The Romance of Empress Dowager Cixi's Scandalous History [24]

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Twenty-Four: Korean Turmoil Sparks New and Old Party, Chinese Power Fails (Navy and Army) The previous chapter discussed how the Northern Boxers and Southern Revolutions, subtly sowing the seeds of disaster, all originated from the remnants of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the White Lotus Sect. The Southern Triads, Revive China Society, and Gelaohui, and the Northern Lianzhuang Society and Big Sword Society, though differing in their aims, were all considered external evils, the fruits of evil. These evil fruits stemmed from evil causes; these external evils were born from internal evils. Now, these external and internal evils were drawing closer, wouldn't a cataclysmic drama unfold? However, without some stirring, the killing intent couldn't be aroused. This stirring was due to Japan and China's struggle for control of Korea. Around the tenth year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, China sent an imperial envoy to Japan named Li Shuchang. This Li was the same man who, in the first year of the Tongzhi Emperor's reign, submitted a lengthy memorial, and was exceptionally appointed by the court as a county magistrate, assigned to Zeng Guofan's camp.
Later, through meritorious service, he was promoted to the substantive post of Yidong Dao. Before taking office, he was sent as an envoy to Japan. He always managed to gather intelligence on any secret Japanese news, ensuring China was always prepared. The Japanese were plotting against Korea, and Li Shuchang had already sent numerous letters to them. At that time, the Japanese envoy to Korea was named Hanafusa Yoshichi, and the Chinese envoy was named Ma Jianzhong. When the time came, King Gojong of Joseon, who had ascended the throne from a collateral branch, was being questioned. His biological father, Yi Ha-eung, was then honored as Daewongun. What is a Daewongun? Simply put, it is someone who holds absolute power and represents the throne, much like Empress Dowager Cixi of China, who ruled from behind a screen, with no real power held by the successor king. When Gojong came of age, it was customary for the Daewongun to relinquish power, and Lady Min was appointed as his queen. Queen Min was dignified and beautiful, and also highly capable. Lee Hee was originally a weak and incompetent man. Before the appointment of Queen Min, all personnel appointments and administrative matters were naturally decided by the Daewongun. However, after the appointment of Queen Min, he showed a strong attachment to the relationship between husband and wife, rather than the bond between father and son. This behavior and mentality are indiscriminate, regardless of social status or rank; most people born with a sense of resentment are probably like this. Now, modern scholars have labeled this as anti-filial piety, blatantly exposing this paper tiger, which is quite straightforward. But let's not dwell on that. After Queen Min gained favor, she tried her best to win over the Min faction. Min Tae-ho, Min Yeong-ik, Min Yeong-mok, Min Yeong-jun, Min Hyung-sik, and Min Eung-sik all slowly rose to power, leaving only the Min family's pets without a position. Can you imagine how angry and annoyed the Daewongun was? But the Daewongun was a monster, eccentric in nature and old-fashioned in his thinking. Everything must have its ups and downs. You're so angry with the Min faction that you're meddling in every little detail, trying to distinguish right from wrong. Why jeopardize the nation and offend a powerful neighbor? Think about it, is Japan someone to be trifled with? Remember that Japanese missionary named Homoto Reizo who went to Korea to open a church? Normally, he should have been protected by the Korean court, but the Min faction strongly protected him. The Daewongun, thinking this was an attempt to curry favor with a foreigner, rallied his old subordinates, like Kim Diaowon and Pu Congli, and led a mob to kill Homoto Reizo without any investigation. Not content with killing the missionary, they then stormed into the Japanese legation. At that time, Hanafusa Yoshitada had already received word and fled. This escape was crucial; Japan had already dispatched two armored warships, led by Rear Admiral Inrye Gyeongbeom. The Japanese ambassador to Japan, Li Shuchang, received this bad news and immediately telegraphed Beijing.
