Chapter 63. Ahn Huise
Ahn Huise steadily reported things upward.
Youngwoo did not know exactly what he reported,
but he sensed that within those reports, there must be matters concerning himself as well.
That thought did not sit comfortably with him.
So he tried to keep his distance.
Yet Ahn Huise had an easy manner and kept drawing close.
His simple, relaxed smile disarmed people.
Still, that habit of reporting felt too much like tattling, and it left a corner of the heart uneasy.
Since childhood, they had never regarded a man who tattled as truly a man.
He spent his days wandering here and there, searching for things to report.
He came and went naturally, even entering Youngwoo's quarters.
Though Youngwoo held the rank of rangjang, he had no direct military command,
and thus there was no official reason for Ahn Huise to visit him.
Yet he came every day.
"Hey, have you been well?"
"I have been well enough. And you, elder brother?"
"As always."
This time, Youngwoo did not let it pass.
He asked directly,
"Why do you keep making these reports?"
Ahn Huise's expression stiffened for a moment, then relaxed.
"What else am I good at? I have come this far by reporting what I know.
What those above want most is accurate information.
When even small things are gathered, one can see the matter properly, and the conclusion changes.
In the end, it comes down to judgment.
Is that not the most important thing in the army?"
He finished speaking and paused.
He laid out his own story without concealment.
Youngwoo pressed again at the vulnerable point.
"It looks like tattling. Everyone knows it."
Ahn Huise's expression did not change.
"If there is no wrongdoing, then is there a problem?
Of course, depending on how it is said, it may sound different.
Still, judgment is made above.
It is the transmission of information, and in the army, that is necessary."
The words turned back toward Youngwoo.
For a moment, he remained silent.
"I do not possess any special ability. My family is not distinguished, and I am not outstanding in martial skill or command.
But I have an eye for things."
At that, Youngwoo nodded.
Was he about to say that he sustained himself through informing, reporting, and exposing others?
Yet the way he spoke first of his own shortcomings did not feel light.
"This matter is complicated. It is not something that can be overlooked.
So I reported everything to His Majesty—exactly as I knew it."
At the words "His Majesty," Youngwoo looked up in surprise.
"To His Majesty? Even about me?"
Ahn Huise smiled.
"Where did you think I was reporting?"
"I thought it was to some faction or noble house."
"Why would I do such a thing?"
It was a short answer.
There was no need to ask further.
If it was not tattling, if it was not private but official reporting, then could he truly be blamed?
Youngwoo asked no more.
"Then His Majesty knows everything about the Northern Expeditionary Army?"
"From Park Cheolgu's refusal to open the gate, to Seo Uitaek's collusion with the enemy."
"And even what Lee Heesong overlooked?"
There was nothing to conceal.
Even the smallest details flowed upward.
Youngwoo asked again,
"Then how was my remaining here reported?"
"As it is. That is also why His Majesty ordered that the Jurchens' request be accepted."
Youngwoo could not speak for a moment.
"The return of the Nine Fortresses was His Majesty's decision, made out of sorrow for your sacrifice.
He grieved for the young lives fading away in the distant northern lands."
Youngwoo gave a short nod.
No—something heavy and deep flowed through his chest.
There had been someone who worried and grieved while he suffered and faced death in a far-off land.
These were reports delivered directly to the king, and they carried a different weight.
They explained the reasons behind decisions they themselves had never known.
The words lingered heavily.
"It is not an easy decision."
Youngwoo asked,
"How far do your connections reach? How can you report directly to His Majesty?"
Ahn Huise smiled.
"My uncle serves in the army."
"Is he a high-ranking man?"
"Somewhat."
"He advised me to join the army. That is how I came in."
So there had been something to lean on.
Such a path existed.
"There is a limit to sustaining oneself through reporting. Would it not be better to study more?"
Ahn Huise laughed.
"In my youth, I wasted time. I was foolish and without talent.
So I trained relentlessly with the sword, horseback riding, and the bow.
My uncle told me to focus only on those, to pass the military examination.
I received some help as well.
So in those three, I am confident.
I will not lose to anyone."
"And that is how you rose to your current position?"
"Yes. In truth, I should be higher, but I refused promotion because of my role in intelligence.
In reality, I ought to stand higher still.
The moment I return, it will likely happen."
Suddenly, Youngwoo thought of his age.
"How old are you?"
"Thirty-three. I passed the examination at twenty-seven. It has been five or six years. And you?"
"I do not know exactly. Perhaps twenty-one or twenty-two."
"You do not even know your own age?"
"I was told I was taken in and raised. It was winter, and they could not tell whether the new year had passed. They say I was born in that cold winter."
Ahn Huise burst into laughter, then quickly changed the subject.
"So, what will you do now?"
"I know I am lacking. Still, they acknowledge me here, so I will try. I am studying diligently. I must be of use. The Khan is the first to acknowledge me—without any conditions."
"He takes interest in you because you are the disciple of Sage Baek."
"I am not worthy of being called a disciple. I have only learned a few things."
"The battle at the South Gate was impressive."
"I merely survived."
"It was a battle that could not be won. Yet within it, you held the army together, survived, and created the opportunity for what followed. That is what they valued."
"Anyone would have done the same."
Ahn Huise continued,
"It would be good if you could tell me a little about the internal situation of the Jurchens."
"So you can report it again?"
He smiled gently, without the slightest trace of embarrassment.
He believed his work to be just.
He believed it served the nation.
"That is my duty."
A brief silence passed.
Ahn Huise spoke slowly.
"His Majesty watches you with interest. At first, it was because of the Khan's request. But after hearing of your entire journey, he has given it much thought. The decision to return the Nine Fortresses came from his sorrow at the continued sacrifice of our young men."
Youngwoo listened in silence.
"If the Jurchens and Goryeo grow closer, Liao will grow tense. They will make a move. Both Liao and the Jurchens know this."
He paused to breathe, then offered another piece of information.
"The Seo clan of ten lineages has disappeared. It is close to extermination. Many believe it is connected to you."
He continued,
"If trade expands, the Jurchens will thrive. The Khitan do not welcome that."
Finally, he added,
"Park Geunsu will rise. This matter has brought him favorable evaluation. He will likely be promoted again."
The words paused.
Youngwoo sat quietly.
It was all their story.
It did not press upon him as something urgent.
It passed by like noise drifting through the air.
There was nothing he could grasp.
The stories flowed past him, unrelated to himself, and disappeared ahead.