Liang Emperor Xiao Kui was over forty years old, with a thin figure and a dark reddish colour. Four-square face, gold bottle mouth, eyebrows are very light, eyes are long and thin, nose like a cut-off bamboo, three locks of long beard; head wearing a coronet, wearing a dragon robe, he sits behind a long sandalwood table carved with dragons. Li Jing saw, that the coronet, robe has been old, the dragon case also has mottled colour, obviously is a thrifty emperor.
This was the first time Li Jing had seen the emperor and the palace, and it felt a bit cold and eerie. There were neither courtiers nor palace maidens, only the Crown Prince and a young man and a child stood in attendance - one about thirteen or fourteen, the other only seven or eight years old.
Seeing the crowd approaching, Xiao Kui immediately got up and walked down the steps. All the people bowed down and called out "Greetings, Your Majesty".
Xiao Kui picked up Puzhao and said: "The Fourth Imperial Uncle would like to be called by the name of Dharma, I should comply. Venerable Puzhao has worked hard for the country, and is a senior, Cong, to observe and take care of guests." Puzhao still performed a big salute, before sitting behind the left side of the table Xiao Cong prepared for him.
Xiao Mohe arrived first and had already taken the guest seat on the right side. After everyone thanked him, they all got up and stood.
Xiao Kui seemed not to see Xiao Meiniang and the prince's maternal uncle, returned to behind the dragon case and sat down, and said softly, "Liang is a weak country with a poor people, and the palaces and official houses are all extremely simple, so please don't be offended." Saying so, he coughed three times in a row. Li Jing could hear that the Liang Emperor was a bit weak, but his eyes were firm and his sounds were loud and clear.
Xiao Meiniang said, "Daughter pays her respects to Father, wishing my father good health and well-being!"
Xiao Kui did not look at her squarely, but only said faintly, "Have you seen the doctor? It's good that you're back."
Wen Zhongyuan bent down to bow again, "I, Wen Zhongyuan, a plebeian of Ancient Qingjiang, greet Your Majesty."
Xiao Kui looked at Wen Zhongyuan: ''Please rise, Mr Wen! Qingjiang Wen family, although no official title, but can be called a loyal family! Fifteen years ago, Liang sent troops to defend Baling, the Wen family gathered 1,000 sailors, although they did not win, but the Wen family has merit. I will appoint you as the Cavalry Aide-de-camp,and hope that you will continue to serve the country in the future."
Li Jing thought, if the Wen family has merit, why after fifteen years to re-appointment? Moreover, the scattered riding minister is only a from the fifth grade Wen scattered official, neither having a fief nor holding power, said to be for the emperor's counsellor, in fact, is an empty official title.
Wen Zhongyuan knelt down to express his gratitude. For him, being directly promoted to a fifth-rank official was a great glory for his family, as he was no longer a commoner without rank.
Xiao Mohe immediately congratulated Wen Zhongyuan, "Brother Zhongyuan was honoured with the Cavalry Aide-de-camp, Xiao Mohe congratulates you!"
Xiao Kui said, "I heard that Great General Xiao had some clashes with the Wen Cavalry Aide-de-camp on the way, I wonder if that's true or not?"
Xiao Mohe said, "Reporting back to your majesty, I and Wen Cavalry Aide-de-camp were originally good friends for many years, only because when I was on a mission to Liang, I staying Mr Wen's Villa temporarily, and Mr Wen and the Jiangzhou boat company Boat Owner Xie had an old relationship, and Boat Owner Xie was under the control of me, so there was some collision of words, and there was no disharmony."
"Very good." Xiao Kui nodded and said, "Although the great general is Chen's important minister, but is still the children and grandchildren of the Lanling Xiao clan, in terms of seniority I still have to call you an uncle. Just now you have made clear the intention of the mission, is to hope that the State of Liang remains neutral and to mediate, Chen and Sui alliance forever. It just so happens that the son of Sui's Gao prime minister is also here, I would like to listen to the Gao National History Compilation'S unique insights."
Gao Sheng Dao has been waiting for this opportunity, heard this, immediately bowed again: "Your Majesty and the Sui Emperor already have a thick friendship, my emperor had sent an envoy to gift Liang 300 taels of gold, 1,000 taels of silver, 10,000 pieces of silk, 500 good horses, as a gesture of generous friendship.
At the beginning of the founding of the Sui Dynasty, the rebels Yuchi Jion, Wang Qian, and Sima Xiaonan each raised their own armies, requesting to form a chain of forces with Your Majesty. However, Your Majesty was unmoved and regarded our Emperor as a benevolent lord, and our Emperor has mentioned many times in the court and is grateful for Your Majesty's kindness. I do not dare to deceive Your Majesty, but I did have the intention of spying on the Kingdom of Chen when I came south this time, and I was detained by Great General Xiao.
