The Conquest of the Archipelago (Part 11)
January 1, 1572 (Lunar Calendar).
Yi Yeon celebrated the New Year atop Usuda Mountain by performing a sacrificial rite.
In honor of the harmony between Joseon and Dongjoseon.
During this time, Yi Yeon had remained here.
Though winter was approaching, the cold was not unbearable. The sleek junk capable of sailing at 50 km per hour (27 knots) could reach Busanpo in a single day.
And it was an ideal vantage point to receive news from the Hwaryeokgun and Dongjoseon Army, who had set out to pacify the archipelago.
A network of roads stretched along the calm Seto Inland Sea and far inland along the rivers.
Yet, unlike what he had expected, Yi Yeon had never once experienced an earthquake here.
The archipelago was said to be shaken by earthquakes at any time.
It turned out that this region experienced earthquakes very rarely.
At best, one or two minor quakes occurred per year, and they were weak.
That was why he had named the place Donggyeong and decided to build Donggyeong Palace.
Though he might never return after departing, he intended it to serve as a focal point for the local people.
Consequently, at least a dozen sleek junks were constantly coming and going from the harbor he had temporarily named Donggyeong Port in the southeast.
Joseon junks arrived laden with all kinds of building materials,
while from here they departed carrying endless loads of bare pine trunks.
Human exchange had become lively as a result.
Yi Yeon was in his temporary office reviewing various memorials that came in from all directions when Kim Yang-bo’s voice reached him.
“Your Majesty! May I enter?”
“Come in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Yet when Kim Yang-bo stepped into the office, he hesitated.
“What is it?”
“Forgive my impertinence, Your Majesty. Chōsokabe Motochika has brought his sons and requests an audience with you.”
“He may come in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
One day after another, such incidents kept occurring.
Yi Yeon knew well enough that the new ruler of Joseon, the King, could be used to bind the region together.
Accepting a woman from this land as a concubine was an excellent way to unite Joseon and Dongjoseon.
He had no objection to it, but he had considered the timing inappropriate and therefore refused.
Even though the shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki had sent envoys offering him high office, it seemed he truly understood nothing of the world.
Yet he was no different. Instead of submitting, he kept proposing negotiations, offering to cede Kyushu, Kinki, and Shikoku—regions already under Joseon control.
There was a reason for it.
When the rumor spread that Joseon had recovered all territories and forbidden even the wearing of swords, regional lords and samurai fled to Kyoto.
“We cannot be destroyed like this! The shogun and I will resist the Joseon!”
“Crazy bastards…”
Yi Yeon had understood.
They had lived with swords at their sides, doing as they pleased.
That could no longer happen now.
When Yi Yeon explained the plan to Oda Nobunaga, the proud daimyo had changed his name to Chi Shin-jang.
He had realized that the archipelago he had once called “tenka” was actually a well, and that the Joseon King’s vision was precisely what he had always dreamed of.
“That guy is crazy too.”
He still dreamed of conquering the whole world.
What am I supposed to do with a conquered world?
I have no use for the follow-up plan. I will hand it over to Your Majesty.
Yi Yeon had laughed heartily at those words.
It sounded like genuine sincerity.
Anyway, Chi Shin-jang was leading the newly reorganized Dongjoseon Army eastward and was carrying out the plan to pacify the archipelago as ordered.
The Hwaryeokgun occupied key coastal regions along the shoreline,
while Ukita Naoie, who commanded the Joseon Eastern Army, had established security forces behind them and was building administrative offices.
It was absurd that such overwhelming power was heading straight for Kyoto with no intention of resisting.
“Hah! Because of a fool like him, how many more will die?”
Yi Yeon set down the memorial from Chi Shin-jang and sighed heavily.
The people of Dongjoseon posed no problem.
They had thought that whoever became king was none of their concern.
But when they heard that the Joseon King would distribute land, they had completely switched sides.
They could not sell the land they had received, yet they now hoped to farm without fearing lords or tax collectors and live comfortably.
Yet a pathetic shogun still held out.
He threatened to kill the Tenno and his entire family.
We have no choice. It must end.
Yi Yeon called over the waiting messenger.
“Your Majesty! You called?”
“Yes. Go to Chi Shin-jang immediately and tell him this: before spring comes, surround Kyoto and spread the rumor that the city is already a ruined wasteland.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Yi Yeon had no desire to destroy the city he had so beautifully adorned.
