On September 26 of the ninth year of Chongzhen, Pang Gang led the army back to Hanyang, Kyoto, North Korea (also known as Seoul), and the Korean lord Li Liang, Concubine Xian, together with hundreds of civil and military officials and tens of thousands of people, greeted him with a big salute in the 30 miles outside the city of Hanyang, and also fired cannons to show welcome.

This etiquette is not simple, it was specially used to welcome the emperor in ancient times, and today Li Liang didn't know what he was crazy about, so he actually moved this set of gifts out. It stands to reason that as long as a person is a little sensible, he will not accept such a grand gift, but Pang Gang, who doesn't know anything about ancient etiquette, doesn't feel anything wrong, and next to him, Li Yuan, Da Zhuang and other officers from poor military families don't know, they just accept this set of etiquette so stupidly.

Pang Gang didn't know that his style of work had caused a lot of reverie and speculation in the eyes of many civil and military officials in North Korea, and many people began to think about it.

After a toss, Li Liang welcomed Pang Gang and others into the Hanyang Palace in Hanyang City, although it experienced a war, but this Hanyang Palace was well preserved and did not suffer any damage.

When receiving Pang Gang in the welcome hall, this is the place where the palace specially welcomes VIPs, Pang Gang looked at it, that is, a few sheep intestine paths that can be used by soldiers and two carriages side by side, a bungalow that is not high or low, plus a few stone carvings around, such a palace is very speechless.

Even Da Zhuang, who was walking behind Pang Gang, couldn't help but ask Li Yuan beside him in a low voice: "Little Lizi, you said that the palaces of these Koreans are really not very good, at best, they are stronger than the Qianhu Mansion of our Lingshanwei, but they are far inferior to the Qingzhou Command Envoy Yamen." ”

Li Yuan glared at Da Zhuang and scolded: "Da Zhuang, you call me Xiao Li Zi again, and I won't finish with you." After finishing speaking, Li Yuancai said in a low voice: "People in North Korea are foreigners, and it's good to be able to afford such a house, what do you still think about people, you can't compare with the Forbidden City in Yanjing, right?" ”

"That is, we are the Heavenly Empire, can they compare with us?" Da Zhuang nodded again and again with a sense of reason.

Since both of them spoke in the local dialect of Lingshanwei, they spoke quite urgently, but they were not afraid that the nearby North Koreans would understand. But Pang Gang, who was walking in front, heard it clearly, he just smiled slightly, in his opinion, not to mention the current Hanyang, even the future South Korean capital Seoul is not very good, don't look at those sticks that blow Seoul into the sky and the earth, as if it is the first country in the universe, but in fact, most of the houses in Seoul are still bungalows, which is similar to Yanjing in the nineties.

However, from the dialogue between the two subordinates, Pang Gang had a more intuitive understanding of the mentality of the people of Daming at this time.

In Pang Gang's view, the mentality of the Ming Dynasty at this time is quite similar to that of the Yankees of later generations, although natural disasters [***] continue, but when it comes to the outside world, it is still confident. The influence of Confucian culture for thousands of years has certainly caused many scholars with rotten Confucianism and rigid thinking, but it has also created the mentality of the people of the Heavenly Empire, so that the people of the Ming Dynasty have a sufficient confidence in the face of outsiders.

"Our culture is the best, our writing is the best, and our social structure is the best." This is the mentality of the Ming Dynasty at this time, from the ministers and nobles to the peddlers and pawns.

Thinking of this, Pang Gang couldn't help but think of the foreign moon in later generations that was rounder than China, the foreign adults were always proud, the girls were proud to have slept with foreigners, and the elites rushed to run abroad after a comparison, and they were very puzzled in their hearts, what caused all this to happen, Pang Gang was a little confused.

"Big Man, Big Man"

"Oh? What's up? Pang Gang looked back and found that it was Li Liang calling himself on the side.

"I'm sorry, I'm distracted, what's the matter?" Pang Gang asked very badly.

Li Qi said helplessly: "The widow is saying, please sit down." In this formal occasion, Li Liang naturally can't use his father-in-law's name to suppress Pang Gang, otherwise it will be a joke if it spreads, after all, there are some things that can be done and cannot be said in this world.

"Thank you!" Pang Gang looked at the chair next to him and sat down very simply.

After everyone sat down, Li Qi raised his wine glass and said with a smile: "Huge man, I didn't expect you to drive the hateful Qing soldiers out of the territory of North Korea so quickly, the widow will give you a glass first, do it!" ”

"!"

The North Korean ministers also raised their glasses and drank them all, and Pang Gang and the generals also drank their wines happily.

