Volume Two: With a Swing That Shakes Heaven and Earth Chapter 7: Dingzhou, Part I

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Most of the hundred-man officers had been personally promoted by Deng She after the battle of the camp defense. They obeyed Deng She’s orders and held relatively high positions, so they cared more about future prospects than the rank-and-file soldiers. No one wanted to lose a battle, fail to establish themselves, and squander the hard-earned posts wrested with their own lives. The stakes and consequences were clear; there should be no opposition. At most, each officer would be granted a Korean woman to enjoy for three days.

The soldiers, on the other hand, lived for the moment, thinking only of enjoying each day as it came. Suddenly stripping them of their pleasures and confiscating their spoils was bound to provoke discontent.

Deng She had anticipated this. He and Wen, Chen, and others devised two solutions.

First, postpone building the camp and divide the troops by hundreds to hold hardship remembrance meetings. Through reminiscing about their hardships, exaggerate the current achievements, and awaken their hope for the future; meanwhile, mention the difficulties they currently face, applying some pressure.

Second, promise material rewards. The merit lists for the siege had only just been approved, but no rewards had been given yet. Generous rewards were to be bestowed, and a few who had taken the most heads would be selected, following the hundred-man officer standard, granting them Korean women to enjoy for a day. It was promised that anyone who accumulated sufficient military merit in the future would enjoy the same treatment. The remaining Korean women would all be handed over to the General Command and sent home.

After these two steps, the order to confiscate would be implemented.

The group discussed for a while, with no further suggestions. Deng She ordered that this plan be executed, giving a day’s time, with each thousand-man commander responsible for implementation. He wished to stay and supervise personally, but his neck wound needed dressing. After repeatedly instructing his personal guards to oversee the process, he rode back to the manor.

His residence was originally the ancestral home of Yi Seong-gye. Built over generations, it was extremely luxurious. Deng She now recalled who Yi Seong-gye was, stopped his horse before the gate, and looked up at the plaque above the entrance, feelings surging within him.

Yi Seong-gye had founded a dynasty that lasted hundreds of years. In Korean histories, he was a hero of unmatched stature, and now Deng She realized that only he himself knew of Yi Seong-gye’s heroic deeds. He touched his wound, quietly lamenting the twists of fate.

Wu He-nian also looked up, seeing the two large characters: Yi Residence. He was deeply vexed, blaming himself repeatedly. “I failed to consider properly, failed to consider. General, please do not be angry. I will find someone to take it down and replace it with a plaque for the Ten-Thousand-Man Command.”

Deng She shook his head. “Leave it hanging.”

He wanted this plaque to remind himself that obscurity did not preclude heroism; and those who once basked in glory might well be ephemeral.

Entering the gate, he asked, “Where are Yi Seong-gye’s family members?”

“All the males were beheaded; as for the women, Lady Wang said they were left for the general to inspect. Perhaps she saw you were busy and thus has not mentioned it.”

Inspecting, of course, meant to select any he fancied for his tent. Sacking cities and taking wives was a favorite pastime among many Red Turban generals—Wang Shicheng being one such. Fundamentally, this mindset could be divided between conquest or hatred.

Wang Shicheng belonged to the former; Wen Huaguo to the latter. He was obsessed with the wives of officials, like the wives of Yongping Darughachi or Liu Commander—old and wrinkled, yet the urge to conquer remained strong, though perhaps even he would hesitate. He indulged in this, driven by subconscious hatred of Mongols and officials.

Deng She understood, but it did not mean he was interested; he had more important matters to attend. He looked up at the plaque again and said, “No need for inspection. Keep them in the rear courtyard; they must not be harmed or insulted.” Wu He-nian went to carry out the order.

Turning into the pavilion, Deng She changed his dressing and spread out the map presented by Hong Jixun. He had studied it at least ten times, and every mountain, river, island, and town was etched deeply in his mind.

His finger traced the marked roads as he examined them carefully. The distant noise of meetings in the camp drifted into the room, but was diluted by the city’s myriad sounds. The room was quiet; his finger rubbing the paper made a faint sound.

They had held both cities for four or five days, yet Deng She remained undecided about the next direction of conquest.

