The Tiger Empire

[Fire God]

2928 (595 CE)
“Hanjyo! I have news that you would find auspicious!” Yogwi Jaeso is the outpost’s messenger, traveling back in forth between this and the closest town to the east.

Seogtta Hanjyo was a very bored young man who had hated his current post since he had been assigned to it a year past. His task was to patrol the banks of the Black River[1], which is the northernmost border of the Goguryeo Kingdom. “What is it?”

“We’ve been redeployed. The new dynasty in China are demanding that King Miwon be subordinate to the Dragon Throne, and the generals are fearing conflict with them since Miwon refused, and calls for them to be equal.” Jaeso then dismounted, landing on the frozen grass of the plains.

“Hmm that is very favourable news indeed, I never liked this place anyways, Goguryeo doesn’t need to be worried with primitive tribes from the north; we should be worried with Shilla, Baekje and their dwarf[2] cousins. Where are we going then? And when are we leaving?”

“To the western borderlands, we will need to protect the envoys going west to talk and forge an alliance with the Turks there. We will leave by next morning.”

“Then you should rest then my friend, I will come back to the outpost after the sun falls then we shall ride into battle soon.”

“I shall!” Jaeso said as he mounts his horse again and rides to the outpost, while Hanjyo and his horse continue to be idle on the frozen river looking to the south. Little did he, Jaeso, King Miwon, and other Goguryeon leaders know, a fleet of ships carrying an envoy from two allied nations located south of Goguryeo, are crossing the Yellow Sea seeking an alliance with the Sui.

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[1] Amur River
[2] Yamato Japan

Any comments? I'll tell the story of the actual POD later on.

[Wendell]

This seems promising.

[Fire God]

That I hope to be true Wendell. I can't sleep so... I wrote the revelation of this TL's POD.

The Waste of Time
2928 (595 CE)

Teacher Neun had served the Cheon family of the Jingol aristocracy of Shilla since being hired by Mrs. Cheon’s father in law. The very respected elder that kept a large collection of Chinese and Buddhist scrolls now teaches the lady’s 14 year old son, Shintaek. For the first several years, Teacher Neun regarded Shintaek to be one of his most favoured students, unlike his younger siblings, the fraternal twin brother and sister, Yantaek and Hyuntaek.

In this cold winder day though, Neun was disappointed in what Shintaek wrote in his calligraphy lessons. During the middle afternoon after attending to Shintaek, He and Lady Cheon met in their tearoom.

“What is it that you needed to tell me about my eldest son, Teacher?” said Lady Cheon.

“Your son wastes his time writing about false history! I know he is young and not quite mature yet, but he conjures up stories about aristocratic feuds, court intrigues, and civil wars; he even writes about barbarians from the north ravaging our northern enemy. First he recklessly asks me: “What if? Goguryeo's King Anwon’s first wife does not bear the then future King Seulwon or any other sons? Resulting in a power struggle amongst the King’s other wives who already have their own sons?” and now he actually writes a story from that very question.”

Lady Cheon had read Shintaek’s story before having the conversation. “His imagination is of no matter to me, you teach him many sayings of Chinese philosophers and wouldn’t this be another one of his ideas? The Art of War for example. Surely, if he understands that book, he would be skilled enough to help the generals; and the military need smart men with tactic to defend this kingdom from the Goguryeon threat.”

Before Teacher Neun responded to her claim, Lady Cheon interrupted him; clearly she has no time to discuss the stuff of men in her presence. “Just ignore it for now, I will talk to my son about this and persuade him to write about these false histories outside of your lessons, good day.”

Without any more words, Lady Cheon goes to her bedroom, leaving a bowing Teacher Neun and the household servant in the tearoom. As much as Lady Cheon disapproves of her son’s transgressions with Teacher Neun; deep in her heart, she really did hope that Goguryeo had been weak and fractionalized more than 60 years before, instead of expanding ever southward towards her kingdom. Now, Shilla's future not only hangs in the hands of its military, which her husband is a part of, but with the diplomats headed to the court of Emperor Wen of Sui.

[Strategos' Risk]

Were the Japanese really thought of as littler by their East Asian cousins? Your reference to the dwarf insult reminds me of a small descriptor in The Peshawar Lancers.

