Black Corporation: Joseon

When the Joseon people in the area heard that rumors were circulating among the Jurchen tribes that the locomotive and the long string of passenger and freight cars behind it were dragons in disguise, their reactions were all similar.

“Well, that’s possible…”

“How amazed were we when we first saw the locomotive?”

“Just thinking about being treated like a country bumpkin because of the locomotive when I went on a business trip to Hanseong still makes me bolt upright in bed.”

While everyone seemed to brush it off as insignificant, Choi Yoon-deok gave orders with a serious face.

“Whenever you hear such rumors, make sure to clearly inform them that the locomotive was made by the Crown Prince and craftsmen under the orders of His Majesty the King. It’s dangerous to dismiss this as merely ‘the behavior of country bumpkins’.”

“Aren’t you being too sensitive, sir?”

To his subordinates’ words, Choi Yoon-deok shook his head.

“We could dismiss it as foolish behavior of those with limited knowledge and laugh it off. But ‘dragon’ was mentioned. If we’re not careful, the suzerain state might take issue with this. So, we need to prepare in advance.”

At Choi Yoon-deok’s words, his subordinates immediately bowed their heads.

“We were inexperienced, sir!”

“We will immediately carry out your orders, General!”

“We’ll beat understanding into those who don’t get it if we have to!”

At the last response, Choi Yoon-deok shook his head again.

“Violence won’t do. If we’re not careful, the ties we’ve painstakingly established could be severed. What we need now is the excuse that we thoroughly explained things to them.”

“Understood, General.”

“We will act accordingly.”

As they left Choi Yoon-deok’s office, the subordinate officers shook their heads lightly and marveled.

“As expected of the General.”

“Is this the level of thinking required to command half of the north?”

“Indeed, they say he’s a strong candidate for the next Chief of Staff…”

“Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with what the General said, so let’s quickly act on it.”

“Let’s do that.”

“Then, take care.”

“You too.”

The officers exchanged light hand gestures and mounted their horses to return to their respective units.

As a side note, scholars studying the “Great Leap Period” later evaluated it like this:

-Not only were the monarchs who led the golden age called the Great Leap Period extraordinary individuals, but those who handled the practical affairs under them were also not ordinary people. If the abilities of those in charge of practical affairs had been mediocre or incompetent, the brilliance of the Great Leap Period would have been absolutely impossible.

And Choi Yoon-deok was one of those outstanding servants.

***

In any case, while the Joseon people diligently explained that the locomotive was a man-made object, the Jurchen people instead distrusted these words of the Joseon people.

“Hmph! You’re saying that’s possible by human hands? Say something believable, and we’ll believe you!”

“But looking at the number of locomotives running around now… Were there that many dragons?”

“Dragons are divine beasts. Since ancient times, it’s been said that no one knows how many divine beasts there are. And is there a law stating how many dragons there should be?”

“That’s true, but…”

“And can’t a divine beast that uses transformation magic use clone magic too?”

The Jurchen people claiming that the locomotive was a dragon in disguise raised their voices even more, pointing at the railway.

“And look at that iron path! Would they lay down such precious iron for a mere human-made object to travel on?”

For the Jurchen people, or more precisely, for people in Northeast Asia excluding Joseon, properly refined iron was a very expensive commodity.

Not only in the areas where the Jurchen tribes lived but also in many regions of Ming China and Japan, people still farmed with wooden plows and agricultural tools. Things like axes and saws were so expensive that it was common for several people to share them.

Therefore, the railway, laid with tracks made of this expensive iron stretched out like taffy, looked sacred in itself.

The arguments of those claiming ‘locomotive = dragon’ continued.

“And did you see the ritual performed before that iron path was laid and the dragon lord started traveling? All the high-ranking Joseon people in this area gathered to perform the ritual, didn’t they? Are you saying that something that travels on a path where such an elaborate ritual was performed is man-made? Say something believable.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Oh! Hey, you dense human! Look at the goods piled up in the government stores! Things we’ve never easily seen before are piled up like mountains! What was the Joseon we knew like? It wasn’t a country wealthy enough for such goods to be common! And suddenly, in just a few years, it changed like this? Do you think that’s possible by human power alone? It’s possible because the dragons helped! It would be absolutely impossible without the dragons’ help!”

Even the Jurchen people who had been opposing nodded at the mention of the ‘government stores’.

From their perspective, the government stores were full of items they desperately needed. Even if they couldn’t get items at the right time, the empty spaces would be neatly filled again in a few days.

Considering the Joseon they knew before, this was absolutely impossible.

The Jurchen people nodding their heads then muttered quietly.

“Then, the king of Joseon who received such help from the dragons and even commanded dragons using transformation magic to carry cargo and people…”

“Must be an incredibly great man!”

“Then, wouldn’t it be better to submit to Joseon?”

“Huh?”

“What?”

The Jurchen people who had been arguing back and forth muttered with even more serious faces.

“Submission…”

While ordinary Jurchen people were discussing the topic of ‘locomotive = dragon’, the tribal chiefs and elders were also debating the same subject.

“The nonsensical talk of ‘dragons transforming into locomotives’ can be laughed off, but we should seriously discuss the matter of ‘submission’.”

At the tribal chief’s words, the elders nodded.

“Now that those iron paths have been laid, this land has become Joseon’s territory. Looking at the situation, submission seems to be the best option.”

“Although we can use the government stores now, our tribe members are wanting more and more. For example, things like the Commoner’s School.”

“The Commoner’s School…”

When one elder mentioned the Commoner’s School, the tribal chief and other elders nodded.

***

The railway from Nokdundo Island to Dongbyeong Harbor was not a direct line.

