You have truly caused me great suffering!

Natural disasters are occurring frequently in the Great Jing Kingdom, posing a test equivalent to a war for the kingdom.

Historically, at this time, both Zhao Gou of the Southern Song Dynasty and Wanyan Wugumai of the Jin Dynasty took corresponding measures.

On the contrary, the Jin Dynasty was more pragmatic. After the emperor used self-reproach to strengthen his theory of the divine right of kings, Wuqimai increased the sacrifices, continuously offering sacrifices to the "Changbai Mountain God" and the "River God" within a year, praying for the cessation of disasters.

He issued an edict to "reduce taxes and levies to ensure the well-being of the newly annexed people."

They established a "military agricultural settlement" and ordered Jurchen soldiers to reclaim wasteland to alleviate the food shortage.

Zhao Gou merely issued a perfunctory edict of self-reproach, then abolished music, reduced meals (only one piece of meat per day); personally went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices; and opened up channels for public opinion, allowing officials to criticize the government.

Song Dynasty officials had wide channels for expressing their opinions, but they didn't actually do anything practical, not even tax cuts.

However, we shouldn't be too harsh on him.

After all, when Zhao Gou went south, his power was not actually secure, and he could be overthrown at any time.

In addition, there were external enemies lurking and launching relentless attacks. If it weren't for several valiant generals winning a few battles, the Southern Song Dynasty might not have been able to survive.

After Chen Shao began preparing for disaster relief, he discovered that this matter was exactly the same as fighting a war.

All of these involved coordinating resources from various regions, conscripting laborers, and finding ways to reduce transportation costs.

He was initially a little lost, but he quickly got into the swing of things and found it easy to do.

After all these years, although Chen Shao rarely went to the battlefield, he was already very skilled at coordinating and preparing in the rear.

Moreover, he had a very strong wartime team, all of whom were in high positions and had extensive experience.

Early in the morning, Chen Shao stretched and went to the Funing Palace.

Liu Jizu, Yuwen Xuzhong, and Cai Xing arrived early. After rising to pay their respects, they buried themselves in the reports, reviewing and organizing them.

After Chen Shao sat down, the first thing he saw was Zhu De's report.

He encountered this incident as soon as he arrived in the Hetao region, so he had no choice but to change his established strategy and instead of rushing to conquer the tribes in southern Mongolia, he focused on disaster relief.

This is a perfectly normal action; in the face of such a natural disaster, everything else should be put on hold.

Because he was closer to the emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang proposed several practical disaster relief measures. For example, he hoped that the court could lift restrictions and send monks and Taoist priests to perform rituals to alleviate the people's grief.

The Construction Bureau was dispatched to prepare for reconstruction planning.

It's not enough to just allocate grain.

After discussing the matter with the officials, Chen Shaohe agreed to all of them.

This year, the north suffered a severe drought and the south suffered floods. If it weren't for the significant investment in river management, this year would have been a year of unprecedented disaster, just like in history.

Despite some precautions, grain production will certainly be significantly lower than last year.

Among the reports submitted from various regions, only Annam reported a dramatic increase in production this year due to the fertility of the Red River Plain, coupled with policy encouragement and the introduction of superior Champa varieties.

Chen Shao instructed Wu Lin to purchase grain and transport it to Nanjing to fill warehouses.

“Last year was a bumper harvest, but this year there is an imbalance between floods and droughts.” Chen Shao sighed and said, “People should be prepared for danger even in times of peace, and the same applies to the country.”

Yuwen Xuzhong stood up and said, "Your Majesty, after the sacrificial ceremony tomorrow, a stele can be erected to serve as a warning to future generations based on Your Majesty's insights today." Chen Shao nodded and instructed his scribe, Li Tangchen, to write it.

The next day, Chen Shao again offered sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, then returned to the Imperial City. At the Funing Hall, where the emperor passed daily, he erected an imperial admonition stele, inscribed with:
How can the timing of the year be favorable?
A bountiful harvest is like spring ice, thin and easily cracked;
A year of famine is like autumn frost, arriving with no end in sight.

