Chapter 2.
The First Charge (1)
Gidowi, Jeong Gyeom.
It was not a position a mere soldier could rise to after fighting a few battles.
Nor was it a position one could obtain so easily in the first place.
Moreover, it was an official post bestowed by a rebel.
Though impressive in name, it could hardly be considered a proper government position.
Even so, Jeong Gyeom did not turn it down.
There was no reason to hesitate.
It was not because he coveted an official position.
He accepted because he knew how many opportunities this hollow title could bring him.
Besides, this war itself was an opportunity.
And Jeong Gyeom was confident that he could turn this crisis into an opportunity.
It was only a few days after Jeong Gyeom had risen to the rank of Gidowi that he happened to cross paths with Dapo, the nephew of Quluju, and the commander of a thousand cavalrymen.
At first, it was nothing more than a passing encounter.
But after fighting together several times, the two came to recognize one another.
Surprisingly, their styles of fighting were quite similar.
After that, they naturally grew closer.
The inside of the tent carried a faint scent of alcohol.
Whenever the lamplight flickered in the wind, the shadows of the four men swayed long across the tent walls.
Dapo paused as he raised his cup and suddenly looked at Jeong Gyeom.
“You ought to have a few cavalrymen under your command by now if you want to have any standing.”
It was tossed out casually.
It might have sounded like a lighthearted joke, but—
The weight behind those words was anything but light.
Jeong Gyeom did not answer.
He merely stared quietly into his cup.
Gongsun Zan’s White Horse Riders.
And the Wuhuan cavalry.
He had already seen them countless times and pondered the matter just as often.
Of the five hundred soldiers Jang Sun had given him when he became Gidowi, there was not a single cavalryman among them.
That was precisely why he wanted some even more.
The thought itself was simple, but reality was not.
It was not that he could not have them because they were unavailable—
He simply could not afford to support them.
Jeon Ye, who understood Jeong Gyeom’s thoughts better than anyone, slightly raised the corner of his mouth and joined the conversation.
“Of course he would like to bring them in right away. But is it really as easy as saying it?”
A hefty sigh escaped Jeon Ye’s mouth.
Then he continued, deliberately making sure everyone could hear him.
“Think of the time and wealth required to raise even a single cavalryman. Who could possibly afford that? You know better than anyone, my lord. You are asking for something impossible.”
Gongsun Gi tilted his cup, then pouted and added his own words to Jeon Ye’s.
“Gukyang is absolutely right. The price of a single warhorse could feed ten infantrymen. We are already trying to save on the candles we need tomorrow. If Brother Dapo had not provided this alcohol, where could people like us possibly have obtained something like this? Warhorses? Of course we want them too. But with our circumstances, is that even remotely possible? Not a chance. Not a chance at all.”
Their blunt words were filled with the sorrow of those who had nothing.
Warhorses.
There was no need to say twice that they were necessary and desirable. The problem was that their circumstances simply did not allow for them.
Dapo wore a peculiar smile as he raised his cup and looked around at the group.
“Should I help you out?”
All three sets of eyes turned toward Dapo at once.
Jeong Gyeom remained silent.
He wanted to accept immediately.
But he could not accept it that easily.
Dapo’s offer was unlikely to be a simple favor.
This was a kind of transaction, as well as a test.
Once he accepted this favor, they would no longer be able to speak to each other as equals.
Yet refusing it would be far too short-sighted.
All three of them knew they needed cavalry right now.
Silence descended over the tent.
Jeong Gyeom glanced briefly at Gongsun Gi and Jeon Ye.
“Then lend me some men. I will take care of the rest myself.”
It was an unexpected answer.
Dapo had expected him to immediately bow his head and gratefully accept the offer.
“Men? Not cavalry?”
“I will find the warhorses myself. I only ask that you provide the cavalrymen.”
His answer was firm.
Dapo chuckled.
“You know me. I never make the same offer twice. You understand that, right?”
“How could I not? Let me say it again. I only ask for the men.”
A brief silence settled over them.
Dapo turned his gaze aside, looking back and forth between Gongsun Gi and Jeon Ye.
Apparently, he wanted to know what the two of them thought.
