In Huihong Hall, sandalwood scent lingers.
Zhao Tong sat at the top, accompanied by Bai Shizhong. There were more than a dozen officials from the Ministry of Rites below. Everyone drank tea without saying a word.
Bai Shizhong, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, has been walking on thin ice in recent years. No matter how good his performance as an official was, he always made no mistakes. Only then has he secured his current position. If he can make some achievements in the future, he is still expected to become the prime minister.
Nowadays, the structure of the court seems to be dominated by one family, but Bai Shizhong knows that it is actually a three-legged situation, and these three families are secretly moving closer to different princes, and their intentions are obvious.
Bai Shizhong did not choose a side, and his position as Minister of Rites did not allow him to take sides easily. He was just observing in secret and savoring it carefully, hoping that he would be able to hit the mark in one fell swoop and have a bright future.
Although he has not chosen, he prefers the prince in his heart. The prince is orthodox, and although the third prince Zhao Kai has the secret support of nearly half of Cai Jing and Gao Qiu's courtiers, he knows that Liang Shicheng is the prince. With this hidden figure, he , the third prince Zhao Kai wanted to ascend to the throne, but faced many difficulties.
As for the second prince next to him, Bai Shizhong couldn't quite understand him. He was obviously talented in literature, but how could he be a martial artist?
Throughout the history books, similar martial-minded nobles from Tianhuang mostly appeared in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China. At that time, the Spring and Autumn period was just settled, and their martial spirit did not change. Some princes even participated in the battle of chasing deer. It is normal to be martial. It's just that this time...even during the first dynasty, this kind of scene never happened.
Bai Shizhong took a peek at Zhao Kai and realized that the second prince was not in line with the rumors. Rumors said that he had been raising the prince for ten years before stepping into the court. He was supposed to be a powerful character who kept his secrets. Why did he look so menacing? Will you draw your sword and kill someone next moment?
Zhao Tong took a sip of tea and realized that Bai Shizhong was secretly sizing him up. This man was cautious and prudent, but he had poisonous snakes in his heart. During the late Xuanhe period, Emperor Daojun once had a temptation to change Zhao Kai to be the crown prince. However, he was dissuaded by Liang Shicheng. At that time, Bai Shizhong joined the crown prince, made a successful bet, and eventually became the prime minister.
At this time, an official from the Ministry of Rites reminded him that two quarters of an hour was up. Bai Shizhong couldn't help but frown slightly. How could he not know that this was done deliberately by the Liao people, but Emperor Daojun had a decree, and his Ministry of Rites only took action on this matter. He was responsible for the reception, but as for the specific negotiations, it was Zhao Tong who was in charge, so he couldn't help but look over.
Zhao Tong's face was gloomy and he did not hide it. He stopped drinking tea and closed his eyes slightly. He only secretly calculated in his heart how long it would take for the decree of gifting the royal tablet last night to reach the people.
Some time later, it seemed like another two-quarters of an hour, someone came to report that the Liao envoy had arrived.
According to etiquette, officials from the Ministry of Rites should go to greet them. As for who will pick them up, it depends on the official rank of the other party in the Liao Kingdom. The convention is that officials of the same level should be sent here, and the same goes for changing positions.
As for negotiation matters, at least one senior official must be present.
The official system of the Liao Kingdom was also in a mess, and it was roughly divided into north-facing court officials and south-facing court officials.
In the north, there are the North Privy Council and the South Privy Council under the court officials. The North Privy Council is in charge of military affairs, and the South Privy Council is in charge of people's livelihood. Under the North Privy Council, there are also the King of the North Court and the King of the South Court.
The King of the North Court was in charge of the Khitan soldiers, and the King of the South Court was in charge of the Han soldiers. All the troops dispatched for expeditions were assigned to the North Privy Council.
The southern court official manages the Han people and the Bohai people. There is also a Privy Council. This Privy Council is generally called the Han Privy Council. This is easily confused with the Southern Privy Council in the northern court official, but it is not the same.
Judging from the name list of the mission, the highest official position in the Liao Dynasty's mission was the general secretary of the Northern Privy Council Di Lie Madu Si. This general secretary was similar to a minister, and the fourth rank followed the third rank.
