* * *
For Later Baekje to be like true Baekje, it was necessary to restore the old Baekje ways.
Balhae was ruled by the Dae clan rather than the Go clan, but even so — "Buyeo Geumgang" would carry far more weight than "Gyeon Geumgang" when it came to diplomacy.
I felt a bitter, swallowed-a-medicine-I-didn't-need kind of feeling about all this.
"It is most fitting. If we truly wish our Baekje to carry on the legacy of Nambueo, it is right for the royal surname to be Buyeo."
State Counselor Neunghwan still looked bewildered, while Pajinchan Choi Seung-woo threw his weight behind Gyeon Hwon's decision.
Shin-geom, who had first raised the idea of Baekje becoming more like Baekje, said nothing — but Yang-geom and Yong-geom looked utterly disgruntled.
Shin-geom, as the eldest, would at least become the next king if things went as planned and I didn't accumulate excessive merit. But Yang-geom and Yong-geom had no such consolation prize. Unlike Shin-geom, there was nothing to temper their resentment.
Shin-geom was born of the same mother and was a respected elder brother, so there was nothing to be done — but for those two, I was nothing but dead weight they wanted to chuck into a ditch.
No, honestly — Gyeon Hwon was accepting my words too easily.
Even if Goryeo stood in the way above us, he just turned everything upside down on the strength of my words alone. Was it truly nothing but his love for his son?
No.
Gyeon Hwon had always been more of a blunt instrument — a warrior who swung his sword rather than a man who employed subtlety.
Had my words actually sounded convincing to him?
Well — maybe they had.
Pajinchan Choi Seung-woo had equated that mad scene on horseback with the single-handed rampage of a hero.
Even General Sang-ae — who had initially been quite cold toward me — was now treating me with reverence.
Originally one of the commanders who had thought little of me, Sang-ae had granted me his recognition.
Gyeon Hwon had clearly assigned me a high assessment based on the Naju campaign.
"From now on, Shin-geom — you are Buyeo Shin-geom. Yang-geom, Yong-geom — you are Buyeo Yang-geom, Buyeo Yong-geom. And Geumgang — you are Buyeo Geumgang."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Truthfully, I wanted to suggest that "Your Majesty" should also be changed to the old Baekje form Eoraha, but going that far would probably send Yang-geom and Yong-geom into foaming fits.
[Congratulations! You have earned the achievement: 'Baekje Must Be Baekje!' The Goddess is pleased!]
What is this? There are achievement notifications?
* * *
Geumgang's mother had been growing more worried by the day.
"This time you're going to Japan?"
"Yes."
There is not much left for me to do on this peninsula.
Even with Geumgang's powers, when it comes to actual warfare, I'm not particularly clever. The most I can do is ride on this body's hardness and charge at Wang Geon or Yu Geum-pil and cut off their heads to throw the enemy into chaos.
With Gyeon Hwon still holding the reins, Baekje will not fall to Wang Geon just yet. This whole business of Naju and Daeya Fortress would leave Goryeo momentarily shaken, and things should be fine until the Battle of Gonsan.
I believe I've done enough for a prince.
Going to Goryeo right now is far too risky — not with O Da-ryeon in our hands. Better to visit Japan and Balhae and prepare for the future.
"Why must you. Wouldn't it be better to stay here in Wansanju and assist the king in his great undertaking."
"To assist the king and to survive — that is what I am doing, Mother. As I said before—"
"Do you think I don't understand? What will you do about Yang-geom and Yong-geom's resentment? Better to stay at the king's side."
That's precisely what I'm taking into account. Staying near them would only inflame their inferiority and make them even more hostile toward me.
"What happened exactly?"
"I heard you were called a conqueror like Xiang Yu in Naju."
"Just petty country folk shooting their mouths off in Naju. Surely you don't actually believe it, Mother?"
Naju may have had powerful noble clans — but could it compare to the Central Plains where the name of Xiang Yu, the Conqueror of Chu, rang out? In the end, it was just bumpkins putting me on a pedestal. The people who take that seriously are the strange ones.
