SWDnovel Chapter 1470 Insulting the Wei Envoy and Scolding the Wu Envoy
Chapter 1470 Insulting the Wei Envoy and Scolding the Wu Envoy
Chapter 1470 Insulting the Wei Envoy and Scolding the Wu Envoy
It was midsummer, and the city of Chang'an was shaded by locust and willow trees. A warm breeze swept across Taiye Pond, bringing with it the fragrance of lotus blossoms.
Compared to the recent cessation of war in Huaibei, the Guanzhong Plain was a scene of vibrant harvest, as if the conflicts of the world had nothing to do with the prosperity of this imperial capital.
Inside the Grand Marshal's residence, Grand Marshal Feng was reviewing official documents in a waterside pavilion when an attendant led Lu Yu, who looked weary from his journey, inside.
When Grand Marshal Feng saw his old friend, he put down his brush and ink, a slightly wistful smile appearing on his face, and rose to greet him:
"Lord Lu! It has been several years since we last met, and I never expected to meet you again in Chang'an. You must have had a difficult journey. Judging from your character, you are even more admirable than you were at Jingxing Pass back then."
Lu Yu bowed respectfully, speaking cautiously and adopting an extremely humble posture:
"I, Lu Yu, have come to pay my respects to the Grand Marshal of the Han Dynasty on the orders of the Grand General of the Great Wei. I am truly unworthy of such a request from the Grand Marshal."
As he spoke, he took out a long, narrow brocade box sealed with sealing wax from his bosom, raised it high above his head with both hands, and looked extremely solemn:
"This is a secret letter personally written by my General, who instructed Yu to present it to the Grand Marshal in person."
"Yu has come here with two reasons: first, to deliver this letter, and second, to report important matters in person."
Upon hearing this, Grand Marshal Feng's gaze fell upon the brocade box sealed with wax. He reached out and took it, but instead of opening it immediately, he placed it on the table.
He looked up at Lu Yu, who remained bowing, and spoke in a calm tone:
"Sima Zishang is someone I know, and I will read his personal letter in detail later." (Chapter 1109, before and after the first snow)
He paused briefly, his gaze deep, "Lord Lu, you have come from afar, you must have more important things to say. Why don't you first state your purpose, and I will listen attentively?"
Upon hearing these words, Lu Yu couldn't help but feel a complex mix of emotions.
Leaving aside the overall situation of the world when the general met the person opposite him.
Just two years ago, although the Han army was powerful, the Wei still had the land in Hebei, and the Han and Wei were in a state of confrontation between east and west.
Who would have thought that in just one year, even a man as powerful as the Grand Tutor would be defeated by this man, and the entire territory of Hebei would be lost.
This man now wields the power to decide the fate of the world with a single word.
The world changes so drastically, like clouds drifting by – it's truly a cause for lament.
Lu Yu's sigh was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool; it only stirred up a ripple before quickly sinking to the bottom and disappearing without a trace.
Almost instantly, he composed himself and regained the respect and solemnity befitting an envoy.
He bowed slightly again, his voice steady and clear:
"Since the Grand Marshal does not disdain me, I will speak frankly. My lord, the Grand General, has said: In the current state of the world, Han is strong while Wei and Wu are both weak. If the snipe and the clam fight, I fear that in the end, the fisherman will get the clam."
"Prime Minister Wu, Zhuge Ke, is cunning and untrustworthy. He has now sent a secret envoy to Pengcheng to bewitch our lord and carry out a treacherous plan to ally with Wei against Han."
He paused briefly, observed Grand Marshal Feng's expression, and seeing that the other remained calm, continued:
“My lord, the General, is a man of great principle and remains unmoved. However, to prevent the people of the world from suffering the ravages of war again, he is willing to temporarily cease hostilities with the Han Dynasty.”
"Therefore, I propose that if the Grand Marshal agrees, the Han army will not invade our territory for two years..."
He then recounted in detail how Zhuge Ke had sent a secret envoy, Zhongli Mu, to Pengcheng to form a clandestine alliance with the Wei Kingdom to jointly resist the Han Kingdom.
Feng Da Sima listened quietly, his face always displaying an unfathomable calm.
After Lu Yu finished speaking, he did not respond immediately. Instead, he reached out and pushed aside the documents on the table, revealing the bottom document, a letter of state.
He picked it up and gently handed it to Lu Yu, a meaningful expression on his face:
"Take a look at this, sir. What a coincidence. Just three days ago, Zhuge Ke's letter from Wu also arrived."
Lu Yu took it and looked at it closely, his pupils shrinking slightly.
That was the official letter personally written by Zhuge Ke and sent to Chang'an.
