Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 84

Jjangra

Helo Night

84. Aftermath (1)

There were many unfortunate events, such as the Great Fire of Hanseong [old name for Seoul] and its restoration, and Kim Do-yeon’s manipulation lawsuit and bribery case. However, everyday life and good things continued as well.

Among these ongoing events was the resumed search for a consort for Princess Jeonghye, which had been previously suspended.

In the Junggungjeon [the Queen’s residence], Queen Soheon and Sejong were talking over tea.

“How are you feeling?”

“I am still well.”

“The royal physician says your delivery is near. I have instructed them to take extra care, but you must also be careful.”

“I am grateful for your concern.”

As Queen Soheon’s delivery approached, Sejong urged the royal physicians to focus on her care.

The conversation about the soon-to-be-born child naturally led to the marriage of Princess Jeonghye.

“She won’t throw another tantrum, will she?”

“Hasn’t she grown older? She seems to be looking forward to it.”

“Well… I feel relieved and yet somewhat sad…”

At Queen Soheon’s response, Sejong trailed off with a bittersweet expression.

Seeing Sejong’s expression, Queen Soheon smiled and said,

“Isn’t it natural to send children off when the time comes?”

“That’s true… Haa~.”

Sejong sighed softly and changed the subject.

“After sending Jeonghye away, we must prepare for the Crown Prince’s marriage, mustn’t we?”

“Indeed. We will be very busy.”

“That’s how it turned out.”

Sejong replied briefly and prayed earnestly.

“I hope only good things continue to happen from now on.”

“As Your Majesty earnestly wishes, so it shall be.”

* * *

Near the Yalu River.

A Joseon cavalry unit, clad in new-style armor covered with green cotton cloth, was moving at a brisk pace.

The cavalry was heading north. Black smoke had been rising from that direction for some time.

“Could it be the work of the Jurchens?”

“Isn’t it too late in the season to clear fields by burning?”

In response to his subordinate’s question, Lim Gyeong-seok, a training officer, replied in a stern voice.

The subordinate nodded at Lim Gyeong-seok’s reply.

“That’s true. I wonder if this is good luck or bad luck…”

“I agree.”

Lim Gyeong-seok nodded at his subordinate’s grumbling.

As new weapons produced in District 51 of Hyang were supplied and the military system was reformed, the Training Command was expanded and reorganized into the Training Center.

The Training Center’s mission was to develop tactics that could best utilize the newly developed weapons and to train soldiers.

Due to the nature of their mission, individuals renowned for both their martial prowess and intelligence from the central and regional armies were assigned to the Training Center.

The same was true for ordinary soldiers and Gapsa [elite soldiers]. Not only the 12 divisions in charge of defending the capital but also soldiers with good skills and brains from armies across the country were gathered at the Training Center.

The mission given to these gathered individuals was simple:

– Accurately learn how to use the new weapons that have begun full-scale production, and refine and improve the tactics developed accordingly.

– Once a certain level of completion is reached, dispatch instructors to other units to teach the usage and tactics of the new weapons.

– Organize units of at least a platoon (approximately 100 men) and dispatch them to border areas to identify and improve problems in actual combat.

As it was clearly not an easy task, great rewards were promised to those who passed this process.

The lowest-ranking soldiers were provided with all equipment and salaries by the state, and professional soldiers above the rank of Gapsa were promised a promotion of at least one rank.

Thanks to these tempting carrots, the officers and soldiers assigned to the Training Center did their best in training and education.

After selecting personnel prepared in this way, some continued their existing missions at the Training Center, while others were dispatched to other units to take charge of education.

And now, the cavalry led by Lim Gyeong-seok were among those dispatched for the final mission: field testing.

That was why they said they weren’t sure whether they had encountered good luck or bad luck.

If the ones causing the smoke were Jurchens and their numbers were moderate, it would be a good opportunity to earn merit.

Conversely, if their numbers were large, they would either be attacked and killed or be forced to flee with their tails between their legs.

* * *

“It’s the Jurchens!”

“Damn it! What’s their size?”

Lim Gyeong-seok cursed as soon as he heard the report from the scout who had gone ahead.

The scout replied immediately to Lim Gyeong-seok’s question.

“It looks like about 40 riders!”

“Forty riders? How many houses were attacked?”

