We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Chapter 1131 The King and the Great Treatise

Zaxi stammered, "Reporting...reporting to His Majesty the Emperor..."

"The King of Zanpu, Rende, cannot bear to see the people on the border suffer from the ravages of war again. He is willing to cease hostilities with Your Majesty and make peace. Both sides shall cease hostilities and return to the borders they were on before this battle."

"Both sides ceased deploying troops and dismantled fortresses in the disputed area of ​​Chuima City and its surrounding areas, making it a buffer zone."

"At the same time, we are willing to open a border market with Daqing, allowing merchants and travelers to travel freely, engage in fair trade, and exchange goods and services."

"In this way, Tibet and Daqing can turn hostility into friendship and maintain lasting peace on their borders."

After Zaxi finished speaking, he secretly raised his eyes, wanting to observe Li Che's expression.

Li Che's face remained expressionless; he simply stared at him quietly for a few seconds.

Then, he suddenly let out an undisguised cold laugh from his nose: "Ha."

Immediately afterward, to Zaxi's astonishment, the emperor, who had just been quoting classical texts and discussing the rites of Zhou, clearly uttered two vulgar words:

"fart!"

"..."

Zaxi was completely stunned, his mind went blank.

This isn't right. Wasn't His Majesty just spouting all sorts of propriety and morality a moment ago? How did he suddenly become so vulgar?

Li Che leaned back in his chair, a mocking look on his face: "What did you just put out? The territory I just conquered has become a 'controversial land' in the blink of an eye, and you want me to return it?"

"I'm a little confused. Did I lose, or did your Tibet lose?"

Zaxi shrank back, not daring to speak again.

Li Che, however, did not let him off the hook, leaning forward again: "And then there's the trade policy. Tibet is a barren land, producing only cattle and sheep hides, and a few medicinal herbs and minerals."

"My Daqing is rich in products, with silk, porcelain, tea, ironware, salt, sugar and general merchandise, you can find everything."

"With the opening of border trade, who benefits more and who is more indispensable to whom? Doesn't your Zanpu know this?"

"Using my own resources to exchange for the furs you already wanted to sell, then expecting me to relinquish the lands I won through bloody battles, and still owe you a debt of 'eternal friendship'? Your Zanpu..."

Li Che paused, his sneer deepening: "Are you still hungover from drinking too much barley wine last night?"

"Do you still think my head is as faulty as the one we just dragged out?"

Zaxi was stunned by the barrage of questions, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

He wanted to argue, to say that returning to the original border is a traditional practice for maintaining peace, and so on...

But when the words reached his lips, he remembered Gongga's bloody end and swallowed them all back.

The Qing emperor mentioned above was clearly different from ordinary people. Although he spoke of righteousness, he was only thinking about his own interests. It would be impossible to reason with him using traditional customs.

He opened his mouth, but in the end only lowered his head bitterly and said in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This...this was all an order from the Grand Council; I, your humble servant, merely relayed it and had no authority to alter it..."

"No authorization?" Li Che's voice turned cold. "Then what are you doing here? Wasting my time?!"

He tapped his fingers heavily on the table!

"If that's the case, it seems your Zanpu (king) doesn't really want to make peace."

Li Che stood up, his black robe sleeves fluttering.

His voice was firm and resolute, echoing throughout the tent: "If there's so little sincerity, then there's nothing to talk about!"

"Go back and tell your king, I am waiting for you right here in Chuima City!"

"If he is not satisfied, feel free to send more troops!"

"Let's see if the heads of your Tibetan warriors are harder, or the swords of my men are sharper!"

"As for Dorje..." Li Che glanced at the tattered banner outside the tent, "His head, perhaps soon, will be hung on this gate just like your master's, as a warning to others!"

Seeing that Zaxi was trembling and dared not speak, Li Che finally lost all patience.

He then looked down and said loudly:

"Wang Sanchun!"

“Your subordinate is here!” Wang Sanchun stepped forward with a stern expression.

"Show them out! Let them go back to where they came from!"

"If they are still lingering here by this time tomorrow, they will be considered spies and killed without exception!"

"According to the order!"

Tashi and Lunzhu felt as if they had been granted a pardon, but were also so frightened that they scrambled to their feet.

He was then practically carried out of the tent by Qing soldiers and made to walk back the way he came in a disheveled state.

Inside the tent, Li Che watched their figures disappear outside, the cold anger on his face slowly fading.

He slowly sat back down, picked up the slightly cooled ginger tea, and took a sip.

“Your Majesty,” Wang Sanchun said, returning with a hint of doubt on his face, “the Tibetans only sent a few idiots? The chief envoy seems tough, but he’s all bark and no bite. He’ll break easily. The deputy envoy is even more of a coward.”

"Do they really think they can reach an agreement like this?"

Yue Yun also said calmly, "Perhaps they were just testing us."

Xu Jiezi stroked his beard and said, "In my opinion, there is no consensus within Tibet. The pro-war faction is unwilling to accept defeat, while the pro-peace faction is powerless. So they sent this kind of person. If it succeeds, we will be lucky; if it fails, we will suffer no loss. It can also test our bottom line."

