After Kou Ji packed his things, he left the bedroom and saw Liu Shenxing in the side hall of the post house.
Liu Shenxing is a gentle middle-aged man with a goatee, a felt hat, and a uniform that is unique to Liao officials. He has leather boots on his feet and a gold and silver sheath hanging from his waist. Scimitar.
He is very thin, and it seems that a gust of wind can blow him.
But his steps are very firm, it seems that every step he falls, he has to step on the ground.
When Kou Ji saw him, he took the initiative to greet him and humbly saluted Kou Ji. He didn't have the arrogance that the officials of the Liao Kingdom should have in the legend. Instead, he looked like a scholar who had invaded the book room for many years.
It was only when he got closer that Kou Ji smelled a strong scent of smoke from him, and the scent was mixed with a few hints of fishy smell.
After the two parties met each other, they sat down slowly.
After the two exchanged a few words, Liu Shenxing explained his intentions straightforwardly.
"Kou Libin, a few days later, it will be the birthday of my prince Daliao. My emperor will hold a grand bonfire event ten miles outside of Youzhou City. I hope your envoys can attend."
Liu Shenxing hammered his chest with one hand, speaking gently.
Kou Ji picked up the milk tea soup served by the Liao people in the post, and after a bite, he muttered: "The birthday of the prince of your country?"
Liu Shenxing nodded and smiled: "Yes... February 23..."
Kou Ji put down the tea soup bowls and chopsticks, nodded slowly: "The official will tell the chief and deputy envoys about this matter, and they will be there by then."
Liu Shenxing heard that Kou Ji had agreed to the matter, smiled and got up, arched his hand to Kou Ji, and said: "The official is leaving first, and then the official will send someone to greet you."
Kou Ji resigned.
Liu Shenxing slowly withdrew from the post house.
Kou Ji thought about the purpose of Liao Emperor Yelulongxu's invitation to attend Yelv Zongzhen's birthday party, and paced to Xiang Minzhong's room.
Once in the door.
I saw Xiang Minzhong holding a book, and looking through it carefully, Wang Zeng didn't know when he arrived in Xiang Minzhong's room. He was sitting on the Hu stool at the moment, reading with Xiang Minzhong.
Hear the movement of Kou Ji entering the door.
Xiang Minzhong put down the scroll in his hand and said with emotion to Wang Zeng: "There are still talents in Liao. In the imperial examination held last year in Liao, more than 70 people have real materials. Yes. The literary talents of more than 30 people are not inferior to the scholars of my Dynasty.
Wang Zeng sighed and nodded slowly.
"The old man also saw a few scholars who made a lot of fame in me, but voted for the Liao Kingdom."
When Kou Ji saw the two discussing scholars, his eyes fell on the scroll in Xiang Minzhong's hand, and he saw the words "Integrated Jinshi Poetry Collection".
"Two scholars who are paying attention to Liao State?"
Xiang Minzhong dropped the scroll in his hand and said casually, "I just found it in the library of the post house, just look at it."
Xiang Minzhong set his eyes on Kou Ji and asked, "Liu Shenxing came to visit, what's the matter?"
Kou Ji said frankly: "February 23 is the birthday of Yeluzongzhen, the prince of the Liao Kingdom, and Yelulongxu, the Liao Emperor, will hold a grand bonfire event ten miles outside of Youzhou City and invite us to attend."
Upon hearing this, Xiang Minzhong and Wang Zeng looked at each other and sighed at the same time.
Kou Ji suspiciously said: "What else can't be done here?"
Wang Zeng sighed and said: "The prince of Liao has always held birthday celebrations, and I have always had a great gift in Song Dynasty. Nowadays, the prince of Liao Kingdom Yelv Zongzhen holds birthday celebrations, and the gifts I send out by Song Dynasty can only be more important.
He is the great prince of the Liao Kingdom, the future prince of the Liao Kingdom, and even the emperor of the Liao Kingdom.
The status is much higher than other princes. "
Xiang Minzhong curled his mouth and said, "Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu is planning to show us a good look before the peace talks."
Wang Zeng looked at Xiang Minzhong, and said quietly: "This move may not have the meaning of testing our Da Song attitude... We have to deal with it carefully..."
Kou Ji raised his eyebrows slightly and said in deep thought, "The peace talks have already begun?"
Wang Zeng nodded and said, "Yes, the peace talks have already begun. It started as early as the moment we entered Youzhou City. The peace talks are not just as simple as sitting at the table and making offers to each other.
From the moment we entered Youzhou City, a psychological game has already begun.
The more anxious one is, the easier it is to expose flaws.
As long as the flaw is exposed, the other party can grasp your flaw, tear a huge hole in your body, and then devour your meat and drink your blood. "
Kou Jillo thought about it, and questioned: "So, it is a temptation for the Liao Emperor Yelulongxu to send Xiao Pidi to greet us. It is also a temptation for you two to pretend to rest after arriving at the post house?"
Wang Zeng and Xiang Minzhong nodded at the same time.
