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Sounds like Sini is going to have an eventful encounter with the locals.
It's actually a brief affair. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes though.
Chapter 235
The natives, upon discovering that they were spotted, shouted their war cries as they charged the remaining distance to the Nuova Italian camp. Some of those sleeping were somewhat woken by the shouts of the lookouts but the war cries were enough to wake everyone up. Everyone was convinced that they were attacked so the brave men grabbed their weapons to engage in battle. Most of them didn't even have time to put on their armor so they were quite vulnerable against the relatively primitive weapons the natives were wielding. Sini, like his men, exited his tent and worked quickly to make sense of the chaos around him.
The lookouts quickly rushed to the only entrance to their camp to buy their countrymen more time. Because they were assigned lookout duties, these men wore their armor which worked surprisingly well against the natives who tried to overwhelm them. The four lookouts were eventually killed by the natives but their efforts bought the time Sini needed to regroup his men for battle. The Nuova Italian soldiers, once in formation, launched their counter charge at the natives who appeared under the moon and the dim torches as monsters from myths. The sight of the lookouts' bodies had their blood boiling with them seeking revenge.
The lack of armor didn't stop this battle from developing into a one-sided affair where the Nuova Italian men slaughtered the natives. Their weapons were more effective at killing the natives while their anger gave them seemingly superhuman strength. The battle ended almost as quickly as it started with corpses of the natives everywhere. The adrenaline kept all the men up all night as they prepared for possible more raids. Yet, they struck fear in the natives who hadn't expected to face such resistance. The few native survivors ran back into the woods and they were never seen again.
Once the sun came out, Sini ordered a complete withdraw. The landmass was clearly unexplored for a reason and he felt his expeditionary force was unprepared for what awaited them there. To properly explore the landmass, he needed professional soldiers who could handle the wilderness and the dangers hidden within them. There were four casualties already and they barely spent a full day at their camp. Sini had the camp disassembled with them heading back home. He would write up a report on the ship which would report the casualties that happened the night before along with recommendations for a future expedition to this landmass.
Chapter 236
Sec met with Gregorio in his office to discuss some matters. Gregorio was the replacement of the top official who created a huge mess. The Doge didn't even give the top official a chance to resign properly. He simply barged into the man's office and ordered him to leave at once. This was a side people normally didn't see from Sec so the top official was stunned at first. Once the message settled in and Sec looked like he was about to kill the man, the top official cowered and left his office in a hurry. The Doge would prefer to never see the man ever again as he absolutely disgusted him with his decision making.
Being still in power for a few more months, Sec knew he couldn't leave this position empty. The top official might have taken away his second term but he wanted to complete his first term to the best of his ability. A replacement was needed to cover the position and Sec had just the person for the task. He met Gregorio a year ago and was impressed with the man's knowledge on trade. The man was well educated in the subject and was promoting many policies that would greatly boost the trade efficiency of the Republic. Sec wished that he listened to his friend and promoted Gregorio much earlier to this position.
Sec did his best to contain the mess but the damage was done. His enemies took advantage of the mess by attacking his reputation in the days leading up to the election. The election was taking place but Sec didn't need any persuasion that he had lost it already. By losing support of the Guild Faction, Sec was facing some terrible odds which he never expected to win. He had a day left in his term so there was still plenty of things he wanted to complete before he stepped down. He still believed that the future of the Republic relied on trade so he met with Gregorio to discuss the policies the young man had.
As long as he was the Doge, Sec could still introduce certain policies which still required to go through the proper channels before they could be implemented. With power still in his hands, Sec wanted to introduce the policies that Gregorio was promoting for more than a year. Whether or not the policies could be implemented depended on Gregorio who must fight for them during the meetings. The young man appreciated what the Doge was dong for him and promised that he would fight tooth and nail to implement the policies. Sec simply nodded as he signed the documents with the fate of the policies in the hands of the young man.
