You have truly caused me great suffering!

People who grew up in the Central Plains thought that the surrounding barbarian lands were all uncivilized and desolate places.

The southern wilderness is the most terrifying of them all.

I think of you again, appointed as an official in the southern wilderness, the road leading to the Ghost Gate, a desolate and remote place.

This still describes the southwestern frontier. Further south, in the minds of the Song people, it was a place completely detached from the human world.

Before Wang Er and his group set off, they heard from some busybody that the Southern Wilderness was the most dangerous place, with miasma in the forests, ferocious beasts and poisonous snakes in the mountains, and swamps where one could not get out once trapped. The witchcraft of the Southern Wilderness barbarians was vicious and evil, and even the plants and trees in the Southern Wilderness ate people.

The group was very well prepared, with most of its members recruited from the Guangnan and Fujian-Zhejiang areas, and of course, there were also miners from Hedong like Wang Er.

They dared not disperse too much, so they formed teams of 100 people, which were then divided into smaller teams of 20 people each, and searched the surrounding area, not daring to stray too far.

The team members support each other and have developed a very good relationship.

Wang Er stopped, wiped his sweat with the towel draped over his shoulder, and took another swig of the medicinal wine prepared by the doctors.

I don't know what this wine was made of; it tasted fishy and bitter, but after swallowing it, it really gave me a burst of energy.

Wu Xi, who is from Guangnan and is in his thirties, used to come to the Southern Wilderness with merchant caravans.

Looking at Wang Er in front of him, he felt that this man was very tough and could really endure hardship.

"The miasma itself isn't scary, but this place is definitely eerie. It's hot and humid, with dense forests, so there are lots of poisonous insects. I have to say, Wang Er, you're really something, you can take it even better than us people from Guangnan!"

Wang Er was also holding his breath and persevering. He turned his head and asked, "Brother Wu, is your fellow villager reliable?"

“Him!” Wu Xi grinned, “He used to steal someone’s wife in the countryside. He was caught, and someone threatened to kill him. He was so scared that he ran away to the southern wilderness and became the son-in-law of a barbarian chieftain.”

"Anyway, he said that barbarians used to get gold from this forest."

In fact, the Song Dynasty's perverse policies and land plundering in Jiangnan, especially after Zhu Mian came to Jiangnan, had already caused many people who could not survive to flee to the southern wilderness.

In the past, Wang Er would have been extremely interested in this kind of thing and would have asked a lot of questions with great enthusiasm.

But things are different now. The Prince of Dai patted him on the shoulder, and Wang Er was single-mindedly focused on mining the ore. In addition, he was really tired, so he couldn't think of anything else.

As the group was talking, the person at the front suddenly stopped.

"The valley has been found!"

A group of people gathered around and saw a valley in front of them, with a stream flowing through it.

Under the blazing sun, the water shimmered. All around were lush green vines, and some birds and animals, hearing the commotion, fluttered away.

"Go down and investigate!"

"Look, those are shallots. 'Where there are shallots on the mountain, there is gold below!' I think it's probably true!"

This is where Wang Er comes in; these miners have their own methods for finding placer gold and vein gold.

Each of these people has their own use, and they are all well-matched.

In fact, at the beginning, Liu Jizu suggested that Chen Shao select criminals, criminals, and bandits as miners to search for gold overseas.

This was a common practice in the Song Dynasty.

They recruited notorious bandits as generals and exiled criminals as soldiers.

However, Chen Shao disagreed. He felt that opening the sea was not a punishment, but a glorious adventure that could be recorded in history.

Just like when recruiting soldiers, Chen Shao consistently advocated using men from good families.

Those with impeccable backgrounds but a pioneering spirit were the main force behind Chen Shao's overseas gold exploration.

He could pat miner Wang Er on the shoulder and say with a smile that he would personally distribute the rewards to him when he returned.

But Chen Shao couldn't bring himself to say such things or do such things to a murderer and rapist.

If you start your business by scalping people, no matter how much you promote your civilization in the future, you'll likely lack confidence.

