The Southern Tang Dynasty has reached the critical point of life and death, and there is only the last way left for Xu Xuan, that is, to enter Kaifeng and turn things around for Li Yu with a three-inch tongue! The task is daunting, but not impossible. A thousand years ago, Su Qin and Zhang Yi sent envoys to other countries to lobby the world. A few words can be used to provoke war or quell hostilities. So what can't Xu Xuanwei, the world's number one debater do? A common voice echoed in the hearts of Li Yu and Xu Xuan - Zhao Kuangyin, I can't fight. You can't talk! So, everything is still undecided...

Before leaving the city, Li Yu said to Xu Xuan, "Since you go, I will immediately order Zhu Lingyun to stand still and prevent him from coming to save Jinling" Xu Xuan was puzzled and asked why. Li Yu sighed, "Sending you to sue for peace, but calling for rescuers, aren't you in danger" Xu Xuan shook his head slowly, "Your Majesty, please leave your vassals out of the degree, what should I do, what should I do" Li Yu cried at that time. wrote a personal letter of more than a dozen pieces of paper to Zhao Kuangyin on the spot, and asked a Taoist priest named Zhou Weijian to hide it, so that they could set off.

On October 1, Xu Xuan walked out of the besieged Jinling City, calmly faced the swords and guns of the Song army, and calmly said that he wanted to meet Cao Bin, the commander of the Song army. Cao Bin received him, asked him about his intentions, and sent someone to escort him across the Yangtze River and enter Kaifeng as an envoy of the enemy country. The atmosphere in Kaifeng City was immediately tense. If nothing else, Seo Hyun's erudite and eloquent reputation is really appalling. Someone immediately warned Zhao Kuangyin that he should not be careless about this person and that he must be fully prepared. The emperor, who had been invincible on the battlefield for half his life, felt that the idea of the Southern Tang Dynasty monarchs and ministers was ridiculous, would he withdraw from the army because of the poor reasoning and excuses he was asked? But he suddenly had the urge to compare his eloquence with the world's number one debater, and Da Yan smiled and said, "Just call him up, you don't understand the rest."

Xu Xuan walked into the Great Song Palace, faced the Great Song Emperor and hundreds of civil and military officials, raised his head, and loudly said the grievances of all Jiangnan people, "Li Yu is not guilty, His Majesty is unknown" Song Ting was shocked! One sentence hits the nail on the head of Zhao Kuangyin! Everyone knows that every time the Great Song Dynasty sends troops, there must be a reason. Jinghu is the other party's request to send troops, Houshu is forced to fight back, and the Southern Han is to save the people. And what about the Southern Tang? The most high-sounding reason is that Li Yu is "stubborn", which is too reluctant in any case.

Everyone was looking at the Great Song Emperor, Zhao Kuangyin was not angry, he asked Xu Xuan to come closer and finish speaking. Over the years, all kinds of grievances in the Southern Tang Dynasty have come to mind, making Xu Xuan blurt out, "Li Yu is like a son and a father to His Majesty, and he has never made any mistakes." After that, Xu Xuan was impassioned and said hundreds of words. But unfortunately, Seo Hyun, who quickly entered the state of debate, left a fatal flaw at the beginning. And Zhao Kuangyin also proved that his books for so many years were not read in vain, and the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty only asked indifferently, "You say that I and Li Yu are like father and son?" That's good, do you say that father and son can live separately" Xu Xuan was stunned for a moment. What more can I say? Zhao-Kuang-Yin... Count you ruthless! Xu Xuan didn't expect that he was full of wealth, and he was unexpectedly defeated by this robber emperor who was born in the army.

In Xu Xuan's embarrassment, Taoist priest Zhou Weijian took out Li Yu's handwritten letter and presented it to Zhao Kuangyin. This is the last effort. But after reading the letter, Zhao Kuangyin's words made Xu Xuan doubly angry: "What did your lord write? I don't understand."

Xu Xuan's first intercession in Kaifeng has been a complete failure. On the 4th, Xu Xuan took his leave and returned to Jiangnan.

