The Yan training ground was located in the southern suburbs of Youzhou, serving as both a training field and a military camp.
On this day, the weather was clear, the sky vast and blue, with a few white clouds drifting above. The warm morning sun cast its glow upon the land.
Hong Wuji, Yin Guozhi, and other envoys from Xia, who were on a diplomatic mission to Yan, were invited, accompanied by Yan's maternal uncle, Murong Fu, to the training ground to have an audience with the Yan Emperor Murong Xi.
"Long live! Long live! Long live!"
"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"
Before they even entered the training ground, Hong Wuji and his retinue were startled by a thunderous roar of shouts, which immediately gave them a shock.
"Ambassador Hong, there is no need to be alarmed..." Yan's maternal uncle, Murong Fu, said with a smile, looking at Hong Wuji, whose face had turned pale. "As it is a training ground, naturally there are some troops engaged in exercises. Ambassador, please be at ease."
"Oh, I see," Hong Wuji said, finally feeling somewhat relieved and nodding. "Judging solely by the sound, the great army of the Superior State must be strong in both men and horses."
"Heh heh, thank you for the compliment, Ambassador Hong," Murong Fu replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "Ambassador Hong, please wait outside the main gate for a moment. I shall go and announce your arrival."
"Thank you for your trouble!" Hong Wuji cupped his hands in greeting.
Murong Fu nodded and entered the main gate to make his report.
"Director Hong, do not forget the matter of Zhang Yongnian of the Three Kingdoms," Yin Guozhi said in a low voice, walking up to Hong Wuji while the Xia envoys waited.
Hong Wuji nodded upon hearing this.
"His Majesty has decreed that the Xia envoys are summoned for an audience!"
Shortly thereafter, several inner court officials of Yan emerged from the main gate to announce the decree, and Hong Wuji, Yin Guozhi, and the others followed the Yan inner court officials into the main gate.
The Yan training ground in the southern suburbs was vast, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of troops. At this moment, over thirty thousand Yan Imperial Guards were arrayed and maneuvering within the training ground. The thirty thousand Imperial Guards, clad in ceremonial parade uniforms of yellow, red, and white, were arranged in formation, their warhorses neighing, horns blaring, and banners fluttering. Indeed, their armor was gleaming, their robes resplendent; drums pounded the heavens, and spears shone like the sun.
Although Yin Guozhi had given them a heads-up, the formidable Yan cavalry still greatly surprised Hong Wuji.
Northerners were skilled in riding and archery, while southerners were skilled in naval warfare. It seemed this was indeed the case, Hong Wuji thought to himself. If a war between Yan and Xia were to take place in the northern lands, Xia would most likely be defeated.
At least, that was Hong Wuji's opinion.
...
"Ambassador Hong is truly a wise and generous individual. His Great Chieftain has ordered me to treat you well," said Yan's maternal uncle, Murong Fu, to Hong Wuji with a smile after the Xia envoys had an audience with the Yan Emperor Murong Xi. "Ambassador Hong, why not stay in Youzhou for a few more days and experience the local customs and culture of Youzhou?"
For some unknown reason, perhaps because the Yan imperial court's display of a mighty army in the training ground had shocked Hong Wuji and his retinue, or perhaps because the Xia imperial court was eager for peace, Xia made significant concessions in this peace negotiation with Yan. Not only did they acknowledge Yan as elder brother, essentially submitting as a vassal, but Yan also recognized Yang Liang as Emperor. The two sides delineated their borders, ceased hostilities, and Xia annually paid tribute to Yan. It was a cause for universal joy, and the Yan court was naturally satisfied.
The peace treaty between Yan and Xia was thus concluded, historically known as the "Gengchen Peace Accord."
Before and after the "Gengchen Peace Accord," neither Yan nor Xia mentioned the former Xia Emperor and others who had been taken captive by Yan.
Yan kept the former Xia Emperor, allowing them to declare Xia Emperor Yang Liang a "usurper" or "illegitimate emperor" at any time, thereby holding leverage over Xia Emperor Yang Liang. Conversely, Xia Emperor Yang Liang certainly did not wish for the former Emperor to return to the south. If the former Emperor returned south, the question of whether Yang Liang should abdicate or not would become an extremely difficult dilemma. It would be best if the former Emperor died in Yan territory, leading to mutual satisfaction.
Therefore, neither side brought it up, and it was a tacit understanding.
"Thank you, Great Chieftain, and thank you, Maternal Uncle," Hong Wuji said gratefully. His mission had been successful, hostilities had ceased, and Xia Emperor Yang Liang was naturally overjoyed. Hong Wuji was also bound to receive generous rewards, hence his happy thanks.
"Maternal Uncle..." Hong Wuji then hesitated and said, "This humble subject has already experienced the customs and culture of Youzhou. That woman from yesterday..."
"Which woman? Are you referring to...?" Murong Fu asked in surprise.
After a long pause, Hong Wuji finally spoke, "It is her. If the Superior State is willing to give this woman to me, Hong, I am willing to exchange two counties for her."
What? Murong Fu stared blankly at Hong Wuji, speechless for a long time.
*You southern barbarians truly dare to think big!* Murong Fu thought to himself. *I have seen shameless people, but never one so utterly shameless.*
Murong Huiying was the legitimate daughter of the Left Virtuous King of the Great Yan, the esteemed Princess Ziyue. This Hong Wuji actually dared to make such a request?
Furthermore, to exchange two counties for a woman, a transaction Murong Fu himself would not consider, yet Hong Wuji dared to propose it? How could a single person be so shameless, so disregardful of national righteousness?
...
