Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 684 Mu Hua Welcomes the Emperor's Grace, Receives the Imperial Edict
The 21st day of the fifth month in the first year of the Taichang reign. The sun blazed like fire.

The scorching sun beat down on the roof ornaments, and the sweltering heat rising from the green tiles of the Muhua Pavilion distorted the horizon. Amidst the hoarse chirping of cicadas, the black flags of the iron cavalry, like chains of black iron, sealed off the official road for a mile to the left and right of Ying'en Gate, turning it into a scorching, molten gold-filled passageway.

Crown Prince Yi Cho's elephant-drawn carriage, escorted by Ming cavalry, approached from east to west. The wheels rolled over the newly dried yellow sand, raising clouds of dust reeking of horse manure.

Prince Munchang, the royal brother-in-law of the emperor, Ryu Hee-fen, rode on horseback to escort the carriage, the sharkskin scabbard of his short sword at his waist already soaked with sweat; Prince Michang, the chief councilor, Park Seung-jong, held a locust wood tablet, sweat stains forming dark cloud-like patterns on the wood grain; Prince Gwangchang, the Minister of Rites, Lee Er-chan, held an official seal box, the phoenix pattern woven with gold thread dazzling in the sunlight.

Following the three people in one carriage, the procession of North Korean officials moved slowly and quietly, like a pine forest.

Beneath the eaves of Ying'en Gate, the bronze bells remained motionless, while the imperial envoy's entourage was already arrayed to the west of the gate.

After the ceremonial procession, Imperial Envoy Yuan Keli sat upright in a blue-curtained sedan chair. Beneath the curtain, Yuan Keli gently fanned himself with a feather fan, sending out gusts of hot air. Lu Wenzhao, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and his entire army rode alongside the sedan chair, large beads of sweat sliding down their tanned faces.

Just as the two ceremonial guards were about to meet, Shen Yourong, the Admiral of Korea, and Luo Yangxing, the Assistant Commissioner of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in charge of Korea, suddenly rode out and forced their way through the Korean ceremonial band, directly to Yuan Keli's sedan chair.

At this moment, the civil and military officials, who had been separated for two months, finally reunited.

"This humble general pays his respects to Supervisor Yuan!" Shen Yourong dismounted and clasped his hands in greeting, the light reflected from the breastplate sweeping across Yuan Keli's face.

"General Shen, you've worked hard." Yuan Keli put down his feather fan, picked up his ivory tablet, lifted the curtain, and stepped out. A flying fish with its body lying horizontally immediately revealed its ferocity under the blazing sun.

"This humble official pays his respects to Supervisor Yuan." Luo Yangxing bowed to Yuan Keli. Lu Wenzhao, standing beside Yuan Keli's sedan chair, silently bowed to his brother-in-law and superior.

"Commissioner Luo has also worked hard." Yuan Keli's eyes were complicated. He was certain that these Imperial Guards, who had gathered in Hanyang in two groups, were not only there to escort him and the emperor's decree. Otherwise, there would have been no need to set up a branch office in Korea.

The dragon pavilion landed, and yellow sand swirled around it.

"Your subject, Yi Ye, pays homage to His Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" Yi Ye, holding his imperial tablet, alighted from his carriage and led his officials to the Dragon Pavilion to perform the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony, a grand ritual of paying homage to Heaven. During the kowtows, deep sweat stains quickly appeared on the back of Yi Ye's dark imperial robes. After the Japanese invasion, the Joseon court officials treated all imperial edicts as if they were being addressed to Heaven, performing the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony.

"Where is the King?" After the ceremony, Yuan Keli walked up to Li Chu.

"Reporting to the Imperial Envoy, my father is still in the palace." Li Zhu's body trembled slightly as he lay prone.

"I heard that the Crown Prince had already begun issuing orders before our army arrived in Hanyang?" Yuan Keli looked down at Li Chu, a complex emotion flickering in his cold eyes.

Li Chu touched the blue bricks with his forehead, the jade tassels shattering as he answered: "My father, overwhelmed by the might of Heaven, vomited blood and fainted after reading the proclamation. I fear that the capital will be thrown into chaos, ruining the grand plan of the Celestial Empire, and I have no choice but to take the liberty of assuming power. I now return the royal seal to the Imperial Envoy, and hope that the Imperial Envoy will understand my expedient measures."

