vrcanaries Chapter 1595 The Grassland Wolf Knows When to Be Pragmatic, the Central Plains Qilin Values Integr
Chapter 1595 The Grassland Wolf Knows When to Be Pragmatic, the Central Plains Qilin Values Integr
"These terms must be written down in black and white in the covenant, and be witnessed by both the Chanyu and His Majesty."
"As for warhorses..."
Gu Jinxiao raised her eyes, her tone slightly cold: "Thirty thousand bolts in ten years, though a huge number, cannot compare to the life's fortune of the Great Zhou princess."
"If we want to show the Xiongnu's sincerity, we should change it to 5,000 horses as a betrothal gift in the first year, and 2,000 horses each year for the next nine years. However, at least 70% of them must be of superior quality and must be inspected by the Great Zhou Horse Administration. If even one horse is of inferior quality, the number for that year will be halved."
He paused briefly, then added, "Furthermore, if the marriage alliance is successful, the Xiongnu's border market taxes to the Great Zhou must be reduced by 30% to demonstrate the friendship between the two nations."
This is a negotiation skill, and also a stance.
The Great Zhou could grant marriages, but the Xiongnu had to follow the rules of the Great Zhou.
Luan Di Yi Tu finally raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Gu Jin Xiao's face, and slowly said, "Rules must be followed, of course. But the grasslands also have their own rules."
"When the princess of the Great Zhou marries, she becomes a noblewoman of the grasslands and should be respected by the people of the grasslands."
"As long as His Majesty of the Great Zhou approves this marriage, the specific details can be discussed later."
He emphasized the word "permitted" slightly.
Gu Jinxiao met Luan Di Yi Tu's gaze and said firmly, "His Majesty's will is beyond the comprehension of a subject."
"What we are discussing today, whether it is border markets, annual tribute, or marriage alliances, is a long-term plan for both countries."
"I have recorded all that the Left Wise King has mentioned. The responses of the Great Zhou are also included here."
"However, the final decision cannot be made by the Ministry of Rites alone. Three days later, please bring the revised regulations to the palace to meet the Emperor."
"At that time, whether warhorses will trot out a peaceful road or old grudges will resurface on the icy plains, it all depends on the decision of His Majesty and the Left Wise King."
At this point, Gu Jinxiao stood up, bowed, and said meaningfully, "The wolves of the grasslands know when to yield, and the unicorns of the Central Plains value integrity. I hope the Left Wise King will consider this carefully!"
Negotiations between two countries involve a lot of back-and-forth and bargaining, so it's impossible to reach a conclusion overnight.
The first day of negotiations ended in an atmosphere that seemed to be progressing, but in reality, each side was sticking to its bottom line and testing each other.
When we left the Honglu Temple, the sun was already setting in the west.
Gu Jinxiao walked down the street, his official robes fluttering slightly in the wind.
Looking back on the day's events, he understood that the real challenges lay ahead.
Luan Di Yi Tu may appear rough and unruly, but in reality, every step he takes is carefully calculated.
All I can do is fight for every inch of land and every penny for the Great Zhou at the negotiating table!
Inside the study.
After Gu Jinxiao left with the officials of the Great Zhou, Uvi spat first and cursed in a rough voice in the Xiongnu language: "These people of the Great Zhou, every one of them has a bone in their mouth, the words they utter are all convoluted and roundabout, not a single one is straightforward!"
"That Vice Minister Gu looks delicate and frail, even more fair-skinned than a woman, but when it comes to negotiating terms, he's as stubborn as an old wolf on the grasslands!"
Another deputy envoy rubbed his throbbing temples and complained, "The border markets demand their post-war prices, and if they want to reduce the annual tribute even a little, it's like tearing their flesh out. Even when sending warhorses, they have to pick out the male and female and check their teeth."
"The Great Zhou princess hasn't even married into the Xiongnu yet, and they're already setting up so many rules and safeguards. Do they think our grasslands are a den of tigers and wolves?"
He recalled Gu Jinxiao's expression when she mentioned the princess's succession, safety, and freedom—that seemingly calm yet firm attitude—and felt stifled.
Helian Ze didn't speak, but looked down at the key points he had just recorded, his brows furrowed.
He was in charge of negotiating the specific terms and conditions, so he had the most direct experience.
Gu Jinxiao's interruptions, guidance, and tone-setting were all perfectly timed. Seemingly yielding, she always held firm to her bottom line at crucial moments, and even added conditions in return.
This subtle, methodical negotiation style is more difficult to deal with than a military general who slams his fist on the table and glares.
Luan Di Yi Tu's lips curled into an ambiguous smile, his eyes revealing a hint of appreciation: "Indeed, it's a tough nut to crack."
“If you only see his polite speech and his use of classical allusions, you are sorely mistaken.”
"Among the officials of the Great Zhou today, the one with the strongest attitude is precisely the seemingly least sharp-tongued Vice Minister Gu."
Uvi was taken aback: "He's the toughest one?"
"Wasn't that official from the Ministry of War even more aggressive in his tone?"
Luan Di Yi Tu said calmly, "That man from the Ministry of War is angry on his face and anxious on his lips. His words can be refuted, suppressed, or even intimidated."
“But Gu Jinxiao is different.”
“He always talks about etiquette, regulations, and the emperor's will, positioning himself as someone who obeys orders and appears passive. But think about it, when has he ever truly yielded on matters of principle?”
"Regarding the border market ratio, he produced account books and data; regarding the reduction of annual tribute, he invoked the treaty from that year; even the marriage alliance..."
At this point, Luan Di Yi Tu paused, his eyes deep: "He completely ignored the topic of whether or not the princess would marry, and went straight to the princess's status, treatment, offspring, and protections after she married him."
"That was a brilliant move. It not only blocked our path to demanding exorbitant prices, but also threw the problem back at us."
"The Xiongnu want to marry the princess of the Great Zhou? Fine! But it has to be done according to the rules of the Great Zhou, and the rules have to be set in advance. Set them clearly so that no one can find fault with them and no one can go back on their word in the future."
"This is even more frustrating than simply saying you don't want to get married."
Helian Ze raised his head, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "Does Your Highness mean that the man surnamed Gu, who appears to be polite and rigid, is actually meticulous and well-versed in the art of defense as offense?"
"good."
Luan Di Yi Tu stood up and walked to the window, looking at an old tree in the courtyard that had lost all its leaves: "He doesn't argue with us or make a fuss with us. He just takes that set of formalities and goes on and on, one by one."
"They are testing our patience and bottom line, and also probing our true intentions."
“That man surnamed Gu knows what the Xiongnu want, and he also knows that we are not without scruples. Therefore, he can remain calm.”
Uvi asked anxiously, "Then what do we do?"
"Are we just going to waste time with him like this? We don't have that much time to waste on Great Zhou officials!"
Luan Di Yi Tu walked back to the desk, picked up the draft left by Gu Jin Xiao, and casually flipped through it: "What's the rush?"
"If he's willing to keep at it, then we'll keep at it with him."
"Patience? Hunters on the grasslands have no shortage of patience. Sometimes they have to lie there for days and nights, watching a cunning prey."
"In the next few days, Helian Ze, you continue to negotiate with them. Stick to our conditions regarding the border city ratio and the details of the annual tribute, but you can loosen your grip on some less important issues and make concessions."
"The point is..."
At this point, Luan Di Yi Tu's eyes turned slightly cold: "Tie the terms of the marriage alliance and warhorses even tighter with all other conditions. Make it clear to the Great Zhou that without a princess to marry into the family, all other favorable conditions are out of the question."
"The warhorses are the bait, but we need to keep them dangling in the air; we can't feed them all at once."