You have truly caused me great suffering!

In February of the fifth year of Jianwu, Chen Shao was blessed with a son and a daughter.

Liu Caiwei gave birth to a prince named Chen Heng; Jin Mo'er gave birth to a princess named Chen Zhaoheng.

The court and the public were very satisfied with Chen Shao, feeling that His Majesty had not forgotten to expand the family line while governing the country.

Just two days later, the first batch of prisoners from the Southern Wilderness were escorted to Jinling.

Chen Shao did not hold any celebration at the Hot Spring Palace, and he hated that these southern barbarians refused to surrender. He felt that they surrendered to the French but were stubborn to the death when facing him, so he directly ordered them to be executed.

The entire army breathed a sigh of relief.

Since His Majesty was away, the officials in the capital organized their own morale-boosting event.

Originally, the troops coming from the south could have reached the imperial city the fastest if they had gone through Zhengyang Gate.

However, the imperial court arranged a route for them along Jinchuan Gate, Zhongfumen Street to Dashi Street.

Because that area is the commercial district of the capital, the most densely populated place, it is a good opportunity to demonstrate the military prowess of the imperial court to the common people along the way.

The Ministry of War and the Privy Council each sent a civil official and a nobleman to welcome the prisoners, and the Beijing Garrison sent infantry and cavalry to provide support, arranging a grand ceremony for the presentation of the prisoners.

At each city gate, drums were sounded specifically for the prisoners to be presented. The loud drums rang out, their resounding power echoing throughout the southern part of the capital.

A group of Jing soldiers, clad in heavy armor and riding warhorses, marched along the way. Officials and civilians along the route, regardless of rank, all gave way and waved to them.

Countless onlookers along the way cheered and jeering, as if it were a festival.

Those in the know scoffed, saying that the navy had never worn such attire before; they must have borrowed it from other battalions.

Behind them was a long line of prison carts, in which captured officials and military officers from Jian Yili and Zhenla were paraded through the streets.

Among them were some monks with unusual attire, both Buddhist and Hindu.

The prisoners did not remain in this position throughout the long journey of thousands of miles, otherwise they would have been tortured to death long ago.

They were only made to look like this when they were almost in the city; their heads were sticking out of the holes in the top of the prison van, and they could only stand inside the van, unable to move.

Amid the noisy crowds on both sides, many people cursed and shouted various foul words at the passing prisoners, while others threw rotten vegetable leaves, mud, and various rotten eggs.

These nobles from enemy states never actually affected the people of the capital; they were complete strangers, so these things were not important.

After all, the people in the prison van must be bad people. And people always have all sorts of grievances, so they can openly vent their anger without bearing any legal or moral responsibility.

Moreover, it's hard to say that these nobles bear no responsibility for the attacks on miners in Jianyi and Zhenla during the Great Jing Dynasty.

The entire nation is envious of the profits from the Dajing Mine, and all they want is a piece of the pie.

Han Fei Zi had already commented on this behavior:

A nation that is small yet does not humble itself, weak yet does not fear the strong, disrespectful to its powerful neighbors, greedy and stubborn yet inept at diplomacy, is doomed to perish.

In fact, similar ceremonies for presenting captives were effective in consolidating imperial power. If it were an ordinary emperor, he would have made a big deal out of it by now.

Even the civil officials of the Song Dynasty, who often opposed war, would certainly have supported such a ceremony of presenting prisoners of war.

However, there were so many of these activities before and after Chen Shao ascended the throne that he himself lost much of his interest.

He was quite supportive of the officials spontaneously organizing the event so that the people could join in the fun.

Upon hearing of this at the Hot Spring Palace, Chen Shao ordered that brocade robes, jade belts, saddles, precious sheaths, and newly minted gold and silver coins be bestowed upon the meritorious soldiers.

These small countries don't really care much about the so-called tributary system.

When the imperial edicts of the Great Jing Dynasty reached them, they rarely received the respect they deserved.

In fact, among all the vassal states, Goryeo was the most sensible.

Fortunately, Chen Shao no longer needs vassal states.

There are not many vassal states left for the Great Jing Dynasty; they have almost all been annexed.

"It's a pity they didn't capture their king, otherwise that would have been truly satisfying!"

"What do you know? If the fighting continues, their king will be captured sooner or later!"

"It's strange, really. In the past, the imperial army could fight for a year. These small southern kingdoms don't seem to be weak at all, managing to hold out for so long."
-
The triennial Grand Imperial Examination has arrived as scheduled.

The imperial examination system in the Great Jing Dynasty was not reformed; it continued the system of the Great Song Dynasty.

In the past, the Song Dynasty held an exam once a year, but later it became an exam once every three years.

Because of the remote areas of Lingnan, Sichuan and Shaanxi, scholars had to travel to the capital for the imperial examinations, which took several months to make the round trip. They had to take the exams every year and were exhausted from the constant travel.

Moreover, the prices in the capital city of Bianliang were high, and those who failed the imperial examinations stayed in the capital to retake the exams. "Rice was expensive and it was not easy to live there," making it difficult for poor scholars to make a living.

