(Heartfelt thanks to Le Cha Cha and I forgot the book friend for the monthly pass!) ）

The envoy of the Liao State arrived in Bianliang City yesterday evening, and the chief envoy of the envoy this time was Xiao Temo, the Xuanhui envoy of the Northern Yuan of the Liao State, and Liu Liufu, a bachelor of the Hanlin Dynasty of the Liao State, as the deputy envoy, led a vast contingent of more than 100 people to arrive in the capital after more than 20 days.

Early this morning, under the leadership of the Privy Council Celebrant Chamber, he brought gifts to Renzong. The Great Song Dynasty did not know what the Liao envoys came to envoy for this time, but the previous dynasty agenda mentioned that the Liao State had gathered a large number of troops and horses on the border between the two countries, and it was not difficult to judge that there was an inevitable connection between the two in combination with this mission.

In the early dynasty, the Liao envoys Xiao Temo and Liu Liufu also fulfilled the gift of the younger country, and the alliance between the two countries had agreed that the two countries were brothers' countries, and the lords of the country were called brothers, and Zhao Zhen was older than Liao Xingzong Yeluzong, so the Great Song Dynasty was the elder brother, and the Liao State was the younger brother.

Xiao Temo was unequivocal in etiquette, calling him meticulous in his bowing, and greeting the ministers of the court with a smile on his face, and offering a list of gifts brought with him, all of which were specialties of the northern country, such as milk meat, good horses, furs, old ginseng and other valuable things; Of course, in the eyes of the Liao State, it is very valuable, and in the eyes of the Song people, such gifts are simply despicable and ridiculous.

But no matter how expensive the gift is, it can't hide the true purpose of the Liao envoy's visit, after the meeting according to the etiquette, Xiao Temo handed over a letter from Liao Xingzong to Zhao Zhen when he came to the next court, and then went back to the post house to rest under the guidance of the reception official.

Zhao Zhen opened Liao Xingzong's handwritten letter in front of the ministers, and if he didn't read it, he was immediately angry, and threw the letterhead at the bottom of the stairs, scolding: "The state of tigers and wolves, really uneducated, has to make inches, and deceives people too much!" ”

The ministers were still intoxicated by the atmosphere of friendship between the two countries, but who knew that the situation suddenly changed, and the emperor instantly turned angry and scolded in public, which was a unique thing.

Lu Yijian trembled and picked up Liao Xingzong's letter, unfolded it and read: "Your Majesty, brother of the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, brother Yeluzong Zhenyao wishes Kang'an; It has been 38 years since the alliance between the two countries; In the past 38 years, the two countries of Liao and Song have been safe and sound, and the military and people of the two countries are as harmonious as relatives. The country of the world, far away from the sword and good neighborliness, the only example in the world, is the luck of the two countries of Liao and Song. ”

Everyone looked at each other, what they said was very decent, and their attitude was sincere and respectful enough, but they didn't know what was said below, which made the emperor so angry.

"However, since your country, there is also a lot of trouble between the two countries, a paper alliance is not enough to settle everything, my Liao monarch and ministers have always had grievances, Gai because of a number of things, all related to your country, brother is benevolent, brother is not rude people, you and I should think about the long-term friendship between the two countries, so the two countries do not understand the matter should be decided as soon as possible; This is a plan for the friendship of future generations, and it must be done. ”

Everyone's spirits perked up, and they said in their hearts: "When it comes to the topic, the Liao lord Xingzong finally proposed that there are several things that affect the friendship between the two countries, hoping to solve these problems, but I don't know which things. ”

Lu Yijian swallowed and spit, and continued to read: "First, your country is in Zhou, long before your country, Zhou lord Shizong has provoked my Da Liao several times, taking advantage of the civil strife in my Da Liao, to seize the land of ten counties south of Waqiao Pass in Nanjing Dao of Da Liao as his own, and then ordered Emperor Taizong to establish the Great Song Dynasty, and take over the land of the ten counties in the south of Waqiao Guannan as Song soil, and now the two countries are on good terms, and my brother asks your country to return the land of the ten counties in the south of Waqiao Guan, and my brother will not shirk it. ”

The ministers were all indignant, and they scolded in court, this Liao Xingzong is really faceless and skinless, and the lion opened his mouth to pick up the ground; Waqiao Pass is an important pass bordering the East Hebei Road of the Great Song Dynasty and Nanjing Road of the Liao Kingdom, after the Waqiao Pass, there is no important town to hold on to the south of a hundred miles, the Liao people have nothing to do but seize the land of the ten counties in the south of the Waqiao Pass, and the sinister of its intentions is self-evident.

"Don't be excited, listen to Lu Xiang's recitation." Yan Shu shouted majestically with a calm face.

Everyone stopped the noise and listened quietly to Lu Yijian as he read down.

Lu Yijian's face was also pale with anger, but he gritted his teeth and continued to read: "The second thing is that when Emperor Taizong of your country was alive, he attacked my Great Liao for no reason, and the three-way army penetrated into my Liao realm for thousands of miles, and countless people were killed in the land of my swallow thistle, and it was not calculated to rob livestock and property; Although this move was before the alliance of Lanzhou, our Daliao army and people were deeply ashamed; Please give an explanation on this matter, what was the reason for Emperor Taizong to attack my Da Liao in the first place, and what was the name of the teacher? ”

"Shameless, shameless." Chen Zhizhong, the privy deputy envoy, scolded angrily: "When I founded the country in the Great Song Dynasty, it was the Liao people who caused trouble on the border, and my Emperor Taizong just punished him slightly. ”

"Deputy Envoy Chen, don't be in a hurry, let's talk about it after listening to it." Yan Shu was also polite to Chen Zhizhong, and his tone was also comforting.

