boyutpedia Chapter 107 The Situation of a Peace Marriage is Urgent
Chapter 107 The Situation of a Peace Marriage is Urgent
A few days later.
The atmosphere on the frontier was becoming increasingly tense, and the unrest among the nomadic peoples along the border made the entire garrison camp feel unusually heavy.
"Your Highness!" A soldier rode up from afar and came to a steady stop in front of Li Mao. "An envoy from the north requests an audience, claiming to be an envoy of the Wolf Lord."
Li Mao's eyes narrowed, and he said in a low voice, "Please come into the tent quickly."
Before long, the messenger sent by the Wolf Lord was invited into the camp.
The envoy, dressed in barbarian attire, walked with a steady gait, his face revealing a hint of urgency. Upon seeing Li Mao, he bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Shou. The Wolf Lord has entrusted me with a message."
"What urgent matter is it?" Li Mao sat firmly in the center of the army, his expression remaining calm.
The envoy stated frankly, "My lord is pleased to hear that the Tang Dynasty and the North intend to establish a marriage alliance. However, he has also put forward a condition."
Li Mao raised an eyebrow slightly, signaling him to continue.
"The marriage alliance must be with Your Highness Prince Shou, otherwise our army will mobilize its entire force and press upon our borders." The envoy's tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable threat.
The generals and soldiers in the tent all paled upon hearing this, but Li Mao merely smiled. "The Wolf Lord's conditions are quite substantial. Why do you assume it must be me, Li Mao?"
The envoy hesitated slightly, but still replied, "The Wolf Lord has mentioned many times that His Highness Prince Shou, as a prince of the Great Tang Dynasty, is a man of great talent and ambition. If he could form a marriage alliance with our clan, it would not only be a blessing for our clan, but also a sign of peace in the northern frontier."
Upon hearing this, Li Mao's thoughts were in turmoil.
This is because they have their eyes on my talent and strength and are trying to gain benefits from me.
“The Wolf Lord’s willful actions are highly unseemly,” Li Mao said, his words sharp yet polite. “A marriage alliance is a matter of national importance, not a trivial matter. I will immediately submit a memorial to His Majesty for a decision.”
The envoy nodded: "This matter is extremely critical, and we hope that Your Highness Prince Shou will make a decision as soon as possible."
“Very well.” Li Mao stood up, his gaze resolute. “I will handle this as soon as possible. Please have the messenger report back to the Wolf Lord; His Majesty will make his decision.”
After seeing the envoy off, Li Jingqing hesitated for a moment before finally speaking: "Your Highness, this matter is truly thorny. If His Majesty does not agree, I fear the northern border will be in turmoil."
Afu frowned and said, "The Wolf Lord is cunning, and his motives are hard to fathom. Your Highness should be cautious."
Li Mao stood in the tent, gazing into the distance.
At that moment, he did not immediately respond to his subordinates' opinions, but instead took a deep breath and quietly pondered.
Suddenly, he turned to Li Jingqing and Afu, and said firmly, "Regardless of the Wolf Lord's intentions, we must prioritize the overall situation. I will immediately report to His Majesty and explain the advantages and disadvantages in detail."
If we gain the support of the Northern Frontier Wolf Army, our future uprising will be much more effective.
However, we must be wary of these people's wolfish ambitions.
Li Jingqing glanced at Li Mao, whose brows were furrowed, and immediately replied softly, "Your Highness is insightful. May everything go smoothly."
Immediately, Li Mao instructed Afu to draft a memorial describing the current demands for a marriage alliance and the situation on the border, requesting immediate instructions from Chang'an.
"This matter is of great importance and should not be taken lightly," Li Mao muttered to himself, as if repeatedly reminding himself.
The next morning, Li Mao gathered his confidants in his tent to discuss the matter.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Jingqing suggested, "Your Highness, the stability of the Northern Frontier is of paramount importance. Perhaps we can explore this possibility during the negotiations between the two sides..."
Strive for more favorable conditions.
