Additionally, Sejong added one more shackle.
However, it was more certain to view this as self-inflicted by the natives.
As already discussed, the imperial military force in the New Frontier was overwhelmingly powerful.
Some tribes, recognizing this, submitted to the empire and then tried to provoke conflicts between the imperial army and tribes hostile to them.
As a result of these conflicts, the enemy tribes were nearly annihilated, and the tribes that succeeded in their schemes expanded by absorbing the territories and survivors of the opposing tribes practically for free.
At some point, the empire’s officials and soldiers began to notice the natives’ schemes. However, the problem was that most officials and soldiers sent to the New Frontier were largely inexperienced.
“This seems like a trap…”
“It is indeed a trap. But the problem is we have no alternative. Right now, we need to bring in as many tribes as possible, and we can’t turn those who’ve already submitted into enemies…”
Due to their lack of experience, they were often knowingly dragged into these traps with no choice.
Of course, to resolve this, they sent reports to Seoul at the time, but the timing was unfortunate.
The Joseon-Ming War, which transformed Joseon into an empire, was taking place.
As a result, officials and soldiers dispatched to the New Frontier without proper guidance were frequently used as convenient tools by the natives.
The one who resolved this situation was Sejong.
Upon arriving in the New Frontier and assessing the situation, Sejong immediately found a solution.
“It would be good to use the method I employed with the Jurchen tribes in the northeast region.”
Sejong’s method was to incorporate warriors from submitted native tribes into the imperial army.
In particular, tribes that had grown excessively large by using the imperial army were forcibly required to incorporate most of their warriors into the imperial army.
If they refused, the tribe would be immediately erased by the imperial army.
As a result, tribes that had submitted to the empire had to hand over their warriors to the imperial army.
However, horses and gunpowder weapons were not issued to imperial soldiers of native origin. All they received was essentially the imperial army uniform.
Native soldiers dressed in imperial army uniforms had to stand at the forefront of the imperial army, wielding their traditional bows and arrows and stone tomahawks.
Additionally, Sejong added one more trick.
When it was confirmed that a tribe intended to use the imperial army to deal with hostile tribes, he would incorporate that tribe’s warriors into the imperial army and deploy them first.
Native warriors from other tribes and imperial soldiers would observe the situation and intervene at an appropriate time to resolve the situation.
In the end, tribes that tried to scheme and use the imperial army also suffered massive casualties.
After this happened several times, tribes attempting to use tricks recklessly disappeared.
However, Sejong didn’t merely use native warriors as expendable pawns.
Based on reports from the imperial army, he selected capable native warriors, granted them officer ranks in the empire, and guaranteed them the same authority as imperial officers from the homeland.
Of course, equal authority brought equal demands—loyalty, military knowledge, unit management ability, dignity maintenance, and so on. As a result, native officers became enthusiastic supporters of the empire.
It followed a similar path to the Jurchen who entered the Joseon army and bureaucracy during the northeastern development period.
Thanks to this, by the time Hyang arrived, the natives had become the most active proponents of the empire’s expansion in the New Frontier.
***
After checking the records, Hyang lightly smacked his lips and muttered.
“This is completely opposite to the East India Company’s situation.”
The process by which Britain colonized India was both similar to and different from the process by which the empire incorporated the New Frontier.
At that time, Britain also had overwhelming military power, but it was woefully inadequate to control all of India.
Therefore, Britain chose strategies of division and fragmentation.
Nominally, the Mughal Empire was the ruler of India, but in reality, numerous feudal lords had established kingdoms of various sizes.
Recognizing this, Britain—or more precisely, the East India Company—drove wedges between the princely states to divide them, and then swallowed these fragmented states one by one.
And in the end, through victory in the “Sepoy Mutiny,” they destroyed the Mughal Empire and turned India into a British colony.
When applying this to the New Frontier, there was one commonality:
They had overwhelming military power but it was far from enough to control the entire New Frontier.
However, because there were more differences, the imperialization of the New Frontier proceeded in a direction different from that of India.
***
After examining the report, Hyang summarized the situation.
“By well utilizing the aspect of ‘the Venerable Emperor’s rule,’ we can continue without any particular problems if we adopt a loose federal system. Conversely, if we bind it tightly, it will break away, so we just need to be careful about that. And the support from the homeland will no longer be necessary once the New Frontier begins functioning properly. Except for the population problem, the New Frontier is like a cheater’s map for a room master.”
After summarizing the situation, Hyang looked at the map hanging on the wall. After carefully examining the map, he heaved a sigh of relief.
“It’s fortunate that we conquered Manchuria, Siberia, Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands first. If we had stopped at just the Korean Peninsula, we might have ended up like post-World War II Britain.”
Britain, having lost its colonies after World War II, shrank considerably. Of course, it still controlled the world in finance and several other fields and remained a member of the G7. However, compared to the era when it was called “the empire on which the sun never sets,” the word “decline” would not be an exaggeration.
