This is No Mere Technology

"..."

"..."

"...How on earth did you make such a thing in a place like this?"

Wow, it's really him.

"I am deeply honored to meet such an illustrious figure of our nation. I hardly know what to do with myself."

"Not at all. You are Young Master An, renowned far and wide as a sage. How could you say such things to someone like me?"

A middle-aged man dressed in official court robes bowed to me with excessive politeness.

"I am merely embarrassed that a young master who is under the care of the Army Commander and has been summoned by His Majesty speaks to me in this manner."

Well, the vibe on his end and my end is a bit different. Honestly, if we're talking about historical fame in the future, you're even more famous than old man Kim Jong-seo. Naturally so. Who doesn't know Jang Yeong-sil?

A legendary engineer of low-born origin who rose all the way to the junior third rank of Daehogun.

Jang Yeong-sil cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Ahem. At any rate, setting aside talk of this humble one... let us return to what we were discussing."

Still, he didn't seem displeased by my words. It made sense; a young scholar treated as a sage by the state was showing him deep respect. He just seemed to have more urgent matters on his mind.

Jang Yeong-sil asked me,

"This loom... how on earth did you build it?"

How did I make it? Honestly, that part wasn't as hard as one might think. In fact, finding a decent carpenter was probably easier here than in the south. The surrounding area was packed with people dragged up here from the three southern provinces. Ah, and occasionally, there were those brought from beyond the Tumen River. Thanks to that, Hamgil Province was a melting pot of all kinds of people.

I didn't have to waste energy searching for a carpenter. They were even easy to hire. Since they were all on the verge of starving or freezing to death, the moment I gave them clothes and grain, they poured their absolute souls into the work.

...Of course, that's not what he's asking.

For now, I gave him a universally applicable excuse.

"I merely devoted myself to the investigation of things. Feeling pity for the hardships of the women weaving, I pondered the matter on my own."

At my words, Jang Yeong-sil's eyes widened as if he had been struck on the head with a hammer.

"I-indeed! So you truly are the one the world calls the Seven-Year-Old Sage...!"

See? Even Jang Yeong-sil accepts it immediately when you throw some scholarly jargon at him. This is the power of a scholar.

Munjong, who devised the rain gauge; Jeong Inji, who designed the armillary sphere; Jeong Yak-yong, who built the heavy crane—they were all Neo-Confucian scholars. Therefore, if a prodigy who studied under Master Shin Sukju and mastered the Six Arts of a scholar according to the teachings of the ancients did this, it was perfectly plausible. Yes, mathematics is included in the Six Arts. And let's look at it from the other side.

"Then, how does this... how does this part of the loom rotate like this...?"

"Please, step this way. I shall explain."

Jang Yeong-sil was not a 'scholar.' Meaning, it would have been difficult for him to achieve something like this entirely on his own. He lived as a government slave, was freed after his 'exquisite craftsmanship' was recognized, and rose to public office. He was someone far removed from professional academic knowledge. In other words, he was a hands-on field worker, not a designer.

Instruments like the armillary sphere were designed by 'expert' scholars possessing mathematical and astronomical knowledge, and Jang Yeong-sil was the one who manufactured them. Of course, he wouldn't be completely ignorant. Just as a furniture maker can't be entirely clueless about interior design. But his knowledge would have stopped at the level of communicating with designers and understanding practical operations.

That's why Jang Yeong-sil didn't shout, "Eeeek! There's no way a mere child built this!" Instead, he only asked me about the loom with extreme, almost unnatural caution.

...Honestly, his deference is so extreme it feels unnatural. Come to think of it, even for the Joseon dynasty, this is strange. No matter if Jang Yeong-sil was born a slave, it has been a long time since he was freed. Furthermore, his rank is Daehogun, a junior third rank. More ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠than anything, he is in his forty, and I am a mere child who hasn't even had his capping ceremony.

Is it because I'm from a yangban family? It's a bit awkward to say, but if I were from a prestigious family, I wouldn't have come to a place like this of my own accord. The 'land of opportunity' is originally filled by those who had no opportunities. No matter how I look at it, there's no reason for Jang Yeong-sil to act like this toward me.

