I Became the Crown Prince of a Ruined Country

48 – Prime Minister

The envoy sent from Yan to Qin was Sangbang Yulbok.

He borrowed the road of Cho Nara to attend the funeral of King Jinsoyang. In the process, Yulbok sent 500 gold as a price for lending a road and prayed for the longevity of King Jo and played a role in establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries.

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Yulbok gave 500 gold, but he hoped that he would run out of rice cakes as well. However, King Jo did not give any reward to Yulbok.

Since then, Yulbok, who harbored a grudge in his heart, has prioritized revenge on the Cho dynasty rather than the original plan of establishing diplomatic ties with the Zhao dynasty and preparing for the Qin dynasty.

Although he was unable to see Handan, the capital city, due to urgent deadlines and poor treatment of the Zhao Nara, Yulbok was able to clearly see the reality of the Nara Zhao.

Then Yulbok thought.

‘Current Jo Nara deserves to be promoted!’

A golden opportunity has arrived to accomplish a great feat that the predecessor, King Yeonhyo, could not achieve. Judging like that, Yulbok insisted that King Hyeon Yeon should conquer Cho.

At first, King Yeon didn’t take Yulbok’s words very well. Cao was the folding screen of the nations blocking Qin, and as Sojin said, it was the fence of Yan.

However, when Yulbok and Jo Nara, all adults died in the Great War of Jangpyeong, and the children did not grow up, they began to be tempted by the logic that they could occupy it in an instant.

Here, expelling the Yeoling army guarding the border with Yan, if successful, will raise Yan’s status and weaken the Zhao’s grand frontline, and if it fails, it will be helpful for the cause.

After hearing of Yulbok’s plan, King Yeon changed his mind to attack the country of Zhao.

With the news that Pyeongwongun died and the state of Zhao was shaken, King Yeon now discussed the best time to attack the state of Zhao.

Although the attempt to overthrow Prince Yeoling failed due to the intervention of public morals on the verge of success, Yulbok did not care much. Because the next move had already left his hand.

The carriage to war could no longer be stopped.

§

“We’ve arrived, father.”

The old man, who had been closing his eyes to the coachman’s words for a while, raised his eyelids.

He was the envoy sent by Yan to condolences to Pingyuan’s army, Taifu (太傅) Guo Guo (鞠武).

Taebu, the king’s teacher, was also the position held by Chuyeon when he was King Soyeonyang in the past.

The reason for sending the father-in-law was simple, unlike the previous visit to the funeral condolences of King Jinsoyang.

King Jin Soyang’s condolence envoy, who also had to deal with official diplomatic issues between countries, had to go to the upper room in charge of practical affairs.

On the other hand, Pyeongwon-gun was close to mourning the death of a famous figure in the world. Therefore, it was appropriate not to send a high-ranking official, but to send a government official with a high reputation as well.

There was also a case where the state government, which adored military men like Pyeongwon-gun, stepped forward directly.

And there was one more reason.

“Heh heh, I wonder if Young master Dan is doing well.”

It was to see Young master Huidan of the Yan Dynasty, which I had seen as a child.

I’ve only seen it a few times, but the government saw Huidan’s intelligence. It was also the decision of the state government to attach Hankyung, a new scholar who had been eyeing it and who had accumulated learning while visiting the palace directly under the government.

Life as a hostage may not have been so smooth, but if it were Hankyung, he would have helped Heidan somehow and taught him various things.

No matter how much Zhao Nara and Yan Nara are not on good terms, it was the state government that thought they would have treated them well since they were still royalty.

If the state government knew exactly what kind of life Heidan and Hankyung lived in the country of Jo, it would have done something for the two talented people who will lead the future of the country.

However, in the early days of her hostage life, all of the letters Hankyung sent were sorted out on the Yulbok line in the upper room. He didn’t even send him after he gave up his expectations in his home country.

But there are rumors. However, most of them were positive. Anecdotes about the family of Pyeongwon were easily spread, but the story of Yeongjeong, who could be called Jo Na-ra’s wife, was not conveyed properly because everyone kept quiet.

So, when Hee-dan learned of all the humiliation and hardships he had suffered in the country of Jo, the state government was angry and angry.

It was tolerable because Pyongwongun’s condolence envoys were treated poorly as they were not official interstate envoys, but Heedan’s case was different.

Immediately after realizing the truth, the state government went to King Jo to make a formal protest.

Shortly after the Yan Dynasty interfered in the internal affairs of the Zhao Dynasty.

The incident in which the envoy from Yan returned to the country protested violently spread quickly throughout Handan through distortion and exaggeration.

