Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 619

619. The Beginning of the Empire – A Day Like Yesterday (7)

In any case, Hyang had promised Sejong regarding the situation, so he prepared to register it in the Challenge Log.

“I think this should be enough…”

Hyang, carrying the documents that detailed the contents of the task to be listed in the Challenge Log, the expected grade, and the reasons for determining that grade, left Geunjeongjeon Hall.

“I will be going to Suganggung Palace. If anything happens, come to Suganggung.”

“Yes.”

Hyang, having informed the administrator of his destination, began to walk towards Suganggung Palace.

“Your Majesty, Suganggung is quite a distance away. Would you like to ride a horse or palanquin?”

At the eunuch’s words, Hyang smiled as if it were nothing and replied.

“If I were to have problems from walking that much, it would be a worse problem.”

“But the sun is also strong….”

“Wouldn’t it be good for my health to get some sun after a long time?”

He started walking with such high spirits, but as time passed, Hyang slightly regretted his decision.

“It is a bit far.”

The distance from Hyang’s residence, Geunjeongjeon Hall, to Sejong’s residence, Suganggung Palace—now Changgyeonggung Palace—was about 1.6 km in a straight line.

Walking along the winding corridors inside the palace and the alleys between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Suganggung Palace, the distance was easily over 5 *li* (about 2 km) [a traditional Korean unit of distance].

“But, I have the dignity of an emperor….”

Once again, Hyang steeled his heart and strode towards Suganggung Palace.

* * *

When Hyang arrived at Suganggung Palace, the former Chief Eunuch, who was attending to Sejong, rushed out to greet Hyang.

“I greet His Majesty! I will inform His Majesty that the Former Emperor has arrived!”

“No, how can I ask my father to come? It is filial piety for me to go to where he is. Lead the way.”

“Yes. This way, please.”

As Hyang walked, guided by the former Chief Eunuch, he expressed a slight doubt.

“This is the way to the palace archery range? Father is shooting a bow? That’s unexpected.”

Perhaps due to inheriting the blood of Taejo Yi Seong-gye, Sejong’s archery skills were not bad. However, Sejong disliked exercise, so he did not enjoy archery. In other words, the fact that he showed such archery skills even though he didn’t shoot much meant that he had surprisingly great inherited talent.

* * *

As he got closer to the archery range, the question on Hyang’s face deepened.

Because he heard unfamiliar noises from the archery range.

‘No! It’s a sound I was familiar with in the 21st century, but why is it here?’

Thwack! Thwack!

Listening to the familiar yet unfamiliar sound, Hyang entered the archery range and was momentarily confused.

‘Where am I? Who am I?’

At the archery range, Sejong and the former Royal Guard Captain were standing side by side, vigorously swinging clubs.

Thwack!

“Good shot!”

Sejong, who was watching the ball fly with a satisfied expression, put down the club and approached Hyang as soon as he saw him.

“What brings you all the way to Suganggung Palace?”

“Yes. I came because the draft regarding the Challenge Log registration you mentioned last time has been completed.”

“If it was something like that, you could have just called me….”

“No matter how much of an emperor I am, how could I commit such an act of impiety [lack of respect for one’s parents]?”

Upon hearing Hyang’s answer, Sejong smiled and received the documents to examine them.

While Sejong was reviewing the documents, Hyang picked up a *gyukbang* mallet [a traditional Korean golf club] and examined it from various angles.

‘It certainly looks similar, but it’s not quite the same….’

* * *

Hyang also had a connection with golf.

He had learned golf as a liberal arts course in college, and after starting his life as a public official, he had to learn golf, half willingly and half forced.

It was because of the old-fashioned superior who was Hyang’s superior at the time.

“Hey! If you want to get ahead, golf is a must!”

Thanks to that old man, Hyang had to learn golf, starting with screen golf courses and indoor golf ranges, and later even had to go to country clubs with the old man.

