[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-112":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Shao Song",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1558278,2024,"Chapter 112: Relieving Annoyance (Continued)","shao-song-chapter-112",112,"\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu was too exhausted to complain, nor could he.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether Yue Fei was a ragtag commander or not, and whether he deserved to be looked down upon by Li Yanxian, who was indeed the most capable and brilliant frontline general at the time, Li Yanxian's attitude was actually quite direct... His meaning was clear: he wanted the central government not to treat him as an outsider, and an official title like Pacification Commissioner, which sounded like something used to settle military governors, was an insult to his dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, there was another layer of meaning: frontline generals like Li Yanxian, who had never dealt with Zhao Jiu before, still fundamentally did not believe that His Majesty the Zhao Emperor was genuinely delegating power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the other side of the coin was that Li Yanxian's strange outburst was more like a display of loyalty and a search for recognition, rather than deliberate troublemaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what could be done?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In that case, this matter can be considered settled by you, Lord Lu.\" After thinking for a long time and figuring out the logic behind it, the Zhao Emperor simply issued an edict. \"If he wants a proper official post, then give him a proper official post... Appoint Li Yanxian as Prefect of Shanzhou!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty is wise.\" After arriving in Nanyang, Lü Hao Wen had become increasingly amiable. It was unclear if he still dared to get drunk and pat the Emperor on the head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the matter of the Directorate for Armaments?\" Having roughly resolved one issue, Zhao Jiu continued with a serious expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reporting to Your Majesty.\" Wang Boyan stepped forward and cupped his hands, appearing somewhat ashamed, but regardless, it was clear that Lü Hao Wen had passed the note on this matter to him. \"Your servant, along with the entire Bureau of Military Affairs, has discussed it extensively, personally inspected the area, and consulted with personnel, but we all find some difficulties... First, the difficulty of site selection; second, the difficulty of finding artisans.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Speak in detail, slowly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes... Let Your Majesty know, to establish the Directorate for Armaments, we must first set up furnaces to produce iron. In principle, the area around Nanyang has the Baihe River and is not short of coal, making it suitable for setting up furnaces.\" Wang Boyan reported solemnly. \"But the area around Nanyang has no natural defenses. Previously, Wanyan Yinshu easily broke through from Xijing Luoyang to this place. If the Directorate for Armaments is placed outside the city, once war breaks out again and the Jin people arrive here with their cavalry advantage, the Directorate would be easily destroyed. But if placed inside the city, Nanyang City is already very crowded due to the new construction of the temporary palace, the Imperial Academy, and government offices.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu seemed thoughtful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for the matter of artisans, it is somewhat simpler.\" Wang Boyan continued. \"It is simply that most of the artisans from Dongjing City were taken away by the Jin people, while the artisans gathered here in Nanyang mostly came from Bashu and Jingxiang. They have been away from home for many days building the palace and do not wish to stay long in Nanyang.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zhao Jiu found it strange... because according to Wang Boyan's description, these problems were not really problems. After all, with the country in this state, the weapons and armor from the Directorate for Armaments were the most critical things, and no cost should be spared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And under this guiding principle, not to mention absurdities like crowding or artisans being homesick, even in the most extreme case—if it were destroyed by the Jin people after just a few months—would they simply not do it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, even one extra set of armor would be good!