Though there was some debate, Hyang approved the European university professors’ visit.
The next day, Heo Hu summoned Giovanni to inform him of Hyang’s decision. Upon hearing this, Giovanni expressed his gratitude with a bright face.
“I am truly grateful for His Majesty’s decision.”
“When and how many will be coming?”
At Heo Hu’s question, Giovanni briefly calculated and answered.
“Considering the return journey time, preparation time, and travel time back here, they should arrive around autumn. And as for the number…”
Giovanni paused there and continued with a troubled expression.
“To be honest, I’m not sure how many will come. People from various parts of Europe are clamoring to participate.”
“Oh? Are there that many universities in Europe?”
“Quite a few. And with researchers from monasteries also seeking to join…”
“Surely you can estimate approximately how many?”
At Heo Hu’s words, Giovanni calculated again and provided a rough figure.
“It should be around 100 people.”
“Maximum? Minimum?”
“Perhaps?”
At Giovanni’s uncertain response, Heo Hu sighed.
“Huu~. Just in case, I’ll report an estimate of 150 people.”
“Thank you very much!”
After dismissing the delighted Giovanni, Heo Hu clicked his tongue and grumbled.
“Tsk! What kind of sloppy work! If he were an official in our court, he’d be told ‘We should mix medicine into your black bean tea!'”
***
Thus begun, the Year of the Dog progressed smoothly. There were no floods or droughts, and consequently, no epidemics broke out. Though waterborne diseases were reported in some areas, already-prepared physicians and nurses were mobilized to prevent major outbreaks. Thanks to consistently maintained water control facilities, crops yielded average harvests. With stable food conditions, markets remained stable, and those engaged in commerce and industry diligently pursued their livelihoods.
During this time, joyous news came to the imperial family.
The Crown Princess was with child.
Seeing the announcement posted on government office bulletin boards throughout the country, people discussed it with excitement.
“How many days will be added this year?”
***
Meanwhile, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, a ship full of Europeans arrived at Mokpo’s trading port.
The ship docked directly at the quarantine station’s wharf, and nearly 200 Europeans disembarked via the gangway.
“This is the inspection team from Europe. Here are the permits issued by the Empire, letters of identification personally signed by Florence’s Gonfaloniere, and the personnel roster.”
The quarantine official who received the roster from Giovanni looked at the Europeans lined up behind him. Slightly overwhelmed by the sight of these clearly distinguished-looking individuals crowding together, the official looked at Giovanni.
“We’ll need your cooperation while we cross-reference with the roster.”
“Of course.”
After disembarking and completing the roster verification, the European professors were guided to their accommodations.
***
Giovanni and the professors were led to the quarantine station’s VIP waiting room. As it was primarily used by envoys from distant countries, the facilities were quite luxurious.
“You may use these buildings. Are there any foods restricted by your religion?”
“None.”
After confirming there were no restrictions like Islamic halal, the official guided the professors inside the building.
After assigning rooms to the professors, the official continued showing them the auxiliary facilities.
“This is the bathhouse. Each person should take one of these baskets containing soap, washcloth, and towel when entering.”
At the official’s words, several professors asked in slightly frightened voices.
“Must we bathe?”
The official responded firmly to the professors’ questions.
“You must, to remove the salt that has permeated your bodies from the sea journey. Additionally, in the Empire, regular bathing is mandatory for public hygiene.”
“Is that so…”
The official carefully observed the professors’ reactions.
‘Interesting. Their reactions are split in two.’
The professors’ reactions were divided. One group showed curiosity with expressions suggesting it was no big deal, while the other group seemed quite reluctant.
***
In fact, attitudes toward bathing in medieval Europe were divided. Northern Europe like Norway and Southern Europe like the Iberian Peninsula had less resistance to bathing. However, in Central Europe, like France, there was considerable aversion to bathing.
This was due to bathing customs inherited from Roman times and the Black Death. Though called the Dark Ages, public bathhouses used by many people existed. Though facilities were inferior compared to ancient Rome, public bathhouses operated as businesses.
However, these public bathhouses were used as much for prostitution as for cleaning one’s body.
Consequently, religious figures poured out fierce criticism, and public bathhouses gradually disappeared.
These vanished bathhouses reappeared after the Crusades but had to disappear again when the Black Death swept through Europe.
Rumors spread that the hot water and air in public bathhouses transmitted the Black Death.
***
After introducing the bathhouse, the official led the professors to the next location.
“You may relieve yourselves here.”
“Oh?”
At the official’s introduction, the professors’ eyes began to sparkle intensely.
The Empire’s toilets weren’t unfamiliar objects to them. Among the goods the Empire sold to Europe, porcelain toilets proudly held their place.
Of course, they were expensive items that ordinary citizens couldn’t even dream of.
