Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 373

The impact of Angelo’s letter spread like wildfire as it was made public.

Among renowned Italian university professors, a process of verification and recalculation based on Angelo’s records was underway.

After an intense verification process, the scholars all sighed.

“It checks out.”

“There are a few parts that don’t quite fit, but compared to existing theories, they’re very few. We’ll need to review these parts again when more precise celestial observations become possible.”

“Above all… the words attributed to Joseon’s First Prince resonate: ‘Truth must be simple.’ Honestly, hasn’t Ptolemy’s law long since lost its original simplicity?”

The academic community was moving towards accepting the theory from Joseon.

What followed was the ‘Revival Movement’.

‘Let’s return to our roots and revive the scholarship of ancient Greece and Rome!’

‘Truth is simple!’

Under these claims, the ‘Revival Movement’ began to unfold, which would soon lead to the ‘Renaissance’.

It was at least a generation earlier than in the history before Hyang’s intervention.

***

While the academic world was experiencing a revival movement, the religious world was in great turmoil.

Since the ‘Great Schism’ of the 11th century that split the church into Catholic and Eastern Orthodox, the Western Catholic Church had been experiencing discord, knowingly or unknowingly.

This discord in Catholicism had already caused quite a stir with the ‘Western Schism’ during the ‘Avignon Papacy’.

It was finally resolved through the Council of Constance from 1414 to 1418. However, barely a generation later, discord erupted again.

But it wouldn’t be accurate to say that Hyang’s observations, conveyed through Angelo’s letter, were the sole cause of this.

The situation had already been on the brink of explosion before that.

When Eugene IV ascended to the papacy in 1431, he had made a written agreement with the cardinals to secure his position.

-Half of all church revenues would be shared with the cardinals.

-Spiritual and secular matters would be discussed with the cardinals.

In other words, Eugene IV’s reign began as a form of oligarchy.

Eugene IV worked to weaken the power of the Colonna family, which had produced his predecessor, Pope Martin V.

It was only natural that the Colonna family, who had secured many castles and territories through the influence of the previous pope, would resist this.

However, the two opposing forces soon reached a truce.

This was due to the emergence of a powerful enemy: the ‘Council’.

***

To be precise, the ‘Ecumenical Council’ (Concilium Oecumenicum) was a grand assembly where clergy and theologians gathered to discuss matters of doctrine, ritual, and norms.

The previous pope, Martin V, had convened the council for church reform. However, shortly after Martin V’s death, the council endorsed by Eugene IV showed hostility towards the papal faction.

This was because the council advocated for ‘Conciliarism’, while the papal side asserted the ‘Papal Primacy’.

In this situation, a single remark from Hyang ignited the fire.

‘While divine providence is infallible, can one be certain that doctrine is infallible?’

This question sparked numerous debates, bloodshed, and alliances and divisions among the young and old factions, conciliarists and papalists, progressives and conservatives.

Of course, Hyang had somewhat foreseen this situation.

“From what I remember, the Reformation was almost a century later, but that was when it exploded after reaching a critical point. There must be many dissatisfied factions even now. Historically, the most persistent groups are found in religion and politics. If things go well, they’ll be too busy with internal strife for a while. That will buy time for Joseon.”

Though he had his plans, Hyang couldn’t help but worry a little.

“Could this be a controlled burn to prevent a larger fire?”

But Hyang soon dismissed the thought.

“Que Sera, Sera. (Whatever will be, will be.) When you start a fire, you don’t think about the aftermath. Are they going to come all the way to Joseon to argue?”

With this very irresponsible statement, Hyang finished smearing ink on Angelo’s letter.

***

However, this statement caused unrest in an area Hyang hadn’t even anticipated.

That area was the Islamic region.

Hyang’s words, transmitted through merchants trading with European merchants and politicians keeping a close eye on the movements of European countries, stimulated many Islamic imams (إمام, religious leaders).

“Are we truly living according to the teachings of Muhammad and the Quran?”

As a result of this self-reflection movement, many sects emerged besides the representative Sunni and Shia denominations.

Naturally, the ruling Sunni and Shia factions suppressed these new sects.

Consequently, countries within the Islamic sphere of influence had to endure serious internal strife.

In this process, some unexpected beneficiaries emerged, most notably the Eastern Roman Empire. The Ottoman Empire, on the verge of destroying the empire, halted due to internal strife, giving the Eastern Roman Empire time to catch its breath.

***

Later, historians studying this period made the following remarks about Angelo’s letter:

‘The fact that just a few lines of text caused such events is evidence of how much discontent had accumulated among the people of that era.’

Even as they wrote these papers, scholars ground their teeth.

“This Hyang, couldn’t he just have stayed put in Joseon! Why did he have to run his mouth! Should we limit this to Korean history, or should we include it in world history?”

