Yoyang Psychological Warfare
We could just charge down and devour Ugaha's Jurchens like this, or keep stabbing at those bastards relentlessly. It wouldn't be a bad idea either.
Scanning the Goryeo Yodong army right before his eyes, Subutai realized a frontal assault might lead to heavy cavalry losses.
"Is that woman over there the daughter of Choi U?"
"Yes, sir."
Subutai gazed at the woman visible in the distance. She held a fan in her hand—ridiculous. That woman? Was she the one preparing to devour the Mongols?
At a glance, he could sense it. She was the one who had crushed Salitai in the previous war.
"Not even wearing armor. Hah. Brimming with confidence."
Truly befitting a commander facing the Mongols. Choi U's daughter, they said. As expected of a military regime—even their women were no ordinary folk.
"What are your orders?"
"The Khan is furious, so bringing her back unscathed will be tough. Still, let's make one surrender offer."
Victory without fighting was ideal, of course. Though it was merely formal, and the odds of acceptance were slim.
Subutai dispatched a soldier with the surrender proposal.
"If Choi U of Goryeo and his daughter Choi Yeon come forth in person, surrender to the Mongols, beg the Khan's forgiveness, and return Yodong, we shall treat Goryeo as before."
Meanwhile, Choi Yeon scoffed at the surrender demand.
As if she didn't know the fate of women captured by the Mongols. They'd drag her off for endless rape, no doubt. Subjected to humiliations too vile even for adult comics, forced to bear Mongol spawn in her belly.
'Why the hell would I become a plaything for those ugly mugs?'
If it came to that, she'd sooner marry one of those leech-like slaves overflowing with serf mentality, desperate to cling to the Choi household no matter what.
Thus, Choi Yeon's response was singular.
She nocked an arrow and aimed at the Mongol delivering the proposal. He'd clearly put effort into learning Goryeo speech to persuade her—fat chance.
Whoosh! Thunk!
True to her blood as a daughter of the bow-wielding folk, Choi Yeon's arrow struck the messenger squarely, dropping him dead.
Rawr!
Cheers erupted from the Goryeo ranks, and Subutai, watching the scene, smacked his lips.
So, it had come to this. Even he wouldn't surrender in her shoes.
Goryeo's strategy of utterly annihilating Mongol forces meant they knew the battles fought so far. What fate befell women of nations resisting the Mongols? And as Yodong's governor, she wasn't just handed the post for her beauty— she had real merits from the last war.
"First, split the army in two and probe both flanks. Don't bother crossing those wagons."
Goryeo might not repeat the same tactics, but touching that wagon fort formation would ensnare them. They had to lure the Goryeo troops out.
Whoosh! Thud!
Regrettably, even after several probes, Goryeo showed no gaps. They merely defended.
Even as arrows pierced several men, their defense remained ironclad. A fierce charge was impossible due to Goryeo's new weapon.
In this standoff, victory was elusive. Time for classic Mongol tactics, perhaps.
Without the Jurchen cavalry legion, they relied on Han Chinese Jin troops—far more troublesome than those rabble.
The flanking cavalry took losses instead.
"Fire!"
Bang! Bang-bang-bang!
Goryeo's new weapon. As riders closed in, that bizarre explosive noise felled Mongols.
Forcing entry brought long-spearmen defending the wagons, stabbing relentlessly.
"Come to think of it, the Goryeo ambush at Greater Khingan had those weapons too."
"Yes, Marshal. We captured a few, but don't know how to use them."
"A pity. But they're not suited for us anyway."
Perfect for infantry ambushes, but useless for cavalry. They needed countermeasures, but Mongol horse archers couldn't counter effectively.
The enemy showed no openings. Goryeo seemed a nation forged solely to defy the Mongols.
Before the Goryeo campaign, he'd heard: Goryeo claimed vassalage to Liao and Jin, yet triumphed three times against Khitan at their peak, and mobilized 170,000 to subdue pre-Jin Jurchens. Captured Jin scholars said Jin Taizu's brother Wanyan Zong begged Goryeo to return occupied lands.
Beaten thrice, the dragons dared not attack Goryeo, smashing Song instead, capturing royals, turning princesses into courtesans, seizing North China—yet never conquering Goryeo, too scarred to try.
If even the Mongols failed against Goryeo? 'The empire's grave.'
With Salitai and his army annihilated, it was becoming fact. He had to break it.
But after a year, Goryeo knew Yodong's terrain—no geographic edge.
Ironclad.
"At this rate, we must devour any Goryeo reinforcements climbing up."
If his calculations held, Goryeo would draw in supports to devour the Mongols.
He'd turn that against them.
