Chapter 364
Chapter 364
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 364
Chapter Title: Qin Kingdom's Grand Minister of Works
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The war clouds that had blanketed Gui-ju City had lifted.
But both the Qin Kingdom and the Zhao Kingdom bore deep wounds, and unresolved issues remained.
Namely, the prisoners from both sides.
The Zhao Kingdom prisoners captured by the Qin Kingdom numbered roughly five thousand, while the Qin Kingdom prisoners taken by the Zhao Kingdom reached nearly ten thousand.
For a war fought in a single region like Gui-ju City, it was an excessively large number.
The Qin Kingdom agonized over this problem. With the number of captured prisoners double on their side, any negotiations would inevitably put the Qin Kingdom at a disadvantage.
Yet ignoring the prisoners was impossible—not only because there were so many, but also because some among them were generals with deep ties to the imperial family.
Meanwhile, the Zhao Kingdom, despite their victory in battle, felt a similar malaise at having to withdraw empty-handed.
Raindrops poured down!
As if sensing the hearts of the retreating Zhao Kingdom army, rain fell in torrents.
The Zhao Kingdom generals' moods were heavier and more troubled than ever. No matter how unavoidable the situation had been due to North Yeon's and Yeon Kingdom's interventions, it was hard to accept having to relinquish an enemy they'd seized at great cost.
But since it was Crown Prince Jo Gwang-mu's decision, no one dared voice any discontent.
Crown Prince Jo Gwang-mu rode at the forefront, enduring the rain. Military Strategist Umun-sul and Commander Gwak Beom flanked him on either side.
The place they halted was Nam-nyeong in Jung-kyeong.
Nam-nyeong housed a massive fortress built long ago in preparation for war with the Qin Kingdom.
"Wouldn't it be best for Your Highness to return to the palace?"
Jo Gwang-mu firmly shook his head at Umun-sul's words.
"The war is not over yet. I plan to stay here for now and monitor the situation."
"Shall I report that to His Majesty, then?"
"Yes. Do so."
Jo Gwang-mu gazed southward.
Lightning flashed ceaselessly through patches of the pitch-black sky.
"What do you think is our greatest problem, Strategist?"
"Naturally, the Yeon Kingdom. We had to abandon the enemy we'd painstakingly captured because of their slightest move."
Jo Gwang-mu nodded silently and raised another point.
"Looking at it differently, the bigger issue is that negotiating with the Yeon Kingdom is impossible. In contrast, Yeon and Qin maintain a relationship that allows coordination at any time. If we can't break that link, our Zhao Kingdom will forever remain on the defensive."
Umun-sul bit his lip and agreed.
The utterly ruined relations with the Yeon Kingdom, contrasted with the frequent collaborations between Yeon and Qin from the Dark Heaven Cult uprising to now.
In truth, at this moment, the Zhao Kingdom faced both nations as common enemies. That meant they couldn't rashly attack either one.
"Does Father have a plan?"
"We are continuously seeking the best course of action. It will simply take time, so please wait, Your Highness."
"Is your so-called best plan perhaps the warriors in the Western Frontier and New Frontier, along with the Southern Barbarian Army?"
"They are of course a vital part of it. But if we can't find something beyond that, the great undertaking will remain distant."
At those words, Jo Gwang-mu turned to Umun-sul.
"Is that great undertaking the unification of All Under Heaven?"
"Is it not the common ambition of all monarchs? I believe neither Yeon nor Qin is any different."
Jo Gwang-mu turned his gaze southward again.
Just then, a web-like bolt of lightning lit his face ghostly white.
Crack!
"The storm is fierce, so please retire to the tent, Your Highness."
"Strategist."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Devise a plan to sever ties between those two nations. Summon every mind capable of such scheming, no matter who. If money is needed, I will provide it without limit."
Umun-sul silently gazed at Jo Gwang-mu's profile. Then he promptly bowed his head.
