A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 408 Don't be ungrateful and refuse to accept.
Cao Yongli looked at the incredulous expressions on the faces of these people, especially Yelü Gou'er beside him, and felt as sweet as if he had eaten honey.

As a good son-in-law, he had prestige in the Song Dynasty and also in the Liao Dynasty.

Yelü Gou'er naturally wouldn't ask what the poem was, letting Cao Yongli continue to show off.

But Yelü Shucheng, hidden in the crowd, raised his head and called out:
"May I also appreciate some of Song Twelve's new poems?"

Before Song Xuan could reply, Cao Liyong coughed:
"I have memorized this word, but if I just recite it once, you won't remember it."

"Besides, you Khitans don't understand Chinese characters, so writing them out is useless."

Yelü Gou'er was displeased and directly pushed Yelü Shucheng forward:
“Master Cao, do not underestimate the Khitan people.”

"Yelü Shucheng is a child prodigy of our Great Liao. He has been studious since childhood, has a photographic memory, is proficient in Khitan and Chinese characters, and is especially skilled in poetry and prose."

“If your son-in-law shows you the poems he wrote, he’ll know whether they’re good or bad. Just tell him, and he’ll remember them after one reading.”

"Photographic memory?"

Song Xuan looked at Liu Liu, who was hiding among the Khitans.

Is he like Zhang Fangping?
Song Xuan thought that such a person was truly rare, never expecting that the Liao Dynasty also had such a figure.

Cao Liyong knew, of course, that Song Xuan's good friend Zhang Fangping also had a photographic memory.

Moreover, he sometimes enjoyed chatting with Zhang Fangping to learn about these things, and many colleagues wanted to win over Zhang Fangping to be their son-in-law.

If someone inherits this photographic memory, wouldn't passing the imperial examinations be a piece of cake?

However, Cao Yong was also somewhat surprised. Did the Khitan, as a barbarian tribe, also have such people?
Yelü Shucheng no longer concealed anything and stood up openly, saying:
“Commander Cao, Deputy Envoy Song, I have admired the learning of the sages since childhood, and thus I have learned a little more than others.”

Cao Yong nodded, and then recited the poem "Breaking the Formation" that Song Xuan had written for him with great passion and fervor.

"In my drunken stupor, I pick up my lamp to examine my sword; in my dreams, I hear the bugles echoing through

Although the Khitan envoy Yelü Gou'er disliked Central Plains culture.

But listening to Cao Liyong's impassioned recitation beside him...

He also felt as if he had returned to the battlefield and was fighting against the enemy.

Especially the last line, "Poor thing, your hair has turned white," made Yelü Gou'er purse his lips, and his mood became somewhat low for a moment.

It's a feeling of empathy.

The Khitans were indeed inferior to the southerners in terms of poetry creation.

How could Cao Laogou's son-in-law write such good things?
Why wasn't it written by us Khitans?

Yelü Gou'er knew of Li Bai, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty.

In particular, our Great Liao Dynasty inherited the legal system of the Great Tang Dynasty.

Such talent should belong to our Great Liao!

Yelü Gou'er felt a mix of reminiscence and bitterness.

Young people like Yelü Shucheng preferred the first half of the poem, which was truly captivating.

Most of them were eager to prove themselves on the battlefield, and besides, fighting the Jurchens and suppressing the Tatar rebellion carried almost no risk.

An expedition to Goryeo, Western Xia, or Uyghur would be quite risky.

"Good words."

Yelü Shucheng directly praised:
"These are truly beautiful words. The first half makes you feel as if you are on the battlefield, while the second half vividly portrays the image of the old general."

With Yelü Shucheng's praise, the other Khitan nobles began to whisper among themselves.

This poem is indeed powerful; it makes you want to immediately engage in archery and horseback riding to vent your frustration.

Let these Song people see what real horseback archery is all about.

Lü Demao stared at Song Xuan opposite him, because the two of them were sitting to the left and right of the mastermind.

This poem is so fitting for a military man like Cao Liyong.

It even spread to the Liao Dynasty, and Lü Demao believed that the Khitan nobles would also be very receptive to this poem.

It's far more widely known than Song Xuan's poem about appreciating the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

That famous Mid-Autumn Festival poem was not something everyone in the Liao Dynasty could appreciate.

The main reason is that the Khitan people did not have the custom of appreciating the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

They worship the sun.

On the first day of each month, a ceremony was held to worship the sun, as were major festivals such as the ascension of a new emperor. Yelü Abaoji linked this event with imperial power.

