At noon, by the Broken Leaf River, the autumn wind was bleak, and the wildfires were gradually extinguished. Xiao Ta, who was dressed in plain clothes and not smoking, looked at Xiao Weili in front of him with slightly red eyes.
"Report to the Queen Mother."
The king of the Sixth Academy of Western Liao Dynasty and the marshal of the army and horses, Xiao Weili, lowered their heads and faced each other. In their hands, they were holding an exquisite locked wooden box that was two feet long and one foot wide.
A collection of the emperor's correspondence... Every year, the late emperor would personally change the lock with the old key and put the previous year's letters into it... The late emperor had said during his lifetime that on the day when his bones were collected after his death, if the Queen Mother was here,
The Queen Mother must read it with me; if the Queen Mother is not here, Your Majesty must open it personally, and then I can read it to Your Majesty."
Xiao Ta Buyan relaxed slightly. At the same time, he also remembered that his husband did leave a set of keys before his death, so he hurried to get them.
However, while the monarch and his ministers were waiting for the key, although there were nearly a hundred civil and military officials and thousands of soldiers surrounding the scene, they could not help but fall into a tense and sad silence.
Of course, I am sad because today is the ceremony for the great stone cremation and collection of the bones of Yelu, the actual founding monarch of Western Liao and the nominal tenth emperor of Liao.
But the tension comes from some kind of mutual jealousy between the two most powerful people present at this time - the young emperor Yelu Yile is still young, the queen mother Xiao Ta does not smoke and just stands silently, and Xiao Weili can only
Hold the box on one side without moving.
To be fair, Xiao Weilila and Xiao Tabuyan were very familiar with each other. One of Yelu Dashi's most trusted queens had been in charge of the government during Yelu Dashi's campaigns for more than ten years. The other was Yelu Dashi's most trusted minister and served as a soldier.
Marshal of Madu and King of the Sixth Academy... and both parties are related by sons and daughters (Yelü Dashi only has one son and one daughter, so the daughter was given to Xiao Weili's eldest son)... there is no reason why they are not familiar with each other.
Even further, the surname of both parties is Xiao. Although they are not close to the same clan, they are both from the Shulu Xiao family, so they have a close relationship. And Xiao Ta was able to become the queen when Yelu Dashi started to sweat on the day when she was not smoke, so it is inevitable that there will be some problems.
The help of Xiao Weili, the second founder of Xiliao, during the founding of the Western Liao Dynasty.
However, this time and that time are the same.
Now, Yelu Dashi, who has long been unable to hold on to his health due to years of fighting and running around, is sick and has died, and his son is still young.
The stabilizing factor and the most direct threat is Xiao Orila, the king of the Sixth Academy and the marshal of the military and horse capital.
It should be noted that the Western Liao system followed the old Daliao system and was divided into two major streams: north and south. The north was the central officer. Under the Western Liao system, it was basically a mixture of the Han central system and the Khitan palace account system.
He directly governs the capital Husi Oruluduo on the Suiye River and most of the so-called native people such as Khitan, Xi, Han, and Jurchen; while Nanliu is the assigned officer, directly responsible for Gaochang, Eastern Karahan, and Western Karahan.
, dozens of large and small vassal states including Khwarezm.
The internal and external diversion and prevention are still very obvious.
In this case, Xiao Orila is not only the marshal of the military and horse capital, but also the king of the Sixth Academy of Sciences in charge of the royal family. His power is self-evident.
Of course, Yelu Dashi's own prestige as the founding monarch who traveled thousands of miles away is also irreplaceable. His widow and orphans are also supported by the palace troops and basic tribesmen.
All in all, the young master of the country is in doubt, the mother and queen are in the court, the powerful officials are in charge of the army, and the country's situation is so special... there is no reason why the two of them are so embarrassed.
The key was delivered quickly, and the awkward silence was broken. The surrounding Khitan nobles, including several Xi-Han-Jurchen officials, also pricked up their ears early, wanting to know what the late Emperor Yelu Dashi had said to the Zhao Song official.
What.
The lock of the box was successfully opened, and twelve piles of more than a hundred letters were taken out, some of which were particularly thick.
