dignity
The sandalwood in the side hall of the palace seemed to have been tainted by the chill of the autumn night, and the curling green smoke struggled to rise in the stagnant air.
Crown Prince Ning Yanqing sat upright in the main seat, and below him, Prime Minister Wang stood with his hands hanging down. The candlelight cast deep and shallow shadows on his wrinkled face. His gray beard did not move at all, but the depths of his eyes were filled with the heavy burden.
"My Lord," the prince's voice broke the silence.
"Beishuo's request for food and fodder cannot be delayed. You are the pillar of the country. How can you teach me?"
The Prime Minister bowed deeply, his clothes rustling softly as they rubbed against each other. "Your Highness is very perceptive. Tuoba Hong's request is a matter of life and death for his court, and it also affects the peace of our northern border. If we reject it outright, we will only create trouble and force the tiger to jump over the wall. If we give it all we know, we will only feed the tiger and strengthen its claws. This is my humble opinion."
He raised his head slightly, his gaze as deep as an ancient well, "We should practice the art of feeding an eagle."
"The art of feeding eagles?" The prince raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Give them half their fill, and share it among them." Chief Minister Wang spoke clearly and forcefully. "Using the difficulty of transportation as an excuse, deliver the food in three batches. The first batch will depart in half a month. This will keep their soldiers and civilians on the brink of starvation, unable to rebel and forced to rely on our dynasty for support. To maintain the royal court, Tuoba Hong will devote all his energy to suppressing the civil unrest and will have no time for other things. Our northern border will be at peace, and the capital will also be able to breathe. We will wait and see what happens."
He paused, his voice lowered. "Your Highness, the Beishuo wolves are hard to tame, and Tuoba Hong is a man with a heart as deep as the sea. Food and fodder are a temporary solution, but also a yoke. We must use them, guard against them, and control them! We must not lose sight of our long-term plans because of a momentary show of respect."
The candlelight in the hall flickered, stretching the prince's silhouette onto the cold gold bricks.
The emperor's pale sleeping face, Prince Yong's ambition, the invisible undercurrent in the court...
Finally, he slowly exhaled, tapping his fingertips lightly on the armrest. "Good. I'll follow your advice and have the Ministry of Revenue draft the detailed plan. Half of the grain and fodder will be divided into three batches, with the first batch leaving in half a month."
"Your Highness, please make your decision." Prime Minister Wang bowed deeply, and his figure merged into the shadows in the corner of the hall.
At noon the next day, the autumn sun had dispelled the mist, illuminating the Prince's temporary director's study with bright and clean windows.
When Tuoba Hong was brought in, Crown Prince Ning Yanqing was standing by the window with a smile on his face. He poured two cups of tea with his own hands, and the hot steam blurred the gold lines on the rims of the cups.
"I am grateful for Prince Tuoba's hard work." The Crown Prince pushed a cup of tea in front of Tuoba Hong, his smile as warm as a spring breeze. "I have already discussed the matter of food and fodder with the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Revenue."
Tuoba Hong sat upright like a pine tree, his dark brocade robe making his jawline look even colder and harder. Hearing this, he simply nodded slightly: "Thank you, Your Highness."
"Beishuo's worries are also the Southern Dynasty's worries." The Crown Prince sighed softly and sat back in his seat, his brow tinged with a trace of worry for the country and the people. "However, last year, the floods in the southern border have not subsided, and this year, thousands of miles of land are barren. The national treasury's grain reserves are completely depleted, and transporting them is extremely difficult and dangerous."
He raised his eyes, his gaze meeting Tuoba Hong's with an open one. "I and my ministers have racked our brains, weighed the pros and cons, and can only raise half of what the prince requested, dividing it into three shipments. The first batch will leave the capital in half a month. This is my choice, but it is also a gesture of great effort by the Southern Dynasty. I hope you will be understanding."
"Half? Three batches?" Tuoba Hong's fingers holding the tea tightened for a moment. The wall of the cup was scorching hot, but it couldn't warm his heart which had dropped to freezing point.
