I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 190 Fiery Red Lips
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Wang Fu really wanted to kill Cai You; this guy was spouting nothing but his own words!
The key point is that Wang Fu has been waiting for this opportunity to rise to prominence for a long time.

Who would have thought that just when he was about to make a name for himself and receive a reward, a shrewd man suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

The crucial point is that this "Cheng Yaojin" is the eldest son of Cai Jing, Zhao Yu's most trusted prime minister. Wang Fu simply cannot afford to offend him, and dares not even provoke him.

'Cai Jing is vindictive; if I were to contend with Cai You, I would surely incur the wrath of him and his son—it would be a losing proposition!'

"A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan. If His Majesty truly chooses Cai You, I should remain patient and wait for the opportune moment. I must not jeopardize my future due to momentary impulse."

It's no wonder that Wang Fu was so afraid of Cai You. Cai You's father, Cai Jing, now held immense power in the court. Although he wasn't the prime minister, he was practically indistinguishable from one.

In retrospect, it was only because Cai You chose the wrong side and bet on Zhao Ji that he succeeded. Otherwise, with Cai Jing's current power, Cai You would not have ended up as a mere clerk like Wang Fu.

Now, in a similar situation to Wang Fu, Cai You also hopes to make some contributions while following Zhao Yu on his personal expedition, so that he can be promoted upon returning home.

Unfortunately, Cai You was neither good at literature nor martial arts, and even though Cai Jing placed him by Zhao Yu's side, he never made any significant contributions.

This is how Cai You seized the opportunity from Wang Fu.

Looking at Wang Fu and Cai You, this pair of brilliant strategists, Zhao Yu thought for a moment. Although Cai You had indeed served as the Privy Councilor in history, just one step away from becoming prime minister, his position was largely undeserved. Looking at his actions throughout history, apart from serving Zhao Ji very well, he had not accomplished anything beneficial to the development of the Song Dynasty. On the contrary, he had caused one mess after another, making him a meddlesome courtier who was more trouble than he was worth. In comparison, Wang Fu, who had climbed to the position of prime minister on his own, was far more capable than him.

While the matter of demanding Xiao Puxian and others may not seem like a major issue, it was still very important to the Zhao Song Dynasty. If not handled properly, it could greatly increase the difficulty for the Zhao Song Dynasty to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun in the future.

Therefore, Zhao Yu ignored Cai You's offer of service and said to Wang Fu, "One should not trouble two masters with one matter. Since this matter was brought up by you, my dear minister, you should go and bring back Xiao Puxian's daughter..."

At this point, Zhao Yu looked at Zhang Chun and asked knowingly, "Who were those talented people from Liao that you mentioned the other day...?"

Zhang Chun immediately rattled off the names as if they were his own treasures: "Yelü Dashi, courtesy name Zhongde, is an eighth-generation descendant of Yelü Abaoji; Xiao Gan, also known as Huilibao, is a descendant of Xi King Telin; Liu Yanzong, this man was previously an envoy to our Great Song..."

Zhang Chun rattled off more than a dozen names in one breath, clearly indicating that she intended to hollow out the backbone of the Liao Kingdom, leaving none for Liao or Jin.

After Zhang Chun finished reciting the names of these Liao talents, Zhao Yu said, "Make sure you remember them. Bring these people and their families here, but be careful not to overstep the bounds."

Wang Fu was overjoyed and immediately bowed to the ground, saying, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

After Wang Fu went to make preparations, Zhao Yu turned to Cai You and said, "This matter arose because of Wang Fu. If I were to hand it over to you, what would Wang Fu think of me? Don't worry, my dear. Just do your job well, and you will surely have your day to make a name for yourself in the future."

Although Cai You felt somewhat uncomfortable, he dared not show it on his face. He could only bow respectfully and say, "Your humble servant will certainly devote himself to Your Majesty with utmost loyalty and devotion, even unto death..."

……

Another day.

Wang Fu entered Yanjing City.

Initially, Wang Fu did not directly request the people, but instead inquired about Yelü Dashi and others from the Liao people indirectly.

As a result, Wang Fu found out that Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan had once planned to take Yelü Yanxi out of Yanjing City.

