Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 670

670. The Story of Other Countries (5)

With the widespread distribution of guns and cannons, the attire of the shogunate forces became very light. The conical iron *jingasa* [a type of helmet] was almost the only piece of protective gear.

On the other hand, the insurgent forces were fully equipped with traditional armor.

As a result, during the pursuit spanning approximately 3 *ri* (about 7.4 miles), the insurgent forces had to endure immense physical strain compared to the shogunate forces.

The commanders of the insurgent army, panting heavily as they chased the shogunate forces just like their soldiers, momentarily hesitated upon seeing the wooden fence in front of them, but soon raised their voices.

“Charge! It’s just a flimsy wooden fence! Break it down!”

“Charge! You will be rewarded for every head of a shogunate soldier you take!”

“They are just the shogunate forces who kept running away! Don’t be afraid!”

“Uwaaa!”

Encouraged by their commanders, the insurgent soldiers charged towards the wooden fence with shouts.

At that moment, the shogunate commanders shouted from beyond the fence.

“Fire!”

*Tatatang! Tatatang!*

With the deafening sound of gunfire, the insurgent soldiers began to fall like leaves.

“Charge! There’s a reload time….”

*Tatatang!*

Contrary to the vanguard’s expectations, the shogunate soldiers’ gunfire from beyond the fence was swift.

“Why….”

Confused by the suddenly intensified gunfire from the shogunate forces, the insurgent commanders soon grasped the situation.

“It was a trap!”

As they realized, the shogunate forces had set a trap here.

The unit that initially faced the insurgent vanguard was equipped with matchlock guns used during the previous battles against the Muromachi shogunate, Ming-made cannons captured from Ming China, and outdated black powder.

Naturally, the slow firing rate, short range, weak firepower, and excessive smoke caused the insurgent vanguard to suffer less damage than expected, boosting their morale.

Subsequently, at an opportune moment, the shogunate forces retreated, prompting the insurgents to recklessly engage in a pursuit, chasing after the shogunate forces.

And here, about 3 *ri* away, the main force of the shogunate army was crouching, waiting for the insurgent forces.

Not only were the *Wan’gu* [improvised grenade] units already loaded with *Bigyeokjincheonleis* [Korean-made bombs], but also the Eul-style *Hwachas* [rocket launchers] imported in large quantities from the Empire formed a fire net along the wooden fence and trench line, and the elite troops of the shogunate, armed with Eul-style rifles, were waiting for the insurgent forces.

* * *

After the first volley of fire from the shogunate forces, the vanguard commanders of the insurgent army all had the same thought.

‘It’s over!’

Realizing it was a trap, the vanguard of the insurgent army hurriedly tried to stop their charge and retreat, but they were continuously pushed towards the wooden fence by inertia.

The vanguard of the insurgent army, pushed in that way, began to melt away in the fire net of *Bigyeokjincheonleis* and Eul-style *Hwachas*.

“R, run away!”

“Flee!”

The remaining soldiers of the vanguard, who survived the crossfire of *Bigyeokjincheonleis* and Eul-style *Hwachas*, hurriedly turned around. But at that moment, the disorganized main force of the insurgent army surged in.

The vanguard trying to retreat and the main force pushing forward became entangled, creating a situation where they could neither advance nor retreat.

Seeing this, the shogunate commanders raised their *katana* [Japanese sword] high and shouted.

“Sweep them away!”

“Don’t spare the ammunition!”

Even without the commander’s orders, the shogunate soldiers were relentlessly attacking the entangled insurgent forces in front of them.

“It’s either death or survival! I must kill those guys before I die!”

“Kill the rebels!”

“Subjugate the rebels!”

Amidst the shouts of ‘Subjugate the rebels!’ echoing from all directions, the soldiers attacked the insurgent army with fire in their eyes.

Because they had heard something.

-Soon, the soldiers and samurai of the shogunate and lords will be integrated to create an organization called the National Army.

-If you accumulate military merits now, you can receive better treatment in the newly created National Army.

