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On the second day of the second lunar month in the tenth year of the prosperous era, the dragon raises its head.

The atmosphere in Bianliang City was completely different from usual on this day.

Before dawn, the city gates were already crowded with people seeing them off.

They stood on both sides of the road, tiptoeing and peering into the city, wanting to take one last look at the capital city that had housed generations, and one last look at those who were about to leave.

Some people carried baskets filled with boiled eggs; some carried cloth bags containing freshly baked flatbreads; some stood there with nothing, their eyes red.

"They're here! They're out!"

Someone shouted, and the crowd stirred.

At the exact hour of Chen (7-9 AM), the palace gates slowly opened.

The first to emerge were the Imperial Guards.

Three thousand armored soldiers marched out in formation, standing in formation along both sides of the imperial road, their armor gleaming coldly in the morning light.

The warhorse snorted, its hooves making a crisp sound as they trod on the bluestone slabs.

The soldiers stood ramrod straight, like a moving iron wall.

Then came the civil and military officials.

Wei Renpu, Li Gu, Wang Pu, Zhao Pu, Li Fang...

Dressed in official robes, with solemn expressions, they rode on horseback and slowly walked along the imperial road.

Some people glanced back at the palace behind them, some lowered their heads and remained silent, and some straightened their backs and looked straight ahead.

Then came the officials from the six ministries, each in their respective departments, who filed out in single file.

Each person had a different expression: some were expectant, some were reluctant to part, some were apprehensive, and some were excited.

Finally, there was the emperor's carriage.

Su Ning did not sit in the carriage; instead, he rode a horse at the very front.

He wore a bright yellow dragon robe, with an emperor's sword hanging at his waist. His expression was calm, and his eyes were deep.

Behind him was the Empress's phoenix carriage, with its vermilion carriage, carved window frames, and bright yellow curtains.

Following behind were the carriages of Zhou Ehuang, Fu Qing, and other concubines, one after another, forming a long line.

The procession stretched for miles, from the palace all the way to the outskirts of the city.

Banners obscured the sun, and drums and music resounded.

The sounds of hooves, wheels, and footsteps blended together, like a giant dragon slowly moving.

The people knelt by the roadside, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Great Zhou!"

Someone couldn't help but shout, "Your Majesty, will you come back?"

Suning reined in his horse.

The line stopped.

He glanced back at the city where he had lived for over twenty years.

Bianliang.

He knew this city all too well.

Familiar with every street, every city gate, and every time-honored shop.

I am familiar with the spring, summer, autumn and winter here, and I am familiar with the wind, frost, rain and snow here.

I grew up here, escaped from danger here, studied here and created the reading camp here, and got to where I am today step by step.

The day I climbed out of the well, it was this city that caught me.

From the day the King of Qin became the Emperor, this city witnessed his rise to power.

On the day the world was unified, this city cheered for itself.

But now, I really have to leave, for the long-term peace and stability of the Central Plains.

"I will come back."

Su Ning turned his horse around, facing the kneeling people, and said, "Bianliang will always be the Bianliang of the Great Zhou. I will always be the Emperor of the Great Zhou. I will come back, and I will come back often. You can live well here, and I will protect you in the capital."

Someone cried.

Some people knelt on the ground and kowtowed vigorously.

They were all moved by Su Ning's words: "The emperor guards the nation's gate; the monarch dies for the country"—what a tragic and heroic statement!

Su Ning looked at them, remained silent for a moment, and then turned his horse around.

"Walk."

The procession continued forward.

After leaving the city gate, we entered the official road.

The newly built cement road was smooth and flat, stretching all the way to the horizon.

When the wheels roll over it, you can hardly feel any bumps.

The willows on both sides of the road have just sprouted new buds, tender and green, swaying gently in the spring breeze.

Empress Lin Wan'er lifted the curtain, looked at the scenery rushing past the window, and said softly, "Your Majesty, this road is really smooth."

Suning nodded, "The road ahead will be smoother, and we will be able to move faster."

The Empress asked, "Your Majesty, are we really going to live in the capital from now on?"

“Yes,” Su Ning said. “From now on, the capital will be my home. With the army gathered in the northern frontier, I can only sleep soundly when I am personally overseeing things.”

The Empress was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Your Majesty, I cannot bear to leave Bianliang."

Su Ning glanced back at her. "I'm reluctant too. But we have to. For the sake of the Great Zhou, for the sake of our descendants, our sacrifice is worthwhile."

The Empress nodded. "Your Majesty, I understand."

