A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 156 National Sale
The fleet slowly entered the port of Lincheng and anchored in front of the pier.

The band by the dock immediately started playing music, with all the traditional instruments, but the melody was off-key and indistinguishable from classical music.

"Withdraw the parachutes!"

In an instant, dozens of large silk-edged parasols were quickly flipped and opened, allowing the scorching sunlight to pour into the dazzling crimson and purple hues.

There were only two people standing at the very front of the dock. One was Lü Jia, the prime minister of the Southern Yue Kingdom, and the other was Lü Ming, the governor of Ai and Huan prefectures of the Southern Yue Kingdom. He was the general with the most military power in the Southern Yue Kingdom, and it was he who uttered the order to "withdraw the umbrella".

Standing next to him was Ren Shou, a lieutenant from the Southern Yue Kingdom.

When the 500,000 Qin troops entered Lingnan, the commander-in-chief was Ren Xiao. At that time, Zhao Tuo was just a deputy general under him. Ren Xiao swept away the Baiyue tribes, established the three counties of Lingnan, and built a large city called Panyu on the ground. He was known as the "First Commandant of the Southeast".

During the chaos in the Central Plains, Ren Xiao plotted to establish a separatist regime in Lingnan. Before he could accomplish this, he fell ill and died. On his deathbed, he entrusted Zhao Tuo with the administration of state affairs, which led to Zhao Tuo's establishment of the Nanyue Kingdom.

Legally speaking, the first King of Nanyue should have been Ren Xiao or his son. However, Ren Xiao was a smart man who knew that after his death, no one among his descendants could defeat Zhao Tuo. Rather than waiting for someone else to eliminate him, he decided to entrust his son to Zhao Tuo and abdicate the throne early in order to ensure the safety of his entire clan.

After Zhao Tuo ascended to the throne of Nanyue, he kept his promise and treated the descendants of the Ren family with great kindness. He allocated a fertile piece of land next to Panyu City for them to live and multiply, and allowed the Ren family to inherit the position of "Lieutenant" in charge of the security and investigation of the capital of Nanyue.

It can be described as a respectful and elaborate ceremony.

The Ren family was quite adept at knowing when to advance and retreat. The clansmen who served as lieutenants in the Nanyue Kingdom didn't care about their duties at all. They spent their days attending to Zhao Tuo and Zhao Mei. The two kings of Nanyue Kingdom often reprimanded them, but anyone could see that the Zhao family was very satisfied with the Ren family and even regarded them as confidants.

The Ren family's wisdom in being able to feign surrender and act humbly in order to achieve the best outcome, even when at a significant disadvantage, is passed down through generations.

Both men were veteran and important officials of the Southern Yue Kingdom. Before Zhao Yingqi returned from Chang'an, they could be considered the two most important figures in Panyu City.

As for Prime Minister Lü Jia, he was the pillar of the Southern Yue Kingdom, a golden beam spanning the sea, unmatched and incomparable.

Behind them stood more than a dozen rows of high-ranking officials from various government offices of the Southern Yue Kingdom and Panyu City. As far as the eye could see, there was a dazzling array of pheasant-tailed cicadas and phoenix brocade ribbons, filling the field of vision with a riot of noble colors that was overwhelming.

It is no less than the splendor of the Han Chinese lands.

That's understandable, since many of them are descendants of the Qin army and naturally know how to captivate people and display their noble status; clothing is the perfect choice.

"Words are a stumbling block, and clothes are a creepy hair"—that's exactly the case.

Zhang Cigong first had his deputy disembark and presented the documents. Lü Ming slowly and methodically examined them, as if afraid they were counterfeit. Driven by homesickness, Zhao Yingqi, however, couldn't wait any longer and went straight off the ship.

"General Lu."

"Uncle Ren."

Zhao Yingqi greeted him excitedly.

Ren Shou had been patiently waiting under the scorching sun for quite a while. Upon seeing the Crown Prince return safely, he immediately went to greet him.

Lu Ming frowned, handed the document back, and looked up at Jiu Shi, Zhao Xing, Zhang Cigong and the Han soldiers who were walking off the ship. His expression changed slightly, and his right hand pressed against the scabbard.

For the first time in nearly a century, the Han army arrived in Panyu City.

