Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 341

Episode 341: A land of fantasy, a land of illusion. (3)

“Whoo! “Mr….”

Angelo, who forced himself to stop swearing from coming out without realizing it, quickly made the sign of the cross and looked around. After confirming that his students were not around, Angelo let out a long sigh of relief.

“Whoa, I’m glad. “Lord…”

Angelo reflected on himself for momentarily losing control. However, I frowned as I felt the weight of the wad of paper in my hand.

* * *

Even when alchemists and mathematicians arrived from the West, the research institute and auxiliary buildings built between Mapo and Area 51 were not completed.

For this reason, alchemists and mathematicians used Bukpyeong-gwan, which was now in an obscure state, as their lodgings.

“They say don’t worry about everything in the world….”

While designating Bukpyeong Hall as his lodgings, Lee Maeng-gyun lightly joked with his subordinates. The subordinate officials smiled slightly and nodded at Lee Maeng-gyun’s joke.

* * *

Bukpyeong-gwan was the lodgings for Jurchen envoys. However, most of the tribes that were large and close enough to send envoys to Joseon were attached to Joseon. The remaining large tribes were either located far away from Joseon, or, like Lee Man-ju, were either completely exterminated while resisting Joseon, or their power was greatly reduced and they were barely surviving.

Thanks to this, Bukpyeong Hall lost its value. Because it was a waste to maintain a building that was rarely used, officials – especially the Ministry of Finance and Economy – were considering demolition or conversion to other uses.

* * *

The alchemists and mathematicians who temporarily settled in Bukpyeong Hall soon began learning Korean.

“Learning to speak is important, but it is not very efficient to spend an entire day just doing it.”

Hyang wrote mathematical formulas, calculation problems, and mineral analysis tasks to be performed in Latin and distributed them to alchemists and mathematicians.

“I want you to study language in the morning and study these problems in the afternoon.”

The alchemists, who were holding papers filled with problems and things to do, looked at the incense with embarrassed expressions.

“Our Latin skills aren’t very good.”

“Really? Hmm…”

After thinking for a moment, Hyang looked back at Angelo and the others.

“Do you speak Greek?”

“I know.”

“Then translate it and deliver it to me.”

“Yes…”

And so the alchemists and mathematicians went to work in earnest.

* * *

The people who were the busiest as they were put into practical work like this were Angelo and his group.

Thanks to inheriting the legacy of Roger Bacon, he had knowledge in a variety of fields, including not only mathematics but also philosophy, alchemy, astronomy, and astrology.

Because they were also fluent in Greek, Angelo and his group had to be the busiest.

“Last week, I was busy with mathematical calculations, and this week, after mineral analysis…”

“I have to go to Seoungwan for an astronomy problem.”

“Oh Lord….”

Angelo’s disciples, who divided their work according to a work schedule created by combining the work style of Joseon officials with one day off every seven days and the concept of the Sabbath, lamented over their tightly packed schedule.

* * *

“Look! West station monks! “Why are their faces so grim?”

One of the researchers at the research institute who saw their crumpled faces cried out loud. They were Angelo’s students who looked familiar to some extent and could converse to a certain degree – of course, they used hand and foot gestures, and in addition, the researchers had learned Latin – and as they became more familiar with the researchers.

The researcher, who saw the expressions on the investigators’ faces and came closer, looked at the work schedule hanging on one side and shook his head slightly.

“I’m busy. Wouldn’t it be better to divide the number of people and move?”

“I don’t have the capacity to handle it like that…”

“Oh my. Tsk tsk tsk….”

As the researcher clicked his tongue, the monks complained to him.

“You have to study language in the morning, study in the afternoon, and even study doctrine at night. “There is so little time.”

“that’s right. “There is so little time.”

The researcher’s eyes became strange as he heard the investigators’ words.

“So, you’re not worried because it’s difficult, but you’re worried because you don’t have time?”

“That’s right.”

“It takes some effort, but it’s bearable.”

“Shh!”

The researcher’s complexion changed at those words and he quickly cautioned and looked around.

“why?”

The researcher gave a warning to the investigator who expressed doubts.

“There are a few things that should never be said in research institutes and mediation offices, and one of them is ‘This is bearable.’ “Please don’t say it out loud.”

“yes? “Yes…”

As the monks nodded, the researcher smiled and continued.

“By the way, you guys are also unique in that you regret not having time more than being physically tired.”

“I have rarely been able to conduct research with such peace of mind.”

“Ah…”

The researcher nodded at the investigators’ words. He had a similar experience and was still doing it.

For the Joseon Dynasty’s noblemen, fields such as industry, science, and chemistry were still miscellaneous studies that could be used as a pastime when studying the scriptures was difficult.

-If you are a nobleman, you should learn the scriptures and apply for government office. Why do you think of using miscellaneous knowledge to save yourself?

There were many researchers who clashed with the elders of their families who had this way of thinking and lived almost in isolation.

The situation was also much improved compared to before.

* * *

“Then, thank you for your trouble. “I have something to submit, so I’m going first.”

“Take care.”

The researcher, who was walking away from the monks, stopped and looked at the monks.

“They are also a different species….”

‘There are three types of people in the laboratory.’

This was a rumor going around among researchers.

