Chapter 1814 Everyone does their own thing
It would be damning if Kim Sang-hyun could still rest assured at this time. The Qing army had piled up tens of thousands of troops on the border between the two countries, and its intentions were very obvious. If the Haihan fleet had not blocked the Yalu River channel in time, the Qing army might have been able to do so last month. It has already entered North Korea. But now the Haihan people withdrew from the Yalu River without warning, leaving Korea with an open door to the Qing army. This sudden change in the situation is difficult for anyone to accept. Although Qian Tiandun claimed that the Haihan Army would come back soon, no one could predict how North Korea would be ravaged during this period.
As for why the Haihan people suddenly withdrew from the battlefield, Jin Sangxian didn't quite believe Qian Tiandun's words. The Haihan Navy has been stationed on the banks of the Yalu River for less than a month. I heard that the war situation during this period was not serious. How could there be a large number of ships in need of repair and maintenance? What's more, the coalition fleets coming to North Korea also include the Fujian Navy, Annan Fleet and The Portuguese fleet can be dispatched. Even if the warships of the Haihan Navy need to withdraw from the line of fire, they can still send several other fleets to the area to continue stationing. How could they just slap their butts and leave directly.
Recalling the various conditions that Haehan had previously proposed to North Korea, Kim Sang-hyun believed that this was most likely done intentionally by Haehan in order to force North Korea to agree to and fulfill their conditions.
North Korea has actually agreed to most of the conditions proposed by Haihan in the early stages, such as the high military expenditures requested by Haihan, the right of free passage for Haihan’s army in North Korea, and the requisition of military equipment near the estuary of the Datong River. Military land, etc. In addition, some more troublesome conditions, such as providing a large number of civilians, replacing some local officials in areas near the northern border, etc., are also being gradually implemented.
Of course, in addition to these, there are also some conditions that North Korea finds difficult to accept and has not agreed to yet. For example, Haihan asked to fully take over the command of the North Korean army in wartime and to establish diplomatic and commercial relations between North Korea and other countries in the future. All must first obtain Haihan's consent, etc. In Kim Sang-hyun's view, these conditions have reached the country's bottom line and cannot be easily agreed to. Even if Haehan is nominally an ally of North Korea, such sensitive conditions are still far beyond what North Korea can do. degree of acceptance.
"But your army suddenly withdrew, wouldn't all the previous efforts have been in vain?" Kim Sang-hyun tried his best to restrain his emotions and asked: "Even if your army has any difficulties, we can solve them through negotiation. How can you say withdrawal?" Just withdraw, this...how will our country deal with the Qing army?"
"Master Jin, are you complaining about our army's arrangements?" Qian Tiandun had already expected Jin Shangxian's complaints, and his immediate response was relatively tough: "Fighting the invasion of the Qing army is originally the responsibility that your country's army should bear. Although I promised to assist your country in fighting, I never said that I could keep the Qing army out of your country! Our army has its own plan on how to fight the Qing army. If your country feels that this cooperative relationship is If it’s not safe enough, you can hire someone else!”
Jin Sangxian thought to himself that the Qing army had half of its foot on the doorstep, so where else could they recruit Gao Ming at this time? Besides, the only people in the country who could send reinforcements were the Ming and Haihan families. Now the Ming Dynasty could not protect itself, except for the Haihan army. Which Bodhisattva can I invite? If the Haihan people really give up, what awaits North Korea will most likely be the end of the country.
"General, please don't misunderstand. I am not blaming your country's army for your arrangements!" Kim Sang-hyun immediately changed his attitude after considering the seriousness of the consequences. He came to Qian Tiandun with the intention of launching an army to hold him accountable, but the other party's words made him immediately give up this unrealistic idea.
Seeing Qian Tiandun's face softening slightly, Kim Sang-hyun carefully prepared his words and continued: "Then how your army is going to act next, can you tell me first, so that the country can try its best to cooperate."
"This is a major military secret that cannot be disclosed to the outside world for the time being." Qian Tiandun rejected Kim Sang-hyun's request without expression: "I hope your army can resist the Qing army on the Yalu River defense line for more than half a month, so that our army can return from Liaodong. At that time, we may be able to cut off the Yalu River channel again and continue to block the Qing army on the other side.”
