Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 275
Only Noblemtl
#275. Matryoshka (1)
Prime Minister Han Kyu-seol looked at me with intense eyes in a room filled with billowing cigarette smoke.
“Are you talking to this person who is tired and worn out?”
I said with a shrug.
If you look at me with those eyes, my current appearance is extremely embarrassing.
His uniform was practically in rags, his face was covered in stubble, and his boots were on the verge of falling apart.
The only things that are intact are the sword and revolver on his waist, and his eyes that sparkle with anger due to the Samkwang Operation taking place in the Samnam region.
And as if that weren’t enough, Han Gyu-seol gestured towards Jo Dong-yoon, the director of the records bureau who was sitting in the middle.
“That’s enough. The Records Director, please hand it over to the Superintendent.”
“Yes, Prime Minister.”
He nodded and handed me another document.
And this could be said to be the real reason why I was called here today.
“Sergeant, I’m truly sorry, but you won’t have time to rest. A Japanese division is advancing toward Hamheung.”
The worst-case scenario turned out to be exactly as expected.
After all, it was obvious that the enemies would not leave it alone since they had entered Pyongyang without bloodshed.
It would have been a mistake to write accurately.
After several victories, I pondered and reflected on the meaning of our retreat, and the results were as follows.
The main force of the South Korean army was inevitably forced to withdraw after months of fierce fighting and attrition in Pyeongan Province, rendering it unable to fight.
So, although it was difficult, it was clear that they would attempt to attack Hamgyeong Province, including Hamheung, by bringing in the reorganized 1st Army troops.
“I hope it’s not true… The enemy’s current advance path is largely divided into two. The Japanese 2nd Division is following the Sunmuyeong withdrawal route toward Sachang-ri, while the other division is moving north to capture Wonsan and Hamheung.”
“If it were another unit···.”
“This is the enemy’s guard division.”
“They’re the Guards Division. Even though we beat them up at Jinnampo, they’re coming up again.”
“It seems that they are still not completely recovered. In any case, the Japanese army has advanced to Uiju while engaging in skirmishes with the Russian-Western forces north of the Cheongcheon River. And the 2nd Division, after expelling the Russian-Western forces from Anju on the Cheongcheon River, immediately changed course in this direction.”
It seemed that the 1st Siberian Corps commanded by Major General Mischenko was unable to overcome its numerical disadvantage and was using delaying tactics to withdraw to the banks of the Yalu River.
Although we did teach them a few of our military’s tactics before leaving, it seemed that it was not enough to stop the force difference of more than four times.
“If things continue this way, the enemy will reach the outskirts of Hamheung within a week. Three days at the earliest, a week at the latest.”
“They are very persistent. Even though they are only one division, if they start to take up positions, things could get quite difficult. In any case, the troops in Hamheung are very short, and the troops in Pyeongan Province are exhausted and need to rest and reorganize.”
“Furthermore, if we fail to stop the 2nd Division, the Guards Division, which will advance north after capturing Wonsan, will attack us from both sides. You must definitely stop the 2nd Division. Only then will the enemy Guards Division not be able to advance north without caution.”
The timing was truly incredible. If they had been even a little late, they could have been pursued by the enemy and fought a bloody battle in the area, but apart from the thrilling feeling, they took advantage of the current situation where there was a severe shortage of available troops.
“No, it’s only one division, but wouldn’t the ability of the sergeant be able to stop it somehow? In addition, there is also the Guards Division and two brigades of the Jin Guard deployed here. If we mobilize them to block the enemy, they won’t be able to move an inch.”
I never thought I’d hear someone ask me to feed them here. Of course, given the circumstances, I can understand why people want to lean on someone.
“It’s not a problem that can be easily seen. As the Guards Division moves toward Wonsan, the rebels are joining them in large numbers. I don’t know for sure, but the rebels called up by the traitors in Hanseong are joining the Guards Division, and their number seems to be at most 10,000. What does this mean?”
“Either they lock us up, or they wipe us out with overwhelming force. Maybe both.”
At Jo Dong-yoon’s words, Lee Gyu-tae revealed his frustration by smoking cigarettes one after another.
If things continued this way, not only would Wonsan, a gray area, fall to the enemy, but everyone felt the pressure of having to deal with a two-front war.
While everyone was looking at me with serious faces, I took out a cigarette, put it in my mouth, and smiled.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let even one Japanese or traitor bring their dirty military boots into this sacred land of Hamheung.”
People have faith in a voice that is confident and sure.
Even in modern warfare, it is said that the confident voice of a commander controls the tension and fear of soldiers, which is a very important factor.
And this was true not only on the battlefield, but also far away.
“Sergeant, can you take responsibility for those words?”
“If there was one thing I regretted while I was in Pyongyang, it was that I was unable to capture the enemy’s divisional flag. This time, I will definitely capture the divisional flag.”
