You have truly caused me great suffering!

"Life is full of disappointments. You and I are both in charge of a country, and we know best how tiring it is to govern a country."

Chen Shao laughed and said, "People's hearts are complicated, and there are too many things to consider in this position. It's mentally and physically exhausting."

"I'm giving you a heads-up: be open-minded, let go of things, get plenty of sleep and good meals, and let nature take its course."

Chen Shao spoke earnestly, but to Wang Kai, it sounded somewhat alarming.

However, he quickly realized that even though these words carried a threat, they were undoubtedly the truth.

Humans cannot contend with Heaven; the current great prosperity is a direct result of Heaven's will.

If destiny lies with them, then it is better to follow it.
At that time, enjoy a leisurely tour of the magnificent landscape of the Central Plains, and let future generations judge the merits and demerits.

Why should I risk my life to defy fate for the sake of the powerful clans' Goryeo kingdom?

Let them be! I'll just go with the flow.

"Your Majesty is right. Just as Su Dongpo of the previous dynasty said, 'Life is but a fleeting dream, and how many autumns have passed in a lifetime.'"

Su Shi was very popular in Goryeo; after all, distance makes the heart grow fonder.

By the late Song Dynasty, due to the Yuan You Traitorous Party Stele, he was no longer mentioned much by the common people or officials.

After the founding of the Great Jing Dynasty, it once again became a top-tier phenomenon, mainly because its level of skill was too high.
The surrounding Daejeong and Goryeo officials looked at each other in surprise, never expecting that the two monarchs would be discussing such a topic here.

Emperor Daejeong's attitude remained very good, and he was very kind to them, which made the Goryeo officials feel very honored.

Actually, they hadn't had enough contact with Chen Shao and didn't know that this emperor treated everyone the same way.

You might think he treats you differently, but he's actually quite gentle with dogs. In modern terms, he's like a central air conditioner.

From this perspective, Chen Shao was actually somewhat similar to the emperors of the Song Dynasty, and did not inspire the fear of serving a powerful ruler.

If ministers, especially the important officials around the emperor, spend all their energy trying to figure out the emperor's mood, fearing that the emperor might dismiss them or even confiscate their property if he is unhappy one day, how can the government be governed?

Chen Shao didn't have time to chat with them much. After saying a few more polite words, he returned to the Hot Spring Palace.

Kim Boo-seok and the others gathered together, still discussing the march they had just taken.

"At this time of year, the desert must be bitterly cold and snowy. What difference is there between the wind blowing on a person's face and being hit by an arrow? Yet the Great Jing still wants to launch a northern expedition."

"Our Goryeo is the best; they care about their soldiers."

"Please be careful what you say!"

The wind and snow in the desert are indeed quite fierce at this time, but this is a two-way street.

The northern desert is even colder, and wars continue to break out there.

The Northern Expedition in winter was different from other times; only a small number of fully armed troops were sent to set fires.

Destroy the means of production on grasslands.

They don't fight or kill much.

The Koreans didn't understand these things, so they thought Daejeong was too militaristic and warlike.

But they weren't worried about themselves at all.

To put it bluntly, they were just like the powerful clans of Eastern Wu before the Battle of Red Cliffs.

If Daejeong really wants to annex Goryeo, we will still be the local gentry and elders, and remain the masters of this land.

It's just that your Wang family's legacy is gone.

Only a few people, such as Kim Bu-sik, who truly care about the affairs of Daejeong, know how ridiculous this idea is.

If Goryeo were to truly fall under the control of Daegee, aside from anything else, the lands annexed by various powerful clans would have to be subject to a progressive tax system.

At that time, they will have to give back whatever land and farmland they have taken in.

Moreover, it is even more difficult to continue serving as an official. With three assessments a year, how many of these sons of powerful families can pass?

Looking at his foolish and arrogant colleagues, Kim Boo-sik felt contempt but also a glimmer of hope.