Therefore, Emperor Yingzong of Song decided to extend the preparation period to select more mature talents.

This year is the first year after the reform, and many new subjects have been added.

However, the overall procedures remain unchanged.

After the January provincial exams, candidates from all over the country arrived one after another to participate in the February provincial exams.

There are ordinary students among them, as well as students taking the "new school" exam.

Minister of Rites Zhang Xiaochun and the three officials in charge of the imperial examinations began making arrangements early on, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

This year's chief examiner is Bai Shizhong, the current prime minister. Chen Shao had already said he would personally conduct the palace examination in March.

No matter when, this kind of exam is a very important event in the Central Plains.

From the emperor down to the common people, everyone attached great importance to it.

At this moment, all eyes seemed to be on this, to the point that everyone forgot one thing.

Spring has arrived, but His Majesty has still not returned.

He spent more and more time at the Onsen Palace each year.

If we don't go back to Beijing soon, we can go directly to the Zhongshan Mountain Resort in another month or two.

If it weren't for the imperial examinations this year, Chen Shao would have actually planned to do that.

By deliberately relinquishing control, the emperor no longer needed to be in the capital for many matters, and the bureaucratic system of the Great Jing Dynasty became increasingly sound.

This year, a large number of professional 'technocrats' will be selected to enter Dajing's officialdom.

For Chen Shao, this was a great attempt, and he believed it would elevate the national strength of the Great Jing Dynasty to a new level.
-
The moon hangs over the eastern hills, and the sound of the Qinhuai River can be faintly heard.

Inside the Yihong Pavilion, red lanterns were everywhere, and fragrant breezes wafted through the air. The decadent sounds of singing, dancing, and playing instruments could be heard from every painted boat.

Bustling places are never without their share of brothels and entertainment venues.

It is now the time for the spring imperial examinations, and scholars from all over the country are gathering in Nanjing.

Among them, of course, were some spoiled young men. Inside the hall were many casual patrons, also impeccably dressed, leaning against beautiful women, laughing and joking without restraint, but their eyes kept glancing toward the high platform in the hall, as if waiting for something.

The second floor of the main hall is divided into several elegant pavilions, each decorated in a rich and magnificent style, with doors, windows, tables, chairs, desks, and screens all modeled after the Tang Dynasty style.

Several scrolls of gold and green landscape paintings hang on the wall. There is a small terrace facing the hall outside the pavilion. The terrace is covered with greenery on both sides and bonsai trees. The scenery on both sides is not visible, which makes it convenient for guests inside the pavilion to have private conversations.

Inside an elegant pavilion, two young men were enjoying a quiet drink together.

Seeing the eager look in the eyes of Yang Geng, the heir of the Duke of Anguo, Xu Yan, the eldest son of Xu Jin, the Marquis of Pingchou and Minister of Works, said, "Alright, leave this to your brother. To be honest, among all the princes and nobles in the capital, I admire you the most. You refused the hereditary official position bestowed upon you by His Majesty and insisted on taking the exam yourself. You have ambition!"

Yang Geng gave him an annoyed look. "Was it my fault for not resigning? Wasn't it my dad who forced me to quit?"

"So it really was your dad who forced you to do it?"

"Otherwise what?" Yang Geng said angrily, "His own dukedom was dug out of the river, so why didn't he resign? We brothers, did we not go into the water or do any work? His Majesty bestowed ten official positions upon our Yang family, and he forced us to resign from them all!"

Yang Geng drank his wine to the brim, becoming even angrier. "I worked so hard to learn all these skills at the engineering college, and I was just about to show them off in the new-style imperial examinations, but he still wants to stop me! All for his own career and his own reputation, he doesn't treat us like human beings at all!"

"Don't worry, I'll definitely help you!"

Xu Jin was the Minister of Works. The quota for candidates recommended by the Academy of Works to directly enter the provincial examination without taking the preliminary examination was determined based on their usual performance.

As long as he doesn't speak up, no matter how high Yang Cheng'er's rank is, he can't erase his son's name.

In fact, Yang Cheng's actions this time were truly underhanded; he was only trying to gain fame by preventing his son from participating.

He hoped to leave a good name for posterity, so he devoted himself to the cause of repairing the Dajing River, abandoning his family and career.

Moreover, they did not seek fame or fortune, and after achieving success, their descendants continued to make a living by farming, living a life of poverty.

For him, this biography would be a perfect ending.

From the very first day he became an official, he sought neither wealth nor profit; all he sought was a reputation, a reputation that would last for generations.

Unfortunately, my son is disappointing, or rather, he is too ambitious and went to the engineering college to learn a lot of skills.

A while ago, I made some kind of casting, and I heard that it can help the Academy of Engineering make the flintlock gun that His Majesty has been longing for.

"Alright! You're a true buddy!" Yang Geng said with a wry smile, "It wasn't for nothing that I spent all my savings to treat you to drinks here. By the way, why are the drinks here so expensive? Did I get ripped off?"

