Black Corporation: Joseon Chapter 288

Episode 288: Savior. (1)

While there was a bloody chase with Mantemu Lee in the north, work was being carried out step by step against Tsushima Island and Kuju in the south.

While King Sejong led affairs in the north from Hamheung Temporary Palace, Hyang led affairs in the south from Donggungjeon in Gyeongbokgung Palace.

“Work on Tsushima and Guju must never stop.”

“But now most of our power is heading north, and a significant portion of our finances have been consumed for war expenses, and we don’t know how much more we will consume. What is acting like?”

When Kim Jeom insisted on postponing the plan, Jo Mal-saeng immediately opposed it.

“Absolutely not! The Japanese merchants at the Waegwan also know that a war has broken out in the north. They will be closely examining the extent of our Joseon’s capabilities! “If you show weakness here, the Japanese pirates may attack you again!”

At Jo Mal-saeng’s words, Hyang nodded with a serious face.

“It is possible.”

“But now all challenger-level fronts have moved to the north!”

Kim Jeom still reacted negatively, mentioning the challenger-level fronts.

Although there were only a few, the Challenger-class battleships had already become a core force of the Joseon navy. This was because it boasted far superior performance than existing front lines, including the Panokseon, in all aspects, including firepower, transportation capacity, and operational time.

Jo Mal-saeng rebutted Kim Jeom’s remarks again.

“Hasn’t it already been decided that Panokseon will take charge of that mission? Why do you keep mentioning the challenger level front? Are you opposing it because you are genuinely concerned, or are you opposing it for the sake of opposing it?”

Kim Jeom’s voice grew louder at Jo Mal-saeng’s point.

“Isn’t it because of finances? finance!”

“stop.”

Hyang, who was watching the two people’s verbal exchange, joined the conversation.

“I am not unaware of the Minister of Finance and Economy’s concerns, but I think it would be right to do as the Minister of Defense said this time. Now that all the eyes and ears of the Japanese nation are focused on us, I think we must show confidence, even if it means ostentatiously. “Although it may only amount to ‘peeing on one’s feet,’ if necessary, we will support it even if it means taking out funds from Insunbu (a department that executes funds exclusively for the crown prince).”

Kim Jeom closed his mouth as the scent pushed forward strongly.

In this way, a series of policies targeting the Japanese country could continue to be implemented.

* * *

The first thing to start work on was Tsushima Island.

Joseon first sent a messenger to Tsushima Province.

“As promised, we will begin construction of a garrison in Aso Bay.”

“I understand.”

“I will ask you to please take care of me in the future.”

After informing the Tsushima governor of the construction of the garrison, Joseon immediately began construction of the garrison by transporting workers and materials.

The places where Joseon made its first steps were the Mizusaki and Toyotama regions.

“I think I would like to make this Cheonmoman area the area of Joseon’s naval forces at once, but then that Tsushima island lord, Mr. Jong, will be very wary, so let’s encroach on it little by little.”

“yes.”

“Where would you like me to start first?”

“I think the Sugi and Pungok areas here would be good. “It doesn’t go too deep and there’s just enough room to set up a swimmer.”

“Then let’s do it.”

According to the town’s decision, a fleet of panokseon carrying a large amount of materials and a large number of workers entered Aso Bay.

Joseon’s movements entering Aso Bay were relayed to Tsushima Island in almost real time.

“Mizusaki and Toyotamara…”

After receiving the report, Tsushima Governor So Sadamori (都都熊瓦 Dodoungwa) stroked his beard and looked at the map. The retainers who were examining the map with him opened their mouths one by one.

“You have eyes for the ground.”

“That’s right. “It’s an easy place to get out.”

Sadamori, who had been observing the map while listening to the vassals’ explanations, raised his head and glared at the vassals.

“How about coming here to Izuhara?”

The retainers who looked at the map again responded to Sadamori’s question.

“This is the worst terrain.”

“If you come by boat, you have to go around the outside of the island, so it will be immediately visible, and if you come by land, you have to cross Aso Bay and then climb the mountain again, which is not good.”

After the retainers gave their answers, Hatoyama, the eldest, answered by pointing out a place on the map.

“The only thing I’m worried about is Komoda here. The idea is to land troops here and then move them. Therefore, it would be better to block the road by building a fortress at Shimobaru, which is the corner of the road.”

Sadamori nodded at Hatoyama’s suggestion.

“That would be great. “Let’s do that.”

“hot!”

Sadamori, who gave the order, once again gave instructions to his vassals.

“Now Joseon is talking about peace, but you should never trust Joseon.”

“hot!”

After the invasion of Joseon by Japanese pirates during the upheaval of the late Goryeo and early Joseon Dynasties and the conquest of Tsushima by Lee Jong-mu in the first year of King Sejong, Joseon and Tsushima were distrusting each other.

* * *

While Joseon and Tsushima were on guard against each other, the Joseon army began construction of Suyeong.

The first thing the Joseon army did was build fortresses surrounding Mizusaki and Toyotama.

With Mizusaki at its center, a mountain fortress with a radius of approximately 300 m (990 m) began to be built along the ridge surrounding Mizusaki and Toyotama.

Of course, this process was fully visible to the scouts sent by Tsushima Province.

Sadamori, who received the scouts’ report, could not hide his doubts.

“You’re building a mountain fortress first? What are you thinking? “Isn’t acid something that can be built up that easily?”

At Sadamori’s words, the retainers also nodded with similar expressions.

Joseon-style mountain fortresses were not unfamiliar to the people of Tsushima Island, including Sadamori.

