Ch.215Return (1)

Muqali was definitely different.

To make such a prediction just from hearing that a messenger had arrived from the Great Capital was impressive.

With such sharp intuition, I could feel at ease leaving the Cuman campaign to Muqali while returning to the Great Capital.

“So you’re going back, brother.”

“You seem disappointed.”

“Yes, brother.”

Munglig said this while gazing westward.

Having conquered all the way to the Byzantine Empire, it seemed difficult for him to turn back toward the Great Capital.

“I’ll return soon.”

“I sincerely hope so.”

Both Munglig and I were getting older.

Because of that, we couldn’t help feeling anxious that another opportunity might not come.

Moreover, our opponent was the Song Dynasty.

With the Song Dynasty—the rival of the Ulus—backing Japan, this could take a long time.

“If you’re that disappointed, would you like to stay here with Muqali and subjugate the Cumans?”

Munglig waved his hands dismissively.

“Without you, what fun would there be in staying here?”

“Fun?”

“Yes. Without the promise of going to the end of the world with you, brother, there’s no enjoyment.”

I nodded at Munglig’s words.

I had made such a promise with him, so naturally I intended to go to the end of the world with him.

“So please stay healthy and don’t fall ill, brother.”

“Anyone listening would think I’m dying.”

“Didn’t you nearly die once already?”

Indeed, I had nearly died from poisoning.

So Munglig’s words weren’t false.

“Alright. I’ll take care of myself.”

I said this as I mounted my horse.

Munglig took his place beside me.

“But is it really okay to leave most of the Kheshig here?”

“Muqali will need the Kheshig to subjugate the Cumans.”

I had to nod at Munglig’s words.

The Cuman subjugation force was a cavalry unit composed of multiple ethnicities.

Multi-ethnic meant that without proper discipline and rules, military order would become lax.

The best way to maintain discipline was to ensure clear military law and rewards.

However, rewards were useless in a situation where war hadn’t yet broken out.

Therefore, in the current situation, establishing a clear chain of command was more effective.

To clarify this command structure, highly trained commanders were naturally needed.

The Kheshig were suitable for such trained command roles.

“You’re right. But what about the gaps in security?”

“I plan to recruit replacements at checkpoints along the way.”

“From the local areas?”

“Yes.”

“…”

Munglig’s statement about recruiting Kheshig locally sounded strange to me.

Because it sounded almost like he was planning to hunt for slaves in the local areas.

Of course, unlike the Tamma, the Kheshig were elite soldiers of noble birth.

Therefore, the term “slave hunting” didn’t fit.

However… perhaps due to the atmosphere Munglig was giving off, it didn’t sound right.

“In any case, you needn’t worry about asset procurement.”

Munglig said this while pointing to the ger carts, mobile homes.

Ger carts were essential items for large-scale movement.

But using them for recruitment… it was almost like…

“Gurkhan, preparations for returning to the homeland are complete.”

Just as I was having these unpleasant thoughts, a messenger arrived with a timely report.

I nodded at his report and erased the sinister thoughts from my mind.

“We return to the Great Capital.”

At my words, the generals, including Munglig, nodded.

It had been a long time since we departed on the Crusade.

It was time to return home, even if briefly.

* * *

Shangjing, the capital of Liaodong.

They were still using the former Jin Dynasty capital of Shangjing Huiningfu.

Consequently, they naturally used the palace left by the Jin Dynasty as the royal palace.

“The envoy from Japan is a problem.”

Belgutei, King of Liaodong, frowned at the letter sent by Khasar, regent of the Ulus and his younger brother.

According to Khasar’s letter, Japan, with the support of the Song Dynasty, had made diplomatic demands to stop the activities of the Mongol Pirates.

From Belgutei’s perspective, it was absurd that they threatened war if the Mongol Pirates’ activities weren’t stopped.

However, with the Song Dynasty backing Japan, he immediately recognized this as essentially a hegemonic competition between the Song and the Ulus.

“How about informing the homeland and sending a stern warning to Japan?”

Belgutei nodded at the words of Jeong Jung-bu of the Ministry of State Affairs.

Jeong Jung-bu had moved to Liaodong with Belgutei.

He served as the second-in-command of Liaodong, assisting Belgutei.

“A good choice.”

The homeland of Liaodong was Goryeo.

Although Liaodong could conduct independent diplomacy, it often followed the decisions of its homeland rather than acting unilaterally.

The simple reason was that Liaodong’s diplomatic discretion had not yet reached the level of a normal state.

Liaodong was a newly established country born from the intertwined interests of the Ulus and Goryeo.

Having been founded only a few years ago, it needed more time to get on a normal track.

Additionally, Goryeo, as a country adjacent to Japan, had experience maintaining exchanges with Japan for a long time.

This was a diplomatic asset, so there was no reason not to use it.

“Ministry of Central Administration.”

Yi Go stepped forward.