Because of such circumstances, golf was an object of both love and hate for Hyang. It wasn’t that he hated golf itself. However, the negative aspects of the bureaucrats and politicians he saw at the golf course and the psychological burden of having to be with them against his will were major causes of Hyang’s depression.

* * *

“Hmm… it seems *gwaenchanheun geot gatso* [it seems alright]. But, the grade is Upper-Lower…. Isn’t it too low?”

At Sejong’s question, Hyang immediately answered.

“I set it that way because I thought the technical aspects were sufficient to some extent.”

“Does that mean it’s a matter of thinking?”

“Yes.”

Sejong’s suspicion turned into certainty at Hyang’s simple and clear answer.

‘See! This guy already had the answer!’

“Then, if a good answer comes out, will you adopt it right away?”

“It would be difficult to do it right away, wouldn’t it? The Byeongshik rifles have only just begun to be deployed. There’s also the issue of budget. Therefore, if good results come out faster than expected, it would be good to make only a small amount of prototypes and continue to improve them.”

“That seems like a good idea. It’s truly reassuring to see the Emperor handling things so clearly.”

“You flatter me.”

As the warm atmosphere continued between the father and son, Sejong, seeing the *gyukbang* mallet in Hyang’s hand, spoke.

“Would the Emperor like to try hitting one?”

“Would it be alright?”

“Of course, go ahead and hit it.”

At Sejong’s words, Hyang took the club in his hand, took a stance, and swung it vigorously.

Thwack!

The ball flew into the sky with a loud noise, but the distance it flew was not far compared to the sound.

“Hahaha! Hitting a ball and sending it far is not as easy as it looks!”

Hyang’s face flushed slightly at Sejong’s words, and he continued to swing the club.

However, when good results did not come out easily, Hyang returned the club to Sejong and said.

“The club doesn’t fit well in my hand, so I showed you a bad performance.”

“It’s not the club that’s the problem; it seems that the Emperor has neglected the management of his body.”

“Yes?”

Hyang was dumbfounded at Sejong’s words.

‘That nobleman who was so obese that he was recorded in history! Of course, even though he’s slightly plump now, does he have the right to say that?’

Knowing Hyang’s thoughts, Sejong continued with a slightly stern expression.

“In order to swing a club and send a ball far, you can’t just swing your arms strongly. First, your two legs must be firmly supported, and your *danjun* [energy center in the abdomen] must be a strong axis before your arms can do their part.”

After saying that, Sejong subtly turned his gaze to the area below Hyang’s waist.

Hyang, seeing where Sejong’s gaze was directed, raised his voice.

“I’m still energetic!”

“Your stomach has come out a lot. According to what the Emperor said to me in the past….”

Hyang hurriedly cut off Sejong’s words.

“I’ll lose it!”

With that short banter, Hyang returned to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Entering Geunjeongjeon Hall, Hyang grumbled softly.

“Even if it’s the stomach, the club was really not it…. Before Father returns to Shinji, I need to show him what a real club is.”

At that moment, the artisans in Area 51 trembled with an unknown chill.

Having made that decision, Hyang looked down at his stomach and sighed.

“Hoo~. I have to lose it.”

* * *

Two days later, a new paper was posted on the bulletin board in Area 51.

“‘Development of a new rifle’?”

“How long has it been since the Byeongshik came out?”

The artisans, with faces full of curiosity, gathered in front of the bulletin board.

“So, the Byeongshik loads 5 bullets, but they want us to make something that loads even more and continues to load not by hand but in a different way?”

“Difficulty is Upper-Lower? That’s going to be more difficult than I thought?”

The artisans had difficult expressions. The 5-bullet loading of the Byeongshik rifle was also the result of much effort.

It was quite a challenge to fit the firing pin and bolt into a receiver that wasn’t too big, and it was even more difficult to make the small steel parts that went into that receiver withstand the explosive power of gunpowder.

Even with Joseon’s steelmaking technology, which they prided themselves on being far ahead of other countries, it was quite a challenge.