"Report: Marshal, Goryeo's Northwest Army of 20,000 is stationed at the Amnok River."
"Grand Marshal, Yodong garrisons show no intent to reinforce."
Goryeo proper merely garrisoned the Amnok. Blocking Mongol crossings.
Yodong forts defended independently.
'That woman commands this war's tactics and strategy.'
Certain. Choi Yeon held full authority over Yodong. As the military regime's princess, she could request or block reinforcements.
The silent forts meant excluding variables.
Crossing Amnok to ravage Goryeo proper? Difficult.
Ultimately, devour that massive Goryeo main force.
Naturally—with fewer troops, they couldn't afford reinforcements. Buoyed by one victory, overconfident.
"I see. Constraints aren't Goryeo-exclusive."
Mongols had limits too. No alternatives: lure them out or head south, annihilate Ugaha first.
Goryeo had decent cavalry too—against Mongols, they'd be here.
"Marshal, what now?"
His generals seemed stumped. No wonder—he was agonizing.
That woman was no amateur.
He'd love to kill her, but with fewer numbers, it'd cost dearly.
Her bold appearance meant preparations were complete.
"They've sealed our variables. Probably hoping we follow our original plan."
This might make the lure work. A gamble, but if Choi Yeon truly wanted to end the war, she had to crush his army here.
Follow the plan.
Goryeo had sent Ugaha south with two armies, though.
"Strike Ugaha's army. Feign defeat and fall back to Greater Khingan."
"False retreat, then."
"Yes. Our only option."
Mongols needed cautious victory now. Push Goryeo back south of Amnok.
Expend that force.
"If it fails?"
"We retreat."
"The Khan will be enraged."
Enraged or not, impossible was impossible. Even breaching would cost too much.
If Goryeo were the only front, he'd cling and stretch—but Jin front loomed.
Meant to conquer Jin already, but Goryeo stalled it.
"I'll stake my neck. Can't waste Mongol warriors in vain."
No real need to be tied here. Conquer Jin, absorb its power—Goryeo would submit naturally. Crush with national might.
But the Khan ordered Goryeo punished—worth a try.
Meanwhile, Choi Yeon sensed the invisible psychological warfare.
"Milady, what are those bastards thinking?"
"They've drawn their swords, but lack the guts to sheath them before a woman."
Pathetic losers, truly. Though not entirely.
We had constraints; so did they.
Subutai couldn't decide to siege forts one by one and encircle Yoyang easily. Time-drain.
With solid defenses: retreat like Xiao Baap from Gaegyeong in the third Goryeo-Khitan war, or clash once.
Or capture her, risks be damned.
She wasn't fool enough for that.
But staring contest forever? No—time to poke.
"Behold, soldiers of Goryeo! People of the Three Hans and Jurchens! Even the Mongol dogs can't touch us, just watching idly! Isn't it laughable that they can't beat even me, a woman?"
The troops burst into laughter at her words.
Hahaha!
The roar reached Mongol ears; Subutai aside, subordinates fumed, understanding the mockery despite ignorance of Goryeo speech.
Seizing the moment, Choi Yeon commanded.
"So, this time, I'll slap them good. Artillery—what are you waiting for? Fire the cannons!"
Boom! Boom!
Shells rained on Mongol lines.
"Marshal! Their gunpowder weapons are no joke!"
No real choices anyway. If they'd chosen to repel Ugaha, no need to face these here.
Mongols weren't experts in this. Hit-and-run: feign retreat, annihilate the careless.
No reason to get bogged like Salitai.
Yodong had more Khitans and Jurchens anyway. Unlike Salitai forced into pitched battle.
Did Subutai not know that?
That young bitch smirking galled him, but temporary.
"No choice. Pull out of their range."
Retreat chosen. Feign striking Ugaha, lure to Greater Khingan second time.
Without wagons, they couldn't beat Mongols. Counterattack then.
Subutai's plan seemed plausible. He'd won Kalka River, Kunan, etc., with feigned retreats. Later Mohi with Batu too.
Problem: Goryeo's commander Choi Yeon knew his victories intimately via future knowledge.
Subutai's army began withdrawing.
"Governor, they're retreating."
Obvious. Couldn't see their angle? Luring us out to devour.
"Trying to draw us in."
At Kalka River, Mongols feigned retreat, crushed Rus coalition there. No baiting here.
Want Goryeo out of wagons. Thinks that'll win.
Calculation half-right: sans wagons, Goryeo couldn't match Mongols in melee.
Subutai knew Goryeo needed his death for total victory. Hence, overextend to draw them.
"But we won't just bite."
This war, no massacre like first. Victory, but repulsion at best.
Annihilation? Tough.