Namjoon focus

"Instruct your men that whichever officer or soldier dares to strike without an order will be beheaded by my own hand," Namjoon growled while he hurried towards his horse with general Park behind him. "I know the burning excitement before a battle, but it shall not be us who shed the first blood."

Hwon had decided to take the risk after two of three nights, and Namjoon had been forced to leave his breakfast behind because one of their spies had come back to report that the enemy was preparing for battle. Their own officers had already been informed and their own camps were hurrying to prepare for the slaughter that was no doubt about to take place.

"Are you intending to insult me, your highness?" general Park asked with furrowed brows before he leaned towards a soldier who had just arrived by their side and was whispering into the general's ear. When the young man left, the old man's mood seemed much brighter.

For a moment Namjoon was confused by the gray tiger's question and change in demeanor. "Of course not, you are the most capable man to lead my army," he answered then.

Park mounted his horse with the vigor of a young man. "Then why is his highness questioning my men's discipline?"

Namjoon followed the other in motion and sat in his saddle. "Forgive me my mal-considered words, general Park," he apologized. "It seems my inexperience caused me to be blinded by concern." His last sentence had come out as more of a question than a statement.

Park snorted and grinned his smile of yellowed teeth. "His highness will grow today, for that he shall be greater tomorrow."

Namjoon narrowed his eyes. "Now it is general Park who is insulting me," he murmured, still confused with the man's sudden change.

"I would not dare," the old tiger answered with a grin and pulled at the reigns to gallop forwards. Why was the general so energetic? Was Namjoon dreaming and in reality everything was quiet outside of the temple?

"General!" he called after the older and tried to catch up without trampling any of the soldiers around the temple who were also hurrying to the stables in full armor.

"Bring tea and my older son to the pedestal!" the old man shouted at one of the soldiers who sprinted off to comply.

"General!" Namjoon shouted again, this time angry with the older. "Explain yourself!" he demanded.

Park turned towards him. "But why, your highness? Have you not foreseen it all?" he asked mischievously.

"Foreseen what?!" Namjoon wanted to know.

"You predicted that Hwon would be scared off for the first day by your arrogance and for the second by our camps, and once he would consider striking, Goguryeo forces will be here to help us. His highness should consider divination as a free time activity," the general said delighted.

"Bang is here?" Namjoon asked relieved and slightly disbelieving. If the troops from Jecheon had already arrived, that would mean that their leader had pushed them even harder than Silla had pushed their soldiers. They deserved a big compensation.

"He is, your highness. We only need to stall Hwon for some time," the old man answered and pulled another soldier over. "Send a messenger to Hwon to request another meeting!"

The man ran off to fulfill his order.

Namjoon could not believe his luck, yet. For a moment he wanted to find officer Bogum to thank him for his help and congratulate him, but then he remembered that this was not over, yet. He focused again. "Let us bring this to an end."

The general nodded sternly and gestured Namjoon to lead the way.

When they arrived at the pedestal, decoration was almost finished. Two soldiers were busy propping up the umbrella while a third one set up the tea table.

"Good work," general Park praised them and they hurried off after a bow. "My son should arrive here any moment."

This was the one thing Namjoon did not understand. "What do we need officer Park for?" he asked while settling in the chair on the pedestal.

"Does his highness not remember his own words?" the general asked, and when Namjoon only furrowed his brows, he continued to explain, "His highness said Hwon was here for his head. Thus, I will protect this head with my best man."

"General Park thinks he will challenge me?" Namjoon asked, beginning to understand what the general was thinking.

"I dare not predict the future like his highness," the old tiger answered him, the delight from before pushed to the side by concern. "But we both know that Hwon is unpredictable." A hard look from dark eyes met Namjoon's gaze and the prince nodded understandingly. The general was right. When someone as hot-tempered as Hwon was pressured into defeat, he could turn into a wild animal and use his own claws and teeth to protect his pride.

"Your highness," general Park said and pointed ahead.

"They are quick," Namjoon murmured quietly and sipped on his tea. With the Goguryeo troops in his back he was more at ease, but the more at ease he was, the more dangerous Hwon would become.

"What?" the Baekje king shouted when they were barely within earshot. "Are you admitting defeat?" he asked arrogantly, his soft big-eyed face pulled into an ugly sneer.

"General," Namjoon greeted the sharp-faced man on Hwon's left without giving attention to the king.

"Kim," the man greeted him back calmly like last time. Very good. This meant the army was not fully supportive of their king.

