Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 520

520. Rolling, Rolling… (1)

Hanseong.

As soon as the news of Ouchi’s victory arrived, Hyang immediately summoned his ministers.

“Have you heard the news?”

“Yes.”

Hwang Hee answered on behalf of everyone in response to Hyang’s question.

“Then, shouldn’t we begin addressing the situation with Tsushima soon?”

At Hyang’s words, the ministers all looked at Jo Mal-saeng.

Receiving the gazes of Hyang and the ministers, Jo Mal-saeng bowed his head and replied, “I believe it would be wise to begin immediately. The season of strong winds has passed, and the news must have already reached the lord of Tsushima and Soi-ssi [a powerful family in Kyushu].”

“Are you suggesting we act before the lord of Tsushima and Soi-ssi fully realize the implications?”

Jo Mal-saeng bowed his head in response to Hyang’s question and answered, “That is correct.”

The ministers all nodded in agreement with the conversation between Jo Mal-saeng and Hyang.

This was because they were also well aware of the situations in Tsushima and Wa [ancient name for Japan].

* * *

Even in the history before Hyang’s intervention, Joseon in this period made sure to understand the political situations of neighboring countries.

However, after Sejo seized power through the coup, this effort to understand external political situations was almost limited to the Jurchen.

However, in the altered history with Hyang’s intervention, understanding external political situations has become an absolutely necessary task.

Maritime trade routes were connected to far-off Europe, and merchant ships from Daewol [Vietnam], Siam [Thailand], and Ryukyu [Okinawa] were filling the trading ports. In addition, they had to succeed in the great task of ‘preemptive occupation of new territories,’ which was a matter of Joseon’s fate.

Even a slight oversight in observing foreign trends could lead to enormous losses and even endanger the country.

Thanks to this, even high-ranking officials who were not in charge of foreign affairs and national defense were required to understand the political situations of neighboring countries.

This was because the tasks they were carrying out could be affected by changes in the political situation.

* * *

Among the ministers who were nodding, Hwang Hee spoke on behalf of everyone.

“The lord of Tsushima and Soi-ssi assisted the shogunate due to their strained relationship with the Daenai family. If we extend a hand appropriately, they will likely respond favorably.”

“If they refuse our hand, we will have to resort to force, correct?”

Hwang Hee nodded at Hyang’s question.

“You have to beat a cow that doesn’t understand, and if it still doesn’t understand, you have to eat it [a Korean proverb meaning to use increasingly severe measures].”

* * *

Ten days later, at the residence of the lord of Tsushima.

“Lord, an envoy from Joseon has arrived.”

“Bring him in.”

“Yes!”

The lord of Tsushima, Sosada Mori (宗貞盛), greeted the envoy sent by Joseon with a worried face.

The Joseon naval officer, who undertook the mission of the envoy and visited the lord of Tsushima, gave a crisp military salute.

“Welcome.”

The lord of Tsushima returned the military salute of the naval officer and offered the officer a seat.

As the envoy sat down, the lord of Tsushima immediately got to the point.

“So, why has Joseon sent an envoy to me?”

The expression of the naval officer, who came as an envoy, turned fierce for a moment at the lord of Tsushima’s words, which were full of displeasure and disrespect. However, he quickly regained his composure and reached into his chest.

“This is a personal letter from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to the lord.”

“A personal letter?”

The lord of Tsushima straightened his posture and received Hyang’s personal letter through his vassal’s hand and unfolded it.

“Hmm!”

The lord of Tsushima, having read the contents of the personal letter, let out a groan with a stiffened face. After reconfirming the contents of the personal letter, the lord of Tsushima looked at the naval officer.

“Do you know the contents of this personal letter?”

“This official does not have the authority to read the personal letter. However, I have received an order to receive a reply within five days.”

“Five days… five days…”

The lord of Tsushima, chewing on the word ‘five days’ several times, sighed deeply.

“I understand. I will send a reply by that time. Be careful on your way back.”

At the lord of Tsushima’s order to leave, the envoy stood up, gave a military salute, and retreated outside.

* * *

As the envoy returned, the lord of Tsushima informed his vassals of the contents of the letter.

“The Crown Prince of Joseon is telling me to hand over this island.”

“Yes?”

“Oh, my!”

“Eventually…”

The reactions of the vassals to the lord of Tsushima’s words were divided. One side was shocked, and the other side had an expression of ‘what was coming has come.’

“Let’s read it in turn.”

“Ha…”

The vassals of the lord of Tsushima took turns reading the personal letter written by Hyang.

The contents of the personal letter can be summarized as follows.

-In the past Gihae year (1419, the 1st year of King Sejong), when the Gihae Eastern Expedition (己亥東征) occurred, the lord promised that Tsushima was a dependency of Joseon and that he would relocate the residents to our Joseon.

(Note 1)

-However, due to the circumstances of our Joseon at the time, it was an unfortunate event that we could not accept this.

-Now that Joseon’s circumstances have improved, we will grant the request at that time.

-The lord of Tsushima should immediately evacuate the island with the residents and come to Joseon.

-This will be a good thing for both the lord of Tsushima and the dependent residents. The lord of Tsushima will be recognized for his past contributions and will be provided with a residence and pension in Hanseong-bu [present-day Seoul], and the dependent residents will continue their livelihood in a place without barren farmland and the threat of bandits.

-Keep in mind that this is being done in recognition of the lord’s past contributions.

The vassals who read the personal letter sent by Hyang had divided opinions.

“What will happen if we reject this offer? There is no mention of it in the personal letter.”

“Isn’t it obvious even if they don’t explicitly state it? The Joseon naval forces stationed in Tsushima will try to devour us.”

“War…”

As one of the vassals mentioned ‘war,’ the already heavy atmosphere became even heavier, and everyone fell silent.

