Original subtitles

♫ Raising the wine cup, I toast to the boundless sky ♫

♫ In talks and laughters are vast mountains and rivers. ♫

♫ Love and hate, debt and feuds, have all dissolved. ♫

♫ Where's my soul's hometown and my kindred spirits? ♫

♫ Seasons rolling by, we dream for harvest. ♫

♫ Warriors and warhorses howl across the sky. ♫

♫ If only I could turn into the wind, ♫

♫ to blow away all the pain in mortal coil. ♫

♫ I toast to the blue sky, to courage in solitude, ♫

♫ to migrating gooses, to boats heading home. ♫

♫ With even three thousand days and nights, ♫

♫ Will it be enough to drain this cup I toast to peace? ♫

[Swords into Plowshares]

[Episode 35]

Father.

Father.

The Great King is making an example.

It's known to everyone that old eight companies’ discipline has long been lax and cannot withstand a single blow.

Two generations of rulers and the Seventh Prince did not dare to expose this,

for fear of demoralizing the troops and triggering a revolt from within.

Today the Great King,

he,

ordered Shen Yin to expose it openly in court.

This is publicly sparing no dignity for you.

Why are you hitting me?

Little Tiger.

Little Tiger.

You just publicly harmed that old man's dignity.

Aren’t you afraid of him forcing his way into the palace overnight again?

In charge of military affairs for many years, he knows the problems in the army better than anyone.

But he himself after all comes from the old eight companies.

The officers and commanders inside have intermarried for generations.

They are descendants of his old comrades or former subordinates.

And many of their ancestors

back in the army were his superior officers.

For the sake of old bonds, he finds it awkward to play the role of villain.

Then I will play it for him.

What else is that old man unwilling about?

Here.

Here we go, hug!

Alright.

Here we go.

Hug.

Don't cry, don't cry.

There, there.

We're riding the horse.

The ways your elder brothers acted as the King, I have seen them all.

It was always the ministers below who play the role of villain, and the King got to the good.

How come now with you,

the Great King instead plays the villain role for the ministers below?

I was just saying.

That old man,

his seniority is too high, so is his rank.

It is only in front of him

that I would be the villain for him.

When it really comes to handling affairs, how could it be my turn as the King to do that?

Right?

Not the villain.

who is the villain?

Not the villain.

Not the villain.

who is the villain?

[Jiangning Prefecture]

To pacify the war between Southern Tang and Wuyue,

form an alliance, open trade, and ultimately achieve unification of the realm and a peaceful age,

Guo Wei sent the Chancellor, Deputy Director of the Secretariat,

and Commissioner of the Three Fiscal Agencies, Li Gu as Chief Envoy,

Remonstrance Officer, Kaifeng Judicial Officer Wang Pu,

and Chief Commander of the Imperial Guards, Zhao Kuangyin,

as Deputy Envoys of the delegation,

on a mission to Southern Tang and Wuyue.

This mission

also implied probing the actual strength of Southern Tang and Wuyue,

with the deeper intent of reducing their power later.

Good, good, good.

Soft willows bend and waver, branches never still.

[Han Xizai, Southern Tang's Deputy Director of the Secretariat] Clouds and rain upon the terrace are but dreams fulfilled.

In distant years, when Penglai’s winds my path divide,

your cup shall hold the memory of garments worn with pride.

Good, excellent.

It's wonderful.

This poem,

its rhythm is splendid, simple and seamless.

Of the works you have done lately, this poem is the best.

Good, good.

Zhou envoys,

do you have a fine piece to match?

[Xu Xuan]Outrageous!

Minister Li and Remonstrance Wang are both important ministers of Bianliang.

Why would they care about this trivial matter of poetry?

You are making it difficult for people.

Tonight I bow to the newborn moon,

deep within the silent palace offices.

The jeweled cord of stars is faintly scattered with light;

the golden palm stands still, untouched by wind.

As seasons turn, I know my body has grown old;

in peaceful times, the year’s labors show their yield.

Chanting, I watch the northern court sink into dusk,

as the orchid wick drops a trace of fading red.

Good!

Thank your for such praises.

You all, really...

Her evening toilette complete, her pale skin gleams like snow.

In the spring hall, the palace ladies file in, one by one.

Pipes and flutes fade; clouds part over rippling water.

Again the Dance of Rainbow Dress is pressed on, its song filling the hall.

Who, facing the breeze, scatters fragrance more lightly?

Drunk, they clap the balustrades, emotion running deep.

