Though many things happened both inside and outside the Empire, it continued to run diligently.
And among all areas, one of the most actively running—no, grinding away—was Area 51.
***
“Hmm… Seems about done…”
A craftsman in Area 51 muttered with an uncertain expression while looking at a large brass box. The craftsmen gathered behind him whispered with similar expressions.
“Is the design correct?”
“It’s right. The wooden prototype we carved worked well, didn’t it?”
“And the research institute scholars said there shouldn’t be theoretical problems.”
Amid such back-and-forth discussion, the craftsman in front took a deep breath and placed his finger on the brass box.
“Well then, let’s begin!”
With these words, the craftsman began turning the circular dial on the box’s lid while checking numbers written on paper beside him.
“6, 4, 3…”
After turning all numbers in the first row, the craftsman turned those in the row below.
After completing both rows of numbers, the craftsman finally verified the numbers showing through holes in the lid against the numbers in the third row of the paper and clenched his fist.
“It matches!”
“Yeah!”
“Finally!”
The jubilant craftsmen pressed even closer together and moved to the next step.
“Let’s check once more!”
“Good! Someone bring counting rods and an abacus!”
Five days later, while handling affairs in Injeongjeon Hall, Hyang received a visit from Wan.
“Yes, what’s the matter?”
At Hyang’s question, a craftsman who followed Wan into Injeongjeon respectfully presented a brass box.
“What is that?”
“It’s a counting machine, Your Majesty.”
“A counting machine? Bring it here.”
Taking the counting machine with shining eyes, Hyang internally exclaimed:
‘I! I! I’ve seen this before! I saw it on the internet!’
What the craftsmen had created was similar to “Pascal’s Calculator.”
****
Even before the Reformation, Joseon’s scholars and merchants had considerable mathematical skills. Mathematics was one of the liberal arts scholars had to master, and many studied it to relieve stress from learning classical studies.
They learned mathematics using texts imported from China. The most basic was Shangming Arithmetic, followed by Yang Hui’s Methods and Introduction to Mathematics. Introduction to Mathematics was particularly advanced, including even higher-order equations.
Joseon scholars solved these mathematical problems using counting rods.
After establishing the research institute, Hyang introduced and distributed abacuses. This was based on the judgment that they would be better than counting rods for researching and solving more advanced mathematical theories and problems. As the economy developed and units requiring calculation grew exponentially, abacuses were also placed in the Ministry of Finance.
However, the response from those in charge was more lukewarm than expected.
“We can calculate everything with counting rods, why bother learning something new?”
Joseon scholars were that skilled in using counting rods.
However, as time passed, even counting rods began showing limitations for Joseon.
Problems first emerged in the Finance Ministry, which handled the Empire’s revenue, expenditure, budget planning and distribution.
‘Need to check calculations at least five times to feel assured.’
The Empire’s expanded economic scale made such statements commonplace.
This was also true for private merchant organizations.
As they traded with Ming and countries like foreign nations, Ryukyu, Siam, and Dai Viet, counting rods began showing limitations in calculating income and expenses and adjusting payments according to local silver prices, silver being a kind of key currency.
Finally, counting rods began showing limitations at the research institute and Area 51. As miscalculating a single number could completely reverse research results or sink ships that should float, something to replace counting rods became necessary.
Seeing these social phenomena, sharp-minded craftsmen smelled money.
“There’s the abacus, but it still requires mental calculation! It has limits!”
“If we create something to replace counting rods and abacuses, we can make big money!”
Before long, a research storm swept through the Empire’s metal and woodworking craftsmen to invent new calculation methods.
Soon the craftsmen understood what the basic performance requirements were:
-Must be capable of at least eight-digit addition and subtraction. -Must be able to immediately confirm numbers using Arabic numerals. -Must be capable of accurate calculation through mechanical power, not mental arithmetic. -Must be portable size with considerable durability.
Learning these basic requirements, the craftsmen accelerated their research further.
However, the answer didn’t emerge immediately.
Exhausted from research, the craftsmen quietly turned their attention to Area 51.
“Those monsters might come up with an answer…”
“If even those monsters can’t make it, it must be truly impossible?”
While such talk circulated outside, Area 51’s craftsmen were also deep in contemplation.
“Feels like there must be an answer…”
“What are we missing?”
“Just can’t figure it out…”
Though answers weren’t coming easily, Area 51’s craftsmen had one trump card.
Jang Yeong-sil.
The craftsmen, tired from searching for answers, wrote a letter to Jang Yeong-sil. Though the letter was lengthy, its essence was simple:
-Please save us!
Months later, Jang Yeong-sil’s reply from the New Frontier contained just one line:
-Are you saving gears for begging food during famine?
“Ah!”
“Indeed, the master of gears!”
Recalling Jang Yeong-sil, who had created automatons that moved using springs and gears, the craftsmen began serious research based on the given hint.
