The best idlers of the Tang Dynasty

"Then Du Rui really said that?"

In the Chengqing Hall, Taizong frowned upon hearing Li Chengqian's invitation. A few days ago, he reported that the Japanese sent envoys to the court, and Taizong was happy for a while. After all, only the Holy Son of Heaven can send all nations to the court. , Now that the Japanese country is here as an envoy, Taizong has been proud of his face for a long time.But after listening to Li Chengqian's words, Taizong also suddenly realized the joints.

Li Chengqian hurriedly said: "That's true. Previously, I also thought that the Wa kingdom's coming to court was a great thing, but after listening to Du Chengming's words, I just realized that even if the Wa kingdom does not have wolfish ambitions, it should not be underestimated. If it is really captured by them After learning everything, many of my Tang's technical advantages are gone."

Taizong nodded, and said: "Du Rui is indeed far-sighted, but the joints in this should not be underestimated."

Li Chengqian said: "Father, my son also thought of a festival."

Taizong heard the words and said with a smile: "Oh! What did Qian'er think of, tell your father and listen!"

Li Chengqian said: "The Wa Kingdom is just a remote small country, and its territory is not as big as my Tang Dynasty. My minister heard from Du Chengming that during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there were more than [-] countries in the Wa Kingdom. The people are weak, how can I get my father and emperor to summon me personally, my sons and ministers will see, and let a minister go to see me, that's fine!"

Taizong pondered for a moment and said: "It is not allowed to send a minister to go. Although the Wa Kingdom is small, it still has filial piety to our Celestial Dynasty, but the standard cannot be too low, Ganer! I will leave it to you at this time! I will let your uncle and you Let's go to see the Japanese envoy together, and after I have exchanged the credentials, I will summon him again!"

Li Chengqian hurriedly bowed and said, "Your minister leads the decree!"

The next day, Li Chengqian and Changsun Wuji went to Honglu Temple to summon the Japanese envoys, but the monarch and his uncle Lang didn't know much about the affairs of the Japanese country. After much deliberation, Li Chengqian had no choice but to ask Henglian to invite Du Rui. Although it was unreasonable for Du Rui to go to meet foreign envoys with a white body, but he was young and he was on good terms with the crown prince, so others would not make irresponsible remarks.

Du Rui had no choice but to take Du Pingyuan and his brothers with him after receiving such an inexplicable order from the Prince Jun.

Sitting down in the Honglu Temple, after a short time, someone brought the Japanese envoy to the place. Du Rui looked at it and almost laughed out loud, because the envoy was really too short. It can be seen that the average height of the Japanese people increased later. It is really because of the introduction of foreign blood.

When a group of Japanese envoys entered the main hall, the identities of Li Chengqian and others had already been informed by petty officials. Those Japanese envoys hurriedly prostrated themselves on the ground, their words and deeds extremely respectful.

However, Du Rui saw a trace of anger in the eyes of the middle-aged envoy who was the leader. Probably they were dissatisfied because they were not summoned by Emperor Taizong in person.

Du Rui had never learned Japanese in his previous life, but fortunately, the leading envoy to the Tang Dynasty, Mitachi, had been to China twice during the Sui Dynasty, so he was fluent in Chinese.

After a few words of courtesy, the two sides exchanged letters of credence, which stipulated some of the affiliation between the two parties. The Wa Kingdom recognized the Tang Dynasty as their suzerain state, paid tribute every year, and proclaimed their ministers every year. Indoctrination, protection, etc.

But when it comes to the level of enlightenment, the two parties have disagreements. The Wa Kingdom advocates that since the Tang Dynasty is the suzerain, it should undertake the responsibility of improving the people's livelihood, the economy, etc. But he insisted that the so-called enlightenment is only limited to etiquette, and everything else is not allowed.

Fortunately, at this time, the strength gap between the Tang Dynasty and the Wa Kingdom was vastly different, and the other party had no room to bargain at all, so they had to hold their noses and admit it.

