Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 909

Episode 909: Alliance (3)

The generals of the Imperial Army ended their explanation with the following words.

“…if our proud French grande armée gives its all, we can achieve our goal. However, we will lose a lot of blood in the process of subduing the union between Florence and the Empire.”

Charles VIII, who pondered the words of the generals, discovered the hidden meaning.

“Are you saying that if we do something wrong, only Spain and Habsburg can do good things?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm…”

Charles VIII closed his mouth once again and considered the situation, then looked back at the ministers gathered.

“Then how about joining the imperial alliance with Florence?”

After hearing Charles VIII’s idea, the Prime Minister immediately shook his head.

“It’s impossible. “No, it’s impossible.”

“The reason is?”

“It is because of the cause of ‘Italian unification’ put forward by Florence.”

“I see…”

Charles VIII nodded in response to the Prime Minister’s answer.

* * *

France’s ultimate goal was to secure the Kingdom of Naples. This was not a simple invasion, but a reasonable claim with its own justification.

If you look at the relationships between European nobles and royal families during this period, you will find that they are surprisingly intertwined through various blood ties.

This was because arranged marriages were a common occurrence in order to secure and maintain the security of the territory and vested rights.

Thanks to this, Charles VIII also had the right to claim the right of succession to the throne of the Kingdom of Naples. In addition, thanks to requests for support first from Milan and then from Venice, they had an additional justification to advance south into Italy.

What is interesting is that both Milan and Venice, like Florence, insisted on ‘Italian unification’.

But for France, there was a big difference between these three.

Florence, which had taken the hand of the empire, was a partner to be seriously considered, but Milan and Venice were merely noisy dreamers. No, the Sforza family of Milan were people to be taken a little seriously, but Venice had no value beyond providing justification.

* * *

“But that doesn’t mean the losses are too great for France to deal with the empire on its own.”

“We don’t know how many imperial troops will be stationed in Florence. “It should never be ignored.”

“But…”

Charles VIII, who was listening to the objections raised by the generals of the imperial army, raised a question.

“Is the imperial army that strong?”

Many people nodded to Charles VIII’s point. All of them, like Charles VIII, were of the young generation.

And Charles VIII and they had something else in common besides being a new generation.

He said he had never seen the Empire fight a battle.

Of course, the late King Louis XI also never saw the battles of the empire in person. However, many of the commanders under Louis XI had seen with their own eyes how the empire fought at Suez.

In addition, Louis XI also experienced harsh combat during the Hundred Years’ War. The Hundred Years War was the war that began to change from a war centered on cold weapons to a war centered on gunpowder weapons.

Through the Suez War that followed and the military annexation of the Duchy of Burgundy, it was Louis

Therefore, Louis XI never missed the movements of the empire, especially military movements.

However, for the younger generation of France, symbolized by Charles VIII, the ‘strength of the empire’ was something that was not easily understood.

One of the reasons was that most of the veterans who fought against Britain, at Suez, and at Burgundy had retired.

Another big reason was that France broke away from the empire and gained its own armament.

As they began to own large quantities of their own breech-loading single-barreled guns, freight cars, and standardized cannons, the confidence of the younger generation soared.

“Our French military power is the best in the world!”

“This is not the old France where you had to fight with spears and swords again if the empire didn’t sell!”

“5-barreled long gun? It’s amazing. But we can make it too!”

In fact, copper cartridges for long guns and pistols had been developed and received positive reviews, so mass production was decided.

In line with this, the development of France’s own five-barreled long gun was progressing.

As a result, the younger generation of France, filled with confidence, began to have a skeptical view of the power of the empire.

* * *

The generals and ministers of the army and navy answered simultaneously to Charles VIII’s question.

“It’s powerful.”

“It’s very powerful.”

In response to the answers from the generals and ministers, Charles VIII frowned and asked again.

“Aren’t our French weapons quite powerful as well? And isn’t it the same for imperial soldiers who die if they get hit by a bullet?”

To Charles VIII’s point, a general from the royal army stepped forward and responded.

“Your Majesty, what you said is not wrong. However, the Imperial Army fires shells when the enemy fires bullets. “Then they spray bullets with a freight car.”

“Don’t we have cannons too? “Shouldn’t we just fire shells too?”

“The problem is that the Imperial Army fires cannons like we fire long guns.”

“huh? That’s… ah? ah? ah!”

Charles VIII, who did not immediately understand and expressed doubts, was soon unable to close his mouth.

According to the expression of incense, Charles VIII was a man of virtue. He collected all kinds of weapons and armor, including swords, spears, and armor used throughout Europe and the Middle East, as well as gunpowder weapons ranging from hand cannons to freight cars.

Charles VIII’s propensity for philanthropy did not stop at simply collecting. He actually commanded troops and made experimental attempts to increase the lethality of cannons and long guns.

