You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chen Shao walked around the main hall several times, and only stopped when he felt a thin layer of sweat on his body.

The two young eunuchs who were following him were already panting heavily from exhaustion.

Chen Shao nodded, his body was still in pretty good shape.

Back in the hall, Cui Die brought in today's Fangfeng pills. Li Wanshu cooperated perfectly, brewing him some freshly ground astragalus and jujube tea to replenish his qi and harmonize his stomach, thus enhancing the medicine's effectiveness.

Chen Shao saw her bending over to make tea, and his hand smoothly caressed her firm, rounded curves.

At this moment, Li Shishi and Chun Tao entered one after the other. Chun Tao covered her face with her hands with a grin, peeking at him through the gaps in her fingers. "Your Majesty, what are you doing?"

Li Wanshu blushed and quickly stood up to serve the jujube tea.

Li Shishi sat to the side and said softly with a smile, "I was afraid you would forget to take your medicine, so I came to check on you."

"I can't forget it." Chen Shao said, "I am fortunate to be where I am today, and the more fortunate I am, the more careful I must be."

Even in times of comfort, it's best not to forget about health. If you wait until you have serious health problems, it might be too late.

As dusk settled, Chen Shao went to his desk and began to record the day's political discussions.

After putting down his pen, he seemed to be deep in thought. He picked up his pen again and wrote at the end: "If you ever tour the world, you should know that the focus should be on the tour, not the travel. You should not exhaust the people and waste resources. Do not forget the old story of Yang Guang."

The next morning, Chen Shao received some very exciting news: there was news about the fleet heading to Southeast Asia.

In fact, having traveled south for so long, they had long since crossed Java, meaning they must have at least reached the Indian Ocean.

Even the Australian continent.

At this time, the fleet had already returned to Zhenla and was stopping to trade in various southern countries. Some ships had already begun their return journey to the Central Plains, and it was believed that they would all be able to return soon.

A messenger from the south arrived on horseback to report, reassuring the emperor.

Chen Shao was indeed quite worried about them.

Because he still holds the sea in high esteem, he believes that nothing is impossible in the face of nature.

A violent storm could destroy the entire fleet, as they had no experience with long voyages when they went down to Southeast Asia.

Upon their return, these sailors who had experienced the long voyage were invaluable assets.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Chen Shao immediately ordered the Ministry of Rites to set up a high platform at the port in advance to welcome them, and bestowed official titles and ranks upon them on the spot.

After waiting for about half a month, the fleet returned to port. Many ships docked at Guangzhou Port and Mingzhou Port, but almost all the accompanying personnel boarded ships together and headed to Nanjing.

It had just rained heavily last night, and Chen Shao waded through the mud and water to greet them at the port.

The slippery bluestone road was crowded with people who came to watch the excitement.

Soon, the ship docked, and many of the people on board were moved to tears by the sight of the huge crowd.

Among the crowd, Cai Xing was dressed in brand new clothes, which he had specially saved before his departure, intending to wear them when he returned to the capital.

I've been airing it out frequently these past few years.

After years of voyages, his eyesight became remarkably sharp, and he spotted a man in the distance beneath the canopy who looked remarkably like the current emperor.

"His Majesty has arrived?"

His words shocked those around him.

His Majesty has come in person?

For a moment, everyone's heart was pounding like a drum, and they held their breath in concentration.

The steps were lowered, and with Lingwu soldiers guarding both sides, the people on the ship slowly disembarked.

In recent years, they have actually come ashore, and they haven't always been on the sea.

Upon arriving at each continent, they would seek out ports to anchor, then explore the local customs and traditions, see what goods the Central Plains needed, and search for mines and improved crops.

Merchants were left behind to establish trading posts in the area, engaging in buying, selling, and intelligence gathering.

Upon seeing one of the military academy guards, Cai Xing couldn't help but ask, "Who is under the umbrella?"

"That is His Majesty the present."

With a whoosh, the crowd that had just disembarked erupted in cheers.

The emperor himself came to greet them, a level of honor and glory they had never imagined.

When the Lingwu Army brought some of them to the high platform, Cai Xing finally saw Chen Shao.

Although we haven't seen each other for several years, Your Majesty's demeanor remains as dignified as ever.

He bowed deeply, "Your subject, Cai Xing, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

The people behind him also bowed and paid their respects.

Chen Shao chuckled, "No need for formalities!"

The more he looked at Cai Xing, the more pleasing he became, and he also felt a sense of pride, because Cai Xing was practically his own son.

Wang Xiaojie, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, coughed lightly, stepped forward, and unfurled a scroll of imperial edict, saying, "Cai Xing, receive the edict."

