Chapter 153: Peace talks farce, the army enters North Korea

Speaking of which, Chen Weijing is a strange figure. After the Ming Dynasty decided to send troops to North Korea in August, the Ming court wanted to ask what the Japanese side’s true intentions were. However, Shi Xing, the Minister of War at that time, did not know much about the Japanese side and did not have any relevant talents under his command.

Because Shi Xing took the daughter of Li Mao from Zhejiang as his concubine. Li Mao had a fellow villager, Chen Weijing. Chen Weijing, a native of Jiaxing, was ugly and was a scoundrel in the market, but he had a sharp mouth and could talk about anything. Chen Weijing was not doing his job properly and wandered around in middle age. Finally, he wandered around in Beijing, hang out in various kilns in Beijing all day long, and made friends with Zheng Si, a big teapot in the kiln.

Zheng Si lived in Tsushima Island, Japan for many years. He told Chen Weijing what he heard and saw in Japan. Chen Weijing remembered it in his heart. He also learned some Japanese dialect from Zheng Si, and then praised himself as a Japanese master everywhere.

At this time, the Minister of War Shi Xing was anxious to find someone who was familiar with Japanese affairs. Li Mao remembered that his fellow villager was a Japanese friend, so he introduced him to Shi Xing. After meeting the Minister of War Shi Xing, Chen Weijing was overjoyed and even added jealousy to talk about some so-called Japanese affairs. Shi Xing was also overjoyed and believed that Chen Weijing was indeed a Japanese friend, so he gave him the title of guerrilla general and went to Korea to negotiate with the Japanese side.

Chen Weijing was indeed sharp-tongued. In August of the 20th year of Wanli, he first went to Yizhou, North Korea to persuade the Korean king Lee Kyung who was taking refuge here. In September, he went to Pyongyang City and negotiated with Governor Xiaoxi. At that time, Governor Xiaoxi was in line with soldiers outside the city, holding sharp blades and fully armed. However, Shen Weijing did not change his face and entered the city calmly.

Even President Xiaoxi admired his courage: "Your Excellency has not changed in the white blade. Such courage has never been seen in Japan."

In November of the 20th year of Wanli, Chen Weijing came to North Korea again to negotiate with Governor Xiaoxi. Governor Xiaoxi asked to use the Datong River in North Korea as the boundary. Chen Weijing agreed, but Song Yingchang refused. Chen Weijing refused. He did not give up and kept trying to touch Song Yingchang. He came today, but heard that Li Rusong was preparing to send troops, so he came in a hurry, worried that the two countries would destroy his peace plan together.

At this time, he was standing in the military camp again and flew everywhere. He said that there was no need to use weapons, and he could make the Japanese retreat by taking action alone. Not to mention that Li Rusong and Song Yingchang were stunned when they heard it, even the generals in the camp were stunned.

Huang Laifu also looked at him curiously. From the historical books, Huang Laifu knew that this person had reached the most ridiculous "chicken and duck talk" agreement in diplomatic history. It was a miracle that he deceived both the Ming and Japan at the same time.

Huang Laifu looked at him carefully and saw that he was less than forty years old, not tall, and was thin. He was wearing silk clothes and his mouth was like a merchant or a gangster, but he had no guerilla general's demeanor.

Because Chen Weijing was the special envoy of Shi Xing, the Minister of War, Li Rusong reluctantly held back his anger and kept hearing him dry. He snorted and said, "You said the Japanese are interested in truce and confrontation? What do you say about the Japanese general Xiaoxi?"

Chen Weijing said: "The Japanese general Xiaoxi Governor said that Japan and DPRK can be the boundary between Datong and River. In this way, the two countries will have a good relationship, and the Celestial Empire will no longer have to work hard on the troops and pay. It can be said that the best of both worlds."

Li Rusong was furious and said, "Do you know where the Datong River is? Are you good at understanding the Japanese?"

Looking around, he was about to push Chen Weijing out and behead him. Chen Weijing was so scared that he lost his soul and knelt down and begged for mercy.

Huang Laifu's heart moved. At this time, Li Yingye, a marching staff officer under Song Yingchang, should have come out to stop him from making plans, but at this time he could not see a single figure.

Huang Laifu said, "Sir, please wait."

Everyone looked at Huang Laifu in confusion. Huang Laifu walked to Li Rusong and whispered: "If you don't kill Chen Weijing for the time being, you can use the trick. Yang sent Weijing to the public and Yin sent a surprise attack on the enemy. This is a plan to build a plank road openly and cross Chen Cang secretly."

Li Rusong nodded slowly and whispered to Song Yingchang again. Song Yingchang also agreed very much. He immediately ordered his servants to throw Chen Weijing into prison and deal with it slowly. Chen Weijing escaped back to his life, and had long been weak all over. He just glanced at Huang Laifu gratefully and was dragged by the guards.

Although there was the episode of Chen Weijing, the plan for sending troops remained unchanged. That afternoon, 40,000 elite Ming troops, led by Li Rusong and Song Yingchang, headed towards the North Korea in the east.

Tens of thousands of Ming troops passed Tongyuan Fort, Dingliao Youwei and other places, winding like a long snake. Finally, the army crossed the Yalu River and came to the territory of North Korea.

North Korean King Lee Bing personally welcomed the arrival of the army by the river. At this moment, he burst into tears. The Celestial Empire really sent a large army to rescue him. Only North Korean Minister Liu Chenglong frowned. He thought that the Ming army was too small, and there were nearly 200,000 Japanese troops in the Korea and Japan at this time. Even if the 40,000 Ming troops were brave, it would be useless. But he didn't dare to say anything, just sighed.

