first minister

In the city lord's mansion of Lieyang Pass, a lively banquet was held.

But two people didn't attend.

One is Jiang Yuhu. He himself dislikes such occasions. Instead of thinking about how to fight openly and covertly with these Beiliang people, it would be easier to study how to kill them all;
The other one is Wang Ruoshui. On this occasion, Yelvshi is considerate of him but does not want to overly stimulate the mood of the Southern Dynasty people. Yesterday, he showed off his appearance, so that's about it. He can stay in the room by himself.

The absence of these two people reduced the iron-blooded coercion and the red-eyed hatred, allowing the whole scene to unfold in a happy atmosphere.

Xia Jingyun raised his wine glass, "You have come all the way, and a glass of water and wine will help you catch the wind and wash away the dust."

Yelvshi raised his glass and drank it all, then put down his glass and said with a smile: "Looking at the magnificence of Marquis Jianning, I realized that the Southern Dynasty was full of treasures and great people. Sitting with you, I feel several years younger!"

Xia Jingyun waved his hand, "I have also heard about King Dingxi's glory in the past. When it comes to young talents, you are not inferior to anyone else!"

Yelvshi shook his head, "The grassland tribes are mostly rough men, and they are not worth mentioning if they know how to be smart. On the other hand, Marquis Jianning, whether it is the achievements in scientific research or the heroic feats of turning the tide on several occasions, he deserves it." The title of No. 1 among the younger generation in the Northern and Southern Dynasties."

Xia Jingyun straightened his back unconsciously after hearing this, showing a bit of pride at being praised so much by such a recognized hero. The joy was suppressed under his expression, but was quietly betrayed by his eyes.

But in the face of such praise, Bai Yunbian, who was sitting first on the left, suddenly said coldly, "What is the intention of King Dingxi in saying this? In front of my son, he praised Gao Yang as the number one among the younger generation. Is this trying to drive a wedge between the two of us?"

Yelvshi was stunned when he heard this, what kind of nonsense is this? !

I do have a plan in mind, but the estrangement you mentioned has nothing to do with it!

I’m also driving a wedge between the two of you. Of the seven words “No. 1” of the younger generation, you can only have something to do with the first four!
However, it was the old fox who, after a brief moment of astonishment, immediately thought of the information about the deputy envoy.

He smiled slightly, "What? Master Bai thinks he is not weaker than Marquis Jianning?"

Bai Yunbian said proudly: "I have never been weaker than anyone in my life!"

Everyone in Beiliang was stunned.

Yelvshi suppressed his expression and nodded, "Mr. Bai, I don't mean anything else. It's just that you are quite good. You can become a marquis at a young age. If you were a man in my court, you would at least be someone like me, Liang Sijun." , but if you want to compare with the impressive achievements of Marquis Jianning, I’m afraid it’s still a lot worse, right?”

Bai Yunbian frowned when he heard this, "Four Horses of Beiliang? Who are you scolding?"

King Jing couldn't bear it anymore, "Master Bai, I'm going to honor you tonight, but I won't tolerate you being so humiliated!"

"How dare you jump out without paying attention to you?"

Bai Yunbian snorted coldly, "My achievements are all earned by hard work. I persuaded Huai'an County to surrender alone, led the Cao Gang to conquer two counties, attacked the city by surprise in Longshou Prefecture, went to Jinling on a snowy night, and defeated Guangling in the first battle. These are all They are all well-known skills in our court. You should be secretly happy if your so-called Four Horsemen of Beiliang can have the same thing? Why do they get their names? Do they look like women, or do they have something? Dad who is being chased around?"

"You" King Jing was so shocked that he was speechless.

Yelv Shi was slightly surprised, "I once thought Lord Xia was already a great person among men, but I didn't expect that there were even more talented people like Lord Bai in the Southern Dynasty!"

He raised his glass and said, "I just made a mistake. Mr. Bai, here's a toast to you."

Bai Yunbian nodded arrogantly and raised his glass, "You know your mistakes and can correct them, you are indeed a talent."

After the two of them finished drinking, Yelvshi said again: "I once thought that our Daliang country had many brave warriors and your country had many elegant and literate people. Now, Marquis Jianning, Lord Bai, and even King Jing of your country all have military merits, civil and military achievements." "Everything is complete"

Having said this, he looked at King Jing and the rest of his entourage, "His Royal Highness King Jing, and the young people among you, when you return to the court, you have to work harder to win the title of Marquis Jianning and Bai Bai. If the young master is half successful, I, Daliang, will still have hope for the future!"

King Jing glanced at Bai Yunbian unwillingly, turned his head and remained silent.

