The instant Emperor Xuande made his decision, the Ming court moved swiftly. They had no choice—the fate of their nation hung in the balance.
A Ming warship with white flags raised immediately set sail, only to be promptly captured by the Joseon navy.
When Joseon soldiers boarded to search the vessel, an official emerged from the cabin.
“I am an envoy sent by His Imperial Majesty! We wish to discuss terms for ending this war with Joseon!”
***
“Terms for ending the war?”
Upon receiving the report, Hyang looked to his ministers.
“What are your thoughts?”
Hwang Hui responded immediately to Hyang’s question.
“It appears Ming has finally reached its limit, Your Majesty.”
Following Hwang Hui’s words, Kim Jeom spoke with a brightened expression.
“This is truly fortunate. Though we have prepared for a long time, we were beginning to reach our own limits.”
The ministers all nodded at Kim Jeom’s words.
War was like a demon that devoured both people and resources. Despite their careful preparations over the years, most of their supplies had been consumed during these past few months of fighting. The casualties had also been substantial. For Joseon, with its population drastically smaller than Ming’s, this was an even more serious concern.
“I agree with everyone’s assessment. However, there is one matter that concerns me.”
At Hyang’s words, the ministers began analyzing what the issue might be.
After carefully examining the documents brought by the envoy, Heo Hu nodded and asked Hyang.
“Is it the term ‘ending the war’ that concerns you, Your Majesty?”
Hyang nodded at Heo Hu’s question.
“Indeed. Though they seek negotiations because their situation is dire, Chinese pride will not easily accept this. If we simply call it terms for ending the war, they will surely distort the facts in the future.”
“That’s certainly true…”
The ministers all nodded at Hyang’s words.
These were the same people who would record a devastating retreat as ‘making an example and returning home.’
Following Hyang’s observation, Heo Hu continued.
“We must indeed be precise with the terminology from the start. We must make them acknowledge this as surrender, not merely an armistice or end of hostilities.”
“Exactly. Therefore… though I regret it for our soldiers and people who have fought thus far, we must continue fighting a bit longer. Send orders to Liaodong to increase pressure on the retreating enemy. And tell Ming’s envoy that there will be no negotiations until they surrender.”
“We shall carry out your orders!”
***
“Surrender? How dare they! cough!”
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
Upon hearing Joseon’s response, Emperor Xuande flew into a rage before coughing up blood and losing consciousness.
After desperately being revived by the imperial physicians, Emperor Xuande summoned the Grand Secretaries and ministers.
“What is the situation in the north?”
“Your Majesty’s divine armies are defending with all their might.”
“So we’re being pushed back.”
“…”
Looking at the silent Grand Secretary, Emperor Xuande asked another question.
“How many well-trained troops can we send north right now?”
“We are training them as fast as we can.”
“Which means none are ready at present. sigh“
Letting out a deep sigh, Emperor Xuande ordered the Grand Secretary.
“Accept Joseon’s terms.”
“Your Majesty! sob!”
“Your Majesty! weeping!”
At Emperor Xuande’s decision, the Grand Secretaries and all officials fell to their knees wailing.
The Middle Kingdom was the center of the world, and the Son of Heaven was its master.
Now this great Son of Heaven was facing the tragedy of surrendering to a former vassal state.
“Do your utmost to conclude the negotiations, and bring the Crown Prince. I will bear this dishonor myself.”
“Your Majesty! sob!”
“weeping!”
The ministers continued to wail as Emperor Xuande spoke with detached calmness.
***
After Emperor Xuande made his decision, negotiations proceeded rapidly.
“These are the conditions that Joseon, as the victorious nation, demands from Ming, the defeated nation,” Heo Hu, who came as the chief negotiator, announced in a commanding voice.
“First and foremost, Ming must recognize Joseon as an independent sovereign nation, equal to Ming, not a vassal state.”
The Grand Secretary nodded at this first condition. It was exactly what they expected Joseon to demand first.
