The prince is more stable

Chapter 613 Alliance with the Jurchens
Regardless of merits, demerits, enemies, or friends, he was at least the famous Emperor Taizu of Jin in history. However, when the real Wanyan Aguda appeared before him, Zhao Xiaoqian always felt that this guy was an imposter.

...Why does it have such a childish, immature vibe?

Seeing Zhao Xiaoqian's questioning, Zhen Qing was also a little confused. He scratched his head in puzzlement and said, "When the chieftain Wanyan Polashu brought him out, he said that this was his nephew Wanyan Aguda. Your Highness, is there a problem?"

Zhao Xiaoqian shook his head: "No problem, it's just not what I imagined."

"Your Highness has truly heard of Wanyan Aguda before?"

"Maybe I heard about him in my past life. I even took an exam about him, and I lost points on that question." Zhao Xiaoqian felt regretful just thinking about it.

Why can't I ever remember these key points...?

Zhen Qing looked at him with a puzzled expression. His Highness was a good person, but sometimes he just couldn't understand what he was saying...

Zhao Xiaoqian dusted off the hem of his shirt and said, "Wanyan Aguda, let's talk about serious matters."

Wanyan Aguda also became serious and said, "I am a rough man and do not understand the intricacies of you Southerners. Your Highness, please speak frankly. If you speak too subtly, I will not understand."

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed: "Alright, then I'll get straight to the point. Your Wanyan tribe formed a Jurchen tribal alliance twenty years ago, but simply forming an alliance is not enough. What I need is for you to truly and completely unify the Jurchen tribes. When can you do that?"

Wanyan Aguda was immediately taken aback and said, "Your Highness is far away in the Song Dynasty, yet you know so much about my Jurchen tribe?"

"Don't ask, it's just knowledge points from history textbooks," Zhao Xiaoqian said with a stern face.

Wanyan Aguda hesitated for a moment and said, "My Wanyan tribe wants to form an alliance with the Song Dynasty to attack the Liao Dynasty from both the north and the south. Is it really that important whether or not we unify the Jurchen tribes?"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "It's important. It's your bargaining chip. The stronger your bargaining chip, the greater the support my Great Song Dynasty will give you. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I don't understand." Wanyan Aguda shook his head frankly.

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed. This man was truly honest and straightforward.

So Zhao Xiaoqian had no choice but to patiently explain: "What the Great Song wants to support is the Jurchen tribes, not the Jurchen Wanyan tribe. Only when the Jurchen tribes unite as one can they have great power and be worthy of the support of the Great Song. Otherwise, simply forming an alliance with the Wanyan tribe will not be effective at all."

Wanyan Aguda thought for a moment, then nodded: "Now I understand. You just think that my Wanyan tribe doesn't have enough troops to beat the Liao dogs, but the Jurchen tribe, when combined, has more people and more power, and can beat the Liao dogs. Is that what Your Highness means?"

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed: "That's probably... the idea."

Wanyan Aguda laughed: "That's easy. Among the Jurchen tribes, my Wanyan tribe is the most valiant and skilled in battle. If Your Highness needs a unified Jurchen tribe, I'll talk to my uncle and have him send troops to unify them."

"After unification, can we continue discussing the alliance?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and said, "Of course, and as long as you are of one mind, I can even provide assistance to the Wanyan tribe in advance to accelerate your unification of the Jurchen tribe."

Wanyan Aguda was overjoyed: "Is this really true?"

"I, Zhao Xiaoqian, keep my word. If I don't, it must be because I forgot," Zhao Xiaoqian said seriously.

Wanyan Aguda opened his mouth in astonishment. The conversation had reached its limit, and he really didn't know how to respond.

Zhao Xiaoqian remained extremely relaxed, casually crossing his legs and saying, "In exchange for helping you unify the Jurchen tribes, my Great Song Dynasty can secretly provide you with all kinds of pig iron and weapons, including swords, spears, shields, armor, and provisions..."

"I've given you the goods. My request for your Wanyan tribe is to unify the Jurchen tribes as soon as possible, preferably within two months. Can you do that?"

Wanyan Aguda pondered for a moment, then hesitated and said, "Two months...that's a bit difficult..."

“Then I won’t give it to you,” Zhao Xiaoqian said decisively.

Wanyan Aguda grew anxious: "Didn't you just say you meant what you said?"

"You can't meet my demands, so why should I give you material things? Did I owe you something in my past life?" Zhao Xiaoqian said bluntly.

Wanyan Aguda gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! My Wanyan tribe can do it! Unifying the Jurchen tribe in two months is no problem."

"I don't trust you, what should I do? How can I increase my trust in you?" Zhao Xiaoqian pressed on relentlessly.

Wanyan Aguda felt that the other party had completely taken control of the conversation, and he was furious but helpless.

"What do you suggest we do? You probably wouldn't believe me even if I swear an oath, would you?" Wanyan Agu encouraged.

Zhao Xiaoqian said coldly, "I want your Wanyan tribe to send a hostage to Zhen Ding City, and I want the biological son of your leader Wanyan Polashu. If the Wanyan tribe fails to unify the Jurchen tribes within two months, I will cut off your leader's son as a sacrifice to the heavens. How about that?"

Wanyan Aguda was stunned, never expecting that this prince of the Song Dynasty would be so ruthless.

After hesitating for a moment, Wanyan Aguda suddenly patted his chest and said, "I am the most promising and capable among the younger generation of the Wanyan tribe. I will stay here as a hostage and send someone back with a message: if the Wanyan tribe cannot unify the Jurchens within two months, you can kill me, and I will have no complaints."

