Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Disguised Merchants and the Ambush
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Everyone was busy laughing at each other's disguises. Seon Do-hae, Go Dol-bal, and I had dressed as merchants, while Ki Do-ryang and Adokbang were outfitted as escorting warriors. The rest of the retainers had also disguised themselves as merchants lugging goods. We'd shed our silk jeogori jackets and pants, along with our horsehair hats, in favor of shabby cotton trousers and jackets, with fur caps pulled over our heads. The biting cold made us throw fur-lined vests—baesam—over our jackets for warmth.
We hefted A-frames loaded with goods onto our backs. They looked a bit clumsy, but all in all, we passed for merchants and their warrior guards. Meanwhile, everyone burst out laughing at Go Yeon-mu's disguise. He bashfully muttered for them to quit it already, stroking his freshly shaved head. Taking a child across the border felt awkward in this era on multiple levels. After some deliberation, we'd come up with the idea of a novice monk. Even in the brutal Three Kingdoms period—as with the case of Wonhyo the monk—monks were off-limits. So Go Yeon-mu disguised himself as a dongjaseung, a young acolyte. He'd been shocked and protested vehemently, but there was no other way. In the end, he'd tearfully shaved his head. As thick tears rolled down his cheeks, he murmured a passage from a sutra he'd read recently. And so, our group—now merchants including a novice monk—headed south.
The border wasn't divided by barbed wire like the DMZ, nor densely guarded by soldiers everywhere, so as long as we skirted forts and large villages garrisoned by troops, we wouldn't run into major trouble. On the way down, we decided to take a detour to scout Danghangseong as well. Luckily, one of the retainers hailed from around here and guided us. At last, we reached a hill overlooking Danghangseong. The chill winds still blew, and patches of snow lingered here and there, making the journey take longer than expected. I'd known a fair bit about Danghangseong from my pre-possession life, but the others were seeing it for the first time and looked quite flustered.
"It's too small."
Ki Do-ryang's words drew agreement from Go Dol-bal.
"Yeah, it looks smaller than Niha Fortress."
As the other retainers chimed in, Seon Do-hae offered a differing view.
"The fortress may be small, but there's only one narrow path leading inland. Even if they threw in a massive army, it wouldn't help."
"What if they mobilize their navy?"
Seon Do-hae shook his head at Go Yeon-mu, disguised as a novice monk.
"The seas off Danghangseong are crawling with Silla warships—how could they? Besides, the coastline is all cliffs. Even if they managed to dock ships, they couldn't climb up."
"Nature's the best defense, huh."
"Exactly. It was originally Baekje territory. After Great King Jangsu took King Gaero's head, it fell into our hands. Then the Silla bastards snatched it."
Listening to Seon Do-hae explain to Go Yeon-mu, I pondered ways to capture Danghangseong.
"The key isn't the fortress itself—it's the harbor you can overlook from Danghangseong."
Seon Do-hae pointed toward what was roughly Jeon-gok Port in modern times.
"Right. Ships to Tang come and go through there."
Back in modern times, I'd wondered from maps why they didn't use the superior Jemulpo as a port. But now that I was here, it made sense.
'Too close to Goguryeo land.'
Hyeolgu Island—Ganghwado's ancient name—had become Silla territory, but if Goguryeo's navy pushed down from above, Jemulpo could be blockaded in an instant. By contrast, southern Danghang was safer to use. Plus, islands like Daebu, Seongam, and Jebu blocked the open sea waves. Without breakwaters and with small ships in those days, they couldn't dock right on the beach. So Danghang, near Jeon-gok Port, was literally the gateway to Tang—and Silla's lifeline.
"A fortress in a perfect spot guarding a natural harbor."
I was thinking the difficulty was way too high when Seon Do-hae cut in.
"First, we have to smash the Silla navy."
"True enough. But it's too far to claim for ourselves."
"Exactly. The problem is, to swing south past Hyeolgu Island, the distance becomes excessive."
In the modern era with engines, ships could go anywhere with fuel. But ancient vessels relying on anchors and oars weren't built for long hauls. Venturing into the rough open sea was downright dangerous. That's why Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla all hugged the coastline. Circling Hyeolgu Island to head south was no easy feat.
"We'll have no choice but to ally with Baekje, of course."
Seon Do-hae pierced my thoughts instantly, perhaps eager to earn my trust with quick, precise insights. But it wasn't without solutions.
"If we combine forces with Baekje's navy, we could take the Silla fleet at Danghang Port."
"If that's too tough, just a show of force near Hyeolgu Island would pin down the Silla navy. Though if they realize they're outmatched and hunker in the harbor, that gets tricky too."