His face remained calm, even showing a hint of understanding: "Your Highness and His Majesty have shown great grace. Tuoba Hongming is deeply grateful. Relieving the crisis with half the grain is already a great favor from heaven."
He set down his teacup, the bottom of the cup tapping the table with a barely audible sound. "I wonder if opening border markets, allowing merchants to exchange goods and alleviate the pressure on grain transportation, is feasible, Your Highness?"
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince's smile faded slightly, and he pondered, "Trade? Prince Tuoba's proposal is long-term and indeed makes sense. However, this matter is of great importance, and it will affect the entire system. It will not be decided overnight. Moreover, my father is recuperating, and I dare not make such a decision as to change national policy. Let's discuss it later."
With just a few words, another way out has been completely blocked.
Tuoba Hong slowly rose, his dark robes cascading down without raising a speck of dust. He bowed deeply to the Crown Prince, his manner impeccably respectful. "It was Tuoba Hong who was inconsiderate. Your Highness's kindness in allocating food will be forever remembered by Beishuo."
"Your Highness, you are too kind." The Crown Prince supported him, his smile still warm. "I will present the rules later."
After saying this, Tuoba Hong took his leave. The Crown Prince sat upright, watching the dark figure disappear at the end of the corridor, his eyes darkening slightly. Bei Shuo was not someone he would easily deal with.
The study room had its doors and windows tightly closed, blocking out the autumn sun.
Tuoba Hong stood with his back to the door, his hands behind his back, in front of the huge map of Beishuo. The sunlight filtered through the high windows, illuminating only the area beneath his feet, with the rest cast in shadow.
He, Tuoba Hong, was actually played around in the palm of the hand by the Southern Dynasty!
"Your Highness?"
Altan's voice sounded outside the door, with cautious tentativeness.
"roll."
There was no more movement outside the door.
He suddenly picked up a heavy bronze ruler on the table and was about to smash it at the map that symbolized the vast territory of the North, but at the last moment, it stopped in mid-air.
The Southern Dynasty's calculations were a foregone conclusion, and anger would only expose its own incompetence.
As his thoughts were churning, a figure suddenly broke into his mind. She had cold eyes and eyebrows. She was the Southern Dynasty princess who was about to become his princess, Ning Lingyi.
"Altan!"
"I'm here!" Altan responded immediately.
Tuoba Hong turned around and said, "Go and tell Princess Mingzhu to come see me immediately at the maple forest path in the east garden of the palace."
He paused and added, "Just say that this king has something to ask you."
When Ning Lingyi received this sudden call, her fingertips were gently brushing the snow rabbit's soft, cloud-like fur, and its ruby-like eyes were looking at her ignorantly.
"Summons for questioning?" She put down the snow rabbit, her heart slightly rippled.
This was the first time that the future husband had taken the initiative to ask for a meeting since the marriage decree was issued. Even though she was extremely reluctant and resistant to this marriage, she could not refuse the invitation of a man who had just saved her father's life, especially at this sensitive moment of the alliance.
She took a deep breath and said, "I understand."
Her voice was calm, but her heart sank slightly. What was coming could not be avoided. She straightened her clothes, tied her dark hair loosely with a white jade hairpin, and set off.
The maple forest path in the east garden of the imperial palace was covered with layers of fiery red leaves, which burned like fire, covering the winding gravel road.
Ning Lingyi stood under an ancient maple tree with a canopy-like crown.
Not far away, the jade lion was leisurely nibbling on the scattered grass leaves that had not yet turned yellow, and occasionally snorted. She looked at the scenery soaked in autumn, waiting for someone to come.
The footsteps came from far away.
Tuoba Hong came striding over in a solemn black robe. Mo Yan was irritably tied to a tree farther away by him, paddling his hooves anxiously.
He stopped a few steps in front of her.
His eyes fell on her and he just looked at her like that.
Ning Lingyi felt a little uncomfortable being looked at by him, and was the first to break the silence.
She bent her knees slightly and performed a standard palace etiquette: "Your Highness has summoned me. What do you want to ask Lingyi?"
