Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Talks of Alliance and Assassins
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“The situation will be different from back then. When King Mu ascended the throne, there must have been immense resentment over the beheading of Baekje's Arah at Gwanseong Fortress. The current Arah gathered his forces under the banner of revenge.”
In fact, after ascending the throne, King Mu attacked Amaksanseong Fortress along with Gajasanseong, Seogokseong, and Doksanseong. The Samguk Sagi generally records these as Silla victories, but King Mu's offensive against Silla did achieve some success. However, when he requested aid from the Sui Dynasty to check Goguryeo, they ignored him once they actually invaded. In the end, the Tang Dynasty allied with Silla instead of the unreliable Baekje. That led to Baekje's downfall at the hands of the allied forces of Tang and Silla during King Uija's reign.
“Do you think that's not the case now?”
Kim Chun-chu nodded at my question.
“The nobles of the Eight Great Castles have no desire for territorial expansion. Any newly gained land would belong to the king. With Prince Gyoki backed by the Eight Great Castles, including the Sachok Clan, Arah won't dare act rashly if he becomes king.”
“From Silla's perspective, then, having Prince Gyoki on the throne would be advantageous in many ways.”
“If only the world worked according to our wishes. But Prince Gyoki will never become Arah.”
While I conversed with Kim Chun-chu, we arrived at the temple. Kim Yu-sin's retainers were waiting there. He gave low-voiced instructions to an approaching subordinate. From a distance, the man resembled the elite soldier I'd seen at Nihaseong Fortress. The elite took a few men and headed toward the bridge. Likely to dispose of the bodies. Then, he looked my way.
“You've come a long way, but it's best to leave this place first. If you're riding, we can prepare horses.”
“A merchant riding a horse would draw suspicion. I'll walk.”
“Understood. My retainers will escort you front and rear, so no need to worry now.”
At Kim Yu-sin's signal, his retainers formed ranks, leaving space in the center. Their chests were clad in plate armor, while sleeves and lower torsos featured chain mail sewn together. They all exuded the aura of battle-hardened veterans. With me, Seon Do-hae, Go Yeon-mu, Go Dol-bal, Adokbang, Gido-ryang, and our own retainers in the middle, the column began to move. Kim Yu-sin's back looked even heavier, having to protect the enemy who killed his father.
After setting off, Kim Yu-sin and Kim Chun-chu rode side by side at the front, talking for a while. Then Kim Chun-chu dismounted and waited for me.
“I spoke with Yu-sin, and you're heading to Baekje to form an alliance?”
“That's right.”
“Isn't your delegation a bit too modest for forging an alliance?”
I smiled at Kim Chun-chu's question, unsure if it was mockery or genuine curiosity.
“It's not about how many go, but who goes.”
Kim Chun-chu looked abashed, as if I'd landed a solid hit.
“Baekje is a setting sun. Join hands with us.”
“What can Silla offer Goguryeo?”
“We can discuss that in time. The Baekje folk are cunning and lack faith; they're not fit to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us.”
“That hardly seems fitting coming from Silla, who allied with Baekje to drive out Goguryeo and then monopolized the Ari River basin.”
I gave a sly smile, and Kim Chun-chu burst into hearty laughter.
“Back then, our agreement only went as far as repelling Goguryeo. After that, it was every man for himself.”
“In any case, Silla has seized not only Haslla but even Biyeolhol, becoming a major thorn in Goguryeo's side.”
“It's only natural for a strengthening nation to expand outward. Goguryeo advanced into Liaodong, struck south to defeat Baekje, and took the Ari River region, didn't it?”
“Silla's enemy is Baekje. Hand over Biyeolhol and Haslla, and we'll sit back with arms crossed while you two fight it out.”
“Ha! Blow your nose without using your hands?”
“That snot might splatter back on Silla. It'll be sticky and filthy.”
Kim Chun-chu roared with laughter at my jest.
“Neither you nor I can freely trade away the king's lands.”
You'll become king yourself, I muttered inwardly. But in the world I dreamed of and sought to create, Kim Chun-chu could never be allowed to take the throne. Still, from our brief exchange, he seemed decent enough.
Kim Yu-sin carried a grim silence, crushed by fate. Kim Chun-chu, by contrast, was like bright sunlight. Our conversation lifted my spirits. It had been ages since I'd felt such ease, beyond rigid lord-vassal ties or enmities. But I quickly snapped back to reality and met Kim Chun-chu's gaze.
“Then our talk here is just armchair theory. I prefer peace over war. The stench of blood turns my stomach.”
“Coming from the victor who crushed thousands of Silla troops—including elites—at Nihaseong? Unexpected.”
“Watching people die is torment, whether Goguryeo, Silla, or Baekje.”
