Chapter 297 Lobbying
Everything happens for a reason.
There are many reasons for the emergence of such exaggerated rumors between Lu Sen and Xiao Guanyin.
It is both "popular and welcomed" by the common people and "fueled and fueled" by the Khitan Feilongyuan.
After hearing this rumor, Lu Sen didn't want to see Xiao Guanyin again. After all, it was not good to be in the same boat with Xiao Guanyin.
But after thinking for an hour, he decided to go and take a look.
After all, Xiao Guanyin was a hidden chess piece he had arranged unintentionally. He couldn't just give up completely just because something unexpected happened.
So when Lu Sen flew towards Linhuang City, Zhao Zongshi beside him kept chattering and asking questions.
Always pick some sensitive topics to ask.
After all, he is already Mu Ai's age, so he is naturally very interested in such questions.
Lu Sen was a little annoyed by his questions, so he could only say: "If you keep asking nonsense questions, I will sell you to a Khitan brothel as a pimp."
This frightened Zhao Zongshi so much that he shut up and stopped asking questions about matters between men and women.
When the aircraft stopped at the backyard of Xiao's mansion in Lin Huangcheng, several people hiding in the shadows quickly left.
Lu Sen put away the aircraft, walked into the garden, and took Zhao Zongshi directly into the small system home.
Xiao Guanyin was already waiting at the door.
After all, Lu Sen's aircraft circled three times over the Xiao Mansion when looking for a suitable landing point. Anyone with eyesight could see it.
Originally, there were more than a dozen noble ladies from Linhuang City in Xiao Guanyin's "small system home", which the Khitan people called the "immortal resort". When they saw the flying vehicle coming, Xiao Guanyin drove them all away.
In fact, there were a few women who didn't want to leave, and they also wanted to have the same fate as Xiao Guanyin and become an immortal.
Which woman would not envy this fairyland that is warm in winter and cool in summer, where the doors are closed to keep out the mundane world and the doors are open to welcome distinguished guests?
But Xiao Guanyin used her "authority" and these women were slowly pushed out of the door by a strange force, and they couldn't resist even if they wanted to.
After Lu Sen entered the room, he sat down, while Zhao Zongshi stood behind him, temporarily acting as a servant.
Xiao Guanyin served Lu Sen the sour plum juice she prepared, then sat down and said, " It's been a while since we last met, Master Lu."
Lu Sen looked around and discovered that in this small system home, in addition to the lush grass, there was also a fruit tree. Upon closer inspection, he saw that there were quite a few apples on the tree.
In other words, Xiao Guanyin now has something like "immortal fruit" to give away.
But... Lu Sen looked again and there seemed to be fewer fruits on it, not as many as those in his own home.
Xiao Guanyin followed Lu Sen's gaze and then explained, "The emperor takes some away every day."
Should the common property of a couple be divided equally?
Logically speaking, there is nothing wrong with this.
But from some perspectives, Yelu Hongji's approach was indeed a bit unkind.
However, many people would probably think that if the emperor wants something from you and leaves you half of it, it is a great favor.
Lu Sen just took a look and didn't care. Anyway, this small place was given to Xiao Guanyin. How she dealt with it and how she distributed the supplies inside was her business.
"Look at Empress Xiao, she looks much better than before." Lu Sen said with a smile.
Xiao Guanyin bowed her head slightly and said, "Thanks to Master Lu for your help. Besides, you are related to my Xiao family's ancestor, the immortal. You can call me Rongrong."
Generally, after a woman reaches adulthood, only her elders can call her by her nickname.
But in terms of seniority, Lu Sen is related to Lu Jingjing, and in terms of kinship, Lu Jingjing is Lu Xianxian's sister, or even her daughter.
Therefore, Lu Sen can be completely regarded as Xiao Guanyin's elder.
Of course, there are other men who can call her by her nickname.
her husband.
Hearing this, Zhao Zongshi, who had been standing behind Lu Sen, showed a strange expression, but quickly restrained it.
But Lu Sen pretended not to hear this and continued, "I came to see you this time mainly to borrow your hand to talk to Lord Yelu."
Xiao Guanyin knew this long ago. In the eyes of others, Master Lu might have an ambiguous relationship with her.
But she knew very well that Master Lu looked down on her.
She nodded and said, "Don't dare to follow."
How a queen of a country spoke in a humble tone in front of Lu Sen, even with a hint of "submission", really surprised Zhao Zongshi who was standing behind him.
Then he felt more and more that his brother-in-law and Empress Xiao did have that kind of relationship.