To the east and north, there was no need to consider—those lands belonged to the Jurchen, not Korea. Sparse population, barren land, treacherous terrain, and severe weather made them worthless to occupy. To the south, the sea lay just a few miles away. Only the west mattered.

Should they go northwest or southwest? He pondered, unable to decide.

The northwest’s advantage lay in cities recently seized by Korea, their control weak; capturing them would have little impact on Korea. The southwest, however, offered fertile land and strategic importance, but attacking it would put Korea under great pressure and also facilitate further expansion.

The wind rattled the windows. Deng She’s finger tapped lightly on the map, weighing pros and cons, deliberating again and again. The fate of tens of thousands and his own future rested on his shoulders; he could not be careless. He took out his notebook, reviewing past entries, hoping for inspiration.

He never considered convening Wen, Chen, and others for joint deliberation—not out of autocracy, but because as commander, he needed his own judgment. Otherwise, if he opened the council and listened only to others, what would that become? Of course, should someone present a better plan at the council, he would gladly adopt it.

His eyes grew tired from reading, yet he still could not decide. He pushed the map aside and went to the window, hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distance.

Wu He-nian had organized repairs to the burnt areas; the city looked much better. On the streets, over a thousand elderly and weak carried basins of water and baskets of rice toward the gates, bringing food and drink to laborers repairing the walls. Along the way, rotating soldiers kept order.

From afar, the gates and walls teemed with people like ants—a scene of bustling activity.

The pile of heads at the gate had just been cleared away. Dark blood soaked the earth, attracting swarms of flies, buzzing incessantly. The trenches and deer barricades had just been restored. The gate had been newly armored with iron and wood. At the western wall, battered by cannon and arquebus, laborers supervised by soldiers were rebuilding, amid smoke and dust.

The weather was not hot, but the work was backbreaking. The laborers were bare-chested, sweating profusely, most wearing lantern-shaped shorts down to their knees. The soldiers, unable to communicate, expressed dissatisfaction not by words but by swinging gun barrels and knife hilts—striking indiscriminately. Occasionally, someone was beaten bloody and collapsed in the mud, not daring to utter a word, silently climbing back up to continue working.

Three days of massacre had left a deep impression. The recently cleared pile of heads made them even less inclined to resist.

This is chaos. This is chaos.

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Deng She watched for a long time, thinking deeply, then turned and pressed his finger firmly on a spot on the map—he had made his decision.

Once the direction was set, the details would determine success or failure. Before Wen, Chen, and the others arrived, Deng She studied the map again, carefully examining roads and terrain, calculating possible moves from the northwest and southwest cities. What if one city sent reinforcements? What if, as soon as troops moved, Korea dispatched their main army? What if Dingzhou resisted fiercely and could not be taken?

Each scenario required a corresponding plan. He immersed himself, utterly focused. He didn’t even notice when the maids brought lunch. Only when Wen, Chen, and the others arrived, their footsteps alerting him, did he tear his eyes from the map.

He had been leaning for so long his neck was sore; not daring to turn it, he awkwardly reached back and rubbed it. A maid came to help, but he waved her away, ordering them to remove the food and not to enter unless summoned. He asked the generals, “How did the hardship remembrance meetings go?”

“The atmosphere was lively—very successful,” Chen Hu replied, experienced from previous occasions and adept at organizing.

Deng She nodded, pushing the map forward. “Gentlemen, take a look.”

The table was too small for everyone to stand around, so they formed two circles. Chen Hu understood Deng She’s intent and asked, “General, do you wish to discuss our next move?”

“Exactly.” Deng She circled the area south of the twin cities on the map. Before discussing the grand strategy, he handled a simple matter: “Along the coastal islands, there are many salt works and pastures. It’s time to seize them.”

The counties and villages around the twin cities had already been occupied by Chen Hu while Deng She was unconscious, but the coastal islands remained untaken. He had intended to wait until the camp was built, but since the next offensive was decided, he would seize them together.

No one objected. Salt was part of the soldiers’ pay; securing a salt pond was naturally desirable, not to mention the pastures.

“I volunteer to lead the charge,” Li Monk declared boldly.

