The Qing army's two sneak attack fleets had already been annihilated.
But the Qing forces conducting the frontal assault knew nothing about it.
On the sea before Pi Island's main harbor, banners waved wildly. War cries rose and fell. They made a show of launching a full scale attack, drums pounding, horns blaring, every movement exaggerated for intimidation.
Ajige did not personally participate in the naval clash. He remained on the nearby coast, observing from afar and issuing orders through messengers. The man leading the frontal charge was Ma Futa.
Ma Futa had long handled Qing interactions and conflicts with Joseon. For this invasion of Joseon territory, he was appointed vanguard general.
At this moment, he stood commanding fifty Joseon warships as they launched a fierce assault against Pi Island's main harbor.
Shen Shikui, Regional Commander of Dongjiang, had concentrated his primary forces there. The main harbor was effectively the strongest defensive point on the island.
"Fire!"
The Joseon warships possessed only a limited number of cannons, but their gunners were competent. With a thunderous roar, a cannonball slammed into the bluestone wall beneath Pi Island's battery.
Stone shattered. A massive chunk blew apart.
The gunners stationed there were thrown backward in fright. They scrambled up in panic, patting themselves down. Realizing they were not actually injured, they cursed under their breath and rushed to reload.
"Damn those Joseon dogs!"
Another gunner shook his head. "Now isn't the time to curse Joseon. Deal with the Manchu first. We'll talk later."
Under cover of Joseon turtle ships, dismounted Qing cavalry had already begun landing at the harbor.
The defenders hastily rotated their cannons and fired toward the beach.
Solid cannonballs were notoriously inefficient against scattered infantry. A single shot might kill a handful at best. The cost effectiveness was abysmal. Meanwhile, the Joseon ships continued pounding the battery relentlessly from the sea.
The defenders were caught between hammer and anvil. They endured bombardment from the water while trying to suppress the landing troops on shore.
They were stretched thin.
"Musketeers!"
"Archers!"
Shen Shikui roared.
Matchlock muskets and three eyed arquebuses were brought forward. A hail of gunfire erupted toward the Qing troops scrambling ashore.
But the Qing had fought the Ming for years. They were no strangers to firearms. In small skirmishes or ambushes, they might suffer from surprise. In large engagements, they came prepared.
Large shields were erected at the front. Thick and sturdy. Matchlock shots and three eyed arquebus blasts struck and splintered but failed to penetrate reliably. Arrows were even more useless.
Behind the shields, Qing soldiers advanced methodically. Once enough men reached the sand, they began forming proper battle formations under cover.
Shen Shikui's face darkened.
This was dangerous.
If the Qing vanguard established a stable foothold, the Han and Joseon auxiliary troops waiting behind would gain courage and follow. Once that happened, Pi Island could truly fall.
At that moment, Cao Wenzhao stepped forward.
"Let us hold this position for a while."
Shen Shikui's eyes lit up. "If the Guanning Iron Cavalry are taking action, then there is no problem."
The Guanning Iron Cavalry were hardened veterans against the Qing. When it came to fighting Manchu troops, they were experts.
Shen Shikui stepped aside eagerly. He intended to observe carefully and learn their methods.
Cao Wenzhao asked, "Bianjiao, are the new weapons bestowed by Dao Xuan Tianzun ready?"
Cao Bianjiao nodded. "Every man carries them."
"Good. Guanning Iron Cavalry, advance!"
Shen Shikui widened his eyes.
He had long heard of the Cao uncle and nephew. Renowned fierce generals. The type who personally wielded spears and charged at the front, names that shook the battlefield.
He expected to see heroic spear charges and brutal close combat.
Instead, Cao Bianjiao reached into his breastplate.
He pulled out a strange black cylindrical object with a wooden handle attached.
A small question mark slowly formed above Shen Shikui's head.
With his other hand, Cao Bianjiao produced a tinder stick.
The question mark inflated instantly, growing into a massive symbol of confusion.
Cao Bianjiao lit the fuse.
Sparks hissed.
Then he roared, "To hell with you all!"
He charged forward and hurled the object into the Qing formation.
Shen Shikui blurted, "What is this tactic? What in the world is he doing?"
The Qing soldiers were equally confused.
The dark object flew through the air, struck a soldier's helmet with a clang, then bounced down and landed at his feet.
The soldier rubbed his head. "No pain at all. I thought it would be something impressive…"
He never finished.
Boom!
He was blasted skyward.
Several nearby Qing soldiers were knocked flat by shrapnel.
Cao Bianjiao shouted happily, "Direct hit!"
At the same time, the rest of the Guanning Iron Cavalry were doing exactly the same thing. Tinder sticks in one hand. Black spheres in the other.
"To hell with you all!"
Some even laughed wildly as they threw.
"Hahaha! Finally our turn to use these ourselves! When I saw the militia playing with them, I was so jealous!"
"It's like throwing giant firecrackers!"
One soldier tossed his grenade and made an extremely rude gesture toward the Qing line. "Die, you scum."
A sky filled with black spheres arced toward the Qing formations on the beach.
Then the explosions began.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
One after another without pause.
The carefully assembled Qing formation shattered instantly. Men screamed. Shields flew apart. Sand erupted in clouds of smoke and flame.
Only after the bombardment did Cao Bianjiao finally draw his long spear.
"Charge!"
Two thousand five hundred Guanning Iron Cavalry roared as one.
They drew Kaiyuan bows. Matchlock muskets. Three eyed arquebuses. Long spears. Great sabers.
"Charge!"
This was the true Guanning Iron Cavalry method.
Firearms first. Kaiyuan bows releasing arrows. Three eyed arquebuses blasting at close range. Spear formations thrusting relentlessly. Then blades drawn to finish the work.
Shen Shikui muttered in shock, "This is the Guanning Iron Cavalry. I must have imagined that earlier part. They were never like that before. Definitely not."
The Qing forces that had just struggled ashore were driven back into the sea almost immediately.
Ma Futa watched in disbelief.
Everything had gone smoothly at first. They had landed. They had formed ranks. Another push and they would have secured the beachhead. The auxiliary troops would have followed.
But a single maneuver from the enemy had overturned everything.
"Aaoo! I refuse to accept this!" Ma Futa roared. "Charge again, you bastards!"
He drew his long spear and personally led the charge.
Beachhead landing battle, year 1637. Version 2.0.
Cao Bianjiao grinned. "Excellent timing."
He lowered his spear and rushed forward.
The two fierce generals met on the beach.
Their spears collided with two heavy thuds.
Both felt their wrists tremble from the impact.
At the same time, each thought silently.
I have met my equal.