Good fellow

  The rest of the people waiting by the road had no idea about the hardships of the two on the mound. When they saw Xiao Wu frowning and carefully bringing Han Jiu back step by step, they all showed a strange smile.

  Finally got Jiuniang back safely, Xiao Wu felt a weight lifted off his shoulders and thought to himself, "Why does it always feel so exhausting whenever I run into this little girl?"

  After a while, they finally set off. Han Han wanted to show his dedication to his duty, so he rode the thin horse and took on the task of leading the way. Xiao Wu could only follow behind the middle carriage on foot, but fortunately, he had strong legs, so walking for a day was no problem.

  Just as Xiao Wu thought he was relaxing, Jiu Gu Niang suddenly made him busy: "Fifth brother, hiding at home for half a day, hungry and thirsty, quickly get something to eat and drink."

  The young housekeeper, with a spirited and refreshing air, glanced at the road ahead, not wanting to dampen everyone's enthusiasm. After some thought, he pulled out a pancake that his wife had prepared from his shoulder bag and handed over his own water bottle, saying apologetically: "Ninth Miss, it's not as comfortable on the road as it is at home, so just make do with these for now."

  "Is this a pancake made by Aunt Ah? I'd like to try some myself." Han Jiu'er took it straightforwardly, took a sip of water, and then took another bite of the pancake. At first, she was still mindful of her manners, after all, she had just come out of childhood. Gradually, she began to devour it eagerly, eating while praising, "I didn't expect that something made from just coarse flour and scallions could taste so good! No wonder Lianxiang said Aunt Ah is a clever and beautiful woman, indeed a perfect match for Fifth Brother."

  "The Ninth Maiden is overpraising me, I am just a humble woman from a village in Hebei, and he is just a humble man from a village in Hebei." Xiaowu rarely received such direct praise, and couldn't help but blush.

  "The vast and endless sky, the road to Yangguan is a thousand miles long. The horses are neighing, people are leaving, and the mountains are filled with sorrow. The fragrance of the old armor and the white snow of the distant land. My heart is entwined with thoughts, my soul is separated from my dreams, on top of the high tower." Han Jiu'er's eyebrows furrowed, she put down the half-eaten pastry, and sang a melancholic tune of "Jiuquanzi", the bitterness of her journey and the longing for her hometown matched the scene before her eyes. She seemed to have grown up several years in an instant, staring blankly at the distant official road, murmuring, "Fifth brother, don't you miss Eldest Sister?"

  "This poem sings of the emotions of a traveler missing his hometown and relatives, but I've only been away from home for half a day, and I'm not even a traveler, why be so overly sentimental?" Xiao Wu was taken aback and lost his smile, and his attitude towards Jiu Niang also gradually jumped out of the rigid master-servant relationship. Speaking of which, among the group, he and Han Jiu'er's age were the closest.

  "What a learned husband from Hebei village, who actually knows literature and books." Han Jiu'er's pair of black eyes stared at Xiao Wu with half reproach and half doubt, refuting his previous words.

  "The little man only reads some village books." Xiao Wu followed the pace of Zhong Che's footsteps, feeling that this Jiu Gu Niang was really difficult to serve, and even a single sentence had to be carefully considered.

  "Xiang Yue Wu, don't you think it's hard to deal with your own family?" Hui Zhi Lan Xin's Han Jiu Er seemed to see what Xiao Wu was thinking and pouted her small face. "Punish you by making you sit in the carriage and accompany me to talk."

  " Ninth sister, this is not allowed." Xiao Wu was startled by her last sentence and quickly waved his hand in refusal. It's a taboo for men and women to be alone together in the same room according to Song Dynasty etiquette.

  "This is your own home." Han Jiu'er chuckled and swung her legs casually under the carriage, "Fifth brother, you'd better keep up."

  "I see!" Xiao Wu hastened his pace, he had been brought up with a reserved personality, accustomed to being frugal and not speaking or laughing carelessly. For the first time, he was close to Han Jiu'er, a wealthy young lady who was carefree and acted on her own accord, and he felt somewhat unaccustomed to it.

  "Listening to Mr. talking, you borrowed 'Zuo Zhuan' and 'Sun Wu's Art of War' from him, are these also village books?" As expected, the young girl was just growing up, without malice, but still teasing people, Han Jiu'er still grasped Xiao Wu's words and wouldn't let go.

