You have truly caused me great suffering!

By June, the weather was getting hot.

The troops from Annan Road stayed in their military camps and dared not come out to train easily.

The medicine prepared by the military doctors was distributed in batches.

On Lang Son, under a parasol, Wu Lin, soaked to the bone, looked at the busy An Nam people in the workshop in the distance and couldn't help but wipe his sweat.

"No wonder His Majesty told my brother that we must finish the war as soon as possible and not let it drag on until the rainy season."

Zhang Boyin, the Deputy Transport Commissioner of An'nan Circuit and Prefect of Jiaozhou, laughed and said, "His Majesty is a brilliant strategist, and Prince Xin is invincible, which is why An'nan Circuit is in such a good situation."

Wu Lin chuckled, realizing he had made a slip of the tongue, since this man had been an official in Jiaozhi when his brother was campaigning there.

Fortunately, Zhang Boyin didn't care at all.

Even the Zhang family, from Zhang Boyu down, felt that the Great Jing's conquest of Jiaozhi had given them a chance to turn their fortunes around.

Otherwise, the Zhang family would have remained a powerful and influential clan in the small region of Jiaozhi forever.

Now, by a twist of fate, it has become the official family of Dajing, a powerful and invincible force in the world.

His elder brother, Zhang Boyu, was even granted the title of king, which, although not hereditary, was still an extremely high honor.

Wu Lin was indeed capable. He and his brother were able to govern Sichuan as the front line against the Jin dynasty in history, and they repeatedly defeated the Jin army against Wanyan Zonghan for so many years. There was a reason for this.

He certainly had a keen eye; the first thing he did was to open up the "Jiaoguang Channel".

The Qin Dynasty's "Qiaodao" was widened and paved with stones to become a post road; 12 relay stations were set up along the way, one every 30 li, with 20 horses assigned to each station.
They built Zhenyi Fort in Lang Son, stationed 500 soldiers, and controlled the pass.

A road was built from Lang Son to Zhennan Pass (now Friendship Pass) to Yongzhou, connecting Annam with the Central Plains.

In this way, Annam Road was no longer a remote and desolate place isolated overseas, but was connected with the heartland of Guangdong and Guangxi.

After opening up the road, Wu Lin sent troops to suppress tribes that did not obey the laws of the Great Jing in the mountains and forests.

Abolished barbaric customs such as human sacrifice and witchcraft rituals, and replaced local chieftains with centrally appointed officials.

With the roads now in place, troop movements became much easier. Wu Lin then led the Jiaozhi troops to sweep through the mountains, launching as many as seventy-one bandit suppression campaigns within six months.

They surveyed the land, collected household registers, and established Confucian temples and community schools in prefectures and counties to teach Chinese.

These things were indeed backed by Dajing's strong capabilities, but Wu Lin's contributions as the host were also crucial.

So, hearing Zhang Boyin's flattery, Wu Lin felt somewhat smug and said with a smile, "It's all thanks to His Majesty's wisdom; we were just following orders."

"With a wise and enlightened emperor on the throne, the court should be filled with righteous people. It is precisely because of His Majesty's wisdom and martial prowess that he is able to make good use of outstanding individuals like Prince Xin and the Duke."

Zhang Boyin chuckled and flattered him, secretly delighted.

The Zhang family also receives a share of the profits from these workshops on An'nan Road.

In fact, Wu Lin did not use his own Lingwu army to suppress the unruly natives in the mountains; it was Zhang Boyin who led the Jiaozhi soldiers to do it.

Not only did they make a fortune from their own plundering, but they also took the opportunity to invest in many workshops. Now the imperial court is encouraging officials and gentry to put their money into this kind of trade.

Buying land and farmland is always their primary pursuit.

However, the progressive tax system created by Cai Jing was too frightening, and the case of Yin Tian was handled in a sensational way, so no one dared to break the law anymore.

In fact, the pursuit of land and farmland by wealthy people will never cease. No matter how much wealth they bring from trade, they will still set aside some to buy land.

The reason why the largest landowners in the United States in later generations were still billionaires like Bill Gates is because of this.

Therefore, Chen Shao could only force them to invest their money elsewhere through taxation.

Over the years, the Song Dynasty has been continuously improving rice varieties, and it has indeed made great progress.

The widespread cultivation of Champa rice nearly doubled grain production.

Now Wu Lin has brought the superior breeds of Champa to the Red River Plain and is preparing to build a large-scale dam along the Red River.

It is foreseeable that this place will also become a land of plenty next year.

“Speaking of which, His Majesty issued an edict instructing us to carry it out properly.” Wu Lin took out a piece of cloth from his sleeve and said, “You are all locals, so please give me some advice.”

After saying that, he handed over the cloth.

