Chapter 163 — Samiao Ali's Answer: Who Builds an Empire?
Someone else answered first.
It was Samiao Ali.
Samiao Ali: "Samiao Ali and the others were all what had been called, since the founding of the state, bear-and-tiger warriors and ministers of undivided loyalty." "Bear-and-tiger warriors" means elite fighting commanders. "Undivided loyalty" means absolute fidelity. He was a commander of the core assault line. His nature was loyal and sincere, and he possessed much wisdom and strategy. People called him Water Star.
"May I speak?"
He was a man who had submitted along with his father, Samiao Huntan.
Even before that, he had made his name through repeated military achievements.
From childhood he had moved through battlefields.
At seventeen, he followed his uncle Samiao Humagu in attacking Sado and captured Sariji, Sado's younger brother.
During Yun Gwan's Jurchen campaign, he fought alongside his father Huntan, and clashed with the Goryeo army at Mokrimunjeon.
He thrust his spear into a Goryeo commander and killed him, raising Jurchen morale and driving the Goryeo troops back.
Afterward, he joined forces with Seok Jeokhwan's troops, stood in the vanguard, crushed the Goryeo army, and succeeded in taking two of the Nine Fortresses.
When fifty thousand Goryeo troops later came to retake them, they gained little against Samiao Ali's defense and withdrew.
At that time, Samiao Ali followed the rear of the retreating Goryeo army and met seventy thousand Goryeo troops at the Galra River, fought three large engagements in a single day, and defeated them.
He was a man of few words, but once he opened his mouth, the weight of his words was different from that of other commanders.
His achievements supported him, and above all, his loyalty was extraordinary.
Aguda felt the pressure when this man, who had said little until now, asked to speak first.
It is common for one outstanding commander to reject another outstanding man.
When a man fights bravely, he looks like a great human being, but when he covets merit or envies another, his jealousy can surpass even a woman's.
"He is a man we absolutely need. The submission of the various tribes is also absolutely necessary. But now we are being asked to do something that conflicts with the demands of those tribes. The Great Khan must decide what he seeks to accomplish. If the purpose is only to drive back Liao, what we have now is enough. If the purpose is to build an empire, then we must follow Lee Jungnangjang's words. And…"
Samiao Ali paused.
By pausing, he drew everyone's attention and gave weight to the words that followed.
"We have received immeasurably much from him. I do not think it proper to discuss his request in his absence. It is not something to be proud of that we cannot stop plunder and cruel acts. He looks at this from the standpoint that they are the same people as we are. His Buddhist heart seems deep. Every day he sits and studies. I do not know whether it is the study of an immortal or Buddhist meditation, but I hear he remains shut inside because he cannot bear to look at the atrocities. If we are to build an empire, this is a matter we must think on deeply."
Those were the words of one of the commanders with the greatest achievements.
And he was not a Wanyan.
That made his words different from the unconditional agreement shown by the Wanyan men toward Aguda's words.
Aguda asked,
"Then the submission of the tribes may stop. Without the submission of the tribes, can we build an empire?"
Samiao Ali said,
"Even if more tribes submit, it only turns ten thousand into twenty thousand. How many more can we truly gather? Many tribes are still bound to Liao. On the battlefield, even one or two men matter, but we must face hundreds of thousands. I wish to say that ten thousand elite troops are stronger than twenty thousand rabble. Once we finish the great field battle against the enemy's main force that is coming, the other tribes will submit anyway. If we lose something important just to receive more submissions before that great battle, it will become a regret for a thousand autumns."
It was unexpected that Samiao Ali took Youngwoo's side.
There had been an invisible separation between men like him and the talkative Goryeo soldier.
For all their friendliness, they had not mixed.
How unpleasant it is to be told that one must do this and that.
Nagging is truly hateful, but advice is even more hateful.
It is unpleasant enough when someone acts as though he knows everything, but how hateful is it when he says something that seems completely irrelevant is important?
Samiao Ali continued.
