The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 412 The Great Ming's founding oath, the Southern Song's shame and indignation, and the world's trembling.
At a time of great upheaval and escalating conflict in Guanzhong, a piece of news shattered the silence of the Central Plains like a thunderclap.

The barbarians of the northern frontier established a state called the Great Ming, and adopted the reign title Wutai.

This news was partly intelligence gathered by Jin spies and partly a deliberate attempt by the Ming Dynasty's Xuande Division and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to spread its prestige.

Overnight, it spread along the post roads and trade routes, with the Hedong region, which was closely connected to Guanzhong, being the first to be affected.

Liuxian, a small county town that is inconspicuous on the map of Hedong,
However, in the past six months, the county town has suddenly become lively.

Caravans poured in from the west, led by the renowned Xin family of Jingzhao in Guanzhong.

Historically, the Xin family was a prominent clan in the Jin Dynasty, but after the Mongols arrived, they directly became collaborators.

During the Yuan Dynasty, the clan reached its peak, with many members serving as officials in the court, making the family extremely prominent.

The Xin family mansion was located in a large courtyard at the east end of the county town. Although its blue bricks and gray tiles were not as grand as the ancestral home in Guanzhong, they still exuded the dignity of a prominent family.

At this moment, the courtyard was brightly lit. Clan Chief Xin sat at the head of the table, his brows furrowed, his fingers unconsciously stroking the jade belt at his waist.

"Chief, the seller has raised the price of the two hundred acres of land we had our eye on in Gutun by another 20%."

The steward bowed his head and reported, his voice tinged with helplessness: "They say that recently there have been more gentry from Guanzhong coming to Liuxian. With limited land and a large population, prices have naturally risen."

The clan chief slammed his hand on the table: "A bunch of opportunists taking advantage of the chaos."

"If the war in Guanzhong hadn't been so intense, would our Xin family have condescended to buy land in this small place?"

His tone was full of resentment. As a prominent family in Guanzhong with a history of decades, the Xin family owned fertile land all over Weinan and had no fewer than a thousand tenant farmers. In the past, they were an absolute force in Jingzhao Prefecture.

But ever since the Qin people conquered Guanzhong, news has spread that they are going to launch an eastern expedition against the Jin state, and he has become restless.

The fierce fighting power and brilliant results displayed by the Qin army in the last great battle were like a sword hanging over their heads, making the gentry of Weinan uneasy day and night.

Everyone knew that Weinan was probably indefensible; once the Qin army marched south, it would be a lose-lose situation.

Logically speaking, aristocratic families have always had the confidence to remain steadfast amidst changing political landscapes.

Whoever ascends to the throne only needs to submit a letter of surrender and offer money to preserve their family's foundation and continue to be a local tyrant, ensuring that the family's dignity of combining farming and scholarship is never broken.

But this time, the Qin barbarians did not play by the rules. They wanted to seize all the land of the people and make it public property.

For Xin, this news was nothing short of a catastrophe.

The foundation of the aristocratic class lay in the vast fertile fields and the rents paid annually by the tenant farmers.

Without land, there is no source of wealth, no foundation, no inherited honor; how are we any different from ordinary people?

Therefore, the people of Weinan were already in a state of panic. Countless gentry were like frightened birds, selling off their land and property in order to exchange for gold, silver and valuables and find a place to settle down.

In the panic, everyone wanted to get rid of their land, and the price of land in Weinan plummeted again and again until it became so cheap that no one wanted it.

The clan chief of the Xin clan looked at the vast expanse of fertile land under his name, now which he could only abandon, his heart bleeding, yet he was helpless.

In the end, he had no choice but to take his entire clan, along with all the gold and silver he had accumulated, and flee eastward to Liu County, where he planned to buy land again and restore his family's glory.

However, land prices here have started to skyrocket, it's simply outrageous!

What made the Xin clan chief even more desperate was that on this day, the steward rushed into the inner hall in a panic.

"Chieftain, something terrible has happened! The barbarians of the Northern Frontier... the barbarians of the Northern Frontier have really established a country, named Great Ming, with the reign title Wu Tai."

With a "bang," the teacup in the hands of the Xin clan chief fell to the ground, scattering shards of celadon porcelain everywhere.

"what?"

"He declared himself emperor and established a country?"

