webnovelvip Chapter 35 Li Chunfeng Meets Xu Longxiang
Chapter 35 Li Chunfeng Meets Xu Longxiang
Zhou Wenzheng composed himself and presented a scroll of official letter wrapped in bright yellow brocade and stamped with the seal of the Li Yang Kingdom:
"Your Majesty, I, Empress Li Yang, am delighted to hear of the ascension of the new Emperor of Great Qin. His power extends throughout the land, and his virtue reaches all corners of the world. I have specially dispatched this foreign envoy to congratulate Your Majesty on your enthronement and to present this letter of state and a small gift. I wish to establish a lasting alliance with Great Qin to jointly resist foreign aggression and bring blessings to all people."
The guards stepped forward, took the letter of state, and presented it to the emperor.
Qin Mu did not open it, but lightly touched the brocade with his fingertip:
"Your Majesty is kind. I have also heard that Your Majesty has been on the throne for five years, working diligently to govern the country and purifying the court. You are truly a remarkable and capable ruler, and I am very pleased. I wish that the two countries of Qin and Li will be friendly for generations to come and that the border will be peaceful."
He spoke fluently and politely, without any ambiguity.
Zhou Wenzheng bowed deeply:
"Your Majesty is wise! Her Majesty the Empress has often said that Great Qin is a land of propriety and etiquette, and Your Majesty is even more wise and powerful. All of us in Liyang admire you. This foreign envoy has come to present not only our letter of state, but also some gifts to express our heartfelt wishes."
He gestured to the side, and his entourage carried over several large sandalwood boxes.
As the lid of the box was opened, a corner of the palace was instantly filled with the glittering jewels.
The East China Sea Pearl, coral trees, gold Buddha statues, Jiangnan brocade, rare ancient books... a dazzling array of priceless treasures.
A murmur of surprise arose from among the officials.
Qin Mu glanced at her and smiled slightly: "The gift is too kind. I appreciate the Empress's kindness. It would be impolite not to reciprocate, Prime Minister Li."
"Your subject is here." Li Si stepped forward.
"Draft a return gift list, which will be 30% larger than the gift given by Li Yang. Also, add the pair of dragon and phoenix jade pendants from my collection to the gift list and present them to the Empress to express our wish for the eternal unity between our two nations."
"Your subject obeys the decree." Li Si bowed.
A look of joy flashed in Zhou Wenzheng's eyes, and he quickly expressed his gratitude.
However, he was too happy too soon.
Qin Mu changed the subject, his tone still calm, but inexplicably carrying more weight:
"I have heard that the Liyang navy has been conducting frequent drills on the Lancang River recently, and the number of troops stationed along the river has also increased. I wonder... what is the reason for this?"
The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly froze.
Zhou Wenzheng's heart pounded, and his smile froze.
He never expected that the Emperor of Qin would so directly question the border military in the court, in front of all the officials!
He quickly composed himself and forced a smile:
"Your Majesty is wise. This is merely a routine drill of our Liyang army, with no other intentions. The Lancang River is vast, and the naval exercises are for the purpose of protecting the border and its people, and preventing river bandits. As for the garrison... it is simply because there have been frequent disturbances by bandits on the opposite bank of the river in recent years. In order to ensure the peace and tranquility of the border people, we have made some slight reinforcements. There is absolutely no intention to target Great Qin."
"Oh? Bandits?" Qin Mu's voice rose slightly at the end. "The Lancang River is a natural barrier; what kind of bandits could cross the border and cause trouble? Could it be... that our Great Qin's governance is ineffective, leading to a horde of displaced people who are now harassing our friendly nations?"
These words were even harsher, directly throwing the question back at Li Yang and implying that Li Yang was using this as an excuse to cause trouble.
Zhou Wenzheng was drenched in cold sweat and quickly bowed:
"Your Majesty, please forgive me! I misspoke! It was absolutely not the fault of Great Qin, but rather... it was just a small, insignificant band of bandits who have already been wiped out. The reinforcements were purely for preventative purposes, with absolutely no other intention! Her Majesty the Empress has always held your country in high esteem and would never commit such an unjust act!"
He practically swore an oath to the heavens, adopting an extremely humble posture.
Qin Mu looked at him quietly, his gaze behind his drooping tassels as unfathomable as an abyss.
After a long pause, he slowly said:
"I see. Since it's a misunderstanding, it's best to clear it up. The Lancang River is the border river between our two countries, and we are separated only by a narrow strip of water. Harmony is of utmost importance. I hope that Minister Zhou will go back and tell the Empress that training is acceptable, and increasing defenses is also fine, but... we must be mindful of the limits. Let's not allow misunderstandings to damage our harmony."
"Yes, yes, yes! Your Majesty's teachings will be conveyed by your humble servant! Your Majesty will certainly remember them!" Zhou Wenzheng repeatedly agreed.
"Hmm." Qin Mu seemed satisfied and stopped pursuing the matter.
