Despite the numerous unfortunate events, such as the great fire in Hanseong and its subsequent reconstruction, Kim Do-yeon's manipulation lawsuit and the bribery case, daily life and good things continued without interruption.
Among these ongoing events was the resumption of the search for a groom for Princess Jeonghye, which had been halted.
In the central palace, where the queen resides, King Sejong and Queen Soheon sat facing each other over a cup of tea, engaging in conversation.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm still fine."
"The royal physician said your delivery is near. I've already instructed the royal physicians, but you must also be careful."
"I am deeply honored."
As the birth of the child drew near, Sejong was urging the royal physicians to pay close attention to Queen Soheon's condition.
The conversation soon turned to the marriage of Princess Jeonghye.
"Will she throw a tantrum again?"
"Hasn't she grown up? I thought she was looking forward to it."
"Indeed... It feels both refreshing and a bit sad..."
Sejong's expression turned to one of mixed feelings as he trailed off in response to Queen Soheon's answer.
Queen Soheon, seeing Sejong's expression, smiled and spoke.
"When the time comes, it's natural to let our children leave home, isn't it?"
"That's true, but... sigh~."
Sejong sighed softly and changed the subject.
"After sending Jeonghye off, we should also prepare for the Crown Prince's marriage, right?"
"Yes, it will be quite busy."
"It seems that's how things have turned out."
Sejong, who gave a brief answer, then made a heartfelt wish.
"I hope only good things happen from now on."
"Your Majesty's heartfelt wish will surely come true."
* * *
Near the Yalu River.
A group of Joseon cavalry, clad in new armor covered with green fabric, was moving swiftly.
"Is this the work of the Yejin?"
"Isn't it too late in the season to clear fields?"
In response to his subordinate's question, Lim Gyeong-seok, the chief officer of the Training Institute, replied in a stern voice.
The subordinate nodded.
"That's true. I wonder if this is good luck or bad luck..."
"I agree."
With the distribution of new weapons developed in the 51st district and the reform of the military system, the Training Institute was expanded and reorganized.
The mission of the Training Institute was to develop tactics that would allow the new weapons to be used effectively and to train soldiers.
Due to the nature of the assigned tasks, people known for both their physical strength and intelligence from the central and local armies were assigned to the Training Institute.
This was also true for the regular soldiers and cavalrymen. From the 12 regiments responsible for the capital's defense to the armies across the country, they selected the best and brightest to join the Training Institute.
The task given to these gathered individuals was simple.
- Master the usage of the new weapons that have started mass production and refine the developed tactics.
- Once a certain level of completion is reached, dispatch instructors to other units to teach the usage of the new weapons and the tactics.
- Form units of at least aๅจ (approximately 100 men) and dispatch them to border regions to identify and improve upon issues encountered in actual combat.
Given the difficulty of the tasks, significant rewards were promised to those who passed through the process.
All equipment and salaries were provided by the state, even to the lowest-ranking soldiers, and career soldiers of the rank of ๊ฐ์ฌ (armored soldier) and above were promised at least a one-rank promotion.
Thanks to these tempting carrots, the military officers and soldiers assigned to the Training Institute worked their hardest in training and education.
After selecting the prepared personnel, some continued their existing tasks at the Training Institute, while others were dispatched to other units to take on teaching roles.
And now, the cavalry led by Lim Gyeong-seok was part of the group dispatched for the final task: testing in actual combat.
That's why they were unsure whether they had encountered good luck or bad luck.
If the smoke was from the Yejin and the scale was appropriate, it would be a good opportunity to earn merit.
Conversely, if the scale was large, they would either be attacked and killed or have to flee in panic.
* * *
"It's the Yejin!"
"Damn! What's the scale?"
In response to the cavalryman's report, who had gone ahead to scout, Lim Gyeong-seok let out a curse.
The scout immediately answered Lim Gyeong-seok's question.
"About 40 riders, it seems!"
"40 riders? How many households were attacked?"
"About 10 households!"