As soon as Li Chu finished speaking, Li Erzhan, carrying the seal box, knelt down to Yuan Keli and raised his hand high. "Please accept the seal, Your Majesty!"

In the tributary system established by the Ming Dynasty, before the emperor officially conferred a new king, the successor of the vassal state was required to return the old seal, and a newly cast seal would then be issued. This was to demonstrate that the king's power was granted by the Son of Heaven, not simply through bloodline succession. Now, Yi Chuo, accepting the advice of his senior ministers, voluntarily returned the seal, which was both an expression of goodwill and a test to confirm the new king's legitimacy.

Yuan Keli made no move, nor did he even respond to Li Erzhan. He merely glanced quietly at the box before speaking to Li Hui, who was kneeling before him, again: "Is the King awake now?"

Li Zhu took a few short breaths of hot, muddy air. He already guessed what Yuan Keli was about to say, but dared not lie or give a perfunctory answer: "I'm awake, I'm awake."

“Now that he’s awake, let’s invite him over,” Yuan Keli said.

“Although Father has awakened, he is still weak.” Li Chu’s jaw trembled, and he spoke in a trembling voice. “The weather is so hot now, I’m afraid it will be difficult for him to travel by boat.”

“Your Highness!” Yuan Keli interrupted him directly, and said in an unquestionable tone, “My Emperor’s decree is not just for you. It would be more proper for the King himself to return this royal seal.”

The sudden unexpected situation completely shut down Li Chu's feverish mind. He instinctively looked at Li Erzhan kneeling beside him, hoping he could say a few words in his defense.

Under Li Chu's gaze, Li Erzhan slowly put away the box in his hand. Then he kowtowed and apologized, saying, "It was your humble servant who failed to follow proper etiquette. We will immediately send someone to invite His Majesty to move. We also request that the Imperial Envoy and the Dragon Pavilion move to the Muhua Pavilion to rest and escape the summer heat, and await His Majesty's arrival!"

"Please, Your Excellency, move to the Muhwa Pavilion to rest and escape the summer heat!" Park Seung-jong immediately led the way and bowed again.

"Please, Your Excellency, move to the Muhua Pavilion to rest and escape the summer heat!" The Korean officials also kowtowed in response.

"Let's leave it at that for now." Yuan Keli then looked at Li Erzhan properly for a moment.

--------

Half an hour later, the chariot carrying the current King of Joseon, Yi Hun, passed through the wide-open Donui Gate and sped to the Muhwa Pavilion, five miles away.

Li Hui's chariot was accompanied by no ceremonial guards, only two squads of Ming cavalry escorting him. This simple journey, surrounded by soldiers, resembled that of someone fleeing or being imprisoned.

Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, Crown Prince Yi Cho, who was still outside the Muhwa Hall, hurriedly came forward, half-pushed and half-urged by Yi Er-chan, Park Seung-jong, and others.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects!" Yi Hyuk lifted the front of his robe and led the Joseon officials to slowly kneel down. Since Yuan Keli attached great importance to the return of the seals of office, Yi Hun, who had not yet returned the seals, was still the King of Joseon.

Li Hui alighted alone from the carriage, his cloudy old eyes filled with unfathomable sorrow and lament. The last time he had led his officials here to welcome the imperial envoy was in the thirty-seventh year of the Wanli Emperor's reign when he received the investiture from the Shenzong Emperor. Li Hui couldn't help but roar inwardly: "Succession is difficult, abdication is humiliating. How can this Celestial Empire be so domineering!"
"Good son, my good son!" Li Hui composed himself, cleverly finding a new outlet for his pent-up emotions. "I was just wondering why you suddenly released me. Hehehe! So this is the kind of place you came to!"

"Father." Li Zhu felt a pang of pain in his heart, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

"What are you pretending to cry for!" Li Hui rushed forward and kicked Li Chu, almost roaring, "Isn't this exactly what you wanted?!"

Li Chu staggered backward from the kick, his eyes filled with grievance and confusion as he looked at his father. "Father, what is this?"

