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The autumn of the twenty-ninth year of the prosperous era became the most important day for the entire Zhou Dynasty.

Because important figures from various regions were returning to the capital to report on their duties; they were not envoys, but princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The princes who had been sent to various parts of the world three years ago have returned one after another.

The docks of Jizhou Port and the railway station in the capital city began to bustle with activity from the beginning of September, as special trains arrived from all directions, carrying the princes who had been away for three years.

The first to arrive were the Ninth Prince, Prince Song, Guo Jing, and the Tenth Prince, Prince Lu, Guo Guo.

They traveled by boat from Fusang westward, disembarked at the port of Dengzhou, and then transferred to a train.

On the train, the two brothers leaned against the window, watching the fields, villages, and towns rushing past outside, neither of them saying a word.

Three days later, the train slowly pulled into Beijing Railway Station.

Officials were already waiting on the platform.

Upon seeing the train stop, the officials hurried to greet it.

Guo Jing stood up, straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and said, "Let's go."

The two brothers got off the train and stood on the platform, looking at the city that was both familiar and unfamiliar, and they were both filled with emotion.

Three years.

The train stations in the capital are much bigger than when they left.

The number of platforms increased from three to five, and the number of tracks increased from six to twelve.

Trains come and go, one after another, their whistles rising and falling.

The platform was packed with people: some were picking up passengers, some were seeing them off, some were doing business, and some were just watching the spectacle.

"The capital has changed again," Guo Jing said.

"Yes! It's been three years." Guo Guo nodded. "I wonder if my elder brother and the others have arrived yet."

"It should be soon. They have a long way to go and travel slowly. I heard it takes two months to travel by train from Constantinople."

"Two months...that's a long time."

The two brothers boarded the carriage and headed towards the palace.

The horse-drawn carriage moved quickly and steadily on the cement road.

Guo Guo lifted the curtain and looked outside. "Ninth Brother, look, that street is wider now."

"Hmm. I've never seen that newly built building before."

"That's the new building of the Commerce Department, right? I heard it's ten stories high."

"It should be."

The carriage traveled along, and the two brothers looked around the whole way.

After three years, the changes in the capital city surprised them greatly.

Next to arrive were the seventh prince, King Guo Wan of Han, from the Korean Peninsula, and the eighth prince, King Guo Dai of Wei, from the northern desert.

Next came the group from Southeast Asia.

The eleventh prince, Prince Zheng, Guo Ji; the twelfth prince, Prince Chen, Guo Shi; the thirteenth prince, Prince Cai, Guo Yong; the fourteenth prince, Prince Wu, Guo Gu; the fifteenth prince, Prince Yue, Guo Chang; and the sixteenth prince, Prince Xu, Guo Qing.

They traveled by ship from Southeast Asia northwards, disembarked at Quanzhou Port, and then transferred to a train.

The railway from Quanzhou to Beijing was not completed three years ago, but it has been in operation for more than a year now.

The six princes stood on the train station platform, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar streets, and discussed among themselves.

“The capital has changed again,” Guo Ji said.

“Yes! There are more high-rise buildings now, and the roads are wider,” Guo Shidao said.

"I wonder how Father and Mother are doing," Guo Gu said.

"It should be quite good. I heard they even visited the Academy of Sciences the year before last," Guo Yong said.

"Let's go! Don't stand there. Let's settle in the post station first, and then go to the palace tomorrow," Guo Qing said.

The six princes boarded the carriage and headed to the post station.

The last group to arrive was the one from the Middle East.

The eldest prince is Prince Guo Wen of Qin, the second prince is Prince Guo Zhi of Jin, the third prince is Prince Guo Wu of Zhao, the fourth prince is Prince Guo Gong of Yan, the fifth prince is Prince Guo Qian of Chu, and the sixth prince is Prince Guo Qiu of Qi.

They set off from their respective fiefdoms in the Middle East, traveling by train through Asia Minor, past Baghdad, over the Persian Plateau, across the Pamir Mountains, into the Western Regions, and then eastward along that long railway line.

It took two whole months to complete.

On the train, the six men often sat together and talked about their experiences over the past three years.

King Zhao, Guo Wu, leaned back in his seat, legs crossed: "Brother, what do you think Father will say in this evaluation?"

King Guo Wen of Qin glanced at his third son and said, "Evaluate us as you see fit. Father knows everything we've done and how well we've done it."

Prince Guo Zhi of Jin said, "I heard that my brothers in the South Seas are doing quite well. In Japan, the ninth and tenth princes killed all the disobedient ones, and even the Japanese emperor is convinced."

