Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 277

277. How to Catch a Crow-Tit Following a Stork. (3)

The ministers listened intently to Hyang’s explanation, their expressions serious. Heo Jo, who had been meticulously following Hyang’s words, spoke up.

“I have a question. It’s about ‘tying the stork’s feet.’ I understand this to mean hindering Ming’s intentions. If that’s the case, wouldn’t we need an ally to help Joseon?”

“That’s correct. That’s why Father deemed it inappropriate. The only allies who would hinder Ming’s work are the Northern Yuan or the Waeguk [Japanese pirates], but they would bring more harm than good.”

Hyang’s response drew nods from the ministers. Using the Northern Yuan or the Waeguk to obstruct Ming was too risky; it could easily backfire.

Even if Joseon supported them, they were more likely to attack Joseon, which would seem an easier target, than to confront Ming, a much greater power.

* * *

With the discussion about ‘allies’ concluded, the ministers’ attention shifted to the second plan Hyang had mentioned: ‘leading them down the wrong path.’

“Please explain the second plan.”

At the ministers’ request, Hyang gestured to a eunuch.

“Go to the research lab and bring me the ‘dung gun.'”

“The dung gun, you say?”

“That’s right. The dung gun.”

“Understood.”

The eunuch, having received Hyang’s order, hurried out of Geunjeongjeon Hall.

* * *

Arriving at the research lab attached to the Crown Prince’s residence, the eunuch immediately conveyed Hyang’s order.

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has requested the dung gun.”

“The dung gun?”

The eunuch belonging to the research lab tilted his head for a moment before nodding.

“Ah! The dung gun! Please wait a moment.”

“Dung gun?”

While the eunuch from Geunjeongjeon Hall was still puzzled, the eunuch who had gone inside emerged carrying a long wooden box and handed it over.

“Here it is.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

“Here it is.”

“Good work. Place it here.”

The eunuch who had retrieved the item placed the box on the desk where the ministers were gathered.

Opening the lid, Hyang continued.

“This is a hand cannon to show Ming.”

“Huh?”

The ministers’ expressions turned complicated as they saw the hand cannon taken from the box.

“The shape is… unique?”

“Indeed.”

Hyang, answering casually, politely presented the hand cannon to Sejong.

“This is the obfuscation tactic (糊塗筴) I have devised.”

Sejong examined the hand cannon and then looked at Hyang.

“The shape is peculiar.”

What Hyang presented was a matchlock gun.

“You all should take a look, too.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The ministers, receiving the matchlock gun via a eunuch, took turns examining it and offering their opinions.

“It’s very heavy.”

“It looks somewhat clumsy.”

Among the various evaluations, Jo Malsaeng’s was the most thorough.

“There’s no part to brace against the shoulder, and the aiming components have all been removed. And…”

Jo Malsaeng, examining the muzzle and firing mechanism, turned to Hyang.

“There are no rifling grooves? No, that’s not the main problem. Does this hand cannon not use fulminate of silver [a type of explosive primer]?”

“No, it does not.”

“Does the performance come out properly?”

“It’s far inferior to the Gapsik hand cannon, but far superior to the existing gun barrels.”

“Hmm…”

At Hyang’s explanation, Jo Malsaeng made a sound that conveyed a mix of admiration and disappointment, and he put down the matchlock gun.

“So, what do you think?”

Sejong, seeing that the ministers had finished their observation, posed the question. The ministers diligently weighed the pros and cons in their minds. However, since most were unfamiliar with firearms, an answer didn’t come easily.

Seeing their hesitation, Sejong ordered Hyang.

“Crown Prince, explain why you made this hand cannon.”

“Yes, Father.”

Hyang paused to gather his thoughts, then began his explanation.

“First, the reason why the research lab and Area 51 [a humorous, anachronistic reference to a secret research facility] began developing this hand cannon, which we call the ‘dung gun,’ was because the Gapsik hand cannon was completed and deployment had begun. We knew that the hand cannon would be exposed to Ming if it saw actual combat in the north. I’ve already explained this part.”

At Hyang’s words, Sejong and the ministers all nodded. Seeing their reactions, Hyang continued.

“Therefore, I expected that if Ming learned of the existence of the hand cannon, they would definitely make some kind of demand from Joseon. Like the old story of Cheonbono [a historical figure known for demanding tribute], they might demand artisans, but I predicted that the possibility of this was low because Ming also knew the story.”

“That is true.”

Meng Sa-seong nodded, agreeing with Hyang’s assessment. It was a logical conclusion.

“Therefore, I thought that Ming would most likely demand the actual object of the hand cannon from our Joseon.

Of course, it’s certain that Ming will expect us to play some kind of trick.

That’s why I made this dung gun. Starting with a performance that is definitely superior to the gun barrels used by our Joseon or the hwachang [a type of early firearm] of Ming, which is similar to it, it is to deceive Ming and lead them down the wrong path.”

“Crown Prince, what is the exact performance?”

“If it’s a soldier with general marksmanship, he can hit a padded armor at a distance of 10 jangs (approximately 30m). If he’s a soldier with excellent skills, he can hit it at a distance of 20 jangs (approximately 60m) in good luck. And, it penetrates padded armor within at least 30 jangs (approximately 90m).”

“Isn’t it too excellent?”

“It has to be this good for Ming to be less suspicious.”

“That is true, but…”

At Hyang’s explanation, Sejong couldn’t hide his regret while understanding the necessity on the other hand.

Hyang took out a round lead bead from the box.

“This is a joran hwan [round lead bullet] used in this dung gun. It’s made of lead and weighs 1 nyang (approximately 34g).”

“Is it a completely different shape from the bullets used by our military?”

