After the Emperor left, the Empress turned to Mu Yunge and said, “Xiao Jiu’er, why were you saying those things to your father? You almost made him angry.”
“Mother, don’t worry. How could Father be angry with me? I was just telling the truth! A few days ago, someone was telling me how beautiful the scenery beyond the Great Wall was and how handsome the barbarian princes were!” Mu Yunge said innocently.
Upon hearing this, the Empress narrowed her eyes and looked at Yan Fei.
Yan Fei immediately stepped forward and explained the situation.
After a moment, the Empress’s face darkened.
She said, “Good, good! My Xiao Jiu’er is only eleven years old, and someone is already plotting against her!”
How could the Empress not know such methods?!
“Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have already dealt with those people as instructed by the Princess. She didn’t want you to worry, which is why she didn’t tell you earlier.” Yan Fei then said.
The Empress nodded and then looked at Mu Yunge, her face filled with sorrow.
“If Zhou Ti’er were still… Who would dare to scheme against you like this?”
Mu Yunge smiled faintly upon hearing this. This was not something that Zhou Ti, even as the crown prince, could avoid.
Then, she said to the Empress, “Mother, I’ll go out for a walk to digest my food. You should rest early.”
The Empress nodded and instructed Yan Fei, “Take good care of Xiao Jiu’er.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
…
After returning to his study, the Emperor thought about it more and more and felt that Mu Yunge’s words made sense.
Why should the barbarians exchange a cartload of cattle and sheep for so many good things in his possession?
Shouldn’t the barbarians be paying tribute to him in the first place?!
If he bestowed so many gifts upon them all at once, wouldn’t that mean the barbarians were taking advantage of him?!
Unable to calm his emotions, the Emperor immediately summoned the Vice Minister of Rites and brought up the matter.
To the Emperor’s surprise, the Vice Minister of Rites wholeheartedly agreed, saying, “Your Majesty should have done so long ago! It’s only right for small countries to pay tribute. Our Great Zhou only needs to return some gifts upon their departure to fulfill the proper etiquette, and no one can say anything about it. However, if the rewards are too excessive, it will only give them more capital to strengthen themselves. If they use our Great Zhou’s resources to support their armies, in the long run…”
Upon hearing this, the emperor was immediately startled. What he said was true. The barbarians were not easy to kill, and they were only peaceful now because the border regions were poor. If they had no worries about food and drink, why would they be so peaceful and obedient?
Thinking of this, the Emperor immediately said in a deep voice, “You handle the return gifts this time!”
Upon hearing this, the Vice Minister of Rites immediately replied, “Your Majesty, please rest assured. This humble subject will certainly handle the matter perfectly for you!”
He had long disagreed with the Emperor’s practice of lavishly rewarding small tributary states. Although it wasn’t his money, every time he saw those cartloads of precious goods being sent out, his heart bled!
The Great Zhou Dynasty was wealthy, but that wealth was the result of their hard work and accumulation. Those small countries, on the other hand, merely feigned poverty before the Emperor, only to leave with a large sum of money!
Why should they?!
…
Seven or eight days later, it was the Ninth Princess’s birthday.
Although the Crown Prince had been deposed, the Emperor’s favor toward the Ninth Princess remained undiminished. Therefore, Mu Yunge’s eleventh birthday was celebrated as grandly as in previous years.
Because the barbarian princes and ministers were still in the capital, the Emperor not only summoned the barbarian envoys and princes to the palace but also ordered all his ministers to bring their female relatives to celebrate Mu Yunge’s birthday.
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Maria Lian On CFRFGC Chapter 110