Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 729

729. Jang Yeong-sil’s Legacy (6)

Hyang, having inspected the railway track factory, began to feel increasingly uneasy.

‘This is getting more and more unsettling. What His Majesty the Retired Emperor said back then doesn’t seem like just foreshadowing.’

Just before Hyang left for Shinji, Sejong had made a significant remark about Shinji to Hyang.

-There will be Jang Yeong-sil’s last [referring to the culmination of his work], and the beginning of the Emperor [implying a new era of progress]. Of course, the budget issue will be a bit of a headache.

“At first, I thought it was just a few pieces of equipment, but it doesn’t seem like that at all….”

With the creeping unease, Hyang’s expression grew increasingly serious.

“It’s not like I don’t know how His Majesty operates, no, I know it all too well.”

Sejong was the type to make his subordinates work as hard as he did.

And it wasn’t just about passing on work and ordering, ‘Do it!’

He was the type to accurately grasp what the person liked and was good at, then place them in the optimal position and make them work.

Or, he would seize their fatal weaknesses and shake them while giving appropriate carrots—mainly power.

If Jin-pyeong, An-pyeong, and Kim Jeom were representative examples of the former, then Hwang Hee and Jo Mal-saeng were representative examples of the latter.

And Hyang was in a situation where the former and the latter were combined.

Of course, Hyang was mostly to blame.

Hyang created the research institute and Area 51 for the sake of his own ‘enriching the country and strengthening the military’ [a common slogan or goal in historical East Asia].

Because he produced definite results in this area, Sejong did not stop his support.

However, Sejong was aware that Hyang was indulging in his hobbies through the research institute and Area 51.

And Sejong never missed this. Using the budget as a weapon, Sejong made Hyang work hard whenever necessary.

In addition, Sejong made sure to use Hyang’s position as the Crown Prince.

Knowing this well, Hyang began to feel increasingly uneasy.

“Your Majesty, have you found any problems at this factory?”

Jang On, becoming anxious at Hyang’s increasingly serious expression, cautiously asked Hyang.

Hyang, snapping out of his thoughts at Jang On’s question, shook his head.

“No. I just have something to think about. We’ve seen the track factory, so let’s move on to the next.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Then I will escort you to the research and development buildings. Please, get in the Eo-cha [royal carriage].”

“Alright…”

***

“This is the research and development building? Shouldn’t we call it a city instead of a district?”

As soon as he arrived at the entrance and got out of the Eo-cha, Hyang, looking at the scale of the research and development building, asked Jang On with a dumbfounded expression. Jin-pyeong, who was next to him, nodded diligently with a similar expression.

At Hyang’s assessment, Jang On gave a sheepish smile and replied.

“Because dangerous materials, gunpowder, and firearms are used a lot, the buildings are spaced apart, so it turned out like this.”

“Area 51 in Seoul is smaller than this, but such things hardly happen. Of course, spacing them apart is good, but isn’t it better to pay thorough attention to safety? If you take up so much space from the beginning, won’t there be a shortage later?”

“People tend to forget things easily… So, His Majesty the Retired Emperor ordered that it is better to space them apart. And, His Majesty said that if there is no space to build, we can just expand around it.”

“Is that so? Then there’s nothing I can do.”

‘Everything leads back to the Retired Emperor!’

Grumbling inwardly, Hyang continued his criticism.

“It’s good that you’ve secured safety by spacing the buildings apart, and it’s also good that you’ve increased the size of the buildings to give more space for production and experimentation. But if it’s this wide, it won’t be easy to move equipment around, how did you solve that? Hmm… Did you make a lot of mobile capstans [a type of winch]?”

“We made a lot of capstans, but there are limits to capstans alone. So, the former director created a new piece of equipment.”

“New equipment?”

As soon as Hyang heard the words ‘new technology,’ his eyes lit up. When Jang On, seeing Hyang’s reaction, was about to open his mouth, the sound of a bell rang from one side.

Dling-dling! Chee-ik! Chee-ik!

“That equipment is coming this way. That’s it right there.”

At Jang On’s words, Hyang, examining the equipment in question, thought to himself.

‘It’s a forklift!’

“The former director and we call that equipment a forklift.”

At the familiar name, Hyang unknowingly made a blank expression.

“I am sorry, but the forklift comes before everything else here. I am sorry, but please step back a little.”

As the forklift carrying a large lump of metal approached, Jang On moved Hyang and his party back. As Hyang and his party stepped back,

the forklift passed by them.

“It’s quite a sight.”

Hyang, watching the forklift pass by, unknowingly uttered the words ‘quite a sight.’ As Hyang said, it was quite a sight.

On the left and right of the slowly moving forklift, people holding red flags walked ahead, blowing whistles to check the surroundings. And artisans hung on the left and right of the forklift’s driver’s seat, watching the surroundings. Next to the chimney emitting black smoke, a small bell was constantly ringing.

As the forklift passed by, Jang On began to explain.

“Capstans are useful, but their booms [the arm of a crane or winch] are long, so there are many restrictions.”

“That is true.”

Hyang nodded at Jang On’s words. The boom, corresponding to the boom of a modern crane, was quite long. Therefore, it was convenient to use in open spaces, but there were many restrictions in spaces such as inside buildings.

At Hyang’s positive reaction, Jang On’s voice began to gain strength.

“However, in the case of forklifts, the tines [forks] like the prongs of a pitchfork are attached underneath, so there are fewer spatial restrictions. Thanks to this, it is very useful when lifting, lowering, assembling, and disassembling equipment in the development building. Also, it is very convenient because it can easily lift or lower equipment when servicing it.”

