Chapter 250
Chapter 250
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 250
Chapter Title: Your Empire (1)
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Sanhai Pass's defender against Joseon, Heshen, shared Kim Unhaeng's prediction: the Qing would ultimately have to retreat back to Manchuria.
To achieve that, they had no choice but to crush Joseon first—the weakest foe among neighboring powers based on past records.
Yet the emperor's personal campaign was a separate matter. A monarch charging to the front lines with his troops was a foolish act that should have ended around the 18th century BCE.
Reality always transcends theory, so even in the 18th century CE, there were at least two such rulers—one in Prussia, one in Joseon (no wonder their fathers worried fiercely about their futures and disciplined them harshly)—but that didn't make it any less absurd.
From the perspective of the far more sensible Qing ministers, they could never allow the Joseon king to engage the emperor in "debating the empire from horseback."
The ministers had to clear the emperor's path first.
Judging from the barely delivered dispatch that had traversed northern Manchuria and Inner Mongolia—regions beyond Joseon's reach—via Jilin and the Amur River, the emperor's raid on Hamgyong Province was doomed.
The report that two of the Three Great Generals and the main force seemed sealed within Sejong's magic formation was more despairing in its uncertainty than the defeat itself. If even headquarters could only speculate on the situation, they were truly, perfectly isolated.
Yet no minister could tell the emperor to take responsibility. Kim Unhaeng would surely feel a sense of kinship with such ministers right now, tasked with cleaning up after their lord.
With things as they were, they had to score a victory at the Liao River somehow. Only then could the emperor's impending personal expedition be a triumphant subjugation rather than a desperate last resort.
As Heshen pondered this, glad tidings mixed with ill news arrived.
"Joseon forces numbering over 3,000 are attacking Xingjing!"
The Joseon central army had thus far only repeated frustrating retreats and advances, plundering and provocations. The Liao River defense commanders were starting to suspect they aimed to break through by assassinating generals with cannon fire-induced apoplexy.
But now, those Joseon troops had finally launched an "attack."
This was a crisis, but also an opportunity.
Moreover, Xingjing was the twin stronghold protecting Shengjing, Manchuria's most vital city. Their intent was obvious.
The Joseon forces—whose location and objective had been unknown, making interception difficult—had finally been sighted.
Heshen played his strongest card.
Heshen summoned Manchu Yellow Banner Commander Orokdeng, the highest-ranking Qing military figure now that Fuca Buantang was absent.
"For months, Joseon has used raiding cavalry to threaten each fortress along the Liao River, so the generals fear losing their own bases and haven't committed fully to relieving Xingjing."
The Liao River defense generals had overestimated Joseon numbers based on their appearances across the entire front.
Accounting for stragglers, delays, and time lags, there had to be far more troops than visible. It was a reasonable inference, unless one assumed some absurd scam that even Luo Guanzhong would struggle against, manipulating forces whose positions they perfectly knew.
Heshen had worn out his lips insisting, "They're recklessly gambling, forgetting all danger—their actual strength is around 20,000."
But the wise generals merely replied that foolish propaganda for soldiers needn't apply to them.
In their view, Joseon could feint multiple fortresses simultaneously. No one wanted to rush to aid another only for their own to fall.
Spring had come to Liaodong, yet the snake on Shang Mountain had curled up for winter hibernation. Kim Unhaeng's three months of multi-pronged maneuvers weren't mere wasteful logistics like the zombie king Chae Je-gong's roars from Hanyang.
Heshen said darkly,
"His Majesty is concerned for the heir, so deploying the Imperial Guards who protect him is difficult. But I can request around 2,000 from the Yellow Banners under the Eight Imperial Banners' generals."
Orokdeng, who usually saw Heshen as a typical sycophant favored for his looks, agreed this time that national cooperation was essential.
He encouraged Heshen:
"That'll suffice. Bringing in the Infantry Battalion would only slow us. I'll shatter my bones for this—don't worry. The Joseon dogs couldn't attack because they hid; we've never been weak. They've shown their tail first; now they're all dead men."