Next, Heo Hu presented the territorial conditions.
“Ming must recognize that the regions east and north of Mount Uiryeo and Heungseong are Joseon territory.”
“Ming shall not station military forces between Shanhaiguan and Heungseong. While personnel may be stationed for maintaining public order in these regions, their numbers shall not exceed 30,000.”
“Ming must recognize the Eastern Barbarian Lands and the Penghu Islands as Joseon territory.”
“The Penghu Islands are…”
The Grand Secretary’s expression grew troubled regarding the Penghu Islands.
The Eastern Barbarian Lands themselves weren’t a major issue as they were considered barbarian territory. However, the Penghu Islands were a strategic military base housing Ming’s naval forces.
“Then perhaps we should go destroy everything there and occupy it ourselves? Though negotiations would be suspended in the meantime.”
Faced with Heo Hu’s aggressive stance, the Grand Secretary ground his teeth and bowed his head.
“We accept.”
“Very well. Now let us discuss war reparations.”
“War reparations? After taking so much of Ming’s territory?”
“Let us speak correctly. Did we start this war? It was your precious Zhu Qizhen who started it. And since you brought it up, the Liaodong and Liaohe regions were originally our territory during the ancient Three Hans period. We didn’t take it—we reclaimed it.”
“…”
The Grand Secretary was forced into silence by Heo Hu’s point-by-point rebuttal.
“Hmph!”
Snorting derisively at the Grand Secretary, Heo Hu immediately presented the terms for reparations.
“To compensate for damages Joseon suffered in this war, Ming shall pay physical silver equivalent to 50 million taels of gold.”
“Well, that’s…”
The Grand Secretary’s expression showed some relief upon seeing the amount of reparations. While 50 million taels of gold was an enormous sum, it wasn’t impossible to pay.
Seeing this expression, Heo Hu presented the next condition.
“However, the exchange rate between gold and silver shall follow Joseon’s standards.”
“This is outrageous!”
The Grand Secretary’s expression crumpled in dismay.
During this period, silver held higher monetary value than gold. Particularly in Ming, silver had been used as currency since previous dynasties.
As a result, while Joseon’s gold to silver exchange rate was 1:10, Ming’s was 1:6 or 1:7. This difference had led to some trying to profit from the exchange rate gap, but they were severely punished when the Joseon court strictly regulated the circulation of physical gold and silver.
This background explained the Grand Secretary’s dismayed expression.
While meeting the war reparations by Ming’s standards would require tightening their belts, meeting it by Joseon’s standards would require extreme austerity.
“This is too much!”
In response to the Grand Secretary’s protest, Heo Hu replied with an expression that suggested he couldn’t care less about some dog’s barking.
“You didn’t mind spending money on war, but this you find excessive?”
“That’s not what I—”
“Should we enter Ming and collect it ourselves, going door to door?”
“Now see here!”
“If you start something, you must take responsibility!”
At Heo Hu’s thundering rebuke, the Grand Secretary fell silent with a reddened face.
Ultimately, the Grand Secretary had to accept all of Joseon’s conditions.
Emperor Xuande’s condition had severely deteriorated.
It was crystal clear that if the Crown Prince couldn’t enter the Forbidden City at the right time, even greater chaos would ensue.
When Emperor Xuande received the completed surrender document, he heaved a deep sigh.
“Ah… Underestimating our opponent was our greatest mistake.”
Deeply regretting his error, Emperor Xuande pressed his imperial seal onto the surrender document.
With this, Ming officially acknowledged their defeat.
***
When Emperor Xuande sealed the surrender document, Joseon ceased military operations.
Since Japanese pirates were still active, the Crown Prince in Nanjing had to travel by sea.
The ship carrying the Crown Prince received an “escort” from the Joseon navy as it headed toward Tianjin.
Meanwhile, the Ming forces retreating to Shanhaiguan breathed sighs of relief when Joseon’s pursuit stopped.