"Vice Envoy Song has truly written a beautiful poem that will be passed down through the ages."

Lü Demao also offered a word of praise, but he still maintained a cautious attitude towards people like Song Xuan.

Such intelligent people, besides being proud and arrogant, are also very cunning.

"I wanted to let Vice Envoy Lü know. I didn't think that much about it at the time. My father-in-law likes this poem, so that's enough."

Song Xuan still wore a smile on his face, but he was very wary of Han officials who could enter the Liao court.

If he were a brainless person, how could he have done so well in the Liao Dynasty?

It seems that Yelü Gou'er was not the nominal mastermind; all decisions were made by this deputy envoy.

Both sides are simply acting in their own self-interest.

A person like Lü Demao would not make exceptions for the Song Dynasty just because he was a Han Chinese.

The main force behind the destruction of the Song Dynasty was the landlord and official class in Yanyun and other places.

Moreover, the Song Dynasty had no intention of winning them over.

If they were to be courted even slightly, the Khitans would perceive them as having value for united front work.

"Vice Envoy Song is too modest."

Lu Demao then offered a few more words of praise.

He discovered that Song Xuan felt no pride whatsoever in his ability to compose these poems and in being praised by others.

This suggests that either he is truly talented, or he doesn't feel much about composing a good poem.

Or you could say that he's already seen through the trick of praising others to death at such a young age, so he's not really affected by it.

"How come the Song people always have such composed and steady descendants?"

"Is it really true that the Central Plains is a land that produces talented people?"

Lü Demao didn't voice his true feelings. In fact, as an envoy to Liao, he came frequently and would occasionally discover several talented people among the Song people.

Such people would almost never appear in the Liao Dynasty.

Even the Han Chinese didn't have it.

This puzzled Lü Demao greatly. In order to maintain his family's wealth, he secretly warned himself that he needed to be careful in dealing with southerners like Song Xuan in the future.

Seeing everyone around him praising Song Xuan, Yelü Zongfu immediately spoke with disdain:

"I had long heard that the top scholar Song was skilled in poetry, and seeing him today, I can confirm that he is truly extraordinary."

"However, I also heard from Scholar Song that he has become the magistrate of Kaifeng County. Were those disaster victims outside the city provided with relief by Scholar Song?"

"I don't know who this is?"

Yelü Zongfu introduced himself again.

Song Xuan nodded slightly.

It turned out to be from the Han Derang family. He heard Lü Demao read the name, but there was no one-to-one match between the face and the person's face.

This person also looks somewhat like a Khitan.

Most of the Han family members were given the surname Yelü, and they mostly married daughters of the Xiao family.

Song Xuan didn't bother arguing with him, and simply nodded:
“You’re right. I didn’t think this through. I’ll go back and report to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager before we discuss it further.”

Yelü Zongfu's lips curled up.

He could remain humble in the Liao Dynasty, but this is the Song Dynasty.

If he remains humble.

Not only would the Song people look down on you, but the Khitan people would also look down on you, and they would even think that you had an ambiguous relationship with the Song people.

The Liao dynasty's political enemies will also use this as an excuse to attack you.

After all, ever since Han Derang, the Han family's political enemies, especially the conservatives, have always been very hostile to Han officials.

Even though Han Derang won the Battle of Gaoliang River, he became a regent.

However, because of his background (as a slave), even though he was granted the title of king and became the emperor's sworn brother, he received the same treatment as Emperor Zhenzong of Song.

He still had many political enemies within the Liao Dynasty.

As for the affair between Han Derang and Empress Xiao, both the Song and Liao dynasties have records of it.

Before the alliance was signed, Cao Li went to the Liao camp and witnessed Han and Xiao riding together in a camel cart, negotiating with him.

The most gossipy thing is that there have always been rumors within the Liao Kingdom that Prince Yelü Longyou of Chu was his illegitimate son with Empress Dowager Xiao.

Moreover, Yelü Longyou's son, Yelü Hudugudu, was adopted by Han Derang.

However, Yelü Hudugu had no son, so he had his younger brother adopted by Han Derang.

I don't know why, but all the sons and grandsons adopted by Han Derang were childless, but the Liao emperor always adopted his royal offspring to him to continue the family line.

This was the practice until the last emperor of the Liao Dynasty.

None of the other legitimate blood relatives of the Han family are qualified to become Han Derang's adopted sons or grandsons.