Xia Jingyun smiled and said: "King Dingxi is too polite. We have only done some trivial things and achieved insignificant achievements. We cannot deserve such praise."

"You deserve it, you deserve it." Yelvshi said with a smile: "To be honest, it is also a good thing for me, Daliang, to be able to take this opportunity to let these young people broaden their horizons and learn their shame and then be brave."

King Jing didn't even look at the white clouds and said to Xia Jingyun: "Marquis Jianning, I have always admired your talent and learning. When I was in the capital, someone compiled a collection of your poems and essays. I often read them! Lin Huaxie The spring is red, too hasty, but the cold rain comes in the morning and the wind comes in the evening. People have joys and sorrows, and the moon waxes and wanes. This is difficult to do in ancient times. These sentences are also widely circulated in Shangjing!"

"Yes, there is also the saying: Don't be happy with things and don't be sad with yourself. Worry about the world first, and be happy after the world's happiness. This is also a motto for me."

"That's right, that's right. But I personally like the poem about the relationship between the two of them. Suddenly I saw the willows on the road, and I regretted teaching my husband to find a marquis. Marquis Jianning is indeed a great talent!"

Speaking of this, many Beiliang followers who had received the order in advance began to praise him.

If these things were indeed made by Xia Jingyun, he might really become happy about it, but these Beiliang people couldn't think of it even if they thought hard. Xia Jingyun would not be proud of their praise for these things.

However, Xia Jingyun put on a proud smile on his face, "As the saying goes, articles are made by nature, and by chance they can be obtained by good hands. I just have more inspiration. You just need to read more, feel more, and exercise more, and it will come true." I will produce works that are not inferior to others.”

Hearing that Xia Jingyun was beginning to be a good teacher, Yelvshi felt a little relieved, and the heat was finally here.

A banquet ended happily with the flattery of Beiliang people and the satisfaction of Xia Jingyun and Bai Yunbian.

When the banquet was over and everyone in Beiliang returned to their residences, King Jing quietly asked Yelvshi, "King Dingxi, is it done?"

Yelvshi smiled and said: "Look what you are talking about. If it is today's arrogant soldier plan, it will naturally be successful, but the entire negotiation has not started yet!"

After saying that, he quietly added in his heart: As for the real plan, it is even further out of reach.

King Jing hummed, "Anyway, I have figured out their temperament, and it will be much easier to deal with them during the formal negotiations tomorrow."

Yelvshi nodded, "I hope so."

The next day, the first year of Yongping in Daxia, the 32nd year of Tianxing in Daliang, the twentieth day of the first lunar month.

On a high-rise building in the city, the room was newly arranged, with two rows of seats facing each other across the table.

The Daxia delegation headed by Xia Jingyun, Marquis of Jianning of Daxia, and the Beiliang delegation headed by Yelvshi, King of Dingxi in Daliang, had two brief and informal contacts yesterday. They each wore formal official uniforms and behaved uprightly. Sit down at opposite ends of the table.

After the polite officials from both sides who were familiar with the etiquette system exchanged their opening greetings, Xia Jingyun looked at Yelvshi and said, "Your country sent envoys to ask for peace, and now we are sitting here. I wonder what conditions your country is willing to offer in exchange for A truce between the two countries?"

Yelvshi's expression was as calm and polite as last night, "Soldiers are deadly weapons, damaging property, injuring soldiers, harming people's livelihood, and damaging diplomatic relations. Therefore, with a benevolent heart, I am willing to call off the troops and make a truce. For this reason, I am willing to bear the three responsibilities of your country." The military expenditure for the departure of ten thousand soldiers is 20 taels of silver, the pension for the dead soldiers of your country is 10 taels of silver, and the cost of repairing the equipment of your country's city is 20 taels, for a total of 50 taels of silver."

"50 taels, what a big spirit!"

Xia Jingyun sneered, "King Dingxi, believe it or not, I can earn 50 taels in two months?"

His face darkened, "On such an occasion, to mobilize such a large force and to say such words, is King Dingxi just being childish, or is your Majesty simply not sincere?!"

Yelvshi's face did not change, "Marquis Jianning, please calm down. The so-called negotiation means that both parties have to talk. If your country has any demands, please state them and we will try our best to reach an agreement!"

Xia Jingyun said directly: "Our appeal is very simple. Your country colludes with the traitor Dongfang Ping and invades our territory in Yuyan Prefecture. All we need is that your country captures or kills Dongfang Ping and then withdraws from Yuyan Prefecture. After our country regains Yuyan Prefecture, we will Let’s stop fighting.”