Interesting narrative, by the way.

[carlton_bach]

I think the 'dwarf' issue comes from an alternative reading of the Chinese sign used for the Japanese.

Very promising start, BTW. Though I must say I fear for Goguryeo's future health and integrity...

[Fire God]

I'm sort of trapped with how I shall approach the rest of the timeline. Obviously, I can't keep this in vignette story format (I could have just have it in the Writer's Forum it it was) it would be too slow a development and I will have to get leader's reactions sooner or later. But I will stay away from that, as I don't have the capacity to portray men (and women in Shilla's case) much wiser than me.

Originally Posted by Strategos' Risk

Were the Japanese really thought of as littler by their East Asian cousins? Your reference to the dwarf insult reminds me of a small descriptor in The Peshawar Lancers.

Interesting narrative, by the way.

It's the character's bias, I don't think he represents the whole of the Goguryeon people.

Originally Posted by carlton_bach

I think the 'dwarf' issue comes from an alternative reading of the Chinese sign used for the Japanese.

Very promising start, BTW. Though I must say I fear for Goguryeo's future health and integrity...

I don't, I never wanted this to be a wank anyways.

[Fire God]

Summer under the blue sky
2929 (596 CE)

To an outsider like Jaeso, the Göktürk religion and its rituals were very alien to him. Not only did they believe in only one god, Tengri, which rules supreme above all, but also the rituals themselves were very different from what he had seen in China and Goguryeo. Along a spring, the inhabitants of the region gathered and lit ten thousand fires producing the illusion of day. This was a precursor to animal sacrifices, then a feast and horseman games. Jaeso and his partnered scout and translator, Yulcha, proved to be rivals in everything including the evening’s competitions.

Before daybreak, the two men began their ride to the army garrison in the official Goguryeo border for more instructions. Their route takes them close to the border with China, on the Yellow River’s Great Bend. From afar, they could see the Chinese Empire’s massive border wall being repaired under the Emperor Wen’s mandated reconstruction projects.

“If we don’t attack them soon, they will attack us and will be stronger than now.” Yulcha said ominously looking at the workers along the wall.

“King Miwon is wise, and his advisors agree that to provoke the Sui would only incite them to attack Goguryeo from the north and the southern kingdoms will be happy to attack us from the south.”

Yulcha does not want to concede this argument. “May Tengri reward you then if your King’s plan works, as the water flows the Sui will take their chance and strike first.”

Upon entering the fort, the banners of the Malgal tribes[1] figured prominently outside Jaeso’s superior’s room. Upon entering, Jaeso and for the first time since meeting him, Yulcha, were anxious to be in a chamber surrounded by men who were neither Korean or Turkic. The commander sitting with a map stood up to greet them.

“Yogwi, you are here. I will need you and the Turk return to his tribal leader and deliver this scroll to him. King Miwon is alarmed with the Sui rebuilding their defences and has ordered for our cavalry along with the banners of the Malgal and Göktürks to raid the Chinese frontier villages.”

Yulcha took the scroll from the commander “I promise to aid Jaeso in sending this plan to our bek[2].” And with a bow, both of the men left the room.

As they left the fort, Jaeso looked at Yulcha’s gleeful expression. “Why are you so happy? The raids should be a normal thing for you.”

“You really want to know?” Jaeso looked even more confused. “I want to beat your skills with the bow when we raid the border towns and now, since we are at war, let us compete to see who has the most torso hits before we die.”

“It shall be done, but you will not find luck there, little boy.” Jaeso was only a lunar cycle older than Yulcha but nonetheless, he wanted to agitate his rival and partner at every chance.

“I do not need luck, rice farmer.” With that Yulcha moved in closer and kissed Jaeso in the lips then promptly rode on with a naughty smile.


