The borders of the Great Sui Dynasty stretched for over ten thousand li from south to north and from east to west. The entire territory of the Great Sui resembled an inverted pear, larger in the north and smaller in the south. Its north-south length was significantly greater than its east-west length. Even the narrowest point of the empire's east-west border, Yongzhou in the west, to Jiangdu in the east, exceeded ten thousand li, demonstrating the vastness of the Great Sui's territory.
Yongzhou Prefecture was seized by the Great Sui fifteen years ago after conquering the Shang Dynasty, occupying two-thirds of the Shang's size. Yongzhou Prefecture was also the largest prefecture in the Great Sui, and Yongzhou City was the former capital of the Shang Dynasty. After the fall of the Shang Dynasty, the fleeing Crown Prince Murong Chi established the Southern Yan Kingdom in Dali City, submitting to the Great Sui and paying tribute, calling himself the "Son Emperor." Perhaps because the Southern Yan territory was too impoverished and too small to arouse the Great Sui Emperor's appetite, the Southern Yan was able to survive.
The Sui Dynasty was founded on military might. To demonstrate that they hadn't abandoned their ancestors' martial spirit and fighting will, each emperor launched at least one external offensive. This is why, even after over a century, military personnel still held significant positions in the court. Many countries initially value military prowess, but after a few years, decades, they gradually diminish the power of military generals, emphasizing civil administration over military matters. The Sui Dynasty was different. From the time Emperor Taizu began his campaigns to conquer the Central Plains, every Sui emperor considered territorial expansion their duty. Anyone who failed to conquer new territory felt ashamed of themselves.
This also caused immense suffering for neighboring states. The states of Liang, Zhou, Wei, Zhao, Southern Qi, Northern Qi, and Eastern Wei became sources of pride for the Sui emperors. Their territories became mere prefectures within the Sui Dynasty.
By the time of the previous emperor, having exhausted all other options, the Sui Dynasty was forced to wage war against the Shang Dynasty, which had maintained good relations with it. It wasn't that the previous Sui emperor was too ruthless; the blame lay with the emperor before him who had reduced the last daring challenger to Eastern Chu, shrinking it to only one-fifth of its original size. Had Eastern Chu's last territory not been a peninsula, and its navy not being far superior to its land force, that peninsula would have also been conquered by the Sui.
Therefore, when Emperor Yang Yi ascended the throne, he was also troubled. For eleven years, he had spent his days in his luxurious and spacious imperial study, gazing at a massive map, trying to find a worthy adversary to challenge the Sui. In those eleven years, apart from the Mongol Empire on the vast grasslands, he truly couldn't find anywhere else.
But waging war against the Mongol Empire required more than just courage. The Sui emperors had never lacked courage, yet they had all chosen peaceful coexistence with the Mongol Empire.
It wasn't that they didn't want to fight, nor that they dared not fight, but that they couldn't fight.
The vast grasslands stretched for tens of thousands of miles, far larger than the Sui's territory. Even if the Sui Dynasty were the wealthiest in the world, and even if it were confident in defeating the Mongol cavalry with its infantry, it simply couldn't sustain such a massive war. The sheer cost of sending a large army beyond the Great Wall would be enough to cripple the empire.
Without an army of at least 500,000, there was no need to even consider waging war against the Mongols. 500,000 troops on a campaign tens of thousands of miles away—the cost would be immense.
It wasn't a question of whether they dared to, but rather that it was utterly impossible to win.
Unless the Sui Dynasty possessed a cavalry capable of rivaling the Mongols.
And cavalry was always a sore spot for the Sui emperors.
However, in the spring of the eleventh year of the Tianyou era, it seemed that this sore spot could be cured. At the end of March, a small contingent of men from the Right Valiant Guard, stationed on the northwestern border, arrived in the capital, Chang'an. They numbered only about twenty. Lightly armed, with two horses per man, it took them two months to reach Chang'an.
