A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 460 He really spoke horribly, really.

Upon hearing Song Xuan introduce himself...

This immediately struck Xiao Hui, who stepped forward to hand over the task, as jarring.

He closed his eyes subconsciously.

The Song man on the bridge didn't seem like someone easy to deal with to this veteran general.

Moreover, with such a loud voice, one must be in good health.

Xiao Tali quickly calmed the frightened horse:
“Father, what he said doesn’t seem true.”

"Everyone knows it's not true."

Xiao Xiaomu looked at Song Xuan, who stood ready with his spear drawn:
"The Song people are the best at verbal disputes. They portray us as rebels, and even if they are wrong, they will make it seem right."

As rebels, it wouldn't be a problem if these Song people shot a few Khitan soldiers with arrows.

This kind of thing is acceptable anywhere.

"No, Father," Xiao Tali quickly explained.
"As far as I know, Song Xuan is the top scholar of the Song Dynasty. How could he stand alone on the bridge, fully armored, and so unafraid of our army's attack?"

In Xiao Tali's view, the Song people were always weak.

Even those tribes that rebelled against the Liao Dynasty and were skilled in horsemanship and archery were no match for the Liao Dynasty's large number of banners.

They would turn tail and run, never even considering resistance.

They have always liked to preserve themselves.

Then they bit the Liao like mosquitoes.

Xiao Xiaomu pointed to the small bridge for his daughter:
"That would give him the confidence to hold off our army for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, allowing the rest of the troops time to escape."

"This young man is quite intelligent; he truly deserves to be the top scholar of the Song Dynasty."

Xiao Tali still didn't believe it: "That might not necessarily be the top scholar. People from the Song Dynasty have always been cunning."

Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan reached out and pulled the arrow that Song Xuan had shot onto his own flagpole.

He held it in his hand and gently nudged the horse's belly as it moved forward.

"Father, be careful."

Xiao Xiaomu turned around and comforted his daughter:
"Since the Song people have already shown their bravery, it would be too disrespectful for me to remain behind them."

Xiao Tali pouted.

She thought her plan was excellent, but in the eyes of the other party, it was still a bit naive and was seen through immediately, which made her somewhat resentful.

What a terrible job! It turned out like this, and in the end, her father had to step in.

Yelü Renxian lightly nudged the horse's belly:

"Your nephew is willing to support the Prince of Yan."

Xiao Ge, who had been scared to death twice by the Song soldiers, hid in the army formation and glared resentfully at the people standing on the bridge.

"Song Xuan, I'll remember you. You just wait!"

As for Du Fang, his eyes were filled with disbelief.

How could a top scholar in the Song Dynasty possibly be both brave and resourceful?
Those people should be the best at writing articles and poems!

Du Fang had also read the smuggled collection of Song Xuan's poems.

Du Fang admitted that he was not as good as Song Xuan in this respect, but he had at least received military training from his family.

If you serve as an official in the Khitan and don't know how to lead troops and fight battles, how can you possibly climb to a high position in the future?
Han Derang was both literate and martial, and also exceptionally skilled in strategy.

Only in this way could he gain the favor of the Empress Dowager of Liao and become a guest of her harem.

In any case, the marriage ethics of the Khitan people were quite chaotic, and the fishing and hunting people didn't care much about such things.

It was customary to use wives and concubines to entertain distinguished guests.

Even at that time, the Song Dynasty did not place great importance on female chastity. The watershed moment began with the development of the Cheng-Zhu school of Neo-Confucianism into a complete system in the Southern Song Dynasty.

Therefore, after Han Derang's success, many Han Chinese who served the Khitan wanted to replicate it.

Du Fang looked surprised. Song Xuan was a top scholar in the imperial examination. How could he possibly shoot down Xiao Ge's hat with an arrow and hit the flagpole right in the middle?

He wouldn't believe it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, no matter who told him.

Xiao Xiaomu rode forward on horseback, flanked by Xiao Hui and Yelü Renxian.

He reined in the horses, stood ten paces away on the other side of the small bridge, and spoke:

“Song Xuan, I am the loyal and meritorious minister of the Great Khitan, Grand Tutor, Chancellor of the Secretariat, Commander of the Han Palace, Governor of Nanjing, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and Prince of Yan.”

After all, holding so many official positions is something only the emperor's confidants can do.

At this time, Xiao Xiaomu was essentially a member of the core power circle of the Liao Dynasty, combining the roles of Grand General of the Imperial Guards, Commander-in-Chief of the Han Army Corps, and Prime Minister of Han Affairs.