Xu Xuan failed, and the fate of Jinling, Southern Tang, and Li Yu was all maintained on Zhu Lingyun's 100,000 army at Hukou.

In mid-October, Zhu Lingyun, who had been delaying for 5 months, had no choice but to pour out of the village and never look back. I don't care about any back roads or ambushes. Known as an army of 150,000, they sat on a super warship that can accommodate 1,000 people and a large raft more than 100 zhang long, went down the river to the east, and went straight to the quarry! The strategic intention is obvious: to take advantage of the Southern Tang naval army, block the waist to cut off the Song army's advance and retreat, and then go to Jinling to save his majesty. This is the key point of the Song army. In fact, during the war, the Southern Tang people aimed at the pontoon bridge again and again, which illustrates the problem. This is indeed the life gate of the Song army - whether it is the army or supplies, it must be achieved through this pontoon bridge.

Wang Ming, the commander-in-chief of the Song army, who had been stationed in Dushukou, immediately reported and demanded that heavy troops be mobilized to intercept Zhu Lingyun. This news directly alarmed Zhao Kuangyin himself. The emperor personally instructed: It's too late to transfer troops, but you have to stop it! It is necessary to erect a long wooden mast in the shape of a mast between Zhoupu on the road that Zhu Lingyun must pass to advance as a suspicious soldier.

In Zhu Lingyun's hesitation, Cao Bin won the time that was hard to buy and sent Liu Yu to reinforce quickly. On the 21st, Wang Ming and Liu Yu converged. Without a moment's delay, he immediately launched an attack on Zhu Lingyun, who had just arrived at Anhuikou.

The weather in the depths of winter in October is unusually strong southerly winds. Zhu Lingyun is worthy of being one of the top naval generals in the Southern Tang Dynasty, and he wants to reproduce the miracle 767 years ago. He ordered a large amount of tung oil to be poured into the river and set on fire. Suddenly, a sea of fire drowned the Song army in the north, and Liu Yu immediately couldn't support it. But Zhu Lingyun's army of 150,000 is missing only one person. When the balance of victory just tilted slightly in favor of the Southern Tang, fate once again cruelly played tricks on the Jiangnan people. The so-called 'east wind is not with Zhu Lang, Kaifeng deep palace locks the week' due to the lack of Zhuge Liang who can call the wind and rain, the south wind suddenly turned into the north wind, and the raging flames completely wiped out the 100,000 Southern Tang Dynasty naval army... In the end, Zhu Lingyun failed to establish a great achievement on a par with Zhou Lang Pocao. He pointed to the heavens and the earth, and then committed suicide by throwing himself into the fire. At this point, Li Yu's last hope was also extinguished with this fire...

On November 3, Xu Xuan walked into the palace of the Great Song Dynasty in Kaifeng for the second time. He will make the most difficult efforts for the Southern Tang Dynasty and Li Yu, "Li Yu is really sick, so he can't enter the Hajj. It is not that he dares to resist your edict. I implore Your Majesty to slow down the army a little and protect the people in the south of the Yangtze River" Xu Xuan, who had sharp teeth, was almost pleading at this time. But Zhao Kuangyin was unmoved. Xu Xuan was unwilling, and repeatedly debated with the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, and finally couldn't restrain himself after the end, and became "more and more angry" Zhao Kuangyin's patience finally came to an end. He has nothing to say, so he tells the truth. The emperor pressed his sword and rose: "Needless to say! Jiangnan is also guilty! But the world is one family, on the side of the couch, how can others be allowed to snore"

Xu Xuan was silent, Shi Zai, a talented man in Jiangnan, "retreated in panic", but try to ask who in the whole world was forced to talk about things with a sword, threw aside benevolence, righteousness and morality, and admitted that he was revolted because of your money and land, and he was uneasy and kind? The Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty was annoyed and angry. This war of words must have been lost before he said the hand-me-down phrase 'On the side of the couch, how can you allow others to snore'.

