Chapter 1323: Raise a villain for a thousand days, use a villain for a while
Compared to the two principals, the person present who wanted to reach an agreement the most was Lu Yi, the secretary of the school affairs office.
Not for anything else, just for Jingzhou’s financial resources.
If Jingzhou's financial resources were gone, it would be almost a disaster for the school office.
How could the school affairs office, which had lost most of its financial resources, be able to satisfy His Majesty's appetite with only the little power it had in the country?
A school office that cannot meet His Majesty's requirements is garbage that can be thrown away at any time.
Therefore, Lu Yi, who was well aware of the foundation of the school affairs office, most hoped that Da Han and Da Wu would maintain their alliance unchanged and for a long time.
At least, there can't be any changes in Jingzhou.
Maintaining the status quo is the best outcome.
With this in mind, he naturally tried his best to facilitate this negotiation - the sooner the better, so as to avoid long nights and dreams.
It's a pity that most of the things in this world don't come true as people wish.
Of the two people in front of me, Your Majesty thinks that the Han envoy gives too little, and the Han envoy thinks that Your Majesty wants too much.
However, he did not dare to interfere at will in such important national affairs.
We can only watch as the two people argue and their differences get bigger and bigger, and finally they break up on bad terms.
After being ordered to send Zong Yu out of the palace, Lu Yi turned around and ran to find Mi Shiyilang:
"Mi Langjun, is it possible that this time, the Han envoy is not sincere?"
When asked by Lu Yi, Mi Shiyilang, who had not yet received the news, couldn't help but feel a little confused:
"What does Lu Zhongshu mean by this?"
Seeing Mi Shiyilang's appearance, Lu Yi knew that he might not know yet. In front of His Majesty today, the Han envoy almost messed up the matter.
It's no wonder that as soon as the Han envoy left the palace, he came out with his hind legs. It was normal that Mi Langjun hadn't received the news yet.
So Lu Yi explained the matter in detail.
Then he stamped his feet anxiously and said:
"Mi Langjun, I have repeatedly reminded you before that if the Jingzhou tariff is less than 30%, your Majesty will definitely not agree to the Luoyang incident. Didn't you remind the Han envoy?"
The reminder must have been given, but why the clan association was only willing to pay 10%, I don’t know.
Mi Langjun opened his mouth, and his face turned into a worried look:
"Lv Zhongshu, you don't know that as soon as Mr. Zong arrived in Jianye yesterday, I immediately came to visit you."
This is not a secret thing.
Not to mention that the school affairs office is responsible for the assassination. A little investigation will reveal it, so there is no need to hide it.
"After all, what Lu Zhongshu said is related to the reconciliation between the two countries. How dare I not do my best?"
Having said this, Mi Shiyilang sighed, matching the worry on his face:
"Who would have expected that Duke Zong would not comment on what I said. Lu Zhongshu, you also know that Duke Zong is already old and he is a veteran who has followed the late emperor since his early years."
"In our Han Dynasty, there are not many elders like him anymore. With my qualifications, how can I dare to be presumptuous in front of him?"
"Not to mention that Zonggong has always been against the straight people. After I mentioned this matter at that time, Zonggong just told me that he already knew it in his heart. How could I dare to say more?"
After saying that, he frowned again and sighed:
"I didn't expect it, I didn't expect it! I didn't expect that my father-in-law avoided talking about this matter yesterday. It turned out that he had such a plan. What should I do?"
Lu Yi looked at Mi Shiyilang with some suspicion:
"Mi Langjun and Da Sima are brothers. Didn't this matter be revealed to Mi Langjun?"
When Mi Shiyilang heard this, his expression suddenly changed and he said seriously:
"Are Lu Zhongshu's words doubting me? Negotiations between the two countries are a national matter and must be agreed upon by the monarchs and ministers before they can be implemented."
"Although my brother is the Grand Sima, there is an emperor above him and a chancellor below. Major matters in the court cannot be decided by my brother alone."
"Angel Kuang's visit to Wu was commissioned by the emperor, not by my brother. The amount of customs duties to be paid is a secret of the DPRK."
"Now that I am far away in another country, I am not qualified to know such secrets, let alone someone like Lu Zhongshu who is respected by Lord Wu and qualified to participate in such a major event."
"Did Lu Zhongshu think that my brother would abandon public service for personal reasons and leak such secrets to me in advance?"
His words not only disparaged himself, but also praised Lu Yi.
Lu Yi thought about it, during yesterday's negotiation, apart from His Majesty and the Han envoy, he was the only one present.
