Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 295

295. Setting Sail (1)

It was late summer in the 13th year of King Sejong’s reign (1431, the year of Sinhae), nearing autumn. The Jeolla Right Naval Base buzzed with activity as they prepared the Challenger-class battleships for departure.

“Make sure every inch is inspected thoroughly! It’s a long journey!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Report even the slightest suspicion!”

“Yes, sir!”

“No, no. If anything seems even slightly off, tear it out and replace it immediately!”

“Sir?”

“It’s better to replace it now than to have a hole in the middle of the ocean! If anything seems even slightly off, replace it immediately!”

“Yes, sir!”

According to the records, Mansur’s merchant fleet consistently arrived in Joseon near the end of summer. Mansur’s fleet would then wait for the seasonal winds to change while engaging in trade and maintaining their ships.

Therefore, with the anticipated arrival of Mansur’s fleet, the Challenger-class battleships were diligently preparing to set sail.

This time, three Challenger-class battleships were scheduled to depart. One was to accompany Mansur’s fleet to Aden and then proceed up the Red Sea, eventually crossing the desert to Alexandria. Another was destined for Tianzhu (India). Joseon’s primary interest in Tianzhu was saltpeter, a key ingredient in gunpowder.

The last ship was tasked with providing backup in case of an accident or disaster resulting in the loss of a ship, or with engaging pirates.

Since the other two Challenger-class ships needed to allocate cargo space for trade goods in addition to gunpowder and fire bombs, this third ship had to shoulder the majority of combat duties.

As this marked Joseon’s first major ocean voyage, navigating seas and straits notorious for pirates, the officers, sailors, and artisans meticulously inspected the ships repeatedly, ensuring they were in optimal condition.

Meanwhile, the captains were making frequent trips between the Jeolla Right Naval Base and Hanseong (the capital city of Joseon).

In Hanseong, the research institute and Area 51 were working tirelessly to create or select items essential for the long voyage, which would then be given to the captains.

Among these items, the first ones the captains encountered were the Onggi (Korean earthenware jars) and the Soju distillation apparatus.

With Hyang observing from behind, a researcher from the institute explained the purpose of these items to the captains.

“The Onggi jars and wooden barrels are for storing drinking water. This voyage will serve as a test to determine which of the two, Onggi or wooden barrels, is better suited for preserving drinking water over extended periods.”

Upon hearing the researcher’s explanation, the captains immediately shared their perspectives.

“We usually use Onggi….”

“No, wooden barrels are also quite common. Onggi breaks easily, so….”

“That’s right, that’s the main drawback of Onggi.”

Listening to the captains, Hyang nodded thoughtfully.

‘Wooden barrels might be more durable, but considering the potential for spoilage, Onggi might offer better preservation….’

During the ‘Age of Exploration,’ the biggest challenge for sailors was maintaining a supply of potable drinking water. Water stored in large oak barrels tended to spoil quickly, leading to illness among the sailors.

To address this issue, Hyang had chosen Onggi. Onggi, crafted using traditional methods, possessed inherent antiseptic properties.

However, Onggi had a significant weakness: its fragility. Wooden barrels were far more durable in that regard.

Ultimately, Hyang had designed a special storage area for the Onggi from the outset. The approach involved creating wooden compartments to hold each Onggi securely.

However, theory and practice often diverged. Therefore, a plan was devised to identify the optimal solution through a series of voyages, starting with this one.

“But when we deployed them in the war in Liaodong at the beginning of the year, the Onggi held up well, didn’t they?”

The researchers, artisans, and even the naval commanders questioned this decision, but Hyang remained firm in proceeding with the test.

“We can’t draw definitive conclusions after only a few days of transport, can we? We’re about to cross a vast ocean, encounter unpredictable weather, and navigate regions with climates vastly different from Joseon. The circumstances are entirely different.”

“That is true.”

And so, the test was set in motion.

* * *

Next, the research institute presented the captains with the Soju distillation apparatus and the water purification frame.

With the Soju distillation apparatus displayed before them, the researcher explained its function to the captains.

“While sailing long distances for extended periods, you might lose your drinking water due to unforeseen circumstances.”

“That’s true.”

The captains nodded in agreement with the researcher’s statement.

Those appointed as captains of the Challenger-class were recognized for their undisputed experience and competence. The challenge of securing potable water was something they had encountered frequently, even though most of their voyages had been near the coast.

Observing the captains’ reactions, the researcher continued the explanation.

“In such a situation where you have lost your drinking water, you can use seawater to make fresh water.”

The purification process described by the researcher was as follows:

Seawater is drawn from the sea and filtered using a purification frame. The purification frame does not remove the saltiness, but it does remove any impurities.

The clean seawater obtained in this way is put into a Soju distillation apparatus and distilled to secure fresh water.

“What is the taste of the fresh water obtained in that way?”

At the captains’ question, the researcher gave a slight bitter smile and replied.

“It has no taste. Compared to real fresh water, it is still salty. However, it will certainly do its part in an emergency.”

The captains nodded at the researcher’s words.

“Well, it’s definitely better than nothing.”

“That’s right. It’s definitely better than drinking seawater.”

Seeing the captains’ reactions, the researcher continued to speak.

“This purification frame and Soju distillation apparatus are also good for fresh water. When using fresh water from other regions as drinking water, filtering it with the purification frame and then processing it through the Soju distillation apparatus can prevent stomachaches caused by water changes. Haven’t you had many experiences of suffering after drinking water that looked clear but wasn’t?”

