계획된 일(1)

The distance from the Ottoman Constantinople to Paris was far enough to be challenging even for a robust man.

It was hardly surprising that Hasna, a woman who was traveling such a long distance for the first time, fell ill.

Having come all the way to Paris, she was unable to attend the coronation at Reims Cathedral, which was 120km away; only the Ottoman ambassador who would stay in Paris from the Ottoman delegation participated.

After the coronation, Hasna did not make a public appearance at the noble party held in Paris and instead met with the ladies in private.

“It’s fascinating. A coronation receiving a crown from a clergyman. Truly, our Empire has a different culture.”

“And how does it work in the Ottoman?”

As the Countess asked, Hasna raised her coffee cup, which emitted a fragrant scent.

Even the simple act of taking a sip from the coffee with her impeccably clean white hands seemed elegant, causing the ladies to tremble at the sight of her.

It was a new experience to feel a desire to exchange words with someone rather than jealousy, even while staring at someone who possessed beauty and high status.

“In our Empire, the Padishah himself proclaims his ascension to the throne, without needing to borrow the authority of the divine.”

Upon hearing Yusuf’s mention, the ladies’ eyes sparkled.

“Since the Padishah has been mentioned, may I ask, is everything in the books true?”

Taking the well-worn book that looked as if it had been read many times, Hasna wore a wry smile.

“I don’t know if the translation is accurate since it’s not an officially sanctioned book. I’ll bring a book translated into Latin from our Empire as a gift.”

“Thank you.”

The noble maiden, who felt embarrassed for having presented a pirated book, smiled brightly at the following words.

“I have heard that everything in the book is true. It’s like the stories I grew up listening to from my mother.”

“Aishe Hatun!”

The woman who raised her voice momentarily dropped her head, turning red as she gathered attention.

Aishe was among the most popular figures in Yusuf’s biography of the Hatuns, and as the story of the fairytale-like Aishe came up, the ladies’ eyes glimmered.

“Is Aishe Hatun as beautiful as Princess Hasna?”

“I think I might fall a bit short. My mother is still beautiful, though.”

“How can I become beautiful like the princess?”

Beauty was an important weapon for women.

Just as the French nobility, who had only heard rumors of Hasna’s beauty, spent their days discussing her.

Feeling an urge to hold onto even a straw, Hasna smiled gently.

“The most important thing is cleanliness. In the Ottoman, gatherings of women usually take place in bathhouses, and if you are in the harem, women always keep themselves clean for beauty’s sake.”

Mention of bathing made the ladies’ faces somewhat awkward.

During the Crusades, Christians absorbed the advanced culture and science of Islam, and along with it, bathing culture spread.

Though the bathing culture spread quickly among the upper class, the spread of the plague led to a misconception that bathing spread disease, and now, nobles hardly washed at all.

As the ladies hesitated at the mention of bathing, Hasna smiled softly.

“I understand well what misunderstandings Western countries have. However, according to the Padishah’s orders, those who keep their bodies clean have caught fewer diseases.”

“But…”

“Which man could lovingly gaze at a woman whose mouth stinks and has lice in her hair? It’s the same for women. Isn’t that right?”

It wasn’t that they disliked a clean body; rather, they hesitated to wash due to the belief that washing would lead to death.

However, it was not easy to break a misconception that had persisted for hundreds of years.

“Bad things can enter through water, can’t they?”

“And it’s said that entering water that a man has been in could lead to pregnancy.”

“That might be the case for stagnant water, but you needn’t worry about that when using steam like in our Empire. If you visit our Empire later, I will personally treat you to it.”

Deciding to go all the way to distant Ottoman was no easy decision, and while the ladies’ faces were troubled by the thought of bathing, Kasim, who had quietly entered and listened to the conversation, spoke up.

“I apologize, but could you please yield for the sake of my sister’s health? She has only just risen from her bed.”

Realizing that their conversation had gone on longer than expected, the ladies excused themselves and left, and Kasim, left alone with Hasna, sighed.

“How long will you continue this feigned illness?”

“Feigning is also a strategy.”