When Xiao Xiaomu said this, Yelü Renxian and Xiao Hui unconsciously straightened their chests.

They also hoped that they could reach Xiao Xiaomu's position in the future.

Song Xuan raised an eyebrow and answered loudly:

"I can't remember such a long name!"

Xiao Xiaomu frowned subconsciously.

Yelü Renxian and Xiao Hui both sensed the lack of respect for the Prince of Yan in Song Xuan's words.

"I know!"

Wang Gui said with great excitement:

"Twelfth Brother is quoting Liu Bei's three visits to Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage."

When he was working at Song Xuan's bookstore looking after the lottery machine, he was very fond of reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Di Qing looked at Wang Gui: "Didn't you see Twelfth Brother confronting them up ahead?"

"Get serious!"

Wang Gui put away his smile, gripped his double whips, and waited for Song Xuan's summons at any moment.

Despite Song Xuan's disdainful tone, Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan suppressed his anger.
You may call me the Prince of Yan.

Song Xuan chuckled: "I am a Song man, I know nothing of this damned Prince Yan."

"You, be brave!"

Yelü Renxian pointed at Song Xuan and shouted angrily.

Song Xuan pointed his spear at him:
"Who knows what your intentions are in lying in ambush on the hilltop?"

"The Prince of Yan of the Khitans wanted to ambush the envoys of our Great Song and the Khitans. I think you are clearly the rebels that Yelü Gou'er mentioned, and you are not impersonating the so-called Prince of Yan!"

Upon hearing the name of the Southern Chancellor, Yelü Gou'er, Yelü Renxian immediately put down his hand.

They certainly understood His Majesty's meaning.

But this matter was not handled well, and instead, the Song people seized on it.

That would mean we are in the wrong!

Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan sized up Song Xuan.

What a sharp-tongued Song Dynasty person!

He actually did just as his daughter had said.

That's so unreasonable!
Weren't the people of the Song Dynasty the most fond of reasoning?
Just as Xiao Xiaomu was wondering how to answer, Yelü Gou'er rode up on horseback.

Seeing the dense, overwhelming cavalry opposite him, he also reined in his horse.

Yelü Gou'er spurred his horse forward, intending to pass Song Xuan, but was stopped by him with his spear:

"Yelü Gou'er, are you sure they aren't rebels?"

"How could they possibly be rebels!"

Yelü Gou'er saw Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan:

“That is the Prince of Yan of my Great Khitan.”

"Is he the Prince of Yan of your Great Khitan?"

“Yes.” Yelü Gou’er didn’t understand why Song Xuan was stopping him.

"Just now, it was your Prince of Yan who was lying in ambush on the distant hilltop, but my men shot him out with a hail of arrows. They were trying to ambush the delegation, so be careful."

"what?"

"Don't repeat yourself."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Yelü Gou'er hesitated and did not rush to ride over.

They both served as officials in Youdu Prefecture.

One is the Prince of Yan, who commands the entire Southern Court.

One was the Southern Minister, and they were working together, but unexpectedly, this happened.

"Could it be that he's jealous of my achievements and wants to sabotage me behind my back?"

Yelü Gou'er secretly pondered this.

"Southern Prime Minister".

Xiao Xiaomu finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Yelü Gou'er arrive:
"This is a misunderstanding. Please come closer and explain."

With Song Xuan's reminder, Yelü Gou'er did not immediately step forward:

“Your Majesty, I am escorting this treasure for a thousand miles. This treasure is extremely precious.”

"I just heard from the Song people that you led a large army to ambush on the mountaintop. What is your intention?"

Upon hearing Yelü Gou'er's question, Xiao Xiaomu realized he had truly shot himself in the foot.

He certainly cannot openly declare here that it is His Majesty's request.

That would inevitably invite ridicule from the Song envoys, and might even cause His Majesty to lose face.

If things go wrong, they'll betray His Majesty.

Even if Xiao Xiaomu is a member of the core power circle, he will be ridiculed even more.

His Majesty's trust in him has been wasted.

However, Xiao Xiaomu could not say that it was his own fault, otherwise he would not be able to bridge the gap between himself and Yelü Gou'er.

These are all traps.

However, Xiao Tali took the initiative to ride forward:
“Prime Minister Nan, it was my niece who acted as the vanguard, trying to scare the Song envoy. My father just arrived and was unaware of this. He even scolded me and rushed over to apologize.”

