Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 124

After tasting the coffee, King Sejong introduced it to his ministers.

“This is the ‘Qahwah’ brought by the Arabians, let’s drink it as tea.”

“Is that so?”

The ministers, seated in the conference room next to the main hall of Geunjeongjeon, looked at the tea cups in front of them as they listened to Sejong’s words.

“The color is quite unique.”

Lee Jik commented on the black color of the coffee, carefully phrasing his words that were initially inclined to say ‘the black color is not very appealing’.

Sejong smiled and agreed with Lee Jik’s remark.

“Right. The color is indeed unique. At first, I thought it was a medicine.”

“The scent is also unique.” Maeng Sa-seong, after smelling the bitter aroma of the roasted coffee, made his observation, to which Sejong nodded in agreement.

“I felt the same. Let’s drink! First, take a light sip, and then you can add sugar to adjust the flavor. Adding sugar makes the flavor smoother, though it’s hard to obtain, but it’s still good without sugar.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

As Sejong encouraged them to drink, the ministers nodded continuously, but hesitation was evident on their faces.

‘Just looking at the color, it seems like a herbal tonic… But is this ‘Qahwah’ a medicinal or a poisonous brew?’

“Eh? Why aren’t you drinking?”

“We are, we will drink now!”

Prompted by Sejong, the ministers tightly closed their eyes and lifted their tea cups.

‘Bitter, so bitter!’

After taking the first sip, the ministers quickly sought out sugar to dissolve in their cups.

As the sweetness was added, the coffee became easier to drink, and the ministers began to enjoy the coffee with a more relaxed expression.

“How is it?”

Responding to Sejong’s question, the ministers began to share their thoughts one by one.

“At first, it was just bitter, but then a hint of nuttiness and sourness is felt, truly mysterious.”

“The scent is also unique. It’s hard to define it in a single word, but it has its own charm.”

“Right? I think so too.”

In a much more relaxed atmosphere, Sejong and his ministers enjoyed their coffee while engaging in various conversations.

After finishing their coffee and returning to the main hall, Sejong asked the ministers.

“How do you feel?”

The ministers, with surprised expressions, responded.

“It’s truly amazing! Before drinking that tea, I felt physically and mentally tired, but now I feel revitalized!”

“Indeed! It’s a miraculous tea!”

Looking at the rejuvenated faces of his ministers, Sejong was pleased.

“The Crown Prince has indeed discovered something wonderful.”

“Indeed!”

“Well then, now that we have regained our energy, let’s get back to work. To work!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Ahh, and distribute this ‘Qahwah’ powder adequately to each office, so everyone can have a cup when they feel tired.”

“Your grace is immeasurable!”

Later, Hyang, having heard this news through the eunuchs, chuckled to himself.

“Those noblemen who always drank green tea are now drinking coffee… It’s like moving from regular coffee to a high-caffeine energy drink in the 21st century. The effect must be astonishing. If King Sejong did this knowingly, he’s quite a cunning man.”

Hyang shook his head at Sejong’s cleverness while bringing his coffee cup to his lips.

* * *

Not long after, the ministers were astounded by Sejong’s trick.

“I can’t sleep!”

The officials, who had leisurely enjoyed their coffee after dinner, were surprised to find themselves free from the drowsiness that usually plagued them.

“What’s the cause?”

The officials, freed from their sleepiness, sought the reason.

“The only difference from usual is this ‘Qahwah’. Could it be that it not only energizes but also wards off sleep!”

Realizing the reason, the officials looked towards the king’s quarters and the crown prince’s palace.

“Are we now expected to work without sleep?!”

* * *

Despite their words, everyone from Sejong to the high and low-ranking officials quickly became addicted to coffee.

At dawn, officials arriving at the court with sleepy eyes would drink a cup of coffee and feel their focus and energy return, thanks to the powerful effects of the high-concentration caffeine, an addiction they couldn’t escape.

“So it was a kind of poison after all!”

“But why can’t I stop drinking it?”

Filling their empty cups with coffee, the officials shed tears.

Initially, when they first experienced the effects of caffeine, they grumbled, ‘Are we not supposed to sleep anymore?’ But their reaction changed to:

“I need this to keep going!”

As the officials increasingly sought coffee, the workload for lower-ranking officials and servants increased.

They prepared by setting pots of water on the stove and clean cloths for brewing coffee before the high officials arrived. They also prepared jars filled with roasted coffee powder and jars of sugar as part of their morning routine.

Whenever possible, they cleaned the used cups, replenished the washed and dried cloths, and roasted and ground fresh coffee beans to refill the used coffee powder.

However, after several trials and errors in understanding the importance of roasting, a new position of ‘Black Bean Tea Officer’, a ninth-rank official, was established at Sejong’s request, becoming the world’s first official barista.

All these developments occurred within a month of Hyang introducing the taste of coffee to Sejong.

* * *

However, an unexpected side effect of coffee occurred in a certain place.

In the queen’s chamber. Sejong, who had briefly fallen asleep after conducting state affairs and lying beside Queen Soheon, woke up to her constant movement and asked in a sleepy voice.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“No, Your Majesty, I just can’t seem to sleep…”

Upon hearing Queen Soheon’s words, Sejong sat up.

“Is there something troubling you?”

“No, Your Majesty. It’s just that I cannot sleep.”

“Shall I call the physician?”

“It’s not that serious. Ah…”

Queen Soheon trailed off, murmuring to herself.

“Could it be because of that tea?”

