Ch.303Side Story (2)

# The Goryeo-Liaodong Federation

The Goryeo-Liaodong Federation was a unique alliance formed when Belgutei, the King of Liaodong, inherited power from his father-in-law, Yi Uibang.

Unusually, Yi Uibang passed his authority not to a Goryeo noble but to his son-in-law Belgutei. While rumors suggest this was due to pressure from the Ulus, what’s clear is that Belgutei became the true power in Goryeo.

Thus, Belgutei came to lead Goryeo alongside Kim Bo-dang. He later cemented his position as both the military authority in Goryeo and King of Liaodong. After his death, subsequent Liaodong kings continued to control Goryeo’s military.

This arrangement meant that while Liaodong was technically a vassal state, it effectively ruled over Goryeo.

Unable to tolerate this situation, Goryeo attempted to increase control over its military by excluding the Belgutei family. However, this backfired dramatically, resulting in the unprecedented removal of the Goryeo Emperor by the Mongols.

Conveniently, the deposed Goryeo Emperor had no children or suitable relatives to succeed him. The only available relatives were the children of Uijong’s adopted daughter.

This adopted daughter was none other than Queen Sapyeong, Yi Uibang’s daughter and Belgutei’s wife. From this point forward, the King of Liaodong effectively became the Emperor of Goryeo as well.

“My goodness… so the Belgutei family became both Kings of Liaodong and Emperors of Goryeo.”

This meant my son Belgutei—or more precisely, his distant descendants—came to rule Goryeo.

“So that’s how the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation was born.”

In modern terms, it was equivalent to the Korean peninsula and Manchuria being united.

“And they even had a constitutional monarchy?”

Indeed, the federation had adopted a constitutional monarchy. The Borjigin Belgutei clan—or in Korean style, Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae—existed as nominal heads of state, while actual governance was handled by a bicameral parliamentary system led by a prime minister.

One might question how a bicameral system was possible in medieval times. Of course, this interpretation had been modernized somewhat.

After all, Goryeo at that time was already being run by a cabinet of officials following Uijong’s removal from power.

So a more accurate description would be that the oligarchy of noble families had been reinterpreted as a modern parliamentary system. This made it easier to establish legitimacy for the current parliamentary cabinet system in the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation.

The upper house consisted of representatives from Goryeo, while the lower house was made up of those from Liaodong. This arrangement likely stemmed from Belgutei’s rise to power in Goryeo’s military and his alliance with Kim Bo-dang and the Goryeo nobility.

“I suppose that makes sense, since Liaodong was a new state at the time.”

While Liaodong had vast territory, it lacked powerful noble families. Even those that existed commanded fewer private soldiers than the minor provincial nobles of Goryeo.

From Belgutei’s perspective, it made sense to ally with Goryeo’s civil officials and nobles to maintain the throne. That arrangement apparently continued into modern times.

“Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae… what a name.”

I closed the book. There was more to read, but I planned to check the rest online when I got home.

“Plus, I’m curious about their exile abroad and the socialist regime? What’s that about? Anyway, I’ve spent enough time here that those men in black suits should be gone by now…”

When modern times arrived, the Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae family faced turbulent changes. Yet they remained a resilient imperial family at the nation’s center. Even during the final days of the socialist regime, when the dictator tried to massacre protesters, the imperial family saved people by relinquishing all their power.

There was much more to investigate. As I was about to leave, large figures approached me.

Their expressions suggested they wouldn’t let me escape this time.

“Have you finished reading? Young master? Or should I say, Your Imperial Highness.”

The men in black suits had already surrounded me, leaving no escape route.

* * *

I found myself in what appeared to be an expensive vehicle, heading to an unknown destination.

Beside me sat intimidatingly large men in black suits, ensuring I couldn’t open the door and escape.

“Um…”

“Yes, young master.”

The man answered in a stiff tone. With an awkward expression, I asked:

“You’re calling me ‘young master’… but why am I a young master?”

The man looked at me with a surge of emotion. Was that the wrong question to ask?

“Your ancestor would be deeply saddened if he knew.”

“But who am I supposed to be…?”

“Please don’t be alarmed. Young master John, you are actually Yesuhei Batur Hoyor Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae, the last heir of the Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae clan.”

That’s quite a long name. It meant Yesugei Batur II Borjigin Belgutei.

Wait… Borjigin Belgutei?

“John…? But regardless, isn’t Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae the imperial family of the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation?”

“Correct. Though the imperial family became largely ceremonial after the parliamentary cabinet system was established, you are the descendant of a deeply rooted family with an 830-year tradition.”

