Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Ginseng War (3)
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Kim Unhaeng had arrived in Dongnae nearly a month ago.
Naturally, the Tsushima Domain hadn't just sat idly by watching.
Even if people couldn't pass through, the very fact that no one could made it easy to detect something unusual.
Moreover, on clear days, Tsushima and Busan were close enough to see with the naked eye. With Joseon's Liberation Detachments slipping through and capturing even Tsushima-bound ships unrelated to the Waegwan, secrecy was no longer possible.
In the end, Tsushima dispatched a fleet to the Waegwan to investigate.
The commander was Sugimura Daito, a kinsman of the Lord of Tsushima, just like Yoshida Shichizaemon.
Though they formally paid respects to the Joseon king, there were many qualms about deeming Joseon the dominant power in Waegwan trade.
Prostitution rampant in the Waegwan, smuggling of banned goods, unauthorized anchoring outside designated spots—these had occurred countless times even in the original history.
All blatant violations of treaties with Joseon. This attested to how lightly Tsushima viewed Joseon.
Sugimura, sharing that perspective, harbored no particular worries.
Before departure, the ambitious new lord, So Yoshishige, told Sugimura:
"I don't know what mischief the Joseon dogs are up to, but unless their king has lost his mind, it's some local official acting on his own. This is a chance to seize the moral high ground and renegotiate the tribute ships on more favorable terms."
Yoshishige was a lord unmentored by his retired predecessor.
The previous lord had died suddenly of smallpox, leaving him, an adopted heir, to take the reins without a guiding 'patron.'
Thus, he sometimes displayed boldness—or recklessness, to put it harshly. Japanese shadowy politics had endured for ages precisely because such checks were necessary.
But this decision wasn't recklessness.
Even Sugimura Daito, Tsushima's expert on trade and diplomacy, dismissed fears that Joseon would 'Sejong' them—utterly crush them—as groundless.
Sugimura nodded.
"Indeed. They've mustered a few ships, but it shouldn't be hard. May we engage if needed?"
"It might be good to test them and teach a lesson. Joseon’s navy has shrunk lately due to hard times, so it won't be tough. But avoid escalating—the shogunate would be a hassle. It must look like retaliation against Joseon's aggression."
"I shall bear that in mind."
Both fretted over political fallout but never doubted victory in battle. Joseon's navy looked that weak.
Yet one thing escaped Yoshishige and Sugimura's notice.
Tsushima pirates needn't fear Joseon's 'navy' much.
But what had Tsushima called the invasion by the Terror Lord who once ravaged them thoroughly?
The Oei External Incursion.
In other words, a bandit raid.
Sejong, uninterested in impoverished Tsushima and simply eager to slaughter filthy foreigners, might take offense—but that was beside the point.
What mattered was history's fact: pirates were Tsushima's kryptonite.
Not long after Sugimura set sail from Tsushima Island, the lead navigator, Omoteshi, rushed up.
"Look over there, sir!"
No need to point—the twenty-odd Joseon warships blocking the Tsushima fleet were plain to see. Similar in number but markedly larger.
Sugimura didn't flinch.
"Hmph, the Joseon dogs scraped together quite a force. But how many can actually fight? Let's hear their nonsense first."
Sure enough, a message came first from Han Jung-ryang, commander of the Wolseong Squadron.
"The tribute ships aren't due yet. What brings you? Unauthorized docking beyond the allotted times counts as piracy per our ancient pact. Leave before trouble arises."
Sugimura scoffed.
"We bear urgent documents from the daimyo. Why are you blockading the Waegwan and intimidating us?"
"State secrets we cannot divulge."
"We must confirm the safety of the Waegwan superintendent, elders, merchants, and hundreds of folk. If needed, we'll force passage—but we seek no fight. Stand down!"
Han Jung-ryang smirked at the letter. Amicable diplomacy with barbs flying.
Chewing his pipe, he scrawled a reply worthy of Chungmugong's praise.
"Make them withdraw."
Cannon fire roared faster than Sugimura's rage.
Mid-order, he instinctively ducked.
Luckily, not aimed at him.
But the next sight was nearly as dire.
At Han's signal, six more Liberation Detachments emerged over the horizon.
Fifty warships total slowly encircled the Tsushima fleet.
