Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 264
Episode 264: Battle of the Songhua River. (3)
King Sejong, who recalled the war of words over the cart and the crown prince’s stubbornness, spoke again with Choi Yun-deok across the map.
“Do you think Lee Man-ju or Munteo expected our Joseon to move so quickly?”
Choi Yun-deok immediately answered King Sejong’s question.
“It’s probably something you didn’t expect.”
* * *
What Choi Yun-deok said was correct to some extent and wrong to some extent.
Lee Man-ju and Muntemu also heard rumors that Joseon’s communication system was much faster than before.
Therefore, they attacked the Jurchen and Joseon villages near the border and at the same time began moving the tribes north.
However, what they did not expect was that Joseon’s communication system was not just ‘a lot’ faster, but ‘a lot’ faster, and that the Joseon army was forward deploying troops to the north in preparation for a possible Jurchen invasion during the spring hunger period. Lastly, the Joseon army’s The movement speed was very fast.
* * *
Choi Yun-deok did not forget to point out the problems.
“Thanks to the communication system developed by the crown prince, we were able to find out quickly, but it is also very disappointing.”
“Are you sorry? “What is it?”
Sejong asked with his eyes shining at Choi Yun-deok’s point.
“Light-emitting communications cannot be used outside of Joseon’s river area. The problem is that this is not due to the presence or absence of communication facilities, but rather the inability to use pre-determined communication codes.”
“Hmm…”
Sejong nodded at Choi Yun-deok’s point.
* * *
Joseon’s communication system became very fast, but this was only half a success.
Predictable situations, such as illness or an emergency, could be quickly communicated using the numeric code developed by Hyang.
More than 100 codes were assigned to the Jurchen people. However, most of the codes were assigned to the large and small tribes under Lee Manju Muntemu and the areas in which they lived.
Therefore, from the moment Lee Man-ju and Muntemu left their residence, almost 70% of the codes assigned to the Jurchen tribe became useless.
In addition, another important issue was the choice of which words to encode.
There were more than just military and administrative terms.
If all those terms were converted into codes, you would end up searching through a code book in a situation where you needed to send a message urgently.
Therefore, the terms chosen were only those that reported the highest risk, such as diseases, natural disasters such as storms and floods, aftershocks, and invasions by Japanese pirates, and their scale.
Therefore, in many respects, most communications had to rely on traditional methods – dispatch.
* * *
Choi Yun-deok, who pointed out this part, ended his speech with a face full of regret.
“The light-emitting communication network is very useful not only administratively but also militarily, but in the current situation, it is lame. This part needs to be resolved. But to do that, you have to change a lot of terms into symbols, and then you can’t even use them, so I’m just full of regret.”
“General, where do you think the problem started?”
Choi Yun-deok immediately answered King Sejong’s question.
“It’s because of the text message. “Chinese characters are meaning letters, so you can immediately tell the meaning by looking at them, but you have to specify the number of symbols separately for the number of characters.”
“I see…”
Sejong, who was nodding his head, quietly sighed.
“Looking at those students, they use phonetic letters. What do you think about this?”
“Sound by letter…. Ah! “I’ve met these people in Area 51 about the telescope issue. Are you referring to the letters they use?”
“That’s right, they transcribe exactly what they say.”
“Hmm…”
Choi Yun-deok was lost in thought at Sejong’s words. Choi Yun-deok thought for a moment and answered immediately.
“In general, the number of pronunciations that people use in conversation is almost fixed, so I think phonetic letters would be fine. But looking at their sentences, it seemed like it would take a lot of time to learn. I think it will take a long time to get used to it. In that case, the military believes it is better not to use it.”
“That seems correct.”
With that conversation, the meal ended, and as soon as the place was settled, King Sejong and the people from the Chiefs of Staff got back on their horses.
As he rode his horse, King Sejong muttered softly.
“It has to be easy to learn and easy to use, right? And if the military supports it…”
* * *
It took six days from Hanseong to reach Hamheung.
