"Apart from that, Tubo also has a happy occasion. I hope to get the permission of the Heavenly Khan." Lu Dongzan breathed a sigh of relief and then talked about the other purpose of this trip.
"Say it!" Li Shimin said loudly.
"The Tsangpu of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, has always yearned for a pure love like that of Marquis Mo and Princess Changle. He inadvertently saved a Tang woman and fell in love at first sight. However, this Tang woman, Consort Wenfei, was the daughter of a merchant. She felt inferior in her heart, believing that she was not worthy of the Tsangpu. This subject earnestly requests that Your Imperial Majesty bestow upon Consort Wenfei the title of Princess Consort Wenfei, allowing this pair of lovers to finally get married and become a much-told story between the Great Tang and Tibet. Lu Dongzan spoke with great emotion about the love story of Songtsen Gampo and Wenfei, which immediately won the favor of the ministers. The king of a country fell in love with a Tang merchant's daughter, which made the ministers have a better impression of Tubo.
Meton had to sigh at Songtsen Gampo's quick move, which changed the image of Tubo in the hearts of the Tangs at one stroke.
Li Shimin shook his head without hesitation and said, "The title of Princess is unnecessary. The Tang dynasty has already sworn that there will be no political marriage."
"It's just a title, not a political marriage. I beg Your Majesty to grant this pair of unfortunate mandarin ducks."
Meton sneered in his heart. Although it was just a title, it had a different meaning for Tubo. How could he let Songtsen Gampo succeed? This time, before Li Shimin looked at him, Meton took the initiative to refute, "Minister Lu, there is a famous saying in the Tang dynasty that everyone is a princess. As long as she is a woman of the Tang dynasty, even if she is a merchant, she is still a princess. There is no need to give her a title."
"Everyone is a princess!" Lu Dongzan was stunned. He had studied Mo Jiazi in depth and naturally knew that this sentence was written by Mo Jiazi to build a hospital for women and children for Princess Changle. At this moment, it was the perfect excuse for the Tang dynasty to reject Tubo.
Meton continued, "Not only that, even if Wenfei is just a merchant's daughter of the Tang dynasty, Tubo must treat her with the highest courtesy. When I married Princess Changle, I built a new house. As the king of a country, Songtsen Gampo naturally built a palace to marry Wenfei. Otherwise, how could he live up to their sincere love? Am I right, Minister Lu? "
Lu Dongzan said dryly, "That's natural, that's natural."
However, in Lu Dongzan's heart, it was as if he had eaten a fly. Mo Jiazi was too shameless. Not only did he not want to give Wenfei the title of a princess, but he also wanted Tubo to treat Wenfei with the courtesy of a princess. He said that he was supporting the women of the Tang dynasty, but he was simply going to whore Tubo for free.
Meton laughed and said, "In that case, this marquis is inspired. I happen to have an idea of a magnificent palace. Quickly bring me a brush and paper."
Under Li Shimin's instructions, Pande soon brought the paper and a brush. Meton picked up the brush and painted on the paper. Soon, a magnificent palace appeared on the paper. It was the shape of the Potala Palace in the future.
"Other time travelers are trying to change the trajectory of history, but only I am trying to make history go on the right track." Meton couldn't help sighing as he put down the brush.
"Your Majesty, please take a look!" Pande respectfully handed the paper to Li Shimin.
Li Shimin took a look and couldn't help but be impressed by the magnificent palace. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Why didn't Meton give this to him?
But thinking about it, Mo Jiazi's action was to consume Tubo's national strength. If he really gave it to him, he probably wouldn't be able to pass the test of the ministers.
"It is indeed magnificent." The ministers couldn't help but praise the Potala Palace's blueprint.
"Minister Lu, are you satisfied? Meton's calligraphy and paintings are worth a thousand gold in the Tang dynasty. This time, Tubo has profited?" Li Shimin said loudly.
