Chapter 104: Loyal Dog-Like Joseonites

Just as Mao Wenlong was receiving the Jianzhou barbarians' envoy, Joseon's Prince Neungyang, Yi Jong, also met with the Jianzhou barbarians' envoy.

Only unlike Mao Wenlong, who met Mister Tang with the deliberate intent of entrapping him, Prince Neungyang Yi Jong received the Jianzhou barbarians' envoy at Gyeongun Palace, listening to the envoy's veiled and overt threats: "Since Joseon swore a brotherly covenant with Our Great Jin in the first year of Tiancong, the Grand Prince should not aid the barbarian Ming.

Otherwise, would that not violate the way of brotherhood?"

Yi Jong, however, laughed and said: "Does the honored envoy not know that only by cultivating virtuous governance within can one bring the four quarters to submit in allegiance? Your Great Jin forced Joseon to sign that treaty under the city walls.

Joseon may have lost face, but your Great Jin has hardly covered itself in glory either! When the Great Ming frees its hands, it will then seek justice on Joseon's behalf."

The envoy, hearing this, laughed and said: "The Grand Prince must by no means bring ruin upon himself. After all, the Great Ming is too far from Joseon, while Our Great Jin is too close to Joseon. I fear that between dawn and dusk, the Great Ming would not arrive in time to rescue you!"

Prince Neungyang Yi Jong, listening to the Jianzhou barbarians' envoy's threats, recalled the words that the Great Royal Dowager Queen Inmok had entrusted to him last night in the palace: "Joseon lies between Ming and Jin.

By reason, it should serve the greater as its paramount duty. Prince Gwanghae, on this point, saw things clearly enough.

Although the Great Ming today seems somewhat like the sun setting behind the western hills, the Great Ming is, after all, the Celestial Court and the Superior State. How could a petty domain like Joseon hope to deceive it?

Moreover, the Hu barbarians have never had a dynastic fortune lasting a hundred years. If one day the Great Ming restores the majesty of the Celestial Court and Superior State, or if a new dynasty is established, how should Joseon then conduct itself?

Would the status of a nation exempt from conquest not then become a fleeting illusion?"

Having spoken, the Great Royal Dowager Queen Inmok let out two cold laughs and continued: "Even if that Great Jin were to win all under Heaven, so what? The Great Ming, to Joseon, has the grace of a second founding.

All the scholar-officials of Joseon, from top to bottom, regard the Great Ming as a father. How could they allow Prince Gwanghae to act with reckless abandon?

Prince Gwanghae is so shortsighted — he truly deserves death!"

Recalling this, Yi Jong could not help but feel a surge of helplessness rise in his heart. Joseon was, after all, a small state.

The way of survival was merely to serve the greater among the great powers.

Though his heart was uneasy, when he thought of his own position as Grand Prince, and then thought of the Great Ming minister who had just arrived in Joseon and the instructions from the Great Ming Son of Heaven that this minister had brought, he steeled himself and said: "Your Jin state is nothing more than a remote corner.

How can you oppose the Celestial Court of the Great Ming? Is that not like an egg dashing itself against a rock?

I fear that when the imperial army arrives, every soul in your Jin state, high and low, will be ground to dust!"

The envoy, however, laughed and said: "That is not for Your Majesty to worry about. The Grand Prince's sole reliance today is none other than Mao Wenlong at Dongjiang. When my Great Jin exterminates this traitor in the days to come, how will the Grand Prince then conduct himself?"

Yi Jong, hearing this, turned ashen-faced, furious at the Jianzhou barbarians' envoy's insolence, and also deeply disheartened by the helplessness of Joseon's station as a small state.

Yet what surprised the Jianzhou barbarians' envoy considerably was that despite his veiled and overt threats, this Prince Neungyang Yi Jong neither expressed agreement nor disagreement.

At the time, he merely sent someone to escort the envoy out of the palace with due ceremony and arrange for his rest. This was quite contrary to the envoy's original expectation of a rebuke followed by outright refusal.

It seemed this Prince Neungyang Yi Jong was also a wavering, irresolute sort.

After leaving the palace, the Jianzhou barbarians' envoy could never have imagined that at that moment in Changdeok Palace, not only were Prince Neungyang Yi Jong, the Westerner faction, the Southerner faction, and numerous Joseon officials from the Border Defense Council present, but there was also an additional official from the Great Ming.

After ordering a seat arranged for the Great Ming official, Yi Jong then said: "During the Dingmao Barbarian Incursion, Joseon was forced to conclude a brotherly alliance with the Jianzhou barbarians. It was an act of sheer helplessness.

All of Joseon, from top to bottom, turns its heart toward the Great Ming. Now that Elder Sun has instructed this humble king to stall this Jianzhou barbarians' envoy, this humble king does not understand.