Luo Yueniang frowned and said, "That deputy envoy, Zaxi, said in the end that he had no authority to change it... It wasn't entirely an excuse; judging from his expression, he seemed to have a real reason."

Li Che put down his teacup, his fingertips tapping the table unconsciously, a glint in his eyes: "What you all say makes sense, however..."

Before he could finish speaking, another report came from outside the tent:

"Your Majesty! The Tibetan deputy envoy who just left has returned. He is kneeling outside the camp gate and says that he has a top-secret matter to report to Your Majesty in private!"

. . . . . .

The Royal Palace of Lhasa.

Sunlight streamed through the high windows, illuminating the murals depicting fierce guardian deities painted in vibrant colors.

The air was filled with the unique aroma of butter lamps and Tibetan incense, making the main hall appear spacious and solemn.

On the throne, the young Tibetan king sat upright and solemnly.

He was only fifteen or sixteen years old, and his face still had the delicate features of a young man.

But in those narrow eyes inherited from his ancestors, there was a calmness far beyond his years.

Wearing a well-tailored brocade robe and a crown symbolizing power, he was not yet fully grown, but his demeanor already exuded extraordinary presence.

At the age of thirteen, he assumed personal rule with the assistance of important ministers such as the Grand Councilor Lu Dongzan. In the following years, he suppressed several major noble rebellions, reorganized the laws, and strengthened royal power.

Taking advantage of the changes in the surrounding forces, Tibet expanded its territory and influence significantly.

The entire nation, especially the veteran officials who had followed his father in conquering the country, placed high hopes on this intelligent and precocious young king.

They firmly believed that, given time, this young king would become one of the greatest monarchs in Tibetan history.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the main hall was solemn.

The civil and military officials stood on both sides, and all eyes were focused on the eloquent speech delivered in front of them.

Gar Tongtsen was the most trusted minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor. He was skilled in both literature and military affairs, and enjoyed great prestige. He was also the young emperor's teacher and main supporter.

At that moment, he was analyzing the bad news coming from the southeastern border for the Zanpu.

"...Dorje underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly, causing the army to suffer a setback and himself to fall into enemy hands. This is truly a disgrace to our Tubo!"

Lu Dongzan's voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the hall: "However, the Qing emperor, taking advantage of this great victory, not only did not retreat, but instead carried out large-scale repairs on the city walls of Chuima City and stockpiled grain and fodder. Moreover, many scouts reported that he was urgently mobilizing troops from the country."

"According to reliable sources, the Qing army is currently amassing forces along the Chuima line, and its numbers are likely no less than 100,000!"

He turned around, bowed deeply to the young king on the throne: "King, the ambitions of the Qing people are as clear as day!"

“They will never be satisfied with just one city, Chuima. Their military might will surely reach the heart of our Tubo territory.”

"Now that they are riding high on their recent victory while our army has just suffered a defeat and our morale is low, if we do not immediately launch a thunderous counterattack, they may become a major threat."

He straightened up, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials in the hall before finally settling on the face of the Zanpu (King's ruler): "Your subject, Gar Tongtsen Yulsung, humbly requests Your Majesty to issue the order."

"Gather the elite troops of the four tribes of Weiru, Yaoru, Yeru, and Laru, and conscript young men from the subordinate tribes, mobilizing all available soldiers in the country, and immediately set off for the southeastern front."

"We will use the overwhelming force of Mount Tai to completely drive the Qing people out of our Tibetan land!"

"Uphold our national prestige and avenge this great humiliation!"

The hall was silent, with only the echoes of Lu Dongzan's words breaking through the silence.

Many military officers looked indignant and eager to try.

The civil officials looked worried and whispered among themselves.

All eyes eventually fell on the young Zanpu.

The young king listened quietly, his face expressionless, though his hand resting on the gilded armrests of his throne trembled slightly.

He looked down at the great scholar below, who had devoted himself to Tibet and was both a teacher and a father to the country, and saw his face slightly flushed with excitement and the unwavering determination in his eyes.

But a strange feeling lingered in my heart.

For the first time, the young king felt a hint of hesitation regarding the great discourse he had always respected.

He was silent for a moment before he slowly spoke:

"Great Treatise".

"The minister is here."

"We..." The young Zanpu's eyes were clear as he looked directly at Lu Dongzan, "Why must we be enemies with the Qing people?"

The question was asked casually, but it clearly startled Lu Dongzan, causing his brows to furrow almost imperceptibly.

This is the first time since the Zanpu took power that he has been explicitly questioned on a major strategic decision.

He quickly adjusted his mindset, bowed, and replied, "Your Majesty, it is not that our Tubo (Tibetan Empire) necessarily wants to be enemies with the Qing people. It is the Qing people who have launched an attack without cause, invaded our territory, killed our soldiers, and captured our general."

"This time, it was the Qing people who broke their promise first, and our Tubo was forced to raise an army to defend our territory!"

"Is that so?" The young Zanpu's tone remained calm. "But, Great Lord, I remember that the reports from the border also mentioned that last winter and this spring, our Tibetan tribesmen crossed the border many times to rob caravans from Qingren border towns and even abduct people."

"The Qing border troops have also protested many times. If we hadn't looted the border first, would the Qing emperor have mobilized such a large army and personally led an expedition to invade Tibet?"