Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 115

“Your Majesty, First Prince Huyan requests permission to take his leave. He says they are preparing to return home,” Sixi reported.

Dongfang Wei looked at him.

“Is the information reliable?”

“The relay station says they are packing and have purchased many goods. Their carts are already being loaded,” Sixi replied respectfully.

“He only said he was returning? Nothing about a marriage alliance?”

“Nothing.”

Sixi did not know what the Tujue prince was thinking either, but still asked according to proper custom, “Your Majesty, should we prepare a farewell banquet?”

Dongfang Wei considered the matter.

“Prepare one.”

A fine rain began to fall from the sky.

In an unremarkable teahouse in a corner of the capital, Huyan Lie, dressed as a commoner, ordered two bowls of hot tea.

“Right away, sir! The weather is poor today and the tea cools quickly. Why don’t I bring the second bowl after you finish the first?” the proprietor suggested, assuming he intended to drink both himself.

Huyan Lie shook his head.

“The other is for someone else.”

Before long, a middle-aged man in a straw rain cape came beneath the awning. He shook the water from his cape, entered, and sat at the table beside Huyan Lie’s.

Huyan Lie called for the proprietor to bring him the other bowl of tea. Once it was served, the proprietor went outside.

“Teacher Cheng has finally agreed to show himself.”

“Young Master, arranging to meet me now was somewhat reckless.”

“It is precisely because I listened to you that Lie has done nothing these past days. Now the Khagan has sent word, and Lie must return before long.”

Cheng Zhesong lifted his tea bowl.

“What did Young Master wish to discuss by calling Cheng out?”

“Since Teacher Cheng has thrown in his lot with my Tujue, should you not demonstrate some sincerity before we leave?”

“What sort of sincerity does the First Prince desire?”

“Alcohol.”

Huyan Lie answered with utter certainty.

“Physicians are already scarce on the grasslands. Something like this would be of tremendous use to Tujue. Lie must obtain it.”

Cheng Zhesong replied casually, “Huaxia has countless wine merchants, but at present, only the Xiao Family can produce alcohol.”

“I know the Xiao Family must already have given the method for producing alcohol to the Huaxia court. I want Xiao Yaqing.”

Cheng Zhesong glanced at him.

“Come closer.”

After leaving a small piece of silver on the table, the two soon went their separate ways.

Cheng Zhesong removed his disguise and sat in his carriage with his eyes closed, resting. A cold smile utterly unlike his earlier expression curved his lips.

Hmph. Mere barbarians, yet they dreamed of violating Huaxia?

He was only borrowing Tujue’s power to achieve his own objective.

What he wanted had never been merely the position of prime minister!

Huyan Lie did have some discernment. He had asked for alcohol at once.

The fact that Xiao Yaqing could produce alcohol proved she possessed some talent.

But she was only a woman. If sacrificing her could stabilize Tujue, there was nothing unacceptable about it.

At the farewell banquet that evening, Huyan Lie spoke before the assembled officials and their families.

“Your Majesty, Pasang and Lie will depart for Tujue tomorrow. Before we leave, should we not settle the matter of a marriage alliance between our two nations?”

Dongfang Wei set down his cup and replied languidly, “I have only just ascended the throne, and all within the four seas has yet to be settled. I have no intention of opening the imperial harem at present.”

Huyan Lie’s expression did not change. He bowed.

“Your Majesty is wise. Your ability to place the welfare of the people before your own affairs inspires our admiration. In that case, Lie boldly asks Your Majesty to bestow a marriage.”

Dongfang Wei raised his eyelids.

“Whom do you wish to marry?”

“Xiao Yaqing, daughter of Lord Xiao Huan, Minister of Revenue.”

Before Huyan Lie mentioned the Minister of Revenue, Xiao Huan had been irritated that the Tujue prince’s long-winded speech was delaying his meal. He was secretly picking up a piece of meat with his chopsticks.

The moment Huyan Lie spoke his daughter’s name, however, Xiao Huan looked over in disbelief.

“What did the First Prince say?”

*Say that again, you miserable little bastard. I didn’t hear you clearly!*

Huyan Lie smiled.

“Lie fell in love with Miss Xiao at first sight and admires her deeply. If I could take Miss Xiao as my wife, I would truly count it the fortune of three lifetimes!

“I believe relations between Tujue and Huaxia would also advance to a new level.”

The guests whispered among themselves. Gazes of every kind, some open and some covert, turned their way.

Xiao Huan pressed his lips tightly together, his eyes blazing.

He had to keep his mouth shut. Otherwise, he feared the curses he hurled before the Emperor would be far too foul.