After Xiao Tali finished speaking, he immediately dismounted and apologized to Yelü Gou'er and Song Xuan:

"It is a matter of national importance that Tarina has treated as a child's play. I hope the Southern Chancellor and the Song envoy will not take offense."

Xiao Tali's apology left Yelü Gou'er with his anger bottled up inside, unable to vent it.

He couldn't very well just start yelling at Xiao Tali, could he?

Song Xuan chuckled coldly:
"What a convenient excuse! Do you really think Yelü Gou'er and I are three-year-old children?"

"With so many Khitan cavalrymen here, why didn't they send out scouts twenty li ahead?"

"They say they just arrived, but such a large army clearly came from the other side of the mountain. Do they think I didn't see it clearly?"

"And you, what kind of 'tart' are you? Why didn't you step forward and apologize earlier?"

"On the contrary, someone actually came out to question me?"

"Is this something a woman like you can give orders about?"

Xiao Tali once again experienced firsthand how difficult the Song people were to deal with.

Why couldn't he just let it go easily!

"It was Tarli who acted impulsively; I hope the Song envoy will not take offense."

"What official rank do you hold that you dare to apologize to me?"

Xiao Tali raised his head in disbelief.

She truly hadn't expected this Song envoy to be so difficult to deal with.

I just wanted to teach him a lesson, how could he hold such a grudge?

Yelü Gou'er was certain that Song Xuan wasn't lying; he really was speaking harshly.

Let alone himself, the Southern Chancellor, even if the person on the other side was the Prince of Yan, he would still curse him without hesitation.

Yelü Gou'er immediately felt at ease. As long as Song Xuan wasn't intentionally targeting him, everything would be fine.

This young man from the Song Dynasty in front of me speaks really awful.

This is not a lie!

Song Xuan completely ignored Xiao Tali's apology:

"The Song and Liao dynasties are brothers, yet you attempted to ambush and kill my Song envoy. Is this how the Khitans treat their guests?"

"If something goes wrong, they'll just make a woman take the blame."

"Are all the men of the Khitan people dead?"

Faced with Song Xuan's questioning, Xiao Tali pouted, tears welling up in his eyes.

She had never been so humiliated in her entire life.

Du Fang felt the pain in his wound. He really didn't believe that the top scholar from the Song Dynasty could speak so rudely.

This is not within the territory of the Song Dynasty.

Moreover, in Du Fang's view, Song Xuan's behavior at this moment was really not in line with the gentle and refined demeanor of the top scholar of the Song Dynasty in his mind!

“This Song envoy, I, Xiao Xiaomu, apologize to you. This was my oversight.”

Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan also dismounted and apologized to Song Xuan.

Upon seeing the King of Yan take the initiative to apologize to the Song people, Du Fang, a Han Chinese, was even more vulnerable.

When has the King of Yan ever been so humble and subservient to them?
Although Du Fang was not from one of the four major Han Chinese families in the Yan-Yun region, he also wanted to seek a higher position in the Liao Dynasty and bring glory to his family.

This is also the deeper reason why he wanted to marry Xiao Tali.

Although Xiao Xiaomu was born into the imperial family, the current empress is Xiao Pusa, and the nieces of her lineage are the most likely to enter the palace and become empress in the future.

According to Du Fang and others, the chances of Xiao Nujin becoming Empress Dowager were slim.

Therefore, the possibility of Xiao Tali entering the palace is not high, which is why they are striving for this opportunity.

Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan was the most direct target of their family's currying favor, but they never expected that he would bow down to the Song people at this time.

This has a huge impact on prevention and control.

When did the Song people become so assertive?
Not only were Du Fang breached, but Yelü Renxian and Xiao Hui, who were Xiao Xiaomu's left and right protectors, also looked at each other in bewilderment.

The Song envoy actually forced the King of Yan to apologize in person; he was far too arrogant.

Yelü Gou'er wanted to spur his horse, but then he heard:

"Yelü Gou'er, we are on the same side. Don't forget how many people in the Khitan territory want to trip you up from behind."

Yelü Gou'er then stopped his idea of ​​going forward to help Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan up.

"If he didn't do anything wrong, why would he apologize in front of everyone?"

After saying this, Song Xuan glanced at Yelü Gou'er and continued:
"You'd better think this over carefully, because this matter has already cost your own son an arm. Glassware is extremely fragile, and if something goes wrong on the way, your whole family will be doomed."

Yelü Gou'er immediately admitted that Song Xuan was right.

The Khitan were internally divided into factions, so who knew what he was really thinking?

