Monopolizing Fortunes (223)
Monopolizing Fortunes (223)
No one watching Do Tong-dal's finger move across the map could open their mouth. Do Tong-dal's finger moved and pointed at Sapung Valley.
"The reason we can't fight here isn't because our army is a rabble, is it?"
No Song-guk nodded.
"I can't deny it."
"I don't know much about commanding an army, but I have read Romance of the Three Kingdoms. At Changban Bridge, Zhang Fei alone held off Cao Cao's army of tens of thousands."
Various factors had been mixed into that event, but it was an undeniable fact that Zhang Fei had stood alone at Changban Bridge and held off Cao Cao's army of tens of thousands.
"Are you saying you intend to become Zhang Fei at Changban Bridge, Lord Do?"
"There's no reason I can't."
"For that, Sapung Valley is fifty jang wide, which is a great difference from Changban Bridge."
"Of course I can't do it alone."
Jang Yu-seom, who had caught Do Tong-dal's gaze, stepped forward.
"I'll take one of the empty spots."
But even with Jang Yu-seom joining in, two people holding fifty jang was unreasonable.
"It seems like we'd just need one more person with outstanding martial prowess."
"I'll hold it."
The person who stepped forward confidently was a commander who looked as though Zhang Fei from Romance of the Three Kingdoms had burst out of the pages.
Hwang Byeong-seon informed them who the commander was.
"This is Commander Bang Tae-byeok, the greatest warrior in Liaoning Province."
Bang Tae-byeok, wearing a large blade, certainly looked strong. But to hold Sapung Valley, being a brave warrior worth a hundred men was not enough. If one side collapsed in the middle, the enemy would clearly pour in like a torrent breaking through a dike.
"I'll take it."
Everyone looked in surprise toward where the voice had come from. The most surprised person was Do Tong-dal.
"H-how did you get here?"
The commanders gathered in the barracks wore baffled expressions. It was because a beautiful woman had appeared out of nowhere.
"Who dares intrude this far! What are the soldiers outside doing that they didn't stop an outsider from coming all the way here!"
Do Tong-dal picked up Bang Tae-byeok's words.
"There's no need to get angry. She is..."
"She's Lord Do's wife."
"That's right. No— you can't just reveal that identity..."
"That's the most important identity, isn't it?"
"The most important identity is that she is His Imperial Majesty's younger sister, the Second Imperial Princess!"
At those words, the room stirred.
"I-is that true?"
At No Song-guk's question, Do Tong-dal nodded with a sigh.
"It is."
The commanders all at once offered their respects toward Ju Seo-in.
"We greet the Second Imperial Princess!"
"This is a battlefield, so let's dispense with the formalities."
Ju Seo-in strode over and squeezed into a spot. Do Tong-dal asked her.
"Did you come with His Majesty's permission?"
"Of course."
'Damn it! I asked him to stop her from coming, and the emperor couldn't even do that!'
"You're not thinking His Majesty was incompetent because he couldn't stop little old me, are you?"
It seemed Ju Seo-in had learned the Mind-Reading Art. Do Tong-dal didn't bother denying it.
"Well, there must have been some reason for it."
"I'm no longer an imperial princess—I'm Lord Do's wife now. A wife follows her husband, so my older brother shouldn't stop me."
No Song-guk whispered to Do Tong-dal.
"Did His Imperial Majesty really permit the princess to come to the battlefield?"
The answer came from Ju Seo-in.
"If you doubt it, go ask His Majesty directly, Commander Do."
Stung, No Song-guk hastily waved his hands.
"Ah... no. How would I dare doubt the princess's words? It's just that the princess coming to the battlefield is unprecedented..."
"Someone always says it like a habit. There's always a first time. Anyway, the person who will fight alongside my husband and Protector Jang is me."
"That cannot be! We cannot entrust such dangerous work to the princess!"
Not only No Song-guk but every commander opposed in unison. Ju Seo-in's eyebrows shot up.
"Why? Give me a valid reason I can't go onto the battlefield."
"Because you are of the imperial family."
"Only when one cherishes and protects the people as one's own body, with the heart of a parent, can one truly be called a proper member of the imperial family. If it's a position protecting the people, isn't it only natural that the imperial family should be at the very front?"
