You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chen Shaoqing was a lonely man.

The loneliest thing in the world is seeing things more than a thousand years earlier than anyone else.
Chen Shao suspended his northern expedition and instead concentrated his efforts on the navy. Outsiders, unaware of this, all thought he was going to focus on usurping power and plotting rebellion.

Although these two things do not interfere with each other, in all honesty, Chen Shao really did it for the sake of opening up the sea.

Even today, in many parts of the world, people still live in abject slavery or even primitive societies.

The Central Plains, as the holy land of fundamentalist feudalism, elevated the word "feudalism" to an unimaginable height, and Chen Shao felt a heavy burden on his shoulders.

He wanted to use a giant ship, carrying porcelain, silk, poetry, books, and etiquette, to spread advanced 'feudalism' to various barbaric and backward continents.

The natives of these places should be grateful that technology was in the hands of civilization, because the extremely high moral standards of the Central Plains civilization determined that the Dingnan navy would not scalp them or carry out massacres and purges.

These were all secrets in Chen Shao's heart, unknown to others. The only person who could understand his thoughts even slightly was Xiao Shi, who was not by his side.

Chen Shao felt somewhat depressed.

Not only do outsiders not understand, but even their own people have their doubts. So, people who come to subtly persuade them to take the position appear every now and then.

Chen Shao was extremely annoyed. He thought his vision was so broad, but unfortunately, these people couldn't see it.

This is a crucial time; why would I create trouble and waste my energy just to get that position?

The dragon throne and yellow robe were a natural progression; if the time wasn't right, sitting on it too early would only bring trouble.

After finishing processing the report, Chen Shao realized that he hadn't visited his two sisters-in-law, Song Shi and Maode, for several days, so he decided to go out today to cool off and relieve his boredom.

Near the Prince's Mansion, there was originally an empty house. Chen Shao had it renovated and used as a villa.

Maode and Song were playing cards in Li Qingzhao's house. The three of them, along with a maid, had a corner of sweet grape wine next to them, which was already half-empty.

A maid brought in the invitation letter. After reading it, Madam Song blushed and gently nudged Maode with her elbow.

Both of them looked a little off. Li Qingzhao pouted and said, "It seems we can't play this card game."

The two looked at each other and then burst out laughing. They were best friends who could talk about anything, so there was nothing they couldn't hide from each other.

Seeing her two friends' shy, half-smiling expressions, Li Qingzhao felt a pang of sadness and sighed inwardly.

The two boarded the carriage together, crossed their arms in front of them, and sat inside. They both felt a little uncomfortable, but they were very close to each other.

Song was dignified, quiet, and gentle, with the air of a graceful and elegant noblewoman. Chen Shao loved to force her to say some vulgar things, enjoying her embarrassed and flustered appearance. The contrast made him very happy.

Maode was a member of the imperial family, with an elegant and composed temperament and a tall and slender figure. Although he did not have an exaggerated chest, his curves were extremely attractive.

Moreover, her skin was fair and smooth, her eyebrows were arched like willow leaves, and her lips were small and cherry-like; she was beautiful and charming.

This courtyard is quiet and secluded, and there is a lakeside pavilion just outside the inner gate. Many camellias are planted around the pavilion, and they are in full bloom and about to wither. It is a good place to escape the summer heat.

After passing the waterside pavilion and heading east, push open the corner gate at the end of the alley, and you will see a stone bridge. A winding path extends out, with weeping willows on both sides, lush green grass and trees, birds singing and flowers blooming, pavilions and towers, and a myriad of other sights.

The two beautiful women came to the courtyard, took a bath and changed their clothes, and waited for Chen Shao to arrive.

As Chen Shao strode over, the wind blew the petals into a frenzy, and ripples spread across the lake.
-

In August, the golden autumn quietly arrived.

The scorching heat dissipated overnight, and people on the land east of the river resumed their busy work.

More and more people began traveling on the official road to Taiyuan.

From the height of summer, the Central Plains remained peaceful, and the region enjoyed good governance and social harmony.

Zhao Huan ruled by non-interference, Cai Jing governed the country effectively, and after Qu Duan led his troops into Shandong and Hebei, the previously rampant bandits all secretly went down the mountain and dared not gather in the forests anymore.

There was no other way; the Dingnan Army's eyes were practically gleaming with greed. Even a small mosquito is still meat, and even if they didn't get involved in a major battle, suppressing bandits would still be a merit.

In the north, which had been ravaged by the Jurchen Tartars, and in the south, which had been ravaged by Emperor Huizong of Tang and his close associates and sycophants, the people's livelihoods had recovered to varying degrees.

The borders of the Song Dynasty were more secure than ever before. The Western Xia and Khitan were both destroyed, the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun were recovered, and the entire country was on the offensive.

Even just looking at the territory, it has almost restored the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty, and its rule in many parts of the northwest is even more stable than that of the Tang Dynasty.

Of course, the biggest reason for all this was that Prince Chen Shao of Dai was not arrogant.

Although he commanded 100,000 iron cavalry, he acted with great integrity, never deceiving the emperor or suppressing dissidents.

Even those who explicitly oppose him will at most try to defeat him within the rules.

