Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 944

Episode 944: Ijei (以夷制夷) – Regional appraisal. (4)

It was a combination of coincidence and luck that allowed Fragrance to hire Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

At this time, Michelangelo was active in Florence under the support of the Medici family. On the other hand, Leonardo da Vinci was active in Milan.

This was due to the limitations of being born ‘illegitimate’.

Leonardo da Vinci, who left his hometown, returned from Milan to Florence as soon as he learned of the arrival of incense.

“The ‘Sage of the East’ will understand my idea!”

Leonardo da Vinci, filled with such hope, knocked on the door of the imperial embassy in Florence.

“I may be presumptuous, but I, Leonardo da Vinci, would like to paint a portrait of His Majesty, the former emperor.”

It was the best justification for approaching Hyang.

The embassy staff who greeted Leonardo da Vinci had a strange expression.

In the meantime, there were many ‘self-proclaimed’ artists who asked to be met with incense, making excuses like Leonardo da Vinci. However, the name ‘Leonardo da Vinci’ had too much weight to just ignore.

That’s why he had a strange expression on his face that was a mixture of boredom, asking ‘Again?’ and surprise, ‘Even this person?’

‘What should I do with this?’

After much thought, the official came up with the most reasonable method.

He passed it on to his superiors.

Eventually, through a similar process, I learned about the scent of Leonardo da Vinci’s visit.

“Leonardo da Vinci? “Let them in.”

After going through a strict body search and entering the mayor’s office, Leonardo da Vinci immediately bowed and bowed politely.

“Leonardo da Vinci, a humble painter, comes to see His Majesty, the former Emperor of the great Eastern Empire.”

“If Leonardo da Vinci is of little value, isn’t the value of his name assessed too lightly? “Nice to meet you.”

“It’s an honor.”

Leonardo da Vinci answered by bending his back and bowing his head.

Except for diplomats and a few scholars and experts, most Europeans knew nothing about the Empire or the etiquette of the East.

The only source of information they could access was almost Marco Polo’s ‘History of the East’.

And according to what is written in the record of the visit to the East, when meeting the monarch of the East, one had to bend one’s back and keep one’s head down. It was a great act of disrespect to look the monarch in the eye with your body straight.

“Sit comfortably in the chair with your back straight. “My back hurts just looking at it.”

“Thank you.”

Da Vinci straightened at Hyang’s command and sat down on the chair given to him by the eunuch next to him.

Da Vinci sat down carefully, looked at the scent sitting behind the desk, and unconsciously let out an exclamation.

It was clearly a scent known to be approaching 80 years old. However, no matter how I looked at Hyang, who was sitting upright in a chair and looking at me, he did not look like that kind of old man. In particular, the faint smile and confident expression made Hyang’s face look even younger.

“So you want to draw Jim’s portrait?”

“Yes…”

Da Vinci paused for a moment, opened the large leather bag he held dearly in his arms, and took out a bundle of papers inside.

“I want you to look at these.”

“Hoo? Give it to me. shell.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Hyang’s eyes lit up after being handed a bundle of paper through the inner tube.

What da Vinci presented were records of what he had investigated, observed, and studied. Hyang exclaimed inwardly when he saw conceptual drawings and blueprints of the famous helicopters and tanks, as well as conceptual drawings and blueprints that were unknown to later generations.

‘You got to see this in the original and complete version? Big! My virtue is boiling!’

Hyang, who was expressing exclamations in his heart but calmly analyzing the situation in his head, looked at Da Vinci with a slight smile.

“I guess my intention was to find someone who would help me make these rather than to paint Jim’s portrait.”

“That’s true, but I also wanted to be acknowledged by Your Majesty.”

“admit?”

“It’s not an empty delusion…”

Hyang nodded as she looked at Leonardo da Vinci, who was unable to finish his sentence and lowered his head.

‘Well, there’s something like that…’

Hyang opened his mouth, feeling his own sympathy for the same illness.

“The idea itself is good. “But there are some problems.”

“What if you say it’s a problem?”

When a criticism, rather than a ridicule or reprimand, was made, Da Vinci’s head straightened and his eyes began to shine. Hyang continued as she looked at Da Vinci, who suddenly burst into life.

“The first thing you see is the problem of power. Hmm….”

‘Jang Yeong-sil was trying to solve the problem with wind-up, but Da Vinci is trying to solve it with manpower. Well, it’s a power source that’s easy to find, but… Wait! ‘It’s been a while since steam engines were known in Europe, right?’

After thinking about that, Hyang asked Da Vinci.

“If you look at these drawings, most of them are moved by human power. “Human power alone has its limits, so have you ever thought of using a steam engine?”

“The steam engine gives off a very indifferent impression… I guess I could say it looks classless…”

Da Vinci stammered out his answer, looking at the fragrance. This was because the steam engine was criticized harshly in front of the person who created it.

Meanwhile, after hearing Da Vinci’s answer, Hyang screamed internally.

‘This nobleman was also part of Jang Yeong-sil’s class!’

“Hmm… yes… you might think so.”

After barely regaining her composure, Hyang stood up and headed to the safe on one side.

Hyang opened the door of the tightly locked safe, took out a thin booklet, and handed it to Da Vinci.

