After several days of turbulence, Zhao Liangsi's family finally came to Bianliang City, Tokyo. Standing at the gate of the city, looking at the towering city walls and towering towers, Zhao Liangsi was very excited in his heart.

Returning to the city, Zhao Liangsi first went to Tong Guan's mansion to meet him.

When I came to Tong Guan's mansion, I saw that the four golden characters of "Purple Qi from the East" on the horizontal plaque of the gatehouse were extraordinary, strong and powerful, and later Zhao Liangsi knew that it was the imperial pen of Song Huizong.

Walking into the gate, you are greeted by a high shadow wall, beautifully embossed, decorated with various auspicious patterns, and the top is covered with antique glazed cylinder tiles, with a unique shape. The buildings and pavilions in the courtyard, the rockery landscape pavilion, are scattered, and the dignity and magnanimity of the master are shown everywhere.

That night, Tong Guan set up a family banquet for Zhao Liangsi to wash the dust. Although the two of them have only met each other, they are very impressed with each other. This time, Zhao Liangsi came to see him first, and he also regarded himself as a backer.

Tong Guan said with emotion: "Four years have passed, but I didn't expect your heart to return to the same place, which is rare." ”

Zhao Liangji said excitedly: "Since leaving Tokyo, Ryoji has been thinking about Taiwei all the time. Seeing that the demeanor of the captain is still the same today, the good heir is very relieved and excited. ”

Tong Guan also pretended to say: "Since you sent the Jurchen, the official has also looked forward to returning every day. I don't want you to die all your life and come back alone. Thankfully!

Zhao Liangsi's guards and deputy envoys had long been sunk into the sea by Wang Lun, and Zhao Liangsi didn't dare to tell the truth, so he had to say that he encountered wind and waves and stayed in the Jurchen for half a year.

Unwilling to say more about this matter, Zhao Liangsi interjected: "Do you remember the advice of the official in the early years? ”

Although Wang Lun and Zhao Liangsi talked about the disadvantages of Lianjin resisting Liao, Zhao Liangsi still didn't want to give up. Things are man-made, and people will win the day!

"Of course I do."

At that time, the power of the Jurchens had not yet grown, but now it is different, Wanyan Aguta has officially proclaimed the emperor in the first month of this year. Now, the time is ripe for the cross-sea alliance to attack the north and south of the Jurchens and destroy Liao Fuyan. ”

Tong Guan's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he stroked the sparse beard under his chin: "Is this news reliable?" ”

Zhao Liangsi smiled and said: "Of course it is reliable, everyone in the Liao Kingdom knows about it." Several groups of men and horses sent by Emperor Tianzuo were beaten by Ah Guda, and half of the northeast land was controlled by the Jurchens. It is said that the female real is planning to attack Huanglong Mansion. This is indeed a great opportunity to recover the sixteen states of Yanyun, and it must not be missed. ”

Zhao Liangsi's words made Tong Guan's heart flutter. A few years ago, he had the idea of sending troops to the Northern Expedition, but because the time was not ripe, he did not move. He thought that he should quickly arrange for Zhao Liangsi to meet the emperor.

On March 18, Zhao Liangsi entered the palace. In the Yanqing Palace, Song Huizong met with Zhao Liangsi. Song Huizong left the throne and descended to the front of the palace, and Linxuan comforted and asked about the meaning of coming.

Zhao Liangsi knelt down and said:

"Your Majesty, the minister of Han nationality and Miao descent, does not want to be an official in the Khitan, and has long had the ambition to return to the Central Plains. Emperor Tianzuo, the lord of the Khitan state, drank and frolicked all day long, went out on safaris, expelled the loyal and good, appointed small people, and was cruel and cruel. In recent years, the Jurchen chieftain Aguta knew that Emperor Tianzuo had lost the hearts of the people, so he raised troops against Liao, used troops for many years, and captured prefectures and counties, while the Liao army continued to rout, scattered soldiers and brave people everywhere, all the people suffered, and the Liao country was bound to die. May Your Majesty remember the suffering of the old people, restore China's past frontiers, condemn on behalf of heaven, and fight against the rebellion with success, as soon as the king comes out, he will come to greet him! ”

Zhao Liangsi's impassioned words made Song Huizong's heart warm when he listened.

