Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 745

Episode 745: Generational Change (3)

Japan’s strategy of targeting a niche market was successful.

Countries of their own size, such as Daewol and Seomra, purchased Japanese style rifles and freight cars sold by the empire.

Although it had excellent performance, it was sold at a lower price than expected.

However, only long guns and freight cars were sold at low prices.

In order for Eulsik rifles and freight cars to perform properly, they had to use special ammunition. And the Empire made a large profit from the ammunition.

The Japanese government also adopted a similar strategy.

For small countries that did not have the economic ability to purchase imperial weapons, such as the small countries of the Philippine Islands and the various tribal nations of the Indonesian Islands, the Japanese weapons were of moderate performance and reasonably low price.

The Japanese government that sold the guns and artillery they made sold the gunpowder and bullets they used with significant marks attached.

However, it was difficult to make profit because there was a strong competitor named Myeong.

Competition between the Ming and Japanese countries was especially fierce in Luzon and nearby areas where Chinese people had lived since ancient times.

However, because the export of gunpowder weapons was illegal, most of the firearms of the Ming Dynasty were smuggled, while the Japanese Empire was slowly gaining an advantage thanks to the actions of the shogunate.

* * *

As the Japanese arms sales went well, the empire gained unexpected profits.

In other words, the countries that purchased the empire’s weapons, such as Daewol, Sumra, and the large kingdoms of the Indonesian archipelago, did not get along very well with their neighbors.

The surrounding weak countries that were under military pressure from Daewol Seomra immediately purchased weapons from the Japanese country.

Although the superiority and inferiority of performance were clear, this could be offset by making good use of the natural environment. And weak countries took advantage of this.

Thanks to this, large and small armed conflicts broke out every day in Southeast Asia.

Countries such as Daewol and Seomra fought against neighboring weak countries – especially the North and South countries of Myanmar, which were divided into North and South – and weak countries fought against countries bordering them – not only large countries such as Daewol and Seomra, but also small and weak countries. received.

Due to this conflict, a huge amount of ammunition and guns were consumed, and the empire was able to make a handsome profit by selling them ammunition and Japanese long-gun wagons that were being eliminated.

* * *

After receiving this report, Wan gave an order to his subjects.

“Let’s assume there is no problem with the flintlock rifles made and sold by the Japanese government.”

“I follow your orders.”

The ministers immediately accepted Wan’s decision without much opposition.

This was because it was almost unreasonable to say anything about flintlock rifles made and sold by the Japanese government.

First, the empire made flintlock rifles and sold them to Japan, but the empire did not use them at all.

Second, because this flint ignition device is used by Mingdo, it is difficult for the empire to claim intellectual property rights.

-Although it is similar to what the Empire sold us, we referred to it.

If Japan said this, the empire would be at a loss for words.

This was also the case with the rifling parts engraved on rifles sold by the Japanese government.

-The long guns sold by famous people have rifling lines engraved on them, so we dug them up too!

If I argued like this, as expected, I would run out of things to say.

Therefore, when this first came up as a topic, Wan recalled what Hyang said.

-The saying ‘successful replication is better than failed creation’ is a weapon. If you don’t create a contract from scratch, you have to give up claiming intellectual property rights. A weapon has many holes through which it can escape.

-The Ming and Japanese are still desperately trying to catch up with us. Especially in the weapons field. And at some point, it will almost catch up with us. In particular, in areas such as long guns, it will soon become difficult to determine superiority or inferiority.

-solution? Simple. All we can do is figure out our own way and keep getting ahead. Even if guns are unavoidable, the artillery section must be overwhelmingly superior.

In particular, Hyang’s last words were something that Wan and the ministers all agreed on.

Thanks to this, people who were originally obsessed with cannons became even more obsessed with cannons.

-Unconditional artillery fire, whether on land or at sea!

-Bigger, more powerful, and farther-moving artillery!

-What is needed for an attack? More artillery! What do you need for defense? Even more artillery!

-Fire artillery is the truth of victory!

It was the beginning of ‘Pobangbu’, a place that boasts history and tradition.

* * *

The Ouchi shogunate, which took control of the Japanese Empire, made great efforts to solidify its power.

What the Ouchi shogunate put the most effort into was education and economic development.

In the elementary school, which was a direct replica of the imperial social democratic school, children learned letters and loyalty to the country and monarch.

However, the monarch here was not the emperor but the shogun of the shogunate.

And he promoted various policies to develop the economy.

Among them, the most important one was the prospecting project.

“The most important things to develop the economy are coal and iron! Private railways have their limits! Find iron ore!”

The prospecting project that took place under Mochiyo’s strong support finally achieved results at the end of Mochiyo’s reign.

Iron ore and coal mines were discovered in the Kumamoto area and iron ore mines were discovered in the Morioka (now Shiwate) area.

“Kumamoto is okay, but Morioka is a problem.”

Mochiyo, who received the report at the time, was filled with pains.

