Chapter 360: Wavering and Firmness
Jang Seong-seol was drinking with Park Deok-hwan. This man, who had always been so successful, was now full of sorrow—as if something was weighing on his mind. Ever since the “bleeding stone man” incident, he had been drinking alone almost every night, no longer going out to socialize as he used to, and he didn’t even flirt with her at home anymore.
She was a very clever woman and could see the fear hidden behind his sorrow.
She despised Park Deok-hwan. In her eyes, he was an incompetent fool who had only, by a stroke of luck, been noticed by the villainous “Wo-Kun” (Japanese pirates) and then courted by Master Kim.
If it weren’t for the fact that Master Jo still had a use for him, she would have given him a dose of poison and sent him on his way.
Although Jang Seong-seol was also a slave from a poor background, she was no saint. In Jo Myeong-gwi’s household, she had not been outstanding among the slaves. There were several other maids who were more beautiful than her, and Jo Myeong-gwi did not pay much attention to her. However, at a young age, she had used her wiles, sowed discord, and framed others, relying on her cunning to become Jo Myeong-gwi’s confidante. She had turned the tables on several of the formerly favored maids, making their lives miserable. One maid who had offended her was beaten to death on her master’s orders at her instigation, and another was poisoned by her.
Although her actions were later noticed by her master, Jo Myeong-gwi found her to be a useful tool and often had her do his dirty work.
Jo Myeong-gwi had sent Jang Seong-seol, this “capable general,” to Park Deok-hwan’s side, ostensibly to win him over, but secretly to monitor him. There was also a second purpose: to “turn him in his sleep” when necessary.
According to Master Kim’s plan, they would first use the “bleeding stone man” to disturb the people’s hearts, then commit arson in and out of the city in the next few days to increase the atmosphere of terror, and finally, they would coordinate with the government army and launch an island-wide uprising.
At that time, a person like Park Deok-hwan would be the best inside man.
However, this person’s courage was limited, and they couldn’t count on him to cut down the city gates or assassinate high-ranking “Wo-Kun” officials. But it was still possible to use him to win over and turn other Koreans who had surrendered to the “Wo-Kun.”
Seeing his recent low spirits, Jang Seong-seol had been probing him and had roughly figured out that he was very concerned about the “bleeding stone man” incident. Moreover, the “Wo-Kun” had recently shown a lack of trust in him. There were even rumors that Chief Feng, who had always valued him highly, was preparing to conduct a full audit of his accounts as “Supervisor of Bows and Arrows.”
Jang Seong-seol believed that these things combined had already begun to shake him—the time for a “bedroom rebellion” had come. She poured wine for Jo Myeong-gwi while she schemed.
“Master, why are you drinking alone?” she asked with feigned coquettishness, leaning against him.
Park Deok-hwan said with little interest, “What else is there to do but drink alone?”
“Master, why haven’t you been to the brothel for some fun recently?” Jang Seong-seol said. “The sisters are all thinking of you, Master.”
“What, you want me to go to the brothel?” Park Deok-hwan asked, somewhat tipsy.
“How would I dare to meddle in Master’s affairs? I know that Master doesn’t go to the brothel for the women, but to talk business with the other masters.”
“I have to keep a low profile now. I’ve been seeing Master Hwang and Master Jo too often… the Chiefs don’t seem to like it…” Park Deok-hwan said with a drunken hiccup. “It’s so hard to be a person! I go to the brothel to socialize with them for the sake of doing business for the Chiefs.”
“Yes, without Master’s efforts, how could the bows and arrows and specialty products of this island be sold?” Jang Seong-seol quietly began her first provocation. “And the grain that was bought, it solved the food problem for so many people on this island… This is all thanks to you, Master.”
Hearing this, Park Deok-hwan felt even more resentful. People always exaggerate their own contributions and abilities and ignore the role of others, especially when they are a little “high” from drinking. Provoked by her, his grievances immediately overflowed. He sighed and said:
“I’ve thought about it. My power is too great, Master. Those people are jealous. They’re all saying things behind my back to the Chiefs! Kim Yong-ju, that low-life bastard!”
Jang Seong-seol knew he was very dissatisfied with the recent rise in status of Kim Yong-ju and his daughter, so she deliberately pretended to be afraid. “Master, be careful what you say! Captain Kim is now a favorite of the Chiefs. Even his daughter and son are very arrogant…”
“Bullshit!” Park Deok-hwan became even more dissatisfied. Recently, Feng Zongze and the others had indeed often summoned Kim Yong-ju and his daughter for private meetings. “A family of lowlifes!” As if unable to vent his dissatisfaction, he tilted his head back and drank another cup.
“The Kim Yong-ju family is not a big deal. What can a family of baekjeong do? I’m just afraid of the Chiefs…” she said, deliberately stopping her sentence with a worried look to draw out Park Deok-hwan’s words.
Sure enough, Park Deok-hwan asked, “Afraid of what from the Chiefs?”
