Black Corporation: Joseon

“Finally arrived.”

Zhao Bingde, standing on a hill near the Yalu River, muttered while gazing at the Joseon territory visible across the river.

After observing the Joseon land across the river, Zhao Bingde turned to face his subordinate commanders.

“It’s been quite a long journey, hasn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

“We didn’t expect the Fire Dragon Cannon to take so much time.”

“The Fire Dragon Cannon is certainly as troublesome as it is powerful.”

At Zhao Bingde’s words, his subordinate commanders all shook their heads while mentioning the Fire Dragon Cannon.

***

As his subordinates said, the Fire Dragon Cannon was as demanding to operate as it was powerful.

Transportation was the first issue – even split into two parts, the Fire Dragon Cannon’s weight was enormous. Because of this, they had allocated a large number of personnel for this task from the initial planning stage.

However, the cannon’s tremendous weight combined with ground that had become soft and muddy as the frozen earth thawed created a greater challenge than expected, making moving the Fire Dragon Cannon extremely difficult.

As a result, nearly 20,000 additional personnel had to be deployed beyond the troops and manpower originally assigned for transportation. The cannon could only move properly after they thoroughly reinforced the roads and built temporary bridges over rivers they had to cross.

Only after such struggles did the Liaodong army finally arrive at the Yalu River banks – a full ten days later than their planned crossing date of the fifth day of March.

***

“Well, now that we’ve arrived, we should begin operations.”

Steeling his resolve, Zhao Bingde pulled out a telescope from his breast. As he was extending the telescope’s barrel, he suddenly stopped and stared at the instrument in his hand.

After looking at the telescope for a moment, Zhao Bingde let out a small laugh and muttered.

“Using Joseon items to attack Joseon… how amusing.”

Joseon-made telescopes had become essential equipment not only for Zhao Bingde but for all Ming army commanders. Though Ming produced telescopes as well, they couldn’t match the performance and quality of Joseon products.

Sitting on horseback with the telescope to his eye, Zhao Bingde observed the fortress walls of the Insan garrison across the river.

“Oho~”

As he examined Insan garrison’s walls and the iron wire nets spread to its left and right, Zhao Bingde clicked his tongue softly.

“Tsk! They were prepared. Well, of course…”

Pausing briefly, Zhao Bingde raised his head to look at the sky.

Observation balloons floated high in the sky behind Insan garrison.

“With them watching from such heights, they couldn’t have missed us. And they must have had spies out as well.”

Liaodong was Ming territory, but it was also Joseon territory. Thanks to this, Joseon spies and pro-Joseon Jurchen tribes were watching the Liaodong army everywhere.

After observing Insan garrison through the telescope, Zhao Bingde descended the hill with his subordinate commanders.

Entering the military tent set up at the foot of the hill, Zhao Bingde checked the situation.

“When will the vanguard’s departure preparations be complete?”

“All preparations will be finished in two days.”

“Have methods been prepared to breach the iron barriers the Joseon dogs have erected?”

To Zhao Bingde’s question, one of his subordinate commanders immediately answered.

“Yes. We plan to use the Jurchen for that.”

“The Jurchen? Hmm…”

After pondering briefly, Zhao Bingde nodded.

“That should work.”

***

Building defensive installations with stone required considerable resources. As a result, many border defensive installations relied on wooden palisades.

The Jurchen method of breaching these was to use ropes with hooks. They would hook the ropes onto the palisades, tie them to their saddles, and pull. While one or two horses wouldn’t be enough, when 10 to 20 or more horses hooked and pulled at one spot, the palisade would collapse.

The defenders would desperately try to cut the ropes when hooked and attack the Jurchen cavalry to prevent this. However, the moment they exposed themselves to do so, they would become targets for the arrows of Jurchen waiting behind.

***

While satisfied with his subordinates’ plans, Zhao Bingde added instructions.

“While we’re at it, distribute hooked ropes to the infantry as well. The cavalry are too easy to target after all. One per ten-man unit should work well.”

“Yes sir.”

“Have you checked the water depth and temperature?”

“Yes. We inquired with local residents. Though the water has risen somewhat after the thaw, the dry season hasn’t ended yet, so even the deepest parts only reach waist-level.”

“The current?”

“They say it’s not very fast. With a little care, they say it can be crossed on foot.”

“Good, very good.”

Zhao Bingde couldn’t hide his satisfaction at his subordinate’s report. Many casualties in river crossing operations occurred during the actual crossing.

However, if they could cross without boats, casualties could be minimized. And if they could properly secure a bridgehead, the operation could be considered almost successful.

“When will the Fire Dragon Cannon be ready for use?”

“In four days.”

“Hmm…”

After confirming when their most important offensive weapon would be ready, Zhao Bingde set the attack date.

“We attack at dawn five days from now. Their tension should have eased somewhat by then. We’ll strike at that moment.”

“Yes sir!”

“May you achieve military glory.”

“We pray for military glory!”

***

While the Liaodong army was busy preparing their offensive, the Joseon army was also busy preparing to stop them.

In Insan garrison’s main conference room, a meeting was ongoing under Lee Jing-ok’s supervision.

“According to balloon reports, large earthen walls are being constructed about 3 ri (approximately 1.2 km) back from the Yalu River.”

“Earthen walls?”

“Yes. Three earthen walls are being constructed, and behind these walls are the problematic large cannons. According to additional information, they’re currently working on connecting two of the large cannons together.”

“So it was three cannons after all?”

“Yes sir. Three cannons confirmed.”

At his subordinate officer’s report, Lee Jing-ok muttered with his arms crossed.