The Kumamoto region was one of the areas completely controlled by the Ouchi family. However, the Morioka region was far from the shogunate.

Although the domain disappeared due to the abolition of the district, there were still disturbing movements because it was so far away.

The shogunate officials had a war of words over the solution to this problem.

“Let’s develop Kumamoto first and plan on developing the Morioka area later!”

“The existence of the mine is already known. If this is left as is, secret camming of minerals will become rampant and unsightly groups can abuse it! We must develop it at the same time!”

After a fierce war of words, Mochiyo made a decision.

“First, we will develop the iron mines in Morioka and the coal mines in Kumamoto. We will dispatch the shogunate army to Morioka and manage them directly. Then, even the subversive will not be able to move easily. That is, we will empty the iron mines in Morioka first and then develop the iron mines in Kumamoto. .”

“Hot! It’s a wise punishment!”

The officials responded to Mochiyo’s decision by bowing their heads in unison.

Following Mochiyo’s decision, mines began to be developed in Kumamoto and Morioka.

As important iron and coal mines were divided between South and North, a means of transporting them efficiently became necessary.

Thanks to this, the railway construction that had been started at the request of the empire received further momentum.

As these events continued in succession, the entire Japanese nation began to suffer from the changes.

Many people left the rural areas where they had lived and flocked to the cities and mines. And merchants and prostitutes flocked to the area, looking for money flowing from railway construction sites and mines.

Those who had money in their hands moved for a better future for their children.

Thanks to this, more and more children flocked to elementary schools.

And in order to acquire higher levels of learning and achieve success, numerous academies and dormitories (a type of boarding school) were established.

Since these academies and dormitories were not official educational institutions, the shogunate established ‘secondary schools’, higher education institutions, sooner than expected.

As the Japanese government grew, the Japanese people became more confident. As my confidence grew, people began to secretly say something different.

“Sir. Appeals have been coming in these days.”

Yoshinori, who was busy approving a pile of documents, straightened his posture when he heard the word appeal.

“Appeal? What kind of appeal is this?”

“There are many complaints that the word ‘governance’ should be changed.”

“Government? Why? Come with an appeal.”

“hot!”

At Yoshinori’s order, officials brought trays containing appeals.

The contents of the appeals were largely the same.

-The word “government” is a word created and used by the empire.

-The word ‘Gyeongse’ is an abbreviation of ‘Gyeongsejemin (經世濟民)’.

-Government is important, but citizens are also important. Therefore, it is not right to use only Gyeongse.

-The empire is the empire and the country of Japan is the country of Japan. It is right to follow the example of previously developed empires, but there is no need to follow the example of things that are not right and that do not suit our Japanese country.

-Therefore, it is correct to use the word ‘economy’ instead of the word ‘governance’.

“Hmm…”

After reading the contents of the appeals, Yoshinori stroked his beard and was lost in thought.

The creed that was passed down from Morimi, the head of the Sandae family, through Mochiyo and even to himself was ‘Escape from Japan’.

The goal was to abandon outdated old customs and become a powerful nation following the example of the developed Joseon Empire.

‘But an empire is an empire and we are us.’

“Are the people who submitted this appeal studying abroad?”

The officials answered Yoshinori’s question right away.

“Most of them are students studying abroad.”

“Bring those who can be brought in right away.”

“hot!”

After about half an hour (about 1 hour). A group of officials prostrated themselves before Yoshinori.

“Did you write this appeal?”

“hot!”

“Answer my question.”

“hot!”

In the question and answer that followed, the answers given by the students studying abroad were almost identical to the content of the appeal. But the last words provoked Yoshinori.

“I accept that the Empire is a powerful country that is ahead in all aspects. However, just 20 years ago, the Empire was in a position to follow the Ming. But now, it has become a power that overwhelms the Ming. The Empire was like that, but it is impossible for our Japanese country to do so. Do you want to do it? I think that abandoning the word ‘government’ and choosing ‘economy’ is the only way to make this clear. Wouldn’t it be the same to choose the name ‘Kookmin School’ instead of ‘Social Democratic School’?”

“Hmm…”

Yoshinori, who had been pondering while listening to the students studying abroad, made a decision.

“What you say is right. We can’t just look at the empire’s back forever. Talk to other officials and bring Dungeo to replace the government.”

“hot!”

* * *

As movements to escape from the shadow of the empire were slowly taking place, another war of words was taking place among Japanese intellectuals.

It was a clash between the ‘maintaining faction’ and the ‘separate faction’.

-The Emperor has already become famous and insignificant. Therefore, the shogun must be crowned.

This was the argument of the Seonwi faction. The argument of the supporters opposing this was as follows.

-He is a descendant of Amaterasu and is an emperor who has continued the world for all eternity. The superiority is unreasonable.

The Xianwi faction snorted at this claim of the preservationist faction.

“A proclamation for all ages? What happened in the past when the Northern and Southern Dynasties divided and fought? Now is the time for the Emperor to step down from history!”

“That’s right! The Emperor is a symbol of old customs! He must step down!”