Gwiju Great Victory
We have to preserve our forces and retreat now, no matter what. And report back to the Khan.
"How many cavalry do they have?"
"At least ten thousand, I'd say."
Now it's ten thousand. Even if we win a cavalry-on-cavalry fight, the rest of them are the real problem.
"If we keep going like this, our rear will be cut off. We're retreating. We can't deny that Goryeo is stronger than we thought. We need to regroup our forces and invade with a larger army. We'll use the Dongjin troops who just joined us as bait and pull back."
It might already be too late, but assuming our rear is still intact, we have to make a quick retreat decision. Of course, he knew retreat was harder than attack. But staying put like this was no good. They had to pull back, even if it meant taking losses.
"But, Commander-in-Chief, are we just going to take this and run?"
"Even if we regroup now, we can't count on victory. We've been thoroughly trapped in their scheme. They've probably planned for us regrouping and fighting back too."
Even if the enemy had no next move, or even if their momentum waned and they abandoned the wagon fort, the Mongol army's advantage had already been shattered long ago.
"Look for yourself. Do you think we can break through that now? We need to inform the homeland. About their tactics. Their weapons. Those weapons will surely be a huge threat to us Mongols."
"Yes, Commander-in-Chief."
Tangudai ground his teeth but nodded in agreement. Goryeo's weapons. And their heavy cavalry strategy. Maybe they should've just showered them with arrows and fled. The thought crossed his mind briefly, but even that would only dent the iron cannon wagon forts somewhat—they'd still end up as Goryeo's prey. Look—the rear wagons were already forming an encirclement. At this point, the battle was lost. Countless soldiers were being swept away by that bizarre formation.
But Salitai was still overlooking something.
"What the hell is that?"
He'd figured they were baiting him, but Goryeo was desperate too. Cavalry appeared, blocking the retreat path. Goryeo had no intention of letting the Mongol army withdraw. It wasn't a modest victory they wanted—they were willing to sacrifice to achieve total domination here. Not just Salitai, but all his generals were stunned by the sight. Had the invincible Mongol army ever been toyed with like this?
And around that time, an unexpected development unfolded at Hamsinjin.
"Our forces are fighting the enemy at Gwiju right now! We're hitting their rear! Prepare the cavalry!"
To aid Gwiju, Kim Gyeongson selected a thousand cavalry and departed Hamsinjin.
By now, those bastards are probably starting to prepare their retreat. This Gwiju land is already carpeted with Mongol corpses.
But the dispersed wagon forts in the rear were already spreading wide. Even if they realized our encirclement, it was too late.
"The enemy's momentum is broken! Surround them with the dispersed wagon forts!"
Bwooooooo!
With the horn signal, the rear wagon forts and the front ones began to fan out. The key to this battle was to let the enemy's spirit flag, then have the rear iron cannon wagon forts envelop and devour them.
And the Mongols couldn't retreat easily. Our cavalry was sacrificing themselves, herding them into crane-wing formations of wagons. How could they escape? The Mongols resisted our cavalry, but our encirclement outpaced their losses.
Then, naturally, the wagon forts began fully surrounding the Mongols. Precisely four wagon fort groups encircled them completely, ready to devour the entire force.
Bang! Boom! Taang!
The encircling wagon forts fired their matchlocks in unison, while archers on the hills unleashed arrows on the clustered prey. Whoosh! The sky rained arrows, crumbling the Mongols, as the wagon forts' swords stabbed, guns blazed, pressing from all sides. Artillery pounded them too, turning Gwiju into a fresh Mongol graveyard.
"Argh! Help!"
"No way—the retreat's blocked!"
"Kill all the Mongol scum!"
Some soldiers broke free, but most were trapped. Even as cavalry casualties topped hundreds, then thousands, the encirclement finally paid off. The wagon forts now sealed any escape.
If viewed from a drone overhead, it'd look like something trapped in a giant circle. So what were Salitai and his remnants doing? Even qualitatively superior, that handful couldn't pierce the ring. Kim Heeje's wagons had timely pivoted to check Salitai's survivors.
This was the perfect picture I'd envisioned. The iron cannon wagon forts slaughtered the Mongols reliably.
"Miss! We've seized the advantage! The enemy is being massacred!"
Yeah, exactly. Losing now would make us idiots.
"Call it penned fish farming. Crane-wing formation."
Wagons closing in from all sides. Well, not killing with wagons per se, but anyway.
"Pour gun and arrow fire while advancing the wagon forts!"
How could an army trapped in the net survive? Even Genghis's grandpa couldn't break this. We emptied our powder reserves without mercy.
BOOM! Bang! Whoosh!
Cannon, matchlock, arrow barrages. Swords from the wagons toyed with them mercilessly. The Mongols lost all will to fight.
Now it was time to decide mercy or not.
"Miss. Word from the lord: take them prisoner or kill them, whichever's easier."
Perfect timing from Father. Need I say more?
"Then kill them."
"For real?"
"From the moment we gained the upper hand, Goryeo and Mongols crossed an irreversible river. They'll see us not as a pushover, but a full enemy state. Better to wipe out their forces here."
