Episode 456: Changing People pt.2. (1)
As the Gyeongjang began, Yukjo Street also changed a lot. Existing buildings were expanded and remodeled here and there, and new buildings that did not exist before were also built.
The first new building to be built was the Record Office, which had the fearso nickna ‘written with the blood and tears of writers.’
Later, a common cafeteria for officials and a night room, which was said to be the ‘culprit behind the breakdown of marital relationships’, were built.
The buildings built in this way gradually grew in size over ti.
As the Records Office had more and more records to organize and store, the cafeteria and night room had no choice but to quickly grow in size as managent increased.
These buildings grew so quickly that the sounds of hamring and sawing continued along Yukjo Street.
And these growing buildings have suddenly beco famous sights in Hanseong.
“Atta! “It’s growing like a pumpkin in the middle of sumr!”
The assessnt of a farr passing nearby was not a joke.
And it was a daily routine for the officials staying in those buildings to sigh for a long ti.
“What the hell! People keep growing! Why aren’t overti and night shifts decreasing?”
* * *
“I wonder if I’m in the night shift again today…”
The young official muttered with a tearful expression on his face as he walked along the lantern-lit corridor. It was obvious that both his eyes were bulging, showing that he was very tired.
“I’m not going to die like this…”
The official, worried about his own survival, walked over and crossed the threshold of the towering gate with a sign saying “Sukjikso (宿直所).”
After passing through the main gate of the sleeping quarters, a small yard appeared. And there were two small gates on either side of the yard. Each gate had a signboard written on it, ‘n’s Office’ and ‘Yeoman’s Office’.
The official looked at the dull and dull signboard and burst into laughter.
“Heh! I feel this every ti I see it, but it is a truly tasteless na…”
In general, when naming a building, it was common to give it an implicit na with all kinds of symbols and anings. If there was sothing to separate n and won, like the sleeping quarters in front of us, it was customary to pick and choose the Chinese characters for yin and yang.
However, the signboard of the sleeping quarters in front of was the ultimate in simplicity, clarity, and tastelessness.
As he passed through the main gate of the south building, the official continued to grumble.
“I don’t know who it was, but it must have been really botherso… Is that a problem now?”
While the official was grumbling like that, Sejong and Hyang picked their ears at the sa ti.
“Why are my ears itching so much?”
The one who decided on the na was Hyang, and the one who approved without asking was Sejong.
* * *
The official who entered the sleeping quarters in the south building looked at the walls on both sides of the dormitory entrance.
“Let’s see… there’s an empty room…”
Squares with building numbers from Buildings 1 to 4 were drawn on the walls on both sides of the entrance. There were small nails stuck inside the square compartnt. And if there was a plaque hanging on that nail, it ant that there was soone there.
“Hmm… there’s still room for the second building.”
After checking the status of the room, the official hung a plaque in the square room of Building 2 and went inside.
The official who passed through the entrance saw a yard that was a little wider than the yard before. There were four large buildings centered around the yard. And all the buildings were connected by corridors. Even if it snowed or rained, the officials were considerate so that they could move without getting wet.
The official who entered Building 2 once again looked at the walls to the left and right of the entrance.
“Which room… is it over there!”
The official found a room that still had room, hung a plaque on the room he had taken a picture of, and went inside.
In this way, the place where the official would take a night’s rest was decided. And another world of managent began.
* * *
Entering the room he had chosen, the official looked at the beds on the second floor lined up on the left and right, looking for an empty seat.
“There’s still that seat left!”
The official was pleased to find an empty bed one room away from the window.
If you were right next to the window, the sunlight would be painful when the sun rose in the morning, and if you were next to the door, you would have trouble sleeping every ti the door opened. Therefore, the bed placed at an appropriate distance from both sides was a good spot.
The official who had chosen his seat took off his official uniform and spread it on the top of the bed.
The official who unfolded his official uniform muttered softly.
“Whoa~. Should I always use the space below?”
* * *
There were also implicit rules regarding the use of beds in the night room. The easy-to-use compartnts below were reserved for high-ranking officials.
Officials above the traditional classification system of Dangsanggwan (Administrative Officer according to the revised rank) did not have a separate room because they were provided with a private room, but Danggwan and lower officials had to sleep together in one room regardless of rank. And as that situation continued for a long ti, this implicit rule was created.
Therefore, when looking for a seat, low-ranking officials had to choose a room that was less than half full. And if it seed like work would be over too late, it was not uncommon for him to lie down in his office and sleep.
* * *
The official who had decided on the seat headed to the communal bathhouse wearing his pants and jacket.
“Ah~. “I can live now!”
The official who ca back after relieving his fatigue in the bath was pleased to see the official putting his official uniform on the empty seat.
“Who is this? “Isn’t it a new model?”
The official turned his head to the sound calling him and answered with joy.
“plastic surgery! “It’s been a long ti!”
The two people who expressed their happiness to each other were Seong Sam-moon and Shin Sook-ju.
* * *
Shin Suk-ju, who ca back after recovering from so fatigue in the bath, had a small talk with Seong Sam-moon across the small table in the night room.
“How is the Ministry of Education doing?”
To Shin Sook-ju’s question, Seong Sam-moon answered with a bitter smile.
“It’s loud as always. There is a constant war of words between those who insist that one more word of the sage should be taught and those who say that more emphasis should be placed on practical things. “What’s so bad is that the minister told us to settle the decision in stone.”
Seong Sam-moon, who answered with a bitter smile, sighed.
