In the capital of the Song Dynasty, the peace talks between Song and Liao had reached the fourth round. In the first three rounds of negotiations, the two sides reached only two consensuses, one exchanged hostages. The Song army used hundreds of noble ministers and thousands of prisoners of war captured by the Liaoyang Prefecture to exchange for all the Song people and Song soldiers captured by the Liao Kingdom over the past ten years.

Another consensus was to exchange land. The Liao Kingdom agreed to exchange Dongshengzhou of Xijing for Yizhou and Juehua Island. The Han people in Yi County were allowed to follow the Song army to retreat south.

However, there were serious differences between the two sides on the issue of annual monies. The Liao Kingdom demanded the restoration of the annual monies of the Chanyuan Alliance, and gave the Liao Kingdom 200,000 pieces of silk and 100,000 taels of silver every year. However, the Song Dynasty firmly demanded the cancellation of annual monies. Even if the agreement was not reached, the Song Dynasty would not give the Liao Kingdom one tael of silver to another annual monies.

First, the Liao Kingdom lost its annual monies, which had a huge impact on its finances. Therefore, Yelu Hongji regarded the restoration of annual monies as the basis for signing the alliance, while the Song Dynasty regarded the annual monies as a great humiliation. In order to safeguard the honor of a great country, the young emperor Zhao Xu firmly disagreed with the restoration of annual monies, and the two sides were in a stalemate.

In the guest hall of Honglu Temple, this is the fourth round of negotiation venue for the Song and Liao sides. The first three rounds were held in Menxia Province. This time, the Liao Kingdom proposed to change the address and change the negotiation venue to Honglu Temple. This is also the Liao Kingdom hopes to remind the Song Dynasty to pay attention to the importance of the friendly relationship between Liao and Song.

But changing the venue was meaningless. The Song Dynasty's negotiating commander and prime minister Guowen was well-off and tough, and he refused to give in to the matter of annual monies.

It is no wonder that the Song Dynasty had the upper hand in military affairs, and it was the Liao Kingdom who took the initiative to seek peace. How could the Song Dynasty make concessions in the negotiations?

Both sides had been sitting for two hours, and no one spoke. The atmosphere in the guest hall was very solemn. At this time, Wen Yanbo sighed, "Does Zhang Xiangguo feel it is necessary to talk about the fifth round?"

Zhang Xiaojie also knew that it was impossible to let the other party change his position and agree to the annual monies, but he also had strict orders from the emperor and could not give in.

He said a little frustrated: "It seems that the consensus on the annual currency cannot be reached, so what should we do if the consensus reached before?"

"Zhang Xiangguo, why not let us take a step back first! Sign an agreement based on the consensus we reached before."

"protocol?"

Zhang Xiaojie sneered: "Agree without the terms of the Annual currency, isn't it what you need?"

"Zhang Xiangguo should first ask what kind of agreement it is."

"Mr. Wen, please tell me, I'll listen carefully."

Wen Yanbo said calmly: "Now both of us are in a state of war. In this state, the Song army cannot withdraw from Yizhou and Juehua Island. Only by temporarily stopping the state of war, withdrawing troops, exchanging prisoners of war, and exchanging land can it be implemented. I mean, we can first reach an agreement to stop the state of war, referred to as the armistice agreement."

"But what is the difference between this and the covenant?"

"There is a big difference. After the signing of the alliance, the two sides will be friendly countries, with normal trade and normal personnel exchanges. The signing of the armistice agreement did not change the hostilities between the two sides, but only stopped the war and allowed both sides to do something."

Zhang Xiaojie remained silent, and the deputy envoy Yelu Pinghui next to him said coldly: "After exchanging prisoners of war and land, both sides continue to fight?"

"It depends on the wishes of both sides. If you don't want to fight, you can determine a ceasefire period. During this period, both sides try to stop the war. If one side makes a violation of the agreement, the ceasefire agreement can be torn up at any time. If both sides do not want to fight, then the two sides can be safe during the ceasefire period."

"How long is this armistice period?" Zhang Xiaojie suddenly asked.

He also found that this was a good idea. Since the alliance could not be reached and the Song army was to withdraw its troops and exchange prisoners of war, wouldn’t it be the same as the emperor to sign an unbinding stop agreement?

"The two sides can negotiate, three months, half a year, one year, or three years, I think it's just these four types!"

"Okay! Please allow me to ask the emperor for advice."

Wen Yanbo smiled slightly, "No problem, we have time."

On the way back to Liaoguo Pavilion, Yelu Pinghui said a little dissatisfied: "It is obvious that the Song Dynasty had no sincerity to reach an alliance. They had prepared this armistice agreement long ago. This is their purpose, isn't it?"

Zhang Xiaojie sighed secretly, how could the emperor send such a stupid person to be his deputy?

He said calmly: "Yelu Tongzhi, all negotiations will prepare several plans. It is not surprising that the Song Dynasty prepared this armistice agreement in advance. These are not important. What is important is what we need to get?"

"It means that Zhang Xiangguo is very satisfied with this armistice agreement?"

"yes!"

Zhang Xiaojie refused to deny: "What should I do if the alliance cannot be reached? What should I do if the Tokyo nobles and ministers captured by the Song army? Is there any other way for Yelu Tongzhi?"

"This" Yelu Pinghui doesn't know what to say.

