Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 304

Episode 304: The road to the land of flowers. (1)

By the time Mansour and Oh Ha-seok, who had anchored in Suez, were embarking on their journey to Alexandria, the entire city of Alexandria was shaking little by little.

“Is it time for the top to come from Aden?”

“Isn’t it a little late this year?”

The residents of Alexandria looked at the southern gate and whispered.

“What should we bring from the land of flowers this time?”

Meanwhile, Arab and European merchants based in Alexandria waited in a tense state for Mansur’s arrival.

“You have prepared the funds properly, right?”

“yes!”

“Is the safe strong?”

“yes! “We even have strong guards!”

“I repeat, this is war! “Don’t forget that your one-year profit will depend on how many products you purchase from the ‘Land of Flowers’!”

“ancient!”

As Arab and European merchants prepared for the ‘War of Money,’ thieves and con artists flocked to Alexandria, looking for the money they had accumulated.

As security became turbulent due to these thieves and fraudsters, the officials of Alexandria drew a mixture of joy and sorrow.

Merchants from nearby Arab countries, merchants from across the Mediterranean, as well as merchants from as far away as Die Hanse came to seek goods from the ‘Land of Flowers’.

As these merchants and their entourages flocked to stay there, Alexandria’s economy began to enjoy a tremendous boom.

However, as thieves, fraudsters, and other violent criminals flocked to the area seeking the wealth of these merchants, great efforts had to be made to maintain public order.

However, since the benefits clearly outweighed the losses, the officials of Alexandria also looked forward to the day when the top prize that went to the ‘Land of Flowers’ would arrive.

But this year, things were a little strange.

Even though more than a month had passed since it was supposed to come, it still hadn’t arrived.

It was definitely strange compared to the past, when it was never late for more than 15 days.

“What accident happened?”

“Maybe…”

Sailing on the ocean meant that you could lose your life at any time.

Therefore, as a month passed, the excited atmosphere began to subside little by little.

“Should I prepare to go back?”

While merchants from other places were shaking their butts little by little, foreigners from all over the world flocked from Suez.

After unwrapping the note hanging from the bridge of Jeon Seo-gu and checking its contents, the employees ran straight to the merchant owners.

“came! came! “The merchant ships have arrived at Suez!”

“Oh oh! okay!”

“The ship from the ‘Land of Flowers’ also came there!”

“what!”

The news that arrived from all over the world quickly spread throughout Alexandria.

“The ship has arrived in Suez!”

“You’re finally here!”

The small merchants who were waiting for the goods that sailors or small merchants from the upper tier would personally bring and sell, and the merchants who had prepared to sell the products needed in Joseon, all cheered with bright faces.

The excited citizens became even more excited about the news that followed.

“The ship from the Land of Flowers has come together!”

“I heard there was a lot of luggage unloaded from the ship in the Land of Flowers!”

The citizens of Alexandria literally ‘boiled’ at the rumor that spread so quickly.

A country in the East where the legendary ‘Kitai’ is located.

A country that produces all kinds of items, from rare and expensive items only for kings and nobles to incredibly useful items that everyone loves.

People came directly from the country in the East, better known as the ‘Land of Flowers’ thanks to the flower patterns stamped on the boxes in which the goods were packed.

This was a huge topic.

Upon hearing the news that the Koreans were coming together, influential figures in Alexandria met.

“We must protect those who come from far away!”

“That’s right! It would be a big problem if they were to be harmed by thieves! “The future could go wrong!”

Influential figures, worried that thieves would give the wrong impression and lose a great opportunity, went to city hall and persuaded the mayor.

“We must send out troops to protect them!”

“Send the troops immediately!”

The mayor responded to the criticism of influential figures by shaking his head.

“I understand, I understand. “I will send out troops immediately.”

As soon as daybreak the next morning, a sizable cavalry force passed through the gates and rode south.

Some people were worried that their paths would diverge, but those who were knowledgeable had no such worries.

This was because a significant portion of the road network created during the old Roman Empire still remained, and in the desert, the locations of oases or villages to pass through were almost determined.

* * *

While this commotion was going on in Alexandria, Mansour and Oh Ha-seok and their party were moving steadily toward Alexandria.

“It will arrive in about seven days.”

As Mansour laid down the map and explained the route, Oh Ha-seok nodded and opened his mouth.

“I feel it every time I look at the map, but if we dig a canal, it will save us a lot of work…”

Mansour, who heard Oh Ha-seok’s words through an interpreter, smiled and answered.

“According to what I heard, there used to be a canal. But they said it was too difficult to manage and it disappeared. As you can see, there is dirt and sand all over the place.”

Oh Ha-seok nodded after hearing Mansour’s explanation.

“Well, the canal is not an easy thing.”

* * *

As Mansour explained, the Suez region has been an optimal area for laying a canal since ancient times.

Attempts to build a canal began in ancient Egypt, but were repeatedly thwarted, until it was completed and put into operation during the reign of Darius I of Persia. It was operated until the period of the Ptolemaic Roman Empire.

However, due to the characteristics of the area where the canal is located, silt deposition was severe and operation was difficult without national management.

In the end, this ancient canal became something of a story.

* * *

Putting aside the disappointment over the absence of the canal, the procession set out again.

Mansur, who saw Oh Ha-seok and the Koreans moving like that, asked the interpreter.

“Is that hat really cool?”

