There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 387

388. Heading to the Front Lines (3)

Cannons roared in unison from atop Geumju Fortress, where everyone had been holding their breath.

Some of the shells, fired in rapid succession, fell short, exploding randomly, but most certainly claiming the lives of Ming soldiers.

The same devastation rained down on the tents behind the fluttering banners.

Ming soldiers, witnessing the banners engulfed in flames, were shocked and muttered in disbelief.

“Are Joseon’s cannons truly this powerful?”

War isn’t easily swayed by a single, powerful weapon.

However, the situation had drastically shifted.

After days of relentlessly pounding Geumju, the fortress stood defiant, while they were now the ones under bombardment.

Fear began to cloud the eyes of the soldiers watching the burning tents.

Yi Sun-mong, observing through his telescope, seized the moment and bellowed.

“The enemy is in disarray!”

It would have been a stroke of incredible luck if that single shot had killed the emperor, but he wasn’t expecting such a miracle.

He couldn’t confirm the emperor’s fate, but it was clear the shell had landed near the tent bearing the imperial banner.

“Geumju Defense Commander, lead the troops out and harass them!”

“Yes, General!”

Yi Mun-bin’s face lit up with renewed hope.

He had been consumed by worry, but now it seemed Geumju would not fall and be subjected to a massacre.

Yi Mun-bin swiftly dispatched Geumju’s cavalry.

The Joseon cavalry, charging from the fortress, overwhelmed the Ming soldiers, who were already reeling from the explosions behind their lines.

“The Emperor is dead!”

“Did you not see the explosion rip through the heart of the army!”

“The Emperor is dead, struck down by Joseon’s cannon fire!”

When the soldiers on the Liaoxi walls shouted in unison, the Ming soldiers faltered.

The soldiers were well aware that the Emperor had come to Geumju to personally oversee the campaign.

Having embarked on a personal campaign, it was vital to spread the word among the soldiers.

However, in the current chaos, it backfired spectacularly.

Those already disoriented by the sudden explosions in the camp completely lost their will to fight in the face of the charging Joseon cavalry and the damning shouts.

“His Majesty is unharmed!”

“Anyone who spreads false rumors will be the first to die by our own swords!”

The officers desperately tried to quell the rumors, but their voices were lost in the din.

With comrades abandoning their posts and fleeing, even those who wished to fight found their morale crumbling.

The explosions in the rear added to the terror.

The fear that Joseon’s cannonballs could rain down on their heads at any moment paralyzed the Ming soldiers.

The Joseon soldiers easily overran the barricades that the Ming soldiers had abandoned.

“Retreat the line! Retreat the line!”

Hysterical shouts echoed from all directions, and troops were urgently dispatched from the Ming army to stem the Joseon advance.

However, it was too late.

The number of Ming soldiers lying dead steadily climbed.

* * *

Fortunately for Zhang Bo, the Xuande Emperor had escaped the brunt of the massive explosion.

As his ministers rushed to shield him, the Xuande Emperor waved them off and declared.

“I am fine, I am fine.”

Though he spoke bravely, his head throbbed from the shockwave, as if his skull had been rattled.

Frowning with a headache, the Xuande Emperor hastily changed his soot-covered clothes and retreated to the rear under heavy escort.

“Your Majesty, please retreat quickly!”

“This place is too dangerous!”

Normally, he would have resisted, arguing that his presence was vital for maintaining the army’s morale, but now, even he recognized the futility.

If he, the Emperor, were to die, the war would be lost.

The ensuing chaos that would engulf the army, no, the entire country, was unimaginable.

The Xuande Emperor, capable of such judgment, silently moved to the rear under escort.

The Ming army hastily withdrew their lines to a safer distance, beyond the reach of Joseon’s cannons.

To minimize the damage from the shelling, they had to retreat, but the problem was the Joseon soldiers who had pressed their advantage at that very moment.

The Ming army was caught off guard and suffered heavy losses at their weakest point.

If the Joseon army, emboldened by their perceived victory, had pushed too far, they could have been encircled and annihilated, but the Joseon army, having achieved sufficient gains, retreated without delay as the Ming army began to reorganize their ranks.

