Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 218 What?! The Ming Dynasty emperor has sent an envoy?!

"My lord, something terrible has happened! An envoy from the Ming Dynasty has arrived!"

The next day, someone reported this news to Li Renren.

Upon hearing the report, Li Renren was quite upset.

I was shocked by this news.

Last night he told Cui Ying that the Ming Dynasty had suffered a great loss, with its envoy killed, and that it would probably not dare to send any more envoys in the future.

As a result, the messenger arrived the next day.

How could he not be shocked by such news? It was truly unexpected!

"Who led the team?" he asked, his expression already somewhat serious.

"One was surnamed Zhang and named Zhang Cheng, and the other was surnamed Chen and named Chen Jian. Both of them were commanders of a thousand households in the Ming Dynasty."

Upon receiving this report, Li Renren secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his heart, which had been pounding, was finally at ease.

It was alright that there were only two commanders whose names I had never heard of before.

This shows that the Ming Dynasty was not overly angry about the killing of their envoy.

In the Ming Dynasty, even if someone were to be punished for this, it wouldn't be a serious matter.

It's still within a controllable range and won't get out of control.

After all, if the other party really intends to demand an explanation and is unwilling to let the matter rest, then they will definitely make a big fuss and send some capable people as envoys.

How many people are in the delegation?

"five hundred."

After hearing that number, he felt much more at ease.

If it's only five hundred people, then that's fine.

The delegation was more than two hundred people larger than usual, but not by much, and everything was still within a manageable range.

However, it's understandable that at this point, the Ming Dynasty wouldn't dare to confront us head-on.

Goryeo holds a special position, and no one can ignore it.

He had just received this information and hadn't had time to ask more detailed questions when Cui Ying arrived.

"My lord, what should we do now? The Ming Dynasty has sent an envoy, but I'm afraid they have ill intentions."

Li Renren was not surprised that Cui Yingneng had received the news so quickly and came to see him to discuss the matter.

However, he didn't quite approve of Cui Ying's overly nervous and cautious demeanor.

I think he's making a mountain out of a molehill.

Cui Ying was a general who frequently led troops and had fought many battles.

However, their courage and boldness are far inferior to his own, far less than that of a scholar like himself.

But really, who in the entire Goryeo Kingdom has such a spirit?

If I didn't have great ambition and courage, how could I have achieved what I have today?
"It's alright, it's just a normal dispatch of envoys."

It's normal for the Ming Dynasty to send someone over at this time; after all, their envoys are dead, and they can't pretend to be deaf and dumb.

Hearing Li Renren's words, Cui Ying had a lot of complaints she wanted to say to his face.

I don't know who it was, but last night they confidently declared that the Ming Dynasty wouldn't dare send any more envoys here.

But now that the Ming envoy has actually arrived, they immediately changed their tune and said these words.

What kind of talk is this? He said it all by himself.

Next, if things go wrong and the other side's envoy discovers something here, then this matter will be serious.

What was particularly problematic was that the Yuan Dynasty's envoys had only been there for a few days and were still staying when the Ming Dynasty's envoys arrived.

If this is not handled properly, and the Ming Dynasty envoy learns of the existence of the Yuan Dynasty envoy, then many things could become unpredictable.

"Have Jin Tao immediately lead men to welcome the Ming Dynasty envoy. Everything should be done according to the previous procedures. Do not let the other party see any flaws or notice anything amiss."

After listening to Li Renren's words, Cui Ying thought for a moment and nodded. Since things had come to this point, there was indeed no better way to deal with it. The only option was to respond to the situation as it came.

"Just relax. If the other party knows what's good for them and follows the rules, then it's fine."

If one is unwise in some matters...

As he spoke, he grinned, a hint of malice in his expression.

"Then let them go with the Ming Dynasty envoys ahead!"
It's not like our great Goryeo hasn't dealt with Ming Dynasty envoys before!
The Yuan envoy is right here. If things get really tough, this is the perfect opportunity to express our loyalty and completely side with the Yuan.

Let that beggar emperor of the Ming Dynasty be so angry he'd jump up and down!

Li Renren and Cui Ying exchanged a few more words before going their separate ways to do their own things.

