Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 830

830. Chicken Ribs (4)

When the ‘Chicken Ribs Operation’ was first proposed and planned, everyone except Hyang believed that the target of this operation was a ‘mysterious continent’ in the South. This was because information about South America had not yet arrived.

This was due to the policies of Sejong and Hyang.

To protect Shinji from European influence, Sejong and Hyang focused on securing the eastern part of Shinji first.

To this end, most of the Imperial Navy’s power, which was growing in Shinji, was concentrated in the east.

The western region was only maintaining the northern sea route connecting Honji and Shinji.

Of course, just in case, the Imperial Navy stationed on Daeseol Island was monitoring Japan’s movements.

If Japan launched ships to the east, that would also be a problem.

In the end, Hyang was the only imperial citizen who knew about the existence of the South American continent at this time.

However, Hyang, who had included the South American continent in the scope of ‘Chicken Ribs,’ was in constant 고민 [Korean word meaning ‘agonizing’ or ‘worrying’].

“I could give up Australia relatively easily, but South America is still bothering me.”

Hyang smacked his lips, unable to hide his disappointment.

“Tch! South America is the real chicken rib, not other places. Tch tch….”

Hyang, who kept smacking his lips, spat out a curse.

“Damn rubber….”

It was because of rubber that Hyang couldn’t let go of his attachment to South America.

* * *

Hyang’s obsession with rubber was not only because of electricity.

Rubber was an important item that could give new impetus to the imperial economy, which was slowly entering a stagnant phase.

The first area where it could be used was in waterproof materials.

When it rained, people in the imperial cities carried shuroops (an old Korean word for umbrella) made of oil-soaked paper, and in the countryside, they wore satgats [traditional Korean rain hats] and doroughis [traditional Korean overcoats].

Soldiers or police officers of the Pocheong [traditional Korean police agency], who needed to have their hands free, wore jangpos [oil-soaked leather coats] made of oil-soaked leather.

As an aside, this attire, especially the combination of the jangpo, which Hyang had taken the design from the trench coat, and riding boots, was quite stylish, and soon the fashionable people of the city imitated it and wore similar attire.

The difference between soldiers and police officers was the hat.

Soldiers and police officers who wore felt hats just walked around, but the fashionable people who wore gat [traditional Korean hats made of horsehair] made of horsehair or silk wore galmos [inner hats worn under the gat] over them.

The problem was that oil-soaked paper or leather could not be completely waterproof.

Waterproof materials were needed not only for clothing.

It could also be used for the packing or gaskets of the lever-type water pumps that were becoming essential in imperial households.

Of course, copper packing or gaskets had to be used in places that had to withstand high temperatures and pressures, such as steam engines, but rubber could replace them in many other areas.

Considering the price of copper, this could bring enormous economic benefits.

In addition, rubber was an item with endless uses, starting with the wheels of rickshaws and tow trucks.

That’s why Hyang became obsessed with rubber.

However, the problem was where the rubber trees were located.

In the past, a type of rubber tree was found in India, but it was evaluated as impossible to match profitability and had to be abandoned.

“The rubber trees in the Southeast Asian rubber plantations that were famous in the 21st century almost all originated in South America… Hooo~.”

Hyang could only sigh at that part.

“The conclusion is that I have to search the Amazon, but this is not something that can be done with manpower….”

Hyang had no choice but to shake his head when he thought of the size of the Amazon.

* * *

In the end, Hyang almost gave up on South America.

“Searching and wandering around the Amazon is more harmful than good. That part is perfect for Europeans who are crazy about money. It’s better to move when Europeans find it. When Europeans don’t know its value yet.”

Hyang, who chose the next best thing, decided to hand over South America to Europe as well.

Later, as the ‘Mesica Incident’ occurred, Hyang had the opportunity to meet with defecting natives.

In the process of talking with them, Hyang confirmed that the natives knew about the existence of rubber, and issued a separate order to Yi Jing-ok.

-After clearing Mesica, check the existence of the tree from which chicle comes out.

At this time, since there was not even the name ‘rubber,’ Hyang used the word ‘chicle’ that the natives had given it.

And, two months after clearing Mesica, a report came up that they had found Chicle Mu [Chicle Tree].

Hyang’s expression became much lighter after confirming the report.

“Hooo~. Now I can really throw South America as bait with peace of mind. Of course, if possible, I have to get the saltpeter mine in Chile.”

Hyang looked at the map hanging on the wall and continued.

“I’m importing it from India without worry right now, but I’m worried about England. No, I’m worried about the whole of Europe. India is still a golden land for Europeans. So I’m taking measures….”

* * *

By importing a large amount of saltpeter from the Bengal Sultanate in India, Joseon, and later the Empire, was able to escape the problem of gunpowder shortage.

Of course, a considerable amount of money had to be spent to import a large amount of saltpeter, but it was overwhelmingly cheaper than the cost of producing it by the traditional 염초 [yeomcho – Korean word for saltpeter] production method.

In addition, they were making a profit as a result of selling imperial goods in the market.

As time passed, as Joseon defeated Ming and became an empire, the Sultan of Bengal became interested in the empire’s weapons.

This was because of the Delhi Sultanate, from which they had become independent.

Although there had been no major wars after the two wars, war could break out again at any time between the Bengal Sultanate and the Delhi Sultanate.

In particular, rumors were spreading that the Delhi Sultanate was becoming wealthy through trade with the Empire.

