Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 683

683. Suez (3)

Everyone nodded in agreement with the French representative’s statement, “Only the Empire makes money.”

The meetings had stretched over several days, but the attendees looked grim, unable to reach a conclusion.

The reason for their concern was the Empire.

The reason they waged war was to monopolize trade routes with the Empire.

Even amidst religious conflicts, goods from the Empire, known as the ‘Land of Flowers,’ continued to sell steadily. When expensive luxury goods faltered, mid- to low-priced items filled the void. And when conflicts subsided or small agreements were reached, luxury goods sold like hotcakes.

Therefore, the alliance that monopolized trade routes with the Empire stood to gain immense profits.

* * *

The composition of this alliance was also remarkably ingenious.

The Ottomans, who suffered the most casualties but participated most actively in the war, could dominate the markets of the Middle East, Arabia, and Eastern Europe.

France could dominate its own territory, the northern part of the Holy Roman Empire, and the region that would later become Germany.

Portugal secured North and East Africa as its markets, and England as well.

“Africa?”

When Portugal declared Africa as its market, all the participating countries except Cosimo of Florence expressed doubt.

Their common understanding was that Africa was a poor and primitive land suitable only as a source of slaves.

However, Cosimo and Henrique knew that was only half the truth.

Countries in North Africa, such as Morocco and Algeria, had surprisingly many wealthy people, and there were also many Islamic local magnates who had accumulated considerable wealth further south.

They were excellent markets.

As the rosy future of monopolizing trade routes approached, the allied nations once again felt the Empire’s shadow.

* * *

“The biggest problem is that we can’t properly build canals or lay railroads without the Empire’s help.”

The representatives of other nations sighed deeply at the Florentine representative’s words.

“Hoo~. That’s the problem. Isn’t this meeting going nowhere because there’s no solution to that problem?”

“Hoo~.”

The Empire was already reaping enormous profits through trade. However, the Empire demanded that it create a trading guild to manage the trade routes and that the Empire have a 40% stake in it.

This was not welcome news for the allied nations.

-We shed the blood!

The allied nations had suffered all sorts of hardships to win the war. Even Cosimo de’ Medici supported mercenaries and provided huge amounts of military funds.

However, the Empire was a cunning entity that sat back, sold weapons, and made money.

-Investing capital to create a joint venture to manage trade routes is a great idea.

-But accepting the Empire into this venture is the worst idea.

Therefore, the allied nations agreed to achieve their goals without the Empire’s help.

Even Mehmet II, who had sworn in the name of Allah and written a memorandum, agreed with this opinion.

Mehmet II, who had seized power by paying significantly discounted prices or buying massive amounts of weapons on credit and had the largest stake among the allied nations, did not like keeping his promise to the Empire.

In that situation, the proposal of ‘excluding the Empire’ put forward by other allied nations was a truly sweet offer.

-I wanted to keep my promise, but the other allies came to a different conclusion.

-Therefore, I regret to say that I cannot keep my promise to the Empire.

-However, since this is due to unavoidable circumstances, the purchase price will be processed according to the conditions written in the memorandum.

Mehmet II was planning to use this excuse to save money on weapons purchases.

“The dedicated ammunition issue is a bit disappointing, but someone will surely solve it in time. Once the dedicated ammunition is resolved, there will be no need to buy weapons from the Empire. Of course, the Empire will resist, but it will have no choice but to accept it if it wants to sell its goods.”

He boarded the same ship as the allied nations, thinking of his own alternatives, but that ship was on the verge of capsizing.

“Hoo~.”

Once again, the Ottoman representative sighed deeply and asked the other participants.

“Everyone is researching steam engines and iron horses [early trains], but is there any good news?”

Bang!

At the Ottoman representative’s question, the French representative slammed the table and burst into anger.

“Damn it! All those brilliant scholars ever say is, ‘A little more time and budget…!'”

“The prototype they came up with is slower than a person walking… and it doesn’t carry much cargo either. I get so frustrated when I see their proud faces after making a toy that barely pulls a single wagon!”

“I heard that the Empire already has a second-generation iron horse… How about the Ottomans?”

The Ottoman representative, who received the question, also sighed deeply.

“We’re also getting that damn ‘time and budget’ talk. Hoo~.”

The Ottoman representative, who sighed deeply once more, lit up his eyes.

“Ah! Come to think of it! I heard that Ming is also making iron horses! Do you know anything about it?”

At the Ottoman representative’s question, the Florentine representative shook his head.

“There is something. I’ve been looking around, and I heard that they made it based on a design brought in from the Empire during the reign of the previous Ming emperor.”

“How is the performance?”

“I heard that the time spent repairing breakdowns is longer than the time it moves.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be a good alternative? Breakdowns can be repaired, and if the price is right, we can buy and operate them in large quantities, right?”

At the Ottoman representative’s attempt not to give up hope, the Florentine representative shook his head.

