Sui Dynasty: I, Yang Guang, am both scrupulous and stable

Chapter 256 Goguryeo’s flattery
The gates of Youzhou City were opened wide. Yuan Taizuo led his team of envoys to Youzhou City. He looked around and smiled at the envoys of the Sui Dynasty and said: "The Sui Dynasty was really prosperous. Youzhou City at the border is actually so prosperous. It’s more prosperous than our capital city of Goguryeo.”

Who doesn't like flatterers? The people sent by the prince to greet him all said proudly: "Our great Sui country is rich and powerful, so naturally we can't compare with you."

As the prime minister of Goguryeo, Yuan Taizuo looked down upon such ministers who were so arrogant. He was just born in the Sui Dynasty, so he was arrogant, but on the surface he was extremely respectful: "Yes, yes, the Sui Dynasty was a superior country. We, Goguryeo, are just a middle-class country in a corner of the country."

Faced with such a groveling Prime Minister of Goguryeo, the boy sent to pick him up felt that he had become a superior person.

When meeting the Crown Prince of the Sui Dynasty, Yuan Taizuo knelt down and bowed before him. He said loudly and respectfully: "Your Highness, the Crown Prince of the Sui Dynasty, Yuan Taizuo pays homage to His Highness."

Yang Yong, who originally planned to embarrass the Goguryeo people, saw this situation and stretched out his hand to avoid hitting the kneeling people. Most of his anger seemed to have disappeared. He waved his hand and asked people to stand up and sit down to talk.

"Foreign ministers have received countless instructions from my king. They must not be negligent when meeting His Highness the Crown Prince of the Sui Dynasty. Even if my king does not grant him permission to sit in front of His Highness the Crown Prince, it is better for foreign ministers to stand. It is better to stand still. .”

This compliment made Yang Yongna, who liked to hear flattery, very happy.

"Sit down, sit down, you know etiquette, and Sui speaks well, I will reward you."

"The foreign ministers are terrified."

After sitting down, Yang Yong looked at the gifts that were brought up and said: "We in the Sui Dynasty want to use the road to go to Silla and Baekje with Goguryeo, but why do you King Pingyuan refuse?"

"It's not that we don't want to, it's just that we are afraid. Your Highness, the prince, has an army that has fought hundreds of battles. The Turks who fought in the south and north are all running away. Each one of them is as majestic and solemn as a heavenly soldier. If such an army is allowed to enter, As for us Goguryeo, not to mention the ignorant farmers and people, even the foreign ministers are extremely frightened."

Yuan Taizuo continued with a look of horror: "Today when the foreign ministers entered Youzhou City, they almost fell off their horses when they saw the two soldiers. If such soldiers entered Goguryeo, I am afraid that at least half of us would be frightened and become hysterical. .”

The people of Goguryeo have always had an exaggerated way of speaking, and it is still the same today, with babbles and hoohoos.

But I heard that Yang Yong was very happy and had a strong appetite for him.

Zhang Dayi, the counselor, was at Yang Yong's side and wanted to remind the prince who was getting carried away, but the prince was in high spirits now. He knew his master's temper and could not throw cold water on him at this time, so he could only stand aside and watch.

"Hahahaha, Yuan Taizuo, Goguryeo is really lucky to have a talent like you."

Yuan Taizuo immediately said: "Your Highness, if you really want to borrow the road, it is not impossible, but you have to go in person and don't bring so many soldiers. After all, you are sending someone as an envoy, not to fight. So, You will lead the team yourself, and we, Goguryeo, will all welcome you. I, the king, will definitely send a welcoming team stretching for dozens of miles to greet you."

Hearing this, Zhang Dayi looked at Yang Yong and was still happy, so he had to say: "Mr. Yuan, how can our prince, who has a body of thousands of gold, condescend to go to a small country like Silla and Baekje in person?"

