I Became a Fallen Noble of Goguryeo

Chapter 30: Go Yangseong

“The words of that man always went ahead, and the game he hunted was so great that no one could keep up with him.

It makes me wonder if the old Go Noja and Go Mil, his close friends, might have been like that.

It is certain that this man is the most brilliant figure of this hunting festival.

Bring him before me, for I wish to see his face.”

At the words of the Grand King, I ascended the platform.

I was a little bewildered.

‘…What on earth just happened?’

With the mindset of ‘Well, if I die, I die,’ I kept throwing spears one after another, and somehow I ended up first place.

Rather, thinking it might be my last hunt made my adrenaline and endorphins surge.

I must have truly become a Goguryeo man.

In the end, what I caught was three deer and two pigs… two more deer compared to the runner-up.

‘But then, why did Wang Godeok stay still? Didn’t he try to interfere?’

Or did he, and I just didn’t notice?

I didn’t know.

The only thing I knew right now was that I had won here.

As the winner of the Heavenly Deity Rite, I was given the chance to have a private audience with the Grand King.

‘Go Yangseong….’

The monarch who revived Goguryeo, and my father-in-law.

And yet, this was the first time I was meeting him in person.

The first thing I noticed was the white cap, the Baekragwan, symbol of the Grand King.

In the early days of Goguryeo, kings wore brightly colored clothes and dazzling gilt-bronze crowns, but after centralization began, the need to display authority through extravagance gradually diminished, and in recent times, they only wore the Baekragwan.

Indeed, that was so. From every gesture and every expression of his, the aura of a ruler emanated. Go Yangseong asked.

“Now remove the red liquor and reveal your name. What is your name?”

There was no way he did not know I was Ondal.

Just look at his deeply furrowed brow. It was exactly the look of a man seeing the thief who stole his daughter.

Thus, this was a play.

I spoke according to my role.

“My humble name is Ondal.”

“What… is that?”

Though he already knew, his angry expression was magnificent. Go Yangseong asked again.

“Are you that Ondal who married the Princess?”

“…Yes, that is so. I am the Grand King’s son-in-law.”

“I…”

Suddenly the Grand King shouted.

“…I have never had a son-in-law like you! Begone at once! If you go about claiming you are my son-in-law, you shall meet great punishment!”

Thus, the hunting festival ended with the wrath of the Grand King.

Ah, I knew it would turn out this way.

I was not acknowledged as his son-in-law.

Well, I expected that.

‘Even in the Ondal Yeoljeon, Ondal was not acknowledged here but only later, when he achieved victory in the Battle of Baesan.’

Moreover, Go Yangseong had every reason to perform this rejection at least once. His national policy was fairness and justice.

If he had made a fuss, saying, ‘Ah yes, you are truly my son-in-law! From now on, your road will be paved with gold!’ just because I passed the recruitment rite, the nobles would surely think, ‘Ah, so fairness and justice have crumbled!’

However, that did not mean my position as the winner was revoked.

The Grand King only declared, ‘I have never had a son-in-law like you.’ He did not replace the winner. To strip the winner of his title would also stray far from fairness and justice.

‘It’s just like a morning drama….’

The comparison was apt. The tale of Ondal and Boknyeo was the hottest drama in Pyeongyang Fortress.

No, perhaps even more than that.

In the 21st century, it was merely an old story, but in this age, it was an ongoing serial.

And right now, Go Yangseong played the father-in-law role in a morning drama, shouting, ‘Father-in-law? Who’s your father-in-law? I never had a son-in-law like you!’ while throwing water.

Up to this point, it was the normal progression of a morning drama. The citizens of Pyeongyang Fortress were likely watching, biting their nails in excitement.

But if the father-in-law began to destroy everything the son-in-law had accomplished and openly ruin his life, then the story would turn strange. That would be a plot violation, a change of genre.

Just as readers would rage at an author who wrote a romance and suddenly inserted an NTR scene, if Go Yangseong went that far, his popularity among the citizens of Pyeongyang Fortress would certainly plummet.

