After the battle report from Ying Guo and Xu Guo reached Luoyi, Luo Cheng was silent for a long time. His hands were shaking, but in the end he put away the battle report with an expressionless face.
Ji Zhao has been paying attention to him, because Luo Cheng does not have the blessing of his ancestors. Losing the blessing of his ancestors will make a person unstable.
You may make fatal mistakes, but you may also break through the limits of your talent and suddenly make magical decisions like a flash of inspiration.
As for what kind of situation will occur, it depends on the individual's personality.
And Luo Cheng is exactly that kind of perseverant person. Under the overwhelming pressure, he found a way to break the situation!
Ji Fu and Chu State!
In the current chaotic world, the Rong, Di, and Yi people are all fighting against Bang Zhou to the death.
Only Chu is one of the Xia kingdoms. Although there are dissatisfactions between the two parties, they fundamentally share common interests.
If we can reach an alliance with Chu State, we can liberate the manpower of Shen State, Sui State, and Tang State.
When the time comes to unite the power of the concubines in Hanyang, they can compete with Huaiyi and Xu Huai can defeat Huaiyi, and the Xu Kingdom will not be far away from defeat.
The key to the problem lies in the attitude of the Chu State, so Luo Cheng sent his second son Luo Yan, who was originally going to be sent to Hangu Pass, to the Chu State.
Chu State, the capital of Ying.
When he saw the list of envoys, the King of Chu asked: "My lords, who is Luo Yan?"
Someone said, "Your Majesty, Luo Yan is the son of the Luo Kingdom and the legitimate second son of Luo Houcheng. It is said that he is the best orator in the Luo Kingdom."
The news that Luo Cheng became the ruler of Bangzhou had spread all over the world. At this time, he sent his second son here, which was a very sincere sign.
As soon as he heard that he was the young master of the Luo Kingdom, the King of Chu became interested and said with satisfaction: "The Marquis of Luo is very sincere in sending the young master to the Chu Kingdom. The Chu Kingdom is a big country in the Xia Dynasty, and envoys must be greeted with etiquette. .”
Sure enough, when Luo Yan set foot on the land of Chu, a grand team came to greet him. The king sent his own doctor, which surprised Luo Yan.
King Chu's attitude was unexpectedly good.
When I stepped into the capital of the Chu State, it was hard to imagine that this was a country established in the land of the Southern Barbarians, almost the same as the other countries in the Central Plains.
Luo Yan entered the palace of the King of Chu. Luo Yan was known as the most beautiful man in the Luo Kingdom. I don't know how many girls Huaichun saw him. The King of Chu liked him very much when they saw him.
So he said warmly: "Young Master Banquet from Luo State, are you satisfied with the etiquette of Chu State in treating its envoys?"
Luo Yan then bowed and saluted: "Mr. Chu, I am just a young master of the Luo Kingdom. You treat me with such courtesy, which makes me deeply panic."
The King of Chu smiled and said: "Because you are the son of Luo State, I only let you enter through the main entrance.
If you are the son of other princes in the Central Plains, even if you are a prince, I will let him get into the palace through a dog hole. "
Not only did he express his goodwill towards the Luo Kingdom, but he also openly expressed his malice towards the princes of the Central Plains and the Zhou royal family. The ministers and nobles of the Chu Kingdom also laughed.
"Young Master Yan, along the way, how does the scene in Chu State compare to that in Luo State?"
Luo Yan sincerely praised: "Mr. Chu, your country is a big country with etiquette and fine clothes. The population in the capital is really huge. Along the way I walked, people were next to each other, even a little crowded, no less than Luo State, it must be your governance that made Chu State prosperous."
Hearing Luo Yan's praise, the King of Chu was very happy and couldn't help but burst out laughing. The senior officials of Chu State kneeling on both sides of the hall also laughed proudly.
"Young Master Yan, I heard that your father has become a ruler. It must be something important to send an envoy. How important is it to send an envoy to a country?
