Immediately, the emperor's grandson Yelu Yanxi ascended the throne according to the imperial edict. After Xiao Wuna discussed with the ministers, Yelu Yanxi was honored as "Emperor Tianzuo". Later generations called him "Emperor Tianzuo", and he was the last emperor of Liao Kingdom.
After the death of Yelu Hongji, Yelu Yanxi succeeded to the throne, and immediately appointed Xiao Wuna as the emperor's advisor to participate in state affairs. The post of governor of Ningbian Prefecture was officially taken up by Ma Zhi on the recommendation of Xiao Wuna.
Since then, Ma Zhi began to serve as the governor of Ningbianzhou in the Liao Kingdom.
It was also Ma Zhi who had a bad fate. Shortly after he officially became the governor of Ningbian Prefecture, the Jurchens blocked the imperial court's Eagle Road again. It turned out that Wanyan Yingge, the Jurchen Jiedushi envoy, saw that the old emperor Yelu Hongji had died and the new emperor Yelu Yanxi had succeeded. In order to test the true intentions of the court, he deliberately instigated the Dala tribe on the Qingying Road east of the coast. , once again blocked the Khitan court's Eagle Road.
Not long after Yelu Yanxi succeeded to the throne, he received a report that the imperial court's Eagle Road was blocked by the Jurchens again.
Yelu Yanxi was furious when he heard the report, so he ordered Ningbian Prefecture Ma Zhi to take charge and lead the Ningbian Prefecture soldiers and horses to open up the Ying Road to the imperial court within a ten-day deadline.
Xiao Wuna heard the news and knew that this matter could not be done. He was very anxious, so he hurried into the palace to see the new emperor Yelu Yanxi, and advised Yelu Yanxi: "Your Majesty, I heard that the Ying Road of the imperial court was destroyed by the Khitan Because of this, His Majesty became furious and ordered Ma Zhi to lead the soldiers and horses of Ningbian Prefecture to open the Ying Road. I think this is an unwise move and should be slowed down."
When Yelu Yanxi heard this, she felt displeased and thought to herself, Xiao Wuna, even if you are the emperor's master and participate in state affairs, you have the right to make suggestions, but the decision-making power belongs to me, right? ! The Imperial Court's Eagle Road has been blocked, how can we slow down? If we continue slowly, something might happen to the Jurchens! When the late Emperor ordered you to assist me, you did not say that you would help me open the way to the imperial court, but instead indulged the Jurchens. What is the truth of this? What are you thinking about?
Thinking of this, Yelu Yanxi felt aggrieved, and said to Xiao Wuna displeasedly: "Participating in politics said that it was unwise for me to order Ma Zhi to open the Ying Road. So, according to participating in politics, what should I do? Otherwise, I just watch the imperial court's Eagle Road being blocked by the Jurchens? Is it wise to leave it alone?!"
Seeing that Yelu Yanxi was angry, Xiao Wuna hurriedly bowed his waist and said: "Your Majesty, the Jurchens are blocking the Eagle Road. This is actually testing the court's attitude towards the Jurchens. Your Majesty has just inherited the throne and should be devoted to the internal affairs of the court." and domestic affairs to ensure stability; be generous and tolerant to the outside world to show friendship and stabilize the surrounding area. Your Majesty, I am not too talkative, but there are some things that I have to say. In my opinion, I should restrain myself from the past hunting and hunting. Your Majesty , since the Jurchens blocked the Eagle Road, and he blocked it, and the court ignored him, he naturally felt that it was meaningless to block the Eagle Road of the court. As time went by, the court's Eagle Road would naturally be restored, why bother Are you going to send out a large army and use force to solve it?"
Xiao Wuna's intention was to ask Yelu Yanxi to restrain himself from hunting. He happened to encounter the Ying Road being blocked, so he used this as an excuse to admonish Yelu Yanxi.
Yelu Yanxi regarded hunting in the area as his destiny; the Khitan people had always had the custom of hunting in the area. Most other countries have one capital, with at most one additional capital added, but the Khitans have five capitals, namely the east, west, south, north, middle and five capitals. These five capitals are not necessary for the emperor to handle government affairs or govern the country. They are actually for the Khitans. It was set up by the emperor to go hunting in different places throughout the year. The Khitan people did not have a fixed capital. Wherever the emperor went hunting, there was a capital that handled state affairs.