Orokdeng rushed straight to Xingjing, where the presumptuous Joseon forces had dared attack.
Forming the core with the "Forbidden Brigade," supplemented by General Mingfu's battle-hardened Shengjing troops (the Qing had effectively lost over half of Shengjing's defenses) out of duty, they totaled about 3,000.
Equal numbers meant no chance of defeat. After smashing the attackers with this elite cavalry, they'd harvest the foolish Joseon detachments strung out along the Liao like wheat before they could regroup—just like in the Ming-Qing wars.
Their fearless charge was soon detected by the Joseon forces.
General Sinheup, attacking Xingjing—or rather, vigorously digging around it—took up his telescope at the scout's report.
"No mistake."
Unlike veterans like Kim Seong-eung and Yun Pil-deok, whom he'd known since Kim Unhaeng was a greenhorn,
Sinheup had first met him during his tenure as Pyeong'an Governor, when he'd subdued various barbarians and risen to the court's core.
Thus, Sinheup felt none of the vague unease long-time acquaintances harbored deep down. He trusted Kim Unhaeng completely.
So Sinheup issued orders without hesitation.
"Form the Chun sikjin!"
The troops, who had never intended to breach Xingjing anyway, forgot the fortress entirely and assembled.
Their formation—if Britons saw it (after checking for anyone wielding a Huai spirit injection staff)—would make them wonder if it was a blatant rip-off of British army square tactics.
But that was slander. Kim Unhaeng didn't even know the structure of European infantry squares.
Chun sikjin was the formation from Crown Prince Yi Hwon's martial manual, infused with "subtle numerical principles."
Not that some generals hadn't objected, but current Kim Unhaeng could resurrect wiped-out friendly units mid-wargame with a "hold on!"—so it was adopted as is.
And Sinheup was one who'd shouted, "Strong! The Joseon army is strong!" "As expected of Supreme Commander Kim Chunsik!"
"How many enemy troops?"
"About 3,000, sir."
"Then form three squares per the Chun sikjin's secrets, and since they're cavalry, place the artillery inside the squares."
First rule against cavalry: hide vulnerable cannons behind infantry defenses. Sinheup didn't question why one square per 1,000 men.
"Knee-shoot to receive them!"
The Joseon troops knelt resolutely on one knee.
They resembled Continental Army facing British cavalry in the Revolutionary War.
Not just because many wore redcoats seized from Britons. This was the first real test of European-style squares in the war, so it fit.
And the squares performed spectacularly, as expected.
How spectacular? Their power showed before Joseon even fired the first volley.
We were at Suam, far forward from Phoenix Fortress toward the Liao River.
The reason I'd come to the front was simple. The damn king kept insisting on going forward.
To top it off, Suam's deputy commander Eunbi, a former harbor chief, was giving me headaches.
He seemed to exploit home-field advantage fully. Fine that he boasted of his old ties to Supreme Commander Kim Unhaeng to anyone who'd listen—but those ties involved a sadae-mohwa figurine.
As I pondered beheading him for disloyalty despite his harbor post, my eyes scanning Shenyang caught odd movement.
Chun sikjin—only to be used against intercepting foes, as instructed.
Sinheup, formerly Pyongyang central, represented the old guard who sometimes doubted me; he was my protégé.
Not one to make a fuss normally. This meant the Qing had launched a full counterattack as anticipated.
I focused, zooming the map.
Three squares. A couple of four-man artillery teams inside.
Thus, 3,000 cavalry. Considering time for Qing to detect our Xingjing feint, this was a fast elite force.
I called Eunbi mid-chat with Hong Daeyong.
"If your army sortied to relieve Xingjing with 3,000 elite cavalry, who'd lead? Has the emperor come personally?"
Eunbi pondered my intent more than the answer.
He replied hesitantly only after my second prompt.
