Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

Page 372

Therefore, the Liao and Song Dynasties have stood side by side for hundreds of years, and among the Han family in the Liao Kingdom, there is only Zhao Liangsi, a strange creature who wants to destroy his family's interests.

Historically, after the outbreak of the Jin-Song War, Zhao Liangsi, a traitorous and rebellious man, could not get the understanding and protection of the Yanjing family, and was ruthlessly abandoned by the Song court as a scapegoat for triggering the Jin-Song War. He was demoted to Chenzhou because of Jinbing's southern invasion, and was later ordered to be executed by Song Qinzong.

If it is said that Zhao Liangsi died unjustly, is it wrong?Of course it is wrong.However, his fate, in fact, is not his own fault!

"Zhao Zhongfeng, my government recommends a person to you. This is the number one hero in Shandong that my government has mentioned to you many times, Ximen Qingximen. During the Kingdom of Jin, Ximen Qing had a lot of help from officials and people from Ximen.” When Ximen Qing was observing Zhao Liangsi, recalling his deeds and encounters in history, Wang Shizhong, the prefect of Dengzhou, had already introduced Ximen Qing to Zhao Liangsi, a new official from Zhongfeng.

Zhao Liangsi saw that Ximen Qing was a good-looking talent, and he was recommended and recommended by the magistrate Wang Shizhong. Of course, he was full of praise for Ximen Qing.

Zhao Liangsi was a person who tried his best to promote the alliance between Song and Jin and realize his ambition of "uniting Jin and defeating Liao".When he heard from Wang Shizhong, the magistrate of Dengzhou, and Ma Kuo, the deputy envoy of this trip, that Ximen Qing had a good relationship with the Jurchen nobles of the Jin Kingdom, which would be of great benefit to his trip to the north, so he wanted to win over Ximen Qing. Approved Ma Kuo's plan to take Ximen Qing with him.

At the banquet at this time, Zhao Liangsi deliberately got close to Ximen Qing, showing an appearance of "meeting each other late".

During the banquet, Zhao Liangsi was approaching to win over Ximen Qing, but Ximen Qing was also deliberately making friends with Zhao Liangsi.

For Ximenqing, although Zhao Liangsi is a traitor of the Liao Kingdom and the Ma family, he is despised by others, but after all, he grew up in the Han family in the Yanjing area, and was an official in the Liao Kingdom. Familiar with the situation in Yanyun and even the entire Liao Kingdom.As long as there is no conflict of interest with Ximen Qing in the future, it might be possible to be a good helper for Ximen Qing in managing the old land of the Liao Kingdom.

Ximenqing decided to maintain a friendly relationship with Zhao Liangsi, secretly observing his actions.If this person can be used by him, Ximen Qing can consider helping him and pulling him into his camp when the Jin army goes south in the future and Zhao Liangsi is in great trouble.

"What Zhao Zhongfeng said is very true. His views on the Liao and Jin Dynasties have really given me a lot of insight! I respect Zhao Zhongfeng for a glass." Ximen Qing smiled again and raised the wine glass in his hand.

Chapter 6 Going to Huining City Again

Unlike when the imperial court sent troops to conquer Liangshanbo, the local officials restrained and disrupted each other. At this time, the magistrate's yamen in Dengzhou City was full of people who supported the alliance with the Jin Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty, and the atmosphere of the banquet was very harmonious.

Ximenqing, Zhao Liangsi and others all returned happily under the hospitality of the host Wang Shizhong.Before parting, secret envoy Zhao Liangsi received Ximenqing's promise to help him with all his strength, and went happily, as if success was just around the corner.

At this time, only Ximen Qing knew that what awaited Zhao Liangsi was definitely not a smooth road.

Two days later, when Hu Yanqing, commander of the Ping Navy, prepared the ships for crossing the sea, Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo embarked on the road of crossing the sea and heading north.

Ximen Qing also took Jiao Ting, Qiao Yunge, Wang Yi and others on his family's sea boat, loaded with printed Jurchen books, and followed the Ping Navy's warship across the sea to the north.

After bypassing Salmon Island smoothly and sailing northward into the waters of the Kingdom of Jin, the envoys landed at Tieshan Port outside the Suzhou Pass.

After the envoys went ashore, Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo brought more than 100 people with them, but Ximen Qing brought more than [-] people and many packages. It looked more like they came to the Kingdom of Jin for business. businessman.

