Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 683 Settlement
Liu Xifen rode his horse to the foot of Wangjiang Tower, looked up and saw the reflective plaque, and his unease reached its peak.

Beneath the plaque stood a forest of Shen Xun's personal guards. They wore only the simplest military uniforms, yet they still resembled an insurmountable iron wall.

The guards looked at Liu Xifen with eyes that were neither cold nor warm. If Liu Xifen had to describe it, his gaze would probably be one of indifference.

Liu Xifen dismounted, but before his left leg even touched the ground, his right leg suddenly went weak.

Losing his balance, Liu Xifen immediately leaned backward and fell forward. Driven by instinct, he frantically grabbed the reins.

"Ouch!" The horse winced in pain the moment the reins tightened.

"How should I address the special envoy? That's inappropriate!" Shen Cheng, who was about to go forward to speak, immediately realized upon seeing the situation that if things continued like this, the horse would definitely go berserk. If it galloped away, Liu Xifen would at least fall, or worse, be dragged along by the horse while entangled in the stirrups and reins.

"Watch out!" Shen Cheng lunged forward and caught Liu Xifen from behind. "Let go, let go! Don't pull anymore, the horse will go berserk!" Afraid that Liu Xifen wouldn't understand Chinese, Shen Cheng shouted to his personal guards, "Draw your swords, prepare to cut the horse's legs!"

"Yes!" Upon hearing the order, a burly man over seven feet tall immediately threw away his scabbard, drew his four-foot-long Miao sword, and assumed a horizontal slashing stance. He was waiting for Shen Cheng's next command before he would slash down without hesitation.

"No need!" Liu Xifen released his grip and fell steadily into Shen Cheng's strong arms.

Shen Cheng was taken aback, then half-placed Liu Xifen on the ground: "Can you stand up, Special Envoy?"

"I... I can stand up." Liu Xifen blushed with shame.

Liu Xifen dared not meet Shen Cheng's gaze, and couldn't help but blame himself inwardly: "They say a show of force is a sign of strength. Before he even showed his power, I've already made such a huge fool of myself in front of everyone, and he's even prepared to kill his horse to save his life. If this gets out, where will I put my face!"

Shen Cheng released Liu Xifen and waved for the burly man to put away his Miao sword. Then, he beckoned to two other guards. "You two come and take the horse away."

"Yes." Two guards stepped forward, one taking the reins and the other patting the horse to soothe it. The poor horse had no idea that in the blink of an eye, these despicable fellows had been about to kill it to save their errant rider.

"Thank you, General." Liu Xifen composed himself and bowed deeply to Shen Cheng.

Shen Cheng had originally intended to intimidate the special envoy, but since the other party had already made such a fool of himself, there was no need for any further show of force. Shen Cheng put on a smiling face and pointed upstairs, saying, "Special Envoy, please don't stand on ceremony. Hurry up, the General is on the second floor."

--------

As soon as Liu Xifen reached the second floor, he felt an unusual coolness. Upon closer inspection, he saw that a large, exposed ice brick was silently absorbing the heat from the room.

Next to this exposed ice block, there was another ice block covered with cotton wool. Judging from the irregular, collapsed shape of the cotton wool, Liu Xifen guessed that someone must have chiseled off a corner of this ice block.

"I am Shen Xun, the adjutant of the Fourth Battalion of the Divine Machine Army," Shen Xun stood up, smoothed his rolled-up sleeves, and bowed, completely ignoring the commotion downstairs. "May I ask how the special envoy is addressed?"

"My name is Liu Xifen." Liu Xifen quickly bowed in return.

"Special Envoy Liu can speak Chinese?" Shen Xun subconsciously turned his head to look.

“When I was young, I followed a troupe to Chaotian and learned a little bit,” Liu Xifen said.

Shen Xun nodded. "Your country's queen is surnamed Liu, and Special Envoy Liu is also surnamed Liu. I wonder if the two of you are related?"

“I am honored to be the elder brother of the Princess Consort,” Liu Xifen said.

“That’s the Imperial Brother-in-law.” Shen Xun smiled gently and gestured for Liu Xifen to sit down. “Imperial Brother-in-law Liu, please have a seat.”

"Thank you." Liu Xifen walked over and sat down. Seeing three tea sets on the table, he looked at Xiang Junqing, who was sitting beside him. "May I ask who this gentleman is?"

“This is Commander Xiang,” Shen Xun said. “He was originally supposed to act as an interpreter between the two of us. But since Imperial Uncle Liu can speak Chinese, we won’t need to trouble him.”

"Xiang Junqing." Xiang Junqing gently cupped his hands in greeting.

"So it's Commander Xiang. My apologies."

Shen Xun picked up the porcelain teapot from the wooden tray in the middle of the table and slowly poured a cup for Liu Xifen. "Uncle Liu, you must be thirsty after your long journey. This tea has just been chilled with ice, it's very refreshing and thirst-quenching."

