Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 647
Episode 647: Hillbillies come to Seoul. (3)
Although there was a lot of commotion, the professors were able to leave the waiting room on time without any problems. This was because no patients actually showed up.
The steps of the professors leaving the waiting room were full of energy.
“There is more than one thing to look into and discuss!”
“That’s right!”
Regardless of their major, all professors were full of enthusiasm.
Interestingly enough, those who showed the most enthusiasm were medical professors.
The medical professors who spoke with the imperial lawmakers who had flocked there due to the commotion on the first night of the waiting room were deeply impressed by the imperial lawmakers’ deep medical knowledge and public health policies.
-You never know when the Black Death will spread again, and a contagious disease as dangerous as the Black Death could break out! In order to come up with measures to deal with this, we need to watch and learn from what the empire is doing!
-You must learn imperial surgical medicine!
Surgery was an area where even European medical professors keenly felt vulnerable.
As the Roman Empire collapsed, much of its intellectual heritage was lost, but one of the areas that suffered the most was surgery.
It was so bad that European medical professors even complained like this.
-Slaughterers who have worked at a slaughterhouse for 10 years will be more competent than surgeons who have worked for 30 years!
-Is there even a surgeon?
And the painful truth was that the complaints were real.
However, seeing the skills of the well-wishers on board the ship coming to the empire and the skills of the lawmakers in charge of the waiting area, the medical professors were so impressed that their eyes brightened.
“All of this is the result of policies advocated and implemented by His Majesty the current Emperor even before he ascended to the throne.”
After hearing the lawmakers’ answers, the medical professors strengthened their resolve.
-I will definitely have an audience with the emperor and receive his teachings!
* * *
After passing customs at Mokpo Trade Port, the professor and his group entered Mokpo Station.
The professors who lined up on the platform to board the iron horse looked around while their hearts pounded.
“Am I finally riding the iron horse I’ve only heard about?”
“I was treated like a hillbilly by the ignorant sailors, but I’m finally riding it!”
This was also true.
Sailors from other countries who arrived at the trade port could not leave Mokpo, but they could roam around downtown Mokpo as much as they wanted. Because of this, they were able to watch the iron horses coming and going from Mokpo Station. In addition, the biggest customers of the circular iron horse that ran in downtown Mokpo were their sailors.
The sailors who had seen and ridden the iron horse were busy bragging about their experiences back home.
This was because I got a lot of free alcohol every time I told an experience that was a mix of 30% truth and 70% exaggeration.
* * *
Byeeek!
As the loud sound of the whistle was heard, the station employee in charge of platform safety put a whistle in his mouth and started waving a flag.
Beep! Beep!
“Step back! “Get back!”
Station workers waved flags, blew whistles, and shouted at the top of their lungs as they saw the professors getting closer and closer to the railroad tracks. Then the interpreters accompanying him shouted the same words in Latin. However, the whistles and shouts did not reach the ears of the professors who were preoccupied with the iron horse.
“You shit! “You’re so excited to see someone lose their job!”
In the end, the station employees kicked the professors and hit them with flagpoles while spitting profanity.
“Stay back! “Get back!”
“100 million! “Ouch!”
The violence of the station workers forced the professors to step back, and several professors protested to Giovanni.
“You are using violence against guests from abroad! “Where can you find such rudeness?”
Giovanni actually screamed at those words.
“If you had stepped down when I told you to step down in the first place, you wouldn’t have seen something like that!”
“How can you understand them when they talk in their own language!”
“That’s why the interpreter shouted! And even if there was no interpreter! You should have noticed! If an accident occurs, who will be responsible for what happens next? “I will hold Gonfaloniere accountable!”
The professors all fell silent at Giovanni’s harsh words. One of the biggest donors to the universities where they worked was Cosimo de’ Medici.
As the small commotion subsided, a car specially organized to pick up the professors entered the platform.
“Oh~.”
When the iron horse stopped, the professors let out exclamations and all clung to the iron horse and the carriage.
The professors I was so attached to were all amazing.
The part that transmitted the power generated by the steam engine to the wheels was basic, and the wheels that supported the carriage were also unusual.
