Ma Zhi returned to his hometown and returned to Youzhou. His sworn brothers had already bought him a house, which saved him a lot of things, and Ma Zhi settled down.
More than ten years have passed, and Ma Zhi has never found an opportunity to join the Song Dynasty court. Now, Ma Zhi heard that Emperor Tianzha was celebrating his birthday and specially invited the Southern Dynasty court. The Southern Dynasty court sent Privy Council Tong Guantong to the Liao court to congratulate Emperor Tianzha on his birthday. Ma Zhi felt that this was a good opportunity to make friends with the dignitaries of the Southern Dynasties, so he waited on the road where the Southern Dynasty's envoys celebrating the birthday of the Lord Liao passed by a few days ago.
Now, Ma Zhi finally waited for the envoy from the Southern Dynasty and finally met Privy Councilor Tong Guantong, so he proposed an eternal plan that he had been thinking about for a long time to the Southern Dynasty court and to the Privy Councilor Tong Guan of the Southern Dynasty.
When Ma Zhi met Tong Guan, he spoke very respectfully, told his situation and wishes, and finally said he had a clever plan to offer.
Tong Guansui asked Ma Zhi, "What good advice do you have for me first?"
When Ma Zhi saw the question, he immediately said: "Ambassador Tong, please listen to what I have to say. Ambassador Tong, the Liao Kingdom today seems to have a vast territory, strong soldiers and horses, prosperity, and great momentum. In fact, it is at the end of its power. It won’t be long.”
Hearing this, Tong Guan was secretly shocked and asked hurriedly: "How can you see this?"
In order to return to the Song Dynasty as an official and seek a way to advance, Ma Zhi said with added jealousy: "Ah, it's you, Ambassador Tong, who asked, and I have to tell you the truth. I don't know if Lord Tong knows it." ? Nowadays, a barbarian tribe named Jurchen has arisen in the northeast of China. This Jurchen has a rough temperament, is extremely good at fighting, and is very brave. In the past, this Jurchen was a vassal of the Liao Kingdom, and those who became Liao nationalities were called mature women. Zhen, those who have not taken Liao nationality are called Sheng Jurchen. However, a strong man named Wanyan Yingge emerged from the Sheng Jurchen tribe. After decades of annexation by his father and brother, he has unified most of the Sheng Jurchen tribe. He is spying on The Liao Kingdom is very disloyal."
Regarding the situation of the Jurchens, Tong Guan, including the Northern Song Dynasty court, knew a little, but not much. Suddenly he heard Ma Zhi talk about this situation, and knew that there was a powerful force in the northeast of the Liao Kingdom named Jurchens, who was spying on the Liao Dynasty. Tong Guan suddenly became interested and listened attentively to Ma Zhi's talk about the Jurchen situation.
Ma Zhi said: "Ambassador Tong, you don't know something. This noble of the Liao Kingdom is very good at Haidongqing. For this reason, the Jurchens and the Liao Kingdom started fighting and pursued Ashu from the Liao Kingdom."
Tong Guanting was confused and asked: "Who is Hai Dongqing? Who is Ashu?"
Hearing this, Ma Zhi smiled and said: "Ambassador Tong doesn't know something. This Haidongqing is not a human, but a kind of eagle. Although it is small in size, it is very ferocious and is very good at catching prey. The nobles of the Liao Kingdom are keen on hunting and often use Haidongqing chases prey; therefore, he likes Haidongqing very much. However, this Haidongqing cannot be found anywhere else, and only the Five Kingdoms tribes of the Jurchen tribe can find traces of it; therefore, the Liao court often ordered the Five Kingdoms tribes of the Jurchen tribe to pay tribute. Haidongqing.”
Tong Guan understood. It turned out that Hai Dongqing was not a human, but a kind of eagle.
Because the Haidongqing mentioned by Ma Zhi is a kind of eagle, Tong Guan thought that the Ashu mentioned by Ma Zhi was also a kind of eagle, so he asked again: "Then what kind of eagle is Ashu?"
When Ma Zhi heard this, he felt funny in his heart, but he held it back and said to Tong Guan: "Ambassador Tong, this Ashu is not an eagle, but the name of a person."
Hearing this, Tong Guan thought to himself: What a Japanese monster! When I asked what kind of person it was, it was an eagle; when I asked what kind of eagle it was, it was also a person.
