Chapter 16: [The End of Yelü Abogu]
"Waaahhhhh!"
"Assist the Crown Prince! Crush them all!"
"What? Where did more soldiers come from?"
"They're bandits targeting Balhae! Annihilate them all!"
The pre-positioned left and right armies struck Yelü Abogu's Khitan forces from both sides.
A total of six thousand Gaema-musa—three thousand on each flank—broke through the sides of Yelü Abogu's army.
The already disorganized formation completely collapsed, and Khitan cavalry was annihilated in an instant. Even the infantry fell simply by colliding with the Gaema-musa.
"Waaahhhhh!"
The battlefield became a scene of chaos, a living hell, as Balhae soldiers roared and Khitan troops screamed.
At this moment, Dae In-seon's central army, which had been retreating, turned to join the fight, attacking from three sides and surrounding the Khitan army. The result was utter devastation.
As time passed, Khitan banners disappeared entirely, leaving only the Samjok-o banners fluttering in the wind.
Of Yelü Abogu's forces, eighteen thousand were killed or gravely wounded, and soldiers who felt betrayed by Yelü Abogu had surrendered early.
In the end, only Yelü Abogu and his close followers remained alive. Even they were surrounded by Balhae troops, awaiting either death or the mercy of Dae In-seon.
After the battle, seeing Yelü Abogu before him, Dae In-seon felt exhilarated.
"In the original history, this guy would have kneeled and forced me to surrender. And now, here he is, stripped of his army, panting before me."
Dae In-seon almost felt like dancing in celebration, having defeated Yelü Abogu's army and prevented the disastrous future in which Balhae fell.
Although the collapse of Khitan had technically ended with Zhu Quanzhong, Yelü Abogu was now incapable of recovering.
"Hmm. Yelü Abogu. Quite the sight, isn't it?"
"Ugh… You'd better step forward and face me like a man!"
Yelü Abogu seemed to be making one last gamble, requesting single combat against Dae In-seon. At least he wanted to take Dae In-seon down with him.
Dae In-seon, having grown up watching countless historical dramas, immediately recognized Yelü Abogu's tactic. He had seen many one-on-one combat challenges on screen.
"Hmm, so you really want to fight me?" Dae In-seon mused."As the Crown Prince of Balhae, I suppose one should show a defeated opponent some courtesy?"
It sounded like Yelü Abogu was asking for a final favor: to acknowledge him as a worthy opponent.
But Dae In-seon's mind cooled rapidly. The joy of victory over Yelü Abogu was replaced by irritation at his insistence on dragging things out. Naturally, he would not grant Yelü Abogu any mercy.
"Fine. You're right. But listen to this."
Dae In-seon drew an arrow from his quiver and, using his favorite bow, shot directly at Yelü Abogu's right arm, which held the sword.
Thwack!
"Ugh!?"
"I don't intend to get bitten by a mad dog like you, even slightly. Where do you get these ridiculous ideas?"
The Balhae soldiers, already loyal to Dae In-seon, mocked Yelü Abogu as he writhed, pierced by the arrow.
Humiliated and bleeding, Yelü Abogu's strength to resist failed him, and he collapsed.
"Coward!"
"Coward? Do you think I don't know your ambition? You wanted to unite Khitan, swallow Balhae, and advance to the Central Plains!"
"How… how did you…?"
Dae In-seon realized that capturing Yelü Abogu had been a wise decision. Had he not, Yelü Abogu would have remained a threat to Balhae.
He silently thanked Zhu Quanzhong and Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, who, despite being adversaries, had indirectly aided in stopping Yelü Abogu. Especially Zhu Quanzhong, whose sincere assistance deserved a token of gratitude later.
With the battle concluded, Dae In-seon issued orders to his troops.
"I will not hand my kingdom over to a mere bandit of the steppes! What are you waiting for? He tried to plunder Buyeo Fortress! Beat him just enough to capture him alive and bring him to Buyeo! This battle is a victory for our Balhae army!"
