ctnovel Chapter 30 Sending the Prince to a Marriage Alliance
Chapter 30 Sending the Prince to a Marriage Alliance
As the sun rises in the east and dawn breaks, the nine-tiered imperial steps in front of the Golden Palace gleam with a faint golden light under the rising sun.
The imperial bell of Daliang echoed leisurely over the capital, its sound resounding through the heavens, a command urging all officials to come to court.
Then, the civil and military officials, dressed in court attire and holding ivory tablets, filed in one after another, walking step by step along the white jade-paved imperial road towards the towering Golden Palace.
Inside the hall, towering golden pillars with coiled dragons reach into the clouds, and the caisson ceiling is painted with intricate star charts, symbolizing the divine right of emperors to rule over all directions.
Gu Xiaoxiao sat upright on the nine-dragon golden chair, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a twelve-tassel crown.
At this moment, she narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze sweeping over the assembled officials below through the beaded curtain of her crown with a half-smile.
"If you have something to report, speak now; otherwise, the court may adjourn."
With the chief eunuch's announcement, the court fell into a brief silence.
However, just as a courtier was about to step forward to speak, unexpectedly, Gu Xiaoxiao, seated on the dragon throne, spoke first:
"Some time ago, the Northern Xiongnu invaded the border of our Great Liang, burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of atrocities..."
"I cannot sleep at night, my heart is filled with worry for the people..."
"I wish to pacify the Northern Xiongnu and prevent them from invading my territory and killing my people. What advice do you, my beloved ministers, have for me?"
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Upon hearing this, the ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.
As the gazes of the court officials met in the crowd, they instantly understood each other.
At this moment, a thought simultaneously arose in the minds of all the court officials: His Majesty has realized the danger of keeping Prince Su in the capital, and therefore, he wants Prince Su to leave the capital under the pretext of leading an army to conquer the Northern Xiongnu!
Although His Majesty only said "pacify", it is common knowledge that in the governance strategy of Daliang, "suppression" and "pacification" have always been linked together!
The principle of "using both suppression and appeasement, and combining kindness and severity" is exactly this!
After all, the strategy of "suppression and appeasement" had been used many times in the history of the Liang Dynasty, so the court officials had long understood the routine.
Therefore, in the eyes of the court officials, His Majesty's so-called "pacification" was actually a preparation for war against the Northern Xiongnu!
The reason Your Majesty did this is certainly not only because of what Your Majesty said before, which was to prevent the Northern Xiongnu from invading the territory of Daliang and killing the people of Daliang.
Since His Majesty's defeat at the hands of Prince Su, Prince Su, Gu Suyue, has completely seized control of the capital's military power with the strength of his elite cavalry. At the same time, with the support of the Empress Dowager, he has also gained control of a portion of the main force of the Imperial Guards.
Therefore, the court officials speculated that the reason His Majesty did this was ultimately to transfer Prince Su away from the capital and eliminate the influence he had just established in the capital!
Upon realizing this, some of the court officials who had already pledged allegiance to Prince Su immediately became restless.
If Prince Su leaves the capital, won't these officials who depend on him be at the mercy of others in the court?
Immediately, Censor-in-Chief Wang stepped forward, lifted his official robe, knelt down, and kowtowed with tears streaming down his face, crying, "Your Majesty! You mustn't!"
Gu Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, her tone indifferent: "Oh? What brilliant idea does Minister Wang have?"
Lord Wang raised his head, his face filled with anguish and indignation: "Your Majesty has already decided on a policy of peace talks with the Northern Xiongnu. How can you change your mind so easily? Our dynasty is a land of propriety, and a word is as weighty as gold. If we go back on our word, wouldn't we become a laughingstock to the world?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Vice Minister of War stepped forward and echoed, "Your Majesty, I second that suggestion! The Northern Xiongnu are a nomadic people, brave and skilled in battle, and their cavalry are swift as the wind. Although our Great Liang is powerful, if we rashly start a war, it will likely be a waste of resources and manpower, and the outcome will be uncertain!"