When the granaries are full, we must not forget the suffering of famine;
Even when the world is at peace, we must be especially vigilant against the seeds of chaos and turmoil.

If one indulges in pleasure and revelry because of a moment of good fortune,

This is what is meant by "sparrows perched in the hall, unaware that the great building is about to collapse!"

Emperor Shao Jin wrote this to admonish future generations of rulers who will maintain the status quo.
-
The natural disaster in Daegee and the emperor's actions shocked Goryeo.

King Gae, on the advice of Kim Bu-sik, personally led a group of ministers to visit Jinling to pay their respects.

The Court of State Ceremonial took this matter quite seriously and arranged for people to wait and greet them there well in advance.

Korean officials, scholars, and merchants in Jinling also spontaneously came to welcome him.

At this time, it was quite common for the rulers of small countries to visit the capital of the Central Plains.

For example, the rulers of the three Ryukyu kingdoms had visited several times already. The ruler and his family of Yamazen Kingdom, captivated by the prosperity of Nanjing, stayed for five months. The court repeatedly sent people to persuade them to return, and they finally left reluctantly, saying they would return this autumn.

But Goryeo was not a small country.

Compared to the size of the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties, it was indeed not large, but in reality, its national strength and population were basically not much different from those of the Western Xia.

Of course, in terms of military strength, the Western Xia was far ahead.

Although the King of Goryeo was a practical person who adhered to the principle of "serving the great power," he would not have dared to come if Daejeong's control over Goryeo was not as tight as it is now.

At this point, Dae-kyung had firmly grasped all of Goryeo's lifelines, so he was no longer concerned about it.

I'm also thinking of going to the Central Plains to take a look!
Wang Kai was obsessed with Central Plains culture. He received a Confucian education from a young age, was well-versed in the Book of Documents, the Spring and Autumn Annals, and the Analects, and could compose Han poetry and write parallel prose. The History of Goryeo states that he "loved literature and was fond of Confucianism."

He frequently held poetry gatherings in the palace, where he would "go boating and feasting with his officials, drinking wine and composing poems," earning him the title of "the ruler who loved literature in times of peace" among his contemporaries.

Previously he had some concerns, but now that his life and death were in other people's hands, Wang Kai simply stopped worrying. As soon as Jin Fushi submitted his memorial, he immediately had the idea of ​​going to the Central Plains to take a look.

As the ferry glided across the vast river, Wang Kai stood by the railing on the deck, gazing at the long city wall, rows of houses, towering pagodas, and towering buildings on the east bank of the river. The magnificent city lay on the opposite bank.

The most prosperous capital city in the world was getting closer and closer. This was Jinling, a place of elegant gatherings and refined pursuits that he had seen countless times in poems and books.

Wang Kai completely forgot the bumpy ride and fatigue along the way, his heart filled with inexplicable excitement.

Some poems that were already well-known suddenly emerged, all describing the capital city of the Six Dynasties.

The cool breeze on the river carried a faint fishy smell, and in the distance, ships as large as palaces floated on the harbor, with the faint sound of tinkling copper bells drifting in the air.

The docks on the opposite bank were bustling with people. Besides the Goryeo officials, scholars, and merchants waiting to welcome the emperor, there were also many porters, merchants, and pedestrians carrying goods. The entire riverside was lively and full of energy.

To be honest, when Wang Kai first landed, he already felt that the place was very prosperous. It wasn't until he came here that he truly saw another side of the Great Jing Dynasty.

Compared to Gaeseong in Goryeo, what surprised Wang Kai most about Daegeong's capital was not its grand architecture, but the bustling and busy crowds.

The city was mostly inhabited by nobles, officials, and their servants; there weren't many commoners who frequented the port and streets outside the city. (End of Chapter)