Wei Yunqi smiled slightly, "Your Majesty, the truce should be achieved by the joint efforts of both sides, and we can't expect sincerity on the one side, if Your Majesty can show sincerity, my son of heaven should also show corresponding sincerity." Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info"

Wei Yunqi said very tactfully, in fact, he didn't say anything, but he reminded Li Yuan that he couldn't just expect the other party to show sincerity, it was easy to sign a contract, but the difficult thing was how to maintain the contract? This requires the joint efforts of both sides.

Li Yuan understood what the other party meant, at least the signing was sincere, as for the execution of the contract, that would be a matter for the future, and it was estimated that Wei Yunqi didn't know how long he could hold on.

Li Yuan nodded, "Thank you Wei Xiangguo for telling me honestly, it's not too early, let's start negotiating!" ”

The two sides negotiated the contract in Zhongshu Province, the previous negotiation was also here, the venue has been set up, very simple, just a long table, five couches on each side, a total of five people on both sides participated, and there were two recorders, each sitting at both ends of the long table, responsible for recording the minutes of the negotiation.

The Tang Dynasty was the chief envoy of the negotiation by the crown prince Li Jiancheng, the deputy envoy of Xiangguo Pei Lian, and three other attendants participated in the negotiations, the chief envoy of the Zhou Dynasty was Wei Yunqi of Xiangguo, Wen Yanbo, the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, was the deputy envoy, and the three Langzhong were auxiliary envoys.

However, Wei Yunqi is the Shang Shuling of the Zhou Dynasty, after Su Wei retired at the end of the month, he is the right minister, the head of the hundred officials of the Zhou Dynasty, very powerful, can fully represent the emperor of the Great Zhou, and can make decisions on the spot, while Li Jiancheng has a high status, but he has no decision-making power, and he still needs the Son of Heaven to make decisions, so in terms of real power, the Zhou Dynasty is even higher.

The two sides sat down and exchanged a few simple greetings, as the initiator of the negotiations, Wei Yunqi first said to everyone: "In the spring and summer of this year, Yuzhou, Xuzhou, Qingzhou and Longyou have suffered disasters to varying degrees, resulting in a reduction in summer grain production, so in order to ensure the autumn harvest and spring ploughing next year, my son of heaven suggested a one-year truce, I came to negotiate with you on the order of the son of heaven this time, if you have any better suggestions, I am willing to listen!" ”

Wei Yunqi kicked the ball to the other party again, Li Jiancheng and Pei Lin glanced at each other, Li Jiancheng said: "First of all, we support peace talks, Wei Xiangguo is right, this year's Longyou suffered a spring drought, and the summer grain output was generally reduced by three percent, and the war will only bring greater pain to the people, we are willing to stop the war, which we completely agree with your thoughts, but I don't know what else we can talk about besides the truce?" ”

Both sides talk about the people's livelihood, and both take the people's livelihood as the reason for the truce, but the real reason is that the two sides are secretive, who will not take it to the table, but this is actually not important, the important thing is the armistice itself and the conditions of the armistice, the general principle has been clear on both sides, both sides have agreed to the truce, and the following is the negotiation of the details.

Of course, although this armistice and peace talks were proposed by the Zhou Dynasty, it was the Tang Dynasty that really wanted an armistice, and both sides also knew that at the negotiating table, it was the Zhou Dynasty and not the Tang Dynasty that took the initiative.

Wei Yunqi smiled and said, "In order to show our sincerity, we are willing to put the firewood horse back, and of course, we also hope that you will show corresponding sincerity." ”

"I wonder what kind of sincerity you need?" Pei Lin asked on the side.

"Let's just keep free trade! Maintain the current trade status quo. ”

Li Jiancheng knew very well what Wei Yunqi meant by maintaining the status quo of trade, that is, to continue to exchange various materials of the Tang Dynasty for pig iron of the Zhou Dynasty, which would lead to great suffering of the people, but it could maintain the needs of the army.

But the question now is not whether he Li Jiancheng is willing, but that he has no power to decide any countermeasures at all, Li Jiancheng whispered a few words to Pei Lian, Pei Lian nodded, got up and smiled apologetically, and turned around.

Li Jiancheng said helplessly: "The emperor is extremely concerned about this consultation, and all decisions must be agreed by him, please forgive me!" ”

Wei Yunqi smiled, "I fully understand, if we negotiate in the Central Capital, we also have to report to the Son of Heaven for approval, after all, this is Chang'an." ”

After a while, Pei Lin hurried back and nodded to Li Jiancheng, Li Jiancheng had no choice but to say: "My father has already agreed, maintain the current state of trade, please put back the firewood horse as soon as possible!" ”

"Don't worry! At the latest, the horses will be able to return to Chang'an. ”

The first condition was successfully reached, but both sides knew that this was just a small dish before the meal, and the real big dish had not yet begun, and it was impossible for the Zhou Dynasty to have such an unconditional truce in the case of taking advantage of it, and they must have very harsh conditions, otherwise they would not have come to Chang'an.