Xu Yan grinned mischievously. "You don't know? Today is the day the dancers of the Qinhuai River perform, and the price of alcohol is three times higher than usual."

"You thief!"

Yang Geng's heart was bleeding. His Majesty was very generous in rewarding his officials, so many sons of officials had money to spend.

Yang Geng earned all his money himself at the engineering college, and sometimes he even had to help his younger siblings.

Just as Yang Geng finished cursing, he suddenly heard the sound of clappers from downstairs, followed by the sound of string and wind instruments. In an instant, the hall was filled with the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments.

Xu Yan smiled slightly, raised his arm to invite him to walk to the terrace, and advised, "You are also a prince, but how are you any different from a villager in your daily life? Today, I will show you the world!"

A dozen or so beautiful women dressed in elaborate costumes emerged from the dance floor below the stage. Their bodies were like carved jade, their faces like piled flowers, and their slender figures were faintly visible beneath pink gossamer veils.

These women, each holding a long, emerald-green pheasant feather, moved with graceful steps and swayed their slender waists, dancing to the rhythm of the musicians' jade flutes.

The flute music was soothing, and in the distance, one could see women with gentle smiles, like peach and plum blossoms in spring, their graceful dance like willow branches in the wind, every movement charming and alluring.

Many tourists were mesmerized, their eyes fixed on the dancers' voluptuous figures.

Suddenly, the pipes and strings became more intense, the music became more urgent, and the beauties, their skirts spread out, reclined gracefully, breathing softly, their alabaster skin faintly flushed.

A deafening roar of cheers erupted from upstairs and downstairs. The beauties, smiling and holding hands, bowed to the crowd in thanks before leaving the hall.

"How about it?"

Xu Yan looked at Yang Geng, who was already dumbfounded, and asked with a smile.

"Great, that's wonderful! It would be even better if you were treating!"

Xu Yan patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, do you think I don't know you? This meal won't be a waste of your time. You'll find out tonight."

Yang Geng's heart skipped a beat. He swallowed hard and looked at his good brother.

Xu Yan nodded slightly and gave him an encouraging look.

Yang Geng was both happy and angry. Why did you have to treat us to a meal in these few days?

I have a big exam coming up soon, you're just trying to distract me!
Yang Geng took this provincial examination very seriously. He finally saw his father for who he really was, as he cared nothing for his children and grandchildren in pursuit of fame.

That evening, Xu Yan paid him as promised and found him a caring girl.

Then, an anecdote began to circulate on the Qinhuai River.

Some young masters spend lavishly on pleasure boats, where beautiful women keep them company as they study the imperial editions of "The Origin of Artifacts" and "Illustrated Compendium of Crafts" all night long.
-
Unseen by Chen Shao, Yelü Dashi officially began his campaign against Khwarazm.

The two sides clashed in several major battles, but Yelü Dashi, who personally led the army, ultimately won a complete victory.

Sultan Aziz of Khwarazm was forced to submit to the Liao Dynasty and become a vassal state.

They paid tribute annually, initially 3 gold dinars, and were subject to supervision of internal affairs by a "Shaojian" (Shahena) appointed by the Liao Kingdom.

The Liao Dynasty had a wealth of experience in this regard.

Yelü Dashi began to operate a business route and actively communicated with Da Jing.

Immediately following this was Wanyan Balisu's rebellion.

The reason behind this event is quite humorous, making one realize that history does indeed come full circle.
After Wanyan Balisu defected to Yelü Dashi, he was always obedient to orders but not to summons.

His subordinates were all Jurchens, the enemies of the Khitan who had destroyed their country.

The two sides distrust each other simply because Da Jing is too powerful, and they dare not fight amongst themselves, which is why they have joined forces.

As a result, Liao officials, upon entering Wanyan Balisu's territory, would act arrogantly and domineeringly.

Isn't that a coincidence? Back then, it was because the Khitan "angels" were causing trouble among the Jurchen tribes that Wanyan Aguda was provoked to rise up in rebellion.

Do you still dare to do it now?
Wanyan Balisu immediately turned hostile, killed the Liao envoy, and then seized a large area of ​​land while Yelü Dashi was attacking Khwarazm.

Many tribes that had just been conquered by the Khitans seized the opportunity to pledge allegiance to Wanyan Balisu. This made Wanyan Balisu, who had previously been isolated and weak, powerful once again.

Rise to power on the grasslands is that simple. In the Central Plains, you need money, food, and a strong foundation. Here, those who come to you are not individuals, but entire tribes; they are essentially joining you with their resources.

Everyone was being suffocated by the Khitans, and when someone finally came who dared to fight them, they naturally clung to him.

The Jurchens under Wanyan Balisu were all eyewitnesses to the overthrow of the Liao Dynasty, and they harbored a deep-seated contempt and confidence in the Khitans.

The Khitans also harbored deep hatred for the Jurchens, and the enmity between the two sides could not be extinguished.

When Yelü Dashi returned victorious, the two sides confronted each other in the Talas River Valley.

A great battle is about to break out. (End of Chapter)