The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 085 Slay The Fierce Tiger Under The Blade, Capture The Starving Wolf With Bare Fists
Tang Shen was startled and began to think. This was no ordinary place—this was the imperial palace. For someone to avoid the guards and enter the Qinzheng Hall in the heart of the palace so easily, this burly, bearded man might really be Li Jingde.
Tang Shen nodded slightly.
"I’ll let go of you, but don’t shout. I snuck in," the man said.
Tang Shen nodded again.
The bearded man released him, and Tang Shen immediately took a step back, clasping his hands in a respectful salute. "Tang Shen, an official at your service, greets General Li."
Li Jingde looked surprised. "You believe me just like that?"
Tang Shen replied, "With the general’s skills, you could subdue me with ease. There’s no need to deceive me."
Li Jingde scratched his nose. "Fair enough. I heard that Meng Lang assigned you to handle the Liao envoys?"
Tang Shen glanced at Li Jingde. Unfortunately, the general’s thick beard obscured his expression, even though his sharp eyebrows and bright eyes gave him a striking appearance. Tang Shen replied, "Yes."
Li Jingde said, "I’ve returned to the capital to monitor the Liao envoys. From now on, I’ll pose as a minor sixth-rank official and follow you around. How about that?"
Tang Shen: "..."
Before Tang Shen could respond, a chuckle came from behind them. Both men turned to see Su Wenyun leaning lazily against the corridor wall, openly eavesdropping.
"General Li wants to sneak into the civil envoy delegation to spy on the Liao people? Forgive my bluntness, but your appearance might not pass," Su Wenyun said languidly.
Li Jingde snorted. "And what’s wrong with my appearance, Su daren? Are you suggesting that all Song officials must look like you, a delicate pretty boy?"
Su Wenyun’s gaze darkened, and he narrowed his eyes, staring dangerously at Li Jingde.
Li Jingde remained unfazed, his bearded face defiant, as if daring the other man to do something.
After a long silence, Su Wenyun smirked coldly. "I didn’t mean that, of course. It’s just that the Liao envoys know General Li well. With your strikingly heroic features, the moment you enter the delegation, they’ll recognize you instantly, and our Tang daren here will be dragged down with you."
Tang Shen glanced at Su Wenyun. When did I become “your Tang daren”?
Li Jingde was left speechless.
Su Wenyun had a point. Li Jingde was the emperor’s personally appointed Marshal of the Western Expedition, who had long fought against the Liao army on the northwest border. His reputation among the Liao people was even greater than that of the Left Prime Minister Ji Wengji. If even one of the Liao envoys had seen him before, his distinctive beard alone would give him away.
Tang Shen added, "General Li, your mission to return to the capital is meant to uncover the Liao envoys’ intentions. But if you’re recognized, it would defeat the purpose."
Li Jingde thought for a moment, then suddenly gritted his teeth and said resolutely, "If the issue is being recognized, I have a solution."
Tang Shen looked at him in surprise. Su Wenyun also seemed to realize something and smiled mockingly.
Following Li Jingde’s instructions, Tang Shen waited for him in the garden of Qinzheng Hall. Half an hour later, a tall man dressed in a eunuch’s uniform approached, stroking his now clean-shaven chin. His thick brows furrowed so tightly they seemed capable of catching flies.
Su Wenyun had left earlier, leaving Tang Shen alone to be stunned by Li Jingde’s transformation.
Even knowing it was the same bearded man from before, Tang Shen froze for a moment.
Li Jingde grumbled in a rough voice, "Will this do?"
Tang Shen replied, "...It will."
Without his beard, Li Jingde no longer looked like a rugged warrior. Instead, his clean-shaven face revealed well-defined, sharp features that bore a faint resemblance to the resolute, broad looks of the Liao people. His sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes gave him a dashing air. Despite being 32 years old, he looked more like a 23-year-old, handsome young general.
Even if the Liao envoys had met Li Jingde on the battlefield before, they wouldn’t recognize him now.
