Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 190

As mentioned before, the paper consumption at Area 51 and the laboratory was enormous. The amount of paper used for various reports, proposals, and research records was no joke, and the cost of purchasing the necessary paper was also significant.

Damn it! Im going to use up the entire budget just buying paper!

Feeling the crisis, Hyang mobilized artisans to create a papermaking machine using pulped wood.

The paper made from pulp using trees cut from the mountains surrounding Hanseong, rather than the limited supply of dak trees^[1] used for traditional Hanji^[2], hence it was much cheaper.

Well the quality isnt top-notch, but

Holding the paper, Hyang muttered with a voice full of regret.

There was no problem using brushes or gold pens to write documents, but the yellowish paper felt undeniably cheap.

We could bleach it, but what about the environmental pollution? I dont even know about that side of things

However, the cost-effectiveness of the yellow paper was incomparable to traditional Hanji, so government offices began to use yellow paper for non-critical documents.

As a result, as mentioned before, among the common people, yellow paper began to be called Yeokji (unlucky paper).

* * *

Hyang, who was ordered to produce textbooks for use at the Samin School, faced a similar dilemma.

I can manage to produce the paper somehow but the problem is the printing

Printing hundreds of thousands of textbooks was a significant challenge for Hyang.

I dont like the idea of just throwing manpower at it, isnt there a smarter way?

Hyang spent days wracking his brain, pondering over and over. Of course, orders were also given to the artisans in the laboratory and Area 51.

Find a way to print the textbooks in the shortest possible time!

Following the Crown Princes orders, researchers and artisans had to rack their brains as well.

Amidst the ongoing deliberations, the one who found the answer was Jang Yeong-sil.

Your Highness! Theres no need to change the typefaces one by one for textbooks, right?

Thats true, but?

At Hyangs response, Jang Yeong-sil spread out the blueprint he had brought on the table.

Engrave the pictures and letters on a large cylinder, and then roll it over the paper!

Upon seeing the blueprint drawn by Jang Yeong-sil, Hyang, Jeong-cho, and Jeong In-ji exclaimed in unison.

This is it!

It was primitive, but it was a printing press and method suitable for mass production.

And it was Jang Yeong-sil who had created it.

* * *

Based on Jang Yeong-sils blueprint, the researchers and artisans at the laboratory began creating a prototype.

For convenience in production, the method of casting was used.

For ease of transport and management, the cylinder engraved with characters was cut vertically, cast, and then assembled.

Following this plan, the researchers at the laboratory adjusted the size of the typefaces and the books. Jeong-cho was the most diligent in this process.

Do you know whats the most critical part to pay attention to?

Yes! The characters must not be split at the seam where the two parts join!

Jeong-cho nodded in satisfaction at the researchers response but did not forget to emphasize again.

Listen well! This is a textbook that will teach the future talents of our Joseon! It must be made with all your heart!

Yes!

Satisfied with the researchers response, Jeong-cho left to attend to other matters.

After politely seeing Jeong-cho off, the researchers returned to their seats and murmured among themselves.

Why is that gentleman so concerned about this?

Have you forgotten what you learned during your studies of Mencius? Dont you know whats written in Mencius, The Part of Exerting Ones Utmost?

The one who asked the initial question blushed at his colleagues rebuke.

The Mencius, The Part of Exerting Ones Utmost contains the famous Three Joys of a Gentleman.

The first joy is having both parents alive and siblings unaccused of crimes.

The second joy is feeling no shame before the heavens above and before the people below.

The third joy is obtaining the talents of the world and teaching them.

The story of the Three Joys of a Gentleman circulated in connection with the Samin School. Hearing this story, Hyang murmured to himself.

Come to think of it, this reminds me of my high school Korean teacher.

* * *

In the 21st century, when Hyang was a high school student, his school mainly scheduled core subjects like language arts, math, and science in the morning.

The reasoning was that these key subjects should be taught when students minds were the clearest.

However, due to scheduling constraints, some classes were inevitably arranged after lunchtime.

As afternoon classes began, it was commonplace for many students to succumb to post-lunch drowsiness.

Every time the Korean language teacher, who was in charge of Hyangs second year, saw this, he would click his tongue.

Theres an old saying about the Three Sorrows of a Gentleman, and one of them is teaching the dullards of the world Wake up, you lot!

It wasnt until Hyang was in his third year of high school that he realized The Three Sorrows of a Gentleman was a play on The Three Joys of a Gentleman.

I thought it was real!

* * *

As prototypes were made and printing tests were repeatedly conducted, an optimal form gradually emerged.

Of course, working with steel was challenging, so most experiments had to be conducted using cylinders made by connecting wooden boards.

Success!

Then lets try it with steel!

Yes!

On the day the first steel prototype was tested, even Hyang attended the experiment.

With a hissing sound, the steam engine connected to the roller with engraved typefaces started moving, and the large cylinder began to slowly rotate, pulling in the paper.

As the cylinder continued to turn, papers with printed characters and images began to emerge in a steady stream.

Stop!

Stop!

With another hiss, the steam engine stopped, halting the printing press, and Hyang, Jeong-cho, the researchers, and artisans examined the printed papers.

It seems to have been printed correctly.

Yes, it was printed correctly!

Once Hyang and Jeong-cho approved, the researchers and artisans burst into cheers and applause.

Wow!

Its a success!

As the cheers and applause subsided, Hyang spoke up.

Now, lets properly set the typesetting and try it. Remember, both sides of the paper need to be printed without any errors in the sequence.

Yes, Your Highness!

The artisans and researchers responded with uplifted spirits in loud voices.