You are still young, and even if you are resourceful, how can you shoulder such a heavy responsibility? "
King Chu said this deliberately. He liked Luo Yan very much since he entered the hall, so he wanted to see what Luo Yan said.
Luo Yan was seen kneeling on the banquet and said gracefully to the King of Chu: "The envoys sent by Luo State have their own targets.
Duke of Chu, you are the monarch of a great country. When I came, my father asked me to treat you with the etiquette I would treat a prince.
Therefore, the status of an envoy should be noble, and his ability should be secondary.
Although I am young, I am the legitimate son of the Luo family, so I must be suitable to be this envoy.
King Su said that a wise monarch is easy to give advice. As long as the benefits and risks are stated, the monarch will implement it.
I think that sending an envoy is like giving advice. You are a wise monarch. I believe that as long as Yan tells you the interests involved, you will directly accept it.
Why do you need those sharp-tongued people who are racking their brains to take advantage of you?
This is disrespectful to you and Chu State. "
"Hahaha."
King Chu burst out laughing, he was very satisfied with Luo Yan's response.
"Young Master Yan, you are truly worthy of being the legitimate son of the Luo family. With his demeanor, he looks like a high official in the palace!"
Thanks to Luo's reputation, King Chu's praise did not arouse the dissatisfaction of the officials in the palace. On the contrary, many people felt that it was an honor to be associated with Luo's legitimate son.
"Your mission to Chu State must be for the war between Chu State and Shen State? How are you going to convince me and my ministers of Chu State?"
"Mr. Chu, I'm not here to convince you, but to help you solve your problems.
If attacking Shen and Suitang is really beneficial to you and Chu, how can I dare to trouble you?
Huaiyi, although his face is human, he is nothing more than an animal.
But you are the nobleman of the Xia. How can the Xia attack each other and let the beasts benefit?
People know etiquette, but the greed of animals has no end.
They conquered the country of Xi and made all the people slaves. What a cruel thing.
They also want to conquer the states of Ying and Xu. If these beasts succeed, the north of the Chu state will be Rong people, the east will be Yi people, and the south will be barbarians.
Just like people, if the skin no longer exists, where can the hair attach to it?
The states of Zhuxia were conquered one by one. What should Chu do then?
The ancestors of Chu State went through many difficulties and dangers to develop in the uninhabited areas. Even when they could not eat enough, they would not forget to sacrifice to their ancestors.
This is what all the Xia countries adhere to together. You allowed Huaiyi to become strong.
I think this is detrimental to you and I hope you will consider this matter carefully. "
King Chu thought Luo Yan was right and said with a smile: "What you said is right, but I can't promise you like this.
The royal family and the princes of the Central Plains have always been disdainful of Chu. This is not the attitude towards the important states of Xia, so they should be punished.
I think this is in line with the movement of heaven. "
Luo Yan knew that this was going to be a negotiation, so he said: "Chu is a big country in the Xia Dynasty. For more than two hundred years, barbarians from the south have been invading the Central Plains. This is all due to the Chu people.
Without the sacrifices of the Chu people, the Central Plains would not be so peaceful.
It is unkind to rely on Chu people's sacrifices but not to honor them, but to humiliate them.
It would be unwise to lose Zhu Xia's allies and push him towards Yi Di.
When my lord comes, let me say to you: Only the Marquis can show the rough road of Chu State, and this is what you deserve.
The Lord also said that he is willing to reward you with wealth and population.
If you are willing, the royal family is also willing to marry with the Chu State and form a marriage between the surnames Ji and Mi. This must be able to express the sincerity of the royal family. "
A title bestowed by the royal family!
This made the kings and ministers of the Chu State a little moved. Although the King of Chu now calls himself the king, this is just an act of enclosing territory for himself.
The Chu State will eventually return to the Zhuxia system, and then the title of Zi will be really unpleasant.
As for wealth and population, these are all necessary things for negotiation. After all, the emperor is rich all over the world, and there is no problem in satisfying the appetite of a prince in Chu State.