Seo Hyun was defeated again. He was silent and disappeared from Zhao Kuangyin's eyes. He still chose Jinling, thousands of miles away, to return to Li Yu, who was doomed to the country. Behind him, Zhao Kuangyin slowly lowered the hilt of his sword, and asked the left and right to immediately bring the map of the siege of Jinling. He wants to take a closer look at whether Cao Bin and Pan Mei still have any flaws? Because he saw from Xu Xuan that the Jiangnan people were far from giving in... Sure enough, he pointed to the Song army's north village outside Jinling City and said, "This is Pan Mei's camp, right?" Send someone to notify you immediately, and dig a deep trench here immediately. Jiangnan people will definitely come to attack at night."

Late at night on the 18th, 5,000 Nantang people really came to attack at night. It's a pity that Pan Mei and Cao Bin have been prepared. 5,000 people were wiped out. And the Song army searched for general-level talismans on more than a dozen Southern Tang people who died in battle... The soldiers are gone, and the generals themselves come to be death squads.

At this time, Cao Bin was finally able to determine one thing. After nearly a year of siege, Jinling City has run out of oil. So he decided to write a letter to Li Yu: "Our army will break the city on the 27th. It should be done as soon as possible" Li Yu could only admit defeat. He replied to Cao Bin and made an appointment to send his eldest son Li Zhongyu to Kaifeng as a hostage first, and then surrender the clan. But he said it and didn't do it. Cao Bin's patience is good, he just sends people to send messages to urge him every day, and automatically lowers the standard, "Ling Lang doesn't have to go to Kaifeng, as long as he goes to my military camp, he can immediately stop fighting" But Li Yu always chose to delay, and his excuse was really too bad to go on the road, which made Cao Bin feel that he was being teased in public "My son is not ready to go out with clothes, so he can't go out of the city to meet people"

Cao Bin couldn't do it, he warned Li Yu that the last time was "a little late, that is, it will be too late" but still fell into the sea. Li Yu seems to have made up his mind and is determined to carry out the delay to the end.

Cao Bin had no way out, and he finally did something that was most important to the entire battle situation that lasted for 1 year. He was "sick". So the generals of the Song army came to visit him in person.

Cao Bin said in a weak voice, "My illness is incurable, it is a terminal illness... But as long as everyone swears, they will not kill a single person on the day of the city's destruction. Then I can't die. Can you swear" Cao Bin must still be out of breath when he said this, looking sick and broken. But behind him, that extremely classic ornament must have revealed its hideous face-the first Shang Fang sword of the Great Song Dynasty that the emperor personally gave him before the expedition, which could kill anyone.

Anything else to say? Cao Bin has the right not to use it, but he uses this 'disease' to beg everyone to give him face. So everyone burned incense and swore an oath. The next day, Cao Bin was 'cured of a serious illness'

On November 27, 975, Cao Bin, the commander of the Song army, told me that the city of Jinling would be breached on this day. I know he can do it. And my reply to him was that I would pile up dry wood around my palace, and when the city was broken, I would take my whole people with me and be reduced to ashes in the fire... Just like my name "Yu", I will use this most beautiful light to wash away the shameful words such as mediocrity, incompetence, and cowardice that hang over my name!

In the distance, the sound of the golden drum fighting was near. It was the loyal Southern Tang Dynasty soldiers such as Yu Yan, Ma Chengcheng, and Ma Chengjun who were fighting for me to prevent the arrival of this most critical moment. Just like Chen Qiao, he just committed suicide in front of me because he didn't want to see me become a person who died in the country. And Zhang Xun was crying silently. He said, "Your Majesty, I will always be with you." Even if I go to Kaifeng, I will keep this life and defend my grievances to Zhao Kuangyin for you."

And my hand grabbed a pen at some point, and some words seemed to float from the sky, flowing through my hand on this Chengxintang paper, "The cherries are falling and the spring is returning, the butterflies are turning over the light powder, and the moon is crying in the west of the small building." Painting curtain bead foil, melancholy rolled gold clay. After the lonely people in the door and alley go, the tobacco is sluggish..."(This "Linjiang Immortal" is said to have been composed by Li Yucheng when it was broken.) And it's not perfect. There is also an incense burner in the back, and the phoenix is idle. Empty Luo belt, looking back and hating'3 sentences. It is also said that this was made one year after Li Yu died in the country. I won't do it for the time being) and the verses made me forget everything, even forgetting to order the sergeant to light the dry wood...

