Black Corporation: Joseon

Episode 1077: Tosagupeng (7)

After a while, the palace gate opened.

“The Shah has given permission to enter the palace.”

At the words of the gatekeeper, the messengers of the three countries and the troops to guard them stepped forward.

“for a moment! “The military cannot come in!”

“This is the minimum number of troops for escort!”

“You can harm Sha!”

“The demand is the same as that of the troops who usually accompany us when we enter the palace!”

“But the situation is no different!”

“Did we create that situation? “We are victims!”

The gatekeeper was at a loss for words after hearing the words of the imperial messenger who represented the messengers. As the imperial messenger said, the number of troops currently guarding the messengers was the same as before. The only difference was that unlike before, when he was armed with a long sword and a short gun, he was heavily armed with a long gun and a firearm I had never seen before, and had a murderous expression on his face.

Just like the lion said, they didn’t do it first, but it happened when those damn Kizilbashi warriors attacked. In the end, the gatekeeper ended up using the best method he could think of.

“Wait a moment! “I will report it to the top and get an answer!”

After some time passed, the gatekeeper appeared again.

“The Shah said he would allow the escort troops to accompany him. But the number of troops must remain the same as before!”

“I understand!”

* * *

While the troops escorting the messengers and Ismail’s soldiers guarding the Daejeon were staring at each other, the messengers who entered the Daejeon politely bowed to Ismail.

“See you Shah.”

“I heard there was a big accident.”

“yes. “Many soldiers were killed or injured.”

“I express my deepest condolences.”

“Is this what the Shah ordered?”

The prime minister stepped forward on behalf of Ismail in response to the imperial emissary’s strong remarks.

“I assure you that it was not the Shah’s will.”

“We, the three Eastern countries, can never overlook this. “We demand strong punishment for the armed group that caused this accident.”

The Prime Minister’s eyes sparkled at the imperial emissary’s strong remark.

‘If you listen to the lion’s remarks now, they are very strong-minded. But an armed group?’

During that short period of time, the Prime Minister shook his head furiously.

-Messengers from the East are also well aware of the relationship between the Shah and Kizilbash.

-If they want to put pressure on us and interfere in our internal affairs, they can take advantage of it.

-But now you used the word ‘armed group’.

-This is an indication of distinguishing between Shah and Kizilbashi.

‘Then…’

The Prime Minister, who was wondering what the hidden meaning was in the imperial messenger’s remarks, soon came to a conclusion.

‘I have no intention of losing to Shah! Instead, they are demanding the purge of Kizilbash! And the East will actively support this! then!’

The Prime Minister answered with a bright face.

“The Shah takes this matter very seriously! “I will never let this go!”

At the Prime Minister’s answer, the imperial messenger looked back at the other messengers. As the Ming and Japanese envoys nodded slightly, the imperial envoy continued his remarks.

“If the Shah does so, Persia and our three eastern countries will become good friends. I’m going to head back today. “Because I have to comfort the soldiers.”

After hearing this, Ismail immediately gave an order.

“Let it be so. “Once again, I offer my deepest condolences to those who died or were injured in this accident.”

“thank you.”

* * *

As the envoys retreated, the Prime Minister looked at Ismail with a brighter face.

“The opportunity has finally arrived! Now we can purge the Kizilbash!”

The Prime Minister then explained why he thought so.

“…..In other words, if I were to interpret their definition of Kizilbashi as an ‘armed group’ and their mention of ‘good friends’, this is it. ‘If the shah purges the Qizilbashi, I will consider the Shah and the Qizilbashi separately. And the East will actively support the purge of Qizilbashi.’”

Ismail’s face brightened at the Prime Minister’s explanation.

“Did you try to strangle me by strangling yourself?”

“That’s right.”

“Then you can’t miss this opportunity!”

Ismail was also a survivor through difficult times and could never miss an opportunity that came his way.

“Bring the imam!”

“yes!”

* * *

Ismail moved quickly. First, the Kizilbashi were defined as a traitorous group because they attacked the camp of the envoys of the three countries. That wasn’t the end.

Imams from the Jafari school of law, who favor a moderate and stable direction among Shiites, were called together. Imams of the Jafari School of Law, who sensed Ismail and the Prime Minister’s hidden intention while they were antipathetic to the Qizilbashi due to their extreme fundamentalism and mysticism, defined the Qizilbashi as heretics and declared jihad against the Qizilbashi.

“Heresy is something more evil than heresy. They are the ones who pollute the will of Allah with their subtle words and drive Muslims into hell! Eliminating this heresy is truly a holy war!”

The declaration of the Jafari sect imams soon spread throughout Persia. As the declaration spread, many Persian men flocked to Ismail’s army.

“I will participate in the temple!”

What they shouted was ‘holy war’, but their true intentions were revenge and ambition. His ambition was to seek revenge for the massacres of Kizilbashi that took place throughout Persia and to raise his status by accumulating military achievements. Kizilbashi did not just suffer from this.

