The prince is more stable

Chapter 467: The Heated Debate in the Liao Palace

Su Shi's letter was too shocking for Zhao Xiaoqian.

He suddenly understood the underlying character of the true literati of this era, which was a pure, transcendent, and life-sacrificing patriotism.

People like Su Shi have made great achievements in the literary world and can be said to be famous in history. However, such dazzling talent is the advantage that they themselves care least about.

What they seek is still to govern the country and bring peace to the world, and to fulfill their ambition to rise to the top.

Achievement in the literary world was not their ambition at all, so many poets and writers throughout history have spent their entire lives complaining about their lack of opportunities to realize their talents.

In this life, Su Shi was lucky because he met Zhao Xiaoqian.

Zhao Xiaoqian gave Su Shi an opportunity. This opportunity might not seem very important to Zhao Xiaoqian. It was just a matter of going abroad as an envoy, talking about things that needed to be discussed and then coming back. Anyone could do it.

However, Su Shi cherished this opportunity very much, and he wanted to make the most of the profession of "envoy".

The scent of ink still remains on the letter paper, and Su Shi's handwriting is elegant and graceful, just like his personality.

Zhao Xiaoqian read it carefully several times, put down the letter and sighed.

"Han envoy", Su Shi mentioned this word.

As we all know, the Han envoys were very fierce and arrogant. To the foreign countries during the Han Dynasty, the Han envoys were simply synonymous with fanning the flames and stirring up trouble. They were like the Grim Reaper who takes lives, but the difference was that they took the lives of entire countries.

Whenever the Han envoys pass through a country, we will always cause trouble for you. The reason is simple: we, the great Han, have set our eyes on your country's land and intend to get it. If your monarch knows what's good for you, you can hand it over to us with both hands. If you don't, I will die in front of you. If I die, the Han army will arrive and destroy your country.

The Chinese nation has loved peace for five thousand years, except for the Han envoys.

Zhao Xiaoqian vaguely understood what Su Shi wanted to do.

"Imitate the Han envoy?" Zhao Xiaoqian murmured with a wry smile: "Brother, don't do it..."

Who was Su Shi? Regarding writing and poetry, it's no exaggeration to say he was the greatest of the Song Dynasty. I've memorized so many of his bold and unrestrained poems in my past life. How could such a brilliant man actually imitate the Han envoys...

Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly felt that he had committed a heinous crime against the education and cultural circles a thousand years later.

Look at the names he mentioned.

"Fu Jiezi" was sent as an envoy to Loulan during the reign of Emperor Zhao of Han. He drew his sword and killed the King of Loulan at a banquet, and established a new king as an envoy of the Han Dynasty.

Is this what an envoy should do?
"An Guo Shao Ji" was even more outrageous. When he was sent as an envoy to the Kingdom of Nanyue, he had an affair with the Queen Mother of Nanyue and planned to usurp the throne. However, he failed and was killed.

Su Shi mentioned Anguo Shaoji in the letter. Zhao Xiaoqian didn't know what he was thinking, let alone what Su Shi had experienced in the Liao Kingdom. It felt like there was a lot of information...

Although he understood Su Shi's thoughts, Zhao Xiaoqian felt speechless.

Brother, now is not the time!

After the Battle of Juma River, the Liao army withdrew and the Song army rested. It was not appropriate to launch a new war against the Liao Kingdom. This was a strategic decision made by Zhao Xiaoqian after assessing the situation between the Song and Liao countries.

The word "strategy" cannot be changed casually, and it is even more impossible to change it for someone.

Su Shi intended to follow the example of the Han envoys and use his own life as a bargaining chip to provide Zhao Xiaoqian with a legitimate reason to send troops to attack the Liao Kingdom.

This is the disadvantage of the lack of instant communication in ancient times. Su Shi, who was far away in Shangjing, had no idea about Zhao Xiaoqian's strategic decision. When the result of the Song-Liao War reached Shangjing, Su Shi became confident in the strength of the Song army, so he decisively decided to give Zhao Xiaoqian another reason to send troops.

What should we do now?
Zhao Xiaoqian sighed. Su Shi was committing suicide in Shangjing. Zhao Xiaoqian could only find a way to rescue him, otherwise his death would be in vain.

So Zhao Xiaoqian immediately called Zhao Xin and gave him serious instructions.

"Send a fast horse to deliver a message to Zhen Qing, telling him to suspend his association with the Liao nobles. All of the Imperial City Secretary's spies in Shangjing are mobilized to rescue Su Shi. Not a single hair of his head can be spared. Whether he likes it or not, he must be brought back."

After thinking about it, Zhao Xiaoqian returned to his study and wrote a letter, in which he analyzed the situation of the Song and Liao countries in detail and told Su Shi the reasons why he could not continue to send troops.

In a word, don't seek death. It will be in vain if you die. The strategy has been decided. No matter how big the reason is, you can't send troops.

The secret letter was branded with sealing wax and given to Zhao Xin, who was ordered to deliver it to Su Shi personally.

Watching Zhao Xin leave in a hurry, Zhao Xiaoqian felt complicated.

I finally wanted to give myself a break, but Su Shi showed up and messed it up...

With such a huge loss, how can I claim compensation from Su Shi when I see him again?
It would be difficult to coax the bear without both paws.

…………

The Liao Kingdom came to the capital.

The content of Su Shi's lectures to the children of the powerful eventually got out. The Liao Dynasty still had many scholars, and when they heard that Su Shi had been teaching things like "Are kings, dukes, generals, and ministers of different species?" and "The blue sky is dead, the yellow sky should be established," many Liao officials were horrified.

