You have truly caused me great suffering!

Choi Soon-jeong was originally a fallen nobleman from Goryeo, but now he is just a small merchant in a foreign land.

It actually reached the ears of the heavens.

This would have been an unbelievable fantasy in the previous dynasty.

If you dare to write it, you'll be prosecuted the next day. The crime isn't what you wrote, but the act of writing itself is a crime.

At that time, the close advisors around Emperor Huizong controlled what the emperor heard and saw. Anything that went beyond their expectations was tantamount to ruining their plans.

That is absolutely not allowed.

To be fair, Wei Daqi, the prefect of Baozhou, was quite astute; he knew that the emperor would be very pleased if this memorial were submitted.

Only if he approves can the memorial be submitted; Chen Shao will certainly not overlook such a talent.

Sure enough, the Ministry of Personnel soon issued an edict promoting him back to Jinling to serve as an Assistant Minister of Rites. This was tantamount to a meteoric rise, a rare occurrence in the Song Dynasty's officialdom, but a frequent occurrence in the Jing Dynasty.

Chen Shao was truly willing to give official positions to anyone he discovered who was genuinely talented.

If things don't go well, we can just dismiss them; the point is to use talent without being bound by convention.

This was naturally a good thing for Da Jing and Chen Shao, but not for Goryeo.

For Goryeo, the deepest thoughts of your enemies are no match for the quick thinking of your people.

Even Chen Shao, who was always looking for trouble, couldn't have come up with such an idea: to prevent the Koreans from speaking Korean and force them to speak Chinese instead.
This angle is incredibly tricky, almost comparable to Zhang Run's "Chinese and white are of the same origin" theory. Both are the kind of open and covert tactics that seem to be good for you, but are actually meant to kill you.

It is conceivable that this move would be met with strong resistance from the Goryeo nobles.

But Chen Shao had no intention of carrying it out hastily; such things couldn't be rushed.
It takes at least a year and a half, or even three to five years, to prepare for a war.

When Emperor Yang of Sui conquered Goguryeo, he spent a great deal of money, grain, and manpower. He wouldn't have let himself succeed so easily.

If it were forcibly promoted, it would most likely be met with passive resistance. Later, Emperor Qianlong asked Korea to speak Manchu, but they simply ignored him.

Even when the Goryeo envoys came to Beijing, they wore the official clothing of the Ming Dynasty and deliberately sought out Han Chinese officials who had been forced to shave their heads and change their clothes, speaking to them in a sarcastic and insinuating manner.

Although Han Chinese officials in the early Qing Dynasty surrendered to foreign tribes, most of them still felt ashamed. They would feel uncomfortable for half a day when the foreigners made sarcastic remarks, which greatly amused the Goryeo envoys.

Later, they became completely shameless, and their braids grew from their heads into their hearts.

The Koreans then gave up. After all, you can't mock something that doesn't even exist.

Therefore, Chen Shao did not issue a direct decree, nor did he even publicize the matter. He simply ordered the establishment of the Goryeo Chamber of Commerce in Baozhou to be responsible for transactions between Goryeo and Daejeong, and the president of the chamber was recommended by the Baozhou government.

First, elevate Cui Shunting's status, so he knows why he was promoted, and then get him to cooperate with your next steps.

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th of August.

Chen Shao held a grand banquet for his officials and more than a dozen surrounding vassal states in the Zichen Hall.

Goryeo took this very seriously and sent Kim Bu-sik to Jinling half a month in advance.

Kim Bu-sik was born into the Kim clan of Gyeongju, whose ancestors were from the Silla royal family. He was a Goryeo scholar who passed the imperial examination in 1096.

He was fair-skinned with a long beard, and had the appearance of a traditional scholar-official.

Chen Shao smiled and said, "Guards, place the envoys from Goryeo and Dali on my left and right sides!"

Chen Chong quickly directed the eunuchs to move the small table to a different position.

