Chapter 182: Establishing Diplomatic Relations with Many Countries
Except for General Xuanwei's challenge to Changxia, which ended in a miserable defeat and loss of face, the entire palace banquet was a great success with all the guests enjoying themselves.
During the ceremony, an envoy asked about purchasing a public bus. Emperor Qingyuan readily replied, "Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will come to the post station in two days to discuss the matter in detail."
The envoy was naturally delighted and returned to the table with satisfaction.
After the palace banquet, all the officials left with their families, and the envoys, led by the translator, left the island by boat and returned to the posthouse to rest.
Du Qingtang and Fu Ci returned home in a carriage and talked about Changxia on the way.
"Nanzhao State values martial arts. Local citizens, both male and female, begin studying and practicing martial arts at the age of five, enlist in the army at the age of fifteen, and can decide whether to stay or leave at the age of twenty-five."
"They are very warlike, spending eight months of the year at war with neighboring countries, constantly expanding their territory."
"Changxia is the youngest daughter of the current queen of Nanzhao. She appears gentle and harmless, but in reality, she possesses exceptional martial arts skills. Even her brother, Changxiao, is no match for her, having lost to her in the battle for the throne last year."
"Changxia has been in the army for two years, but he has already led his troops to conquer four countries. He is brave and skilled in battle, and his military tactics are like a god. He is highly respected in Nanzhao State and deeply loved by the people."
"When she reaches the age of twenty and ascends the throne, she will surely lead the Nanzhao Kingdom to new heights."
"It also means that Nanzhao is very likely to accelerate its expansion. We must establish diplomatic relations with Nanzhao before Changxia ascends the throne and build long-term friendly exchanges. Otherwise..."
Du Qingtang heard Fu Ci's unfinished meaning, propped up his chin with one hand, and used the hairpin to pick at the wick of the lamp: "Don't judge a person by appearance. Zuo Lifeng suffered the consequences of judging a person by his appearance."
Fu Ci remained silent, but was overjoyed when he thought of the miserable sight of General Xuanwei lying on the ground with his arms and legs spread out.
"I imagine those people must be very panicked. They're wary of the Nanzhao Kingdom behind Changxia, and also wary of their wives and daughters. They're afraid that Changxia will give rise to some inappropriate thoughts in their minds and try to seize the rights and resources that belong to them."
Du Qingtang put down the hairpin and said meaningfully, "Resources are always limited. Good things must be snatched away."
Fu Ci took a sip of tea. His eyebrows and eyes were particularly gentle under the candlelight, but his eyes were firm and steady. "I believe that day will come soon."
Du Qingtang nodded, his tone firm: "Yes."
......
Back at Duke Wen's Mansion, Du Qingtang moved into the main courtyard, while Fu Ci went to Cuiwei Garden next door.
In order to entertain overseas guests, the palace banquet was filled with royal wine. Du Qingtang rarely drank too much and drank two more cups.
The maid smelled the overly strong aroma of alcohol on her master, so she asked the kitchen to prepare two bowls of sobering soup. One bowl was sent to Cuiwei Garden, and the other bowl was served to Du Qingtang as soon as he took a bath.
"Master, drink this hangover soup while it's hot, or you'll have a headache tomorrow morning."
The sobering soup didn't taste very good, but luckily Du Qingtang was not picky about food and drank it in three or five mouthfuls.
The hour of Hai has passed and everything is quiet.
After running around during the day and attending a palace banquet in the evening, Du Qingtang was really tired. He dried his hair and blew it with a hand-cranked fan for a while to dry the moisture from the ends of his hair, then lay down to sleep.
Just as I was beginning to feel sleepy, there was a knock on the door.
Du Qingtang opened his eyes: "Who?"
"It's me!" A soft female voice penetrated the door and reached my ears accurately.
Du Qingtang half sat up: "Come in."
Fu Ci pushed the door open and walked in, holding a quilt and a soft pillow in his arms.
The quilt was thick and bulky, covering most of Fu Ci's face, leaving only a pair of dark eyes exposed.
Fu Ci blinked, looked eagerly at the person leaning against the bed, and said softly: "Xianyu, I can't sleep alone, can I sleep with you?"
Du Qingtang: "...How come I didn't know you were still particular about your bed?"
"It's not like I'm stuck in bed." Fu Ci smiled with his eyes curved. "I haven't seen Xianyu for a long time. I want to talk to you."
After all this, Du Qingtang lost all sleepiness. He raised his hand and rubbed his brows, then moved a little closer and patted the bed: "Come here."
"Great!" Fu Ci cheered, walked forward briskly, spread out the quilt and lay down, staring at Du Qingtang sideways, "Xianyu, can you tell me what happened in Daxia in the past few years? And your experiences."
How to return to Xiajing from Shaoqing Prefecture, how to ascend the altar and enter the cabinet, and how to become a duke or marquis.
