Emperor Ming's grandson

Chapter 294 Lee Seong-gye commits suicide

Nan Xi walked out of the tent. It was already late at night, and the wind was cold and biting. It seemed that even the air was filled with haze.

He felt mixed emotions, worried about the future of Goryeo and concerned about the ups and downs of his own destiny.

Nam Tun was the son of Nam Eul-ban, the acting minister of the imperial court. He was cunning and courageous since childhood. When the Japanese pirates invaded Samcheok, the city of Samcheok was difficult to defend. Nam Tun volunteered to defend the city. When Nam Tun arrived in Samcheok, he was attacked by the Japanese pirates. He opened the city gate and led more than ten cavalrymen to defeat the Japanese pirates. When Wang U heard about it, he summoned him back to Kaesong and appointed him as Si Pu Zheng.

Therefore, this person dared to come to the Ming army camp to negotiate under such circumstances. He was really bold since he was a child.

But no matter how brave you are, you have to consider your retreat at this time.

After all, Nam Tran was Lee Seong-gye's most trusted confidant, and he was deeply involved in both the return of the army from Wihwa Island and the usurpation of the throne. Now he is the counselor of Goryeo's Ministry of Palace Affairs, the judge of Sangseo Temple, and the governor of the Right Army.

It can be said that the next step up is the prime minister level.

Being in his position, it would be difficult even if he wanted to be safe.

Lee Seong-gye's group is about to be destroyed. Do I have to follow Lee Seong-gye and be buried with him?
Nam Thong was not ignorant of military affairs. Lee Seong-gye asked him to come for peace talks, and he also wanted Nam Thong to see the situation of the Ming army.

But Nan Ting was truly desperate along the way.

The Ming army was not at all arrogant after the great victory, nor did they advance rashly. Instead, they calmly conquered counties, appeased the people, and organized spring ploughing. They truly did the work of a "royal army."

How to turn the tables? What can we use to turn the tables?
Nan Tun thought for a long time, his body was frozen, and finally he stomped his feet.

"Oh! Don't blame me."

He turned and walked towards Zhu Xiongying's tent.

Upon learning that the Goryeo envoy had returned, Zhu Xiongying, who was preparing to go to bed, frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then signaled the guards to let Nan Tun enter the tent again.

Inside the tent, the flickering candlelight stretched the two people's shadows, and the atmosphere became subtle for a moment.

Nan Ting took a deep breath, bowed, and said in a sincere and resolute tone: "Your Highness, I am not here just for the peace talks, but to tell you something important that concerns the future of Goryeo and your great ambitions."

Zhu Xiongying looked at the seemingly capricious Goryeo envoy with a sharp gaze. Although he had doubts in his heart, he did not ask any questions. Instead, he said, "Oh? What's the matter, envoy? You can tell me."

Nan Ting raised his head, met Zhu Xiongying's eyes firmly, and said slowly: "Your Highness, although Yi Seong-gye is the king of Goryeo, he is cruel and inhumane, and has lost the support of the people. I know that Ming Dynasty is a benevolent and righteous army, and I follow the will of heaven. Therefore, I am willing to surrender to Ming Dynasty and serve as your pioneer to help Ming Dynasty pacify Goryeo as soon as possible."

As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell in the tent, and even the candle flame seemed to burn a little more fiercely.

Zhu Xiongying raised his eyebrows slightly, with a hint of amusement in his eyes: "Does the messenger really mean what he said?"

Nan Ting knelt down and kowtowed heavily, saying in a firm voice: "Every word I say is from the bottom of my heart."

Zhu Xiongying stood up and slowly walked to Nan Ting, his eyes as deep as a pond: "Nan Ting, although your action is a righteous one, the Ming Dynasty always pays attention to the legitimate reasons. Since you are willing to surrender, do you have any evidence to prove your sincerity?"

Nan Ting was well prepared and said through gritted teeth: "The regime of Lee Seong-gye is already shaky. I am willing to be an insider and present the defense map of Kaesong to Your Highness. I will also secretly contact the founding heroes and old nobles who are dissatisfied with Lee Seong-gye to welcome the royal army of the Ming Dynasty together."