Li Liang's surname today is very high, and after drinking three glasses of wine in a row, he became even more excited, he stepped down from his seat and patted Pang Gang on the shoulder and laughed: "General Pang, since the Qing army invaded Korea, the widow has never been so happy as today, if it weren't for the Ming mother country to send troops to help us, I'm afraid North Korea would have fallen long ago." The widow said before that as long as anyone can lead the army to drive away the Qing army, the widow will promise him a condition, and now that you have done it, do you have any requirements? ”

As soon as these words came out, the originally noisy environment suddenly calmed down, and everyone looked at Pang Gang one after another, wondering what this general from the Ming Dynasty wanted from North Korea. However, they were not worried about what sky-high remuneration Pang Gang would offer, because according to their past experience, the officials of the Ming Dynasty had always been known for their gentleness and modesty in their treatment of Fanbang's vassals, and they had always despised favors and coercions.

For example, in April 1592 (the twenty-fifth year of Joseon Seonjo, the twentieth year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty, and the first year of Wenlu), in the battle of Wanli Joseon, he said that he was about to hit the Yalu River, and as the suzerainty of North Korea, the Ming Dynasty dispatched tens of thousands of troops to help North Korea for several years, and even the main general was killed in battle, which drove away Yue himself, but when he left, he was stunned and did not take any benefit from the Koreans, which also made the Koreans have always regarded the Ming Dynasty as a living Lei Feng in ancient times, and a typical example of doing good deeds without leaving a name.

Now, although Pang Gang drove away Yue himself, to be honest, the Korean monarchs and ministers were not worried about this, so Li Liang asked Pang Gang so calmly what reward he needed.

And what about Pang Gang? Will this person, who was deeply influenced by the thick black studies of later generations and the social atmosphere of not daring to help the old lady fall when crossing the street, would he come for nothing so easily?

I saw Pang Gang smile slightly, and said slowly: "Your Highness is polite, as the mother country, Da Ming should protect the safety of the vassal country, but what you said made Pang Gang a little embarrassed." But to be honest, if you want to ask for it, Pang Gang really has one more, but I don't know if you are reluctant to do it. ”

When Li Ju and the ministers of North Korea heard this, they couldn't help but "chuckle" in their hearts, and secretly said in their hearts: "Could it be that this Pang Gang is different from the previous officials of the Ming Kingdom, and wants to take this opportunity to make a big profit in North Korea?" ”

Thinking of this, Li Junjie, who was judging by Licao on the side, said with a smile: "Oh, I don't know what General Pang has taken a fancy to my North Korea?" Thinking that our country is small and poor, it is rare to have something that can be admired by adults from the country, and that is our honor! ”

"Whew!" When Pang Gang heard this, he couldn't help but curse in his heart, "These sticks are really the surnames of picking their assholes and licking their fingers, they're too stingy." As soon as the boss patted his chest and said that you have any requirements, my brother will meet you, and the little brother below immediately jumped out and cried poor, what a thing! ”

However, Pang Gang has been an official for more than a year, although the city government can't say how deep, but it is not superficial to the point of scolding his mother on the spot, he smiled slightly: "Pang Mou's request is naturally there, and this request is not agreed by His Royal Highness and the imperial concubine." Pang Mou has long admired the princess Jiayi of your country with a smart surname and a beautiful wisdom, and he is very fond of it, so he specially asked the lord of the country to marry Princess Jiayi to Pang Mou, I don't know if His Royal Highness can be willing to do it? ”

As soon as Pang Gang said this, there was silence all around, and everyone opened their mouths wide and looked at the general in surprise.

Of course, they were surprised not because Pang Gang's requirements were too high, but because this person's requirements were too low. In fact, all the ministers present know that their own Princess Jiayi has already been packed by them and given to the General Pang in front of them, and they are already living in other people's mansions, so it is estimated that he has already eaten so much that he has no scum left, right? But now he solemnly proposed to propose, this surname is different, everyone on the earth knows that although the result of the upside down and the solemn proposal is essentially the same, it is far from the same in name.

This General Pang is now so solemnly proposing to the princess, which means that the princess can at least exist as a flat wife in the past, instead of being in an embarrassing position like before, and even a concubine is not as good as before, and in the future, her own princess can also say that she is Pang Gang's rightful wife, which is of great significance to the ancient women who attached importance to their reputation.

After listening to Pang Gang's request, first of all, Concubine Xian was moved, her eyes turned red instantly, and she shed crystal tears, what could make her mother happier than her daughter having a good home?

"Good! Good! Li Liang was also moved by Pang Gang's "selflessness", and he said loudly: "General Pang, your request has been agreed, and the widow, as a father, naturally can't be stingy when marrying a daughter, and naturally has to give Princess Jiayi a dowry." So be it."

Li Liang pondered for a while and said: "The widow gave Princess Jiayi 300,000 taels of silver, 3,000 taels of gold, 3,000 catties of Korean ginseng, 50 pairs of pearls, and 10 quintals of fur."

In the face of the gushing rewards that came out of Li Liang's mouth, the ministers of the DPRK were also stunned, where is this marrying a daughter, this is obviously marrying silver, and his Royal Highness is too generous, right?

Pang Gang's heart also beat violently, "This North Korea is really rich, and even the ginseng is given by tons!" ”

(To be continued)