Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 297

297. Sailing (3)

Mansur’s fleet, having departed from Jemulpo, dropped anchor once more at the Jeolla Right Naval Base.

The reason for this stop was the Joseon fleet that would be accompanying them on their voyage.

To avoid communication difficulties on the open sea before reaching a port, they needed to discuss everything in advance, from the route to potential problems.

“These are the captains of the warships that will be traveling with you. From our side, Manho [Naval Captain] Oh Ha-seok, Manho Kim Sang-il, and Manho Kang Nam-gil.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all ours.”

Following the brief introductions, Mansur and the Joseon naval commanders began a discussion, using a nautical chart as their focal point.

A significant number of people were present at the meeting.

Mansur and his interpreter, the captains of the Challenger-class battleships, the Naval Commander of the Jeolla Right Naval Base and his key officers, and a historian from Hanseong were all in attendance.

The historian was tasked with recording his observations throughout the voyage. He commenced his duties by documenting this meeting.

The record of these proceedings was to be sent to Hanseong without delay.

“This is a remarkably detailed nautical chart,” Mansur exclaimed upon seeing the map spread out on the desk. His comment was met with wry smiles from the Joseon naval commanders.

The map Mansur was admiring was a copy of one from Zheng He’s [a famous Chinese admiral and diplomat] voyage records.

“First, what are the most dangerous areas on the route to Tianzhu [ancient Chinese name for India]?” the Naval Commander asked.

Mansur pointed out three locations. “Starting closest to Joseon, there’s Dongfan (東番, Taiwan), then Qingya (瓊崖, Hainan Island), and finally, the Strait of Malacca.”

The naval commanders examined the locations Mansur indicated and nodded in agreement.

“Those are all places where pirates are likely to be found.”

“The strait around Malacca, in particular, reminds me of the South Sea of Joseon.”

All three locations Mansur identified were straits where the distance between landmasses narrowed.

“What about Penghu (澎湖, Pescadores Islands)?” the Naval Commander inquired.

Mansur, after confirming the location, responded immediately, “Penghu is patrolled by the Kitai, no, the Ming navy.”

“And Dongfan, which is next to it?”

“There are rumors that the Chinese population is growing in Dongfan, but it’s still dangerous. It’s notorious as a pirate haven.”

“Is that so? So, the Ming Dynasty is paying attention to that area?”

“Rumors suggest that Ming is trying to establish dominance over Dongfan, Penghu, and Qingya, but it won’t be easy except for Penghu. Both islands are quite large and home to a significant number of pirates. Qingya, in particular, is close to Da Yue (大越, Vietnam), which complicates matters.”

“I see. So, going straight to Malacca would be the safest route, correct?”

Mansur nodded. “That’s the most common route. Do you have any plans to visit the Jiangnan region of Ming, or places like Da Yue or Siam (暹羅斛國, Thailand)?”

“Not this time. If we travel directly, how long will it take? According to Manho Oh Ha-seok’s report from last time, it should take about a month?”

“That’s usually the case. If the winds and currents are favorable, it could be shorter, but that’s not always easy.”

Mansur elaborated on the seasonal winds and currents.

The commanders, all experienced veterans, quickly understood and added their own insights.

“It will be helpful on the way there, but a hindrance on the return journey.”

“That’s right.”

“We’ll need a place to stop on the way back.”

“Considering the loading capacity of our ships, a stopover shouldn’t be necessary on the return trip, right?”

The commanders debated Mansur’s explanation.

The captains of the Challenger-class battleships argued that a stopover was unnecessary, while the other commanders insisted it was.

“Stop,” the Naval Commander ordered, silencing the rising voices. He then concluded, “Everyone’s opinions are valid, but I think it’s premature to decide. We’ll make a decision based on the results of this voyage.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Naval Commander turned to Mansur. “Earlier, you mentioned that the Ming navy patrols the Penghu Islands. Is there a Ming naval base there?”

“I don’t believe so. Rumor has it they tried to build one several times, but they gave up due to pirate harassment.”

“Is that so?”

Hearing Mansur’s answer, the Naval Commander clicked his tongue and muttered to himself, ‘The Penghu Islands issue will be a matter of politics, not military affairs. It won’t be easy.’

* * *

Looking at the nautical chart created from Zheng He’s voyages, the Penghu Islands were a highly desirable location.

According to Zheng He’s records, dozens of islands, large and small, formed the archipelago, with four large islands clustered in the north.

The naval commanders, studying the chart, exclaimed to Sejong [King of Joseon] in unison, “It’s the perfect location for a safe harbor (避航地)!”

The four large islands acted as a barrier against strong waves and winds.

Furthermore, large passages to the north and south provided convenient access for ships.

“It’s not just ideal as a safe harbor. If we can control this place, we can dominate the route to the south!”

Sejong, examining the nautical chart and listening to the commanders’ arguments, asked, “Your opinions seem valid. But wouldn’t Ming be aware of this?”

“….”

“Wasn’t this nautical chart itself created by Ming?”

“….”

At Sejong’s point, the commanders fell silent. Observing their reaction, Sejong concluded, “I will make a decision after gathering more detailed information during this voyage.”

“We obey Your Majesty!”

That was why the Naval Commander of the Jeolla Right Naval Base had asked Mansur with such hope.

And, after hearing Mansur’s answer, the Naval Commander concluded that this issue was a matter of ‘politics’.

* * *

Two days later, Mansur’s merchant fleet and the Joseon navy’s mixed fleet departed from Jeolla Right Naval Base and headed out to the open sea.

