The third day after the Battle of Yao Mountain, in early June, the rain ceased, and the war rapidly progressed towards a complete and peaceful resolution.

Whether it was confirmation that Wanyan Wushu had fled to Hedong or that the remnants of the Southern Route army had been surrounded and annihilated, the Jin army, having lost its commander, wasted no time. Led by Wanyan Huonv and Wanyan Balisu, they retreated northward in great strides, successively abandoning Fucheng, the Beiluo River estuary camp, and even appearing ready to relinquish the entire Danzhou and Fuzhou...

Wu Jie, the military commander of the Song army, dared not neglect this and immediately dispatched troops in multiple directions. While cautiously recovering lost territory, he also monitored and defended against the still formidable main force of the Jin army. He himself moved to Fangzhou to direct further operations.

Soon, as troops moved north in batches, and with the majority of the wounded transferred to the Wei River plains in the rear, and supplies dispersed, Yao Mountain camp was no longer a place of heavy military concentration.

However, because the Zhao Emperor's dragon banner continued to fly there, the place remained the focus of the world's attention, and the true heart of Guanxi.

For several days in a row, Zhao Jiu, the Zhao Song Emperor, Yuwen Xuzhong, the Guanxi Pacification Commissioner, Zhang Jun, the Transport Commissioner of the Five Routes of Ba and Shu, Hu Yin, the de facto head of the three routes of northern Shaanxi, along with Hanlin Academician Lin Jingmo and Vice-Chancellor of the Privy Council Liu Ziyu, led a group of close ministers who had travelled west, all stopping here.

The Zhao Emperor did not concern himself with other matters. In the course of several days, he only sacrificed to the dead, transcribed the list of those killed in action, and carried out large-scale posthumous ennoblements and enfeoffments for the war dead. The major military and state affairs of Guanzhong were still handled jointly by the three major officials of Guanxi and the accompanying close ministers.

Here, a special mention must be made: this battle was truly tragic.

In fact, before Lou Shi launched his assault, the casualties on both sides remained within a normal ratio. The battles between armored units were intense, and attrition was expected, but both sides had to exert great effort to eliminate a single armored warrior. However, when Lou Shi launched his assault, the troops of Jiao Wentong, Li Yongqi, Xihe Route, and Qinfeng Route encountered a truly devastating rout and wanton massacre. Coupled with the massive stampede after the collapse, the four divisions of the two routes suffered heavy casualties... In the end, the victorious side collected no less than ten thousand corpses, and the number of disabled or seriously wounded who could no longer serve in the military was likely no less than that.

Out of a force of one hundred thousand, twenty thousand were lost in a single battle!

Added to this were the high-ranking generals who had fallen. If Wanyan Lou Shi had not been successfully killed, Han Chang captured alive, and Wanyan Wushu's troops mostly annihilated, the victory might have seemed勉强(mianqiang - forced).

Given the sheer number of losses, the post-battle cleanup would have to be thorough and heavy.

But that was not all. As the tide of war receded, another piece of news, which many had anticipated but was bound to cause a shock in the imperial court, soon arrived.

It was said that after Wanyan Wushu crossed the Yellow River on a wooden raft and arrived at Hezhong Prefecture, he did two things, regardless of the cost:

First, he did not stop himself but immediately set off on a small path towards Huguan, to catch up with the twenty thousand Jin troops he had previously dispatched... This will be left for now.

Second, he urged his elder brother, the Third Prince Eliduo, to immediately order the withdrawal of troops from Luoyang. This frustrated Li Yanxian's tentative moves, and with the withdrawal of Generals Ali and Elubu, the situation in Luoyang was fully revealed, and some things were finally brought to light – Grand Councilor Wang Boyan was confirmed to have immolated himself in the ruins of the old palace after the fall of Luoyang.

This was not the first minister of the level of宰执(zaizhi - top official) to die after the Jingkang Incident, but it was the first one to die for his country since the Jingkang Incident, and its significance was self-evident.

