In September of the sixth year of the founding of the armed forces, after a series of border conflicts, the troubled Shaanxi finally waited for a good news. On behalf of Sichuan and Shaanxi, or on behalf of the envoy of the Great Song Dynasty, Ma Kuang returned. Although he had not yet arrived in Qinzhou, and it was unknown how he talked to the Khitans, at least, he came back safely.

In these years, as an envoy, he is a messenger with a relatively high risk factor, not to mention, Shaanxi to Xiliao, there may be thousands of miles away. According to Xiao Duolu, who came to Shaanxi last time, Yelu Dashi finally set the capital in a place called "Hu Sihan Ear", and frankly speaking, no one in Shaanxi knew what kind of place it was, and Xu Wei only guessed that it might be in Xinjiang or further in the future. Ma Kuang has been gone for almost a year, and regardless of the outcome, it is already a matter of joy to return safely.

In order to express his affirmation of Ma Zichong's hard work, Xu Wei planned to go out of the city to greet him in person with the dignity of a chief. But Zhang Qing said that if Ma Zichong fails to achieve the expected goal, it will not be good for you to put on such a big formation. Zijin Hu gave up at this time, and after Ma Kuo entered the city, he greeted him with the officials of the Department of Preparation and Placement at the gate of the yamen.

Therefore, the people of Qinzhou saw such a scene. Up to Xu Wei, until the office work in the Establishment Division, more than a dozen officials all stood at the door of the Establishment Division, waiting eagerly. The people are speculating, who is Xu Xuanfu greeting? Isn't it an angel from the imperial court?

"Ma Kuo set out in October last year, and it has been exactly 10 months since then, so I hope he brings back good news." While waiting, Zhang Qing said casually.

This did not resonate too much with his colleagues, and after the officials echoed a few words, someone said: "Why haven't you come yet?" It's almost noon. ”

Xu Wei knew that the other party was not anxious to know the result, but was bored waiting. In the Department of Preparation, even in the Xuanfu Department in Mianzhou, and even in the Xing Dynasty in Hangzhou, not many people were interested in winning "foreign aid" or had much hope. It's not that the ancients only knew how to sit in the well and watch the sky, but because of various conditions, each country basically went its own way. And in the era he lived in, even if a group of boring people on the other side of the world made a super invincible big cake, it could spread all over the world in a few days.

Just when the officials were too idle to start talking about recent affairs, Ma Kuo finally came. As soon as he appeared, he immediately caught everyone's attention, not because of himself, but because of the mount under his crotch. It was a mighty horse, with a fur as shiny as black satin, and more than a head taller than the horse next to it.

The officials behind Xu Wei let out exclamations, they had never seen such a majestic war horse. Compared with this horse, the soldiers next to him are simply a group of firewood girls surrounded by a princess with golden branches and jade leaves.

Ma Kuo found that Xu Wei was leading the crowd to wait for him, drank away the guards in front, and galloped to the front of the yamen. The officials didn't blink when they saw it, because the divine horse was only trotting a few steps, but that figure, that step ...... "return from the lowly envoy and return to the Xuanfu Prime Minister." Ma Kuo jumped off the ground and saluted with his fists clenched.

Xu Wei smiled, hurriedly went down the steps, took his hand and looked up and down: "Well, it's all the same, okay, let's go, talk inside." ”

He dragged the other party to the yamen, but the rest of the officials were still watching the horse. I don't know which sharp-eyed one it was, but I found that Ma Kuo's team still had several such good horses, so the officials' eyes were red.

At the court, the officials sat down, and Xu Wei couldn't wait to ask: "Zichong, have you ever seen Yelu Dashi when you go west this time?" ”

Ma Kuo seemed to be a little excited, and said with a long sigh of relief: "The humble position and Xiao Duolu are not waiting together, taking advantage of the Western Xia Realm, entering the Western Regions, traveling for several months, and even the Khitan border, and traveling for more than 20 days, Fang to the capital of Dashi, Hu Sihan's ears." According to humble estimates, Shaanxi to the other side, I am afraid that it is more than 8,000 miles! ”

Eight thousand miles? Everyone was taken aback, not wanting to be so far away.

"That Hu Sihan ear was originally the capital of the Black Khanate, and Dashi successively swept away the Uighur Black Khan Dynasty in Xizhou, etc., and changed the capital of the Black Khan to its current name and designated it as the capital of the Khitan State. This Xianggong and you may be unfamiliar here, but there is a city near it, called Broken Leaf City, familiar, right? He himself was honored as Ju'er Khan, and his ministers were called 'Emperor Tianzhi' according to the Han system. Hearing that he was humble, Dashi sent his son out of the city to greet him, and the courtesy was very generous! Ma Kuo gushed endlessly, and everyone was surprised when they heard it.

Then the Jelu Dashi is a true god and a man! I want the Northern Dynasty to collapse under the thunderous blow of the Jurchens, and even the Liao Emperor Yelu Yanxi was a prisoner of the steps, he was a side branch clan, only led hundreds of horses, and was able to crisscross the Western Regions, sweep away several countries, and lay down thousands of miles of rivers and mountains! This kind of person is not a hero, who is?

But what everyone is most concerned about is whether Ma Kuo has achieved the mission. You must know that he went to the Western Regions this time for the purpose of uniting against Jin, not for tourism. Ma Kuan quickly turned the conversation back to that.

"He lived in the city for more than ten days, and Dashi only sent officials to accompany him around, and he did not receive him. In the city of Hu Sihan's ears, all Qiang coexisted, including Han people, Khitan people, and Hu people whose appearance was very different from that of the Central Plains. However, no matter what race it is, it can coexist harmoniously, which shows the talent of Oishi! ”

Xu Wei nodded from time to time, but the others lost their patience, and Wu Jue interjected: "When will Yelu Dashi meet you?" ”

Ma Kuo waved his hand, signaling him to be calm for a while, and then continued: "Seventeen days after arriving in the capital, Dashi was officially received in the palace. Speaking of this, he sighed with emotion, "I haven't seen you for more than ten years, Dashi is indeed much older, but its majesty is still there!" ”

As soon as they met, without introduction, he recognized his humble position, recalled the past of the year, and remembered clearly even the side branches. He declared to his humble position that the Khitan State had hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers of all ethnic groups, and it would take several months to walk from east to west. Humble post timely mentioned, saying that Your Majesty has forgotten the old frontier? ”

Wu Jue said again: "How can the big stone answer?" ”

Dashi looked at the humble position without saying a word, returned to the throne, and asked about the recent situation of the Great Song Dynasty. The humble duty naturally answered truthfully. He asked about Xu Xuanfu's background experience, and after learning that Xuanfu Xianggong and the Jin people fought fiercely for more than ten years, he was quite admirable. At this time, the humble official formally proposed to him to join forces against Jin, but Dashi seemed to have concerns. ”

Hearing this, several officials asked in unison, "What concerns does he have?" ”

"There are two concerns, one is that the Jin country is powerful and difficult to compete with. Of course, he gave him a detailed introduction to the changes in the situation of the Jin Kingdom in recent years to dispel his doubts; The second is to worry about the party. ”