Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng 90
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He was dressed in plain clothes and looked fatigued, but the face illuminated by the torchlight was unmistakably Crown Prince Uija.
Shocked, I shot to my feet.
"No!"
Crown Prince Uija peered into the inn with a bewildered expression.
"I rushed here after hearing you'd arrived, but what's this all about?"
"Th-that..."
The situation had taken an awkward turn. When Crown Prince Uija entered, it must have looked like I was holding a private meeting with Senior Central Administrator Sa Taek Ji-jeok. Sensing something amiss, the Crown Prince cautiously stepped inside. Spotting the old man still seated in the chair, he betrayed a startled look.
Fearing a misunderstanding, I hurriedly spoke up.
"Your Highness, allow me to explain everyth..."
But before I could finish, Crown Prince Uija dropped to his knees on the floor. In a resounding voice, he cried out.
"Father! What brings you here?"
Hearing him call out "Father," I stood there dumbfounded.
'What in the world is going on?'
For a fleeting moment, I even imagined that King Mu might not be his real father, but Sa Taek Ji-jeok instead.
'This isn't some tale of love and war.'
But if that were the case, they wouldn't have let it slip in front of me.
'And he called him "Aba Mama." That means...!'
Suddenly, an old newspaper article I'd read came to mind. It was about the skeletons from the paired tombs believed to be King Mu's. One skeleton had severe spinal damage, likely from a fall off a horse in his youth that plagued him for life. The old man who had claimed to be Sa Taek Ji-jeok was in such poor shape that he needed assistance just to walk.
'Why didn't I think of that?'
As I silently berated myself, the conversation between Crown Prince Uija and his father, King Mu, continued.
"Why come dressed as a minister?"
"To meet him while pretending to be Senior Central Administrator Sa Taek Ji-jeok."
"Why him, of all people?"
Even Crown Prince Uija, known as the Sea-East Sage, couldn't hide his animosity toward the man. Seeing his son's reaction, King Mu smiled and replied.
"I wanted to test if this Yeon Namsaeng you call a friend is truly reliable."
At last, I understood why King Mu had impersonated Sa Taek Ji-jeok. And why his eyes hadn't turned red despite my threats and bluster.
'It wasn't genuine.'
Crown Prince Uija glanced at me after hearing his father's words.
"How did the test go?"
As I watched anxiously, King Mu broke into a wide grin.
"He didn't take the bait. Just as you said—a true friend."
I let out a sigh of relief and turned to King Mu.
"How could you even think such a thing?"
"You didn't report your arrival to me right away."
"Who told you?"
"Too many to name, but the Senior Central Administrator is one of them."
"Why not report it to Arah?"
"It's under investigation. Seems they planned to keep me from meeting you."
Behind King Mu's somber expression, the official I'd encountered at the palace earlier flashed in my mind. He must have held back the report on orders from the Sa Taek clan.
King Mu continued.
"I learned of it through a spy I planted myself."
"So you disguised yourself as the Senior Central Administrator to meet me?"
"Exactly. They likely intended to hold you here and arrange a secret meeting. That's why I tested you in kind. The Crown Prince talks about you constantly, you know."
"Even with a blade to my throat, I would never betray Your Highness."
Emphasizing my words, King Mu let out a hearty laugh.
"I suspected as much, but I had my doubts, so I tested you. Don't hold it against me."
It was a test, but had I answered as King Mu intended, I likely wouldn't have even met Crown Prince Uija. Letting out a sigh, the Crown Prince spoke.
"Father summoned me secretly, then suddenly redirected me here, so I turned my horse around."
"I see. You startled us with your sudden appearance. How have you been, Your Highness?"
I offered a polite bow, and Crown Prince Uija grasped my hands warmly.
"What formality between friends? Geom Mojam told me you were coming—I was thrilled beyond words."
Crown Prince Uija was genuinely delighted. It was the kind of joy that came from living in a place surrounded by enemies on all sides. Watching this, King Mu turned to the warriors who had sheathed their swords.
"Bokshin."
A young warrior with a swarthy face and thick eyebrows stepped forward and bowed.
"Yes, Arah."
"Guard the perimeter thoroughly. If anyone suspicious appears, cut them down without reporting."
"Understood."
The warrior called Bokshin turned and barked orders to tighten security and strike down any suspects.
'Bokshin? No way.'
Recognizing the name, I looked to King Mu.
"Is this Geumil Bokshin?"
"How do you know Hansol? He's of royal blood and one of my closest aides."
Hearing his name spoken, Geumil Bokshin looked embarrassed.
After Baekje's fall, Geumil Bokshin would raise an army of restoration, harassing the Tang and Silla forces. But he would ultimately lose his life to a Buyeo prince from Japan.
