Black Corporation: Joseon

“My, my~”

“Is this the world we live in?”

The ministers, passing around the map submitted by Mansur, evaluated it with voices full of curiosity.

Seeing this, Lee Maeng-gyun corrected the fact.

“Wouldn’t it be more correct to say it’s the western part of the world we live in?”

“That’s true…”

As the ministers nodded at Lee Maeng-gyun’s answer, Hwang Hui said to Sejong.

“If this is the shape of the world, it seems it will be difficult to continue calling it ‘Zhonghua’ (Middle Kingdom).”

At those words, Sejong nodded slightly and replied.

“Indeed. Not just India, but that continent called Africa is also of enormous size… If we were to draw it properly on paper, Ming, our Joseon, and Japan would be pushed to the east.”

At Sejong’s words, Mansur continued.

“Among Catholic countries, they already refer to Ming and Joseon as ‘Absit Orientis’.”

“What does that mean?”

“Uh…”

At Sejong’s question, Mansur trailed off with an awkward expression. Although he had become fairly fluent in Korean after traveling back and forth to Joseon, advanced expressions were still challenging for him.

As Mansur failed to give a proper answer, Hyang spoke up.

“It probably means the Far East.”

‘It’s a term that has become somewhat obsolete in the 21st century, but it’s still the most familiar term.’

***

Due to fierce opposition that the term ‘Far East’ itself symbolized Western superiority, the frequency of its use drastically decreased in the 21st century. However, there were still people who favored the term, not only in the West but also in the East.

***

“Far East… Hmm…”

Sejong, having heard Hyang’s words, stroked his beard and muttered softly. Seeing Sejong’s expression, the ministers inwardly muttered.

‘He doesn’t like it.’

Sejong, who was quietly mulling over the term ‘Far East’, asked Mansur.

“Far East… Don’t these Westerners know that the world is round?”

“There are not a few who know, but because it has been used conventionally from ancient times, they consider it as if it’s not round.”

At Mansur’s answer, Sejong couldn’t hide his displeasure.

“How ridiculous.”

Detecting the displeasure in Sejong’s voice, Mansur prostrated himself tightly.

‘I’ve succeeded in making the King of Joseon view the Catholics unfavorably. I should stop here! If I’m not careful, I might get caught up in this too!’

Sensing danger, Mansur closed his mouth and lay flat.

“By the way… Why did this merchant named Cosimo from Italy give this map? Looking at the precision of the map, it’s definitely not an ordinary item. No, the map itself is not something ordinary merchants can freely possess. How did he get his hands on this map?”

At Sejong’s question, Mansur carefully answered.

“Cosimo de’ Medici is the head of a massive merchant family. He’s someone that even the kings of most Catholic countries cannot treat carelessly.”

“Ah. I remember now.”

Sejong nodded at Mansur’s answer.

“I remember he was said to be similar to Lü Buwei. Is that why such a person obtained this map and sent it to me… Yes, if it’s someone like that, I can understand how he obtained the map. But why did he send this map to me?”

“Because the nature of those who made this map is violent, he wants you to be prepared just in case.”

Mansur explained about Portugal, who made this map, and Spain, Portugal’s powerful competitor.

-As Joseon well knows, Joseon’s products are explosively popular not only in Islamic countries but also in Europe.

-Portugal and Spain are the most passionate in pioneering the route to Joseon. Of course, England and France have also entered this competition, but due to internal problems, they haven’t properly established themselves yet.

-Such large-scale exploration activities require a lot of money. Portugal and Spain are engaging in slave trade and plunder to raise these funds.

“Slave trade… Do Catholics use many slaves?”

At Sejong’s question, Mansur closed his mouth. After pondering for a moment, Mansur seemed to make up his mind and opened his mouth to answer Sejong’s question.

“Catholics do use slaves, but… those who trade and use slaves the most are the nobles of Islam.”

“I thought Catholics and Muslims were on bad terms?”

“When money is involved, even enemies can become friends. And because there are slave merchants in between, there are almost no cases of direct transactions.”

“When money is involved, even enemies can become friends… Hmm… That’s true.”

Sejong, who was nodding, continued with another question.

“Is this merchant named Cosimo opposing Portugal and Spain because of slaves?”

“No.”

Mansur explained what Cosimo wanted.

-The route discovered by Portugal and Spain requires circumnavigating the African continent. This results in very high costs, and to cover these losses and gain profits, Portugal and Spain are likely to use very rough methods.

-If Portugal and Spain monopolize the trading rights without using violence, the Italian merchants will suffer great losses.

-Therefore, Cosimo de’ Medici and the merchants who have joined hands with him have begun to think that maintaining the existing trading method is the best option.

“So that’s why this merchant Cosimo de’ Medici handed over the map?”

“That’s correct. He wants me to report to Your Majesty what happened while this map was being made.”

Sejong, who was nodding slightly at Mansur’s answer, gestured.

“Your and his thoughts for Joseon are truly beautiful. I’m grateful. I will make a corresponding reward, so you may return for today.”

“Your grace is boundless! May Allah’s protection be with you!”

Mansur, who bowed politely, left Geunjeong-jeon.

