Chapter 59 : The Beginning
Chapter 59: The Beginning
Goguryeo decided to support Gao Soyi and Gao Bonyeong, the largest remaining faction of Northern Qi.
However, that did not mean they actively dispatched reinforcements to Northern Qi.
There was no reason to.
‘Military aid is only worth considering when a nation shows some promise of survival.’
None of the Goguryeo officials believed that Northern Qi could drive back Northern Zhou again.
They merely hoped it would become a thorn in Northern Zhou’s side as its last desperate resistance.
Moreover, there was another reason why military aid was not feasible.
It was the presence of the T’u-chüeh.
People often considered the T’u-chüeh allies of Goguryeo, but that was only during the Sui and Tang periods.
The current T’u-chüeh were not only estranged from Goguryeo but had even been thoroughly defeated by them. Wasn’t the current Supreme Chancellor Gogul the general who had crushed the T’u-chüeh?
At present, Northern Qi was desperately begging the T’u-chüeh for help.
Roughly speaking, they were saying, “If you help us strike Northern Zhou, we’ll treat you like an elder brother nation and even offer tribute,” and so on.
In response, the T’u-chüeh’s Tabalgaghan was hesitating, gauging the situation—‘Should I help them or not?’
If the Goguryeo army stepped in under these circumstances, then the T’u-chüeh would definitely not assist Northern Qi.
In this case, it was better for Goguryeo to back out. If the T’u-chüeh were willing to shed blood instead, why stop them?
Instead, Goguryeo supported in other ways.
“Armaments and provisions.”
Iron and food supplies.
The intention of ‘Take this and fight as best you can’ was blatantly obvious, but Gao Bonyeong didn’t mind.
After all, all diplomacy served the interests of one’s own nation.
“Thank you. His Majesty said, ‘Repay Goguryeo’s righteousness with gold.’”
Trying to hold out with just one province, they were not in a position to reject even the smallest offer of help.
In fact, Northern Qi was begging not only the T’u-chüeh but also the Khitan and Malgal of Northern Manchuria, throwing around empty promises like confetti.
Moreover, Gao Bonyeong himself also realized that to gain support from the T’u-chüeh, Goguryeo’s passive support was more beneficial. The nomadic warriors of the T’u-chüeh would be a far greater help than Goguryeo’s troops.
So.
‘There’s still a chance for us. If only Tabalgaghan sides with us!’
Even in such dire straits, Gao Bonyeong still believed he had hope.
Yuwen Yong captured the capital of Northern Qi in just five months and seized Gao Wei.
However, the war didn’t end there. Northern Qi loyalist forces kept rising up.
Yuwen Yong successfully crushed the rebel forces in Lu, Bing, and Sui Provinces one after another, but not all were subdued. Most notably, there was Fu Bok, the famed Northern Qi general who rose from Jungdan Fortress.
Originally, dealing with this region had been entrusted to Northern Zhou’s veteran, Wei Xiaokuan. He had earned the title of Grand Minister for his achievement of eliminating Guk Ryulgwang, Northern Qi’s most formidable general, with a single song.
Fu Bok triumphed over Wei Xiaokuan, showcasing his strength. Upon hearing the defeat, Yuwen Yong muttered gravely,
“Grand Minister Wei Xiaokuan is a strategist of exceptional brilliance, but at seventy, he is twice my age. I placed too great a burden on an old general.”
Once again, Yuwen Yong declared he would go down himself and deal with Fu Bok. Seeing this, Yang Jian let out a deep sigh.
‘His Majesty… will not live long.’
Yang Jian did not wish for Yuwen Yong’s death. But he wasn’t foolish enough to ignore reality either.
‘Then the next emperor would be Crown Prince Yuwen Yun.’
Crown Prince Yuwen Yun was also Yang Jian’s son-in-law.
Yang Jian’s daughter with Dugu Clan, Yang Yuhua, had married Yuwen Yun.
In that case, he wouldn’t just be the emperor’s father-in-law—he would be the emperor’s direct father.
‘…That’s something to consider later.’
Yang Jian turned his gaze to Gao Bonyeong’s army in Liaoxi. Along with Fu Bok in Jungdan Fortress, they were among the last remaining forces.
And also the strongest among them.
