Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 308

The atmosphere of the auction was intense.

After the first chandelier sold for 82,000 ducats and the second for 97,000 ducats, the male auctioneer said to the merchants regarding the last remaining one.

“Now! This is the last one. If you don’t get it this time, you’ll have to wait until next year. One year… Some of you may be willing to wait, but please consider this. It means coming through the distant sea.”

The meaning of the auctioneer’s words was simple.

-If there’s an accident at sea, you won’t even be able to see it for at least 2 years!

The mood of the participants who understood the auctioneer’s words turned hot.

“Now! To proceed quickly, we’ll start at 80,000 ducats!”

“90,000!”

“92,000!”

Oh Ha-seok, who was watching the scene from behind, turned to Mansur.

“I must apologize to the head of my merchant group. I didn’t believe the saying ‘the competition among merchants is as hot as war’, but it’s as fierce as any battle.”

Mansur replied to Oh Ha-seok’s words with a smile.

“It is fierce. And in fact, they do wage wars.”

As Mansur said, a significant portion of the wars and battles taking place in the Mediterranean region outwardly bore the signboard of nations, but in reality, they were clashes between merchant forces.

***

After fierce competition, the final chandelier went to a merchant from Florence.

The amount he bid was a whopping 124,000 gold ducats.

“Let’s see… The total amount sold at the auction is 303,000 ducats. Deducting the commission, it comes to 270,000 ducats?”

“That’s correct.”

At Mansur’s answer, Oh Ha-seok muttered to himself.

‘His Highness kept shouting about trade to the point of death, so I thought he was being excessive without considering dignity, but he had his reasons. With one auction, enough money to build two Challenger-class warships and the necessary cannons is coming in…’

Oh Ha-seok was pleased but making a fatal mistake. He didn’t realize that a ducat and a nyang had a value difference of 10:1. In simple terms, 10 ducats equaled 1 nyang.

Although Oh Ha-seok’s calculation was excessive, the amount secured through the auction was still an enormous sum. Seeing the immense amount of money coming in and feeling the necessity of trade, Oh Ha-seok turned to Mansur.

“By the way, we’ll have many night visitors from now on.”

“Indeed.”

“We need to prepare thoroughly.”

***

Meanwhile, those gathered at the auction house were muttering while looking at the Florentine merchant who had won the last chandelier.

“He took 2 out of the 3, he must have a tremendous amount of money.”

“With that much money, he could buy several decent castles or large manors with good yields…”

Those watching from the back and on the second floor simply regarded him as a ‘wealthy Italian merchant’, but those who had been competing at the very front were looking at the merchant in question with eyes full of astonishment.

‘It’s him! It’s definitely him!’

‘Cosimo de’ Medici! Why is the ruler of Florence here!’

‘Why is the one who should be counting gold coins in Florence here!’

The owner of a bank with branches in 16 European countries and a behind-the-scenes powerhouse who used his vast capital to build political power.

Cosimo de’ Medici, one of the most powerful figures in Europe, couldn’t hide his regret as he watched the chandelier being repackaged.

“I should have gotten all 3…”

Cosimo, who was deeply disappointed that the last chandelier was snatched away by a merchant from the Ottoman Empire, clicked his tongue.

Cosimo and the merchant from the Ottoman Empire had engaged in a fierce competition.

Through that process, 2 of the chandeliers ended up in Cosimo’s hands, but he had no choice but to hand over the last one to the Ottoman merchant due to lack of funds.

“Well, I could have gotten it even if I had to write a promissory note, but…”

Cosimo didn’t linger on it any further.

Seeing the packaged chandeliers being transported under strict security, Cosimo turned away.

“I’ll send one to the Vatican and the other to the Habsburgs. I should send one to France next year. They’ll still be in a state of disarray. The expenditure was quite large, but I can extract more than that value by using those items, so it’s not a losing business.”

The Pope resided in the Vatican, and Albrecht V, who would inherit the title of Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, was in the Habsburg dynasty.

France was still at war with England. However, Cosimo already knew that the war had ended.

The ongoing war was a war to gain the upper hand in negotiations.

“Therefore, there’s still time.”

It was with such calculations that Cosimo had turned his back on France.

It had been a long war spanning nearly 100 years.

Even if the war were to stop right now, it would take considerable time to regain strength.

Cosimo did not underestimate France. It was one of the countries with the largest territory within Europe.

If they ended the war and began to regain power, it was certain that they would grow into a nation that could influence the balance of power in Europe.

“It might be worth pursuing a marriage later…”

The House of Habsburg had also been steadily gaining power in central Europe, and Albrecht V, the Duke of Austria, was currently the son-in-law of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Considering Italy’s position, it was necessary to show respect.

The Vatican? There was nothing good about ignoring the Pope.

“Speaking of which, Joseon…”

Cosimo, who was returning to his lodging surrounded by bodyguards, became interested in ‘Joseon’.

***

Initially, Cosimo had no plans to come to Alexandria.

As before, he intended to send merchants from his family and only confirm the incoming news.

Upon receiving a report that merchants from Aden had not arrived for over a month, Cosimo immediately sent a reply.

-Wait for 10 days, and if they don’t come, withdraw.

However, after a few days, those in charge of carrier pigeons rushed to Cosimo.

“Urgent news from Alexandria! Joseon people are coming along with the merchants from Aden!”

