"Honorable Emperor of Tian Sheng, I understand that what I'm about to say may not be appropriate for a celebration such as today."
The envoy from Wa Kingdom bowed deeply, posture reverent and voice heavy with gravity.
"But I beg your pardon. For I do not know whether we shall ever have the fortune to meet again. And this matter—this matter concerns the illustrious image of the Empire of Tian Sheng itself."
He paused, then continued with studied solemnity.
"Tian Sheng is known throughout the world as a nation of rites and virtue, a paragon among great powers. In our Wa Kingdom, even humble village women in remote mountain hamlets speak your name with admiration and awe.
However, Your Majesty may not be aware: this past year, pirate activity on the seas has been particularly rampant. Not only Wa Kingdom, but also Annan, Ji Kingdom, and several other coastal states have suffered. Many of our common folk have been taken by force.
At first, we believed that no matter the cost, we must retrieve our people. We could not, in good conscience, abandon our citizens.
Yet who would have foreseen that those pirates, after abducting our people, would flee across the sea and attempt to raid the shores of Tian Sheng as well? Perhaps they intended to repeat their atrocities here—pillaging, burning, murdering.
But Tian Sheng is mighty. Far beyond what mere sea bandits could ever contend with.
The moment they set foot on your shores, they were annihilated by the imperial troops stationed along the coast."
Clouds of silence followed. Then, from beneath the arched brow of the royal banquet table, Yun Shu set aside the tool she'd been using to crack crab legs and cut in just before the envoy could reach his real purpose.
"So, after all that, you're here to thank us?"
Her tone was mild, yet the glint in her eye was anything but.
"If that's the case, then there was truly no need to make such a fuss. Our soldiers acted not to avenge you, but simply because those brigands dared threaten the people of Tian Sheng. That alone warranted their death."
"Yes... yes, Your Highness speaks true." The envoy faltered, his face twitching ever so slightly. "We are indeed grateful to Tian Sheng for eliminating the pirates. However..."
He hesitated.
"During the engagement, your troops—perhaps in the heat of battle—mistakenly killed not only the pirates, but also several of our citizens, as well as people from other neighboring nations who had been captured."
His voice grew hoarse. "When word of this reached home, the people were in uproar. They cried out that the great Tian Sheng Empire could not possibly commit such a deed. It was our Tenno himself who offered explanation, assuring the people that this must have been some grave misunderstanding. He said that once His Majesty of Tian Sheng heard of it, he would no doubt offer ample compensation... that innocent lives would not be lost in vain."
"Compensation, is it?"
Yun Chuhuan, who had been groggily listening with only half an ear, suddenly blinked wide awake. His eyes rounded in disbelief.
"Have you lost your minds? Everyone knows those so-called pirates were your own men! We let it slide before, simply because we could not be bothered to squabble over every little offense. But now that your robbery has failed, you have the audacity to come demand reparations from us?
Perhaps you'd like a few slaps from this Prince as well?"
"Your Highness seems to harbor some misunderstanding about our Wa Kingdom..."
The envoy's face twitched again, but he dared not show offense. He plastered on another ingratiating smile.
"Wa Kingdom has always held Tian Sheng in the highest regard—"
"Is that so? Then it would seem that in Wa Kingdom, the way to show respect is to come before my Father Emperor on His birthday and demand payment."
Yun Shu smiled lightly. It was the kind of smile that held the barest edge of frost.
"This is a form of reverence I've certainly never seen before."
"Not... not compensation exactly."
Sweat began to bead on the envoy's brow. But thoughts of the marvels he had seen in Tian Sheng—those fine roads, the soft and warm cotton garments, the shimmering dyed cloths—made him press on.
"In truth, we ask for no loss from Tian Sheng. Only... if you would be so generous as to share with us the methods for road-building, cloth weaving and dyeing, and cotton clothing manufacture, we would be endlessly grateful."
"That does sound appealing."
Yun Shu rested her chin on one hand, as though seriously considering the offer.
"In fact, why don't we do this instead? We shall send our people and our coin to your lands, and personally pave all your roads for you. How does that sound?"
"Truly? That would be most welcome!" The envoy beamed.
"Tian Sheng's magnanimity is unmatched—"
"What's there to praise?"
Yun Shu waved her hand nonchalantly, her smile never fading, though something colder crept into her eyes.
"After all, that territory shall soon become our own Yaoshu region. Naturally, we must not treat our own lands with neglect."
The envoy paled.
"Your Highness, what do you mean by this?"
He turned quickly to Emperor Xuanwu, seated at the head of the hall.
"Your Majesty! Does this mean Tian Sheng seeks war with Wa Kingdom?"
"Why not?"
Emperor Xuanwu raised his gaze, his tone light.
Where Yun Shu's threat had the chill of a blade drawn with a laugh, Emperor Xuanwu's presence carried the suffocating weight of sovereign power. The kind of pressure that made it impossible to breathe.
The envoy opened his mouth, but no words came. His mind went blank. For a long time, he could only croak out a single sentence.
"You are... truly a great empire."
"You say it yourself—Tian Sheng is a great empire."
Yun Shu's smile deepened, tinged now with a sharper edge.
"Then tell me, what is a great empire?"
"A great empire... must carry itself with great dignity."
"And what is great dignity?"
No more false pleasantries. Her voice cut clear and sharp through the halls of Linde Hall, before an assembly of foreign envoys.
"To coexist in peace with other nations. To respect the cultures of all lands. To take up responsibility, to bear burdens with honor. To refrain from unprovoked aggression, but to never permit insult.
This is the dignity of Tian Sheng.
Your Wa Kingdom, time and again, has sent men disguised as pirates to raid the coastal people of Tian Sheng. You pillaged, burned, murdered without restraint.
Tian Sheng responds by sending troops to strike back. To protect our citizens. To uphold the law that says: He who offends Tian Sheng shall be punished, no matter the distance.
That is Tian Sheng's dignity!"
The hall fell silent.
The envoy stood, face drained of all color, while military officials like General Wei Yuan thumped the table and drained two entire jugs of wine in open delight.
Even the civil officials, who usually frowned on military bravado, unconsciously sat a little straighter in their seats.
Then, from the imperial dais, came a deep, hearty laugh.
"Well said! He who offends Tian Sheng shall be punished, no matter the distance!"
Emperor Xuanwu's voice rang through the chamber.
"That is the dignity of a great empire!"
The might of a future Emperor who shall unite the world...
Now that is something worth witnessing.