I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 285 Tonight I'm Going to Beat Ten

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After Wanyan Yinshu was led to Cai Jing's residence, Cai Jing instructed them to perform the "crowning salute" (趋庭礼). This was because Cai Jing had heard that Wanyan Yinshu was a military officer, and in the Song Dynasty, military officers were required to perform this salute when meeting their superior.

However, Wanyan Yinshu refused to agree, insisting on a separate meeting, that is, a ceremony of equality.

Cai Jing immediately realized that Wanyan Yinshu was no ordinary person, so he became extremely cautious.

Cai Jing said, “His Majesty has promised you grain and armor. Our Great Song has always kept its word. We can sell it to you, and we can even send it to Liaodong. However, it must be transported from Jiangnan to Liaodong, and there is the Liao Kingdom in between, so transportation is difficult. Therefore, each shi of grain will cost ten taels of silver or one tael of gold, and the armor…”

After Cai Jing finished quoting the price, Wanyan Yinshuke's temples throbbed. His mind was filled with the word "black," and he cursed the Zhao Song Dynasty for taking advantage of the chaos!
Since ancient times, the Hu people have lacked food and iron tools, which is the weakness of all the Hu people.

Back then, Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, seized upon this weakness of the Xiongnu, cutting off their supply lines, leaving them with no choice but to use bones as arrowheads.

The Xiongnu people liked Han silk, didn't they? Then let's trade warhorses for it.

Thus, the Han people could exchange five hundred bolts of silk for three thousand warhorses.

Through economic warfare alone, the Han people emptied the Xiongnu's coffers.

Later, Emperor Wu of Han sent Wei Qing and Huo Qubing with warhorses obtained in exchange from the Xiongnu to destroy the Xiongnu's stronghold.

Wanyan Yinshuke was no ordinary barbarian without business acumen; he was well-versed in Han culture and possessed great wisdom.

Seeing how corrupt the Zhao Song Dynasty was, Wanyan Yinshu immediately realized that the Zhao Song Dynasty was preparing to follow the example of Emperor Wu of Han and wage an economic war against the Jin Dynasty, taking advantage of their misfortune.

Wanyan Yinshu even felt that all the three hundred daughters of the Jin royal family, the imperial clan, and the nobles they had carefully prepared for Zhao Yu, along with all those gifts, had been wasted, because the Zhao Song dynasty clearly wanted to weaken their great Jin dynasty through economic warfare, rather than joining forces with their great Jin dynasty to attack the Liao dynasty from the north and south.

'This is troublesome!' Wanyan Yinshu thought to himself.

After hearing Cai Jing's offer, Wanyan Yinshu didn't immediately try to bargain with him. Instead, he proposed that they wanted 3,000 shi of salt and 2,000 kaolao of green vitriol...

Wanyan Yinshu could have anything the Zhao Song Dynasty had, and it could sell it, but the price would be at least ten times higher.

Wanyan Yinshu finally understood that the Zhao Song Dynasty just wanted to profit from the war.

At this moment, Wanyan Yinshu made up his mind that he must not return the Yan-Yun region to the Zhao Song Dynasty. Otherwise, the Zhao Song Dynasty would not even need to fight; it could destroy the Jin Dynasty through economic warfare alone. The Jin Dynasty would only be able to follow the example of the Liao Dynasty and occupy the Yan-Yun region, which could be invaded from the south at any time, thus constantly threatening the security of the Zhao Song Dynasty. Only then would the Zhao Song Dynasty obediently provide the Jin Dynasty with all kinds of supplies that it needed.

With this understanding, Wanyan Yinshuke began to negotiate with Cai Jing.

In response to Cai Jing's exorbitant demands, Wanyan Yinshu simply stated that if their Great Jin Kingdom did not have these grains and supplies, it would not be able to withstand the Liao Kingdom's encirclement and suppression, and thus would be unable to help the Zhao Song Dynasty weaken the Liao Kingdom.

