Sizhou City (Wuchuan County).

It was first established in the fourth year of Tang Zhenguan, and it was still not subject to the king's operation for five hundred years, but it was heavily influenced by the culture and customs of the Han people - there were often merchants from Dongting Lake who came to do business, and there were also Han people who committed crimes to come to hide and avoid trouble.

Inside and outside the city, at least one-third of the people are able to communicate in Chinese.

"Zhao Shu and Zhuangyou sent a letter, asking me to join the Ming court, and I must personally go to Tokyo to donate land," Tian Yougong asked, "What do you think?" ”

Xia Dajun said: "Go now." ”

Tian Yougong said worriedly: "When Li Bao conquered Kuizhou, he sent someone to let me return to Shun. After delaying for a few years, will Emperor Zhu be unhappy and design to lure me to the capital to kill him, and then send troops to annex Sizhou? ”

Xia Dajun couldn't cry or laugh: "I'm too worried about the assassination, the Ming Dynasty is already the Central Plains, so I won't do this despicable method." ”

"Then ask my nephew to accompany me." Tian Yougong said.

"Do your bidding." Xia Dajun arched his hand and said.

Xia Dajun was born in the Hunan Wang family, and his father was also a student.

At that time, the party competition was fierce, and Taixue was not valued when the new party was in power because it was reformed by Wang Anshi. His father couldn't be an official after graduating from Taixue, and he really couldn't pass the imperial examination, so he traveled around the mountains and rivers and met Tian Yougong, who was also young.

Later, Song Huizong summoned Tian Yougong and discussed with Xia Dajun's father and son.

According to the confession of Xia's father and son, Tian Yougong coaxed Song Huizong extremely happy, not only was he promoted on the spot, but even Xia Dajun also became a Baozhou literature (a fictitious and scattered official).

Xia Dajun spent money to operate again, and got an errand for the main book of the festival.

When Li Bao marched into Kuizhou, Xia Dajun felt that Fengjie was not guaranteed, and he was unwilling to succumb to the thief, so he hurriedly resigned and returned to his hometown. Xia Dajun regrets this choice very much now, otherwise he would at least have been a county magistrate in the new dynasty.

What's even more tragic is that less than a year after Xia Dajun returned to his hometown, Zhong Xiang rebelled in Hunan.

Xia Dajun's whole family was killed, and he fled in embarrassment to join Tian Yougong.

"My nephew knows etiquette, how should I do it? Is it the same as the last time you voted for Song? Tian Yougong asked.

Xia Dajun described the specific process: "Sizhou is subordinate to Qianzhou, and when you present the map and household registration, you should ask the governor of Qianzhou to present it to the imperial court. At the same time, in the dedication, he praised the merits of the Son of Heaven, reviewed his mistakes, and asked to go to Beijing to meet the emperor in person. I heard that the prince's martial arts are great, and he should also praise the prince's martial virtues. ”

Tian Yougong understood: "It's almost the same as when I voted for Song, but this time I have to shoot the prince's sycophants." ”

"Yes, yes." Xia Dajun smiled.

Tian Yougong said: "If you donate the table, there will be a virtuous nephew to write it." ”

"It's just a matter of effort." Xia Dajun was also very happy. If you persuade the Tian family to donate the land, you will probably be appreciated, and it will depend on this trembling to revive the family.

When Tian donated his land and prepared to enter Beijing, the envoy of Dali had already arrived in Beijing.

Li Boxiang and deputy envoy Huang gradually brought 420 tribute horses, as well as musk, bezoar, homespun cloth, swords and other things.

There were more than 300 people in the whole mission, and it was mainly laborious to take care of the horses along the way.

"Compared to ten years ago, has this opening changed?" Huang gradually asked.

Li Boxiang looked up at the city, and then looked at the street outside the city: "At that time, it was still the Song Emperor who held the country, but now it has become the Ming Dynasty, and I don't know how many ministers I made friends with back then." Bianliang is still prosperous, and there are fewer beggars than before...... Hey, why don't you see any beggars? ”

Of course, he was escorted to the river side!

The patrol soldiers inside and outside the city of Tokyo, which belonged to the errand service in the Song Dynasty, have now been changed to a regular establishment, and even the name has been changed to patrol.

One of the duties of the patrol is to catch those who go to the streets to beg while they are on patrol. This is not a merit, so as not to patrol and arrest people indiscriminately.

