Ch.277Proxy (2)

# Preparing for War

Creating currency before a war might seem like madness.

However, such methods had occurred frequently throughout history.

Objectively speaking, war was an unproductive activity with only consumption and no gain.

Even if one won a war, seized territory, and obtained reparations, these were merely plunder taken from the defeated nation, not something produced by the military.

Moreover, even when territory or reparations were obtained, they didn’t materialize immediately.

So war was, from beginning to end, a continuous series of unproductive activities.

Since the military only consumed resources, economic support was needed to sustain it.

The state would either use national resources or requisition war supplies from merchants.

The key here was the war supplies requisitioned from merchants rather than from national resources.

“Traditional Mongolia would have demanded supplies based on state authority, essentially through coercion. The merchants would have had no choice but to contribute.”

It was a simple method using force.

But this hindered national development.

That’s why I planned to use currency.

More specifically, I wanted to use currency equivalent to government bonds that would circulate in the market and be used as actual currency.

“And when they’re in circulation, we’ll release real currency to buy back the bonds.”

The state issues bonds.

Merchants buy and sell these bonds like currency.

Once they circulate in the market, prices are determined by supply and demand.

Then the Ulus releases real currency to buy back the bonds.

This might sound familiar.

That’s because this economic system far surpassed the silver and gold standards and dominated modern society.

“America prints dollars this way.”

The dollar was used as a reserve currency in every country.

That’s why everyone had to follow America’s lead.

In contrast, the Ulus currency wasn’t used in every country.

However, this was possible because the Ulus was an incomparably larger nation than America.

The Ulus ruled most of the Eurasian continent.

The New World hadn’t yet been discovered.

Therefore, no one could refuse if the Ulus acted like America.

Anyway, while I was talking to myself, Elunka and Munglig entered my room.

After bowing, they began their report.

“Dai Viet has promised to attack Dai Li as a condition for forming an alliance with the Ulus.”

“They’ll attack Dai Li?”

“Yes, Gur Khagan.”

Dai Viet would handle Dai Li.

Then defeating the Jin Dynasty occupying Sichuan wouldn’t be difficult.

“Attacking the Jin Dynasty isn’t difficult, but the Song Dynasty is a problem.”

The likelihood of the Song and Jin dynasties joining hands was low.

But following the principle that when lips are gone, teeth get cold, there was a possibility they might cooperate.

“Then bring in Goryeo.”

“Goryeo?”

“Yes. Since they’ve agreed to help the Ulus in this war, have them attack the Song Dynasty along with the Mongol Pirates.”

Elunka’s suggestion made sense.

Goryeo had formed an alliance with the Ulus and agreed to send troops.

So when war broke out, we could ask them to hold back the Song Dynasty along with the Mongol Pirates.

Dai Viet would handle Dai Li, while the Mongol Pirates and Goryeo would take care of the Song Dynasty.

Then the Ulus would defeat the isolated Jin Dynasty.

* * *

Upon hearing the Ulus envoy’s words, Kim Bo-dang and Yi Uibang fell into contemplation.

“You want Goryeo to hold back the Song Dynasty?”

“That’s correct.”

“…I understand. We need to discuss this among ourselves, so please withdraw for a moment.”

The Mongol envoy nodded at these words.

After he left, Kim Bo-dang turned to Yi Uibang with a worried expression.

“The Ulus’s demands are too excessive.”

Even though the Song Dynasty was in crisis, it was still undeniably a great power.

From Goryeo’s position, there was inevitable concern about directly attacking them.

“But we’re already in the same boat with them, so it seems best to follow their demands.”

“However…”

“If we refuse, the Ulus will no longer consider us allies. That would create problems for Goryeo’s security after the Song Dynasty.”

Goryeo was allied with the Ulus.

But they didn’t believe this alliance would last forever.

That’s why they had been working to strengthen the alliance through methods like marriage alliances.

But these were merely stopgap measures, not solutions.

Goryeo was weaker than the Ulus.

Therefore, they always had to prove their trustworthiness to the Ulus.

If they failed to prove this, there was a high possibility that the Ulus’s anger would engulf Goryeo.

If Goryeo had been playing both sides between the Song Dynasty and the Ulus, they could have pushed back.

But with Bekhter already married to Yi Uibang’s daughter, and the Goryeo emperor’s daughter married to Khasar, it was impossible to completely sever relations with the Ulus.

