You have truly caused me great suffering!

Lanzhou is also known as Jincheng.

It is divided into one village and four forts.

This was a key stronghold in the struggle between the Song, Xia, and Tubo dynasties for control of the Hexi Corridor.

The intensity of the war that broke out here was basically the same as that in Yokoyama.

Each time the property changes hands, the victorious side has to expand and add to the structures.

A barbican was built at the city gate, and the moat was surrounded by water from the Yellow River, forming a double defense.

The city of Lanzhou established passes such as Dongguanbao and Xiguanbao along both banks of the Yellow River, forming a strategic defensive position with Lanzhou to control key transportation routes.

When Wu Jie entered Lanzhou, the main force of the rebel army greeted him outside the city, seemingly determined to join the Dingnan Army.

Wu Jie also felt a chill run down his spine.

Eager to make a name for themselves, these men captured Lanzhou in a single day at the very beginning of the rebellion, even without a commander.

Although the reason for this was that they were holding back the enemy's main force, their ability to raid and breach cities demonstrates the fighting power of the Qin Feng Army.

The fighting capacity of these old Western Army soldiers was completely different when they wanted to fight versus when they didn't.

Historically, Tong Guan led these Western Army troops northward to attack the Liao Dynasty just as they were about to destroy the Western Xia and bring peace to their homeland that had not been seen for over a hundred years.

The result was that it collapsed at the slightest touch.

Later, with an exhausted army, he returned to his hometown less than three years later, only to be led to fight against the Jin in a foreign land, where he was also completely wiped out.

However, most of the fierce generals who later resisted the Jin dynasty came from the Western Army.

Now, for their own future, they are fighting a tough and ruthless battle in their raid on Lanzhou.

The lower and middle-ranking military officers fully demonstrated their strength, cooperating seamlessly with each other and showing no fear of death.

Jiao Anjie was in the crowd, and like his brothers around him, he was also very uneasy.

It's unclear how the Dingnan Army will treat them.

Wu Jie was very polite and personally stepped forward to exchange pleasantries with them.

Regardless of how the Prince of Dai deals with them, the first priority is to stabilize public sentiment and prevent major unrest.

As the marshal who led the army to conquer two countries, Wu Jie knew all too well the dangers that would result if these soldiers felt uneasy and started a disturbance.

At this point, Jiao Anjie and the others had gradually calmed down from their initial excitement.

He looked at Wu Jie, marveling at the youth of this military commander of the eleven prefectures of Dingnan. He wondered if it weren't for that bastard Yao Gu, and if he and his men had joined the Prince of Dai's forces earlier, they might have had a chance too.

The military families of the Western Army valued lineage the most and despised military achievements the most.

He said tremblingly, "General Wu, you don't know, but Yao Gu originally instructed us to secretly plot to capture Lanzhou in order to establish our own independent regime!"

Wu Jie smiled and said, "The Prince of Dai already knew about this matter. He sent someone to inform me when we were fighting in Huangzhou."

Jiao Anjie sighed and said, "So he couldn't hide it from the Prince of Dai after all. Now that things have come to this, Commander Wu, tell us how the Prince of Dai plans to deal with us?"

"Your Majesty has acted with thoroughness and fairness. You have not made any major mistakes. On the contrary, you have contributed to the capture of Lanzhou. Why should you panic?"

After saying this, Wu Jie was also thinking to himself, the Prince of Dai has already gained control of Hexi and Longyou, but he doesn't know if he will let him enter Shu.

If he could enter Shu, his soldiers would not have followed him in vain. Although their achievements could not compare with those of the three main forces, they would at least have conquered a vast territory.

“We are all from the five routes of Shaanxi. If we can return to our hometown, even if we become obedient subjects under the Prince of Dai, we will be willing to do so without merit or demerit.”

Someone in the rebel group said.

Wu Jie chuckled inwardly, thinking to himself, "Do you even believe what you're saying?"

You guys must have some ambition to be able to turn the tables on Yao Gu and take Lanzhou.

You're all soldiers from the Fifth Route Army in Shaanxi. Do you think I, Wu Jie, don't understand you? If it weren't for military merit, who would do this kind of business that puts their head on the line?

After calming everyone down, he did not rush to break up Qin Fengjun.

Now, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Yellow River Basin have been completely conquered, and the task set by the King of Dai has been completed.

He still had a lot to do. In order to stabilize the people's hearts, Wu Jie also made these rebels participate in many tasks such as escorting prisoners.

