The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 410: The King of Korea is Reprimanded
Toyotomi Hideyoshi didn't know that Mori Terumoto was a traitor.

He actually handed over the entire defense of Kitakyushu to this guy.

When Wanli received the news, he immediately issued an order to begin withdrawing troops.

As soon as the navy's express ships took away the compensation money and food from Japan, the Ming cavalry began to retreat.

The more than 100,000 Sichuan Army soldiers who were originally guarding various cities also began to hand over defense and gradually gathered at the nearby port docks.

The number of naval centipede ships in the waters between the vassal state of Korea and Japan is also decreasing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

This time, Wanli issued the decree clearly and did not hide it from anyone.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi also sent out his remaining navy to pretend to be fishermen to explore the waters between his vassal state of Korea and Japan.

Now he was completely relieved and led his troops back to Osaka Castle to build a defense line in central Japan.

He also sent Maeda Toshiie to build the defense line in the northeastern part of Honshu.

He sent Tokugawa Ieyasu to build a defense line in the southeastern part of Honshu.

It seemed that both sides had withdrawn their troops, and the battle was over.

At this time, it seemed that the vassal state of Korea, King Lee Sun, and the officials who came with him to surrender could be sent back.

However, Wanli did not do so.

He only sent people to bring the vassal state of Korea, King Lee Sun, to the capital to meet the emperor. As for the officials who surrendered with him, they still had to be dealt with properly.

Lee Sun didn't know that the Ming Dynasty had already recovered its vassal state of Korea.

Because the entire Dai Wang Mansion was completely closed, their people could not get out at all and could not receive any news from the outside world.

However, he still lived quite comfortably in the Prince of Dai's Palace.

The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was really good to him. All the delicacies from land and sea were brought to the Dai Wang Mansion as if they were free. Various fruits and vegetables that they could not normally eat were also brought to the Dai Wang Mansion in carts, and they could not finish eating them all.

He just eats, drinks and has fun every day, and his life is so comfortable.

He has gained more than ten pounds this year.

He really is enjoying himself so much that he doesn't want to leave.

If he had not been summoned by the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he would not have wanted to leave the Prince of Dai's Mansion.

Why did the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty summon him?
Early in the morning at about noon, he was taken to the imperial study.

When Wanli saw that this guy's face was so chubby from eating so much, he was speechless.

Don’t you know how to exercise? All you do every day is eat and sleep.

Since this guy has come to his territory to surrender, he will naturally send people to keep a close eye on him. He knows exactly what this guy does every day.

Li Cheng was a little confused at the moment and didn't understand anything.

What on earth did His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty want him to do?

With his mind full of doubts, he bowed respectfully and said, "My humble servant pays homage to His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty."

Wanli nodded slightly, then said solemnly: "Lord Li, I have already recovered the vassal state of Korea for you, and I have also recruited 240,000 troops for you.

Now that all the troops of my Ming Dynasty have withdrawn from the vassal state of Korea, I have left behind some naval warships to help you guard the waters bordering Japan. You can go back now."

what?
So fast!
You also recruited 240,000 troops for me?
Why does this feel like a dream?
Upon hearing this, Li Sun was stunned for a moment, then he bowed with a look of surprise and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Don't be happy too soon.

Wanli nodded slightly, then asked, "Do you know how many troops I mobilized this time and how many casualties we suffered?"

Uh, you don't want me to pay, I don't have any money.

Lee Sun thought for a moment, then said carefully, "I will always remember the Emperor's support for me. We will never forget the casualties suffered by the Ming army in expelling the Japanese pirates."

Do I want to hear you say these useless words?
Wanli shook his head slightly and said, "I won't go into details about this. Do you know how much the soldiers and civilians of our vassal state, Korea, paid?"

How would I know that?

I just kept running and running, afraid that if I didn't run fast enough I would die, so I didn't have time to care about those things.

Li Cheng said helplessly: "This little prince is not very clear."

You fool!

Wanli said with a serious face: "I can tell you that your imperial army did not put up much resistance, but Yi Sun-sin and Quan Yul led the remaining troops to fight desperately against the rebel army, suffering over 100,000 casualties.

The Japanese pirates slaughtered millions of your subjects, and the entire province of Gyeongsang was overrun with plague. The pirates also kidnapped over 200,000 of your women and raped them at will!"

what?
So serious!
Li Sun was stunned when he heard this. He never expected that his kingdom would be ruined like this by the Japanese pirates.

Wanli's face suddenly turned stern, and he asked coldly, "What's wrong with you? You clearly knew that the Westerners were colluding with the Japanese pirates, so why didn't you punish them?"

Uh, this.

Why did you change your expression suddenly?

