Report That Assistant Commander Wang Would Send Men to Scout the Enemy South of the Han馳。啓王參將欲送探漢南賊勢狀
昨日王參將貽書於臣欲遣南兵三十人從海路往探漢江以南之賊蓋綠忠淸道義兵將李山謙來到開城於路上見唐人言先擊南路之賊則京城之寇自潰唐人入告參將參將卽招山謙問計貽書於臣臣答書極賛其計之妙又定軍官率軍人十名護送唐將與山謙偕行此計若行則京中之賊根本斷絕勢必難久大軍從後皷進而諸軍四面蹴之則必能全勝極爲喜幸王書及臣答書謄書上送近觀。天將所爲只因南軍北軍未能和協大功遷延實在於此伏聞宋經略已到平壤云如蒙經略肯諾則實爲今日恢復之第一䇿近日各處軍兵頗有奮勵勦賊之效而只以糧食不繼未能有爲如。天兵不時前進則以此軍糧除出餉士以收一戰之效勢不得不爾
Yesterday Assistant Commander Wang (王參將) sent a letter to your servant, meaning to send thirty men of the southern troops by the sea road to scout the enemy south of the Han River. This came about because Yi Sangyeom (李山謙), a commander of the righteous troops of Chungcheong Province, came to Gaeseong and on the road saw a Ming man and said, "If the enemy of the southern road be struck first, the enemy at the capital will crumble of themselves"; and when the Ming man went in and reported it to the Assistant Commander, the Assistant Commander at once called Yi Sangyeom and asked him of the design, and sent the letter to your servant.
In his letter of reply your servant praised the excellence of the design greatly, and appointed an officer besides to lead ten soldiers and escort the Ming men and go together with Yi Sangyeom. If this design be carried out, the root of the enemy at the capital will be cut and the shape of things will surely be hard for them to maintain long; and if the great army beat the drum and advance from behind and the several forces drive in upon them from four sides, the victory will surely be entire. This is a great joy. Assistant Commander Wang's letter and your servant's letter in reply are copied and sent up.
Looking at what the Ming generals do of late, it is only because the troops of the south and the troops of the north cannot agree together that the great merit is put off; it lies truly in this. Prostrate, your servant hears that Superintendent Song (宋經略) has already reached Pyongyang; and if the Superintendent be willing to allow it, this would truly be the first design for restoring the state today.
Of late the troops in every place have risen up in spirit somewhat and have fruit to show in crushing the enemy, but only because the food is not kept up is the business not accomplished. If the Ming troops do not advance in time, then this army grain must be taken out and the troops fed and the fruit of one battle gathered; the shape of things cannot but be so.
Interlinear notes 1
同日
The same day