This approach, in fact, puts them at ease more than doing nothing.
-
Taiyuan Prefecture.

The war finally ended before the new year, much to Chen Shao's satisfaction. He had devoted a great deal of effort to the war and paid close attention to it.

In the Western Regions, the Dingnan Army continued its momentum of invincibility in every campaign.

“Qinglan and other prefectures are sparsely populated and have a concentration of waterways. From the time we set out to send troops, I decided on a plan for this place: to establish military settlements.”

"Large troop units were stationed here, with government offices assisting in governance."

Li Tangchen laughed and said, "That is the number one 'fortress' in the world."

Chen Shao laughed heartily, "You could say that."

This battle transformed Hexi from a border region into the interior, liberating the agricultural protection teams and freeing the people of Hexi from the threat of being harassed by these barbarians.

For the past century, almost every autumn harvest, they have organized themselves to fight against the raids of the Qinghai-Tibet Tibetans.

"Originally, Qin Feng's rebel army should have been punished for killing Yao Gu, but they captured Lanzhou, which can be considered an atonement for their crimes. Furthermore, Yao Gu harbored rebellious intentions and forced his subordinates to oppose the imperial court, so his death can be considered worthy of the name."

"Therefore, Qin Fengjun was not punished and was incorporated into my Dingnan Army Qin Feng Camp, under the command of Zhong Shizhong, to guard Jingyuan, Huanqing, Qin Feng, and Qinglan."

"Use the land of Qinglan to reward the soldiers and encourage them to bring their families there. This place will be a great place for both agriculture and commerce in the future."

The matter was finally resolved smoothly. In fact, Chen Shao knew that Wu Jie and Liu Guanglie both deserved credit.

Being able to control one's subordinates, prevent Qin Feng and Qing Lan from causing trouble, and appease surrendered soldiers sounds simple, but it is actually extremely dangerous.

Historically, there have been numerous instances where surrendered soldiers were not properly resettled, leading to rebellions and years of warfare.

Chen Shao's actions were quite righteous, because he was so powerful that he didn't need to pay much attention to the opposition in the court, which allowed him to handle the matter so easily.

"Wu Jie has accomplished a great feat. Qinglan is now in our hands. We should celebrate!" Chen Shao said with a hint of excitement on his face. "I'll host a banquet at the Prince's residence."

The officials all laughed.

The Prince of Dai was indeed quite frugal, rarely holding lavish banquets. His example set a good example for the officials in Taiyuan, who were all pragmatic and not prone to extravagance.

Even when Li Yumei hosted banquets for her female relatives, everyone tried to keep a low profile and did not compete in the splendor of their clothes or the value of their jewelry.

When Li Longji first ascended the throne, he gathered all the luxury items such as pearls, jade, and brocade stored in the inner palace and burned them in front of the palace. He also ordered that empresses and concubines and palace women below them be forbidden from wearing pearls, jade, or brocade.

With Sanlang taking the lead, the extravagant lifestyle of the Tang Dynasty was brought to a sudden halt.

Later, the economy rebounded sharply, and the savings from previous frugality were squandered even more.

The Tang Dynasty then began its decline.

Fortunately, Chen Shao knows himself well and probably won't follow in Sanlang's footsteps.

He had no interest in low-level pursuits such as building palaces and gardens, Taoist longevity techniques, constructing Taoist temples, and refining elixirs.

Chen Shao preferred to spend money on building large ships, cannons, and mining coal and smelting iron.

In a sense, he was indeed far more visionary than those emperors, and his perspective was truly extraordinary.

Even the most talented and ambitious person can hardly see what will happen a thousand years from now. Chen Shao's casual remarks seem like a fantasy to people today.

When the Prince of Dai hosted a banquet, even officials from other government offices wanted to join in the fun.

Chen Shao was unusually generous, but he was frugal with the food, since no one had come here just to eat and drink.

The main hall of the Prince's Mansion is large enough that inviting more people can be considered a team-building activity, which can help strengthen relationships with subordinates.

Before the banquet began, many officials gathered downstairs, chatting animatedly.

Chen Shao sat at the head of the table, chatting and laughing with several officials who were close to him.

They talked about everyday family matters and didn't discuss politics anymore, since everyone needs to rest.

“When Caiwei came back last time, she said her younger brother was naughty and you almost beat him to death.” Chen Shao said, “Old Liu, you need to be careful with your strength.”