Even important ministers like Lu Xun were not qualified to participate.
Da Wu was like this, and I think it would be similar when he came to Han.
Thinking of this, he quickly apologized to Mi Shiyilang:
"How dare? How dare I doubt Da Sima's character? Just now I was too worried about the customs duties, and my words were a bit too Meng Lang. Don't blame me. Don't blame me, Mr. Milang."
Seeing Lu Yi apologize, Mi Langjun looked better:
"I also know Lu Zhongshu's worries. After all, if something goes wrong in this matter, it will also be harmful to me."
"After all, now I am the transshipment officer and the customs capital of Jingzhou. If there is a problem with the Jingzhou customs, I will be derelict in my duties."
Pointing to his heart, Mi Shiyilang said to Lu Yi:
"Therefore, like Lu Zhongshu, I hope that this matter will be decided early so as not to affect the Yi market in Jingzhou."
Lu Yi thought so too.
So he tentatively asked:
"Then according to Mr. Mi Lang, what should we do?"
Mi Shiyilang glanced at Lu Yi, the meaning in his eyes was obvious:
He had already seen Lu Yi's intention.
But he doesn't want to go.
"Lv Zhongshu, your Majesty's intention is to ask for 30%. Can't it be any less?"
Lu Yi shook his head:
"This is His Majesty's final bottom line, and it can't be any less."
After saying that, he also stared at Mi Shiyilang, trying to see something from his face.
The meaning in the eyes is also very obvious:
He just wanted Mi Langjun to persuade the Han envoys, or at least try to find out what was going on.
After all, I have already spoken to His Majesty. This time, it is your turn.
Mi Shiyilang couldn't avoid Lu Yi's gaze, so he had to stand up with a look of confusion on his face:
"Okay, then I will pay another visit to Duke Zong and see if there is a chance to persuade him."
Lu Yi was overjoyed. He stepped forward to hold Mi Shiyilang's hand and said sincerely:
"Mi Langjun, I leave everything to you. Even if I can't persuade you, I can at least ask how much your father-in-law wants to give. Only 10% is too little."
"Lu Zhongshu, there are just you and me here. Let me tell you something from my heart. This 30% is not too small. Others don't know it, so don't you know the amount?"
Mi Shiyilang said as he quietly took out his hand:
"To put it bluntly, if the big man insists that he is only entrusting Luoyang to be paid back in the future. If the tariff is not paid at 10%, can your Majesty still cut off Jingzhou's Yishi?"
When Lu Yi heard this, he smiled awkwardly.
Break?
How to break?
If he really wanted to die, Da Wu himself would have to die first.
You can't really cast five thousand from Daquan, right?
Not to mention Daquan's five thousand, even Daquan's ten thousand yuan, it can't make up for it!
After all, we are still poor!
Not to mention that when it comes to borrowing the city, Da Wu has no confidence at all.
And it still concerns Jingzhou...
It’s difficult!
It’s hard to say!
So besides smiling awkwardly, what else could Lu Yi say?
Mi Shiyilang saw Lu Yi off and then headed towards the post house again.
When Zong Yu learned that Mi Shiyilang had arrived, he naturally welcomed him in again.
He personally poured a cup of tea for Mi Shiyilang, and then asked with a smile:
"Where did Mr. Mi Lang come from this time?"
After Mi Shiyilang sat down, he didn't even drink the tea, so he shook his head and told Zong about the suffering:
"Master Zong is harming me!"
Zong Yuqi said:
"What are you talking about? I don't even have time to protect a man like Mi Langjun, so how can I say anything harmful to you?"
Mi Shiyilang smiled bitterly:
"Mr. Zong, you came from Chang'an and originally wanted to give 50%. I tried my best to find out that the Wu people want at least 30%."
"Unexpectedly, you got the news from me and went to discuss with Master Wu, but you only gave me 10%. You, this chop is too harsh."
"No, my friend came to question me and suspected that I didn't do things carefully."
When Zong Xu heard this, he burst into laughter. After laughing, he winked and asked:
"That friend of Mr. Mi Lang, is he Lu Yi?"
Mi Shiyilang was shocked:
"How did Zonggong know?"
Yesterday I was still asking if my friend was reliable. I just left the palace today and I knew that the person who revealed the information to me was Lu Yi.
Could it be that Duke Zong is sending people to monitor him?
"It seems that I guessed it, it's really Lu Yi."
