After calming down, Zhao Xi thought about it carefully and felt that what Yu Yunwen said made sense.
If the Ming Dynasty was determined to destroy the Southern Song Dynasty and kill the old Zhao family, then they would definitely not negotiate. If they accepted the negotiation, it would mean that they were not ready to go south.
The events required for this preparation are by no means a day or two, it can be as fast as one or two years, or as slow as three to five years. If there is any natural or man-made disaster in the Ming Dynasty during this period, the Southern Song Dynasty can survive for a while.
This is opportunity, this is the possibility of survival.
And using this as a breakthrough point, they can refuse some unreasonable demands that may be made by the Ming Dynasty. Anyway, assuming that they are not fully prepared to go south, they can protect the interests of the Southern Song Dynasty as much as possible without losing their wife. Another defeat.
Yu Yunwen's suggestion was approved by Zhao Kan. Among the officials, Chen Junqing, Hu Quan, Wang Dabao, Wang Shipeng and others also agreed with Yu Yunwen's suggestion, so Zhao Kan nodded and accepted the decision and made up his mind.
Then he glanced at the others who showed no expression.
Ye Yiwen, Shen Gai and Zhou Linzhi.
During the previous chaos, these three people showed no sign and were at a loss. They looked like stupid and useless mascots, which made Zhao Xun very unhappy.
The current situation is like this, and Zhao Yan can't make it easy for them no matter what.
Let’s start with Ye Yiwen and Shen Gai.
"Xiangong Ye, Xianggong Shen, as ministers of the Great Song Dynasty, this is the time when you should play your role. I appoint you as envoys and deputy envoys to the Ming army. I wonder if you are willing?"
Ye Yiwen and Shen Gai had just come to their senses, and when they saw Zhao Xun's angry face, they immediately realized that their performance during the Lin'an chaos was not very good and they did not get Zhao Xun's approval, so they need to do more now. The matter came to be recognized by Zhao Hao.
With their status and power, it was naturally impossible for them to run away in a panic before the Southern Song Dynasty was determined to be destroyed. However, in this case, it was really difficult for them, who had never participated in the military, to make an accurate response. .
Not every civil servant has the courage like Yu Yunwen to go directly to the out-of-control military camp and ask the soldiers to follow him.
However, now that Lin'an City has stabilized and order has been forcibly restored, as ministers of the Prime Minister and Fu, they must do something to prove their usefulness and reliability.
But……
Sent an envoy to the Ming army...
Is this really a mission and not a funeral?
You two looked at me and I looked at you, the expressions on their faces were very unpleasant.
"Your Majesty, this..."
"Are you afraid?"
"My lord, wait..."
"You're so scared! If the two armies are fighting and the envoys are not killed, the Ming Kingdom claims to be the superior state. Will it still embarrass you two envoys?"
Zhao Yan said angrily: "Even if they make things difficult for you, you can just kneel on your knees and become ministers directly, but it depends on whether Su Yonglin wants you or not!"
Ye Yiwen and Shen Gai couldn't help but feel uneasy when such heart-wrenching words came out of Zhao He's mouth, so they quickly knelt down on the ground.
"As a minister of the Song Dynasty, how dare I betray the Song Dynasty?"
"As a minister who eats the emperor's salary and receives the emperor's favor, he must do his best and die!"
"snort!"
Seeing the two people kneeling on the ground, Zhao Hao shouted angrily and said: "I hope you can really do what you said, but don't be so frightened that you can't stand up when you get to the Ming army camp. I can’t say anything!”
Ye Yiwen frowned and Shen Gai looked miserable.
The two of them said they didn't dare.
They also knew that what they did in this turmoil was too embarrassing, but the horrific news was so shocking that they really thought that the Song Dynasty was about to collapse in the midst of the storm.
They are civil servants who do not understand military affairs. If they can stand firm and not fall when they really encounter such a matter that is related to the life and death of the country, they are considered to be courageous.
valley choke
Although they usually disdain the military and military generals, they do so to their own people. The military generals of their own country have been restrained and tamed. The social environment is such that no military general dares to be unfavorable to civilian officials, and even the civilian officials. They despise the military very much.
But once you encounter foreign troops who are not bound by the rules of your country, it will be different.
The Ming Dynasty was founded by force. The army was mighty and good at fighting, very strong, and the generals had a high status. They were not the same thing as the generals of the Song Dynasty. The civil servants of the Song Dynasty were of course timid when facing them.
Now is no longer the classical era where generals and prime ministers were in the past. The civil and military divisions were divided, and there were few people who were both civil and military. Ye Yiwen and Shen Gai were both powerless people. Facing the fierce Ming army, they really couldn't do it. Know what you should do.
However, they had to follow the emperor's order and had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask the emperor for advice on the purpose of this mission and their authority.
"Go and ask the Ming Dynasty why they violated the peace treaty written in black and white and went south to attack our country. Ask them why they did such a thing. Am I not being respectful enough? I gave the money and agreed to be a vassal. They sent me the edict. , I even knelt down to pick it up, what else do they want? Do they have to ask for my half of the country?"
With a face full of grief and anger, Zhao Hao said: "If you really want half of my country, even though I, Zhao Hao, am powerless, I will never be the king of subjugation. Just let them come! I would rather die than surrender to them." !”
Ye Yiwen and Shen Gai looked at each other.
You didn't mention our permissions?
So Shen Gai bit the bullet and asked, "What do you want, Your Majesty?"
"Let them go back where they came from!"
Zhao Yan said angrily: "Killing our people and occupying my territory, what do they think they are? Barbarians?!"
"His Majesty!"
The two people kowtowed quickly and asked Zhao Min to calm down.
Several ministers nearby also quickly comforted Zhao Xin and told him not to be so angry.
Zhao Min took a few deep breaths and calmed down a little.
"You are not allowed to agree to any conditions privately, and you will discuss everything later. No matter what the Ming Dynasty's intentions are, or what requirements it uses as the standard for armistice, whether it is money or land, if you dare to agree to anything privately, I will ask you to Looks good, do you hear me clearly?!”
"I accept the decree!"
Ye Yiwen and Shen Gai quickly expressed that they understood.
On the way out of the palace to prepare, Shen Gai sighed.
"I don't know if it's good or bad to go. What if something goes wrong and my life is lost?"
Seeing Shen Gai's useless look, Ye Yiwen suddenly became furious.
"It was embarrassing enough just now. The limelight was completely stolen by Yu Yunwen. As ministers and ministers, we are actually sent out as envoys. What a shame! Do you still want to consider personal honor and disgrace here?"
"This... Mr. Ye, you are too..."
"After serving as an official for decades, I have never been so despised or humiliated by my lord. It is really a great shame and humiliation. This time I am sent as an envoy, I must avenge the previous humiliation and never let the humiliation continue!"
Ye Yiwen clenched his fists, the flame of fighting spirit in his heart rising higher and higher.
Shen Gai saw something was wrong and said hurriedly: "What do you want to do? Mr. Ye, this is an envoy to the Ming army. You must not mess around!"
"The two countries are at war without killing each other. If the Ming Dynasty doesn't even understand this, then there is nothing to say! Just die!"
Ye Yiwen flicked his sleeves and left the palace with his head held high.
He felt that he was so embarrassed just now. Compared with the tough Yu Yunwen, he didn't look like a man at all.
No, we can't go on like this. After all, he was the prime minister of the Song Dynasty, and now he is reduced to an envoy. If he loses face again, who knows how he will be punished in the future?
Can Minister Zuo Cheng continue to do this?
Ye Yiwen soon had some ideas about the next negotiations.
