There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 385

386. Heading to the Front Lines (1)

Jiaoyang, bordering Inner Mongolia yet still arable, was a vital link connecting Liaodong and the grasslands, making it a strategically important location.

Lord Jang Bo, the Duke of England, had set his sights on capturing Jiaoyang for a very specific reason.

Taking Jiaoyang would allow him to put pressure on Jinzhou from two directions simultaneously.

Even the seemingly impregnable Jinzhou wouldn’t be able to withstand a prolonged siege under those conditions.

Therefore, Jin Mu, the Marquis of Yeongyang, who was in charge of the special forces, pushed his troops to march faster.

His mission was to quickly seize Jiaoyang, infiltrate Liaodong, and encircle Jinzhou from both the east and west.

Even if he couldn’t completely secure Jiaoyang, he had to at least cut off any reinforcements coming from Liaoyang and Shenyang.

“Fortunately, they haven’t built extensive fortifications here!” Jin Mu exclaimed, a hint of relief in his voice.

The fortification efforts Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom] had undertaken in the Liaoxi region extended beyond Jinzhou to include Jiaoyang.

Jiaoyang Fortress, like Jinzhou Fortress, had concrete ramparts, but they didn’t appear as tall or as impenetrable. It was less formidable.

Especially in this wide-open area, the fortress was just one feature among many on the battlefield and didn’t exert overwhelming influence.

Joseon was aware of this limitation, which was why they had dispatched troops as soon as the war began.

Jin Mu muttered as he saw the approaching Joseon army.

“Indeed, a strategic point is a strategic point.”

Although Jang Bo had ordered a detour, he wasn’t so naive as to believe that a place like Jiaoyang would be completely undefended. He knew there would be resistance.

Ultimately, it meant he had to fight a battle to clear a path for the invasion of Liaodong.

‘If I fail, I won’t be going back.’

Unlike Jang Bo or Zhou Ying, he had been forced to join Zhao Wang’s rebellion with little choice. He hadn’t been executed but was employed solely because of the collapse of the Northern Army and the resulting shortage of capable generals. If he didn’t prove his worth this time, he’d rather die fighting.

However, Jin Mu felt confident in his chances.

“Although the Joseon army is strong, it’s not what it used to be. Our army is superior now.”

Against his will, Jin Mu had fought against the Joseon army under Zhao Wang.

He had personally witnessed the effectiveness of their firepower and had worked hard to replicate it.

And the results were impressive, even by his own standards.

The formation created by the Ming generals, after much trial and error, had evolved to closely resemble that of the Joseon army.

A solid, well-structured formation, like a moving fortress, was their goal.

Joseon’s strength lay in the cavalry provided by the barbarians under their command [referring to the Jurchens and other nomadic groups].

However, those cavalry charges would be met with concentrated gunfire and long spears from the Ming army, effectively neutralizing them.

That would inevitably lead to a battle of attrition between opposing formations, and he was confident in that kind of fight.

In terms of both quality and quantity, they were on par with the Joseon army!

Jin Mu shouted with conviction, “Advance!”

Following Jin Mu’s command, the Ming army began to march in formation.

Whether in modern times or in this era, the first thing recruits learned was drill.

Drill was synonymous with combat readiness and power.

It was training designed to suppress individuality and make soldiers act as a cohesive unit.

The Ming army, having diligently practiced Joseon martial arts to please their superiors, could be considered an elite force for that reason alone.

However, facing the Joseon army in Jiaoyang, that very elite training became a disadvantage.

– Boom!

In this era, cannon fire was notoriously inaccurate.

However, defying expectations, the cannonball accurately struck the formation, exploding with a deafening roar and sending shrapnel flying in every direction.

“Agh!”

“Don’t break formation! Anyone who abandons their position without permission will be executed!” The drill sergeants barked, their voices sharp and commanding.

The soldiers’ eyes widened in fear at the commands. Despite the cannon fire, the Ming army’s discipline hadn’t completely broken down. The battle line hadn’t disintegrated before the real fighting even began.

That level of systemic collapse was more characteristic of the late Ming Dynasty.

However, the cannonball that had struck them wasn’t an isolated incident. It was part of a sustained barrage.

