Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 119
Only Noblemtl
#119. The earth collapses, the mountains are cut down (3)
“The biggest problem right now is breaking through the moat, and the next problem is the castle walls. Once we get close, it’s obvious that we’ll crush the Qing army, but how can we get over the 6m high castle walls….”
“Didn’t I already give instructions about that?”
Here I have ordered a really stupid but sure method.
The goal was to explode enough dynamite to blow away the city gates.
If we can break through the gate and secure some space, there won’t be much difficulty in the subsequent units rushing in.
And the moats inside the castle would only hinder the enemy’s retreat. In addition, there were plenty of things prepared to harass the enemies on the castle walls.
“Focus on breaking through the outer wall. The attack on the inner wall depends on breaking through the outer wall, and of course the moat will be similar. If we only break through the outer wall, the moat will not be our enemy, but the enemy’s enemy.”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend…”
I responded to Kim Seok-joong’s words in a coquettish tone.
“No? The enemy of my enemy is also my enemy. You have to make sure that the remaining two companies secure the supply route, and keep Advisor Harcourt in check. He’s the most unstable of all the advisors on duty.”
“Of course.”
Finally, I reorganized my operational plan again and slowly looked at my watch, waiting for it to be midnight.
From afar, the pre-arranged orchestra began to play a very creepy tune, like a requiem, on gongs and taepyeongso.
Just like in their own story of Chohanji, they will clearly know what it means to be surrounded by four walls.
“Oh, that’s creepy. Is that the original tune?”
“Ah, Colonel Puchata. I forgot to tell you in advance.”
“Even our own troops’ morale will be lowered.”
I looked at Colonel Puchata, who was frowning because of the creepy tune, and said:
He said other Russian soldiers also found the sound creepy.
I joked that it might be similar to the Babayega crying about something, and his face hardened.
“It’s either the sound of a ghost crying or a requiem. It’s probably one of the two.”
“If it’s a requiem for the enemies, then I guess that makes sense.”
“Many people will die there today.”
I said with a sigh, and the sharp melody was almost running towards the end.
Now that the requiem for them was over, it was time for the magnificent orchestra of modern firepower to open the curtain.
I tried not to be anxious, but I couldn’t help but feel that way.
My heart was pounding and my eyelids were trembling.
Colonel Puchata turned back to make contact with the Russian commanders, and only I, a few staff officers, and a messenger were present at the command post.
In the distance, Russian artillerymen stood at the ready, their shirts exposed, firing large shells, while our field artillery company also stood ready to fire Maxims, waiting for the order.
I felt a sense of impatience rising in me without me knowing it at that sight.
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.
A cool breeze, but the air mixed with dust, brushed my face.
Already, 1km from the friendly forces’ main base, 20 platoons of the assault infantry battalion were positioned along a 2km wide attack line, and in five minutes, 16 Russian field guns and 15 Maxim machine guns would open fire.
“Are you nervous?”
“No, really.”
“It shows all over your face.”
Lieutenant Colonel Posch came into the barracks and threw something at me.
I instinctively reached out and grabbed it, and it turned out to be the candy I had seen on the floor of Hanseong some time ago.
“I bought a few things from the market back home before I left. When it comes to relieving tension, nothing beats sweets.”
“hmm.”
I opened the wrapper and put the candy in my mouth.
“Well, you confidently spoke of the new doctrine in front of us, but how could you not be nervous?”
Instead of answering, I sat down in my chair and looked at my watch.
4 minutes, already a minute has passed.
“Do you like war, Commander?”
“Well, if you want my answer as a soldier, I’d say no.”
“Hmm, I thought you’d like it.”
“Why?”
“The regimental commander is not afraid of war. I felt it clearly while watching this time.”
He said, trimming his handsome moustache.
I smiled bitterly.
If we look at it that way, Foch’s words were not wrong, as he was willing to risk his life and charge into the enemy armed only with a sword and a pistol.
“I think it’s fortunate that there is a person like the regimental commander in Korea. He is not afraid of war, knows when to fight, and makes it clear to them that there is a line that must not be crossed.”
