Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 852

Episode 852: Their Ambition (3)

In some ways, the person who showed the most dramatic change in the history that changed with the intervention of perfume was Cosimo de’ Medici.

Even in history before the intervention of perfume, Cosimo de’ Medici, or rather the Medici family, was one of the wealthiest families in Europe.

However, this was a ‘bright apricot’.

In the name of ‘returning wealth to society’, he invested his wealth in the construction of various public facilities, and in addition to this, he invested his wealth in various construction projects.

And most of these projects ended in failure.

In addition, as they spent a huge amount of money on wars between city-states and spent a lot of political money to appease the monarchs of other countries, they were gradually falling apart on the inside.

However, as the scent intervened and actively intervened in the history that began to change, Cosimo’s history and the history of the Medici family changed.

The biggest change was that Medici Bank, which had been gradually turning into a loss-making business, became more solid by recording a surplus.

In this background, there was also an empire.

At first, they started making profits by selling products from the ‘Land of Flowers’ to Europe. Cosimo, who believed that he could make a lot of money through this trade, actively entered the relay trade.

Compared to the already saturated spice and slave trade markets, the intermediate trade with the ‘Land of Flowers’ did not yet have any significant competitors.

Thanks to Cosimo’s bold decision, the Medici family was able to profit handsomely through intermediate trade.

However, it was the Suez Railway that made it possible to obtain the most enormous and permanent profits.

* * *

As time passed, the intermediate trade market was also becoming saturated.

The products in the ‘Land of Flowers’ ranged from extremely expensive luxury items to inexpensive items that could be purchased without burden, so there was still a stable demand. The problem was that the market became saturated as there were too many suppliers.

This was thanks to the fact that even powerful countries such as England and Habsburg Spain entered into trade with the empire.

Naturally, to protect their own merchants, these countries imposed heavy tariffs on merchants from other countries or banned their entry.

However, these countries also had to use the Suez Railway to bring goods into their countries. Otherwise, not only would you waste a huge amount of time, but you would also have to prepare for losses due to storms or pirate attacks.

Conversely, if you use the railroad, transportation time could be greatly reduced and the risk of encountering pirates could also be greatly reduced.

Of course, pirates were also following these movements and moving their operations to the Suez region, but merchants were able to receive protection from the allied fleet stationed at Prince Henry’s Port.

The cost of using the railroad and protecting the fleet was considerable, but considering the damage it would cause from pirates, it was a reasonable price.

Therefore, all Europeans who traded with the empire used the Suez Railway, and the Medici family was able to receive huge dividends.

And based on the funds received in this way, Medici Bank became more firmly established.

If the health of the Medici Bank was a change in the family, Cosimo’s personal fate also changed.

It lived much longer than before the intervention of incense.

Funnily enough, it was the empire’s ‘health medicine’ and incense that greatly helped Cosimo’s longevity.

* * *

Not long after starting trade with the empire, Cosimo heard an interesting rumor.

“All the subjects in the ‘Land of Flowers’ are so old, yet they correct themselves like that?”

Cosimo, who heard the rumor, became curious and gave an order.

“Let me check if it’s true.”

“Yes gonfaloniere.”

The merchant who received the order reported that the rumor was true.

“The facts are correct. They say it is a ‘health medicine’.”

“Healthy medicine?”

“It is said that medicine that is good for the body is called ‘restorative medicine.’”

After hearing the merchant’s words, Cosimo immediately followed up with a new order.

“Get me that tonic.”

“yes.”

However, the merchant who returned a while later had a troubled look on his face.

“Gonfaloniere. “That ‘health medicine’ is not something that just anyone can buy.”

“huh?”

The merchant’s explanation was as follows.

-Most of the medicinal ingredients used in tonics can be purchased by anyone. However, to see the full effectiveness of these herbs, they must be combined. That is a tonic.

-But that combination is not something everyone can do. A well-trained clinician should carefully monitor the condition of a person in need of herbal medicine and adjust the type and combination of medicinal herbs according to the condition.

-For this reason, tonics are not something that just anyone can come and buy.

After hearing the merchant’s story, Cosimo whetted his appetite.

“Do I have to go to the ‘Land of Flowers’ to meet a congressman?”

“It is said that there are lawmakers at the top of the ‘Land of Flowers’ staying in Alexandria.”

“okay? “Then I guess I’ll have to go to Alexandria for the first time in a while.”

Cosimo, who visited Alexandria like that, had his pulse checked by a doctor and was prescribed tonic medicine.

“It takes more than half a year to receive one medicine…”

Cosimo, who was looking at the medicine pills filled according to the prescription, looked at the medicine baths next to him.

“What are these?”

“These are things that are used to brew herbal medicines. “Among the medicines, those tied with a red string should be made of silver, and those tied with a blue string should be made of porcelain.”

“It’s complicated.”

“That’s why I hired someone from ‘The Land of Flowers.’ “For the next month, I will teach the servants how to brew medicine.”

“Good job.”

Afterwards, Cosimo, who saw the effectiveness of the medicine, looked at the bowl of medicine in his hand and shouted loudly.

“This is truly an elixir!”

Afterwards, Cosimo visited Alexandria regularly, received checkups from doctors, and took medicine.

After hearing the rumor later, Hyang muttered with a bewildered expression on his face.