“The one who wrote it down and sent it as a letter is worse than the one who spoke!”

“The worst one is the guy who didn’t censor that part!”

Although Hyang personally censored most of these letters due to issues with the interpreters’ qualifications, this wasn’t officially recorded. As a result, historians could only blame the innocent interpreters.

And regarding this matter, many European historians commented:

There have been several instances where movements from the East greatly influenced the West.

Famous examples include the migration of the Huns, the large-scale Mongol expeditions, and the Black Death.

However, considering the events triggered by ‘Angelo’s letter’, Lee Hyang, who was the First Prince of Joseon at the time, should be viewed as the most significant. Due to this single individual, Europe and the Islamic regions had to endure nearly a generation of tremendous chaos.

Because of this, some extreme historians described Hyang as:

“The greatest villain in history.”

And when such statements were officially made, the Korean government would respond with their usual:

“Do you want to die? Do you want to perish? Do you want to kick the bucket?”

***

While Hyang was observing the commotion happening outside, an unexpected place was brewing its own storm.

Anseong, Gyeonggi Province.

“My lord. Someone has come from Hanseong.”

Choi Man-ri, who was studying scriptures in the guest room, rose from his seat and went outside at his servant’s words.

As Choi Man-ri stepped out, a man carrying a bundle bowed deeply and spoke.

“How do you do, my lord?”

“Yes, I don’t recognize you. Who are you?”

“I’ve come from Ilhyangdang in Bukchon.”

At the man’s words, Choi Man-ri’s face lit up with joy.

“You were sent by that friend? How is he doing?”

“Yes, the master works late every day, but he’s doing well.”

“I see, I see…”

Smiling at the news of his acquaintance’s well-being, Choi Man-ri got to the point.

“So, what brings you here?”

At Choi Man-ri’s question, the man untied his bundle and took out a large package and a letter.

“I was ordered to deliver these.”

“Is that so? Bring them here.”

The man respectfully placed the package and letter on the floor of the guest room porch. Holding the letter, Choi Man-ri ordered the man:

“I’ll provide a room and meals, so rest for the night before you leave.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

***

Returning to the guest room with the package and letter, Choi Man-ri opened the envelope.

“To the Wanderer of Rivers and Lakes…”

Choi Man-ri began reading the letter, humming. However, as he read further down, his voice grew quieter, and his expression became serious.

-His Majesty has created a writing system unique to our Joseon. Although it seemed unfamiliar at first, it’s easy to learn and convenient to write, making it incomparably useful.

So, I’ve sent you a handwritten copy. Please take a look.

With your excellence, I’m sure you’ll understand its utility without me explaining at length. Please use this well and return to Hanseong.

Isn’t your age and literary talent too precious to be spent living in seclusion in the countryside?

To summarize the contents of the letter:

-The writing system created by the king is very good. So praise it, earn some points, and come back.

“Huh~. Are you asking me to act like a sycophant? I must have misjudged you.”

Choi Man-ri put down the letter irritably and glared at the package. He wanted to order a servant to burn it in the fireplace right away. But he was curious too. And although he had retired to the countryside, he still had ambitions.

“Well, let’s see how well it’s made.”

Choi Man-ri untied the package and placed the books on the writing desk.

***

Two hours later.

“What a terrifying writing system!”

Choi Man-ri stared at the books with eyes that had moved beyond surprise to fear.

The writing desk and its surroundings were covered with papers full of sentences written in Hunminjeongeum.

It took less than an hour after turning the cover of the first book to learn how to read and write, and in just over an hour, he could compose sentences freely.

That’s why Choi Man-ri was not just surprised, but terrified.

“Although I was stuck in Hall of Worthies rather than Geunjeongcheon, I wasn’t unaware of the palace’s movements. But I never heard news of something like this being created. Which means…”

As Choi Man-ri searched his memories, he lamented:

“As I thought! His Majesty and the Crown Prince did everything themselves!”

He remembered the Crown Prince acquiring phonology books and foreign books through envoys.

He and the other scholars of Hall of Worthies, along with other officials, had dismissed them as useless miscellaneous books, but it was clear that His Majesty was involved in this matter.

“That means this started simultaneously with the reforms. They created a writing system of this level of completion in nearly 10 years, not just one person, but two?”

After reviewing his conclusion, Choi Man-ri shook his head.

“Are those two even human?”

However, there was something Choi Man-ri couldn’t have predicted – that Hyang was a reincarnator.

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, the Hunminjeongeum created by King Sejong was an excellent writing system from its inception, but it was still in its raw state. It was refined over time to become the Hangul of the 21st century.

However, with Hyang’s intervention, the modified Hunminjeongeum achieved a high level of completion.

Examining the papers with terrified eyes, Choi Man-ri soon bit his lip.

“We must stop this! This mustn’t be used!”