Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Joseon Invasion (4)

Kim Jwageun is secretly communicating with Britain!

Kim Jwageun actually has no interest in rejecting the West and rejecting heresy and is only interested in becoming king!

Kim Jwageun locked up the king and swept away the ministers! This is all to replace the royal family with the Andong Kim clan!

Kim Jwageun regarded Britain as a barbarian country and proposed that if they just confer him as duke he will do anything, but Britain is a country that knows propriety so rejected this proposal and is coming to Hanyang to save the King of Joseon!

“Uwaaaaaaaaa!!”

Crash! Bang! Crunch!!

Kim Jwageun whose eyes turned swept and destroyed everything in the room with all his strength.

From the highest grade porcelain imported from Qing to the most precious writing tools in Joseon, various paintings and furniture, all those things all fell to trash.

Why do such dog-like rumors endlessly spread in this Hanyang capital he is tightly gripping?

No doubt.

It’s the king.

The king and the Jo clan bastards are definitely trying to tie him like a pig in a slaughterhouse and offer him to Britain and beg for friendship.

How is the guy called the country’s king already only thinking of selling loyal subjects and martyrs?

As expected the true guardian of orthodox learning...

“...is only me!”

Yes.

Kim Jwageun’s brain that was ripening brown with anger finally realized the correct answer (not).

“I... was a face that would become king!”

This is all the fault of the king who falls for the flattery of treacherous officials and those guys. Why do I have to devote so much for this country? Why does this loyalty only for the ancestral temples and altars have to receive such treatment?

If a modern person saw this appearance they would have diagnosed something like ‘a person who was not particularly capable from the beginning is unfolding reality escape and happy delusion from receiving extreme stress and threat to life’, but regrettably there was no one anywhere who could give such a correct diagnosis to Kim Jwageun. If the Dragon King wanted to help Joseon he might have had to send a doctor instead of a salesman.

‘There is no way Britain that crossed tens of thousands of ri of sea route can endure winter. Moreover with just 5,000 or so one cannot conquer the entire eight provinces of Joseon either.’

Roughly making the British army and the immoral Lee Aseul into grilled whole with one shot of Yi Sunsin’s lightning breath, then becoming Admiral Kim Jwageun who protected the ancestral temples and altars against the incompetent king and treacherous officials and stopping the earnest appeal of all the people please become king imagination. Ah! The chest is thrilling!

Now Kim Jwageun was already enjoying opium-level happiness with only dopamine automatically secreted from the brain without needing to suck opium. To think just imagining click makes narcotic-level endorphin circulate truly the great victory of 500 years of Joseon Dynasty chemistry research.

Kim Jwageun who became fully HIGH went forward to the court gallantly and issued frost-like orders.

“Although British barbarians are coming to violate Hanyang, if advancing by land route they will inevitably have to come through fields or thin riverside sand beaches. If one blocks their supply one can sufficiently repel with just beating the drum once!”

“Supreme Commander Your Excellency. The enemies are coming along the river so it is difficult to cut the supply.”

“By what means are the bastards using the Han River waterway? Do those huge ships freely come and go even the Han River?”

“Their large ships are large ships, but some ignorant ignoramuses are serving the barbarians.”

To think there are so many bastards to kill.

As expected the people are no different from dogs or pigs.

The scholars of this country chattered the teaching of Confucius and Mencius for hundreds of years yet don’t they believe in that fire or shamans, and now even attaching to the side of Western barbarians?

That moment.

The overwhelming stratagem of Kim Jwageun who read through Romance of the Three Kingdoms once again created a peerless military strategy.

“If left like this Hanyang might become a battlefield... one must prepare for moving the royal carriage.”

“Well thought!”

Military officials more than anyone brightened. They claimed from the first day of the war that one must move the royal carriage to Bukhansan Fortress but Kim Jwageun unavoidably rejected it.

“Divide some units and escort the royal carriage, and the rest must buy time until the capital move is safely completed so confront the British army.”

“Truly right words, Your Excellency.”

“To defend the entire Hanyang capital even with 100,000 great army is not enough, so rather one must buy time while preparing to fight holding Bukhansan Fortress.”

Military officials were precisely the category still facing reality.

Although never directly engaged the rumor is widespread that they defeated Qing with just a handful of army, and the British army whose elite nature is revealed just by looking from afar actually has even more troops than the Joseon army.

There was no one who recklessly put in the mouth the words that one must surrender, but everyone agreed on the fact that to repel them a long struggle is needed not a short-term battle of advancing and fighting.

Kim Jwageun’s attitude change was something everyone hoped for even if one could not bear to take out the words.

But.

That Kim Jwageun who ordered to go outside the capital and catch the British army’s ankle had other schemes was something even they could not imagine.

“Gather all tight-lipped servants.”

“What are you trying to do?”

“Scrape together as much dry straw and oil as possible.”

The methods for a weak army to confront a strong army are largely two.

Ambush and fire attack.

Since the ambush plan failed the remaining method is only one.