Sure enough, Wei Yunqi said slowly: "In this peace talks, our Son of Heaven is also under tremendous pressure, most of the courtiers and the military are against the truce, but our Son of Heaven still convinces everyone, but at the same time as the truce, we hope to expand the exchanges between the people on both sides, which is also the only condition of our Son of Heaven." ”

Li Jiancheng didn't understand, and hurriedly asked: "What exactly does it mean to expand people-to-people exchanges between the two sides?" ”

Wei Yunqi smiled slightly, "In fact, there are several meanings, such as Guan Long's scholars coming to Zhongdu to participate in the imperial examination, or Zhou Dynasty scholars going to Chang'an to participate in the imperial examination, I hope that both sides will not stop it, of course, there was no prevention in the past, but we hope to continue to maintain, in addition, the normal migration of ordinary people, I also hope that the two sides will not block it, just these two small conditions, it's very simple!" ”

Li Jiancheng and Pei Lin took a breath of cold air at the same time, where is this a small condition, it is clearly a noose to strangle the Tang Dynasty, once a large-scale flow of people to the Zhou Dynasty, Guanzhong and Longyou will become a thousand miles of no man's land, and such a dynasty will exist in name only.

Pei Lin couldn't help but ask, "What if we stop the exodus of people?" ”

Wei Yunqi said lightly: "Since the agreement is reached, it must be implemented, if the agreement is not implemented, it means that the agreement is invalid and the truce is over." ”

Li Jiancheng nodded, "Today we will talk about this for the time being, we will discuss the conditions proposed by Wei Xiangguo just now, and then give Wei Xiangguo an answer." ”

"Will we continue the negotiations tomorrow?"

"This is not necessarily, we will inform Wei Xiangguo in advance before the consultation."

"Oh well! We'll go back. ”

Wei Yunqi stood up, and the rest of the entourage also got up, Li Jiancheng sent someone to escort Wei Yunqi and the others back to your hotel, while he and Pei Lin hurriedly walked towards the Wude Palace.

........

Returning to the carriage of your hotel, Wen Yanbo couldn't help but smile and said: "The stunned looks of Li Jiancheng and Pei Lin just now are really unforgettable, in fact, this condition is not harsh, why can't they accept it?" If the people of Guanzhong really want to leave, and they stop it, it is also a change of mind, so what is the point? ”

Wei Yunqi smiled faintly and said: "This is actually just a bottom-line issue, the prince is still not thick enough, he doesn't dare to take risks on this bottom-line issue, Pei Lin is the same, they are all understanding people, and they know that once they agree to the serious consequences of this condition, the foundation of the Tang Dynasty will be gone." ”

"Does Wei Xiangguo think Li Yuan, the Son of Heaven, will agree?"

Wei Yun nodded, "He will definitely agree, if he doesn't agree, he will die faster, if he agrees, maybe there is a glimmer of life, as the Son of Heaven, he has no choice." ”

.........

In the Wude Palace, Li Yuan was discussing the conditions proposed by the Zhou Dynasty with several important ministers, although Li Jiancheng, Chen Shuda and Liu Wenjing all clearly expressed their opposition, but Li Yuan did not immediately express his position, he paced back and forth on the steps of the main hall with his hands, repeatedly weighing the pros and cons.

At this time, he turned around and asked Li Shendao: "What about the opinion of the supernatural powers?" ”

Li Shentong hesitated and said: "Actually, this matter is not necessarily harmful to us, the key is that we must learn to pursue advantages and avoid disadvantages." ”

"What do you mean by that?" Li Yuan asked with interest.

"Your Majesty, the flight of a large number of people in Guanzhong does have a great impact on us, but if it is handled well, the people in Guanzhong may not necessarily flee, or in other words, by the time they want to flee, most of the time has passed, and we don't care whether this treaty will be complied with or not."

Li Yuan nodded, Li Shentong was saying that it was in his heart, and he said to everyone: "I agree with the idea of the general of Shentong, don't think that the people of Guanlong want to escape, if people are not a last resort, they will not easily leave their homeland, I am not short of money and food now, I can be exempted from taxes for a year, and even a little land can be allocated, without taxes, and land expectations, the general public is willing to wait for hope, at least they will not leave immediately, wait for half a year and a year, weigh the pros and cons and then consider whether to go or not, what to do if you leave the family property, Who will sell the land to, etc., and when the aftermath is finally dealt with, and I am ready to leave, a year should have passed, I have also been a low-level official, and I know the people's feelings very well, and I decided that the other party's condition seems to be very serious, but the actual effect is not large, and it is completely acceptable. ”

Pei Lian, who had been silent, spoke: "Your Majesty thinks far, so that we are suddenly opened, Your Majesty is right, if you do not accept the other party's conditions, then Pujin Pass will immediately break out into war, which will frighten a large number of people to flee their homes, will cause chaos in Guanzhong, and we have no time to prepare for war, so we promised, we will win a year, there may not be a loss, but if we don't agree, we only have losses, but we have lost precious time, no matter how we weigh the pros and cons, we should agree." ”

At this time, Xiangguo Tang Jian also said: "Weichen also agrees with His Majesty's decision. ”

Li Yuan nodded and asked Li Jiancheng and the three of them: "Do you still want to object?" ”

"If the father decides to agree, the minister has no opinion."

"Wechen has no opinion!" Both Chen Shuda and Liu Wenjing expressed their attitude that they no longer objected.

"Then it's decided, agree to all their requests, and buy me a year."

After a pause, Li Yuan said to Li Jiancheng again: "I have one more thing, you discuss with Wei Yunqi tonight, if it is negotiated tonight, then you will sign the contract directly tomorrow." ”