Chapter 24: Advancing into Korea
"Good, good, good!"
After reading the intelligence report, the Chongzhen Emperor did not erupt in thunderous rage as his ministers had anticipated. Instead, he slapped the report heavily onto his desk and exclaimed “Good” three times in succession, his delight spilling over his face. The ministers arranged below the steps exchanged astonished glances; in their memory, the Emperor had never before shown such unrestrained happiness.
“Your Majesty,” the Chief Eunuch Wang Cheng’en inquired at just the right moment, “has a victory message arrived from Songshan?”
“A victory? This is far more than a victory!” The Chongzhen Emperor unfurled the report with a flourish and declared loudly, “Read it for yourselves! Wang Pu, the Commander-in-Chief of Datong, led over a thousand cavalry deep into Liaodong. He destroyed the Manchu lair at Shengjing in one swift strike, and even captured their leader, Huang Taiji, alive! The sieges of Songshan and Jinzhou are thus resolved without a battle—without a single battle!”
His words struck the assembled ministers like a stone thrown into a tranquil pond—instantly stirring a clamor among them.
“Commander Wang of Datong destroyed the Manchu stronghold at Shengjing?”
“To dare lead a lone force deep into Liaodong—Commander Wang has courage indeed!”
“Indeed! And to capture Huang Taiji alive! Since the troubles in Liaodong began, our Great Ming has never achieved such a glorious victory—this is truly extraordinary!”
After the excitement abated, the Emperor sighed with some regret, “How I wish I could personally lead the naval forces to Lianyun Island to support Commander Wang. But fortune has not favored our dynasty; the traitors Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi dealt a grievous blow to our navy. We can no longer cross the sea to strike at Liaodong. Still, heaven is just; these three traitors did not escape divine retribution and have already been beheaded by the Manchus!”
“Long live Your Majesty’s boundless fortune; Commander Wang will surely turn danger into safety.”
“The Manchus’ luck is running out, and the Ming dynasty’s destiny is ever rising—this is cause for great celebration.”
“Your Majesty, I propose we immediately proclaim this joyous news throughout the empire so all the people may rejoice together.”
The Emperor’s rare moment of happiness was not lost on the ministers, who seized the opportunity to lavish flattery upon him. Even Liu Zongzhou, the upright Left Censor-in-Chief, could not resist offering praise.
“Hahaha, excellent!” The Emperor, beaming, said, “Let us do as you advise—proclaim this victory across the land!”
Turning, he addressed Wang Cheng’en: “Cheng’en, instruct the Imperial Kitchen to prepare a banquet. At noon today, I will host a grand feast for all the ministers in the Hall of Supreme Polarity. Every official of the seventh rank and above in the capital is to attend. Hahaha! Today, I am truly overjoyed. We shall drink together until we are all thoroughly drunk!”
“As Your Majesty commands.”
Wang Cheng’en accepted the imperial edict and hurried off toward the kitchen.
While the ministers vied to read the report, the Emperor questioned Chen Xinjia, “Minister Chen, if I recall correctly, Wang Pu was promoted to Commander-in-Chief three years ago—on your recommendation, was it not?”
“Your Majesty’s memory is remarkable. Indeed, it was I who first recommended Wang Pu.”
“Excellent! If only my dynasty had more worthy ministers like you, always recommending talents like Wang Pu, I would have no fear of the Manchus or the rebels.”
“This is all due to Your Majesty’s wisdom; I dare not claim credit.”
Chen Xinjia was nearly dizzy with joy at the Emperor’s words. In truth, his recommendation of Wang Pu had been out of desperation at the time—the Manchu incursion had left each garrison defeated, with no victories to report. Only Wang Pu, then a mere cavalry officer in Datong, had crawled from the carnage bringing back a few Manchu braids as trophies.
Following the principle of reporting victories, not defeats, Chen Xinjia seized upon Wang Pu’s small success and had several censors praise him before the Emperor. Thus, Wang Pu unwittingly gained a reputation for valor and, in a happy mood, the Emperor promoted him to Commander-in-Chief of Datong.
Chen Xinjia had never imagined that his desperate recommendation would uncover a true military talent. Now, being so praised before the entire court by the Emperor himself was a triumph indeed.
The Emperor continued, “I recall that Commander Wang is quite young?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, Commander Wang is just twenty-four years old.”
“Only twenty-four?” The Emperor could not help but praise him, “A true hero in his youth.”
Chen Xinjia casually added, “Your Majesty, Commander Wang has not yet married.”
“Oh?” The Emperor’s interest was piqued. “Already twenty-four and still unmarried? Why is that?”
“To my knowledge, Commander Wang was once betrothed, but before the marriage could take place, his intended was killed by rebels. Since then, he has been campaigning with the army, and the matter was delayed.”
“I see.”
