Huangming

Chapter 160: Tangun’s Dinggege, Jichou’s Drowning Relief
After the banquet, it was already late.

Zhu Youxiao did not return to the Forbidden City, but instead stayed at the Nanhai Zi Imperial Palace.

There are two imperial palaces in Nanhaizi. One is the Old Yamen Imperial Palace, which was built during the Yongle period, and the other is the New Yamen Imperial Palace, which was built during the Jiajing period. It is larger in scale and has more complete facilities.

Zhu Youxiao naturally moved into the more comfortable new government office palace.

The new government office palace is mainly divided into two areas.

The outer court area, where government affairs were handled and officials were received, and the inner court area, where the emperor and his concubines rested.

At this moment, in the main hall of the outer court palace.

Zhu Youxiao summoned the Korean envoy.

Korea is located right next to Liaodong. If it can wholeheartedly obey the command of the Ming Dynasty, it will cause considerable trouble for the Later Jin.

however.

After the Battle of Sarshu, Korea gradually became disobedient to the Ming Dynasty's orders, wavering between the Later Jin and the Ming Dynasty.

This was naturally a situation that Zhu Youxiao was not happy to see.

Now that an envoy from Korea has arrived, Zhu Youxiao wants to let the situation through and, taking advantage of the momentum from the military parade, give King Gwanghaegun of Korea a warning!
They could even take this opportunity to interfere in North Korean politics!

Soon, the Korean envoy arrived.

The Korean envoy, Hong Seo-bong, wearing a crimson robe with a round collar, entered the hall with an ivory tablet in his hands.

Stop five steps away from the imperial desk and perform the ritual of five bows and three kowtows: first, place your hands together in front of your forehead and bow deeply to the ground, then kneel on both knees and touch the back of your hands with your forehead three times, then stand up and bow again.

After the ceremony, he remained bowing and said in slightly accented Chinese, "Your humble servant Hong Ruifeng wishes His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming a long and peaceful life."

Zhu Youxiao nodded slowly and said, "I am well, you may rise!"

Zhu Youxiao sat upright on his throne, his gaze calmly fixed on the Korean envoy below him, and slowly began to speak:

"I have heard that King Gwanghaegun of Joseon has been unwell recently. I wonder if he is well now?"

Upon hearing this, the envoy Hong Ruifeng immediately bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, my sovereign, grateful for the grace bestowed upon him by the Celestial Empire and thanks to Your Majesty's great blessings, has recently recovered. However, he still has some minor ailments that require recuperation, and thus was unable to come in person. Therefore, he specially sent me to pay homage to express my respect."

Zhu Youxiao nodded slightly, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes, and continued to ask:

"If that's the case, what is the purpose of sending you here, Prince Gwanghae?"

Hong Ruifeng hesitated for a moment, then respectfully replied, "Your Majesty has ordered me to come firstly to congratulate the Celestial Dynasty on its military parade, showcasing the might of the Ming Dynasty's army; secondly, Your Majesty wishes to reiterate Joseon's long-standing loyalty to the Great Ming, with no other intentions whatsoever. However..."

He paused briefly, as if considering his words, and said, "However, in recent years, the situation in Liaodong has been chaotic. Our country is located on the border and is inevitably disturbed. The king is worried about the safety of the nation, so he sent me here to earnestly request Your Majesty to explain the strategy of the Celestial Empire. Korea will certainly follow Your Majesty's decree and work together to resist foreign aggression."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao's lips curled slightly, but his tone carried a hint of authority:

"I am aware of this. As a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, Joseon should uphold its duties as a subject and not waver. If Gwanghaegun is truly loyal, he should understand that the might of the Ming Dynasty is not to be trifled with, nor can the wrath of the Ming Dynasty be borne by you."

Upon hearing this, the envoy broke out in a cold sweat and immediately prostrated himself, saying, "Your Majesty is wise! I will certainly convey this truth to the King. All of Korea will follow the lead of the Celestial Empire!"

Zhu Youxiao's gaze suddenly turned cold, his fingers lightly tapping the imperial desk, his voice low yet imposing:

"Following your lead blindly? I would like to ask, last year when Liaodong was in dire need, I ordered Korea to send troops to assist in the defense, why did your country remain indifferent for so long?"

The Korean envoy froze, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He hurriedly prostrated himself and explained, "Your Majesty, please understand! It is not that our small state is disobeying orders, but rather that our military is weak, our supplies are insufficient, and the Jurchen cavalry has repeatedly invaded our borders. Your Majesty fears that rashly deploying troops would only lead to the collapse of our defenses."

