How could Blacksmith Guo be the emperor? Inside the mansion in Youzhou City, a big man cursed angrily.
He was Xiao Siwen, the King of the Southern Court of Liao. He was a middle-aged man who always thought he was the most handsome man in Liao. Now he didn't care about his appearance. He threw his hat aside, revealing his bald head, with two strands of hair tied into small braids on both sides of his head, and a pair of round earrings on his ears.
I was so angry that Xiao Siwen sat down on the chair covered with tiger skin. The dirty man, the butcher with blood on his hands
Bai, a woman who also had her head shaved, turned pale and almost cried when she heard this, because she was also a Han, and had been captured by Xiao Siwen as a concubine for many years, so she could understand Khitan language.
Xiao Siwen understood immediately after seeing it, and immediately changed his words: I am talking about the blacksmith Guo and his bandits, not you. Han people are not all the same. For people like the blacksmith Guo, I will kill them one by one. These people are the mortal enemies of us Liao people. He massacred us Khitans, causing many mothers to lose their sons, wives to lose their husbands, and children to lose their fathers. However, I have always advocated treating the Han people in Youyun land well. We Khitans have a mind as broad as the grassland, and we can accept those Han people who surrender to us and serve us. You see how I treat you
My husband treats me very well. Bai responded helplessly in Khitan, but other people in the mansion never accepted me and regarded me as inferior.
Xiao Siwen immediately said a few words of comfort.
Bai said that Xiao Siwen treated her well, which was not entirely a lie. Compared with other Khitans, Xiao Siwen's attitude towards the Han people in Youzhou was good. Bai did not dare to disobey him. If Xiao Siwen didn't want her anymore, her fate would be even more miserable. She would not be able to escape, and would be sent to those worse Khitans and live like a slave.
But there was a limit to how well he treated her, otherwise she would not have been forcibly abducted. Back then, she lived a good life with a husband who really treated her as his own, and gave birth to a well-behaved daughter. Later, when the Khitans came, Xiao Siwen saw that Bai was pretty and took her away. Now she has nothing and lives under someone else's roof. I really can't think of how it is better than before. No matter how high Xiao Siwen's official position is, it has little to do with her, a Han Chinese.
But she couldn't say good things about the Han people here, otherwise she would not be accepted. As Xiao Siwen often said, hunting dogs and meat dogs are treated differently.
At first, she thought about escaping to Zhuozhou to find her husband and daughter, but when the Zhou army went north, after the Zhou army withdrew, the Liao army massacred all the people in Zhuozhou. Now Bai's family members are missing, and even if she can escape, she has nowhere to go. So Xiao Siwen said that so many people lost their sons and husbands, and she didn't think the Liao army was innocent. The people of Zhuozhou were unarmed and were massacred.
She had no good feelings towards almost all the Khitan people in the Xiao Mansion, except for the youngest daughter of Xiao Siwen, who was pretty and often reminded Bai of her own daughter, so she treated the young daughter well. Children have no prejudices, and will stick to whoever treats her well, which makes her very lovable.
At this time Xiao Siwen spoke again: If my Great Liao had some ambition to advance now, why would I be so overwhelmed? Fortunately, after my repeated submissions, the Khan finally sent someone to Northern Han to convey his will.
The Khan of the Liao Dynasty has issued an order to the Lord of Northern Han. As long as Lord Li raises his flag and raises his army, the Lord of Northern Han will lead his army south to reinforce Lord Li. In the secret room of Luzhou in Hedong, Han Chongyun clasped his fists and said calmly.
Han Chongyun was a military general under Zhao Kuangyin, and one of the brothers who fled from Tokyo to Northern Han.
The light inside was dim. Although it was spring, the temperature in Hedong often dropped. The doors and windows of the house were covered tightly. There was a fire in the middle of the room to boil water for heating. The tall man sitting on it was Li Yun.
Li Yun did not answer, and Han Chongyun continued: "I am not lying, the envoy of the Northern Han Lord will arrive in two days. The Northern Han Lord has indeed been unmotivated in recent years, but he cannot help but listen to the Khitans; the Northern Han Lord's lack of ambition is also a bad thing, because that means no one will compete with Lord Li for the world."
The Zhou Dynasty's Taizu seized the kingdom from the ancestors of the Liu family, so the two countries were enemies for generations. It would be a good thing for the Northern Han Kingdom if Lord Li entered the Central Plains and became the ruler of the Central Plains.
Li Yun snorted and said: I am not a follower of the Lord of Northern Han. The Great Zhou Taizu has been kind to me, and I am protecting the Great Zhou dynasty.
Han Chongyun said hurriedly: Yes, that's right. But now Guo Shao wants to usurp the throne and seize the kingdom of the descendants of Zhou Taizu. Lord Li should stand up and speak for the royal family of the Great Zhou.
Li Yun pondered for a long time. It's not that he was not tempted, but he still had some self-knowledge. The Zhaoyi Army under his command had been fighting with the Northern Han for many years, and they were an elite force after fighting through blood and fire; but the number of people was a little small, and the territory was a little small. Li Yun was still very afraid of the fighting power of the imperial army.