He suddenly stood up, his white beard bristling with rage, his cloudy eyes filled with resentment and bitterness. He slammed his fist on the table and shouted angrily, "Heaven has no eyes! Heaven has no eyes!"

"Such a tyrant, such a barbarian, is he worthy of ruling the world?"

The Ming Dynasty had previously defeated the Jin Dynasty and taken Guanzhong. It was only a matter of time before they declared themselves emperors and established their own country. However, when that day actually came, the Xin clan chief was still very angry.

His voice was hoarse, and every word was filled with anguish: "These barbarians from the northern frontier disregard moral principles and trample on etiquette, and will only bring endless slaughter and disaster to the people of the world."

"Completely disregarding the survival of the gentry, chilling the hearts of scholars, and cutting off the path for scholars to advance, such perverse actions will surely incur divine retribution."

He paused, his chest heaving violently, his tone growing increasingly sorrowful: "They have forcibly seized the land of the people, leaving countless civilians homeless. In the future, there will surely be corpses everywhere, a truly horrific tragedy!"

"Such sins are too numerous to count."

This scathing rebuke cleverly links the private interests of the aristocratic class with those of the "common people," as if the migration and exile of the Xin clan were entirely for the sake of sympathizing with the suffering of the masses.

In reality, even before the Ming Dynasty was established, the land owned by the common people was already very little. The vast majority of fertile land was concentrated in the hands of aristocratic landowners and powerful families like the Xin family.

The people toil all year round, yet they have to hand over the vast majority of their harvest to rent and taxes. They can barely make ends meet, let alone be "homeless".
The Ming Dynasty's confiscation of land for public use actually only harmed the vested interests of the powerful clans and wealthy families. For the poor, it was an opportunity to have enough to eat and live a better life.

But one's position determines one's perspective. As a prominent clan in Guanzhong, how could the Xin family care about the lives of ordinary people?

They only knew that their land and honor were gone, so they hated the Ming Dynasty's policies to the extreme.

The patriarch of the Xin clan repeatedly kowtowed to the heavens, tears streaming down his face: "I beg the heavens to open their eyes, protect the mighty army of the Great Jin, defeat the barbarians of the northern frontier as soon as possible, recover the lost lands of Guanzhong, and restore a bright and clear world for our gentry."

After kneeling and bowing, he seemed to suddenly remember something and grabbed the steward's hand: "Quickly, quickly write a letter to the younger generation of our Xin family who are officials in Zhongdu."

"Make them beg the Emperor of Jin to send troops back immediately and drive these northern barbarians out of Guanzhong."

But as soon as he finished speaking, he deflated like a punctured balloon and slumped into the armchair.

The Jin Dynasty's national strength has been declining in recent years. Last year, it suffered heavy losses in its war with the Song Dynasty. Can it really defeat the Ming Dynasty, which is currently on the rise?

If the Jin dynasty were to fall and the Ming cavalry were to march into Hedong, Liuxian, their last foothold, would likely be lost.

Extreme emotions clashed and tore at his chest: anger, resentment, fear, despair...

A flood of emotions overwhelmed him, and he felt a tightness in his chest. He couldn't catch his breath, and everything went black before his eyes, causing him to collapse heavily to the ground.

The steward rushed over in a panic, only to hear the Xin clan chief's last, barely audible murmur: "Don't...don't come to Liu County..."

"Chief, Chief..."

"Help! The clan leader has crossed his legs..."

"Quickly call a doctor."

……

Wanggutun, Liaodong.

Deputy Commander Yila Liuge reined in his horse, and the chestnut horse beneath him snorted, seemingly sensing the melancholy in its master's heart.

He had just finished a meeting at the Wanhu Mansion, where the commanders of various tribes were arguing endlessly about the defense line in the northern desert, but he was preoccupied with watching the Jurchens make a fool of themselves.

The people of the northern frontier are becoming increasingly powerful, and the Jurchens are afraid. They don't even dare to take the initiative to attack and can only passively take hits.

"Hahaha~"

“You lowly Jurchen slaves, I, Yelü Liuge, am waiting to see your doom.”

Pushing open the wooden gate, the fence in the yard was crooked and a few hardy green vegetables were shivering in the cold wind.

In the past, his concubine would always greet him with a smile, take his riding whip, and offer him warm tea, but today the courtyard was unusually quiet.