The team traveled north for a full half month.

Along the way, people from various prefectures and counties lined the streets to see them off.

The people who migrated from the south knelt by the roadside and kowtowed; the merchants who came from the north stood in the crowd looking around; the children chased after the procession, shouting "Your Majesty the Emperor!"

Wherever they went, Suning would stop, say a few words to local officials, and greet the people.

Sometimes he would dismount, walk into the crowd, touch a child's head, and ask about the health of an elderly person.

The people were so excited that they trembled and knelt on the ground, not daring to get up.

"Get up, all of you get up," Su Ning said. "Living a good life is better than anything else."

"Your Majesty, Youzhou is too dangerous."

"The emperor guards the nation's gates, and the monarch dies for the state. This is my responsibility. From now on, I and my descendants will protect you. The northern barbarians will never be able to enter the Central Plains again."

"His Majesty……"

……

After traveling for half a month, we finally entered Hebei province.

Spring comes later in Hebei than in Bianliang.

The willows in Bianliang are already green, while those in Hebei are just beginning to sprout.

The peach blossoms in Bianliang are already in bloom, while those in Hebei are still just buds.

But the people of Hebei were even more enthusiastic than those of Bianliang.

The elderly people who had experienced the ravages of war knelt by the roadside and wept, “Your Majesty, I have never seen a peaceful day in my life. We fought when I was a child, we fought when I was young, and we are fighting now that I am old. I thought this was how my life would be. I never thought... I never thought I could live a peaceful life…”

Su Ning dismounted and helped the old man up. "Old man, things will be peaceful from now on. Live well and live a few more years."

The old man nodded, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty!"

……

The group continued north.

After another half month of walking, we finally saw the outline of the Yanshan Mountains.

Those rolling mountain ranges, like a huge barrier, stretch across the sky and the earth.

The snow on the mountain had not completely melted and shimmered white in the sunlight.

The Empress lifted the curtain, gazed at the mountains, and whispered, "Your Majesty, are those the Yanshan Mountains?"

“Yes,” Su Ning said, “Yanshan. Once we cross Yanshan, we’ll reach the capital.”

After another three days of travel, they finally arrived in the capital.

Officials lined up outside the city gate to welcome them.

Cao Bin, leading his generals from the northern frontier, stood at the very front.

Pan Mei, Shi Shouxin, and Gao Huaide, each dressed in armor, stood ramrod straight.

Behind them stood officials from the capital, civil officials on the left and military officials on the right, a dense, dark mass.

The city walls were covered with the dragon flags of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The flags fluttered in the wind, like a red ocean.

In the city, the people stood on both sides of the street, waiting to see their new emperor.

The nobles and wealthy families who had migrated from various places, the local people, and the soldiers who had returned from Liaodong were all packed together.

Su Ning rode on his horse, looking at the brand-new capital city.

The city walls are towering and the city towers are majestic.

The bluish-gray walls gleamed in the sunlight, and the city gates stood wide open, like outstretched arms.

The streets in the city are wide and the houses are neat.

The streets are straight and the neighborhoods are neat and orderly, the houses are scattered in a well-organized manner, and the shops are lined up one after another.

More magnificent than Bianliang, and more sturdy than Bianliang.

This is the new capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Cao Bin stepped forward and knelt on one knee: "Your subject Cao Bin, leading the generals of the Northern Frontier, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty!"

Behind him, all the generals knelt down in unison: "Welcome, Your Majesty!"

Su Ning dismounted and helped Cao Bin up, saying, "Get up. Get up, both of you."

Cao Bin stood up, looked at Su Ning, his eyes slightly sore, "Your Majesty, you've finally arrived."

Su Ning patted him on the shoulder, "You're here. Thanks for your hard work."

Cao Bin shook his head: "I am not tired. Your Majesty is the one who is tired."

Su Ning smiled and said, "Let's go into the city."

The procession slowly drove into the city.

The people knelt on the ground.

"Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Great Zhou!"

As Su Ning rode on his horse, looking at the kneeling people and the brand-new capital, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welled up inside him.

From today onwards, the strategic focus of the Great Zhou Dynasty has officially shifted northward.

From this day forward, the Emperor will personally go to the front lines to confront the ever-emerging powerful enemies in the north.

Is it dangerous?
Danger.

Although the Khitans were defeated, there were other tribes on the grasslands.

The Tatars, the Shiwei, and the Jurchens were all formidable fighters.

Those barbarian tribes in the north could return at any time.

But it is precisely because of the danger that we must come.