In this patriarchal society where men are superior to women, Xianyu must have put in hundreds or thousands of times more hard work to achieve such dazzling success.
Du Qingtang responded, slid into the quilt, and spoke slowly.
After she finished speaking, Fu Ci took over and recounted his experiences overseas.
They all tacitly reported good news but not bad news, concealed all kinds of dangers, and showed their relaxed and happy side to each other.
"...About two years ago, I was captured by a group of savages. They couldn't understand human language and ate human flesh. The cave where I was held was littered with human bones."
Fu Ci seemed a little sleepy, his voice soft and vague, "I'm scared, scared of being eaten by them. But when I think of you, I'm not afraid anymore."
"I was thinking, I must come back alive."
"I can't let you face the storm in the court alone. Even if I can't stand shoulder to shoulder with you, I want you to know that I'm always here..."
At the end of the story, the protagonist escaped safely.
The storyteller closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Du Qingtang lowered the curtains to block out the dim candlelight and tucked the quilt in for Fu Ci.
"Sweet dreams."
-
Du Qingtang and Fu Ci slept well all night, but many people tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.
Whenever they thought of the princess of Nanzhao easily defeating the fourth-rank general of Daxia, their hearts were hanging in the air and they were terrified.
For the strength of Nanzhao Kingdom.
For women to serve as officials and rulers.
Faced with internal and external troubles, they almost stayed awake all night. The next day, they appeared in the Golden Palace with huge dark circles under their eyes, like wandering souls.
Especially after seeing Duke Wen in a purple robe, the resentment in his heart almost solidified into substance, and his entire body exuded a dark aura from the inside out.
Du Qingtang certainly knew what these people were worried about and complaining about.
But so what?
Compared with men in overseas countries, they enjoy all the benefits of being men.
He is servile and submissive outside, but acts arrogantly and bullies his wife and daughter at home.
Things have changed, and it is time for women to stand up and enjoy those rights.
"Your Majesty has arrived—"
Emperor Qingyuan sat high on the dragon throne, and all officials knelt in worship and shouted "Long live the emperor" three times.
"Everyone, please stand up."
As soon as the Minister of the Imperial Household, Lord Lu, had stood still, he could not wait to step forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
Emperor Qingyuan raised his hand: "Approved."
The Minister of the Imperial Household bowed his head and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, at the palace banquet last night, the Princess of Nanzhao acted recklessly and injured our General Xuanwei. Her arrogance was truly outrageous. However, she is a distinguished guest of our dynasty, so we cannot hold her accountable."
"But in my humble opinion, this is not the most important thing." The Minister of the Imperial Household changed the subject. "Even a woman has such powerful martial arts. I dare not imagine what chance our army would have of victory if the Nanzhao Kingdom launched an invasion."
"Even with firearms as our trump card, war is ruthless and the people are innocent. Once the war breaks out, there will be devastating suffering, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Qingyuan asked inexplicably, "Lord Lu, how do you think Daxia should respond?"
The Minister of the Imperial Household bowed and said in a resounding voice, "In my humble opinion, our dynasty should close all ports and completely cut off all exchanges with overseas countries in order to stabilize the Great Xia Empire and prevent foreign invasion!"
Du Qingtang: “…”
Is the person with the surname Lu sick?
They actually proposed closing the country to the outside world at this critical juncture of Daxia's rapid development?!
Thinking of the last dynasty of a certain modern era, whose country's doors were opened by powerful ships and cannons, starting nearly a hundred years of humiliation for the great Chinese nation, Du Qingtang really wanted to pry open the brain of the Minister of the Imperial Household to see if it was filled with paste and would clang when shaken.
As soon as these words were spoken, many officials rushed to agree with them.
"Daxia is a land of abundance, with vast land and abundant resources. It can be completely self-sufficient and has no need to establish diplomatic relations with other countries."
"It's hard to tell which countries overseas are friends or foes. If they steal Daxia's secrets, use them to strengthen themselves, and then turn around and attack Daxia, Daxia will be in danger! The people will be in danger!"
"Your Majesty, please expel the overseas envoys from Daxia and issue an order to close the five ports and cut off all foreign ties."
"I second the motion!"
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingtang couldn't stand it any longer, so he stood up and scolded the Minister of the Imperial Household.
"Lord Lu is wrong. Last night, I, Du, consulted Lord Fu about the situation in the overseas countries. I learned that these countries have been committed to breaking down national boundaries and enhancing exchanges and cooperation between nations for a hundred years."
"Although those countries lack firearms, trains, and other things that strengthen their armies and benefit their people, they have, through a century of hard work, actively exchanged materials and technology, promoting the development of foreign trade. Their economies and military strength are in no way inferior to ours."
"And yet, at a time when overseas countries are developing rapidly, you, Lord Lu, propose severing ties with foreign countries, remaining complacent, and implementing a policy of isolation, directly cutting off Daxia's path to advancement. What are your intentions?"