My life and death are not important, but the livelihood of the people is. I can see that Jiangnan is rich in people and strong in army;In my view of the Liang Kingdom, both the Emperor and the ministers are kind and wise. Therefore, I would like to truthfully report to my Your Majesty, saying that the north and south have been divided for a long time, and it is not appropriate to send troops to put the people in deep water, and we should take a respite, promote Buddhism, and return the world to peace."
Upon hearing this, Li Jing deeply felt that this Gao Shengdao was very cunning, always saying things that the Emperor of Liang liked to hear.In fact, not only is the Emperor of Liang, Xiao Mohe the Venerable Master Puzhao listened and also felt that every word he said was pleasing to the ear.
Xiao Kui really showed his joy: "Gao National History Compilation is young, but he has great insights and deep understanding of justice, and prime minister Gao has taught him well!Mr Gao as a prime minister is rare in the ancient world. Five years ago, I met Minister Gao in Yecheng, and I still can't forget it. If you have no objections, I'll send you back to Ch'ang-an at a later date. I would also like to ask you to send a letter of state to the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty,and to greet prime minister Gao for me."
Gao Sheng Dao loudly responded. Xiao Mohe said: "I have no objection, the negotiation of peace is the original intention of the Emperor, and I am only conveying the holy will. However, this peace negotiation is an act of the three countries, and Gao Sheng Dao does not seem to be able to represent the will of the Sui Your Majesty.If what Gao National History Compilation's said could be taken seriously, I would have released him back in Jiangzhou.why should I accompany him all the way, and let him resent me all the way?"
This was said in a superficially polite manner, but in reality, questioning this kind of negotiation and peace had no practical significance. Xiao Kui's face changed, but instantly calmed down as before. He coughed twice and smiled, ''The concerns of Great General are not unreasonable. However, Liang is only three states away, with no land to cut off and no money to produce. In the general's opinion, how can we make the three countries conclude an alliance?"
Xiao Moxue said, "In ancient times, when making alliances, wealth is the next best thing, land cession is the next best thing, and marriage is the first best thing."
Xiao Kui frowned and said, "A royal marriage is a beautiful thing. I have heard that the Emperor of Great Chen has made Chen Yin the Crown Prince, I wonder if he has taken a consort?"
Xiao Mohe was shocked. He was bent on marrying off his daughter as the crown prince's consort, and when the crown prince succeeded to the throne in the future, he would be the Queen's father.
At this time, Chen Yin was eleven years old, and because the new emperor had just succeeded to the throne, he had not yet chosen a consort for the crown prince. So he responded truthfully, "The Crown Prince of Da Chen is eleven years old, still young in years, and has not yet chosen a consort."
Xiao Kui glanced at Xiao Meiniang: "The great general should have already met the Mei Niang on the road. Mei Niang is not yet married and her appearance is still good, if the Emperor of Great Chen does not abandon her, she can be chosen as the Crown Princess, please general, facilitate this matte."
Xiao Meniang's face immediately changed drastically, and Xiao Mohe also looked abnormal. However, Li Jing was the most shocked - Xiao Meniang was already sixteen years old, how could she marry the Crown Prince of Chen, who was five years younger than her? However, Li Jing also knows, born in the royal family, if the two emperors agreed, ten years older will also have to marry.
Xiao Mohe pondered for a moment and cupped his fists, "I sincerely thank Your Majesty for your generous offer. I have the courage to say: this matter must not be allowed!"
Xiao Kui burst out, "Are you saying that my daughter is not worthy of Emperor Chen's son?"
Xiao Mohe said: ''It is not that the princess is not worthy of the crown Princess, but the princess's birth is inauspicious; wherever she goes, misfortune and danger are sure to follow ... Your Majesty, the princess's birth date is unlucky, and wherever she goes there will be a danger of evil, and there have been countless fulfilled ... Otherwise, why does Your Majesty not allow her to reside in the palace? I would die a thousand deaths, but I would never dare to advise our emperor ..."
"Do not say!" Xiao Kui whisked his sleeve up and coughed violently, and only after a long time did he say, "You suggest a marriage alliance, and I will do as you say , Yet you say it's not possible! How exactly do you want to be willing?"
Xiao Mohe bowed to the ground: "Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. What I said about the marriage alliance, we need to ask Gao National History Compilation to report to the Emperor of the Great Sui Dynasty after returning to Chang'an: the emperor of Chen has two princesses, although young, but can be married to the Sui kings. In addition to the Crown Prince, the Sui Emperor has four other kings, if there is a king who would like to take the Princess of Chen as a consort, I would like to do my best to persuade ...."
The original said half a day, Xiao Mohe playing is the marriage of Sui and Chen's calculations. Xiao Kui coldly laughed: "Chen Sui marriage, and I have nothing to do? Great General directly to the Sui proposed marriage is not better?"
