Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 124 Rest assured, I swear by the Yalu River.
After silence.

Li Zong couldn't help but fly into a rage again.

On the one hand, he failed to achieve his goal of capturing and killing the Ming emperor; on the other hand, the Ming emperor so easily neutralized his killing move.

It made him feel stupid in comparison.

A coup, a power grab, and the suppression of the old guard from the previous dynasty until they dared not raise their heads.

To have accomplished all of this in just a few years.

Li Zong possessed his own unique pride.

But now.

His confidence and pride were ruthlessly crushed.

However, after his outburst of temper, Li Zong quickly calmed down.

He is no ordinary person to have gotten to where he is today; he knows that impotent rage solves nothing.

immediately.

Li Zong immediately began to ponder his current situation.

The initial defeat did not actually have a significant impact on the overall situation.

Although those soldiers were bribed.

However, all they could do was stop attacking the Ming emperor, rather than directly turning against them and attacking themselves.

After all, they were soldiers in the capital of Korea, and their whole families were still in the capital.

However, Li Zong wouldn't be foolish enough to suggest using their families to force them to launch a direct attack on the Ming Dynasty.

He knew that this would only have the opposite effect.

Therefore, the defeat in this battle will not really have a significant impact on the overall situation.

Li Zong still commands nearly 30,000 elite troops, who cannot be bribed; the Ming emperors only have around 10,000 men under their command.

These people alone could not possibly conquer their own capital.

It stands to reason.

Li Zong only needs to honestly defend his city; given enough time, the Ming army will inevitably return empty-handed.

But at the same time, he was also very clear about one thing: this Ming emperor was a man of great skill!

He wasn't the arrogant fool he imagined.

That's why he dared to bring 10,000 people here; after all, he had some backup plans.

He just hadn't figured out what tricks he would use to deal with him.

Think of this.

Li Zong summoned one of his trusted confidants and immediately ordered, "Take my token and go find the Later Jin right now."

"Tell them that the Ming emperor has come to Korea in person and is currently near the capital. Explain the situation to them and make them send troops to capture the Ming emperor alive immediately!"

"Yes!" The trusted subordinate left immediately after receiving the order.

Li Zong glanced in the direction of the Ming Dynasty garrison and narrowed his eyes.

Two days ago, when the Later Jin said they were sending a large army, they said they needed a month to prepare.

But at that time, everyone's goal was to attack Dongjiang Military Town.

If the Later Jin were to learn that the Ming emperor was here with an army of over 10,000 men, they would undoubtedly rush over immediately without hesitation.

After all, their desire to capture the Ming emperor alive was far stronger than that of their own side.

It can take anywhere from six or seven days to ten days or more.

The Later Jin army will surely arrive.

Even if the Ming emperor had extraordinary abilities, he would be trapped and unable to escape.

All he had to do was stall the Ming emperor for those few days.

Li Zong continued to instruct his subordinates: "Keep a close eye on the Ming emperor and report any suspicious activity immediately."

"Yes!"

at the same time.

Inside the city.

The Chungmyeong faction, represented by Kim Deok-min, reunited in the North Korean court.

Unlike the last gathering, this time the faces of the group of old men were full of excitement, and they looked as if they had become ten years younger.

No one expected it.

The Ming army launched an attack in such a short time, and the emperor himself led the expedition.

more importantly.

Although the Ming emperor only brought a little over 10,000 men, he won the first battle without shedding a drop of blood.

In that case, they would have to do everything in their power to help the Ming Emperor.

These fathers, who were already halfway to their coffins, knew without a doubt that this was an opportunity they would never have again in their lives.

Whether for their beliefs or for their own interests, they were willing to fight to the death.

Even though it ultimately failed to help the Ming emperor eliminate Li Zong, the war ended in peace talks.

Then these people will also have the opportunity to return to the core of power.

They didn't even dare to think about eliminating Li Zong directly.

After taking a deep breath, Jin Demin spoke first:
"Aside from the servants in our respective households, we only have a few hundred miscellaneous soldiers in the city. With so few people, we certainly can't cause any trouble."

"Although we cannot provide any substantial military assistance to the Ming Dynasty, we must provide it with our full support in terms of intelligence."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room nodded in agreement.

