You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chen Shao stayed at Guangyuan Hall in the suburbs for a while, and then received an important report.

It is said that Guo Yaoshi from Liaodong wants to form an alliance with the Jurchens.

This news was somewhat unexpected for Chen Shao.

Guo Yaoshi had just betrayed the Jurchens. If the Tartars really allied with him, Chen Shao would actually think more highly of them.
Currently, among the various forces in the north, the Dingnan Army, the Jurchens, and Guo Yaoshi can be said to be in a three-way balance of power.

As for the Song Dynasty, after Hebei and Youyan fell to Chen Shao, the Song Dynasty had no power in the north.

Guo Yaoshi and the Jurchens were indeed in a weaker position.

Upon hearing this news, Chen Shao sighed. The enemy was no pushover; they were extremely difficult to deal with.

Next, perhaps it really depends on Qu Duan.

Since he couldn't destroy it, Chen Shao didn't bother with it. He would just wait for the weather to warm up before starting the war!
The most difficult thing about Liaodong is getting in; once you get in, you can clear the plains along the river.

When Zhu Yuanzhang later pacified Liaodong, he also transported his troops from Shandong by sea before he was able to establish a foothold.

In such places, simply holding onto a city can cause a great deal of trouble.

The land in Liaodong is fertile, and if we let them hold the passes and wear them down without being able to break through, the cost would be too high.

Today, Chen Shao and his Dingnan Army are no longer the reckless young men who took a gamble and caused trouble, but have become the defenders of their positions.

We can no longer just look at the outcome, but also at the cost.

They are the challengers.
The sky was overcast, and it looked like it was going to rain, so Chen Shao quickly led his men back to his residence.

Just as they arrived at the Prince's residence, a rumble of thunder came from afar.

Thunder rumbled, but no rain fell; the sky grew increasingly gloomy.

Chen Shao remembered Cai Tiao, a strange and eccentric man, and instructed his personal guards, "Go and tell the people at Guangyuan Hall not to let Cai Tiao do anything rash. Interrogate all those who know the truth as soon as possible, and then release them back to their residences."

"This time I'm going to have Cai Jing give his son a good talking-to, and hopefully he won't be allowed to harm anyone again."

Cai Jing was actually able to control him, because Cai Tao was not very capable. Cai Jing only needed to strictly order the servants in the Cai household to keep an eye on him.

The old man's only thought now is that his children and grandchildren will not let him, an old man with white hair, bury his black-haired children.

It was only when one reached Chen Shao's position that one truly appreciated how precious a talent like Cai Jing was.
This Cai Tiao is incompetent, arrogant, and eccentric. He made such a big mistake, and I'm still worried that he'll commit suicide.

It's true that being born into the right family is a skill, but who can blame him when his father is so powerful?

Like Zhao Ji, Chen Shao did not submit immediately.

They have considered finding replacements, but currently, the only available personnel are those who can be promoted.

Only this old man could lift and carry the burden, and keep the Song Dynasty's finances running smoothly.

China is a vast country with a wealth of talent, and there are certainly capable people among the common people who may even do a better job than Cai Jing.

But can you easily find these people and reuse them?

It's not that simple.
This is why some people, no matter how badly they are defeated, still lose their military power!

But when the opportunity arises, he is still the first person everyone thinks of.

Just like Cai Jing, you may not like him, and you may even hate him, but if you really reach that position, you still have to use him.

Chen Shao sighed inwardly. He resolved to establish a system that would no longer rely on the talent of any one person; only then could it be considered a good system!
Just as he was about to return to his inner quarters, a guard presented him with a sealed envelope, saying it was from the Cai residence.

Chen Shao glanced at it and frowned slightly.

He had his guards tear open the envelope, without doing it himself, and then placed it on the table.

Looking down, I saw a sign that said we should meet at the small building.

The small building was where he would send someone to invite Madam Song to his residence to spend time with him when he was lonely.

But Chen Shao's eyes twitched and he immediately sensed something was wrong.

Song was docile and would only come if someone was sent by her.

It's unlikely they'll come on their own initiative.

"What about people?"

The guard lowered his head and said, "The Cai family's carriage has arrived at the East Courtyard, and it's the same maidservant who drives it as usual."

Chen Shao snorted coldly. Could it be that someone knows about this and wants to use this loophole to assassinate him?

He led Da Hu and seven or eight personal guards, exuding a murderous aura, and strode into the east courtyard.

In the courtyard, the woman in the carriage was the same one who had come with Madam Song.

"Did the First Madam send you?"

The woman stammered, her face flushed, unable to speak, looking guilty.

Chen Shao snorted coldly, already knowing what was going on.

"Is it...is it Madam?" The strong woman driving the carriage had never seen such a scene before, and she became even more incoherent.

