Finest Servant

Chapter 324

Chapter 324 The IOU

A tiger-like glint flashed in the Emperor's eyes as he glanced at Su Mubai and then Lin San, a faint smile lingering on his lips, his thoughts unfathomable.

Su Mubai, who studied the books of saints and sages, had nothing but contempt for Lin Wanrong's peculiar theories. "Our Great Hua is a country of courtesy and rites, how could we possibly adopt the profit-seeking ways of foreigners?" He was about to retort again when the Emperor waved his hand, "Enough of your debates. Let's put this matter to rest. Minister Xu, you draft an imperial edict to be sent to the King of Dongying, instructing him to strictly manage his subjects and princes. Should they dare to insult my Great Hua subjects again, I will hold him accountable."

"Your humble servant obeys your command," Xu Wei quickly bowed and responded.

"Lin San, your disregard for order in this Golden Hall, assaulting others, is a grievous offense. However, considering this is your first time attending the court and you're unfamiliar with the rules, I will forgive you once. I will take back your reward, the imperial garden will be returned to the court, and your merits in Shandong will be erased. Are you satisfied?" the Emperor said with a stern face.

"Satisfied, satisfied," Lin Wanrong chuckled. He thought, this old Emperor, although mediocre in ruling, wasn't a fool. How could he indulge in elixir affairs and let the Great Hua descend into chaos?

The Emperor's verdict seemed fair on the surface, but in reality, Lin San had suffered no loss, despite Prince Tsugumi Takeshita being beaten. This time, the Emperor had clearly favored Lin San. Su Mubai's face flickered, feeling increasingly gloomy as the Emperor's gaze lingered more and more on Lin San.

After settling the matter of Prince Tsugumi Takeshita, the Emperor was evidently in high spirits. He looked at the Goryeo envoy and asked, "So, you are Yi Seung-Jae, the eldest son of the King of Goryeo?"

The Goryeo prince nodded and bowed, "Indeed, I am Yi Seung-Jae. I am here on my father's orders to visit the Emperor of Great Hua and to personally present ten pieces of thousand-year-old ginseng. I wish the Emperor of Great Hua eternal youth and a long, boundless life."

Despite his humble demeanor, Yi Seung-Jae's words were all filled with wit. Goryeo had always been a tributary state to Great Hua, and when a subject pays respect to the Emperor, they should kneel. But not only did Yi Seung-Jae not kneel, he also equated his meeting with the Emperor to a visit, placing both parties on equal grounds. His gifts were also pitifully scarce, revealing his intentions without a word spoken.

Lin Wanrong, who was standing on the side, heard everything clearly. ‘Thousand-year-old Goryeo ginseng? Does your Goryeo even have a thousand years of history? You're a better con artist than me.’ He could understand the Goryeo people's unwillingness to remain subservient. But they sought protection from Great Hua when they were in trouble, and yet stabbed Great Hua in the back when it was in difficulty. They had betrayed Great Hua's trust more than once or twice. He had no fondness for them.

The Emperor glanced at Yi Seung-Jae and said indifferently, "The King of Goryeo is thoughtful. But I am in good health, without any sickness or ailment, waiting for him to come and pay his respects in person. You go back and tell your father that when he personally comes to Great Hua to visit the Son of Heaven, I will reward him with a hundred eastern pearls and a thousand bolts of silk, guaranteeing his lifetime peace."

The underlying message in these words was clear to everyone present. Goryeo was geographically close to Great Hua, without natural defenses to rely on. Throughout the dynasties, attempts to conquer Goryeo had seldom ended in failure. The people of Goryeo knew this too. Therefore, among the envoys from the three countries, his mentality was the most difficult to fathom.

Yi Seung-Jae bowed and said, "I will certainly convey Your Majesty's will to my father. In addition to paying my respects to the Emperor of Great Hua, I have two requests to ask of you, and I hope Your Majesty will grant them."

Lin Wanrong's mind stirred. He had heard from Xu Wei that the princes of Dongying and Goryeo, and the Khan of the Turkic people, were all seeking the Princess's hand in marriage. At this point, it seemed that the prince of Dongying, Tsugumi Takeshita, had already been eliminated. Could it be that Yi Seung-Jae from Goryeo was seizing this opportunity to act first?

While he was deep in thought, the Emperor had already responded, "Oh? What are these two matters? Please tell."

Yi Seung-Jae respectfully acknowledged, then turned to the attractive woman behind him, clad in pink palace clothes, "Palace Lady Seo, for the first matter, I would like you to present it to His Majesty personally."

"Yes!" Palace Lady Seo, with her hands hanging down, respectfully assented. Her command of the Great Hua language was very fluent. She approached the throne, speaking softly, "Your Majesty, Emperor of Great Hua, I wish to request some medical, agricultural, and metallurgy books from the palace. Goryeo is located in a remote area where the people suffer. I wish to borrow these books to study them thoroughly and hope that Your Majesty will grant this request."

Realizing the nature of the request, everyone felt a sense of relief. Even Xu Wei shook his head; this was such a minor issue, hardly worth personally asking the Emperor.

Others didn't understand the subtleties involved in this matter, only Lin Wanrong, who was looking at the pretty palace girl, was slightly frowning. This wasn't to be taken lightly. Giving all these valuable resources to Goryeo might bring huge trouble to the future generations if not handled carefully.

