I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 381 When there's something to do, use secret techniques; when there's nothing to do...

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The Liao Dynasty was completely destroyed. A group of people who were still loyal to the Liao Dynasty, led by Yelü Dashi (about two hundred cavalrymen), wanted to launch a western expedition to restore the country.

In order to win over his men, Yelü Dashi even planned to marry Xiao Tabuyan, the daughter of one of the core members of these two hundred men, hoping to use marriage to firmly control them.

Unexpectedly, on the very day Yelü Dashi and Xiao Tabuyan were to get married, Xiao Puxian, acting on Zhao Yu's orders, decisively dispatched a large army to capture Yelü Dashi and his men, thus extinguishing the source of the Western Liao dynasty.

Subsequently, Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese, along with Yelü Dashi, Xiao Tabuyan, and others, returned to Bianliang City, the capital of Tokyo.

Zhao Yu took Xiao Tabuyan into his harem and imprisoned Yelü Dashi, Li Qianshun, Yelü Yanxi, Wang Kai, and others.

After the Song Dynasty destroyed the Liao Dynasty almost without bloodshed, Zhao Yu renamed the Liaodong region, which had been recovered, as Liaoning Circuit.

Following Emperor Zhao Yu's orders, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry of Railways of the Song Dynasty completed the construction of all highways, railways, and ports within the Liaoning Circuit in the shortest possible time.

To this end, the Song Dynasty recruited three million laborers and allocated ten million strings of cash for special infrastructure projects.

As for whether investing so much manpower and financial resources in Liaoning Road will affect the Song Dynasty's finances, there is absolutely no need to worry.

Firstly, in recent years, the Song Dynasty has developed rapidly in agriculture. Not only does it have high-yield rice, but Yuan Qingcheng and her agricultural researchers have also improved corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes, so the Song Dynasty no longer lacks food, even though the population of the Song Dynasty has more than doubled in recent years.

Secondly, in recent years, the Song Dynasty has initiated an industrial revolution, which has promoted the rapid development of commerce, resulting in a surge in the court's fiscal revenue and a full treasury.

Thirdly, when the Song Dynasty conquered Liaoning Province, it conducted public trials and confiscated the property of all the Jin Dynasty officials, nobles, gentry, wealthy families, and merchants in the region.

Preliminary calculations suggest that even without a systematic public trial and confiscation of the property of all the wealthy, powerful, noble, and officials of the Jin Dynasty in Liaoning Province, astonishing wealth could be amassed by targeting only the Jurchen nobles.

—For the Jurchens, there was no need for a public trial; the process of confiscating their property could be initiated directly. The primary purpose of the confiscated funds was to fill the gaps in military expenditures. Whether it was the supply of food and equipment for soldiers on the front lines or the compensation for the families of fallen soldiers, it could all be drawn from these funds, and it would completely cover them.

At the same time, the huge sums of money needed for the port expansion and railway construction projects that the Song Dynasty was vigorously promoting could also be allocated from this fund.

Moreover, even with this, the national treasury still had a considerable surplus, and Zhao Yu personally obtained a large amount of gold and silver jewelry.

If a comprehensive investigation were launched into all the powerful, wealthy, and powerful officials of the Jin Dynasty in Liaoning Province, the Song Dynasty would gain even more wealth.

In other words, according to the Ministry of Revenue's preliminary estimate, the revenue from Liaoning Circuit alone was almost equivalent to the entire annual fiscal revenue of the Song Dynasty.

—It should be noted that the current fiscal revenue of the Song Dynasty has exceeded 300 million guan, which is more than double the 120 million guan fiscal revenue at the peak of the Song Dynasty.

This is no accident.

It is important to know that the Liao Dynasty accumulated a vast amount of wealth during its more than two hundred years of rule.

After the Jin dynasty destroyed the Liao dynasty, most of the Liao's wealth had been plundered by the Jin's high-ranking officials, nobles, wealthy families, and powerful merchants.

Moreover, the Jurchens not only plundered the wealth of the living Liao people, but they even dug up the Liao people's buried wealth.

Therefore, it is easy to imagine that the Song Dynasty's gains in Liaoning Road were not small.
Is it really okay to "grab" like this?
What's wrong?
oppressive rule?
In recent years, how often have nomadic people plundered and enslaved Han Chinese?

How did Temujin become Genghis Khan if he didn't produce a single knife, a single gun, or a single horse?

It wasn't stolen.

Temujin's wife was kidnapped by the enemy, and Jamukha sent troops to help him get her back.

As a result, Temujin turned the tables and took away half of Jamukha's men.

Compared to Genghis Khan, Zhao Yu at least did not repay kindness with enmity, nor did he turn against his friends, which made him much better.

Some might say that this is the rule of the grasslands, and we Han Chinese don't do it this way.

That's just laughable...

Qin Shi Huang, Liu Bang, Li Shimin, Zhao Kuangyin, Zhu Yuanzhang—which one wasn't domineering, and which one honestly reasoned with their enemies?
Think about the humiliation of Jingkang. The Jurchens humiliated the Han people so much. Shouldn't the Han people be allowed to retaliate tenfold or a hundredfold?
Anyway, no matter what others think, in Zhao Yu's view, if you are allowed to do the first day of the month, then I am allowed to do the second to the thirtieth.

Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese helped Zhao Yu completely destroy the Liao Dynasty and dispersed a large number of Liao people throughout the Song Dynasty. They successfully and properly took over the remaining Liao population, making great contributions.

Therefore, after Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese returned, Zhao Yu held a grand banquet for them and at the banquet, he bestowed upon Xiao Puxian the title of Noble Consort and upon Xiao Sese the title of Virtuous Consort.

As for why Xiao Puxian has a higher status than Xiao Sese?

Zhao Yu was not a fool; how could he not know which of the two women was more loyal to him and which was forced into it?

That night, Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese, along with Xiao Wugulun and Xiao Tabuyan, went to bed with them.

Xiao Wugulun was virtually unknown in history, but in this life, she was the last empress of the Liao Dynasty. Crucially, she was young, beautiful, and a virgin empress. She was exceptionally beautiful, her eyes inheriting the deep gaze of Khitan women. When the corners of her eyes slightly upturned, she possessed a nonchalant detachment, yet her gaze also carried the gentle grace of a woman from Jiangnan, much like Ru ware porcelain, with its warm and lustrous glaze.

Upon first seeing Xiao Wugu, Zhao Yu immediately deduced, 'What a stunning beauty!'

Xiao Tabuyan, on the other hand, is a girl with a different style.

She wasn't wearing the embroidered gold robes often worn by noblewomen; instead, she wore only a black, fitted outfit with a silver belt around her waist, which accentuated her slender yet upright figure. Her black hair was tied high in a topknot, a style unique to Khitan women, secured with a single red velvet cord. A few stray strands of hair clung to her neck in the wind, adding a touch of wildness to her appearance.

Her features were typical of the Khitan people: long, narrow eyes with a slight upturn at the corners, yet not ostentatious; her pupils were as black as ink jade, and when focused, they were like a gyrfalcon locking onto its prey, sharp enough to pierce through the wind and fog. Her nose was straight, her lips clearly defined, and when she wasn't smiling, she carried a hint of aloofness and coldness. But when the corners of her lips turned up, two shallow dimples appeared, instantly softening her heroic air and adding a touch of girlish vibrancy.

Historically, when Yelü Dashi decided to move west due to political disagreements with Yelü Yanxi, Xiao Tabuyan remained by his side throughout. The westward migration was fraught with peril; she not only fought bravely like a man but also used her family's influence to contact Khitan tribes along the way, raising funds and troops, becoming Yelü Dashi's strongest support and laying the foundation for the establishment of the Western Liao Dynasty.

After Yelü Dashi's death, and with Crown Prince Yelü Yilie still young, facing internal and external troubles, Xiao Tabuyan decisively assumed regency, changing the era name to "Xianqing," and becoming the de facto ruler of the Western Liao. During her reign, she calmly handled disputes within the imperial clan, stabilized court order, and actively resisted incursions from surrounding forces, maintaining the stability of the Western Liao's territory.

When the Jin Dynasty envoy, Niange Hannu, visited the Western Liao, he was arrogant, refusing to kneel and speaking disrespectfully. Xiao Tabuyan, undaunted by the Jin's power, ordered his execution and sent his head to the border. This act not only deterred the Jin from easily attacking the Western Liao, but also made the Western Regions countries take the Western Liao seriously, further consolidating its dominance in Central Asia.

During Xiao Tabuyan's reign, she continued Yelü Dashi's governing policies, reducing taxes and corvée labor to alleviate the burden on the people and promoting the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. At the same time, she emphasized commerce and trade, ensuring the smooth flow of the Silk Road, making the Western Liao Dynasty a center of economic exchange in Central Asia at that time.

In terms of culture, she respected the beliefs and customs of all ethnic groups, promoted the integration of different cultures, and helped the Western Liao society to present a prosperous and stable situation.

In short, she was an exceptionally capable woman.

Although Xiao Wugulun was prettier, Zhao Yu clearly preferred Xiao Tabuyan.

This can be easily seen from the fact that Zhao Yu asked for Xiao Tabuyan twice and only asked for Xiao Wugulun once that very night.

The next day.

Zhao Yu sent Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese to bring Xiao Wugulun and Xiao Tabuyan into the cabinet to help him handle government affairs.

After a rigorous inspection and questioning.

This time, the main target is not the virgin Xiao Wugu Lun and Xiao Tabu Yan, but Xiao Pu Xian Nu and Xiao Sese who have been away for two or three years. After all, they have been away for a long time. Although they have secret agents from the Imperial City Guard, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Eastern Depot watching them, they have no chance to do anything to cuckold Zhao Yu. But they still have to be on guard.

After Xiao Puxian and her four companions completed all the procedures for serving the emperor, Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese led Xiao Wugulun and Xiao Tabuyan to the inner cabinet.

Here, Xiao Wugu Lun and Xiao Tabu Yan witnessed a very shocking scene.

