Since Li Daozong led his army to pacify Linyi, his power to intimidate Funan has greatly increased.
Funan and Zhenla sent Jijie to the Central Plains to pay homage, and the Tang Dynasty had no intention of sending any more troops south, so they discussed with people from Funan and asked them to build some ports to prepare for the ships of the Tang Dynasty to dock.
This matter has been discussed for two years. Due to the inconvenience of communication and the ongoing strategy of the East China Sea by the Tang Dynasty, the matter of exchanges with Southeast Asian countries has not been finalized.
The people of Funan were also afraid that the Tang Dynasty would invade their country, so most of them made vague remarks. Instead, they sent the prince over. In name, he came to the Tang Dynasty to study Buddhism, but in fact he was sending a hostage to the Tang Dynasty.
He behaved very respectfully, but when it came to business dealings, Funan showed no interest.
This is not surprising. People in warmer areas are lazier because they don't have strong houses to protect them from the cold, and they don't have to worry about food.
There are fruits on the trees and wild beasts in the forest. Therefore, it is understandable that the development will be slower and more closed-off.
…………
Foreign envoys gathered together, no matter what they looked like, they all wore Tang Dynasty costumes.
The ministers looked left and right, looking at it very freshly. At the same time, they were also sighing that it was not easy for the Tang Dynasty to have such a grand occasion just a few years after the founding of the country.
In fact, this was the beginning of the founding of the Tang Dynasty. The elite soldiers and generals who had pacified the world were all there. After losing the internal constraints, they immediately expanded rapidly.
Under the circumstances that Li Po and others have not aged yet, as long as he, the emperor, does not kill the heroes out of suspicion, then this situation will continue for a long time.
This was almost always the case when the Central Plains dynasty was founded. Foreign enemies were no match at all, but how many founding kings were willing to treat their heroes well?
Within a few days, the heroes and generals were killed one after another, and the expansion came to an abrupt end.
This is not only a chronic disease of the Central Plains dynasty, but also a matter of human nature. Those in the lead look down upon others, and most of them have a temperament that can share adversity, but not wealth. There are very few exceptions.
…………
"Your Majesty has arrived."
There were no empty seats in the Liangyi Palace. No one would be late for such an occasion. Some people even waited outside the Liangyi Palace early. When the banquet began, they were led to their seats one after another by the palace officials.
The foreigners had been taught basic etiquette before, but most of them were still quite reserved, mainly because they had never seen such a solemn scene.
In this process, the image of the Central Plains Dynasty became increasingly clear and concrete.
The ministers of the Tang Dynasty, dressed in gorgeous and exquisite official uniforms, either with a straight face or with a gentle smile like the spring breeze, took their seats one by one.
When entering the palace, he saluted people he knew or didn't know, and waited for the other person to return the salute before he sat down at the table.
Just for the process of entering the temple, there are several etiquettes to choose from. How to meet the elders, how to deal with foreign visitors, how to present gifts to superior officials, etc., etc., etc., can all be seen in the differences in etiquette.
Even if you are a junior official, as long as you have a big name or hold a key position, you will be fully respected.
How do outsiders know these secrets?
Such magnificence has already made them feel on pins and needles. They are in a hurry to deal with it, but they are also envious.
The foundation of civilization was undoubtedly revealed at this time. In such an atmosphere, even Subimara and the leaders of the Black Yak Tribe, who believed in the god Asura and were filled with wildness, did not dare to make any mistakes.
For these outsiders, this is like an unforgettable experience in their lives. Most of them will imitate it after they return. As for whether they can imitate it or not, that is a matter of debate.
The complexity of the official system of the Tang Dynasty was beyond their reach. Even the Turks, who had learned from the Central Plains for so many years, still had a very rough administrative system, let alone other countries.
When entering the palace, every time a person's name and his position are read, most outsiders are at a loss, but they know that the person who appears next has unparalleled power, which they will never be able to achieve in their lifetime.
That feeling is destined to be extremely sour...
This is actually similar in meaning to the later military parades. It serves the purpose of promoting the country's prestige and intimidating its neighbors.
The difference is that except for the Turks who can compete with the Tang Dynasty in the military, the Tang Dynasty has no real opponent in the world.
Except for the Turkic envoys, all other foreigners came to see him.
Therefore, envoys in the palace and people from the Turkic royal court were at the top. They had been in contact with the Central Plains for many years and were relatively used to it.
Silla was a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty, and the ruler of the country was no different from the officials of the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, Queen Jindeman of Silla was arranged to sit opposite the Turkic envoys and sit with the officials of the Tang Dynasty.
Since Funan still belongs to a friendly country, the prince of Funan can be placed at the head of the Turkic envoys.
The people from Tubo were basically among those who were conquered. They entered the Tang Dynasty to seek canonization, so they were ranked first under Prince Funan.
Prince Ashina of the Western Turks has been staying in Chang'an for more than two years without going anywhere. He seems to want to settle down here honestly. Now he is the last one to accompany him.
The person who arranged their seats was very considerate and separated the Eastern and Western Turkic people to prevent them from speaking inappropriately or simply using their fists to cause big trouble.
Besides, Ashina Niji is not a serious envoy. He is a fugitive from the Western Turks. Being listed in the palace can only show that he has a certain use value. In addition, there are his relatives in the palace, so the court will look upon him highly. .
…………
When all the guests had arrived and no one was missing, the eunuch went to the back of the palace to report and invited the emperor to come to the palace and take a seat.
Li Po was talking to Li Bi in the back. After hearing the report, he smiled and said, "Let's go out together this time. You don't have to hide behind the wall and listen to the wall anymore."
Li Bi chuckled and recalled the time when her husband was meeting people in the front, but she was worried about her in the back, so she went to listen secretly, which often caused her husband's dissatisfaction.
"After all these years, you still remember...you are so small-minded."
Li Po stood up and grabbed his wife's hand, "How could you not remember it? Marrying the third wife of the Juncheng family, especially when she was my Shangguan, is like walking on thin ice. I'm afraid you'll rush out and teach me a lesson. Then How can I meet people?"
Li Bi walked with her husband and said with a smile: "I am not an arrogant person. You also have Fazi Lake to do something to me. The most is a fight. What are you afraid of?"
The couple chatted and laughed, passing through the corridor in the hall and arriving at the entrance of the front hall. Li Bi personally arranged her husband's robe, and the couple walked in together.
The main hall had become quiet. People were standing on their seats, eagerly waiting for the emperor to be brought. When the emperor and the queen showed up, everyone in the hall bowed and saluted.
The ceremony officials started first, and then the people in the palace welcomed the emperor to his seat.