"Half a month..." When Jin Shangxian heard this, his face was full of bitterness. He knew the strength of his country's army, how could he withstand the Qing army's offensive for half a month. By the time the Haihan Army returns to the Korean Peninsula, the defense line will no longer be on the Yalu River. Even if the Haihan people were still willing to take action at that time, the situation would probably be quite critical.
"Can your army... come back earlier?" Jin Shangxian could only put his face in his pocket and ask Qian Tiandun for a relatively good solution in a low voice. If the situation deteriorates too quickly, not only the ordinary people in northern Korea will be unlucky, but he, an opinion leader who strongly advocated a decisive battle with the Qing Dynasty, will also be held accountable.
Qian Tiandun said: "It is not impossible to come back earlier, but your country must provide corresponding conditions. For example, if the military port here can build a dock and supporting facilities early, then the fleet will not have to return. We will go to Jinzhou for supplies and maintenance. When our army can return to the battlefield depends on how well your country can cooperate.”
Qian Tiandun's words have been very straightforward. Only after North Korea fulfills all its conditions will the Haihan army return to the battlefield and snipe the Qing army southward. This is indeed a dilemma for North Korea. Meeting the demands of the Haihan people will inevitably result in the loss of part of the country's sovereignty. However, if it is ignored, it will have to fight against the Qing invasion alone, which may plunge the entire country into the flames of war. .
Of course, Kim Sang-hyun is more inclined to meet the conditions proposed by Hae-han, but the problem is that he is not the king of North Korea. Even if he agrees to some conditions immediately, they will not count. He can only agree to them first, and then quickly send a messenger back to Seoul to ask for orders, as far as possible Before the Qing army took action, they quickly obtained the court's permission to allow the Haihan army to return to North Korea and continue fighting.
However, there is no need to wait for a reply from Seoul for things like recruiting civilian husbands. Kim Sang-heon immediately issued an order to Yonggang, Daan, Pyongyang, Songlin and other places along the Taedong River, requiring the local government to recruit no less than one person in the shortest possible time. Thousands of people were dispatched to this place as soon as possible to participate in the construction. Among them, because Pyongyang is a big city, Kim Sang-hyun asked him to send at least 3,000 civilians and no less than 500 pack horses to participate in this task. As for the funding issue, Kim Sang-hyun did not care about the detailed arrangements. He had already given a clear warning in the official document. Wherever the government failed to complete the task on time, the main local officials would be punished.
Kim Sang-hyun himself also understood that these temporary measures may be able to win over Hae-han's attitude, but they will not help the defense intensity of the northern border. Now he can only hope that the border defense forces can be a little more successful and organize the imperial court in the south. Delay the resistance for a little longer, and don't break it with just one poke.
But Jin Sangxian's wish was just a thought, and the actual situation was worse than he expected. Three days after the Haihan army withdrew from the Yalu River, nearly two hundred large and small sailing ships began to transport Qing troops from five miles downstream of Jiuliancheng to the opposite bank of the Korean River. The original plan of the Qing army was to first occupy Waihua Island in the center of the Yalu River, and then use it as a springboard to attack Yizhou City. However, after Huang Taiji arrived at Jiulian City, he thought that such an action was too slow, and Yizhou City was not actually on the southward march route planned by the Qing army. It would take at least two or three days to go around to the north to finish Yizhou and then go south. Therefore, Huang Taiji modified the original battle plan and arranged for the troops to cross the river and go directly south, ignoring Yizhou, which was located in the upper reaches of the Yalu River.
Huang Taiji's move was not because he looked down on the Korean troops stationed in Yizhou, but because he considered that the Haihan people might fight back at some time, so they had to advance the front line in North Korea as soon as possible, so that even if the Haihan people came back in the future, It is also difficult to change the status quo of part of North Korea's territory being occupied by the Qing Dynasty.
After crossing the river, the leading troops of the Qing army immediately rushed towards Longchuan, thirty miles south. This was just a small county-sized town with only a few hundred garrison troops, and the city defenses were very crude. The so-called city wall was just made of stone. It was just a wall piled up about five or six feet high, not to mention a moat, and there wasn't even a city defense cannon. At best, this kind of defense can only resist bandits and bandits, but it is basically useless in front of the regular army.
The Qing cavalry, who acted as the vanguard, did not even wait for the infantry behind to arrive. They hurriedly cut down trees to make a few ladders, and then directly launched the siege. The cavalry were divided into two parts, the front and rear. The rear part used bows and arrows to shoot at the city head to provide fire cover, while the front part rushed to the bottom of the city wall and then dismounted and took up ladders to attack the city head.