Suddenly, the sounds of killing had stopped. The city is really broken... The Song army was lined up outside the walls of our palace. Unexpectedly, for the sake of one of me, I didn't go to Kaifeng, Zhao Kuangyin actually sent 100,000 people to my Jinling. That's it! Let me go to Kaifeng to see Zhao Kuangyin!

Li Yu came to the outside of the palace, saw Pan Mei first, and then Cao Bin, and officially surrendered! Cao and Pan replied with a salute, and immediately selected more than 1,000 soldiers to guard outside the palace wall, "If there is anyone who wants to enter, everything will be refused"

Then Cao Bin invited Li Yu to his handsome ship for tea, and Li Yu saw that the gangplank on the ship was too narrow, and he was afraid, so he had to be helped to get on the ship. After drinking tea and chatting for a few words, Cao Bin suddenly sent the guest away, "You better go back to the palace immediately." Pack as much gold and silver as you can. Once it is confiscated and registered, nothing can be obtained. After arriving in Kaifeng, there are fixed salaries and bonuses, you are not used to that kind of life..."Li Yu was grateful, and immediately rushed back to the palace to get the money. Liang Zhen and Tian Qinzuo surrounded Cao Bin and quarreled, "Cao Bin, what are you doing?" It's easy to capture Li Yu alive, and you let him go back. What is going to happen to him, who will be responsible" Cao Bin smiled and did not answer. The generals were arguing, annoying him, "Don't worry. Li Yu was indecisive. You see he shivered on the last boat. If you surrender, you will never commit suicide again" Cao Bin ensured Li Yu's safety while also strictly enforcing military discipline and protecting the family of the Southern Tang Dynasty. And strictly inspect in the army to see if there are stolen Jiangnan women or folk treasures. As for the treasury granaries and other places in the Southern Tang Dynasty, Cao Bin did not care about anything, and handed them over to full-time officials such as transfer envoys sent by the imperial court. When Song Jun's class returned to Beijing, Cao Bin only had some books and clothes in his luggage.

On December 1, the good news was transmitted to Kaifeng. The 3 armies of 19 states in the Southern Tang Dynasty and 655065 households in 108 counties returned to the territory of the Great Song Dynasty.

On the 4th day of the first month of the 9th year of Kaibao (976), Li Yu and his party of 45 people came to Kaifeng. How to deal with Li Yu? The ministers suggested that the strip of white cloth that was tied to Liu Yu's neck should be found again, and he should also be tied to Li Yu's neck and dragged to Taimiao to offer prisoners. Zhao Kuangyin shook his head: "These two people are not comparable." Li Yu once surrendered to me, and he couldn't do this to him" It's just that in front of the Mingde Gate, Li Yu kowtowed to Zhao Kuangyin a few times in front of the public, and on the 8th, he was exchanged for the title of Marquis of the Great Song Dynasty (Liu Gang had been crowned the Duke of Pengcheng County by the Marquis of Amnesty on the 22nd of last month)

Zhao Kuangyin summoned Xu Xuan and reproached him for not persuading Li Yu to surrender as soon as possible. Xu Xuan calmly replied, "The minister is the minister of Jiangnan, and the country should die." There is no need to ask others," Zhao Kuangyin sighed, "Loyal ministers also." Things should be like the Li family," and called Zhang Xun to ask, "You teach Li Yu not to surrender, so that today." You are guilty" took out the wax book that Zhang Xun wrote during the siege of Jinling to call for reinforcements. Zhang Xun kowtowed and asked for death: "This is indeed written by the minister." The barking of dogs is not its master. The minister has done a lot, and today he only wants to die" Zhao Kuangyin saw that he was calm and unyielding, and he also pardoned him. But the Great Song Emperor looked away this time. Xu Xuan is indeed a loyal minister, but that Zhang Xuan is a villain.