Chapter 290
The secret fleet dispatched from Joseon dropped anchor at Yunotsutsu. Although it was about 20 ri (approx. 8 km) away from Iwami, where rumors of a silver mine had spread by word of mouth, the deep indent of the coastline made it an optimal location to conceal the ships.
“Welcome.”
As Ouchi Morimori, the lord of the Ouchi clan, extended his greetings, the Joseon military officer who disembarked from the ship offered a respectful military salute.
“I am Ahn Sang-taek, a commander of the Joseon Navy.”
“Thank you for your efforts in coming here. But…”
Morimori’s words trailed off as he glanced behind Ahn Sang-taek.
There were five Joseon panokseon ships anchored along the coastline.
‘The scale seems smaller than expected.’
As if sensing Morimori’s thoughts, Ahn Sang-taek promptly explained.
“We decided to move with a smaller force to avoid drawing the attention of others. A second fleet will arrive within a few days.”
Upon hearing Ahn Sang-taek’s explanation, Morimori’s face brightened slightly.
“Is that so? Then how many more will come?”
“For now, the plan is to have three waves. The first two waves will mainly consist of troops to defend this area and the mine, while the final third wave will bring the mining craftsmen. Once the craftsmen properly assess the scale of the mine, adjustments will be made accordingly.”
As Morimori nodded at Ahn Sang-taek’s words, he introduced the person who had accompanied him.
“This is my nephew, Ouchi Mochimori. He will command the defense of this place and Iwami from now on.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
“I, too, look forward to our collaboration.”
Mochimori and Ahn Sang-taek exchanged courteous greetings, bowing respectfully to each other. Both of them were well aware of the importance of the person standing before them. Following their exchange, the military officers under Ahn Sang-taek and the samurai under Mochimori greeted each other.
As the Joseon military commanders and the key figures of the Ouchi clan engaged in formal introductions, the Joseon soldiers were diligently unloading cargo from the ships.
Once the unloading of the cargo was complete, the military officers and soldiers began constructing their encampment in earnest.
The samurai observing the movements of the Joseon forces soon noticed something unusual.
The Joseon soldiers were unloading an enormous quantity of sacks from the ships and stacking them to one side.
“What are those items used for?”
As Morimori, Mochimori, and the samurai were overcome with curiosity, Ahn Sang-taek approached and inquired.
“Ah! There’s something I need to confirm. Has contact with the surrounding area been thoroughly cut off?”
Upon hearing Ahn Sang-taek’s question relayed to him, Morimori promptly replied.
“All the residents within a radius of 5 ri (approx. 2 km) from this location have been relocated. The remaining residents are those who will work in the mine.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Speaking of which, what are those sacks used for?”
In response to Morimori’s query, Ahn Sang-taek answered with a hint of pride in his voice.
“They are used to construct defensive walls.”
“Used to construct defensive walls? May I take a look?”
“By all means.”
With Ahn Sang-taek’s permission, the people of the Ouchi clan observed the Joseon soldiers utilizing the sacks.
“Oh my… Such a method…”
The Ouchi people could not conceal their astonishment. Along the defensive line surrounding the dock and the encampment, the soldiers dug soil and filled the sacks. Once a sack was fully filled with soil, they tightly tied the opening and began stacking the sacks along the defensive line.
Witnessing the scene, one of the retainers spoke up.
“If we reinforce those dug trenches a little, they will become sturdy moats.”
At the words of the retainer, known for his keen eye for defense, Morimori and the others approached closer to examine the sacks.
“My goodness…”
Morimori and his retainers, who had picked up an empty sack to examine its material, were rendered speechless. The fabric used to make the sacks was no ordinary material.
The sack cloth was slightly thick but very densely woven.
“It’s quite high-quality.”
As Morimori made that assessment, some of the middle-ranking and lower-ranking samurai trailing behind him were quietly sighing while comparing the fabric of the sacks to the cloth of their own clothes.