"absurd!"

Zhu Youxiao suddenly slammed his hand on the table, and all the Imperial Guards standing in the hall stepped forward with their hands on their swords.

He sneered and rebuked, "Before the Battle of Sarhu, Joseon was able to send troops to help suppress Jianzhou, but now it is 'militarily weak'? I think Prince Gwanghaegun feels that the Ming Dynasty's sword is not sharp enough!"

The envoy touched his forehead to the ground and cried out in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! The King has no disloyal intentions! I have personally witnessed the might of the King during this military review, and upon returning home, I will certainly urge the King to prepare the troops and obey orders."

Zhu Youxiao had a keen understanding of the political situation in Korea.

This vassal state, bordering Liaodong, has always been a source of anxiety for the central dynasties. Emperor Yang of Sui exhausted the nation's resources with three campaigns against Goguryeo, Emperor Taizong of Tang never forgot the Liaodong war until his death, and even Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, repeatedly waged war against it.

Since the anti-Japanese war and aid to Korea during the Wanli era, the Korean court has been filled with the eyes and ears of the Ming Dynasty.

Every move of Gwanghaegun, and the open and covert struggles between various factions, were continuously transmitted to the Forbidden City through secret channels.

Zhu Youxiao tapped the dragon table lightly with his knuckles, a cold smile appearing on his lips: How could these petty actions of the vassal states escape the discerning eyes of the Great Ming Emperor?
"I have heard that the Joseon court is rife with factions. I wonder, Minister Hong, do you belong to the Great Northern Faction, the Lesser Northern Faction, or perhaps the Western People's Party?"

Upon hearing this, Hong Ruifeng's pupils contracted slightly, clearly not expecting the emperor to be so knowledgeable about the internal affairs of Korea.

He hesitated for a moment, then cautiously replied, "Your Majesty, I am but a subject outside the capital, and I only know to act on the orders of the sovereign. I dare not get involved in factional strife."

Zhu Youxiao chuckled and tapped the imperial desk lightly with his fingertips: "Oh? But I have heard that the Northern Faction is close to the Later Jin, the Southern Faction is ambivalent, and only the Western Faction still has the intention to serve the Great Jin."

He leaned forward, his voice suddenly turning cold, "If Minister Hong does not clarify his position today, how can I believe Korea's words of 'following my lead'?"

The situation in North Korea is currently turbulent.

King Gwanghaegun Yi Hun seized the throne through a coup.

His father, King Seonjo, favored his second son, Grand Prince Yeongchang, in his later years, which led to Prince Gwanghae seizing the throne through a coup with the support of the powerful minister, Yi I-chan.

During his reign, Gwanghaegun was ruthless and suspicious. In order to consolidate his power, he executed his half-brother, Prince Yeongchang, and his nephew, Prince Ryeongchang, which aroused strong dissatisfaction among the Joseon samurai faction.

In terms of foreign policy, Gwanghaegun pursued a "neutral diplomacy," attempting to waver between the Ming Dynasty and the Later Jin (Nurhaci) in order to protect himself.

However, this ambivalent attitude has also exacerbated the internal partisan struggles and turmoil in North Korea.

The current political situation in North Korea is turbulent, with numerous political parties vying for power and influence.

The Daebu faction, led by Chief State Councilor Yi Er-chan and Left State Councilor Jeong In-hong, fully supported Gwanghaegun, advocated for close ties with the Later Jin dynasty, and believed that only by attaching themselves to the emerging Nurhaci power could Korea be preserved.

The North Korean faction is more cautious. Although they do not oppose Gwanghaegun, they have reservations about the extreme policies of the North Korean faction. Lee Gwi, the Right State Councilor, is a representative of this faction. They are trying to find a balance between the two factions.

The Western People's Party, on the other hand, openly opposed Gwanghaegun. Led by Kim Ryu and Yi Won-ik, they insisted on a pro-Ming stance, believing that Joseon had been a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty for generations and should not betray its suzerain state.

However, due to the brutal suppression by Prince Gwanghae, the Westerners' Party gradually declined and had almost no place in the court.

The power struggles among the three factions have made the political situation in Joseon increasingly turbulent, while Gwanghaegun tries his best to maintain his rule amidst the chaos.

When questioned about state affairs by the Ming emperor, Hong Ruifeng stammered and dared not answer.

Zhu Youxiao inquired about Hong Ruifeng's stance because he knew that this man admired the Han dynasty and was originally a member of the Westerners' Party, which had been suppressed by Prince Guanghai and had been seeking an opportunity for restoration.