Li Tangchen and Lao Zhu, who were originally located in these two places, watched with smiles on their faces, not taking it to heart.

Their desire to be close to His Majesty and see him every day is clearly a scheme by His Majesty.

Goryeo and Dali were both countries designated by imperial decree as exempt from conquest, and were the closest of the vassal states.

Duan Zhengyan of Dali was actually a puppet, but his nominal status was definitely higher than Gao Siyuan's.

So he was to Chen Shao's right. Kim Bu-sik of Goryeo was quite excited, feeling honored. After bowing, he sat up straight.

Because Duan Zhengyan was a puppet crown prince, Chen Shao ignored him completely and turned to Jin Fushi, saying, "I have also read Jin Dafu's works and found them quite insightful. My prime minister is also very learned in Confucianism. You have come all this way, so you can have a private exchange."

Li Tangchen nodded and stroked his beard, smiling as he nodded back. Jin Fushi quickly replied, "Your subject will respectfully listen to Prime Minister Li's teachings."

Kim Boo-seok was a staunch supporter of Confucianism, and throughout his life he valued loyalty to the emperor, integrity, and the system of rites. He held Li Tangchen, a professor at a prefectural school in a major province in the Central Plains, in high esteem.

"Dr. Jin, there's no need for such modesty!" Li Tangchen said with a light laugh.

What he admired most about his emperor was that although he possessed absolute military strength and an army capable of sweeping away all enemies, his soldiers were united and eager to expand their territory and achieve merit.

However, His Majesty still does not engage in excessive military campaigns and always seeks to act with justification.

From a monarch to an ordinary citizen, if you have some military power and then act unreasonably, the consequence will be a significant loss of your political credibility.

In the future, whatever you want to do, you will have to pay a much higher price than others.

Because you don't follow the rules, people don't trust you.

The higher a person's status, the more important their political credibility becomes, as this directly affects the success of their policies.

Fire is intense but easily extinguished, while water is gentle and flows continuously.

Because of his restraint in the early stages, Chen Shao did not abandon his righteous cause even when his military power was at its peak.

Therefore, even with the disastrous precedent of the Song Dynasty's precious paper money, he still gained full trust when he introduced the scenic paper money.

If others don't believe you, you can't force them to use this.
Now that Your Majesty wishes to reclaim Dali, and Dali has always been compliant, Your Majesty will absolutely not use force without cause.

Instead, we start slowly and gradually, until things naturally fall into place.

Only by doing so can great things remain stable. Even if Dali were to truly become part of the Central Plains in the future, it would not be plagued by constant rebellions and become a useless burden that is neither worth keeping nor worth discarding.

Chen Shao would occasionally chat with Kim Bu-seok, gradually steer the conversation toward Confucianism in Goryeo.

"Two hundred years have passed since the founding of Goryeo. Since ancient times, dynasties in the Central Plains have become rife with problems after two hundred years. Although I am not talented, I have read many history books, but this is the only thing I don't understand. What is the reason why Minister Kim believes that the country's fortunes have declined after two hundred years?"

Upon hearing this, Kim Boo-seok was completely taken aback that the emperor of the Great Jing Dynasty would ask him this question.

He quickly coughed lightly and solemnly said, "It is mostly caused by treacherous and wicked people who have disrupted the court and deceived the ruler."

Chen Shao nodded slightly and said, "Your words are invaluable, showing how dangerous it is when villains are in power. Although Goryeo is my vassal state, I have always regarded it as the Central Plains. The current King of Goryeo once said, 'We should select officials based on their talents, not their family background, so that even those from humble backgrounds can rise to prominence.' However, in recent years, 99% of the candidates selected in Goryeo's civil service examinations have been from powerful families."

“Children from poor families don’t even have the right to study, let alone take the imperial examinations. I heard that a recommendation system has recently been introduced, requiring candidates to have a noble family or a current official as their guarantor; those from poor families without connections can’t even get into the examination hall.”

