Chapter 118: The Imperial Edict

At this moment, the Chongzhen Emperor was still receiving a general named Lin from Joseon, unaware that Empress Zhou had already arranged for a new palace maid to enter Kunning Palace to play the zither.

"Your servant Lin Qingye, paying respects to His Majesty the Great Ming Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

Looking at this general before him who bore the distinctive features of a Joseon man, the Chongzhen Emperor did not concern himself with any impropriety in his ceremonial etiquette—after all, the Joseon side had been quite loyal to the Great Ming.

In the final analysis, it was the Great Ming itself that had failed to protect its vassal state. Many civil and military officials within Joseon remained loyal to the Great Ming even now, and this future-famous general Lin Qingye was the most renowned among them.

Lin Qingye could finally see the Son of Heaven of the Great Ming with his own eyes, and his heart was filled with overwhelming excitement.

Along the way, Lin Qingye and the several thousand Joseon soldiers he led witnessed the prosperity and strength of the Great Ming capital, and when they thought of what was called the capital of their own Joseon, they were utterly ashamed, wishing they could hide themselves away.

For many Joseon people, the Ming dynasty had a grace of rebirth toward them, especially during the Wanli era when the late Emperor Shenzong dispatched relief forces to support Joseon—this forged a deep emotional bond between Joseon and the Great Ming beyond that of suzerain and vassal.

By this year, Joseon surviving in the cracks was actually not easy. If they submitted to the Ming, the Ming was like a clay Bodhisattva crossing a river—unable to save even itself. Even Pidao had been withdrawn, and they fundamentally had neither the ability nor the inclination to care about Joseon's survival.

In the tenth year of Chongzhen, the Qing barbarians used military force to compel King Injo to submit. Injo fled all the way to Namhansanseong, and only when he could hold out no longer did he leave the fortress and perform the full prostration ritual of a subject before Hong Taiji.

Joseon's King Injo, Yi Jong, naturally had his own difficulties in doing this, but in the hearts of the Joseon people, their suzerain state was still the Great Ming. Unless matters had truly reached an impossible point, who would be willing to help the Qing barbarians?

So from that time onward, Joseon's subjects from top to bottom began to grow dissatisfied with Yi Jong, and rebellions kept breaking out across the Eight Provinces, all in the name of returning to the Ming and punishing Injo.

These minor disturbances were naturally suppressed with ease by Yi Jong, who had already consolidated his royal authority. However, according to reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, in June of this year, Sim Gi-won—a meritorious official of the Injo Restoration—had actually launched a coup within the country, wanting to drag the cowardly Injo down from his throne.

Just a few days before Lin Qingye came to this audience, the Chongzhen Emperor had received a letter from Joseon requesting enfeoffment.

Sim Gi-won had launched a coup in Joseon to install Prince Hoegun, Yi Deok-in, in place of Yi Jong, and thus sought an official recognition edict from the Ming side.

Lin Qingye was a famed Joseon general, while Sim Gi-won was a meritorious official from the time of Injo's restoration to the Ming. Both men were of the Ming faction, and regarding Sim Gi-won's request, the Chongzhen Emperor naturally intended to grant it.

But historically, Sim Gi-won's coup had actually ended in failure, with everyone executed to the last by Yi Jong. It had to be said that this fellow Yi Jong was truly fortunate—he always seemed to learn of developments on the eve of upheaval and take precautions before disaster struck.

The reason for this was certainly inseparable from pro-Qing ministers within Joseon such as Kim Ja-jeom.

But the current Chongzhen Emperor had no intention whatsoever of letting Yi Jong continue sitting on the throne of the King of Joseon.

According to how history had developed, Sim Gi-won would ultimately fail and die—but if he himself gave the man a helping hand, the outcome would be unknowable.

Lin Qingye kowtowed and bowed again, saying:

"Your Majesty, the Great Ming Emperor, in former years Yi Jong restored himself to the Ming and thereby won the support of the entire nation. But now he is muddle-headed and incompetent, cowardly and without achievement, even prostrating himself at the feet of the Jianzhou barbarians to cling to a life of shame. Your servant holds him in the deepest contempt."

"The Qing barbarians have usurped Liaodong. These men gang up with their own kind and stand idly by while their suzerain state rises or falls—their deeds deserve death! Once a subject of the Great Ming, one should be a subject of the Great Ming for generations. Your servant is willing to lead his eight thousand Joseon warriors in a fight to the death against the Jianzhou slaves!"

Lin Qingye returning now would serve no purpose whatsoever. The matter of Sim Gi-won should still be handled by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. At this time, Lin Qingye was a wanted man within Joseon, so he truly had no legitimate standing to speak of.

