Chapter 730: The Sovereign, Eunuchs, and Maids—Each to Their Own Delight

"You met the Northern Han sovereign?" Liu Sheng asked.

"I did!" Chen Yanshou replied.

"What kind of man is he? Compared to me, how does he fare?" Liu Sheng asked urgently.

How could this be compared? Could the two even be mentioned in the same breath? Chen Yanshou grumbled inwardly, but after a moment's deliberation—both to preserve Liu Sheng's dignity and for the sake of his own life—Chen Yanshou could only go against his conscience and say: "Your Majesty, the Northern Han sovereign is valiant and wise, with a dignified bearing, but compared to Your Majesty, there is still a certain gap!"

Yet hearing this, Liu Sheng frowned slightly and said: "You need not flatter me. The Northern Han sovereign ascended the throne before reaching twenty, pacified Hezhong within, and repelled Shu and the Khitan without. In these three or four years, he has successively seized Huainan, recovered Qin and Feng, and settled Jinghu—this is truly beyond my ability to match."

Liu Sheng's display of self-awareness at this moment was rather surprising. Hearing this, Lin Yanyu, that old eunuch, said with a smile: "The Northern Han sovereign may be called an enlightened ruler, but he merely relies on the Central Plains' formidable national strength and military power to achieve such accomplishments. With Your Majesty's outstanding abilities, were you in his position, the achievements you would obtain would surely far surpass his!"

A smile appeared on Liu Sheng's face. These words still could not escape the taint of flattery, but they were indeed pleasant to hear.

"I hear that Kaifeng is prosperous and thriving, hailed as the number one great city under heaven. How does it compare to Panyu?" Liu Sheng asked again.

Chen Yanshou seemed to have learned from Lin Yanyu, and replied: "Two years ago, the Northern Han raised millions in funds and grain, conscripted over a hundred thousand laborers, and rebuilt Kaifeng—it is indeed magnificent and splendid. However, when it comes to wealth and prosperity, Panyu is in no way inferior in comparison! Furthermore, this humble one also discovered that the Han palace halls are decayed and old, with crude decorations and many traces of repair and patching—utterly incomparable to the magnificence and multitude of our court's palaces!"

A slight smile appeared on Liu Sheng's face, evidently satisfied with the answer, and he continued asking: "Did you introduce to the Northern Han sovereign the might of our nation, the prosperity of our people, and the refinement of our arms and armor?"

Although he had not, Chen Yanshou answered without hesitation and with certainty: "This humble one spoke as Your Majesty instructed, which drew the attention of the Northern Han ruler and ministers, who dared not treat us lightly!"

"How did the Northern Han sovereign react to the gifts I gave?"

"Upon receiving the gift list, the Northern Han sovereign was all smiles and stored it in his private treasury. Later, this humble one heard that the Northern Han sovereign bestowed the gold and jade ornaments gifted by Your Majesty upon the consorts in his harem..."

Facing Liu Sheng's questions, regardless of the actual truth, Chen Yanshou simply made things up as he went, and with such a convincing manner, he did manage to gain Liu Sheng's trust.

"It seems your journey was quite smooth!" Liu Sheng finally muttered.

Seizing this opportunity, Lin Yanyu stepped forward respectfully and said: "Your Majesty, this is the peace proposal letter advocated by the Northern Han. Please review it!"

Hearing this, Liu Sheng took it and flipped through it, but as the terms came into view, he immediately flew into a rage, nearly hurling it at Chen Yanshou's face: "This is outrageous! This is the result you spent several months bringing back to me!"

Seeing Liu Sheng enraged, Chen Yanshou could no longer hold himself together, his face filled with terror, his legs going weak as he knelt straight down. Although Liu Sheng was close to eunuchs, with his violent nature, he was not soft-handed when it came to killing. Especially since he had just heard that some people had been executed recently, he could not guarantee whether Liu Sheng would kill him in his rage, and could not help casting a pleading look at Lin Yanyu.

