White-robed Minister

Chapter 257 0255 [Subduing the Liao Emperor]

"Enter the imperial bedchamber!"

The Liao official in charge of ceremonies shouted, and the guards carried in a table. They set up the imperial table and quickly laid out the imperial felt carpet.

"His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Liao Dynasty has taken his seat in the imperial tent!"

Yelü Hongji entered wearing a narrow purple robe, a purple black turban, and a jade belt. Besides being very tall, he had two other distinctive features: a pointed chin and high shoulders.

After Yelü Hongji was seated on the felt carpet, the master of ceremonies led the assembled officials in seven bows.

Guo Ruoxu subconsciously followed suit and bowed, but seeing Xu Lai standing upright, he quickly stopped all his movements.

Inside the large tent, only they stood and did not bow.

After the ceremony of offering prayers, the emperor was supposed to offer wine, but Yelü Hongji didn't even raise his hand.

Liu Lin, the Northern Court's Imperial Envoy in charge of etiquette, immediately rebuked, "Why do the envoys from the Southern Dynasty not bow? Can someone who is ignorant of etiquette be an envoy of the Southern Dynasty?"

Xu Lai retorted, "The Book of Rites states: 'Courtesy demands reciprocity. To give without receiving is impolite; to receive without giving is also impolite.' Two hours ago, on behalf of the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty and the court, I delivered a letter of state and birthday gifts to the Emperor of the Northern Dynasty. Although the ceremony was elaborate, I followed it all. Now, your country has set up a small seat in the east, which is impolite. Since courtesy demands reciprocity, my actions are also impolite."

Liu Lin argued, "When guests are guests, they should follow the host's lead. The seating arrangement has already been decided. Please, envoy from the Southern Dynasty, take your seats."

"Who are you? What is your position?" Xu Lai asked.

Liu Lin replied, "I am Liu Lin, the Envoy of the Northern Court."

Han officials such as Liu Lin, Wang Guan, and Li Zhongxi would be collectively granted the surname "Yelü" after Yelü Hongji's birthday.

If we meet again next time, Liu Lin should call him Yelü Lin.

Xu Lai ignored the man and said loudly to Yelü Hongji, "Your Majesty the Emperor of the Northern Dynasty, the position of Xuanhui Envoy is a matter of national honor and should be held by a person who understands etiquette."

"In the Northern Dynasties, sitting facing east while sitting west was considered superior, sitting facing north while sitting south was considered noble, and sitting facing west while sitting east was considered inferior. The Song and Liao were brother states, and according to etiquette, the envoy of the Great Song should sit on the south side. Now, to treat a brother state with such a lowly position is truly a lack of understanding of etiquette for Envoy Liu Xuanhui."

"In my humble opinion, on behalf of the Northern Court, this man should be dismissed!"

Yelü Hongji laughed and said, "As expected of the top scholar of the Southern Dynasty, you are indeed sharp-tongued."

This Liao emperor once promoted Sinicization and enjoyed reading Han books, but he was not a reasonable person.

He particularly liked to arrange small seats for Song envoys, which couldn't be done with just a few words.

When Cheng Shimeng was sent as an envoy to the Liao Dynasty, he encountered a small seat and argued about it from noon until evening before the Liao Dynasty finally changed him to a large seat.

When Chen Xiang was sent as an envoy to the Liao Kingdom, he encountered a small seat and argued about it for a whole day, but in the end, he did not change seats.

Trying to reason with the Liao emperor about etiquette was futile; it was impossible to persuade him.

Having carefully studied diplomatic documents, Xu Lai was well aware of this situation and immediately decided to reveal some bombshell information.

Xu Lai said, "I have heard that His Majesty the Emperor of the Northern Dynasty once heavily relied on his uncle, Yelü Chongyuan. But I don't know why Yelü Chongyuan was not grateful for the Emperor's great favor, but instead wanted to assassinate the Emperor and rebel. Today I finally understand that it is because the Northern Dynasty does not pay attention to etiquette. Since they do not pay attention to etiquette, they do not know gratitude and righteousness, nor do they understand the proper relationship between ruler and subject."

