You have truly caused me great suffering!

When Zhao Ji returned this time, he was prepared to face danger.

However, he has one advantage: he is very good at judging people.

He calculated that Chen Shao was not a bloodthirsty and ruthless person, and that he always sought the name of righteousness in everything he did, so he might have a sliver of hope.

He was willing to take any risks as long as he could return to the Central Plains and not to that remote and barbaric island nation.

This time, accompanied by the clerk of Guangyuantang, we arrived at a secluded mansion. The official sitting at the head of the table had a sullen face and showed no respect whatsoever to this emperor who had enjoyed twenty years of peace.

Emperor Huizong was somewhat dissatisfied, but dared not show it.

Even former officials of the Song Dynasty, if they wanted to avoid suspicion, would still treat him with utmost respect when facing him.

After all, if you are indifferent and ruthless to your former master, your reputation will be ruined.

Unfortunately, today he was facing Wang Yin. Who was Wang Yin? He had his family destroyed and his people killed by Wang Yin’s “Flower and Stone Tribute” and was forced to follow Fang La to eat vegetables and serve the demon, thus starting his rebellion.

In his eyes, Zhao Ji was the culprit.

Seeing that he remained silent, head bowed as if writing something, Zhao Ji coughed lightly and asked, "This gentleman?"

"Shut up!"

Wang Yin pointed to the corner of the wall and cursed, "Wait there."

Emperor Huizong was overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. Even in Japan, he had been treated with great courtesy. But now the situation was beyond his control. He cursed inwardly and could only dejectedly go to the side to wait.

Fortunately, Wang Yin didn't leave him hanging for long. After writing the secret letter, he sealed it with sealing wax and handed it to the guards around him.

The guards of Guangyuantang were all elites selected from the Northwest and Hedong. After the establishment of the Great Jing Dynasty, they conducted a large-scale selection of many extraordinary people.

Only then did Wang Yin stand up, and when he looked at Zhao Ji, even after ten years, his eyes were still blazing with anger.

That guy sent Zhu Mian back then, and he wreaked havoc on Jiangnan.

"You, Zhao Ji, the foolish and wicked ruler, were a heinous criminal. Back then, you issued an imperial edict demanding the 'Divine Fortune Stone' and 'Auspicious Cloud Peak,' and sent Zhu Mian and his son to harm countless people in Jiangnan."

"The Flower and Stone Tribute has emptied nine out of ten houses in Jiangnan. How many people have sold their children just to collect a piece of your broken stone! You dog thief, you are leisurely enjoying yourself in Genyue, do you know that the Grand Canal is full of starving corpses? Boatmen are exhausted to death on the tow ropes, and farmers are hanged from the beams. It's all because of your 'refined' ways!"

"Do you know your crime!"

Emperor Huizong was thoroughly scolded. Looking at the official, he realized he didn't recognize him, but the official had a Jiangnan accent.

They might just be victims of the Huashi Gang back then.

As if it were about to fly over and bite someone at any moment, Zhao Ji quickly wiped his sweat and said, "What happened back then was my fault, and it harmed the people of Jiangnan."

Those who understand the times are wise, so Zhao Ji dared not be stubborn and offered a proper apology.

But deep down he was not convinced. He had already lost his country, and wasn't the Great Jing Dynasty abdicated by our Great Song Dynasty?

Even the greatest sins, wouldn't giving up the throne be enough to atone for them?

Wang Yin is a man who is always very proper and has almost no personal feelings. He is only there to collect intelligence for Chen Shao and does not take responsibility for handling it himself. This time, however, he was unusually furious.

It was also the pent-up resentment that burst forth all at once.

After he finished cursing, he felt refreshed and invigorated.

“The Great Jing does not tolerate idlers. From now on, you will be working in the Craftsmanship Supervision Bureau. You must be on duty every day and must not be late or leave early.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji was immediately displeased, as he was now expected to have to do work.

