In the ice and snow, Tang Yin was walking on the way to Hanyang, the capital of North Korea, as an envoy of the Ming Dynasty.

And the people around him who could talk to him, in addition to Xu Jing, were only Liu Gui, a hundred households of Jinyi Wei sent by Zhang Zhou, and for Liu Gui, who was born in the south, it was also the first time for him to come to such a bitter cold place.

"Brother Bohu, you are about to go to Gyeonggi Province, and it is said that they will greet you as state envoys, but where are the envoys they greeted?"

After staying at the nearest post house, or a private house, Xu Jing specially found Tang Yin.

The most tireless person on this road is Xu Jing, only Xu Jing's eyes have been flashing with enthusiasm before departure, and this way down is for Tang Yin's people who greet North Korea.

It's as if he is the righteous envoy of the Ming Dynasty.

On the contrary, Tang Yin seemed to be very talkative.

Tang Yin had a pen in his hand, and he was going to write a letter back to Shenyang, and then bring his letter back to Beijing through Lu Wan and others, but after picking up the pen, he couldn't put it down.

Tang Yin said: "The person surnamed Zhong who came with us said that they would send a minister as an envoy, who is said to be the confidant of the Korean monarch, and would also send someone to give some wine and food." ”

"Yes." Xu Jing sighed, "Along the way, we eat and drink with our own, and when we get to this place, we don't even have a place to spend our silver, and I don't know how can Zhang Shi think that he is qualified to send troops with me to exterminate those Jurchen alien races in Jianzhou?" ”

Tang Yin's expression was still very restrained.

At this time, Liu Gui came in from outside, because the door was a sliding door, and Liu Gui almost removed the door when he opened the door.

"Slow down." Tang Yin said.

Liu Gui came in and said, "They have sent the first person, saying that they will pick up the two adults to their capital tomorrow, and they also said ......"

"Say what?" Xu Jing asked for Tang Yin.

Liu Gui said with a little evil smile on his face: "I also said that a woman came, I asked them, and said that it was the daughter of the music who is equivalent to our Daming Jingshi Teaching Workshop Division, and she came to comfort the two adults." ”

Xu Jingyi's eyes were a little strange when he heard this, and he glanced at Tang Yin and said, "Bohu, you see that the North Korean arrangements here are still very thoughtful." ”

It seems that Xu Jing thinks that Tang Yin is uninhibited, and he should be very keen on this kind of tone.

Tang Yin looked interested and said: "The daughter of a different race, she doesn't even understand the language, what kind of thoughtful arrangement is it?" Besides, you have forgotten what you are doing on this day's errand. ”

Xu Jing said stupidly: "They have such an arrangement, which can be regarded as a piece of mind." Along the way, I think that North Korea is quite proficient in my Ming language, and I can see Ming characters everywhere, and I hope that their courtesy can be higher. ”

Tang Yin said: "Spread the word, we will continue to set off tomorrow morning, it doesn't matter if the envoys they come to greet come or not, and it doesn't matter where they meet." No more waiting! ”

Xu Jing asked, "Why is it so raw?" ”

"We have already delayed the errand, this involves the battle of Liaodong, and we can't take it lightly." Tang Yin was anxious.

Zhang Zhou asked him to arrive in Hanyang in a month, but he walked for a month and four days, and there was still a two-day trip to Hanyang, which was tantamount to not completing the imperial order.

As for women or something...... It's not that Tang Yin doesn't want to, but he looks down on Fanbang people in his heart, and besides, the other party is just a music girl, which is very inconsistent with his identity for him.

……

……

As they marched early the next morning, the procession was followed by two wagons.

One carriage said that it was carrying a gift for Tang Yin, and the other was carrying a woman, even if Tang Yin didn't accept it, the woman would still enter Hanyang City with Tang Yin.

Halfway through, Tang Yin received a rumor that the envoys from North Korea had also arrived.

Tang Yin could only temporarily stop the team, and went to greet each other, but saw that there were also a lot of people coming from the other side, there were four or five hundred soldiers and horses, but except for the two horses at the head of the line, behind were infantry wearing black and white cloth uniforms and holding flags.

The other party hurriedly greeted Tang Yin after dismounting, gave Tang Yin a salute, and said in very pure Chinese: "In the next soldier Cao judged the book Chengjun, I have seen Tang in charge." ”

Xu Jing didn't quite understand it next to him.

