The hot summer has made this majestic city, which originally had the atmosphere of a Jiangnan water town, become violent.
There always seemed to be an inexplicable violence brewing in the air, as if it was about to explode at any moment.
"How is this good?"
In the post house of the Lifanyuan, Annan's envoy Ruan Nanbo was pacing back and forth on the ground anxiously like an ant on a hot pot.
In front of him, several envoys who accompanied him on his mission to the Ming Dynasty all had earth-colored faces.
These Annan people came with the greatest sincerity and fantasy, hoping to be forgiven by the Ming Dynasty. They had already thought of appropriate excuses on the way to explain the misunderstanding between the two sides on the border.
But...when they arrived in the capital, they found that they were actually under house arrest.
They were not summoned by the Ming Emperor, nor received by the central ministers of the Ming Dynasty. They were not allowed to leave the post house at will, just like prisoners.
"What does Da Ming mean?" Ruan Nanbo asked anxiously, "Just leave us alone??"
A subordinate looked worried and said, "Sir, why don't you just wait here?"
"Why not?" Ruan Nanbo asked.
The man gritted his teeth and said, "Why don't you... just go home!"
"you....?"
"The Ming Dynasty deployed heavy troops on our Annan border and refused to receive our envoys. The connection between this is very intriguing!" The man said again, "And I am waiting in the capital of the Ming Dynasty. Now I am like a deaf and blind man.
I don’t know anything about the outside world!”
As he spoke, he sighed, "Look, I, Annan, will be in trouble this time..."
Just as he was talking, a burst of footsteps suddenly came from outside.
Then dozens of imperial guards opened the way, surrounded by a group of officials, and strode over.
Inside the house, Annan's envoys were all stunned when they saw this scene, and then Ruan Nanbo took the lead and rushed out eagerly.
Because he recognized that among the Ming ministers who suddenly arrived, the leader should be the cabinet of the Ming Empire, Minister Wang, the leader of the South Study Room, and the crown prince Zhu Gaochi.
Even if he didn't recognize Zhu Gaochi, he wouldn't be mistaken about his unique fat face and apricot five-clawed golden dragon robe.
~
"Your Majesty, Ruan Nanbo, has met His Royal Highness, Minister Wang..."
When Zhu Gaochi heard this person introducing himself, he couldn't help but frown slightly, and then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, you don't have to be polite."
As he spoke, he entered the room with a smile, "Is your envoy still used to living in the capital of the Ming Dynasty?"
Ruan Nanbo humbly followed Zhu Gaochi's footsteps and said hurriedly, "Your Majesty is burdened with the heavy responsibility of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, so I can't sleep at night!" After saying that, he cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, please give Annan a chance to defend himself. Last time I
Annan's Sanjiang pacification envoy Chen Gongsu intercepted and killed the Ming Dynasty soldiers, but he did it alone and no one in Annan knew it!"
Zhu Gaochi looked at the furnishings in the post house and smiled without saying a word.
"After learning about this matter, I, the Lord of Annan, have seized the official position and imprisoned that guy, and asked my subordinates to come to heaven to plead guilty. I, Annan, are willing to compensate the Ming Dynasty..."
"Are you sincere?" Zhu Gaochi suddenly turned around and said with a smile.
Ruan Nanbo and other Annan envoys were instantly overjoyed, "Of course we are sincere!"
"Oh!" Zhu Gaochi nodded in a long voice, "In that case, then I will pay tribute 500,000 taels of gold and 1,000 elephants..."
"..."
Suddenly, Ruan Nanbo and others were stunned on the spot.
Five hundred thousand taels of gold?
Even if the Annan people smash all the bones and dregs, they still can't get it out!
"What, are you having difficulty?" Zhu Gaochi asked seriously.
"This..." Ruan Nanbo suppressed the anger in his heart. How could he not see that the other party was making fun of him, but... in the face of power, not to mention ridicule, even if it was humiliated, what would happen?
?
"If you have any difficulties, just tell me and I'll give you less!" Zhu Gaochi smiled again and said, "How about four hundred and ninety thousand taels! I, the Ming Dynasty, belong to the Kingdom of Heaven, and I won't care about your 12,000 taels!"
Ruan Nanbo lowered his head and suddenly bowed fiercely, "Your Highness, Annan has always been very respectful to Ming Dynasty?"
