"We can't finish all the mutton, so why not share some of it?"

Kou Ji sat cross-legged on the sheepskin blanket and said with a smile.

An Ziluo stopped cutting the meat, "How can I share the mutton I served you with others..."

Kou Ji smiled and prepared to continue speaking.

I heard An Ziluo's lieutenant say in a loud voice: "Only the most distinguished guests and the bravest warriors can enjoy the mutton from my Qingtang. You are my guest from Qingtang, so you are naturally qualified to enjoy the mutton from my Qingtang, but

No one else can."

An Ziluo glanced at the deputy general and said nothing, neither in agreement nor objection.

Instead, he continued to cut the meat with the knife. He cut off another leg of lamb. After hesitating for a moment, he glared at Liu Heng and placed it in front of Liu Heng.

Liu Heng thanked him and looked at Kou Ji.

Kou Ji squinted his eyes and didn't speak again.

He asked someone to get a knife and began to cut and eat the meat.

Seeing that Kou Ji made no other move, Liu Heng also began to cut off the meat and eat it.

Eat for a while.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit dull, An Ziluo took the initiative to sing a song from the grassland to liven up the atmosphere.

Under An Ziluo's mobilization, the atmosphere began to become lively.

Finally, a banquet slowly came to an end amidst the laughter of everyone.

After seeing off An Ziluo and An Ziluo's generals.

The smile on Kou Ji's face faded, and he said lightly to Liu Heng: "Qingtang is an immature wolf..."

Liu Heng was still recalling the lively scene at the dinner table when he suddenly heard Kou Ji's words and looked at Kou Ji with a confused look on his face.

"What do you mean by Fourth Brother? My brother-in-law is very proud. There are countless envoys visiting Qingtang every year, but you are the only one who can make him take the initiative to entertain you."

Kou Ji glanced at Liu Heng and said angrily: "Didn't you hear what his deputy general said?"

Liu Heng nodded and said: "I heard it. Everyone in Qingtang thinks the same as him. I don't think there is anything wrong.

Take this small tribe where we live temporarily as an example.

After their leader met my brother-in-law, he took the initiative to offer cattle, sheep, and beautiful women.

It is because they know that my brother-in-law is the most distinguished guest and the bravest warrior.

Qualified to enjoy their tribe’s cattle, sheep, and beauties.”

Kou Ji glared and said: "The people of Qingtang think so, and it's certainly not wrong. But An Ziluo's deputy general also thinks so, and that's a big problem. An Ziluo is a rare smart man in Qingtang, how can his deputy be a fool?

Since his lieutenant general is not a fool, how could he say a stupid thing in front of me?"

Liu Heng was stunned for a moment and said in deep thought: "What fourth brother means is..."

Kou Ji said solemnly: "Attitude... From their attitude towards us, it is not difficult to infer the attitude of Jiao Siluo towards us after we met Qingtang Zanpu Jiao Siluo.

Jiao Siluo had begged me, Song Dynasty, before, so how respectful was he to me, Song Dynasty?

Now that he has pacified Qingtang and became the true Lord of Qingtang, he is no longer as respectful to me, the Song Dynasty, as before.

Notice.

I rushed to the Western Regions this time to represent the official family.

He has the identity of an angel.

And Qingtang Zanpujiao Siluo was a military envoy enshrined in the Song Dynasty.

From my perspective in the Song Dynasty, my identity and status are much higher than those of Qingtang Zanpujiao Siluo.

But when the people of Qingtang faced me, they didn't show any respect at all.

That’s why I said that Qingtang is an unfed wolf.”

After Liu Heng listened to what Kou Ji said, he thought about it carefully and realized that it was exactly what Kou Ji said.

Liu Heng stared at Kou Ji and asked, "So you just proposed to share the mutton as a test?"

Kou Ji shook his head and said, "I did have the idea of ​​sharing the mutton, but I didn't expect An Ziluo's deputy general to speak."

Liu Heng nodded slowly and asked, "Will this matter have any impact on your plan to borrow troops, Fourth Brother?"

