After urgent consultations, the expeditionary force made a decision.

Han Wantao and Xu Lang led 12,000 infantry and cavalry to Pusan, the closest place to Tsushima. Busan is still called Dongnaedo Protectorate, and a camp has been set up for the Gyeongsang Left Naval Army. The 22 warships of the Combined Fleet will go directly along the coastline to Tsushima Island under the leadership of Jiang Beiming and Zeng Guangxian to find Tao Min's warships, and if Tao Min has already begun to attack Japan, the Combined Fleet will go directly to Nagasaki to aid Japan. The general principle is to defeat Tao Min's fleet.

Regarding Nanpu, Jiang Beiming and Han Wantao did not want to have the same situation as when they were in the Goryeo operation, so the final decision was to abandon Nanpu and leave no soldiers. Gwanghae-jun and Ahn Guo-shin have been left in Dengju and are not needed for them yet. However, before leaving, Xu Lang took Gao Chen to Pyongyang and met with North Korean officials in Pyongyang. Xu Lang took out the holy decree he wrote again to scare them, warning these Koreans that the Celestial Empire army had already defeated Lushun and Nampo, and they would soon recover Korea and let them do what they wanted.

There are about 13,400 miles from Nampo to Busan, and considering the current road conditions in North Korea, the 12,000 army should be able to reach Pusan in 20 days to a month, and this is still without carrying heavy artillery. Therefore, Jiang Beiming decided not to care about the progress of the army, and the combined fleet left the Damingfu ship in Nanpu and rushed to Tsushima Island at full speed. The two sides agreed that in the event of an accident in the army, they would immediately withdraw to Nampo. After all, Tao Min had 80,000 new Korean troops in his hands, and he must not allow the tragedy of Operation Goryeo to be repeated.

Zeng Guangxian asked the question, does it make sense for the army to attack Busan? Since the purpose of this time is to annihilate Tao Min's fleet, the combined fleet can do it completely, and there is no need for the participation of the army, and the army can stay in Nanpu.

However, Jiang Beiming and Han Wantao vetoed Zeng Guangxian's proposal, and the strategic significance of occupying Busan was huge. Only the capture of Pusan could block Ta Min's retreat, which would have been helpful to the Combined Fleet.

On the tenth day of December, the expeditionary force all set out. Xu Lang led the cavalry regiment to open the road in front, and Ye Zhan led his infantry regiment to break off, and the whole team was no more than ten miles in front and back.

Now that the north wind was blowing, all 22 warships were sailing towards Tsushima Island at full speed. A few days later, when Xu Lang's cavalry regiment had just returned from reconnaissance in Seoul, the Combined Fleet had bypassed the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula and appeared in the sea near Jeju Island.

After withdrawing from Nampo to Tsushima, Tao Min and Dolgon did not immediately go to Japan, but Tao Min carefully studied the current situation and made further arrangements. Tao Min didn't know that Huang Taiji had given up Lushun to make peace with Jiang Beiming, but Tao Min still sent a letter to Sheng Jing, repeatedly explaining why he and Dolgon did not return to Lushun but marched into Japan. Tao Min knew that his decision would definitely anger Huang Taiji, but Tao Min didn't care about Huang Taiji's thoughts at this time. As long as Japan is defeated and South Korea is secured, the right to speak will be in one's own hands.

Tao Min set up two lines of defense in South Korea, one in Suwon and one in Busan. These two lines of defense are not used to defend against the Ming army, Tao Min believes that the Ming army will not be able to deal with him in at least half a year to a year, and these two lines of defense are intended to be used to deal with Huang Taiji in the future.

Dolgon had already stood with him, and the 80,000 new Korean troops and 10,000 Eight Banners had also withdrawn to South Korea, so Tao Min thought that even if he turned his face with Huang Taiji, it would be nothing. Although it is very likely that Huang Taiji will come to Korea to conquer him after the end of the Lushun War, he has already stayed in Japan at that time.

Suwon was the capital city of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, 44 kilometers from Seoul and 42 kilometers from Incheon, the second largest port city in South Korea, and a satellite city of Seoul. Suwon Hwaseong Fortress was built in 1796 and was the first city established by King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of Joseon.

It's just that the current Suwon is still called Suwon Metropolitan Protectorate, and the city is not as majestic as later generations. Tao Min left behind 10,000 new Korean troops and a dozen artillery pieces, and built a simple fortification based on the terrain. In Tao Min's plan, to deal with Huang Taiji's Eight Banners, these dozen or so 6-pounder cannons are enough.

The scouts of the cavalry regiment returned to Han Wantao's division headquarters from Seoul and reported to Han Wantao the situation in Seoul that they had detected. Seoul did not take any measures, and the fighting in Nampo and Tao Min's southward retreat did not seem to have any impact on North Korea, and the whole of Seoul was calm.