Du Qingtang's eyes were sharp as he pressed the issue, "Are you worried about the longevity of the Great Xia Empire, or are you worried that foreign powers won't covet the rich lands of the Great Xia Empire and launch an invasion?"
The Minister of the Imperial Household was so utterly savagely scolded by Du Qingtang that his face flickered between pale and blue, looking extremely ugly. He pointed at her tremblingly, his fingers shaking with anger: "You, you are just making up stories!"
"What do you mean by specious arguments?" Du Qingtang sneered and retorted, "If I follow your proposal and allow Daxia to close its doors to the outside world and eventually fall into the hands of the great powers, will you be satisfied?"
Everyone's face changed drastically and they argued.
"Nonsense! Our dynasty has hundreds of thousands of troops and firearms, how could we fall into the hands of foreign enemies?"
"Our dynasty is blessed with talented people and a land of skillful craftsmen. How could we lag behind other countries?"
"Duke Wen, are you looking down on yourself, or are you looking down on the entire court and the people of the world?"
Du Qingtang said frankly: "I never think I can do anything."
"Perhaps one day Mr. Du will run out of ideas and will no longer be able to create anything that strengthens the military and benefits the people. After all, human creativity is limited, and there will always be a moment when it is exhausted."
"It is true that our dynasty has many skilled craftsmen, and I will do my best to recruit them into the academy and use them for the court. However, Daxia is making progress, and so are other countries."
"Daxia can create firearms. One day in the future, perhaps they will also be able to create weapons that are as powerful as firearms, or even far superior to them, to strengthen the army."
"That's when all the lives will be in utter ruin. Great Xia will be in danger, and the people will be in danger."
Du Qingtang's expression softened slightly, and he bowed, "Your Majesty, I do not agree with closing the country to the outside world."
"Mutual benefit and win-win results, and common development are the wise moves."
"If we consider closing ourselves off from the outside world because we're worried about the ill intentions of other countries towards Daxia, what difference would that make us stop eating because of choking?"
"Instead of worrying about these things, we should strengthen our national defense, work hard to strengthen our military and our country, and strengthen our border defenses to prevent foreign countries from taking advantage of us."
Du Qingtang looked at the Minister of the Imperial Household and made malicious speculations, "Lord Lu's words are truly despicable. I suspect he is a spy sent by Great Qi to disrupt the foundations of Great Xia. When Great Xia is weak, Great Qi will take advantage of the situation and seize our territory in one fell swoop!"
Minister of the Imperial Household: “???”
Minister of the Imperial Household: “!!!”
The Minister of the Imperial Household's legs went limp, and he fell to his knees, banging his head on the ground, howling like a ghost: "Your Majesty! Heaven and earth can bear witness to my heart towards Daxia and Your Majesty. Please do not listen to the instigation of others!"
"I did this out of a sense of caution, but Lord Du is so aggressive, accusing me of being a spy for the Great Qi. He's trying to drive me to death!"
Du Qingtang sneered and spoke seriously, "Lord Lu, please stop quibbling. There are nearly a hundred civil and military officials in the Golden Palace, and everyone is happy that Daxia has established diplomatic relations with overseas countries. Only you are encouraging His Majesty to do the opposite."
"Instead of looking forward to the growing strength of Great Xia, you are content with the status quo and cling to your shortcomings. I, Du, have every reason to suspect that you are a spy sent by another country to sow discord between our emperor and his subjects and endanger our country!"
The Minister of the Imperial Household pointed at Du Qingtang tremblingly: "You...you..."
Without being able to utter a complete sentence, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
Emperor Qingyuan: “…”
Civil and military officials: "......"
After a brief silence, Emperor Qingyuan coughed and said sternly, "Ministers Du and Lu both have their reasons. We need to be on guard against foreign countries, and Daxia must not cling to the past and remain closed off."
"I intend to build a navy, station it along the coast, and strictly guard the major maritime fortresses to deter foreign nations."
All the officials looked at each other in bewilderment, and after a moment they said in unison, "Your Majesty is wise."
Emperor Qingyuan raised his hand and said, "Come here, send Lu Aiqing back to his house, and send the imperial physician to see him."
The Minister of the Imperial Household is old, so don't get angry and cause any harm.
Officials: "......"
It has to be said that Duke Wen's move was extremely ruthless.
If the Minister of the Imperial Household still insists on his own opinion and requests His Majesty to close the country to the outside world, then he will be confirmed as a spy from another country.
What good end can a spy have?
At the very least, you could be thrown into prison, and at worst, you could lose your life.
If you want to live, just shut up.
Some officials sighed deeply, feeling deeply regretful.
It seems that it won't work.
Du Qingtang watched coldly as the imperial guards carried the Minister of the Imperial Household Department out, his expression expressionless.