When it is time to leave, let no red candle burn too low—

wait instead to tread beneath the clear moon of the night ride home.

We respectfully welcome Prince of Zheng.

[Li Congjia (known as Li Yu later), Prince of Zheng]

Gentlemen, no need for such courtesy.

I am an uninvited guest,

coming unbidden,

disturbing your important affairs.

We dare not think that.

I dare not.

I,

in past years, once followed Academician Xu to travel to Bianliang.

The sights of the Central Plains, and the talent there, left me in awe.

Esteemed envoys from afar,

I wonder if the people and scenery of our Jiangnan are worthy of a look?

Wealth and honor have peaked.

Tonight's scene of prosperity and splendor,

tomorrow,

may become a desolate wilderness.

How can you bear it?

Prince,

why say such things?

I wish the people not to suffer.

This is also the Emperor's wish.

Must we debate legitimacy?

In the past, in Bianliang,

before the Khitan Emperor,

you gentlemen also bowed and served as subjects.

You are right

Therefore, in Hengzhou,

I, Li Gu, personally killed the Khitan officers guarding the armory,

rescued Lord Feng, returning the northern prefectures to Han rule,

washing away this shame.

You... you!

Prince!

We northerners

cannot hold liquor well.

The hour is late.

We beg to take our leave.

We hope you grant permission.

This...

Gentlemen, wait a moment.

Prince, I have already made arrangements.

Just enjoy this evening fully. The envoys may rest at the guesthouse.

Jinling's prosperity rivals old Chang'an and Luoyang.

If the envoys have time, please stay a few days,

to fully experience our ruler's utmost sincerity.

Yes, yes indeed!

Farewell.

Academician Xu,

as to what happened in the Chongyuan Hall then,

you should still often remind the Prince of them.

Those long starved cannot bear to see others' waste.

If you are not eating,

I ask to take it back to eat.

I beg your permission.

That is only right.

May I ask your surname?

How can he act like this? So rude!

A bunch of reckless men!

Reckless!

After all,

it's the magnificent foundation left by Yang Xingmi. [Yang Xingmi, founder of Southern Wu]

After long peace,

they all think they are

living in elysium.

How laughable.

Jinling,

has nothing worth seeing.

Pack the luggage.

Tomorrow morning,

we set off south.

Understood.

[Runzhou, Southern Tang]

Mei.

Here.

Put the wine and food we brought right here.

Understood.

What are you doing?

My lord, did they disturb you?

Disperse, disperse.

Go, go, leave.

Hurry!

Go, be quick.

My lord, any other orders?

Quickly!

In the court above, there's singing, dancing, peace, carved beams and painted pillars.

Among the common people,

petty officials run rampant, corpses of the starved litter the fields.

It truly matches what Du Fu said:

"Behind vermilion gates, wine and meat go to waste;

Along the road lie the bones of the frozen dead."

[the border of Wuyue and Southern Tang]

Everyone line up.

Don't jump the queue.

Travelers, record only name,

age, ancestral hometown.

Carts, horses, and goods must pay tax. Ten percent tax.

Those who have paid tax, go to the shed for your certificate.

It bears Zhongwu Town's official seal.

Take it to the Trading Office to offset tax so you don't need to pay a second time.

We are an imperial envoy,

sent by decree to Wuyue.

I Your guilty subject, Qian Hongjun, pay respects to the Great King.

Eldest Brother, please rise.

Thank you.

[Qian Hongjun]

Does it look like a monkey wearing a crown?

I dare not think so.

Taizhen once recited to me a folk song from Western Court.

"Fisherman Prince, now sits in the court.

Shrimps, crabs, coins, come from the port."

I

have also heard the next line:

"Ten percent tax, sky's so bright.

Hall and camp are busy day and night."

Those were all strategies set by Yin when he was in Taizhou.

It cannot be counted as my merit.

I dare not claim credit for heaven's work.

Why be so modest?

The way of being a King is broad and falt.

Finding and employing talents,

finding and implementing good strategies,

are the grand and righteous way of a king.

Your dignified manner,

may not lie in robes and rituals,

but in the hearts of the common people.

This is a market?

This is clearly a city.

Delicate hand-cooked rice.

Fine cloth, good patterned fabric.

[Trading Office, Hangzhou] How about it?

[Trading Office, Hangzhou] About three or four li wide.

This length...

We've walked for half an hour and still haven't walked through.

"Fisherman Prince, now sits in the court.

Shrimps, crabs, coins, come from the port.

Ten percent tax,

sky's so bright.