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this thought, the Zhao Emperor pondered for a moment, too lazy to play the political guessing game with Wang Boyan, and cut straight to the chase: \"Then where does Minister Wang think the Directorate for Armaments should be placed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Boyan cupped his hands and replied solemnly: \"Your Majesty, your servant believes it would be better to place it in Xiangyang. If it is established in Xiangyang, the artisans should be able to settle their minds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu suddenly understood... That was it. How could Wang Boyan, or the Bureau of Military Affairs, or the entire body of officials, not understand priorities and waste time on such matters? It turned out they had been waiting for him to capture Xiangyang all along. Those reasons seemed more like justifications thought up to ensure the Directorate for Armaments was moved south of the Han River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, placing it in Xiangyang was indeed a good thing. Zhao Jiu could think of several advantages with his eyes closed: convenient material transport, easy personnel movement, and it was indeed safer... However, behind this matter was the fact that a large number of officials, represented by Wang Boyan, did not have enough confidence in the possible outcome of the war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the Zhao Emperor also lacked confidence in the war's outcome, because one must face reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then Xiangyang it is.\" Zhao Jiu thought for a moment, hesitated briefly, and then expressed his agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Boyan immediately accepted the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this matter was of great importance, and Zhao Jiu was quite reluctant, so the two discussed it at length... It must be said that this Zhao Emperor was, after all, an engineering dog. Although what he had studied was mostly things like circuits, and his practical engineering experience was mostly limited to soldering circuit boards, he was still an engineering dog and had ideas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his mind, after establishing the Directorate for Armaments, as a time traveler, even if he couldn't make any earth-shattering inventions, it would be only natural and beneficial to the country and its people to promote assembly lines and standard weights and measures, experiment with the best gunpowder formula, incentivize artisans, lay down legendary wooden tracks for a donkey-powered train, and make some big news, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the more the Zhao Emperor talked, the more he felt his words sounded like platitudes, even though Wang Boyan agreed readily... In short, after yesterday's farce by the river, Zhao Jiu had developed a huge doubt about the quality and execution ability of the Great Song bureaucrats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, after saying some of these vague things, the Zhao Emperor stopped himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about Guanxi?\" Having put aside another topic, this time without Lü Hao Wen's prompting, Zhao Jiu directly looked at Yuwen Xuzhong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because Shanzhou has been recovered, and Grand Commandant Han is facing off against Wanyan Gushin and Yelu Yudu near Xijing, coupled with the opening of the Wuguan and Yangzhou (eastern Hanzhong) routes, your servant has roughly learned the situation in Guanxi.\" Yuwen Xuzhong quickly replied. \"In Guanxi, the enemy chieftain Wanyan Loushi, after breaking Chang'an, continued westward, sweeping through the Wei River, but exhausted his strength at Gongzhou (present-day Longxi), so he withdrew to Hedong...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It wasn't exhaustion of strength,\" Zhao Jiu sighed upon hearing this. \"It was still Li Yanxian. If Li Yanxian hadn't recovered Shanzhou at this time, how could Wanyan Loushi have withdrawn all the way to Hedong? If we talk about military merit in saving the situation, Li Yanxian's single-handed contribution is almost no less than Zong Liushou's hundred thousand troops, nor less than the combined efforts of the four generals Han Zhang on the Huai River and Yue Zhang in Jizhou... No wonder he threw a tantrum... When appointing him as Prefect of Shanzhou, add an extra rank of military merit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Yuwen Xuzhong cupped his hands in response, then continued his introduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhao Emperor listened and got the gist... It turned out that after Wanyan Loushi swept through the Guanzhong Plain and withdrew, the area was also in a mess. Everywhere was in the same situation as Jingxi before, with volunteer armies and bandits indistinguishable, essentially carving up the entire Guanzhong Plain. The good news was that, due to the rapid withdrawal, most of the remaining Western Army forces were preserved in the mountainous areas of the various circuits west of the pass. Moreover, high-ranking officials and generals like Wang Shu, the Grand Coordinator of the Fuyan Circuit and concurrent Prefect of Yan'an, Xi Gong, the Grand Coordinator of the Huanqing Circuit, and Wang Xie, the Observer of Wenzhou, had survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for generals at the Command rank, those confirmed alive and still with troops included seven or eight units, including Qu Duan, Xin Qizong (the second son of the Xin family), Liu Xi, Zhao Zhe, and Liu Xiliang... However, they were all scattered in various places, with only reports of their activities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forgive your servant for speaking bluntly.