But surprisingly—
Neither showed even the slightest objection to Jeong Gyeom’s decision.
Their eyes did not waver, as though everything Jeong Gyeom did was unquestionably right.
Is this what it means? Once the lord makes his decision, they simply trust him and follow?
Dapo nodded inwardly.
That was enough.
The lamplight flickered violently once before settling down again.
Dapo looked straight at Jeong Gyeom and raised his cup.
“Fine.”
The rough yet weighty single word echoed through the tent.
It was a short answer, but the weight contained within it was heavier than a thousand pounds of gold.
The winter wind was fierce.
You Province lay on the northern frontier, making it even colder, with harsher winds.
The horses huddled against the cold, and so did the people.
But Jeong Gyeom could not afford to huddle up.
He had to keep moving somehow if he wanted to secure a way to survive.
The cavalrymen he had borrowed from Dapo were the elite of the elite.
They ate and slept on horseback, and even while riding at full speed, they could fire their bows without losing their composure.
Jeong Gyeom, along with Gongsun Gi and Jeon Ye, followed them relentlessly, learning and practicing everything they could.
Combat on horseback was fundamentally different from fighting on foot.
They had to breathe with the horse and fight alongside it.
As time passed, their clumsy movements naturally became smoother, and their senses grew more refined.
After several months, Jeong Gyeom selected several dozen of the most capable men under his command.
He organized them separately and had them begin learning horsemanship.
Muscles developed in their thighs, and calluses began to form.
Then one day—
Jeon Ye entered the tent, throwing back the flap with a fire in his eyes.
“The Wuhuan raids are becoming more severe.”
Dapo would probably not join them.
His friendship with Jeong Gyeom was keeping him from doing so.
But Quluju was different.
Even though Jang Sun had already been releasing considerable amounts of wealth to appease them, Quluju continued to tolerate the Wuhuan raids to some degree.
Because that was simply their way.
Jeong Gyeom’s answer was brief.
“Do not get involved. Just watch.”
It was a firm and absolute command.
“It won’t be long. You know that too, don’t you?”
He meant that Gongsun Zan’s attack was approaching.
Jeon Ye was not ignorant of what he meant.
Though frustrated, he had no choice but to endure it.
Jeon Ye bowed his head with a hardened expression.
“Yes, Brother.”
“What about Brother Gongsun?”
“He is out scouting with his men.”
Jeong Gyeom raised his head and looked up at the sky.
Beyond the clouds, a golden moon hung faintly, surrounded by a pale halo.
Pointing toward the moon with his finger, he spoke.
“Have the soldiers put on thicker clothes, and suspend scouting for the time being. In weather like this, it will be difficult for the Governor of Beiping to deploy his warhorses as well. And go to the supply depot and see if you can procure as much strong liquor as possible.”
Jeon Ye’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
If a heavy snowfall was coming, suspending scouting made sense—
But strong liquor?
That was completely out of the blue.
Especially since Jeong Gyeom did not normally drink much.
Perhaps noticing his gaze, Jeong Gyeom chuckled.
“I’ll tell you later.”
Perhaps worried that Jeon Ye might neglect the order, he added one more thing.
“If the supply depot refuses to give you any, get it from a tavern.”
Jeon Ye lowered his head.
“Understood.”
In truth, Jeong Gyeom had put considerable effort into establishing a connection with Gongsun Zan.
At times, he watched for an opportunity to send a letter.
At others, he racked his brain while riding about, searching for a way to make contact.
But as long as Jeong Gyeom remained under the banner of rebellion, no opportunity was granted to him.
He needed to find another way.
If not Gongsun Zan, then another path.
Something immediately came to mind.
But—
He raised his head and looked toward the brightening morning sun.
The seasons were shifting beyond the cold air.
Once winter passed and spring arrived—
Gongsun Zan would make his move.
The long winter had not yet ended.
But the year had changed, and it was now the sixth year of Zhongping.
The bitter winter was slowly retreating.
Warmth began to seep into the frozen earth, and plum blossoms began to bud through the piles of snow.