Wanyan Yinshu could imply that the emperor of their Great Jin Dynasty had married all three of his daughters to Zhao Yu, and had also married a large number of Jin royal daughters, clan daughters, and noble daughters to Zhao Yu. He had also used the resources of the entire nation to prepare gifts for Zhao Yu. It could be said that the entire nation's resources were used to win Zhao Yu's favor. If Zhao Yu did not treat the Jin Dynasty well, who would recognize the Zhao Song Dynasty as a superior nation, and would they still have contact with the Zhao Song Dynasty?
Since Wanyan Yinshu had even said such things, Cai Jing had no choice but to consult Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu thought about it and felt that Wanyan Yinshuke was right. Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs would indeed be a losing proposition. So he asked Cai Jing to lower the price for Wanyan Yinshuke.

Ultimately, the Song Dynasty sold everything the Jin Dynasty wanted to them for roughly three times the market price.

Although it is still very expensive, it is barely within the range that the Jin Kingdom can accept.

The two sides therefore reached an agreement.

Then, Wanyan Yinshuke took the initiative to ask, "From now on, if our two families become friends, is it better to be brothers, uncle and nephew, or close friends?"

This is something that small countries, especially emerging small countries, are very concerned about. After all, they can use a big flag as a shield to stabilize their internal rule.

In this matter, Zhao Yu and his ministers finally put Wanyan Yinshuke and the Jin envoys at ease. Cai Jing readily replied, "Both of our families are great powers. When great powers interact, we should naturally use the etiquette of close friends."

Wanyan Yinshu and the Jin envoys were all very satisfied to hear that the Zhao Song Dynasty acknowledged their Great Jin Dynasty as a great power.

After the two sides finished discussing the details, Zhao Yu, because Wanyan Yinshuke had repeatedly requested a flower banquet, and according to Zhao Liangsi's report, the Jin emperor had said that Wanyan Yinshuke was "treated well," issued an edict to grant a spring banquet.

According to the etiquette system of the Song Dynasty, when the court held banquets, it would generally bestow three types of flowers upon its officials. First, for the emperor's birthday banquet, if a Liao envoy was present, silk flowers would be used to show frugality, a tradition inherited from ancestors. Second, for the spring and autumn banquets, silk flowers, a very beautiful type of flower, would be used. Third, after grand ceremonies such as the sacrificial rites to Heaven or suburban sacrifices, or spring outings on the Lantern Festival, or after visiting the Qionghua flowers at Jinming Pond, the emperor would hold a small banquet with his officials, called a "duiyu" (对御).

During the Song Dynasty, emperors bestowed rewards according to the rank of their officials, and there were limits on the number of flowers given at banquets. The most frequently bestowed flower was the "dripping powder and embroidered gold" flower, which was given in much greater quantities than other flowers, because the spring banquet was the most elaborate flower banquet.

The Spring Banquet was held in the Jiying Hall.

After the banquet, Wanyan Yinshu took his leave of Zhao Yu, kneeling and saying, "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty. May our two countries be on good terms for generations to come, sharing peace and prosperity. And may Your Majesty treat the women of my Great Jin kindly."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yu said, "They are now my concubines, and I will treat them well. You should tell your emperor to rest assured. As for the peace and prosperity that our two countries share, that is also what I desire. I hope that our two countries can move towards each other and not go against each other."

After the Jin envoys left, Zhao Yu asked Cai Jing and the others, "What is your opinion of the Jurchens?"

Cai Jing said, "The Jurchens are greedy and tyrannical, and only care about profit. If we do not comply, they will definitely provoke trouble. We must be on guard."

Zhao Yu nodded secretly, thinking, 'Cai Jing is indeed shrewd; he saw through the true nature of the Jurchens in an instant.'

Cai Bian said, "We must use both kindness and severity towards the Jurchens, otherwise they will look down on our Great Song."

