Late at night.

Wang Yan reviewed the progress reports of the parties in the Privy Council.

"Xiangye, I found that there is an abnormal letter in the backlog of newspapers in the Foreign Affairs Department, which is an urgent diplomatic letter sent by the Liao State ten days ago, do you want to read it in person?"

At this time, the secretary Cheng came in with a foreign affairs document.

Hearing the news, Wang Yan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, this was the first time since the decision to evacuate the north was made 20 days, and the hanging heart was dropped.

finally scared Lao Xiao.

There was a deployment that Xiao Hui couldn't understand, he didn't choose to start the war immediately, and tried it out of prudence, which is a common fault of smart people.

This time he sent someone to talk about it was a temptation, but at the same time, it also became the last time depth of the Great Song Dynasty.

The Great Demon King needs Lao Xiao's "hesitation this time", if there is no such hesitation, the price paid by the north of the Great Song Dynasty will be so painful that it will break the nerves in the rear. This time, the so-called empty city plan is not taken by the initiative, and no one likes to take the initiative to play such an extreme stupid method as the empty city plan, it is all because of the current situation, resulting in no way to open up the strategy.

It's barely working.

It's good to have this buffer, and one more day, the more complete the evacuation from the north will be. Then when war breaks out, casualties will be minimized as much as possible.

Wang Yan didn't even read the content of this document, and put it aside casually and said, "Tell Xiao Hui's envoy that you will come to the capital tomorrow to see me." ”

"Xianggong, don't you even look at the wording of the content?" The retinue worries about the way.

"Don't look at it. Even what Lao Xiao's envoy said tomorrow didn't matter, so it was a foregone conclusion that Song Liao would go to war. The old envoy Xiao came over, just because he could not understand my disposition, and came to me to walk around and observe the opinions of my political opponents, so as to judge whether it was an empty plan or a trap on the issue of the withdrawal from the north. ”

Wang Yan waved his hand......

Early the next morning, in order to formally receive Xiao Hui's special envoy and the scorching sun of Xiao, the prince of the Tieli Ministry, Zhao Zongshi also participated in the court meeting.

Dressed in Khitan customary costumes and strange hairstyles, Xiao's arrogant and rude appearance under the scorching sun, he stepped into the center of the Great Song Dynasty with his head held high.

First bowed down with the usual Khitan etiquette and said: "I have seen Prince Song, and I have seen the appearance of Yan." ”

Zhao Zongshi smiled politely: "The Liao envoy is polite." ”

Wang Yan didn't speak, but looked at him curiously.

Xiao's scorching sun looked around again, and laughed quite presumptuously: "The Song Kingdom is known as rich, but I don't want this capital hall to be just this scale, and it can't be compared with my Great Liao Skin Room Tent. ”

"You...... You ...... "Even if many courtiers are afraid of Liao, they can't stand the Liao envoy's blatant and rude posture, and their faces are as anxious as the bottom of a pot.

Wang Yan raised his hand slightly, stopped the emotions of the courtiers, and asked with a smile: "Doesn't the Liao envoy feel that this seems rude?" ”

Xiao's scorching sun is not blindly arrogant and brainless, he put away the shape of laughing haha, hugged his fist to Wang Yan and said: "I have no intention of offending the majesty of the Song State in the Great Liao Kingdom, but if I feel that I am rude in the opening remarks alone, then I am afraid that this negotiation will disappoint the whole country, do you want to listen to the next words of the envoy?" ”

In this situation, taking the opportunity to attack, Xiao's scorching sun was carefully observing the postures and expressions of the courtiers of the Song Kingdom. But I can't see through what the Great Demon King is thinking?

Wang Yan said: "Since you are here, I can't judge whether your Liao Kingdom is sincere, I have to listen to your words, say it, the prime minister will listen carefully, and he will definitely give you an answer." ”

After Xiao bowed in the scorching sun, he unfolded the map he was carrying and said eloquently: "This envoy was ordered by Emperor Liao and Xiao Xiang to come to discuss the territorial dispute between Song and Liao. Now our Great Liao State has issued an ultimatum: I hope that the Song State will immediately deliver a total of 19 counties, including Baoning, Hequ, Yanmen, Wushan, Beiping, Baxian, etc. These territories, which had been the undisputed territory of the Great Liao since ancient times, were now under the de facto possession and control of the Song State. In addition, the current 300,000 taels of silver is no longer in line with the spirit of the original Yuanyuan, and I Daliao asked for the annual coin to be increased to 1 million taels of silver. The minister gave an explanation to calm the grievances of the special period within the Great Liao Kingdom. ”

After speaking, Xiao's scorching sun took the opportunity to observe the expressions and postures of the courtiers in the first three rows of the Song Kingdom, and found that some of them were angry, some were shocked, and some looked strange and cowardly. In short, there are all kinds of gestures.

But this made Xiao's scorching sun feel very real, this is the ununified posture that the Song court should have when the army pressed the alliance under the city.