Cai Xing quickly knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

Wang Xiaojie read aloud:

The Great Jing Emperor issued an edict:
I, the Emperor, believe that Heaven has ordained virtue, and the sea has shown its divine favor. Since unifying the land and establishing our might over the northern wilderness, I have sought to pacify distant lands and bring peace to those near, and have set sail for the Southern Seas. You, Cai Xing, have long upheld your family's teachings and aspire to great achievements. You have received this imperial decree and set sail across the vast ocean, carrying the imperial banner to communicate with those in distant lands.

You then sailed a giant ship on the waves of whales, and traversed the miasma-filled sea on a star-shaped raft;
May my mighty virtue be proclaimed in the court of Srivijaya, and may my benevolent reputation be spread throughout the lands of Jambudvipa and Brunei;
This truly brings benefits for generations to come, and is not merely a temporary achievement!

Zite bestowed upon Er the title of "Marquis of Jinghai," granted him a purple-gold fish-shaped pouch, and bestowed upon him a gold tally, the title of which would be hereditary without fail.

May they be encouraged to be loyal and diligent, and may the southern regions be forever pacified, so as to fulfill my utmost intention of pacifying the world!

Therefore, this edict is hereby issued, and it is conceivable that you should be aware of it.

Cai Xing stood there stunned. Wang Xiaojie whispered a reminder: "Marquis Jinghai, why don't you thank the emperor?"

"The minister accepts the order!"

Chen Shao said from the side, "After you come back and rest for a few days, make a copy of the names of those who made contributions during this trip south, along with their merits, and submit it to the Ministry of Personnel. I will personally oversee the rewards and honors."

Even more excited than Cai Xing were the people behind him.

As Cai Jing's grandson, Cai Xing had seen it all, and being granted a marquisate was just icing on the cake for him.

However, for other officials, naval personnel, merchants, craftsmen, and others who went to Southeast Asia, this was an immense blessing.

Perhaps their entire family will be able to turn their lives around because of this.

Although Chen Shao's reward was already quite impressive, it was nothing compared to the results they brought back.

From then on, the Great Jing officially gained the ability and experience to sail long distances. When they innovated the power of their ships again and were able to use steam engines, that was when they set sail for the Americas.

Of course, this is not urgent and requires careful consideration.

The gains from this trip alone would probably be enough for Da Jing to digest for seven or eight years.

Chen Shao could have received him in the palace, but he felt that awarding honors to the common people would be a greater honor.

So he specially set up this platform here.

This is also to encourage the people of Dajing, so that as long as they are willing to go out, they also have the opportunity to become one of them.

The world is too big; the people of the Central Plains should not confine themselves to their small plot of land.

Amidst the deafening roar, Cai Xing and the others felt as if they were in a dream, unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.
-
Chen Shao summoned Cai Jing and his grandson.

Inside the Funing Hall, the three chatted freely.

First, Cai Xing recounted his observations and experiences, mentioning that there were twelve foreign states along the way, and that he had identified the Great Jing as his suzerain state, which would come to pay tribute this year.

Some of them, upon seeing the divine ships and blessed boats of the Great Jing, immediately and wholeheartedly recognized the Great Jing as their leader.

Some others were dealt with by the navy of the fleets that went to Southeast Asia, and they also admitted that all land under heaven belonged to the emperor. Listening to his description of the local customs and culture, Chen Shao immediately knew that they had gone to the Indian Ocean.

On Chen Shao's desk, there were stacks of papers, including the "Seaway Needle Manual" compiled by the accompanying officials.

It records 68 routes and marks reefs, monsoons, and freshwater points;

There were also people from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau who drew "Southern Ocean Star Charts" and used star charts to determine latitude.

Furthermore, it involved the mapping of countless ports: creating three-dimensional hydrological maps of Palembang, Surabaya, and Champa, and marking tides and berth depths.

The established archives on the situation of foreign countries, titled "Records of the Countries of Southeast Asia," detailed the military strength, products, royal lineages, and other information of each country.

These are all extremely precious.

Cai Xing also brought back many rare birds and animals.

Chen Shao suggested that the exhibition be held in Jinling so that officials and common people could come and see something new, but this would require the Jinling government to oversee it.

Cai Jing remained smiling, knowing full well that the Cai family had established itself.

His sons' behavior had initially driven him to despair.

Fortunately, he realized in time that his good-for-nothing sons would drag the Cai family down, so he decisively started to cultivate his grandsons.

Besides Cai Xing, there were many other grandsons who served as officials in the Great Jing Dynasty and were all highly regarded by His Majesty.

After Cai went out, he gained more experience and broadened his horizons, and his speech became more meaningful.

With a little polishing, he will surely become a gem in the future.

The three chatted until dusk before the Cai family grandfather and grandson left the palace.

Looking at his grandson's tall figure in the setting sun, Cai Jing pursed his lips and smiled slightly.

“Grandpa, I never imagined that Jinling would change so much in just two years.”

