Black Corporation: Joseon

Despite the commotion, the construction progressed steadily and smoothly, finally connecting Dongbyeong Harbor with the mainland.

The railway, using Nokdundo Island in the lower reaches of the Tumen River as a stepping stone, extended along the coastline to Dongbyeong Harbor.

The initial plan considered routes crossing the Tumen River near Hanyeopyeongri or Josanri as main candidates. However, Hyang stepped forward and advocated for a route via Nokdundo Island.

“Your Highness, that would require a significant detour,” Jinpyeong, representing the opposition, pointed out the inconvenience of the detour, but Hyang stood firm.

“Of course, it’s a detour, but the currently proposed routes must traverse unexplored forest areas. This raises several issues.”

Hyang highlighted the problems with the existing plans:

-First, we don’t know the terrain within those forest areas well. There’s a possibility of incurring additional construction costs if we’re not careful.

-Second, there’s the issue of the Jurchen people who have settled in the forest areas. If we fail to properly persuade them, it could lead to unnecessary military expenditures.

“Especially!” Hyang, after pointing out the second issue, glared at Jinpyeong and continued.

“There are some who insist on unconditional suppression of these Jurchen tribes, but I believe this is incorrect. Do you think it would be successful if those who know nothing about the primeval forest try to subdue those who have settled there and know it better than anyone else?”

Jinpyeong had to clam up, becoming like a turtle retracting its head in response to Hyang’s rebuke.

Since witnessing Hyang suppress the rebels during the palace invasion incident in the Year of Giyu, Jinpyeong had been unable to assert himself against Hyang in matters related to military force.

After silencing Jinpyeong, Hyang continued:

-Third, once the railway connects to Dongbyeong Harbor, we’ll need to transport large quantities of goods such as timber logged from nearby forests and various medicinal herbs. Timber is particularly important, and we’ll need warehouses along the way to store surplus for stable supply.

-Fourth, the line connecting to Dongbyeong Harbor is one of the longest routes being constructed in Joseon. Therefore, we need to build facilities midway for maintaining the locomotives, passenger cars, and freight cars.

“…Therefore, considering all these conditions, I believe routing through Nokdundo Island is the optimal path.”

Hyang’s plan was to construct a marshaling yard, maintenance facilities, and various logistics warehouses on Nokdundo Island.

In the end, Sejong had to make the decision on this route. After carefully considering both sides’ opinions, Sejong sided with Hyang.

And so, the construction of the northeastern line using Nokdundo Island as an intermediate stop began.

***

The northeastern line, completed with such a backstory, immediately added great momentum to Joseon’s development.

People and cargo gathered in Wonsan and Gilju took this line to Dongbyeong Harbor.

Unlike sea routes, which are more affected by weather conditions, many workers and their families headed to Dongbyeong Harbor using the railway. Upon arrival, these workers soon found employment at the shipyard and nearby logging sites.

As rumors spread of great money-making opportunities in Dongbyeong Harbor, more and more people boarded trains bound for Dongbyeong Harbor in search of jobs and markets.

Thus, Dongbyeong Harbor began to develop from a pioneer settlement with a small naval port and shipyard into an increasingly large urban area.

As soon as it was completed, the northeastern line became one of the busiest routes in Joseon.

Three times a day, trains departed from Nokdundo Island for Dongbyeong Harbor, carrying navy personnel to be assigned to newly launched warships, workers seeking employment, merchants looking for new markets, and large and small steam engines and machine parts needed for the shipyard and logging sites.

Conversely, trains from Dongbyeong Harbor headed to Nokdundo Island three times a day as well, loaded with primary processed timber from logging operations, medicinal herbs and furs collected nearby, and all sorts of reports and people.

As a result, following Dongbyeong Harbor, Nokdundo Island also began to develop into a large urban center.

***

Seeing the example of Nokdundo Island, the Ministry of Finance and Economy quickly took action.

‘Building separate marshaling yards and logistics warehouses in this palm-sized land of Joseon is wasteful.’

This was the Ministry’s initial thinking during the early stages of railway construction. They believed that if necessary, carts could be mobilized or ships could be used to replace railways.

However, as it was reconfirmed that large quantities of cargo could be moved regularly using railways, the Ministry soon changed its policy.

They created a system to store and manage large amounts of cargo through marshaling yards installed along the main lines and major branch lines, along with adjacent warehouses.

Through this, the Ministry of Finance and Economy was able to manage prices more efficiently.

However, as everyone had expected, those who benefited most from the opening of railways were the military and merchants.

By being able to move large-scale troops and massive amounts of weapons using the railway, the military was able to improve its combat power and operate more efficiently.

Merchants also gained a wider range of activities. Specialties that could only be tasted by residents near the place of origin could now be enjoyed by people in more distant regions.

As a side note, among the branch lines, the one completed fastest was the line from Cheongju, where Chojung was located, to Hanseong.

Large quantities of carbonated water were supplied to Hanseong through this line. While a considerable amount of this carbonated water was used in the palace for Sejong’s health, most of it was used in the production of Ppongsu.

With the stable supply of large quantities of carbonated water, mass production of Ppongsu became possible, and thanks to this, Ppongsu became popular not only in Joseon but also in far-off foreign countries.

To what extent? It became a beverage that European royalty and nobles called ‘Ponsu’ and enjoyed as much as wine.

Upon receiving the related report, Kim Jeom exclaimed “Jihwaja!” once again, while Hyang scratched his head and muttered.

“What is this… Joseon’s Choco Pie?”