No, let's put those thoughts aside for now. Jang Yeong-sil came here on royal orders. Though he might have been sent to help me, the most important thing is for him to look at this loom and copy it. Let's get him to do what he needs to do.

I explained it to him simply.

"Whenever I watched the women weaving, I noticed they wrapped a back-strap around their waists, using their own bodies to pull hundreds of warp threads taut as they worked."

As I lightly pointed to the frame of the loom, Jang Yeong-sil's gaze quickly followed my hand.

"Straining one's waist for half a day, or even a full day—how could their bodies not break down? Thus, I made it so a wooden frame, rather than a human body, supports the tension."

A fixed frame. This drastically reduced the physical burden on the weavers.

"I attached pedals here, replacing tasks that once required hands with the movement of the feet."

I also attached multiple pedals. Tasks that used to require several people could now be done by a single person.

"Furthermore, seeing multiple women expend so much labor just to organize the warp threads and mount them onto the loom was distressing. I created this so they would not waste unnecessary strength winding and pulling the long threads."

A rotary warping mill. This revolutionary device dramatically simplified the warping process, which used to consume an immense amount of weaving time.

"And... to weave fabric, the weft thread must be intertwined back and forth through the warp threads. Throwing and catching the shuttle wound with the weft thread from side to side seemed terribly cumbersome."

This was the most important part.

"Moreover, a woman of small stature cannot weave wide cloth. Therefore, I made it so that by simply pulling this cord, the shuttle travels back and forth on its own."

The famous flying shuttle. A monstrous invention that multiplied textile production three- to four-fold in Industrial Revolution-era Britain. Its structure was incredibly simple.

...Master Hong-wi, it's all thanks to you. And long live the Korean film industry. How else would an ordinary student like me know about such things? It would have been impossible without the blueprints sent from the future. Though, due to a lack of capacity, he couldn't send 'modern_improved_loom.PNG'.

I felt like if Master Hong-wi took out another loan of spiritual power, he'd end up in Tartarus and never return, so we used a different method. The method used in the ancient, primitive internet world when images couldn't be uploaded.

Blegh.

...No. Don't do it. That's an addiction.

At any rate, because the messages were volatile, spending days and nights copying and memorizing them by hand was barely enough. There was no hardship quite like it. This was the glorious result of that grueling labor.

Since the thread and cloth were being pulled out at a terrifying speed, all the cotton balls that had been sitting there had now been turned into cotton cloth.

But that wasn't all. No matter how fast the weaving was, if the spinning speed was slow, it was all for naught.

"If you go over there, there is a spinning wheel improved in a similar fashion. Please, have a look, Lord Daehogun."

I made that one using 'modern_improved_spinning_wheel.txt' as well.

"My word...! Ah, for such a young master to grasp the principles of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠machinery so thoroughly is truly magnificent!"

Jang Yeong-sil was marveling at the spinning wheel. He was praising me so much that I bowed deeply in return.

"Not at all. I am only embarrassed, fearing that the crudeness of my meager skills has been exposed to your eyes, Lord Daehogun."

"What do I know that you would speak to me so?"

"No, indeed. All the machines I have made are merely copies, directly following what the sages of old left behind."

Since it was entirely true, except for the nationality (the British Empire) and the birth year (the 18th century) of those sages, it wasn't a lie.

"Foolish people merely marvel at the thread and cloth produced by the machine. Yet you alone, my Lord, look upon the machine itself. From this, I can humbly discern your profound wisdom."

I threw in some appropriate lip service.

Sigh, but seriously, what a shame. In Joseon, a nation of scholars, Jang Yeong-sil is a man who left his mark on history solely through his manual dexterity and field supervision skills. This isn't just rare in Joseon. If you asked someone to name ten or more people who left their names as 'engineers' in the 15th century, not many could do so easily. To think such a man is right in front of me, and I have to send him back after having him replicate a few spinning wheels and looms...

"C-cough, no, what... to say I possess wisdom..."

...Huh?

