- Warning Eastern Learning Troops of Their Demise
- 1 In October of that year, Jeung-san went to Dohng-gohl Village in Tae-in and visited the local Eastern Learning leader, Bahk Yoon-guh.
- 2 Ahn Pil-sung and an Eastern Learning follower named Chey Du-hyun, who were both from the same village, were at Yoon-guh’s house listening to his teaching.
- 3 Jeung-san sat on the porch, introduced Himself to Yoon-guh, and said,
- 4 “I have come here today to tell you the fate of the Eastern Learning Army. Last April, the Eastern Learning troops gained a major victory at Hwahng-toh Hill, but this winter, they will be completely defeated. I came here, to the Eastern Learning Army’s place of origin, to dissuade you. I implore you to stop dragging innocent farmers into this war.”
- 5 Deeply affected by these words, Yoon-guh quit his post and did not take any further part in the war, but Du-hyun took Yoon-guh’s place and led the troops into battle.
- 6 The Eastern Learning commanders marched their troops out of the various districts. They shook the fifty-three districts of Jul-la Province and the rest of the country.
- 7 The troops that left from Sahm-nyeh marched toward Eun-jin and Nohn-sahn in order to position themselves for the attack on Gohng-ju County.
- 8 News of the Eastern Learning Army’s movement toward Seoul spread throughout the nation.
- 9 Ahn Pil-sung received the order to join the troops in Nahm-wun County. Passing through Jung-ja Village in Jeonju County on his way to Nahm-wun, he unexpectedly met Gahng Jeung-san.
- 10 Because Pil-sung had met Him once before in Tae-in, he recognized Him immediately. Pil-sung greeted Him and asked, “What brings You here?”
“I knew you would come this way. Let us walk together.”
- 11 After walking about ten lee, they reached Im-shil County, where they stopped at an inn. The place was crowded, and everyone was talking about the Eastern Learning troops and about the Japanese army’s raid on the royal palace.
- 12 Jeung-san ordered something to drink and then said to Pil-sung, “It’s a cold day. You had better rest here and wait. In this town, you’ll find the person you expected to meet in Nahm-wun.”
- 13 “I’m all out of travel money,” Pil-sung replied. “If I don’t meet him here, I’ll be in some difficulty.”
“Trust Me and don’t worry about how you’ll eat.”
- 14 About two hours later, the ground trembled with the sound of marching soldiers and horses. It grew louder as the troops approached.
- 15 Both Jeung-san and Pil-sung went outside and saw thousands of Eastern Learning soldiers. The troops fired cannons and held up their spears. They carried banners of five colors that said, “Uphold the nation to comfort the people,” and “Expel the Westerners. Expel the Japanese.” The wide-open field was flooded with a wave of Eastern Learning troops.
- 16 From among the ranks, Chey Du-hyun, the one Pil-sung intended to meet, spotted Pil-sung and approached him to say, “I have received new orders. We are to assemble in Jeonju instead of Nahm-wun.”
- 17 The main camp of the Eastern Learning Army was positioned in Nohn-sahn County, and the government troops were marching south after victories in Choong-ju and Gwey-sahn counties. General Gim Gae-nahm was marching his ten thousand men to Jeonju to assemble with the other troops. He intended to stop the advance of the government army by attacking them in Cheongju County.
- 18 It was under these circumstances that Jeung-san and Pil-sung met Du-hyun.
- 19 Accompanied by Pil-sung, Jeung-san followed the marching army from far behind. Arriving in Su-tohng-mohk Village, He said, “Today, there will be bloodshed in Jeonju. We should sleep here tonight and go there tomorrow.” The glorious sight of the marching Eastern Learning troops made Pil-sung more eager to take part.
- (JSD Dojeon 1,23)