Hall and camp are busy day and night."

Southeast ruler...

The land of Wuyue cannot be lightly plotted against.

"Heaven's granary, fish and rice fill Qiantang."

Let's go.

In earlier years, with Eldest Brother, from Master Pi, we studied the Rites of Zhou.

"The security of rivers and mountains lies in virtue, not in peril."

But only when truly sitting on that seat did I understand:

Virtue is indeed true.

But if there is no defensible terrain, this virtue,

may not endure long.

Eldest Brother, your case,

was because Sixth Brother was deceived by villains, wronging you.

I apologize to you on behalf of Sixth Brother.

I dare not accept.

Summoning you to the palace this time is to rely

on your past prestige and experience to reorganize the various Inner Palace armies.

Within the royal clan now,

if we speak of who understands military affairs best, it is actually you, my King.

I merely followed the southern campaign once, managing provisions and supplies for Sixth Brother.

I wish to restore you to the position of Chief Commander of the Inner Guards

to command all troops, internal and external, and oversee the reorganization and downsizing of all Companies.

I dare not refuse

your commands.

However,

I would like to ask for a person.

Wenqi, right?

Granted.

I will temporarily assign Wenqi to assist you.

Thank you.

However, you'll wait until he first finish his current tasks.

The imperial envoy has arrived in Hangzhou.

By my side,

I cannot do without Wenqi, this Administrator for now.

Understood.

In the third year of Guangshun,

the year cycle Guichou,

October, the twenty-sixth, the Emperor proclaims:

"I have inherited the Han's chaotic governance, achieving unity amidst loss and separation,

honoring the sacred way through royal transformation, acting prudently and easing taxes.

With Wuyue situated to the right, pacifying the people, all generations possessed virtue.

Now you, Commander-in-Chief of the Armies,

holding the military governorships of Zhendong and Zhenhai, two armies,

Grand Governor of Hangzhou and Yuezhou,

Qian Hongchu of Kingdom of Wuyue, pillar of the empire:

Over the sixty years of this kingdom and family,

you've been serving the Central Plain's military discipline, diligently fulfilling tribute duties.

I hereby confer upon you the title of King of Wuyue, Grand Marshal of All Armies,

appoint you as Grand Commander and Director of the Secretariat.

Your fief shall be thirty thousand households,

with an actual stipend from one thousand eight hundred households.

May fortune and prosperity be boundless, bequeathed for a hundred generations.

Revere this!

Do not fail my command."

I, Qian Hongchu, receive the edict and give thanks for the imperial grace.

We pay our respects to the Marshal.

Minister Li, please rise.

Gentlemen, please rise.

I request Minister Li and all envoys to return to the guesthouse for rest.

We thank the Marshal.

How was it?

If judged by this guesthouse,

I'm afraid it's far inferior to Jinling.

Pu,

you are being too critical.

From a small detail, infer the whole.

In the lands of Wuyue, the government offices and guesthouses are frugal and simple.

Yet the market streets,

are bustling and noisy,

almost reminiscent of old Chang'an and Luoyang.

This alone

makes it far superior to Southern Tang.

Has it been decided who will be talking with you and me?

Chancellor of Chancellor's Office, Yuan Dezhao, and Administrator of Marshal's Office, Shen Wenqi.

One handles internal affairs, the other tribute matters.

The courtesies are meticulously complete.

It's a pity.

We should have taken the chance to gauge the depth of this young King of Wuyue.

It's fine.

Before departure,

Lord Feng gave instructions.

Both the Prince of Jin and Zhao Kuangyin have past connections with this King.

Let he be the one to gauge him.

Still, Wuyue's wine is most comforting to drink.

To tell the truth,

you are becoming more and more like a proper king.

A thousand threads of business, yet one must not rush.

Major and minor affairs, can only be sorted out slowly from the start.

It's the same.

With Rong,

it's also a pile of trivial matters.

His Majesty's health is poor.

He no longer holds court.

All matters, big and small,

must be decided by Rong.

He doesn't even get two hours of sleep a day.

Rong always

takes the world as his responsibility.

It's not strange for him to do these things.

But me?

Mischievous since childhood, lazy and idle.

Forced onto the stage, made this Great King.

And my shoulders are thin and weak, cannot support such a vast situation.

Don't be modest.

On this mission,

we came from Yangzhou.

We were wealthy and extravagant households.

But ordinary families,

had clothes barely covering them, houses without tiles, home stores without surplus grain.

