Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 123

Jjangra

Hello, Bomb!

123. To Arabia (2)

Meanwhile, the Ministry of War was in the midst of a storm.

“From Vice Minister to Minister, everyone come here!”

At Jo Mal-saeng’s call to ‘everyone below me and above you,’ the relevant officials hurriedly gathered in front of Jo Mal-saeng’s desk.

“Is everyone here?”

“Yes, sir!”

At the sound that everyone was present, Jo Mal-saeng threw the report on the desk and shouted.

“If you’re going to do it like this, submit your resignation right now!”

“Yes? Suddenly…”

“The report on the ships of the Huihui people [Muslims] submitted to His Majesty! Really, is this all you can do? Where is the report on the structure, strengths, and weaknesses of the ships the Huihui people are using?”

“That’s because I haven’t ordered the artisans to write it yet…”

“That’s the problem! Why are you sitting in the position of a Dangsanggwan [high-ranking official] if you’re only going to do what you’re told! If you think a little more in advance before His Majesty orders it, you won’t have to do the work twice!”

“I am sorry!”

“If you’re sorry, you shouldn’t create things to be sorry about! How embarrassed do you think I was at the morning assembly!”

* * *

The origin of the incident was Hyang’s statement at the morning assembly.

“Speaking of which, can I see the report on the structure of the ships the Huihui people came on?”

At Hyang’s question, Jo Mal-saeng stammered and replied.

“A report on the structure of the Huihui people’s ships? That’s still…”

“As the Minister of War knows, we are researching ships to be used for ocean navigation, aren’t we? So, the Minister of War also knows that we bought and examined one ship each from Ming [Chinese dynasty] and Wa [Japan].”

“I, I know.”

“But with the opportunity to acquire something you can’t even buy with money right in front of you, how can you be so slow? Only when the report comes out can we analyze it and supplement the lacking parts in the process of putting cannons on the ship later, right?”

“Keueung.”

* * *

As exchanges with Ming and Wa, especially the Ouchi clan [a powerful Japanese clan], became more active, Hyang pestered Sejong to purchase large ships from Ming and Wa.

“If only the budget was sufficient, I could have bought and examined ships from Ryukyu [Okinawa] as well… That damn budget is the problem.”

‘Are ships something you can just buy at the market! Do you think budgets just come out of nowhere? You bastard, get out!’

Thinking about the curse he received after asking for an additional budget for ship purchases, Hyang grumbled and completely disassembled the purchased ships with the artisans, examining every nook and cranny.

Hyang didn’t know it, but this was what Shin Suk-ju [a prominent scholar and official] did during the Sejo era.

* * *

As Jo Mal-saeng only made groaning sounds, Hyang continued.

“Let me say again, the Huihui people brought a new ship, and we could have examined it thoroughly due to the cannon mounting issue, isn’t this an opportunity given by heaven?”

“Y-yes, that’s right…”

Hyang’s face hardened at Jo Mal-saeng’s stammering.

“Don’t tell me there’s no report?”

“It’s not that…”

As Jo Mal-saeng trailed off, Sejong joined the conversation.

“Is there no report?”

As Sejong stepped in, Jo Mal-saeng hurriedly replied.

“N-no! It’s currently being organized. Being organized! I thought reporting on the installation of cannons was the top priority, so I wrote and submitted that part first!”

“Is that so?”

Sejong, who was nodding at Jo Mal-saeng’s answer, added.

“I thought you had forgotten your days as a recorder and become lax.”

“How could I forget that!”

At Sejong’s words, Jo Mal-saeng sweated profusely and vehemently denied it.

“Then when can I receive it?”

“I will submit it within five days.”

“You said you just need to organize it, right? I want to see it within three days.”

“I will do so!”

That’s how the storm hit the Ministry of War.

* * *

“Why! Why! What’s the reason for making me do something that could be finished in one go twice! Why!”

“I am sorry.”

“I told you not to do things you’ll be sorry about! Do you even know how much the amount of records to organize increases every time you handle things stupidly! Do you even know! Haven’t I repeatedly told you not to increase unnecessary records!”

As Jo Mal-saeng returned to the position of Minister of War, several new rules were created in the Ministry of War.

-Do not create unnecessary documents.

-Actively use tables.

