Chapter Seventy-Eight: Seoul Undercurrent
His Majesty the Emperor arrived in Seoul, and after a grand welcome ceremony, he stayed at Gyeongbokgung Palace, located at the foot of Buk Seok Mountain in the north of the city. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 infoThis is the first of the five palaces in Seoul and the former main palace of the Joseon Dynasty.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is a palace built during the reign of Joseon Taejo Lee Sung-gye. The earliest palace can be traced back to the palace built by King Sujong of Goryeo, which was expanded during the reign of King Chungsu and lived here when King Goryeo and King Gongrang moved their capital to Seoul. There are 1813 steps around here, there are four gates, due south is Guanghua Gate, and there are two mansions, six Cao, and Taiwan courtyards outside the door. Due north is the Xuanwu Gate. Due east is Jianchun Gate. Due west is the Autumn Gate. There are more than 500 palace buildings in the palace city, and the main hall is called the Qinzheng Palace.
It is a pity that in the twentieth year of Wanli, Japan's Toyotomi Hideyoshi sent troops to invade Korea, and the Renjin Rebellion broke out, and on the eve of the Japanese occupation of Seoul, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeok Palace, and Changgyeong Palace were burned down by the Korean rebels at the same time.
After the war, the Rikyu Changdeokgung Palace was used as the main palace, and Gyeongbokgung Palace began to sit idle for a long time.
If it weren't for the arrival of Zhu Cihong, Gyeongbokgung Palace would have been left idle until the Japanese landed on the Korean Peninsula again. Then the entire Joseon Kingdom of the Lee clan came to an end.
Of course, it is clear that such a history will not be repeated at the moment.
The emperor of the Ming Kingdom began a state visit, and the emperor also made the hair of the Koreans gray when he lived. Zhu Cihong is not a person who likes luxury, and he will not carry 500 tons of luggage like the local tyrant countries in later generations. However, the contingent of nearly 10,000 people was still a special test of the reception capacity of the Korean court.
The main thing, of course, was to test the financial capabilities of the Joseon court.
After all, most of the time things can be solved by spending money. Korea and Japan sent envoys to each other, and they often spent millions of taels of silver, and it is not without experience that they are just short of money.
Fortunately, His Majesty the Emperor was accompanied by a large number of merchants who had come in search of a fortune. Of course, it's more of a win-win opportunity. There is no doubt that these will bring a lot of income to the North Koreans.
In addition to the accompanying diplomatic envoys, there will be a large number of gifts for North Korea. All of this can make up for the deficit of the North Koreans.
Since there was no financial problem, the renovation of Gyeongbokgung Palace was carried out rapidly. In the face of the majesty of the Ming Emperor, the Korean court changed its laziness and prevarication in the past and behaved very quickly.
The garbage was quickly emptied and the houses inside were repaired one by one. Of course, many of the repair work was actually carried out by the Ming decoration team that arrived in advance.
Zhu Cihong likes to live in Xiyuan, not only because this is the Zhongnanhai of later generations, but more importantly, most of the buildings in the Forbidden City have enough room for improvement. Even if the imperial court is not short of money, it will not be demolished and rebuilt.
Therefore, after installing some warm and heat-dissipating facilities, Ouchi still focused on the decoration of the West Garden. Not only the sewer system was renovated, a water tower was installed, a rudimentary water pipe was built, but also very important interiors, such as flushing toilets and other small items.
There are so many details. It is enough to show what kind of trouble this state visit is behind the glamour.
Li Qianzong is in his early fifties, not young, and after handling the most core of the ceremony, he divided some chores to his sons to deal with. Although Fenglin Dajun Li Yuhao was very active, Li Qianzong still smiled and silently threw a few chores to Li Yuhao, and gave Li Hao the more important reception task.
As a prince, Li Hao's reputation is actually quite good in North Korea.
When Jiannu invaded Korea, he demanded that Li Kangzong personally surrender out of the city, and asked him to take out a son as a hostage. At that time, Li Hao stepped forward and personally went out of the city as a hostage.
For this reason, the government and the opposition have a lot of respect for Li Hao.
At present, there is no historical power struggle between father and son, but there is something in common in maintaining power, which naturally makes Li Hao like a fish in water in the court, and quickly recovers his past prestige.
Those who are capable work hard, and Li Hao naturally takes on the reception chores.
For this reason, it was not until night that Li Hao arrived at the property that Li Hao embarked on the road home in the silence of the street, where there were no people and only patrols.
