In the Xuanzheng Hall of the Daming Palace of the Tang Dynasty, Wu Shiwei led another deputy head of the delegation and secretary Lu Liang to meet the Tang Emperor Li Weihan.
Being able to meet the Tang Emperor this time can be said to be a major historical event that both China and the Tang Dynasty will record and record in history books, because less than a year after the opening of the two world passages, the Chinese people met the Tang Emperor for the first time.
Wu Shiwei and others were extremely excited. No matter how the discussion went, they would have enough bragging rights when they returned. As long as they reached a conclusion, they were likely to be promoted. Being able to meet Emperor Tang was a success.
"Bold! It is a crime of great disrespect for you to stand in front of the emperor. Kneel down immediately!" There were not many people in the hall, except for Emperor Tang who was sitting on the dragon throne. Next to him was a valet, and below him Standing were three officials who were not young in age, namely Zhongtai of Shangshu Province, Shizhong of Menxia Province and Zhongshu Ling of Zhongshu Province.
Times have changed, and the organizational structure and positions of the Tang Dynasty have not remained static. For example, there have been no eunuchs in the palace for a long time, and the people who serve the emperor are all mature men.
The person who loudly scolded Wu Shiwei and others was the attendant.
Wu Shiwei was also startled by this scolding. He murmured in his heart that what the information said was indeed correct. The Tang Dynasty had abolished the kneeling ceremony, but it was inevitable for the emperor.
Wu Shiwei knelt down with a puff, and the two people behind him immediately knelt down when they saw this. In their hearts, being able to complete this mission and return home was a great achievement. Compared with that, kneeling down to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty was nothing.
"Get up and speak." Tang Emperor Li Weihan's voice was rich and majestic.
"I didn't want to see you, the Chinese envoy, when you came to visit this time. I am devoted to cultivation, and state affairs have been handed over to the three provinces and one court. However, you have been asking for an audience five times. It is said that you are not satisfied with the results of the discussions with Prime Minister Qin. But so?"
Wu Shiwei couldn't get the desired result from Qin Zhao, so he turned to see Emperor Tang. Now that he actually met Emperor Tang, he naturally wouldn't have anything good to say about Qin Zhao, and in his opinion, no emperor He would tolerate Qin Zhao being so powerful, but Emperor Tang was like this only because of Qin Zhao's energy. Emperor Tang must have hated Qin Zhao in his heart.
"Tang Emperor, the reason why China came here this time is to cooperate and form an alliance with the Tang Dynasty to jointly resist the menacing Orc Continent. After all, our two worlds have the same origin. If there is a strong enemy in front, there is no need for our own people to fight against our own people. .”
"What a one of our own!" Emperor Tang smiled and said, "That's very good."
Seeing Emperor Tang's attitude, Wu Shiwei was overjoyed, and most of his original trembling trembling had faded away.
"In the past, it was said that Emperor Tang had a tough attitude towards China, and Qin Zhao wanted to make peace. I think it's all nonsense. In fact, it was Qin Zhao who spread false rumors against Emperor Tang. It was all Qin Zhao's fault, but he wanted Emperor Tang to come. Take the blame. Fortunately, I met Emperor Tang, and we will definitely be able to negotiate this time."
Emperor Tang said in a gentle tone: "If China is willing to hand over monks above the Huiyang realm to the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty can protect China's peace."
What?
Wu Shiwei and three others felt that there was something wrong with their ears. What was Emperor Tang talking about?
"Emperor Tang, maybe your dragon power is too strong and my head is a little dizzy. Please tell me your request again." Wu Shiwei really thought that he heard wrongly.
"Hahahaha, there is no strong person in China. The territory is under the jurisdiction of the Tang Dynasty. Your safety will naturally be taken care of by the Tang Dynasty." Emperor Tang laughed wildly.
Wu Shiwei heard clearly this time, but he couldn't believe that Emperor Tang actually spoke like this. This was not discussing cooperation, it was obvious that there was no need to talk.
The three ministers in the palace did not expect that the emperor would say such words, and they were all a little anxious. Everyone knows the current situation. The Orc Continent is not only powerful but also cruel and tyrannical. Only by stopping fighting each other and strengthening cooperation can Datang and China possibly confront the Orc Continent. Otherwise, even the Tang Dynasty will find it difficult to face the Orcs alone. Claws.
If at first some officials felt that Qin Zhao's idea of cooperating with China was not in the interests of the Tang Dynasty, now the upper-level officials of the Tang Dynasty have basically agreed with Qin Zhao's idea of an alliance. It can only be said that Duke Qin is far-sighted.
But now, His Majesty the Emperor directly told the Chinese envoys to surrender, and took the initiative to hand over all the powerful people to the Tang Dynasty, and the territory was merged into the territory of the Tang Dynasty. This was clearly to provoke discord between the Tang Dynasty and China. Why should we continue to harbor hatred against the great enemy of the orcs? Although the relationship with China was not friendly before, it was just a small fight and could still be repaired. Did the emperor really not see the situation clearly?