“You can move such a huge thing with water and fire!”
“Look at the wheels of the carriage! “It’s not just about putting wheels on axles!”
Giovanni looked bored as he saw the professors noisily looking at and discussing the carriages and iron horses, and then even taking out paper and charcoal to make sketches. The interpreter standing next to him also had the same expression and spoke to Giovanni.
“I remember that the painters we brought in last time weren’t that bad, right?”
After a heavy blow from the interpreter, Giovanni placed his hand on his forehead. The translator, who had heard what Giovanni said from the station attendant, whether he knew how Giovanni was feeling or not, informed Giovanni.
“They say we need to leave quickly. They say that if you do something wrong, there will be problems with regular flights.”
“Oh, I understand.”
In the end, Giovanni had to pick up the professors and put them in a carriage.
After hearing about this later, Hyang grinned and muttered.
“Heh! ‘Knowing is scarier.’ The saying came out for no reason. If you don’t know anything, you’ll think, ‘That’s fascinating.’ “You can say it and move on, but human psychology is such that if you know even a little bit, you can’t just get over it.”
* * *
So the iron horse carrying the professor and his companions moved toward Seoul.
At first, the professors couldn’t control their excitement and looked in all directions, but at some point, they sat down and admired the scenery outside the car window or talked to other professors.
It was a special flight that went directly to Seoul, except for two stops for light meals and rest along the way, but it still took a long time of 8 hours. In addition, access to the area around the Iron Horse, which I wanted to see most, was blocked. Thanks to this, professors could only sit quietly and look out the window or chat with other professors.
In addition, the regular vibration and noise coming from the railway strangely made people relax, and eventually, one by one, they fell asleep shortly after.
The professors who had fallen asleep began to wake up one by one by the time they arrived near Seoul.
“Seoul is coming soon, right?”
“exactly.”
“But according to the rumor I heard, the iron bridge over the river passing south of Seoul is huge.”
“I heard the story too. “The width of the river is almost 4,000 feet (approximately 1.2 km).”
“To build a bridge over such a wide river. Hmm….”
“If the river was that wide, the number of piers would have been enormous. I wonder how they would have handled the sediment.”
The professors who woke up talked about the Hansu and the bridge between them.
Meanwhile, some well-behaved professors talked with the interpreter and passed on information to their fellow professors.
“They say we will pass that bridge in about an hour.”:
“Oh really? Then it shouldn’t be like this.”
Some professors, worried that they might miss an important moment, got up from their seats and headed to the bathroom.
“Anyway, using paper to clean up after things… isn’t it a luxury?”
* * *
After making the toilet seat, I was able to use the toilet in a rather pleasant way, but I still had some dissatisfaction.
That was the aftercare part.
When Sejong or Hyang finished doing their business, the nine people who were waiting brought cotton cloths and wiped the back, which was a bit difficult for Hyang.
“I’ve gotten used to it, but hard work is still hard work.”
Eventually, as mass production of paper using pulp began in Area 51, Hyang began to think about the production of toilet paper.
-Paper is cheap so ordinary people can buy it without any burden, and it is soft so it does not hurt the delicate skin. Or something like that.
With this goal in mind, Hyang trained craftsmen. However, creating an item that satisfied the goals set by the scent seemed not only quite difficult, but almost impossible.
Ultimately, this task became a headache for Wan, who took over the laboratory and Area 51 after Hyang.
But Wan was also keenly aware of the need.
“I made a good bathroom, but isn’t it possible to hang a rope or bring pumpkin leaves in?”
Eventually, after desperate attempts by craftsmen and researchers, ‘Cheokji (滌紙 polishing paper)’ began to be sold a few years ago.
What’s interesting is that this paper was hardly sold anywhere except the empire.
In Muslim and Hindu spheres of influence, it was not sold because it used water, and the Ming and Japanese expressed resistance to paying money to buy paper for cleaning the back. It was possible to use waste paper or replace it with soft leaves.
In Europe, there was a strong perception that paper was an expensive product and people were accustomed to using cotton cloth, so sales were rare. Even the upper class, who were addicted to flush toilets, did not prefer chuckzi.
