Rule the Ming Dynasty Alone

The capital city in February is enveloped in the warmth of early spring.

A ray of golden sunshine penetrated through the clouds and softly fell on the ancient bluestone road, reflecting the mottled light and shadow. On both sides of the streets in the city, the flags of shops fluttered gently in the spring breeze, bringing a little life.

On the city wall, the texture of bricks and stones looks more primitive and thick in the sunlight.

Occasionally, a patrolling city guard army walked by in order, their armor shining in the sun, adding a bit of majesty to this ancient city.

The center of this ancient city is naturally the splendid Forbidden City, and this imperial city appears to be very quiet. The royal gardens to the west present natural scenery.

The 800-acre Taiye Pond is swaying with green waves in the spring breeze, and the willows along the bank are lingering, and the tender green branches are swaying in the wind, like the girl's long hair.

In the Yangxin Hall, sandalwood curls up.

Several beautiful palace maids came in and out, their words and deeds appeared to be very cautious, and there was only one person they served, which was the Ming Emperor who was sitting on the dragon throne and handling government affairs.

Beijing is not close to Seoul, especially since there is no direct link between the two, so the speed of information transmission from North Korea is slower than that from China, and many things in Seoul will take a long time to reach the capital.

Zhu Youtang's brows were furrowed. While dealing with domestic affairs, he was always paying attention to the developments in North Korea.

As pieces of intelligence came in, he learned that King Lee of North Korea was actually an anti-Ming element. But this didn't surprise him too much. After all, Li was a famous tyrant in history, so naturally he would not surrender to the Ming Dynasty easily.

Because his side was too strong, it seemed to inspire the rebellious psychology of a traitorous young man, so he dared to openly challenge Ming Dynasty, and even dared to define Ming Dynasty as an enemy country.

Zhu Youtang couldn't help but take a breath when he saw the soldier Cao Li Shi being beheaded.

He actually had no interaction with North Korean personnel. The one who impressed him most was Li Shi, a soldier who loved Chinese books. Of course, there was also an old friend who left an impression on him.

At this time, the spring sunshine in the courtyard outside was just right, but his eyes were looking deeply at the sky in the distance, but there was an inexplicable worry in his heart.

Li Xien, this name caused ripples in his heart.

He was still young at that time, and when he summoned the North Korean envoy Li Shi in the royal study, he did not expect that Li Shi would bring his daughter Li Xien, who was disguised as a man, with him.

Girls with such sweet smiles are rare in the world, so when he saw Li Xien smiling at him, he could still remember that smiling face that could shine into his heart.

In fact, with his status and power, he could only express his feelings a little bit at that time. Then the North Korean King Li Suo would definitely send Li Xien to his palace, and even Li Shi would vigorously mediate the matter.

It's just that life is like this. Even if you are a high-ranking emperor, some people still have to miss it.

At that time, Zhu Youtang only wanted to pursue a career and had no intention of having an affair with his children, so he quickly downplayed the beautiful North Korean girl with a sweet smile.

Three years later, he unexpectedly saw information about Li Enxi. Because her Li family was very prominent in North Korea, she married a member of the royal family as his official wife.

It's just that the sky is unpredictable, and in this era where everything depends on the mother-in-law's words, it is difficult to know the other person's character, and her husband froze to death in the hospital due to excessive drinking.

Now that Zhu Youtang saw that Li actually killed Li Shi, he couldn't help but care about this old friend.

If I had brought Li Xi'en into the harem back then, with the current strength of the Ming Dynasty, I am afraid that no matter how arrogant Li was, he would not dare to kill Li Shi, right?

Li Xien has finally married into the royal family. According to North Korea's usual practice, I'm afraid she won't be implicated. Of course, Li can be regarded as an alternative, and I am afraid that Li Xi'en will also be included in the list of executions.

Zhu Youtang regretted very few things, but he only had some regrets about Li Xien.

He seemed to see Li Xien's clear eyes and hear her silver bell-like laughter, but he felt quite uncomfortable in his heart. Maybe he should have accepted her into the harem back then.

I thought he had forgotten her, but before he knew it, the girl had hidden herself in his heart.

"Your Majesty, please have some tea!" Liu Jin tiptoed in and carefully put down a cup of hot tea.

Zhu Youtang ignored the tea cup, but opened the latest military information sent with the intelligence.

The Ming Dynasty's cavalry has moved south from the Yalu River. Not to mention the strong troops and horses in Liaodong, the Korean army has long been corrupted. In addition, the Korean army is caught in the vortex of power struggle between the two parties, and its combat effectiveness has been greatly reduced.