You can listen to this for free? How about a VIP membership?
Those so-called disciples were not necessarily kind-hearted. After all, they were not of the same race as us. When they had doubts about the content of Su Shi's lectures, they could not help but tell their parents and elders.

Most of our parents and elders do not have a high level of education, but at least they can understand what people say.

After a careful taste, he felt that something was wrong, so he asked the teacher in the mansion to ask him about it. The teacher immediately gasped and his face turned pale with fright.

So, we sent our son to a crash course in anti-insurgency training?
The parents of the powerful children were anxious. Not only did they strictly forbid their nephews and nieces from seeing Su Shi again, but they also brought the matter to the court.

When the Liao court officials heard this, they were immediately shocked.

What was the Song envoy planning to do? Was he planning to usurp the throne on his own?

Why don’t you just take care of your own Song State? Why do you come to the Liao State to cause trouble?

So, after being silent for half a year, Su Shi's name appeared again in the vision of the Liao Dynasty's rulers and ministers.

Now Yelu Hongji couldn't ignore him even if he wanted to.

This is too much. I am so angry. I have always regarded him as my idol. This idol is really cruel to his fans.

At this moment, Yelu Hongji was extremely troubled by the two consecutive defeats suffered by the Liao Kingdom. He wanted to raise an army for revenge but did not have the strength, and he was unwilling to give up such a large piece of land. Seeing that the Song army was becoming more and more powerful, the Liao court was arguing over the issue of whether to fight or make peace.

Not only that, the Jurchen tribes in the northeast have become increasingly restless recently. Not only have the conflicts between the Jurchen tribes and the Liao Kingdom become increasingly fierce, but a Wanyan tribe has risen among the Jurchen tribes and has gradually annexed and united with other Jurchen tribes. The Jurchen tribes have gradually become headed by the Wanyan tribe.

Once the scattered forces are united and concentrated, the consequences are often terrible. The Liao Dynasty sent troops to fight against the Jurchen tribes many times, but was defeated many times. The Jurchen tribes had become a major threat to the Liao Dynasty.

The northeast was unstable, the south was gradually lost, and the huge Liao Kingdom was showing an increasingly obvious decline in national strength.

In this situation, Yelu Hongji had almost no better solution. He was inclined to negotiate peace with the State of Song and tacitly agreed that the land occupied by Zhao Xiaoqian's troops would return to the State of Song.

And it was at this critical moment that the forgotten envoys from the State of Song jumped out to make their presence felt. If they did not make a sound, they would have made a big splash.

This Su Shi actually dared to openly incite the sons of the powerful and wealthy in Liao to rebel and overthrow the rule of the Yelu family under the nose of the Liao emperor.

The word "seeking death" is not enough to describe Su Shi's behavior.

If you are really tired of living, just find a rope and hang yourself quietly, don't drag others into it, okay...

Yelu Hongji was furious and immediately summoned Song envoy Su Shi into the palace.

Soon, Su Shi dressed neatly and walked into the Liao Palace, standing in front of Yelu Hongji and saluted without being humble or arrogant.

When they met again after half a year, Yelu Hongji was in no mood to exchange pleasantries. He immediately asked, "What do you want, envoy from Song?"

Su Shi showed an innocent expression: "What did the foreign minister do? Why does the Liao Lord ask this?"

Yelu Hongji stared at Su Shi's face with angry eyes for a long time and then sighed deeply.

"Our two countries have already gone to war. Why should the Song envoys remain in Shangjing? It would be better for them to return as soon as possible."

Su Shi shook his head: "The foreign minister has not completed his mission and cannot leave."

"What is your mission?"

Su Shi raised his head, his expression stern. "At the end of last autumn, the Liao Kingdom was the first to break the Treaty of Chanyuan. They invaded the Song Dynasty without provocation, raided our border villages, killed villagers, and looted their property. The Emperor of the Song Dynasty sent foreign envoys to the Liao Kingdom to demand an explanation from you."

After a pause, Su Shi said proudly, "I have been detained in Shangjing for half a year. The Liao Kingdom has yet to give me an explanation, and instead thinks it is only natural to invade the Song Dynasty. If you cannot give me a satisfactory answer, as well as sincere compensation and apology, I will not leave Shangjing easily."

"You!" Yelu Hongji was extremely angry and pointed at him tremblingly.

I'm speechless. Don't you know what the situation is like in Song and Liao now?
My Liao Kingdom was defeated twice, twice!
You are still bringing up old news from last year and putting the blame on the Liao Kingdom. Why don't you mention that Zhao Xiaoqian wiped out a total of 70,000 to 80,000 Liao troops?

"Even so, your Excellency is unwilling to stay in Shangjing. Why are you inciting the children of Liao to rebel? What are you thinking?" Yelu Hongji asked again.

Su Shi said calmly, "I, at the request of the Liao nobles, have reluctantly opened a class to teach the children of your country the historical records and classics of the Central Plains sages. The content of my teachings can be verified in the historical records handed down from the Central Plains, and not a single word has been changed. May I ask, Lord Liao, what have I done wrong?"

"I have merely been faithfully relaying the millennia-old history of the Central Plains, without exaggerating anything. Yet your nation has accused me of inciting rebellion. This is a complete joke! If the Liao ruler wishes to take my life, then do so. Why resort to such a pretext that will only add to the world's ridicule?"

Yelu Hongji was speechless again.

Isn't it just asking for trouble to argue with a famous intellectual figure of the Song Dynasty?

However, facing Su Shi's sharp words, Yelu Hongji could neither hit nor scold him. He felt only anger and frustration, and was almost sick from anger.

(End of this chapter)