1592 The Empire We All Dreamed of - Chapter 6
Only Noblemtl
(06)
Heroes Gathering
About 100 burial mounds were created along the roadside that stretched for 1 ri (about 400 m), and about 300 large stakes were erected in front of them.
The corpse of a enemy soldier was hanging on a stake.
The Joseon army retreated, following the path of the corpses.
Jeong Moon-bu, who was rocking back and forth on his horse, had a bitter expression on his face.
“It doesn’t look very good.”
“We have won. We have avenged our people and taught our enemies a lesson: ‘The same thing will happen to you.’”
It was Jiwoo’s response as he rode beside her.
“Yeah, I agree with that.”
“If I could teach the beasts a lesson, I would rip out the intestines from that corpse and spread them out.”
It was a rather rude remark. Kang Moon-woo, who was following behind, unexpectedly nodded his head. He also saw the corpses of the people. It was truly a miserable sight, as they were mocked even in death.
“It’s a shame that we have to become beasts in order to fight beasts.”
“You must endure the misery. That is the role of the elders of the North Pyeongsa.”
“Your Majesty, stop it.”
As Kang Moon-woo tried to talk between the two, Jeong Moon-bu raised his hand to stop him. Kang Moon-woo stepped back again and Ji-woo continued talking.
“General, you will defeat the Japanese army, drive out the Jurchen, and protect Hamgyeong Province. To do so, you must be kind to the people, but you must become a beast to the enemy.”
“Are you telling me to become a beast?”
Jiwoo nodded.
“What Your Majesty and the people need most right now is not Confucius and Mencius. Please become Your Majesty’s sharp sword.”
“……”
The main gate looked as if it had been hit by something.
Jiwoo bowed his head and spurred them on to go ahead. The two of them did not exchange words until they arrived at Gyeongseong.
Three days later, the North Korean army proudly advanced to Gyeongseong.
“Long live the Joseon army.”
“Long live General Jeongmun.”
“Long live the national hero, General Guksaeng.”
“Ugh. Manse, my heart really sinks.”
Jeongmunbu frowned and rode his horse toward the government office.
The people lined up in rows and cheered for the victorious soldiers.
“Thank you for your hard work. Have some of this.”
“Here is some cool water. It will quench your thirst.”
“Isn’t there anyone in the world hurt?”
“How many carts are there behind me? There are mountains of swords and spears.”
As the troops arrived at the government office, leaving behind the surprise of the crowd, Guk Se-pil and his men came out to greet them.
“Father, I have returned victorious.”
“Oh, you are great, son.”
Guk-saeng stepped forward and saluted, and Guk-se-pil patted his son on the back to encourage him.
In the Confucian state of Joseon, it was not awkward for a son to be praised by his father.
The people watched the scene with delighted expressions. Some were so moved that they called out the name of the national hero.
“It’s like……”
The generals below the head of the department frowned.
As a result of Guk Saeng’s actions, the Joseon army ended up reporting its victory to Guk Se Pil.
“This is annoying.”
As Kang Moon-woo tried to ride forward, Jeong Moon-bu stopped him.
“Disband the soldiers.”
“Understood, General.”
If they tried to create dissonance here, it would only diminish the meaning of victory. For them, it was best to end this scene quickly.
The cavalrymen scattered, and Jiwoo, who was watching them, snickered.
Even in his eyes, the national tax office was not suitable. If he called it politics to take credit for the victory that the soldiers had achieved by risking their lives, then that was just an excuse for him to die as the leader of the rebellion.
Jiwoo looked back at the beast.
“Disband them.”
“Yes, disperse! Everyone disperse and rest.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Oh, you worked hard too.”
“Let’s go somewhere and have a drink.”
The guards who had been standing somewhat distracted also dispersed in twos and threes.
“Ahem.”
The main gatekeeper passed by the Kook Se-pil family with a stern expression. The cavalry captain following him felt like he was on fire.
Jiwoo approached and subtly reprimanded her.
“This time, Your Majesty, it seems you have gone too far.”
“Hahaha, is that so? I feel embarrassed when the late Grand Prince says something like that.”
As Jiwoo bowed his head and disappeared towards the dorm, Gooksaeng asked with a bewildered expression.
“Father, what were you talking about, little one……”
“It’s okay. Don’t try too hard to find out. You just have to stand behind the old man.”
