Chapter 28
Yi Yeon examined the weaponry roster of the Joseon army and frowned deeply.
'What the—? There's nothing here!'
The list showed no trace of the **Victory Hand Cannon**.
'I clearly heard it was used to crush the Jurchens and again during the Imjin War...'
He had pored over the roster multiple times, yet it was nowhere to be found.
'Did I misread? No— I definitely saw it on YouTube...'
When the furnace construction had dragged on, Yi Yeon decided to seize every **Victory Hand Cannon** he could lay hands on.
He would melt them down and turn them into **slamfire shotguns**.
The **Victory Hand Cannon** had been a portable weapon much like the early hand cannon—loaded with gunpowder at the muzzle, a hole bored in the breech, a wick inserted, and ignited to fire.
In a way it even resembled a shotgun.
The bore was wide; one could stuff in multiple arrows and stones.
'That's why it fired so slowly.'
The muzzle wasn't perfectly sealed, so explosive gases leaked away.
Even packing in wadding or mud failed to stop the leak entirely.
Yet the destructive power and reliability had been staggering.
The downside was ruinous powder consumption and abysmal accuracy.
'If only the accuracy and rate of fire had been better, we wouldn't have been so easily defeated in the wars...'
So Yi Yeon intended to melt the expensive bronze **Victory Hand Cannon** and hastily forge **slamfire shotguns**.
He would train the artisans, expose the flaws, and build a mass-production line.
But now the **Victory Hand Cannon** were missing.
'Another universe?'
Whenever the historical records he knew diverged, Yi Yeon had begun to suspect a different timeline.
Yet this time his hunch was correct.
The **Victory Hand Cannon** had been invented by Kim Ji in 1575, seven years later, during his service as Jeolla Left Governor and Gyeongsang Commander.
That stroke of fortune let Yi Yeon produce glass from tin he had already stored in the military warehouse.
Without the **Victory Hand Cannon**, the tin would have been lost forever.
And he could not afford to give up.
So Yi Yeon recruited blacksmiths with chickens and eggs as bait and began crafting **slamfire shotguns** the old-fashioned way.
Wrapping broad iron plates around long rods and hammering them round was simple.
Still, the stares from his subordinates felt heavier than ever.
'What's the problem?'
He had to address the issue head-on.
Yet their intense eyes made him hesitate.
'They won't turn on me, will they?'
He had only just won their loyalty; he refused to lose it.
But he had no choice.
He would crush the matter tomorrow in the state council.
Gritting his teeth, Yi Yeon spoke directly.
'I intend to create an even stronger army to solve this problem.'
'Eh?!'
'What manner of words is this, Your Majesty?'
'A stronger army? Are you planning to establish an entirely new one?'
The startled councilors' outcries brought a playful glint to Yi Yeon's eyes and a firm nod.
'If I'm pushing anyway, I might as well go all out.'
'Precisely. From now on, our Joseon will be reorganized around soldiers who master gunpowder weapons.'
'Your Majesty, you intend to overhaul the entire military structure?'
Yi Yeon shook his head.
The excited councilors released long, relieved breaths.
Overhauling the military would demand enormous budgets and risk chaos; no one could endorse it.
'No. We will keep the current organization intact and create a separate elite force that wields only firepower. Every one of you already knows our army is specialized only for defense—and that it is a mess.'
'The principle that "attack is always best" is also well known.'
This time the councilors nodded, feigning familiarity.
It echoed the Sun Zi's idea that attack holds the advantage over defense in every battle.
'Therefore I plan to raise a specialized army optimized for offense. I will recruit the best among the current soldiers, pay them generously, and grant them the treatment they deserve. Anyone who risks his life on the front lines should receive no less.'
'Your Majesty, that is wise, yet it may strain the treasury.'
This time it was Jeong Daenyeon, the Minister of War, who spoke.
He understood the staggering cost of raising and maintaining troops.
'No need for worry. The coins I issue will be backed by me—the King—and the royal treasury; we will set up an independent bureau under royal oversight.'
'Yet, Your Majesty, then we will still require treasury funds, will we not?'
This time it was Hong Dam, the Minister of Revenue, who voiced the concern.
The coins were about to be minted; he had heard nothing about the plan.
He could not question the King directly, so he waited—only to hear something unexpected.
He could not hold back and asked.
Once more Yi Yeon smiled brightly.
'No treasury worries needed. The funding will come from developing new mines, and the upkeep will be shouldered by the very army we are creating. Therefore the responsibility naturally falls on the King and the royal treasury. Would you not agree?'
'Your Majesty! Then the new army will be directly under the royal household?'
'Yes. I thought it better to reach a decision through consultation with the royal court rather than my unilateral will for an offensive force.'
'''Ahh...!'''
The councilors gasped in unison.
Although military authority was dispersed among officials and generals, the final decision rested with the King.
If the King misjudged, disaster could follow.
Placing the army under the royal household, however, would prevent arbitrary moves.
Their expectations had been shattered, yet the plan seemed thorough; the councilors could breathe easier.
Yi Yeon let out a silent sigh of relief in his heart.
He had shown the self-loader's power and would crush the opposition before the shock faded.
Since open resistance would be fierce, he had offered royal ownership.
The councilors' expressions softened at once.
Of course, he had considered the long term as well.
'There is no law against a madman appearing in future generations.'
But Jeong Daenyeon swallowed nervously and asked, 'Your Majesty, then will you not supply the self-loaders to the current soldiers?'
'What else could I say?'