The higher-ups had access to silk and high-quality cotton through various channels for their attire. However, the samurai of middle rank and below, apart from one or two sets of formal attire, were in a situation where they wore clothes made of coarse quality hemp or cotton.
Yet, the fabric of the sacks used by the Joseon military to fill with soil and stack was of even better quality than the cloth of the clothes they were wearing.
“The fabric of the sacks is quite remarkable. Isn’t it too excessive to use them for mere sacks to fill with soil and stack?”
In response to Mochimori’s question, Ahn Sang-taek replied with a slight smile.
“It’s made of gwangmok, so it’s not very expensive.”
“Gwangmok?”
“It’s a fabric woven using a device created by His Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Ahn Sang-taek’s face was filled with pride as he mentioned ‘the Crown Prince.’
***
When gwangmok first began mass production, the merchants were perplexed by the lower-than-expected sales performance.
At this time, Hyang appeared like a savior.
“The low sales performance is due to the lack of price competitiveness in the selling price. Moreover, the people are not yet well aware of the usefulness of gwangmok.”
After pointing out the reasons, Hyang immediately offered solutions.
– Cultivate cotton in Japan and import it cheaply.
– Have the government and the military use gwangmok in large quantities to demonstrate its usefulness.
Hyang’s proposals were promptly accepted. In particular, the first solution also carried the intention of economically subjugating Japan.
However, neither Sejong nor any of the ministers heard Hyang’s monologue.
“Although it’s a proposal I put forward, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. The military is always the easiest solution.”
Hyang recalled the painful memories of the 21st century when, in the event of problems in pig or poultry farms, people had to consume pork and chicken meat until they were stuffed.
“If they were going to handle it like that, they should have outsourced it to proper restaurants or chicken joints. It would have stimulated the market economy and been better, right? Instead, we had to eat the hit-or-miss meals cooked by the military chefs every time…”
And so, the very first product supplied to the military and the government was those sacks.
These sacks had also been touched by Hyang’s hands. They were simply made by overlapping two pieces of cloth and stitching them firmly. Hyang had called for Jang Yeong-sil.
“Let’s try to devise a loom that can weave sacks!”
“Pardon? Yes…”
Upon receiving the order from Hyang, Jang Yeong-sil returned to his workshop and shouted.
“Everyone, gather under me! Right now!”
Thus, the development of the loom began, but it was uncertain when the prototype would be ready. As a result, although the sacks were sewn by hand, the military units that received them quickly recognized their usefulness and began using them in large quantities.
The sacks demonstrated their true value in the process of hastily constructing defensive facilities in newly acquired territories.
It wasn’t only the military that took a liking to the sacks. The government also soon recognized their usefulness and began utilizing them effectively at disaster sites, especially during floods.
As people frequently encountered gwangmok, the demand for it gradually increased among the common folk as well.
***
In any case, Morimori, who had become captivated by the sacks, asked Ahn Sang-taek.
“Is it difficult to obtain those sacks?”
“Not at all. If you need them, please send us a document. We will inform Hanseong through the communication line.”
“Hmm…”
After a brief contemplation, Morimori made an immediate decision.
“I will have a document prepared and delivered to you soon.”
“Understood.”
With that conversation concluded, Morimori left the dock.
Upon reaching the fork in the road that split towards Iwami and Nagato, Morimori reminded Mochimori once more.
“You haven’t forgotten why your father, my elder brother and the previous lord, had to lose his life, have you?”
“I am well aware.”
“To avenge that grudge and fulfill our family’s long-cherished desire of becoming the ‘ruler of the realm,’ that silver mine is absolutely necessary. No matter what happens, we must defend the silver mine.”
“Yes, my lord!”
At Mochimori’s resolute answer, Morimori’s face finally brightened with relief. Seeing Morimori like that, Mochimori asked.
“By the way, will you definitely place an order for the sacks?”
“What do you think?”
