Chapter 502: Refusal

"Your subject Sun Sheng, by order of the Great Tang Emperor, seeks an audience with the Son of Heaven of the Great Han!"

As the Han army's attacks on the Southern Tang's riverine prefectures and counties grew ever more fierce, the Tang envoy Sun Sheng hurried north, rushing to seek an audience. In the main hall of Shouchun, Liu Chengyou received him—no great display of pomp, only a few close ministers and generals in attendance.

In the hall, the sovereign and ministers of the Northern Han appeared relaxed and at ease, while the Tang envoy Sun Sheng, though affecting composure, was clearly in a weak position; his taut expression betrayed the weight upon his heart.

"Rise!" Liu Chengyou waved a hand slightly, scrutinizing Sun Sheng from a lofty perch, and said: "Our two states are at war, the fighting in full swing, bitter as foes. What business has Li Jing sent you north for?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject comes by his sovereign's command, for the peace and safety of the soldiers and people of both states—to cease hostilities and negotiate peace!" Sun Sheng replied.

"Oh!" Liu Chengyou said flatly. "So you've come to sue for peace."

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it is to negotiate peace!" Sun Sheng stressed, correcting Liu Chengyou's phrasing.

Liu Chengyou waved a hand airily and said: "Suing for peace or negotiating peace, either way it's begging for mercy from me."

He reached out, curling his index and middle fingers in a beckoning gesture, signaling Zhang Dejun to present the state letter from Li Jing. As he leafed through it, Sun Sheng summarized: "Since the fighting began, the soldiers and people of both states have suffered greatly. To deliver the common folk from misery and return peace to the people, if Your Majesty is willing to withdraw the army, the Great Tang Emperor is willing to acknowledge you as elder brother, to forever maintain neighborly amity, and will surely present yearly tribute of mountain and marsh wealth, to modestly aid your army's needs. We reverently await your reply, to answer your exalted command; the roads shall be smooth, and gifts of ceremony shall come each year..."

A state letter of over a thousand words, clearly the work of Southern Tang literary officials, laying out their situation and expressing their intent, striking a very low posture, with much pleading between the lines—as if they had suffered some great injustice.

However, Liu Chengyou found it rather laborious reading, taking some time to finish it, then passed it around to the assembled ministers: "Gentlemen, all of you take a look at this letter. When it comes to composing prose, the false Tang's sovereign and ministers truly excel!"

"Let me appreciate this—what a masterpiece it must be!" Tao Gu said with a beaming smile, taking it.

Seeing this arrogant bearing of the Northern Han sovereign and ministers, Sun Sheng below could hardly bear it; shame and indignation showed on his face, and he declared in a loud voice: "I came bearing this letter, speaking from the depths of my heart, making my request in all sincerity. To grant it or not lies solely in Your Majesty's heart—why must you humiliate my court so?"

Seeing Sun Sheng's bristling manner, Liu Chengyou was somewhat surprised, and gave him another appraising look, saying in an odd tone: "I have heard that in the Tang court, the one who first advocated peace talks was none other than Lord Sun himself!"

At this, Sun Sheng gave a disdainful smile and answered with head held high: "I proposed ending hostilities because I speak for the millions of soldiers and people of both states, wishing to spare them the agony of war and the devastation of battle. If Your Majesty takes this to mean that I am weak at heart, or afraid of the Han army—heh heh..."

"Hearing Lord Sun's words, they are truly upright and lofty, selfless and just!" Seeing this, Liu Chengyou's interest grew even keener, and he remarked lightly, then his tone turned sharp: "I led an army of several hundred thousand south, sweeping all before me. The Tang army has lost battle after battle, surrendering at the sight of our banners. There is not a man in Huainan who does not tremble at the sight of the Han flag. Lord Sun, are you truly unafraid?"

Facing the Han Emperor's threat, Sun Sheng's spirits rose, and he laughed twice heartily, saying: "Even if axes and halberds were laid upon me, what is there to fear? Your Majesty relies on strong troops, imposing and mighty—you can kill, you can intimidate, but you cannot win men's hearts. Though I am but a bookish old man, unable to command from horseback or wield a blade in the fray, holding a three-foot sword, cutting my own throat, spilling blood three feet, to preserve my honor, to fulfill my duty to my sovereign, to resist the mighty and cruel—that I can still manage!"

"How dare you!"

"Insolent!"

In the hall, hearing this wild talk from Sun Sheng, Liu Chengyou's ministers and retainers immediately glared at him with fury.

Liu Chengyou, by nature, showed little reaction, meeting Sun Sheng's gaze. He saw this Tang minister standing proud and defiant, his expression one of lofty resolve, and a trace of odd amusement crept onto his face. Scene after scene—he was playing the villain of the story, while Sun Sheng had become the protagonist who defied power and remained unyielding.

Shaking his head to dispel that stray thought, Liu Chengyou waved to silence his ministers, looked at Sun Sheng, and said calmly: "I have fully understood Li Jing's proposal for peace. However, several hundred thousand troops of the Great Han marched south; in four months of campaigning, the soldiers and laborers have suffered heavy losses, and the treasury has been drained—the expenditure is more than a hundred million.

Such a great price, all for your modest aid to our military needs? For your yearly tribute? A phrase about acknowledging me as elder brother and forever maintaining neighborly amity, and you expect me to withdraw the army? Do you take me for a fool?

