Prince of Song Dynasty

Chapter 707 Song Guo is about to attack
Ye Chen shook his head, and said decisively: "Yu'er will never change the fact that Yu'er is the Queen of Xiangfu Kingdom."

Han Xizai observed the words and expressions, and immediately understood that the relationship between Ye Chen and Princess Haoyue was not trivial, and hurriedly said: "Since this is the case, the focus of our discussion is how to welcome back the Jade Empress at the lowest possible cost."

Ye Chen smiled slightly when he heard the words, and said, "What Han Qing said is very true, and I mean the same thing."

Zhang Bo thought for a while and said, "Your Majesty, I think that it is not a bad thing for me, Xiangfu Kingdom, to be married to Daliao. Even if Khitan asks for a heavier bride price, or the conditions are too harsh, it is not impossible. Because, in this way , I, Xiangfu Kingdom, married Khitan, although it does not mean an alliance, but it is enough to make the Song Kingdom afraid, and it is of great benefit to our country. In addition, it can also reflect your Majesty's deep affection for the Jade Queen."

Ye Chen thought about it, and felt that what Zhang Bo said was reasonable, but when he thought of the so-called "betrothal gifts" mentioned by Xiao Chuo, he felt very uncomfortable.

Xiao Chuo asked for the bride price of Xiangfu Kingdom to have five items: first, the two countries should establish diplomatic relations and not invade each other, and city gods should not be built along the border cities, and no heavy troops should be stationed there.Second, the spread of religions on both sides will not hinder each other. Where there are thieves and fugitives who cross the border, they are not allowed to hide and shelter with each other, and they can extradite each other.Third, the two sides set up a market at the border to trade with each other.Fourth, Xiangfu State will provide Liao State with 60 shi of salt, [-] shi of tea, one million bolts of silk, [-] pieces of ironware, and several pottery and porcelain to Liao State every year.Fifth, Xiangfu State and Liao State established a father-son relationship. "

Among these five conditions, the first three are the conditions of diplomatic relations of mutual benefit and complete equality.The fourth article is full of articles.As for the fifth article, including Ye Chen, the kings and ministers of the Xiangfu Kingdom directly ignored it, and no one even dared to discuss it, because it was an insult to the Emperor Ye Chen of the Xiangfu Kingdom.And anyone with a discerning eye knows that the purpose of Khitan's fifth article is to sit on the ground and raise a high price, so as to bargain.And the fifth article itself is absurd. Just imagine, the current Khitan infant emperor wants to call Yu Daoxiang his aunt, but the Khitan people proposed that the condition of the father-son country is that Ye Chen should call the Khitan emperor his father...

As for the fourth article, let me first talk about some things between Song and Liao.

The State of Song imposed economic restrictions or mutual sanctions on the State of Liao, and for a long time, the State of Song had always taken the initiative or the home court position.

Over the past ten years, although several disputes have been established between the two countries, the items that can be traded are extremely limited. The Liao State does not transport horses to the Song State, and the Song State does not transport iron tools to the Liao State, even if it is cloth. , tea, salt, pottery and other daily necessities, the Song State also deliberately imposed very high taxes on merchants to limit their export scale.

And ironware, such as iron pots, hoes, sickles, plowshares and other daily necessities, are very poor in Liao, so that many girls of the common people regard iron pots as very expensive dowry when they get married, and give them a good iron pot or Tieware is a very honorable thing for the natal family, and it is conceivable that its price is not marketable.Another example is hoes, sickles, and plowshares. There are still places where a large number of wooden and stone products are used, and their productivity or production efficiency is therefore greatly limited.

How could Ye Chen and his courtiers not know these things and the reason behind them.

And Ye Chen led the Xiangfu Kingdom up and down, although he broke with the Song Dynasty, he still maintained great vigilance and hostility towards a big foreign country like Khitan.If Ye Chen agreed to Xiao Chuo's fourth condition, first of all, the economic sanctions and blockade imposed by Song State on Liao State would be equivalent to opening a big hole and losing their effectiveness.Not to mention the reaction of the Song Dynasty, from the perspective of Ye Chen and Xiangfu's monarchs and ministers, such a thing cannot be allowed to happen.After all, compared with the Song Dynasty, Daliao, with hundreds of thousands of cavalry, made Xiangfu Kingdom feel more vigilant or afraid.

But if he doesn't agree, how can Yu Daoxiang marry Ye Chen and become the queen of Xiangfu Kingdom?
After Zhang Bolue pondered for a while, he said again: "Your Majesty, my lords, although we defeated Gao Huaide last time, the Northwest Frontier Army of the Song State suffered heavy losses. But now that Your Majesty is proclaiming himself emperor, the State of Song will definitely take action against us. , and my Xiangfu country is newly established, and the country is small and weak. Whether it is national power or military power, it cannot be compared with Song State in the end. I think that if we can establish diplomatic relations with Liao State through marriage, the court of Song State will be afraid. Form an alliance further and get some substantial military assistance from the Liao Kingdom. Even if the Liao Kingdom does not send troops, a small move in the direction of Yanyun at an appropriate time can contain the Song army. Therefore, I think that the marriage with the Liao Kingdom is auspicious for me It will benefit the country without any harm."

Ma Wentao said decisively: "Your Majesty, I believe that external help is not a long-lasting solution. However, the establishment of our country is beneficial to the Liao Kingdom, so if we don't ask for help, the Liao Kingdom will go to it." Do, where we cannot help, even if we marry him, the Liao Kingdom will never help unless we pay a substantial price. If that is the case, then we are likely to be eliminated by the Liao Kingdom to a certain extent from now on Influencing control is not worth the loss, so I believe that if the Liao Kingdom always insists on the fourth condition in the matter of marriage, we must not agree to it."

