"So… what is it that Your Majesty of Goryeo wishes to discuss with me, the Queen?"
"To suppress the remnants of Baekje, would it not be best to speak candidly with Silla?"
Choi Chi-won asked sharply, and when she answered reluctantly, he furrowed his brow slightly but bowed his head. Even with lingering hostility, the other party was the King of Goryeo. As a Silla official, he was obliged to show proper courtesy.
In this meeting, Choi Chi-won held more authority than the queen. The queen knew little of the war or the current state of affairs.
"Regarding that matter, my Silla can provide at most twenty thousand troops. How about Goryeo?"
"Excluding the forces stationed along the Baekje border, I have about fifty thousand. I intend to gradually press Baekje and encircle its territory. Can Silla lend its forces?"
"If Your Majesty requires even twenty thousand, my queen will provide them."
Though Silla's army numbered twenty thousand, most were conscripts, with only a few thousand truly effective soldiers. Choi Chi-won understood Da In-seon's request as a gesture of goodwill and indicated Silla's support. Observing this, it became clear to him that he was the actual power behind the queen.
"Hah… with the queen beside me, can a minister speak so freely? Very well. Your thoughts, Your Majesty?"
"First, I wish to know whether Your Majesty intends to annex Silla after punishing Baekje. Though I am a failed monarch who has ruined my country, I cannot allow a thousand-year kingdom to fall."
Queen Jinseong bit her lower lip nervously.
Silla and Goryeo officials were present in the hall. This was a test of capability under the gaze of many. They could not view her favorably, as most of the Gaegyeong officials were formerly Silla aristocrats.
To break the tension, Da In-seon spoke first.
"I do wish to unify the Three Hans, yes. But that need not be by force… If you wish to preserve your kingdom, I shall allow it."
"Do you speak truly? I had heard Your Majesty proclaimed the unification of the Three Hans."
It was not false, but Silla had unified the Three Kingdoms with foreign assistance. Its legacy could not be dismissed. Even in decline, it retained influence. To destroy Silla by force would require justification, which Da In-seon had no need for—and Silla was already under Goryeo's sway. There was no rush.
"That I do not deny. But I have no desire to press the Three Hans—Silla included—into submission by force. Baekje may be a rogue state, but Silla is not. After the war, if you wish, I shall withdraw my forces and leave you independent. By then, both our kingdoms will enjoy peace, and Goryeo's support will no longer be necessary."
"Truly?"
"If you do not oppose me, why attack? Are we not of the same people?"
The king truly speaks so, but Silla's legacy is barely maintained. Even the nobles of Seorabeol now wish to serve Goryeo.
Da In-seon, ruling a Goryeo heavily influenced by the Jurchens, emphasized ethnic unity and declared he would not attack Silla.
Choi Chi-won could not fully trust the words but had no alternative. Even if Da In-seon turned back and executed the queen, they could not resist. The only option was compliance. Appeasing him was the only way to protect Silla.
"Your words are trusted."
"Good. Then Silla's army should defend its own territory, centered around Daeya Fortress."
"So, you wish for Silla to serve as a shield?"
It sounded like they were to be human shields, and Queen Jinseong frowned slightly.
Though accustomed to political play, she disliked her lands becoming a battlefield between Goryeo and Baekje.
"Unless Geon-hun is a fool, he will not act rashly this time. I have eighty thousand troops stationed around Gaegyeong and Songak. To attack Silla? Madness. Baekje will move north to threaten us. Silla's role is defense alone. From now on, Silla is out of this war; it is a queen's war."
"Then if peace is maintained by abstaining from the war, it is welcome. But does this require summoning a sovereign?"
When Queen Jinseong hesitated, Choi Chi-won intervened. Da In-seon gave his signature sly smile. Its meaning was known to Queen Sul-yul-pyeong, the generals, and the officials—enough to make them sweat.
That smile heralded a new strategy. Because of it, the Heuksu Malgal, Khitans, and Wang Ryung were crushed mercilessly. Whether it meant Silla's destruction or Later Baekje's, none could tell. But it was certain: Da In-seon now held the Three Hans in his palm and played with them at will.
Through naturalization policies, he had expanded the population. He no longer intended to occupy Baekje with minimal damage. From now on, he would push Baekje aggressively.
"Very well. Queen, remain in Gaegyeong for some time."
"Do you intend to hold a sovereign hostage?"
"Of course not. You may leave if you wish, but… Choi Chi-won, tell me—what was Geon-hun's pretext for founding Baekje?"
"Was it not the revenge for King Uija?"
Geon-hun's pretext was simple.
Like in real history, he had rallied support in former Baekje territories by invoking King Uija's vengeance, winning the people's favor to establish Later Baekje. Though the Three Kingdoms had unified, many in the old Baekje lands remembered the humiliation inflicted by Kim Chun-chu. Geon-hun secured their loyalty and founded a new Baekje.
