On the way back to the DPRK, the reason why Tong Guan agreed to Zheng Yunzhong's return to Beijing without Ma Zhi was because Tong Guan suddenly had a new idea, not because Zheng Yunzhong had much power and face to control Tong Guan.
Tong Guan felt that the goal of bringing Ma Zhi back to the Tokyo court with the mission was too big. After many ministers knew about it, many problems would arise, which might affect the alliance's plan to destroy the Liao Dynasty; since Zheng Yunzhong also opposed bringing Ma Zhi with the mission When we return to Beijing, we might as well agree to Zheng Yunzhong and return to Beijing with the delegation without Ma Zhi. I will secretly arrange for Ma Zhi to come quietly later. After Ma Zhi arrives in Tokyo, I will first arrange for him to live in my own mansion. After I have communicated well with the Holy Emperor, I will introduce Ma Zhi to see Emperor Huizong.
Thinking of this, Tong felt greatly relieved, and he happily agreed to Zheng Yunzhong and would not take Ma Zhi back to the court with his delegation.
For Zheng Yunzhong, as long as Tong Guan returns to the court with the mission without Ma Zhi, he has no responsibility. As for how Tong Guan met with Ma Zhi and what they discussed during the meeting, that is all Tong Guan's business. , he can do whatever he likes, it has nothing to do with me.
Zheng Yunzhong naturally no longer objected to the contact between Tong Guan and Ma Zhi.
Tong Guan and Zheng Yunzhong led the delegation to celebrate the birthday of Lord Liao, and rushed forward for several days, arriving at the southern suburbs of Yanjing. As expected, Na Ma Zhi pitched a tent and was waiting by the roadside.
The team stopped moving forward and Tong Guan and Ma Zhi met.
Tong Guan took Ma Zhi's hand and entered the tent to have a private meeting.
Tong Guan said to Ma Zhi: "For half a month, you have been waiting in the southern suburbs of Yanjing, waiting for me. It has been very hard."
Ma Zhi replied: "The common people respect Captain Tong and miss their homeland in the Southern Dynasties. Not to mention waiting for half a month, even if they wait for several years, they will not hesitate."
Tong Guan was overjoyed when he heard this and said: "I will commend you for your longing for your homeland in the Southern Dynasties. I already know what you told me before. This time I went to Khitan as an envoy and learned some information from the Lord of Liao. The situation you mentioned is also consistent. It’s just that now, the situation is more complicated and needs to be operated safely. Originally, I wanted to take you back to the capital with the mission. However, considering the many people and inconvenience, I couldn’t do it. Good things can lead to bad things, so this is how I arranged it."
Ma Zhi looked at Tong Guan and listened carefully, eager to know how Tong Guan arranged for him.
Tong Guan looked at Ma Zhi and said: "I will lead the envoy back to the capital first and speak about the matter in front of the Holy Master. Then you will enter the capital on your own. You must pay attention to concealment and don't let others know. After you enter the capital, don't call Ma again. Zhi, you can change your name to Li Liangsi. As a Han nationality, go directly to the Privy Councilor’s Residence to find me. I will arrange for you to live there first. When the conditions are ripe, I will recommend you to the Supreme Lord. You will then bring the Khitan and Jurchen Report the situation to the Holy One in detail, and explain the beauty of uniting the Jin Dynasty to destroy the Liao Dynasty. When the time comes, the future will be bright, and I will greatly support you."
Hearing this, Ma Zhi knelt down on the ground, kowtowed to Tong Guan, and said repeatedly: "The little people are grateful to the adults for their kindness. The kindness of the adults for rebuilding is unforgettable for the little people."
After Tong Guan arranged for Ma Zhi, he and Zheng Yunzhong led the envoy back to Bianliang, Tokyo, and entered the palace to deliver a message to Emperor Huizong.
After Tong Guan led the delegation to leave Yanjing, Ma Zhi also returned home and made an appointment with his sworn brother Jia Shizhong. He was escorted by Jia Shizhong and arrived in Bianliang, Tokyo a few days later.
According to the agreement with Tong Guan, Ma Zhi found Tong Guan's residence in the Privy Council and presented his name card under the pseudonym Li Liangsi. Tong Guan had already arranged for the steward, and the steward of Tong Guan's residence had been waiting for Li Liangsi's arrival. After Ma Zhi presented Li Liangsi's name card, the steward arranged for Ma Zhi to stay there.
Seeing that Ma Zhi had been arranged, Jia Shizhong bid farewell to Ma Zhi and returned to the outskirts of Yanjing alone.
