Міжзірковий мандрівник
Chapter 15
Next,afterbreakingthebonesanddecapitatingthethengovernorofthefiveprovinces,himselfanadherentofChongMong-ju,IwasmadegovernorofthesevenhomeprovincesofancientKoryu.InCho-Sensevenisthemagicnumber.TocompletethisnumbertwooftheprovincesweretakenoverfromthehandsoftwomoreofChongMong-ju’sadherents.
Lord,Lord,asea-cuny...anddispatchednorthovertheMandarinRoadwithfivehundredsoldiersandaretinueatmyback!Iwasagovernorofsevenprovinces,wherefiftythousandtroopsawaitedme.Life,death,andtorture,Icarriedatmydisposal.Ihadatreasuryandatreasurer,tosaynothingofaregimentofscribes.Awaitingmealsowasafullthousandoftax-farmers;whosqueezedthelastcoppersfromthetoilingpeople.
Thesevenprovincesconstitutedthenorthernmarch.BeyondlaywhatisnowManchuria,butwhichwasknownbyusasthecountryoftheHong-du,or“RedHeads.”Theywerewildraiders,onoccasioncrossingtheYaluingreatmassesandover-runningnorthernCho-Senlikelocusts.Itwassaidtheyweregiventocannibalpractices.Iknowofexperiencethattheywereterriblefighters,mostdifficulttoconvinceofabeating.
Awhirlwindyearitwas.WhileYunsanandtheLadyOmatKeijocompletedthedisgraceofChongMong-ju,Iproceededtomakeareputationformyself.OfcourseitwasreallyHendrikHamelatmyback,butIwasthefinefigure-headthatcarrieditoff.