Zhang Boyin quickly took it with both hands, carefully opened it, and began to study it carefully.

His Majesty ordered them to build a new "Fragrance and Medicine Bureau" on Annan Road to monopolize agarwood, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Zhang Boyin immediately said, "His Majesty's words are law, and they must be carried out. However, I think it would be better to build the incense and medicine bureau on the coast."

Why?

"Your Excellency may not know this, but white cardamom is the most precious of all. It is more abundant in Java, and we don't produce much of it here."

Wu Lin was a military man and didn't understand these things very well, but the civil officials around him were actually more knowledgeable.

Your Majesty's arrangements are truly reasonable. Agarwood is not only essential for burning incense in Buddhist temples and holding religious ceremonies in Taoist temples;
It is also a favorite of scholars.

The so-called four leisurely pursuits are: burning incense, making tea, arranging flowers, and hanging paintings.

Burning incense is the foremost of the four refined pursuits.

Moreover, agarwood can also "lower qi, warm the middle jiao, and relieve pain";
It is also an essential item for making sachets, fan pendants, and prayer beads, and is a symbol of aristocratic status.

This product has a huge market. Originally, it was only produced in Guangnan and Lingnan, but now that Annan Road has been established, it can indeed be officially operated, which would be a huge source of revenue.

The finest "Garnan incense" is more valuable than gold.

After arriving in the southern wilderness, I learned that these fine agarwoods are abundant in Zhenla (Cambodia), Champa (central and southern Vietnam), Qiongzhou Island, and Jiaozhi.

As for cinnamon and cardamom, they are incredibly valuable, with consistently high demand but insufficient production.

Historically, during the Southern Song Dynasty, merchants from Arabia and Persia brought high-quality cinnamon and cardamom from Sri Lanka. The Southern Song Dynasty implemented a "monopoly" system, which mandated the purchase of these goods by the Maritime Trade Office, prohibiting private trade. The goods were then sold at high prices to licensed merchants through the "Monopoly Bureau" or used as salaries for officials.

This operation is also known as "payment reduction".

Looking at their expressions, Wu Lin knew that His Majesty was right again.

His Majesty is always like this, knowing things without learning, which truly makes one revere him as a god.

The closer the person is to him, the more they believe that Chen Shao is destined by heaven. There's no way around it; there are just too many things that can't be explained.

We can only leave it to fate.

“Then let’s build a spice and medicine shop in Hue Port and Da Luo City respectively.”
-
Jinling, within the imperial city.

Chen Shao looked at the report from Annam and was very satisfied. He smiled and said to Wu Jie, "Minister Tang has done a good job in Annam and has won my favor."

Wu Jie chuckled and said modestly, "Your Majesty flatters me."

Chen Shaoyue was increasingly satisfied. In just a few years, An'nan Road had been able to contribute a considerable amount of revenue to the imperial court.

Chen Shao originally planned that it would take three to five years, or even longer, to break even.

In fact, according to the way the Central Plains used to expand its territory, it always required an initial investment and then a slow recovery.

If the political situation becomes unstable, it is common for them to be immediately pushed back.

Because if you rely on farming to recoup your investment, and you've experienced war in the early stages, whether it's relocating people to cultivate land or encouraging land reclamation, it takes several years to develop.

They would often even exempt farmers from taxes for three years to encourage farming.

But Wu Lin took a different path, revitalizing Annam ahead of schedule.

His decision to prioritize road construction demonstrates his deep understanding of Chen Shao's methods of governing local areas; he simply copied Chen Shao's experience in governing local areas.

Whether Chen Shao was in the Northwest or in Hedong, Wu Lin was the commander of the Lingwu Imperial Guard.

So he was involved throughout the entire process.

Whenever His Majesty acquires a territory and stabilizes it, his first priority is to build roads and manage rivers.

Even if they were short of money and had to tighten their belts, they would still raise money to repair the road first.

There was an anecdote back then about him borrowing money from the ladies of the inner quarters to repair the road, which is now a popular story.

"Although you conquered Annam, it is only now that it is completely stable. Tang Qing has made great contributions." Chen Shao said very seriously.

When Wu Jie heard His Majesty praise his second brother so highly, he felt no jealousy or dissatisfaction; in fact, he was even happier than if His Majesty had praised him himself.

Chen Shao leisurely read the memorials. Sometimes, reviewing memorials was a very tiring task.

But when there's good news, it's truly a wonderful opportunity.

Especially when you see your carefully planned scheme come to fruition, the sense of satisfaction is like harvesting crops in a farming game, giving you a great sense of accomplishment.

To be honest, Chen Shao hadn't paid attention to Annam for almost half a year, and it unexpectedly gave him a pleasant surprise. As Chen Shao looked at it, he suddenly realized that the world was so vast that it was impossible to tell how well a place was developing just from official reports.

