Teachings
Choi Yeon left her father's chambers with a dazed expression, utterly unlike her usual self. Normally, the girl clung to him calling "Father, Father," acting like some seductive fox spirit.
"My lord, she's still just a young lady."
"Young she may be, but she's my daughter gunning for the successor's seat. She brings up the mountain spirit and all sorts of things—whether that's real or her own power, that girl has proven her worth. Watch. Is this the kind of strategy a girl her age could come up with?"
Iron cannons. Wagon fort formations. The great battle on the Gwiju plains. All of it had come straight from that child's mind.
A daughter with looks that stirred the hearts of men in Gaegyeong was showing genius-level talent in strategy and tactics, fields that seemed utterly unrelated. If it was the mountain spirit's power, then the spirit had chosen her as successor. If it was her own ability, she was indispensable for the Choi clan's thousand-year legacy.
That matchlock thing too—iron cannon, was it? Where the hell did she get technology like that? From what he'd heard, the foundation for using those weapons came from tech held by the northern or southern dynasties. A weapon no other country had, built on that base. Matchlocks. She was busily producing them using resources brought in by recent migrants from the central plains and Song merchants.
Her own power backed it up, sure, but Manjong wasn't like Manjeon. Two little brothers building their strength for their big sister. What would Yeon do with them? Could she really cut the throats of the brothers trying to protect her?
It wouldn't have come to this if Yeon had just married Kim Yakseon in the first place.
"That's true, but..."
"Or are you saying hand it over to that Kim Yakseon who didn't marry my daughter?"
Kim Yakseon wasn't some great catch either. A wastrel notorious for his lewd affairs with countless women.
"But you said we need to seize Manjong and Manjeon, my lord."
To Park Songbi, those two didn't seem like real threats. But Choi U thought differently. They weren't threats to Choi Yeon now. The world was unpredictable, though. If Yeon won everyone's hearts, fine—but her future reforms might spark backlash. Then those malcontents could use the boys, useless as they were.
She'd have to prove she inherited Choi U's blood by beheading her own brothers.
"Can a tree stay still when the wind won't let it?"
"True, but isn't it heartbreaking?"
Heartbreaking, yes—that pretty face and delicate hands would be stained with blood.
"If she gives up the successor's seat, maybe. But to claim it, she must cut down even her own blood. You know what happened to my brother Hyang, don't you, Park Songbi? We've been too soft on the world until now."
Pitiful as she looked wandering off in a daze, power demanded it. If she'd been a son, he might have shown mercy—but she was a woman. She needed to show a fiercer side. If she couldn't make that call, she wasn't fit to be successor.
This position of military regent couldn't afford a hint of weakness. How much blood had his father spilled seizing it from Yi Uimin? And he'd spilled plenty himself, even if not quite that much. Times were stable now, but considering Yeon was a woman, she'd need to see her share of blood.
"Manjong and Manjeon are pitiful, sure, but what can we do? If that's their fate, mercy has no place."
Should she do it herself? No, she had to. If Choi U did it, how much respect would she get? And the era of war loomed ahead. How many choices would she have left? Could Yeon even survive?
"For now, keep the military reforms on track, and we'll restore the Two Armies Six Divisions within three years."
"Yes, my lord."
They'd changed a lot already. The Jurchen Byeolcho was formed, and the Iron Cannon Byeolcho was newly established but would fall under the Firearms Bureau. The Two Armies Six Divisions had already mustered over 20,000. Their command structure differed from the Byeolcho Army, so integration was in the works. Behind the peak era, sure, but factoring in the Choi clan's elite Byeolcho Army made it different.
"Then, it's about time to liberate the public slaves, no?"
"Won't His Majesty feel slighted? Slave liberation is no small matter. Freeing public slaves signals the end of the slave system—it could rile the hojok clans, the backbone of Goryeo."
From King Taejo onward, how many slaves did those hojok clans hold? Not private slaves yet, but savvy folks would see public slave liberation as a sign private ones were next.
"Wasn't he the kind of king who'd have been deposed in my father's day for less? He dared sell out the country—why care if he's miffed? Prepare the public slave liberation."
At least he was more benevolent than his father. Choi U's public slave liberation decree. It aimed to secure tax revenue and military manpower, really.
Choi U declared the liberation of public slaves.
"My lord, public slaves belong to the state. Freeing them so easily..."
"Do you think this country's people are overflowing? Mongol pressure is mounting. We need to cut slaves by even one to secure revenue."
The justification sounded solid on the surface. Mongol pressure was indeed intensifying—war could come anytime. In that context, who would question securing funds and manpower for the military?
Few opposed public slave liberation outright. It wasn't touching the nobles' private slaves—who would complain?
But dispatching tax collectors to the Twelve Circuits sparked backlash at the council of ministers.
"Dispatching tax collectors nationwide?"