Gao Bonyeong, a collateral member of the royal family, chose not to declare himself emperor. Instead, he reinstated Gao Soyi, a legitimate royal of Northern Qi who had been in exile among the T’u-chüeh, thereby restoring Northern Qi’s legitimacy.
Through that legitimacy, he managed to rally the remaining local nobles and supporters of Northern Qi.
‘Had Gao Bonyeong declared himself emperor, the faction wouldn’t have grown this powerful.’
The gathered force numbered a staggering hundred thousand. Of course, since all regular troops had been decimated, they were nothing more than a ragtag militia.
But the problem was that this rabble held the natural fortresses of Yanqing and Imyugwan.
The area around Yanqing would later be called the ‘Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun,’ the largest defensive buffer of the Central Plains. It had been fortified since the Zhou dynasty fifteen hundred years ago to repel northern nomads.
And Imyugwan, which would later be relocated about 8 kilometers and come to be known as the legendary ‘Shanhai Pass,’ was a fortress among fortresses.
No matter how ragtag, sheer numbers and terrain could not be taken lightly.
“So this is how even a fallen great nation struggles to survive.”
A strange thought crossed Yang Jian’s mind.
If even a ruined state could resist to this degree, then what if a unified Central Plain fought to the death—how many could it mobilize?
He shook his head, brushing the thought away. It was a bad habit to indulge in fantasy amid urgent matters.
“What’s their current movement?”
“The remnants of Northern Qi are gathering Malgal and Khitan forces from Liaoxi.”
Once, Northern Qi had held firm control over Liaoxi. It had even surpassed what Northern Wei had achieved.
During Northern Wei’s time, they had shared Liaoxi with Goguryeo, but recently, as Goguryeo faltered, Liaoxi had effectively become Northern Qi territory. Goguryeo’s influence was limited to only the eastern part of Liaoxi.
But now, Northern Qi was in ruins, so why were the Malgal and Khitan following them?
Was it out of loyalty or trust?
Or because Northern Qi was promising lands south of the Great Wall, or offering to return Mount Qilian, which had been taken by the Xiongnu during the Han dynasty?
Of course not.
It was all nonsense.
Wouldn’t they need to win first to give anything?
Most likely, even the allies didn’t believe those words.
‘If things go south, they’ll pillage Northern Qi and flee, just like those Goguryeo soldiers did when they came to save Northern Yan….’
So what they truly aimed for was not Northern Zhou—but Northern Qi’s last scraps of meat.
Regardless of the truth, they were still quite a threat for now.
…But not yet insurmountable.
“And the T’u-chüeh?”
“Northern Qi most certainly sent an envoy to Tabalgaghan, but it seems they’ve yet to receive a reply.”
Tabalgaghan had not moved yet.
The arrogant T’u-chüeh supreme leader who once said, ‘If the two southern children behave, I will have nothing more to wish for.’
But that arrogance had some basis.
He often boasted of having 400,000 cavalrymen, and it probably wasn’t a complete lie.
In the world of nomads, all adult males could be considered soldiers without issue. Even Northern Zhou had once lost 60,000 captives when Tabalgaghan stormed into their capital, Chang’an, five years ago—so they knew the power he wielded.
Even Gao Wei, now captured and forced to dance at every banquet, had sought the support of the T’u-chüeh after seeing their military might. However, that alliance had never materialized.
Before the envoy Gao Wei sent could reach the T’u-chüeh, the capital Ye was already captured. The offer came, but the sender was already dead.
However, Northern Qi had now risen again in Yingzhou, led by Gao Soyi and Gao Bonyeong as a revival force.
Gao Bonyeong and Gao Soyi were doing everything they could to make the T’u-chüeh lend a hand—offering to treat them like an elder brother nation and provide tribute and silk.
The situation was absurd, but the outcome might not be.
Yang Jian clenched his fist tightly.
‘…At all costs, we must prevent the revival army of the T’u-chüeh and Northern Qi from joining hands.’
If the T’u-chüeh’s swift Mounted Archers were to unite with the sturdy fortresses of the local lords, it would be incredibly difficult to counter them.
For that reason, even Yuwen Yong of Northern Zhou was consistently probing for peace with the T’u-chüeh. Tabalgaghan was surely deliberating on which side would offer the sweetest deal.