Your roots are so low-class, how could the fruit you produce possibly have the flavor of civilization?

The first official history of the Korean Peninsula is the "Samguk Sagi" written by Kim Bu-sik, the Vice Minister of Revenue of Goryeo at the time. Although the Central Plains and Goryeo had not been in contact for hundreds of years, this was the time when the Jin Dynasty was at its peak.

However, he still insisted on the distinction between "Chinese and barbarians," recognizing the Central Plains dynasty as the "Celestial Empire" and the surrounding countries as "vassal states." He believed that Goryeo should accept investiture from the Song Dynasty, not the Jin Dynasty.

If you want others to recognize you as the superior nation, you must first be upright and honest, and you must regard yourself as the superior nation.

You should lead everyone to a better life, and teach those backward barbarians to understand etiquette and law, instead of exterminating and plundering others.

Even hundreds of years later, there will still be vassal states that sing your praises.

Correspondingly, I will come to help you progress, and if the local barbarian tribes resist, that is to say they are not submitting to the king's rule.

Since you don't understand the distinction between Chinese and barbarians, don't understand loyalty, filial piety, and etiquette, and don't submit to the way of the king, then I also have some understanding of the way of the hegemon.

After the battle, the area came under the rule of the king and became part of the Chinese civilization. This is what Mencius meant when he said, "I have heard of those who used Chinese culture to transform the barbarians, but I have never heard of those who were transformed by the barbarians."

It is clear that even sages supported doing this.

Therefore, during the Spring and Autumn Period, even the people of Chu were called barbarians. Later, within the territory of any dynasty, everyone considered themselves to be part of the Chinese nation.

Then look at Great Britain, such a large area, mixed for thousands of years, it can't even assimilate Scotland.

If you want others to submit to you, your actions cannot be entirely determined by interests or even by the personal temperament of the ruler.

You need to have your own set of theories.

The debate between the Chinese and the barbarians is a very civilized and reliable theory that has been tested over thousands of years.

Chen Shao sent people to mine, and once they found something, it would belong to him. Under this theory, this is completely legal and reasonable.

Because all land under heaven belongs to the king, and all people within the realm are his subjects. As long as I fulfill my duties, as the sovereign, and bestow blessings upon all, then this world belongs to me.

The local barbarians will cooperate with me in mining, and their lives will be better than before; they won't have to live like savages in the forest anymore.

Gradually, merchants will come to build houses, roads, and bridges.
There will be rules and regulations, it will be safer, and ordinary barbarians with exceptional talents will also have the opportunity to display their talents in the Central Plains.

Over time, the locals will integrate and spontaneously uphold your system.

Just like Goryeo today.
-
On the outskirts of Taiyuan, a horse-drawn carriage entered the city discreetly.

The carriage looked ordinary from the outside, not luxurious at all.

However, the interior is extremely comfortable, and the materials used are incredibly expensive.

Some plainclothes guards on horseback followed the carriage all the way to the gate of the Prince's mansion.

After one of the caravan guards stepped forward and said a few words, the guards of the Prince's Palace opened the way.

Xiao Ting lifted the curtain and got off the carriage. She was a little tired after the long journey.

But the thought of seeing Chen Shao again roused her spirits, and she tried to maintain a good state of mind.

When she reached the moon gate in the inner courtyard, she found that Chen Shao was already waiting for her there.

Xiao Ting was somewhat flattered.

Chen Shao smiled gently and took a few steps forward, saying, "The journey must have been tiring, are you tired?"

Although Xiao Ting was a very rational person, she couldn't help but feel a little warm at this moment, and smiled and said, "I'm not tired, thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

Chen Shao helped her into the room, where the two sat in a small pavilion on a multi-story building, separated by a small table. Chen Shao then asked Li Shuwan to bring over a pot of tea.

Seeing his attitude, Xiao Ting gradually relaxed.

"It's hot, and it's inevitable to be sweaty and sticky when traveling long distances. Bring your wives a light shirt."

