You have truly caused me great suffering!

News of Wu Jie's rampage with the Northwest Salt Army, resulting in the massacre of a million people, slowly spread throughout the Central Plains.

Many of the Dingnan Army veterans felt that this was because they hadn't fought on the northern battlefield and were afraid that their battle achievements would be insufficient and they would fall behind in the subsequent rewards.

Therefore, they wanted to compensate by increasing the number of enemy troops killed.

However, in the two routes of Guangnan, especially Yongzhou, Qinzhou, and Lianzhou, Wu Jie and several of his generals had already become saints.

In the countryside, many people erected monuments and built temples in their honor.

Various stories about soldiers fighting against thousands on the front lines and breaking through enemy lines began to circulate.

Especially after Li Qiande's head was displayed at the border and hung on the city wall of Yongzhou.

Many survivors of the Yongzhou massacre did not live as long as Li Qiande; they died long ago, but their children and grandchildren are still alive.

In recent years, the Đại Việt Lý Dynasty has invaded the border almost every year, often massacring villages and killing people.

The celebrations throughout Yongzhou have continued and are not yet completely over.

Wu Jie was unaware of these things, and he didn't really care.

The reason for this action was purely to speculate on the intentions of the Prince of Dai.

When the brothers went on campaigns, the King of Dai would always remind them to discipline their troops and preserve the population.

It is said that population is the foundation for survival in chaotic times.

But this time, he was unusually ruthless and decided to be tougher on himself, which inevitably made Wu Jie overthink things.

It's no wonder Wu Jie would kill someone who usually wouldn't let you kill them, if they suddenly asked you to.

The various camps near Thang Long City were bustling with activity.

The caravan is buying up the spoils of war from each warrior. They can sell everything to the caravan, and after keeping track of the accounts, they will receive a receipt.

With this voucher, you can collect your money at any branch of the caravan.

This move avoided the inconvenience of carrying spoils while marching, and also allowed the caravan to make a profit, making it a true win-win situation.

The Northwest Army and the caravans had long been intertwined. In a sense, the caravans were actually part of them, similar to the supply troops of yesteryear—a task Chen Shao performed when he first rose to power.

This time, the Northwest Salt Army turned Jiaozhi into a wasteland. Many women and children survived, but were taken away by the caravans.

Many artisans and doctors also survived the fall of the city, because according to the prior agreement, the reward for capturing an artisan or doctor alive was equivalent to killing a centurion.

Inside Shenglong City, Zhang Boyu originally thought that being a puppet would be very difficult, as he would be bullied everywhere and would not be pleased by either side.

But he soon discovered that this was not the case.

Ding Nanjun's practical side was revealed.

Because of the long distance, Chen Shao wrote directly in his letter, asking Wu Jie to forge an imperial edict and ceremonial objects for him on the spot.

Just declare yourself king.

Zhang Boyu established a kingdom with the name "Zhang" and made Thang Long City its capital, but renamed it "Luo Cheng".

He received a great gift as soon as he became king.

Wu Jie ordered him to go personally to "rescue" the hundreds of thousands of prisoners.

After these people emerged, they naturally became Zhang Boyu's men in rebuilding Jiaozhi.

People began to return to their hometowns one after another to rebuild their homes. Zhang Boyu's troops were actually not many.

Although he was the Grand Commandant, the military and political power of the country was long held by the emperor alone.

Especially military power.

Wu Jie and Wang Bing each contributed 10,000 men to serve as their imperial guards.

They were just waiting for the Prince of Dai to declare himself emperor so that he would force the entire country to surrender and request to become an annexation.

Inside the royal palace in Luocheng, Zhang Boyu sat in a chair, the ritual objects from the Li Qiande era on which had all been taken away.

It looks quite simple now.

"What kind of person is this king, really?"

Standing in front of him was a group of merchants from Jiaozhi who had been to the north. They looked at each other upon hearing this.

Finally, someone began to tell the story.

The deeds of the Prince of Dai were known to everyone in the Central Plains, and soon Zhang Boyu sighed repeatedly.

It turns out that he was defeated by such a ruthless and cunning man, which is not unjust. However, according to the opinions of the people, the Prince of Dai was not a bloodthirsty person.

Why were his troops so brutal in Jiaozhi?

Zhang Boyu thought for a while but couldn't figure it out, so he could only pin the blame on Wu Jie.

It must be that Wu Jie wanted to kill more people as a gift for the Prince of Dai to usurp the throne and seize the Song Dynasty.

When Zhang Boyu thought of the smiling Wu Jie, he felt a chill run down his spine, thinking that this boy was truly terrifying.