I remember it was the twelfth year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign. The court received an urgent telegram from someone surnamed Li, and immediately ordered Li Hongzhang, the Governor-General of Zhili, to dispatch Wu Changqing, the Zhili Military Commander, with troops from Weiyuan and Laiyuan. This Wu Changqing was the one who had repeatedly distinguished himself in the previous campaign against the Nian Rebellion. He had two talented subordinates: Zhang Jian from Tongzhou and Yuan Shikai from Xiangcheng. Zhang Jian was merely a late-stage imperial scholar, less skilled in economics than literature; Yuan Shikai, on the other hand, was a bold and decisive man with imperial ambitions. His father, Yuan Jiasan, was no less capable than Liu Mingchuan in his campaigns against the Nian Rebellion in Hebei. Those of you who have read my previous novel will naturally know of his heroic exploits, so I need not reiterate them. However, Yuan Shikai, relying on his father's influence, had luckily passed the imperial examination at the lowest level (xiucai). The young man was bold and reckless, running rampant in the countryside. Wu Chongxi, the prefect of Chenzhou, was furious but powerless to stop him. He gave Yuan Shikai two hundred taels of silver, urging him to settle down properly. Yuan Shikai, unwilling to remain hidden away, went to serve under Wu Changqing, the governor of Zhili. Governor Wu valued family connections highly. Because Yuan Shikai was a xiucai, he arranged for him to study under Zhang Jian, learning the eight-legged essay (balizhang) to pursue officialdom. But the eight-legged essay was not something even heroes and valiant men could willingly succumb to. Before he had even written a couple of pieces under Zhang Jian, he threw down his pen and begged Governor Wu for a position in the military. As his fortunes began, he beheaded one or two soldiers in the camp for secretly gambling. Governor Wu greatly appreciated this and appointed Yuan Shikai to the camp's administrative office, consulting with him on all important matters. At this time, Wu Changqing, traveling by warship, arrived in Korea. He immediately offered a plan, saying, "This turmoil in Korea was entirely caused by the Daewongun. If we resolve this matter, we should first bind the Daewongun and bring him to Beijing. This is the fundamental solution. Otherwise, if the Japanese seize the opportunity, it will be unthinkable." Wu Changqing nodded repeatedly
, saying, "Absolutely!" Upon arriving in Korea, he sent officials to invite the Daewongun to speak. The Daewongun, concerned about the Min faction's monopoly of power, wanted to appeal to China. However, upon arriving, Wu Changqing sternly reprimanded him, detained him, and ordered him escorted to Beijing. When the Japanese warship arrived, Major General Renli Jingfan attempted verbal negotiations with Wu Changqing, but to no avail. Japan simultaneously dispatched a new envoy to Korea, Takezoe Shin'ichirō, and also sent Imperial Minister Ito Hirobumi and Minister of Commerce Saigō Tsuruji to Tianjin to negotiate with Zhili Governor-General Li Hongzhang. At this time, Li Hongzhang was arrogant and overbearing, and the strength of the Beiyang Fleet was still unpredictable. They immediately signed three treaties: (1) Both countries would withdraw their troops stationed in Korea. (2) Both countries could send personnel as instructors for the training of Korean troops. (3) If either country were to send troops to Korea in the future, they would need to notify each other in advance. After these three treaties were signed, China still retained its sovereignty, and although Korea was nominally independent, it secretly remained subservient to China. On the surface, the Beiyang Fleet seemed quite powerful; in reality, it was only thanks to Li Shuchang's secret message to Japan and Wu Changqing's use of Yuan Shikai's plan to catch the Japanese off guard that this favorable outcome was achieved. However, after this negotiation, China became arrogant and complacent, leading to subsequent failures. The Daewongun was released back to Korea, and Wu Changqing's troops were temporarily stationed in Seoul.
Yuan Shikai, having contributed significantly to this matter, was strongly recommended by Wu Changqing and specially appointed as the Minister of Commerce. The man surnamed Yuan was very young, of outstanding character, and eloquent. Everyone in the Min faction was eager to win him over, and most of the personnel and administrative matters in Korea were decided in consultation with Yuan Shikai. At this time, Yi Hee seemed to be a puppet, while Queen Min was in power. The positions of Prime Minister were filled by Min Tae-ho; the position of General of the Imperial Guard was filled by Min Yeong-ik; the position of Commander-in-Chief of Coastal Defense was filled by Min Yeong-mok; and the remaining positions were filled by Yi Jo-yeon (Left Wing), Han Gyu-jik (Front Wing), and Yoon Tae-jun (Rear Wing). Only members of the Min faction could be placed in important positions. The Daewongun, who was sent back to Korea, was practically under a soft confinement, living in a retirement home like a useless person. Everything in the world eventually reverses, and what is at its peak inevitably declines. While Queen Min's faction relied on China as their protector, believing they could curry favor with Wu Changqing and win over Yuan Shikai, thus gaining a powerful backer, the Daewongun's faction had already secretly colluded, with those who had always hated the Japanese now siding with them.
