Chapter 84: Jurchen (1)
Though there had been many unpleasant events such as the great fire of Hanseong and its restoration, Kim Do-yeon's manipulation lawsuit and bribery scandal, daily life continued and good things kept happening as well.
Among these continuing events was the search for Princess Jeonghye's consort, which had been suspended but now resumed.
In the Central Palace, in the quarters where the Queen resided, Sejong and Queen Soheon sat across from each other with teacups between them, conversing.
"How is your health?"
"It is still manageable."
"The royal physicians said childbirth is near. I have instructed them, but you must also take care, my Queen."
"I am deeply grateful."
As the birth of Grand Prince Gumsung approached, Sejong was pressing the royal physicians to focus their attention on managing Queen Soheon's care.
Talk of the soon-to-be-born child naturally turned to Princess Jeonghye's marriage.
"She won't throw a tantrum again, will she?"
"Has that child not grown older? She actually seems to be looking forward to it."
"Well now... it feels somewhat refreshing yet also somehow wistful..."
At Queen Soheon's answer, Sejong trailed off with an expression that mixed relief with lingering sentiment.
Seeing Sejong like this, Queen Soheon smiled and spoke.
"Is it not the natural order to marry off one's children when the time comes?"
"That is true, but... haah~"
Sejong sighed softly and changed the subject.
"After sending Jeonghye off, we'll need to prepare the Crown Prince's wedding as well, won't we?"
"Indeed. We will be truly busy."
"Things have somehow turned out that way."
Sejong answered briefly, then prayed with an earnest expression.
"I pray that only good things continue to happen from now on."
"Since Your Majesty wishes it so earnestly, it shall come to pass."
* * *
Near the Amnok River.
A unit of Joseon cavalry clad in new armor covered with green cotton cloth was moving at a trot.
The direction the cavalry headed was north. There, black smoke had been rising for some time.
"Is this the work of the Jurchens?"
"Isn't it too late in the season for clearing fields by fire?"
At his subordinate's question as they rode beside him, Training Bureau Junior Officer Im Gyeong-seok answered in a stiff voice.
At Im Gyeong-seok's answer, the subordinate nodded.
"That's true. I wonder if this is good luck or bad luck..."
"I feel the same."
At his subordinate's complaint, Im Gyeong-seok nodded.
As the new weapons created in District 51 of Hyang were distributed and military reforms were implemented, the Training Commandery was expanded and reorganized into the Training Bureau.
The Training Bureau's mission was to develop tactics that could maximize the use of newly developed weapons and train soldiers.
Thanks to the nature of their assigned mission, those rumored to have not only martial prowess but also intelligence were assigned to the Training Bureau from both the central army and provincial forces.
The same applied to common soldiers and armored warriors. Not only the Twelve Offices responsible for defending the capital, but also those with decent skills and sharp minds were selected from armies across the country and gathered at the Training Bureau.
The mission that fell to those assembled was simple.
- Master the proper use of new weapons whose full-scale production had begun, and refine and improve the tactics developed for them.
- Once a certain level of proficiency was reached, be dispatched as instructors to other units to teach the use of new weapons and tactics.
- Organize into units of at least a squad (about 100 men) and dispatch to border regions to identify and improve problems in actual combat.
Since it was clearly no easy task just looking at it, great rewards were promised to those who passed through this process.
Even the lowest-ranking soldiers were provided with all equipment and pay by the state, and professional soldiers of armored warrior rank and above were promised promotion of at least one rank.
Thanks to these enticing carrots visible before their eyes, the officers and soldiers assigned to the Training Bureau did their utmost in training and education.
From those thus prepared, some were selected to continue their original duties at the Training Bureau, while others were dispatched to different units to handle training.
And the cavalry Im Gyeong-seok now led were among those dispatched for the final mission—inspection through actual combat.
Because of this, they themselves couldn't tell whether they had encountered good fortune or misfortune.
If those who had raised that smoke were Jurchens, and their numbers were moderate, it would be an excellent opportunity to earn merit.
Conversely, if their numbers were large, they would face a crisis of either dying under attack or fleeing in utter panic.
* * *
"Jurchens!"
"Damn! What are their numbers?"
At the report from the cavalryman who had gone ahead to scout, Im Gyeong-seok cursed first.
In response to Im Gyeong-seok's question, the scout answered immediately.
"Approximately 40 riders!"
