Chapter 12

“I’ll hear you out.”

“Leave Joseon. Leave Joseon right now. I will make a way for you.”

Father Dubois’s eyes changed.

Father Dubois slowly opened his mouth.

“I will not leave Joseon.”

His voice was firm.

“I must remain with the people of this land. I did not come to Joseon to run away. I came with the intention of being buried in this land.”

I looked at the priest.

It was the answer I had expected.

“Father, do you know how the people of Joseon are living right now?”

Father Dubois raised an eyebrow.

“I have lived on this land for eighteen years. I know it better than you do, young master.”

“Then you must know. The Three Administrations are in disarray, the people are starving to death, and the government is not looking after them. While the Haedong Kim clan holds Joseon in its grasp, nothing changes.”

Father Dubois said nothing.

“Outside, Qing is kneeling before the Western powers. Japan is also being shaken. How long can Joseon keep its doors closed? It won’t be long before Western ships reach Joseon’s shores.”

“So what are you asking me to do?”

Father Dubois’s voice had lowered slightly.

“If you truly love Joseon, then Joseon must become stronger. You know better than I do the difference between the matchlocks currently used by the Joseon army and Western rifles. If Joseon keeps its doors closed without understanding that difference, it will be trampled within a few years.”

Father Dubois remained silent for a long time.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Go to Primorsky Krai.”

Father Dubois raised his eyes.

“Last year, under the Treaty of Peking, Russia took Primorsky Krai. Russians are now entering Vladivostok. There are also Qing merchants there. Joseons are crossing over as well. That land is somewhere no one has complete control over yet.”

I continued without stopping.

“You have connections with the Paris Foreign Missions Society. You can establish ties with European merchants. Set up a trading company in Primorsky Krai and bring in weapons. Modern rifles and ammunition-manufacturing technology. Bring them into Joseon.”

Father Dubois slowly pressed his lips together.

“That would be weapons smuggling.”

“I know.”

“I am a priest. Are you asking me to engage in the arms trade?”

“You won’t be trading weapons, Father. You will be opening a path to save the people of Joseon. Joseon must have guns for its people to survive.”

Father Dubois stared at me for a long time.

His eyes belonged to a man who had lived on this land for eighteen years.

“Why do you think about such things, young master?”

I hesitated for a moment.

“Because I don’t want to see Joseon collapse.”

Father Dubois lowered his eyes.

“If I leave, what will happen to the believers in this village? Without me, these people…”

“I will protect the believers. If Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s residence knows about this village, the local authorities won’t be able to act against it recklessly.”

Father Dubois sat silently.

The room was quiet.

My eyes fell on the folk painting of the tiger on the wall. The tiger holding a tobacco pipe in its mouth and the broken white porcelain in the corner spoke of the room belonging to a man who had lived on this land for eighteen years.

This man was genuine.

He was someone who lived by faith rather than calculation.

Father Dubois finally spoke.

“Will I be able to return?”

I answered without hesitation.

“You certainly will. I will make a way for you to return.”

Father Dubois let out a long breath.

“Hoo…”

“Give me some time to think.”

“I will. But I can’t give you much time. Kim Ja-geun, the leader of the Haedong Kim clan, already has people snooping around this village.”

Father Dubois’s eyes narrowed.

“How do you know?”

“My servant Gaksim found out.”

Father Dubois nodded. He already knew the name Gaksim.

“I’ll give you three days.”

“Understood.”

I stood up and left the thatched house.

Spring 1861, Inner Quarters of Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence in Hanseong

Gaksim came running in.

“Your Highness, we received word.”

I raised my head.

Gaksim handed me a small note.

I unfolded it.

There was only one line.

[I will do it.]

It was done.

I folded the note.

“Call Gangsoe.”

Gaksim hurried out.

I had to devise an escape route.

I already controlled the ferry port, and I had begun establishing a relationship with Park Mandeuk, the leader of the Gyeonggi itinerant merchants. Using those two channels, getting Father Dubois out of Joseon would be possible.

Gangsoe entered.

“Your Highness.”

“Sit.”

Gangsoe sat down.

“We have to get Father Dubois out of Joseon. The safest route is to take a boat from Mapo Ferry, travel around the western coast, and head north. We control Mapo Ferry, don’t we?”

“Where will we get the boat?”

“Ask Jeong, the Hunchback, who controls the Mapo Ferry operation. There should be someone among his people who knows the sea route along the West Sea.”

“Yes.”

Gangsoe nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on me.

“We also can’t attract attention when bringing the priest to Hanseong. Can we use Park Mandeuk’s group, the leader of the Gyeonggi itinerant merchants?”

“We haven’t built enough trust with Park Mandeuk’s group yet.”

“Then use Gaksim’s network. There are Catholics inside Hanseong as well. They can provide a place for him to stay.”

Gangsoe nodded.

“One more thing.”

Gangsoe looked up.

“Spies belonging to Kim Ja-geun, the leader of the Haedong Kim clan, are snooping around the village. Before moving the priest, find out the routes those spies take. On the day we move him, those spies need to be looking somewhere else.”