One question echoed in Sugimura's mind.
'Didn't they cut the navy for lack of funds?'
I and Magistrate Yi I-jang duly hosted the assembled Liberation Detachments as their liaisons.
In Joseon, local officials handled army logistics. With empty treasuries, we resorted to alchemy.
Hence squeezing Superintendent Yoshida Shichizaemon. As Confucius said of true loyalty at seventy: follow your heart without overstepping. Breathing alone makes one patriotic.
At the merry banquet, I realized the commanders weren't just here for scraps.
First, my old comrade Han Jung-ryang spoke gravely.
"We raced here unable to stomach the insolence of these Japanese foes, long hated by our coastal folk. Riches come last. No need to burden the people further, Magistrate and Deputy."
Next was Kim Se-hyeong, commander of Jiseopo Fort on Geoje Island, staking claim to this sea patch.
"Plenty of 'funds' from those bastards. The marines' prize money? All from Japanese hides."
I was moved by their fiery zeal—not for my bigger cut.
"Your valor rivals ancient Yanghugong Yi Jong-mu or modern Chungmugong!"
Han guffawed at my praise.
"Chungmugong's unmatched, but for Tsushima scum, I'd relive Yanghugong's feats. Torch them again like the Kihae Tsushima Expedition—how satisfying!"
"Well said. That's King Sejong's grandest legacy."
Why had my anti-Japanese ventures succeeded so far?
Joseon loathed Tsushima.
Rooted in Tsushima's bullying. In Waegwan trade, they were the overlords, by my reckoning.
Take Kim Se-hyeong's Geoje: drift a Japanese ship to another island, and treaty lets you sink it as enemy.
Yet they demanded rice, seized a fort servant when refused—outrageous.
Worse: court punished our man, sent token protest to Japan, swept it under.
Sensing weakness like premodern sharks, they grew bolder. Delay meals now? Instant dismissal.
Court hesitated against Tsushima for reasons: sole silver source vital for China trade/diplomacy; pirate threats tiring.
But such grand excuses healed no officials' bruised egos.
Plainly: Joseon officers despised Tsushima dogs.
Our king knew—never make others feel like shit unless desperate.
Everyone faces dark days; then, many gleefully abandon all to smash that guy.
Thus our valiant Liberation Detachments lived up to hopes.
They handily blocked the pirate fleet from approaching.
With ships outnumbered several-fold, failure was impossible. Did Tsushima think Won Gyun crewed ours?
They refrained from first strikes to deny pretext.
Officers' vendettas sated enough eyeing hundreds of starving Waegwan Japanese. No commander was fool enough to risk international friction.
Joseon had won the Ginseng War.
Tsushima couldn't wage full war. Best case: fleet returns with commander's head as ornament.
Muster main army for rematch?
Then witness 18th-century Yeongdo Bridge of Japanese corpses. Waegwan folk were prime hostages.
Love and peace war to my taste.
Sun-tzu said: Supreme excellence is subduing without fighting.
Tsushima, unable to starve a tenth of its adult males, sued for peace.
Kim Unhaeng's grand sweep of their fleet was worthless, as planned.
Beyond hostages and detachments outclassing the navy, post-this: fight shogunate punishers, not Joseon.
His evidence forgery and cover-up were meticulous.
Shogunate likelier to punish Tsushima for unilateral foreign war than aid.
While detachments pinned Sugimura, Kim Unhaeng ravaged Waegwan: stole, shredded key docs. No counter-evidence possible against his crime spree.
His planted 'Huibian Tai' porn books—prime exhibits—all seized.
These new editions boasted classy landscape backgrounds, fancier than known ones.
Proving Waegwan lewd art hub.
Then dominoes of false charges toppled Tsushima with fatal news.
The envoy bearing royal edict wasn't some minor official.
Park Mun-su, Yi Geum's most trusted minister, Grand Army of Yeongseong.
Park crushed Tsushima with ministerial aura dwarfing Dongnae Magistrate Yi or Deputy Kim.
"How dare you invoke old pacts? Third illicit visit in His Majesty's reign alone! Smuggling pearls, siphoning gold/silver, poaching potters, exceeding quotas for cloth and rice—innumerable!