"That is the words of the sages, but reality is not like that, is it?"
"Only those who do not follow the righteous words of the sages should be blamed, and only then can one be called a true noble. Is Commander Do saying he intends to spout nonsense with the mouth of a ruler?"
Realizing he could not defeat Ju Seo-in with words, No Song-guk moved on to practical matters.
"The position the princess says she will take is one that requires the martial arts of one against a hundred— no, one against a thousand."
"Are you saying it's a position that a mere woman cannot take?"
"That's... no, it is not a matter of man or woman, but of strength and weakness."
"So if I'm strong, that's enough, right?"
"Of course."
Do Tong-dal tried to stop No Song-guk's mouth, but it was already too late.
"What is this man saying! Princess..."
"You should call me your wife, husband."
"No, the title isn't what's important..."
"It's important to me."
"Hah—! Fine. My wife. I know my wife is strong, but an army's battle is completely different from one in the martial world. Have you ever fought a large mounted army?"
"Have you, husband?"
"Uh... no."
"So you can do it but I can't? Are you dismissing me because I'm a woman?"
"That's not it..."
"Don't worry. I'll kill every last one of them, horse and rider."
No Song-guk braced himself and spoke frankly.
"What matters most here is whether you have the ability to take responsibility for one side."
Ju Seo-in pointed at Bang Tae-byeok, who looked like Zhang Fei.
"If I'm stronger than that man, that's enough, right?"
"That is true, but..."
She turned her body and spoke.
"You. Come out."
Bang Tae-byeok pointed at himself and asked, "Me?" and Do Tong-dal nodded. Bang Tae-byeok spoke with an expression as if he were about to cry.
"You're not really telling me to fight the princess, are you?"
"Fight her for real."
If he were the greatest master in the whole army, that would be one thing, but if he was only the greatest in Liaoning Province, he could not possibly be a match for Ju Seo-in. The only people who knew that were Do Tong-dal and Jang Yu-seom.
"If I end up injuring the princess, my head will fly off."
"Worry about yourself, Commander. If you show even a hint of going easy on her because she's a princess, it might not be your head, but an arm or a leg could fly off."
No Song-guk knew that Do Tong-dal was not a man who spoke nonsense.
"Is the princess's martial arts at that level?"
"See for yourself. Let's go."
Do Tong-dal could have simply decided it himself, but on the battlefield, trust was as important as skill.
If they could not trust Ju Seo-in, who would fight at the very front, it would inevitably affect the morale of the soldiers behind.
The soldiers' eyes went wide at the sight of Ju Seo-in, who had appeared out of nowhere. Before the soldiers could commit any rudeness, No Song-guk hastily shouted.
"It is the Second Imperial Princess! Soldiers, show your respect!"
The startled soldiers threw themselves flat.
"We greet the princess!"
Whether it was proper etiquette or not, prostrating before the imperial family was the only way to avoid their wrath.
"We're about to fight together, so there's no need to grovel like that. Everyone get up and make some room."
None other than Commander Do No Song-guk personally stepped in and moved the soldiers back. Before long, a space of about twenty jang on each side had opened up.
Around it, soldiers packed in so tightly that not even a needle could slip through.
The duel between the princess and Bang Tae-byeok was a spectacle they would never see again in their lives. Of course, the soldiers did not know why such a duel was taking place.
They only guessed, 'Could this be the princess's amusement?' For that reason, complaints also arose, such as, 'What is the princess doing coming all the way to the battlefield?'
Of course, such talk did not reach Ju Seo-in's ears. In any case, with a fight they would never see again before their eyes, the soldiers' gazes did not leave Ju Seo-in and Bang Tae-byeok.
The most troubled person in this fight was Bang Tae-byeok. Although he had been told by Do Tong-dal to give it his all, he could not bring himself to fight sincerely.
If he happened to wound the Second Imperial Princess, he had no idea what calamity would befall him.
"Can't we not do this fight?"
Bang Tae-byeok's face as he asked No Song-guk looked as if he were about to cry. With his rough, Zhang Fei-like appearance, that expression was more funny than pitiful.
"What choice do I have? Lord Do said to do your best, so do as you're told. Don't embarrass yourself for nothing."
"But..."