Without the tacit approval of Prince Yan, Xiao Xiaomu, how could Xiao Tali have commanded the army?

Most importantly, without the tacit approval of the Prince of Yan, could his daughter have acted recklessly in the army?

“Prince Yan, please make way for us. We will personally escort this item to the capital. We won’t trouble you.”

Yelü Gou'er's words made Xiao Xiaomu subconsciously raise his head.

He thought that since he had apologized politely, the Song people would give him a way out.

Unexpectedly, instead of the Song people speaking, it was Yelü Gou'er who answered!

This is how Nan Xianghui expressed such a cold rejection.

Misunderstood.

He seems even angrier than the Song people!
"Prime Minister Nan, there is a misunderstanding here that we need to resolve privately."

Xiao Xiaomu quickly explained, "Please come here, and I will explain in detail."

He couldn't be sure if Song Xuan's troops had any soldiers who could understand the Khitan language.

There was no need for Song Xuan to say anything more at this point.

Yelü Gou'er then refused.

Please, Prince Yan, make way. We can discuss this further with His Majesty.

At this point, Yelü Gou'er would think that anything more he said would be an excuse.

What little affection remained was completely shattered when he sent troops to ambush them on the mountaintop.

The astonishment on Prince Xiao Xiaomu's face was palpable.

He had indeed forgotten to inform Yelü Gou'er first and tell him not to worry.

Time was of the essence, and I thought he would understand.

Xiao Hui leaned closer and whispered:
"Your Highness, there seems to be some misunderstanding. Shall we clear the way for now?"

"When the time is right, we will talk to Minister Nan in detail, and the misunderstanding will be cleared up."

Xiao Xiaomu nodded; that was the only thing he could do.

He waved his hand, signaling the soldiers below to make way, and then told Xiao Hui.

When the Song envoys pass by, they must display a murderous aura.

Let's give these arrogant Song people a good thrashing.

Xiao Xiaomu used to not care, but Song Xuan's "provocative counterattack" and Yelü Gou'er's lack of respect made him uneasy.

Even though he was cautious by nature, he couldn't swallow this insult in front of so many soldiers!

This was the first time Xiao Xiaomu had encountered such an unreasonable Song envoy.

But it disgusted him.

What angered Xiao Xiaomu the most was that this Song envoy was using the Khitan's southern prime minister to annoy him.

It's truly disgusting, like a mother opening the door to disgust. It's utterly disgusting.

Song Xuan remained on the bridge, gazing at the group of Khitans, pondering the deeper meaning behind their actions.

With so little information available, he didn't have many ideas for the moment, and could only think that someone didn't want Yelü Gou'er to climb the ranks.

Xiao Tali looked at the aloof Song Xuan with a look that seemed to want to grind his teeth to dust.

"The Song people are truly despicable!"

Yelü Gou'er stopped on the bridge, reflecting on when he had offended Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan, who had made him play such a trick on him.

Doesn't he know how fragile this treasure is?
If Song Xuan hadn't discovered them beforehand, Yelü Gou'er would have felt extremely fearful if they had been lying in ambush on the mountaintop.

Once unrest breaks out, carriages will crash and everything will be lost.

Yelü Gou'er also believed that Xiao Xiaomu's actions were inappropriate.

He's always been cautious; how could he possibly let his daughter do something so foolish?
Even if Xiao Tali had a wild and unruly personality, he wouldn't be so absurd.

After thinking for a while, Yelü Gou'er was convinced that Xiao Tali had voluntarily stepped forward to take the blame.

“Scholar Song, I never expected that once I entered the territory of my Great Khitan, my only ally would be you.”

Yelü Gou'er said with a self-deprecating smile:

"What utter helplessness this is!"

"Yelü Gou'er, with me, Song Twelve, as your ally, you should be secretly laughing."

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"If it weren't for my sharp eyesight, I wouldn't have noticed the commotion on the mountain beforehand."

"Do you think you would have considered that your colleagues would plan to ambush your passing delegation on the mountain?"

Yelü Gou'er sighed again.

He truly hadn't expected that Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan would do something like this.

It seems that all the friendliness he showed before was fake.

Indeed, the old saying from the Song Dynasty still holds some truth: "You can know a person's face but not their heart."

Yelü Gou'er believed he had little chance of being made a king, and only hoped that this treasure would allow him to inherit his father's title of King of Wei in the future.

In the future, when he becomes the top leader among the five capitals, no one above him will be able to stop him from issuing orders, and he will no longer need to consult others.

