There are still two letters on the case that have not been read.
One is Zong Wenrui's reply to Yao Shu, and the other is Yao Shu's surrender letter to Cai Zhu.
Zong Wenrui is the general of the right-leading army guard and is in charge of the inner guard; Cai Zhu is the commander of the imperial army in front and is a dignified commander.
None of them are trivial.
Zhao Yun did not read these two letters immediately.
He first calmed himself down and said, "The Prime Ministers of the Privy Council and Li Xia will stay, while the others will retire...wait at Ban Pavilion."
"I'll take my leave."
The chamberlains and dancers did not have to leave the palace, and Zhao Yun did not let the foreign ministers go back to the palace directly, not wanting people to know that tonight's banquet had been stopped.
He was a little annoyed in his heart, blaming Wu Qian for his lack of propriety, why couldn't he wait until he reported it in private?
After several honorable ministers left, Zhao Yun suddenly said again: "Yang Zhen, you stay."
"I obey the decree."
Yang Zhen stopped and knew that His Majesty was keeping him because he was the Marquis of the Right Guards and a direct subordinate of Zong Wenrui.
But, I am just an honorary officer, just holding a position. In fact, I have never met Zong Wenrui.
I don’t know how to respond when His Majesty asks him what he thinks of this matter.
Yang Zhen stood still and took a sneak peek, only to see Li Xia still straight back and looking at the dancers who were retreating.
At this time, what do they do? Are they reluctant to give up?
He couldn't help but think so.
…
A dancing girl felt Li Xia's gaze, turned back quietly, with some tenderness and shame in her eyes, and finally left reluctantly.
Li Xia was thinking that if this official could continue to party and watch dancing at this time, he would be considered courageous.
After a while, everyone in the hall had left.
"Everyone, please sit down."
Zhao Yun gave instructions in a deep voice, and then asked Xiao Huangmen to open Zong Wenrui's reply.
The content is very simple. Zong Wenrui declined Yao Shu's offer of surrender.
But between the lines, Kublai Khan is regarded as the king of the above country... I respectfully ask the Lord to be kind to the creatures of Heshuo.
This does not seem to be wrong. The same was true for the previous document exchanges between the Song and Jin Dynasties. From "the emperor of the Song Dynasty wrote to the emperor of the Jin Dynasty" to "the minister made a statement", even the official letters to the enemy chieftains changed from "imperial edict" to "imperial edict".
"Certificate of Credence" eventually became "Fengbiao". He was a mere minister of Wenrui, and he was communicating with important ministers of the enemy country, so the tone of his words was naturally more respectful.
After all, it is not a time of war, and Zong Wenrui cannot bear the crime of "initiating border provocations" if he offends Mongolia.
Zhao Yun's face became colder and colder.
A Suwei general received a letter of surrender, did not report it, replied to the letter, and secretly sent the messenger away... Did he politely refuse and leave a way out, or did he want to continue negotiating terms?
But what cannot be seen in the surrender letter is only righteousness.
Yao Shu always said that the Song Dynasty was unbearable and that Kublai Khan was orthodox and promised to be a high official.
It was impossible to tell the specific plan in the letter, so as not to leave clues for the Song Dynasty to detect the situation in Mongolia.
So what did they dictate? What did Mongolia want this Suwei general to do?
Zhao Yun once again felt that death was so close to him.
He really hates barbarians being able to use scholar-bureaucrats.
Everyone thought that the Liao and Jin Dynasties began to decline because of the use of civilized governance. Only Zhao Yun knew in his heart that the Liao and Jin Dynasties turned to civilized governance because of their brutality, which aroused fierce resistance among the people of the Song Dynasty.
The Liao and Jin Dynasties turned to civil governance because they were unable to govern and their people's and financial resources could no longer support the continuous war.
Zhao Yun is not afraid of barbarians like Meng Ge.
Look, the barbarians are dead in his hands.
But he was afraid of Kublai Khan's "If you follow the Chinese way, you will be the master of China."
This will be the beginning of people's relaxation.
This is Kublai Khan's conspiracy.
…
I have read Zong Wenrui's reply and Yao Shu's letter to Cai Zhu.
Zhao Yun looked at it for a long time and was silent for a long time.
"Cai Zhu's wife is really the wife and sister of the traitor Yang Dayuan? Are these two brothers-in-law?"
Wu Qian saluted and said, "Cai Zhu denies this matter and says he is just a neighbor. I am still investigating this matter."
Zhao Yun asked: "Cai Zhu didn't reply?"
"No reply."
"When did he receive the letter?"
Wu Qian said: "Half a month ago."
Zhao Yun closed his eyes and spoke in a formal tone, saying: "Your right prime minister will tell you the whole story in detail."
Wu Qian said: "Yesterday around 6:00, two big men left the city from Fengyu Gate. Because the name ultimatum was flawless and the guards were injured, they wanted to escape. Xu Hexing, the commander of Zhongzuo Army in front of the imperial court, led his troops to pursue them. One of them committed suicide by poisoning, and the other was captured.
The person who took the poison was regarded as the chief envoy and had met with Zong Wenrui and Cai Zhu. The person who was captured had limited knowledge and was still being interrogated. He confessed a list of names, saying that the chief envoy had asked Cai Zhu face to face, "Everyone surrendered, except the general."
"Is it right to die?" I have asked Cai Zhu, and Cai Zhu admitted this. These 'people' include hundreds of generals stationed in Lin'an, and dozens of generals from various places..."
Wu Qian kept talking for a long time.
The process is detailed and full of details.
"...The news is complicated, and I don't know what is true and what is false. I ask the Holy Heart to make a clear decision."
After Wu Qian finished speaking, his face became increasingly tired.
