Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 621 The Undercurrents of Hanyang (Part 1)

Wu Yunqian slammed his fist on the table with such force that the heavy inkstone bounced up. Luckily, there was no ink in the inkstone, otherwise, just a few blows from him would have turned the entire table black.

"National humiliation? Ha!" Li Qingquan was dismissive, even more agitated: "Even if it is a national humiliation, it is Guanghai who misled the country and the people, bringing shame upon himself!" As he spoke, Li Qingquan even omitted the word "ruler".

"And what about us?" Those sudden, powerful blows seemed to have exhausted all of Wu Yunqian's strength. When he spoke again, his voice was filled with only weariness.

“This is Guanghai’s doing, what does it have to do with us!” Li Qingquan retorted to Wu Yunqian again.

“Even if the king committed this atrocity, we were all sent as envoys to the Celestial Empire on the king’s orders when he was about to be deposed by the emperor!” Wu Yunqian sighed deeply. “We are now standing on the crossroads of history. Our identities and our choices will be recorded in history books for future generations to judge! A corrupt ruler and a minister of treacherous principles, a disgrace for ten thousand years!”

Li Qingquan seemed to be stung by Wu Yunqian's words. His pupils contracted, and he looked back, remaining silent for a moment.

"Ambassador Wu, you're already thinking about your posthumous reputation?" Liu Yingyuan asked quietly.

Wu Yunqian looked up at the sound, but couldn't see Liu Yingyuan's face. "I'm already sixty-two this year, and I'm afraid I don't have many years left to live."

"Then how do you intend to secure a good reputation for yourself after death?" Liu Yingyuan's voice seemed to carry a hint of sarcasm. "To go to the capital and persuade the Emperor to rescind his decree to depose the prince?"

Wu Yunqian leaned wearily against the armrest. "I want to go to the capital to try and persuade them again."

"I advise you to give up, it's impossible!" Liu Yingyuan lowered his head, staring intently at his boots. "I'm certain that ever since Xu Lishu submitted that memorial, the Emperor has been planning this matter. Otherwise, he wouldn't have summoned Xu Lishu to the capital and entrusted him with such an important task in the very month of his ascension to the throne. The selection of officials, the deployment of troops, Yuan Jian's departure from the capital in March, and his arrival in May with the dispatch of 30,000 troops from Shandong and Liaodong! The matter is meticulously planned and executed; it must be the Emperor's determination that supports it!" Liu Yingyuan raised his head and looked at Wu Yunqian: "Ambassador Wu, tell me, how can we, as vassals of a lower state, sway the Emperor's resolve?"

Wu Yunqian opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word.

"Or is it that," Liu Yingyuan smiled silently, "that Ambassador Wu never intended to shake the Emperor, but only wanted to put on this show in the capital to gain a reputation for 'loyalty to the Emperor'?"

"You're talking nonsense!" Wu Yunqian's face turned red instantly. "I, I didn't mean that! How could you say that to me!"

“You just said you didn’t have long to live and wanted to earn some posthumous fame,” Liu Yingyuan immediately retorted, “Why are you denying it now?”

“I wanted to earn some posthumous reputation for myself. But,” Wu Yunqian’s eyes dimmed, “but it wasn’t to gain any reputation for ‘loyalty to the emperor’.”

"So what kind of fame do you want to earn for yourself?" Liu Yingyuan no longer concealed the sarcasm in his words.

Wu Yunqian's expression changed several times, and finally he actually found something to say: "Your Majesty is foolish, and the country is innocent! We are not only Your Majesty's subjects, but also the subjects of Joseon. We should go to the capital to defend Joseon against the accusations!"

“There’s no need for that,” Liu Yingyuan shrugged. “It’s not like the king’s fiefdom was abolished. The throne will be inherited by the crown prince according to the rites. Councilor Gao has already made it very clear that the emperor has no intention of blaming Joseon. You shouldn’t go to the capital and do something unnecessary.”

“It’s not superfluous.” Wu Yunqian’s thoughts gradually became clearer. “Even if His Majesty doesn’t really have any intention of blaming Joseon now, once the matter is exposed, it’s hard to guarantee that someone won’t try to instigate it! You two are both Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) before the Imjin War, so you should both remember Zeng Zhifang’s memorial to the late Emperor requesting the abolition of the king, right?”

The so-called "request by Zeng Weifang to depose the king" refers to a memorial submitted by Zeng Weifang, a senior official in the Ministry of War, during the Imjin War (1609), twenty-eight years prior. In his memorial, Zeng proposed that "King Seonjo be deposed for his debauchery and neglect of state affairs, as was done during the Lingwu Incident of Emperor Sukjong, and that Crown Prince Gwanghae be passed on to him." This memorial did not generate much discussion within the Ming Dynasty, but it stirred up a storm in Joseon. It could even be said that this memorial set the stage for the next decade or so of discord between Seonjo and his son, and for political instability in Joseon.