Xiao Mohe said: "As an external official, I am not articulate; it's my fault for not explaining clearly, please don't blame your majesty. The great Chen has two princesses, one can be married to Sui, the other can also be married to the prince of Liang; Sui Emperor also has a princess of Lanling, which happens to coincide with the Lanling Xiao family, so he can ask the Gao National History Compilation to propose marriage. In this way, the three countries have each other's in-laws, and the matter of alliance will be accomplished."
Xiao Kui pondered for a moment and said: ''Great General really knows the Sui and Liang countries like the back of his hand. I am unwilling to start another war, however, what the Sui Emperor intends to do is not yet known. Cong, you first invite the Great General and Gao National History Compilation to come down to the Honglu inn to rest, and allow me to think about it again."
So Xiao Mohe and Gao Sheng Dao bowed their thanks to Xiao Kui, and went to the inn with the Crown Prince Xiao Cong.
Xiao Kui in the dragon case after pacing for a long time, to Wen Zhongyuan said: "Wen AiAncient Qing, I know you loyal and righteous. At present, it seems that the Sui Chen war is inevitable, the marriage, although there is room to turn around, it is difficult to long. Jiangling is as small as a pellet., Sui attacked Chen, the first to bear the brunt. According to your opinion, who can win?"
Wen Zhongyuan said: "Yang Jian's great talent, the army is in full swing, if the soldiers and horses fighting, since the Sui victory Chen defeat; if the ship fighting, the victory or defeat is not yet known, the key is in the country of Liang. Although Liang is small, but the throat of the river, for the Sui army to the south must pass through. At this time, Liang is actually in the middle of the cracks, a slight carelessness could lead to a disastrous situation, the chickens fly and the eggs are broken."
Xiao Kui turned his head and asked Puzhao, "What are your thoughts Venerable Puzhao?"
Puzhao said: ''What the benefactor Wen said is very true. North and South have been divided for many years, it is based on the danger of the river. Previously, Liang in order to restore the homeland, had several times to send troops, however, the failure, the main reason is the unfavourable water division. The main reason is that the navy is unfavourable. If we have the fleet of Wang Jun, we can attack Ba Shu, recover the lost land, and defend Jiangling.
As a matter of urgency, it is more urgent to build a world-class boat division than a marriage. According to the poor monk to explore the news, sui, chen two countries are looking for wang family's shipbuilding atlas, although the poor monk is an outsider to the secular world, but in order to daliang restoration of the country, I am willing to work tirelessly and devote myself until death!"
Xiao Kui walked down the steps from behind the dragon case and gave a salute to Puzhao: "Venerable Master Puzhao, please accept my obeisance. Master first suffered in the western region, and then dived into Jiangnan, prying for information, liaising with righteous people, collecting disciples, and working tirelessly for Liang, I am very impressed. At present, Jiangzhou Guanghua Temple can no longer be retained, I hereby invite the Master to take up the abbotship of Jiangling Grand Retribution Temple, to propagate the Dharma and to protect Xiao Liang."
Puzhao thanked Xiao Kui, then said to Wen Zhongyuan and Xie Kangtu: "Master Wen and Boat Owner Xie have a great friendship, the Sui and Chen countries have killed dozens of Boat Owner Xie's brothers in order to seize the ship's records, and I hope that the two masters will join hands to build the Liang navy."
Xie Kangtu said, "Xie Mou sincerely thanks the Venerable Master for deliverancing my line of brothers. However, I have been crippled and I am afraid I cannot serve Liang ..."
Xiao Kui turned back to look at Xie Kangtu: "Although Boat Owner Xie is not a Liang person, but it is difficult to return home, it is difficult to cast a country, it is better to submit to the Liang country, I will keep you safe. Although Liang is a small country, but abide by the faith.
In this way, Wen Qing main supervision of manufacturing, Boat Owner Xie in charge of navigation, Liang naval forces even if they can not regain all the lost territory, at least can be self-preservation."
Xie Kangtu, seeing Xiao Kui's earnest words, bowed to the ground, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great kindness, I do have a shipbuilding atlas, and I would like to offer it to Your Majesty."
Xiao Kui was delighted and bent down to help him sit down. Li Jing is a bit puzzled: If Xie Kangtu truly joined the Liang, he should be called a minister, why do you call yourself a "I"?
As expected, Xie Kangtu said, "But I have another request - I am only offering the map for the sake of Your Majesty's benevolence and Wengong's loyalty, not for personal gain. Therefore, I would like to ask Your Majesty not to reward me, but to let me go back to my hometown to spend my old age. I left my hometown when I was a young man, and I have not been able to serve my parents for nearly thirty years. Now that I am disabled, I have no thoughts of anything, and I just want to go back to my parents' knees ... and hope that Your Majesty will fulfil my wish!" Said, tears like a spring.
