Joseon Military Officer, Establishing Balhae - Chapter 300



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Episode 300

Rapidly changing situation (2)

Urgent news was also delivered to the Balhae court.

Taegeon quickly called Yi Ha-ryun and Hwang Jin, the Minister of the Army, to the side hall. When the two entered Hongik Hall, Kim Sol briefly relayed the intelligence related to Joseon that had just come in.

“In the end, Joseon decided to join the Triple Alliance and sent an envoy to the Ming.”

“When did that happen?”

Lee Ha-ryun asked. All intelligence collected in Joseon was bound to have a time lag during the transmission process.

“It happened ten days ago. So it will be relayed to both the Ming and the Later Jin soon. Or it may have already arrived.”

“Well, since it was urgent, they must have moved as quickly as possible.”

Hwang Jin-do guessed that this news had already been delivered to both countries. Taegeon and Balhae officials were not surprised by this. This was because they were already aware of it.

Shim Hyeon and his chief, Im Jae-guk, who had come as secret envoys, conveyed the King of Joseon’s intentions verbally. They said that they had no choice but to join the alliance due to public opinion, and that if war broke out, they would only pretend to fight and then surrender to the Balhae army, so they were not to harm the soldiers.

Taegeon only half believed the words of the secret messenger. He reluctantly accepted the message that he was joining the alliance. However, he did not believe what happened after that at all. The state of Joseon itself was so chaotic that he could not even guess what would happen next.

“But isn’t this something that can’t be considered urgent? It’s something that everyone expected.”

Lee Ha-ryun asked Kim Sol with a puzzled look.

“That’s right. In fact, the real problem is that Shim Hyeon, who came as a secret agent, and his chief, Im Jae-guk, were arrested. It seems that the political forces either followed Shim Hyeon and his party, or came to spy on the Wonsan Station event and discovered Shim Hyeon.”

“Well, this is big, isn’t it?”

“That’s true. The situation in Joseon is going to turn serious.”

Lee Ha-ryun and Hwang Jin-eun soon realized the repercussions this incident would bring.

Shim Hyeon and Im Jae-guk were secret agents of the king, and their arrest could only be seen as a sign that their secret agent status had been exposed by the opposition party. Therefore, the king had no choice but to show his disapproval, and he had no choice but to arrest them on charges of colluding with the enemy.

“The opponents have a weapon that will deal a fatal blow to the King and the ruling party, who are being pushed back without any countermeasures in the battle of public opinion? This seems to be a fait accompli, so how do you think things will unfold in the future?”

“The momentum for war will accelerate even further. Not only the King and the Northerners, but also the opposing factions have decided to join the alliance. The King’s side will also prepare for war more diligently than before.”

Hwang Jin-i answered first.

“That’s right. And there will be a big storm in the process. After all, isn’t the current king a king who was stamped by the Ming Dynasty? The only thing he can rely on is the public opinion, which doesn’t really have much influence on Joseon politics. Still, someday, that mighty wave will exert its power.”

Lee Ha-ryun also expressed his opinion.

“That’s right. That’s exactly what I’m expecting. A mighty wave, huhu!”

“Anyway, it seems like the Southern Army also needs to prepare thoroughly.”

Hwang Jin-eun faced reality.

“Yes, I guess this time I might see the blood of my own kind.”

Hwang Jin sighed deeply at Taegeon’s worried voice.

“Ugh! There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s going to happen at some point.”

“Never stop your missionary work during an operation. Even if it is ceremonial and simple, it can be very effective.”

Lee Ha-ryun advised.

“That’s the way it should be. Since we’re about to see the blood of our own kind, we should at least take that into consideration beforehand.”

“And… if you really do get into battle, try to make good use of your snipers right before the battle. If the leader is eliminated, your missionary work may be even more effective.”

“Hmm, a sniper?”

Hwang Jin’s eyes sparkled at Lee Ha-ryun’s advice.

“Isn’t that why snipers are trained for days like this?”

Hwang Jin smiled. In fact, the Korean people were exceptionally talented at archery, so the word sniping was not unfamiliar to them. It didn’t matter whether they shot arrows or shot with new rifles that had an accuracy far beyond imagination. In any battlefield, the first target to kill was naturally the enemy leader. If the enemy leader died, the formation would fall apart and a gap would be created.

“Hahaha! How accurate was it at that distance? I, who am confident in my archery skills, was completely disappointed.”

“That makes sense. Even I, who designed it, was surprised.”

Lee Ha-ryun acted naturally as if the new rifle, the Geonheung Type 1 rifle, was a product of chance.

The new rifle itself had high accuracy, and since Balhae possessed the technology to make high-performance telescopes and even microscopes, it was not difficult for them to develop and install a scope. Therefore, they decided to have a sniper platoon of about ten people in each division and have been training them up to now.

“Is there a possibility that a rebellion will occur in Joseon?”

Tae-Geon brought the discussion back to the beginning. Kim Sol answered his question.

“I think it’s very big. According to a report from an informant who has been listening to public opinion in the court, the current king is already at an end. Since the court has incurred the hatred of the Ming, if they raise the cause of servility, the justification for a rebellion will be satisfied.”

“That’s right. In addition, the public opinion of the opposition party, including the Sungkyunkwan Confucian scholars, has reached its peak. Now, it’s not a matter of building up a cause, but rather of thinking about how to implement it.”

“Oh my! When I think about it from the perspective of the King of Joseon, there is no answer. But the King and the Northerners won’t just die, right? Maybe they’ll come up with some kind of plan?”

Lee Ha-ryun responded to Tae-geon’s evaluation with a slightly expectant expression.