Zhao Liangsi also gave a brief introduction to the ongoing war in the Northeast:

The Jurchens began their army in September last year, occupied Jiangning Prefecture in October, and defeated 100,000 Liao troops at Chuhedian in November. Subsequently, they took advantage of the victory and marched by separate routes, and half of the northeast had been occupied by them. On the first day of the first month of this year, Wanyan Aguda ascended the throne and became the emperor. It is said that they were planning to march towards Hoang Long Mansion. The Liao State was destroyed by it, and it was just around the corner.

Song Huizong asked: "I heard that the Jurchens eat raw meat and drink blood, is there such a thing?" ”

Zhao Liangsi replied: "It is true. The Jurchens are like wolves and tigers, eating raw meat and drinking raw blood, which is a common thing. They hate the Khitan to the core, if our Great Song Dynasty can send people from Dengzhou or Laizhou to cross the sea to Liaodong, marry the Jurchens, and make an appointment with them to fight in the north and south, then, Liaoguo can be profitable, and Yanyun can be restored! ”

For Yan Yun, Song Huizong had the idea of recovering it, but later dispelled it. Now, this thought was ignited by Zhao Liangsi's words. He felt a stream of heat rush and roll through his body.

Song Huizong asked: "Do you think that Jurchen chieftain Ah Guta can really destroy the Khitan?" ”

Song Huizong knew that the cavalry of the Liao State was fierce and brave, invincible, and had strong combat effectiveness. But for the combat effectiveness of the Jurchens, the mind was blank.

Zhao Liangsi replied: "Your Majesty, the Jurchens are never greedy for life and afraid of death, they regard death as their home, since they have raised the banner of anti-Liao, they will definitely win if they open their bows and have no turning back." The Jurchens are not satisfied with 10,000 and are invincible, this is what Emperor Tianzuo said not long ago, which shows that Emperor Tianzuo is also very afraid of the Jurchens. As far as the minister knows, the Jurchen army already has tens of thousands, and the future is unlimited. ”

Song Huizong smiled slightly and said, "The snipe and the clam compete, and the fisherman profits." The Jurchen challenged the Khitan, and my Great Song Dynasty could sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight. When the Liao State is about to die, it will not be too late to send people to contact the Jurchens, right? ”

Zhao Liangsi hurriedly replied: "Your Majesty, the ancients said, if you move first, you will control people, and if you move later, you will control people. If you take the strategy of sitting on the mountain and watching the tiger, I am afraid that Yan Yun's homeland will be occupied by the Jurchens again, and if you miss this great opportunity, Yan Yun will never return. ”

Song Huizong thought for a while and said, "Listening to Zhao Qing's heartfelt words, I am very pleased. Regarding the matter of the cross-sea alliance with the Jurchens, I will further discuss it. Recovering the lost land of Yanyun is the dream of the ancestors and emperors of the Great Song Dynasty, and it is also my wish......"

Soon, the imperial court granted Zhao Liangsi the court to invite doctors and secretaries, and the secret cabinet to be edicted.

The evaluation of Ma Zhi's advice has been debated since the end of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Critics say that this is a strategy to defeat the alliance, this is a strategy to lure wolves into the house, this is a strategy to be immeasurable, this is a policy of greed, this is a policy to destroy the country, this is a strategy to dig one's own grave, this is a strategy to hasten destruction, and so on.

Those in favor believe that this is a policy comparable to "Longzhong Pair", this is a patriotic policy, this is the best strategy to recover Yanyun at the lowest cost, and so on.

