Chapter 147: Audience with the Marquis of Qi

Upon returning to the guesthouse, Meng Di received notification that he would be granted an audience with the Marquis of Qi the following day. According to court etiquette, he was required to bathe and change into fresh robes before entering the royal palace, where a carriage dispatched by the Marquis was already waiting outside.

Upon arriving at the palace, Meng Di laid eyes on a man well past sixty. Having ruled the state of Qi for over four decades, his bearing and demeanor were entirely different from those of the Marquises of Lu and Jin. He possessed a natural, unforced majesty that emanated a powerful sense of intimidation.

When all was said and thoại, this was because the Marquis of Qi firmly held the reins of power in Qi. His edicts and opinions were almost always fully implemented, with all subordinate noble houses conducting affairs according to his personal will, naturally shaping a very different state of mind.

As soon as Meng Di stepped into the grand hall, the Marquis of Qi directly and bluntly broached the subject.

"I hear that Lu intends to form an alliance with Qi. Is this rumor true or false?"

This opening gambit immediately placed Meng Di in a difficult dilemma. If he confirmed it, he would have no way to report back upon his return, and the news leaking out would undoubtedly incense Fan Yang of Jin. If he denied it, the Marquis of Qi might easily seize upon a pretext to drive him out directly.

After a brief moment of thought, Meng Di bowed to the Marquis and launched a tit-for-tat counter-inquiry.

"I have heard that the Marquis of Qi desires to achieve hegemony over all under heaven. I wonder if this rumor is true or false?"

Hearing this, a fleeting smile touched the Marquis’s face before vanishing as quickly as it came, replaced by a stern expression.

"As an envoy, Meng Zi speaks to his ruler with such unbridled impropriety. What is the meaning of this?"

Yet not a trace of panic flickered across Meng Di’s face as he calmly replied.

"The State of Lu is currently allied with Jin, and relations between our two states have always been harmonious. Meanwhile, Qi has frequently encroached upon Lu. My mission here today is merely to ease tensions in the relationship with Qi, not to forge an alliance."

"At present, Qi possesses formidable national strength, aided by the brilliant statecraft of Gao and Zhang. Lu feels deep anxiety at this juncture and wishes to improve relations with Qi, much like the time when, following the Battle of Changshao, Duke Zhuang of Lu still chose to maintain friendly ties with Qi, a tale that has been celebrated ever since."

"The Marquis of Lu believes that since Qi and Lu share borders, if they can live in harmony and treat each other with sincerity, the benefits to Qi will be manifold. Conversely, should Qi and Lu engage in endless strife without a moment of peace along the borders, Qi itself will suffer the consequences."

Though the words were not entirely explicit, the Marquis of Qi understood their import. Obscure though Meng Di's phrasing was, he had clearly conveyed Lu's underlying demand: if Qi were truly powerful enough to contend with Jin for hegemony and reach the heights achieved by Duke Huan of Qi, then Lu would naturally ally with Qi. However, if Qi remained obsessed with launching military campaigns against Lu, the likely result would be the exhaustion of massive military forces within Lu's borders, rendering the dream of world hegemony nothing more than an illusion.

At this point, Gao Zhang wore an expression of clear displeasure and broke in directly.

"Meng Zi is mistaken. While Lu shares a border with Qi, it has allied itself with Jin and served as its vanguard for many years. This is the fundamental reason for the animosity between Qi and Lu; otherwise, our two states would naturally coexist in harmony."

This was simply a case of each side presenting its own rationale. Due to strategic necessities, Lu and Qi could never forge a lasting pact, for Lu's geographical position was far too critical. If Qi could not subdue Lu, any attempt to contest the Central Plains would be exceedingly difficult.

This was because Qi lacked sufficient strategic depth, and Linzi could face danger from Lu at any moment. No matter who occupied the throne of Qi, they would never abandon the gradual annexation of Lu.

This was dictated by mutual strategic imperatives, independent of any individual's will. Meng Di was well aware of this, which was why he let Gao Zhang's words roll off his back. With a tranquil smile, he responded.

"The policy of a weak state is to seek self-preservation, while the policy of a great power is to seek hegemony. With Jin having held hegemony for a century under such conditions, how could Lu possibly abandon Jin to lean toward Qi?"

Gao Zhang prepared to retort, but the Marquis of Qi raised a hand to stop him. A smile returned to the ruler's face as he studied Meng Di closely, evidently finding him quite intriguing, before slowly asking.

"Since Meng Zi just mentioned the affair between Duke Zhuang of Lu and Duke Huan of Qi, I would like to ask: why was Duke Zhuang, even after the Battle of Changshao, still willing to follow Duke Huan in his quest for hegemony?"

Catching the drift immediately, Meng Di understood that the Marquis was probing the path to hegemony. He lowered his gaze and contemplated for a moment.

"The wealth of Qi is known to all under heaven. Precisely because of this, the people of Qi have grown accustomed to ease and pleasure without any drive for progress, valuing empty rhetoric over substantive deeds—a far cry from the era of Duke Huan."

"In those days, Duke Huan governed the state with wise ministers like Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya, which caused Qi's statecraft to grow daily more robust. Furthermore, Duke Huan held the Rites of Zhou in profound reverence, which led to such deeds as returning territory to the State of Yan."

"For this reason, the feudal lords of all under heaven felt a genuine, heartfelt admiration for Duke Huan, thereby establishing the hegemony of Qi. As the saying goes, when a state makes itself strong, none under heaven will refuse to submit. Yet today, wise ministers like Master Yan are denied important posts."

"And brilliant talents such as Tian Rangju are left to languish in obscurity. How can this possibly compel Lu to submit? This humble envoy hopes that the Marquis can revitalize governance within Qi and outwardly uphold the Rites of Zhou; if this is done, the great enterprise can be achieved."

When he finished speaking, the Marquis of Qi nodded repeatedly, an expression of deep thought settling upon his face.

"What Meng Zi has said is exceptionally fine and gives me much to ponder. Please, take your seat."

The conversation that followed drifted into trivial matters, leaving Meng Di with no opportunity to voice his remaining thoughts. He had seen through the man: the Marquis of Qi was someone who loved grandiose achievements and only put on a superficial display of respecting the wise.

The words he had just spoken had merely been heard; none of them had truly sunk in. At last, Meng Di understood why the Tian clan would subsequently rise to power so rapidly.

Under a monarch of this caliber, as long as one acted in accordance with his personal whims, one could retain favor and office. How could such a state of Qi ever hope to rule all under heaven?

Meng Di had originally thought that if Qi could strive to make itself strong, it could deal a further blow to Jin—a favorable outcome that would allow him to secretly develop his own sphere of influence in Huaiyi.

Yet judging by the current situation, the likelihood of that idea coming to fruition was extremely low, especially since the State of Wei had already dispatched envoys to Qi. How Qi chose to act next remained to be seen.

Once Meng Di departed the royal palace, he made preparations to return directly to Meng Yi. After all, with Gao Zhang watching him, he never felt entirely safe, making a prompt departure the wisest course of action.

On the very next day, as Meng Di was preparing to leave Linzi, Bo Ren brought him news: Beigong Jie, the envoy sent by Wei to Qi, had somehow provoked the Marquis of Qi and had been placed under direct house arrest.

Moreover, the Marquis had issued a public declaration that he would dispatch troops to launch a direct attack on Wei.