The opponent seems to be stronger than expected.

But so what? If you can't even reform your internal affairs, how can you talk about conquering the world?

Zhao Huan's life is like the stars and the sea; all obstacles will be overcome!

At dusk, the setting sun was like blood.

Two heads were hanging on the city wall.

One was Li Yanjing, the former transport commissioner of Yongxing Military Circuit, and the other was Shangguan Qing, the former judicial commissioner of Yongxing Military Circuit.

Just a few days ago, they were sitting in their mansion, high and mighty, influential figures who could command the winds and rains throughout the entire Jingzhao Prefecture.

Now, their heads hang on the city wall, their eyes wide open, their mouths slightly agape, their expressions terrified.

This attracted a large crowd of onlookers.

A boy was throwing stones at the heads above: "I heard they're colluding with those Tangut traitors!"

"They deserved to die!"

"The current emperor is a holy ruler."

“I’ve heard that even more people are involved.”

"Oh, tell me quickly!"

"If you want to know, just go to the Song Dynasty Gazette Office in the south of the city and buy the gazette."

"The official gazette? Isn't that government stuff? How can ordinary folks like us afford to buy it!"

"My friend, do you rarely leave Chang'an? The Song Dynasty Gazette has spread throughout the Central Plains, and I've heard it's even in villages. It's also being vigorously promoted in the south, and now it's officially entering the northwest."

"Oh, is that so? We can buy things from officials now?"

"You can buy it. Not only that, there are also storytellers in Qingpinglou who explain the contents of each issue of the official gazette. If you are literate, you can go there to listen."

"Let's go! Let's hurry, let's go to Qingping Tower."

"..."

Several legends have been passed down in Chang'an City.

Legend has it that at the beginning of the Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizu actually wanted to move the capital to Chang'an, while some say he wanted to move it to Luoyang.

These can be considered a source of pride for the people of Chang'an, but as time goes by, this pride has become somewhat melancholic.

This city was once the center of the world, with nations from all corners of the earth paying tribute—what a glorious and prosperous era it was!

The Tang emperor sat high atop the palace in the ninth heaven, while countless foreign caravans rushed to the scene, offering rare and precious treasures.

In Chang'an, one could see people of different skin colors, different clothes, different eyes, and speaking different languages ​​everywhere.

That was truly a magnificent and unrestrained era.

When will Chang'an be able to regain its former glory?

People rushed to Qingping Tower with anticipation. For some reason, they always felt that since the emperor came to Chang'an, he had imbued the city with a strong imperial aura.

The once desolate and ancient city of Chang'an suddenly came alive with unprecedented vitality.

On their way to Qingping Tower, people suddenly saw some beggars by the roadside, and their faces showed smiles that they would never normally have.

They ran in groups, cheering and jumping for joy, heading in the same direction.

A young man in plain clothes stopped and asked one of the ragged older men, "Where are you headed?"

Seeing the young man's scholarly air, the uncle knew he was a learned man and quickly said respectfully, "Sir, we need to go to a place called Qingmu Pavilion ahead. They are recruiting people to cut timber outside the city."

The young man frowned slightly. Logging? Why are these people so eager to log?

These people are struggling to put food on the table, how can they possibly have the time or inclination to cut down trees?

Does it include meals?

But there's no need to be so proactive.

Why cut down trees?

“Young sir, I am just a rough man who cannot read or write. How would I know? I have only heard that I receive two strings of cash every month and that they provide me with food, drink and lodging.”

The young man was slightly surprised and couldn't help but exclaim, "There's such a good thing!"

This had never happened before in the Song Dynasty.

On the other side, a passing merchant couldn't help but laugh and say, "This young gentleman must be a scholar. He should travel more to the Central Plains, especially to the capital, Tokyo."

The young man bowed and said, "Please enlighten me."

"The Ministry of Commerce recruits merchant caravans from the people, and the money for this is all paid by the imperial court."

"The imperial court is paying for this? That's impossible! No matter how rich the imperial court is, it's impossible for it to afford this much money!"

"Believe it or not, I just returned from Tokyo." The merchant, still on horseback, recalled what he had seen in Tokyo, his eyes filled with amazement and reminiscence. "I have never seen such a prosperous and magnificent city. Although it is still under construction, it is probably no more than the Tang Dynasty's Chang'an."

After saying that, he led the caravan on their way.

"The news from the imperial court about the construction of Chang'an will soon reach the city. It's likely that Chang'an will once again regain the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty..."

The merchant's voice faded into the distance.

On the first day of its opening in Chang'an, the official gazette office of the Song Dynasty sold out all two thousand copies.

The official gazette contained the following points:

1. Li Yanjing, the Transport Commissioner of Yongxing Military Circuit, and Shangguan Qing, the Commissioner of the Judicial Commission, colluded with the Dangxiang rebels and were to be executed immediately.

Second, the Li family of Longxi colluded with the Tangut rebels and plotted to assassinate the emperor. All members of the Li family over the age of sixteen were executed, and the rest were exiled to the frontier.

Third, the government vigorously recruited private merchant caravans, with each person receiving a monthly salary of two strings of cash, and the government covering their food, drink, and lodging.

The first edition of the Song Dynasty Gazette in Chang'an was not long, but it was captivating enough.

This was the first time the emperor had come to Chang'an and addressed the people.

There were executions of traitors and good news for the people.

The next morning, Zhao Huan inspected the military equipment bureau in Chang'an and was very disappointed with the weapons.

But they didn't say anything, since these weapons were already being remade in Tokyo.

I don't know where the progress of the musket project is; I need to put this on the agenda after I return to Tokyo.

Once the firearms are developed, the first battle of the firearms battalion will be fought in the Northwest, to let those Tanguts witness the might of our Great Song Dynasty.

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