"Understood. This Umun-sul will devote himself to devising such a plan."
Jo Gwang-mu finally turned.
Spotting Commander Gwak Beom conversing with generals not far away, he called out softly.
"Commander, come see me."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Soon after, Jo Gwang-mu and Gwak Beom entered the command tent.
Umun-sul watched them go, a faint smile on his lips.
'Not shaken in the least despite relinquishing the enemy so futilely. If it had been the Second Prince...'
He recalled the late Jo Jeong-mu.
What if Jo Jeong-mu had been Crown Prince and led this war?
'With the Second Prince's temperament, he would have pressed on to the end for a decisive outcome. How many could have survived, then?'
Umun-sul felt anew that it was fortunate. That it was Jo Gwang-mu, not Jo Jeong-mu, who had become Crown Prince.
He looked south. Darkness was gradually encroaching amid the raging storm.
'If not for Yeon Kingdom, we could target Qin at any time...'
* * *
Somewhere in northern Hunan Province.
In the outskirts of a small city stood a rundown clinic, where Yi Seong-ji and his warriors were staying.
They had clashed fiercely with Zhao Kingdom warriors pursuing them, detouring to avoid pursuit and ending up in Hunan instead of Hubei.
In the midst of this, Yi Seong-ji's unhealed internal injuries had flared up, forcing them to seek treatment at the clinic. Nearly ten days had passed since.
Yi Seong-ji's complexion was extremely pale.
His condition was dire enough that he vomited blood once or twice a day. Though not life-threatening, movement was impossible.
"If only we could cross into Hunan sooner, I'd feel at ease."
"Being such a remote place, no one will recognize Your Highness. Don't worry too much."
Having slain countless Zhao Kingdom warriors, Yi Seong-ji and his men would be pursued even more relentlessly by Zhao.
Moreover, they couldn't relax even in Qin territory.
Yang Mu, who had held Yi Seong-ji in high regard and even placed him at the head of a newly formed organization, might rage even more upon learning he was trying to return to Yeon Kingdom.
As worries deepened, a warrior entered with porridge.
"Your Highness, I've brought your meal."
With Gong Ya-un's support, Yi Seong-ji raised his upper body.
After taking a few spoonfuls of porridge, another warrior rushed in.
"Your Highness! The war is over! North Yeon threatened Zhao's north, and the Great Prince personally led troops down to the Hunan-Jung-kyeong border, forcing the Zhao army to fully withdraw from Gui-ju!"
Gong Ya-un's eyes widened as he asked.
"Where is the Great Prince now, then?"
"They say he departed for Yeon Kingdom a few days ago, but given the fifty thousand troops, it's highly likely he's passing nearby."
Gong Ya-un looked at Yi Seong-ji with flushed excitement.
"I'll send the boys to find the Great Prince."
"Do so."
Gong Ya-un quickly instructed the warriors.
"Select those skilled in lightness skill and have them swiftly search for the Great Prince!"
"Yes, Elder."
The warriors hurried out.
Yi Seong-ji leaned against the wall with a hazy smile.
"If he personally led troops down, then Qin must have requested Yeon's aid."
"With North Yeon moving too, that must be it. By the way, the Great Prince is truly remarkable. How long since we saw him at Gui-ju, and he's already descending again with fifty thousand troops."
"From the start, we were no match for the Fourth Brother. Not Mother, nor Second Brother either."
"......"
"Our defeat was simply the natural order."
Bitterness underlay his smile. No trace of past resentment remained, even if one searched with wide-open eyes.
"Now, please take your medicine."
Yi Seong-ji downed the large bowl of decoction in one go.
"I need some fresh air."
"Just to the courtyard, then."
"Very well."
Supported by Gong Ya-un, Yi Seong-ji stepped into the courtyard.
Today's sun was unusually blinding. And the sky was clear without a single cloud.
"Once we return, can we live peacefully as before?"
"If His Majesty forgives you, and if that's the life Your Highness desires, then why not?"