He wanted to force Hong Ruifeng to reveal her true colors.

The Ming emperor's gaze was sharp, and Hong Ruifeng gradually felt the pressure. He gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind, and said, "This humble servant is a member of the Westerners' Party."

Seeing that this person was willing to lay his cards on the table, Zhu Youxiao also bared his fangs and revealed his purpose.

"The King of Joseon has ascended the throne illegitimately and is extremely cruel. He is not worthy to be the King of Joseon. As a member of the Westerners' Party, you should support a wise ruler to succeed to the throne."

Upon hearing this, Hong Ruifeng trembled, pressed her forehead to the ground, and dared not raise her head.

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze; the only sound was one's own rapid breathing.

Zhu Youxiao continued, “I know that the Westerners have always been loyal to the emperor, but now they have been almost completely suppressed by Prince Gwanghae. Prince Aungyang, Yi Jong, is the grandson of King Seonjo. He is kind, wise and virtuous and has won the hearts of the people. If you can support a new emperor and revitalize the court, the Ming Dynasty will certainly do its best to help you.”

Hong Ruifeng finally raised her head, a resolute glint in her eyes: "Your Majesty is wise beyond measure! Prince Guanghai has acted perversely, and the people are filled with resentment. Although the Westerners have been persecuted, loyal and righteous men still remain. If we have the support of the Celestial Empire, we will surely devote our lives to upholding the nation!"

Zhu Youxiao nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. I will order Liaodong to provide secret support. When the time is right, you may raise the banner of rebellion."

The emperor's gaze was sharp, and his words carried a hint of warning: "Remember, what the Ming Dynasty wants is a Joseon that is absolutely loyal."

"Your Majesty, I will obey your decree!"

Hong Ruifeng kowtowed deeply, already understanding in his heart: this was both a warning from the Ming Dynasty and an opportunity for the Westerners to regain control of the government.

The new emperor of the Ming Dynasty appears to be a wise and sage ruler.

This might be the only chance that Lord Lingyang will ever have in his life!
In order to ensure that the Ming Emperor would firmly support Prince Lingyang, Li Zong, Hong Ruifeng gritted her teeth, immediately bowed again, and solemnly said:
“Your Majesty is wise! Prince Lingyang, Yi Jong, has always been loyal and righteous, and has long admired the might and virtue of the Celestial Dynasty. If Your Majesty would grant him the right to succeed to the throne of Joseon, Yi Jong would be willing to offer a Joseon princess to serve the Celestial Dynasty, to show his sincere heart and to be loyal to the Great Ming for generations!”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao's eyes flickered slightly, and he tapped his fingers lightly on the imperial desk, as if weighing his options.

After a moment, he spoke slowly, his tone deep and serious:

"Oh? Lord Lingyang is quite thoughtful. However, what I want is not just a princess."

A mere princess of the Korean Kingdom thinks she can bribe him?

Korean maids are beautiful, but do I lack beauties by my side?

Hong Ruifeng understood immediately and replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured! If the Celestial Dynasty helps Prince Lingyang ascend the throne, Joseon will certainly exert all its strength to help the Ming Dynasty jointly suppress Jianzhou! Its provisions, troops, and personnel will all be at the Celestial Dynasty's disposal, and it will have no disloyalty whatsoever!"

Zhu Youxiao raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a meaningful smile: "Very well. Then I will wait and see."

If the Westerners could launch the "Injo Restoration" as soon as possible, depose Gwanghaegun, and install Yi Jong in his place, causing Joseon to fully side with the Ming Dynasty, the situation of the Ming Dynasty in Liaodong would improve considerably.

The mess left to him by the Wanli Emperor was gradually turned around by Zhu Youxiao! The next day.

Zhu Youxiao set up a testing ground at the Nanhaizi hunting ground.

The targets of the examination were none other than the Noble Camp!
In the dim light of dawn, three hundred sons of nobles, their armor gleaming, stood in formation, awaiting orders.

The emperor, dressed in crimson military attire and with a sword at his waist, stood on a high platform, his piercing gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Zhu Youxiao ordered ten targets to be set up a hundred paces away, with each target spaced three zhang apart, and required the riders to fire ten arrows in quick succession while galloping on horseback.

"I want to see real skill, not just empty showmanship!"

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, Zhang Zhiji was the first to step forward.

He rode his horse with lightning speed, drew his bow to its fullest extent, and shot arrows like shooting stars—all ten arrows hit the bullseye, with the last arrow even piercing the fletching of the previous arrows, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Zhu Guodong, the younger brother of the Marquis of Funing, wanted to compete, but due to his unstable control of his horse, he was hit by six arrows and retreated in shame.

