Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 595 The Attack (Part Six)

On February 3, 1644, a biting north wind swept across the walls of Gaegyeong (present-day Kaesong, North Korea) like a knife, causing the banners to flutter and bringing with them the faint sounds of horses neighing and people talking from the enemy camp outside the city.

The frost frozen on the city wall looked deathly white in the dim light, mingling with the white breath exhaled by the soldiers, adding to the chill of this desolate world.

The leaden clouds hung low, pressing heavily over the city, and along with them, a sense of invisible, suffocating despair was pressed firmly into the hearts of every defender.

Li Yuanhao, the garrison commander of Kaijing and the prefectural judge, leaned against the cold battlements and looked at the endless enemy camps outside the city. He felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and his limbs trembled slightly uncontrollably.

As far as the eye could see, the once empty snowfield outside Kaesong was now covered with densely packed tents, banners, and weapons.

The rebel camps stretched out along the terrain, and at a glance, there were at least seven or eight thousand men, or even more.

At the central command post, a conspicuous banner fluttered wildly in the cold wind, its embroidered emblem proclaiming the commander-in-chief of this army—Gwanghaegun, the deposed king of Joseon who had been deposed for many years and was now making a comeback with the support of Xinhua and the Ming Dynasty.

“How could… how could it be in winter…” he muttered to himself, his voice dry and hoarse, almost swallowed by the wind.

This time of year should be a time for rest and recuperation, a time when all forces temporarily lie dormant due to the severe cold.

No one expected that Gwanghae-kun would launch such a large-scale offensive in this freezing winter.

Since he was rescued from the island where he was imprisoned by the new Chinese a few years ago and was "re-appointed" by the Ming Dynasty in the Haizhou area, he has been like a leech, constantly harassing the counties and prefectures along the coast of the West Sea (Yellow Sea).

The imperial court repeatedly sent troops to suppress the rebellion, but always suffered heavy losses and returned empty-handed due to the sharp firearms of the new people and the occasional support from the Ming Dynasty's Dongjiang Town.

In recent years, the rebel army of Gwanghaegun, in coordination with the gunboats of Xinhua, has been active in the summer and autumn, plundering the coast and forcing the court to issue a cruel "relocation order" to relocate the coastal people inland, abandon large areas of cultivated land, and spend huge sums of money to strengthen the defenses of forward towns such as Shincheon and Haeju.

But what good will that do?

Faced with Xinhua's cannons, powerful enough to split rocks and collapse cities, how many seemingly solid city walls were reduced to dust?

The entire west coast of North Korea, from north to south, was almost constantly under the threat of their military might.

Li Yuanhao's thoughts drifted back to that nightmarish moment five years ago.

In the twelfth year of the Chongzhen reign (1639), the Xinhua Army, in conjunction with the Ming Dynasty's Dongjiang Garrison, stormed into the Han River and besieged Seoul.

After a siege lasting several days, with the help of certain treacherous officials in the court, the capital was captured in one fell swoop.

That night, flames soared into the sky over Seoul, and cries of agony shook the earth. His Highness (Yi Jong) and many ministers fled in panic, seeking refuge inland.

The once-prosperous Seoul suffered another catastrophe. Countless treasures, books and cultural relics were looted. Even more terrifying, tens of thousands of ordinary people, artisans and scholars were taken away like livestock.

It is said that they were all loaded onto a sea ship and transported to the distant and mysterious New World continent...

The nation is in such a state of decline!
Whenever he thought of this, an indescribable sense of sorrow would well up in Li Yuanhao's heart.

In the past decade or so, has North Korea ever had a single day of peace?
Since the Qing Dynasty (Later Jin) twice ravaged China during the "Dingmao Rebellion" and "Bingzi Rebellion," forcing China to submit and become a vassal state, the country has been in constant turmoil.

In Hamgyongbuk-do, a Ming Dynasty traitor named Kong Youde held sway over a region, effectively establishing a state within a state, and wielding absolute power.

Huanghaidao, the Ming Dynasty's Dongjiang Town would occasionally cross the sea to "beg for money," euphemistically calling it raising funds to suppress rebellions.

The southeastern coast was a place ravaged by the rebel forces of Gwanghaegun and the new Chinese, with war raging year after year and little peace.

Even the relatively stable Gyeongsang Province was frequently raided by warships of the Xinhua Navy, and communication and trade with Japan were almost completely cut off...

And what about their nominal suzerain state, the Qing Dynasty?
Apart from a few years ago when Dodo symbolically sent troops to aid Seoul after its fall, demonstrating his "suzerain" obligation to ensure its safety, he never cared about the fate of Korea again.

Instead, they frequently sent envoys to Korea to demand provisions, military supplies, and laborers, and even wanted to conscript Korean musketeers to participate in their endless war in Liaodong!
But what about North Korea itself?

With the country in turmoil, plagued by natural disasters year after year, the land was barren and the dead starving everywhere, where would there be any surplus food and supplies to feed that greedy "master"?
According to the Household Affairs Department's report, in recent years, due to war, natural disasters, and the continuous looting by new Chinese, the number of registered people in the country has decreased sharply year after year.

The entire Joseon Kingdom was like a dilapidated house riddled with holes and on the verge of collapse; a strong gust of wind could make it crumble.

And now, this strongest wind has already reached the outskirts of Kaesong.

“My lord,” Lee Wan, the defense commissioner of Gaegyeong, interrupted Lee Won-ho’s thoughts with a trembling voice, “judging from the layout of the rebel camp, they have come out in full force. Add to that those banners… their numbers are probably no less than eight thousand!”

