Black Corporation: Joseon

A considerable number of officials accompanied King Sejong and the Queen on their trip. The expressions of these officials were sharply divided into two groups. One side wore bright faces, represented by Anpyeong.

How long has it been since my last business trip! Looking at the itinerary, seems we’ll meet lots of performers and singing courtesans – what a treat after so long! And all expenses paid!

Fewer people to talk means fewer things to write down! What heavenly fortune, what blessing!

While some were beaming with such happy thoughts, others wore utterly gloomy expressions. Park Yeon represented this latter group.

Moving with His Majesty like this means having our daily results inspected! He already said as much! Daily homework checks! I haven’t had such things since my childhood writing teacher!

The good times are gone! Having to face His Majesty and get approval every single day!

Who the hell recommended me for this!

Sejong departed with these officials showing such contrasting joy and despair.

Settled in the special train’s private compartment, Sejong’s eyes sparkled as he scanned the map.

***

With Gangnyeongjeon Hall and the Queen’s quarters empty, the Crown Prince’s residence became the busiest place in Gyeongbok Palace.

Officials from the Six Ministries and Prime Minister’s Office streamed in and out of Seunghwadang Hall carrying documents, and sometimes even ministers and the Prime Minister were summoned.

The faces of officials and ministers emerging from these meetings with Hyang were deathly pale.

“The Crown Prince is no pushover…”

“Though I was prepared having experienced it before, actually getting demolished like this is overwhelming.”

“I’m going to die…”

While officials and ministers who had suffered in Seunghwadang Hall sighed, Hyang sat in his office burning with passion.

Don’t underestimate a former Grade 5 Finance Ministry administrative exam passer from the 21st century! Since I’ve been handed this, I’ll do it properly!

***

Though Hyang worked passionately with such burning enthusiasm, he soon hit an unexpected reef that tied up his feet.

“Haah~”

Looking at the document before him, Hyang sighed deeply and placed his hand on his forehead.

“How did such terrible handwriting exist in Joseon where calligraphy was a basic passive skill…”

The reef that tied up Hyang’s feet was awful handwriting.

“When calligraphy is one of the Six Arts that every gentleman must master…”

All documents circulating in Joseon’s court were supposed to be written in formal script as standard. However, many reports coming up from lower administrative offices were written in cursive or semi-cursive script.

This problem had secretly worsened with the spread of Hunminjeongeum. This was because no official standard typeface had been established yet.

When combined with the habit of using cursive or semi-cursive script, documents written in extremely terrible handwriting were born.

And these terribly written documents lurked among properly written ones, springing out like traps to catch Hyang’s ankle.

Of course, documents going up to Sejong were required to be in formal script.

“It’s difficult to make proper judgments with just this document. Bring the reference materials used in preparing these documents.”

The problem was that when Sejong issued such orders, the relevant ministry would fall into chaos.

Therefore, Sejong constantly pressured Hyang at every opportunity.

“How much progress has been made on developing that device you mentioned before?”

Each time, Hyang would respond with a troubled expression.

“We still need more time… And budget…”

“You…”

As always, when Hyang brought up “time and budget,” Sejong was about to burst out but soon let out a long sigh instead.

He knew well there was no room in the budget with various research projects being conducted at the Research Institute and Area 51.

***

The Research Institute and Area 51 consumed enormous budgets.

Just making one steam engine for warships had taken nearly ten years and massive funding.

Of course, they also created and researched many things that would bring in big money immediately. However, there were many fields like pure mathematics and materials science that seemed to only consume budget with almost no visible results.

“Without proper foundation in pure mathematics and materials science, the Research Institute and Area 51’s results would be castles built on sand!”

Whenever the Finance Ministry raised concerns, Hyang would counter thus. And Sejong also supported Hyang’s argument.

“It is natural that to produce proper results, one must have solid foundations. Though pure mathematics and materials science may seem to only consume money at first glance, they have produced no small number of results. Therefore, it is not good to be stingy with funding such research.”

***

Knowing the Research Institute and Area 51’s situation, Sejong held back his outburst and asked Hyang again:

“From your previous explanation, it didn’t seem difficult to make, but was it actually such a difficult device?”

“The basic structure isn’t complex, but there’s difficulty in creating materials to maintain that framework.”

“How difficult?”

“A bit more difficult than the newly produced razors and pen sharpeners.”

“That much?”

To Sejong’s question, Hyang explained the reasons:

-It wasn’t easy to imprint letters on paper using just finger strength based on lever and rotational conversion principles. The moving parts had to maintain both extreme lightness and durability.

-The type itself for imprinting letters on paper had very difficult requirements. It had to have precise shapes carved smaller than half a grain of rice and maintain strength to withstand thousands or tens of thousands of impacts against paper.

“…While there are many other obstacles, these two are the most representative major ones.”

