Chapter 148: That Autumn. (3)
Kim Jong-seo earned the nickname 'Fierce Tiger' through these struggles against the Jurchen tribes. In particular, the battle that took place in the first lunar month firmly established that nickname.
Sejong 11th Year, First Lunar Month.
"Administrator-nim! Something terrible has happened!"
As a man doing odd jobs at the Pioneer Headquarters burst in shouting, Hwang Hui, who had been reviewing documents, asked with a voice full of irritation.
"What is it?"
"We've been attacked!"
At the word 'attack,' Hwang Hui shot up from his seat.
"Attack! Tell me in detail!"
"Yes!"
According to the report, carriages that had departed from Musan were attacked while on their way to Gilju, where the Pioneer Group headquarters was located.
As soon as the words 'something has happened!' were spoken, Kim Jong-seo, who had entered Hwang Hui's office, asked questions in Hwang Hui's place.
"Exactly where did this happen?"
"According to the messenger's report, it was near Sincham."
Listening to the answer, Hwang Hui traced the map with his finger.
"Sincham... Sincham... Sin... Here it is!"
Having found Sincham on the map, Hwang Hui shouted in rage.
"Those damned bastards have come all the way in here!"
Sincham was located midway between Musan and Cheongjin.
At the time of the incident, Joseon's northeastern region had expanded to the Hoeryeong and Najin line.
The Musan area touching the Tumen River was a border region, so it was an area where Joseon military vigilance was strict. Furthermore, Sincham where the incident occurred was in the middle of the Hamgyeong Mountain Range, an area already considered to have secured safety.
"This is maddening. The moment we let our guard down a little, it gets breached right away...."
At Hwang Hui's words, Kim Jong-seo who was standing beside him pointed out the reason.
"Troops are insufficient."
"They say reinforcements are coming soon, so we have to trust that. But anyway, what about the damage?"
"The furs, wool collected by the Jurchen tribes in Musan and nearby areas, and the household register and land register...."
"My Lord!"
At the report that there were problems with the household register and land register, Kim Jong-seo's eyes went wild with rage.
Hwang Hui also didn't say anything else and immediately gave permission.
"Take half the men with you."
"Yes!"
At the same time as his answer, Kim Jong-seo burst outside and shouted.
"Everyone get out here!"
At Kim Jong-seo's command, officials who had been working here and there in the headquarters building came rushing out.
Kim Jong-seo looked at the officials and explained the situation.
"Some damned bastards robbed the carriage carrying the household register and land register!"
"How can such a damned thing happen!"
"Bastards who should have stones tied around their necks and thrown into the Tumen River!"
At Kim Jong-seo's words, the officials all spat out curses in unison and became filled with murderous intent.
"Do you know how long it would take to rewrite all that!"
This was exactly why the officials were angry.
The fact that they had to do the work again.
Looking at the officials whose killing intent pierced the sky, Kim Jong-seo gave his order.
"Form two columns!"
Clack!
As soon as Kim Jong-seo's words fell, the officials lined up in two columns.
"This line! Prepare immediately and come out! We need to reach Sincham before sunset!"
"Yes, sir!"
The officials designated by Kim Jong-seo's command quickly returned to their rooms, put on armor, and began gathering their firearms.
It was movement as fast and swift as well-trained armored warriors or military officers.
In less than one quarter of an hour (15 minutes), about 20 armed officials departed with Kim Jong-seo, spurring their horses and bursting out of the Pioneer Group headquarters.
Dudududu!
Leaving behind clamorous hoofbeats and dust, cavalry who were not quite cavalry disappeared.
A merchant operating a trading post near the Pioneer Group waved his hand to push away the dust and grumbled.
"Which foolish Jurchen bastards caused trouble again?"
By the time Kim Jong-seo and the civil officials arrived at Sincham, the unit of Yi Jing-ok that had come from the Geumpae side was also arriving.
"Hey! Commander Yi! Long time no see!"
"Adjutant Kim, it's been a long time for you too!"
After exchanging greetings, the two men soon moved with their horses side by side and exchanged information.
"Do you know which tribe it is?"
At Kim Jong-seo's question, Yi Jing-ok answered with a voice full of cynicism.
"Will those bastards speak properly?"
The 'those bastards' Yi Jing-ok referred to were the surrendered Jurchens.
Whenever such incidents occurred, the Joseon military would conduct investigations targeting the tribe that suffered damage or nearby tribes.
However, in response to the Joseon military's questions, it was commonplace for the Jurchens to name tribes with deep grudges against themselves.
It was killing with a borrowed knife—trying to use the Joseon military's power to eliminate tribes they had bad blood with.
At Yi Jing-ok's cynical answer, Kim Jong-seo nodded.
"Well, that's true."
As Kim Jong-seo agreed, Yi Jing-ok added.