"40 riders? How many households were attacked?"
"About 10 households!"
"Hmm..."
At the scout's report, Im Gyeong-seok stroked his beard and pondered. After calculating various gains and losses, Im Gyeong-seok asked his subordinate beside him.
"Shall we have a go at it?"
"Doesn't look like we'd lose anything."
"Anyone objecting?"
At Im Gyeong-seok's words, no cavalryman raised his hand. Rather, their killing intent grew stronger by the moment.
Seeing the cavalrymen like this, Im Gyeong-seok chuckled.
"So these were the kind of men they were..."
The cavalrymen before his eyes were veterans who boasted experience weathering all kinds of battles.
On top of that, they were now equipped with weapons from the Training Bureau that they found most satisfactory.
The men before Im Gyeong-seok's eyes were definitely not the type to back down in such a situation.
"I was feeling itchy for action anyway. Let's settle this!"
"Yes, sir!"
At Im Gyeong-seok's command, the cavalrymen answered vigorously.
"First, cavalry lance charge! Afterward, eliminate the enemy with horseback firearms and cavalry swords!"
"Will you not use the armor-piercing long firearms?"
"You said there's only about 40 riders? If we use long firearms, they'll run from the start. Draw them in as much as possible and sweep them away! Don't let a single one escape!"
"Understood!"
Listening to the cavalrymen's responses, Im Gyeong-seok began firmly securing his combat gear.
"Don't forget your protective goggles and face masks!"
"Yes, sir!"
At Im Gyeong-seok's command, the cavalrymen took the protective goggles they had been wearing loosely around their necks, placed them over their eyes and secured them firmly, then covered their mouths and noses with towels that had similarly been hanging loosely around their necks.
The protective goggles and towels were also items that came with the newly distributed weapons.
Hyang created protective goggles so that charging cavalry could secure their field of vision comfortably. The goggles, made by setting thinly and flatly cut crystal into a thin iron frame wrapped in leather, protected the eyes from harsh dust and wind.
The face masks made of cotton cloth were useful items that protected the respiratory system from the smoke produced when gunpowder combusted.
Having quickly donned protective goggles and face masks and tightly secured the straps of his armor, Im Gyeong-seok swept his arm broadly.
"Let's go!"
* * *
"Khan! It's the Joseon army!"
The Jurchen tribal chief who had been observing the battlefield situation cursed.
"For Joseon soldiers to come this quickly! Damn!"
The tribal chief cursed at the Joseon army's appearance, faster than expected.
This raid was an unavoidable choice for him as well.
The successive poor harvests over the past several years had brought a survival crisis to the tribe he led.
Furthermore, as the merchant caravans that had been conducting illicit trade between Joseon and Ming gradually began to disappear recently, the tribe's crisis deepened.
Moreover, as the tribes of Yi Man-ju who had come down from the north expanded their influence, his tribe was increasingly driven into a corner.
He had requested help from other tribes with blood ties, but that too had reached its limit.
When the caravans disappeared and they had consumed even the grain meant for seed, the tribal chief had to make a choice.
With not only the survival of the tribe (Booigon) at stake, but also the danger of rebellion or having his head taken by attacks from other tribes, there was only one option available to him.
"Cross the river!"
Following his decision, leaving only the minimum to defend the tribe, he formed a squad (Tatan) and crossed the Amnok River.
Having crossed the river, the tribal chief had immediately launched an attack upon discovering a suitable village.
"Kill them all, leaving only the grain for seed and children to sell as slaves!"
"Waaah!"
The battle had barely begun when the Joseon army appeared.
* * *
Assessing the scale of the green-uniformed Joseon cavalry charging from afar while kicking up dust, the tribal chief analyzed the situation.
"The number of Joseon cavalry is roughly 20 riders... The Joseon army prefers 5-to-1 odds, so 25 would be most accurate. Hmm... They must have been on patrol and rushed over after seeing the smoke? In that case, we should assume that's all of them?"
Having analyzed the situation, the tribal chief called his warriors.
"Gather! We will kill the Joseon soldiers!"
"Are we not retreating?"
"They are probably cavalry patrolling the area! If so, that's all of them! We'll eat them all up too! Joseon weapons are of good quality, so they'll be useful to us!"
At the tribal chief's words, the most experienced warrior chimed in.
"That would be correct."
"Right?"
