Chapter 288: Jiao Island Trade: The Art of Defense

Jiao Island lies in the Hwanghae Province of the Joseon Kingdom, at the entrance to Ganghwa, and is a key point in the western coastal defenses of Joseon.

From a military standpoint, slightly over four hundred li southeast of Jiao Island lies Hanyang, the Joseon capital. Whoever holds this position can directly threaten the capital with their navy. Sixty li to the north is the mouth of the Datong River, and one hundred forty li to the south is the mouth of the Imjin River—through inland waterways, one can navigate to major Joseon cities such as Pyongyang and Kaesong. Jiao Island's coastline winds and twists, offering natural sheltered harbors, with water deep enough for three-masted Fujian junks to anchor.

The island covers nearly fifty thousand mu, with sufficient carrying capacity on its own to support warehouses, docks, markets, and other facilities, and the surrounding fishery resources are also abundant. Lin Qian intends precisely to build the Joseon trade hub on this island.

As for Pidao...

Bai Qing pointed at the map again and said, "This is the real Pidao. What the helmsman wants is Simi Island."

Meng Tingchuan looked closely and realized that Simi Island was a large island east of Pidao, shaped somewhat like a ginseng root.

Bai Qing said, "The helmsman says this island has a winding coastline with plenty of sheltered harbors, just right to serve as a forward naval base. If the Nan'ao fleet stations here, first, we can raid the Jianzhou barbarians at will, and second, we can keep an eye on Mao Wenlong—killing two birds with one stone."

Meng Tingchuan had no doubts about this, since everyone knew that Pidao was secretly smuggling goods to the Jianzhou barbarians.

If Nan'ao wanted to control Joseon trade, it had to bring Pidao under control.

Bai Qing added, "However, Simi Island has very little flat land—can't be used for military farmland—and it's too close to the shore; the sea freezes over in winter. So it can only serve as a forward outpost, and we'll have to pull back in winter. The main construction effort will still be on Jiao Island."

Meng Tingchuan said, "Jiao Island is Joseon territory, while Simi Island lies within the Dongjiang garrison's sphere of influence—I'm afraid neither side will let go easily." Bailangzai said flatly, "If they won't let go, then we cut off the hand along with it."

A few days later, the "report of victory" from the Naval Commander of Turyongpo reached the Joseon court.

Although the annihilation of the entire fleet was a rather tragic outcome, at least they had driven off the enemy and signed no treaty that humiliated the nation or forfeited its sovereignty.

In the victory report, the Naval Commander made liberal use of the "Spring and Autumn" style of writing, glossing over how the Joseon navy was wiped out to the last ship, while dwelling at length on how the garrison soldiers resisted tenaciously and how the enemy's cannon ships had their rigging shot away and fled in panic.

After this literary embellishment, people somehow forgot the absurdly lopsided casualty ratio and remembered only that this was a glorious victory of the weak over the strong. For a Joseon that had endured the Eulchuk Barbarian Disturbance, precisely such a victory was needed to boost morale, so at the proposal of the Chief State Councillor, the Naval Commander of Turyongpo was promoted and ennobled, and the garrison soldiers under him were rewarded according to merit.

In Hanyang, a celebration banquet was held to mark the victory, and the common folk made merry as well.

But a mere three days later, a battle report from the naval garrison at Yeosu in Jeolla Province arrived and shattered the illusions of Joseon's soldiers and civilians alike.

The Nan'ao fleet had struck the Jeolla Province navy with almost exactly the same tactics—every warship in the entire garrison was destroyed.

Facing ironclad ships and powerful cannons, the Jeolla navy lacked even the courage to board and charge. The moment cannonballs began to fall, they scattered in every direction, watching helplessly as enemy centipede boats set their warships ablaze one by one.

Though the enemy eventually withdrew again, this time the Jeolla navy had never even sortied. No matter how skilled the Jeolla Naval Commander was with his pen, he could not spin this one—he could only honestly report a crushing defeat.

Comparing the two battle reports, even a fool could see that the first "victory report" contained far too much artistic license. The two battles were plainly identical defeats!

