A little later, people arrived from the palace.
Emperor Zhou would host a welcoming banquet for the Yong Country Delegation in Linde Hall tonight and ordered Shen Jing to bring the Yong Country Delegation into the palace for the banquet.
It was past halfway through the You hour when Shen Jing finally led the Yong Country Delegation to the banquet.
Most of their guards remained at the Four Directions Inn, with only about ten guards accompanying them.
After waiting for a moment outside Linde Hall, they were announced and entered Linde Hall.
Those participating in this banquet, in addition to Emperor Zhou and several adult princes, included more than a dozen important ministers from the court.
Emperor Zhou sat at the head seat, while the others sat on the left side according to their status, and the right side was completely empty, clearly reserved for the Yong Country Delegation.
When he saw Ye Xian, Shen Jing couldn't help but be stunned.
He came too?
Meeting Shen Jing's gaze, Ye Xian nodded and smiled.
Shen Jing returned a smile, his gaze falling on the person next to Ye Xian.
That person should be Prince Wuping, right?
Soon, Gao Yin took the lead, stood firm, and loudly declared, “The Third Prince Gao Yin of Great Yong, with the Great Yong Delegation, greets His Majesty!”
With that, Gao Yin led everyone in a bow to Emperor Zhou.
However, it was not a kneeling prostration, but merely a bow.
Moreover, their bodies barely even bent down slightly.
It seemed respectful, but arrogance was already written on their faces.
Ye Shen's face suddenly fell, and he sternly said, “Why do the Great Yong envoys not bow when seeing the Emperor of Great Zhou?”
Gao Yin raised his head, about to speak, but Hulü Xian looked at Ye Shen with extreme arrogance, “Have you ever heard of an envoy from a suzerain state bowing to the ruler of a vassal state?”
“Nonsense!”
Ye Qing slammed the table and stood up, angrily shouting, “When did our Great Zhou become a vassal state of your Yong Country?!”
As Ye Qing erupted, several ministers also stood up, angrily denouncing Gao Yin.
“That's simply preposterous!”
“The Great Yong Delegation is so arrogant; I request His Majesty to expel the Yong Country Delegation!”
“Since you are envoys, you should abide by our court's etiquette…”
Everyone glared angrily at Hulü Xian.
Some were feigning it, others were genuinely furious.
Shen Jing looked at Ye Xiaogong, only to see that Ye Xiaogong didn't even lift an eyelid.
It was as if the dispute before him had nothing to do with him.
Ye Xian, on the other hand, puffed out his cheeks and glared at Gao Yin, as if he wanted to glare him to death.
Facing the angry denunciations of the Great Zhou people, Hulü Xian, who had confidence, was not at all flustered, his expression even more arrogant, “Great Zhou has been paying tribute to our court for many years. Although nominally not a vassal state of our Great Yong, it is no different from our court's vassal states!”
Listening to Gao Yin's words, everyone became even more furious.
However, there was one point Gao Yin was not wrong about.
Great Zhou had indeed paid tribute to Yong Country for many years, an act that was indeed similar to a vassal state paying tribute to a suzerain state.
Emperor Zhou's gaze was sharp, and he was about to speak, but Gao Yin suddenly stopped Hulü Xian, “Senior Minister, don't talk nonsense about vassal states or not vassal states!”
“Your Highness…”
Hulü Xian still wanted to speak, but Gao Yin raised a hand to stop him.
“That's enough!”
Gao Yin glared at Hulü Xian, “Great Zhou and our Great Yong are brotherly nations; Great Yong is the elder, Great Zhou is the younger! The reason this Prince does not bow is because there has never been a rule for an elder brother to bow to a younger brother since ancient times!”
Watching the two of them perform this act, Shen Jing couldn't help but secretly curl his lip.
You're all thousand-year-old foxes; why play such games?
As if no one knows you're putting on a show!
“If you are here to show off, there's no need!”
Emperor Zhou finally spoke, “Since you are like this, then I am too lazy to go through the process of receiving envoys! You can say whatever you have to say today!”
