Yet the professors did not give up, persistently waiting for opportunities.
“If there are tools to break the seals, that means situations will arise where those seals need to be broken! We’ll wait for that chance!”
“Machines inevitably break down! We’ll wait for that moment!”
While the professors circled around looking for opportunities, the Empire’s technical team methodically assembled and inspected equipment, ensuring thorough preparation.
“Don’t focus solely on railway construction! We need to proceed with naval port construction simultaneously!”
“Double-check the inventory of materials and equipment properly!”
The Imperial Railway Corporation staff and military administrators in charge of managing supplies fought fiercely with their abacuses and reports before them.
“At least we’re fortunate to have engineering corps support for the naval port construction.”
“I hear we’ll get substantial manpower support from the army besides the engineering corps.”
At his subordinate’s report, Administrative Commander Kang Dong-il, who was overseeing the naval port construction in the Suez region, let out a sigh of relief.
“Whew… That’s somewhat fortunate.”
At Kang Dong-il’s words, his subordinate expressed doubt.
“When we’re already short-handed and the ‘land dogs’ are whining about giving their men to the ‘seals,’ wouldn’t it have been better for us to acquire slaves?”
Kang Dong-il glared at the subordinate who made this problematic statement.
“How would you secure that budget? Are you going to the Ministry of Finance to get it yourself?”
“While budget is an issue, couldn’t we minimize budget consumption by reselling them after construction is complete?”
“Where would you sell them? We’d need to maintain at least 5,000 at all times to do it properly. Where would you resell those 5,000 after construction?”
At Kang Dong-il’s point, the subordinate answered immediately as if he had already thought it through.
“Couldn’t we sell them to the railway construction sites? I hear that though the distance is only 400 li (about 160km), they’re expecting it to take 10 years because of that desert. Couldn’t we use that site?”
After mentally calculating for a moment at his subordinate’s words, Kang Dong-il shook his head.
“Impossible. Even before becoming emperor, the Empire made reducing slavery its basic policy. And now we openly buy and sell slaves? It would tarnish the honor of the military, no, the navy. That’s why it can’t happen.”
“But considering construction efficiency and effective budget execution, it would be a very useful measure.”
“That budget is exactly why we can’t.”
“Pardon?”
Seeing his subordinate just blinking in confusion at his words, Kang Dong-il explained in more detail.
“Looking at the big picture, the military as a whole lives on received budget. And that budget is divided between the army and navy. The problem is there has never been a time when the budget was abundant. While it’s not so lacking that we’re extremely pressed, we receive just enough to be slightly pressed. So you want to tarnish the navy’s honor to save a few coins? Wouldn’t that be unacceptable? Those land dogs in the army would immediately use that to attack the navy’s budget first.”
Understanding the problem after Kang Dong-il’s explanation, the subordinate immediately bowed his head.
“I apologize! My thinking was too shallow!”
Though Kang Dong-il nodded at his subordinate’s apology, he didn’t forget to warn him.
“Whether you’re a commander fighting enemies on the frontline or an administrator fighting numbers at a desk, you need to look broadly and think deeply to advance in your career. I’ll let it slide this time, but if you make such a mistake again, I guarantee you’ll live with advancement far out of reach. Don’t forget there are still many vacant positions in the Office of Records.”
At Kang Dong-il’s warning, the subordinate broke into a cold sweat and repeatedly bowed his head.
“I will engrave this lesson in my bones and heart!”
“Then go back, recheck the numbers in the reports, and review the measures for the second wave arriving soon!”
“Yes, sir!”
After giving his subordinate plenty of work, Kang Dong-il looked out the window and let out a long sigh.
“Haah… Isn’t there anyone clever around?”
***
The second wave arrived at the Suez site where numerous middle managers were struggling and being pushed around.
With the arrival of the second wave, which was even larger than the first, the Empire was able to nearly complete its preparations.
The professors, who were once again watching with eagle eyes for opportunities, froze at the sight of the massive transport ship docked at the pier.
“A chimney on the ship? It couldn’t be!”
“Has the Empire already mounted steam engines on ships!”
Seeing the steamship belching black smoke from its chimney, the professors rushed to the ship without question.
“Oh! Ohhh!”
“Such size!”
The professors kept exclaiming in admiration seeing the steamship up close. No, not just the professors. All eyes were fixed on the massive vessel before them – the laborers who had come running for work and the Alliance soldiers in charge of port security.
The professors, who had been blankly staring at the ship as massive as a floating castle, soon came to their senses and began observing various parts of the ship.
What caught their attention was the nameplate prominently attached to the stern.
The copper nameplate was as massive as the ship itself. The ship’s name was engraved in both Imperial and Latin letters.
“Magna Orientem (Great East)?”
The professors who read the Latin name on the nameplate thought for a moment and nodded.
“A fitting name for the ship.”
“Since the Empire is the strongest in the East… it’s a fitting name.”
However, this Great East was Emperor Hyang’s ploy to divert European shipbuilding in an odd direction.
***
‘Mislead Europe by building a paddle wheel ship with much lower efficiency than propeller-style propulsion.’
