Li Yuande, one of the officials who assisted in the peace negotiation, was a little incredulous: "Dongfang Shangshu, your condition, let alone the envoy of the Southern Dynasty, even I think it is too harsh, and the Southern Dynasty will never agree!" ”

Dongfang Chen smiled and arched his hand: "Of course they can't agree, negotiating peace, in fact, it's the same as doing business, now our side wants to continue to attack the Southern Dynasty, and the Southern Dynasty side doesn't want to fight, so they come to talk to us, saying that they don't want to fight, we say it's okay, but you must promise to give us a suitable price, so we won't fight you." We make a bid, they can counter-offer, and the two sides go back and forth until a mutually agreeable price is reached! ”

"That's the truth, let's talk about it first!"

Zhao Junsheng said with a smile, suddenly remembered something, and said to everyone: "We don't have to cross the river from here to build a warship here, whether it's a bluff or not, whether we really want to attack from here, it's just putting pressure on the Southern Korean side." A Huai River could not stop our army, and Liang Yi sent news from Huaiyin that they had found a section of the river nearby that could be crossed by wading on foot! Lone has ordered Liang Yi to cross the river to attack, causing more pressure on the Southern Dynasties, and Lone believes that this will speed up the process of negotiating peace, and will also allow the Southern Dynasties to agree to our conditions as much as possible, Dongfang Chen! ”

Dongfang Chen arched his hand: "Here!" ”

"When negotiating peace, you must grasp the situation, you must not force the envoys of the Southern Dynasty too hard, you must make them think that there is a need to talk, and the peace negotiation can continue, but you must not appear weak, and the tone must be tough, otherwise they will think that we are strong from outside!"

"The minister understands!"

The envoys of the Southern Dynasty rested in Yicheng for two days, and on the seventh day of the eighth month, the peace conference officially began.

The place of the peace meeting was in a house in Yicheng County, and the inside and outside of the house were full of soldiers and soldiers, and they were heavily guarded.

On this morning, after breakfast, a group of officials of the Southern Korean Mission set out from the camp of the Qianjun army and went to the place of peace in the city.

In addition to the entourage, the ministers of the Southern Dynasties who participated in the peace negotiations all rode horses, which was provided by the cadres and troops.

Liu Yixuan, the king of Nanjun, frowned while riding a horse and said: "We eat and live in the camp of the Qianjun army, but the place of the peace is set in the city, how can this king feel so awkward?" ”

Zhu Bian arched his hand and said: "Lord, the minister thinks that this is deliberately arranged by the Qianguo side, the purpose is to suppress us in momentum, and to make us feel inferior when negotiating peace, so that they can put forward conditions and let us agree!" ”

Liu Yixuan said angrily when he heard this: "The people of Qianguo are really hateful, we must not let their conspiracy succeed!" ”

Pei Songzhi saw it very clearly, he said: "Lord Wang, we are here to negotiate peace, the ultimate goal is to make Qianguo withdraw the army, if you want them to withdraw the army, my Great Song Dynasty must agree to them some conditions, otherwise how can they withdraw unconditionally?" The conditions they put forward will definitely be harsh, beyond our imagination, and when the time comes, we will only have to bargain and try to minimize our losses! ”

Liu Yixuan's words were very recognized, Liu Yixuan don't look young, no one from the royal family is stupid, how could he not know what he will face when he goes back after this peace? The government and the opposition in the south will definitely scold him to the death, and if he can get Qianguo to withdraw at the smallest cost, he will not be scolded too badly after he returns.

"Doctor Pei is old and serious, this king is young and shallow, this time as a messenger, this king must not be like a merchant hawker and copy them for a little profit, so the specific matter of peace is still up to Master Pei and a few of you to discuss with the officials of the Qianguo, everything depends on you!"

This is not a good errand, if it is not for the impossible, no one is willing to take this kind of errand, the reason why they came here is all because the emperor's order is difficult to disobey!

Zhu Bian, Pei Songzhi and others had a bitter look on their faces, and they bowed and agreed: "It is the duty of the ministers to serve the country and share the worries of Your Majesty!" ”

Zhou Qiu saw that Liu Yixuan and others were very sensitive to the heavily guarded atmosphere at the scene, so he said: "These armor soldiers are arranged only to prevent idle people from coming to disturb them, so that the peace can be carried out quietly and smoothly." You don't have to worry about security here! ”

Liu Yixuan and others were worried that the cadres would not pay attention to the rules and interests and would do black things to them, and they relaxed a little after hearing this.

Coming to a side room, Zhou Qiu said to Liu Yixuan and others: "The official start of the peace meeting is half an hour later, you can take a break here first, there are tea, water, charcoal stoves and snacks and fruits, you can enjoy them to your heart's content!" ”

Zhou Qiu waited for Liu Yixuan and others to look at the room and then said: "If there is nothing else, the lower official will leave first, and when the time comes, the lower official will come to inform you to go to the venue!" ”

"Master Zhou, go slowly!"

Without the orders of Liu Yixuan and others, the entourage brought began to get busy, lighting a fire, fetching water, and it didn't take long for a pot of tea to be boiled.