“I see.”

“That’s why materials science is important. We must properly understand the properties of various metals to combine them into more useful alloys.”

“Additional budget is impossible.”

At Sejong’s firm response, Hyang clicked his tongue internally.

Tch!

***

Tired from deciphering documents with Hunminjeongeum scrawled in cursive script, Hyang called his eunuch.

“Go bring General Lee Cheon from Area 51.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After some time, Lee Cheon arrived at Seunghwadang Hall and paid his respects to Hyang.

“You summoned me, Your Highness?”

“Yes. When will the typewriter prototype be ready?”

“If the results from the newly developed ink ribbon are good, that’s the final piece.”

“Is that so?”

Hyang’s face brightened at Lee Cheon’s response.

***

The development of marine steam engines had massive impact on steel quality improvement, new iron alloy development, and processing technology.

Based on data secured during development, higher quality steel could be mass-produced, and advanced processing technology enabled the creation of razor blades, pen sharpeners, and typewriter parts.

“So the typewriter will be completed soon.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Thanks to this, not only Hyang but all Area 51 craftsmen expected optimistic results, but a part they had considered simple unexpectedly emerged as a reef.

That part was the printing ribbon.

Initially, they simply used cotton string soaked in ink, but various problems emerged. When the string dried completely, it wouldn’t print properly, and when too wet, ink would splatter everywhere.

To solve this, Hyang and the development team began development using graphite powder as an alternative.

They were conducting various experiments combining graphite powder mixed with water or oil, and ribbons made of different fabrics like cotton, hemp, and silk when Hyang began his regency.

***

His face brightening at the report that the typewriter would finally be completed after long trial and error, Hyang commended Lee Cheon.

“You’ve worked incredibly hard!”

“How could it be my achievement? Your Highness conceived the initial design.”

Lee Cheon deflected Hyang’s praise back to him.

Lee Cheon’s words were true.

***

When Hunminjeongeum was officially promulgated, Hyang immediately gathered Jang Yeong-sil and the craftsmen.

“…Due to these issues, His Majesty created new letters, and we shall use them. Though not few have already encountered these letters, as you can see, being phonetic letters, they are convenient as one can write as things sound. So, I’ve sketched out a rough design.”

With these words, Hyang immediately spread out his concept drawing. Though called a concept drawing, it was a blueprint lacking only precise measurements.

Examining Hyang’s design, Jang Yeong-sil nodded.

“Indeed… Though it will require various experiments, it seems possible to make. But it’s truly amazing. How did you come up with such an idea?”

“Well, somehow…”

More like the result of shopping in 21st century Hwanghak-dong?

It was the result of 21st century obsession, reviving memories of dismantling an old typewriter found in Hwanghak-dong down to the last screw.

Of course, after repeated disassembly and assembly, the typewriter became completely ruined, and some who learned of this complained about destroying such a precious typewriter.

The task of properly designing a typewriter copying the final form of Kong Byung-woo’s three-set typewriter was assigned to Jang Yeong-sil.

However, even Jang Yeong-sil struggled initially, due to old Hangul characters that had already disappeared by the time Kong’s typewriter was created.

“Right then! Let’s tackle this!”

Faced with this difficult problem, Jang Yeong-sil burned with passion.

***

“Still, isn’t it because the General properly commanded Area 51’s craftsmen that we have such results? It’s certainly praiseworthy.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“If you achieve successful results, please send several units to Seunghwadang Hall immediately.”

“How many units should we make?”

After briefly calculating at Lee Cheon’s question, Hyang soon answered.

“Twenty units for now. Is that possible?”

“We’ve already made the molds for stamping parts, so if successful, we can deliver twenty units within fifteen days.”

“Then I’ll be counting on you.”

“Yes, sir!”

Answering firmly like a military man, Lee Cheon immediately returned to Area 51.

Fifteen days later, Lee Cheon sent twenty typewriters and craftsmen to teach their use to Seunghwadang Hall.

Hearing the news through his eunuch, Hyang gathered all officials belonging to the Office of Royal Advisors.

“…Therefore, we’ve created these typewriters. I’ll take twenty volunteers here. They will learn to use these typewriters and transcribe documents requiring formal script among those coming to Seunghwadang Hall, and formally write documents going from Seunghwadang Hall to the Six Ministries and Prime Minister’s Office. I’ll take volunteers.”

When Hyang finished speaking, not a single official immediately raised their hand.

Seems like we’ll just end up with more work?

I’m already dying from being too busy…

While everyone was just reading the atmosphere, Han Myeong-hoe asked Hyang a question.

“Your Highness. Will those using the typewriters also handle other duties?”

“No. They will exclusively handle document preparation.”

Suddenly hands shot up frantically from all directions.

“I’ll do it!”

“No, I’m the most qualified!”

“Please entrust it to me!”