touchnovel Chapter 488
Chapter 488
Episode 488: Picking the pockets. (1)
Five days after Ouchi raised his army, an urgent report arrived in Hanseong.
However, the atmosphere in Hanseong where I received the urgent news was truly unexpected.
“Mr. Daenae has finally raised his soldiers.”
“Is that so?”
Both the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who received the urgent information and reported it, and King Sejong, who heard the news, had quite expressions on their faces.
“This is not unexpected, so please respond based on the plan established in advance.”
“I follow your orders.”
Sejong ordered a response with a grave expression and moved on.
“But how many soldiers did Daenae mobilize for this incident?”
“There are 6,000.”
“Six thousand?”
In response to Minister of Foreign Affairs Heo Hu’s answer, not only King Sejong but also the other ministers’ expressions changed.
“Six thousand?”
“That much?”
While the Geunjeongjeon Hall was in commotion, Hwang Hee asked Heo Hu.
“Out of the 6,000, how many longitudes did you send?”
“There are 6,000 soldiers sent to Gyeongdo alone.”
“her!”
“Wow!”
The ministers looked astonished at Heo Hu’s answer. Hwang Hee spoke, representing the feelings of the ministers.
“It seems like Daenae is being overly greedy. According to the last investigation, the total number of soldiers owned by Daenae is 8,000, but 6,000 of them are... that was unreasonable.”
Most of the ministers nodded at Hwang Hee’s words.
King Sejong also expressed his agreement with the ministers’ words.
“I also think the same. Although the Daenae clan has accumulated a lot of wealth by trading with Joseon and developing silver mines together, it is only a feudal dynasty. “If I do this wrong, I won’t be able to achieve even three worlds, right?”
The ministers all nodded at Sejong’s point.
“That’s right. “Maybe we will have to start all over again.”
* * *
The military was a group that consumed a huge budget. Therefore, Joseon had to think repeatedly and use all kinds of tricks to expand its military budget without putting as much strain on its finances as possible.
Because he went through such hardships, King Sejong and the ministers thought that Ouchi was being reckless.
Of course, an army of 6,000 people could be considered very small in terms of its ability to influence the fate of a nation.
However, considering that the size of the army mobilized for the conquest of Liaodong promoted by Choi Yeong at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty was about 50,000, of which the main force was about 38,000, it was definitely not a small number for Ouchi, who was just a feudal dynasty, to mobilize 6,000 men. .
* * *
When King Sejong and most of the ministers were thinking that this was recklessness, Kim Jong-seo raised a counterargument.
“Maybe it’s not Man Yong.”
Sejong’s eyes lit up at Kim Jong-seo’s rebuttal.
“Isn’t this just for man’s use? “Is there any basis for saying that?”
In response to Sejong’s question, Kim Jong-seo explained the basis for his thoughts.
-When I went there as an emissary in the past, it seemed like Daenae was already planning this incident.
-Also, the size of the territory that the Daenae clan directly controls is quite large, but the number and size of the territories that it controls as a dependent territory are also not small.
“...As the Minister of Foreign Affairs knows, the territories under the control of the Daenae clan include most of the Chinese region of the Japanese Empire and one-third of the European region. “At this rate, 6,000 people can serve as a kind of priming water.”
“It’s a priming water....”
King Sejong, who had pondered Kim Jong-seo’s answer several times, looked back at the ministers.
“We are already well aware of the bad relationship between the Daenae clan and the shogunate, and if the area covered by the Daenae clan is so large, there is a significant possibility that it is not Manyong. Listen to the sutras. Considering all these circumstances, please refrain from predicting that Daenae’s uprising will fail. “Pay attention to the situation going on in the Japanese country and respond appropriately to changes, but avoid only making mistakes.”
“I follow your orders.”
After sorting out the issues related to the Japanese Empire, King Sejong moved on.
“Listen to the scriptures. Having observed the Crown Prince’s proxy affairs, I have confirmed that the Crown Prince’s abilities are not lacking. “Now, I plan to entrust all approval rights in the areas of national defense and diplomacy to the crown prince.”
“Yes, we need Joseon’s help to succeed in this great cause.”
“We need help from Joseon? Hmm....”
King Sejong thought for a moment and answered the messenger.
“The crown prince is currently acting as a proxy, so let’s discuss this with him.”
“yes?”
King Sejong gave a short reply to the lion’s failure to properly understand what he was saying.
“The crown prince’s will is my will. So, let’s talk with the crown prince.”
So King Sejong handed over the work to Hyang.
* * *
Hyang, who received the lion from King Sejong, immediately came face to face with the lion.
“You said you need help from Joseon? Could it be that Daenae’s situation has gotten worse?”
When asked about the fragrance, the lion hurriedly shook his head.
“Oh no! Even now, the odds are overwhelmingly favorable to us, Ouchi! Soon we will be able to subdue most of the Kinki region!”
Hyang snorted inwardly at the lion’s answer.
‘joy! Is it going to be a year soon?’
* * *
The news sent from the Joseon superior in Naniwa (Osaka’s old name) was slightly different from what the messenger said. Although Ouchi’s army was steadily winning and expanding its power, the shogunate army was also holding on tenaciously.
-It is expected that it will take at least a year for the Daenae clan to completely take control of the Geungi region (Kyoto, Osaka, Shiga, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, and Mie regions).
This was intelligence sent from Naniwa’s superior in Joseon, and it was the reason Hyang snorted inwardly.
* * *
“So, things are going so well, so why do we need Joseon’s help?”
When asked about the scent, the lion quietly smiled.
“Thanks to the brave fighting of the generals and soldiers under your lordship and the blessings of heaven...”
“Get to the point.”
When Hyang stopped speaking, the lion, who paused for a moment, got to the point.
“Please add gunpowder.”
“Gunpowder?”
“yes. “We are currently working hard to obtain gunpowder, but we are not able to keep up with the consumption.”
Hyang muttered to herself at the lion’s words.
‘It’s not about seeking, it’s about creating.’
* * *
Joseon was gradually building a human information network (Humint Network) targeting the entire Japanese nation, centering on Daenae Clan’s territory and Joseon superiors.
And one of the pieces of information obtained through this was the Ouchi family’s gunpowder production.
The military that tested Ouchi’s gunpowder obtained through a planted informant immediately wrote a report.
-The quality and power of gunpowder are similar to those used by Joseon in the past.
-We must prevent the leak of Joseon’s latest gunpowder manufacturing technology.
* * *
Hyang pondered the lion’s request for a moment and then opened his mouth to the lion.
“I will ask the lion. “You probably don’t know the importance of gunpowder, right?”
“I know very well.”
“And considering the relationship between Joseon and Japan, you are well aware that there are many problems with Joseon providing gunpowder to the Daenae clan, right?”
“I know that part well. However, please consider the friendly relationship that has been established between our Ouchi and Joseon.”
“I’m worried because I know that part. Hmm...”
With those words, Hyang closed his mouth.
As Hyang closed his mouth, the lion became desperate.
Hyang, who was looking at the restless lion, finally opened his mouth.
“If you accept some of the conditions I mentioned, Joseon will sell gunpowder to Mr. Daenae.”