Liu Jizu immediately wore a bitter expression and began to recount his unfilial son, while Li Tangchen stroked his beard and smiled smugly.

His sons were all upright and well-regarded, and people always praised them, saying that the Li family had a good family tradition and good conduct.

Thinking of his own children, Chen Shao couldn't help but ask Li Tangchen for some advice on raising children.

More people came in one after another, and after paying their respects to Chen Shao and the others, they each found their own seats.

Soon after, the banquet officially began, and the bamboo curtain stood to the side, accompanied by the sounds of string and wind instruments.

Banquets of high-ranking officials and scholars in the Song Dynasty were generally quite elegant. In addition to eating and drinking, they also engaged in impromptu poetry recitations and games of pitch-pot.

At banquets of royalty and the wealthy, it is common to have female sumo wrestlers warm up the atmosphere, usually without any clothes on their upper bodies.

As the banquet progressed, the officials below began to get lively.

Because the banquet hosted by the Prince of Dai was rather 'simple', they each did their own thing.

Several officials gathered together for a tea competition, which was a contest of the fineness and persistence of the tea foam.

Participants whisked the tea leaves to create a frothy, snow-like foam.

Fan Zhongyan was an expert in this field.

The banquet lasted until night, but even the most lively banquet must eventually come to an end.

As the officials took their leave, Chen Shao saw them to the door and waved goodbye.

As his position rose higher and his power increased, Chen Shao grew to enjoy these united and pleasant gatherings more and more.

Especially with his subordinates.

He could feel that everyone in his interest group was working hard to elevate the entire Dingnan Army's power to a higher level.

Chen Shao knew that this atmosphere might not last long.

If they truly replace the Song Dynasty and accomplish what they see as their ultimate goal, then conflict will ensue.

At the beginning of the establishment of a regime, there is always a lot of positive energy and progress.

Since we know it can't last, we should cherish the present moment even more—that's what Chen Shao thought.

Back in the inner courtyard, Chen Shao originally intended to go to Li Shishi's place, but then he remembered that she had forbidden him from drinking too much these past few days.

But I drank a bit too much tonight and was afraid I'd reek of alcohol, so I went back to my own yard.

As soon as I entered, I saw Li Shishi, dressed in a moon-white dress and with her hair down, sitting there chatting with her personal maids Cui Die and Li Wanshu.

Her hair was as smooth as silk and as shiny as a mirror, and her features were as beautiful as a painting. When she saw Chen Shao return, she stood up and went forward to take off his outer robe, saying softly, "I've made you some Er Chen Jiang to help you sober up."

Chen Shao took her hand and sat down, letting her sit on his lap, saying, "Thank you."

Just as Li Shishi was about to say something, she saw Chen Shao staring at her neck, looking down her collar.

Her face flushed, and she rolled her eyes playfully. Chen Shao reached out and gently pulled her up, revealing Shi Shi's beautiful, slender, and fair shoulders.

She hurriedly reached out and grabbed Xiaoyi, both angry and amused, as there were still many maids in the room.
-
The Prince of Dai personally requested the title.

This matter instantly became the focus of debate in the imperial court.

Even the officials who were on opposing sides had to admit that Chen Shao acted with integrity.

He could have had a hundred people to submit a petition to the court, requesting that he be appointed as the "Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm".

But Chen Shao still requested the title himself.

In his name, he requested the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty to bestow upon him an honorific title, granting him almost limitless power.

At this time, the forces of the Dingnan Army in the court and the Qingliu faction loyal to the Song Dynasty were both putting in their best efforts and preparing for a fierce debate.

Emperor Zhao Huan took the initiative and immediately issued a reply, and even convened an extraordinary court assembly.

Everyone gathered in the Zichen Hall. As soon as the emperor arrived, he couldn't wait to have Shao Chengzhang read the document aloud.

Shao Chengzhang's expression remained calm as he spoke in a clear voice:
"I have inherited the throne and have worked tirelessly day and night, thinking that the safety of the nation depends on the military and the survival of the state depends on the power of the generals."

In recent years, due to frequent border conflicts, generals have been fighting independently, or due to the lingering habits of regional military governors, soldiers have privately pledged allegiance to their commanders. As a result, the deployment of troops has been disrupted, and military intelligence has been stagnant, which is far from the ancestral method of strengthening the central government and weakening local powers, and maintaining internal and external balance.

