The Second Goryeo-Mongol War
To truly assimilate Liaodong, we had to treat the Jurchens not as mere subjects or slaves like before, but as proper citizens. If I had to put it into words, this was the last chance for the Korean people to stabilize Liaodong in a relatively peaceful way.
No matter how the Jurchens saw me, as long as it was positive, I was more than willing to treat them with benevolence. After all, in close-quarters melee combat, only the Choe clan's elite troops could really stand against the Jurchens. To assimilate warriors with such combat prowess, we first needed to build hyanggyo academies in our own style.
"We'll do that."
On one hand, we'd pamper them as much as possible. On the other, to demonstrate our military might, I'd go hunting or training frequently with the iron cannons. That was the essence of the Iron Cannon Special Forces. They were producing matchlocks in Liaodong too.
"Can we use these iron cannons as well?"
"I'm planning to expand the Iron Cannon Special Forces, so yes."
We'd select Jurchens who showed interest in the guns and form them into Iron Cannon Special Forces units. Of course, there were quite a few liberated Korean slaves among them. While we raised the Jurchens primarily as cavalry, the remaining Koreans in Liaodong trained as matchlockmen in the Iron Cannon Special Forces. They preferred receiving military pay as soldiers over just taking land and farming. Even if not, we'd conscript them in times of danger anyway. But right now, we needed elite troops trained even in peacetime. These were the ones who would defend the nation from the Mongols. We couldn't rely on rabble.
Take history as an example. What made General Kang Gamchan's Great Victory at Gwiju shine was that the Goryeo army was a conscript force. They'd trained somewhat, but compared to the Khitan army, they were little more than militia. Perhaps the cavalry led by Kim Jongheon, who struck the Khitan flank under General Sobaeap, was the closest to elite. Could farmers who tilled fields in peacetime match Khitan troops hardened by years of war? Even though Goryeo had more numbers, I figured the forces at Gwiju were roughly equal. General Kang Gamchan had smashed the Khitan Empire at its peak with such an army. In the end, what good is throwing bodies at them? If they get stripped bare like the Jin Dynasty, what's the point? I wanted to end it with elite against elite.
—but no matter how I thought about it, Goryeo had to rely on tech advantages to win. The enemy was the overwhelmingly strong Mongol army.
"And this is called a spyglass. It's useful for scouting. General Ugaha, would you like to see?"
I handed him a rudimentary telescope made of glass lenses.
"How does it work? Whoa, it lets you see so far away."
It would be incredibly useful for scouts.
"With Mongol incursions possible anywhere in Liaodong, scouts must patrol regularly and check with this. Our Goryeo troops need to familiarize themselves with the terrain too. General Kim Gyeongson, select some scouts for me."
"Yes, Commander."
"Back home, 20,000 more troops will garrison Yoyang Fortress as a precaution. Even if the Mongols come, we won't be outnumbered."
Father was still paying close attention to Liaodong. With 20,000 additional troops garrisoned and Koreans migrating in, Liaodong was stabilizing without much trouble.
"Hm, at this rate, the Mongols might not even come. Right?"
"No, they'll definitely come. Within a few months for sure."
On one hand, we fortified Liaodong's defenses solidly, reinforcing Yoyang Fortress on a massive scale and stockpiling ample provisions. And not long after.
Kim Jun's report came in.
"Mongol forces have been appearing frequently near the border lately."
"It's about time."
They were so predictable in their patterns. But wasn't this a bit fast? Attacking Goryeo again while assaulting the Jin? Father's deception strategy must have worked perfectly. Thanks to that, his daughter—me—had to hold the front lines against the Mongols.
"Lay landmines along the Greater Khingan Range and all other likely paths and riverbanks the Mongols might take."
"Understood, Commander."
"Station wagon fort units and matchlockmen too. Are the Jurchen Special Forces ready for battle?"
Now everyone had to fight as one body.
"Yes, Commander. If the Mongols come, we'll fight with our lives."
By now, there should have been the Siege of Kaifeng, but even that hadn't happened. Maybe we could save the Jin somehow. It was probably the ripple effect of our victories. They were diverting forces here. But really?
Subutai
The famed Mongol general, said to have fought countless wars and conquered over sixty nations. But even he had tasted defeat once. In the Battle of Daoheigou against the crumbling Jin Dynasty.
One of the few humiliating defeats in Subutai's career. After triumphs like the Battle of the Kalka River and unbroken victories in Europe, he'd been defeated by Jin's great general Wan An Jin-hwa-sang at Daoheigou and rebuked by Ogedei. Tolui's defense got him back on the Jin front, or so they thought.
Then disaster struck: the tiny eastern kingdom of Goryeo utterly crushed a Mongol army, sending the entire empire into uproar. Especially Ogedei, mocked in a letter from Goryeo, his rage piercing the heavens.
"How dare Goryeo behead the Salitai we sent and massacre our Mongol army! Out of 30,000, only a few hundred returned! And that Goryeo powerbroker dares call me a mere Mongol chieftain and insult me—how can we endure this?"
"We must destroy Goryeo!"
"Before Goryeo, who conquered Dongjin and took its lands, grows stronger, we must crush them!"
From the Great Khan to the lowliest soldier, fury against Goryeo boiled over. Forgetting their own unprovoked invasion, the Mongols saw the Great Khan himself order Subutai directly.
"General Subutai! Forget the Jin front—go to Goryeo! Take 50,000 elite troops, seize Liaodong, and march south!"