  "Although I am just a villager, I also know the rise and fall of the world. As a common man, I have my own responsibility." Xiaowu finally got excited and spoke out his mind, "In today's world, on the surface it seems peaceful, but in reality there are barbarians lurking outside and treacherous officials within, just like a sword hanging over our heads. We as warriors should take history as a mirror, not miss the heroes, and devote ourselves to the country."

  "What a hero without peer, dedicating himself to the country of Xu!" Han Jiu'er's bright eyes sparkled, this unremarkable little fifth brother was indeed extraordinary. "I wonder which hero in history Fifth Brother admires?"

  "Nature is the Guan and Zhang of Peach Garden Oath." Xiaowu said without thinking, he had loved listening to the storytellers who traveled through the countryside telling stories of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", commonly known as "Lecturing on the Three Divisions", and was extremely admiring of the loyal and righteous Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

  "Guan Yu and Zhang Fei can't be considered top-notch heroes! In terms of achievements, they don't match up to Xiang Yu, Han Xin, or Zhou Yu, who either overthrew a dynasty or established a state. As for their endings, one was captured and killed by an enemy country, while the other was harmed by his own subordinates, dying unjustly, and not as glorious as those three men, who either died with great fanfare or in a way that makes people sigh in regret." Han Jiuer had read through historical books and came from a noble background, so she wasn't influenced by the folk tales circulating in the streets, but she didn't know that the heroic images of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had already been deeply ingrained in people's minds, with even women and children knowing about them.

  "Miss Ji was right, but Fei thought that in terms of loyalty to the country and brotherly righteousness, who else could compare with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei? Their words were trustworthy, their actions were fruitful, they kept their promises sincerely, and did not love their own lives. They rushed to the aid of those in distress, this is what a great man should do!" Little Wu couldn't bear her idol being looked down upon, and loudly argued back, unknowingly no longer humble, treating Han Jiuer as an equal conversational partner.

  "Turns out Wu Ge has always been proud of his loyalty and righteousness." Han Jiu'er seemed to have touched Xiao Wu's heart in an instant, wasn't that heroic spirit that she had always admired? However, she was not willing to be moved by a rustic man like Zhuang Han just yet, so she retorted. Although young, she often listened to her father and brothers discuss politics, so she had extraordinary insight. "Throughout history, those who achieved great things were either rebels or endured humiliation to survive. But those who sought loyalty and righteousness rarely ended well. Haven't you heard that since ancient times, many heroes have sung tragic songs, and those who were completely loyal and righteous often didn't even get a whole corpse?"

  "Since ancient times, heroes have often had tragic endings, with their loyalty and righteousness not being fully recognized! No wonder the common people say, 'A good man does not die a good death!' Xiaowu also felt a newfound respect for Han Jiuniang after reevaluating her. He didn't expect that this young girl would have such sharp insight. He continued on his way, sticking to his own views, 'Ninth Sister's words are not wrong, but if I had the chance, I still want to be a hero like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei!'"

  "Brother Wu, you might have a chance..." Han Jiu'er was influenced by Xiao Wu and although she felt that what he said was inauspicious, she couldn't bear to argue with him.

  They traveled day and night, without incident, and arrived at the Baita Post House in Xiongzhou on the evening of the fourth day. The eastern border between Song and Liao was marked by the Baigou River (also known as the Juma River), and the Baita Post House was located on the south bank of the Juma River, where it served to accommodate Song envoys or welcome Liao envoys.

  The Khitan envoy had arrived ahead of schedule to celebrate the emperor's birthday, and the Chinese envoy Han Xiaoju was being entertained by the local officials with a banquet. Upon hearing that goods from his hometown had arrived, he ordered his deputy to go and inspect them, but unexpectedly, the deputy brought back a little girl instead.

  "Daddy!" As soon as she saw her father's face, Han Jiu'er immediately acted spoiled and nestled into his arms.

  "Jiǔ Piāo Tóu, you're also too bold, how dare you secretly leave home?" Han Xiao Qu was caught off guard and only thought of scolding her after a while.

  "The daughter did not act arbitrarily, it was Grandfather's consent. The old man said, the northern scenery is beautiful, we Han people should see our hometown." Jiǔér's spirit was full of energy, intentionally imitating her grandfather's voice, learning to be very similar.