“Don’t worry. I won this battle because I did as he said. And he respects me.”
Guk Se-pil patted his son Guk-saeng on the shoulder.
“Son, it is not because he respects you. Please accept him as the teacher in your heart.”
“Are you, Master?”
Guk-saeng looked at his father with surprised eyes.
“In times of war, who can guarantee tomorrow? Standing behind the wise is the only way to survive.”
“The wise man……”
Guk Se-pil looked at the sunset, leaving his son behind who was mulling over his words.
‘Will the one who lies flat finally reveal his strength?’
It was a few months ago that I took in the person who had been hiding in such a lowly way.
He quietly devoted himself to training the volunteer army, and his name was mentioned in several victories, and people continued to gather. And those who gathered only followed Jeong Moon-bu.
Now it has reached the point where he stiffly raises his head in front of himself.
The number of soldiers training under the leadership of the main command was already approaching 400. However, there was something more fearsome: the cavalry that had managed to survive and were gathering one by one.
The number of cavalrymen who gathered to find the name of the main gate exceeded 60.
All of these combined already surpass the power of the lord himself.
If the two forces clash, Go Dae-jeong will take a step back and wait and see.
‘No, I don’t know if they’ll even threaten that the winning side won’t be safe either.’
He thought of Go Ji-woo as a great person who was more than enough. Maybe this dangerous alliance was preserved because of Go Ji-woo’s existence. When he thought about it, surprisingly, it seemed true.
Suddenly, Guk Se-pil burst into laughter, and Guk-saeng, who was next to him, blinked and looked at his father. Before he knew it, the moon was high in the sky where the sun had set.
The moon didn’t shine only on this place, the rich tax collectors.
“The moonlight is bright. How pitiful is life after all.”
The head of the household, Jeongmunbu, who had washed himself in a large tub in the courtyard, sat on the veranda and dried himself.
His archery-trained upper body gleamed in the moonlight, revealing rough bruises here and there on his nicely placed muscles.
He clicked his tongue. The promising civil servant was nowhere to be seen, and he saw himself as a warrior.
‘What Your Majesty and the people desperately need is not Confucius and Mencius. Please become Your Majesty’s sharp sword.’
His expression distorted as he recalled the cheeky officer’s remark.
It was even more heartbreaking because it wasn’t a false statement.
He put on his clothes, picked up the flask, and put it to his lips.
Gulp gulp.
“Ugh.”
My throat felt hot as if it was on fire after drinking soju.
How clear the answer is, ‘To deal with beasts, become a beast.’ How foolish it was to talk about the ‘way of a scholar’ while precious lives were being lost in vain.
There were more than one or two things that bound him, as the Northern Critic, who was supposed to assist the Northern Commander.
The corruption of the superiors had to be properly hidden. The hardships of the mission also played a part. In order to protect and manage the land where the bitter winds blew, there were more than one or two things that had to be dealt with by improvisation.
I had to turn a blind eye to the convenience of the struggling lower-level workers. After all, they were the ones who had suffered until now and would have to suffer in the future.
How many pieces of military supplies were missing and how many rice sacks were filled with dirt? Thus, weapons that were not repaired in time and poor training led to the early defeat.
As a sinner, he stood before the volunteer army and was freed from the things that had been binding him.
The rebel leader, Guk Se-pil, provided meticulous supplies, and the volunteers gave their lives without compensation. Small but steady victories followed.
It was as if the system created by scholars collapsed in the face of national crisis and the people were rebuilding it.
‘You must endure the misery. That is the role of the elders of the North Critics Association.’
The words of the officer, which he had thought were just ‘making a fuss’, now became like a dagger and stabbed him.
He drank the rest of his drink.
He put the bottle down on the floor and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“What are you looking at? Come and sit here.”
“I brought some mixed vegetables.”
Kang Moon-woo put down the bottle of alcohol and the bowl containing the mixed drink.
“Good. I wish I had only had one bottle.”
“Oh Gil-jun joined us with four cavalrymen and two horses.”
The expression on Jeongmunbu’s face brightened as he picked up the mixed paper with his hand.
“Oh, the general? You’re alive. That’s fortunate.”
He was genuinely delighted.
They were in disarray, unable to even gather their troops, against the Japanese army, which was consistent in speed as if surprise attacks were everything. The cavalry was the most painful of all.