"What are you greeting him for?" Hwon shouted at his own general in fury. "He is going to be trampled into the dust by me."

The Baekje general lowered his eyes onto his horse's neck without a comment. Only the muscles of his jaw could be seen working.

A king that dared to reprimand his general in such a way... Namjoon had never heard of such shameful behavior. If you were not satisfied with your subordinate you could punish them in private or take away their rank, but you must never speak lowly of them in front of an enemy.

"Your highness," he heard general Park's voice again and looked at the man who was pointing behind them. When he turned, he saw two figures galloping into their direction. It appeared their cavalry had arrived.

Namjoon looked at Hwon coldly. "May I introduce to you: officer Bang of Jecheon," he said bluntly, gesturing at the two men who arrived at that moment. The red-clad figure was officer Park who jumped down from his horse to stand next to Namjoon on the pedestal, the black-clad giant was officer Bang, a cousin of emperor Bang of Goguryeo.

The Baekje general looked up and turned to his king to say something. "Your majesty, with the Jecheon forces they have an advantage of six thousand men. We should not force a battle."

Namjoon had trouble not to furrow his brows in confusion. Even if their enemy had overestimated their Silla troops, it would never add up to such an advantage. Was Baekje this misinformed? He looked at the enemy general whose face was blank. Or was this man unwilling to lead his soldiers into a battle of equal forces? Was he lying to his king?

Hwon's nostrils fluttered in anger. "You damn wretch!" he shouted at Namjoon and jumped down from his horse, pulling his sword. Jimin pulled his weapon in response and stepped slightly in front of the crown prince.

But Namjoon rose from his chair and softly pushed officer Park to the side to look at Hwon who stood below him. "Why insult me? I only asked for allies to join me. What wrong did I do?" he asked calmly.

"In a fair battle, I would have beaten you," Hwon claimed, shaking with fury.

Namjoon sighed. "How is this battle unfair?" he asked. "Am I not taking advantage of my resources just like you?"

Hwon gritted his teeth, unable to say something in return. When his jumping eyes focused back on Namjoon, they held determination. "I want a one-on-one fight," he demanded and pointed the tip of his bare sword at Namjoon.

The crown prince just tilted his head lazily. General Park had been right. "You are not in a position to make demands," he said flatly. "You should take your remaining dignity and call your soldiers back."

Like anticipated at such a provocation, Hwon abandoned all talk and flung his weapon at him which got skillfully parried by officer Park. The young soldier jumped down from the pedestal and for the next minutes all onlookers only saw a swirl of gleaming blades and quick feet.

Hwon had good technique, as expected of a king, but Jimin had better stamina and a cool temper, so after an unexpected feint, Hwon's sword was flying through the air and pierced into the ground a few steps away. He had officer Park's blade at his throat.

With a side-glance at the still Baekje general, Namjoon stepped down from his pedestal and came closer. But when he saw the red eyes of the young king, the words of brotherhood he had prepared before got stuck in his throat at the memory of earlier. Hwon would not become his brother no matter how nice his words would be.

Hence, he could as well speak his mind. "You committed three out of the five cardinal sins of a general," he lectured Hwon who was staring at him like he hoped that a fierce look would bring him to his knees. "First, recklessness, which leads to destruction. Fortunately, you have a general that can save you from this one." The man spoken about exchanged a quick glance with him.

"Second," Namjoon continued and walked around his enemy. "A hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults. And third, a delicacy of honor, which is sensitive to shame." The result of those two could be seen in front of them right now.

"The battlefield belongs to those who can reign it," he concluded. "To those who can reign the minds and the bodies of their own and their enemy's men."

Hwon seemed to have calmed down a little, but that only caused his look at Namjoon to become more determined, so the crown prince decided that this was enough. This rascal would not learn anyway.

"I am not my father, nor am I to be held responsible for who is my mother," he said reserved when he stood back in front of the young king.

Hwon snorted derogatory. "Always so perfect, always so honorable and good," he sneered. "I see why father would rather have you as his son instead of me. But I am not my father; I will not retreat with my tail between my legs."

Namjoon sighed and stepped back onto the pedestal to sit in his chair. Should he just behead Hwon? It undoubtedly was safer, but it did not seem proper for a meeting like this. Luring out the enemy king under false pretense of a friendly talk to behead him instead; Namjoon did not want that act to taint his image. Also, then they would have to march further to take over Daejeon and the court which would cost him men and resources he was not willing to sacrifice.

