After the battle, Im Kyung-seok and his subordinates prepared to move the survivors and livestock from the village, along with the bodies and spoils of the Jurchen, onto wagons for transport to the rear. One of his subordinates, looking at the survivors boarding the wagons with a sorrowful expression, spoke to Im Kyung-seok.
"They're all just children."
"Only the children are worth anything."
The faces of Im Kyung-seok and the cavalrymen were dark as they conversed.
The Jurchen raids were essentially hit-and-run attacks.
To raid and plunder border settlements and small villages and then quickly escape, adults were a hindrance.
Moreover, the Ming merchants who bought the Koreans taken away preferred children.
Children were easier to handle as they rarely resisted, and some Ming people preferred young girls and boys over adult women.
"The burial is complete."
"Is that so?"
Im Kyung-seok looked at the two mounds that had risen among the houses reduced to ashes. These were the burial mounds of the Koreans killed by the Jurchens, separated by gender.
He bowed his head toward the mounds in a brief moment of silence, then mounted his horse.
"We are returning!"
"We are returning!"
Including the horses the Jurchens had ridden, Im Kyung-sek's force, now larger, began to move slowly toward their base.
* * *
"Your Majesty, this is a report from Pyeongan Province."
"Report?"
"The report states that there was a Jurchen raid."
Upon the brief report from the Chief Secretary, Sejong quickly extended his hand to take the report and untied it.
"Dear me... How is this?"
Sejong, reading the report with trembling hands, handed it to the Prime Minister.
"Please read it."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Prime Minister and other ministers read the report in turn.
After confirming that all the ministers had read the report, Sejong spoke.
"Even though those who suffered this tragedy were unauthorized settlers who had opened up new farmland, they are still our Joseon citizens. The patrol that was dispatched to the area has requested punitive action, and the Military Commissioner of Pyeongan Province has also requested permission. What do you think, ministers?"
In response to Sejong's question, Hwang Hee asked the Minister of War, Kim Yeo-ji.
"Which tribe of Jurchens attacked the village this time?"
"Based on the decorations on the dead men's bridles and their headgear, it is confirmed to be the Donggwa tribe's branch."
"If it's the Donggwa tribe, it's quite a large one. Is it possible with the current forces?"
Hwang Hee's question was met with a brief answer from Kim Yeo-ji.
"It's not the entire Donggwa tribe, and given the disparity in strength shown in this battle, it is certainly possible."
"Hmm..."
"If we delay any further, the rainy season will begin, making the punitive action difficult."
The Minister of War supported immediate action, but Sejong was hesitant to make a decision.
"Since ancient times, it has been said that when one obtains a good sword, one wants to use it. But if we act rashly, we might alert the enemy and make things worse."
Sejong's concern was immediately addressed by Kim Yeo-ji.
"The Jurchens are like old foxes. If we don't respond properly, they will continue to raid us, thinking we are weak. But if we show our strength, they will bow their heads and seek trade. It's a good strategy for the future."
Sejong, stroking his beard and pondering, finally made up his mind.
"Very well. Inform the Military Commissioner of Pyeongan Province that he has permission. However, the current forces are somewhat weak, so order the General Staff to select additional units equipped with new muskets and cannons from the training grounds and Pyeongan Province's various camps to join them. Also, inform him that staying more than a month after crossing the Yalu River is not permitted."
The Minister of War bowed deeply in response to Sejong's order.
"As you command!"
After giving the order to the Ministry of War, Sejong turned to the prime ministers.
"Prime ministers, listen."
"We will listen attentively, Your Majesty!"
"Although we are punishing the Jurchens, crossing the border is a fact. The Ming might have something to say about it, so prepare an appropriate response and send an envoy to the Ming."
"As you command!"
Thus, the operation named 'Revenge' was launched.
When it was announced that troops would be assembled to punish the Jurchens, many military officers at the training grounds volunteered enthusiastically.
"Send me!"
"No, send me! I will risk my life to ensure the success of the operation!"
The faces of the officers requesting deployment were full of confidence.
There was a reason for their confidence. They trusted the performance of the new weapons they were familiar with.
Moreover, a report from the Yalu River further boosted their confidence.
A single unit, without artillery support and without using muskets, had annihilated a Jurchen force twice its size without any casualties.
As a result of this achievement, Im Kyung-sek, who had commanded the unit, was scheduled for a promotion.
'I can't miss this opportunity!'
To seize the opportunity given by heaven, the military officers at the training grounds vied to be sent on the mission.
* * *
"Voyler, it happened again."
"Where?"
"Aguda."
"Damn it! How many times has this happened now!"
"Twelve booyigon."
"Damn!"
Bang!
Upon hearing the report from his subordinate, the Voyler of the Saruta tribe overturned the table in front of him.
For the tribes under the Donggwa, this punitive action by Joseon was like a surprise attack at midnight. Six Joseon units, each consisting of about 400 cavalry and 100 artillerymen, had ravaged the territories of the Donggwa tribe and nearby tribes.
The tribal leaders of the Donggwa, who were preparing for defense, also moved quickly to understand the cause.
The reason they discovered was simple.
"The branch booyigon, or rather, the booyigon, raided about ten Korean households, and this is in retaliation for that?"
"... Yes."
The Voyler of the Saruta tribe looked dejected.
Since the start of the Joseon punitive action, nearly a month had passed, and more than twelve booyigon had been wiped out. These were not the booyigon that had caused the trouble, but twelve booyigon of a much smaller scale.
A booyigon was disappearing almost every two days.
The Donggwa, who were under attack, were in a hurry. This was the time when they had to focus all their efforts on farming. If they missed this opportunity, they would face a terrible situation in the coming winter.
To resolve the situation, the Voylers of the Donggwa, including the Voyler of the Saruta tribe, requested mediation from the Ming.