Chen Shao ignored her, kicked open the door of the small building, and walked into the dimly lit inner room.

Seven or eight gleaming knives were poised in the air, and Da Hu was about to pounce and kill.

A gasp rang out, and Chen Shao was taken aback. A beautiful woman was sitting on the edge of the bed with her feet dangling.

Her face was filled with terror, her eyes became vacant, as if she might faint at any moment.

"Get out, get out!"

Chen Shao quickly chased the person out, closed the door, and frowned, saying, "Why is it the Imperial Princess?"

Maode was terrified; his face turned pale and his lips turned white.

Just then, a sudden clap of thunder startled her, making her tremble all over.

The room grew increasingly dark, so Chen Shao quickly lit a candle. In the candlelight, Mao De's fair skin on his face and neck shone with a beautiful luster, like the restrained glow of silk.

There was even a faint halo around it.

She is absolutely radiant with beauty.
Moreover, even from a distance, there was a delicate and elegant fragrance, very natural, not the smell of cosmetics. This must be the scent of a woman who is usually very healthy and clean, lives a comfortable life, and has never suffered any hardship since childhood.

Even in Bianliang, a city renowned for its wealth and prosperity, this was the most beautiful and delicate peony.

Her eyes used to be very bright and spirited. Sometimes she would look down and be submissive, and occasionally she would glance at Chen Shao, revealing a hint of gossip.

Today, she clearly wasn't in the mood.

Maode rubbed the fabric of his sleeves with his fingers and said, "The prince consort made a mistake in a moment of confusion."

Chen Shao nodded, then shook his head. "It wasn't a momentary lapse of judgment; he had been planning this for a long time. Did the Princess already know about it?"

Maode lowered his eyes and said, "I know I've gone a bit too far, but this time, apart from the Prince of Dai, there really is no one who can save the Prince Consort! As long as he gets through this calamity, I guarantee he won't do it again!"

Is there a next time?
Chen Shao laughed angrily, "How many men do I have? Why would I order him to poison me? Besides, Princess, you know who Lord Geng is. He's a first-rank official in the court."

Upon hearing this, Maode panicked and lost her composure. She tilted her head slightly, closed her eyes, and, forcing back her humiliation, said in a trembling voice, "Please, Prince Dai, save my son-in-law! Just spare his life!"

Chen Shao looked at the fair, fragrant shoulders before him, stepped forward, and pulled up her clothes, saying, "Your Highness should know that I am not a lecherous man who coerces women."

At that moment, Maud clearly heard a thumping sound in her chest. Her mind was in chaos, and she was having some difficulty breathing.

She seemed to smell a man's scent, not fragrant but pleasant. She felt a slight discomfort in her deep robe, her mind in turmoil, yet her body experienced a strange sensation. At that moment, Chen Shao actually helped her put on her clothes, leaving her bewildered and overwhelmed by a strange mix of grief, anger, and shame.

Chen Shao knew that if he were to go today, it would be a piece of cake, but it would leave a very bad impression.

He enjoys beautiful women, but he has never been someone who only seeks physical pleasure. Today, this can be considered a very important step forward.

"In a few days, I will have someone send the prince consort back, and we will pretend this never happened."

Chen Shao's heart stirred, and he deliberately took one of her handkerchiefs and stuffed it into his clothes.

Maode opened her eyes and saw Chen Shao holding one of her handkerchiefs in his hand, about to put it into his pocket.

It's like catching yourself red-handed.

She was initially filled with shame, but upon seeing this scene, her mood inexplicably improved.

It lessened my guilt considerably.

"The Prince of Dai does not like Maode, so why did he take Maode's handkerchief?"

Chen Shao laughed and said, "The princess has a beauty that could topple kingdoms, how could I not like her? It's just that I respect the princess and am unwilling to do such a coercive thing. To be honest, the first time I saw the princess, I felt admiration and a desire to get close to her."

"If the Prince of Dai truly spares the son-in-law, Maode will host another banquet to express his gratitude."

As soon as she said it, Maud regretted it; she couldn't explain why she had said it.

Is it worry? Fear? And perhaps a hint of resentment?
She felt ashamed and remorseful, her cheeks flushed and burning. She avoided eye contact and lowered her head to start tidying her clothes.

Chen Shao said, "It's getting late, and there's been a thunderstorm. Why don't we rest here for the night?"

"Need not!"

"Then I will have someone escort the princess back."

Maode wanted to refuse, but then she thought about how dark and terrifying the journey was, and she was afraid that if she returned to the mansion, the people of the Cai family would become suspicious.

"Have them take me to Madam Zhao's residence."

"Alright."

After the person left, Chen Shao smiled, surprised by the unexpected gain.

He originally intended to release Cai Tiao and send him back, so he did him a favor by doing him a favor.

