The prince is more stable

Chapter 670 In front of others and behind others
Sexual intercourse involves numerous positions, requiring men to endlessly unleash their imagination and generate creativity.

It wasn't easy for Zhao Xiaoqian to come up with an idea. After all, for the sake of the Song Dynasty, he was forced into a long-distance relationship with his wives, so he had no time to think about intimate matters between husband and wife.

Now that he finally had an inspiration, Zhao Xiaoqian really wanted to run back to Zhen Ding City and try it out with his wives.

Xiao Fengxian pressed down on his shoulder, very hard.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at him with displeasure, and then began to think: was preventing a couple from having sex the same as blocking someone's path to wealth?

"Your Highness, please be serious, okay?" Xiao Fengxian said with a wry smile, "The negotiations between the two countries cannot be delayed any longer."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed and said, "Didn't I just say that there's no need for the Song and Liao countries to negotiate? We'll settle things on the battlefield; the victor will be king, and the loser will be villain. That's all."

Xiao Fengxian quickly glanced at the other Liao officials, then said loudly, "Your Highness, you are mistaken! Although our two countries are at war, our Great Liao has always regarded the Song as a brother state..."

"Now that the brothers have turned against each other, the Emperor of the Great Liao Dynasty is deeply saddened and wishes to use jade and silk to resolve the conflict, hoping that the brothers can reconcile as before and forever cease hostilities."

Zhao Xiaoqian said coldly, "When your Liao Kingdom was powerful, you frequently plundered and killed the people on the borders of my Great Song Dynasty. You must have stolen a lot of money and people over the past hundred years, right? Now that my Great Song Dynasty is powerful, you come to talk about peace?"

"What, you think you're right about everything? Did you think all the losses our Great Song Dynasty suffered at the hands of you Liao people were for nothing?"

Xiao Fengxian smiled wryly and said, "That's not how it works. Times have changed. Our Great Liao Dynasty is sincerely seeking peace talks with the Great Song Dynasty. Why does Your Highness have to keep us at arm's length?"

"Supporting a major war would surely cost the Song Kingdom countless amounts of money and grain, and require a huge expenditure of national funds. If the two countries could cease hostilities, the Song Kingdom could also avoid this expense, which would be a win-win situation for His Majesty the Emperor of Song, wouldn't it?"

Zhao Xiaoqian said indifferently, "It doesn't matter. Our Great Song Dynasty will use war to sustain war. We can just plunder the money and grain consumed by your Liao Kingdom. Within the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, your Liao Kingdom has set up hundreds of granaries of various sizes. Why should our army worry about food and money?"

Xiao Fengxian paused, knowing full well that he and Zhao Xiaoqian were putting on an act in front of Liao officials, but Zhao Xiaoqian's eloquence and sharp wit made it difficult for him to handle even if it was an act.

Seeing that Xiao Fengxian had no answer, the Liao officials became somewhat anxious.

Zhao Xiaoqian took in everyone's expressions, then suddenly chuckled and said, "Alright, you've come all this way, it would be too impolite of me not to let you finish speaking. Tell me your conditions for peace, and I'll listen and see if they suit my taste."

Xiao Fengxian hurriedly corrected, "It's not 'seeking peace,' it's 'peace agreement,' there's a difference..."

Zhao Xiaoqian patted him on the shoulder and sneered, "Stop trying to save face. It's just 'seeking peace.' If your Liao Kingdom doesn't back down, we'll keep fighting."

Upon hearing Zhao Xiaoqian's arrogant words, the Liao officials present looked dejected and gloomy, and some of the more sentimental ones even had tears in their eyes.

It's true what they say, "Times have changed." How long ago was it that the Liao Dynasty fell into such a state of decline? Back then, at the negotiating table, it was always the Liao Dynasty that was arrogant and domineering!
Sitting down again, Zhao Xiaoqian crossed his legs and said leisurely, "Tell me, what conditions is your Liao Kingdom willing to offer in exchange for a truce with my Great Song?"