The Right Valiant Guard's twenty-odd cavalrymen escorted three Northern Liao people into the capital.
These three Northern Liao people were the warhorse traders detained by Emperor Li Xiaozong in Fangu. The leader was a young, robust man with the physical characteristics typical of the cold Northern Liao region. He was tall and strong, and both men and women had very fair skin. This defied common sense; the Northern Liao region was extremely cold, and the Ten Thousand Mountains were particularly impoverished. Logically, the skin of people living there should be red from the cold, or at least appear rough.
However, in reality, the skin of the Northern Liao people was very good.
Especially the Northern Liao women, whose skin was as white as translucent snowmen.
The leader, a Northern Liao man named Wanyan Liyao, appeared to be in his twenties. His hair was styled in the typical Northern Liao style: a shaved forehead and a long, glossy black braid at the back. His clothing also differed greatly from that of the Central Plains people: a mandarin jacket, a vest, and a long mink robe.
This was Wanyan Liyao's first time entering the Central Plains. On his journey, he had imagined countless times what Chang'an, the capital of the Sui Dynasty, would look like. He had exhausted his imagination, envisioning Chang'an as vast as it could possibly be, but when he finally saw the city in the distance, he couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
Magnificent! Grand!
Like an endless mountain range stretching for miles.
When Chang'an came into view, Wanyan Liyao couldn't see its end. It was as if this majestic city had been formed naturally, standing towering between heaven and earth. By the time he rode his horse close to Chang'an, his mouth was agape, almost aching.
Looking up, the city walls were as high as swords piercing the clouds. Looking left and right, the walls stretched endlessly.
The Right Valiant Guard cavalry led him through Dingqian Gate, one of the thirteen gates of Chang'an's western city. It was also the most inconspicuous of the thirteen gates, yet even so, the massive gate allowed eight carriages to pass side by side with ease. The copper studs on the massive vermilion city gate looked larger than a human head.
Wanyan Liyao's Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed hard. "Unbelievable... truly unbelievable! I've tried my best to imagine the grandeur of Chang'an, yet I've only managed to picture one percent of this city. This isn't a city; it's a mountain!"
The Right Valiant Guard captain curled his lip in disdain, completed the formalities with the gatekeeper, and entered the city directly.
...
...
Normally, these few barbarians from the poorest and coldest land in the world, Northern Liao, wouldn't receive any high-level treatment. Even the special envoy sent by Khan Wanyan Yong of Northern Liao last time was only received by a sixth-rank official from the Ministry of Rites of the Sui Dynasty.
But this time was clearly different. When Wanyan Liyao was completely stunned by the sight before him, the government troops leading the way announced that they had arrived, and he finally snapped out of his daze.
The post station was supposed to be located outside Chang'an. However, precisely because the Sui Dynasty was so vast, and Chang'an City so immense, it was impractical for envoys from various countries or high-ranking officials returning to the capital to report on their duties to stay outside the city. The emperor would waste too much time if they needed to summon them. Therefore, the post station was built on Dongping Street, only about ten li (approximately 5 kilometers) from the Taiji Palace.
When Wanyan Liyao arrived at the post station, he was still marveling at how magnificent it was, even more so than the palace of the Khan of the Northern Liao. His eyes couldn't take it all in; he looked here and there with the wonder of a newborn infant opening its eyes to the world for the first time.
"You are Wanyan Liyao?"
Just as he was lost in thought, a cold voice, tinged with disdain, sounded behind him. Wanyan Liyao quickly turned around and saw a person dressed in a green crown and robe. According to the Sui Dynasty's official etiquette, this green crown and robe immediately identified him as a minor official of the seventh rank or below.
In Chang'an, even a third-rank official was not considered a significant figure. Such a minor official would certainly not be taken seriously by the people of Chang'an. However, Wanyan Liyao couldn't ignore this man, for he carried a heavy mission on his shoulders. He was well-versed in all books about the Sui Dynasty, and could tell this man was merely a lowly eighth-rank official. Yet, he still displayed remarkable humility and a genuine smile.