After a moment of silence, the disdain on Liu Yingyuan's face seemed to have subsided considerably, but he still shook his head: "The Emperor's mind is like this, so there's no use in trying to refute the accusations. Last year, Li Tinggui's delegation visited the capital, saying that it had appeased the Emperor's mind and calmed the court's opinions. But Ambassador Wu knows what's happening now, so don't make things worse and anger the Emperor instead."

"No, no, no! Li Shengzheng is completely mistaken!" Wu Yunqian said indignantly. "When he arrived in the capital last year, he clearly realized that the world was about to collapse and the imperial regalia was about to change hands. Yet he only thought about appeasing the emperor and calming the court. Li Shengzheng devoted most of his energy to the cabinet, the censorate, and to Grand Secretary Fang and Censor Xue, but ignored the emperor's thoughts! If they had been more perceptive and actively lobbied the emperor back then, our Joseon would never have suffered such a 'humiliation'!"

"Alas!" Liu Yingyuan sighed deeply. "There's no use saying all this now. If you insist on going to the capital to defend Joseon, then you should know what's going on. I'm sure the Emperor absolutely does not want to see a royal mission carrying the banner of Gwanghaegun right now. Just as Senior Advisor Gao said, you have to amend the letter of credence!"

“I will change,” Wu Yunqian said without hesitation.

“Alright. Since you know what you're doing, then you can continue north with your delegation and tribute.” Li Qingquan narrowed his eyes slightly. “Anyway, I’m going back. Will Li Xiuzhuan come along too?”

“There’s probably no point in us going back south now,” Li Qingquan said, his tone much calmer, but a faint flame still seemed to burn deep in his eyes. “On the contrary, continuing north might allow us to do something for the country. Besides, didn’t Protector Yuan say before that the three envoys to the capital should not be separated?”

"Don't you understand? That's just an excuse to fob us off." Liu Yingyuan lowered his head, his face mostly hidden by his palm. "Now that Lord Yuan is leading two armies of 30,000 men straight to Hanyang and has deposed Guanghai, he's bound to reshuffle the court. Many will rise, and many will fall. If we go to the capital, we won't be able to start our return journey until at least September. We'll probably not be back in the capital until October, or even the end of the year. By then, the promotions and demotions will be finalized, the situation will be stable, and it won't be so easy to infiltrate."

"You're trying to take advantage of the situation!" Wu Yunqian couldn't see Liu Yingyuan's expression, but he understood immediately.

"This is an opportunity, an opportunity to sweep away the wicked and cleanse the court." A flicker of eager anticipation danced in Liu Yingyuan's eyes. "With a little guidance, we can purge those factionalists and incompetent officials while Supervisor Yuan is making his decisive moves!"

"That sounds nice, but I think you're just trying to use this opportunity to climb the social ladder, aren't you?" Wu Yunqian decided to be blunt.

“I don’t deny it.” Liu Yingyuan turned his head, one eye meeting Wu Yunqian’s gaze directly. “I’m still more than ten years away from being old enough to think about what will happen after my death. Now that such a double opportunity is presented to me, how can I not take a chance?” As he spoke, Liu Yingyuan looked at Li Qingquan: “Li Xiuzhuan is still young, why don’t you join me? If we’re only standing on Yuan’s side, people like Li and Zheng don’t necessarily have to be dismissed!”

“I’m not going back,” Li Qingquan refused firmly. “I have other things to do!”

“Li Xiuzhuan!” Wu Yunqian looked at Li Qingquan with great emotion, but Li Qingquan kept his head down and did not meet his gaze.

“Everyone has their own ambitions.” Liu Yingyuan gave Li Qingquan a deep look. “Just go back by yourself.”

--------

Joseon, the capital Hanyang. Li Erzhan sat alone in his study, looking at the completed resignation letter in the dim light of the setting sun.

Since replacing Li Tinggui in August of the 41st year of the Wanli reign, Li Erzhan has been in the position of Judge of the Ministry of Rites for almost eight years.

Although the judge was not among the three chief ministers, and the Ministry of Rites was not a vital department like the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of War, Li Erzhan was able to learn the king's intentions in advance by befriending Lady Kim, thus "often presiding over court discussions" and wielding power over the ministers.

However, in recent years, especially since the defeat at Sarhu in the 46th year of the Wanli reign, Li Erzhan felt that his life was becoming increasingly difficult. After the Taichang reign was changed, the Xiaobei faction even brought up the incident in the 43rd year of the Wanli reign, in which Shen Jingxi was accused of supporting Prince Lingchang, Li Quan, to attack him.

