Xiazhou, known as "Tongwan City" in ancient times, is a very ancient city. The palace where Li Yiyin, the king of Xiping, lived, was called the Dingyan Military Mansion to the outside world, but it was actually similar to the palace city.

At this time, the sound of wooden fish "tuk tuk" was heard from the place where Li Yiyin lived. A young woman wearing a multicolored round hat took three sticks of incense and lit them on a candle, and then handed them to Li Yiyin.

Li Yiyin took the incense, closed his eyes reverently at a mud bodhisattva, and whispered the scriptures in his mouth.

The few people standing around were very quiet, and only the monotonous sound of wooden fish was left in the hall.

Li Yiyin's sideburns are already gray, and his face is not very different from that of the Central Plains. Their family had a meritorious role in quelling the rebellion at the end of the Tang Dynasty, and only then did they change their surname from the Tuoba clan to Li, and it is said that the ancestral paternal line was originally surnamed Li.

He was intently reciting the scriptures, as if praying for something.

Just then, a man with a tapered top hat hurried to the door. The woman next to her looked back, put her index finger lightly on her lips, and let out a gentle "shhhhhhhhh

The woman's eyes were bright and agile, as if she could speak. The visitor immediately understood, hurriedly bent down, and carefully walked in and stood aside.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Li Yiyin suddenly spoke: "What's the matter?" ”

The person who came hurriedly took a few steps forward and whispered in Li Yiyin's ear: "The officials of the Zhou Dynasty have arrived in Xiazhou and asked the king to receive them." ”

Li Yiyin was not surprised at all, and said indifferently: "The emperor of Zhou will naturally send someone to the west." Then he opened his eyes, bowed to the Bodhisattva three times, then inserted the incense into the incense burner and sat down cross-legged on the futon next to him.

The nobleman who had just come in said: "We haven't responded to the Khitan side yet, does the king want to see the envoys of the Zhou State?" ”

"I want to see you." Li Yiyin said without hesitation, "You ask someone to arrange it and report it to me." ”

The nobleman said in a deep voice, "The king is wise. The Khitan envoy was sent by Xiao Siwen, the privy deputy envoy of the Northern Court of Great Liao, and I heard that Xiao Siwen is a defeated general under the current Emperor of Zhou......"

Li Yiyin made a voice and was noncommittal.

When the nobles saw this, they bowed and bowed. At this time, the woman next to her said, "I'll send Uncle Wuzang." ”

After the two of them left the palace one after the other, their expressions relaxed.

didn't hide a smile: "Before I entered the palace, Brother Yu also asked about the lord of Yueji. ”

The little lady named Li Yueji was white-skinned, and a hint of red on her face was particularly conspicuous, her eyes flickered, and she looked left to say it: "Both the Khitan and the Han'er want to form an alliance with their father, which side does Uncle Wuzang prefer?" ”

Wu Zang said: "If you want to talk about preferences, I don't like either side." Han'er is loyal and kind, but in fact he is extremely cunning; The Khitans are barbaric and violent, and they are unreliable. It's better for us to be our own people. ”

Li Yueji nodded yes.

Wu Zang said: "But the tribes come and go, and you can't look at your preferences; I'm more inclined to come and go with the people of Zhou. Xiao Siwen sent people to mean that the emperor of Zhou was touring west, staring at the Dingyan army and not trusting us; If we want to raise troops against Zhou, Liao is willing to borrow troops to help......"

Li Yueji said: "My father believes in Buddhism and is unwilling to use war. ”

didn't hide it, and said: "The Liao people are too busy to take care of themselves, Xiao Siwen was originally the king of the Southern Courtyard, who repelled the Northern Expedition of the Zhou army in Youzhou, and was transferred back to Shangjing, but became a privy deputy envoy; It can be seen that there is a lot of inside information here. Since Guo Rong, the Zhou State has been growing in force, and now the opportunity is not appropriate. ”

……

At this time, in Beijing, Xiao Siwen saw the messenger sent back from Xiazhou. The messenger brought back the news, and the negotiations did not go well.

