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Chapter 680 Diplomatic Intimidation (First Update)
Above the main hall, in front of the courtiers of the Liang Kingdom, Ouyang Xun made a generous speech to persuade Xiao Xian not to surrender.

The wind and rain outside the hall were turbulent, Xiao Xian's face was gloomy, obviously a little uncertain for a moment.

At this time, Cen Wenwen stepped forward and said: "Emissary Zhao Guogui may not know something. The main force of our army has been defeated by the Tang army at the Qingjiangkou. The general Scholar Hong lost tens of thousands of troops, and the entire navy was wiped out. Now there is no one on the Yangtze River." It is dangerous to defend, and Sima Gaiyan of Jiangzhou even surrendered the whole city. Even if Zhao Guo came all the way to help, how could it be helpful, and now you persuade my lord not to surrender to Tang, is it not that you have misunderstood my lord."

Ouyang Xun glanced at Cen Wenwen and said: "Cen Shilang, I heard that Liang Guo had 40 armored troops in the early days of the country. Now, are you discouraged just because of the defeat of Scholar Hong? In a small battle at forty, when the defeat was the worst, even his wife and children could be pushed out of the cart. Now Liang Guo is far from being in such a predicament, why give up so lightly?"

"Absurd, Li Xiaogong, Li Jing's [-] troops are stationed outside the outer Jiangling city, and there are only [-] soldiers in the city. Do you think you can retreat the enemy without giving up?"

Ouyang Xun said to Xiao Xian: "Your Majesty, if you can fight, you can fight, if you can't fight, you can go. Li Tang's navy is going down the river. Jiangling City can't be defended. We might as well abandon Jiangling and make a comeback."

Hearing what Ouyang Xun said, several Liang Guo generals also said: "Your Majesty, what Zhao Guogui said is true. If you keep the green hills, you will not worry about no firewood. Why don't you take a step back and abandon Jiangling."

After hearing this, Xiao Mian sighed and said: "I, Xiao Mian, started a family and started a business. I established the Kingdom of Liang, and I am in Jiangling. If I miss this and escape, how can I see Jiangdong's elders?"

Ouyang inquired: "Your Majesty, don't learn from the overlord of Chu. Use your emotions. A man can advance and retreat, stretch and shrink. If you lose the future, just fight back."

The generals also said one after another: "If Your Majesty wants to leave, I and the people of Jiangling are willing to join you with your Majesty." .

Xiao Xian sighed after hearing this: "Where can the widow retreat now?"

Cen Wenwen sneered and said: "Qiu He, the governor of Jiaozhou, Gao Shilian, Sima Du Zhisong, the governor of Jiaozhou, has already raised the flag and led Jiaozhou to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. There are also generals Zhang Zhenzhou and Wang Renshou. It is hard to guarantee that the other governors will not have such thoughts at the moment."

Ouyang asked: "What are you talking about? Liang Guo has a strong foundation. How can there be no loyal ministers? Are they all rebellious ministers?"

At this time, a courtier came forward and said: "My minister recommends Su Huer, the governor of Yuzhang County. This person is loyal to Daliang, and his wife and children are all in Jiangling. If Yuzhang County is surrendered, Yichun County can also be preserved. counties."

Cen Wenwen said: "Your Majesty, there is Lin Shihong in the east of Yuzhang County, and Feng An in the south. The place is not peaceful. Your Majesty really wants to move the capital to Yuzhang County?"

Xiao Xian was puzzled when he heard this: "Lin Shihong and I have always been at odds. If I withdraw to Yuzhang County, he may not break up with me."

Ouyang asked: "Your Majesty, please rest assured that Li Yuan will not stop here when he breaks Jiangling. How can he not know the truth of his lips and teeth. Let me go to Jiujiang and convince Lin Shihong that he will not embarrass Your Majesty, but will share with His Majesty." Royal Tang Army."

Xiao Xian was overjoyed after hearing this and said, "I feel much more at ease with the words of your envoy. Now, what else can I say? Although Yuzhang County is remote, Li Tang must be out of reach. I decided to take the queen with me." What do you think about going to Yuzhang County with the clan?"

After hearing this, all the ministers said: "We are willing to follow Your Majesty."

Even Cen Wenwen and the others were silent at the moment.Hearing this, Xiao Mian's eyes filled with tears and said: "Thank you all for believing in me, Xiao Mian, and never leaving my Xiao family. I will not treat anyone badly."

Speaking of this, Xiao Mian paused and asked Ouyang: "Your envoy went back to report to His Majesty Emperor Zhao, saying that I, Xiao Mian, would never give up, but now that I lost my teacher and lost my land, I am really a person who has no face to see the world. In the future Liang Guo is willing to follow His Majesty Emperor Zhao's lead."

