Chapter 242
Chapter 242
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: Empire's Counterattack (2)
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Marching steadfastly into Beijing to reassure the people—and now having lavishly expended his not-so-plentiful war reserves—the Qianlong Emperor unleashed his full might.
What he prided himself on most, his specialty: composing a poem to bestow upon his assembled officials as a future edict.
Thus was scattered the Qianlong Emperor's overwhelming classical Chinese verse, said to rival in quantity the constellation of poets from the "Land of Song," the Tang Dynasty, all by himself.
The Qing officials, receiving the singing bard-emperor's proclamation, bowed their heads in unison. If the emperor saw their faces now, they'd be dead.
It was the sentiment that if he was going to scribble something like this bastard child of prose and verse, forbidden mixture, why not just issue a plain edict? Why waste time agonizing over rhymes in this dire crisis?
Even Hwasin couldn't bring himself to praise such childish lines. Instead, he swiftly interpreted the emperor's poem for them.
The Qing officials were far wiser than fools like Yang Su from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, who kept spoiling their lord's writings and got cut off from this world for it.
Among them, the most socially savvy, Hwasin, had pretended utter ignorance of the "high-level" implications in the emperor's poem.
But now was no time for that.
"King Wu was originally the son of the Lord of the West. This means we must not neglect the Dragon's Birthplace, Manchuria."
Never mind the pointless nitpick that King Jie was King Wu's superior, making the analogy nonsense—this hinted at something crucial.
The covert protocol from the Three Feuds era: "Contingency for Continental Dominion Transfer via Heaven's Mandate."
Return to the homeland, Manchuria.
Of course, this didn't mean complying with Joseon's Seven Rites demand.
The ginseng claim predated Joseon; the Jurchens had asserted it longer, and they'd enforced it by conquering Joseon. Joseon hadn't succeeded yet. Manchuria was Jurchen land.
The key in this protocol: as Joseon once feared, the retreat path included Joseon territory.
In other words, shrink the defensive perimeter, concentrate forces, smash the insolent traitor Joseon, then catch breath in Manchuria.
But that meant effectively abandoning Huabei, especially Zhili and Beijing.
Now that Hwasin had somewhat recovered and could assert himself, Manchurian bannerman Uledeng frowned.
"Who doesn't know that? Does Your Majesty mean to leave Yingjili's army in Tianjin and block Joseon first? Beijing is just as vital."
The Manchu nobles had long become bodies unable to survive without Zhili's wealth. No one wanted to return to that barren Manchuria—not even for free, except land-crazed Russians.
Beyond personal greed, strategy posed problems.
"If we retreat carelessly and Yingjili's forces sweep through Tianjin unopposed, capture Beijing, and pursue us, what then? Even if they can't advance far overland, they have many grand ships. They could sail back, land near the Yalu or Liaodong, and cut our path first."
Like any recall order, a British counterstrike mid-execution cancels it.
Game over. Better to squeeze final strength from still-controlled Zhili, awaiting Fu Chang's great army from Yungui.
Uledeng shot Hwasin a sticky glare: 'So get in the emperor's bedchamber or whatever and speak for us.'
But ignoring it, Hwasin added to his interpretation.
"We must heed the lines that follow without omission. Not just 'ancient homeland,' but 'old friends' as well."
Generals and ministers exchanged looks: what friends do we have left?
Per the poem: Northern Ice Palace Russians, Potala Palace Tibetans and Dzungars, Southern Wild Beasts Burmese, Eastern Ocean Longhairs Joseon, Moon-Behind-Their-Heads Westerners—all frontier powers lunging at the righteous realm (Han Chinese too weak in martial arts to bother).
Hwasin addressed Ariqun, Minister of War.
"Summon all remaining Eight Banners from Inner Mongolia now."
Uledeng couldn't hold back.
"Your idea is just the Mongol Banners? No. Since the Qing army's Banner detachment went to Japan and never returned, they've insolently resented the Great Khan (Qing Emperor)."
The Qing Banner evaporation in Japan (not my death), fine—but Dzungar campaigns had turned Inner Mongolia levies from economic stimulus to outright plunder long ago.
Even without that, only Jurchens were trustworthy from the start. The protocol routed through Joseon fearing Mongol backstabs.
But as if awaiting those words, Hwasin smiled triumphantly.
"Noisy malcontents are ever a handful; the masses harbor loyalty from birth. Minister, summon the new Governor-General of Northern Defense, Mongol Zheng Huangqi commander Sekechin."
As Hwasin said, Inner Mongolia grumbled but hadn't rebelled yet.
