I studied in modern times

Chapter 645 Song-Xia Jiaozi
In the Hanlin Astronomical Bureau, after listening to the progress of the Yuanyou Armillary Sphere project, giving some small instructions and making some small requests, Zhao Xu returned to the Funing Hall.

In general, the Yuanyou Armillary Sphere is currently in the stage of engineering design and technical verification.

The overall design concept is not much different from the Yuanyou Hunyunyi of Zhao Xu's previous life.

They are all machines that are driven by water power, mainly have mechanical escapement structures, and use copper as the main parts.

As Party A, Zhao Xu naturally had to make suggestions.

So, he put forward some technical requirements on the spot for the world's first astronomical clock and observation machine, which he thought could be achieved.

For example, standardization of parts and unification of tolerances.

For example, the gears of the escapement mechanism are required to be refined.

For example, he required that the parts of the machine be made of iron as much as possible.

Copper can only be used for parts that cannot be made of iron or that affect performance.

As for whether it can be done?
Then it has nothing to do with Zhao Xu.

He is Party A! Isn’t that what Party A is?

Without pushing them, how could Han Gonglian and the astronomers and technicians of the Astronomical Bureau know their potential?
After returning to Funing Palace and resting for more than an hour, Feng Jing came to report that Hanlin Academician Xing Shu wanted to see him.

Zhao Xu then went to the quiet room in the east pavilion of Funing Palace, where he summoned Xing Shu.

"Your Majesty..." Xing Shu had a look of satisfaction on his face: "I am fortunate to have fulfilled your mission!"

"Oh..." Zhao Xu laughed.

You see, people just need to be pushed.

A few days ago, I thought the Xixia people’s punishments were unreasonable, but now, isn’t this good news?

"Please sit down and talk!" Zhao Xu sat behind the curtain and ordered his attendants to bring a stool to Xing Shu.

After Xing Shu sat down, he said to Zhao Xu who was sitting behind the curtain: "Your Majesty, I have learned from the Xia envoy Weiming Moduo that the Xia people's request for peace this time has three clauses..."

"First: The two countries ceased fighting and, in accordance with the terms of the peace agreement of the eighth year of Yuanfeng, each sent its captured soldiers and civilians to guard the border..."

Zhao Xu listened, narrowed his eyes, and made a simple comment: "Wishful thinking!"

This Xixia man has gone crazy!

Not to mention others, just Lu Huiqing, he used both abduction and deception to bring back more than 3,000 people from the Zuoxiang Shenyong Division of Western Xia.

The Queen Mother of Western Xia now opens her mouth and asks Zhao Xu to be sent back?
Is her mouth gilded?

"go on."

"Only..." Xing Shu bowed and said, "Second, I beg you to open more salt markets and allow the sale of Qingyan salt in various places in Shaanxi."

Zhao Xu laughed grimly: "What kind of clause is this?"

"Who is begging for peace with whom now?"

That little Empress Dowager Liang of Xingqing Prefecture is really Pu Xin!

Could she be the awakening sister of Xixia?
"Go on!" After Zhao Xu finished complaining, he signaled Xing Shu to continue his report.

Xing Shu also honestly stated the Xixia people's last condition: "Third: I beg for an annual gift... and I beg you to follow the Liao Dynasty's practice and use the annual gift in the form of Jiaozi..."

"The Xia envoy Weiming Moduo said that if our dynasty agrees to these three terms, the Song and Xia will cease hostilities forever, and the two countries will maintain their borders..."

"If you don't agree... then the Queen Mother has sent an envoy to Liao, asking the Liao ruler to mediate..."

Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes.

Ok!

Call the parents if you can’t beat them?!

But the question is, do the Liao people still have time to care about the affairs of Song and Xia?
The Liao people have it easy in Goryeo, right?!
It seems that it is time to increase support for the Korean people's anti-aggression cause!

The Korean Peninsula is about to enter the severe cold season, and severe weather with temperatures of dozens of degrees below zero is not impossible to occur.

Let the Liao people have a good taste of the Goryeo blizzard!
Xing Shu stood up immediately after he finished speaking, knelt down and bowed, saying: "Your Majesty, the Western bandits are using the Northern barbarians to blackmail our Song Dynasty. I think that none of these three demands should be agreed to, otherwise there will be endless troubles in the future!"

If the court agrees to these three conditions.

Forget about public opinion, even the crows in the Censorate can’t stand it!
Who would be willing to endure such humiliation?
What is this called?
The Western bandits won without winning, and the Song Dynasty was defeated without being defeated!

No one among those in power would dare to nod their heads.

The story of the Liao people forcing the Song Dynasty to cede 300 miles of land south of Waqiao Pass is still a lesson for us.

Han Zhen, who was responsible for doing this matter back then, is still being criticized by public opinion - even though everyone knows that Han Zhen was only punished on behalf of the late emperor.

But who asked him to do this?
So, today, when Sima Guang passed away, Zhang Xu was dismissed from his post, and Han Jiang was about to retire.

Although Han Zhen and Han Yuru are absolutely qualified to be appointed as the ruling party or even prime minister again.

But his name never appeared in the list of candidates for regent or prime minister.

In the Wazi of Bianjing, the odds for the new ruler and prime minister were so high that even notorious people like Pu Zongmeng and Deng Wan were higher than Han Zhen!
Therefore, under such circumstances, even if the Xixia people really asked the Liao people to stop, the Song Dynasty would never agree.

Whoever agrees will face political death and infamy!

Zhao Xu said softly: "Who doesn't know that the Western bandits are shameless?"