Seon Do-hae's words brought turtle ships to mind. Admiral Yi Sun-sin would smash Japanese fleets that hid in ports by sending in his panokseon battleships and turtle ships.
'But we don't have gunpowder.'
We couldn't even make Goguryeo Fire yet, let alone gunpowder—that was out of the question. And it felt a tad too advanced, honestly scary. Still, my mind raced.
"We cover the ships in iron plating and roofs to block enemy stones and arrows, then close in and hit them with fire."
This wasn't just for attacking Danghangseong. When Tang invaded, the biggest naval disparity would be in warships. Without cannons, it'd come down to ship and crew numbers. We couldn't bolster the army numbers, let alone the navy. The answer lay in Ham-a's ongoing development of Goguryeo Fire. But even with it, victory wasn't guaranteed. We'd have to get close and hurl it like Molotov cocktails—or use bellows like Byzantine flamethrowers. Most retainers didn't grasp my idea, but Go Yeon-mu and Seon Do-hae did. Go Yeon-mu stroked his shaved head and spoke.
"You mean capping warships with lids so enemies can't board? But that requires heavy covers, slowing speed. Plus, a high center of gravity makes them tip in crosswinds."
Seon Do-hae chimed in.
"Sharp turns would be risky too. I've seen merchant ships capsize from overloaded decks during maneuvers."
"We'll angle the roofs to minimize wind resistance. Cut archers and soldiers to a minimum, add more rowers for speed."
"What if enemy ships close in without our troops aboard?"
"Spike the roof with swords and bayonets—they won't dare approach."
The retainers looked stunned. Silently, I apologized to Admiral Yi in my head. While I was at it, I sketched on the ground with a stick. Not the rounded-roof turtle ship we know, but an octagonal-roofed version. They all gaped in surprise. Instead of cannons, we'd fire Goguryeo Fire.
"For close-range shots, mount them on the sloped roof. And from the dragon head too."
Go Yeon-mu blinked at my dirt drawing.
"If we build it like this, one ship could take on a hundred."
"We'll head back to Jang-an Fortress and start building."
Seon Do-hae added,
"Tang's navy is unknown, but we could smash Silla's easily. Still, even if we crush them off Danghang Port, we won't hold the land."
"Without Hyeolgu Island, yeah."
"Precisely. And to take Hyeolgu, we'd need at least the land north of Ari River."
Seon Do-hae's words painted the full picture in my mind. Smiling in satisfaction, I said,
"Let's meet Crown Prince Uija this time and talk it over."
With that, we turned our steps south after gazing at the vital fortress and port we had to rip from Silla's grasp. We passed Silla folk along the way, but they paid little mind to our group of merchants, guards, and a novice monk. But we couldn't expect smooth sailing forever. The Goguryeo-Silla border was lax, but the Baekje line would surely be far stricter. The air still crisp, I tugged my fur cap down tight.
"Where are we meeting?"
Seon Do-hae, leading the way, pointed ahead.
"Over that pass, there's a small temple by the roadside."
"Let's hurry."
We crested the low pass and spotted a stream. A wooden bridge spanned it. Before crossing, two retainer-merchants scouted the area. No suspicious figures, bridge looked sturdy—they signaled all clear. But beyond, farmers worked nearby fields, putting us on edge. They seemed to be tilling the winter-frozen soil, but something felt off.
'They're moving too slowly.'
Straw hats like wide-brimmed salli hid their eyes.
'If I could see their eyes...'
The retainers stared openly, tense. I glanced their way too, craning right until my neck ached.
"Damn, getting old?"
Grumbling, I turned left to the abandoned field. Patches of weeds poked through unmelted snow. Then two red glints flashed on the ground.
"What the—?"
At first, I blinked, thinking dust in my eye. But the red dots persisted—multiplying to over ten.
"No way."
Then the blade of Jumong's Spear at my waist shuddered. Instinctively, I grabbed it; it leaped free as if waiting. I barely caught the uncoiling leather thong. It plunged into the glowing red earth like a mole, burrowing. The group, eyeing the "farmers," whipped around at the noise. The spearblade dug like unearthing wild ginseng—and yanked up a man. An assassin in a hood, sword in hand.
"My god."
They'd dug pits, covered with mats, and hidden. Their red eyes had pierced through, giving them away. Mission accomplished, the spearblade returned. As I looped the thong on my wrist, other assassins burst from under mats.
"Enemies! Block them!"
Seon Do-hae's shout got the quickest response from Adokbang.