In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 905 Powerful Crossbows Grew from the Tree

The Goryeo army continued its advance northwest, the horses' hooves pounding the frozen ground with a dull thud.

The swirling snow dust trailed behind the column, forming a long gray tail.

The northwest wind howled and blew, cutting like a knife on people's faces.

The soldiers wrapped their cotton-padded coats tightly, tucking their heads as close to their collars as possible, leaving only their wary eyes visible.

Because it is very close to Shun'an, less than a hundred miles away,
Just one day after setting out, the Goryeo army entered a hilly area with slightly complex terrain.

The area is characterized by rolling hills, deep ravines, and winding roads.

The trees on both sides were bare, shivering in the cold wind.

Every now and then, a few crows would be startled and fly away, cawing loudly, into the distance.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by the rapid sound of horses' hooves ahead.

A Goryeo scout charged wildly toward the central army like a madman.

His warhorse was covered in sweat, emitting white steam.

The scout, who was still a dozen paces away from Yi Seong-gye, suddenly leaped off his horse.
He scrambled to Yi Seong-gye's side, knelt on one knee, and cried out in a trembling, urgent voice:
"Reporting to Prime Minister Li! A Jurchen scouting party has been spotted ahead, numbering approximately two hundred!"

Yi Seong-gye's eyes sharpened, and he tightened his grip on the reins even more.

He squinted slightly, looking in the direction the scouts had come from.

After a moment of contemplation, he decisively gave the order:
"Pass on my order: all vanguard scouts must advance, entangle them, and ascertain their strengths, weaknesses, and movements!"
"The army shall halt and deploy its military strategy on the spot!"

As the military order was relayed, hundreds of scouts quickly emerged from the Goryeo army.

They sped off like arrows towards the location of the Jurchen scouts.

These scouts were all agile, dressed in the latest armor, carrying the best longswords, and their eyes revealed determination.

They were the most elite scouts in the entire Goryeo capital region.
This operation must be successful!

In the mountains and forests, the Jurchen scout teams seemed to have already noticed the approaching Goryeo scouts.

They did not panic, but quickly dispersed, forming a loose formation in the forest.

Three people per group, three groups per flag.
These Jurchen scouts wore tattered leather armor, their faces painted with black greasepaint, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes that radiated a chillingly fierce light.

On the outskirts, a scout, holding a telescope, carefully observed the dense forest ahead.

Once any action is taken, he will immediately report it to his superiors using hand gestures.
The scouts then compiled and summarized the information to deduce the enemy's true location.

On a battlefield near the woods on the left, birds were startled by something.

Intelligence from the front lines came in quickly: the Koreans have arrived!
"Bows and crossbows!"

At a command, the Jurchen scouts drew their arrows and nocked them onto their powerful bows.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized, displaying a level of skill honed through countless rehearsals.

They held this position for less than fifteen breaths before receiving the order to fire.

"Whoosh whoosh!"

A dense rain of arrows whistled through the sky, shooting towards the white mountain forest ahead.

The arrows drew black trails in the air.

With a sharp whistling sound, it plunged fiercely into the dense forest.
Soon, screams of agony rang out.

The cautious Goryeo scouts looked terrified.
They couldn't understand how they had been exposed.

Moreover, the archery skills of these Jurchen people were so superb that they were caught off guard.

Many people in the scout team began to sway on their horses.
Some were hit in the shoulder and arm by arrows, and their cotton-padded clothes were instantly stained red with blood.

Some were shot and their horses were startled, causing the horses to gallop wildly and throw the riders off.

But the Goryeo scouts were also seasoned veterans.

They quickly regained their footing, drew their long swords, and prepared to engage the Jurchens in close combat.

A Goryeo scout squad leader brandished a long sword and shouted loudly:

"Brothers, do not be afraid!"
They don't outnumber us, follow me and charge! Chop these bastards to pieces!

Under his leadership, the Goryeo scouts surged toward the Jurchens like a tidal wave.

