Black Corporation: Joseon

The 28th Year of King Sejong (1446, Year of Byeongin)

As soon as spring arrived, Portuguese merchants immediately visited Joseon.

“You’re early this year?”

The merchant leader smiled and answered the somewhat familiar customs official’s greeting.

“Ah! The winds were excellent!”

“Is that so? This year must be your lucky year! You’re a whole month early!”

“Ah, haha, I suppose so? Thank you.”

The merchant leader responded with his best smile to words that could have been either genuine pleasure or sarcasm.

“I notice you’ve added another ship? My, my… Business must be really good?”

The additional ships were carefully loaded with 3,000 percussion cap muskets produced at the Area 51 Arsenal, molds for making spherical lead bullets matching the musket caliber, and boxes containing 15,000 cartridges that combined bullets and gunpowder.

During loading, Portuguese merchants and soldiers, Joseon customs officials and military officers in charge of transportation, and interpreters from both sides stood in line verifying the cargo.

“15,000 cartridges… that’s an enormous quantity.”

The military officer snickered at the customs official’s comment while checking the cargo manifest.

“15,000 might sound impressive, but it’s actually nothing special. It’s only five cartridges per musket. Those five are just for verification.”

“Verification?”

The officer counted on his fingers as he answered the official’s query.

“Two cartridges to verify the musket hasn’t been damaged during transport, three to confirm accurate targeting. For actual combat, each musket needs at least 60 cartridges. You need 60 cartridges to fight one proper battle.”

“Is that so?”

The official nodded at the officer’s words and focused on the inspection.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese military officers listening through interpreters exchanged shocked looks.

“Sixty rounds for one battle?”

“Do the Joseon people fight all day long?”

“Even so, sixty is excessive.”

The Portuguese officers shook their heads, unable to comprehend this.

***

Looking at battles in Europe during this period, musketeers would keep two lead bullets in their mouths. This was for quick and smooth reloading, and they rarely fired more than two shots.

Of course, they carried powder horns nicknamed the “Twelve Apostles” containing single shots of powder and bullets, but two shots were usually the maximum unless it was truly intense combat.

This situation arose due to loading method issues and short effective range.

Unless substantial cover was available, musketeers weren’t given enough time to load more than two shots.

***

With this background, the Portuguese officers couldn’t understand the Joseon military officer’s words.

“It seems like an exaggeration no matter how you look at it.”

“Right?”

Eventually, they came to distrust the Joseon officer’s words.

If they had known the true nature of Joseon’s ‘real’ Type A muskets, the character of Joseon people themselves, and Joseon military tactics, their conclusion would have been different.

The percussion cap^[1] replaced three steps in the reloading process – opening the primer cover, adding primer powder, and closing the cover. The rifling carved into the barrel guaranteed superior accuracy and extended range. And the oiled paper wrapping the powder and bullet made reloading easier.

Finally, Joseon military tactics focusing on defense provided musketeers with safe cover.

And the characteristically impatient nature of Joseon people led to achieving faster reloading speeds than musketeers of any other nation.

***

The Portuguese merchant group, loaded with ordered firearms and auxiliary equipment along with other Joseon-made goods, took minimal rest before departing.

Receiving the report, Hyang looked at the ministers.

“Seeing how urgently they’re moving, it seems they’ve made up their minds.”

The ministers all nodded at Hyang’s words.

“Indeed.”

“With the discord between Spain and Portugal deepening, it seems Portugal has finally decided to act.”

Hyang and the ministers suspected Portugal was preparing to engage Spain in battle.

They knew this because they had heard about serious conflicts between the two countries and surrounding nations over hegemony in the Mediterranean and African continent.

This seemed the most reasonable conclusion, given they didn’t know what Cosimo de’ Medici of Florence had secretly accomplished.

***

June of Sejong’s 28th Year.

On Joseon’s northeastern border, Oirat and Joseon forces were making contact.

“120 siege cannons and 900 explosive shells, plus the necessary gunpowder.”

“Confirmed. Here is the payment.”

The Oirat and Joseon representatives began verifying their respective goods.

While Oirat warriors and Joseon cavalry surrounded the exchange site watching each other, both sides’ envoys safely completed verification and exchanged polite bows.

“It was a good trade.”

“The same for us. We hope these will be of great help in catching the bandits.”

“Thank you.”

After exchanging farewells, both sides turned their backs.

***

-The trade with Oirat was successfully completed.

Receiving the report, Hyang looked at Heo Hu.

“Please organize a diplomatic mission.”

“I plan to go personally.”

At Heo Hu’s answer, not only Hyang but all the ministers looked at him with dubious expressions.

Heo Hu was the son of Heo Jo, who had risen to Left State Councillor. True to being the son of Heo Jo, who was synonymous with ‘stubborn, principled, and always speaking frankly,’ Heo Hu shared these traits strongly.

Finally, Hyang had to ask directly.

“Will it be alright when we need to deceive the Emperor?”

“What’s there to worry about when he’s not my Emperor?”