Yelü Zongfu was satisfied with Song Xuan's clumsy excuse.

He had tested him and found out that Song Xuan had indeed driven away those annoying beggars.

That's why he didn't see it, and that's how it works.

As for how the Song people treated the disaster victims under his jurisdiction, Yelü Zongfu didn't care at all.

Since we can't actually start a war anyway, it's enough to win verbally.

It's good that we have an excuse to attack your Great Song Dynasty.

How could a nobleman from the Liao Kingdom really care about how the disaster victims in the Song Kingdom are doing?

They don't even care about their own country's disaster victims.

The Han family had long since risen from slaves to become a top Han Chinese official family in the Liao Dynasty. How could they possibly still empathize with their ancestors who were captured and enslaved?

Lü Demao, however, did not think so. He believed that Song Xuan had handled the matter extremely well, especially since it was pointed out by a foreign envoy within the Song Dynasty.

He simply pushed it away without saying a word to you.

You know shit!

When Lü Demao passed the imperial examination with top honors, Han Derang's influence in the court was at its zenith.

As a Han Chinese, he was also included in Han Derang's training program.

It was precisely because of Han Derang that Han officials benefited the most within the Liao Dynasty.

A group of talented Han officials surrounded him.

Within ten years, a large number of Han officials entered the grassroots level of the Liao state, and almost two-thirds of the official positions were held by Han officials.

Now, the status of Han officials in the central government of the Liao Dynasty has risen even higher.

The Liao emperors generally consulted Han officials on matters of state, and only consulted Khitan officials when it came to war.

Therefore, Lü Demao was aware of Han Derang's political skills.

Unfortunately, he did not leave behind a biological son.

The political abilities of the rest of his nephews and grandsons were generally average.

As for Han Derang's brothers, it's already a favor if they don't cheat their younger brother.

Yelü Zongfu, among the members of the delegation, was considered one of the best among the less capable, a member of the Han family who was appreciated by the current emperor.

The light was just now, and it has now ended.

Lü Demao thought that the young Song Xuan in front of him was incredibly cunning.

Moreover, he remained calm and collected in the face of their probing and flattery, showing that he was not an easy person to deal with.

Fortunately, neither side has any intention of fighting at the moment, so Lü Demao only needs to closely observe whether the emperor of the Song Dynasty will show such intentions.

"But the top scholar Song is a local official and a subject. How can he shirk all responsibility to His Majesty without ever thinking of sharing His Majesty's burdens?"

Yelü Zongfu, however, was unwilling to let this go easily; it was the perfect opportunity to strike a vicious blow when the dog was down!

"Because the Prefect of Kaifeng was providing disaster relief in Huazhou, my son-in-law was appointed by the Empress Dowager to provide relief to the disaster victims who had fled to Dongjing City."

Cao Li gave him a simple explanation, and he believed that Yelü Zongfu did not truly care about the disaster victims.

They just wanted to take this opportunity to find some shortcomings in your Great Song Dynasty, so as to show that the Great Liao Dynasty was superior to your Great Song Dynasty.

In conclusion, although the Northern and Southern Dynasties were in conflict, our dynasty was still better!
Yelü Zongfu knew that Cao Li had come out to protect his son-in-law, but the opponent he had chosen was the young Song Xuan:

“Scholar Song, outside the city I saw these disaster victims living in shacks. If it were winter, wouldn’t they all freeze to death?”

“When winter comes, they should return to their hometowns for the time being.”

Song Xuan didn't say much: "After all, according to the schedule, the breach in Huazhou has been closed, and the people will no longer be flooded by the Yellow River."

Upon hearing such perfunctory words, Yelü Zongfu immediately shouted:
"The Song Dynasty's top scholar was a rare talent, especially since the Southern Dynasties prided themselves on being a land of abundant resources and refined manners."

"So, faced with the cries of these people day and night, did Scholar Song have no concrete measures to take?"

"These people were flooded, and their fields were destroyed."

"The Southern Dynasty exiled them all back to their hometowns, was it to prevent them from freezing to death right before their eyes?"

"On the grasslands of my Great Liao, though the wind and snow are fierce, the people are all plump and strong, how extraordinary!"

Yelü Zongfu mainly wanted to see the beggars in Dongjing City, but he didn't see any. At this moment, Yin Yang just wanted to make a sarcastic remark.

The two chief envoys exchanged greetings, and the deputy envoy was equally eager to oblige.

Since all communication is within this red line, as long as no one dies, it's fine.