Feeling sorry for Bang Tae-byeok, Do Tong-dal stepped in.
"Even if you injure the Second Imperial Princess, no one will hold Commander Bang accountable."
"You're promising this."
"I'll stake my own neck on it."
Since Do Tong-dal went that far, he felt somewhat relieved. The two stood at a distance of ten jang.
Facing Ju Seo-in, Bang Tae-byeok drew his blade with difficulty.
"Please forgive this lowly officer's rudeness."
Ju Seo-in answered Bang Tae-byeok's respectful words.
"You not doing your best is the rudeness. You know what I mean, right?"
"O-of course."
Rather than the match between the two, the soldiers were more interested in Ju Seo-in's beauty, saying things like, "Isn't the princess really beautiful?" and "Right? They said she was the greatest beauty in Beijing, but to my eyes she's the greatest beauty under heaven."
"Seeing as you don't seem to have any intention of attacking first, I'll come to you."
Ju Seo-in kicked off the ground. Bang Tae-byeok thought that Ju Seo-in had probably learned a few self-defense techniques in the imperial palace.
He believed that because everyone praised her so highly, she was under the illusion that she was truly strong.
But Ju Seo-in's movement, which erased the distance of ten jang, was not even visible. Only when a chill aura aimed at his neck did he realize that Ju Seo-in had reached him.
Bang Tae-byeok only flinched with his blade and could not even block the sword. Ju Seo-in's silver sword came to rest on Bang Tae-byeok's shoulder.
"You're dead."
Bang Tae-byeok could only swallow hard. His expectation that she had learned a few self-defense techniques had been a laughably wrong delusion.
Ju Seo-in withdrew her sword and returned to her original spot.
"At this level, you're ready to fight properly now, right?"
Bang Tae-byeok lowered his head.
"I apologize for letting my guard down. I will do my best from now on."
He raised his blade diagonally. He had only experienced it once, but Ju Seo-in's speed was several levels above Bang Tae-byeok's. But a fight was not won by speed alone.
'I'll win with strength!'
If he could deflect just a few attacks, the pressured Ju Seo-in would leave an opening.
"I'll come to you again."
Ju Seo-in closed the distance as quickly as the first time. Even though he had prepared firmly, Bang Tae-byeok could barely block the sword aimed at his shoulder.
Clang!
The sound of sword and blade clashing was a thunderous ring.
"Ugh—!"
Bang Tae-byeok felt pain in his shoulder and was pushed back. The back of his own blade, which had blocked the sword, had struck his shoulder, and the impact had sent him sliding backward.
The sword fell again toward the crown of his head. Horrified, Bang Tae-byeok hastily raised his blade. He blocked the sword again, but the back of the blade struck his forehead without fail.
Bang Tae-byeok's expectation that he would be far superior in strength was completely off the mark. In both speed and strength, he was no match for Ju Seo-in.
He could not understand how Ju Seo-in, who would have lived in comfort deep in the imperial palace, could be this strong. This level of martial arts was a realm impossible to reach without the pain of flesh splitting and bone being shaved away.
And then Ju Seo-in's third attack came to rest beneath Bang Tae-byeok's chin. The sharp sword tip dug into Bang Tae-byeok's beard and froze his skin cold.
"I-I've lost."
He had no choice but to admit total defeat. The gap in martial arts was so vast that it seemed Ju Seo-in had actually gone easy on Bang Tae-byeok.
Ju Seo-in sheathed her sword and asked No Song-guk.
"You have no objection to me taking one side, right?"
"O-of course not."
Since she had unilaterally defeated Bang Tae-byeok, the justification to refuse had vanished. Only Do Tong-dal let out a long sigh.
Ju Seo-in linked her arm through Do Tong-dal's.
"Husband, it's an honor to fight together with you."
At Ju Seo-in's use of the word "husband," the soldiers stirred.
"The Second Imperial Princess got married?"
"Isn't she unmarried? The barbarians invaded because she rejected the Khan's proposal."
No Song-guk shouted at the stirring soldiers.
"The Second Imperial Princess married Lord Do here just a few days ago! Tomorrow, behind the princess and the Prince Consort, we will fight a decisive battle against the northern barbarians! Do not forget that the two most noble people in the world are fighting as your shields! We are waging war with such people at our head! Will you become cowards who disappoint them!"
