Chapter 885: Single-Handed

To welcome the arrival of Wonja Li Yun, and incidentally to welcome the honored guests from Longyan.

Li Tun planned to host a grand banquet within his own palace.

When Liu Zheng received this news, he found it somewhat ironic.

The Wa invaders are still rampaging everywhere within the borders, yet this imperial court still has the time and heart to host a grand banquet here; but such is the temperament of a feudal dynasty, there is simply no Method to change it. Perhaps in Li Tun's eyes, the one hundred thousand soldiers currently fighting fiercely in Gyeongsang Province are not necessarily as important as his own son, Li Yun.

Perhaps it was also because he realized he had been too harsh on the Westerner Party recently, helping the Southern Faction take away too many benefits from the Westerners.

The location for the banquet was decided at the Westerners' Liyuan Palace.

The invitation Han was delivered by Min Weizhong.

Liu Zheng looked at Min Weizhong, who had grown far too haggard recently, and couldn't help but ask with a smile: "Lord Min, is there any particular significance to this Wonja's full-month celebration?"

Li Tun was fond of theater, and the Westerner Party, catering to his preferences, built this palace.

Choosing this place was also for the sake of liveliness. Li Tun had a son in his later years, and having finally obtained a son, he naturally could not limit such a grand occasion to the palace, as many people would not be qualified to enter the palace.

Compared to the Longyan Dynasty, the people of this Li Dynasty were truly bold in their speech; he laughed: "Lord Min, if one does not endure small things, one will disrupt great plans; you understand this principle as well."

:

Min Weizhong looked at Liu Zheng in confusion and sighed: "Vice Minister Liu, why exactly do you have such great certainty?"

Speaking of the "Wonja" son, Min Weizhong was furious and snorted coldly: "The son of an enchantress actually ascending to the hall of elegance! I see this Li Dynasty is nearing its end!"

Liu Zheng was speechless and laughed.

"What?"

Min Weizhong's expression changed drastically.

Liu Zheng knew that the recent blows suffered by the Westerners might be putting great pressure on Min Weizhong. If he could not produce something, it was very likely that their "solid" cooperative relationship would deteriorate halfway.

He said indifferently: "Lord Min, Gyeongsang Province is about to face a crushing defeat."

If Gyeongsang Province faces a crushing defeat, then even if the Southern Faction takes away a lot of power today, they will have to spit it back out when the time comes!

Thinking this through, Min Weizhong then spoke earnestly: "Vice Minister Liu, you must be careful at this banquet; there are too many people in Joseon who want your life right now!"

Liu Zheng smiled slightly.

Min Weizhong then took a deep breath.

It is just that

I fear this banquet will be a Hongmen Banquet.

Liu Zheng smiled slightly.

It seems he had temporarily regained Min Weizhong's trust.

She was even more direct than Min Weizhong, looking at Liu Zheng with a solemn face: "Young Master, you must absolutely not go to this banquet!"

"Oh?"

For the full-month celebration of Sukjong Li Tun's son, Liu Zheng still needed to prepare gifts. Fortunately, he had prepared for this long ago. After all, he had come to Joseon, and although the Li Dynasty was merely a vassal state of Longyan, their king was still of a higher rank than him. Liu Zheng had prepared some exquisite gifts to bring, such as Perfume and Soap—relatively cheap items, relatively speaking.

Just as Liu Zheng finished tidying up, Li Xuanya came again.

Liu Zheng could not help but frown slightly.

What matter could make the Southern Faction and Li Tun so impatient?

Liu Zheng did not expect it to be this serious.

Li Xuanya was tearful: "Last night I saw Li Hang enter the Father King's hall, and he stayed for a full two hours! I fear the Father King has already reached some agreement with the Southern Faction, and they are determined to take your life!"

That's it!

It must be this way!

Suddenly.

