Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Envoy to Baekje
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"Yes, Baekje?"
The Baekje Pharmacy in Jongno 4-ga flashed through my mind for a moment. But what Yeon Gaesomun meant was the real Baekje.
It's the mid-to-late 630s by the Western calendar right now, so it must be King Mu, the protagonist of the Serongyo ballad.
After him came Uija, Baekje's final king. Of course, as long as I was around, I had no intention of letting that happen.
While I was lost in thought, Yeon Gaesomun spoke up.
"The Great King has decided to send an envoy to Baekje."
"To secure our rear when the Tang invade. And to keep Silla in our grasp."
"Exactly. Baekje even volunteered to guide the Sui army when they came, though they never actually moved."
"And it gives us an ally to check Silla. Those two are blood enemies, after all."
I recalled how Silla had beheaded King Seong in the Battle of Gwansean Fortress. Goguryeo had done the same to King Gaero, of course. But when King Geunchogo invaded Pyongyang, King Gogukwon had fallen in battle.
It was even all around, but people always remembered the hits they took more vividly.
"Old grudges fade; new ones burn brighter."
I nodded at Yeon Gaesomun's words. It also dawned on me that neither Yeon Jeong-du nor the Great King were blindly chasing peace with the Tang.
"When do we leave?"
"Forming the envoy and exchanging messages with Baekje will take months. Use that time to learn the Central Administration Bureau's duties and prepare calmly."
"Why send me?"
"Broadening your horizons never hurts. And Baekje's king is old—find out who the likely successor is."
"Then I'll go as an unofficial envoy rather than an official one."
"Keeping a low profile?"
"Yes. An official envoy would draw too much attention, and I might not get to meet the right people."
"Who do you want to meet?"
I wanted to meet Gyebaek first. But the real must-see was someone else entirely.
"I plan to meet the Sea-East Sage."
"Uija, holed up in Geumma Temple? He won't ascend the throne."
"Because of his mother's low status?"
"He was named crown prince too late in life. He's over forty now."
"Do you think Baekje's king delayed naming a crown prince for that reason alone?"
Yeon Gaesomun eyed me over his wine cup.
"What other reason, then?"
"Baekje's current king rose from a humble family. The nobles won't follow him properly, and his power base is weak. He might have delayed on purpose to gauge their loyalties."
Yeon Gaesomun couldn't hide his surprise at my answer. Of course, I'd only said it because I'd read papers on Uija's delayed appointment as crown prince.
"I want to confirm it with my own eyes. So please let me go as an unofficial envoy."
"Planning to head to Geumma Temple and meet Uija, then."
"He must be lonely and scared. A visitor would be welcome—especially a foreigner like me, with no baggage."
Yeon Gaesomun set down his cup and nodded.
"A fine idea. It's customary for merchants to tag along with envoys and do business."
"Then I'll disguise myself as a merchant."
"Others might mock you for it."
"As long as their mockery doesn't take my head, I don't care."
"Very well. I'll speak to the Great King directly and make it happen your way."
"By the way, why did you summon me to the Lotus Pavilion? I hear it's not a place just anyone visits."
"I'm planning to scale back my public duties."
"Seems early for retirement."
Power wasn't something even fathers and sons shared easily. I recalled how the other division leaders and the Great King had opposed Yeon Gaesomun's rise to Eastern Division Leader. He'd begged, promising to behave, and only then inherited the post. After that humiliation, he wasn't the type to step down voluntarily.
"Do you know why the Yeon clan solidified its position so quickly?"
It didn't seem like a question expecting an answer, so I just watched him. Yeon Gaesomun gulped down his wine.
"When the time came, father and son divided roles properly. Other bureaus pass to heirs only upon death, causing chaos in succession. But we've already completed ours smoothly."
"I'm not ready to take over yet. Too much to do. And if I did now, they'd find another excuse to object, wouldn't they?"
"Yes. War."
"No need for war over that. If you need advice, just ask. I'll answer what I know."
Yeon Gaesomun pondered briefly, then nodded.
"If that's your will, we'll delay. We'll talk after you return from Baekje."
"Understood, Father."
I had much to do and wanted to leave. Sensing it, Yeon Gaesomun rose silently.
"Go rest. I'll inform you once the Baekje envoy is settled."
