Although Seoul was a little larger than Pyongyang Fortress in this era, it was not much bigger, and like Pyongyang Fortress, it was built along the river, running in a north-south direction, long from north to south, and narrow from east to west. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

To the north of Seoul is Bukhansan Mountain, and there is a mountain fortress on top of it called Bukhansan Fortress.

To the south is Namhansan Mountain, and there is also a mountain fortress on it, which is the famous Namhan Mountain Fortress.

The two Hansan cities in the north and south are connected to Seoul by roads, and the only more than 10,000 standing troops in the Korean country today are mainly stationed in these two Hansan cities in the north and south.

Not far to the southeast of Seoul is the Han River, and Changdeokgung Palace is located in a shallow hilly area between Seoul and the Han River.

Jiang Yueguang and his entourage met the North Korean officials who came to greet them outside the west gate of Seoul, that is, Ying'en Gate, and under the guidance of Ayahara Maharaja Li Li and Yin Fang, the leader of the council, they walked all the way through the main street of Seoul that runs through the east and west, and came in the direction of Changdeokgung Palace.

The only entourage who came with him was the one hundred and fifty Jinyi Guard Captain Captain Lux led by Qiao Qitai who carried Chongzhen's flintlock pistol on his shoulder.

Although Huang Long and Liu Xingxian also followed to Changdeok Palace, more than 1,500 soldiers of the Ming army under their command, led by other generals, were arranged to camp on their own in the open space outside the east gate of Seoul to rest.

The North Koreans have prepared food and drinks in this place as a treat.

Changdeok Palace has its own state guesthouse, which can provide accommodation for the envoy and his entourage, but it cannot accommodate so many soldiers.

Besides, the more than 1,500 people say that it is not much, but it is by no means a small amount to say less.

After all, when Li Liang and others launched the Qingyun Palace Rebellion, there were only a few hundred soldiers and horses under their hands.

Now that in addition to the 150 musketeers of the Jinyi Guard, there are more than 1,500 Tianjin sailors and the elite selected by the right side of Dongjiang Town as escorts.

Of course, Jiang Yueguang and others could understand this, so they agreed to the arrangement of the Koreans, and arranged the soldiers of the Tianjin Navy Division and the soldiers on the right side of Dongjiang Town to camp on their own in the open space between the East Gate and Changdeok Palace.

If it is arranged in the city, not only the North Koreans are not at ease, but Jiang Yueguang is also not at ease with the "monks and soldiers" on the right side of Dongjiang Town.

In today's Seoul, there are many Korean nobles, scholars and ordinary people who fled all the way from the north, and many of these people escaped from the sword of the right army of Donggang Town, and the characteristics of the "monks and soldiers" on the right side of Donggang Town are so eye-catching that they will be able to recognize them at first sight.

It's these North Koreans who don't dare to provoke the army in Donggang Town, but they can't prepare these "monk soldiers" with loose military discipline to harass the people of Seoul!

However, although it is not possible to arrange it in the city, it cannot be arranged outside the west gate, because arranging it outside the west gate is equivalent to turning away these Ming soldiers, how can this work!

Therefore, in the sound of drums to welcome the Great Envoy, it became the best choice to let these accompanying Ming soldiers enter the city, and then cross the city and camp outside the east gate.

After the North Koreans reported this thought to Jiang Yueguang, Jiang Yueguang thought about it for a while and agreed to the North Korean arrangement.

Because of the one hundred and fifty Jinyi guards under Qiao Qitai who were equipped with embroidered spring knives and Chongzhen's flintlock pistols, the safety of Jiang Yueguang and his party was completely guaranteed.

The gate of Changdeokgung Palace is called Dunhwa Gate, and after entering Dunhwa Gate, you will be able to cross a square lined with guards, and in front of it is the Inseong Hall.

Jiang Yueguang has been here before, and now he is revisiting the old place, naturally he is familiar with the road, and now under the guidance of Ayahara Maharaja Li Li and North Korean leader Yin Fang, he walked quickly to the Renzheng Palace.

The Korean guards standing on both sides of the royal road in the square also knelt on the ground at this moment.

Li Xin and Zhang Pu, who followed behind Jiang Yueguang, were enjoying this unprecedented extraordinary treatment, and it was difficult to hide the excitement in their hearts.

Although the national strength of the Ming Dynasty is far from being compared with the beginning of the founding of the country, and even when the army went to Korea to fight against the Japanese invaders during the Wanli period, it is still far superior to it compared with a subject country like Korea.

Otherwise, when the Ming Dynasty came to North Korea, where could he have such treatment?

The square in front of the Renzheng Hall of Changdeok Palace is not very large, at least it is not comparable to the large square in front of the Huangji Hall of the Forbidden City in Beijing, but there is a distance of about 200 steps after crossing the Forbidden River Bridge.

