After reading the navy’s dispatch with joy, Choi Yoon-deok quickly regained his composure and analyzed the situation.
“Within days, they’ll hear about Shanhaiguan. Then how will they move?”
Choi Yoon-deok immediately called his commanders and asked this question. The commanders and staff officers’ opinions were divided into two:
-With massive troop losses and supplies cut off, retreat is the only answer.
-No. From another perspective, the enemy is now in a fight-to-death formation. They’re likely to attack with full force, staking everything.
“Both sides make good points…”
Hearing both opinions, Choi Yoon-deok nodded. While stroking his beard and pondering briefly, his face suddenly brightened as if struck by a good idea.
“At times like this, it’s the navy indeed!”
***
Around when Choi Yoon-deok received his report, Ming Commander-in-Chief Han Yixin also received similar urgent news.
“Shanhaiguan collapsed? Supply routes cut? What’s going on!”
The messenger, covered in scabs perhaps from the hardships of the journey, bowed his head and added:
“It fell to Joseon naval attacks, sir.”
“Shanhaiguan sits ten li inland from the coast! Are you saying Joseon warships grew legs and climbed up there! Talk sense!”
“The Joseon navy directly attacked branch fortresses like Laolongtou, Yuhaicheng, and Miehaicheng. The main fortress wasn’t damaged.”
“Then why talk of supply lines being cut! The road from Shanhaiguan to here runs at least five li from the coast!”
Han Yixin and his subordinate commanders all stared at the messenger with expressions full of disbelief. They had all come along that very road.
To Han Yixin’s point, the messenger explained the reason:
“The Joseon navy made direct landings, sir!”
***
After annihilating Ming’s navy, the Joseon navy burned everything from near the Shandong Peninsula to Ming naval bases further south. With only far southern naval bases remaining, Korea’s West Sea had become completely Joseon navy’s playground.
Having prevented such backstabbing, the Joseon navy completed reorganizing and targeted Shanhaiguan.
To attack Shanhaiguan, Ming forces’ lifeline into Liaodong, the Joseon navy scraped together every remaining force. They mobilized almost everything except forces guarding Tsushima and checking Japan, and those deployed for deep-sea operations.
And to transport these scraped-together troops and weapons, they requisitioned merchant ships from trading companies that were essentially closed for business.
This was when the foresight of Hyang, King Sejong, and the court shone.
***
Led by the Maengjin ship, the northward-advancing Joseon navy reduced Shanhaiguan’s southern area to ashes.
The southern branch fortresses of Shanhaiguan, transformed into solid defenses through gradual expansion and renovation since the Hongwu Emperor, became ruins under Joseon bombardment.
After destroying the coastal defenses, the Joseon navy immediately landed troops.
Though only numbering about 30,000, their destructive power was formidable, befitting naval forces who prided themselves on superior artillery and gunnery skills than even the army and naval infantry.
Here, naval troops of Jurchen origin shone. An improvised cavalry unit composed of Jurchen natives with excellent horsemanship belied the word “improvised,” wreaking havoc on Ming’s supply routes from Shanhaiguan to Liaodong.
And Ming forces sent to repel them were annihilated in crossfire from ambushing Joseon naval forces.
Attempts to repair broken walls failed repeatedly, blocked by Joseon warships at sea.
Additionally, reinforcement and supply attempts for their forces in Liaodong repeatedly failed, taking losses from combined attacks from sea and land.
***
“Damn it all!”
Han Yixin cursed after hearing the messenger’s explanation.
“We need even more troops and supplies to break through those damned wire entanglements!”
In twenty days of battle, deaths alone numbered 150,000. This was just the deaths from breaking through the wire entanglements, not counting losses on the way here, troops lost in flanking attacks, and wounded. And as the weather grew hotter, disease began spreading, while soldiers unable to overcome their wounds due to medicine shortages were dying in increasing numbers.
Through such desperate fighting, they had broken through four of the six layers of wire entanglements Joseon had laid.
From generals to common soldiers, all Ming forces trembled at Joseon’s wire entanglements.
It wasn’t simply six layers of wire entanglements. It was six layers paired in twos, totaling twelve layers of wire entanglement walls.
Behind each paired layer of wire entanglements were invariably trench lines, from which Joseon forces poured constant rifle and artillery fire.
Breaking through wire entanglements along paths paved with corpses, they faced even more intense bullet curtains, forcing Ming forces to lie flat waiting for the barrage to end. And when the bullet curtains lifted, the Joseon forces in the trenches ahead had vanished.
Even after taking one trench line, subsequent Ming forces’ advance was hindered by continuing Joseon attacks, and Joseon counterattacks repeatedly retook captured trenches.
After such hellish repeated battles, fighting desperately to break through and completely destroy wire entanglements to render them useless, they had broken through four layers.
“With the soldiers’ current condition, breaking through the remaining two layers is impossible!”
Han Yixin shouted in a despairing tone.
They had lost nearly 300,000 of their 800,000 troops. Though numbers showed 500,000 remaining, less than 300,000 were properly trained infantry. The rest were mostly engineers and supply troops. Of course, 300,000 wasn’t a small number, and they could throw in engineers and supply troops if needed.
The biggest problem was that troop morale had hit rock bottom.
Though proper counts hadn’t come in, there were reports of thousands of soldiers who had lost their minds experiencing the hellish war of attrition. And the number of soldiers caught deserting and executed was gradually increasing.
Fresh reinforcements were absolutely necessary to escape this situation.
Pacing in his command tent while pondering, Han Yixin ordered his subordinates.