Upon learning the news, King Yi Bo flew into a rage and ordered both Naval Commanders arrested and brought to Hanyang to be tried and executed, while he deliberated with his ministers on a course of action. Even now, the Joseon court still did not know who the enemy was, nor why they had been attacked without provocation, nor what the enemy intended. The Minister of Rites speculated that the enemy might be the Nan'ao forces, but no one at court was willing to believe it.

Joseon was devoted to Confucian learning; while studying ritual and edification, it had also thoroughly absorbed decay and rigidity.

The ministers at court stubbornly insisted that since Nan'ao was a rebel force—an army without righteousness—its troops could not possibly possess such fighting strength, much less the discipline to win a battle and then refrain from looting on the spot.

And so they waited in fear for seven days, until at last a new battle report arrived: Jiao Island had fallen. This time the enemy had not withdrawn after victory but had garrisoned the island.

The entire court was plunged into terror, for Jiao Island lay northwest of Hanyang—the enemy fleet had sailed, without a sound, from Joseon's southeast all the way to its northwest, and the coastal defense navy had known nothing of it.

Hanyang sat right by the sea—did this not mean the enemy fleet could only be detected once it arrived at the capital's doorstep?

Joseon did have a secondary capital, but the problem was that its secondary capital was Ganghwa Island, lying just west of Hanyang at the mouth of the Han River.

When facing the iron cavalry of the Jianzhou barbarians, the Joseon court could temporarily relocate to Ganghwa Island, protected by the natural moat of the strait—that could be called safe.

But if the enemy attacked from the sea, would fleeing to Ganghwa Island not be walking straight into a trap?

Just as the court was gripped by panic, someone laughed aloud.

The Chief State Councillor immediately shouted in rebuke, "Garrison Commander Zhang, you have committed a breach of decorum before the throne—do you hold the King in contempt?"

The Garrison Commander was named Zhang Shen, holding the post of Ganghwa Garrison Commander, with full authority over all military and civil affairs on Ganghwa Island. Deeply trusted by King Yi Jong, his power was formidable. Zhang Shen was also of the Righteous Principle faction, but among them he was an extremist, and he was arrogant and sharp-tongued, often making flippant remarks that displeased the Chief State Councillor—hence the rebuke.

Zhang Shen stepped forward and clasped his hands in salute, saying, "Your Majesty, the enemy fleet has merely taken a few naval stockades and islands, and already the entire court is in a panic, with some even proposing to move the capital to Namhansanseong.

Hearing such cowardly words, I could not help but laugh. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

The minister who had been mocked immediately burst into curses, but Yi Bo stopped him.

Yi Jong looked at Zhang Shen and said, "Do you have a strategy to make the enemy retreat?"

"No." Zhang Shen shook his head.

"Your Majesty, this old minister begs permission to execute this arrogant wretch!" The Chief State Councillor immediately clasped his hands and spoke.

The peace faction also chimed in: "Your Majesty, this man's conduct is dissolute—if he is not killed, it will not suffice to uphold ministerial discipline!"

But Zhang Shen's face remained calm as he slowly spoke: "On the open sea, I cannot make the enemy fleet retreat. But beneath Ganghwa Island, I am confident I can make them unable to advance a single step!"

Ganghwa Island lay due west of Hanyang, guarding the mouth of the Han River—it was the gateway to the capital.

As long as Ganghwa Island did not fall, the enemy fleet could never threaten Hanyang. Even if the Joseon navy were entirely destroyed, the court's rule could not be threatened. Yi Xin confirmed, "How certain are you?"

"One hundred percent." Zhang Shen's face was full of confidence as he explained, "The waters around Ganghwa Island are complex. The strait between the island's east and the mainland was anciently called the 'Salt River'; at its narrowest it is barely over a thousand paces wide, and it forms a pincer position with Hanyang—the enemy will find it extremely difficult to force an entry.

The channels between the island's south and Sammi Island and Sin Island are narrow, extremely shallow, and full of reefs—large ships can barely pass.

To the island's north is the mouth of the Han River, shielded by Gyodong Island, with numerous beacon towers and cannons—the enemy will find it extremely difficult to land there either.

