The prince is more stable

Chapter 111 Live Recording History
The disadvantages of a country where civil officials are valued and military officials are despised are fully demonstrated in front of foreigners.

I can't straighten my back. Even though my waist is already bent so low, others still find fault with me.

Zhao Xiaoqian did not like superficial harmony gained by groveling, and his attitude towards others was usually equal communication.

I will treat you the same way you treat me, so that everyone is fair.

If you have a bad attitude, Zhao Xiaoqian's attitude will only be worse.

In a word: Did I give you face?

The Liao envoy was still riding on his horse, with a look of astonishment on his face. He seemed to have not expected that there would be an official from the Song Dynasty who would dare to confront him.

So, did the Song Dynasty change its attitude towards the Liao Dynasty? Where did they get the confidence from?

Zhao Xiaoqian's tough attitude obviously exceeded the Liao envoy's understanding, so much so that the Liao envoy did not react for a long time. He just sat on his horse stupidly, neither saying a word nor moving.

Zhao Xiaoqian was getting impatient: "Are you going to get off the horse or not? Do you want me to ask you to come down myself?"

"Since you're an envoy, you should know basic diplomatic etiquette, right? You're entering the capital of the Great Song Dynasty and acting so arrogantly. Does the ruler of Liao know this?"

Qian Zhongshen, who was standing next to him, had a cold sweat on his forehead and looked at Zhao Xiaoqian in shock.

Is the Song Dynasty already so powerful now? Why is it that I, the Minister of Rites, have no idea about this?

After the Treaty of Chanyuan, the Song Dynasty had to swallow its anger towards the Liao people for nearly a hundred years. The two countries reached an agreement that the Song Dynasty would pay annual tribute, and the Liao Dynasty would no longer harass or plunder the Song Dynasty border, or in other words, try not to harass.

Peace has been maintained for nearly a hundred years. The people of Song Dynasty have gone from feeling humiliated at first to now the whole country seems to have become accustomed to this way of getting along between the two countries. This is a terrible subtle influence.

And under this appearance of peace, the backbone of the nation has unknowingly become more and more bent, and gradually cannot be straightened up.

So when Qian Zhongshen saw Zhao Xiaoqian's tough attitude, he was shocked for a moment, and then looked at the Liao envoy with a look of panic and anxiety, fearing that the Liao envoy would be angry.

But Zhao Xiaoqian did not indulge the Liao envoys. He had no control over whether the Song Dynasty bent down or not, but he had no habit of bending down.

The Liao envoy was riding on his horse, trembling with anger, staring at Zhao Xiaoqian with increasingly cold eyes.

"You are my lord, right? What will you do if I don't dismount?"

Zhao Xiaoqian sneered: "Of course I can't fight or kill the envoys from the two countries, but..."

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly turned to the group of Song officials and asked, "Are there any historians among you?"

A young official in his twenties stepped forward hesitantly, bowed, and said, "My humble servant is Huang Zhen, a proofreader in the Hanlin Academy, responsible for recording history."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded and said, "I will immediately take up my pen and write this history right outside the city gate. In August of the first year of the Shaosheng reign of the Great Song Dynasty, the Liao envoys entered the court. They were arrogant and looked down upon everyone else. They showed no respect for the Song envoys and deputy envoys, showing no courtesy and refusing to dismount and return the greetings. This solidified the Liao people's reputation as barbarians from the north."

"The Song Dynasty welcomed the Liao envoy Zhao Xiaoqian, but refused to allow the Liao envoy to enter the capital. The Liao ruler was informed by express horses, requesting that the Liao envoy be replaced. This event is recorded in the annals of the Song Dynasty and sealed in the palace, to be passed down through the generations of Song and Liao, for future generations to comment on."

Huang Zhen was stunned for a moment, then looked up to meet Zhao Xiaoqian's cold gaze. He was startled and immediately turned around and shouted, "Someone, bring me paper and pen!"

The Song officials who were welcoming the Liao envoys were suddenly in an uproar. Cold sweat broke out on Qian Zhongshen's forehead, and his eyes gradually became filled with fear until they became numb.

The emperor appointed the Prince of Chu as the chief envoy. Did he know that he had appointed a living devil?

At this moment, if things are not handled properly, I'm afraid that Song and Liao will go to war.

Compared with the uproar among the Song officials, the Liao envoy looked pale, his dark face became much paler, and his eyelids kept twitching.

