You have truly caused me great suffering!

Wu Lin led three thousand Lingwu soldiers, carrying a large number of firearms, and traveled by sea to Annam.

In the past, he would have had to take the Temo Road like his brother and then enter the Red River system via Dali.

You have to go down the river to reach Thang Long.

Now, the soldiers can travel directly by boat to Qinzhou, allowing them to get plenty of rest.

Upon learning that this person was Wu Jie's younger brother, a general and official in Annam, they were all terrified.

Wu Jie, one of the five founding kings of the Great Jing Dynasty, was also granted the title of king in Annam and had a resounding nickname: the King of the Red River.
According to Annam's seasonal divisions, once the first month is over, the dry season begins.

The dry season is further divided into the cool season and the hot season. The cool season is undoubtedly the most comfortable season. As the name suggests, it is cool and not hot, and the roads are dry and easy to travel on, with fewer pests and diseases.

This cool season only lasts for a portion of autumn and winter, roughly three or four months.

Wu Lin rode his horse up a hillside and looked down at the workshops below.

The generals looked down together. The land was still shrouded in a little mist, but from the high ground, they could see that there was a small basin. It was surrounded by mountains and forests, and only in front of them was there a slightly flat area.

An gunpowder workshop was set up here on Annam Road. Annam has abundant sulfur, but lacks iron ore and saltpeter.

Craftsmen have already discovered copper mines in the mountains.

The workshop below produces only three types of firearms: Flamethrower; Thunder Cannon (ceramic bomb filled with gunpowder and broken porcelain); and Poison Smoke Ball (containing croton oil and arsenic, used for sieges).

The Annamese soldiers used these few things to be invincible on the southern islands.

"I come from the capital. His Majesty has entrusted me with an important task: to bring Annam Road completely under the jurisdiction of our Great Jing."

The generals echoed his sentiments, flattering and fawning over him.

"Given the prestige of the Duke and his brothers, Annam has long been convinced."

“That’s right. As soon as the Duke arrived, the barbarians from the South dared not act recklessly.”

Wu Lin frowned and said, "What I mean by inclusion is that they genuinely acknowledge their ancestors and return to their roots, not by intimidating them with force!"

Looking down at the workshops below, he sighed and said, "Firearms workshops alone are clearly not enough. Annam has a huge population, so we should build more."

Officials in the Central Plains were all selected through the imperial examinations; very few were truly stupid.

Upon hearing that the leader disliked flattery and realized he was a man of action, he immediately changed his tune.

Liu Anmin, the deputy transport commissioner of An'nan Road, immediately said, "Your Excellency, the people here often boil banana peels to make fine cloth. Although this cloth is not as luxurious as the silks and brocades of the Central Plains, it can be used as a lining for light armor. The banana cloth is breathable and can prevent soldiers from getting ulcerated from damp heat. Moreover, when made into canvas by mixing cotton and hemp, it is resistant to seawater corrosion."

"Now that the navy and maritime merchants are growing day by day, there is no shortage of sales channels. If we can set up more workshops here, we will surely sell a lot. Moreover, weaving does not require much strength, and women can do it."

He didn't continue speaking, but everyone knew that the men had all been ruined by your eldest brother.

Wu Lin nodded and said, "That's right!"

Seeing that this approach was feasible, the officials immediately changed their minds. The prefect of Jiaozhou said, "Jiaozhou has abundant forests, which are as hard as iron. We can set up a shipyard in Honghe."

Shipbuilding is a promising industry today, and the demand for ships, especially long-distance voyage ships, is virtually limitless.

While the Central Plains had already begun to regulate the felling of giant trees, Annam and even more remote foreign states could make up for this.

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, and Wu Lin listened attentively.

He must help His Majesty to completely appease Annam; otherwise, how could he live up to the immense glory and prestige of "one family, one king, one duke"?

Because the Great Jing Dynasty transitioned peacefully from the Great Song Dynasty, it retained some of the customs and traditions of the Great Song.

