Imperial Proclamation
Arabian port of Basra
The port of Basra in Arabia was a vital hub teeming with ships coming and going. As one of the key trade centers of the Islamic world, it had served as a military and commercial stronghold during the Abbasid Caliphate's golden age of Islam—a nexus of knowledge and commerce.
Now, a new ship flying the phoenix banner had appeared in this heart of the Islamic world. It was roughly the size of Arabia's massive vessels but riddled with bizarre portholes. Naturally, the Arabian merchants eyed it warily yet with fascination.
"What the hell is that? Whose flag is that?"
"I've seen that flag before. That's Korea's!"
One Arabian merchant pointed excitedly as he spoke. He had once traveled as far as China and knew of Goryeo. Ginseng, mother-of-pearl lacquerware, and soap unlike anything in the Islamic world—a land brimming with rarities.
"Korea? What's that?"
"Korea’s famous for ginseng, lacquerware, and porcelain. Let's go check it out!"
A ship that size had to be here for trade. Sure enough, someone who looked like a local was speaking the Islamic tongue from the deck. The Arabian merchants swarmed toward the Goryeo vessel.
Southern Song capital of Lin'an
Around this time, an unprecedentedly large envoy from Goryeo—whose official ties with Song had been severed—arrived in Lin'an. Led by Goryeo's Prime Minister and Chief State Councillor Yi Gyubo, they were soon granted an audience with Emperor Lizong.
"Your subject, Chief State Councillor of Goryeo, Yi Gyubo, pays his respects to His Majesty the Great Song Emperor."
"Welcome. But envoys from Goryeo? What brings you here? Don't you send separate agents for the iron cannons?"
"This subject has come today to deliver treasures of the Song imperial house."
"Our treasures?"
Treasures? Goryeo possessing Song treasures? Not just Emperor Lizong but the entire court eyed Yi Gyubo suspiciously.
Yi Gyubo signaled his attendants, who produced scrolls and a jade seal.
"This scroll is from a former Song emperor, lost to the Jin during the Jingkang Incident. And this jade seal—is it not the one lost in that same calamity?"
The Great Song's Treasure of the Mandate Received. The courtiers gaped at its lustrous glow. Though years had passed since the treasures were taken south, their records endured. This was undoubtedly the Great Song's seal.
"I can't vouch for the scroll, but this seal is authentic, Your Majesty."
"Then the scroll is genuine too? How did Goryeo come by these?"
Emperor Lizong turned to Yi Gyubo with eyes more puzzled than joyful.
"We extorted them from the Jin."
Ah, right. That tracks. But these weren't cheap trinkets. The Jin must have been desperate enough to sell anything by now.
"Why would Goryeo retrieve these? What do you want in return? A higher price than what you paid the Jin?"
It wouldn't hurt economically, but it would make them look petty.
"No, Your Majesty. How could we dare haggle over the Song imperial treasures? We seek something else instead. The details are in this state letter—please review it."
Yi Gyubo presented the letter. Emperor Lizong read it and furrowed his brow.
"Kaje Geonwon? Goryeo seeks to proclaim its own imperial era?"
Kaje Geonwon. The hall erupted at the declaration. With the Jurchen Jin and the rising Mongol Empire—both now claiming emperorship—Goryeo, a eastern barbarian state, daring the same? Song's position grew precarious.
"We have reclaimed Liaodong and restored our past glory. Ruling the Jin's former subjects and even the Khitans demands more than a mere king's title, does it not? Moreover, Goryeo has long claimed imperial status internally—a fact well-known to Song."
Until the Yuan interventions, Goryeo had outwardly styled itself a kingdom while inwardly operating as an empire. They called their king "emperor," their capital "imperial city," their queen "empress," and crown prince "heir apparent." The Jin knew but tolerated it, perhaps due to historical deference. Song could not claim ignorance.
The issue was extending this claim outward—a challenge to the Central Plains.
"Insolence! There is but one emperor under heaven!"
"Does Jin think otherwise?"
Yi Gyubo shot back at the protesting Song officials. Wasn't Jin itself proclaiming an empire? Why deny a Goryeo they once scorned?
"Enough."
The emperor silenced his courtiers himself. Exhausted by Jin, who needed a war with Goryeo?
"Goryeo has long reigned as the Son of Heaven east of the sea—a different emperor from the Central Plains'. Just as there is one emperor in the plains, let Goryeo be the one east of the sea. Not two under one sky, but one sky and one sea, each with its emperor. The Banjing Pavilion, built to host Goryeo envoys, draws from 'banjing daogu'—friends meeting without ceremony. Does that not imply equality between our realms?"