Liu Zheng realized with a start, and he had an answer in his heart. In the films and television dramas of his past life, he remembered that Li Tun had gone to great lengths to get the then-Qing Dynasty to recognize the legitimate Crown Prince status of his son. Moreover, he gave Nurhaci who knows how many benefits before that side allowed this son of Zhang Yuzhen to truly ascend to the so-called hall of elegance.

And Li Tun began to feel extreme annoyance toward the Westerners, thinking of ways to hand over power smoothly. In a feudal dynasty, establishing a Crown Prince must be reported to the ancestral temple, and the ancestral temple of the Li Dynasty was naturally the Longyan Dynasty.

With the Westerners obstructing it like this, Li Tun had no Method.

The situation in the Li Dynasty was complex now. Although Min Weizhong and other Westerners were keeping a low profile for the time being, everyone knew they were enduring and waiting for their moment. Especially regarding the legitimate status of Crown Prince Li Yun, they had been expressing strong dissatisfaction.

For Min Weizhong, this was the most important thing!

An exchange of interests!

It seems someone in the Longyan imperial court had promised Li Tun and the Southern Faction that they would legalize the establishment of Li Yun as Crown Prince.

However, if Longyan recognized Li Yun's status as Crown Prince, then even the Westerner Party would have no Method to change it!

An exchange!

Li Xuanya was very worried about Liu Zheng.

Liu Zheng, however, chuckled and shook his head: "If I leave, the whole thing is over. No matter, let me go and see the world of your Li Dynasty."

And the condition was to kill him!

"Young Master, why not leave the city now..."

The Horse Carriage to pick up Liu Zheng was already prepared at the door. Pei Qianyun also knew that today's events were very likely to spiral out of control, so she stayed close to Liu Zheng.

Liyuan Palace was located in the Westerners' territory, in the west city of Hancheng.

Li Xuanya tried to persuade him again, but Liu Zheng was naturally fearless.

Finally, the time for the afternoon banquet arrived.

"They're here, they're here!"

As soon as Liu Zheng's Horse Carriage arrived, quite a few people looked over. He also knew that many people had already guessed something today. Coupled with the fact that he had been keeping to himself ever since arriving in Hancheng, and the Longyan Vice Minister who had made the Li Dynasty very interested was nowhere to be seen, seeing him today naturally made many people want to see who this person was.

By the time Liu Zheng arrived, quite a few people were already standing at the entrance, and he had gone through various inspections along the way.

As the host, Min Weizhong naturally stood at the entrance, responsible for welcoming guests.

Liu Zheng also exchanged pleasantries with them. At a glance, these were all the pillars of the Li Dynasty, appearing harmonious; who would have thought that these few people were fighting tooth and nail behind the scenes for power.

As they walked in, Zhang Xuan deliberately stepped closer to Liu Zheng and whispered, "Vice Minister Liu, coming here today is truly unwise. Sigh, I should have arranged for someone yesterday to have you feign illness and stay at the Honglu Temple!"

To Liu Zheng's surprise, Li Hang, Zhang Xuan, and the others were also at the entrance at this moment.

Once he got out of the carriage, they all came up to greet him with smiles.

He smiled in response, indicating he appreciated the sentiment.

Casting a suspicious glance at Liu Zheng, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before sighing and nodding.

When he said this, he still wore a deeply worried expression.

Liu Zheng saw through it but did not speak; this old fox had too many petty tricks in his dealings. If he had known, if he had known, why didn't he notify him yesterday instead of telling him only after arriving today? Wasn't it just to distance himself from the situation?

Inside the Liyuan, there were already quite a few people.

When Liu Zheng appeared here, perhaps having been tipped off by some, once again, the eyes of all the men and women, old and young, turned toward Liu Zheng.

Some even went so far as to point at him right there on the spot.

Liu Zheng smiled slightly, his gaze finally searching the main seat for the person he was most interested in this time.

The number one enchantress of Joseon, Zhang Yuzhen.