Chapter 502: Chapter 247: Confrontation and Breakup
Inside Changsha city, Lu Yuan met with the Ning Country Emissary who had come from afar at the Royal Palace.
“The diplomat offers greetings to the King.”
This Ning Country Emissary was a man in his thirties or forties, handsome and graceful. From his temperament, it was not hard to tell that he must be from one of the aristocratic families in Linhai.
“You need not be too formal.”
Lu Yuan took a look at the messenger and then asked, “The Messenger came a long way from Jinling, may I know the purpose?”
This Ning Country Emissary solemnly stated, “Since the reign of Longqing, the Yue House has lost its virtue, with two generations of rulers being foolish and muddled. As a result, the world is in chaos and people are displaced. Thus, the altars of soil and grain are disturbed, and the people of the world have long suffered from the troubles in Yue.
At that time, my king suppressed internal rebellion, exterminated Jinghai to the south, slaughtered Qiang bandits to the west, attacked Zhou Country to the north, and drove back Liang people.
This could be regarded as saving the collapsing building and rescuing the people from misery, contributing to the reconstruction of the altars of soil and grain.
In view of the admiration of the people, their gratitude and tears, the subjects and people all submitted letters of advice urging enthronement, and the Heavenly Son of the Yue House also issued a decree of abdication.
Therefore, my king carried the heavy expectations of the world and could not bear to disappoint the people’s hopes. He finally received the abdication of the Heavenly Son in the first year of Chengyou, on the fourth day of the eleventh lunar month, and took over the orthodox rule of the Yue House, establishing the Ning dynasty.
Now my king has established a great kingdom, changing the era to Jianwu, and has taken the place of the Yue House as the ruler of the five cities and five countries of Yangzhou.
When the Heavenly Son ascends the throne, he must announce it to the feudal lords of the four corners.
Therefore, as a diplomat under orders, I am here to inform the King of this matter.
And request that the King send someone to Jinling to meet the Heavenly Son and make clear the distinction between monarch and ministers to ensure the stability of the altars of soil and grain and the order of the world.”
After making a long speech, the Ning Country Emissary finally revealed his purpose at the end –
He asked Lu Yuan to send an envoy to Jinling to pay homage to Shen Qiu and pledge allegiance to the Ning Country.
Just as initially speculated.
The Ning Country, which inherited the orthodox rule of the Yue Country, not only inherited the territory of the five cities but also wanted to take over the tribute system of the Yue Country at this time.
At this time wanting to establish the distinction between monarch and ministers with the Changsha Country and the Ning Country was just like that.
But how could Lu Yuan possibly comply with the other party’s wishes?
So after waiting for the envoy to finish speaking, he angrily said with a hint of coldness in his voice, “Go to Jinling to pay homage to the Heavenly Son? May I ask the Messenger, which Heavenly Son?”
I, Changsha Country, am a kingdom granted by the Yue House and have always revered the Yue’s Orthodox.
As the Lonely King, I am aware that there are Hongdao Heavenly Sons and Chengyou Heavenly Sons in the world, but I have never heard of any Jianwu Heavenly Son.
Your master Shen Qiu, who has received great favor from the Yue House, was able to take charge of the state affairs, become the Grand General, and reach the highest position among the subjects. Furthermore, he was granted two cities and established a great kingdom.
Which subject in the world could obtain such honor and benefits?
But your master was not content with this grace.
Instead of wanting to serve the Heavenly Son, he openly plotted a rebellion and usurped the throne, which is disloyal.
Such a violent and rebellious act has angered the people of the world and provoked the Liang Country to attack.
It has caused the once peaceful world to be plunged again into war.
This is an act of harming the world for one’s own selfish interests, which is unkind.
Moreover, although Hongdao Heavenly Son had some shortcomings and neglected his duties during his reign, leading to the decline of the world –
No matter what, he is still a Heavenly Son and a monarch’s father.
When facing a Heavenly Son and a father, even if he is wrong, you cannot kill the king.
Hmph!
There was a terrible plague in the palace, and the Hongdao Heavenly Son and his offspring all died from this plague.
It’s amusing that you could come up with such a ridiculous excuse. If there were a plague in the palace, why did it not happen in Jinling City?
Do you really think that these clumsy tactics can cover the eyes of the world and block the mouths of all?
By doing this, is Shen Qiu not afraid of others following his example and treating his descendants the same way in the future?
Assassinating the Heavenly Son, having no monarch or father, can such a person be qualified to govern the world with such behavior?
Moreover, as far as I, the Lonely King, can remember, the one who pacified internal rebellion, exterminated Jinghai to the south, slaughtered Qiang bandits to the west, and attacked Zhou Country to the north was Wuan Marquis.
If Wuan Marquis is dead, the one who should inherit his merits should be me, the Lonely King.
Your master sits in Jinling, high in the temple, only speaking eloquently, plotting and scheming – how dare he arrogantly claim these merits?
Is it just because your master relied on the advantages of the Yangtze River to barely drive away the Liang people he himself had attracted to Guangling City?
How can such a person who has no loyalty, no kindness, no faith, and no righteousness be qualified for the throne of Heavenly Son?
Moreover, I, the Changsha Country, was granted by the Yue House, and received the grace of the Yue House. What does that have to do with your rebellious country?
At this time, you even have the audacity to come and ask me to go to Jinling to pay homage?
It’s a shame that you are willing to acknowledge a person who is disloyal, unkind, unfilial, and unrighteous as your master, but I, the Lonely King, am a hero of the world and have my own sense of ethics. How could I be on the same side as your treacherous people?”
Go back and tell Shen Qiu that there is no possibility for me, the Lonely King, to recognize him as the Heavenly Son in this lifetime.
What virtues or abilities does a rebellious and treacherous person like him have to be my master?
If he is dissatisfied, he can raise an army and attack.
I, the Lonely King, will be waiting for him in Baling City. At that time, the two armies will line up to decide life and death.
If he can defeat and destroy my kingdom, then he has a bit of skill.
If he can’t, he should wash up and go to bed early.
There’s everything in dreams.”
Lu Yuan’s words came out like machine gun-fire, one after the other.
This lengthy and sarcastic speech, which thoroughly rebutted the Emissary’s words, tore away the last veil of decency from the Kingdom of Ning, established by Shen Qiu.
Hearing these words and being so insulted, the emissary was naturally furious, his entire face sinking.
The original composure was gone, vanished like smoke.
He wanted to argue back.
But firstly, everything that Lu Yuan said was the truth.
From the surface, it was true that Yue House did not wrong Shen Qiu; they gave everything to him, even what they could not give.
They treated him wholeheartedly –