At this point, only the Hebei battlefield between the Song and Jin armies still had some debate, and all others were gradually returning to the pre-war front lines.

And it was in this situation that Xu Jingheng, the Deputy Chief Councilor of the Department of State Affairs, who had been preparing for some time, travelled day and night along the southern bank of the Yellow River to Guanzhong, to Yao Mountain, in mid-June.

Yuwen Xuzhong and other major officials of Guanxi met him ten miles outside the camp, and they talked incessantly. By the time they reached the camp, it was noon. Without resting, the Deputy Chief Councilor came to see the Zhao Song Emperor.

After exchanging greetings, they did not mention other matters but first exchanged a few pleasantries, and then Zhao Jiu asked about the situation in Dongjing.

"Let Your Majesty know," Xu Jingheng said, holding a cup of warm tea with salt added, sitting beside the Zhao Emperor under a mountain-facing pergola behind the camp. He put down his teacup with emotion, "Dongjing this time was a near miss..."

"How so?"

Zhao Jiu, sitting under the pergola, had long stopped writing documents on the desk in front of him, turning to face Xu Jingheng as a sign of respect for Xu Jingheng and the civil and military officials in Dongjing behind him.

"First, Talanei, the Commander of Daming Prefecture, had tens of thousands of troops and made moves that indicated an intention to cross the river downstream and join forces with the puppet Qi, but at that time, the Rear Army of the Imperial Guard had not yet arrived, and the front line of the Imperial Guard was extremely long, and there was panic in the capital..."

"We have set up a good defense line, how dare Talanei dare to fight hard with his nature?" Zhao Jiu sneered in response. "Even those currently in charge on the puppet Qi side would not dare to move lightly, and Liu Yu alone, even if he has the intention of avenging his son, would not dare to defy superiors and inferiors to send troops at the same time."

"Yue Pengju said the same," Xu Jingheng said with a smile. "And it was at that time that he proposed to cross the river north and counterattack..."

"Were there any obstacles in Dongjing at that time?"

"Of course, there were," Xu Jingheng said seriously. "But they were suppressed by Chancellor Lü... Chancellor Lü said that matters should be prioritized, and that Your Majesty in Guanxi is the real foundation, and if Yue Pengju's actions can have any effect on distracting the Jin army in Hedong, it should be done."

"Chancellor Lü has not failed me, and the Department of State Affairs has not failed me," Zhao Jiu sighed. "And Chancellor Wang has not failed me either..."

Xu Jingheng was silent for a moment.

"What is it?" Zhao Jiu immediately noticed something.

"There are a few recent things to tell Your Majesty..." Xu Jingheng became more solemn. "Grand Commandant Yang, the Commander of the Rear Army of the Imperial Guard, fell ill after rushing to Dongjing to support the city and died not long after the Jin troops withdrew from Luoyang, the night before I set off."

Zhao Jiu was also silent for a moment.

"Also, Zhai Xing, the 大翟(da zhai - big Zhai) among the 大小翟(da xiao zhai - big and small Zhais), one of the generals defending Luoyang, handed over his troops to his younger brother when the Jin army withdrew, and then led a small force out of the Sishui Pass to pursue them, eventually dying on the banks of the Yellow River."

"He feels guilty and is paying for his life... It was unnecessary."

"Yes..."

"The Zhai family's troops are all from the clan. Make a slight exception and let his son, Zhai Cong, inherit his position... Is there anything else?"

