"Wearing guilt and making meritorious service" and being a lobbyist for the Great Zhou Dynasty are tasks that were known before the Northern Expedition army set off, so hearing Wang Feng say this, Xiao Jixian did not feel any surprise, and hurriedly got up again and saluted: "Jixian only wants to alleviate his sins, how dare he ask for any credit." This time he entered Changning City to persuade Xiao Daxiang that Jixian would definitely do his best to ensure that the soldiers would take Yongzhou without blood. ”

"Then my brothers and I are waiting here for the good news of General Xiao." Wu Peng said as he raised the wine glass in his hand and saluted Xiao Jixian.

Seeing this, Xiao Ji hurriedly picked up his wine glass, first saluted Wu Peng, and then saluted Wang Feng, and then drank it all.

After eating, it was already past noon, Xiao Jixian did not dare to delay any longer, and confessed to Wang Feng and Wu Peng, and then took the letter of persuasion written by Yang Xin, the commander of the Left Route Army of the Northern Expedition, as well as Xiao Buda's token and the letter to his son Xiao Daxiang, and rushed to Changning City.

Looking at Xiao Jixian's fading back through the curtain raised by the Chinese army's big tent, and then looking at the wine and food on his table that had barely touched, Wang Feng and Wu Peng glanced at each other, and couldn't help but shake their heads slightly at the same time.

"I remember hearing Brother Qi say before that in the history of his previous life, this Xiao Jixian was also a young talent praised by people, and he also charged into battle in the war between Song and Liao, fought in the south and north, and made countless meritorious achievements, which can be regarded as a well-known figure in the Liao State at that time. I never thought that it would end up like this in this era. Wu Peng said while taking a sip of the tea offered by the guards.

"I'm afraid this is the so-called 'unpredictable world' and 'success and defeat'." Wang Feng also drank tea and replied, "Actually, who can explain the things in this world clearly. I think that at the beginning, when our brothers had just crossed over here, weren't they also thinking about how to live, how to be fed and clothed? Who would have thought that there would be such a power leaning towards the government and the opposition and looking down on the world. ”

"Brother Twenty-Seven's is right." Wu Peng agreed, "I think that Xiao Jixian, Xiao Siwen and those Khitan civil and military officials who were captured by us were not high-ranking magnates, and they didn't care about us 'grass people' and 'land lords' at all. Even if we later have the official position given by the Khitans, in their eyes, we are just a small official the size of a sesame mung bean, and we will never be taken seriously by them. Who would have thought, but in just a dozen years, we, the former 'grass people', 'soil rich people', and 'sesame mung bean officials', have been crowned kings, worshippers, shepherds, and conquerors, and conquered the world, and those 'adults' who were originally powerful on our heads have become our prisoners, and they all have to look at our faces. Not only did he not dare to have any disrespect and disobedience to us, but he didn't even dare to breathe in front of us. 'The world is unpredictable' and 'the king loses', these two idioms are really wise sayings! ”

When Wang Feng heard this, he nodded again and again, expressing his approval of this move.

Wang Feng and Wu Peng drank tea and sighed in the Chinese military tent, but Xiao Jixian, who was used by them as a talking point, did not have the slightest feeling of loss, grievance, and "the tiger fell in Pingyang and was bullied by dogs". He now has only one thought in his heart, that is, he must get this matter done, and show it well in front of General Wang and General Wu, so that they can realize their abilities and discover their talents, so that they can say a few good words for themselves from Yang Dashuai, Zeng Dashuai, Song Bu's political envoy, and even Song Wang Chitose, so as to win a glimmer of opportunity and a glimmer of possibility for themselves and their uncle to get out of the cage that has been locked up for them for eleven years and return to the world.

Therefore, after leaving the big tent of the Chinese army, Xiao Jixian did not stop, and left the Zhou army's forward camp with the two "Dark Feather" agents named as entourage, but who were actually responsible for monitoring his every move, and rode his horse to the west gate of Changning City.

The two armies fought, and suddenly someone rode a horse to their city, although there were only three horsemen, but the Khitan battalion commander who was responsible for guarding the west city of Changning was still very vigilant, while ordering his crossbowmen to prepare so that they could open their bows and arrows at any time, and on the other hand, they sent people to report to Xiao Daxiang, the guard general who had just left Xicheng and was patrolling in the direction of Beicheng.