“Hmm… so they are super-large siege cannons after all.”

***

As the Liaodong army approached the Yalu River, intelligence about them was quickly received.

The increasing volume of intelligence consistently included mentions of “massive bronze cannons.”

Based on this intelligence, small debates broke out among Joseon army commanders.

-Total number of problematic super-large bronze cannons: 6

“Could they be six large mortars?”

“Might they be disassembled large siege cannons?”

“Assembling large cannons on the front line? That would just make them targets! They’d be showered with shells and bullets from all directions! They must be mortars! A Jincheolloe fired from something that size would have tremendous power!”

“Are you talking like that because you don’t know mortar ranges?”

As such debates broke out between gun troop and cavalry commanders, Lee Jing-ok called the artillery commanders.

“What do you think?”

To Lee Jing-ok’s question, the artillery commanders who had read the reports gave similar answers.

“Siege cannons are most likely, sir.”

“What about the possibility of super-large mortars?”

“Mortars have short range, sir. Of course, a large Jincheolloe fired from such mortars would certainly have tremendous power, but it would be one shot and done. Our artillery would destroy them immediately.”

***

“They must be siege cannons, but why are they building these earthen walls?”

To Lee Jing-ok’s question, the artillery commanders examining the reports immediately answered.

“To defend those large cannons from our artillery fire, sir.”

“Artillery fire?”

At the artillery commanders’ answer, Lee Jing-ok furiously searched his memory. After thinking for a while, he nodded.

“The Type-Byeong General Cannon should be sufficient.”

“Indeed, sir.”

As Hyang’s military otaku tendencies overlapped with Joseon’s love for artillery, Joseon’s artillery continued to develop.

The most recent products were the grape-shot cannon and the Type-Byeong General Cannon. The Type-Byeong General Cannon had a maximum range of 2,000 bo (approximately 2.4 km).

“Could they have obtained information about the Type-Byeong General Cannon?”

“They likely got it through the Jurchen tribes who have fought against us.”

“That must be it… Then, can our artillery turn those copper lumps into scrap?”

To Lee Jing-ok’s question, the artillery commanders answered with confident expressions.

“Just give the order, sir.”

“Reassuring.”

***

Meanwhile, Joseon soldiers deployed in the trench lines were busy digging.

“Heave-ho! Heave-ho!”

“Heave! Heave!”

They dug the trench floors deeper and filled sandbags with the excavated earth to thicken the areas around the gun ports. Many of the soldiers working so diligently were weathered veterans.

“Hey! This needs more reinforcement here!”

“Yes sir!”

“Install a foothold here! You gonna pull the trigger standing on tiptoes? Don’t just pile up – reinforce the surroundings!”

Seeing these veterans, the military instructors and garrison commanders wore incredulous expressions.

“What’s this? Weren’t these the same guys who were trying to dodge digging duty just the other day?”

To the instructors’ and commanders’ words, the veterans pointed across the river and answered.

“Those bastards weren’t there the other day, were they?”

“So now you work hard? You idiot! This is why you never get promoted!”

***

Five days later, before dawn

As the eastern sky began to dimly brighten, movement started increasing in the Liaodong army camp.

“Preparations?”

“Complete!”

“Good. Fire the signal arrows!”

At the officer’s order, a waiting soldier lit the fuse of a signal arrow and shot it into the air.

Whoosh~ Bang!

As the signal arrow rose into the sky and burst into flames, soon signal arrows were rising everywhere.

Shortly after, the small and medium cannons in the Liaodong army battery positioned slightly back from the riverbank simultaneously spewed fire.

Boom boom bang! Pop pop!

Shells flying across the Yalu River raised columns of sand and earth along the riverbank and surrounding area.

Buuung! Boom boom boom!

As soon as the Liaodong army’s bombardment began, loud drum beats and horn blasts sounded from Insan garrison’s watchtower, and shouts rang out from all directions.

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”

“Battle stations! Battle stations!”

Along with shouts erupting from all directions, soldiers burst from their shelters and ran to their assigned positions.

“Remove the covers!”

“Prepare to load!”

Soldiers operating the Type-Eul War Wagons and grape-shot cannons stripped off the covers and hurriedly began loading.

“Loading complete!”

“Ready!”

“Standby!”

The soldiers who had completed loading with quick hands watched beyond the gun ports while waiting for the fire order.

Bang! Bang! Boom!

“Artillery fire!”

“Get down!”

Suddenly, the second wave of bombardment continued, and the soldiers threw themselves flat on the trench floor.

The third wave of bombardment followed.

Bang! Boom!

Under the continuing bombardment, the Joseon soldiers lying flat all spewed curses.

“Damn it! Are our artillery still jerking off or what?”

As they were spewing such curses, the Joseon artillery finally began to move.

“Position acquired! Here are the coordinates!”

Artillery commanders receiving coordinates from messengers adjusted the aim of their cannons.

Soon after, the Joseon artillery batteries simultaneously spewed fire.

Boom boom bang!

As Joseon’s counter-battery fire proceeded, the Liaodong army’s bombardment began to weaken.

“Stand up! The enemy will cross the river soon!”

“Medic! Medic!”

As the Liaodong army’s bombardment subsided, soldiers in the trench lines took their positions at the firing lines. Meanwhile, medics ran about with stretchers to tend to those killed or wounded by the Liaodong bombardment.

Neigh!

“Uwaah!”

As the Joseon forces were moving busily, loud horse neighs and human battle cries erupted from the direction of the river.

The Liaodong army’s river crossing had begun.

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