For example, the wealthiest aristocratic families were willing to use their money for business, and displaced farmers were also happy to go to the city to find odd jobs to make a living.

This led to the flourishing of workshops.

This was a contribution of the Song Dynasty, and Chen Shao never denied it.

This is actually very important; otherwise, cultivating this kind of atmosphere would require a long and gradual process.

Now, he has put in a lot of effort to completely reclaim Dali and Annam.

This place is different from Japan; the goal cannot be achieved by simply destroying everything, nor can it be done that way.

To completely subjugate a region and transform it into a civilized one, the first problem to solve is the issue of roads.

The roads on both sides are different, so why bother merging them?

Of the two routes from the Central Plains dynasties to Annam, the one via Guangxi was shorter than the one via Yunnan.

Once you cross the Lang Son region from Guangxi, you enter the Red River Plain, a flat and expansive area.

Therefore, there is a proverb among the Annamese: "To lose our Lang Son is to lose the world."

That being said, Annam never established a large administrative unit there.

Because the founder of Annam did not prioritize development, but rather survival.
They can beat and kick their neighbors in the southern wilderness with impunity.

But the north has always been a terrifying place for them, like a huge mountain. So they wish the Ten Thousand Mountains were even higher and the roads even more difficult to travel, so that the northern troops could not move south.

The mountainous areas where the two sides meet are inhabited by ethnic groups such as the Yao and Miao, who frequently rebel.

Annam was also a place with many ethnic minorities, and neither the Central Plains dynasties nor the rulers of Annam could collect enough taxes from these ethnic minority tribes.

So I just ignored them.

But the current emperor is different; he no longer needs money, so he immediately issued an edict to establish a prefecture in Lang Son.

Furthermore, they mobilized people who had lost their land in Guangnan to settle here, cultivate the land, and build cities; they also built post roads for them and set up a system of official posts, post stations, and fortified villages.

The Western Xia dynasty treated the Qiang people of Hengshan and the Da Yue Li dynasty treated the mountain people and Yi people as free-range in peacetime, and only used them to fight when needed.

Therefore, they never actually conquered these Qiang and Yi peoples.

The Western Xia ruled Hengshan for a century but failed to completely subdue the Qiang tribes. Chen Shao, however, subdued the Qiang tribes with a single move: building fortified villages and sharing trade routes and pastures.

Ultimately, you have to make people see that you genuinely consider them one of your own. You have to offer them benefits and let them see the advantages before they will consider whether or not to submit to you.

The people in these places may be wild, but to say that they are willing to endure hardship in the mountains rather than live a comfortable and prosperous life is pure nonsense.

There's no such thing as being brave and fierce; it's all because people can't get enough to eat.

Chen Shao's actions showed a clear intention to completely reclaim the southern kingdom, unlike Zhu Di's (the fourth son of the Zhu family) brutal massacres.

Killing was only the first stage. From this perspective, Zhu Di's conquest of Annam in later generations was actually a failed project.

Chen Shaoze was different.

Before long, this place will be reintegrated into the Central Plains.
-
"Bang bang bang!"

On the east bank of the Yalu River, on the main street of Baozhou, a burst of gongs and drums sounded. Several officials, accompanied by a group of soldiers, beat gongs and shouted loudly in both Chinese and Korean.

"The market is about to open. Anyone found committing crimes, theft, or fraud will be dealt with severely!"

Today, the border is still some distance from the Yalu River, meaning the Yalu River is a major inland river.

A few years ago, the Liao Dynasty and Goryeo were also divided in this way, so it can be considered as a historical division.

After all, the Liao dynasty was destroyed by the Jin dynasty, and the Jin dynasty was destroyed by the Jing dynasty. Therefore, the original territory of the Liao dynasty should rightfully belong to the Jing dynasty.

When Qu Duan crossed the sea, he started from Goryeo and cut diagonally into Tokyo Province. The King of Goryeo took the opportunity to write a letter requesting that Boju and Jeongju be ceded to Goryeo.