Sec met with Gregorio in his office to discuss some matters. Gregorio was the replacement of the top official who created a huge mess. The Doge didn't even give the top official a chance to resign properly. He simply barged into the man's office and ordered him to leave at once. This was a side people normally didn't see from Sec so the top official was stunned at first. Once the message settled in and Sec looked like he was about to kill the man, the top official cowered and left his office in a hurry. The Doge would prefer to never see the man ever again as he absolutely disgusted him with his decision making.
Being still in power for a few more months, Sec knew he couldn't leave this position empty. The top official might have taken away his second term but he wanted to complete his first term to the best of his ability. A replacement was needed to cover the position and Sec had just the person for the task. He met Gregorio a year ago and was impressed with the man's knowledge on trade. The man was well educated in the subject and was promoting many policies that would greatly boost the trade efficiency of the Republic. Sec wished that he listened to his friend and promoted Gregorio much earlier to this position.
Sec did his best to contain the mess but the damage was done. His enemies took advantage of the mess by attacking his reputation in the days leading up to the election. The election was taking place but Sec didn't need any persuasion that he had lost it already. By losing support of the Guild Faction, Sec was facing some terrible odds which he never expected to win. He had a day left in his term so there was still plenty of things he wanted to complete before he stepped down. He still believed that the future of the Republic relied on trade so he met with Gregorio to discuss the policies the young man had.
As long as he was the Doge, Sec could still introduce certain policies which still required to go through the proper channels before they could be implemented. With power still in his hands, Sec wanted to introduce the policies that Gregorio was promoting for more than a year. Whether or not the policies could be implemented depended on Gregorio who must fight for them during the meetings. The young man appreciated what the Doge was dong for him and promised that he would fight tooth and nail to implement the policies. Sec simply nodded as he signed the documents with the fate of the policies in the hands of the young man.
Special
Chapter 237
Sok read the letter and couldn't be any happier. As the king of Korea, he always feared an invasion from the Ming empire to the west. Korea was a powerful nation but it stood little chance against the likes of Ming which boasted more manpower and wealth. Sok learned from his agents that Ming was weakening but he still dared not antagonize the empire fearing possible retribution. With the complete collapse of Ming altogether, Sok found this to be the ideal moment to expand his nation. Taking some land from the fractured Ming should make Korea much stronger and, ideally, set her up to one day conquering much of China.
When discussing with his advisers, Sok discovered that there was much opposition towards his plans for expansion. His advisers argued that conquering land in China was easy but conquering the people was much harder. Rebellions would occur nonstop resulting in the decline of Korea as she constantly spent manpower and ducats to suppress the rebellions. Sok's good mood was gone as the meeting went on with him leaving before the meeting ended. The king didn't know why he was encountering so much opposition to a perfectly good plan. He wondered if these advisers just wanted to take away his chance for glory.
For the next month, Sok and his advisers discussed until they came to a compromise. Korea would not expand into Ming but she would work to set up a puppet state loyal to her. This way, Korean would acquire more wealth while the puppet state, being ruled over by a Chinese king, maintained order in the region by maintaining her own military. The extra wealth would allow Korea to grow stronger without her expenses rising with it. Once Korea was exceptionally powerful, then the king could consider absorbing the puppet state to double, if not triple, his territory. Sok found the arrangements to be acceptable as he had a chance to head out to war.
Sok read in records about his ancestors who fought on the battlefields and made a name for themselves. The Korean king always sought to accomplish what his ancestors did while aiming to surpass them in some ways. The invasion of China had always been difficult so, by setting up a puppet state there, he would give his kingdom a foothold in China. His name would be remembered by the generations to come as the king who dared to invade China and succeed. As soon as the meeting ended, Sok went to organize his forces for war. Fate had given him a chance to finally surpass his predecessors.
Chapter 237
Sok read the letter and couldn't be any happier. As the king of Korea, he always feared an invasion from the Ming empire to the west. Korea was a powerful nation but it stood little chance against the likes of Ming which boasted more manpower and wealth. Sok learned from his agents that Ming was weakening but he still dared not antagonize the empire fearing possible retribution. With the complete collapse of Ming altogether, Sok found this to be the ideal moment to expand his nation. Taking some land from the fractured Ming should make Korea much stronger and, ideally, set her up to one day conquering much of China.