The Banjing Pavilion, established when Southern Song resumed ties with Goryeo, buying arms and currying favor. Named after the idiom of old friends reuniting casually, it recalled Northern Song's view of Goryeo as an ally. It even lent legitimacy to Goryeo's imperial claims.
Yi Gyubo, Goryeo's finest scholar, leveraged this deftly.
"Hmm."
"It may seem presumptuous, but may I say more, Your Majesty?"
"Speak."
Lizong sighed, bracing for more. Goryeo clearly sought firm recognition of its kaje geonwon.
"Is it not better in name to trade justly for arms from an equal like Song—defending the realm with legitimate commerce—than beg weapons from a mere vassal kingdom under Song?"
A fair point. Treating Goryeo as barbarians while arming them felt off. Song had viewed Goryeo as Jin's vassal post-Jingkang, no longer an ally. But now? Buying from a Jin subordinate to fend off Jin rang hollow. Recognizing Goryeo as equal freed them from that vassal label and dignified the arms trade. No need to bicker over kaje geonwon.
"Goryeo has done us a true favor. We shall deliberate deeply on this."
Song had little choice. Goryeo checked Jin, sold defensive arms, even sent officers to train Song troops—fairly paid, but favors nonetheless. Reclaiming the Great Song's Treasure of the Mandate Received and Emperor Huizong's scrolls was no small matter. Southern Song's founder, Gaozong, had suffered without the seal, forging makeshift ones.
Who else could be Song's benefactor?
"They're already calling themselves emperors internally. Just acknowledge it officially."
"Even so, recognizing Goryeo as an empire..."
The court debated. It was just formalizing the obvious—or too much for an eastern inferior? Emperor Lizong decided.
"Goryeo frames it as 'east-of-the-sea emperor' to save our face, seeking only equality. Reasonable terms, no?"
Not claiming the Central Plains throne. Their heartland was the Three Hans and Liaodong. Granting east-of-the-sea emperorship matched that. Better than Jurchen Jin claiming Zhongyuan.
"Though eastern, they achieved what we could not, returning our seal and Huizong's scrolls. How is this not grace? Given our past alliance, treating them as an empire is fitting."
With Lizong's decree, the Song court recognized Goryeo as Song's equal—an 'empire' and east-of-the-sea celestial state. Unlike treaties forced by Liao or Jin, this was voluntary, viewing Goryeo as a peer. Named the Pact of the Returned Jade for the seal's return and imperial recognition.
Yi Gyubo returned. And he had achieved exactly what I wanted.
"Song has recognized our kaje geonwon."
An empire acknowledged by the Han Chinese Song, masters of the Central Plains. Precisely, emperor of Haedong, not Zhongyuan. The empire east of the sea—that was Goryeo. Song affirmed it.
"Well done, Chief State Councillor. You have served this Goryeo well."
"I am deeply honored, Regent."
Now, history would forever record Goryeo as an empire. Mission accomplished.
So, when should I head to Liaodong? Ugaha's been brainwashing Apkai Mountain relentlessly; the Jurchens won't dream of breaking free. Still, Liaodong feels more comfortable. Once Father passes, I'll take his place anyway—might as well settle in early. Trade affairs aside, Liaodong's issues loom larger.
"But does this really change much? Song and Jin never complained when we used imperial titles internally."
Even now, Daejipseong spouts nonsense. The point is declaring our own reign era, signaling full sovereignty in diplomacy. No more vassal disadvantages. Some argue tributary trade's benefits, but irrelevant now. Neither Jin nor Song offers us favors. Gains outweigh losses.
"It lets us use our own reign era and drop deferential language in diplomacy. And pride matters, doesn't it? We stand equal to the great powers."
"Your Majesty, is this not the Regent's great achievement?"
Hey, don't hype me up like that. This was just what needed doing.
"General Jusuk, you're too generous. As Regent, I merely restored the imperial house of the Dragon King of the Western Sea to its rightful place."
Restored the Goryeo imperial house to its throne. No more wordplay—this was a true empire striding boldly onto the world stage.
"Thank you, Regent. I grant you the title Duke of Yodong State."
The emperor seemed genuinely pleased this time. Even if he cherishes us now, he knows from history that cooperating with the Choi keeps the royal house alive. He grasps their precarious state.
What this means: the royals can't elevate Goryeo to empire alone. Only Choi power made it possible. Especially propping up a woman like me in office— they have no choice but to acknowledge me.
