Chapter 219: Seeking Common Ground While Shelving Differences, Strategic Contraction
After taking Storm City, Xuan Chong implemented a noble republican system in the city, that is, letting the nobles vote on all major and minor matters in the city. As for the next king of the city-state?
Xuan Chong said righteously: “Due to the Storm Family losing the country in the war and failing to fulfill their duty to protect the citizens, it is necessary for our side to provide guidance; after ten years, our side will return a qualified heir.”
As outsiders participating in the deposition and enthronement affairs of a foreign country, this is the limit of what the Wu Family Army can do now!
Completely abolishing Storm City’s royal family? Not to mention that doing so would be without righteousness in Da Yao; it would also be extremely unpopular locally.
The Feather Tribe’s internal power distribution system highly depends on bloodline advantages and disadvantages; their nobles are noble compared to commoners precisely because their wings can soar for a long time compared to commoner Feather Tribe members.
The purification of nobles’ bloodlines comes from death elimination in trials, with a large number of unqualified individuals screened out; at the same time, they leave illegitimate children with the royal family members who have completed the royal trial, exchanging goods to keep the bloodline flowing. Therefore, if Xuan Chong were to eradicate the Storm royal family, that would destroy their systemic structure, leading to fierce resistance, equivalent to preventing Yao People from ancestor worship, making the “ritual and law” system unable to function.
But merely “retaining the king” while making other changes is very smooth. Those nobles in Storm City who returned first came quietly to visit Xuan Chong one by one, hoping to have a position on the noble committee.
The cabinet nobles of Storm City flocking like this had a major impact on an irrelevant person.
The guards at these nobles’ doors gave Lu Er Ge’s personal soldiers the cold shoulder. Clearly, the nobles were on intimate terms with the Da Yao ambassador and did not want to be misunderstood by Xuan Chong.
However, the patches of feathers stuck at these nobles’ doors indicated “deep friendship with the placer, but the actual benefits given by the placer are too light!”
In the inn in Storm City, Lu Er Ge looked at the familiar “friends” who now told him to “wait patiently,” his fingers clenched tightly. — Having been the center since childhood, once he was no longer the center one day, he would feel the world owed him.
So he ran off to the south. After learning the relevant situation about Lu Er Ge’s departure from Mu Yun Kuohai, Xuan Chong nodded, indicating he understood.
…Don’t overreact in areas you’re not good at…
“Conspiring” is a culture here among the Feather Tribe; whenever interests are at stake, someone will come to conspire.
Xuan Chong summarized: This is the difference between ocean culture and land farming culture; even in twenty-first century modern industrial society, stark differences exist in the diplomacy domain.
Sea power nations tend more toward diplomacy between leaders; within the developed camp, leaders will meet directly with each other.
Especially in countries with unsteady positions and internal instability, envoys sent by ocean powers maintain diverse contacts with local military, parliament, and economic tycoons. Diplomatic occasions are like battlefields, and ambassadors, due to expanding networks, possess abundant resources and are very respectable.
However, Eastern land farming nations base all foreign interactions on the “ritual and law system” concept. That is, under ritual and law, everyone (country) automatically falls into position, which is a spontaneous positioning after mastering important resources.
And envoys from great powers sent to weak countries actually do not hold high status domestically. Because no matter how much they strive, the tributary resources are fixed by the celestial court. So Han envoys have arrogant attitudes but do not accumulate reputation, nor interfere in weak countries’ internal systems—oh, unless there is a marriage alliance princess in that weak country.
Thus, between the second millennium, East Asia was so chaotic because in this “ritual and law” cultural region, the former boss as the core of the “ritual and law” system was utterly defeated in technology and military when facing external impact.
During that period, with the “sect master” absent, those who took off on the trend each had their own minds.
It is said some had ambitions, relying on their own economic and technological strength to establish a ritual and law system centered on themselves; while Xinluo wanted rice as the new center, so they could rank first-rate in the world’s second tier.