As the saying goes, "Opening the door invites in a thief, inviting a tiger into the house." Daewongun, an extremely old-fashioned and corrupt figure, now, due to his conflict with the Min family, has somehow managed to recruit some "civilized seeds" as his henchmen. These include Kim Ok-gyun, Hong Young-sik, Pu Yeong-hyo, Seo Gwang-beom, and Seo Jae-pil—a group of students who studied in Japan, returning with a smattering of new knowledge. They talk about political revolution, disregarding national ruin and family destruction, and have already organized a party called the Restoration Party. This Restoration Party welcomes the Japanese. At that time, the Korean ambassador to Korea, Takezoe Shin'ichirō, seeing that the Korean government only knew how to favor China and distance itself from Japan, was at a loss for what to do. Fortunately, the five revered figures, including Kim Ok-gyun, frequently contacted him. He then used some clever tactics to encourage the Restoration Party to seize the opportunity to rise up, promising Japanese military and financial assistance. Kim Ok-gyun and his group were overjoyed and secretly plotted to depose Yi Hee, remove the Min family from the party, and support Daewongun Yi Ha as the new king. Unfortunately, the plot was not kept secret and was discovered by Min's faction, who informed Yuan Shikai, who in turn informed Wu Changqing. Wu Changqing mobilized troops, catching the reformers off guard and encircling them. Most of the party members fled, but Hong Yingzhi was unlucky and lost his head. Takezoe Shinichiro was also involved, and knowing things were going badly, he fled back to Japan. Japan then sent a plenipotentiary minister, Inoue Kaoru, to Korea to handle the matter, with Yuan Shikai intervening, resulting in a peaceful resolution without further complications. However, no sooner had one crisis subsided than another arose. Kim Ok-gyun and Pu Yong-hyo fled to Japan, and Min's faction sent two more important figures, Lee Il-sik and Hong Jong-woo, to Japan to secretly arrest the two key criminals. Hong Jong-woo sought out Kim Ok-gyun, feigning a union, and together they boarded the Saikyo Maru, luring her to Shanghai. There, in a restaurant, he used a pistol to kill Ok-gyun. Meanwhile, Lee Il-sik sought out Pu Yeong-hyo, but in a Yokohama hotel, he also fired a pistol, though he missed. Pu escaped, while Lee lost his life – a case of good fortune and misfortune. Alas!
This Meiji Restoration Party's turmoil hadn't ended when the Donghak Party's turmoil seized the opportunity to rise up. What was the Donghak Party? It was neither Queen Min's faction nor the Daewongun's faction, neither new nor old. Its leader was Choi Bok-sung, who used the guise of gathering students for lectures to mask their deep-seated hatred of Japan. This group of party members was extremely powerful, leaving King Hee in a desperate situation.
However, Wu Changqing's garrison had already been recalled to China. Why? Because China and Japan had already negotiated peace and both sides agreed to withdraw their troops. So, after the Meiji Restoration Party's uprising, Japan sent Inoue Kaoru to negotiate a second time. In accordance with the previous agreement, Wu Changqing withdrew his troops. With the withdrawal of troops from Korea, the Japanese minister to Japan, whose term had expired, was also replaced, with Li Shuchang replaced by Wang Fengzao. This Wang was not like Li; he was both inept and inflexible. From then on, Sino-Japanese diplomacy suffered repeated failures, but that's another story.
The Donghak Peasant Party in Korea seized the opportunity to cause trouble, and the Japanese envoy in Korea was already complaining.
At this time, the Japanese envoy was either Takezoe Shin'ichirō or ōshima Keisuke. ōshima claimed that Korea had repeatedly caused trouble and shifted blame to the embassy; if China could send troops to garrison Korea, why couldn't Japan send troops? While making pronouncements in Korea, Yuan Shikai secretly telegraphed the Japanese government, urging them to immediately engage in serious negotiations with the Chinese minister, Wang Fengzao, and to promptly dispatch troops to Korea.