"Yes, just now we mentioned that Yue Pengju crossed the river and advanced north. That was what was said at the time, but now it seems that the fall of Luoyang, the martyrdom of Chancellor Wang, and the death of Grand Commandant Yang may be related to the northern advance of the Front Army of the Imperial Guard. The word '牵扯(qianche - implicate)' may not be enough..." Xu Jingheng continued seriously. "After all, didn't the Jin army in Hedong still send two thousand troops from Longmen? I heard that it almost shook the outcome of the decisive battle. Even the stability of Dongjing City was thanks to the timely arrival of the Rear Army of the Imperial Guard, which divided its troops to block Mount Song and the Sishui Pass. Therefore, before I came here, there was talk in the capital about blaming Yue Pengju, and even Chancellor Lü, for the matters of Chancellor Wang and Grand Commandant Yang, in addition to being elated about Your Majesty's great victory!"

Zhao Jiu nodded, not surprised, but soon shook his head and formally stated his position: "In this battle, the victory in Guanxi, the defense of Shanzhou and Tongzhou, the loss of Luoyang, the stability of Dongjing and Huaidong, and the advance in Hebei are all one. In the end, we were able to drive the Jin people back because of unity from top to bottom, advancing and retreating together, and sharing both gains and losses... If there must be someone to take overall responsibility, then it is朕(zhen - I, the emperor). In fact, I knew about Yue Pengju's northern advance before I set off and gave my consent... How can victory be attributed to朕(zhen - I, the emperor), and losses be attributed to some Chancellors and Commanders? Moreover, this battle was extremely dangerous from beginning to end. Even Ziyu insisted on defending the city before, and after this battle, I also feel that he was very right at the time and did his duty to the fullest."

"That is also what the Department of State Affairs means," Xu Jingheng glanced at Liu Ziyu, whose expression was normal, and was also not surprised by the Zhao Emperor's response. "Where can the decisions made in battle be judged based on the gains and losses after the fact? Besides, Yue Pengju's actions did distract the Hedong army and made Talanei of Daming Prefecture almost unable to act. So he has great merit and no fault."

Zhao Jiu nodded, but seemed thoughtful: "Is there anything else to say?"

"Yes," Xu Jingheng continued, standing up straight and cupping his hands. "Your Majesty, although this battle was won, Central Plains is now exhausted, and the rebellion in Jingxiang has swept across more than ten prefectures and military districts, and there is also the 番乱(fanluan - barbarian rebellions) in the Five Ridges that has not been dealt with for four or five years... Under these circumstances, Henan, as a place repeatedly ravaged by war, cannot possibly learn from Guanxi and Ba and Shu to预支(yuzhi - pre-extract) next year's taxes from the people, right? Therefore, the Department of State Affairs sent me here, first to congratulate Your Majesty on your great victory, second to welcome Your Majesty back to the capital, and third to ask Your Majesty to issue an edict immediately, ordering Yue Pengju to withdraw his troops immediately and return to Henan... In addition, I also heard something else on the way that I would like to share with Your Majesty."

Zhao Jiu looked at Xu Jingheng, who was ready to face him, and Yuwen Xuzhong and others, who stood up as Xu Jingheng stood up, hesitated slightly, and then sighed slightly:

"I cannot agree to any of the four things!"

Xu Jingheng was stunned for a moment, but immediately said seriously: "Please tell me frankly, Your Majesty, so that I can make a reply."

"First, although this battle resulted in the killing of Lou Shi, the capture and killing of Han Chang, the annihilation of more than ten thousand enemies, and the forced retreat of the Jin army, protecting Guanzhong, it can be called the first major victory of the dynasty since the Jingkang Incident. However, our army suffered heavy casualties, and those who died for their country, from Chancellor Wang and below, totaled more than ten thousand... The so-called great victory is also a惨胜(cansheng - pyrrhic victory), and I accept condolences, not congratulations!" Zhao Jiu said solemnly at the desk. As he spoke, he simply opened the thin gauze cloth that had been placed on top of the items after Xu Jingheng's arrival, revealing piles of registers and other items.

Xu Jingheng was slightly stunned, then stepped back a few steps and bowed respectfully: "I am ashamed!"

