Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 327
Episode 327: Those who wait, those who move. (4)
As soon as King Sejong’s approval was granted, construction began to proceed quickly, even though it was the middle of winter.
The biggest reason why construction began despite the winter was that rude men from the West could not be placed in a palace full of kings, queens, and court ladies.
In this way, the place selected as the location for the research institute was the Wonhyo-dong area in the 21st century, between Area 51 and Maponaru.
Hyang, who had chosen the site for the research institute, muttered with a face full of regret.
“I thought I wanted to make rice cake at the bottom of Gwanaksan Mountain, but transportation is still a mess…”
Hyang, who was just losing his appetite, soon put on a stubborn expression and made a firm decision.
“Just build a bridge over the Han River! “We are moving the research center to Mt. Gwanak immediately!”
When I lived in the 21st century, it was a scent that still lingered from the stress of college entrance exams I experienced because my brain was so damn good.
* * *
When construction had just begun in Hanseong, the Daejeonja, which had been staying in Dalido, moved to Suyeong, Mokpo.
The sailors who had been trapped on Dalido during the quarantine period got off the ship grumbling.
“No, I had to be trapped on a boat longer than a horse!”
“The colt is your master!”
The horses rescued from Alexandria were taken off the ship and transported first as soon as the horse doctor finished checking them.
The sailors, who grumbled and pouted their protruding mouths, underwent another health checkup, took their leave certificates and bonuses, and immediately left the ship.
“Shall we go for a drink?”
“Is alcohol a problem now? “Are you sure the kids have forgotten their father’s face?”
“Let’s have a drink later!”
The sailors said goodbye to their colleagues and hurried home to their families.
After the sailors left, only the alchemists and mathematicians remained.
The interpreter of Mansour Danang and the Joseon interpreter who were on board the Challenger together informed them of the upcoming schedule.
“You will board a ship here and head to Hanseong. “Once you arrive at Hanseong and meet His Majesty the Prime Minister, you will be assigned a place to work.”
The alchemists and scholars nodded at the interpreter’s explanation.
The interpreter who saw this spoke again.
“Do you have any questions?”
In response to the interpreter’s question, one of the monks gathered in one place raised his hand.
“What are you curious about?”
The monk asked with a troubled expression the interpreter’s question.
“Do I have to take a bath again when I arrive at Hanseong?”
The interpreter immediately answered the monk’s question without even asking the interpreter.
“Of course!”
The monks muttered with embarrassed expressions at the interpreter’s answer.
“God…”
Unlike the alchemists and mathematicians from the Eastern Roman Empire who were familiar with the bathing culture, the bathing event itself was very uncomfortable for the monks from Western Europe.
Therefore, before departing from Suez and whenever stopping at ports to resupply and rest, the monks had to fight with sailors.
“If the disease spreads because you don’t bathe, I will immediately throw you into the sea!”
These monks refused to take a bath until Oh Ha-seok threatened them.
* * *
The ship carrying alchemists, scholars, and monks departed from Mokpo and headed for Jemulpo.
After arriving in Jemulpo, the alchemist group went up the Han River and headed to Mapo.
After arriving in Mapo, the group relaxed from their travels at the lodgings prepared by the government.
While he was recovering from his travels, the female servants assigned to the lodgings had to endure hardships.
It was because of the huge amount of laundry that the alchemist and his party put out.
The female servants were swearing while swinging bats at dirty laundry.
“Shit! Even the rags worn by the beggars under the Cheonggyecheon Bridge are cleaner than these!”
* * *
The alchemists and scholars, dressed in clothes prepared in advance by the government, took out paper and pens and recorded what they had experienced.
-Korean people are very careful about bathing. Even seafaring sailors took a bath as soon as they called at a port.
It is clear that the Korean people’s obsession with bathing is not for religious reasons.
What we confirmed through conversation through an Arab interpreter was that Koreans believed that if you clean your body through bathing, you will not contract infectious diseases.
-The Korean people’s belief that bathing prevents diseases is not just a custom.
If an interpreter is certain that he or she has interpreted correctly, this is something he or she has acquired through experience.
Therefore, it is considered necessary to verify this.
There are many unique things about the Korean lifestyle, one of which is the toilet.
Unless you are a low-class person who has difficulty making a living, you live in a bathroom with a toilet made of iron or ceramics.
This toilet is very unique. After using the toilet, if you pull the rope, the water in the tank comes down and washes away the excrement.
At the accommodation we stayed in, there was a slave whose job was to fill the toilet tank with water.
According to the interpreter, in households that do not have the means to have slaves, they put water in a large jar and fill the tank before or after going to the bathroom.
They were alchemists and scholars who meticulously recorded what they saw and experienced in those few days.
In later years, the records they left behind became important sources of information about the lifestyle of Joseon during this period.
* * *
Only after five days had passed, the alchemist and his party were able to have an audience with King Sejong.
The reason it took five days was, ironically, because the washed clothes did not dry.
Since I couldn’t meet King Sejong with only my pants and jacket on, I had to stay in my lodgings until my clothes were all dry.
Early in the morning on the fifth day, the alchemist group, dressed in well-dried clothes, boarded a carriage sent by the government and headed toward Hanseong.
The group on the carriage looked at the scenery outside the window with excited eyes.
The alchemist group entered Hanseong through Sungnyemun Gate, where railroad construction was still in progress, and suddenly shouted exclamations that were like screams.
“Oh God!”
“oh my god!”
