In the matter of establishing the Institute of Technology, Empress Dowager Cao finally agreed to establish a special Institute of Technology, as an educational research institution, and belonged to the Ministry of Works. For this reason, Empress Dowager Cao specially allocated 500,000 taels of silver from the inner treasury to support the establishment of the Institute of Technology.

The establishment of the Institute of Technology received positive responses from the emperor Zhao Xu and the court. The next day, Zhizhengtang passed the plan to establish the Institute of Technology with unanimous votes. Zhao Xu approved the allocation of 1,000 acres of land to the south of Jinmingchi, west of the city as the establishment site of the Institute of Technology.

In addition, nominated by Zhizheng Hall and approved by Zhao Xu, four people formed a construction group to be responsible for the establishment of the Institute of Engineering, led by Dong Ji, the Minister of Works, Li Wentai, the Young Supervisor of Military Arts, Wang Shen, and Fan Ning.

A few days later, the Liao envoy Zhang Xiaojie arrived in Tokyo Bianliang and began his peace talks. Zhao Xu appointed Deputy Prime Minister Sima Guang and Honglu Temple Minister Zhu Xiaowen to receive Zhang Xiaojie.

Hundreds of Liao cavalry guarded Zhang Xiaojie into the capital. This was Zhang Xiaojie's first time to come to the capital of the Song Dynasty. He looked around and was constantly amazed. This was the prosperous land and the cultural capital, which was tens of millions of times stronger than that of the Liao Kingdom's capital in Beijing.

After all, Zhang Xiaojie was a Han Chinese, and in terms of cultural bloodline, he was more inclined to the Song Dynasty. He thought to himself that if he could be the prime minister in the Song Dynasty, he would be many times stronger than the Liao Kingdom.

Unfortunately, he was the prime minister of the Liao Kingdom. Even if he was envious, he could only face reality. He could not become an official in the Song Dynasty.

The one who accompanied Zhang Xiaojie was Zhu Xiaowen, the Minister of the Honglu Temple. He was originally the governor of Chengdu, but his father passed away and Ding You resumed his post three years later. He first became the Minister of the Dali Temple. Last year, he was transferred to the Minister of the Honglu Temple. He was nearly 60 years old, but he could not break through the third rank. His son-in-law Fan Ning was already a second-rank chief of political affairs, which made Zhu Xiaowen very distressed.

"I heard that Zhusijian has a good son-in-law?" Zhang Xiaojie asked him with a smile.

"My son-in-law is pretty good, and Mr. Zhang knows him too?"

"It's more than just me know!"

Zhang Xiaojie smiled bitterly and said, "There is nothing that the Liao Kingdom doesn't know about him. He said that Xiao Jiagong is here. The three-year-old child dares not cry at night. Even our Emperor of the Great Liao Dynasty admires him very much, but at the same time he hates him to the core."

"It's just that everyone is their own decisions, so Mr. Zhang doesn't have to worry too much."

"I'm not worried about anything, but I want to meet Xiao Fan's husband, I wonder if it's convenient?"

"If this is business, he will attend the negotiations on the first day. If Mr. Zhang wants to see him privately, I have to ask him."

"I want to talk to him about some private matters."

Zhu Xiaowen was a little surprised. The Liao envoy actually wanted to talk about private matters with Aning. What did he want to talk about?

"This matter is not urgent, and it is not too late to arrange it after the negotiations are over."

Soon, the group came to the Liao Kingdom Pavilion. Yelu Abu, the envoy of the Liao Kingdom to the Song Dynasty, was waiting at the door. When everyone saw the ceremony, Zhu Xiaowen said goodbye and left.

Zhang Xiaojie sat down in the lobby, and Yelu Abu stepped forward to report on the recent situation.

Zhang Xiaojie took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "The emperor is very satisfied with the information of the capital of the Song Dynasty and deserves praise. In addition, this peace talks, we must try our best to understand the true attitude of the senior leaders of the Song Dynasty. You must think of a solution."

Yelu Abu secretly complained in his heart, where did he think of a way to do this?

But he couldn't say that it was not possible, so he had to nod and agree, "Go to make arrangements as soon as possible."

At this time, someone came to report at the door, "Sima Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty came to visit Zhang Prime Minister."

Zhang Xiaojie was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Please come in quickly!"

………….

Sima Guang entered the Liao Kingdom Pavilion and greeted Zhang Xiaojie. Both sides took a seat with guests and guests, and the deputy envoy Yelu Pinghui was also sitting.

Tomorrow is the beginning of their peace talks, so it is necessary for both parties to touch each other and give each other a negotiation direction.

"The Song and Liao countries have been living peacefully for decades, and the people are determined. I believe this is a consensus between the two sides. Perhaps due to some misunderstandings, both sides had unhappy, but we cannot bear to see so many innocent people leaving their hometowns, turning thousands of miles of fertile fields into no man's land. I hope that this time I came to the Song Dynasty to bring the Song-Liao relationship back to the past, with prosperous trade and peaceful borders. This is the task given to me by the emperor. I also hope that the colleagues of the Song Dynasty will work together to restore the former covenant as soon as possible."