The envoy, set to depart in a few months, ended up leaving after the new year due to complicated negotiations with Baekje. Christmas passed with me alone getting excited.
"Our internal situation isn't easy either."
The growing pressure from the Tang was the issue. After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, where Li Shimin killed his brothers and ousted his father Li Yuan, he'd repelled the Tujue invasions and even conquered them. Despite his bloody rise, he'd proven his talent. The problem was that Tang's blade would eventually point at us. The time to decide—deflect it or kneel—was approaching. My fuzzy grasp of the years was a headache. Fortunately, in 638 AD, Tang conquered Gachang, and in 639, King Yeongnyu sent Crown Prince Hwan-gwon as envoy to Tang. From the mood, the real discussions would ramp up after that return.
The day before departing for Baekje, I was chatting with Go Jeong-ui in the Wind and Flower Pavilion in our estate. The wind was chilly, but the brazier kept it bearable.
"Not much time left."
I muttered while watching passing servants. Go Jeong-ui, sitting beside me, asked,
"Talking to yourself?"
"Head's complicated."
Go Jeong-ui chewed on sticky persimmons glazed with malt, replying indifferently.
"Worrying won't make them vanish."
"Ignoring them won't solve them either. Where were we?"
"Finalizing the envoy personnel list."
"Who?"
"Me, Geom Mojam, and his men. Includes a guide who was a Baekje POW and returned. What about Adokbang?"
Adokbang, a former Sogdian acrobat who'd saved me from a troupe, had become my bodyguard alongside Geom Mojam. Strong and flexible, he'd mastered the jujutsu I'd brought from the modern world fastest. I thought briefly and shook my head.
"Too distinctive-looking; he'd stand out. Have him stay and teach jujutsu to the guards."
"Ham-a too?"
I shook my head again. Ham-a was implementing my remembered tech.
"He has work. Tell him to finish the Yeon Clan Cannons and crossbows. We'll test—er, inspect them right away."
"I'll pass it on. With departure tomorrow, I'll deliver Central Administration Bureau documents."
"What merchant guild are we posing as?"
"Maemul Merchant Guild."
"Big outfit?"
"They send caravans everywhere—us, Baekje, Silla, even Wa. Posing as theirs won't raise suspicions."
"Good."
"They're cooperating fully, so we'll sail on their ships."
"Wouldn't they anyway?"
Go Jeong-ui gave me a pitiful look at my question.
"Maemul's big enough to refuse. But they agreed on one condition."
"What?"
"A meeting with you after Baekje."
"Who?"
"Who else? Their boss."
I asked Go Jeong-ui, who looked at me pitifully.
"Got it. Who's the Maemul boss?"
"Anan-su. Old now; his granddaughter helps."
"Chaebol heiress?"
"Chaebol?"
I realized my slip at Go Jeong-ui's confusion—no such word here. Luckily, he didn't press and asked instead,
"Why not join the official envoy?"
"I prefer unofficial."
"Chance to build connections, share intel."
I smirked at his regret. I already knew roughly what awaited Goguryeo—and who my enemies and allies would be.
Guessing my smile's meaning, Go Jeong-ui's face hardened.
"Sorry, but don't smile like that."
"Why? Bad luck?"
"Feels like you see right through me."
Go Jeong-ui gathered documents, avoiding my eyes, and stood.
"I'll head to the bureau. Mind if I stop at Jeongneung Temple?"
"Lee Mun-jin Scholar's not well?"
Go Jeong-ui nodded worriedly.
"Bad cough. Old age worries me."
"Tell the physician I sent you; get medicine."
"Can I?"
"Of course. Give my regards."
"Thank you, Master."
Go Jeong-ui brightened and hurried off. Alone, I sipped tea, surveying the pavilion.
"Won't see it for months."
The Baekje trip would be my first real chance to alter history as Yeon Namsaeng.
Success meant changing history and becoming a hero; failure, beheading or infamy as a traitor.
The more I thought, the more my head hurt. But it beat my powerless modern dirt-spoon days by miles.
I could forge my fate, etch my name in history. As I pondered, footsteps echoed on the pavilion stairs. Turning, I saw my wife—hair up, in red silk—carrying a tray with wine bottle and cups herself.
"Darling."
Overjoyed, I jumped up. I took the tray quickly; trailing maids giggled behind sleeves. I waved them away and offered her a seat.
"Sit here."