However, once they broke out of the forest, they discovered that things were far more complicated than they had imagined.

Rows of crossbows were calmly positioned in the distance.

Upon seeing the repeating crossbows, their pupils contracted sharply.
Just as they were still in shock, the sound of wind breaking suddenly came from the snow in the distance.

A hail of arrows came from the side.

The sharp arrow slashed fiercely.

It pierced the armor of the Goryeo scouts, bringing screams of agony.

Someone collapsed to the ground in panic! Staring blankly at the snow-covered ground, wondering where the arrows had come from.

At this moment, the arrows directly in front began to rain down.
Another volley of fire followed, and the thirty-odd men who had charged out quickly fell into pools of blood, motionless.

"transposition!"

The junior officer waved his hand, and ten scouts left with repeating crossbows.

Before long, another scout team of fifteen men appeared in the dense forest.
Their faces paled when they saw their colleague lying in a pool of blood.

But before they could react,

Another volley of fire came from nowhere, and more than a dozen people fell to the ground like wheat.

The arrow pierced his throat, revealing a bright red arrowhead.
A young soldier lay on the ground, his eyes filled with confusion.

Where is the enemy?

In the final moments of his life, he experienced a moment of dizziness.
More than a dozen figures actually got up from the snow.

They were dressed in snow-white clothes, blending completely into the snow.

"So that's where it is."

Not far away, in a clearing in the woods,

Twenty-odd people were fighting fiercely, and the clanging of swords and spears startled away countless birds and beasts.

The Goryeo scouts gradually discovered that the Jurchen people before them were not at all as rumored—with tattered armor and fragile weapons.
On the contrary, they are tougher, more elite, and even more courageous than them.

After realizing this,

Their morale plummeted and their confidence crumbled, and they were soon all slaughtered.

As time went on, the casualties among the Goryeo scouts grew increasingly heavy.

The hundreds of people who had initially charged forward with great momentum,

Now they are surrounded and divided by Jurchen scouts, and are trapped in a predicament of fighting their own battles.

Shouts of battle, screams of agony, and the clash of weapons echoed from all directions.

The general leading the expedition was covered in sweat.

He discovered that these Jurchens, just like the local people, were even more familiar with the terrain than they were.

Moreover, whenever there is a military deployment,

They will soon find out; the entire army will be as transparent as if it were invisible.

This made him suspect that there might be a spy among his men.

Yi Seong-gye waited anxiously for news from the scouts at the location where his army was stationed.

He paced back and forth in the tent, his eyes revealing a deep unease.

The surrounding generals stood quietly, not daring to breathe, for fear of disturbing Yi Seong-gye's thoughts.

Time passed by minute by minute,

Half a day passed in the blink of an eye, but no news came from the front.

Yi Seong-gye's face grew increasingly gloomy.

The atmosphere inside the military tent felt as if it were being gripped tightly by a large hand, making it hard to breathe.

Finally, a blood-covered Goryeo scout fled back to the army camp in a disheveled state.

He staggered to Yi Chenggui, knelt down with a thud, and said in a choked voice:
"Li Xiang, a crushing defeat! A crushing defeat!"

We are less than one in ten alive.
Those Jurchens are too powerful; we are no match for them.

Upon hearing the news, Yi Seong-gye's body jolted, and a complex expression flashed across his face.

His lips trembled slightly as he slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down.

When Yi Seong-gye opened his eyes again, his gaze had returned to calm.

He was already certain that these so-called "Jurchens" were actually Ming soldiers.

Only the Ming army possessed such sophisticated equipment and combat capabilities.

Only the Ming army could gain a clear advantage when fighting in foreign lands.

He just couldn't understand it.
Which Ming army unit is this?
Ten thousand cavalry!
Could it be that the Liaodong Military Command has mobilized its entire force?
He was not afraid of these people.
But the underlying political implications made him think twice.

It doesn't matter if we lose the war.
What's even more frightening is that the Ming Dynasty is determined to intervene in Goryeo's affairs, which will render him unable to carry out his plans.

