Chapter 266 — Persuasion 1
The inner room was smaller than the great reception hall, but more warriors were hidden inside.
Yeongu understood the reason, but it was excessive.
He said, "More people are hidden here, Your Highness."
"This is the limit of the goodwill I can show to a man who has come by such a dangerous road."
Yelü Zhangnu sat in the seat of honor and offered Yeongu a place with his back to the wall.
Yeongu hesitated.
Yelü Zhangnu spoke.
"I will give you one quarter of an hour. Then you will die."
"Ah. Then this is time for which I should be grateful. One quarter of an hour."
"That is so."
Yeongu placed a hand over his chest.
"Thank you for granting me the honor of introducing myself. I am Yi Yeongu, jungnangjang of the Sinhowi of Goryeo. I was stationed at Seonchullyeong Fortress, and when the nine northern fortresses were returned, I was sent to Jin as an envoy.
"The original purpose was likely to keep watch over them, but the direction changed toward support.
"That was because Jin, grateful for Goryeo's return of the nine fortresses, ceased its attacks against Goryeo.
"By good fortune, I survived, and even now I serve as a member of an advisory group assisting Jin's army in military affairs.
"Because of that, I was able to experience this war vividly.
"Beyond my station, I also received the opportunity to report directly to high officials of the Goryeo court.
"Thanks to that, my view has broadened, and I have been granted the honorable place of bringing these words to Your Excellency."
Yelü Zhangnu nodded at Yeongu's courteous words.
"Speak. What is your business?"
"I came here to tell you that Liao must be set upright again. If it continues as it has, ruin will follow. As you saw in the last three battles, despite numerical superiority, Liao was broken miserably. Jin is armed, strong enough, and intends to fight and shatter Liao.
"Even so, Liao responded as though it were no great matter. That is why it lost. Above all, it does not recognize a crisis as a crisis.
"To set Liao right, deposition and enthronement are unavoidable. Nothing can be done under the present order.
"If that one traitor Jin had demanded had simply been handed over, none of this would have happened.
"The court endlessly and coercively demanded hunting gyrfalcons. It may seem only a single bird, but to catch such a bird one must climb high and dangerous cliffs. Many people are said to have died. If only that demand had stopped, Jin's resentment would not have grown so great.
"The emperor of Jin is the most honored man in that land. Liao called his name and humiliated him by ordering him to come out and dance. In this land, if a man suffers humiliation and remains still, those around him will not leave him be.
"Liao failed to treat the many peoples under its command with benevolence and righteousness. Many tribes groan under Liao's oppression. It would not be strange if rebellion broke out anywhere, at any time.
"The present emperor must be deposed, and Lord Yelü Chun, whom the late emperor once intended to make crown prince, must be raised to the throne. I will not insist on calling this 'depose the false and establish the true.'"*
*Depose the false and establish the true: a phrase meaning to remove a ruler who lacks legitimacy or qualification and install one who possesses proper legitimacy and cause.
"How can a ruler neglect state affairs for the sake of hunting? If the Jurchen win one final battle, Liao will no longer remain in this land. Matters have come this far. I do not believe the present emperor's measures can lead this battle to victory.
"We of Goryeo greatly value the peace of the last hundred years. The world has remained peaceful over that century because Liao, Song, and our Goryeo have stood firm like the three legs of a cauldron. We do not wish this order to change. Though I support Jin, my duty is as a Goryeo commander. I came all this way to convey the opinion that it is not too late even now, and that deposition and enthronement should be pursued."
Yelü Zhangnu shouted.
"You are telling me to raise a rebellion?"
Yeongu answered at once.
"Yes. That is the path to saving Liao."
"Why does a man from another country worry over our affairs?"
"I told you. What Goryeo wants is peace. The peace of the last hundred years is on the verge of breaking."
"Then try getting along well with Jin."
Only then did Yeongu understand that Yelü Zhangnu was of a rather negative disposition.
Since there had been no information about that, it seemed he had not easily shown this side of himself before.
Either the situation had made him sharp, or Yeongu's words had touched his most painful place.
Yelü Zhangnu asked again.
"But why me? Why did you approach me?"
"I came here without knowing who was where. Then I heard that the deputy commander was here."
Yelü Zhangnu said with displeasure, "So you were searching for any high-ranking man and happened to learn that I was here."
"That is correct."
"Did you think saying that would please me?"
"No. But I thought it better to tell the truth."
Yelü Zhangnu was silent for a moment.
An enemy commander had come alone into his camp and was urging rebellion.
He had not even wrapped it in pleasant words, but said plainly that he had been looking for anyone important and had ended up coming to him.
"Yes. I see. You are not the sort of spy one commonly sees."
"This is also my first time doing such work."
Yelü Zhangnu realized that Yeongu was rather simple.
He lacked polish in choosing his words, and at times failed to distinguish properly between what should be said and what should be avoided.
He did not have the eloquence of a deeply learned man.
"Then why did they send a man like you?"
To move quickly into what he needed to say, Yeongu answered the question directly.
"They said I was the only one whose face was not known. The others had shown their faces during His Majesty's imperial progresses, and those who would know them already know them."
"That is plausible."
Yeongu asked, "May I continue?"
"Have you not already said all the words you memorized?"
"No. I prepared much more."
"Very well. Continue. As long as you speak, your neck remains attached."
"Such words frighten me."
"That is not something a brave man who entered the enemy camp alone should say."
"I will continue."
"Go on."
Yeongu steadied his breath and went on.
"I have heard that more people than expected are thinking of deposition and enthronement.
"Of course, what I know comes from information gathered from many places.
"People say the present emperor may become the last emperor of Liao.
"The issue is not the emperor's seat, but Liao's survival.
"The country's crisis began with the emperor, but replacing one emperor alone will not solve everything.
"That is why deposition and enthronement are being discussed."
Yelü Zhangnu's eyes narrowed.
Yeongu did not stop.
"If the matter at the Battle of Ningjiangzhou had been handled well, it would not have spread this far.
"If the court had treated them properly, Jin would have had less reason to rebel.
"It is still not too late.
"If Liao deposes the false, establishes the true, and responds properly, the worst can be avoided."
"More."