"Respectful?" Zhu Gaochi's tone suddenly became sarcastic, "If you are respectful? Will you invade the five counties of Ming Dynasty in Guangxi? Will you intercept and kill my soldiers of the Celestial Dynasty?"
As he spoke, he suddenly shouted, "Are you going to ignore the words of Emperor Ming... and turn a deaf ear?"
"My country has absolutely no such intention..."
"No? Ha!" Zhu Gaochi sneered, "Externally, you say that he is the king of Annan. But internally, you have changed the name of Annan without authorization and called it the clan of Dayue or the dynasty of Dayu."
Zhu Gaochi's expression became ferocious, "The Li thief usurped the throne and actually dared to proclaim himself emperor? Is that right?"
"This..." Ruan Nanbo was speechless and could only choke, "Your Highness, how can the Ming Dynasty forgive..."
"Hey, I don't care about this!" Zhu Gaochi suddenly turned into a smile again, and then pointed to the door, "I don't know who he is, do you know him!?"
All Annan envoys turned around and stood stunned on the spot.
It turned out that it was Pei Boqi, the elder of the Chen Dynasty who was the assistant general of the Young Emperor of Xian'an Nan Chen Dynasty, who walked in with a face as cold as frost.
"Ruan Hanlin, long time no see?" Pei Boxi sneered.
"You..." Ruan Nanbo broke into a cold sweat,
Pei Boqi stepped forward, stared at the Annan envoys, and continued to sneer, "It seems that Ruan Hanlin has a prosperous official career! You can actually become an envoy?"
"I...I am representing the country's leader..."
"Bah, which country's leader?" Pei Boqi was furious and shouted, "You were an imperial scholar of the Chen Dynasty back then, and received the favor of the Chen Dynasty. But you were shameless and ignorant of loyalty, and you actually worked for that Li thief for the sake of a high official and a generous salary?"
"If one minister does not serve the two masters, you are simply worse than a beast..."
"Wait a minute!" Zhu Gaochi corrected him, "Whose master is Li Thief?"
"Humph, you disloyal and unjust person!" Pei Boxi sneered again.
"You need to spit on people!" Ruan Nanbo blushed, "With the death of the Chen Dynasty, how can the Annan country be left without a master..."
"Shut up!" Pei Boxi shouted loudly, "You are still making excuses now. You are really a born traitor!"
As he said that, he suddenly smiled strangely, which made everyone feel cold.
"Do you think that by killing the heirs of the Chen Dynasty royal family, you will be able to secure your position?" Pei Boxi sneered, "God bless me, the Chen Dynasty still has the country of the Ming Dynasty. Since ancient times, there has been much help for those who have good fortune, but little help for those who have bad luck."
"The Li thieves and you and others are outraged by their perverse behavior. You not only practiced tyranny in Annan and harmed the people, but you also did not know the height of the sky and the earth, and provoked the majesty of the Ming Dynasty."
"Master Pei!" Ruan Nanbo shouted, "I have always been close to the Ming Dynasty in the Annan Dynasty. In the final analysis, whether it is the Chen Dynasty or the Li Dynasty, it is my Annan's own business."
Then, with red eyes, he said, "When I was in court, I always opposed provoking the Ming Dynasty, and I have repeatedly suggested that the king serve the Ming Dynasty like a father! Now the king has realized his mistake..."
As he spoke, he gritted his teeth and continued, "I know you hate us very much in your heart, but you have to know that you are also from Annan! If the two sides really can't mediate, then... once the weapons are opened... the people of Annan will surely
There will be countless casualties!”
Suddenly, Pei Boxi felt unbearable in his heart.
yes!
He was also from Annan. The war was fought on the territory of Annan, and the people who died were Annan people.
"You can scold me, you can scold the king, but... you can't ignore the people of Annan!" Ruan Nanbo said loudly, "Annan is also the country of your parents!"
"That's enough!" Pei Boxi sneered, "Yes, Annan is about to be devastated and the people are in dire straits. But..." He pointed at Ruan Nanbo and others, "Although I can't bear it, I also know who brought this disaster to Annan.
It’s you! It’s you..."
"It's you, it's you, it's you, and you!" Pei Boxi scolded one by one, "It's you who helped Zhou do his evil, and together with the Li thief, you brought Annan into the abyss!"
At this point, he suddenly took two steps back, took out something from his sleeve, and unfolded it with a swish.
"His Majesty the Ming Emperor's decree is here, why don't you kneel down and listen?"