Chapter 304
Around the time Mansur and Oh Ha-seok’s group, who had anchored in Suez, embarked on their journey to Alexandria, the entire city of Alexandria was gradually stirring.
“Isn’t it about time for the merchant group to arrive from Aden?”
“They’re a bit late this year, aren’t they?”
The residents of Alexandria muttered while looking at the southern gate.
“What will they bring from the Land of Flowers this time?”
Meanwhile, the Arab and European merchants with bases in Alexandria anxiously awaited Mansur’s merchant group.
“Did you properly prepare the funds?”
“Yes!”
“Is the vault sturdy?”
“Yes! We even stationed reliable guards!”
“I’ll say it again, this is war! Don’t forget that the number of digits in our annual profit depends on how many products we procure from the ‘Land of Flowers’!”
“Aye!”
As the Arab and European merchants prepared for the ‘war of money’, thieves and swindlers flocked to Alexandria, targeting the piles of money they had accumulated.
With the public order becoming chaotic due to these thieves and swindlers, the officials of Alexandria had mixed feelings.
Merchants from nearby Arab regions, from across the Mediterranean, and even from the distant Hanseatic League gathered to procure goods from the ‘Land of Flowers’.
As these merchants and their entourages flocked and stayed, Alexandria’s economy began to experience a tremendous boom.
However, they also had to exert immense efforts to maintain public security as thieves, swindlers, and other vicious criminals flocked to target the wealth possessed by these merchants.
Nevertheless, since the profits clearly outweighed the losses, Alexandria’s officials also eagerly counted the days until the merchant group returning from the ‘Land of Flowers’ would arrive.
But this year, the situation was a bit unusual.
Even though more than a month had passed since the time they should have arrived according to the norm, they still hadn’t come.
Compared to the past when they were never more than half a month late even in the worst cases, this was definitely strange.
“Did some accident occur?”
“Maybe…”
Sailing the great ocean meant always risking one’s life.
Therefore, as more than a month passed, the excitement gradually subsided.
“Should we prepare to return?”
Just as the merchants from other regions were getting restless, carrier pigeons flocked in from Suez.
The staff untied the notes attached to the carrier pigeons’ legs, checked the contents, and immediately rushed to the heads of the merchant groups.
“They’ve arrived! They’re here! The merchant ships have reached Suez!”
“Oh! Yes!”
“And a ship from the ‘Land of Flowers’ has come with them!”
“What!”
The news delivered by the carrier pigeons rapidly spread throughout Alexandria.
“The ships have arrived at Suez!”
“They’re finally here!”
Small merchants who were waiting for the goods personally brought and sold by the sailors or small traders of the merchant group, and the merchants who had prepared to sell the items needed by Joseon all cheered with brightened faces.
The citizens, excited once again, became even more thrilled by the following news.
“A ship from the Land of Flowers has come along!”
“I heard the cargo unloaded from the ship of the Land of Flowers is enormous!”
With the rumor spreading in an instant, the citizens of Alexandria were literally ‘boiling’.
The country in the East, where the legendary ‘Qitai’ was located.
A nation that produced all sorts of goods, from rare and expensive items used only by kings and nobles to incredibly useful items loved by everyone. People had come directly from the country in the East, further known as the ‘Land of Flowers’ due to the flower patterns stamped on the boxes packaging the goods.
This was a huge topic of conversation.
Upon hearing the news that Joseon people were coming along, the influential figures of Alexandria met.
“We must protect those who have come from afar!”
“Indeed! It would be a big problem if they suffer harm from thieves! It could ruin our future prospects!”
Worried that giving a bad impression due to thieves might cause them to lose a great opportunity, the influential figures visited the city hall to persuade the mayor.
“We must dispatch troops to protect them!”
“Send the troops at once!”
Pressured by the influential figures, the mayor shook his head and replied.
“Alright, alright. I will immediately select troops and send them.”
