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Chapter 237 The Proper Use of Military Force
Chapter 237 The Proper Use of Military Force
From the moment Emperor Yu stood up and left.
The heavens of the Great Yu changed!
Though Emperor Yu's words were subtle, their meaning was clear: the Great Yu must bow to the Jing Nation!
In the court, some slow-reacting ministers were still indignant and puzzled, wondering why Emperor Yu's attitude toward the Jing Nation had changed so drastically.
The astute ministers had already begun to leave one by one.
Turning to seek an audience with Emperor Yu, discussing how to send envoys to convey Emperor Yu's intentions to the Jing Nation.
Intelligence from the Jing Nation had always been cut off at the palace.
When Emperor Yu decided to bow to the Jing Nation, he no longer blocked information about the Jing Nation.
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From the moment the Empress stepped into the holy land, the Jing Nation's momentum surged, with powerful individuals flocking to it every moment, its military and horses flourishing, and nations paying tribute!
At this moment, the upper and lower ranks of the Great Yu finally realized that the Jing Nation, which they had previously ignored, had grown into an incredibly powerful entity!
Before this vast kingdom, the Great Yu only had the qualification to tremble!
Talk of reconciliation spread like wildfire for a while.
Under such a trend, some ministers quickly made a 180-degree turn in their attitudes.
At Emperor Yu's instruction, the elders of the court selected one from among the ministers to serve as an envoy, bearing gold, silver, pearls, precious medicines, fine horses, and luxurious fabrics, to offer tribute to the Jing Nation.
The procession of carriages and horses stretched for over ten miles!
Such a grand scene attracted much attention!
Many were incredibly shocked that the Great Yu would offer tribute to the Jing Nation, considering they had always been mortal enemies!?
Moreover, several of Emperor Yu's princes had fallen in battle against the Jing Nation. How could such enmity be forgotten?
Although Emperor Yu held grudges, at this moment, he had to be able to let go!
Since he was bowing for peace, he must do so thoroughly!
Do so sincerely!
Even if it meant laying their dignity on the ground for the Jing Nation to trample upon, they must not provoke that figure... the man to whom the Empress had given her heart, who had already sent away the national teacher from behind the scenes!
At this moment, everyone must know that the Great Yu now harbored no intention of competing with the Jing Nation; they only sought forgiveness by submitting and offering tribute!
They actively cultivated public opinion to improve the Jing Nation's impression of the Great Yu!
When the Great Yu envoy arrived, the court officials greeted them.
Civil and military officials entered the hall, with animals returning to their respective positions and birds gathering in a flurry.
Gu Lan sat at the head of the civil officials, next to Sima Qin, his eyes shining like stars, devoid of worldly dust, exuding a bold and unrestrained aura.
Clad in green amidst the officials adorned with embroidered robes depicting birds and beasts, he was exceptionally conspicuous!
Prince Jingyang, unconstrained by formalities, had specially allowed it!
The envoy couldn't help but take a closer look.
Mu Yuyan's pregnancy was now showing, but she was not actually in the hall; she was behind a screen, giving the impression of conducting an audience from behind a curtain.
The envoy dared not look directly at her and bowed slightly.
"Reporting to the Empress!"
"My great Emperor Yu has sent a hundred spiritual pills, ten carts of medicinal herbs, and countless gold, silver, and fabrics!"
"From now on, we will send a tribute of this scale every year!"
"I hope for eternal peace between the Great Yu and the Jing Nation!"
"Let there be calm in military affairs, exchanges between the people, and mutual benefit!"
The voice fell.
In the court, ministers expressed their doubts and astonishment one after another.
Ten miles of tribute, that's quite a hefty sum!
They had each heard about the apologies and peace offerings through their own channels long before.
But they never expected the Great Yu to want to send such a large tribute every year, which seemed more sincere than the trifling gifts from some small countries!
The envoy also lowered his attitude to the extreme.
"This is a peace letter personally written by our great Emperor Yu!"
"Please have a look, Empress of the Jing Nation!"
After speaking, the envoy actually kneeled down and raised the envelope above his head.
This was akin to the etiquette of facing one's own emperor.
Under normal circumstances, as an envoy, one represented the dignity of one's own country, at most just bowing respectfully.
Being a bit more sincere might entail kneeling on one knee, but such behavior was extremely rare!
Yet the envoy from the Great Yu knelt directly on both knees, displaying the highest etiquette to face Mu Yuyan, a gesture that once again astonished the civil and military officials in the court!
This Emperor Yu... could it be that he's afraid?
Otherwise, why would he abandon his previous arrogance and adopt the posture of a grandson?!
Facing the speculative gazes of the ministers, the envoy from the Great Yu remained unchanged in demeanor, but his heart was incredibly calm.
Before coming to the Jing Nation, the elders of the Great Yu had already discussed the strategy for dealing with the Jing Nation!
