Chapter 523: The Delegation

The seven nations of the Western Continent have jointly sent a delegation to visit?

The ministers looked at each other in dismay.

In the 27th year of Emperor Hongguang, the coalition forces of the seven nations invaded the Great Lan Dynasty.

Since then, there had been no diplomatic relations between the Great Lan Dynasty and the seven Western nations.

Although private trade between the two sides had actually become more frequent than in the past, on the surface, the Great Lan Dynasty had never lowered its guard against the Western nations.

And the infiltration of the Great Lan Dynasty by the seven Western nations, along with various espionage activities, had never ceased.

Back when Li Fei was in a small place like Xingcheng, spies from the Mega Kingdom were able to support local gangs with ulterior motives. (See Chapter 129 of Volume 1 for details.)

From this, it is evident that the Western Continent's covetous heart toward the Great Lan Dynasty has never ceased!

Now that the Great Lan Dynasty is beset by internal and external troubles and its national strength is severely damaged, the sudden decision by the seven Western nations to send a delegation is clearly ill-intentioned.

No one would be naive enough to think that the other side is truly here to offer congratulations to the new Emperor.

"Everyone, let us discuss this matter first. Should we let the delegation come? Or should we refuse?"

The new Emperor, Qin Qin Ziheng, spoke up.

"Your Majesty."

A cabinet minister immediately stepped out and said in a resonant voice:

"Your subject believes that the West has glimpsed that our dynasty is in a period of exhaustion and has internal troubles yet to be resolved, so they have specifically sent people to test us. Therefore, not only should we not refuse, but we should also welcome them with the demeanor of a great power, and then use military force to deter them, so as to dispel their ulterior motives!"

These words immediately gained the approval of many ministers, but there were also those who opposed.

"Your Majesty!"

A member of the Supervisory Pavilion stood out and said, "Your subject believes that we should directly refuse the Western delegation and immediately put the Western border army into a state of combat readiness, using this to warn the Western Continent!"

"Absurd, wouldn't that be clearly telling the other side that we are feeling guilty?"

"Heh, do you think the Western Continent doesn't know enough about our situation? Do you know how many Western spies our Supervisory Pavilion has captured over the years? The other side is not here to test us at all, nor do they need to. This time, I fear they are taking the opportunity to send a delegation to collude with other forces, working from the inside and outside!"

"Even if the West really wants to fight, it is not impossible to ease tensions. Coercion and inducement—there is always a way. Since they have sent a delegation this time, it is a good opportunity to talk. How can we shut them out?"

"Talk? Talk about what? If they threaten us and take the opportunity to demand benefits, are we to talk about that too?!"

"..."

In the great hall, the ministers began to argue.

Li Fei listened silently to the arguments of the crowd, roughly understanding the current situation.

The sudden dispatch of a delegation by the Western Continent this time, regardless of their purpose, had at least already caused internal friction within the Great Lan Dynasty.

The member of the Supervisory Pavilion just now had already made it very clear: the Western Continent had been constantly sending spies to the Great Lan Dynasty over the years. Now, how could they not be clear about what kind of situation the Great Lan Dynasty was in?

Therefore, this delegation coming to the Great Lan Dynasty was certainly not here to test the reality.

The weakness of the Great Lan Dynasty was already an obvious fact; there was no need to test it at all!

So in this court, the ministers who agreed to let the Western delegation come and wanted to talk to the other side probably felt that they could appropriately give some benefits in exchange for the West not jumping out to cause trouble for the Great Lan Dynasty at this time.

As for the ministers who refused the delegation's visit, their attitude was very firm—this opening must not be made!

Rather than letting the Western delegation come, and then everyone arguing and negotiating terms, quarreling even more fiercely than now, and triggering internal chaos.

It would be better to completely refuse negotiations from the beginning!

In the end, this was a typical dispute between the "peace faction" and the "war faction."

Of course, even among the "war faction," some felt that they could talk to the West first.

Therefore, in the court, there were more voices supporting the delegation's visit.

The two sides quarreled fiercely, and Qin Qin Ziheng on the dragon throne also felt a headache.

He cast his gaze toward Ye Ye Zean, who was sitting on a seat, and spoke:

"What does the Chief Grand Secretary think?"