"If the emperor came, Beijing's infantry would bring tens of thousands. Likely vanguard—elite like the Eight Imperial Banners come to mind. Then it must be Yellow Banner Commander Uledeng."
"Too few troops for a banner commander?"
"Joseon attackers number just 3,000, and with the emperor's path unknown, they couldn't strip the guards bare. After witnessing your Nine Dragon Isles ploy clearly, they might prefer light forces instead."
"Understood."
Then Hong Daeyong interjected noisily again.
"Did you predict the enemy's moves by calculation, as always, Commander? We must report to His Highness at once."
My brother-in-law, recording my chat with Eunbi suspiciously meticulously, irked me now. I glared and replied,
"No. Just some tribal chief from the barbarian horde's left wing—nothing for His Highness to worry over. The underlings can handle this."
Hadn't the king said it before?
Only the emperor qualified to debate our monarch and empire.
The rest? I handled them cleanly, sharply, sensibly—as always.
Joseon gunfire was ferocious, as if they ignored powder rationing. Like they meant to end it today.
Orokdeng panicked, as if seeing ice that wouldn't melt despite boiling.
"Fighting Joseon troops? Fighting Joseon troops? Do they even exist?"
Casualties were heavy, and dusk fell, so Orokdeng decided to withdraw first.
Then devised a sensible plan.
"The art of war against besiegers: attack from inside and out. Have Xingjing's deputy commander sortie at dawn."
Adding 500 fortress troops would offset cavalry's infantry weakness.
Joseon should've fled as usual. Orokdeng the "patient general" smirked, exploiting the time gifted by foolish foes.
But Joseon didn't disappoint.
Their specialty shone. Orokdeng gaped at their next-day superhuman skill.
"They all fled?!"
Joseon had feinted occupation with blazing torches. Cannon fire from the walls was a bonus all night.
While Qing tensed, they vanished like wind—hooves wrapped in cloth, soldiers biting branches for stealthy retreat.
Even by era standards of hard night scouting, Joseon escape artistry was art itself.
Left were hindering cannons, ruined by daytime fire due to paper cannon frailty. Joseon's paper-punk tech gleamed.
Idle Xingjing deputy sighed in relief.
"Thanks to your virtue, General, we routed the Joseon dogs. This merit..."
"Nonsense! Chase them. Most are infantry anyway. Follow! If they're luring us, infantry must be near."
"B-but Xingjing..."
But Orokdeng, convinced of victory, saw nothing else.
"Joseon HQ doesn't even know we're here. How could they dispatch from Suam or Phoenix in a day? By the time orders flow and troops ready, I'll have them all beheaded! Don't disrupt morale with idle fears!"
Xingjing's deputy made the rational choice.
Blame Orokdeng if Xingjing fell later—but refusal now meant certain beheading.
So they joined the pursuit.
But Joseon evaded capture.
"Why can't cavalry catch infantry?!"
"Cavalry have spare mounts per man, so they might've used them all. And we're slowed by our own infantry..."
"Shut up!"
Xingjing's deputy shut his aggrieved mouth, but his ever-rational analysis missed the root this time.
Such analysis never mattered from the start.
No army could catch fleeing Joseon—not even allies.
For example, in Imjin, escape master Bae Seol dodged top Japanese general Won Gyun's Chilcheollyang disaster and Admiral Yi Sun-sin's net alike.
Even superior fugitive "Fastest King" evaded until Bae's father pinpointed him via quantum entanglement observation.
Manchuria lacked Joseon troops' fathers. Orokdeng chased "quantized" Joseon like netting photons.
Until Yun Pil-deuk and Kim Seong-eung's units—via Kim Unhaeng's bidirectional comms—struck empty Xingjing, then besieged Onyeo Fortress reliant on it, Orokdeng roamed Manchurian plains.
Qing Banners were clan-based status, not formations.
Manchu Yellow Banners: unimpeachable top-tier among top citizens.
