Traveling through Tianlong: Starting from the Zhenlong chess game

Chapter 582 Encircling Wei and rescuing Zhao
After dismissing the court, Prince Consort Wang went directly to the inn where Yelu Yanxiu was staying in the capital.

Yelu Yanxiu came again as an envoy of the Liao Dynasty. She came to discuss the handover of the city with Zhao Ji.

Just after Zhao Ji officially announced his accession to the throne and changed the reign title, Yelu Yanxiu set out from Nanjing, Liao, to the Song Dynasty to discuss the cession of cities.

Although this incident caused great controversy within the Liao Kingdom, Yelu Yanxiu's words, "If anyone of you has the ability to fight against Zhao Mu, then we don't have to cede the city and ally with the Southern Song Dynasty." Just this one sentence silenced all the civil and military officials in the Liao Kingdom.

So, with the permission of Yelu Hongji, the Liao Kingdom prepared to give five unimportant border towns among the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun to the Song Dynasty as a token of sincerity in its alliance with Zhao Ji.

On the second day after Zhao Mu sent out his troops, the matter had already been settled. The entire court was cheering and rejoicing. Although General Yang and others felt that this matter was suspicious, they thought that the Song Dynasty had not suffered any loss, and they had recaptured five cities without bloodshed. Therefore, it was inconvenient to say more.

Now Yelu Yanxiu has become an honored guest of the Song Dynasty and is housed in the most luxurious post house in the capital. He no longer has the contempt for the Liao people that he had when Zhao Mu was in power.

Yelu Yanxiu's maid reported: "Your Highness, Prince Consort Wang is here."

Hearing the maid's report, Yelu Yanxiu, who was making tea, said, "I understand. Please ask the Grand Master to come in."

After getting Yelu Yanxiu's permission, Prince Consort Wang came in. After paying his respects to Yelu Yanxiu, Yelu Yanxiu asked him to sit down. Then he pushed a cup of fragrant tea to Prince Consort Wang.

Prince Consort Wang bowed and said, "Thank you, Princess! But the situation is urgent, and now doesn't seem to be the time to drink tea and relax."

But Yelu Yanxiu remained calm and said, "Tasting tea is not just about the fragrance of the tea leaves, but more about the state of mind."

Seeing Yelu Yanxiu's insistence, Prince Consort Wang had no choice but to drink the tea first.

After finishing a cup of fragrant tea, Prince Wang said, "Your Highness, the rebels of Prince Qi have already arrived at Xijing, and Tokyo is in danger. Although Lord Zhang has offered three strategies to my Lord, I think that with Prince Qi's greed, he will not let go of such a good opportunity. Now we need to ask the Liao Dynasty to send troops to help. Your Highness once said that Qi is strong, and our Song Dynasty and Liao Dynasty are mutually dependent. Now we need to ask Your Highness to send troops to help."

Yelu Yanxiu made another cup of tea for Prince Consort Wang, and then said, "Don't panic, Grand Master. I had already made arrangements when I left the Liao Dynasty. Since Prince Qi has already raised an army, the Liao Dynasty's troops have also headed towards Lingzhou City."

Upon hearing this, Prince Consort Wang said with a delighted look on his face, "Oh? Really?"

Yelu Yanxiu replied, "Of course it is true. Our Great Liao is cooperating with your country with all sincerity. Now that the emperor is seriously ill and the new emperor has ascended the throne, it is the time for us to cooperate sincerely. Although the King of Qi is strong, he is powerless without the support of the Great Song. His Qi Kingdom is nothing more than a larger and stronger Western Xia Kingdom."

"Besides, the Qi army just swept through the Uighur tribes not long ago, and he has to divide his troops to garrison the most part of the Western Regions that he has just conquered, and the Qi army is even more pinned down. Therefore, although this snake is poisonous, it cannot swallow an elephant. As long as the Song army holds firmly, there is a way. When my Liao army attacks his rear, King Qi can retreat without fighting."

Prince Consort Wang picked up the fragrant tea on the table, drank it all in one gulp, and then said, "Great! Great!"

Yelu Yanxiu smiled and said, "I just don't know whether you are saying that my tea is good or that the strategy of besieging Wei to save Zhao is good?" Prince Consort Wang replied, "Both are good! Both are good! Your Majesty was worried about this matter before, and even wanted to give all the land of Guanzhong to Prince Qi to keep things quiet. Now it seems that you were worrying for nothing. It turns out that Her Royal Highness Princess has already made arrangements."

Yelu Yanxiu replied, "Of course. Qi Wang Zhao Mu is our common enemy. It has been more than a hundred years since the Treaty of Chanyuan between Liao and Song. For a hundred years, our two countries have lived in peace. If the emperor had not been deceived by Qi Wang and insisted on breaking the hundred-year treaty and becoming an enemy of Liao, there would not be today. Grand Master, can you imagine who has been the biggest beneficiary since the breakup between Song and Liao?"

Prince Consort Wang answered without hesitation, "Of course it's Zhao Mu. Zhao Mu is just a lowly child born to a concubine. He was given a small title of marquis thanks to his father's protection. If he hadn't deceived the emperor, how could he be so prosperous today? In the past few years, he has risen from a marquis to a county duke, an heir to the throne, a prince, and even to the current fiefdom. Now he has issued a false edict, slandering Your Majesty for having obtained the throne illegally and raising an army to rebel. He really has wolfish ambitions."

Yelu Yanxiu was very satisfied with Wang Fuma's answer. This was the result she wanted. What she wanted was for the Song Dynasty's rulers and ministers to be alienated from Zhao Mu. If Zhao Ji still supported Zhao Mu, then the Liao Kingdom would really have no chance to survive. And this was the last and only chance.

Yelu Yanxiu knew that if this battle could not repel Zhao Mu and allow Zhao Ji to sit firmly on the throne, once Zhao Mu won the world, then the people sitting in the trophy float would not be Yelu Jinnu and the princesses of the Uighurs, but him and the royal family of the Liao Kingdom.

Yelu Yanxiu gave the Song Dynasty a reassurance.

Zhao Mu also received military reports from the border.

Zhao Mu and his generals were in Chang'an City, preparing to arrange the next step of attacking Luoyang, the Western Capital, and besieging Bianliang, the Eastern Capital.

But he heard the scout outside the door shouting: "Report! Urgent!"

Hearing this, Zhao Mu and the generals couldn't help but look back.

At this time, the scout reported: "Your Majesty, a large number of Liao troops appeared in our area today and attacked us without declaring war. They have crossed the Yellow River and entered Qi. Xiazhou City has been surrounded, and a large number of troops are heading to Xiping Prefecture and Lingzhou."

"What!" General Wang was very surprised when he heard this.

Zhao Mu was not surprised by the Liao's move. All of this was within Zhao Mu's expectations.

Zhao Mu calmly looked at the map. At this time, Wang Jin said, "Your Majesty, our army is now in Guanzhong. We still have the Great Wall to rely on. However, Xiazhou and Lingzhou, the old lands of Western Xia, are all outside the Great Wall. Now the Liao Kingdom is attacking us. Should we give up the plan to attack Bianjing and return to rescue first?"

Wang Xian also said: "Yes, Your Majesty, Xiazhou, Qingzhou, Yan'an Prefecture, and Yingchou Gorge are important places for the transportation of food and grass for our army. If it is captured by the Liao Kingdom, we will be in a very passive position."

Zhao Mu said, "Don't worry, everyone. When I sent out the troops, I had anticipated that the Liao army would get involved. I had already prepared for this. Before I left, I had already ordered the garrison to defend only if the Liao army attacked in large numbers."

(End of this chapter)