Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 267

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Jjanggeura

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267. Battle of Songhua River (6)

Starting with the annihilation of the Agutai tribe, the Pyeongan Province army began to eliminate the Huligai tribes led by Yimanju one by one.

“Hoo…. I can’t do this anymore.”

Yi Sun-mong sighed deeply as he looked at the devastated scene with smoke rising from all directions.

Starting with the Agutai tribe, the Pyeongan Province army relentlessly pursued the Huligai tribe, eliminating the lagging tribes through individual battles.

As a result of catching up with and dealing with the Jurchen tribes every day or two, more than seven Jurchen tribes had disappeared under Yi Sun-mong’s command.

And now, the soldiers under Yi Sun-mong were under severe mental pressure.

“Annihilation sounds easy, but taking the lives of innocent people is not an easy task….”

Yi Sun-mong couldn’t speak as he looked at the horrific scene where there were no Jurchen survivors.

“The problem is that the size of the Jurchen tribes we encounter is gradually increasing.”

At the staff officer’s words, Yi Sun-ji nodded with a heavy expression.

Starting with the Agutai tribe, the Jurchen tribes they first encountered were small in size.

Compared to the forces under Yi Sun-mong, the overwhelming power difference was on average 5:1, so they could be suppressed easily in the early stages.

However, as they got closer to the center of the Huligai tribe, the power difference had narrowed to 3:1. As the power difference narrowed, the amount of gunpowder used began to increase rapidly.

Managing this amount of gunpowder consumption was another burden.

Fortunately, if the supply unit that had penetrated the Gaema Plateau had not provided supplies, Yi Sun-mong’s pursuit would have been frustrated midway.

However, as supplies continued steadily, Yi Sun-mong was able to breathe a sigh of relief. After receiving gunpowder and food, and from the second round, reserve soldiers came in to fill the empty spots due to casualties, he was finally able to breathe.

However, the problem was that even those who came in were slowly showing their limits due to the continued slaughter.

“General! Supplies are here!”

“Really?”

Yi Sun-mong, who was looking at the battlefield, turned his head with a happy face.

* * *

“It’s bigger than expected? Could it be reinforcements?”

The dust cloud raised by the supply unit was larger than before.

“Welcome.”

“It’s a relief that you are safe, General!”

The supply unit commander returned the greeting with a military salute to Yi Sun-mong’s welcome.

Yi Sun-mong, who simply returned the greeting, asked what he was curious about.

“The supply unit is larger than expected, did support troops come with you?”

“Yes!”

The supply unit commander introduced a person after a while.

“This is General Hong Sa-seok, who commands the support unit.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“It is an honor to meet someone who has made a name for himself by suppressing the Jurchens.”

Yi Sun-mong and Hong Sa-seok, who exchanged simple greetings, immediately got to the point.

“How many soldiers came?”

“5,000 were selected from Jeolla and Gyeongsang Provinces.”

Yi Sun-mong’s expression brightened when he received the number of support troops.

“5,000…. I can definitely breathe now!”

“Here is His Majesty’s order.”

At the word ‘order,’ Yi Sun-mong immediately knelt on the floor and bowed towards the south.

Following traditional etiquette, Yi Sun-mong received Sejong’s order and opened the order on the spot.

Yi Sun-mong sighed deeply after reading the contents of the order.

“Hoo~. ‘Stop annihilating the Jurchen tribes and focus only on the pursuit.’ Fortunately, the size of the Jurchen tribes was increasing, which was a burden. But, who will deal with those Huligai tribes if this happens?”

“The Udige tribe will take care of it.”

“The Udige?”

“Yes. As you may have received information, 10,000 Jurchen cavalry, mainly from the Udige tribe, have joined our Joseon army. They will pressure the Huligai tribe and drive them to Jilin.”

“Hmm….”

At Hong Sa-seok’s explanation, Yi Sun-mong stroked his dusty beard.