She raised her eyes to look at him, her eyes frank. "Also, Lingyi has never thanked the emperor in person for his father's affairs. Your Highness lent a hand in the critical moment. Lingyi would like to thank Your Highness for saving her life."
She bowed again, her posture impeccable.
Tuoba Hong seemed to have not expected her first words to be thanks. He was silent for a moment before speaking in a deep voice with the hard accent unique to the north: "No need to thank me. Since His Majesty has granted the marriage, you are my princess. Protecting your father is also my duty, so I will give you this honor."
The string in Ning Lingyi's heart suddenly tightened.
She stood up, met his deep eyes, and said, "Your Highness, the things you said are your responsibilities are because of this marriage contract. But please understand, Your Highness, this marriage is not what Lingyi wants."
Her voice was not loud but every word was clear, like ice beads falling on a jade plate.
Tuoba Hong frowned and looked at the woman in front of him, a hint of confusion flashing across his eyes.
In his view, since the marriage decree had been issued, it was only natural for her to accept the status, settle down in the harem, and accept the respect he gave her. He never considered whether she was willing or not.
"The decree has been issued, and it's a done deal." His tone was calm, carrying an unquestionable authority. "There's no question of willingness or dislike. You are a princess of the Southern Dynasty, and even more so, the future consort of Beishuo. You must accept this identity."
"Your Highness, do you think this identity is necessary?"
"Perhaps in your Highness's view, it is natural for a wife of noble status to be placed in the rear house, taking care of her husband and children, but for me, it is not so."
She looked straight at him, her eyes clear and firm: "I do not accept a marriage based solely on the exchange of interests, without any emotional foundation, and perhaps even without dignity."
"Even with divine decree, I will not give up the possibility of seeking change."
"dignity?"
Tuoba Hong repeated the word, his brows furrowed even tighter.
He took a step forward, closing the distance between them, and the shadow cast by his tall figure almost enveloped her.
"Since I have promised you the honor of a princess and respect, how can you say you don't have dignity? I am not someone who mistreats women and children."
There was a hint of disdain in his tone. In the world he lived in, strength determined everything, and it was natural for women to depend on the strong.
Since the Southern Dynasty Emperor could not refuse Beishuo's request and gave the princess as a bargaining chip, she naturally belonged to him and became his vassal.
What a vassal needs is obedience and contentment, not talking about "dignity" and "voluntary". What she pursues is vague and unfamiliar in his inherent concept, and seems to him to be a bit useless and "pretentious".
Ning Lingyi clearly caught the contempt in his eyes and understood what was going on.
In his understanding, there may not be such a thing as respecting women.
"The princess's honor, the dignity your highness speaks of," she shook her head gently. "That's not the dignity I'm talking about. Your highness will probably never understand."
She saw Tuoba Hong's brows twisted into a "川" shape, which made her feel more desperate than angry. There was no basis for communication.
She stopped trying to explain.
No matter how many words are said, they seem pale and powerless at this moment.
She took a step back and nodded slightly: "If Your Highness has no other important matters, Lingyi will take his leave."
Without waiting for his response, she turned and walked towards the jade lion, and climbed onto the horse smoothly. Her moon-white riding clothes set off her straight back, and she looked like a lonely and proud snow lotus among the red leaves.
"Gee!" With a clear shout, the jade lion raised its hooves and galloped towards the depths of the palace. She was gone.
Tuoba Hong stood where he was, neither stopping him nor saying anything else.
His original intention was to have more contact with his fiancée. He was not a completely barbaric and reckless man. He understood that husband and wife are one body, and he was willing to honor her, just like his father Khan gave his mother.
The autumn wind blew up a few red leaves, which swirled and fell on his dark shoulders, then slid to the ground.
"Dignity, respect?"
These two unfamiliar words are like solving an obscure puzzle.
Why was she so resistant? Wasn't the honor and respect he promised her what every woman desired? What was this illusory respect she spoke of?
The moon-white figure disappeared at the end of his sight. It was the first time that he felt such completely incomprehensible confusion towards a woman.
Is dignity more important than his Beishuo cavalry?
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