Think His heavenly eyes overlooked from mercy? Ungrateful wretches arming rebels in Hwanghae, illicit logging Ulleung, now baring swords at Seoul? When foiled, muster warships? Guts bloated beyond words!"
Park billed a century's debts since Sukjong, threatening Edo pilgrimage.
Waegwan's ordeal began. Park hit core issue: morals in 'Gye yu Year Lewdness Purge.'
With Kim's 'art,' he brandished each, pointing.
"Heavens know your sin shipping such filth to Seoul. Even rutting field foxes shame more! No more words from me. Speak if you dare!"
Beside him, Kim Unhaeng tensed.
He'd ordered Japan-style costumes with refs, but Japanese eyes might spot fakes (most nudes anyway).
Expected: 'Such art only from cultured Joseon! We're framed!' He psyched his mouth.
Shockingly, most Japanese didn't rebut.
Few mumbled 'never seen,' but most exchanged 'maybe?' glances.
Simple reason.
18th-century Japan teemed with 'real' Huibian Tai porn.
Kim underestimated era folk. Beast-human or animal porn? Old hat by then.
Manga formats too.
Edo illustrators innovated to survive.
Assemble-to-view porn existed; story porn was standard.
Nishikawa Sukenobu, top dog, drew sex-ed for women 40 years prior.
Kim's modern arrogance blinded him.
Like Sado Crown Prince marveling naked Chinese histories, Kim led 'in Joseon.'
But world vast.
Japan's level outpaced 21st-century imaginings.
As Waegwanites sheepishly produced books at Park's "Confess now, yield others—mercy!" Kim felt war won, culture lost.
Kim's chagrin aside, Joseon sailed with full wind.
Military edge baseline, political then moral supremacy: Park steamrolled talks.
He voided recall tribute Joseon would've eaten—national alchemist indeed.
Lord So Yoshishige, blindsided, cursed idiot retainers.
Superintendent Yoshida wailed 'Joseon trap!' before seppuku. Else blame hit lord direct.
Lord spared execution.
But if not 'rogue subordinate,' begging Waegwan reopening gets awkward.
Losing Joseon ties—self-inflicted—huge. Beyond lost trade.
Japan's system levied house-wide corvees including trade posts.
Joseon: individuals manned ships, offices handled logistics.
Japan: clans handled wholesale.
Tsushima So clan owned Joseon route; abandon? Forfeit trade profits, shogunate duty/status.
Yoshishige couldn't.
Via proxy: "We obey His Majesty fully. Just return our Waegwan folk safely."
Reverse of Imjin POW swaps.
Joseon didn't play nice. Park, per Kim's 'sharp idea,' took ransom.
Not kidnapping—'crime reparations' by moral Joseon.
Spare flogging-to-death for cash: utmost mercy. Yi Geum loved treasury overflows.
Kim, business-blinded, missed it, but this 'Gye yu Incident' momentous.
Joseon's first post-Sejong 'offensive war.'
No flashy battles, but victory metrics aren't drama.
Ginseng War: best ROI since founding.
Exceeded plans, thanks to Kim's underwater schemes.
Re-educated Tsushima on Sejong after 300 years, swept Waegwan riches.
Bonanza ransoms incoming. Detachments' feats undeniable.
True win after ages of Joseon war rug-chewing.
From 'not losing' to taking: huge.
Grandly: biggest gain spiritual, like Crown Prince Yi Hwon's recent stand against Yi Geum.
Author's Note
1. Japanese ship drifts to Geoje, seizes servant over rice; court punishes our commander for not feeding—both true. But timeline slightly later than story.
2. Nishikawa Sukenobu's sex-ed porn: 1711 Enjo Shikiame. Can't detail contents. No animals. Such sold as singles, spread rural via sankin kotai—even Tsushima. Called 'Edo souvenirs' by returning samurai.
3. Strictly, Sejo's Molianwei campaign qualifies—but strategic preemption, scant gains, so omitted.
4. Japanese names: surname or given per context/tone.
5. Japan's central navy differed: coastal pirate bands (kaizokushu) absorbed, clans rewarded feudal perks (not all, many domain navies). By then, shogunate Funategashira office; 4-5 clans like Mukai, Mamiya handled—including Joseon envoys.