After using his men to drive the Jin bandits out, he turned back and, not content with that, wiped out both routes in the Central Plains.

After finishing the campaign, the court officials hadn't even had a chance to catch their breath before they swept through the southern regions.

The screams of the southern rebels still echoed in the sky, and he was about to annihilate Jiaozhi.

What troubled the ministers the most was that with a single order, they would relocate people and start large-scale construction projects!

No one could possibly turn the government's expenditures into revenues!

Zhao Huan was also very clear about this.

Under his tyranny, the ministers who survived were not only incredibly resilient, but also like cockroaches among men.

He was already very satisfied with what he had accomplished.

While we may apply pressure in normal times, we should still offer encouragement when it comes to the overall direction and progress, especially at the beginning of this year.

As an emperor, one must also show the demeanor of weathering difficulties together with one's trusted ministers.

In fact, Zhao Huan knew that doing so was very risky, but in this situation, there was really no other way.

Why was the administrative efficiency of the Song Dynasty completely different at the beginning of its reign and at the time of its demise?

Or rather, the situation of the court was completely different when Zhu Yuanzhang founded the country and when Chongzhen lost it.

Many people could give reasons that would take days and nights to explain, but Zhao Huan simplified the issue and only mentioned one point.

The degeneration of tissue function creates strong inertia and a firm memory, just like when people exercise. Many people don't exercise, their muscles become lax, and once this muscle memory is formed, they are unwilling to move.

However, once you change your muscle memory through painful training, the pain will disappear after a while, and you won't feel uncomfortable all over your body for a day.

What Zhao Huan needed to do was to change the organizational memory of the Northern Song Dynasty.

The so-called extravagance, peace talks, the respect for civil officials over military officials, the invincibility of the Jurchens, and the emperor's refusal to kill scholar-officials—all these memories etched into everyone's minds were forcibly reversed.

For those in positions of power, what they need most is not money, but even talent comes second.

What is needed most is time. If the new policies are delayed, the organization will become complacent and fall into disuse, and the entire court will be unable to change its mindset.

Once this happens, over time, even the emperor himself will become mentally exhausted.

P.S.: I'd like to merge the two current chapters into one large chapter. Any objections? I'd like to ask for your opinions first.