Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Dongjiang Territory.

Chen Zizhuang was unaware that he was about to be promoted and had become a target for Yang Jingchen and others to win over.

He is quite satisfied with everything in Dongjiang Territory at present.

When he first arrived here, Dongjiang territory had just experienced the chaos caused by the invaders, and it was a scene of devastation.

Thanks to his efforts and those of the people and soldiers of Dongjiang, production in Dongjiang was finally restored, and land was reclaimed in the south.

However, the northern area remained difficult to develop due to the threat from the Jurchens.

It wasn't until the victory in the Liaodong War last year and the expulsion of the Jurchens that the external threat to Dongjiang Territory was completely eliminated, and the north became stable.

Mao Wenlong allocated these lands to meritorious soldiers as hereditary lands, which further stimulated their desire to reclaim wasteland.

The area quickly became populated and production began to resume.

Chen Zizhuang had been busy all winter last year allocating land to them. Now, preparations are underway for spring planting to develop this land that had been abandoned due to the war.

"What wonderful fields!"

"If we plant it for a few more years, it will become mature land."

"At that time, Dongjiang Territory will be able to be self-sufficient and will not need the imperial court to allocate grain."

Looking at the bustling scene before him, Chen Zizhuang could already imagine the prosperous and peaceful life that would be a few years from now.

But Mao Wenlong was not satisfied and muttered:
"No matter how good it is, it's still Korea's territory. We should directly submit to the Korean court."

"Otherwise, if we become barbarians, how will we face our ancestors?"

"If we don't submit soon, the Liao people will all flee!"

This was his biggest worry, and it was also the reason why he actively sought to submit to the imperial court and become directly subordinate to it.

The Liao people may not understand the distinction between Chinese and barbarians, but they know how to choose between becoming Koreans in Dongjiang and returning to Liaodong to become Ming citizens.

Especially now that Liaodong is short of population, any Han Chinese can be allocated land. Upon hearing this, the Liaodong people hiding in Dongjiang territory were very willing to return. They were familiar with everything in Liaodong and wanted to return to their homeland.

Mao Wenlong knew how much these people missed their hometowns, and he couldn't stop them. Especially since he supported these people with the government's money and grain, he couldn't prevent them from returning.

However, the development of Dongjiang Territory also required population, so he had no choice but to increase the allocated land area.

However, they would rather be Ming Dynasty citizens than Koreans.

Chen Zizhuang knew all this, and he also knew that if he kept these Liao people, the Dongjiang territory could be developed even faster.

But he was unwilling to do that and did not want to force these people to stay.

He said to Mao Wenlong:

"You can't stop people from leaving, so you might as well let them go."

"Aren't there many disaster victims in the Cangzhou immigrant camp?"

"As long as you have food, you can attract them."

Mao Wenlong sighed and said:

"It can only be this way!"

"But new immigrants are not as familiar with this place as the locals, and it will take them a few years to adapt."

“More and more Koreans are returning to Donggang Territory now. I’m worried that once the Korean monarch and his officials know that Donggang Territory is safe, they will want to take it back.”

“In the past few months, quite a few Korean nobles who had fled have returned and have been asking me for land.”

"These people are really audacious, daring to even covet my fiefdom..."

He cursed and swore, extremely angry at the North Koreans who shamelessly demanded land from him.

In his view, after these people fled, he would establish a fiefdom in Dongjiang, and all the land in Dongjiang would belong to him.

Regardless of what happened before, this is now his land.

However, the Korean nobles did not think so. They believed that they had only temporarily moved south and had not sold any land.

Even though Mao Wenlong is the Earl of Dongjiang, he still has to acknowledge their land.

Therefore, they held the land deeds with a clear conscience and demanded their land back.

Mao Wenlong, of course, denied it and kicked them out.

Because of this matter, Mao Wenlong had many lawsuits with Korean nobles.

The previously maintained friendly relations, which had been barely maintained under the threat of the Jurchens, deteriorated rapidly.

Mao Wenlong therefore wanted to break away from North Korea and get rid of these people's entanglement.

He hoped to become a direct vassal state of the Ming Dynasty and a territory directly under the imperial court.
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Chen Zizhuang was a chief clerk appointed by the imperial court. He was not only familiar with the Dongjiang region, but also knew the imperial court's plans.

He knew that in order to eliminate the eastern threat to Liaodong Province, the imperial court wanted to bring Dongjiang Territory, Cijiang Territory, Fenglin Territory, and Linping Territory under its direct jurisdiction, making them directly subordinate territories.

Therefore, he listened to Mao Wenlong's complaints with a smile but remained silent. He even knew that the disturbances caused by these noble families might have been Hong Chengchou's idea—

After all, these four earldoms in the north of Korea were brought under the direct control of Korea and were administered by the Andong Protectorate.

If Hong Chengchou succeeds in this, his power will increase, and he will eliminate the threat posed by Joseon to the Andong Protectorate.

Previously, the Ming Dynasty had punished Korea for negotiating peace with the Jurchens.

Not only did they grant four territories in northern Korea, they also demanded back the land that had been initially allocated to Korea.