Lin Yanyu, that old eunuch, remained calm and said softly: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

"Calm my anger! Calm my anger! How can I calm my anger?" Liu Sheng was nearly bursting with fury, and rebuked: "The Great Han was inherited by me from Gaozu's hands. The Northern Han's first demand is for me to change the state name and relinquish the imperial title—how is this different from the destruction of my state? If I agree, then in the future, when I meet my ancestors in the underworld, what face will I have?"

Liu Sheng seemed to have forgotten that the one who had inherited the imperial enterprise back then was his elder brother Liu Bin, and that he had usurped the throne by killing his brother. But Lin Yanyu naturally would not remind him of that, and instead said calmly: "Your Majesty is also acting for the peace of both states and for the sake of the realm. Now that both states share the same name and stand in parallel north and south, it is indeed inconvenient. If you do not change it, the Northern Han sovereign may very well use this as a pretext to mobilize troops!"

"From what you say, you want me to agree?" Staring at Lin Yanyu, Liu Sheng asked sternly, with a hint of displeasure.

Lin Yanyu was not flustered either, and reported: "Your Majesty, when Gaozu first established the state, he adopted the state name 'Great Yue,' and later changed it to Great Han, also to proclaim great righteousness and honor the old Han as ancestors! But it has been seven or eight hundred years since the two Han dynasties—merely an empty name. Who in the world takes it seriously? When the Northern Han was first established, they likewise honored the Former Han's Taizu and Shizu, but within less than a year, they moved away from it..."

In order to persuade Liu Sheng, Lin Yanyu had indeed done some homework. Seeing his anger gradually subside, he continued: "It is merely a state name—just yield it to the Northern Han. This can eliminate the deepest contradiction between the two states and avoid the calamity of war. Your Majesty can also take this opportunity to establish a new state and become the founding ancestor.

Furthermore, although the state name changes, the ancestral temples remain intact, and offerings are not hindered. As long as the state endures, Your Majesty remains the sovereign of Lingnan, Gaozu's legacy remains, and you are not shamed before the ancestral realm!

I beg Your Majesty to consider this carefully!"

Hearing this, Liu Sheng's brow relaxed somewhat, and he asked again: "Then what about relinquishing the imperial title and declaring vassalage?"

Hearing the question, Lin Yanyu smiled directly and said: "Your Majesty, back when the Northern Han attacked the Southern Tang and deployed troops along the Yangtze, the Tang sovereign also declared vassalage and paid tribute, and even ceded all the lands north of the river to seek peace. Now, the Southern Tang is nominally the sovereign of Jiangnan, but in reality, not a single ceremonial regulation has changed—he still lives in his imperial palace and calls himself emperor. Your Majesty can do the same; it is merely nominal submission to the Northern Han. The Northern Han sovereign values empty reputation over practical benefit—this is actually a good thing for our court!"

Understood this way, it seemed, perhaps, indeed not such a big problem.

Observing Liu Sheng's expression, one could see that he had in fact already been persuaded by Lin Yanyu, but he still did not express his stance, and instead turned to ask the palace maid Lu Qiongxian on the other side: "What do you think? If I agree to the Northern Han's demands, will it cause adverse effects in the court?"

Hearing the question, Lu Qiongxian, who had long reached a consensus with Lin Yanyu, answered without hesitation, flashing a charming smile at Liu Sheng, and said: "This concubine believes that Senior Eunuch Lin's suggestion can be adopted. The Northern Han's strength is a well-known fact; Your Majesty need not contend with them, but only act with concealment and bide your time for changes to come.

If we can eliminate the conflict between the two states before it erupts, that is a matter benefiting the state and the people. The ministers at court will also approve—after all, have there not always been those suggesting that Your Majesty send envoys north to offer tribute?

On the other hand, over the past decades, the Central Plains dynasties have changed repeatedly—the Liang, Tang, and Jin dynasties—not one of them enjoyed the mandate for twenty years. Our court has been established for forty years, with a long and stable national fortune. Never mind how strong and overwhelming the Northern Han appears now—who can say whether changes will not arise one day, and the Liu clan be destroyed? At that time, what difficulty would there be for Your Majesty to restore the imperial title?"

"Well said! Director Lu truly deserves to be called a heroine among women, with extraordinary insight!" Lin Yanyu praised from the side, his old face full of smiles.