As soon as the Qizilbashi groups that were scattered everywhere heard of the incident that occurred in Tabriz, they immediately began to rally together. But what came after was the problem. The issue of deciding who would succeed the leader who died in Tabriz was beginning to fray.

This was because all but a few of the heads of Kizilbashi and high-ranking officials who had stayed in Tabriz to keep Ismail in check were killed in this incident. As the leader died without naming a successor, confusion arose over the next leader.

“The question now is not who the leader is! We have been declared heretics! “Escape from the crisis comes first!”

There were people who shouted this, but they were the first to be silenced. Eventually, as internal factions split, the Kizilbash warriors split into several groups and split off. Although Kizilbashi was torn into many pieces, it was by no means an easy existence.

This was because he was the one who made Ismail a monarch in a difficult time, so his military power was formidable. If they attacked without proper preparation, Ismail’s army would often suffer defeat even when the enemy was superior. In the end, Ismail called the messengers of the Triple Alliance back to the palace. The vizier stood before the messengers on behalf of Ismail and asked them for help.

“I need help from the East.”

“What can I help you with?”

“Everything possible.”

“entire?”

“entire.”

“…………”

Soon after, a group of troops left Tabriz and rushed to the port where the transport fleet of the three countries’ alliance was anchored. At the same time, the remaining cavalry came out of Tabriz and began moving toward the Caspian Sea.

Their mission was to defeat the most powerful of the remaining Kizilbashi groups. The Japanese messenger, who was watching the cavalry moving away, leaving behind a cloud of dust, turned to the imperial official.

“Are you okay? “If the results they bring are good, the future work will be easier.”

The Imperial Lion smiled slightly and asked at the words of the Japanese Lion.

“I guess you’ve never seen the full strength of a properly organized Imperial cavalry?”

“It’s a shame, but yes. “This is my first time seeing it.”

The imperial official grinned and accepted the Japanese messenger’s words.

“The imperial cavalry did not give it their all in the battle that took place in front of the royal palace. But those who are going out now are the ones who have properly formed their forces. “It will never lead to any bad results.”

The Japanese lion’s expression became full of doubts as he saw the imperial lion confidently answering. Then the messenger from Ming Dynasty next to him added a word.

“There is a saying going around among the Mongolian tribes. ‘If you shoot your cannons like arrows from a distance, it’s the imperial cavalry. If you shoot your guns like arrows from afar, it’s the Ming Dynasty cavalry.’” “

Oh, come to think of it…”

The Japanese messenger recalled the sight of the imperial cavalry that had just departed and shouted loudly. I sympathized. The imperial cavalry procession included many carriages. Among them, only about 1/3 of the carts were loaded with necessary supplies. The rest were tow trucks loaded with artillery, fire bombs, and carts loaded with gunpowder.

* * *

A few days after the imperial cavalry departed to suppress the remnants of Kizilbashi, the cavalry that had headed to the port where the transport fleet was staying returned to Tabriz with a late detachment. After confirming the arrival of the late troops, messengers from the three countries visited Ismail.

“I have something to give to Sha.”

“What is it?”

In response to Ismail’s question, the imperial messenger gave a glance to the commander who followed. At the glance of the lion, the commander left Daejeon for a while and returned with soldiers carrying boxes. The soldiers who put down the boxes in front of Ismail removed the lids of the wooden boxes with their claws and stepped back.

“this is!”

Ismail, seeing the contents of the box, jumped up from his seat. Inside the open boxes were long guns made in imperial and prestige Japan, as well as imperial freight cars. Ismail approached the box as if possessed, picked up the rifles inside the box and looked around.

Looking at Ismail, the imperial messenger opened his mouth.

“The remaining boxes are in front of the palace gate.”

“let’s go!”

At the words of the imperial messenger, Ismail left the palace immediately, and the emperor and other ministers followed him. Dozens of boxes were piled up in front of the palace gate, and soldiers from the bodyguard stood guard surrounding the boxes.

“1,000 rifles and 100 freight cars. “First of all, we have one million rounds of ammunition.”

The imperial messenger who explained the contents smiled and continued.

“This is a small gift from the East for the Shah and his army.”

“Thank you!”

Ismail expressed his sincere gratitude.

* * *

Ismail and the Prime Minister could not hide their joy and looked at the contents of the box one by one. Ismail, who was looking around, soon looked back at the lions with a face full of curiosity.

“By the way. The shapes of these rifles and freight cars here seem similar, but they are slightly different. “Is there a reason?”

The imperial messenger came forward and answered Ismail’s question.

“It’s because things made by the three Eastern countries were mixed together.”

“huh?”

“ah. The bullets used are all the same. There will be no problem with supply.”

The messenger answering Ismail muttered to himself.

‘A kind of trick rather than a coincidence?’

All of the long guns in the box were made based on the Florentine long guns provided by the Empire in Florence. The freight cars were also made based on blueprints provided by the Empire in exchange for royalties from Ming and Japan. As a result, the specifications of the ammunition used were the same for all three countries.

Of course, the power was all different.