While the European country bumpkins were marveling at new things in Seoul, the remaining Ming people in the Northern Territory were astonished by the Empire’s resolute actions.
***
Around Mid-Autumn Festival last year, proclamations carrying Hyang’s orders were posted throughout the Northern Territory.
-Notice to all residents of the Northern Territory! Register your household registry and land with the Imperial Office by the winter solstice!
This is an Imperial Edict of the Empire’s Emperor!
Those who refuse will be unconditionally expelled! Those who resist will face military force!
Following Hyang’s firm decision, all residents in the Liaohe region, known as the Northern Territory, had to register their households and land.
“The deadline is winter solstice! Anyone not registered after winter solstice will be expelled without exception!”
Imperial officials dispatched to the Northern Territory traveled throughout the region, shouting until their voices grew hoarse.
Their warnings targeted Ming people and Sinicized Jurchens in the Liaohe region who were still conducting resistance movements.
After seeing the official documents and watching officials going around shouting, these dissenting groups split into two reactions.
“So this is it? Tch! We have no choice!”
“It seems certain that the Emperor in Beijing has abandoned us.”
While some continued to come forward to register their households and land, accepting the changing times, many others remained steadfast in their refusal.
“Hmph! Let them shout all they want!”
“They say the loudest barkers are never the most fearsome!”
“Who are they to demand we register our land!”
“What are they going to do, kill us all? If we hold out, we’ll win!”
While they held out, believing in their numbers, the winter solstice passed, and Imperial troops and officials descended upon the Northern Territory villages.
Bang bang bang!
“Everyone out!”
“Come out of your houses immediately!”
Soldiers went from house to house, roughly pounding on doors and shouting. However, the villagers’ response was sluggish. Seeing many houses still silent despite all the shouting, the Imperial military commander ordered his subordinates.
“Break them down!”
“Yes, sir!”
When the Imperial soldiers who received the order began chopping down the gates with axes, the Ming people and Jurchens inside came scrambling out.
As the villagers gathered in the open space before the village, an official raised his voice.
“We will inspect household registries! Present your identity tablets!”
At the official’s command, backed by fully armed Imperial troops radiating killing intent, several villagers extended their identity tablets.
As the registry official compared the household registrations and identity tablets, the Imperial commander muttered while watching those gathered to one side, merely observing the situation.
“The picture’s becoming clear…”
Those now presenting identity tablets were the ones who had come out immediately at the soldiers’ calls. Meanwhile, those gathered separately, merely watching, were the ones who had only emerged after their gates were destroyed.
“The verification is complete. All registered villagers are accounted for.”
“Is it our turn now?”
At the commander’s question, the official observed the situation briefly before answering.
“Please wait a moment longer.”
The official who thus stopped the Imperial army’s movement issued orders to the village head through an interpreter.
“You have one time-division (시진, approximately two hours). Those who have not complied with the Imperial Edict must immediately settle their affairs and prepare to move.”
“Oh heavens, my lord!”
Though the village head cried out in dismay, the official remained unmoved.
“These people ignored repeated urgings and refused to follow the Imperial Edict! Did they think they could continue living in this Empire while defying Imperial orders? Tell those fools!”
At the official’s thundering, the village head conveyed the official’s orders to the villagers gathered to one side.
However, the villagers responded with crude curses and angry roars.
“Advance the unit!”
Suddenly, at the commander’s order, the Imperial troops standing behind all stepped forward at once, gripping their rifles. Seeing the troops’ fierce expressions as they held rifles with gleaming bayonets attached, the villagers finally realized the gravity of the situation.
“幫我! (Help me!)”
“請救救我的命! (Please spare my life!)”
The villagers who had maintained their insolent attitude until then immediately fell to their knees, raising clasped hands high and pitifully begging for mercy.
“Unit halt.”
When the troops stopped at the commander’s order, the official again issued orders to the village head.
“Tell them they have one time-division to settle their affairs and prepare to leave.”
This time, the village head’s relay of orders was met not with angry roars but with wails of grief.
“They say that ordering them to leave when winter has already come is tantamount to ordering their deaths. They beg to be allowed to leave after surviving the winter.”
The official who heard the village head and villagers’ pleas through the interpreter thought for a long while before turning to the commander with a troubled expression.
“This has become rather awkward. Indeed, winter came earlier this year. If they leave now, it’s certain that if not all, then a significant number will freeze to death on the journey.”
“We cannot disobey the Imperial Edict, however.”
“I understand that, but dealing with frozen corpses will also be troublesome.”
At the official’s words, the commander’s expression also grew troubled.
Digging frozen ground to bury corpses would be considerable work. Yet leaving them exposed would surely attract wolves and other predators. Even if they were lucky enough to avoid predators, the bodies frozen through winter could become sources of plague once they began thawing in spring.
“Hmm…”
After brief contemplation, the commander chose the easiest solution.
“Let’s inquire with the higher-ups.”
***
Such situations occurred in many places throughout the Northern Territory, and letters requesting countermeasures flooded into Seoul.
“Didn’t we anticipate such situations when setting the deadline at winter solstice?”
Hyang, wearing an expression of incomprehension, questioned Hwang Hui. At Hyang’s point, Hwang Hui bowed his head and answered.
