Chapter 346: Liao must submit to the Song Dynasty Xiao Wolishi finally returned to the capital of Liao with exhaustion and frustration of defeat. He did not take time to rest, but immediately went to the palace to report the war with Song Dynasty to Emperor Yelu Dashi in detail. "Your Majesty, our army was badly defeated in this battle with the Song Dynasty," Xiao Wuli said sadly. "The Song Dynasty's military is really strong. Their muskets and artillery have great lethality. Our army is simply unable to resist." Yelu Dashi listened to Xiao Wuli's report, and his face gradually became ugly. He said unwillingly: "We Liao Kingdom was once the overlord of the grassland, but now we have been defeated by the Song Dynasty. How can we accept this?" "Your Majesty, victory and defeat are common in the military. What's important is that we must face reality and consider the future of Liao." Xiao Worizhi advised, "The Song Dynasty is now strong and has advanced military equipment. If we continue to fight, it will be like hitting a rock with an egg. It is better to take this opportunity to seek peace and avoid greater losses." Yelu Dashi frowned, thought for a moment and said, "Ask for peace? Wouldn't that be showing weakness to the Song Dynasty? Where is the face of the Liao Kingdom?" "Your Majesty, face is important, but the survival of the country is more critical." Xiao Woli said earnestly, "The Song Dynasty's muskets and artillery have shocked me deeply. I have never seen such lethality in my life. We cannot put the country in danger for the sake of so-called face." Yelu Dashi sighed deeply. He knew that what Xiao Wuli said was true. The defeat had already severely damaged the vitality of the Liao Kingdom. If they insisted on resisting, they would probably lead to the destruction of the country. "Then in your opinion, how should we seek peace?" asked Yelu Dashi. "We can send envoys to the Song Dynasty to express our sincerity and put forward some conditions for peaceful coexistence." Xiao Woli suggested, "I believe that the Emperor of the Song Dynasty is also a wise monarch. She should consider the possibility of peace." Yelu Dashi nodded in agreement: "Okay, let's do as you say and go to the Song Dynasty to seek peace."
Xiao Wulishi took the order and left, but he could not help but feel deeply moved. He knew very well that this request for peace was a humiliating experience for the Liao Kingdom, but it was also a choice that had to be made for the future of the country. At the same time, in the palace of the Song Dynasty, Empress Zhao Yingluo also received news that the Liao Kingdom had asked for peace. She smiled and said to the important officials around her: "It seems that the Liao Kingdom has finally realized the strength and determination of the Song Dynasty. This request for peace is good news for us." "Your Majesty is right," an important official echoed, "We should take this opportunity to reach a peace agreement with the Liao Kingdom and jointly maintain stability on the border." Zhao Yingluo nodded and said, "Pass the order on. Tell the envoys to maintain a tough but polite attitude when negotiating with the Liao Kingdom. We must let the Liao Kingdom understand that peace is based on equality and respect." After some preparation, Xiao Wulishi led the delegation on the journey to the Song Dynasty. In March, the spring breeze was warm and the delegation finally arrived in Kaifeng City. From afar, the green wheat seedlings outside Kaifeng City are growing wildly, like a vibrant ocean. Inside the city, it is a different scene, with prosperous streets, bustling voices, vendors' cries, pedestrians' chattering and laughter interweaving into a vivid picture. Standing in front of the city gate, Xiao Woriqi took a deep breath and said with emotion: "Is this the prosperity of the Song Dynasty? It is indeed well-deserved." A young warrior named Yelu Ning, one of the members of the delegation, looked around curiously and couldn't help saying: "The people here live a really good life. Looking at their clothes and listening to their conversations, you can tell that they live a good life here." Another old official, Yelu Hong, also nodded and agreed: "Yes, the Song Dynasty has a profound cultural heritage, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. It is indeed enviable." Xiao Wolici smiled slightly: "We came here this time to understand and learn from their strengths. Only in this way can we understand the gap between the Liao Dynasty and the Song Dynasty and put ourselves in the right position." The next morning, the sun shone through the curtains into the house. Xiao Woriqi got up early and dressed neatly. His Liao costume not only showed his status, but also showed his respect for the Song Dynasty royal family. He carefully checked the tributes to be presented to the Song Dynasty empress. The jade and jewels were shining, and each one was a treasure of the Liao Dynasty. The most precious one was the extraordinary Ferghana horse. This horse is a treasure passed down from generation to generation by the Liao royal family. The horse's body is red and its sweat is like blood when it runs, hence its name. During this diplomatic mission, Yelu Dashi specially brought this horse as a tribute to express the Liao Kingdom's respect for the Song Dynasty and its sincerity in seeking peace. Xiao Wolishi brought tribute and arrived at the palace under the guidance of the palace guards. He was secretly amazed by the grandeur and luxury of the palace, but he was more concerned about the upcoming meeting with the empress. In the magnificent hall, Xiao Wulishi finally met the legendary Empress Zhao Yingluo. She sat on the dragon throne, majestic yet elegant. Xiao Wulishi took a deep breath, stepped forward, and bowed deeply: "I, the Liao envoy Xiao Wulishi, on behalf of the Liao Emperor Yelu Dashi, extend my most sincere greetings to Her Majesty the Empress." Zhao Yingluo smiled slightly, her voice gentle yet dignified: "Envoy Xiao, you have come a long way and have worked hard. Please express my gratitude to Emperor Yelu on my behalf." Xiao Wulici stood up and presented the tribute list with both hands: "This is the tribute carefully selected by our emperor. Please have a look, Your Majesty." As the list unfolded, precious tributes were presented one by one. When the Ferghana horse was led into the hall, its majestic demeanor immediately attracted everyone's attention. Zhao Yingluo's eyes flashed with admiration: "This horse is really extraordinary. I appreciate the sincerity of Emperor Yelu." Seeing Zhao Yingluo accept the tribute with satisfaction, Xiao Wuli felt relieved and took the opportunity to mention the real purpose of this visit. He looked solemn and said in a steady voice: "Your Majesty, the Liao Kingdom is not only here to express respect for the Song Dynasty, but also hopes to maintain long-term friendly relations with the Song Dynasty in the future. We promise that the Liao Kingdom will respect and maintain the territorial integrity of the Song Dynasty and will never violate it again." However, just as he finished speaking, Lu Yihao, the left prime minister of the Song Dynasty, stood up and said sternly, "Envoy Xiao, since the Liao Dynasty is willing to be friendly with our country, then we have one condition - the Liao Dynasty must pay tribute to the Song Dynasty and pay tribute every year." As soon as these words came out, the whole court was in an uproar. Xiao Wulici's face also turned ugly in an instant. He knew very well that this request was undoubtedly humiliating for the Liao Dynasty, which had once dominated the Song Dynasty. He suppressed his anger and said as calmly as possible: "Prime Minister Lu, this request is too harsh. The Liao Dynasty and the Song Dynasty are both great powers and should be treated equally. It is difficult for us to obey your order to pay tribute to the Liao Dynasty."
Lu Yihao was unmoved. He said coldly: "Envoy Xiao, times have changed. The Liao Dynasty today is no longer the Liao Dynasty of the past, but our country has powerful artillery and muskets. I don't need to say much about their power. If the Liao Dynasty is unwilling to accept this condition, then we can only use force to speak." Xiao Wulici's heart sank. He knew that the Song Dynasty's artillery and muskets were extremely powerful, which the Liao Dynasty could not match. He fell into deep thought, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.