The wind on the palace tower carried the damp scent of the Luo River, but it couldn't dispel the gloom between Li Jingang's brows.
He gazed at the western horizon, the direction of Xijing.
"Announce the envoy from Lingnan—"
The eunuch's high-pitched voice echoed through the empty city tower.
Before long, steady footsteps echoed on the stone steps.
The man was about forty years old, dressed in an indigo brocade robe embroidered with gold thread from Lingnan, wearing a light crown woven from bamboo strips, with slightly dark skin and bright, intelligent eyes.
Most striking was the gold earring hanging from his left ear, inlaid with a pearl the size of a pigeon's egg from the South China Sea.
These are ornaments unique to the nobility of the Southern Yue region.
"Xu Shou, envoy from Lingnan, pays his respects to His Majesty the Emperor of Dafeng."
The visitor spoke Mandarin with a slight Lingnan accent, and while he bowed, he did not kneel—a privilege reserved for special envoys of the King of Nanyue.
Li Jingang turned around, his gaze scrutinizing the newcomer like that of a hawk: "Envoy Xu, you have come from afar, and your journey must have been arduous."
"For the sake of the good between our two countries, I dare not complain of hardship." Xu Shou straightened up, his smile composed. "My lord, the King of Nanyue, upon hearing that Your Majesty has received the Mandate of Heaven and established your rule in the Central Plains, has specially sent me to offer my congratulations and express my intention to maintain friendly relations."
"To be on good terms?" Li Jingang raised an eyebrow. "I remember that last year when General Niu Desheng's army approached the Five Ridges, Your Highness refused to let them in and even sent a document saying that 'the miasma in Lingnan is unfavorable to the northerners.'"
That happened last autumn and winter.
After sweeping across Jiangnan, Niu Desheng intended to conquer Lingnan in one fell swoop, but he suffered a setback at Wuling Pass.
They were not defeated by weapons, but by pestilence.
Half of the 50,000 elite troops who entered the mountains fell ill after half a month and had to retreat.
The King of Nanyue then sent a letter, which was polite in wording but actually sarcastic.
Xu Shou's expression remained unchanged: "Times have changed. Last year, His Majesty had just pacified Jiangnan and his military might was at its peak. My lord was afraid that the army's entry would disturb the people, so he temporarily closed the gates."
"Now that Your Majesty has secured the Central Plains and spreads your benevolence throughout the world, our lord dares to send envoys to pay tribute."
That's a beautiful way of putting it, turning the refusal to fight into "fearing to alarm the people," and the opportunistic fence-sitting into "treating the ruler with benevolence."
Li Jingang sneered inwardly, but his expression softened slightly: "Your Excellency is very kind. May I ask how you intend to 'make friends' with us?"
Xu Shou took out a roll of silk from his sleeve and presented it with both hands: "This is the 'Five Articles on Trade' drafted by my lord. Please review it, Your Majesty."
The eunuch took it, unfolded it, and read aloud:
"Firstly, establish trade markets in Guizhou, Shaozhou, and Quanzhou, allowing merchants from both the north and south to travel between them;"
"Secondly, the tax on ivory, pearls, spices, and sugar produced in Lingnan transported north will be reduced by 30%."
"Thirdly, the tax on silk, porcelain, and ironware produced in the Central Plains and transported south will be reduced by 20%."
"Fourth, they established courier stations to maintain regular communication; fifth..."
He paused, then looked at Li Jingang.
"read."
Fifthly, we request Your Majesty to grant a marriage between a member of the imperial family and our Crown Prince, so that they may be united in marriage.
There was a moment of silence on the city wall.
Li Jingang suddenly laughed, the sound of which seemed particularly cold and sharp in the empty space:
"Your Majesty has certainly made a good plan. By opening trade markets and reducing commercial taxes, goods from Lingnan can be transported north, while goods from the Central Plains can be transported south. You are guaranteed to make a profit."
"You want me to marry a member of the royal family to you—are you trying to make me acknowledge your Southern Yue as a vassal state?"
"Your Majesty is too kind."
Xu Shou bowed and said, "Trade is mutually beneficial, and both families will benefit. As for the marriage alliance, it is meant to forge a lasting alliance."
"Although my lord lives in the remote Lingnan region, he is well-versed in etiquette. If he were to marry a noblewoman from the Celestial Empire, he would surely treat her with the respect due to a princess. When the heir apparent ascends the throne, his son would have His Majesty's bloodline. Wouldn't the two families then truly be one family?"
These words are a veiled barb.
On the surface, it was about establishing a marriage alliance, but in reality, it was about seeking political recognition—once the marriage was arranged, the King of Nanyue would gain the recognition of the Central Plains as the legitimate ruler, and his rule in Lingnan would be more legitimate.
Li Jingang paced back and forth a few steps with his hands behind his back, then suddenly asked, "The former emperor of the Yin Dynasty is strengthening his army in Xijing, intending to march east and contend for the world. Is Your Highness aware of this matter?"
Xu Shou's eyes flickered slightly: "I've heard a little about it."
"Then what does Your Highness think will happen next if the Yin Dynasty gains power and takes over Jiannan Circuit?"
"They might invade my southern Vietnam."
“Not bad.” Li Jingang stopped and stared at Xu Shou. “At that time, will he attack me first, or will he attack your Lingnan region first?”
Xu Shou remained silent.
“I’m telling you,” Li Jingang said, enunciating each word clearly, “Zhao Muyun is most adept at avoiding the enemy’s strength and attacking their weakness. There are still natural barriers and passes in the Central Plains, and I have hundreds of thousands of troops.”
"And you in Lingnan... Wuling Pass can stop Niu Desheng, but can it stop the cannons of the Yin Dynasty?"
He pressed closer: "My spies have reported that they have invented a new type of 'Molotov cocktail,' filled with potent incendiary oil that ignites instantly upon impact and is inextinguishable by water. The Five Ridge Pass is mostly comprised of wooden and stone fortifications; what will happen if we encounter this?"
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Xu Shou's forehead.
“Therefore,” Li Jingang’s tone softened, “I can consider trade and marriage alliances. But I want to see your sincerity—not just lip service, but real sincerity.”
"Your Majesty means..."
“In the eighth month of autumn, I will take action.” Li Jingang turned and looked west. “At that time, I will order Your Majesty to send 50,000 troops northward from Shaozhou by waterway to Jingxiang, and then attack Xijing from Wuguan.”
"If this can be done, I will grant you not only the right to open trade and reduce taxes, but also the right to be granted a kingship and land."
Xu Shou took a deep breath: "Fifty thousand soldiers... This matter is of great importance. I must report to my lord before a decision can be made."
“Alright.” Li Jingang nodded. “But the envoy must understand that the opportunity for war waits for no one. If there is no response before August, all the talks we have today will be null and void.”
"By then, if the Yin Dynasty has taken Jiannan Road, it will be too late for me to send troops."
This is a blatant threat.
Xu Shou's expression shifted, and he finally bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I understand. I will set off immediately to return and will certainly urge you to make a decision soon."
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