When the work was done, Li Chengqian and Changsun Wuji went back to the palace to restore the decree. They didn't do anything, but Du Rui, who had been sitting for a long time, also brought Du Pingyuan and his brothers back home.

But just at night, Li Chengqian came again, looking a little depressed and anxious.

"Your Highness! What's the matter?"

Li Chengqian said: "It's not the Japanese who made trouble. I knew they should be expelled from the country. Obviously, just after changing the credentials, the envoy of the Japanese country, Dogami Mita, made such a bizarre request to fight wits with our country. Father I wanted to ignore it, but I was afraid that those Japanese people would spread the word and lose Datang's face!"

Du Rui laughed and said: "If the Japanese want to fight wits, they just have to fight with them. Could it be that there are so many educated people in the court, but they can't beat a few little Japanese!"

Du Rui intentionally said the word "little" very strongly. Li Chengqian couldn't help laughing when he thought of the situation when he met the Japanese envoys during the day. The words of the sages are nothing, but the Japanese don’t understand Confucius and Mencius, so how can they fight these things, I’m afraid they will come up with some crooked questions, and then I will lose the face of the Celestial Dynasty.”

Du Rui had already thought about the purpose of Li Chengqian's trip, but he still asked: "Then, is there anything I can do for you when your Highness comes here?"

Li Chengqian said with a smile: "Chengming has already guessed it, why pretend to be confused, the father asked Gu to come here to invite Chengming, and go to the Taiji Hall for a banquet tomorrow, and dismiss those Japanese people by the way."

Hearing this, Du Rui couldn't help laughing wryly. Could it be that he is now omnipotent in the hearts of Taizong and his sons, and they come to ask for advice when they encounter problems, but Du Rui dare not resist Taizong's oral order, so he had to comply.

The next day, in the Tai Chi Hall.

Taizong hosted a banquet in person to entertain the Japanese envoys. Du Rui also hid behind Li Chengqian as an entourage. He felt uncomfortable with the strange look in his eyes when the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty looked at him.

Fortunately, the banquet started soon, and Du Rui just followed Li Chengqian, not saying a word, just eating and drinking.

"His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty!" Inugami Mita made a move.

I saw him leaving the table to worship on the ground, saying: "Foreign ministers are outside the Huai Dynasty, but they often hear that the Tang Dynasty has talented scholars and heroes, all of them are dragons and phoenixes among people. The foreign ministers are here to rebuild the two countries. Hello Meng, the second reason is to learn the wisdom of the talented scholars of the Celestial Dynasty, the foreign ministers have a few questions here, and I also invite the talented scholars of the Celestial Dynasty to answer the questions for the foreign ministers."

In the former dynasty, Inugami Santianxi lived in the middle of the country for a long time, and he was very fluent in Chinese.

Hearing the words, Emperor Taizong couldn't help but glanced at Du Rui, who was eating and drinking, and couldn't help laughing, and said: "If the envoy has any questions, just say it. I have nothing else in Tang Dynasty. There are many talents and heroes. There must be someone who can do it for you." Er puzzled."

Hearing the words, Inugami Mita Suki asked someone to lift up a painted screen, on which a tiger was drawn, Inuami Mita Suki pointed to the painted screen and said: "This painted screen is a strange thing in our country. The tiger has become a spirit, and it will come out to harass us every night. The foreign minister asked His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty to send someone to tie it up and keep it under control, how about it?"

When the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty heard the words, they all knew that this dog Mita was talking nonsense, but he said it firmly but it was hard to refute it, and today he made it clear that it was a battle of wits. I am afraid that this matter really needs to be based on wisdom. solved.

Li Chengqian also asked Du Rui in a low voice, "Chengming! This Japanese man is really treacherous. How can the tiger in this painting be trapped?"

Du Rui didn't care, and said with a smile: "It's easy!"

