Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 903

The Imperial March (6)

903. The Imperial March (6)

With the arrival of the first contingent of Swiss mercenaries contracted by the Empire, the military barracks on the outskirts of Florence were bustling with activity.

“At this rate, we won’t even get a proper night’s sleep!”

“Sleep isn’t the problem! We can’t even feed them properly! You feed a cow well before you make it work!”

“Right! Right! They need to eat and relieve themselves well to do their part!”

True to the Empire’s nature, where ‘food, clothing, and shelter’ was prioritized as ‘food, shelter, and clothing,’ the Imperial Army mobilized a large workforce to expand the lodging and dining facilities. (This highlights the Empire’s focus on basic needs.)

Of course, to save time and money, most of the workforce consisted of the new mercenaries from Switzerland.

Carrying materials back and forth, the new mercenaries wore gloomy expressions.

“This isn’t what I signed up for as a mercenary…”

Many had relatives or fellow villagers who had returned from mercenary work crippled or broken, but the new recruits still harbored illusions.

-To become a hero on the battlefield, praised by the people and courted by beautiful women.

Of course, the reality was often being treated like a villain or a thief, and receiving flirtations from cheap tavern prostitutes instead of beautiful women.

“This is also training! Quickly constructing lodging and bases on the front lines increases the chances of victory!”

“Yes, sir! Yes, sir!”

While they were being harshly reprimanded by Imperial Army instructors and senior Swiss mercenaries and forced to do construction work, the officers of the Florentine army stood by, watching the scene and chatting.

“Expanding the dining hall before the training facilities… I don’t understand.”

“Isn’t that just like the ‘Land of Flowers’ [a common nickname for Florence, referencing its artistic beauty]? It has to be like that.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Why, haven’t you heard the rumor? ‘If you want to see the Florentine army fight with the most ferocity, start a fight during meal times.'”

“There is such a rumor…”

* * *

The first thing the Imperial Army instructors identified and supplemented during the training of the Florentine army was the lodging facilities—specifically, the dining hall.

In line with the ‘food, shelter, and clothing’ ethos, they paid attention to food, but there were also more practical concerns.

“According to our observations, too many outsiders are entering during the soldiers’ meal times.”

“The soldiers have no choice but to seek food.”

“That’s the problem.”

As the Imperial Army instructors pointed out, the Florentine army’s lodging area was crowded with outsiders during meal times.

This was because soldiers’ families and merchants flocked in to bring or sell food to the soldiers. There were even women who came in under the guise of selling alcohol to sell their bodies to the soldiers.

Unlike the Imperial Army instructors who saw this as a problem, the Florentine army officers did not consider it a major issue, which was a cultural difference.

Although they had begun to organize a standing army, the forces that had previously defended the city were mercenaries. As a result, the mercenary culture remained intact.

“If we were still fighting with swords and spears like before, it might be different, but this place is overflowing with guns, cannons, and all sorts of classified equipment. And yet, you’re letting outsiders in? It’s absurd!”

It was precisely because of this issue that the Imperial Army was so serious about building the dining hall.

Initially, a significant number of Florentine army officers and soldiers resisted.

“Isn’t it enough to fight well in battle? Why are you interfering with even this? It’s excessive!”

“There are no fools who would leak secrets! Training is training, and actual combat is actual combat!”

However, the Imperial Army soon suppressed such resistance.

They did so by conducting random inspections, barrack inspections, and incredibly thorough inventory checks.

Using this meticulousness, they caught those who had leaked a significant number of Florentine long rifles. Some had even attempted to smuggle out one of the Empire’s classified equipment, the mobile artillery wagon.

Through intense investigations, they uncovered organizations trying to steal weapons and arrested soldiers and officers who had taken bribes and handed over weapons to them. The Imperial Army immediately reported this to the ambassadors.

“There are so many who are blinded by a few coins and try to sell guns and classified equipment. And you’re saying we’re being excessive?”

“…”

Shin Suk-ju’s rebuke made Lorenzo and Giovanni blush with shame.

In the end, the arrested soldiers and officers, as well as the thief organizations that had tried to bribe them, were all beheaded.

“Please, have mercy…”

“Father, for my soul…”

“Hey, let’s decide who goes up first. Roll the dice.”

“Yeah. We’re going to die anyway.”

Some begged Lorenzo and Giovanni for mercy or asked the priest to help them get to heaven. However, some, showing no remorse, played dice to determine the order in which they would ascend the execution platform.

After such a purge, outsiders no longer entered the Florentine army’s lodging area.

The only time the Florentine army could meet outsiders was when they went out on weekends.

“I understand because of what happened, but…”

“Those guys are really ruthless.”

The Florentine army and the citizens of Florence would say this, clicking their tongues whenever they saw the Imperial Army.

The Imperial Army soldiers who later heard the story muttered with bitter smiles.

“It wasn’t like that for us from the beginning either.”

* * *

The Imperial Army did not initially strictly prohibit outsiders from entering the lodging area.

In the old Joseon Dynasty, it was common for military commanders to also serve as local magistrates [administrators].

As a result, it was common for courtesans to be around the military commanders, or for the commanders and courtesans to gather and hold banquets after training. Since the commanders were doing this, it was commonplace for outsiders to enter the barracks to sell goods or engage in prostitution.

However, as Sejong carried out reforms, these practices all disappeared.

This was also a collaboration between Sejong and Hyang.

“What do the generals think training is? Do they think they’re going on a hunt or a pleasure trip? How dare they bring courtesans!”

At Sejong’s rebuke, the military leaders of the time bowed their heads and made excuses.