To vent one's anger and gain the upper hand in terms of momentum is just basic stuff.

Those around Yelü Zongfu burst into laughter upon hearing his words.

Even Yelü Gou'er, who looked down on the other Han officials, expressed his approval of Yelü Zongfu's sarcastic remarks about the Southerners.

Yang Chongxun's expression was very unpleasant.

He didn't have a friendly attitude towards the Khitans, and upon hearing this, he felt like punching them three times.

Cao Yongli, however, remained calm and took a sip of tea.

He knew perfectly well what achievements his good son-in-law had made in dealing with the disaster victims.

He only needed to say it to silence the Khitans.

Song Xuan raised an eyebrow, not expecting that this guy surnamed Han would never stop.

If you're still looking to stir things up, then let's have a chat.

But then Song Xuan gave a thumbs-up and exclaimed in praise:

"Governor Han is truly meticulous and insightful; his words are truly thought-provoking!"

Yelü Zongfu was taken aback.

He had assumed that Song Xuan would be annoyed and try to cover it up.

I never expected him to praise me.

Is Song Twelve openly admitting that the Song Dynasty is finished?

Yang Chongxun glanced at him sideways.

He couldn't understand how a sharp-tongued Song Dynasty scholar could be so weak when facing foreigners.

However, out of consideration for his feelings, he chose to remain silent.

As for Xia Shouyun, who was even more timid, he didn't dare to say a word.

Cao swallowed the tea in his mouth and blew on it gently. He could never guess what his son-in-law was thinking.

However, he was certain.

Since the son-in-law is praising the Khitans, he must be setting a trap for them.

Song Xuan said with great emotion:

“I have often heard that the Liao emperor is benevolent and his blessings extend to all people. Today, seeing that Envoy Han can understand the suffering of the people of our Great Song Dynasty in such a subtle way, I know that this is no exaggeration.”

Yelü Zongfu was even more confused. Why was Song Twelve suddenly praising the emperor of my Great Liao?
However, Song Xuan's words were mostly pleasing to the ears of the other Yelü and Xiao families.

"Your Excellency is truly a benevolent and righteous man with the world in his heart, rather than a mediocre military man who only knows how to wage war. With someone like you, the alliance between the Song and Liao dynasties will surely continue for a hundred years of peace."

Yelü Zongfu was somewhat surprised to hear him praise him again.

He then realized that Song Xuan was receiving a delegation for the first time and did not understand the intricacies of the situation, which was why he behaved this way.

Yelü Zongfu laughed inwardly.

Turns out he's just a young guy who can't distinguish between the big and small kings. He'll need more experience in the future.

Song Xuan abruptly changed the subject, his face revealing a look of concern for the country and its people:

"The suffering of the people is a great sorrow to the emperor of our dynasty. However, since the alliance at Chanyuan, our Song and Liao have been brotherly nations."

As the saying goes, "When brothers are of one mind, their strength can break metal."

"Since the envoy from Han and his entourage have seen through this matter and possess a benevolent heart, is this not the will of Heaven?"

"Hehe, where is it?"

Yelü Zongfu wore a smug smile.

We're all young people, who doesn't like to be praised?

He had deliberately made a sarcastic remark because he couldn't stand seeing Song Xuan being praised by Lü Demao.

At this moment, Lü Demao's face also turned somewhat dark.

He discovered that the flattery tactics he had used against Song Xuan were being used back on him in a very convincing way!
But Yelü Zongfu was completely oblivious and continued to echo his sentiments.

How stupid!
Song Xuan stood up, his true intentions revealed, his emotions running high, and his voice suddenly rose:
"I have an unwelcome request."

Without waiting for Yelü Zongfu's reply, he spoke directly:

"Your Excellencies are the pillars of the Liao Emperor and representatives of benevolence and virtue. Today, as we meet here, why not take this opportunity to do your utmost for the well-being of the people of both the Song and Liao states?"

Upon hearing this, Yelü Zongfu realized that something was amiss.

He had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

But now that Song Xuan had supported him, he could only force himself to answer:

"Oh? How can I do my best?"

Song Xuan waved his hand, pointing towards the direction of the disaster victims outside:
"We urge you, esteemed envoys, to generously donate funds to help these poor people get through the harsh winter!"

"what?"

Not only was Yelü Zongfu stunned, but the other listeners were also bewildered, wondering how they had gotten themselves involved.

Song Xuan scrutinized them; none of those who had laughed earlier were going to escape!
“My envoys, please hear me out. This action has three great benefits.”

