One Piece of Song Dynasty

Yin Shuke added: "From now on, if we have a good relationship with each other, is it better as brothers, as uncles and nephews, or as close friends?"

Wang Fu replied: "We are both big countries. When dealings with big countries, of course we must use the courtesy of close friends."

Regarding Wang Fu's answer, both the silver and gold envoys were very satisfied.

Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty begged for flower banquets many times because of his silver skills, and according to Zhao Liangsi's report, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty had "kind treatment" for silver skills, so he issued a special edict to grant a spring banquet.

According to the etiquette system of the Song Dynasty, when the court held a banquet, officials would usually be given three types of flowers. One is the emperor's birthday banquet. If there are envoys from the Liao Dynasty in the court, silk flowers will be used to show propriety and frugality. This is also the old tradition of our ancestors. Second, for the second banquet in spring and autumn, Luo silk flowers are used. This kind of flower is very beautiful. The third is after offering sacrifices to the sky or offering sacrifices in the suburbs, or outing in the spring during the Lantern Festival, or going to Jinming Pond to see the flowers, the emperor will hold a small banquet with his ministers, which is called a duel. "Anyone who uses drops of pink and gold flowers on the royal palace is extremely precious."

The emperor rewarded his officials according to their rank, and there was a limit on the number of banquet flowers. The flower with the most rewards is the gold-dropped flower, several times more than other flowers, because the spring feast is the most flowery feast.

The spring banquet was held in Jiying Hall. After the banquet, Yin Shuke said goodbye to Song Huizong. He knelt down and said: "I would like to hear the amount of the special reward."

Song Huizong promised to give them two hundred thousand. Yin Shuke asked for more, but Song Huizong refused.

Silver skills can wait until the Jin envoys retreated. Song Huizong asked Zhao Liangsi and others: "The Jin people keep asking for more annual gifts and taking away people's households. They keep asking for it. Why is this?"

Zhao Liangsi replied: "Your Majesty, the Jurchens are greedy and greedy and only seek profit. If they don't obey, they will stir up trouble."

Ma Kuang said: "Actually, the fundamental reason is that the soldiers and horses of this dynasty have not established their authority, which leads to the Jurchens looking down on us."

Zhou Wuzhong said flatteringly: "Thanks to His Majesty's saintliness, Aguda admires him from the bottom of his heart. Otherwise, border troubles would be really unpredictable."

Song Huizong said: "The Jurchens are so greedy and violent, killing the people and destroying things. Although Huangchao is not as good as Huangchao, how can they last long? However, since they have entered the pass and occupied Yanjing first, I am afraid of future troubles, so I do not hesitate to The purpose of increasing taxes by millions to satisfy them is to resolve the current dispute. Now, they have agreed to return the land behind the mountains to us. From this point of view, they also have a certain degree of sincerity. This is what you are striving for. The result."

Zhao Liangsi said: "When it comes to fighting for the land behind the mountains, Ma Kuan has the most power."

Song Huizong asked: "I heard that Ma Kuo is also very educated."

Zhao Liangsi replied: "Ma Kuo was born in martial arts."

Ma Kuo said: "I am honored to be ranked in the same year as King Jia."

King Jia was the third son of Huizong of the Song Dynasty. His name was Zhao Kai. He was the son of Concubine Wang Guifei. He was granted the title of King Jia in the third year of Daguan. Zhao Kai once secretly participated in the imperial examination in the first year of Chonghe, and won the first place because of his extraordinary literary talent. After Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty learned about it, he was worried that people in the world would gossip, so he appointed him second in the rankings, and the first prize was given to Wang Ang. Zhao Kai was smart and fond of painting since he was a child. He was proficient in all kinds of music, chess, calligraphy and painting, just like Song Huizong, so he was very favored by Song Huizong. Song Huizong once wanted to depose the prince Zhao Huan and make Zhao Kai the prince. But later, Song Huizong knew that there was great resistance from the court, so he gave up.

That night, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty issued a special letter and appointed Ma Kuo as the official of Wuyi, the governor of Zhongzhou and the person of Xuanzanshe of Gemen.

