Chapter 47: Laughing at Hobby, Crying at Hobby. (12)
Upon Hyang's return, Sejong declared the end of the demonstration.
"With this, the demonstration is concluded. Wine and meat shall be distributed for the soldiers who have worked hard, so enjoy the feast."
"Waaaah!"
"Long live His Majesty! Ten thousand years!"
Though the demonstration had ended, Hyang shook his head and left his seat.
"I can't stand it. I cannot contain my curiosity."
Having left his seat, Hyang continued to seek out the artillery soldiers and chongtong soldiers to conduct his investigation.
"His Majesty has graciously hosted a feast, yet I apologize for keeping you all here like this."
"Not at all!"
"Such words are unwarranted!"
At Hyang's apology, the chongtong soldiers and artillery soldiers waved their hands in denial.
"I will not let you feel slighted, so please help me a little."
"Not at all!"
"Just give the command!"
"Thank you. First... what inconveniences do you experience when using these chongtongs?"
At Hyang's question, the chongtong soldiers thought for a moment and then spoke of the problems.
- They are difficult to use. Except for the Ilchongtong used mounted on a dongcha (child cart), the chongtongs are used by inserting a handle into the mobong (stock), and even robust soldiers struggle to fire more than two shots.
- The distance to completely subdue the enemy is too short. If one fires a sojeon (small arrow) from an Ichongtong, it flies 200 paces (about 240m), but it is difficult to hit with certainty. Considering the time required to reload, they use the sabop (firing method) of ilbaldajeon (one shot, multiple arrows), inserting several arrows and firing at once, but this requires drawing the enemy to within at least 50 paces. To catch them for certain, one must fire from within 40 paces, or even 30 paces.
"Hmm... I see."
Hyang, who had been nodding continuously while recording the soldiers' words, looked at the Ichongtong the soldiers were holding.
"Is that an Ichongtong? May I hold it?"
"Yes."
Holding the Ichongtong the soldier offered, Hyang muttered softly.
"Well now... is it a problem with the center of gravity? Approximately how much does this Ichongtong weigh?"
At Hyang's question, Choi Hae-san, who was nearby, answered immediately.
"3 geun 8 ryang (about 2.2kg), and the length is 1 cheok 4 chon 4 bun (about 44.6cm)."
"And the length of the handle?"
"There is no precisely fixed standard, but it must be at least 4 cheok (about 1.2m)."
"For something like that, the lengths seem quite varied?"
At Hyang's point, Choi Hae-san answered with an embarrassed expression.
"Depending on which cheok is used, there are slight differences."
"Tsk..."
At Choi Hae-san's answer, Hyang clicked his tongue. Come to think of it, the sizes of the chongtongs the soldiers were holding were of various kinds.
This was a problem that ran throughout the Joseon Dynasty. Joseon's standard for the cheok, the unit for measuring length, was ambiguous. Just from what Hyang had heard in passing, there were hwangjongcheok, yeongjocheok, and joryegicheok being used.
"Isn't standardization of the cheok fundamental in manufacturing?"
"Since we receive them as tribute..."
"Tsk!"
Clicking his tongue while looking at the Ichongtong, Hyang tilted his head.
'Even if the center of gravity is tilted forward... Looking at the soldiers' build, it doesn't seem like a situation where they would make a fuss about not being able to fire after two shots?'
Unable to understand no matter how much he thought about it, Hyang asked a question just in case.
"How much gunpowder is put into the chongtong?"
"1 nyang (about 37.5g)."
"*Gack!*"
"Your Highness! What is the matter!"
Startled by Hyang's reaction, the nearby soldiers, commanders, and Choi Hae-san rushed over. Hyang waved his hand urgently.
"It is nothing! Nothing at all! I was just surprised because more gunpowder went in than I expected!"
"Ah, yes..."
At Hyang's answer, the people finally looked relieved.
'Solved it! The culprit was this!'
Thinking he had found the cause of the problem, Hyang hurriedly wrapped things up.
"I have learned everything I needed. General, I will send meat and wine through the palace attendants, so please distribute them to these men."
"We are deeply grateful!"
"We are deeply grateful!"
At Hyang's words, the commanders and soldiers all expressed their thanks. At that sight, Hyang lightly waved his hand.
"This is for those who work day and night for this Joseon. Eat well and strengthen yourselves to firmly defend Joseon."
"We will faithfully carry out your command!"
* * *
On the way back to the palace after the demonstration ended, Hyang spoke with Choi Hae-san.
