Chapter 245
Chapter 245
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: Sejong's Territory (1)
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Of course, what Kim Unhaeng could gain by winking one eye was Hannibal's skill, not the one from Gung Ye that he truly desired.
In other words, it was impossible for Kim Unhaeng to read the Qianlong Emperor's mind and plan such a grand maneuver in advance. Even if Gung Ye had manifested, there was no way to read the emperor's own unspoken intentions at that moment.
Kim Unhaeng was simply employing the strategy he had used successfully many times before.
If the enemy is unpredictable, manipulate them into acting exactly as you foresee.
As Yi Hwon had said in Phoenix Castle, the Joseon forces were indeed 'worried about Qing troops invading Hamgyong Province, where we lack any substantial army.'
The reason was simple. Kim Unhaeng had deliberately left Hamgyong undefended.
There truly wasn't enough leeway to split defensive forces everywhere, but even accounting for that, Hamgyong lay wide open, practically inviting invasion.
No fool, the Qianlong Emperor would surely target it. This was what Kim Unhaeng had meant when he told Kim Seong-eung to 'wait for the enemy's mistakes.'
If the emperor really was foolish enough to leave the eastern Manchu forces untouched, that was fine too. Then the Liberation Unit's 30,000 troops could switch from defense to offense and strike Ningguta Tower.
Either way, the Qianlong Emperor would have to expend his eastern forces.
To clear the western invasion route for his king to advance.
However, a long-distance naval flanking maneuver was a mad tactic that only modern Britain, with its tradition of a thousand years of piracy, could attempt.
The true mastermind enabling Kim Unhaeng to execute this plan was unmistakably Hannibal.
This wasn't like Shandong, where even a few days' margin of error was intolerable. Without the accumulated data on fleet speeds and real-time updates on conditions, even a rough estimate of this scale would have been impossible.
Kim Unhaeng became convinced of success upon seeing the three to four hundred additional men added to the South Sea Fleet from Okinawa.
He had worried about his sheltered sons, but it seemed Yi Jaeun and Kim Eungseok had helped them pull through.
That was why, around then, Kim Unhaeng could boast so boldly to Yi Hwon.
Yi Hwon was impressed.
"As expected of the Hundred-Strategy Spring Commander. You've already prepared everything! Then why didn't you mention it sooner?"
Kim Unhaeng, who hadn't said anything beforehand to avoid embarrassment if it failed, managed not to look guilty.
He was prostrated, after all. After a brief pause, he rattled off his response fluidly.
"Why bother reporting every trivial task like preparing brushes, paper, and ink in the antechamber? This servant merely performs humble assistance at Your Highness's side in secret, without proclaiming such efforts amid the ranks for praise—that is not my intent."
Hong Daeyong, standing nearby, chimed in. It was possible because they were in camp.
"The merit of extinguishing a fire may shine, but a wise ruler rewards even more the one who bent the chimney and moved the firewood in advance [Hanshu]. This servant truly congratulates Your Highness on securing such a talent."
When subordinates err, berate the subordinates; when the king errs, still berate the subordinates—but when subordinates excel, congratulate the king. That was the basics of Joseon bureaucracy.
Yi Hwon understood the implication. To give the historians something good to record, he added one more line of praise for Kim Unhaeng.
"Moreover, sending your son as a military officer is exemplary, akin to when the late Supreme King personally wielded a spade while Grand Harmony Army built the walls."
Kim Unhaeng's ears perked up, wondering if this meant he'd make his son Chief State Councillor like Grand Harmony Army Park Mun-su someday.
With his throat parched by royal favor, fervent propaganda flowed naturally.
"Now that Your Highness has personally taken the field, how could I spare even one worthless son? Seeing Your Highness teach in person and the yangban lead by example fosters harmony between ruler and subject. The people of the Northeast (Hamgyong) will surely rise with fervor to repel the barbarians."
At that moment, Kim Ihwan was indeed rousing the eastern people to action.
They just weren't Joseon folk.
Winter's northwest winds aided southward travel but hindered northward. With business to attend anyway, Kim Ihwan first anchored at Ulleungdo.
The Japanese smugglers marveled at Kim Ihwan's wares.
"This is the famed Joseon..."
"No way... how could beasts be so depraved... truly bestial..."
"Heavens, not just paintings! Look at this sculpture! It moves! It moves!"
He'd thought Japan led the world in obscenity, but it felt like a tourist discovering tastier kimchi abroad than back home.
Japanese custom demanded gifts even from a neighbor's visit. 'Edo souvenirs' like erotic prints were traditional, but they paled against rarer, pricier 'Joseon gifts.' The stock sold out in moments.