As Yesugei, I died around the 13th century. This meant Belgutei’s family had survived and ruled Goryeo-Liaodong until now.

For a remarkable 830 years.

Of course, they hadn’t ruled stably for all 830 years.

From what I briefly read in the history book, they had temporarily relocated abroad during foreign invasions. Later, they lived in hiding during the dictatorship period.

They had returned after the dissolution of the socialist government, but they had clearly been the imperial family leading the nation for 830 years.

“I’m… an imperial descendant?”

“To be precise, you are the heir to the throne, set to be enthroned as Emperor.”

“What does that… ah!”

Suddenly, I recalled what I’d heard at Seoul Station—about how I went mad after the death of my birth mother, the Khatun.

“Khatun” in Mongolian referred to a female ruler, equivalent to “Empress.”

This suggested that my birth mother, whose name and face I didn’t know, had been the Empress of the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation.

“I expected this would be a great shock. That’s why I planned to tell you later, young master… no, Your Imperial Highness.”

Now he was calling me Imperial Highness instead of young master.

“You called me young master earlier, but now Imperial Highness. May I ask what’s going on?”

The man in the black suit placed one hand on his chest in a Mongolian gesture of respect and apologized.

“Your Highness’s identity has not been publicly revealed. If we were to use your title in public places, everyone would notice, which could compromise your security.”

That made sense. It would be absurd for someone known as the Imperial Highness to be staring blankly at a TV in the middle of Seoul Station.

“But you’re saying I’m the Imperial Highness.”

“Yes.”

“If that’s true, my face would have been known since childhood. How could people not recognize me?”

This didn’t make sense. If they couldn’t provide a proper answer, this was clearly a kidnapping.

I didn’t know what they would gain by kidnapping me, but I was ready to escape at the first sign of trouble. Sensing my thoughts, the Kheshig grabbed both my arms and tried to calm me down.

“This was all thanks to the Khatun’s consideration.”

According to the man’s explanation, the Empress had endured many hardships in modern history.

Russia, once a slave state of Mongolia, achieved rapid social development in the early modern period. Their efforts were so successful that by the 15th century, they managed to expel the Muqali imperial family, the Tsars of Rus.

Of course, the exiled Muqali imperial family returned to Georgia and continued their lineage there.

Having thrown off the Mongol yoke, Russia joined hands with England to become a Western power. They later joined the European Union led by Napoleon to form an anti-Mongol front.

The European Union consisted of countries like England, Denmark, and Sweden, which had barely survived the clutches of the Mongol Crusades. Ironically, their leader was General Napoleon, a former slave from the French Gurun.

The European Union expanded into Siberia, which alarmed the Great Yuan Yeke Mongol Ulus, leading to several conflicts. Mongolia suffered heavy losses but ultimately managed to protect the Yeke Ulus.

However, the damage was so severe that Mongolia lost its ability to protect the nations belonging to the Yeke Ulus.

Separately, the defeated Napoleon fell from power, and the European Union dissolved. After its dissolution, Russia pursued an independent path, which led to frequent friction with the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation as Russia sought warm-water ports.

This friction eventually culminated in an invasion by the Soviet Union, Russia’s successor, in the late 19th century. The invasion resulted in the capture of the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation’s capital and the unprecedented flight of the Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae imperial family across the Pacific to the United States.

Subsequently, a socialist regime was established in the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation as a Soviet puppet state.

Thus, the Empress was born and lived as an American in the United States. This might have been a peaceful existence, but…

“The government tried to erase all traces of the imperial family as the people’s rallying point and repeatedly attempted to assassinate Her Majesty.”

The socialist regime didn’t want any remnants of the monarchy. So they pressured the emperor who remained in the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation while continuously attempting to assassinate the Empress living as an ordinary American.

Amidst these constant threats to her life, the Empress became pregnant. As she was heading to the hospital to give birth, her husband was brutally murdered by assassins sent by the socialist regime.

Having lost her husband and with her own life in danger, the Empress had no choice but to do everything possible to protect her child.

“Therefore, Her Majesty had no choice but to thoroughly conceal Your Highness’s existence until the Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae imperial family could return to their homeland.”

After the collapse of the socialist regime, the Empress left me in America as a precaution and returned to her homeland. She devoted all her efforts to establishing a parliamentary cabinet system with the democratic regime officials.

Throughout this process, the Empress had no intention of becoming the representative of the new government. However, the image of her father relinquishing imperial power to save regime officials had greatly influenced them, and they were unwilling to compromise.

As a result, the new government honored the imperial family by installing them as the head of state. Although they held no real power, the Park Ijegiltuk Beolgotae family was respected by all as the people’s rallying point.