King Injo of Joseon, having seized the throne illegitimately, reluctantly agreed in order to gain the support of the Ming Dynasty. Joseon ministers, also concerned about the Jurchen raids, hoped that the Ming Dynasty would station troops to protect them.

However, after the Jurchens were driven out, the Joseon king and his ministers who had previously agreed to this began to regret it.

They wanted to reclaim this land and rebuild the Mirror City Protectorate.

However, this area was the site of the Andong Protectorate planned by Hong Chengchou, so of course he wouldn't give it up.

After the imperial order was issued, he adopted an offensive strategy, planning to transfer the four northern territories to the direct jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty and separate Korea from the Andong Protectorate.

He addressed Prince Bongrim of Joseon and Yi Ho, the Earl of Bongrim, who was appointed by the Ming Dynasty:

"Lord Fenglin, the inclusion of Fenglin Territory under the direct jurisdiction of the imperial court is your opportunity!"

"After becoming a direct-controlled state, you will become an inner vassal state and a count of the Ming Dynasty."

"The title will be inherited by future generations without the need for investiture from Korea. This is a legacy that will last for generations!"

Li Hao was only fourteen years old at the time and didn't quite understand, so he asked:
"Without investiture from Joseon, am I still the Great Prince of Joseon?"

"How can I govern the people in my territory then?"

Hong Chengchou looked at him speechlessly, but had no choice but to explain:

"With the support of the Ming Dynasty, do you still worry about anyone disobeying us?"

“Now North Korea is calling for abandoning its barbarian ways and joining China, wanting to transform from a barbarian country into a semi-Chinese country, and eventually into a completely Chinese nation.”

“After your Fenglin territory is incorporated into the country, the Koreans in the territory who are willing to be naturalized will be given Chinese status, and those who are not naturalized will be sent to Korea or registered as natives in the territory.”

"In the future, you will be a count of the Ming Dynasty, a nobleman of China. Why do you still retain the identity of the Grand Prince of Joseon?"

They were extremely puzzled by Lee Ho's retention of his barbarian noble status.

Lee Ho shook his head and said:
“I am now a count of the Ming Dynasty and also the Grand Prince of Joseon.”

“After annexing the Ming Dynasty, you will no longer have the status of a Great Khan, which would be very bad.”

Hong Chengchou frowned and said:

"What's wrong?"

“A count in the Ming Dynasty is far superior to a prince in Joseon.” Lee Ho hesitated for a moment before stating his thoughts:
“If you are not the Great King of Joseon, you are not qualified to inherit the throne.”

"That's what they all say!"

"Them? Who?" Hong Chengchou asked, his senses heightened.

He then warned Li Hao:
"The Ming Dynasty is currently formulating inheritance laws and regulations, and has already established the primogeniture system, which Joseon has also decided to abide by."

"As long as your brother's branch of the family is not completely wiped out, you will have no chance of inheriting the throne."

"If you do something wrong due to your wild thoughts, the Ming Dynasty will not ignore it."

He was warned not to covet the throne, as the Ming Dynasty had already recognized the status of Crown Prince Yi Wang of Joseon.

Even if Li Wang doesn't have a son now, it's not something his younger brother can covet.

Lee Ho turned pale with fright, realizing the gravity of the situation.

Because Li Wang was sent to the Ming Dynasty, it's unknown whether he'll ever be able to return.

Some people began to side with Yi Ho, believing that he might inherit the throne.

Li Hao and Li Wang have a good relationship, and he had never had this idea before. But after being talked about it by people around him so much, he couldn't help but be a little tempted.

Therefore, he was unwilling to give up his status as the Grand Prince of Joseon and retain the opportunity to inherit the throne.

After learning all this, Hong Chengchou frowned deeply.

Li Hao insisted on this, and there was nothing he could do. After all, Li Hao was the Earl of Fenglin, a title conferred by the imperial court, and he had to be mindful of his actions.

In particular, he wanted the four northern territories to voluntarily submit to the Chinese government, and then the imperial court would negotiate the matter with Joseon.

That way his merits will be recognized, and he will have accomplished something significant.

Feng Linbo has no intention of joining the inner circle now. If he forces it, it will be unpleasant if something unexpected happens.

Therefore, he needed to make further plans to force Feng Linbo to leave Korea.
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"Or, we could just push for the Dongjiang and Cijiang territories to become part of the Chinese empire, and ignore the other two."

“Dongjiang Earl Mao Wenlong is fine, but Jajiang Earl Cui Nanyi is a descendant of Gwanghaegun’s former subordinates. The King of Joseon is eager to get rid of him.”

Upon learning of his troubles, Lu Shanji offered a suggestion.

They believed that the annexation of Dongjiang and Cijiang territories was a foregone conclusion.

Hong Chengchou was certainly aware of this, and when he returned to Korea from Liaodong, he reached a tacit understanding with Mao Wenlong and Cui Nanyi.

Mao Wenlong actively promoted this, while Cui Nanyi tacitly approved of it.

His position was too awkward. Although he was regarded as a hero by the Koreans, he was not trusted by King Injo of Joseon because of his relationship with Prince Gwanghaegun.

