The most reckless man in the Ming Dynasty

The fleet sailed all the way and returned to Jeju Island again.

This time, Daming returned with a great victory, so the entire Jeju Island was caught in a wave of cheers.

Both the local indigenous Muhu and the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty were inspired by this.

Because the Ming Dynasty completely conquered the Japanese country, this meant that they no longer had to be troubled by Japanese pirates from now on. More importantly, the overseas trade that Zhongshan Hou had planned for a long time could start!

Wang Dabao was so excited that he immediately found Tang Hao and reported something.

That is to learn from Cui Tan that the current domestic situation in North Korea is not peaceful.

In the first year of Zhengde, officials such as Pu Yuanzong, Cheng Xiyan, and Liu Shunting launched a coup to depose Li and install Li Yi.

After that, Pu Yuanzong, Cheng Xiyan, and Liu Shunting took over the power of the government and were respected as the three ministers, while Li Yi was just a puppet in their hands.

In order to consolidate their own power, these three ministers welcomed Li Yi to the throne, and forced Li Yi to start granting meritorious officials. Pu Yuanzong, Cheng Xiyan, and Ryu Soon-ting were the first-class heroes of the Jingguo, plus the second, third, and fourth ranks successively. There are hundreds of meritorious officials in Jingguo. These people are the confidants of the three ministers and are called the old heroes.

The three ministers even forced Li Yi to depose Chaohuan's wife, Shen, and drive her out of the palace. They also admitted the daughter of Yin Rubi, a hero of the Jingguo, and the niece of Park Yuanzong into the palace, and were named princesses the following year. In addition, the three ministers took advantage of the North Korean clan Li Ke and others. People rebelled because they were dissatisfied with the rewards based on merit after the rectification, forcing Li Yi to purge some of the clan's children, including Li Yi's half-brother Zhencheng Jun Li Dun.

In other words, the conflict between Li Yi and the three ministers and other old forces has intensified, reaching an almost irreconcilable point.

During this period, Park Wonjong, Yoo Soon-ting, and Seong Hee-yam passed away one after another. The power of the Xun old faction declined, but it was still the largest faction in power in North Korea.

Previously, Tang Hao took advantage of the general situation to force North Korea to bow its head and offered up Jeju Island. In order to consolidate their own power, the three ministers and Li Yi tacitly chose to obey and cede the Jeju Racecourse to the Ming Dynasty in order to obtain the canonization edict from the Ming Dynasty.

However, just this year, after the last of the three ministers, Cheng Xiyan, died of illness, Li Yi immediately launched a counterattack and purge of the old forces.

First, Shilin sent officials Pu Xiang, the envoy of Tanyang Prefecture, and Jin Jingshangshu, the governor of Chungchang County, to impeach Pu Yuanzong, Cheng Xiyan, and Liu Sunting to depose the innocent Shen, and requested that Shen's status as princess be restored.

Li Yi conveniently used this incident as an excuse to order an investigation into the various crimes committed by the three ministers during their reign, and boldly appointed Zhao Guangzu, the leader of the Shilin faction, as Zhengyan of the Si Jian Yuan (similar to the deputy of the Metropolitan Procuratorate of the Ming Dynasty). The two interacted with each other. They cooperated to push the cession of Jeju Racecourse directly onto the three ministers!

Li Yi accused the three ministers who had supported him in his rise to power that they did not hesitate to cede the Jeju Racecourse to the Ming Dynasty for the sake of their own power. This was completely treason. In addition, Zhao Guangzu secretly directed the Shilin faction to seize the opportunity to madly attack the old forces. Dirty water has caused North Korean people to hate this faction to the extreme.

After all, the people are simple and simple, and they are limited by information channels, so they don't know at all that the cunning and cunning among them have become a tool for the Shilin faction to attack the old forces.

In the midst of the world's verbal and written criticism, Zhao Guangzu used his own power to first remove the Taiwan admonishment officials of the old Xun forces, so that the Shilin faction was able to enter Taiwan in large numbers to admonish. Later, Zhao Guangzu was worshiped as Da Si Xian (General Constitution of the Metropolitan Procuratorate). The Shilin faction used the three departments of public opinion (Si Jianyuan, Si Xianfu, and Hongwenguan) as its base to expand its power, compete with the Xunjiu faction centered on the Uijeongbu, control North Korean public opinion, and strive to promote the ideal "Taoist politics."

Most of these new scholars are in supervisory positions. They are not deeply involved in the world and often criticize current ills without knowing the importance. Many Confucian scholars were dissatisfied with the long-standing malpractice of the government, and the voice for reforming the maladministration was very high. The demands for political reform conflicted with the heroes who had vested interests, and the conflicts between scholars and old heroes also increased day by day.

