Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

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People living in and around the county seat, regardless of their ethnicity, are prohibited from wearing clothing with the left-fastening style.

However, there are no strict rules regarding hairstyles, giving people of all ethnic groups a certain degree of freedom.

In each county town, official schools were established, with exiled officials serving as teachers.

.....

Zhao Yuan, who had just returned from the Wangchuan Villa, carefully reviewed the national household registration statistics.

And the accompanying work reports from each province, prefecture, and county.

"The eight prefectures of the Hehuang region have been basically digested," Zhao Yuan commented.

Wen Huanzhang said very frankly, "It is thanks to the Song Dynasty's decades of efforts. After the Hehuang region was recovered, there were repeated rebellions, which the Song Dynasty suppressed many times."

"The tribes that could stir up trouble have all been decimated by the Song Dynasty's border troops. Our Great Ming Dynasty can now reap the rewards."

“In the past two years, when the Hehuang people were registered as commoners, no ethnic group or tribe dared to resist and obediently followed the government’s arrangements.”

Zhao Yuan pulled out another document and said as he read, "Isn't it too early to establish a prefecture in Pyongyang? I think it's more prudent to continue with military control."

"Don't worry," Wen Huanzhang laughed. "If something unexpected happens, it will be a good opportunity to lure the snake out of its hole."

"Suppress internal rebellions and eliminate stubborn resistance elements."

"If Goryeo sends troops to attack, it will provide a convenient excuse to annex Goryeo!"

Chapter 3538 The Treacherous Ministers of Nanyue

Pyongyang was also established as a prefecture this year, along with Lanzhou.

Pyongyang Prefecture was divided into four counties: Gija County (Pyongyang), An County (Anju), Ui County (Boju), and Hung County (Hamhung).

To facilitate governance, large numbers of people were relocated from the mountains and given unclaimed farmland or wasteland.

These relocated mountain people were mainly Jurchen, with some Bohai people.

The tribal system was changed to a village system, and the tribal chief became the village head or village head.

Including the Han Chinese soldiers, craftsmen and their families who migrated there, as well as the local Koreans, Jurchens and Bohais.

The more than 9 people aged 15 and above in the four counties of Pyongyang Prefecture also contributed to the more than 8000 million people of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhao Yuan said, "We can send another envoy to Goryeo to see the specific situation."

“No need,” Wen Huanzhang said. “We have informants in the Goryeo court, and they are even central government officials.”

"A traitor?" Zhao Yuan asked.

“They were collaborators,” Wen Huanzhang said. “The nobles of Gaegyeong control the court and have placed the King of Goryeo under house arrest.”

“If the local nobles in Goryeo don’t serve as dogs for the nobles in Gaegyeong, they have no hope of advancing in their careers.”

"Furthermore, with the king under house arrest, they harbored deep resentment towards the nobles of Kaesong."

"It would be better to be ruled by the Ming Dynasty than to be ruled by the nobles of Kaijing."

Zhao Yuan asked, "I heard that the King of Goryeo is very clever and has eliminated two powerful ministers in succession?"

Wen Huanzhang nodded in agreement: "He is indeed very intelligent, bold and decisive, and also has a lot of personal charisma."

"During his house arrest, he managed to win over the eunuchs arranged by powerful officials and also won over the doctor who treated him."

"With the help of eunuchs and doctors, they even attempted to launch a coup last year."

"Unfortunately, the secret was leaked halfway through, and the eunuchs and doctors all died."

"Among the civil and military officials involved in the coup, three were beheaded and more than ten were exiled."

"Alas, he was indeed a wise ruler," Zhao Yuan sighed.

Wen Huanzhang smiled and said, "It was precisely because of the failed coup last year that some mid- to low-ranking officials in Gaegyeong, Goryeo, took the initiative to contact the high-ranking Ming officials in Pyongyang."

"Some people hoped to use the Ming Dynasty to eliminate powerful officials, while others simply gave up and became collaborators."

Unbeknownst to the king and his ministers, Goryeo was brewing another coup this year—the powerful ministers' group had split up.

Enlightened individuals among the nobles of Kaijing hoped to eliminate treacherous officials and revitalize the nation.

They attempted to kill the chief minister, rescue the imprisoned king, reform the finances and military, and drive the Ming army out of Pyongyang.

.....

Luoyang, horse market.

It's called a horse market, but it also sells donkeys and mules.

Today, however, there are novelties for sale—elephants and rhinoceroses.

Among the Annamese envoys, the deputy envoy Liu Yaomin, who understood Chinese, was hawking his wares in a strange accent: "Elephants, tamed elephants."

"Gentle-natured, intelligent, and capable of farm work..."

Annan's brother-in-law, Du Yingwu, felt ashamed and was drinking at a restaurant on the next street.

He's still completely bewildered, not understanding why the Ming emperor didn't want auspicious omens.

It was suggested by Zhang Boyu, the Grand Tutor of Annam, to paint scales on a rhinoceros and present it to the Ming Dynasty as a unicorn.

Grand Tutor Zhang, well-versed in Annam history, decided to follow the precedent set decades earlier and present auspicious omens to win the favor of the Ming emperor.

How did you manage to flatter someone so much that you ended up hurting them?

"My lord, you must go and see! The Ming officials are about to arrest people again!" A member of the mission rushed over.

Upon hearing this, Du Yingwu tossed out copper coins to pay the bill and hurriedly ran to check the situation.

The money he used to pay for meals and drinks was earned with gold.

The gold was originally intended to be used to buy goods and make money during the tribute mission.

When Du Yingwu arrived at the horse market, a tax collector and several tax officials were arguing with Liu Yaomin, who was selling rhinoceroses and elephants.