"Second," Zhao Jiu covered the gauze again and continued seriously, "Before the battle, I promised the Guanxi children and the Imperial Guard troops that they would be granted land based on military merit... I cannot go back on my word, and I will not return to Dongjing until this matter is properly resolved!"

Xu Jingheng thought carefully, looked back at Yuwen Xuzhong, and then nodded heavily: "In that case, we have nothing to say."

"Third, Yue Pengju, as a commander of a region, leads tens of thousands of troops in a突(tu - sudden) advance into Hebei. We know nothing about the situation there. Whether to advance or retreat is up to him to decide... I think it would be best to clarify the difficulties in Henan to him and let him make his own decision, without issuing a special edict in my name or in the name of the Department of State Affairs and the Privy Council."

Xu Jingheng hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly: "If that is the case, I am afraid that he has already received the intentions of Dongjing City, but I would like to write another letter in my personal capacity and have it delivered quickly."

"You may," Zhao Jiu nodded in agreement.

"And the fourth thing..." Xu Jingheng continued, "Your Majesty has not even asked what that thing is, and yet you want to deny it?"

"Isn't it about the fact that I sealed Han Shizhong as the Prince of Jun and allowed Li Shifu to inherit his father's title?" Zhao Jiu finally smiled. "Or am I wrong, and Chancellor Yuwen did not mention this to Chancellor Xu along the way?"

"It is indeed these two things, specifically the matter of Li Shifu inheriting the title," Xu Jingheng said seriously. "Your Majesty, we are not pedantic people. We all know about the斤沟(jingou - Jingou) agreement of that day. Han Shizhong's merits on the Huai River, his merits at Yanling, and his merits in saving your life this time are all outstanding. His loyalty and bravery are comparable to the famous generals of ancient times. It would be fine to封个郡王(fengejunwang - bestow a princely title), after all, it is better than 童贯(Tong Guan) [a notorious eunuch]! But I cannot agree to the matter of Li Shifu!"

"Because of the制度(zhidu - system)?" Zhao Jiu also became serious again.

"Correct," Xu Jingheng said in a deep voice. "In the Song Dynasty, except for the Chongyi Chai family, the Yansheng Kong family, the heir of the Prince of Pu (the original branch of Emperor Yingzong of Song), and the Prince of Anding (Zhao Dezhao, the second son of Emperor Taizu), there is no precedent for hereditary titles. Opening this precedent will inevitably lead to many unnecessary things. If Your Majesty really wants to reward the Li family, why not posthumously grant his father the title of Duke of Nanyang, and then grant Li Shifu a proper title of Duke based on normal military merit and rank, with a food grant?"

"I know this reasoning, and Chancellor Yuwen has already told me this in person..."

"But Your Majesty still did it?" Xu Jingheng was not Yuwen Xuzhong, and interrupted the Zhao Emperor to his face.

"Correct," Zhao Jiu was also frank.

"Why?" The Chief Councilor Xu asked relentlessly.

"I can't say," Zhao Jiu smiled again, but asked in return, "But, judging from Chancellor Xu's intentions, is the Department of State Affairs going to deny this matter?"

As soon as this was said, the atmosphere in the pergola immediately cooled down a bit.

Although Yuwen Xuzhong was a somewhat weak person in character, he was, after all, a Chancellor. And although Zhang Jun always followed the Emperor's lead, Hu Yin was not easy to deal with, and there was also Liu Ziyu, who had just finished dealing with the aftermath of Lantian... But why were these people unable to effectively prevent Zhao Jiu from making such an unorthodox reward?

It was not that they were unwilling, but that they came to the battlefield, first to help the Zhao Emperor organize the post-war affairs, to help the Emperor count the bodies, to help the Emperor deal with the military rewards and punishments, and learned from the post-war rainy situation how fierce and earth-shattering the battle that day was. And having experienced the shock and baptism of that battlefield, even those as senior as Yuwen Xuzhong and as strong as Hu Yin were temporarily摄(she - intimidated) by a certain emotion and dared not forcefully refute the Emperor.

