Chapter 53 : Influx
Chapter 53: Influx
Soyong’s skill with Goryeo Myosan was abysmal.
It had already far surpassed the level of simply being clumsy at something tried for the first time.
“Ah, so this is what the battlefield looks like from above. Hooh….”
People of the 21st century were accustomed to top-down views.
Whether Google Earth, drone footage, video games, or even navigation systems, there were many opportunities to see the world from above.
But this era was different.
Even maps were objects that only a select few people could see.
And among those ‘select few people’ were National Academy Students, so they were used to top-down views.
However, Soyong, who was not, found the very idea of a top view unfamiliar.
Commanders, when giving orders to their subordinates, only told them what to do, not the situation at large.
What commanders truly wanted were not soldiers who thought for themselves, but soldiers who never questioned orders and only executed them.
And there was a reason beyond unfamiliarity as well.
“I’ll stop them here.”
“Stop here? That’s a bad decision.”
“The front is a dead ground….”
The word dead ground first appeared in Sunzi’s Art of War.
Its meaning was not ‘a place where one must surely die’ but rather ‘a place where one dies unless one escapes quickly.’
Of course, depending on the circumstances, there were times when one had to enter it.
But Soyong could not do that.
“Ah, this is… really hard….”
Soyong might have felt as if he himself were being thrown in.
Still, there was at least something he liked.
“Oh, do horses actually run away?”
“Yeah. If you roll the dice and their ‘morale’ value doesn’t reach the target, they flee.”
“Hmm, better than baduk or janggi, then. In those, there’s no running away.”
Perhaps Soyong glimpsed a fragment of humanity there.
Still, there were also good points.
“But if they’re going to run, why not run sooner? Why do they wait until half of them are dead? Are they all Royal Army?”
“Be more precise.”
“It’s blocked here, isn’t it? In a place like this, once you’re separated even a little, it feels like you’re the only one in the world, so you lose the will to fight. On a flat plain, maybe not… but the commander is too far away, isn’t he? If the commander is far away, the place feels exactly like a dead ground.”
Through this conversation, I could clearly understand the difference between the ‘soldier the commander imagines’ and the ‘actual soldier.’
I revised Goryeo Myosan once more.
[Lower all soldier morale values by 1.]
[Raise all commander morale-boosting values.]
[Double morale decline rates for losses sustained in forests.]
[Double the rate of combat effectiveness loss when rest is insufficient.]
[Halve the combat strength of soldiers who have gone a day without food.]
Commanders wanted soldiers to be machines, while soldiers wanted commanders to be human.
However, more often than not, it was the opposite.
I wrote this section in detail and sent it to Eulji Mundeok, who was currently at the National Academy.
And thus.
My <Goryeo Myosan> gradually gained a little more realism.
A short rest disappeared like melting snow, and I was once again thrown into heavy labor… or rather, I wasn’t.
‘Damn, they’re not making me do anything.’
Go San openly kept me in check.
Even in the regular staff meetings, my speaking rights were heavily limited.
That didn’t mean he bullied me.
On the contrary, Go San treated me well, with the attitude of, ‘Relax, take it easy.’
But I wasn’t a fool.
Everyone else was running around, while I alone sat idle— that itself was torture.
Go San tormented me with special treatment, and people’s eyes on me soured as well.
‘Damn bastard.’
Still, even Go San had no choice but to rely on me when it came to farming.
My role as Garadal was exactly as I had expected.
“Take charge of the military farms.”
The military farms cultivated by soldiers.
As Sunzi said, seizing one seom of the enemy’s grain was equivalent to securing twenty seom of one’s own.
Because transporting supplies from the rear was an enormous difficulty.
Similarly, Sunzi also said that transporting for five hundred li meant losing three years’ worth of food, and for one thousand li could shake a nation.
That was why the saying went, “Even the strongest crossbow is blocked by a strand of silk beyond a hundred paces” — the end of a strong crossbow.
In other words, the most superior supply method was localized self-sufficiency, and so Goguryeo’s fortress defense system naturally included self-sufficient military farms.
Thus, my task was to begin with the military farm at Gun’an Fortress and, by spreading my <Agricultural Light Law> across the Liaodong region, where prominent fortresses such as Liaodong Fortress and Ansi Fortress clustered, raise their yields.
Go San said:
“If there’s anyone useful, go ahead and use them.”
“Then I’ll take Soyong.”
“Soyong? What does he do?”
“He’s a Deputy Judge.”
“Deputy Judge? Do as you like.”
Nice, he’s cool about it.
Well, this farming matter was immensely important to Go San as well.
Even if he saw me as a potential rival, he could not block me in farming.
I inspected the area nearby.
“At least there’s a latrine here.”
A fortress was a place where thousands of soldiers lived together.
Gun’an Fortress alone housed five thousand soldiers at all times, with more during wartime.
If they relieved themselves indiscriminately, there would be outbreaks of plague, and in any case, Goguryeo people loved cleanliness.