Du Yingwu asked, "What happened?"

Liu Yaomin said with a long face, "To sell things here, you need a tax payment certificate from the Luoyang tax office."

"That's a tax stamp that specifies where the goods are being transported from and to, and it also needs to have the stamps of the customs stations along the way."

"You can't sell goods here without a tax invoice."

"This is outrageous!" Du Yingwu was furious.

Despite being a treacherous minister, he was also exceptionally talented and held himself in high esteem.

He had smooth, fair skin since childhood, was one of Vietnam's most handsome men, and was also good at flying kites and singing.

As he grew older, he became proficient in horsemanship, archery, medicine, chess, pitch-pot, military strategy, and fortune-telling. He also oversaw the king's major construction projects, managing the engineering teams with remarkable efficiency...

Although many people called him a treacherous minister, no one dared to deny his talent.

Such a distinguished and elegant man was arrested and imprisoned on his very first day in Luoyang.

Now, even when they sell the tribute items, they are being cheated by a few tax collectors.

Du Yingwu pointed at the tax collector and asked, "Is this how the mighty Ming Dynasty, the legitimate successor of the Central Plains, treats its envoys?"

"Where is our etiquette? Where is the face of the Ming Dynasty?"

The tax collector scoffed, "What etiquette do people who deceive the emperor have to talk about?"

Chapter 3539 I Must Take Revenge on the Han People

Liu Yaomin quickly intervened to prevent the situation from escalating, pleading, "May I ask, sir, could you please make an exception?"

The tax collector said, "I'm just following the rules."

“In Luoyang, no one is allowed to sell valuable goods without a tax certificate.”

“I can turn a blind eye to you picking out some vegetables and fruits to sell.”

"But you're selling rhinoceroses and elephants. If I don't stop you, I'll be neglecting my duty!"

Left with no other choice, Du Yingwu and Liu Yaomin had to get the elephants and rhinoceroses out of the city and then go to the Honglu Temple for help.

The Ming Dynasty was, after all, a land of etiquette. The Court of State Ceremonies helped report the matter, and the Ministry of Revenue petitioned the Grand Secretariat, finally granting them permission to sell goods in Luoyang.

Vietnamese envoys have re-rented stalls at the horse market and are continuing to sell rhinos and elephants there.

For three days in a row, many people came to watch the spectacle, but no one even asked about the price.

Who would be so bored as to buy this thing to take home?

"Why don't we just throw it away?"

Liu Yaomin suggested,

"We simply can't sell them. We even have to pay out of our own pockets every day to buy food for the rhinos and elephants."

Du Yingwu said, "Just give me any price."

"An elephant costs fifty strings of cash, and a rhinoceros costs thirty strings of cash."

"And all that agarwood, ebony, gemstones... sell them all at rock-bottom prices and get back home to report as soon as possible."

On the fourth day, the price was directly displayed on a wooden sign.

Soon merchants came to buy them, purchasing both elephants and a rhinoceros. They then drove them outside the Donghua Gate, claiming they had acquired exotic beasts to present to the imperial court.

The remaining tribute items were also snapped up by merchants.

The Annamese delegation finally embarked on their journey home.

Sitting on the boat, Du Yingwu said with a ferocious expression, "I have never suffered such humiliation since I was born."

"After returning home, I will definitely petition His Majesty to send 100,000 troops to attack the Ming Dynasty!"

Liu Yaomin said, "My lord, please calm your anger. The Ming Dynasty is powerful and cannot be defeated by force."

Du Yingwu clenched his fist and said, "My uncle was able to defeat the Song army back then, and I can do the same to defeat the Ming army!"

Du Yingwu's uncle was none other than Li Changjie, the eunuch who led troops to attack the Song Dynasty.

Although Li Changjie was a eunuch, he was also a renowned general.

On his first campaign against Champa, he captured the Champa king.

The second campaign against Champa resulted in the annexation of three of its provinces.

The three campaigns against Champa were all resounding successes.

He then led an army of 100,000 to attack the Song Dynasty, captured Yongzhou and massacred the city's inhabitants, and abducted tens of thousands of Song citizens.

Du Yingwu, this treacherous minister, was also a capable military strategist; he never suffered a defeat in his life.

The Ming emperor and his ministers are too despicable; Du Yingwu cannot swallow this insult!

.....

No sooner had the Annamese envoy left than a fast ship sailed toward Luoyang.

The messenger first went to the Ministry of War, and then urgently reported directly to the palace.

Looking at the urgent report from Shaanxi and the letter of appeal from the King of Gaochang, Zhao Yuan couldn't help but sigh, "Even with the butterfly's wings flapping like this, Yelü Dashi can still cause trouble."

Yelü Dashi launched an attack last year and captured the capital of the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate.

He then sent a proclamation to the grasslands north of the Tianshan Mountains, and all the tribes north of the Tianshan Mountains expressed their allegiance to Yelü Dashi.

Today, the Kashgar, Hotan, and Aksu regions are occupied by rebel forces from the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate.

Korla, Turpan, Hami and other places belonged to the territory of the Gaochang Uyghurs.

The rest of the land was swallowed up by Yelü Dashi!

Yelü Dashi's westernmost territory has expanded to two hundred li west of Talas.

Next, Yelü Dashi will definitely annex Kashgar, Hotan and other places first, and then attack the Gaochang Uyghurs who have lost half of their territory.

The King of Gaochang was so frightened that he couldn't sleep at night and quickly sent someone to ask the Ming Dynasty for help.

.....

When Zhao Yuan received Gaochang's letter requesting aid, Yelü Dashi was already attacking Kashgar.