Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 627

Episode 627: Their Choice (7)

With sparkling eyes, Kim Jong-seo told Hyang his thoughts.

“your majesty. As Your Majesty said, it would be a truly good thing if the Japanese nation were to be divided. In that case, I think it would be good to give power behind the scenes to the lords who have strong antipathy towards Lady Daenae and who are powerful in their own right.”

Hyang shook his head at Kim Jong-seo’s remarks.

“It’s not that I didn’t think that way, too. But even though it looks good, it’s a bad idea. This is because properly growing the military requires proper support, and providing support means increasing capabilities.”

The ministers did not immediately understand Hyang’s words. However, as time passed, Minshin and Kim Jeom immediately let out exclamations.

“ah!”

At the reaction of the two people, Hyang smiled slightly and opened his mouth.

“Tell me about the left deputy prime minister first.”

“yes.”

Kim Jeom cleared his throat for a moment at Hyang’s words and then opened his mouth.

“Increasing capabilities means enriching the nation and strengthening its military.”

The ministers nodded at Kim Jeom’s words, but on the other hand had an expression of ‘So what?’

Seeing the expressions on the ministers’ faces, Minshin intervened.

“It is not an invasion by a foreign enemy, but a civil war. Even if there is a loss of soldiers, won’t most of the people who are in charge of maintaining the situation survive? What that means is that we will enrich the Japanese nation with our wealth.”

“ah!”

As soon as Minshin finished speaking, the ministers let out loud exclamations.

Hyang muttered to himself at the sight of the ministers like that.

‘The Japanese invasions of Korea were caused by the capabilities developed during the Warring States Period. Is it just the Imjin War? Even in the ensuing civil war, it was that big of a deal!’

Japan lost approximately 170,000 troops in the Japanese Invasion of Korea and the Japanese invasion of Korea. And in the civil war that followed, a huge amount of troops were mobilized. For example, in the Battle of Sekigahara, the troops mobilized by both sides totaled about 170,000 men. It was only two years after the end of the Japanese invasions, and the troops consumed during the invasions were replenished.

This was evidence that Japan’s capabilities were capable of handling that much.

* * *

After confirming that the ministers understood, Hyang continued.

“As the Left Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defense said, nurturing our internal enemies will result in enriching the Japanese with our wealth. If we assume that Japan’s capabilities are currently at 10, the domestic market would occupy at least 6 or 7. In such a situation, in order to increase our capabilities to the point where we can compete with the internal government, we need to help at least 4 to 5 people, and to increase our chances, we need to support at least two or three lords. If we set the number of lords to be supported at three and increase it to about five, how much wealth would we have to invest? I think at least 12 to 15. Then, Japan’s capacity will increase from 10 to 22 or 25. No, we will also increase our internal and external capabilities, so the scale will become even larger. There will be losses in the future due to the dispute with Daenae, but the remaining capacity will still be 17 to 20. Keep that to a minimum. In that sense, we will be doubling the capabilities of the Japanese nation by investing our own wealth. “Don’t you think it’s a nonsense that will go down in history?”

‘I learned about and saw such nonsense in the 21st century.’

* * *

After the United States in the Vietnam War and the Soviet Union in the Afghanistan War in the 20th century, the United States did something similar in Afghanistan in the 21st century.

To enable the pro-US regime in Vietnam, the pro-Soviet government in Afghanistan, and later the anti-Taliban Afghan regime to take control of the country and maintain power, the United States and the Soviet Union provided enormous amounts of materials, weapons, and funds.

The result was a miserable failure.

* * *

“I apologize.”

Kim Jong-seo bowed his head at Hyang’s words. But Hyang smiled and shook his head.

“no. “I thought the same thing at first.”

Hyang explained his thoughts in more detail.

“Because of the problem I just mentioned, I’m thinking about what happens after Daenae sorts everything out. If that happens, the possibility of rapid growth in Japan’s capabilities will be greatly reduced.”

While several ministers nodded at Hyang’s words, Hwang Bo-in asked another question.

“your majesty. Considering the request we sent this time, wouldn’t it be possible that the forces occupied by the Dae Na Na family are smaller than we expected or that the situation is critical? “I think it is reasonable to consider that possibility.”

To Hwang Bo-in’s point, Heo Hu responded on Hyang’s behalf.

“In such a situation, no matter how much I sent, it would not have ended with such a meager piece of government letter. And you will know more clearly by looking at Gadok’s reaction when he heard His Majesty’s proposal. “If the situation is as urgent as the Attorney General said, they will accept it right away without asking, but if not, they will postpone the decision.”

Hyang also nodded at Heo Hu’s answer.

“I think the same thing.”

Hyang paused for a moment, quenched his thirst with a cup of tea, and continued speaking.

“The point in time when the division I spoke of occurred is 30 years, or 100 years, before it becomes visible. Nevertheless, the reason I advocate for this plan is because of the lessons taught by history. It was the same in the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, and later in the era when the Five Three Kingdoms competed, as well as in our Proto-Three Kingdoms period and the Later Three Kingdoms period. In the era of military rule, it is common for people to be devastated by war, but on the contrary, it is also common for the government to prosper. This is because all those who seek hegemony pursue policies to enrich the country and strengthen its military. However, the person who has achieved hegemony seeks to eliminate the power of competitors other than his own. As a result, the total number of military forces is greatly reduced compared to the era of military leaders. And you stop paying attention to external circumstances. “It’s just festering inside without looking at the outside.”

‘It’s the same when you look at the situation in Joseon after the Second World War and Japan after the Tokugawa shogunate was fully established.’