After Nan Ting finished speaking, he asked for paper and pen.

Zhu Xiongying did not refuse and asked him to draw a defense map.

Zhu Xiongying took the defense map and quickly glanced through it, with a glimmer of approval in his eyes: "You are indeed courageous and wise. If what you said is true, the Ming Dynasty will certainly not treat loyal people unfairly."

Nan Ting felt relieved and continued, "I would like to contact several key figures. They are all important officials in Lee Seong-gye's regime. They have been dissatisfied with the status quo for a long time. When the time is right, they will turn against the regime."

Zhu Xiongying smiled and patted Nan Ting on the shoulder: "Your choice is wise. When the Ming Dynasty pacifies Goryeo and the new king takes the throne, you will be one of the founding heroes of the new dynasty, and you will be rich and glorious."

Nan Ting was filled with gratitude and kowtowed again to express his gratitude: "Thank you very much, Your Highness, for your kindness. I will definitely sacrifice my life to repay Your Highness for your kindness."

Late at night, Nan Tun left the tent with a little uneasiness about the future.

He knew very well that he had embarked on a road of no return, but on this road, perhaps he could find what he truly desired.

Zhu Xiongying stood at the door of the tent and watched the other party leave.

Now that the situation has changed, Nan Tun's surrender is just the beginning, and the changes in Goryeo have just begun. He must make careful arrangements here to ensure that every step is steady and solid, and ultimately achieve Ming Dynasty's complete control over Goryeo.

Only in this way can we lay a solid foundation for the next step of conquering Japan.

After thinking about it, Zhu Xiongying took the defense map and went to find Lan Yu.

Zhu Xiongying walked steadily towards Lan Yu's tent under the moonlight. Lan Yu was not asleep either. His tent was brightly lit and a feng shui map covered the entire long table. Several generals sat around it, discussing the progress of the battle in a low voice. Zhu Xiongying gently lifted the curtain and walked into the tent. Everyone's eyes instantly focused on him.

"Your Highness." The generals signaled to Zhu Xiongying.

"Coach, I have something urgent to discuss with you."

Lan Yu nodded and asked the generals to leave first. Zhu Xiongying handed the defense map in his hand to Lan Yu: "Just now, the Korean counselor of the Ministry of Personnel, Nan Ting, came to surrender and presented this defense map of Kaijing."

Lan Yu took the defense map, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, then he unfolded it carefully and examined it carefully.

After a moment, he looked up at Zhu Xiongying, his eyes full of praise: "This map is very detailed. It seems that Nan Ting has really made up his mind. This is an opportunity for us."

Zhu Xiongying nodded and continued, "Not only that, Nan Ting also expressed his willingness to act as an insider and secretly contact the dissatisfied elements within the Lee Seong-gye regime to welcome our army together. This will be of great benefit to our next action."

Lan Yu pondered for a moment, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, as if weighing the pros and cons: "Although Nan Ting's move shows sincerity, it is difficult to predict the human heart. Is it Zhou Yu's self-torture trick to beat Huang Gai? We still need to act with caution. However, if we can take this opportunity to capture Kaesong in one fell swoop and completely end Lee Seong-gye's rule, it would be a brilliant move."

"That's right." Zhu Xiongying took over the conversation, "However, our goal is not only to pacify Goryeo, but also to lay a solid foundation for the future war against Japan. Therefore, we also need to have a long-term plan for the governance of Goryeo."

"So, in your opinion, how should we plan?" Lan Yu asked.

After the war, the internal affairs will certainly be left to the Koreans to handle, but some things may be better planned in advance.

Zhu Xiongying said without hesitation: "First, we must establish the absolute authority of the Ming Dynasty in Goryeo. Secondly, we must select virtuous people to govern the local area, ensure the stability of people's livelihood, and resume production as soon as possible, so as not to add burdens to us. If refugees are everywhere, it will be even more troublesome. Finally, and most importantly, we must promote Confucian culture in Goryeo, and through education and guidance, gradually integrate Goryeo culture into China and fundamentally achieve cultural assimilation."