Therefore, Goryeo had no choice but to follow the Ulus’s request.

“We have no choice.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“But we can use the Ulus to our advantage.”

“What do you mean by using the Mongols?”

Kim Bo-dang looked at Yi Uibang with an expression of incomprehension.

Yi Uibang looked back at Kim Bo-dang and spoke.

“This time, it wasn’t us who made the request first, but the Mongol side, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Then don’t we have the right to demand something more in return?”

“What do you want from the Mongols?”

“Do you remember the islands below Jiuzhou?”

“You mean the lands of the natives with walls built around them?”

“Exactly. I plan to get recognition of our sovereignty over those islands on this occasion.”

Kim Bo-dang nodded at Yi Uibang’s words.

Goryeo had been promised Taiwan by the Mongols in exchange for their cooperation.

But this land was far from Goryeo, making proper governance difficult.

Therefore, they needed an intermediate stepping stone, and the closest islands on the way to Taiwan were these islands.

“They are people who migrated from the archipelago and haven’t yet established a proper civilization. If we obtain this place, we can immediately incorporate it into Goryeo and it will be of great help in governing Taiwan.”

At this time, Okinawa was an underdeveloped region compared to neighboring countries.

While the Song Dynasty was making gunpowder, Goryeo was creating the Tripitaka, and Japan was building tall castles, these people had barely emerged from the prehistoric era.

Being so underdeveloped, subjugating this land wouldn’t be particularly difficult.

“That seems like a good idea. Let’s inform the Mongol envoy right away.”

Yi Uibang nodded at this.

The two men called the Mongol envoy back, who bowed and looked at the two powerful men of Goryeo.

“Have you made a decision?”

“Yes. We will fulfill our role and responsibility as allies of the Ulus.”

“Thank you. The Gur Khagan will also express his gratitude for Goryeo’s help.”

“We are also grateful to the Gur Khagan. However, before dispatching troops, there is something we want to make clear to the Ulus.”

“May I ask what it is?”

“This request was initiated by the Mongols first. Is that correct?”

The Mongol envoy nodded at Yi Uibang’s question.

“That’s correct. This is clearly a request from the Ulus to Goryeo.”

“Then I think it’s reasonable to demand material compensation for this. What do you think?”

The envoy showed reluctance at Yi Uibang’s question.

“This far exceeds my authority.”

“You just need to inform the Gur Khagan of this fact.”

“In that case…”

The envoy nodded.

Even though he was an envoy with full diplomatic authority from the Gur Khagan, the final decision-maker was clearly Yesugei.

“Please deliver this.”

Yi Uibang handed a small scroll to the envoy.

After examining its contents, the envoy thought for a moment and then nodded.

* * *

“I will permit it.”

At the Kurultai, I read the scroll sent by Goryeo.

Considering their demands very reasonable, I decided to accept them.

There was no opposition from the officials.

“Goryeo made great contributions to the eastern expedition, so their demands are justified.”

“That’s right. Since the Ulus side proposed first this time, Goryeo’s demands are not excessive.”

Even the officials were favorable toward Goryeo.

Above all, the Okinawan islands and nearby islands they requested seemed unnecessary lands in the eyes of the Mongols.

Coming from the future, I knew these lands were strategic points.

But that would be in the distant future, after I died and my bones had mixed with the soil and disappeared.

In other words, it wasn’t something I needed to be concerned with.

Moreover, Okinawa at this time was a barbaric land.

Rather than investing administrative resources in such a place, it made more sense to secure greater influence over occupied territories.

Anyway, all the puzzle pieces needed for war were now in place.

All that remained was the war itself.

“The Song and Jin dynasties have long tormented neighboring countries. The fact that Dai Viet and Goryeo, who have suffered under them, want to join hands with us is proof of this. This war follows the natural order, and refusing it would be going against the will of heaven. Therefore, we have only one choice left.”

At my words, the generals stepped forward.

They stretched out their hands and shouted loudly.

“War! War!”

“Down with the Song Dynasty! Down with the Jin Dynasty!”

“Bring the iron hammer down on the world’s villains!”

The military officials called for war.

The civil officials standing behind them did the same.

Everyone wanted this war.

“Prepare for war!”

With those words, I assumed my position.

As I took the stance to close the Kurultai, everyone raised both arms and cheered loudly.