The Craftsmanship Bureau and the Construction Bureau, to put it bluntly, were in charge of design.

However, he dared not object, and wondered who he could ask to intercede on his behalf.

Alas, I must go to my official duties at the sound of the drum, my journey to the Imperial Library is like a tumbleweed blown by the wind.

He didn't want to work hard and clock in.

Fortunately, he had made the right bet this time. The emperor of Dajing, that soldier named Chen Shao, would not kill him.
-
Chen Shao finally left Jinling to visit the prosperous empire under his rule.

Hangzhou was the first city I chose.

He brought along Wang Kai, Gao Siyuan, Duan Zhengyan, Zhang Boyu, and other close associates, as well as his trusted ministers Han Shizhong, Wu Jie, and Meizang Pangge.

The purpose of this trip was actually to give the King of Goryeo a break and let these people see the beauty of the Central Plains.

"Spring clouds cleverly resemble an old man's hat, ancient willows form a single-plank bridge, a gentle breeze softens the dust, and petals flutter down. The sandy shore is beautiful, the grass color adorns a silk robe..."

Chen Shao read it slowly.

Everyone's eyes lit up. They had never heard His Majesty compose poetry before, but they didn't know what kind of tune this song was.

Could it be something you created yourself?

On West Lake, the water is as clear as a mirror.

A painted boat with carved railings sailed by, and Chen Shao and his companions sat on a small boat, dressed in fine clothes, looking relaxed and carefree, like a group of young noblemen who had come to the lake to relax.

"Back then, I led troops here to quell the rebellion." Chen Shao glanced at Wu Jie and laughed, "I trapped Fang La in this city of Hangzhou, using a strategy of surrounding him from three sides and leaving one open, and finally captured him."

Wu Jie said, "I am fortunate to have followed Your Majesty here. Now, Hangzhou is under the rule of the Great Jing Dynasty, and the sea and rivers are peaceful. There is no trace of the devastation caused by Fang La here."

The two spoke very casually, but the events of that year were not so simple.

The opportunity to conquer Fang La was one that Chen Shao had painstakingly obtained from Tong Guan.

The process was also thrilling and full of twists and turns. It wasn't that the battles were particularly difficult, but rather that he secretly negotiated with Tan Zhen, offering his own troops and resources in exchange for Tan Zhen turning a blind eye and tacitly allowing him to take the spoils of war.

Tan Zhen successfully completed the task of quelling the rebellion in Jiangnan, while Chen Shao, after contributing his efforts, returned with a full harvest.

This battle allowed the Dingnan Army to accumulate considerable wealth, which enabled Chen Shao to establish a foothold in the Northwest and gain the ability to destroy the Western Xia.

At the start of the Dingnan Army campaign, the two most important sources of money were: firstly, the Imperial Noble Consort's original family fortune; and secondly, the wealth plundered by Fang La that was taken along during the campaign against Fang La.

"I remember that it was Tan Zhen and He Guan who led the suppression of the rebellion back then. Now, it feels like a lifetime ago."

These names all disappeared along with the Song Dynasty, and Chen Shao would occasionally think of them.

When he first arrived in the Song Dynasty, he was filled with confusion and anxiety about the future, which troubled him for several years.

Fortunately, Chen Shao did not give up, but chose to face the challenge head-on and worked hard!
Wang Kai and the others listened quietly from the side; for them, this was also a rather peculiar experience.

They had never experienced such a gathering in their respective countries before. Gazing at the beautiful scenery of West Lake in autumn, they were truly captivated and unable to tear themselves away.

After they reached the shore, Kim Boo-seok frequently went to see Wang Kai.

This was a rare opportunity for him to see his own king; in the past, he had always stayed at Seongcheon-sa Temple and refused to see any of the Goryeo officials.

Now that the situation in the country has settled, if the king doesn't return, they will truly become traitors and rebels. He wanted to step forward and speak, but was afraid that Wang Kai wouldn't give him face. Just as he was hesitating, a person appeared in the distance.

