In the Jiaotai Palace, a warm earth dragon rose to evaporate the moisture in the palace. Walking in from outside the damp and cold hall, even Sugimura Rui, who had been nervous, stepped into this dry hall, and felt relieved.

The Joseon royal family, although it does not have the pomp of the royal family of their suzerain, the Qing Dynasty. But in this formal audience, the protocol officials lined up from the entrance of the temple into the hall, and two guards dressed in white and crowned with swords on their waists stood guard at the door like nails. There is a floating incense aroma on all sides, and under the corner corridor of the hall, there are all palace maids standing with their heads bowed and wearing traditional Korean national costumes. On the high throne, one on the left and one on the right, sat side by side, His Royal Highness King Lee, who is now the nominal supreme ruler of Korea, and his wife, Her Royal Highness Concubine Min.

Both of them were dressed up, sitting upright with solemn faces, and the honor guard covered by the feather fan next to them was readily available. Quietly waiting for Sugimura to come forward to meet him. Concubine Min looked very tired, and her mind was slightly unsettled, and she didn't know what these people were thinking about. It was King Lee, who looked a little wealthy at her side, who smiled gently at Sugimura.

This King Li, formerly known as Li Xi, is really not easy to say. At the age of twelve, he became the twenty-sixth king of the Joseon Kingdom, and became the heirless Emperor of Jejong. From the moment he took over to the present, he basically didn't have any ideas on his own. There are ups and downs in the battle between his wife Concubine Min and his father Xingxuan Dayuanjun. Coup d'état palace fights again and again, Renwu Jiashen was held hostage. But he seems to have come over without any pain. After Jiashen, the situation of the court stabilized a little, and he handed over everything to his father, and became his last king with peace of mind.

Nothing he said about wrestling in North Korea or the open and covert struggles of various domestic power groups was something that happened around him. concentrates on the girls in the palace, and his heirs are very numerous. I don't know if he is really powerless about the situation in the DPRK, or if he is born without heart and lungs.

However, in the period of history that Xu Yifan once experienced, after the First Sino-Japanese War. In 1904, tens of thousands of troops arrived in Seoul and unilaterally issued the Ulcho Korean Protection Treaty, which coincided with the annexation of Korea and Jang Ben. This mediocre king secretly wrote to Britain, France, Germany, Russia and other powers, declaring that the Ulchou and Han protection treaties were invalid, and excluded Nam Yoon-sik and other special envoys from going to China again to fight a war!

However, at that time, the overall situation of Korea being annexed by Yuben was already powerless. He was forced to abdicate and died suddenly shortly after being declared a cerebral hemorrhage. His little wave was swallowed up silently by history.

However, at this time, he was still a symbol of Korean rule sitting high on the throne.

Sugimura stretched his face and slowly walked under the throne, stretched out his hand to press his chest, and performed a Western-style etiquette. King Li smiled again. His gaze slightly gestured to the salute officer beside him.

The salute officer immediately said in a loud voice: "Thank you, Minister Xie!" His Royal Highness King Li and His Royal Highness Concubine Min conveyed their greetings to the minister. And I look forward to Your Excellency the Minister and present your credentials! ”

Sugimura barely squeezed out a smile and stood respectfully. From the only secretary attaché who followed behind him, he took the box containing the national letters: "His Royal Highness King Li, His Royal Highness Concubine Min." It was said that South Korea was on good terms, and the note on the establishment of the second-class consulate of the Great Empire in Busan was officially forwarded by the contemptible. Your Majesty the Emperor, I earnestly hope that the friendship between the two countries will be ...... more deeply."

At this time, even Concubine Min tried her best to maintain a polite smile. The celebrant solemnly stepped down the steps, ready to receive the credentials and complete the ceremony. Just when the guest and the host were in Hee, suddenly everyone was shaking!

