Faced with the imperial edict, Ali Gu thanked the emperor for his kindness and asked, "I wonder when I can thank the emperor in person?"
The envoy said to Ali Gu: "Your Majesty, I have no time to see you. After you enter the palace, you can kowtow your thanks outside the palace and then leave the capital to take up your post."
When Ali Gu heard this, his heart trembled. He already knew some customs in the Han region. If he went out to Beijing to take office and could not even see the emperor... then it meant that he was insignificant.
But Ali Gu still accepted the imperial edict with a respectful expression.
After the Song envoy left, Ali Gu's former subordinates came to congratulate him after hearing the news.
These hundreds of leaders of the Qingtang and Tibetan tribes were all the confidants of Ali Gu. After Ali Gu was defeated, he was captured by Wen Xixin and others and presented as prisoners to Bianjing.
These people are now living well in the Song Dynasty. The court takes girls from poor families and prostitutes to serve them and pays them salaries.
As a result, many of these people got married and had children in the Song Dynasty, and learned to speak Chinese.
Aligu himself also had two concubines whom he married in Bianjing.
The emperor of the Song Dynasty received rewards from time to time, but this time after Ali's bones returned to the Qing and Tang Dynasties, most of these people were unable to follow him to the Qing and Tang Dynasties. Only those who gave birth to children in the Song Dynasty were allowed to follow Ali's bones back to the capital.
These are only about ten people.
A leader said: "Ali Gu, do you really believe that the Song people are willing to let us go back to Qingtang? Wouldn't they kill us all halfway?"
Ali Gu didn't know if his subordinate Ju Han had changed his mind after so many years, so how could he reveal his true feelings?
Ali said: "You have also lived in Bianjing for many years. I thought Qingtang City was huge, but compared with Bianjing, it is just a small town."
"The Emperor of the Song Dynasty has treated us well these years, so you can feel free to serve the Emperor of the Song Dynasty."
The other party said: "I'm always afraid of being stabbed to death in the middle of the night."
Aligu had been looking forward to returning to Qingtang, but now he was hesitant in his heart after receiving his fate.
After everyone left, the wives and concubines at home were all crying. They were all married by him in the Qing and Tang Dynasties. As for the two concubines from the Song Dynasty, their faces were full of joy.
Ali Gu was upset and drank one glass after another. After drinking half of the drink, he got up to go to the toilet.
But one of his concubines whispered: "Ali Gu will definitely rebel against the Song Dynasty again when he returns to Qingtang City. How can we survive in this case?"
Another concubine said: "It will never be like this. We are all staying in the capital. How can Ali Gu not miss the kindness he has received over the years? If he goes to the border and makes meritorious service to the court, it will also make us happy."
It was his Han concubine who spoke.
The other party said: "You are a Han woman who has only been with Ali Gu for a short period of time. Do you know what kind of person Ali Gu is? He is a born hero and will never be subordinate to others in this life. If it weren't for this, I would have never thought of it in the first place.
I will never marry him."
"Have mercy on us."
After hearing this, Ali Gu went back indoors, only to see the lights in the study were on. The Han interpreter at his residence was cleaning up.
Aligu now speaks Chinese very fluently and no longer needs a Chinese interpreter, but he knows that this person was sent by the Emperor of the Song Dynasty to monitor him, so he stayed with him.
After the two met, Ali asked: "Sir, won't you follow me to Qingtang?"
The other party said: "We have trained a team of unparalleled heroes. This time the dragon will return to the sea. There is no need for villains."
Ali said: "You don't believe me either? Just wait!"
The other party didn't speak.
Aligu didn't say anything and went back to the house alone to drink all night.
…
Two days later Ali Gu bid farewell outside the palace.
The official did not see Ali Gu, but asked a chamberlain to say a few words to Ali Gu: "Your Majesty said, I know that you are quite brave. This time you return to Qingtang Town to guard, and you will be respectful to the Song Dynasty in the future."
Ali said: "Can you allow me to see your Majesty before I go on an envoy?"
The chamberlain smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty has no time today."
