Black Corporation: Joseon

The banquet hall froze after the deaths of the Duke of Braganza and his son.

Though some had been trying to resist Pedro’s words until just moments ago, after the deaths of the duke and his son, everyone kept their mouths firmly shut, only rolling their eyes.

BANG! RAT-TAT-TAT! RAT-TAT-TAT!

-AAAAAH!

-Kill them!

-Subdue them!

-Don’t stop firing!

-ARGH!

The frozen nobles began flinching as gunfire, shouts, and screams suddenly erupted from outside.

Maybe if…

It’s over…

The nobles in the banquet hall showed various expressions at the noise from outside.

***

It was customary for nobles to always travel with at least ten guards. Naturally, guards accompanied them today as well, and they were served food and drink in a prepared space in the annex.

“Wow! Such wine!”

“The duke’s hospitality is truly different!”

While the guards were praising the strong wine and rich food they received, the guards belonging to Duke of Braganza showed slightly uncomfortable expressions.

“Ahem! AHEM!”

“When our duke holds a banquet, you must come! Then you’ll truly understand what hospitality means!”

“Hahaha! Indeed!”

“I’ll look forward to it!”

Other houses’ guards didn’t hide their expectations at the Braganza house guards’ words.

RAT-TAT!

Just then, gunfire rang out from the main building.

“That sound?”

“Gunfire!”

The moment they heard the gunshots, they realized trouble had broken out and jumped to their feet.

CRASH! BANG!

When they burst through the doors, Pedro’s soldiers were already aiming percussion cap muskets from the first and second floor windows of the main building.

“Don’t move!”

“Drop your weapons!”

At Pedro’s commander’s orders, the Braganza commander raised his sword.

“Charge! Let’s rescue our lord!”

“UWAAAH!”

The moment the words fell, the guards charged toward the main building.

“The distance isn’t far! We just need to endure one volley!”

The guards hadn’t charged thoughtlessly due to drunkenness.

The number of soldiers aiming guns at them was at most 200, and the distance from the annex to the main building was about 30 fathoms (about 54m).

With arquebus or musket, they’d only be in danger within 20 fathoms (about 36m), and at that distance, they could reach the main building before even two shots could be fired.

However, the first problem was that Pedro’s soldiers were holding Joseon-made percussion cap muskets, and the second problem was that the number of gunners targeting them wasn’t 200 but 800.

When used by properly trained soldiers, Joseon percussion cap muskets guaranteed accurate hits within at least 30 fathoms.

While 200 soldiers were aiming from the windows, an additional 600 soldiers were waiting behind them.

“Fire!”

RAT-TAT-TAT!

The moment the commanders’ orders fell, Pedro’s soldiers pulled their triggers in unison and passed their empty guns backward. The soldiers behind immediately exchanged them for loaded guns, and those who received new guns pulled the triggers again. Behind them, other soldiers were reloading the empty guns.

***

As time passed, the noise from outside gradually subsided.

As the noise died down, despair began settling deeper into the nobles’ faces.

It’s over, it’s over.

I’ll have to live like a mouse for a while.

The Regent’s reign will last long.

The nobles could roughly guess how politics would flow from here on.

Shortly after, Pedro’s commander entered, reeking of gunpowder, and reported to the duke.

“Suppression complete.”

“Casualties?”

“Minor.”

“Good work. But don’t let your guard down.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

After finishing his report, the commander gave a military salute and left.

Pedro, escorted by his soldiers, walked toward Alfonso V.

“Stop!”

As Pedro approached, the captain of the royal guard stepped forward, shielding Alfonso V’s body and blocking Pedro. Ready to draw his sword at any moment, Pedro spoke confidently to the guard captain blocking him.

“Move aside. I must report to His Majesty.”

“Please speak from there.”

“Very well.”

At the guard captain’s words, Pedro stopped where he was and began speaking.

“I report to Your Majesty. A group of traitors harboring disloyal thoughts attempted rebellion. I should have reported earlier, but with the traitors’ many hidden eyes and ears, I had no choice but to act this way.”

Alfonso V asked in a terrified voice at Pedro’s words.

“Did you say rebellion?”

“Yes. With the now-dead Duke of Braganza as their leader, they planned to overthrow Your Majesty and install the Duke of Braganza as king. We have secured testimony that they sought military support from Spain for this purpose.”

“Hmm…”

Alfonso V groaned at Pedro’s specific explanation. The content was too detailed to be mere slander for eliminating political opponents. And Alfonso V knew well that the Duke of Braganza and his supporters were favorable toward Spain.

Finally, Alfonso V had no choice but to side with Pedro.

“Regent, handle this as you see fit. Please devote all efforts to the nation’s security.”

Pedro bowed at Alfonso V’s permission and answered.

“I shall do my utmost.”

***

Following this incident, later called the ‘Bloody Banquet,’ Pedro carried out large-scale purges.

