Li Jiancheng said slowly: "Erchen has actually been in contact with Kang Sheli, a few days ago Kang Sheli sent someone to send me a letter, now the Turks have undergone great changes, Chu Luo Khan died of illness, his younger brother Du Bi ascended the throne, known as Jieli Khan, the northern Utu department has been destroyed, part of the rest of the Utu went south to join the Sui army, was placed in Dingxiang County. ”

Li Yuan's brows furrowed, "I didn't even know about these things, why didn't you say it earlier." ”

"Because my father was worried about the affairs of Huining County, my son did not report to my father for the time being, and my son planned to report it in two days, which shows that my father was in a bad mood, so I reported to my father first."

Li Yuan didn't care too much about him hiding himself, he was concerned about whether the Turks could help him suppress the Sui Dynasty.

"But when the Turks were defeated in Fengzhou, and the 300,000 army was almost wiped out, how much strength did they still have? Also, I seem to have heard that the Turks and the Sui army were reconciled last year. ”

"Father, the strength of the Turks was greatly weakened after the defeat of Fengzhou, this is indeed a fact, but they are all soldiers, when the Qimin Khan was at its strongest, there were a million armor soldiers, so the Turks still have strength, plus the destruction of the Utu Department, Jieli Khan obtained hundreds of thousands of people and a large number of materials, the messenger of Kang Sheli said that the Turkic army of 300,000 can be taken out, Jieli Khan is ambitious, and he will inevitably lead troops south to destroy the rest of Utu, which will inevitably clash with the Sui army."

Li Yuan pondered for a long time, and then said slowly: "The ambition of the Turkic wolf has always been an attempt to seize the advantage of the Central Plains, in fact, we don't have to deliberately form an alliance with the Turks, so as not to be accused by the world of making friends with foreign races, we can establish trade with the Turks through Hexi, we can tell them some information, let them understand the general situation of the Central Plains, understand the internal situation of the Sui Dynasty, as long as the time is ripe, Jieli Khan will naturally go south to attack the Sui, and then our opportunity will come." ”

Li Jiancheng's spirits were greatly lifted, and his father agreed to make friends with the Turks, which gave him hope. Hurriedly said: "Father, although we do not form an alliance with the Turks, some courtesies can be exchanged, such as the new Turkic Khan ascending the throne, we can send someone to congratulate us." ”

Li Yuan thought about it, and then readily agreed, "Very good, let Wang Xiaoji of Yong'an County send an envoy to the Turks." Go on my behalf to congratulate the new Turkic Khan on his accession to the throne. ”……

Xiao Yu came to Jinyang Palace again. But this time his mood was completely different from the last time, this time the Sui Dynasty treated him with great courtesy and gave him a place in a noble hotel. Equipped with a wide welcome carriage, he was not allowed to wait in the wind.

The carriage slowed down, and Xiao Yu saw Yang Shidao from afar. There were several other officials, standing respectfully in front of the gate of Jinyang Palace and waiting.

Although this time the Sui Dynasty did enough etiquette and gave him enough face, Xiao Yu had an indescribable bitterness in his heart, he would rather stay in the inn, wait in the wind, and would rather be ignored, at least he would not feel so deeply humiliated in his heart as he is now.

Yesterday he received an urgent warrant from the Holy Lord, ordering him to accept all the conditions of the Sui Dynasty. Ending the negotiations as soon as possible, Xiao Yu also knew that this was because of the impact of the capture of the horse Chai Shao, and he could also understand the helplessness of the saint.

But as a mastermind, he felt a deep shame in his heart for agreeing to all the conditions of the Sui Dynasty......

The carriage stopped in front of the palace gate, Xiao Yu and Yu Wenshi and stepped out of the carriage, and Yang Shidao greeted them. He bowed his hand and asked with concern: "Xiao Xiangguo seems to be in a bad complexion, is he feeling sick?" ”

"I'm fine!"

