Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Council Checkmate and Alliance Debates
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Then one of the officials sitting near Yeon Jeong-du stood up.
"How insolent. Are you mocking the Chief of Central Administration right now?"
I smirked, knowing full well why he'd jumped in at a moment like this.
"Then how about you play me instead of the Chief?"
The man stammered for a moment before glancing at the Chief. With a nod of approval from him, the official stepped forward to the table. He picked up the ornaments and scattered them across the diagonal lines. I did the same on my side of the lines. Then I asked him,
"By the way, what's your name?"
"I'm Bu-sang, Deputy Supreme."
"Let's begin."
Deputy Supreme Bu-sang cleared his throat and began moving the ornaments around. In the meantime, I recalled what Go Jeong-ui had told me about him.
'The eldest son of Western Division Leader Bu Gi-tae. Completely loyal to the Great King and the Chief of Central Administration.'
The Southern and Northern Division Leaders, along with their successor sons, were all aligned with their fathers. So I figured I could crush him without holding back. Just then, Bu-sang moved one ornament. I immediately leaped the farthest one across to my waist belt. I wanted to shout checkmate but held it in. With no viable moves left, he wore a look of utter defeat. I swept up the pieces like a street hustler and said,
"Shall we go again?"
"Y-Yeah."
This time, Deputy Supreme Bu-sang placed the ornaments more cautiously on the diagonals. But it was futile since there were more lines than pieces. I filled the gaps with mine, shuffled them around to distract him, then struck at the openings to cross the leather belt. Bu-sang snapped in frustration.
"I never had a chance from the start."
"Then why'd you play?"
"It's not fair anyway."
No sooner had Deputy Supreme Bu-sang grumbled than he slammed his fist on the table. The ornaments bounced up with a sharp clack. Everyone stared at me in shock at the unexpected outburst.
"Is there anything fair in war? Will fairness block arrows? Or stop spears and swords?"
Bu-sang stared blankly, caught off guard by my sudden retort. I pointed accusingly at him—though naturally, it was aimed at Yeon Jeong-du behind him.
"Tang is dozens of times more capable than Sui. They've already subjugated or won over most of the northern nomads, including the Tujue. Demanding fairness in a war like this would make even a stray dog laugh."
"A dog? Are you calling me a dog?"
"We're talking war, and you're nitpicking words?"
I pressed hard because Bu-sang had never seen real battle. I, on the other hand, had earned my senior rank with a victory at Niha Fortress. He knew it too—his face flushed red. I ramped up the anger in the meantime.
"I can't sleep at night wondering when Tang will invade. And here you are, quibbling over rules and fairness?"
Finally, Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du raised his hand, unable to endure it any longer.
"I understand your point. Calm down and take your seat."
I gathered the belt and ornaments, handing them to Deputy Supreme Bu-sang. He glared daggers but snatched them up and returned to his spot. As I sat, Northern Division Leader's son Go Yeon-su and Southern Division Leader's son Go Hye-jin flashed me knowing smiles. Meanwhile, Yeon Jeong-du's expression soured. And rightly so—I'd stirred up chaos the moment I joined the meeting. Seeing it, Go Yeon-su whispered,
"Well played. The Chief twists meetings to his liking, then uses the results to strong-arm us at the grand council."
"Was this one the same?"
"Probably. He'd blame delays in mobilization to squeeze more supplies and men from our leaders."
"Total rigged game. Go-Stop, I mean, council."
"But you flipped the board."
Go Hye-jin nodded along with Go Yeon-su's words. Meanwhile, the composed Yeon Jeong-du spoke up.
"Let's move to the next item. The External Affairs Bureau inquired about an alliance with Baekje. Should we form one? If so, with whom? Let's discuss."
The first to speak was Bu-sang, still stinging from his earlier humiliation.
"Shouldn't we first debate if an alliance with Baekje is truly necessary for us?"
"Fair enough. Do you think it is? Or not?"
"How can we trust those sly Baekje bastards? Beggars and wild dogs are more reliable. Right?"
Everyone chuckled at Bu-sang's joke. But I raised my hand immediately to counter.
"Then how do we check Silla?"
"Why ally with Baekje to check Silla? We have the strength ourselves."
I snorted at Bu-sang, who had folded his arms smugly at his waist.