A faint smile appeared on the Emperor’s face. Chen Xinjia, watching from below the steps, felt his heart skip—could it be that His Majesty intends…?
•••
While the Chongzhen Emperor was feasting his ministers in the Hall of Supreme Polarity, Wang Pu and his retinue were enjoying themselves in Korea.
With the Manchu forces abandoning pursuit, Wang Pu and his men no longer needed to flee. The journey from Pyeongan Province through Hwanghae to Gyeonggi—a distance of less than four hundred li—took them five whole days. Averaging just eighty li per day, their pace was leisurely for light cavalry unburdened by supply trains.
Indulged by their commander, Wang Pu’s followers grew increasingly reckless. What began as simple looting, robbery, and pillaging soon escalated to burning, slaughter, and plundering with abandon. Human nature, once unchecked, can overflow like a breached dam.
At first, Wang Pu turned a blind eye to his men’s excesses; later, he found he could not control them even if he tried. In truth, he simply did not wish to intervene. He had never held Koreans in any esteem—regarding them as ingrates and opportunists, always eager to steal Chinese culture.
Given the chance, he was determined to exact a harsh lesson; the real drama was yet to come.
Wang Pu was dozing on horseback when Scarface rode back, brimming with excitement. “General, we’re almost at Hanyang!”
“We’re nearly at Hanyang?” Wang Pu sat up, alert. Hanyang—now known as Seoul—was the capital of the Korean kingdom. For Wang Pu and his eight hundred followers to return to Ming China by sea, they would need to borrow ships from the Korean navy—requiring the king’s approval.
One of his men asked, “Will the Korean king open the gates to let us in?”
Scarface rolled up his sleeves and snarled, “If that king dares refuse, we’ll storm the city ourselves!”
Wang Pu turned to Zhen Youcai, “What do you think, Youcai?”
Zhen Youcai replied, “General, it will be easy to borrow ships, but getting into Hanyang itself will be difficult.”
Wang Pu nodded. “If we can get the ships without using force, all the better. But since we’ve come all this way, we should at least profit from the visit.”
“You mean…?” Zhen Youcai prompted.
After a moment’s thought, Wang Pu said, “Youcai, take Scarface and twenty men to meet the Korean king. Tell him that the Eight Banner Army and the Ming are fighting a great battle and need large sums of silver. Say you’re here under orders from Huang Taiji to demand war funds—five million taels of silver.”
Zhen Youcai was startled. “General, isn’t five million a bit much? The Korean royal family has already been stripped twice by the Manchus.”
“If the Manchus hadn’t already looted them, I’d ask for twenty million!” Wang Pu sneered. “If they can’t produce enough silver, they can pay in gold, ginseng, or other treasures. If they dare refuse, tell them the Eight Banners will raze Korea to the ground.”
“Understood, sir.”
Grasping his orders, Zhen Youcai, Scarface, and twenty men set off directly for Hanyang.
•••
Hanyang, Royal Palace of Korea.
King Yi Jeong convened his ministers for council. By the third day after the “Qing Army” crossed into Korea, the king had received the news.
Though the invading force numbered less than a thousand, and though they rampaged with impunity, the Koreans dared not act rashly. The reason was simple: they had been terrorized by the Manchus before. During the second Manchu invasion, Prince Dorgon had routed fifty thousand loyalist troops with just two thousand cavalry.
The Manchu army’s formidable might had left deep scars on the Korean psyche; at the news of their approach, not one Korean general dared muster troops to resist.
In the great hall, the Chief State Councillor spoke anxiously, “Your Majesty, word has just come that Qing troops sacked Yongnam-ri last night.”
“Those damned Manchus!” King Yi Jeong cursed. “I ought to send an army to wipe them out.”
“That would not be wise, Your Majesty,” the councillor protested, shaking his head. “We could gather our forces and perhaps destroy this detachment—but such an act would surely provoke retaliation. When the Eight Banner Army arrives, our nation would be utterly destroyed.”
The king sighed. “What, then, do you advise?”
The Left State Councillor said, “If these ‘Qing’ troops are merely looting, it is not so grave. What worries me is that they may have another purpose.”
“What purpose could that be?” asked the king.
“I have heard that the Qing are locked in a great battle with the Ming at Songshan. Such a campaign requires vast supplies and funds. This force may well be here to demand tribute.”
Just as he finished speaking, a guard rushed into the hall and knelt. “Envoys from the Qing are at the city gates, requesting an audience.”
The king’s anger flared. “I refuse to see them!”
“Your Majesty,” the Chief Councillor urged, “you must not act on impulse!”
“Indeed, since they have sent envoys, it is best to receive them,” the Left Councillor agreed.
“We must not bring disaster on our nation by refusing an envoy,” the ministers chorused.
With no other choice, the king relented. “Very well. Open the gates and admit the Qing envoys.”