And Go Yangseong paid great attention to public opinion in Pyeongyang. Barely a few decades ago, a rebellion had erupted there, so ignoring the people’s sentiment would be madness.

‘The outcome of civil war is decided by who seizes the hearts of Pyeongyang Fortress first.’

Half of the citizens of Pyeongyang Fortress were soldiers. They even stored weapons in their own homes.

The first rule of survival in Goguryeo—“Take good care of those around you”—applied to the Grand King as well.

Go Yangseong knew this well. So he chose to be just harsh enough that both nobles and commoners alike could agree it was reasonable.

In other words—

“Heh, I wondered what would happen if that fellow was appointed right away. Thankfully, he was not taken into the palace.”

“The Grand King set fairness and justice as his standard. That’s why he accepted the Domestic Fortress Faction.”

“Indeed… he is not one to break his own word.”

By not accepting me so easily, he preserved fairness, gave the nobles their due, and—

“The Grand King is too harsh. How could he not accept that?”

“Well, that’s because we’re only spectators. If you were the father himself, think about it. If a slave ran off with your daughter, would you accept it sweetly?”

“Indeed. Just being acknowledged as first place shows the Grand King held back a lot!

Seeing that, I think I finally understand what he means by fairness and justice.”

It felt as though he had adjusted things so as not to criticize me excessively, while still giving the commoners some entertainment.

‘Not a son-in-law, but still the winner.’

For now, I decided to be satisfied with that much.

After all, if not for the Bucephalus and Yeombu that Go Yangseong had given me, winning would have been impossible in the first place.

This was not a bad start at all.

Besides me, twenty others were selected in the Recruitment Rite, half from the Domestic Fortress Faction nobles and half from commoners.

It might seem like there were a lot of commoners, but that was a misleading ratio.

Among all participants, less than 10% were nobles, so those 10% made up half of the successful candidates, while the remaining half came from the 90% commoner class.

‘And even those commoners were mostly well-off citizens or prominent villagers.’

Naturally so, since sending children to the Scholarly Academy and giving them martial training from a young age required wealth.

Thus, rising in Goguryeo’s social ranks had to be done step by step, generation by generation.

‘Still, it’s better than Silla.’

In Silla, during the reign of King Beopheung, the royal family was assigned bone ranks, and nobles were given head ranks, with the highest office they could hold strictly fixed. True-bone aristocrats could rise to the very top, while those of the sixth head rank could rise only as high as sixth grade.

Compared to that, Goguryeo allowed for many fallen nobles and newly risen nobles, making its system, for the times, relatively open.

Thus, commoners who were newly incorporated into the nobility as Fourteenth-Rank Attendant Officials cried out in joy.

“By the heavens, I’m a noble now!”

“See this? It’s a Bird-Feather Cap!”

“It even has two feathers!”

So, upon passing the exam, those newly made nobles received the Bird-Feather Cap, and with tears of joy they trembled as they wore it.  It was a headgear decorated with two bird feathers.

Just as one could tell a soldier’s rank by his cap insignia, one could discern Goguryeo’s social status by looking at the head.

Ordinary commoners usually wore pointed caps, and the wealthier ones at best wore the Bird-Tail Cap, made with bird tails. A proper Bird-Feather Cap was reserved only for nobles.

As one’s rank rose higher, color was also added to the headgear.

From Eleventh-Rank Elder onward, one wore the red Bira Cap, from Seventh-Rank Elder onward, the blue Cheongra Cap, and at Fifth-Rank—high enough to join the Jeja Council—one wore the purple Bira Cap. The Grand King, of course, wore the pure white Baekragwan.

Right now, I only had a Bird-Feather Cap, but as my rank rose, I too could wear those other caps. Ah, except for the Baekragwan. Coup d’états were not my taste.

“That Bird-Feather Cap suits you well.”

“So does yours.”

Beside me, Soyong grinned. He too had passed the exam and become an Attendant Official, wearing the Bird-Feather Cap.

“What will you do next?”

