Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 641 Shake
"This afternoon... Good heavens!" Even though they had made arrangements as early as last night, Li Gui still instinctively tensed up upon hearing this speculation.

"Yu Ru. What do you think of this matter?" Seeing that Li Gui was still kneeling, Park Seung-jong beckoned upwards again. When Li Gui got up, he pointed to the chair that Li Gui had been sitting in.

"My mind is in turmoil, and I have no ideas," Li Gui said, standing up and shaking his head repeatedly.

“You saw the manifesto yesterday.” Park Seung-jong pointed to the manifesto in Lee Gwi’s arms. “It’s impossible that you didn’t have any thoughts after a whole night.”

Lee Gui walked to the seat designated by Park Seung-jong and sat down. "If I had to say, my only thought is to find out the truth of the matter first, and then come to the Prime Minister for advice."

“Yu Ru, I know you,” Park Seung-jong said. “You’re a smart woman. Just say what you’re thinking.”

Li Gui tucked the proclamation into his robes, then bowed humbly and said, "You flatter me, Your Excellency. I am but a frail and incompetent old man, and I have never encountered anything like this before, so..."

“Li Yuru!” Park Seung-jong tapped the coffee table lightly, his tone suddenly becoming much more serious. “If you still consider me your benefactor, then stop stammering.”

Li Gui's face immediately showed a look of fear and unease. "In my humble opinion, the best course of action now is to quickly report to His Highness and request that His Highness dispatch an envoy to the city to welcome the Imperial Envoy and to do everything in his power to clear up the eternal injustice that our country has been unjustly subjected to!"

"You mean to defend yourself against false accusations?" Park Seung-jong's lips actually curled up slightly.

"Yes." Li Gui nodded with a worried look on his face.

"Is there any point in defending yourself against false accusations? What do you think?" Park Seung-jong said dismissively.

"It's still better than doing nothing, right?" Li Gui said.

"So, Yu Ru, you also think that there's nothing we can do anymore?" Park Seung-jong said.

“The army that is coming to punish us has already passed Paju,” Lee Gwi tentatively said. “May the Prime Minister suggest that His Highness take the Crown Prince and leave the capital region to Chungcheong Province to avoid the brunt of the attack.”

"Escape south?" Park Seung-jong raised an eyebrow.

“It can’t be called escaping. It’s just…” Li Gui muttered for a long time, but couldn’t come up with a good, tactful word.

"And then what happened after you fled south?" Park Seung-jong pressed.

"Then we'll send envoys to the capital to clear our names," Li Gui said.

"What if His Majesty does not agree?" Park Seung-jong stared intently at Lee Gyu.

Li Gui was speechless.

"So what do you think?" Park Seung-jong chuckled.

“I already said that,” Li Gui tilted his head slightly, a look of doubt on his face. “Temporarily avoid confrontation and send an envoy to refute the accusations.”

“I’m talking about yourself,” Park Seung-jong said, pointing at Lee Gwi. “What are your own plans?”

Li Gui licked his lips. "Now that I have pledged allegiance to the Prime Minister, I will naturally follow his lead without question."

"That's a nice thing to say," Park Seung-jong nodded. "Then let me ask you. Who do you think that Imperial Envoy Yuan will install as the new king after he arrives in Hanyang?"

"I..." Li Gui feigned surprise, even fear. "...never thought of that."

“No, you must have thought about it. Tell me!” Park Seung-jong leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. “There’s no one else here, so you don’t need to worry.”

"What's your opinion, Park Young-sang?" Lee Gui asked in return.

"Am I asking you or are you asking me?" Park Seung-jong immediately uttered the phrase he often used before becoming the Chief State Councillor.

"Then..." Li Gui immediately shrank back. "Then I shall dare to make a suggestion."

With a short, hot breath, Park Seung-jong returned to his original position.

Li Gui swallowed hard, perfectly adopting a cautious demeanor. "In my opinion, His Majesty's dispatch of an imperial envoy to oversee Korea is clearly not intended to destabilize our country. In order to stabilize the hearts of all parties as soon as possible, His Majesty will surely appoint the Crown Prince as king."

“Great minds think alike,” Park Seung-jong nodded slightly.

"You think so too?" Li Gui seemed to want to laugh, but he didn't dare to. This contradiction was reflected on his face, as his facial muscles twitched incessantly, pulling at the corners of his mouth.

“In fact, I hope so.” Park Seung-jong’s tone remained calm, but a layer of worry and anxiety unconsciously surfaced on his face. “My granddaughter is the Crown Princess, so I only have two paths to take: one is to become the new king’s father-in-law, and the other is to die.”