After Goryeo, Sadamori and Japanese people were able to accumulate some knowledge about Joseon-style mountain fortresses while traveling in and out of Joseon. In addition, there was also an actual Korean-style mountain fortress called Kaneta-no-ki (金田城) at the top of Mitsushima’s Black Rock Castle Mountain. (Note 1) Thanks to this, Sadamori

and The vassals built Joseon-style fortresses at major defense points. In the process, I was well aware that building a Joseon-style fortress was not an easy task, and I began to question what the Joseon navy was doing now.

“Isn’t it natural to organize the anchorage first and then improve the defense facilities?”

“That’s right. “I have no idea what the Joseon military is up to.”

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with an answer, so Sadamori had no choice but to issue a general order.

“Send more scouts.”

“hot!”

The additionally deployed scouts continued to report the movements of the Joseon army.

As the scouts continued to report, Sadamori became even more confused.

“You’re pumping sand?”

“hot!”

The Joseon military was not only pumping sand from the rivers flowing into Mizusaki, but was also randomly scooping sand from the white sandy beach near Mizusaki.

After receiving the report, Sadamori had a headache.

“I don’t know what the hell they’re doing.”

* * *

While Sadamori struggled to answer the question, the Joseon army was busy moving around.

“We will build a fortress from here to here.”

An official from the Construction Department who came with the naval forces looked at the map and then turned his head to look at the ridge where the fortress was to be built. The official took a rough guess at the scale and immediately opened his mouth.

“You’re going to need a lot of sand. “I’ll have to start work as soon as the pumping machine arrives.”

“The pump will arrive on the next flight. “Three days later.”

“Then we need to look at the area where we will actually build the fortress.”

As the official stood up from his chair, Commander Kim Gyeong-sik of the Tsushima garrison added his words.

“I will provide you with an escort.”

“thank you.”

Three days later, work began in earnest with the arrival of the pump, workers, and materials.

“First, let’s scoop out the sand accumulated in the river.”

“Yes, Nari.”

Following the management’s order, supervisors brought the workers to work.

While one group of workers scooped up sand from the stream, another group of workers began digging along the ridge.

Soon, the work began to speed up with the arrival of engineers dispatched from Joseon.

As pits of considerable depth were dug like trenches, large quantities of rebar began to be moved.

When the rebar arrived, rebar technicians used wire to weave the rebar. And once the rebar was in place, the form was made using a wooden frame coated with bitumen.

Once the process was complete, the well-mixed plaster was poured into the stirrer.

And after five days, when the wooden frame that made the form was removed, a strong castle wall was revealed.

It was natural that the sand pumped from the river would not be able to handle that volume.

Therefore, workers began scooping up sand from the white sand of the beach.

And during this process, the water pump that was loaded came into full play.

Chick chug!

When the steam engine moved with a loud explosion, fresh water from the river was sprayed onto the sea sand accumulated in the filtration plant.

The sand, which had lost its salt after being rinsed in fresh water for several days, was soon loaded onto a cart and transported to the construction site. When the sand arrived, the workers in charge of stirring put the arrived sand, gravel, slaked lime, and water into the stirrer and started stirring.

After being properly stirred, the plaster was placed in a large container and then loaded onto a cart using a lifter. When the cart arrived at the place where the form was located, a potter’s wheel made of strong steel lifted the barrel onto the form, and workers poured mortar into the form.

Both the crane and the potter’s wheel were the works of Hyang. Ministers who doubted the effectiveness of the crane and potter’s wheel gave a round of applause when they saw them making great use of them at the construction site of Bukhansanseong Fortress and Namhansanseong Fortress.

“right now! We need to distribute this to all sites across the country!”

While the ministers were singing in unison, King Sejong glanced sideways at the incense and muttered.

“I’m sure… they’re going to have to catch me at some point and shake me off… they’re only letting me off when they need it…”

Hyang, who didn’t know Sejong’s feelings, was grumbling to her.

“When steam engines become smaller and have higher output, we have to start manufacturing excavators right away. It only takes one shovel…”

* * *

After two months, a fortress made of solid stone walls appeared along the ridge.

“can not believe it!”

After receiving the report, Sadamori got up from his seat.

Sadamori and his retainers who left Izuhara visited the Joseon military garrison.

“welcome.”

“Thank you for your welcome. “I should have looked for it sooner, but I was so busy with work that it was late.”

“Nothing much to say…”

After the standard meeting ceremony, Sadamori got to the point.

“I heard that the fortress was already completed not long after the Joseon navy arrived. “It is truly amazing.”

Kim Gyeong-sik responded to Sadamori’s words with an expression that said it was no big deal.

“It was a small fortress, so the work went a bit quickly.”

“Isn’t it easy to build a castle?”

“If there is a will and a way, everything is easy.”

“Can I take a look around for a moment?”

“However much.”

Kim Pa-chong, who answered clearly, personally guided Sadamori and showed him the castle walls.

‘Unbelievable!’

Sadamori, who looked at the castle wall, could not open his mouth. It was clearly made of stone, but I couldn’t find any joints.

Sadamori, who returned with a disappointed look on his face, stuttered and told Kim Pachong about his impressions.

“It is truly amazing.”

“This is normal. “There are more than one castle in Joseon that is bigger and stronger than this.”

“Is that so?”

* * *

On the way back to Izuhara, Sadamori muttered with a still bewildered expression on his face.

“How on earth… is that really possible?”

* * *

Note 1) Joseon-style fortress on Tsushima Island. Deok-il Lee. Chosun Ilbo.2008.07.22.

https://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/07/22/2008072201622.html