Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 106

Ever since, Raphael and Pietro had been extremely busy.

The first task they undertook was training Joseon artisans for the mass production of sheet glass.

“Looking for artisans who can craft a new material called ‘glass’! Seeking applicants from among those who craft pottery, jars, tiles, and bricks!”

Craftsmen and artisans working in government kilns and private kilns, along with those who had been working with pottery, jars, and tiles, began to apply one by one in response to the announcement from the court.

“Hey! We’ve finally got a livelihood, why are you quitting now?”

Their colleagues tried to dissuade those who had decided to change jobs.

Their jobs had become stable as Sejong and Hyang started to value the artisans, lifting them from a previously despised status.

However, those who left had their reasons.

“There are plenty of artisans doing the same work! To survive, we must learn new skills in a new place! It’s worth the challenge!”

They were individuals looking for new opportunities and willing to take risks.

As these men came with a spirit of challenge, they spared no effort to learn, and naturally, Joseon artisans quickly acquired the new skills.

As the artisans’ skills improved, mass production of sheet glass became possible.

“If mass production is possible, then execute it immediately!”

“About the budget…”

“Ah, damn it! Just use the reserve funds! What’s there in life to lose? If worst comes to worst, we’ll just get scolded by the king later. So what?”

Upon Hyang’s decision, the mass production of sheet glass commenced.

As sufficient funds were invested, sheet glass began to be produced in large quantities. Immediately, Hyang replaced the paper-covered doors at Donggungjeon with glass doors.

“The Crown Prince is replacing the doors at Donggungjeon!”

Upon hearing the rumors, Sejong promptly visited the work site with his ministers.

“So this is the glass?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“It’s so clear. It’s amazing that such a material can be made from sand and limestone.”

Sejong, marveling at the transparent glass, toured the doors that had already been installed. Just then, he noticed the glass sparkling in the sunlight and immediately gave an order.

“Replace the external doors of Geunjeongjeon and Gangnyeongjeon with glass doors as well.”

Upon Sejong’s decision, Hyang immediately bowed his head.

“We will prepare and execute immediately, Your Majesty!”

‘Gotcha!’

The Geunjeongjeon and Gangnyeongjeon Halls were adorned with glass doors, and upon seeing this, Queen Consort Soheon and the royal concubines requested that their own residences also be installed with glass doors.

Their requests were promptly approved, and before long, the palaces in Hanyang started to be surrounded by glass doors.

As glass began to be used extensively in the palaces, rumors started to circulate around Hanyang.

***

Near Seosomun, at a poultry shop.

Men who were standing to buy chickens were engaged in conversation.

“Hey, have you heard the rumor?”

“Rumor? What rumor?”

“They say that the King has replaced the paper doors and windows of the palace with crystal.”

“Crystal? That must have cost a fortune! Is this why our taxes are going up? Life’s already hard enough…”

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Picking up on the other man’s concern about taxes, another man spoke.

“It’s not actually crystal. Someone I know works at the workshop started by the Crown Prince, and they say it’s made by melting sand.”

“Sand? You mean the sand that’s lying all over by the Han River?”

“Yes.”

“Huh~.”

“Wow, really? They make crystal out of sand?”

People around who heard the explanation couldn’t hide their astonishment.

“It’s fascinating, but for people like us, isn’t it just ‘pie in the sky’? Those things won’t be cheap, right? Only those high up in Bukchon will probably use it.”

As one person among those listening showed a skeptical reaction, the man explaining added,

“Ah, you sir! Have you ever heard of products made famous by the Crown Prince being exclusively for the nobility? Has there ever been a product that only the nobility could use?”

At the man’s words, everyone around looked surprised and nodded their heads.

“Huh? That’s really true?”

“Really!”

“I asked the gentleman next door, and he said even though it’s a bit expensive, if we save up, we could even install those windows.”

“Really?”

“Should we start saving too?”

While people were mumbling among themselves, the owner of the poultry shop yelled out angrily.

