Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 731
Episode 731: Dagger (1)
“Did you say dagger?”
“Yes.”
Shin In-son thought about it for a moment and answered,
“I understand what your Majesty meant. But would it be possible to cross the eastern ocean simply by widening the space of the Challenger-class front ?
Isn’t there an example of the Jinpo ship?”
After a large number of challenger-class battleships were deployed, the Joseon navy at the time carried out an adventurous operation – involving a large amount of local MSG –
exploring the sea outside Daeseoldo Island . It was an operation made possible by the deployment of challenger-class fronts, the largest of the fronts that Joseon had at the time.
And according to this plan, Jinpo departed from Naeseoldo Island and sailed toward Jeongdong (正東).
And shipwrecked .
Just before Hagi, it became a ship in distress and barely returned.
Afterwards, the Joseon navy moved northward, using the northern archipelago as a stepping stone, and discovered Shinji.
Shin In-son pointed this out to Hyang.
-Conversely, it advanced to Europe and launched an offensive defense. Establishing a strategy is a good strategy.
-The problem is the ocean that spreads out to the east.
-I don’t know how wide the ocean to the east is, so will it be possible to solve it by expanding the internal space of the challenger-level front
? It was a pointer made indirectly.
If you criticize it outright, it would be considered disrespectful to the situation.
Hyang nodded at Shin In-son’s point.
“Of course, I admit that that part is quite ambiguous. However, according to the results of research at the research institute, the world is round, right?”
“Every commander of the navy, or indeed the navy, knows this. That’s why we know that the world came to be called ‘Earth.’”
To prove the ‘Earth theory,’ researchers at the institute conducted dozens of actual measurements. Those who helped the most in this process were the Navy. .
Therefore, the Navy was the place with the most people who believed that ‘the Earth is round’ as common sense.
Listening to Shin In-son’s answer, Hyang continued,
“According to the calculations made by researchers at the research institute, the largest part of this round world is The circumference is about 100,000 ri (about 40,000 km). Of course, to be exact, it’s 100,000 thousand miles, but let’s skip that part…”
After a pause, Hyang drew a circle on a blank piece of paper and continued.
“Let’s call this circle the Earth. If you cross the widest part in the middle, it’s a challenge. Even self-sufficiency would be impossible. But this is where we are now, in the north.”
Hyang drew a straight line across the upper part of the circle and continued.
“What do you think it will be like if we go like this?”
Shin In-son thought about what Hyang said and answered in a slightly uncertain voice.
“It’s hard to be sure it’s impossible, and it’s hard to be sure it’s possible. This is because there is so little information.”
“We need to get that information now. Luckily, our empire doesn’t have that tool, right?”
Shin In-son immediately responded to Hyang’s words.
“Are you talking about a quadrant and a precision clock?”
***
A useful telescope and mirror appeared in Area 51, and Mansour Hyang, who rescued the quadrant – although it was still at a primitive level –
immediately handed it over to Jang Yeong-sil.
“I want to make it more usable, so please take the trouble.”
“…Yes.”
As a somewhat useful quadrant was created, the Navy began to create more precise charts while increasing safety for long-distance navigation.
However, a quadrant and compass alone were not enough to create a proper chart and ensure safe navigation.
So Hyang – who was still the crown prince at the time – once again put Jang Yeong-sil in charge.
“I need a very precise watch. A watch that doesn’t go fast or slow under any circumstances and doesn’t waver even in storms.
“I need a watch like that.”
“Is it too much to do with the current watch?”
“It is said that clocks using weights, like today’s clocks, are inaccurate in turbulent seas. “Please.”
“…..I understand.”
Although there was no answer, Jang Yeong-sil had no right to veto. It was because it was the crown prince’s order.
However, even Jang Yeong-sil of the world found this to be a daunting task. Hyang clicked her tongue when she saw Jang Yeong-sil wandering around unable to find the right answer.
“Tsk! I can’t help it!”
The scent that tickled my tongue was secretly sprinkled with MSG.
“How about using the mainspring to provide the power to move the clock?”
“Ah!”
Jang Yeong-sil’s face brightened when Hyang secretly mentioned ‘mainspring’.
From then on, it was all smooth sailing.
The power of the mainspring was seen in history before Hyang intervened. It was Jang Yeong-sil who created a kiln that moved on its own.
Although it ended in failure and Jang Yeong-sil disappeared from history after being held responsible. Because Jang Yeong-sil
was an expert in winding, the product came out and received approval in all aspects except size.
The watch was about the size of a naengmyeon bowl. However, the naengmyeon bowl of this era, when gluttony was a daily routine, was about half as big as that of the 21st century. Still, it had
satisfactory performance, making it a challenger-class item used on long-distance voyages. Front lines and merchant ships
had at least three precision clocks placed in the captain’s office: one for the time at Hanseong (and later Seoul), one for the time at the destination (usually Suez), and the last one for the time at an intermediate stopover (usually Melaka). Based
on the time quadrants measured by these clocks, the latitude determined by the constellations, and the sailing speed regularly checked,
captains and navigators were able to determine their positions with considerable accuracy,
and this made the Imperial Navy better than other nations . It was one of the driving forces that made it possible to have an overwhelming advantage.
***
Hyang explained his future plan to Shin In-son.
