Having lost his sense of law and reason, Zhao Chen finally realized that he was just a pile of sand, without any foundation, and would be blown away with a single breath.
Zhao Huan, who has arrived in Yanyun, has been dealing with various issues that have been reported to him.
Zhao Chen's rebellion was not terrible; what was terrible was the consequences it caused.
The livelihoods of people in the north were on the verge of collapse.
Many people had almost all the money they had saved up over the years gone in a single year.
How was it looted?
The Imperial City Guard has sent the latest intelligence: there are over fifty granaries in Jizhou, filled with grain.
The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun are now facing a severe food shortage.
The price of grain in the market has risen to six strings of cash per shi.
In the thirteenth year of the Jingkang era, the price of grain had already been reduced to one and a half strings of cash per shi (a unit of dry measure), a fourfold increase within a year.
An ordinary family might have a hundred strings of cash in savings, but the railways and mines in the north were almost entirely divided up by a few major merchants.
After dividing the spoils, they reduced salaries to half of what they used to be.
If this continues, many families will spend more than half of their savings on food alone each year.
Coupled with reduced income, their accumulated wealth and personal value are essentially squeezed to the extreme.
This matter is easy to handle. Just take the people according to the list. The four major merchants of Yanyun all supported the rebellion.
Han Lixian, the only one who did not support the rebellion, has been killed by the rebels.
Tang Ke was very efficient, and the list was quickly presented to the emperor.
Zhao Huan wrote a decree: all of them should be beheaded and their property confiscated; their families should be exiled to the frontier; and their descendants should be barred from taking the imperial examinations.
Next, Zhao Huan quickly dispatched the Imperial Guards to escort the grain.
The grain stockpiled in Jizhou was distributed to various prefectures and was temporarily sold by the government's grain and oil bureaus for one coin per string.
The food crisis in Youzhou was quickly alleviated.
Zhao Huan did not leave Youzhou; he was still waiting for news.
What news?
News of Li Gang, the Liaodong Military Commissioner.
He has been missing for more than half a year.
Some say he was killed by the mutinous troops during the initial rebellion, while others say he was escorted away by his subordinates.
But he was nowhere to be seen all year.
Li Gang was one of the ministers who gave Zhao Huan the greatest support during the new policies.
Even if it wasn't for show, Zhao Huan was determined to find him.
Humans are emotional beings.
In June, the chaos in Hedong and Hebei was gradually stabilizing, and officials in various prefectures were also settling down one after another.
There are four things to do:
I. Statistics on the number of deaths during the rebellion.
Second, the local militia prepared to suppress bandits, and many former unemployed vagrants began to return to their old ways and become outlaws amidst the chaos.
Third, the fertile land will be reorganized and returned to its original owners according to their household registration. If no one claims it, it will be temporarily incorporated into the imperial court.
The first three items are all related to people's livelihood.
The fourth item leans towards finance.
Starting in the second half of the year, the Royal Bank raised interest rates on deposits, gradually stabilizing people's confidence in the paper money.
These are the things to do first, one by one, step by step, in a steady and pragmatic manner.
This is the highest priority.
In addition, Zhao Huan wrote a letter to Zhao Ding, requesting a reduction in interest rates for private loans from banks in various regions.
The biggest challenge right now is stabilizing people's livelihoods and ensuring production.
The damage was mainly concentrated in the north, while the south remained prosperous.
Zhao Huan also wrote a letter to the State Council, encouraging southern merchants to transport grain from the south to the north, and the court would provide subsidies in terms of policy.
For the next month, Zhao Huan stayed in Youzhou, the northern capital.
Next, memorials demanding the execution of the King of Liao were sent to the palace in Youzhou like a storm.
Almost the entire court demanded that the emperor execute Zhao Chen to atone for his sins against the people.
Zhao Huan suppressed all these memorials and did not approve them.
He is still waiting for news from Li Gang.
Three months later, the lush greenery of Beidu turned into the desolate autumn wind.
There is still no news about Li Gang.
Tang Ke then said, "Your Majesty, let's return to the capital. The ministers are waiting for you."
Zhao Huan sighed and set off in early September to return to Tokyo.
After returning to Tokyo, Zhao Huan fell ill.
The emperor's illness cast a pall over the court once again.
Five days later, Zhao Huan moved to the new palace.
The new palace is much grander than the previous palace in terms of size, height, and layout.
The shrine, located on the central axis of the northern part of the new city, is particularly tall, standing at 150 meters, equivalent to a 50-story building in the 21st century.
Standing atop the Ziwei Palace, one can overlook the city of Tokyo under the autumn sun, with the view stretching all the way to the distant azure sky.
The Bian River flows through the city of Tokyo, and caravans come and go in an endless stream at the docks.
This undoubtedly demonstrates the unprecedented prosperity of the Song Dynasty.
Zhao Huan sat at the top, overlooking the city of Tokyo.
It's been many years since I've been to such a high place.
The last time was in my previous life.
Time flies, and I am already forty-three years old in this world.
Seeing the tremendous changes that had taken place in Tokyo compared to fifteen years ago, Zhao Huan felt quite relieved.
He is no longer the same person he was in his youth; he has become more composed and quiet.
He was wearing a cotton-padded coat and practicing calligraphy at his desk.
Before long, Zhao Chen was brought up by the Imperial Guards.
No matter how much you try to escape it, you still have to face it.
Zhao Chen's face was as pale as paper, his countenance was wan, and he had completely lost the noble air he once possessed as the King of Liao.
"Your unworthy son greets Father."
Zhao Huan coughed twice, then remained silent.
Zhao Chen remained silent.
It wasn't until an incense stick had burned that Zhao Huan finally spoke: "Why did you rebel? You're a perfectly good Prince of Liao, do you think you've grown too powerful?"
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