Gangneung was originally only a feudal domain, and although it has now become the capital of the Southern Liang Kingdom, many supporting facilities have not yet been fully established. For example, there is still no hall dedicated to the reception of foreign envoys, and sometimes these envoys are simply allowed to live in the minister's house.

The envoy of the Northern Qi Dynasty lived in the home of the general Pei Zhiheng, who was Pei Zhigao's younger brother, and Pei Zhigao was not even convinced by Liu Zhongli, the leader of the alliance, when he was the king of Jiankang Qin. Although the facts have proved that the two are the same, it also shows their strength and confidence.

The Pei clan is different from these big clans in Jiangling, their clan has been in Huainan for a long time and has many tribes, and they also hope to recover Hefei and other places through negotiation and interaction with the Northern Qi, so they are also more concerned about this visit by the Qi envoy.

The chief envoy of the Northern Qi envoy to Jiangling this time was named Cui Zhan, and the deputy envoy was named Li Zhan, who were born in the Cui clan of Qinghe and the Li clan of Zhaojun respectively, and they were all first-class famous families in the Kanto region.

On the one hand, the Xianbei warriors in power in the Northern Qi Dynasty were arrogant and domineering at home, and if they were to foreign countries, although they would not be insulting to the national body, but their words and deeds would not be too face-saving after all, so the envoys of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, the Northern Qi Dynasty and other countries have always chosen the Kwantung clan to take on this matter.

On the other hand, the main dispute between the Northern Qi and the Southern Liang was the Huainan region, and the land of Huainan has never belonged to the merits of the Jinyang nobles, but the Kwantung clan and the Hebei heroes have worked hard in this area, so they also hope to consolidate the current achievements and create more.

Cui Zhan is in his thirties, and his face has some scars left by the disease, but his demeanor is outstanding, which makes people dare not despise him. In addition, he was born in a famous family and was talented, and he also enjoyed a good reputation in the Northern Qi Kingdom, even faintly surpassing his father Cui.

Li Zhan, the deputy envoy, was relatively mediocre, but because most of his relatives had the experience of envoying to the Southern Liang, he was also quite experienced in dealing with the Southern Liang. Although he is the deputy envoy, he is the candidate who is mainly responsible for discussing and contacting Nanliang under Cui Zhan's façade.

When Fang Cai asked Lord Liang about it, when it came to Li Boshan, Cui Langzhong should have been more decisive. Otherwise, Lord Liang may still think that my Kanto family still misses the old good, and refuses to fight with Li Boshan. ”

Because the banquet was suddenly interrupted, when he returned to Pei Zhiheng's house, Li Zhan began to reflect on and review the shortcomings of today's performance, and he couldn't help but say to Cui Zhan.

Cui Zhan's father Cui and Li Xiao are cousins, even Li Xiao fled to Hebei with his family, so he lived in Qinghe Cui's family, this residence is more than ten years, not to mention Li Xiao's father and son, even other Longxi Li clansmen were still settled in Qinghe County before being called to Jinyang, and they have a lot of affection for each other.

It stands to reason that the two sides have such a relationship, and now they are conspiring with Nanliang to be the enemy of the north, so they should not have sent Cui Zhan as an envoy. However, Cui Zhan won the support of the original southeast Xingtai Xinshu, and said that Cui Zhan's arrival could make the Liang lord see the determination of the Kwantung clan to break with the Li Boshan clan, which would help to dispel Emperor Liang's vigilance.

Huainan can have such a situation, after Murong Shaozong planted his heels, Xin Shu can be said to have made great achievements, and he naturally has a lot of say in this. Since he advocated this, it was difficult for others to say anything.

However, after Cui Zhan came to Jiangling, when Emperor Liang took the initiative to ask about the relationship between his clan and the Li clan in Longxi, Cui Zhan's answer did not reveal a taste of incompatibility, which inevitably made Li Zhan a little unhappy.

They didn't really want to fight against Li Boshan in the north and seize Yiyang, even the top founding kings among the nobles of Jinyang were ruthlessly taught by Li Boshan to behave, and their Kwantung clan really couldn't nominate the talents of generals who dared to argue with Li Boshan.

But this time he came to Southern Liang to induce Emperor Liang to give up his actions against Huainan and compete on the side of Handong, and the more fierce the gesture, the better.

After Cui Zhan heard this, he said nonchalantly: "Looking at the monarchs and ministers of Liang State today, they have no intention of conspiring with each other, even if they are bent and begging, but they are even more arrogant." Although Emperor Liang is prosperous, his temperament is obscene, and he has many tricks, which is difficult to be a majestic plan. The life and death of the isolated city of Jiangling are at stake, and its people still dare not break with the north and fight for an inch of land, and it is delusional to expect us and other passers-by to use troops after a little demagogy. ”

Hearing Cui Zhan's frustrating words, Li Zhan couldn't help frowning again. However, before he could refute it, the servants who had been sent to inquire about why the banquet had been interrupted hurriedly returned, and told him that it was because the Wei envoy entered the city that the monarchs and ministers of Liang ended the banquet in such a hurry.

The fact that the envoys alone entered the city made the Southern Liang monarchs and ministers so nervous shows how worried they were about the change in the relationship with the Western Wei, which also further confirmed Cui Zhan's opinion, and it was obviously impossible to use words to bewitch the Southern Liang and the Western Wei to turn their faces, so as to relieve the pressure on the Huainan side.

