Chapter 19: Etiquette and Culture, the Ruling Territory of the Song Dynasty...
When Fusu opened his eyes, all he could see was pitch black, with only a faint candlelight shining through the window. The chirping of insects was scarce in the early summer night, making the quiet night even more still.
The person outside the room seemed to have noticed the commotion inside and quietly pushed open the door, holding a candlestick. By the light, Fusu could see that the person was a young eunuch whom he had seen two or three times before Emperor Renzong.
"Where am I? What time is it?"
The eunuch rubbed his sleepy eyes and forced himself to perk up as he replied, "Your Highness, this is the rear hall of the Chuigong Hall. Yesterday, Your Highness slept until midnight, so His Majesty did not escort you back to the Kunning Palace. Instead, he ordered me to keep watch over Your Highness in the Chuigong Hall."
"It's almost four o'clock... It's almost four o'clock."
It was almost dawn, the most difficult time for the night watchmen. Fusu pursed his lips slightly: "Turn on the lights in the room and go take a nap. Don't worry about me for now."
The eunuch thanked him and said, "His Majesty instructed that if Your Highness wakes up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep, don't stay awake with your eyes wide open. Instead, get plenty of rest so you can go to the Great Xiangguo Temple with him and Lord Yan tomorrow."
Daxiangguo Temple? Does this mean the Emperor is going to personally go to negotiate, and the meeting is scheduled for tomorrow?
Fusu rubbed his eyes, somewhat regretting that he had fallen asleep after only hearing half of it. The schedule would definitely be decided later by the Emperor and several ministers.
After dismissing the eunuchs, Fusu lay down in the quilt, his small body twisting and turning without any regard for appearances.
Perhaps because Emperor Renzong often rested here, the bedding had absorbed a faint, calming fragrance, which smelled quite pleasant. But Fusu kept his eyes closed, certain that he was no longer sleepy. He had already slept through the previous night and the next, and besides, the Emperor had told him that they had to go to peace talks at dawn; how could he possibly fall asleep?
I simply lay in bed, aimlessly lost in thought.
The bombshell revelation delivered to the ministers should be enough. While I apologize for startling several senior and capable officials, the psychological "anchoring effect" is enough to make them label him a "radical advocate of war." It will be difficult for them not to have reservations when discussing the succession in the future.
As for the peace talks with Western Xia, there shouldn't have been any major problems in history... Fusu frowned and thought for a while, then suddenly relaxed. Oh well, if there were any, they would definitely be recorded in the historical books. His complete lack of recollection means there weren't any!
...Huh?
It seems someone asked me about this?
Fusu tried hard to recall, and a vague image appeared in his mind, a faint outline of Emperor Renzong illuminated by candlelight. Were they talking then? What did they say? He couldn't remember anything.
Forget it, forget it, stop thinking about it.
Fusu closed his eyes, his long eyelashes covering his eyes like brushes.
He'd already been successfully labeled a proponent of war, leaving him no room to maneuver. The stage was set; it wasn't him who should be performing, but the government. All he needed to do was be a good atmosphere-maker, watching the peace talks conclude successfully.
...
The next day, Fusu woke up with tears in his eyes.
—Who said the atmosphere team has to be dragged out of bed early in the morning to have their stage makeup done?!
It's not even 8 a.m., it's 6 a.m.!
He opened his sleepy eyes and was pulled in front of the bronze mirror by the well-prepared palace servants. He was then draped in a red gauze robe that was even more formal than one worn when a formal apprenticeship ceremony was held. The people in the mirror were layered upon each other, like streetlights with lanterns hanging during the New Year. Even without saying a word, one could feel the liveliness.
However, the palace servants seemed to think that wasn't enough, and magically produced several longevity locks made of gold. Fusu was so frightened that he quickly grabbed the hem of Emperor Renzong's robe, who was watching the commotion, saying, "Your Majesty, if you wear that, my neck will break!"
He realized his mistake after he finished speaking, and gently patted his mouth: "Pah, pah, pah, children say the darndest things!"
She then said pitifully, "But I really don't want to wear it..."
The official chuckled softly: "You child, how can you say that you're just a kid and speak without thinking?"
He then casually picked up a longevity lock and held it up against Fusu's chest, asking, "Does it look good?"
Fusu shook his head vigorously, but a chorus of praise rose from all around him.
"It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful."
"It makes His Majesty look like a little fairy."
"The cloud pattern on this lock is very similar to the jade belt around the official's waist. You can tell at a glance that they are father and son."
Fusu glared at each of the people flattering him from every angle, but none of them seemed guilty; some even smiled at him. Wait, could it be that these people were truly sincere?
He then looked at his formal attire, which resembled strings of firecrackers: "Great Song Dynasty, didn't you say you admired simplicity and elegance? Where did this lively style, so similar to that of the Tang Dynasty, come from?"
In the end, Fusu couldn't escape the fate of having his head bound with a golden lock, and he looked a little listless. But as soon as he stepped out of the Chuigong Hall and saw the vast and seemingly endless ceremonial guard, Fusu suddenly understood.