Shilin officials were strong-blooded and abhorrent. In the process of commenting on current affairs, they gradually formed a unique set of standards for judging right and wrong.

They believed that these old heroes, headed by the three ministers, relied on their privileged class status to carry out shameless activities that harmed the country and the people. For example, in the face of the Ming Dynasty's sudden attack on the Jeju Racecourse, the three ministers actually chose to agree and changed their behavior. North Korea took the initiative to donate the Jeju Racecourse.

This kind of culture that only pursues self-interest and disregards the country quickly corrupts the discipline of the court, creates countless conflicts of interest, discourages loyal people, and makes those who are negligent and derelict in their duties emboldened to intensify their efforts to harm the common people... It can be summed up in one sentence, the old Meritorious officials are the culprits of the country's decline, and everyone will punish them.

The Confucian scholars who rallied around Zhao Guangzu with this policy vigorously created public opinion against the heroes in both the government and the public. Like the scorching sun and autumn frost, they were unyielding when official matters were announced. They would even drag Li Yi's clothes until Li Yi agreed to what he had done. until.

Because of this, Li Yi both loved and hated these scholars. He found that the hot-blooded Confucian scholars had gradually become difficult to control. If these people replaced the old forces in the court, they would even threaten his own royal power, and they would be even more powerful than the old ones. Xun's forces are more radical and unscrupulous!

However, Zhao Guangzu and others were still very politically savvy. In response to various problems caused by the expansion of the power of the old heroes, the Shilin faction was eager to start from the personnel aspect to eradicate the entangled political power of the heroes, so they proposed some solutions to Li Bai: First of all, they advocated the abolition of the title of "Heroes of the Kingdom of Jingguo" for the heroes; they also advocated the establishment of a "Seniority Department" to admit talented people to expand the political foundation of the scholarly community, and so on.

As a result, Li Yi was a little moved and agreed to establish the Xianliang Department, approved Zheng Mengzhou to enjoy the Confucian Temple, and reluctantly agreed to abolish the Zhaoge Office after years of requests from the Shilin faction. However, the case of eliminating the fake honors was strongly opposed by the Xun old faction.

Seeing the Shilin Sect growing stronger and stronger, the Old Xun Sect could no longer sit still. At this time, the leader of the Old Xun Sect, Nang Gun, made a dirty move. He scrawled the four words "The Zodiac Sign is King" on a leaf with honey to seduce the Shilin Sect. Insects come to eat the leaves and let them flow into the ditch.

Originally, Li Yi was extremely annoyed by the constant harassment from the scholarly scholars, so he immediately took refuge in the harem as soon as he retired from the court.

However, the harem that day was also full of rumors about Zhao Guangzu. The concubine Hong took out a few leaves picked up from the imperial garden. The pores on them densely showed four unfinished words - "Zhao Xiao is King".

If you take the zodiac sign, you are Zhao.

These leaves were scattered on the ground of the imperial garden, and the palace people who picked up the leaves spread rumors to each other: "Zhao Guangzu had evil intentions and secretly sent people to write words on the leaves with honey, so that insects would eat them and form the words." - Once such an interpretation spreads. , Zhao Guangzu will inevitably fall into a situation where he can't argue.

After all, Korean Confucianism is more extreme than that of the Ming Dynasty at this moment, and etiquette is even more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

Those who follow the zodiac sign are as treacherous as (Wang) Mang and (Dong) Zhuo!

Li Yi still understands this truth.

At this time, Li Yi was confused. He was a superstitious person. He was shocked when he saw the insect food on the leaves, and his trust in Zhao Guangzu began to waver.

At the same time, he could not stand the repeated requests for remonstrance from Zhao Guangzu and others. He believed that "the recent affairs are not in the ministers but in the cabinet", which led to "excessive habits" and threatened his royal power.

Therefore, the original firm determination to eradicate the old forces began to waver, and even gradually tilted towards the old forces.

An undercurrent unique to North Korea is surging wildly, and is about to swallow up the dynasty's vitality.

Then, at this juncture, Wang Dabao found Cui Tan and wanted to discuss with him to officially open the Jeju sea trade between Ming Dynasty and North Korea.

The result was as expected, Cui Tan didn't dare to say anything at all.

How could he speak?

Cui Tan’s airport is under the Jiuxun forces!

Not to mention that the Jeju Racecourse incident has become a stain on the old forces!

Although Cui Tan, the person involved, knows better than anyone else how the Jeju Racecourse disappeared and how it was forcibly occupied by the Ming Dynasty, the problem is that those damn scholars deliberately took this opportunity to throw dirty water on the old forces!