When discussing with his advisers, Sok discovered that there was much opposition towards his plans for expansion. His advisers argued that conquering land in China was easy but conquering the people was much harder. Rebellions would occur nonstop resulting in the decline of Korea as she constantly spent manpower and ducats to suppress the rebellions. Sok's good mood was gone as the meeting went on with him leaving before the meeting ended. The king didn't know why he was encountering so much opposition to a perfectly good plan. He wondered if these advisers just wanted to take away his chance for glory.
For the next month, Sok and his advisers discussed until they came to a compromise. Korea would not expand into Ming but she would work to set up a puppet state loyal to her. This way, Korean would acquire more wealth while the puppet state, being ruled over by a Chinese king, maintained order in the region by maintaining her own military. The extra wealth would allow Korea to grow stronger without her expenses rising with it. Once Korea was exceptionally powerful, then the king could consider absorbing the puppet state to double, if not triple, his territory. Sok found the arrangements to be acceptable as he had a chance to head out to war.
Sok read in records about his ancestors who fought on the battlefields and made a name for themselves. The Korean king always sought to accomplish what his ancestors did while aiming to surpass them in some ways. The invasion of China had always been difficult so, by setting up a puppet state there, he would give his kingdom a foothold in China. His name would be remembered by the generations to come as the king who dared to invade China and succeed. As soon as the meeting ended, Sok went to organize his forces for war. Fate had given him a chance to finally surpass his predecessors.
Well all the hopes and dreams of colonizing Australia have been dashed. I hear there are better continents further east.
I'm not sure if Sok if foolish for expanding into China or an excellent opportunist.
I'm not sure if Sok if foolish for expanding into China or an excellent opportunist.
If you leave Australia for too long, you'll have to deal with the Kangaroo Kingdom.
Well all the hopes and dreams of colonizing Australia have been dashed. I hear there are better continents further east.
I'm not sure if Sok if foolish for expanding into China or an excellent opportunist.
Those natives certainly didn't make the colonization of Australia alluring. Sok has his ambitions and he is given a rare chance.
If you leave Australia for too long, you'll have to deal with the Kangaroo Kingdom.
We ain't afraid.
Special
Chapter 238
Sok first turned his attention to the Ming provinces bordering Korea. He assumed those provinces were easy picking but he soon learned that the local garrisons weren't going down without a fight. Their desire to fight for what was left of their empire and an excellent general leading the way saw fierce resistance that forced a withdraw from the Korean king. The loss didn't discourage the young king who learned the lesson of not fighting Ming forces. It made sense that those who remained loyal to the empire would be difficult to defeat so he had to turn his sights on easier targets like the small states that sprung up from the chaos and were fighting one another for power.
His first target was the province of Gaizhou where a small state has recently formed. Some wealthy noble had hired mercenaries to aid him in overpowering the garrison. Defeating the garrison wasn't a particularly difficult task since what remained of the garrison was no longer in the mood of fighting. They mostly surrendered so the small rebellion saw no bloodshed. The noble had the mercenaries and the garrison stand guard while he planned out how he would expand his influence. The noble was wise enough to not expand into Ming territory where he heard several Ming forces were stationed. To take on these armies would be suicidal for the small state.
Because the state was recently formed, the noble had yet to find allies and that made his province a prime target for Sok. His mercenaries and garrison was greatly outnumbered by what Sok could muster and, when the Korean king launched a naval assault, the defenders quickly routed. The wealth noble committed suicide and the province of Gaizhou became the first conquered province for Korea. Sok remembered what he promised his officials so he met with the influential figures in the region in his search of a puppet who would rule in his stead. A bit of searching uncovered the perfect candidate for Sok's puppet.
When the wealthy noble took over, he simply sent the former governor into exile. The governor went into hiding within the city where he lived a simpler lifestyle until Sok learned about him. The man was offered a chance to rule over the province in the stead of Korea. Sok promised that the state would have relatively high autonomy as she could maintain her own army. The only price the state had to pay was the monthly ducats. For the former governor, the offer was more than acceptable and he yearned to return to his wealthy lifestyle once again. Therefore, he accepted the offer without thinking it over and the Korean puppet state was formed.
