The prince is more stable

Chapter 212: Meeting each other from afar
Zhong Jianzhong spoke sincerely, and Zhao Xiaoqian believed that this was what he really thought.

But Zhao Xiaoqian still refused to take credit for the achievement.

The soldiers fought for their lives, and no matter how thick-skinned he was, he would not be able to reap the fruits of his labor.

Things like taking credit for others' achievements are very detrimental to one's virtue.

Besides, he was the Deputy Envoy of Strategy and Pacification, and also the Military Supervisor of the Song Dynasty. As long as this battle could completely subdue the Western Xia, the greatest credit would still be his. Zhao Xu would not turn a blind eye to it, and there was no need for him to claim the credit for the hard work of the soldiers.

An incense stick of time later, the Henan Military Headquarters was completely burned down by the fire. The houses, shops, military camps, and government offices inside were all reduced to ashes.

The officers and soldiers of the Song army, each with their arms bulging with money, looked beaming with joy, in stark contrast to the fire behind them.

After a great victory, we returned with a full load.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at them speechlessly. At this moment, this group of soldiers who had just won a victory no longer looked like soldiers. Instead, they looked like bandits who had just robbed a merchant caravan. They were all ruffians and deserved a beating.

Seeing Zhao Xiaoqian standing in front of the team with a somewhat ugly expression on his face, the soldiers, who were full of joy, finally understood what was going on and the team quickly became orderly and quiet.

"Add one more military law: looting is allowed, but there is a prerequisite: it cannot affect the subsequent battle. Violators will have their looted property confiscated and be punished with twenty military sticks."

"Look at you now, like country bumpkins who haven't seen the world, stuffing everything in your arms. If a fight were to start right away, would you still be able to fight like this?"

The soldiers all lowered their heads in shame, and then there was a series of clinking sounds, and many worthless things were consciously thrown on the ground by the soldiers.

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded with satisfaction.

"Very good. Although we have won a small victory, we must not become arrogant. There is another victory waiting for us."

"The entire army will now mount their horses and continue their march. Our destination is a hundred miles south of Xiliang Prefecture, where we will rest and recuperate."

"Rush into any villages and tribes we encounter along the way, plunder and loot them!"

…………

Liao Dynasty, Shangjing.

Xiao Guangjing still had the demeanor of a dandy young man, dressed in luxurious clothes, with a lazy expression, and sat slumped in a chair without any manners.

But Xiao Guangjing himself knew that he had changed a lot.

After returning to the Liao Kingdom from the Song Dynasty, his mentality, thinking, and even his stance changed.

Just to avoid arousing suspicion, he still maintained his playboy demeanor, no different from before.

The day before yesterday, Xiao Guangjing received a message that the Song Dynasty and Western Xia had gone to war.

This news was also very shocking to the Liao Kingdom, because the Western Xia did not inform the Liao Kingdom in advance before launching the war against the Song Dynasty.

The Liao ruler Yelu Hongji was furious and immediately sent an envoy to question the Queen Mother Liang of Western Xia. The envoy was already on the way to Western Xia.

The Western Xia Kingdom was established with the support of the Liao Kingdom.

The reasons for this were, firstly, that the Western Xia was already too powerful to be contained, so it was better to go along with it. Secondly, the Liao needed an ally to counterbalance the Song, to suppress it and prevent it from ever rising again.

Because Western Xia was located in the Hexi Corridor, it had scarce resources, poor arable land, and its national strength was not as strong as that of the Liao Dynasty. Therefore, Western Xia often had to look to the Liao Dynasty for its favor.

Only this time, Queen Dowager Liang of Western Xia led an army of 300,000 to declare war on the Song Dynasty without even saying hello to the Liao Kingdom. This move made Yelu Hongji extremely angry.

Whether it was a war between two countries or a war between three countries, it actually had nothing to do with Xiao Guangjing.

He is a playboy, his family has power and wealth, he just wants to lie down and enjoy himself, and he doesn't need to care about national affairs at all.

But Xiao Guangjing also heard a piece of news. In response to the Song Dynasty's hasty response to the war, the Song Emperor had unexpectedly appointed Zhao Xiaoqian, Marquis of Anle, as Deputy Envoy for Strategic and Pacification, and had sent 5,000 musketeers to the front lines.

This news really made Xiao Guangjing feel complicated.

Five thousand musketeers rushed to the front line. Xiao Guangjing dared to conclude that Xixia would not get away with it this time and the final result would inevitably be a great defeat.

