Chapter 9

Autumn of 1860, Unsan County, North Pyongan Province

Gang-soe arrived in Unsan County on the eighth day after leaving Hanseong. The only person who had accompanied him was Mak-soe, one of the household servants.

Unsan County was a remote mountainous region deep upstream along the Chongchon River. The roads were poor, the marketplace was small, and there were not many people.

Gang-soe first went to the county’s land-brokerage office.

It was a place where land sales were arranged, and an old jungin sitting inside looked Gang-soe up and down.

“Where are you from?”

“I came from Hanseong. I want to buy some of the hills around this area.”

“The hills?”

The old jungin looked puzzled.

“What do you intend to do with rocky hills where you can’t even farm?”

“I need firewood. I do business selling timber in Hanseong.”

The old jungin nodded.

It wasn’t particularly unusual. Timber merchants from Hanseong occasionally came down to the area.

“How much do you need?”

“A lot. Show me everything that’s available.”

Gang-soe spent three days traveling around.

He identified twelve parcels of hillside along the mountain range north of Unsan County. Every one of them was rocky, unsuitable for farming, far from the villages, and without proper roads.

They were pieces of land nobody wanted.

Each parcel could be bought for two or three nyang.

In fact, the jungin even urged Gang-soe to pay a proper price, since the land was so cheap.

Gang-soe bought all twelve parcels.

He received the purchase documents and registered them under his own name.

The night before leaving, Gang-soe spoke to Mak-soe.

“Don’t say a word about this.”

“Yes, older brother.”

“Don’t tell anyone outside the residence. Understand?”

“I understand, older brother.”

Gang-soe tucked the documents deep inside his clothing.

He didn’t understand why His Highness Waneun-gun wanted this land.

But Gang-soe had no complaints.

If His Highness told him to buy it, then he bought it.

Winter of 1860, Hanseong — Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence

Gang-soe returned and handed me the documents.

There were twelve parcels.

I unfolded the documents one by one.

They were all connected along the mountain range north of Unsan County.

“Well done.”

“It cost a total of forty-six nyang.”

“How much money is left?”

“About fifteen nyang.”

I organized the documents and tucked them inside my clothes.

Gang-soe remained standing instead of leaving.

“Why?”

“His Highness Waneun-gun, may I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Is there really gold beneath that land?”

I looked at Gang-soe.

“There are signs that a gold vein runs beneath it. One of the geographical texts from Qing describes the mountains in that area as having the same characteristics as terrain where gold is found. If the government changes and mining is permitted, we will be able to confirm it.”

“Have you personally seen that geographical text, Your Highness?”

“I have.”

Gang-soe nodded.

It was an explanation he could accept.

“You’ve done well. Go get some rest.”

Gang-soe withdrew.

I touched the documents hidden inside my clothes and muttered inwardly.

The Unsan Gold Mine.

One of the largest gold mines in Joseon is now in my hands.

And nobody knows.

Once the government changed, mining permits would be issued.

Until then, all I had to do was hold on to these documents.

Before foreigners discovered the value of this land, I needed to already have my foot firmly planted on it.

Winter of 1860, Around Chilpae Market, Hanseong

Gang-soe entered the back alleys behind Chilpae Market long after sunset.

The boss of the Chilpae gang, Pockmarked Choi, had broad shoulders and thick forearms.

He extorted protection money from the market merchants, controlled the gambling dens, and reached for a club whenever an argument broke out.

There wasn’t a single person in the Chilpae area of Hanseong who didn’t know Pockmarked Choi.

Pockmarked Choi was drinking with three or four of his men when he looked up at Gang-soe.

“What is this bastard?”

Gang-soe said nothing.

“Where did you crawl out from? Do you even know where you are?”

Gang-soe took another step forward.

“Sit down.”

Pockmarked Choi narrowed his eyes.

“What?”

“I said sit down.”

Pockmarked Choi sprang to his feet.

“This bastard! Who do you think—”

Thud!

A heavy sound rang out.

Pockmarked Choi collapsed on the spot.

Gang-soe had grabbed him by the collar with one hand, lifted him up, and slammed him into the floor.

The three or four subordinates charged simultaneously.

Bang! Thud! Crash!

Three men went flying one after another.

Gang-soe’s breathing hadn’t changed in the slightest.

Pockmarked Choi looked up at Gang-soe from the floor, terror filling his eyes.

Gang-soe crouched down and met his gaze.

“Stop harassing the merchants around this market.”

Pockmarked Choi kept his mouth shut.

“I don’t repeat myself twice.”

Gang-soe stood.

“From now on, I manage this area. Will you follow me?”

Pockmarked Choi stared at Gang-soe for a long while before slowly lowering his head.

“Yes.”

Winter of 1860, Around Ihyeon Market, Hanseong

The gang boss around Ihyeon was Hong, a man with a scar across his face.

His organization was larger than the one at Chilpae.

He had more than ten men under him, and there wasn’t an Ihyeon merchant who didn’t watch his back around Hong.

Hong heard about Pockmarked Choi.

The rumor was that some mighty strongman had appeared somewhere in Hanseong and overturned the entire Chilpae underworld in a single night.

Hong gave a faint laugh.

“Bring him to me. I’ll deal with him myself.”

Gang-soe appeared that afternoon.

Hong had already sent out his men and was waiting.