Moreover, the Shilin faction has also controlled public opinion. Now the North Korean people firmly believe that the three ministers abandoned North Korea's interests and betrayed the country for glory. At this juncture, Cui Tan naturally cannot mention the Jeju Racecourse in the memorial. He even wants to If he hides here for the rest of his life, it would be best if everyone in North Korea forgets about him!

Tang Hao was not happy when he heard this. Together with me, he worked hard to build the East China Sea trade route, and finally flattened the Japanese country and solved the last hidden danger of Japanese pirates. But in the end, he just missed the mark. Your North Korea is starting to fall apart, right?

North Korea is a key link in the East China Sea trade. After all, there are only a few countries in the East China Sea. Needless to say, the Japanese country, followed by North Korea. People like Ryukyu are still waiting for the Ming Dynasty to alleviate poverty. It would be good to bring out some local products!

Therefore, North Korean trade must proceed and cannot be interrupted because of the internal situation in North Korea!

Besides, isn’t that what North Korea is currently experiencing internal disputes about?

Just like the Ming Dynasty at the moment, the power of the clan and the civil servants and gentry are fighting openly and secretly. To put it bluntly, it is the emperor who is doing things behind the scenes.

Li Yi was dissatisfied with the old Xun forces in charge of the government, and Zhu Houzhao was dissatisfied with the civil servants and gentry in charge of the government, so one supported the Shilin faction and the other introduced the power of the clan. They were all the emperor's means of checking and balancing the power of the court. There is nothing to say.

However, this Li Yi is not as good as Zhu Houzhao. That is, although Zhu Houzhao is a bit ridiculous, he is the emperor of the Ming Dynasty after all, so his imperial bearing is not comparable to that of Li Yi.

For example, if Ning Wang Zhu Chenhao used this despicable method of "taking the zodiac sign to be the king" on Yang Tinghe, Zhu Houzhao would just laugh it off, and then mock Zhu Chenhao with Tang Hao.

In the final analysis, it is because the situations in Ming Dynasty and North Korea are different.

Since the development of the Ming Dynasty, the rule of the royal family and the Tianjia has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Coupled with the constraints of Confucian etiquette, anyone who dares to rebel will be targeted by the public.

What North Korea lacks in this regard is legitimacy. After all, Li Chenggui himself was a rebel who established the Joseon Dynasty and was born on behalf of Goryeo.

In addition, there are also big problems with Li Yi's rise to power. Powerful ministers deposed the country's lord and emperor, which itself is controversial.

So under this premise, Li Yi will only be more sensitive and suspicious than Zhu Houzhao, not to mention that he was previously manipulated as a puppet by the three ministers. After taking the throne, he was an aggrieved grandson for several years. Now he has finally taken charge of the government, so what? Will he be willing to support a powerful minister Zhao Guangzu again, only to end up raising a tiger for trouble?

So this Zhao Guangzu is most likely going to be in trouble.

Tang Hao vaguely remembered that not long after the "Zou Xiao Wei Wang" incident, Li Yi issued a secret decree, ordering the meritorious officials Nan Gun, Shen Zhen, and Hong Jingzhou to send troops to arrest the literati headed by Zhao Guangzu, which affected more than 200 literati. Later, Zhao Guangzu, the leader of the literati, was sentenced to death in exile. Zhao Guangzu faced the direction of the capital and bowed four times to Zhongzong, to whom he was loyal, and then drank poisoned wine and died of bleeding from all seven orifices.

This incident was called "Jimao Scholar Disaster"!

But it has nothing to do with Tang Hao.

Anyway, the more stupid Li Yi is, the more beneficial it is to the Ming Dynasty, let him do whatever he wants!

So Tang Hao immediately summoned Cui Tan, who was hiding in the Jeju horse farm.

This remnant of the old meritorious forces, who was in a state of panic, was even more worried when he saw the Ming Dynasty Zhongshan Hou.

"Tang Hou, you really can't mention it at this time!"

Cui Tan was a smart man, so Tang Hao didn't need to speak, he knew what this uncle wanted to say.

"Once it is brought up, it will be an excuse and reason for the Sillin faction to continue to attack the Old Meritorious Party!"

"Then I, Cui Tan, will become the target of public criticism!"

You said that the three ministers ceded the Jeju Racecourse, not for the sake of interests?

Now the Ming Dynasty has come to the door and wants to use Jeju Island as a base to trade with Korea. If this is not for the sake of interests, what is it?

In other words, if this matter is brought up at this moment, the old meritorious forces will never be able to get rid of this shit pot, which will undoubtedly further intensify the contradictions and conflicts between the Sillin faction and the old meritorious forces, until the end... one side is bloodbathed!