“I can’t be content with being an Attendant Official. At the very least, I must rise to Elder and wear the silk cap to be truly treated as one.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Goguryeo’s class system was better than Silla’s, but still, the wall of social rank was solid.

As Soyong said, Attendant Official was noble among commoners, but among nobles, it was still treated as commoner.

After that, one had to pass through Thirteenth-Rank Deputy Judge and Twelfth-Rank Judge, reaching at least Eleventh-Rank Elder, to be treated as a true noble.

Soyong spoke.

“Leading one’s own unit as a commander on the battlefield begins at Elder rank… Even hereditary village allotments come only from Elder rank. Below that, one only receives stipends, not land. Most importantly, Attendant Officials cannot send their children to the Taehak.”

There were several ways into Goguryeo’s highest educational institution, the Taehak. One could be from a distinguished noble family, receive a recommendation from a Scholarly Academy or temple, or pass the Recruitment Rite.

But even passing the Recruitment Rite did not guarantee entry. The Taehak, as the training ground for Goguryeo’s elites, usually admitted only children of Elder-level nobles and above.

No matter how open Goguryeo was compared to Silla, it was still clearly a class society, and the Taehak was not a place for those who had only just donned the Bird-Feather Cap.

Soyong said.

“My father’s dream was to make me an Attendant Official. And my dream is to rise swiftly in rank so I can send my children to the Taehak.”

“It won’t be easy.”

For most officials from commoner backgrounds, promotions were difficult, as they lacked powerful backers.

Countless careers began and ended at Attendant Official, and rising to Elder rank was like reaching for the stars.

“Have you thought of a way?”

“Military merit is the only path. So I’m torn—should I go south to fight the Silla bastards, or head north?”

“If you really want promotion, go north. There’s a high chance of war breaking out there soon.”

“Really? If you say so, Lord Ondal, I’ll follow your advice. Then, as for you… the Taehak, I presume?”

“That’s my plan.”

Soyong, who for the first time in his family wore the Bird-Feather Cap, could not enter the Taehak, but I could.

Even aside from being a son-in-law, my maternal grandfather had been a Junior Elder, so I had the conditions to enter.

And right now, not entering the Taehak would be sheer stupidity.

The Taehak had always been the golden road to success and the sweetest jar of connections… but now, it was the diamond road to success and the royal jelly jar of networks.

For one thing, Yeon Jayu’s son and top candidate for the next Prime Minister, Yeon Taejo, was currently studying at the Taehak.

Even Boknyeo’s younger brother, Go Daewon—future King Yeongyang—was set to enroll.

Not going would be madness. I had to go, no matter what.

Soyong let out a thoughtful hum.

“You’re a bit late. Most noble children enter the Taehak at fifteen or sixteen, so you’re a latecomer.”

“Is that so?”

“But Lord Ondal, I’m sure you’ll do well.”

Saying this, Soyong grinned.

“Later on, when we meet, you won’t pretend not to know me, will you?”

Seeing the sight of his missing front tooth bobbing around, I couldn’t help but chuckle and laugh along.

To obtain an official post meant gaining the right to own a house within the capital.

Said like that, one might think the state provided an official residence, but that was not the case. More precisely, it was closer to ‘the right to own a house in Pyeongyang Fortress.’

A sort of residence permit, though I had to purchase the house myself.

‘Even then, it was incredibly small.’

The house I bought was merely five rooms. The yard was cramped, and there wasn’t even a well.

It wasn’t for lack of wealth. I had a decent amount of money now, and if I wished, I could have bought a much larger house.

The reason I chose a small one was because of my rank.

It wasn’t about worrying over higher-ups’ opinions—rather, in Goguryeo it was simply the rule that lower-ranking officials could not purchase large houses in Pyeongyang Fortress.

As an Attendant Official, five rooms was the maximum, and there were even interior restrictions such as, ‘No more than one tile roof for those below Elder rank.’

Just as clothing was distinguished by class, so too were houses regulated by the laws of status.

‘Honestly, our house back in Gromchon was better.’