§

As soon as I heard rumors that the government of Taebu went to King Jo to protest against the unfair treatment of me, I felt strongly that this was justification for war.

Perhaps, at the time they sent me as a hostage, Yeon Nara was thinking about this as well.

Didn’t he know that the greed of the Zhao Nara that Pyeongwon-gun said was the Yan Nara? Obviously, Yeon-hoo and her son are alive and breathing next to you?

It can’t be. So, they would have known that if they sent me to Cho Nara, they would trample on me, or worse, try to get rid of me.

And using that as an excuse, they must have tried to use it as a justification for a truce and re-invasion.

‘It was said that it was Yulbok in the upper direction.’

I remembered the information sent by his brother-in-law, who settled in Yan. It is said that it is an open secret in the Yan capital world that Sangbang Yulbok is preparing for war.

Judging from what I don’t know, he may not have left a great name in history. However, if you are a bureaucrat who has risen to the top of a country, there will always be a part that stands out in some way.

Yeolbok of the Sangbang of the Yan Dynasty seemed to be a really terrible schemer.

And King Yeong, who accepted his scheme, was a truly ruthless father.

“hahahaha… The heartlessness of throwing even one’s own children as bait for a piece of land. Is this the morality of a monarch living in the Age of Warring States…”

Then this side should be willing to put their foot on my father’s leg.

“Hankyung, I need to change my clothes after a long time.”

“Are you going to see the father-in-law?”

“Yes. If it stays like this, it will become a cause for war without moving. We can’t just stand still.”

“I’ll put a chimney for No Danju. He’ll make the seat.”

Hankyung also improved a lot. Now if you pretend, you pretend. I like it very much.

The meeting with the Taebu State Department that took place in that way.

As soon as he saw me, he greeted me with a smile and exclaimed with emotion.

“Young master…You grow up to be so devoted in such a difficult place… You are the one who will become the Crown Prince and lead the Yan Dynasty. Do you remember me?”

“Don’t remember. How can I forget what my father-in-law taught me?”

Actually, my memory of the state affairs is only about that kind of person, but there is such a thing as lip service when we talk.

In the conversation that started in a friendly atmosphere, I immediately thought that I could persuade the government and solve this problem well.

But the government was more stubborn than I thought.

Apart from feeling sorry for me, it was the government that thoroughly distinguished between public and private affairs.

“How dare you treat not only an envoy like me, but also Young master in such a disrespectful way… This is a matter that must never be overlooked. This is a matter that is directly related to the face of the country, so I must go back and tell Your Majesty every detail of the current situation. I’ll tell you.”

The Prime Minister was furious. But I shook my head and said.

“I am grateful that the father-in-law took offense on my behalf. Hana, the father-in-law, if the king finds out about this, how will he come out?”

“You must raise an army to punish the reckless Zhao Nara.”

“Is that possible?”

“They have already lost hundreds of thousands of people in the southern part of the country in the Great War of Jangpyeong, so how will they hold out if our country raises an army of hundreds of thousands and advances?”

“If you do, Taebu, can I ask you one more question?”

“Of course.”

“Among the countries of Tang Jin, which country is Se the greatest?”

“This is Qin.”

“Then, how can the Qin Dynasty, which won the victory of Changping, not attack the Zhao Dynasty more?”

“That’s…”

The Prime Minister did not give an easy answer. I just said it.

“Isn’t that why they are not afraid of the hundreds of thousands of Zhao’s army, but of the Yeompa, whose eyes are still open?”

“……That’s right.”

“Even the Qin Dynasty is afraid of the salt wave and cannot raise an army. Can Ah Guo really overcome the salt wave?”

“…I don’t know.”

“So, please don’t tell your father about this. I’m fine. And if your father-in-law truly cares for the country, cover today’s affairs and give priority to the future. I won’t be able to consult with you, but Yeompa, an elderly man, It might be possible to wait for him to close his eyes.”

Even after Yeompa dies, I have no intention of attacking Jo Nara, but by that time, I will have formed a proper foundation in Yan Nara, so I will be able to block it in advance before something like this happens.

Or you could go back to Yan.

Until then, it was important to buy time so that nothing special happened to the relationship.

But even though he accepted my words, the government did not change his will.

“No matter how true it is, you cannot deceive the armed forces with lies.”

“Taebu…”

I put on a sad expression to appeal to the feeling of pity for me.

Would that work? Or did you just accept that I was right?

The Prime Minister smiled benevolently as a grandfather treats his grandson.

“I understand the meaning of the Crown Prince Hana. I will tell Your Majesty well and raise an army only to the extent that I can negotiate with them. If necessary, I will directly serve. So the Crown Prince is very concerned about this. Don’t hit it.”