Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 1221



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Side story 35. 1592 South Sea War. (35)

Under Lee’s command, the Residency-General smoothly carried out the ‘nuclearization’ of Japan.

Japanese government officials were very dissatisfied, but they had no means of responding, so they just sat there and did nothing.

It was a question of justification.

The result was so great and clean that Lee Ju-ga, who confirmed the demands of the armistice agreement and the tasks to be performed by the Residency-General, evaluated it as a ‘harmony of literature and martial arts.’

-Martial arts created the means and goals, and literature created the justification.

This single sentence was the most perfect evaluation of the result.

The negotiation process for the armistice agreement and the Residency-General’s ‘Japanese national reform work’ were difficult for Japanese officials and even Emperor Takayo to oppose.

Because the justification for giving up the empire in every case was so strong.

And, although the Empire and Japan did not speak openly, there was another, more powerful justification.

-Japan was defeated.

-He started the war and lost it.

-Why is there so much to say on this topic?

* * *

The Residency-General, which had made Japanese officials into a group, made progress step by step.

Of these, the most concerning was the reduction of the Japanese army and navy.

In the process of reduction and its aftermath, Lee dug a trap.

It was a trap called ‘creating enemies’.

First, he used the budget as a weapon to divide the Japanese army and navy.

It was the same in every country for the army and navy to growl when budgetary issues arose, but Japan made it even worse.

It started with drastically reducing the budget for the military itself.

– In order to pay war reparations to the Empire and compensate the Japanese people who suffered damages in this war, the military budget must be reduced.

This was the justification put forth by Lee Yi’s Residency-General.

Even though they had lost, the Japanese military could not help but object when their budget was reduced, and on a massive scale.

And this was Lee’s trick.

As the Japanese military’s opposition surfaced, the Residency-General secretly leaked it to the Japanese press.

Of course, it wasn’t just spilled, but rather, it was mixed with both sides.

– Try to resolve the grievances of the Japanese people who have suffered by reducing the military’s budget.

-But that damn military is against it.

-Who created this painful situation, even though it was a case of the enemy being defeated? Wasn’t it the military that was in league with Toyotomi?

This type of propaganda was used to make the Japanese people hostile towards the Japanese military.

After receiving the report on the situation, Lee Yi smiled bitterly and spoke to the officials of the Residency-General.

“Not all Japanese people will be hostile to the Japanese military, but most of them will dislike it. If that happens, it will be a success.”

As public opinion among the Japanese people became very negative, the Japanese military had no choice but to keep quiet and accept the reduction.

This is because they used public opinion as a weapon to destroy not only the Residency-General but also King Takayo, the military.

“Even if that’s what the Residency-General says, why is your Majesty!”

The Japanese military, unable to understand Takayo’s actions, expressed doubts and feelings of betrayal, but from Takayo’s perspective, it was a reasonable choice.

-If we have to stay in the shadow of the empire anyway, there is no need to maintain a large army.

-And, starting from Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the military became a more threatening entity than the powerful ministers.

-In order to maintain stable royal power, the military must take up the sword.

-If only public order is maintained well, the people will support the royal family.

-Because the people also felt deep in their bones that Japan could not escape the shadow of the empire.

By reducing the size and physical strength of the entire Japanese military and creating a divide between the army and navy, the Residency-General also split the army in two.

* * *

Just before splitting the army in two, Ii went to Takayo and told her the plan out loud.

“The army has already lined up in a line, so why do we have to go this far?”

In response to Takayo’s question, Ii explained why he had to do that.

-When war breaks out, the most important thing is the army anyway.

-Because advancing into the enemy’s country or defending the homeland is both the army’s job.

– Also, to ensure the safety of the Japanese royal family.

-Starting with Mori Motonari, Oda Nobunaga, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, they all came from the military.

-If the structural reform of the Residency-General is successful, neither the government nor the military will be able to threaten the Japanese royal family.

“…That’s why we have to do it this way.”

After Lee’s explanation was over and Takayo was chewing on it, she eventually nodded.

“Go ahead.”

“thank you.”

* * *

There was no ‘necessary’ need to obtain Takayo’s acceptance. However, the Residency-General, which had secured a clear justification by obtaining his acceptance, proceeded with the work without hesitation.

It was divided into east and west, with Lake Biwa to the east of Kyoto as the boundary.

-The area west of Lake Biwa is called the ‘Western Military District’, and the headquarters is located in Naniwa (present-day Osaka).

-The Western Military District is responsible for the Honshu region west of Lake Biwa, Shikoku, Kyushu, and its affiliated islands.

-The area east of Lake Biwa is called the ‘Eastern Military District’ and is headquartered in Nagoya.

-The Eastern Military District is in charge of the Honshu region east of Lake Biwa and its affiliated islands.

The distance between Osaka and Nagoya was a little over 450 ri (about 180 km).

And Konishi Yukinaga and Kato Kiyomasa were appointed as the first commanders to run the Eastern and Western Military Districts.

The appointment of Konishi Yukinaga and Kato Kiyomasa was also a trick of the empire.

Konishi Yukinaga and Kato Kiyomasa had a reputation as capable commanders, but their positions were in jeopardy when they surrendered to the Empire.

He protested that he was only following the orders given by Toshiie Maeda, but the problem was that Toshiie Maeda took responsibility and committed suicide.

“Maeda committed suicide, so why are you guys still alive?”

Every time they were asked this question, the two had no choice but to keep their mouths shut, and they were pushed further and further to the edge of the cliff.

-Those who are competent but in a precarious position.

-I will actively cooperate with the empire, even for my own survival.

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-It is well known that the relationship between Kato and Konishi is very bad.