The development process was evaluated as having taken them one step further, but an even more difficult task had come out.

“The people who know all that set the grade as Upper-Lower? I don’t know what to say….”

“I think they’re overestimating us too much?”

The artisans and researchers, smiling wryly, said that they seemed to be overestimating themselves.

Meanwhile, Jang Yeong-sil, who was watching the scene from behind, muttered with a troubled expression.

“Should I hide this, or should I not….”

Jang Yeong-sil, who had been pondering until that evening, came to a conclusion.

“Rather than getting caught later and hearing that I have no sense of ethics, I should tell him in advance.”

The next day, Hyang received a visit from Jang Yeong-sil.

“Ah! Department Head Jang, no, should I call you Deputy Director Jang now? It’s been a while! How’s your health?”

“I’m still *gwaenchanhsaoᆸnida* [I’m still alright].”

“Deputy Director Jang’s talent is the best in the world. So, please take care of your health.”

At Hyang’s kind words, Jang Yeong-sil prostrated himself on the floor and shouted in a loud voice.

“Your Imperial Majesty’s grace is boundless!”

* * *

As Sejong created Area 52 in Shinji, Jang Yeong-sil was promoted to Deputy Director of Area 52.

Sejong had tried to appoint him as the director, but Jang Yeong-sil insisted that he had no administrative skills, so he became the deputy director.

Of course, the biggest reason Jang Yeong-sil declined the director’s position was his desire not to miss the joy of working in the field.

Sejong, who accepted Jang Yeong-sil’s request, smacked his lips and muttered later.

“Tch. Have I been with that guy for too long? He’s very good at getting out of things.”

* * *

“Yes. What is the reason you suddenly came to me today?”

In such a warm atmosphere, Hyang asked Jang Yeong-sil the reason for his visit.

At Hyang’s question, Jang Yeong-sil opened the bag he had brought and took out a blueprint from inside.

“It’s because of this.”

The expression on Hyang’s face instantly hardened as he received the blueprint through the eunuch.

“Let the scribes and recorders leave for a moment. This is a matter that requires secrecy.”

At Hyang’s command, the scribes and recorders immediately got up and went outside.

“Let the eunuchs leave too.”

After sending out even the eunuchs, Hyang asked Jang Yeong-sil with a serious face.

“How did you come up with this idea?”

At Hyang’s question, Jang Yeong-sil immediately began to explain.

“The recoil when firing a rifle is quite strong. Even for adult men, it is common to stagger momentarily, and it is not uncommon for red bruises to appear on the shoulder supporting the gun. So, I thought, what if we used that recoil?”

Hyang nodded at Jang Yeong-sil’s words.

Gaining confidence as Hyang did not show a negative reaction, Jang Yeong-sil put strength into his voice.

“In the meantime, I found the answer after seeing the structure of the newly developed Gapsik machine gun.”

“Hmm… I see….”

Hyang examined the blueprint submitted by Jang Yeong-sil with a serious face.

The blueprint submitted by Jang Yeong-sil was a blowback-style rifle that used the recoil when a bullet was fired.

Another feature was that it had a magazine that went from top to bottom.

‘In some ways, it resembles a Bren without a gas piston… Anyway, that guy is also outside the grade.’

After carefully examining the blueprint, Hyang told Jang Yeong-sil his conclusion.

“Let’s seal this proposal for 10 years.”

“Yes? Why is that?”

At Jang Yeong-sil’s question, Hyang smiled and replied.

“It would be nice if we could do it all, but wouldn’t that prevent future generations from developing?”

“We?”

When Jang Yeong-sil expressed his doubts, Hyang opened the drawer of the vanity next to his right and took out a blueprint and handed it over.

“Take a look.”

Jang Yeong-sil carefully approached and received the blueprint, looking at Hyang with surprised eyes.

“This is!”

The blueprint made by Hyang was a combination of the Byeongshik rifle with a gas piston and magazine, resembling a combination of the K31 and M14.