Compared to the tribute, kneeling on both knees would surely leave a deeper impression on the Jing Nation's courtiers!
It would also play a crucial role in striving for forgiveness from the Jing Nation!
And indeed, the cleverness of this envoy had been proven.
Some ministers had already begun to consider this contract of turning swords into gifts, as settling down and enjoying a peaceful life would only secure their positions further!
Even Sima Qin, at this moment, had a pensive look in his eyes...
Just as the envoy from the Great Yu awaited the eunuchs to come forward and receive the letter, he saw someone nearby raise their hand, and the letter spontaneously burst into flames.
Scattered into ashes.
The ashes swirled and danced, leaving a few black marks on the ground.
"Bold, how dare you..."
The envoy from the Great Yu suddenly raised his head, gazing at the man over there.
He saw a handsome face, with piercing starry eyes and sharp eyebrows, clad in flowing green robes, exuding an air of scholarly refinement.
It was Gu Lan!
In truth, he hadn't intended to step forward.
But listening to the envoy's pompous pleas for tribute and peace offerings, attempting to bow down and seek forgiveness from the Jing Nation...
With his persuasive rhetoric.
And to think he had succeeded so quickly?
Hah, how could that be possible?!
The Great Yu had bullied the Jing Nation for so long, from Tuoba Mo to Wu Fan; one could say that half of the nation's decline was the responsibility of the Great Yu!
Before meeting him, how much hardship had the lady endured?
Gu Lan understood this better than anyone else, so naturally, he couldn't agree!
"Who are you, and why did you tear up the letter Emperor Yu gave to the Empress?"
"Such audacity!"
"Is there such an unreasonable person in the court of the Jing Nation?"
The envoy from the Great Yu exclaimed in astonishment, his expression furious!
Gu Lan waved his sleeve indifferently, and the envoy let out a miserable cry as he was overturned and fell to the ground.
The ministers in the court were all astonished.
Not at Gu Lan's cultivation, which they had long heard of and speculated about... but they had not expected him to be so decisive, directly half-killing the envoy from the Great Yu!
"Emperor Yu's clever plan!"
"Previously, when the Jing Nation was weak, they took advantage of the situation to encroach upon Jing Nation's territory and harass its borders!"
"Now that the Empress has ascended to the holy ranks and the nation's fortunes have revived, seeing its growing strength, they want to make peace again?"
"How could such a cheap deal exist in this world?!"
Gu Lan sneered, "I won't kill you. Go back and tell Emperor Yu that there's a reason behind every grievance... let him clean his neck and wait for death!"
"You... can you decide in place of the Empress?!"
"Can you represent the Jing Nation?"
The envoy from the Great Yu knew that this person was very strong, clutching his swollen jaw, he exclaimed in shock and anger.
Gu Lan stood with his hands behind his back.
No one in the court spoke, some looked at him with astonishment and approval, while others looked radiant, as if confirming certain thoughts!
It was well known.
The starved camel of the Great Yu was larger than the horse.
Even though the fortunes of the Jing Nation were gradually recovering, it couldn't be said to be invincible now.
The envoy from the Great Yu looked around.
Seeing that no minister stood up to oppose, and even the Empress didn't reprimand him, he was incredibly shocked.
He hadn't expected his proposal to be rejected.
And to have Emperor Yu's letter burned on the spot, cutting off any chance for negotiation!
This was no different from slapping Emperor Yu in the face twice!
"Envoy of the Great Yu, our Prince Jingyang can indeed represent Her Majesty's intentions in this matter, and I can testify to that."
The voice of Sima Qin echoed softly.
The tall palace guards approached with golden swords, their iron armor clinking, exuding a powerful deterrent.
The heart of the envoy from the Great Yu trembled, involuntarily taking a few steps back, he glanced at Gu Lan in green and then at Sima Qin in purple robes. He hurriedly retreated from the great hall.
The head of the court officials ordered him to leave.
It was evident that the Empress would indeed agree with the words of the scholarly man in green!
If the Jing Nation really refused to coexist peacefully with the Great Yu, it might lead to a bloodbath!
The envoy from the Great Yu realized the danger and had to convey the message to the Great Yu palace!
...
In the palace, the court dispersed.
The officials were discussing the matter of the Great Yu being rejected for tribute.
Though Gu Lan's statement about cleaning one's neck and waiting for death was a bit rogue, coming from him, it didn't lose the demeanor of a learned scholar!
Yet it was full of dominance!
It truly lifted one's spirits and relieved one's anger, instantly becoming the topic of conversation among the civil and military officials after the morning court.
Gu Lan wasn't just making empty threats.
He truly intended to avenge his lady!
"These days, the weather has been quite pleasant."
"It's time to mobilize the troops..." Gu Lan stretched lazily, strolling from the Golden Hall toward the Imperial Garden, where his lady was waiting for him.