In the study of the General Manager's Mansion, Du Zhongxiao stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the scenery outside the window. Chen Xiliang led the Khitan envoy Xiao Jiusheng in and bowed his hands to sing. Du Zhongxiao turned around and saw that Xiao Jiusheng beside Chen Xiliang was over forty years, with a strong figure and a calm temperament.

Seeing Du Zhongxiao looking at him, Xiao Jiusheng bowed: "Xiao Jiusheng, the governor of Zhongshun Army, is hereby the emperor's edict to see the commander of Jie!"

Du Zhongxiao signaled to sit down and said, "Taiwei, you and I belong to the two countries. In this extraordinary time, we must explain clearly whose edict is to be followed and what is going on when we come to see me, otherwise it will easily cause misunderstandings. Since the Taiwei is here, I want to come to the capital for a few days and someone will come to the capital."

Xiao Jiusheng's expression remained unchanged and bowed, "What Jishuai said is that I was negligent."

Du Zhongxiao sat down at the desk and said to Chen Xiliang: "They are here, so I'm asking for good tea. A few days ago, the Xinyang Jun Mingqian tea brought to me by Tao Shiqi is definitely not available on the market. Please give me a taste of it."

Chen Xiliang obeyed the order, quickly walked out of the study room, and ordered the officials to serve tea.

Xiao Jiusheng looked at Chen Xiliang's back and said, "Jie Shuai saw Xiao in the study, and this person was the only one who was with him. I think he was Jie Shuai's confidant."

Du Zhongxiao said: "Now, unlike in the past, Bianshou is not allowed to appoint his children by his side, so there are no other confidants. This is the signing of the Shengzhou verdict, and he is the one who helps me to take care of the affairs of the state. The Taiwei doesn't have to worry, it's okay if you have anything to say."

Xiao Jiusheng nodded, was silent for a moment, and organized the language carefully. After a while, the tea was served. Xiao Jiusheng took a sip and said, "It's true that the tea is delicious, it's sour and sweet. I have never drunk it in the north."

Du Zhongxiao nodded with a smile, drank tea gently, and did not speak.

After a long time, Xiao Jiusheng said: "Xiao came this time, both by the emperor of Xijing and the empress dowager's order. Last year, the commander-in-chief army came north and won a lot of victories. No one in the world dared to stop the commander-in-chief army. Today, the commander-in-chief army was nearly 200,000, stationed at the foot of Yinshan Mountain, in Henan, just behind the Xijing Road. Although our country and the Song Dynasty were brotherly countries, it was not in line with last year's ruler's time to be confused and clashed with the commander-in-chief because of Tanglong Town. The commander-in-chief was killed in the north. The commander-in-chief Yelu Ren, the king of the North Court, led his army to retreat to Beijing. The commander-in-chief led his army to the north and took the land of several states--"

Du Zhongxiao waved his hand and said, "Forget it, don't say this anymore. It's hard for you to say it, but I feel awkward to hear it. Last year, everything happened. As the homeland ruler died in the city of Tanglong Town, Yelu Ren withdrew from Fengzhou first, and then passed by. It's useless to say more. The Taiwei came, it's okay to just say something."

Xiao Jiusheng smiled awkwardly. These words really made him unable to say them. He thought about them many times before coming, but when he arrived in front of Du Zhongxiao, he still felt that he could not speak. Last year, the war started because the Khitan captured Tanglong Town, but it was kicked to the iron plate and defeated again and again. Now, it is still necessary to have Du Zhongxiao. It is really hard to say that he asks him to give up his hands.

After drinking a sip of tea, Xiao Jiusheng said: "Xiao came here this time, first, apologized for the war with Jishuai last year, and second, he was ordered by the empress dowager and the emperor of Xijing to rebuild the friendship between the two countries with Jishuai-"

Du Zhongxiao said: "Although I am the governor of Hequ Road and the Pacification Department is under my jurisdiction, the major affairs of the two countries must be ordered by the Privy Council. A few days ago, the imperial court sent envoys to the Northern Dynasties, and it has been said that the two countries are still brotherly countries."

Xiao Jiusheng was silent for a moment, and after thinking for a while, he said: "What Ji Shuai said is that the country of brothers of the two countries is Song and Khitan. Now the king of the country has died, and the empress dowager and the queen are both there. Who will succeed him? Even if it is an ordinary family, should the uncle and the vassal of the family be decided? The empress dowager and the queen of this dynasty both recommend that the former crown prince succeed the king of the country. Why did your country send envoys to Youzhou?"