Accordingly, the Sultan of Bengal demanded that the Empire sell weapons.

At the request of the Bengal Sultanate, the Empire readily sold off the Gap-type rifles that had been sold here and there and were left over.

Not only rifles, but even Hwachas [Korean rocket launchers] for Singijeon [Korean rockets], which were now rotting in the warehouse, were sold off.

This was because it was the perfect weapon for the Bengal Sultanate, which mainly had to fight defensive battles.

After that, instructors were selected and dispatched to the Bengal Sultanate so that they could properly use the introduced weapons of the Empire.

* * *

The instructors who arrived in the Bengal Sultanate trained the soldiers and officers of the Bengal Sultanate and made contacts with the main leaders of the Sultanate.

However, there were also ridiculous things that happened in the process.

One of the most famous of these was the ‘약포 [yakpo – gunpowder packet] Incident.’

The Gap-type rifle was a muzzle-loading rifle that used percussion caps. Therefore, in order to fire a bullet, the paper packaging containing the gunpowder and bullet had to be torn with teeth, then the gunpowder had to be poured in, and the paper and bullet had to be pushed in with a ramrod.

However, the paper packaging that packaged this gunpowder and bullet became a problem.

“There’s a problem if the paper gets wet?”

“Yes. However, the paper that packages the bullets and gunpowder is oiled, so you don’t have to worry about ordinary moisture.”

The expressions of the Sultanate’s officers and soldiers became unpleasant at the instructor’s answer.

“Is there a problem?”

“The oil is the problem.”

At this time, oil was generally used in cooking. And most of that oil was animal-based. Vegetable oil was mainly used for flavoring purposes.

“Some of our soldiers are Hindus, and the rest are Muslims. Hindus cannot eat beef, and Muslims cannot eat pork. The same goes for oil. But, I heard that imperial citizens eat both beef and pork. Then wouldn’t the oil that soaks that paper also be beef or pork oil?”

The imperial instructors were dumbfounded at the Sultanate officer’s point and replied.

“It’s soybean oil and palm oil?”

“Huh?”

After that, the Sultanate’s soldiers bit the paper packaging without any hesitation.

* * *

The Bengal Sultanate’s position was strengthened as it was armed with the Empire’s weapons.

However, the Empire was not optimistic about the situation.

At this time, India was not only the Delhi Sultanate and the Bengal Sultanate, but also a patchwork of large and small countries.

And those countries were repeating alliances for their survival and growth.

To borrow Hyang’s expression, it was ‘the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period of India’ [a period of great conflict and shifting alliances in ancient China].

In order to survive in this chaotic world, the rulers of India were desperate to strengthen their national defense.

They also reached out to the Empire, but the Empire rejected their proposals.

This was because the stock of old weapons had been exhausted.

If they were to produce old weapons again to sell to them, it would disrupt the production of weapons to be supplied to the Imperial Army.

At this time, the Imperial Army was in the midst of supplying Byeong-type rifles and Hwachas beyond Eul-type.

The Eul-type rifles and Hwachas that were returned after being replaced with Byeong-type rifles were piling up in the warehouse, but there was a problem with selling them.

Selling Gap-type rifles to the Bengal Sultanate, but selling Eul-type rifles to others would be more harmful than good.

In addition, big 손 [big hands – meaning influential figures or entities] had already 찜해 놓은 [jjimhae noeun – Korean expression for ‘reserved’ or ‘claimed’] the Eul-type rifles and Hwachas in advance.

The allied countries that were waging war over Suez at the time were those big 손.

The rulers of India, who were rejected by the Empire, turned their eyes elsewhere.

The places where their eyes turned were Ming and Waeguk [derogatory term for Japan].

The rulers of India, who examined the weapons of Ming and Waeguk, made the following evaluations.

-Waeguk’s guns are worse than Ming’s, and Ming’s guns are worse than the Empire’s.

However, since the situation was what it was, those among the rulers of India who had the economic power purchased firearms from Ming, and those who lacked economic power purchased firearms from Waeguk.

And their choice was the choice of Asian countries at the time.

Countries that were friendly with the Empire and had economic cooperative relations could purchase the Empire’s weapons. However, countries that could not do so purchased weapons from Ming or Waeguk based on their economic power.

The best was the Empire, followed by Ming, and the last was Waeguk.

This perception was the same not only in weapons but also in other fields.

People bought the Empire’s goods if they had enough money, otherwise they bought Ming’s goods, and finally Waeguk’s goods.

And this perception remained the same even after Waeguk was changed to Japan.

Therefore, Japan had to make a lot of efforts to get rid of this perception.

However, when Japan was actively trying to advance overseas, powerful competitors appeared.

The European countries.

* * *

The main products that Europe advanced into Asia were slaves and weapons.

The Europeans sold slaves obtained from slave traders in Africa to sultans in India and Southeast Asia.

The Europeans, who started trading with slaves, then entered the arms market.

European weapons had developed a lot through the religious disputes that had taken place in Europe and the Suez War that followed, but they were still not enough to catch up with the Empire.

However, the Europeans could not give up the arms market.

This was because those who purchased weapons were the leaders of the country, and they had to maintain a good relationship with them in order for future transactions to continue well.

This choice of the Europeans was a different choice from dealing with the leaders of Africa.

If it were Africa, they would have threatened them with guns and cannons to start trading or made them colonies.

However, this method could not be used in Asia after Hyang intervened.

Because when Europeans took out cannons, Asians also took out cannons.