"You are my own flesh and blood, and knowing you were called such a thing — how could I not be glad? Geumgang. Perhaps you don't see it this way — but you are already being hailed as the Conqueror. Even turning your eyes elsewhere won't make this go away."
"Surely not Lady Sangwon—"
"Yes. Lady Sangwon is watching you. Think, my son. The world right now cannot be read a single step ahead. Even in Naju, could you be safe? That place cannot become your stronghold."
Geumgang's historical death was still a long way off.
And the checkmate was already starting this early?
"Even so, I intend to walk the path of a civil official. Would they really kill me over this?"
"What if they send assassins while you're traveling as an envoy?"
"That's—"
"That is why I say this."
If they send assassins, that would actually be ideal.
Whatever happens, I have no intention of dying. With Geumgang's body, dying by physical means is absolutely impossible.
If anything, I would welcome assassins. That would actually give me a clean reason to disappear naturally.
So I volunteered even more eagerly for the Japan diplomatic mission.
* * *
Shin-geom, Yang-geom, and Yong-geom's mother, Lady Sangwon, frowned at what her sons were telling her.
She'd been hearing rumors lately that Geumgang was making a nuisance of himself.
Bad enough that all of the king's favor was flowing to that concubine's son — and now, at this rate, would the crown prince title itself go to Geumgang?
"Geumgang said he was going to Japan, didn't he."
"Yes, Mother."
"Then he must be cut down, must he not?"
He had grown unexpectedly formidable.
And all the while pretending to let Shin-geom's guard down by saying he was putting aside the sword — painting himself into a very grand picture.
"We have already prepared assassins, Mother."
"Tsk. You really couldn't stand him either, could you."
"Is he not someone who stands in Brother's way? Of course he must be removed."
Lady Sangwon clicked her tongue.
They were her own sons, but they truly nursed a remarkable inferiority complex toward Geumgang. Well — thanks to that, they could cleanly remove Geumgang from Shin-geom's path without complication.
"It's Pajinchan that concerns me."
Pajinchan Choi Seung-woo — who had, by royal command, become Geumgang's right-hand man. With that man beside Geumgang, removing him politically within Wansanju was near impossible.
Then the best moment to strike was when Geumgang and Pajinchan Choi Seung-woo departed as envoys to Japan.
Envoys could always be replaced and sent again.
"Do not worry, Mother."
"Indeed. We have already secured pirates on the Japanese side. Once Geumgang and Pajinchan venture out to sea, they will never reach Japan."
Gyeon Hwon's principal wife, Lady Sangwon. She and her sons had decided to deal with Geumgang.
* * *
I was, of course, made the head of the Japan diplomatic mission.
Buyeo Geumgang. Even Later Baekje's flag had been changed to the old Baekje design.
This was genuinely bold. Even Goryeo must have been gradually becoming aware — though there was no significant reaction, which suggested the loss of Daeya Fortress had been quite the shock.
If Shin-geom earned military distinction and I served as Baekje's diplomat to Japan and Balhae — wasn't that a case where everyone came out ahead?
"Your Highness. It may be better to go to Balhae first."
"Why?"
"Right now, Goryeo has lost Naju and our maritime rights in an instant through our two-pronged strategy. But Goryeo will not stand still. Before Goryeo sends its navy to reclaim Naju, it would be better to first have an audience with Balhae's Dae Inseon."
That made sense.
"Hmm. But are we not the envoy delegation to Japan?"
"I will take full responsibility for that. Militarily speaking as well, going to Balhae first is the better choice."
True — in terms of military power, Balhae was the stronger. And if we were to prevent Balhae's destruction, we needed to start planting seeds now.
Silla could be dealt with by Baekje alone at any time.
I thought I had been too fixated on wanting to leave Baekje and had impulsively pushed for Japan first.
"Then. Let us go. To Balhae."
"To reach Sanggyeong, we must pass through the Amnok River — the Liaodong route is being fought over constantly between Balhae and the Khitan."