It was possible to defend the north against the Jurchen in such a harsh environment because of the cavalry of Hamgyeong Province. It was always regrettable that we lost the elite troops without even being able to use them.
It was unclear whether they were all dead or had successfully escaped, but five more were said to have returned.
“Hehehe. I’m glad. Along with the victory, my old subordinate came to visit me.”
“I will continue to join as the general has made a name for himself.”
“Haha, that’s a little embarrassing to say.”
Jeong Moon-bu picked up the bottle of alcohol and poured it into Kang Moon-woo’s glass.
“How is the production of cotton armor?”
“I asked the craftsman and he said they produce 50 pieces every ten days.”
“It will take time to arm the trainees.”
“That is… a repetitive process of applying and drying one layer at a time, so the rainy season is a variable.”
“It will take more time to make a separate vest.”
“That too.”
Kang Moon-woo frowned as he poured alcohol into his mouth. Jeong Moon-bu smirked as he caught a glimpse of him.
“Choose the best and have them join the ranks of the Great Government.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll do that.”
Kang Moon-woo nodded, immediately understanding her intentions.
“I’m glad you’re by my side.”
“……”
Kang Moon-woo just raised his glass without saying a word.
The main gatekeeper leaned against the pillar of the main hall and looked at the sky. It was a night sky that looked like it would be filled with stars.
“Yes. Not yet, but that day will come soon. I will not hesitate. Just watch.”
He shed tears in the cold moonlight.
Even when I closed my eyes, the moonlight was still in them, and when I opened them again, the moon was still shining there.
I picked up my glass with a calm mind.
And here was another person lost in thought, looking at the moon.
“The moon is the same now as it was then.”
At Jiwoo’s incomprehensible muttering, Chukseng simply poured the drink.
“The barracks arrived first.”
“It seems like you didn’t achieve your goal.”
Although Jeongmalsu, who was the local leader of Myeongcheon, was an outstanding person, he ended up collapsing with his followers.
In the grand flow of history, an individual is like a mere insect.
Lao Tzu, who spoke of the natural order of the world, was wrong. It was the same with Japan, which had been ruled by warlords for nearly 200 years, being taken over by some dwarf, and with that crazy guy sending 210,000 troops across the sea.
How can it be natural for innocent people to die?
“Wouldn’t it be enough to convey the situation here?”
Jiwoo came back from his reverie at the words of the bastard.
“Yes, we should avoid fighting each other as fellow Koreans.”
“There are about 400 volunteers who have gathered around General Jeong. Above all, there are over 60 cavalrymen who have joined.”
“That’s what I was thinking. I guess it’s time to slowly get out of the fight.”
“Is that possible?”
“We are the ones who passed the ball. How long will they just take it? They will probably say it’s good.”
“Uhm……”
“I don’t need the armor anymore. Hand it over to the lord and General Jeong. Instead, I would appreciate it if you could help me with the armor or the armor.”
Heavy bulletproof shields were not necessary for stealth and reconnaissance.
“From now on, we will switch to reconnaissance missions. We will operate in groups of 10, 5 or 6 people each, day and night.”
“It seems like quite a lot.”
“Scout out the Myeongcheon and Gilju areas in eight groups of four each. And two groups.”
Jiwoo suddenly lowered his voice.
“Scouting the rear.”
“Are you in the rear?”
“It’s an escape route.”
“……”
Silence fell.
The pouring starlight and the lofty moonlight brightly illuminated the three-room thatched cottage.
The night grew deeper.
Soon the moon was setting and the dawn sky was beginning to brighten.
A soldier who had climbed up the wall blew on the air and made a noise.
“Whew, it’s cold. It seems like winter came early this year.”
“Welcome, nothing much happened, I guess I’ll be going now.”
“Hehehe, my room is warm, come in quickly……?”
“what’s the matter?”
The eyes of the soldier who was changing sentries while blowing on the steam suddenly grew wide.
Through my dim eyes, I could see the outside of the castle, where a group of horses and figures were moving about.
“Round, ring the bell……”
As they panicked, a shout was heard from under the walls.
“I am Jeong Hyeon-ryong, the magistrate of Jongseong. I waited for daybreak to avoid causing trouble. I have gathered the troops of Jongseong, so please report this to General Jeong Mun-bu.”