The wheels rimmed with chicle and the Rolling-cart were only the beginning.
Following them, various other items made from chicle were revealed, making Hyeon’s and the ministers’ eyes gleam. Among these items, some made Jang Hangseon and the Minister of Defense particularly excited. What they coveted were a recoil pad for the buttstock of a rifle, raincoats, and combat boots.
Inspecting the recoil pad, Jang Hangseon turned to the Minister of Defense.
“Do you know the method for weeding out cowards, a practice that started back in the Liaodong Battle and continues to this day?”
The Minister of Defense nodded at Jang Hangseon’s question.
“I know it well. It’s the method of having the soldiers remove their jackets after a battle to inspect their shoulders.”
The bullets used in the Imperial Army’s long guns had a power roughly between that of a 7.62mm NATO round and a .30-06 cartridge. On the wide-open plains and deserts of the Northern Territories, the Mongolian borderlands, and the regions west of Lake Baikal that were still being explored, a cartridge capable of striking targets at a great distance was essential. Likewise, in New Frontier, a high-powered round was needed to deal with large, ferocious beasts and native warriors who hid in the jungle for ambushes.
Consequently, the Imperial Army’s ammunition was inevitably powerful. Naturally, the recoil was just as significant as its power. After a battle, an inspection of the soldiers would reveal that the shoulder where the buttstock had been braced was red and bruised. This had given rise to a custom among the soldiers for identifying the cowards who couldn’t even fire their rifles properly.
Listening to their conversation, Hyang muttered to himself.
I remember seeing a similar scene in a movie from the 21st century.
A war film set during the Spanish Civil War had a similar scene. A similar ritual took place among the Republican soldiers after a battle, where a soldier with an unbruised shoulder was ostracized.
Meanwhile, one of the ministers who had been listening to Jang Hangseon and the Minister of Defense chimed in, trying to sound knowledgeable.
“By the way, if that pad made of chicle lessens the shock, wouldn’t that be a disadvantage in close combat?”
Both Jang Hangseon and the Minister of Defense shot the man a look of utter disbelief.
“Why would you fight in close combat?”
“Why should we have to? One of the Imperial Army’s doctrines is to ‘avoid close combat as much as possible.’ The Imperial Army is already short on manpower, and you want us to engage in close combat? What do you think the cannons are for?”
“Ah… but there’s always a one-in-a-million chance…”
“It is a commander’s duty to avoid that one-in-a-million chance.”
“…I have misspoken.”
“Tsk!”
“Tsk!”
Jang Hangseon and the Minister of Defense, who had been clicking their tongues with displeased faces, suddenly turned deathly pale.
In front of whom did I just click my tongue!
The man who could be called the originator of ‘tongue-clicking,’ alongside King Sejong, was standing right before them. However, Hyang showed no particular reaction, and the two men let out a small sigh of relief.
The raincoats, one modeled after a 21st-century military poncho and another modeled after an officer’s raincoat, also received high praise.
“The Type-Gap raincoat looks easy to move in and seems like it would keep one’s arms and legs from getting wet, so it would be good during combat or labor.”
“I agree. The Type-Eul raincoat has a design similar to the Imperial Army’s long coat, the trench coat, so it could even be used as part of a formal uniform.”
However, the item that received the most praise was the combat boot, which featured a heel and sole made of rubber.
“I don’t know about the other items, but I believe this one must be introduced immediately, before anything else!”
“That’s right!”
Upon seeing the combat boots, Jang Hangseon and the Minister of Defense cried out for their unconditional adoption.
Of all the things the Imperial Army’s infantry hated, marching was at the top of the list. Regardless of history or nation, no soldier enjoyed marching, not even the Roman soldiers who earned the nickname “Marius’s Mules.” The Imperial Army’s combat boots played a significant role in the infantry’s dislike for marching.
The soles of the Imperial Army’s leather boots were made from several layers of the toughest parts of cowhide. The problem came next. To ensure adhesion and durability, boot makers hammered an enormous number of hobnails into the soles. The issue was that these hobnails were of no help to the soldiers’ feet on a march. For that reason, some soldiers would wear thickly woven straw sandals over their boots before setting out.
However, the boots Hyang had created used rubber soles, minimizing the need for hobnails. The thick, treaded sole was far more comfortable than a leather sole studded with countless nails.
Still, a boot is a boot, and no soldier likes to march.
After observing Jang Hangseon’s and the Minister of Defense’s reactions, Hyeon made an immediate decision.
“Of the items presented so far, let us move to immediately adopt those related to the military.”
Han Myeonghoe stepped forward to respond to Hyeon’s decision.
“A truly fitting decision, Your Majesty.”
***
After a short break, Hyang’s presentation resumed.
Lim Sunwook, looking slightly unsatisfied, questioned Hyang.
“Of all the things shown so far, it seems only the wheels and the Rolling-cart would truly appeal to the common people. Is there perhaps anything else?”
“Hm? I thought the raincoats and boots were quite good.”
Lim Sunwook pointed out the problem in response to Hyang’s question.
