“A signal fire…?”
Mak Gu-ju, the Governor-General of Liaoning, looked dumbfounded.
Typically, a general signal fire was used to notify the center of trouble arising on the front lines. But this was the reverse: an Emergency Signal Fire System transmitting from the center to the periphery.
The only person qualified to order the activation of such a reverse signal was, originally, the Supreme Commander of the Military—the Emperor of the Central Plains alone.
“…However,” Xianyu Hyeong-bi, the Governor-General of Jilin, interjected. “His Imperial Majesty would not have given such an order.”
In the current Imperial Palace, there was someone comparable to the Emperor. Someone possessing even greater power.
“…It is a retreat signal ordered by the Head Eunuch.”
At her deduction, Grand Young Master Yeon So-hyeon nodded. “Correct.”
The Grand Young Master stood from the table, teacup in hand. “Sometimes…” He walked leisurely toward the desk where the strategic map was spread. “…a strong and capable enemy can be more helpful than loyal and trustworthy allies.”
The Grand Young Master turned the spice jar, which he had placed to symbolize the Head Eunuch, making it face the piece representing Grand Strategist Sima. It appeared as though the Head Eunuch was aiming directly at the Strategist.
“Now.”
With a satisfied smile, the Grand Young Master continued. “Having received the order for Total Retreat from the Head Eunuch, the generals of Heilongjiang Province burned their military provisions and supplies in unison and began their withdrawal.”
He swept the pieces representing the Heilongjiang generals, which had been scattered haphazardly, cleanly to the rear.
“With this, Heilongjiang Province is ownerless territory.”
Tap. Tap.
He rapped his knuckles on the map of Heilongjiang Province, now barren of pieces. “Then, what will happen now?”
At the Grand Young Master’s quiet voice, which sounded like a monologue, Xianyu Hyeong-bi answered. “Now, inevitably, the Iron Armored Cavalry of Haedong’s Honorable Supreme Commander will enter Heilongjiang Province.”
Mak Gu-ju added to her words, a subtle thorn in his voice. “Since there are no defending corps, she will enter the bloodless castle and take the province.”
“Exactly.”
The Grand Young Master nodded kindly, as if to children who had answered a question correctly. “As soon as the Honorable Supreme Commander’s army arrives, they will begin entry and occupation.”
He moved the piece symbolizing the Honorable Supreme Commander and her Iron Armored Cavalry, placing it firmly upon Heilongjiang.
“…My Liege.”
Feeling hopeless, Mak Gu-ju finally couldn’t hold back his lamentation. “To give up all advantageous strongholds to the enemy before even starting a proper war?”
Xianyu Hyeong-bi nodded in agreement. That aspect had been the source of their continuous doubt.
“Hmm.”
To them, the Grand Young Master simply smiled. “From now on, try to think assuming you are the Honorable Supreme Commander.”
“…Pardon?”
The Grand Young Master sat on the edge of the desk. “Even if the Governor-General, the final commander, died, the generals of Heilongjiang had the geographical advantage. However…” He gestured backward toward the map, pointing to the pieces representing the retreated generals. “…they retreated.”
Then he pointed to the Honorable Supreme Commander’s piece on the map.
“The matter ended simply, without any resistance or damage.”
The Grand Young Master asked with a smile, “If you were the Honorable Supreme Commander, what would be your next move?”
He stroked the piece with his finger. “Here, should you be satisfied with Heilongjiang Province? Should you station troops in the occupied territory to restore order and quietly wait for administrative officials to be dispatched from the Capital?”
By that point, life began to return to the eyes of the Governor-Generals as they grasped the concept.
“Or…” The Grand Young Master pointed to the vast regions stretching beyond the Heilong River. “Should you aim to recover the rest of Haedong’s Ancient Territory at this chance?”
A situation with no loss of troops and no consumption of supplies.
“Of course, she would look for an opportunity. It would be sufficient to leave the full-scale occupation of Heilongjiang Province to the follow-up units dispatched from Haedong.”