Song Xuan clicked his tongue twice: "Now I understand why the Treaty of Chanyuan was able to be signed smoothly back then. It turns out that the Khitans were not a monolithic entity."

"Everyone is holding each other back and hindering each other, which is not much different from my Great Song Dynasty!"

Yelü Gou'er wanted to refute, but since Song Xuan had also criticized the Song Dynasty, he didn't know what to say.

Do we really need to find a reason for Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan?
Yelü Gou'er couldn't understand what he was thinking.

He then pointed to the arrows that had been handed to him:

"Did you shoot this?"

"What's wrong?" Song Xuan asked with a smile.

"My archery skills are pretty good."

Yelü Gou'er had never seen Song Xuan shoot an arrow, so he didn't think his archery skills were anything special.

Otherwise, why would Xiao Xiaomu have sent the arrows back on his own initiative?

What else could this be but a provocation against Song Xuan?
Unfortunately, he was a Song dynasty person and couldn't understand the intricacies of the situation; he was still smugly pleased with himself.

Xiao Tali watched Song Xuan and the Southern Chancellor Yelü Gou'er chatting and laughing, completely disregarding his opinion, and felt even more aggrieved.

Throughout her life, she has always been the center of attention wherever she goes.

Today's encounter with the Song envoy has caused her distress; how could she not be upset?
The more Yelü Renxian comforted Xiao Tali, the worse her mood became.

This is definitely not over.

Xiao Tali made a silent vow in his heart.

Yelü Shucheng rode up on horseback and looked at Song Xuan's attire:

"I underestimated you, Song Twelve, before."

"What do you mean by underestimating me?"

He pointed his riding whip at Song Xuan's armor:
"I thought that you, a top scholar, couldn't even ride a horse, but I never expected you to stand here."

"It's quite reminiscent of Zhang Fei in your Romance of the Three Kingdoms, where he stood on a bridge, cut off the water, and roared three times, scaring away a million Cao soldiers!"

"If I truly possessed the ability to take the head of a general from among ten thousand soldiers as easily as taking something out of a bag, I would have just cut off the head of Prince Yan, Xiao Xiaomu, to intimidate them."

Song Xuan chuckled, put away his spear, and turned his horse around.

Yelü Gou'er and Yelü Shucheng exchanged a glance.

Neither of them had ever considered such a thing!

Song Xuan is incredibly audacious. So he actually exercised considerable self-restraint within the Song Dynasty?
Yelü Gou'er once again acknowledged that Song Xuan was still an honest person, but his words were truly awful!
Yelü Shucheng hurriedly chased after him:
"Song Twelve, I advise you to be careful with your words and actions within the territory of my Great Liao."

"I need to be careful with my words and actions in the Song Dynasty, and I still need to be careful with my words and actions in the Liao Dynasty!"

Song Xuan glanced at him: "Then I came for nothing, didn't I?"

"what?"

Yelü Shucheng was speechless.

He paused for a moment before saying:
"But you are a man who has achieved the highest honors in the Song Dynasty, and you follow the teachings of Confucius and other sages. How can you be so vulgar?"

Song Xuan reined in the horse:

"Liu Liu, since you know so much about Central Plains culture, do you know about Confucius's travels around the states?"

"Of course."

Yelü Shucheng felt that Song Xuan's question implied that he was being underestimated.

"Compared to Confucius when he traveled around the states, I, Song Xuan, am rather short and thin, both in terms of physique and in terms of coping skills."

"What do you mean by that?" Yelü Shucheng didn't quite understand.

"Confucius was nine feet six inches tall, with broad shoulders and a powerful build. Even the notorious bully Zilu was subdued by him using etiquette (physical force). How could I possibly compare to him?"

After Song Xuan finished speaking, Yelü Shucheng was left standing there in a daze.

"Can't you?"

"How come I've never heard of Confucius before?"

In Yelü Shucheng's eyes, Confucius was a gentle and refined old teacher.

How could he possibly be a two-meter-tall, burly man who could beat up a martial arts hero with one hand?
This is too disjointed.

Yelü Shucheng wanted to refute Song Xuan.

But how could an outsider like him know the truth of the matter as well as the orthodox people of the Central Plains?
How could those Han Chinese Confucian scholars who taught him possibly discuss these matters with Yelü Shucheng?

Song Xuan and the others waited here for the rest of the convoy to arrive.

Wang Gui and the others were discussing the brilliance of Song Xuan's arrow just now.

As for the Khitans on the other side of the river, the Khitan nobles, led by Xiao Xiaomu, certainly looked very grim.

