“Chapter 75: The Peace Marriage Envoy”

"Chapter 75: The Peace Marriage Envoy"

"The three prominent attendants in the Emperor's presence are Xing En, Yang Xin, and Chang Xing."

"Yang Xin is harsh and ruthless, Chang Xing is strict and cautious, but only Xing En is quick-witted and adaptable."

"For the past two years, Xing En had been trying to gain favor with Fuhua Palace. Now, realizing that Yuan Consort Zhu didn’t want him in the traveling palace, he quickly agreed upon receiving the letter she wrote to the Emperor."

"But returning to the capital privately could be seen as defying the Emperor’s orders."

"Even with Yuan Consort Zhu's backing, Xing En didn't dare to directly meet the Emperor upon returning to the capital. Thus, he sent a report to the Emperor first and rushed back with Zhu Yan’s letter, waiting outside the city at Mingde Gate for the Emperor's summons."

"After waiting for most of the day, Xing En finally received the Emperor's summons and entered the palace with the junior eunuch Lin Fu."

"'Your report arrived early in the morning, but today was the grand court assembly, followed by the Emperor's prolonged meeting with the chancellors, which only just concluded,' Lin Fu explained."

"Hearing this, Xing En felt much relieved. He had speculated that even if the Emperor would blame him for returning without permission, he wouldn’t ignore a letter from Yuan Consort Zhu. Ever since leaving the traveling palace, the Emperor seemed desperate for news from her."

"As soon as Xing En entered the Qinzhen Hall, he immediately knelt and confessed, 'Your servant greets Your Majesty, I am guilty...'"

"The Emperor interrupted him, 'You are guilty, we’ll deal with that later. Stop talking and give me Ayan’s letter first.'"

"Without delay, Xing En took out the letter and handed it forward. The chief steward Zhang Zhongguo quickly stepped up to take it and then placed it before the Emperor."

"The Emperor impatiently broke the seal and unfolded the letter. It contained just a few lines. He scanned it once, twice, thrice, and then burst into an exasperated laugh, 'Audacious! She’s becoming more audacious! One day she’ll be the death of me.'"

"Your Majesty!" Zhang Zhongguo, startled, hastily knelt down."

"'What are you afraid of? I’m not afraid, why should you be? I’ve only heard that good people don’t live long. Stand up.' The Emperor glanced at Zhang Zhongguo. He never considered himself a good person."

"The Emperor, holding the infuriating letter in his hand, looked up at Xing En and ordered him to raise his face for a closer inspection. He had a preference for good-looking people, and even his attendants were no exception. Xing En, in his early thirties, had a fair complexion, beardless face, and handsome features, quite pleasing to the eye."

"His disposition also added to his appeal, often wearing an approachable smile."

"The Emperor turned to Zhang Zhongguo and asked, 'Do you think Xing En is good-looking?'"

"Zhang Zhongguo felt a jolt of concern. What had Xing En done?"

"Noticing the Emperor's evident dissatisfaction, Zhang Zhongguo tried to recall the Emperor's past comments about Xing En's appearance. With his good memory, he managed to find one, 'Your Majesty, you once complimented him, saying he has a beautiful and delicate appearance, almost like a woman.'"

"'Yes, he does have a feminine look,' the Emperor echoed."

"Xing En grew increasingly nervous, unsure why the Emperor was suddenly discussing his appearance, but dared not move."

"Unexpectedly, the Emperor then said, 'You don’t need to go back to the traveling palace.'"

"A dramatic turnaround."

"The joy came too suddenly."

"Indeed, there was nothing Yuan Consort Zhu couldn't achieve."

"Xing En was about to express his gratitude."

"But then the Emperor continued, 'For returning to the capital without permission and defying my command, I still have to punish you. Go and receive thirty strokes of the cane and forfeit four years' salary.' He then called for Zhang Zhongguo, 'Summon Yang Xin to the palace to supervise the execution.'"

"Understood," Zhang Zhongguo acknowledged and withdrew. He immediately speculated that after four months, the Emperor intended to reactivate Yang Xin.

When only the Emperor and Xing En remained in the Qinzhen Hall, the Emperor stood up from behind the Yan Wing desk, holding the letter. He walked over to Xing En, leaned down slightly, stopped Xing En's kowtowing and asked, "Do you know what Yuan Consort wrote in the letter?"

"I do not know, Your Majesty," Xing En shook his head, not daring to pry.

"In her letter, she praised your good looks and charming smile, saying you were a delight to her eyes. Seeing you even helped her eat half a bowl more of rice. She specifically requested that I allow you to serve her closely."

Hearing the Emperor's words, Xing En almost gritted his teeth in fear, closing his eyes, feeling trapped by Yuan Consort Zhu and hurriedly kowtowed, "Your Majesty, I would never dare. From now on, I will stay far away from Consort Zhu."

