[The Three Kingdoms] Golden Sun Exhibition

17 – Responding to the Request for Help (2)

I decided to help Gangha prince Hwangjo.

Though I made a decision to help, that didn’t mean I would follow Hwangjo.

“I’ll go ahead to Gangha. If Sonkyun starts to move, immediately send reinforcements, so please give me your guidance. Farewell!”

Hwangjo, who seemed busier than expected, firmly believed in the promise I made to send letters and left for Gangha.

“He really does vanish quickly.”

“But don’t we need to rush off to Gangha now to prepare for Sonkyun?”

Even as he left for Gangha, considering he came all the way to Shin-ya to hear Sama-hui’s proposal, it was apparent what led him here.

Desperation.

He was desperate.

That he would want to survive from Sonkyun was only natural.

But his focus wasn’t only self-preservation.

“Like everyone else, he seems to have ambitions.”

“What kind of ambitions do you think they might be?”

“Well, he might be a virtuous general who loves his followers, or he might want to emerge victorious in this battle to become a famous general. I’m not certain yet.”

“Even you, who’s good at reading people, find it difficult to judge?”

“I can’t make a solid judgement based on a brief observation of someone I wasn’t interested in before.”

I had a brief conversation with Hwangjo.

Whether his desperation comes from a sense of duty to save his followers from inevitable death at the hands of a powerful enemy like Sonkyun, or from his ambition to greatly succeed in this district, I don’t know.

“But I do know this. He truly aims to protect this district.”

“Why?”

“At least, he’s not running away.”

If he considered his life above all else, he wouldn’t have come here.

He could have stepped down from his position as Prince of Gangha long ago, retire in Yu-pyo’s army, and fled somewhere else, or await an opportunity to surrender Gangha wholesale to Sonkyun’s forces, striking Yu-pyo from behind.

“It doesn’t seem like he’s the type to protect Gangha at the cost of his life though.”

“Do you also think so, Master Sukyung? I think the same.”

“Right. He didn’t come here to die.”

“It wasn’t about recklessly risking one’s life or defending Kangha at all costs.

Someone could survive, fend off Songyun, gain the honor of an exceptional general, and secure their position within the prison.

“If they truly wanted to live, they would have considered handing over Kangha entirely.”

If I had taken a liking to Songyun and believed that he would be more helpful in ruling the prison than Yu Pyo, I would have fervently recommended him to Hwangjo.

But Hwangjo didn’t seem like the type to do so.

“Even when he’s down, he will ultimately fulfill his given duties responsibly.”

He would defend Kangha according to Yu Pyo’s orders, for better or worse.

He would become either Kangha’s living guardian or a dead spirit protecting Kangha.

The chances of him becoming the spirit of Kangha were higher.

“But it’s not this time.”

If Hwangjo can’t stop Songyun, the prison will completely fall into Songyun’s hands. Such a situation would exacerbate the confusion in Hwanha.

“Mr. Sookyeong, what do you think will happen to the prison if Songyun takes over?”

“He will inevitably get involved in the chaos.”

There are two courses of action Songyun can take after taking over the prison.

One is to dedicate the prison to Won Sul.

This would provide Won Sul with a massive foundation to bolster his power and move north towards Chungwon, leaving only the relatively peaceful Suchoon and Hyeongnamsagun. This would effectively put the power of Chungwon into Won Sul’s hands.

The other option is to set himself up in opposition to Won Sul using the prison as a base.

‘If he seizes Yu Pyo’s position and forms an alliance with Wonso, it might be worth watching.’

Having ousted Yu Pyo, Songyun can place himself on equal footing with Won Sul, bring the soldiers borrowed from Won Sul entirely under his control and causing a loss of military power to Won Sul.

From Sonkyun’s point of view, the prison is truly a desirable piece of land. Actually, anyone would covet the prison.

The prison has everything.

Supplies, talent, terrain, everything is truly fertile and plentiful.

Except one thing, a strong force.

Even though strong and famed warriors have emerged widely since the rebellion and the Rebellion of Bando, strangely, there are only a few famed warriors in the prison.

“If I were Yu Pyo, I’d have made use of Songyun as a weapon of the prison.”

“Do you think so? As far as I can see, Songyun isn’t type to be someone else’s subordinate.”

“He was under Won Sul, serving as a guest general. Can’t we approach and handle him differently?”

“I don’t think so. You haven’t seen Songyun in person, and that’s why you say so.”

Sama Hwi shook his head at my evaluation of Songyun.

“He could have been a monarch or a prime minister if he was born in the Spring and Autumn period. He’s merely under Won Sul for now, but his ambition is tremendous. People call him the ‘Tiger of Gangdong’, I think so too.”

“So, Mr. Sookyeong… You mean he’s a hunting dog who’ll break off the leash?”

“Hunting dog… Aren’t you too harsh?”

