Nearly two months have passed since the emperor personally led the expedition. During these two months, Zhao Huan has kept the Song Dynasty busy for every moment. He is like a high-speed machine, using his powerful presence to propel the Song Dynasty toward the future he desires.

As the sun gradually sank below the horizon, countless stars shone like jewels against the deep blue sky.

The night wind was still cold, blowing from the distant hills and stirring up the thick blood mist on the plains. The killing was nearing its end, and the distant enemy was merely being pursued by the remaining bandits.

The melting snow and ice across the entire plain were completely stained red with blood. For many years afterward, the grass that grew on this plain was exceptionally lush, and countless corpses lay on the ground, blocking the distant river.

One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand!

If these people lived in later societies, they might become doctors, teachers, scholars, or even scientists. At the very least, they could be ordinary office workers or deliverymen, enjoying the freedom and beauty of life, eating unhealthy street food, and taking walks with their children on weekends.

But they were born in this era, became soldiers, took up arms, and were buried far from home.

Zhao Huan's face was expressionless. He rode his horse for a long time across the icy plains, where the medical personnel and soldiers and civilians from Liaozhou and Taiyuan were dealing with the battlefield.

"Report! Your Majesty! Our army has achieved a great victory! Commander Yao has pursued the enemy and beheaded three thousand!"

Zhao Huan laughed loudly: "Good! Where is Yao Pingzhong now?"

Speaking of Yao Pingzhong, a troop of cavalry came from the front. It was Yao Pingzhong. Every one of the cavalrymen was covered in blood, and none of their swords were intact.

Yao Pingzhong dismounted, and the others behind him followed suit. Yao Pingzhong said, "Your Majesty, this humble general has returned to report!"

"Minister Yao, this time I will reward you handsomely, and also reward all the soldiers of the army!"

"It is my duty to share the emperor's burdens!"

Before long, Yao Gu, Zhang Hao, and others also arrived.

Zong Ze arrived with a troop of soldiers. He dismounted, bowed, and said, "This old minister is late in coming to Your Majesty's aid. Please forgive me!"

Zhao Huan personally dismounted and helped him up, saying, "Minister Zong, please excuse the formalities. You have rendered a great service this time, and I am very pleased!"

When the generals on the side saw Zong Ze, they were somewhat disapproving. "We were fighting well, and you interrupted us. Isn't this stealing our credit?"

These generals all came from military families, so they naturally looked down on Zong Ze, and felt both disdain and resentment towards him.

"Is Zongqing injured? Quickly, let my imperial physicians examine and treat Zongqing."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, this old minister is well."

At that moment, Zhao Huan led his generals and commanders on a stroll across the plains.

Zhao Huan said, "Do you all know why I'm not going back to Liaozhou Prefecture, but instead taking you all here on a tour?"

Yao Gu said, "Your Majesty is benevolent and virtuous. Your Majesty personally visited the soldiers and we are deeply grateful!"

Zhao Huan said, "As the old saying goes, 'A kind heart cannot command an army.' I believe that a general should prioritize the soldiers on the front lines, maintain strict military discipline, and be clear about rewards and punishments, but also show them the utmost care. I hope all generals will remember the shame of Tong Guan!"

"Your Majesty's teachings are etched in our hearts!"

It wasn't until midnight that Zhao Huan returned to Liaozhou Prefecture. The entire city of Liaozhou was still awake, with all the people welcoming the emperor's triumphant return. Cheers filled the prefecture as the emperor, amidst the fervent support of the people, led his victorious troops into Liaozhou.

The news of the victory spread like wildfire across the land of Hedong, bringing jubilation wherever it went.

At dawn, a lone rider crossed the Yellow River and sped towards Bianjing City. The city gate guards stopped him, and the Imperial City Guard said, "Urgent military report from the front!"

The biggest difference between Bianjing and Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty was that Bianjing lifted the curfew and the city was brightly lit all night. Even at this time, people who had come to the market had already entered the city one after another, and the city began to liven up.

When people saw a rider charging into the city, they shouted, "A great victory for the royal army! The Jin bandits in Hedong have been completely routed! A great victory for the royal army! Fifty thousand heads have been taken..."

He roared as he flew toward the palace.

The people of the Song Dynasty were quite different from those of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. At least the people of Bianjing (Kaifeng) were extremely concerned about national affairs. When they heard that the royal army had won a great victory and beheaded 50,000, they were overjoyed, which meant that the border crisis had been resolved!

Several months ago, the Jin invaders marched south, and Tokyo was in dire straits. The entire city's military and civilians united as one to repel the Jin invaders. However, the Hebei and Hedong regions were still in dire straits. The current emperor was a wise ruler and personally led the expedition.

When news of the great victory at Licheng reached Tokyo, it caused a sensation throughout the city.

How many years has it been since the Song Dynasty achieved such an unprecedented victory? The last major victory in the north was during the reign of Emperor Taizu!

Many people were so moved that they shed tears, saying that the current emperor was a great ruler who succeeded the founding emperor!

The Imperial Guards rushed to the palace. At that moment, a ray of dawn broke through the darkness in the east, illuminating the entire city of Tokyo. The city displayed the magnificent atmosphere that only the founding emperor had shown when he established his dynasty. This dynasty, which had lasted for more than a hundred years, was about to radiate unprecedented vitality with the complete victory in the front-line battles.

The ministers, who were already working in their respective offices in the East and West Palaces, looked at each other in disbelief upon hearing the news of the victory. They were stunned for a moment before they hurriedly went out, only to see that the emperor's special envoy was already rushing towards the inner palace.

The court officials rushed into the palace. When Empress Zhu received the news of the victory, she was trembling all over. The court officials felt it was unreal. We actually defeated the Jurchens who destroyed the Liao Dynasty!

It turns out that the emperor was not just young and impetuous; he was truly determined to bring lasting peace to the Song Dynasty!

The entire court knelt on the ground, shouting before the victory report: "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Great Song Dynasty!"

That morning, after waking up, Zhao Huan summoned all the generals and commanders of the army and headed north to Taiyuan City. Wang Bing and Zhang Xiaochun, the garrison commanders of Taiyuan, led the soldiers and civilians of Taiyuan to wait for the emperor outside the city.

Upon the Emperor's arrival, Zhang Xiaochun and Wang Bing stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects!"

Zhao Huan dismounted and helped Zhang Xiaochun and Wang Bing to their feet, saying with great concern, "Please rise, my lords."

The king reported, "Your Majesty, the collapse of the Hedong front allowed the Jin invaders to advance unimpeded. This is my fault, and I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

"You have defended Taiyuan and served the emperor and the country loyally. What crime have you committed? Tong Guan, who was guilty, has already been beheaded by me. Have you received his head?"

Zhang Xiaochun said, "The Emperor is wise and sagacious!"

Zhao Huan took a closer look at Wang Bing. Wang Bing was a fierce general during the reign of Emperor Qinzong of Song. When he received the imperial edict of surrender from Emperor Qinzong, he threw away the edict and continued to hold out in Taiyuan City until he finally died from exhaustion.

Zhao Huan needed a general like this: someone who dared to fight, wasn't afraid to die, and had his own integrity!

The emperor led his generals into Taiyuan City, the most important prefecture in northern Song Dynasty. At this time, the city was deserted as people flocked to welcome the emperor. There were women carrying children, soldiers leaning on canes, and old women offering eggs.

The resolution of the Taiyuan crisis meant the recovery of the Hedong region of the Song Dynasty. In the afternoon, Zhao Huan received two messages: one was a battle report from Zhong Shizhong in Hebei, and the other was news about Yelü Dashi.