Seeing the Liao envoy Yelvpo and his deputy Xiao Xi leaving, Li Ping, the accompanying deputy envoy, quickly spoke out to persuade him: "Two noble envoys, please calm down and rest first. We will give you another one tomorrow." reply."
Li Ping's efforts were left to Yelupo and Xiao Xi's side.
Yelvpo also immediately borrowed the donkey to go down the slope and said, "Since Deputy Li has spoken, let's wait and see what happens tomorrow."
"But there is one thing you must understand. We, the Liao Dynasty, inherited the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and entrusted the Jin and Han Dynasties to the Han Dynasty. We were founded earlier than the Song Dynasty. Our territory is far greater than that of the Song Dynasty. Our soldiers and horses are stronger than the Song Dynasty. The Chinese are orthodox. Who else can we do in the Liao Dynasty? ."
Speaking of this, Yelvpo was quite conceited.
After saying that, the other party walked away with a wave of his sleeves. Xiao Xi snorted and left. The envoys from the Liao Kingdom also left shortly after. Some even kicked over several tables filled with wine and food.
The Song Dynasty officials looked at each other in confusion.
Zhang Yue, Han Zhen, and Li Ping continued to sit high, while the rest of the pacification department, transportation department, military and horse supervisors and other civil servants and generals were silent.
Li Ping said to Zhang Yue: "My lord, we, the Song Dynasty, have always managed the border areas with the help of trees, so that we can control them and always encounter barbarians."
"The Liao Kingdom is even more different. Since Emperor Zhenzong signed the Chanyuan Alliance, the people of Hebei have not known the military for seventy years. They have no year-end expenses and are not enough to spend one or two percent of the military expenses. Once the war resumes, , I cannot absolve myself of the blame! His Majesty has no way to explain it!"
Who is this Li Ping?
Li Zunxu's grandson is related by marriage to the emperor today, that is, he is a maternal relative.
Moreover, Li Ping was not an ordinary relative.
He is a person whom the officials trust very much, and he is also a talented person who knows books and practices. When Han Jiang sent troops to Laowucheng, many people were undesirable, so the officials sent him to see if there were any inaccuracies in Han Jiang's report.
Afterwards, officials asked Li Ping several times about his opinions on the reform. Li Ping objected, but Wang Anshi found out about it and demoted him out of the palace.
After Li Ping was demoted, he was very angry. He told officials that whoever his majesty deposed would be protected by the party and promoted by Wang Anshi. Wang Anshi doesn't like anyone, even if His Majesty knows that he has no fault, he will still punish him and drive him far away, just like the minister.
The officials did not want Li Ping to leave, but they were helpless about Wang Anshi's strength.
In the end, Li Ping was demoted, but this incident caused a grudge between the officials and Wang Anshi.
At the same time, because of this incident, when Tang Jian impeached Wang Anshi, he also complained about Li Ping's injustice. After Wang Anshi resigned as prime minister, the officials re-appointed Li Ping and put him and Han Zhen in charge of negotiating with the Khitan.
Therefore, Li Ping's opinions represent the opinions of the officials to a certain extent.
Therefore, Zhang Yue's views on him must be taken into account. The official's intention was not to fight.
Zhang Yue commented to Li: "If we follow what the Khitan said, at least six to seven hundred miles must be cut off. This is to use the land to serve Qin, just like holding firepower to put out the fire. If the firepower is not exhausted, the fire will not be extinguished."
Zhang Yue's implication is that today you are satisfied with the Khitan ceding territory because you are afraid of war, and tomorrow the Khitan will threaten war again. What will you do?
Li commented: "I think this is the last time. What's more, our Song Dynasty is not comparable to the six countries. As long as the officials level Jiaozhi, it will be time to go north to control the Liao Dynasty."
Zhang Yue said: "Deputy Ambassador Li may have forgotten that between the Song Dynasty and the Khitan, there is also the Xia Kingdom. Once it seems that my negotiations with the Khitan are not going well, what will the Xia Kingdom think? What if we take the opportunity to seize the land?"
Xixia, Liao and Song Dynasty are like three people. When one person is slapped by another person, the other person will not try to help the weak person take it back, but will also want to take advantage of the other person.
As between countries and people, unless there is a distinction between superior and inferior, if you are insulted, you must fight back immediately. Otherwise, it would be easy for a third party to treat him as a soft persimmon. In addition to Xixia, the Qingtang and Tibetan tribes who had just surrendered would also have dissatisfaction. You must know that Dong Fei was still the son-in-law of the Liao Kingdom.
The struggle is by no means just a relationship between two people, but a third party watching. Every move of the two of you actually gives the third party an evaluation.
At the same time, political strongmen also like to gather domestic unity by acting very strong externally or launching wars to make their dominance more stable.