But as the most orthodox “sect master” returned with hard power, these two found that the capital they accumulated over decades through “repositioning” was draining away at terrifying speed. Past plans gradually became jokes, and they had offended the real boss; the high positions they previously enjoyed might be beaten down to the same table as Giaochi. So they began frantic diplomacy, but their diplomatic operations actually differed from Western small countries, appearing quite awkward. A demeanor of “afraid of dad, hoping dad lets them off, but unwilling to acknowledge dad.”
Truly standing from a third-party perspective reviewing history: Japan, Xinluo, even the Eastern giant dragon—as traditional Eastern nations—actually do not engage in the “Mediterranean civilization” style of conspiratorial diplomacy.
Because each silently positioned themselves in ritual and law according to the amount of core resources they mastered!
Each squatting in their self-perceived ritual and law position, unable to do anything out of line.
Only when feeling their core resources draining, leading to “rank” drop, would they act, and the action is often irrational conspiring.
Those small countries then realized: after the old dad returned, all industries involving discourse power would be taken entirely! The table would be monopolized, and those originally at the table would be kicked off. Hence, quite anxious.
This kind of “anxiety” can be traced back earliest to the Spring and Autumn Period; after Qi’s hegemony disappeared, Song actively allied to claim hegemony in the same way.
Ocean nations differ; great powers, for interests, often do things that in Eastern eyes are “no different from small countries, shameless,” while small countries are also very bold and flexible in maneuvering between great powers. Finding opportunity, they squeeze to the table edge regardless of consequences, not caring if they are sitting at the table edge or being served to the table.
So the Feather Tribe’s “conspiring” forming an exclusionary faction against Yao People is inevitable.
And whether conspiring is feasible entirely depends on whether the person responsible for “conspiring” has a clear head and can grasp the center of all parties’ interests.
In Xuan Chong’s eyes, Lu Er Ge is not a qualified conspirator; he craves honor, so he leads the corps to continue resisting; but fears responsibility, not daring to issue retreat orders when needed; and when facing sword at the critical moment, he turns and flees, which is cowardly and weak.
Regarding such conspirators, they were marked as “talkers” (i.e., vertical alliance strategists) in Han Feizi’s Five Vermin, with detailed discussion of their elements.
Xuan Chong: Such a blustering coward, weak and hypocritical guy appearing in this inevitably emerging exclusionary force—what do I have to worry about? Rather than an enemy, he is more like a teammate.
…Vertical Alliance…
Ten days later, at the watchtower lighthouse, Xuan Chong attended the Feather Tribe Southern Alliance meeting as invited.
This is a white tower. Different from Da Yao’s bricks and tiles architectural structure, the buildings here are very tall, with curved lines deriving from the building base to the heights, making it seem seamless, indistinguishable between “columns” and “beams.”
Da Yao’s Sitian Cheng use fired bricks and tiles with spiritual patterns, generating force fields via spiritual patterns to support ancient architectures “unimaginable in earthly physics” that are tall.
That the Feather Tribe has such wondrous architecture similarly requires explaining their arcane system.
That is, Feather Tribe arcane masters implement based on the “channeling” principle, this channeling involving “trees” “insects,” “fish” “beasts” to complete.
Feather Tribe arcane masters can converse with huge birds in the sky, achieve mental communication with tree people in the jungle, and even command crows to tear and bite, letting some self-igniting “insects” unleash flame storms.
The watchtower lighthouse is created by Feather Tribe masters through magic; this magic channels a kind of “land-dwelling calcareous insect.”
These calcareous insects feed on coral reefs in the ocean, then secrete calcium to form smooth outer shell, internally porous “hornstone”-like structures, stacking on the seabed.
And when channeled and driven by Feather Tribe masters, these “hornstone” structures can turn into regular beams and columns, just like high technology controlling nano-machinery to build space architecture in sci-fi worlds, directly growing calcium buildings.
