Chapter 84
The people of the Ming Dynasty called Mori Motonari the “Mystery God.”
It was no exaggeration. He had turned one of the minor houses surrounding Hiroshima into the undisputed ruler of Chugoku through meticulous schemes and relentless diplomacy. Now he had set out on another gamble of a lifetime. “Father! Must you really do this? We could have simply submitted to Joseon and built our future that way.”
“How can you say that? Once the war ends, Joseon will disarm us.”
Mori Motonari shook his head at the question. He had served the Amago clan that controlled the eastern half of Chugoku, only to be betrayed. Worse still, they had burned every child and woman in his fief to ashes. He could not forgive them. He wanted to kill them all. So he switched his allegiance to the Ouchi clan in the west, and in return helped them crush the Amago. But civil war erupted in the Ouchi house. Mori Motonari seized the moment and, with cold calculation, seized the Ouchi itself. With that power he annihilated his sworn enemy and made the Mori clan the strongest power in Chugoku. Then, out of nowhere, Joseon appeared. As the guardian of a house that had already vanished from history. “Damn it!”
It was absurd, yet he could not resist. He had sensed the overwhelming superiority of Joseon’s strength. He traveled all the way to Han-yang, the capital, and met the Joseon king. It was for survival. Luckily, the king accepted his offer. Serve Joseon and lead the conquest of the archipelago. In exchange the king promised to send his own son and grandson as hostages. But the future path where the Mori clan could rule as supreme lords had vanished forever. The king had declared that after the war even swords would be forbidden. Still, he had no choice. He could not stand against the Joseon army armed with cannons that could fire instantly. Yet the force was not huge. On the way back he learned the Hwaryeokgun, the cannon-armed troops, numbered only around thirty thousand. “It might be worth a try,” he thought. Even with superior firepower, they could push forward in overwhelming numbers and win. “We can strike harder while using the darkness.”
After long deliberation, Mori Motonari went to Oda Nobunaga. Alone, he could do nothing. “Oda Nobunaga, I will lead Joseon to victory on one condition. Give me the already ruined Kyushu in return.” The condition was accepted with open arms. In fact, Oda Nobunaga was delighted. He would hand over the Iwami silver mines that fed the archipelago and leave the Chugoku region entirely. The second son, Motoharu, who had always been fearless in the enemy camp, blocked the plan. “But Father, if we go, we will die.” “What other choice do we have? We must survive so our clan can keep ruling.” He could not bend under anyone else anymore. He wanted at least a small independent power. Only then could he do something. Kyushu was the perfect choice—large enough to advance south and serve as a bridgehead. So he devised a plan to pit the Japanese daimyo against each other while he marched his forces into the deserted Kyushu and fortified it. If necessary, he would even march further south, to the great island rumored to lie beneath the Ryukyu kingdom. “There, Joseon’s hands will never reach.”
But the problem was the Joseon king. The boy looked frighteningly intelligent. “I have to sacrifice myself to make sure he falls into the trap.” “Father…” “Enough!” Mori Motonari raised his hand to silence his second son. “Water has already been spilled. If I stop now, Nobunaga will not simply leave us alone.” “But there is Joseon!” “That is true. Yet if it comes to that, the Mori clan will disappear without a trace. So step aside at once.” “Father!” Mori Motonari knelt before the trembling second son and stroked his head. “I have lived as long as I could. I have no regrets. When Takakage returns, the three of you must work together to raise Terumoto and preserve the clan. For the sake of the Mori house, you can do at least that much.” “Father!” Leaving his second son wailing, Mori Motonari set out. Takakage and grandson Terumoto, left behind as hostages, might return. * * *
Upstream of the Ota River. On the eastern fork of the stream rose Ushida Mountain, twisted like a shrimp. There, Jung-kyung was shouting orders at the Hwaryeokgun troops starving for trees. “Hurry! We must finish building the fortifications before His Majesty arrives!” He had wanted to object when he first heard the plan from the king. Ushida Mountain was shaped like a fortress, yet it lay eight kilometers inland and offered no cannon support. The site was too dangerous. They could not bring the cannons either; the land was nothing but rice paddies and swamps. They had to lure the enemy in, but time was short. “The king provided an answer.” New weapons developed at the Joseon Weapons Research Institute. “Truly magnificent…” Jung-kyung examined a round gun in his hands, eyes wide with wonder. It looked like a revolver, except the muzzle was enormous and it shot forward. “Load the cartridge, aim at the sky, and fire,” the king had said. It was brand new, and they had never tested it on the enemy. Still, he trusted it. The mechanism was too simple to fail. Even so, the obstructing trees had to go. “Phew…” It hurt to cut them down. He wanted to use the logs for barriers, but the plan was to draw the enemy close and slaughter them. “Watch the front and back! If the direction changes, we will be in trouble.” Another weapon arrived. A