"Won't they just replace that gang and then get wiped out by the Nanzhao authorities?"
[As long as they don't copy that gang by robbing a shipment of government tax silver and angering the higher-ups, no one will bother with them.]
With the system as her chat companion, Yue Fuguang was now wide awake.
She looked towards the front of the procession, where the vermilion phoenix carriage adorned with gold tracery, belonging to Princess Pingning, Xie Zhiyao, stood silently.
The canopy was like a cloud, and the gilded phoenix bells hanging from its four corners were utterly still in the cool morning breeze, completely silent.
Although Xie Zhiyao was marrying with the status of a princess, Emperor Mingxi had specially permitted her to use the ceremonial guard befitting an imperial princess, as a mark of his favor.
Behind the phoenix carriage, a dowry procession stretched endlessly, winding in a line that reached to the end of the Imperial Avenue, vanishing into the morning mist that had yet to fully dissipate.
[Master, the emperor and officials of the Danyan Dynasty wouldn't be like that Tang Dynasty from the blue planet you once visited, would they? Where a princess goes for a marriage alliance, and they show off the entire family fortune.
Seeds, technology, tools, craftsmen... taking all these over isn't that just aiding the enemy?]
As for cultural exchange? In the system's view, that was just a nice-sounding term used later because they became one family.
If not, just see if they wouldn't be cursed by later generations!
The little islanders and the little stick people are living examples.
Yue Fuguang hesitated for a moment. The Crown Prince standing beside her could see the conflict and uncertainty on her face, and her inner thoughts reached his ears.
"Emperor Mingxi shouldn't be that foolish, right? Although I didn't say it explicitly, I did hint to the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Diplomatic Reception... they probably... wouldn't?"
[I'm just afraid your reminder was too subtle. These people, full of their own celestial empire superiority, are so used to flaunting their wealth that they might not change their mindset quickly enough.]
Emperor Mingxi looked at Zhang Zhongping and You Mingmin. Their expressions told him these two had likely been called out by the two ancestors.
Zhang Zhongping and You Mingmin were indeed panicking inside. They had taken precautions. When Princess Pingning had asked them for skilled craftsmen,
the two had firmly refused. Not only did they refuse, but Minister of Works Lu Qi had even taken all the craftsmen from the Prince of Qi's mansion, except for apprentices, under the pretext of a temporary transfer.
As a result, those standing in the procession now were all former apprentices from the Prince of Qi's mansion. As for Xie Zhiyao's attempt to recruit from among the common people, they had secretly thwarted that too.
But besides craftsmen, the two thought of tools, fine seeds, and books... it seemed those were really included!
Emperor Mingxi, seeming very concerned about his niece's dowry, asked, "Ministers Zhang and You, is Princess Pingning's dowry all properly arranged?
The princess is marrying far away; she is a meritorious servant of the state. Regarding the dowry, ensure there are absolutely no mistakes."
Zhang Zhongping, his face still somewhat pale, immediately bowed and replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, all items of the princess's dowry have been loaded onto the carts.
Your servants and Minister You will conduct one final verification to guarantee there are no omissions in the princess's dowry."
Emperor Mingxi nodded with satisfaction and waved them off, saying, "Go quickly and return swiftly. Do not miss the auspicious hour."
From beginning to end, the Prince of Qi and his son and daughter-in-law, standing behind and to the side of Emperor Mingxi with sickly complexions, did not utter a word.
"Little Pearl, is the Prince of Qi really ill, or is he pretending?"
[Half and half. He was worried and scared after being confined, but to gain the sympathy of the Xie clan members today, he deliberately caught a chill two days ago to make himself sick.]
"This Prince of Qi is desperate to get out early. Even under house arrest, he still had the ability to mobilize assassins to kill me. His influence is considerable!
It seems Emperor Mingxi's guards aren't up to par either. The mansion was surrounded, yet he still managed to get messages out."
[Master, I told you, let me deal with him, but you refused.]
"Emperor Mingxi said he would handle it, didn't he? Let's give him a chance, and avoid dirtying our own hands.
If they can't even handle this matter properly, you can act then. After all, the Prince of Qi is now a bird in a cage, a turtle in a jar; he can't escape."
Emperor Mingxi's heart stirred. He knew this was the little immortal lord's test for him and for Danyan. If this matter wasn't handled well, these two might truly become disappointed and leave.
The three judicial officials already tasked with handling the follow-up—Cai Xian, Wei Ping, and Feng Tang—exchanged glances and reached a silent understanding in moments.
Time passed bit by bit. The dowry procession began to move first. The vanguard was the part symbolizing ritual propriety: jade tablets and precious registers led the way, placed in red sandalwood boxes carried by eunuch attendants.
Following closely were items for daily life: a red sandalwood bed inlaid with mother-of-pearl, a curio cabinet, wardrobes and chests.
Complete sets of porcelain ornaments, brocades and silks radiant as clouds, whole cases of eastern pearls, translucent jadeite, warm and smooth fine jade—all shimmered with a dazzling brilliance under the palace lanterns.
Bringing up the rear were cart after cart of carefully selected rice and mulberry seeds, bundles of Confucian classics, agricultural and medical texts, and even models of intricate looms and plowshares...
[Master, you overestimated the Danyan emperor and officials after all. Look at the contents of these last few carts. Taking these to the Qiang tribes will, in a few years, turn into sharp arrows shot at the people of Danyan.]
"I didn't expect them to be this foolish either. Who shows off their good things instead of guarding them? Who acts like them, having one tael of silver but wanting others to think they have ten?
Perhaps the fall of Danyan is also related to this habit of 'showing off'?"
[These officials can die if they must, but it's a pity for the common people. Should I summon heavenly fire to burn these things?]
The Danyan emperor and officials: Wait, Divine Artifact, what do you mean 'they can die if they must'? After spending so much time together, don't you have any feelings for us at all?
Your care for unseen commoners is greater than for us? Why does this feel inexplicably sour?
"No need. The people here firmly believe in gods and spirits. If you summon heavenly fire without cause, wouldn't it make both Danyan and the Qiang tribes think it's a warning from heaven?
That wouldn't be good for the marriage alliance."
Without the marriage alliance, Xie Zhiyao would only have death awaiting her. Yue Fuguang felt that this ambitious troublemaker, placed in someone else's house, might have unexpected effects.
If the Qiang tribes could be pried open from within by this troublemaker Xie Zhiyao, then Emperor Mingxi's decision to spare her life wouldn't be in vain.
Outside the Gate of Heavenly Reception, both sides of the Vermilion Bird Avenue were already packed with a dense crowd of commoners.
The noise of discussion was incessant. People stood on tiptoe, craning their necks to watch the endless stream of red dowry items being pulled out from the wide-open palace gate, stretching for miles.
They were all envious of how generously the imperial family married off a daughter—so many wonderful things they had never seen or heard of in their lives, being carted out in loads.
Especially when they saw the massive bed like a small house, they clicked their tongues in amazement.
What they saw and heard today would be enough for these common folks to boast about for decades. In the coming period, following the Gao family incident, it would dominate the after-dinner conversations among the people, the best topic to go with a meal.
Zhang Zhongping and You Mingmin, who had gone to verify the dowry, soon returned with a group of subordinates to report.
Emperor Mingxi asked, "Is Princess Pingning's dowry complete and without omission?"