It is true that there is no smoke without fire in this world.
Then Xiao Guanyin stood up, walked to the fence, and shouted to the shadows in the woods next to her: "Chief Steward Qi, I think you should have heard what Master Lu said. Can you convey it to the emperor?"
After a few breaths, a ruddy-faced eunuch walked out from the woods. His steps were strange, as if he was floating.
He first bowed to Lu Sen, then quickly left the Xiao Mansion.
Zhao Zongshi watched Eunuch Qi leave, and he subconsciously muttered, "This man looks like a ghost, so scary."
Xiao Guanyin glanced at Zhao Zongshi and didn't want to pay attention to him, but for Lu Sen's sake, she explained: "This is a master in the palace, who serves the emperor. There should be similar people in the palace of the Song Dynasty."
"Is there?" Zhao Zongshi looked at Lu Sen curiously: "Does my brother-in-law know?"
Lu Sen shook his head: "I don't know much about what's going on in the palace."
He really had no idea. He didn't even know much about the affairs of the court. He didn't know who was in the same faction as whom, and who were political enemies. He didn't know anything and didn't need to know.
Xiao Guanyin subconsciously glanced at Zhao Zongshi. She had guessed who this man was before, but when she heard the word "brother-in-law", she understood his identity.
Lu Sen had a wife and two concubines, and the identities of these three women were known to everyone.
The legal wife Yang Jinhua and Pang Meir have no younger brothers, only Zhao Bilian has several younger brothers.
After all, Zhao Yunrang was the most fertile among the princes of Zhao Song.
He actually brought people from the royal family of Zhao Song. It seems that Master Lu really wants to discuss important matters with the emperor.
Xiao Guanyin thought a lot and for example, how to get more benefits from it, but then she smiled bitterly in her heart.
So what if you know more?
This small fairyland is both her home and her prison.
She depends on this place to survive, but she can't leave it.
Then Xiao Guanyin relaxed and started chatting with Lu Sen.
It has to be said that Xiao Guanyin is quite knowledgeable and well-versed in poetry, but unfortunately Lu Sen is not very good at this, so the two of them don't get along very well.
With no other options, Xiao Guanyin had to desperately try to find topics to talk about.
The atmosphere was actually a bit awkward.
But fortunately, Yelu Hongji arrived not long after.
As soon as he came in, Xiao Guanyin stood up and gave him his seat.
Yelu Hongji sat down and looked at Lu Sen for a while, then smiled and said, "It seems that Master Lu wants to come to our Khitan Kingdom?"
Zhao Zongshi, who was standing behind, became a little nervous when he heard this.
Lu Sen smiled and said, "I don't have any plans for the time being."
"I heard that the Song court summoned you back to the capital."
"To be precise, it was the Queen Mother who was ignorant and made a rash order."
"We can't just pretend that nothing happened." Seeing Lu Sen being so calm, Yelu Hongji was naturally a little anxious. He said, "Everyone in this world is watching you. If a great immortal doesn't keep his word, who will not step on your head in the future?"
"I don't keep my word, and no one dares to step on me." Lu Sen smiled.
This was indeed the truth. Not to mention the peaches that could extend one's lifespan the more one ate them, just the fruits and honey that could cure any disease were enough to attract so many people that they would stand before him respectfully.
Yelu Hongji also understood this, and he sighed slightly.
Lu Sen said: "I wonder how the battle between the king and the rebels is going recently?"
When mentioning the rebel Xiao family, Yelu Hongji subconsciously looked at Xiao Guanyin next to him.
Xiao Guanyin looked a little embarrassed.
Then he turned to Lu Sen and asked, "I wonder what Master Lu's plan is for bringing up this matter?"
"I want to leave a way out for King Yelu." Lu Sen picked up the cup, took a sip of water, and slowly put it down.
The scene was silent at this time.
Yelu Hongji stared at Lu Sen, his eyes full of anger and murderous intent, and his fingers on the table were even twitching unconsciously.
After a while, Yelu Hongji suppressed his anger and said coldly, "What does Master Lu mean by this?"
"Xixia is going to be gone." Lu Sen said calmly, "As long as I am in charge of Xingqing Prefecture, this will be their fate."
Yelu Hongji subconsciously clenched his fists.
If the Xiao rebels were the immediate enemy, then after the demise of Western Xia, the Song Dynasty would be the overwhelming force that was about to crush them, the kind that was impossible to resist.
"In other words, as long as Master Lu stays here, Xixia will not be destroyed."
Talking to smart people is simple. Lu Sen only said that Western Xia was going to perish, and Yelu Hongji knew what the former meant.