Wang Fu also heard that Liu Yanzong, Shi Li'ai, Han Fang, and others had offered many suggestions that were detrimental to the Zhao Song Dynasty.

Wang Fu immediately came up with a plan.

Then, Wang Fu took Zhao Yu's imperial edict to Xiao Fengxian and said to him, "His Majesty the Emperor of our dynasty has heard that Xiao Puxian, Yelü Dashi, Xiao Gan, Liu Yanzong, Shi Li'ai, Han Fang and others have repeatedly seriously injured our Great Song Dynasty, intending to undermine the peaceful coexistence between the two countries. For the sake of both countries, we hope that your dynasty will hand them over to our Great Song Dynasty for disposal."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fengxian immediately understood that his younger brother Xiao Baoxian's plan had succeeded.

Xiao Fengxian pretended to be very embarrassed and told Wang Fu the truth: "Some of the people the ambassador wants, especially their family members, are not in Yanjing, so it is really difficult to befriend them all."

Wang Fu said, "Those who will be in Yanjing City can be sent to our camp one by one."

Xiao Fengxian still did not agree, only saying, "I will return to the capital and discuss it with His Majesty the Emperor before giving the ambassador an answer, is that alright?"

Seeing that Xiao Fengxian was trying to shirk responsibility, Wang Fu said sternly, "Our Great Song Dynasty can conquer Yanjing at any time. The reason our troops have not entered the city is to preserve the Khitan state and save the lives of the city's inhabitants. If your dynasty refuses to hand them over, His Majesty the Emperor of our dynasty will surely take them by force. A mere city can be wiped out overnight! In that case, the common people in the city will inevitably suffer the ravages of war. I hope your dynasty will not make a mistake!"

Xiao Fengxian hurriedly replied, "How can our dynasty not have compassion for the common people? I will return to the court immediately to report to His Majesty the Emperor about this matter."

Afterwards, Xiao Fengxian went to Yelü Yanxi to tell him about the matter.

Seeing that Xiao Fengxian had accomplished this, Yelü Yanxi was actually quite conflicted.

On the one hand, emotionally, he was unwilling to sacrifice his beloved Xiao Puxian to seek peace;

On the other hand, rationally speaking, giving Xiao Puxian to Zhao Yu would be most advantageous for him.

Under Xiao Fengxian's persuasion, Yelü Yanxi did not hesitate for long before summoning Yelü Heluwo and his son Yelü Chun and telling them about Zhao Yu's demand for Xiao Puxian and others.

When Zhao Yu asked for his betrothed daughter-in-law, Yelü Heluwo was furious and said, "Our Great Liao has already agreed to pay annual tribute and interest, yet the Song emperor still demands my betrothed daughter-in-law and loyal ministers and generals, humiliating our Great Liao. This is outrageous!"

Xiao Fengxian sighed and said, "Madam Yao has a strong personality and has repeatedly criticized the Song Emperor, which has been discovered by the Song Emperor. He is determined to deal with her personally, that's one reason. The Song Emperor is extremely fond of women and cannot be happy without them. Madam Yao is the most beautiful woman in our Great Liao. How could the Song Emperor not covet Madam Yao's beauty and try to possess her? That's the second reason. Therefore, it is probably impossible not to send Madam Yao over."

Xiao Fengxian then relayed Wang Fu's threats against the Liao Dynasty to Yelü Yanxi and his ministers.

This time, everyone, including Yelü and Luwo, fell silent.

Back then, Yanjing City had numerous warhorses and complete armor, yet it couldn't stop the Song army from attacking. Now that the horses and armor are gone, Yanjing City is even less likely to withstand the Song army's assault.

Upon hearing this, Yelü Yanxi wept bitterly, saying, "It is all the ministers' fault that I am trapped in the city. Otherwise, with my fortitude, how could I have endured such humiliation?!"

Xiao Fengxian advised from the side:
"Paying annual tribute and interest is not a peace treaty. When peace is negotiated, it is hard to guarantee that the Southern Dynasty will not demand payment for the army, or cede the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and the Three Prefectures of Ping, Luan and Ying. If that happens, how can our Great Liao survive?"