At this moment, a dull pop was heard from a distance. This explosion seemed to erupt from the depths of the earth! The voice quickly turned from dull to sharp, with a shrill shushing sound. Immediately after that, everyone in the Jiaotai Hall felt that the ground under their feet jumped completely!

The beams of the Jiaotai Hall made a creaking and shaking sound, and dust fell from the roof of the hall. The tiles on the hall also made a sound of being impacted and slammed. All mouths widened. Some palace maids subconsciously screamed out and squatted on the ground with their heads in their hands. Only Concubine Min reacted the fastest and stood up at once: "Zhenshanfang's powder magazine!" ”

Of course, she understands that when Jiashen Kaihua Party and Political Coupe d'état, they occupied the gunpowder arsenal of Zhenshanfang as soon as possible. It was so quickly able to control the armed forces of the capital controlled by Dayuanjun. And the sound of this explosion came from the gunpowder armory of Zhenshanfang!

Sugimura was the first to walk out quickly, and the guards helped Li Wang Min and Concubine Min to follow out with a panicked face. When I reached the gate of the temple, I saw a huge cloud of smoke after the explosion rolled up in the sky south of Seoul, where Jeongseonbo was located. Blood-like rolls in the torrential rain, and above the sky of Seoul, blood, fire, rain, smoke and clouds are intertwined, becoming a surreal picture!

The screams came from a distance, from inside the palace, and in the open space in the palace, the frightened people were scurrying around like flies in the torrential rain. Only Nam Yun-sik, the general of the right guard who was in charge of the security of the palace ban, hurriedly rushed over to the Jiaotai Hall with a few guards. Concubine Li and Concubine Li and Sugimura stood together at this time, Sugimura's face was already flushed, and King Li's lips were pursed, unable to speak. Only Concubine Min was still calm, and shouted to Nan Yunzhi: "Quick!" Take the soldiers to Zhenshanfang! Find out what's going on? Seoul is in chaos right now! Anyone who spreads rumors, takes advantage of the fire to rob, and rectifies the Fa on the spot! ”

Nam Yoon-sik stood in the heavy rain, agreed loudly, and looked at King Li again. King Li just trembled and waved his hand to let him go quickly, seeing that Nan Yunzhi was about to run out of his legs in the rain, King Li squeezed out a sentence: "Send people to protect the mansion of the king of Xingxuan Compound, and the Qing Guoqin is on a mission!" ”

"Yes!" Nam Yoon-sik also knew that the matter was urgent, and he couldn't do anything, so he took a dozen servants and ran towards the gate to tread water. He had experienced the Jiashen coup d'état, and when he begged Yuan Shikai for his master, he was the envoy sent by Dayuanjun. The explosion of the powder magazine in Zhenshanfang, if it is a deliberate move by someone with a heart, then as long as the safety of Dayuanjun and the Qing Qincha can be guaranteed, and the contact with the Qing State can be communicated, then the political situation in North Korea can be stabilized!

More than a dozen bare-handed guards followed Nam Yoon-sik all the way to the door, trying to greet the guards guarding the gate. Where you can see it, the forbidden gate of the palace is empty. Not a single guard is gone!

"Bastard! These guys have deserted their jobs! Nam Yoon-sik scolded as he ran straight out. Everyone was drenched and couldn't take care of it. Before they got out of the door, everyone stopped.

In front of them, there were neatly lined up soldiers in black clothes and white socks, all standing quietly in the water. The flat end of the Murata rifle was raised and aimed at the palace gate. The rain pounded on the black, cold barrel of the gun, splashing a little mist. An officer stood at the side of the line with a Western-style command knife in his hand, and under the rain and fog, he could only feel his gloomy gaze, staring at them coldly.

The guards of the legation!

Nam Yoon-sik's hands and feet were cold, and he subconsciously looked around. Under the palace walls, the corpses of several guards were already lying horizontally, and under the rain, there were no blood stains and wounds, just piled up there.