"And Master?"
"What do you...?"
A faint smile touched Yi Seong-ji's lips again.
"I know Master's ambitions better than anyone. I asked if you could abandon those ambitions."
At that, a subtle smile formed on Gong Ya-un's lips as well—one laced with complex emotions.
"I prayed to the heavens for Your Highness to ascend to the highest place. I was prepared to lay down my life anytime if it meant that. However..."
Gong Ya-un trailed off, then continued.
"Now, whatever life it is, as long as it's with Your Highness, I will accept it. Playing go, fishing, boating... who knows, it might even be the most luxurious life."
Whoosh!
The wind blew.
"Let's go back inside."
"I'll stay a bit longer. The bitter taste lingers."
"I'll fetch another candy."
Gong Ya-un entered the room.
Yi Seong-ji turned his head to gaze at the northern sky. Staring at the piercingly blue expanse brought memories of his past life flashing by like a lantern show.
But he soon shook them off.
'I'll never return to that past life. Never again...'
* * *
Stone Gate Iron Mine.
Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong wandered the mine, wearing straw hats and cloths over their noses and mouths.
At Yi Hwan's orders, Go Mi meticulously recorded the mine's structure, facilities, and the miners' extraction methods.
"Cough! Cough!"
Hwa Ryeong coughed violently.
Go Mi turned to her.
"Shall we take a break?"
"Yes. Cough! Cough!"
"Let's go out."
The two women hurried outside.
"Whew! I nearly died."
Hwa Ryeong tossed off her cloth and gulped fresh air. Go Mi did the same.
Touring the mine interior was no small ordeal. Even with cloths, normal breathing was impossible amid the rock dust and grit.
Go Mi eyed the line of wagons.
They held less than half the quantity promised by Qin. Without the pre-mined stock from before, it would have been even less.
Yi Hwan's demanded amount was excessively large.
And there was another reason for the delay: Han Jo's meticulousness.
If he deemed the quality even slightly off, he rejected it without mercy, naturally prolonging the process.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The bell rang loudly, signaling mealtime.
Hwa Ryeong tugged Go Mi's arm.
"Let's go eat."
Then Han Jo approached. Fresh from the heat, his face was flushed red.
Go Mi asked.
"How's it today?"
"Better than yesterday—more high-quality iron came out. Going to eat?"
"Yes. Shall we go together?"
"Certainly."
* * *
As Go Mi and the two headed toward where the Yeon Kingdom army gathered, some watched them. They were Qin generals responsible for mine security.
"They haven't noticed we're deliberately slowing things down, have they?"
"Doesn't seem like it—they all look like amateurs in this. Maintain the current pace until someone from the palace arrives."
"But why do the higher-ups want us to slow down?"
"How should I know? They say do it, so we do. Come on, let's eat too!"
"Right."
After the generals left, about half a shichen later...
A group of riders kicked up dust as they entered the mine.
Qin warriors eating here and there jumped up and saluted.
Ching!
Thud thud thud!
Ignoring the salutes, the riders headed straight for the northern tent area where resident troops stayed.
Neigh!
Dismounting first from his horse was a middle-aged man in official robes—the only one not in armor.
"Loyalty!"
The warriors saluted him in unison.
The middle-aged man handed his reins to a warrior and said.
"Go fetch the person in charge."
"Understood!"
He cracked his neck this way and that, then looked toward where the Yeon Kingdom army gathered.
"Will Yeon's Great Prince come here?"
"Who knows. It's been days since he left the border and began withdrawing. If he's coming, we'll know by tomorrow at latest."
"Let's head in for now."
"Someone bring liquor first."
"Yes, Grand Minister of Works."
The middle-aged man was Gwan Yeong, one of Qin's Three Ministers and the Grand Minister of Works. He was the Qin Emperor's most trusted official and Crown Prince Yang Mu's greatest supporter.
"Yi Hwan... I do want to meet that man at least once..."