You have truly caused me great suffering!

Tokyo, Bianliang, was the most prosperous city in the world.

The city has twelve land gates and twelve water gates, bustling with people every day.

The main force of the Dingnan Army, which had retreated south this time, rested in its military camp outside Yongtai Gate, directly north of Bianliang.

Everyone in the camp was excited. They got up early to fix the flags, wash the warhorses, sharpen the armor and weapons, and acquire various tools. They were all very busy.

Although it was also an expedition, and they were both fighting in Youyan, they were completely different from the Western Army that had been forced out of the country.

At that time, the Western Army still had powerful enemies at their doorstep, constantly threatening their families, so they were forced to leave their homes and come to Youyan to attack Liao.

They were short of pay, starving, and had connections planted in their names, waiting to steal credit even before the battle started.

Such a large army had such low morale that it couldn't be any lower. The fact that they didn't rebel on the spot was simply because there were no ambitious generals to instigate them.

Dingnanjun, on the other hand, was rushing to one opportunity after another, an opportunity that could change his own destiny and the destiny of his entire family.

The Yang family of Hongnong, with its thousand-year-old lineage, only managed to snatch a powerful ally from Xiang Yu!
Now, Prince Chen Shao of Dai rewards merits without fail, even more so than Liu Bang back then. Who wouldn't risk their life for him?

The military camp where we are is now abandoned. It was once the camp of the Bianliang Imperial Guards.

At its peak, the number of imperial guards stationed inside and outside Bianliang (Kaifeng) during the early years of the Song Dynasty exceeded 700,000.

Military camps were located everywhere.

Even in the later stages, as a large number of imperial guards were continuously transferred to Shaanxi for defense, they gradually transformed into the Western Army.

The Bianliang Imperial Guard still had a massive number of over 500,000 soldiers listed in the military register.

Of course, the military register lists more than 500,000 soldiers, but only the imperial guard families know the actual number.

Anyway, all the barracks were empty. Many of the original barracks had been abandoned because no soldiers came to fill them. Many of the barracks had been taken over by officials and nobles as their own property. Even so, there were still quite a few abandoned barracks.

Later, Cai Jing and Tong Guan joined forces to reorganize the Imperial Guards.

Tong Guan wanted to raise funds for the campaign against Liao, while Cai Jing wanted to recover lost power. The two hit it off and took action against the Imperial Guards.

This freed up many military camps.

After the army arrived, the emperor's personal guards in the city brought pigs, sheep, and imperial wine to reward the troops.

Normally, Chen Shao would have been unwilling, but not only did he not stop him, he was also very happy to send someone to return the gift.

Zhao Huan and he had reached a point where they trusted each other implicitly.

The only thing Zhao Huan is still worried about is that he still holds millions of dollars in wealth.

This is the only source of trouble.

The saying goes, "A common man is innocent, but he is guilty of possessing a treasure." No one understood this better than Zhao Huan. He had been tolerant at every turn, but his third brother, Zhao Kai, continued to press him, simply because he held the title of Crown Prince.

The vast wealth of the Imperial Treasury, worth tens of millions of strings of cash, is like the position of Crown Prince; I must spend it as soon as possible.

Moreover, it's best to spend the money wisely, so that it can provide you with some protection in the future.

Zhao Huan believed he lacked the wisdom to discern the best place to plant flowers, so he specially invited Yuwen Xuzhong to the palace again today.

Yuwen Xuzhong finally understood that since the Emperor was determined to relinquish his family business, no one would object to him entering the palace at will.

He arrived at Yanfu Hall in a very open and generous manner.

In front of Zhao Huan were some documents piled up.

"Doctor Yuwen, you've come at the right time, come and take a look."

"Your Majesty, what is this?" Yuwen Xuzhong casually flipped through his fingers, his eyes immediately lighting up.

The government has so much wealth!
Although I already knew he had a lot of money, I didn't expect it to be this much.

Actually, this was largely thanks to Zhao Ji and his favored ministers.

These people are too good at making money.

When the Jin army was pressing in, Li Gang launched a campaign to resist them, but he had no money.

