Episode 321: A hero? New demon? (4)
After five days, Lee Sun-ji submitted a total of eight questions to Hyang, Jeong In-ji, and Jeong Cho.
“Please choose 5 questions from among these.”
After receiving Lee Sun-ji’s report, Hyang looked back at Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji.
“Assemble all researchers.”
“Yes, sir.”
In this way, Hyang gathered researchers from the research institute and students studying industry and academia – Princess Jeongui – and wrote down problems on the blackboard and gave orders.
“Let’s solve it. time is… . Manager Lee?”
Lee Soon-ji immediately answered the call of the scent.
“If you are at their level, half an hour (one hour) will be more than enough.”
At Lee Soon-ji’s answer, everyone who had to solve the problem – even Princess Jeong – cursed under their breath.
‘Ah-oh! I! I! ‘Look at how he meets his own standards!’
‘Is it at our level? ‘It must be at his level!’
‘That was definitely intentional! ‘It’s definitely intentional!’
‘Ah-oh! sudden! Shit! As long as it’s not an exaggeration!’
‘It will come! I’m going to tell Abama!’
Perhaps aware of the atmosphere, Hyang immediately gave an order.
“Then one day. Do your best to solve it. start.”
As soon as the direction was given, people took out papers and started solving problems.
Hyang, Jeong Cho, Jeong In-ji, and Lee Soon-ji began grading the papers submitted after solving the problems over two sessions.
“Here are the results.”
“let’s see.”
After checking the scoring results submitted by Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji, Hyang was able to select five questions.
After selecting the two questions with the most correct answers, the two questions with the next most correct answers, and the one question with the fewest correct answers, Hyang told Jeong Cho about the future.
“Let’s print these selected problems in large letters and post them on the walls of government offices across the country.”
“When you say government offices across the country, does it also include the prefectural office?”
“yes. “How long would you like me to give you a deadline?”
“Hmm… .”
Jeongcho, who had been stroking his beard and counting for a moment, answered Hyang’s question right away.
“Considering the time it takes to print, the time it takes to distribute it across the country, and the time it takes for the answers to be returned, one month would be enough.”
“It’s been a month… . “Then, I guess the outline will be clear by the winter solstice?”
“That will happen.”
Hyang nodded at the words of the New Year.
“great. Then do it right away.”
“yes. Lowering.”
In this way, a test for recruiting new researchers at the institute was born, boasting history, tradition, and notoriety—brought about by the last question boasting of the worst difficulty.
* * *
As soon as Hyang’s order was given, the laboratory and Area 51 became busy.
The reason for this was the various mathematical symbols included in the problem.
“oh my god! There are only five problems, but there are three notes to write next to them!”
“If you make a mistake, you have to re-engrave from the typeface! “Why did you include this function?”
The craftsmen and officials of Jujaso were embarrassed, putting their hands on their foreheads.
Although these were familiar mathematical symbols to those who lived through the 21st century, they were unfamiliar symbols to the Joseon people of this period.
“Why on earth are you using this?”
“The idea is to make formula expressions and calculations more convenient.”
“Then what is the principle behind creating these symbols?”
In response to the question of Jeongcho and Jeonginji, Hyang created a plausible background and recited it, starting with the four basic arithmetic symbols.
Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji, who were looking at the symbols while listening to the explanation of the incense, showed a skeptical reaction.
“I understand the meaning of what you said to a certain extent, but honestly, I’m not sure about its effectiveness.”
“You will understand when you try it.”
“Is that so?”
Just as Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji were skeptical, the researchers at the research institute and the artisans at Area 51 were also full of complaints at first.
“Just write Gagamseungje (加減乘除)!”
“It’s crazy to even calculate!”
However, it wasn’t long before researchers and craftsmen overturned their initial assessments.
“Is this comfortable?”
As I became familiar with the unfamiliar symbols, calculations began to become faster than before. Not only did time speed up by using simple symbols instead of letters, but the formula itself began to become visible at a glance.
Two years after Hyang introduced mathematical symbols, researchers at the research institute and artisans at Area 51 found it impossible to imagine writing formulas without mathematical symbols.
‘The crazy guys in the lab and Area 51 use strange symbols!’
Rumors about mathematical symbols soon spread throughout the government and military.
King Sejong, who heard the rumor, immediately asked the ministers.
“Let’s count again?”
“That’s right.”
“Sangseon, call the crown prince.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Soon after, the government and military – supply and artillery – began to spread and use mathematical symbols.
The military welcomed it especially enthusiastically, because many of its officers still did not know Chinese characters well.
After receiving a report related to this, King Sejong muttered alone in the secret room he created in Gangnyeongjeon.
“As expected, the form of the text should be as simple and concise as possible. Only then can the people easily learn it. “I need to do some more work.”
In any case, with the exception of the addition sign, which first appeared around 1300, the four arithmetic symbols, which were fully established only in the 18th century – the division symbol – began to take root in Joseon in the 1430s.
* * *
The test papers and annotations created in this way were sent to government offices across the country in dispatches.
The local officials who received the test papers and annotations delivered by Pabal looked embarrassed and muttered.
“Are you the Crown Prince again?”
“This time, you are planning to do something strange again…” .”
The local officials intuitively felt that this incident would not be unusual through past experience, but the attached order from King Sejong was the problem.
– Do as the crown prince commands.
“Well, all we have to do is paste it and collect the answer sheets… .”
Showing the typical characteristics of a civil servant, the local magistrate gave orders.
* * *
As news spread that a new poster had been posted on the bulletin board next to the main gate of the government office, curious residents of the town gathered in front of the government office.
“Is that writing or painting?”
“With such an ignorant person! That’s Cheonchuksoo. Cheonchuksoo!”