This remark was said in front of all the ministers, what Xiao Mian meant by saying this obviously meant to belong to Zhao Guo.Of course, there is also the meaning of using Zhao Guo's strength to protect itself.

Ouyang Xun hurriedly said: "I will definitely pass on your majesty's words to the emperor, and please take care of your majesty right now."

Xiao Mian nodded after listening.
Ouyang Xun and other envoys from Zhao State left Jiangling, but saw that the city of Jiangling was very busy.Xiao Xian left Jiangling City in a hurry, and the soldiers and the people were fighting for the crossing, and there was a panic.

Ouyang Xun looked at it, sighed and said to the left and right: "Liang Guo is also a big country. When it was defeated in the first battle, it was defeated like a mountain. The soldiers and the people have no heart to fight again. It is said that Xiao Xian did not favor the people. , otherwise how could it be so?"

After Ouyang Xun sighed, he entered the cabin. "Let's go, let's go to Jiujiang and meet Lin Shihong for a while."

In the chaos, his boat was inevitably attacked by the people at the pier, but was stopped by Liang Jun's soldiers.

"What kind of ship is this, why aren't we allowed to board?"

The leader of the soldiers scolded: "Bastard, this is the boat of the envoy of Zhao State. Do you dare to stop it?"

Jiujiang County, governed by Pancheng County.

At present, Jiujiang County is under the control of Chu Emperor Lin Shihong.

Ouyang Xun looked at Lin Shihong's materials collected carefully on the boat, and said to himself: "Lin Shihong, a Poyang native, is bold and forthright, good at martial arts, and good at strategy. After he died in battle, Lin Shihong led his troops, defeated the Sui army at Poyang Lake, and killed Sui general Liu Ziyi, with a total of more than 12 people. At first, he was called the king of Nanyue, and later he called the empire Chu."

"There is a gap between Feng An, the general manager of Chu State and Lingnan, and Xiao Mian of Liang State. At the beginning, Xiao Mian sent general Su Huer to break Yuzhang County and seize the land of Chu State. Lin Shihong was defeated, so he retreated to Jiujiang and practiced. Sailor."

Ouyang Xun read the letter and thought that if Lin Shihong took advantage of Xiao Mian's defeat and went east to encroach on Xiao Mian's territory, then Xiao Mian would be under the enemy's back and it would be difficult for him to survive.Right now, I have entered Jiujiang to persuade Lin Shihong to let the two of them join forces to protect themselves, and they can also defend the southeast half of the country and restrain the Tang army's eastward advance.But if Lin Shihong disagreed, Liang Guo would really perish.

The boat arrived in Jiujiang County within a few days.

As soon as Ouyang Xun arrived in Jiujiang, he saw warships lined up on the big river, and the Chu army was practicing naval forces here, obviously intending to go eastward.

Ouyang Xun's warship was immediately intercepted by the Chu army's warships. As soon as the Chu army soldiers boarded the ship, they intended to search the entire ship, apparently for the property on board.Seeing this, Ouyang Xun couldn't help frowning, because of the performance of the Chu army, how could Lin Shihong hold the southeast land in front of such famous generals as Li Xiaogong and Li Jing.

Ouyang Xun immediately revealed his identity as Zhao Guo's envoy and asked to see Lin Shihong.

Ouyang Xun entered Pancheng County with the battleship of the Chu Army

At the end of the Sui Dynasty, the world was in chaos, and the land of Jiujiang was still relatively peaceful.Jiangnan has always been a land of fish and rice, so even if there is a slight disturbance, it will recover soon.Entering the city, Ouyang Xun heard that Lin Shihong had come to see him in person before he stayed in the residence hall.

Ouyang Xun looked at Lin Shihong. This person was originally a small official on Poyang Lake. Once he saw Ouyang Xun, he said, "Emissary Zhao Guogui is here. I am not far away to welcome you."

Ouyang Xun hurriedly said: "Don't dare, Your Majesty is the Ninth Five-Year Honor, and I can only serve as an envoy, so I can't deserve such a generous gift from Your Majesty."

Lin Shihong laughed and said: "Where does it come from? The emperor of the Zhao Kingdom broke through Goguryeo and won the whole of Shandong. He was so powerful in the Central Plains that even I, who lived in a remote place, were in awe. But Emperor Zhao wanted to sweep the world, and I, Lin Shihong But I just want to do something about Zhao Tuo's hegemony, what does your emissary have to teach me after traveling all the way here?"

Zhao Tuo was a general of the Qin Dynasty. After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, he established the Nanyue Kingdom in the south of the Lingnan area and declared himself emperor, and later proclaimed himself a vassal to the Han Dynasty.

