novelnext Chapter 39 Departure
Chapter 39 Departure
On the day of departure, before dawn, half of the camp of Guangning Guard had already woken up.
The kitchen was the first to produce white steam.
Along the supply route, the axles were disassembled and oiled, and hemp ropes, leather straps, wooden wedges, and iron pins were scattered all over the ground.
The auxiliary soldiers and laborers squatted in the snow, breathing out warm air as they worked.
The weather was cold, but it didn't affect their nimble hands and feet.
At the entrance of the firearms shed, boxes of medicine packets, lead pellets, matchlocks, tinder, and spare tinder were stacked in a row, and then wrapped with an extra layer of tarpaulin.
Mo Qin got up very early and, as usual, went to the training ground to practice his stance.
Neither Zhao Tou nor Zhou Hu came today.
After finishing his shooting practice, he headed towards the kitchen.
The kitchen was already packed with people.
Those in the vanguard, those in the outer camp, those carrying supplies, those with fire, those escorting carts, those leading horses—everyone wanted to swallow a hot meal before setting off.
A pot of mixed grain porridge was cooking, a steamer basket held steamed buns, and meat broth and salted vegetables were placed on the side.
When Mo Qin was seated in front of the stove, Lao Qian looked up and his face darkened.
"Hey, you're here again?"
Mo Qin handed over the bowl with a natural expression.
"Qian Tou, we're setting off today, I need to eat a lot."
Don't try to fool me with that.
Despite cursing, Lao Qian still scooped a full bowl for him and threw in two steamed buns.
Mo Qin ate a lot as usual, and this time no one counted the bowls.
The men in the front camp had all seen him eat, so they weren't surprised.
Only one newly arrived firefighter stood by, holding a steamer basket, staring wide-eyed. After a long while, he finally managed to utter a sentence:
"Sir, are you even human?"
Old Qian smacked him on the helmet with a spoon.
"Stop talking nonsense and get to work."
As he spoke, Mo Qin finished the last sip of soup and handed the bowl back to him.
Old Qian took the bowl, the curse on the tip of his tongue, but after glancing at him, he didn't say it.
After a moment of silence, he whispered:
"Once you're on the field, your eyes will be sharper."
Upon hearing this, Mo Qin was taken aback.
Old Qian had already turned around and shouted at the people behind him:
"Next! What are you dawdling for!"
Mo Qin stood there for a while before smiling.
"understood."
When I stepped out of the kitchen, the sky was still gray.
Snowflakes gently fell on my shoulders.
The vanguard first called out names, then those with knives, guns, and shields.
Leg wraps, cotton armor, waist knife, short weapon, flint and steel, food bag, salt bag, and even the hemp rope wrapped around the straw sandals on the feet all had to be checked.
Wang De's curses echoed from the east end of the front camp to the west end.
"Tighten the leg bindings by half an inch!"
"Don't let the shield slip from your shoulder!"
"Don't just brandish your knife! If things really come to a head, you'll have to bend down and look for it, won't you?"
"Anyone who dares to fall behind, I won't hit you, I'll just throw you into the supply wagon!"
Liu Gao's lion-head shield, held in front of his shoulder, made him appear half a bit shorter, but also half a bit more profound.
Wang De walked past him, glanced at him, and said coldly:
"It's starting to look presentable."
Liu Gao's eyes lit up immediately.
"Hey, Wang Tou, you just said I looked presentable?"
Wang De stopped in his tracks.
"I spoke too soon."
"..."
Liu Gao immediately shut his mouth.
Lin Jun stood to the side and behind, with a short knife tucked into his sleeve.
The knife, now pressed against her body, no longer seemed like an external object, but rather like a natural extension of her arm.
As Wang De walked by, his gaze fell on her cuff, and he uttered a remark:
"Never part with the knife."
Lin Jun nodded.
"clear."
Wang De didn't say anything more. Carrying his short stick, he quickly blended into the busy crowd.
At the archery range, Yan Qi carefully pressed each arrow into his quiver, pinched the fletching with his fingertips, and then rubbed the wax off the arrow shaft.
