Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 588

588. The Fall of the Yellow Dragon (3)

As Choi Yun-duk resolved to retreat, his senior aide immediately spoke up.

“We need to tie down the Ming forces while our troops withdraw.”

“Indeed.”

Choi Yun-duk nodded in agreement.

The Joseon army stationed there numbered approximately 280,000. News had arrived that two additional forces, each consisting of 50,000 soldiers, were heading their way.

The problem lay with the 280,000 troops already present. Dismantling the encampments and defensive wire entanglements [barbed wire], preparing the artillery batteries with heated projectiles and gunpowder for immediate firing, and packing everything for relocation would take a considerable amount of time.

Furthermore, the issue of the advancing Ming army—the inability of hundreds of thousands of troops to move simultaneously—applied equally to the Joseon army. Even with the fastest possible preparations, it would take at least seven days for all 280,000 troops to withdraw.

“Hmm…”

After a moment of contemplation, Choi Yun-duk devised an alternative.

“The cavalry must take on this task.”

At Choi Yun-duk’s mention of the cavalry, all the commanders present at the meeting nodded.

Among all branches of the Joseon army, the cavalry best combined firepower and mobility.

The cavalry could strike a blow against the Ming forces and then quickly and easily disengage.

“While the cavalry is indeed suitable due to its mobility, wouldn’t it be better to add more firepower for a stronger impact?”

One of the commanders, upon hearing Choi Yun-duk’s decision, suggested adding firepower, but Choi Yun-duk shook his head.

“That would slow us down. The terrain east of the Daling River is ideal for cavalry operations, so it’s best to entrust the task to them alone.”

Thus, the cavalry was left behind to tie down the Ming forces.

With the plan decided, the Joseon army began packing their belongings busily. Meanwhile, Choi Yun-duk summoned the cavalry commanders separately.

“I’m sorry to burden you with this difficult task.”

As Choi Yun-duk apologized, the cavalry commanders bowed their heads in unison and replied.

“Not at all.”

“Rather, we are grateful for the opportunity to run wild.”

“That’s right. We haven’t been able to fully unleash ourselves because of the infantry, so this is a truly excellent opportunity.”

“Thank you.”

Choi Yun-duk, grateful for the cavalry commanders’ continued enthusiasm, opened his pouch.

“If there’s anything you need, speak up.”

“If that’s the case, please leave the wire entanglements intact.”

“The wire entanglements?”

“Yes.”

“And…”

Choi Yun-duk listened to the cavalry commanders’ requests for supplies, starting with the wire entanglements, and immediately nodded.

“So be it.”

* * *

The next day, the cavalry moved busily.

Lee Jing-ok, who had volunteered to be the overall commander of the cavalry, grinned fiercely as he looked at the cavalry commanders.

“Just waiting idly doesn’t suit our temperament, does it?”

“Indeed, it does not.”

“That’s absolutely right.”

“Then let’s divide into groups.”

Lee Jing-ok divided 18,000 of the 22,000 cavalrymen deployed for the delaying action into three groups.

“These three groups will take turns attacking and retreating from the enemy every day as the Ming army advances.”

“Six thousand won’t be enough to inflict significant damage, will it?”

“A fatal blow isn’t necessary. We’ll wear them down by inflicting minor wounds. It’s a tactic the Jurchens [nomadic tribes north of Joseon] used to employ well, isn’t it?”

At Lee Jing-ok’s words, all the cavalry commanders wore grim smiles.

Even before the military reforms, there had been frequent clashes between Joseon and the Jurchen tribes.

The Jurchens often used hit-and-run tactics against the Joseon forces sent to subdue them.

The cavalry commanders, fully understanding what Lee Jing-ok meant, began to effectively utilize the Jurchens’ methods.

* * *

“Joseon soldiers!”

“Joseon cavalry!”

“The Joseon cavalry is coming!”

As the Ming cavalrymen who had gone out on reconnaissance returned in disarray, shouting, the soldiers of the Ming vanguard began to move urgently.

“Shield bearers to the front!”

“Archers, step forward!”

“Form a battle line! Form a battle line!”

Since the aim was to deplete the Joseon forces, most of the Ming vanguard was armed with classic cold weapons [non-firearm weapons like swords and spears].

At the commanders’ orders, the shield bearers rushed forward and stood in the front line.

Neigh!

As the sound of horses neighing was heard in the distance, the shield bearers swallowed hard and looked ahead.

Dudududu!

Before long, the Joseon cavalry came into view, their horses thundering across the ground.

“200 paces! 200 paces!”

“Hold! Hold! Don’t move rashly!”

“Hold your ground!”

At the soldiers’ shouts gauging the distance to the Joseon cavalry, the shield bearers’ commanders yelled at their men to hold their ground.

“100 paces!”

As the Joseon forces came within 100 paces (approximately 300 meters), the commanders shouted at the shield bearers.

“Raise shields!”

At the commanders’ orders, the shield bearers raised their large wooden shields and hid behind them. At the same time, the spearmen with their long spears crowded behind the shield bearers, thrusting their spears forward. And the archers, positioned behind the shield bearers and spearmen, waited with arrows nocked, ready to fire as soon as the Joseon cavalry came within range.

The Ming forces, having formed a solid defensive line, glared at the approaching Joseon cavalry with tense faces.

Here, the Joseon cavalry employed a very audacious tactic.

The Joseon cavalry stopped about 60 paces (approximately 180 meters) from the Ming defensive line and lined up in three ranks.

“What are they doing?”

“Damn it! They’re out of arrow range!”

The Joseon forces stopped at a point just beyond the Ming’s arrow range. The Ming soldiers cursed as they watched the Joseon cavalry stop at that precise location.