Subsequently, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty issued an edict and appointed Lu Yi, the minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, under the guise of Minister of War. Together with Zhao Liangsi, he served as the national envoy, and Ma Kuo served as the deputy envoy. He went to Yanjing again with the letter of credence and oath to negotiate with the Jin people to deliver Yanjing. specific time and other related matters.

Before leaving, Ma Kuo went to the Privy Council to see Zheng Juzhong. Zheng Juzhong asked: "If you take back Yunzhong in the future, what are your views on defense?"

Ma Kuo asked, "I don't know how the imperial court plans to defend itself."

Zheng Juzhong replied: "The princes of the imperial court have discussed it and they want to use local heroes to guard it for generations."

Ma Kuo said: "In the area behind the mountains, Yunzhong, Shuo, Wu and other counties have been built since the Han Dynasty to fight against the Xiongnu. During the time of Emperor Xiaowen, Wei Shang guarded this place, and the Xiongnu did not dare to invade the border. Now, the front and rear of the mountain are mutually exclusive. It is a crucial place for border defense. Even if the local tycoons have the strength, they cannot be relied on to defend it. What's more, since the Jin people ravaged the country, they burned and looted everything. The wealthy people were scattered and were left to survive. When the Khitans came, they obeyed the Khitans. "When the Jin people come, they will obey the Jin people. When our army comes, they will obey our army. They just want to avoid being killed. How can we rely on such people to guard the border?"

Zheng Juzhong said: "Then, according to you, how many troops and horses should be used to guard the land behind the mountain?"

Ma Kuo thought for a while and said: "The more the better, of course. If you are worried about the military expenditure being too large, then you will need at least horses, horses will be stationed in the clouds, and the rest of the troops will be divided into key areas, and you will choose to appoint talented people." The general will lead, and the court will reduce some unnecessary expenditures and use them as military expenses. There should be no problem in three to five years. By then, people will be happy and the border defense will be stable."

Zheng Juzhong asked again: "Look, how about Zhang Xiaochun coming to lead the army?"

Ma Kuo replied: "Zhang Xiaochun is now in command of Taiyuan. He is familiar with the people behind the mountains and the geography of the mountains and rivers. He will appoint two military commanders to assist him. This should be enough." Zheng Juzhong nodded in agreement.

On the sixth day of March, Lu Yi, Zhao Liangsi, Ma Kuo, Yin Shuke and others left the capital for Yanjing. When I walked to Zhuozhou, I saw Lang Jun Shaowa and translator Gao Qingyi sent by Jin Taizu. They said that the emperor only asked Yin Shuke and others to return to Yanjing first and bring back the Song Dynasty's credentials and oath, while the Song Dynasty envoys should not cross the border and stay in Zhuozhou for the time being.

Because the Song Dynasty's oath may still need to be revised, some old Liao officials who fled to the Song Dynasty have not been recovered, and the silver silk from the Xuanfu Division in Hebei to reward the Jin army has not yet been delivered. After these things are done, the Song envoy It’s not too late to go to Yanjing to handle the delivery matters.

Wanyan Xiyin and Gao Qingyi both studied Chinese characters quite a lot. After reading the Song Dynasty's oath, they thought that such an important document was not written in regular script, which seemed not solemn and rigorous enough. They also put forward different opinions on some details. So, he sent someone to send the oath back to Zhuozhou, and asked the Song envoy to take it back to the capital for replacement.

Lu Yi and Zhao Liangsi explained that this text was the emperor's "personal control of calligraphy" to express his respect for the great power. The Jin people did not believe it and repeatedly asked for replacement. As a last resort, Zhao Liangsi had to take the text back to the capital to revise it, and the court complied with every request. Zhao Liangsi spent many days running around for this, making his hair unkempt.

A few days later, Wanyan Xiyin sent Yang Pu to Zhuozhou and said to Lu Yi, Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo: "The discussion on the text of the oath can end here, but recently we learned that Zhao Wen, the former Yanjing official Xun, Wang Shuoru, Han Fang and others crossed the border to go to the Song Dynasty. You need to return these people first, and then we can discuss the specific date of delivery to Yanjing."