Tang Hao waved his hand impatiently.

"I don't want to bother with your little Korean thing!"

"Go back and tell Li Yi immediately, if you want to do it, hurry up, don't dilly-dally like a woman!"

"The trade between the Ming Dynasty and Korea is beneficial to both countries. It is a mutually beneficial thing, so don't delay it any longer."

Hearing this, Cui Tan smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"Lord Tang, I know this is a mutually beneficial thing, but the problem is... I want to live!"

At this time, the struggle between the Shilin faction and the old meritorious forces was the most intense, and any unexpected incident would completely detonate the conflict between the two sides.

At this moment, the Shilin faction was being suspected and feared by King Li Yi because of the "Zou Xiao Wei Wang" incident. If it goes as expected, the old meritorious forces will soon turn defeat into victory, but at this juncture, Cui Tan proposed the Jeju trade without knowing the consequences, giving the Shilin faction a great opportunity to fight back!

If he really did this, Cui Tan would not only become the target of public criticism, but also offend the old meritorious forces he belonged to. It can be said that he offended both forces to death, and his final fate would be only one word-definitely dead!

No matter who wins this court battle in the end, Cui Tan will be liquidated because of this. If his uncle doesn't love him and his grandmother doesn't love him, he is like a cabbage on the roadside!

When Tang Hao heard this, he looked at Cui Tan with a smile.

"Old Cui, you still don't understand the situation!"

"Is there a possibility that your king Li Yi is in a state of hesitation now?"

Cui Tan was stunned when he heard this, and then asked: "What does Lord Tang mean by this?"

"I have to admit that Nan Gun's plan is indeed vicious. It successfully alienated Li Yi and Zhao Guangzu, making Li Yi feel wary and suspicious of Zhao Guangzu, worrying that this person will wear the yellow robe. But the problem is that just relying on such a small matter, you want Li Yi to change his mind and support your old meritorious forces and completely eradicate the Sillin faction. This is simply impossible!"

"Don't forget that the reason why the Sillin faction rose was because of Li Yi's secret support, because Li Yi was dissatisfied with Since the old meritorious forces control the government, they will support the Sillin faction to fight with you. This is the most common imperial mentality. If this is the case, once Zhao Guangzu and others are all purged, won’t your old meritorious forces dominate the court, and Li Yi will not be a puppet king? "

"So, Li Yi will be hesitant. Even if he is superstitious and afraid of Zhao Guangzu, he will not take action against the Sillin faction in a short period of time. At most, he will turn to support your old meritorious forces and hit the Sillin faction. "

Cui Tan nodded repeatedly. He still understood these most basic imperial mentality. After all, he is the descendant of a famous veteran, not a fool without political wisdom.

"Let's go back to you. You, Cui Tan, are the descendant of Cui Ying, a famous minister of Joseon. Are you willing to be excluded and suppressed for a lifetime and not be reused?"

Cui Tan was stunned again when he heard this, and looked at Tang Hao blankly.

He is indeed the descendant of Cui Ying, a famous minister!

His ancestor Cui Ying was born in the Goryeo noble family and was known as the "Prime Minister". His ancestor Cui Junyong was a founding hero of Goryeo Taizu!

Cui Ying fought for Goryeo and became a general and prime minister. He was outstanding. In the end, because Lee Seong-gye rebelled and replaced Goryeo with Joseon, his ancestor Cui Ying refused to surrender and was beheaded and displayed to the public. Even his body was thrown on the side of the road, and street children and women were all crying!

Cui was expelled from the core of power. In his generation, Cui Tan was even squeezed out to Jeju Island to take care of a horse farm!

Are you willing?

How can you be willing?

Cui Tan, who is nearly 60 years old, even reddened his eyes at this moment!

"What kind of person is Nan Gun? He is not a pure old meritorious party. He secretly has dealings with the Sillin faction. So at this moment, the old meritorious forces need a new leader to lead them to kill Zhao Guangzu and other Sillin factions and regain the power of the court!"

"You, Cui Dam, come from a prominent family. Although your family has fallen into decline, you still have prestige among the people. As long as you raise your arms and return to the capital to promote this matter, lead the old forces to prioritize the interests of Jeju trade, and urge Li Yi to make up his mind to eradicate the Sillin faction, who can compete with you, Cui Dam, for the position of the leader of the old forces?"

"Nangun can't, Shen Zhen can't, Hong Jingzhou can't, only you, Cui Dam, have this qualification!"

"Because this marquis only recognizes you, the Ming Dynasty only recognizes you, this is where your confidence lies!"

"I think the profit from Jeju trade is enough for you, Cui Dam, to sit firmly in the position of the leader of the old forces!"

Cui Dam: "!!!"