Cai Jing, leaning on a cane, laughed and said, "The Ministry of Personnel is implementing His Majesty's decree to reform the official system. In another three to five years, that will truly be a world-shaking transformation."

He recalled that when he was young, he had briefly followed Wang Anshi's reform movement.

For a long time afterward, and even now, Wang Anshi's reputation remains poor.

But Cai Jing knew that he had no selfish motives.

Now, his life's pursuit is about to be realized in His Majesty's hands, and perhaps even surpassed.
-
Near Kyoto.

As dusk fell, in the government army camp by the sea, Fujiwara no Tadashi had already received two reports.

For the past six months, the mobs have been like cockroaches that can't be killed. Every time they are defeated, they come back with a vengeance in no time.

And the momentum is getting stronger with each iteration.

Ever since the Kage army destroyed the Ise Grand Shrine in Ise Province and killed the chief priests, including Toba's own daughter, the Emperor's prestige plummeted.

Many powerful families have stopped ignoring the orders of the Imperial Household Agency and the Regent, and the officials sent to various places have been sidelined or driven away.

Now, that Heiha Goro has returned.

Some say that Heika Goro is actually dead and this is a substitute; others say that Heika Goro is just a code name, and whoever is the leader of the mob is called Heika Goro.

Fujiwara no longer cared whether this person was real or fake; after all, whether they were real or fake, their style of doing things was the same.

The mob uprising could not be ended by killing one person, Heiha Goro. In fact, Teppou Mizo was the leader of the mob before his death, and the unrest only worsened after he died.

Fujiwara no Tadashi, while perusing maps and reports from various departments, sat in his high seat, frowning and pondering for quite some time.

His personal command of the army was a last resort, as the nobles dared not come.

Moreover, after arriving, he did not have enough prestige to keep the various factions in check.

Those still willing to fight for the Emperor's lineage are mostly old-established powerful families, and they all live near Kyoto.

Of course, temples in various regions also absolutely support the Emperor.

Because the Jing army was so terrifying, they would burn down and massacre temples at will.

The White Lotus Buddhist doctrine they brought from the Central Plains has had a profound and pernicious influence, spreading like a plague throughout Japan.

This is precisely why the mob's unrest has been unable to end over the years.

In fact, these mobs were not targeting temples and nobles, or even the Emperor; they were against everything.

Ordinary people are also victims; rioters will burn their houses, destroy their fields, and trample their crops.

They forced the people to join them because they couldn't survive.

This is truly terrifying. The White Lotus sect's doctrine is to destroy everything, and once the destruction reaches a certain threshold, Maitreya will arrive.

Then the world will be at peace.

Then everyone lived a good life.

This heretical doctrine is extremely destructive and highly capable of bewitching people.

Where did they go?!

His current situation made him feel utterly desperate, exhausted, and torn between two options.

Fujiwara no Tadashi wasn't worried about where the mob would come from; he simply had no idea how long the war would last.

Moreover, for them, the people are property; if there are no people under their jurisdiction, what is the point of being an official?

Those he is killing now are his former subjects, the very foundation of his rule.

If all these people are killed, who will support these nobles and monks?

To quell the unrest caused by the mob, the root cause must be eliminated, but they are currently unable to do so.

The source of these White Lotus rebels lies in the provinces of Iwami, Tsukushi, and Ise, where Daikage is stationed.

Fujiwara no Tadashi and Toba had also mustered immense courage to fight in these places.

The result was always a crushing defeat.

It's as easy for Jing Jun to fight off rioters as it is for him to fight off his own.

Fujiwara no Tadashi knew that what he was doing was all in vain and could not solve the problem at all.

Even if we capture Hirahi Goro and take him to Kyoto to be executed by slow slicing, it won't make a difference.

It was just to vent my anger.

From the Dajing military camp, they will train 'Hiraka Rokuro' and 'Hiraka Shichiro'.
Finally, the scout returned, his voice panicked, and he knelt down, saying, "It's terrible! The mob is heading towards the capital!"

"Kyoto!?"

Fujiwara no Tadashi immediately stood up.

Looking at the map, all the questions suddenly became clear.

So they were going to Kyoto!
What audacity!
Thinking of the atrocities committed by these mobs, the surrounding nobles and military officers all became anxious.

"Lord Kanpaku, please go back quickly!"

"The safety of Kyoto and the safety of the Emperor Emeritus are more important than anything else."

Fujiwara no Tadashi understood this path, but he still couldn't figure out how they would fight once they reached the vicinity of Kyoto, where the mountains and forests offered no protection.

Are they stupid enough to go and breach the city?

When I lead my army back, I will make sure they die without a burial place.

Fujiwara no Tadashi was unaware that a special 'mob' awaited them on their way back to Kyoto. (End of Chapter)