Volume 1 Chapter 60: Iron Horse

  The North Korean authorities hanged Kim Yu-jeon's remains in Yanghwajin execution ground to intimidate the people, and another more sinister intention was to use Kim Yu-jeon's remains as bait to lure his supporters to come and collect the body, so that they could be caught and eliminated. For this purpose, the imperial court deployed the palace guards around Yanghwajin, setting up a dragnet to wait for those who came to collect the body to fall into their trap. It was easy to enter the execution ground, but it was difficult to leave, like trying to climb up to the blue sky!

  Gaehwadang and Donghak members repeatedly organized forces to go to Yanghwajin execution ground, took the remains by force, all of whom never returned. Even some ordinary people who just wanted to pay their respects in front of Kim Ok-gyun's remains were beheaded on the spot by the palace guards of Joseon. The surroundings of Kim Ok-gyun's remains were filled with corpses, a gruesome sight.

  What's even more serious is that even if someone could break through the palace guard's encirclement and bring out the remains, they would still be unable to take them away.

  Mantis catches cicada, yellow sparrow behind! Also staring at the remains are the Japanese.

  The outskirts of Beijing have been surrounded by the Japanese!

  Since the Donghak Peasant Revolution, the Japanese government has used the protection of overseas Chinese as an excuse to massively increase its troops in Korea. An 8,000-strong mixed brigade is advancing towards Korea, and two divisions (the 3rd Division and the 5th Division) are gathering within Japan. The Japanese Mixed Brigade, led by Brigade Commander ōshima Yoshimasa, landed at Incheon and rushed straight to the capital, surrounding it on all sides.

  The intention of the Japanese government is to force Korea to sever its suzerain relationship with the Great Qing, and then annex Korea, making Korea a second Ryukyu!

  To annex North Korea, apart from relying on strong military power to defeat the North Korean army, it is also necessary to gain recognition from the North Korean people.

  The Japanese army appeared in Korea under the banner of saving people from water and fire. In sharp contrast to the extortionate behavior of the Korean authorities, the Japanese army was highly disciplined in Korea, and wherever they went, they did not commit any atrocities.

  It was just like during the Three Kingdoms period, when Liu Bei launched a war against Eastern Wu. The Shu army entered Wu territory and all along the way, they loved the people as their own children. When a Shu soldier took a bamboo hat from a Wu civilian, he was immediately beheaded in public!

  This is not to say that Shu's army was a righteous army, just as Sun Quan said, Liu Bei had already regarded Wu State as his own territory!

  The Japanese have also made Korea their own territory!

  However, the Korean people's hatred towards Japan has a history of 500 years. This hatred will not be eliminated just because of the appearance of a civilized teacher.

  So, the Japanese naturally thought of Kim Ok-gyun.

  Jin Yuquan is a very complex figure.

  To ordinary people, he is pro-Japanese, but his pro-Japanism is not unconditional obedience to Japan. Kim Ok-gyun simply wanted to transplant the Meiji Restoration to Korea. In any case, Kim Ok-gyun had a considerable number of followers and sympathizers in both Japan and Korea.

  Like the Gaehwadang and Donghak followers, the Japanese were eager to obtain Kim Ok-gyun's remains and give them a proper burial in order to gain recognition from the Korean people.

  So, after ōshima Yoshimasa's mixed brigade completed the siege of Kyoto, they turned their attention to Kim Ok-gyun at Yanghwajin execution ground.

  At the same time, the Japanese General Staff formed a special action group led by Captain Kōshin Kōda, which infiltrated Korea. The mission of this action group had two objectives: first, to plan and seize the remains and bury them in Japan; second, to find Kim Ok-gyun's wife and daughter and bring them back to Japan, where they would be treated with courtesy on the surface but actually held captive.

  These two tasks, as long as one is completed, Japan will be able to gain the support of the vast majority of North Korean civilians.

  Kamiō Kōshin was unable to find Ryūei and Kinju, so he could only think of the remains.

  However, the Japanese army cannot openly rob the remains. Because until now, Japan has not declared war on Korea, and the Japanese army entered Korea under the pretext of protecting overseas Chinese. Once force is used, its wolfish ambition will be known to all, and even if the remains are seized, it can only provoke greater anger among the Korean people!

  So the Japanese were waiting for an opportunity. This opportunity was that once someone smuggled the remains out of the execution ground, the Japanese could take action from behind to defend the remains and bring them back to Japan.