Why had the dense formation, the cornerstone of infantry tactics for thousands of years, become obsolete?

It was because the firepower of cannons and firearms had increased to the point where massing together no longer guaranteed survival. It made them easier targets.

– Ku-kwang!

The formation buckled and swayed as soldiers fell, their bodies torn apart by the explosions. The relentless barrage of cannonballs and flying shrapnel shattered the Ming army’s belief that sticking together was the best way to survive.

“Keep moving forward! Stopping means certain death!” Despite the carnage, the Ming army reluctantly continued to advance, driven forward by the screaming drill sergeants.

It was still true that scattering would make them easy prey for the enemy.

The calculation that they had to close the distance to unleash their own firepower, even if it meant dying in the process, was strategically sound.

However, the soldiers, gripped by panic and forced into what felt like a death trap, didn’t see it that way.

Waiting for them ahead, as they were being driven to their deaths, was the second surprise prepared by the Joseon army.

“Fire the Hwacha!” [multiple rocket launcher]

Now that firearms had been developed, it was only logical to devise a way to unleash even more firepower on the enemy charging mindlessly with guns.

In the original timeline, not long from now, Mun-jong [Joseon Dynasty king] would develop the Hwacha by bundling cannons together.

Naturally, such a weapon already existed in the current Joseon army.

– Tu-ta-ta-tang!

The volley guns, already loaded, sequentially fired hundreds of bullets at the approaching Ming army.

Of course, since it was just a collection of guns, it was impossible to quickly reload and fire continuously like a modern machine gun.

However, that single volley was devastating.

The Ming army’s flank immediately crumbled under the relentless hail of bullets.

For those who had already lost their will to fight, it was the final straw.

“R, run away!”

“We have to survive!”

“No! Hold your ground!” The drill sergeants swung their blades and shouted, desperately trying to maintain order, but they couldn’t stop the soldiers from scattering in all directions.

The formation had already collapsed, so there was no point in standing one’s ground alone.

The Joseon army seized the opportunity.

Deadly warriors emerged, targeting those who had fled.

And from behind…

* * *

The Jurchen volunteer army, which had supported Taening-wi in the fight against Toktobuka, returned immediately upon hearing the news that war had broken out with Ming.

As they approached Joseon, they learned that the Ming army had gathered in front of Jinzhou and that the Emperor had sent an envoy to initiate the war.

Most shocking of all was the news of the death of the retired King Yi Bang-won, which had spread throughout the country via telegraph and express messengers.

“Did Ming invade, taking advantage of our retired King’s passing?” The Jurchens who heard the news were outraged.

“They kick a man when he’s down, instead of offering a helping hand!”

“At a time when we have lost a father-like king, Ming raises an army and invades. How can we call their Emperor a gentleman!”

“King Liao of Wu launched an army, taking advantage of the mourning of Chu, but was killed by Helü [historical figures], so divine retribution will soon follow. There will be consequences for those who add to others’ misfortunes!”

Yi Man-ju watched the Jurchens, who were filled with indignation, and thought, ‘They’re out of their minds.’

He had also adopted the topknot hairstyle, but he hadn’t become so consumed by Confucianism. Since when had Jurchens, who had barely read any books, started spouting such nonsense?

Yi Man-ju grumbled that they probably regretted not passing the civil service examination.

However, when his subordinates turned their gazes to him, those thoughts vanished.

“…….”

Yi Man-ju was momentarily speechless at the expectant looks of his subordinates, who seemed to be waiting for him to say something.

‘Should I have gotten involved in the Ya-eun Academy [a Confucian academy]?’

It would have been more beneficial for his career in Joseon if he had been connected to the academic lineage of Ya-eun Gil Jae [a Confucian scholar].

However, it was too late for regrets.

While Yi Man-ju hesitated, Chung-shan grabbed the reins of his horse and shouted, “The chaos in that country, where uncles strike nephews and younger brothers strike older brothers, isn’t due to individual character but because they are inherently barbaric. On the other hand, everyone in the world knows the virtue of our King!”