Liu Xifen quickly adopted a flattered expression. "No need for General Shen, I can do it myself."

"Since I've already borrowed your ice, what's a little tea?" Shen Xun said with a smile. "It's hot outside, so please forgive me for not inviting you in."

Liu Xifen hurriedly took a sip, but not entirely because he was thirsty. "It's just ice from the cellar, no need to ask for more, please feel free to take some."

Shen Xun smiled gently, "Then please convey my thanks to the Crown Prince on my behalf, Liu Guojiu."

"Definitely, definitely." Liu Xifen nodded repeatedly, holding the teacup.

Shen Xun put down the teapot, his smile gradually fading. "Uncle Liu, enough with the small talk, let's get straight to the point."

"General Shen, please speak." Liu Xifen quickly put down his teacup. Two drops of tea flew out.

"From today onwards, the security of Hanyang and the surrounding area will be guaranteed by our army. We hope your country will cooperate." Shen Xun decided to be tactful first.

"Thank you for your trouble, General. I will do as you please," Liu Xifen replied without hesitation.

"As you see fit?" Liu Xifen's statement left Shen Xun, who had prepared a lot of responses, at a loss for words. For a moment, all his attempts at persuasion, threats, and bribes remained unresolved.

“That’s right,” Liu Xifen said. “We agree to hand over all troops, including the Five Guards Army, the Bandit-Catching Battalion, and the Training Supervisor Army, only asking to retain the Inner Guard and the Crown Prince’s Guard to prevent traitors from taking advantage of the situation to cause chaos and plot treason. If General Shen is willing, he can lead his troops to Hanyang now and take over the city’s defenses.”

Shen Xun silently drank a few sips of tea, also digesting the words that no longer needed to be said.

"Where are these troops stationed?" Shen Xun asked with a smile.

"Do you have a map?" Liu Xifen asked. "I can show it to you."

“We only have a map of Gyeonggi Province, not a detailed map of the area around Hanyang.” Shen Xun wiped two fingers of condensed water from the teapot and then used it to draw on the table. “This is Hanyang, this is the Han River, and we are here. Can you roughly tell me where these troops are? Just give me a general idea of ​​their location.”

Shen Xun stared at the painting of condensation water, which consisted of only a circle, a horizontal line, and a dot, and thought hard. "Let's talk about the Five Guards first. The Yixing Guard is stationed on the east side of the capital, about three miles from Xingren Gate."

"The Longxiang Guard was stationed on the west side of the capital, almost next to Dunyi Gate."

"The Zhongzuo Guard was stationed in the northwest of the capital, at the foot of Mount Beiyue."

"The Tiger Guard's garrison is located on the south side of the capital, sandwiched between Chongli Gate and the South Separate Camp."

"The Chungmu Guard, on the other hand, is stationed within the capital. Their original location was west of Gyeongbokgung Palace, but a few years ago they moved eastward to the vicinity of Changdeokgung Palace."

"Relocate? Why?" Shen Xun asked curiously.

“Gyeongbokgung Palace is gone,” Yoo Hee-bun said with a wry smile. “It was burned down by rioters during the first Japanese invasion.”

"It's been over twenty years since the Japanese invasion. Has it still not been rebuilt?" Shen Xun asked. "It's a small country with a small population, unlike the Celestial Empire," Liu Xifen sighed. "Rebuilding Changdeok Palace, which is much smaller in scale, is already the limit. Back then, when my King Seonjo restored the country and returned to the capital, he was still living in the residence of Grand Prince Wolsan."

Shen Xun's eyes flickered slightly, and he felt a surge of sympathy for North Korea.

"Where are the bandit-catching camp and the training supervisor stationed?" Shen Xun pressed.

“The bandit-catching camp is also stationed in the city,” Liu Xifen said, pointing to the circle representing Hanyang City. “It is located between Guangxi Gate and Zhaode Gate. The training commander has two main camps, one is the Nanbie Camp south of Nanshan, and the other is the Xibie Camp south of Anshan. Both camps are located along the main road and are easy to find.”

"Hmm." Shen Xun nodded. "How many men are in each of these units?"

"I'm not entirely sure about that, I only have a general idea." Liu Xifen took a sip of tea naturally.

"It's alright to talk about it." As Liu Xifen put down his teacup, Shen Xun also picked up the teapot.

"I can do it myself," Liu Xifen quickly covered the rim of the cup to show his refusal.

"No need for such formalities, Uncle Liu," Shen Xun said with a smile, pushing Liu Xifen's hand away. "Just continue."

"Thank you very much then." Liu Xifen nodded with a smile. "After the chaos of Dingyou, the size of the Five Guards Army continued to shrink. Now each guard has at most a few hundred people, and the five guards together have about three thousand people. The bandit-catching camp has recently added some manpower, and including those patrolling around the capital, there are about a thousand people. As for the training commanders, the South Battalion and the West Battalion together have more than three thousand people, but less than four thousand."