Throughout the history of the late Northern Song Dynasty, a basic fact is that Song Huizong failed to do a good job in three key points in the process of operating the strategy of "uniting Jin to destroy Liao and recover Yanyun":

1. The "connection" of Lianjin was not well connected, resulting in a series of resentments.

Second, the "annihilation" of the Liao was not extinguished, exposing the incompetence of the army.

Third, the "collection" of recovering Yanyun was not confiscated, which led to a catastrophe.

Since Zhao Lianghe's advice, Song Huizong began to be moved by the recovery of Yanyun. He thought that the Qingtang region had fallen into Tibet for more than 300 years, and he could send troops to recover it, but Yanyun had fallen into the Khitan for less than 200 years, and it should be possible to take advantage of the Khitan civil strife to send troops to recover it.

On this day, Emperor Huizong of Song ordered Cai Jing and Tong Guan to go to the Chongzheng Palace to discuss matters together, and he wanted to know more about the views of these two important ministers on Zhao Lianghe's strategy. This is a confidential matter and cannot be discussed publicly.

Tong Guan means that there is a certain difficulty in crossing the sea from Laizhou or Dengzhou to Liaodong to contact the Jurchens, because this sea route has long been blocked. The matter of uniting the Jurchens needs to be considered in the long run. However, if the Liao State is indeed as Zhao Liangsi said, it has been destroyed by the Jurchens, then it is not impossible for the Great Song Dynasty to go out on a separate Northern Expedition and recover Yanyun in one fell swoop.

Cai Jing was more cautious, he believed that the current situation in Liao was not very clear and clear, and it was suspected of being hasty to decide to send troops just on the basis of Zhao Liangsi's words, and that he should order the border commanders of Hebei and Hedong to further inquire into the movements of Liao and find out the situation before making a proposal.

After receiving the secret decree of Song Huizong, the governor of Xiongzhou and Shu speculated that the imperial court might have a plot against Yan Yun. Therefore, he spared no expense, recruited heroes and heroes of the Liao State in many ways, and vigorously collected all kinds of intelligence of the Liao State.

There was a Liao merchant who presented a map of Yanshan to Hexu. The mountains and plains, forests, rivers, avenues and roads, cities and villages in the Yanjing area are all among them.

He Xuru obtained the treasure, went to Beijing in person, and presented the map to Song Huizong.

Song Huizong hung this map of Yanshan in the Chongzheng Palace, and often looked at it obsessively. In this way, the desire to recover Yanyun's lost territory became stronger and stronger in his heart.

On this day, Song Huizong received a recital from Wang Shizhong, the governor of Daizhou on Hedong Road, and wanted to go to Beijing to complain.

Song Huizong was overjoyed, and it was also in the Yanqing Hall that Song Huizong met with Wang Shizhong. When asked about the situation in Liao, his statement was basically the same as that of Zhao Liangsi.

Song Huizong asked him to talk about his views on the strategic concept of "uniting Jin to destroy Liao and recover Yanyun".

Wang Shizhong thinks this is a good strategy. Now the Liao State is declining, and the Jurchen is just the opposite, like the sunrise in the east. If the Great Song Dynasty can seize the opportunity of the civil strife in Liao, it will be as easy as exploring the bag to recover Yanyun, and Lianjin will destroy Liao, which will definitely accelerate this process, which is really the best policy.

Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty arranged a secret mission for Wang Shizhong: to pay more attention to the movements on the sea, find an opportunity, and explore a sea route from Dengzhou to Liaodong to contact the Jurchens.

After Wang Shizhong left, Song Huizong wanted to understand the attitude of the commanders stationed in the border towns of Hebei and Hedong towards Yanyun in the Northern Expedition. He sent the eunuch Tan Zhi to visit secretly.

Tan Zhi is tall and burly, looks like a military general, and has a close relationship with the eunuch Liang Shicheng. He was very particular about dressing and grooming. He usually likes to talk about military and military affairs, and he talks about it exaggeratedly, but in fact he talks about it on paper.