Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 676 Drinking Water from the Han River
The tea set was arranged, and the soldiers withdrew. The tea shop owner, along with his two children, silently kowtowed several times to the adults in the pavilion, uttering a few auspicious words, but almost no one paid any attention. Only the sergeant, who had been reprimanded for his previous attempt to curry favor, chased them away as if they were plague carriers, after Zhang Wan nodded in acknowledgment.

“In this remote area, we can only find this coarse tea.” Zhang Wan took the earthenware teapot and poured a bowl for each of Yuan and Cai. “Please forgive us, Generals.”

"You're too kind, Judge Zhang." Yuan Jin picked up his teacup, making a gesture of respect. After Zhang Wan filled his own bowl, he drank the tea in one gulp. "I've been traveling a long way and my mouth is parched. Even plain water is like rain after a long drought, let alone a bowl of refreshing tea. Thank you for your trouble."

"Again?" Zhang Wan handed the teapot to Yuan Jin's teacup again.

“Alas,” Yuan Jin waved his hand in refusal. “I dare not trouble you any further, I can do it myself.”

"General Yuan, there's no need for such formalities." Zhang Wan tilted the teapot and poured the tea directly into Yuan Jin's teacup.

Yuan Jin could only bow in thanks. "Thank you very much."

This time, Yuan Jin did not drink the tea in his bowl in one gulp. He only took a small sip as a response, then put the bowl down: "Judge Zhang, are you preparing to go to Incheon?"

“Yes.” Zhang Wan put down the teapot and looked at Yuan Jin with a half-smile. “Didn’t Admiral Shen demand that Incheon open its gates today and that Hanyang immediately send envoys to negotiate? So here we are.”

Yuan Jin sensed the underlying resentment in Zhang Wanle's tone, but he couldn't say anything, so he could only smile awkwardly and say, "It's good that you're here. It's good that you're here. But actually, you don't need to go to Incheon. You can just wait here. According to the plan, if there are no obstacles in Incheon, the vanguard of the Fourth Battalion of the Divine Machine Army will arrive at our location this afternoon. At the latest, Admiral Shen will also come tomorrow."

"The Fourth Divine Machine Battalion." Zhang Wan composed himself and pondered for a moment. "Is the commander of this battalion General Shen Xun?"

"You know all this?" Yuan Jin was genuinely surprised.

"Promotions, demotions, dismissals, and reassignments are all announced in the official gazette. After all, our Joseon Kingdom still holds court four times a year. Each time we pay tribute, our envoys bring some of the latest official gazettes. So we have some understanding of these matters," Zhang Wan said.

"I see." Yuan Jin nodded, pointing to himself with a broad smile: "Have you seen my name in the official gazette?"

Zhang Wan's expression froze, and his eyes twitched slightly. He wanted to say bluntly that an official of Qianzong's rank wasn't qualified to be featured in the official gazette, and even if he were, no one would care. However, Zhang Wan was a seasoned veteran of officialdom, and he wouldn't offer his cold shoulder to someone who was being overly friendly.

After a moment's thought, he quickly came up with a polite reply: "The New Year's envoy has not yet returned to the capital; all we can see are last year's official gazettes."

"Oh!" Yuan Jin nodded with a smile, unsuspecting. He secretly resolved to buy a copy of the official gazette with his name on it and keep it as a keepsake when he got back.

Zhang Wan then asked, "General Yuan just mentioned the Ninth Battalion of the Divine Pivot and the Fourth Battalion of the Divine Machine? You two are both admirals of the Central Navy. May I ask, how many troops did the Celestial Empire send to Korea?"

"This..." Yuan Jin choked for a moment, then subconsciously picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

Yuan Jin put down his teacup, and Zhang Wan immediately took the teapot, pouring tea while smiling and saying, "There's nothing wrong with talking about this, is there?"

"..." Yuan Jin stared silently at the teacup that was gradually filling up. After Zhang Wan put down the teapot, he looked at the calm river surface and the laborers who were still busy loading and unloading at the end of the ferry.

"If we don't count the Liaodong troops led by Imperial Envoy Yuan himself, our Celestial Empire has gathered at least 25,000 men to aid Korea, lest it be invaded by the Jurchens." Yuan Jin finally lowered his guard.

"So many people!" Although Zhang Wan had expected it, she was still taken aback.

"Why is Judge Zhang so alarmed?" The strength of their motherland made even Yuan Jin, a former pirate, stand tall. "Since your prince remains so submissive, why fear the heavenly army?"

“It’s not fear,” Zhang Wan said with a wry smile. “General Yuan, you don’t know this, but even if you take all the troops from the entire Gyeonggi Province and add them all together, it’s only a little over ten thousand. Now that twenty-five thousand imperial troops have suddenly arrived in Korea, how are we going to supply them with provisions?”