Only the island's west faces the open sea, but even there it is shielded by Seongmodo Island, and the area is thick with tidal flats. At low tide, the flats stretch for over ten li—even fishermen would easily get trapped and die in them, let alone a great army attempting an assault?"

At these words, the King's brow relaxed considerably.

The deathly still court finally regained a spark of vitality.

Ganghwa Island was Joseon's secondary capital, and successive Joseon monarchs had devoted great attention to its defenses—especially during the Eulchuk Barbarian Disturbance, when Yi Bo had fled to Namhansanseong and been surrounded by the Later Jin.

Ganghwa Island, by contrast, had never been taken, which made Yi Bo recognize its strategic value. He poured heavy funds into fortifying the entire island. An inner city was built on the island, fortresses and watchtowers were raised in the interior, and the periphery was ringed with countless chevaux-de-frise, barricades, wooden spikes, and horse traps.

On every beach suitable for landing, wooden palisade walls seven chi high were erected, with an arrow tower every fifty paces.

In the waterways around the island, underwater pilings and iron-chain water barriers were laid, and a great number of cannons were built.

On the outlying islets of Gyodong Island, Seongmodo Island, and others, blockade and patrol boats were also stationed to send word at the first sign of trouble.

Though the Gyeonggi Province navy was not large in number, its men were the elite of the Joseon fleet, its core being the cadre left behind by Admiral Yi Sun-sin during the Imjin War. This was the source of Zhang Shen's audacity.

By all rights, with Ganghwa Island's defenses so complete, the Joseon court should not have been so anxious even if not entirely at ease—but they had truly been terrified by the iron cavalry of the Jianzhou barbarians.

Zhang Shen continued, "Beyond that, the tides around Ganghwa Island are also highly unusual. Each day, high and low tide alternate twice, and the tidal range is enormous. In spring, the surrounding seas are also thick with fog.

Moreover, the spring freshets of the Han River reshape the seabed, shifting the navigable channels.

The enemy may be unstoppable on the open sea, but they are unfamiliar with these waters. If they dare to invade Ganghwa Island, I will make certain none of them return!" These words were reasoned and rousing, and the Righteous Principle faction members' faces lit up with joy, as if the sight of the enemy fleet's defeat was already before their eyes. "Excellent!" Yi Xin also broke into a smile.

The Chief State Councillor, unwilling to see a man he detested gloat, clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, what Garrison Commander Zhang says has merit, but it is, after all, a method of defense. The enemy holds Jiao Island and still cannot be driven out. If this continues, more and more offshore islands will be taken, and we will remain helpless."

Li Zong's smile froze. After a moment's thought, he said, "The Chief State Councillor's concern is well founded, which is why I intend to send an envoy to Jiao Island to sue for peace. So long as the enemy is willing to withdraw, paying some silver is no great matter—our dynasty cannot withstand another great war."

Five days later.

A Joseon escort vessel came ashore at Jiao Island. The moment the Joseon envoy set foot on the island, he was taken aback.

Dozens of thatched huts had already been erected near the landing site, and further off, a large number of craftsmen were felling trees and building houses.

Jiao Island's terrain was mostly mountains and hills, with little flat ground. The houses were wedged into the valleys wherever space allowed, with tamped-earth roads running between them. The whole layout was clearly the product of careful planning—they intended to develop the island over the long term.

The Joseon envoy, named Kim In-ui, held the office of Minister of Rites. His mission was to send the enemy packing with silver—Jiao Island could never be ceded—but seeing the state of construction on the island, his heart had already sunk halfway.

Besides the chief envoy Kim In-ui, the delegation included a vice-envoy (Vice Minister of Rites), a Border Defense Council official, and attendant staff comprising secretaries, interpreters, and record keepers—more than ten people in all.

Receiving the delegation were Bai Qing, Bailangzai, and others, with Ji Bai of the Foreign Affairs Bureau accompanying them, surrounded by a dozen or so marines carrying rifles. The moment Kim In-ui laid eyes on Ji Bai, his heart gave a lurch. When the Nan'ao envoys had visited Joseon, they had been humiliated by the words of the Joseon court—now the wheel had turned, and retribution had finally fallen on him.