Jin Tao was also summoned and, under Li Renren's arrangement, went to greet the Ming Dynasty envoy.

Jin Tao was different from ordinary Goryeo people. He was selected through the civil service examination during the reign of the previous Goryeo king.

Besides that, he has other identities.

For example, after the Ming Dynasty restored the imperial examination system, he went to the Ming Dynasty to participate in the examination and even passed it, and was granted an official position in the Ming Dynasty.

After Goryeo chose to submit to the Ming Dynasty, Kim Tae served as Goryeo's envoy to the Ming Dynasty six times.

So it's perfectly normal that Li Renren would find him at this time and assign him such a task.

……

"Brother Zilian, it's been a long time."

Half a day later, Jin Tao and his men met with the Ming Dynasty delegation. After exchanging greetings, Jin Tao spoke to Chen Jian, the chief envoy of the Ming Dynasty delegation, and they began to discuss their personal relationship.

He had met Chen Jian during the Ming Dynasty, and they even had a certain relationship.

"Brother Changyuan, it has been many years since we last met. It is truly a joy to see you again today."

"I was overjoyed to learn that it was Brother Zilian who came this time," Jin Tao said with a broad smile.

“Who isn’t? I thought it might be Brother Changyuan who came this time, and it turns out that’s true.”

As he spoke, he turned to his deputy Zhang Cheng and said, "Brother Changyuan is no ordinary person. He is a true talent with profound knowledge in his studies."

But those who genuinely participated in the imperial examinations and were listed on the honor roll.

This is unique in Korea.

His Majesty bestowed upon me the title of Compiler of the Hanlin Academy; even now, in our Great Ming Dynasty, official documents still exist.

The deputy envoy cupped his hands in greeting, expressing his admiration, and exchanged some polite words.

Jin Tao was truly pleased with these words. Being able to take the imperial examination in the Ming Dynasty and pass it made him the only one in Goryeo to achieve this, and it was what he was most proud of.

Even his rivals, the top scholar from Goryeo who had always wanted to compete with him, couldn't compare.

Because after he participated in that imperial examination, the Ming emperor stopped the imperial examinations and they have not been held again since.

Whenever Jin Tao thought of that guy who was determined to compete with him and take the imperial examination in the Ming Dynasty, and his extremely unwilling look, he felt particularly happy, as if he had eaten honey.

While being humble, he couldn't help but stand up and respectfully bow in the direction of the Ming Dynasty.

He sent sincere greetings to Zhu Yuanzhang.

He was even more grateful after hearing that the emperor still kept his official documents, indicating that he could come to the Ming Dynasty to serve as an official at any time.

“Brother Changyuan, I have come here today to ask you some questions.”

Did our Ming Dynasty envoy really die of illness last time?

Upon hearing this, Jin Tao's heart skipped a beat; he knew the main event was about to begin.

He opened his mouth as if to speak.

But then Chen Jian's voice rang out: "Brother Changyuan, we are not strangers. This matter is of great importance, and His Majesty is very concerned about it."

Please think it over carefully, Brother Changyuan.

His words seemed to have a hidden meaning.

Upon hearing this, Jin Tao's expression faltered slightly.

But then he said, "He did indeed die of illness."

Chen Jian kept his eyes fixed on Jin Tao, without relaxing for a moment.

"The former King of Goryeo, who was previously bestowed a title by our Great Ming, passed away due to illness, and shortly afterward, the chief and deputy envoys of our Great Ming also passed away due to illness."

Along with his entourage, the boat capsized on the way back, and they all perished.

Brother Changyuan, is there really such a coincidence in the world?
Do you really think this explanation is something I can believe, or something that His Majesty can believe?

"Brother Changyuan, with your actions, can you truly live up to His Majesty's and His Highness the Crown Prince's expectations?"

Chen Jian's voice became stern, and there was no longer any politeness in his words.

Looking at Jin Tao, a deep sense of disappointment appeared in his eyes.

Upon hearing Chen Jian's words, Jin Tao smiled wryly and said, "Brother Zilian, it's not that I intentionally concealed anything, but I know that these things do sound outrageous and hard to believe."