The captains nodded once again.

* * *

Until Hyang created the water purification frame, Joseon people suffered from various waterborne diseases. During droughts, they drank dirty water collected in dry puddles or wells and fell ill, and after floods, they drank muddy water from ruined wells or streams and fell ill.

It was Hyang’s water purification frame that solved the problem. Using the purification frame, even muddy water came out clear.

In addition, through Hyang’s relentless nagging, he made sure that even the purified water was always boiled before drinking. As a result, the frequency of waterborne diseases in Joseon was greatly reduced.

* * *

Thanks to the captains’ agreement on the necessity, the water purification frame and Soju distillation apparatus were loaded onto the ships without much resistance. Of course, there were also sailors who looked at the Soju distillation apparatus with strange glints in their eyes, smacking their lips.

“We need to get some yeast in advance….”

The tradition of making illicit liquor, common among sailors in both the East and West, was something that Joseon could not avoid either.

* * *

Having checked the water problem, the captains now had to share their opinions with the researchers on the food items.

“It is natural to load soy sauce or soybean paste, so let’s skip that. I understand loading dried provisions, salted meat, and jerky. But why are we loading dried radish greens? If it’s a matter of vegetables, we are loading various kinds of pickles, aren’t we?”

“A lot of salt goes into soy sauce, and other food ingredients are also full of salt. Doctors say that it’s bad to not eat salt at all, but it’s also bad to eat too much. We need to use dried vegetables to remove the saltiness so that we can endure long voyages.”

“Hmm…. I understand.”

“Well, if the doctor said so, we have to follow it.”

The captains had no choice but to nod at the researcher’s answer. They didn’t immediately understand, but they had to accept it.

“If the doctors said so, we have to follow it.”

“And if you happen to enter a port or stay somewhere, you should ensure that the sailors consume plenty of fresh fruit. In particular, sour fruits should also be stored on the ship so that they can be consumed during the voyage.”

“Sour fruits?”

“Things like unripe oranges (枳實) [Citrus aurantium].”

“Unripe oranges?”

When one of the captains tilted his head, the captain next to him added an explanation in a small voice.

“Tangerine.”

“Ah….”

“Is there any benefit to sour fruits?”

“The sourness in fruits has a stimulating effect that relieves fatigue and maintains health.”

The captains all nodded at the researcher’s explanation.

“I see.”

“There’s nothing useless in this world….”

“Sour fruits, huh….”

* * *

The dried radish greens and fruit part was something that Hyang actively pushed for.

“If we continue to have casualties from beriberi or scurvy, they might close the doors again like before.”

This was the part that Hyang was most worried about while preparing for the long voyage. Of course, the officials who had tasted the sweetness through the trade that had been going on would not return to isolationism, but the possibility of insisting on passive trade, where they only received those who came, rather than actively engaging in trade, was still high.

Such passive trade was definitely not what Hyang wanted.

“Now or in the future, information is the most important thing. Just sitting and receiving information brought by others will only leave you behind. You have to move actively. To do that, you have to trade actively.”

So, Hyang paid attention to the food ingredients to maintain the health of the sailors on the long voyage.

“Did you include dried radish greens?”

“Yes. Looking at the ingredients we have prepared now, they are all salty and meat-based. If people are to maintain their vitality for a long time, shouldn’t they also balance their diet with yin and yang?”

The doctors all nodded at Hyang’s point. ‘Medicine and food have the same origin (藥食同源) [Yakshik Dongwon]’ and ‘harmony of yin and yang (陰陽調和) [Eumyang Johwa]’ were the most emphasized things in Korean medicine.

Thanks to that, it was easy to include dried vegetables in the food ingredients.

“How did you solve the vegetable problem, but how do you solve the vitamin C problem?”

While searching through medical books to solve the problem, Hyang soon found the best answer.

‘Unripe oranges are very good as a 理氣藥 (medicine to circulate qi) [Ligiyak] when qi is deficient and easily fatigued. It is also effective for stomachaches and food poisoning.’

“The symptoms are exactly right?”

Having found the optimal answer, Hyang informed the doctors. The doctors, who were nodding, asked Hyang a question.

“It is true that tangerines have such effects, but will other sour fruits have the same effects?”

“What is the most different characteristic of tangerines compared to other fruits? Isn’t it that sourness? Isn’t that sourness due to the ingredients that have that medicinal effect?”

At Hyang’s answer, the doctors put their heads together and shared their opinions. Among them, the doctors who were well-versed in medicinal herbs soon agreed with Hyang’s words.

“I think His Highness’s opinion is reasonable.”

In this way, the problem of vitamin C was also solved.

As a side note, this decision created a new tradition among the Joseon navy and Joseon sailors.

Starting the day with a cup of tangerine tea while on a long voyage. It was a grueling task if you didn’t get used to the sour and astringent taste, so it also served as an initiation ceremony for new sailors or sailors.

However, thanks to this tradition of eating grains, meat, and vegetables evenly – and even picking seaweed if necessary – and consistently consuming tangerines, lemons, and limes, the Joseon navy and sailors were able to reduce the damage caused by scurvy or beriberi even on ocean voyages.

Western shipowners, who suffered great damage from scurvy or beriberi, paid attention to this and introduced the Joseon-style onboard menu. Of course, the sailors who ate it vehemently protested, saying, ‘Are we cows?’