Lai Yi Pavilion, Flying Phoenix Hall!
The Luzhou officials and the Korean envoy sat side by side, one on the left and the other on the right. In the middle of the seats were Zhao Xuan and the Korean Crown Prince Li Gang.
At this moment, a few dancers were performing a dance.
"Crown Prince, are you satisfied with this song and dance?”Lu Province Governor Gongsun Zhen asked Li Gang. However, this old fellow would easily stutter when he was excited, and his words would be intermittent.
"The singing and dancing are ordinary, but I did discover something very interesting. Your Highness, are the officials of the Great Song all so special? A stutterer could become a magistrate? From the looks of it, could Cripple also be a general? No wonder the Great Song and the Great Liao were always defeated!”
"Hahahahaha."
"Hahahaha…"
Below the banquet, the Seventh Prince of Koryo, Li Xi, General Piao, and the others all laughed along.
On the other side, the people from Great Song were furious.
Zhao Xuan's expression did not change. He looked at the Korean people and smiled."The world is foolish to treat gold and silver as treasures! Only China regards talents as jewels! As an official, one should have a noble character, so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment!”
"As a general, you should command your soldiers to intimidate the four directions! Therefore, in the Central Plains, in ancient times, Gan Luo was appointed prime minister at the age of twelve, and now Gongsun Zhen stutters as an official! He might not be strong enough, but his ability is outstanding. He can rule hundreds of thousands of people in Luzhou! Isn't this a blessing for the Great Song?"
"As for Song Liao starting a war? How did the Crown Prince hear that our Great Song has suffered so many losses? Taizong's Northern Expedition was aimed at Yanyun. Although he didn't succeed, our Great Song was not defeated!”
"In the Battle of Chanyuan, our Song Dynasty resisted the Liao army outside the city and forced the Liao to retreat and sue for peace. Our Emperor Zhenzong couldn't bear to see the people suffer and the war started again, so he made an alliance with the Liao Kingdom and became a brotherly country. This is a benevolent act. Now, our Song Dynasty and the Liao Kingdom have not had any disputes for decades.”
"However, I heard that back then, when Korea was at war with the Great Liao, they sent an envoy to the Great Liao to declare themselves as subjects.”
Zhao Xuan asked Li Gang in disdain.
Li Gang was speechless because Zhao Xuan was right. Back then, Goryeo was indeed frightened by the Liao Dynasty.
Speaking of which, the Northern Song Dynasty had a very high chance of winning in foreign wars. Whether it was against the Great Liao or the Western Xia, the chances of winning were as high as 70%.
As for why the Northern Song was weak, Zhao Xuan felt that it was because the Northern Song had always been on the defensive. After Taizong, they rarely took the initiative to attack.
In addition, the Northern Song Dynasty liked to give money to their opponents and use it to smash them to death. To the civil officials of the Northern Song Dynasty, anything that could be done with money was not considered a problem.
However, throughout the Northern Song Dynasty, there had never been a marriage alliance. Before the Jin army broke through the Northern Song Dynasty, there had never been a marriage alliance princess who had married into the Liao or Western Xia.
This was the same situation as the Ming Dynasty!
From this point of view, the people of the Northern Song Dynasty lived and worked in peace and contentment, surpassing other dynasties in history. Their happiness index was definitely the highest in history.
Zhao Xuan's words also made Bao Zheng and the others below feel their blood boil!
The world is foolish. They regard gold and silver as treasures. Only the Central Plains regards talents as treasures. Isn't this the only way?
"Alright, since the prince has said so, then there are many talented people in the Great Song. I am not talented, but there is an absolute here. I have been thinking hard but can't find the next line. Why don't I ask the Great Song to help me?”Li Gang's first plan failed, and he had another plan.
"Ten hearts, miss the country, miss the family, miss the country! This is a couplet that is very difficult to disassemble. How about this? I will give you all the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.”Li Gang said proudly.
"No need!"
"No need!"
Gongsun Ce said in unison.
"I'll go first. My second verse is,'Eight Eyes Appreciate, Appreciate the Wind, Appreciate the Moon, Appreciate the Mid-Autumn Festival!'”Gongsun Ce said.
Bao Zheng then said," Mine is a little similar. Hachi Kaga, New Year, Moon, and Peace!"”
"Good, good!" On the other hand, the Great Song was cheering.
"Crown Prince, Little Wang also has a second line!”At this moment, Zhao Xuan said.
"Thank you, thank the heavens, thank the emperor!”
"Your Highness, this pair is the perfect one. I, Gongsun Ce, admit defeat!”When Gongsun Ce heard Zhao Xuan's couplet, he immediately cupped his hands and said.
Pairs were a combination of heaven and earth, rain and wind, and land and sky.
Li Gang's couplet was " Country, Family, and Land ", while Gongsun Ce's " Wind, Moon, and Mid-Autumn Festival " were not appropriate for this couplet.
Bao Zheng's was the same. The year, month, and peace were also a little remote from the country.
However, the two of them had a neat couplet. It was barely a suitable second line.
However, Zhao Xuan's was very neat and impeccable! Country, family, country! Heaven, Earth, Monarch!
In this era, the country, the world, the country, and the emperor were natural counterparts. Therefore, Zhao Xuan's couplet was much better than Gongsun Ce and Bao Zheng's.
"Sigh, Imperial Brother, this Great Song is a country of literary talent. A mere couplet naturally can't stump a talent from Luzhou! My Goryeo is a country that values martial arts. I think it's better for us to meet our friends with martial arts today. What do you think?”Seventh Prince Li Xi jumped out to help his Imperial Brother out of the predicament.
"Alright, I've heard that Minister Cui is skilled in both civil and martial arts. His family has passed down the Willow Leaf Sword Technique, and he's unrivaled in Korea. Why don't Minister Cui fight for Korea today?”Li Gang walked up to Cui Guanghao and said with a smile.
"Alright, Ah-Jiu, go and try Minister Cui's sword technique!”Zhao Xuan said to Sword Nine.
"Minister Cui, where is your weapon? Do you want me to send someone to your room to get it?”Gongsun Zhen said kindly.
"No need, General Piao. Lend me your saber!”Cui Guanghao said coldly.
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