Xiao Kui is a person who greatly values filial piety, listening to the words of Xie Kangtu, also tears wet lapel. "As long Mr. Xie has a request, there is nothing that I will not agree to.As for the shipbuilding atlas, this is Mr Xie's property, Mr Xie would like to give to Liang State, is Liang's fortune; not to giving it to Liang State, is also Mr Xie's wish,I will never use force."
Li Jing was extremely touched by these words. How could he know that it's hard to discern the true intentions in the hearts of all emperors and generals and prime minister. Xie Kangtu is already a waste of time, if you use death to force the bad thing, and it is easier to use benevolence and righteousness to lure him.
"I have no extravagant hopes, I only ask for one thing from Your Majesty." Xie Kangtu pointed to Li Jing, "This Brother Mu Li, a disciple under Master Seng Can, travelled all the way and took good care of me, otherwise it would be difficult for me to move an inch. I also hope that Your Majesty will allow him to take care of the villain, and when the villain finishes drawing the map, then he will return to Sikong Mountain."
The crowd didn't understand for a moment. Xiao Kui said, ''Mr Xie ,you are too polite!
Mu Li Ben is a worldly monk's virtuous disciple, not only did he take care of the mr.Xie all the way, but he also saved the Meiniang's life, naturally becoming a distinguished guest of the Liang state. Mr Xie just mention drawing,Could it be that the Wang family's shipbuilding atlas no longer exist in this world?"
Xie Kangtu said, "Precisely. Sui and Chen sent people to secretly seize the shipbuilding atlas, thinking that the shipbuilding atlas was in the Jiangzhou shipyard. In fact, when the North-South split, some soldiers went to Xiangyang to ask for the shipbuilding atlas, Dozens of members of the Wang family were executed. The clansmen regarded the shipbuilding atlas as a great evil, but they could not disobey their ancestor's last words, so the patriarch of the clan learnt the shipbuilding atlas well, and then burned the real atlas in public. Thus, generation after generation, it has always been passed down by the clan leader before their death to the next generation. To the generation of the old proprietor of the Jiangzhou shipyard, Wang Duo, the old man had no descendants and was deeply disappointed that his brother had lost all the family property, which is why the Jiangzhou shipyard and the shipbuilding atlas were passed on to me on old man deathbed."
When the crowd heard this, they all secretly wondered. Venerable Master Puzhao said, "The Wang family has made painstaking efforts to pass on this rare shipbuilding atlas, which is not easy. However, this shipbuilding matter is extremely complex, if there is no atlas, it is difficult to appreciate the subtleties, Boat Owner Xie can depict accurately based on memory alone?"
Wen Zhongyuan said: "Venerable Master do not know, I have three shipyards along the river, all of which were built according to the blueprints drawn by Boat Owner Xie. However, the state of Chen prohibits the manufacture of warships, but only some civilian ships. Over the years, the ships I have built, except for the occasional fire and sinking, no accidents due to damage from rapids and shoals. Boat Owner Xie is knowledgeable and talented, otherwise Mr Wang Duo would not have entrusted him with the Jiangzhou shipyard."
Xiao Kui was overjoyed and was about to ask Xie Kangtu to draw. The seven or eight year old child who had been standing solemnly in front of the temple suddenly said, "Father, there may be something wrong with this matter." Although his voice was young, his demeanour was sophisticated.
Xiao Kui touched his head and said with a smile, "Yu, tell me about it." It turned out that this child was Xiao Yu, the seventh son of Xiao Hanyu and the younger brother of Xiao Meiniang, he had finished reading the works of the Hundred Schools of Thought before he was seven, and almost never forgot what he read. He was a prodigy known throughout the court and the common people of Jiangling.
Xiao Yu said, "Since this ship's atlas is a rare object, Sui and Chen are keeping a close eye on it.
If Boat Owner Xie offers the ship's atlas to Liang State, how will Father respond? That General Xiao and Mr Gao are now in the Inn, pretending not to mention the ship's atlas today, and will come to ask for the atlas after Boat Owner Xie reveals the secrets of the ship's atlas. If you inform General Xiao, the Sui Dynasty will surely send troops to attack us; if you inform Mr Gao, then the Chen Statte will take this opportunity to attack Jiangling; if you don't inform anything, then States both will have an excuse, and first conquer the Liang Kingdom, and then the two sides will have a decisive battle. As the old saying goes, "A man who carries a jade annulus is guilty of a crime. Please father think twice."
Xiao Kui was so focused on getting the treasure map that he actually didn't think of this layer.
Xiao Kui said, "If this is the case, what are you plan to deal with it?"
Xiaoyu said, "Given the current situation, we have no choice but to kill Boat owner Xie immediately."