"No!"
"Will you become weak soldiers who fear the barbarians!"
"No!"
"Then will you become a sturdy fortress guarding the backs of those two!"
"Of course!"
"As long as the princess and Lord Do are here, we will not be defeated!"
"Waaaaah—!"
"March out!"
"March out—!"
* * *
The Mongol Khan Uldark gazed at Sapung Valley far in the distance. He had thought an easy road with no fighting, only plunder, would stretch all the way to Hebei Province, but the trusted Prince Yeongun had ultimately not made contact.
That did not mean he intended to wait indefinitely for Prince Yeongun. This was an army of no less than twenty thousand. It would be the largest number among all Mongol armies that had ever invaded the Central Plains.
With twenty thousand troops, he could charge all the way to Beijing in one breath even without Prince Yeongun's help.
"Barka."
At Uldark's call, his younger brother and supreme commander Barka lowered his head.
"Yes, Khan."
"Reconnaissance?"
"There is no ambush on the mountain as we feared."
"Then we only need to pass through Sapung Valley."
At that moment, with a shriek—! a single arrow flew in and stuck into the ground. A soldier ran to Uldark carrying the letter attached to the arrowhead.
"Khan, word has come from the Second Reconnaissance Unit that went out to scout Sapung Valley!"
A smile tugged at Uldark's lips as he opened the letter.
"It says the enemy has arrived on the opposite side of Sapung Valley."
"Foolish people. To dare try to face our Mongol cavalry at Sapung Valley."
"The incompetence of the Central Plains people is something everyone already knows. Prepare the entire army to advance."
Barka raised his voice and announced the preparations to advance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Drums sounded, and the twenty thousand cavalrymen mounted on small but swift and sturdy Mongol horses let out battle cries. Their morale was sky-high, and their cries were filled with confidence that did not even consider defeat.
The Mongol soldiers all held a shield in one hand and a blade in the other. The shields, sized so as not to be cumbersome, were effective at blocking enemy arrows. And the gently curved blades were suited for slashing.
The Mongols, said to grow up on horseback from birth, were so skilled in horsemanship that they were more comfortable on horseback than on the ground.
The Mongol cavalry was an object of terror to their enemies. With twenty thousand Mongol soldiers, they did not fear even a million-strong army of the Central Plains.
With Sapung Valley being fifty jang wide, there would be no difficulty in operating the cavalry. The enemy who had made Sapung Valley the center of the battlefield would surely come to regret it.
"Spear cavalry! Forward!"
Two hundred spear cavalrymen carrying long spears took the lead. The spear cavalry was a unit specialized in breaking the enemy's edge in the first clash.
"Plunder to your heart's content! Charge!"
At the command, the spear cavalry charged toward Sapung Valley. Behind them, the twenty thousand troops followed, kicking up thick dust. The entire plain was covered in dust raised by the Mongol army.
* * *
"Is here fine?"
At Ju Seo-in's question, Do Tong-dal gestured for her to move farther away.
"Go another ten jang outward."
"I want to fight close to you, husband."
With the Mongol army right before them, there was no trace of fear on Ju Seo-in's face. Ju Seo-in had more nerve than any man. That was probably why she had trained in martial arts to kill the First and Second Imperial Princes.
In any case, she moved as Do Tong-dal instructed. Do Tong-dal stood at the center of Sapung Valley, with Jang Yu-seom taking the left side and Ju Seo-in the right.
The spot where they took position was where Sapung Valley ended. Five jang farther back, the open plain spread out.
Excluding the ten thousand soldiers left at Heuksu Fortress, one hundred fifty thousand troops were encamped there.
Ten thousand elite soldiers with abundant experience and outstanding martial prowess, selected by the commanders, supported the three from behind.
The plan was that first, Do Tong-dal, Jang Yu-seom, and Ju Seo-in would block the Mongol cavalry, and the ten thousand soldiers would deal with any enemies who passed between them.
They had prepared for the possibility of the ten thousand soldiers collapsing, but anyone who understood military strategy would surely shake their head.
Not a single military strategist would believe that just three people could hold out against a tidal wave of Mongol cavalry.
* * *