4 – Hostage
The Four Kings of the Warring States.
As can be intuitively explained from its name, it refers to four noble men who dominated the Warring States Period.
Maengsanggun of Qi, Pyongwongun of Zhao Dynasty, Xinlinggun of Wei Dynasty, Chunshingun of Chu Dynasty.
They were people with numerous diners under their students, support from the people that surpassed the king, and a high reputation recognized by all nations.
Except for Chunshin-gun, all of them were from royal families, and they had made great achievements for their respective countries. Although they were not perfect, those who were excellent in practical ability, not just noisy empty carts, were the National Four Soldiers.
Their power stands out in bridging conflicts and building coalitions in their name.
In particular, drawing a coalition of various countries based on a reputation that influences other countries beyond borders is a prime example that reveals the true face of the four gentlemen.
It was a stage that even Geonsin-gun, who has risen to the upper ranks and has as many diners as Pyeongwon-gun, enjoys a prosperous life.
Although Pyongwongun took responsibility for causing the Great War of Changping and resigned from office, he was still the most loved person in the Zhao Dynasty and the most prestigious person in power.
It is true that real power is weak compared to the queens, who are the most respected people in a country.
One of the Four Gentlemen of the Warring States, with a reputation that encompasses the whole world, in some ways they have built a position that is even better than that of kings.
If we can win the support of Pyeongwon-gun, we will be able to break free of this invisible snare that is strangling our necks.
When a breakthrough was presented, Hankyung jumped up as if he would run out at any moment, as if he couldn’t hold back his excitement.
“Pyeongwon-gun! He was there!”
“It’s not just a matter of easy thinking.”
“Yes? But if it’s Pyeongwon-gun, even Jowang can’t ignore it…”
“Listen, Hankyung. I went to Geonsin-gun next after King Jo refused to accept the interview. The reason is simple: Geonsin-gun is above us, so we have a duty to take care of our affairs as well. But Pyeongwon-gun it is not so.”
Pyeongwon-gun, who withdrew his hands from work, was now living a leisurely life. He had no obligation to meet us.
“That’s why it’s more advantageous for us, right? We can just go and find it.”
“Did you forget? I didn’t even meet Gunsin-gun. Didn’t King Jo and Gunsin-gun expect us to visit Pyeongwon-gun?”
“Ah…you mean you’re saying that Pyeongwon-gun also had a hand?”
“That’s right. And we have to think about the worst case.”
Worst case.
That was when the plot to oppress us was conceived by Pyongwongun himself, rather than by King Jo or Sangbang Geonsingun.
Although Pyeongwon-gun has resigned from his job, he is a member of the royal family and a person who can give advice to the king at any time as a member of the royal family.
If he planned this, there is nothing more we can do.
Looking at Hankyung, whose expression is getting colder by the minute, I smiled and said,
“Well, it’s unlikely.”
“Why is that again?”
“Simple.”
It seemed that Hankyung had been preparing for the hostage life and had not been able to check things properly. On the other hand, I was observing the surroundings even before I entered the palace of Cho Nara.
I haven’t spent that long in Jo Nara, but if I count from the time I first entered the precincts of Jo Nara, some time has passed. Meanwhile, I noticed a few things.
“Geonsin-gun and Pyeongwon-gun don’t get along. If it was Pyeongwon-gun’s plan, Geonsin-gun would have met us.”
There was no direct conflict as both Geonsin-gun and Pyeongwon-gun maintained the position of a servant of King Jo.
However, from Pyeongwon-gun’s point of view, Geonsin-gun was a competitor who gained the favor of King Jo while he resigned, and to Geonsin-gun, Pyeongwon-gun was a political opponent who had to be excluded in order to solidify his position as one-man but man-man. .
In order for the two of them to get along better, wouldn’t they need a dramatic reconciliation, just like Im Sang-yeo and Yeom-pa did in the previous generation?
Of course, neither of them seems to have such an intention.
“As expected, Young master was called a child prodigy from his home country. To see through the conflict between Jo Na-ra already…”
Receiving Hankyung’s admiring gaze, my conscience pricked me.
My understanding of the relationship between Pyongwongun and Geonshingun was not purely because of my excellent observational or analytical skills.
In my previous life, I didn’t know much about the history of this period, but I still had some knowledge about the Four Gentlemen of the Warring States. Thanks to that, from the time I first came to Cho, I intensively gathered information about Pyeongwon-gun, a national military leader.
It’s only one page long, but it’s like solving a test question with a cheat sheet.
While I was shy and stopped talking, Hankyung urged me to speak.
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“Young master, pull out the horns as well. Shouldn’t we move quickly before the supplies run out?”