  "Stop causing trouble and go home quietly tomorrow." In front of his subordinates, Han Xiaoqu had to maintain the dignity of a father.

  "No way, others are going to the northern country for a visit! If you force me to go back, I'll sneak away on the road..." Han Jiu'er didn't care about this and acted spoiled, with tears almost flowing out.

  "You... are all spoiled by your father!" Han Xiaoqu's face turned red with anger, puffing out his chest and glaring.

  "Your Excellency, please calm down and listen to me." The deputy ambassador intervened and invited the father-daughter pair to a side room, away from the officials and servants. "In my humble opinion, since your daughter is unwilling, it's better to take her on a trip rather than letting her return in anger."

  "This..." Han Xiaoqu fell into thought, letting his daughter return with the car, but he was really a bit worried, this lawless little girl, what if she really ran away?

  "The ambassador was worried that having A'ying in the delegation would be inconvenient. One of his subordinates had an idea, which was to have her disguise herself as a man and serve as an attendant. In any case, the delegation's prestige was intimidating, so presumably no one would dare suspect anything."

  "What I'm afraid of is that she's mischievous and active, with no one to take care of her." Han Xiao thought it was feasible, but then he thought deeper, the team guards were supposed to protect the ambassadors, but how could they intentionally take care of a single attendant?

  "Is Father afraid that no one will protect me? Yue Wu has also come, with him keeping an eye on me it's all right." Han Jiu'er said, seeing her father's tone relax, pitifully suggesting.

  "Yue Wu?" Han Xiao Quan had a deep impression of this bold and talented young man, Zong Hanyu. He nodded inwardly, but his face remained gloomy. "You stinky girl, if you continue to act recklessly, I'll break your dog legs!"

  "Dad, I won't dare next time...... Hehe, no next time!" Han Jiu'er saw his father nodding in agreement, stuck out his tongue to thank the vice envoy, with tears still on his face and a big smile.

  The next morning, the Liao State's chief and deputy reception envoys arrived at the northern bank of the boundary river to welcome them. The reception envoy was an envoy who accompanied and saw off guests. Under the stern gaze of the border soldiers of both countries, the large Song-Liao diplomatic team of dozens of people unfolded their flags and banners, with carriages and horses meeting each other, and they passed through the Baigou Bridge in a grand manner.

  The white-robed envoy, accompanied by the dressed-up Xiao Wu and Han Jiu'er, walked in the middle of the team, following the horse-drawn carriage. As a diplomatic mission representing the country's dignity, horses were naturally used for transportation. Three horses drove abreast, carrying a large carriage that could hold many people, with cargo loaded at the rear, suitable for long-distance galloping.

  Xiao Wu sat in the carriage, calm as a lake on the surface, but his heart was turbulent and unpredictable. On one hand, he was excited and thrilled, having never imagined that he would be able to cross the border river and set foot on the old land that had been occupied by another tribe. On the other hand, he was anxious and uneasy, worried about the delay in his return, which would only add to the worries of his family and wife.

  Han Jiuer naturally didn't have Xiao Wu's discipline, sticking her head out of the window, a pair of curious eyes excitedly looking around. Since it wasn't wartime, neither side's soldiers wore helmets or armor, the Song army wore bright red uniforms, while the Liao army wore green uniforms that blended in with the environment, but what caught people's attention was their unique hairstyle, a row of them, all shaved bald on top, leaving only a small amount of hair, each one different, some hanging down two braids from the temples to the shoulders, or growing a short fringe on the forehead, this was the traditional Khitan haircut.

  The Liao envoys who came to welcome them were also different in their attire. The chief envoy in the middle wore a leather hat, a long robe with a narrow sleeve and a left-opening lapel, which the Song people called "left-shoulder barbarian dress", should be Khitan people. The two deputy envoys on both sides all wore hooded heads, wearing round-necked long robes, Liao people called it Nanban attire, that is Han attire, so they were Han people.

  While the envoys of the two countries were exchanging greetings, Han Jiu'er winked at Xiao Wu and whispered: "The Khitan people are really ugly."

  "Oh..." Xiaowu looked up, although she had become familiar with Hanjiu on the way here, she still couldn't get used to her current situation. Her original cloudy bun had turned into a man's hair tied back, and the white robe on her body added a touch of maturity, setting off her smooth face without makeup, looking incredibly handsome and elegant! Good heavens, she was just an 11 or 12-year-old little girl!

