Heuk San Jeok (4)
After dealing with the Heuk San Jeok, I was thoroughly searching the mountain for any remaining tasks.
“Raze their strongholds and collect the treasures inside.”
The amount of treasure accumulated by the Heuk San Jeok was substantial.
Not only food but also gold and precious gems were found, indicating their extensive plundering.
“Who goes there!”
Some Heuk San Jeok, fortunate to not have been called to battle, were on guard, but they were not much of a problem.
“This is our territory! Leave now, or our leader won’t let you off easily!”
“Have you been holed up in the mountains too long to hear the news?”
Lü Bu signaled, and a soldier stepped forward, a head impaled on his spear. The sight of Jang Yeon’s head, his face frozen in a miserable expression at death, drained the color from the Heuk San Jeok’s faces.
Lü Bu had forgotten to bring the head and hurriedly went back with a soldier to retrieve it from the corpse. The soldier who went with her was visibly shaken by what he saw.
“How about it? Want to end up the same?”
“Oh no. Please come in! What are you doing? Open the gate quickly!”
Threatened by Lü Bu, the guarding Heuk San Jeok nervously opened the gate.
He was quick-witted, likely a survivor for a long time.
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The feeling of robbing robbers was quite peculiar.
They were all the same, stealing from others, so I didn’t feel any guilt.
The number of Heuk San Jeok, once as many as 100,000, was evidenced by several villages already established in the mountains.
These villages were inhabited not only by the families of the Heuk San Jeok but also by those captured and treated as slaves.
Surprisingly, there were regular families and many who had forcefully taken men or women as spouses.
Sorting them out based on their crimes would be too difficult, so I decided to do it slowly.
The demoralized Heuk San Jeok captives were organized into the army, promised amnesty if they fought hard.
Those who couldn’t forget their bandit days and caused problems were left to Jang Ryong or Go Soon’s discretion.
Both Jang Ryong and Go Soon were skilled commanders, capable of transforming the Heuk San Jeok into loyal soldiers.
However, leaving everything to them would be too burdensome.
The surrendered 30,000 Heuk San Jeok and the numerous civilians that came with them posed another problem.
I vaguely understood why the Heuk San Jeok were so desperate for plunder.
“Do you have any good ideas?”
I asked Jang Gak, who was smiling nearby. Jang Gak and her sister had been running a clinic since escaping Georok and occasionally helped with administrative work.
Jang Gak had experience managing tens to hundreds of thousands of people. I looked at her with eager eyes, hoping she would provide a solution. Slowly, she began to speak.
“There seem to be a lot of ownerless lands around the city.”
“That’s true.”
Compared to neighboring Giju, Bingju’s population was tragically low.
Continuous raids and enslavements by foreign tribes, compounded by Heuk San Jeok’s contributions, had reduced the already low population. With no immigrants due to Bingju’s reputation, even lands within the city were ownerless, let alone outside.
“It’s a wasteland.”
“How about lending the land to the people and collecting part of the harvest as tax?”
“That’s a good idea.”
Why didn’t I think of that before?
It seemed like a great idea. This could lead to a significant accumulation of military provisions. …Is it feasible, given Bingju’s mountainous terrain?
“In such chaotic times, the people’s most desperate needs are two things,” Jang Gak said, her amber eyes sparkling like jewels.
“A land to settle and a job to make a living.”
“……”
“Doing so would naturally make the people support Lord Jeongryeong, and the loyalty of the Heuk San Jeok, who have families among those people, would also solidify.”
I nodded.
“Similarly, creating jobs for the poor in the city would also lighten our worries.”
“Jang Ye.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“……?”
I hadn’t seen such a flustered expression on Jang Gak since persuading her in Georok.
As I resumed my tasks, I was glad to see that familiar expression after a long time.
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“Have you heard the news? About the people who came with you starting to farm.”
“Yes!”
Apparently, ownerless lands were being lent out, and a portion of the harvest was to be taken as tax.
Contrary to fears of being treated like slaves, the new lord had offered their families another chance at life.
“You, who used to snatch from others and eat only fruits and animals in the mountains, can finally live a decent life.”
“……”
“Why no response? Need more discipline?”
“No, sir!”
At Lü Bu’s command, the stationary Heuk San Jeok responded loudly.
“Well, given the times, we’ll have to bear the burden for this year and the next.”
It was already mid-autumn, a time when even the strong foreign tribes started to prepare for the next year.
186 A.D. was approaching.
The Yellow Turban Rebellion that began in 184 A.D. was suppressed over two years.
However, the flames of rebellion had already started burning the Han Dynasty slowly.
An era of great upheaval was underway.
Lü Bu instinctively felt it.
It was already a hard world to survive in, and it was about to become more chaotic.
The weak and powerless would soon suffer endlessly, stripped of everything.
Sensing something in Lü Bu’s serious eyes, the atmosphere among the Heuk San Jeok subtly changed.
“Protect your families with your own hands. That’s why you’re armed.”
“Yes, sir!”
“I like your response. Let’s start with a light jog, shall we?”
“Yes!”
Lü Bu smiled fiercely.
“Of course, wearing armor and weapons.”
“……”
“Ah, silent again?”
“No, sir!!”
“Then, run!”
As Lü Bu rigorously trained the newly recruited Heuk San Jeok, Jang Ryong smiled faintly.
“We’ll have to work hard too, to not fall behind Lady Lü Bu.”
“Yes.”
Go Soon, beside Jang Ryong, responded briefly.
“Why are you so weak in stamina when you can run through mountains? Was that all just rumors?”
“No, sirrak!!”
“Sweat more now to bleed less later! Run faster!”
The soldiers running with Lü Bu, inhuman in her training, were in agony.
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Seo Ye’s duty was to stay by Jeongryeong’s side, eliminating any dangers to him.
It was a task that didn’t differentiate between day and night, so Seo Ye was always focused on Jeongryeong.
“……”
His eyes, ordinary but the most beautiful to Seo Ye.
His hair, more lovely than anything else.
Even the movement of his throat as he spoke was pleasing.
Seo Ye watched all this dispassionately.
……
…Well, there was a slight personal interest.
Jeongryeong often faced life-threatening situations.
Kidnappings for ransom, assassins to kill him outright.
Arrows blind with rage in battle, and countless sniper shots aimed at him.
Protecting him, always on the brink of death, was Seo Ye’s sole concern.
If, just if, she failed to protect him…
Seo Ye’s eyes flashed ominously for a moment, and Jang Gak witnessed it.
Knowing what Seo Ye might become if Jeongryeong was gone, Jang Gak shuddered slightly.
“…Please survive.”
“??”
Jeongryeong, puzzled by Jang Gak’s sudden comment, just showed question marks.