But people are born, grow old, get sick, and die; there are always unexpected events. In reality, many things are just so unreasonable.

That's the truth, and we would never dare to deceive you in any way.

Jin Tao was very upset when he said this.

He was not good at lying, nor did he want to lie to the Ming envoy.

But at this moment, he had no choice but to conceal the truth and lie. "Brother Changyuan, are you sure what you're telling me is all true?"

Chen Jian spoke again, looking at him and asking.

Jin Tao nodded: "It is indeed true."

"Okay, then I'm relieved. I'll have something to report back to when I get back."

Upon hearing Chen Jian's words, Jin Tao, who had prepared other arguments to discuss the matter with Chen Jian and prevent them from having any doubts or pursuing the matter further, was taken aback.

You... just believed that?
Is this the end?
Why is this completely different from what I expected?

"Brother Zilian is very understanding and I deeply apologize for the passing of the Ming envoy."

Whether it is His Majesty of Goryeo or anyone else, we are all filled with trepidation, fearing that the Ming Dynasty might misunderstand and thus affect the friendship between our two countries.

Having heard what Brother Zilian said, I feel much more at ease.

"That Wang Wu was not the new king of Goryeo."

The old king has passed away; the new king cannot be emperor without being officially recognized by our Great Ming!

Chen Jian corrected him, very seriously.

"Yes, yes, Brother Zilian is right. It was a slip of the tongue on my part."

Jin Tao quickly apologized, showing a very good attitude in this matter.

The investiture of a new king is a separate matter.

He only needs to temporarily appease the Ming Dynasty's questions regarding the death of the envoy; other matters can wait. Let Li Renren worry about them!
And after that, things didn't take any further turn for the worse.

The Ming envoy did not press the matter further and soon set off for Gaegyeong under the guidance of Jin Tao and others.

They moved into accommodations arranged by the Korean authorities.

After arranging things properly, Jin Tao went back to report and told Li Renren what had happened.

Li Renren was very pleased and praised Jin Tao extensively, rewarding him handsomely. He then sent Jin Tao back to continue accompanying the Ming Dynasty's envoy.

After doing all this, Li Renren had someone summon Zheng Mengzhou and the others together.

“You people are too cautious and prone to spreading alarmist rumors. You think that the sky is about to collapse just because the Ming Dynasty has sent an envoy here.”

Let's see how things go now.

The Ming Dynasty was already finished; the Yuan Dynasty was the one with whom we had the closest relationship.

If we rely solely on the Ming Dynasty, they will completely dominate us, which will also displease the Yuan Dynasty and potentially incur their wrath.

The Ming Dynasty is far away, while the Yuan Dynasty is close. They could send troops at any time, so in this matter, we must be close to the Yuan Dynasty, but at the same time, we cannot afford to offend the Ming Dynasty to the point of no return.

They need to keep the Ming Dynasty hanging.

Only in this way can Goryeo remain invincible and not be completely devoured…

Goryeo was not a monolithic entity; some factions were aligned with the Yuan Dynasty, while others were aligned with the Ming Dynasty.

As for Li Renren, who rose to prominence by supporting the new emperor and is even addressed as "Uncle" by the current emperor, there are also many who are dissatisfied with him.

In particular, there was the emerging group of scholar-officials, such as Jeong Mong-ju, who were promoted by the King of Goryeo after passing the county-level examinations.

They were very dissatisfied with Li Renren's rise to power and his reactionary policies of being close to the Yuan Dynasty.

In particular, he vehemently opposed the meeting with Yuan Dynasty envoys and even the proposed change of the Hongwu reign title in Goryeo to the Xuanguang reign title in the Yuan Dynasty.

They even joined forces to submit a memorial impeaching Li Renren.

This series of actions greatly angered Li Renren.

At this moment, the Ming envoy arrived, and Jin Tao brought such good news, making Li Renren feel triumphant.

The attitude of the Ming envoy in this matter at this time precisely demonstrates the correctness of his decision.

So they couldn't wait to call these people over.

It implies showing off.

The point is to prove myself right through these actions, and to stop these ignorant people from contradicting me.

"My lord, sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight, and then moving left and right, is indeed a good idea."