"But why are you smiling?"
"Oh — I imagine the Queen Mother is currently quite annoyed."
"What?"
"It's nothing."
We changed course immediately.
Sailing west around the coast of the West Sea, skirting the Liaodong peninsula, and heading up the Amnok River — the only available route.
We had to avoid both Goryeo and the Khitan.
Things became somewhat awkward at the Amnok River.
"Who goes there!"
"We have come from Baekje!"
"Baekje? I've heard Baekje has been restored in the south. And who are you?"
"I am Buyeo Geumgang, fourth prince of Baekje!"
"The area around here is dangerous because of those Khitan bastards — we will escort you!"
Soldiers who appeared to be Balhae's navy emerged with a flotilla and escorted us.
An escort made sense — but to think I'd have to scuttle around like a rat through waterways rather than overland.
"Balhae's situation sounds quite bad."
"That is so. Balhae has already stationed a large army at Buyeo-bu to hold against the Khitan."
Buyeo-bu was effectively Balhae's main battle line.
The Khitan, stalled at Buyeo-bu, had only managed to aim a direct strike at the capital and destroy Balhae. If Balhae had only properly built a defensive line from Buyeo-bu all the way to Sanggyeong Yongcheonbu, it would not have fallen so easily.
"Then why hold Buyeo-bu? Better to draw the line at the Liao River—"
"Your Highness. Balhae has already lost the Liaodong territory. It was Balhae who sought to form the anti-Khitan front together with Silla and others."
In other words, things were already bad. That was what he was saying.
"Hmm. That means quite heavy losses."
"I say — is Balhae in a truly dire state?"
"Say no more. Those Khitan swine have forgotten their debts to us and dared to invade our territory — and now the Heuksu tribes are betraying the court and running amok."
Damn — was I making the idiotic move of backing a sinking ship?
Would it be better to go to the Khitan instead and establish relations?
No — that was not the answer. Stopping Balhae's fall was the priority.
And whether I truly needed to defect from Baekje would be better decided after I'd taken a proper look at Balhae's situation.
We traveled up the Amnok River, passed through Seogyeong, and with great difficulty arrived at Sanggyeong Yongcheonbu.
"This stirs something in my chest."
This was the capital of Balhae, Sanggyeong Yongcheonbu?
True to its name as the "Eastern Flourishing Kingdom," it was magnificent and vast. Even now, with the nation's power waning, its function as an international city had not changed.
Balhae's Gadokbu, Dae Inseon himself, looked no ordinary man either.
"Your Majesty. An envoy delegation from Baekje has arrived."
I bowed my head and awaited my audience with Dae Inseon.
The civil and military officials, some dressed in Mohe style and some in Goguryeo garb, stood arranged to his left and right.
"Raise your heads."
"The Baekje envoy Buyeo Geumgang presents himself before the Gadokbu of the Great Jin state."
Balhae was under heavy pressure from the Khitan. I had decided to flatter them a little by calling them "Great Jin" — their proper official name — rather than the more commonly known "Balhae."
"Buyeo Geumgang, you say. Has the Buyeo clan survived in Silla's territory?"
"Mahan has returned to the embrace of our Baekje, and the seeds sown by King Uija of old have remained in Mahan. How then could the Buyeo clan not exist?"
I blended lies and truth appropriately, making a speech about Baekje's legitimacy before Dae Inseon.
"Very well. Why has Baekje sent an envoy to us?"
"I will speak plainly. Our king wishes to renew the Yeje Alliance with Balhae."
"The Yeje Alliance? Then would you not need to go to Wang Geon's Goryeo in the south?"
"How can the Goryeo founded by a Silla noble named Wang be called the true Goryeo? Is it not Balhae, founded by Dae — a descendant of the old Goguryeo people — that is the true Goryeo?"
I had made this choice not only for myself but genuinely for Baekje as well.
Depending on one's perspective, this argument was not wrong.
By bloodline, Wang Geon — even if he came from the Paeseo nobility — was ultimately a Silla noble.
No more, no less.