Black Corporation: Joseon

Episode 1041: That thrilling name… Biography. (9)

Regardless of one’s feelings about the scent, scholars did their best to select the most suitable words and symbols. Their selection criteria were Latin and ancient Greek. They chose ‘electron (ἤλεκτρον)’ and its Latin word ‘elecricus’ as words symbolizing electricity.

This word, which means ‘amber’ in ancient Greek, was chosen to honor Thales of Miletus, who is said to have been the first person in history to study electricity. Afterwards, the selection was made by combining the initials of the word with the ‘E’ of ‘Electricus’.

To give a simple example, it was as follows. Voltage is written as ‘voltage’ in the static sound, ‘Electricus Intrare’ in Latin, and EI as the symbol. In the case of resistance, the static sound is ‘Resistance’ and the symbol ‘Electricus Resisitentia’ was created as ER. The problem was ‘current’.

The Latin word for ‘flow’ was ‘Influun’, and if the symbol was created according to a set combination method, it would be the same as the symbol for ‘EI’ voltage. The plan proposed by the committee that was struggling to solve this problem was ‘EF’.

“I think I’m okay… but I’m a little uneasy.”

Although the selection of words and symbols was completed, the committee could not hide its anxiety. Although the committee members as well as professors and scholars in the Department of Electrical Engineering agreed, it was still uneasy. The reason they were so anxious was because of the memory of the uproar that calmed down only after the scent was released. In the end, the committee went directly to the scent and asked for their opinion.

“Hmm… I guess it’s okay. But I don’t think this is something you should ask me to decide?”

The committee members, who were sighing in relief at Hyang’s answer, looked slightly embarrassed at Hyang’s subsequent question. Hyang guessed the whole story from that expression and continued speaking again.

“Looking at the results presented by the committee after the selection method was decided last time, I don’t think there was any backlash from scholars?”

“That’s true. But I was worried that this case would be cited as a precedent.”

“Are you saying that on your own authority?”

“I’m sorry, but that’s true.”

“Whoa~.”

Hyang sighed and gave advice to the committee members.

“This is a bad precedent. You must create your own authority. How long will you come to me and seek the Emperor? Will you make those who succeed you seek the Emperor when something similar happens? Those of you who found me “Why were you appointed as a committee member? Isn’t it because your authority was recognized? But what if that authority is undermined?”

“I apologize.”

“We will ensure that something like this does not happen in the future.”

“I will do my best.”

“I’ll believe it.”

After hearing advice that was not advice from Hyang, the committee members left Hyang’s office. The old eunuch who was seeing off the committee members outside the door looked around and whispered to the committee members.

“Cheer up. Still, you didn’t hold your tongue.”

“I see. Thank you.”

The members of the committee expressed their gratitude with brightened faces after hearing the inner officer’s words. ‘Tongue clicking’, a habit passed down to emperors since the reign of King Sejong, was established as a very clear evaluation standard.

-Just criticize or point out. ]Just don’t make the same mistakes.

-Click your tongue once] Correct the pointed out part immediately or explain it in more detail.

-Clicks one’s tongue more than twice. ] Immediately plead guilty and fix everything. And he harasses his subordinates.

The seniors who explained this law, which is not the law, to their successors concluded their remarks like this.

“From the second case, you and I are the ones who are suffering and getting criticized unconditionally. Are you saying no? There is nothing you can do. If you say no, you will be promoted.”

* * *

Soon, new duties were added to the committee.

-Recognition of review and verification of newly published papers.

“In any case, in order to establish new terms and symbols, doesn’t the paper have to be reviewed, verified, and acknowledged? Why work twice?”

It was a decision made by the county regarding the MSG flavor. Accordingly, the committee, which was thought to be a temporary organization, changed into a permanent organization. All of the committee members who accepted the order let out a long sigh.

“Whoa. My nose is three feet wide…”

“There is research going on right now…”

“Even now, papers are coming in…”

As time goes by, the committee’s Authority became higher and stronger. When committee members’ seats became vacant for one reason or another, scholars from all over the empire gathered to elect new members to fill the seats. In this way, becoming a committee member meant that the authority of the party was recognized. Passing the committee’s review was an evaluation that the paper was academically valuable.

As time passed, the committee’s status and authority became higher and stronger. And eventually, it became the world’s most authoritative academic review body.

* * *

As theoretical systems were being established one by one, scholars were creating new problems.

No, we were meeting.

It was because of the ‘generator’ that Hyang had mentioned when he first received a report about electricity.

-If magnetism can be created using electricity, wouldn’t it be possible to create electricity using magnetism?

Hearing Hyang’s words, scholars devoted themselves to research and work day and night to create a generator. It was a series of trials and errors, like finding a way through the fog, but the scholars did not give in. It was so bad that scholars and researchers from other departments shook their heads every time they passed by the Electrical Department’s research lab, where the lights stayed on even at night.

“Those people…they are worse than the madmen from the industry and academia…”

And every time they heard something like this, the academics and researchers from the industry and academia all got angry.