After being annexed by the Great Jing, he hoped to work hard to enter the Great Jing's Zhongshu Men (a branch of government).

Just like the ministers who accompanied the emperor in reviewing the troops not far away, they came to manage this great empire.

If one can leave a mark in the History of Jing and make some achievements, then one's life will not have been in vain.

No dynasty in history has ever been as powerful as it is today, so its fame in later generations will naturally be unparalleled and unprecedented.

Within the small Goryeo delegation, everyone had their own hidden agendas, which explains why Chen Shao said that people's hearts were in turmoil and governing a country was not easy.
-
On his way back, Chen Shao thought about his conversation with Wang Kai.

If the imperial power is too weak, he believes that in this era, a strong imperial power is still very important.

The weakening of imperial power does not mean that the people will live a good life.

On the contrary, the power of the common people remained weak, but the officials and gentry, having lost the supervision of the imperial power, became lawless.

That's how it was in Goryeo.

While the emperor and the common people shared common interests for the sake of their own regime, the gentry and powerful did not.

The more they exploit the people, the stronger they become, and the more land and property they can annex.

Even when they do good deeds, it's often to maintain their own long-term interests in the local area.

Over time, each county will produce its own "Master Huang".

The extension of imperial power to the county level was a strengthening of imperial power, and the village heads and village chiefs who received state salaries could become the most direct bridge between imperial power and the people.

The local gentry have objections to many of the policies that Chen Shao is about to implement, but the common people will certainly be happy to see them.

Chen Shao's plan to establish large-scale prefectural and county schools effectively broke the monopoly on knowledge, and consequently, the monopoly on official positions.

If the imperial court did not intervene and the emperor did not directly issue edicts, ordinary people's children would not have the opportunity to study.

Unless they have wealthy relatives helping them.

Many so-called impoverished scholars were actually from families that had once been prosperous but had fallen on hard times.

Chen Shao looked at the young eunuch in front of him. He had come from a poor family and had paid someone to castrate him before entering Bianliang to become a palace servant.

Chen Shao once told him that after making money, he sent almost all of it back home and asked someone to write to his parents asking them to send his younger brother to a private school.

Because he went to the palace and witnessed the dignity of the officials and scholars of the Song Dynasty.

At the founding of the Great Jing Dynasty, the population of the Great Song Dynasty was preserved because there were no major wars in the interior.

The number of people had reached an astonishing 1.2 million. It's important to understand that the territory of the Song Dynasty was small in the grand scheme of history.

However, it has indeed raised 1.2 million people.

The Great Jing Kingdom has been established for nearly five years, and the situation during these five years has been even more encouraging: the population has been able to recuperate and thrive like never before, and not only has it recovered a territory larger than that of the former Song Dynasty, but Jiaozhi and Dali have also submitted to it.

The number of newly acquired northern residents is also quite large.

Although some southwestern tributary states are not included in the statistics, the population registered in the Yellow Register is already 1.4 million.

Based on historical experience, the next few years will be the time when the population truly explodes.

Chen Shao did some mental calculations: if these children of school age could receive early education, who knows how many talented people would emerge in the future.

If I can truly run the school and education well, the talents I cultivate will be the most valuable asset in the world.

That's when it truly took off.

After returning to the palace, Chen Shao's complexion was still very rosy, clearly indicating that he wanted to have some fun.

His vision of the future filled him with excitement. This was a pleasure that couldn't be compared to physical gratification; it was a higher-level enjoyment.

There are numerous examples in history of wise rulers who have made empires prosperous.

However, its influence is ultimately limited.

Was the fortune Yang Jian left to Yang Guang substantial?
Was the foundation that Li Shimin left for Li Zhi ruthless?

However, they could not overcome the incompetence of their successors.

If Chen Shao had remained as he is now, he could have left behind an impressive legacy for future generations. But what if he had completely revitalized his educational plans?