-They weren’t on good terms before, but this battle completely ruined their relationship.

-Therefore, if you give these two the position of commander, they will know how to keep the other in check.

Based on this calculation, the empire gave Konishi the Western Military District and Kato the Eastern Military District.

And the two moved wonderfully according to the empire’s will.

It was the beginning of a period of competitive cooperation with the empire while simultaneously keeping its opponents in check.

The Empire did not stop there, and once again dug another trap.

This prevented Japanese army officers from rotating between the Eastern and Western Military Districts.

There was a justification.

-The size of the army has been reduced, but the area it is in charge of remains the same.

-Therefore, experts who know each region well are needed.

-It takes at least 10 years to create such experts.

-Because of this, the rotational work system does not apply.

In other words, it was a desperate measure to train experts who would have perfect knowledge of the area they were in charge of.

However, as a result, the East and West became factions of Kato and Konishi.

It was clear that these factions would be at odds with each other, just as Kato and Konishi were not on good terms.

And even after Kato and Konishi, this conflict between East and West would continue.

* * *

In this way, the ‘structural reform’ of the Residency-General was carried out step by step.

Later, historians who studied Japan during this period evaluated it this way:

– An incident that ended Japan’s military rule that lasted over 300 years.

-Of course, it was a great transformation that succeeded in just 10 years the great undertaking that the Ouchi government had continuously attempted but failed to accomplish even before the Residency-General was established.

– An unprecedented feat that changed the Japanese people’s way of thinking from martial arts to literature.

Up to this point, the reviews have been positive. However, the negative reviews have been several times that number.

Whenever the negative evaluation of this ‘Residency-General politics’ became an issue and protests were filed against the empire, the empire’s response was always the same.

“It was inevitable for the peaceful coexistence of the Empire and Japan.”

“Wasn’t it the empire that started the war first?”

And, whenever the ‘invasion inducement theory’ originating from Konishi became an issue, the empire laughed.

“This is a novel, not a thesis?”

But the real truth was this.

‘Those who start a fight and then lose it really talk a lot.’

* * *

Let’s go back in time to when Ryu Seong-ryong was in the middle of negotiations in Japan.

The empire’s interior was also in turmoil.

It was because of the trial that took place over Won-gyun.

When Won-gyun was first brought before the court of appeals, the external departments began to do the math.

“If you think about His Majesty the Emperor and the people’s feelings right now, you are definitely guilty. If you act rashly, you will be in danger of being criticized.”

“The harm outweighs the gain. It’s better not to take it.”

The mood was initially negative, but it soon began to change.

It was because of that public sentiment.

“Has there ever been an incident in recent times that has captured the public’s attention like this?”

“It wasn’t there?”

“If we do this well, wouldn’t we be able to greatly increase our reputation?”

“It will become notorious.”

“Hmm… Wait, wait… An old European once said, ‘Even a bad law is still a law.’ Then wouldn’t ‘even a bad reputation be famous’?”

“Huh? Is that how it is?”

Eventually, outsiders who were after fame moved to take up Won-gyun’s defense.

As rumors spread that the Won-gyun family there had paid a large sum of money as a retainer to save Won-gyun’s life, a full-scale competition broke out for the position in charge of the external branch.

The foreign branches thus selected engaged in a fierce legal debate in court.

The legal disputes that took place between prosecutors and external branches were immediately published in the civilian newspaper and distributed to the people, and the people held their own arguments with these newspapers in the middle.

Instead of raising the ‘paper price in Luoyang’, they raised the ‘paper price in Seoul’.

The foreign branches in charge of Won Gyun’s defense used the ‘Jeju Island invasion’ as the main material to secure Won Gyun’s innocence or the lightest punishment, such as retirement.

The grounds put forward by the foreign branch to defend Won-gyun were as follows.

-There is no provision in the Imperial Military Code that holds anyone responsible for defeat and punishes them.

-There is only an implicit agreement that they will be retired only if the scale of the defeat is large.

-Emperor Yi Hyang also said, ‘We cannot hold anyone responsible for one defeat in battle.’

-They are accusing me of having been playing around with parasites since the day before the surprise attack, but this is also not right.

Because although it may be morally reprehensible, it is not legally illegal.

-Because it was a holiday the day before.

– Also, it is not correct to say that it was a violation of military law because the location was unknown at the time of the surprise attack.

– At that time, all members of the fleet, regardless of whether they were officers or soldiers, knew where Won-gyun was drinking.

-That’s why when the surprise attack happened, the soldiers were able to find Won-gyun right away.

-The reason Won-gyun arrived late at headquarters was because he was very drunk the day before.

In response to these arguments from outside the prosecution, the prosecutors refuted each argument and insisted on Won-gyun’s guilt.

The most representative one was the ‘Emperor Yi Hyang’s Sayings’.

– It is true that Emperor Yi Hyang said, “You should not carelessly hold someone responsible for a defeat.” However, he added this: “However, a general who fails to keep watch and supply his troops should be held accountable for the defeat.”

-The original bacteria corresponds to this.

The prosecutors, who had gained the upper hand in the debate between the external branches, took issue with the fact that Won Gyun had privately sent letters to his superiors requesting the impeachment of Yi Sun-sin and his own reinstatement.

“This is a grave sin that disrupts the chain of command and confuses His Majesty the Emperor’s eyes and ears!”

This part was difficult for even the external branch to defend.

In the end, Won-gyun was sentenced to ‘indefinite labor in the mines.’

At the same time, Yi Ju issued an order to erase all of Won Gyun’s records.

With the punishment of Won Gyun and the signing of the armistice, the ‘South Sea War’ that had taken place in 1592 officially came to an end.

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