-Keep sentences concise!

Accordingly, the documents created in the Ministry of War were truly concise and clear.

Thanks to this, Sejong even praised them like this.

“The documents coming up from the Ministry of War these days are truly good to look at and good to read. The sentences are simple and clear, and you can immediately understand the core, so other ministries should do the same.”

“We will follow your orders!”

Jo Mal-saeng, who had been scolding his subordinates for a long time, shouted one last time.

“What are you doing! Immediately write the report and bring it! If it’s not on my desk within two days, I’ll die, and you’ll all die too! I’m definitely not dying alone!”

“Y-yes!”

* * *

The military officers and artisans who wrote the report wore bewildered expressions at the order to rewrite the report.

“Rewrite the report?”

At the question thrown again by the artisans who couldn’t hide their bewildered expressions, the manager nodded.

“That’s right. If the report you submitted last time was about whether those Huihui people’s ships could use cannons, this time you should report on the structural strengths and weaknesses.”

“Structural strengths and weaknesses?”

“Yes. You know the reports you wrote with the Ming and Wa ships a while ago? Make it like that.”

At the manager’s words, the head artisan scratched his head and replied.

“I understand. Then when do we have to write it by?”

“I need to receive it within two days.”

“I understand.”

“Then, I’m leaving. Don’t forget it’s two days!”

“Yes, I understand! Please take care!”

The head, who saw off the manager who was walking away, cursed as soon as the manager disappeared.

“Damn it! If we had handled this together last time, we wouldn’t have to work twice! Managers! They always say they’re the only ones having a hard time!”

The head, who cursed about being ordered to do something that could have been avoided with a little attention, gathered the subordinate artisans.

“Gather around! Gapsik, get ready to take notes!”

* * *

While a storm was raging in the Ministry of War, Minister of Taxation Kim Jeom was reporting to Sejong.

“…So, a merchant named Mansur has chosen the goods.”

“Hmm…”

While receiving Kim Jeom’s report, Sejong examined the list of goods Mansur had chosen.

“As expected, porcelain and fragrances are popular.”

Sejong smiled and liked the fact that he was purchasing large quantities of porcelain, the most advanced high value-added product of the 15th century, and traditional luxury goods such as fragrances.

Even if he didn’t know about fragrances, porcelain was exclusively produced by the royal workshop. Therefore, most of the profits were contributing to enriching the national treasury.

At Sejong’s words, Kim Jeom began to supplement his explanation.

“Making the shape of porcelain diverse was the reason for increasing sales. The Crown Prince’s idea worked properly.”

“Is that so?”

At Kim Jeom’s words, Sejong nodded with a pleased face.

* * *

“Traditional porcelain is stale! Its competitiveness is weak! It will be short-lived as it is!”

After seeing the familiar-shaped porcelains, Hyang soon sketched modern designs and handed them over to the porcelain artisans.

“The shape is a bit unique, Your Highness.”

“I made it that way on purpose. Doesn’t even Ming make the shapes of the porcelains we’re making now?”

“But aren’t the Ming people, as well as the Wa people, in a situation where they can’t live without them?”

At the words of the head of the Gwan-yo [royal kiln], the Sagi-jang [pottery artisan], Hyang nodded and replied.

“That’s true. But even if the Wa people have a hard time, the Ming people will soon make something similar. So, we have to stay one step ahead.”

“I see.”

Hyang continued to explain to the Sagi-jang, who nodded with an ambiguous expression as if he understood or not.

“And the Seoi [Westerners] in the far west also like porcelain. But since the Seoi’s eating and drinking habits are different from ours, wouldn’t it sell well if we 맞춰주는 것이 잘 팔리지 않겠나? [cater to their tastes]?”

“Ah! I understand!”

It was a Sagi-jang who nodded his head right away at Hyang’s words.

* * *

“Hoo?”

Sejong’s eyes stopped at one item as he looked at the list with a pleased face.

“You bought this much glass? Didn’t glass originally come from them?”

At Sejong’s question, Kim Jeom immediately answered.

“The roots are theirs, but the beauty and usefulness are ahead of ours in Joseon.”

“Is that so?”

“As expected, the Crown Prince…”

As Kim Jeom subtly mentioned Hyang, Sejong burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha! The Crown Prince has done so much!”