"It's getting late, and it's inconvenient to go back to the palace at this time. Just find a courtyard in the north city and rest for the time being. Li Hao said tiredly.
Outside, the groom answered.
Not long after, the convoy stopped in a small and inconspicuous courtyard.
Airplanes......
With a soft sound, candle after candle was lit.
Inside, the darkness was dispelled and figures were revealed.
That was Yoo Young-chae after the disguise.
Liu Yingcai's voice was hoarse, and she said, "I've seen the prince's mansion." ”
"Reward, I have already sent someone to Changbai Mountain. All the rights on Paektu Mountain will belong to you. Li Hao paused and said, "I don't think I need to repeat the friendship in the past." This time the task was difficult...... But I trust your credibility. ”
"Now that the task has been taken, Yao Chi will definitely achieve it. It's not ......" Yoo Young-chae was interrupted before she could finish speaking.
"I just want to hear about success." After speaking, Li Hao took out a huge envelope: "All the details of the mission are here." Good luck. ”
After speaking, Li Hao picked up the teacup.
Seeing this, Liu Yingcai bowed down and disappeared into the darkness.
Li Hao silently picked up the teacup, and subconsciously wanted to find someone to say a few words, but found that his right-hand man had been imprisoned.
He put down the teacup, looked at the old servant hidden in the darkness with only one silhouette exposed, and said, "Holly." Jinxi Stone ...... Did the people over there send it out? ”
"Back in the palace, the jailer is originally our people, and the prison of the Capture Hall is nothing to us." Holly is obviously a force for Li Hao in the shadows. As a figure in the power field, he has too many things to do. This old servant brought out of the palace was obviously a reliable figure. After all, Holly was a eunuch and had no heirs. almost watched Li Hao grow up, and he was emotionally regarded as a child.
"Good ......" Li Hao sighed softly: "My old friend, for decades, I have withered again......"
"As the son of Jin Zidian, he is an eyesore to keep it. Dixia ...... While he's not yet exposed, it's enough to do these things. Holly comforted Li Hao in her own way, but it made Li Hao cry and laugh even more.
But this method seemed to be effective enough, and Li Hao quickly adjusted his mentality. He should be regarded as benevolent and righteous to his old friends, after all, the meal was made as much as possible, not only the customized banquet noodles in the best restaurant in the city, Hanfan Building, but also the things added in it were colorless and tasteless. Of course, the most important thing is that the results are extremely fast...... It doesn't hurt much.
"Your Majesty...... The old slave has one thing to understand. Although Yaochi has a great reputation, the goal this time is too big...... I'm afraid ......" As a walker in the secret world, Holly understands how powerful Jinyi Wei is.
How those crossbowmen disappeared, although it has not yet been clarified, is obviously related to the Jinyi Guard. At least, the Arrest and Robbery Department has absolutely no ability to arrest Jin Xishi.
The one who did it was obviously Mingren.
Zhu Cihong Meng Langdi gave them a chance in the Incheon White Arowana suit, but apparently this was only the last chance.
Next, they want to assassinate Zhu Cihong, not only against Zhu Cihong and his guards, but also against a vast empire...... And Jin Yiwei is just the power in it.
And the strength of this force may not be clear to others, but Holly understands it very well.
"Of course I won't exactly count on them ......" Li Hao stood up, his back to his hands, and circled around the candlelight. Round and round, he said, "It's just a line...... But this time, the heir of Yaochi Mountain Gate is somewhat interesting. Originally, the White Lotus Sect ...... That's it, let's not talk about it. It's just really interesting, it's interesting...... Haha......"
……
Leaving the courtyard, Liu Yingcai did not alarm the shopkeeper, sneaked back to the inn, and returned to his room.
The oil lamp was quietly lit, and the document bag in his arms was finally able to fall.
Above, one document after another was opened.
The expression on Yoo Young-chae's face became thicker and thicker, and in the end, all eyes fell on a picture scroll.
Topmost......
Zhu Cihong plays Zhuge Kongming, handsome, unstoppable, and boundless.
If it were a different person, he might already be in love with it and become the most popular Kong Ming puppet fan in Seoul.
But...... The person who saw it was Yoo Young-chae. As a killer who doesn't know how many times he has been a killer, Yoo Young-chae even has some doubts about whether he still has feelings.
He couldn't help but recall the scene when he first met Zhu Cihong.
The ruler of an empire is like a little brother next door, talking to himself, like brothers and sisters in the mountain gate...... Pure and without any conflict.