A group of people hired mules and horses on the pier, and after packing up, they went straight to Suzhou Pass.

Because Ximen Qing has the status of a gold medal merchant bestowed by the King of Jin, and has a good personal friendship with Yu Li, the gatekeeper of Suzhou.Under the leadership of Ximen Qing, the secret envoy group entered Suzhou Pass without any hindrance.

The guard of Jin Kingdom in Suzhou Pass, Hesi Hanmeng An Yuli, saw Ximen Qing who hadn't seen him for many days, and immediately stepped forward to give Ximen Qing a warm hug.

Although he had already heard that Ximen Qing had great powers in the Kingdom of Jin, Zhao Liangsi still admired Ximen Qing who was traveling with him when he saw how close the guard of the Kingdom of Jin was with Ximen Qing.

It seems that Deputy Envoy Ma really made a very wise decision.With the help of the official Ximen Qing, this trip to the north to negotiate with the Jurchens of the Kingdom of Jin is sure to achieve great results!

Ximen Qing, who was quietly observing Zhao Liangsi along the way, naturally also saw Zhao Liangsi's expression.Ximen Qing said in his heart, this high official is a person who can't get up early without benefits, if you want to sit back and enjoy the benefits, and don't give this high official benefits, it's really hard to do what you want.

After saying goodbye to Suzhou Gatekeeper, Hanmeng An Yuli, Ximenqing led the envoys to the Hosu Pavilion, and saw Bo Jingoushi, the capital of the Hosu Pavilion, again.

When Hook Room learned that the diplomatic envoys sent by Song Guoxin were coming with Ximenqing, he hosted a banquet to warmly entertain the envoys led by Zhao Liangsi, and immediately arranged 200 people as guards for the envoys.

At the banquet, Hook Shi told Ximenqing and others that the Kingdom of Jin was attacking the Shangjing Road of the Liao Kingdom in the north at this time. The army horses of Dao and Nanjing Dao did not launch any more major battles, so Hook Shi led the troops back to Hosu Hall for repairs.If it weren't for this, it would be difficult for Ximen Qing to see Hook Shi himself this time when he went north.

What Zhao Liangsi most wanted to hear was that Jin and Liao were at odds, and that they fought endlessly.When he heard with his own ears the Jurchen generals of the Jin Kingdom about the start of the war with the Liao Kingdom, he felt very happy and couldn't help but drink two more glasses of fine wine.

Zhao Liangsi asked Goushi about the Jin army's attack on the Liao Kingdom's Shangjing Road through drinking.

Hook Room told the crowd that after Wanyan Yinshuke and Wanyan Nianmuhe defeated the Liao general Yeluchi Gouer Army, Wanyan Yinshuke defeated Yeluchi Gouer, and captured Changchun Prefecture, an outpost town of the Liao Kingdom. The army took advantage of the momentum and captured Taizhou on the banks of the Daolu River in Shangjing, Liao.Afterwards, the lord Wanyan Aguda personally led the army across the Songwa River and launched a strategy on the Shangjing Road of the Liao Kingdom.

After the fall of Taizhou, Xiao Yixue, the governor of Northeast Road of Liao Kingdom, who was reinforced by reinforcements, led the army to confront the Jin army in the Hunhe River Basin, but was defeated in the field by Wanyan Moulianghu, a general of the clan of the Jin Dynasty, and fled back to Ningzhou in a hurry.

In order to prevent the delay of the Jin army's westward advance, Xiao Yixue, the commander of the Northeast Road of Liao Kingdom, resorted to the poisonous plan of strengthening the walls and clearing the wilderness. He even sent people to set fires in the Hun River Basin to burn down the grassland between Taizhou and Ningzhou, so that the Jin army's troops would be destroyed. The cavalry horses have no grass to eat.However, the person Xiao Yixue sent to set the fire was captured by Wanyan Yinshu.

Wanyan Aguda, the lord of the Kingdom of Jin, personally interrogated the captives captured by Wanyan Yinshu. After learning that they were local residents of the Hun River Basin persecuted by Xiao Yixue, he released them generously and let them go to Ningzhou. The people in the territory brought a message saying that the Jin army's attack on Shangjing Road was only to attack the Wudao and faint Emperor Tianzuo, and would not plunder the people's property. Please don't panic the people.

