Dongjin Expedition
That bastard's no different.
"It means he's that desperate. Since our army advanced so quickly, he'll have no choice but to accept any reinforcements without suspicion. And above all... just as the Mongols underestimated us, Dongjin will do the same. Didn't we leave a pitiful impression on the neighboring countries when we barely dealt with the Khitan remnants last time, sticking around in Gangdong Province? That's what got us here. Do you think Posunmanno, holed up in Yoyang, would believe we defeated the mighty Mongol army?"
In short, our reputation had hit rock bottom, so why would Posunmanno see us as anything impressive? Defeating the Mongol army? The Dongjin generals on the border might buy it, but Posunmanno in Yoyang? He'd probably think, 'They just got lucky once.' And he'd hold out until the Mongols arrived. Something like that.
"Ahem. Well..."
Father cleared his throat first, rolling his eyes. He had no choice—Choi Chungheon had failed to properly handle the Khitans, who clung to Goryeo like a festering boil. In any case, that had tanked the Goryeo army's image. Sure, this war had boosted it sky-high, but Posunmanno in Yoyang was a different story.
And with our current numbers—thirty thousand troops—he'd figure we could handle something close to a hundred thousand. That's the razor-thin margin here. With thirty thousand, he might think he could somehow hold off nearly ten times that. But throw in some newfangled iron cannons blasting the gates from all sides, and he'd get nervous. Then, if "reinforcements" show up, he'd have to let them in.
But the moment we breach the walls, it's over.
"We end this in three days."
Boom boom. Boom boom.
Cannonballs hammered Yoyang's north gate in unison. We mobilized trebuchets too, encircling and pounding the walls while slowly tightening the noose.
In this setup, the Jurchen generals who'd surrendered to us each led a thousand men, pretending to be reinforcements.
"Shouldn't we attack too? We're perfectly capable of a siege."
"We are. But we need to act like we're struggling."
Posunmanno didn't seem like the sharpest tool in the shed. If we just shelled Yoyang with cannons from afar, he'd relax a bit. It'd signal we could hold out until the Mongols came, while making it look like Goryeo feared close assaults.
That boosted our chances even more.
"A prolonged siege will sap our troops' morale. Can't we just blast the gates open with cannons?"
"This is our chance to test the loyalty of the Jurchens who've submitted to us. Just a few days. Let's wait."
We'd already sent Dongjin generals into Yoyang. So, yeah. Things could work out nicely from inside.
Posunmanno was overjoyed to see the "reinforcements" from Dongjin arrive at Yoyang. Not a huge force, but it would do. Especially since Goryeo had indeed beaten the Mongols—no denying that. The Mongols would surely send troops. Just hold out until then.
Of course, this was pure wishful thinking. Even if he knew better, would the Mongols respond immediately? They wouldn't expect Goryeo's front to crumble this fast. By the time they heard of the defeat, assessed Dongjin's plight, reformed their army, and decided to send aid or crush Goryeo—how much time would that take?
The surrendered Dongjin generals knew the Goryeo army's true strength all too well. This wasn't some fluke against the Mongols. Sky-high morale, devastating combat power, backed by superior weapons. Close quarters might be different, but so far? Unmatched.
"No way we hold them off with this."
"You saw their weapons. A few days, and Yoyang falls. Those things will smash the gates easy. They're testing our loyalty."
"Goryeo beat even the Mongol army. No options left. We already decided—open Yoyang quick and become Goryeo's meritorious retainers."
The Dongjin generals in Yoyang had zero lingering attachments. They'd already jumped from Jin to Dongjin. Better to live as heroes in a new realm than die loyal to Posunmanno.
They bided their time, watching. A day after Goryeo arrived and unleashed cannon fire. The next day, as the assault intensified, they sprang into action.
"Stop the Goryeo army!"
"Abandon Yoyang! The one who brings Posunmanno's head gets a huge reward!"
Yoyang's morale had long since plummeted. Posunmanno's troops knew the Mongols inside out—they bordered them, had seen their battles plenty. Obvious stuff.
But Goryeo had crushed those Mongols. The soldiers, initially skeptical, couldn't deny it after seeing the endless Goryeo ranks and wonder-weapons. Morale hit absolute zero.
Goryeo, sensing Yoyang's weakness, even sent arquebusiers to snipe from the base of the walls.
Bang. Bang-bang. Bang-bang-bang!
As bullets rained, Ugaha's forces—bolstered by Mongol spoils and Jurchen aid—swarmed the walls. Ladders hooked the battlements, and Goryeo troops poured over for brutal close combat.
The walls shuddered with every cannon hit. Yoyang was crumbling faster than expected. Even the infiltrators shifted gears.
"How about we capture Posunmanno and hand him over?"
"Good idea. All the troops are on the walls now—perfect chance."
