Dorgon suddenly jumped forward from the side, clearly losing his patience.
"If they refuse to work properly, then beat them. Give them a whipping every day. If that still doesn't work, execute a few in public. The rest will naturally start working harder."
Binsheng immediately waved his hands.
"That cannot be done!"
Dorgon frowned.
"And why not?"
Binsheng spoke calmly.
"The Great Iron Chariot is an extremely precise machine. Every single component must fit perfectly. If even one tiny part is slightly off, the whole machine may fail. And if that failure happens on the battlefield, it could cost the soldiers their lives."
Dorgon snorted.
"So what?"
Binsheng lowered his voice slightly.
"If these craftsmen are forced to work while full of resentment, they might intentionally sabotage the work. Suppose when forging a part for General Dorgon's chariot, one of them deliberately leaves a tiny flaw on the edge of a component."
He paused.
"When Your Excellency drives the chariot onto the battlefield, the machine suddenly falls apart."
Binsheng spread his hands.
"Then Your Excellency would be finished."
Dorgon froze.
The more he thought about it, the more terrifying the possibility sounded.
And the worst part was that it was completely possible.
Hong Taiji also frowned.
"That makes sense," he said slowly. "So how should this be resolved?"
Binsheng replied immediately.
"There are two approaches."
"First, strict quality inspection. Every part produced by the Korean craftsmen must be examined carefully. Not once or twice, but again and again until we are absolutely certain there are no defects."
Hong Taiji nodded.
"Very good."
Binsheng continued.
"The second approach is to deal with the craftsmen's emotions. We need people familiar to them to supervise them."
Hong Taiji raised an eyebrow.
"Explain."
Binsheng said,
"In my humble opinion, Crown Prince Sohyeon and Prince Bongrim could serve as nominal factory directors. They would oversee the Korean craftsmen."
He paused briefly.
"If the craftsmen see that their own countrymen are in charge, they will feel more at ease and naturally work more diligently."
The suggestion surprised everyone present.
For a moment the hall fell silent.
But the more they thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
After all, they would only be nominal directors. They would not actually control anything. Their role would simply be to persuade the craftsmen to work harder and maintain quality.
That sounded like a very convenient arrangement.
Fan Wencheng, the notorious collaborator, stepped forward and spoke.
"Your Majesty, the Ming Empire's Great Iron Chariots are already pressing toward our borders. Our nation stands in great danger. If there is any method that can speed up the production of our own chariots, we must attempt it."
Hong Taiji then turned to look at Dorgon and Ajige.
Both generals nodded.
"Without the Great Iron Chariot," Dorgon said bluntly, "our army cannot defeat the Ming. We must produce them as quickly as possible."
Hong Taiji made his decision.
"Very well."
He looked at Binsheng.
"I will leave this matter to you. Go find Crown Prince Sohyeon and Prince Bongrim. Let them manage the Korean craftsmen in name and persuade them to work diligently. Show them a little false benevolence if necessary."
Binsheng lowered his head respectfully.
"Your Majesty is wise."
But inside, his heart was already celebrating.
Excellent.
Now he could finally approach the two royal hostages openly.
Their mission was already halfway complete.
---
Crown Prince Sohyeon, whose personal name was Yi Wang, was the eldest son of King Injo of Joseon.
He had once been the beloved heir of the Korean throne.
His future had been bright. The crown had practically been waiting for him.
But now both he and his wife had become prisoners of the Qing.
They were confined inside a residence in Shengjing, living a dull and humiliating life.
Every day people looked down on them.
And at any moment they might lose their heads.
Crown Prince Sohyeon spent his days sighing endlessly, longing only to return home.
Today was no different.
He sat beneath the eaves, staring blankly at the birds flying beyond the courtyard wall.
A guard assigned by the Qing suddenly ran into the courtyard.
"Your Highness, someone has come to see you."
Sohyeon blinked in surprise.
"Who?"
The guard clearly held little respect for this captive prince. His tone was dismissive.
"One of our Great Qing officials. Wuzhen Chaoha officer Binsheng. He has some business with you. You'd better cooperate."
A flash of anger passed through Sohyeon's heart.
I am the crown prince of a kingdom, yet a mere guard dares speak to me like this.
When the tiger falls to the plains, even dogs dare bully it.
Just wait until I rise again one day.
If that happens, I will not spare you.
The guard barked impatiently.
"What are you staring at?"
Sohyeon immediately backed down.
"I will go at once to meet Lord Binsheng."
The guard escorted him to the reception hall.
Inside sat a very young man.
The Wuzhen Chaoha officers were mostly Han Chinese rather than Manchu, and this man clearly carried the demeanor of a literate scholar rather than a rough soldier.
Seeing that made Sohyeon feel slightly more at ease.
Binsheng glanced toward the guard standing beside them.
"My friend, you know what task I have been assigned, correct?"
The guard nodded.
"I know."
Binsheng spoke calmly.
"The blueprints for the Great Iron Chariot are not something ordinary people are qualified to hear about. If you remain here and accidentally overhear details about a key component, you might end up bearing responsibility for it."
The guard jumped in alarm.
"In that case, you two talk. I will wait outside."
He quickly withdrew.
As soon as the guard left, Sohyeon's anxiety increased.
What does this man want from me?
It sounds extremely serious.
Could he be planning something against me?
Father… I am afraid. I want to go home.
While his thoughts were in turmoil, Binsheng suddenly spoke.
"Crown Prince Sohyeon. Cooperate with me, and I will ensure you return home."
The words struck like lightning.
Sohyeon froze completely.
He looked up sharply, suspicion filling his eyes. He feared it might be some sort of trap.
Binsheng quietly took a jade pendant from his robe and handed it to him.
"This is your father's token."
"He has already reached an agreement with the Ming Empire. If you and Prince Bongrim can safely return to Joseon, he will immediately rebel against the Qing and return to the Ming camp."
Sohyeon grabbed the jade pendant.
The moment he recognized it, he burst into tears.
Binsheng continued calmly.
"Next, you must cooperate with my plan."
"We will pretend to build the Great Iron Chariot. That will give you the opportunity to leave this residence and visit the workshop."
"Once there, my people will secretly prepare a safe escape route."
Sohyeon's eyes lit up.
"So once we reach the border, my father's men will come to receive us?"
Binsheng shook his head.
"That will not work."
"The moment the Qing discover you have disappeared, they will immediately send pursuers south to block the road. We would be caught long before reaching the border."
Sohyeon frowned.
"Then where do we go?"
Binsheng smiled faintly.
"North."
Sohyeon blinked.
"North? Into Mongolia?"
Binsheng nodded.
"Exactly. We move in the opposite direction of what they expect. Once we reach Mongolian territory, someone will receive us there. After that, we circle around Liaodong and return to Korea."
Sohyeon hesitated.
"Will the Mongols really help us?"
Binsheng's smile widened.
"Do not worry about that. Everything has already been arranged."
Sohyeon was overjoyed.
He grabbed Binsheng's hands tightly.
"Then my life is in your hands."
Binsheng stood up.
"Come. We must also inform Prince Bongrim."
He paused briefly.
"During the next few days, you should secretly train your body. At the very least, you must have the strength to endure a long journey."
He glanced toward the inner courtyard.
"And your wife should train quietly as well."