Ryukyo City.
The barbarian cavalry returned in disarray, and news of the defeat at Haigucheng spread through the city like wildfire.
The King of Goryeo cautiously watched Beishan, who was completely drunk. He felt remorse but dared not question the outcome of the battle’s failure.
Haigucheng was only two days away from Ryukyo City. The Great Yu Empire had defeated the barbarians, and he could imagine how the Great Yu Empire would retaliate for this attack on Haigucheng.
Thinking of this, the King of Goryeo felt a chill run down his spine.
As he was in a state of indecision, a general rushed into the palace and whispered a few words to him.
“What! Bisa Castle has been breached by the Great Yu Empire’s army!” The King of Goryeo’s heart trembled.
Bisa Castle was easy to defend but difficult to attack. It had historically resisted several expeditions from the Central Plains dynasties against Goryeo. He had always regarded Bisa Castle as his last refuge.
But now, this refuge had also fallen. Thus, besides Ryukyo City, he would have nowhere else to go.
The drunken Beishan, hearing this, immediately sobered up considerably. After returning from Haigucheng to Ryukyo City, he had indulged in wine and women.
“Bisa Castle is lost!” Beishan abruptly stood up and grabbed the King of Goryeo’s collar. “You Goryeo people are all useless! Haigucheng routed, and Bisa Castle couldn’t be held either! Now the Great Yu Empire occupies Bisa Castle. They can attack the Golden Tent Khanate from the north and sweep across all of Goryeo from the south! How could you lose such an important city?”
The King of Goryeo’s face turned beet red. Caught by Beishan’s collar, he struggled to breathe. “Prince Beishan, the Great Yu Empire’s army came from the sea. We had no time to send reinforcements. Bisa Castle only had twenty thousand men; how could it be a match for the Great Yu Empire’s army? Now, why don’t Prince Beishan and I go together to retake Bisa Castle?”
Hearing this, Beishan became even more enraged. Decades ago, when Goryeo had not yet submitted to the Golden Tent Khanate, his father had personally led over two hundred thousand men in a fierce assault on Bisa Castle to conquer it.
Even so, Bisa Castle, with only fifty thousand men, had held back the two hundred thousand strong army outside its walls for half a year.
Ultimately, it was the King of Goryeo who offered a letter of surrender, and only then did they retreat down the mountain.
Because of this, they were all well aware of the strategic importance of Bisa Castle. Now that the Great Yu Empire occupied it, with its firearms, it would become an even more formidable fortress. From now on, the Great Yu Empire would be like a nail driven into the flank of the Golden Tent Khanate.
Thinking of this, he violently pushed the King of Goryeo to the ground and angrily said, “Dream on! From today onwards, the Golden Tent Khanate will not lose another man for you Goryeo, unless you yourselves retake Bisa Castle!”
Beishan’s intense savagery terrified the King of Goryeo, who soiled himself. His face was ashen, and he trembled, not daring to speak.
The Goryeo officials also lowered their heads, appearing obsequious. The barbarian cavalry was in the city. Perhaps they couldn’t defeat the Great Yu Empire’s army, but they were certainly enough to deal with them.
Beishan’s anger had not yet fully vented. As he was about to continue scolding the King of Goryeo, Guduo entered from outside and suddenly stopped him. “Prince, the King of Goryeo is still the King of Goryeo, after all.”
Anger seemed to bring back Beishan’s drunkenness. He said, “What if he is the King of Goryeo? Now they are merely a feudal state of the Golden Tent Khanate, and they cannot escape our grasp.”
The King of Goryeo lay on the ground. At this moment, all of Beishan’s humiliations festered within him.
Because of the vast disparity in strength, he was so humble before the Golden Tent Khanate. But he was, after all, the King of Goryeo, the highest power holder on this land.
Guduo looked worriedly at the King of Goryeo. At this point, he said to Beishan, “The Great Yu Empire’s army is advancing towards Ryukyo City. Prince, this is not the time to vent anger. We should return to the grasslands.”
Beishan opened his mouth upon hearing this. Rather than saying he resented the King of Goryeo, it was more accurate to say he resented himself. Picking up the wine cup on the table, Beishan drained it and said to the King of Goryeo, “Remember, Goryeo is a feudal state of the Golden Tent Khanate. If you betray us, the Golden Tent Khanate’s cavalry will raze Goryeo to the ground.”
With that, Beishan followed Guduo out.
The King of Goryeo slowly rose as Beishan’s figure disappeared through the palace gate. At this moment, his eyes were filled with venom.
“Too deceitful! For these past few years in Goryeo, I have been as flattering as possible, yet he still treats me like a dog!” The King of Goryeo clenched his fists tightly.
The officials were silent, no one dared to utter a word.
The King of Goryeo swept his gaze across the ministers. He suddenly drew his ceremonial sword and pointed it at a minister who had his head bowed. “All of you call me ‘Your Majesty,’ but do you truly hold me, your king, in your hearts? When Beishan humiliated me, why did none of you speak up?”
The ministers trembled. One minister cried, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The Golden Tent Khanate is powerful; Goryeo cannot afford to provoke them. Although the Great Yu Empire has taken two cities, they have no intention of occupying Goryeo.”
“That’s right, Your Majesty. Although Beishan was defeated this time, the Golden Tent Khanate is still not someone we can afford to provoke. Your Majesty, please reconsider,” a minister said.
The King of Goryeo roared in anger, “The Golden Tent Khanate cannot be provoked, and now is the Great Yu Empire someone Goryeo can provoke? Now Bisa Castle and Haigucheng are both occupied, and the Goryeo waters are blockaded by the Great Yu Empire’s navy. What do you say we should do now?”
The officials looked at each other. At this point, an official said, “Does Your Majesty remember Li Cheng-jae, who entered the palace a few days ago?”
“I naturally remember him,” the King of Goryeo snorted. Although he was extremely annoyed, Beishan had simply left, and he had to clean up this mess.
The official said, “This Li Cheng-jae once spoke of the Great Yu Empire’s conditions in the palace. If we agree to them, they will cease military action.”
The King of Goryeo frowned. At that time, officials in the palace had even humiliated this Li Cheng-jae, but he never expected that in just a few days, he would have to turn around and beg Li Cheng-jae.
“But where is this Li Cheng-jae now?” the King of Goryeo asked.
The official said, “Your Majesty, this Li Cheng-jae is none other than Li Hyuk-jae’s illegitimate son. Entrusting this matter to him will be sufficient.”
“Li Hyuk-jae.” The King of Goryeo looked at Li Hyuk-jae, who had almost shrunk his head into his official robes. “Your good son. I now order you to immediately invite Li Cheng-jae into the palace, otherwise, I will kill you.”
Li Hyuk-jae’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. He quickly knelt and said, “Your Majesty, I will go find him now.”
With that, Li Hyuk-jae repeatedly kowtowed, secretly lamenting his fate.
Now, he deeply regretted how he had treated Li Cheng-jae back then. Now, he had to beg this rebellious son.
As he was thinking, a soldier suddenly entered the great hall and said to the King of Goryeo, “Your Majesty, Li Cheng-jae has arrived outside the city.”
The King of Goryeo rejoiced. He said to Li Hyuk-jae, “Then hurry and invite him into the palace!”
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