As the new Emperor spoke, the great hall gradually quieted down.

Ye Ye Zean stood up and was about to speak when he suddenly coughed violently.

This bout of coughing made Qin Qin Ziheng unable to help but show a look of worry.

With successive great battles and the turmoil of national destiny, Ye Ye Zean, as the Chief Grand Secretary, helped to sort out the national destiny and would also bear a share of the backlash, only it was not so severe.

But Ye Ye Zean was only an ordinary person and was advanced in years, so his health had also become not so good.

Now that Qin Qin Ziheng had just ascended the throne, if this Chief Grand Secretary were to fall, half of the Central Cabinet would be paralyzed!

So Qin Qin Ziheng hurriedly asked with concern: "Is the Chief Grand Secretary's health alright? Later, I will have the imperial physician take a look at you."

Ye Ye Zean bowed: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty, your subject is fine."

"Your subject believes that we can let the Western delegation visit. Regardless of what schemes the other side has, we can at least meet them move by move."

This Chief Grand Secretary felt that they could talk to the West.

After he finished expressing his opinion, Qin Qin Ziheng let him sit down first, then looked at Wen Ren Zheng opposite:

"What is the Grand Marshal's view?"

Wen Ren Zheng stood up decisively and bowed with cupped hands:

"Your Majesty, your subject believes that we should directly refuse! The seven Western nations have the hearts of wolves and lungs of dogs; now they just want to kick us while we are down. There is nothing to talk about!"

He opposed Ye Ye Zean's proposal.

One Chief Grand Secretary, one Grand Marshal of the Military Council—the two were the heads of the civil and military officials respectively.

The two had opposing opinions, which made Qin Qin Ziheng even more troubled.

He could not help but cast his gaze toward Li Fei, who was standing:

"Marquis of Jing'an."

"Your subject is here."

"What do you think?"

All the ministers cast their gazes toward Li Fei.

The late Emperor had personally appointed four regents, but now the National Teacher Yun Shu was dead, leaving only three.

In the situation where Ye Ye Zean and Wen Ren Zheng had opposing opinions, Li Fei's opinion appeared particularly important.

Li Fei deliberated for a moment and spoke:

"Your subject believes that we can let the Western delegation visit."

Deep down, he was actually an unquestionable member of the "war faction," but he had just made a "three-year agreement" with the new Emperor, asking the other side to endure for a while and give himself some "development" time.

Naturally, he did not hope to go to war with the Western Continent at this time.

So, just as Ye Ye Zean said, they could at least talk first and see what the situation was with the other side.

Qin Qin Ziheng's gaze lingered on Li Fei for a while, and then he asked several cabinet heads of the Central Cabinet.

The head of the Zhengfa Pavilion was the late Yun Shu. After his death, the position of head of the Zhengfa Pavilion was temporarily vacant.

Logically, someone should be selected to fill it. The most suitable candidate was Yun Shu's disciple, the Deputy Head of the Zhengfa Pavilion, Ji Ji Yiheng, known as "the number one sword wielder below the True Person."

This time, when the Buddha Buddha Jingheng led people to invade the capital, Ji Ji Yiheng led a group of True Persons from the Zhengfa Pavilion to sit in the "Twelve-Layered Zhou Tian Lieque Sword Tower" to meet the enemy, which was also a meritorious service.

Coupled with the status of being Yun Shu's disciple, Ji Ji Yiheng's promotion to the position of head of the Zhengfa Pavilion should have been a matter of course.

But in the previous rewards, Ji Ji Yiheng had not been promoted.

At this time, Qin Qin Ziheng asked for the opinions of several cabinet heads. When he asked about the Zhengfa Pavilion, he did not ask Ji Ji Yiheng first, but asked the newly promoted Deputy Head, True Person Xuanchen.

Thus, many people knew it in their hearts.

This position of head of the Zhengfa Pavilion was likely intentionally left by the new Emperor to "hook" the Shangqing Sect.

"Your subject believes that we can let the Western delegation visit."

True Person Xuanchen said.

What he represented was not just himself; behind him was the Shangqing Sect, and that True Lord Xuanxin!

