The Great Wei Music Bureau

Chapter 89 Meeting with the Diplomatic Envoy (Part )

Last time we talked about how Li Yi and Tuoba Jun had a very pleasant conversation, and he went back in the middle of the night to do something important, and then in the morning he was grabbed by the ears and taught a lesson by Shiyu and Bailing. So where will the story go next? Let us take a look together.

The Queen Mother's birthday banquet was approaching, and Li Yi and Shiyu were making final preparations. During this time, Li Yi also took time to go to the Vajra Temple, first to visit the monks and attend an evening class, and second to thank the Zhengjue Sect's Jiyun for saving his life in Qingzhou. Ten days passed quickly, and everything was ready, waiting for the final performance.

During these ten days, envoys from Southern Liang, Western Chu, Xiongnu, Qiang, and Di all arrived in Shangjing City with gifts. Suddenly, there were more and more foreigners in Shangjing City with different clothes, appearances, and skin colors. For this reason, the Nangong family specially strengthened the defense of Shangjing City to prevent unrest.

On the 15th day of August, according to etiquette, Emperor Tuoba Jun of the Great Wei Dynasty and Empress Gongsun Feng brought two concubines to the harem to pay their respects to their mother and wish her a happy birthday; then the empress dowager followed the emperor to the main hall, the Minister of Rites read out the congratulatory message and announced a general amnesty; after that, the Prince of Zhenbei led all the ministers to wish the empress dowager a happy birthday; the empress dowager and the emperor, accompanied by important officials of the court, received various delegations in the main hall to accept congratulations and gift lists.

The first delegation to be received was the Southern Liang delegation, for three reasons. First, the Southern Liang was the most powerful country around. Second, Empress Xiao was originally a princess of the Southern Liang, who was used by someone to marry into the Northern Wei Dynasty. Later, Xiao Yongming ascended the throne, and he and Empress Xiao were half-siblings. Third, one of the two leaders of the delegation sent by the Southern Liang to celebrate the birthday was the third prince Xiao Zonggang, whose birth mother, Concubine Yu, was of the same clan as Empress Xiao's mother. The other was a younger generation of Empress Xiao's maternal clan named Yu Feng, who was currently the Minister of Rites of the Southern Liang Dynasty.

Xiao Zonggang and Yu Feng went to the palace to kneel and pay respects, presenting a list of gifts and congratulations. Although Empress Dowager Xiao hated Emperor Xiao Yongming of the Southern Liang Dynasty, she still had feelings for the younger generation of her mother's family. She chatted about family matters for a while, and then asked, "How is the Yu family doing?"

Xiao Zonggang replied: "Aunt, the Yu family is highly valued by our father and is living a very good life."

Yu Feng also bowed and said with a smile: "Aunt, just as His Highness said, my Yu family has received the emperor's grace. Many of our sons and daughters have entered officialdom, and three of our elders hold important positions. Your aunt is the Queen Mother of Wei, and you are an honor to the Yu family. My father specially asked me to bring you a small gift, a gadget." As he spoke, he took out a small box from his sleeve.

Empress Dowager Xiao recognized what it was at a glance and said, "Seven-piece box. Oh, I haven't seen this thing in years. Come on, come on, show it up!"

The eunuch took the seven-piece box from Yu Feng, examined it, then lowered his head and stretched out his hands in front of the empress dowager. Empress Dowager Xiao took it and began to play with it.

This tangram box is similar to a Rubik's Cube and can be rotated on multiple sides, but it is more like a password box. It can only be opened when all six sides are put together to form the correct pattern. It is an advanced mechanical toy that only children of Southern Liang nobles can play with.

Empress Dowager Xiao poked at it for a long time but couldn't open it. She smiled and said, "Alas, this man has grown clumsy with age, and his brain is not as sharp as before. He can't even open this seven-piece box. Nephew, can you open it?"

Yu Feng shook his head and said, "Aunt, my nephew can't open it either. During the journey, my nephew and the Third Prince had nothing to do, so we took it out to play with it, but we couldn't open it. I think only you, aunt, can open this seven-piece box."

Empress Dowager Xiao smiled and said, "Okay, it's just right to relieve boredom. Brother is so thoughtful!"

Empress Dowager Xiao put the seven-piece box aside and looked at Xiao Zonggang and said, "My Great Wei Emperor is young and promising, but the harem is still lacking a concubine. Let Xiao Yongming marry a daughter here. I heard that his favorite Princess Huaxuan is just at the age to get married, and she is a beauty with both talent and virtue, and looks like a fairy, just like I was in my youth. Why not marry her here?"

Xiao Zonggang was immediately dissatisfied, but this was the Great Wei, so how could he dare to act rashly? He smiled and replied, "Aunt, I will tell your father when I go back. As for success or failure, it depends on your opinion." His implication was very clear.

