White-robed Minister

Chapter 259 0257 [How to persuade Yelü Hongji to release the prisoners?]

The hunt ended, and everything returned to normal. The envoys from various countries returned to their lodgings to wait.

As the Liao emperor's birthday drew closer, more and more tents appeared at the Chanyu court, and Empress Xiao Guanyin and other concubines were also brought there.

As an envoy, Xu Lai had a high degree of freedom.

He can move around freely except for certain tents, as long as he doesn't leave the territory of the Shanyu Court.

Xu Lai was frequently invited to banquets by nobles or officials of the Liao Kingdom.

Xu Lai could also reciprocate by inviting Liao officials, with the expenses included in the official funds for the mission.

However, private banquets and exchanges between envoys of different countries are strictly prohibited!

Xu Lai had activities almost every day, either attending banquets, returning invitations, or going hunting with Yelü Hongji.

"Why does this Yelü Heluwo always invite me to drink?" Xu Lai wondered.

Guo Ruoxu laughed and said, "Xu Tianzhang, don't you know? Your poems and essays have long been known throughout the Xiongnu court, and even the Goryeo envoys have praised them highly. Of course, the main reason is that you offended the Liao emperor, which has surprised and impressed many people. That second king of Liao probably admires your talent and courage."

77

Xu Lai shook his head and said, "No. The way he spoke to me was unusually intimate. It wasn't the intimacy between friends, it was more like talking to a relative!"

"A relative?" Guo Ruoxu asked in surprise.

Xu Lai said, "You were always there when I drank with him, so think back carefully."

Guo Ruoxu recalled Yelü and Luwo's ​​words and actions: "It seems they really treat you differently."

Xu Lai said, "I'll invite him alone and test him out."

After saying this, Xu Lai contacted the Liao envoy and asked him to invite Yelü and Luwo on his behalf.

The money came from the Song Dynasty delegation, but the food was provided by the Liao Dynasty.

The following evening, Yelü and Luwo arrived at the invitation and happily entered the tent with Xu Lai.

Yelü Heluwo said with concern, "You didn't go hunting the other day; I heard you weren't feeling well. That's how you Song people are—you're all very learned, but unfortunately, you're weak and prone to illness."

Xu Lai toasted the other party with a cup of wine and said in a low voice, "Since I came to Liao, I have been closest to the Second King. So I will not hide it, and I ask the Second King not to spread it."

"Tell me, and I promise I won't tell anyone." Yelü Heluwo drank it all in one gulp.

Xu Lai said, "I don't ride horses often. I went hunting twice a few days ago, and the skin on my thighs was chafed raw. I dare not ride anymore, so I pretended to be sick."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Yelü Heluwo slapped his thigh and laughed, his body bent over with laughter. Finally, he pointed at Xu Lai and teased, "Your skin is probably as tender as a woman's, yet you still managed to get skin bruised from riding a horse."

"I am ashamed, I am ashamed."

Xu Lai continued to try and build rapport: "I'm really embarrassed to talk about this. I haven't even told Vice Envoy Guo Ruoxu. But it's different for the Second King. I don't know why, but the moment I saw the Second King, it felt like meeting a long-lost relative. Let me offer my respects to the Second King again!"

They clinked glasses and sat closer together.

After Yelü and Luwo finished their second cup of wine, they found Xu Lai increasingly pleasing to the eye: "This is what Buddhism calls fate. I never imagined I'd be with Song—haha, let's drink, let's drink!"

The guy swallowed his words, which only fueled Xu Lai's suspicions.

But Xu Lai deliberately avoided mentioning it, instead bringing up hunting and asking the other man for advice on horseback riding and archery. While they talked and ate, he frequently offered the other man a toast.

As he drank more and more wine, Yelü and Luwo became more and more talkative, not only teaching him basic riding and archery skills, but also taking the initiative to teach him the tricks of hunting various animals.

"I never knew there was so much to learn about hunting," Xu Lai complimented.

Yelü and Luwo drank another cup, and said smugly, "Different prey have different habits. Even when they hear the sound of an arrow, their habits of fleeing are different. It's like writing poetry; you have to follow the rules, or you'll make a fool of yourself."