"Why are you telling me this?" Li Gui hadn't expected Park Seung-jong to be so direct and so calm.

Lee Gyu-do had always regarded Park Seung-jong as a lecherous and incompetent ruler who had risen to power solely through flattery and his status as a relative of the emperor. Before arriving, he had even imagined that Park Seung-jong would panic and shout in anger. But now, it seemed that Park Seung-jong had not only calmly accepted the fact that the king had been deposed, but had even begun to make plans for the future.

“Even if I don’t say it, you can figure it out.” Park Seung-jong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his worry and fear. “Besides, we’re in the same boat, so there’s nothing wrong with being honest.”

Li Gui suddenly felt his mouth was dry, and he subconsciously reached for the teacup. However, when his fingertips touched the slightly cool glaze, he quickly withdrew his hand.

"Drink up, it's already iced tea, perfect for quenching your thirst." Park Seung-jong glanced at the cup of tea. "Or if you prefer it hot, I can have someone change it for you."

"That's good." Li Gui immediately picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

Park Seung-jong also picked up his tea, took a sip, and then abruptly asked, "What do you think about Kang Hong-rip and Kim Kyung-seo's situation?"

Li Gui's breath hitched. He inhaled a mouthful of cold tea down his throat. "Cough cough." Li Gui tried to suppress his cough to appear nonchalant, but at his age, it was difficult to control such a violent physiological reaction. Li Gui coughed violently for a while, spraying the tea from his cup onto the ground.

"What's the rush? I'm not in a hurry." Park Seung-jong put down his teacup.

"Ahem," Li Gui put down his teacup, then coughed twice to clear his throat. "I have been impolite and have soiled your floor."

"Don't worry about it. Just have someone clean it up." Park Seung-jong waved his hand. "What do you think about what happened between those two?"

“They should have been killed long ago. If they had been killed sooner, perhaps none of this would have happened,” Li Gui said.

“Not necessarily.” Park Seung-jong disagreed. “Perhaps it’s true, as Zhang Wan said, that as early as two years ago, the emperor, who was still the crown prince, had already wanted to send an imperial envoy to oversee Joseon. Unless we can send someone deep into the enemy’s lair to bring back their heads, nothing will change.”

"So, are you going to kill them? Before the Heavenly Army enters the capital," Li Gui asked tentatively. "Why would I kill them?" Li Gui countered.

"You weren't involved in those things?" Li Gui asked, puzzled.

"What's going on?" Park Seung-jong didn't quite understand.

"Is it the matter of communicating with the barbarian envoy mentioned in the proclamation?" Li Gui said.

“No. I only know that Kang Hong-rip was summoned by His Highness in private before the expedition. I wasn’t present at the time, and I don’t know the content of the conversation.” If it were back then, Park Seung-jong would have been happy to be there, but now, he only felt fortunate. “Moreover, the reports of the defeat in the northern expedition and the details of Kang Hong-rip’s surrender were all reported to the court by Park Yeop. The facts are there, what do I have to fear?”

"What happened during the court meeting a few days ago?"

“That matter is nothing. I only said things that reflected my clear conscience. Even if the Emperor were present, he would say I was a loyal subject,” Park Seung-jong said. “Moreover, we can go a step further and say that what happened that day was because Zhang Wan and his accomplices were guilty and wanted to kill someone to cover their tracks. You and I saw through their plot and promptly and tactfully kept the person alive, preserving the evidence. Remember these words; you must say this to anyone who asks you.”

"Yes." Li Gui then realized that Park Seung-jong was giving him pointers. "In my opinion, it would be best to keep Zhang Wan and the others out of it?"

"Why?" Park Seung-jong narrowed his eyes.

“Zhang Wan and his group probably don’t have any ulterior motives. Wouldn’t it be redundant to interrogate them without getting any results?” Li Guizhen suggested like a strategist.

“That makes sense!” Park Seung-jong nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with even more admiration for Lee Gyu. “They are all loyal ministers, and they mean well, wanting to dispel the monarch’s suspicions, but the monarch has a guilty conscience.”

"In other words, you've already decided," Li Gui paused, then changed his tone more tactfully, "to advise Your Highness to accept reality?"

"So what if you don't accept it? Are you going to raise an army in rebellion?" Park Seung-jong retorted.

“That’s not necessarily the case,” Li Gui shook his head, “but as I said before, we can ask Your Highness and the Crown Prince to leave Hanyang temporarily to avoid the limelight and wait for a turning point.”