However, that requires a certain level of strength.

Whether facing the Ming Dynasty or the Yuan Dynasty, Goryeo is far inferior and cannot afford to offend either side.

The Yuan Dynasty held a great deal of hatred for our Great Yuan.

Countless Goryeo women were forcibly taken away by the Yuan Dynasty and became their playthings.

The Yuan Dynasty today may seem powerful, but it is far inferior to what it once was.

They had already been driven to the grasslands by the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty is still sharpening its sword, preparing to destroy the Yuan Dynasty. The strength of the Ming Dynasty and the decline of the Yuan Dynasty are clearly visible.

The fall of the Yuan Dynasty was imminent.

The reason why Goryeo has been able to survive for hundreds of years is that its rule of conduct is to submit to the Central Plains dynasty.

Whoever takes the Central Plains will be the one to whom Goryeo pledges allegiance.

Why must things be changed when they come to the Prefect? ​​This is a path to disaster.

If we do not wake up in time, it will surely bring utter disaster upon Goryeo!

Zheng Mengzhou looked at Li Renren with a serious expression and spoke.

This statement was met with widespread agreement and similar opinions.

I think what Chung Mong-ju said is absolutely right.

Li Renren's feelings at this moment were indescribable. He originally thought that by summoning these people at this time, he could make them submit and agree with his decision.

Who would have thought these guys would be so stubborn and say such things!
This infuriated Li Renren, who felt a surge of murderous intent and wanted to call in reinforcements to kill them on the spot.

However, considering that there was an envoy from the Ming Dynasty present at this time, his actions might arouse their suspicion.

It's even quite possible that some of those who didn't come would inform on the Ming Dynasty envoys, revealing some of the things they had done.

That said, although he was very confident in what he had done and felt that he had kept it very secret and that not many people knew the truth.

However, it's still best to be cautious.

Let these people live for a while longer. Once they've fooled these Ming Dynasty envoys, it will be time to settle accounts with them!

Li Renren had intended to show off, but instead, he was fed a mouthful of shit by these people. Disgusted, he lost interest in continuing to talk to these bastards and quickly saw them off.

The conversation with Deng Mengzhou and others ended.

……

"Brother Wenying, what should we do now?"

Ping An looked at Mu Ying and asked, a fire burning in his eyes.

Judging from his reaction at this moment, you can tell that Ping An really wants to go all out.

Mu Ying said, "When Jin Tao arrives, we'll give him some serious information to break down his psychological defenses and find out from him where the Yuan Dynasty envoy is!"

Upon hearing this, Ping An immediately became excited.

Wenying is indeed Wenying! He usually appears composed and refined.

I never do anything rude.

However, Brother Wen is not timid at all, and he is never afraid of trouble.

When it's time to fight, there will be absolutely no hesitation.

This is why Ping An has always admired Brother Wenying.

……

"Brother Jangwon, did your King of Goryeo really die of illness?"

Chen Jian looked at Jin Tao and spoke again. Jin Tao, who had relaxed, was startled by Chen Jian's sudden question.

Hasn't this matter already been settled and is over?
Why are you asking this again now?
"Brother Zilian, it is indeed an unfortunate death."

"But why do I hear that he was murdered?"

Jin Tao's expression froze slightly, and he secretly groaned.

He repeatedly denied it, saying, "Brother Zilian, where did this rumor come from? It's not to be believed!"

This is someone deliberately instigating trouble, with ill intentions, to tarnish the reputation of Goryeo and attempt to disrupt the relationship between Goryeo and the mighty Ming Dynasty.

"is it?"

Jin Tao nodded vigorously: "Absolutely true!"

"But I heard that the King of Goryeo was murdered. The person who murdered the King of Goryeo was named Choi Man-soo, a palace eunuch."

Jin Tao was shocked and hurriedly continued to deny it: "These are all fake, they can't be true, someone is behind this..."

Chen Jian ignored him and continued, "I heard that your deceased King of Goryeo had homosexual tendencies and was infertile."

The ten-year-old child whom Li Renren has placed on the throne is not his own flesh and blood, but rather the son of Xin Dun?

Jin Tao: ? ? ? !!!

(End of this chapter)