So they began to settle scores with Zhao Ji's favorite ministers. After killing Tong Guan, they had more than enough money!
Then came Wang Fu, Zhu Mian and his son, Li Yan, and Liang Shicheng.
Each one is more important and richer than the last; they are all truly wealthy enough to rival a nation.

Unlike his father, Zhao Huan was a frugal man; he saved all his money.

At first, they paid money to help Li Gang fight against the Jin, but later they found that Li Gang could hardly win a single victory and was attacked by Wanyan Zongwang at his doorstep.

So he planned to use the money to pay reparations in exchange for Wanyan Zongwang withdrawing his troops, but this was blocked by the Dingnan Army.

Yang Yizhong, who went to deliver the money, was detained.

Later, when Wanyan Zongwang saw that the Dingnan Army had left Taihang, he was afraid of being blocked, so he hastily withdrew his troops, and these funds have remained to this day.

Even though Zhao Huan had been spending money very lavishly, sending gifts to Chen Shao every few days, there was still too much money, and he hadn't even spent a fraction of it.

After a moment's thought, Yuwen Xuzhong immediately proposed that a small portion be used to reward the troops, while the majority should be used for the canal excavation.

Winter and spring are the seasons for dredging rivers, and river workers in various places are eagerly awaiting funding.

Zhao Huan readily accepted the advice and indeed invested a large sum of money.

When the news spread, Yang Cheng was moved to tears upon seeing the imperial edict the next day and risked his life to enter the palace to express his gratitude.

He was truly moved.

Because of his close relationship with the Prince of Dai, Yang Cheng made no attempt to avoid suspicion and earnestly kowtowed to Zhao Huan in the palace for the sake of the million-strong river project.

Actually, the work of river management was not started by Chen Shao, but was a normal administrative matter every year throughout the dynasties.

Logically speaking, the river should be managed every year, otherwise the floods will teach you a lesson next year.

However, since Emperor Huizong of Song assumed personal rule, the funds allocated for river management have been largely misappropriated.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people suffer from disasters.

Not only Yang Cheng, but Chen Shao was also moved by him. He specially drew a line on the map, giving him one percent of the annual income from the Hongqiao tax card.

He also promised Zhao Huan that he would personally inscribe the text on a stele and erect it on the Rainbow Bridge in the future.

The annual tax revenue of the Hongqiao Tax Bureau is about 500,000 guan, which is 5,000 guan a year. Although it is far less than the amount of money Zhao Huan took out, theoretically it would take two thousand years to pay it off.

But its strength lies in its long history and its shared destiny with the nation.

As long as his descendants don't do anything reckless, this guarantees them a life free from want.

Zhao Huan felt he had gotten rid of a major trouble and that his descendants would also be blessed. He was even happier.

Donating this money is a good deed, but keeping it is like carrying explosives.

What pleased him even more was the attitude of the Prince of Dai. The fact that the Prince could speak so frankly with him showed that he was open and honest.

These two men, one was the most cowardly and the most eager to surrender in history, and even Liu Shan was considered to have some loyalty to his homeland compared to him;
One was the most magnanimous and honest minister, too lazy to engage in any conspiracies or intrigues.

The two coming together added a touch of warmth to this dynastic change, making it less bloody.

The emperor of the Song Dynasty has already surrendered, but the scholar-official class deep within the Song Dynasty has not. Chen Shao knows that the struggle has not truly begun yet.

Chen Shao was not afraid at all; he found endless joy in fighting with others!
And you should be scared after the parade.

Haven't you been sucking the blood of the Song Dynasty for over a hundred years, growing fat and bloated?

I've been sharpening my knife in the Northwest for years, just waiting to slaughter the pig for the New Year.
-
The Prince of Dai, accompanied by the meritorious generals of the Dingnan Army, two commanders, and civil and military officials from the eleven prefectures of Dingnan, was to inspect the troops on the outskirts of Bianliang.

People are allowed to watch from both sides of the road.

The news spread, and Bianliang City was filled with a festive atmosphere.

Many people couldn't wait to see the excitement.

But some people were angry, especially the gentry of Luoyang and their former protégés and officials.

This is a blatant show of force, intended to demonstrate the military strength of his Dingnan Army.