Feng the Scout came once and only gave a few instructions.
Before leaving camp tonight, Yan Qi will first follow the Night Watchman to scout out the snowy road ahead.
It's not a formal transfer; I'm just going there to familiarize myself with the area.
After Liu Gao found out, he asked:
"You're not just going to go and work as a night watchman, are you?"
Yan Qi carefully slung the bow over his shoulder.
"Won't."
"So you'll come back after you're done exploring?"
"Um."
Liu Gao breathed a sigh of relief, but he still remained defiant.
"Then watch carefully, don't take the wrong road."
Yan Qi glanced at him.
"Don't hold that shield upside down."
Liu Gao was taken aback and looked down at the lion-head shield in his hand.
"Can I hold it upside down?"
Yan Qi didn't answer, and turned to leave.
Over at the weapons shed, Old Soldier Ding was still squatting in his usual spot.
However, there were many more fire soldiers around them.
There were also auxiliary soldiers, those pushing artillery carts, those guarding medicine boxes, and those checking the matchlocks and fuses, all running back and forth with their heads covered in snow.
The medicine barrel was wrapped with an extra layer of oilcloth, and the fire ropes of different lengths were stacked flat in bamboo tubes and oil bags.
Arquebuses, three-barreled guns, breech-loading cannons, and spare lead bullets were each assigned to a separate vehicle.
The central army and the guards' camp presented a completely different scene.
The warhorse was pulled out and brushed again, fed salted beans, and its horseshoes were inspected.
The white vapor from the horse's nostrils mixed with the white vapor from the man's breath, making the entire stable look like it was shrouded in fog.
The flag bearers rearranged the identification flag, the signal flag, the general's flag, and the flags of each battalion.
The flagpoles leaned against the shed, a row of them, their wood, paint, and tassel colors all pressed firmly against the snow.
They put their armor back on.
The Liaodong border troops mostly wore a mix of cotton and outer armor, with thick cotton underneath and iron plates or lock plates on the outside, designed to withstand the cold and also to carry swords.
The guards were even more elite, often equipped with breastplates, iron arms, leg skirts, long knives at their waists, and short axes on their backs.
Once you're actually on the field, you'll be a key player.
Further on were the baggage trains.
Grain bags, fodder, tent cloths, cooking stoves, spare gun barrels, spare axles, medicine bags, shovels, firewood, and cowhide water bladders were all stacked flat on the vehicle.
Cars drove one after another, parked very steadily.
There were also veteran soldiers and scribes by the car to recognize the car and its number, just in case things got chaotic halfway through the journey, so they could still recognize what was on the car.
At times like these, the worst thing is for the carts and horses to have an accident.
Unfortunately, some trouble did occur in the afternoon.
Suddenly, a horse neighed from the other side of the supply route.
Then came another series of urgent shouts:
"Get out of the way!"
"Hold it down!"
"Don't let it hit the medicine truck!"
As luck would have it, Mo Qin happened to be returning from Zhou Hu's place, still holding his gun.
Hearing the noise, he turned around to take a closer look.
A tall warhorse appeared, startled by something.
He jerked his head back violently, his ears pressed tightly against the back of his head, white breath puffing out of his nose, and his entire neck straining backward.
It was originally tied to a sidecar as a spare.
The shock caused the rope and the wooden fence to be pulled askew.
Behind it was a truck carrying gunpowder barrels.
The two auxiliary soldiers beside it couldn't hold it back at all and could only watch helplessly as it charged sideways.
The medicine cart must never overturn.
Without even thinking, Mo Qin rushed against the flow of people.
He didn't try to block the front.
A classmate from Inner Mongolia once told me this when I was in university.
A startled horse is most ferocious when it faces forward; charging into it is tantamount to suicide.
Thinking of this, Mo Qin cut diagonally into the front of the horse's head, first grabbing the bridle by the side, and then sinking to the side and back with the force.
This sinking wasn't achieved using only the arm.
He pressed his entire body against it.
His feet gripped the frozen ground tightly, his knees tucked in, his back and waist tensed, and his right arm was like a horizontal iron hook.