With a population of over two hundred thousand, it was a large metropolis.
Yet rumors were now spreading that it had become a lawless land.
Due to the samurai who had poured in from all regions.
* * *
Northeast of Kyoto lay Lake Biwa, more than twice the area of Ganghwado.
From a small fishing boat carrying loads of fish caught there, a boy’s worried voice drifted down the river.
“Father, Kyoto is so scary. We can’t just go there, right?”
“Then what about these fish? Where should we sell them?”
“There are Joseon soldiers there.”
“I don’t care. What use is useless Joseon money anyway?”
“Where to spend it? They say there’s a place on the Osaka coast that exchanges it for rice.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Father. And Kyoto will soon become a burning wasteland, they say.”
“Who said that?”
“Uncle Nosuke.”
“Really?”
The boy’s father tied up his boat at the riverbank and fell into thought.
His cousin Nosuke was a peddler, so he could not fully believe everything the man had said.
There were too many wild rumors.
This time was no different.
The Joseon King was distributing land larger than three thousand pyeong—more than forty percent after taxes and levies.
Who could trust such a ghost-frightening tale?
Yet there was truth to it too.
The Joseon Army had won a great victory at Hiroshima and subjugated all the Shugo daimyo.
Seeing them here, it seemed true.
So he believed the rumor that the shogun had killed the Tenno.
The Joseon Army had occupied Osaka’s coast and was coming to avenge it.
At that thought, the boy’s father grew anxious.
“Taro?”
“Yes, Father.”
“Quickly, go home and bring Mother and your sister.”
“Why?”
“Kyoto looks dangerous.”
“Do you believe Uncle Nosuke’s words?”
“Where is there such a thing as believing or not believing? We must avoid places that seem dangerous.”
“I understand, Father.”
When Taro brought his mother and sister,
his father did not head toward Kyoto up the river.
He followed the river flow down to Osaka.
Surviving in this chaotic time meant living in the most natural way possible.
Then he saw it.
The Joseon Army marching northward along the Yodo River.
“Whoa! Father, they’re so cute!”
“Hmm, yes.”
The leading Joseon soldiers rode large horses, but those following rode or led tiny ones.
The sight was so adorable.
“Father, I want to buy one of those horses and ride it everywhere!”
“Do it. I’ll even let you carry your father too.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Oppa, me too!”
“Of course. I’ll let you ride too.”
Yet the soldier pulling the small horse stopped in his tracks.
He opened the pouch hanging from the horse, took out an envelope, took out something, put it back, then simply tossed the envelope over.
Taro received it and bowed his head in thanks.
He had no idea what it was, but it looked edible.
Samseongi waved at them and continued on his way.
He had five sons and wished he had a younger sister.
Seeing the skinny girl made him remember.
“Oppa, what’s in there?”
“Wait a moment.”
Taro opened the envelope and pulled out a small stick wrapped in oiled paper.
He peeled back the paper and bit into it.
“Whoa…!”
“What? Why?”
“You should try it too!”
His little sister took a bite.
“Whoa…! Oppa, it’s so yummy!”
“See?”
“Yeah, Oppa.”
What Samseongi had given them was rice cakes meant to be eaten when hungry during marches or battles.
They were made with sugar extracted from sugar beets instead of sugarcane.
“Father, I want to become a Joseon soldier.”
“How? You don’t even know Joseon words.”
“I’ll learn.”
“Yes, Oppa. You must become a Joseon soldier and bring home lots of this delicious stuff.”
“I will.”
Taro vowed to become a Joseon soldier.
He was nothing like the shogun’s soldiers who only beat and stole.
He would eat delicious things too.
Yi Yeon, upon learning that the Dongjoseon Army had advanced close to Kyoto, ordered the Hwaryeokgun occupying only Osaka to push northward.
Having spread rumors for nearly two months, he figured almost everyone had already escaped from Kyoto.
They might flee, so they had to be eliminated quickly.
* * *
March 1, 1572 (Lunar Calendar).
Petals flew everywhere across Kyoto as the Dongjoseon Army and Hwaryeokgun rose early and completely surrounded the Kyoto Gosho.
To end the shogun and the samurai following him.
