Chapter 31: Hanseong Reclamation Operation Part 2

“This time, the relocation of the French legation is different.”

“During the Agwan Pacheon, we had no power, but now it’s different.”

“In any case, we have an army to move south, and for now, Korea is receiving the sympathy of the great powers.”

“We must secure the Unsan Gold Mine as well.”

“The Unsan Gold Mine? That place devoured by that American minister?”

“Yes.”

Korea is surprisingly the country with the largest gold mine in the East.

Of course, it has been plundered by the great powers, but even in modern times, it still holds tremendous potential.

However, I hear that North Korea has closed its doors due to political instability.

“Is this to please the Americans?”

‘Should I call them ‘Americans’? At the very least, we can use Allen to make the U.S. favor us.’

“After all, the U.S. has profited greatly from Korea’s gold mines.”

“But despite that, it’s infuriating that they made the Katsura-Taro Agreement, allowing Korea to fall into Japan’s hands. What can you do when you’re weak and have to bow down?”

“Now that the Japanese have fallen to this state, the U.S. will have to change its stance. When the opportunity arises, we must seize it decisively, General.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know how much I’ll be able to achieve in the future. At the very least, we must completely neuter Japan so they can’t covet the Korean Peninsula. Even if incompetents rule, we must ensure that the country isn’t pressured by Japan. It would be good to put Lee Beomyun at the forefront and let Min Yeonghwan handle politics.”

“But at the very least, I must take command of the Sapo Army.”

“When Russia collapses, to seize the Russian Far East, including Primorsky Krai, I must take control of the Manchurian Army.”

Even though I’m a woman, considering the achievements I’ve made, I should be able to secure a position in Manchuria, if not in central politics.

“Please organize a separate army for me. I will contact General Kuropatkin, the Far Eastern Commander, and entrust them to the Russian Army.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do I mean? It means I plan to invade Japan.”

“When the time comes, we must open the game wide.”

“Hitler tried to do the same, didn’t he? To replenish the war funds we’ve prepared at great cost, and to extract modernization expenses, we must move diligently.”

“The Tsar will likely try to recover the damages his country has suffered by attempting a landing on the Japanese. We must follow Russia and land together, wreaking havoc on the Japanese mainland. Only then can we gain an upper hand in the post-war negotiations.”

“You just need to do as I say.”

“If you do, becoming the first Prime Minister of New Korea won’t be difficult.”

“Is it possible? It’s the Japanese mainland. If they hastily organize a defense force, we won’t be able to hold out.”

‘Oh, this man doesn’t understand.’

“This is exactly the time to invade and cause chaos.”

“That’s why we must act faster. We must pressure the capital, Tokyo, before they can organize a defense force. When the opportunity arises, we must crush the Japanese thoroughly. We must trample not just their body but their head to ensure we can breathe and prepare for continental expansion in the future.”

“Are you planning to fight the Qing later?”

“If we begin to exert influence in Manchuria, we will inevitably have to fight.”

“War is inevitable anyway. So, at the very least, we must gather as much strength as possible now and strike first.”

“Ha, alright. Since we’ve started, we must see it through to the end.”

Lee Beomyun didn’t object further.

Now is the time to move south.

***

Around this time, in Hanseong, the legations of various countries were busy gathering information about Manchuria.

Even though Britain was particularly sensitive to Manchurian intelligence, other legations were also considering changing their Far Eastern policies depending on how this Russo-Japanese War unfolds.

After all, Britain’s hunting dog, Japan, has fallen so low, so there might be an opportunity to seize.

Among them, the French and German legations were the most interested.

“Indeed, the Korean Army, trained by Europe’s finest land force, is different. Hahaha! Or is it because Korea’s Joan of Arc is leading the way? Anyway, this is all thanks to us, France.”

France, of course, boasted that Korea had defeated Japan with their help.

