boyutpedia Chapter 181 The Dilemma of the New Envoy's Arrival
Chapter 181 The Dilemma of the New Envoy's Arrival
News of the new emperor's envoy's visit to the Nanzhao Kingdom spread like wildfire throughout the entire palace. Upon learning of this, Xiao Jingchuan's expression turned grave, and he immediately summoned his ministers to the court to discuss countermeasures.
As the golden sunlight streamed into the magnificent palace at dawn, the atmosphere within was unusually heavy. Xiao Jingchuan sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze sharp as he surveyed the ministers below. He slowly spoke, "My esteemed ministers, the new Emperor's envoy will arrive soon. His intentions are unclear, but I fear he harbors deeper motives. Does anyone have a plan to deal with this?"
As soon as he finished speaking, an elderly minister stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, we should treat the Japanese Emperor’s envoy with courtesy, but we should not be careless. We should first send a capable person to greet them and sound out their intentions.”
Xiao Jingchuan nodded slightly and looked at the Minister of Rites beside him: "Minister Li, this matter will be entrusted to you. You must select a shrewd and capable person who can both demonstrate the grandeur of our Nanzhao Kingdom and find out the envoy's intentions."
Minister of Rites Li received the order and withdrew. At this moment, a young military officer stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that we should strengthen the defenses of the palace and the capital to prevent the envoy from committing any unauthorized acts."
Xiao Jingchuan nodded in agreement: "General Wang is absolutely right. You should arrange this matter and not be negligent in the slightest."
The ministers offered their suggestions one after another, and Xiao Jingchuan listened carefully to them all, gradually forming a general direction for dealing with the situation.
A few days later, the grand procession of the new emperor's envoys arrived in the capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom. Minister of Rites Li, along with a group of officials, waited at the city gate to welcome the envoys with great ceremony.
The delegation was led by a middle-aged man named Yamamoto Ichiro, dressed in magnificent attire and with sharp eyes. He alighted from his carriage, arrogantly surveyed the surrounding Nanzhao officials, and gave a slight bow, but did not perform a full salute.
Although Lord Li was displeased, he still smiled and said warmly, "Lord Yamamoto, you must be tired from your journey. His Majesty of Nanzhao has prepared a grand banquet in the palace to welcome you all."
Yamamoto Ichiro's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint, cold smile: "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Li. But I wonder what brings His Majesty of Nanzhao to this hospitality?"
Lord Li was startled. The envoy's first words were a probing probing, indicating that his intentions were not good. He calmly replied, "Although my Nanzhao Kingdom and your esteemed Kingdom are neighboring countries, we have very little contact. Your Majesty hopes to take this opportunity to enhance the friendship between our two nations."
Yamamoto Ichiro nodded slightly, said no more, and followed Lord Li to the palace.
Inside the palace, Xiao Jingchuan, dressed in a dragon robe, sat solemnly on the throne. When the envoys entered, Yamamoto Ichiro merely bowed slightly in a simple gesture of respect.
Xiao Jingchuan didn't mind and said with a smile, "Lord Yamamoto has come from afar and must be tired from your journey. Although Nanzhao Kingdom is not as prosperous as your country, we have prepared a small feast to welcome you."
Yamamoto Ichiro glanced around the hall, his gaze settling on Xiao Jingchuan, and said, "Your Majesty of Nanzhao is too kind. I have come here for two reasons: first, to enhance the friendship between our two countries, and second, to discuss some state affairs with Your Majesty."
Xiao Jingchuan's heart tightened, but he remained calm: "Oh? What is it? Please speak freely, Lord Yamamoto."
Yamamoto Ichiro's lips curled into a sly smile: "His Majesty the Emperor has heard that the Nanzhao Kingdom is rich in resources, especially the border cities, which have fertile land and abundant resources. His Majesty the Emperor hopes to cooperate with the Nanzhao Kingdom in development. What is His Majesty's opinion?"
These words caused an uproar in the hall. The ministers whispered among themselves, all understanding that this so-called "cooperative development" was actually the Japanese Emperor's ambition to seize the border lands of the Southern Zhao Kingdom.
