The suspicious array broke through Huangshi Mountain, and Chen Yu fled to abandon Quanzhou

Before the Japanese army attacked Nanyuan on the left, the Japanese army's right vanguard Kato Kiyomasa arrived at Liangshan from Seishinpo first, and the main general on the right flank, Mori Hidemoto, Kuroda Rusui and Nagamasa father and son, Nabeshima Naoshige, Yoshikawa Hiroie, Ikeda Hideshi, Nakagawa Hidenari, and Nagamune Ibe Motokin, led the main force to join Kato Kiyomasa. The Japanese army was preparing to march towards Changning, but the Korean volunteers Guo Zaiyou was stationed in the Huowang Mountain Castle a mile east of Changning, Maori Hidemoto said: "I heard that this Guo Zaiyou is extremely brave and cunning, and the battle of Wenlu has brought us great trouble many times. ”

Kato Kiyomasa shouted: "Why are you so suspicious, Guo Zaiyou only has so many troops in Huowang Mountain, the rabble, it will collapse at the first touch, if you have any scruples about Guo Zaiyou, you will directly capture Huowang Mountain, if he Guo Zaiyou sticks to me, he will take his head!" Kuroda Nagamasa was in favor of attacking: "This Guo Zaiyou is known as the red-clothed general who descended from the sky, he has great prestige in Korea, he responds to every call, and he is well versed in the art of war, and he is brave in battle. Father, what do you think? ”

Kuroda Rushui said: "I don't think Guo Zaiyou will pose a threat to us, in the Battle of Wenroku, our main forces are in Gyeonggi Province and the Ming army confronted, Guo Zaiyou took advantage of this to attack back and forth in the mountains and forests of Gyeongsang-do, raiding and robbing the grain road, mostly sneak attacks, we have not much loss, since the peace with the Ming army, the whole army retreated to Gyeongsang-do, then Guo Zaiyou has no chance to take advantage of it." Because he is self-aware. This time our army marched, how could Guo Zaiyou, who was weak, dare to attack? The Ming troops stationed in Jeolla Province were all on the side of Ukita Hideya, and our Korean garrisons along the way were sparse and vulnerable, so we had to march as quickly as possible to join up with Ukita Hideya at Jeonju and attack Chungcheong-do and go straight down to Hanyang, so as to secure our advantage before the Ming army came to help. So don't waste time in the Fire King Mountain City, ignore it, and keep going. Everyone agreed, the Japanese army turned west through Changning to Caoxi, through the Shaanxi River to attack Anyin, the Korean garrison stationed in Anyin fled, and the Japanese army occupied Anyin and prepared to surround Huangshi Mountain City.

Huangshi Mountain City is located in the northwest of Anyin two miles away, the ground is really precipitous, guarding the two throats of Gyeongsang and Jeolla, Huangshi Mountain City Guard will be Anyin County Supervisor Guo Xiong and his sons Guo Luchang, Guo Luhou, Jinhai Mansion Envoy Bai Shilin, the former Xianyang County Shou Zhao Zongdao led a total of more than 2,000 troops. In order to guard the generals of Huangshi Mountain, Guo Xiong took the lead and said: "My father and son led the soldiers and people of Anyin to withdraw to Huangshi Mountain, thank you for taking them in, I often feel ashamed, the Japanese have pursued here, and my father and son will swear to death and not take a step back!" It's all the land of North Korea, and if you return it again, what land can you return? My father and son have been firm in their belief and will die in battle with the Japanese Invaders! ”

Bai Shilin, the envoy of Jinhai Prefecture, said: "I am impressed by the fact that Guo County supervises the killing of the enemy and serves the country, I am the envoy of Jinhai Prefecture, Jinhai fell, and I also led the remnants of the army to retreat here and suffered from the same time from time to time, I have asked the imperial court to send reinforcements, but there is still no news coming, there are 40,000 to 50,000 Japanese soldiers, how can Huangshi Mountain City hold on?" ”