Instead, Yang Yong glared at Zhang Dayi. Zhang Dayi was also helpless. As a minister, you have to think about your master. What if Yang Yong is deceived and really goes on a mission by himself?
Although he glared at Zhang Dayi, Yang Yong's mood of being flattered just now was somewhat relieved by this reminder: "I have many things to do, so naturally I won't go on a mission in person."

"Your Highness, why don't you take this opportunity to visit Goguryeo? There are a lot of deer and roe deer in our mountains and forests. I heard that Your Highness is very good at shooting. You can go hunting in Goguryeo and let us people see the great deer." The majesty of His Highness the Prince of Sui."

Yang Yong asked back: "If I lead my troops on a hunting patrol, you won't be afraid?"

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. His Highness the Crown Prince has always acted with kindness. Even as far away as Goguryeo, we have heard about it many times. When people see such a kind and virtuous person like His Highness the Crown Prince, the people will naturally not be afraid. In fact..." Yuan Tai met him. Zuo De hesitated to speak, so Yang Yong asked: "What is it actually?"

"Actually, what our people are afraid of is only someone as prestigious as His Royal Highness, King Jin of your country."

As soon as Yang Guang was mentioned and the words "famous" were used, Yang Yong became unhappy instantly, his face sank, and his brows wrinkled slightly.

"Why do you say that?"

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, spare your life. Foreign ministers know that privately discussing the Sui royal family is a capital crime. I hope Your Highness will spare my life."

"Please answer the question I just asked first."

Yuan Taizuo said tremblingly: "We people in Goguryeo have all heard that His Highness the King of Jin in the Sui Dynasty was a great killing god. The Turkic cavalry who killed people with their own strength at the border were frightened by the news and relied on His Highness the King of Jin to defeat them." After the Turks, His Highness the King of Jin had to eat human blood every day, which made us both respectful and afraid. This time our King received the Pearl of the East China Sea from His Highness the King of Jin. He didn’t sleep for several days, so he quickly prepared the gift. Come and return the favor.”

Upon hearing this, Yang Yong was angry in his heart, but he did not explode in front of Yuan Taizuo.

"It seems that you are still more afraid of our King Jin."

Yuan Taizuo struck while the iron was hot: "Your Highness, the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty and Your Highness the Crown Prince, we respect you in every way, but His Highness the King of Jin is too fierce, and we are really afraid. Please don't blame the foreign ministers for what they just said about His Highness the King of Jin." Things, let alone tell His Highness the King of Jin, lest he would bear grudge against the foreign minister."

"Let's take the Goguryeo envoys down to rest first."

Yuan Taizuo immediately stood up and left. Before he walked to the door, he turned around and emphasized: "Your Highness, these twenty maids are a gift specially prepared by our king for His Highness King Jin, lest His Highness Jin King thinks that we have lost etiquette and return the favor." Please give it to His Royal Highness Prince Jin."

Yang Yong waited until the people left, patted the chair and stood up: "It's ridiculous, it's ridiculous, even the Goguryeo people are afraid of the second child and don't take me seriously."

In his eyes, respect and fear actually mean the same thing, and fear is even more useful than respect.

At this time, Yang Yong said to Zhang Dayi with a dark face: "Today, Yuan Taizuo paid me a false compliment. His respect for me was fake, but his fear of the second child was real, so he gave the second child away." They are just like a child. They ignored us before, but now the Prime Minister comes to deliver gifts in person. Haha, the second brother’s name is much more useful than mine or even my father’s.”

Zhang Dayi hurriedly said: "His Royal Highness, Your Highness the King of Jin has gained some reputation in the war against the Turks, but compared to you, he is still a bit immature. These border people have never seen how powerful you are, Your Highness. Wait. Your Highness, when you beat them until they can't hold their heads up, they will know who to be afraid of."

"There must be more than twenty maids sent from outside. Bring them all in. You want to give them to the second child? There is no door."

"Your Highness, please don't be angry."

"And keep the army ready at any time. If Goguryeo doesn't agree to our borrowing the road, we will prepare to fight."

(End of this chapter)