“I guess there is no such person in your home country, France?”
“Well, there are plenty of fools who talk about revenge on Germany but have neither the courage nor the strategy to win, or crazy royalists who are drunk on Bonaparte’s nostalgia and want to send young people to the battlefield while talking about the Greater French Empire.”
He answered through gritting his teeth.
Well, actually, coming here was close to being demoted, so it wasn’t something I didn’t understand.
“However, there are few who are not afraid of war. There are many commanders who know how to start a war, but few who can finish it. In general, the latter are called great generals. And I believe that you, the regimental commander… will become such a person.”
“That would be closer to you, Lieutenant Colonel Posh, than to me.”
I answered, biting into the candy.
Foch, you are the one who will revive the French army that was pushed back by the German army, create the Miracle on the Marne, and finally bring victory to the war.
But since I can’t talk about it here, I’ll just leave a small hint.
“And the revenge that your country desires will be achieved by your hands.”
“That would be great. It’s a shame that I haven’t even been promoted to colonel and am now wandering around the barren lands of the East.”
“There is so much to see, learn and feel here.”
And then a powerful flash of light appeared next to me and Posh.
One, two, three, four.
First of all, it seemed like one battery was spitting fire.
And it struck the Dongmen Gate of Tianjin, and small but definite flashes were seen seconds later.
Boom! Kookung! Boom! Boom!
The crackling noise of Maxim machine guns that followed.
A dazzling orchestra of artillery and machine guns has just begun to play.
“You will be able to learn what kind of songs and instruments can captivate the public on the stage of modern warfare.”
“It’s almost like you’ve glimpsed the future.”
“What if that were really true?”
I threw a mean joke at Posh. I thought it would be okay to tell him a joke or two.
“If you could see the future, I’m sure you have many questions. But there’s just one thing I’d like to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about whether my home country, France, can really succeed in revenge.”
Revenge on Germany, you know…
It would be a very big and grand revenge. It would be a revenge that would take a generation to pour out a lot of blood and flesh, but it would succeed. And it would also plant the seeds of another war.
“And I want to hear the answer to that.”
Again there was a flash of light and a loud noise.
Along with the loud gunfire, there was also the sound of return fire from Tianjin. It was not concentrated, but seemed to be firing randomly in response to the harassing fire.
I looked at it and smiled bitterly.
Although it hasn’t come out yet at this time, I knew that it would come true in a twisted and horrible form, just like the wish of the ‘Monkey Paw’.
“I believe I have already answered that question. Your country’s revenge will be carried out by your own hands.”
“······!”
“So learn a lot, especially today’s lesson.”
I stood up from my chair, holding the sword in my hand.
I laughed inside. It felt like I had paid a very high price for the candy he had given me.
“I enjoyed the candy.”
I greeted them politely and then walked a little further forward to a place where I could see the front lines better.
A light that would make the moon and stars jealous was blazing before me.
***
“It’s a beginning.”
Lieutenant Kim Si-jin let out a very small sound.
As soon as the eerie requiem from earlier ended, a huge flash of light and an explosive sound struck all over the castle walls.
And he was personally carrying out the operation that his brother had mentioned, which seemed to have been devised half-in-his-mind.
It was to first destroy the eastern gate of Tianjin Castle and secure a breakthrough by taking advantage of the artillery’s distracting fire and the darkness of the night.
Along with the sound of shells exploding, bullets from the Maxim cannon were also seen striking the walls.
The Qing army, judging that it was a night raid, hurriedly responded with fire, and the two sides continued to fire artillery, but fortunately, they did not seem to notice the assault infantry approaching from the outer wall.
Knock, knock.
The senior officer in the lead gave a signal by tapping the butt of his rifle twice with his hand.
It was a signal to stop for a moment. Everyone crouched down on the plain covered in thick darkness and waited.
I remembered my brother, who used to thoroughly inspect the military equipment of the troops dispatched at night, saying that prayer beads were important.
