Chapter 133: Etiquette

As for the consequences, he had not failed to consider them. Perhaps the Later Jin would become angry and behead him to establish their authority, or they might simply send him back if he refused to kowtow. But after repeated analysis with the people from the Grand Library, he believed the possibility was not very high. The Later Jin had not yet established the concept of the supreme authority of imperial power. In 1633, Huang Taiji had only just begun to sit alone facing south, and the issue of the emperor’s face was far less significant than it would later become.

Furthermore, the current Huang Taiji was “eagerly seeking talent.” To win over Lamaism, when the Tibetan Living Buddha’s envoy arrived, Huang Taiji also gave him extremely high courtesy. In the old world, when Kong Youde and Shang Kexi surrendered, he personally went out ten li to greet them and even performed the “embrace greeting.” This showed that he was a monarch who was very willing to use super-high-standard courtesy to win people’s hearts.

The final point was that at this time, the Manchu Qing had not yet usurped the Central Plains. The Tianming Khan could not say things like “possessing the four seas.” On the contrary, he was very eager for trade.

Considering these three points, the possibility of Huang Taiji killing or expelling Huang Hua for not kowtowing was extremely small. The possibility of the business succeeding was very high.

Even so, Huang Hua’s mood was also very depressed. He was going to face the biggest BUG of this era in East Asia, Huang Taiji, who was suspected to be a single transmigrator. The psychological pressure was imaginable.

Huang Hua was a bold and audacious person. He was a small businessman who had done border trade in the northeast. Without considerable courage, he would not have been able to survive in this line of business. But now he was going to face the strongman of this time and space.

Apart from the advantage of having several hundred years of knowledge, compared to a hero like Huang Taiji, he was truly like dust. If not for the Yuanlao Senate and the entire industrial system of Lingao behind him, he would have probably pissed his pants in fear long ago.

Looking forward from the horse’s head, although it was still freezing cold, spring had already arrived slightly. The river ice began to melt, and the soil became moist. The wild grass on the sunny side of the road began to awaken and sprout, and the willow trees everywhere also bore yellow buds on their soft and slender branches. Huang Hua took a deep breath. The road ahead was long, and he did not know whether this trip would be auspicious or ominous.

The group traveled for seven or eight days. The post stations along the way did their best to supply them. The people along the way all avoided this procession. On this day, the team arrived at the bank of the Hun River. It was not far from Shenyang. The Manchu and Han officials of the Ministry of Rites, led by Sahaliyan, sent by Huang Taiji, greeted them. Not only was the ceremony grand, but they also gave a banquet and gifts. Huang Hua strictly adhered to his own rules. Whether it was a banquet or a gift, he bowed to the direction of Shengjing to express his thanks, and never performed the kowtow ceremony. Sahaliyan and others did not find it strange.

That night, the group stayed at the Hunhe Post Station. Sahaliyan personally came to visit. Because they were to enter the city the next day, the etiquette for the audience had to be negotiated. Sure enough, the etiquette for the audience with the Tianming Khan became the focus of discussion between the two sides.

The Later Jin side naturally hoped that this “Da Ao” from an unknown place would follow the etiquette of foreign vassals, such as the various Mongol tribes and Korea, for the audience. The Tianming Khan could give special courtesy, such as giving Huang Hua the “embrace greeting.” But Huang Hua gritted his teeth and would not budge, stating that he would only perform the three-bow ceremony. Other than that, let alone kowtowing, even the half-kneel ceremony or the most common “daqianli” of the Later Jin was out of the question.

According to the news reporting model of the old world, the two sides held repeated consultations on this issue. Seeing that Huang Hua would not budge, Sahaliyan did not dare to make a decision on his own and had to send someone to ask Huang Taiji himself for a decision.

Huang Taiji himself was also a little hesitant about this. He was originally prepared to give “Da Ao” special courtesy. A few days ago, the officials of the Ministry of Rites who had gone ahead had already sent back a few “gifts” from the Da Ao envoy by flying horse. Although the crystal mirror and other things made him marvel, what moved him even more was a suit of full plate armor.

This suit of full plate armor was not only tightly protected, but its joints also moved freely. He had his strongest archer among his White Armored Bayara test-fire it, and the protective effect was surprisingly good, even better than the carefully crafted double armor worn by the Bayara. The key was that wearing this armor was much more flexible than double armor, and the soldiers’ burden was also smaller, so they would not get tired easily on the battlefield.

If he could let all the Bayara wear such armor, wouldn’t it be like a tiger with wings!

So he was quite eager to see the envoy as soon as possible and find out his purpose and “price.”

Now, hearing the report from the Ministry of Rites that the other party was unwilling to perform the kowtow ceremony, he couldn’t help but hesitate.

He had never paid much attention to empty ceremonies, but he was quite influenced by some Han officials and believed that as the supreme ruler, he must have considerable etiquette and honor, otherwise it would make his subjects, the various kings, and foreign vassals have a contemptuous heart. He had been concentrating royal power for these years and attached great importance to authority, so he did not dare to make a decision lightly.

But he was unwilling to miss this excellent opportunity. After some hesitation, he decided to consult Fan Wencheng’s opinion and had him called into the Qingning Palace that night.

After hearing that the other party was resolutely unwilling to perform the kowtow ceremony, Fan Wencheng thought for a moment. He had known about the “Da Ao” coming to court from the beginning. He was an old minister of two dynasties and had served Nurhaci diligently in his youth. Over the years, he had been up and down, experienced wind and rain, and had a very clear understanding of the thoughts of the Eight Banners nobles and the Gioro.

