Black Corporation: Joseon

Episode 961: Choice, defection, negotiation (1)

The design of the flag of unified Italy was decided, but twists and turns continued. All the seamstresses in Florence, Genoa, and Milan who could sew were mobilized to make large and small flags, and carpenters and blacksmiths were mobilized to make flagpoles and flagpole decorations.

-The flagpole and flag that will be erected proudly in front of Peter’s Basilica in Rome must be ours!

It was a kind of battle of pride that took place. This battle of pride also took place in military uniform. As the black Florentine military uniform was designated as the unified Italian Army uniform, all Italian troops were required to wear the same uniform. However, as the ground war entered a lull, soldiers who had more free time began to try their hand at military uniforms – more specifically, military caps.

Soldiers from other cities, who saw the Florentine army adorning their military caps with black grouse feathers, began to replace them with feathers of different colors. At first, the feathers of pheasants and other birds were used as is, but at some point, dyed feathers began to appear in abundance on the military caps. When Hyang saw the military cap decorated with literally ‘colorful’ feathers, he muttered with an expression of bewilderment.

“Red Juno Chopanambo…. It’s not the military, it’s the Power Rangers Squadron? Isn’t it because they didn’t touch the military uniform?”

As time passed, the feather decorations were not enough, and the brooches that connected the feathers to the military caps and the caps attached to the front of the military caps also became more ornate. The Imperial and Swiss soldiers muttered as they looked at the sparkling brooches and hats plated with gold and silver.

“That’s right… it’s the best to use as a target, but are you still doing that even though you know it?”

* * *

Despite various battles of pride, preparations for the advance south proceeded steadily, and the departure ceremony was finally held. On the podium made in the Florence pavilion, the incense, Lorenzo de’ Medici, and the heads of allied cities were seated, and the audience seats to the left and right were filled with nobles and citizens from allied cities, as well as nobles and citizens of Florence.

A procession of soldiers marched across the square toward southern Siena, with the imperial military band playing the ‘Infantry March’. However, this departure ceremony also had many twists and turns.

-As this is a campaign for the unification of Italy, I will give the lead to the Italian army.

Florence and allied cities were delighted and accepted the favor. But what happened next was the problem.

-Who will be at the head of the Italian army procession?

“Of course we are Florence! We were the first to start the unification war!”

“That’s true, but that doesn’t make it right for Florence to take the lead! After all, aren’t we all allies now?”

“That’s right! And we, Genoa, were in charge of blocking the French and Spanish while advancing south! Taking that into account, it’s only right that we give up the lead!”

“If you think about it that way, please give space to our Venice, which suffered the most damage! The city that suffered the most damage from foreign powers in this war is our Venice!”

In the end, Hyang, unable to see the two people arguing over who should take the lead, came out again.

“Just march the soldiers in eight columns, with two columns for each city! Then, why not place a flag bearer with the Italian flag at the front and a flag bearer with each city’s flag behind him?”

“aha!”

The city’s representatives accepted Hyang’s words with bright smiles. Hyang returned to his room, took a long sigh, and grumbled softly.

“I can see how much trouble it must have been for King Solomon the Great.”

At the departure ceremony, which went through many twists and turns, when the imperial army passed in front of the podium, the imperial military band began playing the ‘Imperial March’ instead of the ‘Infantry March’ that had been played repeatedly.

While the heavy ‘Imperial March’ that weighed on people’s hearts filled the square, the imperial army, with the imperial flag bearer at the forefront, crossed the square.

“Military courtesy!”

At the shout of Lee Si-ae, who was on horseback and following behind the rider, the imperial soldiers all looked at the scent and shouted.

“Chuung!”

Hyang also politely reciprocated by placing his right hand on his chest. And this appearance gave a strong shock to the heads and nobles from Genoa, Milan, and Venice.

‘This is what a truly strong army looks like!’

The heavy music that touched the heart and the disciplined marching were beyond admiration and were close to wonder.

‘Would the Roman army, which is only told in legend, be like that?’

And many artists, including da Vinci, were frantically sketching this figure.

* * *

When the southward advance began, the troop deployment of the Allied Empire and Italy was as follows.

-Total troops: approximately 250,000.

Imperial Army: Approximately 100,000 including Swiss troops.

Florence and allied cities: approximately 150,000.

-50,000 troops centered around 30,000 Genoese troops, plus 20,000 imperial and Swiss troops, kept the French and Spanish troops in check.

-30,000 troops, including 10,000 Milanese troops and 20,000 Venetian troops, checked the southern advance of the Habsburgs in Milan and northern Venice.

-Of the 25,000 Swiss troops deployed in Switzerland, 18,000 use the Alps to monitor the movements of France and the Habsburgs and initially block them.

-Approximately 30,000 and 20,000 troops deployed as reserves in Florence and Bologna. Depending on the war situation, additional units will be deployed to the South and North.

-Of the remaining approximately 100,000 troops, 10,000 are stationed at the Siena defense line and are responsible for securing logistics routes and maintaining the defense line.

-Of the 90,000, 55,000 Italian troops and 10,000 imperial troops marched south toward Rome.