Hankyung must have wanted me to jump up and find a way out as he said, but I just sat still and shook my head.
“Before that, I need two things.”
I continued, raising my index and middle fingers.
“The first is how to meet with Pyeongwon-gun. As I said before, King Jo and Geonsin must have taken some kind of action against Pyeongwon-gun. .Easily, there will be soldiers attached in the name of our escort.”
“You’ll need a way to drop them.”
Hankyung seemed to have lost some of his excitement because of my restraint, and he regained his cool to some extent and said,
“It’s the easiest way, but there are many ways to get rid of it. So it’s good to see that at least someone among the attendants and diners in Pyeongwon-gun has been recruited.”
“Did I have to go that far?”
“I hope so, but just in case. I’ll think of the worst case.”
Fold your middle finger and lift only your index finger.
“The second way is to persuade Pyeongwon-gun. If you go blindly, you will only lose money. It will only plant a warning on King Jo or Geonsin-gun. I might not be able to make it.”
“Certainly… there is no guarantee that Pyeongwon-gun will definitely help us…”
His spirited appearance as if he would solve all problems was nowhere to be found. Hankyung blurted out the end of his words, revealing his frustrated expression.
Because of the nervousness and anxiety caused by the situation in which all sides are blocked, Hankyung’s usual intellectual side has been blurred.
Basically, Hankyung was my teacher and a genius whose ability was recognized enough to accompany me as an assistant, but in the end, he was a flower in a greenhouse that did not go through the tough times. His heart would be shaken by the helpless reality he faced for the first time.
Feeling sorry for Hankyung in my heart, I immediately chose the safest path among the options given.
“For now, let’s hold our breath and hold on.”
“You mean to wait for them to catch their guard?”
“That’s also true. Humans naturally have a desire to take care of the weak. If they knew that we were living a hard life, Pyeongwon-gun would have a little bit of sympathy and take good care of us.”
Hankyung, who listened to my explanation while standing, sighed deeply to see if he was convinced and sat down in his place.
“Really, nothing is easily solved…”
I walked over to Hankyung, who had his head down, and brushed his back. And as if he let out a sigh, he murmured as if lamenting.
“That’s right…”
Hankyung, who had been quietly comforted, agreed with my words after roughly finishing the calculations in his head.
“As Young master said, I can only hope that Pyeongwongun will have compassion.”
“Sympathy?”
“Oh, haven’t we had a class about this yet? Now that it’s like this, let’s take this opportunity to do a class.”
Hankyung corrected his posture and sat down and took out a bamboo stick from his luggage. He was so small in his room that it was enough for him to stretch out his arms from his seat.
Mencius (孟子) was written on the head of the bamboo strip spread out in front of me.
“Even though Meng Jia was talking nonsense, his studies have a deep understanding of people.”
Hankyong called Mencius his real name, Mencius, and showed a critical view on his studies, but acknowledged that the level of his consideration was considerable.
“Meng Jia insists that people have a mind of non-knowledge and are innately good. Compassion is one of these non-knowledges, which comes from benevolence, and it is a feeling of pity and displeasure for those in trouble. Means.”
Since he was going to lecture all day if left alone, I quickly cut off Hankyung.
“No, I’m aware of sympathy. More than that, I think something good will come to my mind, so just stay quiet for a while.”
I covered Hankyung’s mouth and thought. As the thought continued, the brow furrowed on its own.
The feeling that something useful is shimmering in the memories of a previous life.
The first thing that came to mind was, of course, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. But I soon judged it to be the wrong answer.
It was a half-word that is hard to say exactly.
‘The stand of love sings on the street to attract Liu Bei’s attention.’
Why don’t I try that too?
‘But what song should I sing to get Pyeongwon-gun interested?’
Except for Three Kingdoms, all the classics I know are Chohanji. I’ve only heard of the names Suhojin and the Legend of the Nations, but I’ve never actually seen them.
However, my knowledge of Chohanji was too shallow since I only saw it as a cartoon rather than selling it separately like the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The only things I remember were major events and the names of the main characters.
Lastly, some knowledge that I can use. Those were various anecdotes told by the instructor in a calligraphy class, which was also my hobby in my previous life. I had a hunch that among them there would be something I could use now.
‘Sympathy… Mencius… Study Abroad… ….’
The calligraphy class was conducted not simply by repeatedly writing Chinese characters or Korean, but by telling the story contained in the writing. At the end of reminiscing, resentful of the me from my past life that I had casually overlooked, I suddenly came up with a phrase.
“Ah…”
After trying to figure out the anecdote and meaning of the phrase, I was convinced.
Thread through the eye of the needle.