“I see. But I don’t remember receiving a report about forklifts?”

At Hyang’s question, Jang On’s face turned pale, and he replied in a stammering voice.

“That, that is because His Majesty the Retired Emperor told us not to report it until we were sure that we could use the forklift properly.”

“Ugh… I understand.”

Hyang had no choice but to nod, making a groaning sound. What could he say when Sejong had told him to do so?

‘This is no longer suspicion, but certainty…’

As Hyang was grumbling like that, Jin-pyeong interjected.

“Seeing this, I think there must be something unusual about the Iron Horse [early locomotive], isn’t there?”

“The former director was contemplating it, and there is one prototype being made now.”

At Jang On’s answer, Jin-pyeong immediately turned to Hyang.

“Brother, no, Your Majesty!”

“Hoo~. Alright, let’s go, let’s go. Guide us.”

“Yes. Please, get in the Eo-cha.”

***

The Eo-cha carrying Hyang and his party arrived at the Iron Horse development building. Hyang, getting out of the Eo-cha, looked at the enormous scale of the Iron Horse development building and made a blank expression.

“It’s not surprising anymore.”

“Your Majesty! Please come in quickly!”

“Alright, let’s go. Let’s go.”

Guided inside, Hyang saw the Iron Horses being assembled or completed in the development building and lightly whistled.

“Whew-. It looks as sturdy as the ones made in Bonji.”

“The first one we made was a terrible product, but now I am confident that there is nothing lacking.”

Listening to Jang On’s confident answer, Hyang examined the Iron Horse and, looking at the large wedge-shaped cowcatcher [device to deflect obstacles] attached to the Iron Horse, asked Jang On.

“The cowcatcher is much bigger than the one in Bonji?”

“The deer and bison in Shinji are quite large, so we had to attach a larger cowcatcher.”

“The deer living in the Northeast Forest Zone of Bonji are also quite large?”

“They are bigger than those.”

“Hmm….”

Listening to Jang On’s words and recalling his memories, Hyang nodded.

‘That’s right… The deer I saw on my trip to America just before I returned from running away were quite large.’

Reflecting on the memory of the super-large accident he had in the 21st century, Hyang nodded and turned to Jang On.

“I suppose so. So, is this useful?”

“It is useful at moderate speeds. However, there are dozens or hundreds of deer roaming in the areas where the railroad is currently laid, and there are hundreds or thousands of bison herds roaming in the southern regions that are currently being developed, so there are limitations.

Therefore, when such large herds of animals are roaming, it is best to stop temporarily and wait for the herds to pass, or chase them away and then increase the speed as much as possible to make up for the delay.”

“There was hardly any such thing when I came this time?”

At Hyang’s question, Jang On immediately replied.

“Perhaps the cavalry units were organized to coincide with the timing.”

“Ah….”

Hyang, nodding lightly at Jang On’s answer, pointed out another problem.

“There will be a limit even if you increase the speed with the current Iron Horse?”

Jin-pyeong, who was next to him, nodded greatly at Hyang’s question. Jin-pyeong’s biggest complaint was the speed of the Iron Horse.

The speed of the Iron Horse currently in general use was similar to the speed of a horse running.

It was not slow, but considering the vast plains of Bukji, a faster Iron Horse was needed!

This was the consensus of the railroad construction officials, and Area 51 was continuing to improve it to solve this problem.

At Hyang’s question, Jang On smiled and replied.

“That is what the former director was contemplating.”

With those words, Jang On signaled to the artisans standing behind him. The artisans, seeing Jang On’s signal, soon ran off somewhere.

After a while, the door of one of the parking garages attached to the development building opened, and an Iron Horse appeared.

Pee-ik!

The Iron Horse that appeared made a loud whistle. Hyang’s eyes widened as much as possible at the sight of the Iron Horse, and Jin-pyeong shouted with joy.

“That’s right! This is the Iron Horse!”

The newly revealed Iron Horse boasted an enormous size.

“The Iron Horse we are currently using looks like a child.”

“Yes, it is a bit big.”

“Not a bit….”

Hyang shook his head at the word ‘bit’.

‘To think I would see a high-speed steam locomotive in this era….’

The huge Iron Horse in front of Hyang’s eyes boasted a similar shape and size to the monstrous steam locomotives that roamed during the twilight of steam locomotives in the 1930s.

“This is it! This is it!”

Unlike Jin-pyeong, who was gleefully watching the huge Iron Horse, Hyang carefully examined the Iron Horse and asked Jang On questions.

“The size is considerable… How many stokers [person who feeds the fire] do you have?”

“There are two. However, we plan to have four for smooth operation. We also plan to have three drivers to handle the Iron Horse, not just one.”

“Three drivers?”

“One will handle the Iron Horse, one will watch the surroundings, and the last one will take a rest.”

At Jang On’s words, Hyang immediately pointed out the problem.

“If we are thinking about safety, let’s go with four, watching the surroundings consumes a lot of mental energy.”

“I understand.”

“If that’s the case, the resting space is a problem….”

At Hyang’s question, Jang On showed a small space created in the middle of the Iron Horse and the tender [car attached to the locomotive carrying fuel and water].

“We have created small rooms on the left and right like this to create a resting space. And this is the toilet.”

“Not bad….”

Hyang’s face, nodding, became increasingly serious.

‘This looks like it ate up a lot of the budget at a glance… This is pissing me off?’

Hyang was the one who had to endure a lot of scolding from Sejong whenever he asked for time and budget in the past.

‘That person! Wow! It’s unfair!’

Hyang’s expression was distorted by a sense of injustice.