Guo Xiong said: "Huangshi Mountain is easy to defend and difficult to attack, with our strength can not fight with the enemy, can only rely on the terrain to strengthen the city defense, stick to the help, there is no other way, the government makes you come from a family, long in the army, the city defense is not enough to ask for more advice!" Zhao Zongdao, the former county guard, saw this proposal: "In this case, it is better for Guo County Supervisor to defend the south and west of the city, and Baifu to defend the north and east of the city. ”

Bai Shilin, the envoy of Jinhai Prefecture, immediately ordered: "We should hold on with all our might, but whether we can hold Huangshi Mountain City depends entirely on whether there are reinforcements, and immediately send a messenger to the imperial court to ask for help from the Ming army." County Supervisor Guo, please also take on the important task of strengthening the city defense, we must boost the morale of the people in the city, call on the people to join in the joint defense of Huangshi Mountain City, I will deploy defense, this is also my duty, this battle is pinned on the destiny of heaven. "The generals commanded.

Guo Xiong led his son to appeal to the people of the city: "People, the Japanese are about to chase to Huangshi Mountain City, and the imperial army is also on the way to rescue, we must first hold this place before the reinforcements come to rescue us, we can't run anymore, and if we run again, one town after another will fall into the hands of the enemy, and the whole country will perish in the escape, and we will eventually become the ghosts of the Japanese invaders!" People, I, Guo Xiong, hereby swear to stick to the end, please join me to strengthen the city defense, distribute food, Huangshi Mountain City occupies a favorable location, as long as the defense is done properly, it will be able to support the attack of the Japanese Invaders, and the arrival of the imperial army is the time to take revenge on the Japanese Invaders! Don't give up! After Guo Xiong's call, the people in Huangshi Mountain City were enthusiastic and immediately followed Guo's father and son into the construction of strengthening the city defense.

When Guo's father and son were reinforcing the fortifications, Guo Xiong's eldest son, Guo Luchang, asked: "Father, there are many people in this country, and it is unknown whether Huangshi Mountain City can be defended, father, how much do you know about the envoy of Jinhai Mansion?" Is he a trustworthy person? Guo Xiong taught: "Bai Shilin, the envoy of the Jinhai Prefecture, is from a family of military attachés, and his actions on weekdays can be called fair and strict, and the hope and morale of the soldiers are pinned on the envoy of the Jinhai Prefecture, and I am willing to obey the order." Before the war with the Japanese invaders, how could they be depressed first, so they would definitely not be able to hold the Huangshi Mountain City. ”

Guo Luchang is still worried about the war: "But the Japanese are indeed extremely strong, and we are also the reason why we withdrew to Huangshi Mountain City, my son is not afraid of the enemy and cowardly, but according to the facts, although this city is easy to defend and difficult to attack, I am afraid that it will be useless in front of the tens of thousands of Japanese troops." Guo Xiong hurriedly interrupted and sternly admonished: "Don't think nonsense, things are man-made, since ancient times, there have been countless examples of battles with less to win more, why can't we?" Concentrate on the battle, not without distractions. ”

Guo Lu often asked again: "Then my father guesses, when will the rescue soldiers and horses of the imperial court and the Ming army arrive?" Guo Xiong replied: "This is unknown, but I know that Jeolla Province is related to the overall situation, and Huangshi Mountain City will not be far from Jeonju after that, and if Jeonju loses, Jeolla Province will not be protected, and if Jeolla Province is protected, it is necessary to stop this group of Japanese robbers, and the imperial court and the Ming army will definitely come to the rescue." Usually, you usually practice your knife skills well, but this opportunity can't just be reserved for chopping melons and vegetables. How are you doing? ”

Guo Luhou said: "Father, I practice every day, but I still have some apprehensions. This knife has been waiting to kill a few pirates, but I don't know how long I can hold out? I have been worried about this, and I ask my father to forgive me. ”