Prince Guo Gong of Yan said, "Good riddance. That kind of person would only cause trouble if left alive."

King Guo Qian of Chu said, "Brother, do you think Father will choose one of us as the crown prince?"

Guo Wen was silent for a while, then said, "I don't know. No one can fathom Father's thoughts."

King Qi, Guo Qiu, said, "If you can't figure it out, then don't guess. Anyway, we've done what we were supposed to do. We'll just follow Father's decision."

The six people nodded.

The King of Qin and his entourage arrived in the capital at the beginning of October.

The train slowly pulled into the station.

Six people stood by the window, gazing at the city that was getting closer and closer.

"I'm back," Guo Wen finally said.

"You're back." Guo Zhi nodded.

"It's even more lively than when we left," Guo Wu said.

“Father must be getting impatient,” Guo Gong said.

"Let's go! Let's go to the palace."

The six people got off the car, got into a vehicle, and headed towards the palace.

Twenty princes from overseas gathered in the capital.

There were also four minors who had been studying in the capital or being assigned to various places as grassroots officials.

The news spread, and the capital was abuzz with discussion.

In the teahouse, a few people gathered together, chatting enthusiastically.

"I heard this is an evaluation, and they're going to choose the crown prince."

"Twenty-four vassal kings, choosing just one... they're all so powerful, who should we choose?"

"I have high hopes for the King of Qin. He's steady and reliable."

“The Prince of Jin is also good. I heard that Baghdad is being governed quite well.”

“King Zhao is even more powerful. He can keep things under control in Mecca, no matter how chaotic the place is.”

"What about the Prince of Yan? In Cairo, grain production has doubled, and the people are living much better lives."

"The King of Chu is also formidable. In a place like Jerusalem, a holy city of three religions, he can make all sides submit."

"King Qi is also good. Damascus's trade is booming and tax revenue has increased significantly."

"I've heard those guys from Southeast Asia are pretty good too."

"It's better for us to worry about whoever we choose, since they're all His Majesty's sons anyway."

Inside the tavern, several men, their faces flushed and necks red from drinking, were discussing the matter.

"I bet on the King of Qin."

"I bet on the Prince of Jin."

"I bet on King Zhao."

"What are you gambling on? This is a matter of national importance, how can we gamble on it?"

"It's just talk, it's not a real bet."

……

October 8th, Chongyuan Hall.

Twenty-four princes, arranged by age, knelt in the hall.

The eldest prince, King Guo Wen of Qin, knelt at the front, followed by the second prince, King Guo Zhi of Jin; the third prince, King Guo Wu of Zhao; the fourth prince, King Guo Gong of Yan; the fifth prince, King Guo Qian of Chu; the sixth prince, King Guo Qiu of Qi; the seventh prince, King Guo Wan of Han; the eighth prince, King Guo Dai of Wei; the ninth prince, King Guo Jing of Song; the tenth prince, King Guo Guo of Lu; the eleventh prince, King Guo Ji of Zheng; the twelfth prince, King Guo Shi of Chen; the thirteenth prince, King Guo Yong of Cai; the fourteenth prince, King Guo Gu of Wu; the fifteenth prince, King Guo Chang of Yue; and the sixteenth prince, King Guo Qing of Xu.

The seventeenth prince, Prince Xu, Guo Ding; the eighteenth prince, Prince Cao, Guo Jia; the nineteenth prince, Prince Yu, Guo An; the twentieth prince, Prince Ju, Guo Bang; the twenty-first prince, Prince Jiang, Guo Liu; the twenty-second prince, Prince Huang, Guo Fang; the twenty-third prince, Prince Teng, Guo Bai; and the twenty-fourth prince, Prince Xue, Guo Sheng.

Su Ning sat on the throne, looking at his sons.

Three years have passed, and everyone has changed.

The eldest brother, Guo Wen, has gotten darker and thinner, but his eyes are even brighter.

Constantinople was a place with strong winds and intense sun, yet he governed it very well.

The remnants of Byzantium initially caused trouble, but he killed some, arrested others, and the rest became docile.

The railway was built to the city, the port was expanded three times, and trade routes to Europe were unimpeded.

The Suez Canal is also under construction and will eventually be controlled by the Great Zhou.

The second brother, Guo Zhi, lives in Baghdad, which was originally the territory of the Abbasid Caliphate and is in great chaos.

After he arrived, he won over some people, suppressed others, and divided others. After three years, no one dared to cause trouble anymore.

