Chapter 314 Serving the King
It wasn't until the war between the Great Qi and the Nanzhao Kingdom that his elder sister released him from that hellish place and gave him the title of "Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Expedition".
But he was self-aware enough to know that this title was merely a pretext to undermine his third sister's uprising.
The conquest of Nanzhao was entirely due to Rumo's efforts, and had nothing to do with him.
Now, he was fortunate enough to return to the capital with the army.
Although his status as a prince has not been officially restored, his elder sister has restored his "prince" status, allowing him to live in the former Prince Cheng's residence and providing him with his rations on time.
His elder sister not only spared his life but also provided him with a life free from want, which was already an immense favor.
He was filled with trepidation and extreme gratitude.
Being called upon at this moment, he dared not be negligent in the slightest. He immediately went to the hall and knelt down respectfully: "Your subject... is here."
After years of exile, imprisonment, and the trials of life, Li Yuanyou had long lost the spirit and naivety he once possessed as a prince. All that remained was docility, silence, and a deep, undisguised fear of his elder sister, who sat high on the throne.
Li Yuanzhao looked at him and said, "The Xianbei want to marry a member of the royal family of my Great Qi in order to strengthen our alliance. Yuanyou, as my younger brother, you are of noble status and have never been married."
When Li Yuanyou heard the word "younger brother," his body trembled involuntarily.
Is he still considered her younger brother?
Li Yuanzhao continued, "I intend to marry you off to the Xianbei, to the Xianbei's eldest princess. Are you willing?"
Most people were stunned by His Majesty's unexpected decision!
Sending the prince...to marry a foreign ruler?
Li Yuanyou was also stunned, but he quickly came to his senses.
Willing? Unwilling?
Does he have a choice?
Over the years, he has long since learned to face reality.
Moreover, he saw a glimmer of hope in this seemingly humiliating marriage alliance.
Although his elder sister did not kill him, he still felt that his life was in constant danger.
If I could leave my elder sister's watchful eye and go to a completely unfamiliar foreign land, perhaps I could escape this constant, ever-present unease and gain a bit of true freedom.
He bowed down, his forehead touching the ground. "To receive the emperor's bounty, to serve the emperor faithfully, and to bear the emperor's worries, it is my honor to contribute to the alliance between the Great Qi and the Xianbei. I... am willing."
Li Yuanzhao nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to the stunned Xianbei envoy: "How is it? I have married my own younger brother to the Xianbei princess, which not only fulfills your country's request but also conforms to the order of seniority and further demonstrates the sincerity of my Great Qi in forming an alliance."
"I will accept the gift of five cities. From now on, the Great Qi and the Xianbei will be related by marriage and should live in harmony."
The Xianbei envoy opened his mouth, but remained silent for a long time.
They originally intended to find a Khatun for their future Khan.
In this way, they could establish a marriage alliance with the Qi royal family and temporarily avert the crisis of being annexed.
At the same time, it will also allow their second prince to obtain strong external support and firmly sit on the throne of Khan.
Killing two birds with one stone.
But now, it has turned into finding a husband for the eldest princess.
He was also a deposed prince who had been exiled and had lost power.
What's the use of this?
Wouldn't all these five cities have been for nothing?
But the emperor had already spoken, and the reason was perfectly plausible.
If they were to refute this in front of the envoys from various countries, they would not only be humiliating the Great Qi, but also angering this iron-fisted empress.
The fates of Nanzhao and Tubo are already before our eyes; the Xianbei are now utterly powerless to contend with the Great Qi.
If this leads to war, the consequences would be unimaginable.
In the end, the envoy's expression changed several times, but he finally managed to force a smile that was more like a grimace.
"Your Majesty is wise! This arrangement is truly... a match made in heaven! Your humble servant... on behalf of the Khan, kowtows to express our gratitude for Your Majesty's divine grace!"
"Okay." Li Yuanzhao nodded in satisfaction.
The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air again, and the atmosphere inside the hall gradually returned to its lively state.
Su Qingci was finally relieved.
Although it was a marriage alliance, it was not a good long-term solution.
But in the current situation, this is the most appropriate way to handle it.
After Li Yuanyou returned to the capital with the army, the officials in the capital debated endlessly about how to deal with him.
One faction believes that he has not committed any substantial wrongdoings in the past. Although he did not actually lead troops into battle during this southern expedition, he stabilized the morale of the army by virtue of his status, which can be considered as a small achievement. They advocate that His Majesty restore his title of Prince Cheng to demonstrate his benevolence.
The other faction clung to the fact that he was the son of the traitor Cui and the brother of the traitor Li Yuanshu, denouncing his crimes as grave and deserving continued exile to the frontier to prevent future troubles.
The two factions argued back and forth, disrupting the peace of the court and causing even His Majesty considerable distress.
Sending him to marry a Xianbei chieftain naturally resolved the dispute among the court officials.
His status as a prince was restored, and he was essentially "exiled" to the Xianbei—a win-win situation.
Moreover, they had already heard that the Xianbei were not simple people.
The Xianbei princess, who was not yet married, began to emulate the female rulers of the three neighboring kingdoms after learning that they had all become female rulers.
They had already been secretly cultivating their own power, coveting the position of Khan.
She had previously written a letter to His Majesty in private, expressing her earnest desire for the Great Qi to lend her troops to help her seize the throne, and promising to become a vassal state of the Great Qi and pay tribute after the success.
However, His Majesty refused.
If she marries the Prince of Cheng this time, with the powerful Qi state as her backing, she will naturally have something to rely on to compete with the Second Prince.
Regardless of whether they could win the battle or not, the Xianbei people would not be at peace for the foreseeable future.
This gave Daqi ample time to recuperate and rebuild.
When the Qi army is strong and its treasury is full, we can take advantage of the Xianbei's internal strife and launch a decisive attack to take them down. It will be a natural outcome.
Thinking of this, she looked at His Majesty on the throne.
She was dressed in a dragon robe, her hair tied up with a golden crown, and she was smiling as she spoke to the empress beside her.
The alcohol softened the sharpness in her eyes, adding a touch of composure and relaxation.
Su Qingci couldn't help but sigh again.
Even though she had followed His Majesty for many years, she was still impressed by His Majesty's profound wisdom and foresight.
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