Ali Gu repeatedly begged and finally had to resign, but then he thought about it and asked a palace official: "How to get to Zhongshu's family?"
…
In the political hall, Wang Gui, Zhang Yue and Yuan Jiang were facing the officials taking turns to discuss matters.
At this time, the court official reported to Wang Gui: "The governor Ali Gu wants to see you."
Wang Gui was shocked when he heard this: "Ali Gu? Why do foreign ministers want to see the prime minister?"
The official said: "Ali Gu accepted the imperial title yesterday and can no longer be called a foreign minister."
Wang Gui thought to himself that the political affairs hall was not a place where he could come whenever he wanted. Just when he was about to order the officials to resign, Yuan Jiang said at the side: "It doesn't hurt to meet him."
Wang Gui took his words back.
Soon after Ali entered the political hall, the other party saluted, but he was very polite: "I went to another state, and I said goodbye to your majesty before leaving, but your majesty did not see him, so I came here to ask the prime ministers what they wanted."
Wang Gui said: "Your Majesty, you can go as you are told. We won't hesitate to come to the Political Affairs Hall."
Zhang Yue said to Ali Gu: "Ali Gu, you have been pardoned by the emperor this time and returned to Qingtang. You should make good use of your life and don't let down the emperor's grace."
Ali Gu recognized Zhang Yue, and he had suffered a great loss from this man back then. He had been defeated by the opponent and became a prisoner.
He thought about this every night, how could he not hate it in his heart? If he had the chance to go back this time, he would definitely...but he also knew it was impossible.
Ali Gu cupped his fists and said, "Prime Minister Zhang, long time no see."
"As I say goodbye today, I have a plan to offer. To the north of the Qing Tang Dynasty are the Caotou Tatars and Qiuci Uighurs. I am willing to recruit all the tribes to go north to attack Sha, Gan, and Suzhou in order to support the Song Dynasty's attack on Liangzhou!
"
As soon as Ali Gu said this, it was Zhang Yue's turn to look at him with admiration.
Ali Gu is just a chess piece in his hand, but now that the chess piece has its own thoughts, it's okay.
Zhang Yue was silent for a while, but Wang Gui and Yuan Jiang, both of whom were so astute, immediately saw the clues.
Yuan Jiang would not miss this opportunity and said: "Ali Gu, please tell me carefully."
Instead, Ali Gu said: "Can your Majesty know what I say?"
Yuan Jiang said: "Ali Gu, don't think that you are a rare commodity. This is Zhongshu's sect. You know where this place is!"
Ali Gu thought for a moment and then spoke immediately.
An hour later, Ali Gu appeared in the Chongzheng Hall, speaking to the emperor and ministers.
It turned out that Ali Gu took the initiative to recruit Kucha Uighurs (yellow-headed Uighurs) and Caotou Tatars (yellow-headed Tatars).
These two loose tribal alliances were located between the Khotan (Black Khan Dynasty) and the Qing and Tang Dynasties. Dangxiang captured Ganliang, and then broke the Guazhou Sandbank, occupying the entire Hexi Corridor, and cut off the Silk Road of the Song Dynasty.
Behind the road.
The Song Dynasty’s exchanges with countries in the Western Regions followed this route.
This New Silk Road is of course very difficult to walk, as it has to cross the Qilian Mountains and plateaus.
Officials once asked the Khotan envoy how many years he had been traveling on the road, and the envoy replied that he had been traveling for two years.
The Kucha Uighurs are from Tuqishi, and they moved here after the Uighurs were destroyed. Later, after Li Yuanhao conquered Liangzhou, he took in some of the Ganzhou Uighurs. The Yellow-headed Tatars are of Mongolian species and are superficially attached to the Kucha Uighurs.
But it’s also a mess.
The main reason is that the place where they live is sparsely populated and desolate, and there is no chance of forming a strong tribe.
But Ali Gu was from Khotan, and he had mastered this Silk Road through many years in the Qing and Tang Dynasties, so he had great appeal among the Yellow-headed Tatars and Kucha Uighurs.