When he first heard that an enemy army was approaching the city, Xiao Daxiang was also very nervous. After he figured out that there were only three people and three horses coming, he put his mind at ease, and immediately guessed the purpose of the other party's coming-persuasion.

It's just that Xiao Daxiang guessed the purpose of the three people outside the city, but he never guessed that the person who shouldered this mission would be an old acquaintance of his. Therefore, when Xiao Jixian in the city reported his name, Xiao Daxiang's first reaction was that the other party was just an imposter who wanted to use his acquaintance with Xiao Jixian to win his favor and gain his trust, so as to make the next persuasion work easier - in Xiao Daxiang's opinion, Xiao Jixian had fallen into the Battle of Youyun for eleven years, how could he appear in this place at this time. But as Xiao Jixian under the city told more and more about the old past of the two people, and more and more detailed, Xiao Daxiang, who listened to the more he listened to the city, became more and more frightened, and he couldn't help but pick up the battlements of the city wall and carefully watch the Zhou army messenger who called himself Xiao Jixian under the city, and the other party was also very cooperative to mention the horse and raise his head, so that he could see more clearly.

Although I haven't seen each other for eleven years, and although the other party has changed from a fledgling teenager to a mature and stable young man, a person's facial features, eyebrows, eyes, and body shape will not change much. Yes, Xiao Daxiang quickly vaguely saw Xiao Jixian's shadow from the other party. Coupled with the fake Xiao Buda token that the other party then handed over to the bamboo basket, as well as the lines of handwriting on his handwritten letter, which he had not seen for a long time but were still familiar with, and the secret notes of the flower that belonged to his family, Xiao Daxiang finally believed that the person who came was really Xiao Jixian, who was trapped in the enemy formation eleven years ago and had been uncertain about his life and death. What made him even happier was that his father, who had not heard from him for eleven years, was still alive, and judging from what was written in the letter, his health seemed to be very healthy.

After confirming the identity of the other party, Xiao Daxiang didn't care about why he appeared in front of him during the Liao and Zhou Wars after being trapped in the enemy formation for eleven years, and hurriedly ordered his men to hang down three large baskets and hang Xiao Jixian and his entourage to the city.

In Changning City, in a private study in the back house of Xiao Daxiang's mansion, Xiao Daxiang carefully looked at the letter of persuasion written by Yang Xin, the commander of the Left Route Army of the Northern Expedition of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and opposite him, Xiao Jixian drank mare's milk wine unhurriedly, waiting for the other party's reply.

Speaking of which, Xiao Daxiang is not the kind of person who is stubborn and does not know practice. He was very aware of the difference in strength between the two sides, and knew that the defenders under his command, which were only less than 4,000 people, had no chance of winning in front of the 20,000 Zhou army forwards outside the city, not to mention that there were 80,000 troops behind the opponent. Therefore, even if Zhou Jun did not send his old acquaintance Xiao Jixian to persuade him to surrender with his father's tokens and letters, but only shot the persuasion letter into the city with an arrow, he would have surrendered in Kaecheng very wisely. But the problem is that Yang Xin's letter not only persuades him to surrender, but also wants him to cooperate with the Zhou army after surrender to implement his next battle plan, which makes Xiao Daxiang a little embarrassed. After all, in the case of a disparity in strength, surrendering to the Zhou army in order to protect the people in the city from the flames of war, and so that the soldiers under his command did not have to make senseless sacrifices, although it will inevitably fall into the reputation of being ineffective in defending the territory and greedy for life and afraid of death, at least it can be regarded as an expedient measure to preserve strength when the strength is insufficient. But if he acted according to the strategy mentioned in Yang Xin's letter, he Xiao Daxiang would not only be a person who failed to defend the land, was greedy for life and feared death, but a shameless person who completely betrayed his lord for glory, betrayed the country and joined the enemy, and was disloyal and unjust.