At the sight of the alchemists making a fuss as they watched the train moving along the tracks, the coachmen pulling the carriage and the soldiers in charge of escorting laughed and muttered.
“Country bastards…”
Whether they were aware of such a reaction or not, the alchemist and his party could not take their eyes off the ‘Iron Horse’. The alchemist and his party, who were watching the iron horse disappearing into the distance, soon had a question.
“Why do we need us in a country that can produce something like that?”
“Are we really needed?”
“Rather, aren’t we the ones who need to learn?”
* * *
The alchemist group passed through Gwanghwamun in a state of half anticipation and half worry and settled down in the front yard of Geunjeongjeon.
“Your Majesty, please come!”
The interpreter of the merchant ship’s Gagal hurriedly spoke to the group.
“The King of Joseon has arrived! “Be polite right now!”
At the words of the interpreter, the alchemist and his companions bowed and paid respect.
Sejong, who was sitting on a chair that had been put out in advance, gave an order to his companions who were bent over like that.
“You can stand up.”
After hearing King Sejong’s orders through the interpreter, the party looked at him. Sejong, seeing the unfamiliar-looking strangers, slowly opened his mouth.
“Welcome to Joseon. “I am the king of Joseon.”
After hearing King Sejong’s words through the interpreter, the companions bowed again.
“It is an honor to meet the monarch of the Joseon Kingdom!”
In a complex situation that required interpretation and interpretation, King Sejong spoke to his companions.
“We, Joseon, need your knowledge. We, Joseon, do not take lightly the value of knowledge. But I also don’t like lazy people. So, I hope you guys do your best.”
After hearing King Sejong’s instructions through the interpreter, the group bowed politely.
“I will do my best.”
After hearing the group’s answer, Sejong looked back at Hyang, who was standing behind him.
“It is the crown prince’s responsibility to manage them, so from now on, the crown prince will take charge.”
“Yes Abama.”
Hyang came forward after receiving King Sejong’s order and opened his mouth to the group.
“I am the prince of Joseon and the person who will manage you.”
Although it was not natural, the companions looked at Hyang with wide eyes as he spoke clearly and clearly in Latin.
‘Do you speak Latin?’
‘Even though it’s not a proper sentence, it’s Latin!’
Seeing the group looking at the incense with startled eyes, the interpreter quickly opened his mouth.
“What are you doing! This is the first prince of Joseon! “Be polite right now!”
The companions came to their senses after hearing the interpreter’s words and quickly bowed.
“Meet the prince!”
“Nice to meet you too. As Abama said, Joseon needs your knowledge, so I hope you do your best.”
“yes.”
After hearing the answers of his companions, Hyang moved on to the most important question.
“I heard that there are Catholic monks among you. “Who is it?”
At the question of incense, the five monks gathered on one side came forward.
“We are coming.”
As the monks came forward, the incense went straight to the point.
“What are you going to do in our Joseon? “Academic research or missionary work?”
The person who appeared to be the eldest came forward and answered Hyang’s question.
“First of all, I came for academic research.”
“First of all… what is your name?”
“My name is Angelo.”
“Yes, Angelo. Are you saying that first is academic research and then missionary work?”
“….”
Hyang smiled bitterly at the sight of Angelo answering in silence.
“okay. If you look at your scriptures, your god says, ‘Preach the gospel to the ends of the earth.’ So, we can’t give up on missionary work.”
‘I’m sorry Tusk!’
It was a scent that reminded me of my mother in the 21st century, who even served as a church deacon, and made me apologize in my heart.
Meanwhile, not only the monks but also the alchemists and mathematicians who were Orthodox believers looked surprised at Hyang’s words.
‘Do you know the Bible?’
‘I heard that people in the East believe in Buddhism, but how can they read the Bible?’
Hyang spoke after seeing people frozen in a completely unexpected situation.
“The precepts of your gods say, ‘You shall not believe in any other gods but me.’ He said. And another precept is, ‘Be filial to your parents.’ He said. Is that correct?”
“I’ll buy it back.”
“Then I will ask. In our Joseon Dynasty, it is basic to not only be filial to one’s parents, but also to respect one’s ancestors, who are one’s parents. Therefore, we express our gratitude to our ancestors by carefully preparing food according to the designated seasons. “Is this in accordance with your precepts or against them?”
“Eh…”
Angelo was at a loss for an answer to the question about the fragrance.
The question of incense was exquisite.
If you say it is against the precepts, you will be criticized as to why you have violated the precept of respecting your parents. If you say yes, you are worshiping your dead ancestors as gods, and you will be told, ‘Do not believe in other gods.’ It was pointed out that he had violated the precept.
Seeing Angelo’s trembling appearance as he could not find the right answer, Hyang came to a conclusion.
“Propaganda is prohibited until your Pope comes to a conclusion. “Do you have any objections?”
“doesn’t exist.”
Angelo answered with a look of abandon.
No, not only Angelo, but all the monks who accompanied him had the same expression.
The monks who came to Joseon had many ups and downs.
They were monks belonging to the Franciscan order. But at the same time, they were the ones who inherited the teachings of Roger Bacon.
Therefore, just as Roger Bacon was exiled, they were also half excommunicated.
That is why they came to Joseon to safely study philosophy and mathematics.
Therefore, even if the problem pointed out by Hyang was sent to the Vatican, there was almost no chance that it would be properly conveyed to the Pope, and the chance of receiving a good answer was even lower.
In the end, Angelo and his group had to completely give up on missionary work.
The township’s trick to buy a little time and prevent the explosion of the East-West conflict ended up taking an unexpected turn.