"And your habit of smiling at the drop of a hat, keep it in check too."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will not smile anymore," Xing En replied, now only wishing to cry. Even if Yuan Consort Zhu didn’t want him at the traveling palace, she shouldn’t have trapped him like this. The Emperor, known for his dominance, didn't allow attendants to serve concubines closely unless they fell out of favor.

This rule didn't exist before his reign; it was introduced after he ascended the throne.

As a result, the number of male attendants in the palace was two thousand less than the female servants.

The Emperor crumpled the letter in his hand, his headache intensifying. Seeing Xing En only added to his irritation. He ordered Xing En to kneel outside. The person who infuriated him the most wasn't within reach, and he couldn't lash out. If it weren't for his busy schedule, he would have personally gone to the traveling palace.

To ask Yuan Consort Zhu how she could be so bold, how she could anger him so much. Wasn't she afraid he would punish her?

He knew well that she did this because she didn’t want Xing En in the traveling palace, acting as his eyes. Knowing his taboo, she deliberately provoked him.

It was a blatant maneuver, clearly seen by him, yet he had no choice but to call Xing En back.

Moreover, the letter didn’t mention a single word about him and his son.

"It was enough to drive anyone to frustration."

"The Emperor paced back and forth in the hall, calming himself before allowing Xing En to enter. He then inquired in detail about Ayan's situation in the traveling palace."

"Regarding the peace amulet that Ayan sent for her son, the Emperor confiscated it for himself. Realizing that convincing Ayan to return was futile, he planned to visit the traveling palace himself after his current busy period."

"Additionally, he issued a decree summoning Zhu Yan's family to the capital."

"Zhu Qingyun, her father, previously a senior official in Yingzhou Prefecture, was reassigned to the capital's Mutual Market Supervision under the Ministry of Revenue as a fifth-rank official. This move, despite being a lateral transfer, was considered a promotion due to the prestige of serving in the capital."

"Originally, when Zhu Yan was conferred the title of Yuan Fei, Zhu Qingyun was elated but also filled with regret."

"His eldest daughter’s elevation to a principal consort of the first rank had come too late."

"Had it happened before the court abolished the system of ennobling consorts' families, he would have been granted a titular nobility. After the reform, instead of titles, consorts' families could receive visits and gifts of gold and jewels."

"Sending his daughter to the harem, he had never expected to see her again."

"Only if she distinguished herself and became Empress could there be a reunion."

"Initially, Yuan Niang was reluctant to enter the palace, and he had forced her. He anticipated that with her strong-willed nature, she might underperform and disappoint."

"But the fortune teller’s predictions were highly accurate, and among his four daughters, Yuan Niang was the most beautiful and of suitable age, while the second daughter was slightly less so."

"As he predicted, his eldest daughter quickly won the Emperor's favor upon entering the palace. Despite the enormous favor she received, he gained no benefits. In fact, a demoted official once passed through Yingzhou Prefecture and publicly berated him at his residence."

He was cursed for causing trouble, a scourge to the Great Dynasty.

He didn’t dare to go out during that period.

He always felt that his elder daughter's transformation was an intentional retaliation against him, so later when she was pregnant and the Emperor decreed relatives to visit the palace, he specifically instructed Lu's mother to remind the second wife accompanying Mo's mother to the palace.

The second wife was even more disappointing, not only being expelled, but also being eliminated before the palace selection last year, and being ordered by the Emperor to marry immediately. It's still unclear how she offended the Emperor in the palace.

Both the second wife and Mo's mother kept their silence, using the excuse that matters of the palace should not be disclosed.

His elder daughter also lost favor in the palace.

He had already given up hope, but unexpectedly, after more than two years, his eldest daughter had jumped three ranks in the palace to become a first-rank Imperial Consort. He sighed again at the accuracy of the Taoist's fortune-telling but couldn't help regretting the loss of a duke's title slipping through his fingers.

His heart ached for several days.

He sent his daughter to the palace, all for the sake of high official titles, wealth, and glory.

Therefore, losing his title but being reassigned to the capital was an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

Zhu Qingyun hosted a grand banquet for his guests in Yingzhou before leaving his post.

——

Zhu Yan's appointment as the Prime Consort caused unease in Empress Liu. To placate her, the Emperor ordered Empress Liu's younger brother, Liu Heng, to study at the Imperial Academy. He was granted the title of Chengfeng Lang, a rank of the eighth grade, and the Liu family was awarded two hundred kilograms of gold as a consolation.

Afterwards, the court reopened the military examinations.

Like a startling thunderclap, the revival of the military exams, dormant for forty-three years, created a massive stir nationwide. The Ministry of Rites, in collaboration with generals from both the northern and southern armies, busied themselves in preparation for selecting candidates in the upcoming exams.

