I studied in modern times

Chapter 980: Prince Yang's 'Bright Future'

Empress Dowager Xiang looked at Tong Guan's receding back, considered her words for a moment, and then said, "Sixth brother, there is one more thing. I don't know whether I should tell you..."

"Please feel free to speak, mother!" Zhao Xu held Empress Dowager Xiang's hand and said softly.

Empress Dowager Xiang hesitated for a moment before taking out Feng Ji's impeachment letter and said, "Sixth brother, read it yourself!"

Zhao Xu took the note, put it away, glanced at it, and sneered in his heart: "Sure enough!"

"A dog will always eat shit!"

The royal family and relatives of the Song Dynasty have never been good kids.

Just think about it - what morals can a group of powerful people have who would sell their own daughters as commodities?
The reason why the royal family and nobles are now willing to live a life of idleness and wait for death in the city of Bianjing is because of this.

It was purely because the two waves of cultural movements, the Qingli period and the Xining period, changed the pattern of the Song Dynasty.

At the same time, there were political changes brought about by the succession of the minor clan to the Ying Temple.

The two complement each other, creating a political effect where one plus one is greater than two.

This is easy to understand.

No matter in ancient or modern times, at home or abroad, any ideological and cultural movement will inevitably bring about changes in society's civilization/ideology.

The group of scholar-officials created by the Qingli and Xining periods of promoting education far exceeded the size of the scholar-officials in all previous dynasties.

Such a large class of scholar-officials would naturally want power.

Just at this time, something happened in the emperor's family.

Since Renmiao had no heir, he could only adopt Yingmiao as his adopted son and heir.

The Pianren Temple was extremely critical of the Ying Temple and was unwilling to recognize its legal status.

There was even a farce where they shouted that the empress and the prime minister were plotting treason in front of the Liao envoy.

Yingmiao was able to ascend the throne smoothly thanks to the support of the civil officials.

After Yingmiao ascended the throne, he faced a serious crisis of legitimacy.

Because everyone knows that the previous emperor (Ren Miao) did not approve of him.

It was the prime ministers who pushed him to the throne of emperor.

Therefore, Yingmiao had no choice but to compromise and give in to the scholar-official group.

It was precisely under the crisis of legitimacy that Yingmiao was forced to launch the Puyi Dispute.

The Puyi discussion again caused serious dissatisfaction among Empress Cisi Guangxian, who wanted to depose the Ying Temple.

It was the civil officials and literati who collectively forced Cisi Guangxian back to the palace, thus securing the throne for Yingmiao.

So, when Zhao Xu's father ascended the throne, the political system of the Song Dynasty was completely different from before.

It has already become what Wen Yanbo said, "ruling the world together with the scholar-officials."

The reason is simple - we helped your family get the throne!

This world is stable only because of us!

If Your Majesty does not rely on us, who else can you rely on?
Therefore, when Zhao Xu's father ascended the throne, even the royal family and nobles would be subject to public supervision.

Because, the backers of these people in the past have now begun to cooperate with the literati.

Zhao Xu, who studied abroad in modern times, actually has a clearer and more intuitive understanding of this - the economic base determines the superstructure!

The development of education during the Qingli and Xining periods was the inevitable result of the continuous development of the social economy of the Song Dynasty over the past 150 years.

Of course, wealthy merchants and landlords want to gain political power.

And the best way to obtain it is through the imperial examination.

If you want to pass the imperial examination, you must promote education.

This is the historical trend, which is unstoppable and cannot be resisted.

Those who go against the will be crushed by the wheels of history!
The emerging scholar-officials who gained power through the imperial examinations naturally wanted to dominate the world and establish an order that suited their interests.

The same is true of the Xining Reforms.

Even if Zhao Xu's father did not want to reform, he would be pushed to do so.

There is no other reason - no changes in the law, no reforms, and no action against vested interest groups.

How did the young scholars who emerged through the Qingli Education Promotion Period seize power?

Could it be that Lu Huiqing, Zeng Bu, Zhang Dun and others would wait foolishly for those old men to exit the stage of history on their own?
joke!

