Xiao Siwen sat in the lobby of Yingzhou Headquarters, thinking for a long time, and said: There must be something strange.
Fan Zhongyi said: I dare to speculate that the Xu State court set a trap for Yang Ye, just like it did for Luo Yanhuan; and this trap has just begun, but Yang Ye is more alert than Luo Yanhuan and decisively returned to his own territory in Hedong in advance
Yang Gun asked bluntly: What trap
Fan Zhongyi spread his hands and said: We don’t know anything now, I just assume there is a trap.
Yang Gun asked again: "Guo the blacksmith trusted Yang Ye very much, so Yang Ye, as a surrendered general of the Eastern Han and Northern Han, still led the troops of Hedong. If that was the case, why did Guo the blacksmith set a trap for Yang Ye?"
Fan Zhongyi said: If the poison in Guo the blacksmith's body has already entered his five internal organs, he knows that he will not have much time left. Yang Ye can recognize Guo the blacksmith, can he recognize Guo the blacksmith's son
Yang Gun could not argue, but he refused to admit defeat and said: There is no basis for the speculation about the Fan Mansion incident.
At this time, Xiao Siwen slapped the chair and said: It's time to go back to Beijing.
Yang Gun said: Lord Xiao, let's end the situation in Liaoxi.
Xiao Siwen was immediately displeased, and said earnestly: Your vision is still a little narrow. Whether in western Liaoning or east Hedong, the Liao Dynasty has only one enemy: the State of Xu.
After he said that, he let out a breath, stood up from his chair, and said: We have to send someone to Hedong to see Yang Ye and see what's going on.
Yelu Xizhen asked: Who does Xiao Gong think is suitable
Xiao Siwen's eyes swept across Yang Gun and Fan Zhongyi's faces. Yang Gun's expression suddenly changed and became very ugly. The hall fell silent. Unexpectedly, Xiao Siwen pointed at Fan Zhongyi and said: "Let's go to the Fan Mansion."
Mr. Xiao. Fan Zhongyi hurriedly said, "We are in charge of all the spies in Xu State. If something happens to me,
Xiao Siwen said: "Avoid the trivial and focus on the important. This kind of thing requires someone I trust to be competent. Fan Fushi wants to be recognized as a Khitan noble by the nobles of various tribes. I am also trying to find a way. I have to convince everyone, right?"
Yes, I obey your command. Fan Zhongyi clasped his fist helplessly.
Xiao Siwen said: Just get ready and you don't have to go to the capital with us.
Fan Zhongyi left the lobby and returned to his residence to pack up his things. His residence in Yingzhou was now in a mess, just like his mood at the moment.
The last time Xiao Siwen sent someone to contact Li Chuyun, the general of Daxu, he was killed. This happened only two or three months ago. How could Fan Zhongyi not worry about his own fate
He walked back and forth in front of the window twice, raised his head and looked at the scene outside the window, took a deep breath and fell into deep thought.
Whether Yang Ye of Hedong had a falling out with the Xu State court was related to Fan Zhongyi's life and death. If the guess was wrong, Fan Zhongyi would definitely be killed if he came to the door as an envoy of the Liao Dynasty.
The key point is that the Liao Dynasty is not sure what Yang Ye’s behavior means.
But Xiao Siwen didn't need to wait for confirmation before reacting. He would try whenever he had the chance, just like he sent someone to talk to Li Chuyun last time. Anyway, alienating the ruler and ministers of Xu State was a no-profit business.
Fan Zhongyi felt that the person who understood Xiao Siwen's thoughts best was probably himself. What Xiao Siwen wanted to see most was the collapse of the civil strife in Xuzhou. In this way, not only could the external pressure of the Liao Dynasty be eliminated, but there would also be a chance to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun. After Xiao Siwen became the Privy Councilor of the Northern Court, he had actually become the ruler of the Liao Dynasty. This was his ambition to rule.
When the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun were lost, Xiao Siwen finally put all the blame on the tyrant Yelu Jing, but he himself could not escape responsibility. If Xiao Siwen could have recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun during his time in power, the prestige and status of Yelu Xian's power circle would have been maximized, and Xiao Siwen himself would have become a famous minister who would go down in history.
Fan Zhongyi packed up his luggage and his mood, and finally embarked on his journey with two followers and several horses, because he had no other choice.
Half a month later, under the guidance of the Tatar guide, Fan Zhongyi and others approached the Yunzhou area near present-day Datong.
Yunzhou was originally an important frontier town in the southern border of the Liao Dynasty. However, after the Battle of Youzhou, the former Liao emperor Yelu Jing was assassinated, Shangjing was in turmoil, and people from all over the country were in panic. The Khitan garrison commander of Yunzhou abandoned the city when threatened by Xuzhou, and it was controlled by Xu State from then on.
Fan Zhongyi stood at the foot of the Great Wall, looking up at the old buildings with mottled walls, and felt very strange. He was originally a Han Chinese, but now he did not feel any closeness or comfort when looking at the wall, because the Han people inside the wall no longer supported him, let alone accepted him. Only the Khitan people were like that.
The Great Wall had been in disrepair for many years, and there was no soldier stationed there. After years of war, Xu State seemed to have no room to repair the old Great Wall after regaining Yunzhou, let alone to send troops to garrison; but the main reason was probably that Xu State was implementing an offensive and pioneering national policy at that time, and its defensive strength was limited.
Fan Zhongyi easily found a collapsed gap and crossed the Great Wall with ease.