Special
Chapter 239
Sok wasn't content while his puppet state only controlled a single province. To expand into Ming territory was still out of the question so he turned his sights across the Korean Bay to the province of Laizhou. The province belonged to a small state called Xia that controlled two provinces but the state was engulfed in a war with another state, Qiao, roughly the same size. Xia had one fewer province so she was at a disadvantage against the slightly larger Qiao. The king of Qiao yearned to annex Xia to nearly double the size of his state in his goal of uniting all of China under his rule. The fact that Xia forces were defending along the border made progress of Qiao forces very slow.
The Xia king was so focused on the threat across the border that he left no armies to defend his capital. His small garrison force soon reported an invading force off the coast but it was already too late. The Korean forces had already disembarked seeing them quickly control one of the gatehouses. The Korean soldiers stormed into the Xia capital where the Xia royal family was captured. They were forced to give up their claims on the two provinces and were ousted from their home. While a messenger was sent to inform the Korean puppet of a new province, Sok discussed with his officers about how they would handle the Qiao forces that were advancing into his puppet's land.
The Xia forces that were fending off the attackers were still unaware that their capital was taken by Korean forces. Yet, they still fought fiercely to protect their home so Sok allowed them to continue their efforts. He was unsure how loyal the Xia soldiers would be to his puppet so he would prefer if they were weakened. An added bonus was that Qiao forces were weakened in the process as well so he could easily conquer Qiao afterwards. Sok had the Xia and Qiao forces kept in the dark for almost an entire month before rumors reached the two sides. The Xia soldiers returned only to find a new flag atop their cities and towns which resulted in them surrendering to Korean forces without a fight.
The Qiao forces continued their push but they weren't ready to take on Korean forces that were larger. The Qiao forces routed but Sok wasn't about to give them any breathing room. During the month when they Qiao forces fought the Xia forces, he reorganized his forces so they launched a three pronged attack on Qiao with each army targeting a Qian province. His goal was to rapidly expand into Qiao before they could prepare for his invasion. By the time Qiao forces regrouped, the war would be decided and he just needed to clean up the remnants of the Qiao soldiers. Confident with his plan, Sok went and carried it out with incredible success as he reached the Qiao capital two weeks later.
Chapter 239
Sok wasn't content while his puppet state only controlled a single province. To expand into Ming territory was still out of the question so he turned his sights across the Korean Bay to the province of Laizhou. The province belonged to a small state called Xia that controlled two provinces but the state was engulfed in a war with another state, Qiao, roughly the same size. Xia had one fewer province so she was at a disadvantage against the slightly larger Qiao. The king of Qiao yearned to annex Xia to nearly double the size of his state in his goal of uniting all of China under his rule. The fact that Xia forces were defending along the border made progress of Qiao forces very slow.
The Xia king was so focused on the threat across the border that he left no armies to defend his capital. His small garrison force soon reported an invading force off the coast but it was already too late. The Korean forces had already disembarked seeing them quickly control one of the gatehouses. The Korean soldiers stormed into the Xia capital where the Xia royal family was captured. They were forced to give up their claims on the two provinces and were ousted from their home. While a messenger was sent to inform the Korean puppet of a new province, Sok discussed with his officers about how they would handle the Qiao forces that were advancing into his puppet's land.
The Xia forces that were fending off the attackers were still unaware that their capital was taken by Korean forces. Yet, they still fought fiercely to protect their home so Sok allowed them to continue their efforts. He was unsure how loyal the Xia soldiers would be to his puppet so he would prefer if they were weakened. An added bonus was that Qiao forces were weakened in the process as well so he could easily conquer Qiao afterwards. Sok had the Xia and Qiao forces kept in the dark for almost an entire month before rumors reached the two sides. The Xia soldiers returned only to find a new flag atop their cities and towns which resulted in them surrendering to Korean forces without a fight.