In the name of protecting the Crown Prince.

Amidst the lively greetings, Ren Shou led the Crown Prince and the others to the city gate, preparing to open it and enter the city.

Seeing that Zhang Cigong and the Han soldiers were about to enter the city together, Lü Ming could no longer hold back. "General Han, our king has already returned to the capital. There is no need for further escort. Please return."

Before Zhao Yingqi could speak, Zhang Cigong produced the diplomatic documents, his expression blank. "I am a Han envoy, and these people are my attendants, but there are a few too many of them."

A single yarrow stalk appears.

Zhang Cigong's status officially changed from Han Family Colonel to Han Envoy, and all his soldiers became members of the envoy delegation.

Lu Ming's face darkened completely. Looking at the documents and the imperial staff, he said coldly, "Our Southern Yue has never received any notification or information from the Han Dynasty regarding the envoy's mission. I'm afraid the identity of the Han envoy cannot be recognized."

"When an envoy from a superior country travels to a inferior state, this is to inform and notify them."

Zhang Cigong said indifferently.

The term "Xiabang" was a general term used by the Han Dynasty to refer to neighboring countries such as Nanyue, Minyue, and Dongou, and it carried a somewhat derogatory connotation.

Upon hearing this, Lü Ming flew into a rage and drew his longsword with a clang: "Arrogant! I, the King of Nanyue, am of advanced age and high moral character. I have served the Han Dynasty as a vassal for the southern border for nearly a century, with the title passed down through generations. I have made countless contributions and endured countless hardships, and have been praised by several emperors of the Han Dynasty as a 'kingdom.' If you were a mere Liu clan king's kingdom, would you dare to be so presumptuous?"

"As a kingdom ruled by a king, I would certainly not dare to do so."

"So you're implying that Southern Yue has no one to rely on?"

The sword tip shot out like lightning, stopping half an inch in front of Zhang Cigong's neck.

Zhang Cigong smiled, moved forward slightly, and the tip of his sword pierced his neck, blood seeping out. "So what?"

Two thousand accompanying soldiers drew their swords in unison, which frightened the Southern Yue guards into drawing their own swords as well. The formation gradually closed in, surrounding the high-ranking officials of the country to prevent any unforeseen events from occurring.

In an instant, the atmosphere became tense, with only the band playing some unknown tune and style of classical music on the sidelines.

The sudden change startled Zhao Yingqi, who was discussing state affairs with Ren Shou. He quickly came over and said, "The Crown Prince of Han informed me of my identity as a Han envoy when I was in Chang'an. General Lü, am I not allowed to accept the mission? Or are you blaming me for acting on my own initiative?"

"Your subject dares not. The Crown Prince is about to become a great chieftain; of course he is qualified to be entrusted with such duties..."

"Then put down the sword!"

Zhao Yingqi was both angry and furious. Back in Chang'an, he had been extremely cautious and respectful, reflecting the awareness of a "hostage from a small country."

He returned to the Kingdom of Nanyue. He was the crown prince of King Wen of Nanyue. The old king had passed away, and he would soon become the ruler of Nanyue. After that, he would submit to the Han Dynasty and become a marquis of the Han Dynasty. His royal authority immediately became apparent.

The arrogance of the Han envoy.

That's famous all over the world.

Right here, with your neck pressed against the tip of the sword, would you dare to move?

If it moves, the country will perish.

Upstream of the Zangke River, there are tens of thousands of soldiers and generals trained by the Han Dynasty specifically for the Nanyue region. If anything were to happen to the Han envoy, the fall of Nanyue would be imminent.

Although both countries were destined to perish, those who voluntarily submitted to the Han Dynasty were considered to have surrendered, while those who held the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households but were swallowed up by the Han army were considered to be stubborn and incorrigible. Not to mention the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, even the ancestral graves of the Zhao family could be dug up.

Asshole!
Don't ruin my grand plan of surrender!

Upon hearing this, Lü Ming's face twitched. "Your Highness, in diplomatic relations between two countries, it is only right to exchange courtesy. The Han envoy's actions are a deliberate insult to my Southern Yue."

"What does that have to do with you, General Lü?"