Kim In-ui inwardly cried out in grievance. When the court officials had insulted the Nan'ao envoys back then, they never imagined the Nan'ao army could be this strong!

Things having come to this, Kim In-ui could only steel himself, step forward to offer his respects, state his identity, and present the state letter.

To his surprise, the Nan'ao army treated him with reasonable courtesy.

Bai Qing took the state letter and saw it was written entirely in classical Chinese—full of archaic particles, quotations from the classics, and obscure characters. He couldn't understand a word of it, so he handed it to Ji Bai: "What does it say?"

Ji Bai took it, read it through, then said in a low voice: "In essence, it says that if we withdraw our troops and return Jiao Island, however much silver we want is negotiable." Bai Qing said, "One million taels of silver—is that acceptable?"

No interpreter was needed—Kim In-ui's Chinese was perfectly fluent. He flushed with displeasure and said coldly, "The general jests. Your army has inflicted heavy casualties on our Joseon soldiers. Why not each side take a step back and turn swords into ploughshares?"

Bai Qing smiled: "One million taels is no arbitrary figure. According to the Nan'ao Finance Bureau's estimates, once Joseon and Nan'ao open trade, the average annual trade volume will be around one million taels. Now your excellency wishes Nan'ao to withdraw from Jiao Island, yet is unwilling to compensate even a single year's trade volume—is that what you call sincerity?" "Ah?" Kim In-ui was utterly bewildered, then confirmed, "So you're saying your side merely wants to trade? If it's only trade, then that's easy to discuss." Joseon had almost wholly inherited Ming culture, and in some respects was even more extreme than the Ming—take the matter of "ancestral patrimony." In Confucian culture, a sovereign has a duty to defend his territory; losing land is losing virtue, a self-abandonment of the Mandate of Heaven.

The Ming was vast and rich—losing Jiaozhi, losing Jeju Island, losing the Nurgan Regional Military Commission could all be explained away as barbarian frontier lands, no offense to propriety.

But Joseon was only so big. Not an inch of its Eight Provinces was frontier wilderness; losing any part was a direct threat to national security.

Legally speaking, Joseon was a vassal of the Ming and had a duty to defend territory on behalf of its suzerain. Losing land could not be justified to the Ming, and domestically the people would be extremely discontented. Historically, at the end of the Goryeo dynasty, territory had been ceded and submission offered to the Mongol-Yuan, which Joseon histories directly condemned as the acts of a doomed nation's base slaves.

In actual history, the Later Jin invaded Joseon twice without taking a single piece of territory. Even when the Later Jin reduced Joseon to scorched earth and forced it to call the Great Qing "father nation," Joseon still held to its principle of never ceding land.

In this era, even during the Byeongja Horan, when King Injo was trapped in Namhansanseong and forced to sign a brotherly alliance with the Later Jin, not an inch of territory was ceded. But Bai Qing said: "It's not merely a matter of commerce. We must ensure that all trading fleets bound for Joseon are under our control, and moreover, we need a bridgehead for attacking the Jianzhou barbarians."

Kim In-ui raised his voice: "Isn't having Pidao already enough?!"

Pidao was theoretically also Joseon territory. After the victory at Zhenjiang, Mao Wenlong had occupied it, which stirred widespread resentment throughout Joseon—some even openly said, "Mao Wenlong oppresses our nation worse than the slave bandits."

But the great cause of resisting the Jin took priority, and moreover, during the Imjin Waeran the Ming had shown Joseon a grace of rebirth. The Joseon government explained Mao Wenlong's presence as a temporary stationing and swallowed this bitter resentment for the time being.

Now Nan'ao was demanding Jiao Island on the same pretext—how could Kim In-ui tolerate that?

Facing the furious Joseon envoy, Bai Qing merely said flatly: "Not enough. Besides Jiao Island, we also want Simi Island."

"Hmph! If that's the case, I fear our two nations will ultimately meet on the battlefield!"