The Qiao forces continued their push but they weren't ready to take on Korean forces that were larger. The Qiao forces routed but Sok wasn't about to give them any breathing room. During the month when they Qiao forces fought the Xia forces, he reorganized his forces so they launched a three pronged attack on Qiao with each army targeting a Qian province. His goal was to rapidly expand into Qiao before they could prepare for his invasion. By the time Qiao forces regrouped, the war would be decided and he just needed to clean up the remnants of the Qiao soldiers. Confident with his plan, Sok went and carried it out with incredible success as he reached the Qiao capital two weeks later.
When there are easy pickings, it's hard to hold back.
Special
Chapter 240
The Qiao capital was a fortress that required Sok's forces almost two months to take. When Korean forces finally broke through, they headed straight for the palace where they met some minor resistance from the palace guards. Inside, they found the scene of a massacre as the Qiao king, upon learning that the enemy had broken through, ordered his personal guards to kill all his wives and children so they wouldn't fall to the hands of his enemy. Korean soldiers were just outside the palace when the Qiao king lit it on fire. He and his personal guards were burned alive inside signifying the end of Qiao.
With the acquisition of the three Qiao provinces and two Xia provinces, Sok handed the land over to his puppet who was thrilled to have his realm expanded six times its previous size. The locals of the newly conquered provinces, having experienced too much war, were content as long as their new government didn't bring about another conflict. The Chinese governor was content with his new position as the six provinces provided an ample amount of taxes. Even with a set amount given to Korea monthly, he had a generous amount available to him making his life a very luxurious one.
Sok sent out spies to other parts of China as he searched for additional expansions but an urgent matter forced him to return home. The Manchus north of Korea were plotting an invasion of Korea as soon as they learned about Sok's campaign. The Korean king took the majority of his forces which explained why his conquest of the six provinces was so swift. Yet, he also made Korea vulnerable in the process and the Manchus looked to pounce on it. Sok immediately led his men to the harbor at Laizhou where his fleet was awaiting their arrival. To travel by ship back to Korea was the fastest way home.
Sok knew that his soldiers in Korea would do their best halting the Manchu advance as the nomads were a threat to his people. When they invaded, they never intended on taking land. Instead, they preferred to raid towns and cities where they slaughtered and pillaged as they pleased. Once their invasion ended, they would return home with slaves and lots of stolen goods. The Manchus also preferred to burn down the settlements they raided to strike fear in the local population. Korea had halted the advances of the Manchus for many generations but that didn't stop them from attempting another invasion and Sok just handed them an opportunity.
He doesn't want to find out what the Koreans would do to him.
China will be just fine. The Manchus aren't ready to conquer all of it just yet.
Special
Chapter 241
Sok's forces reinforced at the last possible moment. The fight with the Manchus was still very difficult but they eventually prevailed over their enemies. The Manchu forces withdrew and Korea was victorious. Sok returned to his capital a hero but he wasn't given a chance to rest just yet. A messenger arrived from the puppet capital and reported that the governor had rebelled. The man apparently called the Koreans oppressors and rallied forces against Korea. Sok was shocked to learn that governor, a man he viewed as timid, would dare to rise against Korea. However, he couldn't exactly let the man do as he pleased as long as he was alive.
The Korean king wasn't wrong when he assumed the governor was a timid man. If the governor didn't have officials who persuaded him into rebelling, he would have been very much content with his situation. Life was great for the man who only had limited responsibilities. As long as monthly payments reached Korea, he had a reliable ally that could aid him in fending off invasions. The chaotic scene in China made his relatively large state fairly powerful with few enemies. The governor could have easily retired with more ducats than he could ever spend while his descendents were guaranteed a very luxurious lifestyle too. By rebelling, the governor effectively threw all that away.
The governor was human after all. When he was told about the glory and fame he would acquire by rebelling against the Koreans, he decided he would take the path of a rebel. The prospect of being remembered by generations to come was too alluring for the man who was largely unknown across China. Wealth was relatively easy to come by but fame was much harder. The governor wanted to be well remembered for his contributions to his people. It certainly didn't hurt that his officials made lots of sense about how the Koreans were outsiders who shouldn't be interfering in matters within China. The governor eventually gave in and openly rebelled.
