In late April, Nanyang City was fraught with unease.

The reason was simple: the news of Han Shizhong's defeat at Xijing couldn't be kept secret in the still unorganized Nanyang City.

However, on this particular day, as the weather abruptly turned hot without a moment's delay, detailed military intelligence from Han Shizhong's side immediately arrived. After everyone in the central government, from the Emperor down, had roughly understood the situation, they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

It turned out that the cause of this battle still lay with Li Yanxian. Li Yanxian crossed the Yellow River, using the Zhongtiao Mountains as a base to recover Jiezhou, opening up contact with Wang Yan's Eight Character Army. This greatly shook the Jin people, who regarded Hebei as their heartland, because this action had enormous political and strategic significance.

Therefore, under duress, Wanyan Gushen (also known as Wanyan Xiyin), the highest Jurchen commander in the Xijing (Luoyang) area, the inventor of the Jurchen script, the actual planner of the so-called "Two Emperors' Northern Captivity," and the right-hand man of Wanyan Zonghan's faction, along with Wanyan Lou Shi, decisively ordered the entire army to withdraw to Hebei and abandon Xijing (Luoyang).

Faced with this situation, perhaps Han Shizhong was jealous of Li Yanxian's military achievements (such things were too common), or perhaps Da Zhai and Xiao Zhai, along with Lü Qing, had become bloodthirsty with the Jin people in the Xijing area, and there was already blood feud between them... In any case, after obtaining unanimous agreement from his subordinates, Han Shizhong, together with Da Zhai, Xiao Zhai, and Lü Qing, launched a multi-pronged joint raid against Wanyan Gushen's forces just before Wanyan Gushen and Yelu Yudu were about to withdraw their troops, trying to create a big sensation.

However, while the three-pronged forces were advancing, Wanyan Gushen also gathered his forces at the same time, ostensibly to prepare for crossing the river for defense.

As a result, Lü Qing's troops unexpectedly encountered Yang Jin, a traitor who had surrendered to the Jin, in the middle of the road. The two sides met in haste, and a bitter battle ensued; Han Shizhong's main force also encountered Yelu Yudu's Khitan troops; and only Da Zhai and Xiao Zhai, leading Niu Gao's righteous army, reached the designated battlefield and directly confronted the Jurchens, naturally encountering a disastrous defeat... If Han Shizhong hadn't ultimately defeated Yelu Yudu and provided support, Da Zhai, Xiao Zhai, and Niu Gao would probably have all been lost on the banks of the Yellow River.

But the post-battle situation was not as bad as imagined, because Wanyan Gushen, after a great victory, still chose to return across the river with Yelu Yudu's Khitan troops, essentially abandoning Henan and Luoyang.

Not only that, according to Han Shizhong's urgent memorial, Yelu Yudu, the former Liao dynasty general, had clearly held back during the battle, suggesting possible future manipulation; as for the traitor Yang Jin, that was even more obvious, he had clearly put in all his effort... When he was summoned, he probably thought Wanyan Gushen was going to take him with him... but he was left in Henan, isolated and helpless, standing forlornly on the banks of the Yellow River.

In response, Grand Commandant Han almost swore an oath in his memorial, essentially making a military pledge to hang Yang Jin by the Yellow River within half a month, otherwise he would not return to Huaixi, and so on.

Of course, he would definitely come back. If he didn't come back, how could he rest, expand his army, and prepare for battle? Emperor Zhao couldn't help but issue another edict to comfort him and asked Han Shizhong to defeat Yang Jin as soon as possible and return to Huaixi to rest, and to supplement Da Zhai, Xiao Zhai, and Lü Qing with Yang Jin's troops, and so on.

In short, the matter was somewhat of a false alarm. Moreover, these days, everyone was used to defeats, so Emperor Zhao couldn't forbid Han Shizhong from losing a battle just because he had given him a waistband, right?

However, after the removal of the 'crisis' of Han Shizhong's defeat at Xijing, only Emperor Zhao could be said to have had a weight lifted from his heart, and he even slept soundly during his nap. Nanyang City was still fraught with unease.

The reason was simple: there were too many people, and too many things happening. And with all sorts of events taking place, the importance of each event was not the same for different people.

For example, for the unique Emperor Zhao, the most important thing was naturally the military situation at the front. Because in Zhao Jiu's eyes, everything in the rear was ultimately for the victory against the Jin at the front. This was his main life value for the next ten or even twenty years, and it was also related to his life, a point that had become unshakable since he refused to go to Nanyang from the Southeast.

Therefore, this Emperor would be extremely excited by Li Yanxian's great victory, even conferring upon him the title of Pacification Commissioner of Yongxing Military Circuit overnight, and then issuing an edict overnight to appease Han Shizhong and inquire about the battle situation. Finally, after confirming that the situation was stable, he completely relaxed.