There are also two generals inside and outside the mission, who are senior officials. The specific positions they hold in the Liao Kingdom are not clearly stated.
These three people are all officials in the north and are Khitans. It is extremely difficult for Han people to become officials in the north, but there are many Khitans in the officials in the south. The Khitans in the officials in the south all wear Han clothes, practice Han system, and learn like Presentable.
In addition to these three people, there are two Han Nanguan. The Nanguan of the Liao Kingdom imitated the system of the Tang and Song Dynasties. The names of the official positions were not much different, but they were very different. They probably had to be downgraded by one or two levels.
One of these two people is a Zhengfeng doctor, and the other is a Dingyuan general. They are both casual officials, and their specific positions have not been specified.
Judging from the mission list, the other party sent a minister to the north, so the Song Dynasty should have a minister to greet and meet with the minister, especially the Ministry of Liema Dusi, which was actually equivalent to the Ministry of Rites of the Liao Kingdom, and its functions were the same as the Ministry of Rites of the Song Dynasty. almost.
As he spoke, the Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Rites stood up and was about to greet Zhao Tong and Bai Shizhong before going to pick them up. Zhao Tong slammed the tea bowl on the table and said, "Who dares to go!"
Zuo Shilang was not surprised when he heard this. To be able to sit in this position in the court of Emperor Daojun, who is not a ghost? From the moment he walked in to the moment, there was no sign that His Highness King Qi was in a bad mood?
At this moment, he didn't even look at Bai Shizhong, he just snorted and sat down without changing his expression. He was actually more stable than Bai Shizhong.
After a while, a group of people, numbering more than a dozen, were led in by a junior official from that department. The five leaders on the mission list were at the forefront.
Zhao Tong glanced over these people, but frowned slightly when he saw the last person.
It was actually Xiao Min, but today the young master was wearing a black gauze robe, which made her look as white as jade and radiant.
Zhao Tong is not afraid of being seen again at this moment. Xiao Min's status on the mission is that of a business traveler, and he has the blood of a descendant of the Liao Kingdom. In addition to setting up the arena, there are also some business matters to discuss during this meeting, so there is a business traveler. It is normal for the leader to participate.
It’s just that Zhao Tong is wondering about Xiao Min’s true identity. The identity of Yelu Dashi’s fiancée is nothing. Yelu and Xiao are everywhere in the Liao Kingdom. Hundreds of years have passed, and there are many civilians who can only come to participate in this kind of meeting with the Ministry of Etiquette. , then her background is anything but ordinary.
Seeing the Liao envoy coming in, the people in the Ministry of Rites looked unhappy. After all, everyone was impatient after waiting for such a long time. They knew that the Liao envoy was delaying on purpose.
The Liao people also had a cold face. When the envoy came to the Song Dynasty, it was the first time that no one greeted them outside the ceremony department. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the two envoys had exchanged hundreds of times, which can be said to be unprecedented. This was more than they deliberately did. Delaying time is even worse. There is always a perfunctory excuse for delaying time. How does it make sense not to welcome it?
Zhao Tong looked at it for a few times, then closed his eyes slightly, neither talking nor drinking tea, as if he was asleep.
Bai Shizhong saw it from the side and couldn't help complaining in his heart. This Wang Jia was so different from the rumors. Wouldn't this scene be like putting him, the minister, on a brazier?
But now that they have entered the hall, it is no longer possible to rush each other. Bai Shizhong had no choice but to ask the person opposite to sit down. However, seeing everyone on the other side look unhappy, the atmosphere in the hall gradually became uncomfortable.
Zhao Tong was in charge, and he didn't speak. Naturally, Bai Shizhong couldn't talk about the arena. The Liao people were used to being domineering in the Song Dynasty, so they were not willing to talk first.
For a moment, people on both sides looked at me and I stared at you, their eyes big and small. The officials of the Ministry of Rites were not afraid of this. When it came to their ability to stare, even military generals were inferior to them.
After a while, the leader of the mission, Dilie Madusi, finally couldn't bear it anymore and snorted coldly: "Ignorance of etiquette!"
As soon as these words came out, the officials from the Ministry of Rites across the street frowned. Zhao Tong, who was on top of the head, slowly opened his eyes: "What did you say?"