You absolutely must not offend him.

He was genuinely terrified; he had never seen anything so brutal. In fact, the Great Yue Kingdom also enjoyed massacres during its expansion.

But the killings weren't that brutal, mainly because they lacked such overwhelming military strength. Once the Champa people disappeared into the mountains, you couldn't catch them even if you wanted to.

Especially that cannon, just thinking about it makes him tremble.

Under normal circumstances, even if the Central Plains army invaded and overthrew the Joseon Dynasty, Zhang Boyu might have had other thoughts. However, seeing the fate of Li Qiande and the devastation in the Red River basin, Zhang Boyu dared not entertain any more wild thoughts.

For them, the worst that could happen is they can do it again; not only will they suffer no losses, but they can also make a fortune.
It's important to understand that launching a war to destroy a nation typically incurs enormous costs.

However, the deep involvement of caravans turned war into a profitable business for the first time.

That's terrifying.
It's usually nomadic barbarians who do this; they fight and then leave. But if the Central Plains dynasty were to start this, it would be like the sky falling down for the surrounding small states.

Because barbarian tribes generally rise and fall very quickly, while the Central Plains remained strong for thousands of years. Even if there were occasional wars, they would rise again after the wars subsided.

Zhang Boyu stood up and walked around the palace. He showed no joy at having obtained the throne; instead, he was restless and uneasy.

He waved his hand, dismissing the merchants below. The stench of blood seemed to linger everywhere in the city of Théâtre du Rhu.

Zhang Boyu walked around and felt that the vermilion pillars seemed to be oozing blood.

He rubbed his eyes and realized it was a piece of red silk. He couldn't help but punch the pillar. "If I have the chance, I must leave this city and go as far away as possible."
-
On the eleventh day of the first lunar month, the imperial court suddenly issued an edict to completely reshuffle the officials of the six ministries.

Wei Li was appointed as the Chancellor of the Secretariat and the Chancellery.

Li Tangchen and Xu Jin were appointed as Vice Chancellors;

Zhu Lingling served as Privy Councilor and Director of the Privy Council, and Military Governor of Dingnan Army;
Han Shizhong was appointed Grand Commandant, granted the title of Grand General of the Three Departments, and signed as a Privy Councilor;
This clearly indicates that a change of dynasty is imminent.

Not long after, on the seventeenth day of the first month, Cai Jing, Zhong Shidao, and other veteran officials of the Song Dynasty submitted a memorial to the throne, praising the Prince of Dai for his unparalleled merits, his ability to secure the country and stabilize the world, and deserving to be granted the Nine Bestowments and placed above all other princes.

The Emperor approved the request and bestowed upon Chen Shao, the Prince of Dai, the title of Prince of Liang, Grand Tutor, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and Grand Minister of State, granting him sole control over military and political power.

Memorials urging the emperor to ascend the throne from various regions arrived in Bianliang like snowflakes.

On the 23rd day of the first month, Li Tangchen and others selected three names for the country for Chen Shao to choose from.

The group arrived at the Prince's Mansion together and waited in the main hall.

Chen Shao arrived shortly afterward.

He glanced at the three characters written on the paper with a smile: Liang, Zhao, Ming.
Li Tangchen said impatiently, "The Book of Songs says 'King Wen is illustrious,' which means brightness, glory, and receiving the Mandate of Heaven!"

Xu Jin also smiled and said, "To declare the Mandate of Heaven to the world and to proclaim supreme virtue to all people, I also agree that the name of the country should be Zhao."

Chen Shao looked at the three characters and asked, "I don't think the character 'Liang' is appropriate. Although Bianjing was called Daliang in ancient times, it would be fine if the capital were established in Bianjing. Moreover, Zhu Wen's establishment of Liang has many stains."

"What about the character 'Ming'?" Wei Li said, "Your Majesty should establish the capital in Jiangning, guard the Yangtze River to protect civilization, and promote virtuous conduct to await the opportune moment!"

Chen Shao hesitated and asked, "My surname is Chen, so can't we use Chen as the name of our country?"

The crowd hesitated. Logically speaking, given Chen Shao's great merits, it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to use his own surname as the name of the country.

However, the character "Chen" refers to a southern regime that had just been destroyed by the Song Dynasty.

This empire is now a truly unified empire with an extremely vast territory.

Seeing that his trusted subordinates did not agree, Chen Shao did not insist.

After discussion, we proposed three names for the country, but it seems that the king does not like any of them, otherwise he would not be so hesitant.

Li Tangchen couldn't help but ask, "What are Your Majesty's expectations?"