Suddenly, Jang Yeong-sil's state was strange. He looked like he was sitting on thorns, yet the corners of his mouth were curling up uncontrollably. Anyone could see he was struggling to hide his excitement.

Why? I only rotated through standard protocol lines 1, 2, and 3 for treating high-ranking officials politely.

"Your modesty is excessive. Since you are in charge of constructing the nation's various pavilions and instruments, does His Majesty not cherish you as his own precious hands and feet?"

"Precious hands and feet? Heavens, no. That is far too generous. Ahem, cough, ahem."

"..."

Ah. Now I get it.

Why Jang Yeong-sil was so deferential to me, and why he was so shaken by my polite protocol.

This man had only ever offered deference. He had never received it.

Originally, a person who is not where they 'belong' cannot help but become highly sensitive to their surroundings.

If a noble is placed among commoners, they will sharpen their senses and rage at the filthy sights and smells around them.

If a proud official is exiled for a trivial reason, they will be irritated by the shabbiness of the countryside.

If one who prides himself on being civilized goes to a barbarian village, he will always carry a weapon and remain on guard, fearing someone might harm him.

It is usually like that when one descends from 'above' to 'below.' The reverse is also true. In an even more unpleasant direction.

When a low-born is squeezed among nobles, will they not only realize their own shabbiness and filth amidst the grandeur and cleanliness?

Such was Jang Yeong-sil's life.

He recalled the day five years ago when he was appointed as the Byeoljwa of Sanguiwon and obtained the rank of Hogun.

It was a glorious moment. The King himself had elevated him, and the ministers had agreed. Everyone had recognized his talent. At that moment, nothing could ruin Jang Yeong-sil's joy.

...Except for one person.

That son of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a bitch.

Just picturing his face made Jang Yeong-sil's teeth grind slightly—so slightly that no one would notice.

Heo Jo, who was sitting as the Minister of Personnel at the time. He had ranted and raved like that, his eyes bloodshot. Jang Yeong-sil had not forgotten a single word Heo Jo said back then.

Chief State Councillor Hwang Hui, Left State Councillor Maeng Sa-seong, Minister of Military Affairs Jo Mal-saeng—those illustrious ministers had tried to stop Heo Jo. Hwang Hui had tried to persuade him, saying, "You crazy bastard, there are plenty of precedents, why are you being like this? Are there only one or two slaves who received office during King Taejong's reign?" To which Heo Jo had responded:

"That was a great mistake of the past."

Indeed, he was a man who openly called the Chinese Emperor a 'barbarian lover of human sacrifice who buries concubines alive upon his death.'

Even the royal historian's hand had paused in a daze for a moment back then. That part probably didn't even make it into the daily drafts.

While everyone was dumbfounded and lost for words, His Majesty lightly ignored Heo Jo's words and bestowed the office upon Jang Yeong-sil. It was a truly immense grace.

Separately, Heo Jo also continued to be promoted. This year, he even took on the title of Right State Councillor. That, once again, reminded Jang Yeong-sil of reality.

It was useless for someone 'like' Jang Yeong-sil to curse and imagine someone's demise every night. Not a single scratch would be left on that man's standing.

Because Jang Yeong-sil was of low-born origin.

The status of a slave was, in itself, a trap that could crush all the achievements Jang Yeong-sil had accomplished. It wasn't just a wall blocking his advancement. If it were only that, Jang Yeong-sil would have lived in peace. His low birth was the easiest weakness for his political enemies to stab. If he was unlucky, it was a trap that would blow him away even if he just stood still.

Hence, Jang Yeong-sil became cautious for the sake of survival. If someone gave him a look, he watched his step. If someone gave him a task, he did it. If they offered a bribe, he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠took it. If they asked for a bribe, he gave it. If he got caught exchanging bribes, he immediately fell to his knees and apologized. In any case, the one who told him to take the bribe and the one who asked for it wouldn't get blamed. Only he would be blamed.

He reacted sensitively to his surroundings and quickly bent himself. He was servile when he needed to be servile, and bowed when he needed to bow.