First, he executed 30 high nobles from the Braganza faction among the banquet attendees, along with their children, right there.

Then, returning to the palace immediately with Alfonso V, he proceeded with the next phase.

First, he executed all remaining family members of the executed nobles, including Braganza’s, and confiscated all their domains, converting them to royal direct territories. Those from the noble faction who hadn’t participated directly were stripped of their lands and exiled.

Next, Pedro posted edicts throughout the kingdom:

-All trials within the kingdom shall be conducted by judges dispatched by the crown!

-Taxes shall be collected by royal tax collectors according to fixed rates!

-All nobles may only maintain the number of guards that will be determined by future law!

In simple terms, he returned to the crown the powers – judicial and taxation rights – that the kingdom’s nobles had been wielding.

This was an even more radical policy than what his grandson João II would have implemented.

***

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, the Duke of Braganza, victorious in civil war, conducted thoroughly noble-centric politics.

Consequently, the nobles’ wealth and power greatly increased, the king’s power significantly decreased, and the bourgeoisie’s growth stalled.

João II, who grew up watching the nobles’ tyranny and his weak, incompetent father, began participating in politics from his time as crown prince, strongly pressuring the nobles.

Naturally, the nobles resisted and plotted rebellion centered around Fernando, the Duke of Braganza at the time. João II, who had been closely watching the nobles’ movements, moved one step ahead of them to arrest and execute the Duke of Braganza.

After executing the Duke of Braganza, the center of the noble faction, João II increased pressure on the nobles. In response, the nobles plotted another rebellion centered around Diogo, the third Duke of Viseu from the royal clan, but again, João II crushed their conspiracy by executing the Duke of Viseu.

During this series of purges, João II confiscated all noble lands and restricted their exercise of judicial rights.

And now in this altered history with Hyang’s intervention, Pedro, who became the victor, implemented even stronger policies than his grandson João II would have.

***

“…The reason for implementing such policies is to make our kingdom prosperous like Joseon.”

Alfonso V’s eyes sparkled at Pedro’s words.

“You mean Joseon?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. According to letters from those staying in Joseon, it lies between the vast empire called Ming, formerly Kitai, and a barbaric nation called Jurchens. Yet despite this dangerous position, isn’t Joseon standing proudly and known even to us?”

Alfonso V nodded at Pedro’s words. Observing Alfonso V’s reaction, Pedro continued.

“Isn’t Portugal’s position similar to Joseon’s? That wicked Spain eyes us from beside, and France oppresses us from above. In this situation, for our kingdom to become powerful, we must thoroughly study Joseon and adopt what benefits us.”

“I see.”

By now, Alfonso V was absorbed in Pedro’s explanation.

“Looking at Joseon, everything follows the king’s decisions. Officials’ duties are to advise the king in making correct decisions and faithfully execute their assigned orders. And these officials aren’t appointed merely for being noble but must be intellectuals who pass through rigorous selection processes. Furthermore, becoming king is only possible with ‘God’s will.'”

“‘God’s will,’ you say?”

To Alfonso V’s question, Pedro answered briefly.

“In Joseon, they call it ‘Heaven’s Mandate'^[1].”

***

As trade with Joseon greatly increased, European interest in Joseon grew substantially.

Letters sent by monks who had nested in the research institute established by Hyang were one of the few means to satisfy this interest.

Though the letters were covered in numerous ink blots, Europeans gradually learned about Joseon through them.

At first, Pedro, like most Europeans, was satisfied with just intellectual curiosity.

However, while working with Henry and Cosimo, Pedro wanted to understand Joseon’s political aspects as well.

And what strengthened Pedro’s desire was the term “Heaven’s Mandate” written in one of these transmitted letters.

“‘Heaven’s Mandate’? Is it like the ‘anointing’ in the Old Testament? Interesting.”

Though Pedro’s curiosity was piqued and he wanted to know more about this aspect, there were no letters with detailed explanations about it. Finally, Pedro ordered the captains through Henry.

“Find out more details about what this ‘Heaven’s Mandate’ means!”

And the captains who received this order all cursed.

“Damn it all! Does he think we’re scholars?”

But orders were orders. As soon as they arrived in Joseon, the captains pestered interpreters and customs officials to resolve this issue.

“Heaven’s Mandate? Like fortune-telling? If it’s divination, there’s a skilled male shaman~ over in the marketplace.”

“That’s not it…”

Through all sorts of misunderstandings, the interpreters and customs officials finally understood what they were asking about.

“They seem to be asking about ‘Heaven’s Mandate.'”

“Ah, I see.”

Once they understood what the captains were asking, the customs officials and interpreters began explaining.

“This is quite a long story…”

Though low-ranking officials, the customs officers were still proud examination passers.

Finally, the captains, exhausted from listening to explanations through customs officials and interpreters, waved white flags.

“Please write it down! I’ll treat you to a meal!”