Chapter 3489
Chapter 3489
Chapter 3489
The day after Li Yi arrived in Hangzhou, his eldest son Li Bai also returned from studying abroad.
After the father and son met, the most excited one was not the two of them, but the youngest son Li Xuan.
As soon as they met, Li Xuan asked Li Bai to take him around the city. It was obvious that he was still thinking about the bustling street scenes he saw when he entered the city yesterday.
Li Bai smiled and said, "Then let me ask you, Hangzhou has everything for eating, drinking and having fun, where do you want to go the most?"
Li Xuan was only a six-year-old boy, and it was his first time in a foreign country. Li Bai's question to him was just a joke, but Li Xuan thought for a moment and actually responded seriously: "Can I go see where my elder brother is studying?"
Li Bai was surprised when he heard this. He looked at Li Yi, then turned to Li Xuan and asked, "You are so young, but you are so interested in studying?"
Li Xuan responded: "My father said that he wants me to come to Hangzhou to study and learn skills, just like my elder brother!"
When Li Bai heard this, he immediately understood his father's plan and asked Li Yi, "Father, do you want to arrange for me to return home?"
Li Yi said slowly: "You are already eighteen years old, it is time to start getting involved in government affairs and learn how to govern the country!"
Li Bai did not show any joy when he heard this, but instead asked Li Yi again, "Can the skills I have learned here really help my father govern the country?"
Li Yi smiled and said, “Why? Do you want to stay in Hai Han for a few more years?”
Li Bai said, “If I can learn more in Hai Han, it wouldn’t hurt to stay for a few more years.”
Li Li asked casually, but after hearing Li Bai's answer, the smile on his face slowly faded: "Are you here to learn skills, or is there something more important than inheriting the throne? As the crown prince of Joseon, you must understand your identity and responsibilities!"
Li Bai bowed his head and replied, "I will follow my father's instructions."
Li Bai seemed to lower his head, but he did not answer the question raised by Li Yi.
Li Yi was secretly unhappy. He sent Li Bai to study in Hai Han. On the one hand, he wanted to use this method to consolidate the relationship between the two countries. On the other hand, he also hoped that Li Bai could learn some real skills in governing a country in Hai Han.
In his opinion, there was nothing wrong with such an arrangement. After all, when he was young, he also accepted the same arrangement made by his father Li Jong. He first studied in Hai Han and then returned to his country to inherit the throne.
If there must be a difference, it might be that Li Bai spent a longer time studying in Hai Han, so that Li Yi couldn't be sure whether his son had undergone some changes in his thinking during his long period of studying abroad.
Li Yi, who had also lived in Hai Han, understood very well that there was a huge gap in national strength between his own country and Hai Han. After Li Bai had lived in Hai Han for a long time, even though he lived in the palace when he returned to his country, he would inevitably feel the obvious gap.
Li Bai seemed to have sensed his father's displeasure and quickly changed the subject: "Father, have you heard that during this Zhoushan ship, Hai Han plans to organize participants from various countries to go to Japan for an inspection?"
This topic immediately diverted Li Yi's attention: "Visiting Japan? Why didn't Lord Yan Chujie mention this when he introduced the forum arrangements yesterday?" Li Bai said: "Then it must be that Hai Han has not yet planned the itinerary, so it has not yet announced this matter."
Li Yi was surprised and asked, “If that’s the case, where did you get this information? Also, Japan and Hai Han don’t have a good relationship, so why would Hai Han make such an arrangement?”
Li Yi's suspicion was justified. The intelligence agency under him was not just there to do nothing. They were constantly collecting intelligence from all over Hai Han. However, no channel had ever reported the news of organizing dignitaries from various countries to visit Japan before.
Moreover, Li Yi knew very well that Hai Han did not have much good feelings towards Japan and would never get too close to it, let alone help its development.
Unless... Hai Han has other purposes.
Li Yi suddenly remembered that Shi Diwen had visited Kyushu region of Japan last year and was said to have met many daimyo there.
No one knows what Shi Diwen talked about with these Ming officials, but after he ended his visit and returned home, armed conflicts began to break out in Kyushu, and several powerful feudal lords sent large troops to annex the surrounding weak feudal lords.
These armed conflicts in Jiuzhou occurred so close to the time of Shi Diwen’s visit. If you say that this is just a coincidence and has nothing to do with Hai Han, I’m afraid not many people will believe it.
But after winter, as the local temperature dropped sharply, these conflicts gradually subsided. After all, no sane daimyo would be willing to go to war in the heavy snow.
Li Yi couldn't help but wonder, if Li Bai's news was true, it might be related to the daimyo melee that occurred in Kyushu last year.
Li Bai immediately explained to him, "Father, I went to Ningbo for a study tour the day before yesterday and visited the local shipyard. Since last year, we have received a large number of orders from Kyushu, Japan. Most of them are reduced-equipment exploration-class warships. I am afraid there is still a war that has not yet broken out."
"The father of one of my classmates is a senior officer in the Hai Han Army. He is stationed at the Sasebo base in Kyushu all year round. It is said that the local authorities are preparing for a reception, and the level of the reception will be even higher than when Lord Shi Diwen visited last year. He may be one of the dignitaries from various countries participating in the Zhoushan Forum this time."
The intelligence personnel under Li Yi might be able to find out some of this information, but they might not be able to get first-hand information like Li Bai and thus connect the cause and effect.
This is of course also related to the environment that Li Bai is in here. It cannot be said that there are no civilians among his teachers and classmates, but it is true that most of them are from wealthy or noble backgrounds. The level of information they can access is naturally much higher than that of the intelligence personnel who collect information in the market.
It is also difficult to say whether Hai Han deliberately found such a channel to release such news. After all, when Li Yi was studying in Hai Han, he had received various explicit hints and hints from Hai Han officials on various occasions, asking them to convey Hai Han’s attitude to the then King of Korea, Li Jong, through him.
Li Bai saw that he was lost in thought and did not dare to disturb him, so he just waited silently beside him. However, young Li Xuan was not interested in their conversation and had already run outside, asking his servants to take him to the lake to fish.
Li Yi then thought of another detail. He did not see any envoys from Japan attending yesterday's dinner.
If Japan's civil war will be the subject of investigation for guests attending the Zhoushan Forum, then it seems reasonable for Hai Han to deliberately not invite Japan to participate in the forum activities.
However, as an ally, Hai Han did not inform him of this matter in advance through formal diplomatic channels, which made Li Yi feel a little angry.
In terms of its stance towards Japan, North Korea has always maintained a high degree of consistency with Hai Han, and in the past it has also actively sent troops to participate in Hai Han's military operations against Japan, but this time it seems to have been left aside by Hai Han.