“... Regarding the negotiations outside the city, even if we hold on, it will only last for a few more days. Searching: \(?Complete?Book?Divine?Site) to read high-quality literature for free. The Jurchens are demanding the cession of the land north of the Yellow River, which is just a blatant demand, but they certainly want the actual benefits. We believe that compensation and annual tribute are fine, and if we can maintain normal trade, the money will eventually come back. To ensure the safety of Taiyuan, there are several conditions that can be discussed. First, the compensation in money and goods should be escorted by our troops, preferably by the Second Young Master and Liheng leading the Wu Rui Camp, passing through Yanmen Pass or Taiyuan, before delivery. However, there are also problems at present...”

The snowstorm had not stopped, and the voices in the Right Chancellor's study continued. The person speaking at this time was Tong Zhiyuan, a newly promoted core member.

“To ensure that the Jurchens withdraw from Bianliang, the details on the negotiating table are that we compensate with goods, money, and supplies for their return journey. In return, the Jurchens hand over all siege equipment in the camp. The exchange will happen hand-in-hand on the day the Jurchens retreat. Now, the officials in the court are only concerned with finalizing the Jurchen's withdrawal, and Lord Li negotiates with Zongwang every day behind closed doors, refusing visitors. Yesterday, he reported that he had dispelled the Jurchen's intention to demand the land north of the Yellow River, but Zongwang still insists on the line from Taiyuan to Yanmen Pass. Therefore, the condition for the Jurchens to completely withdraw and for our army to escort them out of Yanmen Pass is still far from being met...”

Tong Zhiyuan was talking about the details. After he finished speaking, Jueming spoke up from the side.

“The Jurchens have been besieging the city for nearly a month, and the siege equipment has long been severely worn out and is not very useful. They are using this as a bargaining chip, just to give Li Tui a way out. The so-called exorbitant demands are meant to be bargained down, but Li Tui doesn't have the courage. Whether it's north of the Yellow River or north of Taiyuan, they are no longer within the Jurchens' expectations! They have fought hundreds of battles and are already tired at this point, eager to go back and rest. To put it bluntly, it would be better to come back and take anything next time! But if Li Tui doesn't hold firm, they won't hesitate to snatch a piece of meat.”

Qin Si Yuan sighed: "Regarding the matter of Taiyuan, I originally wanted to persuade Li Tui myself, and later asked Qin Sou to come forward, but Li Tui still refused to meet, and privately, he never loosened his stance. This matter is too important, he needs to deliver, and we don't have many options..."

“Li Tui has handles, but taking them out now is meaningless. The news has already been released privately. Li Tui should be able to meet with Prime Minister Qin, and hopefully he can be as tough as possible on the basis of reaching an agreement. Give someone a rose, and your hand will smell of fragrance.” Yao Zunian opened his eyes and said a sentence, "What about Liheng, what are the specific preparations?"

"The Xia Village army has conflicts with other armies, and Zhu Ji's preparations are ready," Ning Yi replied. "Inside and outside the city, we have begun to organize and promote various stories from this great battle. We don't intend to let only the people of Xia Village take advantage of this. The collection and weaving of all stories will be carried out simultaneously in all armies, including the hundreds of thousands of people outside the city and the imperial guards inside the city. As long as there are stories of bloody battles, we will help them promote them."

Ning Yi said calmly, and Yao Zunian and others nodded.

"These days, while they are recruiting soldiers, we are also sending people out. There are always things to say about hundreds of thousands of people. We are recording the courageous deeds of those among them who fought bravely in the face of the enemy, with the officers taking the lead. The focus is on using the deeds of Xia Village and Wu Rui Camp as the core to create a public opinion atmosphere where everyone is willing to be compared with the Xia Village army. Once their reputation increases, it will resolve the animosity of these middle-level officers towards the Wu Rui Camp. Next, we will absorb them into the Wu Rui Camp. After all, it is a victorious army. Taking advantage of the fact that the organization is still somewhat chaotic, we can expand the number of elites."