“Your Highness can avoid it, but the Crown Prince cannot.” Park Seung-jong shook his head. “The Crown Prince must also leave Hanyang. When the imperial envoy arrives in the capital, there will inevitably be those with ulterior motives who will try to install someone else as king.”

Li Gui's pupils contracted. "Someone with ulterior motives?"

“Changing the royal line and supporting the new emperor—who wouldn’t want to claim such a credit? Ok-yoo,” Park Seung-jong stared at Lee Gwi. “Don’t you want to be enfeoffed as a king and bring glory to your ancestors by supporting the new emperor?”

"I," Li Gui, gasped for breath, gathering all my strength to barely steady my mind. "...If possible, I would also like to."

“Of course!” Park Seung-jong said in a very tempting tone, “Right now, an opportunity is presented to you. Help me to support the Crown Prince, and once he has secured his position, I will definitely get you the title of Lord of Yeonan. If it’s suitable, adding a ‘Prefectural Governor’ on top of that is also not out of the question.”

"Why me?" Li Gui's pupils trembled violently.

“As I just said, I know you are a rare talent,” Park Seung-jong said. “Moreover, we are not only in the same boat, but also share a common enemy.”

"Who is our common enemy?" Li Gui asked.

"Who else could it be but Li Erzhan?" Park Seung-jong smiled sinisterly.

“But isn’t Li Erzhan your relative by marriage?” Li Gui countered.

"If you knew this, why did you choose to become my disciple in the first place?" Park Seung-jong retorted.

Li Gui was speechless once again.

"You think times have changed, right?" Park Seung-jong seemed to see right through Lee Gyu's thoughts.

Li Gui lowered his head guiltily.

“Don’t worry, that time is just like this moment,” Park Seung-jong said. “Li Erzhan is too clever for his own good. With him in court, I, as the Chief State Councilor, will never have a peaceful life. Moreover, even for the sake of power, he is far too extreme and unscrupulous. The cases he has stirred up have offended too many people. He is no longer fit to stay in court.”

Park Seung-jong knew very well that many of his followers had come to him seeking protection because they had been persecuted by Lee Il-chan. These conflicts, steeped in blood and tears, would not easily dissipate even if the throne changed hands.

"I understand." Li Gui raised his head, forcing a fawning smile. "Please tell me your arrangements, Prime Minister, and I will do my best to fulfill them!"

Park Seung-jong smiled with satisfaction. "There's no need for that now. I'll find a way to arrange a job for you after this period is over."

"Yes," Li Gui replied.

"Go back now," Park Seung-jong waved his hand. "Remember to send someone over to let me know if there's any news."

Lee Gui immediately stood up, walked to Park Seung-jong, knelt down and kowtowed. "May the Prime Minister take care. I will take my leave now."

“Go ahead.” Park Seung-jong reached out and patted Lee Gyu on the shoulder.

Li Gui rose, bowed again, and turned to leave.

Park Seung-jong's gaze followed Lee Gyu's retreating figure as he left the reception room, and the moment his figure disappeared, his expression darkened.

"Can I still arrange a job for you?" Park Seung-jong sighed and muttered to himself.

Despite his apparent ease and even a hint of elation, all of this was predicated on the emperor's refusal to alter the royal lineage. If, as Park Ja-heung feared, the emperor were to abolish the royal lineage and allow Prince Inseong to inherit the throne, then all of Park's plans would be rendered useless.

After leaving the reception room, Li Gui's face darkened. Park Seung-jong's attempts to win him over had indeed made him waver, but now, Li Gui also only had two paths to choose from.
Just as Li Gui was about to leave the Second Hospital, he suddenly heard a slightly hurried sound of footsteps. He immediately composed himself, forcing a smile. Soon, Manager Park arrived before him with a pale-faced, beardless young man.

"Manager Park," Li Guixian said, bowing.

"Is Master Mozhai going back already?" The steward bowed.

"Yes." Li Gui nodded and asked, "May I ask who this gentleman is?"

"The palace eunuchs are here to see my master. May I ask, Master Mozhai, is my master still in this courtyard?" The steward's expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing amiss.

"Still here. Farewell." Li Gui immediately stiffened and took a step forward without waiting for the butler's reply.

"Someone! Escort Lord Mozhai out." Li Gui's impatience surprised the steward. But at this moment, he didn't think much of it, simply turning around and calling out before gesturing to the eunuch, "This way, please."

(End of this chapter)