“As the admiral knows, in order to properly construct a sea defense wall, the east and west coasts of Shinji and the islands that will be around. “We need to pinpoint their location. A quadrant and a precision clock make this much easier.”
“That’s right.”
“And through this process, Shinji’s navy can also be raised to become elite.”
“That’s right.”
“Wait a moment…”
Hyang, who was thirsty from the prolonged conversation, poured some black bean tea and offered it to Shin In-son.
“Drink.”
“Oh! Gwangyoung is coming!”
Shin In-son, who received the black bean tea poured directly by the scent, bowed his head in sincere emotion. After quenching her thirst with a sip of black bean tea, Hyang
continued speaking.
“I have planned for 10 years to train Shinji’s Imperial Navy, and I have no intention of urging you to speed up this time. Instead, we must raise them to a sufficient size and elite level.”
“Please leave that part to me.”
“By the time the Shinji Navy is established, it is expected that the Emperor will enter into negotiations with Portugal in about 9 years.”
“Are you talking about negotiations with Portugal? Are you going to form a military alliance?”
“It’s not a definite military alliance, but rather a ‘mutual navigation security agreement’? ‘The Empire and Portugal guarantee the safety of ships belonging to both countries.’ About so. And this clause will also include the provision of a refuge.”
Pausing for a moment, Hyang unfolded the map he had obtained from Europe and continued.
“There, the emperor will ask for the Azores Islands.”
“In Africa . “It’s a bit far away.”
“That’s right. But isn’t it the perfect place to rest along the way from Shinji?”
“But if you do something wrong, Shinji’s existence could be revealed sooner than expected.”
Hyang confidently responded to Shin In-son’s point.
“It doesn’t matter. By then, the sea defenses will have been completed.”
“But if conflicts continue to become frequent, unnecessary losses may occur and become a big burden later.” ”
That’s why we plan to drive in the dagger. “The location to put the dagger in is…”
Hyang drew a spot on the map with his finger.
“Right here in Gibraltar (now Gibraltar).”
Shin In-son, who was looking at Gibraltar that Hyang had pointed at with his finger, had a serious look on his face. I looked at Lo Hyang.
“It’s definitely a good location to stick a dagger in. But that is the river area of Spain.
“In order to occupy that place, you have to be prepared for armed conflict, and in order to wage an armed conflict, you need a justification.”
“That’s right. So I’m going to ask Portugal and its allies to give me a port. Or I’m going to ask them to allow me to build a port. The location is right here.”
Hyang pointed his finger at another place. It was the northern terminus of the Iron Horse heading from Suez to the Mediterranean.
“The reason for building the port is simple. ‘Protection of the goods and merchants exported from the empire.’”
“It’s okay. But will Portugal respond?”
In response to Shin In-son’s concerns, Hyang still answered with a confident expression.
“We will respond. As you can see from the map, isn’t Portugal’s situation similar to Silla’s? The momentum is growing and we want to increase it further. However, next to them is a powerful country called Spain, standing strong and putting pressure on them. So what tactics did Silla use?”
“We joined hands with the Tang. Does our empire become the party’s role?”
“Yes, Portugal and Spain have been at odds, but even now, when ships from the two countries meet at sea, they fight to the death. Even though both countries accepted the Pope’s mediation. Now! As mentioned earlier, ‘The Empire and Portugal guarantee the safety of the ships of both countries.’ “Do you remember the clause? This is what we use here.”
Shin In-son’s eyes, who were imagining the situation at Hyang’s words, glowed strangely.
“Does this mean that if we see a Portuguese ship engaged in battle, which is a party to the treaty, we will automatically join the war?”
“exactly.”
“I will have to busily travel between the port of Johan and the Azores Islands. It is something that should not be done by mistake
.” “Or we can just move together whenever the Portuguese ships move.
Aren’t
Challenger-class ships famous for carrying a lot of cargo ?”
“I guess so.”
Shin In-son’s facial expression, as he agreed, suddenly resembled Hyang’s expression.
After listening to the explanation, Shin In-son stroked his beard and predicted possibilities once again. After thinking about
this and that for a while, Shin In-son gave Hyang his He expressed his opinion.
“It is a good plan, and if it comes to fruition, it will be the best to protect the national interests of the empire, but the problem is the people. In order for the plan to operate properly, not only will we need a lot of our navy, but we will also need a lot of new land’s navy. “This plan is only possible
when the supply and demand of talent is achieved in a timely manner.”
“I think it will be possible because the chiefs are stepping up to the plate. And don’t we have a monopoly?”
When Hyang mentioned ‘monopoly,’ Shin In-son smiled and nodded.
“I forgot about the monopoly. It would certainly be of great help to have a monopoly.”
“Then can I trust you to entrust this great work to the Admiral?”
“I’m going to change my mind!”
“Then I will only trust the Admiral.”
***
After handing over the work to Shin In-son, Hyang looked at the map and organized the situation.
“We need to seize Gibraltar and tie up Spain. Just like Britain did. In the current situation, dealing with Spain is the top priority. If Spain is properly tied up, North America can be taken care of, and Central America can be controlled by South America if we are lucky enough. You can also eat the counseling part of . No, even if you digest North America properly, there
will be almost no big guys who can mess with the empire.”