Yila Liuge's heart tightened, and he strode towards the main room. Just as he reached the door, he heard suppressed sobs coming from inside.

"what happened?"

He lifted the curtain and saw his concubine sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her eyes red and swollen, her clothes still covered in mud, and her hair disheveled.

When he came in, her crying didn't stop; instead, she became even more aggrieved.

Yila Liuge stepped forward and grasped her hand, only to find it icy cold. A bad feeling crept into his heart, and as if he had just realized something, he angrily demanded, "Who bullied you?"

The concubine choked back tears as she recounted the reason in fits and starts.

It turned out that she had gone to the Wanhu Mansion for a meeting today, and the Wanhu's son had barged in with several servants, harassing her in every way, and finally even forcibly humiliating her.

Those Khitans who stayed at home tried to stop them, but they were beaten black and blue and were no match for them.

*Snap.*

Yila Liuge slammed his fist on the kang table, his chest heaving violently, the veins on his forehead throbbing, and his eyes filled with raging anger.

He gritted his teeth and growled, "This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"

“Those Jurchen scoundrels simply don’t take me, Yelü Liuge, seriously at all.”

Although his name was Yila Liuge, his real name was Yelü Liuge, and he had the blood of the Liao royal family flowing through his veins.

When the Liao Dynasty was destroyed by the Jin Dynasty, the Jurchens hated the Khitan royal family so much that they forcibly changed the surname "Yelü" to "Yila". This was not only a change of surname, but also a humiliation to the entire Khitan ethnic group.

Although he held the title of deputy commander, he was nothing more than a figurehead.

To prevent rebellion by the Khitans in Liaodong, the Jurchens implemented a system of "two Jurchen households serving as supervisors and one Khitan household serving as supervisors."

Two-thirds of the entire chiliarchy were Jurchens, and only one-third were Khitans. Real power was held by the Jurchen chiliarchy and another Jurchen deputy chiliarchy.

Normally, the Khitans are subjected to all sorts of difficulties and humiliations. But now, the son of a commander dares to humiliate his woman in public. If he tolerates this, what kind of man is he?
What kind of descendants of the Liao royal family are they?
But after the anger subsides comes a chilling sense of powerlessness.

The other party was the son of a commander of ten thousand, who wielded immense power, while he was merely a deputy commander of a thousand with only a title, and had very few Khitans under his command, making him utterly incapable of contending with the other party.

If we act rashly, we may not only fail to avenge our family, but also bring ruin upon our entire clan.

Yila Liuge took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and his eyes gradually sharpened.

He turned and walked out of the room, instructing the servants waiting outside: "Go and fetch those wounded brothers. Tell them I have something important to discuss with them."

Before long, several Khitan men with bruised faces and tattered clothes entered the house.

Their faces bore wounds, but their eyes were filled with resentment and anger.

They had tried their best to stop the woman, but were beaten so badly they were powerless to fight back.

Looking at them, Yila Liuge felt a pang of guilt. He stood up and patted them on the shoulder: "Brothers, I'm sorry you've suffered this injustice."

“I, Yelü Liuge, will remember this humiliation. One day, I will make those Jurchens pay the price.”

Upon hearing the name "Yelü Liuge," the men were all taken aback.

Normally, the commander would never easily mention his real name, so his use of it now clearly showed that he was genuinely angry.

Yila Liuge gestured for everyone to sit down and slowly began to speak: "Today, while attending a meeting at the Wanhu Mansion, I also learned some news: the people of the Northern Frontier have established a country called Da Ming, with the reign title Wu Tai."

The northern frontier was originally thousands of miles away from Liaodong, and these Khitan people had never heard of the name northern frontier before.

However, a few years ago, the people of the northern frontier launched a campaign against the northern grasslands, and successively destroyed the Naiman people and the Qiyan tribe.

He also unified the Kereit and Merkit tribes, bringing the entire northern steppe under his control.

Liaodong and the northern grasslands are separated by only one mountain. When this news came, the Jurchens in Liaodong panicked, but the Khitans were excited.

From that time on, Yelü Liuge kept a close eye on the movements of the people in northern Xinjiang.

Last year, the people of northern Xinjiang fought another battle with the Jurchens in Guanzhong, inflicting a crushing defeat on the Jurchens, losing over 100,000 troops and most of Guanzhong.

