Chapter 361 The Ministry of Commerce Robs the Envoy
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects!"
Just as Li Shimin was feeling awkward, Hou Junji rushed in.
Li Shimin once again regained his dignified demeanor.
So what if I lose face?
Anyway, this isn't the first or second time I've done this in front of Lao Wei.
"It's almost time to get off duty, what brings you here so soon, my dear minister?" Li Shimin asked leisurely.
"Your Majesty, good news, fantastic news!"
Hou Junji appeared somewhat excited, and then pulled out a letter: "Battle reports have arrived from Jiangnan..."
"The Liao people retreated."
"Liu Shuyi is besieged in Xuzhou; he can't hold out alone!"
"The Jiangnan region will be completely pacified in no time!"
Swish.
Upon hearing this, Wei Zheng was also startled.
Shuyu's guess was correct!
"Bring it here quickly!"
Li Shimin was also excited, and after reading the battle report, he burst into laughter.
"Haha...Good!"
"As the Lunar New Year's Eve approaches, all nations come to pay tribute."
"I was worried about being ridiculed by other countries, but Jingde solved this problem for me!"
Li Shimin's voice was exceptionally cheerful.
The pacification of Jiangnan was a great relief to him.
"And then there's Xue Li..."
Li Shimin looked at Wei Zheng: "I heard that Xue Li was recommended by Shuyu?"
"Return to Your Majesty."
Wei Zheng stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Xue Li stayed at the Duke of Zheng's residence for a few days."
"When the Emperor Emeritus was attacked at Xianyang Bridge, he also charged into the fray alone, displaying unparalleled bravery, much like Zhao Zilong!"
Um.
Li Shimin then remembered that there was such a thing.
If he were still the King of Qin, upon discovering such a valiant general, he might personally meet him.
But he was an emperor!
The angle from which you look at a problem depends on where you sit.
Xue Li might have been fierce back then!
But it was just fierce.
Li Shimin looked down on them.
He has as many men as he wants under his command...
What he lacks are talents who can bring peace to the world through literature and those who can establish order through military force!
And this time, the chaos in Jiangnan.
Xue Li proved his martial prowess!
"Xuancheng, you don't know."
Li Shimin was in a great mood and said with a smile, "Jingde praised Xue Li highly in his letter."
"Even the greatest credit for pacifying Jiangnan was given to the other side!"
Wei Zheng frowned.
Just when Li Shimin thought Wei Zheng was about to launch into another tirade...
These words completely baffled Li Shimin...
"His Majesty."
"Shuyu said that Jingde might want to take him as his son-in-law."
puff.
Li Shimin spat out a mouthful of tea.
What is that?
Looking for a son-in-law?
Well done, Jingde! You've got some serious scheming going on...
First he was eyeing Wei Shuyu, then he got entangled with Qin Shandao, and now it's Xue Li.
So you have a lot of daughters, right?
"Your Majesty, the matter in Jiangnan has been settled!"
Wei Zheng suddenly changed the subject: "That Chen Shuozhen..."
Now that everything has settled, it's time to settle the score.
Old Wei is very fierce!
And he's the fiercest in the imperial court!
Countless officials have been imprisoned because of him.
"Um."
Li Shimin shouted, "Li Junxian, arrest Chen Shuo and imprison him!"
"promise."
...
Honglu Temple.
Managing guests and tribute.
As envoys from various countries arrived one after another, the entrance to the Honglu Temple was bustling with activity.
Tuyuhun, Tibet, Eastern Turks, Western Turks, Baekje, Khitan, Silla...
One after another, messengers led large quantities of supplies into the Honglu Temple.
They had heard about the tribute trade before even entering the city...
The meaning of "Great Tang" is very clear.
If you don't accept it, you can go back.
The Tang Dynasty doesn't need your tribute!
They wouldn't dare go back...
The Tang Dynasty's current military strength and numbers far exceed what they can contend with.
"This messenger."
As we were leaving the Honglu Temple and were about to rest at the post station, a large group of people surrounded us.
"Roll, roll, roll..."
An official from the Ministry of Rites immediately jumped out: "This is the Court of State Ceremonial, not a place where you merchants can run wild!"
"Who said this is the Court of State Ceremonial?"
A portly merchant retorted, "This is a passageway. Can't I even walk?"
What's your attitude?
The official from the Ministry of Rites immediately retorted angrily, "I am an official appointed by the imperial court. Believe me or not, I'll throw you in jail!"
An official, right?
The merchant winked at the person beside him.
An old man immediately lay down on the ground and began to wail...
"The officials of the Court of State Ceremonial are bullying people."
"Is there anyone who can stand up for us?"
"Waaah... This old man is going to die. He'll just crash into the gate of the Honglu Temple today."
The foreign envoys were completely bewildered.
What's going on?
Why did she suddenly start crying on the ground out of nowhere?
"You bastard!"
An official from the Ministry of Rites shouted angrily, "The Ministry of Rites is currently receiving foreign guests."
"Your crying and making a scene in front of them is a disgrace to our Great Tang Dynasty!"
The portly merchant simply responded with a cold laugh.
"What's all this crying and fussing about?"
The merchant immediately retorted, "If you hadn't bullied him by abusing your official power, would he have cried?"
Grass.
The official gritted his teeth.
He immediately stepped forward and whispered a threat: "Don't think I don't know you're from the Ministry of Commerce!"
"right!"
The merchant readily admitted, "We've come to invite them to Hu County."
"What? It won't work?"
"So, I'm just asking you, are you going to give me this chance or not?"
"We won't do too much..."
"Just give us the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to have a chat!"
The officials of the Ministry of Rites were conflicted.
The higher-ups have given a strict order: the Ministry of Commerce personnel must not be allowed to contact these envoys.
But judging from this situation...
If he doesn't agree, the other party obviously won't leave.
If they offend foreign powers and they turn around and complain to His Majesty, it will be the Ministry of Rites that gets reprimanded.
Then the accountability process went down layer by layer...
He's definitely the scapegoat!
"It will only take the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
The official from the Ministry of Rites thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "And the conversation must take place under my watchful eye."
"OK!"
The merchant gave a cunning smile.
The group arrived at a nearby restaurant...
An envoy from the Eastern Turks, right?
superior.
Merchants fluent in East Turkic languages.
"Greetings, Your Excellency."
"We are here on behalf of the Ministry of Commerce of the Great Tang Dynasty to invite you to Hu County..."
“There you will find fine wine, beautiful women, and supplies that your Turkic people need.”
The merchants talked eloquently.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn...
The merchants had already become sworn brothers with the Eastern Turkic envoys.
Merchants talk about profit, and so do envoys from various countries.
Even if they stay at the Ministry of Rites, they still have to find supplies themselves!
"You bastard!"
The officials from the Ministry of Rites gritted their teeth.
He never expected that the other party could fool the Eastern Turkic envoy with just a few words.
"I'm sorry..."
The merchant envoy, an official from the Ministry of Rites, smiled and said, "I'm sorry to have taken up your time, gentlemen. To express my apologies, this meal is on me!"
We were chatting...
Another group of envoys emerged from the gate of the Court of State Ceremonial.
The merchant immediately abandoned the other party and eagerly went to greet him.
His rough yet enthusiastic voice came through the air...
"Escort, please wait!"
"..."
The officials from the Ministry of Rites stared blankly at the food and wine on the table for a moment.
He turned to the official beside him and asked, "Did he pay the bill?"
"this……"
The official dared not reply.
That guy was operating right under our noses the whole time, so what's the point of settling accounts?
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