The next morning, as soon as the day dawned, a sizable cavalry unit left through the gates and rode southward.
Some worried that they might miss each other on the way, but the learned individuals did not have such concerns.
It was because a considerable portion of the road network created during the ancient Roman Empire still remained, and in the desert, the locations of oases or villages to stop by along the way were mostly fixed.
***
While this commotion was taking place in Alexandria, Mansur and Oh Ha-seok’s group were steadily moving toward Alexandria.
“We will arrive in about seven days.”
As Mansur explained the route while looking at the map, Oh Ha-seok nodded and spoke.
“Whenever I look at the map, I feel that digging a canal would reduce the hardship…”
Hearing Oh Ha-seok’s words through the interpreter, Mansur smiled and replied.
“According to what I’ve heard, there used to be a canal in the old days. However, it disappeared because it was too difficult to maintain. As you can see, there is an abundance of soil and sand.”
Oh Ha-seok, who heard Mansur’s explanation through the interpreter, nodded.
“Indeed, a canal is not an easy thing to maintain.”
***
As Mansur explained, the Suez region had been optimal for building a canal since ancient times.
Attempts to construct a canal had been made since the ancient Egyptian period, but they were repeatedly frustrated until it was completed and began operation during the reign of Darius I of Persia. And it continued to operate through the Ptolemaic dynasty and the Roman Empire.
However, due to the characteristics of the region where the canal was located, the sedimentation phenomenon was severe, and it was difficult to operate without national management.
In the end, this ancient canal became an existence only in stories.
****
Leaving behind the regret over the absence of a canal, the procession set out on the road again.
Watching Oh Ha-seok and the Joseon people moving like this, Mansur asked the interpreter.
“Is that hat truly cool?”
“It is cool.”
Upon the interpreter’s answer, Mansur fell into a minor dilemma.
“It does look useful, but should I formally request one?”
Oh Ha-seok and all the Joseon people were wearing a variation of the pith helmet.
***
Oh Ha-seok, who had traveled to Aden and Alexandria with Mansur, formally raised the necessity of hats for use in hot regions through a report.
Joseon had also been a country of hats since ancient times. Even in the old Three Kingdoms period, men wore ‘munrgeon’ (文羅巾) regardless of their status.
Those of high status wore silk ‘geon’ with gold decorations, while commoners wore plain ones made of hemp, the only difference being the presence or absence of decorations.
Thus, those who did not wear ‘munrgeon’ or ‘ogeon’ (烏巾) were solely %2Fkoreamoonah_bot%2Fstatus%2F582878751886725120&psig=AOvVaw0HgYj–BCV9QfI4QCxLMlc&ust=1718180452121000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBIQjRxqFwoTCNDMuo2P04YDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE (the hat)
Therefore, even in the Joseon Dynasty, Joseon men did not walk around bareheaded.
They either wore a headband like in the old days or wore a ‘jungnim’ (竹笠) or ‘chorim’ (草笠) made of bamboo.
[TL/N: Both are a type of round triangular-cone shaped hats.)
Hence, Oh Ha-seok had raised the necessity of hats for use in hot regions.
The ministers who received this report all showed lukewarm reactions.
“Can’t they just wear a battle helmet?”
However, Hyang had a different thought.
“No! There’s a reason why the saying ‘T.P.O. (Time, Place, Occasion)’ exists!”
Hyang summoned the craftsmen in the Clothing Arsenal and began the production of the ‘bangseomo’.
The ‘bangseomo’, made by weaving a frame from split bamboo and applying cotton cloth, was quite decent and was provided to the sailors heading to Alexandria and Tianzhu.
During the journey to Alexandria, the ‘bangseomo’ made by Hyang received praise from the Joseon soldiers.
The ‘bangseomo’ made of bamboo and cotton cloth was lightweight.
Through the holes made on the sides and top, air circulated and heat was well expelled.
The best part was the long brim extending front and back.
