# Chapter 53: New Weapons (1)
"I will give more thought to the matter of personnel. When the officials of the research institute toil so diligently, I must surely provide support."
"Your grace is boundless!"
Sejong, having given a positive response to Jeong Cho's appeal, began a formal audit together with his ministers.
"Here are the ledgers."
The ministers began to examine them carefully after spreading out the ledgers that recorded everything regarding the expenses used by the research institute.
While the ministers conducted the audit, Sejong, leading Hyang, toured the implements being used or manufactured at the research institute.
"We have finished."
"Is that so? How is it?"
Hwang Hee answered Sejong's question.
"There are no irregularities in the ledgers."
"Is that so?"
"However, sixty percent of the budget execution went into that Area 51. An audit of Area 51 is necessary."
At Hwang Hee's words, Sejong looked out the window.
Having seen the sky already passing afternoon and heading toward evening, Sejong reached a conclusion.
"Crown Prince. We will conduct the audit of Area 51 tomorrow."
"I heed your command."
* * *
Early the next morning, Sejong left the palace together with his ministers.
"Area 51... what exactly does that mean?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang made a slightly awkward expression.
"Is there some unspeakable circumstance?"
"That is not it. It is simply that I borrowed the name of a research institute from the Westerners' land that boasts outstanding research achievements. I was embarrassed to tell you because I thought I would hear that I use too many Western things before we even properly understand our own."
'There's a rumor that aliens are being dissected in that neighborhood's Area 51, but wouldn't even one alien fall into Joseon?' At Hyang's answer, Sejong nodded.
"Indeed. Since ancient times, they have said that excess is as bad as deficiency. Since you already know what is excessive, take care to observe properly and maintain the mean."
"Yes, Father."
"That aside, it is also good for father and son to ride horses together like this."
"Indeed it is."
Both Sejong and Hyang were mounted, wearing traditional robes and horsehair hats.
Sejong rode a white horse with a gentle disposition, while Hyang rode a chestnut horse, moving side by side toward Area 51. The ministers also rode horses, following behind Sejong and Hyang.
Area 51, prepared by Hyang, was an area slightly southeast of the Military Weapons Directorate. In terms of 21st century geography, the Military Weapons Directorate was near Seoul City Hall, and Area 51 was in the Hoehyeon-dong area.
"Quite a large plot of land."
"Yes. So a considerable amount of wealth went into land purchase costs."
"Well done. No matter how much it is state business, one must not arbitrarily seize the people's property."
Sejong did not spare praise, apparently pleased with Hyang's handling of matters.
'At least unlike the 21st century, they only asked for market price saying it's national business!'
* * *
As Sejong and Hyang's party reached the front of Area 51's main gate, the commander of the soldiers guarding the main gate stepped forward.
"Halt! Only authorized personnel may enter here! Show your token!"
At the commander's words, Hyang rode his horse to the very front. Having arrived before the commander, Hyang took out a small wooden tablet from his bosom and presented it to the commander.
"Here it is."
The commander, having confirmed the pattern on the wooden tablet, took one step back and performed a disciplined military salute.
"Loyalty!"
At the signal of the commander who had saluted, the soldiers guarding the gate opened the main gate wide.
Hyang, having returned to Sejong's side, guided Sejong.
"Father, please enter."
"Let us do so. The security is truly thorough."
"Even I cannot enter without a token."
At Hyang's answer, Sejong's face showed surprise.
"Is that so? Our Crown Prince has truly put much thought into this."
"Because it is a place where security is most important."
Having passed through the main gate, Sejong shook his head and looked at Hyang with a stunned expression.
"To the point of obsession."
Contrary to the expectation that they would enter the interior immediately after passing the main gate, Sejong's party moved along a white passage to the right. Both sides of the passage were blocked by high wooden barricades, and behind the barricades, soldiers stood at regular intervals monitoring the passage.
Seeing the soldiers saluting him, Sejong looked back at Hyang.
"Just what does one do inside to be this severe?"
"Work where maintaining secrecy is life itself."
"Good heavens..."
Meanwhile, the ministers following behind Sejong and Hyang all had serious expressions.
"Such a severe facility is a research institution?"
"Just what do they research?"
"This is certainly a waste of the budget!"
Amid such exchanges, Hwang Hee glared at Jeong Cho.
"My Lord! What have you done while the Crown Prince carried out such things? Are you not also a subject of this Joseon? With this level of expenditure, even you should have stepped forward and reported!"
At Hwang Hei's rebuke, Jeong Cho responded with a calm expression.
