A mood of frontier adventurism permeated Shenzong's court, as well as a desire to reclaim territories he felt belonged to him as the rightful ruler of China; when a Song general led an unprovoked attack on a Western Xia border town, Shenzong appeared at the border to commend the general himself. To punish the Western Xia and damage their economy, Emperor Shenzong also shut down all commercial border markets along the Song-Western Xia border.
A sense of pioneering spirit pervaded Shenzong's court, accompanied by an ambition to reassert his dominance over territories he considered rightfully his as China's ruler. When a Song general launched an unprovoked attack on a Western Xia town, Shenzong appeared at the border to praise the general. To exact revenge on the Western Xia and weaken their economy, Emperor Shenzong also closed all commercial markets along the border between the two nations.