Upon learning that the people of the northern frontier had established a state and declared themselves emperors, the Khitan men were instantly thrilled, a hint of wild joy flashing in their eyes.

The war with the Jurchens came one step closer simply because the people of the northern frontier established a state and declared themselves emperors.

Over the years, they had had enough of the Jurchens' oppression and had long hoped that someone could take action against them.

When they learned of the great victory of the Northern Frontier people in Guanzhong, they secretly cheered and encouraged them. "Now that the Northern Frontier people have established a country and declared themselves emperors, perhaps this is our chance."

Yila Liuge's voice suddenly became excited: "Our Khitan people actually have a great deal of power in Liaodong, but it has been dispersed by the Jurchens, which is why we cannot form a significant force."

"If we can take this opportunity to gather our people together, we will surely be able to stir up a storm."

"The Northern Frontier People and the Jurchens are sworn enemies, wishing each other dead. If we join forces with them, we can definitely wipe out all the Jurchens and rebuild the Liao Dynasty."

"Rebuild the Liao Dynasty."

These four words resounded like thunder in everyone's hearts.

Although they were born after the fall of the Liao Dynasty, they grew up listening to their elders recount the glory of the Liao.

At that time, the Khitans were the overlords of the grasslands and a formidable enemy of the Central Plains. How glorious they were!

Now living under someone else's roof, being wantonly humiliated by the Jurchens, the contrast between the two situations is so stark that the seeds of revival have long been sown in their hearts.

Upon hearing the words "rebuild the Great Liao," everyone's faces showed longing and reverence, and their fists clenched unconsciously.

Yelü Ahai, Yila Liuge's younger brother, couldn't help but ask, "Brother, are we really going to contact the people of the Northern Frontier? But will they help us? After all, we don't know them at all."

"meeting."

Yila Liuge said decisively, his eyes filled with determination: "I've also heard some more important news."

"The emperor of the Northern Frontier is named Li Xiao. Although he is a Han Chinese, his empress is a Khitan, and she is a descendant of Yelü Dashi, who fled to the Western Regions."

"Moreover, there are many generals in the northern frontier army who are Khitans."

“We are all of the same kind. Even though we have been separated for decades, our bond remains. They will definitely help us.”

"Is the Empress a Khitan? Or a descendant of Yelü Dashi?"

The crowd erupted in excitement, their doubts vanishing and replaced by boundless exhilaration.

With this blood relation, their connection with the people of northern Xinjiang gained more confidence.

"Yes."

Yila Liuge nodded, his eyes gleaming with hope: "With this connection, if our Khitan people in Liaodong join forces with the Ming Dynasty, we will surely receive more support."

"At that time, the people of the northern frontier will march south to the Central Plains and seize the world, while we Khitans will remain in Liaodong and rebuild the Liao Dynasty."

"If our two countries join forces, we will surely be able to completely wipe out those damned Jurchens and wipe away our shame."

The cold wind outside the window was still biting, but the atmosphere inside the room was getting warmer and warmer.

Several Khitan men began discussing the details of gathering their tribesmen and contacting people in the northern frontier.

……

Winter had deepened in Zhongdu, and inside the Zichen Hall deep within the imperial palace, the underground heating was burning brightly.

Wanyan Yongji leaned back on the dragon throne covered with a thick fox fur coat, his face so pale it was almost transparent, and the dark circles under his eyes were as thick as ink.

In recent years, he has indulged in wine and women, and his body has been completely worn out. If it weren't for the repeated advice from the imperial physicians to reduce sexual activity, he probably wouldn't even have the strength to sit up straight right now.

The palace doors creaked open, and Privy Councilor Pu Sanshilie strode in, his gaze inadvertently sweeping across both sides of the dragon throne.

He was slightly taken aback. Since Wanyan Yongji ascended the throne, this was the first time he had entered the palace to request an audience with the emperor without any beauties by his side.

"Your Majesty, your humble servant San Shilie pays his respects."

Pu Sanshilie knelt on the ground, his voice carrying just the right amount of concern: "Your Majesty's complexion has improved a lot. I beg Your Majesty to follow the doctor's advice and take care of your health. The fate of the Great Jin still depends on Your Majesty to take charge of the overall situation."

Wanyan Yongji waved his hand impatiently, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping: "Get up, I know."

"If you have something important to say, just say it."

