"At this rate, the Yamata Nation probably won't last three days before it's completely taken over," Xun Yu said excitedly, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.
Even without witnessing it firsthand, he could guess the current state of the Yamata Nation: a complete and utter defeat.
Faced with the overwhelming military strength of Great Liang, this isolated island nation was utterly powerless to retaliate; the technological and weaponry development of the two sides was simply not on the same level. Even if that Eight-Headed Serpent were to be resurrected, it would probably be turned into snake soup.
Such a swift annihilation of the Yamata Nation would prevent the consumption of even more resources, which would definitely be a good thing for the Great Liang!
What pleased him, however, were the thousands of islands; they were a sure source of resources. The Emperor had said that these islands were full of treasures.
Lin Yi nodded slightly and smiled, "The Yamata Nation has a lot of resources, especially gold and silver, which are really valuable. So this emperor is truly a good person!"
To be honest, if the Yamata Nation hadn't taken the initiative to come forward, it wouldn't have been easy for the Great Liang to find him in a short time.
Even though the Great Liang embarked on a path of maritime expansion, the Yamata Nation remained active in the South Sea, which contradicted the Great Liang's strategy of advancing westward. Therefore, their directions were reversed.
They actually came to us of their own accord; they're such kind people.
As for the news of Ran Min's massacre on Eight Gods Island, he simply ignored it. "I've already issued the Order to Kill the Hu, so why should I care how many people you kill? Killing many people is perfectly acceptable."
However, Lin Yi was somewhat displeased by the news that the Emperor had sent someone to plead with the Great Liang to withdraw its troops. This Emperor was rather naive!
He couldn't help but look at Zhao Yun beside him, frowning as he asked, " Zilong, have the envoys from the Yamata Nation arrived?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Yun nodded, his expression somewhat strange, and said, "Although they arrived, they were stopped by the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who said they needed to dispel some bad luck before they could see the Emperor!"
According to the intelligence from the Hundred Riders, the envoy from the Yamata Nation arrived All Under Heaven, but he is still being held by the Court of Diplomatic Reception.
Forehead!
Everyone's gaze swept over Zhang Fei, who was counting ants on the ground. They couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. This guy was in charge of the Court of Diplomatic Reception, which dealt with foreign affairs. They really didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing for these foreign tribes.
This feels like a total rip-off; the Yamata Nation delegation must be devastated.
"This kid's got a knack for things!"
Lin Yi was quite satisfied. He had to admit that Zhang Fei had handled the matter reliably, completely understanding his intentions as the emperor. He was indeed very reliable.
He laughed and said, "Minister Zhang, please don't do that again. We are all guests from afar. Bring up the envoy from the Yamata Nation!"
The word "my beloved minister" made everyone envious; Zhang Fei was lucky to have flattered the emperor.
Soon the envoys from the Yamata Nation were brought up, but judging from their listless appearance, they had clearly received special treatment from Zhang Fei, which explained their dejected state.
However, upon seeing Lin Yi, they couldn't help but become emotional, crying out, "Your Majesty, on behalf of our Emperor, I offer you our sincerest apologies. We, too, love peace!"
The newly appointed ambassador of the Yamata Nation, Yamamoto Isoku, immediately prostrated himself on the ground in the main hall and kowtowed repeatedly to Lin Yi.
They need the understanding of the Great Liang, otherwise the Yamata Nation is likely to face dire consequences. So even if the hope is slim, he cannot give up.
His humble demeanor was touching, and Princess Anne, standing nearby, felt a deep empathy for him, realizing how difficult it must have been for anyone to establish diplomatic relations with Great Liang.
"Apology?"
Lin Yi glanced at him but didn't say anything.
I've already sent troops to fight you, what good is your apology? Where were you before?
He glanced at Zhao Gao, who immediately stepped forward.
Based on past understanding, this means the Emperor is displeased.
Zhao Gao, standing to the side, instantly understood and shrieked, "You scoundrels! Your Yamata Nation has provoked my Great Liang, coveting our treasures. Do you think an apology is enough to resolve this?"
You have absolutely no sincerity! We think you're asking for trouble!
His so-called apology came empty-handed; this kid is really clueless, he's a complete blockhead.
ah!
Yamamoto Isoku's face stiffened. How could he not have brought gifts? But the problem was that Zhang Fei had confiscated the gifts, saying they were stolen goods and turned over to the national treasury.
Who the hell can I reason with?
He gritted his teeth, just about to step forward, when someone kicked him aside.
The one who made the move was none other than Cao Mengde, the Ministry of Rites of Rites. His face was full of anger as he said, "Your Majesty, our Great Liang is known for its etiquette and is respected by the All Under Heaven. Now, such a shameless Yamata Nation has emerged, which is simply intolerable to Heaven and Earth."
I, Cao Mengde, as the Ministry of Rites, am willing to volunteer to promote the etiquette of the Great Liang.
Since the Yamata Nation covets our Great Liang's treasures, they must repay us tenfold, otherwise where will Great Liang's face be?
It is said that the Yamata Nation is rich in resources and is known as the wealthiest country in the All Under Heaven.
It even has the Emperor's approval, and it's worth hundreds of millions of gold and silver. If we don't bring it back, we'll be letting down the Emperor's support.
"Holy crap, my Ministry of Rites is amazing!"
Everyone's lips twitched. This guy was in charge of the Ministry of Rites; he was practically getting the Ministry of Rites involved in usury.
However, this statement, though crude, is not without merit. The Yamata Nation must offer a substantial compensation, or they will absolutely not be let off the hook.
Zhang Fei, standing to the side, was furious and shouted, "Get lost, you Cao Heizi! You're trying to steal my business, Zhang Yide's business, aren't you? This is a matter for the Court of Diplomatic Reception, not your Ministry of Ministry of Rites!"
We're the ones who reason with them. Forget about politeness; I'd just stab them to death with a spear!
damn it!
He simply couldn't stand Cao Cao. No matter what Cao Cao did for him, he couldn't stand him. Not only did that guy make all sorts of contributions, but he even interfered in the affairs of the Court of Diplomatic Reception. He was utterly inhuman.
How could we let him have this opportunity to extort money? Absolutely not.
" Zhang Yide, what do you mean?" Cao Cao's face turned green. "My Ministry of Rites is responsible for educating people on etiquette. We're going to teach the Yamata Nation about manners, and that's a perfectly legitimate reason!"
Princess Anne felt a chill run down her spine. For the first time, she began to doubt the so-called peace-loving and courteous nation. If she hadn't misheard, they were going to divide up the Yamata Nation.
That's way too fast!
Not long ago they were talking about attacking the Yamata Nation, how come it's over in just two days? The speed of the Great Liang is just too fast.
According to the rumors, wasn't the Yamata Nation supposed to be powerful, which is why it coveted the high-yield breeds and shipbuilding technology of the Great Liang? How come it was destroyed in just a few days? It's too weak!
Cough cough!
Seeing Princess Anne's bewildered expression, Lin Yi couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed; the scene had gotten rather heated.
He coughed twice and said in a deep voice, "Both of you shut up! My Great Liang is a land of etiquette, emphasizing winning people over with Win People Over with Virtue. How can you keep talking about treasures? Are you robbers?"