But Empress Dowager Xiao was even more experienced and asked directly: "Where is the Minister of Rites?"

Kong Xiu took a step forward, bowed and said, "I am here, what do you want, Queen Mother?"

Empress Dowager Xiao said, "Go back and follow the etiquette, choose a date, prepare the betrothal gifts, and send an envoy to Nanliang to marry Princess Huaxuan."

Minister Kong knew that the Queen Mother was referring to the Southern Liang army, so he smiled and said, "This is a great idea. It's just in time for your birthday to fill the harem with concubines for Your Majesty. Good things come in pairs. After the birthday banquet, I will start working on this matter and will definitely not let the friendship between Wei and Liang break."

Tuoba Jun nodded and said, "Minister Kong, you have to do this carefully. I heard that Princess Huaxuan Xiao Qizhen is particularly good at chess. Even the national champion of Southern Liang, He Ziqi, was defeated by her! I am very much looking forward to playing chess with her."

Seeing the Northern Wei Empress Dowager, Emperor, and ministers acting out a play for him, Xiao Zonggang could only smile and said, "If the marriage can be accomplished, it would be a wonderful thing. His Majesty the Emperor of Wei is handsome and powerful, and my sister is as beautiful as a fairy. They are a perfect match. When I return, I will report to my father the good intentions of the Empress Dowager and His Majesty, and do my best to make this happen."

Empress Dowager Xiao smiled and said, "Zong Gang, as the third son of the emperor, do you know that there is a custom in the Southern Dynasty that the third son becomes the emperor? If you have any ideas, I can help you!"

When Xiao Zonggang heard this, his face changed. Empress Dowager Xiao was satirizing the past of the Southern Dynasty where people killed their fathers and brothers in order to fight for the throne. Whether in the Liu Song or Xiao Qi period, there were precedents of three sons launching rebellions and eventually becoming emperors.

Empress Dowager Xiao had long seen that Xiao Zonggang was an ambitious prince. Now she pointed it out in front of the Wei court officials. This was a thousand times wiser than Tuoba Jun's words "There are so many good ministers in Jiangnan"!

Seeing this, Yu Feng immediately stepped forward to help, saying, "Auntie, you are such a joke. In our Liang Dynasty, fathers are kind and sons are filial, brothers are friendly and younger brothers are respectful, and there is peace. Your Majesty is even more lenient to the royal family. Even if they make mistakes, they will be given lenient punishments. This is no longer the situation of the old dynasty."

Empress Dowager Xiao nodded, showing that she was very satisfied with Yu Feng's reply. She raised the seven-piece box and smiled like a child, "Alright, it won't be opened for a while. I still have to entertain other envoys. You can go down first. When the dinner is over, if it is opened, I will tell you what is inside."

Tuoba Jun stood up, took the seven-piece box from his mother, and began to play with it. He laughed as he played, "Don't miss the dinner tonight. It's a grand event you won't see in Nanliang." Xiao Zonggang and Yu Feng bowed and took their leave.

After the two left, Tuoba Jun asked, "Does the Queen Mother really want to help Xiao Zonggang?"

Empress Dowager Xiao sneered, "How can I care about the affairs of the Southern Liang State? Xiao Yongming is not young anymore. If he fails to take care of his affairs after his death! Humph!"

Empress Dowager Xiao looked at Tuoba Jun and sighed, "Alas! Jun'er, you have no children yet, and I am worried about you! We must hurry up and appoint a crown prince to stabilize the country."

Minister Kong came out to report: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is right. The crown prince is the foundation of a country. Your Majesty, please spend more time on this matter."

All the ministers seconded the motion. Tuoba Jun smiled and said, "I know. You don't need to rush me. Aren't you also working hard?" As he said that, he looked at the Minister of War Nangong Ting. Nangong Ting smiled but said nothing. Naturally, the little movements of the two were noticed by anyone with a discerning eye.

The King of Zhenbei came out and said, "Your Majesty, I have just returned from the northern border. The weather in the north has turned colder, and the Xiongnu herdsmen have begun to migrate south. The situation between the two sides is tense, and the Zhenbei Army is on high alert. Can I receive the Xiongnu envoys next?"

Nangong Ting came out and said, "Your Majesty, I think the request of the King of Zhenbei is not in accordance with the rules. No matter according to etiquette or strength, the next one should receive the Western Chu delegation. How can the order be disrupted just because the Hu people migrated south!"

Without waiting for the emperor to speak, the queen mother spoke first: "You two old things, keep quiet! Don't play tricks in front of me! If you two want to fight, go to the martial arts arena and fight. I want to see if you two still have the blood of your youth! What do you think? Do you dare?"

King Zhenbei said with a smile: "Queen Mother, calm down. Today is your birthday. You have the final say on everything. I will follow your arrangements."