If the royal family gains the support of the Ming Dynasty, then his own time will be very limited.

A strong sense of resentment welled up within me.

Yi Seong-gye looked unwilling; the Ming Dynasty was both too far away and too close!
It intimidated everyone around, and even in domestic affairs, they had to consider the Ming Dynasty's thoughts.

However, Li Chenggui quickly rallied and looked firmly ahead.

He knew that he was about to face an unprecedentedly tough battle.

Yi Seong-gye addressed the generals beside him loudly:

"Issue my military order: the entire army is on high alert, to set up camp on the spot, and to summon all generals to discuss countermeasures!"

The messengers took their orders and left, while Yi Seong-gye stood quietly in place, lost in thought.

Inside the military tent, the candlelight flickered, casting indistinct shadows on the sand table and map.

A group of generals gathered around the sand table, their brows furrowed.
His fingers traced the mountains, roads, and cities on the sand table, and he muttered to himself from time to time, the sound of their discussion buzzing in the tent.

Yi Seong-gye sat behind a small table to the side.
He spread out the letter paper, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and focused intently.

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and his handwriting was strong and powerful.

“We are the subjects of Goryeo, who are guarding the territory. We are filled with fear and anxiety upon hearing that an unknown army has entered the country.”

However, once war breaks out, countless lives will be lost, which is not what we want.

We hope your army will temporarily cease hostilities, explain your purpose, and we will treat you with courtesy and discuss a peace plan together.”

As Li Chenggui wrote, he carefully considered each word and phrase in his mind.

It is necessary to express one's tough stance.

You should also leave room for maneuver to avoid angering the other party.

Finally, he added a sentence expressing his desire to meet with the opposing general.

After finishing writing, Yi Seong-gye carefully checked it over.
After confirming that everything is correct, fold the letter neatly, put it in an envelope, and seal it securely.

He summoned a trusted guard and said solemnly:
"This letter is of utmost importance and must be delivered to the Jurchen generals without fail!"

The guard knelt on one knee, took the envelope, and solemnly said:
"Rest assured, Prime Minister Li, I will certainly not fail in my mission!"

After saying that, he turned and left in a hurry.

The generals inside the tent were shocked to see this.

A young general couldn't help but ask:
"Prime Minister Li, why did you write letters to those Jurchens?"

Yi Seong-gye slowly stood up, walked to the sand table, scanned everyone with his gaze, and said in a deep voice:
"The Jurchens have come with great force, are well-equipped, and have extraordinary combat power. If we rashly engage them in a decisive battle, our army may suffer heavy casualties."

Furthermore, we do not yet know the purpose of their trip.

Wouldn't it be better to stop the war with trust, first ascertain the true situation, and then make plans?

The generals, though unwilling, listened.
However, they also felt that what Yi Seong-gye said made sense, and they all fell into deep thought.

Looking at the sand table, Yi Seong-gye continued:
"Now nearly 20,000 troops are stuck on this official road, making movement extremely difficult."

The small city of Shun'an ahead, seemingly insignificant, was blocking our way.

Ten thousand elite troops were stationed there.
If our army were to forcibly attack the city, it would inevitably suffer heavy losses, and we might not even be able to take it in one fell swoop.

Everyone's hearts sank, especially after witnessing the elite strength of these Jurchens, they became even more apprehensive.

"What Prime Minister Li says is absolutely right, but we cannot remain stagnant like this. We urge Prime Minister Li to make a decision as soon as possible."

An older general spoke with a solemn expression.

Yi Seong-gye lightly traced lines on the sand table with his fingers and said:

"First, take a detour and make contact with the cities behind Shun'an City to launch a pincer attack on Shun'an City."

In this way, our army can launch attacks from multiple directions.

By preventing the Jurchens from coordinating their efforts, our chances of victory will increase significantly.

After hearing this, the generals all nodded in agreement.

"This plan is brilliant. In this way, we can seize the initiative on the battlefield and put the Jurchens in a passive position."