Since then, Ma Zhi conspired with Tong Guan every day to unite the Jin Dynasty and destroy the Liao Dynasty.
Although this Tong Guan is a treacherous person, he is also a person who loves fame and wants to make a difference.
Ma Zhi was originally a Han citizen, so he naturally hoped that the Song Dynasty would regain the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, stabilize the northern territory based on the dangers of Yanyun, and realize the long-term prosperity of the Song Dynasty. He could also use this as a ladder to climb to a high position in the court.
Tong Guan regarded Ma Zhi as a genius and humbly asked for advice on how to destroy Liao and capture the sixteen states of Yanyun.
However, as a Privy Council member of the imperial court, Tong Guan also knew that uniting the Jurchens was a national matter and should not be acted upon rashly. Therefore, Tong Guan, through his cronies, consciously spread the news about the Jurchens and confused the imperial court, but he was observing the dynamics of the imperial court in the dark.
Sure enough, there was a lot of discussion in the imperial court about the situation of the Jurchens. They all believed that the Jurchens resisted the Liao Dynasty and the Liao generals were in trouble. It was really a God-given opportunity for the imperial court to take the opportunity to take back the territory of the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun.
This discussion naturally reached Huizong's ears, and Huizong couldn't help but feel moved.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Tong Guan entered the palace and presented to Emperor Huizong his long-planned strategy of uniting the Jin Dynasty to destroy the Liao Dynasty.
On that day, Tong Guan entered the court, and Huizong asked him about the situation of the Liao Kingdom and the Jurchens.
Tong Guan took the opportunity to tell Emperor Huizong about the situation of the Liao Kingdom and the Jurchens, and told Emperor Huizong his idea of uniting with the Jurchens to recapture the sixteen states of Yanyun. In order to show that he was not just imagining things, but that he was well-founded, Tong Guansui told Emperor Huizong about his encounter with Ma Zhi on the road and the circumstances of Ma Zhi becoming an official in Khitan and then abandoning his official position.
Of course, Tong Guan felt that the name Ma Zhi was not Chinese enough, so he changed Ma Zhi's name to Li Liangsi, which he had changed in advance.
When Emperor Huizong saw this, he asked Tong Guandao: "Where is the Li Liangsi you mentioned?"
Tong Guan did not dare to say that Ma Zhi was in his house, but said: "Your Majesty, after Li Liangsi abandoned his official position, he returned to the outskirts of Yanjing in the Liao Kingdom and made a living by selling horses. Now, Li Liangsi is waiting in the suburbs of Yanjing in the Liao Kingdom. , I dare not bring it in without the permission of the Holy One."
Huizong heard the report and said: "In that case, I will secretly recruit Li Liangsi to the country and bring him to the palace. I want to personally inquire with him about the Jurchens and the Liao Kingdom."
Tong Guan did not get what he asked for, so he immediately replied: "As soon as I report to the Holy One, I will send people to the border to recruit Li Liangsi to the court. I respectfully ask the Holy One to inquire about state affairs."
Tong Guan wasted no time, and after more than ten days, he brought Ma Zhi, who was hiding in his house, into the palace and met with Huizong, who asked Emperor Huizong for personal advice.
Na Ma Zhi ascended to heaven in one step and was able to talk directly with the emperor. He even used all his skills to say to Emperor Huizong: "Your Majesty, the Liao Kingdom will surely perish. If your Majesty can condemn the emperor on behalf of Heaven and use it to control the chaos, he will see that as soon as the king's army comes out, the Liao Kingdom will be destroyed." It can not only save the Liao people from hardship, but also regain the old frontiers of China. It is really a two-pronged strategy. If this opportunity is missed, I am afraid that if the girl really succeeds and enters the Liao first, the situation will be different from today's. It’s different.”
Emperor Huizong also knew something about the Jurchen situation.
During the Zhenzong Dynasty, the Jurchens paid tribute to the Song Dynasty as a sign of friendship; the Song Dynasty also treated the Jurchens with courtesy and gave them many gifts. Later, during the reign of Emperor Renzong, the Liao State strengthened the maritime ban, cutting off the contact between the Jurchens and the Song Dynasty. Privet also surrendered to the Liao State and accepted the position of the Liao State's Jurchen Festival Envoy. Since then, there has been less contact with the Song Dynasty. Limited to private exchanges.
Since then, the Jurchens have faded out of the Song court's sight, and the court no longer pays attention to the Jurchens' affairs. Therefore, although they have heard about the Jurchens' situation, they know very little about it, even if it was such a major event as the Jurchens rebelled against the Liao Dynasty and established the Jin Kingdom. , and the court knew nothing about it.