The real credit is that if the disabled beggar is caught, he may be able to solve the case of harvesting and mutilation.

"How did you bring all the horses out into the streets?" A patrol rushed over.

The Chengdu official who was in charge of leading them into Beijing hurriedly explained: "These are all tribute horses offered by Dali. ”

The patrol said: "Hundreds of horses can't go to the streets together, this blocks all the streets, and they poop and pee everywhere to make it dirty." You drive Gongma to the suburbs, and I will report to the Sifang Pavilion, and Honglu Temple will contact Taifu Temple. When the time comes, the two temples will send people over together, and Gongma will take them directly to the Tiansi Prison for feeding. ”

"You've got this errand officer." The petty officials from Chengdu did not dare to offend the patrol police in the capital, and honestly obeyed their arrangements.

That night, they lived in the Great Xiangguo Temple, because the Sifang Pavilion had been occupied by the heroes who had returned to Beijing to be entitled.

Honglu Temple counts and estimates the tribute, and reports to the Ministry of Rites to determine the return gift list.

Basically, according to the market price of Tokyo, the Ming court will not suffer a loss, and the envoys of Fanbang can make a profit when they are transported back.

At night, an official from Honglu Temple came up: "Do you know the etiquette of the audience?" ”

Li Boxiang said: "Ten years ago, I came to Tokyo and met with the then Emperor of the Song Dynasty. ”

"It's good to understand the etiquette, prepare for the good life, and enter the palace tomorrow." The official said.

Li Boxiang was quite surprised: "So fast? ”

The official explained: "There are two days left before the ceremony of canonizing the meritorious heroes. After you have met Your Majesty, you can follow you to watch the ceremony. ”

"I see," Li Boxiang inquired, "and on the way here, I heard that the crown prince of the Celestial Empire had won another battle. However, there are many opinions on the results of the battle, can you help us solve our doubts? ”

The official was triumphant: "It's not so outrageous, the two battlefields of Hebei and Shanxi, as well as Shandong's sea-crossing operation, have killed a total of 20,000 or 30,000 Jin soldiers." He also killed, captured, and surrendered more than 100,000 puppet Korean troops. There are also tens of thousands of people in Liaodong of the Jin Kingdom, who are unbearable to the tyranny of the Jin people, and their families defect to our Great Tomorrow Dynasty. ”

Li Boxiang exclaimed: "Prince Daming, the martial arts are abundant and abundant!" ”

One of the officials' own jobs is to brag to the envoys of Fanbang: "These southwestern Fanbangs can't even beat the Song soldiers." The Song soldiers were not as good as the Liao soldiers, and the Liao soldiers were not as good as the Jin soldiers. And my great soldier is able to sweep the army of the Jin Kingdom. Let's just say that the Western Xia actually peeked into my Han land, and was beaten by my Ming master. The Emperor of Western Xia, who worshiped Emperor Daming as his father, sent a daughter two days ago regardless of the etiquette of diplomatic relations. ”

"The envoy of Western Xia is also in the temple?" Li Boxiang asked.

The official pointed behind him: "It's in the courtyard next door to you, Yun'er and the others can communicate freely." ”

"Thank you, Your Excellency." Li Boxiang hurriedly moved.

Waiting for the officials of Honglu Temple to leave, Li Boxiang was worried: "A few years ago, the Song soldiers surrounded and suppressed Prince Zhu, and the Chinese Duke (Gao Liangcheng) also sent troops, I am afraid that he has already angered the Ming monarchs and ministers." Now, as strong as the Western Xia and the Jin Kingdom, one surrendered to the Ming Dynasty and the other was defeated by the Ming Dynasty. Will the Ming raise troops to attack Dali? ”

"Since we are allowed to enter Beijing for an audience, I don't think we will be guilty of the past." Huang gradually comforted himself.

The two discussed for a while, and then went next door to visit the Western Xia envoy.

The envoys of Western Xia belonged to the frequent visitors of Tokyo, but the envoys of Dali rarely came to Tokyo, and the tributary trade was completed in Lizhou in the past.

