It Became a Symbol of the Bronze Age - Chapter 201
Only Ranovel
Episode 201 Flames of War (2)
Peace now?
I chuckled.
“Peace, then you shouldn’t have plundered.”
“We will go to war with you. However, I will never touch your Asadalbang.”
Oh, don’t be a jerk.
Am I the guy? They’re pushing something like the Munich Agreement.
I never believe in promises made in words or on paper. The only promise that can be kept is ‘when people are intertwined with each other.’ Like Qi and Asadal.
I said.
“It’s too late to say that. What was it like 10 years ago? “At that time, you attacked Asadal through Gomgoryeo.”
“that… .”
“Or what about four years ago? At that time, you attacked our ally Sanyung. No, what about two years ago? At that time, you plundered us like crazy. However, you all kept your mouth shut back then, and only came to ask for cooperation now that the Yan Dynasty was in trouble.”
“Couldn’t we still strengthen the friendship between our two countries? “No enemy is permanent.”
“It’s not wrong. However, that statement can be interpreted in two ways. First, the enemy becomes an ally.”
At those words, the Shinigami’s expression brightened somewhat.
I said looking at him.
“Then make my request. Asadal has already gathered his army. Please give me my salary for them.”
“… what?”
“In addition, you should also give us military rations. Hmm, I guess it’s okay to just get this. Qi promised us Shandong. Even if I can’t give you Gyeong, how about giving me the rest of the Liaoxi Corridor, the mountain ranges around Gyeong, and the Ubeipyeong Plain? If so, Asadal will reconsider the war against you.”
In effect, I was saying ‘get out of here’ at length.
At those words, the Shinigami’s face turned red.
“What do you mean? “You know that’s impossible, right?”
“Okay. Then we can’t be allies. Then, we have no choice but to implement the second meaning of the saying that there are no eternal enemies.”
“If it’s the second time… .”
“One thing disappears. forever.”
Hmm, good job taking away the weapon.
If I hadn’t done that, I would have definitely been stabbed.
***
This time, it was Baek Li-hae who was in charge of recruiting soldiers together with Treasurer Varang.
At first, Baek Ri-hae asked, ‘Isn’t Geon-suk better in matters related to talent?’, but Barang said, ‘Geon-suk is better in selecting people, but you are better in bringing in the people you have gathered.’ He entrusted the task to Baek Ri-hae. .
“It’s a call for discharged soldiers.”
The term ‘discharged person’ was very unfamiliar to Baek Ri-hae. In fact, the very idea of all able-bodied adult men gathering together to undergo military training for three years is unfamiliar.
‘… ‘It’s very different from the way the midfielder does.’
The current midfield method is simpler.
The common people are gathered whenever necessary, and there are commanders and chariot soldiers to command them, and elite soldiers such as Gapsa (a class that assists chariot soldiers) or cavalrymen (combat troops. Later, when cavalrymen on horseback appear, cavalrymen and horsemen are identified as cavalrymen). They are trained separately.
It is to separate farmers and soldiers.
But Asadal was different. He conscripted peasants and soldiers without distinguishing between them and trained them for many years.
Baek Li-hae felt that this seemed quite a dangerous method.
‘… What if the grassroots revolt?’
Even without combat skills, the common people become fearsome when their numbers gather together. But, they even have combat skills?
However, Asadal did not seem to care much about that. No, quite the opposite.
Rather, it seemed like he hoped that the fighting power of ordinary citizens would increase.
‘However, the elite soldiers are placed under central management separately. ‘Is this a republic?’
When I first came to Asadal.
Baek Ri-hae understood the republic a bit easily.
Several feudal lords gather together to decide matters.
It was easy to understand because the concept of alliance and alliance existed in the Central Plains as well.
But these days, it can be seen that this is different from the central alliance.
The association is a system centered around a leader. The strongest one becomes the leader.
Maengju is the center of power and military.
But Asadal’s republic is different.
Power was divided into the National Assembly, the President, the National Assembly, and each department, and military power was divided into the conscript army, Gaemamusa, and local defense forces.
‘There are many numbers like 3. It’s a stable number.’
To stand a pot on two legs, their lengths must be the same. But a three-legged pot is different. Even if the length is slightly different, it stands stably.