With that, Emperor Zhou ordered people to start serving dishes, but there was no intention of having the Yong Country Delegation take their seats.
It was clear that he intended to discuss matters with the Yong Country Delegation while eating and drinking.
Gao Yin didn't get angry, smiling, “Since that's the case, then I shall convey my Imperial Father's meaning to His Majesty!”
“Speak!”
Emperor Zhou poured himself a cup of wine, not even lifting his eyelids, his heart indeed filled with anger.
Gao Yin smiled, “In the past, when Great Zhou faced internal and external troubles, my Imperial Father, knowing Great Zhou's difficulties, did not demand excessive tribute! Now, Great Zhou has recuperated for many years, and it is time to increase its tribute to our court! My Imperial Father's meaning is: tribute doubled!”
Listening to Gao Yin's words, everyone present changed color.
Tribute doubled!
What a huge appetite!
The annual tribute from Great Zhou to Yong Country was worth at least two million taels of silver!
This didn't even include the cost of transporting these goods.
If the tribute were doubled, and the transportation costs and other losses were factored in, it would probably amount to five million taels of silver!
Even in a prosperous year, Great Zhou's tax revenue rarely exceeded thirty million taels of silver. After various expenses, the silver that could enter the national treasury was estimated to be less than three million taels!
In a year of disaster, it would be even worse!
Yong Country was clearly trying to empty Great Zhou's coffers!
While everyone was filled with anger, Gao Yin continued, “Additionally, we are also here on this trip to propose a marriage alliance with Great Zhou! We ask His Majesty to assign a princess to marry into our royal family to strengthen relations and trade between our two nations, and to bring prosperity to the people of both nations.”
Emperor Zhou suddenly clenched his fists, his heart filled with rage.
Marriage alliance!
It was indeed a marriage alliance!
Strengthening relations, bringing prosperity to the people of both nations—all nonsense!
This was clearly a humiliation!
“Impossible!”
Just as Emperor Zhou was suppressing his anger, Pei Ji was the first to stand up and angrily retort, “Increasing tribute is out of the question, and a marriage alliance is also out of the question!”
“Duke Qi speaks reason!”
Tang Zhi said in a deep voice, “Our Great Zhou has been paying tribute to Yong Country for many years and is no longer able to bear so much tribute! This tribute should not only not be increased, but at least halved!”
“Right!”
Lu Sui nodded in agreement, “Only by reducing or even stopping the tribute can we truly strengthen relations and trade between our two nations!”
Lu Sui's words also received approval from many people.
Of course, many people held no hope for reducing or even stopping the tribute.
But having hope and speaking out were two different matters.
“Ridiculous!”
Hulü Xian snorted coldly, “If the tribute were reduced, why would we even send envoys? If your country rejects our terms, our Great Yong's hundreds of thousands of soldiers will probably not agree!”
Hulü Xian was very aggressive, directly resorting to threats.
“If we agree to your terms, our Great Zhou's hundreds of thousands of soldiers will not agree!”
Pei Ji retorted in kind, his eyes fixed on Hulü Xian.
“Is that so?”
Hulü Xian chuckled, “Are you sure you want to go to war with our Great Yong?”
War?
What would they use to fight?
He had already basically figured out their situation; were they still bluffing here?
“If you want to fight, then fight!”
Pei Ji was unwilling to back down, gritting his teeth and growling, “Our Great Zhou's men are not easily intimidated!”
“Since that's the case, then let's not talk anymore! Let's each prepare for war!”
Hulü Xian snorted coldly, then looked at Gao Yin, “Your Highness, since Great Zhou does not cherish this opportunity, let's leave!”
“Father, is this person an idiot?”
Just then, Ye Xian's voice suddenly rang out.
“What do you mean?”
Ye Xiaogong asked, puzzled.
Ye Xian tilted his head and looked at his father, “If our two nations are going to war, they still want to go back? Why don't we just kill them and start the war directly?”
Ye Xiaogong picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and said indifferently, “When two nations are at war, you don't kill the envoy! Let's just turn them into human pigs!”