Han Xizai frowned slightly and said, "If the Liao Kingdom did not send troops to intervene, or if they created some troubles on the Liao-Song border to restrain Song's troops, if the Song Dynasty attacked our country with all its strength, I am afraid we would have to bear too much pressure. In a short time, we We are not afraid of anything, but as time goes on, we will not be able to consume Song State in terms of the consumption of soldiers. After all, the national power of Song State is still far superior to that of my country, and it has tens of millions of people. In addition to more than 40 troops, there are millions of soldiers The side soldiers can be replenished at any time."

Yang Jiye, who had been silent all this time, said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, what Master Han said has some truths, because if we don't seek the aid of the Liao Kingdom, it will be very difficult for us to launch an all-out war with the Song Kingdom. However, I think that the wolf ambitions of the Liao Kingdom Once we rely too much on them, they will make progress. In the end, we will inevitably become the vassals of the Liao Kingdom, and how the Liao Kingdom can take whatever it wants from its vassals. From the situation of the Northern Han Dynasty where the ministers were located, your Majesty and all the adults should see I can figure it out. At that time, my Xiangfu Kingdom is just a tool in the hands of the Liao Kingdom to deal with the Song Kingdom, and my Xiangfu Kingdom's monarchs and ministers will also become Liao's pawns. Therefore, the ministers think that it is not advisable to rely on marriage to form an alliance with the Liao Kingdom , and the handling of this matter cannot be mixed with the method of forming an alliance with the Liao Kingdom."

Hearing this, Ye Chen sighed and glanced at everyone. Although he felt a little helpless, he was very satisfied, because everyone considered the issue from the perspective of Xiangfu Kingdom, or it could be seen from the words that no matter it was Han Xizai Officials from the Southern Tang Dynasty, such as Zhang Bo, Yang Jiye and Ma Wentao, who followed from the Song Dynasty, have completely regarded Xiangfu Kingdom as their own country.

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This matter involved Ye Chen's private affairs in the harem. Han Xizai, Ma Wentao and other ministers were scruples and did not dare to say more. After discussing for a long time, until dinner time, there was still no perfect solution. During the period, Han Xizai and Zhang Bo proposed further bargaining with Liao Kingdom. Yang Jiye firmly disagreed with this kind of behavior of capitalizing on the enemy, while Bai Canghai, Lian Jicheng, and Hu Sanguang agreed that the three of them went out in person, and the Ministry of State Security and the Department of Special Functions came out in full force, coupled with the cooperation and cooperation of Xiao Xiuming from the North Mansion. Yu Daoxiang's own superb strength directly rescued or snatched Yu Daoxiang from Khitan Shangjing directly.In the end, it was opposed by Ye Chen and almost all civil officials—just kidding, the dignified emperor of a country married the queen, and even robbed her.

In the end, there was no result, so Ye Chen announced the disbandment and was going to discuss it later.

Unexpectedly, not long after Xiaochaohui disbanded, Ye Chen was about to go back to the harem for dinner.Hu Sanguang begged to see him again.

Ye Chen asked Hu Sanguang to be taken to his imperial study, and the latter said solemnly: "Your Majesty, Shiwa and Liu Jinyuan have respectively sent news that the Song Kingdom is indeed going to attack our Xiangfu Kingdom."

Ye Chen wasn't nervous at all, but asked curiously, "How are Zhao Dezhao and Zhao Pu going to deal with us?"

Hu Sanguang said: "The news came from Shiwa that the court of the Song Dynasty is going to let Zhao Zan lead an army to start a campaign against Liu Jinyuan's Nanfu and Jianzhuang, and the government will try its best to suppress our business in the Song Dynasty."

Ye Chen looked solemn, and said: "When the Southern Tang Dynasty was conquered, Liu Jinyuan led the Nanfu to contribute, which exposed the power of the Nanfu. The relationship between Jianzhuang and us has long been revealed to the world. Feng Gang, Wu Zhiyuan, Zhou Xin and others controlled There is no way to hide the business. Fortunately, this day has been expected, and some back roads have been arranged at the beginning."

Speaking of this, Ye Chen paused, and said: "Send Shiwa and Zhou Jie an order to find a way to delay the military order given to Zhao Zan by the Song Dynasty court, and then send an order to Liu Jinyuan and Bai Zixuan to lead all the exposed forces. Immediately go out to sea along the Yangtze River and transfer to Chifeng Island in the East China Sea. Rest for a month, familiarize yourself with naval warfare and navigation, and then go north to the Wa Kingdom fully armed to attack and occupy the Wa Kingdom."

Hu Sanguang hesitated for a moment, and said: "Your Majesty, I heard that the Wa Kingdom is a land of poor and barbarians, and it is far away overseas. It is too far away from our Xiangfu and me. Occupying them may not be of any benefit to our Xiangfu Kingdom."

Ye Chen smiled, recalling some proven information he learned in later generations, and said: "Tell Liu Jinyuan that although the Wa Kingdom is small, it is a country on a silver mine, and the silver buried underground is larger than that of the entire Great Song Dynasty." There is even more silver flowing in the market now. I want them to occupy the Wa country, and let the people of the Wa country work as miners for us, and then dig out all the silver from the Wa country and send it to my Xiangfu country. Hmm... There are also a lot of copper mines in Wa country, and the copper is also transported here. I have ordered the Ministry of Industry to start casting our own copper and silver coins in Xiangfu country. If it is changed to 100 million taels of silver, there is no reason for the Empress Dowager Xiao of Khitan to refuse."

(End of this chapter)