Zhao Yun said: "Prime Minister Zuo, please tell me your opinion."
Ding Daquan stood up quickly, his green face expressionless, and responded respectfully: "Your Majesty, I think this is a serious matter, so I should investigate it first."
I said it, almost didn't say it.
Zhao Yun was unhappy.
"Two Privy Councilors have a chat."
Rao Huchen was looking at the box in front of him in a daze. He seemed to be deep in thought and could not react for a while.
"Your Majesty, I have...have..."
Jia Sidao had already stood up, bowed, and replied: "The right Prime Minister is mature and prudent, but he reported it in public just now. He must have a plan?"
Everyone looked at Wu Qian again.
Wu Qian said hurriedly: "I am very anxious and have lost my sense of proportion. Please punish me."
Jia Sidao actually sneered when he heard this, and glanced at Li Xia. There was still a smile in his eyes, but there was also something else.
Seeing that these prime ministers could not come up with any ideas, Zhao Yun became increasingly irritated and said, "Li Xia, you are the commander of Shu, what do you think?"
Li Xia hurriedly stood up and saluted, saying: "Your Majesty, I am guilty. I was indeed greedy for power and rushed in, sent troops to disperse the pass, and ruined the lives of eight civil servants. There is also the matter of corruption, I don't know what to say..."
Zhao Yun was impatient.
But Li Xia was still talking, with his head lowered and speaking very slowly, looking very guilty and serious.
"I... it is true that I and Lu Wende used the name of procurement to corrupt public accounts. We agreed... that when the court allocates money and food, we will split it 50-50. But in the end, I couldn't get the money and food... Lu Wende repeatedly urged me, but I regretted it too late.
Yes.
I also secretly trafficked the spoils of war... to Xiangyang for sale, and shared them with Hubei's deputy pacification envoy Gao Gao, seven for me and three for him.
They said that they had always done it this way, and I thought it was a custom... I didn't expect that as soon as I returned to court, the right minister would find out about it. I was so embarrassed that I didn't dare to quibble..."
Zhao Yun actually knew all these things.
The messenger who went to Hanzhong to issue an edict returned to the court and told everything.
Li Xia first deceived the Shu people into returning to the court to ask for money and food. When he returned to the court, the ship sailed to Xiangyang and docked for a day.
Later, someone among his subordinates let it slip - "Why do people with the surname Gao get so many points?!"
Zhao Yun knew what these generals were up to behind their backs.
Is there really nothing captured when Hanzhong is recaptured? Open your mouth to the imperial court every day?
All were pocketed by these military leaders...
But right now, he was in no mood to listen to Li Xia's nonsense.
"enough."
"My crime is extremely heinous!"
Li Xia already held the official hat on his head with both hands and said something solemnly.
"I... beg for bones!"
He seemed a little at a loss. He was holding his official hat and wanted to put it on the table, but he was afraid of putting it on the food and drinks, so he forgot to kneel down for a moment.
"That's enough." Zhao Yun said coldly, "I'm asking you something."
"I'm guilty. I don't have the talent to govern Sichuan and Shu. I asked the imperial court to send officials. They ask me for money and food all day long. They want money for water conservancy and food for disaster relief. I can't handle it anymore. I also enjoy life and yearn for Lin'an.
Prosperous... I'm talking nonsense, please punish me. However, the battle is over, please dismiss me. I also want to be well...
"Shut up! Put on your hat!" Zhao Yun yelled angrily, "You are the commander-in-chief of Shu appointed by me, and it's not time to shirk your responsibilities yet!"
"I'm scared. I can't lie, but I'm guilty of a serious crime..."
"Don't ask me to say it again. Put on your hat and tell me what you think of Yao Shu's surrender letter."
"I am afraid, thank you for your kindness..."
Jia Sidao on the opposite side sneered slightly again, and when Zhao Yun wasn't paying attention, he opened his mouth to Li Xia who was putting on his hat.
There was no sound, but he clearly said two words.
"Clumsy."
Li Xia didn't seem to see Jia Sidao. He put it on carefully and straightened his sleeves, as if he was really scared just now.
Only then did Rao Huchen raise his head, his eyes full of suspicion.
Li Xia turned to Zhao Yun and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, I think that the reason why Yao Shu wrote letters everywhere is just because... Kublai Khan panicked."
"Kublai Khan panicked?" Zhao Yun was slightly surprised.
"Yes." Li Xia replied: "I was in Hanzhong and found out that Kublai Khan was competing with Ali Buge for the throne... Now Kublai Khan's military strength is not even enough to fight against the Hunduhai. Therefore, he can only promote the use of Han
control, in order to persuade more Han people to support him."
Zhao Yun raised his hand, stopped Li Xia, and ordered: "Get the map."
"yes."
"go on."
Li Xia said: "Once Kublai Khan is defeated, it will be possible to shrink Qinlong's troops to Hanzhong..."
"Attack Hanzhong? When the Mongols are in chaos, do you still dare to attack Hanzhong?"
Li Xiandao: "With the old incident of the Jin Kingdom 'repaying the Song Dynasty', Kublai Khan must have the intention of conquering the south. What he is doing now is... a public opinion offensive."
Zhao Yun asked again: "Do you think Kublai Khan is already at a disadvantage in the battle for the Mongolian Khanship?"
"I am stupid, and I entered the official position with the ability of a spy, but I am only good at this. Therefore, I dare to assert that this is the case."
"I ask you, how should we respond to this 'public opinion offensive'?"
Li Xia pondered for a long time, shook his head and said, "I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I only know a little bit about martial arts. I really don't know how to deal with this matter. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Zhao Yun was already confident, so he raised his hand and pointed at Li Xia, smiling and saying: "Of all my subjects, Feiyu is the most honest..."