The letter was sincere, expressing regret for the "misunderstanding" in Qiao County and praising the Han State for its "following the will of Heaven and responding to the people" in helping Cao Zhi.
He humbly requested continued trade assistance, his words brimming with sincerity in upholding the "Wu-Han alliance."
The fingertips holding the letter trembled almost imperceptibly.
However, Lu Yu, who had followed Sima Yi through countless trials and tribulations, showed no embarrassment at this moment. Instead, he calmly and gently placed the silk back on the table.
He raised his eyes, his gaze calmly meeting that of Grand Marshal Feng, his tone carrying an almost benevolent reminder:
"Grand Marshal, please be wise. The Sun family of Eastern Wu, since the founding of their dynasty, first made an alliance with your country but then betrayed you and attacked Jingzhou, then submitted to our dynasty but then rebelled against Hefei."
"His tendency to repeat himself is like his nature, and it is by no means the work of Zhuge Ke alone at one time."
"Upon reading this book, it is further proven that his diplomatic rhetoric is frivolous and cannot be easily trusted. The Grand Marshal, who manages the government and has a keen insight, must have a well-thought-out plan for dealing with such people who are accustomed to breaking their promises."
Upon hearing this, Grand Marshal Feng looked at Lu Yu with a smile:
"Lord Lu's words, his evaluation of Eastern Wu, can truly be described as... incisive."
Having finished speaking, the smile on his face remained. He turned around, hands behind his back, facing the shimmering pool, leaving Lu Yu with only his back to him. His voice became distant and cold:
"In the past, the reason why our great Han Dynasty pretended to be friendly with the Sun family of Jiangdong and formed an alliance was not only because the pseudo-Wei was powerful, with vast territory and strong army, but also because there was another very important reason."
"With Lord Lu's wisdom, he should know the reason."
Lu Yu's lips twitched slightly, but in the end he remained silent, only lowering his gaze.
Grand Marshal Feng slightly turned his head, glancing at Lu Yu behind him out of the corner of his eye, his tone suddenly becoming sharp:
"That was Cao Pi usurping the Han throne!"
"Cao Pi, a traitor, was deeply indebted to the Han Dynasty, but his wolfish ambitions led him to coerce loyal officials, force the emperor to abdicate, and usurp the throne, causing the four-hundred-year-old Han Dynasty to collapse in a single day."
"Their sins are so deep that even the waters of a great river could not wash them away. Therefore, even though the Han and the Wu people have a grudge over Jingzhou and a hatred for Yiling, they have no choice but to temporarily join forces. This is the great principle that the Han and the traitors cannot coexist."
Grand Marshal Feng suddenly turned around, his face now filled with undisguised sarcasm:
"Lord Lu, look at the current situation. Don't you find it utterly absurd?"
"To our great Han, the Wu people are fickle and unreliable, and are nothing but clowns, despicable."
"As for the pseudo-Wei, the dynasty that Lu Gong served, its foundation was usurpation, making it even more detestable than the Wu people!"
"A treacherous clown and a usurper, one after the other, kneeling and begging to the Han Dynasty, are, in my view, nothing more than the lamentations of defeated dogs."
Hearing Grand Marshal Feng curse the Great Wei Dynasty to his face, even calling it a false dynasty and a defeated dog, Lu Yu's body visibly stiffened.
His face flushed red with anger and humiliation, then turned pale.
He instinctively wanted to speak up and argue, but the words stuck in his throat, and he found that he couldn't say anything at all.
In the past, he could have argued that fate had changed, divine artifacts had been replaced, and that the rightful ruler had returned to the virtuous, which was the natural order...
But now, the Great Wei has gone from controlling eight or nine tenths of the country to only having the two provinces of Qing and Xu.
The grand trend lies with the Han, not the Wei.
Denying usurping the Han throne? That's self-deception.
To try and exonerate Cao Pi? That would only make him a laughingstock.
Even the Cao family itself split up.
Cao Zhi openly insulted Cao Pi and even wanted to remove Cao Pi from the ancestral genealogy.
As a subject, what could Lu Yu possibly use to defend himself?
what?
You're saying that Sima Zhao now only represents the Sima clan, not the Cao Wei?
Is that something that can be said publicly?
In the end, all of Lu Yu's emotions turned into a barely audible sigh. He lowered his head, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible weariness and hoarseness:
"Grand Marshal... your eloquence is overwhelming, Yu... is speechless."
Debating with a demon king who has all the advantages and possesses the special skill of "eloquence and flattery" is not something a wise person would do.
Therefore, he could only change the subject:
"However, the past cannot be changed, but the future can still be altered. The matters I have presented on this mission concern the safety of the people and the future of the world."
