Chapter 1 Before This Article

The Filature of the Song, Jingyan Sixteenth Year, Yanfu Palace.

Liu Yu followed the eunuch in front of him through the apricot grove. It was late autumn, and there were no flowers or leaves left on the trees. The scene of "apricot blossoms filling the sky," famous throughout the Song Dynasty, was now only a bleak memory. Calculating carefully, Liu Yu hadn't seen that dreamlike sight for four whole years.

No, when he came here to have an audience with the Emperor four years ago, it was also late autumn, but much more vibrant than this time. Liu Yu's expression remained unchanged, but he smiled bitterly inside. The last time he came, his clan had high expectations for him, and even the Emperor had earnestly encouraged him to—display his grand ambitions and serve the country. Yet, in just four years, he had fallen from the clouds into the mud. Not to mention an official position, even his Imperial Guard Right Army might be reduced in size again.

That's right, since the late Emperor's reign, the Imperial Guard's establishment had been getting smaller and smaller. When the late Emperor first ascended the throne, the Imperial Guard had a full establishment of nearly 500,000 men, but by the time the current Emperor ascended, it was only 200,000. And the current Emperor was even more ruthless, cutting the Imperial Guard by 100,000 men in just six years on the throne. The Imperial Guard, which once awed the world and deterred barbarians, was now unable to handle a large-scale war.

Since the Jianyan Shizu (Special term for Zhao Jiu, the Building Ancestor) swept away the enemy like clearing the courtyard, the Imperial Guard had been roughly divided into three war zones, responsible for the northeast, northwest, and western regions respectively, and even had the right to start wars before requesting permission in these areas. But in recent years, with the reduction in the establishment, the war zones had been gradually disbanded, and the Imperial Guard's strength had been reduced again and again. And today, it might be reduced again!

Ultimately, it was all caused by those flattering villains!

The more Liu Yu thought about it, the angrier he became, and he could only stare intently at the eunuch walking in front of him. It was these villains!

He didn't know how long he walked, but the eunuch in front finally stopped. A pavilion stood a hundred steps away in the apricot grove. The Jianyan Shizu had completely established the position of the Secretariat in this pavilion, and had almost transferred some of the power of governance. Legend has it that the Shizu bestowed a golden cup exclusive to the Secretariat ministers in this pavilion, which later became a symbol of the ministers' power. The pavilion was therefore called "Golden Cup Pavilion" by the people.

Liu Yu was still thinking that the pavilion looked very different from before, but he didn't notice that the eunuch in front had stopped, and he bumped into him directly.

"Commander Liu, please forgive me, but Commander Yang changed the rules some time ago, and now you have to be searched again before meeting the Emperor."

Looking at the eunuch in front of him turning around and smiling at him, Liu Yu's heart gradually filled with anger.

"Is that so? I'm ignorant, I haven't heard of it on the way to Beijing."

"Commander Liu, please forgive me, the rules were indeed changed just a few months ago." A young man came out of the pavilion before the two of them stopped, picking up Liu Yu's words, "Some things happened some time ago, and someone tried to take advantage of the opportunity to meet the Emperor to plot wrongdoing, so the rules were changed."

Liu Yu sneered in his heart. This excuse could only fool a three-year-old child. Who among the people who could come to this pavilion had a reason or the guts to do such a thing?

"Naturally not here." The young man seemed to see what Liu Yu was thinking, "It's... Hebei."

Liu Yu looked at the person in front of him with increasing disbelief. The meaning behind these two words was too great, because according to the Dibao (official gazette) data, Hebei was the most supportive of the Emperor in the entire territory of the Song Dynasty. To encounter such a thing in this vital region naturally called for precautions.

"Follow the rules, Commander Liu, please."

Looking at the young man in front of him, Liu Yu felt more and more uncomfortable. It was true that this had happened, but it was also true that he was using this opportunity to give him a warning. He had been walking in the palace for so long, but the eunuch in front of him hadn't mentioned a word, firstly, to tell him that he no longer had the Emperor's favor, and secondly, to see if he still had any connections who knew about this matter.

This trip was likely to be ominous.

"You don't need to be so polite, let's get straight to the point." The Emperor in front of him put down the book in his hand. It was *The Veritable Records of the Jianyan Shizu*. Nowadays, with the movable-type printing technology vigorously promoted by the Shaoxing Shizu (another term for Zhao Jiu), there were more and more books. Coupled with the legendary experiences of the Shizu, this book was not only a must-have for court officials, but also for the middle class and even farmers. Many people simply used this book as a textbook for private schools.

That's right, this was another achievement of the Shizu. In the later period of his rule, he vigorously developed culture and education, and basically every major city had government-run schools, which only charged a small amount of money to complete basic education. It was a great act of benevolence.

Turning back to the Emperor in front of him, who had been on the throne for six years, he was recognized as admiring the Shizu, so much so that he imitated him in everything, from dealing with people to employing and delegating power. Apart from leading troops in battle, he imitated almost everything. Moreover, he had the essence of the Shizu, and was another wise ruler.

"Your Majesty, I was defeated by the Divine Machine Battalion this time, please punish me!" Liu Yu knelt down directly to admit his mistake.

"I haven't said anything yet. I've read the report on this exercise. Since you say so, are you convinced by the Divine Machine Battalion?"

"I am not convinced!" Liu Yu raised his head and argued, "The rules of this exercise are all in favor of the Divine Machine Battalion. If we talk about the bravery of the soldiers, the strictness of discipline, and military operations, we are definitely not weaker than the Divine Machine Battalion in actual combat..."

"And?" The Emperor coaxed him.

"Moreover, the military expenditure of the Jingji (Capital Region) 7th Division is far greater than that of the Imperial Guard. If the Imperial Guard also had the same funding, we could have an army of millions to protect our Song Dynasty for ten thousand years!"

"Yes, I trust you, otherwise I wouldn't have let you lead the Imperial Guard Right Army. But I have already promised you the four-year agreement. I am willing to accept the outcome of the bet. If the Imperial Guard can really defeat the Divine Machine Battalion, that's fine, but the Imperial Guard has lost after all, and you have to admit it when you lose."

"If that's the case, I have nothing to say. Next year, the Imperial Guard will be reduced by another 30,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry." Liu Yu's heart was bleeding.

"Okay, then go down, I still have to continue reading."

"I take my leave." After Liu Yu got up, he glared venomously at the young man standing behind the Emperor, and cupped his hands in farewell.

Just as he was about to leave the pavilion, he heard the Emperor behind him say again, "You should know that the rules of this exercise have actually weakened the Divine Machine Battalion!"

I don't know what he's reading!

"In the twenty-first year of Jianyan, since the Shizu recovered Hebei, there were few people who froze to death or starved to death, wild grains gradually grew, and the granaries were gradually full. Day by day: great governance."

*The Veritable Records of the Jianyan Shizu*