To The Land of Nevernight

Tang Shen naturally had no way of knowing whether Wang Zifeng would lift or not.

After letting the envoys of the Liao Kingdom hang out for five full days, the emperor held a banquet in Shengping Building to entertain these envoys of the Liao Kingdom.As a reception official, Tang Shen naturally accompanied him to the banquet.

In the Shengping Building, there is a lot of singing and dancing, and you can see fairy robes fluttering.

Not all princes and grandchildren could sit in the Shengping Building to receive the envoys of the Liao Kingdom. At the banquet, only a few princes favored by the emperor came, as well as some first- and second-rank officials, and reception officials headed by Minister of Rites Meng Lang .Sitting at the end of the hundred officials, Tang Shen saw Zhao Fu wearing a dragon robe from a distance, raising a glass and drinking, talking with Yeluhan, the third prince of the Liao Kingdom.

Yeluhan came to Shengjing for the first time, and also met Zhao Fu for the first time.He originally thought that the Great Song Emperor, like his father, was so powerful that ordinary people would not dare to look directly at him, and if he said a wrong word, he might be dragged out and beheaded.But Zhao Fu was more than kind to him, and he was quite flattering, Yeluhan immediately puffed up his chest.

That's right, their Daliao soldiers are strong and invincible, and the Song people must be flattering and flattering in front of the Liao people.Even if it is the emperor of the Song Dynasty, if the cavalry of the Liao Kingdom go south, within a month, Shengjing can be bloodbathed.

Yeluhan thought so in his heart, but he was not so stupid as to show his inner disdain to the outside.He said to Zhao Fu: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. I live comfortably in the post house. It's just that it's been a long time, and I haven't seen Your Majesty. It's a bit strange. My Highness was still thinking this morning. His Majesty the Emperor of Song is unwilling to see us?"

Zhao Fu was surprised and said: "How could the third prince have such a misunderstanding." After speaking, he turned his head and said: "Master Meng, I told you to receive the Liao envoy a long time ago, how could the Liao envoy have such thoughts?"

Meng Lang felt bitter in his heart, he immediately got up and looked at Tang Shen.

Tang Shen sat very far back.Of course Wang Qin was not by his side, Wang Qin was sitting opposite to Meng Lang, at this moment Master Wang was eating food calmly with his eyes downcast.But there was another person sitting next to Tang Shen!At this time, the second-rank Grand Marshal with a white face and handsome face was staring at Meng Lang viciously with a pair of big copper bell-like eyes.

The meaning in those eyes is: You put all this difficult thing on Lao Tzu, what's the matter, you want to shirk responsibility again?

Meng Lang's mute eats coptis, but he suffers and can't tell.

How could he have imagined that he asked Tang Shen to do an errand, what did you, Li Jingde, come out to get mixed up with?

If it was said that Wang Zifeng had hidden needles in the cotton, he told Zhao Fu today that he left the matter to Tang Shen to handle, but Tang Shen failed to handle it well.That Wang Zifeng's revenge will definitely not come too fast, it will be lingering like the drizzle in the rainy season, it will fall intermittently for a month.

But Li Jingde is different.

Once Li Jingde wanted to take revenge, General Li would put Meng Lang in a sack and throw him in a dark corner of the palace, where he would beat and kick Meng Lang as soon as he left the Shengping Building!

Meng Lang sighed secretly, and said to Zhao Fu, "It's because I'm not doing my job well."

Zhao Fu pretended to be serious: "You actually neglected my guest and punished you with one month's salary."

Meng Lang: "The minister takes orders."

Yeluhan had an attack on purpose, wanting to see the emperor of Song Dynasty punish the officials of Song Dynasty for the envoys of the Liao Kingdom.As for which official was punished, he didn't care at all.This was what Han'er Si Yeluqin specially told him before coming to Shengping Tower tonight: Song officials must be deflated, and their prestige must be lowered, otherwise it will be bad for future negotiations.

Now that Meng Lang had already been punished, Yeluqin said hypocritically, "Your Majesty, it's just a trivial matter, there's no need for it."

Zhao Fu smiled slightly, with a kind smile and kind eyes: "The envoys of Daliao are my honored guests, how can they be neglected at will."

Yeluhan was delighted to hear that, he stroked his beard and laughed.Behind him, Yeluqin and Yeluyin looked at Zhao Fu with more contempt.Zhao Fu loves cultivating immortals very much, and he always thinks about how to become immortals. This matter is not a secret among Liao officials.Looking at it now, the Great Song Emperor was indeed a mediocre and foolish emperor, not worth mentioning.

At the end of the banquet in Shengpinglou, the two parties talked very happily, and everyone was happy.

After Zhao Fu left the Shengping Building, the officials of the Song Dynasty waited first, and they left one by one after the envoys of the Liao Kingdom left.

Tang Shen was traveling with Li Jingde, and Li Jingde was still pretending to be his accompanying official.But as soon as the two walked out of Shengping Building, an eunuch stopped them.The little eunuch bowed slowly and said: "My servant has seen General Li and Master Tang. General Li, the Holy Majesty has called you to Dengxiantai, please come with us."

After Li Jingde shaved his beard, he almost hid it from everyone. Even Meng Lang didn't recognize him. It was Li Jingde who went up to him and kicked him before he recognized him.But this can't be hidden from Zhao Fu's eyes.

Li Jingde rubbed his nose and said to Tang Shen, "Then I'll go first."

Tang Shen: "General Li, walk slowly."

Li Jingde followed the little eunuch to Dengxiantai.

