Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 877

Episode 877: Generation Change (8)

Corleone could not hide his doubts in response to Yu Eung-bu’s question, and Lorenzo de’ Medici also had a similar expression on his face.

Those who seemed to understand something in response to Yu Eung-bu’s question were Giovanni, who came with him, and the mercenaries around him.

Responding to the reaction of the people divided into two, the responder asked Giovanni.

“Did Prince Lorenzo de’ Medici and that mercenary unit ever see or experience the Suez War?”

Giovanni answered immediately to the question asked by the nurse.

“Lorenzo was too young when the war broke out…”

“Then what about the mercenary unit?”

“It was the core force defending Florence, so we couldn’t move.”

“Is it the same in other cities?”

“It’s similar.”

“her!”

Yu Eung-bu cried out inwardly with a bewildered expression on his face.

‘There are no frogs in the well!’

However, the characteristics of Italian city-states also played a role.

As these cities grew based on commerce, they had absolutely no intention of launching a siege.

Therefore, most of the battles between cities took place on the plains outside the cities, and most of the victories and defeats were decided by clashes between cavalry.

In this situation, the city-states’ core strength was a mercenary unit consisting of cavalry, and they could not be sent to Suez.

Thanks to this, the Italian city-states moved ahead of everyone else in the commercial sector, but were lagging behind in the military sector.

* * *

Yu Eung-bu gathered his wits and continued asking questions.

“Do you have artillery or long guns?”

“Of course there is!”

Corlione confidently showed off the artillery that his unit possessed. After seeing the artillery pieces, Yu Eung-bu nodded slightly.

“It’s an appropriate gun to use in cavalry. “Isn’t there anything bigger?”

“This is the biggest cannon.”

“…Then how many more doors are there?”

“These five doors are all.”

“barely?”

Corleone got angry at Yu Eung-bu’s words.

“It’s only winter! Among the mercenary units in Italy, no one has more artillery than us!”

Rather, Yu Eung-bu, who was looking at Corleone who was getting angry, asked something else.

“Then how many long guns do you have?”

“If you count 40 musketeers and extras, that’s 60 guns.”

“…Do cavalrymen also carry guns?”

“Of course! These days, it is standard for even cavalrymen to have at least two single guns.”

“Let’s look at the musketeers’ long guns and the cavalry’s guns.”

“yes!”

After a while, after seeing the long guns and short guns that the mercenaries had brought, Yu Eungbu looked back at Giovanni.

“Surely the Empire purchased a significant number of Japanese style long guns and short guns?”

Giovanni answered Yu Eung-bu’s question with an embarrassed expression and voice.

“Most of them were assigned to the forces stationed in Suez. “The only thing that came into Italy was a few rifles provided to the guards.”

“Haa~.”

Yu Eungbu sighed in response to Giovanni’s question.

The long guns and short guns proudly displayed by Corleone’s mercenaries now were long guns and short guns fired using flintlocks.

Giovanni, who was watching Yu Eung-bu’s thoughts, immediately explained the reason.

“Considering the interests at stake in Suez, we should never have fallen behind in armament. And because the Italian mercenaries are all armed… there is even talk going around that our mercenaries, which even have artillery, are excessive.”

“Huh~”

When Yu Eungbu answered with a sigh, Giovanni continued speaking.

“Because I know the problem well, I asked to produce the imperial firearms myself.”

“I see… I think I can see what I should do now. “Let’s go back.”

* * *

After returning from inspecting the mercenary unit, which was the core, or rather the entirety, of the Florentine army, Yu Eung-bu began drawing a sketch of what the Florentine standing army would be like.

Following Yu Eung-bu’s footsteps, even the instructor who returned from inspecting the mercenary unit participated in the work, and the image of the new Florentine military that would be born was quickly drawn.

“If you think about the number of troops that Florence can operate, the main force will be infantry and the main weapon will be freight cars. Artillery will become a strategic weapon.”

Lorenzo and Giovanni nodded while listening to Yu Eung-bu’s explanation. On the other hand, Colleoni, who was present at the meeting, asked Yu Eung-bu with a dissatisfied expression.

“Shouldn’t the main force of the army be our cavalry, no matter what anyone says?”

“The cavalry is an auxiliary force. The main mission of the cavalry will be scouting, expanding communications, and cutting off the enemy’s supply lines.”

“This is unacceptable!”

In response to Colleoni’s objection, Yu responded with a calm face and asked a question.

“Do you remember the question I asked before? The question is, ‘Can you keep your word even in the face of artillery, boxcars, and long guns?’”

“Of course you can keep it! I’ve only heard rumors about freight cars, but we also have artillery and long guns, so I know their pros and cons! It’s powerful, but it takes a long time to reload! And the price is high, so even in units of more than a thousand people, the number of riflemen is usually only a few dozen! “As long as they survive the first blow, the musketeers will become food for our cavalry!”

In response to Corleone’s protest, Yu Eung-bu nodded.

“As for the war so far, you are right. But if there is a war ahead, what you say is wrong.”

“War in the future? “What sophistry!”

Corleone screamed loudly, but Yueungbu ignored him and asked the instructors standing behind him.

“Has the freight car arrived??”

“yes.”

“Then let me show those friends the bitter taste.”