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

From Grand Tutor Yelü Yixin down, no Liao official dared to utter a sound, because Xu Lai had reopened Yelü Hongji's wounds!

Yelü Hongji's angry demeanor was quite interesting. He shrank his neck, his shoulders hunching even higher. He looked like an eagle nestled on a felt blanket, his expression grim, his eyes fierce, as if he might pounce and kill at any moment.

The deputy envoy, Guo Ruoxu, was so frightened that his whole body stiffened and his legs began to tremble slightly.

Xu Lai stood calmly with a smile, meeting Yelü Hongji's gaze with composure.

After a long silence, Yelü Hongji said, "Believe it or not, if I were to kill you right now, neither the Song emperor nor his ministers would dare to send troops to retaliate."

"The Song state will still send envoys to offer congratulations on my next birthday."

Xu Lai replied, "The Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty has treated me with great courtesy and shown me immense kindness. It is my duty to repay this kindness with courtesy, even if it means losing my life here. Unlike the Liao Dynasty, which presumptuously claims to be Chinese but is ignorant of Chinese etiquette. A country that does not follow etiquette is no different from a country of beasts. Today the Imperial Uncle rebels, tomorrow the Grand Tutor murders the Emperor. No matter what disgraceful things happen, I will not be surprised."

"How dare you!"

Yelü Yixin immediately rebuked him angrily.

The phrase "Grand Tutor to assassinate the emperor tomorrow" hit Yelü Yixin where it hurt. He was indeed plotting this, but hadn't found the opportunity yet.

Xu Lai glanced at him sideways: "Truly a land of rudeness. The monarch is speaking, yet the subject interrupts for no reason. Could it be that I've hit a nerve?"

Yelü Yixin was furious. He rose and walked to the center of the tent: "Your Majesty, the envoy from the Southern Dynasty has been disrespectful. I request that he be expelled from the country!"

"Your Majesty the Emperor of the Northern Dynasty, do you really intend to drive away the envoy who came to offer birthday greetings?" Xu Lai asked, head held high, looking directly at Yelü Hongji.

Despite the early autumn weather, Guo Ruoxu felt a chill run through his body. He desperately wanted to beg Xu Lai to stop talking. After all, the other party was the emperor; such repeated provocation might truly drive him to murder.

Enraged, Yelü Hongji angrily questioned Liu Lin, who was in charge of etiquette: "Why did you set up a small seat for the Southern Dynasty envoy on the east side?"

Liu Lin dared not say he was acting under orders, and immediately knelt down in fear: "It must have been the negligence of the servants below. Your Majesty, I have failed in my duty of supervision and beg Your Majesty for punishment!"

Yelü Hongji said, "You are to be fined twenty catties of copper."

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty!" Liu Lin breathed a sigh of relief.

What kind of person was Yelü Hongji?

Sima Guang described him as follows: "He was timid by nature and fond of Buddhism."

Even Sima Guang could see that Yelü Hongji was weak-willed!

This Liao emperor was very robust. He had a long, narrow face with a pointed chin, and a somewhat sinister air about him. He was stubborn and willful, often impulsive and easily angered. But after his anger subsided, he tended to overthink things, becoming hesitant and indecisive in his actions.

A particularly complex person.

Yelü Hongji said, "Change the seats for the envoys from the Southern Dynasty."

Liu Lin quickly complied, fearing that delay would cause further problems.

Once the new seats were arranged, Xu Lai completely changed his previous arrogant demeanor. He first paid his respects to Yelü Hongji according to etiquette, and then calmly and gracefully took his seat.

He was polite throughout, and there wasn't a single flaw in his behavior.

Many of the Liao officials present were intimidated by Xu Lai's demeanor.

Upon seeing this, the veteran minister Yao Jingxing couldn't help but sigh, "Talented people in the Southern Dynasties are as numerous as carp crossing the river, and today we have seen another outstanding scholar."