“Damn it! If you’re coming, come quickly!”

“I’m so tired!”

The Ming soldiers, who had been tensely facing off, began to wish for the Joseon cavalry to charge as time passed.

Then, the Joseon cavalry, lined up in that way, all drew their muskets.

Tatatang!

The shield line in the front collapsed under the volley of fire from the Joseon cavalry lined up in three ranks.

“Fill the gaps!”

Soon, new shield bearers filled the empty spaces. The Joseon cavalry, waiting for that moment, fired another volley.

The Ming commanders were furious at the cunning Joseon attack, where the shield line was rebuilt after being destroyed by the volley, only to be targeted again by another volley.

“These cowardly bastards! They’re only targeting the shield bearers!”

“If you’re cavalry, then charge like cavalry!”

However, the Joseon cavalry also had their reasons.

“We’re not tiger hunters, how can we aim properly at this distance?”

“Exactly, in that sense, shields are a great target. They’re nice and big, aren’t they?”

In the end, the Ming commanders, having suffered considerable losses from the five volleys, went to the vanguard commander.

“At this rate, we’re the only ones taking damage! We must charge!”

“No! We must wait a little longer! The moment we break formation to charge, they will charge!”

“Soldiers are dying even now! Attack is the best defense!”

The vanguard commander, who had been listening to the commanders’ heated debate, made a firm decision.

“The cavalry will lead the charge!”

“General!”

The opposing commanders shouted in surprise, but the vanguard commander shook his head.

“Looking at the current situation, those guys never intended to charge from the start! We should have taken advantage of our numerical superiority and launched an aggressive attack when they first appeared! It’s very late, but we will charge and drive them out!”

Following the vanguard commander’s orders, one side of the defensive line opened, and the Ming cavalry poured out, followed by a large number of spearmen.

“Charge! Charge!”

“Waaaaa!”

Neigh!

With shouts and neighs, the Ming cavalry surged forward, and the spearmen also shouted as they ran forward.

As the Ming charge began, the Joseon forces turned their horses around without looking back.

The Joseon cavalry, riding horses that were overwhelmingly faster than the Ming cavalry’s horses, quickly disappeared into the distance, and the Ming cavalry and soldiers, who had been charging desperately, had to stop in their tracks with a look of dismay.

* * *

After that, the Joseon cavalry’s surprise attacks continued.

“This is a problem…”

The Ming vanguard commander muttered with a troubled expression after receiving a report on the situation following another surprise attack.

If a battle lasted no more than one *shichen* [a Chinese unit of time, approximately 2 hours], the Ming forces could not move for a day.

As a result, the advance became slower as time passed, and the soldiers’ morale plummeted.

To prevent this situation, they had mobilized all available cavalry for advance reconnaissance, but they had suffered heavy losses and returned after being ambushed by the Joseon cavalry.

“Is this why the Jurchens shudder at the mere mention of the Joseon cavalry? They are as cunning, tenacious, and terrifying as wolves.”

The vanguard commander was fed up with the cunning tactics that had thrown conventional warfare out the window and the tenacious Joseon cavalry that kept biting and clinging.

“But the only answer is conventional warfare…”

In the end, the Ming vanguard had to continue its advance, suffering constant losses from the Joseon cavalry’s tenacious attacks.

“Damn it! Just let me catch them! I’ll tear them to pieces!”

“I’ll make them beg for death!”

While some soldiers gritted their teeth at the mere mention of “Joseon soldiers” after being persistently attacked, even more soldiers expressed anxiety. Those soldiers who had fallen into anxiety panicked at the slightest suspicious stimulus.

* * *

The Ming vanguard, having been subjected to these hit-and-run tactics by the Joseon cavalry, arrived at the Daling River almost 20 days later than initially expected.

“Joseon soldiers across the river! It’s the Joseon cavalry!”

“How many?”

“Up to 30,000!”

“Are there any other Joseon soldiers?”

“There were none!”

Upon receiving the scout’s report, the vanguard commander immediately summoned the commanders.

“The Joseon soldiers have fled! All that’s left are those damn cavalrymen! We must strike before they escape too! We must capture them to avoid further trouble!”

“Yes!”

“Prepare to cross the river!”

“Yes!”

At the vanguard commander’s orders, the commanders and soldiers busily prepared to cross the river.

* * *

“Huh?”

Lee Jing-ok, who was observing the Ming’s preparations to cross the Daling River from the opposite bank, tilted his head.

“Are the Jung soldiers [another name for the Ming soldiers], who are known as Tang soldiers, really that diligent?”

The movements of the Ming soldiers visible through the telescope were unusually diligent.

Lee Jing-ok, carefully observing the Ming soldiers’ movements, chuckled.

“Hah! They’re thoroughly enraged!”

Although he chuckled, Lee Jing-ok’s face was serious.

Lee Jing-ok, who had summoned the cavalry commanders, informed them that the Ming forces were extremely enraged and gave them a warning.

“Don’t be careless and prepare thoroughly. It is said that the most terrifying poison is the poison of a frost-bitten viper.”

“Could it be that we made them too angry?”

Lee Jing-ok shook his head at his subordinate’s question.

“No, we need to make them even angrier. We need to make them so angry that they only chase after us without looking left or right. Only then can we lure them into the trap.”

As one of the commanders left Lee Jing-ok’s tent after the meeting, he asked his companion next to him.

“But doesn’t a frost-bitten viper act sluggishly?”

“Why would a snake be out until the frost falls? It means it hasn’t prepared for hibernation, right? It needs to fill its belly quickly and hibernate, but it can’t, so wouldn’t it be enraged?”

“Ah!”