Urgent Report: The Asan Grain Ships, Jo Ho-ik's Recruiting, and Keeping Hong Se-gong in Office馳。啓牙山糧船到泊緣由及發遣曹好益召募江東等處軍兵且請洪世恭勿遞調度使仍舊察任狀
臣旣爲祇受書狀後卽因忠淸道進上陪去人所言聞牙山倉白米一千二百石已泊于定州立巖地距定州三十里許若乘潮回泊于安州則一日可到臣方以安州以後糧餉接濟爲憂遠道許多糧船如期適到必是天賛國家中興之運不勝喜幸卽時發遣守門將康士雍及臣帶率軍官使之馳去令於明日內到泊于安州此船旣到安州則軍糧自爲可繼而順安縣亦有馬豆一千餘石人馬所需皆無匱乏之憂今大兵旣集賊勢宜蹙正須多發軍兵各處幷進以成掎角之勢臣路中逢義禁府都事曹好益自言前以。朝廷之命召募於江東等處而平壤失守之後人多渙散且無上司公文雖有願從者未易聚會臣卽爲文移曉諭江東成川等處守令人民使之具興應募以赴國家之急仍使曹好益更去招集若江東等地之兵又頗收集與三縣之兵東西夾持而分遺精卒抄擊中和往來之賊且與黃海道形勢相連則平壤之賊如籠中之鳥不難殲滅也臣卽聞調度使洪世恭以罪罷職云世恭固不無稽緩失誤之罪但今方在此察任遞易之後他人未及來到恐事益稽緩似當姑仍其任事定後論罪合於時宜敢此煩禀惶恐無地
After respectfully receiving the dispatch, your servant straightway heard, from a man carrying tribute goods of Chungcheong Province, that twelve hundred sacks of white rice from the Asan granary (牙山倉) had already come in to the ground at Ibam (立巖) in Jeongju (定州). It is a place some thirty ri from Jeongju, so that if it be brought round to Anju (安州) upon the tide it can arrive within a day. Your servant had just then been worrying over keeping up the provisions beyond Anju, and now these many grain ships from a far road have arrived in good season and just at the hour; surely Heaven has aided the state's fortune of restoration, and he cannot master his joy and his sense of good fortune. He at once sent Kang Saong (康士雍), a gate commander, and a military officer of his own suite to hasten there and have it brought round to Anju within tomorrow. Once these ships reach Anju the army grain can keep up of itself; and at Sunan district (順安縣) too there are a thousand odd sacks of fodder beans, so that there is no fear of falling short in anything needed for men or horses. Now that the great host is already gathered, the enemy's posture must shrink. Troops should be sent out in numbers at once, going forward together in place after place, so as to make a posture that locks front and rear and presses them close.
On the road your servant met Jo Hoik (曺好益), an officer of the State Tribunal. He said of himself that formerly, by the court's command, he had called troops together in Gangdong (江東) and those parts, but that since Pyeongyang was not held the men had scattered in great numbers, and that, having besides no dispatch from his superiors, he could not easily gather even those who wished to follow him. Your servant at once drew up a dispatch to persuade the magistrates and people of Gangdong, Seongcheon (成川) and those parts to rise all together, answer the levy, and hasten to the state's urgent need, and then had Jo Hoik go again and call them together. If the troops of Gangdong and those parts be gathered in good number as well, and together with the troops of the three districts flank the enemy east and west, and if picked soldiers be sent out in divisions to strike the enemy going to and fro at Junghwa (中和), and if moreover our posture link up with that of Hwanghae Province, then the enemy at Pyeongyang will be like a bird in a cage and will not be hard to destroy utterly.
Your servant has just heard that Hong Segong (洪世恭), the provisioning commissioner, has been dismissed for an offence. It is true that Hong Segong is not without the fault of delay and error. Only, he is at this moment holding and seeing to that charge here, and your servant fears that if, after his removal, another man should not arrive in time, the business will be delayed the more. It seems to suit the hour to leave him in that charge for now and to weigh his guilt after affairs are settled. He ventures to trouble Your Majesty thus, and is filled with awe.
Interlinear notes 1
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