"I hope that the Grand Marshal can set aside the old principles for the time being and carefully consider the new situation."
He paused, then, seeing that Grand Marshal Feng was still standing there with his hands behind his back, motionless, he continued:
"In my opinion, the Grand Marshal has always been careful to maintain a balance between tension and relaxation in his military campaigns. The great battle in Hebei has only ended a little over a year ago, and according to custom, the Han army does need three or four years to rest and recuperate."
"The two-year period requested by our lord is merely in accordance with the Grand Marshal's wishes, requiring no additional effort. In return, he will receive our lord's full assistance to jointly attack Eastern Wu."
"Furthermore, in two years, the Grand Marshal can take control of Qing and Xu provinces without firing a single shot. Such a profitable venture is something we should all do."
Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Grand Marshal Feng's eyes.
He turned and sat back down, took a sip of tea, and then chuckled softly:
"If I do not launch an attack within two years, then naturally I will not attack the Wu Kingdom. So why would I need Sima Zhao's assistance during these two years?"
"Two years later, I have acquired the provinces of Qing and Xu, and the pseudo-Wei state will no longer exist. What will Sima Zhao use to help me destroy Wu?"
"In short, Sima Zhao only wanted to exchange the promise of surrendering the lands of Qing and Xu in two years for the promise that the Han Dynasty would not attack him for two years."
"As for any so-called assistance, it simply doesn't exist."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu felt a chill run down his spine, and a cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
This smooth-talking, flattering fellow is indeed extremely difficult to deal with; trying to outwit him is simply asking for trouble.
You can't gain any advantage over him with words.
At that moment, I had no choice but to bite the bullet and stop trying to say anything insincere, and instead tell the truth:
"Grand Marshal, you are wise. While that may be true, the world is like a game of chess, and the future is unpredictable. Who can say for sure that Wu will not face any further changes in the next two years?"
His gaze fell upon the official letter written by Zhuge Ke himself:
"Even now, the Wu people's sinister intentions are obvious. Who can guarantee that they won't repeat past mistakes and betray us again?"
Upon hearing this, Grand Marshal Feng simply shook his head slowly, his face displaying absolute confidence, his tone calm yet undeniably authoritative:
“They wouldn’t dare. And the Great Han would never give them a second chance.”
Lu Yu was speechless.
This……
Such a certain assertion left him momentarily speechless.
Grand Marshal Feng gently blew away the foam on the surface of the teacup, but did not drink it. Instead, he slowly set the teacup down, calmly looked at Lu Yu, and said:
"But I can promise you that."
"What?" The turn of events was so abrupt and sudden that Lu Yu felt as if his thoughts had been thrown into the pool. He almost thought he had misheard. "Grand Marshal... you mean?"
“I said, I can promise Sima Zhao.” Grand Marshal Feng’s tone remained calm. “Within two years, the Han army’s advance will not be directed at Qing and Xu.”
However, before Lu Yu could feel a surge of joy, Grand Marshal Feng's voice suddenly turned cold:
"However, you must pass on a message to Sima Zhao for me."
He stared into Lu Yu's eyes, engraving each word as if it were an inscription:
"In this world, no one has ever been able to play tricks on me, Feng Yong, without paying the price."
"If Sima Zhao fails to fulfill his promise to cede territory, submit to the emperor, and pay tribute two years later..."
"I will annihilate the entire Sima clan!"
"I assure you, at that time, there will be no more Sima surname in the entire world!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, even though it was summer. His whole body felt cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and even his fingers trembled slightly.
But since things had come to this, he had at least completed his mission. Suppressing his fear, he gritted his teeth, bowed, and replied:
"Yu... will surely bring back to Pengcheng every word of the Grand Marshal's words without error!"
After having Lu Yu seen off, Grand Marshal Feng stood by the pool, lost in thought for a long time.
-
The next day, Qin Bo, an envoy from Wu, received news that the Grand Marshal wanted to see him.
Qin Bo dared not delay and hurriedly went to the Grand Marshal's residence.
Upon entering the mansion, he realized that it seemed quite different from when he had visited before.
The guards stood solemnly, exuding a low-key atmosphere.
This alarmed him, as he suspected something had happened at the Grand Marshal's residence.
He couldn't help but remind himself that he had to be careful with his words when he met the Grand Marshal, so as not to offend him unnecessarily.
Upon reaching the entrance to the main hall, he straightened his clothes, a relaxed smile appearing on his face, and stepped into the main hall.
As soon as he stepped into the hall, he saw Grand Marshal Feng sitting in the main seat, his face ashen, holding in his hand the official letter he had personally delivered, written by the Prime Minister of Wu.