"Tang Emperor, your request is too... too unreasonable..."
"Insolent!" the attendant beside Emperor Tang shouted, "Insulting Your Majesty is a capital crime and cannot be forgiven!"
A flash of sword light flashed, and the three heads immediately rolled to the ground, splattering blood in the hall.
"Your Majesty!" The three ministers were shocked and knelt down quickly.
If cooperation cannot be reached, it is better not to kill all the envoys and deputy envoys of other people's missions, but to kill them directly in the main hall.
Although it was the valet who took action, the three ministers all saw that this was arranged by His Majesty. Otherwise, how could the valet dare to take action?
The Emperor of Tang laughed a few times and said, "Send a message to the rest of the Chinese envoy. The Tang Dynasty has strong soldiers and horses and does not need to form an alliance with China. If China is willing to join the Tang Dynasty and hand over all the monks above the Huiyang realm to the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty will be able to deal with it." Tang Ke can send troops to protect it. If you don't want to, don't send any more envoys."
"Your Majesty, this..." The veteran wanted to say something else, but was stopped by another veteran.
After leaving the main hall, the three veterans dared to speak freely.
The so-called three provinces and one court are the Shangshu Province, the Menxia Province, the Zhongshu Province and the State Council. The three provinces have always been the highest government agencies under the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. The State Council is equivalent to the six ministries in the past. Now it has been subdivided into more than 20 departments and separated from the Shangshu Province. The Shangshu Province is now more like a symbolic The organization has no actual duties, but it is vaguely superior to the other two provinces.
This setting was actually one of Qin Zhao's self-condemnation measures after signing an agreement with the source of monsters, because Qin Zhao was serving as Shangshu Ling at that time. Later, Qin Zhao wanted to resign from the Shangshu Province, but the emperor at the time refused, so Qin Zhao could only separate the six ministries under the Shangshu Province, thus weakening his actual power. However, after so many years, the officials in the court changed one after another. However, Qin Zhao is still as strong as ever, and they are all his disciples and grandsons. Even if he only has a vacant position, he still responds to every call. Even every emperor of the Tang Dynasty respects Qin Zhao as the emperor's master and lets him do whatever he wants.
"What do you mean by this, Your Majesty! Even if you don't want to talk about it, you won't kill the Chinese envoy in the palace. This is obviously because you want to enmity with China!" Mai Rui, a member of the Shangshu Province, looked anxious. As a deputy, Qin Zhao rarely met the emperor, and rarely participated in government affairs as a minister, so he needed a leader from the minister's province, and it was usually this dear friend who came forward.
Wan Quan, the minister's minister, also had an ugly expression, but his tone was calmer, "On the matter of relations with China, His Majesty and Prime Minister Qin have always had different opinions. For a long time, His Majesty rarely dealt with government affairs directly, regardless of Qin's contrary opinions. There are almost no people who forcibly promulgate decrees. This is already a strange thing. Today, they are using thunderous means to disrupt the alliance with China. It is really unfathomable!"
Ling Yuheng, the Secretary of the Zhongshu Province, said: "Your Majesty has your own considerations. You all heard it just now. What your Majesty wants is to expand the territory and bring China into the Tang Dynasty. Asking for strong men from China is just like confiscating the world's weapons. Such measures, in this way, China will forever lose the ability to break away from the Tang Dynasty and surrender to the Tang Dynasty forever. I have to say that your Majesty's move is also for the benefit of the Tang Dynasty, but it is different from what Prime Minister Qin planned."
Mai Rui said angrily: "What are you planning to do differently? This is obviously to drag the Tang Dynasty into endless darkness."
Ling Yuheng immediately made a panicked gesture and whispered, "Be careful what you say! Be careful what you say!"
Mai Rui also felt that he had gone too far, and lowered his voice and said: "The Tang Dynasty does have an advantage over China, but if there is a fight, even if we win, it may be a miserable victory, and the national power of the Tang Dynasty will plummet, or even collapse. What's more, at this moment, there is still To fight against the Orc Continent, which is stronger than the Tang Dynasty, any one of the five major cities in the Orc Continent is on par with the Tang Dynasty. At this time, we are at odds with China. Who can tell me what a good strategy is? We are still trying to expand. Territory, isn’t this just an idiot’s dream?”
Hearing Mai Rui call the emperor a "fool," Ling Yuheng and Wan Quan stopped telling him to be careful, because in their hearts they all agreed with what Mai Rui said, but what happened today was too fantasy, and they couldn't figure out why the emperor would do this. Do this. In their understanding, Emperor Li Weihan just didn't like managing government affairs like the previous emperors, but he was not a weak-minded person. On the contrary, Li Weihan was still a very wise and strong person.
