Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 148

Chapter 148 – The Mysterious Man from Goryeo

Jun Xuanxiao couldn’t always be around Shen Yu. Most of his time during the day was spent at the palace, dealing with piled-up political affairs, which allowed Shen Yu to enjoy his freedom.

Although Prince Zhenbei had expelled the emperor from the palace, he had yet to change the name of the country or declare himself emperor. Most of the officials in the capital, except for a few loyal to the former emperor Ye, were either purged or continued in their positions. Some were even rewarded for their diligent service during the chaos.

This allowed Jun Xuanxiao to win over the majority, as most people cared more about preserving their official status rather than dying in loyalty to the old regime. As a result, the populace remained relatively stable, though minor rebellions under the guise of “restoring the rightful order” occasionally flared up. Jun Xuanxiao swiftly deployed troops to suppress them.

However, regime change is always a drain on national strength. Dajing, once a power that intimidated its neighbors, had weakened, allowing those same neighbors to start making moves. Southern states like Dali and Nanyang were less of a threat, but the Xiongnu in the north were causing the most trouble. While their land, a cold and barren wasteland, wasn’t particularly fertile, the Xiongnu people were adept at horsemanship and known for their fierce warriors.

Seeing that Jun Xuanxiao had sent troops southward and had limited attention for the northern region, the Xiongnu broke their non-aggression pact and began encroaching on Dajing’s borders. Fortunately, Jun Xuanxiao had left part of his northern army stationed there, so the Xiongnu’s small forces hadn’t managed to breach the defenses yet.

Unexpectedly, the small nation of Goryeo had also begun to harass Dajing. Jun Xuanxiao hadn’t paid much attention to Goryeo before, but now he noticed that while Dajing and the Xiongnu had been locked in a standoff, Goryeo had used the time to rebuild itself, becoming prosperous and stronger. Though its military wasn’t on par with Dajing’s, it could no longer be underestimated.

Moreover, reports from spies indicated that Goryeo had formed an alliance with the Xiongnu. Recently, a certain “Master Mupi” had emerged in Goryeo, a man of great talent who had helped the Goryeo king with various reforms and earned the king’s trust. It was this Master Mupi who had orchestrated the Goryeo-Xiongnu alliance and acted as an envoy to the Xiongnu, persuading them to cooperate. In Goryeo, he was hailed as a genius and miracle worker.

The fact that the Xiongnu, known for their pride, had agreed to ally with Goryeo, a small nation, suggested that Master Mupi had played a significant role.

A few days earlier, Master Mupi had submitted a formal request to meet with the new ruler of Dajing, Prince Zhenbei, but Jun Xuanxiao had ignored it. Yet, Mupi had boldly come to the capital and settled in the official guest house, declaring that he would not leave until Prince Zhenbei granted him an audience.

After reading about this man’s achievements in Goryeo, Jun Xuanxiao decided to summon him.

Walking into the throne room was a tall, thin man, around the same age as Jun Xuanxiao. His face was handsome, with delicate eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes—a true beauty with an air of scholarly refinement. He looked like a frail bookish type, but the way he slightly raised his chin and held his gaze steady revealed a self-assured confidence.

“I am Master Mupi, envoy of Goryeo, paying respects to Prince Zhenbei,” Mupi said, bowing deeply but not kneeling, showing both courtesy and self-respect.

Jun Xuanxiao asked indifferently, “You represent the King of Goryeo?”

With a smile, Mupi replied, “Not at all. I represent only myself in meeting you. Prince Zhenbei’s reputation precedes him, and today I find that it is well-deserved.”

Jun Xuanxiao waved dismissively, “There’s no need for flattery. What is it you seek from me?”

The ever-confident smile on Mupi’s face remained as he boldly stated, “Your Highness, I ask that you grant me one hundred thousand taels of silver and one thousand dan of grain.”

The contrast between Mupi’s confident smile and Prince Zhenbei’s calm demeanor was striking.

Jun Xuanxiao didn’t say a word, but the eunuch beside him angrily reprimanded, “How dare you utter such nonsense in the presence of the king! Kneel and show respect!”

Jun Xuanxiao gestured for the eunuch to step back, then asked with amusement, “You must have something to rely on if you’re making such a demand, don’t you?”

“Your Highness is indeed wise,” Mupi said confidently. “The King of Goryeo and the King of the Xiongnu have now formed an alliance. Your Highness must already be aware. If Your Highness grants me ten thousand taels of silver and a thousand dan of grain, I will persuade the King of Goryeo to abandon the alliance with the Xiongnu and cease attacking Dajing.”

“Interesting,” Jun Xuanxiao chuckled. “But in my opinion, the military strength of Goryeo isn’t even worth a thousand dan of grain.”

Mupi had anticipated this and raised his head proudly. “Your Highness need not deceive yourself. Goryeo may not excel in warfare, but Your Highness must have heard that Goryeo is now wealthy and prosperous. The Xiongnu are formidable warriors, but they are always constrained by a lack of supplies. If they combine their strengths…”

Mupi left the rest unsaid, confidently looking at the Duke of Zhenbei.

Jun Xuanxiao burst into loud laughter.

“I didn’t expect that the once-powerful Chu Clan of the previous dynasty, with its remaining bloodline having fled to Goryeo, would now be reduced to being someone else’s servant, engaging in such opportunistic schemes.”

Mupi’s previously warm and pleasant smile instantly froze.