The other sons of noble families stepped forward one after another to compete in archery, but none of them could match Zhang Zhiji's level of hitting the target seven or eight times out of ten.

Zhu Guodong, the younger brother of the Marquis of Funing, drew his bow again. Although he was much more composed than before, he still only managed to hit the target with seven arrows. Guo Zhen, on the other hand, lost his aim due to trembling hands, and two arrows missed the target, their shafts sticking out conspicuously in the yellow soil.

Zhu Youxiao stood with his hands behind his back on the observation platform. Seeing that these descendants of generals were either lacking in strength or had poor accuracy, he couldn't help but frown.

When the tenth nobleman's arrow barely grazed the edge of the target, the emperor finally tapped the gilded railing and sighed to the Duke of England beside him, "Archery and horsemanship are the basic skills of military officials. If they can't even hit a willow leaf from a hundred paces, how will they fight on the battlefield in the future?"

Zhang Weixian gave a wry smile and could only say, "Combat skills are not acquired overnight. If Your Majesty has them practice every day, they will surely achieve the effect Your Majesty desires."

Zhu Youxiao remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

After archery, the test of musket skills will begin.

On the east side of the training ground, a hundred armored wooden figures stood solemnly, their iron armor gleaming coldly in the spring sun.

Duke Zhang Weixian of England accepted the three-barreled gun presented by the Imperial Guards, lit the fuse with a tinderbox, and sparks flew instantly.

"boom--"

A deafening explosion ripped through the sky. Before the smoke had even cleared, Duke Zhang Weixian of England waved his command flag: "Begin firing!"

In fact, Zhu Youxiao originally intended to test-fire the three-barreled gun himself, but Duke Zhang Weixian of England firmly dissuaded him.

The reason was that the three-barreled gun at the time had a high risk of exploding, and the Duke of England was worried that if an accident occurred and the Emperor was injured, even ten heads would not be enough to atone for the crime.

During the musket firing test, the Noble Battalion was divided into three teams that fired in turn.

Amidst the billowing smoke, Zhang Zhiji's vanguard team displayed skillful loading techniques, with bullets hitting the wooden dummy's breastplate with pinpoint accuracy. Meanwhile, Guo Zhen's unit, due to the tension of the operation, had several men hastily fire without removing the powder caps, causing the muskets to explode and the flying fragments to injure their comrades nearby.

Zhu Youxiao, standing on the high platform, coldly observed everything. He immediately ordered the disqualification of Guo Zhen and the other four from participating in the training, and sternly reprimanded them: "Firearms are the lifeblood of our soldiers, how dare you treat them so lightly! How can those who disregard military preparedness be fit to be generals!"

In the afternoon, Zhu Youxiao ordered a hunt using live deer to simulate a battlefield encirclement strategy.

Zhang Zhiji commanded the noble camp, dividing it into three wings: left, center, and right. He personally led the central army in a feigned attack from the front, creating a false impression to distract the deer herd. At the same time, he secretly dispatched Xue Zhao with light cavalry to outflank and cut off their retreat.

As soon as the dragon flag was raised, the three armies suddenly surrounded the deer, completing the encirclement half a quarter of an hour ahead of schedule. The sound of hooves thundered across the hunting ground, and the deer herd had nowhere to go and were all trapped.

Only then did Zhu Youxiao feel slightly satisfied with the Noble Camp.

These people seem to have put in quite a bit of effort to obtain their titles.

Day three.

That is, the third day of the second month of the first year of the Tianqi reign.

The spring hunt is still ongoing.

Zhu Youxiao rode his horse to the edge of the hunting grounds, then suddenly pulled on the reins and stopped, gazing into the distance towards the outskirts of Beijing.

He gestured for Zhang Weixian, the Duke of Yingguo, who was accompanying him, to come closer, and said in a deep voice, "I have heard that the number of refugees in the capital region is increasing daily. Now that I am out of the palace, I might as well go and see for myself."

Zhu Youxiao had long been trapped in the Forbidden City and ensnared by the officials of the Ming Dynasty.

He wanted to go and see the people of the Ming Dynasty for himself.

He doesn't want to become the next Yuan Shikai.

Zhang Weixian's expression changed upon hearing this, and he hurriedly tried to dissuade him: "Your Majesty, there is a risk of disease in places where refugees gather, and your health is also at risk."

Zhu Youxiao, however, had already pointed his whip into the distance, interrupting Zhang Weixian's words of dissuasion: "I am not a child in the deep palace, how can I close my eyes and deaf ears?"

