Chapter 7 187 Kou Zhun Resists the Liao Dynasty

The Liao Dynasty bullied the Song Dynasty for its incompetence and invaded the border many times.After Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng, son of Song Taizong, came to the throne, someone recommended Kou Zhun to Song Zhenzong as prime minister, saying that Kou Zhun was loyal to the country and decisive in handling affairs. Song Zhenzong said: "I heard that Kou Zhun is very headstrong, what should I do?" The minister said: "Now that the Liao Dynasty is invading the Central Plains, people like Kou Zhun are needed to undertake major events." Kou Zhun served as deputy prime minister and other important official positions during the Song Taizong period, and he was famous for his integrity and courage to advise.Once, Kou Zhun went to court to play something and offended Song Taizong.Song Taizong couldn't stand it anymore, he stood up angrily and wanted to go back to the inner palace.But Kou Zhun grabbed Taizong's robe and refused to let him go. He must ask Taizong to sit down and listen to him.Song Taizong had nothing to do with him, and later praised him and said:

"I have Kou Zhun, just like Tang Taizong had Wei Zheng." But because of his integrity, he offended some dignitaries, and was later expelled from the imperial court and went to a local government to be a governor.This time, Song Zhenzong saw the urgent situation on the border, so he accepted the minister's recommendation and recalled Kou Zhun to the capital. In 1004 A.D., Empress Dowager Xiao of the Liao Dynasty and Shengzong of the Liao Dynasty personally led an army of 200,000 troops to the south, and the vanguard had already arrived in Chanzhou (now Puyang, Henan, Chanyinchan).Emergency documents flew to the court like snowflakes.Kou Zhun persuaded Zhenzong to lead the army to conquer; the deputy prime minister Wang Qinruo and another minister Chen Yaosou secretly advised Zhenzong to flee.Wang Qinruo was from Jiangnan and advocated moving the capital to Jinling (now Nanjing, Jiangsu); Chen Yaosou was from Shu and advised Zhenzong to flee to Chengdu.

Song Zhenzong hesitated after hearing these opinions, and finally summoned the new prime minister, Kou Zhun, and asked him: "Someone persuaded me to move my capital to Jinling, and someone advised me to move my capital to Chengdu. What do you think should be done?" Kou Zhun looked at Wang Qinruo and Chen Yaosou standing on both sides, and he knew it already.He said sharply: "Who came up with this good idea? Those who come up with such an idea should be beheaded first!" He thought that as long as Zhenzong personally led the troops to go out and boost their morale, they would definitely be able to repel the Liao soldiers; and said, If you give up Tokyo and flee south, the hearts of the people will be shaken, the enemy will take advantage of it, and the country will not be able to keep it.

After listening to Kou Zhun's words, Song Zhenzong became more courageous, and decided to lead his troops to the expedition himself, with Kou Zhun accompanying him in command. The brigade had just arrived in Weicheng (now southeast of Huaxian County, Henan Province). When they heard that the Liao army was going south, some ministers were frightened. Get out of the limelight.Song Zhenzong was very unresolute at first, but when he heard these opinions, he was shaken and summoned Kou Zhun again. Song Zhenzong said to Kou Zhun: "Everyone says it's better to run to the south, what do you think?"

Kou Zhun said solemnly: "Those who advocate fleeing south are cowardly and ignorant people. Now that the enemy is approaching, people's hearts are in turmoil. We can only advance one foot, not retreat an inch. If we advance, the morale of the troops in Hebei will be a hundred times higher; if we return a few steps , then the whole army collapses, and the enemy pursues closely. Your Majesty will not be able to go to Jinling even if you think about it.” Song Zhenzong listened to Kou Zhun's righteous words and had nothing to say, but he was still in a state of confusion and couldn't make up his mind.

Kou Zhun walked out of the camp, and happened to meet Gao Qiong, the commander in front of the palace.Kou Zhun said to Gao Qiong: "You were cultivated by the state, how should you repay me?" Gao Qiong said: "I am willing to die to serve the country." Kou Zhun took Gao Qiong into the camp again, expressed his opinion to Song Zhenzong again, and said: "If your majesty thinks my words are wrong, please ask Gao Qiong." Gao Qiong continued next to him: "The Prime Minister's words are correct. The families of the soldiers of the Imperial Army are in Tokyo, and they don't want to flee south. As long as His Majesty personally conquers Chanzhou, we are determined to fight to the death and defeat the Liao soldiers."

