Chapter 357: Internal and External Coordination

The household registration clerk told him that the owner of this shop was Jo Myeong-gwi. However, Jo Myeong-gwi himself was a slave of Kim Man-il.

This meant that the matter was connected to Kim Man-il in some way.

Liu Fuqing realized this was the breakthrough. According to the case-handling methods of government yamen, once a clue was found, regardless of whether it was reasonable or not, the person would be arrested and tortured to extract a confession. However, Sergeant Liu had learned a brand new way of handling cases in the Political Security General Bureau’s training class. He also knew very well that the Yuanlao liked to “cut the weeds and dig up the roots.” Simply arresting the perpetrator would not satisfy them.

The name Kim Man-il had been ringing in their ears since the first day they landed on Jeju Island. The staff of the Political Security Bureau were the ones who understood the will and thoughts of the Yuanlao most deeply: the Chiefs would not tolerate the existence of any authority at the grassroots level greater than that of the Senate. As the saying goes, “How can one allow others to snore beside one’s couch?” The Great Song Emperor had always been of this tune.

He keenly smelled the various scents behind the 3.15 special case. Not only did he have to “cast a long line to catch a big fish,” but the key was to find the “mastermind behind the scenes.” Although Sergeant Liu had already determined that the mastermind was most likely related to Master Kim, he had already made up his mind that even if there was no connection, he had to create one.

Liu Fuqing instructed someone to summon the leader of his surveillance team.

“Send out all your Korean informants,” Liu Fuqing ordered. “Focus on monitoring the brothels, Jo Myeong-gwi’s home, and his shop. And send someone to tail Jo Myeong-gwi! See who he meets with and find out their backgrounds.”

“Understood!”

Liu Fuqing hesitated for a moment. “Also, send someone to monitor Park Deok-hwan! Find out his routine. And send a message to Lee Man-hee, tell her to find an opportunity to see me!”

“Yes, sir!”

Lee Man-hee had been developed as an informer two months ago. Most of the intelligence about Park Deok-hwan’s feasting and merrymaking in the brothels and his close association with merchants had come from her. Unfortunately, Jo Myeong-gwi, Hwang Wun-u, and the others were very vigilant. They did not allow prostitutes to be present when they discussed business. What they actually talked about was unknown.

Liu Fuqing was an old official who had been rolling in the officialdom for decades. The so-called “business” was nothing more than private dealings, collusion between officials and merchants. Given “Officer Park’s” current position, it was very easy for him to make money through illicit means.

Anti-economic crime and anti-corruption were not the work of the Political Security Bureau—that was the job of the Cheka. Even if they discovered clues, they could only report them to the Cheka for them to handle. However, if economic problems were linked to “hostile forces,” that fell within their jurisdiction.

Liu Fuqing knew that Officer Park’s days were numbered. He lit his water pipe—his only remaining old pleasure—and began to silently contemplate his next move.

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After Jo Myeong-gwi instructed his men to carry out the trick of the bleeding stone man and spread rumors everywhere with Hwang Wun-u’s men, seeing the panic in and out of the city, he knew his trick had worked. He and Hwang Wun-u had divided their tasks. Hwang was specifically responsible for contacting Park Deok-hwan and the Joseon government on the peninsula, while he acted as Master Kim’s liaison.

After the rumors took effect, Jo Myeong-gwi set out early the next morning with two assistants and a few ponies, disguised as if he were going to the countryside to buy bow materials.

Although there were sentries at the gate of Jeju City, they did not register people, and entry and exit were very free. He led his men into the mountains. After walking for more than ten li, he reached a village near the foothills and bought some bow materials. After confirming that no one was following him, he went alone into a nearby mountain gully.

He did not expect that from the moment he left Jeju City, a specially selected Korean “informant” from the Political Security Bureau had been tailing him. The informant was disguised as a mountain woodcutter and followed Jo Myeong-gwi from a distance.

He saw Jo Myeong-gwi turn towards the barren mountain. Under the cover of the trees and weeds, he quietly followed him into the valley.

The valley was flanked by two mountain ridges, casting dark, oppressive shadows. The “informant” was very familiar with the environment here and followed him closely like a hunter tracking a wild beast. The valley was long and became narrower as they went on. In some places, there was only a sliver of sky, and the terrain was rugged. If the informant himself had not been a mountain man, he would not have been able to keep up with Jo Myeong-gwi, who was familiar with the terrain and roads.

He followed Jo Myeong-gwi for nearly half a shichen (one hour) without a break, passing through the valley and arriving at a small village.

There were only seven or eight households in the village. The “informant” was very familiar with the situation in this area and knew that this was a pastoral village belonging to a certain landlord. The villagers were all the landlord’s herdsmen-slaves and tenant farmers. They were all out working now, so there should be no one in the village except for the elderly and children.

After entering the village, Jo Myeong-gwi went directly to a better house at the west end of the village. The “informant” knew that this kind of house was mostly inhabited by people like “foremen.” It was inconvenient for him to follow him into the village, so he monitored him from a small hill to the west of the village.

The north wind was blowing hard, and the bushes were constantly swaying. The informant huddled down, waiting for Jo Myeong-gwi to come out.