Having said that, he disregarded the regulations for ceremonial processions and, with only a few hundred Imperial Guard light cavalry, turned directly onto the side road of the official road.

After walking no more than five miles, the scenery suddenly changed.

The bark of the elm trees on both sides of the official road had been stripped off, leaving claw marks on the exposed trunks.

The ragged women and children huddled under the earthen wall, too weak to even look up when the horse caravan passed by.

Further away, several emaciated men were digging at the roots of grass with wooden sticks. When they heard the sound of horses' hooves, a trace of panic flashed in their cloudy eyes.

Zhu Youxiao's knuckles turned white as he gripped the reins.

He saw a young boy lying by the dry well, using a clay pot to collect the seeping muddy water. On the well platform lay two corpses covered with straw mats.

The accompanying eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial explained in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, last year there was a severe drought in Beizhili, and this spring there is a shortage of food, which is why we are seeing this scene."

Suddenly an old woman rushed to the front of the horse and cried out, "Please, Your Honor, spare me a meal!"

The Embroidered Spring Blade of the Imperial Guard was instantly drawn, but the Emperor raised his hand to stop him.

Zhu Youxiao immediately took off the brocade pouch from his waist and threw it at the old woman.

The purse fell to the ground and burst open, releasing several golden melon seeds that rolled into the dust.

However, the old woman just stared blankly at the gold beads, her withered face full of bewilderment—she had never seen such precious things in her life.

The emperor then realized what was happening and turned to the Imperial Guards attending him, saying in a deep voice, "Bring some dry rations."

The guards quickly offered the wheat cakes they carried with them.

When the old woman received the tangible grain with trembling hands, tears welled up in her cloudy eyes. She prostrated herself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, her hoarse voice calling out, "My benefactor! A living Bodhisattva!"

His cracked forehead left bloody marks on the yellow earth.

Zhu Youxiao looked at the tragic scene before him, feeling as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing on his chest.

Although he was a time traveler and had read the phrase "starving corpses everywhere" in history books, he never imagined it would be so shocking.

The thin arms of the young boy scooping muddy water, and the blank look in the old woman's eyes as she stared at the melon seeds, were like dull knives scraping at his heart.

As a modern soul, he thought he had a good grasp of suffering, but now he realized that knowledge gained from books is ultimately superficial.

The "great famine" that is only mentioned lightly in history books was a desperate situation for the living, involving stripping tree bark, digging up grass roots, and eating people.

His knuckles were white as he gripped the reins, and an indescribable bitterness welled up in his throat.

This shocked him even more than the defeat at Sarhu, and he realized that beneath the seemingly magnificent surface of the Ming Dynasty, it was already crawling with man-eating lice.

As Zhu Youxiao rode back to the imperial palace, the image of countless starving corpses littering the outskirts of Beijing remained vivid in his mind.

He gazed at the gray, hazy sky in the distance, feeling as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on his heart.

If the capital region is in such a state, what kind of miserable situation must Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong and other places be in?
He gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles turning white, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"deliver an imperial order."

Zhu Youxiao's voice was deep, yet carried an undeniable authority as he said, "From this day forward, I order the Ministry of Revenue to thoroughly investigate the national granaries. Anyone found to have embezzled relief grain or exploited the people, regardless of their official rank, shall be severely punished without exception!"

"Furthermore, the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War are ordered to work together to construct water conservancy projects and reclaim wasteland in Beizhili, using work relief as a means of livelihood, so that the displaced people will have a way to survive!"

Upon hearing this, Duke Zhang Weixian of England bowed and agreed, but was secretly astonished.

The emperor, who rarely leaves the palace, has acted so swiftly and decisively today because he has witnessed the suffering of the people firsthand. He truly cares deeply for the people and is a wise and benevolent ruler of the Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Youxiao's gaze was deep as he looked towards the Forbidden City, his mind already filled with deeper calculations.

"I want the world to know that this Ming Dynasty is not the private property of those officials, but the foundation of all people! If anyone dares to prey on the people, I will make them pay with their blood!"

He looked up at the sky, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Having traveled to this place, I should do something.

The four words "revive the Ming Dynasty" are ultimately just a grand narrative in history; but making sure that the people of the world can eat their fill and stay warm is what makes his journey through the late Ming Dynasty worthwhile!
"Having inherited the throne of the Great Ming Dynasty, we must bring about a new era! This world, where refugees are everywhere and people resort to cannibalism, needs to change!"

PS:

Attached is a picture of a three-barreled gun:
(End of this chapter)