Yelü Heluwo had an extremely smooth life.

He was enfeoffed as the King of Yue at the age of seven, the King of Lu at the age of fifteen, and was further enfeoffed as the King of Song a few years ago.

During the Chongyuan Rebellion, he rushed to the battlefield overnight to help Yelü Hongji quell the rebellion. From then on, Yelü Hongji trusted him immensely, to the point that he could tell him anything.

Even the secret of detaining the Song envoy was not hidden by Yelü Hongji. While drinking, he said to him, "Second brother, I have found you a good son-in-law."

"Who is it?" Yelü Heluwo asked.

Yelü Hongji boasted, "That envoy from the Southern Dynasty is courageous, talented, and handsome. I plan to detain him."

Therefore, Yelü and Luwo took advantage of hunting to get close to Xu Lai and often invited Xu Lai to banquets.

The more they interacted, the more satisfied Yelü and Luwo became with Xu Lai, and the warmer their attitude towards him became.

But his overly affectionate manner left Xu Lai feeling bewildered.

Xu Lai continued toasting, "How's the scenery in the capital? Is the climate still pleasant?"

The capital of the Liao Dynasty was the present-day Balinzuo Banner.

Yelü Heluwo served as the garrison commander of Shangjing for many years, wielding considerable military power and immense authority.

This is also one of the reasons why Yelü Yixin dared not easily rebel.

If he dares to rebel, Yelü Heluwo will be able to lead his troops to attack quickly. At that time, even if Yelü Hongji and his son die, Yelü Heluwo will ascend the throne as emperor by suppressing the rebellion.

Perhaps he had drunk enough, Yelü Heluwo said in a tipsy voice, "The scenery in Shangjing is picturesque, and the climate is extremely pleasant. You'll see for yourself when you go there another day."

Xu Lai said regretfully, "It's a pity that I can't go to Beijing in person this time I'm back in China."

Yelü Helu laughed heartily, "There will be plenty of opportunities. You can visit me in the capital every year. I'll take you hunting then!"

Xu Lai's expression changed slightly, but he pretended to be nonchalant: "Second Prince, you jest. After celebrating His Majesty's birthday, I must return to Kaifeng. How could I possibly have the chance to go hunting with you in the capital?"

"You don't understand. According to our Khitan wedding customs, the groom—" Yelü Heluwo suddenly realized his slip of the tongue and quickly laughed to cover it up.

Xu Lai pretended to be drunk, seemingly unaware of anything, and slurred incoherently.

After the banquet, Xu Lai staggered as he walked, putting his arm around Yelü and Luwo's ​​shoulders as they left the tent.

Watching the other person leave, Xu Lai shook his head and, supported by Chen Xiaoyi, went to find Guo Ruoxu.

Guo Ruoxu dismissed those around him: "Did you find anything?"

Xu Lai's expression was solemn: "Yelü Hongji intends to forcibly detain me and also wants me to marry the daughter of the second king of Liao."

"This—how is this possible?" Guo Ruoxu exclaimed in disbelief.

There have been instances in the past where Liao emperors admired the character and talent of Song envoys and wanted to keep them in the country.

The Song envoy, named Xin Zhongfu, stated that if he remained in Liao, he would rather commit suicide to uphold his loyalty. The Liao emperor greatly admired him and presented him with generous gifts before sending him back to Song.

Fu Bi, Yu Jing, Ouyang Xiu, and Wang Anshi—these were all famous ministers who served as envoys to the Liao Dynasty. Moreover, when they were sent as envoys, most of them held higher official positions and enjoyed greater prestige than Xu Lai.

Guo Ruoxu couldn't understand why the Liao emperor insisted on detaining Xu Lai when all the other famous ministers had been spared. Moreover, why did he want to marry Xu Lai off to the daughter of the Liao king's son, Song?

Xu Lai said, "It might be a firearm."

"Are firearms really that important?" Guo Ruoxu truly didn't understand military matters.

"I need to find a way to leave," Xu Lai muttered.

At this critical moment, Guo Ruoxu surprisingly showed some responsibility: "Why don't you find an opportunity to escape on horseback at night? I and the rest of the delegation will stay here to cover for you."