Xiao Jingchuan was furious, but he remained outwardly calm. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "This matter is of great importance and requires careful consideration. The Nanzhao Kingdom has always valued friendly relations with other countries, but border matters concern national sovereignty and require careful consideration."
Seeing that Xiao Jingchuan did not immediately agree, Yamamoto Ichiro's eyes flashed with displeasure, but he still forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. This matter does indeed require careful consideration. However, His Majesty the Emperor is full of sincerity, and I hope that Your Majesty can give an answer as soon as possible."
Xiao Jingchuan nodded slightly and said, "Lord Yamamoto, rest assured, I will definitely discuss this matter with my ministers and give your country a reply as soon as possible."
Afterwards, Xiao Jingchuan ordered a grand banquet to be prepared to entertain the delegation. At the banquet, everyone appeared cheerful and relaxed on the surface, but undercurrents were running deep, and each person had their own thoughts.
After the banquet, Xiao Jingchuan returned to the Imperial Study and immediately summoned several trusted ministers to discuss countermeasures.
“Your Majesty, the Japanese envoy has clearly come to provoke us. The so-called cooperative development is clearly an attempt to seize our border land. We absolutely cannot agree to this,” a minister said angrily.
Xiao Jingchuan frowned slightly and said, "I know I can't agree, but the Japanese Emperor is ambitious. If we refuse rashly, it might trigger a conflict between the two countries. We must come up with a foolproof plan."
At this moment, a minister who appeared to be a strategist said, "Your Majesty, I have a plan. We can first stall for time, feigning compliance with the envoy, while secretly strengthening border defenses and preparing for battle. In addition, we can send someone to Xijing Kingdom to discuss with His Majesty Jiang Liushen and seek their support."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingchuan's eyes lit up, and he nodded, saying, "This plan is excellent. Let's do as you say, first delay the envoy and keep him calm. The border defenses should be strengthened immediately to ensure that nothing goes wrong. As for sending someone to Xijing Kingdom, I will personally write a letter and have a reliable person deliver it."
In the days that followed, Xiao Jingchuan arranged for Minister of Rites Li to continue negotiating with the envoy and buy time. Meanwhile, he secretly mobilized troops to strengthen border defenses. At the same time, he personally wrote a secret letter and sent it to Xijing Kingdom by his most trusted bodyguard.
The secret guards traveled day and night and finally arrived in Xijing Kingdom. After receiving Xiao Jingchuan's secret letter, Jiang Liushen immediately summoned his ministers to discuss the matter.
"The Nanzhao Kingdom and my Xijing Kingdom are interdependent. If the Nanzhao Kingdom falls, my Xijing Kingdom will also find it difficult to remain unscathed. We must support the Nanzhao Kingdom," Jiang Liushen said firmly.
The ministers unanimously agreed and ultimately decided that Xijing Kingdom would secretly support Nanzhao Kingdom, and if the Emperor dared to make any rash moves, Xijing Kingdom would send troops to help.
On the Nanzhao Kingdom's side, Xiao Jingchuan felt even more confident after learning of the Xijing Kingdom's support. He continued to negotiate with the envoy, waiting for the best opportunity.
Finally, during a negotiation with the envoy, Xiao Jingchuan saw that the time was ripe and his attitude suddenly hardened: "Lord Yamamoto, your country's so-called cooperative development is actually an attempt to seize the territory of my Nanzhao Kingdom. Such a demand will never be agreed to by my Nanzhao Kingdom."
Yamamoto Ichiro's expression changed drastically, and he said angrily, "Your Majesty of Nanzhao, you should think carefully. If you refuse His Majesty the Emperor's proposal, the consequences will be very serious."
Xiao Jingchuan sneered: "Although my Nanzhao Kingdom does not provoke trouble, it is absolutely not afraid of trouble. If your country dares to invade the borders of my Nanzhao Kingdom, the soldiers and people of my Nanzhao Kingdom will fight to the death."
Seeing Xiao Jingchuan's resolute attitude, Yamamoto Ichiro secretly pondered that since the Nanzhao Kingdom dared to be so tough, it must have already made preparations. He dared not act rashly and had no choice but to give up for the time being.