“About ten!”

“Hmm…”

Lim Gyeong-seok stroked his beard as he pondered the scout’s report. After calculating the pros and cons, Lim Gyeong-seok asked his subordinate next to him.

“Shall we engage them?”

“I don’t think we’ll lose out.”

“Anyone opposed?”

None of the cavalry raised their hands at Lim Gyeong-seok’s words. Rather, the cavalry’s killing intent was growing stronger.

Lim Gyeong-seok chuckled at the sight of the cavalry.

“These are the guys…”

The cavalry in front of him were veterans who had experienced all kinds of battles.

On top of that, they had received very satisfactory weapons from the Training Center.

The guys in front of Lim Gyeong-seok were not the type to back down in this situation.

“I’ve been itching for a fight too, let’s have some fun!”

“Yes, sir!”

The cavalrymen answered vigorously at Lim Gyeong-seok’s command.

“First, a spear charge! Then, use the musket and cavalry swords to annihilate the enemies!”

“Won’t you use the Gapsik hand cannon?”

“You said there are only about 40 riders? If we use the hand cannon, they’ll run away. Draw them in as much as possible and wipe them out! Don’t let a single one escape!”

“Understood!”

Listening to the cavalry’s response, Lim Gyeong-seok began to prepare for battle.

“Don’t forget your protective goggles and face cloths!”

“Yes, sir!”

At Lim Gyeong-seok’s command, the cavalrymen put on the protective goggles they had loosely hung around their necks, fastened them tightly, and then covered their mouths and noses with the towels they had also loosely draped around their necks.

The protective goggles and towels were also provided with the newly deployed weapons.

Hyang had created the protective goggles so that charging cavalrymen could easily secure their vision. The goggles, made by fitting thinly and flatly cut crystals into a frame made of thin steel and adding leather, protected the eyes from the harsh dust storms.

The face cloths made of cotton cloth were useful items that protected the respiratory system from the smoke produced by the combustion of gunpowder.

Lim Gyeong-seok quickly put on his protective goggles and face cloth, tightened the reins, and waved his arm.

“Let’s go!”

* * *

“Khan! Joseon soldiers!”

The Jurchen tribal chief, who was surveying the battlefield, cursed.

“The Joseon army is already here! Damn it!”

The tribal chief cursed at the faster-than-expected appearance of the Joseon army.

This raid was an unavoidable choice for him as well.

The years of famine had brought a crisis of survival to the tribe he led.

In addition, as the merchants who engaged in smuggling between Joseon and Ming [Chinese dynasty] had recently begun to disappear, the tribe’s crisis was aggravated.

Furthermore, as the tribes of Imanju, who had migrated south from the north, expanded their power, his tribe was increasingly driven into a corner.

He had requested help from other tribes with whom he had blood relations, but that too had reached its limit.

With the merchants gone and even the seeds for planting consumed, the tribal chief had to make a choice.

With the survival of the tribe (Booigon) at stake, and the risk of a rebellion or an attack by another tribe that could cost him his head, there was only one option he could choose.

“Cross the river!”

According to his decision, he left only the minimum to defend the tribe and formed a squad (Tatan) to cross the Yalu River.

After crossing the river, the tribal chief found a suitable village and immediately launched an attack.

“Leave only the seeds for planting and the children to be sold as slaves, and kill the rest!”

“Uwaaaa!”

The battle had just begun when the Joseon army appeared.

* * *

Surveying the size of the green Joseon cavalry raising dust in the distance, the tribal chief assessed the situation.

“The number of Joseon cavalry is about 20… Since the Joseon army likes multiples of five, 25 would be the most accurate. Hmm… Did they come running after seeing the smoke while patrolling? If so, we should assume that’s all of them, right?”

After assessing the situation, the tribal chief called the warriors.

“Gather! Kill the Joseon soldiers!”

“Aren’t we retreating?”

“They are probably cavalry patrolling nearby! If so, that means that’s all of them! Let’s devour them all! The quality of Joseon weapons is good, so it will be helpful to us!”

The most experienced warrior agreed with the tribal chief’s words.

“That’s right.”

“Isn’t it?”

The warrior smiled fiercely at the tribal chief’s question.

“It seems like we’re very lucky today.”

“It’s a lucky day. Everyone move out! The Joseon army is only half our size! Kill them all!”