Whether they have implemented their own policies and whether officials at all levels have formed cliques to deceive the court.

It seems that the officials from Guangyuantang Jingwei, who are on a field trip to collect local customs, need to take up their posts as soon as possible.

In fact, with the country now so powerful, it wouldn't be unreasonable for Chen Shao to take a tour of the country himself, but he is just too cautious, fearing that he might encounter some unforeseen events or contract diseases on the way.

After all, in this day and age, you have to be careful about all kinds of diseases.

Furthermore, although Chen Shao's foundation was very solid, his Great Jing Dynasty had a fatal weakness that no other dynasty had: his clan was practically non-existent.

When the country was established and kings were enfeoffed, they couldn't even find a king with the same surname. They could only enfeoff their cousin Liu Guanglie as a king, which could barely be considered as a clan noble.

Once Chen Shao goes on tour, no one can guarantee that no one will take the risk.

After all, he has attacked quite a few people.

Especially the three major cases since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Even with a huge advantage, it's best not to squander your political position.

Back then, Erzhu Rong had a huge advantage, right? But the hotheaded Yuan Ziyou only needed a few assassins to physically eliminate him.

Seeing that he was lost in thought, Wu Jie and the others held their breath and concentrated, afraid of disturbing His Majesty's contemplation.

Perhaps the next groundbreaking and beneficial plan for the country and its people will be born in Your Majesty's deep contemplation.

Chen Shao's thoughts were completely wandering, but he had almost made a bold decision just now, which he then rejected.

This land is magnificent, and I do feel the urge to visit, but it's not the right time.

Let's wait until our own crown prince grows up!
Chen Shao closed the memorial he had already read, got up and paced around. The officials sitting in the Funing Hall also got up one after another.

Inside the Funing Hall, Chen Shao usually doesn't need to specifically ask for a seat; the eunuchs will bring out chairs on their own.

Walking to the window, Chen Shao looked out at the dark clouds and the damp wind.

"It looks like it's going to rain. You should all head back now, or you might get caught in the rain."

Everyone was used to his kindness and took their leave.

After Li Tangchen returned to his residence, he had only been in the inner hall for a short while when a torrential downpour began.

He couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Madam Bai came out carrying a casual outfit and happened to see her husband secretly smiling, which was a very rare sight.

She couldn't help but laugh and said, "Husband, why don't you tell us what's making you happy in secret so we can all have a good laugh together?"

She has been in a good mood these past few years, and since coming to Nanjing, her skin has become even more radiant and her spirits have been flared up.

Li Tangchen was caught smirking, which was slightly embarrassing and somewhat undermined his dignity as the head of the family.

After settling down, he sighed and said emotionally, "Today, Your Majesty was discussing state affairs in the pavilion when you suddenly saw the sky darken, thunder rumbled, and clouds hung low. You then thought that your ministers might be caught in the sudden rain and get their clothes wet, so you stopped the discussion and ordered them to leave early."

"The Lady, though residing above the nine heavens, worries about the minor hardships of her officials; though handling countless affairs of state, she still cares about the labor of her servants who rush to court."

"Is this not the benevolence of Yao and Shun?"

"It is my great fortune to serve such a king."

Lady Bai was even more pleased with Chen Shao, because her daughter was highly favored in the palace and had promoted her husband to the position of prime minister.

At this moment, two maids in green robes came in carrying food boxes under umbrellas.

As Lady Bai served the dishes, she said, "While I was at home, I prayed day and night for His Majesty, wishing him a long and healthy life."

At this point, she suddenly remembered something and whispered, "I heard that the little princess born to the Imperial Concubine stayed at the Prince of Fu's residence for over a month. Is that right, Your Highness?"

"No, no!" Li Tangchen quickly stopped him, saying, "This is against the rules, don't mention it again."

Bai was somewhat dissatisfied and muttered a few words under her breath, but didn't mention it again.
-
Chen Shao had a habit of taking a walk in the palace or playing Cuju (ancient Chinese football) every evening.

It was pouring rain today, so he walked around in the corridor. The rain carried a strong summer scent, which wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was quite comforting.

Two young eunuchs followed closely behind. Chen Shao suddenly stopped and asked, "How did you get into the palace?"

The two young eunuchs looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old. They were taken aback when they heard this. The one who was more clever was named Zhang Fu, and he immediately said, "Your Majesty, because my family is poor and I have many brothers and sisters, I castrated myself to seek entry into the palace."

Another, somewhat dull-witted man named Wang Xiangnian also whispered, "This servant is the same."

In theory, self-castration was prohibited in the Song Dynasty, but by the time of Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji), this rule had become virtually non-existent.

