40. Reflux

Almost forcibly.

Proper logic didn’t work on the Emperor, who had lost his reason after being driven into a corner.

But I couldn’t give up like this.

The vassals risked their lives to advise him.

 

 

“Your Majesty, in order to use the Goryeo army, which already has a purpose, according to our wishes, we must give up at least Hebei Province.”

“What? Hebei Province?”

 

 

Hebei was also where Suncheon Prefecture was currently located, and where the prestigious Hebei Peng family of the orthodox sects was based.

Geographically, it bordered Goryeo’s Liaoxi, and in fact, when one country occupied both Hebei and Liaoxi, the entire area was called ‘Hebei Province’, showing how deep the connection was.

At the same time, it went deep into the Central Plains and bordered Henan, where the Martial Alliance headquarters was located, so giving up Hebei was like giving up the heart of the Central Plains.

 

 

“That is absolutely impossible! I also reside there! How can I give Hebei to those people!”

“…Even that is the minimum, Your Majesty. If things go wrong, we may have to give up the Northeast Three Provinces (Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong).”

 

The Emperor was breathless at the vassal’s words.

Hebei Province alone was absurd, but the Northeast Three Provinces? If that happened, the Ming might still have a wider territory, but Goryeo would overwhelm the Ming in terms of productivity.

Moreover, if Goryeo’s territory penetrated that deeply, it would be a danger that could not be compared to the current rebels, and could eventually lead to the end of the Ming.

 

 

“Moreover, there is no guarantee that they will only drive out the rebels and return obediently.”

 

 

Everyone united and stopped the Emperor.

They thought that the intervention of Goryeo, not another country, should be prevented.

 

 

Indeed, if Goryeo, which was building its own view of the world, intervened, it would be a great justification, and the Ming might lose its status as a Son of Heaven country and be reduced to a mere satellite state.

If that happened, not only would the Ming Dynasty’s fallen prestige be affected, but also the prestige of the Ming Dynasty officials who served him would be affected.

 

 

 

 

“Then what the hell should I do!”

“That’s…”

“I can’t even raise troops, and I can’t use Goryeo. Then are you saying I should just watch those disgusting things come up!”

“Your Majesty, in the end, all we have to do is buy time. Then the righteous soldiers of the world will rise up on their own.”

“So how do you want me to buy that time!”

 

 

The vassal who spoke hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.

 

 

“I heard that the leader of the rebels is extremely lewd and vulgar and enjoys women. I think we can delay him by placing virgins along the way.”

“…Ho?”

 

 

It was a crazy method, but the format itself was very innovative.

Originally, when people are driven into a corner, they pay more attention to plausible and innovative bullshit than to the right words.

 

 

“But I heard that his women are all beauties, so would that method work?”

“Even if they are beauties, wouldn’t that be based on the standards of the lowly? If he actually faces the virgins of ordinary families, he will not be able to take his eyes off their fragrance and beauty.”

“Hmm.”

 

 

The Emperor pondered.

No matter how desperate he was, using the people and the daughters of the nobles in that way bothered his conscience.

But if he stayed like this, he couldn’t come up with any solutions.

 

 

In the end, he nodded.

 

 

“Okay. I will open the Imperial Palace’s vault, so do as you wish.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

 

 

 

 

+++

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What the hell.”

“Something’s not right.”

 

While marching to Suncheon Prefecture, where the Ming Imperial Palace was located, Yu-eun encountered countless women.

It wouldn’t have been surprising if he had simply met them, but they all had faces with some kind of intention, and they were all wearing some makeup and had a certain level of beauty.

Of course, it was nothing compared to the female warriors Yu-eun had obtained so far.

 

 

Anyway, even a fool would feel strange because such women were packed into buildings like inns along the way.

 

 

“It seems that the enemy Emperor is up to something.”

“Putting women like this is a trick?”

“He must have heard that Master is a lecher and made a strategy to suit him.”

“That’s a really stupid method. I’d understand if they brought some pretty girls, but they didn’t.”

 

Yu-eun was disappointed.

If they were trying to use these women to seduce him, they would have to recognize them as ‘beauties’ at least, but by Yu-eun’s standards, it was out of the question.

 

 

‘Could it be that Ju Ye-ryeong is the only exception and the rest of the imperial family are actually ugly or just average? That would be a bit of a letdown.’

 

Since he had enjoyed the world of martial arts to some extent, the only remaining pleasure was to sleep with the imperial family, but his expectations for that were fading.