“Britain is withdrawing from the Korean Peninsula. This means it wouldn’t be bad for our German Empire to get involved in the Far East in the future.”

Germany was considering reorganizing its Far Eastern policy.

“Sigh, how did things come to this?”

The collapse of their ally, Japan.

It was a major event that occurred just a few years after the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was formed.

Jordan, who had secretly discussed with Ok Jinseo, the advisor of the Sappo Army, cavalry regiment commander, Shenyang administrator, and diplomat, quickly relayed this news to British Ambassador to Japan MacDonald and prepared a mediation plan.

Meanwhile, American Minister Allen was not entirely pleased with this situation.

‘Damn those Japs.’

These lunatics have seized the Unsan Gold Mine that the late Korean Emperor (his fool) had granted. (To be precise, the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.)

“That damned Emperor. If only he had secured American interests properly before dying, I would have held annual memorial services for him.”

“I hear that some Korean militia or something is holding them off at the Imjin River. Perhaps the group that seized the gold mine is the remnants of those who came down from Manchuria.”

“But there’s still a chance!”

“I hear that over 400,000 Japanese troops in Manchuria have vanished. Essentially, all the troops sent to Manchuria have disappeared.”

“That Korean Joan of Arc or whatever she’s called. The British call her a divine envoy or a demon, but anyway, once that woman finishes organizing Manchuria and moves south, the situation will change.”

***

While the foreign diplomats in Hanseong were busy moving, a battle was raging at the Imjin River.

Tududududududu! Bang! Kwaang!

“General! General! We’re out of ammunition!”

A shabbily dressed militia member ran to Nam Sangdeok, complaining about the lack of ammunition.

But their situation wasn’t much better either.

“We’re out of shells too.”

“It was impossible to hold them off with this ragtag force in the first place. It’s a miracle we’ve held out this long.”

“If we’re running out of weapons too, there’s nothing we can do.”

“I hear that the troops coming down from Manchuria have already occupied the northern regions, including Uiju. If this continues, we’ll be surrounded.”

“No, we might be wiped out by Kuroki’s army before we’re surrounded.”

“I wanted to hold out a little longer.”

Even the Maxim machine gun I was holding is out of ammunition, so I can’t fire anymore.

“If only we had more ammunition to use, it would have been great.”

Nam Sangdeok, who hadn’t yet heard the news from Manchuria, was slowly growing weary.

‘Damn it.’

This is all because of the incompetent emperor.

I shouldn’t think like this, but I can’t help it.

Even after losing the queen to Japan, they still formed an alliance with them, only to be betrayed and left to die.

That power-hungry, incompetent fool.

Now, Nam Sangdeok fights solely for the people of this nation, Korea.

He does not fight for the emperor.

“The Joseon army is out of ammunition! The imperial army must cross the river! We must quickly take control of this Korean peninsula and block the Koreans and Manchus at the Amnok River!”

The Japanese are charging like madmen.

With cries of “Tenno Heika Banzai” and whatever else, they worship their emperor.

“The final battle is upon us. How can the men of Korea avoid this fight? Soldiers, fix bayonets!”

In a meaningful, deathly silence, the Korean Empire’s royal guards, garrison troops, and militias all fixed their bayonets, spears, and pikes.

“From now on, let’s kill as many of these Japanese bastards as we can and shed blood for our homeland! Long live the Korean Empire!”

As Nam Sangdeok’s army finished fixing their bayonets and prepared to charge at the advancing Japanese forces, the Kuroki army, which had been advancing with ferocious energy, suddenly halted.

‘Why are they stopping?’

Nam Sangdeok wondered why they had suddenly paused.

“Commander! A large force has appeared behind us.”

“Are they trying to surround us?”

Those Japanese trash.

It’s unbelievable that the emperor would even consider associating with such scum.

But nothing changes.

We must face the enemy of this nation, even if it means death.

“That’s not it. It’s the crow flag.”

“The crow flag?”

