Black Corporation: Joseon

After dismissing Lee Chun, Hyang reviewed the situation again.

“Not being able to make proper springs will be the biggest problem. That’s why the wheel lock was created before the flintlock, after all.”

The wheel lock emerged as an attempt to solve matchlock problems when they lacked the ability to make steel that could maintain proper elasticity even when made small and thin. And due to persistent material quality issues and structural flaws, wheel lock muskets and arquebuses couldn’t be reduced in size.

“Hmm… Even if price becomes an obstacle, looking at the current situation in Europe and elsewhere, musketeers are still a special force maintained in small numbers. And most of those musketeers are kept by core power holders to secure their safety – why else would ‘The Three Musketeers’ have emerged?”

Hyang remained unconcerned despite setting such high prices.

Having reached this conclusion and about to check other documents, Hyang suddenly stopped and looked at the map.

“Come to think of it… There was a theory that Leonardo da Vinci conceptualized that wheel lock… Is Leonardo da Vinci alive now?”

***

After the Italian monks settled in at the research institute, Hyang had called them separately.

“I’ve gathered you today to see if there are any inconveniences in your living arrangements.”

While outwardly it was “to look after those who’ve settled in Joseon’s research institute,” the real purpose was to learn about the political situation, technological information, and cultural information from Italy, Europe’s core region, through them.

“Your culture must be quite different from Joseon’s, so I’m quite curious. Are there any famous painters or craftsmen?”

“Yes. First, the most famous one…”

Though the monks mentioned several names in response to Hyang’s question, Leonardo da Vinci’s name hadn’t come up yet.

***

After carefully searching his memories, Hyang slightly shook his head.

“If the Italian monks don’t know him, he must either not be born yet, or still unknown…”

After brief contemplation, Hyang made up his mind.

“If Leonardo da Vinci appears while I’m alive, I’ll bring him here right away. It would be interesting to put him to work in Area 51. Though the probability of seeing the ‘Mona Lisa’ would greatly decrease…”

Hyang remained completely nonchalant while making a decision that would greatly damage world art history.

“Why should I care? Besides, I never found the Mona Lisa particularly beautiful anyway.”

***

Pedro’s reaction was similar to what Lee Chun had worried about.

After dismissing the craftsmen, Pedro continued the meeting with Henry and his close advisers.

“They say copying the Joseon arquebus is impossible for these reasons, but it’s still too expensive. Though selling to our captains was surely meant to encourage us to purchase as well. Should we really buy it?”

At Pedro’s question, the financial officers unanimously expressed opposition.

“It’s too expensive!”

“Even with good performance, an arquebus is an arquebus. It’s wasteful.”

While all financial officers expressed opposition, the commanders leading Pedro’s private army thought differently.

“Musket power in an arquebus size? No need to think twice. We must buy them immediately!”

“Exactly. Operating two branches as one would simplify supplies!”

“Above all, consider that overwhelming range. If battle breaks out, we can rain bullets from beyond the enemy’s range, bringing easier victory to our forces!”

“Just eliminating the slow match greatly reduces unnecessary casualties! The monetary benefits from this alone would offset the high price!”

But the financial officers stubbornly maintained their opposition.

“Even if you can drop enemies from further away, how many more could you actually take down!”

“The slow match issue can be addressed with stricter training!”

Both sides held their ground without yielding.

Finally, Pedro waved his hand with a long sigh.

“Everyone out. I’ll consider it and reach a conclusion.”

At Pedro’s words, everyone except Henry and the captain of the duke’s guard left the conference room.

With just the three remaining, Pedro let out a long sigh.

“Whew~. This is a difficult problem, truly difficult.”

“But with war not far off, don’t we need stronger weapons?”

Pedro responded to Henry’s words with a deeply furrowed brow.

“Still, it’s too expensive. Like someone said earlier, no matter how good the performance, an arquebus is still an arquebus, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to use the same money to arm them with more arquebuses or muskets?”

“But…”

“It’s an unchanging truth that both quality and quantity of weapons matter in war. But if forced to choose between the two, isn’t quantity the better choice?”

Realizing Pedro had already made up his mind, Henry fell silent.

However, the guard captain, who had remained silent throughout the meeting, spoke up.

“Your Grace’s words are correct for war. But in civil war, where we can’t mobilize as many troops, better weapons are needed.”

“Civil war?”

“Civil war?”

When the guard captain mentioned ‘civil war,’ Pedro and Henry’s heads turned simultaneously.

“Have you heard something I don’t know? No, why haven’t I received this information?”

Pedro’s voice was ice cold as he asked.

Despite Pedro’s sharp reaction, the guard captain answered calmly.

“The information came through different channels than Your Grace knows, so some verification was needed.”

“I see. Where did it come from?”

“From a palace servant who cleans the palace.”