"Hmm..."
Lim Gyeong-seok stroked his chin, pondering. After calculating the pros and cons, he asked his subordinate.
"Shall we engage them?"
"It doesn't seem like we'll lose."
"Is there anyone against it?"
No one raised their hand in response to Lim Gyeong-seok's question. Instead, the cavalrymen's fighting spirit grew stronger.
Seeing this, Lim Gyeong-seok smiled.
"These guys... they're just like that."
The cavalrymen in front of him were seasoned veterans who had seen countless battles.
Moreover, they were now equipped with weapons they found very satisfactory from the Training Institute.
These men in front of Lim Gyeong-seok were not the type to back down in such a situation.
"I was feeling restless too. Let's have a good fight!"
"Yes, sir!"
The cavalrymen responded with vigor to Lim Gyeong-seok's order.
"First, charge with lances! Then, use the cavalry muskets and swords to finish them off!"
"Will you not use the long muskets?"
"Only 40 riders? If we use the long muskets, they'll run away. We need to draw them in as much as possible and sweep them away! Don't let a single one escape!"
"Understood, sir!"
As the cavalrymen responded, Lim Gyeong-seok began to prepare for battle.
"Don't forget your protective goggles and face masks!"
"Yes, sir!"
The cavalrymen, following Lim Gyeong-seok's order, adjusted their protective goggles, which they had loosely hung around their necks, to fit snugly over their eyes, and covered their mouths and noses with the towels they had loosely draped around their necks.
The protective goggles and face masks were also part of the new equipment.
The goggles were designed to allow the cavalry to maintain clear vision during charges, made by fitting thin, flat pieces of crystal into a frame of thin metal and reinforcing it with leather, protecting their eyes from rough dust storms.
The face masks, made of fabric, were useful for protecting their respiratory systems from the smoke produced by gunpowder.
After quickly putting on the goggles and face masks and securing the reins, Lim Gyeong-seok waved his arm.
"Let's go!"
* * *
"Damn! It's the Joseon army!"
The Yejin tribal leader, who had been surveying the battlefield, cursed.
"The Joseon army is already here! Damn!"
The unexpected appearance of the Joseon army caught the tribal leader off guard.
This raid was a choice he had no other option but to make.
The consecutive years of famine had brought a survival crisis to his tribe.
Moreover, the merchant caravans that had been trading secretly between Joseon and Ming had gradually disappeared, exacerbating the tribe's crisis.
Additionally, the expansion of the power of the Im Man-ju tribe from the north had pushed his tribe into a corner.
He had reached the limit of seeking help from other tribes with whom he shared blood ties.
With the disappearance of the merchant caravans and the consumption of all the seeds for planting, the tribal leader had no choice but to make a decision.
To ensure the survival of his tribe (Booigon) and to prevent rebellion or attacks from other tribes that could cost him his life, he had only one option.
"Cross the river!"
Following his decision, he left the minimum number of warriors to defend the tribe and formed a small unit (Tatan) to cross the Yalu River.
Upon crossing the river, the tribal leader immediately attacked a suitable village.
"Leave only the seeds and the children to sell as slaves, and kill the rest!"
"Ugh!"
The battle had barely begun when the Joseon army appeared.
* * *
The tribal leader assessed the situation as he watched the green-clad Joseon cavalry approaching, raising a cloud of dust.
"The number of Joseon cavalry is about 20... Since the Joseon army prefers a 5-to-1 ratio, 25 is the most accurate. Hmm... They probably saw the smoke while on patrol. If so, they must be all that's here."
After assessing the situation, the tribal leader called out to his warriors.
"Gather! Kill the Joseon army!"
"Shouldn't we retreat?"
"They are likely just the cavalry patrolling nearby! If so, they are all that's here! We will eat them all! The weapons of the Joseon army are of high quality and will be useful to us!"
The most experienced warrior agreed with the tribal leader.
"That's right."
"Isn't it?"
The warrior smiled fiercely in response to the tribal leader's question.