-We can’t just live as soldiers forever! It’s an opportunity for social advancement!

Aiming for a chance to turn their lives around, the shogunate soldiers frantically pulled the triggers. The insurgent soldiers falling before their eyes, bleeding, were not people but tokens of promise for the future.

* * *

In the face of the shogunate forces’ crossfire, the advantage of numerical superiority was nonexistent.

Mochiyo, watching the insurgent army fall under the fire net of the Eul-style *Hwachas*, turned to Norihiro.

“Didn’t the instructors from the Empire say? That to suppress a properly configured fire net of Eul-style *Hwachas*, you need at least five times the number of troops.”

“Ha! That is correct!”

“It wasn’t an exaggeration.”

Mochiyo, nodding, sighed.

“Hoo~. The road ahead is still long. But to walk that road properly, we must deal with those lingering spirits first.”

“Ha! That is a wise decision!”

After a battle lasting about two *shijin* (approximately 4 hours), the main force of the insurgent army was annihilated.

The surviving nobles and soldiers, including the heads of the *Gosekka* (Five Regent Houses), hurriedly began to retreat back the way they came, but that path was also a death trap.

The insurgent army’s route of movement was bordered by the sea to the south and a line of large and small hills forming a wall to the north. Therefore, there was no other path for the insurgent army.

And as they were retreating back the way they came, the shogunate forces ambushing in the hilly terrain attacked them.

In the end, the insurgent army, which had set out with great fanfare, holding high the banner of ‘Overthrow the Shogunate,’ was wiped out.

In this process, the surviving nobles, especially the heads of the *Gosekka*, ended their lives by committing *seppuku* [ritual suicide] to avoid disgrace.

* * *

With the *seppuku* of the heads of the families, the war came to an end, but the real end was just beginning.

Soldiers hunting for rewards began everywhere, targeting the defeated soldiers, and the shogunate forces stormed into the territories of the court nobles who participated in the uprising, beginning to massacre the nobles.

“They are the families of the rebels! Kill them all!”

Amidst the bloodshed and massacre continuing in all directions, there were those who begged for mercy. However, the shogunate’s response was resolute.

“The Empire exterminates three generations, and China exterminates nine! There is no mercy for traitors!”

In that way, the lineage of the noble families who participated in the uprising was wiped out, and all the territories they possessed became the property of the shogunate.

Once the situation was somewhat settled, Mochiyo sought out the Emperor.

“I have successfully dealt with the heinous rebels.”

“Y, you have worked hard.”

The Emperor, with a pale face, praised Mochiyo in a trembling voice.

“To quickly calm the chaos and operate the national affairs stably, we must fill the vacant positions in the court.”

“Do as you see fit, General.”

“Then, please grant me the position of *Kanpaku* (chief advisor to the Emperor) that I requested before.”

“Th, that is….”

Seeing the Emperor hesitating, Mochiyo raised his voice.

“This is absolutely necessary to resolve this chaotic world and ensure eternal peace! Please make a decision!”

Under Mochiyo’s pressure, the Emperor immediately yielded.

“Y, yes, let’s do that! If it is for the peace of the world, let’s do that!”

In that way, Mochiyo became the highest authority in both civil and military affairs.

He became the de facto ruler of the Wa Kingdom, in name and reality.

As an aside, in the distant future, a famous Japanese science fiction writer would write a novel based on the restorationist uprising of the court nobles, including the *Gosekka*. In that novel, the depiction of the *Gosekka* and the nobles was never positive.

* * *

The situation in the Wa Kingdom was being transmitted to the Empire almost in real-time. This was possible because the scholars who had studied abroad and were working at the core of the shogunate were sending news almost daily by ship.

“This must be possible with the permission of the Shogun, right?”

In response to Hyang’s question, Heo Hu immediately answered.

“That is correct. There has never been a case where the flow of events at the core of the Wa Kingdom has been sent in such detail.”

Following Heo Hu’s answer, Hwang Hui added.