Lu Dongzan couldn't help but feel bitter. Mo Jiazi wantonly decided for Wenfei because he wanted to use this palace to consume Tubo's national strength.
However, although he knew that this was Mo Jiazi's scheme, Lu Dongzan still had to accept it with a forced smile.
"Thank you, Merton, for giving me the blueprint."
Meton coldly snorted and said, "Minister Lu, it's too early to be happy. Although Tubo's sincerity has moved His Majesty, the enmity between us has not been resolved."
"Merton wants to kill all the foreign ministers!" Lu Dongzan smiled bitterly, arousing the pity of many ministers.
"Killing people is just a matter of time. Merton has already destroyed 5,000 Tubo cavalry and killed Lun Chenling. Lu Dongzan is just a pitiful person who has to send off his own son." Yu Zhining said with pity.
"Lu Dongzan is a white-haired man who has to send off his black-haired son, but the 180 families of the Great Tang are also white-haired men who have to send off their black-haired sons. Who would be pitiful?"
Yu Zhining was suddenly at a loss for words. He wanted to say that Tubo still had 5,000 families who had lost their sons, but he wisely didn't say that. Otherwise, it would definitely cause public anger.
"Envoys are not killed when two countries are at war. Now that Tubo has surrendered, if you kill Lu Dongzan and start a war without permission, you, Meton, will have to bear the responsibility." Yu Zhining pressed on with righteousness.
Meton was not afraid at all and said, "If you want to blame someone, blame Lu Dongzan for starting the conflict between Tubo and the Tang dynasty. He has only himself to blame. However, since he is an envoy, I can give him a way out. Let's see if he can grasp it."
"Please enlighten me, Merton."
Lu Dongzan understood that he had no way out. Tubo has crossed this hurdle. Whether he can cross it or not will depend on this hurdle. "
Modun stared at Lu Dong and praised, "This Marquis has heard that Minister Lu is a famous sage in Tibet. Today, this Marquis will give Minister Lu three questions. If you can answer them, then I will spare your life. If you can't answer even one, then you can only blame yourself for having a hard life."
"Please, Merton, give me the questions!" Lu Dongzan said straightforwardly. He had no way out now.
"For the first question, I have a peerless jade called the Nine Tunes Jade. If you use a silk thread to pass through it, then you pass." Merton frowned.
They had heard of the Nine Tunes Jade before. It was the dowry that Li Shimin gave to Meton and Changle. The Nine Tunes Jade lived up to its name. The holes in the middle were nine tunes back to the intestines. How could a soft silk thread pass through these curved holes? However, although Meton's questions were tricky, they did not exceed Lu Dongzan's knowledge. No one had anything to say.
"For the second question, there are 100 mares and 100 foals in the stable. They are all mother and son. Minister Lu, you only need to recognize these 100 pairs of mother and son." Meton continued.
The officials couldn't help but be dumbfounded. In the eyes of humans, unless they lived with each other day and night, all other horses looked the same, let alone being able to recognize a foal. In their eyes, this was an impossible task.
"The third question is the simplest. When Tubo's envoys arrived at the Tang dynasty, I was responsible for receiving you, but because of my own selfish motives, I deliberately made things difficult for you. This time, I will compensate Tubo's envoys with 100 sheep and 100 jars of wine."
"100 sheep and 100 jars of wine." Lu Dongzan could not help but have a dignified look. He did not believe that Meton would be so kind. There must be a trap.
Sure enough, Meton continued, "You must kill the sheep, skin them, eat the meat, knead the skin, and drink the wine within a day."
"Ah!" The officials couldn't help but burst into an uproar. This was Modun's final move. There were only a hundred people in the Tubo diplomatic corps, but each of them had to finish an entire goat. This was practically impossible. Even more incredible was the wine. At this moment, the wine of the Great Tang was no longer the wine of the past that could keep one from getting drunk after a thousand cups. It was now a highly potent wine. One jar of wine would probably cause anyone to become drunk, so how could they possibly complete the mission Modun had given them?
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