What if we do a good job of introducing education to students in county schools, or even village schools?
In this bustling world, among billions of living beings, how many are born only to toil in the fields, going hungry for three days and dying from a serious illness?

Among these people who died silently, how many geniuses were buried in obscurity?

"This horse, though capable of traveling a thousand miles, is not well-fed and lacks strength, so its talent remains hidden. Moreover, it cannot even be treated like an ordinary horse, so how can it be expected to travel a thousand miles?"

Back in his bedchamber, Cui Die removed his cloak, and Li Wanshu brought him a hand warmer.

Chen Shao sat down in the chair and carefully took out his notebook from the cabinet on the side.

He specifically chose vermilion ink to show his importance. For the emperor, anything written in vermilion ink was called a "cinnabar inscription," such as the "cinnabar-inscribed iron certificate."

My own page should be written in cinnabar ink!

[In the eleventh month of the fourth year of Jianwu, the Emperor personally wrote this in the record book.]
Future generations who read this book will know my will today:
A nation may lose its gold and jade, but it cannot abandon its schools; its treasury may be empty, but it cannot cease the recitation of lessons.

Scholars do not know how to learn, craftsmen do not pass on their skills, and farmers do not know the seasons—this is not because the people are ignorant, but because those who teach them are gone! Therefore, the establishment of artisan schools, the expansion of village schools, the promotion of practical learning, and the emphasis on the teacher's role are not empty words, but are intended to enable ordinary people to have the wisdom to investigate things and children to have the ambition to save the world.

This is a good medicine for the long-term stability of the Great Jing Dynasty, and also a great achievement of our royal family in bringing blessings to all people.

If any minister in your government suggests abolishing scholarship, this is the prelude to the downfall of the nation!

All descendants of Dajing, in upholding this legacy, must take education as their lifeblood and schools as their foundation.

If you forget this instruction, you are truly unfilial descendants, and I will not bless you.

Chen Shao's hand seal

After finishing writing, Chen Shao took a deep breath. He was still very young and wanted to lay a good foundation for future generations.

Anyone who tries to stop me from doing this can go to Taiwan and cut down sugarcane. My determination is strong enough that no one can stop me.

Anyway, Taiwan is currently undergoing development.
-
December has arrived.

Chen Shao began to summarize the year's political affairs and reward the meritorious officials.

With the matter of Dali's annexation settled, the matter is now completely resolved, and the handling of it has been quite good.

Especially after the Dali army attacked Zhenla and tasted the benefits of having Dajing as their backing, they realized the advantages of this situation.

Zhang Run was promoted to Special Envoy, which meant he had officially entered the decision-making circle.

Generally, such an appointment signifies a strong contender for the next prime minister.

Cai Xing, who returned in April, was promoted to Junior Minister because of his great contributions to the long voyage.

Yuwen Xuzhong worked diligently and was awarded the title of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince.

The others each received a reward, but none were as generous as these.

Of course, above all others, there was an even more powerful one: Liu Guanglie was granted the surname 'Chen', promoted to the title of Prince of Qi, and given the title of Grand Commandant.

Because the princes are still young and have not yet been granted titles, he became the first prince of the Great Jing Dynasty.

Those familiar with Chen Shao's rise to power know the importance of his cousin, and given the weakness of the imperial family, this would strengthen the family's influence and contribute to national stability.

Furthermore, although Liu Guanglie had no more titles to bestow, they were all honorary titles, which brought him immense honor and favor. He did not compete with the ministers for the position, so everyone was happy to help him out.

However, some people have noticed that the emperor has been consolidating his power recently, and not long ago he bestowed a whole host of titles upon the crown prince.

Chen Guanglie, who was granted the title of Prince, was no different from before; he still played with a group of brothers as before.

He was a well-known wealthy and idle man in Nanjing.

Although Jinling, the capital of the Great Jing Dynasty, did not have the same prosperity as Bianliang (Kaifeng) for over a century and develop a multitude of industries.

