Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 302

302. The Kingdom of Heaven (3)

Seeing the governor’s friendly attitude, Oh Ha-seok and his party began to solidify their position.

“Your Excellency’s help is needed to maintain the good relationship between our Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom] and your country. Therefore, we have prepared a small gift.”

“A gift?”

The governor’s eyes twinkled as he heard the translation. It wasn’t just the governor; all the officials near him also sparkled their eyes.

Anything from the ‘Land of Flowers’ [a poetic name for Joseon, referring to its beautiful landscapes] was considered precious. And this was a gift carefully selected from the ‘Land of Flowers.’ It was sure to be an exquisite and luxurious item.

Soon after, the governor’s servants brought in large and small wooden boxes and placed them before the governor.

“Oh my… even the boxes…”

The governor and officials exclaimed in admiration at the sight of the wooden boxes. The boxes, coated with the finest lacquer and finished with thin bronze decorations on the corners, were extraordinary at first glance.

* * *

When Joseon began exporting in earnest, Hyang emphasized the importance of packaging.

“Why else would there be sayings like, ‘If possible, choose the red skirt,’ and ‘Good-looking rice cakes taste better too!'” [These are Korean proverbs emphasizing the importance of appearance.]

Hyang, who passionately emphasized the importance of packaging, even gathered artists and carpenters separately to dedicate themselves solely to packaging design research.

To satisfy Hyang’s eyes, which had experienced the extremely developed 21st-century capitalist society, the artists and carpenters had to endure unspeakable hardships. However, the results were certain.

The products from the royal workshops, which used packaging created by Hyang’s orders, were recognizable as expensive items at first glance. Thanks to this, not only King Sejong and Queen Soheon but also the court officials’ standards rose, and the eyes of middle and lower-ranking officials and ordinary people gradually became more critical of the level of packaging.

Thanks to this, the royal workshops even began to release wooden boxes for packaging as products. In addition, private merchants also began to pay attention to packaging.

As things turned out this way, connoisseurs who collected only these wooden boxes began to appear.

As an aside, in the distant future, among these wooden boxes, those that survived the passage of time were traded at high prices at auction houses.

* * *

In any case, the governor, who was enjoying the feel of the smooth wooden boxes by stroking them with his hands, opened the lid of a wooden box.

When he opened the lid, an inner lid covered in red silk appeared. The governor, seeing the inner lid, checked the upper left part inside the outer lid.

Traditionally, Joseon’s products had flowers attached to the upper left part inside the box lid.

And this box also had a flower pattern engraved in the same area.

The governor couldn’t hide his joy as he checked the flowers.

Five golden pear blossoms were engraved on it.

“Huh? The center of the flowers?”

The governor tilted his head slightly. In the center of the golden flowers engraved on the box, there was a sparkling small piece of glass attached. It was a pattern he had never seen before.

“Excuse me, but what is embedded in the center of these flowers? It’s the first time I’ve seen it.”

A Ministry of Finance official stepped forward to explain the governor’s question.

“A new grade has been created this time. What you see, Governor, is a newly created symbol of the highest grade.”

“Really!”

“Yes.”

The governor’s face brightened even more after hearing the explanation, and the officials’ curiosity deepened.

The governor’s fingers, tearing the seal connecting the inner lid and the box, were trembling slightly with excitement.

“Oh!”

The governor opened the inner lid and immediately exclaimed as he looked inside. Inside, there was a long-necked glass teapot and teacups with handles.

What impressed the governor was the glass used for the teapot and teacups. Glass products were not unfamiliar to the governor. He had seen many glass products from Joseon, as well as from distant Italy and Arabia.

However, he swore to Allah [God in Islam] that it was the first time he had seen glass that emitted such a radiant light.

The governor took out a teacup with trembling hands and lifted it up. The flower pattern engraved on the teacup sparkled radiantly as it received the light coming through the window.

“Ooh~.”

The officials also exclaimed in admiration as they saw the radiantly shining teacup.

The boxes that were opened next contained crystal plates and bowls.

“Indeed, it is the ‘Land of Flowers’! I will do my best to ensure that your country can trade with us! I swear to Allah that I will definitely succeed!”

The governor’s words were not simply because he was tempted by the gift. If such precious items were to come to Chittagong [a major port city in Bangladesh], all the merchants of India would flock to it, which meant a huge amount of money would pour in.

The governor couldn’t miss this golden opportunity.

The governor proceeded with the work like lightning.

“It will take me some time to prepare, so three days! In three days, let’s go to Pandua [historical city in Bengal] together! The Shah [title for a king or ruler] will surely allow trade with the ‘Land of Flowers’!”

“We are truly grateful!”

Oh Ha-seok and his party bowed with joyful hearts.

* * *

The party’s steps, returning to the port from the governor’s residence, were lighter than ever before.

“This is going to work out better than expected.”

“That’s right.”

The Joseon party all had bright faces, but Mansur’s face was not so bright. Seeing Mansur’s face, a Ministry of Finance official spoke to Mansur.

“Why are you so full of worries?”

Mansur, who heard the words through the interpreter, immediately complained.

“If Joseon sells such products directly, I think I’m doomed to go bankrupt.”

The Ministry of Finance official, who heard Mansur’s complaint through the interpreter, laughed and replied.

“Hahaha! You’re exaggerating! How many people would buy such expensive things? And there are more than one or two things in our Joseon that you can take and make money with, so don’t worry!”

Mansur muttered softly after hearing the words through the interpreter.

“That guy said the same thing. Damn it! I thought I could make money comfortably… I’ll have to run around diligently again.”

* * *

As promised, three days later, the governor, ready to leave, appeared at the port.