Under this plan, the new large transport ship was built.
Construction proceeded smoothly thanks to experience accumulated since first building steamships.
However, Hyang continuously added his seasoning to this.
-Build the structure supporting the ship to maximum size using only wood.
-Attach many elaborate decorations to the exterior.
The transport ship that emerged after adding various other seasonings was not only massive but also quite elaborate in appearance.
When it came time to name the ship after its successful launch, the name Hyang chose was ‘Great East.’
When he heard the name Hyang had chosen, Crown Prince Wan immediately raised an objection.
“Though it is a name Your Majesty has carefully chosen, wouldn’t ‘Great Joseon’ be more fitting for such size?”
At Wan’s suggestion, Hyang smiled and shook his head.
“Crown Prince. What was the purpose of building that ship?”
At Hyang’s question, Wan thought for a moment before immediately bowing his head.
“Ah! My thinking was too shallow! I was simply caught up in its size!”
“Still, it’s good that you realized right away.”
Meanwhile, the ministers listening to their conversation from behind all had the same thought.
His Majesty’s naming skills are still not good.
Whether or not he knew what the ministers were thinking, Hyang muttered to himself.
Considering that ship’s fate, Great East suits it.
The origin of the Great East was the SS Great Eastern.
In history before Hyang’s intervention, the Great Eastern was the largest ship of its time. The purpose of its creation was to build a vessel capable of circumnavigating the globe without refueling.
However, the future of the Great Eastern that emerged was bleak.
With the opening of the Suez Canal, the route from Europe to the East was greatly shortened. However, the Great Eastern’s size meant it couldn’t pass through the Suez Canal of that time. Naturally, it had to go around the African continent, and profits were always in the red.
Eventually, the Great Eastern disappeared from history without any notable achievements.
That’s why Hyang gave this name to the newly built ship.
-Something that seemed ahead of its time but ultimately fell behind the era.
***
Regardless of the background, the Great East docked at the pier was an object of wonder.
“The cargo keeps coming endlessly!”
“Such incredible loading capacity!”
While the laborers and soldiers were amazed by the enormous cargo capacity, the professors nodded while looking at the massive paddlewheels attached to the sides of the hull and the chimney.
“Yes, yes… steam engine and paddlewheels… a decent combination.”
“We should be able to apply this too.”
“I’d like to see the engine room.”
While the professors were burning with academic and research fervor, Alliance officials who had come after hearing the rumors were becoming serious for different reasons.
The conversation began with the discomfort brought by the ship’s name.
“Great East… meaning the East has surpassed us.”
“And they’re the strongest in that East. In the end, they’re publicly declaring they’re stronger than us.”
“Arrogant, but accurate for now.”
In the midst of such conversation, the French official suddenly looked with surprised eyes at the Portuguese and Ottoman officials.
“Come to think of it… I heard the Empire recommended canal construction before. Is that right?”
“It is.”
“Then, has the Empire been eyeing Europe since then?”
At the French official’s suddenly serious muttering, the Portuguese and Ottoman officials couldn’t hide their puzzlement.
“What do you mean?”
At the Portuguese official’s question, the French official shared his thoughts.
“Look at that ship’s size. It’s only carrying cargo now, but what if it carried cannons instead of cargo?”
At the French official’s point, the Portuguese and Ottoman officials imagined the possibilities.
Even now, the Empire’s warships are famous for carrying enormous numbers of cannons. With that size, just one or two ships could handle an entire average fleet!
As the Portuguese and Ottoman officials’ expressions grew serious, the French official spoke with more force.
“What if warships as large as that ship entered the Mediterranean through the waterway connecting Suez to the Mediterranean? The worst-case scenario like the Mongol invasion could happen again.”
“Indeed. Was this the background for the Empire demanding a naval port?”
“Then, should we consider nullifying all treaties?”
At the Ottoman official’s words, the Portuguese official shook his head.
“That’s impossible. Considering the economic losses seen so far, nullification is impossible.”
Following the Portuguese official’s words, the French official added:
“Without the canal, the nightmare scenario I mentioned won’t happen. However, vigilance against the Empire must never be relaxed.”
“Let’s send reports to our home countries.”
“Let’s do that.”
The officials who reached agreement quickly began writing reports to send to their home countries.
Thus, the Great East brought about butterfly effects that even Hyang hadn’t anticipated.
-As long as the Empire’s military threat exists, absolutely do not dig the canal!
-Exercise utmost caution not to needlessly provoke the Empire! Must not give the Empire any pretext!
Thus, the birth of the Suez Canal was pushed back considerably. Additionally, the West’s expansion into the East proceeded much more cautiously. This was because most of the Eastern regions were under the Empire’s sphere of influence.
When Crown Prince Wan and the ministers later heard rumors through merchants, they looked at Hyang with surprised eyes.
“Did you plan even this far, Your Majesty?”
“No, I think it was just luck.”
Though he answered with an embarrassed smile, Wan and the ministers all thought differently.
Though he says that, he surely calculated this far!
To think such deep meaning was behind that crude-seeming name!
As expected, His Majesty’s mind is deep and meticulous!