"Treating the symptoms is not as good as getting to the root of the problem," Qin Si Yuan nodded.

"Whether Wu Rui Camp can be preserved is still uncertain. But these are the results of upper-level games, and the things that should be done must be done. It's always better to take the initiative than to be passively beaten."

The lights were on in the night, and everyone in the room had explained most of the things at hand. The wind and snow howled, and by the time the door of the study was opened and everyone came out one after another, it was unknown what time it was in the early morning. At this time, everyone was staying at the Prime Minister's residence. Tong Zhiyuan and Hou Wenjing left first, and the others also exchanged a few words with Qin Si Yuan and returned to their rooms to rest. When Ning Yi greeted him, Qin Si Yuan said, "Liheng, wait a moment, I have a few words to chat with you."

When Yao Zunian left, he exchanged a complex look with Qin Si Yuan. Ji Kun was the last to leave. After that, Qin Si Yuan put on a coat and asked the servants to bring one for Ning Yi. The old man took his hand and said, "I've been sitting all night, and my head is stuffy. Let's go out for a walk." Ning Yi helped him slightly, picked up a lantern, and the two walked outside.

Recalling when the two met in Jiangning, the old man was energetic and healthy, no less than a young man. Later, when he arrived in the capital, even with a lot of work, his spirit was excellent. But after this city defense battle, he finally needed some support.

The two walked along the corridor, and snowflakes fell in the darkness beside them. The snow was not heavy, and the wind was not actually strong, but it was still cold. After walking slowly for a while, they reached a windless place by a small garden in the Prime Minister's residence. The old man sighed: "How is Shaoqian's health after injuring his eyes?"

"He's fine, and there shouldn't be any major aftereffects."

"The Qin family has always been literary, but he has been fond of martial arts since he was a child. He can command such a great battle, fight heartily, and win. He must be happy in his heart, and I can imagine that," Qin Si Yuan smiled, then shook his head and looked at a large rockery in front of him. "After Shaoqian joined the army, whenever he went home to visit his relatives, he would talk to me about the constraints in the army, and he was filled with righteous indignation. But everything has its reasons, and it is not easy to change or transform... Liheng understands this, right?"

Ning Yi was silent for a moment, not speaking.

"Regarding this matter, I have talked a lot with Duke Nian, and I have also had discussions with Qin Sou and Jueming, but some things are not suitable for too many ears, otherwise, it will inevitably be embarrassing," Qin Si Yuan said in a low voice. "In previous years, the command of military affairs was led by the Duke of Chu, and later Wang Fu took the lead. When the Jurchens came, they dared not step forward, which was a loss of face. Taiyuan has held out for several months under Zong Han's military pressure. Xia Village defeated Guo Yaoshi. Both places are my sons, and I happen to be a civil official. Therefore, the Duke of Chu is not speaking, and Wang Fu and the others are retreating. Cai Jing... he is also afraid that this old thing will come up, and when these civil and military officials retreat, in the end, I cannot distinguish between public and private in the matter of Taiyuan, and it is not easy to speak..."

"Taiyuan cannot be lost..." In the wind and snow, the old man looked at the black shadow of the rockery and murmured.

There was another moment of silence between the two.

"Your Majesty is young and strong, and after this battle, he will begin to pay attention to military preparations," Ning Yi said from the rear. "The key to preventing Xia Village's Wu Rui Camp from being disbanded lies with Your Majesty. After the peace talks, please have Your Majesty review the Xia Village army. In terms of external public opinion, emphasize that this great battle was a turning point achieved due to Your Majesty's wise command and strategic planning, and that Your Majesty is the Lord of Restoration, valuing reform and progress."

In the wind and snow, his words were not loud, simple and calm: "People can manipulate public opinion, and public opinion can also influence people. Given Your Majesty's personality, he is likely to be moved by such public opinion, and his style of doing things has a pragmatic side. Even if he has suspicions in his heart, he will want to use your abilities, Prime Minister Qin. When Your Majesty ascended the throne, you were Your Majesty's teacher. If you can persuade Your Majesty to be as enthusiastic and progressive as you were back then, there may still be a chance... Because a confident and pragmatic person is not afraid of powerful ministers."