-The first group are those whose work is who they are. People who can’t live without work. These people are called ‘unintelligible’.

Those who fall into this inscrutable world include the crown prince and Grand Prince Jinpyeong.

-The second group is those who enjoy work. If it’s an easy problem, they like it because it’s easy, but if it’s a difficult problem, they like it more because it’s difficult.

Representative examples include ‘Original Byeoljong’ Lee Soon-ji and ‘Young Byeoljong’ Kim Dam.

-The last category is ‘perverts addicted to pain’. People who suffer from incomprehensible and strange tasks, but later enjoy the pain and rejoice in the results created through that pain.

Starting with the Jeongcho Dae-gam, the rest of the researchers and craftsmen belong to this group.

And if you live as a pervert like this for a long time, you evolve, and the symbolic figure is Jang Yeong-sil. Jang Yeong-sil is the person who suffered from the task given by the crown prince and suddenly ascended to the realm of the incomprehensible.

It was a statement full of self-deprecation (making fun of oneself), but from the outside, both the researchers and the craftsmen were different.

Every time they heard such grumbling, their acquaintances all criticized them as follows:

“If it’s that hard, just get rid of it and look at the past again!”

“You can just come out and open a blacksmith shop!”

And these were alchemists and mathematicians who had already become accustomed to the atmosphere of this research institute. Those who got used to it gave this institute a nickname.

-Academeia (Ἀκαδημ(ε)ιαAkadēm(e)íā)

For them, this institute was a utopia they only dreamed of. Of course, I couldn’t even dream of carrying out the research I wanted, but I was still very satisfied.

This was because one could experience tremendous progress just by carrying out the tasks indicated by the scent.

The problem was that every time I received an assignment like that, the difficulty level increased or the length increased to the point where I gasped.

Thanks to this, the first thing most people, including Angelo, got used to was swearing.

* * *

As the alchemists and mathematicians joined, unexpected casualties arose: interpreters.

“I can speak to a certain extent, but writing is the problem…”

Hyang, who was checking the language acquisition status of the alchemists and mathematicians, was lost in thought. Although my conversational skills were improving, my writing skills were at the bottom.

“Well, those damn Chinese characters can catch people…”

Hyang, who was pondering a solution, soon found an appropriate solution. The solution was to mobilize interpreters.

As the number of trading regions increased, King Sejong expanded the size of his translator.

The scope of education was expanded to include Arabic, Chinese, and Latin, following the existing Chinese, Wae, and Jurchen, and Hassan’s relatives were hired as tutors for their education.

After finding a suitable solution, Hyang immediately ran to King Sejong and requested the support of an interpreter.

After receiving Hyang’s request, King Sejong thought for a moment and then made a decision.

“If you use a lot of foreign words, you will grow faster. “Permission is granted.”

“I am devastated!”

* * *

In this way, the translators in charge of Latin were brought to the institute.

“…So your job is to translate the writings written in Latin by Western scholars into Chinese characters.”

“I understand.”

“I’ll ask you to take care of me.”

The interpreters responded to Hyang’s request by bowing their heads in unison.

“I will do my best!”

However, less than a week later, Hyang called the interpreters together.

“You too should learn industry and academia.”

“Are we here too? “We only transcribe?”

Hyang responded firmly to the interpreters’ protests.

“Even if you copy and draw, you need to know something to copy and draw properly!”

“Ah…”

* * *

While things were going on in Joseon, Europe was also busy moving beneath the surface.

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal.

Prince Henrique, who was busy working between Ceuta and Sagres, returned to Lisbon at the call of his father.

Henrique lightly kissed the ring on the king’s outstretched hand and looked at his father.

“Did you call me?”

“okay. “I called you because of what you do.”

Henrique’s face hardened at his father’s words.

‘Could it be that there is a debt problem?’

Exploring unknown lands and seas was expensive. Because of this, Henrique had to take on a considerable amount of debt here and there. To repay these debts, Henrique engaged in slave trading as much as he explored.

Although it was the slave trade that made significant profits, Enrique’s current situation was that there was not much left after repaying debts or paying interest.

King João I continued speaking while looking at Henrique’s face.

“Not long ago, our ambassador who was staying at the Vatican delivered news. It is said that there was a reading of a letter sent by a priest who went to Joseon in the East.”

“I heard a rumor.”

“Because of that, many countries started to get busy.”

At King Joao I’s words, Henrique’s eyes became fierce.

“When you say various countries, do you also include Spanish people?”

King Joao I nodded to Henrique’s question.

“right. I heard that you have achieved quite a bit of success in Africa. Is that correct?”

“yes.”

Henrique gave a short answer to his father’s question. After hearing the answer, King Joao I gave an order.

“I will provide more support for what you do. Go to India through Africa as quickly as possible and secure a route to Joseon. The land route has been blocked by those Islamic bastards and Italian misers, so the only way we can go is by sea. “We must take the lead before the Spanish come forward.”

“I will!”

* * *

Author’s note.

hello?

This is Gukppong, who writes ‘Black Enterprise Chosun’.

I have to apologize.

We will be closed this Saturday and Sunday.

The reason is a cold.

Lately, I’ve been under pressure about various things, so I’m exhausted.

I will recover my condition and return as soon as possible over the weekend.

sorry.