"Is the operation of the chongtong conducted in 2-man teams like that?"
At the daytime demonstration, the chongtong soldiers had moved in 2-man teams. One soldier would firmly grip the chongtong's handle while the other soldier beside him lit the fuse. When firing was complete, the soldier waiting beside would hand over an already loaded chongtong, and the soldier holding the handle would insert the handle into the mobong of the newly received chongtong and prepare to fire.
At Hyang's question, Choi Hae-san answered immediately.
"Basically, we operate in 2-man teams."
"How do you operate when alone?"
"You grip the handle with your right hand and light the fuse with your left, or firmly clamp the handle under your right armpit, then hold it with your left hand and light it with your right."
"That doesn't sound convenient?"
At Hyang's point, Choi Hae-san nodded.
"That is correct. That is why 2-man team operation is standard, but there is the problem of increasing personnel requirements, making it difficult to expand the chongtong forces."
Choi Hae-san's regretful expression was exactly like the expression Hyang had seen in a famous 21st-century advertisement.
-It's really good for men, but I can't really say anything about it?
At Choi Hae-san's explanation, Hyang nodded.
"That would be so. To properly fire a chongtong alone, even if not three-headed six-armed, one would seemingly need at least two-headed four-armed."
"Pardon? Hahaha! That is correct!"
* * *
Returning to the palace, Hyang opened an empty book and muttered.
"The culprit was the amount of gunpowder."
In the 21st century, when he was in the United States to build a sailing ship, Hyang had met numerous Western enthusiasts. Among the enthusiasts he met, quite a few were military enthusiasts, especially gun enthusiasts who collected and fired classic firearms.
There was someone he had built a friendship with there, and he was someone who had collected everything from American Revolutionary War-era rifles to World War II firearms at a museum level. Not satisfied with just collecting firearms, he also enjoyed shooting and had even purchased black powder in bulk to make reloaded ammunition.
When Hyang visited his home just before returning to Korea, he happened to watch him reloading ammunition for a Henry rifle.
"Is that the gun from western movies?"
At Hyang's question, the Western enthusiast laughed and answered.
"That's a Winchester, this could be called its predecessor."
"How much gunpowder do you put in?"
"30 grains."
As he continued explaining, the Western enthusiast reloaded the ammunition, and the amount of black powder going into a 44-40 cartridge was 30 grains.
"30g is a small amount, isn't it?"
"No, no. 30 grain (gr), not gram."
"Ah..."
For reference, the amount of black powder used at that time was about 2g when converted to grams. With that 2g, he could launch a lead bullet of about 14g at the speed of sound.
"They say black powder has about half the power of smokeless powder, but with one nyang, it should produce at least .50 caliber level power... To fire that while holding it in such a sloppy stance, no wonder there are problems..."
Hyang recalled a video he had seen on the 21st century internet.
It was footage of a demonstration at a weapons expo in the Middle East, a shooting experience with large-caliber hunting rifles. Arabs who held the guns clumsily couldn't overcome the recoil and tumbled this way and that. Finally, someone who appeared to have received proper training didn't show such disgrace and fired perfectly, ending the video.
Remembering that video, Hyang sighed.
"Without proper sights, they have no choice but to aim by pointing, and to see effects with pointed shooting, they have to stuff arrows or joran-hwan in bunches, and for those bullets crammed in to demonstrate proper power, the gunpowder amount has to increase, and then the soldiers suffer... It's a vicious cycle. Sigh."
After sighing, Hyang reached a conclusion.
"I need to make proper personal firearms first. But before that..."
* * *
The next day, Hyang immediately sought out Choi Hae-san.
"General. I have something to ask."
"I will answer with all my heart."
"Are the fuses that go into the chongtongs all the same thickness?"
"They are, but?"
"Can you obtain those fuses right now?"
"Please wait a moment."
Having asked for Hyang's understanding, Choi Hae-san called someone and gave orders.
After a while, the person who received the command brought fuses and handed them to Choi Hae-san.
"Your Highness, here they are."
"Could you light a candle?"
"Pardon? Yes."
After receiving the fuses, Hyang brought a fuse to the lit candle.
*Sizzle!*
As the fuse caught fire with acrid smoke, Hyang immediately blew on it.
"Whoosh!"
*Pfft!*
When Hyang blew, the burning fuse fizzled out. Hyang conducted the same experiment with other fuses and got similar results. Seeing the results, Hyang nodded.
