plumnovel Chapter 20: Would you be willing to be Goujian?
Chapter 20: Would you be willing to be Goujian?
Having vented his frustrations, Dou Fengjie returned to the Court of State Ceremonial with a refreshed and invigorated spirit.
It feels so good to feel every punch land!
During these months of mourning, I couldn't go out to fight, and I was finally able to release some of my pent-up energy.
Inside the Honglu Temple, cheers and applause rose and fell.
Especially in the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, the officials all had a fanatical look in their eyes.
In matters of diplomacy, one must demonstrate the demeanor of a great power, and often one has no choice but to endure humiliation and hardship. Dou Fengjie's decisive and righteous actions gave everyone a chance to vent their anger.
Zhao Dekai, the Director of the Imperial Household Department, shook his head with a wry smile. Dou Fengjie, on the other hand, was quite pleased. The regular officials in the court would definitely impeach him in the Taiji Hall, perhaps even more fiercely than the Censorate.
Forget it, I'm just a low-ranking seventh-grade steward, I don't even have the right to attend court, why should I worry about it!
When the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up.
Changsun Huan, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, snorted, "Nonsense! If the court were to impeach us, I'd be the one to step in!"
This classmate was really in a dilemma. On the one hand, he couldn't stand Dou Fengjie's actions, but on the other hand, he had to fulfill his duties as a superior and protect Dou Fengjie.
In terms of responsibility, Changsun Huan lived up to the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and also lived up to the identity of a classmate.
Liu Shan, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, chuckled and said, "Well done! I've wanted to do that for a long time, but unfortunately I couldn't win."
However, Liu Shan, who is only five feet four inches tall, is definitely weak in terms of martial arts.
After leaving the court and returning to his office, Tang Jian, the Minister of Ceremonies, nodded slightly: "The method was a bit crude, but the effect was good. Cui Xinggong, the Attendant-in-Waiting, told us about how you won over the six Dangxiang tribes."
"The noisy sounds are like the chirping of cicadas in summer; just ignore them."
"His Majesty and the ministers approve of your actions, at most they find them a bit too rough."
Dou Fengjie smiled and crossed his arms, feeling a warm feeling in his heart.
Although the Court of State Ceremonial was not entirely harmonious, everyone worked diligently and did not engage in infighting, which was quite good.
"Let me remind you, Princess Yongjia is no pushover. She probably already knows about your proposal to marry her off to the Western Turks."
Changsun Huan's eyes revealed a hint of schadenfreude.
Oh my, it's Princess Shang!
Fortunately, it was clear that the eldest brother, Changsun Chong, had married the princess, so he didn't have to worry about the scheming behind it.
It should be noted that even the act of consummating the marriage between a princess and her husband is subject to certain rules.
"I just want to disgust her."
Dou Fengjie wasn't afraid of offending Princess Yongjia. When she smashed up the Duke of Zan's mansion, why wasn't she afraid of offending Dou Fengjie?
It seems that Li Tai's plan to have her marry Zhishi Sili has come to nothing, so Dou Fengjie will naturally have to take matters into his own hands.
Although Princess Yongjia's proposal to marry the Western Turkic Khaganate's Siyabgu Khan was directly ignored, the impact was still significant.
Officials of the fifth rank and above who regularly participate in the proceedings all know about this proposal. If officials then pass it on to their families, it will naturally become the talk of the town.
General Yuwen Shiji of the Right Guard was an exception. He never mentioned official business to his family, nor did he gossip. He was surprisingly cautious.
If a ruler is not discreet, he will lose his ministers; if a minister is not discreet, he will...
Back in the innkeepers' quarters, the fourteen innkeepers looked at Dou Fengjie with burning eyes.
There was no chance for servants to intervene; the stewards brewed tea themselves and eagerly served Dou Fengjie a standard cup of tea, without any added ginger oil.
"Master Dou has stepped in and vented the anger of the Court of State Ceremonial! They've long disliked the arrogant Tuyuhun!"
The other representatives from the North Gate of the business world spoke their minds.
The others were just ordinary stewards who couldn't handle trouble, but Dou Fengjie had the double buffer of his noble title and civil official position.
Aside from a few idiots, most people who dare to go out of line naturally have something to rely on, and Dou Fengjie was no fool.