Qin Si Yuan frowned, then shook his head: "I have thought about this matter, but Your Majesty is now unpredictable, he... Alas..."

The old man sighed, the meaning of which was complex, and perhaps not aimed at Zhou Zhe alone. This matter was not up for debate. What he and Ning Yi were talking about, what Ning Yi was talking to him about, Yao Zunian and others may not have thought of.

After a while, Ning Yi said: "I have never dealt with the people above, and I don't know how some messy things come down. I am not very confident about these things. But after discussing with the Second Young Master and Wen Ren outside the city, the only chance to break the situation may lie here. With literary governance and martial arts, the position of military officials comes up, and they will be suppressed, but perhaps they can also rise with the wind. Either be a powerful minister like Grand Tutor Cai for five or ten years, and then block the soldiers and dam the water, or pack up and go home. I'll go south and find a good place to stay."

He paused: "However, Cai Jing, as a powerful minister for decades, has not touched the root of other people's power. To push the position of military officials up, that is to move the root. Even if there is a Your Majesty in front to support him... There will be no good end, old man. You think more, I see more, it's hard for me to say whether to follow..."

For a long time, Qin Si Yuan raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder.

The two said a few more words, and soon after, they went to rest, but such a night was destined to be sleepless.

Having been in Bianliang for so long, Ning Yi had never really fought against the high-level powerful ministers, nor had he really contacted the true dragon emperor at the very top. Every stupid decision made by the upper-level games pushes a country forward as if it were stuck in the mud. It's difficult, he can't not understand how this works, but every time, it makes him feel angry and difficult. Relatively speaking, he prefers to stay below, watching those who can be manipulated and pushed. Going forward, he always feels that he has returned to the old path.

What he longed for and expected back then, and whether the subsequent confusion was really worth it. What about now? He hasn't determined in his heart whether he really wants to do these things next. He's just looking for a solution through logic and common sense. Now, he can only please this emperor, defeat other people, and finally let Qin Si Yuan walk the path of a powerful minister. When foreign enemies come one after another, when this country needs a powerful minister to promote military preparations, perhaps because of the special circumstances during the war, everyone will be left with a chance to survive in the cracks.

As long as there is a trace of reason above, it will never be a situation where death is certain.

Having been in the Wu Dynasty for several years, he fell asleep quietly for the first time in such an unstable mood. The matter was too big, and even he had a mentality of taking things one step at a time, and thinking and seeing when things became more obvious.

In the long wind and snow, the lights of many families in the huge city were quietly extinguished. The carriages came and went lonely in such snow, and occasionally the sound of the watchmen rang out. At dawn, someone opened the door and shoveled away the snow in front of the door and on the road. The city was still gray and dull, and people waited anxiously and uneasily for news of the peace talks outside the city. In the Golden Luan Hall, the courtiers had already stood in their positions and began a new day of confrontation.

Ning Yi went to Fan Lou to persuade Li Yun to participate in the activities of collecting heroic deeds of other armies for Zhu Ji. This was something that had been scheduled to be done.

In the snowy field more than ten miles north of the city, the army was still facing each other in a murderous manner. Li Tui once again entered the Jin army's tent, facing those terrifying Jurchens, and began a new day of negotiations and torment.

During the negotiation, Sela angrily overturned the negotiation table and cut it in two with his sword in front of Li Tui. Li Tui's legs trembled, and he appeared calm on the surface, but he still lost his color.

The Right Chancellor's residence began more activities and operations on this day. Subsequently, Zhu Ji's propaganda offensive also unfolded inside and outside the city.

Ning Yi hadn't been able to completely determine what he was going to do next in his heart. Soon after, everything was deadlocked in a strange and embarrassing quagmire...

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