Xiao Yu snorted, "It's just that I'm in a bad mood, so I'll be replaced by Yang Xiangguo." The mood won't be much better. ”

"Huh! It's understandable, Xiao Xiangguo, please! ”

Several guards stepped forward with their chariots. Waiting for them to take their seats, Xiao Yu sighed in his heart, he really didn't want to go to Ziwei Pavilion, so he simply explained here, accepted all the conditions, and then he left.

Although he thinks so, he can't do this, he is the master of the Tang Dynasty, representing the image of the Tang Dynasty, it is not an ordinary dispute between neighbors, and he still has to sign some documents, Xiao Yu had to sit on the step, Yang Shidao also sat on the side of the frame, and the guards raised the step and walked towards Ziwei Pavilion.

"Is Yang Xiangguo still talking to me today?" Arriving at the door of Ziwei Pavilion, Xiao Yu stepped down and asked.

Yang Shidao shook his head, "Today I am just accompaniment, or His Royal Highness the King of Chu and Xiao Xiangguo will discuss in detail, His Royal Highness has been waiting for Xiangguo for a long time." ”

Xiao Yu knew in his heart that all this was under Yang Yuanqing's control, and today would be the day when the truth would come out......

Yang Yuanqing stood in front of the window, watching Xiao Yu enter Ziwei Pavilion with a conqueror's gaze, at this time Yang Yuanqing's heart was full of triumphant pride, since Pei Xingyan sent him the news a few days ago, annihilating the five thousand troops led by Chai Shao, and capturing the horse Chai Shao, Yang Yuanqing knew that the Tang Dynasty was bound to succumb.

This submission is not because of how important Chai Shao is, but because the Tang Dynasty can no longer afford defeat, and once the Tang army is defeated at Guanlong, it will be a fatal blow to the Tang Dynasty and will shake the foundation of the Tang Dynasty.

In fact, to a certain extent, the Sui army's occupation of Huining County was also a kind of temptation, testing the Tang Dynasty's ability to bear, it turned out that the Tang Dynasty could not afford to lose in Guanlong, Yang Yuanqing's eyes gradually narrowed into a slit, if he ate away the entire Guannei Dao step by step, what would happen?

At this time, a guard reported at the door, "The Tang envoy has been brought to the council hall." ”

Yang Yuanqing nodded, picked up a thick stack of documents from the table, this was a series of documents to be signed by the Sui and Tang dynasties today, and he walked quickly towards the meeting hall.

The council hall is downstairs, Xiao Yu and Yu Wenshi and have been waiting in the room for a long time, Yu Wenshi and still a little worried, Xiao Yu said, after talking today, he will return to Chang'an tomorrow, which makes his heart a mess, does he still have a chance to meet his wife and children again?

Today, Xiao Yu didn't blame him for being absent-minded, he himself was a little uneasy, and he didn't know how to face Yang Yuanqing, at this time, the guard at the door shouted in a low voice: "His Royal Highness the King of Chu has arrived!" ”

Xiao Yu was startled, turned around, and saw Yang Yuanqing walking in quickly, he hurriedly stepped forward to salute, "See His Royal Highness the King of Chu!" ”

"Let Xiao Xiangguo wait for a long time, please sit down!"

The two sides sat down separately, this time Yang Yuanqing sat on the main seat, Yang Shidao sat beside him, Yushi Han Shouzhong and Fu Xilang Jiang Ji sat at the bottom, one of them was responsible for recording and the other was responsible for holding the seal.

Yang Yuanqing smiled slightly: "Xiao Xiangguo's food and lodging are good these days, and Yicheng can take care of them wholeheartedly?" ”

"Thank you Your Highness for your concern, Yicheng takes good care of you."