“I heard that the price isn’t much cheaper than the Empire’s. And the biggest problem is that the output and durability of the core steam engine are far inferior to those of the Empire. And there’s an even bigger problem. During the last war, pirates from Jipangu [Japan] attacked and took many artisans, so many of the artisans who were making iron horses were moved to weapons factories. In short, Ming’s iron horse should be considered discontinued.”

At the Florentine representative’s explanation, the Ottoman representative shook his head.

“What was the Ming emperor thinking when he made such a decision?”

This was the same for the French and Portuguese representatives.

Iron horses and railroads were the best way to transport large quantities of cargo and people over long distances. Ming, which has the largest territory in the world – other countries still did not properly know the existence of Shinji – would not be unaware of the usefulness of railroads.

But they discontinued the iron horse?

The representatives could not understand Ming’s decision based on their standards.

The Florentine representative, confirming the expressions of the other participants, continued his explanation.

“Ming has the Grand Canal that runs north and south through the country. Since most cargo uses the Grand Canal, the railroad is only a means of supplementing the Grand Canal.”

“Ah….”

Only then did the other participants nod as if they understood. The French representative, who was nodding, asked the Florentine representative.

“How do you know so well, Florence?”

“If you want to do business properly, you have to know your opponent properly, right?”

“Ah….”

The participants from other countries nodded at the Florentine representative’s answer, but they all thought the same thing inside.

‘Indeed, merchants!’

* * *

As no clear answer came out even after thinking of all sorts of alternatives, the participants had no choice but to wave the white flag.

“I think we have no choice but to ask the Empire.”

“That seems to be the best option.”

“Hoo~. I’ll get an earful from His Majesty.”

Like the Portuguese representative’s grumbling, the monarchs of each country were furious when they heard the participants’ final decision.

“You’re bringing this as the best option!”

“There is no other answer.”

“Keueung….”

In the end, even after calling other officials and scholars to ask for their opinions, only similar answers came out, so the monarchs of the alliance picked up their pens.

“Tsk! It can’t be helped!”

And finally, Cosimo de’ Medici called his son Giovanni.

“I’ll have to go to the Empire.”

“Yes.”

* * *

Months later, Hyang handed the letter that Giovanni brought to Kim Jeom.

“What do you think?”

Kim Jeom, who received the letter at Hyang’s question, expressed slight surprise.

“It’s a letter written in the Imperial language in Jeongeum [Korean alphabet]?”

“Yes. I think they were in a bit of a hurry.”

Kim Jeom, listening to Hyang’s words, carefully examined the contents of the letter and reported his thoughts to Hyang.

“I think….”

Kim Jeom’s opinion was as follows.

-They had been thinking about railroads from the beginning. But after hearing the story in the Empire, they changed their direction to waterways.

-But the fact that they insisted on railroads again means that they have changed their minds.

-The biggest reason for doing so is to exclude the Empire.

“…I think they reached out to us because the situation was not favorable.”

“I think the same.”

Hyang, who nodded at Kim Jeom’s words, smiled mischievously and asked.

“Then we don’t need to be lenient, do we?”

Kim Jeom also smiled similarly at Hyang’s words and bowed his head.

“That’s absolutely right. Since they tried to stab us in the back, shouldn’t we blow their chins off?”

“I agree.”

The historian who was recording all of this added the following words.

-The historian says: The newly appointed Prime Minister Kim Jeom is excellent in ability, but his tone is too frivolous, so he is not a role model for the literati.

But it feels good inside.

That’s right. It’s polite to return what you receive.

Hyang, who agreed with Kim Jeom, immediately took out paper and began to write something.

After reconfirming the contents of the written sentence and stamping the royal seal, Hyang handed the paper to the merchant ship.

“Order the Royal Secretary to deliver it to Duke Jinpyeong of Bukji. As quickly as possible.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Watching the eunuch leaving Geunjeongjeon [main hall of Gyeongbok Palace], Hyang muttered inwardly.

‘It will take at least fifteen days to get to the site in Bukji, so I’ll see that guy in about a month.’

But exactly 21 days later.

“Brother! No, Your Majesty! What is this imperial order?”

At Jinpyeong’s shout that echoed through Geunjeongjeon, Hyang shook his head slightly and muttered softly.

“Did this guy fly here?”

“Brother! No, Your Majesty! Seriously, what is this imperial order?”

When Jinpyeong questioned again, Hyang narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Doesn’t the Duke know etiquette?”

At Hyang’s criticism, Jinpyeong made an ‘ah’ expression and immediately paid his respects.

“I, Duke Jinpyeong Lee Yu, greet Your Majesty!”

“Yes. It’s been a while. But you came faster than I expected?”

“How can I come leisurely when I received such an imperial order?”

The imperial order that Hyang sent was simple.

-Select and send personnel to be in charge of surveying and estimating the railroad to be built in Suez.

“Of course, I have to go for this kind of work! Your Majesty knows very well that my dream is to lay railroads all over the world, right?”

Hyang replied briefly to Jinpyeong’s words.

“That’s why you can’t go.”

“Yes?”