"As I always say, elimination is more efficient than taming. We need to be able to trust these Jurchen bastards!"
At Yi Jing-ok's words, Kim Jong-seo gave a bitter smile and slightly shook his head.
Among those who took command of the northeast pioneer project that Sejong planned, Yi Jing-ok was a notorious hardliner.
Yi Jing-ok was someone who had growled at Jurchens even after entering the military as an armored warrior and passing the military examination, then entered the Joseon Army General Staff Headquarters.
In the history before Hyang's intervention, he should have continued to serve in military affairs in the Pyeongan-do and Hamgyeong-do regions as a junior fourth-rank commander after passing the military examination, but Yi Jing-ok was one of those whose lives took a subtly different turn after Hyang's intervention.
Anyway, perhaps because he started his life as a soldier wrestling with Jurchens in the north, Yi Jing-ok always argued for a hardline stance in measures regarding the Jurchens.
"We must not approach softly just because they revealed their intention to surrender! We must come out strong from the beginning!"
"One punishment for a hundred? The Jurchens laugh! We must execute a hundred for a hundred crimes! Only then can we be safe!"
To simply summarize Yi Jing-ok's argument, it was 'the only good Jurchen is a dead Jurchen.'
Whenever Yi Jing-ok argued for such hardline measures against the Jurchens like this, Choi Yun-deok and Hwang Hui had to give bitter smiles.
"He must be young, that's why."
"His blood is overflowing, so we need to let him vent that hot blood."
Thus Yi Jing-ok came to lead a unit composed of 500 cavalry and 200 artillerymen.
The mission Yi Jing-ok's unit took on was a combination of long-range patrol and mobile strike force.
* * *
The time when the group Kim Jong-seo led and Yi Jing-ok's unit arrived at Sincham where the incident occurred was just as the sun was setting in the west.
"Hurry and build the encampment!"
At Yi Jing-ok's command, the soldiers took down tents from the accompanying supply wagons and began lighting bonfires.
While the soldiers were moving busily with encampment construction, Yi Jing-ok, Kim Jong-seo, and the military officers and officials examined the incident scene.
At the scene where the bodies had been moved to one side by the Jurchens who first reported the incident, Yi Jing-ok and the military officers examined evidence that could reveal who was responsible. And Kim Jong-seo and the officials examined whether there were any traces of the documents.
"Here it is!"
"It looks like those damned bastards burned them."
The officials who examined the papers that were all burned leaving only small pieces ground their teeth and reported. At the officials' report, Kim Jong-seo unconsciously spat out a curse.
"Damn it!"
Kim Jong-seo, who approached where the officials found the ashes of the documents, ground his teeth loudly.
"These damned bastards... First, find whatever is recoverable and recover as much as possible."
"Yes, Deputy Administrator."
Having given orders to the officials, Kim Jong-seo walked over to Yi Jing-ok and asked.
"Did you find any traces of the bastards who did this damned thing?"
Yi Jing-ok pointed to the Jurchens who were explaining earnestly to an interpreter while standing to one side and answered.
"They say they've secured a trail, so we'll start pursuit as soon as dawn breaks."
"What about the problem of crossing the border?"
At Kim Jong-seo's question, Yi Jing-ok stared blankly at Kim Jong-seo. At the silent answer, Kim Jong-seo let out a long sigh.
"Hoo~. Damn it... I guess I have to write documents again."
* * *
Just before dawn the next day, the soldiers and officials cleared their quarters early, boiled water, and poured it into combat rations.
Having finished their meal, the soldiers and officials completed their preparations for departure.
Kim Jong-seo gathered the officials and gave his orders.
"You go to Musan and rewrite the household register and land register."
"Adjutant-nim, aren't you coming?"
At the officials' question, Kim Jong-seo touched the firearms at his side and answered.
"I need to go give these damned bastards a taste of their own medicine."
"...Please be careful."
"You all be careful too. Though a guard unit will be attached, we don't know what might happen."
"Yes, Adjutant-nim."
Having said his farewells to the officials, Kim Jong-seo mounted his horse and headed toward Yi Jing-ok's side.
Watching that sight, the officials whispered among themselves.
"Isn't he going not to deal a blow but to take a sigh?"
"It's probably half and half."
"Let's move quickly too. I hope our friends in Musan have kept the 'Rule of 3' well."
"They probably did. Otherwise they'd be the ones suffering."
Thus exchanging various words, the officials mounted their horses.
The 'Rule of 3' the officials spoke of was a maxim born in the military department that spread to all bureaus in the court.
'Always write reports in triplicate. One copy for submission to superiors, another for unforeseen circumstances, and the last one for your own safety.'
* * *
Following the marks left by those tracking the Jurchens who attacked the carriage, Yi Jing-ok and Kim Jong-seo crossed the Tumen River.