The east, north, and west were held by the Dongjoseon Army;
only the south was the Hwaryeokgun’s responsibility.
Amidst this, Chi Shin-jang came to find Jeong Yeo-lip.
Since command of operations belonged to the Hwaryeokgun, he sought his opinion.
“What should we do?”
“Since we plan to burn it all with fire, we can wait and simply capture those who try to flee.”
“Understood. But when should we begin?”
“When the sun is at its zenith.”
“Ah, yes. Then we will prepare accordingly.”
Chi Shin-jang returned after hearing the strategy, looking extremely pleased.
It was so much better than begging for surrender and immediately launching an assault.
“As expected of the lord I serve.”
The captured shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki looked swollen with resentment.
Threatening the Tenno as a hostage and issuing such nonsense.
That was why he had spread the rumors.
The shogun had killed the Tenno, so he could attack the Kyoto Gosho without restraint.
Yet he still only talked of negotiation, not knowing what was coming.
Otherwise he would have killed the Tenno and his family.
“You fool! I would have used the Kyoto people as shields…”
The Joseon King he had sworn to serve cared nothing for the Tenno’s life or death.
He had worried about the safety of the two hundred thousand Kyoto residents.
But now he seemed to care even less.
He ordered them to be incinerated with indiscriminate fire.
As the sun rose higher, the defenders atop the walls became frantic.
They yelled “Come if you dare!” and even fired arquebuses from hastily built walls.
Even if they hit, at over three hundred meters it would cause little damage.
Yet it was annoying.
The loud bangs never stopped echoing.
Jeong Yeo-lip narrowed his eyes and looked up at the sky.
Then he told his lieutenant,
“Begin.”
“Yes, Commander.”
The lieutenant took a deep breath, placed the newly issued brass horn in his mouth, and blew until his lungs ached.
- Piiiiik…!
Hearing the horn, Samseongi aimed his machine gun at the installation on the wall and pulled the trigger.
- Drrrk! Drrrk! Drurrk!
Machine-gun bullets slammed into the wall, sending enormous shards flying.
At the same time, the men manning the guns collapsed without even a scream.
He continued firing machine guns for a long time.
- Bong! Bong!
The sound of drums rang out.
Then, escorted by soldiers with repeating rifles, the grenadiers advanced.
This time they did not use rocket arrows.
The range was too long,
accuracy varied,
and there was no way to know when they would detonate.
Instead, they chose to use the grenades that had proven so effective in the Usuda Mountain battle.
But the short range meant they had to get close.
So the plan was to clear the area with machine guns first and then charge.
Although there were a few sharpshooters armed with repeating rifles, their numbers were small.
Machine guns it was.
The men installing things on the wall that seemed to hold thousands disappeared in an instant.
They were so terrified that they hid behind the walls and did not even peek over.
Of course, he could not let them feel safe, so sharpshooters were sent along.
The grenadiers approached within 100 meters, attached their grenades, and fired toward the sky.
- Bang! Bang!
- Shiiiiing!
- Puaaang!
Even in broad daylight, flashes and lights burst beyond the wall, followed by soaring flames entwined with black smoke.
At the same time, screams erupted from all sides.
Chi Shin-jang, watching from afar, laughed helplessly.
“Hah…! You had weapons like that and still said you could win. I should have killed Hideyoshi more slowly…”
Having sworn loyalty to the Joseon King and gathered all surviving soldiers, he had organized the Dongjoseon Army.
Consequently, he now commanded fifteen thousand men—far more than before.
But he entertained no illusions.
Even with howitzers, they would not be able to withstand such weapons.
“More than me would be cannons, they say.”
According to Ieyasu, the difference was of another dimension.
Fireballs roared, but cannons destroyed everything.
While Chi Shin-jang and the Dongjoseon Army watched, the Kyoto Gosho suddenly ignited.
The gates opened, and the enemy burst forth.
Some places could not even do that.
The gates themselves were already burning.
Seeing it, Chi Shin-jang smiled wickedly and gave his lieutenant a command.
“Fire!”
“Yes, Commander.”
- Bong! Bong!
Drums thundered,
and the Dongjoseon soldiers fired arquebuses and arrows at the enemies who screamed for mercy and shouted that they would surrender as they ran.
Since orders were to leave not one alive, the Joseon soldiers fired their triggers without restraint and released their bowstrings.