“Please read it.”

“What comes?”

“It’s part of the challenge log.”

At Hyang’s answer, Da Vinci’s eyes widened and his hands began to tremble.

“This one, this one, this is a challenging book… Among scholars and literate people, it is called the secretary of secret books, and I want to be able to see it at least once in my life…” I

turn the pages with difficulty with trembling hands. Da Vinci’s eyes began to shake mercilessly.

“This is…”

On the open bookshelf were drawings and designs of objects that looked similar to the helicopters or tanks he had in mind, but moved in a completely different way.

“Ah ah ah~.”

Da Vinci, who was examining the contents of the challenge record, collapsed in his chair, making a sound that was unclear whether it was lamentation or joy.

“How is it?”

“I have found that I am very foolish.”

Hyang shook her head at Da Vinci’s self-blame.

“You are not stupid. It’s just that my insight was narrow. In our empire and in the East, they call it ‘the frog in the well’. “All you can do is sit in the well and think that is the whole world.”

“ah! “I am just that kind of frog!”

Looking at Da Vinci giving an exclamation, Hyang continued speaking in a soft voice.

“How is it? What about going to the Empire with Jim later? Wouldn’t you like to work in the Empire’s Area 51 or Area 52? Of course, if you want to draw, I will let you do so.”

“Area 51!”

Da Vinci jumped up from his seat at Hyang’s suggestion. If Daejeonrok was a secret book, Area 51 was a secret place and a utopia. Da Vinci immediately nodded at Hyang’s suggestion.

“I will do it! “I am so grateful that you have given me this unprecedented opportunity. I don’t know what to do!”

“Please take care of me.”

Hyang answered in a calm voice, but internally cheered as she clenched her hands holding her back.

‘I caught it! ‘Good thing I brought it!’

It was a copy of the challenge record that I brought with me to find and obtain Da Vinci on my way to Italy. Although it was a copy with various stains and deletions just in case, it fulfilled its role as a decoy very faithfully.

On the day of catching Da Vinci, Hyang was left alone looking outside and suddenly became curious.

“If this continues, what will happen to the Mona Lisa? Surely there won’t be a Mona Lisa wearing a hanbok and a gache or jokdori?”

As a side note, the ‘frog in the well’ mentioned by Hyang left a great impression on da Vinci. Afterwards, da Vinci left behind a considerable number of paintings, and these paintings included frogs along with his autograph or as part of the background or subject matter.

* * *

In this way, the city that hired Da Vinci even borrowed Michelangelo to create propaganda paintings.

Although the two had a significant age difference, they were famous for their great rivalry.

Thanks to this relationship, the two people who received a request rather than a request from the village did their best to complete the propaganda painting.

After receiving the first completed copy, Hyang placed her hand on her forehead.

“Do you think these pictures can be printed?”

“But if you think about aesthetic value…”

“What Jim wanted was not a beautiful picture.”

After explaining in detail what needs to be fixed, Hyang sent the two out.

“Draw it again. “Remember to be punctual.”

“yes.”

“Then that Xian…”

“I’ll keep it in my luggage just in case.” “If it doesn’t work out, I’ll have to use this at least.”

The eyes of the two people burned at Hyang’s words that strangely scratched their pride.

“I will definitely bring a picture that will satisfy Your Majesty!”

“I’m not looking forward to it. ah! “Sign here and leave.”

After sending the two people away after signing the completed copy, Hyang muttered with a happy expression on his face.

“A series of works by painters that will remain in history… It’s an heirloom among heirlooms, right?”

* * *

Propaganda paintings reminiscent of Da Vinci and Michelangelo began to attract young people from not only Florence but also Milan and Genoa.

However, the expression on Hyang’s face when he received the report was not at all scary.

“More and more people are flocking here, but the growth rate is too low. “I don’t have much time to think about the training period or southern Italy.”

Hyang, who had been thinking about something for a while, let out a long sigh.

“My bad reputation will increase one more time.”

Fifteen days later, additional new posters were posted in cities and villages in the Florence, Milan, and Genoa regions.

-Brothers of the Arno and Po rivers! Let’s become one! Northern Italy, let’s unite!

Cities in Tuscany, including Florence, were along the Arno River, and cities to the north, such as Milan and Genoa, were along the Po River.

When the Arno and Po rivers became one, it meant that northern Italy became one.

However, to achieve this, Venice had to be incorporated as well.

Here, Hyang’s trick was used again.

Starting with villages and cities in the Genoa region, other posters began to be posted.

-Only Venice remains!

-let’s go! To Venice!

“You mean Venice?”

The expressions on the faces of residents in the Genoa region turned fierce when they saw the poster.

Genoa’s biggest enemy over the years was Venice.

Genoa and Venice have been constantly fighting fiercely to dominate the trade market in the Mediterranean region.

This long and fierce bloody struggle ended with the Genoese defeat at the Battle of Chioggia in 1380.

Because of this, the Genoese people’s view of Venice could never be resolved.

In the end, recruiting stations in the Genoa region began to suffer from the influx of Genoese young men and women.

“Okay, let’s go! Let’s go to Venice! “Let’s go to Venice to crush the Venetians!”