Judging from the fact that Yu Yuanzan, the commander-in-chief of Liaodong, led the cavalry to easily break through the North Korean border defenses, it also proved his suspicion that the current North Korean army was actually vulnerable. The Ming Dynasty even used cannons to fight mosquitoes this time.

Of course, an arrogant soldier will be defeated, so he did not dare to take it lightly.

Zhu Youtang turned his attention to the war between the two countries and frowned slightly.

This conquest of North Korea was actually unplanned. The situation in North Korea is different from that of Ryukyu. Ryukyu has a small population and their citizens have a low sense of belonging, so they will not encounter any reactionary forces if they become autonomous.

But after all, North Korea is a country with a long history. They have also had a precedent of defeating the Central Plains Dynasty, so they will definitely organize a revolutionary army.

Ming Dynasty now obtains cheap rice, pig iron and women from North Korea. In fact, these resources are enough.

If the Ming Dynasty occupied North Korea by force, it would have to send troops to North Korea and arrange officials to manage it. All kinds of things would increase financial expenses.

You know, if North Korea were autonomous, they would die if they encountered disaster. In fact, the reason why North Korea's population cannot grow is due to these endless natural disasters.

If the Ming Dynasty ruled North Korea, the Ming Dynasty would not only be responsible for the thankless task of disaster relief, but also invest in water conservancy projects.

Although from the perspective of long-term interests, it would be wiser for the Ming Dynasty to annex North Korea directly, but it can actually postpone the matter until productivity increases before embezzling it.

In particular, the sinicization of North Korea is not comprehensive enough. Now it is completely possible to slowly assimilate it, instead of taking over North Korea, a money-loser, forcefully now.

Because of this, Zhu Youtang did not want to waste resources on North Korea. He wanted to support a puppet king. Gaining benefits through this puppet king was more in line with the interests of Ming Dynasty.

The king of gods, the people above, and the barbarians below, this is the situation Zhu Youtang hopes to see the most.

Our vision returns to the Korean Peninsula. At this time, there is a tense atmosphere at the North Gate of Seoul.

Jin Zongguo, the guard on the top of the city, looked at Yu Yuanzan below the city and the cavalry army behind him. He couldn't help but swallow and spit, and a bead of sweat fell from his forehead.

If Yu Yuanzan takes the opportunity to lead his cavalry into the royal city, it does not mean that the army's cavalry are brave and good at fighting. It is just the equipment gap between the two sides. The old, weak, sick and disabled defenders in their city will only be massacred.

If the Ming general soldier in front of him was more ferocious, I am afraid that the entire royal city would be slaughtered by him, and this royal city would become a dead city filled with corpses.

Yu Yuanzan's eyes fell on the painting at this time. Naturally, he did not know the thoughts of the general guarding the city, but he soon discovered that the corner of the painting was stamped with Zhu Youtang's private seal.

Since the current Emperor Hongzhi is so popular, not only grilled fish has become a trend, but fishing has also become fashionable. There are also many anecdotes about Zhu Youtang.

There have been rumors about the story between Li Xien and Emperor Zhu Youtang.

After learning that "Green Smoke in Mountains and Rivers" was presented to the emperor, all kinds of erotic scenes were depicted in a discerning and precise manner. After all, it was a fact that Zhu Youtang gave a rare painting to a Korean woman.

Yu Yuanzan's heart moved, and he looked up at the carriageway behind him: "May I ask if the person in the carriage is Miss Li Xi'en?"

At this time, the car curtain was opened, and the dignified woman sitting inside was none other than Li Xien, known as the most beautiful woman in North Korea.

Her face has clear outlines and her skin is as fair as jade, delicate and shiny, as if it were a carefully crafted work of art. The bridge of her nose is high and elegant, adding a bit of three-dimensionality to her face, while her red lips are like blooming peach blossoms, tempting to pick. The long hair is like a waterfall, smooth and lustrous, like flowing black silk, elegant and dreamy. The figure is graceful yet dignified, exuding an innate elegance.

Facing Yu Yuanzan's inquiry, her smile was warm and charming: "My lord, the commander-in-chief, is none other than the little girl Li Xien!"

Looking at such a beautiful woman, Yu Yuanzan immediately knew that the emperor's affair with the Korean woman in front of him was not groundless: "I, the general, respect your majesty as my father. Although you are an old friend of your majesty, the king of Korea refuses to accept pig iron, and I have heard that he will kill his relatives. Officials of the Ming Dynasty are here to destroy this city!"

kill!

