It Became a Symbol of the Bronze Age - Chapter 304



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Episode 304. Back to Asadal (3)

It has to be me.

At first glance, these might sound like heroic words.

In fact, most of the people who say such things are those who have been leading by example.

It can’t be helped.

Because it can’t be done without me.

But at some point they crossed the line.

From ‘It Can’t Be Done Without Me’.

The words change to ‘it can’t be done without me’.

I’m staging a coup d’état because I have to.

I have to do it, so I beat others.

I have to do it, so I kick out those who oppose me.

In the end, what matters is not ‘work’ but ‘me’. That’s how many dictators were born, and many great rulers may have become tyrants with this kind of thinking.

“…Yeah, that’s right.”

Hanho nodded in front of me. I thought he would understand my feelings to some extent.

“Anyway, I get what you’re saying. You’re saying you’re becoming stubborn.”

Hanho drank honey tea slurp.

Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever had peppermint honey tea.

“Stubbornness. I know how you feel. I think it was my 9th year as president? I felt similarly at that time. So I was about to retire, but that bastard suddenly told me to become the An Jeong-gwan, and asked me to become the king… I thought I was going to die.”

“…I’m sorry about that.”

“But, when you asked me to be king… honestly, it was a bit harsh. If you had asked me that and I hadn’t said I wouldn’t, then I wouldn’t have known.”

“I don’t know. I don’t think you did it.”

“You’re giving me high praise.”

Hanho smiled as if he felt good.

“Anyway, I felt the same way you said. So what about you, are you going to be king?”

“…I have no thoughts.”

Asadal’s republic has now been accepted to some extent, and its political system is maturing without major problems.

In the meantime, I have no intention of overthrowing the republic… not even a bit. If we continue to grow well like we are now, we might completely devour North China in a few decades. Why would I do something like that?

‘I can’t do something that Sejo would do.’

The icon of the Joseon Dynasty rebellion, who is more commonly known by the name ‘Grand Prince Suyang’ than by the name ‘Sejo’… His achievements as a king were not bad.

He was a capable man.

However, the reason he is considered the worst bastard in Joseon history is not just because he rebelled.

If that were the case, all the founders of the world would have been evaluated similarly.

His biggest problem isn’t incompetence or treason.

It is a complete destruction of the politics of benevolence and righteousness that Sejong had created throughout his life.

Originally, the order of Joseon was in disarray due to the rebellion of King Yi Seong-gye and the two princes’ rebellions.

And the king who succeeded in establishing this order was King Sejong, the greatest king in Joseon history.

During the reign of King Sejong, the royal family reigned as a model of benevolence and righteousness, and King Sejong himself displayed the aspect of an exemplary scholar-official more than anyone else. All officials followed King Sejong with benevolence and righteousness and served him with loyalty.

However, in the year of Gye-Yu.

All of this is destroyed when Prince Suyang kills Kim Jong-seo and takes over the palace.

Prince Suyang held important posts such as Yeonguijeongbu-sa and Yeongjiphyeonjeonsa, monopolizing military power and major government posts, and in order to secure his power, he gave numerous government posts to those who helped him.

Those whose names were on Han Myeong-hoe’s death list were killed in Yukjo Street, and the six loyal ministers and the six loyal ministers were killed after being brutally tortured.

Sejo captured and killed these people, even violating the Gyeongguk Daejeon, a law he had ‘personally’ created.

Sejong’s older brother Yangnyeong, the eldest member of the Lee family who should have prevented such a thing, did not stop Suyang, but rather supported him as if he had been waiting for Grand Prince Suyang.

The loyal ones died, and the traitors lived.

Those who practiced benevolence did not end well, and those who carried out merciless purges survived to the end.

Where is the humanity in this appearance?

Everyone realized that politics is not about humanity.

Politics is a fierce battle, a struggle for survival, a tightrope walk and a power struggle.

like that.

The passion and benevolence that had created and led the nation of Joseon came to an end in the year of Gye-yu. The politics of benevolence and righteousness that Sejong had devoted his entire life to, even to the point of losing his eyesight, were mercilessly destroyed by his son.

And I.

I’m afraid I’ll become Sejo.

