The Huns envoy came to visit the fifth prince, who hosted a banquet in his honor.
After three glasses of wine, the fifth prince asked with a smile: "Lord Ketuo, I wonder why you came here this time?"
The Huns envoy who came this time was called Ketuo. His biological mother was a Han who was taken captive at the time, so he could speak Chinese since he was a child, and he was more eloquent than the average Huns.
After listening to the fifth prince's question, Ketuo did not beat around the bush, but asked directly: "Your Highness, let's return Yizhi, the son of the Great Khan, to your capital for ten years as a hostage. This time he did not come with you.
?"
"It's really surprising that Your Excellency still misses the old master." The fifth prince said, "It's just that the prince has lived in Daxia for many years and has become accustomed to it. He doesn't want to go back to the desert and suffer from the wind and frost."
"Is that so?" Ketuo said with great regret, "I originally wanted to catch up with the prince!"
"If Mr. Ketuo wants to see him, after the negotiation is completed, you can come with us back to Kyoto in Daxia and see the scenery of Han Dynasty." The fifth prince invited him warmly, "I will personally accompany you."
"I don't dare to take it, I don't take it." Ketuo waved his hand, "It's just that our king heard that among the Han envoys who came to discuss peace, there were Huns, and their age and appearance were quite similar to His Highness Yizhigui, so he asked me to come and inquire."
"There are no Huns among the people I brought, let alone His Highness Yizhigui. There are only a few Han people who are familiar with the Huns. If the ambassador does not believe it, he can check it himself." The fifth prince said.
When Ketuo heard what the fifth prince said, he quickly laughed and said: "This is what we heard from hearsay. Am I still unable to trust you, Your Highness?"
"Ambassador, is someone trying to stir up trouble in front of you?" the fifth prince asked, "Why would you fabricate such a thing out of thin air?"
"No, no, I just heard about it," Ketuo said. "Maybe the people on our side were drunk and saw it wrong from a distance."
"I still say what I said. If the ambassador doesn't believe it, you can stay with me for a few days and check it out slowly. Don't say you believe it but still have doubts in your heart. This will be very detrimental to us in negotiating a peace." The fifth prince seemed to
Very interested.
Ketuo kept saying no, but the doubts in his heart were not dispelled.
But he is not stupid enough to think that he can know the truth by staying.
The Fifth Prince and the others had many ways to hide Yi Zhigui from him, so there was no need to play this kid's game of hide-and-cat.
So he changed his words and asked: "Since Your Highness has been outside the Great Wall for so many days, why doesn't he meet with us, the Great Khan?"
"It's cold and bitter outside the Great Wall, and everyone is a little acclimated to it," the fifth prince said and coughed twice, "You must rest for a few days, otherwise you will be exhausted and dejected, and you will be disrespectful to the Great Khan."
"Then please set a date for us to meet at Fairy Haizi. How about that?" Ketuo said, "We are waiting for you."
"Then let's tentatively wait for five days!" said the fifth prince. "I would like to trouble the ambassador to reply to the king of Japan, Shanyu. We are here with great sincerity."
After the banquet, the fifth prince gave Ketu many valuable gifts and asked him to speak kindly to King Sun Zhu.
Of course, gifts for King Zuo Xian and King Ri Zhu were indispensable. Ketuo was satisfied and went back with his entourage.
After returning home, after listening to his story, Shanyu, King of Sun Zhu, and Gemeng of Zuoxian Dynasty, it was difficult to distinguish the truth from falsehood.
"The craftsmen haven't come back yet. Let's wait a day or two to see what news they can get." Chao Gemeng said, "The Han people have always been cunning and we must be on guard."
Perhaps due to preconceptions, he was still more inclined to return with Yizhi.
"Since we have agreed to meet him in five days, let's wait for him for five days." Ri Zhu Wang said, "We must take strict precautions. If we find Yi Zhi returning, we will kill him on the spot."
Prince Ri Zhu and his son were very afraid of Yi Zhigui, after all, their rise to power was very disgraceful.
Although the Huns did not pay as much attention to benevolence, justice, propriety and wisdom as the Han people, they were not completely shameless and ignorant of right and wrong.
At night in the desert, the north wind howls and wolves howl across the fields.
The fifth prince was covered with an animal skin mattress and was reading under the lamp.
Mr. Bai, the staff member, walked in and said: "It's so late at night, and Your Highness hasn't rested yet."
"Don't you, sir, sleep too?" The fifth prince smiled and asked him to sit down. "Tell them to warm up a pot of wine, and I will drink with you, sir."
This Mr. Bai is a man who has tried and failed. He has been depressed for most of his life and only made a living by selling literature.
When Xue Hengzhao explained to Yu Guming the strategy of going out of the fortress, he specifically told him to ask the fifth prince to recruit Mr. Bai as his staff and accompany them out of the fortress.
Xue Heng made a big plan, but to actually implement it, he had to adapt to changes.
The fifth prince cannot be without advisers, so he recommended Mr. Bai.
What’s interesting is that Mr. Bai doesn’t know Xue Hengzhao.
But after listening to Xue Hengzhao's strategy, I couldn't help but admire her and felt that she was a unique woman in ancient and modern times.
Because of this compliment, Yu Guming regarded Mr. Bai as an old friend and respected him very much.
"Your Majesty, they should have arrived at Wusun Kingdom early now." Mr. Bai took a sip of wine and said, "I hope everything goes well."
After they left the capital, they quickly divided into two teams.
Yu Guming and Yi Zhigui took only a few followers and headed straight for the Wusun Kingdom.
This is an extremely important part of Xue Hengzhao's strategy.
"We have to drag it out a little longer," the fifth prince said. "Shen Jingzhi and the others also need some time."
"The national treasury is empty, the army is underpaid, and the border is so tight now. If this trip can be completed in one battle, it will be a great blessing for the country and the people!" Mr. Bai sighed, "In fact, the battle with the Huns has long been fought.
It’s time to fight, but if we fight in the usual way, the country will be destroyed. If we just negotiate for peace, we will inevitably end up with the sun cutting and the moon cutting.”
"Sir, you have far-sightedness." The fifth prince agreed with Mr. Bai's view. "The Huns have been a major trouble for the Han Dynasty since ancient times. However, there have been wars and peace throughout the ages, but they have never been able to maintain long-term peace."
"Border troubles have always been like this. It's okay when the country is strong, otherwise it will be difficult not to fight or not to fight." Mr. Bai has read history books and knows all about it.
Nowadays, the emperor is good at morality but does not take care of business. He has already emptied most of the treasury over the years.
The leading officials in the imperial court only know how to form cliques for personal gain and exclude dissidents. Their selfishness is greater than justice.
The government's administration was slack, officials were redundant, and the country's fortunes were in decline.
But the emperor neither understood the sufferings of the people nor the situation at the frontier.
I thought I was diligent and caring enough for the people, but I didn't know that the people had been living in dire straits for a long time.
"The people's livelihood has really been in decline along the way," the fifth prince sighed deeply, "If the border troubles cannot be resolved as soon as possible, the world will be in chaos sooner or later."
"That's why it's up to Your Highness to turn the tide," Mr. Bai said. "Whether the people can escape from the sea of suffering depends entirely on Your Highness."