Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng 54
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I just wanted to cooperate with Yeongnyu King as much as possible to prevent the war. If we could only stop Father Yeon Gaesomun's coup, it seemed achievable.
'If we can just hold out a little longer, it might work.'
After Goguryeo's fall in 668, Tang immediately had its hands full with Tubo.
That was how Silla was ultimately able to win the Silla-Tang War. If we endured until that time, we could cross the river called peace.
At that moment, Father Yeon Gaesomun's voice rang out.
"Your Majesty, I will cooperate fully. So please permit my son to inherit the position of Eastern Division Leader."
It was perfectly timed on Father Yeon Gaesomun's part. Thanks to him, I snapped back to reality.
Yeongnyu King responded immediately to Father Yeon Gaesomun's words.
"The matter of naming a successor will be decided at the Grand Council."
The moment I heard that, my mind cleared in a flash. Rather than compromising for cooperation, Yeongnyu King had made a political decision.
That revealed what was truly in Yeongnyu King's heart.
'He's avoiding war to protect his own power.'
Going to war meant yielding to the leaders for their support. He was dodging it because he hated that.
As I sorted out my thoughts inwardly, Father Yeon Gaesomun's resentful voice came.
"Naming a successor is an internal family matter."
"When you inherited your father's position, didn't you promise to heed me and the other leaders?"
At Yeongnyu King's words, Father Yeon Gaesomun fell silent with a hardened expression.
Then Yeongnyu King spoke softly.
"When I appointed the Crown Prince, I consulted the Grand Council as well. It's the established custom, so don't be too hasty."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"And I approve the marriage between your younger brother Yeon Jeong-to's children and those of my younger brother, Prince Daeyang."
Father Yeon Gaesomun's face showed slight surprise at the unexpected approval.
I knew Yeon Jeong-to's and Prince Daeyang's children were to marry, but I hadn't expected it at this moment, so I was surprised too. And upon hearing it, a proverb came to mind.
'It's like giving poison with the medicine.'
Instead of rejecting Father Yeon Gaesomun's demand for successor recognition, he approved the marriage between the brothers' families.
Either way, it was truly impressive political acumen.
'He's remembered as a loser in history, but in reality, he was an extraordinary figure.'
It was truly regrettable that I had to oppose such a man instead of joining him.
Having seized the initiative, Yeongnyu King smoothly transitioned to the Thousand-Li Great Wall.
"To defend Liaodong, we need to reinforce the defensive line. We'll need even more cooperation from you and the other leaders."
"Let's discuss that at the Grand Council as well."
Father Yeon Gaesomun was no pushover either. And I recalled that in actual history, Yeon Gaesomun was assigned to build the Thousand-Li Great Wall.
The welcome banquet for his departure turning into a bloodbath marked the start of the coup.
"You criticize me verbally for seeking peace with Tang, yet you ignore the preparations to block them."
"Everything in the world involves give and take. Even the common folk at the market shun giving without receiving."
At that moment, a creaking sound echoed. It was the floorboard from the corridor we'd walked earlier.
I turned my head and saw the gaunt eunuch we'd met at the entrance.
He approached with quick steps, went to Yeongnyu King, and offered something.
'What's that?'
It was the blade of Jumong's spear I'd entrusted at the palace gate earlier.
Yeongnyu King took it, examined it closely, then drew the blade from its leather sheath.
A sharp blue gleam sliced through the darkness in an instant. Gripping the leather-wrapped base, Yeongnyu King swung it this way and that.
"This is the spearhead of King Chumo that you received from Liaodong Fortress's shrine maiden."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"How does it feel to hold such a sacred relic?"
Flames sparked in Yeongnyu King's eyes as he looked up.
"I figured it couldn't be real, so I just took it."
"Not real?"
"If it pleases you, I offer it to you, Your Majesty."
"Are you mocking me?"
"That's not my intent. I said it's not a relic because it's a spear."
"A spear, so not a relic?"
"King Chumo was called Jumong for his unparalleled archery. His relic would naturally be a bow and arrows. So I thought a spear must be fake."
Yeongnyu King fiddled with Jumong's spearhead at my response, then grimaced. He quickly sheathed it and dropped it to the floor.
The nearby eunuch swiftly picked it up and vanished outside.
Yeongnyu King brushed off his hands lightly and looked at Father Yeon Gaesomun.
"We'll discuss your son's successor inheritance at next month's Grand Council."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
"You may withdraw."
The conversation wrapped up in an instant. But I wanted to talk a bit more.
I had some questions, after all.
"Um, Your Majesty Yeongnyu King."