"This humble subject is Wanyan Liyao, the envoy sent by the great and benevolent Wude Khan, the father of all the people of the Ten Thousand Mountains of Northern Liao, to pay homage to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Sui Dynasty. May I ask who this gentleman is?"
Only a Northern Liao person would speak such tedious words.
The man said somewhat impatiently, "I am a scribe in the Ministry of Rites of the Great Sui Dynasty, ordered to wait here. Don't go into the post station yet; our Minister of Rites is waiting for you. Please come with me."
"The Minister of Rites wants to see me personally?"
Wanyan Liyao clearly couldn't believe his ears.
The scribe, too lazy to say anything more, turned and boarded a carriage. Wanyan Liyao dared not delay and climbed up as well.
...
...
The Minister of Rites of the Sui Dynasty, Huai Qiugong, was a veteran of three reigns and was already seventy-two years old. In fact, since Emperor Tianyou Yang Yi ascended the throne, he had rarely concerned himself with the affairs of the Ministry of Rites. Pei Hui, the Vice Minister of Rites who usually oversaw affairs at the Ministry, arrived at the Ministry early this morning. Apart from Pei Hui, who had received prior notice, every official in the Ministry of Rites found it strange. This old man, who dared to point at the Emperor and say he didn't understand etiquette, hadn't been to the Ministry of Rites for four months and twenty-nine days.
Because the Sui Dynasty was so vast, while the northwest border was still experiencing snowstorms in March, the willow branches along the streets of the capital were already sprouting new green leaves. Perhaps out of concern for the Minister of Rites' advanced age, a heater was still burning in his room.
Vice Minister Pei Hui sat respectfully with his hands at his sides, talking with the old man.
"Mingli, you've managed this office very well, not bad... Tomorrow I'll submit another memorial and retire, thus truly handing over the Ministry of Rites to you."
"Your humble servant is trembling with fear."
Pei Hui quickly said, "Your Excellency is still so robust, and His Majesty's favor is so great, how can you so easily retire from court? The Ministry of Rites cannot do without you."
"That flattery doesn't sound good at all."
Huai Qiugong smiled and said, "I've already added 'elder' before 'Your Excellency,' and you still say I'm not..." "Old? Having served three emperors, I should have retired long ago. It's just that the older one gets, the more power-hungry one becomes, and I feel ashamed of myself for it. As for your claim that the Ministry of Rites can't do without me, that's pure lies… I haven't been here for two months, have I? I didn't even know a few new people were added."
Pei Hui chuckled awkwardly: "You haven't been here for almost five months."
"Ah?"
Huai Qiugong paused, then chuckled: "Walking dogs, fighting birds, feeding fish, planting grass, growing flowers, pruning trees—time flies by so quickly… By the way…" "You've been so busy gossiping that you've forgotten the important matter His Majesty entrusted to you."
The old man stroked his snow-white beard and said, "Go and meet those people from the Northern Liao region in a little while. Treat them with the protocol due to envoys from a great nation."
"This... wasn't it usually just a junior official who received them? What's different this time?"
"Of course it's different."
Huai Qiugong smiled, his wrinkles crinkling into a flower shape: "The Northwest is about to become unsettled... Now that the people from the Northern Liao region have come to us of their own accord, isn't that exactly what His Majesty needs?" "What are you thinking? Haha... to have everything you want, just thinking about it is exhilarating."
Pei Hui gaped in surprise, asking incredulously, "Your Majesty...you want to wage war against the Mongols?"
"Who else would you attack? Your Majesty is determined to rival the founding emperor."
The old man smiled like a cunning old fox, a smugness mixed with a rare endearing charm: "But I've only told you this. If there are any rumors circulating in the court...you know I'm power-hungry and afraid of trouble, I'd definitely betray you."