“Give the soldiers three days’ rest! We’ll settle this in three days!”
“Yes, sir!”
Han Yixin’s subordinates answered with hardened expressions to his decision.
And these orders from Han Yixin were immediately conveyed to all soldiers. Hearing the orders, soldiers prayed for luck to Buddha and the Supreme Emperor.
Three days later, they received unexpected visitors.
***
“General! Disaster has struck!”
Han Yixin, tying his helmet straps while resolved for a final battle, came out of his tent at his aide’s anguished cry.
“What’s happened?”
To Han Yixin’s question, a messenger beside the aide spoke instead.
“The Joseon navy has appeared! They’re preparing to sail up the Twin Crown Prince River!”
“What!”
Han Yixin staggered momentarily at the messenger’s report.
“General!”
“General!”
Thanks to subordinate officers quickly supporting him, Han Yixin avoided falling and lamented looking at the sky.
“Ah~. How could this… Even after doing all humanly possible and awaiting heaven’s will, why does heaven…”
Han Yixin, crying out in anguish, ordered while shedding tears of blood:
“Prepare to retreat! If Joseon’s navy blocks the Twin Crown Prince River, we’ll be completely surrounded!”
***
“Ming forces’ movements are suspicious?”
“Yes, General.”
Checking communications from flying vessels scouting Ming positions, Choi Yoon-deok stroked his beard.
“A final battle, or retreat?”
To Choi Yoon-deok’s mutter, Lee Jing-ok offered his opinion.
“Must be retreat, sir? Our navy arrived at the Twin Crown Prince River mouth this morning. Anyone trained in military arts would anticipate being surrounded.”
“That’s possible, but they might also launch a suicide charge in desperation.”
At Choi Yoon-deok’s counter, Lee Jing-ok wore an expression of disbelief.
“What commander would make such a foolish choice? If he died alone, he might at least earn sympathy, but having his soldiers die meaninglessly would only earn mockery.”
“Mightn’t someone who fears the Emperor’s punishment more than mockery make such a decision?”
At Choi Yoon-deok’s point, Lee Jing-ok silently shook his head.
Seeing Lee Jing-ok’s response, Choi Yoon-deok turned his gaze toward the battle line and muttered.
“Let’s just hope the enemy commander is someone capable of minimal thought.”
The next day, flying vessels observing enemy positions all sent urgent reports:
-Ming forces beginning withdrawal! -Ming forces beginning withdrawal from trench lines! -Rear guard about 30,000!
After confirming the urgent reports from the flying vessels, Choi Yoon-deok gathered his subordinate commanders.
“When guests depart, shouldn’t we give them a proper send-off? Isn’t it our custom to see off honored guests from afar?”
“Indeed, sir!”
“Then we must send them off properly. Which unit has taken the least losses now?”
Choi Yoon-deok began preparing to pursue the retreating Ming forces.
Thus began the ‘Great Pursuit’ called the crowning moment of the latter half of the Great Battle of Guangning.
***
While Ming forces were being driven to defeat in Liaodong, Beijing was also in crisis.
“The Japanese pirates still aren’t suppressed?”
“The pirates’ momentum is just too fierce…”
“Didn’t I tell you to deploy gun troops!”
At Emperor Xuande’s rebuke, the Right Commander replied sweating profusely.
“We did deploy them, but the pirates handle matchlocks even better…”
Though the Right Commander trailed off, Emperor Xuande understood immediately.
“You mean it actually helped them?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Hah~.”
Emperor Xuande placed his hand on his forehead and sighed deeply.
“Nothing can be done. Conscript as many soldiers as possible for pirate suppression. Convey my orders even to those ruffians who insist on calling themselves martial artists. Tell them if they truly know chivalry as they claim, they should step forward to eliminate the pirates.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“And what’s the situation at Shanhaiguan? Is it still blocked?”
“Though we’re doing our best…”
As the Left Commander trailed off, Emperor Xuande exploded.
“How can mere 30,000 troops and dozens of warships tie down our heavenly army! Moreover, at Shanhaiguan in our own territory, not enemy land!”
“Please forgive our incompetence!”
“Please forgive us!”
At Emperor Xuande’s outburst, the ministers prostrated themselves begging forgiveness. But Emperor Xuande’s anger wouldn’t easily subside.
“Forgiveness! Forgiveness! You think just asking forgiveness ends it! Provide answers! Answers!”
“Please forgive us!”
“Such incompetent fools!”
Just then, a commander rushed into the main hall.
“What’s happened!”
“Emergency in the north! The Oirat are moving!”
“Kugh!”
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
When what he had most feared occurred, Emperor Xuande collapsed coughing blood. Shocked ministers and eunuchs hurriedly supported him.
“Imperial physician! Summon the imperial physician!”
***
Only that evening did Emperor Xuande regain consciousness.
“Physician, do I have any hope?”
“…”
When the physician remained silent, Emperor Xuande smiled bitterly and asked again.
“How many days can I last?”
“I will do my utmost, Your Majesty.”
“…”
After a moment’s silence at the physician’s answer, Emperor Xuande ordered a eunuch.
“Summon the Cabinet Senior Grand Secretary.”
As if already waiting, the Cabinet Senior Grand Secretary arrived immediately.
“Senior Secretary, summon the Crown Prince. Is the land route possible?”
“…”
Seeing the Cabinet Senior Grand Secretary silently bow his head, Emperor Xuande turned his gaze to the ceiling and issued orders.
“Negotiate with Joseon about ending the war.”