At the same time, as I write this, I cannot recount two separate events. While Oshima Keisuke was secretly telegraphing Japan, Yuan Shikai and the Min faction were also making close plans. Yuan's plan was quite meticulous: on one hand, he requested the Korean court to quickly send a military commissioner to suppress the Donghak Party. Lee Hee agreed, and specially appointed Hong Qixun as the commander-in-chief. In reality, the entire offensive strategy was Yuan's doing. On the other hand, he telegraphed Li Hongzhang, the Minister of Beiyang, urging China to quickly send troops, not to lag behind the Japanese. Hongzhang reported this to the court, and specially dispatched Ye Zhichao, the Governor-General of Zhili, with six battalions of troops to fly over and station them at Asan in Korea. Asan was about 150-160 li from Incheon Port, not considered a strategic location. At that time, according to Shikai's plan, Ye Zhichao was to be stationed at the mouth of the Han River to guard the strategic point, but unfortunately, Ye could not comply. Meanwhile, Chinese troops were stationed in Korea, and Oshima Keisuke had already telegraphed Japan. The Japanese government, having made preparations, dispatched several warships while simultaneously engaging in a combination of coercion and intimidation with our ambassador to Japan. Wang Fengzao fell into their trap and secretly telegraphed Li Hongzhang, saying: "This Donghak Peasant Movement is an internal Korean conflict. If China does not intervene, Japan will certainly not intervene either. Yuan Weiting, the Director-General of Commerce, is overly ambitious and has been used by the Min Party. If this leads to war between China and Japan, Weiting will be held responsible. Don't blame Fengzao for not predicting this." Upon receiving this telegram, Hongzhang immediately adopted a firm stance and remained inactive. Despite Yuan Shikai and Ye Zhichao's urgent telegrams requesting aid and their blood-written letters of appeal, Hongzhang, preoccupied with his own preconceived notions, ignored them.
I remember this year was the twentieth year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, coinciding with the sixtieth birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi. All the celebratory occasions and celebrations had been prepared well in advance. In the court's mind, a sixtieth birthday was considered less significant than a fiftyth. The tenth year of Guangxu's reign was marked by the Sino-French War; Beijing was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and plays were performed day and night; the coast was ravaged by gunfire, and countless soldiers suffered heavy casualties. This time, thanks to Heaven's great blessings, the reign was celebrated with universal rejoicing. The Guangxu Emperor had ruled personally for five or six years, and with the constant manipulation of his cronies, he had become somewhat emboldened. In terms of personnel and administration, he had employed some methods: first, he reinstated Prince Gong; second, he reinstated Li Hongzao and Weng Tonghe to the Grand Council. You will surely ask, "Isn't Li Hongzao a member of the Empress Dowager's faction, a true member of the Northern faction? Wasn't he at odds with Weng Tonghe?" Why did the Emperor employ both Weng Tonghe and Li Hongzao? Wasn't that a contradiction? There was a reason: firstly, to save face for Empress Dowager Cixi; secondly, the nation's personnel selection couldn't be clearly divided. Weng and Li were both highly respected and experienced, and they were treated as equals. Outsiders might say things like "old lady's group" or "child's group," but the Emperor couldn't draw a clear line. In February or March of that year, while the entire court was busy preparing for the Empress Dowager's birthday celebrations, the Grand Council received a telegram from the envoy to Japan, Wang Fengzao, and a memorial from Li Hongzhang, the Minister of Beiyang, which they hurriedly presented to Emperor Guangxu. Emperor Guangxu said to Prince Gong, Weng, and Li Hongzhang: "Judging from these two telegrams, we are about to go to war with Japan again. However, Wang Fengzao's words are vague and his tone is hesitant. I see this tiny Japan acting recklessly. Last time, they harassed Taiwan, occupied Ryukyu, and forced Korea to become an independent country. Think about it, with Japanese envoys stationed in Korea, the British and Russians also sent consuls one after another. We are completely a vassal state, aren't we being treated like fish on a chopping block? If war breaks out this time, we must give them a warning and show the power of our Great Qing!" Prince Gong immediately advised: "Your Majesty is wise and decisive. Li Hongzhang is currently preparing for the navy, and the money he has spent over the years is like a surging tide. Why doesn't Your Majesty summon him here to discuss the matter in person?" Emperor Guangxu nodded repeatedly and immediately issued a handwritten edict summoning Hongzhang to an audience.
