Chapter Thirty-two: Soliciting Bribes

  The lights in the hall were shining brightly, and the local officials of Liao State in Xincheng were hosting a banquet for the Song envoys. The next day after noon, the envoy would leave Xincheng and head to Youzhou City. Since there were only about ten people in the Song envoy, even Zhou Ping and Xue Liangyu could have a seat at the lower table. Unlike Xue Liangyu, whose attention was attracted by the beautiful wine and food on the table and the dancing girls in the hall, Zhou Ping's attention was focused on a Liao official who was accompanying him to eat. The official's eyes were wandering, occasionally glancing at Han Xiaochu above him. For an instant, Zhou Ping even saw the official stretch his right leg under the table to poke Han Xiaochu. A few minutes later, he saw the Liao official get up and leave the hall. After a while, Han Xiaochu also followed him out. Xue Liangyu looked around, confirmed that no one was paying attention to him, and also went down the hall.

  "It's not easy for me to get acquainted with Zuo Shi, once the situation changes, don't forget my name, Ye Lu Yun Cheng."

  A low, muffled voice came from a short distance away. The sound was unmistakably that of the Liao official who had just withdrawn. Zhou Ping hastily tiptoed and hid behind a clump of bushes to take a peek. He saw Ye Luoyun Cheng stretching out his hand to grab Han Xiaochu's right hand, with a flattering smile on his face, saying something. Han Xiaochu had a complacent smile on his face, lightly pulling his right hand out of the other man's grasp.

  "Yelü brother, rest assured. If the situation changes, please seal the warehouse, comfort the people and welcome the king's army. At that time, the court will have its own rewards, and it is a matter of course to be enfeoffed as a marquis!"

  "Thank you, Left Historian. I have long admired the Heavenly Dynasty, but my ancestors' tombs are here and I couldn't bear to leave them behind. As for being enfeoffed as a marquis, I wouldn't dare hope for it. If there's just one document that allows me to govern this county, that would be all I could wish for in life." Just then, Yelu Yuncong said, his knees slightly bent, and he was about to kneel down when Han Xiaochu hastily reached out to support him, laughing: "Brother Yelu's intentions are already known to me. This matter is not something that can be decided by one person; after returning, I will report it to the Emperor and then we'll see." He glanced around, turned back into the hall, and went up to the platform. After a brief moment, Yelu Yuncong also returned to the platform.

  Zhou Ping waited until the two of them had left, then stood outside thinking for a moment before returning to the hall. After the banquet was over, he followed behind Nalan Yirong and said in a low voice, "Lang Jun, I have something to tell you."

  Naye Lu Yun Cheng turned his head to look at Zhou Ping, remembering that this person was one of the attendants of Song Fang in the hall just now. He didn't dare to be slow and pushed away the crowd, turning his head to ask: "Please speak!"

  "My master has me pass on a message: matters concerning personal favors fall within the jurisdiction of Commander Tong, and it will take 5,000 strings of cash to facilitate things before they can be accomplished."

  Ye Lu Yun Cheng was taken aback by the words, he was originally surnamed Han, a well-known surname in Youzhou, with many officials serving in Liao throughout the generations. He himself had been granted the surname Ye Lu and served as a state pastor, which also made him one of the most trusted people among the Khitan. However, as the national situation worsened, people like him, who were from the Han ethnic group in Youzhou and held real power, began to look for ways out for themselves. After all, his family was large and influential, it was impossible and unnecessary for them to die with the Khitan. What he had asked Han Xiao Quan for earlier was the certificate of appointment as the governor of this state, so that when the Song army arrived, they would not turn against him and deny their relationship. He had also heard of Tong Guan's reputation, knowing that this man held a high position in the Song dynasty, was corrupt and abused his power. The five thousand guans were not much compared to what he wanted to achieve, it was just that Han Xiao Quan had said earlier that he did not have the authority yet, and would only discuss it after returning to Dongjing. Now, however, someone had been sent to ask for bribes again, which seemed a bit suspicious.

  Zhou Ping saw that the other party had already become suspicious, and smiled: "The humble one is just conveying a message for His Majesty. Since the message has been conveyed, I will take my leave first!" After speaking, he cupped his hands and was about to turn around and leave.

  "Hold on!" Yelü Yuncheng stopped Zhou Ping, thinking to himself that he couldn't go back and confirm with Han Xiao now. As the local guardian of Liao State, hosting a farewell banquet for the Song envoy was only proper, but running back to see the Song envoy in public would be out of the ordinary. His Khitan colleagues in Xincheng would definitely write a secret letter to the Youzhou government. Besides, he had only told Han Xiao about the matter of the pass, and this person must have been informed by Han Xiao. He hesitated for a moment before asking: "Five thousand strings is not a small amount, how does your excellency plan to pay it?"

  "As you wish, sir!"

  "Copper coins are too heavy, it's better to exchange them for gold. However, I don't have 5,000 guan of gold on hand either." Yelü Yuncheng took out a jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Zhou Pingdao: "Tomorrow morning, you can go to the miscellaneous goods store at the east end of the street with this jade pendant and exchange it for 5,000 guan of gold. I will instruct them accordingly."

  "Little man has thanked Master Langjun!" Zhou Ping carefully put the jade Ruyi into his bosom and bowed deeply to Ye Lu Yun Cheng.