To Baek Ri-hae, Asadal’s republican system often felt like a three-pot pot. The feeling of not being focused on one thing.
‘Well, it’s still good from my perspective. Especially the part where the person with the greatest ability becomes the leader, rather than the one with the greatest lineage.’
An outstanding person in the central plains is called a queen general.
They are kings, feudal lords, generals, and prime ministers.
Generals and prime ministers may not know this, but kings and feudal lords are almost born with it. It largely depends on ancestry.
In the past, Kang Tai-gong, who founded the Qi Dynasty, was said to have been a fisherman and then became a feudal lord, but that was only a very unusual case.
But this place was different.
If you wish, you can become a governor, equivalent to a feudal lord, and even become a president.
That is, if you accumulate enough achievements.
Of course, it may be easier said than done, but there is a big difference between impossible and difficult.
Therefore, Baek Ri-hae did his best. But this job might be a little difficult.
‘It’s called conscription.’
As Baek Li-hae knows, the center of war is the tank.
However, war cannot be fought with only tanks, armored personnel carriers, and cavalry. We need soldiers to assist with this.
Usually, this is solved by conscripting farmers.
And this conscription is one of the most difficult tasks in any country.
There is even a saying that the most difficult thing in war is not combat, but conscription.
Because most people don’t want to be drafted.
In the Central Plains, conscription was often compared to an ‘operation.’ In fact, there were times when cavalry and chariot soldiers were mobilized.
When I made up my mind and headed to the reception area.
Baek Ri-hae couldn’t believe his eyes.
“… “What is all this?”
“These are the people who responded to this call.”
“They are on their own… “You walked?”
Many soldiers were waiting for their turn. It was more than that.
“How many years have you been doing it?”
“It took 3 months.”
“Wow, there are twelve seasons left. Close your eyes. “What do you see?”
“… “It’s dark, sir.”
“That’s your future.”
They gather together and make fun of new recruits.
“No, from whom did you learn it? “Why does it take so long to load the old bow?”
“that… “If you fire two shots within one minute, you will pass.”
“Wow, the military has really become more comfortable. Back in my day, if you couldn’t fire four shots a minute, you weren’t treated like a human being. Well, have you ever been in a war with Gomgoryeo? “Asadal has been a bit peaceful these days, hasn’t he?”
He even taught something to active-duty soldiers. Looking at his combat skills, he was a talented person who could be put into the military right away without any problems.
But, of course, the most surprising thing is that they responded to the call. Baek Ri-hae asked quietly.
“Hey, who dragged you here?”
“What’s the point of being dragged in? “Did you come on your own?”
… The way he spoke was a bit rude, but I didn’t mind.
“… “Why did you come?”
“You asked me to come?”
There were more answers like ‘You asked me to come?’ rather than saying there was a war with the Yan Dynasty or to protect the country.
Baek Li-hae let out a sigh of relief here.
‘… ‘Has it been embodied?’
Unlike the common people in the central plains who hid in their homes when war broke out, these people gathered on their own when war broke out.
It was just a natural thing for them.
Of course there was a reason.
“There’s a war, what changes if you run away?”
“I’d rather fight!”
“These little guys are also carrying weapons, so can I run away without losing face?”
These words are familiar to many.
There were many people in the central region who said this.
However, they were usually nobles or warriors. Ordinary people never spoke like this.
But Asadal, ordinary citizens said this.
At that point, Baek Ri-hae realized.
Why do feudal lords, nobles, and warriors fight for their country? Because they are politicians.
No matter how big or small, they are the ones who build the country, so they have a sense of responsibility for what happens in the country.
Conversely, the grassroots cannot take responsibility for this. They are not political beings.
Although they admire the monarch, they have no sense of responsibility. Longing is the emotion furthest from understanding.
To the grassroots, the nation is a distant entity.
But what about Asadal? Under the republican system, all citizens of Asadal are, in a way, politicians. Everyone has the right to participate in politics.
Through this, the citizens of Asadal may have gained a sense of responsibility for their country.
To citizens, the country is like one body.
And, how many citizens of Asadal are like this?
Of course, Asadal’s leaders went one step further.