After achieving successful results, Hyang turned to Jeong-cho and asked, What should we name this new device and printing method?

Hmm

As Jeong-cho stroked his beard in thought, he soon seemed to have an appropriate name in mind and answered with a bright expression,

Since it prints characters by turning a large wheel, how about calling it Yunjeon (, wheel-turning)? Since its a printing press, we could call it Yunjeon-gi.

That sounds good.

Wait Is this how a real rotary press works? Ah, never mind!

Hyang irresponsibly made a quick decision after a brief moment of contemplation.

* * *

Now that the textbook issue is sorted out

Having resolved the textbook problem, Hyang immediately tackled the next issue.

Well need notebooks if we have textbooks Especially for studying arithmetic, since it involves solving equations But

Hyang paused for a moment and then sighed with a troubled expression,

Sigh The problem is the paper. If we make notebooks out of paper, pretty much all the mountains in Joseon will become bare. The person who insisted on afforestation projects causing deforestation? Id deserve all the criticism.

Although Hyang was adamant, Joseon traditionally invested effort in forest management. The problem was that this effort was limited to pine trees.

Therefore, Hyang advocated for systematic management that included not only pine trees but also fruit trees.

Convinced by Hyangs argument, Sejong and the ministers established a Forestry Department within the Ministry of Works to start active management.

While contemplating trees, Hyangs thoughts drifted off again.

Lush forests can reduce the damage from droughts Wait a minute? Speaking of which, the current ratio of irrigated rice fields in Joseon seems surprisingly low.

Hyangs thoughts had seamlessly shifted to the issue of irrigated rice fields.

Indeed, during this period, Joseon had surprisingly few irrigated rice fields, not because the proportion was initially small, but because the irrigation works continuously conducted under Sejongs direction had expanded the waterways, nearly eliminating irrigated fields in flat areas.

The terraced fields on mountain slopes that Hyang mentioned, commonly seen in the 21st-century Korean Peninsula, were those that couldnt be farmed properly without powerful water pumps.

However, such terraced irrigated fields were scarce at this time.

Contemplating the reason, Hyang burst into a wry smile.

Tigers are actually useful in times like these.

During this era in Joseon, the mountains were home to not only tigers but also bears, leopards, and wolves. Thanks to these predators, unless one was in a situation of being eaten by a beast or starving to death, the effort to cultivate such terrains was almost non-existent.

For there to be a need to cultivate to such an extent due to a lack of food, the population on this land would have to exceed 30 million. Weve just barely surpassed 5 million, so its still a distant concern, and were already improving crop varieties and diligently developing the north, so theres no worry there. If all else fails, we could explore the North American continent. But then wed need to build steamships. The improvement of steam engines. The form of the propulsion system should initially be that of a paddle steamer?

Hyang, who had been aimlessly wandering in his stream of consciousness, suddenly slapped his forehead.

Oh no! Ive gone too far!

Realizing he had veered off course, Hyang hurriedly returned to the original topic.

So notebooks are impractical right now. Then.

After a moment of contemplation, Hyang reached a conclusion.

Chalkboards are the answer. After all, the teachers needed large chalkboards for arithmetic lessons, and we can make small personal chalkboards to replace notebooks.

Having concluded that chalkboards were the solution, Hyang chuckled.

Ha! Does this mean homework checks are off the table for a while?

* * *

The production of chalkboards was straightforward, allowing for the rapid completion of prototypes. Additionally, chalk was made using limestone, which was mined in large quantities for the production of cement.

This seems quite useful!

Sejong was greatly impressed upon seeing the prototypes of the chalkboards and chalk. The ministers shared his sentiment.

This will be useful not only for teaching children but also for conducting meetings!

Not just for meetings. It will be beneficial for work processes as well!

With overwhelming support from the ministers, mass production of chalkboards and chalk was decided.

Once again, items that diverged from the original history were created, marking a first in the world.

* * *

As the ministers predicted, the distribution of chalkboards made the courts work more convenient. Large and small chalkboards were hung at the entrance of the Six Ministries offices, in meeting rooms, and in the offices where various officials worked.

At the entrance of the offices, the names and reasons of those who were on leave that day were recorded. In meeting rooms, officials wrote on the chalkboards during discussions, and in offices, the chalkboards listed who was doing what, facilitating smoother management.

Soon, merchants in the marketplace also started using chalkboards, writing down the products they handled and their prices on chalkboards hung at the entrances of their stores, allowing customers to easily check.

As chalkboards spread, communal dining halls in the Six Ministries and the palace also began to use them, posting daily menus outside the dining halls.

This led to various comical situations.

One day, in an office of the Ministry of Personnel,

Look here, Steward Song.

Yes, Director Oh.

Did you see whats for lunch today at the communal dining hall?

Its rice with five-colored seasoned vegetables and tofu soybean soup.

At Steward Songs reply, Director Ohs face soured.

Damn it! Looks like Ill have to eat out again today! What, did the cook get a beating from his wife? Why are all the side dishes just greens?

At Director Ohs complaint, Director Ko beside him made a joke.

Why not go to the dining hall at Gyeongbokgung then?

At Kos jest, Oh shouted back,

Are you wishing to see me get indigestion and die from eating there?!

The communal dining hall at Gyeongbok Palace was where Sejong and officials of higher rank than councilors dined.

Thanks to Sejongs taste, the dining hall never lacked meat, and in principle, any official could dine there. However, among the officials below the rank of councilor, no one ventured to eat there.

FootnotesKoreas mulberry tree[]Korean handmade traditional paper made of mulberry trees[]

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