After hearing this, Lan Yu's eyes flashed with deep thought, and he nodded slowly, saying, "This is a very far-reaching consideration. Indeed, military victory alone is not enough to consolidate the Ming Dynasty's position in Goryeo. Cultural penetration and recognition are the basis for long-term stability."

He turned around, glanced at the map on the table, and continued, "Regarding the establishment of authority, we can transform its original bureaucratic system after occupying Kaifeng and make it obey the interests of the Ming Dynasty. For those who are disloyal and unjust, we should severely punish them to serve as a warning to others."

"Select talented people." Zhu Xiongying took over the conversation, "We can also reform Goryeo's imperial examination system, emulating the Central Plains, so that Goryeo's lower-level scholars also have the opportunity to pass the examination and enter the bureaucracy. The examination content should be consistent with that of the Ming Dynasty. This way, we can select talents and promote cultural integration."

Lan Yu nodded in agreement: "The military also needs to be reorganized. When we invade Japan in the future, it would be best if the Goryeo army could contribute, just like when Kublai Khan invaded Japan."

It was late at night, and Lan Yu and Zhu Xiongying continued to discuss the details until the sky turned pale.

At the same time, at the other end of Kaifeng, in Jin Shiheng's mansion.

After careful consideration, Jin Shiheng finally made up his mind.

In this turbulent time, the interests of the family are above all else, and Lee Seong-gye's regime is obviously shaky and cannot last long, so he decides to cooperate with the old nobles who have been in secret contact with him.

So Jin Shiheng secretly met with several core allies and informed everyone of his decision.

After hearing this, the old nobles all showed joy on their faces and expressed their full support for his plan. They began to act separately. On the one hand, they continued to collect weaknesses in Lee Seong-gye's deployment in Kaesong, and on the other hand, they secretly contacted those founding heroes who were dissatisfied with the status quo, trying to disintegrate Lee Seong-gye's power from within.

As for Lee Seong-gye, although he was aware of the undercurrents in the court, he did not act rashly.

Because Goryeo was in a precarious situation at that time, any extreme behavior might cause greater turmoil.

The Ming army was also removing obstacles along the way without haste.

Pyongyang was the western capital of Goryeo, and was actually only separated from Kaesong by the Anxi Protectorate and the Cibei Ridge.

After the Ming army crossed Cibei Ridge, they had already reached Kaifeng.

At this time, Lee Seong-gye had not yet taken any action to organize the Goryeo court to retreat southward.

On the contrary, Lee Seong-gye also summoned Lee Bang-won, who was suppressing the Ming army on the southern front in Busan, to come back quickly. As for what to do with the Ming army on the southern front after Lee Bang-won returned to defend, that could not be taken care of for the time being.

In other words, at this time we can only hope that the Ming army on the southern front will not advance as fast.

After all, there are many hills in the south, and the administrative regions are scattered. If the Ming army on the southern front had to worry about logistical issues, then its advancement would definitely not be as fast as Lee Bang-won's retreat.

Soon, the Ming army on the northern front arrived in Kaifeng in a mighty force.

And Lee Seong-gye was also preparing to make a final resistance here.

The reason why Lee Seong-gye did not retreat to the south was very simple. If he retreated to the south, there would be no chance of turning the situation around.

His rule over the south was not very strong, and he came to power in an illegitimate way and his reign was short. As long as Kaesong was in power, he was still a legitimate king of Goryeo.

If Kaesong was also lost, what would become of Lee Seong-gye?

In other words, if Lee Seong-gye ran further south, where could he go?
Japan?
It is estimated to be difficult. Although Goryeo and Japan have some trade on the east coast, the Ming fleet has been strengthened. Now it is spring, and it is basically impossible to cross to Japan on the calm ocean without being intercepted by the Ming fleet.

Moreover, Lee Seong-gye would not do such a thing. Although he was flexible, he still had basic dignity. As a soldier, even if he died in Kaesong, he would not flee to Japan because there was no place for him in Japan.

As the Ming army began to besiege the city, people in Kaifeng became increasingly panic-stricken.

Jin Shiheng stood in front of the window. The night breeze blew past, bringing a hint of coolness, but it also blew away some of the hesitation in his heart.

"Sir, everything is ready." A confidant hurried into the study and reported in a low voice.

