Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Rebellion Hunter (2)
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‘They seem to have risen in rebellion.’
‘The foremost group appears to have crossed the Geumgang River.’
In truth, Yi Jaeun’s urgent report was ambiguous enough that it hardly qualified as proper military intelligence. Even accounting for the fact that he wasn’t a soldier.
It couldn’t be helped. Grand Marshal Yun Ji of Yangho had launched a novel form of military action unprecedented in ancient or modern times.
Upon receiving news from Yi Ha-jing in Seoul about the ‘auspicious omen of the divine turtle,’ Yun Ji judged that he couldn’t afford to miss the moment, even if preparations were somewhat lacking.
As Se-hwa had analyzed, Yun Ji had bases not only in Naju but throughout the Honam region.
This meant he had reliable networks and agents in various counties.
Instead of gathering them, Yun Ji ordered them to set out for Seoul simultaneously from their respective positions.
It was a gamble of sorts, but it proved extraordinarily effective.
Joseon forces were experts in the traditional Copenhagen interpretation’s ‘quantum superposition state,’ but the ‘multiverse’ spawned by the many-worlds interpretation emerging from the Hyeonjam Party was utterly beyond their grasp.
In other words, amid hordes of dozens or hundreds marching north with rifles and swords, it was impossible to tell which group held the rebel leadership.
Jeolla Governor Jo Ungyu was undoubtedly a capable administrator, but not a skilled general.
So when he heard that scholars had gathered to celebrate the king’s sixtieth birthday, Jo Ungyu thought like a civilian official.
The suspicious one was Yun Ji in Naju, not here in Jeonju. Neglecting the scholars would unsettle the local community.
Seeing it as a chance to soothe the unsettled public sentiment, Jo Ungyu welcomed them.
He received the scholars performing rites at the Fengpei Hall, the government guesthouse of the Jeonju garrison office, the royal family’s hometown.
But before they could even finish the sacrificial rites, Park Chansin—comrade of Yun Ji, whom he kept close, and second-in-merit for the Yi In-jwa Rebellion—burst into sudden sobs.
‘How can we face Grand Progenitor again without avenging the late king!’
Jo Ungyu’s face paled, and he shot to his feet.
That action only served as proof to every scholar present that Jo Ungyu was the lapdog of the late king’s murderer.
He must have a guilty conscience to react like that. The young scholars rolled up their sleeves, flexing their forearms.
‘He strikes his brother, disowns his mother, brings in that妖女 (the witch Mun氏), and abuses his children—this isn’t a man, it’s a鬼子 infiltrating the royal line to sever it!’
‘Rightly said. We nearly lost the royal lineage! How could Grand Progenitor’s spirit not look upon this?’
Jo Ungyu panicked and tried to call for soldiers, but it was already too late.
Yi Seong-gye had gathered his clan here after defeating the Japanese pirates and recited the Great Wind Song like Han Gaozu.
Then he repeated Han Gaozu’s feats—usurping Goryeo’s throne.
That’s why this Jeonju garrison guesthouse is named Fengpei Hall.
In short, it was a historic stage tailor-made for rebel declarations.
None of the scholars gathered today were ignorant of history. They all swiftly transformed into rebels.
Jo Ungyu, who should have gone down in history as the suppressor of the Naju placard incident, ended up with his head on a spear tip.
The massive Jeolla garrison, the largest among the eight provinces’, fell pitifully into rebel hands.
And similar events unfolded almost simultaneously across countless towns in Honam.
In truth, Grand Marshal Yun Ji’s forces weren’t all that large. ‘Theoretically,’ if all Jeolla’s local troops mobilized, they could crush them easily.
But with rebels popping up simultaneously across so many counties, it looked to everyone like all of Honam had risen at once.
And that drew even more joiners—a self-fulfilling prophecy.
With rebels rising and marching north everywhere in Honam, it was impossible to stop them ‘within Honam.’ Moreover, the Jeolla naval base wasn’t in Jeonju or Naju but down south by the seaside in Gangjin.
Thus, the first meaningful military action among local forces came not from the Jeolla Military Commander but from Chungcheong’s, Choi Jin-hae.