As they retreated to escape Joseon’s shelling, the encirclement naturally loosened.

Yi Sun-mong exploited this gap to steadily add to his achievements.

The damage inflicted wasn’t enough to shatter the army, but it was a painful blow for the Ming army, who had yet to achieve any significant victories.

However, that was a matter for later discussion.

“I regret to report that rumors are spreading throughout the army that His Majesty has passed away.”

Zhang Bo informed the Xuande Emperor, who was lying down, nursing his headache.

“If I show myself, the rumors will be dispelled.”

“That is true. However, if these false rumors spread even within the army and reach the capital, there may be unrest. If that happens, it will be uncontrollable…”

“Are you suggesting that I should return to the capital and prove that I am alive and well?”

“That is correct.”

Zhang Bo bowed his head before the Xuande Emperor, conveying his apologies.

Unlike the Yongle Emperor, whose military genius was legendary and who felt compelled to lead from the front, there was no compelling reason for the Xuande Emperor to take further risks.

Even in history, the Xuande Emperor’s son, the Zhengtong Emperor, was captured by Esen of the Oirat [a Mongol leader] in a similar situation, so Zhang Bo’s advice was sound.

The Joseon army’s offensive posed a genuine threat.

There was a reason why the monarchs of the East were reluctant to personally lead their troops into battle.

That was a role reserved for superhuman founding monarchs.

Zhang Bo intended to use this excuse to send the Emperor back.

The Xuande Emperor sighed.

It was humiliating to retreat without achieving any significant merit, but he understood what was at stake.

As Zhang Bo and other ministers repeatedly urged him to withdraw, the Xuande Emperor reluctantly agreed to return to Beijing first.

He surveyed the scene with a sense of disappointment.

“Who would have imagined that Joseon was concealing seventy percent of its true strength.”

Not only were Joseon’s weapons far superior to those of Ta寧衛 [a Ming military garrison], but their tactics were also remarkably advanced.

Given their reliance on barbarian troops, it was understandable that Joseon’s iron cavalry was formidable.

However, individual bravery alone could not forge a strong army.

They possessed an uncanny ability to identify and exploit weaknesses.

“If only I had the Northern Army…!”

The Xuande Emperor lamented the loss of the Yongle Emperor’s battle-hardened army, decimated by rebellion, but Zhang Bo doubted that even they would have fared much better.

However, voicing that opinion would offer no comfort to the Emperor.

“I will remain and do my utmost to contain the Joseon army. Your Majesty, please withdraw the main force and retreat to the Great Wall.”

Among the commanders whose morale had been shattered, some advocated for a complete withdrawal, but Zhang Bo lacked the courage to suggest it.

Above all, the war had already begun.

What could they possibly gain by retreating and assuming a defensive posture?

Instead, they should engage the enemy and do their part to hold them back.

* * *

“It appears that the enemy’s Emperor was present at Geumju. When we targeted the banner with our cannons, the enemy was thrown into confusion and fled, allowing our army to claim many heads in the ensuing chaos.”

“The Emperor? What happened?”

I slammed my hand on the table in Xijing, demanding answers to the urgent news.

“Unfortunately, it seems he escaped unharmed. The banner is still standing, but I believe the Emperor has likely retreated.”

I clicked my tongue in frustration.

The fact that the Ming army hadn’t retreated entirely suggested that the Emperor was neither dead nor seriously injured.

Too bad.

We could have ended the war with a single, well-placed shot.

Perhaps Yi Sun-mong had envisioned such a possibility.

‘Well, you can’t expect to achieve such a victory so easily.’

“Hasn’t the enemy’s offensive been effectively repelled? If we were to wipe out the troops in front of Geumju now, Shanhaiguan [a major pass in the Great Wall] would be wide open.”

Now that we have broken the enemy’s momentum, it is our turn to counterattack.

Most agreed, but there were also voices urging caution.

“The enemy may be attempting to lure our army into a trap and then strike at our weak point.”

“Strike at our weak point?”