The maid who had come with Xiao Ting quickly rummaged through the luggage and found some light clothing for her to change into in the small pavilion. Xiao Ting was a little embarrassed by being so pampered, and in the end, she only wore a sheer gauze shirt, without even her shoes and socks.

At this point, she was no longer reserved and couldn't wait to get down to business.

Chen Shao, who was opposite her, was actually even more anxious than she was, but he didn't show it for fear of hurting her feelings.

"Your Majesty, four of the prospecting teams I sent have already returned with news. The Southern Wilderness is indeed rich in minerals, but the mountains and forests are dense and the roads are difficult to traverse. Of all the Southern Wilderness, only the road to Jiaozhi is somewhat satisfactory, at least it is passable for transportation. If we can go through Jiaozhi, we can save a huge amount of silver."

Upon hearing this, Chen Shao's expression turned serious, and he nodded, saying, "I understand."

He remained silent for a while, and Xiao Ting watched him quietly, thinking to herself that he must be making a decision.

In fact, Chen Shao was only calculating the timeframe for the Northern Expedition. Judging from the current situation, he estimated that the Northern Expedition wouldn't take too long.

Even if Chen Shao is erratic, he won't start a war in the North and South simultaneously, but he can make preparations in advance.

Capturing the dragon in the south and sealing the wolf's lair were the highest honors for an emperor.

Jiaozhi has belonged to the Central Plains since the Qin Dynasty, and is considered the ancestral land.

This is different from Korea and Japan. This is the true homeland of China. It is a division!
And it really was completely separated.

It is heartbreaking to think about.

"I will resolve the issue of Jiaozhi."

Xiao then explained the four mining sites to Chen Shao in detail, and Chen Shao was able to roughly determine their specific locations.

During this time, he also carefully studied the books of the Song Dynasty. He was surprised to find that the Song people had already started trading with the island nations of Southeast Asia long ago.

It also recorded their local customs and traditions.

Xiao Ting exclaimed, "The Southern Wilderness Sea truly has countless islands."

“Indeed.” Chen Shao knew that Indonesia alone was known as the land of a thousand islands.

"It's a pity we can't see the whole picture. Exploring them one by one like this is just too slow," Xiao Ting said with a sip of her drink.

Chen Shao's expression shifted. Why not take this opportunity to emulate the Yongle Emperor and embark on several voyages to the Western Ocean?

Record everything for him, just like Xuanzang's journey to the West.

Small-scale expeditions bring back fragmented, unsystematic information that is difficult to piece together and prone to errors.

Why not follow Zheng He's example and organize a large fleet, including a navy, merchants, and officials, to investigate the current state of the 'Southern Wilderness'?

Before reclaiming Jiaozhi, this was also a reconnaissance and intelligence gathering exercise, as the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

Most importantly, this industry not only doesn't drain public funds, but it can also make a lot of money.

Zhu Di accomplished many great things with this. According to the "Veritable Records of Emperor Xianzong of Ming", "History of Ming" and the calculations of later scholars, Zheng He brought back a total of about 72 taels of gold and 1276 million taels of silver during his seven voyages to the Western Ocean.

Besides gold and silver, the spices, gems, rare birds and animals brought back by Zheng He's fleet were also incredibly valuable.

With this money, Zhu Di launched five campaigns against the Mongols, moved the capital to Beijing, and commissioned the Yongle Encyclopedia.
These three things are all extraordinary. If they were done by other emperors, they would cause the country's finances to collapse. Doing them together would make even a powerful minister like Cai Jing jump up and bite.

However, the officials and gentry did not receive any of this money; it all went into Zhu Di's "Inner Treasury" (the emperor's private treasury) and was not included in the national treasury (managed by the Ministry of Revenue).

So the civil officials forced the court to stop it.

The ship navigation level of the Song Dynasty may be weaker than during the Yongle period, but we will not go to East Africa or West Asia like Zheng He did. We will just do it a few times in Southeast Asia first.

