This is akin to sergeants or staff sergeants in modern military terms, ignoring orders from a lieutenant colonel and running the unit through discussions.

The duties of these navigators were indeed critical. In Joseon, a navigator on a large ship had responsibilities similar to a ship’s officer.

The fleet succeeded because the sailors were exceptionally responsible and dedicated, akin to a modern sense of duty, and because they were sailing coastal waters, not the open ocean where diseases like scurvy could decimate crews.

The presence of Sungkyunkwan scholars who wrote the navigation logs unexpectedly helped maintain some order, and luck played a significant role.

The high sense of duty and responsibility among the sailors wasn’t a coincidence. Gyeongsik had directly included questions about responsibility and ownership in the recruitment exam.

He hadn't anticipated that this would result in the fleet disregarding the captain’s orders.

Given the organizational state, if they attempted a transatlantic-level voyage like the Europeans, it might have led to a mutiny, turning the ship into a pirate vessel.

This issue sparked a wide range of opinions among the court officials.

The first opinion was to defend the sailors.

"It's common for commoners to quarrel when sent on missions. Punishing them for such minor infractions would undermine their authority abroad. Perhaps Scholar Yupyo exaggerated to highlight his contributions."

In other words, commoners often cause trouble when traveling abroad, and Yupyo might have embellished his report.

Regardless of whether Yupyo exaggerated, commoners causing trouble abroad was a fact.

Compared to contemporary maritime powers, Choi Maldong's fleet was relatively well-behaved.

When Choi Maldong’s fleet set out to explore the Ryukyu route, Vasco da Gama was leading a Portuguese fleet to India on the other side of the world.

While Choi’s fleet returned in just over a month, Vasco da Gama’s fleet was still on its way to India.

Compared to the Portuguese, who committed theft, murder, and kidnapping wherever they went, Choi Maldong’s fleet was peaceful.

The Portuguese gained such a fearsome reputation that it reached India before da Gama’s fleet did.

They kidnapped foreign envoys, bombarded cities when trade negotiations failed, used corpses for target practice, and sent dismembered bodies with letters encouraging locals to make curry with them.

The Portuguese had an early version of military cuisine long before "naval stew" became known.

Compared to them, Choi Maldong’s fleet, which only fired cannons when provoked, dealt with rebels, traded peacefully in Ryukyu, and tried to exchange silk for supplies before firing on Goto, was highly ethical.

By pre-modern standards, this was remarkably well-behaved.

However, there was opposition.

"How can we lightly handle soldiers disobeying their commander and causing disorder? They must be punished as an example."

What nonsense is this?

"If we punish those who made contributions, who will voluntarily report new sea routes, engage in diplomacy with Ryukyu, or train others at the Naval Training Institute? It is unacceptable."

One reason Choi Maldong couldn’t control the sailors was the provision that prohibited commanders from arbitrarily punishing their subordinates under the guise of military orders.

Why was this provision included? Because of officials like Yu Sunjeong, who executed soldiers during the first siege exercise for being uncontrollable.

Pre-modern people, unlike modern ones, live their entire lives detached from concepts like law, order, and control. In pre-modern times, most disputes were settled through self-help and customary law rather than strict legal enforcement.

Modern people, on the other hand, internalize strict rules and discipline through education.

Elementary schools, though seemingly minor, were established by Prussia to turn the entire population into soldiers, internalizing state regulations and control.

Pre-modern people, unfamiliar with concepts like police and mandatory education, wouldn’t suddenly become disciplined soldiers just by being enlisted.

Therefore, pre-modern military forces were often governed by draconian military laws that would shock modern sensibilities.

However, despite these harsh military laws, Joseon soldiers remained poorly disciplined. Implementing the strict military laws Yu Sunjeong desired would require executing half of the soldiers.

Gyeongsik sought a better solution than draconian military laws. However, the root cause and ultimate solution to this issue couldn’t be resolved immediately.

"It has been revealed that conscripted officials in the Haedong Jeguksa are incompetent. How about abolishing the conscription of officials and using only civil and military officials?"

"Do we have enough officials in office to fill all the conscripted positions?"

"Perhaps using officers from the Loyal Guard or the Royal Relatives’ Guard..."

"Ha! What can they do?"

For three years, Gyeongsik had continuously increased government positions and revenue.

Joseon’s yangban officials weren’t specialized bureaucrats handling specific tasks. They were more like politicians in modern terms.

This is why the civil service examination tested essay writing and metaphysical questions, producing officials who were often ill-suited for practical work.

In reality, clerks and middle-class professionals handled administrative tasks. Competent officials were a rarity.

Gyeongsik reformed this system by integrating clerks into official bureaucratic roles, redistributing them, and placing yangban officials in mid-management and practical positions.

However, the number of potential "politician" candidates was insufficient to fill all the administrative and practical positions, leading to a shortage.

The military’s expansion exacerbated this issue. Gyeongsik’s conscription of officials for the Haedong Jeguksa wasn’t just to save money.