"Ha." Bai Qing let out a light laugh.

To Kim In-ui's ears it was pure mockery. All the Nan'ao officers, from Bai Qing on down, were laughing.

"You... what do you mean by this?" Kim In-ui, unnerved by the laughter, blustered in a show of bravado.

Bai Qing said: "How will we meet? Will you come by fishing boat, or swim over to fight?"

Kim In-ui was stunned, then his face turned crimson. He choked for a long while but could not produce a single word of rebuttal.

Seventy percent of Joseon's navy was concentrated in Gyeongsang and Jeolla Provinces—and it had been wiped out in one stroke by Nan'ao.

Of the remaining thirty percent, most was concentrated in Chungcheong and Gyeonggi Provinces. Both of those provincial fleets were tasked with guarding the capital and could not be easily redeployed—and even if they were, they would be no match for Nan'ao.

It was exactly as Bai Qing had said: the Joseon people didn't even have the qualification to meet Nan'ao on the battlefield.

Considering that opening trade would best be done with Joseon official cooperation, Bai Qing offered a way out: "At worst, your nation could treat Jiao Island and Simi Island as also being temporarily stationed by Nan'ao—how about that?"

To the Joseon envoy's ears, these words sounded like an even better piece of mockery.

Seeing that the Joseon envoy was about to storm off without even leaving the dock, Ji Bai of the Foreign Affairs Bureau quickly tried to smooth things over: "Your excellency, why not take a look around the island first?" Kim In-ui said crossly: "It's just a bunch of thatched huts—what's there to see?"

"The helmsman said he would help Joseon resist the Jianzhou barbarians—that is no empty promise. The method for repelling the enemy lies on this island. Please, your excellency, come this way."

Kim In-ui was half-convinced, half-doubtful. But he had been sent on this mission to end hostilities and seek peace, not to deliver a declaration of war. Leaving after less than an hour of conversation would indeed be improper. He thought that strolling around the island might reveal some avenue for a solution, so he nodded in agreement and followed Ji Bai inland. Bai Qing and the others followed behind. Ji Bai said, "The Commander is weighed down by military affairs—this humble official will receive the Joseon envoy."

Bai Qing studied Ji Bai, thinking: "The Foreign Affairs Bureau is notorious for being arrogant, domineering, and recklessly fearless.

I've only ever heard of the Foreign Affairs Bureau talking negotiations into collapse, never into success. I wonder if this man can manage it?"

Perhaps guessing what Bai Qing was thinking, Ji Bai said with conviction: "Rest assured, Commander. This humble official knows his limits. Besides, there are also two Bureau Secretaries from the Tax Bureau and Finance Bureau on the island—nothing will go wrong."

Hearing this, Bai Qing nodded, let Ji Bai handle the reception, then called over Bailangzai: "Pick a few sharp soldiers to follow along. If a fight breaks out, hold them back."

"Understood." Bailangzai nodded.

Kim In-ui walked on, seeing several hundred craftsmen on the island—men sawing timber, tamping earth, building rammed-earth walls, erecting scaffolding, brushing tung oil... every kind of artisan was present in full array, each working with tremendous vigor. The construction site was a hive of activity.

Doubt rose in his heart: "The Nan'ao army sailed across the seas—how could they have brought so many craftsmen? Could Mao Wenlong be supporting them behind the scenes? That wretch is truly detestable!"

As he walked, he saw a crew of bare-chested laborers tamping earth. The leader shouted a work chant: "Hey—tamp the earth now! Put your backs into it!" The other bare-chested men chorused: "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"

In rhythm with their chant, the heavy tamping stone slammed into the ground with a dull thud, making the earth tremble and dust fly everywhere. The men were covered in dirt, sweat carving countless rivulets through the grime.

"Lift the rammer high, hearts as one now!"

"Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"

Kim In-ui froze. There was nothing special about this tamping chant—the same rhythm with different lyrics could be heard all over Joseon. But that was exactly the problem.

This was a Joseon work chant!

These people were speaking... they were speaking the native tongue!

These were Joseon commoners!

