Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 60

Jjangra

Hello, Bomb!

60. New Weapons (8)

By Sejong’s command, Hyang and Choi Hae-san led Sejong and his ministers to a building prepared on one side.

Inside the largest room of the building, chairs were arranged, allowing Sejong and his ministers to sit comfortably.

Once all preparations were complete, Hyang stepped forward to begin explaining the new armor in earnest.

“Looking at the armor used by our Joseon army, generally, chainmail or lamellar armor is commonly worn. However, these armors require a lot of effort to make and maintain. Moreover, not only the Gapsa soldiers who perform Sangbeon (attending guard duty) but also the soldiers fulfilling their military service must provide their own armor, so the quality varies greatly.”

Sejong and the ministers all nodded at Hyang’s explanation. Petitions reporting the suffering of the people related to this and demanding solutions were frequently submitted.

“Among the soldiers, some wear paper armor or cotton armor due to financial issues, but it is also true that their defensive capabilities are inferior to iron armor.”

“That’s right.”

Sejong nodded at Hyang’s explanation. Hyang pointed to the Dujeong armor [padded armor reinforced with iron plates] with a pointer and continued speaking.

“This is the Dujeong armor that began to be newly used from the end of the Jeonjo period. It is made by reinforcing the defense of cotton armor made of cotton cloth and pine by embedding iron plates behind it. In terms of defensive power alone, it is capable of stopping arrows fired from a distance of 50 paces. It is the strongest armor in terms of defense.”

Sejong and the ministers nodded at Hyang’s words. The Dujeong armor had boasted its strongest defensive power even in the recent conquest of Tsushima Island. Hyang continued speaking.

“However, this Dujeong armor has several problems.”

Hyang pointed out the problems with the Dujeong armor.

– First, it requires a lot of time and labor to produce. Each piece of iron plate fixed with Dujeong must be forged (hammered), and each one must be hammered in individually.

– Cost is also an issue. Even if we consider iron and cotton cloth, the price of silk used as lining and the fur that surrounds the sleeves, sides, neckband, and front is not insignificant. Of course, there are many cases where cotton cloth or silk is used, but to make it properly, rabbit fur, deer fur, or fox fur must be used.

– Although it is the strongest in terms of defensive power, it also has many weaknesses. First of all, not only the sleeves but also the front and sides are all open. When attacked by arrows from a distance, it is not a problem in terms of probability unless one is extremely unlucky, but this becomes a problem when close combat occurs. To prevent this, additional protective gear such as armpit covers or groin covers must be worn. However, even in this case, the problem with the front remains.

– It is difficult to wear and endure for long periods of time because the shape of the armor takes the form of a robe. All the weight of the armor is supported by the shoulders, making it easy to become fatigued.

“To solve the above problems, the shape of the new armor has been changed as follows.”

– The iron plates inside the cotton armor have been replaced with a single iron plate. The defensive power of the upper body has been secured with two iron plates, front and rear.

– The defense problems of the front and sides have been solved. Since it is a single iron plate, the front problem has been solved, and the side problem has been solved by overlapping the front and back plates by about half an inch. The armpit problem has been solved by attaching circular iron pieces to the defensive part covering the shoulders and arms.

– The armor has been divided into two parts, named Sang-gap (upper armor) and Gap-sang (armor skirt). By doing this, instead of supporting all the weight of the armor with the shoulders, it is distributed throughout the body, making it less tiring to wear for long periods of time.

– Armor plates with newly created shapes have been added to the shin, elbow, and knee areas to enhance defensive power.

“The armor created in this way is this armor here.”

Hyang finished speaking, pointing to the armor hanging on the last rack.

“Hoo-oh.”

“Hmm….”

After Hyang’s explanation, Sejong and the ministers carefully examined the armor in question. Sejong, who was examining the armor, asked Hyang a question.

“Compared to the existing Dujeong armor, how much has the weight increased?”

“It has increased by 8 geun (approximately 4.8 kg). This is the increased weight due to the addition of elbow, knee, and shin guards.”

“It hasn’t increased by that much?”

When Sejong made a suspicious expression, Hyang immediately explained.

“First of all, the number of Dujeong has been significantly reduced, and instead of cotton armor covering the iron plate, it has been replaced with cotton cloth.”

Sejong stroked his beard and calculated based on Hyang’s report.

“So, by adding and subtracting, the total increased weight is 10 geun.”

“Who will wear these armors?”

“Those who wear full-body armor are cavalry and swordsmen, and the modified Sang-gap will be used by arquebusiers and artillerymen. Helmets will be used in common by all branches.”

“What do those who have worn this say?”

“They say that although the weight has increased slightly, it is surprisingly bearable as the weight is distributed throughout the body. In addition, they said that they feel more secure and their fear has greatly diminished as more parts are covered with iron armor.”

Sejong stroked his beard at Hyang’s answer.

“That part is something we’ll have to see in actual combat. I want to see the structure of this armor in more detail.”