***

Florence, Italy.

Around the time Mansur was giving his report to Sejong, Cosimo de’ Medici was muttering while looking at the eastern sky.

“Mansur, I wonder if that fellow has arrived in Hanseong by now?”

Cosimo, who was muttering while looking at the eastern sky, turned his body to look inside the room.

On one wall of Cosimo’s office hung a massive world map. It was a huge world map created by combining geographical information obtained from Portugal, with whom he had joined hands, geographical information diverted from Spain through bribes, and maps of the East obtained through Mansur.

Looking at the blank areas on the east coast of Africa, Cosimo muttered.

“Three years at most…”

With the fanatical competition between Portugal and Spain, those blank areas would be filled in at most three years.

“And then it will be India, Cathay, Joseon, and Japan…”

Cosimo, who was estimating future events, muttered softly.

“Indeed, one shouldn’t put all their eggs in one basket.”

Although he was cooperating with Portugal now, the future was uncertain. There was a possibility that Portugal, blinded by enormous profits, might monopolize the benefits, or Spain might monopolize the route first.

That’s why Cosimo had handed the map to Mansur. Using Mansur as a stepping stone to build a friendship with Joseon and maintain trade relations was one of the alternatives. As a bonus, it would make Joseon, warned by Mansur, check Portugal and Spain.

“If Joseon’s ships are as powerful as the rumors say, neither Portugal nor Spain will be able to act as they please.”

And another alternative was to dig a canal from Suez to the Mediterranean.

In Cosimo’s thinking, building the canal was what could maximize his profits the most. It was a project that would require quite massive funds, but considering the losses that would occur in the process of circumnavigating the African continent, it could permanently gain even greater profits.

“The problem is Alexandria, the Mamluks, and the Ottomans?”

***

When the talk of ‘building a canal’ came up, those who opposed most fiercely were from Alexandria.

The most economical route was to penetrate the narrowest area between Suez and the Mediterranean. The problem was that this area was about 53 leagues (about 224 km) east of Alexandria. If the northern entrance of the canal was created there, it was certain that Alexandria would become obsolete.

And the next problem was who would become the owner of the land where this canal would be built. Currently, Egypt was under the rule of the Mamluk dynasty. However, the Ottomans were eyeing it.

To be precise, it wasn’t the planned canal site, but Alexandria. The canal was still just a subject of rampant rumors.

However, among the leadership of the Mamluks and Ottomans, those with even a little insight knew that the moment the rumored canal was created, it wouldn’t be seawater flowing through it, but gold.

Therefore, the Ottomans postponed their attack on the Vatican and began to move south. The Mamluks, who noticed this movement of the Ottomans, also began to gather troops in the area.

Cosimo, who was once again checking the current political situation, muttered while glaring at the map with his arms crossed.

“There’s no need to pay attention to Alexandria’s whining, hmm… Mamluks and Ottomans, which side would be better to bet on?”

***

While Cosimo was contemplating where to place his bets while looking at the map, in Hanseong, Sejong and his ministers were also pondering.

“Take this map and start the correction work.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The eunuch who received the map through the royal secretary moved the map to the Office of Astronomy and Meteorology.

Then Sejong entered into full-fledged discussion.

“The possibility of contact with these Westerners called Portugal and Spain is increasing, so what should we do? From what Mansur says, they seem to be quite violent people?”

To Sejong’s question, Kim Jeom answered first.

“If they want to trade, it would be appropriate to trade, but if they use violence, I believe we should respond firmly.”

Following Kim Jeom’s words, Lee Maeng-gyun continued.

“That’s correct. The problem is that what they mainly trade in is slaves. For our Joseon, slaves are not particularly necessary. In other words, it means that trade will not be easy.”

“Or there’s a high possibility they might force the sale of slaves.”

“That possibility is quite high.”

As the ministers offered various opinions, Sejong silently stroked his beard and nodded.

Meanwhile, Hyang, who was observing the situation from below the dais, muttered inwardly.

‘Indeed, the Joseon period is the Joseon period.’

Most of the opinions expressed by the ministers to Sejong were based on the following fact:

‘For Joseon, slaves have no marketability.’

In other words, they were not opposing because the slave system itself was immoral, but because slaves had no marketability.

It was something Hyang occasionally forgot, but Joseon had nobi (a class of servitude).

In the process of taking power from the sadaebu (scholar-officials) and expanding the treasury, the number of privately owned nobi had greatly decreased. However, because those who committed serious crimes became government nobi, there were still a considerable number of nobi in Joseon.

In other words, for Joseon of this period, slaves were neither immoral to own nor unfamiliar entities.

“I agree with your opinions as well. Preparing in advance and welcoming them with caution would be the proper response.”

At Sejong’s decision, Jo Mal-saeng stepped forward and answered.

“That is indeed so. According to what this Mansur says, their behavior is like that of the Jurchens, so I believe it would be appropriate to prepare accordingly.”

When Jo Mal-saeng gave the example of the Jurchens, who would engage in normal trade when Joseon’s势 was strong, but would plunder villages and take people as slaves if they saw even a slight gap, all the ministers nodded.

“Indeed, that is so!”