My eyes opened.
As an oval-shaped space unfolded and objects appeared blurred,
I flailed my arms wildly, almost screaming.
It was the terror of the earth collapsing inside the Ji'an tomb.
But my hands grasped nothing.
"The royal prince has regained consciousness."
"…?"
Though it was a phrase I had never heard before, it registered clearly in my ears.
Perhaps a Goguryeo dialect?
Even stranger was the fact that I could understand it, despite it being different from modern Korean.
What did they say?
Startled, I widened my eyes.
And then I fell silent at the sight before me.
I was lying on a bed draped in silk and gold bedding, and the interior of the room came into view.
An ordinary person might not notice, but a late-forties archaeologist would never mistake an ancient house structure.
The layout—with rooms arranged within rooms—was unmistakably Goguryeo style.
"Ugh!"
Before I could gather myself, a shock surged through me.
Memories that were not my own flooded my cerebrum and cerebellum like a bursting dam.
"I'm… Gyesu?!"
It was absurd.
Possession—something that should be impossible?
For a long while, I stood frozen like an ice statue.
I died… and crossed 1,800 years to become Gyesu. Is this real?
Panic clawed at my mind.
Having achieved so much in the modern world, it felt like a tremendous loss.
The only vaguely comforting thing was that I had become young again.
Still unwilling to accept reality, I tried to fall back asleep.
That was when I heard the palace maids whispering.
"It's a relief that the royal prince has come to."
"He was injured because the queen caused trouble, wasn't he?"
"Watch your mouth."
"Am I wrong?"
What were they talking about?
I pricked up my ears.
"Shh! There are no empty words in the palace. Are you trying to fall out of favor?"
"The former king's body hadn't even gone cold, and she seduced the third younger brother—"
"You wretched girl! There's nothing you won't say!"
The scolding voice of an elderly palace maid.
I pretended not to hear, but I already knew who the queen was.
It had to be Lady U (우씨).
The daughter of U So (우소), the Grand Lord of Yeonna-bu, and the woman who married King Gogukcheon.
"Has the Taewang passed away?"
"He has been buried at Gogukcheonwon, as far as we know."
"Ah…"
A sigh escaped me.
I had possessed this body at the exact moment of chaos recorded on the bronze plates from the Ji'an tomb.
"Who is the next Taewang?"
"The late king's third younger brother has ascended the Taewang's seat."
Damn it.
Of all times—
"Balgi… what of my second elder brother?"
"Well, that is…"
"I wish to know in detail."
"He…"
The palace maids' gazes shifted toward the window.
Black smoke rose like a mirage from below the mountain—it seemed the fire was still raging.
"A fire in Gungnaeseong?"
"There was a clash between the Eastern Goguryeo Lord of Oryeolhol (Liaodong) and His Majesty the Taewang. Many were injured and killed."
"So… a civil war."
"You were injured while trying to mediate between both sides, Royal Prince. The general over there brought you back."
A broad-shouldered, bearded man.
Borrowing Gyesu's memories, his identity surfaced.
Yeon-un (연운), son of Yeon-in (연인), the Chief Clerk (主簿),
was Gyesu's trusted aide and a famed warrior within the capital.
Along with that came a brief historical record.
"When Gongsun Du attacked the Busan bandits,
the Goguryeo forces of Chief Clerk Yeon-in and Grand Lord Ugeo assisted him."
— Records of the Three Kingdoms
He was undoubtedly the son of a prestigious Goguryeo family.
"Lord, Yeon-un failed in his duty and allowed you to be injured. I beg punishment."
"You…"
"I captured the ambusher and split him in two with an axe."
Yeon-un spoke without hesitation.
His eyes burned with rage.
Clearly furious that his true lord, Gyesu, had been wounded.
"The Oryeolhol lord and his remnants fled west."
"I see the situation roughly now. Are you injured?"
The sour stench from his armor and the dark stains told me the blood had already dried.
"I am unharmed. Only… my throat feels dry."
"Attend! Bring wine!"
The elderly palace maid startled.
"Alcohol is harmful to an injured body. I shall bring a restorative decoction—"
"No. Yeon-un saved my life. At least let him wet his throat."
A large bowl was brought on a tray.
Yeon-un poured it straight into his mouth; his Adam's apple bobbed, and not a drop remained.
One bowl of cloudy makgeolli clearly did nothing for him—he looked at the bowl and then at me with sparkling eyes.
"Bring enough to satisfy Yeon-un."
"Hehehe!"
He drank three more bowls in succession.
But he refused the fourth.
"If I drink more, I fear I'll become drunk."
"Thank you for saving my life."