They had just come down from the hillside of the Great Wall ruins when they heard the sound of horse hooves. Fan Zhongyi hurriedly looked in the direction of the sound and saw three riders galloping towards them. He looked left and right and saw two more riders rushing up a hillside on the right wing.
The follower turned around and ran away in panic, climbing up the hillside along the way he came. The incident happened suddenly, and Fan Zhongyi was also a little panicked and could not help but take two steps back.
Amid the sound of rapid horse hooves, Fan Zhongyi felt like he was suffocating in his chest. He had just come down from the mountain and was feeling nervous. He suddenly heard his own heavy breathing, as if pulling a bellows.
But soon he saw the helmet worn by the man on horseback. It was a semi-circular helmet with a short and narrow brim and a red tassel tied on it. That was the attire of Han cavalry, at least a soldier. The area within the Great Wall belonged to Yunzhou, and the soldiers must be from the Hedong Army of the Xu State.
There were two strong sounds of the arrow string in the wind. Before Fan Zhongyi could react, he felt a strong wind passing over his face. The arrow stabbed into the soil not far away, and the feathers at the tail of the arrow were still shaking rapidly from side to side.
Fan Zhongyi's eyes widened, and after a moment's silence, he quickly turned around and shouted: "Don't shoot at our own people!"
Xu's cavalry scouts approached and pointed arrows at the two men on the slope. The two followers had no choice but to beg for mercy and climb down on their own.
A knight on his horse raised his bow and pointed at Fan Zhongyi: Where did you come from and what do you want
Fan Zhongyi said: I am Zhu Mofu, a Han craftsman from Shangjing. We were robbed by the Khitans. I am entrusted by my clansmen to see Marshal Yang.
The knight was skeptical after hearing this and immediately said: Take him back to Yunzhou
Several people were tied up with ropes, their horses and luggage were confiscated, and they followed the cavalry team on foot to Yunzhou. After arriving in Yunzhou, they were thrown into a dilapidated low house. No one cared about them for two days, and only sent some millet rice and water.
Two days later, a military commander came and asked some questions.
Fan Zhongyi insisted that he had something important to discuss with Yang Ye. The general left without asking any further questions.
The next day, several soldiers opened the door and threw the luggage to Fan Zhongyi and others, but the horses were nowhere to be found. Fan Zhongyi checked and found that the things in the package had been rummaged through and the copper coins were missing.
They set out again, following the mounted soldiers on foot southward. After several days, they arrived at Yanmen Pass. It was the first time for Fan Zhongyi to visit this place, but above the gate were three large Chinese characters: Yanmen Pass.
The road was very difficult to travel on, and the group passed through a square town with earthen walls before arriving at another city: Daizhou.
After entering the city, three groups of people came to discuss. Later, a civil servant came and said to the young general who escorted Fan Zhongyi: The Marshal has been very busy with official duties recently, so take them to the government office next to the military headquarters to settle them temporarily, and wait to be summoned by Marshal Yang when he is free.
Fan Zhongyi was hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and hadn't taken a bath for many days. He looked like a prisoner. He didn't say a word, just watched and listened without speaking.
So the civil servant took them for a walk in the city. When they passed a government office, they saw a commotion at the gate. Fan Zhongyi's small eyes secretly glanced at the words on the gate from his messy hair: Hedong Army Front Camp Military Headquarters.
At the gate, several people in official uniforms and black hats were shouting, and a group of soldiers holding spears stopped them. In the midst of the commotion, someone was heard saying: "Why didn't you let us go out when you called Marshal Yang?"
Someone behind the soldiers said: "You all should discuss the matter in the hall first, be patient, the commander-in-chief will come to talk to you soon."
At this moment, the civil servant in Fan Zhongyi's group said: Move aside, move aside
Everyone hurried along the street and saw a large group of soldiers in armor and armed with sharp weapons coming towards them. They were all infantrymen, and they were trotting forward in a hurry.
Fan Zhongyi came all the way here, and felt that although Daizhou was a frontier city, it looked too dilapidated. He saw ten people along the way, all of them were soldiers, whether civilians or soldiers, and they were all in a hurry as if something urgent had happened.
Fan Zhongyi immediately judged in his heart: something must have happened in Daizhou
When they finally arrived at the place, Fan Zhongyi said: Your Excellency, we are not spies, we are Han people.
The official seemed very pleased to be addressed as "Your Excellency" and spoke more politely: "I know what's going on. Please be patient and wait for a moment."
Fan Zhongyi took the opportunity to look confused and asked: What's going on on this street
The official said: According to reports, the Liao people took advantage of the trouble in Daxu and marched south to threaten Hedong. Don't worry, the commander-in-chief is guarding Hedong as solid as a rock.
Oh, Fan Zhongyi suddenly understood.
Fan Zhongyi was an official of the Privy Council of the Liao Dynasty. He was with Xiao Siwen before he left the Liao Dynasty. When will the Liao Dynasty attack Hedong
He entered the gate of a courtyard without making a sound. Unexpectedly, before he went in, a young military officer suddenly came and said in a deep voice beside the civil official: The commander-in-chief said that these people cannot be left here, take them with you.
When Fan Zhongyi heard this, he felt that the wait in Daizhou would not be too long. Yang Ye already knew of his existence and sounded like he took it very seriously.
You go with this general, I have finished my mission, the official said.
Fan Zhongyi clasped his fists and said: I will just follow your instructions.