Orokdeng meant to prove worthy—if Joseon cooperated.
They didn't. They refused interaction entirely.
A barbarian heavenly dragon chief was beneath their king's notice.
Joseon troops' immaterial traits are mocked as flight and defeat in battle.
Yet wielded right, they transform into assets anytime.
If Liberation Squadron was plunder-trained navy, Yi Hwon's central army was textbook-trained infantry via a year of drills.
Pair world-best "evasion" trait with Joseon, and behold "controlled flight." Supreme Commander Kim Unhaeng's "minimize winnable fights, even if wasteful" fit perfectly.
Under a modern ignorant of physics beyond Hong Daeyong, Joseon conquered pinnacle quantum mechanics.
"Xingjing Fortress fallen!"
"Onyeo Fortress surrenders, supply cut!"
"Yellow Banner Commander heard Joseon appeared near Liaoyang, rushed there... lost! 15,000 at Liaoyang gates! Commander routed behind Prince River, entrenched!"
Heshen wanted to wail.
Even a pretty boy sold for debts, serving a rich man's bed (common in Japan and Qing), wouldn't feel this wronged.
As martial Manchu, knowing war better than Kim Unhaeng, the injustice burned deeper. This was fraud.
"Impossible! We have traitors inside! Must be colluding with turncoat Suam deputy Eunbi—root them out, clans and all!"
Eunbi had shared key intel, but not as a spy—so futile. Nor could spies explain that reaction speed.
Better to stay put.
Defenses work only with forward outposts intact.
Losing key Xingjing and Onyeo halved Liao defenses.
Interceptor smashed too—like disarming a warrior.
Unforgivable. Heshen rasped to aide Yujeon,
"Bring ample white silk."
Yujeon sensed irrepressible despair in his voice.
Half for memorials, half for noose. Without Heshen, Yujeon faced instant death from accumulated grudges—he hastily dissuaded.
"Victory and defeat are heaven's will. How could we betray His Majesty over this?"
"Quiet. How can I survive this humiliation from some eastern petty king's vassal?"
First "Chinese commander defeated by Joseon" since its founding. Including Jurchens, who could boast before Sejong? But now they were "China"—humiliation doubled.
Yujeon swallowed. After long staring at his master's haggard form, he dashed out.
So long Yujeon seemed fled sensing downfall—then returned with silk as bid.
Heshen grimaced even then.
"In this plight, you scorn me so? I'm still an imperial duke—must I hang with silk scribbled by brats?"
Yujeon panicked.
"N-no, look closely."
Heshen did. Practice poetry? Decent calligraphy, but childish lines, flat progression clearly for kids...
Heshen dropped the silk and kowtowed before it.
Then glared fiercely at Yujeon.
"His Majesty! Has come to Sanhai Pass?!"
Yujeon knelt too, choking,
"Yes. His Majesty foresaw your resolve from afar, arrived like wind with remaining Imperial Banners unseen. He gave this edict, rebuking suicidal disloyalty! Beijing's Nine Gates Infantry Commanders follow with tens of thousands!"
Heshen matched Yujeon's state.
Speechless, he suppressed surging emotion, offering triple bows and nine head-knocks anew to the would-be suicide silk.
Humanity's master had left his jade throne for the first time since war's start.
Author's Note
1. Orokdeng (Uledeng) first appeared in Chapter 242, "Empire Strikes Back" part, discussing Tianjin battle responses.
2. Qing Imperial Guards then: Infantry (Infantry Commanders' Office) ~50,000 on paper, Cavalry (Eight Imperial Banners) ~17,000. Actual varied by era/situation, plus auxiliaries—but simplified here.
In-story, hard due to capital departure risk, but deploying Eight Banners wasn't taboo. E.g., historical Dzungar expeditions drew heavily from them.
3. Joseon "leather cannons" (jipo/paper cannons) from Injo era mentioned in Chapter 163, "Jeongchuk Fortress Ha-seong" part.