"Slaves!" At this time, the only thing Nam Yoon-sik could do was to scold. The officer's command knife slashed hard, and a row of Murata rifles suddenly fired!

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After two gunshots, one of the guards who was holding the body of the courtyard monarch and sent him to the courtyard wall shook his body and fell softly. The king of the courtyard lost his support, and also fell from the courtyard wall, falling into the muddy water.

In the mansion of the king of Xingxuan Compound, there are already flames rising, and there are corpses everywhere, all screaming. The team of more than 100 people, almost all of them had foreign guns and short guns, and in a short period of time, they had swept the entire courtyard of the monarch's mansion. These remnants of the Enlightenment Party all have a bitter hatred for the lord of the courtyard, and they have no mercy for everyone in the mansion.

The entire mansion seems to be bathed in a sea of blood.

It was Park Yong-hyo who led the attack on the Enlightenment Party members of the Daewon-Jun's mansion. He no longer had the appearance that he was used to cowering in front of Jin Yujun, wearing a raincoat and galoshes, and with a cruel smile, he inserted the six-wheeled pistol into his belt with a sly smile, and made a gesture with his hand. The two strong men ran over, grabbed the old man's hair, dragged him out of the muddy water, and pulled him all the way to Park Yong-hyo.

There was only one pajama on the courtyard, which was already soaking wet. It seems that his body is getting thinner and thinner, and his gray hair is messy. After falling to the ground, he groaned, and slowly turned around. Glancing at Park Yong-hyo, the old man snorted: "Traitor! ”

So saying, he sat up as best he could, sat cross-legged, and straightened the gray hair on his head.

Park Yong-hyo laughed: "Your Excellency, I didn't expect this day!" You hunted us down and hunted us down. When I shot at us with Qing Guonu, I didn't think of this day! ”

The courtyard gentleman raised his face, the wrinkled old face was on his face, and at this time he was only calm, and said coldly: "Without foreign guns, you can't get in, and if you don't have a foreign gun, you don't have a foreign gun...... What about Jin Yujun? ”

Park Yonghyo's face twitched, and he didn't pay attention to this topic, just roared hideously: "I want revenge!" ”

Dayuanjun wiped the rain from his face and said lightly: "Whatever you want...... Did Kim Ok-gyun go to Gyeongbokgung Palace? Today, Minister Sugimura is here, is there still his cooperation? You have seized a good opportunity, the Qing army has been transferred out of Seoul...... But don't forget, the Qing army will also go south at any time! ”

Park Yongxiao sneered, I don't know why, he just couldn't find the pleasure of revenge in front of this old man. He kicked the old man who was sitting cross-legged and knocked him down: "Do you still expect Yuan Shikai to save you again?" Let me tell you that the Ping'an Daodong School Party has started an incident, and the Qing army is shooting to quell the chaos. By the time they were able to move their army south, Seoul was already decided! It is said that the army brigade will also be sent to Seoul, and the Qing slaves are in Korea, and they are gone forever! ”

Dayuanjun struggled to his feet and sat down again. The cold rain, as well as the escape just now, made the old man's energy exhausted. But at this time, he stared at Park Yongxiao deadly: "Is it that I and you instigated the Donghak Party to make trouble?" How many North Koreans do you want to kill? ”

The old man suddenly sneered and spread out his hands: "The winner is the prince and the loser, and you are not informal, I don't blame you and Jin Yujun." But Kim Ok-gyun is a person who understands better than you, and he is more like a North Korean...... He knows that as a small country, the DPRK can stand on its own, but it must not completely fall to the other side...... This is the foundation of the survival of our small country, and it is also the sorrow of our small country. Even if the Enlightened Party and Government Axe is established, Jin Yujun will definitely not invite the army to enter as you wish. He and Concubine Min will still maintain exchanges with the Qing State, seek a balance between China and China, and make North Korea a buffer zone that neither country can cross...... Unless you can take Jin Yujun's place, but you can only be a lackey forever! ”

The courtyard sat in the rain, talking about everything. Behind Park Yong-hyo, many of the Enlightened Party members quietly changed color on their faces. Park Yong-hyo also quieted down, and his expression did not move. As if he hadn't heard the courtyard jun scold him.

