"Yes." Gao Liangcheng looked tired. "We all rose up in the chaotic times at the end of the Tang Dynasty. After a hundred or two hundred years, one by one, each generation was worse than the previous one, and the internal capsules were poured out one by one. However, the Song Dynasty fell quickly and recovered quickly. Seeing that it was about to unify the world, each family naturally wanted to survive on their own. The Western Liao Dynasty started a new business and found a new way, while we are in a situation where we are dying but not yet stiff. Therefore, I discussed this strategy with Duan Heyu, thinking that we would swallow up the land and strengthen ourselves, and at the same time divert the disaster to the southeast, mess up Jiaozhi, and make a sacrifice in exchange for decades of peace for our family. But..."

"But in the end, weren't we defeated?" Gao Zhenshou said. "After four or five years of fighting, the treasury was empty, the people were exhausted, and the black barbarians were about to rebel again, but in the end we still lost. What's more, the Song Dynasty spent seven or eight years repairing the river after the Northern Expedition. Now that the national strength is sufficient, they pretend to have just freed up their hands and look around. It's our turn to fall into their eyes... So, uncle, don't pretend. I don't believe you are not prepared."

"Of course I have considered it." Gao Liangcheng covered his face and said. "Besides, I have already told that uncle Wu privately, and I'm afraid that Emperor Zhao of Yanjing also knows... Zhenshou, if the Northern Sect really wants to fight to the end, I will give Dali to them!"

This time it was Gao Zhenshou's turn to be stunned and stunned.

"Why are you so surprised?" Gao Liangcheng put down his hands and asked calmly. "Anyway, if you fight for it, I can only keep the Weichu Prefecture at most, and I can't be the Dali Buxie. The title of Duke will be handed over to you... Why don't you take the initiative to discuss with Emperor Zhao and become a proper Weichu County King? Emperor Zhao also hinted that if things go well, Jingmu Prefecture and Xiushan County will be granted to me, and my second son will be allowed to go to Guangxi to serve as the commander of the imperial camp, and then we can start a branch in the Song Dynasty to avoid the trouble of the two sects in the north and south of Weichu."

"The Emperor Zhao has given me permission." Gao Zhenshou hesitated for a moment, but reluctantly said, "He and Zhenming had a conversation face to face, saying that if one day, Dali Tongxu is no longer around, the Song Dynasty will set up Yunnan Road, and only Shanchan and Jianchang will be directly governed. If it is not good for customs to directly govern the two prefectures, the two prefectures can be granted to one of his sons, and everyone will regard this Prince Zhao as the common ruler... As for our Northern Clan, in addition to Tongmou Prefecture, we can also get Shanju and Tengchong counties, and then become a legitimate hereditary prince... The second son will naturally stay in the Song Dynasty, and he will have many rewards besides being a temporary official, and he will not compete with my son for the throne."

The uncle and nephew looked at each other and both felt a little dry in the mouth.

After a moment, Gao Liangcheng continued to speculate in a low voice: "If this is the case... the Duan family can also keep Dali Prefecture and Yongchang Prefecture. It is possible that Nongdong will also belong to the Duan family, and it is still a hereditary kingship... As for the Wuman tribes in the east, they must be allowed to establish themselves. A big family like the Yang family can also get a county and become a legitimate county king."

"If that's the case... why can't we do it?" Gao Zhenshou thought for a moment and stomped his foot hard beside the jade disk. "Each family must have something..."

"It's not that we can't do it." Gao Liangcheng sighed. "But the Gao family's hegemony of more than a hundred years and the Duan family's foundation of more than a hundred years will be destroyed... Shanchan Prefecture will also be gone."

"But in the current situation, can the Gao family's hegemony and the Duan family's foundation really continue?" Gao Zhenshou looked at the two people above the waterfall, shook his head, and waved his hand at his uncle. "This is an open conspiracy."

"Yes, this is an open conspiracy."

Gao Liangcheng stood up, took his nephew's hand, and then responded earnestly. "That official saw that Dali was now empty, but he still divided it into four... The Duan family, the northern and southern branches of the Gao family, and the Wuman in the east, each ruled their own government, fought each other, and became a mess, so he wanted to take Shanchan Prefecture out of thin air and set up a road. Not to mention the Wuman, that's really a blood feud, but if our northern and southern branches of the Gao family and the Duan family could unite, the official would never send troops to a distant place and throw elite troops and money and food for a mere Shanchan Prefecture... The foundation of our ancestors could continue!"

Gao Zhenshou looked back at his uncle and was silent for a long time before he spoke: "I don't want the position of Bu Xie anymore, nor the jurisdiction of Shanchan Prefecture, but can you give me the title of Duke of Zhongguo and the military power of Shanchan Prefecture to suppress the Black Barbarians? I also need to go back and get something to convince Zhenming... He has already considered himself a Song citizen."

Gao Liangcheng wanted to speak several times, but when he thought of his sons, he could not answer.

Gao Zhenshou sighed and finally pulled his hand back slowly: "In this case, why don't we talk to Emperor Zhao separately."

"Not bad, not bad!" Gao Liangcheng also smiled bitterly, but he couldn't help but think of the saying: "A centipede dies but remains intact. It's not bad to be able to split into two and keep the foundation."

One month later, Emperor Zhao received a secret letter in Yanjing. When he opened it, there was only one sentence:

"In the Wuliang Mountain Sword Contest, Wang Shixiong borrowed your majesty's prestige and defeated the enemy without fighting. The Duan clan of Dali is now powerless."