Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1033

1033. That Thrilling Name… Electricity. (1)

Hyun, following Hyang’s advice, decided to sell weapons to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

“Selling the Byeongshik rifle, currently used by the Imperial Army, would endanger national security! Please reconsider!”

“Please reconsider!”

As ministers protested Hyun’s decision, he smiled faintly.

“‘Please reconsider’… It’s been a while since I’ve heard that phrase.”

The subtle murderous intent radiating from him paled the ministers’ faces.

‘Like father, like son… He starts radiating murderous intent at the slightest annoyance…’

‘But we must speak our minds! It is a minister’s duty!’

Seeing the ministers’ pale but resolute expressions, Hyun shook his head slightly.

‘Is this stubbornness a tradition…? The people may change, but the stubbornness remains…’

“Hoo~.”

Hyun sighed softly and continued.

“I ask those ministers who oppose this: In the last war in Italy, did the Imperial Army not lose a single Byeongshik rifle?”

“…No, we did lose some.”

“A considerable time has passed since the war in Italy. Has a rifle similar to the Byeongshik rifle appeared?”

“…No, it has not.”

“Are you all familiar with the term ‘杞憂’ (giwoo) [groundless fears]?”

At Hyun’s words, the protesting ministers bowed their heads.

“Please forgive my narrow view and short-sighted thinking.”

“Please forgive us!”

“Tsk! It is admirable that you are concerned about national security, but…”

Starting with a click of his tongue, Hyun’s lecture continued for nearly half a sh辰辰 (approximately one hour).

“…Therefore, proceed with the work according to my decision.”

“We shall obey your command.”

With that settled, the ministers left Geunjeongjeon [the main hall of Gyeongbok Palace], massaging their stiff backs and necks.

“Oh, my back, my neck…”

“It’s not easy to endure like this anymore…”

As they groaned, hearing the cracking of their joints, the ministers glared at those who had initially protested. Seeing their colleagues’ unusual looks, the protesting ministers quickly spoke up.

“M, my apologies. I’ll buy you a drink!”

“Tsk! Buy us two!”

* * *

As soon as the contract with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was finalized, the Empire moved swiftly. With the sea route to the North Sea open, Black Mirror-class transport ships loaded with ordered cargo arrived in Turso (now Elblag) in Poland-Lithuania.

Guided by waterway pilots, the Black Mirror-class transport ships navigated the narrow waterway—only 250 spans (approximately 750 meters) wide—between the North Sea and the Vistula Lagoon and began unloading cargo in Elblag. Lacking proper unloading facilities, the Black Mirror-class transport ships used their onboard derricks and cranes. Watching this, the commanders of the Polish-Lithuanian army turned their gaze westward.

“We must retake Danzig [now Gdańsk] at all costs.”

Elblag, located at the southern end of the Vistula Lagoon, was safe due to the lagoon’s natural breakwater but militarily vulnerable. Blocking the only waterway connecting the lagoon and the North Sea would render it useless. Danzig, however, was situated on a bay directly facing the North Sea, allowing easy access for ships.

* * *

Seeing the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth resolving their arms supply issues, the Kalmar Union also approached the Empire.

“As long as you pay properly, there’s no problem.”

Upon receiving the Empire’s assurance, the Kalmar Union promptly drew up a contract and paid the down payment. As per the contract, Black Mirror-class transport ships quickly crossed the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, transporting weapons and payments. The European powers, including France, were simultaneously shocked, terrified, and questioning the Empire’s capacity to supply weapons without any apparent difficulty.

“They’re supplying that much without any problems? Is that even possible?”

“Just how many weapons are stockpiled in those armories! And what is that transport capacity! If they had enough troops and the will, they could invade Europe at any time! Is this the return of the Mongols!”

“No, even setting that aside, rumors say they’re all brand new. How is that possible?”

The former was the opinion of those in power and the military, while the latter was the question of merchants and industrialists.

“To produce that many weapons, they need as many skilled artisans as an army, which is ridiculous!”

They were unaware of standardization, division of labor, and mass production, concepts Hyang hadn’t shared even when discussing the Florentine rifle.

* * *

In the weapons factories of the European powers, many artisans were engaged in weapons production. They divided the work between skilled and unskilled workers and provided continuous training to achieve efficient mass production, which also applied to weapons.

Skilled workers produced and assembled parts according to the numbers in the blueprints and specifications. This was the root and the limitation of the problem. Although parts were ‘cut’ according to the blueprints and specifications, errors occurred in each part because it was done by hand. To overcome these errors, each artisan had to be responsible for everything from processing to assembling the parts.

Of course, there were tricks to increase efficiency. Unskilled artisans would make the parts, skilled artisans would refine and assemble them, and unskilled artisans would do the final finishing before shipping them out. As a result, even if the parts were for the same rifle, they could not be used on other rifles if the person in charge of the work was different.