Suddenly, Chen Shao's dislike for Cai Tiao seemed to lessen.

When the princess held a banquet to express her gratitude...
Wouldn't that make things happen naturally?
-

Spring blossoms.

The harbor entrance in Banqiao Town, Mizhou, was bustling with activity.

As the only port in the north with a maritime trade office, Banqiao Town was an important hub for the Song Dynasty's overseas trade.

Merchant ships could depart from here and head north to Goryeo and Silla, or south to Jianghuai and Mingzhou.

The officials of the Maritime Trade Office were also watching from a three-story building not far from the harbor, their hearts filled with worry.

These merchant ships were not under the jurisdiction of the Maritime Trade Office, but they were allowed to occupy the ports of Mizhou.

Over time, in order to reduce costs, merchants will gradually invest in their side.

Over the years, thanks to the Maritime Trade Office, everyone has made a fortune.

They already had a firmly established interest group.

Although in the fourth year of the Zhenghe era, the Song court strengthened the control over the entry and exit of ships in order to prevent "sea pirates" and infiltration by enemy countries, and prohibited merchant ships from going to sensitive sea areas such as Liaodong and Goryeo without authorization.

However, the deal was carried out in secret and never stopped.

Who knew that some Guangyuantang caravan would suddenly intervene, and with such force?

Actually, if you were to go north to Goryeo, Dengzhou and Laizhou ports would be more convenient, but they had already been converted into military ports as early as the beginning of the Song Dynasty.

The Maritime Trade Office of the Great Song Dynasty is unusable, but the ships of these merchant fleets will soon be available.

With various policies converging, each one disadvantageous to them, the Maritime Trade Office was about to be unable to compete with this merchant caravan from the Western Regions.

Xu Zhi, the deputy transport commissioner of Jingdong East Road and concurrently in charge of the Maritime Trade Office, is now in his fifties, with a burly build and somewhat dark skin.

His face was grim as he watched the new ship sail into the sea, followed by cheers that erupted from the shore.

The Maritime Trade Office under his command was actually a very powerful government agency.

Its functions included "managing foreign goods, sea vessels, tax collection, and trade," as well as managing foreign trade permits, taxation, and anti-smuggling affairs.

It's fair to say that they have the final say on matters related to shipping.

Xu Zhi also regarded the Mizhou Maritime Trade Office and the maritime trade in the north as his private property.

The other people in the room were either local Michigan sea merchants or officials and gentry.

A middle-aged man dressed as a wealthy landowner said in a low voice:

"Mr. Xu, these merchants are all watching and waiting. If we let them successfully enter the market, our business will be much better in the future."

Xu Zhi nodded and said, "They can't go out to sea!"

At this moment, on the harbor, Qu Duan watched the first ship set sail. Coming from the Northwest, he was shocked by the giant ship.

He began to roughly estimate how many troops the ship could carry at a time if it were used for transporting soldiers.

How long does it take to travel between Korea and Liaodong, and is it safe?
Each question urgently required him to understand.

Qu Duan was in a good mood. He pointed to the ships and said, "These ships will inevitably block the way for some people when they go to sea. Madam Xiao sent someone to say that those who made their fortunes through maritime trade might try to sabotage us. You all need to be careful and not let anyone destroy my troop transport ships!"

"Commander Qu, isn't this a merchant ship?"

Qu Duan frowned and said, "It's all the same! To put it bluntly, war is also about doing business. If we open up Liaodong for her, the caravans will make a fortune!"

"The reason why the caravan is so rich is because of the battles fought by the Prince of Dai!"

Li Yanqi suddenly leaned closer and asked, "Is what Madam Xiao said true?"

"It's probably true. This lady's words carry weight." Qu Dapao dared to criticize anyone, but he dared not speak ill of Chen Shao and his relatives, or even Zhu Dashuai.

Although Qu Duan had some dissatisfaction with Madam Xiao, he still respected her and knew that half of the Dingnan Army relied on her for support.

Li Yanqi's eyes lit up, and he said, "In that case, your subordinates are all hoping they will come and cause trouble."

Qu Duan glanced at him and couldn't help but smile.

It's clear they share the same vision.

Local maritime merchants, having secretly been engaged in shipping for so many years, must have amassed a frighteningly large fortune.

If they don't cause trouble, it's really hard to make a move, since the Dingnan Army has strict discipline and doesn't allow direct robbery.

It would be a different story if they came to us of their own accord.

Qu Duan, with his hands behind his back and a nonchalant air, said in a low voice, "Behave yourselves these next few days. Don't alert the enemy. Send out more scouts in secret. If there's any sign of trouble, act immediately!"

"Guangyuantang has already figured out their backgrounds, so we'll just arrest them according to the roster!" (End of Chapter)