Jo Myeong-gwi entered the house. Although this village was not Master Kim’s property, the landlord had always been on good terms with Master Kim. The relationship was quite good. Therefore, he had chosen this place as a contact point.

This place, which seemed to be deep in the mountains, was actually not far from Jeju City. Because the terrain was rugged, ordinary people would not come here—most locals didn’t even know this village existed. It was a naturally suitable place for hiding.

Waiting for him in the house was not the foreman of this place, but another slave, also one of Master Kim’s confidants, named Kim Dae-hae.

Kim Dae-hae was from Hamgyong Province in the north and was a baekjeong (low-caste commoner). He was big and strong, a former mountain bandit. After being captured, he was exiled to Jeju Island as a government slave. Because of his outstanding martial strength, he was noticed by Master Kim and became his private slave.

He had been waiting for Jo Myeong-gwi here for two days. He was an impatient man, and waiting for two days without leaving the house had made him very irritable. If not for Master Kim’s strict orders to wait for Jo Myeong-gwi to bring back definite news, he would have gone back long ago.

Seeing Jo Myeong-gwi enter, he said impatiently, “What took you so long?”

“The master’s business is not easy to handle. I had to sneak out when no one was paying attention…”

“To hell with you!” Kim Dae-hae sneered. “You spineless creature, I bet you were enjoying good food and women in the city and delayed everything! It’s just a few hundred Japanese pirates, what’s the big deal?”

Kim Dae-hae had always been envious and resentful of Jo Myeong-gwi: living like a lord in the bustling city of Jeju, being served, eating and drinking as he pleased, and even having the women of the brothels to play with. Although he was a figure of some importance in Master Kim’s fortress, in terms of enjoyment, he only had a good house to live in and wine and meat at every meal. He could play with the lower-class maids as he pleased. But although these girls had to lie down when he told them to and strip naked when he told them to, they were all like dead fish, letting him vent his frustrations without even a whimper. They were nothing like the charming and flirtatious prostitutes in the city’s brothels.

Seeing his arrogant words, Jo Myeong-gwi felt great contempt for him. This coarse fellow! He sat down by the fire pit without showing any emotion and said, “You make it sound so easy! Even a few hundred Japanese pirates are enough to give us a hard time.”

“Spit it out,” Kim Dae-hae waved his hand impatiently. “The master is waiting for me to report back.”

“Is there anything to eat? I’m hungry.” Jo Myeong-gwi had been walking for a long time and his stomach was empty. He wanted to put on an act in front of this coarse fellow.

Kim Dae-hae had no choice but to order someone to bring food and wine. There was nothing good to eat in this desolate place, just local wine and game from hunting.

The two ate and drank while discussing business.

Jo Myeong-gwi recounted the current situation in the city in detail, specifically mentioning that his “bleeding stone man” trick and the rumors he had spread had been very effective. Now there was panic in the city, and even the men of the White Horse Battalion were showing signs of wavering.

“…And then?” Kim Dae-hae pressed.

“And then? Then it’s up to you,” Jo Myeong-gwi said.

“We don’t know when the government troops will arrive. Isn’t it suicide to mobilize the righteous army now?”

“You don’t know shit!” Jo Myeong-gwi spat out a piece of pheasant bone. “That’s not what I’m talking about! The city is in a panic now. We need to add more fuel to the fire to make them even more chaotic. Otherwise, after a few days, everyone will see that nothing has happened, and all my previous efforts will be wasted, won’t they?”

Kim Dae-hae thought about it and realized it was true. He nodded and asked, “What do you plan to do?”

“Go back and report to the master. Tell him to send some men to cause some trouble in and out of Jeju City recently. Burn a few houses, kill a few ‘Wo-Kun,’ and kill a few of Kim Yong-ju’s men who are helping the ‘Wo-Kun’ to make an example of them…”

“What’s the big deal? You can do such small things yourselves in the city. Why bother the master!” Kim Dae-hae said dismissively. In his view, these were all trivial matters that didn’t require him to lead men to do.

“Bullshit,” Jo Myeong-gwi sneered. “You make it sound so easy! Do you think the ‘Wo-Kun’ are vegetarians? They are all very cunning, and their defenses are tight. If we rely on just a few of us in the city, it will take a hundred years! The master feeds you well every day. Now that it’s time for real action, you’re getting soft?”

Kim Dae-hae was a coarse fellow. Provoked by his words, he became angry and said boastfully, “Don’t worry. As long as the master gives the order, we’ll do whatever he says, no questions asked! Killing a few ‘Wo-Kun’ is as easy as taking something from your pocket! If nothing else, with my skill in archery, I guarantee that for every ‘Wo-Kun’ that comes, one will die…”

He boasted, but Jo Myeong-gwi interrupted him. “Stop boasting. Hurry back and report to the master! The matter is urgent. Send someone with a definite message to the city tomorrow!”

“Done!” Kim Dae-hae nodded. “Still to the brothel?”

“No, the brothel is too crowded and conspicuous. I’m afraid the ‘Wo-Kun’ have already noticed it. Send someone with some dried beef jerky or something to my shop. He paused and added, “Bring a verbal message!”