I read the first letter in order, and it turned out to be the famous letter in which the officials of the Zhao and Song Dynasties sent Hu Hongxiu, now the Minister of War, to visit and form an alliance and invite them to attack Xixia. In the letter, the officials of the Zhao and Song Dynasties directly called Yelu Dashi and the Western Liao tribe as mourners.
Dog, and the people present at that time included Marshal Xiao Orila of the Western Liao capital in front of him and Liang Jiaying, the envoy of the Song Dynasty to Western Liao who had also appeared in the morning. Everyone knew it.
But there are also people who don’t know... After reading it at this time, everyone realized that the official actually called himself a lost dog in the letter.
Things in the past, considering the later achievements of the two emperors, have already become legendary stories, and one of the protagonists in the story has just died, but all the others are still alive. There seems to be some secrets in it... It is a bit confusing to read.
It's sad, but also somewhat wonderfully epic.
All in all, since these letters are letters written by the most noble person in the world to the second most noble person, and they must also contain certain narrations of the late emperor's last words, no one dares to underestimate the political meaning of these letters. However, there are too many letters, and the content is
It was too complicated, so after discussions between Xiao Ta Buyan and Xiao Weili, several ministers who were proficient in writing came forward to help read and organize it.
But even so, I read it from noon until the sky was dark, and I didn’t finish reading in front of the Yelv Big Stone Bones.
Therefore, everyone had to seal the box again, but it was the Queen Mother who held the box and the Marshal Du held the key. They agreed to come back to the palace and read it together the next day. At the moment, the bones of the late emperor were returned to the city, and the monks and Taoists were asked to worship them carefully so that they could be on time in a few days.
Set off and return to Linhuang Mansion for burial according to the late emperor's last wishes.
At noon the next day, I finally finished reading the letters. But to be honest, most of the letters were actually smelly and long... They were filled with the messy narrative of Zhao Guan's family, from regular greetings to some messy poems, from
Some of the triumphant Zhao and Song dynasty policies were implemented to the point where parents complained about shortcomings, and there were even some strange hand-drawn animals in them.
Of course, there are indeed contents that echo some famous cases of the two emperors, such as the famous Jianyan Northern Expedition eight years ago, and the subsequent seven years the official spent on repairing the Yellow River and moving the capital.
There is even a letter that clearly records the words of this Zhao and Song official who encouraged Emperor Yelu Dashi of the Western Liao Dynasty to give it a go and fight the Seljuq Turks to establish hegemony in the Western Sea.
If it hadn't been for this letter, the core ministers of Xiliao, including Xiao Ta Buyan and Xiao Weili, would never have imagined that the late Emperor Yelu Dashi, who was so confident in his command during the battle that day, would actually return the weapon a few months before the war started.
He was so worried about the strength of the Seljuk Turks that he hesitated to avoid the battle and waited for Zhao and Song reinforcements.
As for the last letter, it is even more emotional. There is only one sentence in the letter:
"The reed flowers are blooming by the river in the old capital. Brother Dashi can return home slowly."
Combining the date and the previous article, when I think of the situation of Zhao and Song sending envoys to deliver medicine at that time, no one knows. This is because Yelu Dashi felt that his time was running out and wanted to return to his hometown alive. As a result, he may have suffered a sudden illness, or may have been hindered by
The overall situation in Xiliao was stable and he finally gave up this decision and instead requested cremation and collected his family's bones and buried them in Linhuang Mansion.
"The Aijia still don't understand."
Xiao Ta was silent for a long time, then put down the last letter, then looked around and asked seriously, "Why did the late emperor want us to read these letters?"
The Queen Mother also responded with silence.
"Queen Mother."
After a while, someone spoke up again, but it was the Imperial Imperial Guard’s deputy commander, Taishinu. “I take the liberty of listening carefully just now and noticed two critical points…”
"Tell me carefully." Xiao Ta Buyan immediately raised his eyebrows.
