Black Corporation: Joseon

The first construction phase of the highway began at Gwanghwamun and ran through Sungnyemun, cutting through the north and south of central Hansung.

Since it was one of the most important roads in Hansung, along with Unjongga that crossed east to west, Hyang mobilized all available labor.

As he coordinated the schedule, Hyang discussed the plan for labor mobilization.

“If Hansung’s available workforce is insufficient, mobilize manpower from nearby provinces and counties.”

“The farming season has just begun.”

“Mobilize one person from every other household, but only for ten days. After that, mobilize one person from a different house.”

After momentarily calculating in his head, the official nodded at Hyang’s words.

“It seems reasonable.”

Thus, the method for labor mobilization was determined, and during a short rest, Hyang grumbled.

“Phew, it’s fortunate that we don’t have to bring people from the southern regions like in the days of Taejo or Taejong.”

Hyang heaved a long sigh of relief at the reality that it was fortunate to be able to mobilize manpower from near Hansung.

“Phew. If only we had a few forklifts and bulldozers… and ready-mix concrete…”

Starting the construction made Hyang long for the 21st-century construction machinery.

With most tasks done by human power, and for the more demanding tasks using oxen or donkeys, Hyang further resolved himself.

“I must create a steam engine, no matter what!”

“Huh? What’s this sudden chill…?”

“You too?”

Officials and craftsmen who had been researching steam engines and various devices at the research center and Area 51 suddenly felt chills throughout their bodies.

“We probably need to brew some medicinal herbs…”

“Is there a good physician around?”

* * *

Even in the 21st century, a project of this size would have been divided into sections. Hyang also had to divide the construction into sections.

However, compared to the 21st century, the scale of these sections was so small it was almost laughable.

Still, Hyang made every effort to maximize efficiency.

He not only mobilized manpower from the nearby areas of Hansung but also created tools to increase efficiency.

Among them, the most produced were concrete mixers and wheelbarrows.

Hyang made everything from small ones turned by hand to large ones powered by oxen or donkeys and explained their use to the managers and supervisors.

“For the main road connecting Gwanghwamun to Sungnyemun, use the large mixers, and for the surrounding small roads, use the small ones.”

“This will be fine. The mixture called ‘plaster’ needs a proper mix of sand, gravel, and lime, and these mixers will be incredibly useful.”

The managers and supervisors were quite pleased with the mixers. As they reported to Hyang, the most crucial part of using plaster was to ensure that the main ingredients, lime, sand, and gravel, were well-mixed.

Traditional lime plaster was mixed with water, sand, and lime, but the plaster, being more fluid than lime plaster, was not easy to mix.

When lime was first produced in Area 51, the first thing that was pointed out was this problem.

Eventually, Hyang drew on his 21st-century knowledge and proposed the idea of mixers, and the craftsmen were able to produce the mixers after several trials and errors.

* * *

“Stop! Stop!”

The workers, who were pouring plaster over the gravel and rebar, stopped at the supervisor’s shouting.

“Who mixed this plaster here!”

The supervisor, pointing to a spot where a cart was standing and loaded with plaster, was infuriated.

“Who mixed this plaster!”

“Over there at that mixer…”

“Bring that damn thing here!”

The laborer who had pulled the cart, with a mournful face, followed the supervisor.

“Here?”

“Yes.”

Upon hearing the laborer’s answer, the supervisor picked up the ledger that was attached and found the name of the person responsible.

“Team leader Jang! Team leader Jang Man-gok! Where are you?”

A scruffy-looking man ran up at the supervisor’s call.

“What’s the matter?”

“How can you send this kind of plaster mix! Huh? Is this plaster? It looks like gruel!”

“What?”

The foreman’s loud scolding made Deputy Foreman Jang examine the mortar in the cart, and his face turned into a look of failure.

The mortar in the cart looked exceedingly thin to him.

“Do you think this will solidify if you pour it like this? No, never mind solidifying for a moment, do you think it will even have the proper strength?”

“I apologize!”

“Knead it again and send it! If something like this comes again, know that your head will be the first to fly off!”

“I will send it properly!”

“Ugh! We’re already pressed for time, and you can’t even mix this mortar right!”