It was the lord of Tsushima who broke the suffocating silence.

“If we fight the Joseon naval forces, what will be the outcome?”

“……”

The vassals answered the lord’s question with silence. They had been thoroughly impressed by the power of the Joseon naval forces since the establishment of the Joseon naval base in Tsushima.

The lord of Tsushima sighed deeply at the silent answer.

“Hoo~. It sounds like defeat.”

“Your servants are incompetent…”

“The incompetence of your servants…”

“That’s enough.”

The lord of Tsushima raised his hand and cut off the words of the vassals who were blaming themselves.

“It must be the result of ignoring the changing times. Then the responsibility will be mine. But we can’t keep being dragged around, so let’s think of a plan.”

“Yes!”

As the lord of Tsushima and his vassals began to consider countermeasures, a low-ranking warrior who was outside ran in and reported.

“Shoni Yoshiyori (少弐 嘉頼) and Noriyori (教頼) have arrived!”

“Bring them in!”

“Yes!”

* * *

A little later, the Shoni family brothers, who entered the conference room, brought up the main point without even exchanging pleasantries.

“Did the lord also receive the personal letter sent by the Crown Prince of Joseon?”

“Did the head of the family also receive a personal letter?”

The brothers nodded at the lord of Tsushima’s question.

“It was written that we should either pledge allegiance to Joseon within five days or leave Tsushima and return to our hometown. If we remain after that, it was written that we would be regarded as Wokou [Japanese pirates] and force would be used.”

“Heo~.”

The lord of Tsushima sighed deeply at the brothers’ answer.

‘Is that temporary measure coming back to haunt us like this?’

* * *

After Yi Jong-mu’s first subjugation ended, Taejong declared a second conquest and continued the naval blockade, so the lord of Tsushima proposed to relocate himself and all the residents of Tsushima to Joseon.

Taejong gave an Insin (印信) [official seal], which certified that the lord of Tsushima was a servant of Joseon, and settled the matter by supporting an appropriate amount of grain every year.

At the time, Taejong judged that the lord of Tsushima’s proposal was a declaration of surrender. And he thought that relocation to Joseon would be more harmful than beneficial.

And this was the aim that the lord of Tsushima was aiming for.

At that time, Joseon was a relatively weak country. The lord of Tsushima, judging that it would be impossible to maintain security after accepting the residents of Tsushima, who could turn into armed groups at any time, used the ‘brinkmanship tactic.’

However, now the aftermath of that tactic was hitting Tsushima.

The fact that Tsushima recognized that it was a dependency of Joseon, and the fact that they volunteered to relocate to Joseon, were all recorded, and this had become a sword to strike Tsushima.

* * *

“Hoo~.”

The lord of Tsushima, who sighed deeply, came to a conclusion.

“It’s already a decided outcome. When everyone was changing, starting with Joseon, we couldn’t keep up. Wouldn’t the only thing left be to be weeded out?”

“Lord! Are you saying we should surrender to Joseon?”

“There’s no other way.”

The Shoni family brothers had a frustrated expression at the lord of Tsushima’s reaction, who seemed to have already made up his mind.

The lord of Tsushima was the ruler of Tsushima, but they were hangers-on there.

Even if they received the same offer, the lord of Tsushima could be treated as a servant of Joseon, but they would surely be treated as naturalized Japanese (降倭) [Japanese who surrendered to Joseon].

Of course, it wouldn’t be the same treatment as ordinary people, but it was certain that it wouldn’t be the same treatment as the lord of Tsushima.

However, returning to Kyushu (九州) [Japanese island] was also a bad move. Kyushu was ruled by Ouchi, who had driven them out of here. It was certain that it would be a certain defeat to face Ouchi, who had already become strong enough to defeat the shogunate.

Finally, resisting the Joseon naval forces while remaining here was also a situation where a miserable death was certain.

The brothers, who had frustrated faces, eventually got up from their seats.

“I need to think about it a little more.”

“We need to judge the situation calmly.”

The brothers, who heard the lord of Tsushima’s advice, turned away with bewildered faces.

The lord of Tsushima, who sent the Shoni family brothers away, looked back at his vassals and opened his mouth.

“The answer was already decided.”

“Kuhuk!”

“Heuheuk! Lord!”

At the lord of Tsushima’s words, the vassals all burst into tears and were grief-stricken. The lord of Tsushima comforted such vassals.

“Don’t be too sad. Isn’t it the law of the world that those who cannot keep up with the changing world are weeded out?”

“Kuhuk!”

“Keuk!”

“Stop it now. From now on, the task is to maximize the benefits even if we move. This is the last war left for us. Prepare.”

“Yes!”

* * *

Around the same time, in the conference room of the Joseon naval fortress stationed in Satsuma [region in Kyushu], stories were being exchanged on the same topic.

The high-ranking officers, who already knew the details, were talking about their respective expectations regarding the lord of Tsushima’s reaction.

“Will the lord of Tsushima accept His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s offer?”

“If he has a brain that can think, wouldn’t he have no choice but to accept it?”

“They’re the kind of people who use their swords before their brains…”

“Then wouldn’t it be over if we just blow them away with cannons? That would be good too.”

Most of the high-ranking commanders gathered here were those who had participated in the last Tsushima conquest.

They had an earnest desire to avenge Park Sil’s defeat.

However, they also knew very well that they should not attack first.

But they were forgetting. No matter what choice the lord of Tsushima made, a paperwork hell was waiting for them.

While many people in Tsushima were unable to sleep due to worries, there was also someone who could not sleep in Hanseong.

It was the Grandson.

* * *

Note 1) Military strategy during the Joseon Dynasty. Military History Research Institute of the Ministry of National Defense.