“It should be harsh. Can you imagine how much trouble this academy has gone through because of Songyun?”

The land price of the prison has dropped.

Every time there was chaos, the students of the academy would go home.

Then the academy’s income would stop, and I would have to manage the academy’s livelihood with the small amount of money left.

“Look here. The tan from farming. The muscles on my body from toiling the field. Do you know about Sama U? He hasn’t even reached adulthood yet, but he handles the plow better than me just to make ends meet!

“Isn’t the drop in your farming land’s value a bigger concern?”

“Less talk, less trouble… Hmph.”

I cleared my throat.

“Anyway, I’m displeased with Sonkyeon.”

“I can see why you would be, considering he’s the one who lowered your land value. But you can’t deny his competence.”

“That’s exactly the problem. I’d rather Sonkyeon betray us.”

Hyeongju lacks force.

Imagine the scenario where the tough Sonkyeon enters this weak Hyeongju from the battlefield?

Hyeongju would feel like it has acquired thousands of horses and troops.

Yupyo would welcome Sonkyeon with open arms.

“Master Sookyeong, can Yupyo really raise a tiger at home?”

“Wolyeong, have you ever seen anyone keep a tiger as a pet?”

“That’s right? Normally, it bites the owner, right? A tiger bites its owner?”

“It would be a relief if biting was the only issue. A tiger is known to eat its master.”

Even if Sonkyeon accepts Yupyo’s hospitality, he will eventually drive Yupyo out.

If something goes wrong, he might even kill Yupyo.

“What do you think will happen if Sonkyeon or Wonsul become the ruler of this Hyeongju?”

“Neither would be a good leader for Hyeongju.”

If Sonkyeon betrays Wonsul and opposes him, he will gather supplies in Hyeongju and wage war against Wonsul.

If Sonkyeon comes under Wonsul, he will gather resources in Hyeongju and eventually wage war against Wonsul.

“The Sookyeong Academy will be ruined, right?”

“Shina will become the frontline base for Sonkyeon’s advance to the central plains. To come down to Yangyang by road from Jangan, Shina will be the end point.”

“It’s also a good position to advance north from Yangyang.”

“When there’s war, everything here will be conscripted. Food, people, land.”

With all the things I have set in Hyeongju becoming useless, I would be conscripted into the Wonsul or Sonkyeon army and thrown into the battlefield as ‘Soldier Kim.’

‘I must prevent such a future.’

In order to protect my assets in Hyeongju, I must stop Sonkyeon.

The best way for me is ‘Sonkyeon’s failure.’

I feel sorry for Sonkyeon, but if I can make sure he never sets his sights on Hyeongju’s land again, Hyeongju will be safe for about 15 – no, 10 years.

So how can Wang-Jo triumph over Sonkyeon!

“Master.”

“Why?”

“No matter how strong a tiger is, it can’t win against a wise human, right?”

My mind naturally wandered to the room where the eaters were staying.

“Let’s try catching a tiger once.”

* * *

Meanwhile,

A large army began to gather in Namyang, Wonsul’s stronghold. Most of them were clad in yellow, the symbol of the origin, but among them, a middle-aged man who recklessly wore a red kerchief on his head looked at the soldiers and shook his head.

“Is it really right to strike Yupyo with these forces?”

“hahahaha, why worry so much?”

The bearded old general patted the man in the kerchief on the back.

“Lord, don’t worry. That Huang whatever guy, who Yupyo proclaims to be a strong heir, I can lay him flat with a single punch.”

“The same last name as the general, isn’t it? How can you not know his name?”

“Ah, well. How am I supposed to know everyone with the last name Hwang? You’re being naive. Do you know everyone with the last name Son?”

“I do know all my people. Yes, there comes my son.”

A young man was coming towards two men and a Hwang family general. Even though he seems to be newly devoted to his studies, he was rushing over with a heated expression, clinching his fist.

“Father, allow me to join the battlefield!”

“….This kid. You’re still too young for that.”

“Why is that so! I’m in Ji-Hak now!”

“You must be at least I-Rip. What does Lang say?”

“General.”

Another young man of similar age came up behind him. The long-haired youth, who was so delicate that one might mistake him for a woman, responded.

“I will take good care of this lad. Please don’t worry.”

“hahahaha, sure. You take care of him. …But you.”

The two men asked cautiously to the beautiful youth they called ‘Yu’.

“Next time, you should dress more like a man.”

“!!”

The pretty youth bit his lower lip and stepped back. The two men laughed heartily, patting the shoulders of their son and the one who was like a son to them.

“Yes, just wait. After I return from winning this war, I’ll bring you both to the battlefield.”

“Father…!”

“Sohn Chik, Joo You. Listen well.”

The two men, Sohn Gyun bent down and met the gaze of the two.

“After this battle finishes, we will become independent from Won-Sul.”

Ambition was burning in Sohn Gyun’s eyes.