"Today seems to be our lucky day."
"It's a lucky day. Everyone, move! The Joseon army is only half our size! Kill them all!"
"Ugh!"
"Fire your arrows!"
Following the tribal leader's order, the Yejin warriors drew their bows from the saddles and pulled the strings.
Whoosh!
"Arrows!"
As the arrows began to fly, Lim Gyeong-seok shouted loudly and signaled with his hand.
In response to Lim Gyeong-seok's signal, the Joseon cavalry, who had been riding in a double line, widened their spacing.
Despite the arrows flying, none of the Joseon cavalry showed fear.
They knew very well that the new armor and helmets issued to them could easily deflect such arrows.
The new armor, unlike the traditional ๋์ ๊ฐ (doojeonggap), provided thorough protection for the arms and legs, boosting their confidence.
"Charge!"
Following Lim Gyeong-seok's signal, the cavalrymen removed their lances from the holders on their saddles and extended them forward.
The red tassels attached to the middle of the lances fluttered wildly in the wind as the Joseon cavalry collided head-on with the approaching Yejin warriors.
"A lance charge? They must think we're easy prey!"
The Yejin warriors, seeing the Joseon cavalry charging with lances, sneered.
A lance charge, which only attacks from the front, was considered a beginner's tactic among the Yejin.
A skilled Yejin warrior could easily dodge the lance and attack the enemy's flank.
"This distance... Gah!"
A Yejin warrior, preparing to dodge the approaching Joseon cavalry, looked in disbelief at the lance that had pierced his body.
The lance that had pierced him was much longer than the ones he knew.
The Joseon cavalry's lances were not just longer; they incorporated various ingenious designs thought up by ํฅ (Hyang).
The new lances for the Joseon cavalry were about 3 feet (approximately 1 meter) longer than before.
The lance blades were made as thin and sharp as possible, and the tassels were attached below the blade.
This was to confuse the enemy when estimating the distance.
The saddles were also designed similarly.
The lance holder, which usually held the lance upright during movement, was extended downward to make it difficult to gauge the lance's length. Additionally, a support stand was installed on the saddle to reduce the burden on the cavalry during charges.
Through these ingenious designs, ํฅ (Hyang) had enhanced the power of the lance charge.
In the first clash between the Joseon army and the Yejin, over ten Yejin warriors were impaled and rolled on the ground.
The Joseon cavalry, having quickly penetrated the Yejin formation, did not slow down but circled and charged again.
"Go! Go!"
"Ha! Ha!"
The Joseon cavalry, moving their horses with only their feet in the stirrups, held unfamiliar curved swords in their right hands and strange black metal objects in their left.
"It's a melee! Let's finish this!"
"Go!"
The Yejin warriors, seeing the Joseon army engage in close combat, also swung their curved swords to counter.
However, the situation betrayed them once again.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Joseon cavalry, blocking the Yejin swords with their right-hand curved swords, pulled the triggers of the cavalry muskets in their left hands.
"Gah!"
The bullets, aimed at point-blank range, penetrated the vital points of the Yejin warriors without fail.
In just two clashes, the Yejin who had crossed the Yalu River to raid the villages were completely annihilated.
"The situation is under control."
"Any casualties or injuries?"
"No such foolish men."
"Any escaped enemies?"
"It seems none."
After receiving the report from his subordinate, Lim Gyeong-seok finally let out a long breath.
"Phew~. Now we can breathe easy!"
With the tension finally easing, Lim Gyeong-seok's voice softened as he gave orders to his subordinate.
"Clear the battlefield and prepare to move the survivors."
"Understood."
Seeing his subordinates begin to clear the battlefield, Lim Gyeong-seok sighed softly.
"I'm worried about writing the report. I have to write three copies of the same content..."
This was based on a maxim he had heard at the Training Institute.
-Always write three copies of the report. One for submission to the superiors, one for unforeseen events, and one for your own safety.
And this battle marked the beginning of the 'Green Demons' infamy among the Yejin.