Du Zhongxiao said lightly: "The father died and the son succeeded him. The etiquette of the Central Plains. Your king has not yet decided, so he will naturally act according to the etiquette of the Han people."

Xiao Jiusheng said: "What if the Empress Dowager issues an edict and Xijing issues a large army to combat Youzhou's rebellion, what should we do?"

Du Zhongxiao said: "There is no two rulers in the country. If you have pacified Youzhou, you will naturally be the right king according to yours and will still be a brotherly country."

Since the alliance between Chanzhou, the Song Dynasty and the Khitan agreed to be a brotherly country, and the royal families of the two countries were ranked in the same category. When Empress Dowager Liu was still alive, the Khitan Empress Dowager Xiao Nojin and Empress Dowager Liu were the same generation, and the two countries sent envoys to each other, and the empress dowager had a higher status. Empress Dowager Liu passed away and Xiao Nojin was an elder. The Song Dynasty sent envoys to Khitan to follow the rituals of the younger generation. The emperors of the two countries, Zhao Zhen, were brothers and Yelu Zongzhen, were brothers. In addition to the state ceremony, they also followed the rituals of the brothers.

Yelu Zongzhen died suddenly. If Yelu Chongyuan succeeded to the throne, the generations of the two countries remained unchanged and they were still brothers. If Yelu Hongji succeeded to the throne, he would become an uncle and nephew, which was never seen before. Xiao Jiusheng always emphasized the country of brothers in order to illustrate Yelu Chongyuan's status.

In fact, the Khitan tribe did not all support Yelu Chongyuan. Empress Xiao Tali, as Yelu Hongji's biological mother, certainly supported his son. However, Yelu Zongzhen died too suddenly. Xiao Nojin brought all the nobles and high-ranking officials who were stationed in the palace at that time to Zhongjing, and they could not say anything. Both sides prepared for war for several months, and no matter what their opinions were, they were swept up by the tribe, and their personal opinions were no longer important.

Xiao Tali is Xiao Xiaomu's daughter, and Xiao Nojin is Xiao Xiaomu's sister. The two were originally nephews of the same clan. Xiao Jiusheng is the son of Xiao Xulie, and Xiao Xulie is the younger brother of Xiao Hui, who is now the left-behind Zhongjing. They originally tended to regard Yelu Hongji as the emperor, but now they have become a great split between the royal family and the descendants, and they have no personal likes and dislikes at all. If any party fails, the entire tribe is implicated and can only go on with the teeth.

Although the Khitan clans all took Xiao as their surname, they were not actually a clan. The powerful ones are now Agu, and the queens of several dynasties of Khitan came from this clan. Xiao Nojin's younger brothers Xiao Xiaomu, Xiao Xiaoxian, and Xiao Xiaozhong have all died. Xiao Xiaoyou was originally a left-behind by Shangjing, but was captured by Yelu Renxian. Now Agu's group is only Xiao Nojin's head.

The ancestor of Xiao Jiusheng's branch was Xiao Talin, the general who was shot by the Song army's crossbow under the city of Chanzhou, forcing the Khitan to negotiate peace. The most prominent one was Xiao Hui, followed by Xiao Xulie. The two did not like Chongyuan. However, when the incident happened last year, when Yelu Zongzhen died, Xiao Hui was left behind in the capital, and Xiao Xulie was deployed by the troops of Xijing. One had to obey the Empress Dowager Xiao Nojin, and the other was persuaded by Xiao Ge and joined the Chongyuan power.

In addition, Xiao Ge, the chief general who supported Ye Chongyuan, belonged to another branch of the Hou tribe. By chance, the two Khitan emperors formed an open break between the royal family and the Hou tribe. I don’t know how many noble relatives and senior officials were entangled in it.

Xiao Jiusheng pondered for a while and said, "Jie Zheng, if the Crown Prince of Xijing was ordered by the Queen Mother to send troops to fight against the rebellion of Youzhou, would the Crown Prince of Jie take advantage of the emptiness of Xijing and hit his back? Now the autumn is high and the horse is fat, and the army is about to go on. The Queen Mother sent Xiao to come and hopes to get the promise of Jie Zheng!"

Du Zhongxiao looked at Xiao Jiusheng and said calmly: "I am the commander of the journey and the military and national affairs, so I am naturally ordered by the Privy Council. The Taiwei is at ease. As long as there is no imperial edict of the court, how could I go to war with my brotherly country?"

Xiao Jiusheng bowed: "Jings coach has a word, I hope there are no false words today!"

Du Zhongxiao smiled and said, "Of course. The Grand Marshal can go back and report to the Empress Dowager, and I will not let go of my hand here."
Chapter completed!