As Kim Boo-seok heard his tone gradually become more stern, he felt uneasy and ashamed, as if he were being questioned.

He is an honest man.
Historically, he believed that Goryeo was a vassal state of the Central Plains and should accept the orders of the legitimate emperors of the Central Plains. It should continue to serve the Southern Song Dynasty and should not attach itself to the Liao or Jin dynasties.

What Emperor Jing said reflected the true situation in Goryeo. In fact, there were no scholars among the poor families, let alone any learned men.
Books were extremely expensive in Goryeo, and the writing system consisted entirely of Chinese characters; Korean script did not yet exist. Ordinary people were born without knowledge of Chinese characters, so naturally they couldn't speak Chinese, and recognizing Chinese characters was out of the question. The court also had a system of "hereditary appointments": the sons of high-ranking officials could be directly appointed to official positions without going through the civil service examinations.
"Special Exam" Privilege: Descendants of royalty and meritorious officials participate in a special exam with lower difficulty;
Even those from wealthy families who didn't study could easily enter the imperial court and become officials.

Chen Shao said, "The people of Goryeo are also my people, and I cherish them as much as I cherish the people of China."

"I wish to cultivate talents widely, regardless of their location. Anyone with outstanding talent and virtue, and a respectable family background, can be sent here. After arriving in the capital, they will be admitted to the Southern Class of the Imperial Academy (which is exclusively for students from non-Chinese communities), provided with stipends and meals, and taught classics and history, with the aim of becoming useful members of society."

"All the writing implements, paper, inkstones, food, clothing, and transportation for studying will be taken care of by my Dajing, without costing you Goryeo a single penny. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Kim Bu-seok felt that the emperor before him was a saint. His heart was in turmoil, and he immediately stood up, bowed deeply, and said, "This humble subject has never heard of anyone as wise and sagacious as Your Majesty!"

Old Zhu sneered from the side, "What a bookworm, getting sold out and still helping the seller count the money."
These people studied and became successful in Nanjing. They were provided with food and drink. After they returned home, did they become officials?
Do you dare to prevent them from becoming officials?

Are they on the side of Goryeo, or on the side of Jinling?

Chen Shao nodded inwardly; he had already decided to hand over the right to make the selection to Cui Shunting.

He should understand his meaning if he can propose that Goryeo adopt the Chinese language as a means to advance his career.

There is never a fixed formula for reclaiming a piece of land.

Jiaozhi employed a combination of kindness and severity; the Northwest integrated fortified villages; Liaodong involved immigrant settlements and land reclamation; Dali promoted ancestral recognition; and Goryeo was a case of cultural invasion.

Legally, I will undermine their foundation. I will not go towards them, but I will make them come towards me.

This process may be lengthy, but its advantage is that it requires no bloodshed, and once successful, it becomes incredibly secure with virtually no resistance.

Chen Shao picked up his wine glass and drank it; it tasted exceptionally sweet.

He looked around and found that several of his trusted confidants were smiling at him.

It's obvious that he understands what he's thinking.

He didn't hold back with his own men, and simply said, "My lords, drink this cup to the brim!"

"Congratulations to His Majesty!"
-
The banquet officially began at noon.

Jun Rongzhi played elegant music, and the officials toasted each other, with people coming up to offer toasts from time to time.

Chen Shao was able to exchange a few words with them.

Kim Boo-seok was standing right next to him, watching the scene unfold before him with immense envy.

This is the prosperous era he envisioned: a wealthy and powerful nation, harmonious relations between the ruler and his ministers, and peace and tranquility throughout the land!
The monarch was not capricious, but kind and benevolent, and the ministers were all devoted to the country and its people.

Unfortunately, I am ultimately just a guest, if only I were one of them.
He silently drank a cup. The Central Plains wine and the Goryeo wine were completely different. This was a truly superior and elegant wine.