Strictly speaking, Gyesu's life.
My future self was just a bonus.
At my praise, Yeon-un's beard twitched, unable to hide his joy.
"I wish to know what happened after the tragedy in Gungnaeseong."
"With the intervention of Grand Lord U So, Lord Balgi and his private troops were driven out and fled west."
"Hm…"
A sudden throbbing pain struck the back of my head.
Knowing Goguryeo history, I had to prevent the worst possible outcome.
"Bring me my armor."
"…Pardon?"
In this volatile situation caused by Balgi, I wasn't foolish enough to walk around unarmored.
"The fate of our state is at stake. I must go see the Queen and Elder Brother Yeonu… and the Taewang."
※※※※※
Meanwhile — South Wall Battlements of Wi-na-am Fortress
Wi-na-am Fortress was built as a defensive mountain fortress when Gungnaeseong became the capital in the 22nd year of King Yuri.
Also known as Hwando Fortress, it was a stone mountain fortress of the Sanchengzi type, reinforced with wedge-shaped infill stones and pentagonal facing stones, making it the most defensible fortress in Goguryeo.
Normally, the garrison was relaxed.
But today, an ominous atmosphere hung over the entire fortress.
The cause was Balgi's rebellion.
The day after Nammu (King Gogukcheon) died, the nobles of the Five Tribes and the Grand Lords were summoned, and the coronation of a new Taewang was held.
Despite being the rightful successor, Balgi, the second son of King Sindae, was excluded.
Instead, due to the scheming of Queen U, Yeonu ascended the throne.
"While serving Lady U, Yeonu cut himself while slicing meat.
Lady U loosened her skirt ties and bound his wound,
and the two returned to the palace holding hands."
— Samguk Sagi
Their collusion led to bloodshed.
Fearing Balgi's return at any moment, they lived in constant anxiety.
Lady U—black-haired, beautiful, and draped in palace robes—clenched her fist as she gazed upon the ruined capital.
"He burned my home and humiliated me. I will never forgive Balgi."
At that moment—
"Grand Lord U has sent a pledge stating that the Five Tribes swear loyalty to the Taewang."
The pleased voice belonged to U Sun (우순), a general and relative of U So.
Leader of the Yeonna-bu Left Retainers, and one of Goguryeo's top ten warriors.
"Hohoho! Throw a few privileges at old men, and they bow like dogs.
U Sun, answer me one thing."
"Command me."
"Are you confident you can bring me Balgi's head?"
"…."
As torches lit the darkness, U Sun finally spoke.
"Entrust it to me, and I will do my utmost."
"Hmph."
Lady U snorted.
"I heard the same in the palace.
They said a hundred Left Retainers would be enough."
"…."
"Instead, fifty were killed or wounded."
"Grant me another chance!"
U Sun dropped to his knees, cold sweat pouring down.
"Is Balgi truly that formidable?"
"He is the greatest general of our state.
Even compared to Lü Bu of the Central Plains, or Yan Liang and Wen Chou of Ji Province, he is not inferior."
Lady U's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Those scarecrow generals of the Central Plains?
I lost countless generals and tens of thousands of troops to my former husband."
"I know of the Second Battle of Jawon."
"Your standards are low!
Tell me—who must be used to bring Balgi's head?"
"The greatest general was the late Taewang.
The second is Balgi, whom the Liaodong Governor called a match for ten thousand.
There is none who can defeat him by force, but…"
U Sun trailed off and looked toward the inner palace.
"If it is the fourth royal prince, Gyesu, it may be possible."
"Gyesu? That childish brat?"
Lady U scoffed.
She remembered him as a mischievous boy who tugged at her skirt.
"He is beloved, energetic, and surrounded by capable retainers from the Central Plains."
"Hmph. A boy who built private power in the capital."
"He is unmatched in strategy—master of the Six Secret Teachings and the Three Strategies.
Even if he cannot defeat Balgi by strength, he may be the only one who can defeat him by scheme."
Her eyes changed.
All present acknowledged it.
"Someone who knows all sixty stratagems of the Six Teachings and the vast Three Strategies is rare even in the Central Plains."
"U Sun speaks the truth."
"Hohoho! I accept your plan."
Lady U smiled—vile and unmistakable.
Balgi and Gyesu.
Two obstacles to Yeonu's reign.
She intended to destroy both.
"Where is Gyesu now?"
"He was injured mediating between both sides and is recuperating in the inner palace."
"How unfortunate."
"After the rebellion is settled, we will proceed as planned…"
Suddenly—
The sound of war drums thundered.
All eyes turned toward the inner palace.