Chapter 32
- Bear Paw (1)
Deep inside the Chuncheon Dohobusa's inner compound was a warehouse.
The items piled high within all bore the Rejection stamp.
Though all the goods had been rejected, nowhere could one find any defect.
They were tribute goods that had been forcibly rejected from proper tributes, then siphoned off under the guise of disposal.
'Ah... I'm deeply moved.'
Whenever he looked at this warehouse, a corner of Chuncheon Dohobusa (Prefect) Jo Sang-ro's heart felt gratified.
It was the result of squeezing the people diligently and consistently.
Now, if he laundered these into other assets and shipped them to Hanyang, returning to a Gyeonggwan position would only be a matter of time.
Moreover, he would also be able to receive the Night duty of the mountain village girl he had been eyeing under the pretext of tribute, so there was no greater win-win than this.
Just as an insidious smile was about to spread across the Prefect's face.
"P, Prefect!"
"Who's there!"
Startled, the Prefect whirled around, his eyes landing on the figure of a Hobang standing awkwardly.
"Prefect, we have guests at the government office. They are wealthy merchants from Hanyang, and it seems they wish to trade goods."
"What? Someone came from Hanyang...?"
At the Hobang's words, the Chuncheon Prefect's eyebrows rose suspiciously.
It was not common for visitors to come all the way from Hanyang, especially to trade goods.
That was because Wonju was where the Gamyeong (Provincial Governor's Office) that governed the entire Gangwon Province was located,
and Gangneung was where the next largest Daedohobu (Grand Protectorate) was situated.
Therefore, if one were heading from Hanyang to Gangwon Province to make a profit, the natural route would be to go through Wonju and then move to Gangneung.
There would be no reason to stop by Chuncheon in between, even by mistake.
"Why did they come here?"
"W, well, they said they came specifically to see you, Prefect..."
"Me...?"
The Prefect narrowed his eyes, suspicion swirling within them.
Given His Majesty's temperament, it was unlikely, but if an undercover royal inspector were to appear here, it would be a headache.
He might have to offer enormous bribes and entertainment.
There was no need to take such a risk. Why not avoid a passing shower?
"You fool, do you think I'm so idle that I can receive every Tom, Dick, and Harry who passes by? Make up some excuse and send them away."
"B, but... they said they wanted to offer precious local specialties. Should we just turn that down?"
Precious... local specialties?
The Chuncheon Prefect's ears perked up instinctively.
Having been appointed as a local official with a greedy nature, if there was one thirst that could not be quenched no matter how much wealth he scraped together, it was the desire for luxurious goods.
To put it bluntly, it was a similar psychology to how nouveau riche from developing countries were obsessed with imported luxury brands.
'It's not easy to encounter precious items in this backwater...'
The Chuncheon Prefect's mind began to race.
To bribe the central figures of the court, he would need several carts of siphoned-off tribute goods.
But if he were to offer enough to be worthwhile, the volume would be too large to deliver discreetly.
Instead, the secret to success was to collect those goods and exchange them for 'small and expensive' items, then slip them in at the right opportunity.
So, he couldn't help but prick up his ears at the mention of precious items.
"Alright, what exactly is this specialty?"
"Yes, it is said to be Bear paw, one of the eight delicacies."
Bear paw.
The Chuncheon Prefect felt as if his breath was caught in his throat.
Among the 'eight delicacies', it was the most difficult ingredient to cook.
He had only heard of it in anecdotes, and until now, he had never seen any chef properly cook a Bear paw.
The Prefect added a question, feigning nonchalance.
"Isn't Bear paw an extremely difficult ingredient to handle?"
"That is so. But there is a skilled chef among the guests, and he has already completed all the preparations to serve you, Prefect."
As expected of the person in charge of receiving tributes, the Hobang had already thoroughly checked everything.
'Hmm...'
If they brought the most delicious food in the world, there was no reason to refuse enjoying that delicacy.
Moreover, if they had other valuable items besides that, it was a good opportunity to trade them for the tribute goods he had embezzled and launder them cleanly.
'...First, I should gauge the level of the specialties they offer.'
Having finished his calculations in his head, the Chuncheon Prefect gave a generous order to the Hobang, who was waiting for an answer.
"Prepare a banquet immediately. I will personally greet them."
* * *
The back garden of the Chuncheon Dohobusa government office.
