Emperor Ming Taejo Zhu Yuanzhang sent envoys to Goryeo to present the Goryeo monarch Gongshu with the seal and gifts. King Gongshu took this matter very seriously and led hundreds of officials to greet the Ming envoys. After this, Goryeo no longer used the Yuan dynasty name "Zhiyuan" and sent envoys to Nanjing to congratulate Zhu Yuanzhang on his accession to the throne, thus formally establishing the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the Goryeo domain.
Before Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor, he eliminated the anti-Yuan force Chen Youshu and proclaimed him King of Wu in Jiangnan. During this period, he had already sent emissaries to Goryeo, which shows that he attached great importance to his relations with Goryeo. After becoming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang became more active in diplomatic relations with neighboring countries, and Goryeo, as a country with close relations with Mongolia, naturally became the first country where Zhu Yuanzhang sent emissaries.
Although the Goryeo Dynasty was a vassal state of the Yuan Dynasty, the Goryeo monarch King Gongshu had always had the idea of getting rid of the shackles of the Yuan Dynasty. He spent ten years as a hostage in the Yuan capital, an experience that gave him a deep understanding of the internal contradictions and fragility of the Yuan dynasty's rule. After returning to Goryeo, he ascended the throne as monarch and began to actively fight against the pro-Won forces in the country.
Goryeo Daesto Kichi was the elder brother of Empress Won Soon Diqi and a representative of the pro-Won faction in Goryeo. He wielded great power, relying on the power of Empress Ki to control the government in Goryeo, and even plotted a palace coup to overthrow King Gongcho.
When King Gong learned of Strange's plan, he cleverly set a trap in the palace. He summoned Qizhi and others into the palace for a banquet, and secretly ambushed the samurai in the palace. When Kichi and the others just stepped into the palace gate, they were killed by the samurai who had ambushed in advance, and the two accompanying them were also eradicated. Then, King Gong ordered "the four sergeants of the Praetorian Guard, all at once", and searched and arrested Qizhi's family and accomplices, completely eradicating Qi's party.
However, the conflict between Goryeo and the Yuan dynasty was not resolved. There are still territorial disputes between the two sides, and even wars have broken out. Although King Gong was forced by the pressure of the Yuan Dynasty to send troops to help suppress Jang Shicheng, the Goryeo general Kwon Kyun led an army to fight in the Central Plains, and after returning to China, reported to King Gong Shu the growing anti-Yuan forces in the Central Plains and the internal fighting of the Yuan Dynasty's vassals.
King Gongshu realized that the time had come to break free from the control of the Yuan Dynasty. He actively contacted various anti-Yuan forces in the Central Plains, including Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhang Shicheng, Fang Guozhen and others, in an attempt to join forces to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty. In the process, he gradually strengthened his determination to free himself from the control of the Yuan Dynasty.
With the rise of Zhu Yuanzhang in the anti-Yuan struggle, the rule of the Yuan Dynasty in the Central Plains gradually collapsed. After the Ming army captured the capital, Emperor Yuanshun fled to the north. At this time, King Gongshu began to pay attention to the development of the political situation in the Central Plains. The Goryeo official Kim Zhi-so returned to Goryeo from Dadu and reported that more than 10,000 ships were anchored in Tongju by the Ming navy.
King Gong realized that the Ming army was powerful, and it was a foregone conclusion that the Ding Ding Central Plains had become a foregone conclusion. At the same time, he believed that the sailors of the Ming Dynasty could help Goryeo solve the problem of the Wokou at sea. Therefore, King Gongshu summoned hundreds of officials to discuss sending envoys to the Ming Dynasty.
Immediately after Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, he also sent the envoy Chesi to Goryeo, bringing edicts and seals, and gave Goryeo forty horses of fabric. Zhu Yuanzhang needed to ensure the legitimacy of the new regime and gain recognition from neighboring countries, so friendly relations with Goryeo were crucial.
With the demise of the Yuan Dynasty, the Northern Yuan regime became a major threat to the Ming Dynasty. The Northern Yuan general Naha had 200,000 troops in Jinshan, Liaodong, posing a serious threat to the Ming Dynasty. Naha often sent emissaries to Goryeo in an attempt to contact Goryeo's pro-Yuan forces to fight against the Ming Dynasty.
In order to completely eliminate the Northern Yuan and control the eastern Liaoning region, Zhu Yuanzhang needed to establish a cooperative relationship with Goryeo. Unlike the Yuan dynasty's use of force to conquer Goryeo, Zhu chose to contact Goryeo through peaceful diplomatic means, such as sending Goryeo people from exile in the Ming Dynasty back to Goryeo.
In this context, King Gongshu was very happy to see the Ming dynasty replace the Yuan dynasty. He led hundreds of officials out of the palace to greet the Ming envoy Chesi outside the city gates, indicating that Goryeo had officially established diplomatic relations with the Ming Dynasty. This historic event had a profound impact on the future of Goryeo, and it marked the beginning of peaceful coexistence between Goryeo and the Ming Dynasty.
At that time, although King Gongshu was not officially canonized by Zhu Yuanzhang and did not adopt the Ming Dynasty's "Hongwu" year name, he quickly sent Shangshu Hong Shangzai of the Ministry of Rites and Li Xiasheng, the guardian of the prison guard, to Nanjing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, to express his congratulations to Zhu Yuanzhang on his accession to the throne. He made it clear in his congratulatory form that he was willing to pay tribute to the Ming dynasty.
In order to further consolidate relations with the Ming Dynasty, King Gongshu severed diplomatic relations with the Northern Yuan and sent the Goryeo general Yi Sung-gui to attack the Dongning Province of the Northern Yuan, demonstrating his military strength and determination. This action also shows that Goryeo completely distanced itself from the Yuan Dynasty politically, choosing to ally with the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang was very satisfied with King Gongchou's performance, and in order to further win over and stabilize Goryeo, he sent emissaries to Goryeo to confer on King Gongchou. This move meant that the Ming Dynasty officially succeeded the Yuan Dynasty as the suzerainty of Goryeo, and the clan relationship between the Ming Dynasty and Goryeo was formally established.
King Gong judged the situation and adopted a series of wise diplomatic strategies that succeeded in closely linking the relationship between Goryeo and the Ming Dynasty. Although he was not canonized by Zhu Yuanzhang at that time, he laid the foundation for friendly relations between Goryeo and the Ming Dynasty through positive actions and clear statements. The establishment of this relationship is also of great significance to Goryeo's internal and foreign affairs, providing a stable external environment for Koryo's future development.