This was a new record. Even though we took a detour to Wonsan, it only took six days.
‘It’s almost 1,000 ri (approximately 400 km), and it took six days… Even if it was only moved by horseback…’
Sejong, who had been thinking about this and that, lowered his head.
Sejong, who was looking at the well-paved road, turned his head and looked south.
“I see you benefiting from the Crown Prince again.”
Sejong, who smiled slightly as he recalled the incident in which he insisted that roads throughout Joseon be properly maintained, looked back at Choi Yun-deok.
“What happened to the Jurchen people who broke away from Yi Manju and Muntemu and came to Gyubu (came and submitted on their own)?”
“yes. Cavalry units were drawn from the reserve units of Hwanghae Province and Gangwon Province and moved. They say it will arrive in the next two days.”
“I see…”
Sejong nodded at Choi Yun-deok’s answer.
* * *
As soon as they realized that Lee Man-ju and Muntumu were the main subjects of the attack, the troops departing from Pyeongan-do and Hamgil-do immediately dispatched cavalry to the location of the two tribes.
The cavalry’s mission was simple.
‘Screw those guys as much as they hit you! And when those who did this come back, tie them up!’
When the ordered cavalry arrived, what they saw was an empty base.
After confirming that the tribes under Lee Man-ju and Muntemu had left their base, the Joseon Army cavalry immediately went in pursuit.
Not long after the chase, the Joseon Army cavalry was able to meet the Jurchen people holding white flags. The Jurchen people who saw the Joseon cavalry desperately waved their white flags and shouted.
“We will respect you!”
“huh?”
“All troops stop! stop!”
The Joseon cavalry, which was about to charge with long spears in hand, had to quickly stop its horses.
The Joseon cavalry disarmed all the noble Jurchen tribesmen and immediately marched to Hanseong.
The General Staff Headquarters in Hanseong immediately received the mission of the reserve force and dispatched the cavalry units of the Hwanghae Province and Gangwon Province forces, which were in charge of the defense of Hamgil Island and Pyeongan Island, to the north.
* * *
“Hmm….”
A group of officials appeared in the eyes of King Sejong, who was nodding at Choi Yun-deok’s report.
“What about them?”
“This is Observer Hwang Hee-ro.”
“Right.”
The officials who were waiting, led by Hwang Hui and Kim Jong-seo, wearing Cheolrik (天翼) and Jeonrip (battle helmet), bowed in unison and solemnly.
“insect!”
“huh? uh? Thank you for your hard work….”
King Sejong, who responded with a confused expression, got off his horse and walked towards Hwang Hee.
“The officials are truly thieving.”
“After working in Hamgildo for a long time….”
“Is that so?”
“Most of them have been with us since the beginning of the development of Dongbuk-myeon.”
“is it?”
King Sejong looked at the officials with a new expression.
The attitude of the officials who had their eyes fixed on him was not that of a civil servant, but that of a military officer or an old general who had experienced many hardships.
Seeing those officials, King Sejong turned his head to look at Choi Yun-deok and muttered softly.
“Then that’s right…”
There was a greed that couldn’t be hidden in Choi Yun-deok’s eyes as he looked at the officials.
“Let’s go in.”
As King Sejong turned and entered the Hamheung government office, officials and members of the Chief of Staff followed suit and began to enter.
Choi Yun-deok approached Hwang Hee at a fast pace.
“That Captain Hwang….”
“He doesn’t even have a chin. However, they don’t know much about the area around here, so I’ll help you with that part.”
“Tsk…”
Choi Yun-deok had to savor Hwang-hee’s attitude of cutting him off right before he could say anything.
* * *
That evening, numerous Jurchen tribal leaders gathered at the temporary temporary palace built at the Hamheung government office.
After receiving the report, King Sejong asked the military officer a question.
“I already met the noble Jurchen tribe leaders during the day. Who are they?”