On the contrary, a monarch who is weak externally must transfer part of his power internally in order to stabilize his rule.
For example, Emperor Taizong launched two wars against the Liao Dynasty twice, but after being defeated, he gave up and changed his policy to govern the country with leniency.
The same goes for Emperors Zhenzong and Renzong. Is their generosity really just a matter of character?
Yelu Hongji, the leader of the Liao Dynasty, wanted to act as a political strongman to balance various domestic forces, so he blackmailed the Song Dynasty.
Zhang Yue told Li Ping another meaning: the officials used Wang Anshi's reform, and the result was to whip the barbarians. As a result, it took you a long time to reform, but you were still taken away for six to seven hundred miles, and you couldn't explain it internally.
Li Ping thought to himself that Zhang Yue had expanded thousands of miles of land on Xining Road, so this six to seven hundred miles was enough.
Han Zhen listened for a while and decided to support Zhang Yue's opinion. After Han Zhen supported Zhang Yue, other officials agreed in unison. On such a major event, they did not dare to make the first comment easily. This would easily involve them in the whirlpool, so they could only agree.
Seeing this, Li Ping had no choice but to say: "Then we will do what Mr. Zhang wants."
Li Pingxin made some calculations and ordered someone to fly the news to the officials in Bianjing.
Zhang Yue glanced at the other party, not knowing what he was thinking, so he said: "This time I left the capital, Zhang got a personal judgment from the officials. The prime minister gave him instructions in person, and the two governments gave full support. There are plans and responses here. Everyone. We must obey the orders of the Xuanfu Division!"
All the officials said yes.
Li Ping thought of this and knew what Zhang Yue meant, and immediately calmed down.
Early the next morning, Zhang Yue and others were ready to negotiate with the Liao envoy. As a result, Yelupo actually went against common sense and said there would be no negotiation today. Instead, he asked Zhang Yue where he could hunt outside Zhending City.
The Liao envoys will appear today and tomorrow, obviously to take the initiative in the negotiations.
You people from the Song Dynasty want to talk today, but we won't talk today, and we won't give you a precise time. We will talk when we want to talk.
Zhang Yue just took it easy. Besides, it is well known that Liao people like hunting. The Sleeping King of Liao State was so addicted to hunting that he ignored state affairs.
Zhang Yue also took more than 200 horse and archery experts from the Song army to hunt with the two Liao envoys.
Unexpectedly, when they arrived, they found that among the more than 500 people in the Khitan mission, there were actually two to three hundred people who were good at shooting and shooting. These people could be a powerful force if they were gathered at random.
The officials of the Song Dynasty were a little frustrated when they saw it. The Song army in Hebei included forbidden troops, rural soldiers, archers, etc. Although there were many names and numbers, how could they be integrated to confront the Khitan cavalry in the field?
Yelupo was over fifty years old, but he was still agile. However, when he saw an elk being chased out of the dense forest by two Khitan riders, Yelupo shot an arrow at the deer's neck.
Seeing this scene, everyone in the Liao envoys cheered, and even Zhang Yue applauded Yelupo's skill, which showed the magnanimity of Song Dynasty officials.
Yelupo was quite arrogant, and threw his bow aside and said to his companions: "What's this? When I was young, I went hunting with the late emperor, and I didn't even know how many big insects I killed. Now that I'm old, I can only shoot some sheep and deer." "
After saying this, Yelupo glanced sideways at Zhang Yue, implying that I killed tigers when I was young, but now I treat you like a sheep and a deer.
Zhang Yue smiled when he heard this. At this time, a colorful golden pheasant was driven out of the mountain. Zhang Yue, who was standing on the horse with his bow and arrow, also shot it with one arrow!
Zhang Yue threw the bow to Tang Jiu, spread his hands on the horse and said with a smile: "I also shot big insects when I was young, but now I have no choice but to shoot chickens."
After Zhang Yue finished speaking, all the Song Dynasty officials smiled.
Yelupo didn't expect Zhang Yue's superb shooting skills at first, but when he pushed back with a word, his face suddenly turned red and he immediately drove his horse forward.
Although Zhang Yue did not fall behind, the Khitan envoys from Yelupo, Xiao Xi and below were all very active on horseback.
Although he knew that the Khitans deliberately used hunting to show off their military power, Zhang Yue couldn't help but think about it. Han Zhen, who was on the side, rode up to Zhang Yue and said, "Mr. Zhang, although many Khitan nobles have enjoyed feasting and dancing in recent years, their martial arts have not declined. They are not easily defeated enemies."
Han Zhen served as the military commander and understood military affairs. He meant that the Khitan army and horses had not declined much from their peak.
Without Han Zhen's reminder, Zhang Yue knew all about this.
As a propaganda envoy, I can shout slogans loudly and talk about a fight to the death, but when it comes to implementation, I have to think carefully about it. Not to mention Zhang Yue, people in his position have a clear mind and don't have the problem of being emotional.
