Chapter 374
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 374
Chapter Title: I Seem to Have Misjudged You All
The warriors of the Zhao Kingdom couldn't hide their bewilderment. Despite mobilizing a force bordering on arrogance to deceive the Northern Yeon, the operation had failed.
In the process, over a hundred warriors had lost their lives. Of course, they had inflicted similar losses on Northern Yeon, but they hadn't even touched the targeted granaries and horses.
"The enemy was prepared in advance! It was as if they knew we were aiming for that place!"
"That's right!"
That was the cause of the defeat.
"Was it because of the guy who watched us from the rocky mountain?"
"Even if he made it back to camp and alerted them, they couldn't have responded that quickly. We have to assume they were prepared from the start."
Opinions were divided over the cause of the failure, but it was already in the past, and finding it now would be pointless.
Yi Tae-ji sat a short distance away, flexing his wrist this way and that.
It stung.
Pain shot up every time he moved it. The sensation wasn't normal either.
Bang Hyo-mun asked.
"Are you hurt?"
"It's not worth worrying over."
"Honestly, I was surprised. Both you and the guy you faced."
"It was one of Great Prince Yi Hwan's escorts."
"So the one who became Northern Yeon's Prince Consort..."
"That's right."
"No wonder he was so strong."
Yi Tae-ji frowned as he stared at the still-arguing group.
"How long are they going to keep that up?"
"Understand their position. They'll face reprimands when they return, so that's why."
"It's not like bickering changes the outcome."
That was when the leader of the group called out in a low voice.
"We're returning to camp!"
"Let's go."
Bang Hyo-mun stood first. Yi Tae-ji twisted his wrist once more before slowly rising.
At that moment, a man in blue robes approached.
"You fought well. Thanks to you holding that expert back, we minimized our losses. Keep fighting like you did today."
Yi Tae-ji just nodded without a word.
'Fight well, my ass.'
* * *
Whoooosh!
A fierce wind kicked up dust.
Yi Seong-ji and the others quickly wrapped cloths around their faces. Gong Ya-un stayed by his side.
"We'll reach our destination soon. How about a short rest here?"
"Is it because of me?"
"You haven't fully recovered yet, so caution is advised."
"I'm fine. Let's keep going."
Whoooosh!
Another gust of dust blew in.
"It might be better to travel through the forest."
"That would take more time. It's better to head straight across the plains."
Yi Seong-ji's aura after recovering from his internal injuries was worlds apart from before. In the Qin Kingdom, he had seemed constantly chased by something, but now he exuded an endlessly serene energy.
Gong Ya-un felt relieved watching him. He also felt newly grateful toward Yi Hwan.
'He was once the most threatening figure of all...'
And yet Yi Hwan had taken the best care of Yi Seong-ji, so how could he not be thankful?
The group pressed on westward across the plains without stopping. After half a day, the Northern Yeon camp finally came into view.
"Is that the place?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"It would be good to send someone ahead to announce our arrival."
"I'll go!"
The one who raised his hand was Gong Son-do.
"I'm counting on you."
"Yes, Your Highness. Then!"
Thud thud thud!
Gong Son-do shot off like a loosed arrow. His face was filled with a smile as he ran.
He was finally going to see Cheol Mu-ok.
* * *
Yi Seong-ji and his subordinates entered the camp.
Cheol Mu-ok, Tae-seon, and Gui-rang stood waiting at the camp gate. Tae-seon stepped forward to greet Yi Seong-ji.
"Welcome, Your Highness."
"I'm Yi Seong-ji."
"You must be tired from the long journey. Shall we head to your tent?"
They had received word of Yi Seong-ji's arrival in advance, so his tent was already prepared.
Regardless of the past, as a royal of Yeon, his tent was spacious and ornate. The tents for Gong Ya-un and the others were right beside it.
A short while later, four people sat facing each other around a round table in the tent.
Amid the formal conversation, Cheol Mu-ok spoke up.
"Yi Tae-ji is here."
"Tae-ji... you mean?"
"Yes. Two days ago, the Zhao Kingdom army launched a surprise attack, and we ran into him then."
Yi Seong-ji couldn't help but give a wry smile. It hadn't been long since they'd met as enemies, and now they crossed paths here again.
'My fate is truly cruel.'
Yi Seong-ji composed himself and said.
"Though my abilities are lacking, I will do my utmost to help, so please take good care of me while we're together."
"I'll do the same. For now, get some rest today."
With that, Tae-seon and Cheol Mu-ok left, leaving only Yi Seong-ji and Gong Ya-un in the tent.
Yi Seong-ji finally let out a deep sigh.
"Haa..."
"Don't hold it against him because of Yi Hwan. He's a Zhao Kingdom warrior now, so encountering him on the battlefield is something you must endure."
"My fate just feels so cruel. I try to think of it as punishment, but it's still not easy."
"Have some drink and get a good night's sleep."
"I'll just rest."
"Then rest well."
Gong Ya-un stepped outside and assigned tents to the warriors. He chose the one right next to Yi Seong-ji's for himself.
He looked up and scanned the camp carefully.
Behind the tall wooden palisades, construction of walls was in full swing. What stood out was how similar the wall style was to that of the Central Plains.
'It was originally held by the Zhao Kingdom, so they'll want to take it back someday.'
It wouldn't be strange if war broke out right away.
Gong Ya-un bit his lip as he glanced back at Yi Seong-ji's tent.
'I have no choice but to help him regain his true self here.'
* * *
"Oh my! They sent this too?"
Tae-seon beamed.
