Prime Minister

Chapter 1245: Foreign Dogs (2 chapters in 1)

Chapter 1245: Foreign Dogs (Two Updates Combined into One)

Han Zhongyan accompanied Xiao Derang to the Liao Kingdom's Shangjing City as an envoy to the Liao Kingdom.

Wherever the Liao envoy Xiao Derang passed, the local prefecture officials would greet and see him off. According to the rules after the Treaty of Chanyuan, if the local officials' greeting and seeing off were not to the Liao envoy's liking, they would be impeached and held accountable.

Since the Treaty of Chanyuan, the two countries would send envoys to each other on the emperor's birthday, the empress dowager's birthday, the emperor's accession to the throne, or the death of the emperor or empress dowager. These were called regular envoys.

The Song and Liao sides had been dealing with each other in this way for eighty years, and a good foundation for interaction had been laid.

As for envoys like Xiao Derang, they were there to deal with emergencies. At this time, officials from the prefectures and counties of the Song Dynasty along the way had to be extra careful, otherwise the consequences of delaying important matters would be disastrous.

Although the Liao Kingdom received the Song envoys with equal standards, due to the annual tribute and lost territory, the Song envoys who went to the Liao Kingdom all felt that they had to bear humiliation and bear heavy burdens.

Han Zhongyan recalled Zhang Yue's repeated instructions before the mission. Zhang Yue told him that sometimes you should stay closer to your enemies than to your friends, and observe and understand their thoughts through constant interaction.

Just like playing chess, you take one step at a time, and I take another. The deeper the entanglement of interests and grievances, the less likely it is for the two sides to completely fall out.

Unless there is a huge disparity in strength between the two parties.

Therefore, Han Zhongyan's mission was also to find out the intentions of the Khitan people.

The deputy envoy to Liao was Tong Guan, who had made many military achievements in Xihe Road. He was transferred by the government to accompany Han Zhongyan on his trip when he returned to the court to report on his work.

The envoys to Liao in all dynasties had similar missions. They observed the mountains, rivers, deserts, customs, people, and personalities of the Liao Kingdom, and reported them to the court after returning. Generation after generation of envoys to Liao accumulated a large number of letters and records, which helped the current emperor and ministers of the Song Dynasty understand the powerful enemy of Liao.

After Han Zhongyan and Xiao Derang arrived in Xiongzhou, they passed Baigouyi and arrived at Xincheng County, then to Zhuozhou, Liangxiang and then to Youzhou, which was also the Nanjing of the Liao Kingdom, falsely named Yanjing City.

Yanjing was a lost territory of the Han and Tang dynasties, and this had been recorded by countless envoys. This time, the Liao Kingdom was on high alert against the envoys and did not allow them to enter the city.

Han Zhongyan glanced from afar and saw that craftsmen were repairing the city walls and towers of Yanjing. Could it be that the Liao Kingdom was also worried that the Song army would go north to recapture Youyan and therefore took precautions in advance?

However, as far as Han Zhongyan knew, the top officials in the imperial court actually held such an opinion.

……

Afterwards, they traveled north from Youzhou, crossed the Gaoliang River, passed Shunzhou of the Great Wall, and finally arrived at Gubeikou, the dividing line between nomadic and farming peoples.

In the past, the Han and Tang dynasties had set up important towns here to prevent nomadic people from moving southwards. This place was also called Xiguan in ancient times. Now Han Zhongyan had traveled such a long way to finally arrive here. He felt like he was sitting in a well and looking at the sky. Only then did he realize the vastness of the Han and Tang territories, and he suddenly felt that his descendants were incapable of carrying on the legacy.

Han Zhongyan saw two steep cliffs at Gubeikou, with only a road in the middle that could accommodate one car, and a deep ravine below the road.

A total of forty miles of this dangerous road.

It is a pity that such a natural barrier fell into the hands of the barbarians. If there were such a natural barrier on the Hebei Plain, we would have to think day and night about using soldiers to build a city and fight a decisive battle in the capital.

After passing Gubeikou, the scenery is completely grassland. Along the way, you will pass many post stations and finally arrive at Dading Prefecture, Zhongjing of the Liao Dynasty.

After arriving, Han Zhongyan looked around and found that the so-called Zhongjing City was indeed low and narrow, with few people living in the city. There were city walls on both sides of the road, and gates were used to restrict the entry and exit of the people. Near the gates stood fierce Khitan officials holding court sticks and beating and driving away the civilians.

