The sound of fighting in the mountains and forests disappeared, and Zhang Yun sat on the ground, panting violently.

His chest seemed to be on fire, and as he breathed, a sharp pain and the smell of blood came up.

But in his heart, he was irrepressibly glad that the enemy in front of him had lost the temperature in his body at his feet.

"Zhang San, is there anything wrong?" Not far away, behind the forest, a rough voice came.

"It's fine." Zhang San shook his head, "How many heads?" ”

"Add the third brother here, there are three in total." A young man walked over and looked at it.

"Three-eighths more." The other laughed.

Although this was killed by Zhang Sanyi, all the gains were evenly divided among the eight members of the team, and the same was true for the first level.

"It's three." Zhang calculated for a long time, sighed, and sat down by the fire.

After more than ten battles, he finally accumulated to the third level.

It is already twenty-four horses of silk, which is enough to rebuild a house, and the land will be given to dozens of acres for free by the imperial court. Enough to feed a family.

Zhang Yun and his companions were border residents who were forced to leave their homes after the Xining imperial court ceded land in the eighth year.

When he first pacified Hedong, Han Gang put a lot of effort into reettling these border people who had lost their homes. As soon as the Liao people came this time, all the energy that had been spent before turned into flowing water.

However, Han Gang's popularity still retains among the border people. With his usual monthly salary, he easily organized a group of archers among this group of border people.

Han Gang's side first stopped for a few days after he sent the letter and messenger from Yelu Yixin to Kaifeng, and then began to send border people into the mountains to fight. Another first-class eight silk horses for the price of a bounty.

The piecemeal fighting was actually quite tragic.

However, in the past 10 days, there have been more than 300 casualties, and more than 100 heads have been captured.

Generally speaking, after a close battle, the number of beheadings is only about one-third of the enemy's casualties, so the ratio of casualties arranged by the border people and the Liao army in the mountains and forests is basically one to one.

From the attacker's point of view, such an exchange ratio is still very cheap. It's just that when the attack on the pass really begins, the casualty figures of the officers and soldiers will jump to the sky in one go.

"A lot of people died." Huang Shang looked at the battle report and couldn't help sighing.

"Talk about it, war back to war. Who said that there can be no war when peace is discussed? During the alliance of the Yuanyuan, Yang Yanzhao led the army into the territory of Liao, and on the shore of the Yellow River, the war never ended in a day, and the agreement was stopped. Liu Guangyu talked eloquently, and for a few months in the same year, he seemed to be a new military expert: "As long as you don't stop here, the sooner you can reach a peace agreement." If the troops are withdrawn at this point, who knows how long the road will be rubbed down? If it drags on until the fall, who can guarantee that the northern captives will not mobilize troops and horses to go south again? ”

"That's not a worry." Zhang Qi said, "Yelu Yixin is anxious about his back now, and he needs to free up his hands as soon as possible and transfer back the troops and horses to suppress the unrest that will inevitably occur in the rear." It is a matter of wealth and life, which is far more important than snatching a few pieces of meat from the hands of Huang Song. Since he knew what Yelu Yixin was anxious about, of course he wanted to seize this opportunity, how could he let him smoothly transfer the troops and horses? ”

Han Gang put down the official letter in his hand and inserted it into the conversation of the staff, "Yelu Yixin's backyard is about to catch fire." ”

"Liao has changed in the country?!" The discussion suddenly stopped.

Han Gang smiled slightly: "Lord Liao is willing to serve the Son of Heaven as his father, and take the sixteen states such as You, Ji, Ying, and Mo as the longevity of the Son of Heaven." ”

The tent was cold for a long time, and then Huang Sheng smiled dryly: "The privy council is really joking. ”

Han Gang shook his head: "I'm not joking, this is news from the capital." ”

"It's the secret envoy sent by the Liao State to ?!!" Zhang Qi became extremely solemn, and most of them jumped up.