The brim extending forward protected the eyes from strong sunlight, and the rear brim, descending in an elegant curve, shielded the back of the head and neck from the sun.
“Ah! Keep in mind that it provides no protection whatsoever.”
Following Hyang’s warning, the sailors moved with their helmets at their waists.
However, after departing from Suez and experiencing two battles, the sailors gathered all the helmets at their waists and the armor they were wearing and stuffed them into boxes.
It was because there were no thieves who approached close enough to shoot arrows at them.
Before they could get that close, the sailors’ rifles would knock down the thieves first.
***
Four days away from Alexandria, Mansur and Oh Ha-seok’s group encountered the cavalry unit that had departed from Alexandria.
In a situation on the brink of conflict, Mansur, who had confirmed the identity of the cavalry unit, spoke to Oh Ha-seok.
“It’s a cavalry unit from Alexandria. They say they will escort us.”
Oh Ha-seok, who heard Mansur’s words through the interpreter, asked Mansur with eyes full of suspicion.
“Has there ever been an escort until now?”
“No, there hasn’t been.”
“Then why this time?”
As Oh Ha-seok and the Joseon soldiers remained on guard, the messenger of the cavalry unit explained the reason.
Hearing the explanation, Mansur chuckled and explained the reason to Oh Ha-seok.
“Because we were a bit late this time, there was a commotion in Alexandria. And they sent them because people from the ‘Land of Flowers’, in other words, Joseon, had come directly.”
“Is that so?”
Oh Ha-seok nodded at Mansur’s explanation.
He remembered that when they had arrived at Aden and Suez, numerous carrier pigeons had flown into the sky.
Having a rough understanding, Oh Ha-seok issued an order to the soldiers.
“Maintain alert status.”
At Oh Ha-seok’s words, the sailors lowered their rifles that were aimed but continued to watch the cavalry unit with eyes full of vigilance.
***
Escorted by the cavalry unit, Mansur and Oh Ha-seok’s group arrived at Alexandria.
Seeing the gates of Alexandria, Oh Ha-seok finally ordered the sailors.
“Engage the safety.”
Receiving Oh Ha-seok’s order, the sailors engaged the safety on their rifles and only then did they show relieved expressions.
“Wow~!”
“It’s people from the Land of Flowers!”
The enthusiastic welcome from the residents of Alexandria left Oh Ha-seok and the Joseon people, no, even Mansur, stunned.
“This is the first time I’ve ever experienced such a welcome.”
“You too? Why on earth?”
Unable to fathom the reason, the bewildered group unloaded their luggage at the mansion prepared by Mansur’s merchant group.
***
While moving the luggage unloaded in the mansion’s courtyard to the warehouse, Mansur asked the mansion’s managers the reason for this grandiose welcome.
Hearing the managers’ answer, Mansur explained the reason to Oh Ha-seok with an absurd expression.
“It’s the same as what the cavalry said earlier. They thought we had met with a big problem because we were a bit late, but we arrived safely, and on top of that, people from the ‘Land of Flowers’, in other words, Joseon, had come along, so they are acting like this.”
“Why us?”
At Oh Ha-seok’s question, Mansur provided a more detailed explanation.
“To the people of Alexandria, Joseon is like a ‘land of fantasy’. Just like that Qitai, or the Ming Empire. There was brief interaction through the Yuan Empire, but that was only for a short time, and after that, there was no contact until the Zheng He fleet arrived. Even the Zheng He fleet only briefly visited. But now, Joseon has appeared. For real.”
“Is that so…”
As Oh Ha-seok stroked his beard and sorted out the situation based on Mansur’s explanation, he grumbled inwardly.
‘The Crown Prince was right!’
-If you go this time, you should find a place to establish our Joseon’s trading post.
‘Prepare a base for trading that happens once a year? Seems like a waste.’
Although Oh Ha-seok had thought negatively upon hearing Hyang’s words, seeing the enthusiastic welcome from the citizens of Alexandria, he had to reconsider.
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