Therefore, his opinion also carried great weight.

After he expressed his stance, Qin Qin Ziheng already had a decision in his heart:

"Chief Grand Secretary."

"Your subject is here."

"Draft a state letter, agreeing to the seven Western nations sending a delegation."

"As you command!"

Thus, this matter was also settled.

Next, they continued to discuss how to deal with the Buddhist sect.

On this matter, the new Emperor already had a decision, and the three regents—Ye Ye Zean, Li Fei, and Wen Ren Zheng—had also reached a consensus.

Coupled with the fact that True Lord Xuanxin was also unwilling to rashly kill into the Xiji Province without much certainty, the final resolution of the imperial court was to temporarily surround the Xiji Province without attacking.

Cut off its connection with the outside world.

Besides that, in all twenty-three provinces of the country, all temples were to be sealed!

All Buddhist martial artists and sorcerers were to be arrested!

On this matter, it was not just the imperial court taking action; the Lanxun Pavilions in various places would also participate.

The imperial court would issue rewards, letting the Jianghu forces in various places participate in the encirclement and suppression of the Buddhist sect!

"Your Majesty, the Mount Pudu Temple killed their way into the imperial capital, caused the death of the late Emperor, and insulted our Great Lan Dynasty to the extreme! If this hatred is not avenged, how can the hearts of the people under heaven be settled?"

With all matters settled, an old minister suddenly stepped out, knelt on the ground, his face full of grief, tears and snot flowing:

"Your subject knows that national affairs are difficult now, but I implore Your Majesty to recover the Xiji Province as soon as possible, eradicate the Mount Pudu Temple, and comfort the spirit of the late Emperor!"

After speaking, this three-dynasty elder knocked his head heavily on the floor!

Qin Qin Ziheng's face was somewhat ugly.

He had long known that this matter would definitely affect the perception of some ministers, and even the people of the world, toward himself, and he had already made psychological preparations.

But when truly facing it, he still felt uncomfortable.

It was entirely imaginable how the people of the world would discuss him, this new Emperor, after this elder's performance today was spread.

The other side was almost explicitly saying: Your throne was left to you by your father; now that you have ascended the throne, you must hurry to avenge your father, otherwise how can you have the face to continue sitting on the dragon throne?!

And this was still under the circumstance that Qin Qin Ziheng had not publicly explained Li Fei's "three-year agreement."

Once he publicly said that he would have to wait three years before formally taking action against the Buddhist sect, I fear the court today would be completely boiling, and at least half of the ministers would not agree!

It was not that these ministers were all fools who could not see the situation clearly.

For one, they didn't have to risk their lives personally anyway.

For another, avenging the late Emperor and recovering the national territory was inherently the most correct political stance!

Anyway, it was not necessarily a certain loss, so why couldn't they fight?

On the contrary, Li Fei letting Qin Qin Ziheng endure temporarily meant he had to bear enormous pressure, and even bear enormous infamy!

"Regarding the late Emperor, there is not a day that I do not feel heartbroken."

Qin Qin Ziheng's voice came from above the imperial dais:

"Today, in front of all the civil and military officials, I swear here: if I cannot destroy the Mount Pudu Temple in this life, then let me have no desire to live, and die without a whole corpse!"

Once these words were spoken, the ministers in the great hall all changed color, and the three-dynasty elder kneeling on the ground showed even more panic, hurriedly saying:

"Your Majesty, your words are too heavy!"

Then he hurriedly stood up, not daring to mention this matter again.

Li Fei, standing in the first row, looked up at the new Emperor on the dragon throne and could not help but feel some emotion.

He had originally thought that the other side would choose a more moderate way to drag it out, or push himself out to block things.

After all, the "three-year agreement" was proposed by Li Fei himself.

He did not expect the other side to make such a poisonous oath in public!

The former Crown Prince, the new Emperor of today, was indeed a bit different.

Relying on the Son of Heaven's "poisonous oath," the hearts of the people were finally temporarily stabilized.

"Court dismissed—"

Amidst the high shouts of the imperial eunuchs, the first great court meeting of the new dynasty ended.

After the court was dismissed, Li Fei did not immediately return to his Marquis Mansion, but was invited to the Yangxin Hall.