Instead of using force to suppress others.

Scholars throughout the land have read countless books and seen many like Dong Zhuo, but this is the first time they've encountered someone with 100,000 iron cavalry, possessing absolute military superiority, fighting against them within the rules.

What else can you say after you've lost?

After experiencing two southward invasions by the Jurchens, this rare year of peace seemed all the more precious, and people gradually adapted to this rhythm.

Many people even thought that if things could continue like this, it might not be such a bad situation.

But everyone knows that this situation won't last long.

There cannot be two suns in the sky.

Moreover, the gap in strength between the two sides is so large now.

This hidden expectation in the hearts of the people could, if allowed to ferment slightly, turn into support for Chen Shao.

Since taking the throne as the successor will allow them to maintain their current lifestyle, why not do it?

In the first decree of autumn, Chen Shao recommended Wu Jie as the Grand Commander of the Hexi Pacification Army, in charge of the troops of eleven prefectures: Yin, Xia, Xing, Ling, You, Yan, Gan, Liang, Su, Sha, and Gua. In effect, Wu Jie was in charge of guarding Chen Shao's headquarters.

Although it seems like a lot, in reality, the only troops under his control are the Youyan soldiers of his own unit.

The Hexi region was beyond the reach of the authorities. Across the vast desert, the Hexi troops, known as the Guiyi New Army, were still under the control of Zhang and Zhai, who were making intensive preparations to guard against the Tibetans' autumn raid on their grain supplies.

The troops of Yinxia had long been withdrawn, leaving few behind.

Han Shizhong reported that Yue Fei's military training was quite impressive, which made the Prince of Dai wary.

Chen Shao replied bluntly, stating that Yue Fei's troops were soldiers from Hebei, and the entire Hebei region was under his control. He believed that Yue Fei's supplies would be cut off at his command.

Unless he surrenders to the Jurchens, he has no chance of dealing with himself; attacking Dingnan Army would be tantamount to suicide.

Chen Shao paid close attention to Yue Fei's military training at Gubeikou.

If a real war breaks out, this would be a surprise force, one that is easily overlooked.

After all, Yue Fei had not yet demonstrated much strength at that time, but Chen Shao knew him well.

Han Shizhong's seemingly pointless report was actually a reminder to Chen Shao that it was time to begin making plans.

The main force at the front will have enough time to rest and recuperate for another year. They can stockpile supplies and launch a northern expedition next year.

Chen Shao did not respond to this, and indeed, the three main forces at the front lines did not stockpile too many supplies.

This was different from the past. Chen Shao always prioritized supplies before his troops moved. So he created caravans and used them to transport supplies.

The reason this time was an exception was because Chen Shao had spent almost all his money on Shandong, Qu Dahe, and the caravan, which now seemed like a bottomless pit.

They can handle any amount of investment.

Because he was certain that there would be a reward, Chen Shao gritted his teeth and persevered, which resulted in the rapid launch of new ships in Dengzhou, Laizhou, and Mizhou.

The fleet now includes more than forty merchant ships, troop transports, and warships. While not a large number, it is enough to explore some islands.

The main reason is that these ships perfectly inherit a major characteristic of the Central Plains – their size.

Sometimes, grandeur and magnificence can also be considered a form of fighting power.

Especially when they appear in such a way in those relatively backward and barbaric areas, it is easy for the local natives to associate them with things and figures from their oral traditions and myths.

In fact, it wasn't just those uncivilized lands; even Goryeo, which had close ties with the Central Plains, called the Song Dynasty's warships "divine ships" when they first saw them. Goryeo's historical records state: "The people of the country were all astonished by the size of the ships," saying that they "seemed to float on the sea and could not be controlled by human power."
The King of Goryeo personally led his courtiers to the port to welcome the Shenzhou. During the Shenzhou's stay at the port, they sent out a large number of painters to draw up blueprints in an attempt to replicate it, but they failed due to limitations in wood and craftsmanship.

Chen Shao's current efforts to transport supplies to the Mizhou shipyard are almost as large as Zhao Ji's collection of rare stones and flowers when he built the Genyue Garden.

It's just that it doesn't bother the residents much now, and no officials are taking advantage of it to make money.

If Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) had spent the money he would have used to build the garden on this project, the Song Dynasty might have been able to create a different kind of golden age from a different perspective.

Before the Jurchen and Mongol invasions and violent destruction of the northern center of civilization in the Central Plains, the technology had developed to a very advanced level.

According to historical records, the ships of the Song Dynasty were already characterized by: long hulls, high bows and sterns, five masts standing side by side, multi-level cabins on the deck, and a "compass fish" hanging at the stern.

With sails, navigation, and a large and sturdy hull, it is capable of long-distance voyages.

Chen Shao also gritted his teeth and persevered. Fortunately, the caravan had already made a profit, and its numbers were increasing exponentially.

In his letters, Xiao kept assuring Chen Shao that the company would be able to break even by the end of the year, urging him to continue investing money.

The two of them were somewhat surprised that one dared to ask and the other dared to give.

