With weakening network cohesion and relationships strained through the competition for craftsmen, considerable resentment remained among professors.
Previously, it had been commonplace to share research results regardless of nationality or country of residence. However, at some point, such sharing diminished.
The scope within which professors shared their knowledge and research results became limited to, at most, their own country, and at minimum, colleagues researching together at the same school.
And as these networks weakened, student exchanges also gradually decreased in scale.
***
Meanwhile, professors who had lost in the competition for craftsmen devised a plan to reverse their situation after much deliberation.
Their plan involved approaching political leaders.
And the political leaders they met readily accepted their requests.
For instance, Charles VII of France was bold enough to declare:
“A Frenchman, born and raised in our France, working for another country’s benefit! This is treason!”
After making this declaration, Charles VII prohibited French craftsmen from leaving France.
Charles VII’s decision received strong support from the French people. This was because the Hundred Years’ War had instilled a strong sense of belonging to “the homeland France” and identity as “French” among the people. Additionally, there was the prospect of enormous profits if they completed the steam engine before other countries.
Following Charles VII’s strong decree, craftsmen who had contracted with foreign scholars had to break their contracts and return to France.
And as a reaction to France’s decision, foreign craftsmen staying in France also received orders to return to their own countries.
Later, many historians summarized this period as follows:
-The saying “Knowledge knows no borders (Vestibulum non finibus sapien)” changed to “Though knowledge may have no borders, scholars do (Etsi scientia fines non habet, scholares faciunt).”
Many aspects of exchange began to close off, except for the traditional method of presenting papers and discussing them.
****
The changes didn’t end there.
As European political leaders became involved, the form of research began to change as well.
-For more efficient research, we must follow the Empire’s methods.
Under this decision, facilities imitating Hyang’s research institutes and Area 51 began to establish themselves across European countries.
And scholars who entered these newly created research institutes and development facilities could conduct research with abundant state support.
Before long, political leaders discovered another use for these research institutes.
-They’re perfect for silencing troublesome individuals!
Regardless of field, scholars needed research funding to conduct their studies.
To obtain this funding, they had to seek sponsorship from wealthy merchants like Cosimo or nobles.
However, upon entering state-established research facilities, concerns about research funding disappeared.
For this reason, prominent scholars competed fiercely to enter such research facilities, and once inside, they struggled desperately to avoid being pushed out.
And before long, scholars learned an important lesson:
-To avoid being pushed out, results are important, but keeping one’s mouth shut is even more crucial.
The ruling class soon noticed this too and began to exploit it properly.
***
Thus, as state-established research facilities and private research facilities sponsored by nobles or wealthy merchants sprouted up like mushrooms, Europe’s steam engine research began to gain momentum.
After numerous trials and errors, and even personnel accidents, European scholars encountered another wall.
-It’s difficult to make proper steam engines with bronze.
-No, we can make them, but it’s difficult to create commercially viable steam engines.
-The answer is iron. Iron. Iron. Iron. Only iron is the answer.
Having reached this conclusion, scholars and craftsmen began focusing on iron-making technology.
-A method to produce large quantities of iron more easily and cheaply.
“We must acquire this technology first!”
European scholars and craftsmen from various countries began researching iron-making technology alongside steam engines.
During this research process, blast furnaces grew increasingly larger, and ore pre-treatment technology was refined.
However, European scholars hit another wall here.
The fuel problem.
Until this period, ironworks used wood and charcoal as fuel. Producing high-quality iron in large quantities required equally high-quality charcoal.
And to supply such fuel wood, European forests began to be recklessly logged.
Moreover, wood was a resource with many uses beyond fuel.
The problem was that it took considerable time for trees to grow to a usable size.
In response, scholars and craftsmen began researching alternatives to fuel wood, while political leaders sought an easier solution.
They resorted to force to acquire forested areas.
Just as the religious conflicts that had claimed many lives had barely settled, sparks of conflict began to ignite once again.
***
“What could replace wood…”
French scholars pondering alternatives to fuel wood soon recalled a forgotten memory.
“Come to think of it, didn’t the Empire use something called coal rather than fuel wood to power their steam locomotives?”
“Ah! That’s right! Wait… Wouldn’t coal work?”
“You think so too?”
Having remembered the forgotten coal, scholars obtained some and began experimenting.