I was just about to bow with my hands clasped, as I always did, and say a few polite words like "I admire the Grand Marshal's demeanor":
"Your humble servant Qin Bo pays his respects to Your Majesty..."
The words "pay my respects" had barely left his lips, and before he could finish saying "Grand Marshal," a sudden change occurred!
Suddenly, Grand Marshal Feng stood up, swung his arm, and hurled the exquisite silk scroll of state document at Qin Bo's head!
"Qin Bo! Your Prime Minister Zhuge Ke is truly the most shameless scoundrel in the world!"
This angry shout, like a thunderclap, resounded in the empty hall.
Qin Bo was completely stunned by the blow; the imperial edict hit his forehead and then fell to the ground.
He was completely stunned, frozen in place, his mind blank.
He had known Grand Marshal Feng for many years, from a minor official responsible for liaising with the Xinghan Association to a high-ranking official representing the Wu Kingdom.
Feng Da Sima was always kind and gentle to him, and he was always honest and fair in business dealings.
He even once thought that this powerful Grand Marshal of the Han Dynasty was an extremely easy person to talk to.
The rumors circulating outside about his ruthlessness may just be fabrications by the enemy.
The Grand Marshal before him, his hair standing on end in fury, his eyes cold as knives, as if he wanted to devour him alive, was someone he had never seen before and could never have imagined.
Panic, shock, fear... a whole host of emotions overwhelmed him in an instant.
He instinctively bent down to pick up the letter of credence, his lips trembling as he tried to say something in his defense.
He found that he couldn't even pronounce a complete syllable, and could only utter meaningless breathy sounds like "Ah...this...Grand Marshal..."
His disheveled appearance was a stark contrast to his composure just moments before.
Grand Marshal Feng gave him no chance to breathe. He walked around the desk, strode up to Qin Bo, and kicked him hard.
Caught off guard, Qin Bo grunted and was kicked by Grand Marshal Feng, flying to the threshold before coming to a stop.
Then, the official document on the ground was kicked over as well:
"Jiangdong rats! Two-faced! On one hand, they write me this letter full of lies and groveling, claiming that 'the alliance between Wu and Han is heavier than Mount Tai.'"
"They dared to send a secret envoy to Pengcheng to secretly collude with the traitor Sima Zhao and discuss how to join forces to resist the Han!"
Feng Da Sima slowly walked up to Qin Bo, bent down and stared at Qin Bo, who was lying on the ground with a pale face, trembling slightly and unable to get up for a moment.
His voice lowered, but his anger didn't diminish in the slightest; it even carried an extreme contempt.
"Principal Qin, how much profit has your Principal Affairs Office made over the years through business dealings with the Xinghan Society? Huh?!"
"Do you think you're all grown up now, that you can just abandon me after I've served my purpose? Do you really think I, Grand Marshal Feng, am some easy target to be fooled and toyed with?!"
"No... I wouldn't dare! Absolutely not! Grand Marshal, you are wise enough to know better. It must be... it must be a counter-espionage plot by the Wei!"
Qin Bo finally regained a voice and almost cried out in defense, which was the only reason he could think of.
"A counter-espionage plot?" Grand Marshal Feng scoffed, a laugh that sent a chill down Qin Bo's spine. He then hurled a wad of silk paper at Qin Bo's face and roared:
"You still want to lie to me! This is Sima Zhao's own letter. He sent someone from Pengcheng to deliver it to me personally, wanting me to read it to you word by word?"
Watching the silk paper roll to the side, Qin Bo sat up shakily, instinctively reaching out to grab it, but his strength seemed to be completely out of his control.
With trembling hands, he reached out a little, his gaze falling on the boots in front of him, and Qin Bo's last shred of hope completely collapsed.
Qin Bo seemed to have finally regained his strength. He withdrew his hand, rushed forward, and hugged Grand Marshal Feng's leg, tears streaming down his face.
"Grand Marshal, spare my life! I was merely following orders to deliver a message. I truly know nothing of Zhuge... Zhuge... Zhuge Ke's shady dealings!"
Snot and tears smeared the hem of Grand Marshal Feng's robe:
"Over the years, the Imperial Academy has relied entirely on the business bestowed upon it by the Grand Marshal for survival. I swear to Heaven, I have never intended to deceive the Grand Marshal. If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"
Grand Marshal Feng coldly looked down at the Wu envoy, and waited until he had finished crying before forcefully pulling his leg out with disgust.
He silently withdrew and returned to his seat, and the hall fell into complete silence, except for Qin Bo's sobbing and panting as he lay on the ground. His sobbing sounded all the more jarring in the extreme stillness.