“···Okay. I don’t know about other people, but I can trust you, Turnip. Okay, what can we do to help you?”
The Prime Minister smiled at me as if this was the answer he had been looking for.
***
“No, even so, you should at least rest for a moment… You marched quite a distance in this cold, are you okay?”
“If we don’t move now, we won’t be able to intercept the enemy. The adjutant should tell the quartermaster to provide the soldiers with dry rations, millet powder, and charcoal as much as possible to the entire Guards Division. There is a high possibility that supplies will not be able to keep up with the units.”
“···all right.”
Adjutant Shin Pal-gyun, who had been sent with the withdrawal procession ahead of me, spoke worriedly as soon as he saw me, but there was no time.
Every second counted.
He rode off on his horse, and I had to take care of other things before I could even look at him.
“The 1st and 2nd Guards Brigades, and the entire 6th Guards Brigade are ready to deploy. Commander, please give the order.”
“Okay. Send the prepared units first.”
There was no time to reorganize the soldiers in Pyeongan Province or to call in the 8th Brigade, which was relatively farther back, so the decision was made to withdraw the entire Guards Division defending Hamheung.
There was opposition from the Sunmuyeong Command, but it was quickly quelled as Lee Gyu-tae, the commander of the Royal Guards and commander of the Royal Guards Division, approved the drafting of troops.
“I know it’s annoying to have to go back the way you came.”
“It’s okay, Lieutenant Park Seung-hwan. I have high expectations for the 1st Brigade.”
“Is there any possibility?”
···To tell the truth, as Park Seung-hwan said, I couldn’t help but feel annoyed because I had to go back the way I came right after returning. It wasn’t even a 40km tactical march, it was almost like a thousand-mile march, so I couldn’t help but curse if I was told to go back after having crossed the distance with all my might.
But that didn’t mean there was any time to even hesitate and take a breather.
Since they were advancing very quickly without missing a beat, we also had to secure a good position and build a defensive line.
There was a time when the saying that there is nothing more tiring than facing a capable enemy came to mind without a doubt.
“By the way, Commander, is it okay if we can’t mobilize the cavalry regiment or the assault infantry regiment this time…?”
“Is it just them? All three brigades in Pyeongan Province cannot be mobilized. But still···”
I looked back and said. The units that had been used as problem solvers were too exhausted to be mobilized, but the Guards Division and the 6th Brigade that were defending Hamheung were now in my hands.
With a regular division-level force rather than a brigade, it might have been better than before.
It was a daunting task to fight an enemy of similar size with only 24,000 men, but there was a way.
“If I could use even a little bit of the power of overtime work, I could fight….”
Of course, there will be no overtime pay or anything like that.
“yes?”
“Oh, I’m just talking to myself.”
I was giggling to myself, but then came to my senses after hearing the staff officers’ reports.
The advance units of the Guards Division and the 6th Brigade, which had completed a short sortie preparation, began to advance en masse toward Yeonggwang-eup and Oro-ri.
Everyone’s face was filled with tension and fear, whether they had combat experience or not.
The rumor that they were enemies from another dimension was enough to quickly paralyze the soldiers.
I, mounted on a horse, silently looked down at the troops marching out, their beards shaved before the sortie, in their clean uniforms and mounted on new horses.
“It’s the turnip! The turnip is watching us!”
A shout was heard among the ranks of soldiers, and soon cheers were heard.
“Wow!”
I had to wave at them and watch the long procession leave Hamheung.
“You’re quite talented at raising the morale of your soldiers, sir. So what do you plan to do now?”
“Oh, Tong-eo-sa. Are you going together?”
“I can’t do that, since I am the commander of the guards division, but I am also the commander-in-chief. If I go too, there will be no one to guard Hamheung. Please tell me before you leave. What are your plans? They haven’t been shared yet.”
Lee Gyu-tae asked curiously.
It was only Park Seung-hwan and Lee Ki-pyo, the brigade commanders of the Guards Division, who were informed, and it was not told to anyone else yet, so it was understandable that they would be curious.
“Have you ever peeled an apple, a persimmon, or a pear?”
“Are you joking right now?”
“No, I’m asking seriously.”
Whether my question was strange or not, Lee Gyu-tae had not been able to rest properly and made an expression as if I was talking nonsense.
But he soon nodded, seeing that my expression was not like that at all.
To them, I was an unpredictable visionary, an eccentric who thought and acted ahead of others, so I thought they might understand me in that sense.
“Sometimes.”
“As we cut them down, we will cut down the enemy’s main force. By moving our units into the mountains, we will block the enemy’s expected routes of advance and retreat, and at any moment when they stop, we will attack the enemy from all sides.”
When looking at the map, there was only one route of advance or retreat available to the Japanese 2nd Division.
If the enemy was to enter Yeonggwang-eup and the right wing of Hamheung, they had to occupy the area called Sachang-ri, and I focused my attention there.