Within two or three days, Li Hongzhang arrived in Beijing as ordered. The Emperor received him in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where all the important military officials were gathered. Emperor Guangxu first asked, "How is the Beiyang Navy doing now?" Hongzhang knelt and kowtowed, replying, "There are twenty or thirty warships, large and small, all capable of charging into battle." The Emperor then asked, "Who trained this navy?" Hongzhang replied, "Initially, we hired Lang Wei-li from the British Navy as trainer, later we changed to Liu Buchan, a student from the Fujian Shipbuilding Bureau. Because these young men were new and lacked seniority, we appointed Admiral Ding Ruchang as Commander-in-Chief to oversee everything. Currently, those in charge of the warships include Deng Shichang, Lin Yongsheng, and Fang Boqian, all considered capable and competent." Emperor Guangxu smiled and said, "Judging from this, dealing with Japan..." "We are 240% confident of victory," Li Hongzhang reported. "We are confident in our naval strength, but we cannot initiate conflict ourselves. Fortunately, Korea is not a place Japan can seize alone. The British and Russians are also watching closely. If Japan acts arrogantly, we can appeal to the British and Russians on the grounds of justice, and they will intervene." Emperor Guangxu said, "That's true, but we cannot fall behind the Japanese." Li Hongzhang said, "I have already sent Ye Zhichao to garrison Asan, which is a good start." Emperor Guangxu said, "This matter depends entirely on your efforts." Li Hongzhang had nothing to say and could only reluctantly agree before leaving the court. After Emperor Guangxu left the court, the two Grand Councilors, Weng and Li, rushed out to discuss a plan with Li Hongzhang. Li Hongzhang, however, acted arrogantly and boastfully. Needless to say, he refused to discuss any strategic matters, changes, or internal military matters. Their discussion ended there.
Upon returning to his post, Li Hongzhang received repeated warnings from Yuan Shikai and Ye Zhichao, who were stationed in Korea. This time, the warnings were unusual, stating that Oshima Keisuke had led the Japanese army and navy to land one after another and was now interfering in the internal strife in Korea. If troops were not dispatched quickly, the Japanese might strike first, and the Chinese troops, being outnumbered, would certainly not be able to win. Upon receiving this news, Hongzhang hurriedly convened a military conference. Ding Ruchang spoke first, saying, "We should dispatch warships to Incheon. This is called a surprise attack, controlling the throat of Korea." Liu Buchan clapped his hands in agreement, saying, "We must do so." Fang Boqian shook his head, saying, "We are only concerned with sending troops abroad. What if Japan sends a few warships directly to Tianjin? How will we prepare?" Hongzhang said, "It is not certain that the Japanese will attack Tianjin. As Wang Fengzao said, 'War should not be started by ourselves.' We will not mobilize the navy, but instead send army units to Korea, one after another. Firstly, to show that China is prepared; secondly, to strengthen the border defense of Fengtian; and thirdly, to observe how the Japanese act in Korea. This is called waiting for the enemy to act while remaining still, isn't it?" At that moment, no one in the conference dared to refute Hongzhang's proposal, as he was the commander-in-chief. The plan was finalized, and Nie Guisen, Feng Shen'a, Zuo Baogui, Wei Rugui, and Ma Yukun were dispatched in five land forces to advance from Fengtian. Nie Shicheng was also sent to provide support.