Zhang Xiaojie said lightly again: "Of course, this matter is not up to me. I will send a message to the emperor and ask the emperor to decide whether to sign a ceasefire agreement?"

Back at the Liao Kingdom Pavilion, Zhang Xiaojie immediately wrote two text messages, trying to report the negotiations and the final armistice agreement as concisely as possible, and then sent the eagle letter to Youzhou.

At present, the Emperor Yelu Hongji of Liao Kingdom is in Dade Temple in Youzhou Prefecture. Thousands of monks are holding a grand water and land Dharma ceremony to save the souls of Liao soldiers.

During the Song and Liao Wars in the past few months, the Liao Kingdom suffered more than 90,000 people, and it is reasonable to hold a Dharma Assembly to save the dead souls.

But for this Dharma Assembly, Yelu Hongji spent nearly 100,000 taels of silver, and the colorful silk in Nanjing Road warehouse was exhausted. The money for recruiting new recruits in Nanjing Road was useless. The Han army's salary was not paid for several months, but Yelu Hongji spent a huge amount of money to organize Buddhist affairs, which made people criticized.

As the emperor, Yelu Hongji never considered such trivial matters, and no one dared to advise him. The reason why he stayed in Nanjing was because he was waiting for news of Zhang Xiaojie's negotiations.

At noon that day, Xinying was finally delivered to Youzhou.

On a corridor of the Nanjing Palace, Yelu Yixin hurriedly walked towards the emperor's imperial study.

He should have arrived in Nanjing two days ago, but a well-invested business delayed his trip. Fifty taels of silver had fallen into his pocket, which made him taste great sweetness and made him unable to extricate himself. He knew very well that if he wanted to continue this business, he would have to convince Yelu Hongji.

Yelu Yixin quickly walked to the imperial study room. He waited at the door for a moment. An eunuch said, "Prime Minister, please come in!"

Yelu Yixin walked into the imperial study room and saw the emperor Yelu Hongji standing in front of the window with his hands on his back, his eyes a little gloomy.

Yelu Yixin felt guilty and whispered for a while: "Your Majesty!"

Yelu Hongji looked back at him and then came to his senses, "The Prime Minister is here, hey! Zhang Xiaojie won't let me worry!"

Yelu Yixin felt relieved. It turned out that it was for the negotiations between Liao and Song dynasties. His thinking immediately regained his keenness and asked carefully: "Your Majesty, is the negotiation not going well?"

"The Song Dynasty was reluctant to restore the annual monies. As a result, they formed a temporary armistice agreement and exchanged the land and hostages, saying that they could be torn up at any time. Is this what I want? Even if it is a covenant, wouldn't I tear it up? The armistice agreement and the covenant are the same in my eyes. What I want is annual monies, but if there is no annual monies, who will bear my military expenses? How can I support so many Buddhist temples?"

Yelu Yixin's eyes rolled and she immediately had an idea in her heart.

"Your Majesty, I know Zhang Xiaojie's ability very well. If even he can't make the Song Dynasty retreat, then it is inevitable that the Song Dynasty will refuse to pay the annual monies. If the negotiations cannot get the annual monies, it will only be taken back from the battlefield."

Yelu Hongji had to admit that Yelu Yixin was right, and that things that could not be obtained on the battlefield could not be expected to be obtained on the negotiating table.

He hesitated for a moment: "But the army needs to be repaired, and some rebels need to be suppressed, and I'm afraid the war will not be able to start in a short period of time."

"Your Majesty! Even if you defeat the Song army in two years, you will have to let them pay the annual monies owed today, and we are not in a hurry."

Yelu Hongji took a few steps behind his hands and said to Yelu Yixin: "You are the prime minister, you should be very clear about the current financial situation of the court. If there is no annual monies, I am worried that there will be major problems in the finances."

Yelu Yixin seized this opportunity and said, "Your Majesty knows why I arrived at Nanjing Road two days later?"

Yelu Hongji was stunned and looked at Yelu Yixin in confusion.

Yelu Yixin said: "A Japanese businessman found Weichen and used 100,000 jin of pig iron in the stock of Liaoyang Prefecture. This is the agreement we signed with Japan at the beginning. With this 100,000 jin of money, His Majesty's Tokyo Palace can continue to be built."

Yelu Hongji frowned, "Japan has bought pig iron, how can our army prepare for war?"

"Your Majesty, there is a huge iron ore south of Liaoyang Prefecture. If Japan buys pig iron, we will expand mining and smelting, double the miners. 200,000 Han miners will mine day and night. Our pig iron will continue to come out, not only to meet our own needs, but also to supply Japan in large quantities, giving Japan the ability to fight against the Song army in Kunzhou."

"If all the Han people were brought to mine, would it be?"

"Your Majesty, the Han people are indeed not good at fighting, but they are easy to manage and have high obedience. I think it is very suitable to use them for mining and smelting."

Yelu Hongji did not take the life and death of the Han people too seriously. He nodded, "This matter will be left to the prime minister. In addition, I want to expand trade with Japan to see if I can get a warship from them. Next time I ask the Japanese envoy to come to Beijing."

"I obey the order!"

Yelu Hongji took two steps behind his back and said: "Send a message to Zhang Xiaojie, agree to sign an armistice agreement, and agree to the Song Dynasty's suggestion, and the deadline is set to three years."
Chapter completed!