"It's for the household registry. I ask the ministers to comply."
"But it's too radical."
Of course, Choi U had a plausible excuse ready.
"Jeogoye, the Mongol envoy, is dead. What does that mean? The Mongols can use it as a pretext for war anytime. The tax collectors will handle collection, but the registry is also for future conscription."
Preparation against Mongol war. Everyone knew about Jeogoye's killing now. Who would oppose war prep? It'd brand you a traitor.
The hojok grumbled, but even they accepted it. Many were raising water buffalo and riding the soap trade wave, so plenty wagged their tails at the Choi clan.
"Can't we just get along with diplomacy?"
Of course, total idiots suggested diplomacy.
"Diplomacy? Did we lose Liaodong because diplomacy failed with gold and silver? Their tribute demands are escalating. What does that mean? They're looking for any excuse to fight."
Common sense: a rising world empire like the Mongols wouldn't negotiate with a tiny peninsula state. They'd demand submission. Diplomacy worked for equals or when you could crush invasions. Naturally, no one called for immediate war. Drag it out with diplomacy, then meet future invasions with force. The Mongols weren't fully ready anyway—this was a diplomatic standoff where they saved face and Goryeo bought time.
The reforms, started for wartime footing, had reached a point where military changes wrapped up after three years. The Two Armies Six Divisions shrank initially but would exceed 40,000 by next year, 31. Plans called for integrating them into the elite Byeolcho Army, the Choi clan's personal guard.
Currently organized as Byeolcho units. Local forces merged into provincial Byeolcho—mostly hojok private troops, aiding garrisons in wartime. Capital Byeolcho split into Left, Right, and Night Byeolcho; Night directly guarded the capital, with Left and Right assisting and intercepting invaders in emergencies. Special units: Jurchen Byeolcho and Iron Cannon Byeolcho.
Iron Cannon Byeolcho would house matchlock troops and artillery selected from the Byeolcho Army, recruiting nationwide but filling ranks with liberated public slaves; dispatched elites would be officers.
And I planned to learn the sword from Injun.
"You want to learn martial arts?"
"Yeah."
"Something must've happened. I can teach you, of course, but I'm no master."
Figured. How good could someone my age be?
"Just the basics. Then I'll get a dedicated instructor."
"You sure? Swordplay seems tough for your delicate frame."
"What's hard about it? Do what you can."
Inconvenient body or not, with plate armor protecting the chest like modern gear, what was the issue? Lock it in with armor—easy. Chainmail underneath worked too.
Horsemanship next. I could ride, but not freely.
Recently, I visited Ugaha, now in the Jurchen Byeolcho.
"Aren't you the daughter of our lord?"
"Teach me horsemanship."
"Me, a Jin man?"
Not Jin anymore. Jurchen subject of Goryeo, alive by father's grace.
"Jin? You're Goryeo subjects now, general and your Jin troops. Right? And Jurchens, Jin's core, are natural horsemen. Your skills outmatch our Goryeo cavalry."
"Still, you're a woman... Hm."
That damn woman's body again. I had to boost my combat power regardless. Only then could I secure succession and avoid disdain. Jurchen help would be vital in coming wars. The court treated them like slaves, but even if Jin wrecked the Cheonhwagwan, their fighting prowess was real. And they were the only population we could absorb.
So, I aimed to make Jurchens my base. But placing only them under me risked Do-bang resentment, so I asked Father to attach the Jurchen Byeolcho to Do-bang. It won Jurchen loyalty while putting them under Do-bang control.
"Understood. I'll help."
Ugaha's Jurchens taught me horsemanship. Meanwhile, I learned swordplay from Kim Injun and trained before Choi U's elite retainers, specially picked from the Byeolcho Army.
"To show such talent with a woman's body—impressive, lady."
"Not just flattery?"
"How could it be? It reminds me of His Excellency Eunmun Sangguk executing the traitor Yi Uimin."
One grizzled general choked up. When Choi Chungheon executed Yi Uimin himself? No way—Yi Uimin could snap a man's waist. He'd killed King Uijong that way, earning the emperor-slayer label throughout his rule. Probably ganged up with underlings.
Whatever. Sparring and bonding would build ties.
Learning horsemanship from Ugaha got me close to his Jurchens too.
"Your horsemanship is remarkable."
"You know the Mongol army's strength well, General Ugaha."
Know your enemy and yourself for a hundred victories. Gunpowder wasn't everything.
"Yes. I fled Jin because of them."
"Can our army beat the Mongols, in your view?"
Could we fight them? It came down to will and capability.
"Do-bang's Byeolcho Army is endlessly brave. They could clash head-on. But the Two Armies Six Divisions or Northwest forces? Delaying is their best."
Right. Lead with Byeolcho Army. Unlike original history, send Do-bang troops—the ones the Choi never risked—to fight Mongols. Others support from behind.