Guo Xiong was relieved: "When you first go to the battlefield, you just practice on weekdays, and it is extremely normal to feel uneasy. The father is also very uneasy in his heart, he may be shot to death by the Japanese before he has walked a few steps, or he may cut off the heads of a few Japanese and then die, or he may repel the Japanese and return to his hometown, but the important thing is that he must not escape, you and my father and son have to cut off a few Japanese heads to avenge Anyin's father, and strengthen their beliefs. ”

Guo Luhou asked: "I heard that the Japanese are all armed with bird guns, the power is amazing, and if they are shot, they will die, so won't we die under the bird guns before we can get close to the Japanese people?" Guo Xiong then taught his son the experience: "There is no need to worry, we are defending the city, and we are condescending, there are walls and fortifications to cover, first use bows and arrows to return fire, and then engage the enemy when the Japanese invaders enter the city, the Japanese birds are useless in close combat, but be careful when the battle is hit by the birds outside the city, be sure to always use the cover to fight, do not easily expose the whole body." That way, it will be very difficult for the bird to hurt us. Guo Luhou received the order.

On the night of August 13, the Japanese army had arrived outside the city of Huangshi Mountain and held a military meeting overnight, and Mori Hidemoto said: "Ukita Hideya and they should have been attacking Nanyuan by now, and there are Ming troops stationed there, and they may not be able to attack it in a few days." There is no Ming army in this Yellowstone Mountain City, and it will be attacked immediately from tomorrow, such as Master Shui, what do you think? ”

Kuroda Rushui analyzed the military situation, so he offered advice to Mori Hidemoto: "Huangshi Mountain City occupies a favorable location, and the losses of the army will increase, and this face will not be able to hang up." As far as I know, most of the guards in North Korea are from the Sehun family, and most of these people are mediocre and incompetent, greedy for life and afraid of death. I suggest that Huangshi Mountain City be surrounded on three sides from tomorrow, and the whole team will gradually approach, and only defend and not attack within two days, which is coercion. The information of the defenders in the city was not clear, and at the same time the news was released that the army was coming to help, and our army was divided to meet the battle, which aroused the hope of holding on. On the third day, half of the nearly 1,000 peasants captured along the way were killed in the battle every day as ordinary people, and the other half were beheaded by the defeated Ming army. ”

Kato Kiyomasa was puzzled, but still insisted on attacking Yellowstone Mountain City directly. Kuroda Rusui explained the reason: "There must be no meaningless casualties before the decisive battle with the Ming army, this Huangshi mountain fortress is not worth it, but it is only three days, and I hope that we will not fight with the left road, and the two roads should enter Chungcheong-do and march to Hanyang." So wait for Ukita Hideya, and then meet in Jeonju. If you don't have any objections, Lord Xiuyuan, please deploy. ”

Mori Hidemoto ordered Kato Kiyomasa to besiege the southern castle, Nabeshima Naoshige to besiege the western castle, and Kuroda Nagamasa to besiege the eastern castle, and sent a special force to ambush in the north. From 14 to 15 August, the Japanese army surrounded the city of Huangshi Mountain on three sides, formed a fence of bamboo shields, and steadily approached the mountain city of Huangshi, facing the bow and arrow of the Korean army, and killing the people in the battle every day. Zhao Zongdao asked: "This Japanese robber has a strong army, why do you behave like this, it is common sense to attack us directly, what is the intention?" ”

Bai Shilin was also puzzled, but suddenly seemed to wake up, so he replied to Zhao Zongdao: "There is news that the Ming army is coming to help, I am afraid that the Ming army has been divided to block the attack, the Ming army has always been strong, presumably the Japanese have this scruple, so they dare not act rashly, if this is the case, Huangshi Mountain City can be guaranteed without worry, and we also have the opportunity to kill the enemy and make meritorious contributions!" Orders were given to the whole city, and the Ming army came to help, not to slack off, and to be on call at any time. Zhao Zongdao took the order.