Xiao Fengxian quickly exchanged glances with the Liao officials, then forced a smile and said, "Our Great Liao is willing to cede the cities and lands of the eight prefectures of Yan and Yun to our brotherly state of Song, and also send 200,000 Han men. I wonder if Your Highness finds this acceptable?"

Zhao Xiaoqian remained silent for a long time. Seeing that Xiao Fengxian was no longer speaking, he leaned forward and asked in surprise, "That's it? That's all?"

Xiao Fengxian and the Liao officials felt a chill run down their spines. Xiao Fengxian said with a wry smile, "Isn't it enough to cede half of the cities and land of Yan and Yun?"

Zhao Xiaoqian sneered: "With my order, 100,000 elite troops swept through Yan and Yun, easily taking the cities and lands of the sixteen prefectures. Now you act as if your Liao Kingdom has done me a great favor. Xiao Fengxian, these meager conditions are completely insincere. My Great Song Dynasty doesn't need them."

With that, Zhao Xiaoqian sighed, stood up, and shook his head, saying, "As expected, this is not to my liking. I don't think we have anything to talk about. Please enjoy your meal and drinks in Hejian Prefecture. I will then send troops to escort you out of the country. Farewell."

Seeing that Zhao Xiaoqian was about to leave, Xiao Fengxian became anxious and blocked his way again: "Your Highness, peace talks cannot be accomplished overnight. If Your Highness is not satisfied with the terms, we can sit down and continue the talks. How can you leave just because we disagree?"

Zhao Xiaoqian said impatiently, "I'm busy with military affairs, how can I have time to sit here and fight with you? With this little bit of free time, my army would have already captured several cities. Do you need to pretend to be generous and give them to me?"

"Xiao Fengxian, I gave you a chance, but you didn't cherish it. What do you mean by offering me half of Yanyun's cities and land? Do you think I would even care about something like that?"

After saying this, Zhao Xiaoqian turned and left.

Xiao Fengxian took a few steps to catch up, intending to stop him again, but Chen Shouheng blocked his way.

Xiao Fengxian had no choice but to stop dejectedly, watching Zhao Xiaoqian walk away, and then returned to the back hall to sit down with a frustrated look on his face.

Only a group of Liao officials remained in the hall, looking at each other in bewilderment, the atmosphere extremely somber and oppressive.

After a long silence, a Liao official said with dissatisfaction, "This Prince is really difficult to deal with. He flips the table at the slightest disagreement. Since ancient times, peace talks between two countries have been a back-and-forth process, with various terms and conditions, and all sorts of haggling. It often takes months or even a year and a half to reach an agreement." "How can he be so impulsive? He leaves at the slightest disagreement, showing absolutely no manners!"

Another Liao official said sadly, "The situation between the two countries is such that they are strong and we are weak, what more can be said..."

"He was right about one thing: we have indeed come here to 'seek peace.' The key is the word 'seek.' Our Great Liao has been powerful for a hundred years, and we are really not used to this word..."

After much discussion, no one came up with a good idea to persuade Zhao Xiaoqian to change his mind and sit down to continue the conversation.

As a result, some people turned their attention to Xiao Fengxian and began to complain.

“Vice Envoy Xiao shouldn’t have played mind games with Prince Zhao just now. He should have just revealed his trump card and ceded all the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the Song Kingdom. Prince Zhao might have sat down to continue the negotiations. But you said you would only give half of the cities and lands of Yan and Yun…”

"The Song army is now invincible with firearms and can conquer cities and territories without any resistance. It's no wonder that Prince Zhao looks down on these meager conditions and has no interest in continuing the talks with us. If I were him, I wouldn't have the patience to waste any more time either."

The crowd then began to chime in, focusing all their criticism on Xiao Fengxian. Everyone blamed him for his poor negotiation skills and lack of eloquence. Clearly, the Liao officials in the delegation were trying to shift the blame for the failed negotiations onto Xiao Fengxian.