The Emperor smiled, "Oh, what do you want these for?"

Palace Lady Seo gave a slight smile, revealing a set of neat, white teeth, "To inform your Majesty, I deeply admire the achievements of Great Hua in medicine and agriculture. I wish to study these books and contribute towards the eradication of diseases in Goryeo, aid in their food and clothing, and make a contribution to the prosperity of Goryeo."

The girl's modest elegance, refreshing charm, confident speech, and attractive appearance all endeared her to the crowd. The Emperor too found her agreeable, and he smiled, "Great Hua's knowledge is vast and profound. Which books do you need?"

Palace Lady Seo was prepared, and began listing, "The Four Books and Five Classics, Wind-Cold Discourse, Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders, Collected Records of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The Medical Skills of Guiguzi, Commentary on the Water Classic, Exploitation of the Works of Nature..."

She spoke effortlessly, with no signs of difficulty, as if she had a thorough understanding of Great Hua's civilization. She listed more than a hundred subjects. At first, they were general and understandable, but later, they included many obscure books that Lin Wanrong hadn't heard of. However, seeing the astonished look on Xu Wei's face, he knew the books Palace Lady Seo mentioned must be incredibly obscure.

When Palace Lady Seo finished, Xu Wei asked, "Miss, where did you learn about these titles? As far as I know, many of them are unique copies held within the palace, encompassing medicine, agriculture, architecture, and metallurgy, and they are all the essence of Great Hua's thousands of years of accumulation. Seeing you speak so fluently, I know you must have done some research."

Palace Lady Seo replied respectfully, "I learned about these from various books. The predecessors held them in high esteem, and I just wrote them down one by one, hoping that one day I could come to Great Hua and have a look. Today, I have finally realized this wish."

Xu Wei sighed, "Your diligence in learning is truly commendable, Miss. I must confess that among the multitude of scholars in my great Hua, there are few who can readily discuss various disciplines as you do, let alone delve deeply into them."

A hint of shyness crossed the palace lady's face, making her all the more adorable. The Emperor, pleased, stated, "To have the knowledge of my Great Hua shared with Goryeo is indeed a great deed. Books on medicine, agriculture, and metallurgy are all crucial for the welfare of the country and the people, and can also promote interaction between Goryeo and my Great Hua. Given Palace Lady Seo's dedication, I hereby approve—"

"Your Majesty!" Lin Wanrong, who had been silent for a long while, suddenly shouted.

Everyone in the hall was immersed in their admiration of this Palace Lady Seo. Lin Wanrong's outcry, much like a thunderclap in a clear sky, shook everyone.

The Emperor's brow furrowed slightly, he queried softly, "Lin San, what is it that you wish to report?"

‘To report? To report my foot! I am nearly driven to my death by your generosity. These treasures of our Great Hua civilization, passed down for thousands of years, you are so readily giving away just because you find a girl pretty. Do you know how much trouble your "hospitality" could bring to future generations?’

The crowd glared at Lin Wanrong unfavorably. While they had supported him when he beat up the Prince of Dongying, they couldn't comprehend why he opposed this beneficial exchange of culture between Great Hua and Goryeo. Even Xu Wei, the most knowledgeable man in the world, looked at Lin Wanrong, utterly puzzled.

Lin Wanrong was alone in his stance, but he knew if he did not act, no one else would. Under everyone's burning gazes, he braced himself, "Your Majesty, this young lady is both knowledgeable and adorable, deserving of our admiration, however—"

"However what?" Palace Lady Seo gave him a curious look, her lips slightly parted, and her beautiful eyes wide open.

Lin Wanrong sighed, "However, it is truly extraordinary that you want to take so many valuable aspects of our Great Hua culture all at once. Even if you were well-prepared, it would be impossible to thoroughly study all of these within a short lifespan."

Palace Lady Seo nodded and smiled, "Of course, I alone couldn't possibly study all of this, but we have future generations. They will continue our mission. Sir, what is it that you worry about?"

‘My worry is precisely your future generations,’ Lin Wanrong thought, then pled, "Your Majesty, I have a request. If the essence of our Great Hua civilization is given to them for the public good, that's fine. But I hope this young lady and Prince Yi Seung-Jae could sign a document clearly stating that on a certain date, they borrowed certain books from Great Hua for certain uses. Any disciplines derived from this in the future must credit their origins. For instance, Goryeo medicine originated from Great Hua medicine, not a Goryeo creation. Also, please indicate that traditional festivals such as the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Tomb Sweeping Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Double Seventh Festival [TL: Chinese Valentine’s day,] Mid-Autumn Festival, Double-Ninth Festival [TL: Senior’s Day,] and the twenty-four solar terms [TL: Chinese Zodiac] all originated from Great Hua. These traditions are adopted by other countries and cannot be claimed as cultural heritage. Please mark the borders of Great Hua and Goryeo in proportion, and both of you sign your names as witnesses. Don't stare at me, that's all I can think of for now."

As soon as his words fell, a light laughter broke out among all present, from the Emperor to the guards. Even Xu Wei couldn't help but shake his head. Lin San's remarks were ludicrous, the epitome of needless worry. Sharing their culture with Goryeo was hardly akin to having it stolen.

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