A Wealthy Nation
The Goryeo imperial family was ultimately in a position where they had to continue relying on the Choi clan's protection. Even with that reality, the emperor was overjoyed and granted me not just a baronial title, but a full dukedom as a sign of entrusting me with the fiefdom of Liaodong.
"But I've heard rumors that you're planning to relocate the Khitans. Is that truly alright?"
"What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?"
"It's not right. Aren't the Khitans our eternal enemies?"
Indeed. Ever since the days of King Taejo of Goryeo, the Khitans had been irreconcilable foes under the same sky. I knew that full well. In fact, it was precisely because I knew that I was proceeding this way.
The Khitan people had already suffered numerous divisions and were scattered far and wide. All that remained now was to deal with the Dongyo remnants in Liaodong, and it would be done.
"It poses no issue at all, Your Majesty. On the contrary, my plan is to mix them in and erase the very presence of the Khitan identity."
From the reigns of Kings Seongjong, Mokjong, and Hyeonjong, the enmity with the Khitans had been profound. Going further back, there was the bad blood with Balhae, and even after, countless local skirmishes. In Choi Chungheon's time, 100,000 Khitan refugees had even invaded. In truth, if Goryeo had responded properly, the Khitans would have been destroyed long ago.
King Seongjong's second invasion—had Goryeo not given him the pretext of receiving Hyeonjong, Seongjong would have been trapped in Goryeo lands. His 400,000-strong army would have been hemmed in, unable to advance or retreat, and ultimately slaughtered by Goryeo forces closing in from all sides. Goryeo's northern army was still intact back then, and they had brilliant generals like Yang Gyu.
Of course, the casualties would have been immense, but the end result would have been Goryeo capturing the Liao emperor and annihilating their main force—a golden opportunity squandered. Since it was Seongjong's personal campaign, capturing or killing the emperor would have shattered the Khitans' core army and leadership, splintering them back into tribal units. A period of devastation would have followed, leading to the fall of the Khitans at their peak. Wouldn't that have been a massive win?
Even now, after the Great Victory at Gwiju, more Jurchen tribes that once paid tribute were submitting. Tribes like them, who bowed to the strong, would have mostly surrendered if their Liao emperor had died in Goryeo. What a regrettable battle that was.
In Choi Chungheon's era too—if he had properly mobilized the Dobang troops, the Khitans wouldn't have reached the Gangdong Castle battle, and Goryeo could have crushed the invading Yalu clan early. The encounter with the Mongols would have been delayed, buying Goryeo more time. But they hadn't.
In fact, Goryeo had held the hilt of the sword multiple times, only to let it slip away. So this was the last chance to scatter the Khitans for good. Nomadic peoples must never be given a chance to rise again. But outright oppression would breed resentment in return, so they had to be treated with utmost benevolence until they willingly became Goryeo subjects.
"I shall place my trust in you, the Military Regent."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Come to think of it, I hadn't checked on the iron mesh netting lately. After completing the imperial construction projects and leaving the palace, I stopped by the workshops in Gaegyeong.
"Is the iron mesh netting complete?"
With it finished, we could at least block cavalry on the Liaodong front lines. Reinforcing the walls with lime mortar would be ideal too.
"We've made it, but..."
"No matter how I look at it, this won't do."
The thickness was all over the place, too. They'd made the iron mesh like noodles. We needed a proper net, but what was this supposed to be?
We were already producing molten iron in blast furnaces using coal lately. The issue was how to mass-produce the wire for the mesh.
"First, punch a series of progressively smaller holes into a steel plate."
"And then?"
What was the point if I had to spell everything out? Fine. I would be the benevolent military regent. A little guidance wouldn't hurt.
"Shove thick iron rods through those holes and forcibly draw them out using the power of a waterwheel."
"That way, it thins out each time it passes through a hole."
Yes—passing through each hole one by one, it would gradually thin into wire.
"Um, Regent."
"What is it?"
"Assuming we draw it out like that with waterwheel power... wouldn't we need to build this by the riverbank?"
Ah, right. That meant we'd need a dedicated setup. Maybe it was time to build a proper wire factory. We'd need waterwheels along the river to pull the rods into coils of wire.
Was it worth building a whole factory just for that? The thought crossed my mind briefly, but actually, it wasn't a bad idea at all. Wire netting was foundational. We were already producing small amounts of lime mortar—what we'd call cement. Plans were in place to build a road from Byeokrando to Gaegyeong with it someday.
And if we used wire along with rebar, we'd get reinforced concrete. That could strengthen Yodong's ports and walls, even ondol floors. We could mass-produce nails essential for shipbuilding. Twist the wire into links and chain it for chainmail armor—brigandine, or rather, scale armor. Well, armor had its pros and cons. Chainmail was lighter and more flexible than plate, but not necessarily better in defense. Plus, the labor for production and maintenance was a nightmare. Needles and fishhooks too.
Producing all that would profit us greatly. And we had plenty of artisans ready. It would take a lot of manpower, though. Hmm, Yi Jang-yong might be swamped. The best spot for this? The Taejah River, with its swift currents and nearby iron mines.
A riverside industrial belt of endless waterwheels. So, to give Yi Jang-yong a headache, I personally explained the wire factory to be built on the Taejah River—complete with drawings of the waterwheels, the factory, and the drawing machinery.
