Jiawu (the fourth day of the lunar month) in November of the eighth year of Yuanfeng.

Zhao Xu personally accepted the greetings from envoys from various countries at the Chongzheng Hall.

Mainly the envoys of Liao and the West, in addition to the Goryeo monk Shi Yitian and the so-called Khotanese monk Fanfu who is not known to be a real monk.

This time, the Liao Kingdom sent the envoys Yeluju and Wang Shiru.

It can be seen that because of the new agreement of exchanging Sui coins for Jiaozi, the status of these two people in the Liao Kingdom has greatly increased.

Therefore, these two people not only participated in the funeral of the first emperor of the Song Dynasty, but also welcomed the first emperor of the Song Dynasty, Lord Yu, back to the capital with the courtesy of foreign ministers outside Banqiao, together with envoys from Xixia, Goryeo, Khotan and other countries.

Now, the relationship between Song and Liao has fully entered the honeymoon period.

Especially as both countries have ratified and exchanged new oaths.

Both sides are gearing up, waiting for the first batch of Song and Liao trade exchanges to be printed next year.

Then I started buying, buying, selling, selling.

It seems like this is a win-win situation.

What Zhao Xu likes most is a win-win situation!

In comparison, the Xixia people were very disappointed, and when the speech came to the palace, they still looked pitiful.

They also spoke with humility, as if they were willing to be honest if they just asked for some money.

This earned them a lot of sympathy from both the government and the public.

Many ministers have said good things to them - of course, do they really want peace? Or are they using the guise of peace to do business with the party members? Only God knows.

Facts have proved that their efforts were not in vain.

Although both palaces were frightened by Zhao Xu's Xixia threat theory, they did not agree to the Xixia people's request to exchange gold and silver for Jiaozi of the Song Dynasty.

But he still gave Xixia generous gifts.

Not only were the Xixia King Bingchang and the Queen Mother given gold and silver artifacts again.

He also gave the young king Qianshun of Xixia more than a hundred pieces of gold and silver utensils, and the young queen mother of Xixia hundreds of pieces of precious Shu brocade.

There are countless other fragrant medicines, fine porcelain and other things.

Xixia was also granted permission to rent a new shop in Bianjing as a commercial center.

It is equivalent to giving party members a new way to make money.

If you run your business well, there is no problem in making tens of thousands of dollars a year.

But, will the party members accept the love of the two palaces?

Zhao Xu felt very suspenseful.

But he didn't point it out and let the two palaces operate.

…

Just when the envoys from various countries were delivering their speeches at the Chongzheng Hall.

It has started to snow on Xihe Road.

The Yellow River outside Lanzhou City was completely frozen.

The river that once flowed endlessly can now be passed directly by people.

Every time this time comes, Lanzhou City is the most nervous moment.

Because at this time last year, the Western bandits invaded the country in large numbers.

The company fought five fierce battles with the Song Dynasty at the foot of Lanzhou City, causing bloodshed and drifting in the oars. It is said that even the Yellow River was once filled with corpses.

Wang Daxu took the horse and silently led his scout team to patrol along the Yellow River.

He missed Bianjing a little.

"My brother is right..." Wang Daxu thought: "It's really cold here! It's much colder than Bianjing..."

However, there is also a lot of money to be made here.

I have told the commander that in the spring of next year, I will ask the two national relatives for permission to reclaim 100 acres of wasteland outside Lanzhou City and plant some kapok.

Although Wang Daxu doesn’t know what kapok is?

But he told the commander that all he had to do was plant it.

He doesn't need to take care of the rest. The two national relatives will buy the kapok he grows with copper coins.

You can earn a regular income from just one acre of land!

There is no need for him to worry about how to bring it home, Xiang Jia will directly deliver the money to his family in Bianjing.

This makes Wang Daxu very motivated!

He has already calculated that his current monthly salary is five guan, which will be 60 guan a year, and including rewards, it will be almost 100 guan.

Plus the one hundred guans of kapok, that’s two hundred guans.

But here in Xihe, his food and accommodation are all the official's responsibility.

There are also a few kilograms of dried meat, salt and sauces and other rewards every month, which is enough for me.

Clothing for all seasons is also distributed by the government.

Therefore, he can basically save all 200 yuan this year.

As long as he guards the border in Xihe for three years, even if he has not made any achievements, his generals guarding the palace will be able to hone their reputations.

If you can make meritorious deeds, you might be able to become a real official.

In this case, the children in the family can almost collect enough money to study and marry wives in the future.

Thinking of this, Wang Daxu no longer felt any pain from the cold wind that blew on his face and made his ears turn red.

He is only worried about his younger brother now.

"I hope my brother can really find gold in Laizhou..." Wang Daxu muttered to himself: "Don't die in Denglai!"

He had heard that the folk customs on Jingdong Road were fierce.

Robbery strong men appear everywhere.

The government had no choice but to accept the many legends.

While he was worried about his younger brother, out of the corner of his eye, Wang Daxu caught a glimpse of a group of people crossing the Yellow River in the distance.

The frozen river surface makes natural danger no longer exist.

Is it an enemy attack?

Wang Daxu immediately became alert. He immediately put a fish whistle hanging around his neck into his mouth and blew: "Dudududu..."

The sharp whistle immediately spread across the open wilderness.

Wang Daxu had already mounted his horse, and in his mind, the legends about the Western Thieves were being played out one by one.

But he immediately thought of his income of two hundred dollars a year, and also thought of the reward of military beheading.

A wave of hot blood surged to his head.

He pulled out the ax hanging on his back.

The giant ax passed down from his father has been well maintained.

Extremely sharp in the cold wind!

"Follow me!"

"We can't let them cross the river and go ashore!"

With a loud roar, Wang Daxu led his dozen or so scouts and rushed towards the crowd who were crossing the river.

…

Renduo Baozhong led the horse and walked hard on the frozen river.

The howling cold wind blew against his body, making him shiver.

Looking back to the west, I can see that I can never go back to my hometown.

Renjia is completely finished!

The tribe was wiped out, and countless people betrayed Renjia.

Slaves, pastures and manors were all divided up.

Now he and the more than 300 remaining cavalrymen he brought out are the only ones left in Renjia.

The food has been eaten up long ago, and the body is cold and hungry, and may die at any time.

Yesterday, they had killed three horses to satisfy their hunger.

Fortunately, they finally escaped.

As long as you cross the Yellow River, you will see Lanzhou on the opposite side, which is the Southern Barbarians... No, it is the land of the Song Dynasty!
To be continued...