I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 363 Zhao Yu's Masterful Move

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Originally just a small village, Yecheng gradually became a key "node" due to its location between Gaegyeong and Yecheng Port.

Gaegyeong, the capital of Goryeo, was the political and cultural center of the entire country, gathering a large number of government offices, people, and consumer demand. Yeseong Port, on the other hand, was an important international port at the time, undertaking the core function of overseas trade and transshipment of goods. Yeseong City was located between the two, receiving official goods and handicrafts exported from Gaegyeong on one side, and transshipping overseas goods and grains imported from Yeseong Port on the other, naturally becoming Goryeo's "international transshipment hub".

Relying on this unique location, caravans and laborers continued to gather, and inns, warehouses, and markets gradually sprang up. Political needs and port economy converged here, and the small village slowly developed from a simple transit point into a small town with prosperous commerce and a large flow of people, gradually becoming the gateway to Kaesong and the garrison city of Kaesong.

—To conquer Kaijing, we must first capture Licheng City.

Guided by a dozen or so Goryeo maids familiar with the terrain, Liu Qi personally led three thousand elite troops on a rapid march toward Licheng City.

Fearing that the dozen or so Goryeo slave girls serving as guides might cause trouble and ruin his grand plan to capture Licheng City, Liu Qi, through an interpreter and Goryeo people in his army, told these Goryeo slave girls: "If our Great Song Dynasty wins, we will completely liberate you slave girls, teach you and your descendants to become good men, have your own surnames, be able to do business, become officials, and marry noblewomen..."

Upon hearing Liu Qi's promise, many of the servants' cloudy eyes first flashed with disbelief, but this was quickly suppressed by a long-standing despair.

In Goryeo society, the word "slave" was like a brand, sealing their life trajectory from birth. The life of a "good man" was nothing but an unattainable dream for them.

At this time, Goryeo was a typical slave society.

Of the population of Goryeo, the aristocracy and bureaucratic class comprised less than five percent. They held land, military power, and legal privileges, making them the absolute rulers of society. Commoners (also known as "good men") made up about forty percent of the total population, mostly self-employed farmers and small-scale artisans. Although they had independent household registrations and surnames, they were burdened with heavy taxes and corvée labor, and were always at risk of becoming slaves due to debt or crime. The remaining more than fifty-five percent of the population were slaves without personal freedom. They were either prisoners of war, hereditary household slaves, or commoners who sold themselves into slavery due to poverty. They formed the foundation of the lowest level of Goryeo society.

The status of slaves in Goryeo was even lower than that of livestock. The entire system was like a tight net, trapping their lives in a cycle of life and death.

Goryeo law explicitly stipulated that "if one's parents are slaves, their children and grandchildren will all be slaves for generations." This bloodline enslavement deprived the descendants of slaves of any possibility of changing their fate from birth.

They had no surnames of their own and could only use their master's surname as a prefix, or be called "slave of so-and-so" or "maid of so-and-so"; they could not own private property, and all the fruits of their labor belonged to their master, even the clothes they wore were gifts from their master; they were strictly forbidden from engaging in commerce, and even if they secretly did some small business, once discovered, their goods would be confiscated and they would be whipped; not to mention becoming an official, the Goryeo bureaucratic system was completely open to nobles and free men, and slaves were not even qualified to participate in the civil service examinations.

In Goryeo, masters had absolute control over their slaves. They could buy, sell, play with, or give away slaves at will; they could inflict punishments on slaves, and even if a slave was beaten to death, only a small fine was required, and serious crimes were almost never pursued.

These slaves not only had to do household chores for their masters, but also cultivate their masters' land, perform various kinds of labor, and were even conscripted as "slave soldiers" during wartime, serving as cannon fodder on the front lines, without being eligible for military merit or rewards.

Goryeo strictly restricted the conversion of the lowest social classes into free people. The law stipulated that "once a person is born a slave, they are forever a slave" and "once a slave, never a free person." In other words, once someone became a slave, neither they nor their descendants could ever escape the status of a slave.