“It’s cool.”

Mansur fell into a little trouble at the interpreter’s answer.

“It looks useful, but should I get it officially?”

All Koreans, including Oh Ha-seok, wore a variation of the Pith Helmet.

* * *

Oh Ha-seok, who followed Mansour to Aden and Alexandria, formally raised the need for hats to be used in hot areas through his report.

Joseon has also been a country of hats since ancient times. Even during the Three Kingdoms period, men regardless of their status used Munrageon (文羅巾).

The only difference was that those of high status used silk garments with gold decorations, while the common people used silk garments with no decorations.

The only people who did not use Munlageon or Ogun (烏巾) were prisoners.

Therefore, even during the Joseon Dynasty, Joseon men did not walk around bareheaded.

Like in the past, people wore hoods or bamboo hats or bamboo hats.

Therefore, Oh Ha-seok raised the need for a hat to be used in hot regions.

The ministers who received this report all reacted indifferently.

“Wouldn’t it be okay to just use Jeonlip?”

But Hyang thought differently.

“No! Why did the term TPO (time, place, situation) come about?”

Hyang called the craftsmen at the Sangyangwon and started making Bangseo-mo.

The blankets, made of split bamboo and covered with cotton cloth, were quite good and were issued to sailors going to Alexandria and Cheonchuk.

On the journey to Alexandria, the Bangseomo made by Hyang was well received by the Joseon soldiers.

The blanket made of bamboo and cotton cloth was light.

Air circulated through the holes made on both sides and the top of the head, allowing heat to escape.

The best thing was the brim that extended back and forth.

The brim that extends forward protects the eyes from strong sunlight, and the back brim that falls down in a graceful curve protects the back of the head and nape of the neck from sunlight.

“ah! Please keep in mind that there is no protection whatsoever.”

Following the warning from the village, the sailors put their helmets on their belts and moved.

However, the sailors who had experienced two battles after leaving Suez gathered up all the helmets they were wearing and the armor they were wearing and threw them into a box.

This was because there were no thieves who came close enough to hit them with arrows.

Before they could approach, the sailors’ rifles took down the bandits first.

* * *

With four days remaining until Alexandria, Mansur and Oh Ha-seok and their party met the cavalry that had departed from Alexandria.

Mansour, who confirmed the identity of the cavalry in a near-miss situation, spoke to Oh Ha-seok.

“This is a cavalry unit from Alexandria. They say they will escort us.”

Oh Ha-seok, who heard Mansour’s words, asked Mansour with eyes full of suspicion.

“Have you ever had an escort?”

“There was none.”

“But why this time?”

When Oh Ha-seok and the Joseon soldiers did not let down their guard, a messenger from the cavalry explained the reason.

After hearing the explanation, Mansour chuckled and explained the second class to Oh Ha-seok.

“They say there was an uproar in Alexandria because we were a little late this time. And they say they sent them because they heard that people came directly from the ‘Land of Flowers.’”

“Is that so?”

Oh Ha-seok nodded at Mansour’s explanation.

This was because they remembered that when they arrived at Aden and Suez, numerous warplanes flew into the sky.

After roughly understanding, Oh Ha-seok gave orders to his soldiers.

“Eulho on alert.”

At Oh Ha-seok’s words, the sailors lowered their rifles, but their eyes looked at the cavalry with great caution.

* * *

Mansour and Oh Ha-seok, escorted by cavalry, arrived in Alexandria.

Only then did Oh Ha-seok, who checked the gates of Alexandria, give orders to the sailors.

“Put on the safety device.”

The sailors who received Oh Ha-seok’s orders fastened the safety devices on their rifles and only then looked relieved.

“Wow~!”

“We are people from the Land of Flowers!”

The enthusiastic welcome from the residents of Alexandria made Oh Ha-seok, the Koreans, and even Mansour look dumbfounded.

“I have never experienced such a welcome before.”

“You too? “Why on earth?”

The group, looking bewildered as they could not figure out the reason, unpacked their belongings at the mansion prepared by the Mansour family.

* * *

While moving the luggage from the mansion’s yard to the warehouse, Mansour asked the mansion’s managers the reason for such a grand welcome.

Mansour, who heard the managers’ answer, looked dumbfounded and explained the reason to Oh Ha-seok.

“It’s the same thing the cavalry said before. We thought we were in trouble because we were a little late, but we arrived safely and there was ‘Land of Flowers.’ So, they did that when they heard that people from Joseon had arrived.”

“Why us?”

In response to Oh Ha-seok’s question, Mansour explained in more detail.

“For the people of Alexandria, Joseon is like a ‘land in fantasy.’ That Kitai, I mean, it’s as good as a famous country. There was a brief exchange through the Yuan Empire, but it was brief and there was no contact after that until the arrival of the Zheng He fleet. The Purification Fleet also stopped by for a moment. But then Joseon appeared. “Really.”

“That’s right…”

Oh Ha-seok, who was stroking his beard and summarizing the situation in response to Mansour’s explanation, grumbled inwardly.

‘What the crown prince said was right!’

-When I go this time, I will have to find out where our Joseon superior will be located.

‘You want to set up a base for commercial flights that come once a year? Doesn’t that seem like a waste?’

After hearing Hyang’s words, Oh Ha-seok thought negatively, but seeing the enthusiastic welcome from the citizens of Alexandria made him think again.