“What are we doing? Why!”

“Is it a crime to study hard?”

“Just come here with math problems! They’ll never help you!”

“Even though it was too much to solve the assignments left by the scholars, I forced myself to take the time to help them, and then you say something like this! Just come! I’ll sprinkle salt on you!”

Due to the opposition from academics and researchers from industry and academia, scholars and researchers from other departments had to pray hard.

* * *

All departments at the institute made the same effort to solve the difficult problems on the challenge list. However, the volume and level of difficulty of industry-academia was unrivaled. In the case of other departments, most of the difficult problems listed in the challenge log were original, with a small amount of those created by King Sejong and others. However, the industry-academic department was full of monsters, including Lee Soon-ji. And there were many difficult problems that such monsters were listed in the challenge log.

Lee Sun-ji, who was as famous for his harsh words as King Sejong and Hyang, was also famous for his academic and industrial skills. There were more than one famous anecdote that Lee Sun-ji left behind.

-huh? Are you saying you use Semptle and Semptle Tong? At this level, you should be able to come up with an answer in your head just by looking at it. If you’re going to do that, wear a helmet instead of a head.

-This is a friend who can’t even count without his fingers and toes.

-Do you want me to write down the solution process? When you breathe, do you breathe out while thinking about exhaling and inhaling this time? Is the solution the same as breathing? When you look at the formula, the solution process should naturally come to mind! I’m so busy already, do I even need to write the solution process?

It was a harsh remark that could have made anyone who heard it grab their collar, but because it was Lee Soon-ji, most people just scratched their heads and groveled. Although she was so scathing and sarcastic, she also wrote down the solution process in detail when necessary, so most people did not take Lee Sun-ji’s harsh words seriously.

“That’s because that friend is surprisingly prim.”

“If you show off just twice, it would be a good idea to get stabbed.”

When Yi Sun-ji died, Yi Sun-ji’s house was crowded with scholars and researchers who came to pay condolences, boasting a reputation of its own.

“My father told me to present it to His Majesty the Emperor and the Crown Prince.”

Lee Soon-ji’s son, who came to pay his respects to Hyeon and Hyang, held out a thick bundle with a careful gesture. About a dozen thick books popped out from inside the bundle, and Hyun, who checked the contents, handed them to Hyang without a word.

Hyanghyang looked at the contents of the books Hyeon handed her and let out a long sigh.

“Whew~. I definitely have to register it in the challenge record. The minimum level I can get is horsemanship. It really is Seongbo (Lee Sun-ji’s pen name) to the end.”

On this day, Lee Soon-ji’s house was overflowing with cries from scholars and researchers.

“Oh my gosh!”

Among Yi Sun-ji’s difficult problems listed in Jeonjeonrok, there were some that remained unresolved even after hundreds of years. These problems were later referred to as ‘Lee Sun-ji’s difficult problems,’ and caused headaches for many industrialists and scholars around the world.

* * *

Suffering from overwork as much as industry-academic departments are famous for overwork, scholars and researchers in the Department of Electrical Engineering were working on generators.

“The really big problem is…”

Then one day, while taking a break, the scholar said to his colleague.

“The number of people is increasing, but why isn’t the work decreasing?”

“Because there is no answer.”

“Ah…”

Although a large number of Jewish scholars had been recruited, the scholars were frustrated by the situation where there was still no solution in sight. However, those who were as frustrated as the scholars were the craftsmen who cooperated with them.

“How are you going to make this?”

“Is this a drawing or an amulet?”

Craftsmen who received rough drawings or sketchy drawings shook their heads and lamented. In the end, those who suffered the most were the researchers caught in the middle.

This was because there was back and forth between scholars who pushed for the results of the blueprints handed over to the craftsmen and craftsmen who took issue with the insincere blueprints. Hyun, who heard the story through several channels, immediately came to a conclusion without even going to Hyang.

“Teach scholars how to draw blueprints!”

Woo, who also serves as the director of the research institute, expressed his disapproval at the county’s order.

“There are scholars who are busy with their own research. There may be backlash.”

“I learned how to draw a blueprint, and you, the crown prince, learned it too. Even the Crown Prince draws a proper blueprint himself when necessary. How dare a scholar object? If a scholar objects, call Jim! I will draw it for you!”

“I will do my best to educate you!”

“Tsk!”

As Wu expected, some scholars who heard Hyun’s orders protested. But their opposition soon subsided. Hyeon’s words were scary, but Hyang’s words were added to them.

“Your Majesty the Emperor is busy with state affairs, so wouldn’t it be better for me to go?”

Eventually, scholars and researchers had to stop what they were doing and learn how to draw a blueprint. As the main contractor created a proper blueprint, the subcontractor craftsmen were able to work more easily. No, it wasn’t just the craftsmen who were good.

As proper blueprints emerged, experienced craftsmen quickly identified and pointed out problems in the blueprints, thereby increasing the level of completeness of the blueprints.

As attempts and failures were repeated, the shadow of an answer began to enter the scholars’ field of vision.