Joseon’s military lacked lower-ranking officers and non-commissioned officers to command small units and manage subordinates. This was the root of the discipline problem in Gyeongsik’s view.

In the modern Korean army analogy, it was like having soldiers elect their own squad and platoon leaders, with the lowest officer rank starting from company commander.

The army resolved this issue by restructuring during the preparatory phase.

The navy, however, faced a severe shortage of qualified personnel. Unlike the army, which had many awaiting appointments, the navy even had to make positions hereditary due to the lack of personnel.

Joseon’s system selected captains and navigators from among experienced sailors, while military officers commanded multiple such ships.

When Yi Sun-sin transferred from the army to the navy, he immediately took up the rank of manho (a naval commander).

Thus, the naval structure inherently lacked formal military officers, with even captains being selected from among ordinary sailors.

This explains why Choi Maldong’s fleet operated democratically. The sailors knew more about navigation, and the commander lacked the authority to punish them, so they didn’t obey his orders.

The Naval Training Institute aimed to create specialized naval officers proficient in navigation and capable of commanding lower units.

However, producing such personnel couldn’t happen overnight.

Strictly enforcing military discipline now, as Yu Sunjeong suggested, would require numerous executions.

Alternatively, unless one preferred a model of nationwide internalized discipline and control, it was reasonable to tolerate this level of disorder, as seen in contemporary Europe and pre-modern Joseon.

In essence, there was no middle ground.

Achieving Gyeongsik’s vision of a state with internalized modern discipline would take decades.

There was no magical solution to instantly resolve all issues within a vast societal organization like the state.

---

While the court and Gyeongsik focused on the southern route to Japan and Ryukyu, the Haedong Jeguksa was also active in the northwest.

To the south of the Liaodong Peninsula, the island of Haerangdo (modern-day Changhai County’s Jangsan Archipelago) had become problematic since King Seongjong's era.

As previously mentioned, Joseon’s civilian ships had already discovered smuggling routes to Liaodong and Shandong. The court was unaware, but this was confirmed when these sailors joined the Haedong Jeguksa.

The route passed through Haerangdo, known as a pirate stronghold and a hub for smugglers.

As with many pre-modern pirates and merchants, those traveling to Haerangdo often blurred the lines between piracy and trade.

Sailors from Hwanghae and Pyeongan provinces frequented Haerangdo for smuggling, while Chinese criminals, exploiting the lawless state of these islands due to the maritime prohibition, fled there and became pirates.

Consequently, Haerangdo became a den of pirates and a base for smugglers, a gray area between China and Joseon.

However, Joseon had now decided to venture into the sea. With Haerangdo’s location identified by the Haedong Jeguksa, it became a target for regulation.

The Seungjeongwon (Royal Secretariat) reported:

"Considering Haerangdo’s location, it likely belongs to China. During King Seongjong’s reign, we requested the Liaodong Governor to repatriate our people, but there was no response. What should we do?"

The Liaodong Governor didn’t respond because the previous governor was involved in smuggling, and the current one wasn’t even aware of the island due to a lack of handover.

Like any bureaucratic oversight, once missed, it would remain ignored indefinitely.

Even if the higher authorities suddenly took an interest and conducted a thorough survey, the current maritime prohibition would prevent them from paying attention to small islands.

Joseon had the same issue.

However, the current king was different.

"There’s no need to forcibly repatriate the islanders, risking conflict with China. It’s said that Haerangdo’s inhabitants, both Chinese and our people, can no longer be distinguished by language or dress.

The islanders make a living by selling fish and sea otter pelts. The Haedong Jeguksa officials should oversee the island to protect our people from pirates, collecting taxes from ships entering our country.

Also, let the Haedong Jeguksa handle fish and other goods from Haerangdo, allowing them to trade at the established marketplaces and collect taxes accordingly."

In short, they would leave the gray area as is but collect taxes.

China seemed to have a vague idea of Haerangdo’s location, and it was too close to Liaodong for Joseon to openly take control without causing problems.

Therefore, they would occasionally send ships to exploit the resources without claiming ownership.

Sea otter pelts were highly valuable luxury items, and fish had high economic value in this era. Even just obtaining these goods from Haerangdo would generate significant revenue.

However, the real importance lay in Haerangdo already being a trade hub connecting Liaodong, Shandong, Hwanghae, and Pyeongan provinces.

Soon, ships affiliated with the Haedong Jeguksa, experienced in smuggling routes, flocked to Haerangdo.

Jeongju’s newly established Haerangjin (Haerang Fort) was commanded by Jeon Rim, who oversaw the Haedong Jeguksa ships traveling to and from Haerangdo.

Arriving at Haerangdo, Jeon Rim surveyed the island.

"So this is Haerangdo, the perfect location for a port."

"Indeed. Recently, Chinese criminals who fled to this island have been calling themselves ‘Chief Generals’ and engaging in piracy."