Before Song Zhenzong could speak, Kou Zhun forced another sentence: "This opportunity must not be missed, please leave immediately, Your Majesty!" Under the urging of Kou Zhun, Gao Qiong and the soldiers, Song Zhenzong decided to leave for Chanzhou. At this time, the Liao army had surrounded Chanzhou on three sides.The Song army set up crossbow arrows in key places.Xiao Dalan, the chief general of the Liao army, took several cavalry to inspect the terrain, and just entered the Song army's ambush position. The crossbow arrows were fired at once, and Xiao Dalan was killed by the arrow.

When the general of the Liao Army died, Empress Dowager Xiao regretted and was afraid.She also heard that Song Zhenzong personally led troops to resist, and felt that the Song Dynasty was not easy to bully, so she made up her mind to make peace. Chanzhou City straddles the banks of the Yellow River.Under the escort of Kou Zhun, Gao Qiong and other civil and military ministers, Song Zhenzong crossed the Yellow River and arrived at the northern city of Chanzhou.At this time, all the Song armies from all walks of life had also gathered in Chanzhou. The soldiers saw Song Zhenzong's yellow dragon banner, their morale was high, and there were thunderous cheers.

Empress Dowager Xiao sent envoys to the Song Dynasty to negotiate peace and asked the Song Dynasty to cede the land.Song Zhenzong heard that the Liao Dynasty was willing to negotiate a peace, which was exactly what he wanted.He discussed with Kou Zhun and said, "It is not acceptable to cede the land. If the Liao people want gold and silver, I think they can agree." Kou Zhun opposed the peace negotiation at all, saying: "If they want to make peace, they must return Yanyun's lost land. How can I give him money." However, Song Zhenzong was determined to make peace, and regardless of Kou Zhun's opposition, he sent an envoy Cao Li to Liaoying to negotiate peace terms.When Cao Li was about to leave, Song Zhenzong told him: "If they have to pay compensation, they have to agree to pay one million a year."

Kou Zhun was very sad when he heard it, but it was inconvenient to argue in front of Zhenzong.Cao Li left the camp, and Kou Zhun followed closely behind. As soon as he went out, he grabbed Cao Li's hand and said, "The amount of compensation cannot exceed 300,000 yuan, or I will want your head when I come back!" Knowing Kou Zhun's power, Cao Lili went to the Liao camp, and after some bargaining, it was finally agreed that the Song Dynasty would give the Liao Dynasty 300,000 silver silks every year. When Cao Li returned to the camp, Song Zhenzong was eating and could not meet him right away.Zhenzong was anxious to know the result of the negotiation, so he asked the little eunuch to come out and ask Cao Lili how much he had agreed to.Cao Li felt that this was a state secret, and he had to reveal it face-to-face.The eunuch asked him to give an overview, but Cao Li had no choice but to gesture with three fingers.

As soon as the eunuch reported to Zhenzong, Song Zhenzong thought that the amount of compensation that Cao Lili had promised was three million, and he couldn't help exclaiming: "That's so much!" Never mind." After he finished his meal, he asked Cao Li to come in and report in detail.When Cao Yong said that the amount of silver silk he promised was 300,000, Song Zhenzong was so happy that he almost jumped up, and praised Cao Yong for his ability. Then Song and Liao formally reached a peace agreement. The Song Dynasty gave the Liao Dynasty 200,000 pieces of silk and 100,000 taels of silver every year.Needless to say, this huge amount of compensation has long been an additional heavy burden on the people of the Northern Song Dynasty.In history, this peace conference was called the "Chanyuan Alliance". Because of Kou Zhun's persistence in the war of resistance, a greater failure was avoided in the end.Song Zhenzong also felt that Kou Zhun had made a contribution and respected him a lot. But Wang Qinruo, who originally advocated fleeing, said in front of Song Zhenzong that Kou Zhun's persuasion of Zhenzong's personal conquest was to take the emperor as a bet, and it was a great shame for the country.When Song Zhenzong thought of the scene in Chanzhou, he was really a little scared, so he resented Kou Zhun in turn, and even removed the loyal Kou Zhun from his position as prime minister.