Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Ramparts of Ansi Fortress
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Wearing the hat Yang Manchun had given me, I stepped out of the inn. Geom Mojam was there waiting, along with Ham-a, Gi Do-ryang, and even Adokbang.
A few of my aides stood ready in light attire, each with a single sword at their side.
As I headed toward the gate, they all fell in silently behind me.
Atop the gate tower loomed Yang Manchun, wearing a tall, conical bamboo hat.
His shout urged me to come up, so I climbed the stone stairs beside the gate.
The gate tower was small and low compared to Liaodong Fortress or others like it. But it offered a perfect vantage over the open plains below.
Yang Manchun, dressed in a white jacket dotted with black spots, spoke up.
"Great view of the plains from here, right? And the rear's just as clear."
He turned his head toward Ansi Fortress. It was a mountain with a depression in its center.
The back rose high, a rocky peak mostly bare of trees.
Along its highest ridge ran the walls, dotted with watchtowers and merlons here and there.
"What do you think? Nice scenery, huh?"
As I listened to Yang Manchun's boastful tone, I scanned the gate and the base of the walls.
The area around the gate tower was built of stone. There was no barbican blocking the front, but I spotted space for wooden barricades in a pinch.
Sensing my gaze, Yang Manchun explained.
"No barbican here. Instead, the walls on either side jut forward to do the job."
Sure enough, the terrain made the walls on both sides of the gate protrude ahead. From there, they had a clear view of the approach, serving much like a barbican.
While I was at it, I examined the walls more closely.
The base was stepped inward, likely to bear the weight.
"Stepped construction. The walls aren't that high, but building them this way means the ground's soft, right?"
Yang Manchun's eyes widened at my words.
"Not bad. Everything but that rear rocky peak is mud. They dug and dug, but never hit bedrock. So they mixed gravel with mud, rammed it down, and topped it with long foundation stones."
His explanation reminded me of how Tang Taizong's earthen ramparts had collapsed.
The weak foundation was the culprit.
With one mystery solved, my mood lifted. Noticing, Yang Manchun said,
"Come with me. I'll explain as we go."
He led the way along the wall.
Long foundation stones served as the parapets, with narrow slots carved densely atop them for upright shields.
Merlons bulged out at intervals, wooden watchtowers erected in the spaces they created.
I stopped and looked at Yang Manchun.
"Wooden watchtowers will burn easily. Why not put crossbows or trebuchets up there instead?"
"Good idea, but the space is too tight."
I turned to Ham-a at his reply.
Ham-a stepped forward, sensing my look.
"See if you can make a trebuchet that fits this size."
"I'll scale down the Yeon Clan Cannon."
"Perfect. No need for boulders to defend the walls, so small is fine. And make side-firing crossbows for these merlons too."
After Ham-a's response, I peered along the wall visible from the merlon.
"What would work best for enemies clinging to the wall beside us here?"
"Crossbows would be ideal."
"Not to kill them, but to smash ladders—so make one that shoots big arrows. Tie ropes to the tips so we can haul them back up."
"I'll blunt the heads completely. Better for wrecking ladders."
Yang Manchun chimed in as we talked.
"What if the head's wide? Like a crescent moon or axe blade."
Ham-a replied,
"Crescent snaps too easily. A flared axe shape would be better."
Yang Manchun called it a great idea, and Ham-a grinned bashfully.
We continued along the wall, trading ideas. Stairs appeared now and then as it climbed higher toward the rear. Gazing outward, I pieced together why Ansi had held.
"Marshes."
No moat ringed the base, but deep-looking swamps dotted the plain below.
Yang Manchun halted at my words.
"The mountain's full of water. Turns the surroundings into a swamp."
"Perfect for defense. Hard to fill in too."
With swamps outside, siege engines couldn't approach, nor could troops easily. And filling them was no simple task— a huge boon for the defenders. Yang Manchun, leading on, pointed to the rocky peak.
"That so-called mountain's just a rock pile. Water doesn't pool; it runs straight down. Keeps everything below soggy."