Intelligence is a crucial element in warfare.

Such as the specific military layout within the capital city, the exact strength of Li Zong's direct subordinates, and Li Zong's ongoing collusion with the Later Jin.
These are all extremely useful clues, and they might just have a surprising effect.

With everyone agreeing, Jin Demin stopped wasting time and summoned an unassuming middle-aged man, instructing him:

"We will find a way to get you out of the city tonight. Take our seal and go to the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and tell him all the information!"

"Remember! Make sure to tell him that that brat Li Zong is in close collusion with the Later Jin, and he has probably already informed them that the Ming emperor has come to Korea."

"We must make sure the Ming army is prepared in advance, so as not to be caught off guard."

"Yes!" the middle-aged man replied solemnly, then turned and left.

As the middle-aged man left, the excitement on the faces of the remaining old men in the room gradually turned into solemnity after they exchanged glances.

They have done everything they could. What happens next depends on the capabilities of the Ming emperor.

If only we could teach Li Zong a lesson and then escape unscathed.

In everyone's eyes, the Ming army's trip was not in vain, and their efforts were not wasted.

soon.

Time comes to night.

The 30,000 or so Korean soldiers finally received their silver, and after shouting "Long live the Ming Dynasty!", they set off to return to the capital.

Although some people in the Korean capital wished they could just shoot these traitors outside the city.

But the king has already given the order; these people cannot be forced to rebel.

Therefore, they had no choice but to open the door and let them pass.

These 30,000 soldiers, who had originally marched out in a grand procession to attack the Ming Dynasty, simply wandered around for a bit and then, in a very darkly humorous way, returned the way they came.

What happened to them made the other guards in the city, apart from Li Zong's elite troops, grit their teeth in frustration.

No, buddy, that's a hundred taels!!!

I can also welcome the emperor! I can also love the Ming Dynasty!

Although they dared not openly shout such slogans, different thoughts had already arisen in everyone's hearts.

Li Zong naturally noticed this as well.

He cursed these ungrateful soldiers, saying, "I gave you jobs, and you still want pay?!"

However, this is under the influence of external involution.

Li Zong dutifully paid them a supplementary salary, temporarily calming their morale.

All of this really made Li Zong feel a little pained.

So when he looked in the direction of the Ming Dynasty garrison, the resentment in his eyes deepened.

When the Later Jin army arrives, he will take back everything he has lost with even greater force!

And at the same time.

The envoy sent by Jin Demin also arrived at the city where the Ming Dynasty was stationed.

After examining the letter and inquiring about the man's purpose, Mao Wenlong hurriedly took him to see Zhu Youjian.

Inside the temporary palace.

After listening to the information provided by this person, Zhu Youjian nodded slightly.

He had long anticipated that Li Zong would collude with the Later Jin.

Presumably, Li Zong has already sent the intelligence about his arrival in Korea to the Later Jin.

It may not be long before the Later Jin army sets off.

Based on Zhu Youjian's experience, this timeframe would be approximately one week.

As for the other intelligence provided regarding the city's defenses, it was not of much use to Zhu Youjian.

Because of this city, his consideration from beginning to end was never about launching a direct assault.

Think of this.

Zhu Youjian directly instructed Mao Wenlong, "Continue to distribute silver tomorrow."

"However, this time when the silver is distributed, the amount given to each person is reduced, but the scope of distribution is wider."

"Go and tell the people in the surrounding cities that as long as they follow the orders of the Ming Dynasty, everyone will receive silver."

Mao Wenlong bowed and accepted the order.

He had already guessed it.

Your Majesty's actions...

They definitely wanted to incite all the people and soldiers in Korea who had goodwill towards the Ming Dynasty, and use them to attack Seoul.

After all, this is indeed a method that His Majesty is very skilled at using.

Moreover, they still have several million taels of silver left from the looted silver from Shandong, enough for them to make a fortune.

Thinking about these things, Mao Wenlong asked, "Your Majesty, are you planning to incite the Korean army and civilians to attack Seoul? I'll go and make preparations in advance."

But to Mao Wenlong's surprise, Zhu Youjian shook his head directly at his guess. For Zhu Youjian...