After finishing speaking, he stood up, bowed to Emperor Taizong, and said: "Your Majesty, the grass-roots people have nothing to do, since you are lucky enough to come here to have a banquet today, you don't need to worry about such trivial matters, the grass-roots people will take care of you for yourselves! "

Taizong heard the words, nodded with a smile and said: "In that case, you go there!"

In the civil and military affairs of the Manchu dynasty, except for the eldest grandson Wuji, none of them knew who Du Rui was, but they couldn't help but sweat when they saw that he was a small child who dared to stand up and face the Japanese envoy's troubles. .

Li Tai at the other seat saw him, and said to Du Chuke beside him, "That's Du Rui!"

Du Chuke said: "Exactly!"

Li Tai snorted without saying a word, obviously to see Du Rui's joke.

Du Rui walked to the painting screen and said to Emperor Taizong, "Please lend me a rope to the grassroots."

Although Taizong was full of surprise and didn't know what kind of mystery Du Rui was going to play, he still ordered the servants in the palace to fetch the rope and handed it to Du Rui.

Du Rui held the rope, and said to the dog Mita, "Okay, envoy! I will start tying it now, please envoy go around and hide behind the painting screen, lest the tiger jump out and hurt you."

Seeing this, Inugami Mita was also puzzled, but he did it anyway.

Du Rui suddenly spread his legs, stretched his posture, and shouted: "Tiger Spirit, I am following the order of His Majesty the Tang Emperor to tie you up, come out quickly."

Of course the tiger on the painting screen will not come out.

Du Rui yelled for a while, and said, "All envoys, please yell behind the painting screen to get the tiger out. If it doesn't come out, I can't tie it up!"

The Japanese envoy didn't know what to do, but Inugami Mita couldn't hold back anymore, and said, "What are you talking about, boy? The tiger on the painting wants us to drive it out? It's unreasonable!"

Du Rui heard the words, and said: "This is strange. When your envoy asked the Holy Majesty, didn't you say that this tiger comes out every night. It can come out by itself, but can't it come out?"

Inugami Mita had nothing to say, he could only say: "Okay, I'm willing to bow down."

When Taizong and the courtiers saw that such a difficult problem was easily solved by Du Rui, they couldn't help applauding loudly.

Du Rui looked at Inugami Mita, and said with a smile: "Your envoy doesn't know if there is any problem, so please answer it. Although I am not talented, compared with the ministers above the court, I am absolutely inferior." , but solving a few minor problems for your envoy is nothing!"

Du Rui's words not only gave other people face, but also belittled the Japanese envoys, all the courtiers present couldn't help but twirling their beards and laughing.

Inugami Mita's face turned livid, and he said, "Since that's the case, I still have a problem here, so I'll ask this little genius to answer it!"

After speaking, he asked an attendant to fetch a bamboo pole with a gift box hanging on it, and said: "This gift box is a national gift from our country to His Majesty the Tang Emperor, but you can't stand on a high place like a stool. To pick it up, but you can't put the bamboo pole down horizontally."

Du Rui couldn't help laughing when he heard the words, and without speaking, he took the bamboo pole and walked out of the Tai Chi Hall. Seeing this, Taizong and others couldn't understand what he meant, so they had to follow.

Du Rui found a well for firefighting, and then put the bamboo pole into the well. When the top of the bamboo pole was close to the mouth of the well, he successfully got the gift.

Seeing this, Emperor Taizong couldn't help clapping his hands and praised: "Good! Your child is really quick-witted!"

Du Rui hurriedly bowed and said: "The grassroots dare not be praised by the saints, it's just a temporary crooked talent!"

Taizong laughed and said: "Although you are a crooked talent, you have to reward him. Tell me, what do you want?"

Du Rui didn't answer directly, but looked at Inugami Mita, and said, "I don't know if your envoy has any problems. If not, I will ask His Majesty the Emperor for a reward!"