Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 257

257. The Expedition (5)

Thanks to Sejong cutting the duration in half, the personnel selected from the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Ministry of Finance and Economy gathered to revise the plan.

The first to speak were those from the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“First, let’s base the geographical data on what we acquired last time.”

“Isn’t that risky?”

“We’ll prepare as thoroughly as possible beforehand, and then we’ll have to deal with any variables or shortcomings on the spot.”

“There are limits to on-the-spot responses.”

“That’s true.”

As arguments continued, the participants deliberated to find a reasonable alternative.

“How about this?”

When a naval officer, who was searching through various reports, spoke up with an idea, everyone in the conference room focused their attention on him.

“Do you have a good idea?”

“Let’s use the Hae Eung-class battleships.”

“Hae Eung-class? Considering their size, they can’t carry much….”

A rebuttal immediately followed, but the officer shook his head.

“I’m not suggesting we entrust transportation to the Hae Eung-class. I’m suggesting we use them as a dispatch relay [a system for rapidly transmitting messages].”

“Use the Hae Eung-class as a dispatch relay?”

The eyes of those gathered in the conference room began to gleam with interest.

“Explain in more detail.”

At the urging of the others, the officer began to explain.

“Among the Hae Eung-class battleships that have been launched so far, there are six where the navy has completed deployment and training. We will rotate these six ships.”

“Rotate?”

“It would work roughly like this: two ships to the island to be occupied, two other ships to Wonsan Port, one ship heading to Wonsan, and the last ship heading from Wonsan to the island. Of the two ships in Wonsan, one maintains a standby state, and the other undergoes maintenance. Of the two ships on the island, one is responsible for regular communication, exchanging with the ship coming from Wonsan, and the other is responsible for delivering urgent reports.”

“It’s like a waterwheel turning.”

“That’s right. What do you think?”

After listening to the explanation, the participants huddled together and began to whisper.

“Sounds good?”

“But won’t there be a shortage of battleships to deploy to Tsushima and patrol the East Sea [Sea of Japan]?”

“For Tsushima, wouldn’t panokseon [Korean warship] be enough for the time being? Frankly, the main purpose of the battleships deployed to Tsushima was to deal with the Wokou [Japanese pirates], right? It’s to control the lifeline of the Tsushima lord. And the Hae Eungs in charge of regular communication, not emergency communication, can also serve as East Sea patrols, right?”

“Still, a little….”

“Five additional Hae Eung-class battleships and three Challenger-class battleships will be launched before the end of this summer, so just bear with it a little longer.”

“In that case….”

After such conversations, it was decided to establish a high-speed communication network using the Hae Eung-class battleships.

* * *

As one agenda item was settled, another problem led to a heated debate.

The topic of the second debate was ‘Where to land?’

With a map of the target island in the center, the opinions of the participants were divided.

“The best landing site is the bay on the east side of this southern protrusion!”

“The bay on the west side of the island is better!”

In the 21st century, opinions would have been divided between ‘Uchiura Bay’ and ‘Ishikari Bay’.

The arguments of those who supported Uchiura Bay were as follows:

-Looking at the island’s terrain, this bay is the best place for defense.

-Because the shape of this southern protrusion is like a bent finger. The bay inside is shaped like a jar, so it is easy to defend if you build castles on the north and south protrusions of the bay, which are like the mouth of the jar.

-Considering the exploration of the ocean to the east of the island that will follow, there is no better place than this. If you go east out of the entrance of the bay, you can go straight to the ocean.

However, the arguments of those who supported Ishikari Bay were also considerable.

-To get to the bay on the southern protrusion, you have to pass through the narrow straits between the mainland of Wa [ancient name for Japan] and the island.

-This is likely to cause conflicts not only with the Wokou but also with the Wa navy.

-Rather than wasting time and resources on unnecessary armed conflicts, it is more efficient to make the bay on the west side of the island the landing point.

-According to the report of Challenger No. 3, the bay on the west is directly connected to a wide plain, unlike the bay on the south. Considering the expansion of the area and the resettlement of people (徙民, *saemin* – moving people) that will follow after securing the bridgehead, the bay on the west is the best place.

-The exploration plan that will follow is not the exploration of the ocean to the east of the island, but the exploration of the sea north of the island, which was left unfinished. Ocean exploration comes after that.

The confrontation between the two sides continued intensely. It was not easy to make a decision because both sides had valid points.

In the end, the participants, tired of the endless debate, felt the need for a mediator.

“Let’s ask the higher-ups!”

“Let’s do that!”

So this issue went up to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Ministry of National Defense. However, the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff were also split, and eventually, it went up to Sejong.

* * *

“This is quite the challenge.”

Sejong, who received the report, muttered with a troubled expression.

“What do you all think?”

At Sejong’s question, the officials were also divided, and a debate broke out.

Sejong’s eyes turned to Hwang Hee and Kim Jong-seo, who were observing the scene. Because it was his proposal, Hwang Hee was unable to return to Hamgil-do [region in North Korea] and was stuck in Hanseong [old name for Seoul].

Thanks to this, Kim Jong-seo, who had unexpectedly caught a lucky break, was enjoying ‘the night of Hanseong’.

Sejong, seeing Hwang Hee keeping his mouth shut even in the midst of the debate, spoke.

“What do you think, Governor?” (The formal name was Provincial Governor (都觀察黜陟使, *Dogwanchalchulcheoksa*). However, because the name was tongue-twisting, it was often shortened to Governor, and later Governor became the official name. (Note 1))

At Sejong’s question, Hwang Hee paused to organize his thoughts and then spoke.