“Is that so…”

Pedro nodded slightly at the guard captain’s words. Though Pedro’s own recruited line also worked in the palace, they held high positions.

They’d be sensitive to power flows. And sensitive about their own worth too. High chance they’ve withheld important information. Or sold it to Braganza.

“Very well. What information came through this palace servant?”

“Recently, secret meetings between Duke of Braganza and the King have been increasing.”

“That bastard finally!”

Pedro ground his teeth at the guard captain’s words.

His half-brother, Duke Afonso of Braganza, had positioned himself as the core of the noble faction and was increasingly pushing against Pedro. Conversely, Pedro’s position was steadily shrinking.

The biggest reason for this changing situation was that Pedro’s regency period was nearing its end.

Pedro’s regency would last four years at most.

Of course, Pedro was using various methods to protect his power.

One such method was his daughter’s marriage to Afonso V, scheduled for next year. Secret agreements with the Ottomans and Cosimo de’ Medici were another method.

But making his daughter queen would be pointless if Afonso V fell for a concubine… and the Duke of Braganza was entirely capable of arranging such a thing.

And regarding the secret agreements with the Ottomans and Cosimo de’ Medici, if the timing was wrong, someone else could reap the benefits.

In the worst case, I must be prepared for civil war against my nephew. In terms of troops, we’d definitely be at a disadvantage…

Analyzing the situation with a serious expression, Pedro turned to Henry.

“Brother, I’ve supported you in everything until now. Will you swear to stand with me?”

At Pedro’s question, Henry’s face turned pale.

“Brother! The King is your nephew! Would you wage war against your own flesh and blood?”

“If the King doesn’t abandon me, I won’t abandon him. But if he abandons me, I’ll abandon him. When that time comes, what will you do?”

“That’s…”

“What will you do?”

Though Pedro pressed for a decision, Henry couldn’t easily open his mouth.

One wrong move and I become a traitor. But if that lowborn son of a bitch Braganza takes power, all my efforts will have been for nothing.

The problem was that neither choice was optimal for him, but he couldn’t comfortably choose neutrality either.

After long deliberation, Henry finally had to choose.

“I’ll stand with you, brother.”

“Thank you!”

Pedro patted Henry’s shoulder with a happy face, then looked at the guard captain.

“Among your subordinates… do you have any who aren’t well-known outside and can be trusted?”

“I have several.”

“Choose three of them to accompany the Duke of Viseu.”

“Yes, sir.”

After ordering the guard captain, Pedro turned to Henry.

“I’ll give you funds from my treasury. Do your best to persuade Joseon and secure as many as possible. But no one must know. If you succeed, I’ll give you a quarter share.”

Henry immediately nodded at Pedro’s proposal.

“I’ll do my utmost!”

***

That night, after making a decision that bet his life, Pedro sat alone in his office looking out the window.

“It’s stifling…”

Unable to bear the stuffiness, Pedro loosened his collar. Still unable to overcome the oppression, Pedro grabbed the winding handle of the Joseon-made fan on one side of his desk.

Whirrr.

As the spring unwound, the fan began blowing smoothly.

Staring blankly at the fan, Pedro rose from his seat and walked to the barrel-type musket placed aside.

Picking up the barrel-type musket, Pedro looked at the clear plum blossom pattern stamped on the firing mechanism and muttered bitterly.

“They say roses have thorns? Though this flower isn’t a rose, it too has formidable hidden thorns.”

Setting down the barrel-type musket, Pedro let out a long sigh.

“Whew~. This says they’re not just a country that can make interesting things, but truly a strong one. And perhaps they’re trying to prove that through us. Haah~.”

Pedro sighed deeply once again.

“I don’t know who plans and executes such schemes, but they’re definitely not a kind person.”

While Pedro was muttering thus, in Hanseong, Hyang was picking his ear.

“Why are my ears so itchy? Is someone talking about me?”

Hearing Hyang’s self-mutter, the four simultaneously thought to themselves:

Who isn’t?

“Oh? What’s with those expressions?”

Startled by Hyang’s question, the four hurriedly composed their faces.

“What? It’s nothing!”

***

While Hyang was busy moving in Hanseong to prove that ‘military supplies are profitable!’, busy movements continued in New Territory as well.

A native tribe near Dahogun.

“The Thunder Stick tribe seems noisy?”

“It’s not the Thunder Stick tribe, it’s Joseon.”

Despite his companion’s correction, the native who asked the initial question maintained an indifferent expression.

“What’s the point of distinguishing? Just need to know they’re troublesome if you mess with them. Anyway, why are they so noisy?”

“They say Joseon’s king is coming.”

“What’s a king?”

“Great chief.”

“Oh?”

Finally, having sorted out the bridgehead situation, Sejong had begun moving to start full-scale development of New Territory.