Tong Guan castrated himself, yet he still rose to the rank of king.

Zhao Kuangyin was truly terrified by the late Tang and Five Dynasties period.

Therefore, the two things he hated most were: military separatism and eunuch dictatorship.

Therefore, he specifically left behind an ancestral rule: "Eunuchs are not allowed to serve as officials in various departments, nor are they allowed to participate in government affairs."

The eunuchs of the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty were probably the most powerful eunuchs in history. Compared to them, the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty were the least powerful.

Throughout the Song Dynasty, the total number of eunuchs remained between 200 and 500, while the peak number in the Tang Dynasty reached over 4000, and in the Ming Dynasty it exceeded 10,000.

Zhao Kuangyin did indeed curb these two biggest problems that had plagued the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods. Neither the Northern nor Southern Song dynasties saw the emergence of regional military governors, nor did any eunuchs manage to influence the government.

Even a powerful figure like Tong Guan was killed by a single imperial edict from Emperor Qinzong of Song, Zhao Huan.

During the Tang Dynasty, Li Fuguo led his troops into the palace and, in front of the dying Emperor Suzong, dragged away Empress Zhang and dozens of palace maids. Emperor Suzong "died of shock and worry".

After supporting Emperor Daizong's ascension to the throne, he directly told Daizong, "Everyone, please sit inside and leave external affairs to this old servant!"

He also requested that Emperor Daizong address him as Shangfu (a title of respect for the emperor).
During the reign of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, Liu Jishu led troops into the palace and locked Emperor Zhaozong and Empress He in Shaoyang Courtyard. "They melted iron to seal the gate and made a hole in the wall to allow them to eat and drink."

Moreover, he sent eunuchs to scold the emperor every day, rain or shine.

The most outrageous incident was the "Ganlu Incident," in which Emperor Wenzong of Tang conspired with Li Xun and Zheng Zhu to kill the eunuchs. When Qiu Shiliang discovered this, he led the imperial guards into the palace and slaughtered more than a thousand people in front of the emperor.

"They took the emperor back to the palace, killing every court official they encountered along the way, leaving a trail of blood."

Three years after the founding of the Great Jing Dynasty, the Inner Palace Department still has only about two hundred junior eunuchs.

Although Jingjun and his caravans abducted countless boys on the frontier, they all sold them to the Arabs.

In recent years, most of the palace maids in the imperial city were presented by Goryeo, and Chen Shao did not recruit palace maids specifically.

This has also caused dissatisfaction among many women.

In the Song Dynasty, entering the palace was a coveted job; after a few years, one's status would skyrocket.

If you have served as a palace maid for several years and have not been favored by the emperor, you can apply to leave the palace.

Moreover, there was a severance package: "Palace maids who wished to marry were allowed to choose their own spouses, and the government would provide them with dowry and allowance."

This is also a unique and shining point of the Song Dynasty.

Emperor Renzong of Song even issued a special edict stipulating that palace maids must not be physically punished: "If a palace maid commits a wrong, she may only be reported to the emperor, but she must not be beaten."

The palace maids of the Song Dynasty were mostly selected through recruitment. They had to be "good girls" (daughters of honest commoners or low-ranking officials) aged 12-16, and not criminals or prostitutes.

Many of these were gifts or requests; if the daughters of high-ranking officials were truly beautiful, they could use their connections to get them into the palace.

Similar to Li Wanshu.

Of all the emperors of the Song Dynasty, at most they were ambitious but incompetent, lacking ability, but very few were truly wicked.

Chen Shao then asked, "Do you still keep in touch with your family? How are you doing now? Are you able to eat your fill and raise your children?"

Zhang Fu's face darkened as she said, "Your Majesty, I am from Xiangzhou, Hebei. My entire family of eight was killed by the Jin soldiers."

Wang Xiangnian said, "My family members were originally from Daming Prefecture. After listening to Your Majesty's words, they went to Yunzhong and were allocated a lot of land. They have enough to eat and can afford to raise their children!"

“Last year, my younger sister got married and saved up quite a lot of dowry. I also asked someone to send some gifts back to her.”

Chen Shao nodded, wanting to say something, but felt a little heavy-hearted and didn't know what to say.

Finally, he offered a word of comfort: "You are all still young, and you have a long life ahead of you. Look forward."

The two young eunuchs listened with a dazed look, but they tried their best to remember it, hoping to understand His Majesty's meaning in the future.

The rain was still pouring down, and both of them felt very comforted.

His Majesty actually listened to our everyday conversations and even said something that seemed quite intimate to me.

This brought tears to their eyes; fearing His Majesty's notice, they could only lower their heads. (End of Chapter)