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Page 577
After Wang Fu's downfall, Tong Guan's political ally, Grand Master Cai Jing was once again appointed prime minister.However, the affairs in the north are much more complicated than before Cai Jing stepped down, and Cai Jing is not supercilious, so how can he make up for so many loopholes.
After Tong Guan took office, he was still fantasizing about letting the Kingdom of Jin hand over the land in the cloud to the Song Dynasty according to the previous agreement between the two parties.
However, the former Tan Zhen messed up the relationship between the two countries, and now it is really difficult to go to ask for the land in the cloud with a thick skin.
After some deliberation, Tong Guan decided to send Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong to Datong Mansion to meet with the commander-in-chief of the Jin Army Wanyan Zonghan for negotiations.
Chapter 874 Ma Kuo's Weak Argument
After Zhao Liangsi was demoted to Chenzhou by those who killed the donkey, Ma Kuo was the one who had the most missions to the Kingdom of Jin among the court officials and who was most familiar with the Jurchens.
Therefore, after Tong Guan became the Xuanfu envoy again, he entrusted Ma Kuo with a heavy responsibility, and placed his hopes of negotiating with Jin Guo and persuading the Jurchens on Ma Kuo.
As for Xin Xingzong, he was originally a general of the Western Army. Tai Wei Tong Guan was also the commander of the Western Route Army when he attacked Liao.
The reason why Taiwei Tongguan sent him to go with Ma Kuo was mainly to let him spy on the reality of the Jin army.
In order to motivate Ma Kuo, Tong Guan said in front of everyone in the Xuanfu Department that after taking back the land in the cloud from the Jin army, no other generals could guard it.Only Ma Kuo, who is familiar with the situation in the north, can entrust him with the important task of guarding Yunzhong.
The land in the cloud is still in the hands of the Jin army, and Taiwei Tongguan's admiration and resignation to Ma Kuo are naturally beneficial and cost-effective.
Ma Kuo can really get back to the land in the cloud with his three-inch tongue, so what's the point of letting him guard one side?
Although Ma Kuo expressed his gratitude to Taiwei Tong Guan and expressed his loyalty repeatedly, his mood was as helpless as that of Zhao Liangsi back then.
Ma Kuo was forced to complete the difficult task because the imperial court was wronged first!
Ma Kuo couldn't help thinking of Brother Ximenqing again.
However, brother Ximenqing is also the son-in-law of the Kingdom of Jin, and this time he wants the Kingdom of Jin to cede benefits to the imperial court, will brother Ximenqing help him?
Ma Kuo recalled Ximen Qing's identity, and gave up the idea of asking Ximen Qing for help.However, he still clearly remembered that brother Ximen Qing once told him that he could go to him at any time when he was desperate for any major event between the Jin and Song Dynasties in the future.
With a lot of worries in mind, Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong rushed to the Jin Army camp in Datong Mansion together.
At this time, Yan Zonghan, the commander-in-chief of the Shanxi Jin Army, led the troops to recover the three prefectures of Shuo, Ying, and Wei, and his anger still remained.
Before Wanyan Zonghan left, he appointed his confidant Wanyan Xiyin to temporarily rule the Jin Army of Datong Mansion in Xijing on his behalf.
Wanyan Wulu and Wanyan Pujianu led troops and stationed in Baishuiluo in the north, continuing to search and hunt down Tianzuo Emperor Yelu Yanxi.
Because the Song Dynasty repeatedly betrayed the alliance, at this time the senior generals of the Jin army were gradually becoming hostile to the Song Dynasty, so they didn't want to pay attention to the envoys of the Song Dynasty who came to ask for land.
Wanyan Xiyin first gave Ma Kuo and others a disgrace, he sent someone to see Ma Kuo, and said that if he wanted to see Marshal Wanyan Xiyin, Song envoy had to kneel down and worship.
A country's envoys represent the face of the court, how can they bow down to the generals of other countries?Apparently Wanyan Xiyin was deliberately embarrassing the envoys of the Song Dynasty.
When negotiating in Yanjing City, Wanyan Xiyin, as the negotiator of the Kingdom of Jin, was still able to treat Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo with courtesy.Now he has become so arrogant, Ma Kuo is keenly aware of the change.
Ma Kuo believed that Jin Jun's request was unreasonable and refused, and argued endlessly with the visitors.
Wanyan Xiyin was not interested in entanglement with Ma Kuo, he directly sent Gao Qingyi, a Bohai native who had been an envoy to the Song Dynasty, to dismiss the Song Dynasty envoys.
After Gao Qingyi met Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong, he said to them: "General Xi Yin asked me to tell the two envoys that since you are unwilling to kneel down and salute, then don't meet each other.
Besides, even if the two envoys met with General Xi Yin, there was nothing to talk about.
Because our commander-in-chief is now returning to the court for business, General Xi Yin is only managing military affairs on his behalf, and has no right to make decisions about the delivery of land.
Furthermore, although you and I have a treaty on the delivery of land, but you have previously accepted the fugitive officials from Liao, which is regarded as the first breach of contract.
