Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1025

1025. Alsace-Lorraine. (3)

In the end, the situation concluded with the Habsburg envoy kicking the office door and storming out, unable to contain his anger.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. To think that someone sent as an envoy could be so uncouth. He’s more like a ruffian than a nobleman… Ah! Bring me a cup of coffee.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Seeing the Chancellor drinking the coffee brought by the servant with a relaxed expression, one of the subordinate officials cautiously asked,

“Um… Does the Duke of Orléans really have plans to build a steel mill?”

“That? Isn’t he building one in the Pompey region?”

“The one being built in Pompey is a state-run steel mill…”

At the subordinate’s correction, the Chancellor still asked back with a relaxed expression.

“Is that a problem?”

“There might be rumors that the state-run steel mill was given to the Duke as a private business. That would create a political problem.”

Even with the subordinate’s concern that a political issue would arise because of the casually made statement, the Chancellor remained relaxed.

“Who is the owner of the state-run steel mill?”

“The King.”

“Who is the most likely successor to the throne?”

“The Duke of Orléans.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“……..”

The subordinate officials were speechless at the Chancellor’s question. It was a statement implying that there would be no problem if the Duke of Orléans became the King. However, the subordinate officials had many concerns.

“The state-run steel mill is not a ‘small’ steel mill, is it?”

“Well, that depends on each person’s scale. To someone with a small frame of reference, it would be an unreasonably large steel mill. To someone with a grand vision, it would be a steel mill that is ‘finally somewhat useful’.”

“………”

Seeing the subordinate’s expression of being at a loss for words, the Chancellor imparted a lesson, though he didn’t frame it as such.

“Those who work for the country must be honest and faithful to principles. However, flexibility is just as necessary. You are fine in other aspects, but you lack that flexibility. Hmm… Would you like to go to Seoul for practical training?”

“Ah, no. I will do my best here in Paris!”

The subordinate official turned pale and refused the Chancellor’s offer. It was rumored even in the great powers of Europe, including France, that the officials of the Empire were overwhelmed with work.

-It doesn’t matter if they are yellow cows, black cows, or spotted cows, as long as they do their job well.

“That’s a really good saying. Don’t you think?”

“Ahaha…”

Whenever the ‘high-ranking officials’ of the great powers of Europe brought up that famous saying of the Empire, the subordinate officials had to force a smile while sweating profusely. Later, as time passed, the words that the Chancellor had said were also known to Hyang, Hyeon, and Han Myeong-hoi, the officials of the Empire. Upon hearing the story, Hyang, Hyeon, Han Myeong-hoi, and others began to sparkle their eyes.

“Hoo?”

“Hmm…”

“How old is the French Chancellor now?”

“According to what is known, he is a few years past the age of forty (不惑, bù huò, meaning ‘no longer perplexed’ – a Confucian term for being 40 years old).”

“He’s in his prime… Hmm…”

Hyeon, who had been contemplating for a while, sought advice from Hyang.

“I think it would be good to recruit him into the Empire. What do you think?”

“If he is the one leading a prestigious family, as rumored to be the Chancellor of France, would he really accept?”

“If he has the talent as rumored, he will also have ambition. Even if it is the same position of ‘second-in-command,’ the difference between France and the Empire would be different in status, wouldn’t it?”

“Hmm…”

Seeing Hyang’s skepticism, Hyeon put more strength into his argument.

“We are still accepting international students and scholars as citizens of the Empire, but there are many shortcomings in many ways. Therefore, we plan to officially receive immigrants from Europe starting next year. ‘If possible, the more the merrier,’ wouldn’t it be better to accept talented people as immigrants? If someone who is ‘great’ comes to the Empire as an immigrant, talented people will follow him into the Empire.”

“Hmm… To be honest, I don’t think the plan to give preferential treatment to talented people and accept them is bad. However, I think the plan to recruit the French Chancellor is impossible. The reason is twofold. One is that he is already in the position of second-in-command. The other is the workload of the Imperial Court.”

‘The emperors’ dirty personalities are a basic option.’

Hyeon clicked his tongue at Hyang’s words.

“Tch. That’s a shame.”

Seeing Hyeon’s quick agreement, the historians and scribes added words to the historical records.

-Therefore, when the Supreme Emperor pointed out the blind spot, the Emperor immediately agreed.

The historian says: The workload of the Imperial Court is so great that the Emperor agrees and abandons the plan. Even if the number of officials increases, the work does not decrease, so it is truly bizarre.

Please reduce the work a little!

* * *

Hyeon, who had agreed and retreated in front of Hyang, could not shake off his disappointment. In the end, Hyeon called Han Myeong-hoi.

“…It’s like this, what do you think about trying to push it forward?”

“As the Supreme Emperor said, it is close to impossible. In terms of challenge records, it would be close to Yu Gong Yishan (愚公移山, Yú Gōng yí shān, a Chinese fable about a man who persistently tried to move mountains), but…”

Han Myeong-hoi, who had paused for a moment, continued with a mischievous smile.

“I still think it would be okay to push it forward. If it succeeds, it will be a benefit to us and a loss to France. Moreover, it is not simply one benefit and one loss, but France will suffer two losses, wouldn’t it? Considering what France has done so far, it is time to give them a lesson.”

“Then try to push it forward.”

Meanwhile, Hyang, who was left alone in Sugang Palace, reflected on the situation and gave a bitter smile.