----------



Throughout summer, then the fall seasons, the raids of the Northern Alliance led by Goguryeo, continued further rousing the Chinese closer into an actual war. The first military campaign against Goguryeo was not from China though, who was already on the defensive while fighting the Tibetans. Baekje had always sought to reclaim the Han River valley that was taken by Goguryeo during the reign of King Jangsu, the second of the two great kings that expanded the kingdoms border. For that reason, by the end of the year[3], Baekje attacked Goguryeo’s southwest fortresses. When it was certain that the Baekje armies will loose this costly campaign, Shilla opens another front in the southeast. Therefore, by the beginning of the year of Snake, all six parties involved are at war, with the deployment of China’s armies towards Goguryeo marching along the coast of the Bohai Sea.


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[1] Korean name for the Mohe.
[2] Turkic for Tribal Leader.
[3] In lunar terms.

[Jomazi]

It would be neat with maps for this, have a hard time imagining where exactly these states are located!

[Fire God]

^ Sorry about that, here it is.

I left the 2006 OTL borders alone for reference.

[Fire God]

Emperor Wen had more than one casus belli against China’s northeastern neighbour:

·Goguryeo’s sovereignty over the Liaodong Peninsula that was formerly a Chinese Commandery until it was taken during the reign of King Micheon.
·The allied Malgal, Göktürk, and Goguryeo attack in the north and west.
·King Miwon’s insistence on being called a Taewang[1], which goes against the Chinese Emperor ruling all “under Heaven”.

Under the joint command of the Emperor’s son, Yang Liang, and General Wang Shiji, the army would march east and take the Liaodong Peninsula. Meanwhile, Admiral Zhou Luohou was told to direct his naval forces along the southern end of the peninsula. Combined, the army and navy number at 270,000. The first few months of the war in the north went in favour of the Chinese, with the army taking one fortress city after another following Goguryeo forces abandoning it. At this time, Goguryeo was preoccupied with defending its southern borders from the Baekje-Shilla invasion. Admiral Zhou Luohou’s navy though didn’t fare as well as the army. Goguryeon troops and fortresses along the southern part of the Liaodong Peninsula prevented any large landings to occur by the Chinese navy and by the end of spring, they were forced to return to the Chinese side of the Bohai Sea.

Early victories of the Chinese ended when their allied Baekje-Shilla forces in the south were weakened enough to allow Goguryeo to turn their attentions towards China. Also at this time, rebellions started in the southern Chinese provinces of Gui[3] forcing Emperor Wen to focus his attention on domestic matters. Taking advantage of the events in Gui, General Samgeul Donghwi begins a campaign to reclaim the Liaodong Peninsula from the Sui forces starting with repeated raids by the joint Malgal and Goguryeon forces.

The long and harsh Manchurian winter and weakened supply lines further made the Chinese garrison in the northern part of the peninsula frail against Samgeul’s forces forcing the Sui troops into a retreat. By late spring of the next year (598), Goguryeo forces managed to drive the Sui military as far as the Liao River turning it into the new border between the two kingdoms.

Still preoccupied with the Gui rebellions, Emperor Wen would never again wage a war against Goguryeo for the rest of his reign, as the economic and human (about 75% of Chinese troops died in the war) effects of the war proved costly for China. The war somewhat weakened Goguryeo as the western and northern Liaodong Peninsula were ravaged, although the casualties on their side remained low compared to China’s. A few months after the war in the north, Goguryeo resumed their campaign regaining full control of the Han River valley from Baekje.

[1] “The most highest king”
[2] Modern day Ji’an in Jilin Province of the PRC.
[3] Modern day Guilin in Guangxi.

[Shadow Knight]

BAMtastic map and pretty good start on a eastern timeline.

[Fire God]

Thanks Shadow Knight.


Yamato and the Lands of the Setting Sun

Through its close ally, Baekje, the Yamato state benefited from the Sui-Baekje-Shilla alliance in the fields of culture, religion, and government. Prince Toyotomimi[1], a regent and the de facto ruler of the islands is a devout Buddhist and took a great interest in all things Chinese.

Because of this, in the 43rd year of Empress Suiko’s reign (596 CE), he encouraged a large movement of people and ideas between Yamato and the “lands of the setting sun” which included not only China, but with Shilla, Baekje, and the Gaya Confederacy. Many artisans, craftsmen, monks, and scholars came from the continent changing the face of Yamato, while many scholars studied government and law in China based on Confucianism. By Suiko’s 48th year as Empress (601 CE), Toyotomimi and his court began the process of writing laws based on the Confucian model.