Meanwhile, hearing the story, Hyang barely contained his fidgeting bottom.
“Must endure! Must endure! They’ve finally reached the level of finding and pondering problems themselves! Can add the spoon a bit later!”
Just as Hyang barely restrained his obsession, the craftsmen completed a calculator similar to the Pascaline.
Looking at the calculator with a satisfied expression, Hyang handed it back to Wan and commanded:
“I’d like to see how it’s used. The Left Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister may come closer to watch.”
“We are overwhelmed by your imperial grace!”
At Hyang’s command, Heo Hu and new Finance Minister Lee Gyeon-gi approached almost flying with delight.
***
In the following demonstration, Heo Hu and Lee Gyeon-gi carefully checked the counting machine’s usage. After spontaneously calling out numbers and verifying addition and subtraction results, Heo Hu and Lee Gyeon-gi showed expressions mixed equally with satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
“When that’s distributed, the Finance Ministry seems likely to use it most—what do you think?”
At Hyang’s question, Heo Hu and Lee Gyeon-gi bowed their heads and answered:
“Though it’s truly a useful device that adds and subtracts large numbers without error, there is some room for improvement.”
“Indeed. Though useful, there is some room for improvement.”
“What improvements?”
“When entering numbers, there’s significant error unless you properly know the place values from the start. Of course, the problem can be easily solved by entering from the lowest place value up, but it’s still not easy to verify results.”
“The Left Deputy Prime Minister’s words are correct.”
Hearing Heo Hu and Lee Gyeon-gi’s words, Hyang nodded and muttered internally:
‘Indeed, place values are hard to recognize easily without proper tools.’
Agreeing with their points, Hyang thought briefly before offering an answer:
“Wouldn’t coloring work? Wouldn’t it be easier to recognize if we color different groups of four digits differently?”
After briefly considering Hyang’s words, everyone soon exclaimed with bright faces:
“Ah! Such an excellent solution!”
“That would make it truly easy to recognize!”
“To think there was such a simple solution!”
“As expected of Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty’s presence is truly the Empire’s great fortune!”
Injeongjeon Hall overflowed with words praising Hyang. Hyang raised his hand with a modest expression.
“Such excessive praise is burdensome, please stop. So, you agree with coloring the counting machine?”
“Indeed!”
“Very well. Then let’s use the same method in documents too. Wouldn’t it be easier to read documents if we put a ‘comma’ (,) every four digits? We won’t need to combine numbers with Jeongeum unnecessarily.”
At Hyang’s words, the ministers fell silent again in deep thought.
Until now, the official method of recording numbers in documents was ‘Arabic numerals + Jeongeum’ format. For example, ‘43567’ would be written as ‘4만3천5백6십7’ (4 man 3 cheon 5 baek 6 sip 7).
While considering which method would be more useful, Kim Jeom stepped forward to answer:
“The current method is easier to grasp at a glance for large numbers, but Your Majesty’s suggestion seems more useful for smaller numbers.”
Following Kim Jeom’s statement, Wan added explanation:
“The current method is better for the common people to see, but using only Arabic numerals is better for recording academic or precise calculation results.”
After further discussion, Wan’s proposal was accepted.
The official gazette posted on government office bulletin boards for the people would use the existing method, but other areas would use Hyang’s method.
This method soon became fully established. It proved extremely convenient in practice.
“To think we didn’t know such a simple thing all this time!”
Incidentally, this process caused another east-west reversal. When marking numerical place values, Asian regions were accustomed to grouping by four digits. In contrast, Europe was accustomed to grouping by three digits.
In history before Hyang’s intervention, Asian regions had to endure inconvenience and follow the Western method due to the influence of Western expansion eastward.
However, due to the butterfly effect of Hyang’s intervention, the West ended up using the Eastern place value expression while complaining of inconvenience.
***
Hyang commended the craftsmen who made the counting machine and ordered preparation for its production.
Accordingly, Area 51 began developing standard designs while preparing bids to select merchant organizations for production.
While busily working on this, one device was delivered to Hyang from the New Frontier.
And upon receiving this item, Hyang muttered with an expression beyond surprise to resignation:
“Is this person really not an alien?”
The item Hyang received was a counting machine made by Jang Yeong-sil.
Jang Yeong-sil’s counting machine used gears in its basic structure, similar to what Area 51’s craftsmen had made.
However, its method of entering numbers was extraordinary from the start.
While Area 51’s craftsmen chose to turn circular dials, Jang Yeong-sil’s machine had keypads lined up in a row for each digit position, engraved with numbers from 1 to 0. Thanks to this, unlike the craftsmen’s machine which required constantly checking numbers while turning dials, Jang’s machine allowed immediate input by simply pressing the engraved number keys.
Moreover, while the Area 51 craftsmen’s machine could only add and subtract, Jang’s incredible device could even multiply and divide.