“Tea? What tea?”

“Recently feeling a bit down, I had some of that black bean tea.”

“Ah… Drinking that tea does make it hard to sleep.”

King Sejong nodded in understanding at Queen Soheon’s words. He gently patted her shoulder.

“Don’t worry too much about not being able to sleep. Just relax, and soon you’ll fall asleep. Let’s rest.”

“Aye~.”

At Sejong’s words, Queen Soheon playfully snorted and snuggled closer to him, eliciting a cough from Sejong.

“Cough! Ahem… It’s late at night……”

“Aye~.”

“Oh dear…….”

After all, Sejong, who had just entered his thirties, was in the prime of his life. Charmed by his wife’s playfulness, he responded in kind.

The next day, for the first time in a while, Sejong overslept.

When such occurrences became frequent not only with Queen Soheon but also with other concubines, Sejong eventually issued an edict:

– Concubines are prohibited from drinking more than two cups of black bean tea per day!

– Drinking black bean tea after evening is forbidden!

* * *

Meanwhile, merchants who had heard about the black bean tea sought out the Ministry of Taxation.

“We wish to purchase black bean tea.”

“Black bean tea?”

Upon hearing the merchants’ request, the official from the Ministry of Taxation checked the records and appeared troubled.

The quantity of beans Mansur’s group had brought was not large, and in just over a month, the palace and government offices had consumed a significant amount.

“If we’re going back, it will be at least a year before the next shipment… so, subtracting the amount we need to keep…”

While calculating the quantity on an abacus, the official responded.

“There’s not much left from this shipment. If we sell, it would only be about 1 kan (approximately 3.75kg).”

“Is it 1 kan per merchant?”

“No, 1 kan in total for all.”

“I’ll buy it!”

“No, I will purchase it!”

As the merchants clamored, the official sipped his coffee leisurely and asked.

“So, how much are you willing to pay?”

After a fierce price competition, a merchant was selected, and as the official handed over the sack containing 1 kan of coffee beans, he inquired.

“But how did news about this tea spread so quickly?”

“Ah, don’t even mention it! Those preparing for the civil service exams are fervently seeking it!”

A few officials working in the government offices had taken small amounts of coffee home, and from there, the word about coffee had spread rapidly among the public.

The rumor that “just one cup can keep you awake all night!” spread, and coffee even earned the nickname ‘Studious Tea’.

At the merchant’s response, the Ministry of Taxation official sipping his coffee chuckled and muttered.

“Even if they pass the exams, a life of hardship awaits them…”

To which the merchant inwardly grumbled:

“Well, of course you can say that since you’ve already made it!”

In the 21st century as in 15th century Joseon, a ‘government official’ symbolized ‘stability’. Especially since King Sejong’s implementation of reforms led to increased recruitment of officials and a salary sufficient for actual living expenses, more people pursued civil service examinations.

Furthermore, rumors that the ban on people of northwest origin and ‘serfs’ entering civil service would soon be lifted, prompted these groups to join the competition as well.

* * *

Amidst these changes in Joseon, Mansur’s group’s departure was approaching.

“Is the investigation into the ship the Arabians came on complete?”

“Yes.”

At Jo Mal-saeng’s answer, Sejong continued his inquiries.

“Did you find anything new?”

“The strength of the ship’s hull can’t compare to our Panokseon, but the material used for waterproofing was quite unique.”

“What did they use?”

“They used bitumen. It’s different from the resin we know; it’s a black, sticky oil extracted from the ground.”

“Is that so? Huh~.”

Sejong was impressed.

“There’s so much in this world we don’t know.”

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

“Father, I have a question for General Jo.”

“Proceed.”

“Thank you.”

Hyang, expressing his gratitude to Sejong, asked Jo Mal-saeng.

“Do you know the cost of the bitumen they use?”

“Yes. Upon investigation, it’s a tenth of the price of the resin-based bitumen we use.”

At Jo Mal-saeng’s response, Hyang suggested to Sejong.

“Father. Waterproofing is crucial in shipbuilding and maintenance. If we purchase their bitumen, we could do it more cheaply. How about adding bitumen to the list of items to request from them?”

“A fine idea. Let’s do that.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

With the decision to import bitumen made, Sejong moved to the next topic.

“Has the selection of naval officers and interpreters for the upcoming voyage been completed?”

At Sejong’s question, the Minister of Rites and Jo Mal-saeng promptly replied.

“Preparations are complete. We selected six young interpreters fluent in Ming Dynasty language.”

“We also chose six naval officers skilled in both cannonry and navigation.”

“Well done. You’ve made sure they understand the importance of their mission, right?”

“They are fully briefed and eager to serve.”

“Good.”

After pondering for a moment, Sejong spoke.

“Prepare a banquet to honor the naval officers and interpreters setting off. I will personally encourage them.”

At Sejong’s decision, the ministers bowed in unison.

“Your personal encouragement will surely inspire them to give their best. We are deeply grateful, Your Majesty!”

Two days later, a banquet was held at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. At this gathering for those about to venture beyond Northeast Asia for the first time, Sejong personally filled their cups, offering words of encouragement.

“As Joseon steps out of its confines and ventures into distant foreign lands, the work you do will shine brightly. Thus, give your all in this voyage and fulfill your assigned duties.”

“We will bear this in mind and dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly!”

Five days later, Mansur’s fleet set sail from Jemulpo, marking the departure of the first Joseon people venturing into the open seas.

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