Yelvshi waited and found that Xia Jingyun had no intention of continuing, so he raised his eyebrows and said, "No more?"

"Gone."

"Where are Lieyang Pass and Phoenix City?"

"That's my territory in Daxia, what does it have to do with your country?"

Yelvshi twitched his lips when he heard this, "Marquis Jianning is just joking."

Xia Jingyun said calmly: "It was King Dingxi who came to laugh first."

The scene fell into an awkward silence for a while, and King Dingxi sighed, "It is a pity that a talented man like Jianning has to act like a woman at the market at this negotiation table. I don't want to hide it either. Now, I want to exchange Lieyang Pass and Phoenix City, as well as the 100 snow dragon and tiger and leopard knights, please make a condition with Marquis Jianning!" Xia Jingyun was silent for a moment, and followed Yelvshi and others' expectations. Development said: "Since King Dingxi is so cheerful, as the saying goes, heroes cherish heroes, I will not beat around the bush anymore. The previous conditions of Yuyan State must be met. Secondly, the military expenditures you just mentioned will be doubled and the compensation will be [-] million taels. We will Then I can return Lieyang Pass to you."

King Dingxi shook his head and said, "Marquis Jianning, it seems that you are not sincere enough! How can you exchange a city for a state and ask for such a huge amount of money in addition?"

Xia Jingyun didn't say anything, but Bai Yunbian snorted coldly, "If you don't agree? Then lead your troops to fight!?"

King Jing responded tit for tat, "Master Bai, is this your attitude towards negotiation?"

"What's my attitude? What attitude do you want? It's you who were beaten to the point of begging for mercy, not us! It was you who started the war, and it was you who were beaten to a bloody and bruised head. Now you are saying You want peace talks, what? I, Daxia, am so easy to bully? Fight if you want, stop if you want?"

Bai Yunbian took a sip, "I'm telling you, if you want to stop the war, you have to show your sincerity! If you can't show it, we will fight again! Fight until you show sincerity!"

"Bian Yunbian! Don't think it's great that you just won a match by chance. I, the Beiliang Cavalry, are never afraid of anyone! If you want to fight, fight!"

"Haha! What a fluke? Come on, please invite Prince Jing to come and listen!"

King Jing and the officials of Beiliang opened their mouths to retort, and the minister of Honglu Temple and others immediately exchanged blows, and the situation suddenly became chaotic.

In this chaos, King Dingxi looked at Xia Jingyun and found that he was watching Xia Jingyun with his eyes, nose and heart, and had no intention of stopping him. He sighed, "The differences between the two sides are not small. I'm afraid we won't be able to talk about anything today. Jianning Hou, why don’t we each take a break and talk again in the afternoon.”

Xia Jingyun nodded, "It's okay, we're not in a hurry."

The two sides broke up unhappy, and the next two days were almost a repeat of today's process, almost spent in quarrels.

The man next to the white clouds was enjoying himself like a fish in water, but Xia Jingyun quietly frowned.

Because he could see that Yelvshi was not in a hurry.

The two passes were in the hands of Daxia, and news of a small country's rebellion in Beiliang came. Tens of thousands of elites directly related to the Xue family were still used as prisoners and laborers, and were imprisoned in Qingchuan Pass and Yanhui Pass. How could Emperor Liang not be anxious.

But now that he is really not in a hurry, it means there is really a problem behind it.

Xia Jingyun looked east. By this time, the letter should have been delivered.

In Changshan County, Xia Yunfei, the Marquis of Daxia Xing'an, has returned from Beijing. At this moment, he is sitting in his room, looking at the map of Yuyan Prefecture.

Outside the door, a personal guard suddenly came to report, "Master Marquis, there is a messenger holding the seal of Marquis Jianning, saying that he has something important to report."

Xia Yunfei's expression condensed, "Invite him in!"

Soon, three sergeants walked in, but were blocked ten steps away by Xia Yunfei's bodyguards. They knelt down on one knee and took out a secret letter from their arms, "Hou Xing'an, I am here under the orders of Marquis Jianning. Please send a secret message to Marquis Xing'an to read it personally."

Xia Yunfei's personal guard went to receive it and handed the letter to Xia Yunfei.

Xia Yunfei checked the paint, opened it, frowned quietly, stared at the letter several times, and then solemnly put it away, "Thank you for your hard work, you three. Go down and have a good rest. Wait until I finish writing." Reply to the letter and I’ll trouble you to send it back.”

After the three of them retreated, Xia Yunfei returned to the table with the map. He looked at the map and the letter in his hand. After thinking for a long time, he called in a confidant.
-
Yuyan Prefecture, Prefecture City, Prefecture Mufu.