“The Shogun is doing that because his intentions are clear. He is trying to gauge our Empire’s mood.”

“Gauge our Empire’s mood?”

In response to Hyang’s question, Hwang Hui explained the reason why the shogunate was gauging the Empire’s mood.

“In the narrow sense, to replenish the bullets and cannonballs consumed in this war, he must speak humbly to our Empire. In the broad sense, the shogunate’s legitimacy must be recognized by our Empire to ensure the safety of the shogunate regime.”

“Hmm….”

Hyang, making a humming sound and briefly analyzing the situation, asked Hwang Hui.

“Prime Minister, does that mean our Empire is becoming the suzerain state of the Wa Kingdom?”

In response to Hyang’s question, Hwang Hui immediately answered.

“That is correct.”

“Hmm….”

In response to Hwang Hui’s answer, Hyang reconsidered the situation.

‘Is it because of the stability of the regime after all? The reason we served Ming as our suzerain state was the same.’

Thinking that far, Hyang asked Hwang Hui again.

“What do you think is the reason why the Wa Kingdom is trying to serve us as their suzerain state instead of choosing Ming?”

“Ming is a traditional powerhouse, but its governance is now very weak. However, our Empire is improving day by day, so anyone who can read the trends even a little would serve our Empire as their suzerain state, not Ming.”

“Is it a good thing?”

“It is both a good thing and a bad thing. The fact that small countries such as the Wa Kingdom and Ryukyu are volunteering to serve our Empire as their suzerain state means that our Empire has become that much stronger, so it is a good thing. However, the suzerain state must not skimp on generosity to the small countries that have declared allegiance, so this is not a very good thing.”

The officials all nodded at Hwang Hui’s words.

Joseon also had a history of conducting tributary diplomacy with Ming. Many people shed tears to meet the amount of tribute demanded by Ming and the bribes demanded by the envoys from Ming, but conversely, the amount extorted from Ming was also considerable. And most of the veteran officials filling the Daejeon (the main hall) had experience going back and forth to Ming as envoys and steadily extorting from them.

Following Hwang Hui’s words, Kim Jeom continued.

“Fortunately, our Empire has declared in advance that it will not engage in tributary diplomacy. Thanks to that, the burden has been greatly reduced.”

Hyang and all the officials nodded at Kim Jeom’s words.

After summarizing the situation up to this point, Hyang asked what the possible scenarios were if the shogunate made a choice in the future.

“The Shogun of the shogunate has even obtained the position of *Kanpaku*, will he be satisfied here?”

Hwang Hui answered Hyang’s question again.

“As we discussed before, it is fifty-fifty. The Emperor of Japan is a nominal existence, so there is a considerable possibility that the Shogun of the shogunate, who holds all civil and military authority, will push him out. However, in my opinion, I do not think it will be right now. Because even if he is a nominal existence, he is an Emperor who has been around for over a thousand years. Public sentiment may waver. Shouldn’t it be at least 20 or 30 years from now?”

Following Hwang Hui, Heo Hu added.

“Just as Cao Cao of Wei did, the current Shogun of the shogunate will stop at *Kanpaku*. However, the one who succeeds him is likely to make the same choice as Cao Pi.”

“The same choice as Cao Pi?”

“Abdication (*禪讓*).”

Cao Cao’s son, Cao Pi, succeeded Cao Cao as the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty and received the throne from Emperor Xian, becoming the Emperor.

At Heo Hu’s words, Hyang asked, with a sly smile.

“What should we do? Shall we put a slight spoke in the wheel?”

At Hyang’s question, Heo Hu immediately opposed.

“A regime that listens to our Empire’s words has come in a long time, so is there any need to do that? And the Wa people are inherently duplicitous, easily forget favors, and remember grudges for generations. The day will come when they will bare their teeth at us someday, but we must not provide the cause first.”

“The Foreign Minister’s words are reasonable.”

“That is correct.”

At Heo Hu’s words, Hyang stepped back.

“Then let’s proceed in a good direction for each other for now.”