The Khan's Reply
詔曰(조왈):
The foundation of all under Heaven lies in order,
天下之本在於秩序,
and the foundation of order lies in blood relations.
秩序之本在於血緣.
Blood relations are bound by blood,
血緣以血相繫,
yet they must never be severed again by blood.
不可復以血而斷也.
Though Liaoyang and Shen Prefecture were lost,
遼陽與瀋州雖失,
the Empire did not waver;
帝國未嘗動搖;
but when it came to Hwajou,
及至和州
kinsmen turned their blades upon one another.
骨肉執刃相向,
How could the heart of the Great Khan be at peace?
朕心安得而寧哉
Gecheol is the elder brother of the Empress,
奇轍者,皇后之兄也;
and Borjigin Botaširi is my niece.
孛兒只斤 寶塔實里者 朕之姪也
Both share the blood of the Empire;
二人同承帝國之血,
yet one abused power and threw the imperial order into chaos,
其一恃權而亂國紀
while the other, by righteousness, restored that order.
其一以義而正秩序.
The Princess has said:
公主言曰:
"Because Gecheol raised troops in rebellion,
「奇轍舉兵反叛,
armed conflict was unavoidable."
故戰事勢所必然."
These words are not false,
其言非虛
and her merit is indeed great.
其功甚重.
Thus the Great Khan decrees as follows:
是以大汗命曰:
First
Gecheol has committed the crime of rebellion,
其一. 奇轍犯反義之罪
yet his guilt shall not be extended to the entire household of high officials.
然其罪不及於大官之家.
In order to preserve the dignity of the Empress,
為存皇后之顏面,
his life shall be spared;
不加誅戮
his name shall be struck from the state registers and he shall be summoned to Beiping,
削其名籍,召還北平
and henceforth he shall never again take part in imperial military or civil affairs.
永不得預軍政與朝務
Second
The troops of the Ssangseong Regional Command
其二. 雙城摠管府兵馬
have already violated the Great Khan's command;
既違朕命,
therefore that land shall no longer remain under direct imperial jurisdiction.
其地不復屬帝國直轄
The territory of Ssangseong is hereby entrusted to the King of Goryeo.
今以雙城之地,委付高麗王.
However, its taxes shall be delivered to the imperial treasury for three years;
然其稅賦,三年之內,仍輸帝國府庫
after that term, it shall be incorporated fully into the territory of Goryeo.
期滿之後,歸為高麗境內.
Third
Borjigin Botaširi,
其三. 孛兒只斤 寶塔實里
as one of imperial blood who has acted with loyalty and righteousness,
以帝國血統而行忠義,
shall have her name restored to the imperial rolls,
其名復錄於帝國名簿,
and her merit shall be recorded as the "Merit of Harmonization."
其功記曰 和化之功.
This is the merit of halting weapons and bringing arms to rest,
此乃止兵息刃之功,
of reclaiming spilled blood and restoring the boundaries of the Empire.
收血歸疆之義也.
詔曰:
"Do not disturb the Empire through victory;
毋以勝利亂帝國,
govern all under Heaven through peace."
當以和平治天下.
Those who uphold this decree shall find peace;
奉此詔者安,
those who defy it shall bring ruin upon themselves.
違此詔者自取滅亡.
Seventh year of Yuántǒng, eleventh month
元統七年 十一月
By the hand of the Great Khan
大汗書
The Road Home 귀로 歸路
The fires of Ssangseong were fully extinguished.
Yet the Signal Guard could not depart at once.
The scars of battle ran deep, and it was not only the walls that had fallen.
Someone had to restore the administration and defenses of the Ssangseong Regional Command, and to deal with the Yuan remnants still lingering.
The army split in two.
Yi In-jung would lead the main force back to Gaegyeong.
He took charge of the homeward logistics and the report of the campaign.
When the Grand Princess of Noguk declared her intent to present the full account to the king in person, he assumed the duty of escort as well.
"There are many stragglers left around Hwajou."
At Park Seong-jin's words, Yi In-jung lowered his gaze to the map for a moment.
He nodded, then gave his order.
"Remain here with Nangjang Jonghui (宗熙).
Ssangseong will be entrusted to you for the time being."
Jonghui was a commander born in Hwajou.
He knew the horses of this land and its customs, and was practiced in dealing with Yuan holdouts.
Park Seong-jin and Nangjang Jonghui knelt together to receive the command.
"We shall obey."
That evening, the blue banner of the Signal Guard and the black banner of the main force fluttered toward different horizons.
One remained to the east, upon the battlements of Hwajou.
The other turned south, toward Gaegyeong.
For a moment the soldiers' eyes met.
Men who had shed blood together now set out on separate roads.
Some nodded in silence.
Others gripped their reins without turning back.
At dawn, the procession of the Grand Princess set out.
She sat upright upon her horse, composed.
Yi In-jung rode at her side.
It was the retinue of a queen, yet the aftertaste of war still clung to it.
Fatigue lingered on the soldiers' faces, and tension rode in the horses' breath.
The road back was long.
The winter air cut sharp.
Burned-out watchposts and collapsed villages appeared one after another.
Between charred pillars and half-fallen walls, traces remained that no one had yet cleared away.
From her saddle, the Grand Princess looked upon the ashes and murmured softly,
"This road… is the road we have taken back."
Yi In-jung bowed his head.
"Yes. His Majesty will rejoice."
"Will he?"
She turned her horse slowly, gazing toward the hazy mountain range in the distance.
"This road leads toward the Empire—and at the same time, away from it."
Yi In-jung could not lift his head.
He understood the weight of her bloodline and her choice.
It was why unburied blades and blood caught his eye before the fields of victory.
Slowing the pace of the column, he gave an order to the troops.
"Close ranks around Her Highness."
The wind rose, scattering the horses' manes.
At that moment, a single beacon flared slowly from the direction of Hwajou—a sign that the remnants had not yet vanished.
Yi In-jung watched the light for a while, then said quietly,
"All that remains now… is His Majesty's judgment."
The Grand Princess did not answer.
Her eyes were fixed on the far southern sky, in the heart of a continent where the smell of blood had not yet fully faded.
The road home was not finished.
The war had ceased.
The choosing had only just begun.