The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 13



<Carl Rice>

After sailing for about 20 days the ship we were on arrived in San Francisco.

“I’ll go now.”

Syngman Rhee bowed to me looking slightly impatient.

I checked the pocket watch I was wearing and said goodbye to him.

“You’ll be pressed for time so go quickly. I hope you arrive on time so that your studies are not disrupted.”

“Thank you for your consideration. Then….”

After sending Syngman Rhee off like that I looked around for a moment.

As I was looking at the cityscape something inside me suddenly came up.

‘San Francisco in the 1900s…’

As I walked along the pier I was amazed and amazed again.

I couldn’t close my mouth because I was more excited than in Hawaii where natural beauty was so beautiful.

‘Hello San Francisco.’

There’s good reason for me to be excited.

My father and mother came to America from Korea.

I was born in America from the beginning when I was a modern person.

I also had a hometown and that hometown was San Francisco.

I lived here for nearly twenty years until I graduated from high school spending all of my childhood and boyhood here.

In retrospect I compared the 21st century with the present.

‘In the early 1900s the Golden Gate Bridge hadn’t even been built yet.’

If translated into modern Korean it could be called ‘Golden Gate Bridge’.

It was a bridge that could be called the symbol of San Francisco but it is no longer in the world.

Because it was made around the 1930s.

‘If you visit the Golden Gate Bridge on a foggy day it’s truly a spectacular sight.’

If I ever make a lot of money in the future I’ll have to help build that bridge.

It would be an honor to be able to contribute to the construction of San Francisco’s mascot.

Get notified for updates: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

“Hey Ching-chang-chong!”

I’m enjoying the view of the city.

A white beggar popped out and interrupted my reminiscing.

Thanks to that I quickly returned to the real world.

“huh?”

I was so moved that I didn’t even look around.

Maybe it was because I was walking alone on the dock away from my group but it seemed like I was easy on this guy in front of me.

I paused for a moment in embarrassment but Iza seemed to be amused by my reaction and pointed a finger at me.

“You’re talking about Ching-Chang-Chong.”

I looked straight at him with a funny expression.

Then this guy also did not give up and came towards me with his neck stiff.

“You dirty little monkey can’t you speak English?”

under….

The repertoire is the same in the early 20th century and the early 21st century.

Those guys whose only skill to boast about is being good at English.

Did I look like a new immigrant when I just got off the dock?

“Why did you come here? Stop messing with the water and go back to your own country!”

These guys whenever they see an Asian they tell them to go back to their country.

They massacre Native Americans and live on this land acting like they own it.

“Kaplan! Follow me!”

Aaron put down the load he was holding in both hands and ran quickly toward me leading his brothers.

When I got into an altercation with a stranger the three brothers took action to fulfill their original job of protecting me.

“Kaplan!”

I called the name of the second of three Irish brothers.

Kaplan whose gestures were like a bear’s approached the beggar who had been teasing me with a fierce expression.

“You. To our boss. What did you say?”

The beggar who had been teasing me widened his eyes.

He rolled his eyes between me and Kaplan perhaps taken aback by Kaplan’s size.

“Hey. Isn’t my subordinate asking you something right now?”

I walked forward and tapped his shoulder with my index finger.

Then

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that you were my superior.”

The beggar bowed his head and apologized to me.

This kind of idiot is weak against the strong and strong against the weak.

It’s been a while since I’ve been back home but I feel bad because of this insignificant guy.

“Eek!”

The stray dog who had been hanging his head suddenly started running as soon as I looked away for a moment.

Join our discord and ping me to update more chapters. Discord: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

Kaplan who had been blankly watching this for a moment looked back and forth between me and the guy and asked.

“Boss. That guy. How?”

I waved my hand at the beggar running away.

“Alright. If we’re meant to be we’ll meet again sometime.”

I didn’t want to waste any more time on that guy.

I was tired from the long trip.

‘I need to train my muscles.’

The desire to exercise wells up.

If my body was a mass of muscle like Kaplan’s probably nothing would have happened today.

Because racists are funny people.

Discriminate based on the person’s appearance.

‘Don’t get excited. You might lose muscle.’

I was angry that my body was so frail compared to before.

I’ve been working out hard for the past four months to bulk up but I still have a slim body like a K-pop idol star with only a little muscle.

So I got impatient.

Because when I was a modern person my body was in pretty good shape.

‘For dinner tonight… I’ll have chicken breast.’

I was wondering how to grow my body.

I kept thinking about this as I headed to my accommodations.

* * *

Arrived at the hotel.

Having been on board for nearly a month my body and mind were extremely tired.

That’s why I gave the group two days of free time.

“Boss! Something funny happened yesterday.”

Two days later at the gathering place Max suddenly started talking.

“What’s going on that makes you so excited?”

“Boss! That guy I met at the port last time. I saw him again at the intersection here. So you know what I did? I brought Kaplan here and gave him a hand job. Haha.”