‘That cunning man would want to forge an alliance that guarantees the greatest benefit.’
Moreover, there was another reason the T’u-chüeh couldn’t make a decision immediately—geopolitics.
The T’u-chüeh territory stretched long from east to west.
To the east, it touched the edge of Goguryeo; to the west, it reached Parsa (Persia) and Bulleum Gaesal Nation (Eastern Rome). No matter how quick they were as nomads, it was only natural that gathering their forces would take considerable time.
On top of that, there was the issue of seasons.
Nomads stayed in the north during warm seasons and moved south when it got cold. Since it was currently summer, the nomads of T’u-chüeh were likely still in the north.
‘Based on that, they probably won’t be able to mobilize for roughly six months.’
The greatest military strategy was to crush the enemy before they could even gather. The opportunity lay in the T’u-chüeh’s current diplomatic and geopolitical immobility.
“The Malgal and Khitan of Liaoxi are becoming their army, and Goguryeo is providing the food and weapons to feed and clothe them?”
“That’s correct, Grand General. Goguryeo is sending grain and iron to Northern Qi in exchange for gold.”
“Then, it’s Liaoxi, as expected.”
Across all ages and lands, the most effective way to collapse an army was not by slaughtering them all, but by cutting off their supply lines. Especially a force like the Northern Qi Revival Army, made up of spear-wielding peasants and hunting dogs ready to tear apart their master, needed no further comment.
‘They already don’t eat much, and if Goguryeo’s support is cut off, their collapse is only a matter of time.’
If that happened, the T’u-chüeh would again reject supporting Northern Qi for the same reason—‘because there’s no nation left to support.’
Yang Jian issued a command.
“Since it’s summer, most of the T’u-chüeh nomads should be in the north. We will use this gap to bypass the Yan Mountains and strike Liaoxi. We will attack the collaborators of Northern Qi in Liaoxi to cause confusion among their supporters and cut off Goguryeo’s aid to starve the enemy.”
At those words, Yang Jian’s cousin and most loyal subordinate, Yang Su, stepped forward.
“Please entrust it to me, Grand General!”
“No, you have many duties to handle by my side. Therefore, the one to lead this will be… Dugu Huang.”
Dugu Huang was a blood relative of Yang Jian’s wife, Lady Dugu, and one of his most trusted commanders.
“I entrust this to you. Lead the Armored Spear Cavalry. You won’t need siege warfare. Autumn is near—pillage the rear, sever the enemy’s provisions, and burn the harbors. Let Goguryeo, Khitan, Malgal, and all the rest know who the true master of the new era is.”
At that, Dugu Huang knelt and shouted with resolve,
“By Your Command!”
At a time when Dugu Huang’s deployment had yet to be made public—
Go Heul arrived at Gun’an Fortress.
“Supreme Chancellor, Grand General of the Three Armies, and Great Modal… I’m Go Heul. Just call me whatever you like.”
After Go Heul’s impactful self-introduction—
A meeting was soon convened in the headquarters.
Originally, the seat of honor in Gun’an Fortress’s headquarters was taken by Go San. He’d just done the same now. When Go San, unaware, sat in the highest seat and Go Heul remarked, ‘Then should I sit next to you?’ he finally flustered, bowed his head, and stepped aside.
‘Clearly, he’s not in his right mind.’
Well, who wouldn’t be on edge in this situation? Being composed here would be the truly odd thing. Seated at the head, Go Heul surveyed the situation at Gun’an Fortress.
“The soldiers I brought number 10,000 government troops. Combined with the 40,000 fortress troops in the area, that makes about 50,000 total.”
During the Sui war, Goguryeo’s defensive line in Liaodong was estimated at 100,000 troops. But now, it was half that—just 50,000.
It couldn’t be helped. That was 30 years later, after the reigns of King Pyeongwon and King Yeongyang, when Goguryeo’s national power had risen again.
As Goguryeo was only beginning to recover from the aftermath of the Rebellion of Chugun and Segun and barely mustering its forces, this was the limit.
But that was from my perspective—knowing the future. Go Heul’s stance was different.
“Fifty thousand… That’s much more than when I fought the T’u-chüeh 20 years ago. I like it.”