After the people's hearts stabilized, Xiao Yixue's strategy of fortifying the walls and clearing the wilderness was resolved by the Jin army, so he had to hide in Ningzhou and ask for help everywhere.Today, the lord Wanyan Aguda has led the army westward from Taizhou, crossing the Hun River to attack Xiao Yixue's army in Ningzhou in Liao.

Therefore, when the envoys of the Song Dynasty went to Huining City, the capital of the Jin Kingdom, they could not see the lord Wanyan Aguda, but could only see Wanyan Wu, who stayed behind in Huining City and was ordered to act as an agent of state affairs. .

Hook Room told Zhao Liangsi that the envoys of the Song Dynasty wanted to discuss the alliance, so they could only go north to Huining City to negotiate with Ban Bo Jilie Wanyan Wu, who was in charge of state affairs.

Sure enough, it will not go well!Ximen Qing knew that this trip would not be smooth sailing after hearing what the hook room said.The last time Ximen Qing went to Huining City to rescue Ma Zheng and Hu Yanqing, he heard about the differences and disputes among the Jurchen nobles of the Jin Kingdom.

Familiar with Banbo, Wanyan and Wu Qimai are hardliners who disapprove of forming an alliance with Song!Although in the end Wanyan Aguda decided to join the Song Dynasty in the noble meeting, and released Ma Zheng and Hu Yanqing who were detained, Wanyan Wu Qimai must have been unwilling to implement the strategy of joining the Song Dynasty, and would give him a hand in the negotiation. Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo set up many obstacles.

Let's see how Zhao Liangsi responds!Ximenqing decided to stand still and watch the traitors of the Liao Kingdom, how the current Song envoy Zhao Liangsi negotiated with the Jurchens of the Jin Kingdom.When the negotiations between Song and Jin came to an impasse, Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo would be given a helping hand.

After having a feast with Bo Jingoushi in Hosu Pavilion, Ximenqing and others rested in Hosu Pavilion overnight, and under the escort of two hundred gold troops, they traveled northward, passing through Liaoyang City, Ningjiang Prefecture and other places , crossed the Lai Liushui, and arrived at Huining City, the capital of the Kingdom of Jin.

Because the Kingdom of Jin has formulated the national policy of negotiating an alliance with the Song State in the south and attacking the Liao State from the north and the south, Zhao Liangsi and his party are not official envoys sent by the Song State, but secret envoys sent in the name of buying horses. He received a grand welcome from Jurchen nobles such as Wanyan Wu Qimai who stayed in the capital.

At the welcoming ceremony, Ximenqing met the prime minister of the country who was staying behind with Wanyan Wu Qimai, Wanyan Sagai, who was extremely fierce in national opinion, and Wanyan Wuye, the representative of civil servants, and felt relieved.With these people who are in favor of forming an alliance, presumably Wanyan Wu Qimai will not insist on going his own way.

Chapter 6 and Nine

Wanyan Gushen and Wanyan Moulianghu of Huining City have gone with Jin Emperor Wanyan Aguda to attack Shangjing Road of Liao Kingdom. They entrusted Ximenqing to print the Jurchen books, Ximenqing had to hand them over to the left-behind association Ningcheng's proficiency is extremely strong, Wanyan Wu begs for money.

Printing and promulgating the Jurchen's own text and books is an important political matter for the new Dajin Kingdom, so after Wanyan Wu Qimai received these beautifully printed books, he was very happy and ordered Wanyan Wuye to collect them. This batch of books is good for the education of Jurchen nobles.At the same time, Wanyan Wu begged and determined to reward Ximen Qing with a lot of money.

For the envoys Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo of the Song Dynasty, although Wanyan Wu begged enthusiastically, it was out of diplomatic etiquette between the two countries.Only when facing Ximen Qing, a businessman from the Song Dynasty who had participated in the Willow Shooting Conference and repeatedly sent good things to the Dajin Kingdom, did Wanyan Wu Qimai smile as if seeing an old friend.

Zhao Liangsi, who is good at observing words and expressions, keenly captured the changes in Wanyan Wu's expression of begging for money. There was joy in his heart, but also some emotions that he did not want to admit defeat.

The good relationship between Ximenqing officials and Jurchen nobles can indeed help Zhao Liangsi accomplish the mission of this mission.However, since setting foot on the land of the Kingdom of Jin, I saw that Ximen Qing had a good relationship with the defenders of the Kingdom of Jin along the way, and now I saw the left-behind ruler of the Kingdom of Jin, Wan Yan Wu Qimai, who also looked at Ximen Qing differently. How could the arrogant Zhao Liangsi not feel jealous?