Combined with the earlier rumors that the Song people had a lot of remarks about moving the capital to avoid disaster at a critical time, Xiao's scorching sun, who had a tentative purpose, vaguely felt that the time was ripe for the Liao State to march into the army, and the large-scale evacuation policy urgently carried out by Shenji Yan in the north was because Xiao Xiang was overly cautious and misjudged, and it was actually not a trap, or an empty city plan that Wang Yan had no choice but to do.

The details that Xiao Xiang ordered to pay attention to before the envoy, if the Song people's evacuation in the north was a real "pocket" of strategy, it must be a rather huge plan, and the first three rows of courtiers of the Song State should be confident. Because there are things that can't be completely disguised.

With this judgment, combined with the news and remarks that he had heard in Bianjing for many days, Xiao's task of the scorching sun had been accomplished, and he planned to find an excuse to leave.

So he added a sentence knowing that there would be no result: "The above is all the requirements of my Great Liao State, as long as the nineteen counties are handed over and the new New Year's coin agreement is recognized, the Great Liao State will withdraw its troops in this season when the backyard of the Song Kingdom is on fire, and protect you as an ally." ”

Han Qi, who has always been anxious and also participated in attendance, directly smashed the tea bowl on the ground and said, "Get out!" ”

Sima Guang and the others wanted to cry without tears, and their faces were pale in a hurry. Knowing that such a request is too rude, but ask yourself, now that the Great Song Dynasty is in ambush on all sides, how can Han Qi say it so decisively, isn't this a way to deal with it?

With the help of Han Qi's scolding, Xiao's scorching sun didn't say anything, and turned around to leave.

Wang Yan suddenly said: "Liao envoy stay." ”

Xiao's scorching sun turned around and said loudly, "What, the Yan Xiang doesn't want to let me go?" ”

Wang Yan smiled slightly: "Thinking too much, I'm not so exaggerated and not so bold, you are protected by diplomatic rules, and there are more Song people and Song officials who benefit from these rules." ”

"If only you understood." Xiao's scorching sun deliberately made an arrogant gesture, wanting to provoke Wang Yan and be driven away.

It's a pity that Wang Yan was not angry, and said hesitantly: "The request you mentioned seems to be difficult to accept, but I have to admit that it is really possible to achieve it at this special time." I would like to hear your own confirmation: Are you gathering more than 300,000 troops in sensitive border areas for the purpose of achieving this supplementary clause of the Abyss Alliance 2.0? ”

Xiao Zhiri looked at Wang Yan with some doubts and said, "Yes, this is all my Da Liao's requirements and thoughts. What do you think? ”

Seeing that Wang Yan was thinking and was willing to talk, Han Qi couldn't help but say, "You...... You wouldn't be crazy to talk about such a thing, would you? ”

"It's over, the Great Demon King wants to compromise...... He couldn't do anything else! ”

At this point, many courtiers thought so in their hearts, knowing that the situation was getting closer and closer to getting out of control, I am afraid that the Great Song Dynasty would have to face it, and the Lenovo Great Demon King also had similar thinking on the issue of Jiaozhi, and it was really possible to sign this alliance similar to the alliance under the city of Lanyuan 2.0.

Wang Yan looked at Xiao's scorching sun and said softly: "I have always had the intention of talking. Talks can be discussed, but since they are 'talks', both sides must compromise and make concessions in order to achieve balance, otherwise it is called robbery. The conditions you set are excessive, and I can't accept it, but if there is a slight move, it can prove your sincerity, then you can continue to talk. In this way, Rong Benxiang will consider for two days, and you will also consider for two days, and then you and I will both quote their respective reserve prices to see if there is any possibility of reaching a consensus? ”

Getting such a response made Xiao's scorching sun a little stunned? And how do you respond?

After calculating it, Han Qi jumped out again to relieve Xiao's embarrassment of the scorching sun, and said angrily: "Wang Yan, you have lost your power and humiliated the country, if you can talk about this kind of issue at this time, then why did the resolution of Renming Hall release you, let you out and betray the country......"

"Shut up!"

Wang Yan got up on the spot and said: "It's useless to say anything now, you are roaring at the court, and you will commit the following crimes." Putting me out is paying for your early performance! If it weren't for your previous mistakes, why would you have this step! ”

The smell of gunpowder made Xiao Sun's mouth open wide, and he felt incredible. This kind of comic situation can only happen in the Song Kingdom, not in the Liao Kingdom.

The Great Demon King's rebuke didn't make Han's brain shell rebound even more. Han Qi paused, slowly calmed down a little, and asked himself, even if he knew that the Liao State was taking advantage of the fire to rob, but the regime with itself as the core did have a lot of situations that were led by the nose, and this situation was formed step by step. The Great Demon King is not wrong in what he said: his comeback is indeed out to deal with the mess.

Thinking like this, Han Qi also looked a little unreasonable, although he didn't apologize and admit his mistake, but he stopped there.

"This is all your own Song people's own death, self-inflicted!"