Yelu Yanxi was very disgusted with Xiao Wuna's advice and directly rejected Xiao Wuna's advice. He sent envoys to Ningbian Prefecture overnight and ordered Ma Zhi to open the Imperial Eagle Road within ten days. mistaken.
Xiao Wuna saw that Yelu Yanxi was stubborn and refused to accept his advice, so he left the palace unhappy.
Let’s talk about Ningjiang Prefecture. After Ma Zhi received the imperial court’s order to open the Ying Road, in addition to sending people to the Jurchen Jiedu envoy Wanyan Yingge to urge the solution to the problem, he led 3,000 troops from Ningbian Prefecture to go The Dala tribe opened up the Eagle Road to the imperial court.
Wanyan Yingge learned that Ma Zhi had led three thousand soldiers and horses from Ningbian Prefecture to the Dala tribe to open up the Imperial Eagle Road. Instead of sending troops to assist Ma Zhi, she secretly sent troops to assist the Dala tribe to resist the troops from Ningbian Prefecture led by Ma Zhi.
Ma Zhi led three thousand soldiers and horses from Ningbian Prefecture and rushed to the Dala tribe where the Jurchen tribe was born. The Jurchens in the Dala tribe had already fled. Ma Zhi thought that the Eagle Road was open, but when he was about to retreat, the Jurchens swarmed in and chased and killed the three thousand soldiers and horses led by Ma Zhi. Ma Zhi had no choice but to turn back again and fight with the Jurchens. As a result, when the Jurchens saw Ma Zhi coming to attack, they fled again and had nowhere to find them.
In the blink of an eye, ten days have passed, the court's deadline has expired, and the Eagle Road has not been opened.
Yelu Yanxi was very angry when he learned that the Ying Road to the imperial court had not yet been opened. He was going to send envoys to order that Ma Zhining be dismissed from his position as governor of Bianzhou and return to Beijing to face the crime.
Xiao Wuna heard the news and went out to admonish him during the court meeting on the second day: "Your Majesty, please calm down. I think the Jurchens must have been prepared to sit on the ground and cause chaos. They used their horses to attack Shi's 3,000-strong army." , it is really difficult to open up the Imperial Eagle Road; besides, the Jurchens are familiar with the terrain, they gather in an instant, and then disappear in an instant, and the imperial army is exhausted, it is definitely not a solution, nor is it because the Ma Shi is not willing to die. "
Yelu Yanxi was displeased when he heard the memorial, and asked Xiao Wuna: "In view of participating in politics, what should I do?"
Xiao Wuna said: "Let nature take its course. The imperial court does not take the blocking of Ying Road seriously and only focuses on the development of internal affairs. The Jurchens saw that the court did not care about Ying Road being blocked. As time went by, they would naturally restore Ying Road. ”
Hearing this, Yelu Yanxi said angrily: "I knew you were going to say this! Even if the imperial court has millions of soldiers and horses, you can't get through a small Eagle Road?! You still want to let nature take its course? It's ridiculous! "
"It's not absurd." Xiao Wuna relied on his identity as Yelu Yanxi's teacher to argue: "Your Majesty, letting nature take its course is a strategy that is conducive to the stability of the government."
"That's nonsense!" Yelu Yanxi did not give Xiao Wuna, his former teacher, any face, and refuted Xiao Wuna: "A noble Liao, but I have to be bullied by the Jurchens, and you still persuade me to swallow my anger. How can you calm down?" What is your intention?! Do you want to indulge the Jurchens?"
Xiao Wuna said: "Your Majesty, during the late emperor's reign, I have repeatedly advised you to suppress the Jurchens. I have no intention of indulging the Jurchens. I just want to be more strategic in suppressing the Jurchens."
Hearing that Xiao Wuna was showing off his seniority, Yelu Yanxi felt that his authority had been despised and became even more angry.
Xiao Haili, Xiao Fengxian and a group of sycophants saw this and took the opportunity to provoke Yelu Yanxi.
Xiao Haili came out and said: "Your Majesty, Xiao Shenzheng originally served in Ningbian Prefecture and had a harmonious relationship with the Jurchens. There was no conflict. I believe that Xiao Shenzheng prevented the imperial court from opening up the Ying Road because he hoped that the imperial court would not suppress the Jurchens. Just let the Jurchens become stronger."
