Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 47

Jjangra

Hello, Bomb!

47. Laughing and Crying at My Obsession (12)

As Hyang returned, Sejong declared the end of the demonstration.

“With this, I conclude the demonstration. I will provide alcohol and meat for the soldiers who have worked hard, so enjoy the feast.”

“Waaaah!”

“Your Majesty, long live! Long live!”

The demonstration ended, but Hyang shook his head and left his seat.

“I absolutely can’t. I can’t bear the curiosity.”

Leaving his seat, Hyang continued to investigate the artillerymen and gunners.

“I’m sorry to keep you here when Father has provided a feast.”

“Not at all!”

“You’re too kind!”

The gunners and artillerymen waved their hands in denial at Hyang’s apology.

“I won’t let you feel unrewarded, so please help me a little.”

“No!”

“Just give us your orders!”

“Thank you. First… what are the inconveniences of using these guns?”

At Hyang’s question, the gunners thought for a moment and soon spoke about the problems.

-They are difficult to use. Except for the Ilchongtong, which is used on a cart, the other chongtong are used by inserting a handle into the mobyeong (冒補) [a socket or fitting], but even strong soldiers find it difficult to shoot more than two shots.

-The distance to completely subdue the enemy is too short. If you load a small bullet (小請) [small projectile] into the Ichongtong and shoot, it will fly 200 paces (approximately 240m), but it is difficult to hit accurately. Considering the time it takes to reload, we use the method of shooting multiple arrows at once (一發多請) [multiple projectiles per shot], but in that case, we have to draw the enemy within at least 50 paces (approximately 60m). To be sure, we have to shoot within 40 paces, or even 30 paces.

“Hmm…. I see.”

Hyang nodded, recording the soldiers’ words, and looked at the Ichongtong the soldiers were holding.

“Is that the Ichongtong? May I hold it?”

“Yes.”

Hyang took the Ichongtong handed to him by a soldier and muttered to himself.

“This is… is it a problem with the center of gravity? What is the approximate weight of the Ichongtong?”

Choi Hae-san, who was next to him, immediately answered Hyang’s question.

“It is 3 geun 8 lyang (approximately 2.2kg) and the length is 1 cheok 4 chon 4 bun (approximately 44.6cm).”

“What is the length of the handle?”

“It is not precisely determined, but it should be at least 4 cheok (approximately 1.2m).”

“But the lengths are a bit different?”

At Hyang’s remark, Choi Hae-san answered with a troubled expression.

“There are slight differences depending on which cheok (尺) [unit of measurement] is used.”

“Oh, dear…”

Hyang clicked his tongue at Choi Hae-san’s answer. Come to think of it, the sizes of the chongtong the soldiers were holding were of various types.

This was a problem that ran through the Joseon Dynasty. Joseon’s standard for the cheok, the unit for measuring length, was ambiguous. Hyang had vaguely heard that the Hwangjongcheok (黃鐘尺) [musical standard], Yeongjocheok (營造尺) [construction standard], and Joryegicheok (造禮器尺) [ritual instrument standard] were being used.

“Isn’t the standardization of the cheok the basis for manufacturing?”

“Since we receive them as tribute…”

“Tsk!”

Hyang clicked his tongue and looked at the Ichongtong, tilting his head.

‘Even if the center of gravity is biased towards the front… looking at the soldiers’ physiques, it doesn’t seem like they would be making a fuss about not being able to shoot more than two shots, right?’

Hyang couldn’t understand no matter how much he thought about it, so he asked a question with a hopeful heart.

“How much gunpowder do you put in the chongtong?”

“1 nyang (approximately 37.5g).”

“Cough!”

“Your Highness! What’s wrong!”

The soldiers, commanders, and Choi Hae-san who were nearby rushed over at Hyang’s startled appearance. Hyang waved his hand urgently.

“It’s nothing! It’s nothing! I was just surprised that more gunpowder than expected was used!”

“Ah, yes…”

Only then did the people look relieved at Hyang’s answer.

‘I’ve solved it! This was the culprit!’

Thinking that he had found the cause of the problem, Hyang quickly wrapped things up.

“I know everything I need. General, I will send meat and alcohol through a eunuch, so please distribute it to them.”

“We are deeply grateful!”

“We are deeply grateful!”

The commanders and soldiers all expressed their gratitude at Hyang’s words. Hyang waved his hand lightly at the sight.

“This is for those who work tirelessly (不撤害夜) [day and night] for Joseon. Eat well, gain strength, and firmly defend this Joseon.”

“We will keep that in mind!”

* * *

On the way back to the palace after the demonstration, Hyang spoke with Choi Hae-san.

