Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng
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After returning from Baekje, I couldn't budge until the spring of the following year.
My father Yeon Gaesomun's opposition was fierce, and I wanted to get a handle on the Central Administration Bureau's affairs first anyway.
When I finally showed my face after so long, Yeon Jeong-du greeted me with his usual icy glare. He offered a brief, formal inquiry after my well-being. I responded with an equally perfunctory thanks for his concern.
That entire winter, I worked alongside Go Jeong-ui on Central Administration Bureau matters.
Through it all, I came to understand how Goguryeo really operated. My conclusion was simple.
"It's a tightrope walk."
Goguryeo had started as a confederation of tribes. For ages, there had been conflict between the king and the nobility.
After centuries of invisible warfare, the kings had come out on top. But the nobles' power hadn't vanished entirely.
They hated each other and snarled like beasts, but when they needed to band together, they did.
That was why neither the Great King nor the nobles could fully crush the other. While shooting arrows in the Central Administration Bureau's rear courtyard, I chatted with Go Jeong-ui.
Go Jeong-ui, introduced to me by National Academy Scholar Lee Mun-jin—who had compiled the historical text New Annals—explained the current situation with crystal clarity.
"Even so, the kings were strongest during General Longevity Great King's reign. That's how they managed to move the capital from Domestic City to Jang'an Castle."
"But why not now?"
"It started with Yangwon Great King. After King Anwon passed away, a civil war broke out between the royal in-laws Chu-gun and Se-gun. Over two thousand died in it. Chu-gun won, and the prince he backed ascended to the throne as Great King. But..."
"A puppet, you mean."
Go Jeong-ui nodded as Geom Mojam handed him a crossbow loaded with a bolt.
In the meantime, I'd had Ham-a, brought from Sui Captive Village, craft various weapons.
The bolt crossbow had been completed from the start, and the Yeon Clan Cannon, modeled after the Huihui Cannon, was finally finished with the help of artisans from Sui Captive Village.
It had taken longer than expected. We'd started with small models and worked up step by step until we nailed it.
I was recalling memories of a crane for lifting massive stones. I'd seen exploded diagrams while writing historical novels, but it was so long ago the details were fuzzy.
Fortunately, I remembered smaller carts like the wooden ox and floating horse from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, or the self-loading crossbow called Zhuge Nu. I'd describe them, and Ham-a would build them.
This crossbow we were testing had several improvements. The trigger grip was shaped like a pistol handle.
Plus, I'd added a vertical foregrip like on a modern assault rifle up front.
And I'd made it larger than a standard Zhuge Nu. That mitigated its biggest flaws: short range and weak power.
I aimed the Zhuge Nu—naturally called the Yeon Clan Crossbow here—at the target. Then I pulled the trigger. With a thunk, the bolt flew and embedded in the straw dummy's head.
I yanked the handle back to reload and fired again. The second bolt hit just below it.
Shoulder braced against the buttstock-like pad, one hand on the vertical grip, the other yanking the cocking handle.
That kept the sights steady. I fired off ten shots in rapid succession, emptying the magazine.
I handed the Yeon Clan Crossbow back to Geom Mojam behind me and walked forward. I pulled the bolts from the straw dummy for a look. Geom Mojam examined the tips and said,
"Deeper penetration than last time."
"Reinforcing the bow limbs with metal paid off, looks like."
"Seems so."
It had taken a few tweaks, but we'd ended up with a usable weapon. Satisfied, I told Geom Mojam,
"All that's left is the Yeon Clan Cannon."
"Ham-a said he'd finish assembly by today. You can test it at the training ground this afternoon."
Hearing that, I grumbled inwardly. Who the hell has a training ground in their backyard?
But I couldn't show it, so I just nodded. As we talked, Geom Mojam's face suddenly hardened.
Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du had appeared, clad in armor.
Geom Mojam bowed his head and retreated, but one hand rested on his sword hilt.
Ready to draw if needed. Yeon Jeong-du noticed and scowled.
"Loyalty like that is something else."
"He's skilled too. If he thought you were a threat, that sword would move first."
"And the aftermath?"
"You know how the Yeon family carved out its place, right? By not giving a damn about consequences and rampaging like madmen no one dared touch."
It was true. The Yeon clan—local nobility from the Pyongyang area, a minor power—had risen to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great houses. All because they were lunatics.
In crises, they ignored face or fallout and just acted. It made them pariahs.
But also untouchable. Yeon Jeong-du, looking displeased, glanced at Geom Mojam.
"Fine. What were you testing?"
I handed him the Yeon Clan Crossbow I'd been holding.
He took it in one hand.
"Grotesque thing."
It was. Nothing like a standard crossbow.
After inspecting it, Yeon Jeong-du turned to his attendants.
"What the hell is this freakish contraption even for?"
