Magnificent Romance of the Three Kingdoms - Chapter 9

(9/257)

The vast Liaodong plains were thawing, transforming the ground into a churning, muddy quagmire. Across this difficult terrain, General Gyesu, a stern commander in his mid-thirties with surprisingly handsome features, barked relentless, urgent orders to press the pursuit. But the advance of his men and horses was slow and arduous. Gyesu consulted with his third brother, Wigung, and they decided to let the foot soldiers (Infantry) follow when they could, but to send only the horsemen (Cavalry) ahead to chase the enemy down.
When the horsemen were finally mustered, only the contingent under Myeongnim Ryeohan, the Western Commander (Seomalgaek), possessed overwhelming numbers, fielding three hundred and sixty cavalry. The other commanders had barely a hundred men each, except for the central commander who had two hundred. As a result, when Gyesu gathered all his available riders, including his personal guard, the total reached one thousand. Adding Wigung’s eight hundred riders, eighteen hundred cavalry plunged into the pursuit. The clamor of their hooves was so loud it seemed to make the very mountains and forests tremble.
It took only one day to catch the Liaodong Army. They, too, were hampered by their slower infantry. Of the thirty thousand Liaodong troops, Gongson Tak, who had already lost ten thousand casualties attacking the capital, proved his shrewdness by placing his prized two thousand cavalry at the rear to fend off any chase. When the two forces met, they paused.
The Vanguard
An emergency war council was immediately convened in the Goguryeo camp. Myeongnim Ryeohan, possessing the largest cavalry force, was ordered to lead the spearhead of all the horsemen, a command he accepted instantly.
Ryeohan then met with his own generals. They decided that Yeon Moussang would form the very tip of the spear, leading his guard and one hundred elite Jo-ui Seonin warriors. Ryeohan, alongside his personal guards and Eulji Jeumun, would lead the main vanguard. Udeukmu would command the remaining Seonin and servants of the National Chancellor’s household (Gukssangga), forming the centre, while the cavalry Gyesu had provided cover for the rear. The formation was a rhombus (diamond shape), its sharp point aimed straight at the enemy. After the brief conference, Ryeohan rode out first, instantly backed by the rest of the Goguryeo cavalry.
“You scoundrels! Yeon Moussang, warrior of Great Goguryeo, is coming! Prepare yourselves!” Yeon Moussang roared, his eight-ridged mace spinning fiercely as he charged. WAAAH! The Liaodong army roared back, their two thousand horsemen charging to meet the Goguryeo vanguard.
CRUNCH! A Liaodong Captain, daring enough to lead the charge, had his brains instantly splattered across the plains by the twenty-geun (twelve-kilogram) mace of Yeon Moussang. That was the opening shot. Yeon Moussang savagely beat every foe he encountered, smashing skulls and crushing torsos. Those who dodged the blow often found their horse’s spine snapped, leaving the animal to buck and crash into the mud. A clear path opened up before them like a road through no man’s land.
The Jo-ui Seonin, masters of horsemanship and martial arts, followed, hacking, stabbing, and cutting their way through the enemy. Behind them, Udeukmu, leading the centre-vanguard, wielded a great sabre mounted on a stout pole, forcing both men and horses to desperately try and evade him. Ryeohan, not to be outdone, charged alongside them, cutting and stabbing with his twin swords. His twelve personal guards, Jong Chanmu, Buro, and Dannyeo formed a protective knot, swinging their weapons so wildly that soon the area around Ryeohan was a desolate, empty field.
The Breakthrough
“What on earth…?!” Ryeohan looked back. Only his immediate horsemen had successfully punched through the enemy’s cavalry line; the rest were locked in a desperate, chaotic melee. Ahead, the Liaodong infantry stood ready with pikes, but Ryeohan ignored them and commanded again: “This time, we will shatter the enemy formation! Follow me!” “Follow!” they roared, and all charged after Myeongnim Ryeohan.
Ryeohan rode in a straight line, cutting down everything he met—horse and man—with a single stroke of his sword. Before his ferocity, the enemy scattered in confusion, trampling one another in the ensuing chaos. Behind him, Yeon Moussang, Udeukmu, and the Seonin followed as a single mass, slaughtering so many that the dying had to clutch their spilled guts and stare up at the sky, unsure what demon had slain them.