Fine, fine! Is that the way to go? Such a trivial matter was recorded in the annals of history, making the Liao Dynasty a negative example that would be ridiculed by future generations for thousands of years.

Not only was this incident recorded in history books, the Song people also wanted to expel him and report his rude behavior to the Liao emperor, requesting that the envoy be replaced.

This is simply murderous and heartbreaking.

I don't know how the Liao emperor would react, but he certainly would not praise him. In order to restore the image of the Liao Dynasty, he might even remove him from the Liao court and completely dismiss him.

After all, he was the one who was rude, but it was the Liao emperor and his ministers who were embarrassed. Just as Huang Zhen was about to write, the Liao envoy finally panicked.

"Wait, wait!"

Zhao Xiaoqian narrowed his eyes and looked at him: "What advice do you have, Your Excellency?"

The Liao envoy dismounted without a word, and the more than one hundred members of the delegation behind him also dismounted.

The Liao envoy strode up to Zhao Xiaoqian and performed the standard Central Plains bow.

"Xiao Guangjing, the Liao envoy, pays his respects to His Excellency the Chief Envoy of the Song Dynasty."

He is polite, his movements are standard, and his expression is particularly well-behaved.

"Your Excellency, there was just a small misunderstanding just now. I, Xiao Meng, was reckless. Please don't blame me." Xiao Guangjing's smile was very stiff, but there was a kind of forced cuteness.

Zhao Xiaoqian also laughed.

I still say that, my attitude is the same as yours, it’s fair and equal, we are the same.

"Look, you Liao people still know how to speak human language. Why were you so unpleasant just now?" Zhao Xiaoqian quickly put on a friendly smile.

Xiao Guangjing's face turned dark with anger again, but his momentum had weakened a lot at this time. In the end, he didn't dare to care about it and just smiled a few times with silence.

The silence of the Song Dynasty officials at this time was deafening.

No one expected that Zhao Xiaoqian would use this method to force the Liao envoy to surrender.

When I think about it carefully, it seems to be quite useful. Why didn’t I think of it before?

We cannot underestimate the importance that ancient people placed on history books. Once anything was recorded in history books, it was considered the final word and it would be difficult to whitewash it.

The rulers and ministers of the Song Dynasty attached great importance to historical records. Did the Liao Dynasty not attach importance to them?

With just one simple move, Zhao Xiaoqian turned the arrogant Liao envoy into a well-behaved, cute and polite child before he even entered the city.

Qian Zhongshen, who had been silent all this time, suddenly realized that the government's appointment of Zhao Xiaoqian as the chief envoy was absolutely correct.

Qian Zhongshen was originally the Minister of Rites. Logically, he should have been the chief envoy to welcome the Liao envoy. However, when he received the official appointment, he was somewhat indignant and complained a lot behind the scenes.

But at this moment, Qian Zhongshen suddenly admitted defeat.

There was nothing else to say. If he were the chief envoy, if the Liao envoy refused to dismount when entering the city, he would have no choice but to swallow his anger and let the Liao envoy enter the city on horseback.

A group of Song Dynasty officials followed on foot, looking like the Song Dynasty was a pony holding the stirrups of the Liao Dynasty's horse, and had to be watched by the people of the entire city of Bianliang. It was so servile that it was hard to imagine.

Now that Zhao Xiaoqian is the chief envoy, one has to admit that he handled the situation beautifully. Quietly and imperceptibly, he won national dignity and prestige for the Song Dynasty.

At this moment, the Liao envoy Xiao Guangjing had become obedient and begged for mercy.

Zhao Xiaoqian's attitude also became very amiable. He looked at him with a smile and said, "Your Excellency has traveled a long way, and I have prepared a feast at the inn in the city. Would you like to enjoy it?"

Xiao Guangjing's dark face was also filled with a smile: "Thank you for your hospitality, envoy. I am sorry to bother you."

The officials behind him consciously made way for them. Zhao Xiaoqian took the lead, and the Liao envoy walked side by side. The two of them walked into the city. The picture of the envoys from the two countries walking side by side was particularly harmonious, showing how close the relationship between the two countries was.

The group of Song Dynasty officials following behind the two men still looked the same, but for some reason, there was an inexplicable glow on their faces, and everyone's eyes were focused on Zhao Xiaoqian's back.

It turns out that this is what it feels like to be tough and incorruptible.

pretty good.

At least with every step the officials take now, their backs are unconsciously straightened.

(End of this chapter)