The emperor guards the nation's gates; the monarch dies for the state.

The procession crossed the streets and headed towards the palace.

Along the way, some people were kneeling, some were standing, some were holding children, and some were helping the elderly.

In their eyes, there was awe, curiosity, expectation, and trepidation.

They didn't know what kind of person the new emperor was.

All they knew was that life had gotten better these past few years, and the northern barbarians had stopped coming to bully them.

There's no more war, no more hunger, and we can finally live a peaceful life.

We've arrived at the palace.

The main gate was wide open, and the nine-room main hall stood majestically.

Suning dismounted and walked up the steps.

He stood in front of the main hall and glanced back.

Behind him, civil and military officials knelt on the ground.

In the distance, the streets of the capital city crisscrossed, and the people were still kneeling there.

Further away, the outline of the Yanshan Mountains gleamed with golden light under the setting sun.

Suning turned around and walked into the main hall, which would become the ancient capital for a thousand years.

I and my descendants will surely conquer the northern frontier like the Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains… …

The days after the capital was moved were busier than anyone had imagined.

The palace needed to be tidied up, government offices needed to be organized, officials' residences needed to be arranged, and documents from various departments and units needed to be moved.

People start working before dawn every day, and the place remains brightly lit until late at night.

Su Ning sat in the imperial study, looking at the mountain of memorials piled on his desk, and rubbed his temples.

The memorials on the table were piled up in several stacks.

On the left are the daily official documents sent by the Six Ministries, on the right are the memorials of greetings from various prefectures and counties, and the tallest stack in the middle contains important matters that urgently need to be reviewed.

Each stack was about a foot high, and he had to personally inspect and approve each item.

"Your Majesty, please rest for a while." The personal eunuch brought in a bowl of ginseng soup and placed it gently on the table. "You've been busy all morning, have some soup to warm yourself up."

Su Ning shook her head, her vermilion brush still in her hand. "How are the people being settled in the capital?"

"Your Majesty, everything is going smoothly." The eunuch bowed and reported in detail, "The officials and wealthy families who have been relocated from Bianliang have all been allocated residences according to their rank. As for the civil officials, Grand Secretary Wei was allocated a large mansion in Yongning Ward in the East City. It has five courtyards and a garden, and he is quite satisfied with it. Minister Li was allocated the courtyard next door. The two houses are adjacent, which makes it convenient for them to visit each other."

"What about the military officers?"

"General Cao was allocated a house in Anping Ward in the western city, and Generals Pan and Shi are also nearby. General Gao, because he is to guard Liaodong, also had a courtyard in the capital, which he said he would stay in when he returned to report on his duties."

Su Ning nodded. "What about the nobles from various countries?"

“Everything is settled,” the eunuch said. “Meng Chang has been allocated a house in the south of the city, with three courtyards and a small garden. Yesterday, he even sent over a poem, saying that the capital is wonderful, much better than he imagined. Li Yu also sent over a poem, about the first snow in the capital, the words are beautiful, but I can’t remember them all, only a few lines…”

"Alright, alright." Su Ning waved her hand, but a slight smile appeared on her lips. "It's good that they can live here in peace."

"I'm at ease," the eunuch said with a smile. "Yesterday, Meng Chang went to visit Li Yu, and the two of them drank for half the night. This morning, they made an appointment to go see the city wall. Liu Chang doesn't like to go out. He stays at home every day thinking about food, saying he wants to study what good dishes are available in the capital."

Su Ning smiled and said, "He's quite open-minded."

"There's no point in being pessimistic!" the eunuch laughed. "Since we can't go back anyway, we might as well stay put. Besides, His Majesty treats them well; they have houses, salaries, and servants—everything they need. They might even be more comfortable than when they were emperors in their own countries."

Su Ning shook his head: "That's different. Being an emperor has its difficulties. They are free of official duties now."

The eunuch dared not respond, and could only force a smile.

……

What's most worrying about moving the capital is actually the winter in the north.

Those who migrated from the south turned pale when they heard that ears could freeze off in the capital during winter.

"Minus twenty degrees Celsius? What does that even mean?"

"Can water poured out freeze?"

"Won't people freeze to death?"

Before the capital was moved, some people secretly inquired about just how cold the winters in the capital were.

A merchant who had returned from the north vividly described the scene: In winter, you have to wrap yourself up like a dumpling when you go out, or your ears will fall off if you touch them; you have to tap yourself with a stick when you urinate, or your urine will freeze into an icicle; you have to be careful when you speak, or your tongue will stick to your teeth.