Zong Yu stroked his beard and said, "Not long after I left the palace, Mi Langjun will be able to know the content of the discussion. This person must be the first to know the content of the discussion."
"I was discussing with Lord Wu, and there was only one person listening. It was Lv Yi, Secretary of the School Affairs Office of the State of Wu."
Saying that, Zong Yu smiled and looked at Mi Shiyilang:
"I'm afraid even the important ministers of Wu State don't know the details of the discussion with Lord Wu, but Mr. Mi Lang knew it so quickly. No one else but Lu Yi came to know about it."
Mi Shiyilang suddenly realized: "So that's it."
After showing off for a while, Zong Yu began to explain the reason for lowering the price:
"Looking at the world today, Han is strong and Wu is weak. It is Wu who seeks from me, not me who seeks from Wu."
"We are willing to give the money entrusted to Luoyang because we are upright."
"If we are not willing to give it, do the Wu people have a way to take it away by force?"
"He wants something from me, but he can't take Luoyang by force, so it's not us who are anxious, but them."
With that said, Zong Yu picked up the tea cup, took a sip of tea, shook his head and tasted it for a while, and then said slowly:
"When asking for help, you must have an attitude of asking for help."
"Back then, the people of Wu sent envoys to tell the Han people that they wanted to respect both East and West. How many people from the Han Dynasty wrote to Your Majesty to sever their alliance?"
"What's the result? Isn't it necessary to send Chen Weiwei (ie Chen Zhen) as an envoy to Wu to congratulate him with his honorary title? It's all because I, the great Han, wanted something from Wu at that time."
"Even if I have to hand over the 30% of today's tariff, I will definitely not let the Wu people get it so easily."
Mi Shiyilang nodded.
Oh, I got it.
Zong Lao Shangshu was still busy and wanted to amuse the Wu people.
Mi Shiyilang cupped his hands:
"It turns out that Grandpa Zong had already planned it, but he was too worried."
Having said that, it’s time to say goodbye.
A woman from Wu has a soft and waxy language with a unique flavor.
It is a pleasure to listen to them singing "Changganxing" without doing anything.
Why bother with this careless old man?
Who expected Zong Yu to stop him:
"Mi Langjun has a good relationship with Lu Zhongshu from the school affairs office?"
Mi Shiyilang hesitated a little, but finally nodded: "It's okay."
Zong Yu raised his eyebrows: "It's just okay? If it's just okay, this person would actually tell Mi Langjun what Master Wu wants in advance?"
"He wants to benefit from the Yi market in Jingzhou, but Zhao Bucai is in charge of this area. He wants something from me, so of course he will tell me everything he can."
"And it seems that he disclosed this matter to me in advance. It is impossible to say whether it was with Master Wu's permission or not."
"Oh?" Zong Yu stared at Mi Shiyilang and asked slowly, "Is this person useful?"
Mi Shiyilang was stunned for a moment, then forced a smile and said:
"Zonggong is joking. Whether this person is useful or not is the final decision of Lord Wu. My decision does not count."
Zong Yu said nothing and just continued to look at Mi Shiyilang.
Mi Shiyilang couldn't avoid it, so he could only continue to explain:
"However, the school affairs office has many contacts with the Xinghan Association and has been cooperating for more than ten years. If we talk about the friendship, it must be quite deep."
Zong Yu nodded, pondered for a moment, and asked:
"Then I will send a favor to Mr. Mi Lang to make your friendship deeper, how about that?"
When Mi Langjun heard this, he immediately became interested:
"I dare to ask Zong Gong, how do you interpret this statement?"
"When you go back, tell me that I've given you the final answer, and 30% will make it 30%."
Zongxuan glanced at Mi Shiyilang and said, "Of course, you can also say that you were the mediator."
"Oh my god, I really want to thank you, Mr. Zong!"
Mi Shiyilang beamed with joy and repeatedly raised his hands to Zong Yu:
"I am worried about how to tell him when I go back. This favor from Zong Gong comes at the perfect time."
Zong Yu laughed again, pointed at Mi Langjun and said:
"Quiet words! Just now you deliberately made a bitter face with me, and now you look like this again, get out of here, get out of here!"
"You follow Feng Mingwen, and you don't distinguish between good and bad. You learn them all at once. You deserve to call him brother."
Mi Shiyilang smiled and did not refute, he just bowed to Zong Yu again and then went out.
Lu Yi was anxious, so he came over to look for Mi Shiyilang again the next morning and asked about it.
