SFS Chapter 299 Shui Changqing meets with the Nanling nobles
Chapter 299 Shui Changqing meets with the Nanling nobles
Nanling
In the dark night, a group of people walked silently in the mountains and forests.
If they hadn't disturbed the snakes and insects in the mountains and forests, it would have been as if they had never been there.
The group walked into a cave.
They didn't light the candles until they entered the cave.
In the light of the candles, Shui Changqing, Lei Dahong and others appeared.
Lei Dahong said to Shui Changqing, "Shuidu Yushi, this is the place we agreed to meet with the Princess and the others."
Shui Changqing looked around. It was a tall cave with several branching paths leading to nowhere.
"It's still a while before the agreed time, let's wait."
Shui Changqing and the others didn't have to wait long before a group of people came out of a branch in the cave.
The leader was Mu Yili, and following closely behind Mu Lili was a man in his forties.
When she met Shui Changqing, Mu Yili introduced the two parties:
"Uncle, this is the head of the Shui family, and the military supervisor of this imperial army.
Master Shui, this is my uncle, this is..."
Except for Mu Yili's uncle, the other people who came with her were all heads of large families in Nanling.
After Mu Yili returned to Nanling, she contacted her uncle and explained the court's intentions:
As long as they join forces with the imperial court to capture Mu Yiyang, the imperial court will still agree to Nanling's autonomy in the future.
Otherwise, once the imperial army invaded Nanling, the imperial court would implement a policy of beating and killing all the nobles in Nanling.
Since Mu Yiyang became the chieftain, the faction of Mu Yili's uncle has been suppressed, and they naturally also want to overthrow Mu Yiyang.
But if they rely on themselves, even if they defeat Mu Yiyang, it will be a lose-lose situation.
Therefore, Mu Yili's uncle and his men were happy to see that they could join forces with the imperial court to take down Mu Yiyang and Nanling and continue to practice self-government.
However, they were also worried that the imperial court would go back on its word and kill them all after conquering Nanling, so they requested a meeting with someone who had a say in the imperial court.
Mu Yili asked Lei Dahong to contact Shui Changqing, which led to their current meeting.
Mu Yili's uncle said to Shui Changqing:
"Ali has already told us everything, and we are willing to cooperate with the court. However, the court needs to give us some reassurance."
Shui Changqing took out the "King Qi" badge from his body:
"This is a token of your majesty's presence. It represents your majesty's presence in person."
This is the waist badge that Qi Wushuang gave to Ye Wuwei, representing Qi Wushuang's identity.
When Mu Yili proposed to return to Nanling to form alliances, Ye Wuwei asked Lei Dahong to take the letter and the badge to Shui Changqing.
Mu Yili's uncle looked at Mu Yili, and Mu Yili nodded.
In fact, it was the first time that Mu Yili saw this waist badge, but she knew that Shui Changqing was not only the head of the Shui family, but also Ye Wuwei's master.
Since he is Ye Wuwei's master, Shui Changqing would not forge the matter of Prince Qi's badge.
Mu Yili has always been confused about the relationship between Shui Changqing and Ye Wuwei.
The first time she met Shui Changqing and Ye Wuwei was when she had just arrived in Chamdo and Qi Wushuang hosted a banquet to welcome Princess Yunshang.
The Shui Changqing she met that time was very different from the Shui Changqing now, and Ye Wuwei and Shui Changqing were still strangers that time.
But later on, Shui Changqing suddenly became Ye Wuwei's master, and their relationship became extremely close.
Mu Yili had personally seen Ye Wuwei and Shui Changqing get along with each other. That kind of closeness was definitely not fake. It would be impossible without complete trust and long-term getting along.
Despite her doubts, Mu Yili believed in the close relationship between Shui Changqing and Ye Wuwei as master and disciple.
Seeing that Mu Yili confirmed that Prince Qi's waist badge was genuine, Mu Yili's uncle said:
"Since Patriarch Shui can represent His Majesty, we have nothing to worry about.
But, I don’t know how we can cooperate?”
"The imperial army is not familiar with the terrain of Nanling. If you can lead the imperial army into Nanling and cooperate with the imperial army to attack Mu Yiyang, Mu Yiyang will definitely be defeated."
"What happens after Mu Yiyang loses?"
"After Mu Yiyang's defeat, the imperial army withdrew from Nanling, but the autonomous chieftain system continued to be practiced in Nanling."
"Does the imperial court have any regulations regarding the selection of chieftains?"
Shui Changqing wasn't sure what his uncle Mu Yili meant by asking him this question.
In the letter Ye Wuwei wrote to him, he said that Mu Yili proposed to become the chieftain of Nanling. Could it be that Mu Liyi did not collude with her uncle about this idea?
Shui Changqing didn't answer directly: "What do you think?"
"We have to elect the chieftain ourselves."
Shui Changqing thought for a moment and said:
“In principle, that’s possible.
However, Nanling was, after all, a territory of the imperial court, and the selection of chieftains still had to be approved by the imperial court.
Every time the imperial court drives away one Mu Yiyang, another one comes along."
"The court can rest assured about this. The chieftains we nominate will definitely be of the same mind as the court.
After all, with the support of the imperial court, Nanling has a backing."
Shui Changqing didn't doubt that what Mu Yili's uncle said was false.
In fact, as long as the Qi Dynasty is strong, there is no benefit for Nanling to be independent.
Nanling is located in a remote area with inconvenient transportation. Apart from its rich medicinal resources, other material resources are extremely scarce.
If independence is declared, Nanling will just be a closed and backward mountainous area.
As it is now with the chieftains governing themselves, Nanling can trade with Qi Dynasty at any time.
For example, the clothes worn by Mu Yili's uncle were made of the highest-quality silk from the Qi Dynasty, which could not be woven in Nanling.
The items worn by the several family heads who came with them were all top-quality products from Qi Chao.
Shui Changqing remained calm and asked:
"From what you said, it seems you already have a candidate for chieftain in mind?"
"The Muyi clan is the descendant of the gods. Although there are no male descendants in the Muyi clan after Mu Yiyang's death, there are still female descendants.
After we overthrew Mu Yiyang, we elected Ali as the chieftain of Nanling."
Shui Changqing thought:
It turns out that the Muyi clan has this legend. No wonder the Muyi clan has ruled Nanling for so many years!
Although there were chieftains with other surnames in Nanling, they all came back to the Muyi clan.
It seems that Mu Yili's proposal to become the chieftain of Nanling was not a casual remark, but had been planned for a long time.
And she obviously did not tell her uncle and others that she had reached an agreement with the court on the issue of the Nanling chieftain.
Mu Yili is a person with deep thoughts!
But this is better, as it avoids disputes between the imperial court and Nanling over the selection of chieftains.
Shui Changqing looked at the others:
"Is that what you mean? Don't you care that Mu Yili is married? And a woman?"
"Our goddess is a woman. Nanling is not like the Central Plains where only men can inherit the family business.
As for getting married, Ali needs to divorce Prince Yi.”
Seeing that everyone agreed, Shui Changqing said:
“If Mu Yili were to be appointed chieftain, I believe His Majesty would not object.
However, I cannot answer you now, I need to convey it to His Majesty.
I will do my best to make it happen.”
After getting Shui Changqing's guarantee, everyone began to discuss the details of how to cooperate internally and externally.
……