Before the old man could finish speaking, he casually drew his pistol and snapped it. A wisp of white smoke flickered, and there was suddenly an extra bullet hole on the head of the courtyard monarch. The old man didn't snort, and fell to the ground limply.

Everyone was silent, and even the screams around the mansion seemed to be muted. Only the sound of rain washing over the earth.

Adhering to the national politics of North Korea for more than ten years, the father of the current king of North Korea, Heungseon Daewonjun, died silently.

Park Young-hyo walked over and gently kicked his corpse. Let the courtyard jun lie with his back to the sky, godless eyes, just looking at the gray sky of North Korea.

"Stooges? Sometimes, lackeys live better than people! ”

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The sound of gunfire shook the entire Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the palace maids and guards were running around everywhere. King Li and Concubine Min were also driven by the chaotic flow of people, stumbling around, not knowing where to go.

What should be chaotic with Gyeongbokgung Palace is the sound of screams and clamor that resounded over the entire Seoul. The capital of North Korea is at the center of a whirlpool.

If they were outside the palace at this time, they would be able to see Seoul shrouded in the clouds of blood, fire, and smoke from the explosion of the gunpowder armory in Jeongseonbo. The streets are full of frightened people, and the firefighting meetings organized by the folk alleys are running around. Woman crying doll screams. A group of people in short clothes with strips of white cloth tied around their heads. They are waving weapons and rushing towards Gyeongbokgung Palace from all directions. Some ran into a small number of garrisons in Seoul, and gunfights began in the streets. There were not many bullets on both sides, and after the fight, it was hand-to-hand combat. Every battle provoked even greater confusion among the people, who ran in all directions in the torrential rain and wind.

The whole city, it seems, is only the sound of crying.

Jin Yujun led a team of the most elite and loyal members of the Enlightened Party. After the explosion of Jeongseonboong, he jumped out of the assembly place and went straight to Gyeongbokgung Palace. The rain drenched everyone soaking wet, but everyone seemed to have steaming heat on their heads. Jin Yujun took the lead and rushed to the front. The eyes are red, and at this time, Gyeongbokgung Palace must be occupied. Control King Li in your hands, and with the help of King Li's edict, immediately establish a civilized party and government axe!

If King Li escaped from the palace, their team of 500 men would not be enough to search for King Li all over the city. If he got in touch with the Qing people, the Qing people would have obtained the righteous name of assisting the royal family in quelling the chaos. Then everything they did was in vain!

I wonder if the envoys of Sugimura actually controlled the inside and outside of Gyeongbokgung Palace?

Everyone is running forward with one mind, and the speed is so fast that the raindrops on the face are painful. Just turned a street corner, and saw a group of soldiers from the 5th military camp in Seoul maintaining law and order, also turning out from another direction, heading in the direction of Gyeongbokgung Palace, it seemed that they were preparing to go to King Qin. The two teams collided almost squarely!

Jin Yujun didn't have time to greet the team behind him, he just shouted like a beast at the top of his throat, pulled out the two pistols in his waist, and snapped the board machine, and the team behind him started almost at the same time. The soldiers in white clothes and blue pants in the Fifth Military Camp opposite suddenly lay down in the rain, crying and screaming.

These old armies in North Korea, represented by the five military battalions, are inferior to the equally obsolete Qing army. I can receive up to one month's salary a year, and I usually work to make ends meet. The weapons in his hands are inferior, and there are very few foreign guns, most of them are shotguns, knives and spears. What's worse is that even with these old weapons, they usually don't have any ammunition!