“One good deed can save countless lives and bring immeasurable merit, demonstrating the supreme benevolence of the Liao envoy.”

"Secondly, let us spread the fame of your Great Liao ruler and let all the people of our Great Song know that the nobleman of the Northern Dynasty is not only brave and martial, but also has the heart of a bodhisattva. This is the gold and stone to solidify our alliance!"

“Sanshan, I will certainly report this righteous act to the Emperor of our dynasty. The Emperor will be delighted to hear of it, and the friendship between our two countries will be further strengthened because of this!”

"This is a timeless tale that achieves the best of all three!"

A smile appeared on Song Xuan's face:

"Esteemed envoys, please!"

Xu Xianchun, who was serving behind him, took out a tray and stood in front of Yelü Zongfu with a smile.

Yelü Zongfu's face turned pale and then flushed.

He was burning with rage, but he couldn't vent it at all. If he refused, it would be tantamount to tearing apart the "benevolence and righteousness" label that had just been attached to him.

The argument that personally overthrowing the Liao emperor was a benevolent act is flawed.

Furthermore, admitting that what he just said was nonsense would only lead to him being labeled as "damaging the friendship between the two countries," giving the Song envoy even more grounds for argument in the future.

This is clearly impossible.

Xiao Pidi gently tugged at his sleeve, indicating that he had fallen into a trap, but it was too late.

"Hey."

Lü Demao sighed inwardly.

Song Xuan truly lived up to his reputation as a top scholar; he just lifted him up like that.

If you don't give up your wealth now, you're giving up your reputation.

Yelü Zongfu cannot bear the blame for this.

Yelü Gou'er, who was instigating this, also realized that they had come to the Song Dynasty to collect the annual tribute. Why did they have to give away their private savings before they even received the money?
What just happened? Why are you asking for money now?
Cao Li pursed his lips, trying hard to suppress his smile.

Yang Chongxun was overjoyed, realizing that he had been foolish and had not understood the brilliance of the top scholar Song.

As expected of the top scholar Song, he dug a trap in just a few words, making them willingly jump into it.

Moreover, it wasn't just one person who was harmed, but the entire Liao envoy group!

Yelü Zongfu had reached this point where he was morally blackmailed by Song Xuan, who put him on a pedestal.

He could only grit his teeth and comfort himself, telling himself that a subject of the Liao Dynasty must never lose face in front of the Song people.

Yelü Zongfu forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace:
"Heh...heh heh, Your Excellency is truly...thoughtful!"

"Such hospitality is too much to refuse."

These words were practically squeezed out through gritted teeth; Yelü Zongfu said to his attendant with extreme reluctance:
"Bring...bring my bag of gold leaves."

It wasn't that Yelü Zongfu was stingy; this was his personal savings, which he planned to use extensively in Tokyo.

My heart is bleeding at this moment.

When a bag of gold was placed on the tray, Xu Xianchun handed it to Song Xuan.

Song Xuan took the money pouch, weighed it in his hand, and was not satisfied:

"The Liao envoy Yelü Zongfu donated one hundred taels of gold to provide relief to the disaster victims."

"You must convey this message: This is the grace of His Majesty the Liao Kingdom, and the benevolence of Yelü Zongfu and all the Liao envoys."

"Yes."

Xu Xianchun then carried the plate and walked to the other envoys.

Whether they were surnamed Xiao or Yelü, they were unwilling to lose face in front of the Song people and generously donated money.

Even if they were to physically attack someone, they would have to wait until the Song envoy left before closing the gates and besieging Yelü Zongfu.

Young people, they care about their reputation!

Unlike the old man Lü Demao who said he had no money, the mastermind Yelü Gou'er directly stated that he could not understand Chinese.

Of the entire delegation, only the two old men escaped Song Xuan's ransacking.

The Liao delegation, already fragmented and rife with internal factions, suddenly found themselves facing a common enemy thanks to Song Xuan's machinations:

Yelü Zongfu from the Han family.

At this moment, Yelü Zongfu's face grew increasingly dark.

Because Song Xuan and the others didn't understand Khitan, but he did!
They all used extremely offensive language in Khitan, which prevented the Song people from understanding them and also made their attitude clear.

You were the one who provoked them, so why should I have to pay you money now?

But Yelü Zongfu could still pretend that nothing had happened.

Because he and his group lost a huge sum of money and were filled with resentment, yet he still had to maintain his composure, it was truly laughable.

