Next to the wooden carved windows of the palace, the flames from the lanterns were reflected red by the red paper.
The sand curtain was suddenly opened, and Guo Shao, with his hair tied casually on top of his head, walked out. Yang Shiliang, who was standing at the door, hurriedly bent down and clasped his fists and said: "Sir, the people guarding the Liao envoy's residence were arranged by the officials of the Privy Council."
Guo Shao asked who did it.
Yang Shiliang said: There are several people in the imperial guards in Youzhou who are on duty tonight. Youzhou is composed of righteous men from Hebei who were recruited in the past. These people have suffered greatly from the Khitans, and many of them have lost their families and are bent on revenge. Now the whole of Hebei has been recovered, but they hate the Khitans to the core. When they heard that Daxu had negotiated peace with the Liao Kingdom, they took the initiative to assassinate. At present, it seems that there is no instigator.
The wind caused the light in the lantern to flicker, making Guo Shao's face look dim and gloomy.
Yang Shiliang said in a deep voice: The emperor is still in Chanzhou, and they dared to use force in front of the emperor. They are guilty of a serious crime.
Guo Shao said calmly: The Central Plains and the Liao Kingdom have been at war for many years, and the hatred and blood debt are unclear. Even if the soldiers of Youzhou City privately stabbed the Liao people for family revenge, they could be spared by law, but what about the guards of the imperial army who died under their swords
After hearing this, Yang Shiliang bowed and said: “When the people from the Privy Council interrogate me, I will tell them this.”
Guo Shao frowned and waved his hand.
The inn was filled with a fishy smell, the room was in a mess, and the army was guarding inside and outside, waiting for the civil servants from the Ministry of Rites to come and deal with the Liao envoys.
After the assassin was captured, Xiao Siwen calmed down, took out his handkerchief and gently dipped it on the blood on his face, then took it off to look at it. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and said to Yang Gun in Khitan with some gratitude: If Yang Fushi had not been present today, our lives would have ended here.
Yang Gun put his hand on his chest and said with a sincere face: In the battle of Pingxia, I and the Dangxiang army were outnumbered and defeated, suffering heavy losses. If it weren't for Lord Xiao's protection, I wouldn't be alive today.
Xiao Siwen sighed: In times of trouble, you can still rely on your own people.
Yang Gun said: "The country is in a difficult situation now. If the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? We can only be honest with each other and overcome the difficulties together. I have always admired Mr. Xiao."
Xiao Siwen looked into Yang Gun's eyes and nodded, saying, "My wife, Princess Yan, the daughter of Liao Taizong, often reminds me to speak for Taizong's descendants in front of the Khan. If I can be safe and sound this time, I will choose a good opportunity to recommend Yang Fu to the Khan."
Yang Gun looked excited and said quickly: Thank you, Mr. Xiao, for your cultivation.
At this time, someone outside the door shouted in Chinese: Minister Lu is here.
Lu Dosun, dressed in a black gauze and red robe, walked into the room, looked around, and said with a fist: "Emissaries, please move to another place to settle down. Someone will take care of this place. Please
Xiao Siwen and the others followed Lu Duosun out the door and walked to the other side of the courtyard through a corridor with lanterns hanging. Xiao Siwen asked: Since the Emperor of Xu was in Chanzhou, why did someone come to the museum to kill him
Lu Duosun turned around and said: To be honest, this was done by someone inside the court of Daxu, and it is really hard to guard against; but please believe me, Mr. Xiao, this kind of sneaky thing is definitely not something that Mr. Xiao should know about as a decision maker of the court. Xu and Liao have been enemies for a long time, and they have a blood feud that even the government cannot easily resolve.
Lu Duosun sighed again, glanced at Xiao Siwen, and swept his eyes across Yang Gun's face. This peace negotiation was not an easy task, and there were many opponents in the Daxu court.
Xiao Siwen said calmly: As long as there is no need to distinguish between the brothers, everything else can be discussed.
Lu Dosun shook his head without hesitation: If Lord Xiao thinks so, I'm afraid the alliance will be ruined.
The group had already reached another house. Lu Dosun clasped his fists and bowed, saying, "It's getting late. Mr. Xiao and the three envoys should rest early. I'll take my leave first and we'll talk again tomorrow morning."
Xiao Siwen and others also returned the greetings and said goodbye.
A few people walked into the house and bolted the wooden door.
Yang Gun said in a deep voice: The situation is not right. If the peace talks fail and the two countries continue to fight, I am afraid it will be difficult for us to return from this dangerous place.
The other two deputy envoys showed fear on their faces, and one of them said: When two countries are at war, they do not kill envoys. The Xu court does not need to be so unfaithful.
Yang Gun said: Didn’t I hear from the official surnamed Lu that the Emperor of Xu could not easily resolve the hatred? It was definitely not the court’s doing.
Xiao Siwen put his hands behind his back, looked at the floor tiles and walked two steps, thinking for a long time. When he looked up, he saw that it was pitch black outside the window and he could not see what was hidden. The lights in the darkness were dim, like a ghost light.
If he agreed to the brotherhood between the enemy countries, Xiao Siwen could easily figure it out. He would be blamed and blamed when he returned. If he did not agree, not only would he be unable to explain himself to the decision-makers in the Liao Dynasty, but he would also be killed.
Xiao Siwen looked at Yang Gun and said, "You are forcing me into a desperate situation. For so many years, except for the time when I broke out of Youzhou, I have never been in a more dangerous situation than now." He whispered again, "Blacksmith Guo is really ruthless. He lets you know everything, but there is no way."
Yang Gun also looked helpless.