"Go tell the Western envoy that I have three clauses for him as well!"

"But my terms cannot be changed in any way!"

As he said this, he stood up.

"One: The two countries will cease hostilities and each will adhere to the borders of the eighth year of Yuanfeng and defend their own territories. However, the Xia people must send back the soldiers and civilians along the border of the Song Dynasty that they have captured since the third year of Yuanfeng!"

This clause is actually just a politically correct statement. Because every time the Song and Xia negotiated peace, there was a similar clause - each side would send away the fugitives and captured soldiers and civilians, and each side would guard the border.

But both countries have always only complied symbolically.

Then just pretend this one doesn't exist.

Last year, when Song and Xia negotiated peace, the ink had not yet dried when the border guards of the two countries had already torn up the terms.

Xihe started to snatch people even more blatantly.

"Secondly, based on the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, if the Song Dynasty allows Xixia's blue salt to enter Shaanxi and other routes, Xixia will allow the Song Dynasty's salt to be sold in various states of Xixia!"

Come, open the door, free trade!

Let me show you the power of Song Dynasty sea salt!
You Xixia produces salt, and the green salt is of high quality and reasonably priced.

But now in the Song Dynasty, salt is dried on a large scale.

A large amount of sea salt and dried sea fish rushed directly into Huainan Road, Jingji, Henan Prefecture, Jingxi and other roads.

The Huai salt and Chi salt have been washed away and the people can no longer take care of themselves.

After all, when others sell salt, they are simply selling salt.

Merchants from Dengzhou and Mingzhou sold salt and also gave away dried sea fish.

There is no doubt which of the two is more competitive, no need to say more.

"As for opening more border markets? I can agree to it in principle!"

"It is permissible to open three more trading markets in Dingxi City, Lanzhou and Huichuan."

Increasing, reducing or banning border trade has always been a means used by the Song Dynasty to balance its opponents and even provoke war.

good results!

Both Western Xia and Tubo were wary of the Song Dynasty playing the card of cutting off trade.

Because the fiscal revenue of these two countries depends on border trade.

Especially the huge profits brought by the silk and tea trade!

This time, the reason why the Xixia people came to seek peace was because Zhao Xu asked Lu Huiqing to withdraw from Ningxing and the city. The goodwill shown was accepted by the Xixia people.

As for why the newly added market was placed in Xihe?
Naturally, Zhao Xu believed in Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji's methods of making money.

These two national relatives now possess some of the characteristics of monopoly capital described in modern history textbooks.

Greedy, bold, and willing to do anything to make money.

And under the encouragement, connivance and demonstration of these two guys.

According to the reports of the spies sent by Zhao Xu to Xihe to carry out official business and the spies from the Investigation Department who were secretly sent to Xihe to observe through Shi Deyi.

The current Xihe - are happy to hear about the war, and fight bravely to be the first. No matter Han or Tibetan, they are all like tigers and wolves!
Therefore, the Military Governorate mobilized all the men in the state to respond and join the army.

Nowadays, the standards for women to choose husbands have also changed in the local area - men from cotton farms are good matches, and even among the barbarians, there are Han women willing to marry. What's worse, the daughter of an official in Qinzhou married a barbarian named Bao from Xizhou.

On the contrary...even if you are a Han official with an official status, it is very likely that you will find it difficult to find a suitable partner in the local area.

Because others will think that you are an official but don’t even have a cotton farm.

This just means you are a failure!
Thus, Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji succeeded in changing customs!

However, the direction of their reform is a far cry from what Confucianism advocates.

That's why Zhao Xu appointed Bao Shou.

I just hope that the son of Bao Gong can play a good role model in the local area and lead the cotton plantation owners in Xihe onto the path of benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and forgiveness - you should at least learn to whitewash and disguise yourself!
Don't be so naked!

"Third!" Zhao Xu smiled and said, "The Xia people are asking for annual gifts, which is absolutely not allowed!"

"But the exchange can be discussed..."

"But we need the Xia people to provide gold and silver..."

The Dangxiang people occupied the Silk Road for a long time. Even though the Tibetans competed desperately with them, they could not shake them. The Western Xia Kingdom established by the Dangxiang is now the absolute trade master on the Silk Road.

As a result, a steady stream of silver and gold flowed into Western Xia from the Western Regions, Central Asia, and even the Arabs and Byzantine Empires.

The Dangxiang people took the gold and silver and renovated the temples in Xingqing Prefecture and decorated the Buddha statues in various ways.

Zhao Xu saw it all and was worried.

Things like gold and silver, which are full of the smell of copper, are too impetuous and can easily affect spiritual practice. You Dangxiang people cannot grasp them.

It would be better to send it to the Song Dynasty so that the Song Dynasty can help you with financial operations.

"If they agree, it will be like the story of Liao!"

What is the Liao Dynasty story?
The Jiaozi trade treaty between the two countries has made it very clear.

With the annual tribute of 1.5 million strings of cash as the reserve, the Song Dynasty would issue a total of 3 million strings of cash after enlarging it, and then take a small handling fee from it.

If the Xixia people agreed, they would send their gold and silver to the Song Dynasty and ask Zhao Xu to handle the financial affairs for them and pay some handling fees.

Will the Xixia people agree?

Zhao Xu felt that they would!

Because, in today's world, whether it is Song and Liao, Western Xia, Tubo, or even the small life across the sea, they are all in a money shortage.

However, Western Xia was a country founded on trade and was particularly short of money.

(End of this chapter)