When the Ming army arrived in Yizhou, it happened to be New Year's Eve. The North Korean country was deeply influenced by the Ming Dynasty, and its many folk customs were the same as the Ming Dynasty. On this day, Song Yingchang and King Lee Kyung of Korea rewarded the army entering the court. Eat dumplings, light a lamp to bid farewell to the old year, welcome the New Year, etc.

Huang Laifu's thousands of Shanxi soldiers also found an opera troupe singing Puzhou Bangzi, and regained some of the feelings of his hometown.

Since he had arrived in a foreign country, Huang Lai Fu was interested in shopping, but what he saw was the poverty of North Korea. At present, Yizhou is already a place where North Korea King Lee Kyung was occupied, but the city walls were only eight feet high, and they were simply piled up with rocks. The streets and houses in the city were mixed, and what he saw was all low and small thatched houses, and the fronts of each door were extremely dirty. Obviously, the hygiene habits of the North Koreans were very unbearable.

There are poor mountains and rivers, deserted towns and villages everywhere, and extremely poor people. Whether it is the living standards at that time, houses and constructions, or urban planning, the North Korea country is one world compared to the Ming Dynasty.

No wonder the whole country of Korea is extremely envious of the Ming town opposite. If you can smuggle, try to smuggle. Any Korean literati who travels to the border town in Daming will praise him when he comes back: "...it is prosperous and magnificent. Although I can't even think about it, I don't expect that China will be prosperous. The left and right markets are shining with each other, and the carved windows, painted buildings, red railings, green plaques, and all the things they live in are strange goods from the mainland..."

Huang Laifu suddenly felt very bad. In such a poor country, he wanted the North Korean country to compensate for the military expenses for quelling the rebellion. In this situation, if they were asked to compensate for the military expenses, they would not be able to pay them back for two hundred years. It seemed that they could only count on the Japanese.

The only thing that makes Huang Lai Fu a little fun in foreign countries is the costumes of the Koreans. Although they are deeply influenced by the Central Plains culture, they are still a little different. Each of the adult Korean men wears a large-brimmed hat on their heads. Due to their different identities, the materials and shapes of the hats are also different. There are also large skirts worn by women, which are also a bit distinctive. However, there are fewer Korean women who are beautiful, most of them are short and fat, which makes people not interested.

The next day was the first day of the first lunar month, the New Year's Day of the Ming Dynasty. On this day, firecrackers, lion dances, dragon lanterns, and flower markets were set off to celebrate New Year's Day. However, on this day, the army was about to set off. Song Yingchang stayed and dispatched grain and grass in Yizhou City. Li Rusong led the army and continued to advance.

Along the way, the army was not moving fast due to the large number of artillery chariots in the Ming army, and the road conditions in North Korea were not good, and the weather was cold and cold.

The fourth day of the first lunar month of the 21st year of Wanli, February 4, 1593 AD.

It was the beginning of spring. Li Rusong and tens of thousands of troops arrived at Suning Hall, which was about 80 miles from Pyongyang City.

Because Huang Laifu's plan was successful, under the instruction of Li Rusong, Chen Weijing sent someone to inform President Xiaoxi, saying that the Ming Dynasty agreed to the peace talks and asked President Xiaoxi to send someone to welcome him. However, President Xiaoxi thought that the Ming Dynasty wanted to envoy, so he sent twenty-three generals to receive the reward.

At that time, Li Rusong was in the Suning Pavilion and said to Huang Laifu and other generals: "Today is the fourth day of the first lunar month. In the afternoon, our army will set sail towards Shun'an City. We will rest for a day in Shun'an City, and we will arrive at Pyongyang City for the sixth day of the day."

He said again: "Yesterday, I asked someone to tell you that the poisonous rockets, god rockets and other firearms can be sent to the army soon, and our army will be even more powerful at that time."

The generals were happy when they suddenly heard the camp outside shouting to kill Chongtian. Li Rusong sent someone to ask, and he was furious. It turned out that after the Japanese envoy arrived, the general Li Ning saw that, without saying a word, he led his subordinates to raise a knife and chopped the Japanese. Fifteen Japanese people were killed, seven people fled, and one person was captured alive.

His plan was destroyed by Li Ning, and Li Rusong was furious and wanted to push Li Ning out and behead him. All the generals knelt down and begged for mercy, but Li Rusong let him go, but he still blamed him for fifty military sticks to serve as a warning!

But at this time, Li Rusong sighed deeply. The Japanese envoy was killed. It seemed that the original plan would not work.

At the same time, on the Pyongyang city wall dozens of miles away, a middle-aged warrior in brocade was facing the cold wind, looking quietly at something in the distance, with a little worried expression. Behind him, more than a hundred trusted warriors were standing, looking at him with respect.

This middle-aged samurai was the commander of the First Army of the Invasion of North Korea. The commander of Konishi was a confidant of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and believed in Western orchidology. He was an extraordinary one among the Japanese generals at that time.

At this time, he was worried about whether the twenty Japanese envoys could successfully welcome the Tang envoys and receive rewards.

"Oh, Tangren..."

Thinking of the Ming Dynasty's troops, Governor Xiaoxi felt breathless in his heart. The Central Plains countries have had too much psychological pressure on them, such as the islanders, for thousands of years. Even if Japan wins a temporary victory, can it win in the future? No one dares to guarantee it.

What a big gamble, this war.

What President Xiaoxi is most worried about now is that because reinforcements were blocked by the Korean navy, Pyongyang City can be said to be exhausted and food is low. If the Ming Dynasty attacks, the consequences will be unimaginable. President Xiaoxi urgently hopes to negotiate peace with the Ming Dynasty. In this way, with a chance to breathe, he can get the roads south of the Datong River, such as Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Chung-chung, Gyeonggi and other roads south of the Datong River, and then wait for an opportunity to attack northern Korea and the Tang Dynasty at any time.
Chapter completed!