Traveling through Tianlong: Starting from the Zhenlong chess game

Chapter 519: The Emperor Takes Off His Crown and the Empress Takes Off Her Robe

Another month later, all the generals under Zhao Mu were transferred back to receive rewards.

The officials in charge of taking over the government were also sent by Emperor Zhezong. It was time for Zhao Mu to return to the capital.

After arranging the soldiers who were responsible for guarding the various sub-towns, Zhao Mu took the four swords of plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum, and other soldiers and embarked on the triumphant journey home.

As for Li Qinglu, Xiaolei, and Li Qiushui, they stayed in the Xixia Palace, waiting for Zhao Mu to come back.

The army led by Zhao Mu marched back from Xixia to the territory of Song Dynasty. On the way, officials came to entertain the troops every fifty miles. When they arrived at a large city, the supplies for entertaining the troops were even more abundant. Zhao Mu even allowed some officers to enter the city and go to the fireworks.

However, not all the troops followed Zhao Mu back to Bianjing to receive the reward. Most of the troops were assigned by the Ministry of War and the Privy Council and were left somewhere or transferred to other places to guard.

By the time they arrived in Bian Jing, only a few thousand of the 70,000 or 80,000 troops Zhao Mu brought back, including Zhao Mu's ceremonial guard, were left.

When they arrived at the west gate of Bianjing City, all the civil and military officials, royal relatives and nobles were already waiting there. Emperor Zhezong and the Empress were also standing on the city wall, waiting for Zhao Mu to arrive.

The road in front of the city gate had long been paved with yellow earth and clean water was poured on the street.

Originally, the emperor was supposed to welcome him on the tower of the imperial city, but Zhezong gave Zhao Mu a special favor this time. He specially came to the gate of Bianjing to welcome him. In order to show the high standard, he even brought the queen with him.

When Long Xuan reported the decree to him, Zhezong was almost moved to tears.

Although Zhao Mu and Zhezong both trusted each other.

But no one can predict human nature.

The two of them could cooperate very well in the past, but perhaps that was because the benefits were not big enough, or it did not meet Zhao Mu's psychological expectations.

But this time, if Zhao Mu wanted, he could follow the example of Emperor Taizu and put on the yellow robe and ascend the throne at any time.

Zhezong put himself in Zhao Mu's shoes and thought about it, and he also felt that there seemed to be no other way to go except to rebel and establish a new country. Therefore, Zhezong specially added an imperial edict to confer the title of emperor on Zhao Mu.

Besides, those rewards were also intended for Zhao Mu by Zhezong. Even if Zhao Mu accepted them, Zhezong would feel a little uncomfortable, but he would not say anything.

But Zhao Mu flatly refused and asked Long Xuan to burn it. Although this result was not beyond Zhezong's expectations, this time, Zhao Mu really convinced Zhezong with his loyalty.

In the past, Zhezong simply felt that the two of them got along well, regarded Zhao Mu as his most intimate friend, and wanted to hand over the country to the right person.

But this time, Zhezong really treated Zhao Mu as his uncle and elder.

In the past, Zhezong regarded Zhao Mu as Zhuge Liang, and thought that the monarch and his subjects were in harmony. But now, in Zhezong's eyes, Zhao Mu is his Duke of Zhou.

When they arrived at the city gate, Zhao Mu and everyone else dismounted from their horses, then knelt on the ground and paid their respects to Zhezong and the queen on the city wall.

After Zhao Mu finished his greetings, Zhezong did not stay for a moment and hurriedly went down the city wall with the queen to welcome Zhao Mu.

If the emperor and empress were not wearing formal robes, they would have to maintain their dignity and manners and would not have walked too fast. Zhezong even wanted to run.

Soon the emperor and empress arrived at the foot of the city tower. They walked on the red carpet and came directly to Zhao Mu.

Seeing Zhao Mu, Zhezong hurriedly said, "Uncle, please stand up!"

