Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 295 Great Achievements, Rewards for Merit!
The 17th day of the fifth month in the sixth year of the Xifeng reign.

Wende Hall.

The civil and military officials stood in orderly rows.

There was no one on the steps of the imperial palace.

Below it is the imperial altar.

The young prince Zhao Shen sat upright with his arms supporting him, cupping his hands in honey water and taking sips from time to time, or picking up a candied fruit and chewing it in small bites.

Grand Chancellor Jiang Zhao picked up the document and stood respectfully with his hands clasped.

"when--"

A single chime of a bell echoes on and on.

The entire place fell silent.

"Let's set aside politics for today."

"A report of victory has arrived from Yanyun; it may be viewed by all the officials."

One sentence summed it up.

Jiang Zhao picked up the document, his gaze falling on one of the Imperial Guards, and said calmly, "Zhe Wulang, is the military report ready?"

"Reporting to the Grand Master, everything is ready." A man who looked to be about twenty-one or twenty-two years old stepped forward.

Judging from his demeanor, he was resolute and courageous, and every move he made was calm and composed, showing a demeanor that indicated he was capable of undertaking great responsibilities.

This was the youngest son of Zhe Kexing, the governor of Qin Prefecture, named Zhe Keshi.

Since the expansion of Yanyun, Zhe Kexing has gradually made a name for himself and has become quite famous.

His son, Zhe Keshi, also got a job in the "Zhubanzhi" (a type of official post) thanks to his father's connections.

The Zhubanzhi, also known as the emperor's personal guards, were under the jurisdiction of the Palace Guard.

Most of its members were ambitious sons of military families or noble families.

Serving as a guard for the emperor and holding a position in various ranks was a unique path for the sons of military officers to advance in their careers, much like the Hanlin Academy for scholars, only differing in nature.

And as it turns out, joining the Zhubanzhi family was indeed a promising career path.

Occasionally, some lucky individuals not only catch the eye of the emperor but also gain the attention of important officials.

Zhe Keshi was a man of exceptional talent and knowledge, well-versed in military strategy and possessing unique insights into military tactics. In terms of military skills, he was only slightly inferior to Zhong Shidao.

By chance, it caught Jiang Zhao's attention.

Origoro!
In the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the empire, there are not many people whose names Jiang Zhao has ever called out!
"Have someone bring the military newspaper up," Jiang Zhaoping said.

"promise!"

Zhe Keshi bowed and strode away.

The simple summons drew the attention of many astute individuals.

The focus of attention is essentially twofold:
Firstly, it is naturally related to the principle of folding and adapting.

Who in the world doesn't know that the Grand Chancellor cherishes talent?
Those who receive his attention are said to have a bright future ahead of them.

The success rate of military officers who received his attention was particularly astonishing.

To this day, there are only five or six sons of military generals who have truly received the attention of the Grand Chancellor.

The older generation, such as Gu Tingye and Wang Shao, were both key figures in government administration.

Zhong E, from the middle generation, also wore a purple robe and was expected to take charge of the cardinal.

The new generation of Zhong Shidao has also made many contributions, and is even well-known in the eyes of the government.

And now, there's another person added.

It's worth it!
"Hi~!"

These few words made some civil officials narrow their eyes, and some even began to consider marriage alliances.

The rise of the Sheng family may not be unrepeatable!
Secondly, it is mainly related to Jiang Zhao.

Jiang Zhao stood with his hands clasped, his serious expression instantly vanishing, replaced by an undisguised smile, looking relaxed and carefree.

Many people were shocked.

As the Grand Chancellor, Jiang Zhao, who ruled the world, naturally possessed the solemnity of a ruler, and rarely spoke or smiled.

Since the army marched north, he has been extremely busy and hardworking, and there is almost no time for him to smile.

Of course, this was also because the army was marching north to fight for the country, and the situation had to be serious.

Now, it is rare for him to smile, which is quite unusual.

Is it
From top to bottom, all eyes were filled with expectation.

About ten breaths.

A five-foot-long wooden frame was carried to the center of the main hall, covered with brocade cloth, and documents were placed on it.

really!

At a cursory glance, many people were secretly alarmed.

