All momentous events in Korea are believed to be foretold in some way. It is said that in this year 1589 a good man named Cho Hön went to the monastery at Kom-san and when rice was set before him said “Whoever eats with me will die next year, for the Japanese are coming with 200,000 men. Those here who do not eat with me will live.” Three only are said to have taken up the challenge and eaten with him.
In the third moon of the following year 1590 the king redeemed his promise by sending to Japan three envoys, Whang Yun-gil, Kim Sŭng-il and Ho Sŭng. They were accompanied by the Japanese envoy who had waited a year for them. Whang Yun-gil[Yun-gil] was chief of the Korean embassy, but he was a weak, timid man who hardly dared speak when a Japanese addressed him. The other members of the embassy realizing how[how] such action would bring Korea into contempt at the Japanese court, tried to stir him up and make him speak out fearlessly, but to no avail. After wasting a year at the Japanese court the embassy returned, accompanied by Tairano who was charged with an important mission to the king but the minute this embassy landed at Tong-ăn Whang Yun-gil the cowardly envoy sent a letter post haste to Seoul saying that war with Japan was certain. When they all arrived at Seoul the king called them into audience and questioned them about their experiences in Japan. His first question was “Did you see Hideyoshi? How did he look?” Whang replied “His eyes flashed fire. He is a fearsome man.” but Kim Sŭng il said “There is nothing fearsome about him. His eyes are like rats’ eyes.”
The important letter of which Tairano was the bearer was now handed to the King and it lay bare the mind of Hideyoshi. It read as follows:—
“Our country consists of sixty-six kingdoms. They all revolted from the Emperor but for four years I fought them and succeeded in bringing them all to their knees until even the remote islands lay mastered in my hand. When my mother conceived me it was by a beam of sunlight that entered her bosom in a dream. After my birth a fortune teller said that all the land the sun shone on would be mine when I became a man, and that my fame would spread beyond the four seas. I have never fought without conquering and when I strike I always win. Man cannot outlive his hundred years, so why should I sit chafing on this island? I will make a leap and land in China and lay my laws upon her. I shall go by way of Korea and if your soldiers will join me in this invasion you will have shown your neighborly spirit. I am determined that my name shall pervade the three kingdoms.”
At a feast given in honor of the Japanese embassy, Hyŭn So, the Japanese monk who seems to have accompanied Tairano to the Korean court, whispered to Whang Yun-gil and said, “The reason why Hideyoshi wants to attack China is because the Emperor refuses to receive a Japanese envoy. If Korea leaves us but a clear road to China we will ask nothing else. No troops need be given.” To this Whang replied. “That can never be. China is our Mother Country and we cannot so desert her as to give a road to an invading army.” The monk returned to the attack but this time from another standpoint. “Long ago the Mongol hordes desired to invade Japan and you gave them a road through Korea for that purpose. Now when we seek revenge you should do the same by us.” This was considered too preposterous a thing to be even discussed and the matter suddenly dropped and the Japanese envoys started straight back to their own country. It was this envoy Tairano who while on his way up from Fusan insulted the aged governor of Tă-gu by saying, “For ten years I have followed war and thus my beard is gray; why should you grow old?” Also calling for a Korean spear he said, “Your spears are too long,” meaning that only cowards use long spears. He it was also who threw the basket of oranges to the dancing girls and, when they scrambled for them, uttered his ironical criticism. “Your nation is doomed. You have no manners.”
When this embassy went back to Japan he carried an answer to Hideyoshi’s letter, in which the King said:—
“Two letters have already passed between us and the matter has been sufficiently discussed. What talk is this of our joining you against China? From the earliest times we have followed law and right. From within and from without all lands are subject to China. If you have desired to send your envoys to China how much more should we. When we have been fortunate China has rejoiced and when we have been unfortunate she has helped us. The relations which subsist between us are those of parent and child. This you well know. Can we desert both emperor and parent and join with you? You doubtless[doubtless] will be angry at this and it is because you have not been admitted to the court of China. Why is it that you are not willing to admit the suzerainty of the emperor instead of harboring such hostile intents against him? This truly passes our comprehension.”
The emperor hearing a rumor of a Korean Japanese alliance sent and enquired about it but the king replied through an envoy telling the facts of the case exactly as they had occurred. It was well understood in Korea that an invasion was all but inevitable and active preparations were going on all the year in view of this contingency. Three able men were sent as the governors of Kyŭng-sang, Chŭl-la and Ch‘ung-chŭng Provinces respectively, namely Kim Su, Yi Kwang, and Yun Sŭng-gak. They were so energetic in repairing fortresses and accumulating arms that the people complained loudly. Someone told the king that Yi Sun-sin, a man as yet unknown, had in him the making of the greatest general in the world, and for this reason the king made him admiral of all the naval forces of the kingdom.
Chapter V.
The army of invasion.... lands on Korean soil.... Japanese fire-arms.... fall of Fusan.... a cowardly provincial governor.... the fall of Tong-nă.... a faithful defender.... cowardly officers.... the Japanese move northward.... a martinet.... braver soldiers than leaders.... the news reaches Seoul.... the three roads guarded.... a comical predicament.... a good shot.... Cho-ryŭng (Pass) left undefended.... an army disbands for lack of leaders.... Gen. Yi Il’s fiasco.... Gen. Sil Yip wants to fight in the plain.... reconnoitering.... the Korean army in a trap.... overwhelming defeat.