chapter 108
108 – Chunshingun Hwangheol
A guest has arrived.
A guest I never expected at all. At the same time, he was a great guest who would come with a huge ripple effect.
Even though Chuyeon hadn’t seen her in a really long time, this customer’s value was so different that she gave up her interview with me to this customer.
There are now only two of the four noblemen left in the world.
Yeongyun (令尹), the highest minister of the country of Chu.
Chunshinjun (春申君) Huang Hui (黃歇) was the name of the person sitting in front of me.
‘He’s quite handsome.’
If the most beautiful woman I have ever seen was Wei Wuqi of Xinling County, then Huang Hui of Chunxin County could be called the most handsome among men.
Now that I’m older, I can’t hide the feeling of being middle-aged, but I’m full of the unique charm that comes from the confidence and composure of a successful middle-aged person.
“Please understand that the hospitality was neglected. Choho did not expect that Chunshin-gun would come in person.”
If Chunxin had come as an official envoy from Chu, he would have been treated as a state guest and treated properly, but Chunxin sneaked into Chuyeon’s party and secretly came to Yan.
Chunshin-gun, who visited me without disclosing that he had come and without finding a separate accommodation, had many intentions to hide his identity.
What was Chunshin-kun thinking when he did such a dangerous and bizarre thing?
What are you trying to achieve through your secret conversation with me?
“Of course. How grateful I am for that alone, that you are so welcoming to an uninvited guest who has visited without contact.”
Chunshin-gun spoke lightly, but to me, who knew about him, it sounded like a testimony that my information was correct.
All of the four gentlemen are so famous that they have thousands of diners, so they are called together, but each has a slightly different characteristic, so there are two or three nicknames.
As representative nicknames, Maengsang-gun is an avenger, and Pyeongwon-gun is a nobleman. There are grandiose and splendid things such as Daehyeop for Sinreung-gun and Hyeonsin for Chunshin-gun, but on the contrary, there were nicknames for them to be sarcastic.
Meng Shangjun was given the name Zhou Yu (侏儒), which means dwarf because he was short and petite.
Sang-woo said that Pyeongwon-gun was a fool who couldn’t see the big picture.
Sinreunggun is a traitor who is labeled as a traitor because he killed Jinbi, even though it is for the greater good.
And the nickname given to Chunshin-kun.
“I am deeply moved to meet you. Although this is the first time I have met the Crown Prince of Yan, I have heard the story of Young master from my old friends Pyeongwongun and Xinlinggun. Listening to the story of the crown prince from Chuyeon, a disciple of teacher Sunhwang, it seems like we met only yesterday. It’s like being reborn.”
Long tongue.
He is a talkative person with a long tongue.
Arguably, there was no one at the time who could beat this man. At least, Noh Jung-ryun, who is said to have impressed So-jin’s younger brother Platoon or Pyeongwon-gun, seems to have some potential.
It is said that even King Soyang of the frightful Qin Dynasty was often passed over as if possessed by Chunshin-gun’s speech, but to stop Chunshin-gun’s tongue, he would probably have to bring the legendary Sojin and Jang-i.
Chunshin-kun was indeed eloquent.
The pitch and speed of the voice were perfectly controlled even for non-verbal expressions such as basic facial expressions and hand gestures.
His skill in naturally unraveling the wealth of knowledge he would have accumulated by reading countless books and the wisdom he gained through adversity in life made him fall for him even though he was wary.
I am not sure about his practical skills, but with just this speech, I could guess why he was able to transcend his social status and occupy the first place of the four gentlemen even though he was not a member of the royal family.
It was a short conversation, but it was enough time to see Chunshin’s ability.
If I hadn’t set a time limit and figured it out in my mind, I might have gone over to Chunshin-kun’s eloquence.
However, as soon as the pre-determined time was filled up, I cut Chunshin-kun’s voice off with the words I prepared in advance.
“The distance from Geoyang, the capital of Cho, to Jiyi here is about 2,000 li.”
Even if you connect the locations on the map and go down in a straight line, the distance is over 700km. Slightly exaggerated, it was the same as from Busan to Mt. Baekdu.
Of course, you can’t just go straight, so if you turn here and there along the road, 2,000 li is too short.
No matter how fast we moved, it would be around 40km a day, and it would have taken a good month to get here.