Although the population is sparse, there are countless camel, horse and cart caravans passing through the market.

There were tall market towers on all four sides of the market, and Khitan soldiers patrolled the towers with bows. The Han people accompanying the delegation were a little surprised to see the market system, but they didn't know it was an old system from the Han and Tang dynasties.

……

However, this was not the end of Han Zhongyan's trip. Among the five capitals of the Liao Dynasty, Linhuang Prefecture was the first capital of the Liao Dynasty, and later it was moved to Zhongjing Dading Prefecture.

From here, they trekked all the way through Raozhou, which was also the place where the Tang Dynasty set up Khitan. The group passed through Daheiguan and was hit by a sudden strong wind. After walking for several days, there was another dusty sandstorm. The post road was covered with yellow sand, and it was almost impossible to see the traces of the road.

According to officials who were fluent in Khitan, people from the Liao Dynasty said that such windy and sandy weather occurred for at least a hundred days a year in the Liao Dynasty.

Han Zhongyan thought to himself that in the past, Liao officials had recorded that the scenery along the way to Liao was very beautiful, and even if there were windy and sandy days, they would only last for a few days, not so frequent.

Han Zhongyan didn't understand the reason and waited to report it to Zhang Yue after returning to Beijing.

There was another interesting incident on the way. When we were about to reach Shangjing, we suddenly encountered a tiger lying on the mountain.

Han Zhongyan was surprised when he saw it. How come the tigers in Liao area are so much bigger than those in Han area?

After the tiger flew away, there happened to be a painter next to Han Zhongyan who painted the tiger's expression on the spot. The Liao people around him were all in admiration for the Han people's painting skills.

It took Han Zhongyan twenty days to reach Zhongjing, and nearly twenty days more to reach Shangjing, before he finally arrived at the tent of the Liao lord Shen Enbo in Shangjing.

This was the place where the Liao ruler spent his summer camp. Yelu Hongji, the Liao ruler, had just broken ice in Yazi River to fish, released Saker Falcons to hunt birds, and had a fish feast and met with the leaders of the five Jurchen states before moving his tent here.

The weather in Shangjing has improved a lot.

Han Zhongyan saw many tents and felt bags on the plains, and in the distance there were gravels and wild swamps. Many Liao people hunted wild ducks and geese by the swamps.

At this time, hundreds of Khitan cavalry dressed in wild clothes appeared nearby, appeared from behind the mountain and surrounded a nearby forest.

The Liao cavalry surrounded the forest in circles, then drove the prey out and shot them with arrows, and finally the warriors dismounted and fought with spears. In addition to elks, there were also fierce beasts such as bears and tigers.

However, the Khitan cavalry were skilled in archery and horse riding, and even their hunting formations were very methodical.

Han Zhongyan looked at Tong Guan standing aside and asked, "Can the elite troops of Xihe Road win?"

Tong Guan immediately said: "Of course!"

Then he stroked his chin and said, "Maybe!"

The Khitan people first lived not in grasslands or deserts, but in the Liaoze. The Liaoze had caused great trouble to the armies of the Sui and Tang dynasties that conquered Goguryeo. Now the Liao emperor Nabo also liked to live near the swamps, following the water and grass.

Different from ordinary felt camps, there are countless flags and banners standing tall here, and one can tell at a glance that this is the Chanyu's court.

Han Zhongyan said that many carriages and horses arrived here along the way, including officials from the North and South Courts, as well as rulers of various vassal states or leaders under their control.

There were constant comings and goings of carriages and horses, and in addition to various local tributes there were also beautiful women, as well as tigers, leopards, fierce dogs and other animals.

In the entire Shangjing Prefecture and Linhuang Prefecture, there was no city like Yanjing and Zhongjing. Instead, there were only tents everywhere. It was indeed the Liao ruler's camp.

Upon arriving here, the Song envoys were accommodated on the spot, while the Liao envoy Xiao Derang went to meet the Liao ruler Yelu Hongji and the Northern Court Privy Councilor Yelu Pode who were stationed here.

Han Zhongyan was allowed to walk out of the tent, and in the distance was the royal court where the Liao lord was.

Han Zhongyan returned to the tent, and several Liao people in purple clothes came in carrying a large pot filled with cooked mutton.

The Liao people took the meat from the tripod, cut it, and placed it on a silver plate and served it.