“With Hyeon’s personality, he will definitely cause an accident. It’s not even headhunting between companies, but is it really possible? Someone who has access to all the secrets of the country is going to another country? At this rate, ‘potassium cyanide coffee’ might come out into the world instead of ‘radioactive tea’.”

* * *

While the ‘talent acquisition operation’ that would go down in history was being prepared step by step in Seoul, the Lorraine region was becoming increasingly ominous. French army units, properly organized with artillery and cavalry, began to establish themselves in the Foren region one by one.

Upon receiving the report, Habsburg sent an envoy to Paris again to protest fiercely. However, the Chancellor still explained the situation with an expression that it was nothing.

“The security in the Lorraine region is unstable these days. We can’t have the coal and iron ore that we bought at a high price stolen, so we just sent an escort.”

“Ha!”

The envoy was dumbfounded by the Chancellor’s answer. However, the envoy who came this time was very different from his predecessor.

“I hear that the thieves speak French?”

The Chancellor immediately countered the envoy’s pointed words.

“Is that what they say in Habsburg? I heard that they speak the Habsburg dialect, Latin, and Italian.”

The envoy’s expression became increasingly serious at the Chancellor’s words, which were criticizing the Vatican’s heresy judgment and Habsburg’s military actions in response.

“The heresy judgment was made through legitimate procedures. The Holy Roman Empire, the guardian of Catholicism, is only taking righteous action.”

“It seems that the purpose is to protect Catholics by blocking the blades of Muslims, not to kill fellow Europeans?”

“Heretics are as harmful as Muslims.”

“Well… The former Emperor of the Empire who came to Italy last time said this, didn’t he? ‘People will only go to heaven as they believe.'”

The envoy sighed deeply at the Chancellor’s appearance, who did not back down at all and countered step by step.

“Hoo~. Let’s stop the wordplay now. Lothringen is our territory of the Holy Roman Empire. If you do not withdraw immediately, the Holy Roman Empire will define France as an invader and enter into war.”

“Am I not having a serious discussion, not wordplay? First of all, let’s be clear about what is accurate. The Lorraine region is indeed the territory of the Holy Roman Empire, but it is not the territory of Habsburg. And as you can see from history, France also has the right to claim ownership of the territory of the Holy Roman Empire, including the Lorraine region.”

“That’s an exaggeration! That’s an absurd exaggeration! If you have a conscience…”

“Ask England about that part.”

“Keueung…”

The envoy could only groan at the Chancellor’s too relaxed answer. He knew very well why the Chancellor mentioned England. It was the 100 Years’ War that broke out when Edward III of England claimed the right to succeed to the French throne. In other words, France and the Holy Roman Empire were divided from the same root, so France could claim ownership.

In the end, the envoy, realizing that further conversation was a waste of time, stood up from his seat.

“France will have to take responsibility for its greed.”

“It is not known whether it will be greed or not.”

“Yiik!”

The envoy, barely suppressing the curse that was about to come out, glared at the Chancellor and turned to leave the office. As soon as the envoy completely disappeared, the Chancellor erased his relaxed expression and said to his subordinates with a serious expression.

“Now all that’s left is war! Let’s give those opportunists a good blow!”

“Yes!”

“I’m going to report to His Majesty!”

* * *

Maximilian I of Habsburg, who received the report from the envoy who returned empty-handed from Paris, immediately posted a proclamation.

-The Pope has defined the emerging sect spreading in the Lothringen region as heresy.

-Not only heretical acts, but also the lords of Lothringen have committed treasonous acts by accepting French troops.

-Therefore, I, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, will mobilize troops to punish those who believe in heresy and commit treasonous acts!

-I say to the lords of the Lothringen region who are stained with heresy! Immediately repent and return from heresy!

Also, expel the French troops who have entered the territory and ask for forgiveness for treason! Seek my generous mercy!

The lords of the Lorraine region, especially the lords of the emerging sect, became even more dependent on France upon receiving Maximilian I’s proclamation.

“Even if we repent, it won’t end with repentance. We’ll have to pay a huge amount of money as atonement for believing in heresy. No, it would be fortunate if it only ended there. Our territory will also shrink, and in severe cases, we may even lose our territory.”

Worrying about their bleak future, the lords desperately clung to France.

“Thanks to you, we can breathe a sigh of relief regarding the war expenses.”

Charles VIII also looked relieved at the Prime Minister’s report. War was impossible without money. In particular, as gunpowder weapons became the main players in the war, war expenses increased exponentially.

“How much is the Holy Roman Empire’s military force expected to be?”

The Chancellor stepped forward to answer Charles VIII’s question.

“It will not be as much as expected. The opposition of the Imperial Diet is not easy.”

Immediately after issuing the proclamation, Maximilian I put the mobilization of troops and support for war expenses on the agenda at the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire. However, the progress was sluggish. The lords who believed in the emerging sect were not only in Lorraine.

More lords throughout the Holy Roman Empire believed in the emerging sects.

Therefore, they vehemently opposed Maximilian I’s request.

-We are next after Lothringen!

The reason they oppose is because of this issue of survival. The next problem was the conflict between the Habsburgs, who were trying to centralize power, and the lords who refused to do so.

-Accepting the Emperor’s request is like putting a rope around our own necks!

Even the lords who supported Catholicism and the Pope in religious terms showed strong aversion to this issue. For these various reasons, heated arguments were exchanged every day in the Imperial Diet, and the dispatch of troops was increasingly delayed.