After three rounds of drinking, their cheeks turned red and they were already a little tipsy.
"By the way, father-in-law, you didn't tell me just now, what's going on with Tea Horse!"
Hearing Song Huan ask about Tea Horse, Cheng Xun couldn't help but sigh.
"Your Highness, do you know this place, Dianchi Anning Town?"
Song Huan nodded: "I know!"
Anning Town is an important town in the southwest of Kunming. Not only does it have sufficient mineral resources, it is also a transportation fortress leading to western Yunnan.
If the peace that Cheng Xun talks about and the peace that Song Huan knows are the same place, then that's it.
Cheng Xun frowned and said: "If His Highness knows Anning Town, then he should know that this place is surrounded by mountains and the terrain is very dangerous."
"Due to the special terrain here, there are local bandits who have taken over the mountain and become kings, and even refuse to obey Daliang's orders!"
"In the early years, His Majesty had the idea of capturing this place, but considering that the local environment was too special, he had no choice but to give it up."
"now……"
Song Huan followed Cheng Xun's words and continued: "Anning is a transportation fortress. If you want to set up a tea horse department on the border between Daliang and Xia, this is the only way to go."
"There are bandits in An Ning who have taken over the mountains and are kings. It is almost impossible to negotiate peace with them."
Cheng Xun sighed, nodded and said: "Your Highness's analysis is quite good!"
"Is it possible that for the current plan, we can only send people to attack again?"
Song Huan thought for a moment and asked: "Are these bandits just occupying the mountains and becoming kings and disobeying discipline, or are they harming the local people and seeking wealth and death?"
Cheng Xun smiled bitterly: "Actually, they are bandits, but the local people are isolated from the world and are self-sufficient."
"They just live a closed life, but they don't seek wealth or harm."
"To be fair, life should be considered rich."
Song Huan shook his head helplessly: "In this case, we can't rush to send troops to attack!"
"The people are living a good life, but they are just not obedient, and they don't seek wealth or harm lives!"
"How can there be any reason for the imperial court to rashly send troops to attack the common people?"
"Besides, even if the local bandits need to be punished with a small amount of punishment, it shouldn't be now!"
Cheng Xun was confused: "Why is this?"
Song Huan said: "The original intention of setting up the Tea and Horse Division this time is to make the people on both sides live a better life. It is a good thing."
"In the end, in order to promote this good thing, they did not hesitate to kill and send troops to suppress it!"
"In this way, a good thing turns into a bad thing. How will the people talk about Cha Ma Si?"
“Wouldn’t that just become a Tea Horse Road built on the bones of local people?”
"When the people of Xia know about this, how should they evaluate it?"
Cheng Xun nodded silently, basically understanding what Song Huan meant.
The local people are disobedient and deserve to be beaten.
But even if a fight should be fought, it can’t be because of Cha Ma Si!
Wouldn't this make the people of Xia laugh?
Cheng Xun said frankly: "Your Highness, to be fair, I already have my own thoughts on this matter."
"Oh?" Song Huan added another glass of wine for Cheng Xun, "I'd like to hear the details!"
Cheng Xun's expression remained normal, and he even showed an indifferent smile.
"I believe that if we want to persuade the local people to cooperate, the imperial court must send an imperial minister there."
"This imperial envoy must be above the third rank and have a high position of authority, so that he can better demonstrate the importance of the imperial court."
"So this person must be a minister!"
Song Huan was shocked: "How can this be done!"
"My father-in-law is the prime minister of Daliang, and he is a highly respected minister!"
"How is it possible to be an imperial envoy?"
"This trip is too dangerous. Not only will I stop my father-in-law, but even my father will definitely not agree!"
"Let's discuss this later!"
But there was always a hint of determination on Cheng Xun's face: "There is no need to discuss this matter anymore, I have already decided in my heart."
"I am the most suitable candidate and the only one!"
"But..." Song Huan wanted to dissuade him, but Cheng Xun slowly shook his head and stopped him.
"Your Highness, I appreciate your kindness."
"Since His Highness has brought wine today, let's not talk about this."
"Come!"
"Your Highness, I dedicate this cup to you!"
Looking at the wine cup Cheng Xun picked up and his firm eyes, Song Huan felt quite moved.
Perhaps, only in this way can I be the prime minister of this country!
"Come!"
"Father-in-law, I won't come home until you're drunk today!"
…
at the same time.
In the private room of Huixian Argyle.
Several women with cool clothes and graceful figures, like butterflies in tulle, shuttled between two men who were drinking extremely happily.
One of the men was about in his early twenties, with a bit of nobility and roughness, but his only exposed eye looked a bit scary.
The other man was a little older, around thirty, and looked more stable.
But his eyes were like a deep, quiet pool, making it impossible to see through his true thoughts!
The young man hugged two fair-muscled women and looked at the older man opposite him with interest.
"Master Sun, you have invited me to drink three times in a row."
"But every time we meet, you just drink and don't say anything!"
"At such an important moment today, you invited me to drink again, and you made it so grand."
"Tell me, what happened?"
Sun Shutong put down his wine glass and said humbly to Song De, "Your Highness has misunderstood!"
"Wei Chen just invited His Highness to drink, and he didn't have any other ideas."
Song De was most annoyed by such roundabout and hypocritical scholars. Sun Shutong's face was full of hesitation, and he instantly became angry.
"My time is precious, but you waste my time time and time again!"
"Since there's nothing wrong, just step back."
"In the future, don't ask to see me again!"
Song De originally thought that as soon as these words came out, Sun Shutong would be in chaos, so he immediately made his intentions clear.
Unexpectedly, he was not anxious or annoyed after hearing this. He just stood up and bowed to Song De.
"Wei Chen is rude!"
"In that case, I won't bother you, Wei Chen!"
"Wei Chen resigns!"
Seeing that Sun Shutong was so neat and ready to leave at once, Song De's eyes suddenly widened!
Why doesn't this guy act according to common sense?
"stop!"
"Does this king promise to let you leave now?"
Sun Shutong had just walked halfway, and his back was turned to Song De at this moment.
Of course Song De couldn't see the winning smile on his face!
From the scene when Song De opened his mouth to call him, he understood.
He has completely taken the initiative. From now on, it is not him who clings to the second prince, but the second prince who deliberately wants to win over him!
Sun Shutong took a deep breath, turned around and looked at Song De calmly.
"Your Highness, do you have any other instructions?"