He walked up to Chen Shao and handed him a memorial.

After Chen Shao unfolded it, he nodded.

News came from Yue Fei's side that they had begun their spring campaign against the desert, originally planning to inflict casualties and weaken their forces.

Unexpectedly, as the fighting progressed, the plan went awry, eventually turning into a loop around the desert and a return journey from Youyan.

At this time, they had reached the heart of the Tatar tribe and were locked in a fierce battle with this strongest tribe in the northern desert.

Although the Tatars had the advantage of terrain, they still found it difficult to resist the fully armed Yue Fei's army.

After closing the memorial, Chen Shao already had a clear understanding of the situation. This time, once Zhu Yuanzhang had pacified the Northwest and completely resolved the desert problem, the difficulty would be reduced.

In fact, according to the plan formulated by Chen Shao and Yuwen Xuzhong, it would take at least three to five years to completely solve the desert problem before sweeping the desert away and abolishing the tribal chieftain system.

Only in this way can the situation be considered completely pacified.

Li Wenzhong's massacre in the desert was undeniably ruthless, but just a few years later, the rising Oirat Mongols were still able to reach the gates of Beijing.

Therefore, massacres are not a long-term solution. Only by changing the local chieftains and replacing them with centrally appointed officials, completely altering the way of life on the grasslands, and forcing them to rely on resources from the Central Plains for survival, and eliminating strongman politics, can the problems there be solved.

This requires strong national power, and the Great Jing Dynasty happens to have strong national power.

Chen Shao did not share the contents of this memorial with them.

His policies differed from those of the individuals present, and could even be described as completely different.

The strategy for dealing with Dali, Korea, is to play the long game and catch big fish.

King Gae of Goryeo was treated with great courtesy this time, and was even allowed to accompany Chen Shao on a tour of West Lake.

It should be noted that this was the first time the emperor had left the capital since the Great Jing Dynasty moved its capital.

Moreover, Chen Shao was very kind and gave them, the emperor and his minister, a chance to meet.

Whether or not peace can be reached depends on the abilities of ministers like Kim Bu-sik.

These officials from the Gaegyeong faction in Goryeo naturally owed him favors.

After touring West Lake for half a day, Chen Shao went to the imperial palace in Hangzhou, which was built by Emperor Huizong a few years ago.

At that time, he may have had the idea of ​​making a southern tour to Jiangnan, but he never put it into action.

But it's also possible that he simply had nothing to do and felt restless without spending money, so he had a garden built in Jiangnan.

This sounds outrageous, but Emperor Huizong of Tang (Zhao Ji) actually did it quite a few times.

The morning was clear, and Chen Shao did not continue his inspection tour. He first had breakfast with the concubines, and then began to read through the memorials and review the government affairs recorded by the Secretariat since the start of his tour.

The eunuch on duty today was a castrated man with a clear facial contour and a square face.

Chen Shao felt that the man looked unfamiliar, and then he remembered that Wang Xiaojie had applied to leave the palace and return to his hometown a few days ago because of his advanced age.

After Chen Shao agreed, he stayed a few more days because he couldn't bear to leave the emperor.

Wang Xiangnian was recommended and promoted by Wang Xiaojie. In fact, they were from the same hometown. Although it was his first time on duty, he quickly sent over the latest memorials.

A stack of memorials had already been placed on the table, and Chen Shao was about to take a look at them casually. Since there were many palace maids and concubines here, there was no need for eunuchs to serve him, so Wang Xiangnian withdrew.

Chen Shao opened the top book of memorials and glanced at it. He couldn't understand the first two sentences at all; moreover, the handwriting was terrible, each stroke reminding Chen Shao of a child just learning to write!
However, this piqued Chen Shao's interest, because it was impossible for court officials to be so uncultured; even those from remote border regions would know to find someone to write for them.

