Meishan Su family, Su Yun is the most virtuous

Chapter 291: Without the Liang family, Daxia would be destroyed! (3.2k)

Western Xia Yanzhou.

Helian Pu looked at the mountain of salt with great pride.

He had already received news that the peace agreement between Song and Xia had been basically finalized, and the next step would be to reopen the salt market. At that time, the salt could be transported directly to the Song Dynasty through the salt market.

He was in charge of Yanzhou affairs in order to produce salt. During this period, he arranged for the Song slaves to produce salt every day. Once the salt was sold, his political achievement would be considerable, and he might even be able to get promoted.

However, what puzzled him was that at this time of year in previous years, the salt merchants of the Song Dynasty should have come to place orders, but now there was no movement.

Helian Pu did not dare to be careless, so he thought of sending someone to deliver a letter to the salt merchants of the Song Dynasty, asking them to come and take a look. But before his people set out, they welcomed an uninvited guest.

He happened to be familiar with the people who came. They were the largest salt merchants in the Song Dynasty, Xu Lixin, Du Jiwen, Wang Ruhai, and Ding Qinzhi.

When Helian Pu saw the God of Wealth coming, he was immediately overjoyed and said, "You all have been missed by me. Now that you are finally here, I will treat you well this time!"

Xu Lixin and others looked a little bitter when they heard this.

Helian Pu immediately realized that something was wrong, and his smile froze. He asked, "What's wrong with you guys?"

Xu Lixin and Helian Pu bowed and sighed, "We came here together this time just to apologize to you. From now on, we don't plan to sell salt anymore. You should find another customer."

Helian Pu was very anxious when he heard this, and he grabbed Xu Lixin's arm and said, "What's the matter? What's the matter? Why don't you do such a good business? Are you here to lower the price today?

That won't do. Qingbai salt is already cheap enough. You can't be so dishonest. We work hard to produce salt, and it costs a lot of money. If you suppress it further, we won't make any money at all. We can't do this business!"

Wang Ruhai said quickly: "Mr. Helian, you misunderstood. It's not that we want to lower the price, it's that we really have no other choice!
Now the northwest regions can also produce salt, and the salt is as white as snow, and does not taste bitter at all. The quality is not inferior to that of blue and white salt. The key is that it is sold cheaper than salt. How do you think we can do business?
We do a little business just to make some money, but now it is not profitable, so we don't plan to do it anymore. Please understand, Mr. Helian."

After these words were spoken, Helian Pu's face became solemn. This matter... was out of this world!
In the Song Dynasty, there was also Jie salt sold in the northwest, but the transportation of Jie salt from mountain streams to the northwest was long and expensive, and the quality was too poor, so it could not pose any threat to Qingbai salt.

But now the Northwest can produce its own salt, and it has an advantage in freight over their Qingbai salt. The key is that if the quality is not bad, can the Qingbai salt still be sold?
Qingbai salt is a major source of income for Daxia. If Qingbai salt cannot be sold, then even if the market is opened, it will be of no use to Western Xia.

Where could Xixia find so much money to buy things from the Song Dynasty?
Helian Pu naturally knew how important the things from the Song Dynasty were to Western Xia.

Since the war broke out in the fourth year of Yuanfeng and the closure of the market, the people of Western Xia have been suffering greatly, needless to say. Even for powerful people like them, the quality of life has declined too much!

One of the reasons why Western Xia was unable to fight again this time was that the army had suffered too much damage, but another real reason was that after the closure of the market, the collective consumption of the whole country was downgraded, which caused great dissatisfaction, and even the court could not suppress it, so they were forced to cease fire.

If the blue and white salt cannot be sold now, the impact will be unimaginable!

Helian Pu was fully aware of the seriousness of the matter, but he had to appease these big salt merchants first. Without their channels, it would not be so easy for them to spread their blue and white salt throughout the northwest.

Helian Pu said quickly: "Don't worry, there must be a solution to this problem. You can stay here first and wait for my good news."

Helian Pu asked a few people to rest, then quickly called someone over and said, "Go pick out a dozen beautiful maids and send them to these guests. Serve them with all kinds of delicacies from land and sea. Make sure to serve them well and don't neglect them at all!"

The man went there quickly, and then Helian Pu quickly wrote a letter and sent someone to deliver it to Xingqing Prefecture.

The capital of Western Xia was Xingqing, and the prime minister's residence.

Prime Minister Liang Yimei has not had a particularly good time recently.

Originally things were fine. After Li Liangzuo's death, he and his sister, Empress Dowager Liang, controlled the government and lived a happy life. But since the first month of the second year of Da'an, when Li Bingchang took power, things began to go wrong.

Because Li Bingchang was planning to "restore Han rituals" in the summer and abolish "barbarian rituals."

The reason why the Liang family was able to govern was because the Queen Mother Liang and he were determined to abolish Han rituals and practice Barbarian rituals. This was their political achievement and won the support of the Dangxiang nobles. Now Li Bingchang wanted to "restore Han rituals" and abolish "Barbarian rituals", which would directly abolish the basis for their governance. How could that be possible!
So he and his sister Empress Dowager Liang tried their best to dissuade and oppose it, but Li Bingchang ignored them.

After four years of preparation, Li Bingchang officially ordered the plan to be implemented in the first month of the sixth year of Da'an.

In order to seek support and rely on to weaken the power of Liang's mother party, the unfortunate nephew even accepted the advice of General Li Qing and planned to cede the land south of the Yellow River to the Song Dynasty, using the method of making peace with the Song Dynasty and relying on the power of the Song Dynasty to deal with the power of Liang's mother party.