Today, they were outmaneuvered by the Song people right at their own doorstep, losing face and making them very unhappy.

"Father, I made a mistake and embarrassed you."

Xiao Tali slid to his knees at lightning speed.

He intended to show his face, but instead he exposed his backside, giving the Song people an opportunity to criticize him harshly.

As a result, her father, Xiao Xiaomu, also became a victim of gossip.

Xiao Xiaomu waved his hand and said:

"I am the King of Yan of the Great Khitan, how can I lack a sense of responsibility?"

"Even if you're my daughter, and it was someone else who came up with the idea but didn't achieve the desired result, I wouldn't blame them."

That's why Xiao Xiaomu not only has ability, but also exceptional emotional intelligence, which allowed him to quickly rise to this position.

Of the several brothers in his family, only Xiao Xiaomu has been granted the title of king.

This is enough to demonstrate his ability.

Xiao Hui looked at Xiao Xiaomu.

He's actually not very willing to listen to other people's advice.

That's why he suffered repeated defeats when fighting alone.

Xiao Hui doesn't trust other people's judgments; she only trusts her own.

Therefore, Xiao Hui was still willing to work for a leader who was so willing to take the blame.

"Prince Yan, should we really teach the Song envoy a lesson?"

"Shut up."

Xiao Xiaomu glared at him:
"We must not only avoid causing trouble, but also ensure that they are safely delivered to Zhongjing."

"His Majesty likes that treasure very much."

"It's perfectly normal for Yelü Gou'er to be wary of you and me after being provoked by Song Xuan."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Hui felt extremely annoyed:
"I think Yelü Gou'er has gone senile; he actually trusts the Song people and not us!"

"Everyone is doing their job to fulfill His Majesty's duties."

Xiao Xiaomu did offer a defense of Yelü Gou'er, knowing that Yelü Gou'er harbored great delusions.

Therefore, it is essential to ensure that this task is carried out flawlessly.

I made some misjudgments this time as well.

They underestimated the courage and strategy of the Song people.

"That Song Xuan from the Song Dynasty does indeed possess a rather valiant and martial demeanor."

Xiao Xiaomu took a few steps and looked at the flagpole that held up the banner of the Prince of Yan.

If more force were used, it might break in two.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the flagpole was also unusable.

If any wind blows, it might break right away.

After returning to Nanjing, I will need to replace it with a better one.

The key point is that an arrow hit Xiao Ge's hat and then nailed it to the flagpole.

Xiao Xiaomu was extremely surprised; even the best archers of the Great Khitan might not have such accuracy.

He was certain that he had witnessed Xiao Ge being terrified by the Song people again, and that he had wet his pants once more.

On the riverbank, Song Xuan shot directly at their flagpole.

Xiao Xiaomu was quite terrified.

If the Song people had struck first and found out who the leader was, I would probably have died here today.

Xiao Tali also came over, trying hard to hold back her tears:
“Father, I’ve always felt that the person just now wasn’t the real envoy, Song Xuan.”

“How come you see?”

Xiao Xiaomu did not blame his daughter.

He felt he needed to teach his daughter how to fight back after experiencing setbacks.

Instead of secretly shedding tears, that would be too cowardly.

The queens of the Great Khitan were all capable of standing on their own.

"It is said that Song Xuan is exceptionally talented. Among all the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) in the entire Song Dynasty, which one would wear armor, let alone a top scholar like him!"

"I have some understanding of the policies within the Song Dynasty through local Han scholars, and they certainly do not have such a fondness for military generals."

"If we really were rebels, why would those Song soldiers follow a top scholar who was temporarily assigned to fight to the death, and try to hold the bridge there to stop us?"

Xiao Tali looked at his father and said:
"Therefore, I believe that the Song general just now was an imposter of Song Xuan."

Xiao Xiaomu found it difficult to explain some things about his time in the military to his daughter, especially the camaraderie that men formed in the army.

"Your analysis is correct."

Before Xiao Tali's eyes could turn smug, she heard again:
"But you seem to have forgotten that Song Xuan was the first top scholar in the Song Dynasty to marry the daughter of a military officer."

Xiao Xiaomu didn't say what came next, but Xiao Tali was struck dumb.

Who says there are no exceptions?
In the past, it was unheard of for a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) to marry the daughter of a military general in the Song Dynasty. Now, an anomaly has appeared in the Song Dynasty.

This is it.

His ability to marry the daughter of a military general is a testament to his bravery and skill in archery.