“Will you proceed with the matter of sending Kim Jong-seo as a secret envoy, as discussed previously?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, I recommend the bay on the west.”

“The events taking place in Kyushu [Japanese island] and the choice of the bay are related? Hmm…. I see.”

Sejong pondered Hwang Hee’s words for a moment, nodded, and turned his gaze. Looking at the incense placed under the shrine, Sejong asked a question.

“What does the Crown Prince think?”

At Sejong’s question, the Crown Prince immediately answered.

“I agree with the Governor’s opinion. The events taking place in Kyushu will also stimulate the King of Japan, but if we openly carry out work in the north, he may overreact.”

“That’s right. But it seems like you have something more to say?”

“It’s because of the people living on that island. I saw a record that there are natives.”

“Ah.”

Sejong nodded at the Crown Prince’s point.

* * *

It was not only the military that checked the commander’s report from the 3rd ship and the copies of the nautical log that arrived later and began the inquiry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also took action.

According to the nautical log of the 3rd ship, there was a record of contact with the natives of the island. To avoid unnecessary conflicts, the captain of the 3rd ship attempted to communicate. However, because the natives did not speak the same language, they had to find someone who could write (筆談, *pildam* – written conversation).

As a result, they found someone who knew Chinese characters and shared a written conversation, learning that they called themselves ‘Ainu’.

According to the captain’s report, the natives’ reaction was not favorable, but they did not unconditionally oppose it.

After talking a little more in depth, they were able to return after realizing that they were not on good terms with the mainland of Wa to the south.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which carefully analyzed the captain’s report and nautical log, searched the records of the record office.

As a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after analyzing the information obtained by searching the records of the record office and inquiring with the merchants of the Waegwan [Japanese trading post], inferred that the title ‘Seii Taishogun (征夷大將軍)’ [Shogun], which refers to the shogun of the shogunate, was related to them.

“Does it seem like the pieces are roughly fitting together?”

“That’s right. Report it.”

* * *

Sejong, seeing the Crown Prince’s reaction, continued.

“Considering the securing of the bridgehead and the expansion of the occupied territory, contact with those natives will inevitably occur. Therefore, I think we should prepare in advance a way to accept them as our Joseon people. Shouldn’t we avoid conflicts that could occur if we go without preparation?”

“That’s right. But it won’t be easy.”

“It may be surprisingly easy if we fill their lacking needs. Didn’t the Jurchens do that too?”

At the Crown Prince’s words, Sejong and the officials nodded.

“Filling the lacking needs….”

As Sejong muttered, the Crown Prince immediately spoke.

“Don’t we have a monopoly bureau [government agency controlling trade]?”

“Aha!”

When the Crown Prince mentioned the ‘monopoly bureau’, Sejong and the officials exclaimed simultaneously.

At the sight, the Crown Prince smiled softly and muttered inwardly.

‘If Western explorers flattered the natives with glass ornaments, we have a monopoly bureau!’

When the Crown Prince mentioned the monopoly bureau, Hwang Hee added.

“Certainly, the monopoly bureau will be much more useful than force. There are also Jurchen tribes who submitted because of the monopoly bureau.”

“I think so too.”

As Sejong agreed, Jo Mal-saeng intervened.

“It is better to establish a relationship through trade than to prioritize force. The most lacking thing in our Joseon army is people.”

At Jo Mal-saeng’s words, Sejong sighed deeply.

“Hoo~. Where *isn’t* that the case?”

At Sejong’s sigh, Kim Jeom, the Minister of Finance and Economy, intervened.

“The population of Joseon is increasing rapidly, so Your Majesty’s concerns will soon be resolved.”

“I hope that day comes soon.”

At Kim Jeom’s words, Sejong replied with a truly earnest expression.

* * *

As Gyeongjang [economic reform] progressed, Joseon’s population began to increase.

The spread of cowpox vaccination, the strengthening of hygiene education, and the prevention of the spread of epidemics with pre-prepared medicines in large quantities all contributed.

In addition, food production also increased as irrigation facilities and farmland were improved.

Furthermore, the submission of the Jurchens also accounted for a significant portion of the population increase in Joseon.

With these and other conditions, the graph showing the population increase in Joseon was drawing an increasingly steep upward curve.

Kim Jeom, who checked the graph, muttered with a delighted expression.

“If it goes like this, we will be able to break through 7 million soon. And if the children born these days become adults, form families, and have children, 10 million is not a dream.”

A population of 10 million.

If Joseon’s capabilities are strengthened as they are now, and new cultures are spread, and the population exceeds 10 million, they will not unconditionally bow down to the Ming Dynasty.

It would be the revival of a powerful country that even the rulers of China could not treat carelessly, as in the old days.

* * *

Digressing for a moment, Sejong came to a conclusion.

“I will make a decision. Our Joseon army will set up a bridgehead at the bay on the west.”

“I obey your command.”

“And, prepare firmly for armed conflict, but make sure that our Joseon does not initiate the first attack. Let’s trust the monopoly bureau.”

“I will engrave it in my heart!”

According to Sejong’s decision, the attack operation against this uninhabited island began to be prepared in earnest.

It was slightly twisted, but Joseon’s external expansion had begun in earnest.

* * *

Note 1) In 1466 (the 12th year of Sejo), the name was changed from Provincial Governor (都觀察黜陟使) to Governor. This is the author’s imagination based on this.