Chen Shao never expected that Xiao Shi, a local, would have such foresight; Xiao Shi never expected that Chen Shao, a soldier from the Northwest, would have such courage to support her so much.

If they didn't know each other so well, Chen Shao would have suspected that Xiao Ting was also a time traveler; Xiao Ting almost thought that Chen Shao doted on her and gave her whatever she wanted.

Just as Chen Shao gritted his teeth and continued transporting giant timbers and money to Shandong, Wang Yin walked in.

He walked to the desk, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your Majesty, Li Gang has arrived in Hedong."

"Who?"

"Li Gang, the envoy who resigned a few days ago."

Chen Shao nodded and asked, "How many troops did you bring?"

"Your Majesty is truly joking. He has already resigned from his post; where would he get troops from?"

"Then just ignore him." Chen Shao was getting annoyed by these stubborn and die-hards.

The main reason is that he has been under too much pressure lately, so he is irritable and easily angered. When he encounters something unpleasant, he takes the opportunity to vent his anger.

Chen Shao could somewhat understand Qu Da's situation. People who don't engage in internal strife do have a more enjoyable life, and they'll criticize anyone they don't like.

After leaving the main hall of the Prince's Mansion, Wang Yin pondered for a moment and then began to give instructions to his subordinates.

Although Chen Shao said so, Li Gang still had prestige throughout the country, and even though he had no soldiers, he could not be taken lightly.

He instructed his men to keep an eye on Li Gang and record his every move in Hedong. If Li Gang was found to be colluding with local gentry, they were to report it immediately.

After Wang Yin left, Chen Shao put down the memorial in his hand and suddenly remembered the conversation he had just had.

Li Gang did not return to his hometown, but instead came to Hedong.

In the original history, after Li Gang's resistance against the Jin dynasty failed, he was ostracized by officials colluded with by Geng Nanzhong, demoted and sent out of the capital to serve as the Pacification Commissioner of Hebei North.
Taking advantage of the situation, Geng Nanzhong, a master of infighting, impeached him for "advocating war at will," causing the loss of troops and money, and he was demoted and exiled to the south.

However, it was precisely because of this that Li Gang escaped the Jingkang Incident. After Zhao Gou ascended the throne, he was the first to appoint Li Gang as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and concurrently as the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, making him the prime minister.

He genuinely helped Zhao Gou establish a temporary court mechanism, which stabilized the situation.

There's not much to say about that; he is indeed exceptionally capable.

Then he put forward ten urgent matters, opposing peace talks with the Jin, demanding that those who died for their country in resisting the Jin be commended; advocating the use of the righteous army in the two rivers to recover lost territory, and recommending Zhang Suo, Fu Liang, Zong Ze and other ministers who advocated war.

At the same time, military laws were established, the military system was revised, soldiers were recruited, and preparations were made to actively recover lost territory.

These actions aroused Zhao Gou's suspicion. Huang Qianshan and Wang Boyan saw through Zhao Gou's thoughts and took the opportunity to impeach him, causing Li Gang to be dismissed from his post as Grand Academician of the Guanwen Hall after only seventy-five days as prime minister.

Afterwards, Li Gang experienced several ups and downs in his official career, but he continued to submit memorials outlining his plans to resist the Jin dynasty, and his determination to resist the Jin remained unwavering until his death.

But he never became prime minister again, nor did he regain power, and he was unable to realize his ambition to resist the Jin and restore the Central Plains.

Now that Li Gang has come to Hedong, he's probably not convinced, right?
If he wanted to make connections and infiltrate the Dingnan Army's headquarters, that wouldn't be a good idea.

Chen Shao smiled and shook his head.

He had long ago demystified these famous officials and scholars.

On the contrary, all famous generals were truly capable, because history books can embellish the image of a civil official, but the achievements of a military general cannot be lied about.

Often, a person's ability to govern a country has little to do with their moral character.

Thinking of this, Chen Shao stood up and walked out of the hall.

Wang Yin was indeed still outside, whispering something to his men. When he saw Chen Shao beckoning, he quickly went forward.

"Where did Li Gang come from?"

"Your Majesty, he first went to Luoyang and became close friends with the local powerful families of Lü, Liu, Zhang, and Cheng. Then, for reasons unknown, they parted on bad terms. After leaving Luoyang, he took Huaizhou, entered Hedong from the Taihang Mountains, and is now on his way to Fenzhou, where he will arrive soon."

Chen Shao nodded. His intelligence agency was quite capable and very serious about its work.

In his current position, Wang Yin is a very important subordinate; he must have someone like him by his side.

"Well done, keep an eye on it."

Wang Yin clasped his hands in agreement, but did not mention that he had already arranged for people to do it.

He knew that his position was special and that he had no need to show off his abilities and merits in front of the Prince of Dai.

As long as the Prince of Dai finds it convenient, he will be as secure as Mount Tai.

Wang Yin himself was well aware that his greatest advantage was the skills he had honed while preaching in Jiangnan.

He learned how to secretly coordinate, investigate, and gather intelligence—the ways of the underworld. Whether in the military or in the officialdom, he was not cut out for it and had no place to use his skills.

It would be better to focus on being the King of Dai's eyes and ears. (End of Chapter)