The voyage was smooth until they passed Jeju Island and entered the East China Sea. The wind was favorable, and the waves were calm. This allowed Mansur to relax and think about other things.

Mansur clicked his tongue as he looked at the Challenger-class No. 1 ship sailing ahead. “That’s a very desirable ship. Tsk.”

Mansur repeated the sound several times before asking the captain, “What do you think of that Joseon ship, Captain?”

“It’s the best.”

“Right?”

* * *

Before departure, Mansur had the opportunity to inspect the Challenger-class warship closely.

After seeing the ship, Mansur exclaimed repeatedly, “Amazing! It’s truly amazing!”

Not only Mansur but also the merchant ship captains who were with him echoed his sentiments.

“It’s an incredible ship!”

“That such a large thing can float on water!”

“The armament is, of course, top-notch, and the sturdiness is unparalleled!”

Mansur, still exclaiming, asked the Naval Commander, “This is a rude question, but how much would it cost to buy this ship?”

“That is a very rude question, isn’t it? But, I’ll answer because you are a merchant leader with deep ties to Joseon. 100,000 gold nyang [Joseon currency]. And that’s the lowest price.”

“Hic!”

Mansur hiccupped at the enormous sum.

One gold nyang was equivalent to 10 ducats [Venetian gold coins].

In simple terms, one ship cost 1 million ducats. That was more than half the profit earned from selling goods brought from Joseon.

Considering the division with the Azram family, it represented the entire annual profit.

“Ah, that excludes the price of the cannons installed.”

“Hic! Hic!”

In the end, Mansur, after clicking his tongue and stepping back, muttered while looking back at the Challenger-class from afar, “It’s big, so it must be slow. It will also require a large crew. It won’t be profitable.”

Mansur was trying to comfort himself by finding negative aspects.

* * *

Whether aware of Mansur’s feelings or not, the captain added, “Did you know that those ships haven’t even fully unfurled their sails? Yet they’re still moving at the same speed as our ships. Our ships are known for their speed, but those are truly amazing.”

“I, is that so…. Ha, hahaha….”

Mansur’s stomach ached even more as he listened to the captain’s words.

“It’s a really amazing ship. Our ships look like toy boats next to them.”

“Y, yes….”

“If those Iberian [referring to Spain and Portugal] bastards saw it, they’d be drooling.”

“….”

“The ship is great, but we must acquire those navigation lights and install them.”

Mansur nodded in agreement.

* * *

While traversing the sea route between Joseon and Chipang [ancient name for Japan], the Joseon ships took the lead.

This was because the Joseon navy was familiar with the route and to prevent potential attacks by Japanese pirates.

Mansur and the captains were able to observe the Challenger-class ships in detail from behind.

In the process, they noticed something unusual: the navigation lights that were lit after sunset.

As the sun began to set, the Joseon sailors lit four large lights on the front and back of the ship.

The two lights on the left and right of the bow were simple oil lamps (油燈), but the two lights on the stern were unique.

When viewed from behind, the left light had blue glass, and the right light had red glass.

Not only the color but also the shape was unique. The long rectangular lamp was divided into two sections, top and bottom.

Using the shape of these lights, the Joseon sailors could easily gauge the distance from their fellow ships.

If it appeared as a circular red and blue blur, it meant they were far away. They could then follow the light to avoid being left behind.

If it looked like a red and blue rectangle, it meant they were maintaining an appropriate distance.

And if the two divided shapes were clearly visible, it meant they were too close and needed to increase the distance quickly.

It was an ingenious method for easily maintaining the distance between ships.

This was also Hyang’s [character name] creation.

“The thing to avoid most is a traffic accident….”

Hyang, seeking a way to prevent collisions between ships, borrowed a method used by the German army for armored vehicles during World War II.

At that time, the taillights on German armored vehicles, especially tanks, were a set of two square red lights.

A simple red light meant a long distance, two square red lights meant an appropriate interval, and four red lights meant close proximity.

While the shape was different, other countries used similar methods.

Hyang, after creating the traffic lights by adapting the German method, immediately attached them to the Panokseon [Joseon warship] and initiated field testing.

Before the field evaluation, the navy commanders were skeptical.

“We stay in port at night, so is it really necessary?”

However, as the scope of the Joseon navy’s activities expanded, the commanders who had been sailing for several days had to apologize to Hyang.

“Please forgive our shortsightedness!”

* * *

The voyage continued peacefully, except for Mansur, who was struggling to soothe his aching stomach.

However, as the fleet approached Taiwan, an uninvited guest appeared.

Boooo~.

A loud trumpet blast came from a merchant ship in Mansur’s fleet, which was leading the way.

Mansur, who was in the cabin, rushed onto the deck at the sound of the emergency signal and looked for the captain.

“Captain! What’s going on!”

“Pirates!” the captain replied briefly before shouting to the sailors, “Prepare for battle!”

“Prepare for battle!” the sailors echoed, removing the coverings from the cannons and bringing gunpowder, cannonballs, and joran hwantong [small cannons] from the hold.

“Captain! There!” a sailor shouted, pointing towards the sea. Mansur and the captain turned their heads in that direction.

The Joseon ships were unfurling all the remaining sails that had been furled until then.

With all sails fully extended, the Joseon ships slowly began to accelerate and move forward.

It was the beginning of the first battle in which the Challenger-class battleships, boasting ominous and infamous names such as ‘Nightmare of Pirates,’ ‘Terror of Pirates,’ and ‘Tyrant of the Sea,’ would publicly demonstrate their combat power.