Oil was struck, along with gold, silver, copper, and iron, which were transported to the capital by the train carload.

The third brother, Guo Wu, is in Mecca, the holy city, where he faces the most trouble.

He didn't care about any of that; he killed those who deserved to be killed, arrested those who deserved to be arrested, and shut down those who deserved to be shut down.

After three years, the people in the holy city trembled at the sight of the Great Zhou banner. The fourth brother, Guo Gong, lived near Cairo, on the banks of the Nile, a place that was originally poor.

After he arrived, he repaired water conservancy projects, reclaimed wasteland, and opened trade routes. In three years, grain production doubled, and the people's lives improved.

The fifth brother, Guo Qian, is from Jerusalem, the holy city of three religions, and is the most difficult to deal with.

He's good at it all; he offends no one and shows no favoritism to anyone.

The churches are preserved, the mosques are preserved, and the synagogues are preserved as well.

As long as no one causes trouble and everyone obediently accepts Confucian education, everyone can live in peace.

All factions submitted to this King of Chu of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Guo Qiu, the sixth brother, is from Damascus, an ancient city and a hub of trade routes.

After he arrived, he rectified the market, standardized taxation, and cracked down on bandits. After three years, merchants were willing to do business in Damascus.

The seventh prince, King Guo Wan of Han, went to Seoul on the Korean Peninsula.

Goryeo was originally the territory of Silla, and its people were known for their fierce and warlike nature.

After he arrived, he implemented new policies, opened schools, built roads and ports. After three years, the Koreans had become accustomed to the rules of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The eighth prince, Guo Dai, first went to Pyongyang.

The natives of the Korean Peninsula were so compliant that they later went to the northern desert.

The northern grasslands are vast and sparsely populated, with numerous tribes.

After he arrived, he established pastures, built towns, and opened trade routes. After three years, those tribes all became obedient.

The ninth son, King Guo Jing of Song, and the tenth son, King Guo Guo of Lu, went to Japan.

In Japan, Fujiwara no Sumitomo was killed initially, and later a group of wicked nobles were also killed. After that, no one dared to cause trouble anymore.

They opened schools and promoted Chinese characters. After three years, the children in Japan could all recite the Analects of Confucius.

Eleventh Prince Guo Ji of Zheng, twelfth Prince Guo Shi of Chen, thirteenth Prince Guo Yong of Cai, fourteenth Prince Guo Gu of Wu, fifteenth Prince Guo Chang of Yue, and sixteenth Prince Guo Qing of Xu went to Southeast Asia.

The islands of Southeast Asia were originally wild and undeveloped lands.

After they arrived, they opened mines, planted rubber trees, and built ports. Within three years, goods from Southeast Asia were being transported to Da Zhou ship by ship.

The other princes were all near India, controlling various strategic locations.

……

Those green teenagers have now become capable individuals.

Suning felt a mixture of relief and complicated emotions.

"Get up, everyone."

The twenty-four princes stood up and stood with their hands at their sides.

Su Ning looked at Li Fang, the Grand Secretary, and the six ministers standing beside him, and said, "Let's begin."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The evaluation lasted for a full ten days.

The officials of the cabinet and the six ministries were divided into sixteen groups, each responsible for one prince.

They consulted documents, verified data, summoned attendants, and inquired about details.

During those three years, everything was recorded: what the princes did, how well they did it, whether the people were satisfied, whether the trade routes were open, whether public security was good, and whether tax revenue increased.

On the first day, King Guo Wen of Qin was evaluated.

The officials flipped through the thick files, checking each item one by one: "Your Highness, in the third year of Constantinople, three hundred li of railway were built, two ports were constructed, and five trade routes were opened. Tax revenue increased from 500,000 taels per year to 1.5 million taels per year. The local population increased by 30%, and merchants and travelers increased by 50%. We have verified that there are no errors, and we rate it as excellent."

King Guo Wen of Qin nodded without saying anything.

The next day, the evaluation of Prince Guo Zhi of Jin was as follows: "Your Highness, in the three years of Baghdad, 100,000 barrels of oil have been extracted, and countless amounts of gold, silver, copper, and iron have been mined. Tax revenue has increased from 800,000 taels per year to 2 million taels per year. Local security is stable, and trade routes are unimpeded. We have verified that there are no errors, and we rate it as excellent."

Prince Guo Zhi of Jin smiled.

On the third day, the evaluation of Prince Zhao, Guo Wu, was as follows: "Your Highness, during your three years in Mecca, you suppressed five rebellions and quelled twelve bandit attacks. Local forces have submitted, and trade routes are open. Tax revenue has increased from 300,000 taels per year to 1 million taels per year. Your servants have verified that there are no errors, and we rate you as excellent."

