mtlumby2d Chapter 1601 Investigating with the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery and his son
Chapter 1601 Investigating with the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery and his son
The father and son knelt down, their voices resounding: "This humble general pays respects to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"
"Flat body."
Nangong Xuanyu raised his hand, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, and asked bluntly, "Any information about the progress of the negotiations with the Court of State Ceremonial?"
Marquis Zhongyong said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I have heard something. The Xiongnu are still arguing about border markets and annual tribute, but the core issue is still the marriage alliance and warhorses."
"good."
Nangong Xuanyu said, "Luan Di Yi Tu killed three thousand warhorses every year in exchange for the marriage of a princess of the Great Zhou. The conditions are tempting, and the attitude is humble enough."
"However... I think that the Xiongnu's generosity this time may have ulterior motives. These barbarians are ambitious and are by no means willing to remain subservient or sincerely pay tribute."
"The Xiongnu are willing to spend so much; what they want is probably more than just the tea, iron, cloth, and silk they openly offer."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuxi's handsome brows furrowed, and he couldn't help but look up and say, "Your Majesty is wise!"
"Luan Di Yi Tu is notorious in the northern frontier for his cunning and ruthlessness. He is a wolf in arms and a master of seizing opportunities. He must be resentful about this defeat. His humble attitude must be for some purpose!"
"That's what I think too."
Nangong Xuanyu nodded slightly: "A marriage alliance is negotiable, and warhorses are also acceptable. But before that, I need to know what Luandi Yitu is really up to."
"Has there been any unusual activity within the Xiongnu royal court recently? What is the state of relations between the various tribes? Besides those officially recognized, are there any spies in this delegation? In addition to negotiations, have they been up to anything else in the capital?"
The emperor asked a series of questions, each one hitting the nail on the head.
This is not information that officials from the Ministry of Rites can obtain at the negotiating table; what is needed is the military's intelligence network and informants deep within the grasslands.
It is another contest outside the battlefield.
Marquis Zhongyong and Zhou Yuxi exchanged a glance, both seeing the solemnity in each other's eyes.
His Majesty is entrusting the important task of investigating the Xiongnu's true nature to this father and son.
Marquis Zhongyong clasped his hands in greeting first: "Your Majesty, rest assured. Although the fighting in the Northern Frontier Camp has temporarily ceased, the spies and informants planted over the years have not been completely eliminated."
"This humble general will immediately send a message back to camp, instructing trusted generals to find out the movements of the Xiongnu royal court and its various tribes. In addition, this humble general also has some former subordinates in the capital, who may be able to secretly keep an eye on the comings and goings of the delegation members and who they have been in contact with."
Zhou Yuxi continued, "When I was in the northern frontier, I had contact with several small tribes that had submitted to us. Their leaders had long been dissatisfied with Luan Di Yi Tu's tyranny. Perhaps we can start from there, offer them benefits, and find out the inside story."
"As for the mission in the capital..."
He paused, then continued, "Pay attention to merchants who have had contact with the Xiongnu envoys, and even... certain officials who may have a vested interest."
Zhou Yuxi spoke his last sentence subtly, but Nangong Xuanyu immediately understood his implication.
Are there any officials in the court who, for personal gain, secretly collude with the Xiongnu?
Especially during negotiations.
Nangong Xuanyu's expression remained unchanged, but a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes: "Investigate! Keep a close eye on both the grasslands and the capital."
"This matter is confidential. You and your absolutely trusted confidants must not divulge even a fraction of it. Any information obtained should be reported directly to me, without going through any government office."
"I grant you permission to use extraordinary measures when necessary, but you must act cleanly and without leaving any evidence, and you must not alert the enemy."
The father and son knelt on one knee, clasped their hands in greeting, and accepted the order: "Your humble servant obeys!"
"Go."
Nangong Xuanyu waved his hand: "I await your news."
"I will retire at the end."
Marquis Zhongyong and Zhou Yuxi respectfully withdrew from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and simultaneously let out a long sigh.
The father and son exchanged a glance, both seeing the heavy responsibility in each other's eyes.
Marquis Zhongyong didn't say anything more, and said in a low voice, "Let's go back and talk about it in detail."
Zhou Yuxi nodded emphatically.
……
Yawen Garden.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Jiang Wange pounded on the wooden door and raised her voice, calling out, "Is anyone outside?"
"Brother Guard? Can you hear me?"
After a moment, a somewhat helpless voice came from outside the door: "What's wrong with you now?"
Jiang Wange said through the door, "His Majesty promised me ten days of freedom after the New Year. Now the Lantern Festival has long passed, when will His Majesty finally release me?!"
"You all know how long I've been locked up in this godforsaken place. All I want is ten days of freedom, to get some fresh air and see the sun. Is that not allowed?"
"Your Majesty is the ruler of a country; surely you wouldn't break your promise to a weak woman like me?"
The guards outside the door were silent for a moment.
They naturally remembered that promise.
The older guard coughed and said, "His Majesty is busy with many affairs of state, and recently he has been busy receiving the Xiongnu envoys and discussing state matters. The ten days of freedom granted to you will certainly be fulfilled, but the specific date still needs to be decided by His Majesty."
"Please wait patiently a little longer."
Jiang Wange said impatiently, "Wait, wait! How much longer do we have to wait?"
"You didn't say that when I invented gunpowder! Now that the Northern Frontier has won, you've forgotten about me in this dark corner of the world?"
"What am I working on, refining the formula day and night? Just to let it mold and rot here?!"
She became increasingly agitated as she spoke, then suddenly let out a cold laugh: "Do you know what I've created? In this era, it's a divine weapon! It can change the course of a battle!"
"His Majesty knows its value, otherwise he wouldn't have agreed to my conditions in the first place. Now that he's used it up, he wants to keep me locked up indefinitely? There's no such thing as a free lunch!"
The two guards outside the door looked at each other, both with a headache.
They were well aware of His Majesty's emphasis on gunpowder. Even the guards watching over the Yawen Garden had been replaced several times, and only those who were tight-lipped and reliable had been selected.
The young guard sighed: "We will report your words to our superiors truthfully. But we really can't make the decision to release you."
"You should just stay put for now and stop breaking things. The jar you knocked over last time had a pungent smell for days."
Jiang Wange knew that arguing with the two gatekeepers was pointless; they were just mouthpieces.
She suppressed her frustration, took a deep breath, and tried to make her voice sound calm: "Then I'll trouble you two brothers to make sure you convey my message."
"Take Jiang Wange for example. She's here day and night, hoping that His Majesty will fulfill his promise. If His Majesty still thinks I'm useful and wants to see even more amazing things, shouldn't he at least let me see the light of day occasionally and refresh my mind?"
"If it stays closed, I can't think of any new tricks."
This is a combination of soft and hard tactics.
The older guard replied, "Yes, we will definitely deliver the message."
A self-deprecating smile appeared on Jiang Wange's lips.
She understood better than anyone else in her time what gunpowder meant.
Through her knowledge of chemistry and repeated experiments, she managed to develop a barely usable black powder formula. Although its power was far less than that of later generations, it was still groundbreaking in an era dominated by cold weapons.