“How should we do that?”

“Ask Gwidong.”

Gangsoe nodded and withdrew.

Once Father Dubois reached Primorsky Krai, he could use his connections with the Paris Foreign Missions Society to establish contact with European merchants.

The Minié rifle was already becoming outdated in Europe, so as European countries replaced them with newer models, large quantities of the old rifles would be released onto the market.

We could simply buy them.

The same applied to ammunition-manufacturing technology.

To bring them from Primorsky Krai into Joseon, we could either cross the Tumen River or use the maritime route along the East Sea. The smuggling route Oh Cheon-seok had already identified would finally become useful.

First, we had to get Father Dubois out.

The Same Day, Reception Hall of Kim Ja-geun, Leader of the Haedong Kim Clan, in Hanseong

One of Kim Ja-geun’s trusted retainers cautiously spoke.

“My lord, there has been some unusual activity around Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s residence.”

“Tell me.”

“A household servant named Gangsoe went to the Gwangju area in Gyeonggi Province. He returned after three days. Then, several days later, Lord Wan-eun personally went there. He was disguised, but our man recognized him.”

Kim Ja-geun set down his teacup.

Clack!

“So, the mountains of Gwangju.”

“Yes. There is a village there where Catholics live.”

Kim Ja-geun’s eyes narrowed.

A fourteen-year-old had gone to a village of Catholics.

It wasn’t a coincidence.

There were no coincidences in the things Lord Wan-eun did.

“Keep watching them. Put someone in that village as well.”

“Yes, my lord.”

His trusted retainer withdrew.

Kim Ja-geun stared at his teacup for a long time.

‘Just how far can a fourteen-year-old see?’

Spring 1861, Inner Quarters of Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence in Hanseong

Gwidong came in the morning after we received Father Dubois’s note.

“Your Highness, I’ve thought about it.”

I put down my book.

“Tell me.”

“A spy belonging to Kim Ja-geun, leader of the Haedong Kim clan, has entered the village. If we’re going to move the priest, we need to divert the spy’s attention.”

“How will you divert it?”

“We need to plant a story. We have to make your reason for visiting that village appear to be something else.”

Gwidong continued.

“I’ll spread a rumor that Your Highness went there to deliver gifts to the Catholics. That you personally brought rice and cloth. We’ll make it look as though Lord Wan-eun is even reaching out to the Catholics in an effort to win the people’s support.”

I looked at Gwidong.

“How will you get that rumor into the spy’s ears? If it reaches him too quickly, he’ll become suspicious. If it’s too late, it’ll be useless. How will you time it?”

“I’ll send one of the household servants to the market near the village. He can let it slip during a drinking session as if it’s casual gossip. Spies pick up that kind of information first. If we plant it today, it should reach them by tomorrow evening.”

“Will Kim Ja-geun believe it?”

“He won’t believe it completely. But he’ll believe it halfway. That’s enough. If we try to make him believe it completely, he’ll become suspicious. The goal is to make him believe it just enough to cloud his judgment.”

He was right.

Delaying someone’s judgment could be more effective than giving them completely false information.

“When will you move?”

“I’ll plant the rumor today. It will reach the spy within two days. We need to bring the priest to Hanseong during that time.”

“Tell Gaksim. Move immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Gwidong withdrew.

We had to bring Father Dubois to Hanseong within two days, hide him for another day, and then put him aboard a boat at Mapo Ferry.

Three days in total.

We had to move while the spy’s attention was being diverted.

As soon as Gangsoe entered, I asked him,

“Did you go to Jeong, the Hunchback, who controls the Mapo Ferry? How is the sea route?”

“There is a boatman who knows the route through the West Sea. He’s one of Jeong, the Hunchback’s men, and he knows the sea route from Ganghwa Island all the way to Hwanghae Province. If the weather is favorable, he says he can reach the area around Haeju in Hwanghae Province in three days. From there, if we follow the coast of Hamgyeong Province north toward the mouth of the Tumen River, the route to Primorsky Krai opens up. He asks for fifteen nyang of silver.”

“Give it to him. And make it very clear to him. He must not speak a word about what he sees or hears.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Gangsoe withdrew.

Spring 1861, Mountain Foothills of Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province

Gaksim reached the village in the afternoon.

She was alone, dressed like a female itinerant merchant with a bundle strapped to her back.

The woman was waiting for her. Recognizing Gaksim, she led her inside.

Father Dubois was sitting there.

Gaksim spoke.

“You must leave tonight. You need to reach Hanseong before sunrise tomorrow.”

Father Dubois nodded.

“How much luggage do I have?”

“This is all.”

Father Dubois pointed to a small bundle. It seemed to contain several books.

Gaksim took the bundle.

“I’ll carry this too. You should travel empty-handed.”

“Thank you.”

Father Dubois stood up.

The village woman followed them to the door.

Father Dubois took her hand and said,

“I will pray for you.”

The woman nodded and wiped away her tears.

Father Dubois turned around and walked away.

He did not look back.

Gaksim followed behind him.