“I have already prepared it.”

At Hyang’s signal, soldiers carried in a large table. On the table, iron armors with the cloths covering the outside removed were lined up.

“Hmm… the shapes of the iron armors are truly unique.”

Sejong’s eyes twinkled as he looked at the shapes of the breastplate and backplate, as well as the iron plates. Hyang smiled inwardly at Sejong’s reaction.

‘Even I was a little surprised when I made it!’

When he first checked the prototype of the new armor, Hyang shook his head slightly.

‘What is this? What is this terrible hybrid?’

The armor designed by Hyang was a combination of Western full plate mail and Dujeong armor.

While researching the problems with armor, Hyang was at a crossroads. Full plate mail was slightly superior in defensive power, and Dujeong armor was slightly ahead in activity.

“Hmm. What should I do? Should I just skip the armor part?”

However, Hyang couldn’t just skip the armor part because there was the problem of swordsmen who had to take charge of close combat.

“This is….”

What ultimately led Hyang to decide to improve the armor, after much deliberation, was the maintenance problem of chainmail and lamellar armor and the production cost of Dujeong armor. The cost of making proper Dujeong armor was 16 seok and 10 du [units of volume] for the armor and 4 seok and 5 du for the helmet.

“Why is this so expensive!”

Hyang questioned the reason for the higher-than-expected price. What he found out after digging into it was that not only were the material costs high, but the labor costs were also significant.

In the end, Hyang came to a conclusion.

“Let’s just change it! Let’s reduce all the material costs that can be reduced, and let’s minimize labor costs as much as possible!”

For that purpose, Hyang borrowed the design of full plate mail.

While Sejong was talking about his impressions of the new armor, Hwang Hee, who was carefully observing the armor, asked Hyang a question.

“Crown Prince.”

“Yes.”

“From what I see now, it seems that everything from the helmet to the iron plates of the armor is made of a single iron plate. Is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

“If so, then the artisans must have processed those plates by hammering them one by one, which seems to be too much work. Cost problems may arise.”

Hyang nodded at Hwang Hee’s point.

“That’s a valid point. I had the same concern, so….”

After pausing for a moment, Hyang smiled at Hwang Hee and continued speaking.

“I made them by stamping them out.”

‘The beginning of mass production is the press!’

That was the reason why Hyang had to borrow the design of full plate mail.

* * *

Sejong asked Hyang a question with a stern expression.

“You said that the soldiers who wear the newly made armor are cavalry and swordsmen. But as far as I know, there is no such branch as swordsmen. Is it a newly created branch?”

“That’s right. We have integrated the existing paengbaesu (shield bearers), changsu (spearmen), and jangkgeomsu (longswordmen).”

“Why?”

“Looking at the performance of the newly made Cheongtong [hand cannon] and Hwatan [rocket arrows], our Joseon army will be operated mainly around Cheongtong, Hwapo [cannon], and cavalry in the future. Therefore, cultivating paengbaesu, changsu, and jangkgeomsu in detail would put a burden on the budget. So….”

“You have integrated those branches into one, is that it?”

“That’s right.”

Sejong immediately pointed out the problem with Hyang’s answer.

“At first glance, what you say is correct. However, the situation on the battlefield changes in an instant, so there may be situations where swordsmen alone are not enough. If the firepower of the Cheongtong and Hwapo is insufficient to suppress the enemy and the enemies break through the swordsmen’s defense line, what will you do?”

Hyang nodded at Sejong’s point.

“I am also aware of that part. So, I have prepared a solution for the Jangcheongtong [long-barreled hand cannon]. The Jangcheongtong can also be used as a short spear. In addition, I am devising and teaching spearmanship using the Jangcheongtong to the Cheongtong soldiers.”

“Jangcheongtong as a short spear? Hmm….”

Sejong listened to Hyang’s explanation and gauged the possibilities while recalling his memories. The length of the Gapsik Jangcheongtong he saw at the demonstration ground was considerable.

‘And you stick a spearhead on it? Hmm… maybe….’

Sejong nodded as he weighed the various possibilities.

“There seems to be a possibility. However, I will postpone adjusting the organization of all Joseon troops according to your opinion. I don’t think it’s too late to confirm the results of actual combat and make a decision.”

Hyang bowed his head and accepted Sejong’s decision.

‘I will follow Abamama’s [father’s] decision.’

* * *

The demonstration of the new weapons created by Hyang, Choi Hae-san, Lee Cheon, and the officials and artisans of the research institute was over, and Sejong and the ministers were preparing for a full-scale audit of the books.

“But I’m a little hungry.”

Sejong, who was exhausted from watching the demonstration that had started early in the morning, felt hungry and looked at the ministers.

“How about we go back to the palace for a while and have some lunch?”

Hyang interjected at Sejong’s words.

“Abamama, would you like to try the Geonryang (dried rations) for the soldiers?”

“Geonryang? Is it delicious?”