Pu Sanshilie rose and stood in the hall with his hands at his sides, his expression becoming solemn: "Your Majesty, an urgent report from Xianyang: Li Xiao has recently proclaimed himself emperor, established the Ming Dynasty, and changed the era name to Wutai."

"what?"

Wanyan Yongji's previously cloudy eyes suddenly widened, and he unconsciously sat up a little straighter. Then, due to exhaustion, he leaned back in his chair, and the hall fell into a deathly silence.

In a daze, his thoughts drifted back to the banks of the Wei River several years ago.

At that time, he was just a prince without real power, ordered to go to Guanzhong to negotiate with the Qin army.

The river shimmered with light that day. On the opposite bank, Li Xiao, dressed in golden armor, stood tall and strong. Despite being excessively young, he stood alone on horseback by the river as if facing a thousand troops.

That domineering and arrogant aura made him tremble at the time, and he could only agree meekly, not daring to say a single tough word.

Now he is the emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty, the supreme ruler, but that scene from back then remains an indelible shame in his heart.

Over the years, he has constantly thought about taking revenge on Li Xiao and washing away that humiliation, but reality has repeatedly woken him up.

The strength of the Northern Frontier is growing stronger. First, it unified the northern grasslands, and then it defeated the Jin army in Guanzhong, losing hundreds of thousands of troops and most of Guanzhong. He simply did not have the confidence to provoke Li Xiao.

What troubled him even more was the situation in the central government.

King Wanyan Yonggong of Yue and others were ambitious and had always coveted his throne, creating obstacles in the court at every turn.

If we rashly launch an attack on the northern frontier, the internal situation will likely descend into chaos before Li Xiao even arrives.

After much deliberation, the only option left was to follow the old path of "pacifying the internal before resisting external aggression."

"Cough...cough..."

Wanyan Yongji suddenly coughed violently, and it took him a long time to catch his breath. He gasped, "That bastard Li Xiao..."

"He was already incredibly arrogant; it was only a matter of time before he became emperor. There's nothing to be surprised about."

"Pass down the order to strengthen the defenses of all border passes and prevent the northern border troops from advancing south. As for the rest, we can ignore them for now."

"Our immediate priority is dealing with that scoundrel Wanyan Yonggong."

“He has always been arrogant and disrespectful to others, relying on his status as the legitimate son. He has formed cliques in the court and opposes me at every turn. If I don’t get rid of him, I will not be able to sit on the throne securely.”

"besides……"

Wanyan Yongji's gaze swept across the outside of the hall, as if he were on guard against something: "How many generals in the army have been replaced?"

“Those veteran generals either sided with the King of Yue or outwardly obeyed but inwardly defied him, and they did not listen to my orders at all.”

"Replace all the key generals in the army with our trusted confidants as soon as possible."

"Only by firmly grasping military power can I rest easy. It won't be too late to deal with that bastard Li Xiao then."

Pu Sanshi Lie bowed and replied, "Your subject obeys the decree and will handle this matter as soon as possible."

But in reality, it's not that simple. The military is deeply entrenched in power, and a single move can have far-reaching consequences.

A war is necessary to mobilize generals on a large scale.

But looking at Wanyan Yongji's pale yet still fierce face, he sighed inwardly.

The Jin Dynasty is currently beset by internal and external troubles, yet the emperor is single-mindedly focused on eliminating internal problems. It seems that the empire is truly on the verge of collapse.

……

When news arrived from the northern frontier that Li Xiao had declared himself emperor and established the Ming Dynasty, the Southern Song court was initially helpless. The Song Dynasty should have been the ruler of the world, but no one was willing to submit to it.

However, Li Xiao's ascension to the throne was not necessarily a bad thing for the Southern Song Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty were inherently at odds. Now that the Ming Dynasty has been established, it will undoubtedly shift the Jin people's attention more to the northern frontier, which may alleviate some of the pressure faced by the Southern Song Dynasty.

Sitting on the dragon throne, Zhao Kuo said softly, "Li Xiao's move has saved us a lot of trouble."

"With the Ming Dynasty keeping the Jin Dynasty in check, I want to see if the Jin Dynasty can still spare the resources to deal with us."

The ministers below echoed this sentiment, with some saying, "The founding of the Ming Dynasty is beneficial to our Song Dynasty."

