Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 592

592. The Fall of the Yellow Dragon (7)

As soon as Emperor Xuanzong made his decision, the Ming court moved swiftly, for the situation threatened the very existence of the nation.

Immediately, Ming warships, flying white flags from their masts, set out to sea, only to be captured by the Joseon navy.

Joseon soldiers boarded to search the ships, and an official emerged from the cabin.

“I am an envoy sent by His Imperial Majesty! I wish to discuss a truce with Joseon!”

* * *

“A truce?”

Hwang asked, looking at his ministers after receiving the report.

“What are your thoughts?”

Hwang Hui answered immediately.

“It seems Ming has reached its limit.”

Following Hwang Hui’s words, Kim Jeom spoke with a brighter expression.

“It is truly fortunate. Though we have prepared for a long time, we were slowly reaching our own limits.”

The ministers all nodded at Kim Jeom’s words.

War was like a ravenous beast, devouring both people and resources. The supplies that had been carefully prepared over a long period were nearly exhausted in the past few months of war. And the loss of life was significant. For Joseon, with its overwhelmingly smaller population compared to Ming, this was an even more serious problem.

“I, too, agree with your opinions. However, there is something that concerns me.”

At Hwang’s words, the ministers began to analyze what the problem could be.

Heo Hu, who had been carefully examining the documents brought by the envoy, nodded and asked Hwang.

“Are you concerned about the term ‘truce’?”

Hwang nodded at Heo Hu’s question.

“Indeed. They are proposing negotiations because the situation is dire, but the pride of the Chinese will not easily accept it. Therefore, if we simply call it a truce, they will surely distort the facts in the future.”

“Certainly…”

The ministers all nodded at Hwang’s words.

It was the Chinese who would write that even a battle where they suffered great losses and fled was one where they ‘sternly set an example and returned.’

Heo Hu took Hwang’s point and added.

“Indeed, we must be precise with the terminology from the start. We must make them acknowledge it as surrender, not just a ceasefire or truce.”

“That’s right. Therefore… I feel sorry for the soldiers and people of the front lines, but we must fight a little longer. Send orders to Liaodong [a province in Northeast China] to further pressure the retreating enemies. And tell the envoy sent by Ming, ‘There will be no negotiations until you surrender.’”

“Understood!”

* * *

“Surrender? How dare they! Cough!”

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

Emperor Xuanzong, upon hearing Joseon’s reply, flew into a rage and coughed up blood again, losing consciousness.

After a desperate effort by the royal physician, Emperor Xuanzong barely regained consciousness and summoned the Grand Secretariat and ministers.

“What is the situation in the north?”

“Your Majesty’s heavenly troops are doing their best to defend.”

“So, they are being pushed back.”

“…”

Emperor Xuanzong, looking at the silent Grand Secretariat, asked again.

“How many well-trained troops can we send to the north right now?”

“We are doing our best to train them.”

“So, there are none available immediately. Haa~”

Emperor Xuanzong sighed and ordered the Grand Secretariat.

“Accept Joseon’s terms.”

“Your Majesty~ Waaah!”

“Your Majesty! Sob!”

At Emperor Xuanzong’s decision, the Grand Secretariat and all the officials knelt and wept.

The center of the world was China, and the master of that China was the Emperor.

Now, the tragedy of that great Emperor surrendering to a vassal state was unfolding.

“You must do your best to conclude the negotiations and bring the Crown Prince back. I will bear this disgrace.”

“Your Majesty! Sob!”

“Sob!”

The ministers continued to weep at Emperor Xuanzong’s calm words, already resigned to his fate.

* * *

After Emperor Xuanzong made his decision, the negotiations proceeded quickly.

“The conditions that our victorious Joseon demands from the defeated Ming are as follows.”

Heo Hu, who appeared as the chief negotiator, listed Joseon’s demands in a confident voice.

-First, Joseon is recognized as an equal, independent nation, not a vassal state of Ming.

The Grand Secretariat nodded at the first condition. It was the condition that Joseon would demand first.

Next, Heo Hu presented the conditions regarding the border.

-Ming acknowledges that the area east and north of Yiwulü Mountain and Xingsheng is Joseon’s territory.