After one battle, not only the Western Army was vying to射雕(shediao - shoot eagles, a display of martial prowess), but the entire Guanxi seemed afraid to disobey the Emperor in the slightest.

"Your Majesty!"

Xu Jingheng suddenly laughed. "Does Your Majesty know that after the news of the great victory at Yao Mountain reached Dongjing, the whole city was almost癫狂(diankuang - mad), saying that Your Majesty defeated two hundred thousand Jin troops with four hundred thousand, that the Jin army was completely wiped out, that this battle was comparable to the Battle of Kunyang during the time of Emperor Guangwu, and that Your Majesty was a reincarnation of Emperor Guangwu..."

Zhao Jiu also laughed along.

"When I arrived at the Sishui Pass, some people said that Your Majesty and Wanyan Lou Shi exchanged arrows, that Lou Shi bent his bow and drew his arrow first, and that Your Majesty drew his bow later but shot Lou Shi in the shoulder, forcing him to abandon his bow and crossbows... As the saying goes, 'Your Majesty's arrow settled Yao Mountain, and the soldiers sang loudly to reclaim the Han Pass'."

Zhao Jiu laughed so hard that he could barely restrain himself.

"Later, after I entered Tong Pass, the people along the way all spread the word that Your Majesty was a true Dragon Son of Heaven, borrowing the power of the Yao Mountain God, waiting for Lou Shi to advance to the foot of the mountain, and then Your Majesty倾尧山之力(qingyaoshanzhili - bring the power of Yao Mountain) to cause the Jin army of tens of thousands to collapse and die at once..."

Zhao Jiu suddenly stopped laughing.

"I know that these things are all以讹传讹(yiecuan'e - spread erroneous information)" Xu Jingheng also stopped laughing. "But I believe that Your Majesty's great victory this time, although it was a惨胜(cansheng - pyrrhic victory), has made the Song Dynasty no longer in a precarious state, and it is no worse than Emperor Guangwu's founding. In the battle against Lou Shi, although he did not hit him, his courage was enough to make the world no longer afraid of the Jin people's iron horses, this is the so-called bow and arrow of the Son of Heaven. And at the time of crisis, with the supreme status of the Son of Heaven descending the mountain to turn the tide, he can also compare himself to Mount Tai, exerting the势(shi - power) of Mount Tai pressing down! So after this battle, may I ask Your Majesty, within the court, within the territory of the Great Song, what you want to do, who can really stop it? A mere hereditary title and封赏(fengshang - award), and it is only a 开国公(kaiguogong - founding duke), even if the Department of State Affairs does not allow it, will it be ineffective?"

Zhao Jiu laughed dryly.

And then, Xu Jingheng really said seriously and cupped his hands: "But as long as I am in the Department of State Affairs for one day, I will not allow it! Because it is contrary to the制度(zhidu - system)! And it is a chaotic command that will have endless troubles! Once this precedent is opened, the system of titles that has been free from errors for more than a hundred years in the Song Dynasty will be abandoned in one朝(zhao - morning)."

Zhao Jiu laughed dryly again: "Chancellor Xu, please wait."

Xu Jingheng cupped his hands to indicate that he would stand by.

Zhao Jiu uncovered the gauze on the desk, but solemnly opened the latest register and then personally wrote the names of Yang Weizhong, the Commander of the Rear Army of the Imperial Guard, and Zhai Xing, the Commander of the Central Army of the Imperial Guard, carefully, but did not rush to close it, as if waiting for the ink to dry.

Just as Xu Jingheng thought that Zhao Jiu was about to speak, the Emperor took out two pieces of white paper and wrote the two names again, but simply got up with the two pieces of white paper, the ink on which was not yet dry, and signalled to Yang Yizhong beside him.