"It is because I am a subject that I left it alone. In my current state of mind, even this is insufficient. Ahem!"
"What?"
Hwang Hei raised his voice, but Jeong Cho looked into the distance and muttered to himself.
"If one has become a scholar-official, one's conduct should be weighty. To be this excited, really..."
"Wait! Lord Jeong!"
Hwang Hei shouted, but Jeong Cho continued his muttering.
"This is why bookworms don't work. You can talk after seeing the actual site and it won't be late..."
"Lord Jeong!"
Just as he was about to get off his horse and cause a scene, the second gate opened, and Sejong and Hyang stepped inside.
"My goodness..."
Sejong uttered words of admiration upon entering. On the vast grounds—according to Hyang's rough calculation, about 2/3 the scale of 21st century Hoehyeon-dong, Myeong-dong, and Euljiro areas—buildings stood, and from one side, black smoke was rising. And to greet Sejong's party, soldiers belonging to the Military Training Directorate and the Royal Guard, as well as craftsmen from the Military Weapons Directorate and the Royal Bureau of Equipment, stood in orderly rows.
"Salute!"
"Loyalty!"
At the command of commander Choi Haesan, the soldiers saluted, and the craftsmen knelt on the ground and bowed.
"You have worked hard."
"We are grateful!"
Sejong's commendation continued, and Choi Haesan gave orders to the soldiers.
"Dismissed!"
At Choi Haesan's dismissal order, the soldiers and craftsmen returned to their places.
Sejong's party, having dismounted, moved while being guided by Choi Haesan and Yi Cheon.
"Truly impressive facilities."
"I am grateful. However, most of the facilities were things Crown Prince His Highness involved himself in."
"Is that so? Then what is the main work done here?"
"Improvement of gunpowder and development of new gunpowder, improvement of cannons and firearms and development of new cannons and firearms, development of new armor, development of tactics using newly created weapons, and so on."
As soon as Choi Haesan finished speaking, Yi Cheon immediately continued.
"Simply put, we are conducting work related to everything concerning the military, excluding ships."
"Is that so?"
While listening to Choi Haesan and Yi Cheon's answers, Sejong looked around. The attire worn by the soldiers and military officers was quite different from the soldiers he had seen before.
'Did they even modify the attire, saying everything...?'
"Hmm..."
While examining the surroundings with a nasal sound, Sejong looked at Hyang.
"Then let us see what has been accomplished so far."
"Yes, Father. Generals."
"Yes! Your Highness, please come this way."
Choi Haesan and Yi Cheon guided Sejong and the ministers to a wide open ground.
In the open ground that Choi Haesan and Yi Cheon guided them to, a long table and several implements were placed.
Choi Haesan, having guided the people to where the table was, began his explanation.
"First, what I will show His Majesty the King is the gunpowders."
"Gunpowders?"
"Yes."
Choi Haesan pointed to the dishes placed on the table. On dishes made of copper, small amounts of gunpowder were contained.
"First, from the far left, this is the gunpowder our Joseon army previously used. At our research institute, we have named it Gap-sik (甲式) gunpowder.
Next is Eul-sik (乙式) gunpowder, with adjusted components of Gap-sik gunpowder. Beside that is Explosive Silver (爆銀) developed by Crown Prince His Highness, and beside that is Explosive Oil (爆油) also created by Crown Prince His Highness.
And beside that is a prototype of cotton gunpowder made using various acids (酸液) including nitric acid (硝酸) and cotton cloth, and lastly is Deok-gap-sik (德甲式) gunpowder, made to be a bit more convenient to use than that cotton gunpowder."
"Hmm..."
Sejong, who was examining the gunpowders during Choi Haesan's explanation, asked a question.
"How are each of the gunpowders different? And you said it was made convenient to use—what method is that?"
"I will explain."
Choi Haesan explained to Sejong how it was made convenient to use.
The beginning of the improvement was almost the same as the existing method.
-Mix the gunpowder ingredients well, then sprinkle water to make it sticky, form it into shapes like small fermented soybean blocks, and dry them.
-Crush the appropriately dried gunpowder lumps and sieve them.
Up to here, it was identical to the existing method. The existing method mixed clean oil at this stage and proceeded to storage, but Hyang added several steps here.
-When sieving the crushed gunpowder lumps, use sieves of various coarseness. The gunpowder dust that passes through the finest sieve is used for firearms, and the gunpowder dust caught in the next coarseness is used for cannons.
-Mix the sieved gunpowder dust with graphite powder.
"Graphite?"