Back then, after the rebellion, the army Go Heul led against the T’u-chüeh was a mere 10,000. Even that was mostly fortress troops conscripted after the government army was nearly annihilated in the civil war.
And that wasn’t all. With too many nobles lost in the rebellion, there weren’t enough commanders or officials, and the war effort suffered.
On top of that, the northern public sentiment had turned, local conscription failed, and the Silla–Baekje Alliance had invaded from the south, causing chaos and cutting off central support…
Given all that, the fact that Go Heul managed to repel the T’u-chüeh in such conditions proved just how extraordinary he was.
‘Honestly, if not for Go Heul, Goguryeo might’ve fallen back then.’
His name value might fall short compared to Eulji Mundeok, Yeon Gaesomun, or the Lord of Ansi Fortress, but in terms of contribution, he could be considered Goguryeo’s Yi Sun-sin.
Then, the Go Heul who had once commanded 10,000 fortress troops almost alone now commanded 10,000 government troops and 40,000 fortress soldiers, alongside a fairly restructured officialdom.
Of course, compared to the era of King Gwanggaeto, when 50,000 government soldiers were frequently sent on foreign expeditions, it was still insufficient… but the important thing was that they were recovering.
This wasn’t just a sign of growing national strength—it was a result of political stabilization.
Now, the situation between the Central Palace and Pyeongyang Fortress had eased, the government army was being rebuilt, and the talent pool was returning to normal, so the national mobilization system was functioning properly.
Go Heul spoke.
“Also, among those I brought, there’s a Pyeonjeon Archer unit of 300 men.”
“Pyeonjeon Archer? What’s that?” Go San asked.
Instead of replying, Go Heul waved his command baton toward me.
“Not me—ask the guy who made it.”
“The guy who made it?”
“Ondal. That rascal made it.”
As Go Heul pointed at small me, the Great Modal, Yoksa, Choryeogeunji, Nuch’o, Garadal… all eyes focused on me.
Go San’s expression was particularly notable. He clearly disliked the spotlight shifting to me.
Naturally so. Until now, he’d been dancing a political balancing act with me, but now with Go Heul and even Go Yangseong pushing me forward, it must’ve felt dizzying.
I swallowed once and said,
“…Baby arrows are optimized for defense. They involve cutting down arrows before shooting them, so they weigh less and fly farther.”
“Indeed.”
Go Heul nodded.
“This was invented by Ondal and further developed by Wang Jun.”
“Wang Jun…?”
“Well, it’s not a name to be shouting in Domestic Fortress Faction areas, but seriously, are we still clinging to Domestic vs. Pyeongyang factions at this point? If so, should I just leave? I’m Pyeongyang Faction, after all.”
Go San looked like he wanted to say ‘please do’, but his words were different.
“Not at all. Without the Supreme Chancellor, how could we overcome this crisis?”
“Words…”
Go Heul continued,
“Next. This was written by Ondal back in his Gukjagam days. No need to read the whole thing, but in short… he predicted a war with Northern Zhou.”
No one here didn’t know that.
Because I’d gone around shouting it everywhere.
“Garadal Ondal, how do you think the enemy will come?”
The narrative was shifting around me.
This too might’ve been planned with Go Yangseong.
In other words, they were boosting me up now to make sure I got my proper share of credit this time.
‘If the Grand King’s royal campaign plus the Royal Son-in-law’s contribution brings victory, then King Pyeongwon’s plan to strengthen royal power is complete.’
Not that the season ended, but rather, it no longer needed to continue.
I answered.
“Since Gao Bonyeong is occupying Imyugwan in Liaoxi, the Northern Zhou would first consider sailing past it—but Yuwen Yong wouldn’t choose that route.”
“Right. Northern Zhou doesn’t have a coastline. They wouldn’t be used to naval battles. If they do come by sea, we’ll deploy naval forces from Jangsan Commandery and turn them into fish food.”
“Then the only remaining option is to circle around the Yan Mountains with a small force. Likely centered around their prized medium cavalry, the Armored Spear Cavalry, they’ll avoid siege battles and focus on cutting off the Northern Qi support route. In that sense, the most likely point of battle is…”
I pointed to a spot on the map.
“I would name this place—Baesan—as the location.”
The very place where, in original history, Ondal earned his merit and was recognized as a Royal Son-in-law.