Only after the rebellion succeeded did they realize that this place was...

"His Majesty!"

"The Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong have fled the capital city of Dongjing, and their whereabouts are now unknown."

The tranquility within the Chuigong Hall did not last long. Suddenly, a loud shout from an approaching imperial guard rang out, startling all the officials, who all turned to look at Emperor Liu Hong.

Liu Hong's face remained calm, his emotions unreadable, but his eyes were filled with pressure as he looked down at the assembled officials. The sharp, imperial gaze immediately suppressed the complex thoughts of these officials.

All the officials bowed their heads, not daring to look at each other.

But Liu Hong was not about to give up easily; a cold smile appeared on his face.

"deliver an imperial order!"

"The former Song imperial family, I am concerned for the people's livelihood and do not wish to start another war. However, if any person stubbornly resists or plots against the dynasty, their family members and relatives by marriage may be exempted from punishment if reported. Otherwise, the women will be sent to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution), where they will be of lowly status for generations to come and will never be able to change their fate. The men will be imprisoned and sentenced to death, and will be executed in the autumn..."

"There must be no mistakes!"

Another imperial edict from the new dynasty was issued.

The officials in the hall had barely calmed their racing hearts, but their inner thoughts had become even more complicated.

Only the ringleaders will be punished; their associates will not be implicated.

The calamity should not be allowed to continue, and everyone should supervise each other to ensure the law is followed and to prevent the clan from suffering further misfortune.

This action and this move demonstrate the qualities of a wise ruler.

No wonder that in just seven years, the Song Dynasty was overthrown and a new Han Dynasty was established.

The resentment he felt earlier from being dismissed from office was completely extinguished by the swift and decisive measures taken at this moment, and he dared not let it rise again.

Even if the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong escaped, what then?

The Song Dynasty had come to an end; the capital city of Bianjing (Kaifeng) had fallen; the emperor had surrendered; and the imperial city had changed hands.

After all his actions, he has lost the hearts of the people. The legitimate ruler of the Nine Provinces can only cause minor problems and is of little importance.

"Grand Commander!"

Liu Hong continued to speak.

Geng Jie immediately stepped forward. Holding a tablet, he was broad-shouldered and burly, with a square face. His noble air in his purple robe could not conceal the fierce courage of a military general.

But at this moment, he was filled with shame.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Hong's gaze remained calm, and his voice remained cold and unchanged in the face of the scene before him.

"As the Grand Commander, one should have the authority to control one's subordinates! Now, he has neglected his duties, failed in defense, and failed in discipline. He shall be punished with ten strokes of the cane and fined one month's salary. Does anyone object?"

"Your humble servant is willing to accept punishment."

Geng Jie bent down and nodded heavily.

Then!

The imperial guards entered, looking around without mercy, until they brought Geng Jie outside the hall, and then a deep, powerful sound rang out.

Bang bang bang bang! ! ! !

It seemed to strike the hearts of all former Song officials, filling them with fear.

At the same time, Liu Hong's voice rang out again.

"The world belongs to my new Han Dynasty. Since it is a new dynasty, new laws should be followed... Even scholar-officials can be punished. Those who dare to violate the laws of this dynasty, I will not let them off lightly!"

Liu Hong looked at the assembled officials, his voice even colder than before.

The officials of the new Han dynasty were relatively easy to deal with.

When we were conquering the country, the laws were first established. Today, we can say that things are generally stable and have become the norm.

Liu Hong had little patience for these former Song officials.

"Is the Yangzhou Vice Prefect available?"

The new emperor...

No, you should call him Your Majesty!

Is His Majesty calling me?

Sheng Hong, dressed in green, bent down, looking puzzled. At this moment, he was inconspicuous among the officials of the old dynasty.

However, this was because the first imperial edict had been issued earlier.

Sixth-rank officials were undoubtedly highly sought after in this new dynasty, with promising futures ahead of them.

Therefore, his colleagues carefully reminded him.

"Brother Sheng, before you went to the capital, it seems your official position was that of the Vice Prefect of Yangzhou?"

