Yang Jian glanced at Wang Meng and said, "[Yan Huang Alliance] has always been defeated by the Great Xia, and now they are even more dependent on the Great Xia. Your words of help are really arrogant."
Wang Meng was stunned. He didn't expect Emperor Wen to be so stubborn.
An emperor naturally had the pride of an emperor.
Before confronting the Great Xia head-on, Yang Jian wouldn't ask for help from others. The million imperial guards were Yang Jian's biggest trump card. Even if the Great Sui didn't have the geographical advantage, they could still stand firm.
Wang Meng had no choice but to say, "Your Majesty, please believe in our sincerity. The Yan Huang Alliance is willing to cooperate with the Great Sui at any time. We have a common enemy."
Yang Jian waved his hand. "You can leave first!"
However, he neither refused nor agreed to it. As an emperor, Yang Jian had a tactful side to him besides his pride. He knew that there must be a way out.
Perhaps one day, the Great Sui would be in trouble with the Yan Huang Alliance.
Wang Meng sighed in his heart and left. This mission was considered a failure. Wang Meng was quite depressed that he messed up the first task assigned by his lord.
…
After Wang Meng left, Emperor Wen immediately summoned Gao Ying.
Emperor Wen, who founded the Rule of Founding Emperor, was a pioneer in the dynasty system. His greatest contribution was to abolish the nine-rank system and change it to a system of five provinces and six departments. This was the blueprint for the Tang Dynasty's system of three provinces and six departments.
The five provinces were the Minister of Internal Affairs, Menxia, Minister of Literature, Secretary, and Chamberlain. The Secretary was in charge of books and calendars. The Chamberlain was the eunuch organization of the palace. The central organs were the Minister of Internal Affairs, Menxia, and Minister of Literature.
The Minister of Literature was divided into six departments: Officials, Revenue, Rites, Army, Punishment, and Works. There was a Minister of Literature who was in charge of all the officials. There was a Left and Right Servitors who were in charge of the six officials.
The Minister of Literature was an empty title. The Left Servitor was the real head of the Minister of Literature, equivalent to the prime minister.
In history, during the reign of Emperor Wen, Gao Ying was the Left Servitor, Su Wei and Yang Su were the Right Servitor. Now that he was in charge of Quanzhou and saw the old officials again, Yang Jian was deeply moved and changed his mind.
The most important official, Gao Ying, was appointed Minister of Literature, Su Wei was promoted to Left Servitor, and Yang Su continued to be the Right Servitor. The three formed an iron triangle and became the three most important officials of the Great Sui.
After a while, Gao Ying arrived at the side hall.
Gao Ying could be said to be a famous minister of her generation. She was talented, courageous and insightful, and capable of both literature and martial arts.
When Emperor Wen of Sui was still the Prime Minister of Northern Zhou, Gao Ying had secretly sought refuge with him. In the meantime, Gao Ying helped Emperor Wen eliminate Yuchi Jiong, clearing the way for Emperor Wen to usurp the throne.
When Emperor Wen ascended to the throne and established the Sui Dynasty, Gao Ying became the Minister of the Left Servant She and the Prime Minister. At the beginning of the country's founding, Gao Ying and Su Wei worked together. Emperor Wen of Sui first discussed with them on all political matters before implementing them.
During this period, Gao Ying presided over the revision of the laws, subduing the Turks in the north and pacifying the Chen Dynasty in the south.
Gao Ying was also good at recommending talents. Su Wei, Yang Su, He Ruobi, Han Qinhu, and other famous officials and generals were all recommended by Gao Ying.
Unfortunately, during the last years of the Founding Emperor Era, Gao Ying was like the other powerful ministers in history, unable to escape the suspicions of the emperor and falling out of favor. In the end, he was stripped of his title and became a commoner.
During the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, he was executed for slandering the government.
"Your Majesty!"
Gao Ying, who had appeared in the wilderness, was already an elder in his fifties. Although his eyes were gradually turbid, they seemed to see through everything in the world. He was incomparably wise.
It was unknown if Gao Ying had any knots in his heart at this moment.
Emperor Wen of Sui nodded and recounted Wang Meng's matter. He asked, "What do you think of this matter?"
Gao Ying's expression was calm. For an old minister like Gao Ying who had experienced great storms, there were few things that could excite him or make him nervous or afraid. He said calmly, "In my humble opinion, we should wait and see."
"What do you mean?"
Gao Ying said, "The Great Sui has just established its foundation in the wilderness. It needs a process of integration and adaptation. At present, the situation in the wilderness is unclear. Great Xia's attitude is unclear, and the rules of war are unclear. It's not wise to act rashly. "
Gao Ying's consecutive three "unclear" made Emperor Wen of Sui frown.
The so-called rules of war referred to Gaia's restrictions on the dynasties. The four dynasties that appeared in the wilderness were limited to a county. It wasn't that these emperors didn't want to expand their territory, but Gaia didn't allow it.
The four dynasties were still like hidden dragons coiled in the abyss, unable to soar into the sky.
Gaia wanted to use the NPC factions to temper the Lords of the Wilderness, but at the same time, they couldn't exploit the Lords of the Wilderness too much, allowing them to be easily destroyed by the NPC factions.
Gaia had a very precise grasp of the scale.
Only when the time was right would these dynasties officially participate in the wilderness competition.
Gaia was playing a big game of chess.
Gao Ying continued, "Although the Yanhuang Alliance has a common enemy with us, they have ulterior motives. Their goal is to let the Great Sui and Great Xia fight each other so that they can reap the benefits."