Xiao Fengxian laughed in exasperation, then feigned grievance: "I just wanted to preserve a few more cities for the Liao Dynasty, to save face. What if Prince Zhao agreed? Negotiations always involve back and forth, but who knew this prince would be so impatient..."

Everyone fell silent, and no one spoke again.

A failed negotiation is a failed negotiation. There's no point in shifting blame now. The important thing is to bring Zhao Xiaoqian back to the negotiating table.

Seeing everyone's silence, Xiao Fengxian said irritably, "Since everyone thinks we should reveal our trump card immediately, then I will swallow my pride and ask to see Prince Zhao again to say that our Great Liao is willing to offer up the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. Does anyone have any objections?"

Looking around, Xiao Fengxian's tone gradually turned cold: "If you have any opinions, speak them now. In the future, regardless of success or failure, don't try to shift the blame onto me, and don't let me hear any hindsight advice like 'I said it before'..."

"I've already said what's unpleasant beforehand. If you have any objections in the future, don't blame me for turning my back on you ruthlessly. Ha, if I can't deal with Prince Zhao, can't I deal with you?"

The Liao officials remained silent.

Xiao Fengxian sneered a few times and said, "If you don't speak, I will take it as your tacit consent. In that case, I will go and see Prince Zhao now to reiterate the conditions of the Liao Dynasty."

After saying this, Xiao Fengxian turned and left, leaving a group of Liao officials looking at each other in bewilderment.

…………

In a side room in the backyard of the Hejian government office, Zhao Xiaoqian met Xiao Fengxian again.

At this moment, the door was guarded by Imperial Guards including Chen Shou, and the surrounding area was under martial law. Only then did Xiao Fengxian shed his pretense and smile brightly at Zhao Xiaoqian.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at him with a half-smile and said, "You acted quite well just now, looking like you were determined to never compromise your principles and had an unyielding spirit. I almost thought you had betrayed us again and returned to the Liao Kingdom."

Xiao Fengxian hurriedly said, "Your Highness misunderstands. In front of so many Liao officials, it is really inconvenient for me to appear too eager. Otherwise, it would arouse suspicion and inevitably expose me. How could I then infiltrate the Liao court for Your Highness and share your burdens in the future?"

Zhao Xiaoqian then smiled and said, "I heard that you have been appointed as the Privy Councilor of the Southern Court. Congratulations!"

"Thanks to Your Highness, the Liao court has been in considerable turmoil lately. Emperor Yelü Hongji has been repeatedly provoked by the Song army, which has caused him to fall seriously ill. Now, Yelü Hongji is disheartened and has entrusted his grandson, Crown Prince Yelü Yanxi, to oversee the country..."

"Later, when the Song army captured Hejian Prefecture, Yelü Hongji was dealt another heavy blow. This time he was bedridden and it seemed that his days were numbered. If nothing unexpected happened, Yelü Yanxi would officially ascend the throne of Liao soon."

Zhao Xiaoqian sized him up and said, "You are Yelü Yanxi's brother-in-law. He trusts you quite a bit, doesn't he?"

"Yes, mainly because Yelü Yanxi lacked the support of trusted officials in the court, so he could only support his close associates to rise to power in order to restrain the power of the old officials of the former dynasty."

"To be frank, I am one of the closest people to him. He will definitely give me an important position. My current position as the head of the Southern Privy Council is just the beginning. Perhaps he will appoint me to an even higher position in the future."

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled with satisfaction.

This underdog was cleverly managed, and it was fortunate that I was a cheat code, knowing that Xiao Fengxian was bound to rise to prominence, and thus I bought him off as a pawn in advance.

The Liao Dynasty has now been paved with two heavyweight pawns by Zhao Xiaoqian: Xiao Wuna and Xiao Fengxian. It would be an injustice if the Liao Dynasty didn't perish in the future.

(End of this chapter)