Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 778

Chapter 778: A disaster brought about by oneself… (13)

Captain Thomas, surprised by his subordinate’s report that he was suspected of having smallpox, asked back urgently.

“Are you sure? Check again! no! “Send the sailor with smallpox to check!”

“yes!”

This was because of the common sense that people who had smallpox would not get it again.

The subordinate who examined the patient under Captain Thomas’ order reported to Captain Thomas with a serious face.

“It’s smallpox.”

“shit! “Someone got caught!”

“I am a new crew member from the Azores.”

“Damn it!”

After swearing, Thomas immediately continued his command.

“Raise the signal! Find the sailors and slaves who haven’t yet contracted smallpox! And I picked a couple of people with smallpox and took care of them!”

“yes!”

The entire fleet was put on emergency alert by a signal from the ‘Golden Mary’, one of the main ships of the fleet.

Captain Brough, who commanded the entire fleet, gave urgent orders.

“Make sure all ships are checked for smallpox cases!”

“Select those who haven’t yet contracted smallpox and quarantine them!”

Captain Brow, who issued the quarantine order, placed his hand on his forehead and sighed.

“Whoa~. There is already a shortage of workers…”

* * *

An unexpected fact was revealed during the hastily followed inspection.

“All Suez slaves were vaccinated against cowpox?”

“That’s right. It is said that people in the ‘Land of Flowers’ forcibly vaccinated people.”

Captain Brow looked dejected upon hearing his subordinate’s report.

“Should I call them bold guys? Or should I say they are thoughtless bastards….”

The reason why the imperialists dispatched to the Suez Railway construction site inoculated slaves with cowpox was a very realistic reason.

-If for no reason something like smallpox spreads and we die en masse, that would be an even bigger loss!

Considering the time wasted and money lost in the process of acquiring new slaves, the efficiency that was reduced due to the immediate shortage of manpower, cowpox vaccination was cheaper.

Therefore, the people of the empire contacted their home country and requested additional lawmakers, while also rescuing cows suffering from cowpox nearby.

What’s interesting is that Europeans at this time already knew about cowpox vaccination.

This was because in response to the pleas of European intellectuals, Hyang informed them about cowpox vaccination.

However, the situation with cowpox vaccination in Europe was surprisingly sluggish.

Prejudice, superstitions, economic reasons, and lastly, the quality of medical care.

-They say that when you get hit by cowpox, a cow head grows where you got hit.

-They say that if you get cowpox, a person turns into a cow.

-How can a person be like an animal, a cow? This is an Eastern superstition!

There were many people who refused to get vaccinated due to these prejudices and superstitions, and there were also many who could not get vaccinated even if they wanted to.

This was because it was difficult to find cows with cowpox, and it was also difficult to intentionally cause cows to get cowpox.

“How much does a cow cost?”

In the end, the cost of vaccination, which included the price of cows that died from cowpox, was bound to be quite expensive.

Lastly, the level of medical care was an issue.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the standard of medical care in Europe deteriorated significantly. Internal medicine had not yet moved far from the level of a combination of ancient Greek and medieval superstitions, and surgery was in an even more dire situation.

-Raising the cost of a coffin is more helpful to the patient and the patient’s family than raising the cost of surgical treatment. Anyway, you have to be lucky to survive.

The standard of surgery was so poor that this was common knowledge.

Because the situation was like this, after seeing this, Hyang shook his head and said this.

“I had a rough guess, but it was no use telling me…”

* * *

By the time smallpox patients showed visible symptoms, smallpox had already spread significantly. Soon, smallpox patients began to appear one by one on each ship in the fleet.

To prevent a greater tragedy, the captains and crew of the Brow fleet moved quickly.

Sailors who had not yet contracted smallpox were forced to move to the upper deck.

My clothes and blankets got wet every time the waves hit, but it was better than being in the same place with smallpox patients.

Second, sailors who already had smallpox were quarantined in one cabin.

The condition of the quarantined crew members was poor. Suffering from high fever, the clothes and blankets they were wearing were soaked, but they could not change them.

This was because they could not wash their clothes and blankets in a situation where there was not enough drinking water to drink.

At least the old sailors who had already suffered from smallpox and had medical knowledge and experience, even if it was just looking over their shoulders and hearing things, were the only ones taking care of the patients.

“If we keep going like this, even if there’s a typhoon, it’ll be over. “Please don’t just create a typhoon.”

Captain Brow was not the only one who looked up to the sky and prayed earnestly. The captain and crew all earnestly prayed for clear weather to continue.

Even atheists.

It was the slaves from Suez who showed their true value in this situation.

There was no need to worry about smallpox, and thanks to the training he received from the imperialists, his work ability was good. At some point, I became useful as I was able to understand a word or two of English.

In the end, Captain Brow and the clan leader ended up using a similar method to the imperialists.

The best-working slaves were released as free people and then a formal contract was signed.

* * *

After about 15 days of fighting, the smallpox subsided.

But the sacrifices were not small.

Among the smallpox patients, 12 died.

The captain, holding an open Bible, held a memorial service, and the crew threw the bodies wrapped in blankets into the sea. Thanks to the heavy shells put together, the body immediately disappeared into the depths of the sea.