When these battered troops finally returned to the equally battered Shanhaiguan, they found Emperor Xuande’s orders waiting.
“Immediately head north along the Great Wall to repel the Tartars.”
“The soldiers are exhausted. We should move after they’ve had some rest,” Han Yixin said.
A commander from the Embroidered Uniform Guard bellowed in response.
“The nation’s dignity has been dragged through the mud because of your incompetence! Yet you dare speak of rest! I should take your head right here, but His Majesty has mercifully commanded you to atone through meritorious service!”
Faced with the Guard commander’s tirade, Han Yixin raised his hands with an exhausted expression.
“Ten thousand years! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand years!”
***
Upon arriving at the Forbidden City, Zhu Qiyu immediately rushed to Emperor Xuande’s bedside.
Seeing Emperor Xuande lying there, clearly ill, Zhu Qiyu threw himself at the bedside.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! How could this happen? sob!”
“You’ve come?”
Emperor Xuande raised his eyes at Zhu Qiyu’s tear-filled cry and ordered the eunuch.
“Help me sit up.”
“Your Majesty.”
“Come now.”
With the eunuch’s help, Emperor Xuande sat up and handed Zhu Qiyu a scroll that had been placed beside the bed.
“Unfold it and read it aloud.”
Following Emperor Xuande’s command, Zhu Qiyu unfolded the scroll.
“This is…”
“These are my final instructions, written in my own blood. Read them loudly.”
At Emperor Xuande’s command, Zhu Qiyu read the instructions in a loud voice.
“Never forget this national shame! Endure humiliation! Endure hardship! Rise again!”
It meant to never forget today’s shame, to endure humiliation as they crawled between someone’s legs, to sleep on firewood and taste gall to remember hardship, and to return to reclaim what was lost.
After reading Emperor Xuande’s final instructions, Zhu Qiyu prostrated himself and cried out.
“Your son will surely fulfill Your Majesty’s wish!”
“Learn from my failures and prepare properly. Ten years will be too short, and thirty years will pass in an instant. But remember the lesson of Yu Gong moving the mountains.”
“I shall engrave it in my bones and heart!”
Three days later, Emperor Xuande passed away.
***
When news of Emperor Xuande’s death arrived, Hyang asked his ministers.
“While we need not wear mourning clothes as before, we should send envoys as a matter of courtesy, correct?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty.”
Following Hyang and the court’s decision, a mourning delegation was formed and sent to Beijing. The difference from before was that instead of a minister-level official, a vice-minister level official was sent.
The delegation that went to Beijing properly expressed their condolences and returned. The newly enthroned Zhu Qiyu also responded courteously. The difference from before was that he treated them as representatives of an equal nation, not as envoys from a vassal state.
After returning from offering condolences, the delegation reported to Hyang and the ministers about the atmosphere they observed in Beijing and Ming.
“While the north remains turbulent, the central regions seem to be finding stability.”
“Is that so?”
Hyang and the ministers nodded at the delegation’s report.
***
As soon as the surrender document was sealed, Joseon immediately contacted Ouchi.
“Withdraw immediately. Ming forces are returning.”
Upon receiving Joseon’s message, Ouchi immediately informed the allied lords who were still in Ming territory.
Interestingly, Ouchi had already returned and was focusing on internal affairs. What they had sought wasn’t treasure but people. Ouchi had already gathered skilled artisans, intellectuals, and their families, and quickly withdrew from Ming territory.
Most of the lords who received Ouchi’s message immediately withdrew from Ming. This was because if they didn’t withdraw now, they wouldn’t receive protection from the Joseon navy. Though they had to pay passage fees, the Joseon navy’s protection guaranteed absolute safety.
As soon as the forces under Ouchi’s command left Ming territory, Joseon and Ouchi simultaneously issued declarations.
“As Japanese pirates are currently rampant, they shall be eliminated immediately upon discovery!”
This allowed Ouchi to eliminate many of the forces that had been rebellious against them.