The location was outside the main hall. The envoys had to enter through the Noon Gate and pay homage to the Emperor of Qi in a pre-arranged order.
This is an excellent opportunity to showcase national strength.
To intimidate foreign envoys and demonstrate the wealth of the Great Qi Dynasty, the venue for the Grand Assembly was decorated with extraordinary luxury.
The entire hall was renovated, the walls were painted with precious spices, jade was laid out on the road as if it were free, and all the utensils used were made of pure gold.
Envoys from various countries entered through the Meridian Gate, marveling at the rare and precious treasures they saw along the way.
I couldn't help but exclaim: The Great Qi truly deserves its reputation as a powerful nation for over a century; it is so rich and prosperous!
But Shen Shi, who was in the midst of it all, understood that the State of Qi was now a dilapidated house with drafts coming from all sides.
The more insecure a person is, the more they like to bluff.
Although not yet at the end of their rope, the Great Qi was already facing a shortage of military pay due to its depleted treasury.
The main reason for this outcome was the corruption during the reign of the late emperor.
With him turning a blind eye, the royal family and nobles amassed wealth like madmen.
Lots of gold and silver flowed into their pockets, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer.
A very small number of people control the majority of assets, and wealth does not circulate in society, making life increasingly difficult for ordinary people at the bottom.
Shen Tunan also attempted reforms, but his ascension to the throne was inseparable from the support of the old nobility.
The moment the news of reform was released, the old aristocracy in the capital was in an uproar.
Fearing trouble, the newly appointed Shen Tunan had to temporarily shelve the matter, and it was eventually dropped.
Ultimately, it is due to the limitations of the times.
As he walked, pondering the situation of the State of Qi, Shen Shi arrived at the main hall just as Shen Yu happened to be there.
The two brothers looked at each other and smiled.
Shen Shi, who had just been granted the title of Prince, naturally stood behind the Crown Prince.
This angered Shen You, the bald prince, who glared at him several times, but Shen Shi pretended not to see it.
A moment later, a grand honor guard escorted Shen Tunan as he walked in.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" People inside and outside the hall shouted in unison.
Shen Tunan, who was leading the group, felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction as he looked at the kneeling figures at his feet.
"Rise!"
Shen Tunan, seated on the dragon throne, began to call out.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The group expressed their gratitude once again.
Shen Tunan made polite remarks, and the envoys from various countries gathered one by one.
"Summon the envoys of all nations to the palace." As the eunuch announced this, the sounds of various musical instruments began to play.
The Great Qi Dynasty was vast and powerful, and it was always friendly to its neighboring smaller countries. Many countries came to pay homage during the Great Qi Dynasty's annual pilgrimage.
The Qiang Kingdom, which had suffered a defeat, was placed last.
"The envoy from Xuanyong Kingdom came to pay his respects."
The first country to be visited was Yong, a small country bordering the southern part of the Great Qi.
The two countries have been friendly nations since the beginning of history.
A few months ago, an infectious disease broke out in Yong Kingdom. It was only thanks to the Qi Kingdom that they were able to overcome the crisis by receiving a prescription.
Therefore, the people of Yong have a very high level of goodwill towards Qi.
"The envoy from Yong Kingdom pays his respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!" the envoy from Yong Kingdom said respectfully.
The envoy sent by the Yong Kingdom every year has been the same person, from when Shen Tunan was still a prince until now.
"No need for formalities." Looking at the familiar face, Shen Tunan said with a gentle smile.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thanks to the prescription you sent, Yong Kingdom has been able to recover from the epidemic. The people of Yong Kingdom will forever remember your kindness!" said the man named Yu Fu with a grateful expression.
"As allies, it is only right for the two countries to help each other."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
After exchanging pleasantries, the envoy from Yong Kingdom presented tribute.
Yong Kingdom was short of supplies, and in previous years they had sent grain and the like, but this year they brought two birds that could display their plumage.
They're all colorful; they look quite unusual.
Shen Tu Nan was overjoyed and bestowed upon him numerous treasures.
Eleven countries came to pay homage, and the ceremony proceeded in an orderly manner.
The gifts from these countries were incredibly varied; some sent red trees, others beautiful seashells.
Even more unexpectedly, one country sent a talking bird as a gift.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" The chattering parrot's incessant chirping gave me a headache.
Ancient people who had never seen such a scene couldn't help but be amazed. Was he dreaming? Birds could actually talk?
Overjoyed, Shen Tunan generously rewarded other countries with twice the amount of treasure.
Thanks to the parrot's antics, the atmosphere at the Wanchao Assembly was quite relaxed until the meeting with the Qiang envoy.
The discord between the states of Qi and Qiang manifested itself in many ways.
Take the act of bowing as an example. In the State of Qi, the monarch was bowed deeply, while in the State of Qiang, the monarch bowed on one knee.
Whether it was intentional on the part of the Qiang state or not, there were always envoys from the Qi state who were unwilling to perform the kneeling ceremony.
Therefore, all officials of Qi, both high and low, deeply resented the Qiang envoy.
Isn't this just giving us trouble? If you don't want to, then don't come!
"The envoy from Xuanqiang Kingdom came to pay his respects."
As the announcement was made, a group of envoys from the Qiang Kingdom stepped forward.
The Qi officials present were all on high alert, fearing that they would cause trouble again.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Mu Nu, who was leading the way, performed the Qi Kingdom's kneeling ceremony, followed by Mu Tu beside him.
The Qiang envoys behind him, remembering the prince's threat from the previous night, also performed the Qi kowtow.
There was only one exception: Batum, who almost became good friends with Gu Yuanbai.
He neither performed the kneeling ceremony of the Qi state nor the single-knee salute of the Qiang state; he simply stood there blankly.
It's not surprising to see this scene, after all, it's an old tradition of the Qiang people.
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