The Governor-Generals answered immediately.
“Right.” The Grand Young Master nodded readily. “But, in this situation…” He raised his gaze, locking eyes with them. “If you were the Honorable Supreme Commander of Haedong, who and where would you target?”
The Grand Young Master pointed in turn to his own camp and the Dread King’s camp on the strategic map.
“Me? Or the Usurper?”
It was a difficult question. The Governor-Generals could not easily open their mouths.
Xianyu Hyeong-bi shook her head. “…Even if we assume we have become the Honorable Supreme Commander, how could we know her true mind?”
The Grand Young Master slapped his knee. “That is exactly it!”
The two Governor-Generals looked blank.
“…Huh?”
“…What?”
***
The Camp of the Dread King, Yelü Nuzhucha. Grand Strategist Sima’s Tent.
“Things are turning out like this?”
The eyebrows of Immortal Master Taechong of Wudang trembled. “What on earth was the Grand Young Master thinking to assassinate the Governor-General of Heilongjiang…?”
It was better than the entire corps of Heilongjiang siding with the Dread King and raising a rebellion as planned. But in the end, what benefit was there in losing Heilongjiang Province to Haedong?
It felt like wandering aimlessly in a fog. An unpleasant sensation.
The Sword Monarch closed his eyes, stroked his beard, and suppressed his rising emotions. “…I cannot understand.”
At that moment, Grand Strategist Sima, who had been sitting with his eyes closed organizing his thoughts, snapped them open.
“Surely…?!”
He jumped up from his seat, robes fluttering.
“W-What is it?!”
“Grand Strategist, have you grasped something?”
Immortal Master Taechong and the Sword Monarch stood up in bewilderment.
“I have a guess, but…” Grand Strategist Sima said as he hurried to leave. “It would be better for you to hear it at once rather than me saying it here now.”
“Hear it at once…?”
Ignoring the two puzzled masters, Grand Strategist Sima commanded the Dread King’s guard standing outside in the Northern tongue. “To the Dread King. Tell him I request an audience immediately.”
Before the guard could answer, the loud clang of gongs rang out, followed by the shouts of military officers.
“Assembly! Assembly!”
“All personnel assemble!”
Lights began to brighten throughout the camp. Soldiers preparing for sleep poured out of their tents. Although the reason was unknown, it was a clear sign that movement was beginning.
“This is not the time.” Grand Strategist Sima turned to the two masters. “We must go to the conference tent immediately.”
Murmur, murmur.
The conference tent was already teeming with the Dread King’s generals, fully armed.
“If I lose, I will give you my third daughter as a concubine, as you wished!”
“Ha! If I lose, I will give you my second wife, whom you coveted, as a gift!”
The generals were provoking each other with belligerent attitudes. Grand Strategist Sima, standing at the entrance, frowned. They were inciting fighting spirit. It was certain that the Dread King really intended to move the army.
There is no time for this!
Grand Strategist Sima shouted as he pushed through the massive generals. “Your Highness…!”
Around the Dread King, who sat upon the Jade Throne, close generals were clamoring to be sent out.
“Your Highness!”
The old Grand Strategist’s voice seemed about to be buried under the roar. However, as the Dread King spotted Sima, he raised his hand. His aides shut their mouths and stepped aside.
The Dread King asked, “What do you want from We?”
Soaked in sweat, Grand Strategist Sima looked around and spoke in the Northern language. “It seems you intend to move the troops, is that correct?”
The generals burst into laughter as if to ask, Can’t you tell by looking?
The Dread King raised his hand again, and silence returned.
“That is so.” The Dread King’s eyes flashed in the torchlight. “Grand Strategist Sima. You must have also heard about the situation in Heilongjiang Province.”
“I have. But, Your Highness…” Grand Strategist Sima went straight to the point, his tone heavy. “We do not know whom the Honorable Supreme Commander of Haedong, having entered the bloodless castle, will target.”
“Correct.” The Dread King pointed to his fully armed generals. “Therefore, We will divide the army significantly. To deal with the Honorable Supreme Commander of Haedong.”