Nangong Ting also smiled and said, "Yes, yes, what the King of Zhenbei said is absolutely right. I will follow the Queen Mother's arrangements for everything."

Tuoba Jun smiled and said, "Mother, you must come to the palace more often. Normally, I cannot control the Prince of Zhenbei and Minister Nangong, but your words have suppressed them!"

Empress Dowager Xiao said coldly, "Oh? You two old things usually dare not respect the emperor? Dugu Rong, Nangong Ting, have you two had enough of living?"

Prince Zhenbei and Nangong Ting knelt down and kowtowed on the spot, saying, "Queen Mother, calm down. Your Majesty was just joking. How dare this old minister disobey your Majesty's orders?"

Nangong Ting chimed in, "That's right. This old minister and the King of Zhenbei have always respected Your Majesty and obeyed His Majesty's orders. We dare not neglect you in the slightest!"

Tuoba Jun smiled and said, "Oh, that's perfect. I also have something to announce today. I have already found out about Yuwen Tian's treason. Where is Yuwen Zheng?" Upon hearing this, the Minister of Revenue Yuwen Zheng took a step forward and knelt on the ground.

Tuoba Jun said solemnly: "After more than ten days of repeated investigation, it is confirmed that Yuwen Zheng has nothing to do with Yuwen Tian's treason, but the Yuwen family is responsible for failing to investigate and should be severely punished. Considering that it is not appropriate to make a big fuss on my mother's birthday, I will give him a lighter punishment and celebrate the announcement of the decree together."

Tongqing took out the imperial edict and began to read it. The general meaning was to confiscate Yuwen Zheng's salary for three years. Of course, this was not a punishment for him at all. The main point was to take back the water transport and land transport businesses managed by the Yuwen clan and hand them over to officials sent by the Ministry of Revenue. Some of the Yuwen family's disciples were also dismissed and exiled.

Although Yuwen Zheng was still the Minister of Revenue, losing control of the transportation of goods meant losing half of his financial power. This result was agreed upon by Tao Zhongwen and Yuwen Zheng after some bargaining, so Yuwen Zheng did not react much. He kowtowed and thanked him, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for not killing me. I will do my best to make up for my mistakes."

Dugu Rong, the King of Zhenbei, and Nangong Ting, the Minister of War, were quite satisfied with the punishment. They both knew that it was unrealistic to use Yuwen Tian to make the Yuwen family disappear. His Majesty's move had drained half of the Yuwen family's blood. They both said at the same time, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Tuoba Jun waved his hand and said, "Don't rush to flatter me. Tongqing Xuan has another order."

Tongqing took out another imperial edict and began to read it. The general meaning was that in the case of Yuwen Tian's treason, the Black Armor Camp and the Red Cavalry Camp were infiltrated one after another, and the Dugu and Nangong clans were responsible for failing to investigate. Considering the Queen Mother's birthday, they were given a lighter sentence. The title of General Pozhen Dugu Long was hereby exempted from the title of General Pozhen, and he was demoted to the commander of the Black Armor Camp. The salary of the Minister of War Nangong Ting was confiscated for one year. The commander of the Black Armor Camp Zhou Buping was demoted to a centurion, and the commander of the Red Cavalry Camp Gong Zhan was demoted to a centurion.

Prince Zhenbei and Nangong Ting looked at each other and then looked up at His Majesty who was playing with the Tangram Box in the palace. They were silent for a while. Empress Dowager Xiao asked, "Why? Aren't you two going to accept the order?"

The two immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowed and thanked the emperor. Tuoba Jun returned the seven-piece box to Empress Dowager Xiao and said with a smile: "Mother, this seven-piece box is really difficult. My son doesn't understand it either. I still have to trouble you to do it yourself."

Empress Dowager Xiao smiled and said, "Jun'er, you are very talented, but no one taught you this when you were a child. If someone had taught you, you would definitely play better than anyone else." Everyone could hear and see clearly the hidden meaning between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Tuoba Jun smiled and said, "Okay, the case of Yuwen Tian's treason ends here. Let's get back to business and meet with the Western Chu envoys of Tongqing Xuan."

Eunuch Tongqing nodded his head and accepted the order, then raised his head and shouted: "The Xichu envoys come to see you!"

Not long after, the two leaders of the Chu State delegation entered the hall. One of the two leaders of the Western Chu State delegation was the Crown Prince Xiong Zhu, and the other was the Changping official Qu Zhi. This Changping official was equivalent to the Minister of Rites in the Chu State. They also performed the ceremony and handed over the congratulatory gift list. Unlike the Southern Liang Dynasty, the two did not perform the ceremony of kneeling. The reason was very simple. The Crown Prince Xiong Zhu would inherit the throne in the future. He would be on an equal footing with Tuoba Jun, so there was no reason for him to kneel before him.