Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 309

The Road to the Land of Flowers (6)

The morning after the auction.

Mansur’s mansion in Alexandria was crowded with people.

To be precise, they were gathered in front of a shop that had been converted from one side of the mansion.

The reason for this huge crowd was yesterday’s auction. Small and medium-sized merchants who had seen or heard about the auction the day before had flocked here.

“The store might have something we can afford!”

“It might! Even if the number of flowers is lower!”

“Who cares if they’re fewer! As long as the flowers are attached, we can at least double our money!”

With hope of making a profit and pouches full of gold coins, gold dust, and gold scraps in their chests, the small and medium-sized merchants waited for the store to open.

After a while, the store door opened. However, the merchants couldn’t easily enter.

Joseon [Korean] sailors came out through the open door and stood guard in front of the store.

It wasn’t just that they couldn’t enter because foreign people were guarding the store.

The Joseon soldiers guarding the store were wearing sunshades.

The sight of the Joseon soldiers with their eyes obscured by the sunshades exuded a strange sense of intimidation, which made the merchants hesitate.

After a while, the store manager came out and shouted to the merchants.

“To ensure smooth business, we will only allow three people in at a time! So, line up!”

The merchants, intimidated by the manager’s shout and the sight of the Joseon soldiers, quickly began to line up.

Once the line was somewhat organized, the manager began to let the merchants into the store in groups of three.

The merchants entering the store all glanced at the Joseon soldiers as they went inside.

Everyone was curious about what was covering their eyes, but no one was brave enough to ask.

However, one merchant, unable to overcome his curiosity, asked the manager.

“Those people are from the ‘Land of Flowers,’ right?”

“That’s right.”

“What are they wearing over their eyes?”

“They call it a sunshade.”

“A sunshade?”

“It’s a device to block the sunlight.”

“Hoo?”

At the manager’s words, the merchant who had asked the question and the surrounding merchants began to show interest.

Many people living in Egypt and Arabia had poor eyesight or suffered from eye diseases due to the intense desert sun.

The merchant, looking at the Joseon soldiers with curious eyes, asked the manager.

“Do you sell those too?”

* * *

After Pietro and Old Jang made the sunshades, Hyang ordered the other artisans to make them as well.

“We are deeply grateful that you think of us humble artisans in this way!”

As Old Jang bowed deeply and thanked him on the spot, Hyang smiled and replied.

“Aren’t your eyes your livelihood? I’m the one who should be sorry for not thinking of it sooner.”

That’s how the sunshades were made, and they were presented to Sejong [King of Joseon Dynasty].

“My eyes feel refreshed!”

Sejong, who used the sunshades, was very satisfied and distributed them to his ministers as well.

However, as time passed, Hyang felt uneasy.

“I heard that wearing poorly made sunglasses is actually bad for your eyes, but there was an answer… what was it…”

After worrying for several days, Hyang suddenly woke up in the middle of the night.

“Ultraviolet rays! I remembered! Good job, my brain!”

“Your Highness, what’s wrong!”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Hyang, who stopped the eunuch from entering the room, muttered to himself.

“I forgot about this…”

* * *

When Hyang lived as Kwangdeok in the 21st century, he frequented websites with Wiki in their names every day. This was because it was the easiest way to find information when he wanted to get into something.

Of course, sometimes he searched foreign—especially American—Wiki sites because there was no information on domestic Wiki sites.

Then, when he entered university, Hyang—then Kim Jin-ho—wanted to look cool and started searching the internet.

“Sunglasses are the epitome of cool!”

Hyang, who had chosen the item, automatically went to a Wiki site and felt a contradiction.

-Sunglasses must be selected with high ultraviolet protection performance. (Note 1)

“I see.”

Hyang, nodding his head, continued his search. Hyang, who was searching for items such as ‘lens’ and ‘glass,’ tilted his head.

“Huh?”

-Glass blocks ultraviolet rays.

“Weren’t the lenses of sunglasses made of glass? What’s going on?”

Hyang, intrigued, continued his search and came to his own conclusion.

-Glass blocks ultraviolet rays. However, this is UVB. UVA passes through.

-Sunglasses lenses are made of polycarbonate, acrylic, or CR39. Glass is rarely used.

-The reason why ordinary soda-lime glass blocks ultraviolet rays is due to iron oxide, which exists as a common impurity. (Note 2)

-Green provides a comfortable field of vision, and gray tones are good for long-term outdoor activities. (Note 1)

* * *

Hyang, recalling his past memories, sat with his arms crossed and muttered.

“So that’s the case? Then I can’t just sit still.”

After that, Old Jang, Pietro, and Raphael had to suffer at Hyang’s hands.

“Iron oxide… In simple terms, it’s rusted iron.”

Hyang collected the rust from the peeled iron, made it into the finest powder possible, and put it into the glass kiln.

He went through trial and error to find out how much to mix to get the best results, and eventually found the right ratio.

“They said gray is good? And to be precise, it’s not gray but light black.”

So this time, he went through trial and error to find the right concentration.

* * *

After going through such trial and error, Hyang, who had found the optimal result at the current level, challenged—or rather, plagiarized—the design this time.

“When it comes to sunglasses, it’s Ray-Ban, of course!”

Ray-Ban’s mispronounced name, Raibang.

However, the words that his father and the men in his family had said in the 21st century were also imprinted in Hyang’s mind.

Using these memories, Hyang finalized the design.

The newly made sunshades were satisfactory to Hyang.

