The next day, at three o'clock in the fifth watch, it was time for the morning pilgrimage.

In the Zichen Hall of the Imperial Palace, Zhao Zhen of Song Renzong sat upright in the hall, listening to the courtiers in the two classes under the hall, facing him holding a wat board and bowing to say goodbye.

Although he failed to turn the phoenix in Zhang Niangzi's dormitory last night, Zhao Zhen, who was full of anger that night, had nowhere to vent and release, especially when he finished bathing and changing clothes, and was about to go to bed with Zhang Niangzi, but found that Zhang Niangzi's lower body was bleeding, that is, he came to Kwai Shui, and suddenly, he was greatly disappointed, so he had to give up.

The sullen Song Renzong Zhao Zhen not only was happy in Zhang Niangzi's bedroom, but also made him have some insomnia, and he fell asleep very late.

After listening to the courtiers bowing and greetings, Zhao Zhen of Song Renzong, who was sitting in the hall, yawned several times in a row, and suddenly thought of the matter related to the peace negotiations in the Western Xia, so he took the lead in asking: "I want to know how the matter of the envoys sent by the Western Xia to negotiate peace is progressing. I hope that the peace matter will be dealt with as soon as possible, and that there will be no further war with the Tangut people on the northwest border. ”

As soon as Song Renzong Zhao Zhen's voice fell, Pang Ji, who was serving as the privy deputy envoy at this time, immediately stood out of the queue and reported cautiously: "Your Majesty, the minister and the special envoy of the Western Xia, Li Wengui, have been discussing peace with the Great Song Dynasty in the Western Xia for more than half a year. The content of the text of the treaty cannot be determined at present. ”

Speaking of this, Pang Ji deliberately paused, then changed his words, cleared his throat, and continued in a loud voice: "However, after many discussions between the minister and the special envoy of La Liga, Li Wengui, one thing can be confirmed, that is, Xixia continues to be a vassal to my Great Song Dynasty. The Western Xia side demanded that our Great Song Dynasty should not actually govern its territory, and retain its Western Xia army, as well as the right to appoint and dismiss officials, etc., and asked His Majesty to be clear. ”

Song Renzong Zhao Zhen, who was originally sitting in the hall, because he didn't sleep well last night, was still yawning at the beginning of the early dynasty, and when he listened to Pang Ji's report, suddenly, as if he had been beaten with chicken blood, he immediately became much more energetic.

However, the content of Pang's report made Zhao Zhen feel a little mixed, happy that the Western Xia was a vassal to the Great Song Dynasty, and on the surface, the Western Xia belonged to the Great Song Dynasty.

But the problem is that Li Yuanhao, the monarch of Western Xia, is very insistent on retaining the army and appointing and dismissing officials, and it can be said that he will not give an inch, which makes Zhao Zhen feel that the Western Xia is a vassal to the Great Song Dynasty, isn't it in name only, and this is not the result of the negotiation and negotiation that he wants to see.

After thinking for a while, Song Renzong Zhao Zhen glanced at the courtiers standing under the hall, and asked with full confidence: "Zhuqing, after listening to what Pang Ji said, what do you think and what opinions do you have, you might as well talk about it." I don't want to fight with the Western Xia Party members on the northwest border again, what good plan do you have to make Li Yuanhao of the Western Xia surrender to my Great Song Dynasty as soon as possible? ”

When Zhao Zhen of Song Renzong finished his inquiry, Yan Shu, who became the prime minister with the privy envoy Jia and Tongping Zhangshi, took the lead in holding the arc out of the ranks, expressed his insight, and said: "Your Majesty, the old minister thinks that my Great Song Dynasty has been fighting against the Western Xia on the northwest border for many years, resulting in the displacement of a large number of people in the northwest border, and the lives of people have been ruined, and a large amount of land has been abandoned and no one has planted it, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers have been buried on the battlefield.

"What's more, the annual military expenditure on the northwest border alone to deal with the Western Xia monopolizes the taxes of my Great Song Dynasty for nearly half a year. If it continues, it will inevitably increase the tax burden of our Song people. Some time ago, tens of thousands of cavalry were waiting for our Great Song Dynasty to fight with Western Xia, so that they could take the opportunity to attack our Great Song Dynasty and rent and sell the profits of fishermen.