The biggest cause of this could arguably be the lack of resources.
During the industrial revolution, where Britain led the world, they depleted the iron and coal mines in the British Isles. Later, during the colonial period, they could maintain their status as the world’s strongest nation with resources from the colonies.
However, with the loss of colonies, their manufacturing industry collapsed.
If Joseon had been satisfied with just the Korean Peninsula, it would have faced a situation similar to Britain’s.
But by securing resource-rich areas like Manchuria, Siberia, Hokkaido, and Sakhalin, they gained the ability to endure even without the New Frontier.
And it was for this reason that Hyang heaved a sigh of relief.
After this sigh of relief, Hyang organized his documents and rose from his seat.
“Tomorrow I should finally visit Area 52. Jinpyeong will be pleased.”
***
The next day, Hyang left the palace with Jinpyeong.
Guided by an official, Hyang set out on the journey and muttered with an incredulous expression.
“One week on horseback, and then three days by boat… The units of measurement are too different…”
Hyang was grumbling because of what the official had said before departure.
“We chose a location that’s convenient for resource supply, so it ended up being a bit distant.”
Reflecting on the official’s words, Hyang shook his head back and forth.
“A bit distant is a ten-day journey…? Anyway, this place…”
The interesting thing was that even this ten-day journey was greatly shortened. If they had taken all the usual rests as they did when coming from Chosi to the New Frontier palace, it would have easily taken fifteen days.
After ten days of forced marching, Hyang’s party arrived at Area 52.
“Is that Area 52?”
Seeing a fortress city with black smoke billowing from tall chimneys in every direction, Hyang turned to the official and asked.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Is there a name that the natives originally called it?”
“They call it Shikaakwa. We call it Garlic Village.”
“Garlic Village?”
“It was named because a lot of wild garlic grows there, but nowadays they call it Garlic Village because the smoke makes their eyes sting.”
“Is that so? Hmm… Shikaakwa…”
After briefly savoring the name, Hyang muttered inwardly.
Judging by the pronunciation, is it Chicago? The palace is located in Detroit, and Area 52 is in Chicago, so it’s definitely the Rust Belt? Interesting…
**
When Hyang arrived at the entrance to Area 52, the commanders of the military units guarding Area 52 and the leaders of the artisans were already waiting.
Seeing Hyang, the artisans and soldiers greeted him respectfully according to protocol.
“We greet the Emperor Emeritus!”
“You’ve worked hard indeed.”
Calmly returning the greeting, Hyang dismounted and patted the shoulders of the commanders and artisans, commending their efforts.
“It’s because of people like you that the empire can always stay ahead. I’m truly grateful.”
At Hyang’s commendation, the soldiers and artisans, unable to contain their emotions, answered in loud voices.
“We are overwhelmed by your imperial grace!”
After these initial greetings, Hyang immediately got to the point.
“There are many rumors about Area 52. Let’s go inside.”
“We have prepared an imperial carriage.”
“An imperial carriage?”
As Hyang’s eyes lit up, the head artisan stepped forward and answered.
“The internal space is wide, and since there are loud noises coming from all directions, the horses find it difficult.”
“Is that so? Then let’s go.”
Guided by the head artisan, Hyang boarded the imperial carriage, examined the chairs and interior, and let out an exclamation of admiration.
“This is truly remarkable!”
At Hyang’s admiration, the head artisan answered with a face full of pride.
“It’s one of the last things my father-in-law put his hand to.”
“Your father-in-law?”
“The late Director Jang Yeong-sil was my father-in-law.”
“Ah! So you’re him!”
At the head artisan’s answer, Hyang pretended to recognize him.
***
Jang Yeong-sil, who rose from a government slave to become the director of Area 52, insisted on remaining single for some reason.
“You’ve been freed from slave status, yet—no, even mere slaves find partners—why won’t you start a family?”
“You should start a family and have descendants to establish your lineage, shouldn’t you?”
Such comments continued to come from those around him, but Jang Yeong-sil insisted on staying single.
However, after coming to Area 52, Jang Yeong-sil adopted his top disciple as his son.
That adopted son was Jang On, the director of Area 52 who was now guiding Hyang.
***
“But why establish a location so far away from the New Frontier palace?”
At Hyang’s question, Jang On immediately explained the reason.
“If you go a bit southwest from here, there are many high-quality iron ores. Also, since we use a lot of fire, gunpowder, and other dangerous things, we kept a distance for safety reasons.”
“Where does the coal come from?”
“On the easternmost shore of the Great Lakes, there are many quality coal mines. So we transport coal via waterways. Some of the mined coal is used in the New Frontier palace, and the rest is used here.”
“I see…”
Nodding, Hyang lifted his head to look outside the window. His eyes were full of expectation as he surveyed the view.
Finally, Area 52! Now I can understand the meaning of what the Venerable Emperor said!