Stations were created at intervals to set up government stores to deal with the Jurchen tribes in charge of guarding the railway, as well as for Joseon military guards and merchants wanting to trade with the Jurchen people.

Among these stations, some had settlements of submitted Jurchen people from Hamgil Province and Joseon people. And in these settlements, Commoner’s Schools and medical clinics were always established.

Therefore, residents of the Udiha (Wudiha) tribe who visited these settlements, as well as Nokdundo Island and Dongbyeong Harbor, became increasingly envious.

While they and their families were fighting for survival every day, the residents of the settlements were living for tomorrow.

The thought of forcibly taking what the settlement residents had was immediately extinguished by the fierce glares of the Joseon military guarding the settlements.

Eventually, the Jurchen people of the Udiha, who had seen a life that was not abundant but had almost no lack and could prepare for the future, began to seriously consider submission.

***

In the end, most of the Jurchen tribes guarding the railway decided to submit to Joseon.

Rumors that so many tribes were preparing to submit to Joseon also reached other tribes living in deeper areas.

In tribes that heard the news through Jurchen people coming and going for trade in necessities, fierce debates broke out among the tribe members.

“Dragons transforming? That’s nonsense!”

“What kind of animal is a dragon to pull carts like horses and cattle!”

“Let’s see it with our own eyes!”

“Yeah!”

The Jurchen people who secretly arrived at the railway were shocked to see the locomotives running on the tracks with loud whistle sounds.

Whoo-whoo~

“Oh my goodness!”

“Oh, Forest God!”

“Namu Amitabha Buddha! Namu Amitabha Buddha!”

The Jurchen people who returned to their tribes in a daze after seeing the locomotive strongly advocated for submission.

-That locomotive is definitely a transformed dragon!

-Look at the villages along the path where that locomotive runs! They overflow with abundance!

-Such abundance is due to the dragon’s blessing! Joseon is an auspicious country protected by dragons!

-Let’s submit to Joseon and ask them to lay the dragon’s path for us too!

“Wouldn’t it be better to bring that dragon to us rather than submitting?”

To the arguments of the opposition who suggested bringing the locomotive instead of submitting, those in favor of submission snorted and retorted:

“Hmph! Do you think you can win against those guarding the dragon’s path and the Joseon military? And even if you win, how will you bring it? It’s a divine beast, are you going to tie it up with ropes like cattle and drag it here?”

“If we sincerely perform rituals to heaven…”

“What, are you going to perform a rain ritual?”

“…”

Eventually, ‘submission to Joseon’ became the dominant opinion, and many tribal chiefs headed to Nokdundo Island with their tribal symbols and treasured swords.

The Jurchen tribal chiefs who arrived at Nokdundo Island presented their tribal emblems and treasured swords to Choi Yoon-deok, declaring their submission.

“…In exchange, lay the dragon’s path for our tribe too!”

***

“…Thus, the Jurchen tribes who misunderstood the railway as the ‘dragon’s path’ have submitted, asking for the dragon’s path to be laid in exchange.”

A few days later, Hwang Hui, having received a more detailed explanation from Choi Yoon-deok, explained the whole story to Sejong.

“Hmm…”

Sejong, making a small nasal sound and tapping the armrest with his finger, looked at Hyang, who was present in Geunjeongjeon after a long time.

‘This guy always shows up at times like this!’

Glaring at Hyang, who was in Geunjeongjeon upon hearing that another report had come from Choi Yoon-deok about the ‘dragon’s path’, Sejong opened his mouth.

“Crown Prince, what do you think we should do?”

At Sejong’s words, Hyang, who had been pondering for a moment, soon spoke.

“If they want to submit, shouldn’t we accept them as a matter of course?”

“What about the dragon’s path, I mean, the railway?”

“They’ve created a very good excuse for us, so what’s there to worry about?”

“A good excuse?”

Sejong tilted his head for a moment, but soon grasped the meaning and burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! I see! Being the ‘dragon’s path’, it’s an auspicious thing that can’t be laid just anywhere! It would be proper for them to come near the dragon’s path! What an excellent answer to a foolish question! Hahaha!”

The ministers, alternately looking at Sejong laughing heartily with tears in his eyes and Hyang maintaining an expression as if it were nothing, grumbled inwardly.

‘Here they go again! Asking and answering among themselves!’

‘At least this time, His Majesty explained it, so is that fortunate?’

“Haa~”

With a light sigh, Sejong wiped the tears from his eyes and ordered Hwang Hui.

“Command General Choi Yoon-deok thus: ‘Welcome and support the submitting Jurchen people, but answer about the railway issue as the Crown Prince said.'”

“It’s a clear decision. And how about sending an envoy to Beijing?”

At Hwang Hui’s words, Sejong immediately became serious and nodded.

“I had the same thought. Discuss with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and organize an envoy to send to Beijing. Given the nature of the matter, it would be good for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to go in person this time as well.”

As he was mentioned, Lee Maeng-gyun stepped forward and spoke.

“Indeed, that is so. Considering the danger of the word ‘dragon’, it would be best to go to Beijing as soon as possible to explain. However…”

Pausing for a moment to organize his thoughts, Lee Maeng-gyun soon continued.

“The problem is that there’s a very high possibility that Beijing will demand locomotives. When the locomotive first appeared and moved in Hanseong, there was an opinion to receive it as tribute. But the emperor rejected it, saying it was ‘still immature’.”

At Lee Maeng-gyun’s words, Sejong nodded.

“I remember receiving that report.”

“The problem is that the locomotives running on the railways now have moved beyond immaturity. They will certainly bring it up.”