Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 503

503. Roses Have Thorns (1)

The trading port was bustling in Mokpo.

“Hey! Start the inspection now!”

“Yes, sir!”

Following Han Myeong-hoi’s orders, the workers began unloading the wooden boxes and opening their lids.

As the workers opened the boxes, the soldiers waiting nearby took out muskets and began inspecting them one by one.

Click! Click! Tap!

The soldiers, after pulling back the cocking lever, checking the flash pan cover’s movement, and confirming the trigger fired correctly, returned the muskets to their boxes. The workers then closed and nailed the lids shut, and waiting officials affixed red sealing paper strips.

Curious about this inspection process, Arab and Portuguese sailors who had been watching from a distance cautiously approached the Joseon [Korean] people and asked questions.

“What’s that?”

“Huh? What?”

When the Joseon people couldn’t properly understand the Portuguese sailors’ clumsy Korean, the frustrated sailors pointed to the inspection process.

“There, that…”

“Ah…”

The Joseon person, seeing where the Portuguese sailors were pointing, finally nodded and replied.

“They are inspecting the muskets to be sent to Waeguk (Japan).”

“Waeguk?”

“That’s… what was it again?”

Finding it difficult to explain, the Joseon person approached a nearby official. After receiving an explanation, the Joseon person returned with a bright face and answered.

“Jipangu!” [Japanese word for Japan]

“Ah!”

The Portuguese sailor, nodding, asked again.

“Musket, what?”

“What about the musket?”

When the Portuguese sailor nodded, the Joseon person pointed to the musket held by a soldier guarding the inspection site.

“Musket.”

“Ah…”

* * *

The story about Joseon exporting muskets to Waeguk reached the ears of the Portuguese fleet’s captains through this process.

“Have you heard about the hand cannons being exported to Jipangu?”

“It would be more accurate to call them muskets rather than hand cannons.”

“Considering the size, wouldn’t they be closer to arquebuses than muskets?”

At that time, Europe was also in the process of widely adopting matchlock guns. According to European standards, smaller ones were classified as arquebuses, and larger ones as muskets.

By those European standards, the Gapsik Jangchong (Type A musket) being exported by Joseon to Waeguk was closer to an arquebus.

Of course, in appearance only.

“Hmm, I’d like to take a look.”

“I agree.”

At this time, merchant ships were also warships, and the captain of a merchant ship was also a military commander. Naturally, they couldn’t help but be interested.

“Wouldn’t an arquebus be insignificant?”

Of course, there were those who reacted negatively. In the early days of matchlock guns, well-made armor often blocked pistol bullets and arquebus shots.

Therefore, Joseon’s muskets, which looked slender compared to the muskets they were used to seeing, seemed unreliable to them.

“Since they are being exported to Jipangu, we can assume that their power is considerable, right? And if their power is as weak as we think, we can sell our muskets to Jipangu.”

The other captains nodded at the opinion put forward by one of the captains.

“That’s a good idea!”

“I brought some very good wine, so let’s try to get in on this!”

‘I want to see the Joseon muskets being exported to Waeguk!’

The Mokpo Manho (garrison commander), who received the request from the Portuguese captains, looked back at Han Myeong-hoi.

“It seems the plan has worked.”

“That is correct.”

* * *

“Secretary Han Myeong-hoi, I need to go to Mokpo.”

“Yes?”

At Hyang’s sudden order, Han Myeong-hoi involuntarily raised his head and looked at Hyang.

“Why? Don’t want to go? Then I’ll send someone else…”

As Hyang turned his head, Han Myeong-hoi hurriedly stepped forward and bowed his head.

“Ah! No, it’s not that! I just wanted to know the reason why you’re telling me to go to Mokpo!”

* * *

The four people selected as Hyang’s secretaries were constantly being tossed around according to Hyang’s orders. While their camaraderie grew stronger as they suffered from the continuous high-intensity work, competition was also intensifying on the other hand.

This was a competition to determine who would take the core position in the regime after Hyang ascended to the throne. Even if it was difficult for the next term, they would definitely be able to enter the core in the term after that, and to get even one step closer to Hyang, they had to perform well now.

And, looking at the rankings so far, Han Myeong-hoi was quite ahead.

His ability to handle political affairs was good, and he was showing excellent coping skills even in situations that required improvisation.

Even so, to Hyang or the ministers, they were all about the same. Therefore, the four had to run so hard that their mouths tasted bitter.

* * *

Hyang, hearing Han Myeong-hoi’s answer, explained the reason.

“Portuguese and Arab merchant ships have entered the trading port of Mokpo. Make them interested in the Gapsik Jangchong.”

“Are you going to sell them the Type A musket?”

“That’s right. But, don’t openly show that we want to sell them the gun, and lure them in. That’s how we can gain an advantage in the deal.”

Han Myeong-hoi’s expression darkened slightly at Hyang’s order.

“It won’t be easy.”

“So? Don’t want to do it? Shall I entrust it to someone else?”

“Ah, no! I will go and make it happen!”

Hyang smiled and replied to Han Myeong-hoi’s answer.

“That’s the Han Myeong-hoi I know. I’ll trust you.”

“Yes! Then I’ll move immediately!”

“Do so.”

Han Myeong-hoi bowed vigorously and left SeungHwaDang (Hyang’s office). The eyes of the other three, watching Han Myeong-hoi striding away with big steps, were burning with the flames of competition.

