The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 514: Handsome
"I have long known that there are still loyal ministers in Korea. The reinforcements have finally arrived! The king will not abandon Pyongyang. As the saying goes, strong winds reveal strong grass, and turbulent times reveal loyal ministers..."

"Master Park, these are not reinforcements, but an envoy sent by the King to negotiate peace with the Northern Tartars."

"I already knew that."

Yihao Tower, east of Pyongyang.

Chief Censor Pu followed his orders, surrounded by a group of servants, and looked up at the captain of the Seven Stars Gate who came forward to report military intelligence.

"A peace delegation?"

When he heard that the troops coming to Pyongyang were not reinforcements but envoys sent by the King to Pyeongan Province, General Park was shocked. He dismissed his servants and asked the visitors again:
"You mean the Northern Tartars didn't kill them? Zheng Dujian and the others are still alive?"

The captain had just run all the way from the Qixing Gate in the north and was panting heavily. He took a breath and said quickly, "Sir, I don't know Supervisor Zheng, and I'm not sure if he's Sir Zheng. But from the tone of his men, he certainly seems to be someone sent by the king."

Park Congming was full of suspicion. Although he was in Pyongyang, he had heard about the fate of the two previous groups of Korean envoys. The two previous envoys were executed by Liu Zhaosun after their mission to Qi State, and their heads were sent back to Korea.

So, how did Zheng Douyuan survive?

Based on his understanding of Liu Zhaosun, that warrior would never let the Korean delegation go easily.

Could it be that Zheng Douyuan and his men never went to Pyeongan Province, or had already surrendered to the Northern Tartars?
"Marshal Park, they are now at the Qixing Gate and are anxious to see you." The captain added cautiously.

"I already knew this. Bring us weapons and armor. You lead the way, and the rest of you, follow me to the Seven Star Gate!"

Unlike other high-ranking officials from the Yangban class, Tongyushi Pu Congming came from a humble background. At the age of thirty, he was still a mere Yuhou, barely a ninth-rank official. In the middle and late stages of the Lee Dynasty, when the Yangban class was rampant, such a background and such a rank meant that he was destined to be the lowest of the lowest.

But fate favors this insignificant little man.

After the Battle of Sarhu, the voices against Gwanghaegun in Korea grew louder and louder. Park obeyed the will of heaven and became a loyal soldier of Yangyanggun, helping his lord to expel Gwanghaegun and enter Seoul, thus being credited with following the dragon.

Li Zong was also very clear about his brother who had shared his life with him. In just ten years, he promoted Park Congming out of turn, turning him from a small guard who was on the verge of being killed into a big man who could influence the government.

In order to repay the king's kindness, Park has worked diligently over the years and has been concerned about the Kingdom of Joseon.

In the first year of Wuding, the Great Qi Empire suffered heavy losses from the successive attacks of plague, refugees and drought. The sudden death of Emperor Wuding made the morale of the Qi army plummet.

Park Tsung-ming boasted of his military knowledge and felt he was quite familiar with Liu Zhaosun, so he and General Yi Sun-yi (who had been executed) planned day and night to attack Qi. Yi Jong accepted Park Tsung-ming's and Yi Sun-yi's suggestions and ordered the Joseon army to cross the Yalu River and attack Kuandian, Fushun and other cities.

In this robbery, the Koreans reaped a lot of benefits. They took away a large amount of iron ore and grain from Liaodong and captured tens of thousands of people. For this, Li Zong issued an edict to commend Park for his obedience and praised him for his good work.

The king's expectations and affirmation ignited Park Cong's loyalty to the king and his patriotism. This is why, when the Qi army marched south, civil and military officials around Pyongyang fled south, but Park Cong refused to retreat.

"I knew it long ago. It's good that Supervisor Zheng is here!"

Park obeyed the order and jumped onto his horse. He was agile and nimble like a monkey. Despite his high position, Marshal Park did not show any signs of old age. Not only his figure, but even his eyes still retained the sharpness and ruthlessness he had when he was in the army.
The head servant Hu Wan was surprised when he heard this and said, "Master, these civil servants are not easy to deal with."