"When we think about it, we know his words are not wrong. How cruel a reality it is that the victor takes everything. It also means that the powerless cannot live. That must not be so. A world must be one where even those without strength or wealth can live together. Among our own families, there are weak people. Must they disappear? Right now, they submit because rumors of continued victory have spread. They think that if they attach themselves here, there will be something to eat. If we throw away a precious neighbor in exchange for that, we will regret it for a long time."
Samiao Ali was unexpectedly firm.
Ogemai looked troubled.
"With our current forces, we cannot fight a great field battle against the enemy's main force."
"And if we add five thousand shabby tribal troops, can we do it?"
"It will still be difficult. Very difficult. But without even that, we will be trampled under the empire's hooves."
At first glance, it seemed like a question of numbers and quality.
The Great Khan's anguish deepened.
"Then let him go if he wants to go!"
Aguda spat the words out, and the room groaned.
"Ah…"
Wanyan Xiyin said,
"You must not, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty?"
"We must build an empire. If we are satisfied with this victory and stop here, they will bring a great army and attack us. We need Lee Jungnangjang."
Wanyan Aguda shook his head.
The support of many tribes was necessary to maintain the present order.
An empire without them could not stand.
"He says he is leaving. For this reason and that reason, he says he is leaving. I respected him because we agreed to remain together. I have no intention of clinging to a man and begging him to stay if he says he will remain under one condition and leave under another."
It was the Great Khan's decision.
The most surprised among them was Ogemai.
He had thought Aguda himself would hold on to Youngwoo, but the decision seemed too easy.
Was it not said that one does not chase after those who leave?
Wangzhe buzhu, laizhe buju: Do not pursue those who go; do not refuse those who come. From Mencius, Jin Xin II.
Ogemai, now deep in thought, advised the Great Khan.
"Even so, the great work will be difficult without him. Many people follow him. When we followed his insight, we obtained great things we had never imagined. Of course, the reasons for past victories may not guarantee the future, but if we lose such a valuable talent, we may regret it later."
Aguda wanted Youngwoo to bow his head.
If the matter had already been raised and discussed as an agenda of the council to this degree, Youngwoo should understand and acknowledge the situation.
How could an army be gathered and maintained without plunder?
Aguda shook his head.
"We cannot stop them. The moment we stop them, they will all leave."
Ogemai stepped forward.
"I will go see him."
"Do you have some sharp solution?"
"At least we must show that we are doing our utmost."
"He is stubborn and will not listen. From what he has said so far, he seems to have already hardened his resolve. He says he will not help killing. Truly absurd."
"Brother, why are you acting like this? You have not been like this until now."
"Perhaps since I founded a state, I have lost sight of things. Without the cooperation of the tribes, we can do nothing."
Wanyan Xiyin raised his hand.
At least before the Great Khan, he believed one should receive permission before speaking.
"We are facing the paradox that the tribes must change for the empire to be established. As long as we see this as a matter of choosing one side, we will be trapped."
Aguda waved his hand as though annoyed.
"It is a decision between two ends. That will not change. If it is a matter of choosing, then it is the tribes. What choice do we have? Are the Wanyan alone to wage war?"
Xiyin said,
"Do not see it as a matter of choosing. We must embrace them all, Great Khan."
"How?"
"Issue the prohibition on atrocities. With that, first prevent the Goryeo forces from turning away."
"If I issue the prohibition, will they obey?"
"No. That alone will not solve it. But that is not our fault."
"He will say we must enforce the order strictly. Ah, I am weary now. I am weary of listening to each piece of advice."
The council went in circles.
The young commanders tried to persuade him that Youngwoo's request must be accepted.
Aguda opposed them, saying the tribal chiefs could not be persuaded.
The meeting went in circles, and no decision was made.
A single person's right thought cannot change the world.
It is like throwing one small stone into a large pond.
Ripples spread, then soon the pond returns to its previous state.
We believe that public argument or a sound claim can bring change.
Yet people's attachment to their vested interests does not change easily.
And the inertia of continuing as one has always done has far more force than one expects.