How could the tricks of Di Chen and company escape the discerning eyes of an old fox like Gao Ying?
Of course, Di Chen's efforts weren't in vain. The success of sowing discord was gratifying, but even if it failed, it could still plant a thorn between the Great Sui and Great Xia. Since it was so effortless, why wouldn't Di Chen do it?
"You're right." Emperor Wen of Sui nodded. He had the same guess.
"If I'm not wrong, the Great Xia will take the initiative to contact us," Gao Ying boldly predicted. "Quanzhou maintains close trade relations with the Great Xia, so there's no reason for them to turn a deaf ear to us."
At this point, a trace of worry flashed in Gao Ying's eyes for the first time.
The biggest crisis facing the Great Sui was not the geographical encirclement, but the fact that the lifeline of the city's supplies was in the hands of the Great Xia, which was really worrying.
In the capital, the number of NPCs other than the players was fixed. The number of Imperial Guards determined the total population. According to the ratio of one in ten conscription, the total population of the city was ten times the size of the Imperial Guards.
In Quanzhou, it had to accommodate more than 11 million NPCs and nearly 10 million players. The population of the entire city exceeded 20 million.
What kind of concept was a population of 20 million? Even in the 21st century, when the population was exploding, only the capital, Shanghai, and Chongqing had a population of more than 20 million in China.
With the limitations of ancient cities, it was impossible for them to accommodate such a large population.
What kind of concept was it to have 20 million people living in a city? Just taking the food consumption as an example, it would consume 20 million units of food every day. It would require the resources of a province to supply such a large amount of food.
The people in the city needed more than just food to survive. They also needed vegetables, fish, oil, salt, vinegar, cloth, leather, flour, and other daily necessities.
Without an entire province providing blood to the capital, it was impossible to support such a large population. Even so, it had to be a relatively rich province. Slightly poorer provinces would not be able to provide for them.
Before the Emperor took over the capital, Gaia had always blurred the capital. Although there were more than 10 million NPCs in Quanzhou, a large number of them were in a state of trusteeship. This way, it would not be a burden to the capital.
When Emperor Wen took over Quanzhou, the trusteeship was gradually lifted.
This also meant that if the four counties in Minnan Province that belonged to the Great Xia Dynasty stopped supplying Quanzhou with supplies, then Quanzhou would be in chaos due to a shortage of supplies in less than half a month.
Of course, this was the most extreme method. Both sides would suffer, and no one would gain anything.
If Ouyang Shuo really gave such a despicable order, the Great Sui could only send troops in an attempt to subdue Minnan Province with force. War would break out just like that.
This was something that no one wanted to see.
But no matter what, the Great Xia had the lifeline of the Great Sui in their hands. As such, how could Gao Ying, the Minister, not be worried?
Emperor Wen was not stupid. He naturally thought of this and agreed with Gao Ying. He was prepared to wait and see.
...
Shanhai City, Xia Palace.
Not long after Wang Meng arrived in Quanzhou, he was discovered by the Mountain Sea Guards.
In the past two years, the Black Snake Guards and the Mountain Sea Guards had been operating diligently. They had long woven an impenetrable intelligence network in Quanzhou City.
Nothing in Quanzhou could escape the eyes of the secret agents of the Mountain Sea Guards.
When Shen Buhai received the news, he had a premonition that it was a crucial piece of information. He did not dare to delay. After personally verifying it, he immediately reported it to the Emperor.
Ouyang Shuo was not surprised when he heard this. It would be abnormal if Di Chen and the rest did not use the sensitive relationship between the Great Sui and the Great Xia to cause trouble.
"This prince understands. Continue to keep an eye on him," Ouyang Shuo instructed.
"Yes!"
After Shen Buhai left, Ouyang Shuo turned to Qingyi and said, "Invite the Chamberlain of Dependencies here." Calculating the time, Emperor Wen should have settled down. It was time to make contact with the Great Sui.
"Yes!"
There were no eunuchs in the Xia Palace. Naturally, there was no chief eunuch. Qingyi, who worked in the same imperial study as Ouyang Shuo, played the role of a messenger.
A moment later, Zhang Yi came with the order.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
"Have a seat!" Ouyang Shuo waved his hand and said, "I called you here because I want you to go on a diplomatic mission."
Zhang Yi asked, "Your Majesty, are you referring to the Great Sui?" The only country that could make Zhang Yi, the Chamberlain of Dependencies, personally lead a diplomatic mission was the Great Sui Dynasty.
"Smart." Ouyang Shuo nodded and said, "The Great Sui Dynasty and Quanzhou have always had a close relationship. Both sides have maintained close contact in terms of trade and cultural exchanges."
"Now that Quanzhou has a new master, we naturally have to do our best as a host and congratulate them. The trade agreement that both sides have previously signed needs to be reconfirmed. "
Zhang Yi was startled and said, "Your Majesty, you mean to continue to maintain the cooperative relationship between both sides?"
Ouyang Shuo looked at Zhang Yi with a faint smile and said lightly, "Why not?!"
Zhang Yi was terrified. He quickly stepped out of the ranks and bowed and said, "I misspoke. Your Majesty, please punish me."
"Alright, I understand what you mean." Ouyang Shuo's expression was relaxed. "Peace is the most important thing right now."
"Yes!"
Zhang Yi responded while thinking about the deeper meaning of the King's words. He was actually a little lost in thought.
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