Poor Family Chapter 870

  Chapter 870 Tongguan Greeting Spirit

   Lu Yihao was taken aback, and quickly grabbed Li Yanqing, "Li Taibao, please be safe. Although the death of Mr. Zhong is sad, we should still put state affairs first."

  Li Yanqing took a deep breath and sat down slowly. He controlled the emotions in his heart, tried to calm himself down, and asked slowly: "Did Lu Xianggong come here for the Xixia matter?"

   Lu Yihao nodded, "The government attaches great importance to the situation of Xixia. He heard that Xixia was forced to withdraw, and he was willing to negotiate with the Song Dynasty. The officials couldn't help crying with joy during the court meeting. They praised the Taibao as the magic needle of the Song Dynasty to all the officials."

   "Does the official have a decree for me?" Li Yanqing asked calmly.

Lu Yihao took out a letter and handed it to Li Yanqing, "The government issued a decree at the court meeting, asking me to go to Jingzhao immediately to participate in the negotiations with Xixia. Take the lead, but the officials want me to discuss the content of the negotiation with CPIC, and the bottom line of the negotiation is determined by CPIC.”

  Li Yanqing understood what Zhao Gou meant. In the negotiations between countries, the face must belong to the court, but the face was given to himself, that is, the bottom line of the negotiation was determined by himself.

Li Yanqing said: "The purpose of my launch of the Western Xia Campaign this time is also very simple. It is to force Xixia to withdraw from Xihe Road. I have no intention of capturing the land of Xixia. In the agreement, the two sides have clearly defined the actual control line; secondly, Xixia must first withdraw its troops from Lanzhou and Huizhou, and then the Song army will withdraw from Weicheng and Tajiazhai, and when Xixia withdraws from Lanzhou and Huizhou, they are not allowed to plunder the Han people; Three, we have captured the 270,000 people of Xixia, and Xixia must hand over 270,000 Song people in exchange; fourth, officially cancel the old coins given to Xixia by the Song Dynasty. These are my four bottom lines. As for any other proposals by Xixia Requests, I will not agree."

   "I roughly understand. I still have a small request. Can Tang Kai also participate in the negotiation, so that I can better understand CPIC's thinking."

   "Yes, I will arrange for him to follow Lu Xianggong. In addition, what expectations does the official have for this negotiation?"

  Lu Yihao thought for a while and said: "The official's expectation is exactly the same as Li Taibao's first bottom line, but the official hopes to reach a new truce agreement with Xixia."

Li Yanqing shook his head, "This kind of agreement is actually of little significance. As long as there is an opportunity, Xixia can tear up the agreement at any time, but the officials must, and they can also bring it up. I think it should not be a big problem. The country is exhausted and unable to hold on anymore, they must cease fighting and rest."

Lu Yihao nodded silently. At this time, he remembered something and said: "Li Taibao mentioned several personnel changes, and the officials have agreed. Soon there will be a formal appointment edict. Li Guang is also on the way to Jingzhao. It will be here in a few days."

   "What official position does Ma Shan hold in the court?"

   "It's a very good position to be the Supervisor of Shaofu Temple. He should be promoted."

  The two confessed a few more words, Li Yanqing then left the post house, he notified Wang Gui, Liu Kai and others, and rushed to Tongguan overnight with dozens of generals to welcome the coffin of Zhong Shidao back.

Zhong Shidao's two sons have passed away successively, and several grandsons also died early. Only the eldest grandson Zhong Yanchong is left alive. He is currently serving as a general under Liu Kai. Li Yanqing has sent someone to inform that Zhong Shidao is unfortunately in Lin'an. After he died of illness, his nephew Zhongli Fuling returned to his hometown and was buried in Zhongshi Cemetery in the southern suburbs of Jingzhaofu.

Pulled by two oxen, the coffin slowly drove into Tongguan. In front were twenty guards on horseback, holding spirit banners. Behind the ox cart were thirty cavalrymen. A total of fifty cavalry guarded the road His coffin returned to the west.

  In Tongguan, all the buildings were covered with white flags. Thousands of soldiers lined up on both sides of the road, with white cloths tied on their arms, silently watching the coffin cart enter the gate of Tongguan.

At this time, Li Yanqing led dozens of generals of the Western Army to kneel down on the coffin and cry on the ground. Each of them was dressed in sackcloth and filial piety, and looked sad. Zhong Li hurriedly stepped forward to help Li Yanqing, "Li Dutong please stand up, all generals Please stand up, thank you all for coming to pick up the spirit!"

   Speaking of this, Zhong Li's voice also began to choke.

Li Yanqing silently walked to the coffin, supported the coffin, and became the first spirit supporter. Soon, seven generals of the Western Army including Liu Kai, Wang Gui, Wu Jie, Liu Ziyu, Niu Gao, Liu Tie, and Gong Zuwen Following Li Yanqing, he also became a supporter of spirits. Both sides of the road were filled with joss sticks and paper money to commemorate the passing of the former Western Army commander Zhong Shidao.