The big hit of glass products was largely due to the artisans, but Hyang also played a part.

For artisans who made porcelain or earthenware, glass was a ‘gift from heaven’. Unlike porcelains, where you couldn’t know the results for a long time until you kneaded the soil, shaped it, dried it, applied glaze, and baked it in a kiln, you could know the results immediately when the glass cooled.

The artisans’ desire for creation burned greatly at the ease of being able to melt it back into the kiln and remake it if they didn’t like it.

There, Hyang slyly put firewood in.

“Can you make this shape?”

“Is this shape possible too?”

“What if you mix colored glass liquid into transparent glass liquid and make it?”

Based on the glass products he had commonly seen in the 21st century, the artisans’ creative desires burned even more fiercely each time Hyang said a word.

It was natural that the products that used the characteristics of glass and were stamped in molds had better designs than the products of Europe and Arabia at the same time, thanks to Hyang’s interference.

“Because I have designs that have evolved over hundreds of years…”

Due to Hyang’s stimulation, not only Pietro and Raphael, but also the artisans of Joseon vigorously blew their blowpipes.

* * *

Sejong, who couldn’t hide his delight at Hyang’s performance, suddenly thought of something and looked around.

“Come to think of it, I can’t see the Crown Prince? What is the Crown Prince doing?”

‘By now, that guy would have come and asked for a budget…’

Sejong, whose daily routine was to say ‘You bastard, get out!’ when he whined ‘Give me a budget.’, asked about Hyang’s whereabouts with a somewhat empty face.

At Sejong’s question, Sangseon [a high-ranking eunuch] immediately answered.

“The Crown Prince says he is making tea with Qahwa [coffee].”

“Qahwa… Ah! Black bean tea. Hmm…”

Sejong, who paused for a moment, soon got up from his seat.

“I need to rest for a while.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Sejong, who declared a recess, left Geunjeongjeon [the main hall of Gyeongbok Palace] and headed to Donggungjeon [the Crown Prince’s residence].

* * *

“Hmm, hmm, hmm… Awesome! The scent is perfect!”

Hyang, who had finished roasting the coffee green beans that he had swept away from Mansur, smelled them and made a pleasant expression.

Hyang, who didn’t like the scent of the already roasted beans that Mansur and the Huihui people drank, decided to roast them himself.

“The miscellaneous things I did while being scolded so much are so helpful.”

When he watched a drama set in a coffee shop that was popular in the 21st century, Hyang became obsessed with coffee instead of the main characters’ love line.

Thanks to this, Hyang was so knowledgeable about coffee that he was told to ‘Open a coffee shop instead of a blacksmith shop!’

Hyang, who finished roasting using a brazier and a griddle (燔鐵, a frying pan in the Joseon Dynasty), ground the beans with a small mortar and brewed coffee.

“Hmm~. This is the scent. I should make professional tools while I’m at it.”

Hyang, who was rubbing his hands in a good mood at the thought of drinking coffee, was informed of Sejong’s arrival by the eunuch outside.

“His Majesty is here!”

“Oh no!”

Hyang, who hurriedly tidied up his clothes, opened the door and greeted Sejong, who was entering, politely.

“I see my father.”

“Oh, is that Qahwa?”

At Sejong’s question, Hyang immediately nodded.

“Yes, it is.”

“It’s a tea that the Seoi drink, give me a cup too.”

“Yes.”

At Sejong’s words, Hyang poured the freshly brewed coffee into a coffee cup – a prototype of a teacup made for Europeans – and politely handed it to Sejong, and also handed him a sugar bowl and a bowl of Tarrak (駝酪, milk) brought from Neobeol Island in the morning.

“Please try it as it is at first, and then add sugar and Tarrak to your taste.”

“Is that so?”

Sejong, who took a light sip, frowned.

“It’s very bitter, but the flavor is good. Then…”

Sejong, who mixed sugar and milk, tasted it and nodded.

“It’s okay.”

Sejong, who slowly emptied his coffee, looked at Hyang.

“Indeed… I feel like I’m getting energy quickly.”

“It’s a tea with good efficacy.”

“The officials will like it.”

At Sejong’s words, Hyang made a difficult expression.

‘I’d be lucky if they didn’t curse me out?’