Chapter 27: Tang's Investiture
With the route through Yeongju, previously blocked by the Khitan and the Göktürks, now fully opened and leading straight to Chang'an, Goryeo's envoy party easily entered the Tang capital.
Initially, Emperor Shizong of Tang had planned to turn them away. But with regional regimes rising in rebellion, he could not afford to expel the Goryeo envoys as well. The empire was in such a precarious state that even a small army from Goryeo could inflict significant damage.
Ultimately, the Tang court had no choice but to receive Dae Wi-hae and Dae Bong-ye.
"Dae Wi-hae, Goryeo's Grand Minister and envoy, we humbly present ourselves before Your Majesty, Emperor of the Tang Empire."
"What business does that Goryeo envoy have here, exactly?"
Emperor Shizong sneered, but Dae Wi-hae pursed his lips slightly and prepared to carry out the mission entrusted by Dae In-seon with full diligence.
"Five years ago, during the time Your Majesty, then the Crown Prince, faced assassination, the Goryeo traitor Osodo set out for the Tang. We humbly request that Your Majesty assist us in capturing this criminal Osodo."
"Osodo? Wasn't he the envoy sent five years ago by your people to declare war upon the Tang Empire?"
Shizong could not comprehend what Dae Wi-hae was saying.
Indeed, five years prior, a man named Osodo came as a Goryeo envoy and issued a declaration of war. This led Zhu Zhenchong to launch a reckless campaign against the Khitan at the forefront of Balhae. The result was widespread rebellion, causing Tang to fracture. While Zhu Zhenchong deserved punishment for giving pretext to the regional governors by attacking the Khitan, the greater provocation had come from Goryeo. Naturally, the Tang bore no goodwill, so the idea that Goryeo had now come to capture the very envoy who had declared war left Shizong utterly baffled.
"I fail to understand, Your Majesty. Why would Goryeo break friendship with the Tang and declare war? Our kingdom was merely responding to the rise of Baekje in the south. We had no reason to declare war against the Tang Empire."
"Do you mock me, even though I know you trained your navy and built warships at the mouth of the Yalu River?"
When Shizong mentioned the construction of Goryeo's naval forces, Dae Wi-hae, prepared with a pretext, replied calmly:
"Those were merchant ships. Had the rumors been true, we would have trained them at Jangsan Island. Lately, with the Silla pirates and Japanese raiders troubling our seas, merchants whose livelihoods were affected simply built and trained their own vessels."
"Then why did you change the country's name?"
"From the old Goryeo lands, the people of Goguryeo and Malgal founded a state. Our Taewang changed the name to Goryeo. We bear no knowledge of any declaration of war, so I humbly ask Your Majesty not to misunderstand our intentions."
Even if all of this were a misunderstanding, changing Balhae's national title to Goryeo was not something Tang could easily accept. Tang knew Balhae claimed succession from Goguryeo, but the original Goguryeo had continuously opposed the Central Plains and even waged war against Tang. To change the name to Goryeo was tantamount to a declaration of intent to fight again.
Yet the Tang, weakened as it was, could not afford to make an enemy of Goryeo. Moreover, Goryeo explained that the misunderstanding arose entirely because of Osodo.
The Tang ministers, who had been glaring at Dae Wi-hae as if ready to kill him, gradually relaxed and decided to hear out his explanation.
"Then why send the envoy only now?"
"There were schemes and power struggles before our Taewang ascended the throne. Osodo was among them, a truly lamentable situation. Time was needed to stabilize Goryeo's internal affairs."
The Tang envoys had assumed Goryeo and Tang had become enemies because of Osodo, so deceiving them was not difficult.
"You mean it wasn't your people who sent Osodo five years ago to attack Tang with the Khitan?"
"We are not foolish enough to grant envoy status to someone worthy of being executed on the spot."
"Zhu Zhenchong! Did you launch a campaign against the Khitan without verifying the facts?"
"On the contrary, the Khitan were our long-time adversaries. By defeating their remnants and expanding our territory, our Taewang instructed us to express gratitude to Your Majesty."
"Guh!"
At Dae Wi-hae's words, Shizong clutched the back of his head, frowning as if on the verge of fainting. He could not understand the story but realized that Goryeo had no intention of attacking Tang.
The Tang court, upon hearing Goryeo's explanation, was thrown into disarray. Because of Zhu Zhenchong, Tang had pushed back the Khitan, leaving Goryeo's borders stable—entirely by accident.
Zhu Zhenchong, already under house arrest, suffered an even greater political blow.
Without a general like Zhu Zhenchong, Shizong might have already eliminated him, but hearing the Goryeo envoy's words, Shizong's anger only grew. Yet he could not hold Goryeo responsible, since the Khitan campaign had been Tang's decision. In fact, it was now a situation where Goryeo should be treated as an ally.
"Our Taewang wishes to maintain friendly relations with Tang and humbly requests that Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven upholding the world's order, formally invest our Taewang as King of Goryeo, recognizing the kingdom as the successor state of old Goryeo."
Eventually, Shizong and the Tang court, though gritting their teeth in reluctance, restored friendly relations with Goryeo, recognized the nation's new name, and invested Dae In-seon as King of Goryeo.
This arrangement was mutually beneficial.
Tang, though no longer at its former strength, could still assert world order by investing a vassal king. Dae In-seon was recognized as King of Goryeo, and Goryeo was acknowledged as the legitimate successor to Goguryeo. A former enemy now officially recognized Goryeo.
Most importantly, Goryeo avoided the humiliation of Osodo's past deception. Only Osodo himself wept in secret, now an international swindler.
One night, Dae In-seon felt a strange energy and opened his eyes, scanning the dark room. Something squirmed in the shadows.