Thanks to Your Majesty's divine martial prowess, the strategic planning of the court, and the valiant efforts of the army, the lands of You and Ji have been restored to our territory. Now, we report the complete success of the Northern Expedition:

On May 11th, the royal army stationed itself in Yanyun, subduing the Liao state. The enemy chieftain, fearing the might of the emperor, sent envoys to sue for an alliance, and thus the "Yanyun Alliance" was concluded.

The treaty stated: The Liao Kingdom would cede all of the former Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the Zhou Dynasty; from this point on, the war would cease and friendly relations would be maintained, and the two countries would remain neighbors forever.

From the first year of Tianfu (936 AD), when Shi Jingtang ceded territory to the Liao Dynasty, until now, 137 years later, the barbarian cavalry, relying on the strategic passes, repeatedly invaded the Central Plains, which was a century of pain for the Central Plains.

This is not merely about expanding territory by thousands of miles, but about continuing the legitimate lineage of the Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang dynasties.

From then on, the nine regions were intact, the state was forever secure, and many officials wept and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
The maps and household registers have been delivered to the capital by special courier.

The Yan and Yun regions have been recovered; Heaven blesses the Great Zhou!
I respectfully submit this memorial for your consideration.

The military newspaper was written by Su Shi, a renowned writer.

To be honest, being the emperor's scribe makes official promotion incredibly easy.

Since the fall of Jiaozhi, Su Shi had been promoted to the rank of Right Grand Counselor, a fourth-rank official.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, once the army enters the capital, Su Shi will be promoted again.

This is such a free win!
On May 11, the Liao and Zhou states sent envoys to negotiate peace, establishing the Yan-Yun Alliance, agreeing not to invade each other and becoming friendly neighbors.

"The Liao Kingdom shall cede the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and withdraw its troops and civilians!"

Jiang Zhao put his hands behind his back and said heavily, "It has been exactly one hundred and thirty-seven years since the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun were ceded to the Khitans by Shi Jingtang in the first year of Tianfu."

"The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun have finally returned to the rightful rule of the Central Plains!"

"this--"

The civil and military officials exchanged glances, all greatly shocked.

"Its merits will last for generations; it is truly a monumental achievement!"

"Haha! Unification! From now on, if anyone dares to say that the Great Zhou is not unified, I will beat them to death!"

"The great Zhou dynasty began from this moment!"

"He saw no one before him, nor anyone after him! Even Emperor Taizong Wen could not have surpassed him!"

"Expanding the territory of Yan and Yun is truly an achievement for the Emperor and the Grand Chancellor throughout the ages!"

The praise was endless.

Even the simple-minded Qi Heng couldn't help but say, "The Emperor and the Grand Chancellor are truly emperors and prime ministers for all time," which drew many people's attention with expressions of surprise.

In just a few breaths, everyone, from top to bottom, civil and military officials, was beaming with pride.

You want to ask why?
There's no other reason than that the existence of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun is of such great significance!
In fact, if we talk about pure "value", the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun are not indispensable.

A thousand miles of mountains and rivers are actually just a series of roads, each with its own size.

In terms of area, it is not even comparable to the twelve prefectures and rivers acquired through the expansion of Xihe and Xifeng.

Its abundance is far less than that of the Hehuang region.

But the meaning is different!
The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun were the "final piece of the puzzle for unification."

The concept of a unified empire originated from a record in the first year of Duke Yin's reign in the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals: "Why is it said that the king's first month was a unified empire?"

Afterwards, the First Emperor swept across the six kingdoms, unified the world, and made the unification of China a tangible reality.

Dong Zhongshu's "Three Strategies of Heaven and Man" in the Western Han Dynasty formally combined the unification of the empire with the legitimacy of the Mandate of Heaven.

It is not a unified entity, which means it is not orthodox!
From then on, there were relatively standard core criteria for judging unification and legitimacy.

Regardless of morality, ethnicity, or merit, it is linked to only one standard—territory!
To be precise, it is a region centered on Guanzhong, the Central Plains, Bashu, Jiangnan, Lingnan, and Youji, that is, the region centered on the Yangtze River and the Yellow River.

This area was the territory of the First Emperor when he unified the world.

Just like the Western Regions, the First Emperor failed to conquer them, so it had nothing to do with unification.