* * *

Ansan Port in Hani Island in the Southern Sea.

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This port city was now functioning as a perfect international city. Two more merchants came from Balhae, making a total of five merchants who had opened branches. Ryukyu, Kuma, Taizan, Japan, as well as Spain, Portugal, and the British East India Company came in. Two large quays made of ash were already built, and various auxiliary facilities were built behind the quays.

As the streets were crowded with merchants from various countries, bars, hotels, and various shops targeting them began to open. Of course, the Balhae government deployed a police station to ensure public order, organized the Hani Islands into Hani County under the Namhaebu, established a county office, and appointed a county magistrate.

As people and goods flocked in in an instant, the Hani Islands were noticeably different from two years ago.

“Wow! They really said it was a big deal, and it happened here.”

As soon as he got off the ship, Lee Wan smiled brightly and told Song Hee-rip about his first impression of Ansan. Lee Wan also wanted to get a position in the Navy like Song Hee-rip, so he was given the position of vice-commander of the 35th Squadron.

“I came here once last year, but it has changed a lot since then. It’s really amazing.”

The 35th Squadron Commander, Lieutenant General Jo Kang, also let out a gasp of excitement as soon as he set foot on the dock.

Jo Kang, who was originally a Jeju pastor, continued to serve in the military even after surrendering to Balhae. He was fascinated by Taemi’s activities and strongly desired a position in the navy. The navy naturally accepted his wish, and following precedent, after gaining several years of experience like Song Hee-rip, he was appointed as the commander of the 35th Squadron.

“Haha! Welcome. It’s been a while.”

Song Hui-rip also welcomed Jo Gang. The two had something in common: they were both Joseon generals who had joined Balhae late, not members of its early days, and had been close friends ever since.

“Have the number of Balhae people increased here in Ansan?”

“It has increased a lot. There are five of them in our Balhae Sangdan alone, right? There are many resident officials who belong to them, and their families have also come in. Not only the county officials, but also the families of the soldiers in the Navy and Marine Corps.”

Song Hee-rip was in charge of the military administration before the county office was established, so he was fully aware of the composition of the residents.

“So, Balhae people and foreigners each make up 40%, and the remaining 20% ​​are indigenous people. As the number of Balhae people continues to increase, it will soon easily exceed 50%.”

“If that’s the case, then that’s good.”

“Did you stop by Damsujin?”

“Yes, I went to look around.”

The commander of the Cho Gang squadron brought only five large ships, while the other large ships and heavy ships remained in Formosa.

“I also stopped by Giryong Port and Galansa Temple.”

“How about Galantha?”

“It’s peaceful. I also feel like things are starting to settle down a little.”

“What is your relationship with the natives working in the sugarcane fields?”

“I also saw some people who were communicating in our Goryeo language, albeit awkwardly. They all seemed to be doing well. I could see that there were no dark corners on their faces.”

“That’s right… The county officials and Marine Corps officers thoroughly monitor the upper class to make sure they don’t commit any cruel acts and pay their wages on time. The Balhae wage system is applied as is, and if they want, they can also pay in kind, such as food, so the natives like it very much.”

Song Hee-rip was also clearly aware of the situation in Formosa.

“Well, there’s a lot to know.”

“Haha! That’s right. Okay, then let’s go to our headquarters.”

Song Hee-rip guided the 35th Squadron commanders to the squadron headquarters.

They went straight to the headquarters conference room and shared the orders that Squadron Leader Cho Kang had received.

“Um, this is…….”

Song Hee-rip was slightly nervous.

“That’s right. It’s war. Now, I’m ordering you to be on guard, keeping in mind that you might be attacked first by the Ming navy and Dutch company ships. In fact, it’s no different from ordering you to fight.”

“Plus, the scope has expanded.”

Song Hee-rip read the order again.

“Starting from the waters off Guangzhou at the mouth of the Pearl River, southwards from Macau, Hong Kong Island, and…….”

Macau, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou are all located at the mouth of the Pearl River. The Pearl River is a representative waterway in southern China and is the third longest river in China after the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. It has many tributaries and abundant water, so a large delta was formed at the mouth of the Pearl River, and the city built on it was Guangzhou.

“They told me to keep watch all the way to the mouth of the Min River in front of Bokju in the North. I’m going to be very busy from now on.”

The coastal area between the mouths of the Pearl River and the Min River was home to several coastal cities that flourished through commerce, including Quanzhou and Yuehang, a port city near Xiamen. Among the Han Chinese merchants who made this area their base, many were engaged in trade between Manila and Macau.

“The range is quite wide, isn’t it?”

Jo Kang, who was already familiar with the operational scope through the map, asked.

“Yes, it is very wide. But I don’t think we should divide the military ships.”

“That’s right. That won’t do. We may encounter enemy fleets and engage in battle, so we ask that you carry out the mission as a squadron unit.”

“Then it seems like the 34th and 35th Squadrons will have to take turns performing surveillance missions.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I think I know why you gave me this mission. In short, you want me to block the silver from entering Ming?”

Song Hee-rip’s opinion was also agreed with by Jo Kang. Both commanders had been working in the southern seas and had a thorough understanding of the international trade structure mediated by silver.

“There is nothing better than silver for shaking the spirit.”

“Then how should we control foreign vessels?”

“There’s nothing we can do. If war breaks out, we’ll have no choice but to force them. It’s an emergency situation, so they’ll understand. In return, we’ll release a large amount of Balhae specialty products that they like into Choryang to reduce their discontent.”

“Well, then I understand.”

The two men understood this order, drafted by Taegeon himself, as a naval blockade operation.

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