IRBSC 95

Chapter 95

The Emperor indeed has his ways.

Xue Yuan wanted to cherish Gu Yuanbai as his beloved, which was understandable, but Gu Yuanbai was not one to be passively adored by another man with such an aggressive sense of invasion. Xue Yuan’s dominance only served to awaken the nerve beneath Gu Yuanbai’s gentle demeanor, one filled with a desire to win and to conquer. He made it clear to Xue Yuan through his actions that he did not need Xue Yuan’s affection, but rather, it seemed like Xue Yuan couldn’t do without his favor.

Gu Yuanbai did feel a moment of soft-heartedness upon seeing the bloodstains on the bed.

It was undeniable, the evidence laid right before him.

This moment of soft-heartedness was not necessarily filled with emotional attachment, nor did it mean that Gu Yuanbai had developed feelings for Xue Yuan. It was merely a fleeting thought upon seeing the bloodstains and recalling Xue Yuan’s words, as well as the peaceful sleep from the night before.

Gu Yuanbai couldn’t exactly pinpoint the origin of his soft-heartedness.

Pity for Xue Jiuyao? He did not need pity.

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While Xue Yuan was still on his way, the Emperor’s decree was passed from one post station to the next, uninterrupted.

Wealth, resources, everything that could willingly make one submit was displayed in full measure by Gu Yuanbai.

Most importantly, he did not care for these things; he had the confidence to offer anyone special treatment, overwhelming anyone with the sheer magnitude of his generosity, enough to daze even gods.

Xue Yuan was not dazed by these things, but he was stunned by the domineering intent behind them.

All the way, in a daze, as if drunk, his mind foggy. The Emperor had such a method, and with that, Xue Yuan’s heart completely melted, willingly becoming the “fragile consort” cherished by the emperor across thousands of miles.

There was no helping it. Since that moment in the cave when Gu Yuanbai said “I can’t bear pain,” Xue Yuan had wrapped himself in chains, eagerly wishing to deliver these chains into Gu Yuanbai’s hands.

Thinking of him felt like being on a volcano, emotions like magma, constantly burning hot and fervent.

Riding his horse, Xue Yuan thought of Gu Yuanbai and wanted to laugh. As long as he was sure that Gu Yuanbai did not take any concubines, his mood soared, even wanting to burst into song when crossing mountains and forests. Occasionally, as his hand brushed over the mane of his horse, it felt like stirring a ticklish sensation as if brushing across the Emperor’s chest.

Whenever this happened, his thoughts would be interrupted, and his nose would start to itch.

Such a strong Emperor, yet that part is also delicate.

Cute… ah.

*

Gu Yuanbai would never know that Xue Yuan dared to find him cute in his thoughts.

He returned to the palace with his people, taking special care to escort Chu Wei to the entrance of the Chu residence. In a tactful manner, he inquired, “I have heard that recently, Chu Qing has been quite close to the envoy from Xi Xia?”

Initially, Chu Wei dared not look directly at the Emperor. Upon hearing these words, however, he abruptly lifted his head, his face set in a frosty expression, a gloom settling over his brows and eyes.

In the eyes of Gu Yuanbai, Chu Wei had always been the epitome of a refined gentleman, embodying the grace and solemnity of a gentleman of the era with his radiant and dignified appearance. He was not only beautiful to look at but also capable and proud.

Yet, this expression on Chu Wei’s face was something Gu Yuanbai had never seen before. Even when Chu Wei had been bound to the dragon bed, he had appeared calm and untroubled.

Gu Yuanbai silently considered that such a look must indeed reflect an extreme aversion to the Prince of Xi Xia.

Amidst the turmoil in his gaze, Chu Wei regained his composure. Looking directly at the Emperor, he stated, “Your Majesty sees clearly. My interactions with the Xi Xia envoy have indeed been marked by mutual animosity.”

“I am aware of your character,” Gu Yuanbai offered soothingly. “You have worked hard these days. Tomorrow, I will summon the envoy from Xi Xia. Since you have had several encounters with him recently, come along as well.”

Chu Wei responded respectfully, “Your servant obeys the decree.”

*

The next day, in the Xuanzheng Hall.

The ministers stood on both sides, with eunuchs announcing the entrance of the Xi Xia envoy.

The Prince of Xi Xia, along with his ministers, entered with heads bowed to perform their salutations. Gu Yuanbai, seated in a position of authority, watched them. The etiquette lessons of the past days were proving their worth; their movements were exceedingly proper, leaving no fault to be found.

After completing the salutations, the Prince of Xi Xia said, “The humble official Li Ang, together with the Xi Xia envoys, pays respects to Your Majesty, wishing you endless peace and security.”

The senior ministers looked on with amused smiles, most of them having accepted gifts from Xi Xia to some extent. Seeing this, the Xi Xia envoys couldn’t help but grimace, inwardly cursing these old officials for their hypocrisy.

It was seen as incredibly hypocritical to accept gifts without inquiring about their purpose. These days, the Xi Xia envoys had truly seen through the pretense of the Da Heng officials.

Wasn’t Da Heng supposed to be a nation of etiquette, where humility was considered beautiful? Yet, when the Xi Xia envoys presented gifts, these officials did not hesitate to accept them without understanding the implied intentions, acting ignorant and forcing the envoys to give gifts over and over without achieving their objectives.

The anxiety and frustration of these days, along with the inability to make further progress, had erased any arrogance from the faces of the Xi Xia envoys, replaced by tension and exhaustion from repeated setbacks.

Clearly, they had been tormented severely.

However, the Emperor of Da heng, Gu Yuanbai, also had a taste for mischief. Leaning forward, he asked with feigned concern, “Why does the face of the Xi Xia envoy look so pale?”