The old guy has bad intentions. He keeps talking about stabilizing the country and resisting foreign enemies. His fundamental purpose is to prevent foreign ideas of gender equality from entering Daxia and to prevent Daxia women from developing independent ideas. Otherwise, they will not be able to be emperors at home and continue to be arrogant.
How could Du Qingtang do as he wished?
Scolding him was the least of his worries. If it weren't for the fact that he angered the imperial official to death, which was a serious crime and would lead to a lawsuit and unnecessary trouble, Du Qingtang would have to scold him a few more times to get rid of this evil for the people.
Afterwards, Emperor Qingyuan announced the list of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fu Ci.
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yu Danchen.
......
Fu Rui's shrill voice echoed in the Golden Palace, making everyone feel as if thousands of bugs were crawling in their hearts, making them extremely uncomfortable.
Another woman who holds a high position and holds real power.
Once Daxia formally establishes diplomatic relations with overseas countries, there will inevitably be more overseas envoys visiting Daxia, intentionally or unintentionally spreading their own country's ideas.
Those ideas include but are not limited to women serving as officials and women serving as rulers. Once they spread across the territory of Daxia, they will spread like wildfire and will be difficult to contain.
They could not lock up all the women in Daxia at home, nor could they block their ears to prevent them from being exposed to those unorthodox and anti-ethical ideas.
Under the influence of these ideas, can they still honestly follow the three obediences and four virtues, regard their husbands as their heaven, and take chastity as their life?
Everyone subconsciously looked at the young woman in a purple robe sitting in the row in front of Officer Levin.
No one responded to them, but they already knew the answer.
-
After the morning court session ended, Emperor Qingyuan kept officials of the third rank and above in the court.
"Minister Fu will come to the palace to report on his work later. You, my dear ministers, are my right-hand men. You should deepen your understanding of overseas countries to prepare for any emergency."
The officials bowed and said, "Your humble servants will obey your majesty's command."
Emperor Qingyuan boarded the dragon carriage and left first, while Du Qingtang and others walked to the imperial study.
Fu Ci had arrived at the imperial study ahead of everyone else and was discussing his overseas experiences with Emperor Qingyuan.
Emperor Qingyuan was holding a booklet in his hand. Du Qingtang took a quick glance at it. The paper was densely covered with words, vaguely Fu Ci's handwriting.
"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."
"Everyone, please stand up and take your seats."
The palace maids brought an embroidered stool, and everyone thanked the emperor and sat down respectfully.
Emperor Qingyuan raised his hand and said, "Minister Fu, please continue."
Fu Ci agreed and continued, "In addition to exquisite goods from various countries, the fleet also found corn with a yield of 1,000 kilograms per mu, tomatoes with a yield of 5,000 kilograms per mu, and golden melons."
Everyone gasped.
"Five thousand catties per mu?!"
"What are tomatoes and golden pumpkins? How come their yields are higher than potatoes and sweet potatoes?"
"What's the difference between corn and rice? How could overseas rice production be twice as high as ours?"
Besides being surprised, everyone was also confused.
While they were feeling complacent and carried away by the fact that Daxia had become the overlord standing on this vast land, were the overseas countries actually already far superior to Daxia in some aspects?
Emperor Qingyuan was also filled with mixed feelings, his brow furrowed. "Lord Qi, please send these crops to the imperial farm for trial planting as soon as possible, and promote them nationwide."
Grand Secretary Qi stood up and said, "As you command."
Fu Ci continued, "In addition to high-yield crops, the fleet also brought back some crops and fruits with average yields per mu. The ship responsible for transporting them is on its way and is expected to arrive in Xiajing in six days. I will immediately send someone to deliver them to the Ministry of Revenue and have Lord Qi plant them on trial."
Grand Secretary Qi bowed and said, "Thank you, Master Fu."
Fu Ci smiled and turned to talk about the apparent national strength of each country and tribe: "...I have already recorded the more detailed information, so I will not elaborate on it one by one."
Everyone subconsciously looked at the booklet in Emperor Qingyuan's hand, with the word "curiosity" clearly written in their eyes.
Emperor Qingyuan acted as if he saw nothing and flipped through the book as if no one was around.
Everyone: “…”
About half an hour later, Fu Ci finished his report.
Emperor Qingyuan also finished reading the contents of the booklet, his face solemn. "Establishing diplomatic relations with overseas countries is imminent. Minister Fu Ai, you and the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should prepare to negotiate with the envoys of various countries as soon as possible and sign the letters of establishment of diplomatic relations."
"Except firearms, anything in our dynasty can be exchanged."
"Use their strengths to make up for your own weaknesses. Do you understand, Lord Fu?"
Fu Ci bowed and said, "I understand."
Emperor Qingyuan showed satisfaction on his face: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is adjacent to the six ministries, and the appointments of all officials have been issued. If nothing unexpected happens, they are already waiting for Minister Fu at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
Fu Ci responded respectfully, and when he turned around, he met Du Qingtang's admiring gaze and blinked quickly.