Right on cue, Posunmanno emerged from the palace toward the battlements. Things looked dire; he meant to rally them.
The infiltrators slaughtered his guards. Posunmanno wouldn't have left himself unguarded by incompetents, though—the Goryeo-backed Jurchens took heavy losses in the fierce fight.
Finally, through dogged combat, they secured him.
"You traitors!"
"Who betrayed whom? You ditched Jin for Dongjin—pot calling the kettle black?"
Traitors accusing traitors. Utterly ridiculous. Once they'd betrayed Jin, Dongjin had no claim on their loyalty. These generals rode the dragon of rising fortunes.
Having suffered Mongol atrocities, they chose Goryeo over them anyway.
The captors dragged Posunmanno to the Goryeo camp.
"To Goryeo's Prime Minister, we present Posunmanno, who tried to flee. This should end the battle swiftly."
Dongjin ran on Posunmanno alone. Without him? Collapse.
Yoyang fell effortlessly.
I didn't launch a full assault, but I went out there myself. Why volunteer for potential death? On purpose.
This battle featured many Jurchens defecting from Dongjin to Goryeo. Since we'd advanced here vowing to embrace them, I—as next after Father—needed their respect. Natural.
So I led from the front, loosing arrows and picking off battlements one by one. The Jurchens watched in awe. No idea why, but at least they didn't dismiss me as "just a woman."
"Looks like we don't even need insiders."
"Yeah, but then Posunmanno escapes—problem."
I'd thought that briefly, but luck swung our way big time. Posunmanno got nabbed pathetically. As Yoyang burned under fire from all sides, he'd climbed the walls—only for our infiltrators to grab him.
Easier than expected. Real good fortune.
The Khitans had swiftly crushed Balhae; the Wanyan reclaimed Liaodong. Now Goryeo laid the foundation to seize it next.
"You rat Posunmanno. I've awaited you in His Imperial Majesty's stead for Goryeo. Know why you're here?"
"Ugh, you damned Goryeo scum!"
This guy had nothing to say to us. A bandit pest who'd plagued Goryeo endlessly.
"Still clueless. Tell Yoyang's Dongjin troops: Posunmanno's caught. No more resistance."
"Yes, my lord."
Sudden thought: Isn't this straight-up the conquest of Liaodong? Dongjin crumbling easy, generals defecting en masse. Securing this land meant firm control of the peninsula, and Dongjin's territory? Not all Liaodong, but damn near a full reconquest.
"Hahaha."
Whoa. Realizing now: conquering Dongjin is conquering Liaodong.
"Yeon, what's wrong? On a day this joyous, why the worry? The Mongols?"
"Mongols? We're ready. Just... who expected Liaodong to fall this easy?"
Dongjin's turf wasn't all old Goguryeo lands, but the path to Yoyang was—and Goryeo's empty "northern advance" rhetoric for centuries. Yoyang sat at Liaodong's heart. This was Liaodong.
Failed for ages, then one timely rush reclaims it. So easy, I'm worried about the next Mongol push.
Stabilize fast—that's the play.
"True, but never has the north been this chaotic. That's why it's possible. In Taejo's era, unification came first—no northern push. During Khitan-Jin transition, Goryeo lacked expedition power."
General Isa-seong chimed in. Right. We took the Nine Fortresses of Dongbuk, only to hand them back to Jurchens—that campaign one of Korea's rare massive expeditions. Later, Gongmin briefly recovered Liaodong, but supply woes doomed long hold. (Army rations burned, really.)
"Indeed. If not now, when?"
Yeah. Only now, with Goryeo army strongest, curb-stomping Mongols one-sidedly.
Maybe obvious, but in original history, crossing Amnok? Only Gongmin tried. Post-Joseon, Ming vassalage killed Liaodong dreams.
That's why this feels surreal. Seizing Liaodong via chaos? Failing would be weirder.
"All thanks to the realm's strength. You've achieved Goryeo's greatest feat, my lord."
"Supplies holding?"
Dongjin forts had grain, but better stock up.
"Northwest provisions arriving steadily; allied Jurchens sending more."
Good. Makes sense. But this calm before the storm. These defectors won't stay loyal if Mongols rebound and crush us.
Dump them now? Risk rebellion.
"My lord! Yoyang has fallen! The people surrender!"
Yes. Right on cue. Time was up. With Posunmanno gone, how could his one-man nation hold?
I never thought it would.
Finally, Liaodong in our grasp. The lands old Goguryeo held—ours at last.
But Goryeo's admin can't yet govern all Liaodong. Mongols loom largest now. Things went too smooth; they'll hit hard.
Before we root in, Mongol attack incoming.
Now that we've taken Liaodong, my head's cooling.
Why'd this work?
That single sentence stabbed my mind like a dagger.