According to the minister's opinion, my Great Song Dynasty has been in truce with Western Xia on the northwest border for more than half a year, and Li Yuanhao of Western Xia has also sent envoys to my Tokyo many times to discuss peace matters with Deputy Envoy Pang Shumi, and Western Xia's request for peace this time should be quite sincere. Under such circumstances, my Great Song Dynasty does not have to ask too much for the time being, as long as the Western Xia agrees to be a vassal to my Great Song Dynasty and cancel the emperor's title, and Li Yuanhao accepts my Great Song title and is called the lord of Xia.

"As for the Western Xia to continue to retain its army, as well as the right to appoint and dismiss officials, the old minister believes that my Great Song must not be too demanding. If the Western Xia Party and the Northern Liao Khitan people both join forces to deal with my Great Song Dynasty, then my Great Song Dynasty will be in danger! At present, my Great Song Dynasty should first appease Li Yuanhao, so that Western Xia cannot form an alliance with Northern Liao, and pull Western Xia to the side of our Great Song Dynasty, which is the most important thing at present. ”

As soon as Yan Shu finished speaking, all the courtiers who were standing in the two classes under the hall were greatly stunned, they couldn't talk to each other, but they all looked at each other, and the look of surprise on their cheeks lingered for a long time.

In the eyes of the vast majority of courtiers, the Great Song Dynasty was the country of the Celestial Empire, and they could let the Western Xia party members bargain, not only asking the Western Xia to declare themselves ministers to the Great Song Dynasty and cancel the emperor's title, but Li Yuanhao should also worship the Zhao Guanjia in the city of Tokyo.

Moreover, the army of Western Xia must be disbanded, and the right to appoint and remove officials in Western Xia should also be handed over to the Great Song Dynasty to manage together, so that future troubles can be prevented. Otherwise, once the management of the Western Xia party members is neglected, it may not be possible that there will be any big chaos in the future.

Not only did most of the courtiers feel very worried about this, but Song Renzong Zhao Zhen, who was sitting in the hall, was not even more so, he also felt that he was too indulgent to Western Xia for what Yan Shu had just said.

Therefore, Zhao Zhen of Song Renzong continued to ask for opinions from the courtiers standing in the hall: "What Yan Qing said, I think that my Great Song Dynasty has made too many concessions, which will inevitably make Li Yuanhao of Western Xia get carried away and look down on my Great Song Dynasty. I don't know what else you think? ”

At this time, Ouyang Xiu, who was right-right and knowledgeable, had a teacher-student friendship with Yan Shu, and saw that not only the officials were dissatisfied with Yan Shu's speech, but many courtiers also criticized Yan Shu, and he thought that what Yan Shu said was the best strategy at the moment.

Only by stabilizing Li Yuanhao of Western Xia can the Khitans of Northern Liao not dare to easily attack the Great Song Dynasty in the south, and there is no way to treat Western Xia.

Thinking of this, Ouyang Xiu took the wat board out of the queue and strongly supported his teacher Yan Shu, and even more than that: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that what Yan Xiangfang said is reasonable, and it is the best choice for now, only by appeasing the Western Xia can we fight against the Northern Liao and bless the Great Song Dynasty."

"In the minister's opinion, as long as the Western Xia is a minister to my Great Song Dynasty, and the emperor title is canceled, so that Li Yuanhao can call himself the 'Lord of Xia' to the outside world, and send a division to my Great Song Dynasty to worship on major festivals every year. My Great Song Dynasty can reward Western Xia with some silver, silk, tea and other money every year.

"In addition, in the previous battles between the two sides, the generals, soldiers, and households captured by each other were returned to the other side; From now on, if the people on the border of the two sides flee to the territory of the other side, they cannot send troops to pursue them, and the two sides return the fugitives to each other.

"Moreover, in the previous war, the territory occupied by the Western Xia and the other border Han settlements were all returned to our Great Song Dynasty, and both sides could build their own castles on their own territory for defensive purposes. The above is the opinion of His Majesty, and I hope that His Majesty can adopt it at his discretion. ”

As soon as Ouyang Xiu's voice fell, the huge Zichen Hall suddenly became silent, whether it was Song Renzong Zhao Zhen sitting in the stall, or the courtiers standing in the hall, they all dropped their jaws in shock at Ouyang Xiu's high-minded remarks, and they were all dumbfounded when they heard it.