“Though we anticipated it, this winter came earlier than expected. Moreover, the winters in the Northern Territory have grown more severe than before…”
“And that’s why this chaos has erupted?”
“I apologize… We were incompetent…”
“Haa…”
Exhaling in frustration, Hyang closed his mouth and began analyzing the situation.
Even in the 21st century, when they talked about global warming making things warmer, I almost froze to death at the DMZ in Gangwon Province. In the 15th century, and in the Northern Territory which is even further north than Gangwon-do, the situation is pretty obvious…
“Not only are the disobedient ones a problem, but our soldiers’ hardship will be an issue as well, won’t it?”
At Hyang’s question, Hwang Hui immediately bowed his head.
“Indeed. The burden on our Imperial soldiers will be greater than anticipated.”
“Hmm…”
Listening to Hwang Hui’s words, Hyang analyzed the situation again.
It would be easier to drive them out after the weather improves. But if we do that, those damned barbarians in the North will likely misinterpret… No, not likely – they definitely will misinterpret.
Having thought that far, Hyang growled at Hwang Hui.
“How does the Prime Minister think that whatever decision I make will become a poor move for me?”
At Hyang’s words, Hwang Hui bowed his head again and answered.
“Wouldn’t that depend on how we phrase it? If we say, ‘Even for those ungrateful ones who rebel against the Empire and Emperor, we cannot drive them into death in this harsh winter, so mercy was granted,’ people would rather praise Your Majesty. Moreover, the people of this land have always favored the rule of three. Including this time makes three attempts, so none would dare criticize whatever decision Your Majesty makes.”
After carefully considering Hwang Hui’s answer, Hyang smiled and reached a conclusion.
“Hahaha! Indeed! As the ancient Han Gaozu had Zhang Liang, I have my Prime Minister! With the Prime Minister by my side, I can rest assured. Let us continue working together for the Empire’s peace!”
“…Your Imperial grace is boundless.”
After the meeting ended, Hwang Hui stepped outside and muttered while looking at the sky heavy with dark clouds.
“Damn it all… Both the sky and my life are gloomy… Tried to be clever and got caught again… Another resignation letter wasted on paper.”
***
-Though they have defied the Empire, driving them out in these harsh times does not accord with principle, so expulsion will be carried out at next year’s spring equinox. This is our final warning – register your households and land before the spring equinox!
Do not forget that three chances are sufficient!
Hyang’s proclamation was posted throughout the Empire. Seeing this, the Empire’s people from the original territory all nodded.
“That’s right. They say three chances from ancient times, so giving three chances is reasonable.”
“Our Emperor is truly magnanimous!”
However, those holding out in the Northern Territory thought differently.
-If we hold out, it will work! If we just hold out a little longer, they will give up!
It was a critical misjudgment.
***
Thus the year passed, and while the original territory was busy preparing to deal with the European bumpkins, the Imperial army began moving in earnest in the Northern Territory.
In addition to the units already stationed in the Northern Territory, units stationed in the original territory moved north using iron horses and ships.
Seeing the Imperial army methodically preparing, the Wild Jurchens, Western Jurchens, and Jianzhou Jurchens began watching the situation while shrinking back nervously.
They could smell the bloody scent emanating knowingly or unknowingly from the increasingly strengthening Imperial army.
“Another bloodstorm is coming…”
“Fortunate that we finished our household and land registration early.”
“Though we won’t be able to move around freely like before, at least we’ve gained safety, so perhaps it’s fortunate?”
Those who quietly sighed in relief quietly observed the progression of events.
-If we play our cards right, this could be a great opportunity!
They instinctively recognized that a great opportunity had arrived.
***
Five days after the spring equinox, the Imperial army once again visited the villages of the malcontents.
The Imperial official who gathered the villagers separated those with and without identity tablets.
When the classification was complete, the official ordered those without tablets:
“You have one time-division! Settle all your affairs and prepare to leave!”
At the official’s order, those without tablets once again fell to their knees, waving clasped hands and raising their voices:
“We’ve already finished sowing – we can’t leave! We’ll leave right after the harvest!”
“Please allow us to stay until harvest time!”
Though those without tablets desperately pleaded, the official did not back down.
“The order will not change! Go in and settle your affairs immediately!”
At the official’s firm answer, the residents who had been pleading just moments ago rose and began shouting.
“Unit advance!”
Though the waiting Imperial troops stepped forward at this sight, the defiant residents’ resistance grew fiercer. The farmers leading this incident raised their voices toward their neighboring villagers:
“Don’t be afraid! No matter that they’re Imperial troops, they cannot use force recklessly!”
“That’s right! Remember the Imperial army’s actions until now! It’s just empty threats!”
“We must hold out! Only by holding out can we protect our land! If we leave for Hebei now, we’ll only become tenant farmers! We must hold out here!”
Tatatatang!
Suddenly, the Imperial troops all pulled their triggers at once. With that single volley, those who had been shouting loudest at the front fell to the ground covered in blood.
At that single volley, the defiant residents who had been shouting froze in place. To these farmers, the Imperial official ordered with an expressionless face:
“You have one time-division. Go in and settle your affairs.”