Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 994

994. The Madman with Clear Eyes (19)

The new power engine was attracting attention from many quarters. However, like its obvious advantages, it also had clear disadvantages.

“The efficiency isn’t much better than a steam engine, and, above all, the maintenance is a nightmare!”

“There are still too many shortcomings to make it practical right now!”

As criticisms mounted, more and more entities abandoned the new power engine. The Imperial Army and the Imperial Navy were the most prominent among these.

“We considered using it for assault vehicles and tractors, but it’s simply not feasible.”

“We thought about incorporating it into newly built battleships, but it’s just not working out.”

To generate sufficient power to move assault vehicles and battleships, the new engine needed to be about the same size as existing steam engines, or even larger, while requiring more manpower and time for upkeep. Consequently, the Imperial Army and Navy decided against adopting the new power engine. Instead, they expressed interest in fuel oil.

“Even when coal is stacked neatly in storage, there’s still wasted space. But with oil fuel, we can maximize the storage capacity.”

“The energy density is definitely higher than coal. This means we can travel further and operate more extensively with the same volume.”

“We’ll need to modify the coal storage and steam engine components of the assault vehicles, tractors, and battleships, but it’ll still be cheaper than installing a completely new power engine.”

As interest in both the new power engine and fuel oil grew, people began to take action. These individuals largely fell into two groups: those interested in oil extraction and those interested in the engine itself.

“The Imperial Army, a major player, is starting to use it. And if it’s fuel for steam engines, it can be used as fuel elsewhere too!”

Those who reached this conclusion began to explore Bukji and Shinji. They initially focused on the Heilongjiang area and the Meshika area, where oil was first discovered. People who obtained mining permits in the vicinity of the initial oil discovery began to explore diligently.

Around them, dispatched officials monitored their exploration activities. This was to ensure that the exploration process didn’t negatively impact water sources and that drilled boreholes were properly backfilled. If things went wrong, nearby residents would suffer from problems with their drinking and irrigation water.

This oversight unexpectedly created income opportunities for some: specialists in locating water veins and digging wells. Their skills and tools for finding underground water and digging wells were also valuable for oil exploration. Furthermore, they could quickly address any water-related problems that arose.

Consequently, competition arose to hire skilled well diggers, allowing them to command higher wages than usual.

“Oh? So oil is actually worth something?”

“Then I…”

As time passed, some well diggers even directly contracted with investors (wealthy patrons) and embarked on exploration ventures themselves. Oil exploration wasn’t the only activity that surged. Some individuals began paying royalties to the Imperial government, acquiring refining technology, and entering the oil refining business.

This was because they could secure a substantial market for heating and cooking fuel, as well as fuel for lamps. Hyang and Hyeon also capitalized on this opportunity.

They adapted the principle of the blast furnace used in the new power engine’s heating component to create and sell their own blast furnaces. This became a huge success, and various related products also began to sell rapidly. The first popular item was the blast furnace wick. Originally, fiberglass wicks were intended, but due to technological limitations, they produced and sold wicks made of durable cotton fabric. These had a shorter lifespan and needed to be replaced regularly.

Next, steel cans for storing and transporting furnace oil and corrugated tubes that used siphon action to transfer oil from the can to the blast furnace became popular. The profits from these sales enriched the Imperial family, including Hyang and Hyeon. Of course, even the Emperor couldn’t avoid taxes, so tax consultants hired by the Imperial family, including Hyang and Hyeon, were kept busy. Hyang clicked his tongue every time he reviewed the consultants’ reports.

“I was the one who insisted on abolishing the Imperial family’s tax exemption privileges and enshrining it in the ultra-law [a fundamental law], but it’s still a bit regrettable. But it was necessary to preserve the position of Emperor and the Imperial family for even one more year.”

In the 21st century, tax exemption privileges were a common criticism leveled against royal and imperial families worldwide. Therefore, Hyang had abolished the tax exemption privileges of the Imperial family, including the Emperor.

-If the Emperor and the people are equally subject to taxes, the people will be less likely to resent the Emperor and the Imperial family.

-The less the people resent, the longer the Emperor and the Imperial family can endure.

This was his reasoning. If those who focused on the new fuel, oil, formed one axis, the other axis consisted of those interested in the ‘new power engine’ itself.

“You can create an engine that generates power without using steam? Then…”

People who recognized the potential of a ‘new power engine’ in the ‘Stirling engine’ proposed by Hyang soon immersed themselves in research. In research institutes, rural blacksmith shops and workshops, and Area 51 workshops, many people unleashed all sorts of bizarre imaginations. Whenever Hyang saw people conducting research in Area 51, he forcibly turned his head and muttered inwardly.

‘Argh! My mouth is itching to tell them everything!’

However, Hyang had to resist the urge to intervene with superhuman effort.

“To grasp the concept of an internal combustion engine, you need to understand oxidation, symbolized by combustion, and the existence of oxygen. If I reveal this, I’ll truly become an ‘alien’ [someone out of place or time]. Fortunately, the chemical research department at the research institute seems to be catching on, so I just need to be patient a little longer.”