“They might try to use their navy. While Joseon’s forces are tied down from Geumju to Shanhaiguan, they could cross the sea and attack us from the rear.”

It might sound far-fetched, but even the Tang Dynasty had launched a naval invasion of Baekje [an ancient Korean kingdom] in the past, so it wasn’t entirely implausible for Ming.

I seem to recall that my father-in-law, the Hongwu Emperor [founder of the Ming Dynasty], had also threatened Joseon in a similar manner.

“Even if the enemy doesn’t launch a naval attack, Your Highness and the Crown Prince must remain in Shenyang.”

Hearing that the Emperor had narrowly avoided being struck by a cannonball and sent to the afterlife, it felt uncomfortably close to home.

Of course, we can’t compare our army to the Ming army, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution.

However, Dan-i [MC’s son] looked somewhat displeased.

Grand Prince Jinpyeong, Yi Yu [MC’s nephew], who had come to the battlefield full of excitement, shared the same sentiment.

The cousins must have been counting their chickens before they hatched. It’s all because of those martial arts novels.

Wouldn’t it be more beneficial if they assisted in bandaging the wounded in the hospital? It would make for a heartwarming story if the prince personally tended to the injured.

In the past, Ogi [a Japanese warlord] sucking the pus from soldiers’ boils was also recorded in history.

While I was searching for an excuse to deflect the dissatisfaction of my son and nephew, someone entered the palace of the Prince of Shenyang.

“Your Highness!”

Yi Man-ju, fidgeting like a dog needing to relieve itself after being ordered to enter, rushed in.

“I have conquered the Ming army of 10,000 in Chaoyang!”

Okay, good job.

I congratulated Yi Man-ju on his victory.

“I placed my trust in you and entrusted you with the army, and you have achieved great merit. Excellent.”

My gaze shifted to the book he was carrying, as if boasting that he had fought valiantly against Toktobuka in Mongolia.

“What is that Spring and Autumn Annals [a historical chronicle]?”

Yi Man-ju was carrying a book.

Appearing before the king with a book?

It felt like seeing a new employee wearing earphones while talking to the boss.

Are all the kids these days like this?

“It’s the Spring and Autumn Annals. Even a military officer should not be far from books.”

However, Yi Man-ju, oblivious to my displeasure, spoke with a proud expression.

“Your Highness, the Inspector General always keeps a book close at hand and reads it from time to time, so I didn’t think of leaving it behind.”

At Chungshan’s words, I coughed, “Ahem.”

Actually, I can’t reprimand him for reading a book.

They’ll start gossiping again that the king hates learning?

‘It has to be the Spring and Autumn Annals, too.’

The Spring and Autumn Annals is a commentary on the Spring and Autumn period, written by Zuo Qiuming, a disciple of Confucius, and recounts the events of that era.

Even military officers who don’t read other scriptures carry this around, viewing it as akin to reading the Romance of the Eastern Zhou Dynasties [a historical novel].

Looking at him, Yi Man-ju seemed to be carrying the book around for show.

‘Originally, the guys who can’t study well bring textbooks on the school trip bus.’

Would he even have time to read it on the battlefield?

However, Yi Man-ju’s eyes were so bright that I couldn’t bring myself to criticize him.

“Work hard.”

I didn’t want to scold a subordinate who had achieved results, so I simply said that.

Well, if you do your job well, what does it matter if you visit a PC room or a karaoke room during lunch break?

The philosophy of those who have only read one book is the most dangerous, but it’s still better than not reading at all.

“The Chief of the Military Affairs Command should take over the returning soldiers and assign them to his command.”

Kim Jong-seo, who had been appointed as the Chief of the Military Affairs Command and reluctantly brought back to the north, wore a subtle expression.

I’m sorry, but there is no other talent as versatile as Kim Jong-seo.

Who else but Kim Jong-seo, a hybrid of civil and military officials, could serve as the Chief of the Military Affairs Command?

Seeing that he was outmaneuvered by a guy like Grand Prince Suyang [a Joseon prince] and met an untimely end, it seems that his talent faded with age, so we have to utilize his skills diligently before his expiration date.