“I believe they will be suitable for building defensive structures at the mine. Although I would like to construct a fortress, that would be too conspicuous.”
“You have a keen eye. Also, they might be needed in Buzen as well.”
“The Shoni and Otomo clans continue to be obstacles until the end.”
The two local clans of the Kyushu region had become the biggest obstacles in the process of the Ouchi clan taking control of Kyushu.
As Mochimori mentioned the Shoni and Otomo clans, Morimori nodded.
“To become the ruler of the realm, we must put an end to those two clans first. Speaking of which… Joseon’s artifacts are remarkable.”
At Morimori’s words, everyone surrounding him nodded in agreement.
Even the fabric of the sacks used for scooping soil or sand boasted an incredible quality.
Moreover, the military equipment and the strict discipline of the Joseon soldiers who disembarked from the ships were not those of mere foot soldiers.
The lord and retainers of the Ouchi clan had unknowingly begun to feel psychologically pressured by Joseon.
***
As Ahn Sang-taek had mentioned, the third fleet that arrived carried the mining technicians.
Having recovered from their fatigue at Yunotsutsu, which now clearly displayed the appearance of a dock and a garrison, the craftsmen set off for the Iwami mine under the escort of Joseon soldiers and the Ouchi clan’s troops. “This is the place.”
Guided by Mochimori and the samurai, the craftsmen who arrived at the mine set up tents and immediately began exploring the surroundings for prospecting.
The Ouchi samurai followed the Joseon craftsmen as they moved. The orders given to the samurai were simple.
– Even if you have to lay down your lives, protect the Joseon craftsmen!
After about a month had passed, the craftsmen reported to Ahn Sang-taek and Mochimori.
Spreading out the map they had drawn while traversing the mountains, the craftsmen pointed to three locations.
“We recommend these three veins.”
“There are other veins as well, but it would be best to start with these first.”
Upon hearing the craftsmen’s words through the interpreter, Mochimori’s face lit up.
“Then I will immediately deploy laborers!”
The Joseon craftsmen shook their heads at Mochimori’s words relayed to them.
“We need to bring in tools from Joseon first.”
“That’s right. We saw the pickaxes and shovels of the Japs… no, the Japanese, and they are all useless.”
“Also, we need some gunpowder.”
“Mine carts, water-lifting machines, and ventilators are also essential.”
At the craftsmen’s remarks, Ahn Sang-taek nodded and replied.
“Organize and tell us everything you need. Prepare a report and send it to Hanseong.”
“Understood.”
Mochimori, who had been listening to the conversation through a Japanese interpreter, interjected.
“What are mine carts, water-lifting machines, and ventilators?”
“They are essential for safely extracting large quantities of silver ore. I don’t know much more than that, but…”
After briefly explaining to Mochimori, Ahn Sang-taek asked the craftsmen.
“What else? And once all the equipment is ready, when can mining begin?”
“Mining can begin immediately once the equipment is properly prepared. Ah! Please send laborers as well, not just craftsmen. The Japanese are quite clumsy.”
“Got it.”
As Ahn Sang-taek nodded and responded, a military officer sitting beside him diligently recorded on a wooden tablet with paper attached.
Once all the recording was finished, Ahn Sang-taek said to Mochimori.
“Although the equipment hasn’t arrived yet, we should start constructing the necessary buildings first.”
“Pardon? Yes.”
Mochimori replied with a half-dazed expression as he observed the actions of the Joseon people.
‘I have no idea what they’re talking about… I can’t understand a single thing!’
***
When the equipment requested by the craftsmen arrived and the preparations for full-scale mining began, Mochimori and the samurai were dumbfounded.
They erected a frame using steel reinforcement bars and wooden boards to create formwork. Then, they poured a mixture of sand and an unknown gray powder into it. At some point, sturdy warehouses and lodgings made of stone appeared.
“This is no mere sorcery…”
Mochimori had unwittingly become ‘Mochimori in Wonderland.’
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