My father is Jiajing

A thin mist drifted over the Han River near Seoul, the capital of Joseon, enveloping the entire city in a solemn atmosphere.

After being painstakingly persuaded by Jeong Bin, Crown Prince Yi Ye of Joseon was standing in front of Injeongjeon Hall of Changdeok Palace.

His hands were clasped together in front of his chest, his thumbs trembling slightly. He wore a crimson robe with blue trim, and a blue jade belt around his waist gleamed warmly in the morning light.

"Your Highness, the envoy of the Great Ming Dynasty has arrived."

Left Councilor Zheng Bin suddenly appeared out of nowhere and reported to Li Wei in a low voice.

Li Wei took a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing as he suppressed his fear and nervousness, his voice trembling slightly, and said, "Please, Prime Minister Zheng, prepare an incense table and a dragon pavilion, and welcome us according to the regulations of the Great Ming Code."

Yi Ye studied under the great Korean Confucian scholar Yi Dae-jung from a young age, and was well-versed in the Confucian classics, the Four Books and Five Classics, especially the profound meaning of the Spring and Autumn Annals.

In his mind, the Ming Dynasty was not only the suzerain state of Korea, but also a symbol of the civilization of rites and music.

Now, facing the angels of the Celestial Empire, Li Wei felt both apprehensive and a deep, indescribable longing.

Soon after everything was ready, Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun, the Minister of War, slowly walked over to the sound of drums and music.

A smug and arrogant smile appeared on Zhao Wenhua's face. Tan Lun, who was next to him, did not have a smile on his face, but the arrogance in his eyes was no less than that of Zhao Wenhua.

This is the confidence and majesty of the Celestial Empire!

This was not something that could be moved by a mere prince of a vassal state.

Upon seeing the two figures in the distance, Li Wei immediately straightened his clothes, stepped forward, and performed the grand ceremony of five bows and three kowtows: "Li Wei, the Crown Prince of the Lower Kingdom, respectfully welcomes the envoy from the Celestial Dynasty."

Looking at the respectful and sensible Crown Prince of Joseon, Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun nodded slightly and said to Li Yi, "Your Highness, please rise."

Li Wei rose respectfully and humbly, then gave Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun a fawning look, saying, "Please come in, angels."

Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun gave Li Wei a satisfied look, and then walked into Li Wei's Renzheng Hall without hesitation.

After entering the hall and taking their seats, Zhao Wenhua went straight to the point: "I wonder what brings you here today, Your Highness, with me and Minister Tan?"

Li Wei's back was covered in cold sweat from nervousness, and he couldn't help but glance at Zheng Bin.

Zheng Bin gave him an encouraging look, and Li Wei secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He then mustered up his courage and bowed to Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun.

"Xiao Wang invited the two angels here today specifically to apologize."

Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun feigned surprise and glanced at Li Wei again, "Why do you say that, Your Highness?"

Li Wei immediately rose from his seat and knelt on the ground, his forehead touching the earth. He replied with a tense but sincere tone, "It was the ignorance of our lower nation that led me to accept bribes of dirty silver from Luo Longwen, a wanted criminal of the upper nation. However, at the time, I was unaware of its origin. Now, I deeply regret my actions and wish to return it all to the angel and ask the upper nation to punish me."

Zheng Bin, who was standing to the side, also knelt down with Li Wei at this moment, his attitude extremely upright.

Tan Lun feigned anger and snorted coldly, continuing, "Two hundred thousand taels is no small sum. Does the young master think he can brush it off with a simple 'I don't know its origin'? Isn't that a bit too frivolous?"

Zhao Wenhua didn't speak at this moment, but his eyes and attitude conveyed the same message.

In that instant, the atmosphere inside the hall froze.

Li Wei felt a wave of dizziness, and the scene described in the Spring and Autumn Annals of a small country being attacked by a large country for being impolite appeared before his eyes.

He clenched his teeth in fear, forcing himself to stay awake.

"I dare not."

Li Wei's voice trembled slightly as he knelt on the ground in fear and anxiety. "I am willing to write to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming to plead guilty and to repay the bribes doubled."

"Angels above!"

Zheng Bin suddenly spoke up, "During the time that Luo Longwen was hiding in Korea, he also hid three million taels of dirty silver and purchased a large number of properties. Now that the angel has descended, His Highness will actively cooperate with the angel to find all this dirty silver and sinful property and hand it over to the Kingdom intact."

Upon hearing Zheng Bin's words, Li Wei looked up in surprise, meeting Zheng Bin's meaningful gaze. He instantly understood that this was Zheng Bin's wisdom.

Lee Ye quickly seized the opportunity and continued, "By the angels above, I am willing to actively cooperate with the Emperor and order the investigation and confiscation of all the crimes committed by the wanted criminal Luo Longwen in Korea, as well as the hidden illicit silver!"

Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun exchanged a glance as they watched the performance of the two, who were acting like a Korean king and his minister.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Wenhua stroked his beard and said calmly, "Your Highness's willingness to do so shows your respect. However, in recent years, Japanese pirates have been rampant, and His Majesty of the Great Ming Dynasty wishes to station troops on Jeju Island and Busan Port in Korea for an extended period to pacify the sea frontier. I wonder if the Korean side can understand this."

Li Wei was startled upon hearing this.

Jeju Island was a place for grazing horses that Joseon begged from the Ming Dynasty two hundred years ago, while Busan Port was a port for Joseon merchants to enter the open sea. Although not important, it was still Joseon territory.

So at this moment, Li Wei couldn't help but feel flustered.

They thought that the Ming Dynasty wanted to demand the land of Korea.

But after a moment's thought, Li Wei remembered Mencius's words: "He who serves the great with the small is one who fears Heaven."
I can't help but think that this is how small countries survive.

Therefore, Yi Ye respectfully bowed and said, "The Celestial Empire has gone to great lengths to suppress the Japanese pirates, and Korea should naturally do its utmost. However, this matter is of great importance, so please allow me to discuss it with my father and the court officials before informing the Celestial Envoy."

Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun exchanged another glance, knowing that there was no rush to resolve this matter.

They both gave a faint "hmm" again. "That's right. The Crown Prince should report to the King and discuss it with the Joseon ministers before making a decision."

Then Li Wei respectfully flattered and hosted a banquet for Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun until the afternoon when the banquet ended.

As night fell, Li Wei sat alone in his study, a copy of the slightly yellowed "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" lying open on his desk.

The effect of this thing is roughly equivalent to that of a constitution in later times.

As a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty and also referring to itself as "Little China," Korea naturally held the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" in high esteem.

Now that things have developed to this point, Li Wei can only look for answers in the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty".

The candlelight flickered in the study as Li Wei repeatedly pondered the phrase "vassal states should strictly adhere to the duties of subjects" from the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty".

As he silently chewed on these words again and again, the cold wind outside the window howled, as if reminding him of North Korea's vulnerability and that these words were the golden rule he would follow for the rest of his life.

"Your Highness, Right State Councilor Park Dae-gon requests an audience."

Just as Li Wei was lost in thought, the eunuch outside the study quietly reported.

Lee Yeo snapped out of his reverie, closed the copy of "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" in front of him, and replied, "Please let him in." Park Dae-gon entered and immediately knelt on the floor of Lee Yeo's study, excitedly bowing and saying, "Your Highness! Jeju and Busan are the lifeblood of our nation; how can we abandon them lightly? The Ming Dynasty's proposal is clearly aimed at strangling us!"

Lee Yeo felt a headache coming on as he listened to Park Dae-gon's words.

He rose and helped Park Dae-gon up, saying gently, "Park Dae-gon, please rise. I know you are loyal. This matter is not what you think. The Ming Dynasty has not coveted our land. They only asked to be stationed in these two places permanently."

"Moreover, Park Kyung should know how ferocious the Japanese pirates are. With the strength of our Joseon, it is absolutely impossible to resist them. If one day the Japanese pirates come at us in a frenzy, we will have the heavenly soldiers of the Ming Dynasty protecting us. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Park Dae-gon was speechless; it seemed to make sense.

Then Yi Yi sighed and said, “The Zuo Zhuan says, ‘When a small country serves a large country, if it is virtuous, it will be the people; if it is not virtuous, it will be the deer.’ If we disobey the Celestial Dynasty today, how will Joseon be able to face itself? Moreover, that damned criminal has lived in our Joseon for so many years and has come into contact with so many high-ranking officials and local gentry.”

"What if the superior nation is furious and wants to investigate this matter severely? Yesterday, news also came from Jeju Island that the Ming Dynasty's navy was conducting military exercises at sea. The scene was comparable to the wrath of heaven descending upon the world, and a small mountain was leveled in the blink of an eye."

"If we fail to understand the will of the Celestial Empire and only think of ourselves, what will happen when this thunderbolt, as powerful as the wrath of heaven, explodes in Seoul?"

Park Dae-gon fell even more silent upon hearing this.

This was indeed an unimaginable crisis, far more dangerous than the Ming Dynasty's desire to establish a permanent presence in Jeju Island and Busan Port.

Therefore, at this moment, Park Dae-gon understood that this was the only way things could be.

Then we can figure out a way to play some word games in the contract documents to preserve North Korea's dignity.

Finally, Park Dae-gon bowed and said, "Your subject understands. Your subject takes his leave."

After watching Park Dae-gon leave, Lee Ye breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had resigned himself to his fate.

The following day, during the court proceedings in the Joseon court, the Joseon officials argued endlessly.

Another small group of ignorant and disrespectful clowns resolutely opposed the cession of the port in the court meeting, and some even shouted the slogan "Better to die than surrender".

It seems like they're sworn enemies with the Ming Dynasty!

