Chapter 84 The Valiant Female General
The Tibetan envoy arrived in the capital within a month.
The conflict between the Great Qi and the Tubo has lasted for several years, and border frictions have never ceased.
The last time Tibet took the initiative to send envoys to seek peace was when the late empress was still alive.
At that time, the late empress personally led a large army to a great expedition and defeated the main force of the Tubo on the banks of the Huangshui River, forcing them to submit and sign an agreement to pay tribute every year in exchange for a few years of peace.
But this peace did not last long.
Less than six months after the death of the late empress, Tibet unilaterally broke the alliance and began to frequently harass the border.
Every autumn harvest season, they would send troops to plunder the grain and livestock of the Great Qi.
Border trade routes were frequently attacked, and it was common for caravans to have their goods stolen and for merchants to be killed.
Some villagers from Daqi were even abducted and enslaved.
The imperial court, unable to bear the disturbance, ordered the closure of the tea-horse trade to cut off its supplies, and repeatedly dispatched troops to launch expeditions to suppress it.
However, due to the Tibetan cavalry's high mobility and familiarity with the terrain, they were never able to win a major victory.
In recent years, Tibet has produced a valiant and skilled female general – Yangjin.
I heard that she was an orphan, but she made a name for herself on the grassland with her exceptional horsemanship and courage.
Later, she became famous for a battle in which she won against overwhelming odds. She caught the eye of the Tibetan king, who adopted her as his daughter and even bestowed upon her the title of "princess," an unprecedented honor.
Although the king had many biological children, he valued this adopted daughter the most.
Not only was she allowed to participate in military and political affairs, but she was also given command of the most elite cavalry force in Tibet.
The Tibetan people also held her in awe because of her bravery and respectfully called her "Princess Chizun".
She was skilled in tactics and adept at using surprise attacks, leading her troops in numerous raids on key towns in Youzhou.
Three years ago, during the cold winter, taking advantage of the gap in the border garrison's rotation and the transfer of grain and fodder, he led his elite cavalry to drive straight in and seize the strategically important four prefectures of Longyou in one fell swoop.
After this battle, a breach was torn in the northwestern defense line of the Great Qi, and the border situation became increasingly difficult.
Now, in less than three months, Shen Guojiu annihilated 30,000 elite Tibetan cavalry, finally breaking the stalemate and sweeping away the gloom of previous defeats.
Therefore, Tibet's sincerity in seeking peace this time was quite evident, as they directly dispatched a prince as the chief envoy, bringing generous gifts to the capital.
The whole country rejoiced.
His Majesty specially held a grand welcoming banquet in the palace.
Firstly, it was to demonstrate national power and showcase the wealth and strength of the Great Qi; secondly, it was to give them a warning and prepare for the subsequent negotiations.
The banquet was held in the Linde Hall.
The Linde Hall is the largest banquet hall in the Great Qi Imperial Palace, with a spacious interior that can accommodate more than a thousand people to attend the ceremony.
The spacious square in front of the palace was not only a venue for musicians and dancers to perform, but also a venue for large-scale competitive performances such as polo.
The Dragon Tail Path leading to the main hall is twenty zhang long, with bluestone steps leading up the steps, which is enough to inspire awe at first glance.
The Tibetan envoys removed their boots and swords outside the palace gates and were led to the front of the hall by officials from the Court of State Ceremonial.
As the musicians played "The Qin King's Battle Song" and a hundred armored soldiers with halberds shouted "Long live the King!", they ascended the steps.
The imperial guards stood on both sides with halberds, while the emperor sat high on his throne, awaiting their obeisance.
Li Yuanzhao sat in a high position to the left of his father, the emperor, his gaze fixed on the Tibetan prince at the head of the envoy procession.
The envoy was dressed in a traditional Tibetan fur robe, with a silver belt inlaid with jewels around his waist.
Her black hair was styled into a high braid and tied behind her head, with a large turquoise earring dangling from her right ear.
He was exceptionally tall and imposing, a full half-head taller than the Qi official beside him.
He had a round face, narrow eyes, and high cheekbones that made his face look particularly sharp; one could tell from his appearance that he must have a fierce personality.
However, between his tightly pursed lips and slightly furrowed brows, there seemed to be a strong sense of disloyalty.
Perhaps Li Yuanzhao's gaze was too direct, for after the prince entered the hall, he followed her gaze and looked directly into her eyes.
In the blink of an eye, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Neither of them looked away first, their gazes subtly revealing a power struggle between them.