Afu chimed in, "Yes, Your Highness, instead of being passive, you should take the initiative to negotiate with the Wolf Lord. This way, you can force out better terms for the marriage alliance."
Li Mao pondered for a moment, looked around at everyone, and said with a firm gaze: "No matter what, I will try my best to win the peace treaty with China, which is of great importance to me."
This is Tang's most advantageous position. But everyone, remember, we will never compromise easily.
A marriage alliance is not only related to the fate of individuals, but also affects the future of both countries in countless ways.
At this time, in Chang'an City.
Inside the imperial study, Li Longji sat quietly at his desk, pen in hand, his expression focused, with a secret letter that had just been delivered before him.
Every word of Li Mao's request for a marriage alliance was clear to me.
Zhang Jiuling stood to one side of the imperial study, having already learned some of the information from the memorials.
"Minister Zhang, do you have any insights?" Li Longji put down the secret letter and turned to ask.
Zhang Jiuling bowed slightly, "Your Majesty, the situation in the northern border is already precarious. If this marriage alliance can bring peace, it would be a win-win situation."
However, if His Highness Prince Shou becomes controlled by this, it may be detrimental to his future.
Li Longji nodded, "That is exactly what I feel. Li Mao is someone I rely on, and it would be unfair to completely force him into a marriage alliance."
Zhang Jiuling understood immediately and suggested, "Perhaps we can find flexibility in the details to secure timely stability for the border regions."
Li Longji weighed the options in his mind and finally wrote: "Reply to Li Mao immediately, instructing him not to take the oath for the time being, and to observe the situation."
Three days later, at the frontier camp.
Li Mao also received a reply from the imperial court. He took the letter, read it carefully, and a serious expression gradually appeared on his face.
Li Jingqing, observing from the side, noticed Li Mao's complicated expression and immediately asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, what are His Majesty's instructions?"
Li Mao gently placed the letter on the table, his tone firm: "His Majesty has ordered me to temporarily avoid confrontation and to plan for the long term. This also means that we must be more cautious in dealing with this matter."
Li Jingqing immediately expressed his understanding, "Your Highness, should we renegotiate our negotiation strategy with the Wolf Lord?"
Standing to the side, Afu also offered a suggestion, "Perhaps we can use this time to investigate the Wolf Lord's other intentions. If his mind is not at ease, we can prepare for the worst."
Li Mao nodded, his mind racing with various possibilities.
He knew that the wolf lord's forced marriage was also a carefully planned scheme, and he could easily fall into his trap if he wasn't careful.
"Jing Qing, you are in charge of sending people to further investigate the Wolf Lord's internal affairs. If there is any disturbance, report back immediately." Li Mao made the arrangements immediately, while also considering other possible methods.
"Afu, prepare a light cavalry squad, ready to strike at any time, just in case." Li Mao had a premonition that things wouldn't be that simple. He took a deep breath and continued, "Also, draft some concrete peace terms to gain the initiative in the negotiations."
The generals and soldiers in the tent all accepted the order in unison and quickly sprang into action.
"Your Highness, there is one thing to note," Li Jingqing reminded him again, "The Wolf Lord may not have any personal prejudice against you, but we must be careful not to disrupt the morale of the army."
Li Mao wholeheartedly agreed, “That’s true. Perhaps the Wolf Lord’s conditions have their own unavoidable considerations, and we can’t be too eager for quick success.”
Just then, a soldier announced from outside: "Your Highness, Princess Aya requests an audience."
Li Mao smiled slightly, "Please let her in."
Aya entered the tent, her face serious. "Your Highness Prince Shou, my father has heard that you have not yet made a decision, and therefore hopes to arrange another formal meeting. If both parties agree, an envoy can be sent to Chang'an to conduct further discussions."
Li Mao listened attentively and nodded slightly to her. "Thank you for relaying this message, Princess Aya. Please tell the Wolf Lord that I will discuss it with His Majesty again and give a reply as soon as possible."
After seeing Aya off, Li Mao sat alone in his tent, lost in thought.