The research institute, which had been operating since Sejong’s promotion of Gyeongjang [a period of reform], was finally producing results little by little. If someone could synthesize these results effectively, chemistry would experience explosive growth.

* * *

While Hyang indulged in his hobby at headquarters, Wan in Shinji was slowly beginning to take action.

“Hmm… The administration of Shinji is now on track to some extent.”

Shinji’s territory continued to expand, but its governance remained stable. This was due to the fundamental rule established during Sejong’s time.

-If you abide by Imperial law and pay the prescribed taxes diligently, you are an Imperial citizen.

-As an Imperial citizen, there is no ‘legal’ discrimination.

-However, if you engage in acts such as cannibalism or human sacrifice, you will cease to exist in this world.

Thanks to these conditions, the resistance from the natives within the Imperial territory was minimal. If they obeyed Imperial law, paid taxes, and refrained from cannibalism or human sacrifice, they could continue living as they always had. However, the Empire’s ‘Imperialization’ process was gradually exerting its influence.

This ‘Imperialization’ combined the ‘Monopoly Office’ and ‘Samin Academy’ [educational institution], both boasting long histories and traditions, with the Imperial Court and the military. Ultimately, it promoted the Empire’s unique values: ‘The better a person works, the better they are fed, the better they are clothed, and the harder they are worked to death.’

Those who encountered new cultures at the Monopoly Office were naturally assimilated into the Imperial economy. Furthermore, by learning the Empire’s knowledge at the Samin Academy, they were transformed into ‘ambitious Imperial citizens’. The desire for upward mobility was universal, even among the natives.

As a result, many natives left their hometowns and went to cities with higher education institutions or joined the military. By obtaining higher education and becoming Imperial officials governing Shinji through the civil service examination, or by becoming Imperial soldiers, the natives became ‘loyal Imperial citizens’.

Whenever these individuals returned home in triumph, more and more natives began to follow similar paths. In other words, the natives were sharing in the power and benefits of the Empire, preventing the seeds of discord from taking root. With Hyang and Wan properly guiding the process based on the framework established by Sejong, Shinji was on a stable course. Consequently, Wan began to write a letter to Hyang.

“The person who used to preach ‘commercial ethics’ all the time… Tsk!”

Wan grumbled as he wrote the letter, then handed it to a eunuch and instructed:

“Send it to Seoul as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

* * *

“This is…”

Hyang smiled wryly as he received and read Wan’s letter, which had been sent via an urgent liaison ship rather than a regular one. The core message of Wan’s letter, stripped of all the flowery language and etiquette, was as follows:

-Please maintain some commercial ethics.

“Well, I have no defense… Tsk!”

Hyang lightly clicked his tongue and began to write an outflow request to be submitted to Hyeon. Hyeon, upon receiving Hyang’s request, smiled wryly, just like Hyang.

“As expected, he was destined to receive the Grand Emperor…”

According to the regular reports he received, Shinji was being governed stably. But suddenly, Wan’s private letter arrived via urgent liaison ship? Hyeon handed the envelope containing the private letter to a eunuch without even opening it.

“Have it delivered to the Grand Emperor of Sugang Palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

And what emerged from Sugang Palace was an outflow request.

“Let’s see… It’s all related to the new power engine. Hmm…”

Hyeon nodded as he briefly examined the list.

“As expected, it’s the flying machine…”

Hyeon, knowing Wan’s long-standing obsession with flying machines, nodded and glanced in the direction of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“I need to hand it over quickly too…”

At the same time, Woo, who was composing musical ideas in front of his harpsichord, suddenly shivered.

“Why do I suddenly have chills…”

* * *

Thanks to Hyeon’s prompt approval, prototypes and blueprints of large and small new power engines, along with supplementary documents, were loaded onto the urgent liaison ship preparing to return. Wan, receiving what he wanted faster than usual, ordered the eunuchs and officials:

“If anything happens, contact Area 52 immediately!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The eunuchs and officials who escorted Wan, who mounted his iron horse [motorcycle] and disappeared into Area 52 as soon as he heard the response, sighed deeply.

“Hoo~. The good times are over…”

Meanwhile, Wan, arriving at Area 52 without delay, immediately asked:

“Is the framework of the new flying machine complete?”

“Yes!”

“Did it succeed?”

“It was successful!”

“Let’s see it!”

“This way!”

In the place where the artisans led him, a flying machine with a novel appearance stood. The artisans smiled with satisfaction as they presented the flying machine with a pair of wings above and below.

“Is it a biplane instead of a monoplane?”

“That’s right. If we made it a monoplane, the wings would be too large, and we couldn’t guarantee the durability of such large wings.”

“Hmm… I see. So you divided one large wing into two and overlapped them vertically?”

“That’s right.”

“So that’s why you said it was successful? Good. Good.”

Satisfied with the result, Wan pointed to the new power engine that had been unloaded from the train.

“This is the new heart that will power that flying machine.”

“Ooh!”