If it is, that would be even better.

No, but that doesn't prevent it from becoming a unified regime.

More than a thousand years have passed since the Qin and Han dynasties, and the definition of a unified empire has become deeply ingrained in people's minds.

The evaluations given by later generations to unified dynasties and non-unified dynasties are two completely different concepts.

Both Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong devised strategies to deal with the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, all with the aim of achieving unification.

Emperor Taizu's main strategy was to concentrate his forces to attack the Southern Tang and Wuyue regimes, which had not yet submitted to him. This strategy was based on the principle of "south first, then north; easy first, then difficult."

According to historical records, Emperor Taizu mainly wanted to "redeem" the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun.

Of course, the enemy would not cede territory for no reason.

If it were actually implemented, it would probably be very similar to the method used by Emperor Zhao Ceying to achieve unification.

It's simply a matter of concentrating forces, taking a temporary break to recuperate, and focusing on restoring economic production.

Once the time is right, we can march north and defeat the Khitans repeatedly, then negotiate peace and redeem the Yan and Yun regions.

Unfortunately, the plan could not keep up with the changes.

The story of the candlelight and the sound of the axe is a timeless tale, but the founding emperor died with deep regret.

When Emperor Taizong ascended the throne, he was also quite ambitious, aiming to achieve unification.

Unfortunately, Emperor Taizong lacked military prowess!
Just because Emperor Taizu could defeat the Khitans doesn't mean Emperor Taizong could.

As a result, the idea of ​​unification fell silent.

As for Emperor Zhenzong, and the late emperor?
Honestly, it's already a blessing from heaven that we weren't captured by someone heading south.

It is precisely because of this that, during the century-long reign of the nation and the four emperors, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, a piece of the puzzle for unification, were never fully assembled!
It has to be Emperor Zhao Ceying, who actually managed to unify the country in the middle of the dynasty!
That's really powerful.

Now that the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun have been acquired, it means that the Great Zhou has officially entered the ranks of unified dynasties, thus becoming the unified regime following the Qin, Han, Western Jin, Sui, and Tang dynasties.

Centuries later, the Xifeng era will undoubtedly be a focal point for future generations.

This will surely be recorded in great detail in history books.

About a hundred breaths or so.

"Ahem~!"

A soft cough was heard, and the entire hall fell silent.

Jiang Zhao said calmly, "Soon, the Emperor and the meritorious officials who have expanded the borders will return to the capital. I will arrange some important matters."

The civil and military officials stood solemnly.

"Firstly, regarding Ōga."

"Where are the Hanlin Academy and the Imperial Kitchen?" Jiang Zhao looked down.

"exist."

Two officials in red robes, one old and one burly, emerged.

Judging from the name alone, one might assume that the Hanlin Academy was a subordinate office of the Hanlin Academy.

In reality, however, it was a subordinate office of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The Hanlin Academy was named primarily because it was in charge of tea, wine, soup, fruit, banquets during imperial tours, and the list of Hanlin Academy servants.

"It's the eighth day of the Lunar New Year," Jiang Zhaoping said calmly. "Make sure there are no mistakes in the appropriate food and celebratory arrangements."

Eight days?

The two were surprised, then bowed and said, "Yes."

Generally speaking, even if there is a great joyous occasion, the celebration will only last for one or two days, and occasionally for some more significant ones, it may last for three or four days.

The expansion of Xihe and Xifeng were both celebrated with a grand seven-day celebration, which was actually quite "extraordinary".

The purpose of this eight-day celebration is to highlight the extraordinary significance of achieving national unification.

After all, even the act of expanding territory is celebrated for seven days, so unification must be a much grander event.

As for why it's not the nine suns that represent the extreme of numbers?

From another perspective, it might be considered that the number nine was not auspicious, so the emperor did not choose the ninth day.

However, Jiang Zhao knew everything.

The Zhao emperor probably also wants to destroy the Liao and Xia kingdoms!
The ultimate number should probably be reserved for the merit of destroying a country!

just
A hint of worry flashed in Jiang Zhao's eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said:

"Secondly, it involves the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works."

Wu Kui, Minister of Rites, and Sun Yongquan, Minister of Works, both took a step forward.