Now, Huizong heard Ma Zhi mention the Jurchens again, and knew that the Jurchens wanted to rebel against the Liao Dynasty. If they formed an alliance with the Jurchens, they could take back the sixteen states of Yanyun, and he suddenly felt energetic.
The Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun are the buffer zone between the Central Plains and Khitan, and are of vital significance to the Central Plains Dynasty. Historically speaking, any dynasty that occupied the sixteen states of Yunyan was a dynasty with stable territory and strong national defense.
Emperor Huizong secretly thought that if the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were recaptured, with the strong economic strength of the Song Dynasty, there would definitely be flourishing flowers and beautiful scenery, and the country would be consolidated forever.
However, Emperor Huizong still had doubts. First, he doubted whether the Jurchens could defeat the Liao people. Secondly, if the Jurchens really became stronger, would they pose a threat to the Song Dynasty?
So Huizong asked Ma Zhi again: "According to Privy Council Tong, you were once the Guanglu Qing of the Liao Kingdom and the governor of Ningbian Prefecture. You are also familiar with the Jurchens and know about the situation of privet. Let me ask you, how strong is the Jurchen?" What is the ultimate goal?”
Regarding the strength of Jurchens, Ma Zhi has personal experience. He followed Xiao Wuna as the deputy governor of Ningbian Prefecture, and later served as the governor of Ningbian Prefecture. He had many contacts with the Jurchens, and naturally understood the actual situation of the Jurchens. However, in order to achieve his own glory, Ma Zhi had to move Think about it.
Ma Zhi thought to himself that when the Emperor of the Song Dynasty asked this question, he must be worried that the Jurchens would become stronger in the future and annex the Song Dynasty. Therefore, I cannot say that the Jurchens are too powerful. I have to give the Emperor of the Song Dynasty some mercy. Okay. Let the Emperor of the Song Dynasty make up his mind and make a decision early.
After thinking about it, Ma Zhi said to Huizong: "Your Majesty, the Jurchens are an uncivilized nation in the Tongtong River Basin, with a total population of only about 100,000 people, scattered on the rivers and grasslands, but they were deeply squeezed by the Liao Kingdom and hated the Liao Kingdom. They cut their teeth, so they wanted to fight against the Liao. The Jurchens were barbaric in nature and were the opponents of the Liao. However, the Jurchens had no quarrel with the Shangguo. Their vision was just to get rid of the exploitation of the Liao and had no other ambitions. Your Majesty, if the Heavenly Kingdom unites with the Jurchens and the Jurchens pull the Liao Kingdom from the northeast, and the Heavenly Kingdom conquers the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun from the south, it will inevitably occupy the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun first, and it will also form a check and balance on the northern barbarians. It is indeed the best policy to ensure the stability of the Central Plains."
When Huizong heard this, he was overjoyed and said to Ma Zhi with a smile: "What you said is very true. If the Liao Kingdom is not destroyed and the Yanyun is not conquered, there will never be peace in the northern border of the imperial court. The strategy proposed by you today is actually a good strategy, and it may be solved I have a disease in my heart. I am loyal to you, so I will give you the imperial surname. From now on, you will be called Zhao Liangsi."
Hearing this, Ma Zhi leaned on the ground, tears streaming down his face, and kowtowed his head, loudly saying: "I deeply feel that the emperor is so kind to me, but I can only repay my kindness by sacrificing my life."
Huizong said: "Please, sir, get up."
Ma Zhi is now called Zhao Liangsi.
Zhao Liangsi got up from the ground, still trembling with excitement. A commoner, inexplicably, became a royal surname. What an honor is this? ! Then there is green smoke rising from the grave of Mazhi's ancestors. How can he not tremble with excitement after receiving such a blessing? !
Emperor Huizong asked Zhao Liangsi to die and said to him: "The matter of contacting the Jurchens is a major matter for the court and should be considered in the long term. I will first grant you the position of Secretary Cheng, specializing in the research of the Jurchens and the Liao Kingdom. Please pay more attention to the situation and developments in the country, but if you have any information, you can come to the palace at any time and report it to me."
When Zhao Liangsi heard this, he knelt on the ground again and replied in a trembling voice: "I will obey the imperial edict."
From then on, Zhao Liangsi met Emperor Huizong and became one of the few court officials who could meet Emperor Huizong at any time. Emperor Huizong also favored Zhao Liangsi and later promoted him to be the editor of Youwen Palace.
It was also from then on that Emperor Huizong began to unite the Jin Dynasty to destroy the Liao Dynasty, and signed a maritime alliance with the Jurchens, which laid hidden dangers for the Jingkang disaster.