Although Khitan was experiencing civil strife at this time, its national strength had not yet declined. It would be unwise for him to start a war at the moment. If you are not as strong as the opponent, you have to endure it. Even if you feel dissatisfied, you have to hold it back.
Zhang Yue and Yelu Po rode side by side to the depths of the forest, and saw a yellow deer standing in the forest. This creature was so agile that it avoided the pursuit of several riders!
Yelupo was still not convinced by Zhang Yue's shooting skills just now.
So Yelvpo said: "How about one more shot by Xianggong Zhang?"
Zhang Yue said with a smile: "Cum when you shoot!"
"Let's bet something!"
"What bet?"
"How about betting a hundred miles on the country?" Yelupo said rather domineeringly.
Han Zhen said: "How can the country be gambled on? No"
Yelu Po said proudly: "What can't I bet on? I just bet on this country. If I lose, we will give you Song people a hundred miles of land. If you win, you will give me a hundred miles of land!"
"It's such a cheap deal, no matter whether you win or lose, you are trading on my Song people's land!" Han Zhen said sarcastically.
Yelu Po said domineeringly: "Dare you dare? If it's not cost-effective, just save my Yelu Po's life! How about it? Are the southerners really cowardly?"
Yelupo was quite arrogant and planned to buy and sell by force.
"Okay! It's a deal." Zhang Yue agreed.
As soon as Zhang Yue finished speaking, Yelupo immediately took action, drawing an arrow from his horse and shooting it in a trick.
Zhang Yue looked at Yelupo's movements, and as if he had expected them in advance, he raised his hand and opened his bow to shoot.
But Zhang Yue's arrow was aimed at Huang Zhangzi's feet. Huang Zhangzi was startled and jumped away, causing Yelupo's arrow to miss.
Yelupo was shocked. Before he could react, he saw Zhang Yue unfurling his bow and shooting a second arrow!
Yelupo had to shoot another arrow to catch up, but he was already too late.
Zhang Yue's arrow flew dozens of meters and penetrated the yellow deer's throat!
Good archery skills!
But I heard enthusiastic cheers erupting from the dense forest.
The Khitan people admired warriors, and when they saw such superb shooting skills, they did not care about Zhang Yue and the Han people cheered for him.
This is even more true for the Song people.
Zhang Yue saw the Khitans cheering for him, but he was not happy in his heart. The Liao people were so straightforward and simple, and they had not been affected by the dross of Han culture for so many years in the Han area.
Zhang Yue turned around and glanced at the pale Yelu Po.
Li Ping looked at him and smoothed things over with a smile: "Life is a joke, you don't need to take it seriously. However, your envoy can live a hundred miles, which is very gracious."
Before Yelupo could recover, Xiao Xi also drove his horse forward and said, "Xiangong Zhang's shooting skills are really amazing. I didn't expect that there would be such a man as capable of both literary and military skills in the Southern Dynasties. I admire him very much." !”
Zhang Yue didn't say anything, but someone on the side said: "Our Mr. Zhang really shot a big insect back then."
Yelupo and Xiao Xi both looked at each other in surprise.
To be honest, warriors who can shoot big insects are not uncommon among the Khitan people. However, in their eyes, there were not many people like this in the Southern Dynasties, and they were talented people like Zhang Yue. There are really not many people in the world who can be versatile in both civil and military affairs.
The two of them thought at the same time that the Emperor of the Song Dynasty had such people to help him and should not attack easily.
Yelupo's horse turned his horse towards Zhang Yue and cupped his fists and said: "I, the Khitan people, admire heroes the most. I, Yelupo, admire you so much that I am in awe of you."
Zhang Yue said: "You are serious."
That day, both sides finished their hunting trip, and the Khitan people showed off their force to no avail, making them unhappy.
That night, Yelupo discussed with Xiao Xi all night long, worried that the Emperor of the Song Dynasty would not be able to get any benefits from this negotiation because of the help of people like Zhang Yue.
It was dawn the next day.
The Liao envoy did not hesitate anymore, and this time formally proposed to start negotiations with the Song Dynasty.
However, the Liao envoy actually put forward a new idea, which shocked the officials of the Song Dynasty.
"Yes, the two emperors of the north and the south stand side by side!" Yelupo nodded and said, "Back then under Chanzhou City, we, the Liao Dynasty, and you, the Song Dynasty, were brothers. This discussion remains unchanged to this day."
"You and I respect both countries. As for the small countries such as Xixia, Goryeo, and Uighurs, they will naturally pay tribute to you and me. Once Xixia offends you, the Song Dynasty, it will be like offending me, the Liao Dynasty. Both sides can send troops to attack it together."
Yelupo's suggestion immediately alarmed all Song Dynasty officials present.