"Less than a century ago, we lost the Ari River basin, Hasilla, and Biyeolhol."
"That was a cowardly backstab."
"Oh? And what's wrong with cowardice on the battlefield? Ever heard of Yeosu Jang Ujungmun?"
"What Goguryeo man hasn't?"
I inwardly cheered as Bu-sang bristled again, trapped. Now I saw why the Chief kept him close—he was too dim to scheme on his own. It had worked fine until I started grabbing ankles at every turn, shattering their plans repeatedly.
"Then you'll remember General Eulji Mundeok telling Sui general Ujungmun that if he withdrew, he'd serve the Great King in surrender."
"O-Of course."
Bu-sang's face twisted as realization dawned on what I was driving at.
"So General Eulji Mundeok was cowardly too, by your logic."
"That's speculation."
"Let me ask again. Is using cunning tactics in war wrong?"
"That's not what I—"
I ignored his fumbling and turned to Yeon Jeong-du, who flinched slightly.
"Enough armchair talk. Can we check Silla without allying with Baekje?"
"We should first consider if Baekje would even be a useful ally."
He was a cut above Bu-sang. He'd skipped right over claiming no need to ally with Baekje just to check Silla.
'Better than last time.'
"That's for us to convince them of."
"Convince whom? The current Arah shows little interest in allying with us. He's old—won't last long."
"Then negotiate with his successor."
"Who would that be?"
"Crown Prince Uija, naturally."
Yeon Jeong-du burst into laughter at my emphatic words.
"The Sea-East Sage? He couldn't even stay in the capital Sabi Fortress—chased out by the Eight Great Families' nobles."
"If he'd truly lost favor, he'd have been stripped of the crown long ago."
"It's nominal. The current Arah favors Prince Gyo-gi, son of Queen Sa-taek."
"Then convince Prince Gyo-gi—or better, his father-in-law, Sa-taek Ji-jeok."
"Would he ally with us?"
"Baekje's Arah has attacked Silla for decades since ascending but achieved little. We emphasize the gains from allying with us."
"What gains? Baekje once traded blows with us evenly. Coincidentally, they even caused King Gogukcheon to pass. And later, they allied with Sillas to attack us."
"Ancient history. Even Baekje and Silla, thick as thieves, bled over the Ari River basin. At Gwanseong Fortress, Baekje's Arah died at Silla hands."
"Ancient too. Baekje always falls into chaos when an Arah dies. Few reign full lives."
"The current Arah, lowborn though he is, has ruled over thirty years. Despite the Eight Great Families' bluster, his throne is secure."
"So how do you convince Uija or Gyo-gi?"
"Show them allying benefits Baekje. Promise to solve why their Silla invasions fail."
"And why do they fail?"
"Even forces. Attackers need far more than defenders. Baekje and Silla have comparable troops. Even massing for one push, Silla holds. They brought 40,000 to Amak Fortress but crumbled under counterattack."
"So you're saying send our army? Absurd."
"I oppose sending troops too. But we can maneuver."
Yeon Jeong-du's face lit with interest at my reply.
"Maneuver?"
"Yes. When Baekje attacks Silla, we move our forces."
"Silla couldn't commit fully against Baekje then."
"They'd need troops to guard us. Baekje attacks easier. If Silla ignores us and goes all-in on Baekje..."
I paused for effect.
"We exploit the gap, strike Silla, and gain."
Scholars of this era speculated, sans hard proof, that Goguryeo and Baekje allied to check Silla. But here, no firm pact existed. Knowing that made me anxious—we had to settle the Silla issue before Tang struck. As I pondered, Yeon Jeong-du said,
"We assess Baekje's real power lies with Sa-taek Ji-jeok."
I thought inwardly, Idiots. King Mu of Baekje gripped state affairs tightly. He just hadn't openly declared succession. Obvious, yet they floundered. Infuriating.
"We can't ally with ministers over the Arah."
"Naturally. But building ties with likely next Arah Prince Gyo-gi isn't bad. Same for his father-in-law Sa-taek Ji-jeok."
He knew I'd met Crown Prince Uija at Mireuk Temple yet pushed Gyo-gi. Someone had paved meetings with both. But Go Jeong-ui's prior tip kept me unsurprised.