Once Cosimo’s approval was granted, Lorenzo and Giovanni moved swiftly.
The first thing Lorenzo did was establish public educational institutions.
- Gather children from Florence and its subordinate cities and villages to teach basic literacy, composition, and arithmetic.
- This is a public project undertaken by the Medici family for Florence.
With these slogans, Lorenzo passionately promoted the establishment of educational institutions.
The initial reaction from Florence’s residents and those of subordinate cities was lukewarm.
Or more precisely, it was “Why bother?”
“Churches and monasteries already teach children, so why bother?”
“When people know too much, they complain more. So why go to the trouble of teaching them?”
“Even without knowing letters, they can distinguish gold coins from silver coins and know what work needs doing, so why bother?”
Looking at the lives of residents in various Italian cities at the time revealed a series of contradictions.
Even illiterate slaves and laborers wandered around reciting several verses from Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy.’ Children from urban slums and rural areas learned the knowledge necessary for survival not from schools but from their parents and neighborhood adults.
From farming methods to pickpocketing techniques, to ways of pretending to be educated while committing fraud.
Proper education for children was only possible in middle-class or higher households, and such families used educational facilities at churches and monasteries, or private tutors.
Given this situation, they showed lukewarm reactions to the educational institutions Lorenzo was establishing.
However, Lorenzo emphasized the necessity of education to these people.
“How long will you teach immorality and crime! Will you raise your children as criminals too!”
“Even if Latin is too difficult, shouldn’t they at least know how to properly read and write Italian!”
“Education is free!”
What moved the lower classes was that final word: ‘free.’
“Well… escaping illiteracy would certainly be helpful in various ways.”
“Since it’s free…”
“Better than learning useless Latin first at churches or monasteries.”
Thus, more and more children began gathering at Lorenzo’s elementary schools (Scuola elementare) to receive education.
Receiving the report, Lorenzo smiled triumphantly and looked at the ‘Youth School’ members.
“It seems we’ve properly fastened the first button.”
At Lorenzo’s words, the Youth School intellectuals nodded.
The elementary schools were the first step toward ‘Unified Italy.’
***
Through elementary school education, children would engrave loyalty to Florence and Italy in their minds.
Additionally, only when many properly educated people emerged could they organize and operate proper administrative structures reaching even slums and remote villages.
This was because they needed to be able to exercise administrative power in all regions of Florence to properly prepare for the great undertaking.
Finally, many educated people were needed even for the standing army currently being steadily prepared.
To properly operate not just rifles but also hwacha and cannons, educated people were necessary. It was no longer an era of simply handing someone a spear and using them as expendable resources.
To properly operate a standing army, they needed soldiers with patriotism and a sense of mission, and such soldiers could only be created through education.
“No, honestly speaking, it’s been strange all along. Think of the great Roman army. The era when the Roman army was strongest was when it consisted of free citizens and nobles.”
“Right! The standing army we want is the ‘revival of the great Roman army’!”
If scholars well-versed in Roman history had heard this, they would have had more than one or two criticisms. However, the Youth School members were absorbed in thoughts of making Florence’s standing army a ‘revived Roman army’ and unifying Italy once again like ancient Rome.
***
“Though we’ve properly fastened the first button, there’s still a long way to go. We need everyone’s help.”
“What should we help with? We’ll help with anything! If you need funds, I’ll give up my entire fortune!”
At the offer to give up his entire fortune, Lorenzo forcibly suppressed a sneer threatening to emerge.
‘What do they think of me and my family right now?’
Desperately composing his expression, Lorenzo brought up the main point.
“We lack teachers to teach children in elementary schools and people to manage school administration. Please help with this.”
“If that’s what it is, of course we should step forward!”
“Just leave it to us!”
“There will be salaries, but they may not be sufficient.”
“That’s fine!”
“For Unified Italy, that much is nothing!”
Most Youth School members were young people attending university. As such, they were passionate and pure. Therefore, hearing Lorenzo’s request, they gladly packed their belongings and departed for elementary schools in all directions.
After seeing them off and returning to his office, Lorenzo muttered with a cynical smile.
“Now I can finally shake off these noisy dreamers.”
The Youth School was a major support base for Lorenzo, but they were equally troublesome beings.
Again, the Youth School consisted mostly of young people. As such, they were full of vitality but too idealistic.
Therefore, thinking of the future, it was necessary to organize the Youth School members, and Lorenzo had organized them by dispatching them as teachers and administrators to elementary schools.
Having organized the Youth School members who had been troubling his ears, Lorenzo muttered while organizing the report to submit to Cosimo.
“Uncle must be quite busy right now too…”
***
Contrary to Lorenzo’s expectation, Giovanni was spending leisurely time.
Of course, it wasn’t leisure he had chosen himself.
Immediately upon arriving in Seoul, Giovanni visited the Foreign Ministry and met with the Foreign Minister.
The Foreign Minister who met Giovanni was Shin Sukju.