Li Sun was stunned for a moment, then he carefully explained: "Your Majesty, the reason why I kept the Westerners was to check and balance the Easterners.

"I have studied the methods of governance of the previous Emperor Jiajing and feel that this method of checks and balances by civil officials is quite effective, so I let the Westerners and Easterners fight it out without taking sides."

You really don't learn the good things, but you have learned all the bad things.

Although Emperor Jiajing is my grandfather in name only, I really cannot praise his way of governing the country.

Apart from anything else, it is obvious that it is wrong to reuse corrupt officials.

Can corrupt officials be openly reused?
Doesn’t this encourage corruption among officials?

It is obvious that the emperor is promoting corrupt officials!
The notorious corrupt official Yan Song not only did not get into any trouble, but also became the prime minister of the cabinet!

Those civil servants took advantage of the fact that Emperor Jiajing wanted to use corrupt officials to check and balance the upright officials and acted unscrupulously, engaging in crazy corruption and even collaborating with the enemy and selling out the country.

The Japanese pirates in the south and the barbarians in the north were created by Emperor Jiajing in this way.

You, on the other hand, are clearly promoting a traitor who collaborates with the enemy and betrays the country!

How is the result?

The Japanese pirates almost destroyed your vassal state, Korea!
If there were no Ming Dynasty, you would have been finished long ago.

Did you know that in history, the Ming Dynasty fell into the abyss of destruction just to help you drive out the Japanese pirates?

You really did a lot of harm to others.

Wanli was quite annoyed and said, "You call this the way to govern a country? You are destroying the country!

The Westerners are clearly collaborating with the enemy and betraying their country, but you don't punish them. You're still trying to check and balance them. What are you checking and balancing? Are you going to let them invite the Japanese pirates into your home and take care of the Easterners along with you?"

Don't be angry.

Li Sun said weakly, "Westerners wouldn't go to such lengths, would they?"

It’s not that bad yet?
Wanli said coldly: "The generals who control your military power are all promoted by the Easterners. What will you do when you return?
If the Westerners told you that the Easterners were too powerful and your royal authority was about to be undermined, would you reappoint Yi Sanhae, the Prime Minister, and allow him to launch a massive unjust imprisonment, deprive Yi Sun-sin and Kwon Yul of their military power, throw them into prison and torture them to death, confiscate all the weapons of the rebel army, and disperse them?

This guy actually did this in history!
At this time he didn't know what to do.

Li Cheng thought about it carefully, then said carefully: "My king will not side with the Westerners, nor will he side with the Easterners."

You still want to play your ridiculous checks and balances, right?
Wanli was so angry that he really wanted to raise his hand and give this guy a big slap in the face.

He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he said, "I tell you, I appointed Yi Sun-sin's vassal state, Joseon, as the General-in-Chief. Also, because of his outstanding military achievements in this battle, I promoted him to the Duke of Jeguk, and Jeju Island is his fiefdom.

If you dare to listen to slander and harm him after you return, I will depose you as the vassal king and replace you with someone with a normal mind."

what?
Did Yi Sun-sin become the general of Joseon?
This guy was even promoted to Duke of Ji!

Jeju Island was given to this guy!

Even though you are the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, you can't mess around like this in my kingdom, right?
The problem is, if I don’t obey, this guy will replace me!

The emperor of the Ming Dynasty really had this power.

Li Sun was stunned for a long time before he said carefully, "My dear, I wouldn't dare."

Just try it if you dare to touch Lee Sun-sin.

Wanli said with dignity: "Also, from now on, the military and political affairs of the vassal state of Korea will be separated. You have no right to manage the generals of the vassal state of Korea appointed by the Ming Dynasty, nor do you have the right to dismiss any vassal state of Korea soldiers.

The twelve battalions of 240,000 soldiers in the vassal state of Korea have become the rule from now on. You have no right to change it. You are responsible for the food and wages of these 240,000 men. If I discover that you have not paid them, you will no longer be king."

what?
Upon hearing this, Li Sun said with a stiff upper lip, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Our taxes simply cannot support the food and wages of 240,000 troops. Previously, our 200,000-plus troops were stationed according to the Ming Dynasty's garrison regulations. When we weren't fighting, we cultivated our own land and didn't need to be paid."

You think I don't know that's all you're capable of, right?
I have already thought of this for you.

Wanli picked up a list and threw it over, saying coldly: "Look at the kind of officials you have appointed."

Uh, don't be like this.

I am a king after all, why are you scolding me like a grandson?
There is no other way. This time it is all thanks to the Ming Dynasty that we drove away the Japanese pirates, and I will have to rely on the Ming Dynasty for protection in the future.

Li Sun had no choice but to bend down and pick up the list.

(End of this chapter)