“He says to follow his ship closely.”

“I understand.”

The Joseon and Mansur’s allied fleet, following the ship carrying the governor, left Chittagong and headed for Pandua.

After crossing the sea through three days of sailing, the fleet began to go up a large river.

The fleet, which went up the river, soon docked at the port.

“Is this Pandua?”

Mansur shook his head at the question from Oh Ha-seok and his party who got off the ship.

“No. This is near Kolkata [major city in India]. Pandua is several days further inland from here.”

Kang Nam-gil, who was looking around while listening to Mansur’s explanation, asked Mansur.

“It’s a huge river, but can’t we go any further? Chittagong is also a place facing the river, didn’t we go in?”

“Chittagong is a trading port, so the governors have historically paid attention to dredging. But not here.”

“Is that so? That’s a shame.”

Kang Nam-gil couldn’t hide his disappointment after hearing Mansur’s answer.

Oh Ha-seok, who confirmed that he couldn’t go any further by ship, looked back at the Ministry of Finance official.

“It seems like it’s your turn to use your strength from now on, Sir.”

Park Hyun-soo, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Finance, smiled and replied to Oh Ha-seok’s words.

“I need to earn back the value of the tonic I’ve been taking. Can you arrange for a cart first?”

“I will.”

With the help of Mansur and the governor, a large cart appeared at the pier.

“Careful! Careful!”

As the cart was prepared, the winch installed on the Invincible Ship took out a large box from the hold and lowered it to the pier. As the large box, big enough for two or three people to enter, was lowered, the governor showed interest.

“The box is very big.”

“It’s a gift for the Shah.”

The dockworkers rushed in and loaded the box onto the cart, and the soldiers who would escort Vice Minister Park took their weapons and got off the ship.

“How long will it take?”

“If things go well, we can return in fifteen days.”

“I understand. Then I wish you a safe trip. Captain Jang. Have a good trip.”

The captain of the Invincible Ship, Jang Gwang-seok, smiled and nodded at Oh Ha-seok’s words.

“Then I’ll be back.”

Thanks to the governor’s consideration, Captain Jang, Park Hyun-soo, the interpreter, and Mansur, who had obtained horses, left the pier with the governor.

* * *

After five days of marching, the Joseon people arrived in Pandua. The procession stopped for a moment in front of the gate of the earthen fortress surrounding Pandua. While taking a break while waiting for the messenger sent by the governor, the governor approached and spoke.

“The quality of the soldiers is truly good.”

“They are good soldiers. Thank you.”

Jang Gwang-seok, the captain of the Invincible Ship, smiled and replied to the governor’s praise.

The governor’s assessment was sincere. Since departing from the port near Kolkata, the discipline of the Joseon soldiers had been strict.

While taking a short break, the messenger sent by the governor returned and reported to the governor.

The governor, after hearing the messenger’s reply, conveyed the answer to the Joseon people.

“The order to allow entry has been given. Let’s go.”

* * *

In this way, the Joseon people who entered Pandua were able to enter the Shah’s palace.

“So, you came from the Land of Flowers?”

“That is correct.”

“The reason?”

“For trade.”

“Trade…”

Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah, who ruled the Bengal Sultanate [historical empire in the Bengal region], tapped the armrest with his fingers and looked at the Joseon people.

‘Not tribute, but trade…’

The governor intervened as the Shah, gauging the Joseon people’s intentions, was sparing his words.

“Shah, it is the ‘Land of Flowers’ where all kinds of precious things are produced. I don’t think you will lose anything.”

“Is that so…”

Park Hyun-soo, watching the Shah’s expression, bowed his head lightly and opened his mouth.

“We are grateful for allowing us to enter, so we have prepared a gift.”

The Shah’s eyes twinkled at Park Hyun-soo’s words.

“A gift… Since it’s from the ‘Land of Flowers,’ I’m interested. Bring it in.”

As the Shah permitted, the palace servants brought in a large wooden box. The servants, who held the box by threading wooden pillars through the rings on both sides of the wooden box, carefully placed the box in front of the Shah.

“Open it.”

At the Shah’s command, the servants carefully dismantled the wooden box. When they inserted a lever and tore off the front of the wooden box, a gift covered with high-quality blue cotton cloth appeared.

“Remove the cloth.”

At the Shah’s command, the soldiers rushed in and surrounded the gift. After the preparations were completed in case of any possible danger, one of the soldiers came forward and removed the cloth.

“Oh!”

As the cloth was removed, the grand hall was filled with exclamations. Even the Shah, who had been sitting on the chair with a cold face until just now, got up from his seat and walked forward.

The item that surprised everyone in the Shah’s palace was a large crystal chandelier.

“This is…”

“If you light candles on the candlesticks and hang it on the ceiling, it will brightly illuminate this grand hall.”

At Park Hyun-soo’s explanation, the Shah immediately ordered.

“Bring candles and lamps immediately!”

The chandelier, with lit candles and lamps placed on the candlesticks, was soon hung on the ceiling using ropes. The crystals sparkled radiantly in the candlelight and lamplight, and the ceiling of the grand hall shone with light.

At the sight, the Shah muttered to himself without realizing it.

“Indeed, it is the ‘Land of Flowers’… It’s like bringing the stars of the sky.”

The chandelier, shining radiantly from the ceiling, was so amazing that it even inspired awe.

The Shah, staring blankly at the chandelier on the ceiling, looked back at Park Hyun-soo and the Joseon people.

“To think that such a thing can be made by human hands… What kind of place is the ‘Land of Flowers’?”

Park Hyun-soo smiled and replied to the Shah’s question.

“It is not the Land of Flowers, but Joseon, Shah.”