Taejah River Arsenal: Forging the Eastern Frontier
Taejah River Arsenal
Southward, we'll connect to the North Sea route by establishing our main trading post with the Ainu at the southern tip of Sakhalin. I plan to name this place Hyeondo Fortress. We've already started smelting iron here using coal, and of course, we're using it for heating too. For the supreme governing body—the Bureau—I've had a separate chimney and ducts installed for coal heating, along with a water supply system. No need to belabor the water system, though.
What I'm getting at is that Sakhalin is rich in open-pit coal deposits. It looks like gold-rich land too, but in any case, it'll be ours to claim again. Using it as a coal depot and future fuel stockpile for steamship research isn't a bad idea, and we can leverage negotiations with the Ainu. Next, our second outpost on the Kamchatka Peninsula. It's the last foothold on the continent before passing the Japanese islands and heading into the open ocean. It also boasts one of the world's premier natural harbors. Avacha Bay on the peninsula's eastern coast is vast enough to accommodate the largest ships in the world. They say the entire global merchant fleet could fit inside. And it's ice-free to boot. Settling a village here would be perfect, and it's an ideal spot for a base.
This place is famous for salmon and hot springs too. More precisely, there are plenty of beasts besides. I've heard there are lots of bears. Hunting bears, securing salmon, and smoking it all sounds good. We can make use of the hot springs while we're at it. I'll call this the Bear Village—Ungju—and the port Ungju Harbor.
After that comes the Aleutian Islands, the most dangerous yet crucial stretch. It's a barren wasteland without a single tree, but we have to pass through it. Setting up basic storm shelters makes sense. They say there are plenty of sea otters, so harvesting their pelts directly would be nice, but since we can't linger long, it's better to leave sea otter preservation and pelts to the Ainu.
Finally, Alaska. We've reached the North American mainland at last. Towering trees appear, and the climate should ease up a bit. I plan to establish Dongmyeongbu here—the Office Where the Eastern Light Begins. From Goryeo's perspective, isn't America the far east? This will be our final forward base for pushing into America. From here, we head south. And at Dongmyeongbu, we can repair our battered keeled ships' hulls using Alaska's giant timbers while passing the Aleutians. Cortes, who invaded the Aztecs, even built massive ships on the spot after the Night of Sorrows for his revenge. Repairing with local timber should be more than sufficient.
"But, Regent."
I was quietly mapping out our future plans when Kim Jun called out to me.
"When we're alone, you can call me miss. I give you special permission."
Even with Kim Jun, who was like family, it felt off hearing "Regent" every time.
"Yes, miss. But how on earth did you instruct the exploration fleet where to go?"
Hmm, good question. It must seem miraculous that I, who usually shuttled between Gaegyeong and Yoyang, knew all this. I'd been to Byeokrando and the southern seas, but that was different from personally exploring.
Still, I had given directions.
"Hyeondo Fortress can be scouted via the Jurchens in the Yeongnam region, and as they head north, they'll naturally spot the massive natural harbor. It'll be obvious with all the bears too."
"That's just it. How did you know?"
Well, when asked point-blank how I knew, it was only natural to answer.
"I dreamed it."
"The mountain spirit again?"
That weary look on his face.
"Thanks to that mountain spirit, we've come this far. Don't knock it."
"No, common sense says a mountain spirit doesn't wash with soap or huddle with you to plot strategies. That image is just... off."
Even I had to admit it sounded odd. An old man washing with soap and handing it over, or brainstorming Mongol countermeasures head-to-head with me.
"So does that mean I figured all this out alone?"
"Well, yeah. Ahem. But anyway."
"Anyway?"
"Isn't the Crown Prince visiting the Taejah Arsenal too often these days?"
True enough. He'd dropped by today too, being a nuisance. But politically, it wasn't bad. The next emperor getting chummy with the next regent? It showed Goryeo's chaotic system stabilizing, at least visibly.
"So what? Getting close to the future emperor benefits the Choi clan, doesn't it?"
"It's too obvious he's fixated on you, miss."
Obvious, yeah. He was making no secret of wanting to get friendly. Political motives or whatever, it wasn't unwelcome.
"Oh my, is our devoted Kim Jun worried the prince will steal his beloved miss? Wait, you're serious."
I hadn't expected jealousy here. No need for it, though. The prince's interest was fleeting. Just a young man intrigued by a mature woman like me. He was in his prime, after all. I'd been a man once, so I got it.
"It's just... as a fellow man, I can tell. The next emperor's going to be a real womanizer."
"Eh, I'm not interested in some kid anyway."
