Chapter 533: Hearts Gathered, the Great Enterprise Achieved

Zhao Pu walked swiftly through Daning Palace, pulling along his sister-in-law, the Wei woman, by the hand.

The Wei woman was so exhausted that the sweet first love she felt for her brother-in-law, mixed with adoration, and her curiosity about the not-so-spacious Daning Palace, all vanished without a trace, leaving only breathless panting.

After passing just a few checkpoints, the two of them smoothly arrived at Chongde Hall, where the Emperor handled ordinary government affairs.

Zhao Pu and the Wei woman were about to kneel as soon as they entered, but a teasing voice came from within.

"Enough. On ordinary days you never kneel. Today, with the young Wei lady following you, why don't you show off a little? Come in and speak."

The Wei woman's mouth dropped into an O shape in surprise, her large eyes blinking as she looked at her brother-in-law Zhao Pu, full of shock and adoration.

She knew her brother-in-law had become a high official in the Ministry of Revenue, but she had not imagined he was already this familiar with the Emperor.

As for Zhao Pu, his eyes grew hot, and tears instantly filled them, on the verge of falling.

These past days could be said to be the most glorious moments of Zhao Pu's twenty-some years of life.

The Sage treated him like a friend he had known for many years, and trusted his abilities considerably.

Under this favor, Zhao Pu seemed to have been reawakened. The classics, histories, philosophers, and collected works that he had once found obscure, difficult, and utterly uninteresting now seemed to hold a special attraction.

These days, whenever Zhao Pu had a spare moment, he read with hunger and thirst, because he feared his learning and abilities were not worthy of the Sage's trust.

In his agitation, Zhao Pu respectfully performed the three-kneelings-and-nine-kowtows ceremony, used only at grand court assemblies, right at the entrance of the great hall, and paid homage to Zhang Zhao, crying out in a choked voice.

"The Sage's favor is something I, your servant Zhao Pu, can never repay. I only wish to follow Your Majesty for the rest of my life."

Zhang Zhao walked out of the hall somewhat puzzled. He still did not quite understand why Zhao Pu had suddenly become so emotional.

But this was not a bad thing after all. This Zhao Pu might still be somewhat immature, but his ability was unquestionable. With some cultivation, he would become a capable minister for governing the realm in the future.

"Since you have such devotion, then work hard. If lord and minister are in harmony, future histories may well record it as a fine tale."

After Zhang Zhao finished speaking, Zhao Pu kowtowed once more before rising together with his sister-in-law, the Wei woman.

Zhang Zhao looked at the Wei woman beside Zhao Pu and could not help but brighten. Indeed, as Zhang Lieming had said, she was gorgeous and charming.

Zhao Pu saw the gleaming look in Zhang Zhao's eyes as he looked her over, and clearly sensed a man's appreciation and amazement at a woman.

He steeled his heart, gritted his teeth, and was about to speak.

But I, Sage Zhang, have long been tempered by temptations in these matters.

He immediately sensed what Zhao Pu wanted to say, and suddenly glared at him with knitted brows and angry eyes.

"You are a minister. How could you commit the act of a sycophant? The reason I trust and value you is your talent and learning. Why would you debase yourself?"

What a perfect opportunity for a warning! Sage Zhang wielded it with consummate skill, as traceless as an antelope hanging by its horns.

Thus, his lightning-fast reaction immediately left Zhao Pu dumbstruck. After freezing for a few seconds, this founding chancellor of the Northern Song in history kowtowed for the third time.

"Your Majesty is truly a sovereign among men! I was born into a fallen family and have seen enough of the two Shi emperors' petty scheming. Today I have offended Your Majesty. Death to me! Death to me!"

Only then did Zhang Zhao snort in exasperation. "Get up. I treat people solely by their ability. Remember this well: put your talents to proper use."

The Wei woman, frightened by the Emperor's sudden anger, stood dazed for a moment before falling into confusion again.

She looked left and right in bewilderment, not knowing what matter Zhang Zhao and her brother-in-law Zhao Pu were talking about. She did not even know that she herself had nearly been handed over just now.

After this little interlude, Zhang Zhao waved to the guards from Ningyuan nearby and said, "Go and bring that woman over. Let the Vice Director identify her."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Pu beckoned the Wei woman to stand aside properly. This was the reason he had brought his sister-in-law into the palace today.

It was that neighbor of theirs, the Zhen Bao'er who had awakened the kindness in Zhao Pu's heart, who was still alive. And moreover, she had become entangled in a fateful affair that even gave Zhang Zhao something of a headache.

At the entrance of the great hall, a thin, small figure with a large, bulging belly walked closer and closer.

The Wei woman had already received a hint or two from Zhao Pu. She stood on tiptoe and looked carefully, and saw that the approaching woman was none other than Zhen Bao'er, a year younger than herself.