When Xiao Wuna heard this, he was very angry and was about to get angry. He saw Xiao Feng rushing out of class first and said: "Xiao Shenzheng made strong arguments in front of His Majesty. It is very disrespectful and should be punished."
Yelu Yanxi became even more angry when he heard this. Without waiting for Xiao Wuna to speak, he issued an edict: "The edict is to revoke Ma Zhining's position as governor of Ningbian Prefecture and return to Beijing to accept the crime; the edict is to replace Xiao Haili as the governor of Ningbian Prefecture."
Xiao Haili, Xiao Fengxian and other ministers loudly replied: "I will obey the imperial edict."
Xiao Wuna had no choice but to follow the others and say: "I will obey the imperial edict."
Immediately, the imperial court sent envoys to Yongbyon Prefecture to convey the imperial edict.
After receiving the imperial edict, Ma Zhi felt sad and angry, so he handed over the seal of governor to his deputy and entrusted him to hand it over to the new official. He left Ningbian Prefecture overnight and rushed back to Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing to wait for the imperial court to deal with it.
Xiao Wuna was dissatisfied when Ma Zhi was dismissed. Relying on his qualifications as an emperor's teacher, he spoke out several times to remonstrate with him, accusing Emperor Tianzuo of various wrongdoings. This made Emperor Tianzuo very unhappy, so he demoted Xiao Wuna from the court. He was appointed as the governor of Liao Xingjun and the guardian of Taifu.
When the court officials saw Xiao Wuna being demoted, they took the opportunity to frame Xiao Wuna.
At that time, Wang Hua, a man from Xiaodi in the Buddhist temple, was instigated by others and framed Xiao Wuna for borrowing rhinoceros horns from the inner palace.
Emperor Tianzuo was furious when he heard the report and summoned Xiao Wuna into the palace to confront him.
Xiao Wuna said: "In the previous dynasty, Emperor Daozong ordered Xu Chen to take one hundred thousand yuan a day for personal expenses. I never took a penny in vain. Now, I am willing to borrow rhinoceros horns! Your Majesty, are you saying these words? Do you believe it too?"
Emperor Tianzuo became even more angry because Xiao Wuna was suppressing him because of his previous affairs. He simply deprived Xiao Wuna of his post as Taifu and demoted him to the position of governor of Ningbian Prefecture. He was transferred back to the imperial court and served as the head of internal affairs.
Yelu Yanxi opened her eyes, glared at Xiao Wuna and said: "Xiao Wuna, in your eyes, I am not right this way, and I am not right that way, only you are right! Then, let me ask you, Ma Zhi is you Recommended to be the governor of Yongbyon Prefecture, right? Ma Zhi failed in his duty. As the recommender, you should be responsible for the failure of the referee, right? Well, even so, since Ma Zhi is unable to open up the imperial road, you will be appointed as the governor of Yongbyon Prefecture. Let me serve as governor and clear my way to the eagle."
In this way, Xiao Wuna was demoted to the governor of Ningbian Prefecture again.
After Xiao Wuna was appointed governor of Ningbian Prefecture again, he only cared about the defense of Ningbian Prefecture and its surrounding areas. He dealt with it on the surface but did nothing secretly to open the Ying Road to the imperial court. The Ying Road blocked by the Jurchens never opened, causing trouble. Emperor Tianzuo Yelu Yanxi was impatient, so he removed Xiao Wuna from the post of governor of Ningbian Prefecture and demoted him to Huanglong Prefecture.
Poor Xiao Wuna, as a dignified imperial master, minister of orders, and a first-rank official involved in political affairs, was stunned to be demoted to a fifth-rank border officer by Emperor Tianzuo.
Ma Zhi, who was waiting to be dealt with in the capital, saw that Xiao Wuna had been demoted to the Huanglong Mansion and was serving as a civil servant. The high-ranking officials in the court were all relatives of the emperor, such as his brother-in-law Xiao Haili and his brother-in-law Xiao Fengxian. Disappointed, he quietly sold his family's property and took his whole family back to the southern suburbs of Youzhou to look for Jia Shizhong.
From then on, Ma Zhi changed from Guanglu Qing of Liao Dynasty and governor of Ningbian Prefecture to a common man. He began to travel with Jurchen, Khitan and Northern Song Dynasty with Jia Shizhong, doing horse trading business, which was not a happy life. .
