Zhao Huan did not sleep for long. Yao Pingzhong returned in the morning. Yao Pingzhong had gone to pursue the enemy and killed eight hundred enemy heads. He was very excited when he returned and immediately reported to the emperor.

The logistics soldiers began cleaning up the battlefield in the latter half of the night. They dug several huge pits at the foot of a hill outside Licheng to bury all the fallen Song soldiers. The emperor ordered that several huge stone tablets be erected there later.

He wants to inscribe the words "The Battle of Licheng: The Heroes' Spirits Will Live Forever!" on the stone tablet.

All those who died in battle are enshrined in the Martyrs' Shrine, and the state provides them with pensions.

That night, everyone who participated in the battle slept soundly through the entire night.

The next day the sun shone brightly. After getting plenty of sleep, Zhao Huan felt that his body was finally back to normal, and he felt completely relaxed.

In the morning, a grand ceremony was held outside Licheng to reward the three armies.

The soldiers of the three armies stood in neat rows on the vast, open plain. Their armor gleamed coldly in the winter sun, like the flowing waves of the sea. Many of the soldiers had blood on their faces, and some were wounded.

Wanyan Loushi and Wanyan Salihe knelt before the three armies to express their remorse.

Zhao Huan, dressed in military attire, looked dashing as he rode on the emperor's chariot across the vast plains, waving to the soldiers, his red cloak fluttering in the wind.

The soldiers of the three armies shouted in unison: "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Great Song Dynasty!"

The sound resounded throughout the heavens and earth, rising and falling.

At this moment, Zhao Huan truly understood what power meant. He felt as if he possessed the whole world. He was proud of his army and even more confident in fighting the Jin army to the death!

A short while later, the emperor returned to his original position, and the commander-in-chief of the three armies sent people to announce the rewards and punishments below. Everyone who had made a contribution received a reward.

In the afternoon, the emperor arrived at Longde Prefecture. The Song army had won a great victory, and all the people of Longde Prefecture were overjoyed to welcome the royal army. Zhao Huan couldn't stop smiling.

But once he reached the commander's camp, the emperor's smile gradually disappeared.

Zhong Shidao appeared despite being ill, and all the commanders were present.

Zhang Que and Zhang Yiqian rushed over without stopping. Both of them looked haggard, showing that they hadn't slept since Zhao Huan gave them the task.

Zhang Que said, "Your Majesty, in the surrounding prefectures and counties, seventy percent of the upper-class households are willing to donate, enough for half a month's worth of food!"

"Very good, have you compiled a list of all the available registration slots?"

"We've compiled a complete list, leaving no one out."

Zhao Huan had a plan in mind. It seemed that after returning from the war, he would have to start a major overhaul of the nobility system with the Council of State Affairs. He would try to create more titles, since there would be no official positions and no need to spend money to support them.

In fact, Zhao Huan had a premonition that there was a deeper reason behind the Ministry of Revenue's reluctance to release funds. It was possible that the national treasury was already very tight. But even if it was tight, this was a crucial battle, and Zhao Huan was under tremendous pressure to win it and completely drive out the Jin invaders.

With an extra half-month's worth of food, the commanders breathed a sigh of relief.

News of the Song army's great victory reached the Jin army camp outside Taiyuan Prefecture, shocking the Jin commanders.

In their eyes, the Song army was as fragile as paper, even weaker than the Liao army. Wanyan Loushi's 10,000-strong army was supposed to crush all the Song soldiers, but they never expected such an outcome.

Commander-in-Chief Wanyan Zonghan was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses. He was furious and beheaded the scout who came to report.

Wanyan Zonghan roared, "Quickly gather 20,000 troops! I, the commander, will personally lead the troops into battle!"

Wanyan Xiyin hurriedly said, "Marshal, don't be anxious. The Song army is currently victorious and their morale is high. If our army confronts them head-on now, the losses will certainly be considerable."

"What brilliant plan do you have, sir?"

"Marshal, the Song emperor personally led the expedition and won again. At such a young and vigorous age, he has created achievements that only Emperor Taizu of Song could achieve. Naturally, he will become arrogant and conceited. Why don't we flatter him a bit more and let him get carried away? As the art of war says, an arrogant army will surely be defeated. It will not be too late for our army to launch a major offensive then!"

Wanyan Xiyin truly lived up to his reputation as one of the top strategists in the Jin Dynasty, capable of rivaling Liu Yanzong. In Wanyan Zonghan's moment of embarrassment and anger, he succinctly revealed the course of the battle.

Wanyan Zonghan quickly calmed down: "What you say makes sense, sir. I was just too hasty. I wonder how we can flatter that little emperor again?"

"That's easy. The marshal only needs to write a letter to Zhao Huan, asking for peace and stating that he is willing to withdraw his troops and that the two countries will be on good terms in the future. The young emperor will surely think that the marshal has already given up on the war. People are easily blinded by victory, and soon our opportunity to destroy Song will come!"

"Alright! We'll do as you say, sir!"

Originally, Wanyan Xiyin was very willing to be the envoy to deliver the peace letter, but when he heard that Wanyan Zongwang had sent Wang Rui to negotiate peace, Wang Rui was executed by the emperor, he gave up the idea. Heaven knows if the Song emperor was a madman!

However, madmen are most prone to arrogance, so let's let him arrogance this time!

Finally, a very ordinary low-ranking officer was sent to Longde Prefecture to deliver a message. Before the officer even entered the territory of Longde Prefecture, he was captured by the Imperial City Guard's spies and personally delivered to Longde Prefecture, to His Majesty the Emperor.

"Emperor of Song, I have come to deliver a message."

Zhao Huan sipped his tea, glanced at the Jin soldier, and although he was smiling, he couldn't hide his murderous intent.

Zhao Huan took the letter, opened it, glanced at it quickly, and then threw it into the fire. He thought it was some profound letter, but it turned out to be Wanyan Zonghan's request for peace.

"Was the letter written by Wanyan Zonghan himself?"

"It was the Marshal himself who gave this to me."

"I have read it. Guards, drag him away and behead him."

The officer was slightly taken aback, cursing inwardly, "Damn it! Didn't the scholars say that envoys should not be killed in war? Didn't Lord Wanyan Xiyin also say that the Song army would never kill envoys?"

The officer was waiting to deliver the letter and return to collect his reward when he realized he had been tricked by Wanyan Xiyin.

"Emperor of Song, I am an envoy! I am an envoy!"

"Kill the envoy! Quickly! Drag him away and behead him!"

The Imperial Guards immediately dragged him away, ignoring his wailing and howling, and beheaded him at the city gate of Longde Prefecture, hanging his head on the gate.

Zhao Huan summoned all the generals and said, "Wanyan Zonghan wants to ask me to negotiate peace. What do you all think?"

Zhang Hao quickly replied, "As long as they withdraw from Hedong and Hebei and return the Yan and Yun regions, we will negotiate peace!"

Zhao Huan inwardly praised Zhang Hao's shamelessness. It was undeniable that the Hedong and Hebei regions belonged to the Song Dynasty, but in reality, the Yanyun region had nothing to do with the Song Dynasty. At most, it was just that bastard Tong Guan who spent one million strings of cash to buy a few empty cities. Yet Zhang Hao had the audacity to demand the return of the Yanyun region.

Excellent! This is exactly the kind of general the Song Dynasty needs!

"What about the others? What are your opinions? Speak freely today, regardless of right or wrong. I will not punish you for your words!"