slender needle-like device. The destructive power shown in the tests was beyond imagination. Using a fuse that burned fast, it could be detonated from great distances. The blast created a storm of dust that flattened everything in front. Jung-kyung could not help but shiver. The scene had been too horrific. As he moved on he asked a resting soldier. “Are the positions secure?” “Yes, Commander!” “Fix them firmly. Arrange the bullets so they do not tangle.” “Understood, Commander.” Another gift from the Weapons Research Institute was a long cannon made entirely of iron. “With just this one we could face tens of thousands of soldiers.” That was why the king had joined his plan instead of stopping him. While Jung-kyung walked around the fortifications encouraging the troops, an aide mounted on Koga-ma came running up. “Commander! His Majesty has arrived.” “Really?” “Yes, Commander. A messenger reported that the Innovation-3 has reached the First Marine Battalion’s camp.” “I see. I’ll circle there and come back. Prepare to meet His Majesty.” “Yes, Commander!” The place chosen to meet the daimyo was a natural fortress. Ushida Mountain protected the north, east, and south, while the west was ankle-deep swamp. No army could threaten them, and they could counter-attack easily. The Ota River ran south and the mountains stretched endlessly north and east. “If they just keep advancing…” The Third and Fourth Cavalry Squadrons, led by Kim Yeo-mul and Yi Gyeong-rok, were hiding in the northern and eastern mountains. Their job was to block and annihilate any retreaters. * * *
Yi Yeon shook his head at Mori Motonari’s request. “I cannot allow it.” “But Your Majesty promised—” “Indeed I did. You brought the daimyo here on the condition that I send your son and grandson. Yet you broke your own promise first.” “Your Majesty! What are you saying? I brought them!” Mori Motonari pointed behind him at the kneeling daimyo. Yi Yeon snorted. “Hmph!” Reaching the camp of the First Marine Battalion had been a nightmare. The eastern mountain ridges were paved, yet ponds turned the ground into swamp. The horses could not run. It took more than three hours to cover the two-hour distance on foot. His suspicions turned into certainty. Mori Motonari had called the place safe because of the surrounding mountains, but it was actually difficult to escape. One of the daimyo behaved strangely. It was Chosokabe Motochika, the lord of Shikoku. Yi Yeon stared at Mori Motonari. “He is not Chosokabe Motochika, is he?” “…” Mori Motonari’s face turned pitch black for a moment. The king had seen through him at once. He could not admit it, for his own life and that of his grandson and third son were at stake. He quickly made an excuse. “Your Majesty! Forgive me. He was ill, so I brought a substitute. I was afraid you would be disappointed.” “Hmph…” Yi Yeon looked back and forth between Mori Motonari and the trembling Chosokabe Motochika. Then he asked, “You did not plot anything?” “How could I?” “Hmph!” Yi Yeon snorted again. “Of course you did. I don’t know the reason yet. Your son and grandson must stay here with you until the truth is revealed.” “Your Majesty…” “Silence!” Yi Yeon stood abruptly and walked toward Jeong Yeo-lip. “Keep watch over them.” “Yes, Principal!” The sudden change sent the daimyo into murmurs. They had believed Mori Motonari’s promise to let them meet the Joseon king. Now everything felt wrong. One of them stood up and shouted at Yi Yeon, who was leaving. “Your Majesty! I am Ukita Naoie of Bizen. I came here to serve Joseon!” This man, known as the hero of Bizen, was ruthless. He had used political marriage and even his own daughter to avenge his grandfather. He had joined Joseon to survive in these chaotic times. But the situation had not gone as expected. He had suspected Mori Motonari, the commander of the Joseon Eastern Army. He could not let the chance slip. With exaggerated gestures he prostrated himself. “Your Majesty! If you entrust the Joseon Eastern Army to me, I will devote my life!” “Really?” “Yes, Your Majesty. I am different from Mori Motonari. You will see when you investigate. I have never betrayed those who trusted me.” “Hmph…” Yi Yeon turned his gaze to Mori Motonari, who was glaring murderously at Ukita Naoie. “Very well. Then I will give you the Joseon Eastern Army. Remove all the Mori clan retainers and take command.” “Thank you, Your Majesty. I will serve you with loyalty.” Yi Yeon smiled and shook his head at Mori Motonari. There was still a problem to solve. How to deal with the Eastern Army Mori had brought. He had only ordered them to set up camp south of the base. Now someone appeared who claimed to solve it. Judging by the way Mori Motonari was biting his lip until it bled, the man was probably not a fool. Enemies of enemies could become allies. Just then a messenger on horseback galloped in, white flag on his back. He dismounted, bowed, and shouted. “Your Majesty! An army is approaching from the east!” “How many?” “At least a hundred thousand.” “Hmph…” Yi Yeon’s face darkened with anger. “Even now you claim you did nothing?” “No, Your Majesty. I know nothing.” Another messenger arrived. “Your Majesty! A large army is coming from the north.” More messengers followed in quick succession. Yi Yeon immediately summoned the commanders of the Hwaryeokgun. As expected, the enemy poured toward the valley. But the numbers were far greater than anticipated, so he had to adjust his plans. * * *