-Ming shall not station troops in the area between Shanhaiguan [a major pass in the Great Wall of China] and Xingsheng. The deployment of personnel to maintain security in the area is permitted, but the number shall not exceed 30,000.

-Ming recognizes Dongfan [ancient name for Taiwan] and the Penghu Islands [also known as the Pescadores Islands] as Joseon’s territory.

“The Penghu Islands are a bit…”

The Grand Secretariat, who appeared as Ming’s representative, looked a little troubled regarding the Penghu Islands.

Dongfan itself was Yizhou (barbarian land), so it was not a big problem. However, the Penghu Islands were a military stronghold with a Ming naval base.

“Then shall we go and destroy and occupy them all? The negotiations will be suspended in the meantime, of course.”

At Heo Hu’s strong-arm tactics, the Grand Secretariat gritted his teeth and bowed his head.

“I accept.”

“Good. Now, let’s talk about war reparations.”

“War reparations? After taking so much of our Ming territory?”

“Let’s get the facts straight. Did we start the war first? It was your precious Zhu Qizhen who started the war. And while we’re at it, let me add that the Liaodong and Liaohe areas were our land in the days of the ancient Three Han [ancient Korean kingdoms]. We didn’t take it; we recovered it.”

“…”

The Grand Secretariat had to shut his mouth at Heo Hu’s detailed remarks.

“Hmph!”

Heo Hu, snorting at the Grand Secretariat, immediately presented the item related to reparations.

– To compensate for the damage suffered by Joseon in this war, Ming shall pay bullion silver equivalent to 50 million taels of gold.

“This much is…”

The Grand Secretariat, seeing the amount of reparations demanded by Joseon, looked somewhat relieved. The amount of 50 million taels of gold was a huge sum, but it was not an impossible amount to pay.

Seeing the Grand Secretariat’s expression, Heo Hu presented the next item.

-However, the exchange rate between silver and gold shall follow Joseon’s rate.

“Oh no!”

The Grand Secretariat’s expression turned to dismay.

At this time, silver was more valuable than gold as currency. In particular, Ming had used silver as currency since the previous dynasty.

Thanks to this, while the exchange rate between gold and silver was 1:10 in Joseon, it was 1:6 or 1:7 in Ming. Because of this difference, there were those who tried to play tricks to earn unearned income using exchange rate differences, but they had to face the iron fist as the Joseon court strictly controlled the distribution of physical gold and silver.

It was against this background that the Grand Secretariat’s expression turned to dismay.

If the war reparations presented by Joseon were adjusted to Ming’s standards, they would have to tighten their belts a little, but if they were adjusted to Joseon’s standards, they would have to tighten them very tightly.

“This is a bit excessive!”

At the Grand Secretariat’s protest, Heo Hu replied with an expression as if asking which dog was barking.

“You don’t mind spending money on war, but you mind this?”

“It’s not that….”

“Then shall we in Joseon go directly into Ming and collect it door-to-door?”

“Hey!”

“If you started something, you have to take responsibility!”

At Heo Hu’s roar, the Grand Secretariat closed his mouth with a flushed face.

In the end, the Grand Secretariat had to accept all the conditions set by Joseon.

It was because Emperor Xuanzong’s condition had become very bad.

If the Crown Prince could not enter the Forbidden City in time, it was clear that even greater chaos would occur afterward.

And Emperor Xuanzong, who received the completed surrender document, let out a deep sigh.

“Hoo~. Underestimating the opponent was the biggest mistake.”

Emperor Xuanzong deeply regretted his mistake and stamped the surrender document with the imperial seal.

With this, Ming officially acknowledged its defeat.

* * *

As soon as Emperor Xuanzong stamped the surrender document with the imperial seal, Joseon stopped its military actions.

Because the Wokou [Japanese pirates] were still rampant, the Crown Prince, who was in Nanjing [a major city in China], had to board a ship.

The ship carrying the Crown Prince headed to Tianjin [a major port city in China] under the escort, or rather, the guard, of the Joseon navy.

Meanwhile, the Ming army, which was retreating to Shanhaiguan, breathed a sigh of relief when the Joseon army stopped pursuing them.

The Ming army, leading its wounded bodies, returned to Shanhaiguan, which was also full of wounds, and received Emperor Xuanzong’s order.

