You have truly caused me great suffering!

Alangxi was captured in July and taken to Nanjing in August.

Compared to the fact that he was escorted here, the month-long escort period was actually more interesting to Chen Shao.

This indicates that roads in the southwest have become somewhat clearer.

He specifically asked and found out that the route was still the Temo Road, then through Yunnan and Guizhou into the Yangtze River, and downstream.

Chen Shao issued a special decree to reward Wu Jie, Zhang Shuye, Gao Shunzhen, and others, as their efforts in managing Yunnan and Guizhou appeared to have been remarkably effective.

The road problem has always been the root of all problems.

If all regions had smooth roads, the cost of governance would be greatly reduced.

The treatment of a captured ruler is generally inversely proportional to the degree of resistance you resist.

The more fiercely you resist, the worse the outcome will be.

But Bagan is an exception.

When Jing Jun's army arrived at the city of Baigan, the capital of the capital.

Alancidu spent all the royal wealth to recruit warriors and defend the fortress to the death.

Because Baigan City did not have city walls. In fact, true city walls only existed in the Central Plains and the former territories of Jiaozhi, Western Xia, and Khitan.

In other areas, wooden fences were the most common, rendering them useless against the cannons of the Great View.

He also personally executed the prince who wanted to surrender out of fear.

Finally, he went into battle bare-chested, leading the royal army in a desperate attempt to destroy everything.

He inflicted more damage on the Wuman troops in Yunnan than he had on the combined forces of Siam, Champa, and Annam.

As a result, all the tribes of Wuman wanted to kill him to vent their anger.

But Chen Shao did not kill him, nor did he parade him through the streets as a sign of victory. Instead, he gave him a house in the suburbs of Jinling and told them to fend for themselves.

Some nosy locals who don't know what Bagan is often go there to visit, blocking people's doorsteps.

The Jinling government even posted a notice prohibiting anyone from coming to harass them.

After Bagan was captured, many powerful government offices complained bitterly, thinking they had just gained more work to do.

They later discovered that the cost of managing the area was manageable.

Because Chengtian Temple made a move.

Bagan is a thoroughly Buddhist country, where everyone believes in Buddhism. As long as these monks are subdued, they will naturally have ways to persuade the people to submit.

Actually, this is still a matter of combat effectiveness.

The Tang and Song dynasties largely adopted a policy of appeasement towards the Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan regions within their own borders, not because they were unaware of the significant benefits of conquering them.

Instead, conquering the land would require significant financial and logistical expenditures, and the complete relocation of the local population to centrally administered areas would take nearly a century.

How long does a dynasty last?
Emperors all read history books. Although they all wanted their dynasties to last forever, they also knew in their hearts that two hundred years was already a very long dynasty.

Why bother attacking these places? They're not like the northern barbarians who can destroy a country. Just let the local officials keep them in check.

As long as they nominally respect their monarch, it's fine.

But the Great Jing were different; they attacked too quickly, like the Mongols sweeping across Eurasia, and they were unstoppable wherever they went.

It seems destined that a force will emerge to deliver a sound thrashing to the Eurasian powers that have enjoyed a peaceful existence for millennia due to their favorable climate.

Historically, the Jin dynasty, which rose to power, was too small in size to support such a grand display.

After a century or so of stagnation, Mongolia emerged.

Now, this task has been taken over by the even more formidable Da Jing, who has the backing of the Central Plains.

That wouldn't be as simple as just launching a general attack like the Mongols.
It's not that they really want to swallow you all up.

The so-called 'golden ages' of the Southern Wilderness are utterly insignificant compared to the Great Mirror, and their golden ages are not of much value.

This means that maritime trade flourished, religious and cultural exchanges were integrated, politics were relatively stable, and there were no large-scale wars in the region.

At best, it would only reduce the number of people who starve to death; in essence, it was still a semi-tribal, semi-slave society.

With Dali and Annam as their two iron fists, backed by Dajing's abundant resources and advanced weaponry, their southern expedition was a complete subversion of the enemy's strength.

Subsequent construction and assimilation may take more time because few Han Chinese are willing to migrate.

Even if the terms offered are very generous, it's the same.

The Great Jing Dynasty could only keep raising its prices, and by going to new places, it could obtain land, tax exemption, seeds, and farming tools.

Officials who are willing to go will receive bonus points in their performance evaluations after a few years and will be given priority for promotion.

They will definitely be able to return to the Central Plains, and there is a high probability that they will be given an important position, which is a significant advantage in performance evaluations.

August marks the Mid-Autumn Festival and the annual autumn harvest season.

This is a truly important matter for the nation; food is the foundation of everything.

Chen Shao made a special trip back to the capital to oversee and coordinate this year's autumn harvest.

Officials in various regions also became nervous. The treatment of officials in the Great Jing Dynasty was so generous that no one wanted to lose their position.

