The Yalu Choeje Assassination Incident
So, stuffing them full of soap is to our benefit. We emphasize that it wasn't us as much as possible, and as a bonus, we deliver the soap they want straight to them. What do you think?
"That makes sense. Assemble a delegation. Attach elite soldiers as escorts and shove the soap down the throat of that Mongol Khan out on the steppes."
"Understood, my lord."
Well, I thought that would wrap things up here, but there was one more issue to resolve today besides the Mongols.
"My lord, there is an urgent matter we must discuss. Our eunuch in the palace says that before Yalu Choeje returned home, he had a secret meeting with His Majesty the Emperor."
Right. Emperor Gojong had made a deal with the Mongols without consulting the Choe regime. This was something the Choe regime could not tolerate. It had been ages since royal authority had fallen, yet here he was stirring up trouble. Unlike Japan's shogunate, where the shogun ran everything independently, Goryeo's king still retained a modicum of prestige—at least on the surface. But it was an unspoken condition that the king do nothing.
Yet this king had held a secret meeting with a Mongol envoy. That alone suggested ulterior motives.
"What? What does that mean? That His Majesty settled matters with the Mongols without even consulting us?"
Exactly. The emperor met Yalu Choeje in private? What was that about? If he'd been properly hosting the Mongol envoy, there'd be no reason for secrecy. This smelled fishy.
"It's certain that Yalu Choeje left the meeting satisfied. But in the end, he crossed the Amnok River like he was fleeing, making excuses left and right."
"Did His Majesty try to bring in the Mongols?"
Bring in the Mongols. Why would the emperor want that? The military regime was the obvious answer. If the thriving military regime under the Choes continued, the imperial house would be in trouble. The emperor must have been trying to invite Mongol intervention before it was too late.
"If he wanted to bring in the Mongols, he must have aimed to dismantle the Eastern and Western Defense Commands."
"The emperor truly thought that?"
The Choe regime was Goryeo itself right now. All politics, military, and diplomacy flowed from us. For the emperor to cut us out and deal with the Mongols on his own? That was a clear declaration of intent to crush the Choe regime using Mongol power.
If I were Gojong's daughter, maybe I'd side with him. But as the daughter of the Choe house, I couldn't back the royal family.
"The emperor has lost all real power in your era, my lord. He clings only to empty prestige."
"General Jusuk, are you defending the imperial house?"
Daejipseong's threat made Jusuk shake his head. Jusuk would later fall out with Choi Hang and meet his end, but until then, he was a close ally of the Choe family. He wouldn't speak carelessly.
"I'm saying we must face harsh reality, my lord. The emperor is seething with resentment. Nothing he does would be surprising. And with the 'brotherly pact' already in place with the Mongols— if the younger brother, Goryeo's king, asks his elder brother, the Khan of the steppes, for aid, wouldn't that give them perfect justification for war?"
Brothers in name only—Goryeo was essentially a vassal state. When the lord of a great power had sworn brotherhood with the king of a small state like Goryeo, it was only natural to help if asked. So, what would Gojong request?
"How about this?"
"Does the Iron Cannon Commandant have an idea?"
Father called me by my official title in front of others. His retainers knew I was a parachute appointment, but as the regent's daughter, they couldn't ignore me.
"In Goryeo, the Eastern Defense Command is tied to the imperial house. But in Japan, the shogunate operates completely independently. The emperor there has been reduced to a mere cultural and religious figurehead. Goryeo still has a shred of authority left, and that's what led to this mess."
"What are you suggesting? That we run things like Japan's shogunate?"
Something like that, sure. But I was thinking beyond a simple shogunate—toward divine-right politics, and eventually something like a constitutional monarchy. With the Choe regime holding all the power, we could even pivot to a republic later. For now, reducing the emperor to a pure cultural and religious symbol wouldn't be bad.
"Exactly. Strip the imperial house of authority, leave the emperor as a symbol of dragon lineage, and exclude imperial power entirely from governance. Of course, this all assumes His Majesty truly tried to involve the Mongols through Yalu Choeje."
Let me sum it up. In original history, Gojong had been a quiet puppet. But here, he'd acted. Was this a turning point? Thanks to soap and reforms, his back was against the wall. The imperial house was on the brink of oblivion, so he'd lashed out.
Gojong's logic made a twisted kind of sense. His son Wonjong would later borrow Yuan strength to topple the military regime, becoming a son-in-law state. We'd later delude ourselves with national pride, claiming ties to Genghis Khan's golden lineage. Given the era, Goryeo couldn't handle the Mongols alone, so it wasn't entirely wrong. The problem was the king seeking Mongol aid instead of solving things himself.
Gojong was just a variation on the same theme.
"If your guess is right, Lady, the emperor has lost his mind. Isn't he trying to sell the country?"