"Can you keep me here?" Lu Sen looked at the Xixia imperial guards outside the Xiao Mansion. "I'm not bragging, but there are only three or four people in this world who are difficult to deal with. Two of them are in my own home, and the other two are far away in the Great Qin in the west. Can the king invite them over?"
"Not necessarily." Yelu Hongji looked at Xiao Guanyin beside him and said, "Rongrong may be able to make Master change his mind."
When Xiao Guanyin heard this, his face immediately turned pale.
Lu Sen looked at Xiao Rongrong, who was distraught beside him, and suddenly felt that this woman was actually quite pitiful.
He could save her life, but he seemed unable to save her fate.
Lu Sen remembered that in the original history, Xiao Guanyin's final ending didn't seem to be very good.
Lu Sen shook his head: "I don't understand what Lord Yelu means."
"Master Lu should understand." Lord Yelu clenched his fists subconsciously. His face was a little distorted, but even so, he was still trying hard to smile: "Except for the Queen, Master Lu can enter and leave my harem freely. Master Lu can also sit with me in the hall, without distinction of rank."
The high price he offered was enough to show his sincerity.
But it also shows the despair in Yelu Hongji's heart at that time. If he had not been at his wit's end, why would he make such a condition.
Lu Sen still shook his head: "Fame, wealth and honor in this world mean nothing to me."
Upon hearing this, Yelu Hongji could not help but roared, "Since fame, wealth and honor in this world have nothing to do with real people, then why do you insist on being enemies with Xixia and our Khitan? What the Song Dynasty can give you, I, the Yelu clan, can also give you, even double."
He was really jealous and resentful.
Why should an immortal like Lu Sen help Song Ting? Can't he just practice in the mountains and forests?
Lu Sen smiled softly and said, "Because I was born in Central Plains."
Yelu Hongji gnashed his teeth and asked, "Is it that simple?"
"Isn't that enough?"
Yelu Hongji stared at Lu Sen intently, with red veins gradually spreading in his eyes. After a while, he collapsed, as if something invisible had shattered in his body.
"Why did I have to face such a thing?" Yelu Hongji covered his face and cried, "I don't accept it, I don't accept it."
No wonder he was dissatisfied.
Before Lu Sen emerged, although the Khitan was inferior to the Northern Song Dynasty in military strength, it was in a dominant position in momentum.
The Northern Song Dynasty paid annual tribute, and the Khitan lived a relatively prosperous life.
But... not long after Lu Sen appeared, not only did the annual tribute stop, but now the Zhong family army on the border would take the initiative to attack from time to time.
Although they have restrained themselves now, Yelu Hongji understands that the Zhong family is just sitting on the mountain watching the fight between two tigers and hoping to reap the benefits.
When he and the Xiao family decide the winner, it will be time for the Zhong family army to head north.
That was the day when the Khitan nation was destroyed.
Seeing the king's expression, both Xiao Rongrong and Zhao Zongshi were surprised and even touched, as if they saw the sorrow and wailing of a dragon falling into the plains.
There is a sense of melancholy.
But Lu Sen didn't feel that way.
It's very simple. Lu Sen never thought that big people are advanced creatures that are beyond the scope of ordinary people. He has never said such a thing.
No matter how powerful a person is, his prestige and dazzling figure are only his status at the time and the external things "attached" to him.
Without imperial power and the army, Yelu Hongji was just an ordinary person with average abilities.
In later life and on the Internet, Lu Sen had seen too many big shots who had lost their halos and looked lonely and decadent after putting on silver bracelets.
The more I see, the less respect I have for the so-called big figures.
In his eyes, Yelu Hongji was no different from those "big tigers" that had been brought down.
After a long while, Yelu Hongji let go of his face. His eyes were still red, but his expression was much more normal: "I'm sorry to have embarrassed Master Lu."
"No problem." Lu Sen waved his hand: "Since Lord Yelu has given me a lot of good conditions just now, how about I also make some suggestions?"
Yelu Hongji smiled and said, "If you want to persuade them to surrender, then there is no need. After all, I am still the ruler of Khitan."
"But I heard that King Yelu once said that he regretted not being a Song person from the Central Plains, and that he wished to be born in the romantic Jiangnan region in his next life."
Yelu Hongji was stunned for a moment, nodded subconsciously, and then shook his head.
Lu Sen smiled and said, "If Lord Yelu is willing, I can pass on the message to the court. Lord Yelu can become a free and easy prince with a red-lettered iron certificate like Chai in the future!"
