Chapter 1046: Strategy for Jeju

Though the Jeju Government Office was the grandest and finest building in all of Jeju City—indeed, on the entire island—it still looked shabby to the eye. Feng Zongze recalled his impression upon visiting the Yongfu Palace years ago: Does this even qualify as a government office?

The two men wandered through the compound, guided by a captured steward clerk.

The architectural style mimicked the Ming Dynasty in miniature, but the scale and grandeur fell far short. Never mind the Ming-Qing county yamens of Shanxi that many Senators had toured—even the government offices of several remote and impoverished counties on Hainan Island were grander than this.

"This Gwandeokjeong Pavilion was constructed by Jeju Magistrate Shin Suk-cheong during the reign of King Sejong," the clerk explained attentively, eager to please. "It was later rebuilt by Magistrate Yang Zan during the reign of King Seongjong." The deaths of the Magistrate and Judge had made him acutely aware of his own mortality; he took pains not to annoy this peculiar gang of Wokou.

The two men examined the Chinese-style pavilion together. Though called a "pavilion," it was actually a tiered hall. Before it lay a large parade ground paved with yellow sand—where the Magistrate and Judge had practiced martial arts. The archery targets from the officials' recent competition still stood.

"When was King Sejong's reign?" Nangong Wudi asked.

"I have no idea," Feng Zongze admitted. "But the Joseon Dynasty uses Ming Dynasty reign titles. Just ask and we'll know."

When questioned, the clerk replied that the Chinese reign title was Xuande—corresponding to 1426–1435. The building had stood for nearly two hundred years.

The calligraphy on the plaque was beautifully executed. The clerk explained that it was the hand of Prince Anpyeong, King Sejong's third son.

"Fine calligraphy. Quite rare." Feng Zongze meant it sincerely. Like most Senators, his own handwriting was essentially unpresentable beyond his signature. The clerk looked puzzled—in his view, Prince Anpyeong's calligraphy was certainly competent, but hardly exceptional.

Though the government office's layout was somewhat cramped, its buildings remained exquisite compared to the even shabbier civilian dwellings. Raised foundations elevated the structures above ground level. All were built with brick and tile. Floors were laid inside, equipped with ground stoves and ondol heated flooring. Walking through was quite warm. The drawback was the oppressively low ceilings—men of Nangong Wudi and Feng Zongze's height could nearly touch them by raising an arm.

"This really makes one feel boxed in," Nangong Wudi complained.

"Building small houses conserves heat..." Feng Zongze began.

"Beijing is colder, yet I've never seen the Emperor's palaces or government offices built so low and cramped. Isn't Jeju Island supposed to be subtropical?"

"Technically subtropical, but it still snows. Winter temperatures drop to freezing—comparable to Jiangnan. And we're in the Little Ice Age now." Feng Zongze, unlike Nangong Wudi who had picked up Korean through business dealings, had studied the language formally and gained some understanding of Korean history and culture. "The difference you're noticing is really a gap in national power."

"Never mind the houses—look at this furniture." Feng Zongze slapped the table. "Pine and elm. Don't compare it to Beijing; just stack it against the furniture in Hainan's county yamens and wealthy households."

"That's true. At least in Hainan, rosewood isn't considered rare."

"Actually, Joseon at the end of the Ming was quite miserable." Feng Zongze noted with satisfaction that the room selected as General Headquarters had been cleaned spotless and still smelled faintly of disinfectant. He dropped heavily into a chair and removed his velvet cap. "Frequent natural disasters during the Little Ice Age. Neither the Ming nor the Later Jin are gentle neighbors—both come here regularly to 'harvest grain.' The Dongjiang Command to the south constantly demands supplies; Later Jin forces from the west launch frequent raids. The Joseon Dynasty is exhausted from coping. That it managed to survive and continue for three hundred years is something of a miracle."

1631 was merely another bleak year in the Joseon Dynasty's half-century of misery during the late Ming–early Qing transition. Since spring, drought had persisted until July and August, affecting vast areas; the King had frequently performed rain prayers. After August came frost and rainstorms lasting until November, so severe that ministers petitioned to resign in order to appease heaven's wrath. In May, Later Jin forces had invaded Anju and other areas, not withdrawing until summer's end. Meanwhile, a riot had erupted in the Dongjiang Command entrenched along the Liaodong Peninsula–Korea border; Commander Huang Long was briefly imprisoned. The island command was desperately short of grain and constantly demanded supplies. The Joseon Dynasty, itself in dire straits, dared not refuse.

"Feeling benevolent, are we?" Nangong Wudi asked with mock displeasure.

"Of course. Seeing the people of Joseon living in such dire straits while the Senate's brilliance has yet to shine upon them pains me deeply," Feng Zongze replied with exaggerated solemnity.

"Fine—you, Little Sun, can illuminate Jeju Island." Nangong Wudi roared, "General Feng—Mansei!"

"Mansei, mansei." Feng Zongze echoed. "But first, let's inventory the spoils of Jeju Island."