Coming to his senses, Sheng Hong nodded hastily. Without hesitation, he stepped out from the ranks of officials and bowed deeply to Liu Hong on the throne. Then, with a look of fear and a forced composure, he said, "Your humble servant, Sheng Hong, Prefect of Yangzhou, greets Your Majesty!"

"What position do I hold now? As the Vice Prefect of Yangzhou, I can't even reach this capital city of Dongjing, let alone ascend to the Chuigong Hall."

At this moment, Liu Hong looked down at Sheng Hong below the stage. The emperor's angry expression between his brows slowly dissipated, replaced by a slight smile, as if the scene before him was truly amusing.

Even his tone became a little lighter.

"Your Majesty, my official rank is that of a sixth-grade Chengzhilang!"

Sheng Hong told him the truth, but a glimmer of hope also appeared in his heart.

Could it be?

Liu Hong leaned forward slightly, a hint of approval appearing on his handsome face. He nodded, then asked, "Does the Imperial Attendant know where I come from?"

This is an easy question.

Sheng Hong was secretly pleased, and his composure seemed even more genuine.

"Your Majesty is from Guangling in Yangzhou, the place where the dragon rose to power."

"Ha ha ha ha!!!!"

Liu Hong suddenly burst into laughter. Looking at Sheng Hong in front of him, he could only say that the other party was just like the one in the story, good at scheming.

But that's just right.

The money spent on buying a horse's bones ends up in the hands of family members; it's better to keep the good stuff within the family.

In addition, Sheng Hong is capable and cautious, and he is determined to strengthen his family. He would never collude with cronies to do anything that would harm the court.

Liu Hong is at ease with this person.

Not to mention that the Sheng family also had a man whom Liu Hong regarded as even more upright and capable of being a prime minister.

Therefore, it is even more necessary to use it in advance.

As Liu Hong reminisced, his tone inevitably carried a hint of melancholy.

"When I was in Yangzhou, I had heard of the reputation of the Vice Prefect! Although his family was not at peace, his official reputation was excellent. He had connections with the Emperor and controlled local officials. He managed affairs large and small in an orderly manner. Yangzhou was indeed much more peaceful during those years."

"Your Majesty's words are wise! This humble subject has merely fulfilled his duty as an official. In the past, Yangzhou was perhaps swayed by Your Majesty's divine aura, which deterred the local scoundrels. This humble subject is truly unworthy of such praise!"

Sheng Hong, his scepter pointing downwards, continued to bend over, showing no sign of smugness, only his usual honesty and dutifulness.

But those words were certainly pleasing to the ear.

Liu Hong was even more pleased upon seeing this.

"deliver an imperial order!"

"Sheng Hong is promoted to the rank of Chengzhilang (a sixth-rank official) and temporarily appointed as Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. He will also lead 300 palace guards to manage the order of the capital. Anyone who dares to violate the law will be imprisoned and punished according to the law without any leniency."

"..."

When the new emperor arrived in the capital, all the officials went to the palace.

The first court assembly was now considered over.

However, once he left the Chuigong Hall, Sheng Hong, who was already favored by the emperor in everyone's eyes, was half happy and half worried.

Promotion is a good thing, especially one that goes straight from the sixth rank to the third rank, a three-level promotion; but the job itself is a headache to think about.

He, Sheng Hong, has probably reached the critical juncture.

"No! We need to go back to Shou'an Hall and have a proper discussion with the old lady."

After thinking it over, Sheng Hong bid farewell to his colleagues and quickly boarded the carriage to return to the Sheng family, not daring to delay for even a moment.

Gradually, the officials left one after another.

But within this imperial city, the new dynasty still has much to do.

After the new emperor Liu Hong finished his court session, he rested for a while in the Wende Hall.

But shortly after they sat down, the head eunuch serving them, with a smile on his face, suddenly suggested, "This trip was rushed, and His Majesty has come in person, with only this servant by his side."

"But this servant is clumsy and incompetent; how could I possibly take good care of Your Majesty's health? Perhaps we should bring the eldest daughter of the Sheng family into the palace..."