The table was laden with all her favorite things. There was plenty of the liquor Cheol Mu-ok enjoyed as well. All gifts from Yi Hwan.
"Do you like it?"
"Of course. You don't know how much I've missed these since returning home."
"You know something?"
"What?"
"Our lord doesn't gift things to just anyone."
"Really? Then why did he send so much?"
"It's his way of saying to treat Yi Seong-ji well."
"......"
"That said, he's not expecting any special favors, so keep it in mind."
"Got it. I will."
Just then, Gong Son-do's voice drifted in from outside.
"Brother, it's me."
"Come in."
Gong Son-do entered.
"I'll prepare the drinks."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Tae-seon stepped out, and Gong Son-do sat across from Cheol Mu-ok.
"Your complexion looks great. As expected, a man needs to get married."
"Been busy?"
"Yes. I made two trips to the east, didn't I? Fortunately, both times I brought back people useful to the lord, so I got a lot of praise."
"Have the tents been assigned?"
"Yes. I told them to pick ones they like."
This time, warriors from the Blade King lineage had come up as well. Cheol Mu-ok was all the more pleased.
"I've heard Northern Yeon folk have unusual temperaments. How are they?"
"Same as anyone else. Just different culture, so learn it quick. Same for our guys."
"Yes. Will do. Anyway, it's great to be bunking with you again like this."
"I've set aside a separate training ground. No more wandering the world on errands, so focus on training with the others."
"Yes, sir!"
Tae-seon returned personally with the drinks, and the drinking session began.
Perhaps because it had been so long, the two drank and caught up until dawn.
* * *
Thud thud clang!
Boom boom boom!
Yi Hwan stepped inside, the intense heat washing over his body. Expansion work was still ongoing, but Han Jo's workshop was already complete.
Yi Hwan headed straight for Han Jo, with Ju Tae and the others following.
"Welcome."
Han Jo bowed his head.
"How's it going?"
"I've tested it a few times. Should have solid results by tomorrow."
"Are you using iron from our lands?"
"Yes."
Han Jo was immersed in research to master the smelting techniques he'd practically stolen from the Stone Gate. This was to produce top-quality results with iron from Yeon's mines.
"What's that?"
Hwa Ryeong pointed to a thin garment hanging on the wall.
"Ah, that's a protective vest I've been working on for years. Still unfinished, but if I achieve the desired results, it could be a huge help to the warriors."
"Something that thin can protect against swords?"
"Of course, assuming the opponent's at a similar level. And it won't fully protect against peak-level experts or higher."
"It has limitations, but it would still be a big help to regular soldiers."
"Yes. If they wear it under their existing armor, casualties would drop sharply."
No matter how crucial experts were in war, one couldn't ignore the role of regular soldiers.
Even the greatest experts had limits, and victory in war was impossible without the masses of ordinary fighters.
"Need anything else?"
"More iron. Enough that we can start mass production as soon as the facilities are done."
"I've already ordered it from the northern mines, so it'll arrive soon. Anyway, keep at it."
"Yes, Great Prince."
"Not short on craftsmen?"
"More would be better, of course, but they're hard to find, so we'll do our best with this crew. Better treatment would be appreciated, though."
"I've already ordered improved conditions, so no worries. Do your best."
"Understood."
After encouraging Han Jo and the craftsmen, Yi Hwan headed straight for the Imperial Palace.
Today, he had to meet the ministers. Some still harbored strong resentment toward Yi Seong-ji, and letting it fester could cause bigger problems.
As he made his way to the palace, Yi Hwan thought of Yi So.
'Sometimes, a reign of terror is necessary.'
The current Yeon court was pushing unprecedented reforms and openness.
Emperor Yi So never ignored his ministers' opinions, never got angry at straight talk, and even on minor issues, discussed with them to find the best outcome—a true sage ruler.
Many admired and praised Yi So's benevolent rule, but there were side effects.
It took too long to implement policies. The atmosphere where anyone could oppose the emperor led to this.
'Without perfect loyalty as the foundation, this atmosphere could become a greater obstacle than the enemy in a crisis.'
Thus, Yi Hwan felt the need to shift the mood now.
'What the emperor can't or shouldn't do, I'll handle.'
* * *
The ministers of the Six Departments gathered.
The one they were meeting today wasn't Emperor Yi So, but Yi Hwan.
When Yi Hwan entered shortly after, all rose and paid their respects.
After some formal talk, Yi Hwan asked.
"I've heard opinions still demand punishing the Third Prince. Is that true?"
"This isn't some trivial matter—it's tied to treason. Surely even you, Great Prince, must reconsider."
"His Majesty pondered long as part of his policy of reconciliation and made his decision. Besides, the Third Prince volunteered for the harsh north to atone to the imperial family and the kingdom. Isn't that enough?"
Not just his tone, but the atmosphere was markedly different from usual. To the ministers, he seemed to have reverted to the Yi Hwan who clashed with Empress Hong-seon.
No one was unaware of how terrifying he'd been then, so naturally, all tensed up.
"What about my request?"
"It's under discussion."
"Over ten days, and still just discussing?"
"Finance can't waste a single coin, Great Prince. Understand it takes time."
Yi Hwan had requested increased funding for weapon production. That was ten days ago.
Yi So had approved, of course, but execution required the Six Departments' decision.
Truthfully, Yi Hwan wasn't in a rush. But he planned to use this as a pretext to shift the ministers' mood.
"Sometimes, grave matters demand swift decisions. Especially those tied to the kingdom's safety."
Thud!
"For you, the pillars of the court, to lack even that flexibility— I seem to have misjudged you all."