"I will come for your, Kim Namjoon!" Hwon shouted to catch his attention again. "And I am going to make it painful. We will see how benevolent and good you can be when I am done with you!" he spat.

"Let him go," Namjoon ordered and officer Park pulled his sword from his enemy's throat. "Bring your men home to their families. No one knows about what happened here," he told Hwon. "You can claim that we parted to avoid a blood bath in face of equal strength."

That was all he had to say, so he mounted his horse and gestured general Park and officer Bang to follow him back. Slowly the angry shouts of Hwon faded out behind them.

"Should we end it here?" general Park asked gravely. The apparent victory did not seem to fill their hearts with joy.

Namjoon nodded. "I will not kill a retreating enemy. Let us watch their movements over the next day and break up our camps once they do."

Officer Park joined their conversation when he caught up. "I could have cut off Hwon's head."

Namjoon chewed on the inside of his cheek. So, Park thought the same. Still, he shook his head softly. "I doubt he can touch me. I have never heard more than big words from that mouth," he played it down. By how well Baekje was governed, it was evident that their court had ministers who did good.

Now that Namjoon thought about it, general Min's report made sense. The Hwon soldiers had claimed that Silla had spies in their court that immobilized the king's hand, but it was probably just Hwon being unreasonable and the ministers forcing the right decision onto his table. From the king's perspective it must have seemed strange, but when he acted in court like he had acted here, Namjoon needed not wonder.

"Officer Bang," the general said after some moments of silence. "Thank you for your support. You can rest in Gimcheon for some days and we will pay your soldiers before you head back north."

Bang nodded politely. "We shall set up a camp," he said and lifted his hand which was replied with the rumble of drums in the distance. "General Park. Your highness." And he was off, joining his soldiers for the preparations.

"Did I do the right thing?" Namjoon asked the old tiger next to him.

"I dare not make assumptions," the other replied with eyes full of heaviness. "But since his highness predicted this conflict's outcome, I will trust in this decision as well."

"Thank you, general," Namjoon murmured. But why did it not feel like the right decision?

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"Your highness?" one of the messengers asked outside Namjoon's door. He had been resting in his room at the temple and was pondering over the conversation from this morning, unsure whether he had been too nice to let Hwon leave like this. After all it had been a useless provocation that had cost him quite some money and supplies.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Officer Park needs to see his highness. I was told to deliver the call. It's a pressing matter," the voice said and pulled Namjoon out of his musings. What could be important enough to get his personal opinion? The only task he had given out was to remove that silly pedestal and to watch the Hwon camp.

Concerned, he stood up and followed the man who waited outside to find whichever officer Park had called for him.

Apparently, it had been Park Bogum. And next to the bright officer stood advisor Min and general Park, all looking at a stretcher that was placed at their feet.

"What did officer-" Namjoon started, but his words got stuck in his throat when he saw who was lying on that stretcher. It was the stern sharp-faced Baekje general, head separated from the rest of his body.

Rage hot like fire began to course through Namjoon's body and he looked up at the three men with red eyes. "Explain!"

Park Bogum stepped forward with a bow. "Your highness, your anger is misdirected. This is what my soldiers found when they wanted to remove the pedestal," the officer explained calmly.

Namjoon understood. This was Hwon's revenge for the general standing back while he had been humiliated. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm down. Then he said, "This was a good man. We will burn the corpse and send his ashes back to his family," he ordered.

"Yes, your highness," officer Bogum and his uncle said and Namjoon turned to go back to the temple. He would ask the monks for a ceremony.

"Your highness," advisor Min's voice said quietly while the man followed him.

"What is it?" Namjoon asked tired.

"The Hwon troops are already lifting their camp. They look like they want to depart today. We might not be able to send the ashes with them," the small man informed him.

"Then send one of the officers after them once our own troops start moving," he instructed.

"I am aware, but whom should we send? The only logical choice would be officer Park Jimin, but do you really want to torture the third prince much longer with the Park son's absence?" the advisor asked.

Namjoon halted at those words and looked at the shorthaired coldly. "A good man has just been slain for no reason and needs to be brought back to his family, and you expect me to care for my brother's love-life?" he asked angered. "I give a wet dump about what my brother wants right now!"

Advisor Min looked like he was shocked speechless, so Namjoon left the man behind. He had to sort out his thoughts or he would go mad.

>><<

Namjoon is acting by the following rules from Sun Tzu's The Art of War Ch. XII:

"17. Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical. 18. No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. [...] 20. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. 21. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. 22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact."

The five sins of a general are also derived from said book.