  The Japanese have heavily guarded the outskirts of Beijing, with not only troops but also Kōmori's special agents keeping a close eye on Yang Huacheng!

  In this case, it would be easier to ascend to heaven than to smuggle Jin Yu's remains out of the capital!

  What's more serious is that with the worsening of the Korean situation, Japan may declare war on Korea at any time. Once a formal declaration of war is made, the garrison in the capital city of Korea will not be able to withstand the Japanese army. After the Japanese army takes over the capital city, Kim Ok-gyun's remains will forever belong to Japan!

  They had to steal the remains before the Japanese did, but Donghak was unable to do so.

  Donghak teachings are not a military organization, the majority of its followers are simple and honest people. Moreover, Donghak teachings are anti-violent, although there were some weapons and guards at the Fengshen Valley headquarters, they were all inexperienced rustic followers. It is impossible to rescue the remains from the double encirclement of the palace guard and the Japanese army.

  So, when the crowd was arguing about Zhou Xuan Zhang's life and death, Cui Shi Heng thought of a way to kill two birds with one stone. He let Zhou Xuan Zhang take two people to rob the execution ground, and the remaining Qing soldiers would be held as hostages.

  The combat effectiveness of the Qing army is not worth complimenting, but after all, the Qing army is a regular army.

  What's more important is that Choi Shi-heng discovered that this Zhou Xianzhang was completely different from the impression of Qing soldiers he had, this man had a strong personality, and was a real man! Moreover, he graduated from Tianjin Military Academy and knew how to fight.

  Lu Wenjun explained the whole story, Zhou Xianzhang secretly drummed in his heart, and Ha Wu and Qian Yougui even started to make a fuss. It was clear that entering the capital city was like entering a dragon's lair, easy to enter but hard to leave!

  "Isn't there another choice?" Yao Xi asked cautiously.

  Lu Wenjun burst out laughing: "Of course, there is. The three of you have saved the lives of Mrs. Liu and Miss Jin, our Dongxue School has always been clear about gratitude and grudges. If you don't want to go to Beijing, you can do as you please, wherever you want to go. Naturally, the other Qing soldiers should take responsibility for Mr. Jin's death!"

  Money is expensive and painful to shed tears: "Master, I have an 80-year-old mother above me and a young child below me who is crying for milk. If I die, my whole family will starve!"

  Over a hundred Qing soldiers followed Qian Yougui and wailed, each one claiming "I have an 80-year-old mother above and a three-year-old child below." The faces of the bear-like soldiers were exposed without a doubt.

  The Great Qing Empire actually expects this group of bear-like soldiers to defeat the Japanese!

  Zhou Xuanzhang let out a long sigh: "Going to the capital is no big deal, but, Master Cui, General Lu, we three people are not familiar with the place, and can't even speak Korean, let alone Yanghwajin, even the outskirts of the capital are unknown to us."

  Lu Wenjun said a few words to Choi Si-hyung, who burst out laughing and pulled out a black iron plaque from his bosom and handed it over to Zhou Xianzhang.

  Zhou Xuanzhang took it and looked at it. The iron plaque was not large, but it felt heavy in his hand. On the front side, a galloping horse was engraved, while on the back side, there was an arrowhead surrounded by thirteen symbols. The iron plaque was black and shiny.

  Lu Wenjun rushed to Zhou Xuanzhang and bowed his head, saying: "Mr. Zhou, this plaque is called Sui Tie, it was left by my Dongxue Jiao founder Cui Jiyu as a treasure of the sect, forged with tungsten iron, extremely hard. The thirteen characters on top are the thirteen-character mantra of my Dongxue Jiao! My fellow Dongxue Jiao members, seeing this plaque is like seeing our master!"

  Zhou Xuan Zhang was greatly surprised and hastily bowed his head, saying: "Xuan Zhang has no merit and does not dare to accept this heavy gift." This Cui Shi Heng actually gave him the treasure of the town's teachings as a gift, which is an unparalleled trust in Zhou Xuan Zhang!

  Lu Wenjun said in a serious tone: "My master has said that Mr. Kim Gu is the hero of our Korea, revered by all its people. If Mr. Zhou can retrieve Mr. Kim's remains and bury them within the mountains and rivers of our Korea, so that they do not fall into Japanese hands! My master will immediately step down, and Mr. Zhou will become the third leader of Donghak!"

  Zhou Xuan Zhang was shocked: "I am a subject of the Great Qing Empire, how dare I covet the position of the Pope!"