This was a fatal problem in terms of production speed and weapon maintenance. However, the Empire had already fully established a mass production system, thanks to steel and steam engines far superior to those of the European powers. While European artisans were hammering, cutting, and carving one by one, the Empire was putting steel plates into steel molds and stamping and cutting them using steam pressure. Consequently, the Empire had an overwhelming production speed with far fewer people compared to the European powers.

Of course, the Empire also had limitations. Although they were producing better steel than other countries, it was still inferior compared to that of the 20th or 21st century. As a result, the lifespan of the molds was short, and they had to be replaced frequently. This problem plagued those in charge of maintaining the Empire’s weapons. They had to use parts made in the same production cycle—lot—as the parts that caused the problem. Later, for various reasons, the soldiers of the weapon departments of the countries allied with the Imperial Army would respond like this whenever they heard complaints from the Imperial Army personnel.

“You’re complaining when you’re full!”

“We don’t even know if we’re artisans or soldiers!”

It was commonplace for the soldiers of the weapon departments of other countries to find it faster and easier to cut and trim the replacement parts themselves than to find them. In any case, the European powers began to re-examine their policies toward the Empire as they saw the Empire smoothly supplying weapons to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Kalmar Union.

And the conclusion they reached was much the same.

-Make them a friend if possible.

* * *

While the European powers were once again racking their brains over the Empire, Hyang was deep in thought in Seoul.

“I’ve finally learned about electricity, but a request to change the name…”

-Pour in people and budget to buy time.

Following this policy of Hyang, elements were being discovered one by one, starting with oxygen. However, the field of electricity was still sluggish, and Hyang added a method.

-If the results aren’t good? Then pour in more people.

Ignoring the groans of the researchers at the institute, Hyang continued to push forward, and finally, the results came out. There was a reason why Hyang relentlessly pushed forward. Research on electricity was not starting from scratch.

In ancient Egypt around 2570 BC, they knew of the existence of electric fish, and scholars in the Greek and Roman eras did as well. Even people like Pliny the Elder left records of electric shock and conduction. In addition, Thales left records of observations on static electricity.

And these records were also available at the institute through the collection of Western and Eastern books that Hyang had started when she was the Crown Prince. That’s why Hyang was even more frustrated and impatient.

“No, why can’t you find it when you have all the knowledge of the old scholars? I’m not telling you to headbutt the ground!”

With Hyang’s pressure and the scholars’ enthusiasm for research, the concept and basic properties of electricity were finally discovered. And from here, a request to change the name was sent to Hyang.

“Change the name? What’s the reason?”

David Gilbert, who was in charge, stepped forward to answer Hyang’s question.

“The ‘雷’ (roe) in ‘雷氣’ (noegi) [archaic term for electricity], which Your Majesty gave, means thunder or loud noise. If someone who doesn’t know about noegi yet encounters this name, they will think that the property of noegi makes a loud noise. However, after researching this noegi, we see light and sparks first, not sound. Therefore, I think ‘電’ (jeon) [lightning] is more suitable than ‘雷’ (roe) [thunder].”

“Hmm… That’s a reasonable reason.”

Hyang, nodding, looked at Gilbert with a look of novelty.

“But… Aren’t you from England? Usually, those from Europe and Arabia quickly learn the phonetic alphabet but complain that it is difficult to learn the Imperial language. You even do the interpretation, which is truly amazing.”

Gilbert, reminded of his past hardships at Hyang’s words, unconsciously muttered.

“F***ing hard… Heop!”

“Yes, yes… It’s really hard to learn the Imperial language, even if you don’t know the phonetic alphabet. Nevertheless, the fact that you even did the interpretation is amazing. Truly amazing.”

Gilbert, regaining confidence in Hyang’s praise, continued.

“I began to think about it because the junior researchers who came in as researchers seemed to be even more lost because of the ‘雷’ character.”

“I see…”

Hyang, nodding at Gilbert’s words, concluded.

“Since the head of the department, Gilbert, has a reasonable opinion, I will report to His Majesty the Emperor and receive permission to change the name.”

Researchers from the Empire expressed concern at Hyang’s decision.

“H, however, changing the name that the Supreme Emperor personally gave may be criticized as disrespectful.”

Hyang immediately replied to this.

“What’s the problem with changing it to a more appropriate name? If high and low status becomes an obstacle to studying the principles of all things in the world, isn’t that a bigger problem?”

Due to Hyang’s firm will, ‘雷氣’ (noegi) was renamed ‘電氣’ (jeongi), electricity.

And Hyang, upon hearing this, chuckled and muttered.

“Looking back now, noegi was a really crazy name. I really have no talent for naming things. Anyway…”

Hyang, pausing for a moment, rummaged through the reports related to chemistry and continued.

“Looking at the current situation, it seems that all the element names that will be on the periodic table will be changed to the Imperial style… If another returner comes out besides me, that friend will have a headache too… Well, it’s none of my business, though…”