Li Jingde, however, felt deeply uncomfortable without his beard. "Since that’s settled, I’ll accompany you tomorrow to meet the Liao envoys."
As a general of the second-rank, Li Jingde far outranked Tang Shen, a fourth-rank civil official. Tang Shen couldn’t refuse and could only bow in acknowledgment. "Understood, General."
The next morning, after court, Tang Shen returned to Qinzheng Hall to find Li Jingde already waiting in the garden, dressed as a sixth-rank civil official. Tang Shen wondered where he kept getting all these outfits.
Meng Lang had tasked Tang Shen with receiving the Liao envoys, but naturally, he wouldn’t face over 30 envoys alone. After finishing his morning duties, Tang Shen led the group to the guesthouse.
On their way, they encountered Wang Zhen, who had just left court, still holding his jade tablet and dressed in his official robes.
Wang Zhen glanced behind Tang Shen and immediately spotted Li Jingde.
Li Jingde cursed under his breath and tried to hide among the other officials, but Wang Zhen quickly turned his gaze back to Tang Shen.
"Are you on your way to meet the Liao envoys?" Wang Zhen asked with a smile.
"Yes, Wang xianggong, this lower official is indeed going" Tang Shen replied.
"Do you have enough people?" Wang Zhen asked with a gentle tone.
Tang Shen immediately understood that Wang Zhen had recognized Li Jingde despite his transformation. Internally, he marveled, even after Li Jingde became like that, Wang Zifeng can still recognize him?
Tang Shen composed himself and replied, "I believe we have enough people. Thank you for your concern, daren."
Wang Zhen smiled faintly. "I thought so. If you find yourself lacking, just like a washerwoman scrubbing clothes, you can always squeeze out a bit more and there will be enough."
The other officials were baffled by this cryptic remark, but Tang Shen’s eyes lit up.
Their gazes met, and in that instant, Tang Shen understood Wang Zhen’s meaning: Meng Lang wants you to put me to work. Well, little Junior Brother, here’s someone you can put to work instead. Don’t let Li Jingde go to waste.
If one is able to take advantage of others, naturally it is better than taking advantage of your own people.
Tang Shen smiled with satisfaction. "This lower official understands."
In the crowd, Li Jingde was dumbfounded. Understand? Understand what? What nonsense is Wang Zifeng spouting now?
The procession left Qinzheng Hall and arrived at the guesthouse.
At the guesthouse, the officials announced their arrival, but after a long wait, a sixth-rank official returned with an awkward expression. "Daren, this lower official went to inform them that the Song envoy had arrived. However, the Liao envoy said their Third Prince has yet to wake up and will only come out to see you whenever he wakes."
The officials began murmuring in outrage.
Tang Shen came to the guesthouse today to receive the Liao envoys. He was not merely representing himself but also the Emperor of the Song Dynasty. Even though Yelü Han was the Third Prince of the Liao State, he could not act so negligent!
Li Jingde was so angry his teeth itched, but Tang Shen remained calm and composed. He reassured the officials, saying, "Everyone, our Great Song is a land of comfort and stability, where the water and soil nurture its people. Visitors from other lands are often dazzled by the splendor of Shengjing, a city brimming with wonders unseen in Liao. What cannot be found in Liao can be found here, and where restful sleep eludes them in Liao, Shengjing offers peace of mind. His Highness the Third Prince rarely enjoys such a good sleep, unable to rise even when the sun is high. Why, then, should we trouble him and disturb his sweet dreams?”
Not far away, a Liao envoy overheard these words, his face darkening as he turned back inside.
After a while, the Liao envoy exited the room and called Tang Shen and his group inside.
As soon as Tang Shen entered, before he could take in the room’s furnishings, a mocking voice rang out, "So, this prince wondered who it might be. Turns out it’s just a lowly Song official. Yelü daren, as part of the Han Office, you often deal with those Han officials in the Southern Privy Council. Have you ever seen this frail little Song official?" (TN: refers to a political or administrative institution, often associated with ancient or historical Chinese governance. In Chinese history, the Privy Council was an important central body, typically tasked with military and administrative matters, especially during the Song Dynasty.)