The words are very beautiful, starting from people's livelihood, demonstrating the benevolence and righteousness of the Liao Kingdom. The war that broke out before was mentioned lightly, because the Liao Kingdom suffered a great loss and was at a disadvantage. If the Liao Kingdom had the upper hand, the words would not have been said like that. Even the Liao Kingdom's envoy did not come at all, but went to Youzhou in humiliation to negotiate with the Liao Emperor like ten years ago.

However, Zhang Xiaojie still hinted that Sima Guang was hoping to restore the former alliance, that is, the annual monies were to be given and Yizhou had to be returned. Sima Guang shook his head secretly. How arrogant the Liao people were thinking that if they didn’t ask the Song Dynasty for millions of monies, it would be a huge concession?

No wonder Fanning said that it is impossible to reach a covenant, and at most a truce agreement is reached.

Sima Guang smiled faintly and said, "The situation is changing, and our thinking should also change. Since it is a new alliance, we must come up with new things. If nothing changes, then the two sides will continue to recognize the Tanyuan Alliance. Why should Zhang Xiangguo go there? But I believe that we will definitely find common interests and reach a covenant that both sides are satisfied with."

At this time, Yelu Pinghui, the deputy envoy sitting aside, said coldly: "Since it is a peace talk, your country must show sincerity. We cannot negotiate here, but your country is constantly making small moves behind the scenes. What is the significance of such negotiations?"

"Is this person?" Sima Guang asked with a smile.

"I am Yelu Pinghui, the co-magistrate of the Southern Privy Council, and this time the Song and Liao negotiations on the Liao Kingdom."

"It turned out to be the Deputy Envoy Yelu, I wonder what the Deputy Envoy's sincerity refers to?"

"When we wiped out the Jurchen rebellion, we discovered a lot of the soldiers of the Song army. Aren't you supporting them behind their backs?"

Sima Guang smiled, "There is no support, that's just a previous transaction. You should know that we have attacked the Tokyo City of your country."

Yelu Pinghui clattered and said viciously: "There is Juehua Island, should you withdraw to show your sincerity?"

"Isn't that what we are going to negotiate this time?"

Sima Guang also said coldly: "I am forgiving, we hope that the negotiations will be open and honest, but we do not want each other to speak ill of each other. That will be of no benefit to the negotiation. An attitude like the deputy envoy will only destroy the negotiation atmosphere and ultimately make the negotiations fail. I believe this is by no means the result your emperor is willing to see."

Zhang Xiaojie and Yelu Pinghui had a division of labor in advance. One of them was soft and the other was tough. Zhang Xiaojie quickly smiled and smoothed out and said, "The deputy envoy is an anxious temper. He may have heard some rumors about the Jurchens, so he misunderstood. Since it was a misunderstanding, it would be fine if everyone explained it clearly."

Sima Guang nodded and stood up and said, "The two sides will start a peace talk tomorrow morning. I will come to pick up your envoy tomorrow morning, so I will say goodbye first."

Everyone sent Sima Guang out of the Liao Kingdom Pavilion and waited for his carriage to leave. Yelu Pinghui asked, "What are the gains from the Prime Minister?"

“At least two gains!”

Zhang Xiaojie snorted coldly and said, "First, they don't want to restore the previous Tanyuan Alliance, and they may ask for a huge price; second, we have made it clear that the Jurchens do have collusion with Song State."

Sima Guang got into the carriage, and Fan Ning, who was waiting in the carriage, asked with a smile: "How is it? What's the details of the other party?"

Sima Guang glared at him dissatisfiedly, "I asked you to go in with me, but you refused. How could I tell you a lot of subtle things?"

"Then tell me how you feel."

Sima Guang had no choice but to say, "I feel that the next negotiation will be very difficult. They still have unrealistic fantasies. How can it be possible to restore the former Tanyuan Alliance?"

"It's normal. They didn't think they were defeated, they just couldn't take advantage of the Song Dynasty. Of course they wouldn't make concessions easily, so I said that it's impossible to reach an alliance, at most it would be a ceasefire agreement."

Sima Guang nodded, "You see it thoroughly!"

"Then did they mention the Jurchens?" Fanning asked again.

"I mentioned it, I just said it was a transaction as you taught me, but wouldn't it be true that they said we support the Jurchen military armor?"

"Of course it's true!"

Fan Ning said lightly: "It was Kunzhou who supported them. Zhang took the mission to go to the Jurchens to resist the encirclement and suppression of the Liao Kingdom, support the Jurchens and the Liao army for a long time to fight, and weaken the Liao Kingdom's national strength."

"Then why did Zhang Xiaojie want to see you privately and figure out the reason?"

Fan Ning shook his head, "I think maybe it was the Emperor of Liao who wanted to buy me and ask me to give me a price and stop participating in the battle against the Liao Kingdom."

Sima Guang was stunned, then laughed in silence and said, "Will Xiao Fan be bribed?"

Fanning smiled, "It depends on what price they are buying!"
Chapter completed!