Du Qingtang curled his lower lip slightly.
Emperor Qingyuan: “…”
Officials: “…”
After Fu Ci left, officials of the third rank and above voluntarily left the imperial study.
Du Qingtang, however, sat upright and seemed to have no intention of leaving, which attracted everyone's attention.
After leaving the imperial study, everyone started discussing.
"What does Duke Wen want to do now?"
"Princess Wen advocated for establishing diplomatic relations with overseas countries, and she probably stayed for this purpose."
"Master Qi, please arrange for people to test-plant those high-yield crops as soon as possible so that they can be fully promoted as soon as possible."
Grand Secretary Qi twirled his beard and smiled, "Of course. Although Daxia already has potatoes and sweet potatoes, the more food we have to fill our stomachs, the better."
"However, what Duke Wen said at the morning court is not entirely without reason. The strength of the overseas nations is beyond imagination. They are advancing rapidly and will surely grow to an astonishing level in time. If Your Majesty adopts Lord Lu's advice, and our dynasty remains closed-minded and deaf, until the foreign powers forcefully open our borders, we will truly suffer widespread misery and devastation."
"Although the Great Qi was defeated twice, its determination to conquer Xia remains undimmed. One day it will surely return. It is always better to have one more friend than one more enemy."
"Duke Wen is more objective and has a longer-term perspective. Lord Lu...is too selfish and unacceptable."
"Lord Lu is also taking precautions. There are already two, and who knows if there will be a third or fourth."
"In fact, as long as His Majesty disagrees, they can do nothing even if those remarks spread like wildfire."
But when that day really comes, will His Majesty really stand on their side and choose to join them in suppressing women?
In the crowd, Yan Tiande leisurely twirled his beard and pulled the corner of his mouth imperceptibly.
It's just a pipe dream.
Your Majesty had already expressed his stance six years ago, didn't he?
Cao Xingcan followed behind the Minister of Justice, with his brows lowered and his eyes closed, as if everything had nothing to do with him.
He suddenly thought of his daughter Nuan Jie'er.
Nuan Jie'er is seven years old this year. She is now studying the Four Books and Five Classics. She will be able to finish her studies in three to five years.
The prerequisite is that the imperial court opens the imperial examinations to women.
Cao Xingcan pinched his fingers. He had a strong premonition in his heart that as long as Xianyu and Zizhan were in the court, the imperial examination for women would be realized sooner or later.
As Cao Yuanzhong's daughter, she naturally wanted to have the best of everything.
Including education.
Including future.
......
In the imperial study, Du Qingtang sat opposite Emperor Qingyuan at a distance.
Du Qingtang said straight to the point: "Your Majesty, I believe that one person is qualified to be the commander-in-chief of the navy."
Emperor Qingyuan paused with his red brush. He thought that Du Aiqing stayed to confess everything to him, but that was not the case.
"Oh?" Emperor Qingyuan calmed himself down and focused on the present. "Who does Lord Du plan to recommend to me?"
Du Qingtang said sternly: "Shaoqing Prefecture Qianzong, Wan Guiyu."
Emperor Qingyuan frowned and looked at Fu Rui.
Fu Rui pondered carefully and explained in detail, "This Wan Guiyu was originally the leader of the Wanjia Village. During Lord Du's tenure, he sent troops to suppress bandits. Wan Guiyu voluntarily surrendered and was incorporated into the palace troops and later became a captain. Later, a captain defected to the enemy, and he was promoted to that rank."
Du Qingtang: “…”
Is it really a good idea to pretend in front of her that I know everything about the situation in Shaoqing Prefecture?
Emperor Qingyuan tapped the imperial desk with his fingers: "I need a reason."
Du Qingtang said bluntly: "Wan Guiyu is very good at swimming, and he is a man of the underworld. He doesn't like to make friends with the powerful. He is the best candidate to lead the navy."
"A member of the Jianghu?" Emperor Qingyuan raised an eyebrow. "Are mountain bandits considered members of the Jianghu?"
"Not really." Du Qingtang raised his chin slightly, and Emperor Qingyuan met his gaze. "Wan Guiyu's original name was Mu Tingyu, the young master of Wanbao Villa. His family was murdered twenty years ago, and he has been hiding his identity for many years, waiting for an opportunity to seek revenge."
Emperor Qingyuan looked at Fu Rui, who nodded slightly and whispered, "This incident did happen twenty years ago. The Duke of Changguo's mansion was nearly wiped out that year. It's said that this young master of Wanbao Villa was responsible. The government even launched a massive manhunt for him, but to no avail, the case was eventually dropped."
Du Qingtang spoke at the right time: "The Duke of Changguo's Mansion was wiped out. I asked Mu Tingyu to do it."
Emperor Qingyuan: “???”
Fury: “!!!”
