Traveling through Tianlong: Starting from the Zhenlong chess game

Chapter 634: Exploiting Loopholes in the Rules
Zhao Mu put the account book and all the letters from the officials back into the small box.

Empress Dowager Xiang looked at Zhao Mu with anxiety on her face. After all, this was her last trump card. If Zhao Mu still refused to let her go, she really had no other choice.

Moreover, once this item is handed over, she will completely lose control over the officials in the court, and may even be hostile to them.

Seeing the expression on Empress Dowager Xiang's face, Zhao Mu said, "I accept this gift from the Empress Dowager. This time, you have done a good deed to atone for your sin. His Majesty is drunk right now and is still resting in the palace. I will plead with His Majesty on your behalf tomorrow. I just hope you will take care of yourself."

After hearing this, Empress Dowager Xiang was also delighted. She looked at Zhao Mu and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. Since I can lift the confinement, then my child from Wei will..."

At this time, Zhao Mu looked at the twelve pretty little palace maids.

Empress Dowager Xiang saw Zhao Mu's eyes and understood his intention. She said, "Your Majesty, I originally wanted to keep them by my side to train them and give them to Prince Duan as concubines in the future. It's a pity that Prince Duan is unlucky and has no luck to enjoy them. If Your Majesty likes them, I will give them to Your Majesty."

Zhao Mu did not refuse after hearing this, and then said: "Since the Queen Mother is so kind, then I will not refuse. Those dragon guards are rough and clumsy, and they can't serve Madam Zheng and others. These palace maids are just right for serving. Then Princess Wei, I will give it a try."

After receiving Zhao Mu's promise, Empress Dowager Xiang was completely relieved. Then Zhao Mu returned to the East Palace with his gifts.

However, Zhao Mu was not in a hurry to enjoy these gifts. After all, this was the Bianjing Palace. Although Empress Dowager Xiang gave all these girls to him, they were still palace maids. If the bad reputation of defiling the palace spread out, it would be difficult to say. So Zhao Mu endured it for the time being.

It won’t be too late to ask them for it tomorrow when I return to Prince Qi’s Mansion.

Even though Zhezong drank too much yesterday, he still did not delay the morning court session of this grand court meeting.

The next day, Zhezong ascended the throne on time, and all the officials cheered "Long live the emperor".

However, at this grand court meeting, Zhao Mu did not sit under Zhezong's throne as usual, but stood in the ranks of military generals.

After that, Zhezong began to govern the country. After the important matters in the court were dealt with, it was time for the main event of the day. Playing tricks on the Liao envoy.

Zhezong summoned the Liao envoy into the palace.

After the Liao envoy entered the hall, he saluted Zhezong respectfully.

Seeing this scene, Zhao Mu found it very ridiculous. The Liao Kingdom's envoys had come here many times, and even those who came to seek peace before were not as respectful as today.

Zhao Mu thought, "Is this the deterrent effect of placing 300,000 troops on the border?"

The envoy did not dare to raise his head an inch until Zhezong called for him to stand up. He was walking on thin ice, fearing that he would be disrespectful and be used as a handle by the Song Dynasty. It would become a reason for war. After all, the first war between Song and Liao was caused by the disrespect of King Jin Yelu Yanping.

The envoy stood up and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty. The Emperor of the Great Liao Dynasty sent me here to ask why the Great Song Dynasty ignored the previous peace treaty and deployed hundreds of thousands of troops on the border between our two countries?"

In this matter, the Song Dynasty was in the wrong. Zhezong naturally didn't know how to answer. So he turned his attention to Zhao Mu.

Zhao Mu came out and said, "When did the Song Dynasty stop abiding by the peace treaty?"

Seeing Zhao Mu, the envoy also bowed to Zhao Mu and said, "Reporting to His Majesty, according to the Treaty of Chanyuan newly signed between Liao and Song, Song and Liao will always be brothers and will not fight. Liao even pays tribute to Song every year, and Song also pays tribute to Liao. Now Song is deploying its forces on the border. Isn't this going back on its word? I have heard that China is a country of etiquette. Is it a little hard to convince people now?"

At this time, Zhao Mu pretended to say: "Oh! The envoy has misunderstood. The army stationed on the border of the Song Dynasty is not the army of the Song Dynasty. It is the army of my Zhongsong." Upon hearing this, the envoy of the Liao Dynasty was stunned.

Not only the Liao envoys, but also the civil and military officials of the time were the same.

No one expected that Zhao Mu could say such shameless words.

Zhao Mu saw his expression and continued to explain, "Your Excellency, the envoy does not need to look at me like that. I will not lie to you. They are not the army of the Song Dynasty, but the troops I borrowed from the Emperor. The Emperor also agreed to let me pass through the Song Dynasty to attack the Liao Kingdom and avenge my grievances. So this matter has nothing to do with the Song Dynasty."

After hearing this, the Liao envoy looked at Zhezong and said, "Your Majesty! Isn't what Your Majesty Zhongdi said a bit far-fetched?"

Zhezong suppressed his laughter and said, "Why do you say that? What my uncle said is true. How can it be unreasonable? My uncle came to Bianjing to discuss the issue of borrowing troops with me. My uncle is the second emperor of my Song Dynasty. I have no reason to reject his proposal. I handed over the military order to my uncle before, so the troops on the border are my uncle's Qi Army. And your country's Chanyuan Treaty was only formulated by our two sides and has nothing to do with my uncle. My uncle's intention to attack you naturally has nothing to do with my Song Dynasty."

Zhezong couldn't help himself at this time, and said with a smile: "Besides, the emperor's uncle gave me an offer that I couldn't refuse at all, so I am willing to lend him troops and the road."

The Liao envoy heard this and asked, "Oh? I wonder what the conditions are? How could Your Majesty do such an unjust thing?"

Zhezong replied: "My uncle promised, as compensation for the loan of troops. After he leads his troops to pacify the Liao Kingdom, the sixteen states of Yanyun will be returned to the Song Dynasty."

Hearing this, the messenger said no more, and then a tear fell from the corner of his eye.

Although he cursed the shamelessness of the Song Dynasty's rulers and ministers in his heart, Zhao Mu and Zhezong's concerted efforts did indeed exploit the loopholes in the Chanyuan Alliance.

After all, the terms were signed between the Liao Kingdom and the Song Dynasty, and had nothing to do with Zhao Mu's Qi Kingdom.

And the treaty did not mention the mutual protection between the two countries. Now the Song Dynasty has no problem lending troops and roads to Zhao Mu.

As for the movement of food and fodder for the army, although it was also allocated by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue of the Song Dynasty, it could also be explained as Zhao Mu borrowing it from the Song Dynasty in the name of Qi State.

Now the Liao envoys also admire the shamelessness of these Song people.

Not only the Liao envoys, but even the civil and military officials of the Song Dynasty admired Zhao Mu.

They sighed that Zhao Mu was still the same Zhao Mu, even though he was now on the throne, he was still as "scoundrel and shameless" as before.

Even these great scholars could not find anything to blame about the loophole Zhao Mu exploited.

After all, it was the Liao Kingdom that first attacked the Qi Kingdom, and there was no peace treaty between the Qi Kingdom and the Liao Kingdom, so revenge is justified now.

It is normal to borrow troops for revenge, and when the matter is finally accomplished, it is reasonable to take territory as compensation.

From the beginning to the end, the Song Dynasty did not violate any of the agreements. If anyone was to blame, it was because the Liao Dynasty was too stupid.

(End of this chapter)