"Lord Wang, while there is still time, let's arrange the specific division of labor during the peace negotiation, so as not to be in a hurry when the peace is negotiated!" Pei Songzhi said to Liu Yixuan.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Liu Yixuan put down the teacup, thought for a while and said to the accompanying officials: "In this way, Pei Songzhi will do the specific negotiation and negotiation with the Qianguo side; The bargaining thing is done by Zhu Change, Liu Zuo is responsible for assisting Pei Songzhi, providing support in historical materials, evidence, etc., Wang Yuyang is responsible for assisting Zhu Bian and making discussions and records, if you have anything that you can't decide, you can discuss with this king on the spot! ”

As soon as several accompanying officials heard Liu Yixuan's arrangement, they knew that he was still sober at this time, and he was not confused because he was in the enemy camp, so they got up together and agreed: "The lower officials and others will act according to the instructions of the prince!" ”

Several people drank two cups of tea each, ate a little melon and fruit snacks, and the time passed quickly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the hour has come, please follow your subordinates to the venue!" Zhou Qiu appeared at the door.

Zhu Bian, Pei Songzhi and others walked out of the wing room under the leadership of Liu Yixuan and followed Zhou Qiu to the venue.

When the officials of the Southern Dynasties arrived at the entrance of the venue, the officials of the Qianguo State also happened to arrive at the entrance of the venue, and the two sides bowed to each other, and then walked into the venue side by side.

The meeting hall is located in the front hall of this house, and the front hall is not small, and the floor is covered with wooden floors, which are polished with tung oil.

There are five low tables on both sides of the front hall, cushions are laid behind the low tables, only tea is placed on the three low tables in the middle of each row, and pen, ink, paper and inkstone are placed on the two low tables on both sides.

After both sides were seated, Zhou Qiu said to the representatives of the two sides of the peace conference: "This peace meeting was proposed by the Song side of the Southern Dynasty, and after being informed of the meeting, the Qianguo State agreed to the peace conference after careful consideration. ”

Liu Yixuan listened to the suggestions of Pei Songzhi, Zhu Bian and others, and after consideration, he said to Dongfang Chen, who was sitting directly opposite: "Dongfang Shangshu, we demand that your army immediately stop all military operations against our Great Song Dynasty, and retreat to the area north of the original territorial demarcation line, and not invade our territory for at least 20 years!" ”

After discussing with Li Yuande, Xu Yan, Wang Huilong, and others on the left and right, Dongfang Chen said to Liu Yixuan: "King Nanjun, first of all, we officially inform you that we will not stop any military operations until the peace negotiations are successfully concluded and the peace treaty is signed!" ”

"Secondly, if you want our army to stop military operations and not attack for the agreed period, you must agree to our conditions!"

The host, Zhou Qiu, said: "Now please ask the cadres and deputies to put forward the conditions for withdrawing from the army!" ”

The initial conditions had already been discussed and decided by Dongfang Chen and others, Dongfang Chen immediately said it quickly, and the representatives of the Southern Dynasty couldn't help but secretly gasp every time they heard it, and the more they listened, the more nervous they became, and when Dongfang Chen finished saying all the conditions, Liu Yixuan and the others already had extremely ugly faces.

In the end, Pei Songzhi couldn't bear it anymore, and said angrily: "Qianguo is simply opening his mouth in a lion's mouth, and you can think of such harsh conditions, the old man hereby clearly tells you that my Great Song will never agree to these rude terms for you!" ”

Li Yuande said indifferently: "In that case, why did you come to Yicheng from Jiankang, which is hundreds of miles away, to propose peace?" According to this official's opinion, you might as well go back early, there are many mosquitoes on this hot day, and the heat is unbearable, it is really sinful to stay here, go back to Jiankang as soon as possible and enjoy happiness as soon as possible! After a month, the official will go to Jiankang and invite you to have a drink, how about it? ”

Li Yuande's words contained ridicule, ridicule, and even deep threats, and the deputies of the Southern Dynasties were angry, embarrassed, and deeply helpless for a while.

Zhu Bian counterattacked: "Although it is our proposal to negotiate peace, but you also agreed to negotiate peace, which shows that you also have the will to negotiate peace, regarding the terms of peace, this official thinks that this can be discussed, but the terms you proposed are too harsh, obviously lack of sincerity, this official still thinks that you should put forward a clause that is easier for us to accept, so the two sides continue to talk!" ”

"If the purpose of your agreement to negotiate peace is only to delay time, and the real intention is to prepare for the continued attack on our country, then this official can tell you that if you insist on going your own way and continue to invade the south, our Great Song Dynasty will never sit idly by, and will devote all the strength of the country to fight your army to the end!"

Speaking of this, Zhu Yan swept over the faces of the representatives of the Qianguo with a sharp gaze, "What if your country destroys the Wei State now?" The land area of our Great Song Dynasty is still much larger than that of the Qianguo, the population of the Great Song Dynasty is still three times that of the Qianguo, and the output of our Great Song Dynasty far exceeds that of your country in terms of armor casting and the output of food and other materials. If you don't believe it, you can wait and see! ”