"Now that the Song emperor has taken a liking to Lady Yao, what seems like a misfortune might actually be a blessing in disguise. If we were to arrange a marriage between Lady Yao and the Song emperor, and she were to whisper sweet nothings in his ear after the marriage, the Southern Dynasty might not demand payment for the army, would not cede territory to our Great Liao, and might even withdraw its troops as soon as possible." "I dare to presume to speak, but I have no choice but to offer my humble opinion. If peace negotiations fail and the Song army breaches our Nanjing city, will Lady Yao be spared? The Southern Dynasty is powerful now, and since the Song emperor has taken a liking to Lady Yao, how could he let her go? It would be better to arrange a marriage between Lady Yao and the Song emperor to preserve the Great Liao dynasty."

"Throughout history, many dynasties have chosen the strategy of marriage alliance when facing border troubles. If a marriage alliance is successful, the Liao and Song dynasties can turn enemies into friends, form a strong alliance, end the war forever, and cultivate friendly relations. This is truly a blessing for the people of both countries."

"This strategy is not merely a marriage alliance, but a plan to secure the country. Once the marriage alliance is established, the border wars can be quelled, and trade between the borders can resume. The Liao and Song dynasties will use the marriage alliance as a bond to establish a brotherly relationship, each guarding its own borders, sending envoys to each other, and exchanging goods. In this way, the people of both countries can live in peace and prosperity, cattle and sheep can be heard in the border areas, merchants can travel back and forth without end, and the cultures of the Han and non-Han peoples will blend together. The benefits are immense."

What Xiao Fengxian said was actually very objective and reasonable. Every word struck a chord with everyone present, gradually calming their surging anger and resentment, and replacing it with deep reflection and helpless compromise.

Yelü Heluo slowly loosened his clenched fists, the anger in his eyes extinguished by the clear spring of reason. He knew that Xiao Fengxian's words were true; the Liao Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, and any impulsive decision could plunge the country into an abyss of no return.

Yelü Yanxi went even further, saying, "Privy Councilor Xiao is right. What does personal honor or disgrace matter when it comes to the country and the people? To protect the lives of all the people in the city and the ancestral temples and state of the Great Liao, shouldn't I also send Consort Wen to the Song Emperor for disposal?"

Upon hearing this, Yelü Chun looked somber. Although he was extremely unwilling, he understood that this was the only viable strategy at present. He slowly said, "Things have come to this point, and we must prioritize the overall situation. In the end, Puxian and I are destined to be apart."

With Yelü Chun's consideration for the overall situation, Yelü Yanxi and Xiao Fengxian achieved all their goals, and thus the matter was settled.

However, although Xiao Puxian's status was noble, she was not a member of the royal family, nor even a member of the imperial clan.

The key point is that Xiao Puxian was essentially abandoned by the Liao Dynasty, so it can't be considered a marriage alliance. Whether she would speak up for the Liao Dynasty after marrying into it is really hard to say.

They even had to be wary of the possibility that Xiao Puxian, driven by love turned to hate, would not only refuse to speak up for the Liao Dynasty but would also incite the Zhao Song Dynasty to attack the Liao Dynasty.

After discussion, Yelü Yanxi and his ministers decided to marry three more talented and beautiful women from the imperial clan to Zhao Yu in the name of a princess, and to send twenty-four close relatives, clan women, and noblewomen as dowry, so that they could whisper sweet nothings in Zhao Yu's ear.

As for Yelü Dashi, Xiao Gan, and others that Zhao Yu wanted, Yelü Yanxi was so eager to kill them that he couldn't bear to part with them.

Yelü Yanxi cared even less about Liu Yanzong, Shi Li'ai, Han Fang, and other Han Chinese from the Liao Kingdom.

Therefore, the Liao Dynasty's Northern and Southern Courts acted simultaneously, first detaining the families of Yelü Dashi and others in Yanjing. Regardless of age, they were all bound with ropes and lined up in the corridors of the government office. Then, they were sent to Song army camps in batches.

Some family members stayed in the corridor for a day or two without being sent back. The Liao Dynasty did not provide them with food or lodging, so these people suffered from hunger and cold, and their cries of hunger and cold never ceased.

This made these people hate the Liao Dynasty to the core.