He supervised everything with great care, starting with making sure the water jugs were full of water, tying the drums together with cotton thread so they wouldn’t make noise if they collided with each other, and treating any metal parts that might reflect light with food or charcoal on site.
Thanks to this, there was almost no noise.
I don’t know if it was planned for this time or if it was intentional, but since the use of hand signals was prepared in advance right after the unit was formed, it was used very usefully.
Judging from the signal, it seemed that there were enemy scouts.
There are about 2 or 3 people.
Lieutenant Kim Si-jin immediately looked back and spread his fingers. Then, together with an experienced soldier and the senior sergeant ahead, he crept stealthily toward where the enemy scouts were.
Each of them took out a sharp broadsword or a well-sharpened dagger hidden in their bosom and approached the enemies who had carelessly exposed their sides.
And without even giving them a chance to notice, as if by agreement, he stabbed them in the neck with a sharp blade.
They seemed to be trying to warn their comrades nearby of the sudden attack, but unfortunately they failed to do so.
Instead of the familiar human voice, only the boiling phlegm that I had vaguely heard in the slaughterhouse could be heard from their throats.
With a creaking sound, their eyes rolled back and their limp bodies were carefully laid on the floor.
When Lieutenant Kim Si-jin again sent a signal to the platoon members in the rear to advance, the attacking units, which had been paused for a moment, began to move forward.
As the silhouette of the wall became clearer, people moving busily on the wall also came into view.
As we passed by, we destroyed the outposts they had set up here and there, and eliminated those who had come out of the castle to assess the situation, and before we knew it, we were near the castle walls.
“Prepare the explosives.”
Amid the loud gunfire, Lieutenant Kim Si-jin ordered the explosives to be prepared.
The soldiers pulled out the dynamite they had shoved between the barbed wire, and the sergeants of each squad tied it together with rope-like things and prepared to blow up the gate with one blow.
The gate was as big and thick as expected. He ordered that they detonate all the explosives they had in one go, thinking that one or two shots of explosives wouldn’t be enough to detect it. He was wondering when it would be safe to detonate them.
The platoon member who had finished detonating the weapon raised his thumb and was about to press the detonation switch after moving some distance away.
“······?”
“······!”
I had the misfortune to lock eyes with a Qing soldier on the wall.
There was silence for a moment, which was soon broken by shouts and the sound of drums.
The Qing army, which had been under heavy fire for a long time, finally realized what the enemy was thinking and immediately began to pour bullets on the assault infantry.
When the safe distance was not secured and the situation became such that he could not move, Lieutenant Kim Si-jin showed a bewildered expression and swore.
“Eww, those bastards!”
“If you say twins, aren’t people like us twins?”
But even as bullets rained down, the half-conscious assault infantrymen leisurely joked.
It was common to whine that it wouldn’t work out anyway because it was night.
“Detonate here, Sergeant.”
“What if we get caught up in something wrong?”
“Well, then the rear guard will take our place. Isn’t that simple?”
It was a rough answer.
Lieutenant Kim Si-jin looked at their appearance with a brief moment of awe, then looked at the detonator switch.
“But it’s not easy to retreat to a safe place. Let’s at least find a way out.”
“What do the squad leaders think?”
“It’s either do or die, so let’s give it a try.”
“I would also like to see someone detonate that amount of explosives.”
Everyone had a similar overall atmosphere.
Amidst the hail of bullets, everyone braced themselves. Although many of the miners had experience handling large quantities of explosives, they had almost no experience in turning bullets upside down and detonating them.
Lieutenant Kim Si-jin put his hand on the blast switch with a helpless expression.
Well, I just thought that if I was going to die here, it might as well be with a spectacular explosion.
He steeled his resolve and shouted to his platoon, which was taking cover behind him.
“Blast! Everyone, bow your heads!”
“The platoon leader is blasting! Everyone get down!”
I closed my eyes tightly and pressed the switch, and the piled up explosives exploded, creating a huge flash of light at the eastern gate of Tianjin.