“Hey! Are you going to buy chickens or not? Stop blocking the entrance to someone else’s shop with your nonsense!”

“Ah! Give me one chicken!”

“I’ll take two!”

As the common people had pointed out, there were no restrictions, like user limits, on Hyang’s first invention, Golden Pen. As a result, anyone—whether a noble or a commoner, and even the low-born commoners—could buy what they wanted as long as they had the money for it.

This led to an unexpected consequence that Hyang had not anticipated: the instinctive sense of obedience that the common people had towards the Yangban was gradually waning.

***

With the mass production of sheet glass being handed over to the artisans of Joseon, Hyang gave Pietro and Raphael another task.

“Can we make bottles out of glass?”

“Yes.”

“And we can also color the glass?”

“Yes. But why?”

After confirming once again, Hyang gave an order to Pietro and Raphael.

“Make brown glass bottles. Let’s have four sizes, with the largest holding roughly 1 ‘mal’ (Korean volume unit). Can you do that?”

“Why brown?” Raphael inquired.

“For storing acids. We use a lot of acids in the research facilities, Area 51, and various other places.”

“Ah…”

Upon hearing Hyang’s words, both Raphael and Pietro nodded in understanding.

While working with glass art, they often had to do etching work that required the use of acids. Therefore, they quickly understood the need.

Brown glass bottles, manufactured as per Hyang’s orders, were soon warmly welcomed by those who used acids.

Having seen the positive reaction, Hyang reallocated the Joseon artisans to ramp up the mass production of these brown bottles.

***

Hyang’s ‘exploitation’ continued.

The increasingly frequent visits by Hyang were making Pietro and Raphael visibly uneasy.

“Can you make white glass this time?”

“White glass?”

In response to Pietro and Raphael’s question, Hyang rummaged through his sleeve and pulled out a piece of paper.

“I’m thinking of a lamp. The white glass will be used for the lampshade.”

“Hmm…”

Upon examining the design of the lamp, Pietro’s eyes lit up.

Though both Raphael and Pietro had obtained the qualifications of a guild master, they had different strengths. Raphael, true to his diligent nature, excelled at straightforward, mass-produced items like sheet glass and glass plates. Pietro, on the other hand, had a flair for the flamboyant and creative aspects.

Aware of these characteristics, Hyang gleefully whistled to himself.

‘Isn’t this almost like a cheat code?’

As a result, Pietro was assigned the task of making the lamp. Teaming up with Go Yajang, Pietro demonstrated his craftsmanship.

***

Upon receiving the finished product, Hyang highly praised Pietro and Yajang before presenting the first approved piece to King Sejong.

“Your Majesty loves reading and often works on state affairs late into the night, straining your eyes. That’s why I created this lamp,” said Hyang.

“Thank you.”

King Sejong was deeply pleased as he turned on the lamp, thinking of Hyang’s thoughtful gesture.

“It’s truly bright!”

Because of the rarity of the material beeswax, candles were valuable commodities not only in Joseon but around the world. Therefore, in Joseon, oil lamps were mainly used by everyone from the royal family to commoners.

Lamps were adorned with bronze plates to serve as a reflector, but these bronze plates were relatively inefficient.

However, the lampshade made by Hyang was far more efficient than the bronze plates on the candleholders. Satisfied, King Sejong immediately ordered mass production for use in all government offices.

Of course, there were side effects.

Upon hearing this news, the spirits of the officials collapsed.

“Damn it! Now we have to work at night too?”

Hyang then recruited new craftsmen to work in the glass workshop.

“As we look forward, we’ll need more and more craftsmen! The current situation isn’t sustainable!”

Thus, the glass workshop expanded, and Hyang purchased land next to Area 51 to build a large glass workshop.

* * *

Meanwhile, Pietro collaborated with Go Yajang and caused a stir.

“Eh? What’s that you have on your eyes?”

“Ah, Your Majesty.”

