King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 575: Controlling Yan and Liao soldiers and horses
"Meet the Crown Prince!"

Signaling the imperial doctor to stand up, Li Xuan stepped forward and asked, "How is your father?"

"I would like to inform you that Your Highness is still sleeping. I'm afraid...it's difficult to get up to greet the envoy!"

The imperial doctor knew Li Xuan's intention, so he made a direct conclusion, leaving Yu Hai and the two of them speechless.

"Since your Highness can't get up, I can go to his bed and tell him. In this way, I can complete His Highness Prince Xiang's instructions!"

"What do you think?"

To be honest, it was very rude for Yu Hai to speak like this. Even Chen Taimin thought he was going too far, but no one at the scene spoke out against it.

"Your Majesty, please!" Li Xuan suppressed his anger and said with a smile.

His ability to endure humiliation and bear the burden was beyond the expectations of most officials at the scene, and also made these people think highly of him.

Under the guidance of Li Xuan, Yu Hai and the two entered the Kangning Hall. The strong smell of soup and medicine made people very uncomfortable.

To put it simply, Li Shuo is suspected of pretending to be ill, but he has been pretending to be sick for several years.

Although Li Shuo looked haggard, Chen Yuntai felt that this person was not as serious as he said based on his own experience.

Of course, he was not pretending to show off to Yu Hai, but was using this method to hide behind the scenes so that he could do what he wanted to do.

Of course Li Xuan didn't want to go, but now that his ministers had reached an agreement, even he couldn't veto it at will.

The second is to weaken the popularity of Confucius and Mencius and suppress the monopoly of scholar-officials in academic and public opinion.

As the Ming Dynasty grew stronger, the power of the Korean scholar-officials also continued to develop. They relied on their right to interpret the teachings of Confucius and Mencius to constantly eclipse the power of the Korean royal family.

"I will return early the day after tomorrow. How you will deal with this matter will be explained to me tomorrow... Now, we can arrange for us to rest!" Yu Hai said in a deep voice.

The ministers discussed it. Although they belonged to different camps, they all came to a relatively unanimous opinion at this moment, which was to let Li Xuan go to Liaodong for the banquet on behalf of his father.

Combining decades of experience and repeated careful analysis, Li Shuo finally realized the problem.

"This matter is important, so you should consider it carefully!" Li Xuan said in a deep voice.

Before Li Hui could finish his words, Yu Hai interjected: "Your Majesty...His Royal Highness King Xiang invites you kindly. If I just bring you a few words back, I'm afraid I won't be able to do business!"

A person who has been lying in bed and comatose looks much worse than this...

Today is July 23rd, and there are still about twenty days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, so there is not enough time.

Li Xuan turned back to look at one person and said, "Pu Yanshu, please arrange the envoy and his party properly!"

"Your Majesty... At this time of year, Your Highness Prince Xiang is still thinking of my father. We are truly grateful!"

"What did they say?" Li Shuo asked calmly, his voice a little hoarse.

Compared with normal people, Li Shuo's complexion is indeed not that good, but Chen Yuntai guessed correctly that this condition is not as serious as the medical officer said.

I don't know how long it took, but a eunuch came to tell him that the king had just woken up, so Li Xuan rushed over immediately.

Li Xuan thought it was something fatal, but after hearing this, he felt relieved.

Li Xuan had something in his mind, so he could only nod his head and reply: "Thank you, sir, for reminding me!"

So in recent years, he decided to solve the problem from the root.

When he entered the palace, his father Li Shuo was already sitting by the bed, drinking porridge under the waiters of the ministers. There were various pickles on the small table in front of him.

As a result, Yu Hai followed the judge Pu and left, leaving only Li Xuan and a group of ministers in the palace.

Don't make the same mistake again and again, this is interesting...

Although he was muttering in his heart, Chen Yuntai did not find any more trouble. After all, they had gone too far now.

"However, my father is seriously ill and I am afraid that it will be difficult for him to leave to see King Xiang. I would also like to ask the envoy to go back and bring a message..."

In the past few years, Li Xuan has begun to develop local writing, etiquette, laws, and systems... In fact, he was instructed by Li Shuo, and his ultimate goal was to centralize power.

"Everyone... my father needs to rest, let's go out to discuss matters!" Li Xuan suggested.

"I understand!"

Then he dismissed everyone and sat alone in the side hall.

Yu Hai and Chen Yuntai stood and carefully observed Li Shuo's situation on the bed.

Of course, this was not what Li Shuo expected. He just heard him say: "I am seriously ill and I can't go to Liaodong. You might as well go on my behalf!"

The senior North Korean officials present suddenly thought of something, so they all looked at Li Xuan.

The first is to weaken the connection with the Ming Dynasty, especially in the government and the public, there should be less mention of the Ming Dynasty laws and other things, so as to enhance the authority of the local monarch.

