Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 555

555. River of Blood (1)

“We’ve finally arrived.”

Standing on a hill near the Yalu River, Jo Byeong-deok muttered as he gazed at the Joseon land across the river.

Turning away from the Joseon land, Jo Byeong-deok looked at his subordinate officers.

“It was a long journey indeed. Don’t you think?”

“Indeed, it was.”

“I didn’t expect the Hwaryongpo [a type of powerful cannon] to take up so much time.”

“The Hwaryongpo is certainly as demanding as it is powerful.”

At Jo Byeong-deok’s words, the subordinate officers shook their heads, mentioning the Hwaryongpo.

* * *

As the subordinate officers said, the Hwaryongpo was as demanding to operate as it was powerful.

First of all, the transportation process was a problem. Even when divided into two parts, the weight of the Hwaryongpo was enormous. Therefore, a large number of personnel were allocated from the initial planning stage, considering this.

However, the immense weight of the Hwaryongpo and the softening ground due to the melting frozen earth created an unexpected synergy, making the movement of the Hwaryongpo very difficult.

Thanks to this, nearly 20,000 additional personnel had to be deployed in addition to the troops and manpower assigned to handle the transportation. Only after they solidified the road and built temporary bridges over the rivers that had to be crossed could the Hwaryongpo move properly.

After such arduous struggles, the Liaodong army was able to reach the banks of the Yalu River. It was already 10 days later than the scheduled crossing time in early March.

* * *

“Anyway, now that we’ve arrived, we must begin the operation.”

Steeling his resolve, Jo Byeong-deok took out a telescope from his chest. As he pulled out the telescope’s barrel, Jo Byeong-deok suddenly stopped and looked at the telescope in his hand.

After looking at the telescope for a moment, Jo Byeong-deok chuckled and muttered.

“To attack Joseon using Joseon’s own goods… how amusing.”

Not only Jo Byeong-deok but also the Ming commanders had Joseon-made telescopes as essential items. Although Ming also produced telescopes, they could not match the performance and quality of those made in Joseon.

Sitting on his horse, Jo Byeong-deok put the telescope to his eye and looked at the walls of the Inshan Garrison across the river.

“Oh ho.”

Jo Byeong-deok clicked his tongue as he examined the walls of the Inshan Garrison and the iron nets spread out to its left and right.

“Tsk! They were prepared. Well…”

Jo Byeong-deok paused, looked up at the sky.

Above Inshan Garrison, monks were floating high in the sky.

“They must have known, watching from such a high place. And there must have been spies as well.”

Liaodong was both Ming’s land and Joseon’s land. Thanks to this, spies sent from Joseon and Jurchen tribes loyal to Joseon were monitoring the Liaodong army everywhere.

Jo Byeong-deok, who had been examining Inshan Garrison with the telescope, came down from the hill with his subordinate officers.

Jo Byeong-deok entered the military tent set up at the foot of the hill and checked the situation.

“When will the vanguard be ready to depart?”

“All preparations will be completed in two days.”

“Has a method been prepared to breach the iron fences set up by the Joseon bastards?”

At Jo Byeong-deok’s question, one of the subordinate officers immediately answered.

“Yes. We plan to use the Jurchens.”

“The Jurchens? Hmm…”

After pondering for a moment, Jo Byeong-deok nodded.

“That would be acceptable.”

* * *

Building defensive facilities using stone required a lot of wealth. Thanks to this, most of the defensive facilities located on the border relied on wooden fences.

The Jurchens’ method of breaching this was to use ropes with hooks. They would hang the hooked ropes on the wooden fences, tie them to their saddles, and then pull. It would be impossible with the strength of one or two horses, but if more than 10 or 20 horses hooked and pulled in one place, the wooden fence would collapse.

The defending side would desperately cut the ropes when they were hooked and attack the Jurchen cavalry to prevent this. However, the moment they exposed themselves to do this, they would become targets for the arrows of the Jurchens behind them.

* * *

While satisfied with his subordinates’ countermeasures, Jo Byeong-deok added an order.