"I want to go with my wife to the place where the latitude and longitude correspond to the south of the Western Hemisphere. Enough of being there, ready to head home. You will find that no matter where you take a step in the east, west, north and south...... It's all home. That's how it feels to go home. ”
In turn, he revealed such domineering again.
"One day, where the Ming flag is raised, the sun will never set. That corner may be far away, but I think we'll get there. ”
Yaochi Mountain Gate is located in a dangerous place, far away from the world, and not stained with dust. I didn't have these feelings at all.
I don't know what a nation is, I don't know what a country is.
Even the Jiannu, who swept through Liaodong and slaughtered countless people, never violated the Yaochi Mountain Gate.
The excellent geographical location, the shaman's awe, and even the good military force have made Liu Yingcai never feel the relationship of family and country.
But at that moment, Zhu Cihong's words made Liu Yingcai's heart rise a very strange feeling for the first time.
At first, I didn't feel it, but after listening carefully, I was suddenly tugged at the heartstrings.
I have tasted it for a long time, but it is mixed with envy and contempt.
Envy of such self-confidence and glorious dreams, contempt but do not believe that such a thing will come true.
It is good for young people to have dreams, but when they are older, they will find that the road of life is no longer a dream, but a day and night.
Liu Yingcai obviously didn't expect that this young descendant would be the emperor of the Ming Empire......
There is no doubt that if there is only one person in the world who is qualified to say that, it must be him......
"It's just...... I'm sorry, I'm going to kill you. Yoo Young-chae took a deep breath, and all the colors in her eyes faded, leaving only all her sanity.
It's like a most sophisticated instrument, running tick-tock, without the slightest emotional color, and without the slightest deviation.
After reading the documents one by one, the plan gradually took shape.
It's just that when the last document was opened, Liu Yingcai was stunned.
It was a letter.
"The mountain lord entrusted me with one thing, saying that this letter contains something about your life experience." On it, a few words were simply written on a sticky note, obviously, it was written by the prince Li Hao.
Yoo Young-chae untied the note and pulled out the letter inside.
This is obviously a letter written more than ten years ago, and the paper reveals a dusty past.
The words in it fell into Liu Yingcai's eyes word by word, forming sentences and revealing animations one by one.
Eighteen years ago, at the foot of Changbai Mountain, a helpless young man took off his last piece of clothing and wrapped himself in the cold wind, tightly covered swaddling clothes.
Later, a Taoist who passed by the foot of the mountain found the baby girl in swaddling clothes, looked around blankly, and sighed softly.
At the end of the letter, there was also a letter from the mountain lord.
"Over the years, I haven't been sure whether to tell you the truth or not. But...... Yingcai, you have grown up and have the right to know the truth. Moreover, this time the mission also needs the help of your biological father. That's right, your biological father...... Alive. ”
At this moment, Liu Yingcai burst into tears, and he recalled the words he said to Zhu Cihong at that time: "I don't have a home......"
"I ...... Want to have a home? Yoo Young-chae choked and rubbed the words on the letterhead.
……
To the east of Gyeonggi Province in North Korea is Gangwon Province, and the scenery of snow-capped mountains on Gangwon Province is wonderful.
At this moment, in the Shenheung Temple on Seoraksan Mountain, the abbot sent away several pilgrims who were either rich or noble, and returned to a meditation room in the backyard.
Inside, the little novice opened the mechanism and let the abbot slowly enter another cubicle.
Inside, a group of people waited early.
"Master!"
"Master!"
"Master!"
……
The group saluted respectfully, and under the stage, a big man trembled and knelt on the ground, looking quite panicked. If someone who is familiar with Mani Hill Cottage sees this person, they will definitely be shocked.
I thought that this person was the nine-dragon eye of the big man in Mani Village, who was raising thousands of minions.
It's just that, looking at the rank and demeanor of this Nine Dragons, it can obviously be concluded that this person has a low status in this room, and he seems to be quite panicked.
Everything is indescribably weird.
After all, no one would have thought that this thousand-year-old temple had changed its owner and become the lair of the head of the Tenri Sect. If you don't know the Tianli Sect, then as long as you understand the identity of the abbot in Daming, then it will be clear. This person was the former altar master of the White Lotus Sect in the Eastern Daming Dynasty, but because he failed to fight for power in the Daming Sect that year, he concealed his name and went to North Korea.
Unexpectedly, he was like a fish in water here, and in just a dozen years, he went from a down-and-out scholar who couldn't even raise a young girl to become the abbot of Shenxing Temple and the head of Tianli Sect!