After giving Deputy Foreman Jang a thorough scolding, the supervisor left his seat with a click of his tongue.

Having been scolded by the supervisor, Deputy Foreman Jang glared at the laborers responsible for stirring with a visibly angry face.

“Who made this?”

“…”

When no one raised their hand in response to Deputy Foreman Jang’s question, he yelled out angrily.

“Which bastard made this mortar! If no one comes forward in the count of three, you all will be beaten under the scorching sun!”

At Deputy Foreman Jang’s cry, all the laborers’ eyes focused on one person.

“Was it you?”

“I, I apologize!”

“You idiot! I said to cook the mortar, not to cook something dead! I told you to keep the proper ratio, even if it’s hard, didn’t I tell you that?”

“I apologize!”

“That’s enough! Take this and cook it properly! If you mess it up again, know that you’ll be fired immediately!”

“Yes, yes!”

The laborer, warned, pulled the cart towards the mixer he was responsible for.

Such incidents occurred several times on the site and were even reported to the county magistrate.

“Can’t you even properly supervise the mixing of mortar?”

“We apologize!”

The supervisors all had to bow their heads at the county magistrate’s reprimand.

“It is certain that we have no time to spare for the construction period. I understand that it is not an easy job, but what should we do if these shoddy jobs keep happening?”

“This will never happen again!”

“Don’t forget that you are officials who have received rank. And don’t forget that these civil engineering works will continue.”

“‘If you mess up, there will be no promotion!’, a warning from the magistrate filled with meaning, was answered by the supervisors in loud voices.

“We will do our best!”

After this road construction, a new proverb was born among the people.

“He cooks death when asked to cook mortar.”

It was a proverb mocking those who couldn’t do a job properly even when entrusted with it.

* * *

At the road construction site, many devices suggested by the county magistrate and made by craftsmen were used.

Among those devices, there was one item that was well-received not only by those working on the site but also by ordinary people.

That was the handcart.

Carts were already common items in Joseon.

However, existing carts had a very high loading platform.

However, the magistrate, based on the rear car commonly used in the 21st century, created a new handcart.

Handcarts made with mass-produced iron from the first state-owned ironworks built in Anju under the direction of Kim Deok-su last year were even sturdier than carts before.

“This, this is a treasure!”

The laborers who used the handcart for the first time were unanimously praising it.

Seeing the reaction of the laborers, the supervisors immediately reported upwards.

“Carts, carts, more carts!”

Of course, the only regret was that the wheels had to be made of wood and metal plates due to the absence of rubber.

The common people instantly recognized the value of the handcart used on the construction site.

“That looks quite nice, doesn’t it?”

The merchants who observed the people’s reactions smelled money.

“It’s coming! It’s coming! I smell money!”

The merchants who traced the origin of the smell of money and found its source were dismayed.

“Again, Area 51?”

“Again, the Crown Prince?”

But, the real quick merchants hurried to find the authorities.

“Excuse me, sir. Which way should I go to reach the Intellectual Property Management Office?”

Upon receiving the merchant’s question, the official scrutinized the merchant from head to toe and opened his mouth.

“To register, or to use?”

“To use, please.”

At the merchant’s reply, the official raised his hand and pointed in a direction.

“Go through there and turn left at the building, then go to the door on the right.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Just make sure to pay your taxes. Let those government people die. Damn them… playing around with the budget…”

“Excuse me?”

“Never mind, go on with your business.”

“Yes…”

With that, the official and the merchant went their separate ways.

* * *

The ‘Intellectual Property Management Office’ was an agency requested by Hyang to be formally established in central government by Sejong.

“Uh… I understand what ‘guaranteeing the property rights of the creator of a new piece of machinery’ means. But, you call it intellectual property, which seems to include knowledge as well, correct?”

Hyang nodded at Hwang Hui’s question.

“Yes. It includes both technology and knowledge.”

“Physical objects like machines are visible and easy to prove, but knowledge is intangible. Won’t it be hard to acknowledge?”

“Indeed. So, it has to be written in visible sentences and reviewed.”

“But isn’t the beauty of knowledge in sharing it with each other?”

When Hwang Hui and other scholars showed confused expressions, Hyang gave an example.

“Your excellency, do you know why the word ‘revision’ originated?”

