Chapter 99 Chapter 99 “Yesterday in the palace…
"Didn't we already express our gratitude in the palace yesterday? Why bother making another trip?" Seeing Jiang Wan kneeling down to salute, Emperor Chengde's eyes were still on the memorial. He just raised his right hand to signal Jiang Wan to stand up.
Government affairs had been very busy these days. The remnants of Zhu Yongding's followers needed to be cleaned up, and the situation in the Western Regions had to be taken into consideration. Emperor Chengde spent almost the entire day reading memorials and meeting with ministers. Jiang Wan was not called in until after dinner.
She stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I came here today not just to express my gratitude."
Emperor Chengde turned his gaze away from the memorial, his face gloomy. "If it's for the sake of the princess's peace of mind, I advise you not to speak. You performed a meritorious service yesterday, and I don't want to punish you, but please don't be rude."
After all, having been emperor for over a decade, Emperor Chengde exuded an unparalleled aura of authority. His seriousness was overwhelming, and ordinary officials would have been terrified and afraid to speak.
Jiang Wan was not at ease during her first solo appearance before the Emperor. She lowered her eyes, not looking directly at the Emperor—it was an unwritten rule of the Great Zhou Dynasty not to gaze directly at the Emperor.
She pursed her lips and tried to make her tone sound calmer: "Your Majesty, I am not here today to appease the princess."
Emperor Chengde was stunned for a moment, then he subsided a little from his pressure. He looked inquiring, "If it's not to stabilize Princess An, then why?"
Jiang Wan bowed slightly: "It's for the Fifth Princess, and also for me."
"Oh?" Emperor Chengde was quite interested and put down the memorial in his hand. "Is there anyone more suitable to replace the Fifth Princess?"
No matter what, the Fifth Princess is also his biological daughter. If there is a way to keep the Fifth Princess, Emperor Chengde will naturally be more than happy to do so.
"The climate in the Western Regions is arid, with numerous deserts. The small states all make their livings on animal husbandry and hunting, and they also practice levirate marriage. Their food customs are very different from those of the Great Zhou. The Fifth Princess grew up in the palace and has a quiet temperament. Whether she marries to Wusun or Loulan, she will have to suffer a lot." Jiang Wan did not directly answer Emperor Chengde's question, but took a detour and first talked about the hardships of marrying far away.
"Even if the fifth princess were to marry into the Zhou, it would only maintain peace for a few decades, not a long-term solution. Furthermore, Your Majesty is a man of great talent and strategy. In the future, the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions will surely submit to our Great Zhou. Will we then marry thirty-six princesses into the Zhou?"
Jiang Wan paused briefly before continuing, "I believe that the marriage is merely a symbol of the alliance. If the alliance changes, the Western Region monarchs will not care about the relationship between the princesses and the princesses. By then, the Fifth Princess will be in a foreign land and will become a hindrance to Your Majesty. If you want to maintain the alliance for a long time, you need to lure them with benefits and suppress them with force."
This speech first detailed the hardships of the Fifth Princess marrying far away, arousing Emperor Chengde's pity, then briefly flattered him, pointed out the drawbacks of the marriage strategy, and finally put forward his own point of view. Every sentence was from the perspective of Emperor Chengde, so the latter had no objection and easily followed Jiang Wan's thoughts.
After she finished speaking, she raised her eyes to look at Emperor Chengde's expression, and sure enough, he looked a little thoughtful.
Without the aggression, the pressure from Emperor Chengde was less intense than before. Jiang Wan breathed a sigh of relief and, in no hurry to continue, simply stood with his head bowed, waiting for the other party to ask questions.
When the ambergris had burned more than halfway, Emperor Chengde finally spoke: "In your opinion, what does it mean to lure them with profit and suppress them with force?"
Jiang Wan: "Our Great Zhou boasts millions of soldiers and thousands of volumes of military tactics. We take advantage of favorable weather and geographical advantages – this is strength. Our people are prosperous, our laws are complete, our culture is ancient and profound, and our technology is far ahead – this is profit."
"The two envoys entered the capital from Yumen Pass and witnessed the prosperity of our Great Zhou. This is one of the reasons why they are so eager to seek marriage. The Western Regions countries do not desire women from the Central Plains, but our culture and technology. I believe that if we can spread the characteristics of the Great Zhou to the Western Regions, we will surely gain the long-term submission of the Western Regions countries."
With this foreshadowing, it was clear to Emperor Chengde what Jiang Wan was trying to achieve. He stared at her inquiringly, "You intend to sell the porcelain and silk from your shop to the Western Regions. And you intend to do so as an official envoy, directly negotiating business with the monarchs of the thirty-six Western Regions?"
Just as Jiang Wan was about to speak, Emperor Chengde slammed the memorial down on the table: "How dare you!"
The sound of this beat was dull, matched by the emperor's angry roar, and the intense pressure made it almost difficult for her to breathe.
The emperor's wrath could result in the death of millions, and facing the emperor's wrath, even the slightest mistake could cost you your life. She forced herself to remain calm and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, calm down."
Emperor Chengde snorted coldly, "Using the name of government to connect the thirty-six kingdoms and monopolize border trade, by then the entire Western Region will only know you, Jiang Wan, and not the Emperor of the Great Zhou! Have I been too indulgent with you? Once Zhu Yongding fell, you all started to covet power and profit one by one! Do you still have me in your eyes?"
At the end of his speech, Emperor Chengde grabbed the teacup on the table and threw it to the ground. With a snap, the cup shattered into several pieces. The sharp fragments passed through Jiang Wan's hair, and the tea splashed, and a few drops landed on her clothes.