After hearing Zhezong's reply, Zhao Mu slowly stood up. However, Zhao Mu still bowed to the emperor and empress.

Zhao Mu bowed to Zhezong and said, "Your Majesty, I, Zhao Mu, have lived up to your trust. Now all the cities of Xixia have been returned to the Song Dynasty." Zhao Mu waved his hand, and the four people, Mei, Lan, Zhu and Ju, each holding a red lacquer tray, came forward. Zhao Mu then introduced, "Your Majesty, these are the Xixia treasury, population, household register, and seal presented by the King of Xixia."

Zhezong smiled with satisfaction and said, "Good! Good! Thank you for your hard work, uncle!"

Then Zhao Mu took the golden mace that Zhezong had given him from the tray held by Ju Jian. Zhu Jian also stepped forward, knelt with Zhao Mu, and presented the seal on his tray.

Zhao Mu said, "Your Majesty, when I went to war, Your Majesty granted me the Golden Mace of Emperor Taizong and the power to act at my own discretion, as well as the seal of the Grand Marshal of the Western Expedition. Now that Western Xia has been pacified, I will return the Golden Mace and seal. I am reporting to Your Majesty."

Although Zhezong didn't want to take back the golden mace from Zhao Mu, Zhao Mu offered it in front of so many people. He couldn't refuse. So Zhezong replied: "Approve what you said!"

Afterwards, the eunuchs took over the seals, atlases, account books, etc. from the four swordsmen of Plum, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum.

Zhezong personally helped Zhao Mu up and said, "Uncle, please stand up."

Zhao Mu still replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty," and then stood up with Zhu Jian.

Zhezong looked at Zhao Mu and said, "Uncle, you have made great contributions in this battle. Please get on the sedan chair and follow me into the palace. I have prepared a victory banquet for you in the Jiying Hall."

Zhao Mu bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhao Mu was about to salute, but Zhezong stopped him with a smile.

Then the emperor and empress looked at each other and came to Zhao Mu together.

Zhao Mu didn't know what Zhezong and his wife were trying to do.

Because according to the etiquette of the Song Dynasty, it was a taboo for Zhao Mu to be so close to Zhezong. What's more, the queen was so close to him.

Zhezong winked at Zhao Mu and told him not to move. Although Zhao Mu didn't know what they wanted to do, he still stood still.

Afterwards, Zhezong personally took off the helmet and crown on Zhao Mu's head, and the queen personally untied Zhao Mu's battle robe.

Everyone present was shocked to see this scene. Even Zhao Mu was stunned.

In those days, Li Bai was summoned by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang to write poems for Yang Guifei. He was treated like Yang Guifei grinding his hands and a strong man taking off his boots. This has become a beautiful story that will be passed down through the ages.

Even for the great general Wei Qing at that time, the treatment given by Emperor Wu of Han was that the imperial guards had to bow their heads and the emperor was demoted.

But now Zhao Mu was treated like the emperor taking off his crown and the empress taking off her robe. This made Zhao Mu a little flattered.

If there weren't so many people in the way, Zhao Mu couldn't let the emperor and empress lose their dignity. He would definitely step back and let the couple calm down.

However, when Zhao Mu looked at the smiles on the faces of Zhezong and his wife, he felt that their love was sincere.

This time, not only did Zhao Mu make Zhezong look at him differently, but the Queen also had a greatly changed opinion of him.

Before, everyone around the emperor, including the empress dowager and the grand empress dowager, disliked Zhao Mu. They all thought that Zhao Mu was a sycophant who was trying to deceive the emperor. They all thought that he had other intentions.

But through this incident, the queen found that Zhao Mu was the most loyal to Zhezong. No matter how others view Zhao Mu in the future, Queen Meng will no longer be hostile to him.

After all, Queen Meng's status and power all came from Emperor Zhezong, and Zhao Mu's loyalty to Emperor Zhezong was also his loyalty to her.

Treating such a loyal minister and capable general, she naturally had to give him some face.

(End of this chapter)