Later, after these people surrendered to the Zhao Song Dynasty, they would seize any opportunity to instigate Zhao Yu to attack the Liao Dynasty and recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and the Three Prefectures of Pingluanying.

These are all things to be discussed later, so let's leave them aside for now.

It is said that if it weren't for the war between Song and Liao, Xiao Puxian, who had already married Yelü Chun as a concubine, heard that Yelü Yanxi, Yelü Chun and others, in order to "consider the overall situation," actually wanted her to marry the enemy. She was heartbroken and devastated.

Xiao Puxian could not believe that her beloved fiancé, Yelü Chun, a great hero of the Liao Kingdom, would agree to send her to a foreign land for temporary peace in the interest of the country, pushing her into an unknown abyss of fate.

Xiao Puxian was no ordinary woman; she had long been aware of the cruelty and ruthlessness of court intrigue. However, she never imagined that one day she would become a pawn in the struggle for the survival of the nation, sacrificed on the political chessboard.

Xiao Puxian sat alone in her boudoir, gazing at the bleak autumn scenery outside the window, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She recalled the bits and pieces of stories she had heard since childhood about Yelü Chun…

This was the husband Xiao Puxian chose herself. Unexpectedly, it was this same man who, at a crucial moment, unhesitatingly gave her away to another man.

"Yelü Chun is neither a good match for me nor a hero. Giving me to Zhao Yu is his loss, not mine!"

Xiao Puxian murmured to herself, her eyes flashing with a resolute light. Although she was a woman, she possessed a pride and resilience that rivaled any man's.

Xiao Puxian stood up, walked to the bronze mirror, and gazed at her stunningly beautiful face reflected in it, a cold smile playing on her lips. This beauty, once her pride and joy, had now become the fuse that pushed her into the abyss. She gently stroked her reflection, as if bidding farewell to her past self, or perhaps anticipating her impending fate.

"Fine, since the Eternal Heaven has made this arrangement, I'll see what kind of man it has chosen for me!"

Xiao Puxian murmured softly, her eyes gleaming with an indomitable light.

The next morning, Xiao Puxian was summoned to the palace. Facing the cold faces of Yelü Yanxi and others, she already knew in her heart that there was no room for maneuver in this matter.

Yelü Yanxi rebuked him on the grounds of national righteousness, his words earnest, yet he could not conceal his selfishness and cowardice.

This made Xiao Puxian, who already looked down on Yelü Yanxi, look down on him even more.

Xiao Puxian wouldn't even glance at a man like that, let alone speak to him.

Furthermore, Xiao Puxian knew very well that things had come to this point, and there was no point in saying anything now.

So, Xiao Puxian left without saying a word or bowing to Yelü Yanxi. She didn't believe that Yelü Yanxi, that coward, would dare punish Zhao Yu's woman just because she didn't bow.

As Xiao Puxian had predicted, things unfolded exactly as she had. Despite her disrespectful behavior towards Yelü Yanxi, who was furious but did not punish her, Yelü Yanxi later promoted his father, Xiao Degong, and sent him to persuade her to do her best to mediate for the Liao Dynasty.

It is worth mentioning that, at the moment of parting, Xiao Puxian gave Yelü Chun a deep look, her eyes filled with both disdain and determination.

This is also the reason why Xiao Puxian came to see Yelü Yanxi and his ministers.

As was both reasonable and unexpected, Yelü Chun didn't dare to meet Xiao Puxian's gaze. His eyes, fixed on the ground, were filled with self-reproach and reluctance.

Compared to Xiao Puxian, Yelü Chun loved the Liao Dynasty more. Therefore, he could only harden his heart and bury this deep affection, transforming it into endless loyalty and protection for the Liao Dynasty. He silently vowed, 'When the Liao Dynasty prospers, I will surely take you back to repay the regret of failing you today!'

Xiao Puxian did not linger, nor did she attempt suicide.

After returning home, Xiao Puxian asked her maid to pack their things in preparation for their wedding.

It is worth mentioning that, unlike the three Liao princesses who went to marry foreign rulers and their accompanying daughters, Xiao Puxian did not wear a green wedding dress. Instead, she wore a fiery red wedding dress, with bright red lipstick, and embarked on her journey to the Zhaigong Palace...

……

(End of this chapter)