"Ah, Queen? What are you doing here?"
To his shock, Sul Yul-pyeong lay beside him, half-dressed in her sleep garments, provocatively close.
"Are you not fully awake? Isn't it natural for a wife to sleep beside her husband?"
"…The atmosphere feels somewhat different."
Dae In-seon could not comprehend why Sul Yul-pyeong behaved this way. Her openly seductive demeanor, half undressed, seemed far too forward for women of this era. Perhaps Khitan women were simply like this.
Being a man, Dae In-seon could not help but respond to her allure.
"My father and the old king said, in case the Taewang falls in war, that we must have heirs quickly."
"…Are these men truly my father-in-law and king?"
Dae In-seon, who personally led his troops into battle, understood the royal family's concerns even if he survived every campaign. Sul Yul-pago, Dae Hyeon-seok, and other royals were naturally worried as well.
"Just a jest. But the request to produce an heir is genuine. Do not take it too harshly. Or, Your Majesty… could it be that you prefer men? I hear that a Tang technician named Choi Dong-soon has designs on Your Majesty's body…"
"…"
Dae In-seon bristled at Sul Yul-pyeong's teasing. Though he did not know how she heard the story, it seemed rumors of the Taewang's supposed preference were spreading quietly in the palace.
'At least, unlike the Joseon era, there are no voyeuristic maids observing or scolding me. I never imagined I'd engage in such acts at this age.'
Ignoring the voice he had heard moments earlier, he pulled Sul Yul-pyeong into his arms as she flirted provocatively.
"There's no escaping if you provoke me like that."
Using knowledge from 21st-century South Korean, Japanese, and Western visual media, he continued to explore Sul Yul-pyeong's body until dawn.
From that day, the young women of the palace blushed whenever Dae In-seon passed by.
While Dae In-seon worked to strengthen the royal family, international relations shifted significantly. Tang recognized and invested Dae In-seon as King of Goryeo. This news quickly reached Silla via Goryeo's envoys, and even reached the ears of Gwan of Later Baekje, who was furious.
"Your nation's recognition as the new Goryeo brings joy to our Shin state and me. Our Shin state also acknowledges your kingdom, and we hope that the friendship between our nations will be eternal. As the eldest among the Three Hans, we also hope you help maintain the state's fortune."
The Silla queen wrote directly to Dae In-seon, while Gwan of Later Baekje raged at the development. Goryeo's sudden emergence in this chaotic era displeased him, made worse by Tang and Silla's recognition of Goryeo as the senior brother. Among the Three Hans, only Later Baekje was isolated.
"Your Majesty! You must also secure recognition from Tang as King of Baekje!"
"Indeed! We cannot allow only Baekje to remain without legitimacy!"
Although not yet in crisis, Baekje faced difficulties. With borders abutting both Goryeo and Silla, Silla now provoked them with imported weapons from Goryeo. While Silla's army could easily be defeated, engaging in full-scale war risked Goryeo's intervention.
Currently, Goryeo was allied with Silla but stationed troops only in Silla's territory, avoiding direct attacks on Baekje. In other words, Goryeo would remain passive unless Baekje struck first.
For Gwan, raising Baekje to avenge King Uija was a burning frustration, further inflamed by Silla's cunning moves.
"Those Silla scoundrels… they once kowtowed to Tang and invited So Jeongbang, yet now their queen dances for the Malgal king, seeking help again! Such vile Silla dogs!"
Baekje faced multiple troubles. Recently, pirates from Silla continuously raided Baekje's coast, striking and disappearing swiftly, making response difficult. Unaware that some pirates were bribed by Goryeo and even escorting Goryeo merchants, Baekje struggled to manage its newly founded state, focused entirely on the Silla threat.
"What of the pirates?"
"We are building warships. Once completed, our navy will set out immediately," assured General Park Yeong-gyu. Yet Gwan remained unconvinced.
Having established Baekje across former Baekje territory, he now aimed to destroy Silla in one swift strike, but Goryeo's interference and the ongoing Silla raids wounded his pride, forged from victories against pirates and local lords.
"Shall I take matters into my own hands?"
"Your Majesty of Greater Baekje, personally fighting pirates? Impossible!"
"Then perhaps we should attack Silla instead. That would immediately recover what we've lost."
Debates arose among his ministers on how Goryeo would respond. Some argued it was a perfect chance to strike while Goryeo's forces were occupied maintaining the country. Others noted Goryeo could always withdraw troops from the north to counter a southern campaign.
When opinions divided, Neunghwan cautiously spoke:
"Your Majesty, can we truly handle Goryeo?"
"What is there to fear from these barbaric savages? Perhaps they raid well, but only briefly!"
Flushed with confidence from victories in Jeolla Province, Gwan dismissed Goryeo entirely, influenced by rumors suggesting Dae In-seon was a Malgal king, seeing him as a mere barbarian.
"Indeed, Your Majesty! The Kaegyeong Songak Command they set up is still unstable! Now is the time to strike Silla!"
"Your Majesty! General Chu Heo-jo will lead the attack against Silla! Please assign troops!"
Amid Baekje's warlike stance against Silla and dismissal of Goryeo, Chu Heo-jo rose as a representative to strike Silla.
With public opinion in Baekje favoring the campaign, Neunghwan also supported attacking Silla.
"Very well. If General Chu Heo-jo is trusted, he will be assigned 10,000 soldiers. Capture Daeya Fortress and break into Silla's heart!"
Thus, before Goryeo fully restored the waterworks of the Five Capitals, Gwan appointed Chu Heo-jo to lead 10,000 troops against Daeya Fortress.
With Baekje's assault on Daeya Fortress, the previously calm balance among the Three Kingdoms began to shift dramatically.