Some analyzed that "the Jurchens are attacked from both sides and will not dare to invade the south in the short term," and for a moment, the atmosphere in Daqing Hall was somewhat relaxed.

But soon, the commander of the Imperial City Guard entered quickly, carrying a secret report: "Your Majesty, urgent report from the northern frontier. The Imperial City Guard's spies have sent back a message concerning the new Emperor Li Xiao of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhao Kuo's heart stirred, and he gestured for him to present the secret report.

Unfolding the secret report, a line of strong and powerful handwriting came into view. It was an oath written by Li Xiao himself after he became emperor: "I will not submit to the emperor, I will not pay tribute, I will not cede territory, I will not pay reparations, I will not make peace through marriage, the princes will guard the country's gates, and the monarch will die for the country."

The secret report also noted that this phrase had been engraved in the Fengtian Hall of Longcheng and was strictly forbidden to be removed, so that future emperors of the Ming Dynasty would be reminded of it every day.

It has already spread throughout the Ming Dynasty, allowing the people to monitor it together.

If any unworthy descendant breaks this rule, they will not be allowed to enter the imperial mausoleum or the ancestral temple.

After reading these words, Zhao Kuo's smile instantly froze. His relaxed mood just now felt like a fly had been shoved into his throat, making him feel disgusted and frustrated.

"We will not submit to your authority...we will not pay tribute..."

Zhao Kuo repeated these words in a low voice, his face growing more and more unpleasant with each word.

He couldn't help but think of the past of the Song Dynasty. During the Shaoxing Peace Treaty, Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou, in order to protect himself, bowed down to the Jin Dynasty and even accepted the Jin Dynasty's "conferment" of the title of emperor.

As for paying tribute, it was an annual, unwavering practice, with annual gifts and silk continuously sent to the Jin Kingdom.

Upon seeing the word "no marriage alliance," Zhao Kuo's expression darkened even further.

Although the Southern Song Dynasty never sent a princess to the Jin Dynasty for a marriage alliance, just a few years ago, the Southern Song Dynasty took the initiative to send a princess to the northern frontier to marry Li Xiao.

Although Zhao Yue has been bestowed the title of Consort Shu by Li Xiao and seems to be enjoying a glorious life, in the face of Li Xiao's vow of "not to marry into the Southern Song Dynasty," it has become evidence of the Southern Song Dynasty's initiative to show weakness.

It was like an invisible slap that landed hard on Zhao Kuo's face.

No ceding territory?
The Shaoxing Peace Treaty and the Longxing Peace Treaty ceded a considerable amount of land to the Jin Dynasty.

The last sentence, "no compensation," goes without saying; our Great Song Dynasty has always been committed to compensating even those far away.

The atmosphere inside the Daqing Hall instantly turned icy. Seeing the emperor's displeasure, the ministers also suppressed their smiles, lowered their heads, and dared not utter a word.

Li Xiao's oath, at its core, represents the founding principles of the Ming Dynasty and contains no intention of discriminating against the Song Dynasty.

However, in the eyes of the Southern Song emperors and ministers, every sentence seemed to be a "hidden meaning" about the Southern Song.

What the Southern Song Dynasty did was exactly what the Ming Dynasty despised; what the Ming Dynasty upheld was exactly what the Southern Song Dynasty had long since abandoned.

Zhao Kuo took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger and humiliation in his heart, his voice slightly hoarse: "Seal this secret report and never take it out again. No one is allowed to mention these words again."

"His Majesty……"

Han Tuozhou spoke up, "Now that the Ming Dynasty has been established, should we send someone to the northern frontier to offer our congratulations?"

Zhao Kuo nodded helplessly.

The Ming Dynasty is currently very powerful. If we can be on good terms with the Ming Dynasty, it will be entirely beneficial to the Southern Song Dynasty.

If these few vows were to anger the Ming Dynasty, and Li Xiao were to be angered, causing the Ming Dynasty to join forces with the Jin Dynasty against the Southern Song Dynasty, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"group."

Zhao Kuo gritted his teeth and said, "Select capable envoys from the court, prepare generous gifts, and immediately go to the northern frontier to offer congratulations."

"Remember, when you see Li Xiao, you must be respectful and never be impolite."

Han Tuozhou bowed and replied, "Your subject obeys the decree."

(End of this chapter)