“It is better to die than to live a mean life.”
“Yeah, that’s better. “If you run away and become dishonorable, your family will suffer, right?”
“Well, that’s natural.”
They turned around.
He seemed to seriously think that ‘dying in battle and being the only one killed’ was better than ‘running away and causing damage to the family’.
“They say that sometimes kids in island countries can’t get over the dishonor so they stick knives in their stomachs.”
“Hmm, if I were to be caught by the enemy, I think I would stick a knife in my stomach…” .”
“No, that’s not it. “After he came back fine, he was so embarrassed that he stabbed me.”
“… Why? Does that make anything better?”
… Well, if you listen to this, it seems like the kids in the island country are a little more crazy. Still, at least the people of Asadal did not throw away their lives needlessly.
‘… ‘It was Pungbaek who came up with this system?’
The military is hard work. Moreover, no matter how much Asadal he is, he cannot pay enough salary to everyone who is conscripted, even if he is a professional soldier.
All you can give is the minimum amount.
Even those who earn the least among conscripted soldiers will earn more in society than they earn in the military.
Those who were too poor to do so were not conscripted in the first place, but instead were sent in as volunteers to support the military.
Instead of serving three years of military service, they received the right to vote in return.
So what did Poongbaek give?
We gave the military and soldiers the cheapest price we could give them. Poongbaek, who had experienced military service in the 21st century, knew very well what it was.
-Make prosthetic legs and hands for disabled veterans.
These prosthetic legs and hands have a pattern that distinguishes them from those who were injured while doing other work.
It is shaped like the wind symbolizing Asadal.
Those who wore prosthetic hands and legs with this symbol were treated better than anyone else. They were the first to be invited to any event, and even President Asadal was the first to show respect in front of them.
That’s not all.
-When I heard it, there was a story about a woman who lent her back to an injured soldier and a story about a water delivery man who delivered water without receiving payment. Let’s find them and give them a big reward.
They respected all soldiers. Stories about good things done to soldiers were always considered the best stories. Asadal’s soldiers were respected and synonymous with the most noble and honorable.
Of course, all of these things are so trivial that they can be considered insignificant compared to their hard work.
However, this alone made Asadal’s soldiers proud of themselves, and they were willing to sacrifice their youth and lives for their country.
It’s like buying the most expensive thing at the cheapest price.
‘… stupid guys.’
Baek Li-hae thought so. Asadal’s soldiers are all fools. How can you accept this ridiculous and unfair transaction so deeply?
But still, Baek Ri-hae was happy with these idiots. They were the most noble fools in the world.
Maybe Asadal is a system that is maintained thanks to these idiots. And, within that Asadal, the families of those idiots will be safe and happy.
‘… What would happen if respect for them disappeared within Asadal?’
Baek Li-hae imagined.
The sight of people ignoring soldiers, not respecting their hard work, and coldly telling them that they are not needed.
… At least one thing was certain. Asadal will have to pay a much higher price for his soldiers.
‘Anyway, it’s amazing.’
A convocation is never planned with the expectation that everyone will respond.
Baekrihae was like that too. He set the standard based on approximately 30% of those discharged from military service.
However, in reality, more than 70% responded to the call. Baek Ri-hae, along with Geon-suk, selected those who seemed outstanding among them, organized the remaining personnel into a reserve force, and reported to Barang.
“… “It was more surprising than I expected.”
“I told you, it would be 70%.”
The barang grinned,
“How is Asadal cool?”
At those words, Baek Ri-hae smiled and nodded.
“yes. “It’s wonderful.”
Baek Ri-hae thought that coming to Asadal was a very good choice.
***
Yan Huanhu gathered his army and advanced to Qi.
It’s the opposite of the last battle. At that time, Prince Je Huan attacked Yeon Huan. The offense and defense have changed over the years.
“What about the army of the Yan Dynasty?”
“It’s District 3.”
Gaeseon answered my question.
The command system of the Spring and Autumn Period was divided into military, military, female, graduate, yang, and fifth. There are 5 people, 15 sheep, 60 servants, 600 women, 3,000 residents, and 9,000 soldiers.
The 3rd group means 27,000.
Of course, this only applies to infantry.