Thinking so with a playful mentality, but Xiao's scorching sun also had other thoughts. Looking at this situation, there is no Zhang Liangji or a ladder to cross the wall, this is indeed the moment of life and death of the Song Kingdom. Therefore, his high-profile evacuation in the north is not a pocket, and the absolute force is an empty city plan.

Theoretically, with this judgment, it should be quickly evacuated and reported, so that the Great Liao State can take the opportunity to enter the army. It's a pity that Xiao's scorching sun also has his own thoughts:

This is indeed the moment to divide up the Great Song Dynasty, but after all, the size of the Great Song Dynasty is here, and the size of 100 million people and the army of 2 million are not fake. Of course, there is no problem with local invasions, robberies, and extortion of money. But if it is really necessary to occupy it in full and deal with the protracted resistance struggle, that is another concept. It takes too long and sacrifices too many Liao people.

Those barbarians in Mobei are very good at robbing and killing, but in terms of long-term occupation politics, they must be a side effect, so they will still be the responsibility of the Tieli Department. So as the prince of the Tieli Division, no one can calculate the account of how many Xiao clan sons and daughters have to witness shed blood for this war.

So Xiao's scorching sun couldn't help but think: Assuming that the Liao State was not well prepared and could not completely destroy the Song Dynasty, and it was only a partial benefit, in fact, if he got the supplementary terms of Lanyuan 2.0 and Shenji Yan was willing to give up the interests of Jiehe and cede nineteen counties, it could be regarded as a kind of bloodless benefit, and it might not be much less than the benefits obtained after the war?

Considering this Xiao's scorching sun, he felt that the rapid occupation of a large area of Song territory in the north might be in the interests of Yelu Hongji and Lao Xiao. But after keeping the sons and daughters of the Tieli Department uncompromised and at the same time getting the fruits of diplomacy with enough sincerity, is it the core interest of my Xiao's scorching sun and the Tieli Ministry?

After thinking about it for a long time, Xiao looked at Wang Yan and said, "Okay, since Yan has the sincerity to talk, then I should stay for two more days." But there is one thing that must be explained, a little movement may be possible, but there will not be much leeway, and this point is a problem that Da Song must face. ”

Wang Yan took a deep breath and waved his hand: "Go, let me think about it for two days, and there will definitely be an answer when the time comes." ”

"That's fine."

Xiao's scorching sun looked up and smiled and left, leaving the courtiers to look at each other.

Zhao Zongshi's mind is the most complicated, and he is cowardly by nature, and he understands the bitterness of the Great Demon King's "want to talk". However, as the successor of the Great Song Dynasty in the future, it may be acceptable to increase the annual currency with the financial capacity of the Great Song Dynasty today, but the cession of the land undoubtedly made Zhao Zongshi feel distressed and wanted to vomit blood.

But he had no choice but to make a wrong step before, and even if the Great Demon King came out of the mountain, there was no better way.

The Great Northern Evacuation is already privately being referred to by many as capitulationism. For the time being, it is only because of the prestige of the Great Demon King in the past, so there are not many voices of doubt and backlash.

After being entangled like this, Zhao Zongshi, who was not in good health, was so angry that his head was deflected, and he fell to the court.

"Your Highness...... Your Royal Highness the Prince, what's wrong with you......" A large group of soy sauce parties surrounded them.

The tall Han Qi clenched his fists, his knuckles crackled, but in the end he didn't have a seizure, and sighed to Wang Yan and said: "If you are not in his position, the old man can't interfere, to paraphrase your words at the time: you are the prime minister, and the old man is serving the country, and now I can't hold you back, I want to support your work." The old man only hopes that your decisions and actions during this period are worthy of the nation and the dynasty. ”

Wang Yan nodded slightly, but didn't say a word.

At this point, Han Qi turned around and left the court. Now his hair is completely gray, and he is a lot older than he was a few months ago, and these months are like ten years old.

So looking at his back, what the Great Demon King thought of was not being suppressed by him these days, but the various cares that Han Brain Shell had taken care of him when he was a child. Cheng is also Xiao He is defeated, without him Han Qi, Da Yan will never be able to take this step.

To some extent, the encounter between the Great Demon King and Lao Han is a bit like the encounter between Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi, which is an enhanced version. They were all very enthusiastic about being protected and cared for by Han Braincase in the early days, but in a blink of an eye, they were opened up by the conflict of values.

Unfortunately, this virtue Han Qi retained until his hair was all white, and Da Yan was still young, so in line with the principle of strict self-discipline and leniency, Wang Yan had already forgiven him to a certain extent.

Han Qi thought that it was the queen's decision not to allow him to retire and appoint the three envoys in the resolution of the Renming Palace, but he was wrong. This is the Great Demon King's private suggestion, because Han Qi is really a tiger, he will not always be right, but he represents the spirit that the Great Song Dynasty lacks the most in this era.

If Han Qi really abdicated at that time, unlike Wang Anshi, it would almost be a "resignation", and his life would have been really denied.

At that time, during the meeting of Renming Palace, the Great Demon King's private opinion was: Han Qi can be denied, but "Han Qi's spirit" cannot be denied at will. It's just that this favor has become the prince and the queen......