Reborn as Murong Fu: This Time I'm the Protagonist

Chapter 512 Bet
"The Liao envoy is mistaken!"

A deep and powerful voice rang out at just the right moment. Although the voice was not loud, it drew everyone's attention. The courtiers, who had been in an uproar and were on the verge of a complete uproar, looked at the person who slowly stepped forward.

The reason for this was that the person who stepped forward was Fan Chunren, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and concurrently the Vice Minister of the Chancellery.

After the official system reform implemented during the Yuanfeng era of Emperor Shenzong of Song, the official titles of Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi and Canzhi Zhengshi were abolished, and the power of the previously inconsistent official departments was divided among the Three Departments and Six Ministries, which were mostly nominal at the time. Therefore, Fan Chunren in this matter was, in effect, the first prime minister of the Song Dynasty, the head of all officials. When he spoke, everyone naturally had to quiet down and listen to what he had to say.

Yelü Yi narrowed his eyes, sizing up the distinguished old minister before him, but deliberately feigned seriousness, asking, "May I ask what position this gentleman currently holds in the Song Dynasty? What advice does he have for me?"

Fan Chunren slowly said, "My surname is Fan. I am currently the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Vice Minister of the Secretariat in the Great Song Dynasty. I would not presume to offer my guidance, but the Liao envoy's words just now contained some illogical points, so I have a few words to say to him."

Yelü Yi looked as if he had just realized something: "So you are the son of Master Fan! My apologies!"

Fan Chunren was already over sixty years old at this time, having served in the court for many years, holding a high position and enjoying a distinguished reputation. Yelü Yi appeared to admire Fan Zhongyan's reputation, but in reality, he was belittling Fan Chunren for relying on his father's fame. In fact, Fan Chunren was a scholar who passed the imperial examinations, and his father passed away shortly after he entered officialdom; he had never relied on his father's influence. This Liao envoy's unreasonable, sarcastic, and fabricated tricks were truly infuriating.

Murong Fu glanced at Yelü Yi with displeasure, a dangerous glint in his eyes: This bastard has brazenly insulted my idol; he's asking for death. I'll teach this brat a lesson he won't forget someday.

Fan Chunren, however, ignored the subtle hint in Yelü Yi's words and said solemnly, "Since the Battle of Chanyuan, the Song and Liao dynasties have maintained friendly relations for generations. Nearly a century has passed. As brotherly nations, Song and Liao should observe the proper etiquette of brotherhood, with elder and younger brothers being respectful. Logically, the Liao Emperor and the late Emperor are of the same generation, with the Liao Emperor being the elder and the late Emperor the younger. The Empress Dowager is the mother of the late Emperor. Since Song and Liao are brothers, the Empress Dowager is the Liao Emperor's aunt. Today is the Empress Dowager's sixtieth birthday, a day of universal celebration, and the people of both Song and Liao are overjoyed. Officially, since the Liao Emperor has prepared such generous gifts and dispatched Lord Yelü as envoy, Lord Yelü should do his utmost to mend relations between the two nations and negotiate amicably. Privately, the Empress Dowager is the Liao Emperor's aunt, making her an elder. Since ancient times, how can a junior visit an elder's home to celebrate their birthday and then boast of military might, usurping the host's position? I would like to ask the Liao envoy, what was the intention behind your actions just now?"

Fan Chunren's words were reasonable, well-founded, and measured, leaving Yelü Yi speechless. His petty tricks and attempts to gain an advantage in arguments were utterly useless in the face of Fan Chunren's upright principles, and many people secretly gave Fan Chunren a thumbs up.

Yelü Yi was speechless for a long while before finally stammering, "What I said just now was only out of good intentions, hoping to relieve the Empress Dowager's worries. Since Prime Minister Fan says so, it seems I was just making trouble for myself. Men, take this thing away."

Eight strong and valiant Khitan warriors stepped forward to lift the cauldron, but a light laugh rang out inappropriately: "Isn't it just a small cauldron weighing a mere three thousand catties? Why should you Khitan warriors have to go through all this trouble? You Khitan warriors must be exhausted by now, so let me do it for you."

Yelü Yi scrutinized Murong Fu and asked, "And what is this gentleman's position?"

Murong Fu replied, "I am currently the military governor of Yunzhou and have no official duties."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Yi was taken aback, and then a hint of anger rose on his face: "Yunzhou is the territory of our Great Liao. The Great Song Dynasty has granted the title of Yunzhou Jiedushi to someone else. Could it be that they are eyeing our territory?" To be honest, what the Great Song Dynasty did was indeed a bit dishonest and absurd. It was like the Chinese nation and the United States standing side by side in later generations, and the Chinese nation appointing someone as the governor of California.

Murong Fu said, "No, no. This Yunzhou is not that Yunzhou. It is the Yunzhou of cultivation. The Liao envoy has misunderstood."

Yelü Yi said, "Nonsense! When did the Great Song Dynasty ever have a Yunzhou? You are clearly just spouting nonsense and making things up!"

Murong Fu smiled contemptuously: "Since the Liao envoy claims that I fabricated this, then please provide evidence. Otherwise, the Liao envoy is insulting a high-ranking official with empty words, and it's hard to say whether the Song Dynasty will accept it or not. I will demand an explanation from His Majesty the Liao Emperor."

Yelü Yi was taken aback: "What nonsense are you spouting? Where in the Great Song Dynasty is there a Yunzhou?"

Murong Fu said, “Our Great Song Dynasty has four hundred military prefectures and states, spanning one hundred and thirty years. The changes during that time are countless. How many could the Liao envoy possibly recount? Since it is Your Excellency’s assertion, then Your Excellency should provide the evidence. Your Excellency should prove that our Great Song Dynasty does not have a Yunzhou, and I should prove that the Great Song Dynasty does have a Yunzhou.”

Yelü Yi didn't understand the concept of "whoever makes the claim must provide the evidence." He only knew that he seemed to have been tricked by Murong Fu.

He decided not to continue arguing with Murong Fu, and instead sneered, "Heh heh, I've long heard that the Southern Dynasty is a place of flourishing literature and many talented and outstanding people. Today it seems that's indeed the case. But it's not the work of a hero to rely on words alone. Was it true that this gentleman just said he wanted to move this great cauldron?"

Murong Fu said, "That is the truth. Any military general of my Great Song Dynasty could lift such a small cauldron. The reason we did not lift it was simply to maintain proper etiquette and not to embarrass the Liao envoy. However, this gentleman is so ignorant of manners that I could not bear to see it and had no choice but to step forward and do it on behalf of all the gentlemen present."

Yelü Yi angrily said, "What arrogance! If you can lift this great cauldron in public today, I will consider you a true hero."

Murong Fu scoffed, "The Liao envoy isn't some stunning beauty. What good would it do me to have her acknowledge me as a hero? Does she expect me to be crowned the king of the pleasure quarters?"

This time, everyone burst into laughter. The Chu princess blushed, spat lightly, and thought to herself, "This man is really something, he can't even speak properly. What a lecherous fellow."

Yelü Yi blushed and said, "Then, what do you say?"

Murong Fu said, "Since you've come to offer birthday wishes, shouldn't you follow the customs of the Central Plains and kowtow to the birthday celebrant of your host a few times and perform some rites? I don't need anything else. Just please, Liao envoy, perform the three kneelings and nine kowtows to the Empress Dowager and pay your respects with the grand ceremony."