You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 9 Talking Off the Top of the Liao and Jin Dynasties

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, and their eyes were all focused on a boy.

Tong Guan saw that he was young, but he did not show the slightest displeasure. Instead, he looked at Chen Shao with great interest.

He wasn't speaking without reason today.

The reason for asking this question suddenly is actually to promote one of his subordinates.

"Then tell me, what's your plan?"

A hint of embarrassment appeared on Chen Shao's face.

Who was Tong Guan?

Having emerged from among tens of thousands of eunuchs in the deep palace, you can question his military command ability, his character, and everything about him.

The only thing you can't question is his ability to read people's expressions.

In this respect, the treacherous officials are all authorities and experts.

He immediately laughed and turned around, then went out to the small room in the hall on his own.

Several guards immediately stood at the door, their hands on the swords at their waists.

Amidst the astonished gazes of the group, Chen Shao walked past Tong Guan's personal guards and entered the room.

Tong Guan sat imposingly in the room. When he saw Chen Shao enter, he showed no fear or timidity. Tong Guan nodded to himself inwardly.

His power was immense, yet this lowly military officer remained so composed; perhaps he truly possessed ability.

Little did he know that in Chen Shao's eyes, he was just a eunuch, nothing to be revered.

His soul traveled from the future and had no reverence for imperial power. He would not be trembling with fear even when he met the emperor, let alone a eunuch.

At this moment, someone whispered something in Tong Guan's ear. After listening, he looked up and glanced at Chen Shao again.

Chen Shao didn't put on an air of mystery. He twisted his wristband, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Chen Shao, your disciple, pays respects to Your Excellency."

"Disciple?" Tong Guan looked at him with interest.

Chen Shao made no attempt to hide anything, raising his head and saying, "To be honest, my official position was promoted by the Pacification Commissioner."

It was common knowledge that the Pacification Commissioner's office in the Northwest was selling official positions and titles and accumulating wealth for Tong Guan.

His unbridled words and thick skin caused even some of Tong Guan's confidants in the tent to burst out laughing.

Tong Guan had just heard all of Chen Shao's background from his subordinates. He knew that this man was just an eighth-rank grain commissioner who had bought his position from him and had even fraudulently claimed military merits.

However, this person has Liu Yanqing's background.

Liu Yanqing was a military leader in the Western Army and had considerable power. He had always been someone Tong Guan wanted to win over.

"Come on, tell me your plan to defeat Xia."

"There is no strategy to break through the summer."

Tong Guan didn't speak, but the people around him all burst into laughter, though their laughter was filled with a chilling coldness.

"How dare you! Who are you to mock Commander Xuan!"

Chen Shao dared not continue playing with fire and quickly said, "Breaking through Xia is already a foregone conclusion, why bother with any strategy? Mark this place and you'll find the strategy to defeat Liao!"

After he finished speaking, he paused and looked directly into the eyes of Tong Guan, who was listening quietly.

Logically speaking, these were the words that would most move him. After all, others might not know, but Chen Shao knew all too well that what Tong Guan wanted to do most at this moment was to defeat Liao.

Then he was made a king!
To everyone's surprise, Tong Guan remained completely calm after hearing this, showing no emotion whatsoever.

He just sat there, not saying a word, his face expressionless.

The people standing nearby all looked at Chen Shao with disbelief.

To attack Liao.

They were a group of interest formed around Tong Guan, and within them, the campaign against Liao was an absolute secret, known only to a select few. Why isn't this damned eunuch speaking yet?
Time passed slowly, and the atmosphere in the tent became strange and eerie. Chen Shao's vest was completely soaked.

"The Song and Liao are brotherly nations. You, a mere eighth-rank grain commissioner, dare to attempt to sabotage the relationship between the two great powers. Your intentions are sinister! Guards, take him out and behead him!"

Tong Guan, I'm going to work at 8 AM!
Chen Shao cursed inwardly, but seeing that two personal guards were about to come over, he quickly said, "Since Commander Xuan took command of the troops, he has recovered the Hehuang region and threatened the Western Xia. The whole world admires him. I only dared to propose the strategy of attacking Liao because I saw that you are such a hero. I only hope that you can recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun in one fell swoop, drive out the Tartars, and restore our land."

