February apricot blossoms arrive in Song Chunlai.

Four years have passed since Zhao Huan traveled back in time.

Looking back on what he did during those four years, he was shocked by his own actions.

The willow trees lining the wide new streets of Tokyo were still budding, and merchants from all directions were transporting goods on slow-moving carts.

Occasionally, you can also see people of different skin colors from other countries.

The Privy Council had just enshrined the Song soldiers who died in the Song-Xia War in the Temple of Loyal Martyrs, and various prefectures and counties held mourning ceremonies.

That very night, Zhou Chao, the Minister of the Three Departments, couldn't wait to enter the palace and report on the current financial situation.

The wealth accumulated since the first year of the Jingkang era was almost entirely wiped out in this battle.

The emperor mobilized an army of 600,000, and when you include logistics and the people who were affected, the number of people actually involved exceeded one million.

Thirty million strings of cash were distributed just for compensation to wounded and injured soldiers.

Including the losses caused by Cao Sheng's rebellion, a total of 350,000 Song soldiers lost their lives!

The number of wounded is as high as 300,000!

Huanqing Road in the northwest was destroyed, and the fortified city built over decades by the Song Dynasty was almost completely destroyed.

The ice on the Wuding River collapsed under the weight of the corpses. It took five days just to move the bodies of the fallen soldiers to the mountains for collective cremation, and 30,000 civilians were mobilized.

These figures are kept absolutely secret. If the Jurchens of the Jin Dynasty knew that the Song Dynasty had suffered such heavy losses this time, they would surely rush south at all costs.

Seeing such a long report, Zhao Huan's head started spinning again.

However, there is still good news.

Moreover, there's more good news than one.

First of all, grain production in the south tripled last year compared to previous years!

The large quantities of fruit wine transported from Jiaozhou were snapped up in major restaurants in Tokyo, far exceeding everyone's expectations in terms of popularity.

As a result, hotel owners in Tokyo flocked to the government office, hoping that the court would provide them with more fruit wine.

The Minister of Commerce, Tang Ke, was so excited about this matter that he couldn't sleep.

Thus, fruit replaced grain for brewing wine, and the grain supply in the capital region was barely maintained even when the emperor urgently needed it for his wars.

The manufacture of cement has also been put on the agenda. Thirty cement roads have already appeared in Gyeonggi Province, some of which have been completed and others are under construction.

Centered on Tokyo, it radiates outwards.

The emergence of cement roads greatly improved the speed of commercial transportation on Gyeonggi Road.

Although the effect is not obvious at present, Zhao Huan is obviously very satisfied and excited.

A crucial aspect of commerce is transportation. Once a transportation system is established, not only will efficiency increase, but transportation costs will also decrease, naturally leading to a reduction in the price of goods.

In his report in February of the fourth year of the Jingkang era, what excited Zhao Huan the most was that the steel manufacturing bureaus in Chang'an and Tokyo were completed almost simultaneously.

Although they were still quite primitive, Zhao Huan believed during the Song Dynasty that they were the most advanced steel smelting equipment on Earth.

Therefore, some commentators have noted that in this year, the Song Dynasty not only recovered the Northwest, which had been divided for nearly a hundred years, but also seemed to be on the eve of the Industrial Revolution with the advent of steel and cement roads.

As for the trade in ceramics and silk in the Song Dynasty, these are now the most important sources of revenue for Zhao Huan's national treasury.

He naturally wanted to go through all the accounts.

"Minister Li."

Li Gang stepped forward and said, "Your subject is here!"

"How is the navy's preparation going?"

"Your Majesty, the First Naval Battalion has been established in Hangzhou. The Privy Council has recommended that Li Bao, who made great contributions in the war to sever diplomatic ties, be appointed as its commander. Your Majesty and the Marshal shall make the decision."

Zhao Huan raised his eyebrows slightly, feeling both puzzled and surprised.

Li Bao?

Is he the brilliant naval commander from the early Southern Song Dynasty?

I had forgotten about him, but a genius is a genius. Even if I don't deliberately seek him out, he will shine on his own.

Li Gang then added: "This man was skilled in naval warfare across the river during the battle against the Jiaozhi rebels. He was recommended by Zong Gong and Yue Pengju."

"Very well, then let him be the number one naval commander of the Great Song Dynasty!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Prince Kang, Zhao Gou, had been standing to the side for a long time, watching as the emperor focused his attention on maritime transport and the establishment of the navy.

Zhao Gou stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

"King Kang, what brings you here?"

"Your Majesty, last year Japan placed an order with our court for tens of thousands of bolts of silk and ten thousand pieces of ceramics. However, last month, war suddenly broke out in Japan, and all foreign trade was suspended. Furthermore, there will be no more foreign trade in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huan finally turned his gaze to the last line.

Indeed, in the maritime trade report, there was a gap in the list of countries listed as Japan, and Zhao Gou also noted the reason.

Zhao Huan frowned. This shouldn't be the case. Historically, Japan's affection for the Song Dynasty was so extreme that it bordered on groveling, even more so than groveling.

That shouldn't be!

"Where is the Japanese envoy to the Song Dynasty? Let him come to see me."

"Your Majesty, the envoy departed for Japan last month."

"You've gone back?" Zhao Huan was displeased. You were, after all, an envoy of a country, and you didn't even inform me before leaving.

Does this mean I, the Son of Heaven, do not exist?

Is the Song Dynasty something you can come and go as you please?

"Xu Churen!"

"Your subject is here!"

"Bring that Japanese envoy back to the Song Dynasty and do not allow him to leave!"

"I obey the decree!"

Zhao Huan's gaze shifted to Zhao Gou: "King Kang, what do you think should be done about the matter of Japan?"

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