Though the so-called coronation was similar to a significant religious event for Christians, it wasn’t a particularly welcome event for the Ottomans, who were still heavily influenced by Islam.

Hasna, who feigned illness as an excuse not to attend the coronation, stroked the nape of a lion that sauntered over.

“Participating in the coronation only to leave a chance for conversion would be a hassle, wouldn’t it?”

“If I go to the party now, I would be troubled by the men asking about my sister, so I would prefer to pass on that.”

“Why, is it hard to deal with the ladies?”

At Hasna’s teasing, Kasim made a sour face.

“Forget it. I’ll pass on women who smell because they don’t wash well. I’ve been completely fooled by my father. I should have recognized it when he didn’t give a warning against causing trouble.”

He was not in a starving state that would lead him to spend a night with a woman who reeked and was infested with lice.

Hasna laughed, covering her mouth at Kasim’s complaint.

“Aren’t you emphasizing cleanliness because you dislike smelling as well?”

“There’s that, but it’s also one of the things my father instructed.”

If it were merely to form an alliance, there wouldn’t have been a need to come in such large numbers, including the Janissary band.

She came under orders to showcase various aspects of Ottoman culture, such as music, books, coffee, and baths.

“Thus, prepare not only coffee shops in Paris but also bathhouses.”

Receiving an unexpected task, Kasim groaned.

The culture of the Ottoman was rapidly permeating the upper class of France through the envoy delegation.

*

Yusuf frowned as he listened to the report.

“So, how many final deaths are there?”

“About six hundred have been confirmed dead due to the plague in Cairo.”

“Tell your son he has worked hard.”

Since Shamsi took office as the Grand Vizier, the Beylerbey of Egypt had been in a difficult position under his command.

Though not a small number of casualties, they managed to contain the plague as quickly as possible by identifying it and isolating it, resulting in this level of damage.

“A plague, it’s a troublesome issue.”

In an era without proper treatments, it would be lucky if only a village or two were completely wiped out.

If they paid attention to cleanliness, it could at least reduce the frequency, but as most subjects saw bathing as a luxury, there was no clear solution.

In cities like Cairo, where people and goods frequently passed, the risk of the plague spreading was greater, so they could do nothing but be prudent.

“Overcoming the plague is beyond human capability. Try not to worry too much.”

“I know.”

Though he valued the subjects, worrying about such matters could lead to endless concerns.

The Empire was vast, and the reports of damage from plagues, disasters, and invading Arab nomads were never-ending.

“News has arrived that we have officially opened logistics with Joseon.”

“I’ve heard. The ceramics are quite good.”

The Ottomans also made fine ceramics, but since the potters had crossed over to Japan before the Imjin War, it was probably quite a valuable trade item.

That title of ceramics coming from a distant foreign land would surely enhance its value as well.

“It’s regrettable that they couldn’t formally establish trade with the Ming Dynasty, but we should start calling them gradually.”

It wasn’t simply because a long operational gap occurred due to the withdrawal of the fleet.

Working in such a distant land could be described as an extreme profession; it was no ordinary task.

‘Exposed to rotten water and various endemic diseases, struggling in a place where communication is impossible.’

No matter how strong one’s patriotism for the Ottomans, there were limits to what one could endure, even with adequate rewards.

It was necessary to bring them back for the sake of the sailors, and they intended to fill the resulting vacancies with the Eastern Trade Company being prepared by Mustafa.

Of course, they couldn’t just call them back at once, so a replacement would need to be arranged.

Shamsi nodded, agreeing with this notion.

“I was worried because many among those who went include pirates like Barbarossa, but thankfully they didn’t cause major issues. Proceed as the Padishah wishes.”

“With Suleiman around, how much trouble could they possibly cause?”

*

“So, is this person the envoy from the Ming Dynasty?”

Suleiman looked at the crumpled figure sprawled on the floor with a grimace.

The weather on Taiwan Island was harsh enough for seasoned sailors to shake their heads, and if one were stuck in a tub in such heat, it was needless to say how dreadful it would be.

It was hard to see someone covered in their own filth and sweat without even the chance to use the restroom as an envoy.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but there is a confidential letter from the Emperor.”

It was a letter found after returning to the harbor and inspecting the merchandise.