The two Japanese invasions nearly broke the backbone of Korea. Even after the country was restored after the war, the Korean court was plunged into financial difficulties.

Not to mention the traditional Five Guards Army, even the most elite training supervisors could only receive four to nine dou of rice per month as military pay.

To supply these military expenses, the Joseon court began levying a tax called "Samse-miku" (meaning "exemption from corvée labor") from various regions starting in the 30th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign. However, even with this additional tax, the training supervisor in Hanyang could only maintain a standing force of just over three thousand soldiers.

So when Zhang Wan heard that the emperor had sent 25,000 troops to Korea, the first thing that came to her mind was the issue of supplies.

"How would I know?" Yuan Jin shook his head. "You should consult with Imperial Envoy Yuan and Admiral Shen."

--------

It was late afternoon, and the sun was blazing.

Shen Yourong sat astride her horse, wearing only soft armor.

Luo Yangxing followed beside him, his upper body completely bare.

In such weather, people are prone to heatstroke. To avoid unnecessary casualties, Shen Yourong ordered a large quantity of Huoxiang Zhengqi San (藿香正气散) to be made in advance.

Huoxiang Zhengqi San is a widely used medicine for relieving summer heat in the military, and it was first recorded in the "Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang" of the Song Dynasty. The main ingredients include agastache, perilla, angelica, areca peel, poria, atractylodes, tangerine peel, magnolia bark, pine ternata, platycodon, and licorice.

This formula can effectively relieve nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and other symptoms caused by heat and humidity during the rainy summer season. It also has a good preventive and therapeutic effect on gastrointestinal dysfunction that is common during long marches.

Huoxiang Zhengqi San (藿香正气散) comes in two forms: pills and powder. The pills are easier to carry, while the powder provides faster relief. Before ordering the army to set off again, Shen Yourong forced everyone to drink a large bowl of medicinal soup made from the powder. In addition, Shen Yourong also distributed easily portable pills to each combat unit according to the number of people.

Once again, the facts proved that this formula, which had been used for nearly six hundred years, was indeed effective. The team marched for most of the day under the scorching sun through the barren fields with no shade, and no officer came to report that any soldiers had suffered from heatstroke.

However, Shen Yourong wasn't much happier about it. Looking at the endless expanse of barren fields, she couldn't help but sigh, "These fields, just left lying around like this, it's such a waste!"

“It’s hard to imagine it not being deserted. I’ve heard from the Koreans who come to the capital to pay tribute that after the two Japanese pirate raids, seven or eight out of ten households in the eight provinces perished. Such losses cannot be recovered in ten or twenty years.” Luo Yangxing took a sip from his water bag. “You’ve been leading troops in coastal areas for many years, so you must have heard about this from the merchants who come and go, right?”

“I’ve heard about it,” Shen Yourong sighed and nodded. “But seeing this desolate place, abandoned just ten miles outside the city, is a completely different feeling. Jianghua is still part of the capital region; just across the river is Hanyang. You can imagine what it’s like elsewhere.”

“Therefore, Admiral Shen, your responsibility is no small matter,” Luo Yangxing said, handing over a water bag. “If the Jurchen invaders were to attack from the north, this vassal state would likely face another catastrophe.”

"Yes." Shen Yourong took the water bag, tilted her head back, and took a big gulp. "And you?"

"Me?" Luo Yangxing was taken aback. "We don't interfere in military affairs, and the Emperor hasn't assigned us any supervisory duties. How to fight this battle is something you and Supervisor Yuan should discuss and decide."

“That’s not what I meant.” Shen Yourong handed the water bag back. “I want to know why the Emperor sent you here?”

"Didn't I tell you before?" Luo Yangxing took the water bag and returned to his original position. "The Emperor ordered us to set up a branch office in Korea to provide you and Guardian Yuan with the necessary support."

"What kind of support?" Shen Yourong asked.

"Espionage, bribery, assassination, and spreading rumors." Luo Yangxing took off his straw hat and gently fanned his face with a few gusts of hot air. "As the saying goes, war is based on deception. As long as you don't mind being unscrupulous, we can do it all." "That's all?" Shen Yourong's eyes twitched slightly.

"What else could it be?" Luo Yangxing asked with a smile.

Shen Yourong was indeed speechless. He vaguely sensed that the emperor must have ulterior motives for sending such an elite force of Imperial Guards to accompany the army to court. But figuring out the emperor's intentions was not a guessing game. Luo Yangxing simply couldn't tell him, and he couldn't force people to reveal the answer, much less speculate one by one and hope to find the correct answer after a series of eliminations.

Luo Yangxing didn't want to offend Shen Yourong. He smiled gently and offered a way out by following his own question: "It's okay if you can't think of anything now. If you suddenly think of anything you need our help with later, you can ask again later."

