Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Revelations from the Captive
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"I'm not dangerous."
"Didn't you tell the soldiers they were your brothers? I even saw one faint when he heard it."
"Why?"
To be honest, it had been more lip service than heartfelt sincerity.
"No general has ever said anything like that to his troops before. You're definitely different, Master."
Go Jeong-ui paused for a moment, then yawned as he spoke.
"You know how to handle soldiers. That speech you gave has probably reached the Great King's ears by now."
"Will he try to copy it?"
"He won't be able to. He's never done anything like it, and he wouldn't even know what to say. That's why he hoped we'd lose this battle—or die trying."
Listening to Go Jeong-ui, I felt like I'd found a clue about why Nangdang troops had been stationed at Niha Fortress.
'Should've asked Kim Yusin.'
But the Kim Yusin I knew probably wouldn't tell me the truth. The thought made me give a wry smile. It was hard to believe I was pitting my wits against someone like Kim Yusin. Meanwhile, Go Jeong-ui was dozing off again, nodding. I cleared my throat to wake him and said,
"Give ten seom of grain and twenty bolts of cloth to the families of the fallen. For the wounded, five seom of grain and ten bolts of cloth each."
"That's too much."
Go Jeong-ui shot back immediately, then grinned.
"See? You really do know how to handle people, Master."
"I told you, it's not like that."
"Looks like I picked the right side."
I couldn't get mad or snap at him, so I just told him to rest and left the room. Outside, the stars twinkled brightly. I quietly called over Geom Mojam, who was following me.
"Among the captured Nangdang soldiers, who's the highest-ranking one?"
Geom Mojam thought for a moment before answering.
"We have one Nangdang Sogam."
"Bring him here. I have questions for him."
"Understood."
Geom Mojam summoned one of his subordinates a few steps back and gave the order. I headed to the guesthouse. Sitting in a chair in the main room, I waited. Soon, the door opened. Geom Mojam entered, shoving the tightly bound Nangdang Sogam ahead of him. He kicked the man in the back of the knee, forcing him to kneel, then pressed a blade to his throat.
"Lie to the Master, and your head comes off right here."
The Nangdang Sogam nodded with a resigned expression.
"I'll answer as I know it."
I asked him,
"Are you thirsty?"
It was an unexpected question. He stared blankly for a second, then nodded. At my glance, Geom Mojam went to the corner table, poured water from the kettle into a cup, and brought it over. The bound man leaned forward to sip from the cup Geom Mojam held. After he'd caught his breath, I spoke.
"What's your name?"
"Kim Soun."
"Where are you from?"
"Born in Bukcheon, Seorabeol."
"I know Nangdang as the central army. So how did you end up at Niha Fortress, all the way at the edge of Dalhol Province?"
Kim Soun pondered the question briefly. Geom Mojam, sword still at his throat, growled for an answer. He blurted it out.
"Two months ago, we got orders to prepare and deploy. That's all I know."
"Two months ago?"
I held up two fingers, and he nodded.
"Who gave the orders?"
"Nangdang Daegam General Kim Seohyun."
"An elite unit like Nangdang prepared two months in advance just to defend a minor fortress like Niha?"
I raised my voice deliberately. Geom Mojam pressed the blade closer. Kim Soun swallowed dryly and replied.
"I thought it was strange too, so I asked the Daegam myself. Last year, when Baekje attacked and took Seogok Fortress, we didn't deploy. Why go defend Niha now?"
"What did the Nangdang Daegam say?"
"He said a tiger was coming down from there, and we had to catch it."
"A tiger?"
"And he appointed his son, Yusin-rang, as Jungdang Dangju and brought him along."
"Is that unusual?"
"He'd earned merits in the Nangbi Fortress battle, but we'd never brought him before. Word is, the Daegam ordered his son Yusin-rang to hunt the tiger."
"Have Kim Yusin hunt the tiger?"
"Yes. I don't know who the tiger is, but that's what I heard. And about twenty days ago, we left Seorabeol and arrived in Dalhol Province."
"When exactly did you reach Dalhol?"
"Five days before the Goguryeo army besieged Niha Fortress."
"So you went straight to Niha to defend it? No, you waited instead. Waiting for us."
"It would've been better to enter Niha and hold the walls, or block the pass outright. We could've forced them to abandon the attack or at least gain the advantage. But we didn't."
"Is that General Kim Seohyun's usual style?"
Kim Soun shook his head immediately.
"No. He always struck boldly. This time was different."
The reason came to me instantly.
"A man's nature doesn't change overnight. Someone must've given him orders."
