Chapter 100

Chapter 100

As they headed towards Hanseong, the tension among the Jurchen tribal chiefs escalated.

The cause of their unease was the Joseon cavalry who claimed to be escorting them.

“Are those the so-called ‘Green Phantom Ghosts’ we’ve heard about?”

The tribal chiefs muttered softly, looking at the green-armored cavalry moving on either side of them.

Until recently, the Joseon cavalry they had been accustomed to seeing had armor that was not even uniformly colored.

While more standardized armor was increasingly being adopted, generally they were an eclectic mix of all kinds of armor. If it weren’t for their military discipline, they could have easily been mistaken for Jurchens.

However, as of late, entire units had been standardized to new green armor, and now most Joseon forces in the border areas had done the same.

When the Jurchens in the Tumen River area first saw the unified armor of the Joseon army, their initial reaction was lukewarm.

“Changed armor, huh? Has the current king started to loosen the purse strings?”

“Looks decent, should we try to loot them later?”

The reaction from the Jurchens, initially indifferent or seeing the soldiers as easy prey, shifted dramatically after hearing rumors of a massacre in the Geonju region.

“Green Phantom Ghosts?”

“Yes, that’s what the injured soldiers in Geonju were calling them.”

“Isn’t that just an exaggeration by Geonju’s wounded?”

When they first heard the rumor, the chiefs of the wild Jurchen tribes dismissed it as an exaggeration.

* * *

In order to gain control of the Jurchens, both Ming and Joseon exhibited similar moves.

On one hand, they worked diligently to absorb them, and on the other, they would use force to suppress any sort of rebellion.

However, what they focused on more was to divide the Jurchens to prevent them from uniting.

As a result, the Jurchen tribes disparaged those from other regions and bickered among themselves.

“The crippled soldiers of Geonju,” “The beggar bastards of the wilderness,” “The mongrels of the West.” They were all expressions of frustration, as neither could catch the other.

* * *

“As strong as Joseon might be... it’s just that the soldiers of Geonju are stupid.”

Initially, the reaction of the tribal chiefs of the Jurchens was similar.

However, as detailed information started to flow in from Geonju, their faces turned serious.

“12 warrior troops were annihilated? And those troops were each over 200 strong?”

“By just 500?”

At that time, the total military strength of the Joseon troops deployed to subdue the Geonju Jurchens was around 3,000.

The Joseon troops were divided into six groups, composed of 400 cavalry and 100 artillery each, sweeping away 12 warrior troops.

This was the point where the chiefs of the Jurchens became alert.

With more than 200 men, a warrior troop was a force that traditional Joseon cavalry numbering 500 would find difficult to handle. If it were truly a crisis, a warrior troop could summon between 600 to 700 cavalry.

Given the capabilities of Jurchen cavalry, a group of 500, or even 400 Joseon cavalry would have no choice but to retreat, suffering severe casualties—upwards of 50%. If it were the Ming, they would be virtually wiped out.

However, if the current rumors were true, the opposite had happened.

“Don’t just bring rumors, bring credible information!”

“Yes, Khan!”

“Also, tell those who went hunting not to touch any Joseon people or soldiers in the border areas for the time being!”

“Yes, Khan!”

***

The tribal leaders of the Jurchens realized that a real crisis had come, after spending much time and effort gathering information.

“12 warrior troops have been destroyed, and there are hardly any survivors? The Joseon army suffered almost no damage?”

“They’ve obtained the power of the ‘fire dragon’? What kind of nonsense is this?”

The tribal leaders of the Jurchens focused on the word ‘fire dragon.’

“I want to do something other than herding.”

Those who wished for other jobs were accommodated as much as possible, joining the increasingly short-staffed merchants and craftsmen.

And after some time, with the lifting of the ‘slaughter prohibition order’ and the trend of ‘poultry farming,’ people began to accumulate wealth in the butchering and catering industries.

Of course, this is a story of the future, and the number of butchers who voluntarily registered was not as many as expected.

To be precise, those who registered were mostly already adapted to living closely with the people of Joseon, while the majority of the unregistered butchers continued to be criminals.

In other words, they outright rejected Sejong’s command.

“Refusing the decree of a superior! No, not just refusing but terrorizing the citizens? Mobilize the military and exterminate them!”

“Your orders are accepted!”

With Sejong’s order, a nationwide crackdown on butchers began.

The butchers, who were descendants of the Khitan or other nomads, were skilled in horseback riding and had strong combat abilities, making them a headache. However, when Joseon began organized and meticulous suppression, they had to die.

Later, historians from both the East and West studying the era of Sejong and Munjong would fiercely debate whether this suppression was ‘genocide’.

In the end, the butchers who couldn’t withstand the relentless pursuit of the government forces had to flee northward. They moved in a northeastern direction.

During this escape, new individuals joined their groups.

They were the bandits.

The bandits were also pursued by the government for similar reasons.

The reason they were pursued was due to the Hansung fire incident. These individuals, who had enjoyed looting during the fire, continued to commit arson.

Eventually, angered by their criminal activities, Sejong issued a hunting order.

“If you can’t catch them alive, you may kill them on the spot!”

Ultimately, these bandits also had to flee to the northeast to escape the relentless pursuit of the government forces.

And most of these fleeing butchers and bandits were captured by tribes like the Nagutai, who were part of the Jurchen.

Their fate was not good after being captured. All their possessions were confiscated, and most were beheaded on the spot. Women and children were spared but became slaves of the Jurchen or were sold to Ming.

Even those now captured by the Nagutai tribe were not lucky.

As soon as they were transferred from Hansung, most of them faced decapitation.

* * *

In reaching a place 10 li away from Hanseong, the chieftains of the Jurchens tribe became increasingly tense.

On both sides of the road leading to Hanseong, soldiers in green armor stood tall, gripping large swords like canes, waiting for them at regular intervals.

And behind the soldiers, who stood like totem poles, crowds of commoners gathered to gawk at them.

“Heo-eo~. Has the great elder truly returned to life?”

The old chieftains sighed after observing the soldiers’ imposing manner.

The aura exuded by the soldiers standing by the road was as strong as that of the troops led by Lee Seong-gye during his prime.

As the Jurchens chieftains entered Honghwa Gate, the color of the soldiers’ armor changed from green to a deep navy. These were the elite troops guarding Hanseong.

However, what surprised the Jurchens chieftains greatly was something else.

“What kind of road is this...”

The gray avenue leading to the palace was something they had never seen before in their lives.

The smooth road, where not a single stone or dirt was visible, seemed to symbolize a transformed Joseon.

* * *

When the chieftains arrived at Gwanghwamun, they all had to dismount their horses and walk inside.

On either side of the road leading to Geunjeongjeon Palace were guards in black armor, also gripping large swords, standing. By then, the chieftains had completely let go of everything and relaxed.

Upon arriving in the front yard of Geunjeongjeon, the chieftains raised their heads to look at Geunjeongjeon.

There, sitting on his throne, was Sejong, looking at them.

The moment the chieftains saw Sejong, they immediately knelt.

“We pay our respects to Your Majesty!”