Lu Qiongxian then continued to suggest: "As for the matter of tribute, the Northern Han's paltry tribute demands can easily be supplied with our court's wealth. And the matter of trade is even less significant—Panyu has always been a gathering place for ten thousand merchants. If merchants from all over Lingnan come together, it will only make our court more prosperous!"

After this analysis from the sovereign, eunuchs, and maids, Liu Sheng suddenly felt that the Northern Han's conditions did not seem so excessive after all, and were actually quite sincere. He began to feel surprised at his own initial fury, and searching his memory, could not even find that emotion anymore.

"Hmm..." After hesitating slightly, Lu Qiongxian's beautiful eyes carried a hint of probing as she suggested: "To mend relations with the Northern Han, humbling ourselves and concealing our strength is for the peace and well-being of all the people of Lingnan. All officials and commoners should contribute their part—we can use this as a pretext to levy additional taxes! Especially commercial taxes!"

Hearing this, Liu Sheng's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands: "Good, let it be done. Didn't they say my mausoleum lacks funds? Then under the name of offering tribute, levy more taxes to supplement the construction costs. This is all forced upon us by the Northern Han—if officials, merchants, and commoners have complaints, let them curse the Northern Han!"

Noticing the look of "shrewdness" on Liu Sheng's face, Lin Yanyu and Lu Qiongxian hurriedly flattered: "Your Majesty is wise!"

"Then send someone to notify the Northern Han that I agree to their conditions!" Waving his hand, Liu Sheng said directly to Lu Qiongxian.

"Yes!"

"Tell me, if we are to change the state name, what would be appropriate?" Liu Sheng asked again.

Lin Yanyu appeared to have been prepared, and said: "Why not restore the 'Great Yue' that Gaozu used when founding the state? It both conforms to the customs of Lingnan since ancient times and reflects Your Majesty's remembrance of Gaozu—a display of filial piety!"

"Hmm! What do you think?" Liu Sheng looked at Lu Qiongxian.

Lu Qiongxian's slender brows curved as she said: "If Your Majesty thinks it good, then it is good!"

"Then so be it. Once the treaty is concluded, hold a ceremony to announce it!" Liu Sheng said.

"If the peace talks succeed, it will remove a great burden from my heart!" Liu Sheng suddenly felt much lighter, no longer weighed down as before. In a good mood, he pointed at Chen Yanshou and asked: "He went on this mission and brought back good news for me, rendering meritorious service for the state—how should he be rewarded?"

Hearing this, Chen Yanshou immediately perked up, his eyes showing anticipation. Lin Yanyu clasped his hands and suggested: "Prince Wei Jixing lacks a clever attendant by his side. Chen Yanshou is quite astute—he could be sent to serve His Highness Prince Wei!"

"Hmm! So be it. Promote him three ranks, to be the chief eunuch of Prince Wei's household. Serve my son well!" Liu Sheng waved his hand and said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Senior Eunuch!" After Liu Sheng retired, Lin Yanyu and the others withdrew, and Chen Yanshou found him, seeming to want to speak but hesitating.

"What? Reluctant to leave the palace, or do you feel wronged serving His Highness Prince Wei?" Lin Yanyu watched his expression and said coldly.

A trace of difficulty appeared on Chen Yanshou's face. Seeing this, Lin Yanyu could not help coughing a few times, pressed his shoulder, and said in a low voice: "I'll remind you of just one thing—His Highness Prince Wei is His Majesty's eldest son!"

"If you cannot even comprehend this much, then you are not worth my promotion!" Having said this, Lin Yanyu walked off directly.

Chen Yanshou, behind him, pondered and savored Lin Yanyu's words for a good while, his eyes gradually brightening. He hurriedly quickened his steps to catch up with Lin Yanyu and thank him: "This humble one is foolish and failed to appreciate Senior Eunuch's good intentions. Please forgive me!"

Glancing at him, it seemed he had understood his intent. A sinister smile appeared on Lin Yanyu's old face as he instructed in a low voice: "Once you arrive at Prince Wei's household, serve well. If there is any news, report it promptly..."