Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 875

875. Generational Shift (6)

Cosimo, of course, wasn’t one to simply lie in bed and wallow in regret.

As soon as he recognized the trap hidden within the ‘Imperial Favor’ clause of the negotiation treaty Giovanni had brought back, Cosimo summoned Lorenzo and Giovanni.

“…I believe this is the Empire’s true aim.”

“Ah….”

“Oh dear….”

Lorenzo and Giovanni exchanged glances, realization dawning on their faces at Cosimo’s point.

Giovanni, especially, who had returned gleefully boasting about the great benefits gained from the negotiations with the Empire, reproached himself with a dismayed expression.

“I’m sorry! I was a fool! Had I recognized this trap, I would have prevented it!”

Cosimo waved his hand dismissively at Giovanni’s self-reproach.

“No, even if you had known, we would have had to accept it.”

“Even if we had known in advance?” Lorenzo asked.

Cosimo nodded.

“That’s right. For that ‘grand undertaking’ you spoke of to succeed, Florence’s power alone is insufficient. We inevitably need external assistance. And the Empire is a good partner.”

“Then, should we simply ignore this matter?”

“It’s a matter of initiative.”

“Initiative?”

“This is something we Florentines, as Italians, are undertaking on Italian soil. However, if we are not constantly vigilant, Florence will lose its initiative and become a mere mercenary of the Empire. Considering the Empire’s situation and the personalities of the emperors, they probably won’t swallow all of Italy, but all we’ll be able to claim is glory—the hollow glory of being the ‘protagonist of Italian unification’.”

“Ah….”

At Cosimo’s words, Lorenzo and Giovanni’s faces brightened, as if they finally understood the full implications.

Looking at them, Cosimo continued.

“In matters related to unification, working with the Empire will often involve situations where we knowingly allow ourselves to appear deceived. However, you must never forget that if we are truly deceived, we will be dragged along from then on, losing all control.”

“Yes.”

“For now, let’s accept the ‘Imperial Favor’ for the time being. The development of the Livorno port and the construction of the railway leading to Florence are essential. There’s no need to stop the Empire from using their own money for projects that benefit us greatly.”

Giovanni and Lorenzo nodded in agreement.

“That’s right.”

“It’s beneficial for us.”

“Then, take this as a lesson and deal with the Empire carefully. I want to rest now.”

“Yes.”

Left alone in the bedroom, Cosimo murmured, looking at the closed door.

“They may lack experience, but they’re not foolish, so they’ll manage well enough.”

However, after seeing the Empire’s ambassadors who came to visit him, Cosimo wore a serious expression.

“It won’t be easy. They sent seasoned veterans.”

* * *

Whether they knew of Cosimo’s concerns or not, Lorenzo and Giovanni were engaged in a delicate push-and-pull with the Empire’s ambassadors.

“Where do you plan to establish the embassy?” Lorenzo asked.

Shin Suk-ju stroked his chin thoughtfully before answering.

“We are considering the San Donnino area.”

Lorenzo, who was examining a map to confirm the location, frowned slightly at Shin Suk-ju’s answer.

“That’s quite far from here.”

“Indeed, it is.”

Shin Suk-ju nodded calmly at Lorenzo’s remark. There was a considerable distance between San Donnino, where the Empire had decided to build its embassy, and the Medici Palace.

“Wouldn’t it be better to build it near the palace? There will be many matters to discuss in the future, won’t there?”

Shin Suk-ju shook his head at Lorenzo’s suggestion.

“That’s precisely why it needs to be located on the outskirts. There must be many spies from other cities and countries hiding here in Florence. We must consider their presence and avoid unnecessary scrutiny.”

“Even so….”

“There are other issues as well. The roads around the Medici Palace are too narrow and congested. And, the biggest problem is the cathedral right in front, isn’t it? How many years has it been since His Majesty the Emperor demanded an answer on the matter [referring to a past theological dispute]?”

“Ah….”

Lorenzo was momentarily speechless at Shin Suk-ju’s point.

The ‘ancestral rites issue’ that Hyang, then the Crown Prince, had sent to the Vatican in the past had not yet been resolved.

By the time the answer arrived, many debates had taken place over the issue, and religious disputes had erupted due to the complicated internal situation at the time.

And now….

‘How many people even remember that issue? The Empire hasn’t properly pressed the matter since then.’

There had been mentions of this issue through students who studied in Seoul or professors recruited by the research institute. However, since it was not an official demand from the Empire, it had not been officially discussed again in the Vatican.

Having thought that far, Lorenzo replied to Shin Suk-ju.

“I have many acquaintances in the Vatican, so I will try to ensure that a decision is made as soon as possible.”

“Our Empire is not in a hurry, so proceed as you see fit.”

“But, no matter how I look at it, San Donnino is still quite far.”

“Even if it’s far, it’s a quick trip by horse. And, if you launch a boat on the Arno River, you can avoid prying eyes.”

“Ah….”

“And, although I hesitated to say it earlier, looking at the houses and roads near the Medici Palace, there’s the issue of sanitation….”

Shin Suk-ju trailed off, but Giovanni interjected with a flushed face.

“We are working to solve the sanitation problems in the city center and residential areas. Of course, it’s not as good as Seoul yet, but we will catch up soon.”