“Whoa~. If I had known this would happen, I would have gone to the Board of Audit and Inspection like I first wanted to do. At that ti, I should not have given in to Admiral Jo’s persuasion…”
In the appointnt examination held in the year of Muo (1438, the 20th year of King Sejong’s reign), Seong Sam-Moon passed the examination with excellent scores.
Seong Sam-moon, who recorded excellent results in subsequent training courses, imdiately caught the eye of ministers and vice ministers, and soon conciliatory touches – fishing would be more suitable – ca from all over.
“I want to go to the Board of Audit and Inspection! “I want to do my best to eliminate corruption and make Joseon more beautiful!”
Seong Sam-moon’s will was strong, but Jo Gye-saeng, the Minister of Education, was also persistent.
“It is a truly beautiful aning, but it is also important to establish education properly. “Isn’t there an old saying that says to raise people for a hundred years?”
Due to Jogyesaeng’s persistent cajoling, Seong Sam-Moon eventually had to support the Ministry of Education.
And Seong Sam-moon, who went into work, looked up at the sky and cried.
“I was crazy…”
* * *
Seong Sam-moon answered with a sigh and asked Shin Suk-ju.
“What about the new model? “Is life at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs worth it?”
Shin Sook-ju also answered Seong Sam-moon’s question in tears.
“My in-laws say that now we even talk in our sleep in four languages. Not long ago, I spoke three languages, but now I’m learning Latin…”
“Oh my…”
The relationship between Seong Sam-moon and Shin Sook-ju was ford during the training process.
The two passed the recruitnt exam in the sa year with excellent scores and also stood out at the training center.
In the end, Seong Sam-moon went to the Ministry of Education and Shin Sook-ju to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lured by ministers and vice ministers.
* * *
As the two were talking like this, a gruff voice was heard.
“I heard a familiar voice, so I ca and found Geunbo (the son of Seong Sam-mun)!”
Seong Sam-moon turned his head when he was called and quickly stood up.
“Director Kwon!”
Kwon Ram, who received a polite courtesy from Seong Sam-moon and took a seat in the compartnt under the bed, looked at Shin Suk-ju and opened his mouth.
“I think you’re friendly with our Geunbo?”
“My na is Shin Suk-ju.”
“ah! You are the man of rumors! “I heard you’re fluent in languages?”
“That’s too much praise. “It’s just a little bit.”
As Shin Suk-ju was humbly answering, another voice was heard.
“If it were just a little bit, your seniors wouldn’t be criticized so much, right?”
Shin Sook-ju turned her head to the voice that suddenly interrupted and imdiately lowered her head.
“Is Doctor Han here?”
“Oh yeah.”
Han Myeong-hoe, who answered lightly, looked at Kwon Ram sitting in the compartnt under the bed and imdiately said sothing.
“oh my! Our small party occupies the space below! “When did you board?”
“I just sat down for a mont because I was tired. for a mont! Why are you complaining so much? “Like a small person!”
“small fry? “I don’t think that’s what soone who kicked his ass as soon as he saw that his job was difficult would say.”
“I was dragged in like a redhead in the middle of the night and took over the job, but I’m glad it ended with a kick!”
Shin Suk-ju and Seong Sam-moon were seriously worried as they watched Han Myeong-hoe and Kwon Ram exchange a bloodthirsty look in their eyes.
‘Are you going to stop this?’
The two of them exchanged heated words, wondering if they were aware of their concerns, and before they knew it, they put their arms around each other’s shoulders and went outside.
“Let’s go take a shower!”
Shin Suk-joo and Seong Sam-moon were devastated as they watched the two people disappear while exclaiming, “Haha.”
* * *
After returning from their bath, Kwon Ram and Han Myeong-hoe imdiately joined in the conversation.
“This is a good opportunity, so let’s talk about it.”
“Yes yes.”
“Relax. “I won’t eat you.”
Even though Kwon Ram said so, Seong Sam-Moon and Shin Sook-Ju could never relax.
The two people in front of were specially selected by the king and the crown prince. Although their age was similar to theirs, their rank was higher than theirs. To be exact, the two in front of them were governors, so they were one grade apart, but these two were scheduled to be promoted to administrative officers soon.
And the door to promotion was wide open, as one could move up from an administrative officer to a high-ranking official as long as there were no mistakes.
In the end, the leadership of the conversation passed to Kwon Ram and Han Myeong-hoe.
While people were talking about various things, Han Myeong-hoe asked Kwon Ram.
“I heard there’s a rumor that Kang Jung (剛中 Seo Geo-jeong’s son) is doing well these days?”
When Han Myeong-hoe ntioned Seo Geo-jeong, Kwon Ram slightly shook his head.
“I’m good at my job, but I don’t get good reviews.”
“Not good reviews? how?”
“It’s good that he ca into the governnt at a young age, learned practical skills, and has excellent skills… but his temperant is not good.”
“Property?”
“It’s dirty…”
Kwon Ram replied briefly, glaring at Han Myeong-hoe and grumbling.
“That innocent and kind kid is so full of venom that he swears and swears. Why did you even drag that young child into him…”
Han Myeong-hoe beat her chest and felt aggrieved at Kwon Ram’s words.
“I feel wronged! I was only answering His Majesty the Lord’s question when he asked who my alumni were! “I feel wronged!”
“Let’s talk about that later. Since I am scheduled to take on the role of Secretary of the General Affairs Departnt in this appointnt….”
‘I can’t bear to say that I will rush to my place as soon as I hear your na.’
For so reason, Kwon Ram looked pitifully at an alumnus whose future seed to be turning bleak.
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