There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 7

Although I don’t have in-depth knowledge of history, my profession has given me some familiarity with military affairs.

To be precise, I became interested thanks to the guys who were making AKs [Avtomat Kalashnikova, a type of assault rifle] in the smithy.

‘If it’s a matchlock musket, I roughly know its structure.’

I muttered to myself as I headed to the Military Arms Office.

The Military Arms Office was the government agency in charge of manufacturing weapons during this era.

Currently, the only people in Joseon [historical Korean kingdom] who have handled firearms are probably those in the Military Arms Office.

It was only natural that I would commission the production of the matchlock to this place.

I handed a piece of paper I had been writing on all night to the officials and blacksmiths who were called before me and were just standing there blankly.

“What is this?”

“It’s a new weapon called a matchlock. You guys know the principle of cannons, right?”

“Of course. Would a man working in the Military Arms Office not know that?”

The blacksmiths looked at each other and laughed.

“Think of it as reducing that cannon to a size that one person can use. You fill this muzzle with gunpowder and bullets…”

I explained the principle and specifications of the matchlock in detail.

I had written it down in the blueprint as well, but just in case.

The official glanced at it and wore a troubled expression.

“Since His Highness the Grand Prince has made a special request, I would very much like to grant it, but there seem to be state affairs… and also the budget…”

“Do you see that?”

I pointed to the piles of silk stacked in the back.

“I don’t care how much it costs, make the item within a month! If the job is successful, I will reward you handsomely!”

I was serious.

Although I blurted it out impulsively, it’s my monumental first invention.

If it succeeds, I was planning to spend money generously.

The faces of the official and blacksmiths brightened at my words.

And 2 weeks later.

Having received word that the item was already completed, I personally went to the Military Arms Office.

I also brought the silk to give to the blacksmiths.

The Military Arms Office blacksmiths were all gathered before I arrived.

‘Power is good.’

“It’s already completed?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The oldest-looking among the blacksmiths said.

The official I had met last time was nowhere to be seen, so I wondered if something had happened, but well, it didn’t matter.

“Present the item.”

At my command, he carefully held up a box.

Nobun took it and presented it to me.

‘I thought there would be trial and error before the finished product came out.’

Is Joseon’s technology more superior than I thought?

Thinking that, I opened the box that Nobun was holding.

A bronze body that looked to be about 50 or 60cm.

And a wooden handle that seemed to be for combination.

It was completely different from what I had ordered.

I muttered in bewilderment.

‘This is a Seungja Chongtong [a type of Korean hand cannon].’

What the hell!

The result of making it for 2 weeks is this.

I was angry and pressed the blacksmiths.

“Did you refer to my blueprint?”

“……”

The blacksmiths only looked at each other, hesitating.

I even gave a detailed explanation, but the item that came out was like this.

The Seungja Chongtong itself is the most advanced form of a hand cannon, so it would be useful in this era, but that’s not what I wanted.

A heavy atmosphere flowed.

“That, that is.”

A young blacksmith stepped forward, unable to bear the atmosphere.

“The Chief said that there was no need to refer to the blueprint and ordered us to make it like this.”

“What?”

The Chief can’t be referring to a housewife.

The official who came last time and took the blueprint, is it that guy?

“Where is that guy?”

“He went on a business trip to Hanyang [old name for Seoul] a while ago.”

“Ha.”

Damn it, he dared to pour dirt on my work and get away with it?

‘I’ll get him as soon as he comes back.’

“Did you hear why that guy disobeyed my orders?”

“That, that is.”

The blacksmith seemed unable to say it, so I pressed him further.

“Tell me whatever you heard. I won’t blame you.”

“He, he said that His Highness the Grand Prince wouldn’t know anything about cannons… and just wanted to see a cannon that a person could carry around.”

“And.”

“He said that even if we made it according to the blueprint, it wouldn’t work properly, so he told us to make it like this…”

So he thought it was just a rich kid’s prank of assembling a few Lego blocks and calling it a new weapon?

So he made something that would only be satisfactory in appearance.

I was dumbfounded by the Chief, but I was also angry at the blacksmiths who followed his words.

‘It’s probably because I haven’t gained their trust yet.’

How much did I curse at superiors who didn’t know the field in my past life?

I must look the same in their eyes.

“First, get rid of this trash, no, this Seungja Chongtong. From now on, we will make a new matchlock.”

I have to supervise it myself, I shouldn’t just leave it to them and do nothing.

As I picked up the hammer myself, Nobun was surprised and snatched the hammer away.

“Your Highness, how can you personally do the lowly work of a blacksmith?”

“Lowly work! Is there a separate noble and lowly work under the heavens! Was there a distinction between the four classes when the world first opened?”

‘You’re talking like an engineer who’s pissed off.’

“Your Highness…”

The blacksmiths looked at me and muttered.

Something like a wave of emotion seemed to be flowing over their faces.

“Your Highness, the work of the Military Arms Office is extremely dangerous because it involves handling iron and gunpowder. Please trust us one more time and leave it to us!”

The old blacksmith knelt down and shouted.

Then the blacksmiths standing behind him knelt down in a row.

“We have committed a sin with shallow thoughts! This time, we will follow Your Highness’s orders exactly, so please trust us one more time!”

“……Hmm.”

I crossed my arms and pondered.

I don’t trust these guys, but they must have come to their senses since I got this angry.

“Okay, I’ll trust you one more time.”

===

-Clang, clang, clang!

