The Tiger and The Magpie - A Korean Manchuria TL
Ch II: A Slain Tiger Still Bites - Part ii: the battle begins
(mini update)
Second Liao-Goryeo warCh II: A Slain Tiger Still Bites - Part ii: the battle begins
(mini update)
In late 1141, Yelu Dashi began to move an army to the border with the Buyeo governorate near the city of Mojeou (Mozhou). The Khitans gathered north of the northernmost point of the Cheolli Jangseong (the “Korean great wall” from the Goguryeo era rebuilt by Yun Gwan), just out of the Buju garrison’s reach. In September, they crossed the Nen River, and the Second Khitan Invasion of Korea began. The Khitans overwhelmed the Korean army in the area, quickly taking the town of Gaojeou, and besieging Mojeou. Yun Min’s son, Yun Jong-Soo responded immediately to the attack, sending his own troops to Mojeou, and calling for his cousin Yun Seo and king Injong to send armies north to stop the invasion. The king began to mobilize the peninsular forces as soon as he received the news however this took time. Yun Seo responded much quicker, and an army consisting of men from Buyeo and Yeonhaeju marched northeast to meet the Khitans. This force, though quick to respond, was much smaller than the Liao invasion force, and was defeated quickly. Mojeou was seized by the beginning of October, and became the Khitans’ base of operations in Balhae.
The Liao had overrun much of Buyeo by mid November, moving quickly in the plains. The onset of winter slightly slowed the Khitan advance, but they were used to it as their homeland was colder than Buyeo, so this did not stop their movement towards Yonyeong Province (Liaoning). By now, however, they faced greater resistance due to the region’s higher population, and moved close to the southern army which had passed the Goryeo Jangseong (the southernmost wall. Lit. Great wall of Goryeo). At this point, only a few besieged fortresses and cities remained as islands of Korean control within a Khitan sea. Even as the Khitans faced great challenges in the north, they dispatched their levies from the newly conquered northern lands to try to raid the south, in an attempt to both satiate their desire for looting and to weaken Korea’s core. While their armies prepared to meet each other, King Injong looked desperately for a way to keep his northern lands, which had been almost completely lost to the Khitans.