"The outcome is uncertain? Your Majesty, how can our dynasty's military strength compare to that of the Northern Xiongnu? The Northern Xiongnu have 400,000 archers. If the war goes poorly, I fear it may shake the very foundation of our Great Liang!"
"If this angers the Northern Xiongnu, and they march south with their entire nation, how will the people on the borders of our Great Liang cope?"
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For a time, voices of opposition rose and fell in the imperial court.
Although these voices were chaotic, they all shared one core message—to obstruct Prince Su's expedition!
Finally, as the courtiers argued heatedly, Gu Xiaoxiao slowly raised her hand.
"My dear ministers, you have misunderstood!"
Gu Xiaoxiao's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority that instantly silenced all the noise.
The court fell silent instantly, everyone holding their breath, waiting for the emperor to continue.
Gu Xiaoxiao waved her hand calmly, as if brushing away a speck of dust:
"I merely wish to send a letter to the Northern Xiongnu, proposing a lasting alliance and turning hostility into friendship... I do not intend to wage war against the Northern Xiongnu!"
Upon hearing this, the court officials were slightly taken aback—His Majesty meant… a marriage alliance? They had thought that His Majesty was preparing to force a war with the Northern Xiongnu in order to lure Prince Su away from the capital!
Therefore, Minister Zhang of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices immediately stepped forward, trembling, and then spoke with great excitement:
"Your Majesty, this is an excellent plan! In my opinion, this is a wise strategy for securing peace and stability for the country!"
Lord Zhang cleared his throat and began to speak eloquently:
"Since its founding, our dynasty has upheld the principles of a superior celestial nation, governing the world with benevolence and virtue, and all under heaven have submitted. Only the Xiongnu in the north, relying on their cavalry, have repeatedly invaded our territory... This is a disgrace to our Great Liang and a worry for all emperors throughout history!"
"Therefore, weapons are instruments of violence; war is a dangerous affair!"
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could turn enemies into friends through a marriage alliance?"
"If our dynasty could forge an alliance with the Northern Xiongnu, it would benefit the people of both countries, bring peace to the borders, and promote trade prosperity—truly a win-win situation!"
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The more he talked, the more excited he became, and he even started to plan for the future:
"Therefore, I believe that our Great Liang should select a princess from the royal family to marry the Chanyu of the Northern Xiongnu!"
"The Xiongnu have always coveted the beauty and civility of the women of the Central Plains. They will be overjoyed and will henceforth submit, daring not to invade our borders again!"
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Just as this Lord Zhang was immersed in his own wonderful fantasy, talking animatedly and gesturing wildly, suddenly, at that moment, Gu Xiaoxiao, sitting on the throne, chuckled and reached out to interrupt the courtier.
"Minister Zhang, you've misunderstood!"
Gu Xiaoxiao's voice remained gentle, yet it exploded like a thunderclap in Lord Zhang's ears.
"This time, I will not allow the princess to be married off to another country!"
"Huh?" Lord Zhang was stunned, his mouth agape, his face full of astonishment and confusion. "Then...then His Majesty means...sending palace maids? But if they don't have royal blood, I'm afraid that the Northern Xiongnu Chanyu..."
"No." Gu Xiaoxiao stood up, gripping the armrests of the dragon throne with both hands, her eyes fixed intently on the ground below. "My mind is made up. I will not only marry, but I will marry someone of noble birth, so that the Northern Xiongnu will not dare to underestimate me and will have no choice but to submit!"
The atmosphere in the court instantly became tense.
As the court officials gazed at the excited Emperor Gu Xiaoxiao, for some reason, a very bad premonition suddenly arose in their hearts!
Sure enough, after taking a deep breath, Gu Xiaoxiao slowly exhaled words that sent chills down the spines of everyone present:
"I intend to arrange a marriage between Prince Su and the Khitan princess to establish a kinship ties between the Great Liang and the Northern Xiongnu!"
P.S.: My collection growth is so slow, it's probably the slowest among all the collections in the same period. I would really appreciate it if you, my dear readers, could help me recommend it!