"Your Highness! Heaven's will cannot be defied, and the Emperor's decree cannot be disobeyed." Li Erzhan leaped in front of Li Hui, firmly embracing his leg, and steadfastly accepting Li Hui's heartfelt wishes. "Your Highness, please, like the Crown Prince, obey Heaven's will!"

"Your Highness," Park Seung-jong took a deep breath and shouted, "Accept the mandate of Heaven!"

"Your Highness, please obey the will of Heaven!" the officials shouted in unison.

"You! You traitors!" Li Hui's face flushed red, his expression filled with rage. "Let go! Let go of them all!"

"Your Highness, please obey the will of Heaven!" Led by Park Seung-jong, the officials shouted again. "Heh." Under the eaves of the Muhua Pavilion, Luo Yangxing stood with his arms crossed, his eyes full of mockery as he looked into the distance. "This scene is truly touching."

"Touching?" Lu Wenzhao, standing next to him, said softly.

"Such a scene of fatherly love and filial piety," Luo Yangxing asked. "Isn't it touching?"

"Is this a case of fatherly love and filial piety?" Lu Wenzhao gestured towards Li Hui and his son, "That kick just now was quite a solid one."

"It was just a solid kick," Luo Yangxing said. "Back when I didn't study hard, my old man kicked me even harder. I remember one time, I couldn't take the big kicks from his family, so I dodged, and his boot flew straight into the air. Then he chased after me in his socks and got hit on the head by that boot. Hehe." Luo Yangxing couldn't help but chuckle twice. "Do you think that's merciful or not?"

"This..." Lu Wenzhao suppressed a laugh, but his lips still twitched slightly. "You think they're acting?"

Luo Yangxing nodded. "This Li Hui is someone who can withstand the pressure from the entire court and play both sides between our Great Ming and the slave traitors. His composure is beyond the reach of ordinary people."

"But why did they put on this show?" Lu Wenzhao continued, asking the follow-up question.

“Show us his only son and those powerful ministers who support him,” Luo Yangxing said, staring intently at Li Hui. “Have you read the *Tao Te Ching*?”

"The Tao Te Ching?"

“‘He who bears the nation’s shame is called the master of the state; he who bears the nation’s misfortune is called the king of the world,’” Luo Yangxing said. “Honestly, I really admire him.”

"admire?"

"Don't overthink it. Even if he's a saint, it won't affect our work." As the farce subsided, Luo Yangxing lowered his voice. "Besides, some of his 'blemishes' will bring trouble to future generations, and he can't just bear them if he wants to."

--------

Outside the pavilion, the heat was intense, and the sweat dripping from the manes of warhorses left fleeting black spots on the yellow earth. Inside, a cold mist hung in the air, and the water droplets from the Taotie Ice Mirror seeped into the reed mats, leaving deep, lingering stains.

Yuan Keli sat upright in front of the gold-lacquered screen on the north wall, the brocade scales on the flying fish gleaming with a cold hue in the sunlight diluted by the icy air.

Supported by Li Chu, Li Hui shakily stepped over the vermilion threshold. His face was haggard, like a piece of aged Xuan paper, his eye sockets sunken, like tears in the paper.

When Li Hui's gaze fell upon the imperial edict in front of Yuan Keli, his usually calm eyes immediately began to tremble violently in their sockets.

"The Crown Prince is truly filial," Luo Yangxing said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, yet every word was clear.

Li Chu helped his father to the long table where the imperial edicts and decrees were displayed, and slowly knelt down, saying, "Although Father has lost his virtue, I dare not abandon the proper conduct of a son."

“Yes.” Luo Yangxing nodded meaningfully. “Even if a father is not kind, a son should not be unfilial, let alone one who is immoral.”

"Alright." Yuan Keli stood up, walked to the desk, and picked up the imperial edict.

At this moment, his figure was like the projection of a majestic mountain, making everyone present hold their breath.

"It is in order!" Yuan Keli shouted, unfurling the imperial edict.

"Long live the Emperor!" The Ming officials inside and outside the hall immediately shouted in unison, and knelt down to perform the five bows and three kowtows.