Upon confirming the experimental results, scholars and craftsmen clapped their hands in joy.
“We’ve finally found it!”
“Let’s report this to His Majesty the King at once!”
***
“Excellent! Truly excellent!”
Charles VII was overjoyed upon receiving the scholars’ report. After generously rewarding the scholars and craftsmen who made this discovery, he ordered his subjects.
“Command the prospectors to search for coal mines in addition to iron mines!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
After giving this order, Charles VII contemplated something briefly before adding another command.
“If necessary, they may cross borders.”
Having received the king’s orders, prospectors began surveying not only throughout France but beyond its borders as well.
***
While competing fiercely with each other, European countries also strived to establish connections with the Empire.
‘A country that produces many high-quality luxury goods.’
This was the perception that European leaders had of the Empire – then Joseon – before the professors’ visit.
Of course, according to letters from monks, it was a highly developed country, but the leaders of the time generally considered this an exaggeration.
However, after the professors returned, this perception completely reversed.
Especially after learning that the doors were quite open regarding overwhelmingly advanced studies like mathematics, European leaders began working more secretly and zealously to establish connections.
-We must send talented individuals to learn advanced studies and return!
However, due to the current battles in Egypt, directly establishing connections with the Empire was impossible.
Thus, European leaders – except for the warring parties Genoa and Spain – and their envoys secretly sought out the Medici family.
Receiving their bribes disguised as gifts, Cosimo wore an expression mixed with various emotions.
“Hah… How situations change.”
Previously, he would have been the one distributing such bribes disguised as gifts to them, but now the situation had reversed.
Nevertheless, having received much, Cosimo conveyed his business to the Empire through Giovanni.
The Empire’s response came in the form of test papers filling an entire ship’s hold, sealed answer sheets, and ten officials in charge of grading.
Hyang’s response conveyed through the officials was simple and clear:
-We will accept those who achieve excellent test scores.
“I’m not sure if this is boldness… or confidence that any leaks through these individuals would be insignificant.”
After shaking his head while confirming Hyang’s response, Cosimo soon moved on to the next step.
“But we’ve received an answer, so we must act.”
Cosimo conveyed Hyang’s response to the leaders who had approached him while simultaneously informing the University of Florence.
Before long, European universities became bustling once again.
***
University students burned with academic fervor to qualify as Empire exchange students.
And residents of university towns watched this sight with curiosity.
Cambridge, England.
In the taverns where Cambridge residents gathered, the recent topic was ‘The university students have changed.’
“What’s gotten into the Gowns lately?”
“They say it’s to be selected as exchange students to the Flower Country.”
The resident who raised the question snorted at his neighbor’s response.
“Hmph! If only they’d been this good normally!”
***
During this period in Europe, relations between universities and their host towns were quite poor.
Students and residents growled at each other, referring to one another as “Gowns” and “Towns.”
This was because they moved as separate entities while living in the same space.
Usually, universities were established with church support and were subject to church law rather than the city’s civil law.
Moreover, professors and students used only Latin, so residents in the same space couldn’t understand what they were saying at all. This further worsened relations between both sides.
Finally, problems arose in economic aspects as university students and professors formed guilds to manage their interests.
These factors accumulated until students and residents became adversaries.
***
Meanwhile, in Seoul, ministers who received Hyang’s decision to accept exchange students were worried.
“Wouldn’t it be better to request His Majesty to reconsider?”
To Kim Jong-seo’s question, Hwang Hui shook his head.
“Wasn’t this decision made in anticipation of such matters from before? Reconsideration is unnecessary. Rather, it would be wise to consider how to fulfill His Majesty’s orders.”
Hyang’s orders to Hwang Hui and the ministers could be summarized as follows:
‘Their coming is up to you, but their leaving is up to me.’
And he added:
‘Don’t make it obvious.’
After pondering Hyang’s orders, Kim Jong-seo sighed.
“Hah~. In a way, it’s good that we’ll have more people to work in the research institutes. We have many urgent research tasks for the Empire’s benefit.”
“That’s right! When you look at things positively, only good things happen!”
Saying this, Hwang Hui muttered internally:
‘Just look at me, right? Once I completely gave up on resigning, my mind became so much more at ease!’
Conversely, Hwang Hui deliberately ignored the fact that he had become more nitpicky with his subordinates.