Originally, Xu Lang wanted to go to Seoul to meet Renzu Li Liang, but was vetoed by Han Wantao.

"We don't have time to delay here, and getting to Busan as soon as possible is our goal." Han Wantao pointed to the map and said, "Suwon is nearly 100 miles away from Seoul, so we have to rush here tomorrow no matter what." The order was given to go down and bypass Seoul early tomorrow morning and march towards Suwon. ”

On the fifth watch, the expeditionary force of 12,000 men set out.

Xu Lang and Gao Chen rode horses and walked in the middle of the cavalry regiment, Gao Chen shrunk his neck and pulled his collar again, Xu Lang smiled on the side: "Gao Chen, is it cold?" ”

"Chief of the General Staff, it's quite cold." Gao Chen replied, "This place is much colder than our Yulin Bay and Vietnam. ”

"North Korea is like this, and it will be better to go to Busan." Xu Lang looked up at the front, "We've been out for most of the day, work hard, and strive to reach Suwon before the sun sets." ”

The two of them walked and chatted, and a scout ran over from the front: "Report to the chief, the defense line of the new Korean army was found five miles ahead, and it seems that they can have tens of thousands of people." ”

Xu Lang and Gao Chen unconsciously grabbed their horses, and Gao Chen asked, "Have you seen clearly, is it the new Korean army or the original Korean army?" ”

"Back to sir." The scout replied, "My subordinates can see clearly, it's the new Korean army, and they have artillery." ”

Gao Chen couldn't help but turn his head to Xu Lang, could it be that Dolgon and Tao Min knew that the Ming army would come after them, so they set up a defense line here.

Xu Lang raised his hand: "Pass the order, the cavalry regiment will stop advancing." Another finger at the scout, "Report this news to Chief Han immediately." ”

All the troops stopped, and Han Wantao and Xu Lang took people to the front to check in person.

"It's really Tao Min's new Korean army." Han Wantao put down the binoculars, "Could it be that Tao Min knows that we will come?" ”

"No, Tao Min shouldn't know." Xu Lang said, "If he knew that we would go to Busan by land, then he would have found a way to ambush us, instead of just setting up a defensive line." ”

"Seems to be the truth." Han Wantao nodded, "Then what should we do now, do we fight or not?" ”

Xu Lang raised the telescope again, and the defense line of the new Korean army in front of him was quite orderly. Trenches were scattered, in front of the trenches were two repulsion horses, artillery positions were placed on the hill behind the infantry, and the muzzles of a dozen guns were aimed at an open space in front of the repulsion horses.

Xu Lang turned the horse's head: "Let's go back and discuss it first, I have to think about it." ”

Xu Lang lay on the map in the camp tent and studied it for a long time: "Wan Tao, let's not care what Tao Min's purpose is in setting up this defense line, we can only attack now." Jiang Beiming and the others should be almost to Tsushima Island by now, and it will also help Beiming to fight on our side, at least they can hold back part of Tao Min's troops. ”

"But our more than 10,000 people don't have a single cannon, but there are more than a dozen 6-pounder guns over there." Han Wantao asked, "And we don't know if Tao Min will send reinforcements again, if he sends tens of thousands of more people, we will be in trouble." ”

Xu Lang didn't answer, but asked Gao Chen, "Gao Chen, what do you think?" ”

"Sir, the Tartar reinforcements are nothing. If they really send tens of thousands of reinforcements, it's a big deal for us to retreat. It's less than 100 miles from Seoul, so we can go back in a day. As long as we enter Seoul and control Li Liang, we can defend Seoul to the death. ”

Han Wantao felt that Gao Chen's words made sense: "But Gao Chen, how to fight this battle, there will be great casualties if you attack hard." ”

Gao Chen thought for a while: "Sir, you can't attack hard. Can we think of a way to emulate Chief Pan's special combat team and take out their artillery first. ”

"It's hard." Xu Lang said, "Their artillery positions are behind the trenches and infantry, and they are on the hills. The surrounding defenses must be tight, and we can't touch it at all. ”

"What then?" Han Wantao had no idea, "Although our rifled guns can shoot far, they are not as far as the cannons, so we can't fill them with human lives." ”

Xu Lang suddenly thought of the performance of the lieutenant in Nanpu: "I'll go talk to their generals tomorrow, I hope it can be useful." ”

"You're going to negotiate with them?" Han Wantao was a little surprised, "What do you want to talk about, the truce or let them surrender." Beiming and they will arrive at Tsushima Island soon, and we can't afford to drag it here. ”

"Don't worry, let's talk about it tomorrow." Xu Lang turned his head to Gao Chen and said, "Gao Chen, go and bring the brush, and I will write the holy decree to the North Koreans." ”

Han Wantao looked at Xu Lang: "But if you really have you, you have to write a false decree to fool people." ”