"The Emperor wishes to emulate the twenty-four ministers of the Lingyan Pavilion and establish the Zhaoxun Pavilion."

"The Ministry of Works built a new main hall separately and named it [Zhaoxun]."

“The Ministry of Rites should try to arrange the portraits of the twenty-four meritorious ministers, and all the sacrificial rites should also be prepared.”

"Remember, Zhaoxun Pavilion must be grand and imposing," Jiang Zhao instructed.

The selection of the twenty-four Grand Secretaries of the Imperial Academy was definitely made by the Emperor alone, and had nothing to do with the officials.

However, the construction and layout of Zhaoxun Pavilion still deserve some attention.

Otherwise, it would be neither fish nor fowl, and would only invite ridicule.

"promise."

The two men were startled and withdrew one after the other.

People occasionally exchanged glances and whispered amongst themselves.

Twenty-four meritorious ministers!

Those who are listed here will surely be remembered for eternity!

Many people looked towards Jiang Zhao.

Grand Chancellor Jiang Zhao is a certainty to be admitted to the cabinet!

Some people are listed in the cabinet primarily to highlight their outstanding achievements.

Some people are listed in the cabinet mainly to prove that the "list" is accurate.

Grand Chancellor Jiang Zhao is undoubtedly a ruthless person who can prove that the Zhaoxun Pavilion is not just for show!
The eyes of future generations are discerning!
"So be it."

As for whether or not to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai.

Jiang Zhaoping said, "Let's see what His Majesty decides."

Generally speaking, once a unified empire is achieved, a ceremony of offering sacrifices at Mount Tai is usually held.

But the problem is.
All those who entered the court were top-notch shrewd individuals.

Even though Jiang Zhao didn't say anything explicitly, the civil and military officials all basically understood what he meant.

Emperor Zhenzong really lowered the bar for the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai!

A king who was almost captured by the emperor in the south, with no achievements and a penchant for grandstanding, actually dared to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai?
Therefore, whether or not the Fengshan ceremony, which was originally a must, should be performed, became a question mark.

Whether to go or not, this matter is destined to have special political implications.

"The court session is over—"

With a sharp cry, all the civil and military officials retreated one after another.

Guizhou, Central Army Camp.

The paper was laid out, and the brush was dipped in ink.

Jiang Zhao, Gu Tingye, Zhong E, Zhang Heng, Zhang Ding, Zhong Shidao, Shi Yuansun, Zheng Shun, Zheng Xiao, Guo Kui, Liang Zhao, Yao Si, Zhe Kexing
After pondering for a while, he wrote down twenty or thirty names one by one.

"call!"

Zhao Ceying sat up straight, leaning on the armrests, and let out a long breath.

These twenty-odd people were all proposed to be granted titles, or whose titles would be slightly changed.

The great victory of Yanyun was of immense significance.

Even if the Liao and Xia kingdoms were destroyed in the future, the significance of it might not be comparable to this.

Therefore, Zhao Ceying decided to grant a major reward.

On the one hand, he was genuinely happy.

After this battle, the title of "Emperor of a Thousand Ages" and "Emperor Shizong" can be said to be firmly in his grasp.

The difference lies in whether one can become a leader among emperors of all time, or a bottom-ranking one.

On the other hand, it is also an opportunity to cultivate a new group of meritorious officials.

The lineage of Emperor Taizu and that of Emperor Taizong are ultimately different.

In order to ensure the stable succession of the throne, there must be people who genuinely support the lineage of the founding emperor.

According to Zhao Ceying's plan, he intended to reunify the country and re-establish fiefdoms once, and then destroy the Liao and Xia dynasties and re-establish fiefdoms once or twice.

In this way, it is estimated that forty or fifty powerful noble families will receive imperial favor.

In the future, together with Zichuan, the emperor and his minister will create a golden age that will last for generations, which will surely make the rule of the Taizu lineage deeply rooted in people's hearts.

The succession to the throne is now as secure as Mount Tai!
"Hi~!"

A sharp pain shot through Zhao Ceying, who quickly reached out and pressed her left arm. Her face was covered in cold sweat, and she couldn't help but frown repeatedly.

Why is it getting more and more painful?
(End of this chapter)