A large pavilion was built that was not fitting for a local government office.
That place, which was used to entertain the Confucian scholars of the Yuhyangso or to receive bribes from local magnates, was to be used today to welcome guests from Hanyang.
Amidst the soft music played by the Gwan-gi, banquet tables filled with extravagant dishes were lined up in a row.
However, the very center of the banquet table was empty.
That empty space seemed to be the place where the Bear paw, the specialty that the guests would bring, would be placed.
The Hobang's voice reached the ears of the Chuncheon Prefect, who was sitting at the head of the table, his head filled with various calculations.
"Prefect, the guests have arrived."
"Yes, tell them to come inside."
"Yes, what are you doing? Quickly bring the guests in."
Soon, guided by the Gwan-gi, four men entered the pavilion in turn.
'Let's see.'
The Prefect narrowed his eyes and began to scrutinize the guests' appearances one by one.
A tall man with a fair face wearing a jade robe, and a man with thick eyebrows wearing a Navy robe.
And two pretty young men in Kwaeja attire, who seemed to be attending to them.
The Prefect's gaze quickly scanned their attire in detail.
'Oh, especially that jade robe... it's no ordinary garment. The luxurious luster woven from the finest silk imported from Ming China, the exquisite embroidery...'
Although it was plain clothes, the Korean Traditional Coat that Yeonsangun was wearing was specially made by the Sanguiwon (the government office in charge of clothing within the palace), so it was no wonder that the Prefect was surprised by its appearance.
'They're young, but they're no ordinary people. They must be the sons of wealthy families from Hanyang.'
As he was making these assumptions in his mind, the man in the jade robe opened his mouth first with a strange smile and introduced himself.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Yi Yung from Hanyang. And this is my brother-in-law, Shin Su-hyeok. Despite his appearance, he is from the prestigious Geochang Shin clan."
"Shin Su-hyeok."
The man in the Navy robe bowed lightly and greeted him.
"Oh, if it's the Geochang Shin family, aren't they the maternal relatives of the royal family from which the Queen Consort came?"
The Chuncheon Prefect was pleased to learn that the guests' origins were more plausible than he had thought, and he began to feel as if he had already made a connection.
"And this is Gong-gil, a entertainer in our household, and that is Ji-young, the chef who cooked today's specialty."
When the introductions were over, Ji-young and Gong-gil bowed their heads in greeting.
...But listening carefully, there was no falsehood in what Yeonsangun had said, to the point of being annoying.
Everything from their names to what they did was all true.
Except for the fact that he was the King...
Of course, the Chuncheon Prefect, who could not even imagine that fact, was already in a good mood and gestured for more food to be brought out.
"Hey, what are you doing? Quickly bring out the alcohol so it doesn't run out. Haha, it's an honor to have such distinguished guests come to this backwater, I'm worried that what we've prepared is not enough."
"What are you saying? The table is about to break. I heard that the climate in this region is cold and the soil is dry, so the yield is not good, but is that all nonsense?"
Looking at the luxurious table setting that the Gwan-bi were bringing in one after another, Yeonsangun threw out a question as if testing him.
"Oh my, you have nothing to worry about. Only lazy people say such useless things, how can a farmer blame the field? If we tighten our belts, we can all make a living. Hahaha."
Yeonsangun smiled at the Chuncheon Prefect's words, but his eyes were shining more and more intensely.
If that was the case, did that mean that the mountain villagers were poor because they were lazy?
Besides, why was the price of the people tightening their belts flowing into the government office's table setting?
Yeonsangun opened his mouth with a meaningful smile.
"Since the Prefect has prepared such an excellent table setting, how can we just sit still? We will also present the most delicious food in the world."
Soon, a Bear paw dish, warmed in a double boiler, was brought to the center of the banquet table, covered with a bowl.
When Ji-young lifted the earthenware bowl that had been covering it like a lid,
the huge Bear paw revealed its overwhelming presence as it was.
"Oh..."
Low exclamations flowed from the mouths of the people gathered in the room.
It was a dish that was pleasing to the eye just to look at.
The surface was golden brown, and a shiny dark brown sauce was flowing down it with a glossy sheen.
"Oh, oh... This is... exactly..."
"This is Bear paw cooked in the Western style."
The secret cooking method that Ji-young used last when making the Bear paw.