Only those who have seen the flintlock rifle with their own eyes can personally feel how powerful this magical weapon is.

Xiao Guangjing had seen it with his own eyes, and he knew very well that the advent of the flintlock meant that the world would be ruled by it. It was the truth, it was the fist.

Xiao Guangjing agreed to become a spy for the Song Dynasty, firstly because Zhao Xiaoqian had something on him, and secondly because with the emergence of the flintlock rifle, the Song Dynasty had completely reversed its disadvantage. Before long, the Song and Liao dynasties would inevitably become stronger and stronger, while the Liao Dynasty would only become weaker and weaker.

It is human instinct and nature to seek benefits and avoid harm. There is nothing wrong with Xiao Guangjing choosing to side with the strong.

In the afternoon, Xiao Guangjing, who was thinking about the Song-Xia War, suddenly received a note.

The fact that the note inexplicably appeared on the desk in his study in his mansion shocked Xiao Guangjing.

The note was written by Zhao Xiaoqian himself. What shocked Xiao Guangjing was that it appeared silently in the study of his mansion.

It is said that the Imperial City Division of the Song Dynasty is omnipresent, so, are the spies of the Imperial City Division already lurking in his mansion?
Unfolding the note, there were only a few words on it, concise and to the point.

This time, Zhao Xiaoqian did not discuss business with him, but gave him an instruction.

When the Song and Xia went to war, the Liao Kingdom would inevitably intervene to mediate. After all, the Liao Kingdom did not want to see either side become stronger as a result of the war. It would be in the best interest of the Liao Kingdom to quickly mediate and urge the two countries to cease fire.

Zhao Xiaoqian's intention was to let Xiao Guangjing ask his father Xiao Wuna to take action and persuade the Liao court officials not to interfere in the war between Song and Xia, so that the Song Dynasty could give Xixia a good beating this time.

Xiao Guangjing looked at the ugly words on the note that looked like a dog paddling and a chicken kicking, and sighed silently.

He knew very well that he was a chess piece planted by the Song Dynasty in the Liao Kingdom. Now that the Song and Xia were at war, Zhao Xiaoqian needed to use this chess piece.

What else can I do?
Just do it. They have been doing a lot of things with the Song Dynasty in private. If these things are exposed to the sun, the nine clans of the Xiao family will not be enough for Yelu Hongji to kill.

Xiao Guangjing, and even the entire Xiao family, can only go down this path to the end.

After a long moment of contemplation, Xiao Guangjing suddenly raised his voice and said, "Come here, quickly ask my father to return home. Tell him I have something very important to discuss with him."

Xiao Guangjing's father, Xiao Wuna, was the governor of Huanglong Prefecture and the commander-in-chief of the Northeast Road.

In recent days, the news of the war between Song and Xia reached the capital of Liao. Xiao Wuna, who was guarding the border in the northeast, was also recalled to the capital by Yelu Hongji to discuss countermeasures.

After an unknown amount of time, the drunk Xiao Wuna finally came back. It seemed that he had just been dragged back from a dinner party.

Xiao Guangjing brought a bowl of hot hangover soup to his father. After Xiao Wuna finished drinking it, he finally became a little sober. Xiao Guangjing then handed the note sent by Zhao Xiaoqian to Xiao Wuna.

"The Liao Kingdom didn't intervene? How is that possible?" Xiao Wuna frowned.

Xiao Guangjing knew about his son's connection with the Song Dynasty as early as when he returned to Shangjing. Xiao Guangjing knelt in front of him and told him about his experiences as an envoy to the Song Dynasty, including the appearance of the flintlock rifle, the gambling house being rigged, and Zhao Xiaoqian's coercion and inducement into him agreeing to be a spy for the Song Dynasty.

While hating his son for not living up to his expectations, Xiao Wuna also realized that things were irreversible. His son had betrayed his father and tied the entire family to the pirate ship. Based on everything Xiao Guangjing had done for the Song Dynasty, the Liao Lord would never forgive him.

So Xiao Wuna had no choice but to hold his nose and become an important pawn of the Song Dynasty along with his son.

As the saying goes, like son, like father. Xiao Wuna chose to become a pawn of the Song Dynasty not entirely for the lives of the Xiao family members. More importantly, he also knew that after the Song Dynasty had the flintlock rifle, the offensive and defensive situation between Song and Liao would change.

As I said before, Xiao Wuna also had to plan for the future of the entire Xiao family and seek benefits and avoid harm.

(End of this chapter)