While the residents were discussing the poster full of numbers, someone with a good voice read aloud the official notice attached to it.
“We are recruiting researchers to be in charge of research at the Korea Science and Technology Development Research Institute. Anyone who wants to become a researcher should solve and submit the following problems. Those who pass the exam will be selected and appointed. There is no distinction between Yangcheon and gender, but those who commit serious crimes or are implicated and become government slaves are excluded!”
When the test paper was posted in the official gazette, people who were confident in their ability to excel in industry and academia began to look at the test paper.
Ambition was burning in the eyes of those who were staring at the test paper as if they were going to eat it.
‘The research institute is an institution directly managed by the crown prince! This is another chance!’
* * *
Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
A boy with a bun on his head looked at the test paper and clenched his fist without realizing it.
“This is it!”
The boy reached into his sleeves, took out paper, a gold pen, and an ink pen, and began to copy the test questions diligently.
After the transcription was finished and the boy checked several times to make sure he had copied it correctly, he muttered with a confident expression on his face.
“It’s worth it.”
“young master! “My Lord asks you to come in!”
“Don’t go in!”
The place where the boy who answered the servant’s call entered was the official residence attached to the county office.
* * *
A few days later, the wife who greeted the governor, who returned to the official residence after completing official duties, opened her mouth with a face full of worry.
“Sir, Dam has been staying in his room for several days.”
“You mean the third one? I understand. “I will take a look.”
After answering his wife’s words, Hyeonryeong returned home and immediately headed to his third son’s room.
When Hyeonryeong saw the brightly lit room and the table in front of it, he clicked his tongue.
“For what reason did this child become ill…” .”
Hyeonryeong, who knew his son’s habit of being absorbed in something and forgetting about it, climbed up the stone and opened his son’s room.
“This… .”
When the Hyeonryeong saw that the room was filled with papers filled with all kinds of numbers, he called out to his son in a loud voice.
“Yes you bastard! “It is said that those who learn should not lose their modesty, but what kind of thing is this!”
The boy, who was crouching on the floor and frantically concentrating on calculations, got up in shock as soon as he heard the yelling.
“Ah, father. “Are you here?”
“What is all this?”
The boy hastily answered his father’s question.
“This is the solution to the exam question sent down from Hanseong this time.”
“If it’s a test question… . “You mean recruiting researchers for the research institute?”
“That’s right. It turned out well. “I think the solution will be finished tomorrow, so please send it to Hanseong when it is finished.”
“Do you want to become a researcher?”
“Soja, don’t you know that you have talent in industry and academia? “It will definitely be of great use to the country.”
The wise man shook his head at the boy’s words.
“Arthur! You may have talent in industry and academia, but you haven’t even completed the formal ceremony yet. And industry and academia are merely entertainment for noblemen. It is not suitable for a gentleman to do it as a profession! “Take the official exam next year and prepare for the exam by working hard on math!”
“father!”
“Uh-huh! “Put away all these papers and open the scriptures right now!”
The magistrate, who had firmly broken the boy’s will, closed the door and returned.
The boy left alone in the room gritted his teeth.
“Industry and academia are also great studies! I must prove this! I, Kim Dam, although I didn’t go through the formalities, I am a decent man! “He has made up his mind, and he will definitely do it!”
It was Kim Dam, a boy who violently rebelled against Butch’s orders.
Although he said that he was a decent man, his behavior was typical of adolescent rebellion.
Three days later, the official residence was turned upside down.
“lily! Master! Master!”
“Why Dam?”
To the question asked by Kim Dam’s father, Kim So-ryang, Nobok answered out of breath.
“Young master has left the house!”
“what?”
Surprised by the news that her son had run away from home, Kim So-ryang jumped up from her seat. Seo-tak fell to the ground because of the sudden attack, but Kim So-ryang didn’t care.
“Dami ran away from home? “Are you sure?”
“yes. There is a letter like this in the master’s room… .”
Kim So-ryang, who took the letter handed to him by a slave as if snatching it, looked disappointed when he saw the words written on the outside of the envelope.
“Exit ticket? “It’s like a thunderbolt!”
* * *
At that time, Kim Dam, riding a donkey, was heading toward Hanseong with a servant.
“Master, just go back. “If you get caught like this, I’m going to yell at you.”
“Uh huh. It’s something I can do once I go into the research lab. So don’t be so scared.”
“You may be so, but if you lose, you will be punished.”
“Uh-huh! No matter how much you are a slave, recklessly using violence is prohibited by national law. “Your father is an official of the country. How could you break the law?”
At Kim Dam’s easy-going answer, the pigtail servant was frustrated and pounded his chest.
“Oh my, tusk!”
“You guy! “You must always think positively for everything to go well!”
* * *
After ten days, Kim Dam arrived in Hanseong. Due to King Sejong’s strong policies, the seeds of bandits were dried up, and many of the roads were well paved, so they arrived faster than before.
As soon as I arrived at Hanseong, the most excited thing was the servant who came with me.
The servant, who had a deathly look on his face before passing through Sungnyemun Gate, was distracted by all the amazing scenery and objects of Hanseong, and his head was turning in all directions.
“Wow! young master! “I guess that’s a rickshaw!”
Beep!
“Oh my, Tusk! “A piece of metal moves on its own!”
“You guy! “Stop being rude and let’s go to Gyeongbokgung Palace!”
Kim Dam headed to Gyeongbokgung Palace, accompanied by a servant who was distracted by looking at Hanseong’s traditional sights.
When Kim Dam arrived at Gwanghwamun, the gate guard guarding Gwanghwamun opened his mouth.
“What brings you here?”
“I came to enter the lab! Please let me in!”
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