Contact with mainlanders and the further Sinicization of the Yamato culture was welcomed by many, including the Prince’s own family, the Soga clan. However, there were many clans opposed Yamato’s strengthened relationship with the mainland, most prominent of these conservative factions were the Nakatomi and Mononobe clans. The Nakatomi were a priestly clan responsible for performing important Shinto rituals, saw the new religions as a threat to their livelihood. In contrast, the Mononobe were a military clan who held strong nationalist sentiments against the foreign influences.

Being the most powerful clans in Yamato, the Soga and Mononobe were often at odds with each other over the control of the nation and the open door policy of Toyotomimi was just the beginning of a conflict between them.

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[1] English: Wise Ears. The better-known name for him, Prince Shōtoku, was given more than a hundred years after his death to honour him.


Chaos in Shilla

In the aftermath of Shilla’s war against Goguryeo, a deep division occurred between the country’s aristocracy over the question of Shilla’s relationship with Goguryeo. On one side, favoured by King Jinpyeong, supported in continuing the alliance with China and Baekje; while the other wanted to ally with Goguryeo, this was supported by the King’s scholar and advisor, Lady Kihyun. Around the year 2933 (600 CE) the internal strife between the two factions intensified as the anti-Goguryeo forces caught an enemy messenger and it was revealed that the leaders of the pro-Goguryeo side were in contact with Goguryeo.

Shilla’s northern neighbour, Goguryeo, watched as the nation disintegrated in a bloody civil war waiting to make their move. Despite the alliance between them and China, Baekje was also sympathetic to Lady Kihyun’s faction. King Windeok had a small grudge against King Jinpyeong the Shillan king’s broken promise on sending reinforcements to help Baekje defend the Han River valley. The internal strife was most welcomed in Shilla’s southwest; the inhabitants in the region were part of the Gaya Confederacy until 2895 (562 CE) and were able to rebel against their masters. However by 2936 (603 CE), Shilla’s fractioned military temporary united in defeating the Gayan rebellion before continuing with their civil war.

[Fire God]

The Dragon Goes East Again

Yang Guang was Emperor Wen’s second and most favoured son. Guang’s parents greatly disliked his oldest brother Yong, as he took too many concubines; meanwhile, Guang gave the impression to being faithful to his wife although he also had kept concubines inconspicuously himself. During the later years of Emperor Wen’s reign, Guang continued to be in his father’s good graces as his brothers, Xiu and Jun (with Yong) were reduced to being commoners for their possession of many concubines, and Liang’s ambitiousness.

The Renshou era ended with the death of Emperor Wen from illness[1] in its 4th year[2], Yang Guang then assumed the throne as Emperor Yang after killing Yang Yong. His first obstacle was his only non-commoner brother, Yang Liang, who had raised troops on the eastern side of the Yellow River against the Emperor. Liang’s forces initially were successful; still, due to bad strategy, Liang was forced to surrender, leaving Emperor Yang as the sole ruler of China.

Emperor Yang’s priorities centred on the creation and connection of various canals in the east, building another capital at Luoyang and many palaces in the provinces, and repairing the Great Wall, all of which at the cost more that five million conscripted men. The Grand Canal was especially at the top of his list as he will use it to transport supplies and men to the north for his campaign against Goguryeo. In year 10 of the Daye Era[3], more than 1,200,000 men, about 5 million if their support is added, gathered at the eastern gate of the wall and headed towards Goguryeo.

Since the end of the First War, King Miwon of Goguryeo had taken a less aggressive approach towards China, although the Göktürks continually raided China’s northern border, it was not as widespread as it was during the First War. After refusing repeated demands by Emperor Yang to submit and visit him in Luoyang, Chinese troops and the navy began their campaign to retake the Liaodong Peninsula. Goguryeo fought heroically against the larger and more technologically advanced Sui military, but by winter of the same year, they were forced to retreat into the east and north leaving China to successfully occupy the whole peninsula.