When is the time for the Emperor to properly display his power and prestige while receiving the Western Xia delegation?
He immediately straightened his back and, without needing any further instructions from Emperor Renzong, spontaneously and consciously followed the commands of the Ministry of Rites and the eunuchs. After a long and seemingly awe-inspiring ceremony lasting an hour, he rode in a sedan chair at a snail's pace to the main entrance of Xiangguo Temple, where he was helped out of the sedan chair and led to Emperor Renzong.
The Daxiangguo Temple was already surrounded by layers upon layers of imperial guards, a far cry from the days when Su Shi could freely bring people in and out. Thinking of Su Shi, Fusu's gaze subconsciously swept over the people who had come to see the emperor's true face. They were kept several feet away by the imperial guards, but they all stared intently in this direction, and some were even shouting "Your Majesty!"
Oh dear, I'm being silly. Su Shi is only so short now, even if he came, we wouldn't be able to see him.
Fusu smacked his head. Suddenly, someone among the people shouted "Your Majesty!" Like a splash on a lake, it spread like wildfire, with everyone around him joining in, the shouts of "Your Majesty!" rising and falling in waves.
The sound of the crowd, when gathered together, was quite penetrating. At least after they entered the meditation room of the Great Xiangguo Temple, they could still hear about five or six parts of it. Fusu stretched out his arms, gesturing for the Emperor to pick him up, and then leaned close to their ears: "This trick works very well."
Emperor Renzong: "...?"
He gave a polite smile, though he didn't understand.
Huh? What??
Fusu was shocked: "Aren't the people's voices just shills you arranged in advance? Aren't they meant to create a home-field advantage and put psychological pressure on the Western Xia delegation?"
He then glanced at the Western Xia delegation waiting on the other side of the meditation room and noticed that their faces were all incredibly grim, almost as unpleasant as Yang Shousu's reaction to being called "shameless." Fusu instantly felt that wearing the golden lock for two hours had been worthwhile!
By the way, it's fortunate that he hid behind Su Shi that day and concealed his face, otherwise he wouldn't be able to see it openly today!
The negotiators were changed from Song officials to the emperor, and the scale of the event was increased exponentially. Apart from the imperial guards stationed outside the temple, there were no fewer than several hundred officials, eunuchs, and palace maids who accompanied the emperor to the Great Xiangguo Temple. They were dressed in solemn ceremonial robes befitting their status, and their movements were orderly and graceful, flowing like water, until a solemn silence descended.
Surrounded by admirers, he exuded an air of refined elegance, as if he himself had draped a ray of sunlight over himself. His accumulated majesty and imposing presence made it impossible for anyone to look directly at him directly. The young child he held in his arms was looking up and talking to him. The child, dressed in a red gauze robe with a gold lock on his chest that made his skin appear even whiter and brighter, seemed to be speaking to his father with a lively and mischievous expression, like a celestial child stepping out of a painting before Guanyin.
Add to that the newly renovated meditation room overnight, the faint scent of ambergris emanating from the golden beast's mouth, and the distant sounds of the Song people's cheers...
The envoys from Western Xia had never seen such a spectacle before.
They had devoted themselves to studying Central Plains culture for many years and spent a considerable amount of time in Bianjing, the center of the Song Dynasty, but what they saw and heard today still overturned all their previous understanding. Even Yang Shousu, who was the most familiar with the Song Dynasty among them—now he had retired to the second-highest position—was just a mere scholar in the past, having paid respects to the local officials and attended the endless banquets for those who had passed the imperial examinations, and his perspective was no different.
The envoys from Western Xia were always complacent about their military strength and proud of their ruler Li Yuanhao's bravery and ambition. They believed that no ruler in the world could surpass their sovereign. But upon seeing the Song emperor today, they were overwhelmed by a different kind of overwhelming power, and even their shouts of "Wuzu" (a derogatory term for a powerful and incompetent ruler) became muffled.
"Wuzu" means "Son of Heaven." In the context of the Western Xia, it was an imperial title on par with the rulers of the Song and Liao dynasties. But could they truly claim the title of "Wuzu" with confidence before the emperor of the Song dynasty?
Those natives of Western Xia who had witnessed Li Yuanhao's drunken rampage in the unfinished palace, lying on a carpet, fell silent.
Sigh, I won't say anymore, it's all tears if I keep talking about it.
None of the Western Xia envoys had particularly poor mental fortitude. However, just as the human immune system can only develop antibodies against bacteria and viruses it has encountered, the Western Xia people could boast and intimidate with their military might, but how did they defend themselves when it came to the higher-level etiquette and culture that were outside their area of expertise?
Etiquette and culture happened to be the Song Dynasty's comfort zone, or rather, its ruling area. Etiquette symbolized wealth, and culture shone with civilization. Compared to the Western Xia, which could only confine itself to the northwest and gamble the nation's fate with the entire country's resources, the Song Dynasty could now serve a mere monarch with only a few hundred people, and in the future, it could summon tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands...
