In the afternoon, the sun was in the clouds, the sunlight was not bright, and there was little wind in the air. It was already a bit stuffy in early summer.
After having a full meal and a few drinks, Guo Shao came out of Zhou Xian's palace, turned to Zhou Xian and said with a smile: The taste of people in the south of the Yangtze River is lighter than that of the Central Plains, but that dish is still very delicious.
Zhou Xian whispered: If Your Majesty likes it, I will cook a few dishes next time.
Guo Shao turned to Chen Jiali and said: The duty time is almost up, so let Ehuang talk to Madam Shen.
Farewell, Your Majesty.
Guo Shao walked down the stone steps of the main entrance of the palace, but saw Jingniang looking unhappy. He was stunned for a moment, and suddenly remembered that Jingniang had never liked Chen Jiali.
He looked up at the clouds in the sky and said to the eunuch who was standing beside him with a bow: I want to take a walk, you guys drive the carriage first.
Yes. The eunuch responded hurriedly.
Guo Shao then walked slowly along the brick road with Jingniang, one in front and one behind, and Jingniang followed the rules to the side and back of Guo Shao. There was no conversation for a while, and Guo Shao didn't know what to say, so he looked at the fallen leaves on the road and thought that it was not only in autumn that leaves fell, because most leaves could not live for two full seasons from spring.
Unexpectedly, Jingniang took the initiative to speak: There is something I don't understand. Your Majesty is a wise ruler who cares about the people of the world. However, since you have obtained Youyun's martial arts and prestige, and your country is stable, why are you still obsessed with wars
Hey, Guo Shaoxian was a little surprised.
If this issue was raised in public, Guo Shao would use a lot of righteous words to explain it, but when he was with Jing Niang, there was no need to use those official words.
Most people do it for themselves. Guo Shao turned his head and looked at her. The dynasty was not as safe as it seemed.
He pondered for a moment and said: In the past few years, the world was in turmoil, the land was shrinking and the population was declining. I am afraid that no one with a brain would feel safe and would be afraid. If we were weak and dying, who would believe that the strange conquerors would be kind to us? The reason why there are countries and tribes in this world is that people with similar languages, customs and cultures stick together to survive, because familiar people can make people feel more at ease.
Guo Shao whispered: Whether it is just or not, it’s just a different standpoint.
Jingniang seemed to be thinking about something, and after a moment of silence, she said: The northwestern tribes of the Liao Kingdom are probably very angry at the Daxu court right now, and don't think we have any righteous cause.
It should be so. Guo Shao said frankly, so what? How dare I help others threaten myself for justice
After talking for a while, they were already in front of Xuanyou Gate, and the carriage and attendants were waiting there. Guo Shao and Jingniang walked over there, as they had to go to Jinxiang Hall to work soon.
Recently, he has to decide on the candidate for the commander of the Western Expedition. Guo Shao doesn't need to lead the expedition often now, as his achievements are unmatched. Living in the open air is not a good life, and there are always risks as long as you go to the battlefield.
Guo Shao was more inclined to Li Chuyun, who could ensure the victory of the Western Expedition to the greatest extent possible. Li Chuyun was reliable, brave and resourceful.
The Liao Dynasty came to the capital. A servant in the Xiao Mansion whispered a few words in Xiao Siwen's ear, and Xiao Siwen's expression changed and he said: Bring him in.
After a while, a man dressed in rags like a beggar walked into the room. The maid beside Xiao Siwen quickly covered her mouth and nose with her sleeves because the smell was really unpleasant.
Xiao Siwen also took out a white silk handkerchief. He always paid great attention to his appearance. Sometimes the Khitans criticized Xiao Siwen for not looking like a military general.
The man knelt on the ground and said in a trembling voice: I have failed Mr. Xiao's high expectations.
Xiao Siwen heard the voice and confirmed that it was Yang Gun. You can still come back alive.
Yang Gun's voice was also choked: Coming back is a capital crime, but as long as I can die in my hometown, I will feel a little comforted.
After hearing this, Xiao Siwen sighed and said: Get up, I don’t want your life, so you don’t have to seek death.
Yang Gun said: I have failed in my mission and have gone through untold hardships on the way back. I don't need to hide away, but I have seen some strange tactics of Xu Army on Dongdao Island, and I want to tell Lord Xiao so that I can feel at ease.
Xiao Siwen frowned and said: Go take a shower, change your clothes, and come to see me clean.
After Yang Gun was taken out by the servants, Xiao Siwen also turned down the guests he wanted to meet today and went straight to the inner courtyard, ready to have a detailed talk with Yang Gun who had returned from afar.
The peach trees in the yard were still there, but the blossoms had faded, and Xiao Yanyan, who used to climb the trees to pick peach blossoms, was no longer there. When Xiao Siwen came here, he couldn't help feeling sad.