Ryeohan now wheeled his horse diagonally, weaving back and forth, tangling the enemy ranks until they instantly shredded into disorganized pieces. “Now for the head of the enemy chief, Gongson Tak!” “Gongson Tak’s head!” Panicked by Ryeohan’s sudden assault, the enemy horsemen lost their footing and scattered in all directions. Ryeohan ignored them and plunged straight into the enemy’s main infantry body. Woah! Wah!
The Goguryeo cavalry, utterly inspired, charged into the infantry camp without any specific command. They were like wolves among sheep. Amidst the slaughter, the infantry, who had timidly raised their spears, had their courage shrivelled by the charging horsemen. They staggered backward, their crude spears pointing uselessly at the sky.
Seeing the battle lost, Gongson Tak, positioned at the rear, commanded: “It’s no good. Retreat! Retreat!” Unable to bring himself to shout ‘Flee,’ he simply bellowed ‘Retreat’ repeatedly before turning tail and riding west, protected by a strong guard.
The Goguryeo army collected the prisoners, secured the captured horses, and gathered all the spoils of war—banners, uniforms, weapons, and provisions—into one massive heap. It formed a second Namsan (South Mountain) on the Liaodong plains. Myeongnim Ryeohan, having lost the trail of the early-fleeing Gongson Tak, ordered his troops to finally rest.
Treachery in the Night
Some time later, just as Gongson Tak managed to put some distance between them and catch his breath, the army from Wirniamseong Fortress (later Baekamseong Fortress) charged down on him, causing his men to lose all hope. However, fate intervened: Gongson Tak’s son, Gongson Kang, appeared with his own unit and helped his father escape the jaws of death.
Meanwhile, General Gyesu, Wigung, and all the others began the triumphant march home. Everyone was beaming, their mouths stretched into grins from the great victory. Even the weary infantry, escorting the spoils and prisoners, forgot their exhaustion.
Night descended. Darkness settled over the plains, and the myriad stars shone brightly. Bonfires made of dried dung blazed fiercely, and the camp fell silent. The capital was only two days away. Everyone, tired from the battle and pleasantly tipsy from the celebratory wine, sank into a deep sleep.
It was well past midnight. Ryeohan was still awake in his tent, studying military strategy. Next to him, Jong Chanmu had finally succumbed to exhaustion, nodding off with his signature weapon, the Iron Flail (Chojagwon), lying forgotten nearby. Dannyeo watched him with a slight smile, while Eulji Jeumun was deep in thought, head tilted up. Outside, Buro and the guards were keeping watch.
“Fuurinkazan (Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain)… to remain as still as the forest when stationary, and when striking, to put lightning to shame… no, to be as fierce as fire… it means the same thing, I suppose,” Ryeohan muttered, savoring the passage. But then, his incredibly sharp senses (seonnyeok, or warrior’s power) caught the faint movement of many people close by.
“Dannyeo! Go out and see who’s moving about so much in the middle of the night!”
“Yes!”
“Attack!” A low command was given, as if in response to his own words, and the sound of rapid footsteps struck Ryeohan’s ears like thunder.
“EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! We’re under attack!” Ryeohan screamed, channeling all the immense inner power (seonnyeok) he had cultivated over what felt like nearly a lifetime into the warning.
“Eh? Where?!” A startled Jong Chanmu rushed out, rubbing his eyes, and the neighbouring camps of Udeukmu and Yeon Moussang instantly became chaotic.
“Ugh!” “No, not you bastards?!” Even without Buro’s startled cry, all of Ryeohan’s immediate household widened their eyes in astonishment. The shocking truth: under the command of Crown Prince Gyesu and General Wigung, the very soldiers Gyesu had assigned them were now the enemy, ruthlessly slaughtering Ryeohan’s elite warriors and servants.
The Bloody Retreat
“These mongrel bastards…!” Yeon Moussang roared with fury. Having confirmed their identity, an urgent command fell from Ryeohan’s lips: “Chanmu and Dannyeo, guard Eulji, the strategist! The rest of you, head for the horses! North is the direction!”