Another general echoed:
"Yes, and by joining forces with other cities, our troops can be replenished, greatly increasing our strength."

Yi Seong-gye nodded slightly and said:

"In that case, let's proceed according to this plan."

The order from our army is to have each unit send messengers to deliver the message.
"We must deliver this letter to the rear city at all costs!"

"Yes!"

The generals accepted the order in unison and dispersed to make their own preparations.

After the generals left, only Yi Seong-gye and Yi Ji-ran remained in the tent.

Yi Seong-gye stared at the sand table, remaining silent for a long time, a hint of worry in his eyes.

Li Zhilan stepped forward and said softly:

"Minister Li, are you worried about a conflict with the Ming army?"

Lee Seong-gye slowly turned around, looked at Lee Ji-ran, and sighed deeply:

"confirmed?"

Li Zhilan shook her head helplessly:

"Although none of the returned bodies had arrowheads on them,

However, judging from the wound, the arrow had an extremely high impact force, enough to shatter even the hardest skull.

These powerful crossbows and sturdy arrows

Not to mention the Jurchens, even the Northern Yuan didn't have it; there was no other like it in the entire world.

"Ugh"

Yi Seong-gye sighed deeply and said softly:
"The Ming Dynasty is powerful, and all the surrounding countries are in awe of it."

If we clash with them and win, it will be difficult to explain to the Ming Dynasty.

Losing would be difficult to explain to the imperial court, causing a major headache.

Li Zhilan frowned slightly:
"I still think we should figure out why they're here before blindly engaging in battle."

Yi Seong-gye nodded and said:

"I wrote that letter as a test."
If they are indeed Ming soldiers, they might respond after seeing the letter; if not, they could at least meet with the Ming army.

The Ming army had been proceeding cautiously throughout their march, presumably not wanting to escalate the situation too much.

"My lord, could it be that the Liaodong Military Command is acting on its own initiative? Is it a solo operation? That's why they are being so cautious."

Li Zhilan whispered her guess.

"It's possible. Something major happened in Liaodong last year, and some generals ran out of money."

Making some noise to re-establish contact is only natural.

I just can't figure it out yet.

How could there be so many cavalry in Liaodong?
Could it be that after suffering a major loss of strength, the Ming Dynasty provided reinforcements?

But given the absence of war and the lack of trust, why would the Ming court be so generous?

A deep look of doubt appeared in Yi Seong-gye's eyes as he continued:

"If these Ming troops have joined forces with the royal family, then we have no choice but to fight this battle."

If you chicken out now, you'll never be able to hold your head high in court again.

You lead a team to develop a battle plan.
There are still 30,000 troops in the Northwest. If war really breaks out, be prepared to commit all of them and strive for victory.

Li Zhilan's expression was solemn, and she let out a long sigh:

"Yes!"

In Shun'an City, Lu Yunyi was sitting in the main hall of the county government office.

Wang Xingbang hurriedly walked in with the documents in his hand.

"My lord, the results are in! A resounding victory!"

Lu Yunyi took the document and smiled slightly.
"Well done. Have you confirmed that the person who came is Yi Seong-gye?"

"It's confirmed. The brothers looked down from the mountain and saw the large banner with the character 'Li' on it."

Tonight, some of the brothers will go up and investigate carefully.

"Yes, let's be careful. There's no need to lose lives here."

"Don't worry, sir, the brothers are all being careful. We won't fall into the hands of these Koreans."

"Is there any other noise?"

Wang Xingbang's expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice:
"They sent a lot of men to try and bypass Shun'an City."
It seems they wanted to communicate with other cities in the Northwest region, and the brothers didn't stop them.

Lu Yunyi smiled slightly:
"This Prime Minister Lee is indeed cautious. Let them be."

Brothers, keep a close watch on what's behind you. Don't be complacent, and make sure you're not surrounded.

"Yes!"

At this moment, Qin Yuanfang, the leader of the scouts, walked in with a solemn expression.

"My lord, Yi Seong-gye has sent a letter."

(End of this chapter)