Rebellion wasn't some trivial reflex; and current tribes had a fatal weakness.
Exactly as Qianlong said: Qing's oldest friends.
From wild Jianzhou Jurchen days, Qing built alliances swapping manitous with Mongols. Post-entry, they treated Mongols near-equals to Manchus as ruling partners. Mongol cavalry shone in Joseon conquests and beyond.
Meaning: to Qing's enemies, Mongols were mere vanguard to exterminate alongside.
Sink or swim together. As the sole non-rebellious force in the Qing confederation, timing was lost.
Hwasin leveraged this for agitation.
"If lips ignore teeth, how fare the lips? The brutal massacre of former Deputy Left Army Commander Qingjunzibu and Mongol Banners in Japan was by Yingjili men."
Danuma Okitsugu boasted domestically of "inviting Yingjili to Kyushu, double-crossing the Qing army, expelling Western barbarians cleanly before harm"—Qing now knew the truth.
"Repay sword with sword, not words or complaints—or shame the forty-eight banners' valiant warriors? Step forward now, general: honor loyalty above, right the path below."
Sekechin was reluctant but accepted, as intended, becoming Qing's Mongol envoy to sway kin.
Mongol men were all warriors; no separate training needed. Nomad armies had low ceilings anyway.
But urgency made it a strength.
Not true Banners, but 30,000 Inner Mongol horsemen poured into Zhili, ready with own mounts and traditional rations.
No one cared if they plundered Zhili folk anymore.
As in the 21st century, war or disaster is calamity only to the lowly who must venture out regardless.
To safe nobles, shorting or stock pumps. Even convenient—no admin waste dividing taxes.
Corruption genius Hwasin hoarded skyrocketing grain for future power recovery.
Meanwhile, plunder-boosted morale; Sekechin joined Tianjin's Shengjing forces.
Hoisting banners, he declared:
"Avenge the Deputy Left Commander and tens of thousands of kin! Tear Yingjili scum to shreds, feed to gulls!"
After Kyushu, environmental warriors' second Greenpeace clash in Zhili.
This home-turf imperial counterattack was no trifle. British forces, marching through Tianjin pollution and ruin, faced fierce resistance.
Thus pitting Inner Mongols against British for mutual annihilation, Hwasin finally prepared the Manchu recall protocol with ease.
Qianlong forgave Hwasin for poaching Sekechin, deploying him to Joseon defense as decisive closure—emperor's magnanimity and strict rewards-punishments.
Beijing's Banners intact. Old Manchu-Byeongja hordes smaller yet swept Joseon like grass.
What gave these bow-from-mountain-castle Joseon troops confidence to crawl out? Elves charging melee get diced.
Consulting military experts Uledeng, Ariqun, Hwasin adopted Injo the Brave King's strategy.
If Joseon stalls at one Eastern Eight Garrisons fort, unleash Beijing's Forbidden Eight plus Nine Gates Infantry Commanders. Emperor soon shifts to Eleven Shengjing; minimize Beijing guard.
Phoenix Fortress should suffice.
"Uncontrollable savage Westerners submit solely to Joseon."
One basis for Joseon's Seven Rites world-order claim.
Quite traditional.
Norons countered pro-West Southerners differently from European imperialism.
Superiority not from conquest.
Xiongnu, Khitans, Xianbei, Jurchens all conquered with spears. Superior to China?
True superiors make bandits bow willingly—that's kingly way.
Force aids, but key is post-battle "civilizing."
Thus, Westerners joined despite no tech need—to flaunt Joseon virtue.
Dutch irregulars edged other units for expedition to show off.
No Noron consensus, no barbarian intrusion in vital ops, no matter Southern push.
Broadly, Han Jung-rang's South Sea fleet dragging French officers in Chun-sik-gap for same reason.
Thus, Crown Prince's tutor-like Austrian Jesuits couldn't be omitted.
Excuse: Jesuit map knowledge for northern China.
But path so far needed little maps—Joseon paths Europeans trod nauseum for 400 years.
So priests did enthusiastic, hands-on work beyond maps.
Jesuit Anton Gojaizl griped to predecessor Ferdinand von Hallerstein.
"It's like the Sun King's army."
Not that Joseon matched peak European elite infantry.
Like Louis: king joins "arithmetic siege."
Louis favored safe, sure sieges fit for kings.
Sunzi called siege direst [lowest tactic], sadly ignorant of math (gunpowder).
Modern geometry-trained officers: zigzag trenches by precise calc, mortars at exact spots—fort falls on schedule.