Now it was Zhao Xiaoqian's turn to hesitate.

Logically, a hostage should be the son of the opposing monarch, otherwise he would not be of enough importance. However, Wanyan Aguda was only the nephew of the opposing leader.

But this guy in front of me is Wanyan Aguda!
If successful, the Jurchen tribes will be unified, and their combined forces will be used to contain the Liao Dynasty in the north. If unsuccessful, Wanyan Aguda will be executed on the spot, eliminating a potential threat to the Song Dynasty, and the Song Dynasty will not suffer any loss.

Wanyan Aguda's social status was insufficient, but his personal influence was considerable.

Zhao Xiaoqian didn't hesitate and immediately said, "Alright, you'll stay here as a hostage. Let me make this clear: I'll have people follow you day and night. Even if you take a piss, a crowd will gather to watch. So you'd better control your inferiority complex."

Wanyan Aguda smiled smugly and straightened his back: "I am not inferior."

Zhao Xiaoqian gave a forced smile: "Fine, if things don't work out in the future, when I want to sacrifice you to the heavens, I'll have someone cut you down a bit first."

Wanyan Aguda's face turned pale, and his smug expression vanished instantly.

Zhao Xiaoqian continued, "From now on, you will live in the inn in Zhen Ding City. You are free to come and go, but you must be accompanied by someone. If you try to escape, all our agreements will be null and void. We'll kill you first. Is that alright?"

Wanyan Aguda said boldly, "No problem. If my Wanyan tribe cannot do it, I will die a worthy death and have no complaints."

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed and patted his shoulder hard: "I like dealing with straightforward people, even if they are enemies or even dead people."

Wanyan Aguda looked at him seriously and said slowly, "My Wanyan tribe will definitely not let you down!"

"I hope so. If this matter is accomplished, we can then discuss forming an alliance to resist the Liao. At that time, the Great Song will provide you with more weapons, armor, and provisions to ensure your logistics. You will contain the Liao in the north, while the Great Song will recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun in the south."

"If we win this battle, our Great Song will gain the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, while you Jurchens will gain the vast mountains, forests, grasslands, pastures, and fisheries of the Bohai Sea in northern Liao. It will be a win-win situation for both of us."

Wanyan Aguda was overjoyed: "That's right, a win-win situation! Your Highness, rest assured, our Jurchen tribe has been oppressed by the Liao dogs for many years and has long wanted to get rid of them. If this battle begins, every Jurchen will fight to the death, and no one will retreat even half a step!"

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter, their laughter shaking down the dust from the rafters of the thatched house.

A pincer attack alliance against the Liao Kingdom was negotiated in this small woodshed.

Wanyan Aguda was sent to the inn in the city by Chen Shou's men. Zhen Qing also took his leave in a furtive manner, like a lonely stray cat, and sneaked out of the Prince's mansion without anyone noticing.

Zhao Xiaoqian walked out of the woodshed, looked at the snow on the ground, and exhaled a breath of cold air.

Everything was proceeding smoothly and according to his plan.

The alliance with the Jurchen tribes was also an important part of the plan, and this part has now been completed.

Once each link in the chain is tightly connected, the Liao Kingdom will likely find, quite inexplicably, that they have been strangled and are about to die.

Zhao Xiaoqian beckoned Chen Shou over and whispered, "Have Jia Shi send a few experts, and your men send about twenty men to keep a close watch on Wanyan Aguda day and night. Wherever he goes, you follow. If he is rude to you, just give him a good beating with your fists and feet. Don't tolerate his bad behavior."

“Barbarians and savages like to be straightforward and they only respond to direct confrontation.”

Chen Shou nodded vigorously: "This subordinate has already sent men to follow him, and will never allow him to leave the city again."

…………

Having settled the important matter of the alliance, Zhao Xiaoqian felt much lighter.

Zhao Xu was determined to recover Yanyun, and Zhao Xiaoqian also wanted to do it. However, the matter was of great importance, and the pressure on him had been increasing these days. At the same time, he was making the most of every moment to prepare and plan for the early stages of the war.

The strategy is now basically finalized, and only one final step remains: to warn the Western Xia in the northwest that if Liao and Xia show any signs of forming an alliance, then decisively send troops to sever their alliance.

Sitting alone in his study, Zhao Xiaoqian was pondering the situation and strategies of the Three Kingdoms when a servant cautiously knocked on the door.

"Your Highness, there is an imperial decree from Bianjing."

Zhao Xiaoqian immediately went out to greet him, and upon reaching the front yard, a smile immediately appeared on his face.

It was that old acquaintance again, Zhang Shangying, a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat.

This guy doesn't look like an official at all; he's more like a deliveryman. He does all the long-distance business trips. He must have a terrible reputation in the palace...

"Haha, Zhang Sheren, we meet again. Tsk tsk, you..."

Zhao Xiaoqian had just opened his mouth when Zhang Shangying interrupted him coldly: "Shut up, I'm not doing that badly! This time, the Emperor personally ordered me to deliver a secret decree. The Emperor trusts me, he's not neglecting me."

Zhao Xiaoqian awkwardly touched his nose: "Alright, alright, you're doing well. Hurry up and announce the imperial decree. Has the Emperor appointed me to another official position?"

Zhang Shangying did not take out the imperial edict. Instead, he straightened up and said in a low voice, "This time it is an imperial edict, a secret order for Prince Zhao Xiaoqian of Hejian to return to the capital immediately."

Zhao Xiaoqian was taken aback, looking at him with surprise: "What happened?"

Zhang Shangying slowly said, "Five days ago, the young prince Zhao Mao... passed away."

(End of this chapter)