The most representative example was the success in developing a copy of the Empire’s favorite weapon, Bigyeokjincheonroe.

I was shocked because it was Charles VIII.

‘There are two ways for a long gun to demonstrate its true power in battle. One is sniping and the other is group shooting. To paraphrase what the general just said, this means that the imperial army will mobilize a large number of cannons. Of course, we also use a lot of cannons, but the general didn’t say that. Then, it means that the imperial army mobilizes more cannons than us.’

After analyzing up to that point, Charles VIII asked the general who made the statement in question again.

“According to what the general said, the Imperial Army seems to operate a larger number of artillery pieces than our French Army… How many? One…two times? Three times?”

“We operate an overwhelming number of them.”

“Isn’t it too abstract?”

General Charles VIII’s Bolmensori explained the reason.

“It was at Suez that the Major General saw the Imperial Army’s artillery operation, and they operated so many artillery pieces that it was almost tiresome to see them. But what was even more surprising was that many of the cannons were not filled with pure water.”

“So, how much were those cannons, so many that I was sick of looking at them?”

“There were almost 50 guns, not counting the cannons in the forts guarding the port. “I am not sure about the number of cannons in the fort, but the number of cannons was almost 100.”

Charles VIII remained silent at the general’s answer. Now France was working hard to build and deploy cannons. Nevertheless, the number of cannons deployed in the army had barely exceeded 100. Of course, if you include the cannons mounted on naval battleships, the number increases to over 300 guns…

‘The Empire carries more than 70 cannons on just one Challenger-class ship… We have 20 cannons at most. ….’

Charles VIII, realizing the overwhelming size of the difference, looked back at his ministers.

“As far as I know, gunpowder is not easy to make. In particular, the cornerstone is the biggest problem. Do you have any idea how the Empire solved this problem?”

As expected, Charles VIII pointed out the most important point right away. This was because France was also struggling with the problem of obtaining this cornerstone.

In response to Charles VIII’s question, the official who was in the last seat stepped forward and answered.

“This is India. “I understand it is imported from the Sultanate of Bengal in India.”

“India… Hmm… Ah! Blocking the sea route from India to the empire… Oh my…”

Charles VIII’s face brightened for a moment as he remembered the location of India, but then darkened.

The idea of a maritime blockade flashed, but it was immediately abandoned after considering who occupied the route in question and France’s naval power.

* * *

After continued discussions, Charles VIII and the younger generation had no choice but to acknowledge reality.

“Whoa~. “It would be impossible for France to annex Italy alone.”

“It would be possible without an empire.”

“But since there is an empire, it’s just a play on words. But that doesn’t mean we can’t form an alliance with the empire… So, does that mean we have to form an alliance with those goddamn bastards and Iberian bastards?”

The Prime Minister stepped forward and answered Charles VIII’s question.

“That is the most reasonable alternative.”

Following the Prime Minister’s remarks, generals from the Army and Navy came forward and added their words.

“If Spain and Habsburg are added to expand the front, Florence and the Empire will have no choice but to disperse their power. That will reduce the burden on us.”

“Not only will power be distributed, but there will also be problems with distribution. Then our chances of winning will be even higher.”

Charles VIII, who was listening to the stories of the prime minister and generals, looked full of regret.

“It’s a shame we can’t dominate Italy.”

“We just need to properly occupy the Kingdom of Naples. “All you have to do is split the rest into small portions and eat it.”

“I see… In that case, study how best to divide it and report it to Jim.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

And before two days had passed, information came into Milwi’s undercover base in Paris.

This was thanks to the drunken chatter of French officials and officers who stopped by to enjoy drinking and gisaeng.

The executive of the Mill Commission, who was compiling the information obtained through the gisaeng and writing a report, chuckled and muttered.

“How did the May Movement end?…”

* * *

A few days later, the generals of the French Army and Navy and ministers gathered in one place once again.

The Prime Minister, who spoke, explained the plan by pointing with a stick at various points on a large map of Italy placed on one side.

A rough summary of the Prime Minister’s remarks was as follows.

-There are two things France can take from Italy. One was the annexation of the Kingdom of Naples and the other was the ousting of the Empire.

-For this purpose, we form an alliance with the Spanish Habsburgs.

-In return for the alliance, the Habsburgs recognize control of Venice and northeastern Italy, and Spain recognizes control of Sicily.

-Spain faces the Imperial Navy. The naval power of Milan, Genoa, and Venice also moves together with Spain.

-The Habsburgs are responsible for the ground war in Italy together with France.

-In this way, the Imperial Navy will distribute its power to deal with Spain and the Imperial Army to deal with France and the Habsburgs.

“It’s okay…”

Charles VIII nodded with a satisfied face and soon made a decision.

“Please proceed like this.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”