* * *

When the Japanese invasions were in full swing and just before the outbreak of the Korean War, Joseon began to actively train artillery units. However, as time passed and the international situation began to stabilize, interest in national defense decreased. Afterwards, as internal problems became more serious as the period of power politics passed, it collapsed due to the power of foreign forces.

The changes in Japan were even more dramatic.

In order to survive in the Warring States Period, Japanese feudal lords had active exchanges with foreign countries, especially the West. The introduction and rapid spread of rifles, as well as the popularity of Western-style armor known as Nanmangap, as well as the number of Japanese people who believed in Catholicism increased significantly.

However, after the Tokugawa shogunate was fully established, exchanges with the West were greatly reduced. The country’s foreign policy became conservative, isolation took hold, and Catholics were brutally persecuted and almost annihilated.

Nevertheless, because the situation inside Japan was stable, the swords of the samurai became decorative and the ethos of civil service became the trend.

Then, Commodore Perry forced the door open, and the era of the shogunate came to an end.

* * *

“… That’s why I want to look at it for a long time.”

As Hyang finished speaking, all the ministers nodded.

“There is a saying, ‘A hundred years is too short for a nation to rise, but its fall is an instant.’ However, although the moment of the country’s destruction is short, the time leading up to the country’s destruction is at least 30 to 100 years. So let’s take a long look. This is good for us too. “I think just one name for a country to constantly watch and be on guard is enough right now.”

The ministers responded to Hyang’s words by bowing their heads in unison.

“Your Majesty, what you said is truly right! “I believe it is best to follow the plan your Majesty has in mind!”

In this way, policies against Ouchi began to be created based on the ‘shackle plan’ that the township had come up with.

* * *

That evening. At a giru in Dadong, ministers gathered and had a drinking party.

While drinks were being exchanged and the gisaengs were singing, Hwang Bo-in asked Heo Hu.

“Captain. “I just want to ask you one question.”

“Tell me.”

“From what your Majesty has said, is a reversal of revolution truly possible?”

Heo Hu answered Hwang Bo-in’s question right away.

“Do you think it’s possible?”

“No matter how little real power he has, the emperor is an entity that has been around for hundreds of years. Do you think the people of the country will accept it easily?”

Heo Hu emptied his glass and smiled slightly in response to Hwang Bo-in’s comment.

“Jibong, have you forgotten what you just said? A person who lost all real power to the generals of the shogunate. Why is there a backlash from the people of the country? According to the information I have, I heard that only the people of Kyoto and nearby areas are loyal to the Emperor. It is said that people in other regions are more loyal to their lords than to the emperor.”

“Still, it’s a little…”

“Think about your personality. And why would that monkey-like Daenaga of the Japanese Empire drag the Emperor out of Gyeongdo? “Isn’t this just an imitation of the way King Taejo did?”

Hwang Bo-in finally nodded at Heo Hu’s explanation. Heo Hu, who was looking at that scene, suddenly frowned.

“As I talk about the story of King Taejo, a thought suddenly comes to mind. “Re-determining the posthumous names of previous kings has become a real headache.”

Heo Hu’s words also crumpled Hwang Bo-in’s expression.

As Joseon changed into the Korean Federal Empire, the posthumous names of previous kings had to be changed again. Originally, it should have been finished before the empire was declared, but the scent threw up a difficult problem.

– Until now, the rules for determining posthumous names have followed those of China. But now that Joseon has come out of China’s shadow under the name of the Korean Federal Empire, it must set its own rules.

From the ministers’ point of view, they had to take on a difficult problem that they had never thought of.

Thanks to this, the ministers were constantly looking into the norms of China, neighboring countries, and even the western region, and were pondering what would be best.

* * *

Two days later, Heohu summoned Norihiro.

“Your Majesty came to an answer after much deliberation.”

“ah! “What answer did you give?”

Norihiro waited for the answer with an expression of half anticipation and half worry. Seeing Norihiro like that, Heohu opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty…”

Norihiro, who heard the conditions of the incense through Heohu, looked embarrassed.

“Do you really have to accept those conditions?”

“Your Majesty said this. ‘It is certain that our empire and Japan’s continued peace is a good thing for both countries. However, maintaining standards is essential for mutual trust.’”

“Our shogunate has no intention of breaking faith with Joseon!”

Heohu responded to Norihiro’s protest with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“Of course, we don’t know that either. But if you think about the past between us and the Japanese nation…”

Heohu trailed off, and Norihiro, who looked even more embarrassed, cursed under his breath.

‘Damn thieves!’

The ‘thieves’ that Norihiro cursed at were Japanese pirates.

Looking far away, Japanese pirates have been harassing the Korean Peninsula since the Three Kingdoms period. In particular, the raids by Japanese pirates that occurred during the late Goryeo Dynasty and early Seon Dynasty were terrifying.

Therefore, Norihiro had nothing to say in response to the indirect answer, ‘Perfect trust is impossible.’

In the end, Norihiro had no choice but to defer the decision to Mochiyo.

“I understand. “I will report this to the Shogun and receive an answer.”

Author’s words.

hello?

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

This is finally the last year.

Thank you so much for loving ‘Black Enterprise Chosun’ again this year.

In particular, I am grateful and sorry for showing me unchanging love even though there were frequent breaks due to various incidents in the middle of the series.

In the new year, I will do my best to write a more interesting ‘Black Enterprise Chosun’ without taking a break.

We wish you a happy new year.

Posted with soup.