If there is enough time, then this method could indeed be used to resolve the North Korean issue.

But in the current situation, he doesn't have that much time to do that.

He explained to Mao Wenlong, "Tomorrow, we just need to pretend that we are preparing to attack with these people. The more convincing the performance, the better."

"But the real purpose is to force Li Zong to negotiate peace with us."

Peace talks?!
Upon hearing those two words, Mao Wenlong's eyebrows twitched involuntarily.

If we can actually reach a peace agreement with North Korea, then this trip will have been worthwhile.

After all, their population of over ten thousand couldn't withstand too much disruption.

But Li Zong is a two-faced man, and once this matter is over, he will surely think of taking revenge.

but.

If we can secure a period of peace for Dongjiang Town through negotiations, even if it's just for a month.

With Your Majesty's abilities, the Ming Dynasty will surely make another great leap forward during this period.

It's not too late to deal with Li Zong later.

Will Li Zong agree to peace talks?
Mao Wenlong asked, "Will Li Zong agree to negotiate with us?"

Zhu Youjian said calmly, "Don't worry, he will."

Zhu Youjian's certainty was not without basis.

He understood all too well the mentality of third-rate politicians like Li Zong, who rose to power through a coup.

He would feel panicked if his rule was threatened in the slightest.

Even setting that aside...

Li Zong would certainly be willing to use peace talks to buy time until the Later Jin reinforcements arrive.

However, doing this would make him agree more readily.

Mao Wenlong continued, "Then Your Majesty, the so-called peace talks are just a delaying tactic, aren't they?"

Zhu Youjian shook his head again: "I will take advantage of the peace talks to capture Yi Jong alive, and then use his life to break open the gates of the Joseon capital."

Mao Wenlong:
After a long silence with his eyes lowered, he remained silent for a while.

Mao Wenlong then cupped his hands in greeting and replied, "Your subject understands. Your subject will now go and prepare for tomorrow's matters!"

then.

Zhu Youjian then instructed the middle-aged man who had come to deliver the intelligence:

"You shall now set off back into the city and spread the word within it."

"For example, if the Later Jin army really came to besiege the Ming Dynasty, they might also take the opportunity to attack Korea."

The middle-aged man was puzzled, but he still accepted the order and left quickly.

Watching the middle-aged man's departing figure, Mao Wenlong couldn't help but frown and remind him:
"Your Majesty, trying to sow discord between Joseon and the Later Jin through such rumors is unlikely to be very effective."

Zhu Youjian shook his head gently: "I do not intend to sow discord among them."

something.

As long as it can help promote peace talks, that's enough.

"The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty wants us to spread rumors?!"

Upon hearing the news brought back by the middle-aged man, Jin Demin and the others in the city were taken aback.

It's not that this matter is difficult to handle, but rather that the requirement is far too simple.

If they were to spread rumors that the Ming Dynasty had 100,000 troops arriving tomorrow to disrupt the morale of the soldiers defending the city, that might be a bit difficult.

But these rumors that the Later Jin might take advantage of the situation to deal with North Korea are really easy to handle.

Li Zong was not Huang Taiji's father, and the relationship between Joseon and Later Jin was purely one of exploitation.

The two sides have both friction and cooperation.

Isn't it unusual that the Later Jin might take action against North Korea?

Li Zong himself would not be unaware of this.

Why did the Ming emperor do this?!

Jin Demin and the others couldn't understand it, but they still immediately did as instructed.

The next day.

Mao Wenlong and others began distributing silver to the local people and soldiers as instructed the day before.

Although King Injo often taught everyone: The Ming Dynasty often bullied our Joseon Dynasty, they were all a bunch of bad people!
But for these people: Regardless of whether the Ming Dynasty was good or bad, the Ming Dynasty really did give us silver!
It's pure silver, the kind you can spend anywhere!
Thus, with the support of monetary power.

Mao Wenlong easily assembled a North Korean team, which gathered in a lively atmosphere near the capital.

Not only that.

He also ordered his generals to lead a group of daring Koreans to the city wall to throw stones, giving them one tael of silver for each stone hit.

For these people, this move may have some element of disloyalty to North Korea.

But
Then let me ask you.

Now there is an opportunity.