Now we have to abide by the treaty and hand over the land behind the mountain. I am afraid it will be really difficult for us to do so. "
Ma Kuo heard this, and hurriedly explained that Zhang Jue of Pingzhou was responsible for accepting officials from Yan people and enriching the people. Our Song Dynasty has executed Zhang Jue to show our sincerity in abiding by the treaty, and his head has also been given to you Jin Guo.This matter must not be blamed on us Da Song.
Gao Qingyi asked again that the land behind the mountain was fought by the soldiers of our Jin army, and the two countries have not yet handed over.Why did you send people to take over Weizhou and other places just after our Jin army evacuated the day before yesterday?
The imperial court did something that violated the covenant, and was seized by the other party. As an envoy, it was really hard to argue.Since Ma Kuo became this unlucky envoy, he had no choice but to use his skills of turning black and white, pointing a deer into a horse, and trying to shirk the responsibility of the court.
Therefore, Ma Kuo said solemnly: "There is really a misunderstanding here. It is not that our country did not abide by the covenant and took over Weizhou and other places on its own, but that someone who came here claimed to be a Jin man and said that he was here to deliver the land. I will not look into it for a while, so I dare Receive Tri-State.
Afterwards, when your army sent troops to attack, I was still puzzled. Your country had already given us land, so why did you send troops to attack again?
However, our country attaches great importance to the friendship between the two countries for generations, and is unwilling to conflict with your army. Therefore, not only did not send troops to rescue the three states of Shuo, Ying, and Wei, but also dismissed Tan Zhen, the envoy who mishandled it.
Now our country appoints Taishi Tong to preside over the Xuanfu Division, just to consolidate the old friendship with your country.I also hope that your country will clearly observe that the responsibility for taking back the three states is not my responsibility. "
Ma Kuo put all the blame on those former Liao and Han officials.
When Gao Qingyi heard the words, he was not interested in refuting, and directly said to Ma Kuo and others: "Our army attacked Yuzhou because I heard that there were bandits in Weizhou.
After our army wiped out the traitors, we actually found the letter of appeasement from your Xuanfu Division from them!
Originally, I, Dajin Kingdom, agreed to give you the land behind the mountain, but you Song people are still playing tricks behind your back. It's really hateful!
We Jurchens are simple in character, as long as you don't engage in these dirty activities, we must abide by the contract.Now that the evidence is solid, how can we trust you Song people?
How about this, when you go back, send back to us the officials and wealthy households belonging to our Liao Kingdom who fled to your Song Dynasty, and we will talk about the transfer of the land behind the mountain. "
Seeing Jin Jun's firm attitude and the general's unwillingness to meet him, Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong had to end the negotiation and return in a hurry.
After Ma Kuo, Xin Xingzong and others returned to Taiyuan City on Hedong Road, Tong Guan immediately met them and asked about the negotiation status of the trip.
After Ma Kuo reported the situation in Yunzhong one by one, he told Tong Guan that this time he went to Datong Mansion in Yunzhong, and along the way he saw Jin people recruiting Han people into the army to defend Feihu, Lingqiu and other counties.
When it comes to the delivery of the land in Yunzhong, the Jin people talked about Zhang Jue and asked us to return the Yan people who had escaped.
Judging from this situation, the Jin army must not be planning to peacefully hand over the land behind the mountain, and the generals of the Jin army are hostile to the Song Dynasty, and there is a danger of border conflicts.
Xin Xingzong also reported to Tong Guan the situation that he saw the Jin army recruiting troops along the way, and agreed with Ma Kuo's judgment.
Ma Kuo suggested to Tong Guan that the most urgent task is to quickly mobilize the western army from Shaanxi to the front line of Hebei to help Guo Yaoshi's department in Yanshan Prefecture defend the border in case of emergency.
Chapter 875 The Liao Country Sunset
After hearing the reports and suggestions from Ma Kuo and Xin Xingzong, Tong Guan said that Ma Kuo was too worried and the situation was not as critical as they said.
Tong Guan believes that the people of the Liao Kingdom newly occupied by the Jin Kingdom are dissatisfied, and there is a risk of civil strife at any time.
The Xiren rebellion in the Zhongjing area has not been completely subsided so far, and Emperor Tianzuo of the Liao Kingdom is also waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.In the case of instability in the rear, the Jin army did not dare to declare war on the Song Dynasty easily.
Tong Guan also told Ma Kuo that he would personally go to Yanshan Mansion to arrange for the Changsheng Army and other armies in Hebei to guard the border in a few days to prevent the Jin Army from going south.
Seeing Tong Guan's confident appearance, Ma Kuo couldn't say anything more.
Ma Kuo didn't know that Tong Guan had secretly sent someone to contact Emperor Tianzuo who was hiding in Jiashan.
During the contacts with the Kingdom of Jin, the Song Dynasty found that the Kingdom of Jin was becoming more and more tough, and after taking back the land in the cloud was nowhere in sight, they had other thoughts.