Han Zhongyan and Tong Guan followed the local customs and cut the meat to eat. They ate half a catty of meat.

Soon the Liao people brought in a bowl of rice and a bowl of fruits and vegetables with honey, and the two of them drank the wine. Han Zhongyan had something on his mind, so he only drank one cup and wanted to get up. The Liao people beside him thought that he was not treating the guests well, so they scratched their ears and heads in anxiety and urged him to drink again.

Han Zhongyan laughed when he saw this, and he felt that the Khitan people were simple and hospitable.

Soon, a Liao official came in and told Han Zhongyan that the Liao ruler would meet him in person the next day.

Han Zhongyan went to bed early that night.

While lying in his felt tent, he recalled Zhang Yue's instructions before the diplomatic mission.

Before his appointment as an envoy was issued, Zhang Yue said to him: "The Liao Kingdom is already semi-nomadic and semi-agricultural, and with the annual tribute from the Song Dynasty and the border markets, it is self-sufficient and can maintain the stability of the dynasty. The Liao Kingdom has not fought against the Song Dynasty for 80 years, and has maintained a relatively stable border and peace. At the same time, although there is a cultural gap between the Song Dynasty and the Liao Kingdom, the difference is not big, and the two sides still have good communication. Therefore, the war between the Song and Liao will either be a slow and small war, or a quick and large war!"

"For Song and Liao, there won't be a war until it's a life-and-death struggle."

"If the small wars are all extensions of politics, it means that the negotiations have reached a deadlock and we have to use other means to get it."

Zhang Yue took a sip of tea and continued, "Of course Song and Liao cannot fight each other. That's what I said, but no one in the court believed it. Your Majesty doesn't believe it either!"

"I dare not say that I am 100% sure! You must test the intentions of the Liao ruler and the bottom line of the Liao monarch and his subjects."

"How to test?" Han Zhongyan asked.

Zhang Yue said lightly: "To anger the Liao Lord, I would not even hesitate to die!"

Han Zhongyan was stunned.

Zhang Yue asked: "Do you dare?"

Han Zhongyan said angrily, "Sanlang, don't try to provoke me! Death can be as light as a feather or as heavy as Mount Tai. If it is heavier than Mount Tai... that's fine, but if my death triggers a war between Song and Liao, then isn't it lighter than a feather?"

Zhang Yue laughed and said, "No, if you die, you will be a meritorious official of the court. Your Han family will also last forever and be respected by the people of the world."

"But you have nothing to be afraid of. The world will never pit a lucky person against others, and one can stand firm even among tigers and leopards!"

"I'll teach you a trick that will ensure you can escape unscathed!"

"What's the secret?" Han Zhongyan asked.

"Hun Zi Jue!"

Zhang Yue said: "You are an envoy to the Liao Kingdom and you should argue with reason, but you should be clear in your words. Don't be clever and take advantage of others. When arguing with others, don't just see your own reasons and say the absolute truth. No matter how cunning, mean and arrogant the Liao people are, you should just be honest and stupid and respond to them!"

“I have never heard of an honest person in the world encountering an unexpected event. Instead, it is those clever people who play tricks and end up making things worse.”

……

After a night's rest, Han Zhongyan paid a visit to the Liao ruler Yelu Hongji.

The royal court of Liao ruler Yelu Hongji was just a felt house without steps, with a felt carpet on the ground. After Han Zhongyan entered, he was led to the southwest corner and presented the letter to Liao ruler Yelu Hongji under the guidance of the envoy.

Han Zhongyan looked towards Yelu Hongji, and saw that he was tall and wore a purple shirt with a narrow purple robe on the outside, with dozens of Han and foreign officials waiting on his left and right.

Yelu Hongji put the letter aside and looked at Han Zhongyan. Then, under the guidance of the envoy, Han Zhongyan toasted Yelu Hongji with a glass of wine.

Afterwards, Han Zhongyan took his seat, and a moment later a man in a purple-black sable fur coat came in. All the Liao people in the tent, except Yelu Hongji, bowed to him.

Han Zhongyan recognized the other person, who was none other than Yelu Po, the Privy Councilor of the Northern Court of Liao, who was second only to the emperor in Liao.

Han Zhongyan had never met Yelu Podi, but he had participated in the boundary negotiations between the Song and Liao dynasties. The Song Dynasty had special painters who secretly painted portraits of important figures of the Liao Dynasty and kept them on file.