"First of all, it is about the Zhao and Song officials' request for the homeland of Xixia in the six states of Hexi after our dynasty's great victory... The words in the letter are casual, and judging from the subsequent letters, the late emperor did not hesitate at all... I want to talk about this matter with us in the past
What they think is different, but the two majesties have an unspoken agreement for a long time." Taishinu, who still has the tattoo of "Exile" on his cheek, analyzed it carefully. "This should remind us not to regard this matter as a humiliation or to pay too much attention to it.
.”
Xiao Ta Buyan thought for a moment and was speechless for a while. He just looked at the others. When he saw that the others were civilized and martial, whether Jurchen or Han, they all nodded, and then he nodded:
"Yes, that's what it means...what else?"
"One more thing is that His Majesty felt ill last year and was worried for a while. Although Zhao Song's official reply contained many condolences, more importantly, the letter actually added a warning... Combined with this
After this letter, the late emperor immediately launched the eradication of the three surnamed Ye Hu... It seems that the late emperor not only recognized the meaning of the Zhao Song official family, but also realized that the words of the Zhao Song official family were no child's play. At the same time, he was probably hinting at the Queen Mother and the Du Marshal.
This is the bottom line for Zhao and Song officials to maintain the unification of the two countries and even the Liao..."
"Get that letter." Xiao Ta Buyan was perturbed when he heard the words and immediately gave the order.
After a while, a close official immediately picked up the letter, found the paragraph, and then read it in public:
"Brother Dashi, how stupid is this? The Turks are so vast, how can it be that the Turkic bloodline is prosperous? In fact, the Turks have ruled Haixi for hundreds of years and are condescending, so all kinds of wild species are attached to them, so the Turkic culture breeds, and everyone looks like the three surnames
Ye Hu calls himself a Turk.
Compared with others, China also has them. In the past, the Xianbei was strong. Gao Huan was of Han descent and was fully accustomed to Xianbei. The Chinese was deep, like Liu Yuan.
Brother Dashi communicated with me in Chinese, everyone in the palace spoke Chinese, everyone in Liao Dynasty knew Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism...
If one day something unexpected happens to Brother Dashi, and all the Liao tribes abandon the Han and follow the Hu, and abandon the Confucianism and follow the Yi...then the two countries, although they may be related by blood, will also be enemies of life and death! At that time, even though the foolish brother is not talented, he can still bring hundreds of thousands of people from the east and west Mongolia.
, imitate Brother Dashi’s move to the west in the past to clean up the West Sea!
On the contrary, although Brother Dashi is defeated by the destiny, but the order in the Xihai River is in order, and the palace tents also comply with the laws of the ancestors, even though there is a risk of overthrow of the Liao Dynasty, Brother Fool can still bring a hundred thousand people to the river to help the Liao Dynasty.
As the country continues to grow, so does the Yelu clan’s bloodline!
This so-called fundamental matter cannot be said to be unforeseen!"
After everyone listened, they became more serious. After a short discussion, they all realized that this was the reason why everyone must see the Yelv Stone.
As for the previous neglect, it was because most of the people present were the 'old people', that is, they came from the east... No matter how they came, they came with Yelu Dashi at the beginning, or they defected later, or they were
Those deported by Taishinu, and even prisoners of war, all spoke Chinese and believed in the integration of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. This had always been the case, so they did not regard this incident as a 'warning'.
"What do you think, King Xiao?" Xiao Ta Buyan thought over and over again and looked at Xiao Weili.
Xiao Orila was silent for a moment, and then spoke sincerely: "Your Majesty, please be frank. In fact, the late Emperor's intention was already very obvious. It's just that General Taishinu and others were unable to speak out due to their status, so they could only say half and half."
...Actually, the late Emperor only had two meanings."
This time it was Xiaota's turn to wait in silence.
And Xiao Weili didn't show off, he just paused for a moment and continued:
"For one thing, the alliance between Song and Liao is the foundation of the country and cannot be easily shaken... The so-called story of the six states in Hexi, the return of the bones of the late emperor to Linhuang Mansion, the eradication of the third surname Ye Hu, and the warning of hundreds of thousands of Zhao Guan family, all have this meaning...
Therefore, I thought that while adhering to the important affairs of the country, I might as well make a gesture and ask for a letter from the official family of Zhao and Song Dynasties to be granted the title of emperor. Even if I am an uncle and nephew, I will not lose my dignity. I don't think I will really have any chance to come to Yanjing.