After a night, Xiao Siwen and the others packed up and went out the next morning. He walked into the yard. The quiet morning was shrouded in mist, as if nothing had happened last night. He walked for a while and stopped because he found that there were still traces of blood in the cracks of the floor tiles that had not been washed away.
The dark red and black brick cracks had an inexplicably terrifying aura.
After leaving the gate, Xiao Siwen and others immediately got into a carriage. There were already pedestrians on the street. He carefully observed the scene outside through the gap in the window. They were all dressed like Haner. A man from a newly opened shop was looking over here. There were all kinds of people in Haner's city. Xiao Siwen could not predict where the danger would come from, but he could feel that the breath of hatred and conspiracy could be hidden anywhere.
Xiao Siwen sat in the car for several hundred steps and gradually found that Chanzhou was more complicated than he had expected. He saw the lama and the Arabs with completely different faces.
"Mr. Xiao, those are Koreans," Yang Gun suddenly reminded him in a low voice.
Xiao Siwen hurriedly looked outside and saw several people in Korean costumes bowing and greeting Han'er in front of a government office.
The Goryeo envoy walked into the lobby of the Chanzhou government office with several followers, holding a staff. Not long after, a civil servant with a long crown wing on the back of his official hat walked in.
The Koreans had similar etiquette to that of the Central Plains. They should have recognized that the thin young man was a high-ranking official, so they bowed their hands in greeting.
The official clasped his fists and said: I am Lu Duosun, the Minister of Rites of Daxu. Please sit down and talk if you have anything to say. If you have any memorials, I can present them directly to the emperor.
The Goryeo envoy thanked him and sat down on the chairs placed on both sides of the hall, still holding the staff in his hands. He sat down steadily, holding the staff in his hands, and said in Chinese with inaccurate intonation: "My king was extremely shocked when he heard that the Liao Dynasty would negotiate an alliance with him."
Lu Dosun looked calm and listened carefully to the Goryeo envoy's statement.
The envoy said: In the third year of Shixing, the army of Daxu attacked our country, and Goryeo sent its navy to assist. After the alliance, the two countries jointly attacked Liao, and Daxu helped our country to take the old land of Bohai. Now if Daxu negotiates an alliance with Liao, what should Goryeo do
At this time, an eunuch leaned over and whispered in Lu Duxun's ear for a while. Lu Duxun listened and said: Goryeo persuaded the Jurchen tribes to rise up and sent troops across the Yalu River, but did not send envoys to inform the court. The officials of the Goryeo Post in Tokyo did not say a word. The government believed that Goryeo could control the situation in the direction of the Yalu River without much intervention.
Lu Duoxun said slowly: "The Daxu army went north to attack the Liao Kingdom and colluded with the Goryeo Kingdom to cause chaos among the Jurchen tribes. There was no prior agreement on the two things and they should be treated as unrelated. Now the Liao Kingdom sent people to seek peace and the court negotiated with them, which has nothing to do with the Goryeo Kingdom."
The envoy hurriedly said: The clothing and etiquette of Goryeo and the Central Plains court are similar, while Liao is a barbaric and beastly country and should not have relations with it.
Lu Duosun said calmly: "We have to discuss the matter at hand. The Goryeo Kingdom did not inform the emperor of its use of troops this time, so it has nothing to do with the court." He stood up and said, "I have several groups of people to see this morning. Please forgive me for not being able to stay for long. If the envoy has anything to say, he can write a memorial and send it to the state office and report it to the emperor. The place is in the inverted room inside the screen wall of the state office.
After leaving the provincial government office, Lu Duosun immediately went to meet Xiao Siwen and others.
Because of the delay, when Lu Duoxun arrived at the Chanzhou Libu Hotel, Xiao Siwen, Yang Gun and four others were already waiting there. There were four teacups on the tea table, and Lu Duoxun glanced at them. They were all full, and no one drank a sip.
Mr. Xiao had been waiting for a long time. Lu Duosun smiled amiably and clasped his fists in greeting. They exchanged a few pleasantries.
Lu Dosun did not sit on the chairs placed in the hall, but continued to sit at a desk with Xiao Siwen beside the coffee tables on both sides.
After everyone sat down, Lu Duosun took the initiative to say: "The emperor's palace is in Chanzhou recently, and envoys from various countries come here directly; I was ordered to receive envoys from various countries, and I really have no time to spare. I met the Koreans early in the morning. They arrived in Chanzhou just after the city gates were opened early this morning."
Xiao Siwen said calmly: What did the Koreans say
Lu Dosun said in a casual tone: They say that the Liao Kingdom is a barbaric and beastly country and cannot be made friends with.
Yang Gun immediately cursed: These people instigated the Jurchens to rebel and took the Liao princess and many women to have sex. This is the behavior of barbaric beasts. Once the Liao Dynasty is free, we must seek justice.
Lu Duoxun said seriously: The princess is a member of the Liao royal family. It is really a great shame.
Yang Gun muttered: It would be easy to do such things if I were born in the Jurchen tribe.
Then the two sides continued to bargain over the content of the treaty, which lasted from morning to afternoon. Lu Duosun showed no hostility towards the Liao envoys, and his tone was neither humble nor arrogant. But he refused to give in on the key conditions.
During this time, Xiao Siwen and Yang Gun waited in the side room to rest and discuss privately, but they could not find a better solution. Xiao Siwen was worried about all parties, weighed the pros and cons, and finally agreed to the alliance conditions in the evening.
Sometimes people have no choice at all, the choice is already determined: all are dead ends, and they must avoid the disaster that is imminent first.