"Marriage?" King Chu asked curiously: "Don't the emperor marry Qi? This is not in line with common sense!"
No wonder the King of Chu asked this question. The marriage between the royal family and the State of Qi began when the state of Zhou was established. Although there were twists and turns in the process, they finally reconciled.
But the very embarrassing thing is that the contemporary Qi Hou no longer has a legitimate daughter!
Daughters from other royal families are not qualified to be queens.
Not to mention the concubine. It's okay to be a concubine, but marry her and become a queen. Is this deliberately humiliating the royal family and wants to start a war?
After counting, the only big country that could help the royal family was Chu. In addition, Chu's support was very much needed now. Luo Cheng directly made the decision to marry the princess of Chu for the emperor Ji Fu.
"Father, I heard that you have a princess named Yiguang, who you regard as a treasure.
Then he sighed and said: "The Duke of Chu is a talented hero. What he regards as a treasure must be someone loved by God. Such a woman should become a queen."
If you are willing, this is the beautiful jade that my father selected for the princess from the treasure house of Luo Kingdom, and I am willing to offer it to you as a betrothal gift. "
After saying that, he asked the attendant to take out a package, opened the cloth, and a flawless piece of jade appeared in front of everyone.
It was so beautiful that even the King of Chu had never seen it before. He looked straight at it and was immediately moved.
However, Yiguang was indeed his favorite princess. He was reluctant to let Yiguang leave him so far away, but the royal family's request for marriage was really too tempting for him.
When the next emperor has the blood of Chu, let's see who can still say that Chu is a country of southern barbarians.
There was hesitation on his face. Qu Lin, the official of the Chu State, was from a noble family and was a confidant of the King of Chu. You could tell what he was thinking by looking at the King of Chu's expression.
After thinking about it, a smile appeared on his face.
He raised his hands to Luo Yan and said: "Gongzi Yan, you don't know something. Princess Yiguang is not the eldest daughter of the king. There is an unmarried princess named Yi Xuan above Princess Yiguang.
According to Zhou rites, it is wrong for the younger sister to marry before the older sister. If the royal family is willing to marry, they should ask the king to marry Princess Yixuan. "
When the King of Chu heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up and he said quickly: "Lin is right, I am right at the Young Master's Banquet, I and Princess Yixuan also have a good reputation in the Chu Kingdom and are of good moral character. She is a noble daughter worthy of being the queen. "
As soon as he saw the words of the Chu king and ministers, Luo Yan understood that King Chu really loved Yiguang, and it would be difficult to get him to agree to a political marriage.
Anyway, the goal is to get married, so who should I marry?
Luo's descendants not only have flexible moral bottom lines, but also flexible negotiation bottom lines.
Wanting to be here, Luo Yan stood up from his seat and walked to the center of the hall, bowed and saluted, "The two surnames Ji Mi and the two countries of Zhou and Chu have been close for a hundred years. This is an unprecedented event. Your name, Mr. Chu, will surely be remembered." Sing forever.”
Luo Yanzheng wanted to present the gift he brought this time to the King of Chu first. The subsequent betrothal gift would definitely not be brought this time. After all, the marriage between a princess and the emperor was not that simple.
Unexpectedly, the King of Chu suddenly said: "Young Master Banquet, the monarchs of the Luo family have never looked at our Chu country as a southern barbarian. Our ancestor Chu Wugong once said that if there are descendants who can go to the Central Plains, they will go to the tomb of Luo Wen Gong to worship. For hundreds of years, the ancestors of Chu State dared not forget it for a day.
This is the reason why I agreed to marry Luo Gong. It is the most difficult for me to establish the Chu State. I understand that everything must rely on myself, and I disdain to be recognized by the princes of the Central Plains. "
Although he was a bit harsh, Luo Yan certainly would not expose it. Instead, he complimented: "The founding of the Chu State was difficult and the road was difficult. The ancestors of the Luo State were all aware of the hardships, so they wanted to grant the title of marquis to the ancestors of the Chu State several times. Although he was in a high position, he failed to make the trip. This has to be said to be a big regret. Fortunately, with the blessing of God, Chu State finally got what it deserved.