Zhao Liangsi was originally a person who was unwilling to be lonely and wanted to do something earth-shattering.Otherwise, he would not have given up the noble status of the Ma family in the Yanyun region of the Liao state, and would have found another way to go to the Song state to provoke wars between Song, Jin, and Liao, in an attempt to realize his personal political ambitions.

Zhao Liangsi used to be Guangluqing of the Liao Kingdom and Secretary Cheng of the Song Dynasty. He was very familiar with court etiquette and diplomatic etiquette, and he had a high opinion of his diplomatic ability.Seeing Ximen Qing's dominance at this moment, he thought to himself that it was only because the imperial court was not firm in its alliance with gold last time, and recalled him halfway, making it impossible for him to cross the sea and go north even when he arrived in Dengzhou.If I had come to the Kingdom of Jin earlier, I would have made good friends with the Jurchen nobles of the Kingdom of Jin and made them treat each other sincerely.

Zhao Liangsi was not willing to be resigned, so he secretly decided that during his stay in Huining City, unless he had to, try not to borrow Ximen Qing's personal friendship, and he and Ma Kuo would start negotiations with the people of the Kingdom of Jin alone.Isn't the official Ximen Qing a gold-medal businessman who likes doing business the most to make money?Let him do business with the Jurchens in Huining City first!

After making up his mind, Zhao Liangsi tactfully expressed his decision to his deputy Ma Kuo in the tent when he returned to the camp.

Ma Kuo's official position is very different from Zhao Liangsi's now, and his main duty as a deputy envoy is to assist Zhao Liangsi to go north.Therefore, in matters of negotiating with Jin Guo, of course he is not good at competing with Zhao Liangsi, and can only follow Zhao Liangsi's wishes.

When Ma Kuo sullenly told Ximen Qing about Zhao Liangsi's decision, Ximen Qing chuckled lightly and told Ma Kuo indifferently that he should not feel embarrassed because he was originally invited to help Ma Kuo, not Zhao Liangsi. of a good heir.Since he, Zhao Liangsi, wanted to compete with the Jurchen with his own abilities, Ximen Qing was of course happy to take it easy.This time, he made a lot of money printing books for the Kingdom of Jin. Ximen Qing was going around to buy horses, medicinal materials, Dongzhu, etc.!

Ximen Qing asked Ma Kuo to accompany Zhao Liangsi in negotiating with the people of the Kingdom of Jin, and took this opportunity to hone his skills. He only needed to inform himself of the progress of the negotiations with the Kingdom of Jin from time to time.If you really need your own help, it’s okay to say it bluntly, I will try my best to assist Ma Kuo to complete the task assigned by the court.

After a long talk with Ma Kuo, after dispelling his guilt and worries, Ximenqing took up the position of Zhao Liangsi's servant and went to beg for deals with Wanyan Wu. He took Brother Qiao Yun, Wang Yi and others to observe and draw a map of the surrounding area of ​​Huining City. Within a few days, all the Jurchen nobles in Huining City knew that Ximen Qing, a businessman from the Song Dynasty who was capable of writing and martial arts, came to do business again. up.

On this day, Ximen Qing got up early and saw that the sun was very good, so he prepared to take Brother Qiao Yun and Wang Yi, packed dry food, and went to the bank of the Huntong River in the north of Huining City to inspect the terrain and customs.At this moment, a Jurchen warrior came, who claimed to be Wanyan Wuye's subordinate, and was ordered by Wanyan Wuye to invite Ximen Qing Bojin to go up the mountain to shoot.

It's the season of Jurchens shooting and hunting again!Ximenqing remembered the last time he met Wanyan Moulianghu, Wanyan Tarlan, Wanyan Wuye, Wanyan Wuben and others to go hunting on Mount Hukai, and on the mountain, he happened to meet Wanyan Nianmeihe and Wanyan Aguda, the first war gods of the Jurchen clan The past of the eldest son Wanyan Shenguo's cousins.

Ximenqing remembers that it was because Wanyan Shengguo's wife, Pucha, was pregnant. He went up to the mountain to hunt tigers together with his cousin Wanyan Nianmu, begging God to give him a child as brave as a tiger.Come to think of it, Wanyan Shenguo's wife, Mrs. Pucha, has already given birth. I wonder if he has given birth to a healthy son as he wished?