Du Qingtang's confession came so unexpectedly that Emperor Qingyuan and Fu Rui were stunned.
Fu Rui tightened his grip on the whisk, picked up the teapot, smiled at Emperor Qingyuan and Du Qingtang, and said softly, "The tea is almost empty. I'll go add some water."
Fu Rui left the imperial study, leaving only Du Qingtang and Emperor Qingyuan in the palace.
The emperor and his ministers looked at each other, and Du Qingtang said calmly, "Your Majesty must have already known why I did this."
Emperor Qingyuan: “…”
Du Qingtang knew that this day would come sooner or later.
Rather than avoiding the topic, exhausting Emperor Qingyuan's patience and accusing her of murdering the prince, it would be better for her to confess and reveal the truth.
Du Qingtang's fingertips brushed across the tablet, his gaze settling on the dragon pattern on the imperial desk. "Your Majesty, you may not know that I have been reborn more than once."
Emperor Qingyuan's pupils suddenly shrank.
"Initially, I was not from Daxia, but from Huaxia..."
This is undoubtedly a tragic story and also a dead end.
A woman traveled through time to another world and was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to study and take the imperial examination. However, this dynasty did not allow women to take the examination and become officials.
She was unwilling to accept this and decided to rebel against the secular world. She disguised herself as a man and risked deceiving the emperor. After many hardships, she entered the court as an official. However, her identity was repeatedly exposed and discovered, and she ended up with a miserable end.
In Daxia, the concept of male superiority and female inferiority has long been deeply rooted in people's minds.
How easy is it for a woman from a rural farming family to change the feudal ethics that have existed for thousands of years by her own strength?
She fought again and again, but failed again and again.
She was tortured by this feudal ethics and was covered with scars, like a dead tree.
She had already lost all hope and longed to die.
However, fate did not let her go.
die.
Rebirth.
die.
Rebirth.
She was stuck in a vicious circle.
Unable to extricate myself, unable to escape.
"...On my deathbed, I regained my memories of being Chinese. When I opened my eyes again, it was in this life."
"Yuan Sheng, Qi Heming, Xia Qixuan, and Da Qi, they are all the cause of my tragic death."
"They sowed evil seeds in the past, and they should bear the consequences of this evil."
"I was the one who orchestrated the Yuansheng Imperial Examination fraud. I was also the one who orchestrated Qi Heming's—or rather, the Second Prince's—spying on the Tiger Guards, which led to Qi Heming's imprisonment."
"As for Xia Qixuan, Your Majesty, you should know very well how I took revenge on him."
Du Qingtang's gaze, fixed on the dragon pattern on the imperial desk, shifted upwards and met Emperor Qingyuan's gaze. "This is my story."
There was dead silence in the imperial study.
Emperor Qingyuan stared at Du Qingtang in a daze, his eyes were empty and his gaze was dull, as if he had suffered an extremely heavy blow and his soul had lost all its power.
After a long while, a clear chirping sound was heard outside the palace. Emperor Qingyuan finally woke up as if from a dream and said with difficulty: "It's all my fault. I didn't discipline my ministers well, didn't educate the prince well, and even personally issued an order to kill you... kill you..."
Looking back on Du Qingtang's experiences over several lifetimes, Emperor Qingyuan felt extremely horrified, even more terrifying than that ghost story.
He didn't know how Du Qingtang had survived, how he had overcome the many psychological obstacles, and how he had carefully planned to avenge himself, while also studying for the imperial examinations and serving as an official in the court.
"It must have been very difficult for you these years, right?"
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows imperceptibly.
She had imagined many different reactions from Emperor Qingyuan, but she had never imagined that after hearing her story, his first reaction would be self-blame.
Is this a change of heart?
"You are the monarch of a feudal dynasty, and I have committed the crime of deceiving the monarch. You are merely punishing me according to the law."
Although Du Qingtang always cursed Emperor Qingyuan as an old fox in private, and criticized how suspicious and cruel he was, to be fair, even in her first life, she never held a grudge against Emperor Qingyuan.
To Emperor Qingyuan at that time, she was nothing more than a peasant girl who had committed the crime of deceiving the emperor. She had no talent and no achievements, and was not worthy of Emperor Qingyuan's special pardon.
"Rather than blaming you, I hate my own incompetence more."
Born in poverty, she had no ability to protect herself. She knew that disguising herself as a man to take the imperial examination was a crime of deceiving the emperor, but she allowed herself to hit a wall again and again, and still did not give up.
"It was difficult at first. I felt completely hopeless and had no interest in life. I was practically waiting to die. But I managed to get through it, and now I can say that the hardship has paid off."
Du Qingtang said calmly, "I hope you can understand my difficulties. Xia Qixuan's treatment of me back then... couldn't be described as good, in fact, it was terrible. I couldn't repay evil with kindness, and I couldn't convince myself to let go of the grudge and let him go because of his special status."
