42 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
troops at various strategic points and ordered his officers, including Yi
Taejung, U Sinch’ung, Yi Tŭkhwan, Yi Ch’ŏn’gi, Wŏn Yŏngsu, O Il, Sŏ Ŏn,
Chin Chunggi, Sŏ Kŭmgwang, Chu Wŏnŭi, Yun Sangjun, and An Sŭngjun,
to search out enemy soldiers. T’aejo, meanwhile, launched a direct assault.
The enemy invaders fought back with all their strength, and our soldiers
could not advance any further, so they returned to camp. T’aejo shouted to
his troops, “Hold the reins tight so that your horses will not slip and fall.”
A little later, he ordered a soldier to blow the conch shell to muster the
troops. When they were ready for battle, he had his soldiers crawl up the
cliff like ants until they reached the enemy camp. An enemy general suddenly
jumped out to attack T’aejo from behind, and T’aejo’s life was in danger.
His aide Yi Turan galloped his horse toward T’aejo, shouting aloud, “Sir,
watch out. Look around, please!” Seeing that T’aejo was still unaware of the
danger, Yi then shot and killed the attacker with his arrow.
T’aejo’s horse fell in the enemy attack, so he jumped on a new one, but it
was also shot, and he mounted yet another one. He was shot in his left leg
by an arrow, but he immediately pulled it out and continued to fight, urging
his troops on. His soldiers were completely unaware that their commander
T’aejo had been wounded by an arrow.
The enemy surrounded T’aejo thick and fast. T’aejo and a couple of cav-
alry troops broke through the enemy line, but his adversaries attacked him
in the front, blocking his way. T’aejo shot eight of them dead, and no one
else dared come forward to confront him.
Pointing to heaven, T’aejo made a pledge, while saying to those around
him, “I want anyone who is afraid to die to withdraw now because I intend
to die here while fighting the enemy.” Deeply moved by his words, his gen-
erals and soldiers redoubled their courage and fought to the death.
The enemy soldiers just stood and watched without moving, as if they
were planted in the ground like trees. At that moment, an enemy general
appeared who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old. He was very hand-
some and matchlessly courageous. He brandished his spear fiercely, riding
a white horse, and no one dared to challenge him. Our soldiers tripped over
one another to get out of his way, calling the enemy general Agibaldo.^105
Regretting that he had to kill such a brilliant and courageous warrior,
T’aejo ordered Turan to capture him alive. Turan said, “If you want to take- The combination of the Korean word for child and the Korean version of a Mongol
word for brave warrior and military leader or young general.