Unsurprisingly, it will become a laughing stock in diplomatic circles, turning him into a clown who will be mentioned every time.

In the future, the Khitan envoys will surely take this as a warning.

This left them speechless and unable to voice their grievances.

Looking at this group of Khitan nobles, Song Xuan realized they had brought a lot of money on this trip and were planning to splurge in Tokyo.

Based on the current grain prices, Song Xuan felt he had really struck gold with a group of wealthy people who could now distribute their hard-earned money to the poor.

It's alright, you Khitans, just consider it a loss in a slacking-off contest.

Song Xuan had already prepared an excuse for them.

There are wins and losses, so feel free to come back and play again next time!

"My lord, we've collected them all."

"Alright, take this money to the county government office. After counting it, let the disaster victims outside the city have a dry meal tomorrow, and also cook fish and stew pork."

"Yes."

Xu Xianchun responded and asked Wang Bao to help him move it, as he couldn't carry it all by himself.

He was going to take a few people directly back to the county government office.

After everyone had left, Song Xuan bowed rather formally and said:

“I will have your names recorded and then have them engraved on a stone tablet to demonstrate the friendship between our two countries.”

In Lü Demao's view, the Song people won in both appearance and substance, and Song Xuan naturally wanted to show the demeanor of a superior nation.

With Song Xuan's inscription, the Khitan delegation's expression softened somewhat.

After all, who doesn't want a good reputation?
Especially to have one's name engraved within the territory of the Southern Dynasties, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Even Yelü Zongfu has now come to his senses; this young man in front of him is no ordinary person.

With just a few words, he got the Khitans upset about handing over money, but then he pulled them back on track with another sentence, and their mood improved.

"It's careless!"

Yelü Zongfu inwardly screamed.

It was truly a loss of face and substance, and yet they still had to owe him a favor.

So, no matter how unwilling Yelü Zongfu was, he could only bow his head and thank Song Xuan.

The tea was almost finished, so Cao Yong instructed Yang Chongxun to entertain them for today, and that it would be Old Xia's turn tomorrow.

As for Song Xuan, he wouldn't want his son-in-law to waste his time here.

Even watching the "Slacking Off Contest" is much better than being suffocated by the stench here.

Yelü Shucheng, along with his brother Yelü Heshang, took the initiative to come out and talk to Song Xuan.

They were all from the Jifu branch (one of Abaoji's younger brothers).

The three fathers' branch and the main branch (direct descendants of Abaoji) together form one branch and three houses, constituting the four branches of the Liao Dynasty royal family, all of whom were of noble birth.

The rest of the people were first assigned rooms, and then free to do as they pleased.

Anyway, the purpose of receiving this annual allowance is to enjoy it.

The monk Yelü loved to drink and kept asking if he could go to Fanlou for a drink.

He had always wanted to drink Snowflake Wine, but unfortunately, the Liao Kingdom didn't have it, and no one else was willing to bring it for him.

We finally got this chance, so we have to give it a try.

"Scholar Song, my younger brother loves to drink. May I visit Fanlou?"

Song Xuan laughed heartily:
"As the saying goes, guests from afar are always welcome, but with my current salary, I can't afford to spend money at Fanlou."

"I brought enough money."

Yelü the monk patted his money pouch with great generosity, then said somewhat dejectedly, "It's a pity I donated it all just now."

"Even if I invite Scholar Song to drink every day, and it all goes on my tab, what's wrong with that?" Yelü Shucheng didn't see anything wrong with it.
“I’ve heard that Tokyo is big and difficult to live in.”

Since it was his invitation and his younger brother wanted to go to Fanlou, it was natural for them to invite him.

Moreover, Yelü Shucheng knew that his younger brother, Yelü Heshang, was not lying.

He has been generous and righteous since childhood, and doesn't treat money as money.

That little bit of money was either used to buy alcohol or given to people to help them out of their difficulties.

Song Xuan was surprised that the monk Yelü was so magnanimous.

Everyone else is just putting on a show.

Dude, are you serious?
"Let's go."

Song Xuan exited the embassy.

He naturally had a group of yamen runners and guards to help him lead his horse.

Yelü Shucheng was somewhat surprised.

He hadn't expected Song Xuan to be so imposing.

There were people clearing the way ahead, and others keeping watch on both sides, protecting them in the middle.

"What is this, Song Zhuangyuan?"

"I've recently been trying to wipe out a gang of thieves in Wuyou Cave, but I haven't caught their leader yet."