Xu Lai thought about it carefully for a moment, then shook his head and said, "We can't escape. Yelü Hongji's birthday is coming up, and there are troops stationed everywhere around the Shanyu Court. Even if I escape, it will be difficult to cross the Yanshan Mountains."

"What should we do?" Guo Ruoxu asked anxiously.

Xu Lai said, "We must persuade Yelü Hongji to give up this idea. And we must do it quickly, while not many people know about it. If more people know, Yelü Hongji will be unwilling to give up because of his pride."

The next day.

The Liao Dynasty emperor's tent.

"Your Majesty, an envoy from the Southern Dynasty, Xu, has arrived, claiming to have treasures to offer," said the accompanying official.

Yelü Hongji looked puzzled: "Treasure? Could it be firearms?"

The guesthouse envoy replied, "I don't know."

Yelü Hongji said, "Bring him in."

-

Soon, Xu Lai was led in by a guard and entered through the east tent opening to pay his respects.

After the ceremony was completed, Yelü Hongji asked, "What treasures do you wish to present?"

Xu Lai bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please dismiss your attendants."

Yelü Hongji was skilled in martial arts and was not afraid of Xu Lai's assassination attempt. He waved his hand and dismissed his attendants from the tent.

Xu Lai said, "Your Majesty Emperor Jingzong of your country admired the talent and character of the Song envoy Xin Zhongfu and wished to keep him serving in the Liao Kingdom. Xin Zhongfu said, 'Trust is the foundation of righteousness. Righteousness cannot keep him; I will die for him.' Emperor Jingzong praised his righteousness and sent him south with generous gifts. Does Your Majesty know this story?"

Yelü Hongji's expression was grim: "Who leaked the information?"

Xu Lai did not answer, but said, "If Your Majesty insists on keeping me here, all you will get is a corpse. What good will that do Your Majesty? Not only will it not do you any good, but it will also damage the prestige of the Liao Kingdom. It will become a laughing stock in future history books. As for me, I will also be granted by Your Majesty to die to uphold my loyalty and righteousness, and thus my name will be recorded in history."

"beside!"

Yelü Hongji slammed his fist on the table: "I'm asking you, who leaked the information!"

Xu Lai countered, "How many people know about this?"

Yelü Hongji stopped speaking and began to wonder who had let the cat out of the bag.

It shouldn't be Yao Jingxing; he's very tight-lipped.

Two of his close attendants knew, as did his younger brother—and there was a possibility that the information would leak out.

Forget it, no need to think about it anymore.

Those two attendants were beheaded under some pretext. As for my second brother, let's just pretend it wasn't him.

Xu Lai continued, "If Your Majesty desires firearms, I am truly powerless to help. The firearms were invented by Shen Kuo, and I don't know how the rumor spread that it originated from me. Perhaps it's because I recommended Shen Kuo to be the Director of the Imperial Workshops in Weizhou."

Yelü Hongji was skeptical of this.

The reason is that intelligence gathering from different countries often goes wrong.

It is suspected that this was because the Song envoys were accustomed to lying.

Xu Lai then said, "Even if I could make firearms, I wouldn't be able to make my own corpse. Your Majesty, as the ruler of a nation, why force me to do something so difficult?"

Yelü Hongji stared into Xu Lai's eyes.

Xu Lai met his gaze calmly, as if he truly disregarded life and death.

Xu Lai analyzed, "I've traveled all the way from Baigou and seen many starving people within Liao territory. If the people can't even get enough to eat, how much grain does Liao have to fight? Since the Treaty of Chanyuan, Song and Liao have been at peace for decades, and our Great Song has no desire to fight Liao. Why should we create new enmity between our two countries because of one of my envoys?"

Yelü Hongji was easily angered, but his anger always came and went quickly.

After deciding to execute the two close attendants, Yelü Hongji's anger subsided after Xu Lai gave him a long lecture: "You have expanded the Hehuang region for the Southern Dynasty, which is a great scourge. For this alone, I will detain you!"