“I’m not criticizing. However, there will be many family members coming with the officials who will be working at the embassy, and many of them are still young children, so we chose San Donnino for their health and well-being.”

Having been completely outmaneuvered in terms of justification, Lorenzo had no choice but to wave the white flag.

“Then, San Donnino it is. What scale are you planning for the embassy?”

“It seems the best course of action would be to decide after examining San Donnino directly.”

“Then let’s do that.”

* * *

Shin Suk-ju and his party, who had recovered from their journey at the guesthouse prepared in the Medici Palace, headed to the San Donnino area with the guidance of Florentine officials.

Shin Suk-ju, Seong Sam-mun, and Yu Eung-bu, who were looking at the scenery outside through the carriage window, frowned deeply.

“Even looking at it again, the condition is appalling. Even the back alleys of Ming [referring to the Ming Dynasty in China] and Japan would be cleaner than this.”

“I agree. It feels like you’d get sick just by being here.”

“If there’s an epidemic, it’s over. Even the temporary barracks built during the Liaodong War [a past military campaign] were cleaner than this.”

The streets of Florence visible outside were overflowing with filth, and the wind blowing through the windows carried a foul odor.

However, the three were unaware that Florence was actually in relatively good condition compared to other cities.

Most of the major cities in Italy had their origins in Roman times. Thanks to this, most Italian cities had water and sewage facilities.

The problem was that they only ‘existed’ in name.

As Roman technology disappeared, proper maintenance was neglected, and the cities’ water and sewage facilities fell into disrepair. In particular, the first to disappear was the water supply system, symbolized by aqueducts.

The sewage system had managed to hold out to some extent, but it was far from perfect.

Because of this, the streets of Florence were now in such a deplorable state.

“We must secure a suitable place in the San Donnino area to ensure our survival.”

Seong Sam-mun and Yu Eung-bu agreed with Shin Suk-ju’s words in silence.

* * *

Arriving in the San Donnino area, Shin Suk-ju and his party looked around and wore satisfied expressions.

“Good….”

“It’s a decent area.”

“It’s also well-suited for evacuation in case of emergency.”

At this time, the San Donnino area was a rural village located on the outskirts of Florence.

Thanks to this, the population was small, so the amount of compensation to be paid for land acquisition could also be minimized.

From a military perspective, using the Arno River right in front would allow them to move directly to Livorno. Conversely, they could move directly from Livorno to Florence.

Even if the railway were cut off, the Imperial Army could still move using the Arno River.

“Come to think of it, the person dispatched from the railway construction seems very dissatisfied….”

Yu Eung-bu immediately replied to Shin Suk-ju’s words.

“He sighed as soon as he saw the Arno River map provided by our military. He said, ‘Why is it so twisted?’ Also, the mountain range visible in the distance is a problem. The best way is to install the railway along the river, but if it’s so twisted, the speed of the iron horse [a metaphor for a train] won’t be optimal.”

Shin Suk-ju’s face became serious at Yu Eung-bu’s words.

“Then, isn’t this a serious problem?”

“So, he said he had several ideas.”

“Hmm… They are the ones who know the most about railways….”

* * *

The railway construction and maintenance workers were the undisputed experts on railways. Even in seemingly impossible situations, they would find solutions and complete the railway.

Outsiders didn’t know, but there was a story that senior workers at the Railway Corporation always told new recruits.

“If you don’t do it right, General Jinpyeong will come right away. Can you withstand being glared at by General Jinpyeong? Back when we were building the railway in Bukji, a tiger was blocking the way, but when the General glared at it once, it pissed itself and died. Can you withstand that?”

“I will do my best!”

“Remember. ‘General Jinpyeong is more terrifying than tigers or smallpox. And his older brother is even more terrifying than him.’ Got it?”

“His older brother… Ah!”

* * *

Satisfied with the San Donnino area they had chosen, the ambassadors immediately began the follow-up work.

The ambassadors, using Florentine officials as intermediaries, purchased the area and soon summoned those who would be in charge of construction.

The people in charge of constructing the Imperial Embassy and the Imperial residential area in San Donnino were Imperial merchants and Imperial Army engineering officers disguised as trading company employees.

The engineering officers meticulously measured the main traffic routes and nearby areas under the pretext of paving the road leading from San Donnino to Florence.

Following this, surveying team members dispatched from the Railway Corporation moved along the Arno River, taking measurements.

And, copies of all these results were immediately made and sent to Seoul.

In Seoul, employees of the Railway Corporation headquarters and officers from the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff held these copies and racked their brains.

Railway Corporation employees pondered how to lay a more efficient railway, and Imperial Army officers pondered how to efficiently move the Imperial Army.

“Which branch should we send first?”

“Artillery! Artillery!”

“It’s true that artillery is important, but….”

“Artillery! Artillery!”

“Shut up a bit!”

“Artillery! Artillery!”

“It’s a foregone conclusion that artillery is the center, so shut up! That’s why they call us the ‘Ministry of Artillery’ outside!”

The main force of the Imperial Army, especially the Army, was artillery, no matter what anyone said.

‘From a farther distance than others, a more powerful strike than others—no, fire everything you have! That is the way to victory.’

This was the Imperial Army’s core philosophy.

Therefore, what the Imperial Army officers were currently 고민하는 [gominhaneun – worrying about] was which branch to send first as an auxiliary unit to the artillery unit.