Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 837

837. Europe’s Pursuit (4)

The Imperial Army Intelligence Department provided information about ‘Forge’ three months after Milwei sent their report.

Wan and his ministers wore grave expressions as they received the report from the Imperial Army Intelligence Department.

However, the reason for their serious expressions differed.

“Hmm… This is…”

“So it begins…”

“What was coming has arrived…”

Unlike the ministers, who were focused on the ‘development of Forge,’ Wan was concerned about another issue.

‘It took too long! A three-month difference! Has the Bureaucracy Disease already resurfaced?’

* * *

When Wan was still the Crown Prince, learning about state affairs, Xiang had told him what to pay special attention to as Emperor.

“Wan, do you know what officials like the most?”

Wan pondered for a moment before answering Xiang’s question.

“Leaving work on time, Your Majesty.”

“That’s also an answer, but not entirely correct. And leaving work on time isn’t just something officials like, but everyone. What officials truly like is ‘the same today as yesterday, the same tomorrow as today.'”

Xiang explained in more detail.

-Officials hate variables the most because variables increase their workload.

-What they hate as much as increased workload is responsibility. They only want to be responsible for the authority given to them.

-Therefore, they don’t rush to take action. If things go wrong after rashly stepping forward, they’ll suffer in their performance evaluation, be filled with criticism, and only increase their workload.

-This is how ‘the same today as yesterday, the same tomorrow as today’ is created.

-And to maintain this situation, officials become more fastidious than ever. In other words, ‘flexibility’ disappears.

-Even general reports or documents, not just contracts, are immediately rejected if they deviate from the wording or format. Or, they are rejected for ‘lack of precedent.’

-Of course, it is right to insist on principles when it comes to the safety and lives of the people. However, over time, even when better technologies, methods, or equipment emerge, they are not properly examined and are rejected.

-If this happens, the Empire does not move forward but stagnates or even falls behind.

“…In more severe cases, it goes astray. That’s why the number of people in the Records Office never decreases. Tsk!”

Xiang clicked his tongue with a displeased expression and continued.

“When Sanghuang first implemented reforms, the most common words and memorials he heard were ‘There is no precedent.’ If you consider the time spent correcting such behavior… Therefore, not only me but also you, when you become Emperor, and the Emperors who succeed you, must not overlook the spread of this malady, which I have named ‘Bureaucracy Disease.'”

Wan bowed his head and replied to Xiang’s teaching.

“I will engrave your teachings, as precious as gold and jade, in my heart!”

* * *

Remembering Xiang’s teachings, Wan wore a serious expression.

‘The content is more detailed, and it includes trends from other European countries, not just France. But it’s not thorough enough to be three months late!’

“Hmm…”

As Wan made a sound of contemplation with a serious expression, the ministers hurriedly offered positive remarks.

“Your Majesty! We have known for a long time that various European countries and people are researching Forge! The research institute and Area 51 are already working hard on it, so please do not worry too much!”

Following Hwangbo-in’s words, Kim Jong-seo and other ministers bowed their heads and continued.

“That’s right! According to the report, they have only just taken their first steps. Of course, we must not disregard this, but we must not exaggerate it either.”

“That’s correct! With Forge alone, it is impossible for them to surpass the Empire’s weapons! It is right to keep an eye on them, but we should not overreact.”

The ministers, who had been wearing serious faces just a moment ago, were now making positive remarks one after another, trying to alleviate Wan’s worries.

Wan sighed at the ministers’ words and replied.

“I have known for a long time that Europe is using every method to create Forge. No, is it just Europe? I know that Ming, Japan, and the Ottomans are also making every effort to create Forge.”

As Wan said, among the countries that encountered the Empire’s Forge, those with a certain level of technology were all striving to create Forge.

Those at the forefront of this challenge were, of course, Europe and the Ottoman Empire.

* * *

The reason why Europe and the Ottoman Empire could take the lead was thanks to the alchemists.

The first thing the alchemists paid attention to was the meaning of the word Forge.

“What does Forge mean?”

To find out the meaning of Forge, the alchemists and their disciples headed to Alexandria.

“The meaning of Forge is ‘exploding argentum’… Argentum, huh…”

“Silver explodes?”

After learning the meaning of Forge, the alchemists soon began conducting various experiments with silver.

After investing a great deal of time and budget and undergoing numerous trials and errors, the alchemists of Europe and the Ottoman Empire created substances similar to Forge in rapid succession.

They had created silver fulminate.

However, even though they had created ‘exploding silver,’ the alchemists’ expressions were not good.

“Too unstable.”

“Too sensitive.”

“It explodes even in water? We can’t use it for military purposes!”

The substance they had created had too many flaws. No, there was an even bigger flaw than those flaws.