Tang Yin said: "This official is just the head of the Ming Military Department, and you don't have to come to greet him with a judgment." ”

"It should."

Cheng Jun looked at Xu Jingdao on the side again, "Who is this?" ”

Tang Yin pointed at Xu Jing and said, "This is Xu Jing, the deputy envoy of the army." ”

"I've seen Mr. Xu." Although Cheng Jun doesn't know what Xu Jing's identity is, he can be a deputy envoy in the team of Ming envoys, and his status is naturally unusual.

Then Cheng Jun and Tang Yin each got on their horses, and the two led the team all the way to the direction of Hanyang City.

The cavalry of the Ming Dynasty and the Korean infantry brought by Cheng Jun were also almost side by side.

And the horses on the Ming side were still carrying artillery, which made the North Korean soldiers look sideways, and they were obviously not as neat as the Ming side on the march.

Cheng Jun said: "Tang envoy, you must have seen it all the way, Jianzhou Wei ignored the laws of the state, repeatedly violated the land of our Korea, and robbed more people after committing the border, and even burned the autumn grain in the fields of my border, and robbed the ......villages."

Cheng Jun poured bitter water in front of Tang Yin, as if he wanted to anger the people and gods of Jianzhou Jurchen.

After describing their losses in an exaggerated way, he said: "In the middle of last year, the monarch of our dynasty has been sent to the Ming Dynasty to ask for troops to deter the barbarians in Jianzhou. ”

Tang Yin said in a calm tone: "This official walked the right guard of Dingliao, and did not pass through the territory of Jianzhou Wei, nor did I see your losses. ”

This made the scene very embarrassing for a while.

But on Cheng Jun's side, on another horse, a person who looked like a clerk was listening to the conversation between Cheng Jun and Tang Yin, and recording their conversation with a pen.

Even Tang Yin and Xu Jing were amazed by the "superpowers" of this kind of person, who could actually ride a horse and act as a clerk at the same time......

When this person heard Tang Yin say this, he looked at it with a surprised gaze, as if he was surprised that the envoy of the Ming Dynasty could be so direct?

Xu Jing smiled and said, "Keep writing?" ”

The man was also very confused, and wondered if he should record it truthfully.

Cheng Jun saw that Xu Jing's attitude was a little narrow, and he couldn't help but explain: "The two envoys forgive me, my Korean monarch attaches great importance to welcoming the envoys of the Ming Dynasty, and specially sent someone to record every word and deed of the envoys, and the records are all in the language of the dynasty...... Nowadays, proverbs are basically not allowed in North Korea, and if you want to ask them, you can take them away at any time for verification. ”

It was in the 15th century that Korea created its own script, but until the middle of the twentieth century, Hangul remained the dominant script in Korea.

Although Korea also promoted its own script because of nationalism, because they themselves were modeled after the phonetic characters of Han, they were obviously not as recognizable as Chinese characters in use, and in the time of Yanshanjun, because some people used Hangul to record his evil deeds, especially after the Wuwu Shi Disaster in the 11th year of Hongji, Yanshanjun forbade the powerful to learn Hangul, and Hangul was only used as a translation of Chinese.

Tang Yin said: "I hope to meet your monarch as soon as possible to discuss important matters. ”

Cheng Jun asked tentatively, "Are you going to send troops to build slaves?" As far as I know, Your Excellency brought so much artillery and soldiers and horses to discuss the matter of sending troops. Your Excellency, I also forgive you that in our Korea, there are still two factions, the main battle and the main peace, and the so-called main peace is to build fortresses in Pyongan Road and other places to prevent Jiannu from advancing in our direction again. ”

Xu Jing asked with a smile: "Then Your Excellency is the main battle, or the main peace?" ”

Cheng Jun was about to say something, but when he looked at the clerk who was in charge of recording his words and deeds, he instantly seemed to be afraid and said: "In the lower body of the soldier Cao Judgment, he is more obedient to the king, and he is also obedient to the results of the court's discussion, and he has no right to decide whether to fight or peace." ”

Tang Yin said: "Since you can't decide, then I'll talk to your monarch." ”

……

……

That night, the group still lived in a place close to the courtyard.

Tang Yin entered the room early and declined Cheng Jun's invitation to drink and eat and listen to music, while Xu Jing went to socialize first and came back with Liu Gui.