Everyone was whispering and discussing.
Zhang Yue sat down leisurely. Who said that Liao people didn't study? This kind of strategy was very smooth.
Li Ping was very moved. He approached Zhang Yue and whispered: "Xianggong Zhang, your Majesty regards the control of summer as your great cause. If you can reach a north-south alliance with the Liao Kingdom and jointly deal with foreign countries, then sooner or later your grand plan will be fulfilled."
Li Ping participated in the battle of Han Jiang's attack on Luowucheng. In the end, the Song Dynasty lost the battle. It was precisely because the Liao Kingdom sent 300,000 troops to threaten the Song Dynasty's flanks that the Song army had to retreat. Once it gets the support of the Liao Kingdom, it will be easy for the Song Dynasty to destroy Xia.
Chen Mu objected: "My lord, you must not do this. Goryeo has just reached a tacit agreement with me to jointly deal with the Liao Kingdom. Once it is known that we have betrayed our alliance, Goryeo will sever diplomatic relations with me from now on."
Han Zhen said: "The biggest thing in the world is the Liao and Song Dynasties. Once the Liao and Song Dynasties can coexist harmoniously, no other small country can offend the power of China. This matter can be discussed!"
Yelupo was spying on the expressions of Song Dynasty officials, and asked Zhang Yue: "What does Mr. Zhang think?"
Zhang Yue looked at the expressions of the officials on the left and right, and they were all quite moved. The Song Dynasty was not as powerful as the Liao Dynasty, but it agreed to the two emperors of the north and south to jointly respect each other and to form an alliance with foreign countries, which undoubtedly promoted itself.
At the same time, it also avoided being suppressed by the powerful Liao Kingdom all the time, and avoided the shadow of living under the intimidation of the Liao Kingdom's 500,000 cavalry every year. The entire Song Dynasty monarchs and ministers could breathe a sigh of relief.
The most important thing is that the emperor of Liao seemed to have seen through the Song Dynasty's intention to control summer.
But...this result is a taken-for-granted result.
Why?
Because power is unified, not dualistic.
Just like there are no two emperors in a country, even if they are prime ministers appointed by the emperor himself, there will be great conflicts between the two, not to mention the two countries of Song and Liao. So the two emperors of the North and the South are a complete joke.
Zhang Yue said with a smile: "Unexpectedly, the envoys of the Liao Kingdom are also quite familiar with our history books. The so-called Song and Liao divided the world equally, just like the Qin Kingdom persuaded the Eastern and Western Emperors of Qi to respect each other."
As soon as Zhang Yue said these words, it was like a basin of cold water was poured on the heads of all Song Dynasty officials. Everyone was awakened by the sweet dream just now.
Historically, the Qin Dynasty wanted to proclaim itself emperor, so it sent envoys to the State of Qi to persuade the King of Qi to join him in proclaiming the emperor. The King of Qi foolishly agreed, and the Qin Dynasty and the State of Qi were called the Eastern and Western Emperors. Qi State was also alienated by Qin State's proposition.
The same applies here.
There is a huge contradiction between Song and Xia.
Once the Song Dynasty reached an alliance with the Liao Kingdom, it would be a clear sign of the Song Dynasty's determination to destroy Xia.
And in political struggles, the most taboo thing is a bright card!
Seeing this, Xixia must have turned against the Song Dynasty in order to protect themselves, and desperately tried to ally with the Liao Kingdom. The Song Dynasty would also try its best to ally with the Liao Kingdom in order to destroy Xia, and instigated Song and Xia to go to war. The Liao Kingdom only used the phrase "Northern and Southern Emperors," What a clever move to alienate someone.
In fact, Zhang Yue believed that the Song Dynasty should have its own ideas and steps for the extermination of Xia. As for whether the third party Liao supported it, it was not important to the overall grand strategy.
The flowing water does not compete to be first, but the competition is endless.
The most taboo thing in formulating a grand strategy is to be driven by immediate interests.
In another history of time and space, the Song Dynasty's war to destroy Xia was coming to an end, but was persuaded by the Jurchen Sea Alliance, and then troops were sent from the west to capture Youyan. Finally...
Zhang Yue said: "So I would like to thank you for your kindness on behalf of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty."
After Zhang Yue finished speaking, the officials of the Song Dynasty also did the same.
Yelupo saw that he had discussed the plan with Xiao Xi last night, and Zhang Yue found out in a moment.
Yelupo said rather reluctantly: "Mr. Zhang, please think again. As long as the two countries can be brothers, we can make some concessions on the demarcation of the boundary."
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "The two countries have been brothers for a long time. I don't know where to start talking about this."
Yelu Po and Xiao Xi looked at each other, knowing that they had nothing to do. Now their confidence in coming to negotiate with the Song Dynasty was only 50% of the original.