Chen Shao said, "It would be best to use a name that has not been used before, and I intend to build an unprecedented empire, so I do not want to use a regional name as the name of the country."

"What about Ming?"

Chen Shao shook his head, thinking to himself that it would be best if it had never been used in later generations.

"Great is the Qian Yuan, the origin of all things. How about naming the country Da Qian?"

Chen Shao shook his head again. It was supposed to be a good word, but when he thought of Emperor Qianlong, he felt a little uncomfortable.

Li Tangchen, being a professor from Taiyuan, possessed considerable insight in this area. He rose and paced back and forth, saying, "Your Majesty rose to power in the Northwest with a mighty army, destroying the Xia dynasty in one battle, the Jin dynasty in another, conquering Yan and Yun in the north, pacifying the Western Regions, subjugating Jiaozhi in the south, and crushing the Tubo. Your martial prowess is unparalleled, supremely strong and unyielding." "The world knows Your Majesty's martial virtue, but not your character. Only those of us close to you know that Your Majesty is a truly benevolent and kind person. Today, as you establish your nation, you should adopt an elegant, dignified, and upright name."

"Elegant and clean"

Li Tangchen's eyes lit up, and he said, "We admire the lofty mountains and follow the virtuous path. How about we name our country 'Da Jing'?"

"Great View," Chen Shao nodded, "Not bad."

All the important figures from Guangyuan Hall's secret agents have returned to Bianliang.

The prospect of becoming emperor is imminent.
-
The nineteenth day of the first lunar month.

At the abdication platform on the outskirts of the city, all the officials arrived.

Chen Shao bathed and changed into his imperial robes early in the morning.

"I, with my virtuous character, succeed to the throne and entrust myself to the people."

By the grace of our ancestors and the assistance of our subjects, I have lived in constant fear and trembling, never daring to be negligent. Yet, a great calamity has befallen us: the Jin and Di tribes have run rampant, besieging our capital and ravaging our people. It is not that I do not wish to strive for good governance and display military might to avenge this shame upon the nation; but my talents are shallow, my virtue insufficient to subdue those far away, and my strategies inadequate to control the unrest, resulting in the ancestral temples being tarnished, the people suffering terribly, and the imperial regalia nearly collapsing.

Alas! The nation is in grave danger, like a great building about to collapse; the people are filled with panic, like a boat that has lost its rudder.

Fortunately, there is Prince Liang, Chen Shao, whose loyalty shines as bright as the sun and whose righteousness moves heaven and earth. He raised an army in the northwest, organizing his troops to serve the king; he defeated the enemy in Hebei, protecting the emperor with his entire army. He secured the nine ancestral temples within the capital and deterred the four barbarian tribes without, his achievements surpassing those of Yi Yin and Huo Qubing, and his virtue exceeding that of Huan Wen and Wen Zhengming. Now, all officials are devoted to him, and all people admire his virtue, all saying that only Prince Liang could quell the chaos, and only a sage could uphold Heaven's mandate.

I have heard that the Mandate of Heaven is not constant, but is guided by virtue; the imperial regalia has no master, but is held by the wise.

In the past, Yao abdicated in favor of Shun, and Shun abdicated in favor of Yu; this was not out of favoritism towards their relatives, but to ensure the people had the right people. Now, consider the King of Liang: his benevolence is sufficient to nurture all things, his wisdom sufficient to respond to changing circumstances, his courage sufficient to quell rebellion, and his trustworthiness sufficient to win the hearts of the people. Heaven and man agree, and the mandate of heaven has been fulfilled. Though I may desire to cling to the throne for a life of ease, what can I do for the people? What can I do for the ancestral temple and the state?
This means submitting to public opinion, respecting the mandate of Heaven, retiring to a subordinate post, and thus preserving the legacy from beginning to end.

Everyone was thrilled as they watched Chen Shao ascend the abdication platform step by step.

Throughout history, the rise and fall of dynasties have always been based on the cycle of the Five Elements. When Chen Shao ruled, he called it replacing the Fire Element with the Earth Element, hence the use of yellow for crowns, dragon robes, banners, and flags.

Below the abdication platform, the first cannon shot was fired, followed by grand court music.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Chen Shao strode confidently toward the high platform where he received the abdication.

Of course, he couldn't walk fast either, as the imperial robes he wore restricted his movement and the crown on his head required him to be extremely careful.
So that's what those beads hanging on the forehead like bangs were for – to slow down the person wearing the hat, making them appear calm and composed!

With each step he climbed, Chen Shao was overwhelmed with emotion, his heart pounding loudly—a feeling he rarely experienced anymore.