Receiving the urgent news, Cosimo instantly had a strong feeling.

‘This is an opportunity!’

Trusting his instincts, Cosimo had crossed the Mediterranean with a large amount of funds and come to Alexandria.

And he had discovered the chandeliers at the auction house. Although he had paid a hefty sum, they were items that would be well worth it if given to the rulers of Europe.

***

Now Cosimo’s interest was shifting towards Joseon.

“The glass products sent from Joseon have flattened the noses of those Venetians.”

During this period, the highest-quality glass products circulating in Europe all came from the island of Murano in Venice. However, as glass products made in Joseon began to circulate, Venice’s glass industry suffered a severe blow.

Mid to low-priced products had to compete with products from other European countries, while high-priced products used by the nobility were gradually being encroached upon by Joseon’s products.

Of course, Venetian craftsmen also showcased their skills and produced items comparable to Joseon’s for circulation, but the power of the golden flowers that had earned Joseon the name ‘Land of Flowers’ was formidable.

European nobles and their servants ended up purchasing Joseon’s products with golden flowers engraved on them, even if they had to pay a little more, rather than Venetian products.

The reason for this was simple.

The golden flower was a symbol of trust.

Moreover, the ingenious product called ‘glass mirror’ made in Joseon was a must-have for noble ladies.

Glass mirrors existed in Europe and the Middle East as well, but Joseon’s mirrors boasted a quality that was simply incomparable.

It wasn’t just glass products that came from Joseon.

Ceramics coated with gold leaf stimulated the vanity of the nobility.

To put it simply, to be considered a nobleman and carry oneself with pride in the European continent, one needed to possess at least one or two items from Joseon.

Cosimo muttered while looking at the wooden boxes.

“If Joseon has the ability to mass-distribute items of the same quality as those…”

Cosimo paused for a moment and imagined what would happen next.

Stopping in his tracks and imagining the future, Cosimo sighed.

“Phew~. Whoever establishes a connection with Joseon will dominate the European market.”

Having reached a conclusion, Cosimo beckoned the merchant following behind him with a gesture.

“Did you call for me?”

“You said there are more items from Joseon? Where can I see those items?”

“They will be available at Mansur’s store starting tomorrow.”

“Mansur?”

“He is the merchant who first established trade with Joseon.”

“Is that so? Tomorrow… Then, you…”

Cosimo, who was about to give an order to the merchant, paused for a moment. After sorting out his thoughts, Cosimo continued.

“It would be better for me to see them in person. You try to find a way to make contact with the Joseon people.”

“Yes, sir.”

***

Cosimo wasn’t the only one who had reached such a conclusion.

Among those who had seen the items sent from Joseon and the chandeliers at the auction, anyone with even a little discernment had reached a similar conclusion.

“Whoever can establish a connection with Joseon will be the winner!”

Those who had reached that conclusion had their eyes sparkling, trying to find an opportunity to make contact with the Joseon people, especially Oh Ha-seok.

Among those seeking this opportunity was Prince Enrique.

***

“Argh!”

Seeing Cosimo win the bid for the chandeliers at the auction house, Enrique writhed in frustration.

As soon as he saw the chandeliers, Enrique thought of his father’s palace in Lisbon.

“If only those could be hung in Father’s palace!”

However, Enrique couldn’t participate in the auction.

He didn’t have the money.

Although he had support from his father, constructing ships and hiring experienced captains and sailors was a costly endeavor.

Therefore, despite manipulating the books to conceal it, Enrique was suffering from considerable debt pressure.

If it weren’t for the deals made through the slave traders he had contacted while exploring the western coast of Africa, he would have been bankrupt long ago.

That was why Enrique had to writhe in frustration while watching the fierce auction.

“I can’t just stay like this!”

Quickly composing himself, Enrique assessed the situation.

-The items made in Joseon are not just high-priced goods. There are various grades of items, but they commonly boast the highest quality in their respective grades.

-That means they can be sold to everyone from the nobility to the commoners.

-If a sea route to Joseon is connected and a trade route can be established, it means tremendous profits can be gained.

-In the East, there is India, the land of spices, but competition is fierce. Joseon can be a sufficient alternative.

Having assessed the situation, Enrique tapped the table with his finger and muttered.

“The first thing to solve is the issue of 26 degrees north latitude. It’s about passing Cape Bojador.”

Cape Bojador, which Prince Enrique mentioned, was a forbidden place among European sailors.

There was a widespread belief that if one went beyond that point, the sea would boil and everyone would die.

Although they had advanced to nearby areas through previous explorations, no one had yet challenged that cape.

“I should offer a reward.”

Enrique planned the next steps. If it could be proven that Cape Bojador could be safely passed, they would continue sailing south and circumnavigate Africa.

If that process succeeds, the next step would be to secure Suez by sailing along the eastern coast of Africa.

Having thought that far, Enrique clenched his fist.

“Once Suez is secured, the Arabs won’t be able to move a muscle!”

Thereafter, it would be a matter of securing the sea routes to India and Joseon.

That part seemed surprisingly easy to solve.

There were many Copts who knew those routes well, and there were quite a few Italian sailors as well.

“José!”

Having sorted out the situation, Enrique called his subordinate.

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“Try to find a way to make contact with the Joseon people.”

“Understood.”

***

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