Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

In Zhongdu, following a lengthy examination period, the streets buzzed with discussions about the ongoing wars affecting the Tang scholars who remained in the city. The atmosphere shifted from quiet to lively as patrons in taverns passionately debated the battles, particularly the situation in Bingzhou. A group of Tang scholars, unwilling to hear exaggerated tales of their army's defeats, confronted a fellow patron about the true state of affairs in Taiyuan. They learned that the armies were merely exchanging insults rather than engaging in battle. The conversation shifted as a young man invited one of the scholars, Wang Jun, to speak with two distinguished patrons, one of whom turned out to be the disguised emperor of the Da Zhou Empire, Zhang Xuan. After a brief discussion, where the emperor offered guidance to Wang Jun, they left the tavern, leading to a revelation among the scholars about the emperor's true identity, leaving them in shock.

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