At the word 'graphite' he was hearing for the first time, Sejong expressed his doubt. At Sejong's reaction, Hyang interjected.
"It is a mineral I added to the list when the Resource Bureau was established and prospectors were dispatched."
"And? What utility does it possess?"
"It prevents the penetration of moisture and prevents the gunpowder from self-detonating while bumping against itself. There are many other utilities, but I will explain that part later."
At Hyang's vague answer, Sejong looked at Hyang with narrowed eyes.
'What is this fellow up to again...'
"Hmm... I understand. General, continue."
"Yes, Your Majesty. As His Highness explained, if we process it by mixing with graphite—no, it is closer to coating with graphite—storage becomes very easy. Of course, we also added a process of making double-layered boxes for storing gunpowder, filling charcoal between the inner and outer boxes, and covering with oil-soaked paper to maximum prevent moisture penetration, but it is true that graphite does the greatest work."
"Coating?"
At the word popping up again, Sejong expressed doubt. Then Hyang quickly interjected.
"It is a term from the Westerners. Because much Western knowledge went into the gunpowder improvement work, their terms are frequently used. The process of converting to our language is in progress, but..."
Sejong raised his hand to stop Hyang's words.
"I understand the situation. What is important is not that, so General, continue."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Hyang, watching Sejong's reaction from the side, tightly clenched his hands behind his back.
'Success! With this, I've passed the ridge of the 8th stage of origin laundering!'
As he began his endeavors in earnest, Hyang pondered how to handle the English that would slip out without him realizing. And what came out of that was the study filled with books from the Eastern Roman Empire and Europe.
After that, whenever English slipped out without him realizing, Hyang overcame the crisis by saying:
"I apologize. I have looked at too many Western books..."
The problem was that as such incidents became more frequent, those working with Hyang also became accustomed to using English, Latin, and German words.
Anyway, Choi Haesan continued his explanation.
"Next is the Eul-sik gunpowder we improved this time. What we focused on most was changing the ingredient composition. We removed sulfur."
"Removed sulfur?"
At Choi Haesan's statement, not only Sejong but also the ministers began to murmur.
"Does gunpowder explode even without sulfur?"
"It explodes."
At Choi Haesan's answer, the eyes of the Minister of Taxation began to sparkle. The prospectors had found several sulfur mines, but the locations were poor, making mining costs considerable.
'I can save the budget! I can save the budget! Oh, joy!'
Unlike the Minister of Taxation who was pleased, Sejong questioned seriously.
"Is there no problem in removing sulfur? For example, does the explosive power not decrease?"
"The explosive power is almost identical."
"But adding sulfur when making gunpowder has been done since long ago, so surely there must be a reason? Is it truly fine to remove sulfur?"
"A valid point."
Choi Haesan, having caught his breath briefly, answered Sejong's point.
"If you remove sulfur from gunpowder, one characteristic emerges, and this becomes both an advantage and a disadvantage."
"What characteristic?"
"Ordinary fuses cannot ignite the gunpowder."
"Then it is useless... Ah!"
Sejong, about to raise an objection, looked at Hyang and Choi Haesan.
"It means only our Joseon army has a method to ignite that gunpowder! That is why it becomes both an advantage and a disadvantage! Our Joseon army can use it, but even if the enemy captures it, they cannot use it, so the disadvantage becomes an advantage! Is that it!"
"Exactly so."
At Sejong's words, Hyang, Choi Haesan, and Yi Cheon answered with bowed heads. Sejong continued his admiration.
"Truly a cunning method! Indeed, are there any other advantages besides that?"
"Yes. The biggest advantage is that production costs decrease significantly by not using sulfur. And both saltpeter and sulfur corrode the insides of firearms and cannons, but by removing sulfur, the intensity of corrosion weakened. This means the lifespan of firearms and cannons increases. Finally, less smoke is produced when firing."
At Choi Haesan's explanation, Sejong stroked his beard with a face full of doubt.
"With so many advantages, why did Ming... Ah! Is it the ignition problem you mentioned earlier?"
"Exactly so."
At Sejong's rhetorical question, Choi Haesan, Yi Cheon, and Hyang nodded. Particularly, Hyang nodded even more vigorously.
'Internet, thank you!'
Removing sulfur from black gunpowder was something he learned while searching the internet in the 21st century. However, the site where related facts appeared was only one place, and there was no precise ratio either, so Hyang and the craftsmen had to go through numerous trial and error.
At the end of that trial and error, they were able to select the mixing ratio that would produce the optimal effect and the wood to use as charcoal. And that was classified as top secret and stored in a safe created in the deepest part of the research institute.