Su Shi said, "With Your Majesty's successive recovery of eleven prefectures including Qinghai, Tibet, Western Xia, and Yanyun as a deterrent, the Jurchens will not dare to act rashly. Otherwise, the border troubles would be truly unpredictable."

Zhao Yu concluded: "The Jurchens are so greedy, tyrannical, cunning, and audacious that they are bound to be a great enemy of our Song Dynasty. You must keep this in mind and be on guard at all times."

Cai Jing and the others bowed in unison and said, "Yes!"

……

To be honest, Zhao Yu didn't have high expectations for the beautiful Jurchen girl.

According to Zhao Yu, wealthy Jurchens adorned themselves with pearls and jade, and wore black fur coats made of fine cloth or clothing made of sable, blue fox, and badger fur. Poor people wore fur coats made of cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, cats, dogs, fish, and snakes. On the first day of each Lunar New Year, they worshipped the rising sun and celebrated with one another. On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the Double Fifth Festival, they held a grand willow-shooting ceremony and offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth. They did not have a year-counting system; they considered a year to be the first time wild grass turned green. Wealthy families typically gave cattle and horses as dowries for marriages, while poor girls, upon reaching the age of fifteen, would sing as they traveled, using their songs to "describe their family background, feminine skills, and beauty, thus expressing their desire for a partner." Young men who heard their songs and were unmarried but wished to marry could first take the girl home, then bring gifts and go with her to her parents' house to inform them of their impending marriage.

They had no medicine and relied on shamanism. If someone fell ill, they would invite a shaman to slaughter a pig as a form of exorcism. If that didn't work, the sick person would be taken by cart to a deep mountain valley to die. If the sick person died, their relatives would cut their foreheads with knives, letting blood and tears flow freely; this was called "sending blood and tears." The dead were not buried in coffins, but if the deceased was of high status, their favored servants and horses would be burned alive as a sacrifice. All sacrificial offerings and food for the deceased had to be burned; this was called "burning food."

They were divided into seventy-two tribes, scattered along the riverbanks or in the valleys.

Looking at it this way, it's not an exaggeration to say that the Jurchens were savages. Zhao Yuzhen suspected that these so-called beautiful Jurchen girls were just a group of thin, withered village girls who might not have taken a bath since birth.

Therefore, although the Ministry of Rites had sent these three hundred beautiful Jurchen girls into the palace, Zhao Yu never intended to visit them at the Golden Palace.

The beautiful girls of the Liao Dynasty were different.

The Liao Dynasty had been established for over two hundred years, and its people, especially its nobles, had become highly Sinicized. Their clothing and makeup inherited the styles of the Tang and Song Dynasties, possessing both the boldness of the North and the gentleness of the Central Plains. Noblewomen were often skilled in poetry, calligraphy, painting, music, chess, and chess, displaying unparalleled elegance in every gesture.

Dressed in silk and brocade, adorned with pearls and jade, they moved with a light and graceful gait, like the most beautiful flowers in spring, a delight to behold.

In short, Liao women possessed both the gentle tenderness of women from the Central Plains and the heroic spirit of women from the grasslands. Their smiles held the freshness of morning dew, their eyes sparkled with the depth of a galaxy, as if every strand of their hair contained a story of a thousand years, and every glance could paint a breathtaking picture.

Moreover, Yelü Yanxi and his ministers spared no expense this time, sending Zhao Yu a beautiful Liao girl who was even more beautiful than before.

As the saying goes, a woman can't stay eighteen forever, but there will always be women who are eighteen.

These days, Zhao Yu has been playing with these beautiful young women from the Liao Kingdom who have just entered the palace.

On their first day in the palace, Zhao Yu took Yelü Yanxi's eldest daughter, Princess Yelü Yabuli of Wei, as his concubine.

By now, Zhao Yu has developed nearly a hundred of them. If given another month or two, he should be able to develop them all.

First, it should be noted that the reason why Zhao Yu was so eager to exploit all these Liao women was not only because he was lustful, but also because they were actually a very important political force.

