Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Freezing Throne (2)
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Joseon lacks any proper intelligence agency.
When information is needed, each department gathers it on their own.
They do use foreigners to some extent and even employ spies, but intelligence is more about integration and analysis than mere collection.
Joseon's scattered intelligence capabilities don't produce any emergent strength. In other words, unlike the modern era, in Joseon, any individual with the right conditions can possess intelligence on par with the government's.
Especially someone like me, who has one of the two most crucial elements in intelligence—'speed' (the other being 'accuracy').
The Chun-sik Ranch and the Jeolla Left Naval Station already have bidirectional pigeon communication systems in place.
Carrier pigeons can't fly like telephones; they only go to places with their nests, so this is the limit. Still, by current standards, it's the fastest in the world. If some fool tries to use Chun-sik armor to make something like a telegraph, I need to stop them.
And in our household, we have someone who handles not just collection, but also integration and analysis.
Se-hwa quickly scanned through the letters and reports piled haphazardly in the room.
Those documents included not only reports from Park Jaeha of the Jeolla Left Naval Station, but also information from the Gyeryong Mountain Exorcist Association (connected via Yeon-i), and updates from the Chun-sik men operating around Chungcheong Province, delivered by human couriers.
Se-hwa was transforming that vast data into geospatial intelligence.
"Even from Gyeryong Mountain, a few shamans have been summoned to Naju, and judging by the rumors from the Left Naval Commander, it's certain. With the farming season over, they're hastily gathering idle young men. It's Naju, after all."
This is something even I couldn't do. Honestly, I can barely make sense of the map Se-hwa has laid out.
Oh, what's that map? Did she use modern knowledge or hire a Dutch surveyor?
Why risk something so dangerous? Joseon people make fine maps too. It's just a standard military map I bribed my way to from the Training Command.
I couldn't possibly remember modern maps in my head even if I tried—it's not like I have a smartphone up here.
Besides, a map's value isn't in how accurately it depicts the terrain. It's about the precision of roads, the villages and towns they connect, and military facilities. Joseon-era maps are far superior in that regard.
Se-hwa marked red dots here and there on the map with a fine brush.
"On the surface, it looks like they're scattering to different towns to hide, but if you track where the people and wagons are converging, every spot allows quick assembly at Naju. The so-called Brush and Ink Society you mentioned last time seems poised to rise up from there."
The Brush and Ink Society is the group formed by Yun Gwangcheol, son of Yun-ji.
Truly more dangerous than sword brotherhoods—the old saying that the brush is mightier than the sword holds true.
It's a society of scholars helping each other procure writing supplies, a common enough name, but it reeks of an underground subversive organization. Much like the sci-fi or wuxia novel clubs at 20th-century Korean universities that doubled as anti-government groups.
There are precedents in this era too. Our king's not the first to be slandered by placards. Twenty years ago, the Brush and Ink Society in Namwon, not far from Naju, orchestrated a similar incident.
Why use the same name, you idiot? First, it's so common it doesn't raise alarms on its own. Second... let's just say ideologues have trouble hiding their true colors.
No matter how desperately they need camouflage, neo-Nazis don't adopt racial equality slogans. How else would they attract like-minded people?
For rebels, propaganda and recruitment are life-or-death. Even ISIS, which executed people left and right, used social media masterfully if you recall modern knowledge.
Summoning shamans from as far as Gyeryong Mountain serves the same purpose.
"When shamans repeatedly perform rituals to exorcise evil spirits, people can't help but suspect something troubles the nation. It's easy enough to deceive the agitated masses with a few words—that's the typical ploy of these wicked traitors."
With that assessment, Se-hwa urged me.
"As a mere woman, I know little of military strategy, but I've heard that speed is the essence of warfare. If you report this to the court and claim the credit, and the Left Naval Commander strikes Naju in one swift blow, you could capture them all."
Well, I hate to say it, but there's something I can't tell Se-hwa. I agree with the process but not the conclusion.
"Naju's probably not the only place."
"Pardon?"
"If I were the traitor, I wouldn't gather all my men in Naju for the uprising. The Jeolla Inspector-General is already suspicious—they'd be caught for sure. No way those bunglers came all the way to Mokcheon just to buy gunpowder on a whim."
Se-hwa thought for a moment and nodded.
"You're right. Then Chungcheong Province, or perhaps..."
"Exactly."
I pretended to perfectly grasp Se-hwa's rebel navigation and lifted my brush to dot Hanseongbu on the map.
"Most of them have already infiltrated Seoul."
Yeongjo is dragging his feet on arresting Kimhae Magistrate Shin Chi-woon. The Naju Brush and Ink Society is the same.
To me, it looks like he's tolerating treason for some political gain.
In the original history, that would be suicidal madness, but not now.
With the Three Articles on Administrative Affairs slashing provincial troops, even a successfully assembled Honam force wouldn't seriously threaten Seoul's Five Garrisons. We've beaten them once before during Yi In-jwa's rebellion, after all.
Of course, the rebels know this power gap well.