Yang Yizhong led the way, and the Zhao Emperor followed closely behind. Yuwen Xuzhong and others knew where they were going and naturally followed solemnly. Even Xu Jingheng was pushed by Yuwen Xuzhong and suddenly set off with the Emperor's entourage.

Before long, in the afternoon, they arrived at a construction site on a mountain waist platform that was not far from the back gate of the military camp... Tens of thousands of civilians had been here before, and there was no shortage of materials. The wooden buildings had long been completed, and now they were just painting the buildings, and the woodworkers were carving non-stop.

When they arrived here, Xu Jingheng, the only one who was still confused, quickly understood - this was a temple, not much different from the water temple on Mount Bagong in Huaishang. Soon, the Zhao Emperor's words also confirmed this.

"This man is called Hou Dan, a fellow countryman, comrade, and acquaintance of Zhang Yongzhen in Huaishang. He was the one who killed Lou Shi that day and then died in battle, so I封(feng - bestow) him as the Yao Mountain God." Walking into the temple, Zhao Jiu said slowly, pointing to the unfinished statue in the center.

"This merit deserves this honour," Chancellor Xu immediately nodded.

At this time, a young military assistant with a wounded face came forward, cupped his hands, and bowed to pay his respects. He had a Lingnan accent, but Zhao Jiu did not care and just handed over the two pieces of white paper he had brought: "Give them to the craftsmen. I want to chat with Chancellor Xu alone..."

The Guangnan assistant with the wounded face immediately bowed and left. Yuwen Xuzhong and others looked at each other and could only retreat, and the hall was completely empty, leaving only the two men.

But at this time, Zhao Jiu, who said he wanted to chat, did not speak directly but went straight behind the statue. It turned out that behind the statue was another deep space. Only the skylight was open inside, and the light was plentiful, so Chancellor Xu, who followed closely, could see clearly as he walked, and it was because he could see clearly that the Deputy Chief Councilor was stunned on the spot and lost his words and composure as soon as he turned around.

Nothing else, all that met the eye was密密麻麻(mimi mama - densely packed), no less than thousands of, all of which were wooden tablets with military ranks and names written on them.

"Chancellor Xu should know that I have never liked祭祀(jisi - worshiping ancestors)" Zhao Jiu said at this time. "But I have come here countless times these days... When I was in Huaishang, the soldiers gathered in a hurry, and many people died, and no names were left. Now, under this Yao Mountain, because the Western Army is formed according to place of origin and the Imperial Guard has already been registered, I know many names, but it is still not enough... So, I am thinking, if there is a day when we take Huanglong directly, why not erect a big monument in a conspicuous place?"

Chancellor Xu spent a great deal of effort before he came back to his senses and then said in a low voice: "What Your Majesty said makes sense, but what does this have to do with Li Shifu inheriting the title of Founding Duke?"

"Of course, it has a relationship," Zhao Jiu said with a smile. "Chancellor Xu, I cannot forget these people..."

"That is natural!"

"I often ask myself, who am I working so hard and拼了命的(pinlemingde - risking my life) to protect this country for? The Zhao family? But the Zhao family are all in the north, and only I am left. If I were to seek the enjoyment of one family and one surname, I might as well run to the southeast and live out my remaining life. Whether you believe it or not, even if Consort Pan is pregnant, all that I have done so many things for is still for many people in front of and behind me..."

"I believe it."

"Listen to me... From the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the thousands of generations of descendants, from my own personal feelings to the people of the world, from the ethereal blue sky to the vast yellow earth... Whether it is public or private, since I have become the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, I do not seek eternity, but I cannot be too shameful, right?"

"..."

"After this battle, I could not sleep day and night, and thought about many乱七八糟(luanqibazao - chaotic) things... How to clear the rebellion in the rear? How to appease the people who have suffered from官府盘剥(guanfupanbo - government exploitation) and bandits for these years? How to straighten out the court and how to refine the army? Can we make火药包(huoyao bao - gunpowder bag) that is not afraid of water? Can we lay运兵的轨道路(yunbingdeguidaolu - railway for transporting troops) along the Yellow River? Can we build seagoing ships to harass Liaodong and Bohai? Can we issue邸报(dibao - court gazettes) to the world? Can we安士农而富工商(anshi'erfushigongshang - pacify the gentry and farmers and enrich industry and commerce)?"