"By the order of His Royal Highness King Xiang, I invite the leader of North Korea to go to Liaodong for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet!"

So everyone followed him out of the main hall, and soon they came to the side hall, where the place became even more cramped.

"Your Majesty... you have to think carefully about how to deal with it. Don't make the same mistake again and again!"

"Father..." Li Xuan knelt down directly in front of his father.

Li Shuo has always wanted to change this, but despite decades of struggle and defeating countless people, the situation has not changed at all.

"Replying to my father, the ministers have discussed asking my son to go to Liaodong instead of you!"

Soon they came to Li Shuo's bed, and everyone, including Li Xuan, kowtowed to the old man lying on the bed.

Even Li Shuo said this, and Li Hui could only nod in agreement.

"We have been too hasty. The matter may have been known to the court. When we go to Liaodong, King Xiang will definitely ask about it. You must think clearly about how to reply!"

"Father, please give me some advice!" Li Xuan asked quickly.

"As long as you refuse to admit it, the imperial court is at war with the Rakshasa Kingdom of Junggar and cannot spare any effort to deal with us..."

"As long as they don't start a war, we can continue to do whatever we need to do, and just be soft-spoken so that they can live with their lives!"

Li Shuo has a firm attitude, which shows that all the major events that have happened in North Korea in recent years have been carried out according to his will.

In fact, regardless of this point, just because Li Shuo still firmly controls the army, we can know that he is the master of North Korea.

"Yes!" Li Xuan replied.

"Son, please send someone to give a reply to King Xiang's people!"

"There's no rush... It won't be too late to talk at noon tomorrow. You have to make people feel that we are really discussing over and over again!"

"Yes!"

After answering, Li Xuan exited the hall, while Li Shuo continued to eat.

On the other hand, the news that the Ming envoy reprimanded the crown prince has spread among the powerful people in Seoul.

Mingchuan Lord Li Hui, who had just returned from hunting outside, learned the news from his servants. Of course, he was extremely happy about this.

Although he and Li Xuan were brothers, their relationship with each other was not very good. He was extremely happy to see his "enemy" suffer.

"You're about to smile. Are you afraid that others won't know you're happy?"

As soon as Li Hui entered the inner house, he was scolded by a voice. When he looked up, he saw that it was his wife Cui.

Yes, Cui is Cui Xiuqing, and they have been married for two months.

Li Hui has always respected his beautiful and knowledgeable wife, so he was not annoyed by being lectured at this time.

"Madam... you can't smile when something good happens?" "Who are you laughing at? Should you laugh?" Cui Xiuqing asked.

The person he was laughing at was Li Xuan, the crown prince of North Korea...

Thinking of Li Xuan's unyielding character, Li Hui suddenly stopped laughing.

"Come in... I have something to tell you!" Cui Xiuqing waved.

So Li Hui followed her into the room and found that there was no one inside.

"I think you already know what happened in the palace today?" Cui Xiuqing asked.

"Know!"

"This is your chance!"

"Opportunity?" Li Xuan tried hard to think.

"Li Xuan has made Prince Xiang dissatisfied. I don't think he can last long in this position... You should have made plans early!"

Li Hui did have the intention of seizing the heir. When Cui Xiuqing reminded him, he immediately understood his wife's intention.

"Everything you said is right... I should have made plans in advance!" Li Hui said solemnly.

So Cui Xiuqing reminded: "Bring your gifts, you might as well go to the official residence first and meet Eunuch Yu!"

"If I go to see them now, I'm afraid it will cause public outrage!" Li Hui was still a little worried.

"Since you are a coward, you shouldn't get involved in these things!"

This was Cui Xiuqing's method of provoking generals, and the effect was quite good. Li Hui agreed to visit Yu Hai and the others.

"Prince Xiang is decisive and consistent in his actions. As long as you please him...your hope will come!"

"Ok!"

So Li Hui, who had just returned home, set off with a group of people again, and their destination was the resting place of Yu Hai and others.

Yu Hai recognized Li Hui, and the two started talking when they met. During the process, Li Hui kept his posture very low, which made Yu Hai feel that this person was worthy of development.

The crown prince of Joseon, Li Xuan, has no discipline, so it seems good to replace him with this one... Yu Hai thought.

By the end of the conversation, Li Hui had not forgotten to give him something, which was the gold dug out of his fief.

After watching Li Hui leave and looking at the golden gold in front of him, Yu Hai felt more and more that this person was on the right track.

"For such a smart man, I will report it to the prince and find a good result for him!" Yu Hai said secretly.

Although Li Hui acted covertly, he could not escape Li Xuan's eyes. He directly sent people to monitor the official residence.

"This fourth child...he actually went to curry favor with a eunuch. He is a traitor to the country!" Li Xuan cursed loudly.

