Imperial Year 9 (1457)
On the day of the Great Snow (December 7-8), the Imperial fleet descended upon Nantong. It was around the time Ming soldiers were having their breakfast.
Ding-ding-ding-ding!
Dong~ Dong!
Wooo~ Wooo~
“The Joseon bastards are attacking!”
“The Joseon bastards are attacking!”
“Send gunpowder and cannonballs to the batteries!”
Amid the clamor of alarm bells and trumpets sounding from all directions, soldiers tossed aside their bowls and scrambled to their posts.
“Damn it! Why during mealtime!”
“Don’t those bastards ever eat?”
The Ming soldiers cursed the Imperial Navy as they stuffed handfuls of rice from their bowls into their mouths.
“Even in wartime, there should be some basic decency!”
***
Meanwhile, aboard the Imperial Navy ships facing the Ming fleet and coastal defense batteries stationed at Nantong at the Yangtze River estuary, similar conversations were taking place.
“They say even a dog won’t disturb you during meals, but it seems we’ve attacked a bit early.”
The lieutenant reported to the captain with a bitter smile as he observed the Ming vessels and coastal situation through his telescope.
The captain replied dismissively:
“I once heard something from my superior. Apparently, His Majesty said, ‘Dogs don’t bother you because they’re stupid.’ Besides, it’s easier to deal with weakened, exhausted men than those who’ve eaten well and are full of energy. You know how heavy a shell is, don’t you?”
The lieutenant nodded at the captain’s words.
This was something he had experienced himself. After a fierce battle, regardless of rank, everyone felt extreme hunger. As soon as they managed to clear away the wounded, soldiers would immediately boil water and devour their rations.
Initially, the lieutenant had thought this hunger was psychological. But after experiencing several battles, he realized it was genuine physical hunger.
The weight of shells and gunpowder loaded into the warship’s cannons was substantial, and carrying 10 to 20 or more of them quickly depleted one’s physical strength.
As the lieutenant nodded, recalling his experiences, another thought suddenly occurred to him.
‘But isn’t it equally troublesome to face men whose anger is stoked because we interrupted their meal?’
“Within range, sir!”
“Then open fire!”
At the captain’s command to fire, the lieutenant regained his focus and peered through the telescope, concentrating on the battlefield once more.
***
Bang! Boom!
The Imperial Navy’s bombardment began with the assault ghost ships at the vanguard opening fire.
The Imperial Navy’s gunnery, now elevated from skill to artistry, instantly riddled the Ming fleet’s defensive line with holes.
As cracks appeared in the Ming fleet’s defensive line, the assault ghost ships split left and right, beginning to target the Ming fleet’s remaining vessels from the center outward.
The Challenger-class vessels that pushed into the space thus secured concentrated their fire on the coastal batteries located on Chongming Island and the opposite bank of the estuary—the area of present-day Shanghai.
The coastal batteries on Chongming Island received particularly heavy bombardment. While there were strategic reasons for this concentration of fire, the name also played a role.
The name “Chongming (崇明),” which could be interpreted as “revering Ming,” had irritated the Imperial Navy.
Once the coastal batteries were subdued through the persistent bombardment from Challenger-class vessels, the landing Panokseon vessels that had been waiting in the rear began to sail up the Yangtze River.
The Panokseon vessels’ destination was the shipyard at Nantong, located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze.
***
“The Joseon bastards are coming!”
“Run away!”
“Flee!”
Nantong descended into chaos at the rumor of the Imperial Navy’s approach. Massive traffic congestion erupted as reinforcement troops supporting the Ming forces defending Nantong Naval Base became entangled with refugees trying to escape.
“Move aside! Move aside!”
“If you don’t move, I’ll cut off your head!”
Although the officers commanding the reinforcements drew their swords and issued warnings, the refugees, who had lost their reason, continued to crowd in.
Finally, Mo Taekyil, the commander of the reinforcements, ordered his officers:
“Those who obstruct the military’s movement are collaborators with the enemy! Behead them!”
“What?”
“Do you mean it, sir?”
When his subordinate officers, shocked by the harsh order, asked again to confirm, Mo Taekyil shouted angrily:
“The Joseon bastards are approaching, and if blocking the road isn’t collaboration, what is it? Execute them immediately!”
“Yes, sir!”
Mo Taekyil’s order was quickly passed down. As soon as the order fell, the officers who had been grappling with refugees in the middle of the road swung their drawn swords.
“Kyaaak!”
“Aaaagh!”
Dozens of refugees lost their lives and collapsed to the ground, and an officer holding a blood-soaked sword shouted:
“Get off the road if you don’t want to die!”
At the officer’s thunderous command, the refugees hastily moved aside, and the reinforcements rushed to Nantong Naval Base.
***
“Nantong ahead!”
“Prepare for landing!”
As Nantong Naval Base came into view, preparations for landing began on the Panokseon vessels.
Boom! Bang!
Nantong’s coastal batteries fired first.
Shells fired from the defense batteries began creating water columns around the Panokseon vessels, and a few lucky shots hit their mark.
Crack! Crack!
“Wak!”
“Aaaagh!”
“Medic!”
While the unlucky ones died or were injured by shells penetrating the hull, the Panokseon vessels with reinforced armor moved close to the riverbank and began to suppress the defense batteries.
“Open fire!”
Bang! Boom!
While the cannons mounted on the reinforced Panokseon vessels engaged in artillery duels with the defense batteries, other Panokseon vessels prepared weapons to subdue the docks.
“Fire carts ready!”