He was a general who’d never shown particular innovation beyond using garrison funds for his personal medical bills, but Choi Jin-hae had more reason than anyone to shake off his loyalty to the state.
He was the maternal cousin of Lady Sukbin Choi, the king’s birth mother.
Being a lowborn cousin, everyone knew he was the king’s biological maternal cousin, yet for 25 years after the ascension, no one petitioned to appoint him to office.
Of course, the modernizing monarch Yi Geum firmly rejected such premodern discriminatory thinking.
‘Why not give Choi Jin-hae an official post?’
He said it outright. Defense Minister Kim Sang-ro immediately apologized.
‘This servant was foolish and failed to realize (that scorning Choi Jin-hae was scorning you, who shares the same lowborn DNA), but upon Your Majesty’s instruction, I have gained great enlightenment in my duties and am deeply moved.’
Thus began Choi Jin-hae’s career, now culminating as Chungcheong Military Commander responsible for a province’s forces.
Yi Geum even moved his post three times to ‘richer garrisons’ to ensure smooth health insurance coverage for the aging, ailing Choi Jin-hae.
This is what they mean by the sovereign’s grace being higher than the heavens and deeper than the seas.
He couldn’t possibly fail to repay it.
Yet repaying it wouldn’t be easy.
Kim Unhaeng-style consulting manuals had already become standard in Chungcheong. How could county magistrates who’d received two fidelity steles not reference them?
Thus, many counties were love-and-peace demilitarized zones.
But while armies might be scarce in Joseon, loyal patriots were plentiful.
Former Junior Chief State Councillor Yi Ik-bo, exiled to Jeonui County, had rallied local scholars, their household slaves, and others to charge in. It was possible thanks to his prestige as a Noron heavyweight.
Not some disguised fake army like the Five Garrisons or Inner Five Garrisons—this was Joseon’s true fighting force: the righteous army.
Before the delighted Choi Jin-hae, Yi Ik-bo proudly professed his loyalty as best he could.
‘With the Soron traitors plotting another calamity after that witch-year rebellion (Yi In-jwa’s), how can we stand idle? Don’t cast me out as an exiled criminal—enlist me in the ranks, I beg.’
Bowing to a lowborn cousin twisted his guts, but there was no choice.
By now, Yi Ik-bo had grasped the situation. Most of the gunpowder the rebels carried came from neighboring Mokcheon and Jiksan.
To avoid blame, he had to prove himself.
The wise scholar Yi Ik-bo comforted himself with the logic: ‘I’ve bowed to the lowborn king’s son already.’ Fortunately, Choi Jin-hae didn’t strut too much.
‘Ranks? Nonsense. How can we forgo proper respect for a high official just because he once left the path of virtue? You’ll join the幕賓 as fitting.’
The heartwarmingly formed Chungcheong local army soon marched toward the Geumgang.
Even if they set out from different places, they’d naturally converge on the river. Crossing points were limited.
As a result, Yun Ji effortlessly demonstrated the marvel of dispersed marches naturally coalescing without orders or plans. The rebel leaders all praised the Grand Marshal’s fisherman-like mastery of warfare.
About 2,000 Hyeonjam Party members clashed with roughly 3,000 righteous volunteers and Chungcheong locals north of the Geumgang.
They should’ve struck while the rebels crossed, but Military Commander Choi Jin-hae didn’t arrive in time.
Fighting with water at your back is risky, but Grand Marshal Yun Ji didn’t realize it.
War is usually like that.
Anyway, with both sides’ morale high, the clash was fierce.
After spotting each other, about thirty percent of each army fled, but starting with 5,000 combined, it still counted as a major battle.
The government forces gained the initial momentum.
Thanks, of course, to loyal patriot Kim Chunsik.
The Hyeonjam Party had rarely fired guns before, and when they did, they treated malfunctions as temporary glitches—so the problem only surfaced now.
‘Huh? My powder won’t light!’
‘M-mine neither!’
Not all Hyeonjam powder was safety-grade. But even the good stuff got soaked from poor handling during the crossing, rendering it all safe.
Now the Hyeonjam had only primitive weapons, like the Jurchens crushed by Sejong.
Kim Unhaeng would’ve cheered that love and peace had prevailed.
Chungcheong soldier Choi Jin-hae was thrilled too. Seated in command, he bellowed spiritedly.