Fusu's scrutinizing gaze swept across the faces of the Western Xia people: It seems this round is most likely won.
Now it's up to the authorities to decide what to do.
Yesterday, several key ministers discussed for a long time whether to give money or land. Based on historical observations, Fusu guessed that money would be the most likely option. His reasoning was just as Fubi said: what if the Liao Kingdom took advantage of the situation and asked for land from you?
However, after the Western Xia envoy finished his greetings, Emperor Renzong, who was holding Fusu in his arms, said: "I originally did not want to lightly start a conflict on the border, but your ruler Yuanhao was originally a subject of the Song Dynasty. He received the emperor's favor but became disloyal, usurped the throne, and invaded the borders and killed people. Heaven and earth cannot tolerate this."
"You are now arrogant and reckless, yet you still want to demand annual tribute and cede prefectures and counties, which only increases your delusions. I am concerned about the suffering of the people and will grant you your submission, but I will not give you an inch of land or increase your silver. If Yuanhao truly submits, he should relinquish his imperial title and come to court in surrender."
—Not an inch of land will be given, and not a penny more will be awarded!
If anyone present was most shocked by these words, it wasn't the Western Xia envoy, but Fusu. Even during the build-up, he had sensed that the Emperor's tone wasn't exactly friendly and conciliatory, and at the end, he was truly taken aback. Wait a minute, weren't they offering land or money yesterday, a choice between two options? Why aren't they offering either today?
Who made the government change overnight?
Fusu looked on with surprise and uncertainty. He turned his head and saw the Emperor smile at him and stroke the top of his head.
No, it could also be just a tactic of asking for an exorbitant price and then settling for a lower one. Fusu thought to himself: Seeing that the Western Xia envoy wasn't surprised by the Emperor's words, it means that the Song side must have brought it up more than once during the previous tug-of-war negotiations, but it just didn't work out.
But deep down he still hoped that Emperor Renzong would stand firm to the end. The phrase "Not an inch of land will be given, not a penny more in silver" had drastically different effects when spoken by the emperor and the negotiating officials.
A murmur arose among the envoys from Western Xia, and after a short while, the leader stepped forward, cupped his hands to the emperor, and said, "Your Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, please allow us to discuss this for a moment."
Emperor Renzong smiled generously and said, "Please do as you wish."
Then, seemingly casually, he added: "The armies in Shaanxi have already prepared their troops and are awaiting my decree."
hiss--
Fusu gasped again.
Does this mean we should continue fighting if we disagree? Who are you? You're not the official I know... But whoever you are, don't get off the official's back, okay?
Upon hearing this, the Western Xia envoys' faces turned extremely grim, but none of them dared to utter a word in rebuttal. As the saying goes, threats and exorbitant demands carry different weight when they come from the emperor's mouth.
If they really start fighting after saying something like that... the Wuzu will probably tear them all to pieces and eat them!
The Western Xia envoys chattered amongst themselves for a while, then gestured with their fingers for quite some time. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they finally came up with a plan that could barely satisfy everyone inside.
“We can return all the land we have conquered. But the Song Dynasty must send at least 100,000 bolts of silk, 100,000 taels of silver, and 100,000 catties of tea to our lord every year.”
Compared to their initial demands for tribute, they reduced all offers by 30%, and also softened their stance on land. Clearly, the Western Xia side understood that with the Song emperor's arrival, it wasn't a market bargaining game where everyone haggled over prices. They needed to come up with a mutually agreeable solution, otherwise they would simply offend someone.
So, could the Song Dynasty actually accept this?
Yes, it's possible. In fact, it's even a little less than Yan Shu and Fu Bi's initial budget.
However, Fusu's heart suddenly tightened. He was really afraid that Emperor Renzong would agree to the terms of the concessions made by Western Xia because they were substantial and within budget—after all, Western Xia had always been a very easy-going person in history.
There was clearly another chance to try!
"Your Majesty."
Fusu stood up from Emperor Renzong's embrace, holding the teacup on the table in his arms: "Why did you finish your water? I heard the tea at Daxiangguo Temple is very good. I'll go find someone to refill your water."
Fusu was doing it on purpose, to distract Emperor Renzong and prevent him from speaking. His search for the specialty tea from the Daxiangguo Temple was also to buy more time so he could calm down and think rationally.
He ran to the outside of the meditation room and smiled at the nearest young novice monk: "Brother, could you brew a pot of spring tea from Daxiangguo Temple?"
Fusu then realized that the novice monk was a familiar face: "Hey, aren't you... the honest little novice monk that Su Shi met by chance at the Xiangguo Temple? Your Dharma name is Jue, Jue something again?"
But when Fusu and the young novice looked at each other, all they saw was a calm indifference in each other's eyes—the indifference of meeting a stranger for the first time.
That's impossible. That senior brother clearly saw his face before; there's no way he wouldn't recognize him.
Fusu immediately understood what was happening, and quickly glanced into the inner room, his face full of vigilance.
"You're not him, who are you?!"
A note from the author:
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