Chapter 265 Surrender
This winter, it can only be said that Yelu Hongji is feeling even worse.

Yelu Hongji had to discuss with his ministers whether or not to listen to his son and pretend to surrender.

The main reason is that there is really no other way.

You simply cannot defeat them, so what else can you do except surrender?
Then all the ministers fell silent.

If it were in the past, they would definitely oppose it. After all, the Khitans also have their own dignity. How could they surrender just like that?
But after a series of defeats, they now have to face reality.

In the past six months alone, they have lost as many as thirty to fifty thousand elite soldiers, and the number of weapons, armor, cattle, sheep, and tents lost is too numerous to count.

So now, if you say you want to form a regular army of not just 100,000 people, but maybe 20,000 people, I’m afraid we don’t have the ability to do so in a short period of time.

after all……

You’ll have to find someone to redo the swords, armor and other things.

Besides, you have to re-select and re-train this person, right?

However, even so, do you think you really have the ability to defeat the Southern Dynasty’s army?

No one dares to say that they have such ability.

then……

A group of Liao ministers began to debate.

Some people think that if they surrender like this, how can they be worthy of their ancestors?

Yelu Hongji could only explain that if he did not surrender, they might have to go to meet their ancestors together next year.

And don’t be fooled by the fact that the Liao Kingdom seems very strong, in fact…

The Zhubu tribe in the northwest and the Jurchens in the northeast could not be said to be completely submissive to them.

In the past, it was often necessary to quell rebellions. If we let them know that we were already in a weak position, our country might even be on the verge of destruction.

Perhaps, these people will become the final force that blocks their escape by the Southern Dynasty.

This is like what Xueyantuo is to the Turks and what Uighurs are to Xueyantuo.

Whenever the Tang Dynasty wanted to eliminate a foreign race, there was always another foreign race that helped the Tang Dynasty block the retreat of the previous foreign race.

After finishing speaking.

Yelu Hongji then took out the letter Zhao Xin had given him.

The Prince of the Southern Dynasty wrote a letter to this extent.

He simply called his queen his mother-in-law and his son his son-in-law.

If we don’t surrender, it would be really shameless.

Would he be happy if he became a prisoner one day?
of course!

Yelu Hongji also said that he had no choice but to do so.

Didn’t the Southern Dynasty also be forced by them to pay the Qingli additional currency?

Now all they have to do is save themselves first.

Yelu Hongji finally said: “As His Majesty, and as the eldest son of the Yelu family, it doesn’t matter if Jun’er suffers a little injustice.”

“As long as we can give Liao a chance to catch our breath, we won’t be afraid of not being able to fight back in the future.”

Everyone was moved by Yelu Hongji’s words.

Actually, there is one thing…

These ministers didn’t want to fight either.

only……

For so many years, the pride of such a large empire as the Liao Kingdom made it impossible to accept such a fact.

Yelu Yixin, courtesy name Hu Dugun, the Northern Court Privy Councilor, asked, “What are you going to do next, Your Majesty?”

Yelu Hongji said, “First send an envoy to negotiate peace with the other side. Let’s see what the other side’s conditions are.”

Say it!

He also looked at everyone and said, “Who among you is willing to go?”

Everyone looked at each other. Whoever went there would definitely be cursed.

Although it is possible that the Liao people did not attach that much importance to reputation.

Then, seeing that no one dared to step forward, Yelu Yixin took the initiative to step forward and said, “Your Majesty, if no one is willing to go, I am willing to go!”

Yelu Hongji looked at Yelu Yixin who had a righteous look on his face. At the critical moment, it still has to be Yelu Yixin!

This winter.

Yelu Yixin represented the Liao Kingdom and came to Youzhou City in a dusty manner to meet Zhao Xin.

Zhao Xin also met Yelu Chongyuan at his old residence and asked, “Why did you come this time?”

Yelu Yixin, who had his head shaved except for a little hair on his temples, replied: “We, the Northern Dynasty, hope to stop the war with you, the Southern Dynasty.”

Zhao Xin also responded in front of everyone: “So…what do you Liao Kingdom plan to give us?”

Yelu Yixin said, “It all depends on the needs of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Southern Dynasty.”