Given time, this man will surely become the prime minister of the Southern Dynasty. What a pity for my Great Liao—”

Yao Jingxing once served as the Prime Minister of the Northern Court and also as the Privy Councilor of the Southern Court.

He had already retired this year, but due to famine in many parts of the Liao Kingdom, Yelü Hongji invited him back and he will soon go to Xingzhong Prefecture, where the famine is most severe, to take charge.

Three years ago, when the armies of Song and Xia were locked in a standoff, Yelü Hongji planned to send troops south, but he gave up the idea only because Yao Jingxing persuaded him to stay.

Guo Ruoxu's vest was soaked with sweat. He followed Xu Lai over and sat down. Walking felt like stepping on cotton.

Yelü Hongji sat down and offered wine.

Xu Lai and the other officials stood up again to offer a toast.

Yelü Hongji asked, "Has your esteemed envoy ever led troops into battle? I heard that my brother-in-law (Dong Zhan) was defeated and forced to surrender by you."

Xu Lai said, "His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty has long been renowned throughout the Hehuang and Qingtang regions. I know nothing of military affairs, nor do I practice martial arts; I am only here to spread education and civilization."

"What a wonderful idea to spread education!" Yelü Hongji was amused, but he didn't know what was so funny about Xu Lai's words.

Yelü Hongji, having just lost face, was eager to redeem himself. Pointing to the guard beside him, he asked, "Does the Southern Dynasty have such a valiant warrior?"

Xu Lai said, "There are too many to count."

Yelü Hongji then asked, "Among the Southern Dynasty's delegation, there are dozens of soldiers accompanying them. Are there any such fierce warriors?"

Xu Lai said, "In the Great Song Dynasty, no one picks up lost items on the road, so why would there be any bandits or thieves to guard against? There may be some thieves in the Liao Kingdom, but with the Liao envoy escorting me all the way, why would I need fierce warriors to protect me? Therefore, on this mission, I only brought a few ordinary soldiers. If Your Majesty wishes to see fierce warriors, I can bring as many as you like next time."

These words were polite and measured, yet subtly barbed, leaving Yelü Hongji unsure how to respond.

Yao Jingxing laughed and said, "Your Majesty's birthday is approaching, why talk about war? The envoy from the Southern Dynasty is a top scholar, so he must write very well. Why not have the envoy from the Southern Dynasty compose two birthday poems for Your Majesty?"

Yelü Hongji clapped his hands and said, "That's a brilliant statement."

That's definitely not a well-intentioned thing.

If Xu Lai were to compose a poem on the spot, and the quality were poor, Xu Lai would naturally lose face, and the Song Dynasty would also lose face—the top scholar of the Song Dynasty was nothing more than this.

If Xu Lai writes a good birthday poem, the Liao Kingdom can surpass the Song Dynasty. The top scholar of the Song Dynasty went to great lengths to write a poem to please the Liao emperor.

Regardless of whether Xu Lai's poetry is good or bad, it could potentially lead to a diplomatic blunder.

Guo Ruoxu instantly understood the other party's trick and whispered a warning: "Scholar Xu, don't agree, they're setting a trap for you."

Xu Lai pondered for a moment, then said to Yelü Hongji, "Please provide me with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone."

Yelü Hongji waved his hand slightly, and someone brought over the Four Treasures of the Study.

Xu Lai wrote two poems in one go, put down his brush and said, "I have composed two poems to wish His Majesty a happy birthday in advance."

Liu Lin came over to pick up the poem and glanced at it briefly, immediately noticing something was amiss.

Yelü Hongji took the book and found it both infuriating and amusing, yet he couldn't truly get angry.

The first song is:

The northern desert is high and the autumn air is clear; the southern crown bearer holds the imperial staff and pays homage to the emperor. A thousand mountains have already bowed to the Central Plains, and ten thousand rivers stretch far across the Bohai Sea.

The sun and moon impartially distinguish day from night; heaven and earth, with their patterns, reveal the true nature of things. Let us drink a cup of the elixir of immortality, and sit and watch as the vast borderlands are pacified.