"Waaahhhhh!"
"Long live the Crown Prince! Long live Balhae! Long, long live!"
"Long live the Crown Prince! Long live Balhae! Long, long live!"
"Your Highness, shall we return to Buyeo Fortress now?"
"No. First, we'll visit the Khitan lands ruined by Zhu Quanzhong."
Although Khitan had been defeated, Dae In-seon reasoned that the tribes themselves had not been entirely destroyed.
Thanks to Zhu Quanzhong's campaign, the Khitan would require time to recover. It was an opportune moment for Balhae to absorb them. Dae In-seon also felt responsible, having underestimated the devastation Zhu Quanzhong would cause.
"What do you mean?"
"Osodo went a little too far this time. Even if Zhu Quanzhong ignored him, the collapse of Khitan is partly my responsibility. I must manage the remaining Khitan myself."
Dae In-seon escorted the severely wounded and barely conscious Yelü Abogu while moving into the devastated Khitan territory across the Yalu River.
Although the area closest to Balhae suffered relatively less damage, the surviving Khitan were starving and many were dead in the streets due to lack of treatment. Dae In-seon ordered his soldiers to burn the corpses.
"So this is the state of the eight Khitan tribes… Restoring them might be meaningless now."
Once the Khitan realized Balhae had arrived, they either froze in fear or prostrated themselves, having lost hope and the will to resist.
"Please… spare us! Mother!""We've barely made it here! Please, save at least the children!"
Dae In-seon commanded his troops:
"Distribute the army rations to feed them."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Balhae soldiers fed the Khitan people and tended to the wounded. Winning their hearts was the first priority. The survivors, who had lost all hope, were easily swayed.
Dae In-seon gently patted the head of a young girl trembling in her mother's arms.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you. From now on, I will take care of you."
"Really?"
"I am not like the Tang dynasty. This place will become a fief, governed under Balhae's laws. All residents will be considered my people. Those with exceptional talent will be given positions, regardless of background. Will you become my people?"
Dae In-seon looked over all the Khitan, intending to secure their loyalty and incorporate the devastated lands into Balhae.
"Will you really protect us?"
"If you become my people, I will protect you."
Though hesitant, the Khitan began to trust him. Eulbu, noticing this, smiled and proclaimed to them:
"This is Crown Prince Dae In-seon of Balhae! He has personally come to save you!"
"We will follow the Crown Prince of Balhae!""We will follow too!"
The Khitan had lost their armies and leaders; the only one to rely upon was Dae In-seon, who had rescued them from despair. Titles and past allegiances no longer mattered.
The Khitan collectively bowed and raised their hands:
"Long live the Crown Prince! Long live Balhae! Long, long live!"
"Long live the Crown Prince! Long live Balhae! Long, long live!"
Dae In-seon instructed:
"Eulbu, station troops here. Call this place a fief and build fortifications to prepare for any future Tang upheaval."
"Won't Tang protest?"
"They're already in chaos. Zhu Quanzhong aims to become emperor immediately, and they won't care what we do."
With the fief secured, Dae In-seon oversaw reconstruction and then returned triumphantly to Buyeo Fortress.
Sulryeol-pyeong, waiting eagerly, smiled brightly at first but quickly turned away when their eyes met. Dae In-seon apologized for the delay and brought Yelü Abogu, who was barely conscious from injuries, before her.
"Is this Yelü Abogu?"
"Yes. I want you to decide his fate as a gift. What do you say?"
Sulryeol-pyeong, recalling near-death at the hands of his pursuit force, looked ready to kill him but instead said:
"Just deal with him according to Balhae law. I've had enough of bloodshed."
In the end, Yelü Abogu, once destined to become emperor of the Khitan-led Liao, died in the streets of Buyeo, beaten by its people, leaving no legacy and his body discarded in the forest.