‘Those bastards gathered riffraff who don’t even know how to use firearms. Blast them all—turn them into Geumgang water ghosts!’
Government forces had plenty of powder, if not men.
Beyond Mokcheon and Jiksan, many counties had bought real powder from the liberated Jeolla Left Naval Command distributed by Kim Unhaeng.
Numerous towns naturally produced safety powder unrelated to him. Fearing audits, Chungcheong magistrates kept powder stocks full.
Soon the Hyeonjam were drenched in a barrage like the urine stream of the Eighty-Year-Old Man.
Few actually fell. But the noisy flops and vivid screams were enough. Hyeonjam morale shook mercilessly.
All eyes turned to Grand Marshal Yun Ji.
And of course, Yun Ji had no countermeasure. He swallowed hard.
The Hyeonjam main force wasn’t here anyway.
Originally, relatives like Hamgyeong North Military Commander Jo Dong-ha (cousin of Training Command Center Army Jo Dong-jeong), friend Naval Commander Kim Yun—generals who’d make Yi Geum shiver—were preparing rebellion.
But Jo Dong-jeong didn’t get caught by authorities; he died absurdly beaten by street thugs, severing Seoul-centered comms.
This actually benefited by keeping even Kim Unhaeng ignorant of border commanders’ treason, but Yun Ji couldn’t be grateful.
One reason he’d hastily raised arms.
He needed to showcase this force’s might to alert Yeongnam and Gwanbuk allies to rush in.
To do that, he had to win unconditionally.
In that moment, Yun Ji transcended the era.
‘Our righteous army is heaven-blessed. If guns fail, take up bows! If bowstrings snap, draw swords! No sword? Use fists. Arm lost? Bite. “Powder won’t ignite” is no excuse. Have you forgotten how this poor, small eastern land survived on integrity and righteousness alone!’
A tactic even future Imperial Japanese forces adopted. Regressors abound in Joseon, like Jang Yong-nae-yeong.
Yun Ji was right. Honestly, the only difference was government forces shouting loudly from afar, hitting few.
Thus, Hyeonjam rebels deluded themselves into bold charges. No pain when running out.
Their hesitant steps turned cautious, then quick, finally a sprint.
‘Waaaaah!’
‘Smash the traitors’ dogs!’
Excited running narrows vision. Rebels charged unaware government numbers still outnumbered them.
Now government forces panicked. Elves can shoot guns or bows untrained, but melee? Different story.
‘Save me!’
‘Wh-what are you doing! Fleeing before the enemy means beheading by military law… Ack!’
‘Out of the way!’
Any Joseon force can easily block forward charges.
None can stop Joseon troops fleeing rearward.
An hour later, Hyeonjam claimed victory.
Seizing vast (real) powder and arms.
But most crucially, capturing Chungcheong Military Commander Choi Jin-hae and ex-Junior Chief State Councillor Yi Ik-bo.
Like the Jeolla Governor, both were high officials who could sway the big picture. Frenzied Park Chansin and leaders clamored to tear them limb from limb and display.
But Grand Marshal Yun Ji, ever devious in schemes, thought differently.
‘Even if the king is tyrannical, we mustn’t stoop so low. Killing captives lightly forfeits virtue.’
Yun Ji knew little warfare but much politics.
The king’s cousin and Noron heavyweight made priceless hostages anywhere. For Hyeonjam with comrades trapped in the capital, keeping them alive was best.
Showing mercy atop inaction elevated Grand Marshal Yun Ji’s prestige sky-high. Hyeonjam methodically rallied surrendered troops and locals, marching north.
A severe wedge driven into Joseon’s defenses.
And the one swinging the massive hammer at that wedge was Kim Unhaeng, who hadn’t yet received the Geumgang battle update.
In my view, the balance between Hyeonjam and Yangho’s crab army was off from the start.
Hyeonjam had no decent generals and carried only the fake powder I supplied— they couldn’t beat Yangho’s crab generals.
Even if they broke through somehow, what use a battered Hyeonjam force?
Gwangju’s governor is Hong Bonghan now. Even a civilian parachute leading the Capital Guard could one-shot them.