Wang Zeng said with a rare admiration, "Russ can be taught."
Xiang Minzhong laughed in a low voice: "Now it seems that the Liao Emperor Yelulongxu is more anxious than us. Otherwise, he would not send someone to invite us to the birthday party of the Liao Dynasty prince when we first arrived at the post house. "
Wang Zeng smiled bitterly: "It's just that the people who had been to the Liao country were so stupid. After arriving in the Liao country, they didn't wait to settle down, and they went out with the gift.
Liao Emperor Yelulongxu was not stupid, how could he not discover their anxious thoughts. "
Xiang Minzhong groaned for a moment, shaking his head and said: "I can't say that they are too stupid. It's just that before, when I faced the Liao Kingdom, Da Song was always on the disadvantaged side, and the first emperor was sending them. When they go to the Liao State for peace talks, they will always set a deadline, so they have to do that."
Xiang Minzhong's eyes fell on Kou Ji and Wang Zeng, and he said with a smile: "Now it's different. I have three points of confidence in Da Song facing Liao, so naturally I don't have to run around like before."
Wang Zeng smiled and nodded.
Kou Ji questioned: "Then the grand prince of the Liao Kingdom, Yelv Zongzhen, should we attend the birthday party or give a gift to the Liao Kingdom?"
Xiang Minzhong clicked his mouth and said: "Since the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu has already made a move, we naturally can't show our timidity. We have to face each other and see the move."
After a pause, Xiang Minzhong said again: "When he came, your grandfather seemed to have expected such an experience a long time ago, so he was given a golden Buddha to the old man. Let the old man use it as a gift."
"Golden Buddha?"
Kou Ji questioned.
Xiang Minzhong nodded, and sent the guards waiting outside the door to get the golden Buddha.
After a while.
The guard held a golden Buddha to Xiang Min's room.
The golden Buddha is not big, only one foot high, hollowed out, and the whole body is golden.
On the back of the Golden Buddha, a line of small characters is engraved.
When Kou Ji saw the line of small print, the corners of his mouth began to twitch quickly.
Xiang Minzhong took the Golden Buddha from the guard, and stared at Kou Ji with a bright smile: "Do you think it's familiar?"
Wang Zeng fumbled for the golden Buddha in Xiang Minzhong's hand, and whispered a line of small characters on the golden Buddha, "The believer Liu Heng invites Ji Gong, the brother of the Kou Mansion..."
Wang Zeng withdrew his hand from groping for the Golden Buddha and said to Kou Ji with a smile, "I can't tell, this kid Liu Heng is really affectionate to you."
Kou Ji had a dark face, gritted his teeth and said: "Private devices are shared, you are not in compliance with the rules."
Xiang Minzhong looked at the golden Buddha and said faintly: "The old man has used public money to buy this golden Buddha. This golden Buddha is already regarded as a royal implement."
Kou Ji gritted his teeth and said: "Even so, would it be too trivial to bring such a golden Buddha to the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu?"
Xiang Minzhong said without hesitation: "What's the matter, just mount it."
After speaking, Xiang Minzhong ordered someone to take out a small bag.
He took out files, chisels, etc. from the bag.
Then in front of Kou Ji, he began to mount the golden Buddha.
Kou Ji looked surprised and said: "Do you still have this craft?"
Xiang Minzhong was taken aback, and sighed: "The old man resigned several times, but the first emperor refused. The old man simply hid in the house to study these crafts. After several years of research, he was somewhat accomplished."
Kou Ji nodded thoughtfully.
A few days later.
Xiang Minzhong mounted the golden Buddha in the room.
Kou Ji was dragged by Wang Zeng and wandered the streets of Youzhou City.
Wang Zeng took Kou Ji and did nothing else, that is, in the major bookstores in Youzhou City.
Kou Ji was puzzled and asked.
Wang Zeng told him that he wandered around in the Liao Kingdom bookstore to collect the works of those talents in the Liao Kingdom, and then to get back to the Song Dynasty, so that the scholars of the Song Dynasty could also learn about the talents of the Liao Kingdom.
He also told Kou Ji.
Liao has been sinicized for many years and has been seeking scholars for many years. Today, there are many outstanding talents in the Liao Dynasty.
These people are likely to become Da Song's opponents in the future, so we must grow up with them and get to know them well.
When he heard what Wang Zeng said, Kou Ji turned around and glanced at the loyal Zhang Yuan who followed behind him.
He wanted to tell Wang Zeng that in the following decades, the talents who could suppress Da Song's breathing difficulties had become his loyal servants.
Time flies.
It's February 23rd.
The birthday of Yelvzong, the prince of the Liao Kingdom.
Early in the morning.
The sound of horns rang everywhere in Youzhou City.
The Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu, who lived in the inner palace of Youzhou City, led his pro-army leather army, left Youzhou City and rushed to a place ten miles outside Youzhou City.
The heads of all tribes and tribes led the men of all tribes early, waiting for the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu ten miles away.
They had already helped the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu to set up a huge palace-style tent.