In the Song Dynasty, the wine from the Central Plains was brewed with glutinous rice and fermented yeast to make a sweet wine that was clear as water and had a fragrance that permeated the lungs.

Goryeo, on the other hand, uses glutinous rice, wheat koji, and mountain spring water to seal jars for seven days to obtain cloudy wine, which is clear and refreshing.

Chen Shao seemed to have seen through his thoughts and suddenly turned to him, saying, "If a learned man like Doctor Jin were in the court, what official position would he hold?"

Li Tangchen laughed heartily and said, "I should be the prime minister!"

"Don't dare!"

Kim Boo-seok hurriedly stood up, waving his hands repeatedly, looking somewhat flustered.

Then he saw the Emperor of Dajing stand up and gently pat him on the shoulder, saying, "I deeply regret this!"

Suddenly, a wave of sadness welled up in his eyes. Kim Boo-seok didn't know why, but he felt inexplicably melancholy, and tears rolled down his cheeks without his noticing.

It's not just Your Majesty who feels deep regret.

How could I not want that?

At this time, he did not know that, given his lack of political acumen in failing to see that Chen Shao had sent impoverished Goryeo scholars to study in Jinling, he would likely only be able to teach at the Imperial Academy once he arrived in Dajing.

The banquet lasted until dusk, after which the officials gradually left to return to their homes and reunite with their families.

Chen Shao also arrived at the inner palace with palace maids and eunuchs. At this time, Zhong Lingxi was leading everyone in worshipping the gods.

They were all dressed in the same blue-green wide sleeves, I don’t know if they were specially made, and they set up an incense table in the Kunning Hall to offer fresh chestnuts, pomegranates, water chestnuts and taro.

Several princes and princesses who were able to stand and walk also sat on the prayer mats and played around with each other.

After Chen Shao entered, everyone turned to look at him.

Chen Shao laughed and said, "I've come at an inopportune time."

Jin Le'er looked up, blinked, and whispered, "It'll be ready soon."

I saw several mooncakes on the table, which were very exquisitely made, with the image of a jade rabbit pounding medicine. Each one was an inch and a half in diameter. I wondered how they were made.

Chen Shao picked up a piece, took a bite, and found it very sweet.

What is it made of?

After finishing her prayers, Li Shishi walked over and said with a smile, "The dough is made of wheat flour, and the filling is made of pine nuts, walnuts, icing sugar, and osmanthus honey."

Chen Shao smiled and said, "My aunt loves to eat them. Did you send her a few to try?"

Liu Guanglie's daughter, Liu Ting, was among the crowd and immediately said, "It was sent there early this morning."

After the last destruction of the Jin dynasty, Chen Shao went to visit Chen Yuexian, who asked him to send Hao Hao to stay there for a few days.

When the package was returned, Liu Ting went into the palace with it and did not leave.

Such kinship is not common in royal families, but the Great Jing Dynasty is quite special. Chen Shao and his aunt and cousin are actually family.

Chen Shao secretly walked to the side and said to Li Wanshu, "Go and tell Chen Chong to prepare a box of mooncakes, a few lotus lanterns, and fresh fruits and send them to Baozhen Temple."

Li Wanshu smiled, slightly bent her knees, and immediately lifted her skirt to go out.

Chen Shao actually quite liked the current atmosphere. Although Zhong Lingxi was young, she liked to organize activities with the concubines in the harem.

Whether it was watching plays and playing cards together, making rouge together, going out for fun together, or even wearing the same clothes, they were all the same.

This is better than fighting each other all day long.

This is partly due to Huanhuan's personality, but it's mostly due to Chen Shao's guidance.

The good thing about him as emperor is that he is too young, so he can handle everything calmly and guide the people slowly.

"Shall we go release lotus lanterns together tonight?" Huanhuan walked over and said with a smile.

Chen Shao nodded and said, "Okay." (End of this chapter)