Deng She praised him, but for the island conquest, he did not plan to use the Han army. Spotting He Guangxiu squeezed at the back, he called him forward. “A thousand days to raise troops, one day to use them. General He, I entrust this battle to you.”

He Guangxiu puffed out his chest, full of spirit: “Rest assured, General, I will go personally and not shame you! To be honest, my soldiers have been desperate for action.” He had somehow acquired a fake beard, stuck to his mouth, which quivered wildly as he spoke.

Deng She found it amusing, but to spare him embarrassment, looked away. “Intelligence indicates there are few Korean soldiers on the islands. Your troops lack battle experience, so to minimize casualties I will assign a few seasoned officers to temporarily assist you. As for ships, you need not build new ones—just requisition them from coastal fishing villages.”

The Korean troops lacked veteran backbone, and their combat effectiveness was poor. Since this was an unfamiliar beach assault, casualties would be high.

Deng She was thorough in his consideration, and He Guangxiu felt a warm surge in his heart. His eyes reddened, and he choked up, “General treats me better than my own parents. I—I—” Something seemed to block his throat, and he was so moved his lips trembled, unable to continue.

His origins were extremely humble, never given a kind look. Since surrendering, Deng She had never discriminated against him, always spoke gently, never insulted or beat him, and kept promoting him. Compared to before, it was paradise. His words were heartfelt.

Wen Huaguo could not stand the sentimental flattery and tears, glaring as if about to erupt, but Deng She stopped him with a look and soothed He Guangxiu, saying, “Go prepare. As soon as the confiscation order is carried out, set off at once.” He Guangxiu knelt, knocked his head on the floor several times, wiped his eyes, and left.

“To such a wretched Korean eunuch, General is too polite. He should be beaten and cursed. No need for such nauseating sentiment in front of us,” Wen Huaguo complained, baffled.

Deng She smiled, offering no explanation. He stood up, hung the map on the wall so everyone could see clearly.

“This morning, I returned from the camp and thought it over. The soldiers’ discipline is poor—not only because of their arrogance after victory, but also because they have nothing to do. Ideally, we would use this time to drill them, but the situation is unstable. As things stand, I think only by seizing more cities in one go can we give the soldiers something to do and solidify our foundation, which is necessary before discussing anything else.”

The generals nodded in agreement.

Deng She looked around and saw consensus. “What are your thoughts? Speak freely.”

The order of speaking followed rank. Li Monk, Luo Guoqi, and others all looked to Wen and Chen. Wen Huaguo approached, glanced at the map, and slapped the southwest corner. “This place is ideal.”

“What makes it so?”

“It’s close to the twin cities, next to the sea, prosperous, and good for recruiting.”

Chen Hu frowned, disagreeing. He had considered this issue many times. “The southwest may be prosperous, but it’s too close to Korea’s western capital and other places; the enemy can easily gather troops, making the pressure too great.” He paused. “I think the northwest is better—adjacent to the Yalu River, echoing with Liaodong, good for attack or defense, and the terrain is secure.”

Deng She neither confirmed nor denied, turning to Li Monk and the others. “Your opinions?”

Li Monk, impulsive and unconsidered, was eager to speak when asked, and quickly said, “I support General Wen. Money and grain make for strong troops.”

“Are you not afraid of being besieged by Korea’s main army?”

Li Monk scoffed. “Korean troops are weak. With three or four thousand, ample provisions, they couldn’t hold even the twin cities. If they try to besiege us, we have ten thousand men, enough to face their hundred thousand. I doubt Korea even has that many.”

“We can’t station all ten thousand inside the city. If Korea only besieges without attacking, after a few months we’ll run out of food,” Chen Hu countered. “Once supplies are gone, whether the city falls or not, what difference does it make?”

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Luo Guoqi interjected, “General Chen speaks wisely. The southwest’s terrain is inferior to the northwest. If we can secure a city in the northwest, develop and nibble away, connect with Liaodong, we’ll have reinforcements and stability. The campaign against Korea can proceed gradually.”

“The northwest is barren. What’s the point of developing it?” Zhang Daier, attending the council for the first time, waited patiently for Wen and Chen to state their positions before speaking.