In October of the same year, Su Yiquan, tasked with delivering annual tributes including two hundred thousand suibi (currency), silks, fine wines, and other supplies to Gaochang and Donghu, was plundered by Gaochang outside the Great Wall. The Donghu envoy, arriving later, was killed by Gaochang people during negotiations.

Donghu promptly declared war on Gaochang.

The Emperor did not recall Su Yiquan but ordered him to mediate the conflict.

"In October of the same year, Xu Jie, the envoy searching for the Qilin in the vast Ju Ye, failed to find the mythical creature but discovered a white deer instead. He petitioned the Emperor, seeing it as an auspicious sign, and expressed his desire to personally deliver the white deer to the capital as a tribute."

"The Emperor consented."

"Xu Jie, who had spent over a year in the Ju Ye forests searching for the Qilin, wept with relief. At last, he could leave the wilderness, and the Emperor would no longer fixate on the elusive Qilin."

"The arrival of the white deer in the capital drew crowds from all over the city, clogging the streets with onlookers. Coincidentally, the Zhu family entered the capital on the same day. Zhu Qingyun marveled at the capital’s prosperity, regretting only that they had arrived too late to witness it."

"The white deer escorted by Xu Jie was placed in the royal zoo by the Ministry of the Imperial Stud for domestication."

"The Emperor warmly received Xu Jie and awarded him a new position – an envoy to the Khitan people, a third-rank official, with a promotion. At year's end, he was to travel to the Khitan lands to deliver tribute and discuss marriage alliances. Accompanying him was Zhang Zhi, an expert in Khitan language and geography, serving as the deputy envoy."

"They were escorted by eight hundred elite Imperial Guards led by Left General Zuo Jia'an, a commander of the royal guard."

"The chancellors of the Secretariat, the Department of State Affairs, and the Ministry of Personnel were shocked upon receiving the decree, fearing that the young Emperor's ambition might lead to the cessation of tribute payments and the instigation of war."

"Yet, the Emperor unexpectedly proposed a marriage alliance."

"Chancellors Xie Wu, Hua Guang, Linghu You, Guo Wu, and Shang Quan, along with Liu Jian, the minister responsible for foreign affairs, found it odd. Ever since his ascension, the Emperor had always been irate about the annual tribute, and he avoided meeting foreign envoys, delegating the task to the Ministry of Rites."

"Recently, relations with the Khitan had been favorable, so the Emperor’s sudden proposal for a marriage alliance was unexpected."

"Especially when they collectively met with the Emperor, he retorted, 'Do my ministers, who cherish peace, not allow me to also love peace?'"

"'You say I am stubborn, so I let the Ministry of Rites handle foreign envoys. I listen to all your advice. Influenced by you, I now propose a marriage alliance with the Khitan for lasting peace. Why do you seem unhappy with this decision?'"

"'We dare not, Your Majesty.'"

"Xie Wu was the first to bow, convinced that the Emperor was up to something."

"Since the Emperor suggested a marriage alliance, and with his seven princesses too young, there were two older princesses suitable for marriage. However, in Daiyu’s history, royal princesses were never sent for marriage alliances. Instead, daughters of feudal princes, bestowed with the title of princess, were chosen."

"After consideration, Xie Wu suggested, 'In this case, we should ask the Directorate of the Imperial Clan to select a suitable candidate from the daughters of the feudal princes across the country.'"

"There’s no rush. At the end of this year, it happens to be the time for the feudal princes from various regions to come to the capital for their periodic audience." The Emperor said casually, referring to the tradition of the Great Yu Dynasty's princes visiting the capital every five years to pay homage at the Ming Hall, "This matter does not require your intervention. I will speak with my brothers myself when the time comes."

"Your job is to assist Xu Jie and ensure his mission goes smoothly and successfully."

Xie Wu, feeling increasingly uncertain, could only comply with a yes.

Hua Guang, who had been demoted by the Emperor two months ago, dared not say much now, preferring a peaceful marriage proposal to the prospect of war.

Liu Jian, the Grand Herald of Honglu Temple, used to being reprimanded by the Emperor annually over foreign affairs, had long learned to obey.

The rest, all personally promoted by the Emperor, always followed his commands.

After the meeting, Xie Wu returned to the Administration Hall and summoned the peace envoy Xu Jie to inquire in detail about the Emperor's instructions for the marriage alliance. Seeing Xu Jie's constipated expression, Xie Wu sensed the complexity of the matter.

No matter how Xie Wu pressed, a stressed Xu Jie would only repeat, "His Majesty ordered that details cannot be disclosed until the mission is accomplished."

Hearing this, Xie Wu, despite his self-control, nearly lost his composure. What state affair could be so secretive that he, the Director of the Secretariat, couldn't be informed?

"Author’s note:"