After all, humanity's earliest cave paintings and sculptures depicted not humans, but beastmen.
From Cro-Magnon times to now—a mere instant evolutionarily—their tastes lingered naturally.
Among them, the yangban-beauty-freak fusion figures—enhanced with fur and hides per his father's idea—flew off to outrageously wealthy collectors. With the essence of East Asian political diplomacy history distilled in, discerning buyers wouldn't skimp.
Of course, Kim Ihwan, scion of a noble house, couldn't hawk them himself. Even Yi Jaeun refused hawking duties, so marines enthusiastically promoted with live demos.
Meanwhile, on the island's far side, Kim Ihwan conducted 'real smuggling.'
Unlike Jeju's official trade at Sagi Port, Ulleungdo dealt mainly in contraband and luxuries.
After Kim Unhaeng crushed the VOC as 'Hongmun Association' and secretly built a smuggling base here; Yi Hwon's expansion made Jeju official trade.
Handling this shadowy Japan-Joseon trade was, as expected, Matsuura Keisen of Tsushima.
But this time, Keisen brought commonplace, peasant-friendly goods. He told Kim Ihwan:
"As per your letter months ago, I've loaded rice, beans, barley, and such."
With Kim Ihwan fluent in Japanese, Jangbok sufficed as escort. Amazed by the massive grain haul, Kim Ihwan replied:
"I worried if you'd prepare in time, but Tsushima's famed integrity proves trustworthy indeed."
This was the Japanese grain import he'd urged on the crown prince.
For him, still politically shaky compared to his father, leaving Hanseong for this bold high-speed voyage was a prime motive.
"It wasn't easy. Our land still has petty folk chasing short-term gains, blind to the future. With Kyushu war-ravaged and short on food, selling grain at 'half price' drew complaints inevitably—but our clan and even the domain lord labored hard."
Keisen phrased it as his and Tsushima Fuchu Domain's merit, but strictly, it was Tanuma Okitsugu—seeing farther than those 'petty folk'—overriding opposition.
The 'shogun's shogun,' real powerholder Tanuma, needed Joseon envoys—the ultimate legitimacy show—to secure Kyushu interests for the shogunate.
Thus, he couldn't refuse Joseon's offer. Kim Ihwan's prediction before Crown Prince Yi Jeong proved spot-on.
Like the daimyo disgrace during Qing intercepts in Kyushu, Japan struggled uniting local powers.
But decentralization had perks: 'Kyushu falls, others stand.'
Grain, not troops, burdened daimyo little. Tanuma easily commandeered from shogunate lands swiftly.
For debt-ridden Joseon—like gambling with a maxed credit card—this was prime interest-free loan.
"I'll surely report Lord of Tsushima's sincerity to Crown Prince and His Majesty. Official business here done—join those peddlers selling curios yonder?"
"I'd love to... but headwinds loom; must return."
"Oh, you know winds too? Southeast in this chill—lunar New Year effect?"
"Winds shift whimsically, not calendar-bound; this area's tempests especially fickle. But experience lets estimation. We've frequented Ulleungdo more than most Joseon folk."
Keisen looked genuinely regretful. Still under thirty, after all.
Tanuma's call or not, Matsuura efforts couldn't be dismissed.
So Kim Ihwan gifted him a noble limited-edition figure. Keisen feigned refusal but accepted.
Trade wrapped, next day Kim Ihwan met his handler, Vice Director of Ceremonials Park Sangsoon.
"Dog-Beating Stick Lord ordered pigeons from Deokwonbu (Wonsan) to Ulleungdo every ten days; last was five days ago. No barbarian invasion news then."
Key spots like Ulleungdo had 'pigeon relay stations' for Kim Unhaeng.
Modern tech-bred homing pigeons covered max 1,000km. Trained ones pierced storms from torpedo tubes to deliver messages.
Kim Unhaeng, ignorant of such history and skill-reliant, fell short. But well-placed relays spanned Wonsan-Ulleungdo's 400km fine.
Only Kim Unhaeng tracked 'subordinates' positions.
In maneuvers this scale, executives needed intel too from posts.
Thus, Kim Unhaeng unleashed his ultra-fast comms net—built for profit sans scandal, or cover pre-censorate if caught.
Via it, Hamgyong sent regular Ulleungdo reports. Relayers: briefly home Chun-sik Fleet paused, Chae Isung and Yi Jo-i couple.
Navy head Kim Eungseok advised caution.
"Then waiting here is wise."