Seeing is believing. Although everyone knows they are capable fighters, few people have actually seen what kind of formidable army they are.

As for the soldiers being reviewed, they had no such thoughts; all they felt was glory.

After so many years of fighting, a march to Bianliang (Kaifeng) is enough to console us for all those years of battles.

This shows that in the eyes of the King of Dai, we are not thieves who are used and discarded, but comrades who will share the glory of victory with him.

The Song Dynasty was also founded by military force, and the Zhao family was also made emperor by military men, but they were the most ruthless in their suppression of military men.

But the Prince of Dai was different. He was naturally approachable, and almost everyone who came into contact with him felt that he was very sincere and that he kept his word.

Over the years, he has been the only one to have received the full salary.

The Prince of Dai wanted to be emperor, and the Prince of Dai had to be emperor; everyone in the Dingnan Army believed this.

It wasn't even something the Prince of Dai could refuse.

Chen Shao entrusted the military inspection to Zhu Lingling, intending it to be a mere formality to intimidate the officials and scholars of the Song Dynasty.
-
Heavy snow fell again in Kaifeng.

This snowfall was heavier than the previous ones, and thick layers of snow piled up on the streets of the imperial city.

Early in the morning, Chen Shao looked at the maid sweeping snow in the courtyard and shook his head inwardly.

"what happened?"

Seeing him shaking his head, Zhong Lingxi came over and draped a coat over him.

"I'm afraid the snow will affect the military parade."

With less than three days until the military parade, it looks like the snow might not stop.

Zhong Lingxi chuckled, "Although I am a woman, I come from a military family. I've fought bravely through wind and snow, and I've been through countless battles. Haven't I been a soldier who marched through snowfields?"

Chen Shao thought about it and realized it made sense. As for the people of Bianliang, that was even less of a problem.

Every Spring Festival, they are always very lively, and the celebrations have never been delayed by snow.

The Spring Festival happens every year, but the military parade is different; perhaps it would be better to hold it in the snow.

In a world draped in silver, armor and weapons will shine even brighter.

Turning around, Chen Shao lifted her chin and laughed, "My Huanhuan has grown up."

The words "my Huanhuan" made Zhong Lingxi blush and lower her head, turning away and muttering something under her breath.

Three days later, the snow did not stop, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the people of Bianliang.

Outside the north gate of Bianliang, crowds thronged.

Besides the locals of Bianliang, quite a few people also came from other places specifically for this purpose.

This caused the people of Bianliang to complain endlessly.

This is the final performance of our Great Song Dynasty, what are you all doing here?

Outside of Bianliang, is that still the Song Dynasty? Is that still our Song Dynasty?

There are actually quite a few people who hold this view, especially in Kaifeng Prefecture.

Bianliang, the capital of the Song Dynasty, was undoubtedly the heart of the Song Dynasty, much like the Red River Plain of the Joseon Dynasty.

When Zhao Da founded the country, this military town had a population of hundreds of thousands, which was already a very large scale compared to other places in the world.

After several generations of emperors amassed wealth, this number had long since exceeded one million.

Bianliang City was also constantly expanding.

Especially in the south, along the Bian River waterway, the most new buildings were constructed along this vital artery supplying the capital. With more buildings, the population naturally increased as well.

Unlike the Tang Dynasty, the people of the Song Dynasty were relatively free and there was no strict neighborhood system.

The residential markets, palaces, temples, inns, and pavilions were all mixed together, making it extremely lively. Therefore, almost everyone agreed that although Bianliang of the Song Dynasty was a more prosperous capital than Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty, Bianliang had a more down-to-earth atmosphere.

Chen Shao didn't spend much time in Bianliang, and he didn't have a proper chance to sightsee these past few days. He was mostly stuck in Zhaodefang, dealing with various matters.

Now, riding through the city on horseback, one can't help but observe. This is the stronghold of the Zhao Song dynasty, and I will inevitably move the capital here in the future. But this place is still of great significance for research.

For Chen Shao, this is a negative example.

Unlike Luoyang, Bianliang's waterways were dug out, lacking natural harbors. This resulted in the cost of transporting goods into Bianliang being significantly higher than in the capitals of other dynasties.