After waiting for a long time, Yang Gun finally came in after feeling a little better. However, he looked pale and thin, and it seemed that he had suffered a lot.
Xiao Siwen stood on the corridor, looking at the lush green peach trees without saying a word.
Yang Gun put his hand on his chest, finished the ceremony, and said: Before the Japanese were defeated at sea, they besieged the Xu army's fortress in Iwami. They besieged it for several months with 50 times the number of troops, but failed to take the fortress defended by 500 people. In the end, they were beaten by the reinforcements and more than half of them were killed or wounded. Mr. Xiao, I think the most difficult part of Xu's army is the castle fortifications.
After he said that, he took out a leather bag from his clothes, which contained some papers, and handed it to Xiao Siwen with both hands. "I have experienced the siege and recorded the tactics at that time in a book. Please take a look, Mr. Xiao."
Xiao Siwen took the things, but still looked at the trees without saying a word.
After Yang Gun finished speaking, he felt a little at a loss because Xiao Siwen didn't respond.
After a while, Xiao Siwen finally turned around: Fortunately, the fortress cannot run by itself, and its firearms infantry is still infantry.
Yang Gun hurriedly said: During the battle of Youzhou, Xu Jun built a good fort, which caused the Liao army to suffer a lot; now the fortifications in Japan are even better than before. The fortress of Xu Jun in Iwami State is cleverly shaped. No matter how they attack, they are within the range of their firearms. Their firearms are roughly the same as those in the battle of Pingxia. The range of the artillery is at least fifty or sixty steps for a mile of artillery fire; even if the army is besieged, it is difficult to get close.
Xiao Siwen suddenly said in a deep voice: No one can stop Blacksmith Guo.
Yang Gun was stunned for a moment.
Xiao Siwen glanced at him and said: Now we are not only considering the fortress. Li Yiyin is in Hexi. If Xu Jun marches west, he will definitely go for war horses. Guo Tiejiang collects good horses everywhere, and he must be dealing with the Liao Dynasty.
Yang Gun was stunned and said: Can the southerners really attack the grassland
Xiao Siwen's face turned pale as he said: During the Han Dynasty, the Great Khan of the Xiongnu roamed the grasslands. Where are the Xiongnu people now
Yang Gun couldn't help but ask: How should the Liao Dynasty respond
Xiao Siwen said coldly: In the current situation, no one in the world can do anything to Blacksmith Guo. We can only sit back and watch what happens.
Yang Gun asked: Did Li Yiyin seek help from the Liao Dynasty
Xiao Siwen said: We can't help him, Hexi is too far away, the Liao Dynasty is too busy to take care of itself, and has already increased its troops in the east to prepare. Unless Li Yiyin can find a way to stop Xu's army and gain a foothold in the west, the Liao Dynasty can't help.
The two of them fell silent. Xiao Siwen looked up and could vaguely see the roof of the palace on the hill not far away, and for a moment he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.
The Khitan nobles were not alert yet, but Xiao Siwen was worried. The Liao Dynasty once dominated the grasslands from north to south and was very powerful, but now Xiao Siwen felt that the Khitans would not necessarily be destroyed by Xu's army. If they could not maintain their military strength, the resistance of the various ethnic groups on the grasslands could overthrow their foundation.
The next day, Xiao Siwen took Yang Gun to the palace to meet the emperor. As expected, some people criticized Yang Gun for not having made any achievements. Fortunately, the Khan Yelu Xian listened to Xiao Siwen's advice and pardoned Yang Gun's death sentence on the spot. However, Yang Gun returned home in disgrace, and there was no hope for him to regain his official position and noble status.
Dongdao surrendered several months ago, and the facts were clear. Many nobles of the Liao Dynasty were already very afraid of the military strength of the Xu army, and some people advocated peace talks with the Xu Kingdom. However, Xiao Siwen did not advocate peace talks because he was worried that the Liao Dynasty's prestige would decline too quickly and backfire on himself.
Xiao Siwen proposed sending a secret envoy to Goryeo to repair relations with that country.
An aristocrat retorted: It is well known to everyone that the Koreans covet the old land of Bohai.
This is a different time. Now the Koreans are still stupid enough to want the old land of Bohai Kingdom. This is undoubtedly courting death, said Xiao Siwen.
Several people agreed: Goryeo and Xu State have close contacts, and they may not form an alliance with Liao for the time being. We just hope that they will stop helping Zhou to commit atrocities.
Xiao Siwen said in a loud voice: Pingxia Province is a lesson for us. The East China Sea cannot stop Xu's army. If this continues, there will be no more countries from the grassland to the sea. They will all be Xu Province. All people will become slaves, and the Han people will still plunder our minerals, cattle and sheep.
The hall suddenly fell silent, and all the nobles were dumbfounded.