Chen Shao rejected their offer, only bestowing upon them some wealth to appease them. Now, these two places have become bustling centers of trade.

Around the market, Liaodong soldiers patrolled, their military bearing impeccable, their footsteps echoing in perfect unison.

The market is only open for five hours a day, and it closes at that time because maintaining order here also requires costs.

As dusk fell, the Goryeo merchants, who had been busy all day, gathered in the city's restaurants to drink and rest.

Sitting in the center was a plump old man who looked very fair-skinned, and the people around him were toasting him.

"Master Cui must have made a fortune again this time, right?" a merchant said with a fawning smile.

The old man stroked his beard and chuckled, "It's all thanks to His Majesty the Great Jing Emperor's generosity!"

The old man, known as Master Cui, picked up a bite of food, chewed it slowly, and swallowed it before saying, "In previous years, how could people like us have the opportunity to come to the trade market! Now, not only are the commercial taxes exempted, but there are also people maintaining order, so we don't have to worry about being robbed."

His name is Cui Shunting. He was originally from a noble and powerful family, but his family fell into decline due to internal strife.

Now, thanks to his business acumen, the business has prospered again.

But what still bothers Cui Shunting is her identity as a merchant.

Goryeo called itself "Little China," and the hierarchical social order of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants was deeply ingrained.

He still wants to restore the glory of his ancestors.

"Among us, Master Cui speaks the best Mandarin. If we want to do business with the Jing people, none of us can do without Master Cui!"

"That's right, that's right. Just by maintaining good relations with the officials in Baozhou, Master Cui is already our provider."

"I propose we all raise a toast to Master Cui!"

At that time, the upper class in the Central Plains drank wine with a low alcohol content, mainly sweet and fragrant.

However, in places like Liaodong and Goryeo, the alcohol is generally quite spicy because people need to keep warm.

Cui Shunting tilted his head back and drank a glass. Amidst the flattery and praise, he felt a constant emptiness in his heart.

After finishing his drink, he was somewhat disheartened and stood up, laughing, "I can't hold my liquor, I'll go back to rest now."

After saying that, he went upstairs to the second floor, where he had a private room that was not open to the public.

This restaurant was also his property. The reason why Cui Shunting often came in person was because he needed to maintain relations with the officials of Baozhou.

This is their family's way of making money.

He himself came from a noble family, and was educated in poetry, literature, etiquette, and archery. He was a member of the upper class.

Now, however, one must engage in lowly occupations and associate with a group of merchants. Even if one becomes extremely wealthy, what joy is there in that?
When Cui Shunting's clan suffered misfortune, he was in the prime of his life, a time of great talent and elegance, and the happiest years of his life.

Those were truly wonderful times!
Cui Shunting recalled her childhood and couldn't help but feel nostalgic. Thinking about the present, she felt extremely desolate and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Several young girls from Goryeo came forward to help him wash his face and change his clothes. These girls were very delicate; if it had been a few years ago, he probably would have been somewhat interested.

Now that he's older, and his mind isn't on that anymore, he simply waved his hand to dismiss them.

The two young women withdrew very obediently, displaying their sensible and charming nature. During the Tang Dynasty, the upper classes had a tradition of collecting Silla maids.

The Taiping Guangji describes them as having skin as white as jade, eyes full of affection, and being delicate and beautiful.

Sitting at the table by the window, Cui Shunting sighed and began to ponder deeply.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed into his mind.

His own family was once very powerful, but after its downfall, it was divided up and devoured by other powerful families.

How could they possibly spit it out again!
There was no way to revive the family's glory in Goryeo, as the established clan system was rigid.

They are like a pack of vicious dogs guarding their food; they will absolutely not allow anyone to put their feet into the Heavenly Palace. Even thinking about it is a sin!
Ordinary people have no idea what kind of life these aristocratic families lived or what kind of power they wielded, so they don't care.