  "It's all right, you go back and report to Han Zuoshi, this matter will be entrusted to him. If it can be done, I will thank him again!" After saying these words in a low voice, Ye Lü Yun Cheng looked around and saw no one, then turned around and quickly left, as if something was chasing him in the dark night.

  "Five thousand taels!" As he watched Ye Luoyun's departing back, a mocking smile spread across Zhou Ping's face. If everything went smoothly, by this time tomorrow, he would have five thousand taels in his pocket - a fortune that he could never accumulate in his lifetime in Xuejiacun. Whether it was fleeing to the south or making other plans, he now had the initial start-up capital, and it all came so easily.

  "It's true that a man can't get rich without unexpected wealth, and a horse can't get fat without nighttime grass!" Zhou Ping muttered to himself. Just then, he heard Xue Liangyu's voice behind him: "Ah Ping, tonight's food and wine are really good, this time the Liao country didn't come in vain, why don't you eat more?"

  Zhou Ping didn't answer, and walked straight towards his residence, saying: "Fourth brother, tomorrow morning call Li Bao to come with me on a trip!"

  The next morning, after carefully examining the jade pendant handed over by Zhou Ping, the shopkeeper carefully moved a wooden box onto the counter. Zhou Ping opened it and found that inside were neatly arranged gold ingots. He casually picked up one of them and held it under the sunlight to take a look. Under the sun's rays, the gold ingot reflected a dazzling light.

  "There are 70 pieces in total, each weighing five taels. Please count them carefully!" The shopkeeper must have known the other person's identity and was very respectful to Zhou Ping.

  "No need, I'm sure Master Ye won't cheat me!" Zhou Ping easily tossed the gold ingot into the wooden box, closed the lid again, and picked it up with a sense of excitement due to its weight. According to the exchange rate at that time, gold and silver were roughly 1:10, while silver and copper coins were roughly 1-2 silver for 1200-1400 copper coins, with 1 guan being 770 wen, so 1 liang of silver was almost equal to 2 guan of copper coins. Ye Luyu actually gave him a lot more than that.

  Zhou Ping walked out of the shop door and saw Li Bao and Xue Liangyu standing beside the door waiting, and said casually: "Li Bao, come help me carry the trunk!"

  Li Bao took the wooden box, and his body immediately sank down, apparently not expecting the weight of the box. He didn't ask any questions. Xue Liangyu, who was standing aside, asked somewhat impatiently: "Aping, what are you doing here at this store so early in the morning? You're leaving at noon, and when you get back, you'll be nagged by the manager again."

  "Fourth brother, just say a few less words for now, you'll know later!"

  Three people returned to the lodge, hurriedly packing their luggage. Zhou Ping put the box containing gold in the last carriage carrying the crowd's belongings and carefully hid it. At noon, the envoy ate lunch and left Xincheng, heading north. Along the way, the Liao guards relaxed a lot, and when Zhou Ping had time to look around, he saw that the fields on both sides of the road were full of thorns, apparently not having been cultivated for many years. The villages were also deserted, and it was already like this on the official roads, let alone other places. Even when they occasionally met a few passing farmers, they looked haggard and wore tattered clothes. However, in the treacherous areas they passed through, they often saw very sturdy walls, which didn't seem to be Liao army forts. Just as Zhou Ping was wondering, he suddenly heard an old voice beside his ear: "Those are the walls of the local powerful families!"

  "What's going on?" Zhou Ping turned his head back, only to see the fifty-year-old attendant with his eyes slightly closed, his body swaying with the ups and downs of the vehicle, as if he was dozing off, and didn't know if he had said that sentence earlier.

  "Not bad, these fortresses have been around for hundreds of years. The Youyan border has always been a place where the Hu cavalry roams freely. In peaceful times, the common people cultivate their fields. If there is a strong enemy invasion, the strong will build fortresses in strategic locations to defend themselves and wait for the true ruler of heaven, while the weak will rely on the strong to survive. It was like this at the end of the Han dynasty, during the Northern and Southern dynasties, at the end of the Sui dynasty, during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and now it's come to this again!" As he spoke, Wen Cheng let out a sigh, his tone filled with sadness and regret.

  "So that's to say the Liao people are going to perish? Isn't this a great opportunity for my Great Song to march north and retake the sixteen prefectures of Yan and Yun?" Xue Liangyu, who was standing beside him, was overjoyed, rubbing his palms together in excitement.

  Na Wen sneered and said, "Foolish child, how can you understand the reason for prosperity and decline?"

  "You—" Xue Liangyu was furious upon hearing this, and just as he was about to retort, Zhou Ping stretched out his hand to stop him, smiling: "We were merely ordinary farmers in the past, with no great insight; please, Lord Wen, speak directly and point us in the right direction."

  Na Wen Cheng opened his eyes, looked at Xue and Zhou for a while, and sneered: "Don't try to deceive me. Just look at your two pairs of hands, you are at least capable of drawing a strong bow that can shoot through rocks. In the Western Army, you are also rare warriors. Farmers? If my Great Song Dynasty farmers had your skills, we would have taken back the 16 prefectures of Yan and Yun long ago, why wait until today!

  "You're quite the marksman!" Xue Liangyu heard the other's praise of his archery skills and was very pleased: "I'm not bragging, give me a horse and two quivers of arrows, and I'll take down dozens of soldiers with ease. With this skill, I should at least be able to become a high-ranking official." These past couple of days have been busy with work trips, and the updates have been a bit disorganized, please forgive me!