Only by living within this system of etiquette can one truly understand its joy.

No wonder countless heroes throughout history have fought tooth and nail for it.

By the end, Chen Shao was completely excited. Only then did he realize that he couldn't possibly remain as calm as he had imagined.

He has held power over the world for more than a year, but the feeling is completely different.

Standing at the highest point of the Zen Platform, looking down, Chen Shao finally felt a sense of peace.

Zhao Huan stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and presented the imperial seal.

After Chen Shao accepted the gift, a salute was fired, and all the civil and military officials, soldiers, and eunuchs present knelt down and performed the kowtow ceremony.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Chen Shao turned to face heaven and earth and read aloud his new imperial edict for the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven:

"Your subject Chen Shao, the successor to the throne, dares to solemnly declare to the Supreme God of Heaven and the Gods of Earth:"
I humbly believe that the Mandate of Heaven is not constant, but favors only the virtuous; the divine regalia has no master, but is bestowed upon the wise.

Recently, the Jin and Di tribes invaded, the Bian River was shrouded in dust, the people were caught in the crossfire, and rites and music were lost in the wilderness.

Shao Ben was a commoner from the Northwest. He rose through the ranks of the army and accumulated merits to become the military governor of Dingnan Army.

He then led a righteous army, vowing to eradicate the evil influence; he raised a lone force, determined to restore order to the world.

Thanks to the blessings of Heaven and Earth, the silent support of our ancestors, the valiant efforts of our soldiers, and the unwavering loyalty of the people, the siege of the capital was lifted, and the vital importance of our ancestral temple was protected. However, the nation's strength is like a thread, not something one person can hold together; Heaven's mandate has been bestowed, how could a lowly subject dare to defy it?

Emperor Huan of Song, having deeply considered the past and the present, and having graciously followed public opinion,

He offered the divine weapon to me, and I retreated to Xi County to live in peace. I declined the offer, but accepted it with trembling fear. I thought of my meager virtue, how could I bear such a burden? Yet, thinking of the plight of the common people and fearing the ruin of China, I dared not use my insignificance as an excuse, and thus, following ancient rites, I respectfully appealed to the heavens.

With utmost care, we offer black oyster and black bean wine, along with various other offerings.
He ascended the throne under the title of Emperor Dajing, inheriting the destiny of the Earth element, and changed the era name to Jianwu.
May the light shine upon the four seas and bring peace to the eight directions; may rites and music be revived in the Central Plains, and may the ceremonial robes and hats not fall into disuse in the southern lands.

If Shao has neglected his duties, abused the people, or defied Heaven and reason, please let the calamity fall upon me and not harm the common people!
Enjoy this meal!
-
The first year of Jianwu in the Great Jing Dynasty.

Chen Shao finally ascended the throne and issued an edict to bestow imperial titles upon his deceased parents and empress, and to confer the title of Empress upon Zhong Lingxi.

Five people were enfeoffed as kings: Liu Guanglie, Prince of Fu; Han Shizhong, Prince of Qi; Jin Ling (Zhu Lingling), Prince of Xun; Wu Jie, Prince of Fu; and Li Xiaozhong, Prince of Xin.
Apart from Liu Guanglie, who was one of Chen Shao's few relatives, all the others were enfeoffed as kings based on their extremely high military achievements, and there was no hereditary title of king.

The five were appointed as dukes: Qu Duan as Duke of Yingguo, Li Tangchen as Duke of Fuguo, Wu Lin as Duke of Weiguo, Liu Jizu as Duke of Yueguo, and Yang Cheng as Duke of Anguo.

Among them, only the Dingnan and Hedong factions were truly superior to others in the matter of Chen Shao's ascension to the throne.

Others, such as Zhong Shidao and Cai Jing, retained their original titles bestowed by the Song Dynasty and were not granted any further honors.

Subsequently, Bianliang, Xiping, Taiyuan, Jiangning, and Yanshan were established as the five capitals, subtly implying the intention to move the capital.

Finally, preferential treatment was given to the abdicated emperor, Zhao Huan, who was granted the title of Prince of Ping Le and was not required to address the emperor as a subject in his memorial.
Zhao Huan repeatedly petitioned to resign his royal title, but Chen Shao refused.

Zhao Huan refused the offer with tears streaming down his face and went on a hunger strike in protest, so Chen Shao had no choice but to grant him the title of "Duke of Ping Le".
Because of his previous contribution of tens of millions from the government treasury to fund the repair of the river, he was able to enjoy the "river boat tax" on a section of the Bian River for generations, and a monument was erected to commemorate this.