Ali Gu proposed to return to the Qing and Tang Dynasties to recruit these two troops, attack Shazhou, Guazhou, and Ganzhou in Xixia, and cooperate with the Song army to capture Liangzhou.
Ali Gu undoubtedly gave monarchs and ministers a new idea.
Even Zhang Yue couldn't tell whether this strategy was good or bad.
But the officials were undoubtedly persuaded by Ali Gu and signaled the other party to go down and rest first while they discussed with the ministers.
"This Ali Gu is quite brave and good at fighting. Although Qi Ding and Wen Xixin are respectful to me, they are not dedicated to their work. The last time they attacked Liangzhou, they were almost defeated, but they actually retreated before the battle, which ruined my plan.
.”
Lu Gong wrote: "Your Majesty, this man Ali Gu has the look of a wolf and a hawk, and he is a heroic man. Just now when your Majesty said that he wanted to lend him a favor, there was a look of lust in this man's eyes."
Zhang Yue thought to himself that Mr. Lu was really very perceptive when it came to seeing people, and Ali Gu was considered a bit of a master, but he couldn't hide it from him at all. Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, Ali Gu does have the look of a wolf watching an eagle."
The official said: "When you wanted to release Ali's bones back to Qingtang, didn't you also want him to have trouble with Qiding and Wen Xixin?"
"Nowadays, most of the tribal leaders who are loyal to Ali Gu are detained in Bianjing. Even this person can't make any waves."
Yuan Jiang said: "Your Majesty, Ali Gu has been in the capital for two years, and at least he has become more loyal to the Song Dynasty. His family and children are also in the capital."
"Even if Ali is disloyal, as long as he can capture Guazhou, Shazhou, and Ganzhou in Xixia, everything will be his own."
The official said: "As long as Ali's bones cut off the Hexi Corridor, Dangxiang will be like the withered bones in the grave, and there will no longer be anything to fear. What does Zhang Qing think?"
Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, if Ali's bones are in Qingtang City, I can still control them. If they leave Qingtang City, it will be difficult in the future."
The official said: "His family is in Beijing."
Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, when the party leader Li Jiqian rebelled against the Song Dynasty, the court did not imprison his mother and wife, but it was useless in the end. However, I think that since Ali Gu has this idea, there is no harm in letting him give it a try."
The official nodded slowly and said: "I appointed Ali Gu as the training envoy of the Suzhou regiment and went to the Qingtang Dynasty to recruit the Kucha Uighurs and Yellow-headed Tatars."
Qi Ding was not the military commander, but Wen Xixin was the governor. After Ali was appointed as the military commander, he had the opportunity to be on an equal footing with Qi Ding in the official ranks of the Song Dynasty.
After going to court, Lu Gongzhu said to Zhang Yue: "This interruption by Ali Gu has disturbed the prime minister's plan."
Zhang Yue said: "Indeed, but I did not follow the plan. War is ever-changing. You need to constantly change according to the situation."
"Would you like to think about Mr. Lu's mission to Xixia again?"
Mr. Lu smiled and said: "Lu rejected the Prime Minister twice. Does the Prime Minister still want to be with Lu?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Lv Gong, Yan Zi once said that there are three classes of people in the world."
"It is difficult for a gentleman to advance and retreat easily; for a gentleman, it is easy to advance and retreat easily; for a villain, it is easy to advance but difficult to retreat."
"It is difficult for Mr. Lu to advance but easy to retreat, so he deserves my invitation again and again."
Mr. Lu smiled and nodded: "The Prime Minister is so sincere, so Mr. Lu can only do it reluctantly."
…
After the Battle of Mingsha, the Song and Xia suffered considerable losses. With the mediation of the Liao State, both sides agreed to cease fighting and negotiate peace.
Xixia sent Li Qing, and the Song Dynasty sent Lü Gongzhu to Yanzhou and Xiazhou for two negotiations, but no results were achieved.
The second year of Yuanfeng passed quickly, and in a blink of an eye, it was the third year of Yuanfeng.