No king portraits like Louis, but for anxious Joseon generals fearing Yi Hwon dual-sword cavalry charge, alluring.
Grand Marshal of Joseon Forces Kim Unhaeng backed it.
"Jurchens lost virtue, paying grudge debts everywhere; we needn't rush. Caution thrice. Ensure no flea harms His Majesty."
Problem: save Hong Daeyong, no Joseon troops knew math.
Modern Kim Unhaeng? Ask Noryangjin randos trig functions. To humanities, post-Suneung-vanishing knowledge; absent civilservice exams.
Hence two priests: trig, exhaustion method (pre-calc), and—unlike high schoolers—they understood.
Thus applicable to non-major: war.
Kim Unhaeng worked priests till saddle-sore, abacus-broke. Joseon dug Phoenix surrounds per calcs. Shovels rare in metal-poor Joseon; villages lost tools, fled north.
No external aid counters steady siege hallmark. Qing Phoenix general Sakrak-mokchaekreung endured nonstop shelling like sky-roaring.
Hallerstein eyed Yi Hwon, wry smile.
"Sun King wielded giant France's wealth-army freely. Joseon more David than Goliath. Perhaps your king outdoes Sun King."
To dubious Gojaizl, Hallerstein added motive.
"Interrogations say astonishingly: war (Seven Years') we (Austria) crushed Prussia. Finish well, return with Joseon mission glory."
Dunno how beat war-mad Prussians, but British losers confirm. Joseon (victor) Russia alliance-ish? Good coming here.
Gojaizl sighed.
"Hope so."
But trench-mortar siege no European patent; Qing knew it.
Pro: ends on schedule.
Con: only on schedule.
Sakrak-mokchaekreung roughly calculated Phoenix fall, dispatched couriers sacrificially.
One miscalc: Kim Unhaeng total commander, but not total field chief.
Yi Hwon, siege-stalled fury, ordered generals:
"Dawdling at tiny fort delays grand plan. I hear tunneling topples walls. Select stout troops, dig under!"
Very tactic felled Yuan Shao's century-proof Guandu iron fortress by Gong Sunchan.
No scoffing empty-fantasy. Unlike Later Han: now gunpowder.
Hong Gyeongrae revolt: Qing mocked Joseon at Jeongju for lacking siege guns-equip.
But Joseon took it.
No mortars, dug tunnels gritty, packed powder, blew wall. East Sea spirit.
Plus trenches pinned Qing inside—ideal. Generals shoved officers per king's spur.
Officers, valuing lives, deployed construct-bots, armed drones.
Russians-Dutch wept pioneering digs; soon easy powder-bury tunnel done.
Kim Unhaeng queasily reported completion; Yi Hwon thrust sword ahorse.
"Activate Chun-sik-gap!"
Samjeon-do explosion-proved stabler-than-fuse Chun-sik-gap MK2 current raced copper wire.
Since Goguryeo fortress Phoenix crumbled, ancient relic's end. Joseon cheering over rubble caught Sakrak-mokchaekreung this time.
Kim Unhaeng, missionary-like, eyed north.
Must indulge king's taste somewhat. Yi Hwon war-frustrated rampage disastrous.
Kim Unhaeng winked one eye shut.
Author's Note
1. The Complete Tang Poetry (<全唐書>), compiled Kangxi era, holds ~49,000 Tang poems; Qianlong's output in ch.145 'Great Hero Kim Chunsik' part totals ~44,000. Truly rivaling ALL famed Tang poets singlehanded (Tang famed for verse in Chinese history). Over 40k includes some highly rated flukes.
2. Qianlong verse dissed for lacking poetic aesthetics, just stringing prosaic lines. He hid self-allusions/classics-allusions for ministers to interpret; delighted if they "failed" (perhaps deliberate). In-story kid-obvious hints exaggerated, sure.
3. Nurhaci-Hung Taiji era, Jurchens clashed Joseon over ginseng. Hung Taiji protested: "We don't hunt sable in Joseon (we did), why Joseon guards cross Baekdu for ginseng?" Subtly: sables Joseon specialty, ginseng Jurchen. Poor-farm Jurchens staked life on ginseng; funded tight early Mongol ties via gifts. Post-Horan, squeezed Joseon gifts to Mongols.
4. Originally, Kim Unhaeng gifting tea causing British (then Draper East India) withdrawal, Danuma Okitsugu claiming credit domestically advertised in ch.198 'Dice Rattling in the Barrel'.
5. Today's Qing brass: slight post diffs, but all real high martial/military figures of era.