And another group that received economic benefits were the people living on Daeseol Island.

***

Joseon was in a situation where the amount of coal used as fuel in increasingly large ironworks and ordinary households was steadily increasing. On top of that, with railways becoming established, the demand for coal surged.

At this time, the coal from Daeseol Island was like rain during a drought.

-With a little processing, the coal from Daeseol Island becomes the best fuel for use in ironworks.

Upon receiving the report, Sejong ordered that coal mined from Daeseol Island be supplied to ironworks, and coal mined from Gangwon Province and Aoji be diverted to other uses.

Thanks to this, Joseon’s coal market could be operated stably.

Meanwhile, as the main line became established and major branch lines began to take their place one by one, railways soon became part of Joseon’s daily life.

The sight of a locomotive spewing black smoke pulling long strings of passenger and freight cars was no longer a novelty.

However, this was not the case elsewhere.

***

April, 19th year of Sejong’s reign (1437, Jeongsayeon).

“Your Majesty, an urgent report has arrived from General Choi Yoon-deok in Hamgil Province.”

Hwang Hui, representing the ministers attending the meeting, informed Sejong that a report had arrived from Hamgil Province.

“From Hamgil Province?”

At the mention of ‘Hamgil Province’, Sejong’s expression became serious. It was because of the Jurchen tribes.

***

After suppressing the rebellions of Yi Man-ju and Muntumu, the Jurchen tribes in the Yalu River region were only watching Joseon’s movements.

However, the Udiha tribes located further north than the territories of the surrendered Uriangkhai tribes in the Tumen River region were a cause for concern.

Although Joseon was constantly trying to persuade them, they were either watching the situation between Ming and Joseon or raiding both sides.

At least with the opening of the northeastern railway, the number of tribes approaching Joseon was increasing, but they were still refusing to submit.

***

With this background, Sejong tensed up at the words ‘Hamgil Province’ and ‘urgent report’.

Receiving the report through the Chief State Councilor and the Senior Secretary, Sejong unrolled the scroll and read its contents.

“Hmm… Huh? Huh? Hmm? What?”

After reading the report and tilting his head in confusion, Sejong read the report several times again. After confirming that he hadn’t misread it, Sejong asked Hwang Hui.

“Are you certain this isn’t an erroneous report?”

“It is a properly written report, Your Majesty.”

Upon Hwang Hui’s confirmation, Sejong wore an expression of disbelief.

“The news that Jurchen people settled in the areas connected to Dongbyeong Harbor and the northern forest regions are coming in groups to submit is indeed good news. But… asking to lay down the ‘Dragon’s Path’… What on earth is this ‘Dragon’s Path’?”

To Sejong’s question, Hwang Hui replied.

“I was curious about that too, so I inquired with General Choi Yoon-deok who is in charge of that region. According to General Choi Yoon-deok’s reply, it refers to the ‘railway’.”

“How did it come to be connected like that?”

To Sejong’s question, Hwang Hui immediately answered.

“We are not sure either, Your Majesty. So, we have ordered them to submit a related report again.”

“Huh… Suddenly calling it the Dragon’s Path…”

Sejong and his ministers couldn’t understand the content written in the report at all.

Meanwhile, Hyang, upon hearing the story, shook his head and muttered.

“Don’t tell me it’s Cargo Culture?”

***

To the Jurchen tribes managing the railway connected to Dongbyeong Harbor, the locomotive was an ‘incomprehensible’ object.

“How does that thing move?”

“The Joseon people say it moves by the power of steam produced by boiling water with fire, but…”

“Do you think that makes sense?”

The Jurchen man who was answering his fellow Jurchen’s question shook his head.

“Not at all.”

The Jurchen people, discussing the locomotive whose principle they couldn’t understand with their common sense, came to an unexpected conclusion.

“You know… Could it be a dragon in disguise?”

“A dragon?”

“Look. It has such a long body and carries loads of people and goods, yet it runs as fast as a horse. You’re saying people made something like that? There’s a limit to jokes.”

“But to say it’s a dragon in disguise…”

“Then what is it?”

“…”

“Look. To move that locomotive, they use something called coal, which isn’t common, right? They keep feeding it such precious stuff. Is that an ordinary object? It’s a ghostly thing.”

Whoo-whoo~

Just as they were talking, a loud whistle sounded from a locomotive passing nearby.

At the sound of the locomotive’s whistle, the Jurchen man advocating the ‘disguise theory’ added strength to his voice.

“Listen! Have you ever seen an object or beast that makes such a sound?”

“No…”

“That’s definitely the sound of a dragon, the dragon’s voice.”

“Hmm…”

“And when dusk falls, its two stern eyes emit light, and I’ve never seen such bright light. And you’re saying people made all that? It’s a dragon in disguise.”

The last train on the northeastern line would arrive at Nokdundo Island or Dongbyeong Harbor just as the sun was about to set. Therefore, the locomotive turned on its lights, which were very bright.

This was not a simple oil lamp, but a carbide lamp using carbide made by Hyang.

***

“We can’t even dream of electricity yet, and we have no choice but to use coal…”

In the process of experimenting to create ‘the furnace that can produce the highest temperature using coal’, Hyang was able to produce carbide.

“It’s an intermediate process, but if we use this, we can replace oil lamps.”

Carbide, which emitted a light far brighter than the oil lamps used until then, soon replaced oil lamps and became a useful lighting device.

And once again, the officials sighed.

“We were trying to leave work early using the excuse that the lamps were dim… Damn it!”