She knelt on the ground, touching the cold earth, and heard her heartbeat quickening.
I dare not hide, and I cannot hide.
Zhu Yongding's private army was built by borrowing supplies from the Xiongnu in the Western Regions. Emperor Chengde, already suspicious, was even more sensitive to matters concerning the Western Regions at this critical juncture. Furthermore, Zhu Yongding's conviction was her own, and in the emperor's mind, she was already an accomplice of Wen Shen and Shen Jianqing.
Moreover, if she could be the first person to open up trade in the Western Regions, she would indeed be the uncrowned king in the hearts of the countries in the Western Regions.
Jiang Wan knelt motionless, her mind racing. She had to find a way to dispel the emperor's doubts. Otherwise, not only would she fail to save He Wanrong, but she would also risk herself, her family, and Wen Shen.
"Your Majesty," she said, her thoughts racing but her voice calm, "I am alone, without a husband or children. My mother and brothers are all commoners. My former master, the He family, has been wiped out, leaving only an orphan. What use is there for me to have power?"
"I said from the outset that I came here for the Fifth Princess, but also for myself. I am fascinated by porcelain, and my lifelong wish is to spread the porcelain of the Great Zhou to every corner, so that all the countries in the Western Regions will be amazed by our Central Plains civilization. I dare not monopolize trade, nor will I prohibit others from trading in the Western Regions. If Your Majesty feels that there is a more suitable candidate for this envoy, I am willing to step aside."
Jiang Wan's words made Emperor Chengde hesitate. Her words were frank and reasonable. In Emperor Chengde's opinion, there really wasn't any other conspiracy.
If he really needed to appoint an envoy to represent the Great Zhou in trade with the nations of the Western Regions, he couldn't think of a good candidate. Firstly, the job was arduous, requiring constant travel throughout the country, with the possibility of returning home only once a year. Few of the pampered aristocratic children could endure such hardships. Secondly, the official in charge must be of high rank and ability, possessing a high status in the Western Regions, but must not harbor even the slightest desire for power, as this would significantly impact the political situation.
Emperor Chengde looked at the young girl kneeling on the ground and thought that perhaps she was the most suitable candidate.
But there was still one thing that made him uneasy.
"I've heard that you and Ziyan have a very good relationship. The Empress even came to me a few days ago to ask for your marriage." Emperor Chengde's tone calmed down a bit, but the scrutiny in his eyes remained undiminished. "The Sixth Prince is my only legitimate son, and now my most cherished son. You're educated, so you should know the dangers of powerful relatives."
Jiang Wan knelt on the ground, silent for a long time.
This question was actually not difficult to answer, much simpler than the previous question from Emperor Chengde. But once the answer was spoken, she could no longer turn back.
After a long silence, she bowed her head.
"Your Majesty, Young Master Wen grew up by your side, and you know him best. The Sixth Prince is young and burdened with heavy responsibilities, and the Empress has no one to rely on in Lin'an. He will not leave the capital at this time. My ambition lies beyond Yumen Pass, and I have no connection with him."
After hearing the satisfactory answer, Emperor Chengde finally put aside his doubts and withdrew his inquiring gaze.
"Since you have made up your mind, I will have the Honglu Temple convey your thoughts to the Wusun and Loulan kingdoms. If there are no problems after the discussion, I will appoint you as the Imperial Envoy."
"If this is accomplished, the Great Zhou will no longer have princesses marrying into other clans. The title of Princess Anding will not be revoked. I will grant her marriage to your brother, and after the marriage, I will give your brother the honorary title of Imperial Consort."
The hem of her moon-blue brocade gown fell to the ground as Jiang Wan, dressed in her finest attire, bowed once more in gratitude. Though her goal had been achieved, she felt no joy at all, but rather a deep sense of dejection.
She dressed up and was going to run towards the love of her heart, but she changed direction halfway and walked into the vast yellow sand of the Western Regions.
"Stand up," Emperor Chengde's gaze softened as he reminded him, "As long as you work hard, I will treat your family well. Also, now that you have made your decision, you may not return to the capital without an imperial decree."
"I will faithfully follow your Majesty's instructions and will never disappoint your Majesty."
"Well," Emperor Chengde said, "if there's nothing else, then you can leave. Have a good rest. You've been exhausted for several days."
"Yes." Jiang Wan felt uncomfortable, and she didn't have the energy to express her gratitude. Facing such a cold and suspicious emperor, she really had nothing to say.
As he reached the door, he suddenly heard the emperor's puzzled voice behind him.
"Wait a minute, my dear Jiang. I have a question for you," said Emperor Chengde. "Every woman hopes to marry a man of her dreams. I have watched Ziyan grow up. He has excellent character and a kind heart. He is also the Empress's brother, and he is very fond of you. If you marry him, you will enjoy endless wealth and glory, and you won't have to endure hardships outside the Great Wall. Moreover, you have been through so much together... Are you really not tempted at all?"
Jiang Wan paused but didn't turn around. Emperor Chengde couldn't see her expression, only her slow, measured response.
"Your Majesty," she said, "love is too light a word."
While Emperor Chengde was stunned, Jiang Wan had already lifted the curtain and walked out.
Love is too light a word... So she was moved? But for a woman, what is more important than love?
Inside the hall, Zhu, the pure ancient man and the highest representative of feudal dregs, the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty was puzzled.
Outside the hall, the crescent moon has reached the zenith.
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