The armored cavalry behind them had gathered into a torrent of steel, and they suddenly shouted together.

The momentum was so great that the entire royal city was frightened. Several soldiers on top of the city were so frightened that they dropped their weapons, and some of the guarding soldiers even turned around and fled.

"May I ask, Lord Commander, the Emperor of Ming Dynasty is far-sighted and loves his people. Does his original intention this time really want the lives of North Koreans to be destroyed?" Li Xi'en kept his composure, but asked rhetorically.

The latest mission Yu Yuanzan received was not to enter the royal city, but to put pressure on the Li dynasty: "Your Majesty Li ignored the might of the Ming Dynasty, and now I am leading my army to capture him back to the capital! Even if the entire The lives of North Korea are in ruins, and that is also Li’s fault!”

"Commander General, please take a look!" Li Shangming presented another sandalwood box with a flash of determination in his eyes.

Yu Yuanzan took the box without knowing why. When he opened the box, he immediately saw Li's head inside and couldn't help but take a breath.

If the initiator of this war is said to be Li, it was the Korean king who no longer obeyed the Ming Dynasty, so this conquest was launched.

But now Li is actually dead, and he died at the hands of one of their own people. This is undoubtedly a major turning point in the war.

Yu Yuanzan knew that North Korea had no owner, and whether or not it could capture this royal city seemed not that important anymore: "May I ask who killed Li?"

"It's me, general! This thief disrespected the Ming Dynasty and killed my father unjustly. I, the general, killed him today with my own hands!" Li Shangming noticed that Yu Yuanzan had become loose, and immediately stood up to express his position.

Yu Yuanzan knew that Li Shi was killed by Li Zhan, so he nodded gently and said: "Master Li Shi has a son, I'm afraid he will be able to smile!"

This is not a polite word. Li Shangming's ability to kill a dignified king has already proven his ability. Judging from the current situation, Li Shangming seems to have become the one who controls North Korea.

"My lord, the slave family has a plan. I wonder if we can sit down and discuss it in detail?" Li Xien said with a smile when he saw Yu Yuanzan's reaction.

Yu Yuanzan asked someone to put the head away and nodded happily.

As Li Xien said, their goal this time was not to occupy the Ming Dynasty, but more of a crusade against Li. Now that North Korea's Lee is dead, how to seek greater interests is the most important thing.

"The Ming cavalry didn't attack?"

"Are we saved this time?"

“It’s not clear yet, but it’s definitely moving in a good direction!”

…

When the people in Seoul saw that Yu Yuanzan did not take the opportunity to rush in from the North City Gate, they finally felt relieved and immediately rushed to tell each other.

No matter what era people are from, they all yearn for peace in their hearts.

Although the news of the death of King Lee of Joseon spread throughout the royal city, the people applauded him when he thought of the king's atrocities.

At this moment, a unique secret conversation started outside the city.

Leader Li Kepei and other important ministers went out of the city to participate in secret talks. Their secret talks seemed to have achieved good results. Li Kepei and others left with smiles on their faces.

Li's death did indeed resolve the conflict between the two parties to a great extent.

Not long after, Li Xien personally took "Green Smoke of Mountains and Streams" on his way to the capital.

Just to rush for time, she did not take the land route this time, but took a sea ship to Tianjin Pier. When she arrived at Tianjin Port, she couldn't help but be so shocked that her eyes widened.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed that such a prosperous port city appeared in the Ming Dynasty.

Under the escort of the Ming cavalry, the carriage she was riding in slowly drove into the capital, and along the way she saw the earth-shaking changes in the Ming Dynasty.

Li Xien withdrew her beautiful eyes and lowered the curtains reluctantly.

She is now finally convinced that under the governance of that man, the Ming Dynasty has become the absolute overlord, and North Korea's clamoring against the Ming Dynasty is really asking for death.

It's just that she didn't forget her mission this time. She came not only to quell the war, but also to see that man again.

When Li Xien was summoned to Xiyuan, it seemed that nothing had changed. She came to the imperial study room again, and then saw the man who had become more mature and charming, and she couldn't help but smile sweetly from the bottom of her heart.

According to gossip observers, after Li Xien was called into Xiyuan, the things he needed to talk about were very time-consuming, so Li Xien did not come out of the palace until the palace door was closed. (End of chapter)