“They are indeed good. However, being tailored for military use, there are parts that do not fully meet the needs of the common people. The Type-Gap raincoat seems decent enough, but the rest are a bit…”
Doesn’t he know about military fashion? Wait… then again, the military look is closer to a niche hobby.
Hyang nodded and began to speak.
“That is a good point. Which is why I have prepared a few other things separately. Attendant.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“From here on, they are all small boxes, so open them all at once.”
“Yes.”
At Hyang’s gesture, the attendant began to open the remaining boxes.
As new items began to emerge one by one from the opened boxes, the ministers’ eyes started to shine even brighter. Lim Sunwook and the Minister of Finance, in particular, had already taken out their abacuses and were busy making calculations.
The items that most captured their attention were the rubber shoes and the rubber hose.
“They’re tougher than straw sandals and don’t get wet. If the price is right, they should sell well.”
“If we use a market segmentation strategy where the wealthy go for expensive leather shoes and others go for rubber shoes, we could see some very interesting results.”
Chatting excitedly, Lim Sunwook turned to Hyang with a flushed face and asked.
“What is the annual production capacity? And what is the estimated price?”
“Production capacity will have to be adjusted based on sales, and I estimate the price to be around five to eight copper coins.”
Hearing Hyang’s words, Lim Sunwook frowned slightly.
“That is a somewhat ambiguous price. No, to be frank, it feels a bit expensive. If it isn’t cheaper, the people will continue to wear straw sandals.”
Hyang shook his head at Lim Sunwook’s comment.
“For various reasons, making it any cheaper is impossible. As for what those reasons are…”
Hyang’s explanation could be summarized as follows. Chicle hardens quickly when exposed to air. For this reason, it is sealed in jars immediately, but transporting it over long distances is not feasible. Consequently, all related facilities had to be built at the chicle production sites. Since the railway was not yet complete, transport had to be done by ship. The finished products then had to be shipped north and transported again via railway to the main markets.
“…Therefore, lowering the price is impossible for the time being. It might get a little cheaper once the railway connection is complete, but…”
Despite Hyang’s explanation, Lim Sunwook did not give up.
“Is it impossible to transport it from the Mexica region to the north?”
“The loss rate is too high.”
“Then is it impossible even to transport it to the port constructed near the Mexica region?”
“That far is certainly possible, but it is unfeasible due to another problem.”
“Another problem, you say…”
“What do you think is the fastest way to turn the natives of the Mexica region into citizens of the empire?”
Lim Sunwook pondered Hyang’s question for a moment, then his face showed he’d been hit by a sudden realization.
“Don’t tell me… it’s the taste of money?”
“That’s right.”
Hyang grinned at Lim Sunwook’s question, but his smile was filled with a certain ruthlessness.
“Hmm… In that case, we must find another way.”
Hearing Hyang’s answer, Lim Sunwook gave up on the pricing policy and began to contemplate other measures. After a long moment of thought, he seemed to reach a conclusion. He went before Hyeon, bowed his head, and began to speak.
“For now, we must proceed with a strategy of small profits, quick returns (박리다매(薄利多賣, bang-ri-damae)). The state will also monopolize the wholesale and production rights. Both the rubber shoes and the rubber hose have such great advantages that if word of mouth spreads well, we should be able to secure a certain volume of sales.”
Hyeon nodded at Lim Sunwook’s words and concluded.
“I am already well aware of your talents, my lord, so I will trust you with this matter.”
“I will stake my all to make it a success.”
And so, the production and sale of the chicle-related goods Hyang had brought were approved. All information and policies related to this were compiled into documents and delivered to Wan.
Before departing for New Frontier, Wan was conducting a final review when he received the documents and sighed.
“Haaah~. I barely have enough time to research my flying machine… my work just keeps piling up.”
Sighing repeatedly, Wan began to look over the documents, but his posture soon straightened, his face growing serious. Not only that, he soon had an ink brush in hand and began to write on a piece of paper, categorizing the things he would need to confirm and push forward upon his arrival.
“Just as the Emperor Emeritus said, the fastest way to turn the natives into imperial citizens is to give them a ‘taste for money’.”
It was a method born from the experience gained while integrating natives from regions absorbed into the empire’s domain. When the natives encountered the empire’s novel and useful goods, they were seized by an intense desire to possess them.
“You want this? Then bring me money.”
“Money? What is money?”
Once they heard the explanation of money, their next question was how to obtain it. Once they learned the method, the natives immediately took action. It began with them acquiring things the empire’s merchants wanted, such as furs, medicinal herbs, and resources, and trading them. As time passed and mines and various production facilities were established, the natives sought jobs there and became laborers, starting to pay taxes and live their lives. That was how they became citizens of the empire.
Of course, this method was only possible because the empire possessed powerful military force and the ability to project it. Otherwise, the natives would have chosen plunder over trade. It was the easiest and most familiar method for them.
***
After some time, having secured sufficient inventory, the imperial court began to release products like rubber shoes and rubber hose onto the market.
“What is this? Chicle?”
“It’s not leather, and it’s not cloth. How strange.”
“The price is a bit much, though, isn’t it?”
Among those who hesitated because of the price, a few began to buy the products. Before long, word of mouth began to spread, and soon, the products exploded in popularity.