Chapter 469: Chang'an's Timidity

The king was busy helping two Xianbei seek marriage from Chang'an on one hand, and looting people's ancestral homes on the other; he himself, working alone, was very enthusiastic and felt no sense of wrong.

The king was certain Chang'an would reject the marriage proposal—not because they were unwilling to part with the Third Princess and the Wang clan's legitimate daughter, but because it offered Chang'an no benefit, only sacrifice, and he thought the Wang clan couldn't handle it.

He was right about that, and the matter was suddenly shelved.

Bai Li Jin, disbelieving it, sent another unit to deliver the edict, but they still couldn't leave Chang'an; he then gave up trying and even moved to suppress the matter.

He feared that if the matter leaked it would cause turmoil in the court, and Bai Li Jing's hand was already reaching into Chang'an, clearly meaning he would strike down anyone who dared to act.

Bai Li Jin neither wanted to admit his failure to secure the Fifth Princess nor, under pressure, could he bring himself to give up the Third Princess and the Wang clan's legitimate daughter, so the matter was left awkwardly unresolved.

At that very moment, a spy buried in the Northern Border sent the latest news: troops were stationed in the Northern Border at the Xianbei–Xiongnu frontier, and war was imminent.

Is this report reliable?

Absolutely certain! The border troops at Shangguan Pass have already left the gate and set up camp on the Xianbei frontier, with their camp locations actually counting as part of Western Xianbei. The latest news is that Shuofang Pass has also moved to the Xiongnu border.

The third brother really has a big appetite, getting full of himself, actually sending troops against both the Xiongnu and the Xianbei at the same time!

Bai Li Jin got excited, thinking he needed to act—opportunity wouldn't come again. The Xianbei envoy he had tossed aside at the Honglu Temple as mere air became a hot commodity, and he immediately summoned them to an audience at Jianzhang Palace.

You two envoys have been in Chang'an for quite a while—do you know the latest movements of the two Xianbei tribes? I've heard that the Northern Border King has besieged the Xianbei.

Then a genuine Xianbei tribe prince and a pure Youzhou person were both shocked and dismayed, and Bai Li Jin was extremely pleased.

He had no idea how complex their feelings were: one was shocked that the Xianbei had gone mad again and provoked the Northern Border King, the other was shocked at missing the chance to reach the true battlefield.

Bai Li Jin still felt pleased, saying, "By now, don't you two have anything to say? Was it the Northern Border King who signaled you to come? Now you two are probably mistaken."

The commandant of the Owl Cavalry posing as an Eastern Xianbei envoy glanced at the bald-haired Xianbei prince, who immediately denied it outright: "Your Majesty, you're joking. Seeking marriage is our sincere wish to ally with the Great Jin and support each other. It has nothing to do with the Northern Border King—where would any hint come from? I'm not afraid to speak frankly here: that Northern Border King is no easy partner, and moreover we Xianbei have a blood-deep feud with him; in terms of friendship, the bald-haired Xianbei prefer Chang'an."

After saying that, he glanced at the commandant of the Owl Cavalry, his eyes full of complex meaning. He had gone to such lengths—when you go back you must truthfully report the whole story to the Northern Border King! He didn't want to return to the front lines to dig coal and till the fields.

After he said that, the commandant of the Owl Cavalry immediately echoed: "We Eastern Xianbei are the same." He didn't say much more, fearing that putting on a foreign accent would give him away.

It doesn't matter if you don't admit it; I don't know what promises you previously made with the Northern Border King, but it looks like they've fallen apart. The Northern Border King has already moved troops to the Xianbei border, and whatever can resolve your border conflict certainly isn't a marriage proposal for the Fenyang Eldest Princess. On the contrary, the Northern Border King also has a uterine sister, the Fifth Princess, and I think she would be more suitable for the Xianbei.

The bald-haired prince said haughtily: "Your Majesty, you're joking. I seek to marry the noble Fenyang Eldest Princess, Your Majesty's own sister. The Fifth Princess is merely a prince's sister…" He turned to the side, "That… the Eastern Xianbei could be considered?"

The commandant of the Owl Cavalry glared at him: "Your Majesty, the Eastern Xianbei admire Central Plains culture and wholeheartedly seek to marry the legitimate daughter of the foremost clan, the Langya Wang." Meaning they also hadn't taken a fancy to the Fifth Princess.

Bai Li Jin's smile could barely be maintained, thinking, "You guys are also worthy?!" And not even looking in a mirror!

In the end, even after the marriage alliance talks dispersed, he still didn't get a clear answer; his hints of disagreement were blatant, and eventually he made it explicit, but those two plastered-on dog-skin medicines seemed not to have heard a word.

That's right—Chang'an has become so timid it dares not directly refuse the Xianbei.

Put simply, the Xianbei have misgivings about Bai Li Jing, but none about the Great Jin.

Given the prior matter of marrying off the Fifth Princess, he projected his own fears onto others, worrying that Bai Li Jing would be inhumane and let the Xianbei go south!

Bai Li Jin had nothing better to do than dig himself a big pit, and now he's caught between a rock and a hard place.

But Bai Li Jing, with the main force of Youzhou cavalry and a hundred thousand border troops, had surrounded the Xiongnu and Xianbei—a great opportunity—yet when he summoned his confidants to discuss it, no one dared agree to let him take the chance to march north.

If the Chang'an garrison were moved north and failed to get past the Luoshui Pass, the situation could be even more serious than the aftermath of Emperor Ningde's failed northern expedition.

Doing nothing, Bai Li Jin was unwilling to accept it, and finally decided to spread the news.

Just say that Bai Li Jing has mobilized a 200,000-strong army to attack the Xiongnu and Xianbei, leaving Youzhou empty—I don't believe those rebels, upon hearing even a bit, would remain unmoved!

This time, no one objected.