Do you think things in the Liao Kingdom are getting weirder every day? !
When Tong Guan heard that Ma Zhi talked about the situation of Hai Dongqing and Asu, he almost made a joke and felt a little unhappy. However, Ma Zhi was a Han from Yanjing and belonged to the Liao Kingdom and was not under his own control. Therefore, Tong Guan also showed With a rare good temper, he said with a smile: "I thought Hai Dongqing was a human and A Shu was also a human. It turns out that Hai Dongqing is an eagle, but A Shu is not an eagle, but a personal name. Tell me, this A Shu What’s going on with this guy?”
Ma Zhi said: "Return to what Ambassador Tong said. This Ashu was originally a leader of the He Shilie tribe of the Five Kingdoms of the Jurchen tribe. Because he could not bear the imperial court's demand for Haidongqing, he became angry and rebelled, blocking the Imperial Eagle Road. The imperial court did not want to send troops, but sent Wanyan Yingge, the military governor of the Jurchen tribe, to lead the crusade. Wanyan Yingge was the military governor of the Jurchen tribe granted by the Khitan court. Whenever the Jurchen tribe went to war, it was Wanyan Yingge stepped in to solve the problem."
Hearing this, Tong Guan nodded and continued to ask, "Has Ashu been caught?"
Ma Zhi replied: "Wanyan Yingge led the troops to defeat the Ashu tribe and conquered Ashu city. Ashu fled in panic, fled to Zhongjing, and confessed to Emperor Daozong. Emperor Daozong considered Wanyan Yingge As his strength gradually increased, he was afraid that his tail would be too big to fall off, so he protected Ashu and left him stranded in Zhongjing City."
Tong Guan knew that the Emperor Daozong that Ma Zhi was talking about was the emperor of the Liao Kingdom a few years ago, and he had died several years ago.
After hearing this, Tong Guan laughed and said: "This Dao Zong Emperor is also confused. Since he was appointed to suppress the rebellion, why should he protect the rebels?! Confused! Confused! Extremely confused!"
Ma Zhi said: "Ambassador Tong, just because Emperor Daozong is fatuous and confused, and is keen on hunting all day long, the Jurchen tribe has risen and is peeping at the Liao Kingdom with eager eyes. Today, Emperor Tianzha of the Liao Kingdom is even more... They are stupid and domineering, among the common people. In the near future, the Jurchens will definitely attack the Liao Kingdom. Ambassador Tong, now, the Liao Kingdom has not had a war in a hundred years. The Liao Kingdom has long been stocked with swords and guns, and the horses are released in Nanshan. In the future, they will no longer be a match for the Jurchens. If the Shangguo can join forces with the Jurchens to attack the Liao Kingdom from the north and the south, the Liao Kingdom will be defeated, and the sixteen states of Yanyun occupied by the Liao Kingdom can be recovered, and we, the old people of the Central Plains, can return to our homeland in the Central Plains."
Tong Guan was overjoyed when he heard this and thought to himself, isn't this exactly where my ambition lies? Isn’t this what worries today’s people? If we can use the power of the Jurchens to regain the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, it will undoubtedly be an eternal blessing for the imperial court and a meritorious service for many generations. If such a major event is completed in the hands of Tong Guan, wouldn’t I also become an eternal hero? !
Thinking of this, Tong Guan was so happy that he couldn't help himself. Suddenly he thought that this was the suburb of Yanjing in the Liao Kingdom. There were many people and it was inconvenient to talk about things. If the news got out, it might not be a big deal. Tong Guan hurriedly told Ma Zhi He said: "Just stay here, righteous man. This is not the place to talk. I have to go to Zhongjing to congratulate the Lord of Liao on his birthday. Just wait for me here. When I finish wishing the Lord of Liao his birthday, I will take you back to Tokyo. Let's go all the way." Let’s discuss it carefully.”
Ma Zhi bent down to salute Tong Guan and replied: "The common people are here waiting for Ambassador Tong to return."
Tong Guan was worried, fearing that Ma Zhi would not be found when he returned, so he repeatedly warned: "You must wait for me here, and you must not break the promise."