Shen Yourong gave Luo Yangxing a deep look, then cupped her hands and steadily stepped on the step Luo Yangxing offered. "Then I will thank you in advance, Vice Commissioner Luo."

"Why be so formal, Admiral Shen?" Luo Yangxing returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute, and said with a smile, "In the end, we are all doing this for the Emperor, for the Ming Dynasty, and for the millions of people in Korea. It's just that we are doing different things."

“Yes,” Shen Yourong nodded in agreement, but she couldn’t bring herself to smile.

The column marched for several more miles under the scorching sun when suddenly a fast horse galloped towards them from the edge of the field, heading in the opposite direction. Because the rider carried a flag on his back, indicating that he was a messenger, the leading cavalry did not stop him.

The man sped until he was about fifty paces away from Shen Yourong when suddenly a loud shout rang out: "Stop!"

"Whoa!" The messenger immediately reined in his horse as instructed, but it would take time for the horse to slow down.

After advancing about ten more steps, the horse finally stopped. Shen Yourong's personal guards also stepped forward at the same time. "Which battalion are you from?"

"Fourth, Fourth Battalion." The messenger, exhausted both horse and rider, spurred his horse on at full gallop, catching his breath several times before managing to catch his breath. "It was Lieutenant General Shen who sent me to report!"

The head of the inner guards was about to speak, but Shen Yourong called out before he could, "Let him come over here and talk!"

Shen Yourong was not wearing armor or a robe, but rather dressed in plain clothes and a bamboo hat. The messenger did not recognize her, so he remained frozen in place even after the guards made way for him.

"Go on, the admiral is calling for you," a guard urged.

"Huh? That's him?" The messenger's eye twitched, quite incredulous. In his eyes, Shen Yourong was just a slightly stout old man. He didn't look like someone who could command thousands of troops at all.

"Hurry up and go!" another guard urged.

"Oh," the messenger then began to swirl the reins again.

The horse was still panting heavily when it suddenly received the command to move forward. It glanced back somewhat disgruntledly. However, after a protesting "squeak," the obedient gelding still took its steps forward.

The messenger arrived beside Shen Yourong and rode alongside him. His first words were, "Are you Admiral Shen?"

Shen Yourong was taken aback, tilting her head back. "I am Shen Yourong. Didn't Commander Shen send you here to deliver a message to me?"

"Yes. I'm just confirming." The young messenger smiled sheepishly.

Shen Yourong immediately understood; the messenger was suspicious because of her simple attire. So she lifted her bamboo hat and smiled, "Are you sure now?"

"Yes. Confirmed." Although the messenger didn't know what Shen Yourong looked like, he still nodded blankly.

"Speak, what is it?" Shen Yourong pulled her straw hat down again. The sun was really dazzling.

The messenger thought for a moment. “General Shen asked me to tell you that Commander Yuan of the Navy sent someone to say that they have already docked on the Han River.”

"Hmm," Shen Yourong nodded lightly.

Last night, Shen Yourong was still somewhat worried that the Pyongyang naval force might clash head-on with the North Korean navy. However, after meeting with Li Liting and Lin Chengye this morning and learning that the Pyongyang naval force had already reached the Gyeonggi region, he was no longer worried.

"Where are they stopped now?" Shen Yourong asked.

"Where to stop?" The messenger looked at Shen Yourong, a puzzled expression on his face. "On the south bank of the Han River."

“That’s like saying nothing at all,” Luo Yangxing remarked quietly from the side. “The Han River is hundreds of miles long.”

The messenger looked toward Luo Yangxing in the direction of the voice, and his heart inexplicably tightened.

"I wanted to ask, which ferry terminal are they at now? Which route should we take to get there?" Shen Yourong asked gently.

"I don't know," the messenger said, pursing his lips and giving an awkward laugh. "General Shen didn't say."

"Alright." Shen Yourong sighed softly. "Anything else?"

"Yes!" the messenger nodded quickly.

"explain."

"When Commander Yuan and his men reached the shore, they encountered something..." The messenger hesitated, then struggled to recall before finally remembering: "...a mission!"

"You ran into them?" Shen Yourong quipped out a single word.

“That’s right, we ran into each other!” The messenger nodded with certainty.

"Is the person leading the team named Zhang Wan?" Shen Yourong asked.

The messenger, who had been recalling other information, immediately brightened up upon hearing this. "How did you know?"

"Hehe." Shen Yourong raised the corners of her mouth and chuckled mysteriously. "If there's nothing else, you can go back and report now."

The messenger nodded blankly, his gaze towards Shen Yourong now filled with more reverence. "Do you have any instructions for me to deliver to General Shen?"

"Without further orders, march as usual," Shen Yourong said. "Just tell him that I must drink from the Han River before sunset!"

"Yes!" The messenger pulled on the reins, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.

(End of this chapter)