Win this battle, and would Mongols pay reparations like in the 20th century? Could we cross the Amnok River, ravage their homeland, and demand tribute? No. Song paid tribute to Liao and Jin because their core was threatened. But Mongolia? No. This would just breed hatred, and they'd hate us anyway.
The arrow's left the bow. Goryeo and Mongols must be enemies; one side falls. Recall original history—how many died in Goryeo-Mongol wars? If someone's falling, kill as many as possible till then. Capture survivors? Better reduce their strength for the next war.
"Annihilate them without mercy!"
"Waaaaah!"
Victorious Goryeo troops roared, launching a final assault for the flourish. As numbers dwindled, Father's retainers breached the wagons, massacring in melee. No matter their prowess, exhausted and demoralized, they couldn't beat Father's high-spirited retainers.
"Spare me!"
"We're Dongjin troops!"
"Khitan here! We surrender!"
No mercy needed. Dongjin troops too? Explains the numbers. Sparing Dongjin Jurchens might win over Manchu tribes, but Dongjin must fall anyway. Our Jurchen Byeolcho cavalry were capturing them alongside. The broken Mongols were thoroughly slaughtered by Goryeo hands. Soon, nothing remained inside the circle.
How much time passed? The penned Mongols had zero survivors. Just those who'd desperately tried breaching the wagons and died. They never escaped the wagon hell.
Considering how they massacred Goryeans in original history... War's like that, right? Come to kill, be ready to die.
After the battle, Choi U arrived from command, checked I was fine, and hugged me with both arms.
"My daughter did it! Repelling the Mongols who even crushed Jin!"
Well, not the main force. If another army came, it'd be different. What if Subutai hit Goryeo? He'd take hits too, but not get caught like Salitai.
I wanted to warn against complacency, but we'd smashed the world's top army. Great propaganda domestically. Choe regime victorious in war—public sentiment would surge, royals hit rock bottom.
"This is just what a Choe has to do, right?"
"You went forward for this glory?"
Everyone gazed worshipfully; couldn't say I lost my bearings. Kim Jun looked like he had words, but I clamped his mouth shut.
Now, for Salitai.
"Lord! Salitai's fleeing!"
Salitai fled with barely a thousand cavalry. The great Salitai tucking tail—unbelievable. But after this, what choice?
"General Kim Heeje! Take three thousand cavalry and pursue."
"Yes, Lord!"
Kim Heeje led cavalry after Salitai; Choi U surveyed the victorious troops one by one. Feeling something, perhaps. With stern, solemn face, he eyed exhausted soldiers slumped or leaning on wagons. Tension visibly gone. Historic reversal troops, never to repeat.
Choi U gazed warmly at these soldiers who'd solidified Choe rule, then spoke.
"Soldiers of Great Goryeo! Hear me! You have won. Goryeo has won. The Directorate has won! We smashed the world's greatest army that even Northern Jin couldn't beat! Here in Gwiju, like Gang Gamchan crushing Liao two centuries ago, we triumphed again! This is your merit! Share the joy of victory! Long live Great Goryeo! Long live His Imperial Majesty!"
Choi U raised his axe high; weary troops thrust arms skyward, roaring.
""Long live Great Goryeo! Long live His Imperial Majesty! Waaaaah!""
After the cheers, soldiers finally realized victory—hugging, crying, some cradling dead comrades.
"When that barbarian came at me on horseback, I slammed the wagon down—sword stuck in his horse, done for!"
"No matter they beat Northern Jin, bullets still killed 'em."
But you know, now that we'd won, a bit of ambition stirred. "His Imperial Majesty"—emperor-building potential? Jin's busy with Mongols, no tribute trade with Song. We're trading direct with Arabia and beyond.
But first things first.
"It's too early to rest, though."
"What do you mean?"
I mean our war isn't over.
"Since we've mobilized, let's hit Dongjin."
Dongjin. Eastern Jin founded by Jin's Posan Manno in Manchuria. Mongol puppets or foes. No direct involvement in original history, but probably aided logistics. Here, we grab them. Can't spare these bats; they've troubled Goryeo.
Conquer Dongjin to show Mongols we're not just defenders—reimpose Jurchen vassalage. A gamble. Strong army that repelled Mongols rises—they'll wonder where Jurchens stand. First win won't stop Mongols; could come with Han auxiliaries in hundreds of thousands, or pure Mongol elites more than this. Jin not fallen yet, so latter. Before that, neuter rear threats—crush Jurchen spirit.
"Dongjin?"
"Plenty of Dongjin troops with this Mongol force. Always diplomatic friction, nuisances. Ride the momentum—conquer them. We still have months of rations left, right?"
War ended quicker than expected.
"True."
"Fifty thousand could Dongjin easily."
Can't absorb all, but take some. Secure Korean Peninsula fully, like Joseon later. Allow Jurchen autonomy under Goryeo.
"But first, finish Salitai."
"Naturally."
"May I take some cavalry and join General Kim Heeje?"
"You?"
"Gotta look good in the final pursuit, right? As Father's heir."
"Hahaha! My daughter's a true heroine. Go for it!"
Yeah. Gotta catch Salitai.