Dongfang Ping asked his confidant: "Has there been any movement over there these past two days?"

"I heard that Murong Long has been drinking heavily in the army these days, beating and scolding the soldiers wantonly. Many of these Beiliang sergeants who have been living in foreign lands have fled."

"Drinking and causing trouble? How many people are on the run?"

Dongfang Ping frowned, instinctively feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what was wrong.

The military discipline of the Beiliang people was indeed lax, and he also knew about Murong Long's fondness for wine, but he always felt that it was a bit unreasonable for him to be so undisciplined in the current situation.

Just as he was thinking about it, a personal guard came to the door and said, "Your Highness, Murong Long wishes to see you."

Dongfang Ping immediately said: "Invite him to the main hall to wait."

After saying that, he hurried out and came to the main hall. The expression on his face had changed to a familiar humility, "Oh, General, I haven't seen you for a few days. I miss you so much!"

Murong Long nodded in agreement, "Isn't that right? It's been snowing heavily these past few days and I haven't come to the city. I also miss His Highness very much!"

Dongfang Ping came directly: "Let's go find a good place to drink!"

Murong Long's eyes showed a bit of excitement, but he suppressed it and waved his hand, "Please wait a moment for the drinking. I have something else to ask you!"

Dongfang Ping asked in confusion: "General, what's the matter?"

"That's right. I haven't been out in the army these past few days. I just wanted to train these losers. Who knows, even before they do anything serious, many of them can't stand it and run away."

Murong Long spoke with a bit of embarrassment, Dongfang Ping pretended not to know, and was horrified, "This soldier's escape is not a trivial matter!"

"It's not a big problem that some people have escaped. I have sent people to send a message to the court, asking them to send me another five thousand falcons to ride over, and I can stabilize the situation for you. But the lieutenants under me said that these gangs The dog has been here for two or three months, and his mind is too restless to stay any longer, so why don't you come to see His Highness to see if there is any way to comfort him?"

Dongfang Ping thought for a while and said, "It's easy to say. Tomorrow I will ask my men to collect hundreds of women and send them to your army. Then they will reward them with some meat and wine. I believe these soldiers will feel at ease a lot."

Murong Long's eyes lit up, "It has to be His Highness! Let's go, let's go! The big thing has been solved, let's go have a good drink! Damn it, without His Highness, I haven't been able to drink enough these days."
-
Yuyanzhou, Fanyang County.

The head of the Canglong King has been hung high on the pole. Some of his original subordinates were slaughtered, and some were recruited and surrendered, scattered and resettled.

In the Juyi Hall, the core of Canglong King's cottage, Hu Dakui sat on Canglong King's tiger-skin chair, looking down, still feeling like he was in a dream.

In the past, when the bandit leaders of Fanyang County were discussing matters, he was lucky enough to squeeze in and sit at the end of the front row. If he was not lucky enough, he could only huddle in the back and listen to the big bosses talking.

In just ten days, he has become the real boss of Fanyang County?

He looked at Canglong King's head shaking in the cold wind, and suddenly felt that it was good to be a puppet like this.

Xiao Fengshan washed away the blood, briefly bandaged the wound on his hand, and slowly put on his clothes.

Although the result was not unexpected, Canglong King, as the largest rebel force in Fanyang County, was indeed much more tenacious. He also lost several capable brothers in this battle, which made him quite sad.

Returning to the Juyi Hall, Hu Dakui quickly stood up and showed concern. Xiao Fengshan waved his hand, "Congratulations to the head of the family, he is now the top spot in our Fanyang County."

Hu Dakui said quickly: "It's all thanks to the bravery of Leader Xie."

Just as Xiao Fengshan was about to speak, a personal guard came to report, "Master, please thank the leader, someone has come to Luo Cao!"

Hu Dakui glanced at Xiao Fengshan, Xiao Fengshan nodded slightly, and Hu Dakui coughed lightly, "Bring it up!"

Soon, five men walked in together.

"The master is so powerful that we and the five brothers are quite skilled in martial arts. We are willing to come and seek refuge with you. I beg the master to take you in!"

When Hu Dakui saw these powerful people, he felt happy.

Xiao Fengshan's eyes keenly scanned their hands, legs and hairstyle.

The location of the calluses on the fingers must be a practitioner who is proficient in swords and bows and arrows;

The heavy trousers can't cover the slight bow of the legs. Most of them have been born on horseback since childhood;
The newly grown hair stubble is faintly exposed on the back of the neck.
His eyes suddenly froze. He's from Beiliang? (End of chapter)