On the second day, Tang Shen did not see Li Jingde in the Hall of Qinzheng.Meng Lang led the officials to personally receive the envoys of the Liao Kingdom.The two sides did not meet in the Palace of Qinzheng, nor in the palace, but in the yamen of the Ministry of Rites.All the previous ceremonial receptions have become empty words at this moment. When the Liao people just arrived, they opened their mouths: "In this battle of Youzhou City, our Liao army suffered heavy losses. How should you bear this loss!"

What a spitting person!

After all, Tang Shen was young, he had only been an official for three years, and his skin was not thick enough, so he was still a little resentful after hearing this.

But who are Meng Lang and Yu Chaosheng?

Yu Chaosheng said: "Master Yelu, what are you talking about? Song and Liao signed a peace agreement 20 years ago. The two sides will not fight or exchange fire, and they will live together peacefully. This is a contract signed by the first emperor of Liao himself. Could it be that Liao Chengzong passed away, so it doesn’t count now? Now it’s your Liao army who sent troops to my Youzhou City, so why is it still my Song Dynasty’s fault. My Da Song hasn’t settled this account with you yet!”

Yeluqin sneered: "You still dare to mention me, the late emperor of the Daliao Dynasty? The late emperor was kind and signed a peace treaty with you, the Song Dynasty. But how has your Song Dynasty been doing in the past 20 years? Two months ago, a Daliao official He died on your Song land for no reason, give us an explanation!"

Yu Chaosheng was about to explode when Meng Lang came out to be a peacemaker: "Master Yu, what are you talking about? Since the Emperor of Liao Kingdom sent envoys, His Royal Highness the Third Prince came in person, so naturally he is sincerely negotiating with us. of……"

For two full days, the two sides had been arguing for two days about whose fault this Youzhou battle was.

It was not until the third day that the Liao Kingdom was willing to back down.This is not because they realized their conscience and finally no longer brazenly put all the responsibility on the Song Dynasty, but because on the northwest battlefield, the Song army fought overnight, attacked the Liao camp, and won a complete victory.The Liao Kingdom suddenly discovered that the Song Kingdom in the south might not be as weak as they imagined. This country beat them 20 years ago.

The current Tang Shen can't get involved in the negotiation. It took three days just to get Liao to admit that he was at fault, and many Song soldiers were killed or injured.

Tang Shen stood in the room, listening to Meng Lang and Yu Chaosheng say those numbers.

These numbers are just cold words, but under these silent numbers, there are vivid lives.

The Song Dynasty was richer than the Liao country, and it was more expensive than the Liao country.But the soldiers of the Song Dynasty were far inferior to the Liao soldiers who fought on the grassland all year round.They have money, but they are not just fighting for money, they are also fighting for real military strength.

Tang Shen listened in the room, he listened carefully to every word, his eyes were calm and far away, quietly watching every movement and expression of Yeluhan and others.

In the afternoon, an official called Tang Shen out of the house.He walked to the backyard of the yamen of the Ministry of Rites and saw Li Jingde, Marshal of Zhengxi, already waiting in the yard.

Tang Shen immediately stepped forward, saluted and said, "Your Majesty Tang Shen, I have seen General Li."

I haven't seen him for a few days, and Li Jingde's chin has already grown a layer of green stubble. Obviously, he has the idea of ​​continuing to grow his beard and grow a beard.

Li Jingde said: "Master Tang, what are you doing with me so much? The general is here today to thank you. I troubled you to keep me with me before, which is a drag on you. I will go back to the northwest tomorrow, and I won't come today. Thank you, but there is no chance."

Tang Shen asked in surprise, "General Li is going back to the northwest?"

"That's right, outside the city of Youzhou, the Liao army is ready to move, so I must go back."

Li Jingde would go back sooner or later, but Tang Shen didn't expect it to be so soon.He was a little curious about what Zhao Fu told Li Jingde that night when he asked Li Jingde to go to Xiantai.But he couldn't ask.Tang Shen said: "Then I wish General Li a smooth journey."

Li Jingde waved his hand and said: "Haha, I will borrow your good words. By the way, I heard people say that Mr. Tang is very rich?"

Tang Shen was vigilant, not knowing what the other party meant by saying this suddenly.

"You don't have to worry, this general is just talking casually, no matter how rich you are, can you surpass that fellow Wang Zifeng?" Li Jingde curled his lips, "Although he is your senior brother, I will say that in front of him. He Wang Zifeng has money in his family, and now he is the Minister of the Household Department, helping the court to make money all day long. Every time I go to war, I have to ask him for money. Judging by his face, this guy is really not a thing!"

Tang Shen smiled but said nothing, and thought: Tonight I will help General Li and tell my senior brother.

Li Jingde: "I have no other skills. I know how to fight. I have lived half my life and I will only know how to fight. Our soldiers in the Song Dynasty are indeed not as good as the Liao people, but I guarantee that our iron cavalry may not be as good as the Liao people in ten or twenty years. They are poor! But in the past ten years, every time we fight a war, we have to spend a lot of money. To win a battle, we need to spend more money. I really leave it to you to make money!"

Under the sun, General Li opened his lips, revealing a confident and hearty smile.

Tang Shen looked at the young general's expression for a long time, and said, "General Li, I'm very curious about something..."

"You said."

"The Holy Majesty called you to Dengxiantai that day, but because he was not a good official, he took you to the posthouse to receive the Liao envoy, which dragged you down?"

Li Jingde's face instantly became very exciting.

Tang Shen: "General?"

"Your Majesty probably scolded him bloody." A clear and low voice came from behind the two of them.

Tang Shen immediately turned his head to look, and saw Wang Qin wearing a crimson official robe, holding a folding fan in one hand, and looking at them with a smile that was not a smile, under a bright red rose trellis.Then he glanced at Li Jingde.

Li Jingde: "..."

Tang Shen smiled.

Hey, it seems that there are some things that he doesn't need to convey, the senior brother already knows.