Jin Shiheng turned around, his eyes flashing with determination, "Okay, notify everyone and act according to the plan. Make sure everything goes well."

Jin Shiheng was the military secretary and general of Yingyang Guard, and Nan Ting was the governor of the Right Army. Both of them had military power. The reason for this was that Yi Seong-gye had just ascended the throne and did not have enough people.

Although they did not fight against Lee Seong-gye, they had command when the army returned to Kaesong.

In other words, they usually help Lee Seong-gye to manage and train these incorporated troops.
There were many people who also possessed military power and were not Lee Seong-gye's direct descendants and participated in the conspiracy.

With Jin Shiheng's order, a silent change quietly began in Kaesong City. Those founding heroes and old aristocrats who were dissatisfied with Lee Seong-gye's regime quickly gathered in the dark, waiting for the critical moment to come.

Among all this, only Jin Shiheng knew about Nan Xin's secret surrender.

——After the two of them tested each other, they hit it off.

Knowing the attitude of the Ming army, they no longer considered it a temporary rebellion but an uprising, which undoubtedly increased their chances of success, and Jin Shiheng became the core of this conspiracy.

At the same time, in the Ming army camp, Zhu Xiongying and Lan Yu were busy deploying the siege plan. The defense map presented by Nan Yin undoubtedly became a powerful weapon in their hands, making every move of the Ming army particularly targeted.

So why was Fa Zheng able to surpass Zhuge Liang and become the highest-ranking civil servant under Liu Bei after he became king?
This can be seen from here.

However, the Kaifeng defense map presented by Nan Yin is incomparable to the Xichuan map presented by Fa Zheng.

"Pass the order down. The entire army should be ready to attack the city early tomorrow morning." Lan Yu did not hesitate.

It was exactly what he wanted that Lee Seong-gye didn't run away.

Zhu Xiongying nodded in agreement, but he couldn't help but worry in his heart. The battle had been fought till now, and victory was in sight. He didn't want to sacrifice too many soldiers. A forced siege was always accompanied by huge sacrifices, and he hoped to win at the lowest cost.

Just on the eve of the Ming army's general attack, the gates of Kaifeng city slowly opened in the night.

This scene surprised the officers of the Ming army, but they soon learned about their surrender from the Goryeo army officers who left the city.

Zhu Xiongying, who was on duty, realized that this was the result of careful planning by Nan Yin, Jin Shiheng and others, and that being able to successfully use the pressure of the Ming army to disintegrate Li Chenggui's defense line from within was undoubtedly the best result.

As the gates of Kaifeng City quietly opened in the night, the Ming army soldiers stepped into the ancient city with a hint of disbelief and caution.

The streets were deserted, with only the occasional sound of night watchmen beating in the distance.

These Goryeo officers stood aside and watched the Ming army enter the city, with mixed feelings in their hearts, including relief, but also anxiety about the future.

Lee Seong-gye was awakened from his sleep.

He drew out his sword with a clang, his eyes full of bloodshot.

After a moment, he could see who was coming.

"Fangyuan, what's wrong?"

"Father, someone opened the city gate at night!"

Li Fangyuan said hurriedly: "The Ming army has begun to enter the city, and there is resistance outside. Please follow me first."

The atmosphere in Lee Seong-gye's palace was extremely tense.

When Lee Seong-gye learned that the city gate had been lost, his face turned pale and anger flashed in his eyes. However, he quickly calmed down, knowing that resistance at this moment was meaningless and he could only seek the last bargaining chip.

"Pass the order, gather the personal guards, and evacuate as soon as possible." Lee Seong-gye ordered Lee Bang-won beside him, while thinking in his mind how to use the Queen Mother's last trump card.

He knew that as long as the Queen Mother was in his hands, he would still have something to gain legally. After all, he had obtained the throne through abdication.

However, Lee Seong-gye's plan did not go as he wished. Just as he was about to evacuate, Jin Shiheng and several key figures had already led their troops to quietly surround the palace, cutting off his retreat.

Jin Shiheng was no ordinary man. He had long anticipated that Lee Seong-gye would do this and had set up a tight net in advance.

"Lee Seong-gye, surrender."

