Black Corporation: Joseon

At Lee Maeng-gyun’s words, Sejong, Hyang, and the ministers all nodded.

The locomotives that were operating or preparing to operate in Pyongyang, Gaeseong, Daegu, and Dongnae, starting from Hanseong, matched Emperor Xuande’s assessment.

However, the locomotives moving along the coast of Joseon were desirable enough in terms of speed and transport capacity.

Therefore, it was certain that Ming would demand them as tribute.

For this reason, Sejong and the ministers were convinced that Ming would definitely demand locomotives.

“The question is how many they’ll demand… In the current situation, we’re worried about meeting the quantity we need for ourselves.”

To the Minister of Land Development’s concern, Lee Maeng-gyun stepped forward to respond.

“Given the emperor’s disposition, the quantity to be offered as tribute won’t be much. With his nature, he’ll likely demand something else.”

“What do you mean by something else?”

To the Minister of Land Development’s question, this time Hwang Hui intervened.

“The blueprints.”

“Ah!”

At Hwang Hui’s answer, the Minister of Land Development exclaimed as if he had just realized.

Seeing the ministers’ reactions, Sejong spoke.

“Considering the emperor’s disposition that we’ve experienced so far, that’s the most likely possibility. He’s someone who has pride, self-esteem, a sense of responsibility, and distrust all in equal measure.”

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

All the ministers nodded at Sejong’s assessment.

***

Since Emperor Xuande ascended to the throne, Joseon had meticulously analyzed his every move.

-He has strong pride. He hates having to ask favors from others more than death itself.

-He is full of confidence that his empire is the best in the world.

-He is full of a sense of responsibility that as long as he sits on the emperor’s throne, he must make the empire more prosperous and powerful.

-He distrusts others except himself. This has been intensified through the numerous purges that have occurred and the recent great purge.

-As a result, he tends to trust our Joseon more, which openly negotiates with him.

Through such analysis, Sejong and the ministers had grasped Emperor Xuande’s disposition and expected that he would want blueprints rather than a large number of actual locomotives.

***

“What does the Crown Prince think?”

At Sejong’s question, Hyang answered without hesitation.

“I also think Father’s words are correct. The emperor I actually saw would demand minimal actual units and instead want the blueprints. If he receives actual units as tribute, just the return gifts alone could create a hole in Ming’s finances. But with blueprints, it wouldn’t be to that extent.”

At Hyang’s answer, Sejong glanced at Kim Jeom and nodded.

“That would be so.”

And Kim Jeom also nodded without realizing it.

***

Amusingly, the notorious reputation of Kim Jeom and the Ministry of Finance and Economy officials was famous not only in Joseon but also in Ming.

“In my day! To be called ‘someone who actually works,’ you had to bring back at least four times as much!”

Every time they had to calculate the scale of return gifts that the envoys should bring back, the Ministry of Finance and Economy officials had to listen to Kim Jeom’s words like this until their ears bled.

And the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials who went to Beijing as envoys had to engage in nerve-wracking mind games with Ming officials to achieve the results set by the Ministry of Finance and Economy.

Every time they returned with results far short of expectations, Kim Jeom would half-jokingly say to Lee Maeng-gyun:

“Why don’t we just send our kids?”

And every time they heard such words, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials had to endure relentless scolding that drained their blood.

***

Hyang’s words continued.

“And because of the problems with the new locomotives themselves, even if we wanted to give many, we can’t.”

“Problems with themselves?”

“There are no ships in Joseon that can carry the new locomotives in their completed state.”

“Is even a Challenger-class warship not enough?”

“We’d have to tear out all the bulkheads in the hold. And there’s also the issue of balance, so if we were to transport them by ship, we’d have to completely disassemble them and transport them as parts.”

“Very good.”

Sejong and Hyang both showed equally mischievous smiles. Seeing this, all the ministers inwardly exclaimed:

‘How wicked!’

While the smart and ill-tempered father and son were showing wicked smiles, Hwang Hui interjected into the conversation.

“Couldn’t they ask to send them by land?”

To Hwang Hui’s point, Hyang answered briefly.

“We can say we’ll send them when Ming lays railways passing through Liaodong and Liaoning to Beijing. Why should we spend money to lay railways when they make such a fuss even if we go just a little west of the Yalu River? Even if we say we’ll lay railways out of goodwill, they’re the kind who will foam at the mouth saying we have other intentions.”

“That’s true.”

At Hyang’s answer, Hwang Hui nodded without realizing it.

***

Ming and Joseon were engaged in a fierce, if subtle, competition for control over not only the Liaodong region, which was called Manchuria before Hyang’s intervention, but also the Liaoning region.

Of course, thanks to Hyang persuading Emperor Xuande, they were able to easily gain control of the area north of the Tumen River and the eastern region, and through the rebellions of Yi Man-ju and Muntumu, they were able to gain some control over the Baekdu Mountain and northern Yalu River regions. But that was it.

If Joseon extended its hand even a little to other regions, Ming would immediately send envoys to take issue.

“Why is Joseon coveting the territory of the Emperor?”

Every time this happened, Sejong had to persuade the envoys that there was absolutely no such intention, and he had to send a long letter of explanation to Emperor Xuande.

In the end, Ming’s intention was simple.

-We’ll turn a blind eye to the east where Joseon is advancing now because it’s far and there are many unexplored areas, but absolutely not for places that have already been developed!

