Chapter 766

"People actually flew into the air!"

Zhao Heng saw this, his eyes went wide.

He deeply aspired to the path of cultivation.

To cultivate, they drained the people's wealth and labor, causing countless families to be shattered and destroyed.

Now seeing Zhao Kuangyin fly, he was not afraid at all, but wore a delighted expression, crying out: "Ancestor! You are my true ancestor! I was wrong, I admit it! Teach me the art of immortality, please!"

Zhao Kuangyin saw this and immediately felt this man was hopeless mud, beyond redemption.

With a wave of his hand, he struck Zhao Heng flying away.

"Bring me men! Zhao Heng is immoral—immediately depose him, strip him of rank, reduce him to commoner status, and expel him from the palace." Zhao Kuangyin's face was furious, yet he still left Zhao Heng a shred of mercy.

Zhao Heng was now over fifty, with little time left to live.

He was also his own descendant; Zhao Kuangyin did not turn his back on kin—he ordered him executed.

Although—Zhao Heng was merely his nephew, yet there was still some blood kinship between them.

"Ancestor, don't!"

"I don't want to become a commoner! I don't want to die! I want immortality!"

Zhao Kuangyin's expression darkened; with a wave of his hand, two tiger-like, wolf-like Heavenly Dragon Guards rushed forward and dragged Zhao Heng away.

In the days that followed, Zhao Kuangyin led a squad of Heavenly Dragon Guards, flying proudly through the skies—soon, the entire world knew the Song Emperor had descended; all previously restless aristocrats and armies across the land fell silent.

Zhao Kuangyin stationed himself in Bianliang and spent half a month enacting reforms.

Tax system, military system, agriculture…

The reforms touched every aspect of society; though they should have faced fierce opposition from the aristocracy, they passed peacefully under absolute military might.

Meanwhile, Gao Huaide was already campaigning against the Liao and Western Xia.

The Heavenly Dragon Guards, after prolonged training, had become even more terrifying.

Originally, the Heavenly Dragon Guards possessed only several thousand jin of strength and moved like tigers and leopards.

Now, under Zhao Kuangyin's intense cultivation, they had reached several layers of Flesh Refinement power—each gesture and step exerted no less than hundreds of thousands of jin; to ordinary people, they were nothing short of disaster.

The Liao state was then powerful, possessing a fierce army, yet how could it withstand the Heavenly Dragon Guards' assault?

The moment the two armies met, the Liao forces collapsed outright.

Gao Huaide swept forward without resistance, swiftly subduing the Liao and other barbarian peoples, then returned victorious.

The tangible benefits of reform, combined with the national pride from this great victory, brought the Song people's approval of the imperial court to unprecedented heights.

Everyone walking the streets held their heads high, bearing the proud demeanor of subjects of the Celestial Empire.

Luzhou.

Bao Zheng walked down the street, seeing the people's transformation, his heart filled with joy.

In the past, although Song's economy was prosperous,

that so-called prosperity benefited only merchants and aristocrats—the common people still lived hard lives.

Now, with reforms touching every aspect, all commoners benefited—this was truly a golden age of governance.

"Once the superior seeds provided by Su Xiao and the others mature, the people's lives will improve even further!" Bao Zheng thought longingly, opened the chat group, ready to share this good news with everyone.

Chat group.

Gaihakuri: "Bad news! Sister's coming to drag me back to Heaven! Xiao Mai, unlock permissions, I need to go over!"

Xiao Mai: "Unlocked, run fast!"

Gaihakuri: "Gone, gone! Sister's so rigid—why so strict? I'm just playing a game and slacking off a bit."

Hu Yifei: "That's just slacking off? I recall your room was cleaned by Vainette, right? That's insane."

Xiao Mai: "It really is insane—Gaihakuri's room, I dare not even go near, afraid of seeing cockroaches."

Gaihakuri: "??? What are you talking about? I've already enlightened a demon to clean my room—there's no way such things happen."

Xiao Mai: "When did you do that?"

Gaihakuri: "Long ago! I even invited you, but you never came."

Xiao Mai: "【Embarrassed】I remember now—I was just scared! I didn't know you'd already enlightened a demon; I worried for nothing."

Gaihakuri: "Hmph, if I don't use the Enlightening Technique, am I that stupid?"

Bao Zheng: "【Video】Everyone, look—Song is improving too. Thank you, Emperor Taizu, thank you all."

Su Xiao: "It really is good—the people (ha ha) are smiling so happily."

Zhao Kuangyin: "Because the Liao, Western Xia, and neighboring states have been destroyed and incorporated into Song's territory—they're all proud!"

Yue Fei: "Already? I was just about to say my Heavenly Dragon Guards could come help!"

Bao Zheng: "General Yue, I'm just in ordinary Song territory—the Western Xia and Liao people are still flesh and blood; General Gao's men were more than enough. If you come now, there won't be any enemies left for you to fight!"

Su Xiao: "Haha, General Yue, your bones must be rusted from lack of battle."

Yue Fei: "No, no warfare is better—peace under heaven is better than anything!"

【Ding, chat group activity increased. New members now joining.】

【Ding, Worker Warrior joined the chat group.】

【Ding, Innocent Villain joined the chat group.】

【Ding, Dragon Slayer of the Eastern Sea joined the chat group.】

【Ding, Axe Gang thug joined the chat group.】