"Third, Yuan Hao of Western Xia and my Da Liao have nephews, and have already been ministers to my Da Liao, your country is prosperous and Xia, you should have informed me of Da Liao in advance, but now you are silent and do not fight with Yuan Hao repeatedly, where is the friendship between the two brothers? Fourth, your country has recently built additional fortifications on the border and added border troops. What is the purpose of the frequent mobilization of troops and horses? Do you want to ignore the friendship between the two countries and the friendship of brothers, and meet our great Liao? There is an agreement between the two countries along the border city: the two dynasties along the border city, everything is as usual, no city god is allowed to be built, the brother's move is a betrayal of the covenant, it is really unwise, I hope the brother will check it to give an explanation; If my brother doesn't insist on violating the alliance, my Da Liao can also ignore the alliance of Lanzhou, and hope that my brother will think twice. ”

To sum up the above four articles, the younger brother deeply felt that the gap between the two countries came out of the obstacles, so he proposed them together, and sent Xiao Temo, the Xuanhui envoy of the Southern Academy, and Liu Liufu, a bachelor of Hanlin, as the chief and deputy envoys to contact your country about this matter, and also hoped that the brother's committee would discuss it full-time, in order to discuss these four articles properly, so as to benefit the arms of the brothers and keep the plan of the descendants for a long time! Another brother told my brother that my generalissimo of the Great Liao Soldiers and Horses, Yelu Zongyuan, and my Great Liaobei Privy Envoy Xiao Hui led an army of millions to hunt in Nanjing Road, which was a normal military exercise, and my brother must not be suspicious. My brother admires my brother's benevolence, and looks forward to drinking with my brother, and now I will raise a glass in Beijing to wish my brother a prosperous country, good health and health! ”

Lu Yijian's face sank like water, he took a long breath, and handed the letterhead in his hand to the waiter, who respectfully placed it on the dragon case.

Zhao Zhen's chest rose and fell, his eyes erupted with fire, and he pointed to the letter and said: "All the secretaries have heard it, this is the four-point request made by the Liao people, which is simply too deceitful; According to what he said, wouldn't I want to give up the land of the ten counties in the south of Waqiao Guan? I, Emperor Taizong, was a soldier and a teacher; The western thieves rebelled against the Song Dynasty and became self-reliant, and the Liao people came to support them; The most infuriating thing is that he Liao has hundreds of thousands of soldiers on the border, but my Great Song Dynasty has no right to set up barriers to strengthen defense, what a joke, just bow down to his Liao State and call it a vassal, is it tolerable or unbearable? ”

Zhao Zhen drank loudly and slapped the dragon case with a crackling sound, showing a rare state of excitement, and his anger became thicker.

"Your Majesty, the Liao people insulted me too much, and the minister suggested that the Liao envoy should immediately cut his nose and gouge out his eyes and send him back to show my great Song Tianwei." Du Yan stepped forward and said indignantly.

"Bastard, the two countries have not yet killed the two countries, Du Shumi said this, he has lost his identity." Lu Yijian shouted suddenly.

Du Yan said: "Lu Xiang, the Liao people are all riding on our necks and, the emperor is so angry, why can't you kill Liwei?" ”

Lu Yi Jianli ignored him, and stepped forward and said: "Don't be angry, don't be angry, don't fall for the tricks of the Liao people." ”

Zhao Zhen sat down slowly, took a few deep breaths, and said in as calm a tone as possible: "What tricks does Lu Xiang think the Liao people have in this move?" ”

Lu Yijian said: "Your Majesty, these four are all vexatious moves, and they are blackmail by the Liao State when I am fighting with the Western Thieves, and the emperor doesn't have to pay attention to it at all, but he sent envoys to negotiate with him and refute them one by one, so why bother with such a thing." ”

Zhao Zhen was stunned and said: "Refute them one by one? If the Liao people raise troops because of this, what can they do about it? ”

Lu Yijian said: "I Hebei east and west roads have been vigorously armed, the Liao lord also said in the letter that I border fortifications and defenses, I think the Liao people have known that my Great Song Dynasty has been prepared, in this case, they easily do not dare to raise troops to attack me, but to give comfort during the negotiation, or give a number of coins, will end the dispute." ”

Zhao Zhen frowned and said, "Doesn't that make it seem that my Great Song is too weak and can be bullied?" The alliance of Lanzhou, my Great Song Dynasty has given 100,000 silver coins and 200,000 horses of silk every year, and now I have added coins, how to explain to the people of the world? ”

Lu Yijian arched his hand and said: "At this time and at that time, now I am at war with the Western Thieves outside the Great Song Dynasty, and I am suffering from natural disasters inside, which is really eventful; The Liao people came to envoy at this time, they were looking for this opportunity to extort bamboo and bargain, if they would plan it, give coins in exchange for peace, and wait for the rebellion of the Western Thieves to be quelled, and then free up their hands to negotiate this matter with the Liao State, otherwise they will be at war with the Liao State, and they will be attacked on both sides, which will be an unbearable situation. ”

Zhao Zhen pondered for a long time, unwilling, looked around the audience, and asked, "Do you Aiqing have any other clever plans?" ”

Everyone was silent, no one dared to make a decision on such a major matter, not to mention that this matter was too tricky, although Lu Xiang's gentle strategy sounded cowardly, but I am afraid it was also the best solution.

Yan Shu wanted to come forward to oppose it, but there was no way to deal with it, if the two countries were at war, what would they do to resist the Liao iron cavalry? Now that there is no money or food, once a war starts, it will inevitably be protracted, and the war will be fought with consumption and material reserves, and there is no hope of victory.

Zhao Zhen asked several times, but no one answered, so he sighed and said: "It seems that there is no other way, so who do you Aiqing think it is better to contact the Liao envoy?" ”