"What about the Inner Guard and the Crown Prince's Guard?" Shen Xun asked again.

Liu Xifen did some calculations. "The two guards combined have less than four hundred men, and half of them are ceremonial guards."

Shen Xun nodded, clasped his four fingers together, and waved towards the door: "Alright, I have nothing more to ask. Does Uncle Liu have anything else to say?"

"Yes!" Liu Xifen leaned forward, his eyes flashing with both eagerness and fear. "I have something I want to ask. I hope the general will not hesitate to enlighten me."

"Please speak, Uncle Liu." Shen Xun nodded.

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Xifen hesitated. "I wonder if the general has met with Judge Zhang?" Liu Xifen changed his words.

"Counselor Zhang?" Shen Xun thought for a moment. "You mean Ambassador Zhang?"

“That’s right.” Liu Xifen nodded. “You’ve already met him?”

“Of course,” Shen Xun retorted. “Didn’t you send Ambassador Zhang to find us?”

"Yes, yes, yes!" Liu Xifen nodded several times with a forced smile, afraid that Shen Xun would be displeased. "So you should have already heard him talk about that matter, right?"

"What happened? I only saw him, and didn't say more than a few words to him."

"They didn't exchange more than a few words?"

“Yes,” Shen Xun said matter-of-factly. “Didn’t he come to see Admiral Shen? What is he saying to me? You want to see him?”

"Is he around here?" Liu Xifen preferred to hear the answer to that question from a Korean rather than a Ming general. If the answer was negative, at least he could shout it out in satisfaction.

“No, the central army hasn’t crossed the river yet.” Shen Xun shook his head. “If Liu Guojiu isn’t in a hurry to go back and report, he can sit here and wait.”

"Did Admiral Shen say anything to you?"

"Heh," Shen Xun chuckled. "Wasn't Liu Guojiu quite straightforward just now? Why is he starting to beat around the bush now?"

"I," Liu Xifen's expression changed several times, and his face flushed red due to his rapidly accelerating heartbeat and soaring adrenaline.

"Please feel free to speak your mind," Shen Xun said with a kind smile. "I will answer all your questions to the best of my ability."

"I want to know who Your Majesty wants to make the new king of my Joseon!" These words seemed to drain all of Liu Xifen's strength, and as soon as he finished speaking, he felt a strong dizziness.

"Of course it's the Crown Prince. You should have already seen the proclamation, right?" Shen Xun tilted his head, wondering why Liu Xifen was asking such an obvious question, and why he was so nervous.

"Was it written on the manifesto?"

"Didn't you write it down?"

--------

"Whoa!" A flying horse came to an abrupt stop at the entrance of Changdeok Palace.

Liu Xifen jumped down from the horse, his movements swift and graceful, reminiscent of his former glory.

"Open the door!" Liu Xifen waved his hand, his face beaming with a smile, his eyes gleaming with eagerness.

"Yes!" The inner guard officer at the gate did not hesitate and immediately ran to knock on the door.

The Dunhua Gate opened from the inside, just wide enough for a person to pass sideways, and Liu Xifen couldn't wait to push aside the military officer and squeeze in.

Upon entering, Liu Xifen immediately began running through Changdeok Palace. When he reached the last corner leading to Shimin Hall, he excitedly shouted at the top of his lungs, "Your Highness, Your Highness!"

Two guards of the heir apparent, carrying swords, came forward to greet him, but Liu Xifen pushed them away.

"Your Highness, Your Highness," Liu Xifen continued to call out. His voice echoed in the courtyard of Shimin Hall.

The two guards exchanged a glance and ultimately decided to simply follow rather than physically stop them.

"Your Highness, Your Highness!" Liu Xifen's shouts suddenly stopped because a sour face blocked his way.

"Brother! Stop calling him, Heng'er just fell asleep," Princess Liu said in a low voice, her brows furrowed.

"Asleep? Now?" Liu Xifen was taken aback.

Princess Liu nodded with a gloomy expression, then raised her hand to dismiss the two guards peering out of the courtyard. "Brother, please tell me what you have to say. I'll speak to you when Heng'er wakes up."

Before Lady Liu could finish speaking, Crown Prince Yi Chu, who had been startled awake, came out listlessly. "Uncle, how is it? Are the Ming army about to enter the city? Should I go out to greet them?" Yi Chu's heart was pounding, and he could see dark shadows flying in front of him.

Liu Xifen didn't answer the question, but instead knelt down. "Congratulations, Your Highness! The Emperor intends for you to succeed to the throne!"

Lee Chauk was stunned at first, then his eyes slowly widened. "This...this is real!"

thump.

Lee Cheok slumped to the ground, a relaxed smile on his face that hadn't been seen in a long time.

(End of this chapter)