By the same token, Zhao Xu’s Yuanyou politics in his previous life was bound to fail.

Because the emerging scholar-officials who emerged from the Xining Education Movement would not be willing to be lonely.

Sima Guang, Lu Gongzhu, Su Shi and others wanted to stop these people from making progress?
It’s really a dream!
While thinking these things in his mind, Zhao Xu looked at Feng Ji's impeachment letter calmly on the surface.

According to Feng Ji, King Hao of Yang initially ordered people to go to Shu to ask for Shu brocade.

However, he was sternly rejected by General Xu, the Chengdu Road Transport Commissioner and Governor of Chengdu.

This matter was not even news in Chengdu - because the local scholars and officials all knew that General Xu had rejected the rude demands of the envoy of Prince Hao of Yang.

Therefore, Yang Wanghao shifted his target.

He set his sights on the workshop in Beijing.

Just ...

Zhao Xu's eyes rolled, and he thought, "Prince Yang has an expert by his side!"

"He's defiling himself!"

Which prince would make his corruption known to everyone?

Even back then, the white glove of the Ren Temple, the imperial concubine Chai Zongqing, although he had an ugly way of eating, he would not be so arrogant, fearing that others would not know!

So, this is standard self-pollution.

A means of self-preservation.

Politically, this is equivalent to admitting defeat in exchange for a smooth landing.

"How could the emperor's uncle do such a thing?!" Zhao Xu immediately said righteously: "The emperor's uncle has always been wise and virtuous. He is a wise king of his generation. He is praised by the court and the people!"

"Mother!" Zhao Xu looked at Empress Dowager Xiang and said, "This must have been instigated by a villain, using the name of the Emperor's uncle to do such a shameless thing!"

Empress Dowager Xiang listened and sighed, "Sixth Brother is indeed kind and saintly!"

"But I don't know about the various disloyal things that Prince Yang did in the past!"

Empress Dowager Xiang recalled the eighth year of Yuanfeng, when the late emperor fell seriously ill and was bedridden, a period of time filled with swords and blood.

To this day, she still feels terrified when she thinks back to that time.

Because the situation was so dangerous at one point that even Prime Minister Cai Que, the commander of the three yamen Yan Da, and Prince of Jing Zhao Ju came to her to warn her and ask her to make more preparations.

This made her unable to sleep or eat, she was really scared. One day when she woke up, she found that the palace had issued an order to repeat the story of the Golden Casket Alliance. However, she had no way to deny what her sixth brother said.

After all, harmony in the royal family is one of the highest political correctnesses in the Song Dynasty!

Prince Yang, the younger brother of the late emperor and the uncle of the sixth brother.

As long as he did not commit treason openly, the Song Dynasty had no crime to punish him with.

At best, house arrest or confinement.

no way!
The severe punishment of the prince easily reminds people of the events at the beginning of the country.

Taizu and Taizong, the sound of axes and the shadow of candles...

The exile and death of Prince Fudao (Zhao Tingmei)...

The tragic end of the brothers King Yue Yi (Zhao Dezhao) and King Chu Kanghui (Zhao Defang).

As well as Taizong's eldest son (Zhao Yuanzuo) who went crazy, and Prince Zhaocheng who died suddenly.

All we can say is that...Emperor Taizong, with his own virtue, caused his descendants to suffer forever.

Since Taizong, no one has dared to do what Taizong did!
At the same time, every generation of the Zhao official family opened their eyes wide and stared at their brothers.

He was afraid that among his brothers, a Taizong would appear and kill his entire family.

Even Zhao Guanjia's brothers were afraid that one of their brothers would become Taizong, so they helped Zhao Guanjia and kept a close eye on those who had evil intentions.

Because they were afraid that they would become the second King Fudao.

With her mind turning over and over again, Empress Dowager Xiang just listened to her sixth brother saying, "Mother, I will never let my uncle suffer any injustice!"

"We must investigate this matter thoroughly and clear the Emperor's uncle's name!"

Empress Dowager Xiang looked up in astonishment, at her son's eyes, which were clean and pure, as clear as snow.

Very sincere and very pure.