Having consulted ancient precedents and learned from past dynasties, I hereby issue this decree of restraint to strengthen the foundation and pacify the borders. All matters are hereby proclaimed to both the court and the people:

The Grand Marshal's Office of the Armed Forces of the Realm was established, with Prince Chen Shao of Dai as the Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm. He held supreme power over all military affairs, including the command of troops, the deployment of troops, and the evaluation of performance. All regional military commissioners, commanders of military districts, and commanders of the imperial guards and garrison troops were under his control.

The local garrison troops were temporarily appointed and commanded by the Grand Marshal's Office. Generals of all routes were not allowed to privately keep personal troops. All recruitment, replenishment, and transfer of troops had to be inspected and approved by the Grand Marshal's Office before they could be implemented.

Alas! War is a matter of vital importance to the state; it is a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin. I hereby appoint Prince Chen Shao of Dai to command the troops. Any military generals in various regions who fail to comply or who outwardly obey but inwardly defy me will be severely punished according to the law of Heaven!
Announce it to the world, and the envoys will hear about it. "

The main hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

At this moment, Yuwen Xuzhong stepped forward.

The reformist faction was invigorated; their 'brain trust' had arrived, and he was sure he had a way to stop this.

Zhao Huan was also a little nervous. He clenched his fists, somewhat afraid that Yuwen Xuzhong would object.

He knew these ministers were all loyal, but what good were they?
Can they protect themselves and safeguard the Song Dynasty?
There was no chance at all. Zhao Huan saw it very clearly. When the Jin army came, he was prepared to be captured by them when they broke through the city.

I am plagued by nightmares every day.

This is understandable; the Song army couldn't even offer the slightest resistance.

Wanyan Zongwang moved with impunity, able to go wherever he pleased and wreak havoc in the capital region.

At that time, all he could do was hold the Empress and weep every night.

Zhao Huan did try; he listened to Li Gang and others and gave them unlimited power, but the result was enough to make him despair.

Later, Chen Shao arrived, and the once invincible Jin army could hardly achieve a victory against his Dingnan Army.

Wanyan Zongwang was chased out of Youyan and got further and further away from him.

Zhao Huan wasn't particularly intelligent, but he wasn't stupid either.

It's easy to understand if you think about it for a moment. You people can't even stop the Jin army, but the Dingnan Army is stronger than the Jin army. How could you possibly stop them?
Moreover, Chen Shao treated him with great courtesy, which was extremely amiable compared to Wanyan Zongwang.

Since we are all going to perish anyway, why not abdicate the throne to Chen Shao, the Prince of Dai?

Do you think I don't know whether the Prince of Dai is a good person or not?

Searching through the history books, where can one find such a magnanimous minister? Not only did he not bully or humiliate me, but we also corresponded and exchanged gifts, just like close friends.

Such a powerful minister is one in a thousand years, and I have encountered one.

He will surely treat himself and his family well.

Another point that Zhao Huan was grateful for was that his ancestors had accumulated good karma and had not killed the Chai family.

This can be considered as leaving a blessing for his descendants.

What Zhao Huan fears most now is that these so-called loyal ministers will cause him trouble.

If you're so powerful, then go ahead and fight! Drive away the Jin army and the Dingnan army, do you think I would willingly hand over the empire?

This is because we can't win!
They even want to drag me to my death; their intentions are despicable!
Zhao Huan had been pondering this for a long time, but when Yuwen Xuzhong spoke, he was stunned.

"Your Majesty, I request to resign as Deputy Privy Councilor and go to Taiyuan to assist in the establishment of the Grand Marshal's Office. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission."

After listening, Zhao Huan said in a daze, "I am very pleased that you have such an idea, my dear minister. I grant your request."

Chen Dong and the others in the hall were all at a loss.

When Li Xianggong left Bianliang, he personally pointed to Yuwen Xuzhong in the crowd, instructing everyone to follow his arrangements.

Together we will support the emperor and defend the foundation of the Song Dynasty, even at the cost of our lives.

Now that the Emperor has surrendered first, and Yuwen Xuzhong is second, how can we possibly resist?

Zhang Xiaochun appeared calm and collected, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, but inwardly he was quite pleased.

After all, he was also a subject of the Song Dynasty and did not want to see bloodshed.

If a peaceful abdication could be achieved, repeating the story of the Chai and Zhao families, that would be the greatest good.
-
The Prince of Dai requested to be appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm, and the Emperor granted his request.

When the news spread, the civil and military officials of the Dingnan Army in various places were greatly excited.

Gifts from all over the country were continuously transported to Taiyuan.