I am afraid of becoming Duke Huan of Qi, I am afraid of becoming Robespierre, I am afraid of becoming Emperor Qianlong. Can we say that the countless leaders who were unable to resist the temptations around them and ruined their countries are far from me?

“I don’t think I’m strong enough to resist all these temptations.”

“No, you are strong.”

Hanho said after hearing what I said.

“You know yourself and try to prepare yourself. That’s proof of strength. Rather, it’s weak to ignore it, turn a blind eye, and wait until it grows bigger before being eaten.”

“…Is that so?”

“Anyway, in my experience… there’s only one way in those cases. Trust me.”

“What?”

“What you made.”

Hanho laughed.

“I believe in the people you gathered and the Asadal you created. What is Asadal? Is it a country that will collapse if you leave it alone? Is what you and I created that flimsy?”

“…Absolutely not.”

“That’s right, absolutely not. It’s like raising a child. When they’re young, you have to be there for them and do everything you can for them. But when they’re over ten… at that point, whether they die or live, they’re the ones who die. Parents only have to raise them until they’re ten. If parents continue to be around, the child will eventually forget how to walk on their own.”

… 10 years old?

By 21st century standards, this is something that would appear right at Dr. Oh’s Golden Counseling Center, but in this day and age… well, let’s just say it is.

“Besides, you gave a lot to Asadal.”

“A lot?”

“That… ‘Supasu Route’… Oh, man, that’s hard to pronounce. Anyway, why did they make that ‘Spice Road’ thing?”

“To give back.”

I know of many nomadic empires throughout history.

Sui dynasty, Liao dynasty, Mongolia, (strictly speaking, not a nomadic people) Jin dynasty, Qing dynasty.

Things like Attila’s Hun Empire and the Gokturk Empire.

When we see things like this, we often think:

Nomads expand incredibly quickly and take over countries incredibly quickly.

The nomadic mulberry is rising.

However, this is only half true.

In reality, the movements of nomadic peoples were much more frequent than this.

There must have been at least hundreds of units. The nomadic empires we know of are only the ‘successful’ ones.

So why are they fast?

On horseback?

That’s true too, but… if you don’t hurry, you’ll fail.

A nomad is like a truck with a broken steering wheel.

Their basic stats are poor, and most of the resources needed to advance are obtained through plunder.

If you stop, it’s over.

Either you eat it all or you explode without eating it.

However, I do not want Asadal to become a ‘rising’ country like this.

I want a country where I can return to even if I fail, and where I can plan for the future by excelling at the basics.

“That’s why I thought I would make many roads for Asadal.”

“That’s right. We’ve developed agriculture, mining, industry, and even commerce. There’s no place we haven’t touched. And if the ‘Spice Road’ is completed… it’ll be perfect.”

“Yes.”

“Okay, so what are you going to do next?”

“I haven’t thought about it yet.”

“Then don’t think about it.”

Hanho said.

“Just do it up to there.”

“…Just up to here?”

“Yes. It doesn’t have to be you.”

***

In my past life, and in this life.

At one point, I was running.

Only then could I survive.

-The world doesn’t have to be me.

In the 21st century, I was a graduate student who couldn’t even become a professor. While people around me were passing exams, becoming professors, and getting jobs at companies, I was just a graduate student.

I had to run for the world to pick me up.

I had no idea what my life would become if I stopped here. So I ran and died.

It’s been the same since I came here.

My tribe, the Celestials. The same goes for them.

It didn’t have to be me.

That’s why I had to become someone who was needed.

To survive.

So, at first, I raised a tribe to protect myself. I eliminated the sacrifices that might have been taken for granted, and I raised my fighting power so that I wouldn’t be destroyed by the tiger and bear tribes.

I’ve killed people, I’ve taken over countries, I’ve carried out executions, and I’ve decided on war.

At some point, instead of growing the tribe for me… I was carving myself out for the tribe.

At some point, I stopped putting ‘me’ in ‘me’.

The 21st century reincarnation of Lee Ju-yong became Poongbaek Bulson.

He became the Garap Pungbaek Bulson of the Cheonsin Tribe.

He became the son of Asadal’s Pungbaek.

All those titles were like my hands and feet.