Emperor Qingyuan shook his head, clenching and unclenching his fingers. "I don't blame you. It's Old Fifth who brought this upon himself. It's also my poor parenting that has ruined your life, Lord Du."
Emperor Qingyuan didn't think there was anything wrong with Du Qingtang's revenge.
Put yourself in his shoes. If he had suffered these disasters, he would have gone crazy and started killing people without any regard for the consequences.
Du Qingtang paused and said something from his heart: "Your Majesty, you are indeed not very good at educating your children."
Emperor Qingyuan: “…”
Thinking of the various foolish princes, Emperor Qingyuan was choked, staring speechlessly.
Du Qingtang changed the subject, giving a sweet in return: "But I have never regretted serving you as my master."
"It was you who pardoned my death sentence, allowed me to continue my official duties despite the opposition of many people, and granted me a high position, generous salary, and the honor of following the emperor."
"I can never repay the kindness of your presence. I shall serve Great Xia with all my heart and soul, till my death. I only wish that the ruler and his subjects may live in harmony, and that the world may be at peace."
The depression in Emperor Qingyuan's heart was like a popped balloon, dissipating completely in an instant. He put his fist to his lips and coughed softly: "What is the China you originally came from like? Is it better than Daxia?"
Du Qingtang said without hesitation: "Of course it is hundreds or thousands of times better than Daxia."
Emperor Qingyuan: “???”
"Du Qingtang!" Emperor Qingyuan was furious and slammed the table in anger, "Say it again?!"
Du Qingtang said calmly, "China has skyscrapers that reach the sky, high-speed trains that can reach speeds of up to 800 kilometers per hour, and many delicacies you have never heard of."
"Huaxia upholds gender equality. Both men and women can go to school. Huaxia also implements nine years of compulsory education, and education from elementary school to junior high school is free."
"Women can be officials, run businesses, be lawyers, be teachers, be doctors. As long as they want, they can do anything."
"There are no Three Obediences and Four Virtues, and no rules for women."
"They were free to dress however they wanted, didn't consider starvation a minor offense or infidelity a major one, and certainly didn't embrace the old-fashioned notion of lifelong monogamy."
Du Qingtang spoke eloquently, and Emperor Qingyuan looked at her intently. After a while, he said something shocking: "You prefer Huaxia to Daxia."
Du Qingtang remained silent.
Emperor Qingyuan asked her, "If you were given a chance, would you give up everything in Daxia and return to Huaxia?"
Du Qingtang's mind moved, and he slowly shook his head: "There is no if in this world. I won't assume these illusory things."
"Besides, why should I give up the power, official position, and title that I have worked so hard for many years and risked my life to obtain?"
"Everything has its gains and losses. Leaving China and coming to Daxia is certainly a pity, but as long as I think about the day when I can help women all over the world escape suffering, and a hundred years from now, I will leave my name in history, I feel that it is all worth it."
Du Qingtang smiled slightly, his brows and eyes calm, "The phoenix is reborn from the ashes. All that suffering and pain may be a good thing."
Emperor Qingyuan laughed with an ambiguous tone: "You are quite open-minded."
"Your Majesty, your compliments are too kind." Du Qingtang exhaled and returned to the topic. "In short, Mu Tingyu is a useful person."
Emperor Qingyuan pointed at Du Qingtang and said with a half-smile: "You have people in the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Now there's a naval commander. Are you planning a rebellion, Lord Du?"
Du Qingtang readily said, "Just in case, it's worth a try."
Emperor Qingyuan: "...Du Qingtang!"
"I'm just kidding." Du Qingtang said, "You don't trust me, so how can you not trust His Highness?"
Emperor Qingyuan was silent for a moment, rubbing his head, which was swollen and aching from the overwhelming amount of information. "Let me think about it."
Du Qingtang replied with a "yes" and was about to leave when she heard Emperor Qingyuan ask her, "You've told me everything. Aren't you afraid that I'll think you're an alien, a demon, and want to get rid of you as soon as possible?"
Du Qingtang was silent for a moment, then said seriously, "To be honest, I've already found a way out for myself."
"If you intend to cause trouble and want my life, I will take my family and sail out to sea."
"I have nothing but some small skills that are not worthy of public display. Perhaps there are some overseas countries that appreciate my unique and erotic skills..."
"Alright, stop talking." Emperor Qingyuan was so angry at Du Qingtang that he had a headache. He waved his hand in disdain, "Go away! Don't get in my way!"
Du Qingtang stood up and bowed, "I will take my leave."
Du Qingtang left the imperial study. Emperor Qingyuan slowly turned the jade ring and sat quietly looking into the void for a while.
"Forget it, forget it." Emperor Qingyuan shook his head and took out the memorial. "We'll talk about it when the day comes."
After all, his Du Aiqing has indeed made contributions to the country.