Indeed, a plausible pretext—but trivial to Da In-seon.
"Exactly. And now he aims at Silla."
"Earlier, Your Majesty said he targets Goryeo?"
"That depends. Militarily, Baekje aims at Goryeo, but it cannot ignore the justification for its own survival. Its priority is to strike Silla, the enemy of Baekje's founder. This legitimizes his claim. He may not destroy Silla entirely, but could strike Seorabeol."
Though Goryeo had troops stationed, Geon-hun and his army could reach Seorabeol if he so chose. Even with the Eight Banners positioned, resistance against Baekje's full force had limits.
"Is that why Your Majesty must remain in Gaegyeong?"
"The incident where King Muyeol instructed King Uija to serve wine and humiliated him before So Jeong-bang is known to Silla. There is no guarantee Geon-hun would refrain."
"You mean, by threatening Silla, he intends to insult Your Majesty?"
Da In-seon nodded slightly.
In real history, Geon-hun killed Silla kings and violated their queens. Though he subjugated Silla, the people despised him. Similarly, leaving Silla unchecked could lead to Goryeo following the historical pattern—but only if Silla were thoroughly defeated and pitied, like Wang Geon at the Battle of Gongsan.
Deliberately losing a winnable war was unsatisfying.
"Your Majesty, even if our Eight Banners defend, if they set their mind on Seorabeol, it is beyond us. The battlefield would be Silla. How much blood would flow?"
"So, you intend to protect Your Majesty here in Gaegyeong, diverting Baekje's focus entirely onto Goryeo?"
"Exactly. What is Silla's most valuable asset? The royal family with a thousand-year legacy. You, Queen, bear that blood."
Choi Chi-won frowned but acknowledged reality.
He initially scowled but soon realized resistance was futile. With a deep sigh, he turned his attention to the queen.
Queen Jinseong seemed to harden her resolve.
"If I remain in Gaegyeong, will Silla's people be spared from harm?"
"They will be. Were I Geon-hun, I would aim to destroy Gaegyeong, where both the King of Goryeo and Silla's queen reside. Capture Gaegyeong, and the central point of Goryeo and Silla collapses."
"And Your Majesty's safety?"
"With my army and my forces here, what is there to fear? My queen will also assist me here."
Though still anxious, Queen Jinseong found some reassurance seeing Queen Sul-yul-pyeong beside Da In-seon. A younger foreign queen present in such a critical location suggested trust in Da In-seon's judgment.
Placing Silla's queen in Gaegyeong had been premeditated by Da In-seon.
At present, Later Baekje could not dare provoke Goryeo. Geon-hun intended to crush Silla, not Goryeo. Any attempt against Goryeo would be opportunistic at best.
Why target Silla's decayed kingdom? Ultimately, he aimed to capture the queen, replicating what Kim Chun-chu had done, perhaps even repeating the humiliation of King Gyeongae's queen.
Yet with the queen in Gaegyeong, Silla's lands remained safe, and Baekje's forces would be drawn to Goryeo.
Choi Chi-won remained slightly concerned, but seeing the firearms corps' training, he was confident that Later Baekje could not breach the city.
Still, the queen's choice was paramount. A sovereign taking refuge in a foreign city symbolized how far her country had fallen. Choi Chi-won resigned himself to her decision.
"Choi Yi-chan, I think we should follow His Majesty's plan. Gaegyeong is safer than Seorabeol, is it not?"
"Indeed, Your Majesty."
"Our nation has fallen far. Preserving its legacy must take precedence."
Choi Chi-won had no further objections. He only hoped no misfortune would occur in Seorabeol during the king's absence.
"…We will follow your command."
The queen agreed to remain under Da In-seon's protection.
As Choi Chi-won returned to Seorabeol and Queen Jinseong was escorted by Sul-yul-pyeong, Da In-seon convened the Eight Banner commanders, including the Gaegyeong governor Yang Gil, to devise plans against Baekje.
The commanders were curious—Da In-seon intended to confront Baekje directly, an unexpected strategy.
"Unless they are fools, would they charge eighty thousand troops?"
"Exactly. I will withdraw the army from Gaegyeong and advance south. Aruji will take command. Here, only the queen, my queen, and a few generals remain."
Once again, Da In-seon astonished the Eight Banner commanders, including Eulbu, Aruji, and Park Sul-hee.
This time, he would send all forces out of Gaegyeong, leaving only conscripts from the Songak nobles—far inferior to Goryeo's army.
"What is Your Majesty's intention?" Park Sul-hee asked cautiously.
"If the enemy does not advance, must we not force them to?"
Da In-seon's lips curled in that same sly smile.