As I grew, the size of my life also grew.

From my survival to the survival of my tribe.

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From survival of the tribe to survival of descendants.

And further, to the survival of the nation.

To save all of that.

I have no choice but to run.

But, Hanho said now.

“You’ve done enough. You’ve accomplished a lot, and no one is chasing you. So… you can stop running. You’re Asadal’s father, not Asadal himself.”

Said.

At that point, I look around.

Hanho is right.

Nothing is chasing me.

Have you been running so hard that you’re out of breath that you’ve forgotten why you run?

“Take a rest.”

… It’s so ironic.

Because Hanho was the first person who started running with me after coming to this world.

And at the same time.

In both my lives, he was the first person to tell me, ‘It’s okay to stop running.’

“It doesn’t have to be you.”

I laughed when I heard that.

Those words that have made me anxious at countless moments throughout my past and present life.

Those words that made me run.

Doesn’t it feel like a comfort right now?

“After retirement, I’ll stay in Seorabeolbu. I’ll see Songha get married, and I’ll see my grandchildren. Oh, and I’ll write a lot of books, just like you did for me.”

“…Really, is that okay?”

“That’s okay. Look at me.”

Hanho chuckled.

“You won’t go back to Asadal without me?”

“…No.”

“And you’re better than me?”

“Where are you going?”

“I entrusted the country to someone like you… but couldn’t you entrust it to someone like Barang, Gwan-o, or Agol? How reliable are you?”

At those words, I ended up laughing out loud like Hanho.

“That’s true. They’re all much better than me.”

“Okay. Well, let’s stop here. And then, while you and I have some ‘coffee’ and play some chess… let’s see what the kids do.”

Those comforting words.

I laughed.

“Once this is over, I will definitely do that.”

“okay.”

Hanho laughed.

“Do that.”

***

It’s already been 7 years since I started dating Barang.

The year is 681 BC.

In the Central Plains, Song Yuyeol of the Song Dynasty, with the help of Jiang Xiaobai of the Qi Dynasty, killed the traitor Namgung Zhangman and ascended to the throne as the Duke of Song.

But from Song Yuyeol’s point of view, it seems that his country was a bit too close. How could a marquis of barbarian origin (Jiang Taigong was not Han Chinese but Jiang Chinese) tell him, a duke and a descendant of the Shang Dynasty, to give him persimmons and dates?

Accordingly, Song Yuyeol broke off the alliance with his country. Then, next spring, Duke Huan of Qi will lead his troops and declare war on the Song Dynasty.

‘It ended in a draw, I guess?’

After that, it becomes a boys’ comic. The guys who were fighting to the death until yesterday suddenly become friends and join hands to defeat Ye, Seo, and Cho.

It’s not an exaggeration. At this time, the Je-Song duo were the main characters of the Spring and Autumn Period.

‘Even their nicknames are the same, Hwan-gong? Song Eo-yeol, the Duke of Song Hwan, and Jiang So-baek, the Duke of Je-hwan.’

‘Hwan’ is similar to Joseon’s ‘Se’.

As we can see from Sejong, who drove out the Jurchen and conquered the north, and Sejo, who drove out his nephew and conquered Gyeongbokgung Palace, it is a title usually given to a conquering monarch.

So, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that they are Song Sejong and Je Sejong… something like that. That’s why Asadal needs to be as friendly as possible with Je for the time being. If you mess with that wrong, it could really be completely destroyed.

Moreover, they have something else in common.

In both cases, the country is left in turmoil after death.

After the death of Duke Huan of Qi, Jiang Xiaobai, the state of Qi was shaken by the treachery of his officials, and after the death of Duke Huan of Song, Song Yuyeol, the famous Duke of Song Yang ascended to the throne.

The feudal lord of Zeng was late for an appointment, so he boiled it in a pot and ate it.

They say that a surprise attack is a cowardly act, and that waiting until the enemy is ready and then ending the war… .

He is a great fool who couldn’t wait for what he should have waited for, and waited well for what he shouldn’t have waited for.

To summarize, the Je Song Duo will rule the Spring and Autumn Period for the next 40 years or so.

From then on, it’s all downhill for both of them, so if Asadal is running towards the central plains, this will be their chance.