The Japanese army has been killing Korean people every day for two days, and Guo Xiong, the supervisor of Anyin County, was filled with righteous indignation, and repeatedly asked for orders to kill the enemy, Zhao Zongdao stopped him bitterly: "Guo County Supervisor must not be rash, with our strength to attack at this time is tantamount to hitting a stone with an egg, then the Huangshi Mountain City will be easily captured by the Japanese invaders!" Our bows and arrows can't shoot that far, these days have also caused small casualties to the front of the Japanese invaders, the people were slaughtered I am also very sad, but we must not lose a big because of a small loss, the Ming army is coming to the rescue, the government envoy also explained, wait for the Ming army to arrive and then attack the enemy, then it is not too late to take revenge, please be patient with Guo County Supervisor. ”

Guo Xiong was anxious and impatient: "This widow is ruthless, has no mercy at all, does not want to attack us, but only slaughters the people in the battle for fun, this is intended to deter us, many soldiers and civilians in the city have suffered greatly because of this, when will the Ming army arrive?" Zhao Zongdao saw that Guo Xiong was emotional, and he comforted him again and again, and Guo Xiong was able to calm down.

In the Japanese army, Mori Hidemoto asked Kuroda Rusui: "Two days have passed, I think the city of Huangshi Mountain should have been afraid, as you suppose, the Koreans are extremely dependent on the Ming army, when they learn that the Ming army will be defeated, I don't know where it will be lost, is the Ming army's clothing ready?" ”

Kuroda Rushui said: "The clothes of the Ming army have long been prepared, but after all, there are not many, these days have been strictly ordered to catch up, tomorrow can let the Koreans appreciate the defeat of the Ming army, by our all beheaded grand occasion, this move will be able to completely crush their morale, we are storming at night, Huangshi Mountain City will collapse." ”

On 16 August, according to Kuroda Rushui's order, half of the more than 1,000 Korean people captured were disguised as Ming soldiers, all of them were beheaded, and the heads of the Korean people were hung high in the middle of the battle for public display. The news of the defeat of the Ming army was able to quickly spread throughout the city of Huangshi Mountain, and the people's hearts were in turmoil and the army's morale was in turmoil. That night, Kuroda Rushui ordered the whole army to launch a general attack at night, and Bai Shilin's headquarters fled without a fight and came out of the north gate. The east gate of Huangshi Mountain City was easily attacked by the Japanese army, the south gate and the west gate defended by Guo's father and son were attacked by the enemy, the city gate soon fell, the Japanese army poured into the city, Guo Xiong and his son Guo Luchang, Guo Luhou and Zhao Zongdao were all killed, the remaining defenders in the city were slaughtered, Bai Shilin and his party rushed out of the north gate and were also ambushed by the Japanese special forces, the Japanese army chased north through the valley, and Bai Shilin's department was killed and wounded more than half.

The Ming general Chen Yucheng also received the report of the defeat of Nanyuan in Quanzhou, and Chen Yucheng sighed: "I never expected that the Japanese would be dispatched on such a large scale. That Yang Yuan was also a fierce general in Liaodong, and all the 3,000 Liaodong elites he brought were killed, and the situation was critical. ”

The adjutant general urgently advised: "It is reported that the Japanese are besieging Huangshi Mountain City, but according to the general's estimate, the fall of Huangshi Mountain City will be within a few days, this whole state is the core of Jeolla Province, but we only have more than 2,000 soldiers and horses, and it is difficult for 6,000 troops in Namwon to hold on for five days, how can 2,000 troops hold Jeonju?" It's better to hurry up and ask the Admiral to send troops to rescue again. ”

Chen Yuxin said: "Our total strength is only 30,000, and we are stationed everywhere, how can we stop 100,000 thieves?" Originally, it was hoped that the garrisons from all parts of the United Korea would hold out until the army came to help, but the North Korean soldiers were so vulnerable that the division of troops to rescue them was tantamount to seeking their own death. At this point, it is better to join forces together, and centralized defense is the best policy, otherwise it will only be annihilated by the Japanese invaders. Jeonju is difficult to protect, and it is necessary to withdraw Jeonju and return to Hanyang before the Japanese invaders. ”