Under the fire of the Enlightenment Party members armed with their weapons, the soldiers of this group were killed and wounded, and the rest turned around and ran, taking off their coats as they ran. The hat on his head was thrown to the ground. Jin Yujun continued to run towards Gyeongbokgung Palace regardless of it, running so fast that even the moist air inhaled in his lungs became hot!

After a few more turns, the chaotic crying behind him was getting louder and louder. When you can't even take a step on your feet. Only then did I hear the voice of the opposite side in the rain curtain: "Don't go forward!" ”

Gyeongbokgung Palace has arrived! Jin Yujun opened his voice and shouted: "It's the Enlightenment Party, it's Jin Yujun!" Are the two highnesses still in the palace? ”

Suddenly, an officer of the Minister Guard rushed over, grabbed Jin Yujun, and waved his hand: "We have completely blocked Gyeongbokgung Palace, Mr. Kim, please enter quickly!" Mr. Minister is waiting for you, too! ”

The team immediately poured into Gyeongbokgung Palace from the gate, and the gate was full of corpses. They all wanted to escape from here, but they were killed by the firepower of the army. Blood flowed everywhere in North Korea's holiest place. All the Kaihua party members had a white face, and under the order of Kim Yujun, they were divided into more than a dozen squads and rushed to all corners of Gyeongbokgung Palace. And Jin Yujun took more than a dozen people and went straight to the Jiaotai Palace. I don't know why, he thinks that King Li and Concubine Min are there!

There were panicked crowds along the way, and the palace maids who were dressed up had already rolled into mud monkeys. Messy piles of hairpins wept there. The guards in the palace also completely messed up the camp, and the foreign guns blocked by the minister's guards at the door made them lose the courage to resist for a long time. Seeing Jin Yujun and them rushing in in full armor, no one dared to resist and block.

Jin Yujun's small team rushed into the courtyard of the Jiaotai Palace, and when he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Sugimura Rui with his secretary attaché standing at the entrance of the hall with his hands behind his back. The panicked crowd around them made it even more difficult for them to look like a god.

Seeing Jin Yujun rushing out of the rain curtain, Sugimura Rui's expression was excited, and he stood up straight. He bowed deeply to Jin Yujun. Jin Yujun was in no mood to return the courtesy, and grabbed him: "Are His Royal Highness King Li and His Royal Highness Concubine Min here?" ”

Sugimura lifted his glasses and said with a smile, "I'm glad I didn't disgrace my life...... Congratulations, Your Excellency, New Korea, will be born in your hands ......"

How many days of fear and fear, gains and losses, plus this road has not stopped running for life. After hearing the news, Jean Jin Yujun almost collapsed. Tears burst out of his eyes. Sugimura patted him on the shoulder, so that he could react and stand up straight, wiped the tears and rain from his face, straightened his clothes, and strode towards the hall.

A new North Korea, just around the corner?

In the Jiaotai Palace, there is no violent scene inside and outside Gyeongbokgung Palace, it is quiet.

On the throne, there were only a few people left in charge of the honor guard, and King Li and Concubine Min sat there quietly as if they were waiting for Sugimura to see him just now.

Since there is nowhere to run, it is better to retain a little dignity.

Seeing Jin Yujun walk in from the outside, King Li smiled bitterly and twisted his head to the side. Concubine Min pressed the armrest of the seat and said softly, "It's you?" Said I arranged it? ”

She sighed: "Let's do it, if it was really arranged by myself, then there is nothing to say......"