The sarcasm was barely hidden, causing the Prince of Xi Xia’s face to stiffen, but when he looked up at the Emperor, he forcefully suppressed his anger, merely stating, “It must be due to acclimatization issues, leading to restless sleep.”

Gu Yuanbai smiled slightly, twirling his jade ring, and after exchanging a few courteous words, he invited the Minister of Revenue to discuss the trade issues between the two countries.

Xi Xia still relied on Da heng’s resources, with their Qing salt being a major source of illicit salt due to its cheaper price compared to the official salt.

The significant profits from just the Qing salt alone were substantial for Xi Xia. They were not afraid of Da heng’s strict salt bans, knowing that people would always opt for the cheaper alternative, ensuring demand. However, they feared Gu Yuanbai’s intervention could drastically affect their salt trade.

The Minister of Revenue, leveraging his country’s strength, adopted a grand stance and proposed increasing the trade benefits by fifty percent over previous terms, then awaited Xi Xia’s counteroffer.

The envoys from Xi Xia were visibly displeased.

In the vast hall, it wasn’t just these individuals present. Officials from the Honglu Temple, deputies from the Ministry of Revenue, and various officials were there, with those from the Council of State occasionally adding their remarks after the Minister of Revenue spoke.

Additionally, the historians were ready with their books, prepared to record everything.

With so many people surrounding the Xi Xia envoys, it was like a group of foxes encircling a few young chicks, all eyes filled with keen interest.

The officials of Da heng were dressed in their formal robes, exuding politeness, but the words they spoke were filled with pitfalls. Kong Yilin, standing to the side, realized he was learning a lot from this exchange between the officials of the two nations, understanding now how to navigate such diplomatic negotiations.

The Xi Xia envoys, now visibly pale, were caught in a situation they knew was fraught with traps. Despite their quick thinking, they couldn’t keep up with the cunning of Da Heng’s esteemed officials. Among the Xi Xia envoys, the one responsible for negotiations couldn’t hold back his indignation, exclaiming, “This is too much!”

“Too much?” The Councilor responded with a helpless smile, “May I ask how we have been unfair to the envoys?”

When Da Heng acted with courtesy towards foreign nations, they were seen as weak, adhering to their principles and virtues seen merely as vanity. However, now that the courteous facade had given way to unreasonableness, they realized how beneficial a major nation’s grace and concessions could be to its neighbors.

The Xi Xia envoys’ stereotypical view of Da Heng was deep-seated, believing that Da Heng would agree to anything once they spoke up.

But Da Heng was no longer the nation it used to be.

Li Ang quickly stepped forward to apologize, “In a moment of urgency, my words were too harsh and not carefully considered. Please do not take offense.”

In the struggle for their respective interests, harsh words were the least of concerns. Psychological warfare and deliberate oppression were tactics to force the other side to concede. Da Heng’s officials were aggressively pushing the envelope, calling it excessive was just the Xi Xia side losing their composure, barking like a defeated dog.

The Xi Xia prince’s apology was graciously accepted by the officials of Da Heng, who magnanimously indicated they took no offense.

Their magnanimity only highlighted the desperation of the Xi Xia side.

With that, the day’s discussions came to an end. Over the next two days, the back-and-forth negotiations in the Xuanzheng Hall were slow and meticulous. Gradually, as the talks progressed, both sides finalized acceptable terms.

Once the deal was struck, the matter of the market exchanges between Da Heng and Xi Xia was settled. Xi Xia conceded certain benefits and agreed to supply Da Heng with a minimum of three thousand horses annually.

In the market, Da Heng merchants would hold sixty percent of the trade, with taxes and fees increased by thirty percent over previous rates, among other miscellaneous gains. Overall, it was a fruitful negotiation.

Following these agreements, the expressions of the Xi Xia envoys were noticeably grim. Li Angshun’s face was cold, his forced smile frozen.

Gu Yuanbai appeared slightly pale, his eyes half-closed, lips curved in a smile. Though he hadn’t moved, the mental exertion was evidently taking its toll.

However, he concealed it well, unnoticed by all.

Under the blazing sun, it was precisely noon when the dishes from the Imperial Kitchen were served one after another for the banquet hosted in honor of Xi Xia. Naturally, no effort was spared in the preparation. Once the dishes and drinks were set, amidst the toasts and laughter of the officials, the Xi Xia envoys’ faces finally relaxed a bit.

It was then that Li Angshun noticed Chu Wei was also present.

Previously, the Emperor of Da Heng had shielded Chu Wei into a carriage and reprimanded him for something. It seemed that Chu Wei had a rather good relationship with the Emperor of Da Heng.

Li Angshun glanced at Chu Wei, drank a cup of wine, and then inexplicably looked up at the Emperor seated high above before downing another cup.

After several rounds, his senses began to blur. Suddenly standing up, Li Angshun walked over to Chu Wei with a wine cup in hand, dragging Chu Wei by the arm to the Emperor without explanation.

The Emperor’s guards fixed their gaze on the Prince of Xi Xia.

Drunk, the Prince of Xi Xia slurred, “Your servant wishes to marry one of your officials.”

The Emperor looked at him expressionlessly.

The Prince of Xi Xia, still clutching Chu Wei, kept his eyes on the Emperor, “I have conceded much, and I like him. Emperor of Da Heng, do you consent?”

Chu Wei, his face cold with anger, was about to shake off the Prince of Xi Xia’s hand but paused when he caught something from the corner of his eye.

Turning his head, he looked deeply at Li Angshun.

If you really liked me, why are you so fixated on the Emperor?