As Jo Malsaeng pretended to be knowledgeable, Hyang immediately explained the reason.

“The conical bullet used by our military only performs its best in a hand cannon with rifling grooves. If you give a bullet that doesn’t fit a gun that has been downgraded in performance, they will try to figure out how to make it perform, and if that happens…”

“The very thing we want to avoid will happen.”

At Sejong’s interjection, Hyang nodded.

“That is right, Father.”

The bullet used in the Gapsik hand cannon was a Lorenz bullet. It was a bullet that could be called the ‘terminator of muzzle-loading rifles.’ Of course, it wasn’t 100% identical to the original Lorenz bullet, but the shape was definitely that of a Lorenz bullet.

“I’m a guy who even made a gun, so I can’t just let this pass, right?”

* * *

Hyang, having explained the bullets, continued to explain other aspects.

-Deletion of the bracing part (buttstock).

-Deletion of aiming device.

-Rifling deletion.

The above three operations are measures to reduce the accuracy of the dung gun. Ming is also trying to improve accuracy, and this is to make their time consumption continue. In particular, the deletion of the aiming device was a deliberate choice by Hyang. There was still an aiming protrusion on the matchlock gun.

“Maybe it will take quite a while to come up with the idea of attaching that simple part. Why did the saying ‘Columbus’s egg’ [referring to a deceptively simple solution] come about?”

Hyang was doing everything he could to buy as much time as possible.

-Deterioration of the firing mechanism. The technology of the percussion cap using fulminate of silver (爆銀, mercury fulminate) must never be handed over. However, since the existing fuse firing method may be suspicious, the firing method using a specially made match is modified to be used.

The ministers who heard the explanation up to this point were all impressed.

“It’s truly wonderful!”

“That’s right! It’s definitely superior to the existing method, but it’s definitely behind the method used by our Joseon army!”

At the ministers’ praise (賞讚), Hyang smiled wryly inside.

‘Ingenious is bullshit…. It’s just tracing history backwards…. Of course, it’s tracing back hundreds of years.’

As the ministers’ praise began to subside, Hyang explained the last part.

“The part that I paid the most attention to in this dung gun is this barrel part.”

When Hyang pointed to the barrel, the ministers once again focused their attention on it.

Jo Malsaeng, who was examining the dung gun in detail, turned to Hyang.

“Did you make it with bronze?”

“That’s right. It’s a trap made using the knowledge of artisans.”

“Huh…”

At Hyang’s explanation, Jo Malsaeng once again let out a moan that was hard to tell whether it was admiration or lamentation, and the ministers turned their attention to him.

Jo Malsaeng, feeling their gazes, explained the reason.

“Our Joseon’s guns make the barrel with iron.”

“The difference between iron and copper…”

Although only the material had changed, the ministers began to consider why Jo Malsaeng was showing such a reaction.

After a moment, Kim Jeom spoke up.

“Ah! Did you make the production cost high?”

“That’s one of the reasons.”

“Huh?”

The ministers continued to ponder, but couldn’t easily find an answer.

“Crown Prince, explain it. I don’t know well other than the cost.”

“Yes, Father.”

At Sejong’s order, Hyang explained why he made it with bronze.

-Until Hyang made the barrel with steel, both Joseon and Ming made cannons with bronze. Therefore, this bronze barrel will not be suspected by Ming’s artisans.

-For the same reason, Hyang produced the barrel with casting. Until the hand cannon was made under Hyang’s leadership, both Joseon and Ming made gun barrels with casting (of course, cannons were still being produced with casting.). Producing with casting is a process that requires considerable difficulty. If there is even a slight defect inside the barrel made with casting, it is dangerous. It will take a considerable amount of time to solve this.

-Finally, bronze is a material that has great limitations in performance improvement.

“Limitation?”

“It’s the weight, Father.”

Hyang lifted the dung gun and continued his explanation.

“The barrel of this dung gun is about 2 chi (approximately 7cm) shorter than the barrel of the Gapsik hand cannon. However, the weight of the gun is much heavier than the Gapsik hand cannon. The heavier the weight, the more labor the soldiers who handle it will have.”

“That’s right.”

Both the dung gun and the Gapsik hand cannon were weapons that soldiers carried around. If the weight was heavy, it was certain that the soldiers would tire faster.

“If Ming’s artisans try to improve the performance, they will spend the most time on this part. The most important part of the performance of the hand cannon is ‘How far can you shoot? How well can you hit it?’ There are four ways to solve this problem: one is to increase the amount of gunpowder, the other is to lengthen the barrel, the third is to attach an aiming device, and the last is to carve rifling grooves. Bronze makes the first and second conditions difficult.”

“That’s right.”

Sejong, who was unconsciously nodding at Hyang’s answer, looked at Hyang and muttered inwardly.

‘Scary guy! How many traps did you set in one gun? You made it impossible to even dream of improvement!’

The ministers had the same reaction.

‘Scary, scary! He didn’t teach me the wrong way, he just covered my eyes!’

‘To be able to dig traps like that at that age!’

‘He’s cruel, he’s cruel!’

Sejong, shaking his head slightly at the traps that had been so meticulously laid, asked Hyang.

“Crown Prince. How long do you think it will take for Ming’s artisans to overcome this obstacle?”

“It’s difficult to predict because I don’t know the level of Ming’s artisans well. However, assuming that their skills are similar to those of our Joseon artisans, if they’re lucky, it’s 5 years; otherwise, it’s at least 10 years. However, this number assumes that Ming has not acquired the hand cannon that our Joseon army actually uses.”

“Then, we’ll have to run away diligently during that time, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Do you have anything in mind?”

“I’ve done some planning.”

Kim Jeom’s face turned white at Hyang’s answer.