In later generations, the Forbidden River Bridge was changed to the Jinchuan Bridge, and its original meaning was roughly the same as the word "forbidden" in the Forbidden City, which means that it is forbidden to cross by idle people.

In fact, whether it is Gyeongbokgung Palace or Changdeokgung Palace, these North Korean palace buildings abide by the rules of the Ming Dynasty, compared with the Forbidden City, not only the scale is smaller, the specifications are lower, the foundation and the platform are shorter, even the colors used can only use blue, white, gray and other relatively low-key colors.

Yellow or bright yellow, that's absolutely not allowed.

The Gyeongbokgung Palace's Gyeongjeongjeongjeon Palace and the Injeongjeongjeon Hall in Changdeokgung Palace are both highest-ranking buildings in the two palaces, but they can only be roof with cyan glazed tiles, which is what it means.

Including the so-called "Blue House" later, it also means this.

This is one of the most significant differences between Korean palace architecture and Chinese palace architecture.

Jiang Yueguang and his entourage came to the foot of the steps outside the Renzheng Palace, and the Korean Licao officials standing here immediately shouted: "Your Majesty, the Great Tomorrow Envoy is here!" ”

Zhang Pu, who was following Jiang Yueguang, nodded at this time, and praised the North Korean officials, it seems that North Korea is really a son of a taught.

Although the envoys of the Ming Dynasty represented the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, when the ceremonial officials announced their arrival, they could not use "to drive", but only to visit, because "to arrive" could only be used on the emperor and empress themselves, and in addition, it was arrogant and illegal to use it anywhere.

Others don't pay attention to this detail, but Zhang Pu, a person who attaches great importance to etiquette, attaches the most importance to these details.

Seeing that the whole country of Korea was so strict with etiquette, Zhang Pu, who had always advocated orthodox Confucianism, had a growing favorability of the officials of the Korean Shilin faction since he entered the DPRK, and he was almost to the point where he could see everything pleasing to the eye.

As soon as the Korean ceremonial official outside the Renzheng Hall finished speaking, a minister came out of the hall, stepped forward and bowed, and then led Jiang Yueguang and walked to the middle of the main hall.

This person, Jiang Yueguang, also vaguely has the impression that it is the left government of the DPRK parliamentary government, Shin Qin.

Shen Qin led Jiang Yueguang to step forward alone, stood in the middle of the main hall, and then turned to the Korean lord Li Liang, who was sitting on the throne in the Renzheng Hall with his south back to the north, and said: "Your Majesty, the Great Envoy has arrived, please come down to the throne with the prince!" ”

At this time, Li Liang, who was thirty-five years old, had a moderate figure, a white face, a short beard, and a beautiful appearance, and looked quite wealthy.

At this time, in the palace, in addition to Li Liang and his son, there were many ministers in the small Korean court, such as the official Cao Jushu Jin Liu, the Hu Cao Jushu Wu Daji, the Bing Cao Jushu Li Gui and other six Cao chiefs, as well as Wu Yuanqian, Cui Mingji, and the Hongwen Hall bachelor Yin Ji, the Sixian Yuan, the Si Ji Yuan and other deans of the museum.

After listening to Zuo Yizheng Shenqin's words, Li Liang took the hand of Li Wei, the nine-year-old son at this time, stood up from the throne facing south and facing north, and then walked down slowly, circled Jiang Yueguang for half a circle, and then faced the north and slowly knelt down in front of Jiang Yueguang.

The Korean clan and the ministers of civil and military affairs in the hall also immediately followed behind Li Yu and the prince of Joseon, and slowly knelt down in front of the position where Jiang Yueguang was standing.

Only the members of the Ming envoy corps, Li Xin, Zhang Pu, Qiao Qitai, Huang Long, and Liu Xingxian, who were standing on the inside side of the gate of the Renzheng Palace, were still standing solemnly to watch the ceremony.

"The king of Joseon is ordered to shepherd the state affairs of Joseon, and the minister Li Liang welcomes the holy decree of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, long live the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, long live the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty!"

After saying this, the king of Joseon, Yi Liang, immediately kowtowed.

The Korean prince beside Li Liang and the Korean civil and military officials kneeling behind him also immediately followed: "Long live His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, long live, long live!" ”

Jiang Yue stood in the center of the hall with his back to the south, and calmly accepted all these courtesies, because at this moment he represented the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and the moment when the Korean monarchs and ministers knelt down in the face of him was an important moment for the Ming Dynasty and Korea to redefine the relationship between the clan and the vassal domain.

At such a moment, the difference between kneeling or not kneeling is huge.