In addition, around Nabo, many Orudos were built to provide residence for the royal family and nobles of the Liao Kingdom.
In addition to the account, a circle of camps dedicated to the shelter of the Pishi army was built.
The camp of the Pishi Army was arc-shaped, surrounded in a circle, enclosing the Nabo of the Liao Emperor Yelulongxu, and Orudo where the Liao royal family and nobles lived.
Outside, are the camps of all ministries and vassals.
Moreover, the camps of the various tribes and vassals had to wait until the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu moved into his own bowl.
The reason for this was because the Liao Emperor Yelulongxu was living in Nabo, and he would choose several desirable access roads. The camps of the various tribes and vassals could not stop the road set by the Liao Emperor Yelulongxu.
Of course, this is just one.
The more important purpose is to avoid setting up ambushes when setting up camps.
After the various ministries and vassals finished setting up their camps, it was already evening.
Then they will leave the camp in batches, cut firewood and get wood, and build fire towers one after another throughout the camp.
The largest fire tower is the three-zhang tower in front of the Liao Emperor Yelulongxu Nabo.
…
When night falls slowly.
The fire towers around the camp were slowly lit, and bonfires burst into the sky.
Kou Ji and his party entered the camp under the guidance of Liu Shenxing after the fire tower around the camp was lit.
Once in the camp.
I felt the blazing heat of the flame, the aroma of roasting beef and mutton, and the enthusiasm of the tribal men and girls singing and dancing in front of the bonfire.
As an envoy of the Song Dynasty who can sit on an equal footing with the Liao State.
Naturally, Kou Ji and his party would not stay outside and accompany the tributaries of the Liao Kingdom.
The moment they entered the camp, they were greeted inside the enclosure.
The inner circle is mostly Liao people, and there are some heads and little heads of small tribes.
The heads and little heads of the various tribes are mostly wearing gold belts and silver, wrapped in wild animal fur, and sitting on blankets.
Some of the Liao people also wear this kind of attire, but most of them are dressed in Han costumes except for the white fox and other rare fur felt hats.
Although it looks a little nondescript, it just shows that the Sinicization of Liao has brought many changes to Liao.
From the entrance of the camp in the inner circle to the bowl of Liao Emperor Yelulongxu, two long tables and blankets were placed.
The tribesmen, little heads, Liao officials accompanying the Liao Emperor Yelulongxu, and some Liao nobles and Liao imperial clans who had separated from the center of power were seated on both sides.
Behind them, there was a shirtless, braided Liao man, setting up piles of bonfires, roasting cattle and sheep.
Kou Ji and his party, under the attention of this group of people, walked along the road in front of them all the way to the Naobo of Liao Emperor Yelulongxu.
The tent door of Nabo was open. Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu sat on a dragon chair in the depths of Nabo. Next to him, there were Yelv Zongzhen, the eldest prince of the Liao Kingdom, and Xiao Bodhisattva, the empress of the Liao Kingdom, respectively.
Under the head of the three of them, there was still a person sitting.
The birth mother of Yeluzong, the great prince of the Liao Kingdom, was Shun Sheng Yuan concubine Xiao Yujin.
In addition to the four of them, there were also people sitting on both sides of Nabo, who were all high-ranking figures in the Liao country, as well as some small tribe heads and small heads whom the Liao emperor Yelülongxu admired.
Because the pot was too deep and the flames were dazzling, Kou Jixu squinted. He didn't see the face of Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu and others, but saw a shadow.
"Summon the Song ambassador to see you!"
When Kou Ji and his party settled at the door, someone immediately spread a message from Nabo, and the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu wanted to summon them.
Xiang Minzhong led Kou Ji and others, bowed to Nabo, and then under the guidance of the servants in the Liao Dynasty, entered into Nabo.
Along the brightly lit avenue, I walked all the way to the front of Liao Emperor Yelulongxu.
The eyes of everyone in Nabo were on them.
As soon as they walked to the front of Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu, they heard someone shout on the spot: "Song people are bold!"
All of them would call this because after entering Nabo, Kou Ji faced Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu directly, and did not lower his head respectfully.
"Who gave you the courage to look directly at our emperor?"
Someone scolded on the spot.
Concubine Shun Sheng Yuan, who was sitting at the head of the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu, had a sullen face and said coldly: "Song people like these people who don't know how to etiquette should be dragged out and divided by five horses."
Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu frowned slightly when she heard her words.
Kou Ji didn't care about these shouts and threats.
He carefully looked at the Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu.
The Liao Emperor, who was nearly fifty years old, didn't have much oldness on his face, only some traces of wind and frost, a pair of knife eyebrows, against his star-like gaze, looked quite murderous.
On the face of the Chinese character, there is no joy, no sadness, a calm attitude, but no anger or prestige.
The neatly trimmed goatee's beard rests on the pompoms hanging from the sides of the neck, shaking up and down with breathing.
The two spirit feathers on the felt hat on his head hadn't moved from the moment Kou Ji saw him.
The huge body was shrouded in the emperor's clothing, sitting there like a mountain.