How could it be a fake?
The setback he had just experienced prevented Xiao Tali from calmly analyzing the situation, and he continued to analyze it based on his own assumptions.

Xiao Xiaomu, instead of being pleased, patted his daughter on the shoulder:

"It's alright. Encountering some setbacks for a while is the only way to grow better. You've been protected by me for too long."

"As an envoy, Song Xuan's primary concern is the interests of the Song state, not your emotional fluctuations, so it's normal for him to scold and ridicule you."

“Just as my Khitan envoy seized the opportunity upon entering Song territory, so too will he do the same.”

"Don't be sad or upset because of other people's insults and sarcasm. In this world, no one can stay in the limelight forever and have the last laugh."

Xiao Tali nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

She looked back towards the small bridge and found that the Song envoys had already left.

The Song soldiers on the opposite bank of the river were talking about something, and every now and then they would burst into laughter.

To her, the laughter was extremely grating.

Han Yi and the others who remained by the river were naturally extremely anxious, fearing that something might happen to Song Xuan.

Especially after discovering that there were scattered soldiers lying in ambush, the Khitan official Lü Demao was even more anxious than Han Yi, the Song official.

This glass treasure is extremely precious, as it is a relic from the Tang Dynasty.

Having finally reached the hands of the Great Khitan, it was naturally to be treated with utmost respect.

This wasn't Lü Demao's first time serving as an envoy; the Song people had accompanying envoys, and the Khitan people had receiving envoys.

Song Xuan is right. These messengers should have been waiting here before they even crossed the river.

Liu Ping said, "Envoy Han, I'm taking half of the men to support Scholar Song. You all cross the river and take cover first."

"Do not worry."

Han Yi grabbed Liu Ping and said:
"They are just a few scattered soldiers. Yang Wenguang is the grandson of Yang Ye, and I know of his bravery."

“If he were invincible, Song Xuan would have run back long ago. He is quite adept at saving his life.”

"Even if things don't go well, we can throw out those silks and let those people loot them. It's not too late for us to just take a boat across the river."

"You only need to take some people to provide support."

"Here."

Liu Ping then ordered his men to ride away.

They had only gone halfway when they received a notice that the top scholar Song had ordered the main force to set off, as there was a Khitan army ahead.

Liu Ping questioned them carefully before sending someone back with the scouts to report, while he led the main force to continue providing support.

Only when he saw from afar that everyone had dismounted and was resting did Liu Ping feel relieved.

"Xu."

A cloud of dust rose as Liu Ping dismounted from his warhorse:

"Scholar Song, we have received news and are here to provide support."

"Ah."

Song Xuan nodded and then inquired about the performance of Han Yi and the others.

Liu Ping answered each question one by one.

"Tell the brothers to stand tall and march through the Khitan army. When the last twenty or so cavalrymen are at the rear, kick up a cloud of dust so they can squint."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's instructions, Liu Ping grunted in response.
"Scholar Song, why don't we gather some tree branches? Otherwise, it'll be hard for the horses to stir up any dust with just their hooves."

"can."

Song Xuan responded and told them to go ahead and do it.

In short, these Khitans were lying in ambush on the mountain, and they had no good intentions.

After Han Yi and his companions were certain that an envoy from the Liao Dynasty had arrived, they breathed a sigh of relief and ordered their mules to harness the carts so they could hurry on their way to the post station in Zhuozhou City to rest.

The Song and Liao dynasties had frequent exchanges, so the post stations built in Zhuozhou were quite luxurious.

After waiting for a long time, Han Yi, as the chief envoy, finally met with Prince Xiao Xiaomu of Yan with a smile.

The two exchanged these polite words.

Xiao Xiaomu naturally felt that Han Yi was easier to deal with, and kept saying that it was a misunderstanding.

Han Yi knew there was a misunderstanding, but he didn't respond.
"Now that your Khitan envoys have arrived, escort us along the way and avoid attacks from those rebels."

"Good, good, we've captured the remaining prisoners." Xiao Xiaomu waved his hand, and prisoners were pushed forward:

"It is my fault that a few rebels disturbed the envoys of the Great Song Dynasty. Therefore, I should kill these rebels as a sacrifice to appease the Song envoys."

"Ok?"

Han Yi was somewhat bewildered; what was going on with this Khitan people's way of apologizing?

He looked at Song Xuan beside him.

Song Xuan laughed heartily: "Since you Khitans have captured the traitor, you should certainly punish him according to the law."

“That’s how it should be.” Xiao Xiaomu waved his hand.