Those people turned green upon hearing this.

But after they actually settled in, they found that it wasn't so scary after all.

Because the people at the Royal Academy of Sciences had already solved the problem.

First, there was the technology of burning coal.

In the past, burning coal produced a lot of smoke, a strong smell, and could easily lead to poisoning.

Ordinary people would rather burn firewood than touch coal.

But there wasn't enough firewood, and the winters in the north were long; they couldn't just freeze to death.

After several years of research, the scientists at the Academy of Sciences finally developed a working furnace.

The stove was made of cast iron and had good sealing properties, so the coal burned completely inside and the smoke was discharged from the chimney, leaving no smell in the house.

The stove can also be used to boil water and heat food, serving multiple purposes at once.

Adding coal to the stove once would keep it burning all night, and the house would still be warm and cozy when you woke up the next morning.

The imperial court took one look and thought, "Great, this thing is good."

As a result, several government-run coal yards were opened in the capital.

The coal transported from Shanxi was piled up as high as a mountain, and the price was not expensive, so ordinary people could afford it.

A cartload of coal costs only a few hundred coins, enough to burn for the whole winter.

The imperial court also encouraged private capital to invest in the coal briquette and stove industries.

Anyone who wanted to open a coal shop or build a stove would be given a license and subsidies by the government, and would also be exempt from taxes for three years.

In no time, coal shops sprang up everywhere in the capital.

You can see one every few steps, with piles of shiny black coal briquettes at the door, stoves lined up in a row, and workers shouting to attract customers.

"Come and see! The latest model stove, it saves coal and keeps you warm!"

"Coal briquettes! Top-quality coal briquettes! Only three hundred coins a cartload!"

Those who came from the south hesitated at first.

"Is this thing any good?"

"This was developed by the Royal Academy of Sciences! Give it a try, it's not expensive." The salesman patted his chest confidently. "If it doesn't work, come back to me, money back guaranteed!"

Once you try it, you can't live without it.

The room is warm and cozy; I no longer have to shiver in bed.

At night, you can even stretch your feet out to warm them by the stove while you sleep.

I woke up in the morning to find the water on the stove boiling perfectly. I made myself a cup of hot tea, and it was wonderful.

"This thing...it's fucking amazing!"

With the heating problem solved, there's still the sleeping problem.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has also thoroughly studied the heated brick beds in the north.

They improved the flue of the old-fashioned kang (heated brick bed), allowing the heat to spread more evenly inside the kang, making it neither too hot nor too cold.

The kang (heated brick bed) is made of adobe bricks, and a mat and mattress are laid on top. It is warm and cozy to sleep on, much more comfortable than beds in the south.

The officials who came from Bianliang initially found it difficult to sleep.

"It's so hard, how can I sleep on it?"

After sleeping for three days...

"This kang (heated brick bed) is fucking comfortable!"

Wei Renpu is old and is most afraid of the cold.

As soon as the temperature started to drop in the capital, he had someone heat up the kang (a heated brick bed).

I lay down and tried it, and my old face beamed with joy.

"Good, good, really good. This kang is great. We won't be afraid of winter anymore."

Li Gu went even further, having a kang (heated brick bed) built in his study as well.

In winter, sitting on the kang (heated brick bed) with a small table by the bed, reading books and reviewing official documents, it's so warm and cozy that I don't want to get up.

……

Winters are even colder in Liaodong.

But once the kang (heated brick bed) is lit and the coal stove is turned on, the room remains warm and cozy.

Those people who migrated from inside the pass were filled with anxiety during their first winter, but by the second winter they had gotten used to it.

"What's so cold about it? We have a kang (heated brick bed) and coal, it's even more comfortable than the south." A man who moved from Hebei to Liaodong wrote to his fellow villagers to boast, "Lying on the kang, with the stove burning, drinking hot tea, eating melon seeds, snow falling heavily outside the window, the house is as warm as spring. I wouldn't trade this life for even a god."

When the news reached Beijing, Suning nodded.

"Good. If the people can live a good life, the court will be stable."

……

In the winter of the tenth year of the prosperous era, the capital city saw its first snowfall.

The snow was heavy; overnight, the whole city was covered in white.

As dawn broke, Suning opened the window, and a blast of cold air hit him.

Inside the palace, the snow was already ankle-deep, and the branches were covered with icicles that glistened in the morning light.

He stood by the window and looked out for a long time.

Those who came from the south, seeing such heavy snow for the first time, stood in the courtyard for a long time, laughing foolishly.

