I studied in modern times

Chapter 982 Redeeming the Seal of the Rebel Army
Zhao Xu put down the handwritten letter from the Liao ruler in his hand, then stood up and walked to the quiet room in the east hall of the Funing Palace.

Then he came to the south wall of the quiet room, reached out and grabbed a rope, and pulled it gently. A huge map drawn on silk fell down.

This map was drawn by the Sandbox Department.

In addition to the prefectures and counties of the Song Dynasty, the approximate outlines of the known world, including Liao, Western Xia, Jiaozhi, Dali, Japan, Zhenla, Champa, and the Western Regions, were also circled.

Although it is far from correct, let alone accurate.

But it basically defines the scope and direction of the world, so as to avoid making a fool of oneself.

Combined with Zhao Xu's own modern knowledge, he can basically identify the characters.

"The Liao ruler said that he has ordered his Grand Tutor Yelu Dilie to withdraw his troops from Kaifeng. The Liao-Goryeo War is considered over..."

Zhao Xu found the peninsula where the Goryeo Kingdom was located, ordered Tong Guan to bring a stool, and then helped him stand on the stool. He stared at the Goryeo Peninsula and began to think carefully.

Zhao Xu naturally had no idea how the Liao people and Goryeo would draw the border after the war.

But he could guess that with the greed and stinginess of the Liao people, they would never leave any favorable borders for Goryeo.

Perhaps, the Liao people might order the King of Goryeo and his ministers not to move the capital and must stay in Kaesong!
In this way, Goryeo can be guaranteed to fulfill its annual tribute obligations stipulated in the treaty.

As a result, the Koreans had to do their best to fulfill their annual tribute obligations.

and so……

Zhao Xu's fingers followed the outline of Kaifeng and cut straight into the peninsula, dividing it into two.

To the north of Kaesong was Liao, and to the south of Kaesong was Goryeo.

As for Kaijing?
Of course, just like modern Seoul, they were hostages in the hands of the Liao people.

If you don’t listen, I will beat you!

The only difference is that the Koreans now have no Lighthouse Dad to support them.

Therefore, they will no longer have the confidence in front of the Liao people and can only allow the Liao people to take whatever they want.

However, this has nothing to do with Zhao Xu.

What Zhao Xu was really concerned about was what the Liao ruler had told him in the letter - asking the emperor to send an envoy to Goryeo to take over the Goryeo outlying islands.

From now on, most of the outer islands and outlying islands of the Goryeo Kingdom, including but not limited to Jeju Island, will legally belong to the Song Dynasty.

This was recognized and acknowledged by both parties, including the Liao Dynasty and Goryeo.

These islands may play a big role in the future.

But for now, it is just a form of map expansion.

Because the Song Dynasty could neither send officials to govern nor send people to occupy the country.

At best, it could only serve as a safe haven and a place to dry goods for Song Dynasty merchant ships traveling between the peninsula, Liaodong and Japan.

What Zhao Xu was really concerned about was the actions of the Liao army in Japan.

So he headed eastward along the coastline of Goryeo, looking across the sea at the Japanese Peninsula, which was adjacent to the Goryeo Peninsula and had been in love and hatred with it for thousands of years.

Today, the entire Korean Strait and the control of the sea over Japan's Kyushu and the waters off Kyushu are in the hands of the Liao people.

According to the intelligence Lin Xi sent back from Liao, Liao general Xiao Budaya had severely damaged the Japanese naval fleet last year.

As a result, their naval fleet dared not fight anymore and could only retreat.

Therefore, the Liao army has now gained the right to act freely in Japan.

The letter from the Liao ruler also proves this point - I have sent the Japanese Recruiting Envoy Xiao Budaye to lead the troops across the sea and directly attack Iwami, Japan, to ensure that the pearl will never be covered in dust again!

"Within this year, Japan's silver and gold mines will most likely all fall into the hands of the Liao people..."

"This is an unprecedented strategic opportunity for me and the Song Dynasty!"

"We must seize the moment, hold on tight!"

The Song Dynasty had to do everything it could to take possession of all the gold, silver and other precious metals that the Liao Kingdom had mined from Japan.

Let these gold and silver nourish the industry, commerce and technology of the Song Dynasty.

Instead of becoming a pile of dead things buried in the cellars of the Liao people or the dignitaries of the Song Dynasty.

"What method can be used to make the Liao people take the initiative to send all this gold and silver to the Song Dynasty?"

Zhao Xu thought with burning eyes.

Under normal circumstances, the Liao people would never agree to send the gold and silver they dug to the Song Dynasty.

Even though they need products from the Song Dynasty.

After all, they are not stupid!
and so……

Zhao Xu knew that he had to make a nest.

And you have to make a good nest!

Otherwise, you won’t be able to lure fish!

So, what kind of bait is there in this world that will surely tempt the Liao people and make them take the bait?

Zhao Xu lowered his head and looked at his body.

Only him!
It can only be him!
The Liao ruler has wanted a Zhao official as his son-in-law for a long time.

Only the relationship between Song and Liao can go further on the current basis.

Only then would the Liao ruler feel at ease to agree to transport all the gold and silver he obtained from Japan to the Song Dynasty.

"It seems that I have to instruct Lin Xi to tip off the Liao Lord in advance so that he can see some benefits!" Zhao Xu muttered to himself.

At present, both Song and Liao countries have an envoy stationed in the capitals of both countries.

On the Song side, the unlucky kid is Lin Xi.

On the Liao side, it was Yelu Ju.

Yelu Ju was corrupted by Xing Shu's sugar-coated bullets.

Naturally, Zhao Xu also knew that Lin Xi must be facing great temptations in Shangjing City.