The woman’s status also has a big impact on the excitement, but it is natural that she must be pretty. But that was not guaranteed.

 

 

“Well, they probably only sent the losers among the pretty ones.”

“Probably?”

“Of course. Would Master consume the beauties that really catch his eye on a means that he doesn’t know whether it will work or not?”

“Absolutely not.”

 

He nodded at the naturally convincing explanation.

Well, if they were real beauties, he wouldn’t waste them like this, he would keep them by his side.

 

 

“Okay. Then let’s have more hope.”

 

Yu-eun broke through the trap that the Emperor and his vassals had used after much deliberation with unstoppable momentum.

He no longer wasted time on the women who were set up like that (although he did collect them), but rather sped up his march.

 

 

And that was soon conveyed to the Imperial Palace.

The vassal who made him waste time with this absurd plan was beheaded, and the Emperor began to prepare to evacuate as a matter of urgency.

The appearance was very bad, but he thought that if he was still alive, he could plan for the future…

 

 

But Yu-eun’s march speed was too fast, and Suncheon Prefecture was too close.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Imperial Guard (Jinyiwei) who protected the Emperor and 50,000 elite troops. And the remaining forces of the Martial Alliance who had been dispatched to the Goryeo front burst out of the Imperial Palace.

It was not that they had abandoned the Emperor, but to buy time for them to escape.

 

 

Soon, they faced Yu-eun’s 10,000 troops, and a tense atmosphere filled the battlefield.

 

 

Simply calculating the numbers, the Ming Dynasty had an overwhelming advantage.

There were over 1,000 Jinyiwei elite warriors alone, 50,000 central troops, and about 10,000 elite warriors (Martial Alliance), so the number of troops was over 60,000 to 70,000, which was as much as 7 times the number.

 

But Yu-eun’s troops had already destroyed the central troops that Ju Ye-ryeong had taken with her, tens of thousands of government troops gathered from the vicinity, and the main force of the Martial Alliance.

The prestige that spread throughout the world at that time was truly earth-shattering.

They were not an opponent that could be reassured simply because they were numerically superior, and rather, a gloomy atmosphere pervaded the Ming Dynasty camp.

 

 

 

“I have a feeling. I don’t think they’re going to send out the army like this and try to escape on their own?”

 

Yu-eun displayed an incredible intuition for some reason.

Perhaps because it was a problem involving women, he was sharper than usual.

 

 

“Maybe so.”

“That won’t do. All of this is only meaningful if we have the Empress and the Princess.”

 

Yu-eun looked at Eun So-ryeong, looking at the Jinyiwei flag fluttering on the other side.

 

 

“So-ryeong-ssi, you asked me before why I don’t give you any work, right?”

“When did I?”

“I’ll give you one this time. You can command this army and defeat the enemy’s army. Simple, right?”

“What? What are you going to do?”

“Seo-hyeon and I are going on an imperial family exploration.”

“You crazy bastard. Is the commander going to abandon the army he brought and go chasing after women? Are you out of your mind, really?”

 

 

She made a disgusted expression, but Yu-eun didn’t care and patted her on the shoulder.

 

 

“Well, please do a good job.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+++

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Iyat!”

 

Padadadak.

 

 

A group of carriages running hastily using a narrow path.

The coachmen leading the horses were sweating profusely and whipping their whips.

 

 

“Go faster!!”

 

 

The carriages where the imperial family, including the Emperor, were riding.

They lost their original splendid colors and even abandoned their dignity, silently turning their wheels.

 

 

The group was very modest for the Emperor’s, with 100 Jinyiwei, 50 servants, 30 maids, and 12 members of the imperial family, including the Emperor himself.

 

 

 

They were currently heading to Shanxi Province. Although the influence of the Harem Palace also reached there, it would be safer than the Imperial Palace at least.

 

It took a long time to go around, so even if they were speeding up like this, the expected time was quite long, expected to be at least 3 weeks, or more than a month if delayed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The moon.”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Why the hell do we have to run away so disgracefully? I still don’t understand.”

 

 

Inside the shaking carriage.

A woman who was grooming her beautiful black hair with a comb spoke with a mournful look.

 

 

“The Jinyiwei and Dongchang who protect the imperial family are all elites, and the soldiers who support them are also elite soldiers, but they are terrified of a mere 10,000 rebel troops and are so sensitive. I am afraid the world will laugh at us.”

“Mama…”