Chapter 363
Chapter 363
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 363
Chapter Title: Armistice
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hwa Ryeong stared at Yi Hwan, lightly furrowing her brow.
“There’s something else we don’t know about, isn’t there?”
“Who knows.”
“The Great Prince has always been like that. Aiming for something beyond the obvious goal. I’m really curious what it is this time.”
“You said he’d head straight to the Stone Gate Mine once Zhao withdraws from the Adversary River. What could he do without engaging in battle?”
“That’s true, but if it’s just about threatening them, the Great Prince didn’t need to come out himself...”
Hwa Ryeong muttered, propping her chin on her hand.
At that moment, Yi Hwan turned toward them.
“Come here for a moment.”
“Yes.”
Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong quickly approached Yi Hwan.
[He’s probably going to give us another task.]
Hwa Ryeong’s eyes sparkled as she sent the transmission. Like a girl full of curiosity.
Yi Hwan looked at Go Mi and continued.
“You two go ahead to the Stone Gate Mine first. Check the mine’s structure, the iron extraction methods, the smelting facilities—everything in detail.”
“Just us... going ahead?”
“We need to save as much time as possible.”
“Understood.”
Hwa Ryeong’s eyes gleamed as she asked.
“Anything else besides that?”
“That’s all you need to do. So hurry and go.”
“What about the Great Prince? Anything more?”
“Nothing.”
“Come on, tell us. What are you planning this time?”
“Let’s go.”
Go Mi grabbed Hwa Ryeong’s arm and pulled her along.
Yi Hwan smirked as he watched Hwa Ryeong being dragged away. Ju Tae asked.
“Is this really the answer?”
“Not satisfied unless there’s more?”
“That’s not it, but if the goal was just to threaten Zhao, did the Lord really need to come out in person?”
Yi Hwan smiled faintly.
“Actually, I thought about settling the debt with Won Gae-se. But then it hit me—having a man like that stay as Qin’s Grand General would benefit our Yeon Kingdom...”
“If we see Qin as a potential enemy, that makes sense. So once Zhao withdraws, you’ll just head back?”
“Think of it as coming out for some fresh air.”
“...Yes.”
Yi Hwan turned to where the captured white-robed and blue-robed men were. With their internal energy sealed, exhausted from the forced march and barely any food, they dozed off like chickens, utterly drained.
“When will you behead those bastards?”
“Tonight.”
“Shall we throw them into the Zhao camp then?”
Yi Hwan shook his head.
“If Zhao abandons the Adversary River and withdraws, we’d have to go all the way to the northern bank—that’s too far. So I’m leaving it to those guys.”
Yi Hwan pointed to Namgung Jang-cheon and Danri Mok. They were a short distance away, filling their stomachs with jerky and talking.
“Make sure to coat them well with lime powder so they don’t rot.”
“Understood.”
* * *
When darkness fell and stars rose, Namgung Jang-cheon and Danri Mok faced Yi Hwan, each carrying a box.
Their faces, on the verge of parting, were filled with regret.
“Don’t tell Won Gae-se. He might do something foolish out of greed for credit.”
“Who are these?”
“They’re comrades of the ones who killed the most Qin warriors in the Adversary River battle. That’s all you need to know.”
“Understood.”
Namgung Jang-cheon and Danri Mok bowed their heads.
“Then, hoping to meet again in the future, we’ll take our leave.”
“Go.”
Yi Hwan watched their backs disappear into the darkness, narrowing his eyes slightly.
They were enviable talents, every time he saw them anew.
Especially Namgung Jang-cheon. Though he hadn’t fully bloomed yet, once he did, he might become a rival impossible to ignore.
Kim Mu-gwan asked.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
“Is there someone like Won Gae-se in Haedong’s military?”
“There used to be, but now capable men lead the army. Why do you ask...”
“Those fellows can’t display their true abilities because of barriers like Yang Mu and Won Gae-se. They’re not even given a chance to spread their wings. So I asked.”
“There are incompetents everywhere. But in our Haedong, the royal family directly protects young talents, so it rarely happens.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It’s been that way for decades.”
It was intriguing.
“Can you tell me more in detail later?”
“I’ll share everything that’s not classified.”
“I look forward to it.”
Yi Hwan paused as he turned. Far ahead, a Qin general was galloping toward him.
Thud thud thud!
The general reined in his horse before Yi Hwan and bowed. Then, with an excited face, he shouted.
“The Zhao army has fully withdrawn from north of Guizhou Castle!”
Yi Hwan’s eyes gleamed.
‘Withdrawing this quickly.’
It was somewhat unexpected. He’d thought they’d hold the Adversary River as long as possible before retreating.
“Thank you, Great Prince! Thanks to you, we can pause the war for now!”
Moments later, the general galloped to where Qin warriors were gathered at the rear of the Yeon army. Cheers soon erupted.
“Waaaaah!”
“Uwaaaah!”
Ju Tae smirked.
“It ended too anticlimactically.”
“It was North Yeon’s movements that mattered more than ours. Because of them, Jo Yun couldn’t send more reinforcements to Guizhou Castle.”
“Aren’t you being too modest? If I were Jo Yun, the Lord personally leading troops down would’ve been more threatening.”
“Praise?”
“Of course.”
Yi Hwan headed toward where the Yeon army was.
Kim Mu-gwan followed and asked.
“Straight to Stone Gate? Or up to the capital?”
“They won’t have loaded the iron and left yet, so straight to Stone Gate.”
“Understood.”
* * *
Adversary River.
Grand General Won Gae-se’s tent was rowdy.
The generals were drinking to celebrate Zhao’s withdrawal.
One general said.
“As expected, North Yeon’s move worked perfectly! Those ferocious bastards tucked tail and ran!”