“Is the plan to force Yimanju and MeonTe-mu to head to Jilin?”

“Yes. The goal is to leave them with no choice.”

“If I were Yimanju, I might think of other routes by breaking through 10,000 troops?”

“Our mobile strike force is also playing a role.”

“Ah….”

Only after Hong Sa-seok mentioned the mobile strike force, Yi Sun-mong could nod his head.

The mobile strike force, composed of 1,500 to 2,000 soldiers, was a unit composed solely of cavalry and artillery. And, its power was evaluated as incomparable.

In fact, it had been proving its value by recording undefeated since its creation.

And all three of those mobile strike forces were mobilized for this operation.

Yi Sun-mong, who was examining the situation, muttered softly.

“If I were Yimanju or MeonTe-mu, the current situation would be terrible.”

“They will have no choice but to seek a way to survive.”

Yi Sun-mong, who nodded at Hong Sa-seok’s words, summarized the situation.

“So, our mission is to conserve our strength and follow them? And if Yimanju tries to use us as a breakthrough, we stop him?”

“That’s right.”

Yi Sun-mong sighed at Hong Sa-seok’s answer.

“Hoo~. It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be quite dangerous.”

“That’s why I came with my men. They are units stationed in Gyeongsang and Jeolla Provinces, preparing for the Japanese pirates [Japanese pirates active from the 13th to 16th centuries], so they are familiar with cannons. They also brought Hwachas (fire wagons).”

“Even Hwachas!”

Yi Sun-mong’s face brightened instantly. Yi Sun-mong looked north and smiled with satisfaction.

“I want to see Yimanju and MeonTe-mu’s faces.”

* * *

“Damn it! It’s terrible!”

As Yi Sun-mong had predicted, Yimanju, who had confirmed the current situation, was grinding his teeth and complaining.

“At least 20,000 troops are holding us in front, and 10,000 troops are chasing us from behind! What do you think we should do?”

At Yimanju’s question, MeonTe-mu looked at the map and asked back.

“What should we do? Should we turn our troops back and deal with the 10,000 first?”

“Stupid! As soon as we turn our horses, the 20,000 Joseon troops in front of us will pounce on us to devour us! If we try to escape to the side, the Udige bastards and the Joseon cavalry will grab our ankles and drag us down, and 30,000 Joseon troops will devour us!”

In a frustrating situation, Yimanju beat his chest and complained.

* * *

The reason why Yimanju and MeonTe-mu’s plan began to go awry was because the Joseon army’s response was much faster than they had expected.

Thanks to this, the tribes that started a little late and were located in the rear were defeated individually.

In order to prevent the sacrifice of the tribes, Yimanju stopped moving and began to gather the tribes together.

As the scattered tribes gathered together, they prevented individual defeats, but they could not prevent the Joseon army from overtaking them.

This was because the Udige mongrels and the Joseon cavalry thoroughly blocked their eyes.

No, they didn’t just cover their eyes, they fixed their route to Jilin.

“How are you going to get out of this checkmate!”

Even at Yimanju’s criticism, MeonTe-mu, who was looking at the map, replied in a calm voice.

“It’s a checkmate, but it could also be a chance to survive.”

“What is that….”

MeonTe-mu, interrupting Yimanju’s words, pointed to the map with his finger and explained the situation.

“10,000 in the back, 20,000 in the front. It’s certainly a lot of troops. But, to put it another way, this means that these are all the troops that Joseon can mobilize in the north right now. In other words, if we break through them, Joseon will need a lot of time to chase us.”

“Huh?”

At MeonTe-mu’s explanation, Yimanju looked at the map and his eyes lit up.

Even though Yimanju only cared about the Ming Dynasty, he continued to collect basic information about Joseon.

Although it was not the latest information, according to the information he had obtained, the Joseon army of today was not the Joseon army of when Yi Seong-gye was alive.

Of course, it is said that it is being strengthened again these days, but the Joseon army was weakened.

“Hmm….”