A rebellion from the puppet was the last thing Sok wanted. His nation had suffered considerably from the Manchu invasion and needed decades to fully recover. The monthly payment from the puppet would speed up the process but, with the rebellion, that source of income was gone. Sok was absolutely furious that the governor did this after all he did for his puppet. Hoping to teach the ungrateful man a lesson, Sok rallied his forces to attack the puppet. He intended on taking the capital and capture the governor before giving the man the most cruel death possible. There was heavy opposition towards his actions but the king was having none of it.
Special
Chapter 242
The Korean soldiers were already demoralized as the constant wars drained them. They were much fewer in numbers while the puppet capital was prepared for the invasion. The governor had officials who anticipated the attack so the garrison at the capital was bolstered greatly while forts were built along the coast to prevent Korea from launching another naval invasion of Laizhou across the Korean Bay. The defenders completed all their preparations when Sok arrived so the governor had literally nothing to worry about. His capital was almost impenetrable while his soldiers were eager to defend against foreign invaders.
Sok eventually returned back to Korea defeated. His army was too small to take the capital so he was unable to get past the garrison. The Korean king had to be content with ruling over his realm in peace for the remainder of his reign as he looked to aid her recovery from the multiple conflicts Korea was engulfed in. The borders of Korea remained unchanged for the remainder of his reign as he never attempted another foreign invasion. Korea would grow strong under him and, by the time he passed away, Korea had mostly recovered which was almost an entire decade ahead of the estimated time.
The governor was indeed seen as a hero by the people within his state. The timely invasion of the Manchus made his dream of acquiring independence a reality. When the news of his victory reached other parts of China, other nations were hesitant to take on Qi. The governor named his state Qi after an ancient state that was situated in the exact location. The ancient state Qi existed during pre-Imperial China and was the last state to be conquered by Qin. The governor didn't intend on repeating history as his Qi would rise up to one day unite China under one flag. He would sadly not see that day arrive.
The conflicts had hurt Qi as well. While the state wasn't in as bad a state as Korea, Qi could use some peace and prosperity to recover. The governor wasn't exactly the most competent man around when it came to administration but he had many officials who were amongst the best advisers in China at the time. New radical policies were introduced which saw Qi growing stronger in the region than all of her neighbors. The governor had his son trained in the arts of war as he wanted the young man to expand into neighboring states once he ascended to the throne. One day in the near future, Qi would be a dominant power in China.
Chapter 242
The Korean soldiers were already demoralized as the constant wars drained them. They were much fewer in numbers while the puppet capital was prepared for the invasion. The governor had officials who anticipated the attack so the garrison at the capital was bolstered greatly while forts were built along the coast to prevent Korea from launching another naval invasion of Laizhou across the Korean Bay. The defenders completed all their preparations when Sok arrived so the governor had literally nothing to worry about. His capital was almost impenetrable while his soldiers were eager to defend against foreign invaders.
Sok eventually returned back to Korea defeated. His army was too small to take the capital so he was unable to get past the garrison. The Korean king had to be content with ruling over his realm in peace for the remainder of his reign as he looked to aid her recovery from the multiple conflicts Korea was engulfed in. The borders of Korea remained unchanged for the remainder of his reign as he never attempted another foreign invasion. Korea would grow strong under him and, by the time he passed away, Korea had mostly recovered which was almost an entire decade ahead of the estimated time.
The governor was indeed seen as a hero by the people within his state. The timely invasion of the Manchus made his dream of acquiring independence a reality. When the news of his victory reached other parts of China, other nations were hesitant to take on Qi. The governor named his state Qi after an ancient state that was situated in the exact location. The ancient state Qi existed during pre-Imperial China and was the last state to be conquered by Qin. The governor didn't intend on repeating history as his Qi would rise up to one day unite China under one flag. He would sadly not see that day arrive.
The conflicts had hurt Qi as well. While the state wasn't in as bad a state as Korea, Qi could use some peace and prosperity to recover. The governor wasn't exactly the most competent man around when it came to administration but he had many officials who were amongst the best advisers in China at the time. New radical policies were introduced which saw Qi growing stronger in the region than all of her neighbors. The governor had his son trained in the arts of war as he wanted the young man to expand into neighboring states once he ascended to the throne. One day in the near future, Qi would be a dominant power in China.
