The prince is more stable

Chapter 547 Important Information
Xiao Guangjing was certain that the Fengguo in Bianjing was really bad for him.

It was my first time being set up by various traps, and I foolishly walked right into them.

The second time he came, he was inexplicably hung up and beaten. Judging from the perverted expression on Zhao Xiaoqian's face, it was obvious that he enjoyed the beating very much.

In comparison, when he went to Western Xia as an envoy and conspired with Zhao Xiaoqian to poison Empress Dowager Xiao Liang, their cooperation was so pleasant.

What puzzled Xiao Guangjing was that Zhao Xiaoqian had clearly committed such a serious crime, so why did the Emperor of the Song Dynasty only dismiss him from office for a few days and then planned to reinstate him?

Does the emperor favor him so much?
Xiao Guangjing seemed to have a better understanding of Zhao Xiaoqian's status in the Song Dynasty.

"Will he really be reinstated? Why?" Xiao Guangjing asked puzzledly.

Zhao Xiaoqian was still sitting in the front yard with his legs crossed, squinting at Xiao Guangjing who was hanging on the southeast branch.

Giving a thumbs-up, Zhao Xiaoqian pointed at himself and said leisurely, "I am very important, more important than you can imagine."

"I have a rough idea of ​​what you and your son are planning, but you'll be disappointed. Want to turn against us? Haha, impossible..."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian stood up, walked in front of Xiao Guangjing, and suddenly stretched out his right palm.

"Look, what is this?"

Xiao Guangjing looked down and saw that his palm was empty. He asked in confusion, "Right hand?"

"No, this is my palm." Zhao Xiaoqian corrected.

"so what?"

"Look carefully, look clearly..." Zhao Xiaoqian coaxed, drawing Xiao Guangjing's gaze deeply into his empty palm, and said, "Do you see anything?"

Xiao Guangjing inexplicably felt mysterious and high-end, and shook his head in confusion but expectation: "No."

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled faintly: "Your life and property are in my hands. Don't you see it?"

Xiao Guangjing: “…………”

Well, I was insulted by him again without paying attention.

Zhao Xiaoqian turned around and walked back, sitting in his chair, still crossing his legs as he sneered, "I've never counted on your loyalty, but I have to tell you, if you want to turn against me, you need both strength and leverage. We're all adults, don't you understand this?"

"Even if I never regain my position as an official, I will still destroy you and your son. Apart from anything else, I rely on the Liao army's deployment map that your father secretly provided me, the intelligence reports I've received over the past two years, and the secret snow salt trade between my Chu Palace and your Xiao family..."

"Based on these evidences, I can guarantee that you and your son from the Xiao family will never be able to turn over. Once I'm in a bad mood, you and your son from the Xiao family will die at any time. Do you believe it?"

Xiao Guangjing's face turned pale, his heart sank to the bottom, and he nodded hurriedly: "I believe it!"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and said, "Now that he's behaved well, he's a little more pleasing to the eye."

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoqian continued, "Brother Xiao and your father are both intelligent people. Intelligent people can clearly see the current situation. Next, my Song Dynasty will soon take action against the Liao Kingdom. Given my Song Dynasty's strength, I believe you are well aware that the Liao Kingdom will inevitably suffer repeated defeats. My next step is to seize the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun."

"The Liao Empire is on the decline, and the situation is irreversible. Brother Xiao and your father won't be like those pedantic so-called loyal ministers, stubbornly refusing to disembark, will they? Life is all about fame and fortune, and being too loyal often puts you at odds with it. What do you think?"

Xiao Guangjing nodded.

He could listen to these words because he was indeed that kind of person. If he really had so-called loyalty to the Liao Kingdom, he should have remained steadfast and unyielding when he was set up, and slit his own neck with a knife, instead of willingly becoming a spy and pawn of the Song Dynasty and dragging his father into the water.

Xiao Guangjing was a man who was very aware of the current situation. After Zhao Xiaoqian analyzed the situation with him, Xiao Guangjing immediately and obediently returned to his familiar position and continued to be his chess piece honestly.

Seeing that his attitude had changed quietly, Zhao Xiaoqian nodded secretly, thinking that this time the betrayal had probably been suppressed by him.

"Brother Zi'an, I was wrong. My father and I shouldn't have had such inappropriate thoughts. I beg you, Brother Zi'an, to give us another chance. My father and I promise to be loyal to the Song Dynasty from now on and never betray it again."

Zhao Xiaoqian shook his head. "If you make a mistake, you must admit it. If you are beaten, you must stand at attention. If you harbor rebellious thoughts, you must be punished. If you are not taught a profound lesson, do you really think that rebellion will come without a price?"

Xiao Guangjing was anxious: "Brother Zi'an, what do you think?"

"Hang him for now. After we finish our conversation, I'll give him another thirty lashes. Oh, and the Chu Palace is out of stock of snow salt for the Xiao family this year. You'll have to pay me another two hundred thousand taels of silver."

Xiao Guangjing's eyes widened: "You still want compensation?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled. "Whatever you value, I'll ask you to pay for it. That's fair, isn't it? Next time, if you and your son think the opportunity has come again and that I can't control you anymore, you might as well turn against me again. I'll show you how I'll deal with you."

The two kept chatting, and Xiao Guangjing was still hanging under the tree in a shameful posture.

It really hurts. Snow salt has been out of stock for a year, and they still have to pay compensation of 200,000 taels. It has to be said that this punishment really hits the Xiao family's weak spot. In the past two years, the Xiao family has finally had some financial comfort due to the snow salt business. Now, overnight, it has been returned to the pre-liberation era. Zhao Xiaoqian's punishment is simply heartbreaking.