  In this carriage, there were only two people, Han Jiu'er and Xiao Wu. It was naturally arranged by Han Xiao to avoid his daughter being seen through by others. As for the prevention of men and women, it could only be done in front of him. Firstly, his daughter was young and inexperienced, and secondly, Xiao Wu was old and loyal, and also a tenant of the mansion, adding another layer of restraint.

  The horseshoes clattered and the wheels rumbled, and I could clearly feel the bumps. The official road of Liao was far inferior to that of Song Dynasty. Along the way, pedestrians' clothes were messy and people from all ethnic groups were present. What's more characteristic is that most of the vehicles on the road were camel carts, regardless of wealth or poverty.

  Xiao Nizi's eyes and mouth were restless: "Wang Wengong once had a poem that said: 'On the sandy beach of Zhuo Prefecture, looking at the mulberry trees, the horse's saddle is cold in the spring wind. Now holding the Han banner for ten thousand miles, searching for the northern route to call on the Khan.' Below should be Zhuo Prefecture, and after passing by, it will be You Prefecture. Fifth brother, I heard that the prosperity of You Prefecture City is no less than Kaifeng Prefecture. When we arrive, let's sneak out and take a look."

  "Miss Jiu, you absolutely cannot be careless! The Grand Marshal has instructed me to take good care of you..." Xiaowu was startled and repeatedly refused, but as a young man who had never been to the capital before, he actually had some misgivings.

  "Hmph! Wooden wheelbarrow..." Han Jiu'er glared at Xiao Wu with dissatisfaction, the wooden wheelbarrow being a new nickname she had given him. It was because on their journey, for every ten sentences she spoke, he would only respond to one, just like the wooden wheelbarrow of a well, which after turning for half a day, could only draw up one bucket of water.

  Two days later, the Song Dynasty's envoy crossed the Sanggan River, also known as Lugou River, which was mentioned in Wang Anshi's poem, and arrived at the southern suburbs of Youzhou in the evening. Youzhou is what the Han people used to call it, while the Liao State called it Yanjing, one of the five capitals, namely Nanjing.

  At that time, the Jurchen people who had established the Great Jin Dynasty from ?? had been defeated by the Liao army for nearly three years, and their momentum was growing stronger every day. The Liao people, whose national strength was far inferior to what it used to be, also changed their previous attitude of underestimating the Song people, and Yanjing's defender, Grand Marshal and Prince of Yan Yelü Chong personally led a team of cavalry to wait at the South Pavilion, where he set up a banquet to entertain the Song envoys.

  Yelü Chong was a high-ranking military general of the Liao Dynasty. He held the title of Grand Marshal, also known as the Commander-in-Chief of All Forces Under Heaven, making him the highest military commander in the Liao army. As such, he was a person who stood below one person but above ten thousand others, and did not need to frequently report for duty at the capital, only entering court during winter and summer, where he would be crowned alongside other princes.

  Under the escort of the accompanying envoy, all members of the Song Dynasty's delegation got off their horses and carriages, and walked along a stone road lined with armored soldiers, winding their way forward. After passing through a forest of pine trees, they suddenly saw a large tent, on top of which a golden commander flag was fluttering, shining brightly in the evening sun.

  A tall and thin old man wearing a golden flowered hat and a dark purple narrow robe, surrounded by a group of green-robed guards, stepped forward with big strides, laughing loudly: "The Southern Dynasty's envoy has arrived, I am overjoyed. I have prepared some light wine to welcome you."

  Han Xiaoqiu, who was the first to arrive, was overwhelmed with favor and bowed his head: "How can I bear the honor of having the King of Yan come in person, and humiliate a lowly envoy?"

  Jiuer Han pouted, clearly dissatisfied with his father's humble attitude. Xiao Wu, on the other hand, was seeing such a grand scene for the first time and felt somewhat nervous. With his identity, he wouldn't have been able to attend this kind of gathering if it weren't for Jiuer Han.

  As soon as I entered the big account, I found that it was bigger than I had imagined. It even wrapped a pavilion inside, with a dome-like top and inserted torches everywhere, illuminating the interior like daylight. A square mat was placed in the pavilion, and a circle of mats was arranged around the pavilion along the edge of the account. The long mats did not distinguish between host and guest, superior and inferior, which is an inheritance of the nomadic nation's legacy.