With excellent language skills and affinity, Shin Sukju had moved busily from Aden to the New Frontier, and his appointment as Foreign Minister was evaluated as quite a good personnel decision.
But this appointment was also Hyang’s work.
“Though things have changed as much as they could, variables always exist.”
To prevent what might happen when meeting Jinpyeong in the New Frontier, Hyang recalled Shin Sukju to the mainland and placed him in the Foreign Ministry to coincide with his own appointment to the New Frontier.
Working in the Foreign Ministry, Shin Sukju demonstrated his abilities and was repeatedly promoted, finally becoming Foreign Minister.
Meeting Shin Sukju, Giovanni took out documents with a serious face and submitted them.
“What is this?”
“A serious threat to the safety of our Florence, the Empire’s most faithful ally, has arisen. France has made gunpowder.”
“France has gunpowder?”
“Yes. Considering when our Medici family discovered this and the time it took me to come to Seoul, mass production has probably already begun.”
At Giovanni’s answer, Shin Sukju asked Giovanni with a puzzled expression.
“Oh? Isn’t France also Florence’s ally?”
“In Europe, there’s a saying: ‘We’re all in the same boat.'”
“Ah…”
‘So they’re like Wu and Yue in the same boat,’ Shin Sukju muttered internally, then asked again with a deliberately worried expression.
“I understand Florence’s concern. Do you perhaps need our Empire’s help?”
“Yes.”
Answering immediately, Giovanni took out another document and handed it to Shin Sukju.
“We want to introduce the Empire’s weapons. It would be even better if you allowed us to produce them.”
“I understand you’ve already introduced many of our Empire’s weapons. Are you looking to purchase more?”
“Not weapons retired from the Imperial Army, but weapons like those the Imperial Army currently uses.”
“Weapons like what our military currently uses?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know much about the military, but even if you introduce weapons like those our Imperial Army currently uses, they won’t be easy to use, will they?”
At Shin Sukju’s point, Giovanni immediately answered.
“That’s correct. Therefore, we want instructors dispatched to train our army and for Florence’s young people to be able to study at the military academy.”
“Hmm…”
Stroking his beard with a troubled expression at Giovanni’s words, Shin Sukju gave a standard answer…
“I will report to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Please don’t forget that Florence shares interests with the Empire.”
“His Majesty will make an appropriate decision.”
“I understand. I’ll wait.”
After this conversation, silence had continued for a month.
“How frustrating. This isn’t like the Empire that always says ‘quickly, quickly.'”
At the Medici family’s residence in Seoul, Giovanni was growing impatient waiting for the Empire’s answer.
“I don’t understand why they’re dragging this out. Neither the Emperor nor his ministers are fools.”
***
As Giovanni expected, the Emperor and ministers had already made their decision.
The Empire had already obtained the information long before Giovanni delivered it.
- Who would inform the Empire of this information first? Portugal? The Ottomans? Florence?
The answer to the question Wan and the ministers had upon receiving the information was ‘Florence.’
“‘Sharing interests’… Not wrong.”
At Wan’s words, Hwangbo In nodded.
“Since Florence is the one reaping maximum profits with a share of 11 percent, that’s correct.”
“Indeed. The problem is their request. What do you think?”
“France is a large and strong country. Florence is a much smaller nation in comparison, so they must be trying to substitute quality for quantity.”
As soon as Hwangbo In finished speaking, Shin Sukju continued.
“It may not be just to protect themselves from France.”
At Shin Sukju’s observation, Wan’s eyes gleamed.
“Are you talking about Italian unification?”
“Yes. Rumors are already rampant that there are more than a few in Milan, Genoa, and Venice seeking help from surrounding great powers.”
“Hmm…”
At Shin Sukju’s words, Wan nodded and fell silent.
Following Shin Sukju, Kim Jong-seo continued.
“What’s noteworthy is the term ‘standing army’ written in Florence’s request. Looking at Italy’s situation, it’s customary to hire mercenaries rather than maintain their own armies. But maintaining their own army? This must mean they’re serious about Italian unification.”
“Is there a possibility?”
At Wan’s question, the ministers fell silent.
“You’ve all already done the calculations, haven’t you? Speak up.”
At Wan’s urging, starting with Hwangbo In, they began presenting their predictions.
“I think the possibility is high. Because it’s the Medici family. The Medici can handle not only war expenses but also the costs for subsequent stabilization.”
“Though the Medici family controls Europe’s wealth, there are limits. Even for the Medici, it will be difficult.”
When they were evenly divided between success and failure, Kim Jong-seo stepped forward.
“I think it’s best to see it as fifty-fifty. Because no one knows the future. Right now, the priority is determining how to maximize our Empire’s benefits using Florence.”
“A wise answer to a foolish question.”
Immediately answering, Wan looked around at the ministers.
“I think discussing possibilities is mere curiosity. Let’s think of our Empire’s interests first. If Florence’s success aligns with our Empire’s interests, can’t we make Florence succeed?”