“If possible, provide the infantry with hooked ropes as well. Cavalry are more likely to become targets. It would be good to provide one for every ten-man unit.”

“Understood.”

“Have you checked the depth and temperature of the water?”

“Yes. We inquired with the local residents. Although the water has risen a bit after the thawing season, the dry season is not over yet, so even the deepest part is only about waist-high.”

“What about the current?”

“They say it’s not too fast. With a little caution, you can cross on foot.”

“Good, good.”

Jo Byeong-deok couldn’t hide his satisfied expression at the subordinate officer’s report. Many of the losses incurred in the river-crossing operation occurred during the crossing process.

However, if they could cross the river without using boats, they could minimize sacrifices. And if they secured a bridgehead properly, it could be considered almost a success.

“When will the Hwaryongpo be ready for use?”

“In four days.”

“Hmm…”

After confirming the date when the Hwaryongpo, the most important offensive weapon, would be ready, Jo Byeong-deok set the start date for the attack.

“At dawn five days from now, we will begin the attack. By then, the Joseon bastards’ tension will have eased a bit. We will aim for that moment and attack.”

“Yes, sir!”

“I wish you military success.”

“We wish you military success!”

* * *

While the Liaodong army was preparing for the offensive, the Joseon army was also preparing to stop them.

In the main conference room of Inshan Garrison, a meeting was in full swing under the supervision of Yi Jing-ok.

“According to the report from the monks, a large earthen wall is being built about 3 li (approximately 1.2 km) behind the Yalu River.”

“Earthen wall?”

“Yes. A total of three earthen walls are being built, and behind these earthen walls, the problematic giant cannon is located. According to additional information, work is underway to connect two of these giant cannons into one.”

“So it was three units after all?”

“That is correct. Three units are confirmed.”

At the subordinate officer’s report, Yi Jing-ok crossed his arms and muttered.

“Hmm… so it was a super-large siege cannon after all.”

* * *

As the Liaodong army approached the Yalu River, intelligence about them was quickly received.

The increasingly numerous intelligence reports commonly contained information about a ‘giant bronze cannon.’

Based on this intelligence, a small debate broke out among the Joseon army commanders.

-The total number of the super-large bronze cannon in question is 6

“Could it be six large old-fashioned cannons?”

“Could it be a disassembled large siege cannon?”

“Assembling a giant cannon on the front line? Then it’s just a target! Shells and bullets will pour in from all directions! It’s definitely an old-fashioned cannon! If it’s a Jinchonroe [a type of large cannonball] fired from something that size, it will be incredibly powerful!”

“Are you saying that because you don’t know the range of an old-fashioned cannon?”

As such debates broke out between the commanders of the infantry and cavalry, Yi Jing-ok called the artillery commanders.

“What do you think?”

At Yi Jing-ok’s question, the artillery commanders, who had read the reports, answered almost identically.

“The possibility of it being a siege cannon is the highest.”

“What about the possibility of it being a super-large old-fashioned cannon?”

“Old-fashioned cannons have a short range. Of course, if it’s a large Jinchonroe fired from such a cannon, its power will be enormous, but it will be over after firing one shot. Our army’s cannons will immediately destroy it.”

* * *

“It’s true that it’s a siege cannon, but why are they building these earthen walls?”

At Yi Jing-ok’s question, the artillery commanders, who were examining the reports, immediately answered.

“It’s to defend against cannon fire aimed at that giant cannon.”

“Cannon fire?”

At the artillery commanders’ answer, Yi Jing-ok frantically searched his memory. After searching his memory for a long time, Yi Jing-ok nodded.

“General Byungshik’s Hwatong [a type of cannon] would be sufficient.”

“That is correct.”

With Hyang’s military enthusiasm and Joseon’s love for cannons overlapping, the Joseon army’s cannons continued to develop.

And the most recent works were the shrapnel cannon and General Byungshik’s Hwatong. The maximum range of General Byungshik’s Hwatong was 2000 paces (approximately 2.4 km).

“Did information about General Byungshik’s Hwatong get out?”