Hyang was reassured by Heo Hu’s answer and made the decision.

“I’ll leave it to you then.”

***

Two weeks later, Heo Hu gained an audience with Emperor Zhengtong at the Forbidden City.

“You’ve worked hard bringing your aged body here.”

“Your Imperial grace is boundless. Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years.”

While giving the threefold cheer, Heo Hu observed the Emperor’s complexion. Since it was disrespectful to look directly at a monarch’s face, he used the cheers as cover to observe.

His complexion is worse than reported.

The Emperor’s face showed deepening signs of illness as he received Heo Hu’s greeting.

“It hasn’t been long since the regular envoy visited, yet suddenly an envoy comes, and the equivalent of Joseon’s Minister of Rites at that? Has some misfortune occurred within Joseon?”

To the Emperor’s question, Heo Hu carefully began speaking.

“I have come personally with important matters concerning Oirat to report to Your Majesty.”

At Heo Hu’s words, Emperor Zhengtong, who had been reclining on his throne, straightened his posture.

“About Oirat? Speak of this matter.”

“Yes.”

At the Emperor’s command, Heo Hu reported the sale of cannons to Oirat.

“…thus, though it is an extremely, most extremely small number of just 120 pieces, it could become a concern for the Great State, and worried that Your Majesty might view our Joseon unfavorably, His Highness the Crown Prince sent this humble servant.”

“You say Joseon’s Crown Prince sent you?”

“That is correct.”

At Heo Hu’s response, the Minister of War among Ming’s attending ministers stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, this humble servant wishes to question Joseon’s envoy, if you would grant permission.”

“Granted.”

Receiving the Emperor’s permission, the Minister of War immediately confronted Heo Hu.

“Why did Joseon sell as many as 120 cannons to those Tatar barbarians of Oirat!”

When the Minister of War pressed the issue, Heo Hu immediately shot back.

“Though 120 pieces might seem like many, it truly isn’t much! Even the smallest warships in Joseon’s navy carry 20 cannons. This is barely enough to arm six ships, and those the smallest warships at that!”

At Heo Hu’s response, Emperor Zhengtong and Ming’s ministers unconsciously nodded.

Ah, so this is what Joseon people are like.

***

To the Ming people, ‘Joseon military = artillery.’ Joseon was a country where even the smallest garrison would have at least 3-4 cannons if it was of any size.

The same was true for the navy. Among Ming’s navy, Joseon navy’s love for artillery was famous.

‘These Joseon navy folks would mount cannons even on rafts if they could load them.’

***

“When they said they wanted to purchase cannons to eliminate bandits interfering with their trade, our Joseon had no grounds to refuse! And the number was only 120 pieces at that. However, because Oirat might make foolish decisions and become a concern for the Great State, we are thus informing Your Majesty!”

The Minister of War had to close his mouth at Heo Hu’s assertion. The justification was clear, and it was awkward to refute the claim that it wasn’t many by Joseon standards.

“Minister of War, withdraw. The envoy’s words are indeed not unreasonable.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After dismissing the Minister of War, Emperor Zhengtong questioned Heo Hu.

“So you say Joseon’s Crown Prince sent an envoy?”

“Yes.”

“Worried we might misunderstand?”

“Yes.”

“Then wouldn’t it have been better to report before selling? This seems unlike Joseon’s famous Crown Prince.”

The Emperor’s words mixed suspicion with mockery. Suspicion that Hyang, known for his intelligence, would make such a decision, and mockery that if it were true, he fell short of his reputation.

Heo Hu immediately answered the Emperor’s words.

“His Highness said this: ‘Joseon is a small country. Should we not gather what wealth we can?'”

“Hahahahaha!”

Emperor Zhengtong burst into loud laughter as soon as Heo Hu finished speaking. Wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, he responded.

“This is indeed like the Crown Prince of rumor. Very much like him. Whew~.”

After catching his breath from laughing, Emperor Zhengtong spoke to Heo Hu.

“Listen, envoy, and tell the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince’s concern for the Great State’s worries is truly appreciated and beautiful. His efforts to make his country prosperous are also beautiful. However, tell him to always keep in mind the saying ‘small greed leads to great loss.’ Convey these words without omission.”

Heo Hu bowed his head deeply at the Emperor’s command.

“I shall certainly do so.”

Hearing Heo Hu’s response, Emperor Zhengtong made his decision.

“Good. I will not blame Joseon for this matter. But remember there won’t be a next time.”

“I shall engrave it in my bones! Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years!”

***

Having completed their business, Heo Hu’s party took minimal rest before immediately departing the Forbidden City. That night, Emperor Zhengtong smiled while looking at the map hanging in his chamber.

“It seems Joseon’s Crown Prince tried to be clever, but this might be a good opportunity for me as well.”

The Emperor’s gaze was fixed on Liaodong on the map.

“Thanks to Oirat’s movements, it seems a favorable wind has begun to blow. If done well, I might be able to deal with all these troublemakers at once.”