I studied in modern times

Chapter 988 Two-way Journey Between Song and Liao

In the third year of the Yuan You era of the Song Dynasty, and the fourth year of the Da An era of the Liao Dynasty, on the day of Yiwei in the second month (the 18th day of the second month).

Anguo Temple.

This is a royal temple built by order of Emperor Taizong of Liao, Yelü Deguang.

In the Liao Dynasty, it held a status equivalent to Baoguo Temple and Kaibao Temple in the Song Dynasty.

It was a place where the Liao emperor and his consorts worshipped Buddha.

This can also be seen from the location of the temple—it is located in the northwest of the Liao Dynasty's imperial city, adjacent to the Sun and Moon Palace of Emperor Taizu of Liao, Yelü Abaoji.

The Sun and Moon Palace was where Yelü Abaoji spent his days.

Its status in the Liao Dynasty was no less than that of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Therefore, whenever the Liao emperor was in Shangjing, he would come here to worship Buddha.

It is both a Buddhist ritual and an ancestral worship ceremony.

At this moment, Yelü Hongji stood respectfully with incense in the main hall of Anguo Temple, gazing up at the compassionate and solemn statue of Shakyamuni, muttering incantations.

After the prayer was finished, Yelü Hongji stepped forward with incense and personally placed it in the incense burner in front of the Buddha.

"His Majesty……"

At this moment, an inner court official who had been standing behind Yelü Hongji stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty, the military governor of Ningyuan Army has been summoned to the palace and is waiting outside..."

"Take him to my private quarters!" Yelü Hongji gave the order calmly without turning around.

"only!"

A quarter of an hour later, Yelü Yongchang was led by two of Yelü Hongji's personal guards to a meditation room in Anguo Temple, which was specially built for Yelü Hongji to worship Buddha and rest.

Yelü Yongchang took a deep breath and bowed towards the meditation room: "Yongchang, the military governor of Ningyuan Army, respectfully wishes His Majesty the Emperor a long and healthy life!"

"Thirteenth Brother is here?" Inside the meditation room, Yelü Yongchang, who had changed into plain white robes and was sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, greeted Yelü Yongchang outside warmly: "Come in and let's talk!"

Yelü Hongji may have many shortcomings in other aspects.

But there is one thing: if you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them.

He never doubted the loyalty of ministers he trusted, and could even obey their every word.

This certainly led to the Liao Dynasty experiencing the rebellions of Yelü Chongyuan and Yelü Yixin during his reign.

This is precisely why the Liao Dynasty is now able to conquer Goguryeo and Japan in the east, and subdue the Zubu and the Western Rouhe Khanate in the north.

Even with a different ruler, and even if the Song Dynasty continued to provide financial support to the Liao Dynasty, it wouldn't have reached this point.

Without him!

Trust is very important!

Take Xiao Buda as an example. Could anyone else be trusted to command a mixed army that includes Khitan, Bohai, Jurchen, Han and Goryeo people, and keep them away from home for a long time without being restrained or checked?
Yelü Hongji managed to do it!

Not only did he not doubt Xiao Budaye, he even became Xiao Budaye's biggest backer and patron in his campaign against Japan.

If you want officials, give them officials; if you want people, give them people.

Yelü Hongji's only requirement for Xiao Buda was victory!
Now another one has been added—seize Japan's gold and silver mines!
He asked for nothing more.

He even jokingly said to his men and women, "If Xiao Zhaotao were to help me pacify Japan and obtain its gold and silver, I would then divide Japan and appoint him as Zhaotao. What's wrong with that?"

He was such a monarch.

A monarch who brings joy to himself and others.

Naturally, Yelü Yongchang, who came from the Chongde Palace system, was like a nephew to him, and he would address him by his birth order in private.

Yelü Hongji could do as he pleased, but Yelü Yongchang dared not disregard the etiquette of a subject.

Yelü Yongchang bowed again and said, "Yes!"

He then got up and, led by an imperial attendant, went to the meditation room.

"Thirteenth Master, please sit down!" Yelü Hongji casually invited.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!" Yelü Yongchang sat down cautiously.

"Thirteenth Prince, you will be departing for the Southern Dynasty tomorrow..." Yelü Hongji smiled as he looked at Yelü Yongchang, who was being extremely cautious in front of him: "Is there anything that requires the court's attention?"