Why is it so difficult to force Ling?"
"Then send an envoy to take care of this matter and return eastward with the remains of the late emperor." After a moment of thought, Empress Dowager Xiao agreed directly.
"The Queen Mother has made a clear decision." Xiao Weili quickly responded.
"This should be the king's 'half told', so who dares to ask 'half told'?" Xiao Ta Buyan continued to ask.
"Please be clear to the Empress Dowager... The alliance is as stable as between Song and Liao, but there are still words of 'one hundred thousand people'. How dare I ask the Empress Dowager, our Daliao is located in the West Sea, what is the foundation of our country?" Xiao Weili asked sincerely.
Come and ask.
After hearing the words, Xiao Ta finally burst into laughter, and then sighed sadly for a moment: "The Ai family understands the late emperor's intention, and also knows the painstaking efforts of the king and all his officials..."
At this point, Empress Dowager Xiao, who was still in her prime, stood up, looked around, and said seriously: "As we all know, this dynasty is called Liao Tongxu. In fact, it traveled thousands of miles to re-establish the country. Last year, when the household registration was calculated, Husi Olu
Duo's "old people" only have 240,000 households. With the foundation of 240,000 households to control the territory of thousands of miles, they are naturally walking on thin ice. And the biggest reliance outside, that is, the ally of the Song Dynasty has "one hundred thousand people"
From the words of the public, it can be seen that the alliance is important, but foreign affairs are only foreign affairs after all, and we can only truly rely on ourselves... Dear sirs, the late emperor asked us to read these letters. First of all, they are to remind us that we must maintain the alliance, but more importantly
The important thing is that after he leaves, the country will fight for power and gain, and lose the spirit of unity that has traveled thousands of miles to build the country, so that civil strife will occur and the building will collapse, so I am particularly vigilant!"
"Queen Mother Shengming!"
After hearing this, Marshal Xiao Orila immediately took a few steps back and knelt down towards Empress Dowager Xiao on the spot. Then he took out a dagger from his waist, opened his palm and pointed to the sky: "The country was destroyed, and the late emperor traveled tens of thousands of miles.
So I have the foundation in the West Sea River. I am a lost dog. I received the great favor of the late emperor and followed the Western Expedition. I was awarded the title of marshal and became the king... In this life, I must regard the bones and blood of the late emperor as the orthodoxy. If I deviate from it in the slightest, I will not be allowed to live.
It’s a good death to die without being able to return home and have a good burial!”
The rest of the officials woke up one after another. Regardless of whether the Khitans were ridiculing the Han women or Zhen Bohai, they all knelt down and swore an oath to show their unity.
After April, in the middle of winter, Zhao Jiu waited in Yanjing for the coffin of Yelu Dashi's bones. With mixed emotions, he went out of the city to greet him in person. However, in addition to many expected diplomatic matters, he was surprised to receive the coffin.
A 'reply letter'.
When I opened the letter, there was only one sentence.
As the saying goes:
"The flowers on the road are blooming, so you should slowly return home. However, it is difficult to cross the mountain. Who will feel sad for those who have lost their way?"
There are two signatures, namely: "Empress Dowager Xiaota of the Liao Dynasty does not smoke and respects peace", and "Marshal Xiao Weili of the Military and Horse Capital of the Liao Dynasty writes".
After Zhao Jiu finished reading, he was silent for a long time in the cold wind before he came back to his senses. Then he calmly put away the letter and looked back at Yue Fei, the deputy envoy to the Privy Council who was accompanying him:
"Although Dashi is dead, the destiny of the Western Liao Dynasty has not declined, so it is better to establish Dali first."
Yue Fei naturally raised his hand and said yes.
PS: Thank you to Mr. Slyshen for your cuteness. Thank you for your cuteness in Fusheng Qiyue Drinking Wine, The Light of Dusky Star, Jiayi 1989, Xianyun V Yehe, nc Children 666, and Dancing with the Wind.
After finishing the book, I can only post the appendix related to the work, which is too confusing!