When he entered the door, Xu Jing was still saying: "Look at those North Korean soldiers, they can only sleep in the wilderness, aren't you afraid of freezing them to death in such weather?" ”

Liu Gui said: "Lord Xu, I think they all make fires, I think it's because the tents are not enough." ”

"Haha."

Xu Jing laughed as he entered the house.

I heard Tang Yin comment: "In this kind of place, it is good to have tiles to cover your head." Have all our soldiers settled down? ”

Xu Jing said: "After seeing it, they brought dried meat and cooked broth, which tasted very good, and saw that their soldiers outside were very greedy, and many of them could only eat some wild vegetables." It is said that last year, there was also a drought in their territory, and there was almost cannibalism. ”

Tang Yin frowned and said, "Even so, I really can't count on how much help they can provide." ”

Xu Jing asked, "Doesn't it mean that the intention of their existence is just to make a noise?" ”

Liu Gui asked on the side: "Two adults, dare to ask, that is, let us be in the east, responsible for helping the Ming soldiers attract the attack of the Tartars, then wouldn't we ......?"

Xu Jing smiled and said, "Guarding in the city fortress, what is there to be afraid of? ”

"Huh?" Although Liu Gui is not afraid of things, he is also afraid of death, he can bear it when he follows Tang Yin out to be such a hard errand, who let Zhang Zhou help him get fame and fortune?

But the problem is that he is not good at fighting, and he was more of a fool with Wang Shouren at the beginning, who would have thought that he would really be made famous by him?

Tang Yin said: "Before Lai Guogong left, he gave me a tip? ”

"Is it a clever plan for the march?" Xu Jing was very interested.

Tang Yin shook his head and said, "It's not about marching, it's about the structure of monarchs and ministers in Korea today, including the names of his main ministers, and their tendencies in war and peace." ”

"What about this soldier's verdict?" Xu Jing asked curiously.

"He is the main battle, although he is the soldier Cao Juju, which is equivalent to my Ming Dynasty's military department book, but the most advocative of sending troops in North Korea is a person named Li Kejun, who is said to have a close relationship with Cheng Jun, and Li Kejun has experience in leading troops in Ping'an Road, and is from a family of military generals. However, Lai Guogong also explained that the drought in their territory last year was very serious, and it is also because of this that the Korean monarch had said that he would go to the Jurchens before, but he had not made the trip yet. ”

With the assistance of Zhang Zhou's "tips", Tang Yin is naturally very familiar with the personnel structure of North Korea today.

And Zhang Zhou also told him that the current monarch of North Korea is a "ruthless character", and soon this person will be unpopular.

Of course, some things are not explained through tips, before leaving, Zhang Zhou talked to Tang Yin deeply.

Xu Jing asked, "Since their disaster is serious and they are about to reach the point of cannibalism, can they still be expected to send troops?" ”

Tang Yin said: "Before, it was just their wishful thinking, but now with the support of Daming, as well as the great help of His Majesty and Lai Guogong, it is equivalent to Daming's order to send troops to them, how can they have the qualifications to refuse?" But we also have to be careful about what they say...... It is said that in Korea, the style of Taiwanese admonition prevailed, and it often swayed the king's thoughts. ”

Xu Jing nodded and said, "As long as we don't go to the Confucianism." ”

"Are you scared?" Tang Yin looked up at Xu Jing.

Xu Jing shook his head and said: "I'm afraid that Xiucai will meet a soldier, and when I talk about sending troops with a group of people from different races, I always feel that I am playing the piano to the cow." ”

Liu Gui said with a smile: "I think what Lord Xu said is very good for the cow to play the piano, that group of people is a herd of cows, looking at none of them normal, or our Ming soldiers are tall and big, it is still unrealistic to expect their group of people to fight the tartars." ”

……

……

Tang Yin arrived at Hanyang City in the afternoon of the next day.

Although the city is not a sandwich road to welcome thousands of empty alleys, there are also many people who come out to greet the envoys of Shangbang, and the enthusiasm of North Korea is also unexpected by Tang Yin.

They have come along the way, in fact, they have not received too high treatment, and now they probably know that it is not that North Korea does not want to receive it well, but because their northern regions have experienced drought, and the magistrates have little ability to welcome them well, but the land of Jingshi is where the Korean magnates are, and they are more willing to establish political ties with the Ming Dynasty, and they are more willing to welcome the envoys of the Ming Dynasty.