“These are tribal leaders from the Yain region.”
“okay? “Let’s meet.”
Sejong got up and went outside.
“Your Majesty, please come!”
The Jurjin tribal leaders who were huddled together in the front yard of Dongheon immediately knelt down on the ground when King Sejong appeared.
“Meet the King!”
“A thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years!”
When King Sejong saw the tribal leaders shouting for a lifetime according to etiquette, he opened his mouth in a calm voice.
“Who is from where?”
“The gods are of the Woodiger clan!”
“Woodiger? You really came from a far away place. “Have you seen the letter I sent you?”
“yes! “I have brought the soldiers according to your orders!”
“Thank you so much! Although this is a temporary period, it is something that cannot be ignored. Hello! “We’re going to have a simple drinking party, so make sure you cover the expenses!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Thus, on the first day of King Sejong’s arrival in Hamheung, a meeting was held between him and the chiefs of the Woodiger tribe.
* * *
The chiefs of the Woodiger tribe who met King Sejong the next day left Hamheung with their men and went north.
It was to join the Joseon army that was advancing north.
“10,000 cavalry… I feel confident.”
Hwang Hee immediately responded to King Sejong’s words.
“It’s all thanks to Your Majesty.”
“It is not my virtue, but rather the majesty of King Taejo.”
It was King Sejong who evaluated things calmly.
That was because that was the meaning of what the Jurchen tribe chiefs said in unison during the main event the night before.
-The strict discipline of the soldiers reminds me of the time when a great old man was here!
In the end, the reason they listened to King Sejong’s orders was not because they were afraid of King Sejong, but because of Lee Seong-gye’s shadow.
In any case, the power of the Joseon army was further strengthened as 2,000 cavalry were recruited from the noble Jurchen tribe and 10,000 cavalry from the Woodiger tribe.
After checking the situation, Sejong looked at Choi Yun-deok.
“Now all that remains is to choose a suitable location and eliminate Imanju and Muntemu.”
“So it is.”
* * *
Meanwhile, once King Sejong was properly established in Hamheung, communication with the front lines became more active.
On the third day after King Sejong arrived in Hamheung, a communications officer came into the conference room.
“There is an urgent report from Pyeongan-do County! It is said that they have caught up with the migrating Imanju tribe! “I have been told that we will begin a crushing operation from now on!”
“at las!”
As soon as we heard the urgent news, the conference room was filled with murder.
After a persistent chase, they finally caught up with the fleeing Huligai tribe of Imanju.
Soon, more detailed information came in.
“The location where Pyeongan-do County has caught up is here at Maehagu (梅河口). “It is about 180 ri (about 72 km) from the Paje River.”
“When was the last time something started to happen and we have only gotten there yet? “I don’t know.”
Choi Yun-deok immediately answered King Sejong’s question.
“There are some noble people who stay instead of leaving, but with almost 10,000 households moving, it won’t be quick. And these will be the last ones.”
Sejong nodded at Choi Yun-deok’s explanation.
“Right. If so, the burden on Pyeongan-do County will be reduced. “It will be enough if we destroy them individually.”
“That’s right. If you pay attention to surprise attacks and ambushes, you can easily defeat them individually. And General Lee Soon-mong, who commands the Pyeongan Army, is a cautious man, so he will do well.”
Sejong, who nodded at Choi Yun-deok’s words, asked the next question.
“Then, have you found the whereabouts of Lee Man-ju and Muntemu, who did this?”
“yes. “They are now continuing to move north from the Daedun area.”
“Are they slow too?”
“Yes, it looks like they are waiting for their tribes along with the problem of moving the looted goods.”
Sejong, who was looking at the map while listening to Choi Yun-deok’s explanation, looked at Choi Yun-deok.
“Can our military stand in their way?”
“It is quite possible. “I have already decided where to welcome them.”
“Where?”
Choi Yun-deok pointed to a place on the map with his finger.
“This is Jilin.”