“If the bastards finally cross the Hanyang castle gate, I will burn this entire Hanyang together with the bastards.”

“Your Excellency! What words are those!”

“No one can stop me. Even the king! Even the Pungyang Jo clan! Even barbarians! If one cannot have Joseon rather make it ashes!”

Different from Dong Zhuo, different from Dong Zhuo.

Even that Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang and blocked the 18 route feudal lords’ army, so if one burns Hanyang and protects orthodox learning isn’t it a sufficiently doable thing?

Kim Jwageun was certain.

Other miscellaneous guys definitely try to interfere because they do not have the firm will to protect orthodox learning. That’s also why he sent them all out.

But.

‘Your Excellency finally went crazy!’

Even the family people who long served the Andong Kim clan ended up reading madness in Kim Jwageun’s eyes.

One had to make a countermeasure.

Before that guy finishes the highly reputed Andong Kim clan.

***

The British army commanders scattered scouts in all directions worrying about the Joseon army’s night raid or ambush.

I did not particularly comment on military affairs, but in personal thought it seemed a useless thing.

Originally Joseon is the country of elves.

If fighting holding mountain fortresses strength wells up like a little car that smelled flower scent, but if trying to do a field battle it becomes limp like a 6th year reserve army in summer.

Leaving everything else.

As the current Joseon whose country appearance has already become a dog mess unless one drives soldiers into the castle deserters will definitely spring up in lines.

There are words that during the Shinmi Yangyo they fought truly like demons, but isn’t that because the opponent was a demon army with sharp eyes and horns.

If one risks one’s life against the kind friend Redcoats who hold the banner of serving the king and say they will save Joseon from treacherous officials one might have one’s neck fly as a party with traitors after the war ends. Even thinking myself desertion is the favorite and fighting is the underdog.

Although I don’t know well about military.

Looking at the map the direction the Joseon army will move is only one place.

“The Joseon army rushed out from Hanyang?”

“Yes. It seems they are trying to block our army here, at this mountain fortress.”

Although a clumsy map, recalling the memory of the 21st century modern map app I could know the name of that mountain fortress.

“It’s Haengju Mountain Fortress.”

“Yes. It seems the locals called it that.”

Anyone who has been even once knows, Haengju Mountain Fortress is truly a heaven-sent strategic point. No matter how much the Joseon army they might think it’s worth trying once holding Haengju Mountain Fortress.

But I turned off the worry.

“The navy will sortie too, right?”

“Yes! They plan to raise the anchor soon!”

Haengju Mountain Fortress itself is a base standing on a low hill ambiguous to even call a ‘mountain’.

What makes this mountain fortress vicious is the vicious terrain holding the river and wetland, the Han River.

But the one with the power to control the Han River now is not the Joseon army but the British army.

If the British Empire Royal Fleet goes upstream the river and just feeds cannons bang bang Haengju Mountain Fortress falls not to the last bastion blocking the British army but to a mere target board.

I went to Wang Ba’s group and asked them to play the role of guide for the British army, then immediately headed to the next destination.

“Nice to meet you. How was the meal?”

“...I ate well.”

“The taste is really good.”

The people I found by asking around were two farmers.

After securing these people’s custody we did our best and gave high-grade clothes and washed them cleanly and prepared a sumptuous feast, but perhaps because they lived as farmers all their lives the skin tanned by the sun or the hands with clear traces of hardship could not be helped.

But the value to treat was sufficient.

The names of these two people are Lee Wonbeom and Lee Uk.

Ganghwadoryeong Cheoljong and his older brother.

***

After occupying Ganghwa Island and building a relationship of cooperating in their own way though distant with local powerful people.

I quietly asked “Is there perhaps royalty living here?”

And immediately a commotion broke out.

“You bastards! Already plotting hideous conspiracies!”

“It cannot be! If you are truly not barbarians how can you harbor thoughts of harming royalty!”

“They are people who have suffered hardship as much as possible. Just leave them to do farming in the countryside corner!”

Even countryside yangban seemed to have eaten seniority in their own way, they seemed to think we would catch the royalty and use as hostages or enthrone as puppet kings.

- Honestly say. Really no thoughts?

Why wouldn’t there be. Of course there are.

Originally Heonjong also suddenly died young at a young age, right. Since he is a yangban who doesn’t know when he will suddenly go, then one has to grease a bit the person who can become the next king.

First I decided to fire fact violence at the yangban who can’t grasp the situation.

“Truly sorry words, but hardship is already scheduled. You know, right?”

“······.”

“Whether that traitor Kim Jwageun or someone else, doesn’t it seem someone in the court will shout that everyone on this Ganghwa Island is collaborators of the barbarian army and must be punished?”

“We to the end-”

“Yes. I know. You raised the banner of righteous army to save His Majesty the King of Joseon from the traitor Kim Jwageun. But... will this excuse work even for the royalty?”

Joseon’s royal relatives die the moment their name goes up in treason. No matter how shabby that treason is, no matter how fabricated no matter who sees it doesn’t matter. They just die.