“Uwaaaa!”

“Shoot the arrows!”

At the tribal chief’s command, the Jurchen warriors drew their bows from their saddles and pulled back the strings.

Shwishik!

“Arrows!”

As the arrows began to fly, Lim Gyeong-seok shouted and signaled.

At Lim Gyeong-seok’s signal, the Joseon cavalry, who were running in two horizontal rows, widened their intervals.

Although arrows were flying, none of the Joseon cavalry were afraid.

This was because they knew very well that the newly made armor and helmets could easily deflect such arrows.

Unlike the existing quilted armor, the armor that thoroughly protected not only the arms but also the legs gave them confidence.

“Charge!”

At Lim Gyeong-seok’s signal, the cavalrymen extended the spears hanging on their saddles forward, hooking them onto the saddle rests.

With the red tassel decorations in the middle of the spear shafts fluttering wildly in the wind, the Joseon cavalry collided head-on with the oncoming Jurchens.

“A spear charge? They’re underestimating us too much!”

The Jurchen warriors who saw the Joseon cavalry charging with their spears pointed forward sneered.

A spear charge that could only attack the front was a tactic used only by beginners among the Jurchens.

Because a skilled Jurchen warrior could avoid the spear and easily penetrate the enemy’s flank.

“This distance… Keuk!”

The Jurchen warrior, who was preparing to evade as he saw the approaching spear tip of the Joseon army, looked at the spear that had pierced his body with an unbelievable expression.

The Joseon army’s spear that had pierced him was much longer than the spears he knew.

The Joseon army’s cavalry spear was not simply longer. The Joseon cavalry’s saddles and cavalry spears incorporated all sorts of tricks devised by Hyang.

The newly made Joseon army’s cavalry spear was 3 cheok [a unit of Korean measurement, approx. 30cm] (approximately 1 meter) longer than before.

It was not simply longer, but the spearhead was made as thin and sharp as possible, and the tassel attached below the spearhead was lowered.

This was to confuse the enemy facing them when gauging the distance.

The same was true for the saddle.

The length of the spear rest, which was used to hold the spear when moving, was extended as much as possible to prevent the spear’s length from being properly grasped. In addition, a support was installed on the saddle to support the spear during the charge, reducing the burden on the cavalrymen.

Hyang had strengthened the power of the spear charge through these tricks.

In the first clash between the Joseon army and the Jurchens, about 10 Jurchen warriors instantly became meat skewers and rolled on the ground.

The Joseon cavalry, who had quickly penetrated the Jurchen formation, did not reduce their speed and circled back towards the Jurchens again.

“Hyah! Hyah!”

“Ha! Ha!”

The Joseon cavalry, moving their horses with only their feet on the stirrups, held a strangely shaped curved sword in their right hands and a blackish lump of iron they had never seen before in their left hands.

“It’s melee combat! Let’s finish this!”

“Hyah!”

As the Joseon army engaged in melee combat, the Jurchen warriors also wielded their curved swords and parried.

However, the situation betrayed them once again.

Bang! Tabang! Bang!

The Joseon cavalryman, who blocked the Jurchen’s sword with the curved sword in his right hand, pulled the trigger of the musket in his left hand.

“Keuk!”

The bullet fired at point-blank range mercilessly pierced the Jurchen warriors’ vital points.

With just two clashes, the Jurchens who had crossed the Yalu River and were looting the villages were annihilated.

“Situation is over.”

“Any dead or injured?”

“There are no such fools.”

“Any enemies escaped?”

“It doesn’t seem like it.”

Lim Gyeong-seok, who received the report from his subordinate, finally took a long breath.

“Hoo~. I’m finally alive!”

Lim Gyeong-seok, who was finally relieved of tension, gave an order to his subordinate in a much softer voice.

“Clean up the battlefield and prepare to find and move the survivors.”

“Understood.”

Lim Gyeong-seok, watching his subordinates clean up the battlefield, sighed softly.

“I’m worried about writing the report. I have to write the same content three times…”

That was according to a saying he had heard at the Training Center.

– Always write three copies of the report. One copy for submission to superiors, another copy for unforeseen events, and the last copy for your safety.

And this battle was the beginning of spreading the infamous name of the ‘Green Devils’ among the Jurchens.