Qin Bo lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to look up, yet a cold, almost tangible gaze followed him from behind, like a knife scraping his bones, chilling him to the bone.
Time slipped away bit by bit, and he felt as if a year had passed in an instant.
The fear in my heart grew wildly like weeds in this deathly silence, filling my chest.
The more silent Feng Da Sima became, the more he felt like meat on a chopping block, his life hanging by a thread, his fate uncertain.
After a long while, suddenly Grand Marshal Feng sighed:
"Qin, we have known each other for many years. The business dealings between Xinghan Society and the School Affairs Office have always been mutually beneficial."
"I'll trust you this once, and I'm sure you wouldn't dare to lie to me."
Upon hearing this, Qin Bo burst into tears and cried out:
"Thank you for your wise judgment, Grand Marshal! Thank you, Grand Marshal! I am utterly loyal to you, Grand Marshal, and Heaven and Earth bear witness!"
You're fucking loyal to me, heaven and earth can bear witness?
Feng Da Sima's lips twitched, and he almost laughed out of anger, but he quickly composed himself.
He turned and took another formal letter of state, already prepared and bearing the imperial seal of the Han emperor, from the table. He handed it to the table, his tone becoming serious again:
"Take this letter of state back and present it to the King of Wu."
"Tell the King of Wu that if Zhuge Ke's secret alliance with Wei was indeed the true intention of the Wu court—"
Grand Marshal Feng's gaze turned cold. "Then this shall be regarded as Wu's formal declaration of war against our Great Han. Our mighty army is ready at any time, awaiting the Wu army's northward advance!"
Then, the tone shifted abruptly, pausing briefly, but becoming increasingly icy:
"If this matter is entirely due to Zhuge Ke deceiving his superiors and abusing his power... then this man, holding the position of Prime Minister of Wu, has committed such a betrayal and disastrous act against the country, making him a traitor to the nation!"
Grand Marshal Feng stared intently at Qin Bo: "The Wu ruler is wise; he should know how to handle this matter to uphold the law and secure the alliance, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes..." Qin Bo stammered, unsure whether to say yes or no.
"Transmit my words to Lord Wu without missing a single one, do you understand?"
"understand!"
Qin Bo dared not think further at this moment. As if grasping at a lifeline, he hurriedly stepped forward, his hands trembling, to receive the letter of state. He hugged it tightly to his chest and repeatedly said:
"I understand! I will deliver the official letter and the Grand Marshal's original words exactly as they were!"
"Go."
Qin Bo felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and disregarded etiquette, scrambling out of the main hall.
Dejected, Qin Bo fled back to the inn, closed the door, and slumped to the floor, his body drenched in cold sweat, breathing heavily.
Thinking back to the guards from the Grand Marshal's mansion earlier, he realized they were there to deal with him.
The fear of having walked through the gates of hell only belatedly and fully erupted at this moment.
After a brief silence, he suddenly jumped up. In this private space, he no longer needed to hide anything and completely tore off the disguise of an envoy.
All the lingering fear and humiliation turned into a torrent of resentment and bitterness.
"Zhuge Ke! Zhuge Yuanxun! You foolish traitors who have brought ruin upon the country, you have courted your own death, why do you drag me down with you?!"
"Sending a secret envoy to secretly communicate with Pengcheng? Are you blinded by greed, or have you been corrupted by the miasma of Huainan?! How dare you attempt such a futile endeavor!"
"How could you, a frog at the bottom of a well, possibly fathom the divine might of Lord Feng?"
He was so angry that he trembled all over. He grabbed the teacup on the table and was about to smash it, but remembering that it was a Han Chinese artifact, he could only angrily throw it onto the soft mattress on the bed.
He continued cursing until he was completely exhausted, then slumped down, clutching the burning letter of state, and began to sob:
"Waaaaah... I've painstakingly built up this trade relationship with the Han Kingdom over many years, maintaining a semblance of stability... and now it's all been destroyed by you! Traitor! Incompetent minister! The foundation of the Wu Kingdom will surely fall into your hands!"
But considering that the School Affairs Office is no longer as powerful as it once was, what can they do in the face of the overwhelming Zhuge Ke?
Thinking of this, Qin Bo felt increasingly cold inside:
"Alas... Now that I have returned home, even if I were to meet the King of Wu, what could I, a mere nobody, do? What could I possibly do!"
One moment he cursed Zhuge Ke for cutting off his source of income and causing his death, and the next he prayed that Wu ruler Sun Liang would be "wise and powerful" and quickly get rid of this scourge, Zhuge Ke.