"Long live the Emperor!" The North Korean officials paused for a moment, but soon knelt down as well.

Only Lee Hun seemed not to hear, standing dejectedly and arrogantly in the center of the hall until Park Seung-jong leaned out and tugged hard on his sleeve. Only then did Lee Hun reluctantly disappear into the crowd and perform the grand ceremony of a subject to a ruler.

After the ceremony, only the chirping of cicadas remained in the hall.

Yuan Keli took a deep breath, and when he spoke again, his voice was as loud and clear as a bell:
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:!"

"I have inherited the Mandate of Heaven and ruled over all corners of the world. I have shown kindness and benevolence to distant lands and have extended my virtue to all my vassal states. Korea has served the great nation with sincerity, guarding the eastern border for generations and acting as a bulwark for China. For two hundred years, the great righteousness between the monarch and his subjects has been evident in the laws and rites."

"Who would have thought that your King Li Hui would be so rebellious and immoral! Since ascending the throne, he has forgotten the great grace of the late emperor and destroyed the loyalty and integrity of his ancestors. He secretly colluded with the barbarian chieftains, supplying them with grain; he secretly condoned traitors, betraying righteousness and colluding with the barbarians."

"During the great eastern expedition two years ago, he secretly ordered his general to communicate with the enemy, which led to the defeat of Liu Ting's isolated army and the tragic death of Kim Eung-ha! The war raged across Liaodong and the people of Korea suffered greatly, all because of the chief culprit, Hun! Such rebellion has angered Heaven and violated human ethics. How can he be allowed to rule over the Three Hans again and disgrace the vassal states?"

"I now obey the will of Heaven and follow the will of the people, and hereby declare an extraordinary decree."

"Depose Yi Hun as King of Joseon, strip him of his crown and robes, strip him of his rank and title, and demote him to a commoner!"

"Crown Prince Li Zhu has a good reputation. He shall be temporarily in charge of the government and military and civilian affairs of the eight provinces. For all major events such as sacrifices and court ceremonies, he shall temporarily follow the rites of a prince. You shall strictly adhere to your duties as a subject and strictly follow the calendar. You shall heal the wounds within the country and strengthen military preparations without. You shall secure our borders and ensure the peace of our dynasty. Once the slave chieftains are completely wiped out and the work is accomplished, we shall discuss the succession to the title."

"I hereby appoint Yuan Keli, the Shandong Provincial Councilor, as the Right Vice Minister of War and concurrently the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, to oversee Korea, wield the sword and command the flag, and assist in all matters of administration. All military affairs, provisions, promotions and demotions of officers and soldiers, and matters of defense and conscription shall be under his jurisdiction; any civil or military official below the third rank who disobeys orders, regardless of whether they are from within or outside the country, may be executed first and reported later. All decrees issued by the Regent must be stamped and countersigned before they can be implemented!"

"Shen Yourong, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Shandong Coastal Defense, is hereby appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of Korea, commanding the Beijing Garrison, Shandong, Zhejiang, and the armies of the eight provinces of Korea to assist in the pacification of Liaodong. He shall be under the supervision and command of all military affairs, including war and defense."

"To you, subjects of the Three Hans, I have dispatched the Heavenly Army not to bring you harm, but to annihilate the wolves at your side, just as I did in the past when I quelled the Japanese pirates! You should know right from wrong, exert your utmost sincerity, and assist the royal army in punishing the disobedient. Those who aid the Heavenly Army and offer their loyalty will be generously rewarded by the court. Those who stubbornly submit to the rebellion will have their entire families slaughtered and wiped out without exception! Your fate is in your hands; do not regret it!"

"A proclamation to the royal army: You must wield the might of thunder and bear the heart of parents. Protect the people of Korea as you would your own children, and punish the traitors and collaborators as easily as cutting down weeds! Furthermore, coordinate with the various garrisons in Liaodong, and once the foundation of Korea is secure, advance from both east and west, and strike directly at the barbarian invaders!"

"Announcement to the Eight Provincial Provinces of Hamgyeong, Pyongan, Hwanghae, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang, and we will strictly abide by it!"

Yuan Keli took a deep breath and shouted the last two words heavily: "Respectfully!"

(End of this chapter)