Deokman, the most senior member of the Military Arms Office, hammered the red-hot iron with dark circles under his eyes.

He was struggling to cope with the additional task of carrying out the Grand Prince’s special order on top of his existing duties, but he was enduring it with grit.

In fact, the Grand Prince has no authority to interfere with the Military Arms Office, so in principle, there is no need to grant such private requests.

However, Deokman did not want to break his promise with the Grand Prince.

It wasn’t just because of the silk promised as a reward.

Deokman did not like his job.

Although he was a blacksmith belonging to the Military Arms Office, it was in reality a compulsory service that bound his family.

If he could, he wanted to quit everything and till the land.

– Lowly work! Is there a separate noble and lowly work under the heavens!

However, the prince, who is the next highest after the king, said so.

Not only that, but he even tried to grab the hammer and hammer the iron himself.

The Grand Prince was trying to do the work that he hated so much.

“It seems like a wise ruler has been born.”

The young blacksmith asked at Deokman’s words.

“A wise ruler?”

“A wise ruler who tries to be benevolent to people like us. Well, I’ve lived long enough to see this.”

He had seen many kings from afar since the Goryeo Dynasty [Korean kingdom, 918-1392], but this was the first time someone had said such words to them.

Deokman’s eyes were red, perhaps because of the heat of the bellows.

“His skills are also considerable, aren’t they?”

The Grand Prince gave up his ambition to make the matchlock himself, but he didn’t completely lose interest.

He visits the Military Arms Office frequently and is ‘pecking’ at them.

He pointed out that this joint was not properly made, and that the value was wrong.

“The Grand Prince is no ordinary person even though he is young.”

“Most people become like mice in front of a cat when they stand before him.”

The blacksmiths exchanged such stories.

Before long, the existence of Grand Prince Yi Je had become greatly imprinted in the minds of the Military Arms Office blacksmiths.

===

“How is it?”

The old blacksmith, whose name was Deokman, asked.

I, who was shouldering the matchlock, sighed deeply.

‘Whew, that was close.’

But for now, it was a success.

I gave Deokman a thumbs up.

“Waaah!”

“Hooray!”

At my signal, the blacksmiths hugged each other and made a fuss.

‘Is this something to be so happy about?’

I risked my life because I had a bet with Yi Seong-gye [founder and first king of the Joseon dynasty], but these people honestly have nothing to do with it.

‘Anyway, it’s complete.’

I thought as I put down the matchlock.

‘It’s my victory, Retired King.’

“Hehehe……”

I’m already looking forward to seeing Yi Seong-gye’s flustered face.

I rubbed my hands together and smiled evilly.

Nobun flinched at the sight, but said nothing.

===

– Swoosh!

The arrow headed into the sky and pierced the head of a crow flying by in an instant.

The crow, which had been deprived of its life in an instant, fell to the ground.

“Heok!”

The eunuch who approached to pick up the crow gasped.

There were not one but two crows that had fallen.

“The Retired King has shot down two birds with one arrow!”

It was an absurd feat, but everyone understood because of who shot it.

That’s because it was the first time in a long time that Yi Seong-gye had personally shown off his archery skills.

“How is it?”

“Indeed, you are a master archer, Your Majesty the Retired King!”

Although he has no real power, it would be strange if the vassals did not flatter him as the Retired King.

But this was pure admiration for the divine archer.

This place was a large open space in Gaegyeong [capital of Goryeo dynasty].

It was a place to show Yi Seong-gye, Yi Bang-won [Yi Seong-gye’s son], and the vassals the first demonstration of the new weapon.

Before it had even started, Yi Seong-gye was shooting arrows several times, perhaps to dampen my spirit.

He was showing off his divine skills by shooting pine cones 150 paces away and piercing two birds at once.

“How is it?”

Yi Seong-gye looked at me and teased me.

‘Does he mean that if I can’t surpass this, I should admit defeat?’

Yi Seong-gye’s expression was triumphant.

I could feel the pride of a man who had conquered the country with a bow.

In short, archery pride.

“Now, it’s time to demonstrate the new weapon! Your Majesty the Retired King, please come here and watch together.”

Father, Yi Bang-won shouted loudly.

Only then did Yi Seong-gye become sullen and sit down in the seat next to Yi Bang-won.

I stood in front of the immature grandfather and the father with shining eyes and explained.

“This weapon is named Matchlock, meaning that it can also catch flying birds. Conceptually, it is easier to understand as a personal hand cannon.

It can accurately hit an enemy at a distance of about 40 to 50 paces, and can kill an enemy up to about 170 paces.”

However, the faces of Yi Seong-gye and the vassals were not very interested, and my father even looked embarrassed.

“Then, Grand Prince, doesn’t it have any advantages over a bow? It uses expensive gunpowder, but it doesn’t even have the range of a bow?”

“I expected it because you made a big noise, but is this all it is?”

‘Is this all it is.’

I wonder if they can still say that after seeing the demonstration.

I gestured to Nobun, who was standing next to me.

Then Nobun hurriedly began to load the gun.

Nobun, who had been rolling under me for several days and receiving crash courses because there was no one else easy to use, was the one I had singled out.

In the process, he said things like ‘Why do I have to do this,’ but when I brought up his original sin, he quietly shut up.

‘Don’t mess with me, Nobun. If you mess with me, you’re dead.’

“Aim!”

Nobun, who had finished loading, put the buttstock on his shoulder and aimed at the armor placed far away.

“Fire!”

End

ⓒ Pitkong