Zhao Yingqi looked at him and said in a calm tone, "The Han envoy is straightforward. I am the new king of Nanyue, and I still cannot hear the Han envoy's intention to insult me. I have nothing to say. What is General Lü angry about?"
The Lü family isn't yet the King of Nanyue!

The last sentence.

Zhao Yingqi practically shouted it out.

The names Lü Jia and Lü Jia sound similar; if you said there wasn't a double entendre, no one at the dock would believe it.

Under Zhang Cigong's mocking gaze, Lü Ming humiliatedly sheathed his sword and inhaled, "Yes."

"Open the city gate!"

Ren Shou's voice rose high.

The tightly closed main gate of Panyu City slowly opened.

"Angel, please!"

"King of the South, please."

Zhao Yingqi and Zhang Cigong entered Panyu City side by side, followed by a large army.

Ren Shou stood to the side, his lips moving several times, but he could not utter a word. The main gate of the capital was of great importance and had never been opened except for major ceremonies, sacrifices, or the arrival of a great chieftain.

At the beginning of the founding of the Nanyue Kingdom, the population was divided into two categories: one was the Qin army from the Central Plains and their descendants, who called themselves "Qin people".

One group consists of the indigenous people from hundreds of tribes of varying sizes in Lingnan, collectively known as "Turen" (土人).

In the early days of the Nanyue Kingdom, most of the local people were barbarians who ate raw meat, cut their hair short, and tattooed their bodies, while the Qin people held an absolute advantage.

As time went by, the first generation of Qin people gradually grew old, while the local people gradually became more civilized. With one side gaining and the other losing, the distinction between Qin and the local people has become less clear over the past hundred years.

The only difference lies in the title used to address the King of Nanyue. The Qin people called him the "King of the State," while the local people called him the "Great Chieftain." The King of Nanyue was both the "King of Nanyue" and the "Great Chieftain of the Hundred Great States."

The Han envoy personally carried the imperial staff, acting as if the Han emperor himself were present, but there were differences between emperors.

The envoy's document clearly read "Order of the Crown Prince of the Great Han Dynasty," and the fact that the Nanyue Kingdom opened its gates to welcome him seemed excessively respectful.

Zhao Yingqi noticed his unusual behavior and said in a low voice, "Today's Han Dynasty belongs to the Crown Prince of Han."

Forget about emperors and kings; rules are rigid, but people are flexible.

Even when welcoming envoys from the Han emperor and envoys from the crown prince, one must distinguish which is more important.

Ren Shou paused, then caught up and said in a voice only he and Zhao Yingqi could hear, "Does the Crown Prince intend to surrender to the Han Dynasty?"

For some reason, Ren Shou sensed a similar "humility" in the returning crown prince, a trait shared by his own family.

That kind of humility cannot arise from nothing other than heartfelt submission and willingness. In other words, no one or family is prepared to relinquish power to this extent.

Now it was Zhao Yingqi's turn to pause, but he quickly returned to normal. In terms of handing over power, the Ren family was the "senior" and someone worth learning from. He neither acknowledged nor denied it. "I still need to ask Uncle Ren for advice on how to ensure the prosperity of our clan?"

Ren Shou understood, "The Ren family has served the royal family for generations and is willing to follow the Crown Prince's lead. I wonder..."

"Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, I will give you two thousand."

Having been away from Nanyue for more than ten years, Zhao Yingqi, though of legitimate lineage, dared not be complacent. If he could complete the entire Southern Strategy Plan at a minimal cost, thus preserving himself and the Zhao family, he would not hesitate to share some of the benefits.

"To hand over power, we must first hand over the army. There are 5,000 soldiers under the command of the Lieutenant General near Panyu City. We wish to hand them over to the Crown Prince and entrust them to the Han envoy."

Without the slightest hesitation, Ren Shou followed the Crown Prince in selling the entire Nan Yue territory to secure a better future for himself and his family. "Crown Prince, Chancellor Lü Jia, Heir Apparent Zhao Jiande, and others are loyal to Nan Yue to the death. I request to join the Han envoy in clearing the city of Panyu and removing all obstacles to our submission to the Han Dynasty!"

Zhang Cigong, with his keen hearing and sharp eyesight, looked at him in shock. This was truly a selfish and petty person!

(End of this chapter)