Chancellor Xu tried to speak several times, but Zhao Jiu just continued to speak, with his hands behind his back:

"How many years will it take to launch a northern expedition? How many years will it take to take Huanglong directly?"

"After the lost territories of Yanyun are recovered, should Xixia be recovered? Should Jiaozhi be taken back? Should Dali be dealt with? Are these places not the ancient lands of the Han people?"

"After the Han territories are restored, will things like the Xiongnu and Xianbei emerge again on the northern grasslands? Should we annex the Western Regions and夹漠北(jiamobei - encircle the desert to the north)? I heard that Yelu Dashi mobilized more than ten tribes, claiming to restore the country, but actually went west. Will we encounter them again then? And Goryeo, is fighting to the death with the Jurchens, should we not care about Goryeo?"

"These tablets are here, not to persuade me to息兵苟且(xibinggouqie - stop fighting and live in peace), but to persuade me not to let them down, not to forget them, and to destroy the enemy outside, so that the heartland of Guanzhong, Luoyang, Henan, and Huaishang will not be reduced to such a tragic place again! I have never expected 千秋万代(qianqiuwandai - eternity), but it cannot be that Guanzhong will suffer such a disaster again in a few decades, right?"

Chancellor Xu sighed slightly. He wanted to speak several times, but kept his mouth shut several times.

"Han Shizhong's direct sealing as a Prince of Jun, bypassing the title of Duke, and Li Shifu's inheritance of the title are together... I intend to grant titles in the frontier, in response to the Western Regions, Dali, and Jiaozhi," Zhao Jiu finally told the truth. "But can I say this outside? If I say it, will it not be laughable? Even the rebellion in the rear has not been quelled. And whether封(feng - conferring titles) is effective or not, is right or wrong, I really do not know, but since these things have been thought of, there must be some ideas, right?"

Xu Jingheng finally勉强(mianqiang - reluctantly) opened his mouth: "Your Majesty has great ambitions..."

"I am not雄心壮志(xiongxiongzhuangzhi - ambitious). I am only in my twenties this year, and what I am saying is only within the scope of the ancient Han and Tang territories. It is just that the Great Song has been divided into half a country for more than a hundred years, and has become accustomed to being useless and wants to deceive itself... For more than a hundred years, the Han people in Yanyun have not recognized the South as the same race! Jiaozhi is even more so!"

Xu Jingheng's expression changed slightly, but he still勉力(mianli - make an effort) said: "But we must first安内攘外(anneirangwai - pacify the interior before resisting foreign aggression)."

"I know!" Zhao Jiu immediately turned his head. "But I will limit it to the Western Regions, Jiaozhi, and other places, trying hereditary titles, even if it is inappropriate, it cannot be said to be a senseless鬧事(naoshi - troublemaking), right?"

Xu Jingheng nodded helplessly: "Although I think it is indeed a bit far away and may not be appropriate, if there is a reason, it may not be impossible to try to discuss it."

"But it is still that sentence," Zhao Jiu suddenly turned his head and stared at the other party. "These things cannot be said... Last time, when I and the Imperial Uncle of the Imperial Clan spoke of unspeakable things, we could only hide in the 大雄宝殿(daxiongbaodian - Main Hall of the Great Hero)... But Chancellor Xu, how many temples and monasteries are there in the world for us, the Emperor and ministers, to钻(zuan - sneak) into to say these things anytime and anywhere?"

Xu Jingheng was silent for a moment, and Zhao Jiu did not speak again. The Emperor and his ministers looked at each other for a long time behind the statue full of tablets.