The 'Seven-Year-Old Sage' of Aoji? No matter how young, he was a 'scholar' who held the King's interest. Kim Jong-seo, the Army Commander of Hamgil Province, was his patron, and he was the disciple of the three sons of the Goryeong Shin clan. Above all, he was protected and favored by 'that Heo Jo.'

If he fell out of favor with this boy, there was no telling what Heo Jo might do to him again.

"Looking at it, this shuttle that intertwines the weft thread seems to be the most important part of this loom. I shall focus my examination on it..."

So, as carefully as possible... bowing as low as he could...

"An exceptionally accurate observation, my Lord."

...Huh?

Snapping out of his thoughts, he saw the boy looking up at him with sparkling eyes. The boy called him 'my Lord' and bowed politely.

"As expected of the one who oversees the great construction projects of the nation, you grasp the subtle mystery of this loom in an instant."

"I-it is not to that extent. So..."

"No, it is indeed so."

"..."

At the boy's words, Jang Yeong-sil realized. Ever since he met the boy earlier, he had been feeling an emotion he hadn't felt in decades.

"How could ordinary people ever comprehend the true value of this flying shuttle?"

...The feeling of being respected.

No one had ever acknowledged him like this. Not as a useful tool, or a clever subordinate, but as someone who had truly achieved something. Who else had ever looked at him this way?

As they conversed about the loom, time flew by. The topic of conversation shifted here and there. And with that, Jang Yeong-sil's hunched shoulders gradually relaxed.

"...Are you saying you conceived such an idea from what I just mentioned?"

"Ahem, it is nothing much. I merely discussed how the nation's utility might be enhanced through this waterwheel you designed."

"Which means you grasped all of that the moment I barely introduced the topic."

"..."

Jang Yeong-sil recalled what they had just discussed. Ah, yes. They had been talking about waterwheels. At first, they discussed whether connecting this spinning wheel and loom to a waterwheel would allow them to run entirely without human hands. Then, the boy mentioned that since wheat was being cultivated here, millstones and mills had become necessary. He said he wished there were many watermills.

At those words, Jang Yeong-sil poured out everything he knew about waterwheels and watermills to the boy. When the boy added his own designs to the mix, Jang Yeong-sil had responded with excitement without even realizing it. He had been babbling on like that for half an hour already. Feeling suddenly embarrassed, he had tried to wrap up his words... but the reaction was unexpected.

Jang Yeong-sil looked at the boy. An Heon, the Seven-Year-Old Sage. A young 'scholar' whom the entire nation recognized and revered. A 'scholar' whom the King and ministers praised until their mouths ran dry. Such a boy was saying to him:

"Your words are truly profound, my Lord. It is as if you have pierced straight to the very core of the matter."

"..."

Jang Yeong-sil shook his head. He had to pull himself together. He must not get intoxicated by this.

"T-trivial chatter has gone on too long. At any rate, thanks to the designs you provided, the work will proceed swiftly."

Before he knew it, Jang Yeong-sil realized he was speaking to the boy on equal terms. He said with a cough:

"Now, I need only repair the devices you made, construct a few more identical ones, and then return..."

"My Lord."

"..."

The boy looked up.

"Trivial chatter? How could you dismiss this as mere idle talk?"

Jang Yeong-sil and An Heon's eyes met.

"How is this anything but your profound 'insight,' my Lord?"

At that, Jang Yeong-sil's mouth opened of its own accord.

"...Did you say earlier that you required a waterwheel?"

"Y-yes, that is correct..."

"You said that if we turn millstones with a good waterwheel, the people would not have to suffer to grind wheat into flour."

"Indeed, but why..."

"And you also said that one day, spinning wheels and looms might move on their own without needing human hands."

"..."

Jang Yeong-sil said,

"I may find it difficult to achieve that much, but surely I can build a few watermills for you."

"Is that truly so?!"

"Of course. If I do, the livelihood of the people of Hamgil Province will surely improve."

The boy had melted his heart.

"Yes... I shall certainly take charge of this."

The boy's words had pierced his core.

The Five-Week Plan for the Development of Aoji had begun.