Leaving aside the gradual advance of Chinese troops, the Japanese envoy, Oshima Keisuke, led his naval and land forces abruptly ashore. Ye Zhichao, stationed in Korea, had not obeyed the mobilization order of the Beiyang Minister and was happy to remain inactive. Yuan Shikai and Ma Jianzhong, seeing the unfavorable situation and the lack of reinforcements, had no choice but to hastily write a poem and slip back to China. At this time, ōshima Keisuke was doing as he pleased. The Restoration Party member, Pak Yeong-hyo, had already arrived from Japan. Gathering his followers and acting as a lead-in, they first engaged in a battle with the commander-in-chief, Hong Ki-hoon, in which the Ma-Han army suffered a crushing defeat. Then they stormed the palace, capturing King Gojong and abducting Queen Min. Min Tae-ho, Min Yeong-ik, Min Yeong-mok, Yi Jo-yeon, Han Gyu-jik, Yoon Tae-jun, and others—Min Yeong-jun, Min Hyung-sik, and Min Eung-sik—either fled or were killed. Following Pak Yeong-hyo's proposal, they installed Daewongun Yi Ha-eung as regent of Joseon. As for the driving force behind this, the Donghak Party member Choi Bok-sung, upon hearing the news, fled and his whereabouts are unknown. This was nothing more than a group of subjugated slaves, merely performing a puppet show for Japan.
Japan's recent act of tyranny, hastily installing the Daewongun and abducting the King of Korea and Queen Min, has been utterly exploitative of China, even at the cost of China's face. If China hadn't interfered in Korean politics and allowed King Gojong to remain independent, things would have been fine. However, China's assistance to Korea in the first instance—the Daewongun's killing of Japanese missionaries, the second suppression of the Reform Movement, and the third aid in the crackdown on the Donghak Peasant Revolution—was crucial. Yuan Shikai's close ties with the Min Party were particularly evident; initially intervening, then abandoning the effort, the Japanese had thoroughly assessed China's worth. As the saying goes, "If you're going to do something, do it thoroughly," and "Once you've got something, you want more." Having gained control of Korea, the Japanese learned that China had dispatched six armies, and that Ye Zhichao's garrison at Asan still held a key position, making a major conflict inevitable. When Keisuke Oshima telegraphed the Japanese government, Emperor Meiji, along with Hirobumi Ito and Tsugumichi Saigo, urgently proposed appointing Taro Katsura as the naval commander-in-chief. Other admirals, including Yataro Sato, Naotoshi Osako, Michikatsu Nozu, Naofumi Tatsumi, Sanzo Tomioka, Taketoshi Adachi, Ichiro Imada, and Masaki Fujisai, ranging from lieutenant generals to rear admirals, were eager to join the effort. This fleet of ironclad warships, always selecting the most powerful and fastest vessels, rushed over and anchored at Incheon upon arrival in Korea. At this time, Ye Zhichao was still stationed at Asan, while Nie Guisen, Toyo Shin'a, Zuo Baogui, Zuo Rugui, Ma Yukun, and others were stationed either in Seoul or Pyongyang. At this time, China leased a merchant ship from England called the Gaosheng, carrying 2,500 soldiers. A Japanese cruiser spotted it and fired its cannons, sinking the Gaosheng. Tragically, all the officers and soldiers on board were swept into the East Sea, perishing without a trace. It was now May or June, and Japanese land and sea forces had assembled. The land troops landed at Incheon, while the naval troops sailed to the Yalu River.
The land and sea battles were too numerous to describe in detail here; let us first recount the naval battle at the Yalu River. With the Japanese warships arriving, our Chinese warships also arrived. The previous list indicated 23 Chinese warships; now, the Guangjia, Guangyi, and Guangbing were added. Twelve were selected from these and led by Ding Ruchang, Deng Shichang, Lin Yongsheng, and Fang Boqian, among others. The Yalu River became the battlefield. The battlefield was a vast expanse of azure sea, with a large apricot-yellow flag embroidered with a five-clawed dragon, seemingly descending from the clouds on one side; and a pale yellow flag on the other. A red sun, seemingly radiating a thousand rays, was painted in the center. This battle on the sea was China's first of its kind. The Chinese commander, Ding Ruchang, arranged twelve warships in a V-formation, with the Zhenyuan as the lead ship, and, amidst the raging waves, they spun their wheels, directly approaching the Japanese ships. The Japanese commander, Katsura Taro, arranged eleven warships, first in a straight line, then in a circle, to surround the Chinese warships. However, the warships used by the two sides differed in style: China used the older, slower type, with iron-clad hulls; Japan used the newer, faster type, with steel-clad hulls.