Immediately afterwards, several heads with braids rolled to the ground, spraying blood onto the yellow earth, creating a muddy pool of blood.

Han Yi's heart pounded.

He hadn't seen this kind of punishment in a long time.

Generally, the judgment is made, but the execution is handled by someone else.

Song Xuan nodded:
"Now that the traitor is dead, it means there are no more traitors within Khitan territory, so we don't need to worry anymore, right?"

"It's natural."

Xiao Xiaomu's bloody act did not deter Song Xuan at all; Song Xuan remained unmoved, and even the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.

For a moment, I couldn't understand what he was thinking.

Could it be that he has witnessed murders on the spot, and therefore doesn't care about these things at all?

While they were talking, the Khitan soldiers tied the heads of several prisoners together with their braids and lifted them up.

It was still bleeding, dripping down like a pumpkin.

"Then let's rest in Zhuozhou for now, and then go to Nanjing."

"Good~"

Han Yi subconsciously swallowed, no longer looking at the corpses and heads.

Wang Chong and Liu Congde, who were also deputy envoys, looked rather pale.

They couldn't understand why these Khitans were killing traitors right in front of them.

Moreover, they didn't even give them any advance notice, leaving them completely exposed.

"Liu Dalang, you don't need to ride a horse later, just sit in the carriage."

Liu Congde grabbed Song Xuan's arm:
"Twelfth Brother, give me a straight answer. Did you kill some Khitans before they tried to intimidate us?"

"I don't know." Song Xuan had someone help Liu Congde up.

"I really didn't lie to you."

"Barbarians!" Liu Congde cursed angrily.

Xiao Xiaomu was relieved to see that the other Han envoys had behaved in the same way.

It seems that Song Xuan is an exception. He is bold enough that even if someone dies in front of him and the smell of blood fills the air, he won't even flinch.

He doesn't seem like an ordinary person!
Xiao Xiaomu stepped aside to let the Song envoy pass.

Song Xuan mounted his horse and sent out scouts ahead as before.

He, meanwhile, slowly moved through the spear formation set up by the Khitans, holding a long spear.

What is there to fear about these weapons?

Sitting in the carriage, Liu Congde saw the fierce and menacing appearance of the Khitans, mainly because of their indiscriminate killings, which made him feel uneasy.

This is Khitan territory; he can no longer act with the same unbridled abandon he had in the Song Dynasty.

So it was extremely disgusting at that moment, especially the sight of the throng of people with bloodshot veins, which made one want to vomit.

As for the imperial guards who followed Song Xuan, they looked around to see how well the Khitans were equipped.

Despite his discomfort, Lü Gongbi continued to observe the Khitan people's weapons and equipment. He was responsible for taking notes, and now that they were in Khitan territory, he had to do his job properly.

Xiao Xiaomu watched as Song Xuan swaggered past the gun formation, seemingly unconcerned, and sighed softly.

"The Song envoy who came today is not someone to be trifled with."

"The Prince of Yan is right."

Xiao Hui nodded as well; he had also been observing the clamoring Song envoy.

"This young man is so young, I suspect he might have someone dead on his hands."

"When did the top scholars of the Song Dynasty learn to kill people with knives?"

He looked at the injured Du Fang: "You don't know anything about the news from Tokyo?"

"How could my Du family possibly have any contact with the Song people!"

Du Fang immediately drew a clear line.

Xiao Hui ignored him. As far as he knew, the four major families of Yanyun seemed to have some knowledge of the news in Tokyo.

Once we arrive in Nanjing, we need to find someone to ask about the background and origins of this Song Dynasty scholar.

After all, in the Liao Dynasty, inheritance was mostly hereditary, and outsiders couldn't even think about breaking into the circle of the powerful and wealthy.

Xiao Xiaomu watched Yelü Gou'er personally drive the carriage through, and his face darkened especially when he saw the gun formation passing by.

If it's a misunderstanding, what can we do?
Yelü Renxian also noticed that the Southern Chancellor's complexion was not good:

“Your Highness, perhaps I should find an opportunity to explain things to the Chancellor of the South, so as to avoid this situation.”

"No need." Xiao Xiaomu waved his hand.
"If you're going to put on an act in front of His Majesty, you have to go all the way. So what if I take the blame?"

Xiao Ta's face grew increasingly ashamed.

"But today has truly broadened my horizons."

Xiao Xiaomu, holding up his riding whip, said to his daughter beside him:
"I never imagined that such a person would appear in the Great Song Dynasty."

(End of this chapter)