-Immediately cross the Great Wall and go north to defeat the Jurchens [a Tungistic people who lived in Manchuria].

“The soldiers are very tired. We must move after resting even a little.”

At Han Il-sin’s words, a commander belonging to the Embroidered Uniform Guard [a secret police organization of the Ming dynasty] shouted.

“The prestige of the country has fallen to the ground due to your disastrous battle! And yet, you dare to talk about resting! I should cut off your head in this place right now, but His Majesty has shown mercy by ordering you to make up for your sins with meritorious service!”

At the Embroidered Uniform Guard commander’s shout, Han Il-sin shouted “Long live” with a very tired face.

“Long live, long live, long long live!”

* * *

Zhu Qiyu, who arrived at the Forbidden City, immediately went to find Emperor Xuanzong, who was lying down.

Seeing Emperor Xuanzong lying on the bed with a sickly appearance, Zhu Qiyu ran to him and clung to Emperor Xuanzong’s bed.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! What happened? Sob!”

“Have you come?”

Emperor Xuanzong, who opened his eyes at Zhu Qiyu’s tearful cry, answered with difficulty and ordered the eunuch.

“Help me up.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Ahem.”

Emperor Xuanzong, who was helped up by the eunuch, handed Zhu Qiyu a scroll that had been placed on one side of the bed.

“Unroll it and read it aloud.”

At Emperor Xuanzong’s order, Zhu Qiyu unrolled the scroll.

“This is….”

“It is my last testament, written in my blood. Read it aloud.”

At Emperor Xuanzong’s order, Zhu Qiyu read the last testament in a loud voice.

“Never forget the national humiliation! Endure the humiliation between the legs! Lie on firewood and taste gall! Make a comeback!”

It was a message to never forget the humiliation of today, to endure like Han Xin [a famous general in Chinese history] crawling between someone’s legs, to endure and overcome hardship, and to repay the defeat.

Zhu Qiyu, who read Emperor Xuanzong’s last testament, prostrated himself on the floor and shouted.

“I, your son, will surely fulfill Your Majesty’s wish!”

“Taking my failure as a lesson, you must prepare properly. For this, 10 years will be too short, and 30 years will be but a moment. But do not forget the lesson of Yu Gong moving the mountain [a Chinese fable about perseverance].”

“I will engrave it in my heart!”

Three days later, Emperor Xuanzong passed away.

* * *

When the news of Emperor Xuanzong’s death was reported, Hwang asked the ministers.

“There is no need to wear mourning clothes as before, but it would be courteous to send an envoy, wouldn’t it?”

“That is correct.”

According to Hwang and the court’s decision, a delegation was formed and headed to Beijing. What was different from before was that instead of a cabinet-level official moving, a vice-ministerial-level official moved.

The envoy who went to Beijing politely expressed his condolences and returned. Zhu Qiyu, who had newly ascended the throne, also politely returned the courtesy. However, what was different from before was that they were treated as equal nations, not as a suzerain and vassal state.

The delegation, having finished their condolences, returned and told Hwang and the ministers about the atmosphere of Beijing and Ming that they had seen.

“The northern region is still noisy, but the central region seems to be finding stability.”

“Is that so?”

Hwang and the ministers nodded at the delegation’s report.

* * *

As soon as the surrender document was stamped, Joseon immediately contacted Ōuchi [a powerful feudal family of Japan].

-Withdraw immediately. The Ming army is returning.

Ōuchi, who received Joseon’s message, immediately informed the allied lords who were still in Ming.

Interestingly, Ōuchi had returned early and was focusing on internal affairs. What they were aiming for was not wealth but people. Ōuchi, who had swept up artisans and intellectuals with various skills, and their families, quickly withdrew from Ming.

Most of the lords who received Ōuchi’s message immediately withdrew from Ming. Because if they did not withdraw now, they would not be able to receive the protection of the Joseon navy. Of course, they had to pay a toll, but the protection of the Joseon navy guaranteed definite safety.

As soon as the forces of the lords following Ōuchi’s orders left Ming, Joseon and Ōuchi simultaneously issued statements.

-The Wokou are rampant now, so they will be exterminated as soon as they are discovered!

In this way, Ōuchi was able to eliminate a significant number of forces that had been rebellious against them.