My father asked me to celebrate the Duke of Chu on behalf of the ancestors of the Luo Kingdom!
Congratulations to Chu State! "
Now all the Chu Guoqing officials looked at Luo Yan with goodwill in their eyes. This young master from Luo State is really good.
"I heard that the Luo Kingdom has always advanced and retreated with the royal family. The emperor married the widow's princess. Does the Luo Kingdom also want to marry the widow's Yiguang?
At the Young Master's Banquet, I am willing to marry Yiguang to you, but you must stay in Chu to assist me, so that an alliance between the two countries can be concluded. "
The King of Chu finally realized that since Luo Yan entered the palace, he had become more and more satisfied with Luo Yan.
He was born into a noble family and was the direct son of the Luo Kingdom. Among all the Xia kingdoms, there were no more than five people with higher status than him.
With a handsome face, the King of Chu saw countless handsome young men, but none of them could compare with Luo Yan.
He is even more satisfied with his speech and behavior. He doesn't panic when things happen, he can speak every word without missing a beat, and he can answer sudden questions immediately. This is a rare talent.
If you don't take advantage of this special opportunity, you won't be able to find such an opportunity in the future.
"Mr. Chu..." Luo Yan didn't know what to say for the first time since he came to the palace. Why was he negotiating to stay in the Chu Kingdom?
King Chu even said to the waiter: "Go and summon Princess Yiguang."
Luo Yan immediately knew that if Princess Yiguang arrived in the palace, there would be no room for maneuver in this matter.
It seems that King Chu is determined to make him his son-in-law. It is too dangerous to be too handsome.
Thinking of this, Luo Yan said helplessly: "Mr. Chu, you must at least ask your father about marriage matters. I dare not make the decision without permission."
When the King of Chu saw that Luo Yan had given in, he laughed and said, "You will temporarily live in the Kingdom of Chu and let the deputy envoy bring the news back. I don't think Duke Luo will refuse."
Luo Yan knew that his father would never refuse, that's why he gave in so easily.
Sure enough, as Luo Yan expected, Luo Cheng agreed to King Chu's request without hesitation.
The royal family sent out a large-scale welcoming team, with rows of palace attendants and boxes of gifts heading towards the Chu Kingdom.
At the same time, a betrothal gift belonging to Luo Yan also came to Chu State along with the royal gift.
He also brought the Marquis's golden book and a full set of supporting documents, all of which had been prepared a long time ago.
The Chu army that had been stationed near Shen and Sui also retreated. The two sides had just signed an armistice covenant. Of course, the covenant was impossible to sign.
Although it was actually an alliance between Zhou and Chu, in legal terms, how could there be any reason for an alliance between the emperor and his ministers?
As a prince, it is natural for Chu State to accept the emperor's dispatch to fight.
…
The impact of this marriage between the Zhou royal family and the Chu state on the entire East Asian order in the early Eastern Zhou Dynasty is completely inestimable.
From a small perspective, the Chu State got rid of its identity as a southern barbarian and once again participated in the alliance organized by the princes of the Central Plains as a member of the Xia Kingdom.
From a large perspective, when the key bargaining chip of Chu State, which had decisive power, fell to the Zhou royal family, the Zhuxia kingdoms achieved decisive success in the war with the Yi people. The entire history of East Asia ultimately ended with the victory of the Zhuxia kingdoms. The perspective moves forward, and the Yi people disappear into the long river of history.
Although there are no assumptions in history, it still makes people full of curiosity. If Chu failed to fall to the Zhou royal family, would the fragile Zhou Dynasty be submerged in the tide of Yi and Di, just like Rome was submerged by barbarians. ——"Cambridge History of China·Eastern Zhou Dynasty Volume 1"