  The King of Yan led the way, hand in hand with Han Xiaoju, into the pavilion, where they took their seats as host and guest. The chief envoy sat at the end of the table, accompanied by two deputy envoys who invited other Song officials to take their seats around the table. The guards stood at attention outside the tent, maintaining strict discipline.

  Xiao Wu harbored a deep-seated resentment, with so many imaginary enemies standing behind him, like thorns on his back. He uneasily twisted his neck and suppressed the surging hostility.

  Han Jiuer, who was sitting at the same table, had already shifted his attention to the dishes on the table. The tabletop was filled with all sorts of bowls and plates, as well as gold and silver wine vessels. There were no chopsticks, only a wooden spoon placed in front of each person. Another plate was piled high with pears, jujubes, and pine nuts. The most eye-catching dish was half a green-skinned, red-fleshed melon stacked on top, which was a rare variety that could not be found in the Central Plains, but had been obtained by the Liao people after defeating the Huihe tribe. It resembled a winter melon in shape, but its flavor was sweet and it was called a watermelon.

  In the empty space between the pavilions and the long tables, several stone stoves were evenly arranged, with firewood burning vigorously, and three-legged iron cauldrons were placed on each stove, with hot steam rising from the cauldron. In front of each stove stood two Khitan boys, all wearing bright and clean short clothes, each holding a white towel in one hand and a handle of a cow-ear sharp knife in the other, taking out blocks of tender red fresh meat from the large iron bucket at the edge of the pot, cutting them into small pieces with quick movements, and putting them into the cauldron.

  Suddenly, a team of green-robed maidservants entered with wine bottles, pouring wine along the seats. At the same time, young boys scooped up meat porridge from the cauldron, filled trays to the brim, and served them at each table, filling the air with savory aromas.

  "Is the meat rotten so quickly?" Little Five sniffed and wiggled his index finger, somewhat suspiciously muttering to himself.

  "Brother Wu, you don't know this, but the people of Liao have a delicacy called貔狸. It looks like a big rat and is extremely fat, fed with sheep's milk. Whenever cooking meat, just add a small piece of貔狸meat, and the pot of meat will quickly become tender..." Han Jiu'er couldn't let go of this opportunity to show off his knowledge.

  Two men were whispering to each other, when the King of Yan stood up from the pavilion with a jug of wine, turned around in a circle and said with great energy: "The two courts are delighted, north and south are one family, you have all come from afar, I dare ask you to drink to your heart's content and empty the cups."

  Han Xiaoji hastily stood up with the crowd and replied: "Deeply grateful for the generosity of the King of Yan, but regret that we didn't drink more, let's all finish our cups!"

  The liquor of Liao people, not drinking is not good, at home rarely touching wine Xiao Wu tilted his neck and drank it all in one gulp, hey, almost choked out, the taste is similar to Song's burning wine, but more powerful. Han Jiu'er saw Xiao Wu's appearance, who dared to touch her mouth, and poured it into her sleeve with a smooth hand.

  Before everyone had taken their seats, they heard the sound of flutes and zithers. More than a dozen beautifully dressed singing girls holding instruments appeared, singing and dancing. Two attendants accompanying the deputy envoy busied themselves, inviting the great Song Dynasty guests to eat and drink.

  Xiao Wu's mouth was numbed by the spicy wine, and he couldn't appreciate the singing and dancing. He picked up a wooden spoon and scooped some meat porridge into his mouth, slurping it down. His tongue almost melted away. He thought to himself that he couldn't be defeated by the Liao people's wine, so he drank another cup with a determined air. This time, it was slightly better, and he could faintly taste the aroma of the wine.

  Han Jiuer didn't like to eat meat, and elegantly nibbled on pine nuts while having watermelon. Seeing Xiao Wu getting drunk, she couldn't help but kick him under the table: "Stinky Yuewu, if you get drunk, who's going to protect whom?"

  "This little wine won't knock me down like Yue Fei." Xiaowu said this, already having three parts of drunkenness.

  After three rounds of wine, suddenly the sound of drums was loud, the group of prostitutes retreated upon hearing the sound, several tall and muscular men jumped into the scene with a fierce aura, Xiao Wu's intoxication dissipated by more than half.