The party members first questioned whether the Liao State could really send troops and horses to help them, and then thought that Liao's statement that the Zhou State forbidden army was going to attack Xiazhou on its western tour was not true.

Han official Fan Zhongyi said straightforwardly: "The reason of the party is just an excuse, but in fact, it is a person who sees the wind and makes the rudder, and when he sees that the Zhou State is strong, he will proclaim himself a minister to the Zhou State." ”

Xiao Siwen thought so, and sighed: "After all, the great Liao is still weak, and the prestige has declined. ”

Fan Zhongyi said: "At this time, the Zhou State's armed forces are becoming stronger and stronger, and the target is our Daliao, and we will not persecute the party too much. At this time, it may not be easy to persuade the party to rebel, so it is better to change the strategy and ask them to expand their territory when the Zhou army has no time to look west, and the Liao State is willing to help...... As long as there is movement over there, at least it can contain Zhou Jun, which is beneficial and harmless. ”

Xiao Siwen said: "This plan is very good, I immediately asked someone to rush to Xiazhou as soon as possible." I also told the envoys to remind the Li family in Xiazhou to understand that once the lord of Zhou freed his hands, he would not trust the party members, so let him look farther! ”

Fan Zhongyi wanted to speak again and again, and finally couldn't help but say: "The Great Khan treats Xiao Gong like this, Xiao Gong is still loyal and laborious to Da Liao, and his mind is really admirable. ”

Xiao Siwen said quietly: "Let's still focus on the overall situation. ”

Fan Zhongyi bowed his head and was silent. As a Han official, Xiao Siwen also knew that it was inconvenient for him to say more.

This transfer does make many people feel unfair! Xiao Siwen is not angry in his heart? At the beginning of the year, he held on to Youzhou, although he failed to repel the Zhou army, but if he hadn't held Youzhou, would Yelu Huge's men and horses have a chance to repel the Zhou army? Later, it was good to talk about the merits, and all the credit was due to the North Route Army, and even Yang Gon, the deputy general of the North Route Reinforcements, had greater credit than Xiao Siwen.

Xiao Siwen was transferred to the North Court as a privy deputy envoy, and he didn't even have decision-making power...... Compared to being the king of the Southern Courtyard, his power is now greatly weakened, and he is simply in a situation where he has made meritorious service and has been demoted!

Xiao Siwen took a breath and said, "You can rest assured, I have never been at fault, and the Great Khan will not do anything to me?" ”

…… A few days later, the Liao general Yelu Xian led his troops out of Beijing, and Xiao Siwen picked up the wind and washed the dust for him.

After drinking in the evening, when Yelu and Xiao Siwen were alone together, Xiao Siwen said: "When I stepped down as the king of the Southern Courtyard, I wanted to recommend the general to preside over the Southern Courtyard, but after thinking about it, I didn't play it. If I come forward to recommend it, I am afraid that it will be detrimental to the general. ”

Yelu Xianzhen suddenly looked annoyed, he was the son of Taizu Abaoji's henchman Yelu Huolu, he was born in a high position, and he was much bolder, so he said straight at the moment: "When Xiao Gongshang was in Youzhou, I sent my henchmen to make an appointment with you, but you didn't agree, what now?" ”

Xiao Siwen said: "If I promise the general, whether Youzhou is still the land of Da Liao now, I'm afraid it's hard to say." ”

Yelu frowned and said nothing.