"What do you think?"
After Yan's maternal uncle, Murong Fu, reported this matter to the Yan Emperor Murong Xi, Murong Xi mused.
Exchanging a woman for two counties was undoubtedly a profitable deal, but Murong Huiying was the legitimate daughter of Murong Bolié, the Left Virtuous King, and Murong Bolié was a pillar minister of the Great Yan and the commander of the Yan army. Therefore, Murong Xi was extremely hesitant.
"Great Chieftain..." Murong Fu thought for a moment and replied, "This humble minister has inquired. Hong Wuji is already married. His wife is the daughter of Lü Qiyue, a prominent minister of the Southern Dynasty. If Princess Ziyue were to be given to such a person, she could at best be a concubine or a mere mistress, not a wife. Can the noble sons of our Great Yan be concubines or mistresses to others? It would tarnish the prestige and dignity of our nation. This humble minister implores the Great Chieftain to reconsider."
Murong Fu spoke in defense of Murong Huiying, not out of concern for her. In this world, in the eyes of high officials and nobles, a woman was little more than a servant or livestock, even if Murong Huiying was the daughter of Murong Bolié and the esteemed Princess Ziyue of the Great Yan.
After the Zhou Fugui incident, the Yan Emperor Murong Xi had already become suspicious of Murong Bolié and Murong Fu. The Crown Prince's faction had fallen into a disadvantageous position, and at this moment, no further complications could arise.
If the Yan Emperor Murong Xi were to decree that Murong Huiying be given to Hong Wuji, Murong Bolié would surely harbor resentment and might even take more drastic actions. This would spell disaster for the Crown Prince's faction.
"Hmm, you may reply to him saying that our Great Yan is blessed with abundant beauties, and why should we be fixated on Princess Ziyue?" Murong Xi also found it unsuitable and thus said to Murong Fu.
"The Great Chieftain is wise, this humble minister obeys..." Murong Fu said joyfully.
"Regarding the affairs of the Chinu clan, the Fumeng clan, and others, has Maternal Uncle forgotten?" Before Murong Fu could finish speaking, Empress Murong Qing interrupted him coldly. "They endured humiliation for our clan and for our Great Yan. Their marriages were not to the position of wife, but even less than concubine or mistress. If they could do so, why can't Ziyue? Great Chieftain, two counties, a population of over a million, and fertile land stretching for a thousand li, compared to one woman, which is more important?"
Before the rise of the Xianbei, such sacrifices of women for the future of the tribe were not uncommon.
"This..." Murong Xi was once again hesitant.
"Maternal Uncle, go and ask the Left Virtuous King for his opinion?" Murong Xi commanded Murong Fu after a long period of indecision.
...
"Bang!"
"Oh dear, Princess, this is the official inn! You cannot just barge in!"
Princess Ziyue, Murong Huiying, holding a curved saber, pointed it at the nose of an official at the Yan Imperial Inn and angrily shouted, "Get out!"
The sharp blade pointed at his nose caused the Yan inn official to swallow the words he was about to speak.
"Charge in!" Murong Huiying then ordered, brandishing her saber.
"As you command!" Over a hundred warriors from the Fiery Camp responded with a loud shout and charged into the inn with their sabers. The inn officials and soldiers were simply unable to stop them, nor did they dare to obstruct the enraged Murong Huiying.
Chaos erupted within the inn. The Xia envoys and their retinue, unaware of what was happening, were startled and either scrambled for cover or stood frozen in fear.
"Where is that dog named Hong?" Murong Huiying then shouted, pointing her saber at a Xia envoy. This envoy was Yin Guozhi, the deputy envoy for this mission to Yan.
"Who are you, girl?" Yin Guozhi asked calmly, without any panic, looking at Murong Huiying.
"Is my name something you should ask?" Murong Huiying said coldly. "Quickly tell me, where is that dog named Hong? Otherwise, do not blame my blade for being merciless!"
"Speak quickly!" a group of Fiery Camp warriors shouted in unison.
"Two countries at war do not execute envoys!" Yin Guozhi said, his face still unperturbed and composed. "If the young lady does not state her purpose, then walk over my body."
"I am the daughter of the Left Virtuous King." Murong Huiying's willow brows knitted in anger as she stared at Yin Guozhi for a long time. "Now you should know my purpose, shouldn't you?"
Upon hearing this, Yin Guozhi suddenly understood and quickly moved aside, glancing towards a side room with schadenfreude.
*Hong Wuji is truly blinded by greed! To propose exchanging two counties for a woman from Yan? Even if this woman were a celestial fairy, it would be extremely inappropriate. To sacrifice national interests for a woman, how could he even dare to speak such a thing? All the Xia people have long disdained Hong Wuji's actions and are filled with indignation.*
*Infatuation born of lust*, this perfectly described Hong Wuji.
Yin Guozhi and the other Xia envoys and their retinue were unaware that Hong Wuji and Murong Huiying had some past connection.
Now that the esteemed Princess Ziyue of Great Yan had come knocking, let's see how he would handle this! All the Xia people inwardly rejoiced at Hong Wuji's predicament.
At the same time, the ferocity of the Xianbei women also made them secretly tremble. It was possible that this princess, who seemed to hold considerable power, might vent her anger on them as well, and they might never return to the south.
At this moment, all the Xia envoys and their retinue also harbored deep hatred for Hong Wuji.
"Please invite her in," said Hong Wuji, standing at the door of the side room and cupping his hands respectfully. "This humble subject, Wuji, respectfully welcomes the esteemed Princess Ziyue of the Superior State."
"It's you?" Murong Huiying's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Hong Wuji.