Walking into the hall, not long after sitting down, Ye Ye Zean also walked in.

"Chief Grand Secretary."

"Marquis of Jing'an, no need for formalities."

The two greeted each other and sat down one after another.

After another while, the new Emperor Qin Qin Ziheng walked in.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"You two, no need for formalities, sit."

After Qin Qin Ziheng greeted the two to sit down, he got straight to the point:

"I called you here to discuss the matter of the Western delegation. I intend to let the Chief Grand Secretary be responsible for the relevant etiquette and negotiation matters. As for contacting the delegation, I want the Marquis of Jing'an to lead the team. You two, one civil and one military, must handle the visiting Western delegation well this time."

"Your subject, as you command."

Li Fei and Ye Ye Zean both stood up to receive the order.

Qin Qin Ziheng waved his hand to signal the two to sit down, and he looked at Li Fei:

"You are the number one genius of our Great Lan Dynasty, and also the number one genius in history. With you personally contacting the Western delegation, it will certainly not disgrace the dignity of our Heavenly Dynasty. If there is an opportunity, I hope you can fiercely deter those Westerners!"

The reason why Wen Ren Zheng was not asked to deter the Western delegation was that the other side was the Grand Marshal of the Military Council, a dignified Martial Saint. Doing this kind of thing personally not only appeared to lower his status but also made it appear that the Great Lan Dynasty had no one to use.

Arranging for Li Fei to go was just right, and it was simply impossible to find a more suitable candidate than him!

He had fought all the way to the present, and his various heaven-defying battle records could scare people just by taking one out.

Wen Ren Zheng was the "God of War" of the Great Lan Dynasty, and Li Fei was the future God of War of the Great Lan Dynasty!

"Your subject understands, I will certainly not fail the trust!"

Li Fei said in a deep voice.

Subsequently, the three discussed some detailed issues and chatted in the Yangxin Hall for nearly an hour before dispersing.

After leaving the palace, Li Fei first went to the headquarters of the Supervisory Pavilion.

"Pavilion Head Lou, I want to consult confidential information related to the Western Continent."

Li Fei found Lou Lou Hongtao directly.

Since he was about to contact the delegation of the seven Western nations, he naturally had to understand the enemy situation first.

Lou Lou Hongtao understood Li Fei's thoughts and spoke:

"Our Supervisory Pavilion is mainly responsible for internal intelligence exploration, and the Western Continent intelligence we hold is mostly related to spies. If the Marquis of Jing'an wants to understand the situation in the Western Continent itself, you still need to go to the Military Council. They have had secret agents lurking in the Western Continent for years to inquire about intelligence."

Li Fei: "Good, but I also want the intelligence held by the Supervisory Pavilion. I will have to trouble Pavilion Head Lou to have people organize a copy for me."

Lou Lou Hongtao: "No problem."

"Thank you, Pavilion Head Lou."

After thanking him, Li Fei went directly to the headquarters of the Military Council.

After he explained his purpose, a military officer soon came to see him holding a token:

"Marquis, this is the token given to you by the Grand Marshal. With this token, you can read all confidential information related to the Western Continent."

Although his opinion was contrary to Li Fei and others, on this matter, Wen Ren Zheng did not make things difficult for Li Fei, but gave full support.

"Thank the Grand Marshal for me."

Li Fei took the token and said softly.

Subsequently, he took the token through layers of checkpoints and walked into a secret room protected by a great array.

This secret room was about thirty meters long and wide, and there were more than a dozen bookshelves over three meters high.

On the bookshelves, there were various files, notes, and wooden boxes densely placed.

At a glance, the number was as many as several thousand!

Twenty-two years had passed since the 27th year of Emperor Hongguang.

Over these years, the seven Western nations had been constantly sending spies to the Great Lan Dynasty, and the Military Council, under the command of Wen Ren Zheng, had also not been idle.

Over twenty-two years, countless secret agents had spent unknown amounts of effort, and even their lives, to inquire about the Western Continent intelligence—

All of it was here!

PS: I need to conceive the detailed outline again, so the update is a bit less.

(End of this chapter) ===== CHAPTER 524 =====