Li Wei listened quietly to the argument, then slowly rose to his feet. Today, he was dressed in his most formal imperial robes, wearing a five-ridged crown and a jade belt.

"Your Majesty."

Li Wei's voice was not loud but clearly audible, immediately silencing the court assembly.

Li Wei continued, “Last night I reread the Book of Songs, Minor Odes of the Kingdom, North Mountain, ‘Under the vast heaven, all land belongs to the king.’ The Celestial Empire is like a parent to us. Children should be filial to their parents; how can they be concerned with gains and losses? Moreover, the superior nation only requests that we be stationed in these two places to fight against the Japanese pirates, not that we cede these two places. What is your true intention in making such a fuss? Do you want Joseon to break with the Ming Dynasty?”

After Li Wei spoke, the hall became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

No one dared to say another word, for they too were afraid of the consequences of what Li Wei might say.

Moreover, as Li Wei just said, the Ming Dynasty only wants to maintain a permanent presence, not to take these two places away. So what is there to argue about?

Seeing that everyone was quiet, Yi Yi continued, "Moreover, if the Celestial Empire's navy could be stationed in these two places, it would not only deter the Japanese pirates but also enhance the friendship between the two countries. In the past, when King Sejong created the Hunminjeongeum (the Korean alphabet), he also sent envoys to consult with the Celestial Empire. Korean civilization still relies heavily on the Celestial Empire for nourishment."

At this point, a different expression finally appeared on the faces of the Korean courtiers.

To be honest, these Joseon courtiers really didn't take the creation of Hunminjeongeum by King Sejong seriously.

In their view, how could this so-called "standard pronunciation for the people" be as useful as the Ming Dynasty's written language and standard pronunciation?

King Sejong was just bored out of his mind. He insisted on creating a dialect and script for ordinary Koreans, making it seem like he was trying to create a cultural divide.

So ever since King Sejong created the "Hunminjeongeum" (a form of Mandarin), very few people have really cared about it.

It wasn't until several hundred years later, within the original historical trajectory, that Korea inexplicably gained confidence and began to take King Sejong's "Hunminjeongeum" seriously, thus initiating a vigorous campaign to de-Sinicize.

However, this resulted in a break in the continuity of Korean culture.

This has led to later generations of North and South Koreans being unable to understand their past and falling into a state of inexplicable inferiority and arrogance.

I simply don’t know what it means.

Yi Ye surveyed the assembled officials, finally turning to Zheng Bin, and said, "Left Councilor, you shall immediately draft a memorial requesting that the Celestial Empire station troops in Jeju and Busan. Also, prepare generous gifts to express your gratitude for the Celestial Empire's protection."

Upon hearing Li Wei's words, Zheng Bin immediately bowed deeply to Li Wei and replied in a loud voice, "Your subject obeys."

Zheng Bin then began preparations for this matter.

Another day passed.

When Yi Yi met with Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun again, he respectfully presented the document bearing the Korean seal on behalf of the King of Joseon, bowing to them and saying, "By the angels above, this is our country's official document requesting the Celestial Empire to station troops. We humbly request that the angels forward it to His Majesty the Emperor. Joseon is willing to actively cooperate with the Celestial Empire's heavenly army to punish the disloyal Japanese pirates!"

Zhao Wenhua solemnly accepted the document, a smile appearing on his face. He looked at Li Wei and said, "Your Highness is a man of great virtue and righteousness. I will certainly report this truthfully. When His Majesty hears of this, he will surely be pleased with Your Highness's loyalty."

At this moment, Tan Lun also smiled and softened his tone, saying to Li Yishu, "Your Highness, rest assured, the Ming army is stationed only to defend against Japanese pirates and will never interfere in the internal affairs of Korea."

Upon hearing Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun's words, Li Yi knelt down again in excitement and said to Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun, "The grace of the Celestial Dynasty will never be forgotten by Joseon. I hereby swear that Joseon will regard the Great Ming Dynasty as our parents for generations to come and will never have any disloyal thoughts."

Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun chuckled and exchanged another glance.

After completing the handover of the official credentials, Zhao Wenhua and Tan Lun left.

After the two of them left.

Zheng Bin followed behind Li Wei and said softly, "Your Highness's performance in court today is truly admirable."

Looking at the fishing lights on the Han River in the distance, Lee Ye said softly, "Minister Jeong, it is not that I fear the might of the Ming Dynasty, but rather that I respect its virtue. Do you know why King Sejong created the Jungmun (the official language for the people)?"

Zheng Bin shook his head. Li Wei continued, "It's so that the people can understand the classics of the Celestial Empire."

Then Yi Ye turned and stared at Jeong Bin, continuing, "The existence of Joseon lies not in its military might, but in its civilization. And the source of civilization lies in the Ming Dynasty."

"Our Joseon Dynasty has no hope for the future if we follow the Ming Dynasty forever!"

——）——————

Please vote with monthly tickets! (End of this chapter)