Chung-shan continued, “They call their ruler an Emperor, but without propriety and virtue, they are merely barbarians. Is it better for barbarians to have a ruler than for the civilized to have none (夷狄之有君,不如諸夏之亡也)?” [a quote emphasizing the importance of civilization over barbarian rule]

If Heo Jo had heard it, he would have applauded enthusiastically.

“Barbarians are only to be subjugated, not befriended! How can we, who uphold the royal family, retreat!”

“Waaaaa!”

“As expected of a descendant of the prestigious Dong clan! He speaks of the great cause of the Spring and Autumn period [a period of Chinese history] without hesitation!”

“Uphold the royal family! Repel the barbarians!”

Enthusiastic responses followed Chung-shan’s words.

Yi Man-ju, feeling ashamed of his lack of learning, shouted, “Let’s wipe them all out!”

‘Damn it, when I get back, I must hire a teacher and study.’

Yi Man-ju cursed his poor education and charged towards the Ming army.

Fortunately for him, crushing the Ming army, which was already in chaos, didn’t require profound knowledge.

The Jurchen army simultaneously overwhelmed the Ming army, which was being bombarded and scattered.

The fierce hooves of the horses crushed the Ming soldiers.

Arrows and blades flew into the backs of the fleeing Ming army, leaving a trail of blood.

Hundreds of mangled corpses littered the ground where the Jurchen army had passed.

Jin Mu, witnessing the scene, felt like spitting blood.

“The vice-commander should quickly gather our fleeing soldiers! I will personally stop the enemy!”

“How can the general face the enemy alone! This subordinate will go instead!”

“The situation is critical! I can’t just stand by and watch!”

As Jin Mu had been a vanguard commander under the Yongle Emperor [Ming Dynasty emperor], he knew it was better for him to lead the charge himself than to leave it to his deputies and risk a complete rout.

‘If we retreat now, it’s all over.’

He would fight with everything he had, knowing that he would be beheaded if he lost.

Jin Mu quickly returned to the main camp and set out with the cavalry.

He had already tried to send out cavalry to repel the enemy while the formation was collapsing, but it had failed.

Even with Jin Mu in command, the battered Ming cavalry couldn’t defeat the fiercely charging Jurchen army.

Seeing this, the Jurchen volunteer army surged forward like a pack of wolves.

Yi Man-ju spotted the commander’s flag that Jin Mu had raised and cheered, “The enemy commander has personally come out to die! Surrender your head!”

The commander’s flag, which Jin Mu had raised to rally his troops, was seen by Yi Man-ju as a prize to be won.

‘Yes, damn it! Even if I study later, taking the enemy commander’s head is the best way to gain recognition right now!’

If he could just take down the enemy commander, he would be the hero of this battle.

He was already excited about the potential rewards.

* * *

The Joseon people, upon hearing that Ming had started a war, taking advantage of their period of national mourning, were furious.

To draw an analogy, it was like the Americans being attacked at Pearl Harbor.

In other words, Ming’s reputation had plummeted, comparable to the Japanese who had launched a surprise attack without a declaration of war.

Still, many scholars were shocked by the betrayal of China, which they had considered the center of civilization and propriety.

But then they remembered that it hadn’t been long since the barbarians with braided hair [referring to the Manchus] had taken control of the Central Plains.

Seeing that practices like forced suicide and torture were still common, it was clear that they hadn’t shed their barbaric ways.

That’s right.

In fact, Joseon was the only truly civilized great power left in the world!

The scholars, whose worldview had been shaken, trembled as they realized this.

‘I thought I was just an extra in a peripheral country, but it turns out I’m the last bastion of civilization?’

Intoxicated by the feeling of being a survivor of a near-ancient civilization, they immediately sent petitions urging the king to declare himself Emperor, but he now ignored them.

He had bigger concerns.

‘A personal campaign… is it possible?’

Considering the established tradition of personal campaigns, the intense atmosphere of mourning, and Seon-deok’s competitive spirit, it seemed that opposition from his subjects wouldn’t be too strong.

The real problem was,

“She’s pregnant?”

At that question, Ju So-hwa nodded slightly.

Then, she raised her finger and pointed to the daughters-in-law standing behind her.

“All of you too?”

The daughters-in-law lowered their heads.

Now, he sighed.