He immediately flipped to the signature section to see whose memorial it was. A line of strange letters caught his eye, which immediately made Chen Shao realize: it was a memorial from a foreign envoy.

After a careful examination, Chen Shao still couldn't recognize him. Chun Tao, who was sitting next to him, looked over curiously.

The two of them looked at it together for a while, but still couldn't recognize the name.

However, I managed to understand the general content.

The ruler of Champa, Jayaindravarman II, requested to become a prefecture of Champa.

Chen Shao already had a great understanding of the situation in the southern wilderness.

The small kingdom of Champa was indeed quite tragic. It was located in what is now central and southern Vietnam, bordering Annam to the north, Chenla (Angkor Dynasty) to the west, and the South China Sea to the east.

Long besieged by the Li Dynasty of Jiaozhi in the north and Zhenla in the west, the kingdom lost cities and territories. In recent years, the king has been confined to the capital, and his decrees have never been able to leave the city.

Cai Xing's journey to Southeast Asia showed them the power of Dajing, and Annam's subsequent dominance and its subsequent actions against its neighbors made them particularly envious.

Champa was a vital stop on the Maritime Silk Road, rich in agarwood, ivory, and rhinoceros horn. They also had another unique characteristic, which Chen Shao only learned after Cai Xing's return: the people there did not practice Buddhism, but rather Hinduism.
They named their capital 'Buddha's Passing Away', surrounded by Buddhist kingdoms. This name was pure provocation, and it's no wonder they were attacked.

Seeing Chun Tao reading memorials, Li Shishi walked over without making a sound and pinched her arm.

Chun Tao was in so much pain that her eyes were brimming with tears. Li Shishi glared at her, and Chun Tao left Chen Shao's side with a pitiful expression.

Chen Shao began to think that this kingship was a risk-free business; Champa was not in his hands at all, and he was merely a figurehead.

The Brahmin priesthood and local military nobles were the actual rulers of Champa.

However, he himself proposed to submit to the central government, and if the Great Jing Navy were to take over, the resistance of the local powerful families would seem unfounded.

This is indeed a great opportunity; the question is whether it's worth sending troops.

However, this king was truly cunning. He used his title of nominal king to the fullest extent. If he were to actually send troops to take over, he would truly be credited with surrendering territory.

After much deliberation, Chen Shao decided to ask Zhang Boyu, since he had previously led troops to conquer Champa.

After lunch, Chen Shao went to the outer hall, where Zhang Boyu had been waiting for a long time.

After exchanging greetings, Chen Shao cut to the chase and asked, "The King of Champa has submitted a memorial requesting to become an annexation of the Great Jing Dynasty. What is your opinion on this?"

Zhang Boyu was taken aback upon hearing this. "The King of Champa has no troops under his command, so his words may not carry weight."

Chen Shao smiled and said, "Military matters are minor; titles are more important. Since he is the ruler, his words carry weight. I just don't know if it's necessary to occupy Champa."

“Yes!” Zhang Boyu said, “Champa is a vital hub on the maritime trade route, possessing excellent ports such as Hoi An and Shi Nai. As a result, the local nobles monopolized the trade in agarwood, ivory, and rhinoceros horn, making them the wealthiest in the southern wilderness. Controlling Champa is equivalent to trade, allowing us to directly tax merchant ships from Muslim countries and obtain huge amounts of customs duties and profits.”

Historically, Jiaozhi never stopped attacking and encroaching on Champa, and finally, twenty years later, it completely annexed it.

Chen Shao nodded, already thinking about how to take Champa.

Since your king is going to submit to us, then you have a legitimate reason to send out the strongest fighters in the southern wilderness—the Annamese army.

Furthermore, Dali should also be taken over as soon as possible. If the expansion of An'nan Road can be coordinated with Dali, the two-pronged approach will be more efficient.

At that time, the thirty-six tribes of Wuman will be his second-in-command. One from the coast and one from the inland, sweeping across the southern wilderness will only be a matter of time. (End of this chapter)