Even Chinese histories remarked that the traits of Goguryeo people were speed, cleanliness, and lewdness.
“Whew, the smell.”
The stench of the latrine was beyond vile.
To describe it: a pit was dug, and wooden planks were placed across it.
One relieved oneself atop the planks, then scooped water from a bucket nearby to wash.
One had to scoop and wash.
Any bastard who dunked his rear directly into the bucket out of laziness was punished under military law.
Hanged, in other words.
For cleanliness-loving Goguryeo people, filth was a grave crime.
Afterward, the pits were emptied regularly.
Normally, the contents were thrown downstream, but since my <Agricultural Light Law> had already spread in this region, the night soil dug from the pits was stacked in piles behind the fortress.
They had put in some effort, but to my eye as a fertilizer expert, there were many unsatisfactory points.
“This one is overdone, and this one underdone. The earthworms are dead, see? A well-cured fertilizer is full of earthworms. Spread this, and it’ll only poison the crops.”
“Really? We worked hard to make it… what should we do?”
“First, gather some rotted grass from around here. Cover it with that, and it should be fine.”
At my words, the northern lords gathered there lit up with interest.
They too had come to verify the details of my farming methods.
Many faces resembled those Domestic Fortress Faction brats I had seen at the National Academy— fathers, uncles, or otherwise related.
To win their goodwill, I explained diligently.
After all, farming was all I could do.
If farming was what I was allowed, then through farming I had to raise my standing as much as possible.
That was also Boknyeo’s third political principle: Do your utmost in what you can do.
“When you squeeze it in your hand and it sticks just a little, that’s the best condition. Spread fertilizer like this, and soldiers will all get stomach aches. It would also be good to have the soldiers search for cordyceps nearby.”
“Cordyceps? Is someone sick?”
“No. Once you find cordyceps, grind it finely, cultivate it, and spread it in the fields. It’s excellent for killing parasites.”
“Quickly, write down what Ondal is saying!”
“Yes, sir!”
The retainers and monks at their side scribbled down my words quickly.
Thus, Ondal’s farming lecture carried on.
And the results were excellent.
“Could you come visit our village sometime?”
“Well, if I have time later….”
“Please. I’ll be waiting.”
From afar, I caught sight of Go San watching me askance.
From the look on his face, this scene didn’t please him.
But even so, he couldn’t really interfere.
If he tried to check me here, he himself wouldn’t come out unscathed.
‘This is unbearably awkward.’
Go San and I made each other uncomfortable.
But when we faced one another, we hid it and smiled broadly.
‘Feels like playing a multiplayer board game.’
One of those games where everyone aimed for first place, yet had to cooperate when necessary.
And so, time passed into August of the year 576.
Kim Sammaekjong of Silla, unable to overcome the grief of losing his eldest son, Crown Prince Dongryun, finally passed away.
And in Silla, a succession dispute arose.
However, it was not a bloody struggle like in Goguryeo.
They fought with tongues.
“Crown Prince Dongryun’s son, Grandson Kim Baekjeong, is still far too young.
Moreover, Baekje is currently gathering troops.
So rather than placing the child Kim Baekjeong on the throne, would it not be more fitting to seat the Crown Prince’s younger brother, Kim Saryun, who is already grown?”
“Geochilbu! To hear you speak, one would think Kim Baekjeong is but fifteen or sixteen!
He too is already an adult, is he not?
How could you pass over the son of the Crown Prince and seat the Crown Prince’s younger brother?
What kind of succession law is that?
I fear what storm of blood this wrong precedent will bring to Silla.”
There were two candidates for the throne.
The Grandson Kim Baekjeong, son of Crown Prince Dongryun, and Kim Saryun, the Crown Prince’s younger brother.
Thus, nephew and uncle contended for the throne.
In terms of legitimacy, naturally Grandson Kim Baekjeong held the higher claim.
However, Kim Geochilbu, the fifth-generation descendant of King Naemul and head of the traditional True Bone faction, gathered his forces and opposed it vehemently.
And he had good reason.
“The late king was overly considerate toward the Gaya lineage, and Grandson Kim Baekjeong has inherited that relationship.
If Kim Baekjeong becomes king now, we shall again be treated like cold rice!”
“Indeed. How many years did Elder Isabu and Elder Geochilbu dedicate to Silla?
This was an injustice by the late king.”
At seventy-five years of age, Geochilbu’s life was remarkable.
Though a scion of the highest nobility, being a fifth-generation descendant of King Naemul, founder of the Kim royal house, he did not shun dirty work.
In his youth, he even lived in Goguryeo disguised as a monk for over twenty years, stealing information.
After returning to Silla, he compiled the National History, contributed to diplomacy with the Western Land as one of Silla’s finest scholars of Chinese letters, and used his experience to establish Hwarangdo.