There were nearly a hundred palace servants here processing memorials and offering preliminary opinions.

Xiao Puxian said to Xiao Wugu, "Our cabinet handles hundreds to thousands of memorials every day. His Majesty's energy is limited, so we concubines are selected to read the memorials and draft preliminary opinions for him. We have no decision-making power..."

Zhao Yu's cabinet had similarities with the cabinets of the Ming Dynasty, but also had differences.

Both were essentially auxiliary support institutions for the emperor's decision-making, with their core value lying in undertaking some of the emperor's administrative and advisory work, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the core decision-makers.

— Both Zhao Yu's cabinet and the Ming Dynasty's cabinet reviewed memorials and drafted preliminary opinions on behalf of the emperor, playing the roles of information filter and decision-making advisor.

Although both Zhao Yu's cabinets derive their power from the emperor's trust, Zhao Yu's cabinet's power was strictly limited to the execution of affairs. It was only responsible for transmitting information and implementing instructions, and had no authority to participate in strategic decision-making, let alone influence the core business direction of the Song Dynasty. In essence, it was an execution tool. On the other hand, the Ming Dynasty's cabinet could deeply intervene in core decision-making through the power of drafting proposals, and in the later period, it could even dominate government affairs (such as Zhang Juzheng's reforms). Its power ceiling could reach the core of national governance.

Zhao Yu's cabinet was composed entirely of his concubines. They were not only in a superior-subordinate relationship but also husband-wife relationships. They followed orders completely and had no room to raise objections or influence decisions. They were only responsible for the efficiency and accuracy of completing tasks. The Ming Dynasty cabinet and the emperor had a cooperative and assisted relationship. The cabinet ministers (especially the chief minister) could influence the emperor's decisions based on their professional abilities and political prestige, and even become the actual leaders of government affairs when the emperor neglected his duties.

Furthermore, although the Ming Dynasty's cabinet was not a legally recognized administrative body, it belonged to the core circle of political power. Cabinet members were required to participate in discussions on major national strategies (military, taxation, diplomacy, etc.), bear political responsibility, and could even bear joint liability for decision-making errors. Zhao Yu's cabinet, on the other hand, was not a legally recognized administrative body of the court, nor did it belong to the core circle of political power. Zhao Yu's concubines were not qualified to participate in discussions on major national strategies (they discussed major national strategies with Zhao Yu, and they were only responsible for helping Zhao Yu understand everything about the Song Dynasty). Of course, they did not have to bear any political responsibility.

To put it bluntly, Zhao Yu's cabinet was actually a huge secret bureau, the kind that "does secret work when there's something to do, and does secret work when there's nothing to do."

Through the introductions of Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese, Xiao Wugulun and Xiao Tabuyan learned that Zhao Yu's concubines in his cabinet were also divided into three ranks: the Lower Cabinet had an indefinite number of members, and they were mainly responsible for helping Zhao Yu read memorials and drafting preliminary opinions; the Middle Cabinet had eighteen to twenty-four members, and each of them was responsible for a region or a key matter; the Upper Cabinet had a maximum of nine members, and they were responsible for managing the cabinet, coordinating the overall situation, and coordinating all parties. They would carefully sort out and deeply integrate the preliminary opinions submitted by the Lower and Middle Cabinet concubines before submitting them to Zhao Yu's desk.

These nine people who have been appointed to the cabinet are all outstanding talents and meticulous individuals. Even if they don't have the talent of a prime minister, they must at least have a keen insight into the affairs of the court.

They are: Zhang Chun, Li Lin, Wang Yisu, Liu Mingda, Zhang Nan, Xiao Puxian, Yelü Nanxian, Empress Xuanxian of Wanyan Aguda, Zhu Lian.

Even Xiao Sese was just one of the cabinet members.

Xiao Puxian said to Xiao Wugu and Xiao Tabuyan:
"Although our cabinet is not the central authority of the court, it is responsible for the initial review of memorials and the drafting of opinions. Every day, hundreds or even thousands of documents are reviewed by us. The lower cabinets distinguish their authenticity, the middle cabinets divide their areas, and the upper cabinets summarize their outlines. This process is progressive, so that Your Majesty can select the essentials and make decisions amidst the myriad affairs of state."

You two must not take this position lightly. Any opinions you offer, whether concerning the people's suffering or military and political affairs, are of great importance and must be treated with utmost care. From this day forward, you should diligently study government affairs and thoroughly research the classics. You may freely express your opinions, discerning the advantages and disadvantages of the Song Dynasty through memorials and demonstrating your own ambitions through draft proposals. In this way, you can assist His Majesty in making clear judgments and protect the people from displacement.

The imperial harem had tens of thousands of women, but not all of them could enter the cabinet to participate in government affairs and assist the emperor with their talents. Most of them could only remain in the inner chambers, hoping for the emperor's favor.

"As for my cabinet members, they frequently come into contact with the Emperor. If they can perform in a way that catches his eye, how can they not have the opportunity to gain his favor?"

……

(End of this chapter)