Wonjong was pretty small. Not tiny, but much younger and shorter than me. Physically, I was the older one. Maybe I'd be curious about a shota-like younger guy, but he wasn't marriage material. At best, a plaything—and even then, no intention of marrying if he asked. Besides, he'd shown interest in a Bulgarian woman too. History changed, political long-game, or just a kid drawn to pretty things—who knew. Anyway, I couldn't brush him off coldly.
Lately, I'd fried chicken in pig fat to distract him. This era's Korean pigs were unimproved—small, low-fat. Sourcing enough fat took slaughterhouses, but someone like me could manage chicken. Manchurian pigs would change that later, though. For now, slow roll.
Point was, only I or a few elites could make this fried chicken. Feeding it quieted the young prince. He usually came when I was busy, but today, post-chicken, I got reports on silver distillation and barbed wire.
Silver distillation seemed straightforward. Silver poured out daily. Barbed wire showed progress too. The Taejah Arsenal in Yodong had started wire production using river watermills, thanks to Central Plains artisans.
"So what's this barbed wire?"
"You know the watermills outside Gaegyeong?"
"The grain grinders?"
"We'll make barbed wire with them. We're heading back to Yodong anyway—let's go see."
Had to return eventually. Time for a look.
Along a ten-ri stretch of the Taejah River's bank, nestled between rugged mountains, massive wooden wheels turned in a row.
Yes, watermills. Originally for agriculture in Goryeo, for husking grain. I'd scaled them up using Song artisans who'd come along trade routes and local craftsmen.
Thud-clang, thud-clank. The watermills' roar filled the valley. Chimneys belched black smoke from coke furnaces. Thousands of artisans and Khitan laborers moved in organized rhythm. The Song had burned coal early on; now we turned it to coke for the wire factories' mass production.
"What in the world is all this?"
Kim Jun stared in wonder.
Ah, how much head-scratching had Yi Jang-yong done for this? I'd designed it, but the costs... Budget fights must've been hell.
"Looks like just watermills spinning, right?"
But inside, it was different. The watermills' immense power dragged thick iron rods through narrow dies. From the other end, thin, noodle-like wires emerged endlessly.
"Cut and twist those wires, and you get barbed wire. Weave them for armor, chop for nails to float ships. The keeled ships used nails already."
Not systematically made, though. Exploration keeled ships would get proper nailed ones. Armor wasn't cost-effective, but wire alone profited. Needles too. Yodong walls could use barbed wire against sieges or Mongol cavalry.
"Sister—no, Governor, you've arrived?"
Choi Hang, the site overseer, bowed before the arsenal building. In Yodong, they used formal titles like Governor or Magistrate over "Lord." He still slipped "sister," but knew public from private.
"You've started fast."
Not brute force either. Khitans grumbled mildly, but got paid properly. Surprisingly diligent workers. Useful everywhere.
"You ordered it, sister. Khitans work well enough."
"Good. Hmm, not bad."
The emerging wire looked solid. Eager net-makers promised results. Tech leakage? Mongols couldn't match this factory system. Jin lacked capacity; Song was busy fending looters.
"Can these be used daily too?"
Daily use? Absolutely. That's why we needed them. Wire did everything.
"Fish ponds, needles, fishhooks, nets—helpful, right?"
Nails alone boosted construction; hooks and nets were obvious.
"Keep running the Taejah Arsenal, Hang."
Time to blind my brothers to women. They were mine. Choi Hang, Choi Pil—the kid once called Manjong. Mine. Marriage? Not my concern. Loyal assets under watch. Bury them in work.
This arsenal produced near-military goods. Essential for future anti-Mongol walls.
"Me?"
"The Taejah Arsenal will be vital to Goryeo. Can't entrust it to just anyone."
He nodded.
"Understood, Governor."
Good at separating spheres. Seeing my brother thrilled at orders... sucker.
"Makes you realize one leads to many."
Exactly. Surging ag output enabled wire threshers. Simple: spin a wooden drum fast. Cast iron gears, wood, iron—all feasible. Embed U- or V-bent wires, use gears and bearings.
Tough-looking, but our steel tech sufficed. We'd prototyped cast pipes for ondol. Sand molds poured gear wheels easy. Bearings? Iron balls.
Future tech—name and document it Goryeo-style later. One thresher did ten men's work.
"That's how. And that black smoke? Coal method—way more output."
"Really?"
Pipes too: cast iron, or wire-reinforced cement concrete for water/sewer. Ceramics possible, but whatever. Point: water systems viable. Must-do hygiene package against plagues.