—Although Goryeo had some measures to liberate slaves in its history, such as King Gwangjong's "Slave Inspection Law," which confiscated private slaves from wealthy families and released free slaves to support themselves, these measures mainly targeted free people who had been wrongly identified as slaves. Similarly, during the Yuan Dynasty, Khorigis ordered the liberation of slaves whose parents were free people, but ultimately, due to opposition from Goryeo nobles, all these liberated slaves were returned to their original owners.

Therefore, under the strict hierarchical system of Goryeo, the possibility of slaves gaining the status of free people through military merit was extremely small, and their social status was difficult to fundamentally change.

This cruel system of slavery was not a product of Goryeo alone, but rather persisted throughout the entire Goryeo Dynasty. From the founding of the kingdom by Wang Geon to the fall of Goryeo and the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty, the system of slavery remained a core pillar maintaining the operation of its society. Even after the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty, the system of slavery did not disappear, but gradually differentiated from "hereditary slavery" to "official slavery" and "private slavery".

It wasn't until the late 19th century, with the decline of the Joseon Dynasty and the impact of modernization, that the system of slavery began to disintegrate in this land.

The true and complete liberation of slaves did not occur until the early 20th century, when the Korean Peninsula entered modern society. This system of slavery, which had lasted for nearly a thousand years, was finally abolished, and those who had been slaves for generations were finally freed from the stigma of slavery and gained basic human rights.

The Goryeo slaves who were brought by Liu Qi as guides had lived their entire lives in the shadow of this system. The life that Liu Qi spoke of, which included "having a surname, being able to do business, and being able to become an official," was too far away for them. Their ancestors and their descendants had been bound by this shackle, living more like livestock than human beings.

In the past two years, during the war between the Song and Jin dynasties, the Song army captured a large number of Goryeo soldiers. This was mainly because the Goryeo soldiers were unwilling to be cannon fodder for the Jin dynasty. Therefore, they would fight if they could win, and surrender decisively if they could not. They would never do anything to put up a stubborn resistance. Some Goryeo people even tried to break free from the control of the Jin people and actively joined the Song army, which offered better treatment, promising prospects, and high status.

This means that there are now tens of thousands of Goryeo people in the Song army.

The Song Dynasty treated all Goryeo people who came to surrender to the Song Dynasty equally, regardless of whether they were nobles, commoners, or slaves. Moreover, in terms of employment, the Song Dynasty would give priority to promoting Goryeo commoners and slaves who performed well. However, the Song Dynasty would exercise more control over the Goryeo nobles and officials. If they showed any disloyalty, they would be killed without mercy.

At the same time, the Song Dynasty's military supervisors would also conduct political education for Goryeo commoners and Goryeo slaves, and even hold "bitter memories and sweet memories" meetings for them.

In the past two years, after screening, the Song Dynasty has selected more than a dozen generals and military supervisors of Goryeo rank. Most of them came from Goryeo commoners and Goryeo slaves, with only two or three being Goryeo nobles and bureaucrats.

The most notable characteristics of these Goryeo generals and military supervisors were their unwavering loyalty, their daring and courage on the battlefield, and their absolute support for Zhao Yu and the Song Dynasty.

Because these Goryeo generals and military supervisors performed well, Zhao Yu specially summoned them to Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Song Dynasty, and took time out of his busy schedule to meet with them.

During that meeting, Zhao Yu personally encouraged the dozen or so Goryeo commoners and Goryeo slaves. He also bestowed the surname "Jung" (as in the name of Empress Jeong Hyeon-suk) upon one of them who had made the first move to the summit, named him Jeong Wi-song, and married one of his daughters to him. He also bestowed the royal surname "Zhao" (as in the name of the emperor) upon the two Goryeo commoners and one Goryeo slave who had made the most contributions. The remaining Goryeo generals and supervisors also received generous promotions and rewards.

Zhao Yu's actions greatly encouraged the Goryeo people who had surrendered to the Song Dynasty, especially the Goryeo civilians and slaves, which led them to actively fight against the Jin army after surrendering to the Song Dynasty and demonstrate remarkable fighting power.