It was an application of the Schweinshaxe, that is, the pork knuckle cooking method, a specialty of Bavaria, Germany.
After simmering for a long time, oil is applied to the surface and it is roasted once more in a high-temperature furnace of over 300 degrees.
As a result, the moisture on the surface of the ingredient evaporates rapidly, and the crust turns golden and crispy.
This creates a so-called 'crispy on the outside, moist on the inside' state.
Here, a gravy sauce made by mixing meat broth and starch was poured generously.
So this is,
[Bear paw dish cooked in the style of Schweinshaxe with gravy sauce]
"Oh, it's a truly precious dish. Then, let's see what it tastes like..."
As soon as the dish explanation was over, the Chuncheon Prefect swallowed hard as if he had been waiting for it and reached out his hand, but he heard the sound of the Hobang clearing his throat next to him.
"Ahem..."
Only then did the Prefect come to his senses and withdraw his hand with an awkward smile.
"...Y, you should eat first. Haha."
It was not just to show courtesy.
Because he had committed so many sins, he had always made his guests eat first, worrying about poison in the food.
Yeonsangun could not have failed to notice that.
"Then, I will eat first without being polite."
Yeonsangun reached out without hesitation and tore off a large piece of the Bear paw.
As the golden-brown surface cracked crisply, the moist and tender gelatinous flesh inside revealed its glistening appearance.
As he put that piece in his mouth, well-coated with gravy sauce, a blissful smile soon began to bloom on Yeonsangun's face.
"Oh... indeed! The outside is crispy and the inside is chewy and moist, it's a taste that would make even Mencius jump out of his room."
"T, then, let me try it too..."
Seeing that, the Dohobusa, as if unable to bear it any longer, hurriedly reached out his hand to the Bear paw.
As soon as he put a piece in his mouth and chewed it a few times, the Prefect's pupils contracted and goosebumps rose all over his body.
"O... Oooooh!"
The soft and chewy collagenous flesh inside the crispy skin, and the gravy sauce with its deep savory taste.
It was an unavoidable texture and taste that came as a fresh shock to the people of the Joseon Dynasty, who used to eat boiled meat with soy sauce.
"I, indeed... It's the most delicious food in the world..."
The Chuncheon Prefect's body was already trembling.
* * *
A little later,
Deep inside the Chuncheon Dohobusa government office, in the Naeheon Sarangchae.
The Prefect, who was drinking tea in front of a tea table and indulging in the afterglow of the meal just now, had a satisfied look on his face.
It must have been because he had tasted a precious meal in such a remote area for the first time in a long time.
Sitting in front of him was a man wearing a jade robe, Yeonsangun.
It was an exclusive meeting between just the two of them.
After the meal, he had suggested moving to the Sarangchae for a full-fledged transaction.
"It was a truly amazing delicacy. It was enough to open the eyes of this ignorant body."
Yeonsangun nodded at the Prefect's words mixed with admiration.
"Our chef is versed in all kinds of exotic cooking methods, so there is nothing he cannot handle. For that reason, we have a cart full of precious ingredients."
"Oh... T, then, could you share some of that delicacy with me? O, of course, I will pay generously."
From the moment he tasted the Bear paw dish, the Chuncheon Prefect had already abandoned all suspicion and was simply emitting a greedy light from his eyes.
He could squeeze as much money as he wanted from the people for the price of the goods, so it was important to obtain valuable items no matter how much he had to pay.
"Wait a moment, would you come closer, Prefect?"
Yeonsangun, as he had said in advance, checked that the Jangji door of the Sarangchae was tightly closed, and then spoke carefully as if he was about to tell a secret.
As the Prefect, intrigued, approached, Yeonsangun whispered.
"Actually, I have something more precious than Bear paw."
"More precious than Bear paw...?"
"Have you ever heard of 'King Paw', Prefect?"
"King Paw...? What on earth is that...?"
The Chuncheon Prefect, suppressing his pounding heart, swallowed hard, wondering how precious this unfamiliar name was.
"If Bear paw is the paw of a bear. And 'King Paw' is..."
Yeonsangun slowly began to roll up the sleeves of his Korean Traditional Coat with a nonchalant smile.
"...This is it!"
In the very next moment, a slap with all his might flew to the Prefect's face and exploded like sparks.