At the tribal chief's question, the warrior gave a fierce smile.
"It seems our luck today is very good."
"A lucky day indeed. Everyone move! The Joseon army is only half our number! Kill them all!"
"Waaah!"
"Fire arrows!"
At the tribal chief's command, the Jurchen warriors drew bows from their saddles and pulled back their bowstrings.
Swish!
"Arrows incoming!"
As arrows began to fly, Im Gyeong-seok shouted at the top of his lungs and made hand signals.
At Im Gyeong-seok's hand signals, the Joseon cavalry riding in two horizontal lines widened their intervals.
Arrows were flying in, but none of the Joseon cavalry showed fear.
This was because they knew very well that the newly made armor and helmets issued to them could easily deflect such arrows.
Unlike the previous dujeong-gap armor, the new armor that faithfully protected not only the arms but also the legs gave them confidence.
"Charge!"
At Im Gyeong-seok's hand signal, the cavalrymen placed the lances that had been hanging from their saddles onto hooks built into the saddle and thrust them forward.
As the red tassel decorations attached to the middle of the lance shafts fluttered madly in the wind, the Joseon cavalry crashed head-on into the oncoming Jurchens.
"Cavalry lance charge? They've underestimated us too much!"
Seeing the Joseon cavalry charging with lances thrust forward, the Jurchen warriors scoffed.
Cavalry lance charges that could only attack straight ahead were considered a tactic for novices among the Jurchens.
This was because skilled Jurchen warriors could easily evade those lances and penetrate the enemy's flank.
"Just at this dist... ack!"
As he watched the approaching Joseon lance tips and prepared to evade, the Jurchen warrior looked with disbelief at the lance piercing through his body.
The Joseon cavalry lance that now pierced him was significantly longer than the ones he knew.
The Joseon cavalry lance was not simply longer. Both the saddle and cavalry lance of the Joseon cavalry incorporated every trick Hyang had devised.
The newly made Joseon cavalry lances were 3 cheok (about 1 meter) longer than before.
Not only was the length increased, but the spearhead was made as thin and sharp as possible, and the tassel that had been attached below the spearhead was moved lower.
This was to confuse the enemy facing them head-on when judging distance.
The saddle was the same.
The length of the lance rest where lances were stood during normal movement was extended as low as possible so the lance length couldn't be properly gauged. Additionally, a support for resting the lance during charges was installed on the saddle to reduce the cavalrymen's burden.
Through such tricks, Hyang had strengthened the power of cavalry lance charges.
In the first clash between the Joseon army and Jurchens, in an instant over 10 Jurchen warriors were skewered like meat on a spit and tumbled on the ground.
The Joseon cavalry that had instantly pierced through the Jurchen formation did not slow down but circled around to charge at the Jurchens again.
"Yah! Yah!"
"Ha! Ha!"
In the right hands of the Joseon cavalry who moved their horses using only their feet in the stirrups were strangely shaped curved swords, and in their left hands were strange black metal objects.
"It's close combat! Let's finish this!"
"Yah!"
As the Joseon army engaged in close combat, the Jurchen warriors also swung their curved swords to counter.
But again, the situation betrayed them.
Bang! Bang-bang! Bang!
The Joseon cavalryman who blocked a Jurchen's sword with the curved sword in his right hand pulled the trigger of the horseback firearm held in his left.
"Ack!"
The bullet fired point-blank pierced the Jurchen warriors' vital points without fail.
In just two clashes, the Jurchens who had crossed the Amnok River to raid villages were annihilated.
"Situation resolved."
"Any dead or wounded?"
"There are no such fools."
"Any enemies who escaped?"
"Doesn't appear so."
Receiving his subordinate's report, Im Gyeong-seok finally let out a long breath.
"Huu~. Now I can breathe!"
Only then did the tension release, and Im Gyeong-seok gave orders to his subordinate in a much gentler voice.
"Clean up the battlefield and prepare to find and transport survivors."
"Understood."
Watching his subordinates clean up the battlefield, Im Gyeong-seok sighed softly.
"I'm worried about writing the report. Having to write the same content in triplicate..."
This was according to a maxim they had heard at the Training Bureau.
- Always write reports in triplicate. One copy for submission to superiors, another for unforeseen circumstances, and the last for your own safety.
And this battle would become the beginning of the fearsome reputation of the 'Green Devils' spreading among the Jurchens.