The Korean army responsible for defending the city was almost defeated at the first touch. The Qing army captured the city without much trouble, then opened the city gate and let the cavalry into the city. Almost at the same time, when the officials in the city saw that the situation was over, they took the initiative to surrender, hoping in exchange for the Qing army not to massacre the people in the city.
The actual battle lasted only two sticks of incense, and Longchuan City was easily captured by the Qing cavalry. The Qing army only suffered minor battle losses of seven casualties and won its first victory after entering Korea. Huang Taiji was naturally very happy after receiving the battle report. He immediately announced that the soldiers who first climbed to the top of the city would be awarded the title of "Baya La Warrior" and given heavy armor and weapons that only Bagala warriors could equip.
Such battle reports greatly excited the Qing army. After being suppressed by the Haihan army for nearly a month, everyone was holding their breath. Now that they finally crossed the Yalu River, the Koreans naturally became the Qing army. The person to take it out on.
The Qing Dynasty had been planning the invasion of North Korea for a long time, and had already made arrangements for how to digest the results after capturing the towns in North Korea. Afterwards, all women, children, old and young would be moved to the Qing Dynasty in batches. The adult men would first act as civilian husbands and transport baggage for the army, and wait for the war. After that, they will all be brought back home to serve as labor force. Except for the money and grain in the official treasury, which will be uniformly seized and counted and confiscated, other property collected from the private sector belongs to the soldiers themselves. This is also a very effective means to keep the troops' high desire to fight.
But the excited Qing army did not know that at the same time they conquered Longchuan City, the coalition fleet led by Haihan also landed on the Liaodong coast. A force composed of three infantry companies belonging to the Marine Corps, as well as more than 1,200 soldiers from the Fujian Navy, Annan, and Portugal, quickly advanced into the northern interior after a successful landing. The vanguard was The Portuguese general Simang had suffered a heavy loss on the Liaodong coast not long ago.
The reason why Simang was asked to lead the way was because the target of this operation was Dazheng Town, where the Portuguese suffered a loss last time. The reason why Wang Tom arranged this target is very clear. Since the Qing army has arranged a garrison near Dazheng Town, it is better to use this area to show Haihan's determination to open a second battlefield on the Liaodong coast.
Of course, since there are no big cities on the southeast coast of the Liaodong Peninsula, even if the coalition fleet turns this area upside down, it will actually be difficult to shake the foundation of the Qing Dynasty's rule. However, at this time, most of the Qing's main forces were on the banks of the Yalu River. The coalition forces could take advantage of the empty rear defenses of the Qing Dynasty to unscrupulously plunder people, money and food in this area, and eliminate the Qing's local armed forces and ruling institutions.
Just as Ximang expected, the Qing army that they unfortunately bumped into last time was still stationed south of Dazheng Town, and they decisively chose to attack after discovering the Portuguese, probably because they didn’t want to let go of these ignorant gangs. The Portuguese dare to commit trouble here again.
When the Portuguese decisively withdrew into a nearby forest, the Qing generals believed that this was a good opportunity to encircle and annihilate the opponent, so they ordered their troops to spread out and surround the forest. However, what he didn't expect was that there were more than 300 Portuguese hiding in the forest, and there were also three other heavily armed troops.
The battle started in multiple directions at the same time. At this time, the Qing generals still insisted that the Portuguese were broken into pieces and planned to find a direction to break out. They ordered all ministries to hold on and not let them escape. However, everyone soon discovered that the situation in the battle was not right. The firepower output in the forest was not as strong as what three hundred or so muskets could do. The Qing army who tried to blockade the periphery had hundreds of people massacred in a very short period of time. Falling to the ground after being struck by a stray bullet.
By the time the Qing generals noticed another ambush in the forest and ordered their troops to abandon the siege and retreat to a safe distance, nearly one-fifth of their troops had been lost. Then the Qing army saw a large number of enemy troops pouring out of the forest. Their strength was even higher than their own, and they were all musketeers, giving them no chance to counterattack.
Twenty minutes after the battle, the Qing army, with only nearly a centaur left, finally withdrew from the battlefield and fled to the northern interior without looking back. As for the safety of Dazheng Town, no one can care about it at this time.
(End of chapter)