Therefore, he gave Lin Xi an order in advance - you can take them all, they are all innocent! But can Lin Xi hold his ground, not be tempted by the Liao Lord, betray and surrender to the enemy, and become a minister of Liao?
Zhao Xu really had no idea what was going on.

After all, the most unreliable thing in this world is the human heart.

I remember when Yelu Ju first arrived in the Song Dynasty, he was very arrogant!
What now?
It would be best if Lin Xi could stick to his position.

Even if he secretly revealed the situation in the Song Dynasty to the Liao people, Zhao Xu didn't really care.

Because he had already prepared for Lin Xi to be corrupted by the Liao people.

I think the Liao ruler should have had a similar realization.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu turned his gaze to the other side of the map.

He asked Tong Guan to help him down, and then moved the stool to the other side of the map.

The vast land behind Xixia and Tubo - the Western Regions!
In the third year of Jingyou reign of the Song Dynasty (1036), Li Yuanhao defeated the last of the Guiyi Army and occupied the Hexi Corridor.

The last remaining political influence of the Han and Tang dynasties in the Western Regions disappeared into thin air.

Before that, Kucha and Khotan were successively destroyed by the Black Khanate of Uighurs.

As a result, in the former areas of Han and Tang dynasties, there was no more sound of poetry, books, rituals and music.

Han clothing also disappeared from the Western Regions.

Under normal circumstances, the Song Dynasty had not destroyed Western Xia and recovered Lingxia and Hexi.

Even if the Song Dynasty wanted to intervene in the affairs of the Western Regions, it could not.

however……

Now a godsend opportunity has emerged.

The Liao ruler, Yelu Hongji, said in a letter to Zhao Xu: The Turkic bandits have invaded the Western Regions, and my nephew, the Kara Khan, has sent envoys to ask for help. I have ordered the volunteers of the Zhubu tribes to lead their troops westward to help the Kara Khan.

However, the countries in the Western Regions, such as Qiuci and Khotan, were all vassal states of the Song Dynasty.

Now that the Turks are invading, how can the Song Dynasty remain indifferent?

What it means is that there are more than just nephews and vassal states of our Great Liao in the Western Regions.

The peoples of Kucha and Khotan have always regarded the emperor of the Song Dynasty as their uncle.

Now that my nephew is in trouble, shouldn’t I show some support as an uncle?

This is taking advantage of Zhao Xu's young age, thinking that he doesn't know that the current Kingdom of Kucha and the Kingdom of Khotan had long been destroyed.

The so-called envoys that came to the court in the name of Kucha and Khotan were all disguised members of the Black Khanate!
But, it doesn’t matter!

Anyway, it has been a long time since the Black Khans came to the Song Dynasty in the name of Kucha and Khotan to eat and drink for free.

For Zhao Xu, it didn’t matter if he was cheated by them again.

But if you want Song Dynasty to pay...

As a black and sweaty person, you have to show your appreciation.

For example, at least...

We should at least send a decent person from Kucha or Khotan to Bian Jing to cry out, right?

Don’t include so many instantly recognizable Arab believers in the delegation.

At least squeeze a few monks in there, right?

Don't tell me that there is no living Buddhist in the Western Regions now.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu suddenly looked at Xixia and Tubo.

After a moment's silence, Zhao Xu asked, "Tong Guan, didn't Prime Minister Lu of Xihe Road send back a secret letter a few days ago?"

"Go find it for me!"

"promise!"

Not long after, Tong Guan came to him with a secret letter that Lu Huiqing had sent back to Bian Jing last month.

Zhao Xu took the secret letter, opened it, and quickly found the key content he wanted.

Then, he stepped down from the stool, sat down at the desk in the quiet room, and wrote on it: Yes, Sir, please accept Liang Yibu's request! In addition, Sir, please send an envoy to meet with the Prime Minister of Xia to discuss the matter!
After giving this instruction, Zhao Xu ordered Tong Guan to go to the Academy of Scholars and summon Xing Shu to a quiet room to give him some face-to-face instruction.

After receiving the imperial edict, Xing Shu immediately left the palace and rode to the shop specializing in selling Tangut treasures that the Tanguts were allowed to open in the city of Bianliang as promised in the peace agreement between Song and Xia.

He directly revealed his identity, summoned the Xixia official in charge of running the store, and asked him to immediately convey the order of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty back to Xingqing Prefecture.

Naturally, the Xixia people did not dare to neglect it and immediately sent the news back to the Xixia capital via the national channel and by express delivery.

Ten days later, Empress Dowager Xiao Liang of Xingqing Prefecture received an urgent report from Bian Jing.

The Song Dynasty wanted to redeem them, and in the third year of Jingyou, they were the descendants of the soldiers and civilians of the Guiyi Army captured by Li Yuanhao, as well as the seal and ribbon of the governor of the Guiyi Army bestowed by the Tang Dynasty.

He also named and demanded the redemption of the descendants of Cao Xianshun, the last governor of the Guiyi Army.

After receiving the news, Empress Dowager Xiao Liang immediately summoned the Dangxiang ministers in Xingqing Prefecture to discuss the matter.

The result of the discussion was as expected - almost no one objected.

After all, the influence of the Guiyi Army in the Hexi Corridor has long been minimal.

Even the political entity of the Guiyi Army was taken over by the Uighurs after the fall of the Tang Dynasty.

Most of the remaining descendants of the Guiyi Army today are of Uighur descent.

Most of these people were serfs in the Western Xia Kingdom.

If a group of serfs can be sold at a high price, why not sell them?

That is to say, there is some controversy about returning the seal and ribbon of the so-called Jiedushi of Guiyi Army, but it is not big.

After all, that thing is of no use to the Dangxiang people.

It was just thrown into the Taimiao as a decoration.

If the Nanman is willing to spend a large sum of money to redeem it, then sell it!
(End of this chapter)