Realizing that the joint Malgal-Goguryeo cavalries will attempt to attack from the north, Emperor Yang ordered an expedition in order to engage them, the end result of which is a weakened Goguryeo northern territory although the less experienced Chinese cavalry also suffered. Compared to the first war against Goguryeo, the winter season was not harsh towards the Chinese due to the stronger supply lines and Emperor Yang’s decision not to go any further towards the Goguryeon capital of Pyeongyang, instead using the remaining winter to consolidate the peninsula. At the beginning of the lunar year, under the command of General Yuwen Shu and Yu Zhongwen, the Sui Chinese army advanced onwards to Pyeongyang.

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[1] Some historians speculate that he was murdered on Yang Guang’s orders, but there isn’t any direct evidence to justify this. Since the POD is in 521, the butterflies are good enough to have Emperor Wen die from illness.
[2] 604.
[3] 614.

[Fire God]

“Never invade the Goguryeo again.”

With the loss of their western territories and the weakening of the vast north’s defences, King Miwon needed a new strategy to stop the Sui progress towards Pyeongyang. He assigns Field Marshal Yun Hibeom to command the force to engage the Chinese. Under Yun’s leadership, Goguryeo forces kept engaging the Chinese then feigning retreat; then Yun’s forces attack again hours later. This greatly slows down the Sui host in addition to the northern cavalry molesting supply lines behind them, and the unseasonably wet spring. By the time Generals Yuwen and Yu’s starving and fatigued forces reached the outskirts of the former Goguryeo capital of Wandu on the Yalu River[1], they were forced to retreat rather than face the heavily fortified citadel. Their retreat though is filled with sporadic ambushes from the Goguryeo army in the Changbaek Mountains and the Malgal horsemen in the Liaodong Peninsula, in the end less than a quarter of the 300,000-man army survived.

Luckily for King Miwon, Baekje was too preoccupied with taking territories from a now weakened Shilla still struggling to rebuild after four years of ending the civil war with the victory of pro-Goguryeo forces, the ascendancy of their leader, Queen Kihyun, of the sacred bone lineage[2] and imprisonment of King Jinpyeong. Baekje gained support from the southwest of Shilla and with the Gayan forces, they managed to take Shilla’s western territories. Goguryeo confidently watched on as the two former allies clash.

With Liaodong under his rule, Emperor Yang once again planned an attack against Goguryeo from there during the autumn of the 11th year[3]. However, General Yang Xuangan, the man responsible for the transportation of supplies through a canal connection starts a rebellion and withholds the much-needed provisions. Yang Xuangan cites the tyrannical rule of the Emperor, which cost the lives of millions and a call to restore the policies of the more liked Emperor Wen as the cause of his insurrections. Taking the advice of his advisor Li Mi, Xuangan makes a successful surprise attack to take Jicheng[4] and Linyu[5] trapping Emperor Yang on the front lines.

Taking it as an advantage, Goguryeo forces under Field Marshal Yun Hibeom attack the Sui armies. The attacks from both sides resulted in a very high death toll for the garrisons in the Liaodong Peninsula; by the early winter of the 11th year, the remaining Sui armies surrendered to Yang Xuangan’s forces. Emperor Yang was the one who ordered the unconditional capitulation and shortly afterwards committed suicide, his last words were spoken to his General, Yu Zhongwen saying: “Never invade the Goguryeo again.”[6]

With the gifted strategist Li Mi at his side, Yang Xuanga declares himself Emperor Dongzu (冬祖) of the Quan (泉) Dynasty. He then rallies the agrarian farmers surrounding Jicheng into a rebellion against the remaining Sui forces under Emperor Shi (Yang Jian) and other contenders to the Dragon Throne.

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[1] Modern day Ji’an in Jilin Province of the PRC.
[2] Shilla’s analogue to royal blood. Until the Goryeo Dynasty, women were almost equal to men, because of this Shilla had three queens in its history.
[3] 615
[4] Near present day Beijing.
[5] Modern day Qinhuangdao, Hebei.
[6] If the Wikipedia on Emperor Yang is taken to be 100% accurate, he also said this when he died in 618.
[7] Present day Xi’an.

The map of Asia in 616 CE.
Orange- Göktürks
Red- Sui Dynasty
Gray- Quan Dynasty
Green- Goguryeo
Violet- Baekje
Blue- Shilla
Brown- Yamato state