Cheng Jun rode into the city with Tang Yin, and he also looked very proud.

Cheng Jun said: "After hearing that the master of the Ming Dynasty, the Duke of Laiguo, spent a year to teach the barbarians of the grassland, my people of North Korea also agreed that it should be necessary for the Ming Dynasty to help us sweep away the hidden dangers on the border, and the admiration of the people of North Korea for the Ming Dynasty is increasing day by day. ”

"Hehehe......"

Xu Jing laughed beside him.

Probably Xu Jing was thinking.

Do you expect Zhang Zhoulai? I'm afraid it's not that you don't know how powerful he is.

If someone Zhang came, it is estimated that they would be completely subdued by destroying the withering and decaying, and then I am afraid that your coffin board will not be enough.

Tang Yin and his entourage arrived all the way to the imperial city of the capital of North Korea.

Along the way, because they were all low houses, Tang Yin didn't take the royal city of North Korea too seriously, but when he saw the imperial city of North Korea, he instantly felt that North Korea and Daming still have a lot in common in terms of architecture, and the magnificence of the buildings is similar.

At the gate of the Joseon Imperial Palace, a group of people, led by a man in a red official robe, were waiting for the arrival of the Ming envoys.

Cheng Jun reminded from afar: "Tang envoy, that is our Minister Yin Bishang, he is against sending troops. He is equivalent to the first and auxiliary ministers of the upper state, and he has a great reputation in the court, so you should be careful. ”

This was actually said by Cheng Jun to avoid the clerk, which was equivalent to a personal admonition to Tang Yin.

Tang Yin nodded.

He already knew from the hints given to him by Zhang Zhou that Yin Bishang's status in North Korea was now very strong, and it was also because after the Wuwu Shilin faction was suppressed in the eleventh year of Hongzhi, Yin Bishang became the most authoritative minister beside Yan Shanjun...... Of course, his glory will only last another three years.

……

……

The DPRK received Tang Yin with the treatment of a state envoy.

And Tang Yin will not enter the Korean palace immediately, but will prepare a gorgeous post house for him next to the palace, modeled after the Daming Huiguan, which is specially used for the residence of the envoys of the Ming Dynasty.

Except for a few people with official positions such as Tang Yin and Xu Jing who can live in, even the soldiers brought by Tang Yin do not need to be outside the city, but can bring artillery into the courtyard and occupy all the houses in the courtyard.

Tang Yin directly asked the surplus soldiers to be stationed in tents in the courtyard.

Later, the North Korean side sent charcoal and firewood, as well as fine food.

Tang Yin and Yin Bishang met in the main hall of the post house.

Yin Bishang said: "I heard that the artillery of the Ming Dynasty is indestructible, and last year it was used to break the face in Liaodong, I don't know if it was brought by the Tang master?" ”

Tang Yin looked at Cheng Jun, who came with Yin Bishang.

Although Tang Yin knows very well that one of the two is from the main battle faction and the other is from the main peace faction, they do not have too obvious political propositions on their faces, and it seems that Yin Bishang is the main fighter.

Tang Yin shook his head and said: "What I brought are all light artillery, and the power is average, but in the middle of last year, Da Ming attacked Weininghai and severely damaged the Menggoljin Department of the fire screen, and this kind of cannon was used, with a range of one mile away. ”

“…… Can such a small cannon hit so far? Yin Bishang was obviously a little unconvinced.

Cheng Jun asked, "Da Ming wants to bring us the technology of this cannon?" ”

Tang Yin said: "It's not that Daming is unwilling to give you the technology to cast cannons, it's really because with your ability, it's not enough to cast, which requires very good charcoal, the kind of charcoal that has no smoke and dust after burning, and it also requires a large number of craftsmen and technologies, and in the past, only Lai Guogong controlled this kind of technology in Daming." ”

"Lai Guogong...... How are you doing? ”

Yin Bishang was old-fashioned, and in the face of the braggadocio of a young man like Tang Yin, he was a little at a loss, and finally asked a question that sounded very different.

Even Cheng Jun couldn't help but glance at Yin Bishang.

As if to say, ask people how Lai Guogong is doing, don't let the Ming envoys misunderstand, thinking that we want the awesome Lai Guogong to die early.

(End of chapter)