Looking at the newly made sunshades, Old Jang, Pietro, and Raphael nodded and talked.

“When the Crown Prince steps in, a proper product definitely comes out.”

“But the lower ones suffer to death.”

“But the performance is definitely better than just putting soot on the glass, right?”

“That’s why we’re not saying anything.”

* * *

Sejong, who wore the newly made sunshades, was very satisfied.

“It’s even better than the one I made last time! I especially like the frame that surrounds the colored glass of the sunshade!”

Sejong, who was very pleased, ordered a large quantity this time and distributed it to his subjects.

Not long after, Hyang received a call from Queen Soheon.

“Mother, did you call me?”

“Yes. I’m sorry to call you when you’re busy, but I have a favor to ask.”

“If it’s Mother’s request, how could I say I’m busy? What is it?”

“The sunshades that His Majesty uses…”

Before Queen Soheon could finish speaking, Hyang replied.

“I’ll make them as soon as possible!”

And Hyang made and distributed them not only for Queen Soheon but also for the concubines, the Crown Princess, Yangwon, and Yangje.

This was not just a simple act of kindness.

“Now that I’ve distributed them to the influencers, I’ll get an answer soon.”

* * *

And some time later, Hyang, who was on his way to Area 51, saw a well-dressed young nobleman wearing sunshades.

“It’s already trending…”

Hyang, who was muttering with a pleased face, stopped talking.

“Something’s wrong?”

Hyang, who hurried to Area 51, called Old Jang to check the situation.

“…So. It’s certain that there are no sunshades that have left here other than the ones I ordered?”

“That’s right.”

“I see, go and do your work.”

Hyang, who sent Old Jang out, tapped the desk with his finger and muttered.

“So, there’s someone who’s trying to screw me over? Then… there’s a suitable person.”

Hyang immediately went to find Kim Jeom and explained the situation. Kim Jeom, who heard Hyang’s explanation, raised his voice.

“No, is there someone who committed such an atrocious crime? I’ll take it! I’ll get those guys!”

Hyang, who saw Kim Jeom quickly disappearing outside, muttered to himself.

“He’s very excited. How many more people will be stripped bare again?”

* * *

After those who attempted illegal copying went bankrupt, merchants officially ordered sunshades from the royal workshop in Area 51.

There were two types of orders from merchants. Some ordered finished products, and some ordered only lenses.

And, before long, sunshades with various types of lens shapes—from simple circles to ovals—and price ranges—from low- to mid-priced models with basic iron frames plated with tin to high-priced models plated with silver or gold—were released on the market.

Looking at the sunshades that were released in such a variety, Hyang was sincerely impressed.

“The power of capitalism!”

* * *

As sunshades became everyday items, a new demand arose.

It was the military.

The first unit to be supplied with sunshades was the guards who protected the palace. This was because they reduced eye fatigue caused by glaring in the strong sunlight while standing guard, and the intimidation and aversion caused by not being able to see their eyes made their mission easier.

The next place to be supplied was the cavalry.

The cavalry, who suffered from the problem of strong sunlight in the summer and snow reflecting sunlight on the Liaodong Plain [region in Northeast China] in the winter, used windshields made by adopting the lenses of sunshades.

The last place to be supplied with sunshades was the navy.

The sailors, who suffered from the sunlight shining on the wide sea, which made the Liaodong Plain look ridiculous, and the light reflected on the sea surface, welcomed the sunshades.

And before long, it became common for sailors to put aside the military sunshades that were uniformly distributed from above and buy sunshades that they liked from the market.

The ministers and senior commanders who received the report talked about punishment, but Hyang opposed it.

“Why are you punishing them when they didn’t throw away the items that His Majesty gave them?”

When Sejong also stepped in and said that he would not punish the soldiers due to Hyang’s strong opposition, the ministers and senior commanders closed their mouths.

Looking at that, Hyang muttered inwardly.

‘You did the same thing when the swordsmen customized their greatswords, why are you being so old-fashioned? What is this, the Imperial Army?’

* * *

In response to the merchants’ question of whether the sunshades worn by the Joseon soldiers were also for sale, the manager replied with a troubled face.

“I’m not sure… I haven’t checked. Please wait a moment.”

The manager, who told the merchant to wait, immediately went inside to find Mansur and Oh Ha-seok.

Mansur, who heard the manager’s words, smiled knowingly.

“Tell them they are for sale. The price is 6 ducats [historical currency] of silver coins for 3 silver flowers and 1 ducat of gold coins for 1 gold flower. The items are in the box that was closed, right? It’s in there.”

The manager replied with a delighted expression at Mansur’s answer.

“Is that so? I’ll go get them right away!”

Mansur, who sent the manager out, explained what happened to Oh Ha-seok. Oh Ha-seok, who heard the story through the interpreter, nodded as if he finally understood.

“I see… So that’s why you asked our soldiers to guard the store?”

“In Joseon, we call it killing two birds with one stone, right? We can show off the sunshades and guard the store.”

Mansur smiled slyly and replied.

Mansur, whose types of goods he could obtain had decreased as Joseon directly stepped in, had to work hard.

It was the sunshades that caught his eye while he was working hard. Mansur, who listened to the explanation and even tried them on, immediately judged that he could make money and bought them in bulk.

And then he mobilized the Joseon soldiers for publicity and security purposes.

Mansur was also a seasoned merchant.

* * *

Note 1) https://namu.wiki/w/선글라스

Note 2) https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/유리