You have truly caused me great suffering!

Cui Shunting sat in the large tent, with a plate of pickled radishes, a plate of dried small fish, and a bowl of thin porridge in front of him.

The porridge was very thin, but the millet was new rice bought from Hedong. Each grain was round and bouncy, like a small yellow pearl.

He's been eating simple meals lately, hoping to recover his health.

Choi Soon-jung's wealth was so staggering that the powerful clans of Goryeo once wanted to kill him and divide his wealth among themselves.

But once he climbed onto the big tree of Da Jing, no one dared to make a move against him.

The Xijing Rebellion was, in fact, ignited by him, and it has been exactly six months since then.

The Goryeo court was indeed incredibly weak; without the Daegeung garrison, they would crumble at the slightest touch.

Many local powerful families had long been dissatisfied with the Goryeo court, especially the group of Confucian scholars in Gaegyeong who constantly talked about sages and classics.

Now that Dajing has invested so much money and built so many workshops, it's making a fortune every day.

However, it was all swallowed up by the powerful families of Kaijing, leaving the local area with not a single bit of profit.

The problem in this world is not scarcity but inequality; people's hearts have long been scattered.

As for matters of national interest and ethnic sentiment, they don't care.

Anyone who touches my interests, I will fight back against them, regardless of the consequences.

There aren't that many people in this world with far-sighted vision; most people just do things according to their human nature.

They didn't stand in the positions of Chen Shao, Li Tangchen, or Liu Jizu, nor did they have Cai Jing's pursuit of posthumous fame. Therefore, they could only think about problems and weigh the pros and cons from their own interests.

Now that they are against Goryeo, they never considered that if Goryeo were to fall, Daegeung would seize the opportunity to enter and incorporate Goryeo into its empire.

What they have gained and seized is nothing but a mirage, something to be possessed only for a fleeting moment.

At that moment, a clanging sound of metal clashing rang out outside; it was the sound of weapons from Yu Yingbi's personal guards.

They walked with a clanging sound, which Cui Shunting always found ridiculous.

But those guards were indeed very brave, and they had all fought on the battlefield.

After Yu Yingbi came in, he seemed to be quite familiar with Cui Shunting, joking, "The dinner tonight is rather lavish."

Jing Jun had not made a move for six months, which was very advantageous for the rebels, so Yu Yingbi treated him very politely.

Cui Shunting chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, would you like something to eat?"

The rebels were extremely arrogant; they had barely begun their rebellion when Yu Yingbi ascended the throne and declared himself emperor.

This seems to be a characteristic of the group of people from Xijing.

The last time the monk Miaoqing rebelled, he also declared himself emperor on the very first day.

The country was originally called 'Dawei', but fearing that Dajing would blame them, they changed it to 'Weiguo'.

In fact, it wasn't just the Goryeo king and his ministers who petitioned Chen Shao for support; the country also submitted several memorials hoping to receive investiture from Daejeong.

If the Great Jing Dynasty truly bestows titles upon them, it would essentially solidify their status as the founding of a nation, which would then enjoy at least a century of prosperity.

The weight of an imperial edict issued by the Great Jing Dynasty today is unmatched by that of the Song or Jin dynasties.

Seeing his behavior, Yu Yingbi felt slightly displeased: If you join our side, you will be my subject.

But you did not show the courtesy due to a king.

However, considering that he might have the support of Da Jing, Yu Yingbi did not dare to show his displeasure.

"Is there any imperial decree from Jinling?"

When Cui Shunting heard him ask this, he immediately felt a little guilty, because he had not received any instructions from Jinling.

The split in Haidong and the rebellion in Xijing were major events in Goryeo, but they were not even worth mentioning in Jinling.

Chen Shao has basically not inquired about it for the past six months.

Cui Shunting coughed lightly and said, "Jinling did send people over a few times, only telling me to keep an eye on things and report to Jinling immediately if anything happens, but they didn't leave any imperial edict."

He certainly wouldn't show weakness, nor would he dare to. Being in the camp in Xijing, he had to guard against these people resorting to desperate measures.

Of course, the current situation is still quite good, and there is no possibility that they will take extreme measures.

Is the Goryeo affair a small matter?

It's actually not small.

This territory is very important. The reason Chen Shao ignored it was not because he didn't value it, but because he used the "stretching" technique.

This was the strategy he had set from the very beginning.

The longer the stalemate lasts, the more intense the fight becomes, and the less likely it is that they will be able to reconcile.

They will fight to the bitter end.

At that time, they will be even more eager for Da Jing as their foreign aid.

