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Xiao Gan fled from Zhuozhou, rode back to Yanjing overnight, and then went directly to the palace to report the matter to Xiao Puxian's daughter.

After hearing this, Xiao Puxian was silent for a long time, and then said, "Didn't you say that Pharmacist Guo won't surrender to Song?"

Xiao Gan was ashamed and said, "It was my fault. I didn't expect that Yaoshi Guo was also an unfamiliar wolf!"

Xiao Gan really didn't expect that Yaoshi Guo would betray the Liao Dynasty.

Now, Zhuozhou has fallen, the southern gate of Yanjing has been completely opened, and Yanjing City is really in danger.

Xiao Puxian sighed and said, "Let's discuss it tomorrow."

The next day, in the Yuanhe Palace, Xiao Puxian said to the civil and military officials: "The Liangshan Army has been hoarded under Juyong Pass, and will soon knock on the gate and attack Yanjing. Gao Feng of Yizhou and Guo Yaoshi of Zhuozhou surrendered to the Song Dynasty one after another. The Song army has advanced into Yizhou and Zhuozhou, and will soon be at the city. The current situation in our Great Liao Dynasty is very serious, and it can be said that it is time for life and death. What are your tricks? You may as well speak freely."

Prime Minister Zuo Qigong said: "In the eyes of an old minister, you can send envoys to the Jin Kingdom or the Liangshan Mountains to pay tribute to you, because now, the Jin and Liangshan Mountains are rising as the sun is rising, and the army is invincible. If you follow it, you will live and you will lose your deficit. Our Daliao is already full of wounds and dying, and it will be difficult for those who do not rely on one side to preserve it."

Zuo Qigong was already 72 years old this year, but he was smart in his ears and eyes, and had a clear mind.

Han Fang, who was waiting for the command of Ganwenge, put forward a different view, saying: "I think it is better to submit to the Song Dynasty than to the Jin Kingdom and the Liangshan Mountain. Our Great Liao and the Song Dynasty have a hundred years of vows and a good historical foundation. Furthermore, the Song Dynasty is a civilized country and a prosperous country. The Jin Kingdom originated from the border and the Liangshan Mountains, and the bandits. Both are just a group of jackals. If they are with them, they will sooner or later become their meal."

Han Fang was the top scholar in the imperial examination ten years ago. He was kind and always advocated getting closer to the Song Dynasty to protect the country.

Zuo Qigong rushed to Han Fang and said, "Didn't you see the despicable behavior of the Song Dynasty? When the Great Liao Dynasty was facing the destruction of the country, they tore up the agreement and took the opportunity to divide the land of the Great Liao Dynasty, betrayal and take the blame. Such allies are reliable?"

Han Fang said: "The Song Dynasty sent troops north to recover the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun. These places were originally homelands of the Central Plains, and it was understandable that the Song Dynasty wanted to take them back. However, the Jurchens were not the case. The Jurchens wanted to destroy our Daliao Temple. This was their ultimate goal. Therefore, even if they sent envoys to negotiate, there would definitely be no good results. Therefore, it was just a wishful thinking of the left minister. As for Li Yan, the barbaric level was not inferior to the Jurchens. They occupied the daughter of the royal family of our Liao Kingdom, and the nobles in Yundi. They were killed by him for eight or nine out of ten, which was not a gentleman. Compared with the Emperor Zhao of the Song Dynasty, they were a well-known gentleman. They were generous to others. Even if the ministers made great mistakes, they would not investigate them in depth."

The ministers were talking and whispering.

Some of them favored the Jin Dynasty, some of them favored the Song Dynasty, and some of them favored the precipitation of water and moored to Liangshan.

Only Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi remained silent.

Seeing that all the ministers agreed to surrender, no one advocated defending the city to the end, I couldn't help feeling sad and ache. From the deepest point of view, Xiao Puxian's daughter firmly opposed surrender. Although she was a woman, she was strong and advocated that she would rather be broken than be broken.

However, now the ministers all suggested to ask for peace from the Song State, either from the Jurchens or from the waters of Liangshan.

Xiao Puxian thought about it and decided to go with the flow. Xiao Puxian thought that this was also a good delaying strategy, which could win more time for further planning in the future.

Xiao Puxian said: "Don't argue, I think all three are acceptable. For the Song Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty, and the Liangshan Mountains, we sent envoys to seek peace and pay tribute. Whoever accepts the three families first will surrender to the Liao Dynasty. What do you think?"

The ministers said in unison: "The Queen Mother is wise."

Xiao Puxian looked at Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi and asked, "What do you think?"

Xiao Gan had guessed Xiao Puxian’s intention, so he smiled slightly and said, “I have no objection, please follow the Queen Mother’s will.”