No need like Da Yao to fiddle with bricks and tiles and beams and columns, fixed processes, fixed palace forms, piling up high platforms with hands.
Because this magic drives calcium insects to grow without considering architectural “columns before beams” construction sequence, it allows various whimsical architectural designs to grow directly.
Xuan Chong glanced and saw the watchtower lighthouse like architecture from previous life animations and games; some obviously non-load-bearing, purely decorative spiral hollow stone strips grew on this building.
And the entire building so tall as to be unreachable, the most beautiful top of the architecture possibly untouched for centuries after completion.
From a physical perspective, to support such structure, the base is solid granite, the middle starts with “calcium insects” construction, and the middle calcium insect structure is dense; while the topmost building materials, besides the outermost smooth layer, are completely hollow inside like a snail shell.
Recalling in Storm City, Xuan Chong realized the wreckage of some central building was probably like this.
The base walls withstood Horned People’s axe chops and battering ram impacts. The remaining middle could be pierced with holes by cannonballs, while the topmost four-to-five-meter building layer smashed cleanly to the ground.
…Rhetoric…
A meeting was being held inside the watchtower lighthouse. Lu Er Ge was already seated; after stating his city-state’s issues to these friends, the King of Hai Le City decided to personally convene a city-state alliance conference for this friend.
The King of Hai Le City, in the southernmost corner among Feather People city-states: “Everyone, our kingdoms have more or less suffered foreign tribe invasions in these years. And some new forces have also arrived near our territory, establishing outposts—”
However, this King of Hai Le City, during his passionate speech at this meeting, was unaware that lords of other city-states had invited the “external force” he demanded to oppose.
Just as the King of Hai Le City thought everything was ready, the golden bell welcoming distinguished guests on the white tower nearby rang.
The game rules of “conspiring” are that when one side decides to “oppose” through conspiring, they must also face the conspiring counter-plot of “being opposed.”
When the peacock appeared in the sky, and a team of dragon horse troops accompanied Xuan Chong. The meeting process was disrupted; Xuan Chong circled three times, the peacock vibrated wings, filling the entire city with fragrance.
As everyone in the city knew the “guest” had arrived, two Southern city-states (Mi Ke, Xun Feier forces) stood out to report to the many kin that they had invited the guest.
The many kings who had just unified the city-states’ external stance faced the mild external visitor who came to the door, hesitating for a moment, but then everyone voted to bring Xuan Chong in.
Xuan Chong stepped into the courtyard, under the gaze of the kings, scanned once, and found no seat for himself. Knowing a barrier had already formed.
He then raised his hand, unfolded his mechanical small bench; the small bench gradually raised its legs to achieve equality, then in the Feather Tribe language said to Prince Lu Er Ge: “May I ask the prince, our side has fulfilled the promise and can hand over the city to your family bloodline at any time; you can also enter Griffon City at any time. Why did you suddenly cut off contact with our side, leaving your citizens exposed to wind and dew outside?”
Everyone in the kingdom whispered. The Feather Tribe kings’ meeting originally intended to demand unity; this unity was against Horned People and even further south “fear tribe” invasions, as well as negotiations with neutral forces like Da Yao. (Fear tribe have exaggerated teeth; of course Xuan Chong did not think his military strength could project there, so he superficially placated and stopped inquiring.)
As Xuan Chong raised the “returning the city” issue, indicating it could be peacefully resolved mutually with Griffon Kingdom—then why wade into this muddy water?
Lu Er Ge gritted his teeth and said: “You supported your servant to seize my Griffon City property.”
Xuan Chong looked at him: “Servant?”
Then turned to the many Feather Tribe dignitaries and said: “I have no Feather Tribe slaves. As a northerner, I do business. The cooperation agreements I signed with you Feather Tribe friends are all commercial protocols. Meeting you here now is neither to castigate nor to quarrel. But to make friends and exchange goods. After all, I will soon return north, and afterward deal with you all through merchants; hope you as landlords can provide fairness and sincerity.”
