Ming Zuo

Chapter 551 Negotiating Table

Li Banghua has been watching carefully.

Seeing the distraught appearance of these court officials, he couldn't help but feel admiration in his heart.

When the plan for the peace talks was drawn up, the young commander's methods followed one after another, which was dazzling and made him a little confused.

Especially that sentence...

"Negotiating is off the table."

Li Banghua has always been unable to taste clearly.

But now, he understands.

With this demonstration alone, the possibility of forcing the court to submit has increased by [-]%.

"Everyone, let's go, it's getting late."

Lu Xiangsheng and Gao Qiqian didn't know how they moved their feet. When they reached the negotiation place, their minds were full of the scene of the guns firing just now.

It wasn't until Fu Shuxun's uncontrollable soft cry came that the two of them woke up.

They turned their heads to look, only to find that the layout of the negotiation place was very strange.

This is a very spacious tent.

Because the windows are open, it is very bright.

There is nothing superfluous in the tent.

Two rows of tables and chairs are arranged facing each other, forming the situation of the Chu River and the Han Dynasty, which is completely different from the way they are familiar with, the Venerable is in the middle and the rest are on the left and right.

Not only that, but on the tables on both sides, there are nameplates placed in front of each position.

The identities and names of the people involved in the negotiation are written on it, and no one will sit by mistake.

And all of this has been done along the way they have come.

On the court side, Zhang Fengyi's nameplate was placed in the center.

As mentioned in the previous briefing, he is the foreman of this negotiation.

On the Shandong side, no surprise, it was Li Banghua.

Both of them are in the middle, not the beginning.

"Please take a seat."

Chong Hua was of course responsible for the layout of the venue.

He is also the moderator of the talks.

Everyone in the imperial court was very novel about this method, so they did whatever they wanted, looking for their nameplates one by one, and sat down one after another.

On the Shandong side, there were originally a total of four negotiators, not as many as the imperial court.But when Li Banghua and others were also seated, a young woman in military uniform came in and took the seat next to the rich left.

Fu Shuxun was not satisfied.

"Such a big event, how can there be women and children present?"

Chong Hua said solemnly: "This is the clerk of our Shandong Foreign Affairs Department, responsible for recording the confidentiality of this meeting. In Shandong, women can also work for officials. Unlike you, who only treat women as forbidden playthings."

Zhang Yandeng's face was sullen.

"Hmph, the rooster celebrates the morning, and the etiquette is corrupt."

The clerk raised his head abruptly and turned back on the spot.

"If the emperor is a traitor and his ministers are corrupt, the Ming Dynasty will perish."

Zhang Fengyi and the others suddenly changed their colors, but they looked at each other, they were only seventeen or eight years old, and they didn't want to get entangled with them.

Otherwise, how decent would it be for a group of important court officials to quarrel with a young woman?

Nothing happened today, Zhang Fengyi couldn't help feeling a little restless.

"Under the whole world, is it the king's land? On the shore of the land, is it the king's minister. You will steal Shandong..."

In the end, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Chonghua.

He waved his hand, someone had already stepped forward and put the documents in front of Zhang Fengyi and the others.

"Everyone, before negotiating, we need to communicate with each other. This is my detailed statement of the peace talks in Shandong. I don't know where your detailed statement is?"

Zhang Fengyi and the others looked at each other in blank dismay, completely unaware of which play this was playing?
How can they have any rules?
I just thought that after I came here, I would argue with reason and fight with each other, and it would be best to be able to persuade Shandong to retreat.

But looking at the thick stack of documents handed over by Shandong, for some reason, it seemed more formal and professional than theirs.

Zhang Fengyi and the others all looked pale when they thought that the majestic imperial court was actually inferior in this aspect by a group of rebels.

Unintentionally answering Chonghua's question, they simply opened the file and looked at it dully.

Shandong's documents are always simple and plain, and the meaning can be understood at once.

However, the Shandong conditions listed in this document made Zhang Fengyi and others look like the bottom of the pot.

In the document, Shandong made a total of several points.

First, Shandong maintains de facto independence and does not accept the jurisdiction of the imperial court.

The nominal appointment power of Shandong officials can be handed over to the imperial court, but it is only in name.

Second, the imperial court must ensure the safety of Shandong's personnel, business, and exchanges all over the world, and must not arrest or persecute.

Third, the imperial court is not allowed to deploy soldiers and horses around Shandong, which constitutes a military threat.

Fourth, the safety of the families and relatives of officials at all levels in Shandong and all over the world must be protected.

If the imperial court violates these four articles, it will be regarded as a war with Shandong.And Shandong will definitely send troops and respond in the form of war.

If the court fulfilled these four conditions, Shandong promised as follows.

First, the new army will return to Shandong immediately, and will not threaten the capital if it does not step into the capital.

Second, Shandong guarantees the smooth flow of the canal, and does not block, detain or tax the passing ships from the north and the south.

Third, the safety of the family members of Shandong officials in the imperial court is also guaranteed.

Fourth, the new army can send troops to rescue King Lu who was trapped in Yanzhou City, and send gifts back to the court.

With these conditions, it can be said that the imperial court is not taken seriously, as if the king of another big country is on an equal footing with the Ming emperor.

Zhang Fengyi and the others were terrified, they really wondered if Chongzhen knew about these conditions, would that emperor go completely crazy?

"Is there any reason for this? Is there any reason for this? What is the difference between these conditions and usurping the country and usurping the throne? Don't have such Qingqiu dreams."

With a sharp voice, Gao Qiqian expressed his attitude on the spot.

Based on his understanding of Chongzhen, Chongzhen would definitely not agree to such an agreement that was similar to a slap in the face.

Shandong is very peaceful.

"Everyone, I would like to remind you. The offensive and defensive battle of Yanzhou is now on its seventh day. According to our investigation, the city wall of Yanzhou has been damaged in many places and is about to collapse. King Lu's safety depends on the court's thoughts.

The destruction of Hengfan and Defan dealt a heavy blow to the Ming Dynasty.

Even the princes who are second only to the emperor are unable to protect themselves. The weakness of the Ming Dynasty has been seen by the people of the world.

If the three kings of Ludi are all finished...

As long as they thought of the consequences, Zhang Fengyi and the three shuddered.

This is the difference between Shandong and the imperial court.

On the negotiating table, Shandong has full cards.

The imperial court, except for its useless righteousness at critical moments, has no power to suppress Shandong.

The situation is now crystal clear.

As far as the court is concerned, King Lu can no longer die.

But to save King Lu, the court had no choice.

Although Shandong is also a rebel, it depends on them whether they can save the dignity of the imperial court.

Lu Xiangsheng looked up to the sky and sighed, and finally understood what it means to kill a thief intentionally and have no power to return to heaven.

All the officials in the court were silent.

No one dared to speak first.

They understand that whoever agrees to these conditions will inevitably become the target of public criticism.

"Ahem, this is a big matter, we need to discuss it later."

It was the first time to experience this kind of formal negotiation. Zhang Fengyi's forehead was sweating, and he decided to use a tactic to delay the attack and at the same time unify his own ideas.

Shandong has the absolute initiative, and such tolerance is still very generous.

"Then we will adjourn for half an hour."

Zhang Fengyi and the others were led away from the meeting place and arrived at a quiet hut, the atmosphere was even more depressing than this room.

(End of this chapter)