In contrast,

coming to Wuyue, disembarking at the Trading Office,

I heard it's only been three or four years,

you have expanded that Trading Office to five or six times its size,

and there are thousands engaged in grain trade and business.

Based on this alone, you have done better than your elder brother.

That's also because Sixth Brother laid the groundwork first.

Yes, yes.

Actually, it's not that good.

The treasury's money and grain haven't increased much.

Private money and silk transactions, commercial trade, have indeed increased a lot.

In the government treasury, there is no surplus money or grain to supply.

Minister Yuan, why speak falsely?

On this journey all the way,

what we have heard and seen, the wealth of Wuyue,

is almost the highest in the realm.

Furthermore,

the court is not asking for Wuyue's grain for free.

This is not tribute,

it is trade.

Using all the court has, for whatever you need,

all can be traded,

including weapons and armor.

We do not lack weapons and armor.

Minister Li,

Remonstrance Wang,

what Minister Yuan said is all true.

To be frank,

the state is currently downsizing the military.

Downsizing the military?

Kuangyin,

this time, His Majesty and Rong sent Minister Li on a mission here.

What exactly is the purpose?

To take you back to the capital,

to be your Great King in the capital.

On the first and fifteenth of each month, at daybreak,

stand with me outside the Mingde Gate to brave the cold wind.

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

The prison of the Censorate, I haven't had enough of it yet.

In just those six months,

I gained over ten jin.

Bianliang's food are nourishing.

You're daydreaming!

Rong almost wishes one person could be split into five.

I can't help him much.

If you were there,

you could certainly lend him a hand.

Forget it, no more idle dreams.

This mission is actually for transporting southern grain north.

And also to see,

if Wuyue is something that can be taken, right

Do you really think so?

Rong now is no longer a soldier of the Hedong Army.

He is the heir apparent who governs the world and oversees state affairs.

Even an ordinary ruler of mediocre talent dreams of unifying the realm.

Let alone someone like Rong, with his great talent and bold vision,

a hero who cares deeply for the world.

This time you guessed wrong.

What keeps him up at night

isn't some so-called realm,

but the people's livelihood.

Laizhou maritime trade?

It refers to opening a maritime trade route from Mingzhou to Laizhou.

When the Great King traveled to the capital back then, he took this sea route.

Unfortunately, the capital was then filled with dignitaries;

military families and nobles were everywhere,

monopolizing trade routes.

Plus, there were numerous regional military governors.

Goods could easily go from Mingzhou to Laizhou,

but from Laizhou to the capital,

they had to pass through countless checkpoints, enduring layers of exploitation.

Once both land and sea routes are unblocked,

transporting southern grain north would no longer be a fantasy.

Within Wuyue,

how much grain can be sent north each year in spring and autumn?

Minister Yuan did not lie.

The state treasury holds no surplus grain.

The surplus grain,

is among the people.

So, Wenqi, you mean that

once the Laizhou maritime trade opens,

merchants themselves will transport grain from Mingzhou by sea to the capital?

Impossible.

As I said earlier,

to make this trade route work,

the court must first do one thing.

Right.

Tax exemption.

If the court exempts all merchants on this route from taxes, completely, on both sea and land,

letting them pass prefectures and counties unhindered,

then grain from the southeast will surge north like the Qiantang tide,

in a mighty flow.

By then,

the Emperor and Rong will have no more famine worries.

Do you know

how much grain the capital needs each spring and autumn?

Can sea transport handle that much?

Then, Kuangyin, do you know

how much grain just the Huanglong House,

operating off Mingzhou's coast, ships to Heian-kyo in Japan each year?

That tiny place,

how much can it eat?

It worths the price of ten Central Plains' Emperors.

Market taxes have an age-old origin.

As a source of revenue, they cannot be hastily abolished.

But the regulations should be lenient and simple.

For the state, food sufficiency comes first.

Henceforth, for all merchants in prefectures selling and transporting to the capital

rice, millet, wheat, etc., the Ministry of Revenue shall issue permits.

All Trading Offices in prefectures and counties shall fully exempt them from taxes.

These six regulations shall take effect from January, Guangshun's fourth year.

Please memorialize for approval.

Affix the seal!

I have already drafted a memorial.

Upon returning to the capital, I will certainly present it to the Emperor.

From Laizhou to Bianliang,

all merchants holding Wuyue's Ministry of Revenue permits,

their taxes and levies shall all be exempted.

If any officials of prefectures or counties obstruct or impede, or extort excessively,

the court will not hesitate to impose the severest punishment, to execute them.