Yi Yeon shook his head with a grin.
'No. Even if we recruit immediately, we cannot know when they will complete training or enter combat. Therefore we will begin supplying self-loaders to the frontier soldiers. Minister Jeong, I ask you to lead that effort.'
'Eh?!'
The moment he heard that, Jeong Daenyeon's face drained of color and his eyes widened in shock.
Lee Jun-gyeong, observing him, offered congratulations.
'Congratulations, Minister Jeong.'
'Eh? Yes.'
'Congratulations to you as well, Lord Jeong.'
'Ah, yes. Thank you, Lord.'
Even Sim Tong-won stepped forward and voiced his wishes.
'Congratulations, Lord.'
'We also congratulate you, Lord.'
'We must treat you to a meal.'
The ministers toasted their new equal, Jeong Daenyeon, who was senior in rank.
His strict temperament and stubborn nature had kept him behind the others, yet now he was one.
The King had requested it, and the royal uncles had offered congratulations.
'What are you doing? Rise and offer the proper greeting!'
Hong Seom, one year younger than Jeong Daenyeon and just as sharp, chided him.
'Forgive me, Lord.'
'No, no—congratulations, Lord.'
He was not simply stern.
After a respectful bow, Jeong Daenyeon knelt before Yi Yeon.
'Your Majesty! I am deeply honored. I will serve faithfully going forward and repay this grace with my utmost efforts.'
'Very good. I look forward to your help as well.'
Yi Yeon rose him to his feet by the shoulder and let out a genuine, relieved laugh.
The day had ended.
A lavish banquet awaited in the Gyeongnyeong Palace.
What began as a discussion of natural principles had become a forum for national policy; after testing new weapons, it became a planning session for the future; now it was a celebration of promotions.
Yet in Yi Yeon's heart there was only worry for his eldest brother who had gone to Ming.
'I hope nothing bad has happened to him...'
* * *
Heo Jun, who had accompanied the envoy to Beijing, sighed with a face of utter despair.
'How am I to explain this...'
Hawonggun, Yi Yeon's eldest brother, patted his shoulder.
'Physician Heo, you said to let it go. We should just go home.'
'No, Your Highness. His Majesty ordered me to bring everything back, so I must find it.'
'There is nothing in this vast Ming world. So let's hurry before it's too late.'
'You go first. I will search further. If I still find nothing, I will travel to the Western Regions myself.'
'What kind of thing is that? Round-trip could take two or even three years...'
'I have no choice.'
'How exasperating. I know your loyalty, but what do we do with nothing to find?'
'Exactly. How can there be no single cow sick with a disease?'
Heo Jun had searched for the sick cow along the way to Beijing and found nothing.
Upon arrival he asked Hawonggun for help.
Hawonggun generously offered money.
He knew how important it was.
But no one offered the desired cow.
Only those hunting huge rewards appeared.
'Why were there none?'
'That cow was not one ridden by a ghost; it was simply sick.'
'Really? It looked ghost-ridden to me.'
'You cannot call every sick animal a ghost-rider.'
'I see...'
'Yes, Your Highness. A ghost-rider's cow must have pus growing in its wound.'
'This is troublesome...'
Hawonggun sighed.
The journey with the envoy to Beijing had been enjoyable; the sight of soldiers marching and merchants following had been a dream come true.
Passing through the Heavenly Gate into the Forbidden City, he could barely contain his racing heart.
The thrill of meeting the Son of Heaven in person, receiving gifts in return, had made him feel he possessed the entire world.
He had dined with Ming nobles, received hospitality from great merchants, and even admired the beauties of the continent.
What more could he want? Death would hold no regrets.
Yet...
'The damn cow I can't find!'
So he was still stuck in Han-yang.
Many blessings had come his way.
The King and younger brother, Yi Yeon, had instructed him to bring back any crops from the Western Regions without hesitation.
He had bought everything in sight, including the small, ugly potato Yi Yeon had mentioned.
There were other strange finds as well.
'What do you call this, Physician Heo?'
'Let me see... It looks like peanuts.'
'Peanuts?'
'Yes, Your Highness. Just a moment.'
Heo Jun retrieved the book from his pocket and compared the drawing inside.
It was Yi Yeon's own illustration.
'Indeed. Peanuts. They grow in pairs like twins, yet are called peanuts because they enrich the soil, according to what His Majesty said.'
'Really?'
'Yes, Your Highness. His Majesty said to obtain them if possible, and I was lucky enough to find them.'
Yi Yeon had merely written a rough meaning in the margin because he did not know the origin.
'Then what is this?'
Hawonggun pointed at the long, tooth-like thing among the exhibits in Heo Jun's room.
'That is maize.'
'Maize? Does it mean something like "shiny as jade"?'
'No such explanation was given, but it does sound plausible.'
Even in the twenty-first century, Beijing was bustling with envoys and merchants from every corner of the world.
Some had dark skin.
Crops of every kind were in abundance.
Yet he could not buy them all.
Those without seeds had to be left behind.
He left behind a promise to repay the high price if they were carried to Joseon.
'What about this one?'
'The red one is chili; the green one is green chili.'
'Why different names?'
'In the Western Regions they called them that because they resemble children's toys, but the green one is still unripe.'
'Heh, it does sound right.'
Hawonggun reached out to touch the chili.
Heo Jun shouted in alarm, 'Your Highness! Do not touch it!'
'Why? Is it poisonous?'
'It is not poisonous, but it will be more painful than poison.'
'Really?'
'Achoo!'
* * *