He was very clear about the Tianming Khan’s character and style and knew that he attached great importance to the goods brought by this group of people. At the same time, he was also eager to open a new trade route to alleviate the current predicament of a shortage of national resources. Therefore, he was reluctant to refuse the other party on this account.

As a high minister of the court, he certainly knew what the economic state of the “Great Jin” was. Even he, a scholar of high rank, had to eat barnyard millet from time to time. He could only “receive as a reward” some rice when the Li Dynasty paid tribute. There was a shortage of all daily necessities on the market. There was not even enough paper for the various departments to use for official business, so that official documents could only be written on the back of old files and papers left over from the Ming Dynasty. If Da Ao could supply various goods, it would be a small supplement to the situation.

Huang Taiji asked, “The envoy is now refusing to budge, just unwilling to kowtow to me. Would kowtowing to me make them lose any flesh?”

Fan Wencheng said, “The envoy of Da Ao’s refusal to perform the ceremony is indeed arrogant, but they are after all people from overseas, frogs in a well, who do not know the might of the Great Khan.”

Huang Taiji asked, “In your opinion, should I let them see the might of the Great Khan?”

Fan Wencheng said, “Your Majesty, in my opinion, Da Ao is a distant country overseas. Since they are willing to travel thousands of li by boat to pay tribute, it means they have a heart of admiration for the court. The great principle is not violated.”

Huang Taiji’s face showed a smile, and he said, “So you think I can allow them not to perform the kowtow ceremony?”

“I believe in showing might and winning over with grace.”

Huang Taiji laughed heartily and said, “Good, that’s well said!” After thinking for a moment, he said, “If so, then grant them this grace!”

“Your Majesty’s heart is as vast as the sea.”

Fan Wencheng knew that his speculation was completely accurate. Since that was the case, he had another trick up his sleeve to please him. He immediately submitted a memorial, saying that since they were allowed not to perform the kowtow ceremony, it would be inconvenient to hold the audience in the palace. It would be better to invite His Majesty to set up a tent somewhere outside the city in the name of hunting, and then bring the envoy there for the audience.

During a hunt, all etiquette and ceremonies were simplified, and it also had an “informal” meaning. The negative impact of the other party not performing the kowtow ceremony could be reduced to a minimum.

So the next day, a hunt was announced. The location of the hunt was not far from the Hun River. Huang Taiji and others wanted to show the might of the Eight Banners, so they drew a thousand cavalry from the Eight Banners, and another two hundred red-armored and white-armored Bayara guarded the emperor in front and behind. The various kings, beile, beise, gung, and gūsa-i ejen and other nobles, as well as the Bayara, accompanied them. At the same time, Sahaliyan was ordered to bring the mission to the hunting ground.

Huang Hua did not know that the other party had already gone through a “discussion of etiquette.” Seeing Sahaliyan come again, he no longer mentioned the matter of kowtowing, but said that the emperor was “magnanimous” and allowed him to have an audience with “foreign vassal etiquette.” Huang Hua finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he would not return without success.

The group then followed the Manchu and Han officials to the hunting ground. It was said to be a hunting ground, but it was actually near Shenyang. They arrived in less than half a day. Around noon, the merchant group arrived at the hunting ground.

This temporary hunting ground was set up on the bank of the Taizi River. Huang Taiji’s tent was set up on the slope of a small hill by the river. A huge yellow tent hall was in the center. Simple ceremonial guards were arranged outside the tent hall. What was particularly awe-inspiring was a yellow umbrella representing imperial power that was erected. Outside the tent hall was another small tent where officials were on duty. Rows of Bayara soldiers stood solemnly outside the door.

On the riverbank, more than a thousand elite soldiers of the Eight Banners were lined up to welcome them. As the merchant group arrived, the low sound of horns was blown one after another, spreading far along the riverbank.

Huang Hua had been asked to dismount from his palanquin five li away. A rest tent was set up here, and the officials of the Ministry of Rites who were in charge of receiving him asked him to rest here for a while, wash up, and change into formal attire to prepare for the audience. Then someone was sent to bring hot water and food.

Huang Hua rested here for a while and ate something. Then he changed into his formal attire: the woolen winter uniform of the Fubo Army, a black woolen overcoat with a belt, long boots, and a cotton warm hat.

The twenty attendants he brought were also dressed in the same attire, except that their overcoats were gray. Each person carried two newly improved 1632-type revolvers slung across their chests in a cross pattern, with a cutlass at their waist. They were all elite soldiers selected from the Lingao garrison, and they were all full of vigor. When they walked out of the tent after changing their clothes, they immediately caused a small commotion among the surrounding Manchu and Han officials and soldiers.

“Prepare a horse for the lord!”

With an order, a bondservant brought a steel-blue steed. Huang Hua had traveled through Inner and Outer Mongolia and could tell at a glance that this was a good Mongolian horse, with a majestic and spirited appearance. He had practiced riding hard in Lingao and was no stranger to it. He immediately mounted the horse, and his attendants also mounted their horses.

“Let’s go.” With Huang Hua’s words, a leading zhangjing raised a flag, and the two hundred cavalrymen of the two yellow banners who were on guard in the distance immediately galloped over, all wearing helmets and armor. They swiftly rode past the mission, then immediately split into two columns on the left and right, sandwiching the group in the middle, and headed towards the imperial tent.