  The ox cart drove slowly, and eight generals stood on both sides of the coffin to welcome the commander of the Western Army who had been a soldier all his life back to his homeland.

Zhong Shidao was buried three days after returning to Jingzhao. More than 300 generals, including Li Yanqing, Liu Kai, Liu Guangshi, Zhang Jun and other important generals, attended the funeral of Zhong Shidao. Li Yanqing personally read the sacrificial text, The sacrificial oration was written by the emperor Zhao Gou himself, which highly commended Zhong Shidao's life of serving the country and the people, and loyally resisting the enemy. He was posthumously named King of Wei and Zhongyong.

  After Zhong Shidao was buried, the negotiations between Song and Jin ended. Xixia fully accepted the four conditions proposed by Li Yanqing, and the army began to withdraw from Lanzhou and Huizhou, and stopped captiveing ​​Han people.

At the same time, Xixia also began to collect captive Song slaves in Xingqing Mansion, preparing to exchange with the 270,000 Xixia people from Xiping Mansion captured by the Song Army. In Xuanhe's four-year survey line, Xixia promised in the armistice agreement that it would not attack the Song Dynasty within five years, and at the same time officially cancel the old coins that the Song Dynasty gave to Xixia.

Soon, the imperial court issued a series of decrees. In order to commend the brilliant achievements of the Jingzhao Army, the imperial court specially rewarded one million taels of silver, three million pieces of silk, and 50,000 hectares of land for the soldiers who made meritorious service. In order to pay for it, the imperial court couldn't produce so much silver and silk, and all the soldiers were rewarded. For a while, the soldiers of the three armies were jubilant.

After the Battle of Xixia, the Third Northwest Route had a brief opportunity to recuperate. Li Yanqing actively trained new recruits, trained gunpowder and firearm craftsmen, and made every effort to manufacture sharp firearms such as Zhentianlei and Feihuolei. In late October, Emperor Zhao Gou According to the decree, Li Yanqing's family members were allowed to settle down in Jingzhao Mansion.

At the same time, the prefectures on the Northwest Third Road posted notices that the imperial examinations will be held this year, the Fajie Examination will be held half a month later on the eighth day of November, and the provincial imperial examination will be held in Lin'an Prefecture in March of the following year .

After Li Yanqing came to Jingzhao, he lived in the back house of Liushou Mansion. Jingzhao Liushou Mansion was actually a palace built in the Later Zhou Dynasty. After the establishment of the Song Dynasty, it was transformed into Jingzhao Liushou Mansion. It is the highest-level building in Jingzhao. Official residences can only be lived in by princes and above. King Kang Zhao Gou once lived here for a while when he served as Jingzhao's stay-at-home. It is the Prince's Mansion of Anyang County.

During this period of time, Li Yanqing's soldiers have been busy tidying up the mansion, preparing for the upcoming arrival of the princess. The mansion covers an area of ​​more than two hundred acres, and its appearance has a "convex" character. It is a government office, covering an area of ​​about 50 acres. It was originally the Jingzhao left-behind government office.

The main body behind the word "convex" is Anyang County Prince's Mansion. The gate opens to the east, which has nothing to do with the west gate of Jinglue Mansion. Acres, is completely a royal palace.

The Prince's Mansion is located in the south of Jingzhao City, very close to Da Ci'en Temple. A small river flows through the south of the mansion. On the other side of the river is the famous Da Ci'en Temple. An exquisite small wooden bridge crosses the river, surrounded by jungles, which is very quiet. The west part of the Prince's Mansion is the Jinglue Mansion, which is located on Zhuque Street, across the street is the Jingzhao Mansion, and next to the Jinglue Mansion is a military camp, where Li Yanqing's five hundred guards are stationed.

The time has come to the beginning of November, and the early winter season in Jingzhao Prefecture is coming. The winter in Jingzhao Prefecture is dry and cold, and it usually snows in late November. Several heavy snowfalls in a row will make the air in Jingzhao Prefecture humid stand up.

These days, the streets of Jingzhao City are extremely lively, and in seven or eight days it will be time to hold the examination, which makes Jingzhao City full of young scholars who are full of vitality. Vessels, no matter in wartime or in peacetime, imperial examinations will always make scholars yearn for.

  In front of the gate of the west city, dozens of farmers carrying vegetables into the city for sale were shouting loudly. At this moment, a convoy of 20 ox carts slowly entered Jingzhao City under the guard of hundreds of cavalry.

   "Mom! Is this Jingzhao City?"

A two-year-old child stood in front of the car window and stared at the tall city wall above his head. His black eyes were exceptionally pure. Cao Yun looked at it with his head and smiled softly: "Yes, this is Jingzhao City. We are back again. Already!"

  (end of this chapter)

Chapter end