Capital Guard soldiers aren’t inherently strong—it’s Namhansanseong that’s impregnable, unbreached even by Hong Taiji.
I visited once in the 21st century; without King Injo, it’s invincible. Even a military novice like me saw the filthy terrain.
Plus, the king still has northern troops.
I inspected there as secret royal inspector; Yanggye folk consider all humans warriors. A regular woman stabbed a military commander’s butt with a sword.
By the time rebellion fizzles locally, the king pacifies the capital, leaving Ganghwa pirates (one ship, undiscovered yet—probably surveying) no chance.
Forget VOC; even Dutch homeland fleet couldn’t with this era’s tech. Both wooden ships, both matchlocks.
Ultimately, Yeongjo earns titles like Second Rebellion Destroyer and Second Anti-Foreigner Implementer, etching history. Our Crown Prince faction National Salvation Army loses its stage.
Why weaken Hyeonjam with powder refill service?
Why? If they actually take Hanyang, I die too.
I don’t want to risk it, so I excluded external factors.
My control maxes at capital interior.
So limit the rebellion’s scale to inside—that’s it.
Balance patches aren’t just buffs. Nerfs are great patches too.
* * *
Despite ‘uproars across Honam,’ central forces hadn’t moved. Yeongjo shared my view, sticking to absolute capital defense.
Five Garrisons remained in capital region; Royal Guard for king’s protection, fine. But Guard Commander Yi Ui-pung was deeply offended.
His Guard Command was blatantly excluded from anti-rebel ops.
Yeah, I get why. How use a butt general?
But if so, cleanly bench him.
Keeping Yi Ui-pung to the end for a merit line to credit recommender Park Mun-su and Soron? Understandable, but overthinking trivialities forgot the big picture.
This is the absolute monarch problem. Ignores people’s ‘feelings.’
Talking to Yi Ui-pung myself would be fastest, but cleanup’s hard. I unleashed surviving Samhwadang in capital to spread rumors subtly.
‘The Dragon Army, trusting recent royal favor, looks down on other troops.’
‘They brag about thrashing the senile butt-stabbed commander’s camp before rebels if they interfere.’
And similar to Dragon Army.
‘Capital Guard covered short rations by collecting from citizens during battalion rotations, but Dragon Inner Army looted excessively under rebel patrol pretext, breeding resentment.’
‘Guard has few but elite gunners and knights. Talk of striking Dragon Inner with small elite force.’
I didn’t doubt such childish rumors would spark fights.
I served in 21st-century military.
Even modern Korean forces escalated petty squabbles to hundreds brawling. Organizational loyalty is scary.
But Joseon folk more moral than modern Koreans (moral nation), so I spread one decisive rumor.
‘Rebels hide in Gyeongbok Palace ruins. Disperse by day, gather at night. Catching them means major merit.’
Quickest monarch’s legacy, Gyeongbok, remains ruins.
Nominally guarded, but realistically? No. Tiger entered recently.
So rebels hiding? Plausible.
No electric lights, so nights ten times darker than modern think.
Get it?
Kill each other now.
Fine. Your forces won’t allow real massacre.
Socially, kill each other.
If too risky, our National Salvation Army kindly helps.
Author’s Notes
1. Copenhagen interpretation is the mainstream quantum mechanics view led by Bohr and Heisenberg et al., while many-worlds is the novel take by Hugh Everett III later. In-story content doesn’t match scientific fact.
2. It’s true Yeongjo moved Choi Jin-hae’s garrison repeatedly for national treasury medical coverage since he was old and ill. But actually post-Yun Ji rebellion. And every time Choi got post or privilege, annals scribes snidely noted ‘because he’s Lady Sukbin Choi’s cousin.’
3. As explained before, Naju placard incident failed early but plan was grand. Training Center Jo Dong-jeong, North Soldier Jo Dong-ha, Commander Kim Yun actually plotted; realized, it’d be serious military rebellion given ranks. Recruiting naval commander from Yi In-jwa’s sea-route oversight lesson.
4. Kim Unhaeng’s Korean military brawl refers to 1966 Marine raid on Air Force flight school.
5. At story time, tigers really entered Gyeongbok. Ruins yes, but Yeongjo era had rampant capital tigers hitting palaces, altars, offices.