Chapter 401: Land of Propriety

Three days after the assassination, Ujihán said those assassins, from bone structure to appearance, did not resemble Xiongnu.

He couldn't find any other evidence; the Office of Guest Affairs was surrounded, and they sat there every day, but no one intended to let them discover any so-called evidence.

Sure enough, after making a couple of feeble excuses, he was dismissed by the Great King on the grounds of being 'unconvincing and far-fetched'.

Another audience was scheduled today, and the unlucky trio followed Liang Bin and waited outside the Hall of Receiving Light from early morning.

The Northern Border's court session started late as usual, and before long they were exposed under the blazing sun. Liang Bin unhesitatingly abandoned them, taking shelter in the cool shade under the eaves; the entire square, aside from the guards on duty, left only these three people miserably baking in the sun.

The Qiuci envoy was the most clueless, whispering, 'Can we also follow them over to hide?'

Who knows what's wrong with this year's weather; it's hotter than ever before, and the coastal Secluded Prefecture in the east is now no different from the Western Regions.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ujihán gave him a glare and a cold smile: 'What, your father is also the Grand General of the Eastern Capital?'

Afterward, the square before the hall fell into complete silence.

After the previous dynasty's affairs were concluded, they were summoned into the main hall, all three drenched in sweat.

The Great King laughed upon seeing them: 'Are you sweating nonstop because you feel guilty? How can you say my coastal Secluded Prefecture isn't as hot as your Western Regions?'

Ujihán silently cursed him eight hundred times, yet this little brat knows how to enjoy himself. Who knows how much ice is placed in this hall; as soon as one enters, a cool breeze hits the face—of course you're not hot.

He was about to pinch his nose and go along with the Great King's praise of the Northern Border's strength, noting that ice had been used this month, but the Great King gave him no chance.

'It's getting late, Zhang Sinong, read the official document on tribute before the envoys. The envoys have been in our Secluded Prefecture for a while—don't delay their return, and today it's getting hotter by the day.' The Great King wanted to applaud himself; truly, he is understanding.

'Yes.'

Zhang Sinong stepped forward, producing the Great King's slaughter knife used to cut down the surrounding leeks.

This document was drafted by the Grand Tutor, its wording tight and elegant beyond compare, yet the envoys appreciated none of it.

The Great King knew from their faces: 'See, it's overly literary; writing this well makes people's complexions change and their brows furrow.'

The tribute amounts of Wusun and Qiuci remained unchanged, but the Xiongnu's annual tribute increased by a hundred thousand taels, all because the Great King suspected those assassins were Xiongnu.

The document also set a deadline for tribute payment; those who miss it will have the Great King send cavalry to collect it in person, though with an added military surcharge.

Ujihán struggled to contain his anger: 'Your Highness the Northern Border King, I cannot agree to this figure! Those assassins have nothing to do with us Xiongnu; by acting this way, Your Highness will make the little king doubt the assassins' origins! How coincidental that they chose to strike during the envoys' stay in Secluded Prefecture? We've inquired—assassinations of Your Highness are extremely rare in the Northern Border.' In short, he suspected the Great King staged the assassination to swindle Xiongnu silver.

The Great King looked at him with eyes full of sympathy: 'So your Xiongnu lives are worth so little!'

Every subject in my realm is someone I must protect; yet I would kill a dozen people just to extort an extra hundred thousand taels from you? What are you thinking!

Vermilion Bird Avenue was blocked off for half a day because of this—do you know how great the loss is?

Do you know how much silver a set of our Secluded Prefecture Xuanjia cavalry's armor costs? Do you know how much fifty thousand sets cost? The Great King spent all that money for what? Tell you: it's to reduce casualties on the battlefield, for each of them is a precious subject of my Bai Li Jing!

Zhang Sinong, report the armor's price to Ujihán.

The court officials couldn't bear to look at the Great King's expression; Xie Yuanchang let out a sigh, stroked his beard with satisfaction, already thinking how to open the article about this scene.

If this gets out, one can't imagine how loyally the Northern Border's populace will follow the Great King.

This person is a silver-tongued devil; no matter the matter, the Great King can elevate it to an lofty ideal.

Zhang Sinong gave a number with a blank face; Ujihán's complexion turned ashen.

One set is already that expensive, and the Northern Border King now commands plenty of troops—if he tried to equip the whole army with this grade of armor… the shortfall is unimaginable. No wonder this brat is so shamelessly greedy for money!

The Great King timely said: 'This document has already been sealed by me; the Tang Prefect will handle its distribution to the neighboring states.'

'I will obey your order.'

'Furthermore, given the unrest under heaven, when the Tang Prefect returns to Shanyang Pass, he must safely escort the envoys back; after all, we are a land of propriety and cannot neglect etiquette.'

'Your Highness, rest assured—I will see the envoys safely back in full.'

The envoys: '……This is just driving them away directly!'

They felt like vomiting blood.

Isn't it a bit late to start pretending to be a land of propriety?

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Hehehe:

【Today I tested positive for COVID! I didn't dare let the Great King go too long without seeing me, so I got up and made some changes—my nose is running while I'm breathing fire, it's awful!

Family members, wear masks! Wear N95! COVID's back again (╥_╥)】