Zhen Bao'er was not tall, with somewhat large, innocent eyes. She was now seven months pregnant, and her belly had grown so large that it was frightening to look at.

Her expression was not particularly panicked, but her eyes lacked the liveliness a fifteen-year-old girl should have. She looked as though her soul had already left her body and flown away.

The Wei woman was still young herself, without the many inhibitions of adults. Now, looking at a sister who had vanished for years, she could not help but burst into loud sobs.

She ran over and grabbed Zhen Bao'er's hands, calling out "Little Sister!" "Little Sister!" over and over.

Zhang Zhao quickly had people bring over the reclining chair from behind him. After letting Zhen Bao'er sit down, he had the golden tablet engraved with her name handed to Zhao Pu.

The Wei woman had already cried herself into a mess of tears, and Zhen Bao'er was trembling all over as well.

It was not until Zhao Pu walked over with the golden tablet that this poor woman's sealed-up emotional defenses were suddenly breached, and the two young women wept loudly right there in Chongde Hall.

Many of the palace attendants around them also wiped away tears in sympathy, and Zhao Pu's eyes grew moist once more.

Even Sage Zhang, who had been a feudal emperor for nearly ten years and had long cultivated a heart as hard as iron and stone, could not help but let out a long sigh.

After a long while, when the two women had cried themselves out, Zhang Zhao personally asked Zhen Bao'er, "Since you have no home to return to, are you willing to go to the Zhao household?"

Zhen Bao'er did not say much. She glanced at Zhao Pu and the Wei woman, then nodded gently.

A look of relief also appeared on Zhang Zhao's face. "Then the child in your womb shall take the surname Zhao. If you are unwilling to raise it, send it to the palace after it turns five."

But before Zhen Bao'er could speak, Zhao Pu knelt down first.

"My family background truly cannot bear this bloodline. Yaogu may be a barbarian chieftain, but he still has some air of kingship. Since Your Majesty intends to cultivate them, it would be better to bestow the surname Zhang. That way they will be more useful in the future!"

Zhang Zhao thought for a moment, then slowly nodded. The child in Zhen Bao'er's womb was somewhat extraordinary.

Because after this woman had been abducted by the Khitans, she had actually become one of Yelu Deguang's maidservants, and the child in her womb could basically be confirmed as Yelu Deguang's.

Zhao Pu also understood Zhang Zhao's intentions, which was why he had spoken thus.

Since the goal was to display benevolence, what could better demonstrate benevolence than taking in and comforting even a woman carrying the son of the Khitan ruler Yelu Deguang?

Moreover, these children, whether born or unborn, were almost all ill-fated bastards. If Zhang Zhao did not take them in, their fates were easy to imagine.

Once taken in, it would be a grace of rebirth. If they could be directly given the surname Zhang and properly cultivated, they would become sharp blades in his hand in the future.

"Approved!" Zhang Zhao agreed, then summoned Li Xiaojie and Zhang Lieming.

"Set the rule: these children shall henceforth be called the Qihuo Lang — the Beg-for-Life Youths!

Any that no one is willing to raise shall be sent to common households to be raised before the age of five, with the rearing expenses paid from my private treasury.

After the age of five, they shall be sent to the Comfort Bureau, raised by the palace, and taught the classics, histories, philosophers, and collected works, military texts and battle tactics, spear, staff, bow, and horse. At the very least, they must be given a path to live.

The matter of returning the gold and silver plundered from the common people shall be handled by Yin Tong, the Commissioner of the Yongxun Palace."

Yongxun Palace was the main palace of Liangzhou. When Zhang Zhao raised his great army and marched toward the Central Plains, he had brought along some of his Yongxun Palace attendants as well.

The Palace Commissioner Yin Tong was the grandson of the younger brother of Zhang Zhao's grandmother, Lady Yin. Prudent and steady by nature, he managed all affairs of Yongxun Palace, great and small — the equivalent of a later-day chief secretary. Sending him to handle the return of the plundered gold and silver to the common people was perfectly suited to the moment.

Outside Daning Palace, gold and silver ornaments and brocade stamped with the marks of various households filled more than a dozen great carts, piled up like a mountain when seen from afar.

Armored soldiers of the Hanshan Capital wearing white cloth-faced iron armor, spears in hand and bows slung, along with a great number of Yongxun Palace attendants and guards in silver-white round-collared robes, were bustling about.

The people of the Eastern Capital who had come today to collect milk to feed their children were utterly stunned — so much so that when they heard Palace Commissioner Yin Tong announce that the Sage would return each household's plundered gold and silver, no one dared believe it was true.

But before long, the people who had recovered their senses raised a thunderous cheer outside Daning Palace, and the news spread through the whole city as if it had sprouted wings.

At this very moment, nearly all of the several tens of thousands of Eastern Capital residents who remained were running toward the outside of Daning Palace.