Seeing that Xiao Daxiang was hesitating there, Xiao Jixian put down the mare's milk wine in his hand and persuaded him: "Brother Xiao, as the saying goes, 'those who know practice are handsome'. Today, the Great Zhou can be described as in full swing, and the Zhou army is even more powerful and invincible. And our Liao country has been sluggish since the Battle of Youyun, and its vitality has not been able to recover. What is the result of the battle between Liao and Zhou, there is no need for the younger brother to say, and Brother Xiao should also be able to guess. In the face of such a shape, Brother Xiao, why don't you hurry up and take advantage of the opportunity to make a choice, and do the act of abandoning the dark and turning to the light when the time comes, let alone when! ”

Xiao Daxiang couldn't help but wave his hand when he heard this, and said, "Brother Xian, you misunderstood. Being a brother is not the kind of person who can't eat the past, can't be flexible, and doesn't know how to practice. Liao and Zhou are in a big war, and the result of Liao will be defeated and Zhou will win is also very clear. In fact, even if you don't come to persuade you to surrender, as long as the commander of the Zhou army promises not to harm the defenders and people in the city for his brother, he will also open the city and surrender. It's just that what Yang Dashuai wants to do for his brother in the letter is not just as simple as surrendering in Kaesong, but to do the things that betray the lord and seek glory, treason and defection to the enemy, and disloyalty and injustice for his brother, which is ...... This is really difficult for some strong people. ”

"Brother Xiao's words are wrong." Xiao Jixian retorted, "First, loyalty is important, but it is also important to pay attention to the object. If you encounter such famous monarchs as Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, it is naturally worthy of our ministers to serve them loyally and unswervingly until death. But if we encounter a faint monarch like Yelu Jing, who only knows how to sleep and is ridiculed by the world, and is called the 'sleeping king' by the world, what qualifications do they have to ask us and others to be loyal and righteous and kill for him? Moreover, 'Filial piety comes first', Brother Xiao didn't know Ling Zun's whereabouts and situation before. Now that you already know, you should find ways to help Ling Zun out of this predicament, instead of looking ahead and hesitating here. You must understand that although the surrender of the city is a merit, at most it can save you and your family's net worth, and it is not enough to expect to save Lingzun from prison. If you want the Great Zhou court to let Ling Zun go and return his freedom, you can't get it unless you make great contributions to the Great Zhou. What Yang Dashuai asked you to do in the letter is such a great achievement, as long as Brother Xiao can do what you plan, not only can Lingzun see the light of day again after the deed is completed, Brother Xiao, you can also be a high-ranking official, a horse can be ridden, and you will always enjoy glory and wealth. Where to go, Brother Xiao, you have to be sober. However, the junior brother wants to remind Brother Xiao that before entering the city, General Wang and General Wu only gave the younger brother an hour to persuade Brother Xiao. As soon as the time passed, the Zhou army would set up artillery to attack the city. Therefore, I hope that Brother Xiao will do his best to give the younger brother a clear answer, and the younger brother will go back to his life. ”

Xiao Jixian's words stabbed Xiao Daxiang's sore spot. As Xiao Jixian said, he didn't know his father's whereabouts and situation before, but now that he knows it, and he has the opportunity to save his father from the sea of suffering, but he doesn't do it, what kind of face does he Xiao Daxiang have in the future to see his family, to see his brothers and friends, and to see his mother who has been worried about his father since he fell into the battle, eating fasting every day, and reciting Buddha every night, just hoping that his father can return safely. Although loyalty and filial piety cannot be achieved since ancient times, no matter how loyal a person is to serve the country, he is afraid that it is difficult to call the word loyalty. What's more, since he had the intention to surrender to the Zhou army, the word loyalty and righteousness have been lost to him. Yes, after weighing and thinking about it again and again, Xiao Daxiang finally put his heart sideways, bit his teeth, slapped the table, and said to Xiao Jixian: "It's okay." Now, for the sake of my father, for my mother, and for my family, what about being an unfaithful and unrighteous person. I also asked the virtuous brother to immediately return to General Wang and General Wu, and said that I, Xiao Daxiang, am determined to abandon the darkness and join the light, and serve the dogs and horses of the Great Zhou. What are the dispatches of Yang Dashuai and General Wang, Xiao will go to the soup and fire, and he will not give up. ”