As Suleiman examined the letter, the envoy, who had been gulping down water, shouted in a hoarse voice.

“How dare you carelessly look at the Emperor’s private missive! Shall I not take your life?!”

Ignoring the envoy’s authoritative shout, Suleiman handed the letter to the translator.

Kneeling, shaking, the translator received the letter with trembling hands and, aiming at the stiff Suleiman, he coldly said:

“Speak of its contents.”

“How could I…”

“Speak.”

The translator, a Ming man, swallowed hard and stammered as he read the contents of the letter.

There was nothing special in the content. It indicated that they would formally invite a delegation if they assisted in wiping out pirates, just like in Joseon.

“It seems the situation with pirates in Ming is indeed critical.”

The shocking destruction of the pirates, who numbered in the hundreds of ships under the Ottoman’s hands, was not just shocking to Joseon.

Much more so, the pirates who personally experienced the devastation were far more affected, and the Ottoman fleet was hardly even spotted near the shores of Joseon.

The pirates eventually teamed up with the Chinese pirates to wreak havoc along the Chinese coast.

This was why the Ming Emperor had sent an envoy directly to the Ottomans.

“It’s good news, but how did the envoy end up in the hands of pirates?”

“A terrible storm swept through here not long ago, right?”

“Indeed.”

When they had settled here, the most difficult aspect was the tremendous storm that often visited during the summer.

Luckily, there hadn’t been major damage yet, but the damage to the docked ships was still considerable.

“It seems the fleet of the delegation heading here encountered that storm. The fleet was scattered, and a lone ship fell victim to a pirate attack.”

“We met those pirates, and this envoy met the unfortunate fate of encountering a former pirate.”

Urji, who had slightly averted his gaze under Suleiman’s cold glare, understood the weight of his mistake.

Seeing Urji’s face, the envoy shouted, baring his teeth.

“Kill every single person associated with that scum and clear your guilt! Then I will forgive you!”

“What shall we do?”

Suleiman stroked his beard.

It was hard to blame Urji. Although he was dressed in fine clothing, who would have thought he was a Ming envoy?

Thinking of the pirates’ habits of treating captured individuals as slaves, being stuffed into a tub was relatively tame.

After a moment of deliberation, Suleiman coldly stated:

“Kill him.”

“Wha?!”

Before he could even resist, Urji swung his sword.

The blade pierced through the envoy’s heart, spraying blood onto the floor as the envoy writhed and fell.

“I apologize. I cannot trust those who are loyal to the Ming Emperor.”

Had he not knelt down to receive the letter, Suleiman would not have killed him.

As the translator also breathed his last, Suleiman opened his mouth.

“We merely happened to retrieve the letter from the hands of the pirates. Understand?”

“Understood.”

Rather than leaving future problems by sparing him, Suleiman chose to end the envoy’s life cleanly.

“Inform the entire fleet. We are heading to Guangzhou.”

The Ottoman fleet set sail for Guangzhou, which had previously rejected their entry.

*

François II, who had become the King of France, was only 12 years old, and it had been six years since his mother, Queen Claude, passed away.

Hasna smiled as she sat with François II for the first time.

“The French royals are moving between palaces, aren’t they?”

“Indeed.”

Though he tried to appear dignified, to Hasna, who had spent ordinary childhood days beyond the norm with princes, he appeared rather cute.

“Is it to avoid the plague?”

“Well, I suppose so?”

The tale of the French royals traveling through palaces for reasons like politics, military, diplomacy, hunting, seasonal changes, and plague was quite entertaining to Hasna.

While she spoke with François as if he were her younger brother, she glanced at the setting sun and said:

“It’s getting late; I really should return now.”

François nodded, his mouth moving in disappointment, and just as he stood with Hasna from their seats, a breeze blew in, causing Hasna’s veil to flutter slightly.

While an adult might never see Hasna’s face, which only reached chest height for François, he caught a glimpse, and his face flushed instantly.

Hastily dropping the veil with her hand, Hasna lowered her head and quietly said to François:

“It’s a secret that you saw my face. My father might consider having me castrated if he finds out.”

François nodded as if dazed.