Mi Shiyilang patted his chest and assured him. After he understood it rationally and emotionally, he stated the importance of Jingzhou Yishi.
Zonggong finally relented and was willing to give up 30% of the customs duties and return it to Wu.
When Lu Yi heard this, he couldn't help being happy. He confirmed it again and again, and after getting Mi Shiyilang's guarantee, he hurried back to report the news.
Sure enough, a few days later, Lu Yi came to visit Mi Shiyilang for the third time. He came again with a heavy gift and personally invited Mi Shiyilang to the banquet.
This negotiation really gained him a lot of face in front of His Majesty.
After drinking a lot of wine, Lu Yi told Mi Shiyilang rather drunkenly:
After this incident, no one can sway the school affairs office in the matter of Jingzhou Yishi.
Lu Yi thanked Mi Shiyilang, but Mi Shiyilang wanted to thank Zong Yu.
It was obvious that after this incident, the school administration's trust in him had increased a lot, which made it easier for him to move around the country of Wu.
After Zong Yu listened to Mi Shiyilang's story, he said with emotion:
"The Lord of Wu is old, his ambitions have faded, and his ambition is no longer. In the past, the late emperor once said that the Lord of Wu is too good for his superiors but not for his inferiors. The prime minister also said that he can be used for his talents."
"When I look at him now, I see that his face is haggard, his skin is saggy, his eyes are dull, his eyes are red, and his breath is short. These are all signs of indulging in alcohol, lust, and physical weakness."
"But Lu Yi and others are just profit-seeking villains. Because they can make money, they are deeply trusted by the Lord of Wu. This shows that the evils in the Wu Kingdom are deep."
Mi Shiyilang reminded:
"My lord, please don't forget that people like Lu Xun are good generals of the Ming Dynasty and should not be underestimated."
Zong Xu chuckled:
"Although there are bright ministers and good generals, they cannot be used. What can we do if we have more?"
From beginning to end, he had never seen Lu Xun.
The great general still acted on behalf of the prime minister, but he was actually excluded.
There was only one school secretary who mediated and inquired about the matter, and the emperor made the decision privately.
This is not the way to handle state affairs.
Sure enough, not long after, news came out that Lu Xun, the supreme general of the State of Wu, had written a letter strongly requesting the Lord Wu to renegotiate the matter of Luoyang.
But he was rejected by Lord Wu.
Zong Yu, who had already boarded the ship returning home, just smiled and walked away after hearing the news.
What he didn't know was that Lu Xun did not give up after being rejected by Sun Quan. Instead, he chose to knock on the que and wanted to enter the palace to remonstrate.
Sun Quan climbed up to the high platform, looked at Lu Xun and others kneeling outside the palace, with disgust on his face, and said to Lu Yi, who was standing next to him:
"I think this Lu Boyan should not have changed his name in the first place. He has repeatedly bullied the ministers to force the emperor. Why did he use this name less? It should be reused."
"Not only does he want to discuss the prince and the queen, but now he also wants to discuss me, the emperor!"
(Note: Lu Xun’s real name is discussed)
How could Lu Yi dare to say no? Naturally, he followed Sun Quan's words:
"Your Majesty's words are very reasonable."
He glanced at Sun Quan carefully, then looked at the distance, and then said with a flattering smile:
"When Your Majesty mentioned the original name of the General, I remembered something."
Sun Quan kept staring at the direction of the palace in the north, his eyes flickering, and he just casually asked: "What's the matter?"
"I heard that the second son of General Shang was named Kang. If General Shang didn't change his name, and their father and son's names were combined, wouldn't it be called protest, haha!"
"However, the above-mentioned general's status is second only to His Majesty in our country of Wu. Why should we protest to anyone?"
After hearing this, Sun Quan wanted to laugh too, but he didn't know what he thought of, and his face suddenly darkened again.
But seeing him staring fiercely in the direction of the gate, he snorted angrily, turned around and walked away angrily.
protest?
protest!
As a general, who do you need to protest to? Who do you want to protest to?!
Sun Quan's hands hidden in his sleeves were held tightly, and his teeth were chattering.
PS: I made a meal for Tiger Girl and bought some fruits that she wanted to eat but was reluctant to buy before. Just treat it as a Chinese Valentine's Day celebration.
Others spend Chinese Valentine's Day in pairs, but Tiger Girl and I spend the Chinese Valentine's Day in pairs. One stays up late coding while the other coaxes the child to sleep.
After having the four-legged gold-eating beast, the quality of life really plummeted, ugh!