In that instant, the mass of air in his chest and abdomen sank downwards.
Using this force, Mo Qin managed to deflect the horse's head by half a foot.
Although it's only half a foot long, it's enough.
The horse's head tilted to the side, and its charging momentum immediately ceased.
Two old soldiers nearby then rushed over, one pressing down on the side of the horse's neck and the other pulling on the reins, while a third man raised his hand and whipped the horse's ears twice.
He didn't hit hard; instead, he used the steady, methodical whipping technique of an experienced soldier.
The warhorse was still pawing the ground and panting heavily, but thankfully it didn't cause any trouble for the medicine cart.
The whole process was brief, but after things calmed down, there was a collective gasp of shock from those around.
"Did he manage to pull the horse's head off course all by himself?"
"Is this even manpower?"
"Brother Qin's physique is getting more and more strange as he grows up..."
Han Shouyi arrived quickly.
"Are you hurt?"
"no."
"OK."
Han Shouyi nodded without offering a single word of praise, then turned and berated several of the car watchers.
"Who checked the axles?"
"Who was watching over the rope?"
"If this kind of scare really happens tonight, I'll hang you all on the cart shaft and drag you to the Yalu River!"
The crowd immediately dispersed, and no one dared to linger any longer.
After it got completely dark, the battalions began to regroup in sequence.
The advance party, the vanguard, the firearms unit, the supply wagon, the central army, and the cavalry unit all returned to their positions.
The messenger ran back and forth along the camp road, his voice low but clear.
"The vanguard is assembling."
"Check the ropes on the firearms cart."
"Supply wagons are being ballasted."
"Those who are not collected at night are allowed to leave first."
"Each banner identifies its own lantern."
As departure drew near, in the thatched hut, Mo Qin closed his eyes, trying to sort through his memories one last time.
Pyongyang, January of the 21st year of the Wanli reign (1562)...
The history books are written very concisely.
The city was besieged, fierce fighting ensued, the city was breached, Konishi Yukinaga fled in the night, and the Japanese army retreated.
With just a few strokes, it seems as if everything should have been this way, but will it end up the same way this time?
After an unknown amount of time, footsteps could be heard outside.
Immediately afterwards, a command was relayed through the camp.
"rise."
"Get up, all of you."
"strike camp."
Opening his eyes, Mo Qin reached out and grabbed the white wax spear in his hand.
Liu Gao sat up with a start, his first instinct being to hug his precious shield.
Only then did he come to his senses, his face still showing a dazed look as if he hadn't woken up yet.
"Are you leaving?"
Lin Jun had already stood up and lifted the curtain to look outside.
"Yes."
From the direction of the camp gate, the sound of drums had become continuous.
One call after another, the vanguard moved first.
One by one, in groups, in teams, in flags, the ground shook.
When Mo Qin joined the queue, Yan Qi had already returned.
Without saying a word, he nodded to Mo Qin first.
The meaning is simple: the road ahead is passable.
In order, the night scouts and the pontoons were first deployed along both sides of the camp.
Next came the guiding torches, followed closely by the infantry of the vanguard.
Long spears, swords and shields, and short weapons each have their place.
The cotton armor was covered with a thin layer of snow. When they walked, the armor plates lightly touched and the butt of the spear lightly touched, but their footsteps were extremely even.
Liu Gao stood in the row of swords and shields for the first time.
He held the lion-head shield, his whole body taut like a newly strung bow.
Wang De carried a short stick and walked past the line, looking at each person one by one.
"Tuck in your stomach."
"The shield is no longer on my shoulder."
"Look ahead, not at your feet."
"Whoever gets out of control tonight, I'll make him run all the way to the Yalu River tomorrow."
Lin Jun was positioned to the side and behind Liu Gao, with a short knife tucked into his sleeve and a short stick tucked behind his waist.
Zhou Hu was at the front, his iron spear held horizontally beside his horse, looking like a pillar of strength.
After glancing at him, Mo Qin sighed with some emotion, thinking, "This guy is the real leader."
Next came firearms.
Gunpowder carts, artillery carts, musketmen, matchlock gunners, and so on, were pushed out one after another.