Occupying the three cities had brought at least half of Jeju's population under their direct control.

According to historical data, interrogations of captured officials, and seized registers, the island's current population was approximately fifty thousand—even Joseon officials didn't know the precise figure. The registers, excluding soldiers, listed 63,093 people. But a captured Household Division clerk insisted this was impossible: since the reign of King Sejong, local inhabitants had been permitted to migrate to the Korean mainland during famine years. For many years, population had been steadily draining away. Though exiles partially replenished numbers, Jeju Island had remained chronically short of food, and flight was common. The actual population was likely around fifty thousand.

More than half this population concentrated in and around Jeju City—which was precisely why Feng Zongze had established headquarters here. Additionally, Jeju City itself was the transportation hub for entering and leaving the island, directly facing the Korean mainland.

Nine frequently used harbors with reasonably good conditions dotted Jeju Island—exactly the locations of the Nine Garrisons. Besides Jeju itself, the port with the heaviest traffic to the Korean mainland was Jocheon-po, east of Jeju City. Official relay stations and vessels were based there, handling government exchanges between the mainland and the island. Consequently, while taking Jeju, Xue Ziliang had already been ordered to secure Jocheon-po and commandeer the local large ships and boatmen.

"We should immediately occupy all the garrisons and control every port," Nangong Wudi urged.

"It doesn't matter. With our few men, completely blockading the whole island is impossible anyway," Feng Zongze said. "Generally, poor people won't run. Even if the rich run, what can they take?"

Complete port control was meaningless. The strait between Jeju Island and the Korean mainland spanned only a few dozen kilometers. With the aid of the Kuroshio Current, anyone determined to escape could reach Korean shores clinging to a bathtub. Besides, fleeing for one's life required only valuables and some dried provisions—a small boat would suffice.

The Special Task Force's maritime resources were limited; they could only blockade the larger ports. Moreover, Jeju Island had many rivers, impossible to monitor entirely. Wealthy families could easily escape by taking small boats down these waterways if properly prepared.

But even if the rich fled, the impact would be minimal. Jeju's wealth consisted primarily of the island's cattle and horses, and transporting livestock required large ships. Except for a handful of official vessels, Jeju Island had virtually no large ships. Fleeing rich men would certainly not burden themselves with cumbersome livestock—only portable valuables. From the Senate's perspective, the more wealthy people who ran, the better: the cattle, horses, and real estate they left behind would become legitimate spoils of war.

"If we don't have enough men, we need to raise a massive force. Collaborators must be readily available!" Nangong Wudi declared. The performance of the Public Security Army's Japanese Company had satisfied him greatly, kindling a sudden appreciation for the term "Public Security Army." "With so many official slaves on this island, surely they can't all be loyal to the Joseon Dynasty? Getting a few puppet—no, Public Security Army companies shouldn't be a problem."

"Exactly. We should start immediately—nationalist sentiment isn't strong in this era. Completely usable." Feng Zongze nodded. Their numbers were limited; whether regular army or Public Security Army, they needed to preserve mobile forces. Deploying occupation troops everywhere was beyond their capability.

They calculated that each city should arm at least one Public Security Army company equipped with cold weapons. Weapons weren't difficult to source: whether confiscated Joseon military equipment or stocks from government armories, selecting three to five hundred serviceable pieces was achievable.

As for manpower—they would start with official slaves. Jeju City and its surroundings alone held seven or eight thousand bondservants suffering from hunger and cold. Selecting three hundred with "great suffering and deep grievance" would certainly pose no difficulty.

"We should do what we did in Hainan back then," Nangong Wudi suggested. "Establish a liaison system first, ordering various rural villages to pay tribute and provide labor, thereby gradually cutting into the grassroots level."

"Good. But our first priority remains consolidating the cities."

After detailed discussion, they decided to dispatch one platoon and one work team each to Daejeong and Jeongui as the core of their occupation forces. The Seongsan base would be controlled by the Navy. The main body of remaining troops, including labor squadrons, would be concentrated in Jeju City. After all, this was where the richest spoils lay, demanding focused attention.

The first step was to survey the city's housing. Jeju City's circumference of 3,910 paces made it more than double the size of Qiongshan County Seat, the prefectural capital in Hainan. Beyond ordinary residential streets and shops, a substantial portion consisted of "official housing."

The quality of these official houses varied widely; many had been built to shelter official slaves exiled to the island. Because the slave population was transient—some built their own homes after years on the island, others were reassigned elsewhere for farming and herding—many structures stood vacant. The housing for official slaves was crude, but at least offered shelter from wind and rain. They would serve perfectly well for accommodating Shandong refugees.

The drawback was poor sanitary conditions: skin diseases and parasites ran rampant, requiring rigorous disinfection.

However, abundant vacant lots within the city would facilitate construction of temporary camps. Water sources proved fairly plentiful—adequate to supply purification systems and daily needs for refugee camps. And though Jeju's city wall was tragically inadequate as fortification, it remained a wall, enabling effective control over refugees and preventing them from escaping or wandering freely.

(End of Chapter)