Zhao Xin said, “If you want to stop the war, it’s not impossible, but you must first get rid of the country’s name and then respect me as the Heavenly Khan.”

At the very beginning, there was something that Yelu Yixin could not accept.

but……

Yelu Yixin was not in a hurry to refute immediately.

Instead, he asked, “Does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Southern Dynasty have any other requests?”

Zhao Xin then said, “From now on, I have the right to manage your Khitan people’s internal affairs, and your officials must listen to me.”

Yelu Yixin also said: “I’ll listen to you on this, which means…”

Zhao Xin then said: “I hope you can regard me as your Majesty.”

Yelu Yixin said, “I’m afraid this is difficult to do.”

Zhao Xin said: “It will be difficult. After all, if that is the case, where should we put your Majesty? But if you don’t listen to me, you will rebel from time to time, which will be very troublesome for me.”

Yelu Yixin then asked, “What will our Majesty do then?”

Zhao Xin said, “I haven’t thought about it yet, but… I will definitely find a place for him in the future.”

The only thing Yelu Yixin could think of was that the other party might imprison his majesty.

Yelu Yixin then asked, “Does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Southern Dynasty have any other requests?”

Zhao Xin said, “In the future, I plan to actually control you Khitan. Of course, under the one country, two systems policy, none of you officials will be affected. You will remain the same officials as before. Go back and tell your Majesty that I will go north again next year. I hope he can think carefully and surrender early. It’s not too late. Don’t wait until you become the king of a fallen country. By then, you will be of no value.”

Zhao Xin’s words were very impolite.

Yelu Yixin quickly took back Zhao Xin’s words.

When everyone heard this, they all had their own ideas in mind.

This seems to be intended to alienate the king and his subjects, right?

and……

If all of them listen to Zhao Xin in the future, what will Your Majesty do?
Yelu Hongji did not expect that Zhao Xin would exclude him alone.

Yelu Hongji asked unwillingly, “Is that all the other party said?”

Yelu Yixin said, “That’s all I have to say.”

When Yelu Hongji heard this, he knew there was nothing he could do!
This is forcing him to fight!
When he looked at his ministers again, he inexplicably felt that these guys would suddenly betray him.
As for Yelu Hongji, he inherited the throne from his father.

You say he has a lot of prestige, but that’s not necessarily the case.

After the meeting, Yelu Hongji asked Yelu Yixin individually whether Zhao Xin had mentioned the marriage proposal.

Yelu Yixin could only express that there was absolutely nothing.

Yelu Hongji immediately looked troubled and sat down.

In that case, we have no choice but to continue fighting.

However, a few days later, Yelu Hongji received another letter from Zhao Xin.

It is said that the hairstyles of the Liao people are too ugly. So for the sake of my daughter’s lifelong plan, I have to re-examine it.

I hope you can send me a portrait of your son so that I can take a look at it first.

Yelu Hongji was a little confused.

“You want to marry, but don’t want to marry, what do you mean by that?”

Zhao Xin replied in the same way: “How can I use marriage as a bargaining chip in negotiations between the two countries? That is not an insult to you, but an insult to your son. I sincerely hope that the people of the two ethnic groups can live in peace in the future. As for what you can do if you surrender. After careful consideration, I absolutely cannot let you be the emperor of Liao. You can be the King of Khitan and manage business for me.”

What this means is that you should just stay out of trouble regarding military and political matters.

I’m giving you a chance to become rich, so don’t wait until the time comes and lead others to think about how to rebel.

Yelu Hongji didn’t quite understand what it meant to be in charge of business.

He asked Zhao Xin directly what this meant.

Zhao Xin wrote back, “From now on, all trades between the north and south of Yanshan Mountain will have to be handled by someone. You will be responsible for collecting all kinds of goods north of Yanshan Mountain, such as cattle, sheep, horses, and wild delicacies, and then handling the transactions. It’s almost like a merchant.”

Yelu Hongji could only say that he felt despised.

He is the king of a country after all, and you want me to do what a businessman does?

however……

Yelu Hongji did not understand the power of businessmen at all.

You have to know that the Western powers are all businessmen at heart.

Yelu Hongji had no idea how much money he could make.

but……

The annual income probably wouldn’t be that small, compared to becoming a king who lost his country or even having his head chopped off.