“Some people are thinking about how to make Western medicine, while others are shouting ‘Long live herbal medicine’…”

Meanwhile, the ministers who heard the same rumor muttered with strange expressions.

“The best part of tonics is not to ‘eat’ them, but to ‘cheat’ them…”

Cosimo’s ‘love for tonics’ continued endlessly. Later, when Joseon was transformed into an empire, the county specially sent a royal encyclopedia to Cosimo.

“Your Majesty the Emperor hopes that the Duke will always be in good health.”

“Please tell your Majesty that I, Cosimo de Medici, leader of Florence, am truly grateful.”

Cosimo expressed his sincere gratitude.

The medical doctor carefully examined Cosimo and wrote a new prescription accordingly, took out a small booklet from his pocket and handed it to Cosimo.

“What is this?”

“This is a health book created and distributed by His Majesty when he was dying for the sake of the people’s health.”

“Health book? “What is that?”

“This is a book about ways to stay healthy.”

After hearing the explanation through the interpreter, Cosimo looked at the cover of the book again.

“It’s written in the imperial language?”

“yes. “It was distributed as the people became accustomed to Jeongeum.”

“is it?”

After hearing the explanation of the meaning, Cosimo handed the book to the interpreter.

“Translate.”

Hyang’s health book, more famous with the subtitle ‘If you do this, you too can live a long and disease-free life!’, was spread throughout Europe.

* * *

Unlike the provocative subtitle, the content was about how to live a healthy life – such as the importance of hand washing and bathing.

As one of the chief executives, Hyang promoted the strengthening of public and personal hygiene.

Through the efforts of King Sejong and the Hyang, public hygiene and personal hygiene were greatly improved, but in the Hyang’s eyes, it was still lacking.

As time passed and Jeongeum was promulgated and the people became accustomed to Jeongeum, the county began to create health books.

“I made it… but how can I get the people’s attention?”

After much deliberation, the fragrance was sweetened with such a provocative subtitle.

And as Hyang expected, the health book began to spread in an instant.

* * *

After completing the examination, Cosimo carefully asked the doctor.

“Can you please watch my son?”

The son that Cosimo asked for a medical examination was his eldest son, Piero.

He made the request because he was worried about his eldest son, who had been weak and suffered from various diseases since childhood.

“Hmm… Huh…”

After finishing the treatment, the doctor sighed with a sad face as soon as he left the room.

“How is it?”

“Both Qi and God are in great decline.”

“Is there any good medicine?”

“Jeongyang (calming the body and mind comfortably) is the only medicine.”

“He’s the eldest son. “I have a lot of work to do.”

“Then only people will be lost.”

Cosimo became speechless at the doctor’s firm answer.

“…I understand. “Thank you.”

Cosimo, who had been pondering for a while even after the meaning had passed, finally came to a conclusion.

“If this happens, we will have no choice but to change our plans. “I have no choice but to entrust it to Lorenzo…”

Cosimo’s plan was to entrust politics to his eldest son, Piero, and the Medici Bank to his second son, Giovanni.

However, in a situation where it turned out to be unreasonable to hand it over to Piero, Piero’s son Lorenzo was chosen as the next best option.

Following Cosimo’s decision, Lorenzo began to be trained as a political successor. Accordingly, famous scholars educated him in humanities, philosophy, Greek, and Latin.

In addition to this education, he accompanied Cosimo when he visited the Pope in Rome or the monarchs of other countries to learn practical skills.

While Lorenzo was learning theory and practice, Cosimo’s second son, Giovanni, was gradually establishing himself at the Medici Bank.

Giovanni di Cosimo de’ Medici was also a change brought about by the intervention of scent.

* * *

In history before the intervention of perfume, Giovanni died a year before Cosimo.

Giovanni’s death left Piero in charge of everything, contrary to Cosimo’s original plan. And this had a significant impact on Piero’s deteriorating health and became the reason for his death five years after taking over the presidency.

It didn’t just end with this. The problem was that as the person in charge of finance and commerce disappeared, Lorenzo took charge of this part as well.

Lorenzo was talented in diplomacy and politics, but incompetent as a business manager. Lorenzo was the one who couldn’t even read the ledger properly.

This problem led to the downfall of the Medici family.

But Giovanni survived.

The person who knew best about the financial situation of the Medici family survived.

It was a variable that occurred in the Medici family.

* * *

Against this background, Cosimo had a hand in the silver developed by France.

“…So the transaction in Paris was successful.”

Lorenzo and Giovanni’s faces brightened at Cosimo’s words. Cosimo continued speaking while looking at the faces of the two.

“You know what to do, right?”

Giovanni answered Cosimo’s question.

“I think we can make a good deal with Edward in London.”

“It’s silver instead of gold coins… that’s okay.”

Cosimo responded positively to Giovanni’s answer by nodding his head. Lorenzo, who sat next to me, did the same.

Edward IV of England was a troublesome, nay, very anxious customer.

‘Be very careful when lending money to the king or nobles.’

The person who helped us understand why the proverb passed down to the Medici family was created was Edward IV.

—-

hello?

This is Gukppong, who writes ‘Black Enterprise Chosun’.

It’s none other than that we have a break tomorrow.

I had to take my mother to the hospital, so I had to take a day off.

Sorry for the hiatus.

We will do our best to publish the series without interruption as much as possible.

thank you

Posted with soup.