The iron clasp of the breech reflected a cold light under the torch, while the hemp ropes and belts used to tie the cart were blackened by the snow.
Old Ding did not go to the front, but only led two fire soldiers, who followed behind the firearms.
The supply train followed closely behind.
Grain sacks, fodder, tent cloths, cooking stoves, spare gun barrels, spare axles, and medicine packages were all stacked flat on the cart.
The laborers and auxiliary soldiers walked on both sides of the cart, even their breathing was suppressed.
The central army was the last to move!
First came the signal flag, then the flag guards, and then Li Rusong.
But then he stood with his hand on his sword, sweeping his gaze across the already lined-up ranks.
"Listen up, everyone."
The moment those three words were uttered, everyone tensed up.
"We are leaving camp tonight, not to rush."
"We're going to North Korea."
"Go and drive the Japanese devils back into the sea."
Li Rusong's voice grew even louder.
"Once on the road, recognize the flag, obey orders, and stand guard."
"Once you cross the river, don't even think about throwing your life away."
"We need to figure out how to take the lives of those Japanese pirates who trample on Joseon City, hoping to see the Ming Dynasty make a fool of itself!"
Li Rusong made a final wave.
"Let's go."
The drums beat loudly, and the camp gates slowly opened.
The moment the wooden door was pushed open, the accumulated snow fell in a flurry, and the hinges made a low, grinding sound.
The vanguard marched out first, their torches like a crouching dragon, their armor plates like a light rain of iron.
The hail of gunfire resembled a slowly moving forest.
Mochin stood in the ranks, his white wax spear held horizontally at his shoulder.
For the first time, he clearly felt that he had truly stepped into the ranks of the army.
The foremost night watchman, like a shadow pressed against the snow, soon melted into the darkness.
The ponies weaved back and forth in the distance, only occasionally returning with a muffled thud.
As the convoy crossed the ditch, low chants could be heard from the front.
"slow."
"Suppress it."
"The wooden support on the left."
"Don't let the wheels get stuck."
The laborers and auxiliary soldiers stuffed wooden wedges into the snow and mud, the old soldier held the cart shaft, and several draft horses, panting heavily, slowly dragged the cart out of the shallow ditch.
Once the wheels were back on the hard ground, the group continued moving forward.
Liu Gao was not far ahead.
As he stepped out of the camp, he was holding the lion-head shield, his whole body tense, looking just like a T800.
After walking for more than half an hour, he finally felt a little relieved.
So the mouth became a little more active.
"Why is this shield getting heavier and heavier as I walk?"
Lin Jun spoke softly from behind.
"Because you're nervous."
"I'm not nervous."
"That means you're weak."
Liu Gao remained silent.
After walking a few more steps, he whispered:
"You might be right, I am a little nervous."
Mo Qin, who was listening from behind, almost burst out laughing.
But the smile that was about to come out was swallowed back by the wind and snow.
When the march reached midnight, the troops briefly stopped at the foot of a leeward slope.
The veterans did not sit down, but stood on the spot with their spears butts on the ground and shields buckled to their knees. Their horses were led to a sheltered spot to catch their breath.
Yan Qi returned from the front and found Zhou Hu.
His face was covered in snow, and his eyelashes were covered in ice crystals.
Feng the Scout was right behind him, but he didn't say anything. He just stood next to Zhou Hu, arms crossed, listening.
Yan Qi squatted down and used the arrow shaft to draw several lines on the snow.
"There's ice in the old ditch ahead."
"The car can pass, but it needs to be padded."
"There are old footprints in the woods on the left; they're not new."
"Two miles ahead, there's a sheltered spot where we can regroup."
Zhou Hu glanced at Feng the Scout first.
Feng the Scout simply nodded.
This was the first time he had let Yan Qi investigate a section of the road on her own and then come back to report.
Zhou Hu then said:
"lead the way."
Without saying much, Yan Qi only glanced at Mo Qin.
Mo Qin nodded slightly to him.
Yan Qi then turned around and disappeared back into the snowstorm.
The team started moving again.
Once that was done, there was no turning back.