In short, in Emperor Zhao's eyes, everything else was insignificant compared to the military situation at the front.

Relatively speaking, for the local residents of Nanyang, after confirming that the Jin people would not come, the most important thing was the rumor of a possible large-scale renovation of the city defenses, because this would inevitably affect their travel and even the preservation of their own houses. This was a truly significant matter concerning their livelihood and survival.

For example, the talents from various places who had recently gathered in Nanyang would discuss everything, but regardless of the discussions, the imperial examination a few days later was the most important thing... Because whether they had the intention of serving the country and rescuing it from its difficulties, or had a utilitarian desire for advancement, they all had to become officials first.

As for the old bureaucrats caring about the Yuan Yu partisans not being rehabilitated in a timely manner, the Bashu craftsmen caring about being diverted to Xiangyang to settle down, and the merchants caring about the restoration of smooth traffic on the Yangtze and Han Rivers, that was even more natural.

Similarly, it was natural that Zhang Jun, the Censor-in-Chief, was becoming increasingly worried these past two days... Because long ago, as the court affairs were unfolding in an orderly manner, he keenly perceived his awkward position in the court. And as many things were being implemented and happening these days, he became even more uneasy.

"Difficult indeed."

Facing his close friend Liu Ziyu, who had returned from Xiangyang, Zhang Deyuan, sitting on the ground by a small river in the west of Nanyang City, under green trees, rarely opened his heart with the help of the cool river wine, just as he had previously done when accompanying Zhao Ding and Hu Yin during their turbulent travels. "Ziyu doesn't know, to outsiders, I, Zhang Jun, must be satisfied as the Censor-in-Chief, the so-called half-宰执 position, and the first of the Emperor's confidants, but being in my position, it's neither up nor down, neither forward nor backward, and it's difficult to do anything..."

Liu Ziyu picked up a pear and took a bite with a snap, but did not speak.

"Yanxiu, don't disbelieve me." Zhang Deyuan probably understood the other party's mindset, but explained seriously. "I'll just ask you one thing, you say that the sunshine here is bright, the flowers are red and the trees are green, it is the most flourishing state of early summer scenery, and it should be the time for scholars and officials to gather by the winding stream for poetry and elegance, why are there only you and me, two serious court officials, sitting idly here? You have just returned after making meritorious service, and the Emperor specifically granted you leave, but what about me?"

Only then did Liu Ziyu put down the pear and ponder. "Deyuan is saying that everyone else is busy with work and cannot be idle?"

"That's natural." Zhang Jun chuckled, then raised his glass for a drink, and then raised his hand to enumerate. "I'll imitate our Emperor's posture and list them from beginning to end... Naturally, the top four Ministers don't need to be mentioned. The Emperor sends paper slips every day, assigning things one by one to the Ministers. If the matter is done, he will put a checkmark on the slip and hang it in the hall. If the matter is not done, he will put an X and still hang it in the hall. And if it is delayed, the Emperor will also pat the table after entering the hall every day and ask a certain Minister in public if there are still several paper slips that have not been submitted today... The temporary capital is hastily built, and the main hall, the council hall, the capital hall, and the Privy Council are originally one, and everyone up and down is watching, so which Minister can not go all out?"

"I knew about this when I was in Xiangyang." Liu Ziyu smiled and shook his head when he heard this. "Minister Lü Haowen is said to spend every day揭条(揭条：unveiling the strips of paper), 分条 (分条：distributing the strips of paper), and 报条 (报条：reporting the strips of paper), almost taking over the work of Lan Da Ban; Minister Xu Jingheng, who 堆条 (堆条：piling the strips of paper), everything related to difficult and major government affairs is passed to him by Minister Lü, so that he has piled up a pile of strips in his arms, and he can't submit many of them at all; Minister Yuwen is in charge of military affairs in the Guanzhong area, but the situation in Guanzhong has not been completely settled, so the strips of paper from Guanzhong are often marked with an X and then hung full of the hall; Minister Wang Boyan, who 得意 (得意：successful), is responsible for other military and state affairs, and he often handles them neatly, so all his slips are checked, and they are also hung full of the hall. He is recently enjoying the spring breeze."

Zhang Jun shook his head even more. "Although that is the case, who doesn't want to go and hang up a slip themselves?"

"Indeed." Liu Ziyu also became serious. "You and I are just joking in private, but if we really talk about it, who wouldn't want to do things like those Ministers? It's like what I just said, except for Minister Lü, who is slightly ridiculed, the other Ministers, whether they have many checks or many Xs, or many who can't submit their work, it seems that everyone in the world knows that those Ministers are doing things one by one, not just holding their positions without doing anything. But Deyuan... you are only thirty-one years old!"

Zhang Jun slowly nodded, but then slowly shook his head. "Yanxiu, if that's all there is to it, then it would be me being greedy, but now, among the close officials, I am the only one who is idle..."