Xiao Siwen said: "If Youzhou is lost, the fortunes of the Great Liao State are worried. If we reach such a situation, not only will it be harmful to the overall situation of Da Liao, but how can we, as the nobles of Da Liao, be any better? ”

Yelu listened to the bow and bowed, and said worriedly: "I am only afraid that the Great Khan will be unfavorable to Xiao Gong, and it will be too late to regret it!" ”

"If this is the way it should be, I have no choice but to admit it." Xiao Siwen sighed, "But I am thinking about Da Liao, and it has not harmed the clansmen, and the tribesmen will comment on it, and give me justice!" ”

Xiao Siwen owed under the lamp, and said in a deep voice: "I expect that Guo Blacksmith, the lord of Zhou, will not give up on Youzhou!" His trip to the west is probably to stabilize the rear. If Da Liao doesn't prepare early at this time, it will be too late to regret it! ”

Yelu slanted and said boldly in a low voice: "Today's Great Liao Emperor is not like a human master, if you want to revive the prestige of the country, you have to change someone first......

Xiao Siwen shook his head: "I'm afraid it's not that simple." ”

He said in his heart: The chaos in Da Liao at this time is not Ye Lujing's responsibility at all, it is really the bane of many disputes between the two veins of the royal family. If you just drive Yelu Jing down, the new emperor will be able to control the situation?

According to Xiao Siwen's consideration, it is necessary to fundamentally resolve the grievances for many years. There's only one way......

Let Yelu Jing carry all the faults on her shoulders!

When Yelujing did a lot of things wrong, many disasters broke out during his reign, and the resentment of the various tribes accumulated to a certain extent...... Then Yelujing is the real "tyrant".

The so-called "Noji Tailai", only the person who replaces the "tyrant" is the virtuous monarch who removes the chaos. At that time, the new monarch will be supported by all parties, the general trend will be the times, and the situation will be truly reorganized!

Until then, instead of continuing to seize power in civil strife, it is better to support Yelujing and reduce turmoil.

Xiao Siwen thought about it and hurriedly said: "You must not act rashly, at this time, you must not cause a rebellion and civil war, and beware of the people of the Zhou State taking advantage of the situation."

We have to try our best to resolve internal grievances and support the Great Khan before we can compete with the people of Zhou! ”

Yelu frowned and said, "Why is Gong Xiao so jealous of Han'er? ”

Xiao Siwen said: "Because Blacksmith Guo is in power." In my opinion, this person's actions must be ambitious! ”

Yelu nodded thoughtfully.

Xiao Siwen said: "These years have been difficult in Daliao, as long as you get through it, and when the situation in Zhou changes, it will be our Daliao world next." ”

Yelu was persuaded by Xiao Siwen, and the deacon agreed.

Early the next morning, the Liao Emperor Yelu Jing couldn't wait to meet Yelu Xuan, who had just returned to Beijing, in the main hall on the hill.

Humanity is that Yelujing is a drunkard and sleepy, but at this moment he is very active.

Above the main hall, the atmosphere was very dull, and the nobles were terrified. At this moment, Yelu slanted to play the tour, with a deferential attitude, and sang praises to Yelujing many times, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Later, Xiao Siwen also stood up to talk about Xiazhou, and there was no complaint about his position transfer. The people in the hall gradually began to talk about things, and they expressed their opinions, and they had to scold Han'er and the party members together.

The superior Yelu Jing was silent, his eyes looked at the faces of the nobles, and gradually his expression relaxed slightly.

At this time, Xiao Siwen pressed his hand on his chest, bowed and said: "Da Liao is favored by the gods, and the Khitan warriors are brave and good at fighting, as long as everyone is united, they will be able to defeat the people of Zhou." ”

Yelu Hugo, who was on the side, said in a big way: "The Great Khan only hopes that the previous betrayals will not happen again. ”

Xiao Siwen said: "Whoever has two hearts and does something that makes his relatives and enemies happy, the ministers can't let him go!" ”

For a while, the situation seemed to have changed. In recent years, the Southern Zhou State has made two consecutive northern expeditions, and has never forgotten Youzhou, but external pressure has promoted the internal Liao State, and there has never been a rebellion in Shangjing since this year.