Thinking of this, the Chongzhen Emperor waved his hand to indicate that the man should rise, and said:

"This general Lin's loyal and steadfast heart, I already know well. Yi Jong's moral character, I also know deeply. Directorate of Ceremonial, draft an edict."

"By the sacred benevolence that spreads far and wide, all beneath heaven's canopy and upon earth's breadth revere the imperial mandate. From the farthest shores to where the sun rises beyond the sea, none fail to follow and serve. In former days my imperial ancestor nurtured many lands. The tortoise-knobbed seal and dragon insignia were bestowed afar upon the realm of the Eight Provinces; the great seal script upon polished jade gloriously honored the Han Mountain that guards the state."

"Yi Jong has betrayed his sovereign and abandoned righteousness, no longer possessing any claim to the restoration. He knows not to honor the Central Kingdom and has cast aside the duty of a vassal to his suzerain. Hereby, the title of King of Joseon is revoked, and the investiture patent is withdrawn. Your state has long served as a bulwark of the Celestial Dynasty; let one among you be chosen as king, and I shall personally enfeoff him, granting the patent and formally installing him as King of Joseon. Respect this!"

Receiving this edict, Lin Qingye was so overcome with emotion he could not contain himself, knocking his head against the ground with a thump-thump-thump. The Chongzhen Emperor gestured for him to rise and then issued another decree promoting Lin Qingye to Commander of the Joseon Army, with overall authority over all Joseon military affairs.

In truth, the Chongzhen Emperor also knew this edict could not take effect immediately. But King Injo, Yi Jong, had been thoroughly cowed by the Jianzhou slaves and would never dare to have any dealings with the Ming again in his lifetime—so naturally, a more obedient one needed to be installed.

Even if the new King of Joseon turned out to be a fence-sitting sort, in the Chongzhen Emperor's view he would still be far more useful than Yi Jong, who had been beaten into becoming a nominal son of the Jianzhou slaves.

This edict was not addressed to Yi Jong but proclaimed to all of Joseon's subjects. Lin Qingye's reaction also demonstrated what waves it would stir once it reached Joseon.

These things were merely a matter of a few words to the Chongzhen Emperor, but in the eyes of Joseon's subjects, they represented the recognition of Sim Gi-won and Lin Qingye by the Celestial suzerain, and the Great Ming's displeasure with Injo, Yi Jong.

Zhou Sizhao and Li Chengren had raised rebellion in Jin and Fu Prefectures. Dorgon had to both stabilize Shengjing and personally lead a campaign to suppress the revolt—clearly he had no time to attend to internal affairs in Joseon. Coinciding with Sim Gi-won's coup, this was a heaven-sent opportunity for the Great Ming.

The Chongzhen Emperor understood this reasoning, but the capital had only recently been stabilized, and the matter of Li Zicheng had not yet been resolved—naturally he had no capacity to dispatch troops in support.

There was not much the Chongzhen Emperor could do—only give them the name of righteousness and stir a thousand waves within Joseon. The rest would be left entirely to their own efforts.

Lin Qingye was a close friend of Sim Gi-won, and now, commanding eight thousand troops and carrying the Chongzhen Emperor's edict back to his homeland, he already held both the favor of heaven and the support of men.

Within Joseon, such strength was not weak. If one added the power of the restoration meritorious official Sim Gi-won and Prince Hoegun Yi Deok-in and their followers, it was not impossible to contend with Yi Jong.

Lin Qingye had just left, looking back at every step, when the Chongzhen Emperor's expression suddenly dimmed. Turning to the side, he asked:

"Cheng'en, will this one edict of mine make Yi Jong step down directly? Tell me what you think."

Wang Cheng'en naturally had his own thoughts, but the current Chongzhen Emperor was a sage ruler, so he could not speak without any reservation. After declining several times, he finally said:

"I report to Your Majesty: that Yi Jong, in his former restoration, had merely used the banner of returning to the Ming. Now he has broken faith and returned to the Jianzhou slaves, and discontent within the country has long been brewing."

"Your Majesty's edict is truly the act of a benevolent and sage ruler. Even stepping back ten thousand paces, it can still stir turmoil within Joseon. Yi Jong has already lost the name of king—whether he can hold his throne is still an open question."

"Mm."

The Chongzhen Emperor nodded. He did not actually expect a single sheet of edict to pull Yi Jong down from his horse, but when the moment arrived, one still had to try. If one was always worried about saving face, then what could ever be accomplished?

"What I should do and what I can do, I have already done. As for the rest, let heaven's will decide."