King Zhao Guo Wu nodded without saying a word.

Day 4, Day 5, Day 6...

One a day, every day is excellent.

By the tenth day, all sixteen princes had achieved excellent results.

The officials looked at each other in bewilderment.

"How...how should we evaluate this?"

"It's impossible to judge. They're all excellent, so who should we choose?"

"We can only leave it to His Majesty to decide."

……

Ten days later, the evaluation results came out.

Su Ning sat in the imperial study, a thick memorial in front of him.

That was an evaluation report jointly submitted by the Cabinet and the Six Ministries.

He opened it and read through the pages.

The eldest brother, Guo Wen, is excellent.

Constantinople was well-governed, and its railways, ports, and trade routes were all outstanding.

The local people are devoted to the area, and business travel between the two regions is frequent. Evaluation team's comment: Capable of handling important tasks.

The second son, Guo Zhi, is excellent.

Baghdad is developing steadily, oil extraction is showing initial results, and tax revenue is increasing year after year.

Evaluation team's comments: Outstanding talent.

The third son, Guo Wu, is excellent.

The situation in Mecca has stabilized, local forces have submitted, and trade routes are open.

Evaluation team's comments: Decisive and ruthless, capable of guarding a region.

The fourth son, Guo Gong, is excellent.

Cairo's agriculture is developing rapidly, and its people live in peace and contentment.

Evaluation team's comments: Skilled in management, deeply loved by the people.

Fifth brother Guo Qian, excellent.

Jerusalem enjoys a balance of power, peace, and stability.

Evaluation team's comments: Skilled at reconciliation, possesses great wisdom.

Guo Qiu, the sixth son, is excellent.

Damascus experienced a boom in commerce and a significant increase in tax revenue.

Evaluation team's comments: Skilled in business and adept at financial management.

The seventh prince to the twentieth prince were all excellent.

There were twenty people, all of whom were rated as excellent or good.

After reading it, Su Ning remained silent for a long time.

He put down the memorial and looked at Li Fang. "Li Fang, what do you think?"

Li Fang pondered for a moment, "Your Majesty, all twenty princes have indeed done a good job. The evaluation team said that this was the most difficult evaluation they had ever seen. Each one has merits, and none of them can be found to have any faults."

Su Ning nodded. "Then tell me, who should we choose as the crown prince?"

Li Fang shook his head. "Your Majesty, I dare not speak presumptuously. This matter can only be decided by Your Majesty. I have served Your Majesty for decades and know Your Majesty's thoughts well. Your Majesty sent the princes overseas to gain experience in order to see their true worth. Now that their worth has been revealed, Your Majesty should know who to choose."

Su Ning smiled and said, "You're getting more and more cunning."

It took him forty years to build up the Great Zhou Dynasty, and even then, he still benefited greatly from the efforts of Emperor Taizu Guo Wei and Emperor Shizong Chai Rong.

His sons were scattered all over the world, planting the flag of the Great Zhou in every corner.

Therefore, one must be extremely careful when choosing an heir, and ensure that every prince is convinced of one's worth.

"Li Fang".

"The minister is here."

"Tell me, what is the most important thing about the position of Crown Prince?"

Li Fang thought for a moment, "In my opinion, the most important thing is to ensure the continuation of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is to be able to maintain order, gain the trust of the officials, and reassure the people. As for talent, that is secondary. Because the cabinet has capable ministers, the six ministries and local governments have competent officials, and the Privy Council and the army have good generals. The Crown Prince does not need to be good at everything, he only needs to know how to use people and select generals."

Suning nodded. "It's easier said than done."

"Issue the decree," Su Ning finally spoke quickly, "to announce the choice of Crown Prince at tomorrow's morning court."

Li Fang was taken aback. "His Majesty has made a decision?"

Suning did not respond.

He just stared out the window and remained silent for a long time.

Outside the window, the setting sun bathed the entire city in a golden-red hue.

It's important to understand that historical inertia is quite strong, and sometimes even we ourselves cannot be certain whether a policy can continue.

The former Tang Dynasty was incredibly powerful, but then a rather strange Tibetan Empire suddenly appeared.

After the Tibetan Empire exhausted the mighty Tang Dynasty, the mysterious Tibetan Empire also suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Sometimes, there really is some mystical element to dynastic changes.

Therefore, Suning is also worried that with his departure, there might be forces pulling Central Plains back onto its original track.

...(End of this chapter)