Chương 205: A Midnight Conversation

He had met a wise man. What should one ask such a person? There, people commit the folly of asking for lottery numbers. They want to know what must be done to become something, what will happen if one does something, and what would be good because of it. If they want wealth, they should trade well and increase it. Instead, they go around asking questions meant to obtain it through another, easier path, and all at once. Yeongu asked about work. Song wanted to make contact with the newly risen Jin.

How should relations with Song be handled? What method should be used for the Jurchen to govern the steppe? How could the steppe be permanently brought under control without calling forth resistance through violence and oppression? How should the relationship between Goryeo and Jin be handled? Was sending a small number of military advisers and pretending to help truly the whole of it? The existing vested class would not move. If he wanted to reform the Goryeo army, what should be done first?

How far should the immortals' participation in war be considered? From now on, it would no longer be a defensive struggle, but offensive battle. Would the immortals help even in a war of invasion? Was one country with two systems possible? In the end, Liao had also drawn near to the laws of the Central Plains, and that flow had hastened its destruction. Jin was following the same path. What should he say to them? The night deepened. Yeongu asked everything that had troubled him all this time.

And strangely, the young boy immortal answered all of it. Whether the answers were right or wrong was a matter for later. At some point, Yeongu asked for brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and began writing things down. He asked Oryang to pause his answer for a moment and wrote it down.

"So if I am to arrange a meeting between His Majesty and the Great Khan, the border between the two countries would be best, especially around the Nine Fortresses that were returned before."

"At that place, important decisions must be made, and commands must be sent down from there. Goryeo's officials try to settle into the present."

"That is so." Yeongu waved his hand.

"Please stop for a moment. My head is dull, so I must write it down."

"You are saying that when cooperating with Song, we should leave documents in the form of a treaty?"

"That is so. The two countries must attack from north and south at the same time. Song moves slowly, hesitates over whether to act, and carries other thoughts every time it moves. That is why it must be left in written form as a treaty."

"Must we cooperate with such people?"

"It is necessary. It places strong pressure on Liao. And from Song's perspective, giving to Jin the annual payments it once gave to Liao may be considered the same." Yeongu asked, "Then what benefit does Song itself gain?"

"They recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. That is more important to them." *The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun were strategic strongholds in northern China, referring to sixteen prefectures in the Yan and Yun regions. They correspond roughly to present-day Beijing and northern Shanxi, and served as a gateway linking the Central Plains and the steppe. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Shi Jingtang of Later Jin ceded this region to the Khitan Liao in exchange for military support.

Through this, Liao secured a route into the Central Plains, while Song began with its northern defense line already broken. The Sixteen Prefectures later became the core of military and diplomatic tension among Song, Liao, and Jin, functioning as a decisive strategic zone that shaped the northern situation. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Ah, so they want to recover territory."

"What should I say to the Great Khan, who cannot refuse the demands of the tribal chiefs?" The boy lowered his gaze for a moment, then lifted it again. For an instant, there was a sign that he was choosing his words.

"If he wishes to create an empire, it will be difficult if he continues like that. For now, because it is the process of founding a state, it may be endured. But it is difficult to build an empire in that way. In the end, he will have to settle things through force. The current circumstances also play a part, but the Great Khan does not wish to stain his own hands with blood. He is postponing the choice between empire and tribe. Their military power is strong, but the center of their government is narrow.

The framework of an empire has not yet been established." Yeongu's hand raced quickly over the paper. The low sound of the brush tip scraping across the paper continued.

"From now on, he must suppress them and restrict their demands. The process of gathering tribes and strengthening power will continue. In the midst of that, cruel plunder will solidify into the form of war." When the boy stopped speaking, Yeongu lifted his head. He inhaled briefly, as if catching his breath.

"Go and tell him. Tell him to choose between being an empire and being a tribe. If he cannot decide now, tell him to set a deadline after the great decisive battle. Matters like this are better settled clearly with a deadline. If he lets it pass now, it will continue to the next emperor, and then to the emperor after that. One man in a later generation will be left to shoulder the responsibility."

"Liao treated the Jurchen with great cruelty. Now the Jurchen are treating those who oppose them with even greater cruelty. What should be done?"

"I will speak of the result first. Both firmness and softness must be used together. If he treats them only with benevolence and righteousness, they will not behave well. Yet if he suppresses them too harshly, they will spring up. They will resist and rebel. The two must be properly mixed." The boy paused briefly.

"Qin Shi Huang, who unified the realm under Heaven, conducted imperial tours. Of course, the purpose was somewhat different."

"How was it different?"

"First, the emperor moved in person to display authority. He showed that all under Heaven had been joined as one and demonstrated his rule. One might say he showed that the emperor's command reached every part of the realm. Second, he inspected the provinces. At the time, commanderies and counties had been established. Under the commandery-county system, he inspected local officials. This also had the effect of suppressing resistance in each region. It was local control.

Third, he inspected roads and fortifications. He personally saw the roads along which armies moved and goods flowed, and by maintaining them, he laid the foundation for operating the state. It was work that strengthened the state's base. Fourth, there was the fengshan ritual. He climbed Mount Tai and offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth. It was said that the emperor's authority had been granted by Heaven." Yeongu gave a faint laugh.

"Oh, does Heaven have nothing better to do? Granting authority to that man?"

"It is said that when he actually performed the fengshan ritual, rain poured down heavily."

"Heaven must have disliked it too. Then he should have done better."

"Finally, while traveling around, he pursued immortality. He mobilized fangshi, masters of esoteric arts, had them search for the herb of immortality, and went as far as the coast to have them seek the Three Divine Mountains."

"It seems he was afraid of dying." Yeongu thought this was truly difficult. He had intended to hand the notes to the Great Khan and tell him to do exactly that, but there was too much. He wrote it down and wrote again, but could all of it be done? No, more than anything, was the Great Khan the kind of person who could accept and carry out such things? People say everyone is the same, but that is not true. In terms of tolerance, acceptance, and understanding, most people are extremely narrow.

They do not listen to other people's words. They dislike nagging. They dislike advice even more. Yeongu, whose head had exceeded its capacity, let out a long sigh. Oryang continued speaking.

"He may not do it that way, but he must conduct tours of the steppe. In a similar manner, he must inspect, display authority, bestow grace, listen to hardships, and act accordingly."

"Liao did that."

"They did so with a few tribes, but not elsewhere." The night deepened. The sound of insects in the grass was lively, and the moon shone bright and full. To avoid the night dew, they moved onto the wooden floor, and the woman brought tea. Yeongu proposed, "Instead of this, come with me. It would be better if you went and said all of this yourself."

"Why? Is it difficult to memorize and speak?" Yeongu smacked his lips.

"That is right. If I tell the Great Khan to do all this, I think he will faint."

"He is an emperor. He is a person who must feed the people. Naturally, he must do more than that." Yeongu urged him.

"Come with me."

"Hm. There are about thirty reasons why I cannot leave. Would you like to hear all of them, or will you give up and do it yourself?"

"Phew. Nothing ever works." At Yeongu's grumbling, Oryang laughed again. Yeongu also had Dorogan write things down.