Ming had no intention of giving up the most prime lands of Liaodong and Liaoning.

***

Hyang continued speaking.

“Considering courtesy towards the suzerain state, I think it’s best to offer two or three actual units as tribute, and send the rest as blueprints.”

At Hyang’s words, Kim Jeom spoke in a tone full of regret.

“Considering the cost, time, and effort we’ve invested so far, it’s truly regrettable to hand over the blueprints.”

To Kim Jeom’s words, Hyang replied with another wicked smile.

“That’s why we’re only handing over the blueprints. Just the blueprints.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

For a moment, Sejong and the ministers all wore expressions of incomprehension.

After thinking it over several times and still unable to understand what Hyang meant, Sejong had no choice but to ask Hyang.

“Crown Prince. Why is giving only the blueprints a clever plan?”

“Huh? Well, that’s…”

Hyang, who was about to speak as if Sejong’s reaction was rather strange, looked at the ministers and closed his mouth.

‘Oh my! There’s not a single science major here!’

Realizing again what the majors of the people filling Geunjeongjeon were, Hyang unconsciously let out a short sigh.

“Haa~”

‘What’s this? Somehow it feels unpleasant.’

‘This to his father…’

Seeing Sejong and the ministers who somehow felt offended, Hyang began to explain.

-The research institute and Area 51 created along with the reformation didn’t just produce strange devices.

-The research institute and Area 51 focused on developing technologies to make such devices, and technologies to make the materials that go into such devices.

-The knowledge accumulated in this process was documented as much as possible. And these documents were used as textbooks to educate young craftsmen.

-At the same time, not only the production of such devices, but also parts used in all aspects including construction and civil engineering works were standardized and regularized. This is the greatest achievement of the research institute and Area 51.

“…To give a simple example, now skilled Joseon craftsmen can roughly gauge what use and properties a ‘number so-and-so screw’ or ‘number so-and-so rivet’ has just by hearing those terms. That’s why this becomes the greatest achievement.”

At Hyang’s explanation, Sejong wore an expression of partial understanding and asked.

“I understand that the efforts of you and those working under you are remarkable. But I don’t understand why this means we should only hand over the blueprints?”

To Sejong’s question, Hyang explained again.

“Because we’ll really only hand over the blueprints. They’ll be able to know things like the thickness or length of the iron plates that make up the water tank and heating furnace, but we won’t hand over information on what the quality of that iron should be. Similarly, the number and position of rivets joining the iron plates will be in the blueprints, but we won’t hand over what specifications those rivets follow.”

“Ah…”

“I see…”

Only then could Sejong and the ministers understand what Hyang meant.

Hyang continued his explanation, still wearing a wicked smile.

“The iron used in this land of Joseon now, from the hoe in a farmer’s hand to the iron plates making up the body of a locomotive, has a quality that other countries can’t match. If they don’t know this and simply make it according to the blueprints with low-quality cast iron or steel, will it perform properly?”

To Hyang’s question, Sejong immediately answered.

“Of course not.”

“That’s right.”

Nodding at Sejong’s words, Hyang moistened his throat for a moment and continued his explanation.

“Moreover, given the emperor’s current disposition, he’ll struggle for at least a few years before demanding technology from us.”

At Hyang’s words, Hwang Hui nodded and continued.

“That’s right. Considering his pride and self-esteem… Ming’s craftsmen will struggle for at least 5 years.”

“I’m expecting about 10 years. And by that time, our Joseon’s technology will have advanced even further, and we can make all sorts of shows with technology that’s a step behind. Of course, staying ahead is a given. That’s why I’m saying we’ll only hand over the blueprints. Of course, some seasoning will need to be sprinkled so they don’t know our true intentions.”

“Whew~”

Unconsciously exhaling at Hyang’s words, Sejong sincerely asked Hyang.

“Crown Prince, just how many moves ahead have you thought?”

“I learned it from history.”

Hyang answered simply, continuing inwardly.

‘From 20th-century history.’

Hyang didn’t mention that it was a method used by advanced countries like the United States and Japan on Korea.

***

‘Only hand over the blueprints.’

Sejong and the ministers, who at first didn’t understand what Hyang meant by these words, all nodded when Hyang’s explanation ended.

“The Crown Prince’s plan seems to be the best.”

“Indeed it is.”

“It’s truly an ingenious and deadly move.”

Seeing that all the ministers also showed agreement, Sejong looked at Lee Maeng-gyun.

“Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will go to Beijing personally to handle this.”

“I’m counting on you. You are the most suitable person to handle this flexibly, discerning the order and importance of matters.”

“I will do my best. At the very least, I won’t be the first to bring it up.”

At Lee Maeng-gyun’s answer, Sejong smiled warmly, seemingly satisfied.

“I’ll trust in the minister. Then let’s discuss the next agenda.”

***

After the meeting ended that day, the ministers gathered again in the Prime Minister’s conference room.

In the process of reviewing what happened that day, Hyang’s solution was by far the most talked-about topic.

“He’s truly remarkable.”

“Indeed. He’s certainly worthy of succeeding His Majesty.”

Amidst a stream of praises from ministers marveling at Hyang’s wisdom, Jo Mal-saeng grumbled.

“I should tell my children and grandchildren not to enter government service. It’s clear what kind of fate awaits officials when such a Crown Prince ascends to the throne.”

While the ministers nodded silently, seemingly agreeing strongly with Jo Mal-saeng’s words, inwardly they were saying different things.

‘As if!’