"No, rumors." Han Gang shook his head and smiled. Watching the expressions of the staff change from excitement to extreme disappointment, even if they were as calm as Zhang Qi, the muscles on their faces couldn't help but jump a few times.

Some time ago, the person who presided over the negotiations was Zeng Xiaokuan, a bachelor from Hanlin. But because Han Gang always bit it to death and didn't let go, he said that he was sick and quit this drudgery.

Now it is Lu Jiawen, who is also from Hanlin, who has not yet gone into battle, and he has taken the lead. This rumor spread to the Liao State, even if Yelu Yixin can still sit still, the group of eagle dogs below him is afraid that his heart will be disturbed.

"Even if it is a rumor, it must have its factual side." Han Gang said, "Emperor Jin can do this, how can Emperor Liao not do it?" Yelu Yixin's thief is powerful, in order to help Sheji, the righteous men and gentlemen in Liao must be willing to pay a small price to borrow troops to rebel. ”

As long as the envoys sent by the Liao State believe it.

Xiao Xi, or Xiao Haili, he is now once again envoy to Kaifeng, and he has not even been able to return to China, and he directly received the order in Baozhou. ordered him to negotiate with the Song people, wanting to use his experience. However, back then, he relied on the strength of the Liao State, but now the strength and weakness have reversed, and his side has never been able to open the situation.

I don't know if he will pass this rumor back in order to show his helplessness.

However, the first thing that came over was not the news of moving the capital, but the envoys from Xijing Province. It was not a letter that was sent, but a living person.

More than a dozen civil and military officials who had been captured and had not surrendered to the enemy were released, and they also brought back a message from Yelu Yixin, asking what kind of conditions were needed for Han Gang to agree to the peace talks.

The Liao envoy who led the team was still an acquaintance, and he was a former dealer.

If it had been a day before, Han Gang would never have bothered with it.

But he now has an extra edict in his hand, which allows him to interject a few words about diplomacy as well.

- Probably tired of Han Gang's always overturning the peace agreements that had been reached with great difficulty, the city of Tokyo sent a holy decree, ordering Han Gang to discuss peace with the envoys of the Liao State first, and let him go directly out of the conditions, so as not to go around the city of Tokyo again.

Han Gang's condition is very simple, just to change people back - although that rumor is interesting, it can be spread from Han Gang's side, and it will lose its meaning.

"The land, the Great Song Dynasty can give up, but the people must be returned. We can exchange the captives for silver silk. Han Gang repeated the conditions he had made earlier.

The benevolent love others.

As a disciple of Confucianism, Confucius did not need to bother to say much about valuing people over things in the Analects. The key is the current reality, politically, the exchange of prisoners is of course the proper etiquette, but which side is more important, the captured territory or the captive Hedong people, which side is more important, is easy to cause disputes in the court.

The number of dead people is just a number on paper, and the lost land is really conspicuous on the map and the sand table. To be honest, if Han Gang's opinion spreads, there should be a lot of opponents.

It's just that Han Gang won't hesitate between land and population, and who to choose in the end doesn't need to be considered much for Han Gang.

And this is also good for Yelu Yixin, and it can be said that he is happy to agree.

But after seeing the relaxed expression on Origan's face, he sneered and added, "In addition, all traitors have to be repatriated, and this matter is not discussed." The two sides are not allowed to take in each other's traitors and fugitives, the Great Song Dynasty and the Great Liao have made an agreement for this, since Shang's father intends to negotiate peace, please express his sincerity first. ”

Dry was dumbfounded, and his smile stiffened in an instant.

"You don't necessarily need new demarcation work, you just have to be willing to give people back."

Han Gang smiled slightly, no one could see the impatience hidden under the calm expression.

Ever since the news of the 'Cloud Restoration King' came from the capital, Han Gang had become extremely anxious.

The emperor's unpredictable intentions gave him a heavy sense of crisis.