“Silver is the material! That precious silver!”

To lower the manufacturing cost and increase stability, the alchemists challenged again, but they continued to fail.

The rumors related to these alchemists’ challenges spread everywhere and reached the Empire’s ears.

Meanwhile, a small number of alchemists, tired of repeated failures, changed their thinking.

“Could the silver in Forge not mean silver but something else?”

“Chinese characters don’t necessarily have only one meaning, do they?”

The alchemists who changed their thinking began to look for minerals that had silver in their names or had a silver-like luster.

The most representative of these was lead.

Over time, the number of alchemists who made this shift in thinking gradually increased, and after fierce competition, a substance similar to the Forge used by the Empire was finally created.

* * *

Wan took a light sip of water and continued.

“Prime Minister, may I ask you something?”

“Please do, Your Majesty.”

“You said that we should not underestimate it, but we should not exaggerate it either, correct?”

“That is correct.”

“Is it really an exaggeration?”

“Yes?”

Seeing Hwangbo-in’s expression, which clearly showed that he did not understand, Wan raised the problematic report and continued.

“When did this report arrive in Seoul? No, when did the front lines obtain this intelligence, when did they decide to report it, and when did it arrive in Seoul?”

“Well… that is…”

“Find out and report it to me immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Shortly after, Ministry of National Defense officials, who received Hwangbo-in’s orders, ran like crazy towards the Ministry of National Defense building.

* * *

Wan clicked his tongue as he read the report that recorded the route and time it took for the intelligence to arrive in Seoul.

“Tsk!”

As Wan clicked his tongue, the ministers became restless. Regardless, Wan continued to click his tongue.

“Tsk tsk tsk… This is just… The intelligence, which was obtained with such effort, was stuck in Suez for two months… Tsk!”

At Wan’s criticism, the ministers craned their necks and only watched Wan’s reaction. This was definitely a problem.

* * *

At the Imperial Navy’s naval base in Suez, at least two Challenger-class battleships were always on standby.

Their mission was to bring urgent news that could affect the Empire’s safety to the Empire as quickly as possible.

However, in this case, the person in charge did not mobilize these battleships and waited for the regularly scheduled transport ships to send it.

It was a fatal misjudgment by the person in charge.

On the other hand, Milwei prioritized speed. Milwei’s agents, carrying secret letters to be sent to Seoul, moved to Seoul, searching for the fastest ship, regardless of nationality.

That was what created the three-month time difference this time.

* * *

Wan continued to point out the problems.

“To prevent intelligence related to the Empire’s safety from being delayed, we always had ships on standby in Suez and gave the person in charge the authority to move the ships. But why did this happen this time?”

“…”

At Wan’s criticism, the ministers closed their mouths and bowed their heads. Looking at those ministers, Wan clicked his tongue.

“Tsk! Is it the cost issue again?”

It cost a considerable amount to move one Challenger-class battleship. Therefore, the person in charge of the Suez region waited for the regular service.

Authority is authority, and being criticized later is a separate matter.

Looking at the still silent ministers, Wan muttered inwardly.

‘Is this why Sanghuang said that a fast and accurate communication tool was needed?’

There were messenger birds for high-speed long-distance communication, but using messenger birds from Suez to Seoul was too inefficient.

Therefore, the Empire had to bear the cost and keep ships on standby in Suez.

* * *

Wan continued to point out the problems.

“Considering the time it takes for intelligence about Forge to arrive in Suez and the time it takes to get from Suez to Seoul, there would have been enough time for a factory to be built in France to make Forge. Furthermore, according to the trends of other European countries mentioned in the report, there are rumors that they have created similar things. So, is it really an exaggeration?”

“…”

“You know very well that when you look at the firearms made by Europeans, they have caught up with our Empire in many ways except for Forge, right? But you say it’s an exaggeration?”

Wan’s voice began to become more and more sharp.

The first weapon the Empire released to Europe was the flintlock musket [a smoothbore gun using a flintlock firing mechanism]. It was a smoothbore gun without rifling, but it boasted superior performance to the matchlock guns [early firearms ignited by a burning wick] used by Europe at the time.

From that time on, European gunsmiths desperately imitated Imperial guns. Understanding the principle came later; they faithfully began to catch up from the parts that could be imitated first.

This was the same even after the Gap-type rifle was introduced.

European craftsmen who examined the Gap-type rifle soon began to rifle their own guns [cut spiral grooves inside the gun barrel].

Without knowing why rifling was needed, just because the Empire had done it….

The problem was that the performance of the flintlock muskets made by European craftsmen improved just by following that.

Since then, a belief almost like a religion has arisen among European gunsmiths.

-As far as weapons are concerned, unconditionally follow what the Empire has done! Knowing the principles and reasons comes later!