“It’s Crown Prince!”

Corrected by chief eunuch’s stern expression, Pietro clarified in halting Korean.

“Crown Prince, this is to protect my eyes.”

“To protect your eyes?”

“My main job involves looking at flames in the furnace, which strains my eyes. So, I made these.”

“Hmm… Let me see.”

Upon examining Pietro’s creation, Hyang looked at Go Yajang.

“Do you also frequently work with fire?”

“Yes, Your Highness. That’s why blacksmiths like me suffer from poor vision as we age.”

“Hmm…”

As Hyang pondered, holding the object, Pietro’s face grew increasingly pale.

‘If he keeps this up, he’ll certainly order mass production…’

Moments later, Hyang gave it back and commanded,

“Start mass production. Don’t mind the grumbling.”

Confused, Go Yajang looked at Hyang.

“Excuse me?”

“Why are people so mean? Aren’t you guys also suffering from the glare of the furnace?”

Upon hearing Hyang’s words, Go Yajang bowed his head.

“It is truly gracious of you to care for lowly craftsmen like us!”

Touched to the point of tears, Go Yajang received a smiling reply from Hyang.

“That’s an overstatement… Ah! Also, make two extra for yourself.”

“Yes! I’ll make them to the best of my ability!”

Thus, the world’s first sunglasses were born.

It was an interesting coincidence that the invention of sunglasses in Hyang’s past was similar to Hollywood actors using them to protect their eyes from strong stage lights.

King Sejong, who received the sunglasses, was satisfied once again.

Though he was only just 30, his eyes had been strained for a long time and would ache even in moderate light.

However, when he wore the ‘sun-blocking glasses’’, which Hyang presented, even a daytime walk was comfortable for his eyes.

Highly satisfied, King Sejong gave another command to Hyang.

“Make a few more. I’ll use some, and they’d make great gifts.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Thus, with the king and crown prince adopting them, along with Sejong’s favored ministers starting to receive them as gifts, sunglasses became a leading fashion item.

Not only in the capital, Hanyang, but all across Joseon, affluent and trendy people, regardless of gender, considered it a staple to wear these sunglasses. This trend soon spread to Ming China and Japan as well.

***

Artisans in Joseon who had learned how to make flat glass diligently produced it.

Among these hard-working artisans, one named Han Seok-gu was quite dissatisfied with the flat glass he had produced.

“Can’t I make it flatter and larger?”

The cylinder method taught by Pietro and Raffaello was more efficient than other flat glass-making techniques.

However, there were limitations in size, and the issue of inconsistent thickness. To solve this problem, they used hot, molten steel, but it required much labor and carried the risk of burns.

Eventually, while struggling to find a suitable solution, Han Seok-gu found a new method of making flat glass, inspired by the fact that water and oil don’t mix.

“Water always remains level and smooth, no matter what’s underneath it. The oil floating on top behaves in the same way.”

Han Seok-gu continued his line of thought.

“Glass, when melted, is like water. No, we need something like oil to float the molten glass on.”

After arriving at a conclusion, Han Seok-gu found the optimal material.

“Mercury won’t work. Iron… makes the glass bubble… Copper is the same… What would be good?”

After trial and error, what Han Seok-gu found was tin.

By gently pulling molten glass poured over a large frame containing molten tin with an iron rake, they could easily make larger sheets of flat glass.

“It’s truly splendid!”

Having received the report, Hyang greatly praised Han Seok-gu and hurried to make a request to King Sejong.

“About the patent, I get it. But how about giving him some equity?”

“Yes, doing so will make the artisans more invested in their work and encourage new technological development.”

“So, how much equity are you thinking?”

“One percent.”

“Reasonable, but will you grant equity for every new technology?”

“No, we will only permit equity for technologies that can generate profits.”

After briefly contemplating Hyang’s explanation, King Sejong immediately granted permission.

Thus, Han Seok-gu became the first Joseon person to acquire equity through his technology.