After giving a meaningful command, Yueungbu looked at Lorenzo and Corleone.

“You’ve never seen a freight car, right? “I will tell you what a freight car is.”

In the subsequent demonstration, the freight car proved that the notoriety it gained in Suez was not just a rumor.

Yu Eung-bu, standing in front of the tattered armor with bullet holes, looked at Corleone and Lorenzo who followed behind and asked.

“You just have to endure the first blow? “I think that will be the final blow.”

“….”

Looking at the hole-filled plate armor, Corleone fell silent and Lorenzo’s eyes began to shine.

‘It’s a freight car! If only I could have such powerful freight cars, my dream would become reality!’

Yu Eung-bu continued speaking, as if he knew what Lorenzo was thinking.

“As you can see, the freight car is big and heavy. And the ammo consumption is enormous. Therefore, the infantry will move around the freight cars. And the cavalry’s mission will be to take charge of scouting and prepare for the enemy’s movements in advance, and to pursue the fleeing enemy and expand the battlefield.”

“…All right.”

After seeing Corlione’s understanding, Yu Eungbu looked back at Lorenzo.

“What do you think, Duke Medici, of the military building plan devised by our empire’s instructors?”

Lorenzo broke his neck and nodded in response to Yu Eung-bu’s question.

“great! How good! As the ruler of Florence, I will actively accept your country and your subjects’ proposals!”

“Then let’s start implementing based on this.”

In this way, the construction work of the Florentine army began in earnest.

However, the construction of the Florentine army was shaky from the start.

* * *

The first creak was the departure of the mercenaries.

“You want me to take care of the chores? “Is there such a disgrace?”

Many of those who could not endure the news that they would be reduced from the main force on the battlefield to an auxiliary force quit the Florentine mercenary corps and left to find other mercenary corps.

And there were also those who left the mercenary army for other reasons.

“Did you see a demonstration of that freight car? “That is absolutely a weapon of the devil!”

“There is no guarantee that only Florence will have it! Charge in front of the enemy’s freight train? That’s a dog’s death! “I’m out of here!”

Among those who saw the power of the freight train with their own eyes, many also quit the mercenary army and escaped.

“is it? Right. “I hope I can keep that honor elsewhere.”

For the first reason, they left the unit with a positive evaluation and farewell.

But those who left for the second reason did not.

“Hey~! “Cowards!”

“Take away the thing that is shaking between your crotches!”

“Cowards with no pride!”

“Those who always have death as their friend are mercenaries! “Don’t go anywhere and say you’re a mercenary!”

They had to leave the unit after hearing all kinds of ridicule, jeers, and insults, saying they had no pride as mercenaries.

“There is no shame.”

Colleoni could not hide his shame as he reported the large number of deserters. Lorenzo, who received this report, also spoke to Yu Eung-bu with a similar expression.

“This is truly shameless.”

Yu Eung-bu responded to Lorenzo’s words with an expression that said it was no big deal.

“it’s okay. Prince Medici. “In fact, it’s even better because I skipped it once.”

“Is that so?”

“yes.”

Yu Eung-bu, who gave a positive evaluation, did not forget carrots.

“But it is also true that morale is low. “We need something to boost our morale.”

“Shall I give you a raise?”

“That’s good too, but…”

What Yu Eung-bu suggested was a unified uniform and armor. The armor worn by mercenaries during this period was purchased at their own expense, so it had different shapes.

“Good.”

Lorenzo accepted Yu Eung-bu’s proposal. Accordingly, black tunics and black plate armor were issued to the remaining mercenaries.

This was the beginning of the later famous ‘Black Legion’.

* * *

The second creaking factor was conscription.

Thanks to the bribes Lorenzo paid to the Vatican, the instructors knew with some certainty the number of people living in Florence and its territory.

In addition, the instructors, who knew the number of city residents through the usury ledger obtained from the Medici family, were able to calculate to what extent the army could be increased based on this.

-The appropriate size of the standing army is 23,000 for the navy and the rest for the army.

-If all available manpower is conscripted, up to 80,000 people can be recruited.

“80,000? “Is this really possible?”

The instructors answered the questions of the Florentine officials right away.

“This is possible if we gather all the men of the age group who can go to the battlefield. ah! Slaves were removed.”

“When you say gathering everyone, do you mean gathering everyone from farmers to merchants and artisans?”

“yes. Therefore, this is a figure that should only be used in the worst case.”

“Then you’re saying 20,000… isn’t that too much? No, there are too many!”

The instructors looked like they couldn’t understand what the Florentine officials said.

“yes?”

In response to the imperial army instructors’ reactions, Florentine officials explained the reason.

“Even for France, it would be best to mobilize around 30,000 troops at once! Even France! But 20,000? Do you think it is possible?”

“Is this a figure that came out because it is possible?”

“No! Impossible! “About 10,000 is best!”

“10,000 is too little…”

“I heard it’s a standing army? standing army! “We need to think about our finances too!”

“that’s right! Why would we use mercenaries?”

“….”

It was a squeak brought about by the difference in thinking about the military and military service.

“For a country that manages finances at this level, up to 20,000 is not unreasonable…”

“I’ll say it again, up to 10,000 is possible! “What nonsense is a standing army of 20,000!”