Meng Chang stood in his own courtyard, tilting his head back and letting the snowflakes fall on his face.

It felt cool and melted quickly.

He reached out and caught a piece, watching the hexagonal ice crystal slowly melt in his palm, his eyes stinging with tears.

He lived in Chengdu for most of his life, and then lived anxiously in Bianliang for a few years, but he had never seen snow in Youzhou.

Li Yu stood by the window of his study, gazing at the white world outside, and remained silent for a long time.

Then he went to the table, spread out the paper, ground the ink, and picked up his brush to write:

"The first snow in the capital blankets the world in white. Gazing at the Yanshan Mountains, they stretch endlessly into the distance. Thinking back to the old days in Jiangnan, it feels like a lifetime ago..."

He wrote a few sentences, then stopped.

He put down his pen, looked out the window, and sighed softly, for he was once again longing for his homeland.

Fortunately, Suning was not a petty ruler and did not take such a matter to heart.

Anyway, Suning is now confident in controlling the world and doesn't think a repressed poet can cause much trouble.

However, considering that the historical Little Zhou Empress had grown up, and since he had already won over the First Zhou Empress Zhou Ehuang, he naturally wouldn't mind winning over Zhou Ehuang's younger sister as well.

Liu Chang didn't have that many feelings.

He stood in the kitchen, wrapped in a thick fur coat, watching the cook study the new dishes.

"This mutton must be cooked the way it's done in the north. Add some Sichuan peppercorns and ginger, and simmer it for a while. Yes, just like that. And a pot of hot wine, and it'll be perfect."

The children ran wildly in the snow, had snowball fights, and built snowmen. Their faces were red from the cold, but they refused to go home.

Some mischievous kids would grab a handful of snow and stuff it down their friends' necks, only to be chased all over the yard.

The adults watched from inside the house, laughing and scolding a few times, but they didn't really stop them.

Inside the house, the stove was burning brightly, and the kang (heated brick bed) was warm.

The elderly people sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), drinking hot tea and chatting idly.

"The North isn't so scary after all."

"Yes! With coal and a heated brick bed, it's even more comfortable than the South."

"His Majesty is very thoughtful; he has prepared everything for us."

"That's right. I heard that these stoves and kang beds were all researched by people from the Academy of Sciences. Those people are really capable."

"We've caught a good time."

The snow is still falling outside the window.

The people inside felt warm and cozy.

This winter is not cold at all.

……

In the imperial study, Su Ning finished reviewing the last memorial, put down his vermilion brush, stood up, and walked to the window.

The snow is still falling, swirling and turning everything in the world white.

Grand Secretary Wei Renpu pushed open the door and entered, holding a memorial in his hand.

"Your Majesty, there's a report from Liaodong. The Liaodong prefect says that although this winter is cold, the people all have coal to burn and heated brick beds to sleep on, so no one has frozen to death. On the Khitan side, another batch of people have starved to death."

Su Ning took the document, read it through, and said, "Okay."

He looked up at the heavy snow outside the window and said, "Issue an imperial decree to allocate another batch of funds to Liaodong to purchase coal. Tell the Liaodong prefect to distribute it carefully, so that the people don't freeze."

"Yes." Wei Renpu replied, but did not leave immediately. "Your Majesty, when I came in just now, I saw the snow in the palace. Suddenly, I remembered something."

"what's up?"

"I recall a story you told me back in the study camp. It said there was a country in the north where winters were extremely cold, but they invented something called heating. They used boilers to heat water, and the hot water flowed through pipes to warm the entire city. You said we could have that someday too."

Suning remained silent for a moment.

Then he laughed, "You knew too?"

“Your Majesty knows,” Wei Renpu said. “Although I have never been to the study camp, I have been paying close attention to Your Majesty’s every move.”

At that time, Wei Renpu was already an important minister in Guo Wei's court, and he also favored Chai Rong to inherit the throne. His concern for him was probably because he was worried that Wei Renpu would cause trouble.

However, Suning didn't seem to mind too much. Instead, he nodded generously, "That day will come. When the steam engine of the Academy of Sciences is more advanced, when iron pipes can be mass-produced, and when we have money and manpower, we will spread heating throughout the whole city."

“By then,” Suning said, gazing at the heavy snow outside the window, “winter will truly not be cold anymore.”

Wei Renpu smiled as well, "Your Majesty, I await that day."

The snow is still falling.

The capital city is quiet.

The room was warm and cozy.

...(End of this chapter)