Li Yuanhao slowly opened his eyes, his gaze once again turning towards the outside of the city.

Yes, they came out in full force!

Two months ago, the Xinhua Army suddenly launched an attack, swiftly capturing Geoje Island off the coast of Gyeongsangnam-do, with their forces heading straight for Dongnae Prefecture (Busan).

The court was shaken and mobilized almost all of the available troops from the Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Jeolla regions, gathering 18,000 imperial guards and elite soldiers from the Five Guards to deploy southwards and defend the city at all costs, fearing that the new Chinese would repeat the old incident of the surprise attack on Seoul.

What about the north?
Kong Youde, that ambitious fellow from Hamgyong Province, is also restless.

Despite it being the dead of winter, his troops were frequently moving around and intensifying their scouting activities, giving the impression that they might head south at any moment.

This forced the imperial court to urgently mobilize the guards of Gangwon, Hwanghaebuk-do, and even parts of Pyongan-do to go north and deploy them to prevent trouble in the rear.

With enemies on three sides—east, west, and south—the imperial court's military strength was stretched thin, stretched very thin! But this Prince Gwanghae seized this opportunity, gathered all possible forces, and boldly marched eastward, heading straight for Gaegyeong.

What kind of place is Kaijing?
The area north of the Han River is a strategic key; if it falls, the rebels could cross the Han River and march directly towards the capital, Seoul.

“I’ve heard…that person…” Li Yuanhao’s voice was hoarse, almost forcing the words out from between his teeth, “…his health seems to be quite poor lately?”

Lee Wan paused for a moment, then whispered, "There are indeed rumors circulating that he is terminally ill and medicine is ineffective. Perhaps... perhaps it is precisely because he knows his days are numbered that he is making such a desperate gamble, wanting to... wanting to... want to take Hanseong before he can, and sit back on the throne he has always dreamed of?"

This speculation made Li Yuanhao and the others feel even more uneasy.

A monarch who knows he is about to die and intends to make a desperate last stand is a terrifying force in terms of determination and energy.

Just then, a strange movement came from the enemy camp below the city.

Several camp gates were wide open, and soldiers parted to the sides, making way for several passages.

Immediately afterwards, some objects, pulled by mules or pushed by soldiers, gleamed with a cold metallic luster in the cold wind, and were slowly pushed to the front of the battle.

When they saw the true appearance of those things, everyone on the city wall who witnessed this scene couldn't help but gasp, and an even deeper chill instantly gripped them.

"Fire...cannons!" a garrison officer exclaimed in shock, his finger trembling as he pointed outside the city. "They're the new barbarian cannons!...exactly the same ones that blew up the walls of Haizhou back then!"

Those were more than ten menacing cannons, their thick barrels resembling the fangs of a giant beast, pointing directly at the head of the capital city.

The gunners, dressed in uniforms quite different from those of the North Korean army, were skillfully cleaning the gun barrels and moving powder packs and shells.

Although the distance was still far and the specific instructions could not be heard, the methodical and coldly efficient movements were more intimidating than any shout.

Li Yuanhao's face turned deathly pale in that instant, and the last trace of color drained from his eyes.

He felt dizzy and had to reach out and grab the cold battlements to keep his balance.

He could almost hear the deafening roar of the cannons, see the sturdy city walls crumbling amidst the flying bricks and stones, and witness the surging tide of rebel troops pouring into the city through the breaches, burning, killing, and looting...

A chorus of suppressed gasps and gasps rose from the city walls, and panic spread like wildfire.

Who doesn't know the power of the new barbarians' cannons?

Legend has it that even the strongest city walls cannot withstand their continuous bombardment for long.

"Enough..." A barely audible groan, though uttered by some civil official or general nearby, revealed the fear in everyone's hearts.

Li Yuanhao forced himself to look away and glance around.

What he saw were the pale, terrified faces of the soldiers, the generals' eyes that tried to remain calm but could not hide their panic, and the civil officials' trembling figures that were almost unsteady on their feet.

Morale plummeted the moment those dark cannon barrels were pointed at the city walls.

How long can Gaegyeong, this strategic location controlling the area north of the Han River, the former capital of the Goryeo Dynasty, hold out?

one day?
Two days?

Or is it just a few hours?

Although Kaesong is a strategic location, its city defenses have not been extensively repaired for many years. How could it withstand such a powerful weapon?
Once Gaegyeong falls, the rebel army can advance unimpeded, cross the Han River, and march straight towards the capital, Hanseong.

When that time comes, where can His Majesty the King and all the officials of the court escape to?

Is this crumbling Li dynasty truly destined to perish today, in the dead of winter?

Li Yuanhao raised his head, gazing at the leaden sky, letting the cold snowflakes begin to fall and melt on his face, like silent tears.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He is the governor of Kaijing, a key minister of the state, and we must not allow him to panic at this critical moment.

"Pass down the order..." His voice was unusually hoarse, yet it carried a final, resolute tone, "All soldiers, return to your posts and defend the city walls to the death!"

"Bows, crossbows, muskets, arrows, bullets, logs, and stones—all must be brought up to the city walls!"

"Immediately conscript all able-bodied men in the city to assist in defending the city and transporting supplies!"

"The safety of the capital rests on Kaesong. We are deeply grateful for the country's kindness, and we have no choice but to fight to the death to repay our country!"

"Anyone who dares to speak of retreat shall be executed!..."

"Yes, sir!" the generals roared in response, but could not hide the fear deep in their eyes.

Can we really hold onto Kaesong?
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(End of this chapter)