Yelu Dashi did not object, and he also understood Xiao Puxian’s intention.

However, Yelu Dashi had a more profound consideration. He thought: "Yanjing seems to be unable to save it. The question is, if Yanjing is not protected, where will we settle down after withdrawing from Yanjing? If the existing forces want to compete with the Song army, Liangshan army and Jin army, the possibility of victory is almost zero, so we must make plans early."

Regarding the whereabouts after quitting Yanjing, Yelu Dashi and Xiao Gan actually communicated in private.

However, the two have some differences in their views.

Yelu Dashi believes that it should go west, with a vast territory in the west, with room for development and room for development.

Xiao Gan believed that he should go north to the area where the Xi people lived, where there was a mass base to facilitate military expansion and survival.

In this regard, Xiao Puxian Nu actually had her own plans. Xiao Puxian Nu also knew that it would not last long to stay in Yanjing, but she would not withdraw unless it was absolutely necessary. Once she evacuated Yanjing, she had to go to Jiashan to join Emperor Tianzuo. After all, the couple passed the throne to Emperor Tianzuo's son (i.e. King Yeluding of Qin). Therefore, Xiao Puxian Nu was optimistic that Emperor Tianzuo would not resent her. No matter what, they were all a family.

On that day, Xiao Puxian's daughter sent Xiao Rong, envoy of Yongchang Palace, and Han Fang, to the Song Dynasty, to send Zhang Yan, the minister of the Secretariat, to the Minister of the Central Secretariat, to the Minister of the Shangshu, Zhang Yan, the official of the Shangshu, to the Dajin, to send Xiao Huai, deputy envoy of the Third Division, to the Minister of Political Affairs, to send Li Mao to the mission to the Liangshan Mountains.

Let’s not talk about the last two routes for the time being. It is only said that Xiao Rong and Han Fang entered the country from Baigou River and arrived at Baigou Station first.

Upon hearing the news, Tong Guan hurriedly discussed countermeasures with Cai You, Liu Yanqing, Yuwen Xuzhong and others.

Cai You suggested: "You can receive them by military salutes, so that the power of our army can be shown."

Both Liu Yanqing and Yuwen Xuzhong agreed.

So Tong Guan asked Liu Yanqing to gather his team outside Xiongzhou City. He told Liu Yanqing: "Let's find more soldiers with tall and good spirits."

Soon, Xiao Rong and Han Fang came to the city of Xiongzhou and saw the Song army lined up to greet each other, with flags flying, camps neatly, and the soldiers were in full spirit.

Xiao Rong looked surprised, then turned to Han Fang and said, "This is a military salute."

Han Fang didn't say anything, but he knew very well in his heart that the Song Dynasty was showing their military power.

However, judging from the military appearance shown in the Song Dynasty, the military strength is indeed not weak, with advanced equipment and sufficient troops, and the neat team is out of bounds at a glance.

Tong Guan and Cai You met Xiao Rong and Han Fang in the living room of Xuanfu Department.

Xiao Rong and Han Fang explained their purpose and handed over Xiao Puxian’s memorial to Tong Guan.

Tong Guan looked at it and said nothing, then handed the memorial to Cai You beside him.

After seeing it, Cai You said, "If you don't accept the land, you just pay the money. No, if you don't accept the land, we can't accept it."

Han Fang explained: "The composition of residents in Yanjing is very complicated. There are Khitans, Xi people, and Bohai people, not all Han people. If the land is completely taken over and handed over to the Song Dynasty for management, it may not be a good thing. Therefore, it is the best of both worlds to stay here, which has been governed by the Liao Kingdom for more than 100 years and help the Song Dynasty govern this place."

Tong Guan was silent.

Han Fang also said: "Our Daliao is a good neighbor. History has proved that if our Daliao is destroyed, the Song Dynasty would have to live with the two evil neighbors of the Jin Kingdom and the Shuibo Liangshan, and there might be no peace."

Cai You was a little impatient when he heard this, so he said in a tough tone: "No need to say anything. In short, we cannot accept it without taking the soil."

Tong Guan felt that what Han Fang said was also reasonable, so he said: "Let me do this, I will report the memorial of Empress Xiao to the court in a quick time to ask the government to decide, and ask the two envoys to wait at the post station for a few days."

Xiao Rong and Han Fang arrived at the post station to settle down.

Xiao Rong felt that seeking peace was hopeful, so he said to Han Fang: "You are right. After all, the Song Dynasty is a civilized country. It is not a bad thing to surrender to them."

Han Fang had a bad premonition, and he felt that this might not happen.

Therefore, after hearing what Xiao Rong said, Han Fang said leisurely: "I hope to promote reconciliation, so that the people will be free from the suffering of disaster."

...
Chapter completed!