"What is this? Taeja Wireworks?"
Look at Yi Jang-yong's face crumpling already. Lately, too many were underestimating me. Had they forgotten whose daughter I was?
"Even as Military Regent, this will deplete the national treasury."
He saw right through me. Yi Jang-yong tossed that out bluntly. In other words, regent or not, grandfather or not—no money, no dice. As if I didn't know that. I was fully aware.
"Planning to put it in the mid-to-upper Taejah River. It'll produce wire."
"What on earth even is this?"
As if wondering what bizarre contraption this was, Yi Jang-yong still eyed it with some interest. Yeah. Once you see it, the potential clicks.
"Exactly this. We'll use riverside waterwheels to draw out thin iron wire. Control the thickness, and it can be used in all sorts of ways—mix with lime mortar for stronger builds, draw nails and needles, make iron netting to stop Mongol cavalry."
Fortify Yodong's defenses, and we wouldn't even need to push to the Sixteen Prefectures of Yun. Places like Song, economically colonized and dependent on our weapons, wouldn't dream of attacking us. We'd even traded a bit, but as long as the empire acknowledged it superficially, it was fine. I'd returned the treasures lost in the Jeonggang Coup too.
"This does seem helpful, but the budget..."
This time it was Kim Jun chiming in. Budgets? We'd have plenty. We were selling off outdated matchlocks and cannons to Song at premium prices.
"How much are we raking from Song? The new trade routes and expeditions will bring in even more. We'll put one in Chungju too."
It had been ages since the Mongols sent female prisoners via the steppe route. Thanks to that, we were turning into a true multi-ethnic state. In some distant future Korean historical drama, they'd probably cast near-white actors. Even in Gaegyeong now, plenty were eyeing western women from Bulgaria and beyond. Of course, only unmarried ones.
The point was, with the Mongols pulling this stunt, who knew when they'd block the steppe route with their bullying. To invest across the board, we needed to pour more into fleets and expeditions, boosting Goryeo's industry on that foundation.
"You're putting one in Chungju too?"
Yes. Chungju was perfect for a wire factory on the peninsula. Iron ore aplenty—home to the multi-furnace ironworks, after all. Harness the fierce upper Namhan River currents and volume. Waterwheels would run nonstop. Load the wire onto ships, float down the Namhan to Gyodong Island, Ganghwa, and Gaegyeong.
"One in the north, one in the south. North for military use. South for consumer goods—stuff for daily life."
The Taeja Wireworks on the Taejah River in Liaodong would mass-produce iron mesh, weapons, military supplies. The Chungju Wireworks would churn out needles, ship nails, construction materials.
"And sell them abroad to make money, right?"
Exactly. My Goryeo would differ from the original or Joseon. It would grow strong on maritime trade, reaching America before Europe. We'd claim that endlessly vast, cheat-map continent. Lay the foundations early, make it impossible for Europe to muscle in. To that end, solidify the peninsula's base.
With trade booming, we'd solve one thing: the Gulp Canal, failed for over 500 years from Yuan to Joseon. But Yi Jang-yong's expression made me hold back.
"Of course. Goryeo will be the wealthiest nation in the Three Hans' history."
No rampant low-denomination coins like late Goryeo. Delay paper money; mint silver and gold instead. Their value eternal. Use silver parting for pure silver too.
"Hmm, understood. No point in me blocking you—you'll do it anyway. Suit yourself. The treasury's full thanks to you anyway, Regent."
Not thrilled, but since you'd pulled it all off so far, who was I to stop you? Something like that. At least he wasn't as rigid as Joseon bureaucrats. He acknowledged my successes, so no nitpicking.
After meeting Yi Jang-yong, I gazed at the ceiling. Had to revisit Beijing (Yodong Governorate) soon. Honestly, my power base was essentially Liaodong. Countless Jurchens followed me. If the Mongols fell, declaring a new Jin in Manchuria would have them cheering.
But first, lay all the groundwork. Developing like this benefited both Liaodong and the peninsula.
With this future knowledge, there's nothing I can't do.
Just set the direction, and development opportunities overflowed in this era. Develop one thing, and it enables or supports others.
For example, cranes or spinning machines. Wire from the factories plus our steel makes steel cranes—for port unloading, high-rises, Gulp Canal digs.
Spinning machines: water-powered, inspired by Arkwright's. Cotton cloth essential. Mass-produce, and even poor folk wear padded winter clothes; sell high to Song and Japan.
Assign idle Khitans to the wire factories. Same for spinning. Bury them in work, feed them, and they'll never dream of rebelling.
So much to do. Mass-produce keel ships too—relocate the House of Wisdom from Abbasid Caliphate before Mongols trash it.
Being immortal sure helps. In ten years, even now, we could reach America. Avoid Mongol sweeps, and massive progress follows. Not 21st-century level, but 19th—under Goryeo's lead.
But for that, us usurper Chois must work tirelessly, no mistakes. The new routes and northern expeditions would herald it. Success: jackpot. Failure: disaster.
"Regent. The fleet sent to the Great Food Country has returned."
Speak of the tiger. I was reviewing corn yield reports when the news hit.
"Really? Let's go see."
Before the massive keeled ships stood me and the investor Ho clansmen, lined up.