Yeongnyu King turned to me as I suddenly spoke.
"I have a question."
"What is it?"
"The battle where you repelled Sui's Naheo army in your youth."
It was the battle textbooks and dramas called the Pyongyang Fortress battle.
The pivotal fight where he'd shone as Geommu, as important as the Battle of Salsu.
Yeongnyu King smiled faintly and asked.
"Why are you curious about that battle?"
"I'm studying military strategy, but that one doesn't seem to show any."
"No strategy? It's the battle where we lured the enemy into the capital and crushed them."
"That's not what I mean. No matter how intricate or brilliant the strategy, if the general can't execute it, it's useless."
"True. Victory isn't decided on a desk."
His tone felt like he'd gone back to that time.
"Luring the enemy into the city and then attacking isn't as easy as it sounds. You have to decide the perfect moment to strike and judge how far to pursue, right?"
"Exactly."
"That's what I'm curious about. How did you devise the lure strategy, and how did you execute it?"
The records were brief, so key processes were surely omitted. With the man himself here, I wanted to ask.
Yeongnyu King rose from the jade throne, hands behind his back, and said.
"Follow me."
He walked behind the throne. What I'd thought was a wall slid open left and right.
'An automatic door?'
I followed with Father Yeon Gaesomun.
Yeongnyu King passed several doors that way, then stopped.
As he halted, the wall parted, revealing the outside this time.
"Wow!"
A vast pond stretched before us. Coming from the pitch-black Amyeongjeon, the light felt especially welcoming.
Yeongnyu King, hands still behind his back, turned and said.
"Come closer."
As I approached, he gazed at the pond.
"It's not just a pond!"
In the center of the massive pond was a rugged island. It looked familiar—it was a model of Goguryeo's territory as an island.
Small stone piles marked spots like Liaodong Fortress, Shinseong, Chaekseong, and Hansung.
"The bottom is a model of Chang'an Fortress."
Below the island, near Amyeongjeon, was a gourd-shaped model of Chang'an Fortress.
City walls and palaces were stone, roadside homes and temples carved wood.
Unable to hide my surprise, Yeongnyu King looked pleased.
"I examine the lands I must protect here every day."
"Truly impressive, Your Majesty."
It was a response loaded with multiple meanings.
Yeongnyu King chuckled lightly and pointed to the Chang'an model below.
"Twenty years ago, Sui's strategy was a combined land-sea advance."
"I heard the army marched from Takgun with a million, and the navy crossed from Dongnae with 100,000."
"Correct. The army came overland from Takgun, the navy pretended toward Bisa Fortress but landed at the Paeksu estuary."
"To link up with the detached force from Liaodong?"
"Yes. The navy was also tasked with supplying their grain. If they linked up and besieged the capital, it would've been disastrous."
"It would have. Adding 100,000 navy to the detached force makes 400,000."
"Of the 100,000 reaching Paeksu estuary, only 40,000 could fight on land. Even that was formidable. Our capital defenders were half that."
"A real crisis."
"Of course, even that force couldn't take the city alone. But if they supplied the southward detached force successfully, it changes everything."
"You saw a prolonged war as disadvantageous?"
"So we had to prevent the detached force and navy from meeting, no matter what. We captured all their messengers scouting positions. But it wasn't enough."
"You had to crush the navy."
"Defeating the navy first meant we could block the detached force even at Chang'an. But they camped at Paeksu estuary and didn't budge."
"Waiting for the detached force."
"Right. General Eulji Mundeok used delaying tactics, but the detached force was huge. Blocking their advance wasn't easy. We'd succeeded in preventing contact until then. But as they neared, it got harder. So we resorted to a desperate stratagem."
"Giving flesh of the capital to take the enemy's bones?"
Yeongnyu King burst into hearty laughter at my words.
"We were outnumbered, so field battles were risky. Defeat would've left us defenseless. So we feigned defeat and lured them."
"Into the capital? That must've been a tough call."
"As I said earlier, luring had no other way."
"As planned, Sui forces fell for it and entered Chang'an."
"The city divides into outer, middle, inner, and north walls. We opened the outer gate and ambushed."
"I heard you ambushed in an empty temple."
Yeongnyu King laughed loudly and replied.
"You know well. 500 death-defying commandos with me ambushed in the empty temple. The rest waited in the middle wall for my signal."
"How did you decide the timing for the surprise attack?"
"We scattered loot-worthy items throughout the outer streets. I watched from the temple's wooden pagoda."
"Waiting for them to scatter?"
Yeongnyu King nodded at my question.