WAAH! Now they charged, shouting war cries as they attacked their former allies.
“This looks like the Southern Faction’s play to secure the monarchy early!” Eulji Jeumun shouted, riding close to Ryeohan.
“They are a breed who repay kindness with enmity!” Ryeohan spat.
“Such is the cruelty of rulers and governance!” Even now, rather than expressing bitterness, Jeumun was focused on imparting one final lesson to his lord.
“These sons of bitches!” Finally enraged, Myeongnim Ryeohan’s twin swords stabbed and pierced the necks and eyes of anyone who came near.
“There is the son of the Myeongnim Clan!” That was Wigung’s shout. The main assault instantly converged on Ryeohan.
“Protect our Lord!” “Pr-otect him!” “Guard him!” Udeukmu’s order was met by Yeon Moussang’s cry, which sounded like a sob, and the desperate, reckless resistance of the Jo-ui Seonin began.
“Ugh!” Samdol’s shoulder was sliced clean off by a single enemy blade. “No!” Samdol tried to strike the foe’s face with one hand, but lacking his usual balance, he merely flailed uselessly. THUD! A kick from the enemy sent Samdol stumbling backwards, but he swung back and drove his head straight into the back of the man in front of him.
“You bastard!” The sabre of the East Commander of the capital slashed Samdol’s back. “Aaargh~!” Samdol’s body, unable to even utter a full scream, slowly collapsed, his face twisted in agony. “Lo- Lordling!” That last, choked cry was a knot of unfulfilled loyalty and heartbreaking resentment.
“You faithless mongrels! I’ll tear your guts out just to see what kind of hearts you have!” Chadol, a Jo-ui Seonin warrior, screamed in anguish, facing the foul reality of the country he had dedicated his whole life to. He was now fifty-five, unmarried, having lived his life solely for the National Chancellor and the nation. He prided himself on his experience, even if his strength was fading.
“You sons of bitches, come and get me!” Chadol spat fiercely on his sabre and gripped it tighter, roaring. “This bastard!” He demonstrably severed one man’s neck, then stabbed the side of another who was lunging at him. He tripped a third man, then headbutted the shocked man, crushing his jaw. But then… “What’s this?!” As Chadol rampaged, others swarmed him like a hive of bees. “Gah!” One hand could not hold off ten. Finally, a spear from a nameless soldier ran him through. He fell, yet his eyes stayed fixed on Ryeohan’s retreating form until his very last moment. My beloved Lord! Farewell! Those final words of devotion were locked forever in his dying heart.
“Let’s go, Huzzah!” “Cough!” Ryeohan finally reached the corral where the horses were tied and mounted his steed, but took a sword blow to the flank from an unknown assailant. Ryeohan’s face contorted in pain from the bleeding wound, yet he had to suppress even a cry. “Kuk!” The sword of the South Commander stabbed his twisting back once more.
“My Lord!” “My Lord!” Buro, covered head to toe in bl00d, roared a tearful shout as he severed the assailant’s neck. Yeon Moussang also let out a savage roar, drew his emergency great sabre, and rushed around like a madman, his eyes dripping bl00d. His eight-ridged mace was useless in this close-quarters fight.
“Clear a path!” “Clear it!” Of Ryeohan’s household, which numbered over three hundred, only around one hundred and thirty remained, desperately struggling to protect Ryeohan and force a way through, fighting a fierce and tragic battle.
“Huzzah!” Jong Chanmu crushed an oncoming man’s skull with his iron flail. Ryeohan glanced back at Eulji Jeumun; despite the shock, the strategist was composed. Beside him, Dannyeo used her twin swords to fiercely cut down and fend off everything thrown at them, clearing the way.
“Open the road! The road!” “Block them!” Wigung’s voice, sharp as a blade, contrasted with Udeukmu’s hoarse, screaming yell. The pursuit continued for some time after that.
“Kaak!” “Kuk!” The darkness over the plains was slowly receding, but the world remained vague—as if the heavens and earth were unwilling to witness the foulness of human deeds. Instead, a thick fog had rolled in, blurring the line between sky and land.