Pu obeyed the order, whipping his horse whip and rushing to the front. He turned around and laughed at the group of servants: "I knew they would be difficult to deal with, so let them deal with others!"

~~~~~
Seven Star Gate.

The horses of the delegation walked cautiously on the floating bridge over the Taedong River towards the Chilsung Gate opposite. The inferior birch wood made an unsettling creaking sound under the horses' hooves, as if mice were gnawing at the bottom of the bridge, which made people feel terrified.

Across the river is Pyongyang's Chilsungmun Gate. The corridor is crowded with defending soldiers watching the excitement. Their mandarin duck jackets are all tattered. A ragged Korean soldier is walking barefoot along the river bank, looking at the people walking on the pontoon bridge with curiosity.

Li Zicheng looked up and saw this scene. He judged that the defenders of Qixingmen were not as good as the former Ming guards.

"Where did all the food, gold, silver, and silk you looted in Liaodong go?"

Zheng Douyuan secretly glanced at the Taedong River flowing on both sides of the floating bridge. His face turned pale and his calves began to tremble rhythmically.

"Where...where? I think about it. Anyway, it won't fall into the hands of the people."

Seeing his cowardly look, Li Zicheng didn't ask any more questions. He put his dagger against the back of Zheng Dujian's official robe and said in a low voice:

"Later, we'll get off the bridge first, and you and your people will follow behind."

A gust of wind blew across the surface of the Taedong River, causing the river, which was originally not very stable, to sway gently like a kite.

Zheng Doujian staggered, tilted his body, and almost fell into the river.

Li Zicheng quickly helped him up. "Are you hurt?"

Zheng Dujian stammered, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead. His gray hair on his temples did not move in the wind, but stuck to the sweat. His neck was also wet with sweat.

"I am old, no, useless. I have been seasick since I was a child."

Zhao Yuanzhi, who was walking at the back, laughed heartily and shook the floating bridge vigorously.

Zheng Dujian had just struggled to stand up, but he lost his balance and fell again.

Li Zicheng went forward to help him, but with a "wow" sound, the old man vomited.

Li Zicheng secretly cursed and wiped the filth off his chest armor with his iron arm.

Zheng Dujian vomited for a long time before he stopped. His old face was as white as paper, and sweat kept flowing down his cheeks, and it seemed that his breath was getting faster.

"Li Junmen, I am no longer able to do anything. Please let me go first. I will persuade you today, persuade you..."

Li Zicheng was worried that the old man would die on the bridge. After thinking for a while, he ordered his teammates to step back a little and let Lao Zheng go first.

Zheng Douyuan was so moved that tears streamed down his face, mixed with snot, and he said loudly to Li Zicheng:

"Smecta, with a great and kind man like General Li, the Emperor will surely be able to unify the country and win the hearts of the people."

Li Zicheng waved his hand, signaling the old man to stop talking nonsense. He winked, and Zhao Yuanzhi and others tightened their crossbows and guns.

With only ten or so steps left to the Seven Star Gate, Li Zicheng always felt something was wrong.

This was his first time to carry out a mission alone, and the people he brought with him were also novices. Despite this, they were very careful along the way and managed to make sure nothing went wrong.

"The high official is here, do you want to do it?"

Zhao Yuanzhi looked up at the top of the city wall and spoke to everyone in a hunter's tone.

The Qixingmen city wall was crowded with people. Just now, dozens of burly and well-equipped Korean soldiers appeared on the opposite bank, surrounded by a general who looked like a high-ranking official. The general was riding a horse and looking towards the pontoon bridge.

"Park obeys orders, the highest official in Pyongyang, go up and kill him!"

Zhao Yuanzhi was instigating again.

"Shut up." Li Zicheng glared at him fiercely, and several straw raincoat guards around him also showed disgusted expressions.

"Hahaha, I knew long ago that Supervisor Zheng would live up to his mission... How are the peace talks with the Northern Tartars going? Hahaha."

Park obeyed the order and dismounted, then laughed at Zheng Douyuan who was still on the bridge, as if he had met a long-lost friend, and laughed out loud twice as if he was familiar with him.

Zheng Douyuan's eyes kept moving from side to side, as if he was looking at the person standing next to him.

Park followed the order and looked around carefully. Seeing no one around, he laughed twice and acted like a host:

"I've known for a long time that Liu Zhaosun, that scoundrel, like his father-in-law, has split his forces and attacked Pyongyang to die... You've all been so exhausted from all this riding, even Zheng Dujian is exhausted... I'll welcome you tonight at the Seven Stars Tower."

Li Zicheng looked ahead, and a teammate beside him kept translating what the two were saying to him. The five Korean envoys were still on the bridge, and they could vaguely see Zheng Douyuan making gestures across a few shoulders.

He pushed away the person in front of him, took a step forward, and reached out to pat Zheng Douyuan's shoulder.

Before his fingers touched the old man's shoulder, the Korean old man, who had been so weak and dying just now, suddenly jumped down like a monkey and quickly disappeared behind a group of Korean servants in front.

"It's over."

Li Zicheng and Zhao Yuanzhi looked at each other and immediately jumped into the Taedong River.

"I've known for a long time that they are Qi spies! Kill them all on the bridge!"

Park obeyed the order and stepped aside. After the sound of weapons clashing, Park's servants, who were all covered in armor, raised their bows and shot at the bridge without saying a word. The five Korean envoys walking in front fell to the ground, their bodies shot like hedgehogs.

(End of this chapter)