The main force is the Italian army, and the imperial army is responsible for fire support.

-The 25,000-strong imperial army attacked San Marino and took control of the Duchy of Romagna east of the Epennine Mountains.

Of the reserve units stationed in Bologna, 10,000 are prepared to be mobilized immediately for the attack on San Marino if necessary.

Due to the butterfly effect of incense, the Principality of Romagna was established quite early. However, in the aftermath, the territory of the principality was very small compared to its history before the intervention. In history before the intervention, San Marino was the southernmost city and a principality that occupied a wide space between Genoa, Florence and Milan, with Bologna in the center. However, the current territory of the principality was San Marino in the north, and it was a small principality bordering the Kingdom of Naples to the south.

At least the southern territory was secured with the protection of Pope Alexander VI. However, there was a good possibility of harassing the imperial-Italian alliance advancing south by conducting a guerrilla war through the Apennine Mountains. Therefore, the Imperial Army and Swiss Army, which were skilled in mobile warfare and mountain warfare, became the main forces to attack San Marino.

* * *

Sienna.

At the headquarters building of the Empire-Italy Allied Forces advancing south, Yu Eung-bu looked at the map and muttered.

“The plan is always good.”

It was a huge plan with 250,000 soldiers moving here and there. The movement of such a large army was not something even the empire was accustomed to. The Liaodong War and the Battle of the Yellow Sea, which are now considered old stories, were the most recent.

Among those currently sitting at the top of the imperial army, very few had experienced the war of the time, and even they were low-level military officers at the time, not in a position to see the big picture. For this reason, Yu Eung-bu was closely watching the situation.

“If only there had been a fast and accurate means of communication, I would have felt much more at ease…”

The Imperial Army’s luminous communication device was excellent in terms of accuracy and speed. However, in order to utilize it properly, a tall and sturdy communication tower was essential. Of course, if necessary, it could be used on the front line and was useful. However, the low, temporary watchtower could not demonstrate its capabilities to its full potential. It was thanks to the monk in charge of broadcasting that he was able to use it usefully on the front line.

Accordingly, the Imperial Ministry of Defense drew up a plan to build an ultra-long-distance communication network using Bikou and conducted experiments. However, the experiment was half successful and half failed. Communication using the acetabulum was fully possible. However, like the communication tower, there was a problem of having to float a monk at a certain distance.

The plan was halted due to the cost of producing and maintaining the acetabulum, the physical limitations of the crew aboard it, and the constraints of nature – it could not be launched even if the wind was slightly strong. As a result, long-distance communication still relies mainly on dispatches and messengers.

“Isn’t there some innovative way?”

Yu Eung-bu, who had been thinking for a while, suddenly burst into laughter.

“What are you doing? I’m not even your majesty. I need to come to my senses!”

After composing himself, Yu Eung-bu looked at the map. The Imperial-Italian Allied Forces departing from Siena were divided into two and were advancing south. One group was heading to Rome via Perugia, and the other was heading to Rome along the coastal road via Grosseto.

The Perugia route had the dual mission of blocking the connecting route between the Principality of Romagna and Rome, and the Grosseto route had the dual mission of controlling the plains on the road to Rome. For the Grossero route, the Imperial Navy followed the Army down the sea. This was to avoid the same thing that happened to the Imperial Navy when the Spanish army was moving to attack Genoa.

“Winning or losing in the battles that will take place in Perugia and Grosseto will determine the future.”

Yu Eung-bu looked at the map with a serious expression and muttered. Perugia and Grosseto were the most influential archdioceses and the northernmost archdioceses among the large and small dioceses in the Papal States. This was because the dioceses and church groups to the south would react differently depending on how the archdiocese or provincial church group of Perugia and Grosseto responded and the outcome of the game.

If the Allied forces were to easily win, the morale of the priests and church troops in the diocese would hit rock bottom, and if the Allied forces showed a strong victory or a sluggish performance, they would show a strong will to resist.

“If you only think about that part, it would be best to establish our imperial army at the vanguard…”

If that were the case, the dissatisfaction of Florence and other allied cities would increase, so the imperial army was in charge of fire support. The problem was that most of the soldiers in the allied cities, excluding Florence, were not mercenaries but soldiers who had volunteered through military service.

Even before leaving Siena, their morale was strong, but if they encountered even the slightest difficulty, their morale would immediately drop and they could become a ragtag group. If that happened, there was a possibility that even the experienced Florentine army would collapse. Because of this, Yu Eung-bu could not stop worrying while looking at the map.

“Chief Marshal! This is a report from Perugia!”

“Really? What are the circumstances? Has there been a major battle?”

“They say we entered without blood!”

“Eh?”

Yu Eung-bu’s expression was momentarily blank due to the answer that was far beyond what was expected.

“Avascular?”

“yes!”

After a while, another military officer came in and reported to Yu Eung-bu.

“A report has arrived that the Allied forces have entered Grosseto without blood!”

“Huh…”

Yu Eung-bu, who had been standing blankly, soon came to his senses and immediately gave an order.

“Tell them to send me a detailed report as soon as possible!”