Yelü Yongchang thought of his wife and children at home and shook his head.

His wife and children in the Liao Kingdom have now all received imperial favors and titles.

We really don't need anything!

Only the insect girls of Bianjing...

Thinking of the insect girl, Yelü Yongchang felt a surge of tenderness.

His beloved Chongniang could only live in a cramped willow house in Bianjing, with only a dozen or so maids and servants to serve her.

How is this possible?

How could this be worthy of the insect maiden's talent and gentleness?

Looking at Yelü Yongchang's expression, Yelü Hongji pursed his lips and asked, "Really not?"

Yelü Yongchang firmly shook his head and bowed, saying, "If Your Majesty truly wishes to reward me, I beg Your Majesty to bestow the reward upon the people of Yan who suffered from the disaster last year!"

His wife and children were all born with a silver spoon in their mouths.

There she was like an insect spirit, born into hardship, yet she soared upwards, her life's learning putting him to shame.

Yelü Hongji clapped his hands and said, "Thirteenth Brother, you are truly my right-hand man, concerned about the country and its people!"

"If everyone in my Great Liao were like Thirteen Lang, why would I worry about not being able to unify the country?"

However, the matter of bestowing rewards was no longer mentioned.

Last year, the Liao Kingdom also experienced a rare drought.

In winter, they encountered a once-in-a-century snow disaster.

A large number of Khitan tribes' livestock froze to death.

The Zubu tribes outside the Great Wall also suffered severe damage.

The leaders of various tribes sent envoys to request grain and relief.

In the past, the Liao people couldn't even take care of themselves, let alone the lives of the Zubu people.

However, the Liao Dynasty now has a large supply of cheap goods to the market and can also import grain from the Southern Dynasty using paper money.

For example, after the drought began, Yelü Hongji sent a letter to the Southern Song Dynasty seeking aid.

This was originally a test.

As a result, the young emperor of the Southern Dynasty immediately agreed and ordered Hebei Road to transport 10,000 shi of grain to Waqiao Pass.

They're talking about imitating the 'Qin-Jin story'.

They subtly compared him to Duke Hui of Jin, a ruler who was untrustworthy and treacherous.

Yelü Hongji simply laughed it off.

Then he ordered Yelü Ju to pay the Southern Dynasty for grain at twice the market price using paper money.

This marked the beginning of grain trade between the Song and Liao dynasties.

Throughout the drought, the Liao dynasty imported 100,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain from the Song dynasty!
For the Song Dynasty, this amount of grain was merely the grain stored in the granary of a wealthy prefecture in Hebei.

But for Liao, it was enough to save their lives!

This enabled Liao to continue its military campaign against Goryeo even amidst a major disaster.

It was precisely because they could buy grain from the Song Dynasty that Yelü Hongji was so generous in the face of Zubu's plea for help.

He immediately ordered the Liao Kingdom to provide relief to the disaster victims in the various prefectures on the grasslands.

They also transported large quantities of grain to the grasslands.

This led to Yelü Hongji's growing prestige among the Zubu tribes on the grasslands.

This also made the Zubu tribes, who originally only intended to send a symbolic number of troops to the Western Regions, enthusiastic.

All the tribes began to mobilize, with some having several hundred cavalry and others having one or two thousand, all converging on Zhenzhou (Kedun City), the seat of the Liao Kingdom's Northwest Route Pacification Commissioner.

They were just waiting for the Liao Dynasty's grain to arrive before sending troops to the Western Regions to aid the Black Khan—this was tradition and their way of life for the nomadic tribes on the grasslands.

The grasslands suffered a disaster, livestock numbers plummeted, and people could not survive.

They could either head south, break through the Great Wall, and plunder inside it.

They could either head west to the Western Regions for food.

Given the current situation, going south is impossible.

They could only head west, using sabers and bows and arrows to try and save the tribe's elderly, weak, women, and children.

Moreover, there were also rewards of money, silk, and grain from the Liao people!

Meanwhile, the Black Khans of the Western Regions also welcomed them to come over, so that everyone could go and rob those damned Turks together!
Therefore, all the tribes were highly motivated and determined to fight.