Yeon Jeong-du laughed, and his men guffawed, clutching their bellies. I took back the Yeon Clan Crossbow and said,
"Any archers among your men who can really shoot?"
"All my men are crack shots. Especially that one, Gido-ryang—he could hit blindfolded, every time."
Gido-ryang nodded smugly. I handed the Yeon Clan Crossbow to Geom Mojam.
"Load five bolts."
Then I looked at Yeon Jeong-du.
"Care for a little wager?"
"What kind?"
"Archery contest. Straw dummy at twenty-five paces. First to land five hits wins."
"Sounds good. What do I get if I win?"
"If I lose, Geom Mojam joins your retinue as Chief of Central Administration."
Geom Mojam, holding the crossbow, started in surprise.
"But if your man loses, hand him over to me."
Yeon Jeong-du snorted at that.
"Never seen anyone outshoot Gido-ryang. Geom Mojam's handy with a blade, but a bow? Doubt it."
"Long and short only shows in the doing, right?"
I shot back with a slight smile, and Yeon Jeong-du—clearly stung—replied instantly.
"You're on."
I nodded and turned to Geom Mojam.
I murmured to him quietly, still holding the Yeon Clan Crossbow.
"Lose, and you die by my hand."
"That guy's nickname is Jumong."
"Jumong, Wol-mong, whatever. It's about speed."
"True enough."
Regaining his confidence, Geom Mojam grinned and stepped forward.
Meanwhile, Gido-ryang had shed his overrobe and taken up his bow. Leaner than Geom Mojam, but his arms looked corded with muscle.
His swarthy face was utterly impassive. But his stance with the bow was rock-solid.
Yeon Jeong-du had reason to be cocky. But sometimes, tech beats skill.
Geom Mojam took a deep breath beside him, Yeon Clan Crossbow ready. Gido-ryang scoffed.
Geom Mojam cocked the handle. The string drew back, dropping a bolt from the overhead magazine.
One of Yeon Jeong-du's men stood by, hand raised. Gido-ryang nocked and drew.
I gave the signal, and the man dropped his hand, shouting,
"Go!"
First shots were simultaneous, both still loading. But from the second, the speed gap showed.
Geom Mojam shouldered the buttstock, yanked the handle for the second bolt, breathed deep, and fired.
Only on Geom Mojam's third did Gido-ryang's second fly.
As Geom Mojam loaded his fourth, he fumbled the handle.
Gido-ryang yelped in shock.
"Hey!"
But Geom Mojam calmly wiped his sweaty palm on his pants.
Then recocked. Meanwhile, Gido-ryang loosed his third.
But as Gido-ryang drew for his fourth, Geom Mojam fired his fifth.
"Whoa!"
Geom Mojam's bolts peppered the dummy everywhere. Gido-ryang's three clustered neatly in the head.
Didn't matter. It was about speed.
Geom Mojam held up the Yeon Clan Crossbow triumphantly, beaming. Go Jeong-ui whooped and hopped in joy. Yeon Jeong-du's face darkened like a storm. Defeated Gido-ryang hurled his bow aside and knelt before him. Seeing it, Yeon Jeong-du snatched a guard's sword and raised it to strike.
"No!"
My shout and Geom Mojam aiming the Yeon Clan Crossbow at Yeon Jeong-du happened at once.
Yeon Jeong-du's stunned guards drew blades and surrounded us. My own guards surged forward, weapons out.
Yeon Jeong-du glared at me, trembling with rage.
"You dare point a bow at me?"
"Told you our family's trait, didn't I? Ah, no need to explain to kin. We act first, think later when the mood strikes."
"And I'm the one you strike at?"
"What else? Father and I kneel before the Great King, beg forgiveness, and offer to fill your vacancy as Chief of Central Administration."
"What?"
"Great King needs close aides anyway. Sure, our house might get wiped out, but staking your one life on that...?"
I cut myself off and stepped closer. Yeon Jeong-du's eyes narrowed to slits, blazing. But they didn't turn bloodshot.
Meaning he didn't hate me enough to kill. Even now, he was calculating.
So I could push hard.
"Isn't it a waste, Elder Chief?"
Yeon Jeong-du snorted and clasped hands behind his back.
"Outfoxed by a pup. You win."
His robes swirling, he turned and left.
Gido-ryang, still kneeling, looked up. But Yeon Jeong-du was already gone.
The guards sheathed swords and followed. Gido-ryang grabbed the last one's sleeve.
But the guard shook him off, spat in his face, and vanished.
Once Yeon Jeong-du and his men were gone, I approached Gido-ryang, still on his knees.
I wiped the spit from his face with my sleeve. He looked up, stunned.
I reached for Geom Mojam, took the Yeon Clan Crossbow, and handed it to him.
"Study this."
Gido-ryang lifted his head.
"Study what, my lord?"