The greater his achievements, the more wary Li Zong became.

Therefore, even though he did not want to secede from Korea, he had no choice but to consider the proposal to annex Korea.

As long as Dongjiang territory is incorporated into the empire, Cijiang territory will be fine.

However, in Hong Chengchou's view, the situation of the four earldoms in the north of Korea, with two annexing the country and two not, was far from perfect.

He said to Lu Shanji:

"North of Korea was one of the four commanderies of the Han Dynasty, belonging to the former territory of the Han people."

"The Emperor established the Restoration Army in order to recover the former territories of the Han and Tang dynasties."

"If we only take back half of the four commanderies of Han, what will the people of the world think?"

Lu Shanji was taken aback, not expecting this.

In his view, Donggang Territory and Jagang Territory belonged to Korea, and their efforts to push for the annexation of these two territories would be considered a meritorious achievement.

However, according to Hong Chengchou, if they only want two leaders and give up the other two, then in the eyes of those who want to restore the former territories of the Han and Tang dynasties, it would be abandoning land.

They will not only fail to achieve anything but will also incur trouble because of this matter.

This gave Lu Shanji a headache, and he complained:

"This is way too much to ask!"

"Just because the Restoration Army is making these pronouncements, does that mean we should take back all the former territories of the Han and Tang dynasties?"

"If what they say is true, then Hancheng is still part of the Four Commanderies of Han?"

"Should we take back the capital of Korea?"

They believed this was impossible, as it would be tantamount to the destruction of North Korea.

However, having witnessed the fighting prowess of the new army, Hong Chengchou felt that doing so might not be a bad idea. He stroked his beard and said:

“Taking back the capital is also an option, and in the future, we can make Joseon a complete vassal state.”

"But the current matter concerns the four northern territories."

"Although these four territories combined are smaller than the four commanderies of Han, they sound closer."

"In this way, when you and I push for the submission of the four northern territories, we will be making a contribution, rather than giving up two and attracting criticism from others."

"If possible, we should also push for the annexation of Guanghai Territory. That would make the five territories together sound even better."

This is what he is doing, and he intends to make a name for himself through this.

After the Liaodong War, he was not far from becoming a count.

Seeing that Bi Zisu and Lu Xiangshan might be granted the title of Earl after establishing their respective provinces of Liaoxi and Liaodong, he felt that he also needed to work harder.

Furthermore, one should strive to be granted a fiefdom as early as possible and choose a good one.

The emperor gave them choices, even allowing them to select their own fiefdoms, which greatly pleased him.

He had his eye on a piece of land for a long time and hoped to acquire it as soon as possible.

Lu Shanji didn't have many plans. After the Liaodong War ended and the Jurchens were driven out, he planned to return to his hometown and continue his studies.

However, since the emperor had treated his father so well, he couldn't simply discard the official position bestowed upon him by the emperor.

Since Hong Chengchou persuaded him in this way, he could only help with the tasks.

Furthermore, Mao Wenlong's younger brother, Mao Yunlong, also supported the annexation of Korea, bringing the three resident ministers in Korea to a consensus. They quickly initiated a series of initiatives, including allowing Koreans who had fled south to return north.

These people's land had already been distributed, and they wanted to reclaim it, which naturally led to disputes with the current landowners.

Not only Mao Wenlong complained, but also Li Hao, the Earl of Fenglin, and Li, the Earl of Linping, were greatly dissatisfied with this, incited by their vassals.

Furthermore, with Hong Chengchou sending people to persuade them, the vassals of these two men were already somewhat inclined to submit to the Ming Dynasty, becoming citizens or even nobles, and gaining ownership of the land they owned.

Especially under Hong Chengchou's instigation, Li Jiucheng, a subordinate of Mao Wenlong, led his troops to join the Restoration Army. They clamored to recover the four Han commanderies and reward meritorious officials—

He had long wanted to break away from Mao Wenlong, and now, thanks to Hong Chengchou's scheme, he finally got his wish.

Although Mao Wenlong was unwilling to lose this fierce general, he knew that if Li Jiucheng continued to follow him, it would limit his development.

Furthermore, since he was unwilling and did not have the qualifications to grant Li Jiucheng the title of viscount, he could only send Li Jiucheng away to join the Restoration Army with his subordinates.

The Restoration Army was stationed in eastern Liaonan, which drew great attention from the Korean monarch and his officials, as it was the closest Ming army to them.

The name "Restoring Han Army" in particular evokes memories of the Han Dynasty.

Most of the land in Korea belonged to the Four Commanderies of Han, and they were extremely uneasy about the presence of the Restoration Army.

He was somewhat relieved after hearing that the elite of the Restoration Army had marched south to attack Annam.

Now that they have learned that Li Jiucheng has joined the Restoration Army, he is clamoring to recover the four commanderies of Han.

The Joseon king and his officials were immediately terrified. They inquired with Hong Chengchou whether this was true and whether it reflected the Ming court's stance. Simultaneously, they dispatched envoys to the Ming capital to persuade the Joseon crown prince to negotiate. (End of Chapter)