The adjutant general advised: "Please think twice, withdrawing without the order will be regarded as an escape from the battle, and it will be done by military law." Wouldn't this be wronged, please ask the Admiral for an order before withdrawing from the whole state. Chen Yu scolded sharply: "The Japanese invaded quickly, the Korean garrison along the road was broken at the touch of a button, and fled in the hope of the wind, the Japanese invaders arrived at night, and the whole state was in danger, we were isolated and helpless, first asked Hanyang for an order, and when the withdrawal order arrived, the whole state had already been occupied by the Japanese invaders, and we had already lost all of our lives in the hands of the Japanese invaders, so it was better to withdraw early and join forces with the admiral, so we could also save the lives of the soldiers and not have to die in vain here." ”

The adjutant general knelt on the ground, hugged Chen Yuxin's thigh and persuaded him repeatedly: "Although you think about the soldiers, but the last general is worried that after returning to Hanyang, Yang Jingluo and Admiral Magui will not listen to your explanation, Yang Yuan does not know life and death now, if he dies on the battlefield, he can still be compassionate with his family, if Yang Vice Town escapes alone, he may still remember his bloody battle and be guilty of leniency, but you have not seen the enemy evacuate without the military order, but I am afraid that it will still be difficult to escape death, please be cautious, the last general is willing to go to Hanyang to ask for an order, and will return to the military gate before the Japanese invade Jeonju." ”

Chen Yu coveted the evacuation, and immediately shouted: "The Japanese are close at hand, how can you gallop and forget to return?" It is impossible to get ahead of the Japanese invaders. In order to save the lives of the soldiers of the army, we must immediately withdraw from Jeonju, and my concern is also the trend of the times, and then there will be a military order for all localities to withdraw to Hanyang, and I will explain to the commander and the commander, needless to say, immediately order the whole army to withdraw to Hanyang! ”

When the Korean officials and people in Quanzhou heard that the army was about to withdraw to Hanyang, they blocked and advised them one after another, begging the Ming army to hold on to Quanzhou, Chen Yuxin was furious, angrily reprimanded the Korean officials for not knowing the overall situation and the art of war, and ordered the whole city to withdraw to Hanyang with him if they did not want to die at the hands of the Japanese army, and the Ming army would no longer hold Jeonju. In order to protect their families, the Korean officials and people in Quanzhou had to urgently pack their bags and follow Chen Yuzhi to withdraw from Quanzhou, and they were escorted by the Ming army to Hanyang.

After conquering Nanyuan and Huangshi Mountain on the left and right, the Japanese army marched towards Jeonju and occupied the empty city of Jeonju on the 19th. After the two lines of the Japanese army converged in Jeonju, they first reported the military situation to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and then decided that Mori Hidemoto, Kato Kiyomasa, and Kuroda Nagamasa would each lead a team of 40,000 people, and Ota Kazuyoshi and Takenaka Shigemori would build an army and go north to capture Gongju. Naoshi Naoji, Hiroya Yoshikawa, Hideshi Ikeda, and Hidesei Nakagawa were assigned to the left road, and Chungcheongcheong-do and the northern part of Jeolla Province.

The Japanese army marched rapidly, overwhelmingly, and extremely cruel, the Japanese army obeyed the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Maeda Toshiie, and slaughtered the villagers everywhere they went, cut off their noses and took the head, and at the same time, it was also the basis for the source of troops to fight the Korean volunteers, and the craftsmen and Confucian students were all taken into custody and escorted back to China in batches. After the Jeonju military meeting, Chungcheong-do was occupied by most of the Japanese army within a few days. Gyeonggi Province, where King Gyeonghanyang is located, is in jeopardy. The successive losses of Namwon, Jeonju, Jeolla Province, and Chungcheong-do cities made the Ming army's defensive deployment almost a failure, and first Chen Yuji's withdrawal from Jeonju was equivalent to surrendering all of Jeolla Province to the Japanese army, and then Chungcheong-do surrendered one after another, almost turning the tide of the war, which brought great inconvenience to the Ming army's future counteroffensive.