Upwind sailing wasted time. Coastal or not, extra sea days spiked fatigue and mortality sharply.
But Kim Ihwan differed.
"No—if invasion news arrives, too late. Depart first."
"But winds..."
"Think my father overlooked that?"
He couldn't. That dad was Hundred-Strategy Spring Commander.
Kim Ihwan invented unsaid fatherly words.
"Nearly three months to here. Lunar New Year nears. Departed yin-rich late autumn, northwest aided; now yang revives—southeast's turn. Admiral didn't loop navy 'round Joseon idly."
Absurd on scrutiny.
Predicting fickle winds for army moves? Zhuge Liang gambler stuff—not speed alone.
Not just east wind prayer. Guan Yu raced fire ship path Zhuge stamped; what if Cao Cao sensibly took flat road?
Zhuge solo zither in Xicheng; what if Sima Yi skipped thinking, charged?
Kim Unhaeng's moves weren't that. As he said, no soul-on-line gambles for him.
He always minimized uncertainty—like manipulating Yi Geum or Qianlong.
But late Joseon folk fancied Zhuge romantic bets. Marketplace Tales of the Three Kingdoms proved it.
Kim Ihwan knew Joseon hearts better than dad.
Pureblood non-returnee Kim Ihwan of Jangdong Kim clan flourished sleeves, commanded:
"Father's stratagem bends to yin-yang flux—flawless. Hoist commander flag now!"
Kim Ihwan lacked authority, naturally.
Even actual CO Kim Eungseok couldn't; no sea captains aboard.
But no dissenters.
Couldn't crack cutthroat Liberation Unit. Fit only hauling for English slave porters yonder.
Sudden commander flag fluttered northwest; awe deepened.
"Oho! Southeast wind!"
"Spring Commander's ploy! Ghostly indeed!"
"Recall all hawking troops! Weigh anchor! Depart now!"
Liberation Unit's blue flag rose: 'Sprint back to posts.'
Japanese hagglers startled by sudden packing settled at Joseon prices. Grain import costs offset somewhat.
Liberation Unit rode 'Kim Chun-sik-prophesied' southeast to Wonsan.
Retrospect: razor-thin timing.
Then, Hamgyong North Military Commander was Jang Ji-hang.
Grandson of Joseon RoboCop Jang Beungik, son of elite guards chief Jang Tae-so—who even tensed Kim Unhaeng. He too climbed martial ranks textbook elite.
Unlike upright grandsire, by his generation, fatal circuitry glitch: greedy, scorned scholars.
Originally cronied with Gu Seon-bok, embezzled 50,000 yang mint cash, rampant abuses. In Joseon, not huge sin—but skipping Jeongjo's Sado Crown Prince rites? Heinous. Ended beaten dead by Jeongjo.
But that slyness saved him now.
Gu Seon-bok executed via Sam-bok exploits; he cut ties fastest, swore to Yi Hwon. Mint ties with Kim Unhaeng got him recommendation.
Kim Unhaeng wouldn't soul-risk with corrupt hacks. Observation: rare 'competent corrupt.'
Jang grasped his Joseon troops' nature instantly.
Some Russian border training via Yun Pil-deok, but minimal. Hamgyong locals reeked classic Joseon army.
Thus, from northernmost Gyeongheung Magistrate Aoji Fortress, foot on battlement eyeing distant Qing, Jang decided swiftly.
"Withdraw."
Joseon troops obeyed astonishingly fast. Grabbed portables, torched rest, ghosted out.
Nearby Ningguta General Hongnok entered Aoji leisurely with 10,000.
No modern, missed ominous name; no traps anyway.
"Like Chongde Bingja or Byongja years. Joseon runs only. They'll monk up in hills soon, hang necks on loyalty—ignore. We take Gyeongheung road south; scout light cavalry to Hoe Ryeong."
Other Six Garrisons similar. Excluding inland Bureung, Onsung, Jongsung, Hoe Ryeong bare.
Like old rat packs over Hamgyong, Jurchens retook Garrisons.
As North Commander Jang abandoned near-all turf, officers probed gingerly:
"Retreat sans fight okay?"
Artistic brainpower, asking past return point. Why Joseon elites.
Jang scoffed, not lecturing:
"Admiral's orders. He'll take blame if punished."
Spurring mount, sudden worry: these lackeys might snitch later he plotted vs Kim Unhaeng. Kim's Hamgyong prestige no joke.
Clarifying:
"Admiral said: Barbarians in Sejong's fierce lair won't escape alive—not one—like old Kim Jong-seo days."