Just like when the Tang Dynasty conquered Goguryeo, it cooperated with Silla to form an allied force. They first joined forces to destroy Goguryeo's ally, Baekje, cutting off Goguryeo's strategic support in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.

Then, watching the two countries fight, under the pressure of the Tang Dynasty, Goguryeo itself developed cracks. The Tang Dynasty seized the opportunity and, under the order of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, sent the famous general Li Ji to lead a large army, which joined forces with the Silla army to attack Goguryeo from both land and sea.

In 668, the Tang-Luo allied forces captured Pyongyang, the capital of Goguryeo, and took King Gojang and the ruler Yeon Nam-geon prisoner, thus officially ending the Goguryeo dynasty.

Li Zhi, like his stepmother and wife, was someone who wouldn't suffer any loss; he considered it a loss if he didn't pick up money while walking.

He destroyed Goguryeo, but didn't give Silla any of the promised conditions, and the alliance immediately broke down.

Despite the strength of the Tang Dynasty at the time, its elite border troops repeatedly defeated Silla in the Battle of Seven Fortresses and the Battle of Maexo Fortress, but were never able to completely conquer it.

The protracted war depleted the nation's resources, forcing the Tang Dynasty to relocate the Andong Protectorate from Pyongyang to Liaodong, effectively abandoning the area south of the Daedong River.

Silla sent envoys to apologize, acknowledged its vassal status, and paid tribute, restoring tributary relations, but it effectively controlled the entire territory of Baekje and southern Goguryeo.

In other words, this place is militarily capable, and its terrain is ideal for engaging in a fierce battle with a major power.

Chen Shao did not want to get bogged down in any war; he needed to let the Goryeo rebellion ferment further before he would take action.

Making a move now might be able to conquer Goryeo, but it would come at a great cost.

Unlike other emperors, Chen Shao no longer needed any achievements to prove himself, and frankly, he himself didn't care much about such empty titles.

What he wants are tangible benefits and future stability.

Therefore, he is not eager for quick success, but patiently and slowly cooks up this good meal.

The name "Goryeo" sounds incredibly nourishing.

Cui Shunting was unaware of Chen Shao's thoughts and thought he really didn't care much about Goryeo, which made her even more anxious.

Those who betray their country are often more anxious than their masters.

Because at worst, Da Jing wouldn't get this land that didn't belong to them in the first place, while he himself had staked his entire fortune and clan. If he failed, he wouldn't even have a place to stand, let alone a burial place after death, and his descendants would bear the shameful infamy. Cui Shunting secretly took a breath, reminding himself that he needed to remain calm, especially at times like this, and not let Yu Yingbi see through his disguise.

He gently stirred the porridge with a spoon and said slowly, "If Your Majesty is truly in a hurry, I am willing to make a trip to Jinling to hear Your Majesty's decree."

"Brother Cui, you can meet the Emperor?" Upon hearing this, Yu Yingbi even changed his form of address.

Cui Shunting smiled calmly, "When I was in Nanjing, I often met with the Emperor. This calligraphy was written by His Majesty himself and given to me."

Yu Yingbi glanced at the calligraphy behind him. This matter couldn't be faked, because Cui Shunting told everyone that if this were fake, he wouldn't dare to be so arrogant.

The more smug the merchant in front of him was, the more at ease Yu Yingbi felt.

He immediately smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Cui. If I can be granted an official title, I'm willing to share the world with you."

When Yu Yingbi said this, he was very sincere, and his eyes revealed a genuine sincerity.

Unfortunately, Cui Shunting didn't believe a word of it.

Throughout history, rebels have dared to make any promises before they succeed.

They often deny it afterward.

Making grand promises is an essential skill for any ruthless leader. If you can't make grand promises, why would you expect your men to follow you and risk their lives for you?

Cui Shunting took a spoonful of porridge and thought to himself, "What use is half of Haidong to me? What I want is a nobleman of the Great Jing Dynasty, who will live and die with the nation."

Whether this matter can be accomplished depends on whether I can present Goryeo to the Emperor, or how much of a role I can play in it.

In recent years, many scholars have returned from the Imperial Academy of the Great Jing Dynasty, and because of this prestigious aura, most of them have entered officialdom.

They have formed a force.

Cui Shunting knew that if she didn't hurry, the country would no longer be hers to sell.

Korea is only so big. If you don't sell, there are plenty of people who are willing to.

Although he had only recently proposed this trip to Nanjing, he had been preparing for it privately for a long time.