Finally, Chancellor Xu cupped his hands: "After this battle, when Your Majesty has cleaned up Guanxi and returned to Dongjing, will you recall the officials and ministers from various places?"

"Yes," Zhao Jiu stood with his hands behind his back, facing the other party, extremely straightforward.

"After the rebellion is quelled, will you integrate the Western Army into the Imperial Guard?"

"Yes!"

"Will you clarify the new and old parties and re-establish academic standards?"

"Yes!"

"Will the朝中(chaozhong - court) be united as one, so that you can use your officials as you would use your limbs, and implement the new policy?"

"Yes!" Zhao Jiu was still straightforward.

"In that case, I understand," Xu Jingheng said solemnly and bowed his head. "I am willing to ask to resign and give way to someone wiser."

"Do a good job of granting land to the meritorious officials of the Imperial Guard in Henan for me, and then ask to resign due to illness. Our monarch and ministers must have a beginning and an end," Zhao Jiu still stood with his hands behind his back, without the slightest hesitation. "Moreover, our monarch and ministers, in terms of merit and virtue, are also worthy of having a beginning and an end."

"I understand," Xu Jingheng's expression was normal, and he cupped his hands.

Zhao Jiu nodded and then took the initiative to say: "Are there any other questions?"

"There is one question and one suggestion," Xu Jingheng thought for a moment and then took the initiative to say.

"Speak."

"Your Majesty, forgive me for being presumptuous, I do not know how Chancellor Lü is?"

"Chancellor Lü has made outstanding contributions and should be a 公相(gongxiang - chief minister), 平章军国重事(pingzhangjunguozhongshi - participating in deliberation of the state affairs)" Zhao Jiu did not hesitate at all.

Xu Jingheng was immediately relieved and bowed again: "That is good, there is also one thing to say... Lü Yihao cannot be used!"

The Zhao Emperor was stunned for a moment and did not say anything, but turned around and went out directly, and Chancellor Xu did not say anything more but followed him.

But when the two turned out of the statue, walked through the hall, pushed open the door, and were about to go out, Xu Jingheng suddenly seemed to think of something and bowed his hands again before Zhao Jiu stepped over the threshold: "Your Majesty!"

"What is it?" Zhao Jiu stopped in surprise.

"What I just said at the camp straw shed was not just a joke for the sake of irony, but words from the bottom of my heart," Xu Jingheng bowed to the end in the surprised eyes of the officials on the steps in the distance. "Your Majesty has achieved the merits of Emperor Guangwu with the aura of Emperor Zhaolie, but in the future, I hope that Your Majesty will be sure to preserve the virtue of Emperor Guangwu and the justice of Emperor Zhaolie... Not only to have a beginning and an end with me, but also to have a beginning and an end with yourself."

"I will never forget what Chancellor Xu said today," Zhao Jiu was silent for a moment, but said solemnly.

In this way, the Emperor and his minister came out of the door and slowly returned to the camp. At this time, the sun had already set in the west, hiding behind the back of Yao Mountain, but the red霞光(xiaguang - sunset) shot in between the mountains, still shining on the military camp on the mountain and the Huang Yuan battlefield below, all with colorful colors, making people望之神思(wangzhishensi - lost in thoughts).

Zhao Jiu originally wanted to return to the camp, but seeing this scene, he stopped to沉吟(chenyin - ponder).

Zhang Jun saw that the Zhao Emperor and Chancellor Xu each had a calm expression, knowing that the two did not know how they had settled, but could not help but上前凑趣(shangqiancouqu - going up to add to the fun): "Does Your Majesty have poetry意(yi - inclination)?"

"That's right," Zhao Jiu could not help but laugh. "Thinking of the battle that day, and seeing that the battlefield was already荒芜(huangwu - barren) after only ten days, I really cannot help but want to write poetry, but I am also at a loss for words..."

Those present, not only the several major officials, but also many of the accompanying close ministers and进