The Song Dynasty practically relied on the entire nation's resources to support its capital. Fleets and carts transporting goods, grains, and daily necessities traveled north and south in an endless stream each year without a break. The maintenance of roads and waterways required enormous resources every year.

In the Central Plains, the most important waterway has always been the Yangtze River.

This is a major artery, of great significance, and it connects the north and south, east and west.

Even after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the British fleet was reluctant to withdraw from this golden shipping route until it was beaten up before leaving.

Chen Shao's ambition dictated that he must fully utilize the Yangtze River waterway and the Grand Canal. The coming dynasty was unlike any other, and transportation was its top priority.

With increased productivity and improved transportation, the things that dynasties used to fear will no longer be major problems.

Han Shizhong and Zhu Lingling rode on horseback on either side of Chen Shao. Seeing that Chen Shao remained silent, Han Shizhong spoke up, saying, "Your Majesty need not worry. Our soldiers are used to marching in the snow."

Chen Shao nodded and said, "I know. Look at Bianliang, isn't it big?"

"big!"

The already formidable military town of Bianliang had its city walls extended southward during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, bringing a newly built residential area within the city's defense perimeter, namely the residential area near Nanxun Gate.

Now, in the past fifty years, tens of thousands more households and hundreds of thousands of people have settled outside the newly built city walls, stretching for miles around.

This is why Wanyan Zongwang's arrival at the gates of Bianliang City caused Zhao Huan such great fear; he personally witnessed them killing people outside the city.

There are over 100,000 people living outside the city!

According to official statistics, the actual population of Bianliang has now far exceeded two million, reaching nearly three million!
One city, three million
It can rival most of the world's small countries.

The reason why the Transport Commissioner of the Song Dynasty had such great power and rank was because he was responsible for transporting the best of the country to the capital, Bianliang.

The reason for allocating so much money to repair the river every year is the same: to allow goods from all over the country to enter the capital.

Therefore, Bianliang was so prosperous and wealthy that officials at all levels preferred to hold nominal titles and guard obscure offices in Bianliang rather than go to local areas to govern a military prefecture or state.

Being banished from the capital was an extremely severe punishment for the scholar-officials of the Song Dynasty.

Everyone who was demoted would write some poems to express their sorrow.

Such a city has accumulated too many resources and talents; it would be good if it had a great ruler to guide it.

When faced with figures like Li Longji and Zhao Ji, it inevitably leads to a more extravagant and decadent social atmosphere.

All the talented people in the world gather here. There's not much work to do, so they just compete when they have nothing to do!
Thus, the Song Dynasty court's long-standing tradition of factional strife came into being.

Every year, at least 30% of the Song Dynasty's fiscal revenue was spent on transportation routes, and corvée labor was also a very heavy and harmful policy.

Moreover, the terrain around Bianliang is too flat and there are no strategic points to defend. To protect the capital, a large army is needed.

Throughout the Song Dynasty, the size of the army continued to expand.

As the number of troops expands, more military pay can be embezzled, which emboldens officers and leads to more people drawing salaries without working, ultimately resulting in a smaller army.

Therefore, the more troops there are, the fewer troops there are.

The person who saw these things most clearly was probably Cai Jing, who had a complete understanding of the Song Dynasty's bureaucratic system.

So before Chen Shao himself could even speak, Cai Jing took the initiative to propose moving the capital.

Sometimes Chen Shaozhen could understand why Zhao Ji chose to use these people.

He's incredibly good at understanding what his superiors want. Even when you're still confused and don't know what you want, he can point it out to you in just one sentence.

Isn't it amazing? Isn't it comfortable?
The elite troops of the Dingnan Army were waiting in their camp outside the city.

The people on both sides of the road were already impatient.

Such a grand event is unmatched by any other celebration; missing it would be a lifelong regret.

Moreover, many people have a vague feeling that this may be the last glorious moment for Bianliang City.

Finally, the Lingwu Camp guards Chen Shao, along with a group of officials, arrived.

The atmosphere immediately became even more lively.

Upon arriving at the viewing platform, they found it filled with officials waiting for Chen Shao and his entourage to ascend. Other officials also went up to the platform one after another.