According to the opinion of this outer vassal, this traitor should be beheaded and his head displayed as a warning to those who would follow."

The Great Ming official addressed as Elder Sun said: "Regarding the matter of the Dingmao Barbarian Incursion, though Sun was not at court at the time, I have heard something of it. This matter was originally not the Grand Prince's fault.

Even the current Son of Heaven has ordered Sun to explain clearly to the Grand Prince that the Son of Heaven does not take this matter to heart.

So long as the Grand Prince does not emulate Prince Gwanghae in thinking 'neither betray Ming nor anger Jin,' Joseon shall remain a nation exempt from conquest."

Having conveyed the Chongzhen Emperor's intent, the Great Ming official surnamed Sun continued: "The reason I asked the Grand Prince to stall this traitor was that Sun wished to hear what he relies upon in coming here.

As it now appears, it is nothing more than the Jianzhou barbarians wanting to first eliminate Mao Wenlong, and then use force to pressure Joseon into surrender."

Yi Jong, hearing this, said: "If that is so, we should send someone to warn General Mao, lest he be caught off guard by the Jianzhou barbarians."

Elder Sun, however, said: "That is only proper. In addition, the Grand Prince may dispatch people to probe further and see how much this Jianzhou barbarians' envoy knows. If he knows little, he can be seized and beheaded as a public warning."

Yi Jong replied: "It shall be as Elder Sun says. Only there is one more matter for which this outer vassal must still seek Elder Sun's assistance."

Elder Sun, hearing this, stroked his beard and said: "If the Grand Prince has a matter, please speak. Even if Sun cannot decide it himself, I can memorialize the Sage Son of Heaven on the Grand Prince's behalf and request the Sage Son of Heaven's clear judgment."

Yi Jong, hearing this, was overjoyed and said: "Elder Sun was the teacher of the late emperor and is also held in high regard by the current Son of Heaven. In the matter this outer vassal requests, Elder Sun must please put in a few good words before the Sage Son of Heaven."

This Elder Sun was, in fact, Sun Chengzong. Acting on some unknown instruction from Chongzhen, he had come to Joseon to see the Joseon king.

Yi Jong, however, pondered for a moment, then opened his mouth and said: "In truth, this matter is also connected to the former Prince Gwanghae.

In the third year of Tianqi, that is, the former Joseon Prince Gwanghae Yi Hon lost his virtue. He murdered his elder brother, killed his younger brother, imprisoned and deposed his legitimate mother, forgot grace and betrayed virtue, and sent tribute to the barbarian slaves.

He was truly unfit to uphold the Joseon ancestral temple.

This outer vassal, acting on the command of the Great Royal Dowager Queen Inmok and the collective will of the Joseon ministers, had no choice but to remonstrate with Prince Gwanghae Yi Hon afterward, causing him to confess his crimes before the Great Royal Dowager Queen Inmok.

This matter was originally reported in a memorial to the late emperor. Only, Governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou Yuan Keli, Elder Yuan, said: 'We observe that the matter of deposition and enthronement is something unheard of in two hundred years.

A sudden report of it — how could it not be shocking and strange? For a nephew to depose an uncle — Yi Jong's heart not only lacks Yi Hon, but also lacks China.

This should be condemned with a declaration of his crimes and a punitive expedition, in order to restore the kingly order.' This outer vassal also sent envoys to Elder Yuan's office to explain the reasons, more than ten times in total.

Elder Yuan also memorialized the late emperor on this outer vassal's behalf to argue the case."

Sun Chengzong, however, said: "Has this matter not already been settled? Why does the Grand Prince trouble himself over it again?"

Yi Jong gave a bitter laugh and said: "The root of it still lies with Elder Yuan. Elder Yuan once memorialized the late emperor, requesting that a formal reprimand be issued, using the promise of aiding with troops in the punitive campaign as a bond, in accord with the court's deliberations.

Such a demand was originally only proper. Only, the late emperor passed away too soon, and the effects of this matter in Joseon are still not over.

Now, many people regard this outer vassal as a treasonous villain. Just like the rebellion of General Yi Gwal in the fourth year of Tianqi, many wish to eliminate this outer vassal and be done with it.

This outer vassal knows his own guilt. It is only that all of Joseon, high and low, looks to the Great Ming as an infant looks to its parents.

How could this outer vassal stand by and watch Prince Gwanghae waver indecisively between the Great Ming and the Jianzhou barbarians?"

Having spoken, he covered his face with his sleeve and said in a sobbing voice: "This outer vassal asks for nothing else.

He only asks that Elder Sun speak on his behalf before the Sage Son of Heaven, and permit this outer vassal to send an envoy to the capital to plead his case directly before the Sage.

Once the Sage Son of Heaven renders a decision, this outer vassal is willing to accept any punishment, and would die without regret!"

(End of chapter)