Throwing stones at the city wall could easily earn you tens or even hundreds of taels of silver, money that an ordinary person could never earn in a lifetime of hard work.

Are you going to throw it away or not?!
answer me!
and.

North Korea is my motherland, that's true. But wasn't the Ming Dynasty also my motherland?!
From the perspective of etiquette and law.

Is the Ming Dynasty a higher-level country than the Korean Republic?
So what's wrong with me obeying the orders of my motherland?!

The people below the city wall threw the stones with increasing enthusiasm.

Li Zong, standing atop the city wall, was now trembling with rage.

He had his men keep an eye on the Ming army's every move, so he rushed over immediately whenever the Ming Dynasty made a move.

When they saw the Ming army starting to incite the nearby people.

Li Zong had already guessed that the other side wanted to use these peasants to attack the city.

At that time.

He even had the urge to send his elite troops to annihilate the entire Ming army.

For a king who seizes power through a coup, it is absolutely unacceptable for others to rebel.

Even the slightest hint of something would sting his sensitive spot.

Power cannot be allowed to show even the slightest flaw!

Not to mention that the Ming army had already taken action.

Those unruly people actually dared to throw stones at the city wall!
The stones did little damage to the city, but they inflicted immense pain on Li Zong's heart.

If someone dares to throw stones today, will someone dare to rebel directly tomorrow?

Li Zong didn't know how much silver the Ming army had brought to withstand such extravagance.

But he knew.

If the Ming army were allowed to continue developing like this for a few more days, even killing the Ming emperor wouldn't be enough to undo the damage.

Because the seeds of disrespect for the king had already been sown in everyone's hearts.

This is only a small part of it.

In just a few days, it could escalate to hundreds of thousands of people or even the entire North Korea!

Therefore, he had to act swiftly and decisively.

Sending elite troops to annihilate the Ming army is, in Li Zong's view, the most correct choice at present.

As the unruly people below the city grew increasingly agitated, Li Zong was even on the verge of issuing a direct order.

But this time.

His trusted general, Li Hu, walked over with a solemn expression and said, "My lord, since the Ming army was able to defeat the Later Jin army, it means that their strength should not be underestimated."

"If we send out our elite troops to fight them head-on now, even if we win, we will probably be severely weakened."

"If the Later Jin army comes to Korea then... they might take the opportunity to harm you again!"

At this moment, Li Hu offered these words of advice.

On the one hand, he himself had this concern, and on the other hand, the concerns of his subordinates today strengthened his resolve.

Just as you can get to know anyone in the world through seven people.

yesterday.

A soldier guarding the city heard the rumor and immediately told his superior.

The superior then passed the message to the general, who in turn relayed it to Li Hu.

Now, it has been passed on from Li Hu to Li Zong.

Upon hearing this, Li Zong gradually suppressed his anger and calmed down.

He had naturally been on guard against the Later Jin.

He knows it too.

The reason why the Later Jin didn't dare to really attack him was because of his 30,000 elite troops.

With these 30,000 elite troops, North Korea could have its hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

If the elite troops are gone, the remaining ragtag soldiers will naturally be disregarded.

Therefore, it is absolutely unwise to send elite troops to fight the Ming army head-on.

However, Li Zong could not accept the Ming army's constant incitement of civilians and soldiers, as this had a significant impact on morale.

Faced with this dilemma, Li Zong had no choice but to rack his brains to come up with some delaying tactics.

He even came up with a scheme to feign a truce with the Ming Dynasty.

after all.

As long as we stabilize the Ming army's side first and stop them from causing trouble like this.

Once the Later Jin army arrives, everything will be fine.

But here's the thing.

How can I find a suitable reason to bring this up? If the reason is not sufficient, the Ming Dynasty will probably see through my intentions and make an even bigger fuss.

Li Zong suppressed his anger and returned to the palace to ponder the matter carefully.

Just as he was deep in thought, a subordinate suddenly strode into the palace:
"Your Majesty! An envoy has been sent by the Ming emperor, who says he wishes to negotiate peace with you."

"To demonstrate his sincerity in these peace talks, the Ming emperor said he was willing to swear an oath by the Yalu River!"

(End of this chapter)