Yelü Hongji also attached great importance to this westward expedition of Zubu.

Because this concerns the Liao Dynasty's steppe strategy—

Since the reign of Emperor Shengzong of Liao, the Liao people have consistently implemented two sets of policies towards the Zubu tribes on the grasslands.

The first is: appeasement.

The Liao people's appeasement policy was not limited to bestowing titles upon the leaders of various tribes and winning over the upper-class nobles of the Zubu tribe.

This also includes relief for the Zubu people after a disaster, so that if the Zubu people encounter a natural disaster, at least a large-scale famine will not occur.

The second one is: blood tax.

If the Liao people were to encounter war, then all the Zubu tribes would be obligated to send troops to assist them.

The Liao people often used the Zubu soldiers as cannon fodder, sending them to the front lines to be worn down.

Unfortunately, that second set of policies had already collapsed during the reign of Yelü Hongji's father, Emperor Xingzong of Liao.

Emperor Xingzong of Liao launched two campaigns against Western Xia, conscripting a large number of Zubu cavalry.

The result was a crushing defeat, with heavy losses of soldiers and generals.

Those who act as cannon fodder suffer particularly heavy losses.

From then on, the Zubu tribes began to treat the Liao people's levies perfunctorily.

This expedition of the Zubu was the first large-scale Zubu cavalry conscripted by the Liao people in the name of the central government in decades.

If successful, the relationship between the Khitans and the Zubu people can be rebuilt.

This allowed Liao's rule to penetrate deeper into the various tribes of Zubu.

Thinking of the various tribes of the Zubu, Yelü Hongji looked at Yelü Yongchang and said, "Thirteenth Brother, there are three things you must do for me and the Great Liao on your mission to Bianjing!"

"Please give your command, Your Majesty!"

"The first one..." Yelü Hongji said leisurely, "is naturally grain!"

"I know that the Southern Dynasty can obtain two million shi of grain from Jiaozhi every year!"

Therefore, the Southern Dynasty should not lack food!

"Our dynasty suffered a severe drought last year, and now we are hit by a snow disaster. All the tribes are suffering from the cold and have no means of support. The treasury is empty!"

"Therefore, in any case, the Liao Dynasty will need to purchase one million shi of grain from the Southern Dynasty this year!"

As he spoke, Yelü Hongji looked at Yelü Yongchang and said, "This matter concerns the rise and fall of the nation, and Thirteenth Prince must do this at all costs!" "To this end, I can promise the Southern Dynasty that I will purchase its rice at three times the market price! And I will pay the price of the grain with gold and silver!"

Before the great disaster, Yelü Hongji naturally knew that food was very precious.

They wanted the Southern Dynasty to agree to export large quantities of grain to the Liao Dynasty.

The only way is to lure them with a large sum of money!

Three times the market price sounds high, but in the current situation, it's practically like selling it for free.

Therefore, Yelü Hongji could only resort to what the young emperor of the Southern Dynasty liked most—real gold and silver.

"Only..." Yelü Yongchang bowed his head, "but..."

"I have heard that the Southern Dynasty also suffered a disaster last year... They may not be willing to agree..."

Every two weeks, Yelü Ju would send someone back with a report, mentioning various matters concerning the Song Dynasty, both internal and external.

Naturally, he also reported on the snow disaster that the Song Dynasty had been experiencing since December of last year.

The affected areas include Kaifeng Prefecture, Jingdong Road, Jingxi Road, Hebei Road, etc.

The Song Dynasty court announced numerous disaster relief policies.

Under these circumstances, Yelü Yongchang was very doubtful whether the Song Dynasty would agree.
After all, gold and silver are good, but you can't eat them.

Yelü Hongji shook his head: "What the Southern Dynasty encountered was nothing more than a snow disaster!"

"They can still do spring plowing after the spring season begins!"

"How can we compare ourselves to the Zubu tribes of the grasslands?"

The Khitan and Xi tribes of the Liao Dynasty still have a large number of herders to this day.

After a snowstorm, livestock from one tribe after another froze to death.

Last summer's drought caused widespread crop failures in the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyan.

If it weren't for the fact that 100,000 shi of grain were purchased from the Southern Dynasty using paper money.