Jin Shiheng stood in front of the palace gate, his voice calm.

Behind him were the old aristocrats and founding heroes who had long been dissatisfied with Lee Seong-gye's regime. At this moment, they finally saw hope of overthrowing Lee Seong-gye's tyranny.

Countless soldiers were lined up densely, holding torches high.

Faced with this sudden change, Li Chenggui's face became even more gloomy. He tightly grasped the sword, and his eyes flickered in the firelight. In fact, he knew very well in his heart that resistance at this moment was futile, but the unwillingness in his heart made it difficult for him to give up easily.

"Jin Shiheng, do you think you can win like this?" Li Chenggui's voice was full of threats, trying to intimidate the other party with his last majesty.

However, Jin Shiheng just smiled coldly.

"The victors will be kings and the losers will be bandits. History books will have their own conclusion. Lee Seong-gye, your era is over." Jin Shiheng's words were like ice, penetrating Lee Seong-gye's last psychological defense.

The surrounding soldiers also quietly put down their weapons. Some of them lowered their heads in silence, while others cast complicated glances, obviously no longer wanting to fight.

Li Chenggui looked around and saw that the soldiers who had been loyal to him now had no courage to fight again.

A sense of sadness welled up in his heart, and he slowly put down the sword in his hand and accepted his fate.

However, at this moment, a trace of despair flashed in Lee Seong-gye's eyes, but was then replaced by ruthlessness.

"Do you think you can beat me like this?"

He sneered and decisively slashed the sharp sword across his neck.

Blood splattered.

With Lee Seong-gye's suicide, the situation in Kaesong quickly stabilized.

With the city gates opened, the Ming army successfully entered Kaesong, and the resistance of Lee Seong-gye's remnants collapsed almost overnight.

Those founding heroes who were once high and mighty were now either fleeing or surrendering, and Lee Bang-won himself was captured in the chaos.

However, the joy of victory did not last long. Zhu Xiongying knew that the next task would be even more arduous - he needed to rebuild order in Goryeo while ensuring that the interests of the Ming Dynasty in Goryeo were protected.

In this process, he had to act cautiously, preventing internal turmoil in Goryeo while responding to possible challenges from outside.

Zhu Xiongying began to reform Goryeo's bureaucratic system and selected talented people who were close to the Ming Dynasty to hold important positions.

Under the command of Lan Yu, the Ming army also began to take over and govern the city in an orderly manner.

Not only did they restore order in the city, they also set about solving people's livelihood issues, and worked hard to allow the people to live a life that would not lead to rebellion. This was not an exaggeration. At that time, because of the war, many people in Kaifeng City were so hungry that they had no food to eat.

Moreover, because of the cold weather in early spring, many people had no firewood and were shivering in their homes.

In this process, Zhu Xiongying demonstrated extraordinary abilities.

In other words, he was quite capable in handling government affairs. Perhaps he inherited this from Zhu Biao?

In addition to handling government affairs, Zhu Xiongying focused more on the long-term influence of the Ming Dynasty on Goryeo. He brought Jin Shiheng and others, and let his civil servants such as Xie Jin and others directly guide them to start cultural and examination reforms, promote the spread of Confucian culture and the reform of the education system, and cultivate batches of "outstanding talents" for Goryeo who are loyal to the Ming Dynasty in the future.

Well, "big powerism" is a good thing.

In fact, since the Yuan Dynasty conquered Goryeo, Goryeo had to abolish all its usurpations and strictly implement the system of princes. When the Ming army arrived here, occupied Kaifeng and helped the Wang family restore the country, Goryeo had to "serve the great" from the bottom of its heart. Corresponding to the "serving the great" was the "small" of the Central Plains dynasty. The more respectful Goryeo was in "serving the great", the more magnanimous the "small" of the Central Plains dynasty became, forming an interaction of "serving the great with courtesy" and "serving the small with benevolence".

According to Zhu Xiongying's regulations, Goryeo had to politically submit to the Ming Dynasty, follow the Ming Dynasty's legitimate calendar, use the Ming Dynasty's reign title and calendar, pay tribute regularly, and send envoys to pay tribute during festivals. The envoys sent by Goryeo included regular envoys to the court, winter solstice envoys, holy festival envoys, and autumn envoys, as well as irregular envoys of thanks, envoys of presentation, envoys of congratulations, envoys of offering incense, envoys of greetings, and envoys of announcing obituaries, collectively known as "envoys on duty."