“What about chariots and horseback riding?”
“300 chariots and 1,000 horsemen.”
“There are a lot of horsemen.”
A weapon called a chariot usually has 3 people on board, 7 escorts, and about 10 armored personnel carriers to assist it. 300 chariots should be considered approximately 6,000-7,000 men.
“If you include the 3rd Army, chariots, cavalry, various miscellaneous troops, and the reinforcements from the Wei Dynasty that recently joined forces with Yan, the number should be around 50,000.”
“It looks like that guy, Geommo, gave Yeon a lot of money.”
Jianmo is the current monarch of Wei, and he hates Qi. This is because she is Shengang, the sister of Duke Huan of Qi and the eldest of Duke Huan of Qi’s three daughters.
While Mun Gang, who married into the state of Lu, murdered her husband, Seongang, who married into the state of Wei, framed and murdered the crown prince of Wei in order to put her son, Sak, on the throne. At this, Lee Kang, class’s mother, couldn’t overcome her shock and trembled with fear and made her extreme choice.
The person who died at this time was the older brother of the current ruler of Wei, Jianmo. I am literally in a situation where I lost both my mother and older brother because of the people of Qi.
In this way, Seongang succeeded in putting his son Sak on the throne, but less than three years later, he was revolted by Geommo and the throne was taken away.
And in the current situation, Shengang and Gyeongbo have escaped and are in Qi. This was also the reason why Geommo gritted his teeth.
“I can’t help it. “Because we don’t have a good relationship.”
“50,000 in total. “There are so many of them.”
By the time of the Warring States Period, the Central Plains entered the era of total war. Even at a low estimate, the estimated number of people in the Battle of Jangpyeong, which is considered the largest battle, is around 500,000.
However, in fact, such large-scale wars were not common during the Spring and Autumn Period.
The biggest war during the Spring and Autumn Period was the ‘Battle of Chengfu’ between the Chu Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty (Eastern Jin) in 630 BC, where the Jin Dynasty, with a population of 5 million, mobilized 5 armies and 700 chariots. It is estimated at around 100,000.
However, the population of the current Yan Dynasty may be a quarter of that of the Jin Dynasty at that time.
No matter how the Wei Dynasty’s forces were combined, it can only be said that the final selection of 50,000 people was an enormous feat.
“How many soldiers does the State of Qi have?”
“I think the number of Qi is 30,000.”
“30,000.”
Even the Qi Dynasty, which had a population twice that of the Yan Dynasty, had a smaller number of soldiers, only 30,000.
Of course there was a reason. The Yan Dynasty is a good environment for putting all one’s effort into the Qi Dynasty, but there are still many threatening countries around the Qi Dynasty, such as the Lu Dynasty.
Duke Huan of Qi would have had to place the minimum number of troops in the rear to keep them in check.
“The Yan Dynasty is originally adjacent to Shanyong, so there are many people with combat experience. Besides, it probably helped that the situation inside the kite was not good.”
Food prices in the Yan Dynasty soared.
It was better for the people of Yan to join the military. From the family’s point of view, there is at least one less mouth to eat, and from the individual soldier’s point of view, no matter what, when he goes to the military, he gets two meals.
It is natural that many people applied to the military.
“There will be a shortage of military supplies.”
“Since we had to win in a short period of time anyway, I probably thought it would be better to have more soldiers. Moreover, there will be soldiers who are expended.”
“He is an expendable soldier.”
There are two types of siege warfare. A passive siege war that is dragged out slowly with little damage, and an active siege war that ends quickly even if a lot of damage is guaranteed.
Perhaps Yeon Hwan-hu is thinking of the latter.
Many soldiers were selected for him, and these soldiers will be quickly used up on the battlefield.
‘No, it would be more correct to say that it must be consumed quickly.’
I finally asked.
“What is the Yan Dynasty’s military deployment?”
“It’s not clear at the moment, but it appears that 10,000 troops have been deployed in the Liaoxi Corridor.”
“10,000?”
Usually, even half of a siege battle is considered excessive. However, Yeon Hwan-hu kept Asadal’s 10,000 troops in check and deployed an equal number of troops, 10,000 men.
These guys seem to be scared of us.