Shin Gyeong-hee and Yi Er-chan had a thin kinship ties, and Shin Gyeong-hee was a follower of Yi Er-chan. In fact, Shin Gyeong-hee was arrested by the Uigeumbu (Imperial Household Department) when he sought help from Yi Er-chan's family. Back then, the Northern faction used this opportunity to attack Yi Er-chan, but thanks to the King's favor, Yi Er-chan escaped unscathed, his position remaining unshaken. But now that Shin Gyeong-hee is dead, there's no way to verify this matter; it's all based on hearsay.

Li Erzhan tried many methods to protect his position, but most were to no avail. Lately, the king had become increasingly indifferent to him, and even his relationship with Jin Shanggong was strained. Li Erzhan's sense of crisis grew stronger; if things continued like this, something truly terrible might happen.

However, Li Erzhan was unwilling, or rather, dared not, to gracefully retire and relinquish his current position. This was not merely out of attachment to power, but also out of fear. Since assuming power, Li Erzhan had instigated numerous unjust imprisonments in order to eliminate dissidents and consolidate his authority, thus offending many people. Li Erzhan was well aware that once he stepped away from the center of power, he might be torn apart by others. Therefore, he wrote resignation letters one after another, but until now, he had not dared to actually submit them.

Just as Li Erzhan was once again deeply caught in a spiral of indecision, the doorman quickly approached and gently knocked on the study door. "Master."

The doorman's voice was very soft, and even the knocking couldn't immediately pull Li Erzhan back to his senses.

"Sir!" the doorman emphasized, but remained cautious.

"Hmm?" Although Li Erzhan was over sixty, his voice was still full of energy. "Who's here?"

"Envoy Zheng has sent a letter saying he wishes to see you," the gatekeeper said through the door. "Should we let him in?"

"Which Zheng Qianshi?" Qianshi, in full, was the military commander, a low-ranking official even among military officers. In the capital, there were at least eight or ten such people, and even with the specific surname 'Zheng,' Li Erzhan still recalled several faces. However, after a moment's pause, Li Erzhan suddenly remembered a name: "Is it Zheng Zhongxin?"

“It’s him,” the doorman replied.

Li Erzhan pondered for a moment. "Please invite him in."

The gatekeeper hesitated for a moment before asking, "If I may be so bold as to ask, where does the master intend to meet him?"

Different guests received different treatment. If this were just an ordinary envoy, the gatekeeper would have readily agreed, and Li Erzhan would have met him in a side hall, without even offering tea or refreshments. But Zheng Zhongxin was no ordinary envoy; he was a staunch supporter of the late Chief State Councilor Li Hengfu, and even after Li Hengfu's death, he had transported Li Hengfu's remains from his place of exile in Beiqing, Hamgyeong Province, to Li Hengfu's hometown. To Li Erzhan, Zheng Zhongxin was arguably a political enemy. Therefore, the gatekeeper was somewhat undecided.

"Please come in directly. I'll meet him here." With that, Li Erzhan put away his letter of resignation.

The doorman paused for a moment, but didn't ask any further questions: "Yes."

Not only was the gatekeeper puzzled, but even Zheng Zhongxin himself was surprised that Li Erzhan would meet him in such a private place as the study.

"I pay my respects to Judge Li!" Upon entering, Zheng Zhongxin knelt down and kowtowed to Li Erzhan. This was basic courtesy.

"Please sit down." At this moment, Li Erzhan had already left the main seat behind the desk and moved to sit by the tea table against the wall.

"Thank you," Zheng Zhongxin stood up, then froze. Li Erzhan was clearly pointing to the seat next to him. Zheng Zhongxin quickly bowed again. "There is proper order between superiors and inferiors; how could I dare to stand shoulder to shoulder with Judge Li?"

Li Erzhan picked up the freshly brewed tea from the tea table. "This is top-quality Hangzhou Longjing tea. Wouldn't it be a waste to just throw it away?"

Zheng Zhongxin had no choice but to walk to the chair next to the coffee table and sit down.

"Excellent tea!" Zheng Zhongxin picked up the tea and praised it after just one sniff.

"Hehe." Li Erzhan put down his teacup and chuckled softly, "Is Vice Envoy Zheng preparing to resign from court?"

Zheng Zhongxin was taken aback again. "Yes."

"So, it turns out that Envoy Zheng really came to inquire about the barbarian affairs?" Li Erzhan and Zheng Zhongxin didn't have any trivial family matters to chat about, so they went straight to the point.

"Yes and no." Zheng Zhongxin put down his teacup.

“Then please start with the part that is ‘not’,” Li Erzhan said.

“I would like to bring up the matter of Jiang and Jin again before I leave court,” Zheng Zhongxin said, rising and bowing. “I hope that at that time you will be able to put in a good word for me.”

"What do you mean by bringing up the matter of Jiang and Jin again?" Li Erzhan narrowed his eyes slightly. "Could you explain it more clearly?"

"Of course, it's more reassuring to kill the general!" Zheng Zhongxin replied solemnly.

(End of this chapter)