But Cui Shunting was different; he had experienced it firsthand. That feeling of being above others was like being on cloud nine, something he still savored for decades and often resented his parents' incompetence.

Cui Shunting stood up and looked at the Liaodong Army of the Great Jing patrolling in the distance. A fierce glint suddenly flashed in his eyes!
For the honor of the Cui family, for the sake of future generations, I'm going all out!

"Someone come here and bring me the writing materials!"
-
August of the second year of Jianwu in the Great Jing Dynasty.

As summer fades into autumn, the weather finally cools down, and Nanjing becomes bustling with activity as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches.

Li Yi'an lay on the tallest desk in the room, her eyes somewhat unfocused.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew in through the window crack, and the talented woman, whose nose was slightly red and whose dark hair was sticky and clinging to her snowy cheeks, seemed to have just come back to her senses.

She sat up straight, wearing only a thin, light purple silk jacket on her upper body, with a few buttons torn open.

The Empress invited her to the palace today, but Chen Shao brought her here midway.

She didn't say anything, and dressed herself, glancing at Chen Shao who was reading memorials and acting as if nothing had happened.

"There's a dressing table behind the screen. Use it to touch up your makeup so Huanhuan won't laugh at you."

Li Yi'an rolled her eyes at him, a faint blush rising on her face.

"what?!"

Li Yi'an came behind the screen and suddenly saw a silver-white mirror that was taller than her, which reflected her entire body perfectly.

Looking at her disheveled hair, her flushed face, and her disheveled appearance with her clothes crumpled in the mirror, Li Yi'an was both surprised and embarrassed.

Unexpectedly, she realized she looked like this. She quickly dressed and came out, asking, "Where did this mirror come from? It's so magical!"

"Want one? I'll give you one!"

Li Yi'an's heart skipped a beat. She didn't want to refuse at all. This mirror was truly magical, and she liked it very much.

But she was, after all, Li Yi'an, and then she realized that she was no longer young.

This magical mirror will likely allow her to see her aging process more clearly in the future, which saddens her once again.

The most fleeting things in life are youthful beauty and fading flowers.
She was unaware that the mirror was something Zhe Shi had come up with on a whim and had asked Chen Shao for.

Chen Shao actually managed to get it done for her.

This even brought a new way for the Dajing government to make money; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the government-run Liulichang was making a fortune every day.

Just as Li Qingzhao's emotions were going up and down like a rollercoaster, Chen Shao's shouts suddenly came from outside.

"it is good!"

She clutched her chest and curiously peeked out, only to see Chen Shao standing up with a memorial in his hand.

Wei Daqi, the prefect of Baozhou, forwarded a memorial written by a Goryeo person:
Your Majesty the Great Jing Emperor possesses virtue that matches Heaven and Earth, and a moral character that surpasses all others throughout history.

Wherever education reaches, people respect their parents; since carriages and writing systems are the same, language should also be unified.

The vassal Cui Shunting observed the customs of our country: the language is strange and the pronunciation is crude. Although they have studied the books of Confucius and Mencius, they can only recite the chapters and sentences in a difficult and obscure way. Although they follow the official calendar, their local dialect is vulgar and crude.

Today, by the grace of Heaven and Earth, and with the widespread influence of divine grace, this humble subject of the realm believes:
We should reform old customs and make everyone learn the Chinese pronunciation. From the capital to the common people, everyone should be made to recite the clear and turbid sounds of the Guangyun dictionary and learn the level and oblique tones of the Qieyun dictionary.

From scholars to commoners, all were encouraged to speak the refined language of the Central Plains and abandon the chattering of the Eastern barbarians.

In this way, rites and music can flourish, and cultural norms can be unified.
Although Goryeo is located in a remote corner of the sea, it is able to stand on the side of China and remain a vassal state of the Holy Dynasty forever!
Your humble servant, risking death, reports this and awaits your execution. (End of Chapter)