In a situation where even a few illegitimate sons full of dissatisfaction in the world muttering is caught and killed calling it treason, caught by a foreign army? One will definitely die?

Only after persuading like that could I meet these countryside royalty brothers.

They had never come out even once and stuck in the mountain corner even while Joseon’s friend British people were scattering rice and silver coins from all directions, so if the locals hadn’t informed it seemed one really couldn’t find them until the last moment.

But anyway I found them.

Next was the time of negotiation.

“Don’t you know the old story of Duke Wen of Jin? Early the stepmother persecuted the son of the previous wife, Xinsheng who stayed at home died and Chong’er who fled to a foreign country survived and ascended the throne.”

“······.”

“······It seems you read the classics diligently.”

“Kheum.”

A tragedy where a big-nosed guy cited a Spring and Autumn Warring States period old story but the Joseon royalty couldn’t understand.

If weak guys they couldn’t overcome this awkwardness, but I the pro salesman did not yield even to such hardship.

“If you stay here you die. Whether Kim Jwageun is alive or not that is not important. Rotten scholars who lightly regard others’ lives will definitely chatter ‘if royalty one should have known and cut one’s life surviving is of course because there is other schemes’.”

“Huu...”

“So? Are you telling us to go to Britain now...?”

“Yes.”

I nodded without hesitation.

“The world you look at, China and its outskirts are only part of the much wider world called the world and the center of that world is precisely London the capital of the British Empire. If you learn Western learning in London and return you will never have to worry about life.”

“Hey. Let me ask just one thing.”

The owner of a pure-looking physiognomy, Lee Wonbeom said blinking clear eyes like a bull.

“What is it?”

“Telling us to live a few years in that place called London... means become your puppets, right? How is that different from dying?”

“It’s a misunderstanding. It’s not that meaning at all.”

Joseon’s opening is now inevitable. Because we will forcibly open it.

If they come out to international society of course those who learned Western learning will be needed, and if the Wonbeom brothers learn Western learning first the country will have no choice but to heavily use them.

If Heonjong gets power back he will need a pro-king force, but the Pungyang Jo clan can absolutely not become a pro-king force. How would friends who cut missionaries’ necks seize power in this situation. For a while one has to lie low.

“So if you want to live you must get the British Empire on your back.”

“I don’t want to bear the stigma of serving foreign forces.”

“There is no particular need to serve. Rather keeping an appropriate distance is better.”

The person who will ride the pro-British coin straight is already prepared. Heungseon-gun.

If these brothers receive education and return, Heonjong instead of writing their names in the purge note will probably raise them as a force to oppose the powerful.

Since a portfolio must not all-in one item, one has to make friends with other friends in advance besides Lee Ha-eung.

But I guarantee.

“If you go to London and learn the world you will just know even if we don’t recruit. That one must match pace with Britain. To save Joseon trapped in a well there is no way but to learn Britain.”

“······.”

“We will treat you as prisoners captured by the British army, and leave a record that you attempted suicide but failed. After the war ends we will drag you to London under the pretext of hostages.

However this is only justification to present to Joseon to the end, I want to seek your consent and invite you as people to learn new learning.”

While they conflicted.

“Excuse me.”

A messenger strode in and saluted me.

“What is the matter?”

“Is it okay to say here?”

“These people don’t even know English what. Please speak.”

“The mountain fortress was captured. As soon as the fleet started bombardment the Joseon army instantly fled in all directions and one couldn’t even find traces.”

As expected the Joseon army that boasts the world’s best skill at least in reverse charge. Well, even I would flee in such a situation.

“They say as soon as the Joseon army heard a bit of cannon sound they all fled. Since Haengju Mountain Fortress was occupied now Hanyang is right in front.”

I kindly conveyed the messenger’s story in Joseon language, and the faces of the Ganghwadoryeong brothers now became earth-colored.

“I’ll follow.”

“Hyung!”

“Anyway there is no choice either. The fact that you won’t harm, and won’t make us collaborators is all fact, right?”

“Of course.”

Looking quietly I see, Joseon people must redesign from the modern education system. With the method of the teacher teaching heaven earth one absolutely cannot survive in this cold imperialist world.

These brothers will be raised as the first Joseon nobles who ate Western water.

If Joseon does not invite its own destruction and tries to advance toward the future, they will heavily use them.

- You still had a human heart left! Right. They said returning to the original heart. One must have a heart for the hometown to be worthy of being called a person. But what do you plan to teach them?

That well, they have to decide themselves. Where is there a person who even chooses the major?

But for these brothers who are clumsy, and weak in courage from too much hardship, and even intimidated one must first cultivate a strong body and strong mind.

Then what would it be.

Of course one must inject the correct mindset, <​Eton spirit>.

- Hey you bastard.

Eton is the world’s best school and the best cradle that nurtures intellectuals. I won’t accept claims from primitive Harrow guys.

If one rolls for just one or two years in that wonderful campus, they will also be reborn as sturdy pillars supporting Joseon!

© 명원 #1jwz2

Author's note

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