Zhao Yu was well aware that although he did not choose to ally with Jin to destroy Liao like Zhao Ji did, and even secretly helped Liao, the war between Liao and Jin would most likely end with Jin winning and Liao losing.

As for the reasons, there are too many to list.

For example, Yelü Yanxi was far inferior to Wanyan Aguda.

For example, looking solely at warfare with cold weapons, the Jin generals of the early Jin dynasty were indeed among the most capable and valiant warriors of their time. Neither the generals of the Liao dynasty nor the generals of the Song dynasty could match them. This has been proven by history and there is no point in arguing about it.

For example, the Jurchen people, as a newly emerging nomadic people, were united and eager for victory. In contrast, the Liao Dynasty had been in decline for more than two hundred years, and was riddled with internal conflicts. The power struggles among nobles and the infighting among court officials had left the country in ruins, making it difficult to gather an effective resistance force.

Once the Jin dynasty defeats the Liao dynasty, the beautiful Liao girls in Zhao Yu's possession will be of great use. With them, Zhao Yu might even be able to annex the remaining Liao forces without a fight.

This was an idea that Zhang Chun and Xiao Puxian suggested to Zhao Yu, a timeless political tactic—marriage alliance.

As soon as Zhao Yu returned to the inner palace, the lady-in-waiting who had been attending to him stepped forward and asked, "Where does Your Majesty intend to rest tonight, and whom will you be with?"

"Prepare the carriage for the Liao Palace," Zhao Yu said.

After speaking, Zhao Yu walked towards the Liao Palace.

On the other hand, they learned that Zhao Yu would be coming to their Liao Palace to rest again tonight.

The Liao women were overjoyed, especially since the beautiful Jin girls had already entered the palace.

Some of them naively believed that as long as they served Zhao Yu well, the Zhao Song Dynasty would side with the Liao Dynasty, or at least not help the Jin Dynasty.

That's why, when they heard that Zhao Yu was coming to their place, they dressed up as much as they could, trying their best to please him.

Of course, the Liao girls who think this way are all newcomers who still have feelings for their homeland.

Many Liao women still hoped to take advantage of Zhao Yu's interest in them and quickly conceive a child with the emperor.

This is what matters most to them.

As for his homeland?

Their homeland had already given them to Zhao Yu; they were Zhao Yu's women. Only a fool would continue to serve his homeland, especially when they were enemies of Zhao Yu.

In short, all the women of Liao Dynasty dressed themselves up carefully, hoping that Zhao Yu would choose them.

When Zhao Yu arrived at the Liao Palace.

After seeing nearly a thousand beauties of all shapes and sizes, he was overwhelmed with choices.

After looking around, Zhao Yu said, "Tonight I want to take on ten." He then chose five old men, including Xiao Puxian, Xiao Sese, Yelü Yabuli, and two beautiful women he had feelings for, as well as five virgins.

The chosen Liao women all wore expressions of joy, their eyes sparkling with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. Some lowered their heads shyly, while others smiled slightly, exchanging silent joy and blessings with each other. For them, being chosen by Zhao Yu was not only a symbol of personal honor, but also a potential bargaining chip for settling down in a foreign land.

The Liao women who weren't chosen, though showing a barely perceptible hint of disappointment, quickly composed themselves and maintained a polite smile. They dared not leave a bad impression on Zhao Yu, for that would mean their chances were completely over. Instead, they waited with dignified composure, hoping that perhaps next time, fortune would smile upon them.

—In this deep palace, every time they were chosen to serve the emperor, it was a silent contest. So, even if they had mixed feelings, they still maintained their composure and elegance, as if everything was under their control.

Finally, Zhao Yu, with one arm around Xiao Puxian and the other around Xiao Sese, and surrounded by eight other Liao women and his entourage, went to the "brothel" that Zhao Yu had randomly chosen...

……

(End of this chapter)