84 – Prince and Daughter
I was sealed to the Crown Prince, but the fiefs previously given to me remained intact. Instead, it was decided to replace the one who was on the scene in Changseong-gun. Under my guidance, of course.
My plan was to select and send the person who would listen to me the best than anyone else.
‘What happens in Changseong requires strict confidentiality. In my heart, I want to leave the reliable light as it is, but I can’t help it because I promised something.’
Changseong, where the shipyard and steelworks will be located, had many jobs. In most cases, the guidelines are all set and the work is on track, but it is not easy to keep an eye on it and maintain the status quo.
Especially in the case of steelmaking, constant interest and support were needed to develop super-strong methods.
“So you’re sending me to Changseong?”
“Yes.”
The one staring at me with a face as if he had been struck by lightning in the dry sky.
Hankyung was the person I could trust more than anyone else.
“I’m as capable as Hankyung, and there’s no one I can trust. I’ll ask you.”
“Big, big. I’m a Gogung who lived a hard life as a hostage with Young master.”
She has a good brain, but is dark in scheming.
“Changseong has Hanso, so it won’t be difficult to adapt.”
“Um… If Young master asked me to do so, I would of course obey, but do I really need to go all the way to Changsheng?”
“I’m a small string right now, but I’m thinking of raising my voice a bit more.”
“Changseong?”
Originally, I also thought I wouldn’t pay much attention to Changsung once I became the crown prince, but now I’ve changed my mind.
Although Changseong is a small town, it has several advantages that make it distinctly different from other places.
“First of all, Changseong is my fief, so I don’t have to worry about being interfered with by others.”
Even though I became the crown prince, I was still unable to manipulate Yan as I wished. There was nothing I couldn’t do if necessary, but it was an act that gave an excuse to rise in gossip as it was an unmistakable act of overstepping authority.
But Changsung is my fief. You don’t have to look at others no matter what you do there.
“Above all, because it is a remote area, it is difficult for tributaries from other countries to approach, and security is firmly established thanks to the activities of the mother.”
“Is the work done in Changsheng so thoroughly hidden? There are dozens of similar-sized shipyards if you go to the country of Qi just below it, and if you go to the country of Chu, don’t they make much bigger ships? A country is said to be the best at making iron. However, iron is also made in other prefectures to worry about spillage. Isn’t the steel production in Changseong small, with only a few cattle and horses in the first place?”
Strong firepower is required to extract iron from iron ore.
In order to have that kind of firepower, the furnace must have steady wind, and the tool that makes this possible is a bellows tool that you will have heard of at least once in the future.
The Age of Warring States was a transitional period in which bronze and iron coexisted. Bronze ware, which has been developed over a long period of time, was superior to primitive iron ware, but iron ware was the mainstream in the Yan Dynasty, where it was difficult to procure raw materials for bronze manufacturing.
In the Yan Dynasty, which even built a large-scale steel mill, the size of the bellows was enormously increased to match the huge furnace. It was impossible to use manpower, so hundreds of horses or oxen were mobilized to turn the bellows.
Changsung was only large enough to run with a few horses, so it was only natural that I seemed particularly nervous that I was so concerned about security.
But that’s a quick decision because I don’t know what I’m going to do in the future.
“That’s true. There are prefectures that do iron-making on a much larger scale, such as Wujong and Yeongji.”
“That’s right. Iron stones are usually obtained from Gallstone Mountain.”
Galseoksan Mountain located in the north, which can be said to be above the head of the capital system of the Yan Dynasty, was otherwise called Daeyeonsan (大燕山). It’s a hazy memory, but maybe in the future, it will be called Yeonsan Mountain after the country of Yan? Probably.
From noble mtl dot com
Anyway.
Changseong isn’t very far from Galseoksan Mountain, but it’s also not nearby like Mujong or Yeongji, so the scale of the season had to be small. There is no reason to go all the way to Changseong to leave the vicinity, since it takes an enormous amount of labor just to move the heavy iron ore.
But things will change in the future.
The thing I want to introduce is one of the innovations in the steelmaking method comparable to the super steel method.
“You know that Gusu flows a little west of Changseong County, right?”
“Of course I know.”
“I’m going to use that.”
I brought a wooden board depicting the equipment that Hankyung was to install and laid it on the floor.
A round wheel perched on flowing water.
“It’s called a water wheel.”
It was a wagon wheel that would lead Yan to the world of steel along with the Super Gangbeop.
§
A new year has begun, and it is already the first month.
According to Jeon Uk-ryeok, the first month is always the month of spring, and the new year begins in October, so there was no energy to welcome the new year in Hamyang, the capital of the Qin Dynasty.
However, the first month had its own meaning in the Qin Dynasty besides Ipchun. Those who knew that seemed busier than New Year’s Eve.
Month of the birth of the Crown Princess, the next heir to the throne.
For the nobles and bureaucrats of the Qin Dynasty, the first month was such a time.
Furthermore, unlike last year, a proper banquet was scheduled to be held this year.
The year before last, it was omitted for the reason that it was the memorial period for the previous king, King Jinhyomun.
But this year was not a memorial period, nor was there a war.
Above all, King Jin’s condition has been unusual lately.
King Jin also had a difficult life. It’s hard to see that he’s still on the older side, but isn’t it worldly that he doesn’t know what’s going to happen?
Hamyang was full of people who wanted to tie a rope to the crown princess just in case.
Maybe that’s why even those who are not easily seen were showing expensive faces with their heavy buttocks.