“Is the chongtong operated in a 2-man team like that?”

During the demonstration that day, the gunners moved in pairs. One soldier firmly held the handle of the chongtong, while another soldier next to him lit the fuse. When the firing was over, the soldier waiting next to him handed over a pre-loaded chongtong, and the soldier holding the handle inserted the handle into the mobyeong of the newly received chongtong to prepare for firing.

Choi Hae-san immediately answered Hyang’s question.

“Basically, it is operated in a 2-man team.”

“How do you operate it alone?”

“You hold the handle with your right hand and light the fuse with your left hand, or you firmly hold it under your right armpit and grab it with your left hand and light the fuse with your right hand.”

“That wouldn’t be easy, would it?”

Choi Hae-san nodded at Hyang’s remark.

“That’s right. That’s why 2-man team operation is the default, but there is a problem that the demand for manpower increases, so it is difficult to expand the number of gunners.”

Choi Hae-san’s expression of regret was exactly the same as the expression Hyang had seen in a famous advertisement in the 21st century.

-It’s really good for men, but I can’t explain it?

Hyang nodded at Choi Hae-san’s explanation.

“I see. To properly shoot a chongtong alone, you would have to be at least a two-headed, four-kidneyed (二頭四腎) [extraordinarily capable], if not a three-headed, six-armed (三頭穴腎) [superhumanly skilled].”

“Yes? Hahaha! That’s right!”

* * *

Returning to the palace, Hyang opened an empty book and muttered.

“The culprit was the amount of gunpowder.”

In the 21st century, when he was in the United States to build a sailing ship, Hyang had met many Yangdeoks (洋德) [Western Otakus]. A significant number of the otaku he met were military otaku, especially gun otaku who collected and shot classic steam-powered guns.

There was someone he had become friends with there, who had collected everything from rifles from the American Revolutionary War era to firearms from World War II at a museum level. Not only did he collect firearms, but he also liked shooting, so he bought black powder in bulk and used it to make reloads.

Just before Hyang returned to Korea, when he visited his house, he was able to watch him reload ammunition for a Henry rifle.

“Is that the gun from the Western movies?”

The Yangdeok smiled and replied to Hyang’s question.

“That’s a Winchester, and this can be said to be its predecessor.”

“How much gunpowder do you put in?”

“30 grains.”

While continuing the explanation, the Yangdeok reloaded the bullet, and the amount of black powder that went into the 44-40 bullet was 30 grains.

“30g is a small amount, isn’t it?”

“No, No. 30grain(gr). not gram.”

“Ah…”

For reference, the amount of black powder that went in at that time was about 2g when converted to grams. With that 2g, he could fire a lead bullet of about 14g at the speed of sound.

“Black powder is said to be about half as powerful as smokeless powder, but one nyang should produce at least cal.50 level power… if you hold it in such a clumsy posture, it will cause problems…”

Hyang recalled a video he had seen on the internet in the 21st century.

It was a video taken at a weapons exhibition in the Middle East, and it was a shooting experience with a large-caliber hunting rifle. The Arabs who held the gun awkwardly couldn’t overcome the recoil and rolled around. The video ended with someone who seemed to have received proper training not showing such a disgraceful appearance and shooting perfectly.

Remembering that video, Hyang sighed.

“Since there is no proper aiming device, you have to do point-blank shooting, and to see the effect with point-blank shooting, you have to load a lot of arrows or joran bullets [small iron pellets], and if the bullets you put in like that are to exert their power properly, the amount of gunpowder has to increase, and then the soldiers die… it’s a vicious cycle. Haa~.”

Hyang sighed and came to a conclusion.

“We need to make proper personal firearms first. Before that…”

* * *

The next day, Hyang immediately visited Choi Hae-san.

“General. I have something to ask.”

“I will answer with all my heart.”

“Are the fuses that go into the chongtong all the same thickness?”

“Yes?”

“Could you possibly get me those fuses now?”

“Please wait a moment.”

After asking Hyang for his understanding, Choi Hae-san called someone and gave an order.

After a while, the person who received the order brought the fuses to Choi Hae-san.

“Your Highness, here it is.”

“Could you light the candle?”

“Yes? Yes.”

Hyang, who had received the fuses, held the fuse to the candle as it was lit.

Chee-ik!

As the fuse caught fire with a pungent smoke, Hyang immediately blew on it.

“Hoo!”

Pshh!

When Hyang blew on it, the burning fuse fizzled out. Hyang did the same experiment with other fuses, and similar results came out. Hyang nodded at the results.

“I see… General, do you know what the problem is?”

Choi Hae-san nodded at Hyang’s question.