Fury erupted in Kim In-ui's heart. He assumed the Nan'ao rebels had forcibly seized Joseon commoners for hard labor.

But when he looked around, there were plenty of soldiers on guard, yet no overseers with whips. And the Joseon commoners bore no visible wounds—they shouted their chants lustily and put real effort into their work, nothing like people who had been dragged here by force.

He observed more carefully and suddenly realized that most of the craftsmen around him were speaking the native tongue—the majority were Joseon people! Suspicion surged in Kim In-ui's heart, and he stepped forward to ask.

But the Joseon commoners, seeing Kim In-ui in his official robes, all showed looks of fear and backed away repeatedly.

The tamping chant came to an abrupt halt. The laborers exchanged uneasy glances, all secretly nervous.

One of the soldiers on guard said, "What are you afraid of? You're on Nan'ao's turf—these officials can't do anything to you. Do your work well and your wages won't be shorted."

Li Chao was heavily influenced by the Central Plains; most of the common folk, even if they could not speak it, could understand a phrase or two of Chinese.

The rammer-wielding laborers hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Jin Renyi truly could not do anything to them, they picked up the ramming stones again, and the work chant rose once more as the earth was struck with dull, thudding sounds.

Jin Renyi said to Ji Bai, "These men—are they craftsmen 'hired' by your side? With wages paid?"

"Of course." Ji Bai's expression was proud. "The Nan'ao army is an army of righteousness; we never do things like forcibly conscripting the people's labor."

"I don't believe it," said Jin Renyi. As far as he knew, when the Li Chao army conscripted its own people, they were given no money—just a bit of food, enough to keep them from starving to death, which was already considered generous.

How many craftsmen were on the island? If not a thousand, then at least eight hundred. Paying wages to every one of them—how much silver would that waste? Add in the food, and the monthly expenditure would be no less than a full eight hundred taels of silver!

Thinking of this, Jin Renyi suddenly recalled that the Nan'ao army had marched far from home on campaign; even their own soldiers had to ration their food carefully. Where would they find the surplus to feed these craftsmen?

Upon inquiry, Ji Bai answered, "All purchased from Hwanghae Province and Pyeongan Province."

Jin Renyi sneered, "I think you stole them."

"The Helmsman has said that outright robbery is the stupidest, least efficient, and most short-sighted economic behavior in the world. Our methods are far more refined than that." Jin Renyi gave a cold snort of disbelief and retorted, "I wonder what the so-called Helmsman's refined methods might be?" Ji Bai said as he walked, "Encourage production, open frontier trade markets, and levy taxes according to regulation."

Jin Renyi was choked into momentary silence.

The two soon arrived at an open space in the middle of the island, where many people had paused to linger. Judging by their clothing, there were both Han and Li Chao people—it seemed to be a trading post. Drawing closer, one could smell a strange mixture of earthy odor, medicinal fragrance, gamey stench, and camphor, and hear the haggling voices of various dialects. Soldiers parted the crowd, and Jin Renyi saw large quantities of ginseng and furs piled within the trading post.

The ginseng was bundled in groups of ten, tied with red cotton cord, wrapped in Korean paper, and then covered with oiled paper for waterproofing, laid out in neat rows beneath specially made awnings.

The furs were stacked with the fur side inward and the hide side outward, wrapped in birch bark and bound with hemp rope, piled in stacks in one place.

Besides these two most abundant items, the trading post also held a great many miscellaneous goods—bowls, chopsticks, ladles, basins, brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, white sugar, liquor, silk, porcelain, and more—truly a dazzling array.

The trading post had no fixed stalls; all goods were displayed atop cargo crates, and not much was set out—they seemed to be only samples.

Numerous peddlers and hired helpers moved about sorting goods, and quite a few Li Chao merchants wandered among them, with Chinese and native dialects mingling in the negotiations. Jin Renyi frowned and said, "It seems your side intends to open a frontier trade market on this island. Is this what you call a method for resisting the Jianzhou barbarians?"

Ji Bai said, "Exactly. The way to resist the Jianzhou barbarians lies right here!"

Yahei

Fenyuan

Pen