Ma Zhi had admired the beauty and prosperity of the south for a long time, and had long wanted to return to the Central Plains, find an official position, and be rich and powerful. Therefore, he couldn't get it, so he set up a tent on the outskirts of Yanjing and stationed himself inside, waiting for Tong Guan to return. He made good friends with Tong Guan, and thus established a relationship with the Song Dynasty and achieved his goal of rapid development.
Tong Guansui said goodbye to Mazhi, and together with Zheng Yunzhong, took the envoy to congratulate the Lord of Liao on his birthday, left Youzhou, and marched all the way to Zhongjing of Liao Kingdom.
After entering Zhongjing, Tong Guan, Zheng Yunzhong and their party were accommodated by the Liao court.
After waiting for two days, the Liao court held a birthday celebration for Emperor Tianzuo, and Zheng Yunzhong and Tong Guan were invited to attend the ceremony.
At the celebration, Zheng Yunzhong and Tong Guan presented congratulatory gifts on behalf of the Song Dynasty, wishing the Lord of Liao a long life and eternal peace, and wishing that the friendship between Song and Liao would last forever.
Emperor Tianzuo, the Lord of the Liao Dynasty, expressed his gratitude to the Song Dynasty for his congratulations.
That night, Emperor Tianzha held a special banquet to entertain Tong Guan, Zheng Yunzhong and his party.
During the dinner, Emperor Tianzuo and Tong Guan started chatting.
Emperor Tian Zuo said: "Commander Xiang Wen is good at using troops, but sending envoys to other countries may not be his strong point. The Southern Dynasties established a country based on culture. I feel extremely honored to send military generals as envoys to my country."
He said this, but there was a contemptuous smile on his face. He was obviously mocking Tong Guan and ridiculing the Song Dynasty for having no one and sending an eunuch as an envoy.
Tong Guan could naturally feel Emperor Tian Zuo's intentions, but the relationship between monarch and minister was there, so it was inconvenient for him to get angry. He could only laugh along with him, but he was suppressing the anger in his heart.
After ridiculing Tong Guan, Yelu Yanxi became serious, no longer frivolous and dissolute, but very calm and solemn.
Zheng Yunzhong and Tong Guan didn't know the situation, so they didn't say much. They just kept toasting Emperor Tianzha and saying some compliments.
Emperor Tianzha was obviously in a bad mood and said to Zheng Yunzhong and Tong Guan: "Two envoys, I would like to thank the Emperor of the Southern Dynasties for sending you to celebrate my birthday. However, under the current situation, Daliao has also encountered some troubles. We should work together with the Southern Dynasties to celebrate my birthday." Cooperate and deal with the crisis together.”
Zheng Yunzhong and Tong Guan were secretly surprised when they heard this. Zheng Yunzhong and Tong Guan knew in their hearts that it must be the situation Ma Zhi mentioned, that the Jurchens had risen and posed a threat to Daliao. Tong Guan thought to himself, I am just thinking about how to take back the territory of Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures from you. Let me hear what you say.
Therefore, Zheng Yunzhong and Tong Guan did not answer, but quietly listened to Emperor Tianzha's explanation of the situation.
Sure enough, Emperor Tianzha continued: "Two ambassadors, in the past few years in the Northeast, the Jurchens have risen and established a country, known as Dajin. Regarding the situation of the Jurchens, the two ambassadors do not know anything. This Jurchen was originally We are a vassal state of Daliao, and Daliao treats women very well. Who would have thought that they would actually fight against the imperial court, and the imperial court had no choice but to conquer them by force."
Regarding the founding of the Jurchens, Tong Guan didn't know, Zheng Yunzhong didn't know, and the Song Dynasty court didn't know either. Now, after hearing Emperor Tianzha say that the Jurchens had founded the country, Tong Guan and Zheng Yunzhong realized that not only the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty were coexisting at the same time, but also the Jin Dynasty.
In fact, the reason why the Song Dynasty was invited to send a delegation to this birthday celebration of Emperor Tianzha was that, in addition to consolidating the original relationship, they also wanted to further establish a good relationship with the Song Dynasty, so that they would not be defeated by the Song Dynasty when they tried their best to deal with the Jurchens. Song attacked from the side.
In fact, the real situation is far more serious than what Emperor Tianzha said. The real situation is that the Jurchen cavalry have broken through Daliao Shangjing and are advancing towards Daliao Zhongjing. Daliao's rule is already in danger and is in danger.
So, what exactly happened in the northern desert?