Kim Soun neither confirmed nor denied it.
'So someone tipped them off two months ago that I'd be heading to Niha. And even with other options, Kim Seohyun chose open battle. Why?'
The conclusion was obvious.
"They wanted to capture me. Or at least bloody our Eastern Division troops."
The only one who could move Nangdang Daegam Kim Seohyun like that was Silla's Queen Seondeok. And I quickly realized who could've given her that information.
"This wasn't just a leak."
Geom Mojam nodded cautiously.
"Someone in Goguryeo clearly sent a letter to Silla begging them to hunt me down."
Geom Mojam just stared silently, while Kim Soun looked utterly confused. Seeing his resigned face, I spoke.
"Your family's in Seorabeol, I assume."
His face crumpled at the mention of family.
"You've answered well, so here's a gift. Write a letter for your family. I'll have the Maemul Merchant Guild deliver it to your home in Seorabeol."
"R-Really?"
"I'm Yeon Gaesomun's eldest son, Eastern Division Leader. I kept my promise to return Nangdang Daegam's body to his son."
"We heard about that. Thank you. Truly, thank you."
I told Geom Mojam to take him away. Kim Soun kept repeating his thanks until the door closed. Geom Mojam returned after handing him off to a subordinate. Exhausted, I rubbed my eyelids and asked,
"He won't see his family again, will he?"
"He'll be dragged far north. I've heard we send our prisoners south."
"Sad."
"It's just how life is in these times."
Geom Mojam said it matter-of-factly. Most people probably thought the same. It was the loneliest part of being possessed here.
'People divided by status... it's so unfamiliar.'
Sure, my old world had class divides by money. But a true class-based society was hard to adjust to. Seeing my fatigue, Geom Mojam mistook it for exhaustion and said worriedly,
"You haven't slept. Rest now."
"Alright. You too."
"I'll stay nearby. Call if you need me."
Geom Mojam closed the guesthouse door and left. I went to the bedroom and lay on the mat. I missed my wife's warm hand stroking my forehead. I thought of Kim Soun's grief, knowing he might never see his family again. Kim Yusin's desperate face as he came alone for his father's body flashed in my mind. Finally, sleep came.
On the road north from Sugok Fortress, even larger crowds of well-wishers lined the way. Like the proverb about a legless horse traveling a thousand ri, word of our victory had spread. All sorts of rumors about me were flying too. Soldiers puffed out their chests, boasting they were brothers to the Eastern Division Leader's eldest son.
When we were about halfway to Jang'an Fortress, word came that the Great King would personally review us before the palace. Go Jeong-ui smirked when I told him.
"His intentions are too obvious."
"Isn't that disrespectful to the Great King?"
"He sent just the Crown Prince when we left, but now after victory, he comes himself. You know why."
"No idea."
"He doesn't like all the attention on you. He'll probably just give us a drink and send us off."
"Am I that big a deal?"
I struck a cocky pose, and Go Jeong-ui turned serious.
"Of course. And you'll become even bigger."
"How much trouble will that bring?"
"Whatever it is, you'll handle it."
"You'll have to help a lot."
"I'm already trying hard, but I'll do even better."
His cheeky yet reassuring reply made me chuckle.
By the time we neared Jang'an Fortress, the crowds had swelled even more. Families of the deployed soldiers had joined in, and clowns sent by my father turned it into a full festival. Yang Manchun grumbled that Jang'an folk only knew how to eat, drink, and play.
Adokbang, who hadn't fought due to illness right before battle, looked wistful at the clowns. I encouraged him.
"Chin up."
He replied curtly.
"I will."
"Good. Plenty more battles ahead."
As we talked, Jang'an Fortress came into view in the distance. We'd left at summer's end; now it was deep autumn. Yellow and white flowers swayed in the autumn breeze along the road.
Not everyone could enter, so most stayed in the fields by Paeksu River, while about 500 crossed Okryu Bridge into the inner citadel where the palace stood. Even locals rarely saw the palace, so the soldiers looked tense. I joked with them as we crossed. The prisoners dragged from Niha trudged along wearily.
Entering the citadel, soldiers gasped in admiration. Inside the towering walls stood temples, nobles' mansions, and key offices like the Central Administration Bureau. The plaza before the palace was vast enough for a review. The troops lined up under the control of palace guards. Midway up the palace steps, a canopy sheltered my father and wife, the Great King, and the Crown Prince.
'Both look like they're here reluctantly.'
The Great King sat in the center, bored under his white horsehair crown. Behind him stood Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du. Once the soldiers were arrayed, the three generals approached and stood beside me.