"So you dug wells and reservoirs to store it."
"Right. The rest drains out."
I admired their cleverness. Securing drinking water effortlessly while turning the perimeter into marshland.
Yang Manchun paused again as we climbed the sloping wall.
The wall curved slightly inward, with a door just wide enough for one man inside.
I muttered,
"Sally port."
"Yeah, well hidden, right?"
"Clever."
Up close, it looked seamless from below—like the wall never broke.
Conveniently on flat ground, perfect for sending troops out or in.
Thick planks overhead allowed passage.
Beyond the sally port, higher up, came earthen walls. Not vertical like stone, but gently sloped.
"Earthen from here."
"Why earth?"
Yang Manchun stomped the rampart lightly.
"Ground's too soft. Steep slope too—long stones would slide. So they drove foundation stones vertically inside, packed thick logs tight, then piled earth outside."
Earthen walls were weaker than stone, but the steep slant made climbing tough for foes.
The smooth surface ruled out simple scaling.
Still, wooden parapets worried me.
Reading my glance, Yang Manchun said,
"Don't worry. In war, we remove the stockade and raise shields."
"Shields alone might not cut it. Ham-a."
Ham-a rushed forward at his name.
I pointed to the earthen section.
"What if we stand two planks as parapets and fill between with stones?"
"Side by side, stones in the gap?"
Ham-a gestured with his hands.
I nodded, and he replied,
"Solid plan. Better defense than stacked stones."
Of course, that wasn't enough.
"Figure out how to anchor it too."
Yang Manchun grinned at our exchange.
"Impressive. Come on—the highest point next."
We ascended steeper walls to the rocky peak.
A cool breeze swept away the heat.
There, walls were hewn and stacked from the rock itself. The outer face was sheer, blocking easy enemy access.
Merlons and watchtowers stood dense; stone parapets reached chest height. The summit watchtower overlooked all of Ansi.
Yang Manchun, hands on hips, declared,
"In war, the commander stays at the gate tower. Second-in-command here."
"To survey the field?"
"Yeah. Catch surprises early."
"All locals here?"
"Born and bred."
"Won't follow orders from Liaodong generals well, then."
Yang Manchun laughed heartily at the touchy question.
"Depends on the situation."
"Guess I'll have to lead personally."
"They'd all run."
We joked and laughed our way down the peak.
Liaodong hadn't shown me, but Ansi made clear how to hold a fortress.
"It boils down to the people."
Weapons and walls meant nothing without the will to defend.
Ansi ignored central rule, leaving it lax in spots. But clans who'd governed for generations and lifelong residents stood firm.
They fought for their own land.
Understanding Ansi's secret victory filled me with joy and a swell of pride.
Heading back to the gate tower, I asked Yang Manchun,
"If the enemy piles an earthen rampart, how do you counter?"
"Rampart?"
"Yeah. If the fortress holds, they'll build one taller than the walls."
Caught off guard, he pondered, then pointed southeast.
"Only solid ground near the walls is there."
"Plan defenses assuming they'll mound it there."
I itched to spill the outcome but held back.
Yang Manchun finally replied,
"If it tops the walls, it's dangerous."
"They'll aim for that. Arrows or trebuchet stones could arc inside. Wait for wind, then fire attack."
He thought carefully at my words.
"We'll wait for completion."
"Then?"
"Once done, they'll relax. Think it's easy pickings."
"Strike then?"
"Know when game's easiest to hunt?"
I shook my head at his question. He mimed drawing a bow.
"When it's at ease. Right when it pauses, thinking it's safe—that's your sure shot."
I pictured his imaginary arrow striking Tang Taizong's eye.
Probably not true, but fun to imagine.
Yang Manchun noticed my smile.
"What's so funny?"
"Found the answer."
"Spell it out."
"You'll see."
From the tower, I gazed over the plains.
I envisioned the Tang army that took Liaodong and crushed Yeon Gaesomun's relief force.
But you'll stall here.
Now I knew why Ansi endured.
The unease from Liaodong eased. Then Yang Manchun asked.