This part was similar in the early days of the empire. However, starting from palaces, the trend of using chucks spread and it became popular.
-All the wealthy people use it, but it’s cheap enough that I can buy it too? Then buy it!
-Let’s enjoy the luxury of our butts!
Based on this psychology, chuck paper was sold like crazy and became an everyday product.
* * *
The professors, who had prepared in advance, waited until they arrived at the railroad bridge located between the two sides. When
the iron
horse finally passed over the bridge with a loud whistle sound, the professors’ eyes widened.
“It was really a bridge made of iron!”
“It was not called an iron bridge because it was a bridge for iron horses, but because it was made of real iron!”
Although they had heard about the iron bridge through Henry and others, the professors distrusted it.
-Iron is not a material that is easy to produce so that it can be used in such large quantities.
-It is not easy to produce iron of such excellent quality that it can withstand the weight of an iron horse.
Because of this perception, professors distrusted the existence of iron bridges. Some professors even scoffed at saying this.
“why? “They say there are ships made of iron floating on the sea, right?”
A bridge made of iron actually appeared before the eyes of the professors who were skeptical.
The professors, who were frantically looking at the steel structures of the railroad bridge passing before their eyes, looked at their colleagues around them and said similar things.
“What kind of emperor is this who led all of this? Has Aristotle been reborn?”
The professors, who had not only admiration but even awe for the existence of incense, became even more determined.
-I must have a discussion with the emperor. I will learn from discussions!
* * *
Arriving in Seoul, the professors undressed in the lodgings provided by the empire.
“I would like to meet His Majesty the Emperor and pay my respects.”
“First, let’s get rid of the travel fatigue…”
“Uh-huh! That’s not an example! “I’m going to upload it from a long time ago and take a break!”
After hearing the professors’ strong request, the village allowed it.
Hyang, who received a courtesy from the professors in the front yard of Geunjeongjeon, opened her mouth in a soft voice.
“You had a lot of trouble coming to the elders. I am the emperor of this empire. I hope you have a good time during your stay in the Empire.”
After Hyang finished speaking, those who seemed to be the most senior among the professors stepped forward and spoke to Hyang.
“Your Majesty, I ask that I be able to discuss this with your Majesty before I return.”
“With luggage? why?”
“Before I came here, I have heard many stories about your Majesty’s knowledge. Therefore, I hope that we can discuss with your Majesty and share our knowledge.”
“Share each other’s knowledge…”
Hyang trailed off, thought for a moment and spoke again.
“I heard that the quarantine station inspected the toilets to the extent of filling a large tank three times throughout the night.”
“yes. I couldn’t control my curiosity, so I did something excessive. Please forgive me.”
“I didn’t say this to punish you. So, do you know how water is supplied from the large tank to the toilet tank?”
“yes? Of course, water flows from top to bottom…”
Hyang interrupted the professor with a cold expression.
“The toilet tank is not attached to the floor, but above the floor. On the other hand, the water pipe goes up the wall from the floor and connects to the toilet tank. If, as you say, it flows naturally from top to bottom, isn’t this a contradiction? So, please answer the principle by which Jim solved this part.”
“That… that…”
“People who can’t even properly answer Jim’s question want to share knowledge and have a discussion? “Why the luggage?”
“….”
At Hyang’s point, the professors had no choice but to keep their mouths shut and bow their heads. A voice of incense flowed over the heads of those professors.
“Your inspection will proceed as scheduled. But since it’s a discussion… Let’s start by providing answers to the questions Jim asked.”
Author’s Note
Hello.
This is Gukppong, who writes ‘Black Enterprise Chosun’.
It is no different than that we will be taking a break during this Lunar New Year holiday.
sorry.
I continued to prepare for the Lunar New Year holiday, but things were not easy.
Would you say you’ve been a bit tired?
Even though I stayed up all night in front of the monitor, I couldn’t think clearly, and even if I did sleep, I couldn’t sleep for more than 2 hours, and I woke up feeling more and more dizzy.
I will recharge during this holiday period and then come back and fill up my energy.
I hope that our readers will show the same generosity as Hahae.
We wish you a happy new year.
Posted with soup.