Chapter 219 — Return: Zongwang Comes Out to Meet Him
When he had come, the road had felt short, but on the way back it was long.
He had been heading toward Huanglongfu, that is, Buyeobu, but turned toward Huiling instead.
He had obtained information that Jin's main force had returned to Huiling.
*Huiling refers to Shangjing Huining Prefecture, the early capital of Jin, around present-day Acheng, Harbin.
Because he was traveling with the additional support personnel provided by the king, the journey took longer.
Some of them did not ride well, and there were many civil officials and technicians among them.
Before entering Huiling, he sent word ahead, and Wanyan Zongwang rode out to meet him from a day's distance away.
"Oh, oh, oh! You have returned."
Zongwang came riding toward him with a full smile.
On the battlefield, it was rare to see a face smiling so broadly.
He was a man who had stood in the vanguard with Yeongu several times on battlefields where horse manes, blood, and earth dust mingled together.
They had entrusted each other with their backs.
They had driven their horses at the same speed before collapsing enemy lines, and passed through showers of spears and blades at the distance of a single shoulder.
After spending such time together, many words were not needed.
They did not have to drink long into the night inside a military tent, nor did they need to open their hearts until dawn.
When a man looked in the same direction the moment the horses began to run, breathed the same breath the moment the enemy lines drew near, and received the weight of the first collision together, that alone made them close.
When he charged beside Zongwang, his heart strangely grew light.
However many enemies stood ahead, it felt as if a road would open.
However thick the fortress gate was, it felt as if it would one day break.
When Zongwang smiled beside him, even the fear of the battlefield withdrew a little.
It was not that fear disappeared.
Rather, the strength to cross beyond fear entered his body first.
"I submitted a resignation memorial and returned to my country, only to be scolded thoroughly."
Because he had left so suddenly, returning was quite embarrassing.
Zongwang did not mention that at all.
"You have come back well. Everyone has been waiting. Was your homeland good?"
"My youngest sister has become clever. I found a very good teacher for her."
"And your mother?"
"She lives with worry piled upon worry, as always."
Zongwang looked past Yeongu at the several hundred people following behind him.
"Your attendants have increased."
"Yes. There are many civil officials and technicians. His Majesty sent them with me."
"We need a great deal of iron."
"We must produce it here. There are technicians related to that as well."
At the word technicians, Zongwang's face brightened.
They were always short of iron.
The routes by which iron reached the Jurchen had been blocked entirely.
There was no way they would have iron technicians.
They had almost no technicians who knew the process from mining to smelting.
At most, they had craftsmen who could hammer iron that already existed.
This time, quite a few technicians from Dain Ironworks in Chungju had come along.
The king's command was to establish a system here for mining and refining iron.
It was a very important decision.
Until now, even the supply of iron products to the Jurchen had been restricted.
That was because Goryeo feared they would make weapons from it and attack their country.
Liao had done the same.
It had actively blocked iron ore and iron products from entering Jurchen hands.
That was because it feared the strength of the Jurchen once they obtained iron.
"They can begin from mining, then roast the ore, smelt it, and refine it. Now—"
"Ah, truly?"
"They have now fulfilled the request made before."
"Thank you."
"For what? Cooperation. It is cooperation."
Since he lacked the ability to explain well, he put force into the word.
Zongwang spoke again.
"I am grateful for that too, but more than anything, I am grateful that you returned."
"Ah. Well, I did not want to either, but what could I do when my country would not permit it? In return, you must be prepared. I will not simply let things pass. If no order forbidding massacre is issued, I will chase after the murderers and punish them myself. There will be conflict with the tribes. Why do you not act according to the Eight Prohibitions? This is what Lord Hambo himself did."
"Grr. In truth, there are difficulties. We are at an absolute disadvantage in military strength. If the tribes fall away, it becomes even harder. We must respect their opinions."
"I already said all of that. In any case, since I have returned, I intend to do things as I see fit. Be prepared for that."
Zongwang smiled gently.
*Wanyan Zongwang (?–1127) was the second son of Jin Taizu Agolta. Together with his kinsman Zonghan, he led the destruction of Northern Song, capturing Emperors Huizong and Qinzong and bringing upon the Chinese the humiliation known as the Jingkang Incident. He was from Hushui, in present-day Acheng District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. His Jurchen name was Alobo or Alibu.
Zongwang was strong-willed, yet meticulous and benevolent. A believer in Buddhism, he was said to resemble the Buddha in appearance. Unlike the rough Zonghan, he cherished his subordinates. Warriors took pride in fighting alongside him. In the army, he was called the Bodhisattva Prince.
"Right now, we must achieve harmony. Every one of our soldiers is precious. They are rough, but internally they are all good people. Do not make enemies of them. Their cruelty too is one side of them. You cannot simply cut out that part alone and change it. It will take time."
"What happens when men violate an order inside the military camp?"
"I hope no discord arises."
"I hope they do not create discord. In this way, we may be able to destroy Liao, but the resistance of other peoples will destroy us immediately afterward. Master also considered this important."
At the word Master, Zongwang lowered his head.
"After Jungnangjang Lee left, Master also departed."
"Ah. Right afterward?"
"Yes. On the next day, he disappeared silently with the immortals."
"Did he not just go somewhere for a while?"
"Even his personal belongings disappeared. That was how we knew he had left."
"Ah…"
Yeongu cried out almost in despair.
"You should have served him better."
"Did we do wrong? We understood that this had been discussed among you beforehand."
"No, just because I left, Master should not leave too… You should have held him back."
"We did not even know he was leaving. Only after we confirmed that his quarters were empty and even his personal belongings were gone did we understand. We too felt great despair. The Great Khan did not eat for a day."
Yeongu needlessly scolded Zongwang.
"When those people leave once, it is difficult to invite them back. They will absolutely not come out for an ordinary matter. They come only when the rise and fall of a country is at its throat. Do you know how hard it was to bring them here?"
They had invited them on the grounds of Jin's founding and claimed they did not know the rites for offering the heavenly sacrifice.
But had that truly been the only reason?
After that, everything had unfolded according to principle.
Some unseen force of theirs had been changing Jurchen society.
"We thought it natural. Since Jungnangjang Lee had gone, we believed they thought there was no longer any reason to stay. The Great Khan regretted it deeply."
"Even Goryeo cannot easily invite them. Even if we hold a grand Palgwanhoe and invite them as honored guests, only a few come. They have no interest in worldly affairs. Those people…"
Yeongu fell gloomy.
Nothing had felt difficult.
That was because Master had been behind him.
No matter what he asked, Master spoke the truths of the world with great ease.
No matter what hardship troubled them, Master encouraged them with a simple smile.
Only toward their atrocities had he grown silently angry.
That had flowed in the same vein as Yeongu's own dissatisfaction.
"This is serious. A great decisive battle is expected. They are gathering soldiers."
Yeongu asked urgently, "Hm. Then are they coming immediately?"
"No. They are gathering the entire army."
"What is the difference?"
"It seems I must explain the Liao army."
"An army is an army. What explanation is needed?"