Kou Ji nodded and said: "Of course..."

Liu Heng pondered: "Then how does fourth brother plan to deal with it?"

"Cutting meat..."

"Whose flesh to cut?"

"You'll know then."

Kou Ji looked at Liu Heng and ordered: "You will go find An Ziluo later and tell him that starting from tomorrow, we will speed up our journey. Then we will send people back to Xining City to tell Li Zhaoliang and ask him to lead his troops and horses to speed up the journey as well.

"

Liu Heng agreed and left the tent to deliver the message.

An Ziluo had already led the people back to his tent.

Once inside the tent.

An Ziluo found the table in the tent, took paper and pen, and wrote a long letter.

He stated in the letter that Kou Ji intended to borrow troops from Qingtang, and that Kou Ji had seen through Qingtang's plan.

Then after sealing it, he handed it to the person next to him.

"Send it back to Zamp quickly."

The personal attendant put away the long letter, beat his chest with one hand, and exited the tent.

An Ziluo put away his pen and ink and focused his attention on the deputy general.

"Gertai, have I ever told you that Koo Ji is very shrewd, so please pay attention when you speak?"

Gertai's face darkened and he lowered his head, "What did your subordinate say wrong?"

An Ziluo said with a cold face: "You shouldn't refuse Kou Ji's proposal to share the mutton."

Gertai raised his head and said in a deep voice: "After I finished speaking, General, you did not veto what I said. And I don't think that I said something wrong.

In our Qingtang, only the most distinguished guests and the bravest warriors are qualified to enjoy the most tender mutton.

This is a rule we have passed down from generation to generation.”

An Ziluo glared angrily, "You idiot, who is Kou Ji, and who are you? What qualifications do you have to veto Kou Ji's words? The reason why I didn't veto your words is because your words have already been spoken.

I can’t take it back.”

Gertai was about to retort.

Then I heard An Ziluo say again: "Kou Ji and I are brothers, so I am qualified to sit on an equal footing with him and speak to him as an equal, but you are not. Kou Ji is ranked third in the Song Dynasty, and the status of Zanpu granted to our clan by the Song Dynasty is the same."

equal.

Now he holds the sword of the Emperor of Song Dynasty in his hand.

It is equivalent to the personal visit of the Emperor of Song Dynasty.

Even if Zanpu from my clan sees you, he will still greet you with courtesy.

What qualifications do you have to show arrogance in front of him?"

Gertai gritted his teeth and said: "So what if his status in the Song Dynasty is the same as that of our Zanpu? He is a minister of the Song State, not my Qingtang minister. Our Zanpu is the co-lord of Tubo and the king of all Tubo people.

, one should not bow down to other kings.

We should be above the Song Dynasty and let the Song Dynasty bow to us, just like the Liao Kingdom."

An Ziluo snorted coldly, "Maybe one day, but certainly not now. We are still very weak now, and we still need to rely on the Song State. Therefore, we cannot let the Song State become hostile to our Qingtang.

Let alone let the Song Dynasty think that I, Qingtang, have disloyal intentions.

What you said today is clearly telling Kou Ji that I, Qingtang, have disobedient intentions."

Gertai said in a deep voice: "I, Qingtang, do not need to submit to anyone."

An Ziluo slapped the table and stood up, "Can you help me Qingtang defeat the Huangtou Huihe, or can you help me Qingtang defeat the Xixia people?"

When Gertai heard this, he lowered his head silently.

An Ziluo snorted coldly: "You can't, and neither can I, but Song people can."

An Ziluo stared at Gertai coldly and said: "What we have to do now is to coax the Song people to help us consume the troops of Huangtou Huihe, and let the Song people help us deal with the Xixia people."

Gertai lowered his head and said: "Subordinate..."

An Ziluo snorted coldly: "You don't need to say more. Tonight I will recruit all the cattle and sheep from the Meitar tribe and cook them for the people of Song Dynasty. Later, I will allocate two hundred cattle and sheep from your tribe's cattle and sheep pens and give them to Meitar as compensation."

Thar Department.”
To be continued...