Officials from the eleven prefectures of Dingnan were on the left, and those from Hedong were on the right.

Chen Shao noticed that next to Ding Nanxi, there was a group of Western Army soldiers, including the white-haired Zhong Shidao, as well as Western Army generals such as Zhong Shizhong, Liu Guanglie, and Zhe Keqiu.

Chen Shao sent his personal guards over and invited Zhong Shidao over, letting him sit behind him.

After his personal guards passed by, Zhong Shidao smiled and waved his hand, but the Western Army soldiers around him all urged him to go over.

This is the glory of the Western Army.

Unable to refuse, Zhong Shidao smiled and came to Chen Shao. He had come a few days earlier to attend the ceremony in which he was to be crowned emperor.

Chen Shao had met him alone and was surprised that the old man was in such good health that he still wanted to come and watch the military parade.

This is the glory of a martial artist, and Zhong Shidao, who has fought all his life, naturally does not want to miss it.

Although Zhong Shidao did not directly lead troops into battle in these wars, his Zhong family army participated in the second Jin invasion of the south and even avenged their previous defeat at Baigou River.

Zhong Shidao himself was an important figure in Chen Shao's rear coordination efforts, and his contributions were indispensable.

His qualifications, prestige, and achievements are enough to allow him to sit behind Chen Shao.

Suddenly, the sound of drums and gongs rang out from the direction of the military camp.

This wasn't a drill; it was the sound of drums from a real battlefield. All the generals present were jolted awake.

Even Old Zhu almost stood up and drew his sword.

"Damn it!" Han Shizhong cursed, "These scoundrels are serious!"

The people of Bianliang had never heard of such a commotion before.
After the initial tension and heart palpitations, a strange excitement followed, as if some kind of bloodline within me was awakening.

Then a troop of heavily armored cavalry galloped across the snow.

They reined in their horses when they reached the reviewing stand, and these cavalrymen, armed with weapons, charged forward as if on the verge of battle.

Chen Shao couldn't help but stand up, startled.

This cavalry unit, mounted on horseback, with quivers, bows, daggers, and waist knives, clearly belonged to scouts and sentries familiar with military matters.

This is absolutely elite.

The Dingnan Army's scouts were known for their ferocity. Like the Jurchens, they would not stop until one side was wiped out whenever they encountered each other.

Even from a great distance, the surrounding people could still sense a dangerous aura.

These people seem ready to kill at any moment.

Those who served as scouts in the Dingnan Army and are still alive today must have dozens of lives on their hands.

The leader was Huyan Tong, whom Chen Shao recognized at a glance. He was a formidable man who could take on Han Shizhong one-on-one.
He also angered Han Wu (who was historically killed by Han Shizhong).

Chen Shao waved his hand, and the scouts shouted for their horses to gallop away.

After taking a large detour around the outskirts of the city, they returned to the barracks.

The second group rode slowly, but they still managed to hold everyone's attention. Han Shizhong stood up and cheered loudly.

This is the Helan Mountain Corps heavy cavalry, the direct line of Han Wu's conquest of Western Xia.

Chen Shao chuckled softly, "These guys will probably need to find a place to lay down their arms after this is over."

Everyone around laughed.

There was no way around it; this outfit was just too heavy.

This heavily armored elite cavalry was the most awe-inspiring force; the people of Bianliang couldn't imagine anyone who could stand in their way.

After the heavily armored cavalry passed, a light cavalry unit arrived, which was the largest type of marching force.

Although the line was long, the onlookers shook their heads in admiration, pointing and clapping, and cheers were heard from time to time.

This made the soldiers, whether on horseback or on foot, stand up straighter and hold their heads higher.

As these people passed by, civil and military officials on the reviewing stand would occasionally shout their approval, as they could see their own state's troops from below.

From the very beginning of the march, the shouts of the densely packed onlookers rose in waves, all filled with admiration.

This was a march that left the enemy in despair.
After the light cavalry passed, a group of infantry arrived, and their armor style was also different from the ones before them.

Zhong Shidao and the others looked excited; this was the Western Army.