'Bringing Baekje's revival to an end.'
Knowing his fate, I gazed at him with a heavy heart. Geumil Bokshin, looking uncomfortable, tried to close the door and leave, but King Mu raised a hand to stop him.
"Hansol, stay here."
"Will my presence help, Arah?"
"Didn't you go as an envoy to Tang a few years back? We're discussing Tang matters—you should stay."
"Understood, Arah."
Geumil Bokshin bowed, shut the door, and stood at attention. Crown Prince Uija fetched a chair and sat beside his father. Once more, I gave silent thanks for the abilities granted by my possession as I let out a breath of relief. King Mu, gripping his staff tightly, asked.
"Do you truly believe Tang will invade?"
"It's only a matter of time."
The timeline I knew put it at AD 645—roughly ten years away. My firm declaration piqued King Mu's curiosity.
"The Great King and Chief of Central Administration don't see it that way."
"War preparations require concessions to the lords—that's why."
To the still-skeptical King Mu, I added.
"That's precisely why I came here. If Tang attacks us, Silla will surely join in. At that point, we must ally with Baekje to check Silla."
"Is that the Great King's will?"
"Grant us the alliance, and I can persuade the Great King."
"There are issues to resolve first."
King Mu glanced briefly at Crown Prince Uija before speaking.
"I can't see any reason why we must ally with Goguryeo."
"The same words you said earlier as Sa Taek Ji-jeok."
"For all his lack of loyalty, he's no fool."
To King Mu's blunt assessment, I ventured carefully.
"I'd like to explain while looking at a map, if possible."
"Did you bring one?"
"My strategist Seon Do-hae has it."
Crown Prince Uija turned to Geumil Bokshin, who swiftly opened the door and exited. Moments later, he returned with a rolled leather sheet in hand and unfurled the map in the center. The map depicted the southern Korean Peninsula, with the territories and borders of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla marked clearly.
"Silla's victory at the Battle of Gwanseong Fortress established the current borders, which have held steady for decades with little change. But if Tang invades Goguryeo, everything shifts dramatically. Tang will surely request that Silla attack us to alleviate their own offensive burdens."
"Then we tie up Silla's feet—isn't that what Goguryeo wants?"
"Precisely. We join hands and strike at Silla's most vulnerable points to inflict maximum damage. Then..."
Pausing for effect, I alternated glances between the two men before returning to the map.
"Baekje reclaims its lost lands, and we secure stability on our southern front."
"An alliance for mutual gain, then. But even united, can we truly shake Silla?"
"That's why I brought the map. Silla seized the Ari River region, rapidly expanding its territory—Hasla and Bi Yeolhol included. However..."
I traced Silla's border line along the map as I continued.
"That means more places to defend, disproportionate to their national strength. Their border has nearly doubled compared to before, but their army hasn't."
Crown Prince Uija, listening intently, asked me.
"So you're saying Goguryeo and we should ally to exploit these weaknesses in Silla?"
"Exactly. Until now, we've moved separately, giving Silla room to respond. Isn't that right?"
The Crown Prince nodded in agreement at my question.
"True enough. We gained momentum at first, but Silla's reinforcements always turned the tide."
"Amak Mountain Fortress and Gajaem Fortress followed that pattern. What if, at that time, our forces had struck toward Silla's Shinju region?"
"Silla couldn't have mobilized tens of thousands against it. We committed 40,000, and they'd match similarly."
I looked at the somber Crown Prince before turning to King Mu.
"This is exactly why Baekje and we must join hands."
"Goguryeo and us striking Silla..."
King Mu murmured faintly, like a shadow. In truth, this was the core of the alliance with Baekje.
"We strike our eternal enemy Silla together. With meticulous planning, we leave them no time to respond."
"But we risk bearing the brunt of the sacrifices."
"No need to worry on that front."
King Mu eyed me at my confident reply.
"Why not?"
"Goguryeo has one goal: seizing Silla's Danghangpo."
"Yet Danghangpo lies far south of the Goguryeo border, no?"
"Correct. That's why we'll help Baekje take possession of Silla's Danghangpo."
King Mu and even Crown Prince Uija alike betrayed shock at the unexpected proposal. King Mu asked, suspicion heavy in his voice.
"What reason is there to go that far?"
I didn't answer immediately, instead turning to Geumil Bokshin.
"What did the Emperor say when you went as envoy to Tang a few years ago?"
"He told us not to harass Silla relentlessly or act cruelly without cause. And to forget past grudges and live in harmony."
After hearing Geumil Bokshin's account, I turned to King Mu.
"Why do you think the Tang Emperor said that?"
King Mu pondered briefly, then scowled as he replied.
"It means don't move troops without his permission. We pay tribute and receive enfeoffment, but it's still my sovereign nation."