The envoy sent to Chang’an in the Southern Dynasty this time was named Xu Ling, and he is also one of the few storefronts left by the Jiangdong regime after the Battle of Jiangling. But even Xu Ling was actually trapped in Northern Qi before and returned to Jiangnan with Xiao Yuanming.
Xu Ling was nearly fifty years old, and his appearance and demeanor were all typical of the Southern Dynasty scholar-official demeanor. Although he was a weak country and sent a strong neighbor, he did not look down on his face.
After being introduced to the hall by the entourage, he looked at the Tang Gong in the hall first. Just like other people who met for the first time, a look of surprise flashed across his face, but soon returned to normal. He went to the front and said, “Xu Ling, an envoy of Liang, will join the Wei Tonghao on the mission of Your Majesty and Prime Minister Chen, to congratulate him on the public’s expectations and enter the state’s affairs.”
“Marquis Xu doesn’t have to be too polite, please take a seat.”
Li Tai looked at Xu Ling with interest, raised his hand to signal him to take the seat, and then said with a smile: “The former was the Jiangling battle, although the Southern Dynasty was won over the glory of the figures, but Xu Hou still left his pearls outside. It is really regrettable. Now that Marquis Xu comes to see him, his style really lives up to his reputation. Losing this person is not a perfect achievement!”
Xu Ling’s expression was a little unnatural when he heard this. Although the other party was praising him, it was quite demeaning to them as a whole, and he felt very uncomfortable for an envoy who was ordered to go on a mission to another country. Especially what the other party said made him unable to refute, and the weak national destiny of Nanliang also made him lack the confidence to teach people how to know the cold and heat as before when he went to Northern Qi.
Li Tai did not deliberately humiliate Xu Ling, but he did not treat Xu Ling as a formal envoy at all.
At least from their Western Wei perspective, the Southern Liang Kingdom ended long after the capture of Jiangling. In history, King Xiao Xu of Liang had to establish the Western Liang to continue its national fortune. However, in this time and space of Li Tai’s talk, both Emperor Liang and King Liang were sent to Chang’an in packing and last year, Emperor Liang Xiao Yi was cut down. After entering the court, King Liang even demoted his title to Duke of Liang County to comfort the scholars of Southern Liang.
As for Xiao Fangzhi, the young emperor Chen Baxian established in Jiankang, he did not recognize it at all in the Western Wei Dynasty. After all, Li Tai’s great achievement was to destroy Liang. If Xu Ling was treated as an envoy from another country, it would be slap himself in the mouth.
That’s why he brought Xu Ling to meet in the afternoon after handling the military and national affairs, as if he had summoned his subordinates. As for the series of titles he mentioned, it was of little significance to him.
Of course, this disconfirmation is not a deliberate belittlement of Chen Baxian. At least it also means that the Western Wei will no longer use the Southern Liang legal system to do anything to interfere with the current situation in Jiangdong. For example, even if Chen Baxian abolishes Liang and establishes himself in the next year, there will be no protests and oppositions here in the Western Wei. Jiangdong was originally a place where the troops were beyond reach during the Battle of Jiangling. He could scold Chen Ba for stealing the results first, but he would not attack him as a traitor.
Although notHe was treated as an envoy, but he still had to communicate about personnel. So Xu Ling calmed down a little and said, “Before his departure, Prime Minister Chen specifically asked Xu to express his congratulations to him after he came in! Prime Minister Chen said that when Duke Tang was guarding Jingxiang in the past, he was fortunate to plan things and work together to join forces. He gained something from each other. He still feels happy when he thinks about it.
Although Prime Minister Chen was in charge of the rule, he was deeply impressed by the great talent and ambition of the Tang Duke. Now that he was able to defeat the enemy and enter the dynasty, it was a prosperous state of heaven. Even the foreign people were convinced! Although the Wei State had the intention to fight against the thieves, he had no power to break the enemy. Even if the shogunate ministers had no intention of deceiving the world, he was also suspected of stealing the name. When the Tang Duke entered the court, it was both the most popular and the name was also true! If he could plan the previous plan again, the thief’s power was fierce, so why should he be afraid of it!”
When Li Tai heard Xu Ling’s words praising him and belittle his predecessor Yuwen Tai, he couldn’t help but be happy. These words were said in front of him, in addition to flattering him, it was probably also the meaning of Chen Baxian using this to boast that he was better than Wang Sengbian.
Chen Baxian hoped to replicate the kind of cooperation he had in Huainan before and then continue to cooperate against Northern Qi, but Li Tai was not surprised.
Although the Western Wei defeated Jiangling and killed their boss, the hatred between them was much greater than that between them and Northern Qi, the aggressive and surging malicious intentions that Northern Qi showed now posed a greater threat to Jiangdong. Chen Baxian did not really do anything to restore Liang. What he did was nothing more than to protect Jiangdong and fulfill himself. Of course, he would not be trapped in this old hatred.
However, Li Tai is no longer a little Fang Bo living in Shannan. Of course, the strategic choices and focus must be based on a higher perspective. If Chen Baxian wants to cooperate with him, he must also consider whether the other party has the strength.
So after pondering for a moment, he spoke again, “I was deeply surprised by the news from Jiangdong. Wang Taiwei and Chen Situ were famous officials in Jiangdong who were in chaos and defending the road. Unexpectedly, they were unable to compatible after the thieves were destroyed. Why did the troubles start to cause revenge? Although I had no intention of asking the reasons and distinguishing right from wrong, I also pity the scholars and people in Jiangdong, and I am afraid that they will be trapped in the war and disaster and cannot extricate themselves.”