"Though we won’t forcibly repatriate the islanders, we can’t tolerate pirates disturbing our seas and harming our people."

Jeon Rim was chosen for his valor and strictness, making him suitable for commanding the border. However, he was known for his rigid and extreme measures.

As the Hanseong Buyeon (Magistrate of Hanseong), he once halted the construction of a royal family’s house for violating regulations. As the Podocheong (Chief of Police), he ambushed and beat the retainers of powerful families causing trouble. He strictly enforced military discipline, executing violators without hesitation. He even killed his own son for drunken misbehavior.

Traditionally, if Ming Dynasty subjects oppressed Joseon people, the Joseon government would avoid conflict and simply return them.

Jeon Rim had no such reservations. To him, pirates were to be eradicated, regardless of nationality.

However, the Haedong Jeguksa sailors were unafraid of Jeon Rim. They sailed to Haerangdo and interacted with fellow Joseon natives, asserting their authority.

"Hey, Jeongnam! I heard you’ve got a new official position. Moving up in the world, huh?"

"Haha! If any Chinese bother you, just let me know!"

Haedong Jeguksa ships arrived at Haerangdo, where the sailors fished during peaceful times. If they saw a Chinese ship, they quickly approached.

"Hey! You there! Judging by your unauthorized entry to Haerangdo, you must be criminals fleeing China!"

"What? Who are these Joseon people... Do you know who we are? We serve Chief General Guo Cheng..."

Bang! Boom!

The Chinese pirates, armed with stones and clubs, were no match for the 2-3 cannons on the Haedong Jeguksa ships.

"...What do you want?"

"Dock your ship and unload all your goods."

It might seem like a one-sided robbery, but the Haedong Jeguksa sailors, being merchants, knew that sustainable trade required more than plundering.

They offered ‘protection’ and allowed the Chinese pirates to trade with them.

Refusal meant reporting them to Jeon Rim, who had orders to eliminate all pirates.

"How can you demand silk in exchange for millet? Do you know how much this silk sells for to the Jurchens?"

"I don’t know. We’re not trading with the Jurchens. If you don’t like it, sell it to the Jurchens yourself. If you can. Or eat the silk instead of food."

"Damn it..."

The Chinese pirates had to sell their stolen goods at low prices to the Joseon sailors.

Haerangdo, with too many people and not enough land, relied on external food sources for survival.

Transporting food from Liaodong or Shandong was impossible due to the pirates, leaving Joseon as the only supply route.

Chinese pirates plundered the Chinese coast, brought the loot to Haerangdo, and sold it cheaply to the Haedong Jeguksa, creating a subcontracted piracy operation.

With the strict Jeon Rim watching, the sailors couldn’t exploit the islanders, so they outsourced the piracy to the Chinese.

Realizing the efficiency of outsourcing, a concept from future capitalism, the Haedong Jeguksa sailors quickly adopted this method.

Cities with established marketplaces in Pyeongan and Hwanghae provinces received a flood of Chinese goods like fish, sea otter pelts, and various Chinese products whenever the Haedong Jeguksa ships returned from Haerangdo.

These regions, already commercially developed due to illicit trade with Chinese envoys, saw even more Chinese goods flowing in.

Anyone with common sense knew to buy up these Chinese goods from the Haedong Jeguksa ships and stockpile them to sell to southern merchants, boosting their wealth.

The influx of Chinese goods made Pyeongan and Hwanghae regions prosperous.

Southern merchants visiting Pyongyang joked that even beggars carried Chinese goods in their sleeves, and even dogs had Chinese goods in their mouths.

Marketplaces in these regions had to hire more clerks to manage the sudden surge in Chinese goods, collecting the newly implemented tariffs.

The quality of these clerks gradually improved as those who struggled with Confucian studies or saw no future in government service left their studies to become tax clerks.

Some even pooled their money to buy ships, which they offered to the Haedong Jeguksa in exchange for positions.

While southern cities like Naju faced crisis due to poor harvests, Pyeongan and Hwanghae provinces were unaffected.

---

*1: Haerangdo, described in the text, is believed to correspond to the present-day Changhai County’s Jangsan Archipelago. Historically, it became a point of interest during King Yeonsangun's 1st year but wasn’t seriously addressed until the 4th year, when it was discussed for a punitive expedition. However, due to a lack of interest from the Liaodong Governor, it was postponed until the 6th year when an imperial decree from the Ming emperor authorized the campaign. Jeon Rim, featured in this story, was the actual commander tasked with suppressing Haerangdo.

At that time, it was reported to be home to a thousand Chinese criminals. However, Joseon's campaign captured only 78 Chinese and 34 Joseon individuals, achieving limited success.

The records indicate that Chinese pirate leaders were emerging in Haerangdo, with figures like Guo Cheng calling themselves 'Chief General' and others assuming titles like 'Thousand Household Commander' and 'Hundred Household Commander.' Despite their grand titles, they were likely poorly armed, using large stones and clubs.