Grand Strategist Sima’s long eyebrows twitched. As expected, he was preparing the troops.
Carefully, but firmly, Sima stated his thoughts. “Your Highness. Now is not the time to move the army. It is time to close the doors, gather the soldiers, lock the entrance tight, and defend.”
At his words, the generals frowned, pointed fingers, and spat curses.
Once again, the Dread King silenced the generals and asked, “Why do you think so?”
“Nine out of ten,” Grand Strategist Sima answered immediately. “Grand Young Master Yeon So-hyeon and the Honorable Supreme Commander of Haedong might have been in cahoots from the beginning.”
The generals murmured loudly. This time, without calming the commotion, the Dread King asked, “Why? Why do you think so?”
An immediate answer did not come. For a moment, Sima closed his eyes, then opened them.
“…It is my intuition, having watched and analyzed the Grand Young Master’s actions until now.”
The hall became even noisier.
“Intuition?!”
“Before whom do you spout such nonsense?!”
Grand Strategist Sima shouted while maintaining an upright posture. “But with that, it explains every situation!”
Spirit burst from his entire body. Looking around the assembly, he continued, counting on his fingers. “From the Grand Young Master assassinating the Heilongjiang Governor-General without thinking of the consequences, to the Head Eunuch withdrawing all the corps of Heilongjiang, and the Honorable Supreme Commander of Haedong entering without blood!”
“What?” One of the Dread King’s aides asked with an absurd expression. “Is that Head Eunuch bastard on the Grand Young Master’s side? Is he not?”
Another aide stepped forward. “Then why on earth would he move according to the intentions of his enemy, the Grand Young Master?”
“No, that is not it.” Grand Strategist Sima shook his head. “He did not move according to the Grand Young Master’s intentions; the Grand Young Master likely moved him according to his will.”
“…What?!”
Sima addressed the incredulous generals and aides. “That is the typical method the Grand Young Master, the one who looks a thousand li ahead from his seat, has used until now.”
Until now. Directly and indirectly. How many times had he seen the Grand Young Master’s enemies fall victim to that same method?
Grand Young Master Yeon So-hyeon. Where there seemed to be no connection, there was always a connection. In movements that seemed unintended, there was always intent. Where there seemed to be no meaning, there was always meaning.
“…I see.”
Amidst the silence, the Dread King slowly nodded. “Grand Strategist Sima, We have understood your words.”
“Then—!”
Grand Strategist Sima’s wrinkled face brightened. However, the Dread King continued.
“Are you telling We to raise an army, only to become a coward who flees to the rear at the decisive moment?”
The Dread King did not speak the language of the Central Plains but asked in the Northern tongue.
“That is—?!”
“Even at this moment!”
The Dread King stood up from his seat, cutting off the Strategist. He spread his hand behind him and shouted, “From beyond the grasslands and deserts! Warriors of brave tribes who received Our call are gathering every moment!”
The presence of the man called the Dread King filled the tent.
“And you tell me to turn away from these countless tribal warriors who have already gathered at my call!”
Rising from the Jade Throne, he looked colossal, like a giant from mythology.
“And hide from a mere cavalry unit commanded by a commander who barely became an adult and an old woman?!”
The answer to that question burst out not from Grand Strategist Sima, but from the generals.
“Let us fight!”
“We will win!”
“The Ancestral Spirits and the Great Khan protect us!”
Their shouting shook the tent like a storm. Grand Strategist Sima stood alone, gritting his teeth amidst that tremendous roar.
“You have gained Our trust. However…” The Dread King said in a low voice. “You have not yet proven your ability enough for We to become a coward, Advisor.”
***
“Time was woefully insufficient for Grand Strategist Sima.”
The Grand Young Master smiled.
“Naturally, he would not have found the person colluding with me. And he failed to prove enough to move the Dread King according to his intentions.”
On the strategic map, the Grand Young Master divided the pieces symbolizing the Dread King’s army into two large groups.
“With this, the second.”