If I were to grant it, how would I answer to the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who marched south? How would I answer to the millions of people under my rule?"

"What would Your Majesty require to return the troops and chariots?" Sun Sheng asked directly.

Liu Chengyou answered: "It is not what I would require—it is what you are willing to offer!"

Pointing at the letter lying on the table, Liu Chengyou said directly: "Matters of state and war are not accomplished by Lord Sun coming north with a state letter and showing off a silver tongue! If this is all you have to say, I can give you a very clear answer: no!"

"I beg Your Majesty to think thrice!" Sun Sheng's expression changed at these words, and he clasped his hands: "Though the Great Tang has suffered defeats, we still have millions of people in Jianghuai, over a hundred thousand soldiers, and a Yangtze fleet cutting across the great river. However fierce the Han troops may be, when the whole nation unites in enmity to face the hard times together, the outcome cannot be predicted!"

"A state that has lost battles and territory—how dare it utter wild threats against me?" Liu Chengyou said.

Sun Sheng replied with neither humility nor arrogance: "I merely speak the truth!"

"Heh heh..." Liu Chengyou laughed. "With Lord Sun's fiery spirit, you are truly unsuited to be an envoy—especially one bearing a mission to beg for surrender!"

"As for the outcome, let us wait and see! I would like to witness just how much energy the false Tang can unleash when the whole nation unites in enmity!" With no intention of hearing more from Sun Sheng, Liu Chengyou directly ordered: "Someone, take the envoy below to rest, keep him well guarded, and see that no mishap occurs!"

Seeing the Han Emperor's attitude, Sun Sheng's expression was far more grave and far uglier than when he had first arrived. He finally realized that he had perhaps been too carried away; this mission was a failure. A feeling of having no face to show the elders of Jiangdong rose in his heart, along with a great sense of helplessness. His defiance and uprightness had been like a play, put on display for others to watch, and as for his threats—they were like a joke, for the Han Emperor cared not at all.

In fact, from the Han Emperor's words and manner, one could already discern his voracious appetite; even if he had the intention to withdraw, it would be impossible without paying a heavy price. Only, Sun Sheng had somewhat deliberately refrained from raising it himself.

"Your Majesty, the false Tang's intention to sue for peace is not very resolute! Judging by Sun Sheng's attitude, I fear the Tang sovereign still harbors a will to resist!" Tao Gu said.

Liu Chengyou pondered for a good while, then said: "I think otherwise. Where does the false Tang find the confidence to oppose our court any longer? I see that this gentleman's words and manner, besides being a matter of temperament, cannot help but contain an intent to probe my attitude!"

Tao Gu was naturally a shrewd one; after thinking it over, he nodded in agreement: "If that's the case, it actually proves that the Tang sovereign does have the intention to sue for peace—he simply doesn't know Your Majesty's attitude, nor what terms might serve as exchange!"

"The soldiers have just about finished resting, haven't they?" Liu Chengyou suddenly turned to Wang Jun and Han Tong, who were in attendance.

Han Tong said directly: "Your Majesty, they have long been itching for action, awaiting only the order!"

"Issue the order: tomorrow the army marches south to Hefei!" Liu Chengyou said directly.

Pausing, he continued: "Send word to Murong Yanzhao, have him intensify the attacks on the riverine prefectures and counties—let Li Jing see clearly what my attitude is!"

"Yes!" Wang Jun and Han Tong accepted the order and left.

"As for Shouchun, I'll leave it temporarily in your hands, Minister Tao!" Liu Chengyou then looked at Tao Gu.

Tao Gu immediately replied: "Rest assured, Your Majesty!"

Recalling Sun Sheng's conduct at the audience just now, Liu Chengyou could not help sighing: "The false Tang is not lacking in loyal and steadfast ministers and generals. Since the southern campaign began—He Jingzhu, Xu Wenzhen, Guo Tingwei, and this Sun Sheng, including that Huangfu Hui—none are to be underestimated!"

Hearing the Son of Heaven's lament, Tao Gu said: "Even with worthy talents, if the sovereign does not know how to use them well, the result is only pearls cast before swine—they end up harmed by it instead!"

"Still, that Li Jing has such ministers—from this one can see that the false Tang is ultimately not a state to be wiped out overnight!" Liu Chengyou said. "We must end this war quickly!"

"The one who should be anxious is not Your Majesty!" Tao Gu said.

Liu Chengyou only nodded. Several hundred thousand troops lingering long in Huainan was costing a fortune; the Eastern Capital was already growing restless, and the treasury was increasingly depleted. Moreover, it was now the spring plowing season; because of this war, the manpower of the Central Plains and northern Huai had been greatly drained. If the farming season were missed again, triggering a chain reaction, there would be far more headaches ahead.

During this period, memorials from various officials forwarded by the chancellors had been arriving continuously, advising Liu Chengyou to return with the army. In fact, if the Southern Tang fought desperately and refused peace to the death, the Northern Han could not truly afford to be bogged down here for long either.

The more likely course of action would be to return the army to court, reorganize the troops, and give the people back to their farming. On the Huainan front, they would shift from offense to defense, consolidating the territory already taken and digesting the fruits of victory.

But that was the option if the Southern Tang resisted to the bitter end. To settle things once and for all would be best. After all, compared to the original history—when Shizong of the Later Zhou campaigned against Tang—Liu Chengyou's campaign had seen the Southern Tang defeated faster and more thoroughly.