Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 150

Jjangra

Helo Bam

150. Virtue. (1)

Not long after the release and bidding of the ‘Automatic Loom,’ joyful news arrived from Area 51.

Research had begun simultaneously with the establishment of the research institute and Area 51, but it was only after nearly six years and a significant budget that a commercially viable result was produced.

“It’s a success!”

“We did it!”

“Woo-hoo!”

The researchers and artisans of the institute, including Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji, embraced each other, shedding tears of joy.

“Your Highness! It’s a joyous occasion!”

“Indeed, Your Highness!”

“To complete it in six years! Sniff!”

Watching the people who were so happy that they were crying, Hyang smiled and responded.

“You have all worked very hard.”

While compiling a report to present to Sejong, Hyang grumbled quietly.

“It’s not ‘only’ six years, but it ‘took’ six years….”

Hyang had actually built working models of steam engines and steam locomotives in the 21st century, even if they were just prototypes.

Initially, he explained the concept of the steam engine using a model of ‘Hero’s engine’ [an ancient device demonstrating the power of steam], but the researchers and artisans were floundering, unable to even get started.

In the end, Hyang had to use his cheat key: himself.

“I’ve been thinking….”

Hyang created blueprints of early steam engines made by Savery and Newcomen and began educating the researchers and artisans.

Even with Hyang’s intervention, it took the researchers and artisans a year and a half to create a model of the steam engine that James Watt had made.

After creating the model and confirming its proper operation, the real struggle began. The researchers and artisans had countless things to experiment with and create in order to make a proper, or rather, a commercially valuable steam engine.

The first thing they made was measuring equipment.

The researchers and artisans had to literally ‘headbutt the ground’ [work tirelessly and exhaustively] to create measuring equipment to gauge the power generated by the steam engine, equipment to measure the steam pressure generated in the steam engine’s boiler, and equipment to measure the amount and temperature of water.

In the process, an unexpected byproduct was created.

* * *

The first was the pencil and pencil sharpener.

“It’s annoying to write and calculate with a gold pen and ink every time!”

“We must find a solution!”

Their eyes fell on graphite as they searched for a way to find an alternative.

One of the artisans, who had been examining graphite powder that was used for coating various explosives and had begun to be used as a lubricant for machines that stamped out armor, created something of his own.

The artisan mixed graphite with clay, kneaded it with water, dried it, and then tried writing with it, tilting his head.

“It writes, but it’s too soft, isn’t it? It breaks easily….”

He tried various experiments whenever he had time, but unable to find an answer, the artisan eventually sought out Hyang.

“What’s the matter?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

At the time, Hyang was about ten years old. Seeing Hyang’s face, still full of childishness, the artisan waved his hand and stepped back. Hyang, on the contrary, became interested in the artisan’s suspicious behavior.

“If you came to find me, it must be because there’s a problem, isn’t it? Tell me.”

Although young, the artisan, pressured by the powerful background of the ‘Crown Prince,’ soon told him his concerns.

Hyang’s eyes sparkled fiercely as he listened to the artisan’s concerns.

‘It’s a pencil! I was going to make it someday, but it’s popping up here!’

“Interesting. If we do it well, we might get a good product. Let’s do some research together.”

Hyang soon began research with the artisan. Or rather, he pretended to join in while giving instructions.

“Instead of simply drying it, let’s bake it.”

“Bake it, you say?”

The artisan thought for a moment at Hyang’s words, then nodded.

“I see. Pottery that is simply dried breaks easily, but properly baked ceramics last longer.”

And so the experiment began. They mixed good quality clay and graphite evenly, made them into thin rod shapes, and then put them in a smelting furnace and baked them.

Hyang wrapped the graphite rod that came out of the kiln in paper and scribbled on a blank sheet of paper.

After checking the results, Hyang turned to the artisan.

“It’s okay, but let’s experiment a little more.”

In this way, they varied the ratio of clay to graphite and the temperature of the kiln, creating a graphite rod with useful strength through experimentation.

“These three types of hardness seem to be useful in many ways.”

“That’s right.”

When the graphite rod was completed, Hyang began to use his tricks in earnest.

That’s how the world’s first pencil was made.

The graphite mass, well mixed with clay, was put into a noodle machine [a device for making noodles by extruding dough] and pulled out like noodles, then put into a kiln and baked. The resulting core was placed between two grooved wooden boards, and then glue was applied to bond the wooden boards together.

The pencils, made through several post-processing steps, soon became favorite items of the researchers and artisans at the institute.

Seeing this, Hyang registered a patent with the artisan who had first proposed the idea and immediately began preparing for sales.

Jeong Cho spoke with a slightly embarrassed face at Hyang’s gleeful appearance.

“I don’t think this will sell very well….”

“Huh? Why?”

“First, there is the inconvenience of having to sharpen it to use it.”

“That’s like ink too….”

“You can grind ink without thinking, but if you do that with a pencil, you’ll draw blood right away, won’t you?”

“I see….”

Jeong Cho pointed out the next problem.

“Secondly, its lifespan is overwhelmingly shorter than gold pens or brushes. People will say it’s not worth the money.”

“If we mass-produce it, that problem….”

“How many people in this Joseon land [ancient Korean kingdom], other than the research institute and Area 51, write enough to use pencils in large quantities?”

“Can’t we sell it in Ming [ancient Chinese dynasty]?”

Jeong Cho immediately replied to Hyang’s question.