Moreover, the King, Queen and Crown Prince of Goryeo had to be canonized by the Ming Dynasty court to be legal, and after their death, the Ming Dynasty court had to preside over sacrifices and bestow posthumous titles on them. Therefore, as the suzerain state, the Ming Dynasty also sent envoys such as envoys for canonization and envoys for condolences. In addition, when the emperor issued an edict to the world, he would also send envoys to Goryeo to announce it. When the Ming Dynasty "angel" arrived in Kaifeng, the King of Goryeo had to personally go to the Ying'en Gate in the western suburbs to hold a grand "welcoming the edict" ceremony.

In order to cultivate "smart" elements in Goryeo, Zhu Xiongying required that the Goryeo Dynasty should be dominated by the idea of ​​"admiring China". Many things should be imitated from the Ming Dynasty, such as introducing the Ming Dynasty's clothing and unifying thoughts with China's Confucianism. For Goryeo, it should be "although it is overseas, the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues are the same as in China; practice filial piety and brotherhood, abide by rites and laws, and follow the criminal and political laws in accordance with the laws of the Ming Dynasty; and follow the rites of Zhu Xi's family for weddings, funerals and sacrifices."

This "admiration for China" idea is both the ideological basis of serving the great powers and an important manifestation of serving the great powers. In the minds of the Goryeo literati, "serving the great powers" and "admiring China" are closely related. Goryeo's actions must not violate the Ming Dynasty in the slightest, otherwise it would violate serving the great powers. Under the influence of this concept of serving the great powers and admiring China, Goryeo regarded the Ming Dynasty, its suzerain, as the supreme existence.

Using "ritual" as a medium, the Goryeo Dynasty sincerely served the Ming Dynasty. Politically, Goryeo adhered to the Confucian etiquette system, and adopted a tribute system in foreign policy. Ideologically and culturally, it adhered to Chinese culture and accepted the protection of the Ming Dynasty. This was the embodiment of Zhu Xiongying's decision to let the Goryeo Dynasty hold high the banner of serving the great powers.

In addition to culture, military deployment is also important.

Since Goryeo was dependent on the Ming Dynasty, the Ming fleet must be given the right to supply ports, and be able to station, anchor, and repair ships at some key ports. The Busan Port must also be completely ceded to the Ming army, and the land army must also follow the Ming Dynasty as a vassal army to fight together. Only in this way can Goryeo obtain the military protection of the Ming army to ensure the national security of Goryeo.

However, Zhu Xiongying also faced many difficulties during this process. To be honest, it was a mess and Zhu Xiongying felt that he had lost a lot of hair.

He needs to constantly balance the interests of all parties and resolve internal conflicts. Anyway, during these few months in Goryeo, it can be said that every step was not easy.

But it was these challenges and difficulties that honed Zhu Xiongying's ability to govern. With his unremitting efforts and the help of a team of civil officials, he finally succeeded in making initial changes to Goryeo.

During this process, Nan Xi, Jin Shiheng and others also found their place in the new temple, and they proved themselves with their actions.

--loyalty!
As time went by, Kaesong gradually regained its former prosperity, and the Ming army helped Wang Seok, who returned to Kaesong in fear, to secure his throne.

Zhu Xiongying's name is destined to leave a strong mark in the history of Goryeo. Well, how will it be written in later history? The third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he was not only the conqueror of Goryeo, but also the rebuilder of Goryeo.

It's possible.

However, Zhu Xiongying was still unsure whether he could become the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but after this battle, he was indeed completely different from before.

He basically had interactions with all the middle and high-level generals of the Ming army in Peking and Liaodong, and the brave generals under Lan Yu were quite sympathetic to him. This was partly because Lan Yu did it on purpose, and partly because Zhu Xiongying himself was indeed capable and his temperament suited the generals' taste.

Moreover, Zhu Xiongying also exerted considerable influence in Goryeo.

(End of this chapter)