This truly resolves one of Rong's major concerns.

But that other major concern,

did Rong really not mention it at all?

If you were truly asked to surrender the territory,

would you agree?

I have thought about it.

But after becoming the King, I understood that surrendering territory

is not that simple.

Because between us, there is still Southern Tang.

Setting other matters aside,

one point is:

This is not my own possession;

I alone cannot decide.

The Qian family

are not the sole rulers of Wuyue,

but merely its co-rulers.

Great King.

Report, an urgent dispatch from the capital has arrived.

What happened?

The Emperor's health is failing;

I fear he is about to pass away.

The security of mountains and rivers,

lies in virtue,

not in strategic passes.

The state and the altars of soil and grain

are not long spears and great swords,

nor are they soldiers, horses, money, or grain.

They are the government that provides relief

in years of flood and drought,

the overnight rice

in a moderately well-off household,

the belief that diligence can lead to wealth,

and that goodness can prevail throughout the land

in an era of peace and prosperity.

Father.

Rest well.

In the next life,

may you enjoy a peaceful era.

Prince of Jin, Rong, endowed by Heaven with profound wisdom,

granted divine and exceptional talents, has long been among the lords.

His governance is pure and stern; the sacred vessel is bestowed upon him.

As the eldest, he may ascend the throne before the coffin.

Feng Dao, Secretariat Director and Duke of Qi, shall serve as Commissioner of the Imperial Mausoleum,

and additionally as Grand Tutor.

Mausoleum affairs must adhere to frugality.

All laborers and craftsmen needed for construction must be hired fairly, regardless of distance,

and must not be conscripted from the people.

Stone pillars were needed for the mausoleum,

but to save labor,

they are replaced with bricks.

A tile coffin and paper clothes were used for burial.

Summon thirty households from nearby taxpayers as tomb guardians.

Before interment,

open the tile coffin and inspect the interior to ensure no harm comes to others.

It is further hoped that generals and ministers will cooperate, united inside the court and out,

to jointly assist the ruler and glorify the great mandate.

Let the responsible authorities implement this.

A tile coffin,

paper clothes.

For a founding Emperor of a dynasty to have such a frugal funeral

is truly rare in history.

The court has no money.

In the first month of 954 AD,

Guo Rong succeeded to the throne, historically known as Emperor Shizong.

Upon hearing this, Liu Chong, Emperor Shizu of Northern Han,

concluded that with a new Emperor, Zhou was incapable of war.

He then sent envoys to ally with the Khitan,

proclaiming himself 'Nephew Emperor',

and borrowed the Khitan army to jointly attack Later Zhou.

Northern Han's total military strength does not exceed forty thousand.

Of these, the field army is less than thirty thousand.

Those considered elite are only the troops under Zhang Yuanhui and Li Cungui.

The rest are not a major concern.

Not Hedong.

It's Hebei.

Your Majesty, I suspect

that Yelü Dilu sending troops to Hedong, ostensibly to aid the Liu family,

is actually a feint to draw our army westward.

Then,

with our main force concentrated in Hedong,

the prefectures in Hebei will be left defenseless.

Yelü Talie

can then march from Youzhou, and reach Chanzhou in little over a month.

Once Chanzhou falls,

the great river's natural barrier is gone.

The capital

may face again the peril of seven years ago.

Deploy the main force in Hebei.

Use a flanking force in Hedong.

Your Majesty, please let me lead the generals north

to Shenyuan Valley and Gaoping Pass to block Northern Han.

How many troops do you need?

We must keep several thousand to guard the capital.

Twenty thousand.

Twenty thousand is the maximum.

They're all seasoned veterans who've been in the Imperial Guard for over a decade.

Can you control them?

With the commander's tally, I will do my best.

Twenty thousand troops

to face Northern Han's entire army,

plus who knows how many Khitan reinforcements.

If these soldiers turn cowardly on the battlefield

and refuse to fight, can you control them?

Prepare twenty thousand Imperial Guards to accompany me to Hedong.

Your Majesty!

I will personally meet this Liu Chong.

Your Majesty,

regarding Hedong,

Northern Han is a petty northern state.

Its land spans no more than ten prefectures, with only thirty thousand households.

You could send a great general with troops to attack them; that would suffice.

Why must Your Majesty personally lead the expedition?

Lord,

the old traitor Liu raising troops now clearly mocks my youth,

thinking that after my father's passing, the new Emperor knows nothing of arms, and dares not respond.