“Yes. The fuse is weak against the wind.”

“Was there no report regarding this issue?”

“There wasn’t. If the fuse goes out in the wind, you can just replace it and light it again.”

Hyang’s expression sharpened at Choi Hae-san’s answer, who had a nonchalant expression.

“In a battlefield where time is of the essence? Contact the Gunpowder Management Office immediately and tell them to find a suitable fuse thickness.”

“I will obey your command.”

Fifteen days later, a report from the Gunpowder Management Office was sent to Sejong through the Ministry of War.

“Upon investigation by order of the Crown Prince, the diameter of the seonhyeol (線穴, thread hole) [fuse hole] of the various hwapo [fire arrows] and chongtong was 7 ri (釐, approximately 2.1 mm), but the fire suddenly went out when firing, so we experimented by adding 1 ri to the diameter, and the fire did not go out.

However, there was no increase or decrease in the distance of the arrow or the depth of the object hit. We request that from now on, the seonhyeol of all hwapo and chongtong be increased by 1 ri to 8 ri.”

After confirming the report, Sejong ordered the Minister of War.

“The contents of the report are extremely correct, so make sure to match the diameter of the seonhyeol of all hwapo and chongtong to 8 ri.”

“I will obey your command!”

Sejong, who had given the order to the Minister of War, had a satisfied expression.

“Indeed, he is the Crown Prince.”

Hyang didn’t know, but changing the thickness of the fuse was something that Munjong had actually done in history.

* * *

Sejong only knew about the fuse incident, but Hyang was moving busily behind the scenes.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has not been seen lately.”

At Jeong Cho’s words, Yi Cheon added.

“He said he found something very important in the books of the Seoi [ancient texts] and has been in the detached palace for five days already to experiment.”

“Experiment?”

“Yes. He has obtained various types of acidic liquids (酸液) [acids] and mercury through the Gunpowder Management Office and the Sanguiwon [Royal Workshop] and went inside.”

“Is that so?”

At Yi Cheon’s answer, Jeong Cho turned his gaze towards the detached palace built on one side of the Donggung Palace.

Following Hyang’s request, two detached palaces were built right next to the Donggung Palace. The larger building of the two was the main building where Jeong Cho and others worked, and the small building next to it was assigned as a space for Hyang to experiment alone. And this small building, along with Hyang’s study, had become the place that the research institute staff wanted to enter the most.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is here!”

At the eunuch’s announcement, those who were chatting all straightened their posture. After a while, Hyang entered, holding a long wooden stick and a drawing of a plan in his arms.

“Everyone, please sit down.”

“Yes.”

The people sitting around the large table in the center began the conversation under Hyang’s lead.

“Have you all eaten?”

“Yes. What about Your Highness?”

“I ate too. I have to eat well because I’m at an age where I’m growing a lot.”

Hyang, who loosened the atmosphere by sharing light jokes, checked the progress of the work.

“Minister Jeong, how is the revision of the calendar?”

At Hyang’s question, Jeong Cho bowed lightly and replied.

“There has been considerable progress. We have properly identified the error between the Ming calendar and our seasons, and we are creating formulas to correct it.”

“What about solar and lunar eclipses?”

“We are also creating calculation formulas for that part.”

Hyang’s face brightened at Jeong Cho’s answer.

“Thank you for your hard work. So, when can we receive the results?”

“I think we can finish it by the end of this year.”

Hyang frowned at Jeong Cho’s answer.

“The end of the year is too late. I would like to see the results before the Mid-Autumn Festival (仲秋節, Chuseok) [Korean Thanksgiving] at the latest.”

“Mid… Mid-Autumn Festival?”

Jeong Cho’s face turned black at Hyang’s order. Even now, he was working overtime with Jeong In-ji as if eating meals. He had set the end of the year as the earliest possible time while preparing for such hardships, but the Crown Prince wanted to bring it even further forward.

Seeing Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji’s faces turning black, Hyang added.

“If necessary, recruit additional officials who are skilled in arithmetic. If it’s difficult for two people, then three, and if three is also difficult, then four or five people can do it, right?”

“There are no people who want to come…”

At Hyang’s words, Jeong Cho trailed off with a troubled face. Among the officials working in the palace and the Six Ministries, the following rumor was circulating.

‘If you go to the Jiphyeonjeon [Hall of Worthies], the king will make you suffer, and if you go to the research institute, the Crown Prince will make you suffer.’

“As I said before, bring them in with my name on the line. Why are you so soft when you have such a high rank?”

Jeong Cho bowed his head at Hyang’s scolding, which was not a scolding.

“I will obey your command.”

* * *