Ever since Xia Heng warned them that something was wrong with Huyan Lie, he had remained vigilant. He had finally made it to today’s farewell banquet, thinking everything would be fine once they sent the man away.

So this was where Huyan Lie had been waiting for him?

Xiao Yaqing secretly gritted her teeth as well. That bastard had actually placed her on the same level as relations between Huaxia and Tujue!

Dongfang Wei’s face had darkened long ago.

Cheng Zhesong rose to lend his support.

“This subject believes Miss Xiao and Young Master Huyan are truly a match made in heaven—”

“A match in what way?”

Before Cheng Zhesong could finish, Dongfang Wei cut him off impatiently.

“Your Majesty!”

“Huyan Lie, were you threatening me just now?” Dongfang Wei asked coldly.

Huyan Lie’s back stiffened slightly.

Was this not something everyone understood without saying? If Dongfang Wei dragged it openly into the light, how was he supposed to answer?

He bowed.

“Your Majesty misunderstands. Lie had absolutely no such intent!”

“Huaxia’s national might was won on horseback by the soldiers guarding our borders!”

Dongfang Wei rose from the dragon throne and looked down at Huyan Lie, each word ringing with force.

“Remember this well. You are alive and standing here today only because envoys are not executed, even when two nations are at war.

“The marriage alliance you speak of is nothing more than a written assurance sought by a defeated nation!

“I can give you an assurance. As long as Tujue does not send troops to invade Huaxia, I guarantee that Huaxia will not wage war against Tujue for ten years.”

“Your Majesty, marriage alliances are a tradition. A bond through marriage is far stronger than a promise!” Cheng Zhesong argued.

Huyan Lie had been left dazed by Dongfang Wei’s rebuke. Hearing Cheng Zhesong, he hurried to agree.

“The Left Prime Minister speaks truly.”

He felt wronged as well. Ordinarily, marriage alliances did indeed involve princesses from the respective nations. But Dongfang Wei had refused their princess!

Why was he not allowed to choose an official’s daughter instead? Did Xiao Yaqing possess some ability he did not know about?

“The Left Prime Minister is mistaken. It is precisely because she is an official’s daughter that I will never send her into a marriage alliance.”

Dongfang Wei walked to the center before the hall.

“Huaxia is a vast and mighty nation. There are more than one hundred civil and military officials of the fifth rank and above alone!

“Your duty as officials is to protect the people and strengthen Huaxia!

“Are all of us still insufficient?

“Tujue has been defeated, yet Huaxia must push a young lady from an official family into a marriage alliance?”

Under Dongfang Wei’s meaningful gaze, Cheng Zhesong felt needles prickling across his back.

Dongfang Wei swept his gaze over the hall and declared in a ringing voice, “For every day that I reign, I will never allow the sons and daughters of Huaxia to become sacrifices to a marriage alliance! This is a line Huaxia will not cross!”

He turned to Huyan Lie.

“If your nation truly cares only about a pledge through marriage, I would not object to a Tujue princess marrying into Huaxia.

“I may not have opened the imperial harem, but as you said, many of my officials remain unmarried.

“I find the Left Prime Minister particularly suitable. He has always kept himself pure and remains alone to this day. I am sure he would treat the princess well.”

Pasang’s face turned green. Cheng Zhesong was nearly as old as her father!

“If the princess is unwilling, that is no concern either. The First Prince may not know that Huaxia has a custom called uxorilocal marriage, where the husband joins the wife’s family!”

“Excellent!”

Some military officer below shouted the word.

Many civil officials were moved as well, their eyes filling with hot tears.

How many years had it been? How long since an emperor had dared say such words?

From ancient times, weak nations had possessed no right to choose. Huaxia too had once survived beneath the predatory gazes of many nations by relying on marriage ties forged through its women.

Yet more often than not, marriage alliances had failed to buy peace.

Only after the late emperor took the throne, supported by a host of fierce generals, had Huaxia expanded its borders and subdued the surrounding nations with an iron hand.

Now the General of the Northern Pacification had crushed Tujue. At last, they could speak with pride and strength!

If Tujue meant to surrender, then let it surrender completely!

It could not claim to seek friendship while still demanding one of their people as a hostage through marriage.

Xiao Huan wiped away his tears, raised the cup before him to Dongfang Wei, and drained it.

More and more officials began offering Dongfang Wei toasts.

An indescribable feeling stirred in Xiao Yaqing’s heart.

At this moment, she suddenly felt that perhaps she should no longer conceal herself as she had in the past.

Whether for an individual or a nation, only the strong possessed the right to speak!