Lin Shihong's remarks can be described as a self-reported ambition, and the line is drawn clearly. It is easy for everyone to talk about what they have to negotiate on this basis.

Ouyang asked: "My lord does not intend to sweep the world, but sees that Li Tang has no way and the common people suffer, so he launched an army to crusade. Does His Majesty the Emperor of Chu think so?"

Lin Shihong chuckled, noncommittal.Ouyang Xun took a step forward and said: "Your Majesty, right now Li Yuan sent General Li Xiaogong, Li Jing has already defeated Xiao Xian, and even descended to dozens of states in Liang State. I came from Jiangling, and I saw Tang army warships all over the river. There are countless boats and boats. .Li and Tang broke the Liang Kingdom, gained Longwangshu, and the next step is the Chu Kingdom.”

Lin Shihong said: "Li Tang and I have never violated the water of the well. Why did Li Yuan attack me without a reason?"

Ouyang Xun smiled and said: "If Your Majesty really trusts Li Yuan, why bother hoarding heavy troops in Jiujiang City and training the navy?"

Lin Shihong laughed loudly when he heard the words: "Okay, well said. Your emissary is really good at speaking, and I'm not going to hide anything. I stationed troops here to protect myself, and secondly, I wanted to take over Yuzhang County. Xiao Mian was defeated and couldn't help himself." Shou, I will go west to secure the key places to protect myself, otherwise if Li Tang takes Yuzhang County, I, Lin Shihong, will not have a day to sleep in peace."

Ouyang asked: "Your Majesty, I don't know. Xiao Mian is a relative of our lord, the Queen's family. Attacking Xiao Mian is like attacking my country, Zhao Wudu. If your majesty breaks Xiao Mian, even if you get the land of Yuzhang County , but offending Li Tang on one side, and offending Zhao Guo on the other side, wouldn’t it be unwise.”

Lin Shihong was taken aback and said, "There is such a thing."

Ouyang asked: "At present, the Tang army is floating down the river, and the Liang country has retreated to Yuzhang County. If Your Majesty can form a good alliance with the Liang country at this time, they can form a close alliance. When the Tang army advances eastward, there will also be Xiao Mian as Chu The door of the country, resisting the Tang army for His Majesty, so why not do it. Besides, once something happens to the Liang State, our Zhao State will not sit idly by, but your Majesty has the support of Liang and Zhao, so why should you be afraid of the Tang Army?"

Lin Shihong shook his head and said: "I'm afraid Zhao Guo is too far away to dispel the fire. If His Majesty Emperor Zhao defeats Du Fuwei and wins Jianghuai, it will not be too late to tell me this."

Ouyang asked: "Don't His Majesty the Emperor of Chu know how His Majesty defeated Goguryeo?"

Lin Shihong said: "Why don't you know, didn't you lead the boat division to cross the sea and defeat Goguryeo?"

Ouyang inquired: "That's right, since His Majesty sent a boatman to cross the sea to defeat Goguryeo, why can't he send a boatman to cross the sea from Shandong to the mouth of the Yangtze River and go upstream to reinforce Jiujiang?"

Lin Shihong's face changed: "This is impossible, not to mention crossing the sea, the journey is too far."

Ouyang asked: "What's the difficulty? Thousands of years ago, Wu Wangfu sent the navy to attack Qi in this way. Are we not as good as our predecessors now? What's more, His Majesty even managed such a difficult thing as breaking Goguryeo. Why don't you try your best in the country's affairs. It's fine if your majesty doesn't believe it."

Ouyang Xun's words, in short, if you Chu State dares to attack Liang State, then I, Zhao State, will attack you Chu State.

Lin Shihong hesitated for a while and said: "Well, I will sell the emperor of your country to save face, and I will not embarrass Xiao Xian for now."

Hearing this, Ouyang Xun cupped his hands and said, "That's great."

Lin Shihong said happily: "Actually, I have long wanted to form an alliance with the State of Zhao, but I have always been afraid that Emperor Zhao would look down on Gu. Now that the envoy can come in person, I am very happy. I hope that the envoy can convey my goodwill to Emperor Zhao this time, and the two families Let's be an alliance together and be friendly forever, I wonder what His Majesty Emperor Zhao wants?"

After hearing this, Ouyang Xun said happily: "It's really great that His Majesty the Emperor of Chu has such an idea. My lord is really interested in getting acquainted, Your Majesty is a hero in this world."

In fact, Ouyang Xun also understood that now that Li Tang has defeated Xiao Mian, the next step is to take advantage of Jingxiang's upper reaches and lower reaches, and advance eastward. Therefore, Lin Shihong is in a hurry at this time. Right now, he needs to form an alliance with Zhao Guo to jointly resist Li Don.

(End of this chapter)