“They must have obtained it through the Jurchens who have fought against us.”

“That must be it… Then, can we turn those copper lumps into scrap metal with the cannons we have?”

At Yi Jing-ok’s question, the artillery commanders answered with confident faces.

“Just give the order.”

“Reliable.”

* * *

Meanwhile, the Joseon soldiers stationed in the trench line were diligently digging the ground.

“Eotsha! Eotsha!”

“Youngcha! Youngcha!”

The bottom of the trench was dug a little deeper, and the soil dug out was put into sacks to thicken the area around the loopholes. And many of the soldiers working so hard were worn-out veterans.

“Hey! We need to reinforce this area a bit more!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Set up a foothold here! Are you going to stand on tiptoes to pull the trigger? Don’t just pile up, reinforce the surroundings!”

The military instructors and Jinmoo [military officials] made absurd expressions at the sight of such veterans.

“Huh? What’s going on? Just the day before yesterday, they were trying to avoid shoveling?”

At the words of the military instructors and Jinmoo, the veterans pointed across the river and answered.

“Until the day before yesterday, those bastards weren’t there, were they?”

“So you’re working hard now? You son of a bitch! That’s why you can’t get promoted!”

* * *

Five days later, at dawn (未明) [just before sunrise]

As the eastern sky was faintly brightening, movements slowly began to increase in the Liaodong army camp.

“Are you ready?”

“We are!”

“Really? Fire the fire arrows (火箭) [primitive rockets]!”

At the officer’s command, a soldier who had been waiting lit the fuse of a fire arrow and shot it into the sky.

Shoo-shook~. Bang!

As the fire arrow that soared into the sky created flames in the air, fire arrows soon soared from here and there.

And, not long after, the small and medium cannons from the Liaodong army battery, which had set up camp a little away from the riverbank, fired all at once.

Kwawkakwang! Peopeong!

The shells that flew over the Yalu River raised pillars of sand and soil on the riverbank and its surroundings.

Ppuuwoong! Dungdungdung!

As soon as the Liaodong army’s cannon fire began, loud drumbeats and trumpet sounds rang out from the fortress of Inshan Garrison, and shouts were heard from all directions.

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”

“Battle stations! Battle stations!”

Along with the shouts bursting out from all directions, the soldiers jumped out of their hiding places and ran to their assigned posts.

“Remove the covers!”

“Prepare to load!”

The soldiers in charge of operating the Eulshik Hwacha [a type of rocket launcher] and shrapnel cannons removed the covers from the Hwacha and shrapnel cannons and hurriedly began loading.

“Loading complete!”

“Preparation complete!”

“Stand by!”

The soldiers, who had finished loading with quick movements, waited for the firing command and looked beyond the loopholes.

Kwang! Kwang! Kwakwang!

“Cannon fire!”

“Get down!”

In an instant, the second wave of cannon fire followed, and the soldiers fell prone on the floor of the trench.

Subsequently, the third wave of cannon fire followed.

Kwang! Kwakwang!

The Joseon soldiers, who were lying prone amidst the continuous cannon fire, simultaneously cursed.

“Damn it! Are our artillerymen still sleeping!”

Just as they were spewing out curses, the Joseon army artillerymen finally began to move.

“We’ve got the location! Here are the coordinates!”

Receiving the coordinates from the messenger, the artillery commanders modified the aiming points of the cannons they commanded.

Shortly after, the cannons of the Joseon army battery fired all at once.

Kwawkakwang!

As the Joseon army’s counter-fire progressed, the Liaodong army’s cannon fire began to weaken.

“Get up! The enemies will soon cross the river!”

“Medic! Medic!”

As the Liaodong army’s cannon fire subsided, the soldiers stationed in the trench line took their positions on the firing line. And, in order to collect those who had died or been injured by the Liaodong army’s cannon fire, the medics ran around with stretchers.

Heeheehing!

“Waaaaa!”

As the Joseon army was moving busily, the sounds of horses neighing and people shouting erupted from the river.

The Liaodong army’s river crossing had begun.