Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 528

528. Rolling, Rolling… (9)

Not many days after the successful experiment with the Flying Ball, Jo Malsaeng presented a proposal to Hwanghee.

“A proposal to be submitted to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Let’s see… Hmm….”

Hwanghee, upon receiving the proposal, nodded slightly as soon as he examined the title, muttering to himself.

“‘Military Utility of the Flying Ball’… As expected….”

As if he had already guessed, Hwanghee nodded as soon as he saw the title and immediately opened the last page.

“So, the required number is 320? Minister Jo!”

At Hwanghee’s shout, Kim Jeom snatched the proposal from Hwanghee’s hand, examined the contents, and leaped onto the desk on the spot.

With movements that belied his age of mid-70s, Kim Jeom crossed the desk and grabbed Jo Malsaeng by the collar.

“This rascal, really!”

“I requested it because it is absolutely necessary! It’s an unavoidable expenditure!” Jo Malsaeng insisted, even while being grabbed by the collar, causing Kim Jeom to grab his collar even more tightly and shout.

“Absolutely necessary? You’ve been silent all this time without the Flying Ball! Make sense!”

“Please, Minister! Hold on!”

“Stop them! Stop them!”

The officials, startled by the scuffle between Kim Jeom and Jo Malsaeng, rushed to separate the two, but they sweated profusely at Kim Jeom’s strength, who had lost his reason.

“Minister, let go and talk! Let go and talk!”

“No, how can an old man over seventy have so much strength!”

After struggling for a while, Kim Jeom released Jo Malsaeng’s collar and returned to his seat. Hwanghee, watching Kim Jeom still glaring at Jo Malsaeng, made a conclusion.

“Even if it’s not the Ministry of National Defense’s claim, anyone who knows even a little about military strategy would know that the Flying Ball is useful.”

At Hwanghee’s words, the officials all nodded.

As members of the literati, they were expected to know not only the Confucian classics but also military strategy, mathematics, and medicine as part of their education, so they were aware of the military utility of the Flying Ball.

Hwanghee, watching the reactions of the officials, especially Kim Jeom, continued.

“But, the problem is this number.”

“The military has chosen the minimum number.”

“Minimum number, my foot! Are you going to plaster the country with Flying Balls instead of communication towers?”

“Hold on, Minister.”

Hwanghee, stopping Kim Jeom’s words, handed the document to Jo Malsaeng.

“This number is absolutely impossible. Re-examine the numbers. I cannot submit this to His Royal Highness as it is.”

“I think His Royal Highness would approve it?”

“That’s why I must stop it even more, isn’t it? It is my duty, so I am rejecting it according to my authority. Revise it and bring it back.”

At Hwanghee’s firm answer, Jo Malsaeng had to take back the proposal.

“I understand. I will recalculate and bring it back.”

“Good. Then let’s move on to the next agenda item.”

* * *

After the meeting, the officials left the meeting room one by one.

The officials who came out were talking about Kim Jeom.

“Isn’t it truly amazing to see Minister Uichon (義村, Kim Jeom’s pen name)? At that age, he is so full of energy….”

“Indeed.”

“The tonic he’s been receiving must have been amazing.”

As they were having a conversation that was half joke and half serious, the officials glanced at the Minister of Finance and continued.

“I have a question. From Minister Uichon to the officials of the Ministry of Finance, they are all so outspoken. I wonder if the position makes the person, or if they only choose such people.”

“I agree.”

As the officials were whispering, the Minister of Finance shouted.

“Who made us like this!”

* * *

It’s a funny story, but there was a saying going around at this time.

-Even the thugs of the Geomgye [a local gang] lower their tails before the officials of the Ministry of Finance.

-If you see someone wearing official robes and has a good physique, they are either from the Ministry of National Defense or the Ministry of Finance.

This public assessment was surprisingly true. Many of the officials working in the Ministry of Finance had good physiques. Of course, it wasn’t just that they were physically large, but that they were generally muscular.

This was inevitable given the working environment at the time.

Analyzing a huge amount of data and calculating with only counting rods and abacuses required maintaining a high level of concentration for a long time. And, in order to maintain this concentration for a long time, physical strength was essential.

Therefore, the following golden rules were created in the Ministry of Finance.

-Calculation is done with the body, not the head!

-Good proposals come from strong buttocks!

And, the assessment that even the thugs of the Geomgye lowered their tails was created because of the nature of the work they were in charge of.

The core task of the Ministry of Finance was to determine the budget necessary for national administration, using the revenue and profits from various monopolistic businesses. And, in the process, conflicts with other ministries were inevitable.

Of course, the results were generally determined by verbal battles using numerical data. However, there were ministries that used tricks to gain an advantage by suppressing the momentum of the Ministry of Finance. Such as the Ministry of National Defense or the Ministry of Land Development.

It was only natural that the impressions and *mal-tu* [tone/manner of speaking] of the Ministry of Finance officials became harsh as they confronted those who tried to suppress their momentum with fierce expressions or tones.

In addition, among the literati families, where taking office was the greatest honor, it was common for siblings or relatives to work in different ministries. And, there were often cases where requests were made using these blood ties, and in the process of rejecting them, the notoriety of the Ministry of Finance officials worsened.

-Even the neighborhood dogs won’t eat the poop that a Ministry of Finance official poops.

As this saying spread in the marketplace, more and more families immediately married off their unmarried sons or daughters if they became Ministry of Finance officials.

This was because, in addition to age restrictions, the fact that they had worked in the Ministry of Finance for a long time was itself a disadvantage.

In some ways, being a Ministry of Finance official was the worst job, but there were few who wanted to be transferred to other ministries or retire.