The old man was one of them.
“I haven’t seen you in a while. To think that the crown princess has grown this much, the years are truly like running water.”
The Crown Princess of Jin, her portrait politely greeted the old man who greeted her.
“It’s Kangseong-gun. Have you been indifferent?”
“Yes. This old man still had work to do. Heaven did not intend to take me.”
Kang Seong-gun (綱成君) Adoption (蔡澤).
He has been an official of the Qin Dynasty since the days of King Jinsoyang in the past, and he was an old man who served three generations from King Jinhyomun to the present King Jin.
Currently, Seungsang Yeobulwi dominates the court of Hamyang, but even during King Jinsoyang’s lifetime, Adoption occupied a position in the upper direction that Yeobulwi could not dare to approach.
Adoption’s discernment and speech, which led the former superior criminal to step down and recommend himself as the successor, were truly the best in the current Qin Dynasty.
Although he has now come down from the upper chamber to avoid envy and slander, and remains in the title of Kang Seong-gun, the authority given by the title of upper chamber was by no means light.
As the originator of the plan to destroy the Zhou Dynasty, the presence and influence of Shiao still remained in the Qin court. A tycoon in the political world who shows respect even for women. Adoption was such a person.
“It’s a bit early, but I congratulate you on your birthday.”
“…Thank you.”
“The negligence of the past two years will only be replaced this year. His Majesty had the intention of clearing up the defeat in Taewon last year and instilling the pride of the civil and military officials. It will be a wonderful banquet.”
As Chae Taek said, the reason why this Yeongjeong’s birthday party became a hot topic was because it was deliberately scaled up with political intentions.
As soon as the current king of Jin formally ascended the throne, as if to avenge the humiliation he suffered while living as a hostage in the country of Zhao, he immediately prepared for an invasion of the country of Zhao.
However, unlike the Western Zhou, which King Qin Shaoyang sent his general Gyu to destroy, the brother country Dong Zhou, which still maintained its national identity, captured the desire to take revenge on the Qin Dynasty, and invaded them first.
Seungsang Yeo Bul-wi himself came forward and destroyed Dong-ju, and general Mong-wu attacked the Han Dynasty who had sympathized with Dong-ju and occupied Hyeongyang.
King Jin, who was confident with his victory, raised an army once again last year, and finally opened the beginning of the battle for revenge against the Zhao Nara.
Mong-oh, who rose to the rank of general due to his military exploits in the last war, leads a large army to attack Jo Nara and capture dozens of castles at once. Just before finally pacifying Taiyuan, a shocking defeat occurred in which a general appeared from the northern part of the country of Zhao, defeating Mong-wu and saving Taiyuan.
“Was it Li Mok, a general of the Zhao Dynasty? Because the Xiongnu entered the Yan Dynasty unknowingly and were subjugated, they were able to go to Taiyuan for support.”
If it was the original history, Imok would have stayed in Anmun. Taewon must have been conquered by Mong-wu and became the territory of the Qin Dynasty.
However, the twisted world caused by Heidan’s intervention forced Lee Mok to leave the gate earlier than usual and jump into midfield.
The Xiongnu, which had been blocking attention, disappeared, and the need to worry about Yan’s rear attack disappeared. Imok, who was freed from the shackles on his feet, ran to Taewon without hesitation and blocked the advance.
“It’s an interesting country, Jo Nara. Impression, Yeompa, Investigation… Now, this is the case. There is no end to the great masters in one city. If you want to destroy the Jo Nara, you will have to deal with them first.”
At the advice of Adoption, who spoke as if he knew that you were also planning to destroy the Jo nation, Yeongjeong, who was normally expressionless, stiffened and asked again.
“…What do you mean when you say that to me, not to the king?”
“Hmm, it’s my own… It’s up to the Crown Princess to interpret it.”
In front of Adop, who draws an unknown smile, Yeongjeong was seized with the feeling that all of her inner self was being dug out.
Adoption made Beomsu, who had been ruling the Qin Dynasty with only three tongues, step down.
In the court of the Qin Dynasty, which was more brutal than any other country, the discernment of a person who had reached the pinnacle at least once despite the constraints of being a foreigner had reached a level that was difficult to even gauge.
Young-jeong was about to speak, but before that, the voice of an insider rang out, announcing that another person had come to Young-jeong. Yeongjeong swallowed the words he was about to spit out and closed his slightly parted lips again.
“Oops, I’ve been holding on to the busy construction worker for too long. Excuse me.”
“…No. If you do, we’ll see you again at the contest.”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”
Possibly because of his frailty, Chae-taek approached the visit with slow steps.
Just as I was about to open the door and leave.
“Come to think of it.”
Adoption quietly turned her head to look at her portrait.
“You know I’m from Yan, right?”
“Of course I know.”
“There is a person who tells me the news from my hometown, and recently something interesting happened.”
“A fun thing…?”
At the word Yeong-jeong’s news, he showed a noticeable interest.
Chae-taek said with a slightly different smile than he has shown before.
“I heard that King Yeon sealed his son, Heidan, as his crown prince.”
“Dan-i…”
Nostalgic name.
A name I think about every night.
As the name flowed out of Adoption’s mouth, Youngjeong blankly repeated the name of Heidan for a moment.
‘However, you….’
This time, Youngjeong brooded over her old memories with Heidan and the memories of the bitter breakup, not properly recognizing that Adoption really left the room with a greeting.
‘Are you really trying to stop me?’