And the leeway Yeongjo gave them sparked a desperate countermeasure.
A revolt from within the capital.
Even without provincial armies, Honam—the kingdom's largest granary—has the most farmland and population. Plenty of recruits available in this off-season.
Disguise those men with various pretexts and slip them into Seoul. With grain convoys swelling foot traffic lately, it won't look suspicious.
Then, at the right moment, sow chaos in Seoul while seizing the isolated provinces to form the main rebel force.
It's a modern-style coup, reversing the usual sequence of provincial revolt.
And for that, they need strings in the center, naturally.
The guest I expected arrived soon. Lee Ha-jing, who'd been holed up in Seoul instead of returning—likely their liaison.
Everything up to here was as predicted.
Except one thing.
Lee Ha-jing sat before me, stroking his beard.
"I heard Chun-sik, you're seeking a red inkstone from the enemy envoy. Rare in Joseon, but the Naju Brush and Ink brothers went to great lengths to procure it for you."
For now, he has the right to boast. I didn't hide my surprise, gazing at the gift he'd brought.
There sat one red inkstone—my quest target.
As Lee Ha-jing said, I'd put out feelers for red inkstones not just in Japan but Joseon too.
Akamagaseki inkstones being famous here means someone owned them before.
But branded inkstones are luxuries for scholars. Maniacs don't sell their prized collections for money, so I was in a bind—totally unexpected.
A status window appeared before my eyes after a long while.
I almost felt like the system anticipated this loophole with the 10-stone limit, but it didn't matter. I spoke sincerely.
"Such a precious gift—I'm at a loss for words."
"The happiest I've ever seen you. The lowly folk slander you as a thug, but I knew Chun-sik had the air of a true scholar."
"You're too kind. Gentlemen recognize each other."
As the warm moment passed, Lee Ha-jing brought up payment for the inkstone.
"No money needed. Just one favor I must ask of Chun-sik."
"What is it?"
"Truth is, I'm shipping fresh persimmons to Seoul this time. In these times, sea route seems best. But I'm worried about the Jeolla Left and Right Naval Liberation Squadrons raiding us."
This old man—don't sour our Noron Chun-dang's greatest achievement like that?
The Liberation Squadrons have never looted. It's strictly 'passage fees.' And persimmons are no big...
Wait. Fresh persimmons in bulk this early winter? Not dried ones?
I snapped out of my inkstone-induced daze.
Now I fully grasped Lee Ha-jing's words.
These bastards plan at least two avenues for rebellion.
One is the capital unrest I predicted; the other, infiltration via sea route through Ganghwa Island.
That's why they're asking me to clear the Jeolla Left Naval Squadron out of the way.
Reasonable line. We're not exactly allies on the same ship, so demanding the squadron join the rebellion is a stretch. Too risky for them anyway.
If they use the ships they've secured, the revolt launches at latest before the Han River freezes—barely a month left.
Once troops are loose in the capital region, the river's ice becomes an advantage (free advance and retreat). Clever timing.
I agreed readily.
"Understood. I'll send a letter ensuring the Liberation Squadrons cause no trouble."
"Much obliged. Larger than panokseon, these junk ships sail from Gyeongsang Kimhae, rounding far south past Jeolla to the west coast—keep that in mind."
Kimhae? Where Shin Chi-woon is?
He spoke freely, unaware I know who Shin Chi-woon is, but that confirmed my suspicions.
Yet as an outsider magistrate, Shin Chi-woon has no real military base in Kimhae.
What's near Kimhae? Dongnae, which I've visited, right next door, so...
I glanced at the Akamagaseki inkstone Lee Ha-jing brought.
Got it. These scum plan to lure in a foreign fleet.
Japan's most likely, but even they lack many junks bigger than panokseon.
'No way...?'
Assumptions kill. I assumed the worst and dispatched a pigeon to the Jeolla Left Naval Station.
In the name of that station's most famous commander upon taking post, no mercy for traitors.
Angolpo (modern Jinhae-gu, Changwon)—one of Yi Sun-sin's victory sites and a key point for the Gyeongsang Right Naval Station.
But now, thanks to Kim Unhaeng's administrative reforms, it's just another shuttered base.
Moreover, the scene unfolding there would have Yi Sun-sin blasting Kim Unhaeng with the Heavenly Thunder Cannon on sight.
Japanese ships aside, unheard-of Western barbarian vessels were anchored amid Angolpo's ruins.
Gustav Willem's first mate, Jochem Hendrik from Dordrecht, glanced toward the stern.
There, a man claiming to be a Joseon local official sat composedly with a few soldiers.
Hendrik said to Captain Jan van Ingen.
"Can we trust that fellow?"
"What about him?"
"That De Ruyter's Belt is on Ganghwa Island. And it's the outer harbor to the Joseon capital, right? Sounds too good—probably a trap."
Captain Jan van Ingen puffed his pipe leisurely.
No one returned from De Ruyter's Belt, and Nagasaki was uncooperative, so the Dutch knew little of Joseon geography.
