If the Tang Empire won, it would say to its opponents: "You damn well behave yourself in the future, or be careful that I wipe out your entire clan. Pay tribute obediently every year!"
<...Of course, they were even more eager to make exorbitant demands, wanting food and freedom!
Most importantly, they believed that His Majesty the Emperor treated them very well, so they began to take the Emperor's authority less seriously.
He felt that he had destroyed the Xia Kingdom and gained military merit.
The army had just won a battle and was becoming somewhat complacent. Wang Kui'an worried that the Censorate's move to enforce discipline at this time would demoralize the army.
If the army loses heart and complains to the emperor, then they are finished.
Therefore, Wang Kui'an turned a blind eye to some things for the time being.
Zhong Shidao grew angrier as he read on. He angrily said, "Arrogance will surely lead to defeat! From Liu Yanqing's reports, I see an arrogant and conceited general who doesn't know his own limitations. He could restrain himself in Shaanxi before, but now he's completely lawless. Commander Wang, as the Emperor's Military Commissioner, you are responsible for supervision. You should immediately escort Liu Yanqing to the capital and send him to a military court for investigation!"
"Yes! I'll take care of it right away!"
"And Zhang Shen, he too shall be held accountable!"
Wang Kui'an dared not utter a single word of dissent: "Yes!"
Pan Weizhi, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial City Guard, said, "General Zhong, a report has come from the front that the Mongols are frequently appearing two hundred miles north of Blackwater City. His Majesty has not been providing them with the military rations they demand. I am worried that they may resort to desperate measures. There is no time to lose. I request that you immediately deploy troops to reinforce the defenses of Blackwater City!"
Zhong Shidao said, "Fan Caosi, you must immediately dispatch 100,000 troops from Shaanxi to the north, and they must reach Blackwater City within a month!"
"Furthermore, I hereby issue the order to remove Liu Yanqing from his post as the Commander-in-Chief of the Blackwater City Army, remove Zhang Shen from his post as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Blackwater City Army, and transfer Liu Qi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Xuanhua Prefecture Army, to serve as the Commander-in-Chief of the Blackwater City Army. This order shall be executed immediately without fail!"
The crowd replied, "Yes!"
On the third day, Yang Zaixing finally arrived in Xingqing Prefecture.