Walking along the road, Chen Shao could also feel the atmosphere of the autumn harvest. In the suburbs of Jinling, there were piles of grain.

It seems like you can smell the fragrance of rice in the air.

Since he was the only one returning, Chen Shao chose to ride a horse back to the capital, surrounded by his guards.

When they arrived near a house, a guard told him that it was the home of King Arang Sidu of Bagan.

Chen Shao nodded, said nothing, and continued riding away.

Over the years, many rulers of the Great Viet Dynasty have either voluntarily surrendered or been captured. Some, like Zhang Boyu and Gao Shunzhen, have fared well, while others, like Li Qiande of the Great Viet Dynasty in Jiaozhi, have been beheaded.

Chen Shao felt that they were just ordinary people in Dajing now.

Upon returning to the capital, Chen Shao immediately went to the lecture hall in the outer city.

The busy crowd rose to their feet and bowed, but Chen Shao casually waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for such formalities.

He walked to the innermost table, stood beside it, and began to peruse the documents on the table.

A perceptive official quickly brought over a chair, but Chen Shao did not sit down.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty. The autumn grains from various regions have been stored away one after another. Last year was already a rare bumper year, and this year's harvest will be even better."

Chen Shao nodded. If the Ministry of Agriculture receives so much funding each year and fails to produce any results, he wouldn't let them off the hook.

The widespread use of farming tools and oxen, the development and exploitation of water conservancy, the seed improvement efforts led by the Ministry of Agriculture, and the adaptation to local conditions all greatly increased yields.

Since the founding of the Great Jing Kingdom, the only two national policies that have remained unchanged and have been consistently implemented are river repair and agricultural assistance.

Zhang Run said with a smile, "Your Majesty, the three-year tax exemption in Youyan and Yunzhong has already passed. Taxes should have been collected in the fourth year of Jianwu. Your Majesty loves the people like your own children and exempted them from taxes. Last year, you were granted an extra favor and exempted them from taxes again. This year, the output of Youyan and Yunzhong reached three million shi, which is quite considerable."

Chen Shao was also somewhat moved, noting that the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun had already begun paying taxes.

From the decline of the Liao Dynasty to the later Liao-Song War, Liao-Jin War, Song-Jin War, and the Guo Yaoshi Rebellion.
After so many years of fighting, I wonder if Youyun has recovered its former glory.

The Yunzhou area, backed by the Hedong region and bordering the Gobi Desert to the north, was a thriving center of tea and horse trade. As for Youzhou, it goes without saying that it has always been a strategically important location with well-trained troops and ample supplies.

After being ravaged for so many years, this ancient land has begun to rejuvenate. "By imperial decree, all Dingnan soldiers who are settled locally will be exempt from grain taxes and duties for the next three years."

The development and recovery of the north will still take some time.

The Great Jing Dynasty established its capital in Jinling, and the wealthy lands to the south already benefited greatly from this.

Every dynasty that wanted long-term stability had to consider the balance between the north and the south.

Once the balance is lost, the consequences can be severe.

At this point, it became necessary to use the Ming Dynasty as a negative example.
In the late Ming Dynasty, people in the north were so hungry that they started eating people, while the south was experiencing unprecedented prosperity.

When Zhu Yuanzhang first established the Ming Dynasty, the north had already been lost for hundreds of years, and the situation was even more serious than it is today.

He himself had this idea: to narrow the differences between the North and the South and win over the hearts of the Northerners.

That's why the imperial examination scandal broke his defenses so badly.

Unfortunately, later generations lacked Zhu Yuanzhang's wisdom, which gradually led to a widening gap between the North and the South.

The ministers were somewhat moved as they watched His Majesty enter and silently read the reports.

He stood there for about half an hour without moving, clearly watching very intently.

This is why His Majesty has always lived in the imperial palace, yet no one has ever accused him of being lazy or neglecting his duties.

His Majesty has always cared for the Great Jing and cherished the people.

Chen Shao's visits were very purposeful. Places like Liangzhe Road, Jiangnan East Road, and Hexi Longyou were optional; he could still deliver good results every year.

He was particularly concerned about the areas north of Youyan, An'nan Road, and Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Chongqing.

As expected, Annam is once again a major grain producer this year.

Considering that their arable land is mainly concentrated in the Red River Plain, other places are not considered very productive.

This output of 1.2 million shi is indeed quite substantial.

No wonder Li Qiande dared to keep provoking the Song Dynasty. They did have some confidence, but unfortunately they encountered the Jing Dynasty at its peak. Otherwise, the Da Yue Dynasty in Jiaozhi would definitely be a thorn in the side of the south.

Let's fight. The mountains and rivers are a barrier; the Liangzhou area is known as the Ten Thousand Mountains.

If we don't fight, he will invade and plunder every year, slaughtering the border people and causing the various ethnic groups on the border to become disloyal to the Central Plains dynasty.