“With limited provisions, you can train elite troops. Even with more numbers, if they’re a ragtag bunch, what’s the use?” Zhang Daier was brave and steady in battle, cautious and reserved in conduct. Deng She wanted to gauge his insight, asking, “What do you think, General Zhang? Speak freely.”

Zhang Daier replied, “I think the northwest is inferior to the southwest.”

“What do you mean?”

“The northwest is stable but poor. Even if Korea abandons it, it cannot develop. Training elite troops is sound, but how long will it take? Will Korea just wait idly while I train them? Comparatively, it’s better to advance in one go while morale is high and Korea is caught unprepared, pushing into the southwest. The southwest is risky but prosperous; supplies and recruits are assured.

“After taking the southwest, we form a line with the twin cities and hold steady. Advancing west or south is entirely up to us.”

Wen Huaguo and Li Monk agreed enthusiastically; Chen Hu fell silent in thought.

Had Wen, Chen, and Luo Guoqi made the case, Zhang Daier would have let it go, but with Zhang, he held no reservations, insisting, “General, advancing southwest makes us an isolated force deep in enemy territory. Like a tree without roots—one misstep and we face total annihilation.

“But look at the northwest: mountains and rivers crisscross, superior to the southwest, easy to defend, hard to attack. If urgent, Liu Pingzhang’s army in Liaoyang can arrive in days. Allied with Liaodong, we have support behind us; overlooking the sea, once elite troops are trained, we can sweep through Korea with ease.”

“Allied with Liaodong?” Zhang Daier responded, shaking his head. “It’s precisely because of this alliance that we should avoid it.”

Everyone turned, stunned, then understood. Distant from the imperial court, chaos prevailed. Almost all the generals were from peripheral backgrounds and had suffered enough; none wished to repeat it. Wen Huaguo clapped, Chen Hu said, “That’s true.”

Deng She turned and pointed to the southwest corner of the map. “Once the confiscation order is complete, attack this city.”

The generals looked, Luo Guoqi murmured, “Dingzhou.”

Dingzhou was not far from the twin cities—thirty or forty miles away—once Jurchen territory, originally under the twin cities’ General Command. Three years ago, the Korean king seized it and set up a Protectorate. To the east, it was encircled by the sea; to the west, mountains rose; to the south, it bordered the Mud River, once the boundary between Bohai and Silla in Tang times, with treacherous waters.

“He Guangxiu had dispatched men to scout Dingzhou. Not many troops—about a thousand. Judging by the Korean troops in the twin cities, three thousand are enough to take it.” Deng She’s eyes shone with determination, finally revealing his decision. “If we can seize it smoothly, relying on the Mud River, I am confident that even if Korea’s main force arrives immediately, we can still fight.”

His gaze swept over the faces of all present. “What do you think, generals?”

“As you command, General!” Wen Huaguo stepped forward, bowing and proclaiming loudly. Chen Hu and the rest followed suit.

“Good! With all of us united, how can we fail to stand firm in Korea?” Deng She called everyone to rise. “The decision is made; we must act quickly. If we wait, Korea’s main army may arrive before we leave, and we’ll be caught off guard. Time is short, so we need elite troops for a swift and decisive battle.”

Deng She ordered his guards to bring the command tokens, which he took in hand to assign troops. After two major battles, he knew each force’s combat strength well. For the most elite, he pointed at Zhang Daier. “This siege, Zhang Daier will lead the vanguard.

“Chen Hu, Guan Shirong, Lu Qianwu—your three units will be the main force for the assault. Lu Qianshi, assign a squad to patrol between the twin cities and Dingzhou, ensuring the roads remain secure. Luo Guoqi, assign a squad to guard the western mountain pass.”

Each named general stepped out in turn to receive orders. Those not called were eager for action; Deng She smiled, “Korea has only about a thousand men. With over four thousand elite troops, the city will fall.”

His wounds prevented him from leading in person; he straightened his expression and said, “Chen Hu will command the army. All generals, work together. Tomorrow morning, we march out.”

—

1. Military pay.

Yuan system: Mongol, Tamachin, and Han troops did not pay taxes, so they did not receive salaries—each was allotted five dou of rice and one jin of salt per month.

2. Mud River.

Now called the Yongxing River in Korea.

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