“They kidnapped my family members before, so I should be more careful when I’m out and about.”

"Ok?"

Yelü Shucheng found it even more unbelievable.

In the capital of the Song Dynasty, how could thieves be so bold as to kidnap the family members of officials?

This is a capital offense in the Liao Dynasty!
"Is the top scholar Song not joking?"

"nature."

Song Xuan walked slowly with his hands behind his back:

"Fortunately, I have destroyed three dens in Wuyou Cave, captured a large number of thieves, and rescued my second brother."

"But we still need to be wary of the bandit leader escaping."

Yelü Shucheng nodded slightly.

Fortunately, at least no one in the family has been hurt.

"Even with the help of the government, the top scholar Song couldn't catch these thieves?"

The monk Yelü was puzzled.

This would have been impossible in the capital of the Liao Dynasty.

Anyone who dares to harm their royal family will be killed once the truth is revealed.

"Disaster."

Song Xuan stomped his feet:
"The city of Tokyo was built over several dynasties, and the drainage system underneath is generally unknown to most people. If they go inside, even if an army goes in, they will return empty-handed."

"It turns out that it's as hard to catch as a mouse; that's indeed quite difficult."

Yelü the monk said nothing more; all he wanted now was to drink.

"That will require a lot of effort."

Yelü Shucheng had also heard of the Worry-Free Cave.

He thought it was just a group of starving disaster victims, never expecting that it had already amassed such power.

It's not normal that even local officials couldn't catch them all.

Yelü Shucheng did not continue the discussion on this topic:

"The Song Dynasty scholar's line, 'A masterpiece is born of nature, a stroke of genius,' truly made me feel as if a celestial being had touched my head. I wonder if there are any other lines of poetry that follow?"

"I always feel like I haven't finished speaking."

"I'll think about it carefully and then I'll tell you."

Song Xuan was too lazy to think about it.

Actually, going to Fanlou would be beneficial for me as well.

This is a good opportunity to promote the auction indirectly.

He was particularly interested in the glass gyrfalcon, believing the Khitans would be very interested in it.

The reason he feigned reluctance and used the excuse of not having money was that he didn't want them to discover that he was deliberately leading the matter.

It's good when they discover everything on their own initiative and when they go out to find it themselves.

Song Xuan believed that the Khitan spies had sent the message back.

However, given the fragmented nature of the mission, many people are probably unaware of this matter.

Why not bring this matter up clear and pique their curiosity?

Inside the Ban Jing Hall.

After Cao Liyong and the other Song envoys left, the members of the delegation immediately launched an attack on Yelü Zongfu.

Even if they didn't pull his hair, they still spat on his face, and some even kicked him in the chaos.

He could have had a carefree and enjoyable time in Tokyo, but he ended up scamming him so badly that he couldn't even keep his money, and it was all spent on consumption.

Even if there were famine victims in the Liao Dynasty, these people would not give away their wealth.

Yelü Zongfu was even angrier, but he could only silently endure it.

Xiao Pidi protected him, and Yelü Gou'er also felt that things were going too far and that it was making a fool of themselves, so he shouted for them all to get lost.

The Jurchen ruler, Guo Yanduan, hurriedly asked Duan Shaolian what had happened.

Duan Shaolian gave a brief description: it was just that the top scholar Song had caused infighting among the Khitans with a few words.

Guo Yanduan and his son looked at each other, both knowing that scholars could kill without a knife.

I never imagined I would actually see it with my own eyes today.

Those Khitans used really foul language, but because he had been a Jurchen, he could understand it.

After Yelü Gou'er gave the order, everyone was driven away.

Lü Demao left Yelü Zongfu behind: "Do you now realize where you went wrong?"

When asked by his great-uncle's generation of top scholars, Yelü Zongfu replied:

"It's probably because he made an unreasonable request."

"wrong!"

"Wrong?" Yelü Zongfu looked puzzled.

Lü Demao stroked his beard and said:
"You realized it too late. Under your questioning, Song Xuan began a four-step process, leading you step by step into a trap and making you the target of everyone's ire!"

"I hope Scholar Lü can enlighten me."

Yelü Zongfu genuinely wanted to know how he had fallen into the trap set by Song Xuan.

"Yeah, I didn't understand either."

Yelü Gou'er was also very puzzled. Why did his words seem to have a hidden meaning?

"The first step is that Song Xuan's excuses to the Empress Dowager are just that he doesn't want to talk to you, a Khitan, about the affairs of his Great Song Dynasty."