"The Eastern and Western Defense Commands are Goryeo itself. Is the emperor trying to sell the nation?"
Father sounded exasperated. The emperor turning from the Choe regime meant open hostility. Choosing distant Mongols over the Choes right next door? Utter folly. At least in modern times, technology bridged oceans—America could protect Korea across the Pacific. But this era was different.
Gojong had miscalculated. The military regime was right there. We could strike before Mongol troops arrived. He might think this was his last chance to suppress the Choes.
"At least it's fortunate. With Yalu Choeje dead, the emperor's actions might come to light. Better to force an explanation and let it blow over."
If Yalu Choeje had relayed Gojong's words intact, the Mongols would have no choice but to send troops. How could they ignore a vassal brother's plea against tyrannical regents?
"Just in case, put the palace under surveillance."
"And if it's true?"
"We'll drag down an emperor who doesn't even know who put him there."
Choi U's eyes gleamed sharply. Those eyes must have mirrored his father Choi Chungheon's when he toppled an emperor.
Iron Cannon Command. I approached Kim Injun, who was fiddling with the gunpowder, and dangled his slave contract with a smirk.
"Miss, I don't know what this is about, but today's production is short. I'm busy."
Anyone hearing would think I was some spoiled brat waving a slave deed around.
"Do you know what this is?"
"What is it?"
"Your slave contract. Your family doesn't have one of these, right?"
"If I had it, would I still be a slave?"
He looked at me pitifully. Lately, the hierarchy between us felt a bit blurred. Was this still master-slave? I'd worked him hard, but he wasn't broken yet.
"Want it?"
"Pardon?"
I was teasing about burning it, but Kim Injun stared like I'd spouted nonsense. What was with that look at your master? Don't you like me? Even after I burned your slave deed before?
"Why?"
"Doesn't it mean 'pay taxes and live free'? I'm a Choe household slave—better than common ones. I'm grateful you're thinking of me, but taxes would starve me. Have some pity on us slaves."
A slave dreaming of freedom would weep at his slave mentality. He'd heard about tax collectors, apparently. This guy was getting cocky. I'd been spoiling him lately, and now he was full of himself.
"No, if you're a slave, I can't push you as hard as I want. I need to give you an official post in the Iron Cannon Command to assign more work, but as a slave, options are limited. Even as our family slave, without an office, I can't just order you around freely."
Kim Injun was a political slave. No official rank, yet handling state secrets. A slave in such an organization was problematic. He needed at least a nominal post.
"I want to slap the me who was touched for a second. Do whatever's convenient, Miss."
Hmm, that meant leaving it to me. I pondered the slave contract, then recalled his NTR antics in original history. I didn't know the details—just records—but he'd stolen Father's woman. Father, knowing Kim Jun (a former slave) had an improper relationship with his concubine, still favored him immensely.
From a daughter's view, I couldn't stand by. Well, mostly because Kim Jun worked under me now. A subordinate sleeping with Father's concubine? That'd sour things.
"By the way, do you like stealing other men's women?"
"Why would I? Now or later, if I'm serving you, Miss, no other woman would catch my eye."
Ooh. For a moment, my heart swelled with emotion. Too bad it was meaningless flattery.
"A slave with no filter."
Not even dreaming of the unattainable tree.
"No, women just tire me out that much."
At his age, past twenty? What nonsense.
"What did I do?"
Women tired because of me? Ridiculous. I hadn't done anything scandalous. Whined? Nah. Just ordered him around like a pushover. Made him do stuff I started but hated? Hmm, maybe the last two.
"How could a slave complain to you, Miss? Handle the contract as you see fit. Father gave it to you, treating me as your property, right?"
"Oh, is that how it works?"
Roast or boil me, whatever. But if I burned it, wouldn't he bolt?
"If I burn this, you'll run off to avoid taxes, right?"
"Even if I wanted to, could I? You'd never let me. And emancipation means a salary from the Choe house—where else pays that well? I'd probably stay."
"Hmm, maybe."
"Plus, keeping me as a slave isn't bad for you, Miss."
"Me? Why?"
"You're specially favored for weapon development, but I'm just a slave past twenty, no exams passed. Promoting a freed slave straight to a new department's official? People would talk. And the Iron Cannon Command is special—not like regular offices."
True. No choice, then. I'd table it for now. Ahem. If he wanted slave play, I'd manage him as master.
Now, to business.
"How many Iron Cannons can we produce?"
"How many are you expecting?"
"At least plan for maximum output over five years."
We needed at least 10,000 for concentrated firepower. Ideally 20,000.
"That much? Over 10,000, assuming max production."
"10,000 it is. Hmm."
10,000 could claim a spot in the army. But to ideally smash Mongol cavalry in open battle, we needed solid numbers.