It was sincere. A feeling born from the Battle of Nihaseong. Of course, countless battles and deaths lay ahead. But I had no intention of treating them as inevitable or wrapping them in convenient justifications. Kim Chun-chu looked impressed.
“You're full of surprises. I found it odd that, despite being the killer of Yu-sin Gong's father, you claimed no hatred.”
“War should always be the last resort. Chun-chu Gong, what would you do if an enemy invaded, killing your family and seizing your home?”
“Build strength and exact revenge, naturally.”
“But what if you learned your father had invaded their home, burned it, and killed people?”
Kim Chun-chu fell silent. Such verbal jujutsu was second nature from internet debates, but alien to a 7th-century man like him. He cleared his throat and counterattacked.
“In any event, you should consider an alliance with Silla.”
“As long as Silla threatens both nations, they'll have no choice but to join hands. To avoid that, Silla must make concessions to Goguryeo.”
“The Ari River lands were won with our blood. Even if the king agreed, the ministers would oppose it.”
“Clinging to those lands means spilling even more blood.”
“Blood not our own holds no terror. We'd fear only the blood of ourselves and our kin.”
In an era of short lifespans where death was commonplace, their view of mortality differed vastly from my modern one. With a righteous cause, death was acceptable—even expected. Land thus held greater value than lives. Kim Chun-chu was relatively rational, at least. As I pondered, he spoke.
“I'm not worried about this incident, but you concern me.”
“Me?”
It was hard to believe the great Kim Chun-chu fretted over me. He eyed me cautiously.
“Yes. You seem poised to plague Silla sorely in the future.”
“You'll plague Goguryeo just as much.”
In true history, he'd done far worse—played a key role in its downfall. Knowing the future, my praise drew a stroking of his beard and a smile from him.
“Yu-sin Gong and I are both outcasts.”
“Because Yu-sin Gong descends from a Kaya king, and you're grandson to a deposed king?”
Kim Chun-chu looked slightly startled by my reply.
“You've planted quite a few spies in Seorabeol, it seems.”
“I hear Jang'an Fortress teems with Silla agents too. Keep friends close, enemies closer.”
“Friends close, enemies closer. A fine maxim.”
I'd borrowed it straight from The Godfather, but he repeated it admiringly. These two outsiders, Kim Yu-sin and Kim Chun-chu, swept away opposition, seized Silla's court, conquered Baekje, and toppled Goguryeo amid countless hardships.
If only their blades never turned on me—they'd make invaluable allies.
As I inwardly regretted, Kim Chun-chu spoke up.
“Is the Eastern Division Leader at ease?”
“You're losing sleep over me, aren't you?”
“Over the succession issue?”
I hadn't revealed all my cards, but he knew plenty already.
“Why else would they send assassins from distant lands to eliminate me?”
I spoke lightly, but after Baekje, I'd nearly been killed in Silla too. Just then, the elite soldier Kim Yu-sin had sent to the bridge galloped back urgently. Kim Chun-chu, watching, looked apologetic.
“Truly sorry. We'd promised to protect you, our guest, yet put you in peril.”
“You couldn't have known. Still, I'm curious who was behind it.”
Kim Chun-chu said he wondered too. Kim Yu-sin, conferring with the mounted elite, halted and waited for us, then dismounted. Handing the reins to a subordinate, he sighed softly.
“My subordinate examined the assassins' bodies.”
“Whose doing was it?”
Kim Yu-sin wore a troubled expression at Kim Chun-chu's question.
“Men from Daeya Fortress.”
“Daeya Fortress?”
Kim Chun-chu was stunned; so was I. I spoke to the speechless pair.
“So, Kaya folk?”
Daeya Fortress had been the heart of Daegaya. Destroyed in 562, and now 635—over 70 years past. Long enough, but not so long that memories faded entirely. Kim Yu-sin shook his head at once.
“Kaya is gone now, so no Kaya people.”
For the first time, emotion cracked the composure Kim Yu-sin held even before his father's killer. He apologized quickly, but it gave me a clue on handling him. Listening Kim Chun-chu asked,
“How did you know they were from Daeya?”
“My subordinate, the elite from there, recognized faces. Plus, the hilt of their daggers was made from water locust wood, common in Daeya.”
“Why would Daeya assassins come all this way?”
“Bidam must have mobilized the Daeya lord, his ally, to send the hit squad.”
Unlike the troubled Kim Yu-sin, Kim Chun-chu looked relaxed.
“Perfect. Use this as pretext to replace Daeya's lord. He's Bidam's faction anyway.”
Kim Chun-chu would likely install his own son-in-law, Kim Pum-seok. I wanted to dissuade him but couldn't. Kim Yu-sin couldn't follow such political calculus; he burned only with rage at his failure to protect. I interjected quietly.