Fortunately, at this moment, Prime Minister Su, who was in charge of the banquet, stepped forward, walked quickly to the foot of the imperial steps, bowed, and loudly reported to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, I report that the fourteenth prince of the Tubo Kingdom, Trizan, has arrived with an envoy of eighty people, carrying tribute gifts, on the orders of his king, the Zanpu, to pay homage to Your Majesty. Their letter of credence and list of gifts have been verified by the Court of State Ceremonies and are respectfully requested to be reviewed by Your Majesty."
After presenting his report, Su Xiang turned to the direction of the Tibetan envoy, raised his hand in a gesture of invitation, and signaled for Chizu Dezan to come forward and pay his respects.
The prince named Trizan then withdrew his gaze, stepped forward, clasped his hands together in Tibetan etiquette, and proclaimed loudly: "Trinzan, the envoy of Tibet, pays his respects to His Majesty the Great Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty! His Majesty's virtue matches Heaven and Earth, his might extends to the four seas, and his light shines upon all nations. My Zanpu, gazing upon Chang'an from afar, always holds a heart of awe and reverence, and has specially dispatched his subjects from ten thousand miles away to pay homage, to express his sincerity."
Surprisingly, this person could speak fluent Mandarin.
Although his words were impeccable and full of obsequiousness, he did not perform the kneeling ceremony according to the etiquette of the Great Qi Dynasty.
Throughout history, when envoys came to pay tribute, who dared not kneel and bow?
Besides, they've come to sue for peace.
His actions clearly carried a hint of provocation.
The emperor seemed to be dissatisfied with this as well, and did not reply for a moment.
Su Xiang stood to the side, his smile froze, unsure how to extricate himself from the predicament.
The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became subtle.
The officials all looked at each other in disbelief, marveling at the audacity of the Tibetan prince.
But if we directly scold them, wouldn't that make our Great Qi seem intolerant and petty?
A sarcastic smile appeared in Li Yuanzhao's eyes as he slowly said, "Prince Chizudezan has come from afar; he must be exhausted from his journey and has even forgotten the etiquette of the Great Qi's homage?"
Her voice was not loud, but it clearly carried to every corner of the hall.
Upon hearing this, Chizudezan asked bluntly, "What makes you say such a thing, Princess Zhenguo?"
Seeing that this person had never met her before, yet recognized her and called out her title immediately, Li Yuanzhao understood the situation.
It seems that quite a bit of preparation has been done.
She spoke casually, "Although there have been frictions between our Great Qi and Tibet in the past, today the prince has come to seek peace on the orders of the Zanpu, not to hold an alliance. If you are seeking peace, you should have the attitude of seeking peace. When my mother defeated Tibet, the Zanpu personally sent an envoy to the court, and he performed the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows. How come when it comes to the prince, Tibet's 'sincerity' is reduced to nothing more than empty words?"
The Emperor sat on the imperial couch, still silent, but slightly raised his eyes, clearly acknowledging Li Yuanzhao's words.
Chizu Dezan's expression changed slightly, but he still argued, "Customs vary from country to country, how can we force uniformity? I am performing the highest Tibetan etiquette, with my hands clasped together and my heart turned towards the Celestial Dynasty. This is the greatest respect that Tibet can show to the monarch of another country! If we were to kneel and worship according to the etiquette of the Great Qi, it would be disrespectful to my Tibetan ancestors. I hope the Princess will understand."
The other Tibetan envoys seemed to have no objection to these words.
“Respect?” Li Yuanzhao scoffed, his tone suddenly turning cold. “Your Highness seems to have forgotten that General Shen recently annihilated 30,000 elite Tibetan troops, and most of the lost territory in the four prefectures of Longyou has been recovered. Now it is Tibet that is taking the initiative to seek peace, not the Great Qi that is begging Tibet to stop fighting. If this is Tibet’s ‘respect,’ then this peace talk is better off not being discussed.”
She changed the subject, looked at the emperor on the imperial couch, and bowed, saying, "Father, I believe that since Tibet has no desire for peace, it would be better to send the delegation back. When our Great Qi army sets foot on Tibetan territory again, we can have the Zanpu come to the capital to pay homage. That would be much more satisfying than seeing the prince's 'respect' today."
The Emperor slowly nodded: "What Yuan Zhao said is very much in line with my thoughts."
Chizudezan's heart sank.
Looking into Li Yuanzhao's sharp eyes, he finally relented, "Your Majesty, please forgive me; it was my oversight."
He slowly bent his knees and finally knelt down, saying, "This foreign subject, in accordance with the rites of the Great Qi, on behalf of the Zanpu, pays homage to His Majesty the Great Emperor."
Although his kneeling posture was standard and smooth, there was not a single impolite thing to be found in his every move.
But Li Yuanzhao still keenly noticed that when he bent over, his back was always tense, and when he stood up, a fleeting look of resentment flashed in his eyes, as if he was enduring great humiliation.
interesting.
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