At first glance, this poem appears to be flattering Yelü Hongji, with mountains and rivers, heaven and earth, sun and moon all paying homage to the holy ruler. It concludes by using the act of offering wine to celebrate his birthday, expressing a wish for peace between the two nations.

But what does "Thousands of mountains have bowed towards the Central Plains" mean?

If the Central Plains is understood as Henan, then the wise ruler revered by all the mountains and rivers, heaven and earth, sun and moon, suddenly becomes the emperor of the Song Dynasty.

The line "Let us drink a cup of longevity wine and watch the borderlands be at peace for ten thousand miles" can be interpreted as Xu Lai toasting Yelü Hongji to wish him a long life, hoping for lasting peace between the Song and Liao dynasties. It can also be interpreted as Xu Lai being confident that the Liao army would not dare to invade the borders again.

However, since the Liao Dynasty considered itself part of China and referred to the land south of Yan as the Central Plains, it was impossible to blame Xu Lai for writing nonsense.

Let's look at the second poem:

Purple lightning and blue frost illuminate the Jade Capital; why build the Great Wall during the northern tour? The three passes were once Han territory; now, ten thousand cavalrymen are soldiers on the Liaodong frontier.

Even plants and trees possess sentience, and the benevolent live long; mountains and rivers bear no shame before the emperor's name. How could this envoy dare forget loyalty and righteousness? I wish to borrow the emperor's majesty to repay Your Majesty's wisdom.

Every line of this poem can be interpreted in two ways.

On the surface, it was praising Yelü Hongji, while Xu Lai was fulfilling his duties as an envoy to congratulate the Liao emperor on his birthday.

The "northern tour" refers to the Liao emperor leading his troops on a hunting expedition to the grasslands. The former Han-ruled lands had now been conquered by the Liao emperor, making Yelü Hongji a truly benevolent and wise ruler.

But it can also be understood this way—

I, Xu Lai, have come to the Liao Kingdom on behalf of the Song Emperor on a northern tour. With my northern tour deterring the Liao, there is no need to build the Great Wall to defend against Liao cavalry.

This land should rightfully belong to my Han people. If the plants, trees, mountains, and rivers have spirits, they should understand who the rightful emperor is.

As an envoy, though I have come to the Liao Kingdom, I dare not forget my duty in the slightest. One day, I will carry the might of the Song Emperor, lead my troops north to recover the lost territories of the Han people, and repay the kindness of the sage ruler of the Song Dynasty.

Yelü Hongji read the two poems over and over again. The verses were very apt in their praise and the flattery was very skillful. But the second layer of meaning between the lines made Yelü Hongji feel as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.

After a long while, Yelü Hongji decided to give up on making things difficult for Xu Lai.

He had come to a complete understanding that the Song envoy before him was neither wise nor weak, and there was no way to make things difficult for him. Unless he actually attacked and killed him, he would only bring shame upon himself.

Yelü Hongji even considered keeping Xu Lai in the Liao Kingdom as an official because of his talent.

"A fine poem," Yelü Hongji said, setting the poem aside and raising his cup. "Let's drink and eat!"

The atmosphere immediately became cheerful.

Xu Lai and Guo Ruoxu mingled and drank with the Liao emperor and his ministers, occasionally discussing poetry and painting, and sometimes telling jokes that made everyone burst out laughing.

After we had eaten and drunk our fill, a waiter brought us fruit.

watermelon!

Xu Lai was taken aback, but pretended not to recognize it: "What is this?"

Yelü Hongji instantly gained face: "Our Great Liao Dynasty has a vast territory and many products that the Southern Dynasty has never seen. This melon is called Xi'awusi."

"As expected of the vast Northern Dynasty," Xu Lai said flatteringly, then began to watch the drama unfold.

Its taste was only slightly sweet, far inferior to later varieties.

Moreover, it has a lot of seeds.

Xu Lai said in a low voice, "Brother Guo, don't swallow the melon seeds. Spit them together and collect them for me quietly."

"what?"

Guo Ruoxu held a watermelon in his hands, looking completely bewildered and not understanding its meaning.

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