The current emperor's personality is distorted, needless to say. From the Son of Heaven to the paralyzed, the gap is too big, and normal people can be regarded as calm without going crazy. Zhao Ji even maintained his political wisdom, but to say that his character can still be the same as before, such illusions have long been shattered by reality.

This sober madman is certainly a dangerous man, and no one knows what he will do.

If the emperor really starts to go crazy, even if there is only a one percent chance, it will be everyone's nightmare.

Han Gang would rather let Wang Anshi jump in anger and let his wife lose his temper with him again, and he must write that letter, not for anything else, but only hope that Wang Anshi can suppress the emperor's movements. As long as Zaifu can join forces with the empress in power, it will be easy to make the current emperor become the first emperor. Therefore, the sons of heaven in all dynasties, as long as they are normal, will be very wary of the courtiers in the traffic harem.

But will Wang Anshi join forces with the queen?

It's simply impossible.

Whether it is from the perspective of character or scruples about Qing Yi, Wang Anshi will never go to the queen to let the Son of Heaven shut up about political affairs from now on.

And Han Gang has a way, and his other identity is authoritative enough. You don't need to ruin your reputation to keep the emperor out of politics.

But he needed to go back to the capital.

Han Gang wanted to end this war as soon as possible, but he must not show it in front of Yelu Yixin's messenger.

"Either return the vassals, or Wuzhou will return to the Song. In addition, Da Song did not accept other conditions for peace. He insisted.

……………………

"That's what Han Gang said?!"

Hearing the envoy's return, Jeruyisin's face sank.

It is only a trivial matter to exchange the captured and plundered people back, and it is used to exchange the captured clansmen, and it can even allow Yelu Yixin to save some people's hopes.

But the vassals from the Great Song Dynasty were completely different.

If all the vassals are returned, no more Song officials will dare to surrender to Daliao in the future. Han Gang wants to make Da Liao no longer have credibility at all.

Without faith, a man does not stand...... What about the country? Even a few subordinates can't be saved, how can Da Liao's face be saved?

But Xiao Shisan opened his mouth a few times, but he couldn't open his mouth.

That's a hidden worry for the future, and they can't get over it now.

If there is still strength left, then Yelu Yixin can pretend to leave Hebei and come to Hedong, lure the Song army to attack various points in the Nanjing Road, and then try to open a breakthrough from Hebei.

But now, the hearts of the people who have surrendered to Yelu Yisin are gradually scattered because of the unsuccessful battle. What he urgently needs now is to end the war.

He had no other options.

Yelu Yixin's eyes gradually became hideous.

"This time, in fact, I don't want to start a war with the Song people." His words were light, but they were sighing.

"It was the Song people who made the first move in Shaanxi. I'm thinking about it, just waiting for this time! Zhang Xiaojie said sharply.

"It's not Song." Yelu Yixin shook his head, "In the past two years, it seems that I am too good at talking. ”

He has made too many compromises over the years for the sake of the ultimate goal.

Zhang Xiaojie was dumbfounded, and Xiao Shisan's spirit was shocked: "What does Father Shang mean?" ”

"Those who don't follow will be killed." Yelu Yixin's voice was like a gust of wind blowing, and he didn't believe that there were many people who dared to fight him to the end.

Jereyisin flinched.

Xiao Shisan could see that no matter how many excuses he made, Yelu Yixin was no longer willing to entangle with the Song people.

But Xiao 13 didn't feel that there was anything wrong.

The alternative of the two.

originally thought that the Song people could be bullied, so they started from the Song people. But now that the soft persimmon has become a hard bone, it is natural that it is the object of change.

This is what the Khitan people should do.

Why fight?

It's finally over. He thought with rejoice.

"What about Han Gang's request? Zhang Xiaojie asked cautiously.

"You don't want it." Yelu Yixin's words made Xiao Shisan and Zhang Xiaojie's faces change, "People, I must stay." ”

"People's hearts are more important than the land, Han Gang can understand, how can I not understand! Han Gang bullied me, but I, Yelu Yixin, will not be deceived by him! ”