Even if I could bear this,

I fear the late Emperor beneath the earth could not bear it either.

If you abandon the people's welfare and governance

and insist on personally taking risks,

I fear it would betray the heavy responsibility entrusted by the late Emperor.

Lord,

I do not underestimate the enemy.

I simply will not hide within Bianliang's walls and be laughed at by the old traitor Liu.

To protect Great Zhou's foundation,

I must prove to everyone,

that I not only have the right,

but also the capability.

Only then can those hidden undercurrents of disloyalty

vanish without a trace,

and the state and people suffer less from war's devastation.

Your Majesty's heart is in the right place.

But you have little battle experience, unlike the previous Emperor.

War is perilous; it allows no room for error.

You yourself may be willing to take this risk,

but the court

cannot bear this risk.

I am old and dim-witted,

entrusted by the late Emperor with your care.

If I stand by and watch you

walk into danger without remonstrance,

in the future,

I would be ashamed

to meet the late Emperor in the netherworld.

Strengthen the Runzhou front's defenses.

Transfer three Companies from Hangzhou.

Along the way,

the military governor offices of Xifu, Xiuzhou, and Zhongwu will supply provisions and forage.

The line from Huzhou, Yijin Army to Quzhou must also be on alert.

Cancel all leave. Ensure full troops, full quotas, full pay.

For the two-front border preparation, establish two

independent transport commissioner offices in Xiuzhou and Wuzhou,

to manage provisions, armor and weapons, and other logistics.

To prepare for the border

is not really to prepare for Suzhou or Runzhou,

nor for Muzhou or Huzhou.

We must prepare for

Hedong and Hebei.

You are not the Emperor; you must not overstep.

Northern affairs

are not for our Wuyue Qian clan to consider.

Lord,

Wuyue is but a corner of this world.

If the sky itself collapses,

when the nest is overturned, can any egg remain intact?

The sky collapsed long ago.

Great King,

I have lived over ninety years, watching the Central Plains in chaos for over ninety years.

The old king and previous kings

were heroic and martial, exhausting their hearts,

yet only kept the peace of thirteen southeastern prefectures.

Central Plains affairs Wuyue cannot manage,

nor should it manage.

Our divine and martial former kings, properly served the great Central Plains powers,

and pacified the southeastern people.

Through countless hardships, Wuyue has its current era of peace and prosperity.

The Great King speaks truly!

Lord Hu,

Lord Wu,

if this time the Khitan unites with the Liu family of Northern Han and the Li family of Southern Tang,

attacking the Central Plains from north and south,

and if the current Emperor

suffers a crushing defeat like the Jin ruler, his army collapsing,

then the Central Plains prefectures will become the Khitan's pastures and hunting grounds.

Then who,

will be next?

I know my own limits.

Wuyue

is a small state

with few people.

I will not cause trouble for the court and the Emperor.

But if the Southern Tang harbor such intentions to cause trouble for the court and the Emperor,

then I

absolutely will not tolerate it.

Yes! Yes!

Yes.

If Southern Tang colludes with Northern Han, or even joins forces,

and their army advances north from Shouzhou while you are away, campaigning personally,

the imperial army could be attacked front and rear, unable to coordinate.

The capital's situation would be perilous.

But if we leave troops behind to guard the southern border,

urgently,

our northern expedition force would be insufficient.

No need to leave border troops.

Is the sea route from Laizhou to Hangzhou open now?

It is open.

Merchants from north and south can transport goods in under a month.

It is extremely convenient.

Send a state letter to Hangzhou.

Request the Grand Marshal to lead troops north, secure the Yangtze region,

and keep watch on Southern Tang's forces.

Just one sentence:

With Hongchu there,

he will never allow a single southern soldier

to cross north of the Huai River.

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles stretch towering mountains. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles run surging rivers. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles cry warhorses. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles there are emotions unspoken. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, flowers are blooming along the road. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, gooses are returning to the north. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, we stand through storms. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, we hope for a safe return. ♫

♫ Tens of thousands of miles is not enough, ♫

♫ for a lifetime's sorrows and joys. ♫

♫ Tens of thousands of miles is not enough, ♫

♫ for the endless seas and rivers. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ love will overcome all barriers. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ we are together in life and death. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ the moon shines in the boundless world. ♫

♫ My heart has its hometown to return. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ who is the one crossing the waves with me, ♫

♫ with our hearts unrepentant, through countless lifetimes. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ oceans and lands witness that♫

♫ the world will be safe and sound. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ my heart is unchanging. ♫