Yimanju looked at the map with shining eyes.

The 30,000 Joseon troops blocking the road in front and behind were, as far as he knew, all the troops that Joseon had deployed in the north.

If, as MeonTe-mu said, they got rid of the 20,000 in front of them, it was certain that Joseon would not be able to use its power for the time being. In that time, they could regain their strength in the north, sweep away the damn Udige mongrels, and increase their size.

“I know what you mean. Then we need to gather as many troops as possible.”

“Cavalry is important, but infantry is also important. It’s not cost-effective to break through the infantry’s formation with cavalry alone, is it?”

“That’s right. So how many troops can Odori send out?”

“2,000 including infantry.”

“It’s heartbreaking.”

Yimanju, who slightly sneered, called his subordinate.

“Tell the tribal chiefs to gather!”

“Yes, Beile [chieftain]!”

After a while, all the tribal chiefs of the Huligai tribe gathered.

The tribal chiefs who heard the explanation of Yimanju and MeonTe-mu agreed to bet everything on a single battle.

“It’s a checkmate anyway! Now that it’s come to this, let’s smash those Joseon bastards and make a comeback!”

* * *

Three days later, the two armies faced each other on the southwestern plains of Jilin.

Yimanju, who was examining the Joseon army’s formation, cursed.

“They deployed it according to the textbook! According to the textbook!”

The Joseon army, with the Songhua River behind them, was building a camp centered on the slightly raised hills in the vicinity.

Cavalry units were stationed on the left and right wings of the main camp, and in the main camp, soldiers with long spears stood at the front to build a defense line.

“Udige, where are those bastards….”

Yimanju, who was looking around to find the cavalry of the Udige tribe who had been holding them back, gritted his teeth.

“Those jackal-like bastards!”

The Udige tribe was lined up along the north side of the hill where the Joseon army was located.

It was obvious that their intention was to take advantage of the gap and attack the flanks of our army or target the tribes in the rear if the Joseon army properly held them back.

Yimanju called a tribal chief who was nearby.

“Lead your men and prevent those bastards from moving properly! It will be difficult, but just endure until we defeat the Joseon troops!”

“Yes, Beile!”

The tribal chief who received the order soon led his warriors away.

Yimanju, who saw those who had left to check the Udige tribe slowly taking their positions, turned to MeonTe-mu.

“It’s starting.”

When MeonTe-mu nodded silently, Yimanju shouted.

“All troops, advance!”

“Advance!”

“Advance!”

As soon as Yimanju’s order fell, the large army of cavalry slowly began to move forward.

And behind them, infantrymen with shields and spears slowly began to move.

* * *

“They’re coming!”

“Everyone! Prepare for battle!”

“Prepare for battle!”

At the shouts of the commanders, the spearmen and swordsmen at the very front swallowed dry saliva and stared ahead.

The musketeers standing behind them also took a deep breath and looked ahead.

Yi Suk-myo, who was watching Yimanju’s army approaching from the top of the hill, gave a short order with an indifferent expression.

“Prepare the Hwachas [multiple rocket launcher].”

“Yes!”

“Is the Hwacha the beginning?”

Yi Suk-myo nodded briefly at the staff officer’s question.

“The General Hwatong [single-shot rocket launcher] is a waste of iron bullets, and the Bigyeokjincheonle [cannon] has a short range, so the Hwacha is perfect. Continuous firing is important, so make sure they are properly prepared.”

“I understand.”

In this way, the start of the ‘Battle of Jilin,’ which will be recorded in history, was taken over by the Hwacha.

After a while, the staff officer’s report came up.

“The Hwacha is ready!”

“The enemies?”

“They are within the Hwacha’s range.”

“Then fire.”

“Yes! Fire!”

At the staff officer’s command, the flagman vigorously waved the signal flag.

Shortly after,

Shhhhhhhhh!

Thousands of Singijeon [rocket arrows] fired from the Hwacha filled the sky with an ear-splitting noise.