The war in Goryeo last year will probably have to be stopped.

This is also one of the reasons why Yelü Hongji agreed to the Song Dynasty's mediation—he was being held hostage!

"No matter what, Shisanlang must procure a sufficient amount of grain from the Southern Dynasty!"

"I want to see at least 200,000 shi of grain enter the country by April at the latest!"

Only after obtaining at least 200,000 shi of grain would Yelü Hongji dare to order the Northwest Route Commander to open the granaries of the Liao Kingdom's northern mountain routes.

Only when the northern routes begin to distribute grain will the Zubu people set off on their westward expedition.

After all, they had to make sure that the elderly, women, and children in their families wouldn't go hungry after they left.

"Yes!" Faced with Yelü Hongji's attitude, Yelü Yongchang had no choice but to obey.

"The second matter..." Yelü Hongji adjusted his posture and continued, "is related to the imperial examinations of the Southern Dynasty!"

"When Thirteen Lang arrives in Bianjing, it should be around the time the results of the Southern Dynasty's imperial examinations are announced..."

"If we're lucky, we might even be able to catch up with the Qionglin Garden of the Southern Dynasty!"

Yelü Yongchang raised his head and looked at his monarch.

Yelü Hongji casually replied, "You should remember to carefully record the details of the imperial examinations in the Southern Dynasty..."

"Make sure to collect all the top ten essays from the Southern Dynasty's imperial examinations and send them back to the country!"

"In addition, collect more tabloids from the Southern Dynasties..."

"For example, the Bianjing Xinbao and the Bianjing Yibao..."

"Especially the newly published 'The Great Tang Dynasty's Account of Relieving Calamities in the Western Regions' in the Bianjing Xinbao!"

"Thirteen Lang remembers to collect as much as possible, make copies, and send them back to the junior high school..."

"Yes!" Yelü Yongchang bowed deeply.

With the flourishing of trade between the Song and Liao dynasties, the lifestyle of Bianjing (Kaifeng) of the Southern Dynasties began to become popular in the capital city.

This also led to the rise of entertainment and culture in Bianjing.

Even the Wazi (a type of entertainment venue) have appeared!

Foreign women from the Western Regions, Silla maids from Goryeo, and black-toothed slaves from Japan began to appear in Shangjing City, giving the Khitan nobles of Shangjing City a good look at the world.

Naturally, with the flourishing of trade, tabloids from Bianjing also flowed into the capital.

then……

It became an instant hit and quickly became a coveted item among the powerful and wealthy in both the northern and southern courts of Liaoning.

The articles and poems published in the Bianjing Yibao captivated the literati and officials of Liaodong, who were eager to analyze and study them carefully, word by word and line by line.

The stories of everyday life, delicacies, and serialized tales reported in the Bianjing Newspaper sparked a tsunami-like response among the nobility, especially the sons of officials.

The young masters dreamed every day of when they could truly travel to Bianjing, to appreciate the beauty of the Zhouqiao Night Market, to see the romance on the Bian River, and to sleep with beauties like Li Shishi, Xu Poxi, and Wang Jingnu, who were described by the Bianjing News as having "beauties that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky" and "beauties that could shame the moon and flowers."

Meanwhile, the completed serialization of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" in the Bianjing Xinbao newspaper also became popular in the capital.

However, because these things flowed in in a scattered manner, many people only read fragments.

Even so, it still captivates people.

This spring, the new story "The Great Tang Dynasty's Journey to the Western Regions" published in the Bianjing Xinbao newspaper, which brought merchants back from Bianjing, quickly became a sensation in the capital city as soon as it entered Shangjing.

It is said that even the Empress and Imperial Noble Consort in the palace became fascinated by this new story.

only……

Yelü Yongchang looked up at Yelü Hongji and asked cautiously, "Why is Your Majesty so concerned about the story in the Bianjing Daily?"

Yelü Hongji grinned, then clasped his hands in prayer and exclaimed, "May Buddha have mercy!"

"I wish to pass on that story to the various tribes of Zubu..."

"May all the tribes of Zubu convert to the Buddha!"

The Zubu people on the grasslands have a very diverse range of beliefs.

There are shamans, Arabs, Nestorians, and even some who believe in Zoroastrianism.

