Side Story Chapter 8 - The Turkic Peace Talks! (1/2)
The words drew everyone’s attention, and they all turned to the speaker.
Behind a nearby sandalwood table, an energetic figure was clapping in admiration. This man’s clothes were clearly different from the clothes of the Great Tang, exuding a foreign aura.
Behind him were several people dressed in the same way. These were foreign emissaries who were taking part in the Spring Rain Banquet.
When the officials saw who had spoken, they all chuckled and said nothing. The Hu were not fluent in the Tang language, so their praise tended to be exaggerated, but the officials understood what he meant.
The Hu did not sit down as everyone looked at him. Once the performers of the Thunderclap Drums had left the hall, he bowed in the Turkic fashion and then slowly began to speak to the Tang Emperor.
“The First Prince of the Turkic Khaganate, Ashina Cui, wishes the Great Tang eternal peace and prosperity!”
All of the officials were somewhat startled.
The foreign emissaries had all been invited to the Spring Rain Banquet, and the Turkic First Prince, Ashina Cui, was naturally one of them. But this was purely a feast meant for amusement. No one understood why the Turkic First Prince had stood up at this time.
Moreover, relations between the Turks and Tang were tense at the moment, and the frequent battles had already made the Turks a major problem on the Great Tang’s northern border. This First Prince had a special status, and his every word and action was significant.
In truth, that the Turkic Khagan’s number one successor would appear in the Great Tang was astonishing enough!
A number of major officials in the hall frowned.
But Ashina Cui was unperturbed.
“Ashina was born on the frontier and has never experienced this sort of entertainment or this kind of feast. I thank the Tang Emperor for permitting Ashina to personally experience it, truly broadening my horizon! It was no loss for Ashina to come from afar to the Great Tang!
“In addition, Ashina wishes that the Tang Emperor may live ten thousand years! Ten thousand years!”
Ashina Cui ignored the others as he once more respectfully bowed to the Tang Emperor. He exuded such grace and elegance that he did not seem at all like a Turkic savage.
The Tang Emperor waved his hand and lightly said, “First Prince is being too polite. It is fine so long as the Prince enjoys it, as it means that the Great Tang is not lacking in courtesy to its guests!”
Visitors were guests, and no matter what the state of Tang-Turkic relationships were, this Turkic Prince was at least acting properly.
“The Spring Rain Banquet is enjoyed by all of the Great Tang. Ashina wishes to use this occasion to give Your Majesty a gift!
“On this trip to the Great Tang, Ashina came with an order from the Turkic Khagan to discuss peace with the Great Tang, so as to resolve past grievances in the hopes that the Great Tang and the Turks can enjoy good relations for all time!”
All the officials were dumbfounded, and the Palace of Qilin Virtue became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Li Taiyi, who had his eyes closed as he enjoyed the banquet, suddenly opened his eyes, his sharp and cold gaze aimed at the Turkic First Prince.
The Spring Rain Banquet!
Ashina!
Peace talks!
That major event from his memories was finally happening!
This was the crucial juncture of the thunderclap coup! A turning point in the fate of the Great Tang!
Li Taiyi narrowed his eyes, aiming a piercing and freezing stare at the First Prince.
Meanwhile, Ashina Cui continued to speak.
“The origins behind the battles between the Turks and the Tang can only be found far back in history, but in the final analysis, it is because neither side trusts or understands each other. Several hundred years ago, both the Great Qin and the Great Han of the Central Plains invaded the Turkic steppe, and the Turks suffered grievous losses. It is for this reason that we have always regarded the Central Plains as a major foe.
“But while the Turks have seemed to come out with more victories than defeats in the many years of battle, the Great Tang is not a weak country. The Turks have lost many people, and many once-fertile fields can no longer be used as pasture.
“Many mothers have lost their children, sons have lost their fathers, families have been broken apart, and the herds of livestock and horses have been greatly depleted. I am sure Your Majesty also knows that our steppe recently suffered from a great blizzard that led to many livestock freezing to death, many shepherds suffering from starvation and freezing. Yet the war still continued!
“The Great Tang believes that the Turkic Empire will move southward, and we Turks have always believed that the Tang will emulate the Great Qin and Great Han by invading the steppe, driving us from our homes, driving us from the steppe. This is a misunderstanding from both sides.
“But this one is different. From a young age, I was taught by the Tang, and I admired the Great Tang’s culture and style. In the future, if I take the throne, I will certainly be eternal friends with the Great Tang.
“In truth, I have spent many years attempting to remonstrate with my father, the Khagan, telling him that the people of the Central Plains enjoy peace and have no intentions of expanding into the steppe.
“I know that the Tang Emperor must have many doubts, but for many years now, my Imperial Father has contemplated an end to the fighting. Yet his dignity prevents him from being the first to come forward.”
Ashina Cui paused a moment.
“In addition, on this journey to the Great Tang, my Khagan Father ordered me to present a Turkic treasure to the Tang Emperor as an expression of sincerity!
“Besides this, we are willing to pay one hundred thousand head of livestock, eight thousand warhorses, and one hundred thousand taels of gold in compensation to the Great Tang and to request its forgiveness!”
As he spoke, Ashina Cui raised his hand, revealing a gold-embroidered document that he sincerely presented with both hands.
In his hands was a peace treaty written in both Turkic and Tang languages!
Bang!
All the officials within the Palace of Qilin Virtue immediately began to chatter.
The Turks wanted peace, and they were willing to hand over a Turkic treasure, one hundred thousand head of livestock, eight thousand horses, and one hundred thousand taels of gold in compensation? This was unprecedented.
“The Turkic Empire wants to talk peace? Is this real? Really real?”
“It can’t be wrong. They’ve even sent the Khagan’s heir, the First Prince. Would they really do this if they didn’t want peace?”
“Constant war over the last few years, particularly with the Turks, has drained the empire of wealth, resources, and manpower! That the Turks have come forward to talk peace is wonderful news!”
“If the war really is ended, we can reduce the burden of taxation and labor on the common folk, allowing them to return to their lives.”
The officials were all delighted to hear this news.
Two hundreds years ago, the Turks had experienced a sudden rise and begun to spread into the Western Regions, gobbling up territory. As they expanded, they gradually earned the attention of the other countries. Each Turkic Khagan was brimming with ambition and had expanded the Turkic Khaganate’s territory.
War was cruel and heartless, and no one liked it. Wars were all about sorrowful partings and separation by death, and the common people thus loathed war.
The compensation proposed by the Turks was secondary!
If they had truly come to discuss peace, then this was the best news of the banquet. It meant that the common folk of the Great Tang could return to their normal routines!
As the officials in the Palace of Qilin Virtue grew more and more excited, to the right of the Tang Emperor, Li Taiyi sipped his wine, and his eyes grew colder and colder.
A pile of nonsense!
This Turkic First Prince’s magnanimous words might have been able to fool others, but not him!
Li Taiyi would have been happy if the Turks actually wanted peace, but this was far from the truth.
From the history that he understood, it was precisely because the Tang had too easily trusted the Turks’ words of peace, trusted in their promises of livestock, horses, gold, cattle, and treasure, that the Great Tang had plunged into the abyss, never able to recover!
The Turks had chosen exactly the right moment!
The Great Tang had been embroiled in wars for many years, and the country had been emptied out, the people overburdened. The common folk had begun to loathe the thought of war and think of peace. This was human nature, for every person had a desire for peace and a dislike for war.
This was particularly true for the civil officials. They had fiercely opposed war, and over the last few years, they had sent daily memorials requesting peace talks, enough to create mountains.