Xiao Guangjing regrets it very much now. He had been a playboy in Shangjing, enjoying himself every day, eating, drinking and having fun. He had such a happy and carefree life. But because his father Xiao Wuna was unwilling to be a pawn, he ended up in trouble.

Especially the punishment of paying compensation in silver made Xiao Guangjing even more uncomfortable. As a playboy, spending money was his strong point. Seeing that he would have to live a tight life in the coming year because of this incident, Xiao Guangjing did not dare to blame Zhao Xiaoqian at this moment, but felt some resentment towards Xiao Wuna.

This loss is purely his own fault!

After feeling distressed for a while, Xiao Guangjing's eyes suddenly lit up and he asked expectantly, "Brother Zi'an, if I have some important information to share, can the punishment be reduced?"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded without surprise. Yes, this guy should have two preparations when he came to Bian Jing. If he was sure that he could not be reinstated, then he would decisively turn against him. If he could still be reinstated, then he would use important intelligence to repair the relationship. He would not suffer any loss on either side.

With his eyes narrowed slightly, Zhao Xiaoqian sneered, "Xiao Guangjing, you should understand my temper. At this point, are you sure you still want to use intelligence to control me? Do you still want to negotiate terms with me?"

"Uh, don't dare!"

"I'm the type who likes to have sex first and pay later. Do you understand what I mean? Tell me everything you know first. Whether the punishment can be reduced or exempted depends on my mood. This is the correct way to start our conversation."

Xiao Guangjing felt afraid of him at this time. Thinking back to the time since he met Zhao Xiaoqian, he had never taken advantage of him and only suffered losses. He could not take the initiative in front of Zhao Xiaoqian.

Xiao Guangjing sighed resignedly and said, "Okay, I'll tell you."

"Brother Zi'an, the Liao Kingdom has already made a major move. His Majesty has mobilized 100,000 troops and is gathering them towards Xijin Prefecture. He intends to attack the Song Dynasty next, reclaiming previously lost territory and capturing Zhending Prefecture in one fell swoop. His Majesty deeply resents the Song Dynasty's repeated defeats against the Liao army and is determined to capture Zhending Prefecture and slaughter all officials and civilians within it, sparing no one."

Zhao Xiaoqian's eyelids twitched, and he immediately sat up straight, his expression becoming serious: "The Liao army is going to counterattack? Who gave Yelu Hongji the courage?"

Xiao Guangjing's arms were tied up, so he could only raise his chin towards Zhao Xiaoqian: "It was Brother Zi'an who gave him the courage."

"Why? Have I provoked him recently?"

Xiao Guangjing smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Zi'an was dismissed from office by the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty. This matter has already reached the capital. His Majesty then urgently summoned all the ministers to discuss the matter, and the topic of discussion was Brother Zi'an's dismissal."

Zhao Xiaoqian finally understood: "Yelü Hongji thinks I've been dismissed, and now's his chance?"

"Yes. The only one your majesty fears is Brother Zi'an. If Brother Zi'an is dismissed, the Liao Kingdom will naturally have the courage to rekindle its war and reclaim its lost territory."

Although the news was a bit shocking, Zhao Xiaoqian couldn't help but touch his cheek.

"Am I so important?" Zhao Xiaoqian murmured.

Xiao Guangjing hurriedly flattered him, "Brother Zi'an is of course important. You are deeply feared by the Liao rulers and their ministers. With you here, the Liao will never dare to move a single soldier. Without you, the Liao will let loose and have nothing to fear."

Zhao Xiaoqian's cheeks glowed. For a man, being so feared and valued by the enemy is enough to brag about for the rest of his life.

"The Liao army has mobilized 100,000 troops. How does it plan to counterattack?" Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly asked.

Xiao Guangjing thought for a moment and said, "My father also participated in the discussion at that time. It seems that they divided the troops into three groups, 30,000 each in the east and west directions, to attack Taiyuan Prefecture and Daming Prefecture of the Song Dynasty."

"The 40,000 troops in the middle are stationed in Xijin Prefecture. Once the eastern and western fronts force the Dragon Guard Battalion to split up and rush to support them, the 40,000 troops will march straight into Zhending Prefecture and capture the city in one fell swoop."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded, Xiao Guangjing finally said something valuable.

The tactics formulated by the Liao Dynasty's rulers and ministers were correct, and their methods were indeed cruel, but they overlooked the variables. The variables included not only the Xiao family father and son, but also the Dragon Guard Camp and the wing troops of Zhending Prefecture.

In the impression of the Liao Dynasty's rulers and ministers, the only thing that made the Song Dynasty so powerful, apart from Zhao Xiaoqian, was the firearms of the Dragon Guard Camp. As long as these two things were dealt with, the Song Dynasty would still be the same Song Dynasty as before, and would be defeated at the first blow and unable to withstand the enemy.

That's why they were so confident and planned to attack Zhending Prefecture.

What they didn't expect was that after Zhao Xiaoqian took office in Zhending Prefecture, he changed many people and things. His changes were not only in the military, but also in the morale of the army and the people.

He has injected a force into the army and people of Zhending Prefecture. This force is invisible and traceless, but it does exist. It is a spirit that is unwilling to submit to death.

Both the local troops and the local people are different from previous years. They are no longer cowardly. They will pick up swords and swear to protect the city and their homes to the death.

The Liao Dynasty's rulers and ministers probably could not have anticipated this change.

It would not be easy to capture Zhending Prefecture even if the Song Dynasty court did not have reinforcements.

"When does the Liao army plan to take action?" Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly asked.

Xiao Guangjing thought for a moment and said, "It took me about ten days to travel from Shangjing to Bianjing. Mobilizing 100,000 troops is a major undertaking for the Liao Kingdom, and it takes a long time to prepare. Calculating the days, it will take about half a month to complete the assembly of the army."

(End of this chapter)