“I, I am sorry! But this is a tradition that has been passed down for a long time…”

“It’s not a tradition, but a bad habit! If the generals who command the soldiers are drunk on women and alcohol, how can properly trained soldiers emerge!”

Following Sejong’s decision, courtesans and ordinary people were prohibited from entering the barracks.

However, sometimes what was stronger than the royal decree was ‘tradition.’

Even though Sejong had issued this order, there were still commanders who brought courtesans with them.

And here, Hyang set a trap.

Through courtesans associated with or recruited by Milwi, she secretly took out or copied one or two classified military documents.

And these stolen items were passed directly to Hyang, who passed them directly to Sejong.

“Father, I am sorry to report, but there are still many who have not come to their senses.”

Sejong, after checking the classified documents and related papers in his hand, burst into flames.

“Have I ever seen such despicable bastards! Are they thinking of the royal decree as less than a dog’s dick! Guards! Immediately summon the Uigeumbu Jaegyo [a special judicial body]!”

Thus, a storm of purification swept through the military. Military officials and local magistrates who had violated the royal decree were stripped of their positions and had to be confined to the records office. Indefinitely.

This practice disappeared as these purification efforts continued and the military and administrative organizations were separated.

As a side note, Sejong’s statement of ‘dog’s dick’ was a statement recorded in the Veritable Records [official historical records]. However, according to unofficial history, it was a much more direct curse, which the historians and scribes at the time desperately softened.

* * *

As the expansion of the lodging area was somewhat completed, training for the new mercenaries began.

Senior Swiss mercenaries, who had already been driven to exhaustion by the Imperial Army instructors, became instructors and conducted intense training for the new recruits, while the Imperial Army instructors subtly added a word or two from behind.

“That’s not how you do it…”

“The results are worse than expected…”

Whenever they heard these words from behind, the Swiss instructors increased the intensity of the training even more.

The Imperial Army instructors did not simply stop at saying a word or two in passing.

After the day’s work was over, the Imperial Army instructors called the Swiss instructors together and conducted an evaluation of the day’s training.

It was a time of mixed fortunes for the Swiss instructors.

Instructors who received good evaluations had a higher chance of getting a pay raise or a quick promotion, while those who received bad evaluations were more likely to remain at the bottom.

“Aren’t you setting the standards too high?”

At the Swiss commander’s question, the Imperial Army officers shook their heads with firm faces.

“If a war breaks out, don’t even think about a short-term war. It will take longer than expected and consume more manpower than expected. In that case, those who can properly teach those who will be newly recruited are important.”

At the Imperial Army officers’ answer, the Swiss officers asked again with serious faces.

“Are you sure it will be a long-term war?”

“With a high probability.”

The Swiss officers had similar questions at the Imperial Army officers’ answer.

‘Right now, if we combine the forces of Florence, the Empire, and our Swiss, we have nearly 100,000 troops, and you’re saying it will be a long-term war? There are no countries that can mobilize nearly 100,000 troops?’

* * *

Similar stories were being told in the ambassador’s office as well.

“The Italians believe that the possibility of a long-term war is slim. Rather, they seem to think that our prediction that the possibility of a long-term war is high is a misjudgment.”

At Shin Suk-ju’s words, Yu Eung-bu shook his head slightly.

“I’m very worried that they don’t even think about alliances. If we’re not careful, our Empire may have to grab them by the collar and drag everything along. This is a big concern.”

At Yu Eung-bu’s words, the ambassadors and the Minister of Finance all nodded. No sooner had Yu Eung-bu finished speaking than Seong Sam-mun sighed and continued.

“Hoo~. It’s not like there weren’t examples of alliances in their history…”

At that, Shin Suk-ju raised an objection.

“Isn’t it because there are more examples of backstabbing than alliances?”

“Maybe…”

As the conversation continued, worrying about a partner who wasn’t thinking about a long-term war, Shin Suk-ju asked the Minister of Finance.

“When will you send the Imperial Army from Seoul? Even if we hire 100,000 Swiss mercenaries, we still need the Imperial Army. We can’t entrust the Empire’s military discipline to the mercenaries, can we?”

At Shin Suk-ju’s question, the Minister of Finance readily nodded and replied.

“That’s right. The Imperial Army must also be here. Not just instructors, but actual units must be here. That way, these Europeans won’t be able to misjudge.”

“So, when are they coming? Seoul knows the situation here, right? If we miss the opportunity, the Empire will suffer enormous losses.”

“They will be coming soon. But I don’t know the exact date either.”

“Why?”

“Seoul thinks there are too many rats in Florence.”

“But if we know when they’re coming, we can prepare accordingly here, right?”

At Shin Suk-ju’s protest, the Minister of Finance replied with a meaningful expression.

“The Imperial Military Band will arrive in Florence soon. And the Imperial Military Band will arrive in Florence and play the Imperial March within two months at the latest.”

Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]

Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]

BCJ, 블랙기업조선
Status: Completed Author: , Native Language: Korean
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[English Translation] Imagine a world where the brilliance of King Sejong the Great collides with the unbridled passion of a modern-day maniac obsessed with military strategy and steampunk innovation. Reborn as the king's son, our protagonist finds himself in the heart of Joseon, a land ripe for transformation. But progress comes at a price. Witness the dawn of a new era as the maniac-wise prince, alongside his father, pushes the boundaries of Joseon, sparking both innovation and exploitation. Prepare to be captivated by a dynasty on the brink, where the nights are illuminated not by stars, but by the relentless glow of overtime. Dive into a world of political intrigue, technological marvel, and the human cost of ambition. Will Joseon rise to unprecedented heights, or will it crumble under the weight of its own relentless drive? Discover the fate of the Black Corporation: Joseon.

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