There were six of them, all known for their fighting ability.

The moment Gang-soe entered the alley, all six attacked at once.

Crash!

The sound filled the alley.

It took less than a minute.

All six men were lying on the ground.

Gang-soe calmly straightened his clothes and walked toward Hong.

The smile disappeared from Hong’s face.

Gang-soe stopped in front of him.

“Have you heard about Pockmarked Choi of Chilpae?”

“I have.”

“He’s under me now. You can make the same choice.”

Hong gritted his teeth.

But then he looked at the six men lying on the ground and looked back at Gang-soe.

There was nothing in Gang-soe’s eyes.

No anger.

No excitement.

They were simply the eyes of a man doing his job.

That was what made them even more frightening.

Hong slowly dropped to his knees.

“I’ll follow you.”

Winter of 1860, Hanseong — Outbuilding of Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence

Gang-soe came in and gave his report.

“His Highness Waneun-gun, Chilpae, Ihyeon, and even Baeogae have been brought under control.”

I raised my head.

“Baeogae too?”

“When word spread about what happened at Chilpae and Ihyeon, the people at Baeogae came to us first. They joined without a fight.”

In just fifteen days, he had taken control of the three major marketplaces of Hanseong.

“Did you tell them not to bother the merchants?”

“I made that very clear. Extorting money from them is completely forbidden.”

“Good. But collect information. Rumors circulating through the markets, the movements of merchants from outside the capital, activity at the local government offices. Have everything reported to Gwi-dong.”

Gang-soe nodded.

“What about the hunters?”

Gang-soe’s expression changed slightly.

“There are several former hunters living around Mount Inwang, north of Hanseong. Six or seven of them. They’ve been through all sorts of hardships in the mountains. I approached them under the pretext of trading tiger skins, but they’re very wary.”

“Take your time. There’s no rush.”

“Yes, His Highness Waneun-gun.”

Gang-soe was about to leave when he stopped.

“Your Highness, may I report about the opium trade route?”

I nodded.

“There is a jungin in Uiju who used to work as an interpreter and has traded with Qing merchants for a long time. Apparently, he has experience handling goods outside official trade as well. Gwi-dong found out about him.”

“Have you contacted him directly?”

“No. We have only been investigating him.”

“Good. Don’t make a move yet. Just find out his name and where he lives.”

Gang-soe nodded.

I thought for a moment before continuing.

“One more thing.”

Gang-soe stopped again.

“Ask that former interpreter where the closest Japanese port to Joseon is. Whether it’s around Tsushima or Busan. Find out what the trade routes look like as well.”

“Yes, Your Highness Waneun-gun.”

Gang-soe withdrew.

I called Gak-sim immediately after Gang-soe left.

“Gak-sim.”

“Yes, His Highness Waneun-gun.”

“Find out whether there are any abandoned buildings or vacant plots of land outside the Four Great Gates of Hanseong that don’t attract much attention. Something large enough to house perhaps ten or twenty children will be sufficient.”

Gak-sim narrowed her eyes.

“Children?”

“Orphans. Children who have been sleeping on the streets without parents.”

“What are you planning to do with those children?”

“I’ll raise them.”

Gak-sim remained silent for a moment.

“The place must be outside the Four Great Gates. It needs to be somewhere that doesn’t attract attention and that the local authorities don’t know about. Understand?”

“Yes, His Highness Waneun-gun. Which direction would be best?”

“Outside Sungnyemun to the south, or outside Heunginjimun to the east. Somewhere with sparse settlements and plenty of empty space.”

“When should I find it by?”

“Within ten days.”

Gak-sim nodded and was about to leave when she stopped.

“Your Highness, may I ask you one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“When you say you’re going to raise the orphans, do you really mean that you’re simply going to raise them?”

I looked at Gak-sim.

She had been with me for a long time, so she was perceptive.

“Find the place first. The rest comes afterward.”

Gak-sim asked no more questions and withdrew.

I needed children who would grow up from the very beginning as my people.

I needed blades whose existence was known only to their lord.

Kim Ja-geun, leader of the Haedong Kim clan, had survived for decades and would surely have cultivated his own network of hands and feet.

I still didn’t know how deeply those hands and feet were embedded throughout Joseon’s society.

If Gang-soe was my strength,

and Gwi-dong was my eyes and ears,

then the children I raised from now on had to be something different.

They would be blades without names or affiliations, able to move without drawing attention.

The moment when I needed those blades would inevitably come.

There were still three years.

Gwi-dong entered shortly afterward.

“His Highness Waneun-gun, the Haedong Kim clan is making a move.”

“Tell me.”

“Minister Kim Ja-geun’s trusted men have been loitering around the residence more often. Their numbers have increased too. There used to be one. Now there are two.”

It was what I expected.

“Where are they gathering their information?”

“One of them lives at a tavern outside the residence wall. It’s a place the household servants frequent. Apparently, he buys them drinks and asks them various questions.”

“Tell the servants at the residence to watch their tongues. Tell Gak-sim.”

Gwi-dong nodded, then narrowed his eyes.

“And distinguish between what we show those spies and what we hide. If we hide everything, they’ll become suspicious. Let some information slip.”

Gwi-dong’s eyes lit up.

“What should we let them hear?”

“Let them hear that His Highness Waneun-gun likes reading.”

Gwi-dong grinned and withdrew.