Han Chongyun advised: I know that Lord Li is a man who values loyalty and kindness. Last time, when the previous emperor passed away, the opportunity was very good. You took into account the loyalty between the monarch and the minister and were loyal. But this time is different. Guo Shao wants to usurp the throne. Lord Li can justifiably raise an army with the righteousness of loyalty to the monarch and the country. Han Chongyun said in a deep voice, if you miss this opportunity, Lord Li will have no status in the future. If Guo Shao takes the position firmly, will he let you go
As a minister of the Great Zhou, I am really ashamed of Taizu if I sit back and do nothing. Li Yun said seriously. Everyone talked about righteousness, but what Li Yun was most concerned about was the strength of the imperial army.
In fact, he himself found it difficult to understand: just for some great cause, he was willing to sacrifice his entire family and his life.
Han Chongyun said: Lord Li, you must think clearly about the last incident. When the Li family rebelled, the Fu family was anxious to send people to propose marriage with Lord Li. After the rebels were quelled, the Fu family mentioned that they were just empty talk and broke their promises. They had no sincerity at all and never wanted to marry into the Li family.
Li Yun had known this for a long time. Whether or not to form an alliance was one thing, and what the Fu family said at that time was just to express the court's attitude at the time.
Han Chongyun said: Since the Fu family never wanted to form an alliance, why bother with this? Because the two families of the Guo family did not trust Lord Li at all, and were afraid that Lord Li would rebel, it was just a delaying tactic. Lord Li would be the one they dealt with sooner or later. According to Zhao Kuangyin, the brother of Zhao, if Guo Shao took action, he would first try to seize Lord Li's military power, and then capture and kill him; this method would cost Guo Shao nothing. But Lord Li was frustrated.
Li Yun moved his buttocks after hearing this, as he always felt uncomfortable no matter how he sat.
He was talking to Zhao Kuangyin's people here, without any evidence, and he was not afraid of being caught. He said: If Guo Shao really wants to usurp the throne, I will naturally be loyal to the Great Zhou.
Anyway, he would not refuse the overtures from the Northern Han. If the time came to raise an army, the Northern Han would indeed be a strong ally. The Northern Han army was not the same as the rebels of the two Lis. Li Yun had fought with them for many years and knew the combat effectiveness of the Northern Han army. Moreover, they had their own territory and foundation, and were different from ordinary warlords.
Han Chongyun clapped his hands: Not if, Guo Shao would certainly rebel this time after returning from Southern Tang, he would start preparing early to deal with Li Gong in Songzhou.
In Taiyuan, Jinyang Prefecture of Northern Han, Li Jixun asked Zhao Kuangyin: Will Li Yun rebel
Zhao Kuangyin frowned and said: It's hard to say. Guo Shao has won many victories and destroyed many countries. Now he has a high reputation and a group of people following him. It stands to reason that the local military governors dare not act rashly. But Li Yun is arrogant and conceited. I think he might dare to do it.
He looked back and sneered: Guo Shao hates me now, and even offered a reward to alienate us brothers. It seems that I have touched their pain points. I really didn't expect that Fu and Guo Shao would have an affair not long after the death of the late emperor. He shook his head and sighed that the late emperor had made a mistake. Such a woman who could remarry could not be trusted.
Li Jixun patted his chest and said: He really looks down on us for trying to alienate us brothers just for a little bit of profit.
Shi Shouxin also expressed his opinion: If we want to betray our brothers, are we still human beings
Zhao Kuangyin said: This is a vicious conspiracy, and you brothers will not get any good results if you go back. Guo Shao is a ruthless villain who pretends to be righteous. If he can let you go, then why didn't the dozens of generals who were slaughtered in Tokyo be spared? If you go back, Guo Shao will lose his fear, not only will you not be able to save your lives, but your families will also be slaughtered and wiped out.
He continued: "We are just cursing a few times. If Guo Shao wants to kill people for revenge, he will do it even if we don't curse him. Now that we are outside and have a united mind, we can still make Guo Shao a little afraid."
Li Jixun echoed: Yes, the emperor of the Later Han Dynasty had learned a lesson. If he had not killed the entire family of Taizu of the Great Zhou Dynasty, how could Taizu have returned to Tokyo at all costs
Shi Shouxin said: But we have no soldiers, and we don't have the strength to send assassins even if we want to fight back.
Zhao Kuangyin shook his head and said: It is not easy to succeed, and it is also difficult to find assassins. The means are also a bit despicable. Once you fail, you will lose your morality first.
Li Jixun said: But it is not difficult to send someone back to find one or two craftsmen to make new armor.
Zhao Kuangyin remained silent after hearing this, but he did not refuse. He did not really want to do that. It was fine to give the armor-making technique to the Northern Han, but it was very likely to flow into the Liao. However, at this point, he was living under someone else's roof, and the Northern Han lord repeatedly requested it, so Zhao Kuangyin did not want to insist any longer; things had to be temporary, and it was enough that he did not join the Liao army to attack the Central Plains. He really could not take care of other things.
Songzhou, Songzhou Zhao Kuangyin stood up and paced back and forth, his face was very ugly. Why didn't I see that Guo Shao was capable of great things
Several people agreed. When they were already prosperous, Guo Shao did not seem to have any advantages. Zhao Kuangyin turned around and said: Fu, she is the key. Guo Shao is just relying on women as his concubines.