This caused a great deal of headache for successive Liao emperors.

Every ruler knows very well that religion is a very useful tool.

If used properly, it can even be more effective than a million soldiers.

However, the beliefs of the various tribes of Zubu on the grasslands are so diverse.

This left the Liao people truly at a loss.

At this time, the serialized "The Great Tang Dynasty's Account of Relieving the Calamities in the Western Regions" published in the Bianjing New Daily reached the capital city.

Yelü Hongji immediately understood the significance of this story to the Liao Dynasty—as long as it reached the Zubu tribe on the grasslands and became popular.

In that case, the beliefs of Buddhism and Taoism could also be introduced.

Liaodong has no shortage of Taoist priests and Buddhist monks.

If the Zubu people can accept "The Great Tang Journey to the West: A Tale of Exorcism," then the Taoist priests and Buddhist monks from Liaodong will be able to enter the various Zubu tribes to spread their teachings.

Yelü Hongji is now mobilizing Taoist priests and Buddhist monks.

The monks, on the other hand, were very enthusiastic.

In particular, the young monks in the royal temples all had a desire to spread the Dharma.

The Taoist priests, however, didn't seem to be interested.

Rather than proselytizing, the Taoist priests preferred to stay in their temples, meditating and cultivating their spirituality.

Besides, the beliefs of Taoist priests actually depend heavily on the cultural level of their followers.

Things that are profound and mysterious are truly incomprehensible to people without education, and it's also difficult for them to relate to them.

On the contrary, the senior monks are very innovative.

As long as they can spread the Dharma, they'll make up any lies they want.

At the same time, the senior monk also has many skills.

Many people are knowledgeable in Buddhism, medicine, and even several other professions.

They are skilled in fortune telling, feng shui, and even performing rituals.

So, it's no wonder that the Taoist priest was overpowered and beaten by the senior monk.

In addition, the Khitans were Buddhists by nature.

Therefore, it was only natural for Yelü Hongji to choose to support the spread of Buddhism northward to the Zubu tribes of the grasslands.

Yelü Yongchang naturally had no reaction to this, and upon hearing it, he bowed and said, "Your subject understands!"

Even if he didn't do it, Yelü Ju would have.

Because the minor official of the Song Dynasty had specifically spoken to them about it.

On the Liao side, any request can be fulfilled.

Publications like the Bianjing Xinbao and Bianjing Yibao were even personally arranged by the minor official to be delivered along with the goods.

That minor official was nothing like the previous Zhao officials.

Previously, those Zhao officials were extremely vigilant, fearing that the Liao Dynasty would find out about the situation in the south.

He did the opposite.

All publicly published books were freely supplied to the Liao Dynasty without any restrictions.

Yelü Hongji hummed in agreement, then said softly, "As for this third matter..."

"Thirteen Lang should know..."

"It's related to Princess Cheng'an..."

"The Song and Liao are brotherly states, and it is only right that we forge a lasting alliance!" Yelü Hongji raised his voice slightly as he said this: "In two years, it will be the 85th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chanyuan..."

"I believe that relations between the Song and Liao dynasties should be further strengthened!"

"Therefore, I wish to make Princess Cheng'an the consort of the Southern Dynasty's emperor!"

"When Thirteen Lang arrives in the Southern Dynasty, he must treat this matter as a top priority!"

"At the very least, the emperor of the Southern Dynasty should agree to discuss marriage with our dynasty on the 85th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chanyuan!"

This matter was a major concern for Yelü Hongji.

It is also the final piece of the puzzle he envisioned for the 'Great Peace and Prosperity'.

As long as he can complete this historical mission, he will be able to hold his head high and have a clear conscience when he meets Empress Dowager Chengtian and Emperor Shengzong in the afterlife!
Yelü Yongchang listened, then pursed his lips with a strange expression, bowed his head and said, "Yes!"

"Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to help you achieve this wish!"

Based on his observations in the Song Dynasty, the ministers of the Song Dynasty were extremely unwilling to agree to the marriage alliance between the Song and Liao Dynasties.

However, the attitude of that minor official was quite ambiguous.

From this perspective, the minor official is probably pleased with this.

So, it's a two-way journey!
This will definitely succeed!
(End of this chapter)