Seizing the fastest smuggling ship led Gustav Willem not to Dongnae or Ulleung, but Kimhae.
Not a total blunder, though.
Kimhae Magistrate Shin Chi-woon awaited them.
Shin, who planned to link with Japan, was shocked at first but adapted swiftly. Revolutionaries must be pragmatic and flexible to shatter the old order.
Through double interpretation via Japanese, Shin Chi-woon baited the Dutch ship with De Ruyter's Belt.
He explained it was on Ganghwa, a hub for Seoul's grain shipments—perfect for pressuring the central government and reclaiming their vessel at once.
Cut from the Bureau of Scribes last year, Shin didn't know De Ruyter's Belt had moved to Ulleung for whaling. His words rang true.
Captain Jan van Ingen judged them credible.
Not that Shin's sincerity swayed him.
The captain lit his Joseon tobacco and finally answered his first mate.
"Too much at stake for lies. He's already damaged his own navy's base and fleet massively. Volunteered as hostage too. Probably real."
True. The Dutch held the reins.
Gustav Willem, leading a few small frigates, 'courteously invited' Shin Chi-woon aboard.
They seized his led warships and Japanese smugglers, towing all to Angolpo.
So contrary to Kim Unhaeng's thinking, Yi Geum didn't spare Shin—he couldn't catch him.
Still nominally embezzlement, not treason, no drastic measures like gold control clerks. Just routine central dispatch for replacement. No one yet knew the magistrate had vanished.
Geoje's Jiseopo commander Kim Se-hyeong rushed in, thinking money rolled their way, but the Liberation Squadrons didn't always win.
Used to soft merchantmen, they were stunned by Gustav Willem's overwhelming European firepower.
Sure, mirror-return ships are merchants too.
But European pirate-continent merchants.
Veterans of the Anglo-Dutch Wars—Joseon warships couldn't take them without heavy losses.
Like any privatized force, Geoje Liberation Squadron wouldn't sacrifice profit for public good. After two ships crippled and casualties mounted, the Joseon fleet retreated swiftly.
Gustav Willem leisurely occupied Angolpo.
Thus, Kimhae Magistrate Shin Chi-woon sitting astern was already a traitor by this point. Hard to see it as a trap for one ship.
Ingen exhaled smoke into the sea breeze. Joseon tobacco didn't suit pipes but was passable.
"Besides, so what if not?"
"Sir?"
"Even without De Ruyter's Belt on that island, if we can pressure the capital and royals, we get it back anytime. Why was it in Joseon? To boost trade openings, right? Better we seize that success too. You'll command your own ship soon."
Hendrik seemed more anxious than excited.
"Fair, but an outer harbor to the capital must be heavily defended."
"Likely."
Captain Jan van Ingen didn't snap at his subordinate's concern or underestimate the foe clichély.
Joseon already captured De Ruyter's Belt—they had the power.
But the captain had faith.
"As you say, they'll be prepared. But will those preparations hold amid rebellion?"
Hendrik looked like he wanted to smack his forehead. Van Ingen smirked.
"Asian militaries specialize in quelling internal strife. During rebellion, all forces converge inward, leaving borders vulnerable. We could achieve what Admiral Michiel de Ruyter did last century—raiding Chatham, humbling the British up the Thames."
De Ruyter's Medway Raid, torching the British fleet in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, was as legendary to Dutchmen as Yi Sun-sin's Myeongnyang to Joseon.
No crewman dared challenge the captain's vision.
Gustav Willem set sail soon after.
Heeding Shin Chi-woon, they attempted deep-sea navigation: skirting Honam southwest, past Heuksan Island, northbound.
Futile effort.
Left Naval Commander Park Jaeha, receiving Kim Unhaeng's letter, had no intent to engage the Dutch fleet.
And Joseon's navy had more blue-water experience than van Ingen or Shin imagined.
Like ancient Left Naval Commander Yi Sun-sin, Park Jaeha scouted meticulously.
Joseon's small warships blended with fishing boats, and the Left Squadron had Kim Unhaeng's (looted from De Ruyter's Belt) mysterious tool enabling it.
"They definitely headed north?"
"Yes, Commander. This lowly one saw them clear as day with this telescope!"
One eye, but a Joseon man's eyewitness suffices as proof.
Park Jaeha returned from Liberation Squadron command to national admiral.
He handpicked an elite flotilla, trailing the Dutch at a safe, undetected distance.
Early winter. The south felt it little yet, but Seoul—seat of the throne—was beginning to freeze.
Author's Note
1. During the Naju placard incident, Yun Gwangcheol's Brush and Ink Society did actually enlist shamans for propaganda and recruitment. The plan to attack Seoul via Ganghwa was real too.
2. VOC frigates of the time included many smaller than panokseon. Jan van Ingen and Jochem Hendrik were real Gustav Willem crew, but Hendrik succeeding Ingen as captain is fiction— not first mate.
3. Telescopes, called siwongyeong or cheonligyeong, were known even then. Just not adopted by the military.