Xuan Chong silently thought: “Current military projection power can’t reach here; to stabilize relations, seek common ground while reserving differences.”
Xuan Chong now clearly understood one point: before ocean city-state kingdoms enter the industrial age, they cannot operate intensive industrial chains like silk and porcelain. These two industrial chains, from sericulture farmers to those excavating pottery clay, are not crafts gatherable by “city-states.” But in large city-radiated farming rural areas, i.e., Jiangnan water towns, those prosperous towns. And Feather Tribe city-states, frequently facing pirate raids, cannot provide such order.
At this time, the many Southern city-states whispered; they had long acquired goods provided by northern Da Yao merchants.
Help Lu Er Ge seize power back home? For jointly resisting foreign enemy invasion, but now the external force says no invasion—then why do it?
Everyone kept looking at Lu Er Ge, but Lu Er Ge was completely oblivious, showing no willingness to “pay a price” himself.
So? After the alliance pays the cost to help him retake Griffon City, letting Da Yao’s silk and porcelain transship through Griffon City—what benefit to these city-states?!
…Empty words…
Here Lu Er Ge used the Feather Tribe royal family’s language to seek help from the King of Hai Le City.
The two did not avoid others, discussing in royal secret language: What price does the Da Yao person need to restore the city?
And at this time, amid all Feather Tribe royals’ surprise, Xuan Chong interjected in royal secret language: “Your Highness the prince, I once formed a military alliance with you to deal with Horned People together; this alliance has been fulfilled unilaterally by our side, and now you unilaterally abandon this alliance?”
Lu Er Ge was stunned, momentarily dazed by Xuan Chong knowing his kingdom’s secret language, and did not refute.
Then, Xuan Chong called out to the many royals in language: “Everyone need not worry about our threat to the Feather Tribe kingdom; our expedition’s original target was that southern world-influencing projection eye, i.e., the root of your troubles with Horned People and fear people invasions. Now the crisis is resolved; I wish to maintain this friendship from fighting side by side with you all.”
The Queen of Cui Lv Zhi Cang asked: “Your Excellency, why do you know our divine language?”
This is the core question many Feather Tribe pursued.
Xuan Chong now fiddled with the translator obtained from the sky god, looking at the chips implanted on these royals’ foreheads, narrating separately in different frequency bands. This narration, for Feather People royals, was not just textual description but carried musical rendering.
Xuan Chong: “I also underwent your sky trial. And received recognition.”
After Xuan Chong spoke in higher-level language, the Feather People chips’ codes appeared on his translator interface.
The translator now recorded far more codes than the nobles present, many grayed out, indicating those code users long offline.
And those showing still in use were the codes of these Feather Tribe royals’ implanted chips; facing the Queen of Cang Cui Zhi Cang, Xuan Chong read out her code.
Upon hearing her “true name,” this queen opened her mouth; then Xuan Chong turned to others, naming them one by one.
At the meeting, Lu Er Ge felt dazed; the situation turned sharply against him—he was no longer the prince seeking to “retake homeland,” but a coward unable to fulfill the warrior contract for “kingdom honor.”
…Friendship endures…
Tong Zheng Calendar year 3, late July, Xuan Chong reached an agreement with many city-state lords. Ding Ling City side ran one ship, thoroughly stabilizing both sides’ relations through silk and porcelain trade.
Xuan Chong adopted realistic diplomacy toward the distant Southern kingdoms. Cultural differences between both sides too great; Wu Family cannot in short term use family direct lineage for marriage alliance with local Feather Tribe nobles. As for the future?
In Ding Ling City, some marriage alliance Feather Tribe noble females had already borne a batch of children for the expedition army. And in Ding Ling City, to preserve the mechanism carrier blueprints for ascension to the sky, Xuan Chong copied and retained several more jade slips from before. However, the various parts for this carrier need customizing from further north Fen Xing City.