\" Yuwen Xuzhong replied solemnly. \"The Guanzhong Plain remains out of control, and the temporary court is too far away to exert influence. Unless the various units recapture Fengxiang and Chang'an, there is no way to consolidate them. But once Chang'an is recaptured, a high-ranking official should be sent immediately to Shaanxi to pacify the area.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu knew this was indeed unavoidable, so he could only encourage Yuwen Xuzhong a bit and then move on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next was the matter of the Yuanyou Partisans, which was Xu Jingheng's responsibility... This matter involved too many people and affairs. The 'unsatisfactory' aspects were obvious—it was simply a conflict between the Emperor's political stance and the general political cognition of the bureaucracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just as Lord Xu was about to forcefully remonstrate with the Zhao Emperor, the Zhao Emperor suddenly bypassed this matter, only exchanging a few words with Xu Jingheng about the land registration policy. Then he discussed with everyone the matter of summoning those talents for the palace examination in a few days. In a daze, the sun was already tilting westward... Then the Zhao Emperor hesitated no longer, directly using the time as an excuse to dismiss the lords, called for the young Academician Lin to follow, and turned to enter the rear palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was standard practice for Hanlin Academicians to stand duty in the palace awaiting orders, so although this move caused a bit of jealousy among the newly arrived academicians, they had nothing to say, especially since this deeply calculating Academician Lin had just rendered great service.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just as the various lords were seeing off the Emperor, exchanging farewells, pleasantries, and invitations, making a fuss for a good while, and were about to head home, suddenly, the young Academician Lin returned, accompanied by Yang Yizhong and Liu Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Four lords, please stay.\" The young Academician Lin called out to several of them from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Hao Wen and the others' hearts tightened upon hearing this, and when they turned around, their scalps tingled... It turned out that the young Academician Lin was holding four slips of paper with ink still wet. At the same time, the surrounding people, from Zhang Jun down, upon seeing the situation, were startled for a moment, then quickened their pace and filed out of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could only be said that this Emperor's method of forcing people to act was truly nerve-wracking... Of course, there were certainly those who would be eager to receive such paper slips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regardless, the four had no choice but to walk back helplessly. Lord Lü, steeling himself, went to take the slips from Lin Jingmo's hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young Academician Lin smiled faintly and spoke first: \"The Emperor has said in advance that these are all minor matters, not for you lords to do yourselves. After you lords discuss them, you can hand them over to others for swift handling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant they were only to grant legitimacy to these four slips. Lü Hao Wen's heart stirred, and his demeanor naturally became more composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first slip was opened, and on it were clearly written the three characters 'Gunpowder Workshop'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the puzzled Lord Lü could ask, Lin Jingmo promptly explained: \"The Emperor has decreed that a dedicated gunpowder workshop be established in Nanyang. Just a gunpowder workshop, independent of the Directorate for Armaments. No further discussion is needed. It is to be set up near Nanyang and handled quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Hao Wen nodded slightly, also finding this matter quite simple, so simple that he wanted to hold onto this slip and do it himself, because the Great Song dynasty had had specialized gunpowder workshops for many years... But under the watchful eyes of all, and with the Emperor's oral instruction, he couldn't forcefully take on such a simple task to show off his ability. Instead, he had to turn and ask Wang Boyan, who was involved in the matter... This was also the dullness and helplessness of a Chancellor's life:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Wang, who do you think should be entrusted with this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Boyan thought for a moment, glanced at one of the people who had returned with the young Academician Lin, and then promptly replied: \"Since it concerns military affairs, how about letting the Imperial Guard handle it, Commander Yang?