Gu Moran didn't reply, but turned the sheepskin over.
The reverse side shows the distribution of the garrison troops marked in black ink.
The southern half was completely clean; all the flags were gone, and only a few squares were scattered around on the northern side.
How many more people can you pull out of your hands?
Kim Seon-a stared at the blank space to the south for two breaths.
Gu Moran didn't wait for her.
"Of the 20,000 people, half have fled, leaving 10,000. Of those 10,000, 3,000 escaped from Busanpo."
He tapped his finger twice on the banner of the three thousand men.
"Are these three thousand... still fit for battle?"
Kim Seon-a's sleeve twitched, and her hand clenched tightly inside.
She knew the answer.
She knew what happened at Busanpo that day; someone ran up the mountain with their knife still in its sheath.
"Three thousand men were terrified, and seven thousand men had never even faced such desperados before."
The sheepskin was pushed towards her.
"You must take these ten thousand men to recapture Busanpo."
"What can they use to hold them off? They have 18,000 men on the other side, they've been starving for almost a month, they're risking their lives to get here, and their navy, samurai, and ninja will all be deployed later."
"What makes you Goryeo think you can resist?"
Kim Seon-a pulled her eyes away from the picture and frowned, thinking for a moment.
He said something out of a strong sense of pride.
"Terrain."
"There are mountains on the Busanpo, and I know that road well. No matter how many people he comes, going into the mountains is suicide."
Gu Moran's lips twitched slightly; it wasn't a smile, but rather an expression of finding it somewhat amusing.
"The princess is at the Peak Second Rank, sealing off a mountain path is no problem for her, but what about the people under her?"
How many are Second Rank?
There was no response.
" The Tiger Spirit Bloodline can protect Incheon, but it can't protect the seventeen mountain paths of Busanpo."
Gu Moran picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea had long since gone cold, but he didn't care.
"The lowest-ranking infantrymen in the seven prefectures of the Kyushu had lost their homes, their food, and their way out. If they couldn't get food, they would die."
These kinds of people don't care about formations, aren't afraid of death or injury, and will charge forward even in the dead of night; they get more excited when they see a granary than when they see their commander.
The teacup tapped against the edge of the table with a sound.
"So what if Second Rank? If tens of thousands of starving people surround you, you'll just be a giant piece of fat meat."
Kim Seon-a's jaw tightened slightly.
That's a very unpleasant thing to say.
But while the statement is crude, the principle is sound.
She closed her eyes briefly, weighing the various options over and over.
After Busanpo fell, the morale of the people below was greatly diminished.
The Japanese army spread out more than twice as fast as she had calculated.
Relying Goryeo itself...
She knew what was going on.
Suspended.
Incheon...
That's with the knife handle facing outwards.
Gu Moran didn't urge him.
The teapot was lifted and half a cup was poured, the water flowing so gently as if afraid of disturbing someone.
A breeze slipped in from under the curtain, causing the candle wick to tilt slightly before straightening again.
Kim Seon-a opened her eyes.
"Military power... is negotiable."
" Incheon, no way."
Gu Moran put down the teapot.
"If I don't borrow Incheon, where will my ship set sail?"
"Detour."
"Go around? Do you know how far that would be?"
She knew the number.
Bypassing Incheon and taking the outer sea adds nearly 400 miles of waterway travel.
In the time it takes to travel 400 li, the Japanese army could capture two more ports.
She didn't open her mouth.
Gu Moran said it.
I don't know the exact amount.
"But I know that by the time you get around there, they'll have already established themselves in the north of Gyeongju."
He braced himself on the table with both hands and leaned forward slightly.
"Princess."
He paused for a moment.
I'm not negotiating with you.
"I'm settling accounts for you."
Kim Seon-a's fingers curled up inside her sleeve.
At that very moment.
The curtain was lifted from the outside.
Shen Ling'er came in carrying a soup bowl, a few stray strands of hair still tucked behind her ears, making her look both innocent and alluring.
Without stopping, he walked around the corner of the table, sat down next to Gu Moran, and lifted the lid of the bowl.
"Husband, drink this first, my throat is killing me."
Gu Moran glanced at her but didn't reach out.
Shen Ling'er scooped up a spoonful and held it directly to his lips.
Gu Moran drank it with the spoon, then turned her face back to look at the picture.
Shen Ling'er leaned her body against his shoulder, held the soup bowl steady, and handed him the spoon one spoonful at a time.
I know these moves so well, I could never be more familiar with them.
Lin Qingdai leaned against the curtain, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her gaze sweeping over Kim Seon-a before fixed on the doorway.
The scene across the street was laid bare before them, blatantly obvious.
Kim Seon-a shifted her gaze back to the map.
His hands rested on his knees, his knuckles clenched even tighter than before.
The heartwarming scene was something she longed for but could never have.
She quickly composed herself.
"The lines of command must be clearly drawn."
His voice was slightly deeper than before.
"The remnant army will obey your tactical orders, but not your political orders. Once Busanpo is retaken, military power will be handed over that very day, leaving not a single soldier behind."
Gu Moran used his pen to adjust the markings on the diagram.
"Fine, don't think I'm interested in your Goryeo. We're far away and difficult to manage."
Kim Seon-a was taken aback.
She thought there would be a bunch of additional conditions attached.
That's it?
"There's nothing wrong with this one."
Gu Moran pulled the sheepskin back together.
"But we can only borrow Incheon. We can only borrow the port for ships to stop for supplies, not for stationing troops. After the war, I won't have a single soldier left."
Kim Seon-a pursed her lips.
[Congratulations, host Kim Seon-hui's favorability has increased by 10 points, now at 68.]
[Source of emotional fluctuations: Admiration for the host's magnanimity and spirit.]
Gu Moran forced a smile.
Women are so easy to please.
He pushed the picture over, the corner of it almost touching her hand.
"All I need is a place to dock and resupply. I don't even want to look at what your ancestral temples look like."
"If you don't want to lend it, that's fine too."
"Once the Japanese army pushes to the walls of Incheon, and once the remnants have fled without a trace, it will be your responsibility to carry the throne of Goryeo to Busanpo..."
Kim Seon-a clenched her fist on her knee, her nails digging into her palm.
The mouth didn't open.
Sudden.
Boom!
A muffled thud rang out outside the courtyard.