However, the response from the Ming was "No."
-Joseon has already sent a formal letter. This is a just action in response to the damage Joseon has suffered, so there is no reason to intervene.
The Voylers of the Donggwa, upon receiving the Ming's response, gritted their teeth.
"Should we form a niuru now?"
"If all the men are pulled out, the farming will be ruined."
"Only a part of them..."
"Have you seen the strength of the Joseon army? If we don't put up a full fight, we will surely lose!"
The Voylers, gathered to find a solution, put forward various opinions but struggled to find a good one.
There were three main reasons for their struggle.
First, as mentioned, it was the farming season. Even if they mobilized women and slaves, they couldn't properly farm without the men. They couldn't afford to pull out warriors for the sake of the already destroyed booyigon.
Second, the strength of the Joseon army. The Joseon army aimed to kill as many Jurchens as possible. As a result, there were almost no survivors in the areas they had swept through. Most of the survivors they found were either in severe mental shock or critically injured and unable to speak coherently.
From the limited information they managed to gather, it seemed the Joseon army was actively using cannons.
There were almost no Voylers willing to risk their precious warriors against the now much stronger Joseon army.
The last reason was closely related to the second. It was the presence of the Olangohe nearby. The Donggwa and Olangohe had been in constant conflict.
If they lost strength fighting the Joseon army, the Olangohe would not let it pass.
* * *
"Voyler, Tungge's Han has regained consciousness."
The Voyler of the Saruta tribe, unable to contain his anger, quickly stepped outside.
The Voyler headed to the house of the Ming doctor in the village. Although the doctor had been brought almost by force, he was now respected and called "Mr. Wang."
"How is Mr. Wang?"
"He's struggling. I've managed the pain with opium, but he won't last long. If he has anything to say, it's best to do it now."
Hearing Mr. Wang's words, the Voyler hurried to the bedside. He gently called out to Tungge's Han, who was breathing heavily, and took his hand.
"Brother, are you awake?"
"Ah, brother... It's a relief to see you before I die."
"I will definitely avenge you."
At the Voyler's words, Tungge's Han weakly shook his head.
"Don't. The, the Joseon bastards..."
Tungge's Han, struggling to continue, died before he could finish his sentence.
The Voyler, letting go of Tungge's Han's hand, turned to look at Mr. Wang.
"What exactly...?"
"From what I heard, the Joseon army used cannons."
"That's right."
"It seems they also used muskets."
Hearing Mr. Wang's words, the Voyler examined Tungge's Han's blood-soaked body. Seeing the body riddled with holes, the Voyler shook his head.
"Muskets? I've seen them. They're hard to aim and not very effective... It must have been bad luck."
"Muskets are not common, so they might not have expected it."
"Haah~."
The Voyler sighed at Mr. Wang's response.
"Voyler."
Mr. Wang, who was about to leave, stopped the Voyler and warned him quietly.
"I hear the Joseon army is returning. Do not act rashly. I don't want to live as a slave of another tribe at my age."
"...Understood."
The Voyler, leaving Mr. Wang's house, kicked a stone on the ground with all his might.
"Damn it! What a dog's life!"
Meanwhile, Mr. Wang, who had dismissed the Voyler, picked up a bowl and examined its contents.
The bowl was filled with blood-stained iron balls and metal fragments.
"The bullets used in muskets are too small... And these metal fragments are...?"
What puzzled Mr. Wang were the fragments of the Beigie Zhen Tian Lei (thunder-crashing heaven bomb).
Faced with a problem he couldn't easily solve, Mr. Wang was frowning deeply. In his mind, he could still hear Tungge's Han repeatedly saying in his delirious state:
"Joseon has obtained the power of the dragon... What does that mean...?"
* * *
After completing the operation and crossing the Yalu River, the Joseon army immediately wrote a report and sent it to Hanyang.
Upon receiving and reading the report, Sejong burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Our Joseon soldiers have achieved a great victory! A great victory! What a blessing!"
Seeing Sejong's joy, the ministers bowed and exclaimed in unison.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
"Thank you, truly thank you!"
Sejong, raising his hand lightly in acknowledgment, summarized the situation.
"Through this punitive action, we have eliminated twelve tribes, large and small, including those who crossed the border and plundered. This should ensure peace around the Yalu River for a while, right?"
The Minister of War bowed and answered Sejong's question.
"They won't dare cross the Yalu River for a while."
"That's right. However, we must not be complacent. Inform them to strengthen border surveillance to prevent any future trouble."
"As you command."
"And have you prepared compensation for those who have distinguished themselves in this operation and for those who have died or been injured?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Those who have distinguished themselves will be promoted based on their achievements, and those who have died or been injured will receive monthly grain and goods according to the new law. Additionally, the families of the deceased and injured who wish to take the civil or military exams will receive support."
Sejong nodded at the Minister of War's response but added:
"Of course, we must treat the deceased and injured with respect, and also take care of their living conditions. They fought to protect our Joseon, so they deserve proper treatment. Only then will others be willing to risk their lives."
"We will remember this well."
Sejong, not forgetting his final instructions, moved on to the next topic.
"The Jurchens around the Yalu River will be quiet for a while, but what about the Jurchens from the west or the wild Jurchens?"
In response to Sejong's question, Hwang Hee stepped forward.
"Rumors will spread to them over time, so they won't act recklessly either."
"It would be better if they were also frightened... Then, when we call them in the fall, they will be more cooperative, wouldn't they?"
"That is correct."
Sejong firmly instructed the ministers.
"Our dealings with the Jurchens are just beginning. Proceed methodically and ensure that our 'eastward advance' is carried out without any hindrance. This is a grand strategy that our Joseon must achieve."