“If you say that you have come this far after spending so much time. It must be because Chunshin-kun has an important business that deserves so much effort. They say time is money. It’s because I and I share one goal: maintaining harmony to prevent the Qin Dynasty.”
“Hu, you’re stabbing your blind spot right away. I can see why the mother follows the crown prince. It’s very cool. It’s good! You say it openly. I think we need another joint army.”
Chunshin-kun quietly leans toward me, hitting both knees with his hands.
Because he had a great cause in his heart, he became the Sagunja. If this person was a person who only pursued self-interest, he would not have become a rare swindler who will go down in history.
Every little action that makes it feel more sincere because it is revealed indirectly was being done under calculation.
I sharpened my mind and listened to Chunshin-kun’s words.
“However, that opponent isn’t Qin! It’s a difficult task to bring out Qin, who has already been locked up in Hamgok Hall like a turtle. So I suggest attacking Qi.”
Chunshin-gun summarized the goals of launching a joint army against Qi into two.
One is a punishment for siding with the Qin Dynasty rather than the nations in the previous war.
The other is an inducement plan to bring the Qin army out of the Hamgok Hall by attacking Qi, the only ally of the current Qin Dynasty.
Both were reasonable grounds.
With his eloquent speech, Chunshin-gun emphasized how important and justified this joint army was, and finally gave a moment’s rest as he felt sorry for his overworked tongue.
Chunshin-kun, who had been quietly looking at my face, spoke in a more serious voice than ever before.
“I want the crown prince to take over the musketeer of the combined army.”
There is sincerity in Chunshin’s words.
He has always expressed his sincerity.
Just as a drizzle gets your clothes wet, even the most wary of people must have been influenced by him little by little. And as soon as he heard that invitation, he would have immediately nodded his head, held Chunshin-gun’s hand, and shouted with emotion that he would gladly burn this body for the cause of the world.
But that didn’t work for me.
“You’re testing me.”
“Huh?”
That reaction that seemed like it was fun that was revealed in an instant.
Perhaps that is Chunshin-kun’s bare face.
Having caught a glimpse of Chunshin-kun’s true intentions, I spoke with confidence.
“I am not opposed to the joint army against Qi. However, the subject must never be Yan or Chu.”
“Why?”
“Because Yeon and Cho have a very deep bad relationship with me.”
“Isn’t that why Yan and Cho should take the lead?”
“From now on, the Hapzong army must stand up on the basis of the cause. If Yan and Chu push forward to Qi, it will be seen as if it is due to the favor of each country, not the cause.”
Even if the two countries act purely for the sake of the cooperation of the nations, without taking either the territory or the people from Qi, it will be known all over the world as I said.
Because the countless tributaries of the Qin Dynasty, which are already scattered all over the world, will make it that way.
It is easy to fake a lie as if it were the truth, but it is difficult to explain the truth.
No matter how much Shinleung-gun and Chunshin-gun’s diners and I move the top of the movie, the chances of success are slim.
“That’s why Chun-sin-gun shouldn’t be the standard bearer of the joint army toward Qi.”
Inspired by this success, it may be mistaken that the joint army has a solid foundation, but those who will become the core of the joint army must never misjudge.
The fact that the combined army is a sandcastle that is being maintained on the edge.
On top of the cracked cause, it was nothing more than clumsily sticking together, relying on the personal reputation of Shinreung-gun or Chunshin-gun.
Numerous risk factors lie latent at the base of the merger.
The different desires of each country, the tributaries and pro-Jin factions of the Qin Dynasty digging into their hearts, the fear of the Qin Dynasty planted in the hearts of the soldiers who will destroy their morale immediately if they are defeated even once….
The miracle of overcoming all of that and barely establishing itself was the combined army.
“Thus, a joint army against Qi should be raised in a country other than Yan and Chu. If there is a country that suits you the most… The Han, like Qi, who was on the side of Qin, but rose up with a cause, would be appropriate.”
All of my opinions on the joint army have been resolved.
Now it was Chunshin-kun’s turn to answer.
He erased the mask-like expression he had been wearing and made a mysterious expression.
It was an expression of somewhat contradictory emotions, looking both satisfied and sad.
“Sorry.”
Was there something lacking in my thoughts? To Chunshin-gun, a giant of the era, did my argument seem like a clumsy child’s delusion?
Just as he was pushing away the mounting anxiety, Chunshin-kun collapsed and said,
“I should have met the crown prince before Pyeongwon-gun did.”