Why did Sok get so aggressive?
Some people are just too ambitious. Korea won't be ruling over all of China in this timeline.
Special
Chapter 243
The Qin officer stood atop the walls looking into the distance at nothing in particular. The man never imagined a nation would be formed in these parts but, since the collapse of Ming, the region was no longer such a priority for the Ming forces that were stationed there. They were quickly regrouping in the east where they hoped to one day reunite the empire. The officer knew the Ming generals were under an illusion as the Ming Empire was over. There was nothing that could have stopped it from collapsing and certainly nothing could give her birth again. A new era was here with a new nation eventually rising as the new empire.
The thought of Qin being that nation filled the officer with excitement. Qin might not be the strongest state that rose up in the region but she had great potential. The people living in Qin had been hardened by the harsher environment in the north. The officer was certain that they could defeat any of the states in southern China. Before he could continue his thoughts, the officer noticed dust clouds in the distance. The man was a native so he knew the local climate fairly well. Yet, there was no indication the dust clouds should have formed at all. He squinted his eyes until he made out men on horses riding towards the city.
The officer immediately raised the alarm as he knew they were attacked the moment he made out the horsemen. His shout rallied the soldiers who were taking it rather easily. The formation of Qin was a relatively peaceful affair as the Ming forces just abandoned one day along with the Ming officials. Local influential figures took over while those with experience in the military were promoted to generals or officers. This officer was no different from the other men as his previous experience saw him rising quickly through the ranks. Seeing an incoming attack made the officer excited as he finally had a chance to earn his rank.
He watched with pride as soldiers manned the walls preparing for the incoming attack. What the officer didn't notice was that the attack was in the north direction. Ming had never established any sort of control in the north because the locals were difficult to subjugate. The Ming forces stationed there were meant to fend off the invasions from the north and even the Ming generals hesitated if they needed to travel northwards. The officer and the soldiers, anticipating a good fight, failed to realize that their enemy wasn't Chinese. Instead, they were facing the Mongolians who were about to teach them what actual warfare was.
Special
Chapter 244
The Qin soldiers held the firm belief that they were excellent soldiers capable of fending off any enemies but they lacked the training and discipline to match their Ming counterparts. When the Ming forces abandoned the region, they left behind weapons and supplies that were being used by Qin. The excellent weapons and armors didn't make the soldier which the Qin soldiers would soon learn in the upcoming grueling battle. Yet, the enemy they were facing was a different matter. The Qin officer believed his people were hardened but they were living in relatively mild conditions compared to what the Mongolians had to face further to the north.
The Mongolian horsemen had mobilized because their chief heard about the collapse of Ming. Life in Mongolia was never easy as food and supplies were difficult to come by. The Mongolians might be unified by a single leader but the unity made basic necessities more scarce since tribes couldn't raid other tribes. China was always a juicy target given what the place had in terms of resources. The Mongolians tried multiple times in the past but the Ming forces stationed at the border made their advances difficult, if not impossible. Despite repeatedly attempting to get through, the Mongolians failed to mount any successful raids.
The Ming emperors had always been aware of the threat their northern neighbors were. The Mongolians were no exception so no expenses were spared in the forces stationed at the northern borders. The army maintenance remained high since those forces were clearly doing their task at fending off the raids. As soon as the empire collapsed, the Ming forces traveled eastwards to mountainous regions which were easier to defend. Additionally, the headquarters of the Ming forces were in that region so it made sense for them to regroup there and allow the Ming generals to discuss their next moves.
Without the Ming forces stationed there, the Mongolians found the courage to strike. Their horsemen were enticed by the promise of food and supplies stored in the cities. Another popular commodity was slaves which was in rather large quantity given the relatively high populations in the region. When the Mongolian horsemen invaded, they weren't aware that the Qin organized her own military. However, the Mongolians expected some resistance but they weren't scared one bit. They weren't expecting professional soldiers trained to fight them and they were essentially correct. The Qin forces were in for a nasty surprise.