No one could stop the enraged Khan when the Jin needed full conquest. "I will surely conquer Goryeo!"
"Especially in Liaodong, there's a woman called the daughter of Choe U, the Goryeo powerbroker—capture her alive."
"Yes, Great Khan!"
The vast Jin land and population forced them to rely on hundreds of thousands of auxiliaries. Ogedei reorganized, giving Subutai 50,000 Mongol elites—fewer than for Jin, but a main force of crack troops nonetheless. No easy war.
War clouds slowly gathered over Liaodong.
Hyanggyo construction began first in Yoyang Fortress. At the same time, we carved a statue of the Jurchen goddess. Abkai Hehe, but it looked just like me. A statue of me in hunting garb, drawing a bow.
Mortifying, but this way, Abkai Hehe spoke Goryeo tongue, so they had to learn Goryeo language. It had to continue like this.
"I don't get why it has to be based on me."
"Probably from the Dongjin campaign. The Jurchen soldiers saw you then. Familiarity works best, right? And the Mongols' movements are suspicious."
I nodded at Kim Gyeongson's heavy words.
"Probably more than last time. Let's get through this once. Then they won't dare attack us again. With Liaodong as our border, we can finally restore old Goguryeo."
We hadn't fully recovered all of Liaodong yet. We held influence, but it was still vulnerable to Mongol raids. So, end it all this time.
"The Koreans are drilling iron cannon wagon forts, and the Jurchen Special Forces with our Special Forces cavalry are training daily to boost combat power."
Not long after, Mongol forces began entering Liaodong.
"How many troops do you estimate?"
"Over 50,000."
I nodded at Kim Jun's words. Just as expected. A good guess, but fitting—a nation 30,000 couldn't handle. But Mongols didn't have endless numbers either.
"Their goal is this Yoyang. To reach here, they'll bypass the Greater Khingan or go south. Focus landmine planting there. But production and placement must be precise. They could malfunction."
Landmine timing was crucial. Lay them once the Mongols moved. Everything certain. Confirm and plant within three days of their entry at latest.
Landmines were tricky. Environmental factors caused failures sometimes.
"Yes, Commander."
"If they bypass or come south, we'll block them. Goryeo forces in Liaodong total 50,000; with Jurchens, over 80,000 for field battles."
Northwest could muster up to 100,000 if requested. Mongols wouldn't come in China-scale numbers. Fight with the resolve to block them just this once.
"Ambushing matchlockmen here would be good too."
Plan ambushes around Greater Khingan. Matchlocks were revolutionary now; Mongols only saw them last invasion. New weapons disoriented even great invaders. Survivors' tales? Mongols would dismiss as excuses from defeated men.
But stability wasn't full yet. Surviving Kaifeng Siege meant Mongols now took Goryeo seriously. Jin fall delayed.
"They're moving faster than expected. Annihilating them at once might be tough."
Stick to defense this time. No pouring cold water on the patriotic high of the people drunk on victory.
Spyglasses were produced, scouts patrolling constantly. We'd block them wherever they came. Force of strength vs. strength.
"Prepare as much as possible. Maximum effort."
The nagging doubt: Subutai. Checked via Jin ports—he was nowhere. Should be on Jin front. After Goryeo repelled them, diverting to a threat made sense, but no Subutai on Jin. Confirmed via Song merchants.
"Subutai really not on Jin front?"
"Yes, truly gone. Our home country's mood subtly aids Mongols; we supply them and gather intel, but no Subutai there."
Right. What did that mean? Subutai was already legendary. Lost to Jin's Wan An Jin-hwa-sang but doomed Jin anyway. Would Ogedei send him east just for defense? No. Next foe: Subutai's Mongols.
The Second Goryeo-Mongol War might be the worst yet. Whatever. Subutai, resurrected Genghis, even Genghis grandpa himself. Block in Liaodong. Goryeo's millennium hung on it. No way we'd lose it all to one Subutai after seizing Liaodong.
And soon, scouts with spyglasses reported Mongol forces marching into Liaodong.
Jin Dynasty, Kaifeng
"How can Goryeo be so insolent? A state born from Silla, yet claiming to inherit Goguryeo—calling Jurchens their people and Liaodong theirs!"
Jin's rulers were Jurchens. Saying Jurchens were Goryeo's people meant the imperial Wan An clan was too. Utter humiliation for Jin.
"From Taizu's time to now, we've bestowed generations of grace. This is unacceptable! Beating Mongols once and acting so arrogant!"
"Then, can we retake Liaodong now?"
"That's..."
"The Mongols suddenly withdrawing? Probably Goryeo's doing. We don't know what happened, but Goryeo surged while we were pushed back. Too busy blocking Mongols to punish Goryeo? We couldn't even stop Posan Manno—can our pathetic Jin do it? We're barely a nation now."
Jin had collapsed politically, economically, militarily. Even the capital in hasty Gangdo lacked cohesion.
Even forcing denial, Aizong was realistic. With blades at their throats, was Liaodong the issue? Households adapt to moves. Plus, Goryeo claimed ancient Goguryeo lands—hard to contest.
Honestly, could they punish Goryeo and reclaim Liaodong while clinging to survival? Doubtful.
"Preserving the nation comes first."
To check Mongols, allying with Goryeo was priority. Goryeo could no longer be a vassal. Better ally to counter Song below.
"We'll acknowledge it for now."
No ministers could oppose Aizong's decision. It was the plain truth. On the brink of ruin, safely sending envoys to Goryeo was miraculous. No reason to antagonize them.