Once we've explored the area thoroughly, we can secure this piece of the pie before venturing into other sea areas.

Seeing Chen Shao deep in thought for a long time, Xiao Ting also became nervous, wondering if he was willing to support her.

At this time, Xiao Ting had not yet realized that Jiaozhi was different from the Western Regions. She felt that if she let loose, the caravan could subdue Jiaozhi.

Just like how she punched the Karakhanid Khan and kicked the Uyghur Khan in the Western Regions.

But Jiaozhi (Vietnam) really wouldn't work.

This is a fucking mini-Central Plains.

Chen Shao raised his head and looked at Xiao Shi. He was about to speak, but the words that came out of his mouth unconsciously were, "Your hair is styled very beautifully."

Xiao blushed, inwardly cursing, "Does this matter?"
But she still feigned charm and said, "I'm glad Your Majesty likes it."

After she finished speaking, she twisted her body, preparing to get up and serve Chen Shao. But as soon as her buttocks left the ground, Chen Shao changed the subject and said, "I plan to form a large merchant fleet with hundreds of ships and tens of thousands of people to explore the South Seas."

"Firstly, it will let them know the power and prestige of the superior nation, secondly, it will clear out pirates on the shipping routes to ensure the safety of future merchant ships, and thirdly, it will allow us to explore the South Pacific islands and record them in our records."

Xiao Ting's beautiful eyes lit up. This man was simply a gift from heaven. She couldn't help but step forward, hug Chen Shao's neck, and kiss him.

"This humble concubine has been rude; please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Chen Shao looked at Xiao Shi, whose face was flushed red, and was even more excited than himself.

Both of them were bursting with excitement, and it would be difficult to calm their emotions without a good fight.
-
Afterwards, Chen Shao calmed down a bit. He felt a little hot while holding Xiao Shi, so he pushed her away.

Xiao Ting herself had the same idea, but she didn't dare to move.

The two returned to their seats on either side of the table.

After calming down, Chen Shao and Madam Xiao both realized one thing.

This needs to be done, but not now, because it would be too costly.

After the Northern Expedition is needed, and even after accumulating some wealth, it will be necessary.

There are many things to prepare.

This required first establishing an office in the southeastern coastal region to specifically protect trade and diplomacy.

Then we need to build a ship.

A voyage carrying tens of thousands of people requires medical officers and medicine reserves, as well as large quantities of food, fresh water, weapons, and trade goods.

Prior rehearsals and training are necessary.

These things will take one or two years to complete.

Lady Xiao rested her chin on her hand and said, "Your Majesty, you should declare yourself Emperor. Otherwise, how can you proclaim the power of our nation? Should we proclaim the power of the Song Dynasty?"

Chen Shao thought about it carefully and nodded, saying, "My influence is spread throughout the north, and the north is now completely secure, but we rarely come to Jiangnan. I'll take this opportunity to say that we are preparing for war in Jiaozhi, and then send people to Jiangnan."

"Otherwise, if I were to declare myself emperor in Bianliang, those who are dissatisfied with me might take the opportunity to cause trouble in Jiangnan, and I don't know how much effort and resources I would have to expend. Once the arrangements are complete and Liaodong is recovered, I will ascend the throne and become emperor."

In fact, Chen Shao originally wanted to destroy the Jurchens and use this great achievement to become emperor, but it seems he couldn't wait any longer.

Thinking about the strategy after ascending the throne, there's no need to even consider the capital; it would be best to establish it in Jiangning Prefecture.

Even if there is temporary pain, you must grit your teeth and finish it.

In order to open up the sea in the future, realize the connection between river and sea transport, and fully develop the Yangtze River waterway.

In addition, the canal currently under construction will connect the north and south, east and west.

If the first generation is too complacent to undertake the task of developing a new capital, then the successors will be unable to make any progress at all.

Unless someone like Zhu Di emerges and conquers the country again on his own.

Relocating the capital is a major event that requires advance preparation.

Chen Shao sighed; there were just too many things to do. (End of Chapter)