It was Li Renli who came over as an envoy, he warmly received the two Dali envoys, and after greeting him, he asked curiously: "I don't know where Dali is located?" But the Nanzhao Kingdom in the Book of Tang? ”

Li Boxiang deliberately exaggerated and bragged when he replied: "There were six edicts in the south, and the southern edict was only one of them. Today's Dali country is the land of the six edicts, not the southern Zhao country can compare. ”

"I see," Li Renli is really interested in foreign countries, "I don't know what customs are in Dali, the king of Dali is celebrating his birthday this year?" ”

Li Boxiang said: "I Dali advocates Buddhism, and the kings of Dali in the past dynasties have all had the ancient legacy of Zen. When the king is old, he either abdicates to the crown prince, or the Zen throne is given to the virtuous ministers, and then he is ordained a monk to practice Buddhism. ”

Li Renli exclaimed: "The Buddha country of true benevolence and righteousness!" ”

This is too much in line with Li Renli's taste, he believes in both Buddhism and Confucianism.

The king of Dali, Zen Rang, re-cultivated the Buddha, is simply the saint in Li Renli's mind!

Li Boxiang was bitter in his heart, if he was not forced by the situation, the king of Dali would have been kicked by a donkey, and he would have chosen to abdicate to become a monk.

Fortunately, other countries do not understand the situation, and only know that the king of Dali abdicates to make way for Xian, which gives the envoys more room to play.

Ten years ago, they met with Song Huizong and were mentioned about related issues, and the envoys of Dali also said the same thing, and Song Huizong was inexplicably touched at that time.

The similar plot also happened in the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Zhao Kuangyin heard that the Japanese emperor was "one family for all generations", and then thought of the chaos of the five dynasties, which was really full of mixed feelings, and repeatedly praised Japan for being benevolent and loyal ministers.

Li Renli began to exchange Buddhism with Li Boxiang and found that there were many differences between the Buddhism of the two countries.

They soon agreed that after returning home, they would ask the king to send monks to each other for friendly Buddhist exchanges.

Then he continued to brag.

Li Boxiang said: "My Dali country has 400,000 soldiers, and all the people are subdued, and they are happy to follow the education. However, the kings of the past dynasties were all benevolent kings, and the barbarians were not guilty and did not take revenge, so the people under their rule enjoyed peace for a long time. The capital of our country, the merchants from all over the world gather and disperse, and the prosperity is only slightly inferior to Kaifeng. ”

Prosperous ghost, last year, the capital of Dali Kingdom was burned down by a fire, and almost set Duan Yu's palace on fire.

Li Renli also said: "Although my Daxia is located in a remote area, there are countless heroes and celebrities, and there are 500,000 people who control the strings. The surrounding vassal barbarians, all of them are His Majesty's kindness, and the merchants of the Western Regions and the Ming Dynasty all have to come and go from my Great Xia to do business. When it comes to Buddhism, the Song Emperor has sent senior monks many times to my Great Xia to obtain Buddhist scriptures! ”

The two bragged to each other, had a good conversation for a while, and both felt that they had earned face for their country.

In a nearby room, there was a girl lying on the windowsill, looking at the moon to pass the time.

Li Qianshun had no sisters and daughters of the right age, so he chose a clan girl and couldn't wait to send it to Kaifeng to ask for marriage.

This is not in line with diplomatic etiquette, and it is very unacceptable.

However, Li Qianshun just took advantage of this to show his weakness, in order to beg the Ming army not to fight the Western Xia, so as to gain a few years of time to develop secretly.

At the very least, it was necessary to wait for a group of children to reach the age of fifteen or sixteen, and then there would be enough soldiers in Western Xia.

Western Xia has always been shameless in engaging in diplomacy, and Li Qianshun wanted to marry the Liao State at the beginning, so he sent an envoy every year to ask to marry the noble daughter of the Liao State.

It is estimated that the emperor of Liao was upset, and finally agreed to make a daughter of the sect a princess and marry Li Qianshun as the empress of Western Xia - that Yelu Nanxian.

Li Renli returned to the house drunk, and the girl couldn't help shouting: "Daddy! ”

"Why don't you sleep?" Li Renli staggered over and reprimanded, "Remember, you are now the princess of Great Xia, the daughter of His Majesty the Emperor of Great Xia. You and I can no longer be called father and daughter! ”

The girl was sullen, silent for a few seconds, and then asked: "Will the Ming Emperor agree to marry the two countries?" ”

Li Renli said: "The princess of Daxia has been sent to Kaifeng, and the Ming Emperor will definitely agree." Prince Zhu is a hero in the world, and marrying Prince Zhu today is a perfect match. Stop thinking and go to bed and rest. ”

The girl was still not happy, and silently closed the window.

(End of chapter)