After learning of this situation, Li Zhan's face suddenly darkened, and he couldn't help but say with hatred: "The monarch and minister of a country are so rash and repetitive, and their country can last for a long time!" ”

Although he was angry, he still hoped that something would turn around. Because when Li Bomu served as the assassin of Hezhou before, their Zhao County Li clan also invested a lot in Hefei and Huainan. Now, with the rebellion of Supre, the entire land of Huainan has been shaken. If this danger cannot be relieved, then the entire city occupied by Huainan will probably be lost one after another.

"Explore, explore!"

Filled with irritation, he scattered his servants to inquire for news, hoping to find an opportunity among them.

The emperor lived up to his wishes, and soon Li Zhan's servants brought back the latest news, it turned out that the envoys of the Western Wei Dynasty and the Southern Liang court were also very unhappy, and now they actually confronted the city guard army according to a temple in the city.

"God help me, God help me! If we can stir up trouble this time, the two countries will inevitably lose peace! ”

Li Zhan was overjoyed when he learned the news, and said excitedly with a high-five: "The story of Dingyuan in the past, every time I read the volume, I can't help but feel my heart swaying, I don't want to have such an opportunity today." Cui Langzhong, dare to attack and kill Wei envoys with me? ”

After hearing this, Cui Zhan frowned and said: "After all, this realm is the capital of the Liang Kingdom, and the current situation cannot force the stories of the ancients, and if you act rashly, no matter whether you succeed or not, I am afraid that the result will not be as people wish." ”

Li Zhan was a little upset at this time, and refused to listen to Cui Zhan's advice, and only sneered after hearing this: "No wonder Cui Langzhong enjoys a good reputation in the country, and his ambition to make a career is indeed good." If you refuse to go along, please stay here, and if you succeed, you will be honored, and if you don't succeed, please transport some heroic body back to Hebei! ”

"You wait, and I can live alone? Instead of making a gesture in vain, it is better to die generously together. ”

Seeing that Li Zhan was so stubborn, Cui Zhan also sighed helplessly and said, and then he said: "I will only accompany the soldiers when I enter the city, and the people in this city are unfamiliar, and if I act recklessly, I will definitely die." You have to convince the owner of the house and invite him to work with him to increase the chances of success. ”

Li Zhan was enthusiastic for a while, but he didn't think about it so thoroughly, and after getting Cui Zhan's reminder, he nodded again and again, and then ordered the servants to invite the owner of the house to come to the discussion.

Not long after, a middle-aged man walked in, it was Pei Ji, the son of Pei Zhigao. When he heard what the two Northern Qi envoys were plotting, Pei Ji shook his head again and again to refuse. However, when they heard that the envoy of Qi had promised to return Hefei to the Pei clan, and that Pei Ji did not need to venture with them, he only needed to provide armor staff and weapons and lead them there.

Although even so, I am afraid that I can't completely get rid of the responsibility, but this temptation is too tempting, Hefei lost too easily and aggrieved, Pei Ji still hates Xiao Fan, the king of Poyang, who lost his mind at that time, and recovering fertilizer is also his father Pei Zhigao's deathbed will.

With this opportunity, Pei Ji didn't want to miss it, and after thinking about it, he nodded and agreed. It's not because he is too naïve and completely believes in the promises of the Qi people, but because the interests of these Huainan people are not the same as those of the locals in Jiangling, and they are not very keen to make friends with the north, and making trouble with each other can make the demands of some Huainan people who were originally vague and ignored clear.

With Pei Ji's help, things will naturally be planned more smoothly. Soon a batch of sophisticated armor staff weapons were sent here, and the two envoys and hundreds of their servants were quickly armed, and under Pei Ji's arrangement, they quietly went to the temple where the Wei envoy lived under the cover of night.

At this time, in order to dilute this tense atmosphere of confrontation, the city guards who were originally surrounded by the temple also withdrew one after another, and only Li Huan and his party and Li Yuxiang and others who had just been sent by Emperor Liang according to Li Huan's request were left in the temple.

However, in order to ensure that Li Lian and his entourage did not leave quietly, so that there was no chance to recover, Xiao Yi also specially sent the leader Hu Seng Youqin to lead a battalion to sit here. After he discussed countermeasures with his ministers overnight, he would send someone to persuade Li Tuan tomorrow morning.

Li Tuan was chatting with his nephew Li Yuxiang about his life and study in Gangneung during this time, and when he talked about this, Li Yuxiang was excited and happy.

All kinds of books from Jiankang are being sent to Jiangling one after another, adding up to hundreds of thousands of volumes, this number simply makes Li Yuxiang and others drop their jaws, and these students who were sent to Jiangling have been buried in these scriptures for most of the time except for eating and sleeping.

After hearing this, Li Huan was also marveling at the prosperity of Nanliang culture and education, and suddenly heard the sound of noise and fighting outside the door, so he hurriedly grabbed his saber and went to the front hall of the temple with his subordinates.

At this time, in front of the temple gate, Hu Seng You was directing his troops to fight with the attackers, and with the arrival of Li Tuan and others with torches, the battle scene in the field gradually became clear.

"Wait! How is Cui Yantong here? ”

By the light of the torches, Li Lian quickly noticed a person with obvious facial scars in the battle, and he couldn't help but shout.

Cui Zhan's body movement couldn't help but stiffen when he heard this, and when he saw Li Zhu according to his reputation, his face suddenly stiffened, and his subordinates pulled a blade to let him avoid the oncoming blade, and then he replied with an embarrassed and sad face: "Brother Dao Chi, are you the envoy of the Wei State?" I didn't want to see you here......"