After saying all this, what I really want to say is that the Song Dynasty did all this in a premeditated way.

Zhao Yu had long known that territorial expansion could not be achieved solely through killing.

If, like the Mongols, we rely solely on slaughter, even if we conquer territory temporarily, we will only turn that land into scorched earth, filling the people's hearts with resentment and fear. In the end, all we will get is a huge, hollow shell riddled with holes and difficult to maintain. Moreover, wherever the sword goes, the people will be terrified and their resistance will be fierce. Even if we can take the city, it will cost the Song Dynasty countless resources in terms of wealth and manpower. The subsequent governance will be like a festering sore, which is by no means a long-term solution.

What Zhao Yu wanted was for the Korean Peninsula to be completely incorporated into the territory of the Song Dynasty.

This meant brute force alone was no longer an option; skill was needed. Zhang Chun's analysis revealed that the crux of Goryeo's problem lay in its system of slavery that permeated the entire Goryeo dynasty—the deepest rift in its society.

More than 55% of the population were of low social status, having been enslaved for generations. They had no surnames, no property, no dignity, and no hope; they were worse off than dogs. The remaining 40% of the free people, though registered, were overwhelmed by exorbitant taxes and corvée labor, and could easily become slaves if they were not careful.

These two forces, which were the cornerstone of Goryeo society, were firmly trampled underfoot by the Goryeo aristocracy. Their resentment had long since deepened, but they had been oppressed by the Goryeo aristocracy for far too long and had become accustomed to this oppression. Moreover, there was no force to help them break free from this oppression.

The nobles and officials of Goryeo, who make up less than five percent of the population, monopolize Goryeo's land, military power, and laws. They are the beneficiaries and the most isolated group in Goryeo. As long as the Song Dynasty can arouse the resistance of the Goryeo commoners and the Goryeo slave class, they will inevitably be overthrown.

Zhao Yu's final strategy was to capitalize on this rift, using the call to "liberate slaves and treat good people well" rather than "the Song Dynasty's conquest of Goguryeo."

In this way, the Song Dynasty's attack on Goryeo was a war of liberation, not a war of aggression.

In this battle, King Jo Yu and his ministers transferred all the soldiers of Goryeo origin back to their familiar lands to fight.

This would effectively address all the shortcomings faced by the Song army in fighting on foreign soil, turning the "War of Liberation" from a slogan into a real victory. The benefits of this far outweigh those of sending hundreds of thousands more troops.

First, the Goryeo soldiers were the Song army's "living maps," and they were able to completely break the terrain constraints that hindered the Song army's operations in foreign territory.

The land of Goryeo is mostly mountainous and hilly, crisscrossed by rivers. Even if the Song soldiers were well-versed in maps, they could not match the native Goryeo people's familiarity with the terrain.

They knew which mountain roads could bypass the Goryeo army's checkpoints, which river valleys could provide cover for marching, and which villages could serve as supply points.

For example, Zheng Weisong, when he was a slave, accompanied his master on his journeys between Goryeo and Song. He was very familiar with the reefs and fishing villages of the coastal islands. It was under his leadership and those Song merchants that the Song army was able to reach Licheng Port without any danger.

Conversely, if the Song army were to launch a direct attack, at best they would miss their chance by stumbling into dangerous territory, and at worst they would be ambushed by the Goryeo army, resulting in increased casualties and losses.

With Korean soldiers leading the way, the Song army could move freely as if fighting within Song territory, turning the disadvantage of playing away from home into the advantage of playing at home.

Secondly, they served as a "bridge" to connect with the people, enabling the call for "liberation" to truly reach the hearts of the Korean people.

Most of the Song soldiers did not understand Goryeo, and even with a proclamation proclaiming "liberation of slaves," they could not clearly explain the Song Dynasty's intentions to the Goryeo people.

The Goryeo aristocracy would also take the opportunity to spread rumors, claiming that the Song army was a foreign invader who wanted to abduct slaves and enslave them, thus inciting the people to resist.

