After seeing off the King of Goryeo, Yuan Chonghuan made no further hesitation.
He ordered his soldiers to ride tall horses and patrol throughout Goryeo to spread his orders.
At first, people from all over Goryeo didn't quite believe it.
I have a feeling that something is wrong here.
"Back when the Japanese pirates attacked, the old King of Goryeo said something quite reasonable: as long as we donate grain, we can become yangban lords after we drive away the Japanese pirates."
"After driving away the Japanese pirates, although the old Goryeo king did not deny his debts, he played tricks and came up with the 'motherhood law'."
"Won't the Ming Dynasty's heavenly army use the same trick this time?"
The so-called maternal lineage rule meant that children born to noblewomen and ordinary women could not inherit the yangban (aristocratic class) title.
Only when a man from one of the two classes marries the daughter of a nobleman from another class can the child born become a new class.
Many Koreans donated food during the war, creating many male yangban out of thin air.
But the number of daughters in these two classes cannot be increased out of thin air.
So this trick was actually designed to trap those new two classes.
It's no wonder that Koreans today would have doubts.
Seeing this, Yuan Chonghuan became somewhat anxious.
Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back; the order has been given and cannot be taken back.
However, if an order is issued but the Beiyang Army cannot be recruited, then the risk has been taken for nothing, and there is no benefit.
Isn't this a losing proposition?
Yuan Chonghuan was anxious and angry, so he summoned Zhang Xianzhong directly.
"Zhang Xianzhong, what exactly did Master Gao tell you?"
"Why are the Koreans not obeying this order?"
Zhang Xianzhong's eyes lit up, and he immediately had an idea.
"Minister Yuan, this is clearly your problem!"
Yuan Chonghuan was stunned.
"What does this have to do with me?"
Zhang Xianzhong shook his head and said, "Why do you think the canal workers believe us? It's because His Majesty the Emperor has already taken concrete actions, making them believe that the court keeps its word!"
"If you don't put on a show of establishing credibility with a mere log, how will the Koreans believe you?"
Yuan Chonghuan slapped his forehead.
"That's right! How could I have forgotten about that!"
He grasped Zhang Xianzhong's hand and said, "Luckily, you reminded me!"
Zhang Xianzhong smiled inwardly: "That's right, if it weren't for my reminder, you wouldn't have been able to form the Beiyang Army."
Meanwhile, Zhu Youjian sat in the palace, looking at the message sent by the Embroidered Uniform Guard from Goryeo, his expression very complicated.
It was both funny and sad.
"This Zhang Xianzhong really knows how to come up with some tricks for me!"
"What Beiyang... really!"
He shook his head, not knowing what to say.
Wang Chengen stood aside and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, this... perhaps Lord Zhang meant well."
"After all, it would be useful to recruit some soldiers from Goryeo."
"The Jurchen territory is not small. Even if we conquer Shengjing, there may still be Jurchen tribes that do not submit to the king's rule and continue to resist."
"At that time, these Goryeo soldiers will have a chance to prove their worth."
Zhu Youjian glanced at him and shook his head, saying, "Then let him conscript soldiers, but why call on the Beiyang Army?"
Wang Chengen was speechless.
Seeing this, Zhu Youjian did not press him, but simply sighed.
"Hey, this kid is definitely a bit too unruly."
He then looked at another intelligence report.
"Yes, abolish the feudal domains and establish counties..."
Zhu Youjian squinted his eyes and lowered his head in deep thought.
A moment later, a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
He asked casually, "Has things been rather unsettled in the East China Sea lately?"
Wang Chengen was stunned: "I don't recall hearing anything like that?"
Zhu Youjian glanced at him and said, "Have Luo Yangxing go and ask him."
After saying this, Zhu Youjian remained silent.
Wang Chengen, completely bewildered, found Luo Yangxing and relayed Zhu Youjian's words.
Luo Yangxing swallowed.
"Go and report to His Majesty that the East China Sea has indeed been experiencing strong winds and high waves recently."
"Many ships have capsized."
Wang Chengen was puzzled and somewhat worried: "If that's the case, won't the relationship between the imperial court and Goryeo be disrupted?"
Luo Yangxing nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, yes, you're right. We need to prepare for that too. If we're going to put on an act, we need to go all the way."
"We'll have to keep the military situation in Korea quiet for the next two or three days."
"However, His Majesty still needs to be notified as usual."
Luo Yangxing muttered to himself as he walked out, leaving Wang Chengen standing there bewildered.
"What's this guy up to? He's acting all mysterious."
However, not long after, Wang Chengen heard that the King of Goryeo had encountered a storm while traveling by boat to the capital, and that the boat had capsized and everyone on board had perished.
He finally understood, and gasped in shock.
"No wonder Luo Yangxing had that expression back then!"
"So the death of the King of Goryeo was suspicious!"
When he looked at Zhu Youjian again, he became somewhat cautious.
Although this was not the first time Zhu Youjian had ordered a killing, his past killings had been somewhat "rough".
This time, however, it's clearly an assassination attempt on the King of Goryeo.
This had a significant impact on Wang Chengen.
"His Majesty is getting older and his methods are becoming more and more shrewd. I'll have to be careful from now on!"
While Wang Chengen was distracted, Zhu Youjian had already ordered someone to draft the edict.
First, they approved Yuan Chonghuan's recruitment of soldiers, relieving him of his worries.
Then the Goryeo people were to quickly elect a new king.
The imperial edict was sent back to Goryeo more than ten days later.
When Yuan Chonghuan saw the imperial edict, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness, the emperor didn't hold me accountable."
"It seems Zhang Xianzhong was right. All of this was probably within Master Gao's expectations."
He made up his mind and no longer hesitated.
"Someone, order those newly recruited Goryeo people to stop training and march north immediately."
"If you encounter a city defended by the Jurchens, ignore it and just go around it."
"Haug is already a frightened bird. With such a large-scale invasion, he will definitely react."
"That will make things much easier!"
Mao Wenlong and Zhang Xianzhong naturally wouldn't object.
Mao Wenlong even volunteered to lead his troops from Dongjiang Town to the forefront.
He thought to himself, "In this way, even if I don't get the credit for capturing Hauge alive, I will still have other credits."
Yuan Chonghuan did not object, but instead said seriously, "Lord Mao, you must be careful."
"Although the Jurchens have suffered successive defeats, they should not be underestimated."
"If you are greedy for credit and act rashly, you might end up suffering a loss."
Mao Wenlong nodded.
"Minister Yuan, rest assured, this is not the first time I have fought against the Jurchens."
"I'm only here to find out Hauge's location. If I encounter a large Jurchen army, I'll just retreat."
"As for the lives of the Koreans, I have no interest in them."
Yuan Chonghuan smiled slightly.
"Hey, you can't say that."
Mao Wenlong glanced at Yuan Chonghuan and thought to himself, "That's not how it works. Does that mean things can be done this way?"
"That Korean was pitiful; he used ten acres of land as bait and then dragged him in to be cannon fodder."
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