This was even more evident in Taiyuan City, where military power and authority were concentrated in the city.

It is truly an immense honor.

Chen Shao also unprecedentedly approved a sum of 100,000 strings of cash to build the Grand Marshal's Mansion for the Construction Bureau.

It didn't matter how much money Chen Shao contributed, because his money was completely unnecessary. The gentry of Taiyuan donated money one after another, determined to make sure the Marshal's Mansion was well renovated.

For centuries to come, this will be the glory of Taiyuan.

Even today's donations may go down in history.

At this moment, Chen Shao also saw through Zhao Huan's thoughts and thought to himself, "You're giving me face, so I won't shirk my duties."

In addition to continuing to send gifts to the emperor, Chen Shao also instructed his staff to write more letters, ensuring that every letter from the emperor received a reply.

Each time a government was established and a military command was formed, a large number of official positions would appear, making it convenient for Chen Shao to promote his subordinates and reward them for their military achievements.

For example, this time, Chen Shao promoted all the military officers who had participated in the western expedition and transferred eight meritorious military officers under Wu Jie to Taiyuan to follow him.

Chen Shao had turned down a large group of officials who came to congratulate him. As he was reading the reports, Da Hu came in to report that the Song family had invited him to a banquet.

Chen Shao glanced around and realized it was time for dinner, so he took his guards to the neighboring courtyard.

Upon entering the courtyard, Chen Shao saw two women sitting at the table with their backs to him.

Hearing footsteps, the two women turned around and discovered that it was Madam Song and Li Qingzhao.

“Yi An Jushi is also here.”

Chen Shao greeted her with a smile. Perhaps because Chen Shao was of such high status, she was treated with such special courtesy, which even Li Qingzhao found somewhat honorable.

She nodded, leaned forward slightly, and said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, layman."

Chen Shao and Song Shi exchanged a glance, and the latter lowered her head shyly.

Because Chen Shao coveted Li Yi'an and asked for her help, Song kept urging her to meet with Chen Shao frequently.

This made her feel guilty.

Objectively speaking, Li Qingzhao was quite beautiful, with an oval face, large eyes, and a well-proportioned face and figure, giving her a delicate and charming appearance.

However, these two women are not on the same level as beauties like Maode and Li Shishi. Whether it is their bright and beautiful eyes, their vivid and distinct facial features, their smooth and fair skin, or their tall and curvaceous figures, they are clearly inferior when compared.

But this is Li Qingzhao.

You can't just superficially see her as a voluptuous, beautiful married woman; you have to see her artistic qualities.

To be honest, it's too high.

As we all know, the Han people are a nation that values ​​culture very much: three thousand it is, I want to check the China Higher Education Student Information System (CHESICC).

The cultural refinement that comes with a university degree can double a price tag, so what about Li Qingzhao?
It's like adding geometric leverage; you can't even imagine how awesome it would be to push a cart while carrying Song Dynasty poems you've known since elementary school.

The three of them sat down at the table and started chatting.

Chen Shao said that a few days ago in Zezhou Prefecture, he personally made a rubbing of an ancient stele.

Li Qingzhao immediately became interested and insisted on seeing it.

Chen Shao and she agreed to meet at his residence after lunch to watch.

At this moment, at the Cai residence, Maode had just finished dressing and was about to set off.

Upon reaching the moon gate, they suddenly encountered the imperial son-in-law, Cai Tiao.

Looking at the radiant princess, Cai Tiao felt a mix of emotions and couldn't help but lower his head, not daring to look at her directly.

He even felt that the princess was becoming more and more beautiful.

Today, Maode wore a black satin shirt, and her thick, black hair was held back by a white jade hairpin, which made her face look even more radiant and her skin as white and tender as a fresh lychee.

She suddenly felt sorry for the prince consort, who still thought she didn't know and tried every day to avoid her.

Ugh.
Maode sighed inwardly, thinking that although he and Chen Shao had been husband and wife, the way he acted in front of Chen Shao was something the prince consort had never seen before.

"Is the Princess going out?"

Maode nodded. "Yi'an invited me to play mahjong."

Cai Tiao was afraid that Maode would take the initiative to be intimate with him and expose his secret. He just wanted to leave as soon as possible. His smile was a little unnatural. He said, "Princess, go and come back soon."

"My lord, I'm leaving."

Cai Tiao nodded, but for some reason, he felt a strange sense of loss and emptiness.

It felt as if something was slipping away from my heart. (End of Chapter)