Max the youngest bragged about it with great pride.

I smiled happily to myself as I watched Max like that.

‘This guy secretly scratches my itch so well.’

I wish the snout was a little heavier.

I quickly turned my head and looked at the group gathered in one place.

“Ahhh… Everyone’s here. We’ve finally arrived in California the home of the United States. Applause!”

After shaking hands for a while I put my hands together and bowed my head slightly.

I looked at the group with a rather serious expression.

“Before we get into full swing I want to ask you. What do you think is most urgent for me right now?”

I’ve been thinking a lot about this over the past 20 days or so on the ship.

Naturally we also made plans for the future.

But rather than just telling them this unilaterally I thought I’d ask for their opinion.

‘Because you can make a show-off anytime.’

What I need most right now is a staff member who can correct what I am missing.

That’s why I’m taking this opportunity to test their abilities.

I wanted to find out how much economic sense there was and who might be useful as a staff member.

“….”

“….”

Everyone kept their mouths shut at my sudden question.

I tried to exchange glances with each person but they all avoided me.

“omg….”

Meanwhile Woo Hyeon-sik who was managing the finances was startled as he couldn’t avoid looking away.

Woo Hyun-sik scratched his head and was the first to answer my question semi-forcibly.

“I think… wouldn’t you need a house to live in the most?”

The first speaker is important.

What if you criticize them for not liking the answer?

Others will just keep their mouths shut and watch me.

I wasn’t satisfied because I didn’t want that kind of reaction but I pretended to agree with Woo Hyun-sik’s opinion.

“Yes I need a house. Where and how big a mansion should I get? And how much should I budget for it? Where should it be? How should I purchase it? And how should I pay for it?”

I asked a pretty specific question.

I’m not just asking if they’re going to throw this out there I’m asking if they’ve really thought about it.

“Isn’t it true that the bigger the house the better?”

“That’s right. Your Majesty you have to invite many distinguished guests so you can’t stay in a shabby house.”

Max added his own opinion to Aaron’s answer.

I asked about the plan in more detail.

“The bigger the house the bigger the outgoing expenses will be… Well that aside. Should I rent a big house? Or should I buy one?”

I’m confused.

There was no one who could easily continue the story.

“You should buy. Hasn’t real estate in the US been rising for a long time? Especially in prime locations the rise is steep.”

Only Woo Hyun-sik said something that I liked.

He was born in the middle class and received mathematics education from a young age so he was quite knowledgeable about economic principles.

“It would take a lot of money to buy a mansion located in a prime location… and you’re spending that much money on a house?”

“Don’t you have a bank? You can buy it with a mortgage.”

Aaron noticed and then intervened.

It seems like something I haven’t seen in a long time has come out.

“Your Majesty please reconsider. It is dangerous to take on debt.”

Woo Hyeon-sik expressed his opposing opinion.

Woo Hyun-sik is in the early stages of my love affair.

He hated spending money so much maybe because I kept pestering him like a rat.

Debt must have been something to be afraid of for someone like him.

“Yes. Loans are risky.”

I said to Woo Hyun-sik with an expression of understanding.

“But don’t be so negative. Debt is also an asset.”

Leverage.

There is also a way to quickly increase your assets known as the leverage effect.

A typical example is a mortgage.

Aaron interrupted my answer again.

“I guess you’re thinking of saving your money and investing it elsewhere.”

“Yeah. That makes sense.”

He is quick-witted.

Unlike my youngest brother.

“Where would you like to invest?”

Aaron asked me with a curious look on his face.

He folded his fingers one by one listing several examples.

“Aren’t there bonds gold stocks and real estate?”

“Boss! Gold! The more it glitters the better! Absolutely. Gold! It’s gold!”

Kaplan opened his mouth for the first time in a long time.

Of course it didn’t help.

Even though he may be physically fit he is a little lacking.

Max who was watching from the side said something as he watched Kaplan running wild.

“Boss. If you’re a man it’s stocks. Let’s go all in on stocks.”

As Max claims stocks are also good.

Through World Wars I and II America’s big business became the world’s big business.

There must be a few promising stocks that have just been listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

I have some idea about the future of those companies.

If you buy stocks of companies whose names you know you can be guaranteed high profitability.

‘But now is not the time to invest.’

The U.S. stock market is currently showing signs of overheating.

No matter how good a stock is investing in it when it is overvalued is something only a fool would do.

Moreover about a year later the U.S. stock market crashed.

Because a major panic occurred in 1907.

The sale is coming up soon so is there really a need to hold on to the top knot?

“I think it would be a good idea to buy land.”

Yu Gil-jun who had been observing the conversation also opened his mouth.

His two sons also nodded in agreement with their father’s opinion.

“Boss. Please diversify your investments. If you invest in just one place you could end up in big trouble.”

As expected.

Aaron adds a word.