Jin Yujun knelt down and banged his head: "Your Highness!" The minister is a North Korean! The only thing I care about in this life is the interests of North Korea! The ministers have always opposed the oppression of the Qing people on our heads, but they also have no intention of giving North Korea to Yuben! This time, with the help of the power of Yuben, this uprising was arranged for the birth of new Korea! Under the pressure of the Qing Kingdom, we stand with Yueben, we can fight against them together and find an opportunity to become a strong country! Now the ministers and others are requested to immediately set up a party and government axe to enlighten the country and announce the opening of the country. Refresh Politics! ”

Concubine Min stood up suddenly: "Refresh politics? Could it be that Qing Guo and Yuben fought in Korea? Your uprising this time has caused chaos in the entire Seoul, and if the Qing Kingdom and the people of the Qing Dynasty suffer losses in this turmoil, then they all have an excuse to increase their troops on a large scale! The only room for us to survive is in the balance between the two countries! Now, the matter of establishing a new political axe can be discussed, but you must immediately send people to protect the Qing Dynasty and restore order in Seoul as soon as possible! Don't give them any excuses! And I'm going to go with King Li to visit the Qing Kingdom and explain to him what happened! There is another point, this political axe, under no circumstances, can not invite Yuben to immediately send troops to Seoul! Otherwise, our North Korea will be finished in no time! ”

Concubine Min's voice was sharp and high, making Jin Yujun kneel there and be stunned. After Concubine Min finished speaking, King Li smiled bitterly and said, "What Your Highness means, that is, what I mean." Jin Jun, you are a loyal minister. In that case, let's form a cabinet...... Courtyard Jun ...... Forget it, it doesn't matter anymore. As long as you can do what we want, it's done. ”

Jin Yujun finally reacted, and after eight years of forbearance, this goal was finally achieved!

He solemnly touched his head again, and said loudly: "The minister dares to disobey his orders!" ”

This coup d'état really succeeded like this?

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The turmoil in Seoul did not affect the guard barracks next to the legation. The heavily armed guards guarded the gate of the camp, and even the people who fled everywhere did not dare to approach here.

The Minister's Guard, after the secret increase in troops in the country, already had 800 people, as many as a complete brigade. There were only sixty or seventy people who followed Sugimura's actions, and they had already controlled the internal and external traffic of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The rest of the people were waiting quietly. Waiting for the order of Lieutenant General Kawakami, who was already sitting in the barracks two days ago.

After the chaos in Seoul and the earth-shattering explosion in Jeongseonbang, all the officers of the guard watched the room where the lieutenant general was staying, but still did not receive any orders. Many of the young and enthusiastic officers from Kumamoto Town, who had come from China, were already walking around eagerly, banging on the walls incessantly. Why didn't the lieutenant general give the order to act yet?

In an atmosphere that was so tense that it could be broken at any time, several fast horses suddenly broke through the rain curtain. The man on the horse, dressed in black and white socks, and carrying a Murata-style rifle, was the same as several guards officers who followed Sugimura's action!

I don't know if it's because I'm nervous, or if I've been in the rain for too long. These officers were all pale-faced, hurried into the barracks, dismounted and went straight to the headquarters of Kawakami Yoroku. The officers who had been around followed and stood guard at the door. I heard the officers report in a loud voice: "Your Excellency, the coup d'état has been successful, the Kaihua Party has taken control of Gyeongbokgung Palace, King Li and Concubine Min have ordered the Kaihua Party to form a cabinet!" The first order issued by the Kaihua Party was to restore order in Seoul and protect the Qing Dynasty and the Imperial Legation! ”

Hearing that the coup was successful, every officer in his own country was overjoyed. But when they heard that they wanted to protect the Qing Dynasty, they all turned pale.

"Bastard! Why protect the behavior of Qing slaves? Still want to please both ends? ”

"The empire has put so much effort into them, why didn't they invite the empire to send troops to protect Korea in the first place?"

"Ungrateful fellow! Koreans are Koreans! ”

In the midst of all his mouth, he heard the sound of riding boots. Everyone was stunned, and they saw Kawakami Yakoro, dressed in a military uniform, and walked out neatly!

His face was calm, he squinted at the rain curtain outside, and gently closed the military hat he was holding on his head. He said in a low voice: "Gentlemen, it's time for us to behave...... Please do your best...... North Korea still has to be held directly in the hands of the empire, so it is more reassuring......"

(To be continued)