How to return these plundered goods properly? It was actually a technical matter.

For meritorious officials and wealthy households, the main idea was to make a token gesture — chiefly returning goods of commemorative value to them.

Because such families had been extorted by the Khitan for no small amount, no matter how much you returned, you could never make them feel true gratitude — and Zhang Zhao could not afford to return it all anyway. So he simply went through the motions.

The emphasis was on returning things to the common people of the Eastern Capital. Even if they were given a mere trifle, it could earn their immense gratitude.

Now that Zhang Zhao held military power, once he gained the support of the common people, he could begin to discipline the Later Jin meritorious officials and bureaucrats in the city.

And to avoid the problem of "not fearing scarcity but fearing inequality," even common people who had no valuables worth plundering were given rewards by Zhang Zhao.

The specific method was this: using the pretext that some neighboring household had been wiped out, he would buy up their house and grounds, to be used later as housing for the families of the forty thousand troops under his command.

Then the money from buying these houses would be given to the neighbors of these extinct households, a few dozen cash per family, letting them all get a little something out of it.

This work, one could say, was highly technical and complex.

But it did not stump Yin Tong, because under him were the several dozen adopted-son soldiers whom Zhang Zhao had been maintaining all along.

Most of them were well versed in mathematics and had studied such things as statistics and even financial statements under Zhang Zhao. They were the seed stock Zhang Zhao had prepared for controlling banks and guilds in the future. Using them now for this kind of work was, one could say, effortless.

Amid heaven-shaking shouts of "Long live the Son of Heaven" and the cheerful atmosphere of everyone getting money, the reputation of Zhang the Son of Heaven for benevolence and righteousness was thoroughly cemented.

From this moment on, the people of the Eastern Capital fully accepted this Son of Heaven who had come from Hexi. Even the deeds of the Guiyi Army began to be sung and celebrated by them.

The activity of returning goods and wealth went on for two full days. Two days later, Zhang Zhao announced another benevolent policy.

It turned out that ever since Shi Chonggui ascended the throne, he had scoured the realm for beautiful women skilled in song and dance and placed them in Zide Palace and other palace buildings. He had also laid luxurious carpets on the palace floors, detained several hundred weavers, and kept entertainers numbering in the hundreds.

Zhang Zhao ordered the release of more than seven hundred palace women, weavers, and others from Daning Palace, Zide Palace, and the other imperial palaces.

Those who still had families were sent home to reunite with them. Those with no family or unwilling to return home were sent out of the palace to marry mid- and low-ranking officers, and even brave soldiers of the army.

Then, following the old precedent of Emperor Taizong of Tang, he ordered the demolition of Zide Palace and other surplus palaces, allowing the people of the Eastern Capital to take the timber and stone back home to repair houses damaged by the ravages of war.

Finally, the entertainers were disbanded. Those who had been forcibly abducted were told to go back to whatever they had done before. Those who were wicked sycophants were judged and punished if guilty.

Zhang Zhao kept only Daning Palace, which had been converted from the original headquarters of the Xuanwu Army Military Governor. One could call it the height of simplicity and frugality.

In a short time, the atmosphere of the Eastern Capital — and indeed of the entire territory occupied by the Zhou state — changed dramatically. Everyone could see that this Son of Heaven of Zhou truly intended to accomplish great things, and was a brilliant ruler with the ability to end the chaos of the age.

Having accomplished all this, Zhang Zhao announced before New Year's Day of 945 that on New Year's Day itself, he would host a banquet in Daning Palace for the elders aged fifty-five and above of the Eastern Capital, Kaifeng Prefecture, and the surrounding prefectures and counties — calling it the Banquet of a Thousand Elders.

Whether former meritorious officials and bureaucrats of the Jin state or common people, as long as one was fifty-five or older, one could come to Daning Palace to eat at Sage Zhang's banquet, and after it ended, gifts would be bestowed as well.

At this time, anyone who could live past fifty-five in this age of chaos was without exception the helmsman of their family — at the very least, a spiritual leader of high virtue and prestige.

After eating at the banquet, they were moved to tears of gratitude, and their reverence for Zhang Zhao knew no bounds. Through these very people, the fame of Zhang Zhao's benevolence and virtue was spread even more widely.

With this whole chain of moves, the moribund lands of Henan, led by Luoyang and Kaifeng, immediately regained the appearance of prosperity.

The common people confidently transported surplus grain from all directions, merchants began traveling the streets and alleys, commoners who had been forced into banditry came down from the mountains one after another, and scholars and ambitious warriors began flocking to the Eastern Capital to pay homage to the Son of Heaven.

Only at this point could Zhang Zhao be said to have gained a firm footing.

With the support of the common people, he could finally set about properly reforming the yabing guards, yabing officers, and bureaucratic system that had accumulated abuses for several hundred years.

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