"As expected... General, do you know what the problem is?"
At Hyang's question, Choi Hae-san nodded.
"Yes. The fuses are weak against wind."
"Was there no report about this problem?"
"There was not. If the fuse goes out in the wind, it is simply a matter of replacing it and lighting it again."
At Choi Hae-san's answer with an expression saying it was nothing, Hyang's expression sharpened.
"On a battlefield where time is pressing? Immediately contact the Gunigigam and tell them to find the appropriate thickness for the fuses."
"I will obey the command."
Half a month later, a report from the Gunigigam was submitted to Sejong through the Ministry of War.
"Having investigated by the command of the Crown Prince, the diameter of the seonhyeol (vent hole) of various hwapo and chongtongs was 7 ri (about 2.1mm), but when firing, the fire suddenly went out, so we added 1 ri to the diameter and experimented, and the fire did not go out.
However, there was no difference in the distance of the arrows or the depth of hitting objects. We humbly request that from now on, the seonhyeol of all hwapo and chongtongs be set at 8 ri."
After confirming the report, Sejong gave an order to the Minister of War.
"The contents of the report are extremely correct, so ensure that the seonhyeol diameter of all hwapo and chongtongs is set at 8 ri."
"I will obey the command!"
After giving the order to the Minister of War, Sejong wore a pleased expression.
"Indeed, he is the Crown Prince."
Hyang did not know, but changing the thickness of the match fuse was something Munjong had actually done in real history.
* * *
Sejong only knew about the fuse incident, but Hyang was busy moving behind the scenes.
"The Crown Prince has not been visible lately."
At Jeong Cho's words, I Cheon took up the conversation.
"He said he found something very important from the Western books and has been conducting experiments, so it has already been five days since he entered the annex."
"Experiments?"
"Yes. He obtained various types of acid and mercury through the Gunigigam and Sanguiwon and went inside."
"Is that so?"
At I Cheon's answer, Jeong Cho turned his gaze toward the annex built in one corner of Donggungjeon.
Following Hyang's request, two annex buildings had been erected right next to Donggungjeon. Among the two buildings, the larger one was the main building where Jeong Cho and others worked, and the smaller building next to it was assigned as the space where Hyang conducted experiments alone. And this small building had become the place where the research institute staff most wanted to enter.
"The Crown Prince arrives!"
At the palace attendant's announcement, those who had been chatting quietly straightened their postures. After a while, Hyang entered, carrying a long wooden rod and rolled-up drawings in his arms.
"Everyone, please sit."
"Yes."
The people seated around a large table in the center began their conversation under Hyang's lead.
"Have you all eaten?"
"Yes. Has Your Highness?"
"I have eaten too. I'm at a growing age, so I need to eat well."
Having lightened the atmosphere with light banter, Hyang checked the progress of the work.
"Minister Jeong, how is the revision of the calendar?"
At Hyang's question, Jeong Cho answered with a light bow.
"There has been considerable progress. We have properly confirmed the errors between Ming's calendar and our solar terms, and we are creating formulas to correct them."
"What about solar and lunar eclipses?"
"We are creating calculation formulas for that part as well."
At Jeong Cho's answer, Hyang's face brightened.
"You have worked hard. So when can we expect results?"
"It seems we can finish within the end of this year."
At Jeong Cho's answer, Hyang frowned.
"The end of the year is too late. I would like to see results before Jungchujeol (Mid-Autumn Festival, Chuseok) at the latest."
"Jung... Jungchujeol?"
At Hyang's command, Jeong Cho's face went completely dark. Even now, he was working overtime like it was a meal together with Jeong In-ji. Having steeled himself for such hardship, the fastest he could manage was the end of the year, yet the Crown Prince was asking for it to be moved up even further.
Seeing Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji's faces turning completely dark, Hyang added.
"If necessary, recruit additional officials skilled in arithmetic. If two people struggle, three can do it, and if three also struggle, can't four or five do it?"
"There are no people who want to come..."
At Hyang's words, Jeong Cho spoke vaguely with an embarrassed face. Among the officials working at the palace and the Six Ministries, the following rumor was circulating.
'If you go to Jiphyeonjeon, the King makes you suffer, and if you go to the research institute, the Crown Prince makes you suffer.'
"As I said before, bring them in using my name. Why are you, a person of such high rank, so soft?"
At Hyang's scolding that wasn't quite a scolding, Jeong Cho bowed his head.
"I will obey the command."