“Keep going west!”

The fleet continued to sail west.

* * *

Afterwards, on a voyage that lasted nearly two months, the sailors began to grow tired little by little.

“I’m tired, I’m tired…”

“Even the eastern route wasn’t this bad…”

The sailors, tired of sailing with only the horizon in sight, began to complain openly.

Many of the experienced sailors who made up the core of the fleet had experience traveling on the ‘Eastern Route’, the route between Suez and the Empire.

The eastern route was also a long-distance voyage that took half a year to complete, but it was surprisingly a worthwhile voyage.

This was because there were scattered intermediate ports of call, such as Aden, Bengal, and Malacca, and islands and coastlines could be found along the way.

Although it had the disadvantage of frequently encountering pirates, it was possible to sail safely by following closely behind the empire’s fleet.

Thanks to this, the eastern route was the best route for European sailors.

This was because he was able to have a good time with foreign women at ports of call along the way, and his pocketbook was full when he returned from the voyage.

While the crew was complaining outside, in the captain’s cabin of the Golden Blow, Captain Brow, the other captains, and the clan representative were putting their heads together with the chart in the middle.

“Are we on the right track?”

Captain Brow nodded to the clan leader’s question.

“We’re on the right track. If you continue to advance southwest like this, you will arrive at the southwestern province of the empire.”

“Is it really not possible to go straight to the empire instead of heading south to the southwestern province?”

Captain Brow shook his head in response to the representative’s question full of impatience.

“It’s not possible. “If you enter the mainland of the empire without receiving an entry visa from the southwestern provinces, you will be immediately destroyed.”

“Damn… wow~.”

In response to Captain Brow’s response, the representative cursed and sighed.

* * *

With the southwestern provinces firmly in hand, the empire sent proclamations to Europe and the Middle East.

-Those who wish to enter the empire and trade must stop by the southwestern province to receive a permit and flag! If you don’t have a permit or permit, you will be sunk!

-Those who wish to receive a permit and certificate. Strictly adhere to the following conditions:

the former. A personal letter from the king or monarch certifying that the visitor is a person wishing to trade or study abroad.

(Shortly)

In reality, there were ships that ignored the empire’s proclamation and headed straight for the empire’s headquarters.

However, the ships were immediately sunk by the Imperial Navy, and the survivors were imprisoned and driven to Suez with most of their possessions confiscated.

“Why are you confiscating it!”

“We just collected the cost needed to send it to Suez.”

“What kind of damned bastard made this law!”

“You insulted His Majesty the Emperor. Minimum 20 years in prison and additional fines. “Please choose.”

“….”

Of course, there were some who tried tricks.

“The destination was the country of Japan, but I ended up in the country by chance. Permission to call at port…”

“The Navy will guide you. “You can just follow that boat.”

“Even if it’s just to supply supplies….”

“The Japanese country is just a stone’s throw from here.”

“But since I’m here….”

“Do you want to just follow me? Do you want to be sunk?”

Therefore, ships from Europe and the Middle East who wanted to trade with the empire had to stop at the Southwest Island regardless of nationality.

Because of this background, Captain Brough set his sights on the Southwest Island.

And this was pre-scented groundbait.

“Due to time and population issues, it is impossible to monopolize. But no matter what happens, we have to hold on to North America. Because that land is a cheat. In that case, we should lay the groundwork in advance and send it in the wrong direction.”

* * *

“We are on the right track! If you go a little further, you will reach Seonamdo! If you hold on a little longer, you can go to the ‘land of flowers’!”

“Is that true?”

“Who is our captain? And what kind of person is Captain Brough? “Believe it!”

The navigators and senior sailors who received orders from the captains encouraged fellow sailors who were tired from the voyage.

“Think about it! No matter how cheap something is sold in the ‘Land of Flowers’, it can be sold for several times the price! A quick win awaits! cheer up!”

The sailors moved again with great energy, holding on to the hope that if they were successful, they would be able to obtain a large sum of money.

* * *

Clink, clink!

After ten more days had passed, the watchtower rang a bell and shouted.

“An unidentified ship appears on the right front!”

Captain Brow, who hurriedly climbed onto the forecastle at the call for observation, took out his monocle and looked.

Captain Brow’s face brightened as he examined the ship in question through a monocle.

“It’s Sea Eagle!”

The ship visible through the monocle was clearly the Empire’s sea emergency front.

Captain Brow explained to the representative who was running next to him.

“The Sea Eagle is a ship that never strays far from port! That means there is an imperial port nearby!”

Captain Brough shouted with joy to his crew.

“It’s Mr. Eagle! Finally arrived! “Raise the signal!”

“wow!”

After a while, a signal went up on Golden Blow’s mast. The captains of other ships who saw the signal also diligently scanned the horizon with their monocles.

Likewise, Captain Thomas, who was inspecting the sea emergency front, tilted his head.

“Why is there only one ship? And why are you turning the bow?”

The sea emergency front visible through the monocle was urgently turning its bow and moving away.

When traveling on the eastern route, sea emergency ships sailing from Temasek or Southwestern Island moved in units of at least two ships. And when an unidentified vessel was discovered, they always approached and inspected it.

But the sea emergency front moving away in the distance deviated from that rule.