The Goryeo soldiers, however, were different. They spoke the same language and were familiar with the customs and fears of the Goryeo people. To the Goryeo slaves, they could recount their own experiences of how joining the Song Dynasty allowed them to escape their lowly status and obtain a surname. To the free people of Goryeo, they could explain that the Song Dynasty implemented the "Equal Grain Payment for Gentry and Scholars" and "Equalization of Land Tax and Labor Service," resulting in Song Dynasty citizens paying far less tax than Goryeo citizens. They could also explain the happy lives the people of the Song Dynasty now enjoyed, without slavery.

As for the "Remembering the Bitter Past and Appreciating the Sweet Present" rally, it was presided over by soldiers of Goryeo origin in their native villages, which was far more persuasive than the speeches given by the Song Dynasty military supervisors.

When the Goryeo slaves saw Jeong Wei-song, who had once been of lowly status like them, now wearing the armor only Song generals wore, being granted a surname by the Song emperor, and being taken as a prince consort, "liberation" was no longer a distant dream. When the noblemen heard that generals who were also Goryeo commoners had been promoted in the Song Dynasty, and heard them talk about the many benefits of the Song Dynasty governing this land, their hearts were more determined to submit to the Song Dynasty.

At that time, the barriers of language and culture will be completely broken down, the rumors spread by the nobles will be disproven, and the banner of "liberation" of the Song Dynasty will truly take root in the hearts of the people of Goryeo.

Furthermore, the Goryeo army contained a large number of civilians and slaves who harbored resentment towards the nobility but dared not rebel due to their power. If Goryeo soldiers appeared on the battlefield, speaking in the name of "compatriots" and recounting their experiences of escaping their lowly status and gaining dignity, the Goryeo army might instantly collapse.

In addition, the Goryeo soldiers were familiar with the Goryeo nobles' defensive habits and internal conflicts, and could accurately point out the weaknesses of the Goryeo army. They could even turn some lower-ranking officers who were dissatisfied with the Goryeo nobles to defect, causing the Goryeo nobles' resistance to collapse from within.

More importantly, this move would allow the Song Dynasty to win over the hearts and minds of the people without depleting its national resources.

If the Song Dynasty were to wage war solely with its own military strength, the investment would be enormous, and it might even bring down the Song Dynasty.

Moreover, after conquering Goguryeo, the Song Dynasty still faced numerous obstacles in post-war governance. After all, it was always difficult for the people to truly trust the rule of outsiders.

By having Goryeo soldiers lead the "liberation" of their homeland, the Song Dynasty would have required far less investment; and with the help of these Goryeo soldiers, governing Goryeo would have been much easier for the Song Dynasty.

In short, under the guise of "liberation," the real purpose of "unification" was to free Goryeo slaves from their shackles, allow Goryeo people to live in peace and prosperity, and prevent the few Goryeo nobles from maintaining their corrupt rule—this was not an invasion, but an action that conformed to the will of the people.

Thus, the Song Dynasty's success rate in seizing the Korean Peninsula and incorporating it into its territory far surpassed that of any brute-force conquest.

This was Zhao Yu's strategy for Goguryeo, and it was also Zhao Yu's brilliance.

At this moment, when those Goryeo slaves heard that the general in the Song army, riding a tall horse and wearing a magnificent cotton armor, was actually a Goryeo slave like them, and now not only commanded five hundred elite Song soldiers, but also married a Song princess, with a limitless future, they all showed envy and longing.

The common people of Goryeo were also shocked to hear that a general in the Song army was originally a commoner from Goryeo, but was now a "King of the Imperial Surname." They were also amazed that if he made some more military achievements, he might be able to marry a princess of the Song Dynasty.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, some military supervisors of Goryeo origin began to explain to these Goryeo commoners and slaves the benefits of surrendering to the Song Dynasty, helping them to understand the various differences between life in the Song Dynasty and Goryeo, turning that distant hope into a tangible reality...

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(End of this chapter)