"But you were completely oblivious, and instead wanted to press your advantage and even harbored murderous intent to humiliate him."

"That's where you went wrong."

Lü Demao stood with his hands behind his back:

"As envoys, our first priority is to never harbor murderous intent and to pursue peaceful development. Whoever harbors murderous intent first will suffer the consequences."

Yelü Gou'er nodded.

Although he and Cao Liyong were both furious when they met, they both knew that war was impossible, so they were good at talking.

Yelü Zongfu did not expect that he had made a mistake in the very first step, failing to perceive Song Xuan's true intentions.

Lü Demao, however, did not let him off the hook:
"When you continue to press your point, saying that the people of the Song Dynasty are freezing and starving to death, while the people of the Liao Dynasty are strong despite the heavy snow, the difference is huge."

“Song Xuan did not refute it, otherwise it would have turned into a diplomatic dispute, which would have been ineffective in refuting your statement.”

"So he chose to respond and carry you on. Song Xuan went along with what you said and put you on a high platform from which you could not get off."

Yelü Zongfu looked astonished. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that it was indeed true.

"This is the effect I wanted to achieve by praising Song Xuan at the beginning. Unfortunately, this kid saw through my scheme and didn't take the bait at all. Instead, he used it on you instead."

Yelü Zongfu agreed with Lü Demao's words, because he really thought Song Xuan would be angry, but Song Xuan not only wasn't, but instead praised him.

No one can find fault with him.

"Then he praised my Great Liao Emperor, and then he praised you."

Lü Demao translated it for Yelü Zongfu sentence by sentence, just in case Yelü Zongfu might suffer losses later.

The interests of the Han family were closely linked to those of these Han officials.

The Han family was a benchmark for the Liao Dynasty in heavily employing Han officials.

As long as the Han family doesn't fall, those Han officials will do their best for the Liao Dynasty, and they might even become the next members of the Han family.

"Song Xuan's words were extremely powerful. He first elevated your personal behavior to the benevolence of our Liao emperor, and then suddenly transformed you from a provocateur into a righteous man with the world in his heart."

"If you had denied it just now, you would have slapped the face of your own king and admitted that you are a mediocre and shameless warrior."

"He then cleverly transformed the problems of the people's livelihood in the Southern Dynasties into issues that the Song and Liao brothers needed to work together to resolve."

"And redefine your sarcasm as insight and understanding of human nature, and elevate it to the level of divine will."

"At this point, the trap has been set, and you, completely unaware, have happily stepped right into it."

Lü Demao's rapid-fire analysis left Yelü Zongfu somewhat bewildered.

"Is that true?"

Yelü Gou'er couldn't understand how the young Song envoy's simple words could conceal so much information.

"Of course."

Lü Demao nodded solemnly:
"Song Xuan has laid the groundwork to this point, and now he has finally revealed his true intentions, not only trapping Yelü Zongfu, but also dragging us into it."

"We are caught in a dilemma: either we admit that we are gentlemen who choose to lose money, or we admit that we are villains and lose all face."

"No matter which option we choose, he has the advantage, and we will all lose!"

"At such a young age, the key is that he came up with a solution so quickly and has such cunning. That's what worries me."

Lü Demao sighed: "The Central Plains has produced far too many child prodigies, something that our Great Liao cannot compare to."

Yelü Zongfu was still somewhat dazed at this moment.

If it weren't for Lü Demao's detailed analysis, he truly wouldn't have expected that Song Xuan's few words contained such a wealth of information.

If I underestimated him and all my words and actions were directed at him, wouldn't he have already figured it out and immediately come up with a way to counter it?
"How could he be so quick-witted!"

Yelü Zongfu wished he could roar to the heavens.

This was also what Lü Demao was worried about; the Song people's cultural foundation was simply too strong.

The Liao Dynasty was simply incomparable to it.

Even though Han officials currently hold many official positions in the Liao dynasty, no one has yet emerged who can truly influence the court like Han Derang.

"The difference is actually that great?"

"It is that big."

Hearing Lü Demao's affirmative answer, Yelü Gou'er couldn't help but mutter, "That Cao guy is really lucky to have such a good son-in-law."

Yelü Zongfu's face darkened; he had never imagined he would be outmaneuvered to this extent.

As a result, not only did they have little energy to seek revenge on Song Xuan, but they also had to constantly guard against retaliation from the rest of the delegation.

He truly felt frustrated and resentful!
(End of this chapter)