He bowed and looked at Belgutei.

“Inform the homeland of this fact and ask if they can coordinate diplomacy with Japan.”

“I receive Your Majesty’s command.”

Yi Go bowed and left the palace.

He was a military official of Goryeo and a meritorious retainer of the coup d’état with Belgutei, known as the Gyeongin Restoration in Goryeo.

In other words, he was on good terms with Yi Uibang, the Supreme General of Goryeo and the actual power holder of the coalition government.

Therefore, there was no one more suitable as an envoy to Goryeo, the homeland.

Anyway, after Yi Go left, Belgutei attended to state affairs as the King of Liaodong.

After giving instructions, he directed the officials to retire.

After everyone had left, Belgutei moved to another location with Jeong Jung-bu of the Ministry of State Affairs.

“I didn’t expect Japan to be so aggressive with the Song Dynasty behind them.”

“I also found it surprising, Your Majesty.”

Jeong Jung-bu nodded at Belgutei’s words.

“It seems the direction of power within the archipelago has changed recently.”

“The direction of power has changed?”

“Well…”

As the Minister of State Affairs, Jeong Jung-bu handled information for Liaodong.

As such, he had some shallow knowledge about Japan, a neighboring country.

Jeong Jung-bu informed Belgutei that Japan’s monarch had fallen from power and that someone called the Sei-i Taishōgun had seized actual authority.

“The monarch of Japan has become essentially a figurehead.”

“This is absurd. To have power usurped.”

For a monarch to have power usurped was unthinkable.

It meant that in name they were a monarch, but in reality, they could do nothing.

Moreover, from the perspective of Belgutei, born in the steppes where the logic of power ruled, it was difficult to understand the political situation in Japan.

This was because in Mongolia, a powerless ruler would typically be killed or disappear.

Therefore, regencies like those in Central Plains countries were uncommon.

Because of this, it was difficult to understand the cumbersome act of making the Japanese Emperor a figurehead and seizing actual power, like Minamoto Yoritomo, the Sei-i Taishōgun.

However, this was a common occurrence in the Central Plains, the Korean Peninsula, and the Japanese archipelago, where justification was important.

That’s why Jeong Jung-bu, unlike Belgutei, remained calm.

“Having usurped power, Minamoto Yoritomo received an official position from the Song Dynasty and became the de facto ruler of Japan. He sought to completely control the archipelago, and consequently, it seems he wants to stop the activities of the Mongol Pirates that have been troubling the Japanese islands.”

It was common to see new powers strengthen internal or external control when they came to power.

The Minamoto Yoritomo regime, following this custom, sought to control the powerful nobles internally while resolving the external threat of the Mongol Pirates.

“In normal cases, they would just focus on internal control, but it seems the Song Dynasty promised something to Japan, and as a result, Japan is diplomatically pressuring Mongolia.”

“Then war will break out soon.”

Jeong Jung-bu nodded without hesitation at Belgutei’s words.

* * *

“Due to the unilateral actions of the Sei-i Taishōgun, our country faces a great crisis!”

The Udaiben frowned.

The Left General, Minamoto Noriyori, nodded at his words.

“We can no longer overlook the unilateral actions of the Taishōgun.”

Minamoto Noriyori was the half-brother of the Sei-i Taishōgun.

He had even campaigned together with him but suddenly turned against Minamoto Yoritomo.

There were various reasons, but the main one was that he sensed Yoritomo was trying to eliminate him.

Naturally, Noriyori joined the loyalist faction to avoid purging.

“The realm rightfully belongs to Your Majesty.”

Noriyori turned and bowed to the noble presence.

The young Emperor, Go-Toba, nodded.

Emperor Go-Toba, who had lost all actual power to Minamoto Yoritomo, was a person who had ascended to the throne at just 4 years old.

Moreover, he was known as the Emperor without the sacred treasures because he ascended without them.

Despite these twists and turns, Emperor Go-Toba had been striving to lead the political situation.

As evidence, he had proceeded with appointing Minamoto Yoritomo as Sei-i Taishōgun against the wishes of Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa, trying to exclude Regent Kujō Kanezane from power and seeking Yoritomo’s help.

He had tried to continue politics with such help.

However, Yoritomo was a greedy person and tried to have his daughter, Ohime, enter the palace as Emperor Go-Toba’s wife.

This was clearly an act of infringing on the Emperor’s authority, so the relationship between Go-Toba and Yoritomo inevitably soured.

After that, as Yoritomo showed movements to establish an independent regime by officially receiving recognition as Sei-i Taishōgun from the Song Dynasty, Emperor Go-Toba had no choice but to plan to remove him.

“What happened to the envoy sent to Mongolia?”

“He should arrive soon.”

The Emperor nodded at Noriyori’s words.

Since the Sei-i Taishōgun had joined hands with the Song Dynasty and was attempting to usurp power, Mongolia’s help was desperately needed to overcome this situation.