If I can meet with the Emperor this time, I must explain the seriousness of the situation thoroughly and urge him to send troops immediately.
"Brother Cui, just let me know if you need anything!"

Cui Shunting was immediately in a dilemma. What did His Majesty want?

He really wants to not need anything.
-
The weather in Nanjing is getting hotter and hotter.

Chen Shao estimated that the day of leaving for the summer palace was not far off, so he often went to Baozhen Temple.

Although the Summer Palace was not far from Jinling, Chen Shao rarely came down once he went up there.

Unless there is some unavoidable ritual or ceremony.

Or, like the previous Qinzhou earthquake, it may have been a natural disaster.

The Baozhen Temple is quite well-maintained. There is a lakeside pavilion right outside one of the gates, surrounded by several pear trees.

Further in, there is a small garden with many gardenias planted in the yard.

This flower is as white as jade and has a wonderful fragrance; many wealthy families in Nanjing like to grow it.

From May to July each year, the petals are full and can be worn in hair buns, or used for incense and tea brewing.

Today, Maode took the initiative to send someone to call Chen Shao, saying that he wanted to come and admire the flowers.

There is a small spring in the garden, which has been decorated by craftsmen with white marble, and the water flows to the waterside pavilion outside.

Although Chen Shao was about to leave, she still seemed very happy. Seeing the western sun making the lake surface shimmer and sparkle, she ran to the spring, scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on her face, then turned back and smiled, "The water is quite refreshing."

Maode is a typical example of natural beauty.

She rarely wears makeup and always goes out without any makeup, so she can just splash water on her face without worrying about ruining her makeup.

Although she was the most orthodox court lady, after giving birth to a son and a daughter, Maode seemed to lose some of her noble air and gain a more approachable and refreshing feeling, like a beautiful girl from a commoner's family in her childhood.

A person's mood is a magical thing; it can be influenced by the people around them. Chen Shao was also affected by her and felt much happier.

He strolled toward the spring, looked down and saw a petal floating on the water. He picked it up and noticed that the petal still had water droplets on it. He then looked up at the water on Maode's face and felt a resemblance, which made him like it even more.

"Is the Summer Palace prettier or this place?" Maode suddenly asked mischievously.

"They're pretty much the same," Chen Shao replied casually, though the Summer Palace was actually much prettier than this place.

However, Baozhen Temple also has its unique features. After all, Li Qingzhao was here, and she had the financial support, so she certainly wouldn't let the garden become vulgar.

These two places are essentially a contest between Li Qingzhao and Zhao Ji.

Chen Shao always felt that Zhao Ji's aesthetic sense was superior.
Despite his dislike for him, Chen Shao had to admit that this man had a genius side.

"I'm a little reluctant to leave you here. Will you blame me?"

Chen Shao regretted it as soon as he finished speaking. He felt that it was better not to say such things to a woman. Although he was speaking from the heart, he was afraid that she might not have thought anything of it at first, but would feel wronged after hearing it.

Even the emperor didn't want to coax women.

Fortunately, Maud was no ordinary person; a real princess doesn't have princess syndrome.

Maode, the princess among princesses and the princess among imperial princesses, did not take advantage of the situation. Instead, she smiled and said, "No, I'm doing very well here. I have Yi'an and my sister-in-law with me, and I can go out for a walk if I get bored."

"If I miss you, I'll just tell you, and you'll come." Maode seemed to have remembered something; her father had never been so kind to the women in the harem before.

Although Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) was very kind to those around him, he was too lustful and would bring new women into the palace almost every few days.

Moreover, they prefer girls aged thirteen or fourteen.

Many concubines in the imperial harem rarely received the emperor's favor or the emperor's presence.

Therefore, in Maode's view, Chen Shao was already very devoted and considerate.

She didn't even feel that the number of times they met was too few.

Chen Shao felt even more affection for her, put his arm around her waist, and leaned down to kiss her.

Maode has a graceful and curvaceous figure, and she regained her figure after pregnancy with almost no movement.

It's as if her beauty must be displayed at all times.

This whole family is full of extraordinary talents.

Yi'an and Song Shi also arrived together from afar; the three women were all beautiful, plump, gentle, and talented.

On gentle, pleasant afternoons and evenings, Chen Shao forgot all his other worries, immersing himself in the tranquility of the air, finding peace of mind and body.

A simple home-cooked meal, four people sharing food, and soft whispers under the red candlelight—all these create a peaceful and warm atmosphere.

The occasional enthusiastic and joyful laughter, and the entanglement in the bedroom, all thoroughly satisfied him. (End of Chapter)