After Yelu Po sat down, he said to Han Zhongyan: "There are not many people in the south who are as tall as you."

Han Zhongyan said: "In my hometown, they are everywhere."

Yelu Po asked: "Where is your envoy from?"

Han Zhongyan was secretly angry when he heard this, and as soon as the Liao envoy entered the Liao territory, he had to write his name and hometown to let the Liao king know.

Yelu Po asked this question knowing the answer, and it is obvious that he does not take you, Han Zhongyan, seriously.

Han Zhongyan remembered Zhang Yue's words and said to the Liao Lord: "The foreign minister is from Xiangzhou."

Yelu Hongji nodded.

Yelu Po smiled and said, "Xiangzhou! Yes, I know this place."

All the ministers in the tent nodded in understanding.

During the Battle of Chanyuan, the Liao army once fought to the city of Xiangzhou, so the place was certainly familiar to them.

Let's first kill the prestige of the Song envoy with our words!

Han Zhongyan pretended not to know.

Yelu Hongji handed the letter to Yelu Podi. After reading it, Yelu Podi said, "The letter is just a few words. I heard that your Prime Minister Zhang Duzhi is a famous minister of the time. I wonder how he compares to Lu Yijian?"

Han Zhongyan did not answer, and Yelu Po said: "Although Lü Yijian was a great man, he also sought peace with our dynasty during the Qingli period."

Han Zhongyan said: "Your Majesty, Lü Wenjing is the grandfather of my wife. But I have to admit that Lü Wenjing is a talented prime minister, but his interests and morals are not right, and he is not as good as Prime Minister Zhang."

Yelu Po said: "In ancient times, it was difficult to be good at making plans and to be able to listen. It is not difficult to be good at making plans, but it is difficult to be able to listen. It is not difficult to be able to listen, but it is difficult to have no plans at all."

"Prime Minister Zhang is a man of good strategy and decision-making, and has a good and peaceful plan, but why can't he listen to the advice of my lord and save the two families from suffering in the future?"

Han Zhongyan said sternly: "The Dangxiang Qiang have repeatedly invaded our borders, and their crimes are unforgivable. Your country has repeatedly sent envoys to persuade them to make peace. We should wait until they surrender before we can fulfill your country's intention to persuade them to make peace."

"This matter is not decided by Prime Minister Zhang alone. It is the public opinion of the government and the people!"

Yelu Pode said: "When the Southern Dynasty returns Liangzhou City, my lord can persuade the Dangxiang to surrender!"

Han Zhongyan said: "Your country wants us to return Liangzhou, but have you forgotten that your country was not on good terms with the Dangxiang Qiang in the past, and you also took their Tanglong Town. Are you going to return it now?"

As soon as Han Zhongyan said this, all the Liao officials in the tent were furious.

Tanglong Town was originally the land of the Dangxiang people, but was later captured by the Liao Kingdom when Emperor Xingzong of Liao attacked the Dangxiang people. After that, the Dangxiang people asked for it back several times, but the Liao Kingdom took it and never thought of returning it to the Dangxiang people, pretending not to know and refusing to return it.

You, the Liao Kingdom, said that my Song Dynasty occupied the Dangxiang Liangzhou City, and I also did justice for the Dangxiang and said that you, the Liao Kingdom, occupied the Dangxiang Tanglong Town.

You don’t pay it back yourself, why should we pay it back?

Even Yelu Hongji felt that the other party's words were rude, and ordered his men to expel Han Zhongyan from the tent.

After Han Zhongyan was pushed out of the tent by several attendants, a eunuch came out and said, "The Song envoy kneels to receive the letter from the credible state!"

Han Zhongyan said: "Foreign ministers are not ministers of the Liao Dynasty, so they won't kneel down just because of the past!"

Several eunuchs stepped forward and scolded: "You bold Song minister, are you not afraid of death? How dare you be so rude!"

Han Zhongyan refused to obey and spat, "Foreign dog!"

Han Zhongyan's word "foreign dog" made all the eunuchs outside the tent change color, and they had to go back to the tent to report to Yelu Hongji.

In fact, although Liao ruler Yelu Hongji was inside the tent, he could hear the word "foreign dog" clearly. Han Zhongyan was not scolding the other party at all, he was scolding everyone inside and outside the tent, including him, Yelu Hongji.