After finishing the basic reading, Chen Shao nodded in satisfaction and smiled as he congratulated his ministers.

Compared to this, other great victories and territorial expansions seem very distant.

Even in the Hall of State Affairs, the center of power in this great kingdom, many people had no concept of the Bagan Dynasty.

They couldn't imagine how big Bagan was.
In fact, this territorial expansion has reached the 'ends of the earth'.

Further south lies the vast Indian Ocean, while to the west, mountain ranges block the way, making it impossible to cross in a short time.

The civil officials could hardly believe that the Great Jing army had conquered a territory almost the size of the Central Plains in just five or six years.

The speed of this expansion was unprecedented, so there was no experience to follow and they could only figure it out little by little.

Perhaps when the imperial court actually benefits from these areas, people will be amazed by the achievements of the past few years.

Chen Shao never tried to force them to learn his teachings; the civil officials diligently completed their tasks, and this became a habit.

As for where each shipment of supplies went and what role it played, most officials didn't really care.

As long as his salary is enough, he'll just show up and do his job; he's too lazy to care about anything else.

Thanks to their efforts, the army has been unable to stop.

Driven by enormous profits, they continued to expand. Those who had made enough could stop and enjoy their gains, but countless others were still waiting in the wings.

Chen Shao carefully controlled it, but in reality, his control was limited.

After he tacitly approved, or even condoned, the army's actions in the southern wilderness, all that remained was for Chen Shao to take the risk.

The success of the Southern Wilderness destined the Great Jing to become an ever-expanding machine, as long as the emperor did not intervene to forcibly interrupt it.

And those endless profits are like fuel that is constantly being added to this war machine.

As it turned out, Chen Shao's gamble paid off. The Da Jing army had basically taken over the southern wilderness, but no major chaos broke out.

Instead, it benefited the Central Plains, making them even stronger, and the imperial power received an epic boost.

Next, another great battle awaited him: the Western Expedition.
The western expedition was different from the war in the southern wilderness. The numerous island nations in the southern wilderness meant that they were destined to be unable to unite.

However, during the westward expedition, regardless of their faith, they would have the opportunity to unite.
-
The war in Goryeo finally reached a point of utter chaos and devastation.

September.

Two months after the siege of Gaegyeong, Goryeo soldiers risked their lives to escort Wang Kai to Daegeung for refuge.

He was supposed to continue commanding troops to quell the rebellion, but Wang Kai had no military power whatsoever.

He was too lazy to put on a show in Baozhou, Liaodong, and went directly to Jinling by boat.

Chen Shao still received him, but Wang Kai surprisingly did not mention the matter of borrowing troops.

He had seen through it all; the country was now beyond repair.

The rest is up to them to work hard.

If Kim Bu-sik and these Confucian scholars truly quelled the rebellion in Seogyeong, they would certainly welcome him back to continue as king.

Wang Kai wasn't born so颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it conveys a sense of listlessness, apathy, and apathy). In fact, he was quite ambitious during the suppression of Li Ziqian's rebellion.

The mistake was that Qu Duan went to Goryeo at an inopportune time.

It's not that Qu Duan's departure was of no benefit to him, but rather that the existence of Jing Jun made it too quick and too easy for Li Ziqian's rebellion to be quelled.

Jing Jun used a decapitation strike.

Many issues remained unresolved; the only solution was the elimination of Li Ziqian.

Meanwhile, the civil officials seized power and put the king, Wang Kai, on a pedestal.

It can be said that Wang Kai's power was not as great as it was during Li Ziqian's rule.

Don't be fooled by the Confucian scholars like Kim Bu-sik who constantly talk about loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. In their eyes, a good ruler should govern by doing nothing and handing over all power to them, the civil officials.

Unfortunately, their governance skills were mediocre, and they ruined Goryeo.

The river flows gently, and the autumn atmosphere is very strong.

There was already a chill in the air.

Returning to this place, Wang Kai felt utterly despondent. In the past, when he came here, he would occasionally think about the hardships his ancestors had endured to build their business.

At this moment, he didn't think about any of these things at all; instead, Buddhist scriptures kept replaying in his mind.

Just a few days ago, he met with Emperor Jing. While the officials of Goryeo were hoping that he would tearfully beg Emperor Jing to send troops, Wang Kai chose to drink silently.

Even Chen Shao was quite surprised.

The officials who accompanied him were very dissatisfied with him, resenting that he did not seek Emperor Jing's help, and they all glared at him behind his back.

Wang Kai completely ignored them and suddenly pointed to the shore, saying, "If I could build a residence here, live a secluded life amidst the misty waves, indifferent to the rise and fall of cities, and oblivious to the sounds of temple bells and drums, simply watching the winds rise and the waves surge, what more could I ask for in this life?" (End of Chapter)