Hyang, who was carefully watching Han Myeong-hoi and the three, smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

‘As expected! I mixed them well! The results are better than expected!’

* * *

Han Myeong-hoi, who arrived in Mokpo with vigor, explained the purpose to the Mokpo Manho and they put their heads together.

“Do the Arabs and Portuguese have similar weapons?”

“Hmm… let’s see. I don’t know about the Arab merchants, but I’ve often seen Portuguese sailors with similar weapons. No, it would be more accurate to say that they are similar to hand cannons rather than our Gapsik Jangchong or Type A.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right.”

Han Myeong-hoi, hearing the Mokpo Manho’s answer, fell into thought.

‘What should I do?’

Han Myeong-hoi, considering various methods, soon came up with an idea.

“How about doing an inspection?”

“Inspection?”

Han Myeong-hoi explained his plan, and the Mokpo Manho clapped his knees.

“That’s a really good plan!”

In this way, the inspection work was carried out openly, and the Portuguese captains took the bait.

* * *

A demonstration was held for the Portuguese captains who had taken the bait.

“This is the musket being exported to Waeguk.”

The captains, hearing the interpreter’s translation, picked up and examined the Type A muskets placed on the long table.

“Huh?”

“Oh?”

“Ah!”

The captains’ eyes, examining the muskets here and there, were all fixed on the firing mechanism, and interrogatives and exclamations escaped their lips.

“Flintlock?”

The captains, seeing the Type A musket with a flintlock instead of the familiar matchlock, exclaimed in unison.

“I want to see the accuracy and power!”

At the captains’ request, a shooting test was held. A traditional target was set up on one side of the archery range, and a cuirass [body armor] made in Portugal was hung next to it.

The captains, standing on the archery range, estimated the distance to the target and talked.

“Is it about 60 fathom (about 104m)?”

“Looks like it.”

The captains, estimating the distance, soon shook their heads slightly.

“Penetrate the cuirass at this distance?”

“No, is hitting it even possible?”

At this time, the accuracy of muskets or arquebuses made in Europe was terrible. This was due to the quality of black powder, but also because the precision of the barrels was very low.

‘Humph! Just watch! You’ll be stunned!’

Han Myeong-hoi, scoffing inwardly at the captains’ negative reactions, ordered the military officer.

“Start.”

“Yes.”

The military officer, who received the order, walked to the soldiers and shouted.

“Fire!”

Tatatang!

* * *

The captains’ reactions after the demonstration were exactly as Han Myeong-hoi had expected.

The five soldiers made five holes in the red circle on the target board and five holes in the cuirass.

All through simultaneous firing.

“All shots hit?”

“At this distance?”

The captains, surprised by the better-than-expected accuracy and power, realized another fact and turned pale.

“Such power and accuracy from a musket of this size?”

In the end, a captain who was fascinated by the power of the Type A musket approached Han Myeong-hoi.

“He says he wants to buy that musket.”

Han Myeong-hoi replied immediately to the interpreter’s words.

“Minimum order of 10 pieces, 50 Joseon silver coins per piece.”

The captains, hearing the interpreter’s words, soon had divided opinions.

“500 ducats [European currency] of silver coins per piece?”

“And you have to buy at least 10 pieces at the same time!”

Some shook their heads at the higher-than-expected price, but others did not.

“No, no. Considering the accuracy and power, it’s worth it.”

“And it seems like it would be quite helpful to have about 10 pieces on each ship?”

“That’s true, but I think it would be quite fun to sell them back in Portugal later?”

“The problem is money!”

When one of the captains mentioned money, the pro-faction captain smiled slightly and replied.

“Don’t you have bonuses you’ve been receiving? Instead of buying things while worrying about which one will sell well with that, it might be better to buy this musket and go?”

At those words, all the captains began to calculate profits and losses with serious faces.

The captains who traveled to and from Joseon had a good basic salary, but the bonuses were also considerable. Thanks to this, it was common for captains traveling the trade routes to collect their bonuses and purchase and sell goods privately to earn extra income.

In the end, after various calculations and arguments, the captains came to a conclusion.

“We will buy 50 pieces!”

Han Myeong-hoi replied immediately to the captains’ words.

“It’s a down payment, and tell them that the goods will be prepared and sent right before departure.”

“Yes.”

* * *

Han Myeong-hoi, who had completed the task given by Hyang, returned to Hanseong and reported to Hyang.

“You’ve worked hard. As expected of Han Myeong-hoi.”

Han Myeong-hoi bowed his head at Hyang’s praise.

“That’s an overstatement.”

Hyang, hearing Han Myeong-hoi’s answer, summoned General Yi Cheon and told him the situation.

“If things go well, we may need to increase production, is that possible?”

Yi Cheon replied immediately to Hyang’s question.

“It is possible up to twice the amount.”

“That’s good.”

Meanwhile, Ha Wi-ji, who was listening to Hyang and Yi Cheon’s conversation from the side, joined the conversation.

“Excuse me, but I know that the Seoi (Westerners) also have considerable craftsmanship. Waeguk has no craftsmanship and has no choice but to buy from us, but wouldn’t the Seoi try to copy ours instead of buying it?”

Hyang smiled wryly at Ha Wi-ji’s question and replied.

“It’s impossible with their current level. And there’s no time.”

“Yes?”

When Ha Wi-ji couldn’t understand properly, Hyang replied.

“The Seoi’s craftsmanship is good, but it’s still lacking. Of course, they will catch up if they try, but will the current political situation of the Seoi give them that much time?”