Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 533: People are afraid of tigers but not sheep

On the top floor of Chunyuan Building, Yang Yizhong sat near the window, watching the prince's procession gradually moving away on Zhuque Street beside the building, with a playful smile on his face.

Chunyuanlou is one of the best restaurants in Jiankang City. It should have been crowded with people. However, at this time, the three-story restaurant had been cleared out, and dozens of soldiers stood around with weapons in hand, making the area completely blocked.

The reason was very simple, because Yang Yi Zhong was going to host a banquet here for the Jin envoy Gao Zhongjian.

It is normal to have some exchanges with foreign envoys before the formal court meeting to test each other's bottom line.

But generally speaking, such matters would be discussed in places like Dutingyi.

But this is Jiankang, not Lin'an, and there is a tiger living in Duting Posthouse?

In any case, Yu Yunwen strongly opposed sending the Jin envoys over.

Therefore, Yang Yizhong could only place them near Taifu Temple, and even when they wanted to discuss business, they had to go to the restaurant to have a good chat.

Gao Zhongjian was considered a meritorious follower of Wanyan Yong. He, Wanyan Fushou and Lu Wanjianu went to support Wanyan Yong at all costs when he was in the most dangerous time, and made great contributions, which was considered a timely help.

Even if such a person was mediocre in ability, he would still be promoted to a higher position, even if he had to pay a fortune to buy horse bones. Therefore, after ascending the throne, Wanyan Yong appointed Gao Zhongjian as the Right Supervisor of the Capital Marshal's Office, and put him in charge of negotiating peace with the Song Dynasty.

Stop fighting, everyone is almost exhausted, let's calm down for a while.

However, you have the final say on when the war begins, but it is not certain when it will end.

Seeing that Yang Yizhong was just looking out the window without saying a word for a long time, and the Song army soldiers around him were all solemn and murderous, Gao Zhongjian just took it as a warning to himself. He picked up the wine cup, drank two glasses, and then leisurely started to eat his meal.

"Damn it! You guys in Song are still the most creative! I drank goat milk every day in Linhuang Prefecture and I almost vomited. The Mongols' craftsmanship is so shabby! They don't even clean the buckets. The goat milk paste is fishy and smelly, and there's wool and sheep feces in it. When I eat it, the bitter taste in my mouth tells me it's going to go bad."

Gao Zhongjian was talking trash while eating, showing an attitude that the Song Dynasty didn't want to negotiate peace, and the Jin Dynasty didn't care either.

Yang Yizhong finally shifted his gaze from the crown prince's banner and said nonchalantly, "So, General Gao likes goat's milk? In that case, Awang, bring me a bucket of goat's milk."

After all, Chunyuanlou is one of the best restaurants in Jiankang City. Although there is not much fresh goat milk, a bucket can still be gathered. Soon, a soldier came to Gao Zhongjian carrying a large bucket of goat milk.

Yang Yizhong raised his chin and said, "Drink it up and let's continue talking. If you haven't finished, I'll arrange for you to stay at Duting Inn. I heard there's a tiger from Shandong there that once brought back a financier. Let him get close to you then."

Gao Zhongjian stared at Yang Yizhong. He had naturally heard of Liu Huai's reputation. Even before Liu Huai went south to Lianghuai to participate in the war, Gao Zhongjian knew that there was a Flying Tiger in Shandong.

Otherwise, Gao Zhongjian, having nothing better to do, led his tribe to Hebei, only to be frightened and return to Liaodong? Wasn't it because the Yidu Prefecture they were heading to had already been conquered by the turbulent Shandong rebels?

Gao Zhongjian persisted for a moment, but in the end it was the Kingdom of Jin who took the initiative to send envoys to seek peace. He sneered, took off his robe, picked up the wine bowl and began to scoop goat milk from the bucket and drink it.

Yang Yizhong watched Gao Zhongjian drink goat milk with great interest and did not try to stop him.

This bucket of goat milk weighed more than 40 kilograms. Gao Zhongjian started vomiting after drinking 10% of it. After vomiting, he continued to drink. After repeating this several times, he finally finished half of it. Then he collapsed in his seat, gasping for breath and looked at Yang Yizhong.

"There's still half left, Xiaowang, help Envoy Jin." Yang Yizhong said coldly when he saw this.

Three soldiers came forward, two of them held Gao Zhongjian down, and one of them held a wooden barrel and poured liquid into his mouth.

Gao Zhongjian struggled twice, but found that he could not get free, so he could only let the goat milk pour all over his head and body.

The soldier threw the empty bucket aside, then pushed Gao Zhongjian back to his chair, and then stood aside with his hands clasped in respect.

At this time, the third floor was already in a mess, and the banquet was already in tatters. However, Yang Yizhong still said calmly: "General Gao, can we talk properly now?"

Gao Zhongjian vomited a few more times, wiped the goat milk from his face, and said with a sinister grin, "So this is how the Song people entertained their guests. I've finally seen it today."

Yang Yizhong shook his head and sneered, folding his arms and saying, "The situation today is with the Song Dynasty. Are you Jin thieves still trying to show off your power?"

Gao Zhongjian laughed heartily. "If it weren't for those Shandong bandits heading south, the Great Jin and the Southern Kingdom would be facing each other across the river today. How dare you talk about the general trend?"

Yang Yizhong leaned forward and said to Gao Zhongjian earnestly across the messy table, "Since the gold owner is so talented and ambitious, how about our Great Song Dynasty release the gold owner?"