‘If it’s the crow flag, isn’t that the flag of the Sapo Army from Jiandao?’

‘Does that mean Korea has finally achieved victory in Manchuria and is marching south?’

“There are at least tens of thousands of troops! And behind them, even more forces are following. They’re alive!”

Tens of thousands of troops. With that many, they could easily suppress the Japanese forces led by that Kuroki guy.

After all, Kuroki’s army was even defeated by the militia.

“Go! Proud Sapo Army! Crush the Japanese bastards who seek to devour our brave Korean soldiers and march south!”

The Sapo Army, waving the crow flag, charged forward in perfect formation, a sight that moved the heart.

The army surged forward, surrounding and protecting the small force at the Imjin River, with the cavalry at the forefront.

“A woman?”

There was a woman leading the cavalry.

I’ve heard of an outstanding female commander in the Sapo Army.

A woman who rose to the position of Shenyang’s magistrate.

‘Could she be that woman?’

“Kill the Japanese!”

Her commands in Manchu and Chinese were quite impressive.

The Sapo Army was said to include Manchus and Han Chinese, so it must have been a multi-ethnic force.

The way she led and embraced them all was the very image of an ideal leader.

The Sapo Army’s cavalry, with their swords and spears, cut down the Japanese troops crossing the river without mercy.

“Retreat! Retreat!”

The Japanese who had crossed the river began to flee.

Soon, the infantry joined the cavalry, pressing the Japanese hard.

It was Korea’s victory.

Around this time, a new figure arrived in Hanseong.

His name was Ito Hirobumi.

He had become so emaciated in recent days that he looked like he could collapse at any moment.

The future of the empire was now doomed.

Russian warships were systematically destroying every port in Shinshu.

‘That damn Kuroki.’

The war was already a gamble.

Whether the information was leaked or not, Russia was perfectly defending Manchuria and had gained the upper hand in naval battles.

In fact, Kuroki’s assassination of the emperor didn’t mean much, but it still carried significant weight.

The subsequent uprising was barely suppressed, but they struggled against the remaining forces in Hanseong, blocked at the Imjin River, until the Sapo Army began marching south.

In this battle, they were utterly defeated, beyond any possibility of glorification.

Now, the empire would not be able to recover its national strength and join the ranks of the great powers before his death.

“Korea would seize this opportunity to grow stronger, and it was obvious that they would seek revenge against the empire.”

“Then, we must prepare for the future.”

There were almost no Japanese forces left to stop the Sapo Army’s advance.

Some supply units remained in the northern part of the Korean peninsula, occupying a few villages, but that was all.

It was nearly impossible to stop the Sapo Army with such a small force.

The Sapo Army’s southward advance quickly swept away the remaining Japanese forces in the northern part of the peninsula, and the crow flag flew alongside the Korean flag in every city.

The only real army they encountered was at the Imjin River.

The Japanese forces at the Imjin River had nearly annihilated Commander Nam Sangdeok’s army, but our arrival turned the tide.

“Choi Ikhyun’s militia coalition has been suppressed,” Kim Insu said, as usual, while wiping the blood off his sword.

“Really?”

‘Did Choi Ikhyun lead the militia?’

Then, in effect, all the scholars of the Korean Empire must have joined together.

This makes reform easier.

I won’t have to dirty my hands.

Even if the scholars rise up, we can just beat them down.

But given my current position as Korea’s Joan of Arc, it’s a bit awkward.

I have the nickname ‘messenger,’ but it’s not yet time to use it.

It’s better to be known as a messenger to the enemy, but it’s a subtle title for me to use now.

“They were completely crushed,” he replied.

“The scholars must have all died.”

It’s truly pitiful.

As a Korean, it feels a bit sad.

“Yes. The scholarly forces that could hinder reform have fallen.”

I like the fact that the scholars have all died.

This will allow us to maximize reparations.

Japan might become the second Qing dynasty, and if that happens, Japan is finished.