Chapter 244
The Qin soldiers held the firm belief that they were excellent soldiers capable of fending off any enemies but they lacked the training and discipline to match their Ming counterparts. When the Ming forces abandoned the region, they left behind weapons and supplies that were being used by Qin. The excellent weapons and armors didn't make the soldier which the Qin soldiers would soon learn in the upcoming grueling battle. Yet, the enemy they were facing was a different matter. The Qin officer believed his people were hardened but they were living in relatively mild conditions compared to what the Mongolians had to face further to the north.
The Mongolian horsemen had mobilized because their chief heard about the collapse of Ming. Life in Mongolia was never easy as food and supplies were difficult to come by. The Mongolians might be unified by a single leader but the unity made basic necessities more scarce since tribes couldn't raid other tribes. China was always a juicy target given what the place had in terms of resources. The Mongolians tried multiple times in the past but the Ming forces stationed at the border made their advances difficult, if not impossible. Despite repeatedly attempting to get through, the Mongolians failed to mount any successful raids.
The Ming emperors had always been aware of the threat their northern neighbors were. The Mongolians were no exception so no expenses were spared in the forces stationed at the northern borders. The army maintenance remained high since those forces were clearly doing their task at fending off the raids. As soon as the empire collapsed, the Ming forces traveled eastwards to mountainous regions which were easier to defend. Additionally, the headquarters of the Ming forces were in that region so it made sense for them to regroup there and allow the Ming generals to discuss their next moves.
Without the Ming forces stationed there, the Mongolians found the courage to strike. Their horsemen were enticed by the promise of food and supplies stored in the cities. Another popular commodity was slaves which was in rather large quantity given the relatively high populations in the region. When the Mongolian horsemen invaded, they weren't aware that the Qin organized her own military. However, the Mongolians expected some resistance but they weren't scared one bit. They weren't expecting professional soldiers trained to fight them and they were essentially correct. The Qin forces were in for a nasty surprise.
The hordes have always been a pain to China and will continue to be one as they collapse. I bet the Mongolians are happy about these events.
Special
Chapter 245
The Qin soldiers watched as the Mongolian horsemen surrounded their city. Many of them made fun of the Mongols claiming that these backwards barbarians couldn't possibly defeat them. The Mongols weren't impressed as they took their time bringing in siege weapons for the attack. Their siege weapon was basically a simpler cannon that could be maneuvered more easily. These cannons didn't have the caliber to devastate city walls but, if they were concentrated at a certain section long enough, even the sturdiest walls would crumble. The Mongols were in no particular hurry of defending the garrison.
For several days and nights, the cannons bombarded the city wall as they slowly chipped away at the large structures. The cannons made it difficult for those inside the city to sleep which was part of the intention of the weapons. The Mongols were aware that, if their enemies lacked sufficient sleep, they were unlikely to perform at their maximum capacity. The Mongolian horsemen had trained with the cannons day and night until they were fully accustomed to the noise. They could all sleep through the racket as though nothing happened. This resulted in the Mongols being fresh while the defenders were slowly sleep deprived.
A week later, there were signs of the walls crumbling under pressure. However, the garrison was still confident that a breach wasn't the end of the world. They estimated that the Mongolian horsemen were greatly outnumbered so, by using numbers alone, they were guaranteed a victory. Being sleep deprived did annoy many of the defenders but they still had the confidence they could win the battle. The Mongolian cannons continued their bombardment until there was a relatively large breach that finally opened up. The Mongols didn't wait as they immediately launched their assault through the breach.
When the breach formed, the Qin soldiers formed a few barricades to halt any advances through the breach. They anticipated the Mongols would use the breach to enter the city where they could wreck havoc. Their inexperience showed as the barricades they constructed were more useful against infantry than cavalry. The barricades were at a good height to slow down infantry charges which would allow archers in the rear to shoot them. The Mongolian horsemen, however, entered through the breach with their horses easily leaping over the barricades. The archers were unable to deliver efficient volleys against the fast moving horsemen seeing them cut down instantly.