However, European upper classes, learning of toilets’ existence and convenience through monks’ letters, willingly purchased them.
What the professors were really curious about was a somewhat peripheral issue.
“How do they fill the water in the Empire?”
In Europe, whenever toilets were used, servants or maids carrying water containers waited outside. This was quite troublesome, making flush toilets naturally become a symbol of the upper class. Servants and maids had to use traditional chamber pots or outdoor toilets.
Finally, unable to contain their curiosity, the professors asked the official.
“How is the tank’s water refilled after using the toilet?”
The official answered with an expression suggesting it was nothing special.
“It fills itself automatically.”
“Fills automatically? How?”
Seeing the professors’ expressions, the official pressed down the handle attached to the tank.
Whoosh!
As soon as he pressed the handle, water poured down with a loud noise. After the water drained, the sound of water filling the tank began.
After a while, when the water sound stopped, the official looked at the professors.
“It’s filled now.”
“Unbelievable!”
One professor burst out and pressed the toilet handle.
Again, water poured out refreshingly.
“H-how?”
“There’s a large tank outside that supplies the water.”
“That’s not what we mean – by what principle does the toilet fill itself with water?”
To the professor’s question, the official answered with an awkward expression.
“As I’m neither a researcher from the institute nor a craftsman…”
“There was nothing about this in their letters!”
All the professors nodded.
This was Hyang’s doing. The monks’ letters had contained information about this, but Hyang, who was censoring the correspondence at the time, had immediately removed it.
“The principles hidden in this simple device aren’t few. And if they’re desperate enough, they’ll figure out the blank spaces themselves.”
It was a result mixing justification with mischief.
“May we open it up?”
“Yes.”
With the official’s permission, the professors removed the toilet tank lids and examined the interior.
“Hmm…”
While examining the tank interior, the professors pressed the toilet handle.
Whoosh!
After the water drained and watching it refill, the professors all exclaimed in admiration.
“Oh! What an ingenious mechanism!”
“How did they think of this!”
***
After marveling at the toilet tank’s water supply process, the professors asked the official to see the large tank supplying water to the toilets.
“This is the water tank.”
At the official’s introduction, all the professors’ gazes turned upward.
A large wooden tank sat atop an iron structure about 7-8 cubits (approximately 3.5m-4m) high. Pipes extended from the lower sides of the tank toward surrounding buildings, and one thick pipe was connected to the upper side.
“The upper pipe supplies water to that large tank, and the lower pipes supply water to the toilets and bathhouses in nearby buildings.”
“How do you draw water up to that tank?”
At the professors’ question, the official pointed to a large circular structure installed on the ground beside the tank.
“We use that pump.”
After answering simply, the official called some nearby servants.
“Hey there.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Show these gentlemen how to operate the pump.”
“Yes, sir.”
Following the official’s order, the servants each grabbed handles on either side of the pump and began turning them.
“Turning like this supplies water to the tank.”
“Could we see its structure?”
To the professors’ request, the official answered with a troubled expression.
“Only maintenance personnel can open and close the pump. And those personnel are on the mainland.”
“We really want to see it…”
“You should be able to see its mechanism at the research institute’s exhibition hall in Seoul.”
“Is that so?”
The professors, forcibly suppressing their disappointment, soon asked another question to satisfy their curiosity.
“How do you know when to fill that tank?”
“The remaining amount is checked twice daily, morning and evening, by climbing up to the tank.”
“What if usage suddenly increases and it empties faster than expected?”
“A device similar to the one on the toilet tanks rings a bell. Then we come to fill it.”
“Ah, I see.”
***
Thus, nearly a whole day passed explaining and observing the toilets.
Following the quarantine station’s rules, the professors finished bathing and changed into clean clothes, then gathered in the banquet hall to dine and converse.
“Hah~. In my younger days, I visited Byzantium, Cairo, and Edirne. Those were truly advanced places, but this place surpasses them.”
When one professor shared his impressions while enjoying the coffee served as a beverage, surrounding professors all nodded.
Similar impressions were heard from various places.
“To think a mere quarantine station, not even the capital, has such facilities! This makes me increasingly eager to see Seoul!”
“Speaking of which, we’ll finally be able to see the iron horse and railway! I’m extremely excited about this!”
“If we reach Seoul, might we have a chance to meet the Emperor? Since many of these remarkable devices came from the Emperor’s ideas, I’d love to have a discussion with him!”
“Indeed!”
The excited professors eagerly anticipated leaving the quarantine station.
As a side note, quite a few professors flushed the toilet water throughout the night to better understand the tank’s water supply method.
As a result, the bell rang three times that night, and servants had to turn the pump handles until they were exhausted to fill the tank.
“Damn! Do these guys do nothing but eat and shit!”
And the next morning, physicians rushed to the waiting station, wary of possible disease outbreaks.