If he kills meritorious officials indiscriminately, wouldn’t he become a tyrant?
-
While Du Qingtang and Emperor Qingyuan were having a "long conversation", the translators acted as tour guides, leading the envoys from various countries on a tour of Xiajing City.
They went to the most famous Ningxiang Tower and Liulifang in Xiajing City, and spent a day and a half walking through the streets and alleys, tasting many delicious foods.
“The facial and body treatments at Ningxianglou were so good that I almost fell asleep.”
"It turns out that the colored glaze shipped to our country for sale is just the most common style. There are actually colored glaze screens, colored glaze wardrobes, and colored glaze full-length mirrors!"
"I bought five full-length glass mirrors and planned to give them to my grandmother, mother, and two aunts, and keep one for myself. Liulifang also gave me five handheld mirrors. The patterns around the mirrors are so exquisite that I couldn't bear to give them away."
"I went to the night market last night and had a lot of delicious snacks, but the best ones were from the restaurant called Shixiang Pavilion. The fried skewers were crispy and delicious."
"I love eating snail rice noodle the most. Although it smells stinky, it tastes delicious. I ate two bowls in a row yesterday and plan to eat it again in two days."
"I bought Daxia clothes and jewelry for my father, mother, and sister. They will definitely like it." Changxia said firmly, and then asked the translator in charge of Nanzhao Kingdom, "Brother Zhang, where are we going next?"
Translator Zhang Cheng said in fluent Nanzhao language: "Go outside the city to watch the military parade."
"A military parade?"
The overseas envoys all showed puzzled expressions, but out of curiosity, they followed the translator out of the city and came to the Huben Camp.
Then they saw a scene that they would never forget.
Tens of thousands of Xia troops marched in unison, their eyes determined. The sound of their footsteps and the clashing of armor intertwined, like thunder and as magnificent as a tide.
The firearms troops held their muskets high, white smoke filled the air, and every bullet hit its target, turning the distant targets into sieves.
The firearms soldiers drew their bows and arrows, and the arrows tied with gunpowder flew out. With a loud "bang", a huge deep pit appeared on the ground in the distance.
The firearms army launched their artillery, and there was a loud "bang" that shook the earth and thick smoke blocked out the sky.
——In the distance, half of the mountaintop was flattened, leaving no trees in sight.
"No wonder Daxia is so powerful even though only men can hold official positions. With these firearms, they will surely be invincible and victorious!"
"It would be nice if we could have firearms in our country."
"Daxia, so terrifying!"
The overseas envoys returned to the post station in a daze, and even dreamed of the fierce power of artillery fire that night.
They also dreamed that the Daxia army sailed out to sea and used firearms to blast open their country's gates.
The people and the army were powerless to resist, corpses were everywhere and blood flowed like a river.
Their country was destroyed by Daxia, and they became slaves of Daxia and suffered bullying.
"ah!"
At dawn, countless messengers woke up from nightmares screaming, hugging their quilts with dull eyes and faces full of fear.
They sat on the bed in a daze until there was a knock on the door: "Sir, Master Fu from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is here."
Everyone stood up. Foreign Ministry officials, led by Fu Ci, had been waiting for a long time.
In the courtyard of the posthouse, Fu Ci, dressed in a purple robe, smiled. "Greetings, everyone! I, Fu, have come here on the orders of His Majesty to discuss the establishment of diplomatic relations with you."
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives from 48 countries moved to the flower hall, and Fu Ci distributed the letters of credence establishing diplomatic relations.
In case the representatives of various countries did not recognize the Daxia language, Fu Ci was very considerate and wrote the letter of establishment of diplomatic relations in the corresponding language. This way, there was no need for translation, and there was no need to worry about being deceived. They could understand the content of the letter themselves.
After half an incense stick of time, Fu Ci said in a clear voice: "If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, and we will definitely answer them in detail."
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall exploded with activity.
"Technical exchanges here don't include firearms, right?"
"So, as long as we can come up with equivalent technology, our country can also have trains?"
“…”
After two hours of question-and-answer sessions, Fu Ci stood up and said goodbye. "This is a matter concerning the relationship between our two countries. You all need to consider it carefully. It won't be too late to give me an answer in two days."
After Fu Ci and his group left, representatives from various countries looked at each other for a while, then took the letters written in their respective national languages and went to discuss with their companions.
"Although Daxia is unfair to women, it is very powerful."
"Although we can't get firearms, Daxia still has many good things we don't have, such as cement, compasses, telescopes, etc. We can buy them or exchange them for equivalent value. The latter two are especially convenient to bring with us on marches and battles."
"Is that settled then?"
Changxia read the letter carefully from beginning to end again and nodded seriously.
......
Two days later, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs successfully signed the letters of credence establishing diplomatic relations with representatives from 48 countries.
The emperor was very pleased and specially appointed Foreign Minister Fu Ci as Earl of Haining as a reward.
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