The two exchanged a few words, and then gradually entered the topic, Xiao Yu said in a deep voice: "The last time the Sui Dynasty put forward the conditions, I asked the court and the Holy Lord for instructions, I have received an official reply from Chang'an, we can accept the conditions of the Sui Dynasty, in exchange for 500,000 stone grain for all prisoners of war, in addition, the court also promised to cede Huining County, in exchange for Nanyang and Xiyang County, I hope that the Sui Dynasty can keep its promise,"

Yang Yuanqing nodded, "Last time it was the condition proposed on the fifth day of the eighth month, before the fifth day of the eighth month, all prisoners of war captured by the Sui Dynasty will be returned, but it does not include what happened after the fifth day of the eighth month, I hope Xiao Xiangguo can understand." ”

Xiao Yu's face changed greatly, Yang Yuanqing meant that it did not include Chai Shao, how could this be, the saint pointed out that he wanted to release Chai Shao back, and he was a little anxious: "Your Highness, at least it should include Chai Shao!" ”

Yang Yuanqing shook his head, "I'm sorry, the chai horse was captured on the eighth day of the eighth month of August, I considered the conditions at the beginning of August, I didn't take the chai horse into account, of course, I can also release the chai horse, but I need to get a ransom, a reciprocal exchange, it is justified." ”

Xiao Yu was almost desperate, 500,000 stone grain was not enough, Yang Yuanqing was going to increase the weight again, and he hated it so much.

But Yang Yuanqing's expression was very resolute, as if there was no room for negotiation in this matter, and in desperation, Xiao Yu had to ask stubbornly: "I don't know what conditions His Highness wants?" ”

Yang Yuanqing stretched out his palm and flipped it back and forth, and said lightly: "I want 100,000 taels of gold, or another 300,000 stone of grain." ”

This condition almost made Xiao Yu faint, and even the deputy envoy Yu Wenshi next to him also changed his face, and even Han Shouzhong, the imperial historian who was in charge of recording on the Sui Dynasty's side, couldn't put pen to paper.

This is simply a lion's mouth, the Tang Dynasty has already promised 500,000 stone grain, and now the king of Chu wants to pursue 100,000 taels of gold or 300,000 stone grain, how can the Tang Dynasty afford it.

Xiao Yu knew in his heart that the grain stored in the Tang Dynasty Mansion was only 1.1 million stones, and if Yang Yuanqing extorted 800,000 stones, then the official warehouses in various places would have bottomed out, and giving 500,000 stones was already the limit of the Tang Dynasty, and it was impossible to give more.

However, 100,000 taels of gold is almost half of the gold reserves in Zuozang, and it will greatly affect the financial expenditure of the Tang Dynasty, and half of the gold from the treasury will be taken out for a horse, which makes it impossible for the saint to explain to the imperial court, and he will not be able to agree.

Although the edict given to him by the Holy Lord said that he could promise all the conditions of the Sui Dynasty, as the Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty, Xiao Yu had his own bottom line and principles, and he bowed his head and remained silent.

Yang Yuanqing glanced at him and said with a smile: "That's it!" I take a step back, as long as I agree to my additional conditions, I will not only release the firewood horse, but also the more than 4,000 prisoners of war who were captured with him, this condition, Xiao Xiangguo should be able to accept it! ”

Xiao Yu bit his lip and said: "His Royal Highness the King of Chu, I can also do without more than 4,000 prisoners of war, I only need one firewood and horse, 300,000 stone grain or 100,000 taels of gold, we can't afford it, can we take another step and redeem the firewood and horses with 50,000 taels of gold." ”

Yang Yuanqing smiled slightly and said, "Give me the families of more than 4,000 prisoners of war as well." ”

Xiao Yu's heart was horizontal, "Then it's a word!" ”

Yang Yuanqing's expression became serious, he looked into Xiao Yu's eyes, and said slowly: "We are determined by our words!" ”

The two sides finally reached an agreement, and the Tang Dynasty ended the Central Plains Campaign at the cost of 500,000 stone grain, but in order to redeem Chai Shao, the Tang Dynasty paid another 50,000 taels of gold and more than 4,000 prisoners of war and their families, and after the memorandum of understanding was signed, Li Shimin's 50,000 troops withdrew from Huining County to the south of Longxi County, and Huining County was officially annexed by the Sui Dynasty