Dou Fengjie took a sip of the tea: "Xiangzhou tea? Excellent craftsmanship!"
During the Tang Dynasty, the best quality of Shannan Dao Tuancha (a type of compressed tea) came from Xiazhou, followed by Xiangzhou and Jingzhou, then Hengzhou, and the lowest quality came from Jinzhou and Liangzhou.
In other words, excluding the Shuzhou tea gifted by Li Tai, the Liangzhou tea that Dou Fengjie drank was considered the lowest quality among scholars.
Of course, loose tea consumed by peddlers and laborers cannot be included.
The skill of Beimen Shuangpeng Tea is far superior to that of Dou Fengjie. With the addition of various seasonings, the tea soup is soothing to the throat without being irritating.
Bei Men Shuang poured himself a bowl: "Practice makes perfect, nothing to mention."
"The Japanese envoys I deal with in Tang China are always impeccably courteous, yet something always feels off..."
Dou Fengjie chimed in, "Don't you want to beat them up?"
Joyful laughter echoed from the dormitory.
"Don't say I'm full of complaints and nonsense; I just really dislike Japan. Even if the chief envoy, Inugami Mitasuki, is polite, he still seems incredibly hypocritical."
The two men at the North Gate poured out their bitter waters.
"Japan is concerned with petty etiquette but lacks a sense of righteousness. Its territory is frequently plagued by volcanoes, tsunamis, and black bears. It has always wanted to move from the island to the mainland."
"Therefore, the Japanese came to the Tang Dynasty to learn its systems, strategies, and casting techniques, intending to use these against the descendants of the Tang Dynasty. In the long run, this will surely become a problem for future generations."
Dou Fengjie bluntly expressed his contempt for the Tang Dynasty's extravagant spending despite its poverty.
Let Japan learn from us for a year!
Why not just hand over the Tang Dynasty?
Let them learn some Buddhist teachings, that's enough. If you really feel bad about it, just pack up 100,000 monks and nuns and send them to Japan.
In any case, Japanese monks and nuns can live together, and if they have countless offspring, they can cut off as many as they want.
Doesn't this perfectly solve the problem of "How can one have it all, without betraying the Buddha or the beloved?"
"Yan Lide, the junior craftsman, ordered the Imperial Workshop to close its doors, forbidding Japanese craftsmen from entering to learn."
Bei Men Shuang grinned and started gossiping.
Not only the Imperial Workshop, but also the Imperial Household Department did not allow the Japanese to enter.
Overall, key departments remain somewhat vigilant.
Dou Fengjie chuckled: "Actually, we could also go back disgusted. We could submit a memorial requesting that when Japan is conferred titles by the Tang Dynasty, their King Shuming should perform a kneeling ceremony."
The customers were dumbfounded.
This idea is indeed wicked. Would King Shuming be willing to become Goujian?
Just thinking about it makes me feel refreshed and relaxed.
Bei Menshuang gestured wildly: "Dou Zhangke's slaps were powerful and resounding, and his 'Was it right?' sounded like he was asking if my skin was swollen."
Laughter filled the dormitory.
The officials were generally aware of the imperial court's intention to subdue the Tuyuhun, but they lacked the resources to take the gamble and could only swallow their anger and watch Murong Xiaojun's arrogance.
Without sufficient status and confidence, even if you see a trend, can you rush in and be the first to get a piece of the pie?
For ordinary officials, going with the flow is the norm, and avoiding mistakes is considered a success.
After a brief exchange, Dou Fengjie agreed to help his colleagues in his spare time to see if he could make the foreign envoys appear kind and benevolent.
What pleased Dou Fengjie most was that the Court of State Ceremonial had its own official kitchen, making it very convenient to eat whatever he wanted; he could simply let them know in advance.
Fun fact: In the six provinces, one court, nine temples, and three prisons, those with a chief clerk position always had their own official chef.
In addition to the central government offices of the Secretariat, Chancellery, and Ministry of Personnel, there were also the Palace Secretariat, the Imperial Secretariat, and the Palace Attendants' Secretariat.
The Six Ministries did not exist in isolation; they were subordinate departments of the Ministry of Personnel.
At this time, the Water Conservancy Bureau was still under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Workshop.