率衆攻寧江州,遼兵來拒.帝擊敗之.
He led his forces to attack Ningjiang Prefecture; the Liao army came to resist, and the Emperor defeated them. — History of Jin (金史)
The reason for mobilization was simple.
They were raiding Ningjiang.
Not only the imperial forces, but nobles and tribal troops as well had descended upon it.
Huu-woo… huu-woo…
A sound dragged up from the depths of the soul.
The call to assemble.
An unfamiliar sound.
Young-woo stepped out and asked,
"What is that sound?"
A Jurchen who had been helping him replied,
"Emergency muster."
"Emergency? What kind of emergency?"
"It seems they are raiding again. It happens often. Most flee. Some take up spears and ride out."
Young-woo shouted,
"We should fight."
He quickly armed himself.
Armor thrown on, belt tightened, weapons secured.
When he mounted his horse, the world seemed lower.
He had grabbed what he thought was a spear—but it was a ban (幡).
A wide, rolled banner tied to a pole.
A signal flag fastened to a spear shaft—
that was a ban.
For a moment, he wondered if even this could be used as a weapon.
He tightened the binding and held it upside down.
Fortunately, the spearhead at the tip bore an additional blade.
As was his habit, he headed for the south gate.
A messenger lay prostrate before the Khan.
"It is the Xi tribe.* Even they have come to harass us now."
*Xi (奚人): A northern people recorded since the Sui–Tang period, inhabiting eastern Mongolia and northern Hebei. They operated alongside the Khitans and were incorporated into the Liao as a major tribal component, later reorganized under the Jin military system.
"They are going from house to house, wreaking havoc. They do not merely take—they drive people out."
"A village elder resisted and was killed."
It was already reported.
Yet it was repeated—to stir anger among the troops.
As Young-woo approached, a group of cavalry rode in.
"Reporting! The enemy is raiding Ningjiang!"
There was hesitation.
They had endured too much for too long.
Young-woo shouted,
"You said the enemy is here."
Wugaimai lowered his head.
"Yes."
"What are you doing, then? We should go out and fight."
"I want to. But it is a large force. And not here—it is Ningjiang."
The distance came to mind.
A hundred li. Two hundred li.
"Is it far?"
"Over two hundred li."
"And because it is far, we do nothing?"
Young-woo's words reached Aguda.
That simple certainty shook something deep within him.
Too far—so we do nothing.
Too strong—so we do nothing.
Too few—so we do nothing.
There had always been reasons.
They had lived like that.
Enough.
Even if it meant death—
they would fight.
Young-woo shouted again,
"You say they are raiding. Then we fight. Do we stay because it is far? Are they many?"
"Several thousand. Not a raid—an encampment. They are watching us."
Young-woo let out a short laugh.
"So if they are many, we do nothing? Just watch?"
It was a thoughtless outcry—
yet its simplicity moved the men.
"We fight!" someone shouted.
Young-woo spurred his horse forward.
"Yes. Of course we do. I will ride out as well."
Behind him, the 5th unit gathered.
The brothers So Cheol-ryong and So Cheol-un, and Do Gyeong-taek approached.
Their eyes seemed to ask—
Why are we not already fighting?
Aguda raised his fist.
"We fight. All units—assemble. Sound the assembly horn!"
Bwooooo—
Three blasts.
Young-woo asked,
"What does that mean?"
"Three calls—assembly."
Aguda shouted,
"Send word to every fortress. The battlefield is Ningjiang. All forces assemble there!"
Messengers rode out like the wind.
How long had it been?
They had bowed and bowed again.
Apologized without fault.
Endured loss without protest.
Wugaimai shouted,
"Brother!"
Aguda gripped his shoulder.
"We do not retreat anymore."
"Yes."
"We do not endure this any longer."
"Yes, brother."
"We will not bow again."
"Khan!"
The units—already organized in tens and hundreds—assembled at once.
Before, the horn had warned.
Now, it gathered.
Flags rose.
Beneath them, the warriors formed ranks.
No longer scattered tribes—
Units of ten, of a hundred—
a true army.
For the first time, it had form.
A warrior in newly acquired armor caught the eye.
Silver plates flashed in the sunlight.
Solid. Unyielding.
"We will not bow again. Even if we fall and become dust upon this frozen earth—we fight."
"Loyalty!"
The cries echoed.
Young-woo quietly inspected his unit.
"Armor."
"Fully equipped."
"Shields."
"Both large and small."
Equipment was checked on the spot.
The Jurchens followed suit.
Commanders of hundreds inspected armor, shields, bows, and reserve arrows in order.
The sight of troops checking gear in ranks—
it carried weight.
Boom. Boom.
Drums sounded.
Wugaimai shouted,
"We depart in half a shi!"
"Loyalty!"
Two thousand five hundred cavalry roared as one.
What Young-woo saw then—
was the trembling, furious roar of rising Jurchen riders.
Before half a shi had even passed,
the heavy cavalry of the Jurchens set out.