Xu Lai said, "Is this how Your Majesty governs the country? I have heard that a truly wise ruler should select the virtuous and capable. The Liao Kingdom has a vast territory and countless talented individuals. If we can select the right people, how can we not enrich the country, strengthen the army, and create a prosperous era?"

Yelü Hongji laughed and said, "I will select the virtuous and capable for myself, and it has nothing to do with whether or not I detain you."

"Then what will Your Majesty do to allow me to return to Song?" Xu Lai asked.

Yelü Hongji laughed heartily: "Are you trying to negotiate with me? How about leaving the method for using firearms?"

Xu Lai said, "I really don't know how to manufacture firearms. But what I can give away is ten or a hundred times better than firearms."

Yelü Hongji said, "Tell me about it."

Xu Lai said, "What I wish to offer Your Majesty is the lives of the Liao Empress and Crown Prince!"

When someone is extremely angry or speechless, they may laugh.

Yelü Hongji was so angry he laughed: "Who can harm them?"

Xu Lai said, "Even though the emperor and his ministers of the Great Song Dynasty are thousands of miles away, they know that the Grand Tutor of Liao holds immense power in the court. Does Your Majesty not feel this?"

"I also read history books, so there's no need for further divisive remarks," Yelü Hongji said.

Xu Lai smiled and said, "If Your Majesty does not believe me, you only need to let the Crown Prince participate in government affairs. Within a year, rumors will surely appear in Liao, and most of them will be related to the Empress. If something happens to the Empress, who will benefit the most?"

Yelü Hongji said expressionlessly, "You may leave."

Xu Lai continued, "Your Majesty, think again. Ever since someone was appointed Grand Tutor, have there been more gossip about the Empress and the Crown Prince?"

"Step back!" Yelü Hongji roared.

Xu Lai bowed and left the main tent.

Yelü Hongji had experienced a rebellion before, and he knew that Yelü Yixin was up to something. But he didn't believe that Yelü Yixin had the guts to rebel.

Yelü Hongji had his own logic: the last time, it was his uncle's rebellion that gave him the opportunity to ascend the throne. Moreover, the Liao throne had originally been promised to that uncle. But Yelü Yixin was different; his origins were far too humble.

Yelü Yixin's family had long since fallen into poverty, and he even made a living herding sheep when he was a child.

Such a person has no chance of seizing power through rebellion. That's why Yelü Hongji trusted and relied on him.

But today, Xu Lai reminded him of the gossip circulating over the past two years, and the extremely suspicious Yelü Hongji began to recall it seriously. It seemed that it was indeed from the time Yelü Yixin became Grand Tutor that the bad things said about the Empress increased, and he always knew about the Empress's complaints and grievances.

In fact, we can go back in time.

From the year he was appointed Crown Prince, Yelü Yixin had already begun plotting and trying every means to create discord between the Emperor and Empress.

Yelü Hongji sat alone in his tent for a long time, pondering, and felt more and more that Yelü Yixin was plotting something big. He then recalled Xu Lai's suggestion: to let the Crown Prince participate in politics.

If the Crown Prince is allowed to participate in politics, Yelü Yixin will inevitably be provoked and hasten his plot to kill the Empress and the Crown Prince.

Inside the messenger's tent.

Upon seeing Xu Lai return, Guo Ruoxu quickly asked, "How did it go?"

"It should be fine," Xu said. "Even if we don't convince them this time, we can think of other ways in the future."

Guo Ruoxu asked, "How did you persuade the Liao emperor?"

Xu Lai shook his head: "I can't say right now."

Compared to the lives of the Liao empress and crown prince, and the major events of the Grand Tutor's rebellion, whether or not to detain a Song envoy was irrelevant.

Xu Lai never intended to persuade Yelü Hongji, nor did he intend to show kindness in exchange for Yelü Hongji's gratitude.

He talked so much today simply to get Yelü Hongji to focus on other things and make Yelü Hongji indifferent to whether or not he was detained!

When dealing with these self-righteous emperors, never try to persuade them by force; instead, you should guide their thinking.

(Xu Lai's current official position makes him the best candidate to be the envoy. Originally, we planned to detain Xu Lai for three months, but since you can't accept that, let him return home early.)