Gao Zhongjian's face twitched slightly, and he said sternly, "Prince, be careful what you say. The emperor of the Great Jin has already ascended the throne in Liaodong, and the so-called gold master you mentioned has now been demoted to the title of King Hailing!"

Yang Yizhong leaned back in his chair and said, "I don't care what's going on inside your Jin Kingdom. Since your Majesty is in Liaodong, the Great Song will still be reasonable. How about sending our Jin master to Bianliang? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Best of both worlds bullshit!

Gao Zhongjian finally lost his patience and said, "Prince, stop talking about these nonsense and tell me what your conditions are."

Yang Yizhong glanced at his fingernails and said, "It's very simple. Return my people, return my old land, reduce the annual tribute, and restore the original Baigou border."

"This is impossible!" Gao Zhongji stood up and said, regardless of the filth all over his body, "My Great Jin still has 200,000 elite soldiers in Henan, commanded by two great generals, Pushan Zhongyi and Tushan Zhen, and countless famous generals under them. How can we give up Hebei and Henan so easily?" What a joke!
Using Baigou as the boundary was the agreement made when the Song and Jin Dynasties made the Maritime Alliance. However, the Baigou River was within the territory of Youyan. Yang Yizhong made the Jin Kingdom go back to Liaodong and eat snow with just one word. How could people tolerate this?
"What are your conditions?" Yang Yizhong also wanted to ask for a high price and then pay it back. "Your emperor and husband didn't give you a specific explanation?"

Gao Zhongjian bowed towards the north and said, "Your Majesty has said that a trading post can be opened in Haizhou, under the jurisdiction of the Song garrison. From now on, the two countries will become brotherly nations, and there will be no annual tribute. Is that okay?"

Yang Yizhong was also happy.

Very happy.

Not to mention Haizhou, are the two routes of Shandong still in your hands?

Moreover, even the Jin Kingdom of Haizhou was unwilling to cede it. Isn’t that a bit too arrogant?

Yang Yizhong stood up and said, "General Gao, please take good care of yourself and don't throw up everything you eat. I will visit General Gao again tomorrow. I hope you will be open-minded and have a good meal with me then."

This is where the talks broke down.

Yang Yi Zhong took dozens of soldiers away, leaving Gao Zhongjian sitting in a chair and breathing heavily.

After a long time, Gao Zhongjian finally laughed out loud. Under the surveillance of more than ten Song army soldiers, he seemed to be crazy. His laughter gradually grew louder until he laughed out loud towards the sky.

This smile is eighty percent genuine.

Because when Gao Zhongjian went south, Hesheli Liangbi gave him important instructions.

It is certain that nothing will be achieved in this peace negotiation.

The Song Dynasty would definitely launch a northern expedition, and this could not be stopped by someone, such as Zhao Gou, who wanted to negotiate peace.

After Wanyan Liang's unsuccessful invasion of the south, the pro-peace faction in the Song Dynasty was suppressed, and the pro-war faction came onto the political stage. Even if it was just to consolidate their faction, they would definitely send troops.

If Song and Jin wanted to negotiate peace again, they had to defeat Song's northern expedition army.

Moreover, there are smart people in the Song Dynasty, and they would also think of making trouble for Wanyan Liang.

But Wanyan Liang's status as emperor was time-limited. Power had always been from the bottom up. Only when the nobles, military leaders, soldiers and common people of the Jin Dynasty recognized you as the emperor, then you were the emperor.

After Wanyan Yong won over the people and gained their loyalty, Wanyan Liang's card was no longer useful. Even if he was released back to the north, countless people would want to kill him to show their loyalty to Wanyan Yong.

Therefore, Gao Zhongjian's mission on this mission was never to reach a peace agreement, but to delay time as much as possible to buy some time for Wanyan Yong to control the Jin Dynasty.

It takes one day to delay.

Even if we can delay it for one more hour, it will be considered a victory!
After laughing a few times, Gao Zhongjian took off his shirt, threw aside his clothes stained with goat milk, and returned to his residence wearing only a pair of trousers.

The Song army soldiers responsible for surveillance and protection followed closely behind him.

However, Gao Zhongjian had just come down the stairs and showed up at the foot of Chunyuan Tower when several knights who were galloping past reined in their horses and turned back when they were more than ten steps away.

The sturdy knight in the lead looked up and down at the strangely dressed Gao Zhongjian and raised his chin. "The envoy of the Jin thieves?"

Gao Zhongjian remained silent.

The Song army soldier behind him immediately bowed and said, "In reply to General Liu, it is the Jin envoy! His name is Gao Zhongjian!"

Liu Huai nodded and hit his palm with the whip: "I haven't heard your name, but you should have heard my nickname. I am Feihuzi. Many gold thieves are afraid of me. Are you afraid of me?"

Gao Zhongjian, who had been extremely arrogant when facing Yang Yizhong just now, with an attitude of not losing the battle but the opponent, clenched his teeth and felt his legs a little weak.

He really wanted to say that he was not afraid, and even wanted to yell at him, but he was worried that Liu Huai would notice the trembling in his voice as soon as he spoke.

How can I not be afraid?

Not to mention Gao Zhongjian, even those famous generals of the Jin Dynasty would be frightened when they saw the blood debts accumulated by Liu Huai from various documents.

This is not cowardice, but respect for the superior who occupies the same ecological niche.

Seeing Gao Zhongjian didn't say anything, Liu Huai just whipped him, then said lightly: "Grandpa is busy now, we will meet again!"

Having said that, Liu Huai left a playful smile and rode away.

(End of this chapter)