“That’s where the third problem comes in. Sharpening pencils produces a large amount of wood shavings and graphite powder. Disposing of it is also a chore. If you’re not careful, the paper you’ve prepared will be ruined. Scholars who value neatness before calligraphy will dislike it because it’s undignified.”

Hyang, thinking that Jeong Cho’s words made sense, muttered with a face full of disappointment.

“I see.”

Jeong In-ji, who was next to him, hurriedly continued at Hyang’s disappointed expression.

“Certainly, there are such problems, but if we solve the first and third problems, there will be some marketability!”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right!”

At Jeong In-ji’s answer, Hyang recalled his memories of the 21st century.

‘I have to make a pencil sharpener too!’

Firming his resolve, Hyang turned to Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji.

“For the time being, only we should use pencils. We find pencils more convenient than gold pens.”

“Yes.”

And so, the ‘commercialization of pencils’ sank below the surface.

However, it took a long time for the pencil to surface.

It was because of the pencil sharpener.

The problem was that it was a cutting tool, so it needed high-quality steel, and in large quantities.

The next problem that arose was the size.

The blacksmiths sighed in unison when they saw the pencil sharpener prototype, which was similar in shape to a scaled-down plane [a woodworking tool].

“To trim those tiny blades one by one….”

He didn’t quite finish the sentence, but Hyang knew what he meant.

“The belly button will be bigger than the belly [the effort will be greater than the reward].”

Returning to his office, Hyang organized the problems and muttered.

“To match the cost-effectiveness, we have to mass-produce the blades. But there’s a problem with human hands. To stamp them out with a machine…. We need a steam engine…. Another steam engine? This is like those 21st century politicians who blame others whenever something goes wrong….”

Even while grumbling, Hyang worked hard to find a solution. However, it took longer than expected for the pencil to come out as a product.

* * *

The pencil was thus concluded to be used only internally, but there were various problems in making measuring equipment and making a steam engine of a practically usable size.

In the end, Jeong Cho gathered Hyang and other key officials and explained what the problem was.

“First of all, there is the problem of weights and measures. Even simply measuring length involves several different standards, starting with the Hwangjong cheok (黃鍾尺) [a standard unit of length], including the Jucheok (周尺) [another unit of length], Yeongjo cheok (營造尺) [another unit of length], and Joryegi cheok (造禮器尺) [another unit of length]. We need to unify this.”

Choi Hae-san and Lee Cheon immediately agreed with Jeong Cho’s words.

“We had the same problem when making various new weapons, including the Gapsikjang Chongtong [a type of cannon]. Just as we unified with the Hwangjong cheok at that time, it seems right to unify with the Hwangjong cheok this time as well.”

Hyang listened to the opinions and nodded.

“That’s a reasonable point. Let’s unify with the Hwangjong cheok.”

Once the problem of weights and measures was decided, Jeong Cho brought up the next problem.

“Next is the problem of measuring equipment. The researchers at the institute have calculated the formulas and finished the design of the measuring equipment and the units of measurement, but the empirical evidence is not being properly verified.”

Hyang smacked his lips slightly at Jeong Cho’s words.

‘Tsk! I have nothing to say about this…. I also bought and installed ready-made products….’

Hyang, who had nothing to say about this, had no choice but to give a fundamental answer.

“I think the only way to do that is to actually experiment and learn.”

Jeong Cho showed a slight disappointment at Hyang’s words.

‘Was this an area where even His Highness the Crown Prince had no answer? I thought there would be a clear solution, but….’

Jeong Cho, who had been disappointed that Hyang had not given him an answer as he had expected, soon regained his composure.

‘I have to reflect! His Highness the Crown Prince is now entering the age of 11! No matter how outstanding he is, if he knew even this at the age of 11, would he even be human?’

Jeong Cho, having regained his composure, nodded.

“I also think that only experience is the answer to this part.”

In this way, the repetitive experiment that made the researchers shudder was decided.

* * *

While doing the repetitive experiments that exhausted his mind and body, Jeong Cho found a problem and visited Hyang again.

“I think this is the last problem. Although it is the last, I consider it the most important problem. The last problem is the problem of materials.”

Hyang immediately grasped the meaning of Jeong Cho’s words.

“Materials? Is it a problem with iron? Let’s try making it with brass first.”

Jeong Cho shook his head at Hyang’s words.

“We thought so too, so we experimented with brass. But there was a problem with errors.”

Hyang’s face became serious at Jeong Cho’s answer.

“Why?”

Jeong Cho explained the reason for Hyang’s question.

“The problem is that the ratio of copper and other materials varies depending on the artisan, even with brass.”

“In that case….”

“Yes, we are experimenting to find the optimal alloy ratio. But the biggest problem is that it takes more time. The budget is also a problem.”

Hyang unknowingly put his hand on his forehead at Jeong Cho’s words. But after a while, Hyang answered with a determined face.

“I will try my best to get the budget. Minister Jeong, please research ways to reduce the time.”

“Yes, I understand.”

After finishing the conversation with Jeong Cho, Hyang went to see Sejong.

However, Hyang had to be scolded by Sejong before he could even finish speaking.

“No budget! Get out of here, you rascal!”

However, Hyang did not back down and persistently clung to him, and eventually managed to get the budget.

Sejong, watching Hyang happily return after getting the budget, complained.

“I can’t just throw that guy into the archives….”