“Fire!”
Swoosh!
Following the commander’s order, large rocket arrows flew in parabolic arcs from the fire carts mounted on the Panokseon vessels.
The Gunpowder Rocket Arrows had reappeared.
***
The Great Divine Arrow and Gunpowder Rocket Arrow, which consumed too much gunpowder relative to their effectiveness, were soon retired after their development.
From Hyang’s perspective, this was regrettable.
“With just a little tweaking, they could be effective weapons. Such good weapons…”
However, because their cost-effectiveness was so poor, even Hyang had to retreat a step.
The Great Divine Arrow and Gunpowder Rocket Arrow were about to disappear into history, but as Joseon grew into an empire and saltpeter began to be supplied steadily through India, the Gunpowder Rocket Arrow could reappear.
The warhead of the newly created Type B Gunpowder Rocket Arrow utilized the design of the Flying Thunder Bomb—with enhanced power compared to the original. The body was also made of thinly hammered iron plates rather than paper. Two rockets were mounted on a dedicated launcher modified from the existing Type A fire cart, and specialized Panokseon vessels were equipped with ten such launchers. If working properly, twenty Gunpowder Rocket Arrows would simultaneously strike the expected landing point.
And the Panokseon vessels equipped with these new Gunpowder Rocket Arrows came to be called fire support ships.
****
Sixty Gunpowder Rocket Arrows fired from three fire support ships turned Nantong’s docks and surrounding areas into a wasteland.
The Ming troops, who had erected wooden stockades and prepared defenses on the docks and the roads leading to them, were riddled with holes along with their stockades by fragments from the Gunpowder Rocket Arrows.
Shortly afterward, the Panokseon vessels carrying the landing force arrived at the docks and nearby riverbanks and began disgorging their troops.
As expected, the Jurchen cavalry led the landing.
“Heya~ Heya!”
Rat-a-tat!
The surviving Ming soldiers pulled their triggers toward the Jurchen cavalry charging up on horseback with resounding war cries, and then began reloading.
This is where the battle’s outcome was decided.
The Ming army still primarily used muzzle-loading muskets. Well aware of this, Ming, like Japan and Europe, employed volley fire as its basic firing tactic.
However, there were necessary preconditions for using this tactic:
-Defensive means such as stockades to protect the musketeers during reloading -A sufficient number of musketeers capable of inflicting proper damage on the enemy
Because of these preconditions, during the Muenter’s Rebellion, the Joseon army had positioned swordsmen units wearing full plate armor in front of the musketeers.
But in this battle, Ming failed to meet the preconditions from the start.
The bombardment that began with Gunpowder Rocket Arrows had inflicted heavy losses not only on the stockades but also on the troops.
As a result, efficient volley fire was impossible, and the Ming defensive line collapsed under the Jurchen cavalry’s charge, which exploited the gap during reloading.
***
The Jurchen cavalry that broke through the defensive line continued their charge along the main road.
Their orders were simple:
-Seize the gates of the city defending Nantong. -If seizure is impossible, blockade the gates to tie down reinforcements.
To achieve this order, the Jurchen cavalry racing along the main road encountered Mo Taekyil’s reinforcement unit.
Upon seeing Mo Taekyil’s reinforcements, the Jurchen cavalry didn’t hesitate to take out their spears, tuck them under their arms, and spur their horses.
Neigh!
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
The Jurchen cavalrymen, mounted on horses that increased their speed, charged straight into the front of Mo Taekyil’s unit.
Crack!
“Argh! Aaaagh!”
The Ming soldiers standing at the front of Mo Taekyil’s unit were either speared to death or suffered severe injuries from being trampled by hooves.
The Jurchen cavalry, having lost momentum from the collision, immediately drew their curved swords, cut down the surrounding Ming soldiers, and quickly retreated.
As the front line of the successful Jurchen cavalry charge cleared the way, their place was filled by Imperial cavalry armed with Type B muskets.
Rat-a-tat!
Having instantly fired their pre-loaded five shots, the Imperial cavalry immediately moved aside, and other Imperial cavalry took their place.
Not long after, Imperial infantry units arrived and joined the battle.
Under the constant gunfire from the Imperial army, Mo Taekyil’s unit crumbled helplessly.
Mo Taekyil urgently ordered his subordinates:
“Disperse! Urban warfare!”
“Disperse!”
Following Mo Taekyil’s orders, the Ming army began to scatter into Nantong’s alleys. Seeing this, the Imperial infantry also dispersed into units of about 25 men and began pursuing the Ming soldiers.
Thus began the urban battle of Nantong.
***
The urban battle raged fiercely.
Having secured the best bridgehead—Nantong Naval Base—the Imperial army steadily began to commit more troops.
This was different from the battles that had taken place at other naval bases.
In previous battles, the Imperial army had withdrawn immediately after destroying the naval base, its facilities, and the surrounding area.
But in Nantong, they were instead committing additional troops and methodically taking control of Nantong.
During this process, a considerable number of civilians became caught in the fighting, losing their lives, becoming disabled, or losing their property.
The urban battle in Nantong only stopped when envoys arrived from Nanjing.
“We want to negotiate!”
When the gunfire in Nantong ceased, a Sea Response-class vessel of the Imperial army was crossing the West Sea, returning to Seosan.
It was a ship carrying the families of Jin Wei and Han Defeng.
Unlike the families, whose faces were filled with anxiety, impatience, and worry as they looked around, Wang Degu was excitedly clicking abacus beads.
“Let’s see… the current market price for premium seafood…”