Empress Dowager Xiang moved her lips: "This is not good..."

Find out clearly?
How can I check it clearly?

Should Prince Yang be sent to the Dali Temple to be punished?

impossible!

Even Taizong couldn't do such a thing!

There is no way Prince Yang would endure such humiliation!

Once this happens, Prince Yang will have only one choice - to follow the example of Prince Yi of Yue and commit suicide by slashing his own sword at home after receiving the imperial edict!

"That's right..." Zhao Xu lowered his head: "Mother is right!"

"How can I put my uncle in a position of suspicion of being unkind and unjust?"

"If the emperor's uncle's reputation is damaged, it will be my fault!"

"But the emperor's uncle's innocence still needs to be clarified!"

"Yes!" Zhao Xu raised his head and looked at Empress Dowager Xiang with his innocent eyes, pretending to be happy and said, "Mother..."

"I think it would be a good idea to issue an imperial decree to order Weizhou Defense Commissioner Xiao Qian to preside over the internal review of the palace!"

"Weizhou Defense Commissioner Xiaoqian is the eldest son of the Emperor's uncle, my cousin, and has a good reputation!"

"In this way, we can both vindicate the emperor's uncle and expel the villain!"

"What do you think, Queen Mother?"

Zhao Xiaoqian was the most filial son of Zhao Xu in his previous life, Prince Yang Hao!
Thanks to this cousin, Zhao Xu was able to allow Prince Yang to live a wonderful life in Qinxian's house, enjoying the happiness of family every day.

The father was kind and the son was filial, and their love for him was so deep that Zhao Xu was very happy to see it.

Now, let Zhao Xiaoqian take over the power of the Prince Yang's Residence in Qinxian's house and preside over the internal review work.

Zhao Xu thought that he would be able to allow Prince Yang Hao to live a happy life with a filial son serving him in advance.

Empress Dowager Xiang thought about it and asked, "Is this okay?"

Let your son investigate me?

Is this acceptable in terms of etiquette and law?

Zhao Xu sighed, "For now, this is the only way to preserve my uncle's reputation and prevent outsiders from misleading me!"

"in addition……"

"After we find out the villains around the emperor's uncle..."

"I think the court should increase the salaries of the two uncles!"

"Prince Yang and Prince Jing are my uncles, my father's brothers, and my mother's sons!"

"How can I be burdened by money?"

"I shall give Prince Yang and Prince Jing 30,000 strings of cash each, and order the officials to discuss increasing the fiefs and annual salaries of the two uncles, to show my intention to be friendly with the uncles!"

Empress Dowager Xiang was stunned after listening to this.

Give each of the two kings 30,000 strings of cash?

Feng Ji impeached Prince Yang for instigating others to extort 3,000 pieces of cotton cloth from workshop owners in Beijing, which is almost 30,000 strings of cash at today's market price!
So, is this a public humiliation of Prince Yang?
Or is it that the Sixth Brother is kind and wise, and cannot bear to see the princes of the country and the clan members being burdened by money, so he extends favors to the clan members and increases their salaries to put their minds at ease?

but……

For Empress Dowager Xiang, no matter which possibility it was, this was the perfect way to deal with it.

Because, doing so would be tantamount to announcing to the world that Prince Yang really had instigated his retainers to extort merchants in Bianliang.

Moreover, they did extort cotton cloth worth 30,000 strings of cash.

Otherwise, why would the emperor grant Prince Yang 30,000 strings of cash and ask officials to discuss increasing the salaries and fiefs of the two princes?
As for why money should be given to King Jing?

That was a sleight of hand by the imperial court to cover up its mistake!

In short, Prince Yang’s reputation will become known everywhere from now on.

He will never be able to threaten Sixth Brother's position again.

At the same time, this approach is also very decent.

It can be explained from top to bottom!

Thinking this way, Empress Dowager Xiang no longer worried about what Zhao Xu was thinking.

She nodded and said, "Sixth brother is so kind and thoughtful!"

"Just do it!"

Just this one sentence allowed Prince Yang Hao to live the happy life of the Shaosheng era in Zhao Xu's previous life six years earlier.

(End of this chapter)