Furthermore, the artillery used by both sides differed: China used iron bullets with limited range; Japan used steel bullets with great range and power. In reality, the fighting power of the Chinese ships was inferior to that of the Japanese, especially considering the Japanese navy's unified morale. While Chinese naval commanders like Deng Shichang and Lin Yongsheng fought desperately and recklessly, that bastard Fang Boqian, who was usually indulging in gambling and womanizing, became like a pig tied to a butcher's bench, groaning and screaming incessantly when faced with battle. As the saying goes, one bad apple spoils the whole bunch; in the midst of this turmoil, Fang Boqian, having been hit by a shell on his ship, fled the front lines and raised a white flag. Gentlemen, why did Fang raise a white flag? It signified surrender.
But once his warship raised the white flag, the morale of the general troops shifted accordingly. At that moment, the Japanese ships tightly surrounded them. The sea was raging, with towering waves and billowing clouds. Of the twelve Chinese warships, some fled, some sank. Deng Shichang, seeing his own ships damaged, cranked up the engines and rammed the enemy vessels. The enemy ships, unable to dodge, were struck stern-first, damaging them, but poor Deng Shichang and his ship were swallowed by the vast ocean. Then Lin Yongsheng joined the fray, ramming any ship in the hail of bullets. The Japanese warships' circular formation was shattered, but outnumbered and without reinforcements, Lin Yongsheng, along with his ship, sank and disappeared without a trace. In
this fierce battle at the Yalu River, of the twelve Chinese warships, seven were sunk or damaged. Fang Boqian surrendered one, leaving four insufficient for a full fleet, which Commander Ding Ruchang sailed to Tianjin. Of the eleven Japanese warships, one was damaged by Deng Shichang but not sunk, and the remaining two or three, though slightly damaged, were still usable. Commander Gui Dalang, extremely pleased with his victory, first captured Fang Boqian and the other fleeing ships, then sent the defeated Chinese officers and soldiers ashore. Fang Boqian, like a living ghost, was at his wits' end. Having no other choice, he relied on his good relationship with Li Hongzhang and the many gifts he had given him, and scurried to the governor's mansion, begging someone to inform him. Upon seeing Fang Boqian, Li Hongzhang cursed him as a bastard, and without allowing him to plead, had him bound and executed.
Leaving aside the naval battle at the Yalu River, where Japan had already won, let's focus on the Japanese army landing at Incheon, which was already close to the battle line with Ye Zhichao stationed at Asan. Yet, the Japanese did not engage. Why? You must understand that the Japanese military required careful planning at every turn. Without a complete plan, they would not act immediately. Moreover, at this time, the army needed to wait for news from the navy; only after the navy's victory could they launch a combined attack with a certain degree of certainty. It's laughable that Ye Zhichao, that scoundrel, didn't understand this principle. Instead, he suspected the Japanese were cowardly and dared not engage in battle. With his thick-skinned shamelessness, he repeatedly reported to Li Hongzhang, claiming to have fought the Japanese pirates on one day, killing hundreds of Japanese soldiers, and on another day killing thousands, and even killing a certain Japanese general… fabricating numerous names and embellishing his story. Li Hongzhang believed him and rushed to the capital for him, making the emperor beam with delight. An imperial edict was issued praising him, awarding him a yellow dragon-embroidered jacket, a respectable title of Grand Tutor, and a reward of 20,000 taels of silver for the troops at the front. Such shameless behavior is only a specialty of the Chinese military. But lies always come to light. While Ye Zhichao was celebrating his victory, Gui Dalang, having already triumphed in the navy, dispatched Osako Naotoshi, Nozu Michikuni, Tatsumi Naofumi, and Tomioka Sanzo to lead troops a landing and encircle Asan. The lie was told that the aerial bullets rained down like downpours, and Ye's army could not withstand them. In less than a battle, Ye Zhichao withdrew from Asan and fled to Seoul. Seoul, the former Japanese envoy to Korea, Oshima Keisuke, had gathered three thousand Japanese soldiers there. Our two Chinese land forces, one commanded by Zuo Baogui and the other by Wei Rugui, were not stationed in Seoul. With Asan fallen, Wei Rugui was terrified and fled in panic, while only Zuo Baogui's force remained stationary. After letting Ye Zhichao's defeated army pass, Zuo bravely led the charge, his soldiers fighting like a hundred men each, their shouts thunderous. Whether they would win or not remains to be seen; we will find out later.

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The Romance of Empress Dowager Cixi's Scandalous History [24]

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