How can this be allowed? This is treason!
So Liang Yimei, together with his sister Queen Mother Liang, had the favored minister Wang Meng trick Li Qing into drinking when Li Qing was about to go on a diplomatic mission to the Song Dynasty. They then captured and killed him, and immediately imprisoned Bingchang in a wooden fort five miles away from the Xingqing Palace.

At the same time, Liang Yi gathered troops and controlled the Heliang Road, cutting off the capital's connection with the outside world.

But such a thing could not be concealed. When the news of Li Bingchang's imprisonment spread, the court was shocked. So Li Bingchang's royal relatives, his close associates, and tribal leaders from all over the country gathered their troops to defend their cities and fortresses, and fought against the forces of their mother party of the Liang family.

Liang Yimei sent his trusted aides with silver medals many times to persuade the Xia Kingdom to surrender and explain the benefits and disadvantages, but no one obeyed him. For a time, the Xia Kingdom was in chaos.

In desperation, Empress Dowager Liang and Liang Yimei had to compromise and restore Li Bingchang to the throne to ease the conflict.

However, even after Li Bingchang was restored to the throne, the power of the government was still firmly in the hands of him and his sister.

Unexpectedly, the Song Dynasty would lead a large army to attack Daxia. Fortunately, under the leadership of the two brothers and sisters, the Song Dynasty's plot was thwarted. Later, a great victory was won in Yongle City. Just when he was full of pride, he didn't expect that Ye Beima led an army of more than 100,000, but was completely annihilated by the Song Dynasty!
All of a sudden, Daxia was plunged into a precarious situation again!

The Tangut nobles have questioned that the two brothers and sisters have a poor grasp of people and are incapable of governing. Especially the faction of the Tangut noble Renduo Baozhong, who has become even more aggressive after the content of the recent peace talks was disclosed!

Liang Yimai himself is not young anymore. He has been working hard both internally and externally over the years and his body can no longer bear it. He looks haggard.

Liang Yibu hurried in from outside, looking a little panicked.

Liang Yi looked at his son and said with some dissatisfaction: "Why are you so flustered? Your Excellency was in a state of panic when the sky was falling. How can you govern in the future if you act like this?"

Liang Yibu was too busy to care about these things and said anxiously: "Yanzhou sent a letter saying that the six routes in Shaanxi during the Song Dynasty could produce their own salt. The quality of their salt is comparable to that of Qingbai salt, and the price is as cheap as mud and sand. We can't sell our Qingbai salt anymore!"

When Liang Yimei heard this, he was so shocked that he stood up suddenly. Unexpectedly, due to his weak body, he almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Liang Yibu held him up.

Liang Yimai looked panic-stricken. At this turbulent time, such a big thing happened. The Liang family was in danger!

Under the current situation, if the market can be opened normally, blue and white salt can be sold normally, materials from the Song Dynasty can flow in, the people can be safe, and the lives of the nobles can return to normal, then the Liang family can still continue to stabilize the government.

But if the sales of blue and white salt are cut off, Xixia will fall into hardship, the people will be uneasy, the nobles will be dissatisfied, and the Liang family will be surrounded by enemies!

Liang Yimai was panicked, but he had been in charge of government affairs for many years and had his own abilities. After a moment, he calmed down and asked, "What is the specific situation? Tell me in detail."

Liang Yibu quickly took out Helian Pu's letter and handed it to Liang Yimai. After Liang Yimai quickly read it, he looked even more worried.

But he also saw the crux of the problem.

"It's that Su Yun again!"

Liang Yimai said viciously.

The reason why the Liang family fell into their current situation was because Ye Beima lost to Su Yun. Now Su Yun came up with this vicious plan, which was to completely dig up the foundation of their Liang family!

"Help me up and go into the palace!"

Liang Yimai did not dare to act on his own and hurried into the palace to meet Empress Dowager Liang.

"What can I do? What can I do?"

After hearing Liang Yimai's analysis, Empress Dowager Liang was also panicked.

On the way to the palace, Liang Yi had already digested the shock of this incident and had completely calmed down. He said, "We will not sign the peace agreement for the time being. We will send an envoy to the Song Dynasty and ask the emperor and his ministers what this means.
Secondly, they sent an envoy to the Liao Kingdom, asking it to continue to exert pressure on the Song Kingdom;
Finally, we must send out troops again and seize the salt mountain in Mizhi of the Song Dynasty, so that we can eliminate future troubles!"

Empress Dowager Liang was shocked when she heard this and said, "It is reasonable not to sign the peace agreement at this time, but the price of asking the Liao Kingdom to help is not low. We paid a lot last time. If we ask the Liao Kingdom again this time, it will cost a lot.

As for sending troops, I am afraid it will be difficult to carry out. Now the major tribes are very dissatisfied with the court. I am afraid they will not obey the imperial edict and come. What can we do?"

Liang Yimai said decisively: "In the current situation, it is worth paying any price. We will give Liao whatever it wants. If the Qingbai Salt Road is cut off, our Liang family will perish!

As for sending troops, it is not impossible. Promise the major tribes that once the Mizhi Salt Mountain is captured, each tribe can occupy a portion of it. I don't believe they won't come!"

Queen Mother Liang was silent for a while after hearing this and said, "If this continues, the imperial court will be in even greater trouble. With the replenishment of the salt mountains and the markets of the six routes in Shaanxi, the tribes will grow rapidly. In a few years, the trunk will become weak and the branches will become strong, and the country will perish!"

Liang Yimai sneered and said, "Without the Liang family, Great Xia will perish. Do you want to watch our descendants of the Liang family being beheaded one by one by the Tanguts?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Liang no longer hesitated and said, "All is up to you. Go ahead!"

(End of this chapter)