Rumors were spreading that the Imperial Court had appointed Liu Yu, a man skilled in civil administration and known for his gentle temperament, as the Governor of You Province.
Jeon Ye, who had gone out to procure strong liquor from a tavern, heard the rumor and hurried back.
He delivered the news without even having time to catch his breath.
Jeong Gyeom’s eyes flashed.
…The time is ripening.
When he abandoned his hopes of relying on Gongsun Zan, the first person who came to mind was Liu Yu.
Liu Yu, whom he had been waiting and waiting for, was finally coming to You Province.
“Bring the Wang brothers here.”
Wang Jeong, a civil official serving under Jang Sun, and his younger brother Wang Pyeong were men whom Jeong Gyeom had approached and brought to his side long ago because they shared his intentions.
Jeon Ye acknowledged the order and immediately turned to leave.
Jeong Gyeom’s eyes began to shine.
It is time to shed the label of rebel.
About a month later—
Gongsun Gi, who had gone out scouting, returned with a grave expression and delivered his report.
“Governor Liu has posted proclamations throughout Hebei. He has announced that anyone who brings him the heads of Jang Geo and Jang Sun will be rewarded. Conversely, if they do not surrender within seven days, every member of the family of anyone who participated in the rebellion will be executed.”
A tremendously busy day was passing.
A single piece of intelligence had shaken the entire military camp.
The news was that Gongsun Zan had mobilized his cavalry.
Shouts erupted throughout the tents.
Generals and soldiers were thrown into confusion as orders and reports flew back and forth without pause.
Jang Sun and Jang Geo had barricaded themselves inside the main hall.
They had been relentlessly ordering everyone to prepare for a siege, and the local powerful clans and soldiers were crushed under the pressure, moving about like puppets.
Jeong Gyeom also pretended to act according to their commands.
But although he appeared busy issuing orders on the surface, in reality, all his attention was focused on keeping his own men under control.
Several days passed like that.
Gongsun Zan’s White Horse Riders, who seemed ready to charge in at any moment, remained strangely quiet.
They had established a camp twenty li outside Zhuo Commandery and occasionally sent cavalrymen to scout, but they had not launched a proper attack even once.
Seeing this, Jang Sun and Jang Geo breathed sighs of relief.
Their tension seemed to ease, and they even began boasting about the sturdy walls of Zhuo Commandery.
Quluju was no different.
Unable to withstand Jang Sun’s constant pressure, he sent out a few cavalrymen.
But it was nothing more than the appearance of conducting reconnaissance—
He himself remained shut inside his tent, leisurely drinking cup after cup of wine as though he had all the time in the world.
Though winter had passed, the air was still cold.
Inside the tent, a brazier burned low while several people sat around it, sipping tea.
After a long silence, Jeong Gyeom finally spoke.
“Advisor Wang. Today is the day.”
His heavy words fell into the silence.
The meaning behind them was unmistakable.
Wang Jeong swallowed once.
After surveying everyone present, he carefully opened his mouth.
“Are you saying I should mix strong liquor into the hay and feed it to the personal warhorses?”
“Just do that. I will take care of the rest.”
Gongsun Gi silently nodded.
Wang Jeong rose from his seat with a grim expression and gave a slight bow.
“Very well. As I promised, I will follow the Gidowi’s wishes. I shall pass the order to the retainers. We must take the heads of Jang Sun and Jang Geo without fail, and together cast off the disgrace of being branded rebels.”
Jeong Gyeom silently nodded.
That was enough.
The two exchanged a few more words in lowered voices, discussing how Wang Jeong should conduct himself after administering the strong liquor.
Not long afterward, Wang Jeong left the tent.
What remained was the task of Jeong Gyeom, Gongsun Gi, and Jeon Ye.
After a brief silence, Jeon Ye spoke first.
There was a trace of tension in his expression.
“…Will the Governor of Beiping really make his move?”
Gongsun Gi gave a light laugh and answered as though it were obvious.
“Do not worry about that. Beiping is where I was born and raised. I would never have fed them false information.”
His voice was calm, but there was absolute certainty in it.
Jeong Gyeom nodded as well.
“The arrow has already left the bowstring. There is no turning back now.”