When Isabu, a fourth-generation descendant of King Naemul, passed away, Geochilbu naturally became leader of the Naemul line’s Old Kim faction and guided the nation.
The more capable he was, the more infuriating it was that the New Kim faction of Gaya lineage, men like Kim Sejong and Kim Muryeok, were favored instead.
So long as King Jinheung, an outstanding monarch, lived, Geochilbu had been cautious… but now, with the king dead, this was the chance to reclaim Silla’s center from the Gaya Kims.
Thus, Kim Geochilbu supported Kim Saryun, the Crown Prince’s younger brother, instead of Grandson Kim Baekjeong, who was backed by the Gaya faction, and stirred the succession dispute.
Geochilbu spoke.
“The one more fitting for king is not the Grandson, but Kim Saryun.
The Grandson is still too young to take on the affairs of state.”
“I agree. Kim Saryun, the Crown Prince’s younger brother, seems more suitable for kingship than the Grandson.”
At this, Ach’an Kim Sejong, head of the Gaya Kim faction, elder brother of Kim Muryeok, and Crown Prince Dongryun’s father-in-law, shouted in fury.
“Nonsense! You traitors!
The late king has only just passed, and you presume to appoint a new king at will?”
“That’s right! Besides, is it not widely said that Kim Saryun’s conduct is poor?
And does Kim Saryun himself even wish to be king?
Are you not forcing him onto the throne?”
“How dare you wag your tongues so recklessly!”
Countless votes were taken, but no unanimity came.
The council dragged on endlessly.
Yet this seemingly endless debate ended in an instant.
“Damn it, this is no time to quarrel!
News has come that Buyeo Chang is advancing with his army!”
“That mad warmonger again!”
As always, it was an external threat that forced Silla’s factions into order.
At Buyeo Chang’s reckless attack, the two sides of the Hwabaek Council hurried into a grand compromise.
This time, the Gaya faction yielded.
“Very well, let us enthrone Kim Saryun as Lord Geochilbu says.
And we shall even accept Lord Geochilbu as Sangdaedeung.
In return, in this war against Baekje, our Gaya Kims shall take the lead.”
“…Agreed.”
Thus, the one who inherited the throne was Kim Saryun, later called King Jinji.
Swiftly, Kim Saryun took measures to block Baekje.
“I appoint Geochilbu as the new Sangdaedeung.”
As soon as he became king, he invested Geochilbu, the Naemul line leader who had raised him to the throne, with the authority of Sangdaedeung.
“Kim Sejong, take command of the army and repel the Baekje raiders!”
He made Kim Sejong, leader of the Gaya faction, a General, thereby granting him military power.
One became Sangdaedeung, one became General.
Thus, the Old Kims and New Kims, thanks to Baekje, struck a grand compromise.
And so, at a fortress in western Silla, Kim Sejong and Buyeo Chang confronted one another.
“What’s this old man? Bring me Kim Muryeok, the one who severed my father’s head!”
“You cur! I, Kim Sejong, am that Kim Muryeok’s elder brother and father-in-law!”
“…Huh? Elder brother and what?”
For a moment, Buyeo Chang’s speech center froze, but realizing his opponent was a Sillan, he forced himself to reply.
“What nonsense pedigree is this! Even the stallion in our stable has a cleaner lineage than yours!”
“What does lineage matter?
A younger brother is never greater than his elder, so today I shall take your head!”
Thus unfolded the clash between weakened Silla, shaken by its king’s death and succession dispute, and Baekje, whose internal order had been steadied.
And on that day.
“The Baekje army is retreating!”
“Chase them! Slaughter them all!”
“Just because Silla weakened doesn’t mean Baekje grew strong, right?”
Buyeo Chang lost once more.
The Silla army under Kim Sejong took 3,700 Baekje heads in a resounding victory, and, having crushed the enemy’s main force, counterattacked to seize Gyejoksanseong (present-day Daejeon).
“If we march on through Ilyasanseong (Iksan) to the capital Sabi, Baekje will not withstand it and will perish! Let us end Baekje with our own hands!”
The Silla army ravaged Baekje territory in unstoppable momentum.
This southern clash was surely a boon for Goguryeo.
However, in the west, things only descended further into chaos.
In the winter of 576.
Monks and envoys who had been dispatched to Northern Qi hurried back with news.
“Northern Zhou has attacked Northern Qi!”
Yuwen Yong, who had failed to conquer Northern Qi last year, roused himself again and launched another assault.
This great beast would, this time, surely sever Northern Qi’s breath and then turn even upon Goguryeo.
Without doubt.
1. King Naemul is regarded as Silla’s semi-ancestor, for from his time the royal house shifted from the Seok clan to the Kim clan, and the title Maripgan came into use.
Later, from King Jijeung’s time, the title King began to be used.
2. According to records, King Jinpyeong of Silla was said to be eleven cheok tall, or 253 cm.
It is unlikely he was truly so tall, but there is a high chance he was indeed a large man.