It can be seen that he still doesn't know that his brother not only wants to curry favor with the eunuch, but also wants to squeeze him out of the position of heir apparent.

"Is Di Xia really going to Liaodong?" The imperial concubine appeared at the right time. Her name was Jin Youyan.

Li Xuan was successfully diverted and heard him say: "Then King Xiang has directly threatened me. If my father doesn't go, if I don't go, I'm afraid I will really anger him!"

Jin Youyan stepped forward and said: "So what if I anger him? We are vassals of the imperial court, not the slaves of King Xiang!"

It can be seen that not everyone has natural political insight and can see the matter itself very thoroughly.

"King Xiang Zhu Jinghong, the son of the current queen, a figure like the Ming God of War, if you offend him... you will be in big trouble!"

"Forget it... I can't explain it to you!" Li Xuan said helplessly.

Time soon came to the next day. The second brother Yu Hai in the official residence was still waiting for news. At this time, they were also a little panicked.

But Yu Hai finally calmed down, and at noon finally a North Korean official came to pay his respects and informed him that his son would go to Liaodong on behalf of his father.

Yu Hai could accept this result. He gave the messenger a few words and then went back to his room to catch up on his sleep.

Yu Hai's spirit has not been very good in the past two days, mainly because he can't stand the food and drink here. This alone makes him very uncomfortable.

Soon one day passed, and Yu Hai and his party embarked on the return journey. In addition to sending them to the north gate of Seoul, Li Xuan also sent additional sergeants to escort them.

In addition to these arrangements, he also prepared gifts for Chen Yuntai and Yu Hai, which can be said to have brought his emotional intelligence to the extreme.

If they were not prejudiced, both Yu Hai and Yu Hai would be "impressed" and praise the Crown Prince of Joseon as a virtuous master.

While Yu Hai was rushing back outside, Zhu Jinghong's second memorial was also delivered to the capital. At this time, the emperor was playing chess in the palace.

This second memorial was written the day before Yu Hai and his party set out, also using the 800-mile expedited passage.

"Whose chapter is it?" Yang Qingyin asked while holding the chess piece.

While opening the memorial, Zhu Xianming replied: "It belongs to that boy, Old Thirteen!"

At this time, Zhu Xianming was already reading, and the content of the memorial was Zhu Jinghong's detailed plan.

A few minutes later, Zhu Xianming read the full text and then closed the memorial with a "snap".

"What happened to him?" Yang Qingyin raised her head and asked.

Taking the memorial and handing it to the queen, Zhu Xianming said angrily: "This guy is almost like a beggar. He wrote such a long article... and he wants power from me again!"

"Want power?"

"He is very generous. As soon as he opens his mouth, he will mobilize the two divisions of Yanshan and Liaodong, as well as the Andong Xingdu Division and the Liaodong Navy!"

Hearing this, even Yang Qingyin was shocked, and then asked: "He wants to destroy North Korea?"

"This is not... he said that he would use military force to coerce North Korea and achieve subjugation without fighting!" Zhu Xianming replied, stroking his beard.

At this moment, his eyes were deep and he was obviously thinking about the feasibility of this matter.

In the memorial, Zhu Jinghong has analyzed the situation very clearly, and every point is well-founded and reasonable.

"What did you say?" Yang Qingyin asked again.

Zhu Jinghong had the final say in the military power given to these four capitals throughout the north. This matter was not unimportant.

"Bring me a pen!"

Normally, a memorial should be delivered to the cabinet first, and then sent to the Supervisor of Ceremonies after the vote is drafted, and then...

However, Zhu Jinghong's memorials were always sent directly to the emperor. No matter whether the emperor was in prison or in the palace, his affairs would be approved as soon as possible.

The ink pen was handed to the emperor, and he wrote a few words with the pen, then handed the pen to the eunuch aside, and then said: "Send it to the Chief of Ceremonies for the seal, and to the Sixth Section for signature!"

Cheng Ying took the memorial and saw that the content of the imperial approval was: "King Zhunxiang controls the troops and horses of Yan and Liao and the capital of Andong!"

Seeing this sentence, Cheng Ying was also shocked, secretly sighing that the emperor was too hasty and gave out such power so casually.

However, Cheng Ying was just a eunuch, not to mention that even Lu Tong, the chief official of the eunuch of ceremonies, did not dare to comment casually on the emperor's imperial approval.

"This slave accepts the order!"

After Cheng Ying left, Yang Qingyin couldn't help but ask: "You gave it!"

"This kid has been boasting a lot, saying that he can solve problems without using weapons. How can I still be reluctant to agree?"

The emperor said it easily, but Yang Qingyin couldn't laugh. At this time, she realized that something was wrong.

"Are you... having too much faith in Lao Shisan?" Yang Qingyin couldn't help but remind him.

(End of this chapter)