Sejong showed curiosity at Hyang’s suggestion. However, Hyang shook his head slightly at Sejong’s question about the taste.

“Geonryang is food that soldiers eat when they cannot cook rice on the battlefield. I cannot boast about the taste.”

‘It’s not the famous French military combat ration!’

“”Hmm… what should we do….”

Sejong stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before making a decision.

“Yes, let’s try it. We can’t know the hardships of the soldiers unless we eat Geonryang too, right? Let’s all eat together.”

“We obey your command.”

The ministers replied with reluctant voices. This was because they had to eat food that the Crown Prince had openly said he couldn’t vouch for the taste of.

After a while, soldiers brought in a pot of steaming rice porridge. Following them, other soldiers brought in bowls of white kimchi and empty bowls. The soldiers who had placed the pot and kimchi on the empty table where the armor parts had been removed took their places behind it.

“Abamama. Please try it.”

“Huh? Uh, uh. Let’s do that.”

When Sejong stood in front of the table, a soldier who had politely paid his respects scooped thick porridge from the pot with a ladle, put it in a bowl, and handed the bowl with both hands.

Sejong emptied a bowl of porridge cleanly, as if it suited his taste. Sejong handed the bowl to the Sangseon (eunuch) and continued to ask Hyang questions.

“Do the soldiers eat that much for a meal?”

“Yes, they do.”

“It’s not rice but porridge, how long can they last?”

“They can last at least until the next meal. This is because not only barley and rice but also a lot of meat are included.”

While nodding at Hyang’s words, Sejong continued to ask questions to identify the problems.

“A lot of water is used to make porridge. However, one of the biggest difficulties in waging war is obtaining drinking water. What is the solution to this?”

“We have created a frame to use when it is difficult to obtain clean drinking water.”

“You made a frame to purify water? Let’s see it.”

“I will guide you.”

Hyang led Sejong to a place outside the building. There, a square Tteoksiru frame [traditional Korean steamer] was stacked on top of a wooden support about the length of an adult man’s calf, creating a wooden frame that appeared to be about one seokja (approximately 90cm) tall.

“This is the water purification frame.”

“What principle does it work on?”

“From the bottom to the top, charcoal, wood ash, and sand are stacked in layers of 3 chi (approximately 10cm) thickness, and gravel is laid on top in a thickness of 2 chi (approximately 7cm).”

After explaining, Hyang gestured to the soldiers next to him. The soldiers who saw Hyang’s signal made muddy water by putting water and soil in a large tub and poured it into the area covered with gravel.

After a while, clear water trickled out through the iron pipe embedded in the Siru at the bottom. Hyang received the water with a gourd and handed the gourd to Sejong.

“It’s clear water.”

“Although it has filtered out the visible turbidity, there may be invisible turbidity, so it is best to boil it once before drinking it.”

“Hmm… if we have this frame, we will have some countermeasures even if the enemies use a scorched-earth tactic.”

The most common tactic encountered when subjugating the Jurchen people beyond the border was the scorched-earth tactic. When the Jurchen people saw the Joseon army invading, they often threw dead animals into the wells or blocked them with stones, damaging the water sources. For this reason, it was not easy to subjugate the Jurchen people for a long time.

Most of the military officers in the Joseon army headquarters or training center who had experience fighting against the Jurchen people pointed out this problem, and Hyang created a simple water purifier as a countermeasure.

“Hmm….”

Sejong looked at the ministers, turning his head while examining the water purifier, listening to Hyang’s explanation.

“When there is a drought or a flood, the biggest difficulty for the people is obtaining drinking water… If we use this, wouldn’t that problem be solved? It’s easy to make, doesn’t require a lot of wealth, and the performance is very good.”

The ministers, who had been thinking for a moment at Sejong’s words, bowed their heads in unison.

“That is truly a wise decision!”

“It would be the best countermeasure as we frequently experience water shortages due to droughts or floods!”

There were no ministers who opposed it.

When there was a drought, the people dug wells to find drinking water. Even if water came up from the wells they dug, they could not drink it immediately because the first water that came up was muddy water. The people had to endure their thirst until the mud in the well settled.

The same was true when there was a flood. Not only streams and rivers but also wells were all turned into muddy water, so the people had to suffer from thirst even when water was overflowing. If the people, unable to bear their thirst, drank such muddy water, they would immediately get sick, and this would become the root cause of epidemics.

When even the ministers agreed, Sejong ordered Hyang.

“Create a document related to making this frame and distribute it. It will be distributed to all government offices nationwide.”

“I obey your command!”

“And the Geonryang seems to be good as a relief food, so if it is confirmed that it can be preserved for a long time, find a way to produce it in large quantities.”

“I obey your command.”

“That Geonryang, it tastes better than I thought. It would be good as a snack in the palace when I’m hungry.”

“Thank you!”

‘You say that salty Geonryang tastes good? Abamama! Are you perhaps a military type?’