"I don't think you ever intended to continue the talks!"
After several breaths, even Tong Guan felt indignant at this point.
To be honest, at the beginning of the talks, neither side had taken this particular clause seriously.
Who would easily spit out what they had already swallowed?
Wanyan Aguda insisted on adding this clause solely to cut off the retreat of those Liao generals who harbored ill intentions.
He wanted them to serve him wholeheartedly. As for those who had already defected to the Song Dynasty, he had privately instructed the envoys sent for negotiation not to be too harsh on this point, and that it would be enough for the Song people to hand over a few minor figures to satisfy appearances.
Although the details of this clause were not written in the alliance, it was for the sake of both parties' faces. Now, the Jin people bringing this up clearly meant they were looking for trouble!
"Minister Tong, what you say is quite interesting. The alliance between our two countries is clearly written on paper. Are you regretting it now?"
Yang Tianshou came for two reasons: first, to see if he could try to extort more money, and second, to test the Song people's bottom line. With the powerful Jin army as his backing, his words were exceptionally tough!
"I need to ask His Majesty about these two matters!"
"Very well, I will wait here for ten days. If your answer after ten days is not satisfactory, then you have violated the alliance, and we will go to war!"
With that said, Yang Tianshou turned and walked out of the tent.
"Scoundrel!"
As soon as they left the tent, Tong Guan in the room erupted.
Although he was a eunuch and had lived a cautious life in his early years, he was no longer the same person.
When had the powerful Grand Commandant Tong ever endured such humiliation?
If Guo Yaoshi were a civil official, it would be fine to kill him, but the problem was that he was a military general, and a general in command of a large army!
If Guo Yaoshi were handed over, wouldn't the soldiers under his command revolt directly!
Moreover, Guo Yaoshi's Ever Victorious Army was currently the most capable fighting force in the entire Hebei region. Whether he wanted to divide them or mobilize them, it all had to go through Guo Yaoshi.
From any perspective, Guo Yaoshi could not be handed over to the Liao people like this!
"Prime Minister, those Jin people are truly going too far. I say, how dare they attack? They haven't even fully swallowed the land of the Liao. If they rashly go to war with the Song, and if they are defeated, wouldn't the Liao people take advantage of the chaos to counterattack, putting themselves in grave danger?"
Seeing Tong Guan's anger, Wang Anzhong quickly stepped forward.
"What you say has some truth to it, but what if they really go to war?"
After a moment of hesitation, Tong Guan asked again with a frown.
"Prime Minister, just send this news back to the capital. If they were to go to war again, they would surely station their troops in Yanjing. At that time, wouldn't Zhang Jue become your trump card?"
After sending all the servants out, Wang Anzhong lowered his voice and said.
"You mean, to have them cooperate from the inside and attack from the outside?"
Upon hearing his words, Tong Guan's heart stirred.
If one were to speak of it, this plan might not be without a chance of success!
Pingzhou was strategically important. If the court could raise tens of thousands of elite soldiers, coupled with Guo Yaoshi's Ever Victorious Army, as long as they could create a stalemate with the Jin army, and Zhang Jue could launch a surprise attack from behind, catching them off guard!
If this battle could be won, breaking the Jin's undefeated myth, and then negotiating with the Jin again, their position would be much stronger!
If this could really happen, then his latter half of his life would be worry-free!
This achievement alone would be enough to dismantle all accusations against him!
"Alright, I will write a memorial, and you can make another trip to Bianliang City for me!"
After pacing back and forth in the tent, Tong Guan finally made up his mind.
For a moment, Tong Guan even felt as if he had returned to the battlefield in the northwest all those years ago.
The saying "fortune favors the bold" was indeed fitting for him.
Back then, he was just a minor eunuch supervisor, yet he dared to refuse an imperial edict and seal it back to the emperor, which led to the Song army's great victory and today's Grand Commandant Tong!
Being bold did not necessarily mean being able to do things well, but if you were bold, shameless, and had a group of lawless helpers, then you could truly turn the dead into the living, and black into white!
Tong Guan's life seemed to be a testament to the truth of this statement!
At this moment, he was standing at the edge of a cliff again, but for him, this was also a highway to heaven!
"Thank you for your trust, Prime Minister. Your subordinate will spare no effort and serve until death!"
Hearing that Tong Guan had entrusted such an important matter to him again, Wang Anzhong was filled with excitement.
His last trip to Bianliang City had completely stabilized Tong Guan's current situation and brought him an opportunity to turn things around.
If he could complete his mission again on this trip back to the capital, Tong Guan's rise to prominence was certain, and as the greatest contributor, with Tong Guan's support in the future, wouldn't he be afraid of not advancing further?
"I don't need you to serve until death. I only need you to clearly explain the pros and cons to His Majesty. Remember, it's to His Majesty. Do you understand?"
Tong Guan wrote the letter while looking up at Wang Anzhong again.
"Your subordinate understands!"
Hearing Tong Guan's emphasis on the word "His Majesty," Wang Anzhong immediately grasped the key point.
Convincing the chancellors would indeed be difficult, as everyone had witnessed the Jin people's combat strength. It would not be an easy decision to start a war at this time!
However, if he only needed to gain the Emperor's trust, then this matter would be much easier!
The current Emperor, to put it mildly, was ambitious; to put it bluntly, he was fond of great achievements!
If the sixteen prefectures of Yan and Yun could be completely recovered in his reign, his achievements would truly be comparable to those of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong!
At that time, even offering sacrifices at Mount Tai would not be considered excessive. After all, if Emperor Zhenzong, who was mediocre, could do it, why couldn't he, if he could expand the territory!