This was because, even though their notoriety was high, the Ministry of Finance was the first institution that came to mind when asked to name the most powerful ministry in the court.

And, there was nothing as addictive as working in an institution that sometimes made even the king wary.

* * *

Three days later, Jo Malsaeng submitted the proposal again.

“120 units… Is this the best you can do?”

“This is the most I could reduce it.”

Hwanghee sighed at Jo Malsaeng’s answer, which showed a firm determination not to back down any further.

“Hoo~. I will submit it to Seungwhadang [Crown Prince’s office].”

As Hwanghee took the proposal, the Minister of Finance and Kim Jeom glared at Jo Malsaeng as if they would devour him. However, this time, Jo Malsaeng also glared back at the two.

* * *

“Hmm….”

Hyang, reviewing the proposal submitted to him, looked at Jo Malsaeng after seeing the numbers in the last part.

“120 units? Is this the best you can do?”

At Hyang’s question, Jo Malsaeng immediately answered.

“The best would be the more, the better. But, I think about 320 units would be optimal.”

Jo Malsaeng had a small smile on his face as he answered Hyang. Hyang had done many things for the military so far – from weapons to uniforms to salaries. Therefore, he judged that Hyang’s statement meant that he thought the number was too small.

However, Hyang’s following words shattered Jo Malsaeng’s expectations.

“120 units is too many. Looking at the proposal, you plan to deploy them at every *bo* [military unit] and *jin* [fortress] in the north, at every navy base in the south, at the navy bases being created at strategic points on the routes to Cheonchuk [India] and Alexandria, and if that’s not enough, at every warship passing through those waterways. It’s too much.”

“But, from a strategic point of view….”

“If we only look at strategy, the more, the better, as you say, Minister, but we also have to consider the budget, don’t we? This Flying Ball isn’t a cheap item, is it? From the gasbag that holds the heat, it has to be made of silk, and even the highest quality silk. And, considering the lifespan of the silk, we have to periodically repair or replace the entire gasbag, and if you think about that cost, it’s too much. And, deploying one on each warship? No matter how advanced the warship is, there won’t be enough space to properly operate the Flying Ball.”

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, most hot air balloon gasbags were made of silk until nylon was invented. Therefore, hot air balloons were only used by a few wealthy people for entertainment, and only a few were operated by the military.

The problem with this generalization was only solved after hydrogen or helium were mass-produced, and lightweight internal combustion engines were created relative to their output.

This was when airships and airplanes were made using cheap, sturdy but heavy canvas in large quantities.

At Hyang’s criticism, Kim Jeom and the Minister of Finance chimed in with bright faces.

“That’s right! Of course! You see it exactly!”

“That’s right!”

Unlike Kim Jeom and the Minister of Finance, who were gleeful, Jo Malsaeng made a face as if he had eaten poop and protested.

“The Flying Balls deployed on warships are limited to carrying only two people to reduce their size. I took that into account from the beginning and calculated many parts! The defense budget is also increasing!”

“The problem is that it has increased more than the court expected. Minister, we can’t just give the Ministry of National Defense everything they ask for.”

“If we exercise some flexibility in that part….”

“That flexibility is what the Ministry of Finance and I decide. And, in my opinion, it has exceeded the scope of what flexibility can allow.”

“However….”

“To proceed with this plan as it is, we would have to reduce the deployment of improved cannons and Eulshik muskets. Which would you choose?”

At Hyang’s words, Jo Malsaeng answered with an almost tearful expression.

“We cannot reduce the cannons. The cannons… I will reduce the number of Flying Balls.”

In this way, the number of Flying Balls was reduced to 32. They were deployed mainly in key military locations in the north and important naval ports such as Jemulpo, Dongnae, and Tsushima Island.

However, Hyang continued to speak.

“In addition, we must create 36 more Flying Balls to generate profits.”

“Did you say generate profits?”

“Deploy them in the general entertainment venues in the major *doho-bus* [major administrative divisions] of Joseon and let the people ride them.”

“Ah!”

“Ah! Such a number!”

No sooner had Hyang finished speaking than the officials exclaimed.

It was certain that going up into the sky and looking around would be immensely popular.

Hwanghee immediately took Hyang’s suggestion.

“We should exclude Hanseong [the capital city], right?”

“That’s right.”

“Why Hanseong? Ah!”

Kim Jeom, who was about to ask a question at Hyang and Hwanghee’s answer, immediately stopped speaking and nodded.

In Hanseong, there was Gyeongbok Palace. It was the ultimate act of disloyalty for the people to look down on the king.

Therefore, if they were thinking about profit, they had to give up Hanseong, where they could earn the most profit.

* * *

Even while working every day to solve national issues, Hyang was having other concerns.

“What should I do with this? Should I wait until it sprouts on its own? Or should I drop a bomb myself?”

Hyang continued to rummage through the reports from the research institute and Area 51, muttering to himself in words that no one else could understand.

“Hot air balloons have even come out… The problem is that a passive attitude of waiting for me to throw things at them might become established… What should I do?”

After agonizing for several days, Hyang finally came to a conclusion.

“Yes! Let’s drop a bomb! It’s better to roll it when there are still talented people! If I mess up, I’ll fall behind again! Damn it! I can just say, ‘The Crown Prince did Crown Prince things!’”

Having made up his mind, Hyang took out a blank sheet of paper and began to write.

-Thermodynamics (熱力學)

“I have to gather the fragments I’ve obtained in short pieces so far and make them into a theory! I have to start when there are mathematical monsters overflowing, starting with Lee Soon-ji!”

According to Hyang’s decision, thermodynamics, which was started by Benjamin Rumford in 1789, sprouted nearly 330 years earlier.

And, the researchers at the research institute were burdened with a super-sized bomb.