“Yes.”

“Imagine that you spent years revising and creating beautiful sentences. But what if someone takes those sentences and becomes famous with them? Or, if someone passes the civil service exam using those sentences and people consider them as his? How would you feel?”

Eventually, the purview of the Intellectual Property Management Office extended to include intangible knowledge.

Many patents began to be registered in this newly established office. Most were from Hyang’s laboratory and Area 51, but there were others as well.

Interesting things began to happen as the office operated, such as inventors or those with unique technology or tools registering their works and suddenly finding themselves prosperous.

This led to an increase in craftsmen, merchants, and even impoverished aristocrats devoted to inventing or developing new technologies.

Slowly, the spark of the Industrial Revolution began to ignite in Joseon.

* * *

The handcart was establishing itself as a new hit product, and someone was carefully scrutinizing it.

“Astronomer Jang, do you have a grudge against the handcart? Why do you glare at it so fiercely?”

Caught by a colleague passing by, Jang Yeong-sil awkwardly smiled and stood up.

“Ah… I just wanted to take a closer look at its structure.”

“If you want to see the blueprint, you can go to storage Area 51, or the research lab’s storage room… With your close relationship with His Highness, you can even take it out from the royal treasury, can’t you?”

“Blueprints are important, but I must see it with my own eyes to feel satisfied…”

“Ha ha ha! Master Jang is quite eccentric!”

The rumor that ‘Jang Yeong-sil is interested in handcarts’ reached Hyang’s ears a beat late. Hyang had been swamped with the restoration of the fire disaster and road paving construction.

Upon hearing the rumor, Hyang immediately summoned Jang Yeong-sil.

‘Surely, it couldn’t be that?’

“Astronomer Jang, I hear you are interested in handcarts these days.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Actually, I want to create a new palanquin by taking inspiration from the handcart’s structure. This palanquin will be able to move on its own…”

“Do not ever try to make it alone! It’s an order! Form a development team and proceed immediately! Also, everything must be done with my approval!”

Hyang interrupted Jang Yeong-sil in shock. Surprised by Hyang’s completely different reaction, Jang Yeong-sil humbly bowed his head.

“Yes, yes! I will do as you say!”

Though he said he would comply, Hyang, not feeling entirely at ease, called for the inner courtier.

“Bring Grand Scholars Jeong-cho and Lee Chun right away!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

After giving orders to the inner courtier, Hyang glared at Jang Yeong-sil.

‘You, sir! Your head might fly off if you make a mistake! Why that aggrieved expression?’

[TL/N: In actual history, Jang Yeon-sil’s palanquin incident was his last achievement before he was punished. In Sejong’s Annals, “…Jang Yeong-sil made a royal palanquin, but it was not sturdy. As the palanquin broke down and collapsed, he was sent to the State Tribunal for interrogation”. You can also watch the Korean movie, “Forbidden Dream, 2019” if you want to know more.]

After responding to Hyang’s summons, Jeong-cho and Lee Chun were instructed to organize a development team.

“Is it necessary to form a development team just to create a palanquin?”

“Astronomer Jang, explain.”

“Yes? Yes, Your Highness.”

Upon Hyang’s order, Jang Yeong-sil explained his plan for the self-moving palanquin.

After hearing his explanation, Jeongcho and Icheon looked a bit bewildered.

“A palanquin that moves by itself?”

“Is it possible for it to move by itself?”

Hyang interrupted Lee Chun’s response.

“If you question that, isn’t the locomotive the same?”

“Ah…”

At Hyang’s point, Lee Chun made an ‘Ah!’ face, but Jeong-cho raised an objection.

“A locomotive is large, and it moves on a dedicated track. But a palanquin moves on already established paths, and its size is smaller than that of a locomotive.”

“That’s why we’re forming a development team. If successful, won’t it be useful in various ways? It could benefit the people’s livelihoods and even the military aspects.”

Hyang’s words plunged Jeong-cho and Lee Chun into deep thought.

After much consideration, they responded.

“It’s worth a try.”

“Even if it fails, there will be something to gain.”

“Good! Form a development team immediately!”

Thus, the ‘palanquin’ that had erased Jang Yeong-sil from history surprisingly took an unexpected turn.