"They're really crossing."
"We cross so often that now I'm indifferent to it."
Until crossing the Tumen River, the two had been exchanging light jokes, but after crossing the Tumen River, they did not let go of the string of tension throughout.
After crossing the Tumen River and traveling about 20 ri, the Jurchens who had been tracking came galloping up.
Having received the Jurchens' report, Yi Jing-ok looked back at Kim Jong-seo.
"They say if we go another 20 li north from here, we'll find where the tribe that attacked the carriage is located."
"Then let's go."
Stopping the unit behind a hill located a little distance from the problematic tribe, Yi Jing-ok dismounted and moved cautiously.
Having climbed the hill, Yi Jing-ok lay prone on the ground and quietly took out a telescope to examine the problematic tribe.
"Is it them?"
At Kim Jong-seo's question as he approached beside him, Yi Jing-ok handed over the telescope.
"Look at the carriage in the house on the far left."
Kim Jong-seo, aiming the telescope at the spot Yi Jing-ok indicated, ground his teeth.
"It's our carriage."
* * *
"Charge!"
Having secured physical evidence, Yi Jing-ok ordered his subordinates to attack.
At Yi Jing-ok's command, the soldiers put on wind goggles made of glass instead of crystal, and pulled up the cotton masks hanging around their necks to cover their noses and mouths.
The wind goggles were to block the wind that bothers the eyes when galloping, and the cotton masks covering the nose and mouth were to block the smoke that comes out when firing firearms.
On the cotton masks covering the soldiers' noses and mouths, a goblin's mouth was engraved. The appearance of soldiers with their faces covered by wind goggles and masks looked like demons.
When his subordinates finished preparing, Yi Jing-ok swung his arm widely and then stretched it forward.
"Attack!"
"Attack!"
"Hyah!"
Hihihing!
"Waaaah!"
Along with the clamorous sounds shouted by the soldiers and horses, the Joseon military and surrendered Jurchens began running toward the Jurchen tribe visible ahead.
The ensuing battle was a complete overwhelming victory for the Joseon military.
The Jurchen warriors who rode out on horses to block the Joseon military's charge were swept away in an instant. Having dealt with the most troublesome Jurchen cavalry, the Joseon military began turning the tribe into ruins. Flames shot up in all directions, and numerous Jurchen men lost their lives and fell to the Joseon military's offensive.
"Damn it!"
Kim Jong-seo spat out a curse at the sudden crisis. The moment he turned the corner chasing a fleeing Jurchen, a hidden Jurchen stabbed his horse with a spear.
The moment the horse fell, Kim Jong-seo quickly threw his body and drew two cavalry firearms from his sides and pulled the triggers.
Bang! Bang!
Before he knew it, the bodies of Jurchens who had lost their lives were scattered around Kim Jong-seo.
Click! Click!
Having fired 12 shots, Kim Jong-seo urgently surveyed his surroundings. Seeing the pouch containing spare ammunition trapped under the dead horse, Kim Jong-seo spat out a curse.
"Damn it!"
"Waaaaah!"
Seeing the Jurchens rushing to kill him, Kim Jong-seo cursed and gripped his cavalry firearms backwards.
"Die, you bastards!"
* * *
Having finished the subjugation and returned to Gilju with Yi Jing-ok's unit, Kim Jong-seo headed to the Joseon military barracks located next to the Pioneer Group headquarters.
Having entered the barracks, Kim Jong-seo headed to the place responsible for the repair and issuance of firearms.
"The firearms are broken. Exchange them for me."
"Excuse me?"
The Jinmu (military administrator) in charge of firearm repair and exchange looked puzzled at Kim Jong-seo's words.
At the Jinmu's expression, Kim Jong-seo took out two cavalry firearms in terrible condition from the bag he was carrying and placed them on the desk.
Seeing the cavalry firearms covered in clumps of hardened blood, the Jinmu thoroughly examined Kim Jong-seo's entire body.
"Where you're injured..."
"This isn't my blood."
"Ah, yes..."
While examining the firearms as he listened to Kim Jong-seo's answer, the Jinmu unconsciously muttered.
"How on earth did you... Even if horses or cattle step on them, these things are supposed to be fine..."
* * *
The Jinmu who exchanged Kim Jong-seo's firearms made inquiries about the soldiers who had participated in the subjugation.
"What is it?"
"Ah, I wanted to ask something. How did the Deputy Administrator use his firearms?"
"I didn't see it well..."
After continued inquiries, the Jinmu found a soldier who had witnessed Kim Jong-seo's bloody fight.
The soldier shook his head at the Jinmu's question.
"I think he probably ran out of ammunition... He grabbed the cavalry firearms backwards, I tell ya. And he went around cracking Jurchen heads... He cracked those Jurchen heads like a potter breaking badly made pottery, I tell ya."