“I was just saying, about the recent bleeding stone man incident…”
Park Deok-hwan waved his hand. “Don’t be afraid. This is all the work of the enemy. Don’t believe the rumors.” But his words were very weak.
Jang Seong-seol had long seen his inner doubt and fear. She said, “I think that saying someone is secretly making trouble might be true. But in this world, there’s no smoke without fire. Although the Chiefs are very capable, they are outsiders after all, not the legitimate court that has received the mandate of heaven. Think back to the two Japanese invasions. The Japanese pirates were also overwhelmingly powerful, they even captured Pyongyang, but in the end, they were defeated…”
Park Deok-hwan was startled and quickly said, “Don’t talk nonsense! What do you, a woman, know!”
“Yes, I misspoke,” Jang Seong-seol quickly lowered her gaze and poured him wine. “Master, don’t think about these troublesome things. Just enjoy yourself.” She pressed her body tightly against him, knowing that what she had just said had had a great effect. In a few days, after a few more fires were set in and out of the city, he would become a frightened bird, like a rat on a sinking ship, desperately looking for a straw to clutch at…
Just then, a gunshot suddenly rang out from far away, followed by several more. Park Deok-hwan shivered and pushed Jang Seong-seol away, standing up. He listened anxiously to the sounds outside.
“Attention, we have a situation!” Kim O-sun stood up abruptly and shouted.
As soon as she finished speaking, several people appeared at the door. Kim O-sun immediately shouted, “Who are you?!”
These people were all dressed as locals, with white scarves wrapped around their heads, holding knives and clubs.
They were taken aback by the woman shouting at them from inside the house. Kim O-sun saw that they were all holding clubs, and some had knives. She knew they were up to no good and shouted, “Bad guys!” She drew her machete and charged forward. Kim Yuk-sun also drew his machete and rushed forward, slashing at the man in front. Another man rushed in from the side and pushed him hard, knocking him to the ground and disarming him. He immediately jumped up and started fighting with a stool.
Kim O-sun cut down the first bandit with one slash. Just as she was about to jump on the bandit who was rolling on the ground in pain and finish him off, another bandit rushed in, knocked away her machete with a club, and knocked her to the ground. She lunged forward and bit the other’s calf hard. The bandit screamed in pain. His accomplice nearby quickly drew a small knife and stabbed her in the arm. Just then, Kim Yuk-sun had knocked down the bandit he was fighting with and rushed over, swinging the stool and smashing it on the bandit’s head, killing him instantly. At that moment, he was stabbed with a spear and fell into a pool of blood.
Seeing her brother stabbed and fallen, Kim O-sun went berserk, picked up her machete, and charged forward. At this moment, the gunshots outside became more intense. The leader of the bandits quickly shouted, “Light the fire! Light the fire!” At his shout, a bandit climbed in through the window and began to wrap oil-soaked rags and ropes around the iron handwheel and screw.
“They’re going to set a fire!” Kim O-sun screamed. She had heard from her brother that this sluice gate was very important to the horse farm. She ignored the bandits and rushed forward to pull off the rags. Just then, someone viciously slashed her from behind. Kim O-sun fell, bleeding profusely.
The gunshots outside were intense, and the screams and cries of the “righteous army” could be heard from time to time. The few men attacking the sluice gate had thought it would be easy to deal with a half-grown boy and set a fire. They hadn’t expected to suffer casualties. Seeing that the situation outside was not good, the leader quickly threw a firebrand onto the rags, threw a few more torches into the house, and fled in a hurry.
Kim O-sun had been stabbed several times and had fainted. Now, the thick smoke woke her up. She looked towards the source of the smoke and saw that the sluice gate was already on fire. She gritted her teeth, rolled with all her might towards the sluice gate, and desperately tore off the burning rags and ropes, throwing them into the channel.
Because of her haste, there were not many rags wrapped around the handwheel and screw. Kim O-sun only relaxed after the last piece of rag was thrown into the channel, and she fainted again…
The three horse farms outside the city were attacked by the “righteous army” at the same time. The gunshots were intense. Many fire arrows were shot towards the horse farms. However, due to the firepower of the Minié rifles, the righteous army began to shoot arrows randomly before they could get into effective range. For a time, the effect was spectacular, but it only ignited some of the grassland and some simple wooden sheds on the periphery. It looked like a huge fire, but in reality, it didn’t cause much damage.
The defenders in the horse farms then launched a charge. The cavalry of the Japanese Public Security Army outflanked them, and the trainees of the transport corps counter-charged with fixed bayonets. Because the number one horse farm was established early and its defenses were more comprehensive, Kim Dae-hae had only committed forty to fifty men here. As soon as the public security army cavalry appeared, they immediately broke and fled in disarray. The cavalry swung their tachi swords and cut them down continuously. The grassland and wooden sheds ignited by the fire arrows actually exposed the figures of the “righteous army,” making them perfect targets for pursuit.
In the end, those with the fastest legs finally ran into the darkness and escaped with their lives.