As everyone excitedly echoed the same sentiment, Won Gae-se’s expression wasn’t particularly bright.
Then one general spoke differently.
“North Yeon helped, but wasn’t it Grand Commander Wi Ji-gwan leading the army that had the greater effect?”
He was one of Won Gae-se’s close aides.
Knowing full well how much Won Gae-se despised Wi Ji-gwan, why say this?
He continued.
“We need to block rumors in the military beforehand. Even if it’s unpleasant, we must credit North Yeon for the entire victory.”
It was exactly right.
If not crediting North Yeon, it would all go to Wi Ji-gwan. The worst outcome for Won Gae-se.
Now understanding why he’d risked offending Won Gae-se, the generals nodded in agreement.
“...Yes, better North Yeon’s merit than Wi Ji-gwan’s.”
Won Gae-se, who disliked Yi Hwan as much as Wi Ji-gwan, had no choice but to grudgingly agree.
‘Because of Wi Ji-gwan, I have to praise that detestable bastard.’
Won Gae-se chugged from the bottle.
Gulp gulp!
Thud!
“Dismissed for today.”
“Yes, Grand General.”
Soon after, Won Gae-se left the tent with his deputy.
The camp, lit by torches everywhere, buzzed with excitement. Some warriors vented frustration at not fighting more, but most cheered the war’s end.
Won Gae-se’s eyes, reflecting the torchlight, trembled faintly.
‘I lost more in this war than I gained.’
A self-directed lament.
The most fatal was the strained relations with warriors like Baek Woo-kyeong. He knew it was because of the operation that endangered Yi Hwan.
“Where are the warriors now?”
“Most key experts are at Grand Commander Wi Ji-gwan’s camp.”
Twitch.
Won Gae-se’s eyes sank heavier. Amid the universal cheers, he couldn’t rejoice.
‘Qin’s warriors revere Baek Woo-kyeong like a god. I must prevent him from siding with Wi Ji-gwan at any cost.’
The war ended, but for Won Gae-se, an equally critical battle had arisen.
* * *
Northern Zhao.
Cheol Mu-ok and Tae Seon sat side by side on horseback, gazing at Zhao’s main camp.
The endlessly stretching walls, twenty zhang high, looked impregnable.
Tae Seon said.
“Our ancestors never breached it despite ages of effort. We call it the Wall of Lamentations.”
“That’s why they gave up the neutral zone so easily. No need to attack now, but for the future, scouting it would be wise.”
“You’re not thinking of going yourself? Even if you do, don’t go alone. It’s the frontline fortress, so Zhao has many experts. Dangerous. If you go, I go too.”
“Let’s think about the best approach. Anyway, it’s frustrating not knowing Guizhou’s situation.”
“Trust the Great Prince. He’ll achieve more than anyone expects.”
At her words, Cheol Mu-ok turned to her with a faint smile.
“Why are you smiling?”
“You seem to trust the Great Prince more than I do.”
“After all I’ve seen with him. Of course I trust him.”
“Let’s head back for now.”
“Yes.”
They turned their horses toward where the troops waited.
North Yeon warriors, camping in the neutral zone, weren’t pitching tents—they were chopping wood to build houses and stockades, the work in full swing.
With tens of thousands at it, houses sprang up instantly, and the stockade already spanned over two hundred zhang.
Cheol Mu-ok planned to make this North Yeon’s frontline defense line, securing significant territory.
“I never dreamed we’d enter a place our ancestors couldn’t take despite rivers of blood.”
“All thanks to the Lord.”
“Agreed!”
The warriors’ attitude toward Cheol Mu-ok matched their treatment of Tae Seon. Fierce Wolf Gwi Rang was the same.
But not everyone.
Due to North Yeon’s culture of ruthlessly excluding the unproven, generals and warriors unaware of Cheol Mu-ok’s worth hadn’t opened their hearts.
Gwi Rang personally guided them to the log house where they’d stay.
Newly built, it had North Yeon’s unique structure, sturdy enough for midwinter.
Cheol Mu-ok looked at Gwi Rang and said.
“Sit. We need to discuss.”
“Yes.”
Tae Seon prepared tea.
Cheol Mu-ok said.
“Once the stockade’s done, build walls behind it. To do it fast, we’ll need more troops from the rear.”
“I’ll send a dispatch to His Highness. How many more?”
“At least fifty thousand.”
“Understood.”
“And from tomorrow, train all warriors in Yeon tactics. Master the stone cannons Zhao left behind.”
“No worries. We have experts on stone cannons, and artisans for production. We’ll make as many as possible.”
“Already started?”
“Yes.”
Cheol Mu-ok was very pleased with Gwi Rang.
Given the insular northern nature, treating an outsider as superior wasn’t easy, yet Gwi Rang had been exceedingly courteous from the start.
With outstanding military prowess and a flexible mindset free of narrow thinking, Gwi Rang was exactly what North Yeon needed now.
“Do well from here. You’ll be the commander of this new North Yeon territory.”
“...Pardon?”
Gwi Rang’s eyes widened, and Tae Seon entered, laughing.
“I strongly recommended you for general. I got Father’s approval myself, so accept it. Who else in North Yeon could command this harsh place but you?”
Clang!
Gwi Rang shot up and bowed to them.
“Your servant Gwi Rang! I’ll devote everything to defend this place!”
A faint smile rose on Cheol Mu-ok’s lips.
In his mind surfaced the words from Yi Hwan’s dispatch.
Secure the neutral zone properly while at it. To hold off Zhao’s attacks later, you’ll need at least a hundred thousand garrison troops.
‘Turning the neutral zone into North Yeon territory without a drop of blood. Ancestors must be kicking from their graves in astonishment. After all the blood they shed... Heh heh heh.’