And if we go a little further west from here… this is the year that Sennacherib was assassinated by his son.

‘The problem of crowning the crown prince.’

Sennacherib chose his fifth son, Ersahidon, instead of his second son, Ardamurisu, as the crown prince, and Ardamurisu, enraged by this, stabbed his father, Sennacherib.

If we compare it to Joseon history… It would be like Prince Yangnyeong getting angry at Lee Do becoming crown prince and stabbing Lee Bang-won?

But the rebellion did not last long. As soon as Ardamurisu sat on the throne, he was driven out by Ersahiddon. It was not for nothing that Sennacherib made his fifth son the crown prince. He must have done so because he was a promising tree.

In 681 BC, an exciting sword fight was taking place in two regions with no clear intentions.

I met with Baran and told him about my intention to retire.

Then, Baran’s expression was quite something.

‘Here you go again, old man… .’

Something like that.

Until then… it might have been like that.

But now I’m 100% serious.

I recently opened up about my recent experience with ‘ear thinning syndrome’ and also shared my conversation with Hanho.

Baran, who had been listening to my story carefully, only then nodded.

“Then… good.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Please retire. Just finish this job.”

Baran surprisingly readily accepted my retirement. From Baran’s perspective, it seems he had no intention of making me work until I die.

“…This time, don’t do anything useless.”

“I don’t.”

Baran said firmly.

“And, I too… feel uncomfortable if I continue to leave the work to Elder Poongbaek.”

“What are you going to do if I don’t wash my face?”

“If that happens, won’t Asadal look like a country that can’t be returned to without Elder Poongbaek?”

Barang laughed. He, too, as one of the people who created Asadal, had endless pride in Asadal.

“I promise you on my honor. As soon as you finish this job, just retire. I won’t catch you.”

like that.

The incident where Poongbaek requested resignation for the fifth time but it was not accepted… did not happen.

With the Spice Route finally completed, my retirement was decided.

It was absolutely necessary.

It was a good thing.

***

But anyway, you have to do what you have to do.

I had no intention of abandoning my work and leaving.

While I was up north, I looked for officials to see what was going on with the currency.

“What, why is a pig wandering around?”

I looked at the fat beast and thought, Did a pig escape from the barn?

But upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a pig.

“Why, why?”

If you listen to the sound of the cry, you can be sure of it. Pigs don’t cry “Kuruk guruk”, they don’t cry “Why?” So, that’s not a pig… .

“Ashurbanipal! You are here!”

“Why, why!”

It was only after Shum came running that I realized that the animal was not an escaped pig.

‘… Is that a wildcat? Not a pig?’

To be honest, I’m pretty embarrassed.

And the reason became apparent soon enough.

“I have to eat!”

“Why!”

Shum offered all kinds of delicacies to Ashurbanipal. So… it seems that Ashurbanipal turned into a pig because of Shum’s excessive love(?).

“…Isn’t that giving too much?”

“I don’t feel that way… but still, since this guy is crying, how could I not give him food?”

While I was in Ryukyu, Shumu seemed to have become quite familiar with the Asadal language. And that’s not all.

“By the way, what are we doing here?”

“That is because His Majesty the Treasurer called me. Ah, that person… is the one who will soon become the sun of Asadal.”

Even his attitude has changed 180 degrees. Now, he is similar to the image of a ‘eunuch’ that is often mentioned. The feeling of sticking to the person in power and waving his hands.

“…Have you decided to invite Guan-O?”

“Of course.”

“…That’s fortunate.”

It seems that Shumu has already found a new master to serve. As the door of her heart began to open thanks to Agol’s animal therapy, Shumu changed beyond recognition.

“What does Asadal look like now?”

“Isn’t it a country that should be ranked second in the world? Right after Assyria. At least it can’t compare to the Aegyptus (Egyptian) or the Greeks. Of course, the Greeks and the Aegyptus are better at making buildings and statues… But those two are foolish enough to oppose Assyria, so Asadal comes in second.”

… Hmm, we gave the lantern to Skolot.

It was fortunate that Shum did not know that the Skoloth was the central force that allied with Babylonia in the original history to overthrow Assyria.

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