Tang Dynasty Mingyue Song Dynasty Pass

Chapter 352

Jinling Imperial Palace, Chengxin Hall.

Li Yu was reviewing the memorial when Feng Jian, the chief eunuch, approached from outside the door and said: "Officials, Master Xu You, Minister of Chengxintang, Wang Chongzhi, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, and Shen Wei, Minister of Honglu Temple, are here to see you outside the palace."

"Why did they enter the palace together to see me?" Li Yu looked up in doubt.

Feng Jian said in a sharp voice: "Going back to the official's house, it seems that the envoys of the Song Dynasty have entered Jinling City at noon today."

Li Yu's expression moved slightly, and he sighed: "Oh, the Song Dynasty envoys have arrived?"

Hearing this news, Li Yu was not in a very good mood, because in the past few years, Song State in the north has become stronger and stronger, and the gap with Tang State has been constantly widening, making Li Yu almost out of breath. When I came to Jinling, I didn't know how to make embarrassing demands, so I tried my best to deal with them.

Although Li Yu was somewhat resistant to this matter, it was unavoidable until now, and he sighed: "Let the prime minister come in."

"Get the order!" Feng Jian went out to convey the order.

In an instant, Chengxintang accepted the decree and was the Minister Zuo Pu shot Xu You, the Minister of Rites Wang Chongzhi, and Honglu Temple Qing Shen Wei walked into Chengxin Hall and met Li Yu, an official.

"Let's all be flat." Li Yu said without courtesy, and asked: "Several lovers suddenly entered the palace together to ask for an interview, what's the matter?"

In addition to serving as the Chengzhi monk of Chengxintang Zuo Pushe, Xu You was also canonized as the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty who was under the same name as Tong Zhongshu.

At this moment, he cupped his hands and said, "I would like to report to the officials that the envoys sent by the Song State in the north have already entered Jinling City. They have sent people to the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple to submit the post of envoys from the state. They plan to visit the officials in the near future. Family."

Li Yu still attaches great importance to the envoys of the Song Dynasty. After all, there is a powerful Song Dynasty behind them, and they must be given enough respect. After all, diplomatic relations are no small matter.

"Then follow the normal procedure, arrange to meet at the pilgrimage and see what the Song Emperor in the north has to say."

Wang Chongzhi, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, said: "Right now the Song State is using troops against the Shu State. At this time, the Song State's envoys are here, and they are nothing more than sending them here to appease our Tang State and prevent them from aiding the Shu State. They should supervise us."

Honglu Temple is in charge of receiving state guests, so Shen Wei, Minister of Honglu Temple, cupped his hands beside him and said, "The officials, the envoys from the Kingdom of Shu, have been in Jinling City for half a month, do you want to arrange a meeting?"

"Shu State?" Li Yu hesitated for a moment, wondering why: "Song State is attacking Shu State, and with the strength of Shu State, they can resist for a year. Their envoys come to ask for reinforcements and form an alliance with our Tang State. , but, who can fight against the Song army? I can't let the people in the south of the Yangtze River get involved in this war and anger the emperor of the Song Dynasty, and the Southern Tang Dynasty will not be easy!"

Wang Chongzhi, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, used to be a servant of the province. A few years ago, he went to Hou Zhou with his servant She Sun Sheng as an envoy, and negotiated with Chai Rong.

He nodded slightly and said: "What the officials say is very true. The Song Dynasty has poor soldiers to redeem their weapons and is ambitious. At present, it has set its sights on the southern countries. First it was Jingchu, and now it is attacking Shu. Even our Tang Dynasty has to guard against it."

Li Yu looked sad, and said: "As long as we don't disobey some requirements of the Song court and try our best to meet the tribute, it will be a day if we delay it."

Xu You comforted: "The officials don't have to worry too much. The Tang State is the strongest among the southern states. As long as the court works together, the Song State will not dare to act rashly. In addition, the Song Army is not good at water warfare, so there is no way to be sure." Conquer the defense line of the Yangtze River, and the Tang State will be safe. As long as Zhao Kuangyin is killed, when his son ascends the throne, the prince who grows up in the court will not be as ambitious and powerful as his father, the founding emperor, and his ability will not be so outstanding. If we expand our borders, our country of Tang will be safe."

Does this work too?

After Li Yu heard the words, he was stunned. After careful consideration, he also felt that Xu You's words made sense.Throughout the history books, it is often found that the founding emperors were good at fighting. Their descendants often did not have such strong military capabilities and ambitions. Most of them grew up in the palace and did not weather the storms.

However, Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty is also a mature man, and it will take at least 30 to [-] years for him to return to the west. Can the Tang Dynasty last that long?
"What are the envoys from the Kingdom of Shu doing in the city recently?"

Wang Chongzhi said: "When they go back to the official's house, they have been planning to ask the official to be summoned, but Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Rites have no time to meet them on the grounds that the official's body is unwell, and the queen in the palace is sick, and the prince is sick. Therefore, Shu The envoys of the country are engaged in private activities, constantly giving gifts to the ministers of the DPRK and China, hoping to find the right way, eager to match up, and meet the officials sooner!"

Li Yu nodded slightly and said, "I can't delay the arrival of the envoys of the Song Dynasty. Let's arrange to meet tomorrow. But the envoys of the Shu Kingdom have been waiting for half a month. It’s unreasonable to summon them. How about this, let’s find some time to meet them tomorrow afternoon, we don’t need to meet formally at the court meeting, just arrange it in the imperial garden.”

"The minister will arrange it later." Shen Wei replied.

Li Yu was silent for a while, and asked again: "Who are the chief and deputy envoys of the Song Dynasty envoy this time?"

Xu You replied: "The envoy is Tao Gu, Minister of the Ministry of Rites of the Song Dynasty, who is also a scholar of the Imperial Academy. When Zhao Kuangyin launched the Chenqiao Mutiny and proclaimed himself emperor on behalf of Zhou, he was the first to draw up the Zen book of Emperor Gong of Zhou, as Zhao Kuangyin's acceptance of Zen. It was used by Zhao Kuangyin. The deputy envoy of the mission is Dou Yi, a scholar of the Song Dynasty, a minister of the Ministry of Industry, and a judge of Dali Temple. A Jinshi in the later Jin Dynasty, I heard that he is very knowledgeable."

After Li Yu heard it, he ordered: "The envoys first arrived, even if they go to the pilgrimage tomorrow, it is also a diplomatic etiquette, and it is a process. Some requests made by the real Song Dynasty will be negotiated with Honglu Temple and reported. I plan to Send the Minister of Honglu Temple to be fully responsible for receiving the envoys of the Song Dynasty, so that these envoys can eat and drink to their heart’s content, and keep them happy! The gifts that should be given should not be small, and they should be accompanied when they go around.”

Honglu Temple Minister Shen Wei cupped his hands and said: "I understand that the day after tomorrow will be the Qiqiao Festival. The poetry festival and lantern festival on the Qinhuai River are very lively. I can take the envoys of the Song Dynasty to play, so that they can also experience my Tang Dynasty. Prosperous style of writing, and a model of a state of etiquette."

(End of this chapter)