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yizhong's expression remained unchanged as he stepped forward and cupped his hands. Lü Hao Wen, feigning confusion, immediately handed the slip to the composed Yang Yizhong, then went to open the second one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second slip was opened, and on it were the three characters 'Hu Hongxiu'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Lü had no idea who Hu Hongxiu was, but Lin Jingmo promptly spoke up: \"The Emperor has said that this is a person who recently submitted military strategies. He is probably serving in the army of one of the two Commanders Xin. Please find this person, preferably to have him come to the court in a few days to take the palace examination together.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Hao Wen suddenly understood and found this matter even more trivial, so much so that he wanted to hand it directly to Liu Yan. But since it involved the military, he had to let Yuwen Xuzhong handle it. Yuwen Xuzhong, however, was straightforward; he simply took it and handed it to Liu Yan without any hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably because the first two matters were too simple, Lord Lü had already opened the third slip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And sure enough, the matter on the third slip was also trivial, even expected—it was the three characters 'Wang Shuzhan'... Without the young Academician Lin's explanation, it was clear that the Emperor wanted to make an example of Wang Shuzhan, who had caused that incident yesterday!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Lord Lü was always one to get along with others. Even though Wang Shuzhan himself must have guessed he was in for trouble, Lü did not want to handle this matter himself. Moreover, considering that Lord Xu Jingheng had publicly reprimanded Wang Taichang yesterday and was firm on this issue, Lü Hao Wen naturally looked towards Xu Jingheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Lord Xu did not mind. He just glanced at it and promptly named someone: \"The Palace Censor Hu Yin already intended to impeach Wang Shuzhan, but was holding back due to tomorrow's talent selection. Give it to him, let him deliberate on a crime and submit a memorial!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bypassing the Censor-in-Chief Zhang Jun to directly name Hu Yin, Lü Hao Wen felt a slight hesitation in his heart. But since Xu Jingheng had already spoken, he couldn't say much. He could only summon an inner attendant and have him deliver the slip to Hu Yin, who had just left the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so this matter was also settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And perhaps because the first three matters were too simple, Lu Xiang's confidence soared. He directly took the fourth slip of paper, opened it in his palm, and saw the two characters: \"City Defense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Majesty said that Nanyang's expansion was hasty, the city defenses unstable, and likely insufficient to handle warfare,\" Lin Jing said solemnly. \"His Majesty wants to rebuild the city defenses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Haowen sighed. How could he not understand now? These slips of paper were simply His Majesty's way of giving credit to those few trusted close ministers, only afraid that if they were openly proposed at the previous court session, someone else would snatch them away, which was why he specially had the councilors stay here to take the blame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, understanding aside, Lu Xiang hesitated not at all and blurted out directly: \"Let Yan Xiaozhong handle it. I'll go out and find him myself to do it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Academician Lin was not bothered by this, nor did he express any opinion. He merely nodded slightly and then withdrew directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, that day, Zhao Jiu, like assigning homework, cleanly shifted all the burdens and went off to enjoy himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, late that very night, Zhao Jiu was awakened from his warm bed and informed of a tremendous piece of news—just a few days prior, Li Yanxian, after recovering Shanzhou, had pressed his advantage in pursuit, crossed the Yellow River, occupied Mount Zhongtiao, and sent troops north, successively capturing Anyi, Xie County, and Wenxi, nearly recovering the entire Jiezhou! And with Jiezhou recovered, the Mount Taixing road was also open!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu was dumbfounded, then ecstatic... What palace intrigue, what alchemists, what assembly-line gunpowder workshops, what rehabilitation of the Yuanyou faction—all of it was bullshit!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just where the hell did this Li Yanxian pop up from? How had he never heard of him?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just as Zhao Jiu returned to his bed, nearly too excited to sleep, suddenly another urgent military dispatch arrived—Han Shizhong had been defeated at Xijing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Zhao Jiu truly couldn't sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: I was wrong. I spent the whole night reviewing the Northern Tang... couldn't stop once I started.\u003C\u002Fp>",2935,"2026-06-06T07:45:46.639Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","4bf6846211c8ef329c804cb9ee9a729240c0363a696f70d74e81ebbfa96004c8","shao-song-chapter-113","shao-song-chapter-111",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]