In the main hall, a young man with a small braid and an air of arrogance sat in the central seat, looking down on Tang Shen and his entourage with disdain. He pointed directly at Tang Shen, who stood at the forefront of the officials.
The young man was Yelü Han, the third prince of the Liao State. Beside him stood a middle-aged man with a sinister demeanor. Glancing at Tang Shen with dark, penetrating eyes, the man said, "Your Highness, I naturally do not recognize a mere fourth-rank official."
Yelü Han erupted, "Fourth rank? In our great Liao, such a person isn’t even fit to carry my shoes!"
Tang Shen suddenly chuckled, drawing Yelü Han’s attention.
Tang Shen bowed and said, "Your Highness may not know, but the customs of our Great Song differ from those of the Liao. Our governance also follows different principles. In the Song, each rank of official performs duties corresponding to their rank. But if we examine the situation closely, the difference isn’t that great. For instance, Yelü Qin of the Han Office is equivalent to a second-rank official in our Song. Thus, he represents the Liao Emperor, accompanying Your Highness to the Song court to pay respects to Our Majesty. In the Liao State, a fourth-rank official might indeed serve as your shoe-bearer. In the Song, it’s much the same. As an unremarkable fourth-rank official, I was sent here to receive you."
Yelü Han's widened in a glare, preparing to explode with anger.
But before he could, Tang Shen added, "And carry your shoes."
Yelü Han immediately calmed down, bewildered. His grasp of Han language was sufficient for daily conversations but inadequate for nuanced exchanges. Was this Song official mocking him, or did he truly intend to carry his shoes?
Yelü Han shot a questioning glance at Yelü Qin, seeking guidance on what to do next.
Yelü Qin sighed inwardly. He knew this third prince was physically strong but not particularly sharp. Originally, the Liao Emperor intended to send the wise and strategic second prince to the Song court. However, the third prince’s mother had whispered something persuasive to the emperor, leading to Yelü Han’s appointment instead.
Forget it, debating with Song officials was evidently not Yelü Han's forte; hunting tigers would likely suit him better.
Turning to Tang Shen, Yelü Qin said coolly, "The Liao delegation has arrived in Shengjing. Why have no high-ranking Song officials come to receive us?"
A Song official replied, "Yelü daren, your words are misplaced. Haven’t we come here today?"
From behind Yelü Qin, a Liao official sneered, "Our third prince is here, and yet weak, useless Song officials like you dare claim to be a welcoming party?"
Before the words fully settled, Tang Shen suddenly spoke up, "Weak and useless?"
The Liao official froze, confused by Tang Shen’s fixation on this phrase. After a moment, he responded, "Yes. Our Liao warriors are generals of the grasslands, skilled in horseback and hunting. How could your Song officials compare? Aren’t you all weak and useless?"
Tang Shen smiled. "I see. So, what this esteemed daren means by ‘useless’ is simply that in horseback riding and hunting, the Song cannot compare to the Liao?"
Though the Liao official wanted to proclaim the entire Song as utterly incapable, he knew better than to say it outright. "Yes," he replied.
Yelü Qin frowned, sensing a trap.
Tang Shen raised his voice, stepping aside to reveal a tall figure. "Who says all Song officials are weak and useless? Horseback and hunting may be skills of the grasslands, but in our Song, even a minor sixth-rank official can slay a tiger with a blade and subdue a wolf with his bare hands. Li daren, am I right?"
Li Jingde thought to himself: Slay tigers? Subdue wolves? You’re really putting me on a pedestal here!
Still, he didn’t mind the flattery. Tang Shen clearly had good taste, which earned him some favor in Li Jingde’s eyes. Brimming with confidence, he declared, "Naturally, you are absolutely right!"