However, Nanjing also has many entertainment options.

The pleasure boats on the Qinhuai River were a paradise for the rich, but ordinary people also had their own entertainment venues.

But when it comes to the most lively and fun places, nothing beats the various music venues.

The Song Dynasty had a highly developed culture and entertainment industry, especially since the wealthy young men of Bianliang (Kaifeng) left Bianliang and came to the new capital.

But this place is no longer their domain. These fallen nobles indulge in revelry and debauchery in the brothel, forgetting the troubles of their lost power. With music playing in their ears and beautiful women in their arms, there are countless wealthy patrons who spend lavishly.

Many people spend all the wealth accumulated by their ancestors in just a few days.

This is why Chen Shao insisted on keeping a diary so that his successors could read it.

Because an unfilial son can really squander the family fortune very quickly.

Unless you're like Gao Siyuan, with endless money to spend, but he's even worse off, he's the kind of person who got lured into this trap.

However, for ordinary people, those entertainment venues were out of reach. Therefore, in some bustling cities, entertainment venues catering to the common people emerged, the most well-known of which was the Wazi (entertainment district).

Wazi, also known as Washe or Washi, consisted of different performance areas named after sheds. Inside the sheds was a stage for performances, which was called "goulan" because it was surrounded by railings on all four sides.

The brothels offered a variety of entertainment all night long, including sumo wrestling, shadow plays, variety shows, puppet shows, singing, kicking, music, magic tricks, and more.

In Nanjing alone, there were twenty-four entertainment venues, not including those that were independent entertainment venues with only one brothel.

The largest of these, Beiwa, had thirteen entertainment venues. In addition to various performances, it also offered services such as fortune telling, divination, clothing repair, food and drinks, gambling, and more, making it more comprehensive than modern entertainment centers.

Such tile-roofed houses are usually named after their location. The capital city of Jinling was divided into four sections and governed 49 wards. Daqiao tile-roofed houses were named after Daqiao Street, located north of the Qinhuai River. They were very prosperous and were brightly lit all night long, known as the city that never sleeps.

Wang Yin arrived here with a dozen or so men in plain clothes.

Someone stepped forward and lifted the curtain. As soon as the group entered, the waiter came to greet them. However, seeing that the group was coming in a fierce manner and had solemn expressions, it did not seem like they were there to have fun. So the waiter did not dare to say anything and obediently sang a few words.

A servant from Guangyuantang announced Cui Shunting's name, and a waiter said, "Honorable guest, please come in!" He then led everyone to a private room inside.

The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air in the tiled houses, and the place was bustling with people.

Wang Yin walked to the middle and looked at the ring. Two big men were wrestling on the ring. Both of them were dressed in short clothes. Their muscles and bones were like iron and their skin was like bronze. When they stood on the ring, they were as majestic as iron towers.

The two were agile and skillful, performing various arts back and forth on the stage, which drew cheers from the audience outside the brothel.

At this moment, Cui Shunting was wearing a felt hat and dressed as an ordinary traveling merchant. He stood by the window of the private room with his hands in his sleeves, watching the performance below.

Upon seeing Wang Yin and the others approach, he closed the door and said to Wang Yin as he entered, "Sit down!"

Wang Yin didn't stand on ceremony and asked, "What is the matter that you are in such a hurry to see the Emperor?"

Inside the room were several young women from Goryeo, kneeling on prayer cushions, grinding tea cakes, serving tea, and preparing tea for them with great skill.

“In Goryeo, some people are getting restless again, trying to rebel while the king is away.”

Wang Yin's eyes widened instantly. "Is this really true?"

"We dare not deceive you."

Wang Yin, a seasoned interrogator, immediately sensed something was amiss. Why was Cui Shunting so nonchalant about what had happened in his country, even appearing somewhat gloating?

At this moment, Cui Shunting was barely holding back her laughter.

My chance has come! (End of Chapter)