Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 858

Episode 858: Their Ambition (9)

When Cosimo’s approval fell, Lorenzo and Medici moved quickly.

The first thing Lorenzo did was establish a public educational institution.

– Gather children from Florence and its affiliated cities and teach them basic reading comprehension, writing, and counting skills.

-This is a public project carried out by the Medici family for Florence.

With this slogan in mind, Lorenzo passionately promoted the establishment of an educational institution.

The first reaction from the residents of Florence and its affiliated cities was lukewarm.

Or, to be more precise, it was ‘Why?’

“Why do we already teach children in cathedrals and monasteries?”

“The more you know, the more you complain. But is it really necessary to take the trouble to teach it?”

“Even if I don’t know the letters, I know the difference between gold and silver coins and what to do with them, so why bother?”

Looking at the lives of residents in various cities in Italy at the time, it was a series of contradictions.

Even illiterate slaves and laborers walked around reciting passages from Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy.’ Children of the urban poor and rural areas learned the knowledge they needed to survive not from school but from their parents and adults in their neighborhood.

From how to farm to how to pickpocket and how to defraud while pretending to be knowledgeable.

Proper education for children was only possible for middle-class or higher families, and such families used the educational facilities of cathedrals and monasteries or tutors.

Because of this situation, there was a lukewarm response to the educational institution that Lorenzo said he would establish.

However, Lorenzo emphasized the need for education for these people.

“How long will we teach immorality as a crime! Are we going to raise our children to be criminals too?”

“Even if you can’t speak Latin, you should at least be able to read and write Italian properly!”

“Education is free!”

What moved the lower class was the last word, ‘Free.’

“Well... it’s true that getting out of the dark can help in many ways.”

“I heard it’s free....”

“It’s better than learning useless Latin at a cathedral or monastery.”

In this way, more and more children began to flock to the elementary school (Scuola elementare) established by Lorenzo to receive education.

After receiving the report, Lorenzo looked at the ‘Young School’ with a smile of conversion.

“I think I got the first button right.”

The intellectuals of the Young Men’s School nodded at Lorenzo’s words.

The elementary school was the first step toward a ‘unified Italy.’

* * *

Through elementary school education, children would instill in them a sense of loyalty to Florence and Italy.

In addition, only when many properly educated people came out, it was possible to organize and run a proper administrative organization even in slums and remote villages.

This was because administrative power could be exercised over all areas of Florence in order to properly prepare for the great cause.

Lastly, many educated people were needed for the standing army, which is still being prepared step by step.

Trained people were needed to properly operate not only long guns but also freight cars and cannons. This was because it was not an era where spears were handed out and used as consumables like in the past.

In order to properly operate a standing army, soldiers with patriotism and a sense of duty were needed, and such soldiers could only be created through education.

“No, to be honest, it’s been strange all along. Think of the great Roman army. The era when the Roman army was most powerful was the era when the army was composed of free people and nobles.”

“that’s right! The standing army we want is the ‘resurrection of the great Roman army’!”

If scholars who were well-versed in Roman history listened, there were more than one or two things they would point out. However, the youth school fell into the idea of turning Florence’s standing army into a ‘resurrected Roman army’ and unifying Italy once again like Rome of old.

* * *

“We have made the first step, but there is still a long way to go. “I need your help.”

“How can I help you? I’ll help you with anything! “If you need funds, I will give you all I have!”

Lorenzo suppressed a sneer when he heard that he would give up all his wealth.

“That’s right.”

“I don’t know much about the military, but even if we introduce weapons like the ones the imperial army uses now, it wouldn’t be easy to use them, right?”

Giovanni immediately responded to Shin Sook-ju’s point.

“you’re right. So, we want to dispatch instructors to train the military and allow young people in Florence to study at military academies.”

“Hmm...”

Shin Suk-ju, who was stroking her beard with an embarrassed expression at Giovanni’s words, gave a general answer...

“I will report it to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Please do not forget that Florence shares interests with the empire.”

“Your Majesty will make the right decision.”

“All right. I’ll wait.”

After this conversation, silence continued for a month.

“It’s stuffy. “It’s not like an empire that talks about ‘hurry, hurry’.”

At the Medici family’s mansion in Seoul, Giovanni was frustrated as he waited for an answer from the empire.

“I don’t know why you’re holding back so much. “The emperor and his subjects are not all idiots.”

* * *

As Giovanni expected, the emperor and his ministers had already made a decision.

It was an empire that had already received information long before Giovanni delivered it.

-Who will be the first to report this information to the Empire? Portugal? Ottoman? Florence?

The answer to the question of Wan and the ministers who received the information was ‘Florence’.

“‘Sharing profits’... is not wrong.”

Hwang Bo-in nodded at Wan’s words.

“It is true that those in Florence are those who make the most profit with a 10% stake.”

“exactly. The problem is their demands, what do you think?”

“France is a big and strong country. Florence is a much smaller country compared to that, so they are probably trying to replace quantity with quality.”

As soon as Hwang Bo-in finished speaking, Shin Sook-ju spoke.

“It may not just be to protect themselves in France.”

Wan’s eyes lit up at Shin Sook-ju’s point.

“Are you talking about the unification of Italy?”

“That’s right. “Rumors are already spreading that there are more than a few people in Milan, Genoa, and Venice who are asking for help from neighboring countries.”

“Hmm...”

At Shin Sook-ju’s words, Wan nodded and closed his mouth.

Following Shin Sook-ju, Kim Jong-seo continued.

“What is noteworthy is the word ‘standing army’ written in the request sent from Florence. Looking at the situation in Italy, it is common to hire mercenaries rather than have your own army. But having your own army? “This would mean that we are sincere about the unification of Italy.”

“Is there a chance?”

The ministers remained silent in response to Wan’s question.

“Everyone must have already done the math, right? “Tell me.”

At Wan’s urging, Hwang Bo-in started to give his predictions.

“I think the chances are high. Because they are from the Medici family. Medici will be able to cover not only the war costs but also the costs of stabilization afterward.”

“The Medici family is a family that controls the wealth of Europe, but it has its limits. “No matter how Medici you are, it will be difficult.”

When there was a tense battle over success and failure, Kim Jong-seo came forward.

“I think it’s best to look at it as half and half. This is because no one knows what the future holds. “Right now, the priority is to decide how to use Florence to maximize the interests of our empire.”

“It’s a correct answer to a random question.”

Wan answered immediately and looked back at the ministers.

“I think discussing possibilities is just curiosity. Let us first consider the interests of our empire. “If Florence’s success is in the interests of our empire, shouldn’t we make sure Florence succeeds?”