"Is Zhou Qing settling in well at the post station? I have been preoccupied with worldly affairs lately and have not been able to meet with him sooner. I apologize for the neglect."
"No, no! The post station has been very hospitable, and I am deeply grateful!" Zhou Wenzheng hurriedly replied.
"In that case, Minister Zhou may linger in the capital for a few more days to experience the customs and culture of our Great Qin. Three days from now, I will host a banquet in the palace to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!" Zhou Wenzheng knelt down again, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He didn't want to stay in the imperial city for even a moment longer.
The audience ceremony concluded in an atmosphere of outward harmony but inward tension.
When the Li Yang delegation left the Golden Palace, Zhou Wenzheng's steps were somewhat hurried, and the demeanor he had deliberately maintained when he arrived had largely dissipated.
The officials inside the hall had various expressions.
Qin Mu had already stood up.
"Dismiss the court."
Almost at the same time, in the northern border, thousands of miles away, at the Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion.
The Zhenyue Hall, located deep within the Prince's Mansion, was tightly shut tonight. All sentries, both visible and hidden, had been removed from within a hundred paces, leaving only a deathly silence.
Inside the hall, only a single lamp was lit.
The lamp wick was very small, and the dim yellow light barely illuminated the small area, making the rest of the hall appear even darker and more profound.
Xu Longxiang sat on the tiger-skin chair, still dressed in a black outfit.
Instead of sitting upright as usual, he leaned back slightly, one hand on the armrest, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the smooth wooden surface.
He is waiting.
An unexpected yet perfectly reasonable guest.
The night wind whistled softly through the cracks in the window, adding to the eeriness of the place.
Suddenly, the hall moved without any wind.
The flame of that solitary lamp suddenly tilted to one side, as if manipulated by an invisible hand.
Xu Longxiang stopped tapping his fingers on the armrest.
He looked up and gazed into the shadows of the hall where the lights did not reach.
There, without anyone noticing, another person had appeared.
He wore a faded blue Taoist robe, his hair and beard were all white, his face was rosy like a baby's, and he held a white jade whisk in his hand.
He stood there quietly, as if he had been there since time immemorial, blending into the shadows, yet remaining detached from them.
It was none other than Li Chunfeng, the Sword God of Liyang.
"The Taoist priest has arrived," Xu Longxiang said, his voice calm and unreadable. "Please sit down."
He pointed to a rosewood armchair that had been prepared in advance across from him.
Li Chunfeng nodded slightly, without moving his feet, but his figure floated to the chair like a ghost, flicked his whisk, and sat down calmly.
The whole process was silent and without a sound; not even the hem of her clothes stirred a breeze.
"Your Highness has remarkable composure," Li Chunfeng said, his voice ethereal and distant, as if it came from beyond the heavens. "This old Taoist has come uninvited, yet Your Highness seems to have anticipated it."
Xu Longxiang smiled faintly: "With the Sword God Li Chunfeng personally coming, where in the world can't you go? This little royal palace of mine, Daoist, can come and go as you please, there's no need to anticipate it."
Li Chunfeng smiled, then regained his composure: "Young Master is straightforward. Then this old Taoist will get straight to the point."
He paused, his gaze landing squarely on Xu Longxiang's face, as if trying to pierce through his skin and see into his heart: "Your Majesty the Empress wishes to cooperate with the Crown Prince."
Xu Longxiang didn't even flinch; his fingertips simply resumed tapping the armrest, the rhythm steady.
"Oh? Empress Li Yang, the supreme ruler, governs the Eastern Continent, how noble she is! I am but a mere prince from a border region, what virtue or ability do I possess to dare to speak of 'cooperating' with Her Majesty?"
"Your Highness is too modest."
Li Chunfeng said slowly.
"The 300,000 iron cavalry of the Northern Frontier follow only the Crown Prince's lead. The Crown Prince is a young and outstanding talent, his martial arts have reached the pinnacle, his military exploits are numerous, and his prestige shakes the nine provinces. Such a person is no ordinary person. Her Majesty the Empress has discerning eyes and has long been taking notice of the Crown Prince."
"You flatter me, Daoist Master."
Xu Longxiang remained unmoved.
"We are born to serve the emperor, and we should be loyal to him. The Xu family has been blessed by the Qin emperor for generations. It is our duty to guard the northern border, protect the people, and safeguard the territory. Although I am dull-witted, I know the meaning of loyalty and righteousness."
Li Chunfeng smiled, a smile that carried a detached understanding of the ways of the world:
"Your Highness, the world's affairs are such that after a long period of division, there will be unity, and after a long period of unity, there will be division. The Qin Dynasty has stood for hundreds of years, but its fortunes are already showing signs of decline. The current emperor..."
He paused meaningfully for a moment.
"Having reigned for half a year, has he ever held court for a single day? Has he ever personally reviewed a single memorial? Has he ever personally made a decision on a single matter of national importance?"
Xu Longxiang remained silent, his rhythm of tapping on the armrest unchanged.