"The culprit is innocent! Chen Shao is innocent!"

The Song and Liao dynasties were brotherly states; this was not something Tong Guan made up, but something written in their alliance treaty.

During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, the Treaty of Chanyuan signed by the two countries clearly stipulated that Song and Liao were brother states, and that the monarchs of both sides would address each other as brothers according to their age, with Emperor Zhenzong of Song (37 years old at the time) as the elder brother and Emperor Shengzong of Liao (35 years old at the time) as the younger brother.

Empress Xiao of the Liao Dynasty was addressed as "aunt" by the Song Dynasty, and both sides treated each other with equal courtesy in their official correspondence.

After Chen Shao finished speaking, Tong Guan remained silent, but a scholar-looking man beside him sneered and said, "Such important military and national affairs should be decided by the ministers in the court. What strategies could a mere grain commissioner like you possibly have?"

He's Tong Guan's mouth double.

When important figures are unable to say something directly, having someone close to them say it can minimize the responsibility.

If something really goes wrong, they'll shift the blame to everyone else, saying it was all my men who did it, and that I knew nothing about it.

Chen Shao quickly replied, "Commander Xuan may not know, but I once accompanied a cavalry caravan to the northern border to trade horses."

Selling horses in the northern border was a crime in itself, yet Chen Shao blurted it out.

Those inside the tent were the first to believe some of it.

Moreover, horse trading is done secretly, so if they really investigate, there's room for them to cover up their lies.

"The Liao Dynasty may seem vast now, with a million soldiers, but in reality it is complacent and decadent, and is on the verge of destruction. I once traveled to Liaodong and witnessed firsthand how the Liao people exploited and oppressed the Jurchens."

"When Biaoxia was in Huanglong Prefecture, he unexpectedly met Wanyan Aguda, the leader of the Wanyan tribe, and had a good relationship with the Jurchens."

“After drinking with his subordinates, Aguda repeatedly revealed his true intentions, saying that he wanted to rebel. What the commander did not know was that although their forces were not large, they were extremely fierce and good at fighting, and they also had a blood feud with the Khitan Liao people.”

"I am willing to serve Commander En and the Great Song Dynasty, and go to Liaodong again to help the Jurchens rise up!"

At this time, the Jurchens had already raised an army, but Chen Shao pretended not to know.

After listening, Tong Guan simply stared coldly at Chen Shao, as if trying to see right through him.

Chen Shao showed no fear whatsoever, staring directly into Tong Guan's eyes.

"You really know the leader of the Jurchens?"

Nowadays, information can only spread through limited channels, and those in high positions can only know about things that are thousands of miles away.

How did this lowly eighth-rank grain envoy know this?
Moreover, his information seemed to be somewhat delayed; he was unaware that the Jurchens had already launched an uprising and had defeated 700,000 Liao people at Huanglongfu.

To be honest, Tong Guan didn't quite believe it when he first heard about this achievement.

The fact that the young man in front of him was not entirely accurate only made Tong Guan believe him even more.

Moreover, he was somewhat reckless and impulsive, not like a cunning and shrewd schemer.

Chen Shao quickly said, "Biaoxia is only relatively familiar with a Jurchen tribe. Their leader is called Wanyan Aguda, and he has a younger brother named Wanyan Wuqimai. Both brothers are skilled at driving bears and hunting tigers."

Both the Jin and Song dynasties were happy about the alliance to attack the Liao dynasty.

Therefore, negotiating peace was not difficult, and Chen Shao was not worried at all about his words being exposed.

He just needed a way to advance, not to actually become Tong Guan's disciple.

Even if it gets exposed, it's not a big deal.

As long as things are done well, that's fine.

　Thank you to Brother Fengmeng and Brother Ji Mingtian. Thank you to Digital Brother (20200406232632238) for the donation, and thank you everyone for your monthly tickets and recommendations.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)