During the second northward march, the Western Army displayed its true strength. Both the Zhong and Zhe families fought very well, especially when blocking Zong Han and pursuing Zong Wang.

When Tong Guan and Tong Guan attacked Liao, they brought the same group of people, but achieved completely different results.

As the marching procession neared its end, everyone who thought it was about to conclude felt a sense of lingering reluctance.

Even though a long time has passed, people still haven't had enough.

Being able to participate in such a grand event is something that generations of people can boast about, and I was truly awestruck.

Despite the Song Dynasty's suppression of military men and its denigration of them on various levels, the deep-seated respect people felt for the soldiers who defended their country and returned in glory was undeniable.

At this moment, the mournful sound of drums and horns rang out again, and the people who were still immersed in regret, including those on the viewing platform, all perked up.

A group of people were seen driving up a group of people whose hands were bound.

These people were all wearing foreign leather armor and looked very disheveled, but their fierce appearance remained unchanged.

Every now and then someone would shout and yell, revealing a fierce and menacing expression.

Many of the children around were so frightened that they cried loudly.

As they were escorted to the foot of the viewing platform, Chen Shao and the others all stood up.

Soldiers stepped forward and pinned them to the ground, and then one by one, executioners raised their broadswords.

"Pucha! Puliyan, the Jurchen, massacred three thousand civilians and burned countless houses after capturing Zhending Prefecture. He shall be executed!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a soldier behind the Tartar raised his broadsword and slashed down, instantly head rolling off the ground.

A gasp erupted from the stands.

"Alixi, the Jurchen Moke, after capturing Cizhou, killed three or four out of ten residents inside and outside the city. Execute him!"

More than forty Jurchen, Khitan, and Ever Victorious Army generals were beheaded and their heads displayed to the public.

What was supposed to be a military parade ended in such a bloody manner that heads were picked up and hung on the north gate of the city.

The crowd watching the ceremony was restless; they had come expecting a spectacle, but now many of them would be unable to sleep.

God knows how many people will be inspired to join the military because of this ceremony.

The Song Dynasty suppressed military men for a century, which is not as effective as the Dingnan Army's campaign.

Many people in the crowd secretly shed tears.

Chen Shao lowered his voice and asked, "Who planned this march?"

Han Shizhong looked at Old Zhu beside him.

Zhu Lingling scratched his head and said, "Qu Duan was very disappointed that he didn't come, so he wrote a letter. I thought his idea was good, so I came as he suggested."

"The final step was my own idea."

"This is about chopping people up?" Chen Shao asked.

"No, there's more."

"besides?"

After the enemy general's body was dragged away, six tall, fine horses pulled a roofless cart.

It was covered with drums.

As the drums sounded, a group of people entered from behind, carrying weapons, and danced below the blood-stained viewing platform with brisk, powerful movements.

The drumbeats were exhilarating and thrilling.

Behind the viewing platform, the court band began playing court military music pieces such as "Breaking the Enemy's Formation" and "Universal Music," while others played folk wind and percussion music pieces such as "General's Command" and "Victory Command" from further away.

The melody, coming from afar and approaching, blends together harmoniously without appearing chaotic; on the contrary, they complement each other perfectly.

"First take the twelve prefectures of Shanxi, then send other generals to attack the local officials. Looking back, the Qin Pass is low as a horse's hooves, and gradually the Yellow River will flow straight north!"

"Heaven's might sweeps across the Yellow River, and the Qiang people for ten thousand miles sing Han songs. The Moyan Dam reverses the flow of water, letting it flow westward as a benevolent wave!"

"The flag-bearing troops are like a pile of brocade, their silver-clad backs gleaming as they march back. First, they sweep the road to Anxi clean, then they await their horses' watering at the source of the river!"

"Lingwu and Xiliang need no siege, for the barbarian tribes await the arrival of the royal army. Half the city's inhabitants are of Guanzhong descent, and some of them still live off the land they once ate!"

The soldiers sang "Kai Ge" loudly, and finally shouted in unison, "Congratulations to the King!"

As dusk approached, the powerful voice, along with the setting sun, created a scene that everyone present would never forget.

A truly epic and moving experience. (End of Chapter)