This guy is really good at organizing what other people are talking about.

“As you said I should diversify my investments. Even if one of them falters if the rest are doing well there is a chance of recovery.”

He quickly turned his gaze from Aaron to Yu Gil-jun.

“And as you said I will start investing in real estate.”

“Are you thinking of buying land in Hawaii?”

Yu Gil-jun looked at me and asked.

Then Choi Hyun-woo hit my knee.

“It would be great if we could hire overseas Koreans. Aren’t some of their contracts going to end next year?”

Korean immigrants to Hawaii.

Most of them began their lives in the United States as laborers on sugarcane plantations in 1903.

Usually permanent residency is granted after working at the first workplace for about 3 years.

What this means is that next year the majority of Koreans will be free.

‘We have to utilize them.’

Without saying anything most people seemed to assume I was interested in Hawaiian sugarcane farms.

But Aaron stroked my beard for a moment and then asked me.

“I guess the boss isn’t in the mood.”

“Why do you think so?”

“If you liked it you would have asked us for a specific takeover plan right here and now. But why don’t you just stay quiet for now?”

I shrugged and admitted that Aaron’s guess was correct.

“I don’t want to get involved in a place where other people want to do business. The vested interests that have been in place will definitely keep me in check.”

I snapped my fingers and added:

“Of course I plan to buy some other land for the sake of the Korean community and also for the purpose of increasing assets.”

Korean residents whose contracts have ended.

What will they do?

It’s obvious.

I will leave the sugarcane farm and become a tenant farmer.

Because all I’ve learned since I was born is farming.

‘These days tenancy contracts are really shit.’

The farm owner and the tenant farmer usually entered into a 9 to 1 contract.

ah.

Here 9 is the farm owner’s share.

The tenant farmers only take 10000.

‘And yet what makes it possible to live…’

It must be because this American land is so blessed.

Because the crops grow well.

The whole pie is so big that you could eat and live off of just 10000 pieces.

‘9 to 1 is too much… let’s make it 7 to 3 or 5 to 5.’

Helping the growth of overseas Koreans.

Of course I also benefit from the process.

I also planned to utilize the overseas Koreans very actively since lowering the ratio would not result in a huge loss for me.

While I was thinking about this for a moment.

Yu Gil-jun opened the map.

“Then… where are you looking?”

I chuckled clasped my hands together and placed them on the back of my head.

After that he answered while rubbing his sore neck muscles.

“I am a prince of Joseon. I know very well what we Joseon people do better than anyone else.”

My vassals except for the three Irish brothers nodded to my answer.

They unanimously interpreted my intentions correctly.

“So you’re thinking of trying rice farming here?”

“okay.”

I looked at the map.

Then he tried to point out land that could be farmed.

That was when.

Suddenly Max intervened.

* * *

“Piss.”

Max raised his right hand.

I guess you have something to say.

“If I say this I feel like I’ll get hit by Brother Aaron for being arrogant again…”

Max trailed off looking at his brother’s expression.

I crossed my arms with a look that said “Say it once.”

“I am ready to listen to even the harshest opinions. Don’t hesitate and tell me your opinion.”

Max looked back and forth between Aaron and me and carefully told me the problem.

“Rice doesn’t grow well here in California.”

Max said pointing to the map.

The place he was pointing to is called the Delta region.

The land was very fertile and American settlers began farming there after massacring the natives there.

“I feel like I’ll just waste my money by spending a lot of money on land.”

right.

Farming is not easy in the first place.

If you miss the sowing season by just one day the harvest for that year will be completely different.

“Boss. Don’t do that. Be a man and invest in stocks. Aya! What’s wrong big brother?”

He was doing really well but then he started blowing his nose strangely again.

Luckily Aaron pulled Max’s ear.

No matter how you look at it Aaron seems like Max’s inhibitor.

“Max is right. Rice farming has been attempted in California over the years but has failed every time.”

I was born and raised in California.

Just as Korea has geography classes the United States also has students study its own geography.

In particular the United States is a union of several states.

Teach more about the geography and climate of the state you live in.

Having grown up in California myself I was familiar with its geography.

“But it is not the land that is at fault it is the people.”

I looked at Max with a grin.

“That’s because it was destined to fail from the start. Bring it here.”

Woo Hyun-sik stood up from his seat for a moment.

30 seconds later.

There was something in his hand.

It’s a bundle of rice I bought at the market.

“These are… seeds brought in from California for cultivation. What do they look like? Isn’t it a bit different?”

I showed it to them.

This time the three brothers from Ireland tilted their heads but the Koreans quickly noticed the difference.

“Isn’t this Annammi?”

right.

Rice grown mainly in southern China and Southeast Asia.

It’s that rice that flies away when you blow on it.

“Until now I have tried to grow this rice.”

I smiled and continued speaking.

“If let’s say we grow our Korean rice here… what would happen?”

<Carl Rice> End