Yelu Hongji suddenly stood up and said, "The Song Dynasty is my brotherly country; my subjects are my subjects; if you insult my subordinates now, it is the same as insulting me!"

"He should be killed!"

Yelu Po was shocked when he heard this. He and Han Xiang Liang Ying bowed before Yelu Hongji and said, "Your Majesty, this cannot be done!"

"Why?"

Liang Ying said: "When two countries travel together, envoys will not be killed! Your Majesty, please consider the hundred-year alliance between Song and Liao!"

"Once this envoy is killed, the two countries will certainly break off diplomatic relations and engage in war. It is better to send him back to the Song court and let the Southern Dynasty officials deal with him!"

Yelu Hongji was still furious, and upon hearing this, his attendants also knelt down and tried to remonstrate with him; some even cried bitterly as they made their remonstrances.

Yelu Po said: "Your Majesty, if you kill the Song envoy, you will fall into Zhang Sanlang's trap!"

"how do I say this?"

Yelu Po said: "The Song envoy is just stupid. If Your Majesty is furious and kills this man, war between Song and Liao will be inevitable. May I ask who in the Song Dynasty will benefit the most?"

Liang Ying said, "Yes, the Southern Dynasty is afraid of the Liao Dynasty and does not want Hebei to be destroyed by war. If the Song envoy is killed, the people of Hebei will surely be united in hatred of the enemy. This man is the son of Han Qi, and both father and son are from Hebei and have great prestige in the local area. If he is killed, it will arouse the will of the people of Hebei to fight to the death."

Yelu Hongji understood and said, "Yes, killing this foolish Song envoy has fulfilled his wish and made him famous!"

Yelu Hongji knew Zhang Yue was very talented, and he also had a copy of his handwriting. He often looked at it over the years, firstly because he loved calligraphy, and secondly because he wanted to see the other person's personality from it.

In recent years, whether the Song Dynasty attacked Lanzhou or took Liangzhou, it was like crushing dry weeds and rotten wood. The Dangxiang, who had always been brave and good at fighting, were beaten without any ability to fight back, which really shocked him secretly.

After hearing what Yelu Hongji said, Yelu Podi and Liang Ying were sweating all over. Finally, they gave up and made up their mind.

Yelu Po took the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, the Song Dynasty now has Zhang San as the Prime Minister, who is wise and virtuous, and has also reorganized the army and established three new armies in the capital and its surrounding areas. His ambitions are not small, and he may have a long-term plan. He should not be taken lightly!"

"But Zhang San has the merit of taking Liangzhou. He has the power and prestige to shock the lord, and he has the merit of shocking the lord. How can he stay in the position of prime minister for long?"

"It is better to answer them politely and then use this incident to call the army to task. If the Southern Dynasty still dares to act arrogantly, it will not be too late to send troops to attack them."

Liang Ying said: "Your Majesty, Liangzhou is secondary, but Yelu Yixin must be captured and brought back to the country."

"If we allow this man to take root in the Song Dynasty, he will know our strengths and weaknesses, which will be a real threat to us."

Yelu Hongji nodded.

Han Zhongyan, who thought he was going to die, lived in the tent, but the Liao Kingdom did not deal with him.

However, within three days, the Liao Kingdom did not give him a single meal, and his drinking water was mixed with mud.

Han Zhongyan knew his life was safe after seeing this. Although he was a little scared at the moment, he still felt happy when he thought of the word "foreign dog" outside the Liao lord's tent. He thought to himself that the Khitan took 500,000 yuan in tribute from me every year, and they didn't allow me to call them foreign dogs.

Three days later, Han Zhongyan returned south with the letter from the country, and the Liao Kingdom cancelled all gifts to the Song envoys.

However, none of the followers were unhappy. They all thought that their lives were in danger, but unexpectedly they escaped.

After Han Zhongyan returned to Song territory from the south, he immediately wrote a letter to Zhang Yue.

After Zhang Yue received the newspaper from Han Zhongyan, he flicked the paper and said with a smile: "This kid is really lucky!"

Zhang Yue looked at the newspaper and thought to himself, Erqitan should think carefully before dealing with the Song Dynasty from now on.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yue picked up the pen and ink on the table and drafted the petition himself.

Zhang Yue seldom writes, and usually his attendants do it for him. But this time is different.

But I only saw a line of familiar words written on it.

Han Zhongyan was promoted to Hanlin Bachelor!