As for Zhao Ji, he didn't issue any decree at all. Instead, he had someone bring him out of Genyue and granted him a manor on the outskirts of Bianliang. He was stripped of all his titles and given the title of Duke of Hunde.

Three days later, Chen Shao, for some unknown reason, took back the manor and ordered the dismissal of all of Hun De Gong's concubines, palace maids, and eunuchs. Those who wished to follow him could remain by his side, but the court would no longer provide them with financial support.

He then ordered that Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, prepare to travel to Japan with eight hundred monks after the spring to spread Chinese culture.

Emperor Huizong was extremely distressed and feared being killed in Japan. He sent people to Zhao Huan several times for help, but they could not even get through the door.

In their mutual dislike of Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji), Emperor Huan and Emperor Shao were essentially of the same degree.
-
After all the busyness of the coronation ceremony, most people would have been exhausted long ago.

However, Chen Shao was quite extraordinary; he had excellent energy and physical strength.

Over the years, Li Shishi has taken meticulous care of his health, and Chen Shao himself has also been very careful, often exercising with Da Hu.

Moreover, he also enjoyed the process of becoming emperor, the grand and solemn ceremony that was the ultimate in its magnificence, when it truly fell upon his own head.

The ritual system was no longer something worthless, but something to enjoy. Chen Shao went through each step very seriously and tried to understand its meaning.

He wholeheartedly identifies with the culture of his ancestors, which is why he can empathize with all things ancient and traditional.

Many people in later generations felt that Western things were better and that the things of their ancestors were ignorant and backward.

So when you ask them to create, no matter the subject matter or background, they can always come up with some disgusting works that are absolutely awful.

What's ingrained in your bones can't be changed.

The imperial palace in Bianliang (Kaifeng) during the Song Dynasty was actually not very good, otherwise Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) would not have moved to Genyue and never left.

But Chen Shao didn't care much about such things.

His relocation of the capital to Jiangning was also for the sake of river-sea intermodal transport; in the final analysis, it all boils down to two words: transportation.

After Liu Guanglie went to Jiangning, he had already begun to build the palace. Now he is carrying out the construction in a grand manner, not afraid that people will not know that he is going to move the capital.

The new palace is named: Jingyang Palace
The name of the Great Jing Kingdom is basically out in the open, echoing the previous name.

The memorials submitted in the past few days were almost all congratulatory messages. After Chen Shao had his staff identify them, he selected and read a few of them.

Then he looked at the surrounding vassal states that had sent people to offer congratulations, and that's when he discovered the problem.

Even Yelü Dashi sent people, but Emperor Toba of Japan remained silent.

Chen Shao was not angry but pleased. These birds have been closed off from the world for too long, and they think that the Central Plains is still like it was during the Song Dynasty, suppressed by the northern border.

The envoy sent did not return, indicating that Emperor Toba was still unaware of his own strength.

This has already given itself a reason.

Just one instance of negligence during your ascension to the throne, according to my own etiquette, is enough to destroy your country.

Moreover, your own tiny island is plagued by factional strife and fragmented power.

Once the caravan's men have thoroughly explored all of Japan and marked the locations of the gold and silver mines, it will be time for us to take action ourselves.

At this time, the port garrison in Goryeo had been fully deployed, and the entire territory of Japan was under their control from Goryeo.

By opening up grain trade, Goryeo Kingdom essentially pledged its allegiance to Daejeong Kingdom, placing the power of life and death in the hands of Daejeong Kingdom.

Correspondingly, Chen Shao issued an edict early on, recognizing Goryeo's special status as a "country not subject to conquest," opening border markets in Liaodong, and mutually exempting them from tariffs.

If Goryeo (Korea) simply focuses on raising horses and cultivating ginseng, and develops papermaking and ink production, their lives will definitely be much better than before.

After all, that barren land was completely unsuitable for farming. However, the deeper and longer this bond lasted, the less autonomy they had.

After all, it's easy to give up farmland for other purposes, but difficult to switch it back.

After reading a few more meaningless congratulatory letters, Chen Shao got up, stretched, and headed to the inner palace.

At that moment, Da Hu came in and handed him a piece of paper.

Upon seeing the signature "Mao De," Chen Shao felt a headache coming on; Mao De was probably pleading for her father.

There's no way I'd be lenient with someone as despicable as Zhao Ji just because of a woman.

Given his crimes, Chen Shao wished he could kill him, but since he inherited the throne from the Song Dynasty, he couldn't be so hasty in killing him.

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Shao still told Da Hu to go and bring the person in. (End of Chapter)