But my family, who had come to Pyeongyang, thought otherwise.

“First place! I knew you would do it! Now we’re really going to live in Pyeongyang, aren’t we?”

My wife Boknyeo bounced with joy as she looked at the new house. My mother even had tears welling in her eyes.

“Thirty years ago, I was driven out of here, destitute. But now… now I’ve returned.”

“Mother, this is only the beginning.”

I spoke firmly to her.

“I will rise beyond Junior Elder, the rank held by my maternal grandfather, and become Elder… no, higher still.”

“You rascal… I swore I wouldn’t cry on a day like this….”

At last, my mother shed tears.

“My own child is making me weep. How foolish of me….”

Soon the house was lively and full. Myself, Boknyeo, and my mother, along with Yeombu, the bodyguard, who also took a room as a guest.

That evening, after we had settled down—

“…So, is Ondal here?”

Someone slipped in quietly, stepping across the threshold.

Yeombu moved to stop him, but the moment he saw the man’s face, he dropped to his knees.

“O-oh, you have come!”

The Princess’s bodyguard kneeling first? Even if Yeon Jayu had appeared, that would never happen. Only one person in all of Goguryeo could make that possible.

‘Father and daughter both… is sneaking out of the palace just daily routine for the royal family of Goguryeo?’

Even so, my body responded honestly.

I bowed deeply.

“…Grand King, you have come.”

Go Yangseong clicked his tongue at me.

“Authority is something worn upon one’s clothing. If I wear plain garments, how can I be the Grand King?”

Though I had spoken the proper words, Go Yangseong responded with sharpness. It seemed that his recent declaration—‘You are not my son-in-law!’—was not a political ploy, but his genuine feeling.

“Then, shall I call you Father-in-law instead?”

“You rascal… call me Grand King.”

So much for that….

Go Yangseong first greeted my mother.

“Thank you for accepting my daughter.”

“Thank me?

Not at all, that is undeserved.”

Even facing the Grand King alone, my mother did not falter. After all, she hadn’t been shaken even when she first met Boknyeo, a Princess.

“Though I would wish to speak with you longer, I suppose you did not come here for me.

I shall step aside so you may converse freely.”

My mother immediately made room. As soon as she left, Go Yangseong grasped Boknyeo’s hand.

“Boknyeo, I know you sacrificed yourself for the sake of your unworthy father. Forgive me, for I was lacking.”

At those words, Boknyeo pouted.

It was exactly the face of a daughter who felt misunderstood by her father.

“Not a word of that is true. How can Father call himself lacking, and how can you call my marriage a sacrifice? Have you not read the letters I wrote night after night?”

“What are you saying? I read every one of them, placed petals in the rings, and kept them carefully lest they be damaged.”

“If you truly read them, then you know how much joy I take in this marriage. And when you see these… you too, Father, will come to like my husband.”

Boknyeo pulled out a box she had prepared in advance.

Inside were two things.

One was, of course, a thick, mature ginseng root.

The other was a completed book on agriculture.

Author’s Notes.

1. Milwu 密友 was a man of the Sunno Tribe, known for rescuing King Dongcheon when he was pursued by Gungugyeom.

Go Noja and Go Mil were generals who distinguished themselves in battles against the Murong.

2. According to the Book of Sui and New Book of Tang, Goguryeo’s Grand King wore the white Baekragwan, the high ministers wore the purple Jara Cap, then the blue Cheongra Cap, and lastly the red Gangra Cap.

They also decorated their headgear with gold and silver ornaments to signify rank.

Ordinary nobles wore the Bird-Feather Cap.

In this story, ranks 1–5 (Jeja level) are assigned the Jara Cap, ranks 6–7 (Elder level) the Cheongra Cap, and ranks 8–11 (Elder-brother level) the Bira Cap.

This was based on the fact that Jin, a Grand Elder, wore the Cheongra Cap, and that Goguryeo generally divided commanders as Clan Chiefs (leaders of 100), Commandants (leaders of 1,000), and Generals according to the ranks of Jeja–Elder–Elder-brother.