This is the best ending.

it’s over…

Yelu Hongji then asked for his wife and son’s opinions.

He also sighed in front of his wife Xiao Guanyin: “Am I the king of a fallen country?”

Xiao Guanyin also said: “Your Majesty, can’t you fight again?”

It’s not that Yelu Hongji doesn’t want to fight.

But I really can’t beat him.

Anyone can see that the Liao Kingdom is now in decline.

His father had fought against Western Xia twice, and the national strength had actually been severely damaged.

In addition, he suffered a major defeat in Youzhou City, another major defeat in the Jinzhou area, and another major defeat on the way back to Jinzhou from Liaodong.

Those elite troops of the Liao Kingdom had long been lost.

If he still insists on not surrendering at this moment, he will probably have to go to the grassland to herd sheep by himself.

And by then, those other tribes that used to be dependent on them, such as the Zubu tribe in the west, the Ugu tribe and the Dilie tribe in the northwest, the old people of Bohai and the surviving members of Goguryeo in the east and south, the Jurchens in the northeast, and the Shiwei in the north, would they continue to depend on them once they discovered that they were no longer viable?
and so……

The best way is to surrender directly.

If it were not the Liao Kingdom or the Khitans at this time, perhaps they would not have thought so far.

But the Liao Kingdom, especially Yelu Hongji, had been deeply sinicized, and it is unknown how many Han historical books he had read.

Of course he knew what would happen if he did not surrender.

can only say……

Surrender is shameful.

But after all, he admired the Central Plains culture, so if he could become a member of the Central Plains, it would not be something difficult to accept.

If it were any other barbarian tribe, that certainly wouldn’t work.

But now they are all wearing the same clothes as the people in the Central Plains, so what’s wrong with that?
After discussing this with Xiao Guanyin, Yelu Hongji asked Yelu Jun what he thought about this matter.

Yelu Jun was still young, and he actually had no real sense of surrender.

Anyway…

All I can say is that I follow my father’s arrangements.

After some careful consideration.

The next year, spring.

Yelu Hongji, in the name of the people of the world and in order to end the war as quickly as possible, formally proposed to everyone to surrender to the Southern Dynasty.

On the Liao side…

It would be impossible for officials at all levels to say that they were not surprised.

But let me be honest, if you don’t surrender now, what else can you do?
Rather…

Even if you search through all the history books, it would be difficult to find a few people who can do what their Majesty did.

Considering the level of war, they are actually completely defeated.

nowadays……

His Majesty took the initiative to surrender again.

The remaining officials had nothing to say.

In this case!

Then surrender!
Send an envoy to inform the prince of the Southern Dynasty.

And at the same time…

Zhao Xin was in Youzhou City, also thinking about how to fight this year’s war.

Then what he never expected was…

This Yelu Hongji actually surrendered!

Be reasonable!
Even Zhao Xin found it hard to believe.

but……

You have to admit that even if the Liao Kingdom persisted, it would only be a dying struggle.

Yelu Hongji, who was able to make such a decision, can be regarded as a wise monarch.

From ancient times to the present, it seems that only the southern regimes like to surrender directly without fighting.

This time, it was a northern regime like the Liao Dynasty that emerged.

Since Yelu Hongji said he wanted to surrender, there was no reason for Zhao Xin to refuse.

Set an auspicious day.

Then…

Zhao Xin accepted Yelu Hongji’s surrender at Shanhaiguan.

When the news reached Kaifeng Prefecture, even his dying father sat up in shock and climbed out of bed.

He asked everyone, “What did Zui Xinglai do?”

Zhao Zhen asked everyone, but people like Ouyang Xiu didn’t know either.

Anyway…

The Liao Kingdom has now surrendered.

Ouyang Xiu even said with special concern: “Your Majesty, please take care of your health.”

But this statement is a bit ambiguous.

Seeing that everyone was looking over with bated breath, Ouyang Xiu added: “What I meant is that the emperor is still ill and should not be too excited.”

Zhao Zhen, however, held his forehead in confusion, smiled, and said to everyone: “Zui Xinglai has been different from other children since he was young. It is not surprising that he can persuade the Liao Kingdom to surrender. But I am still very curious about how he did it. Send someone to ask.”

(End of this chapter)