Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 916 Returning to the Central Plains
The news that Prime Minister Yang was Mr. Muyi stirred up a wave of emotion in people's hearts that was even more spectacular than the Qiantang River tidal bore today.

Next, no matter how turbulent the Qiantang River tidal bore may be, no matter how exciting the spectacle of surfers seizing flags amidst the waves may be,

At least the dignitaries in the stands and the scholars and literati nearby had no interest in appreciating it properly.

Everyone was whispering or deep in thought.

Meanwhile, the officials from various regions who were sent to the capital to serve as "liaison officers" immediately set to work, eager to report this important news back to their hometowns.

Fan Jiang sat in the stands, in a corner.

Because his qualifications and official position were not prominent enough.

He was merely a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination), a title bestowed upon him by the emperor as a gift to those who had passed the imperial examinations.

Despite his considerable power in the Censorate, it was still insignificant compared to the officials and nobles of the court.

But he knew that from today onward, everything would be different.

He sat there calmly, without immediately going to present his memorial to the emperor.

Yang Yuan had just revealed his identity as Master Mu when a memorial was immediately presented to him. Wouldn't that make everyone in the world think that Yang Yuan had arranged everything?

If he's too late, someone else will beat him to it, but if he's too early, it will embarrass Prime Minister Yang.

That would be far more serious than missing the opportunity.

Therefore, Fan Jiang waited patiently.

After the tide-watching was over, the emperor, as was customary, rewarded the winner of this year's tide-watching competition before returning to the palace.

The imperial carriage slowly entered the palace gate, and the sound of its wheels rolling over the stone slabs could be heard.

"Official!"

The Second Prince Zhao Kai got out of the carriage first, and then helped the Emperor.

The seventeen-year-old emperor got out of the carriage with some unease and asked in a low voice, "Brother, today we watched the tide, and the news spread that Prime Minister Yang is the great Confucian scholar Mu Yi. I'm afraid another storm is brewing."

Zhao Kai sighed softly and said, "Isn't this exactly the result we wanted?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dun suddenly realized what was happening.

While he was still unconscious after taking the calming soup, the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, Prince Jin's uncle, and his elder brother Zhao Kai had already decided to abdicate the throne.

Now, his reign as emperor is devoid of dignity, and he has caused fear and unease throughout the entire Zhao Song imperial family. They have had enough of this life.

The greatest hope of the Zhao Song imperial family now is to receive the same treatment as the Qian Chu family, the King of Wuyue.

In that case, it would be better to voluntarily surrender the country than to be forced to abdicate.

Zhao Dun was a little confused, but Zhao Kai's words brought him back to his senses.

He readily agreed, "Indeed, indeed. Staying in this imperial palace is truly unbearable. I... miss the days when I lived in the Prince Gong's Mansion."

Zhao Kai gave a wry smile and said, "Your Majesty, you should return to the palace to rest first. There will surely be reactions from the court and the public in the next few days."

"Your Majesty, please don't be impatient or panicked. I will be there to assist you in everything."

Zhao Dun nodded and was about to step into the palace when a young eunuch rushed over.

"Your Majesty, Fan Jiang of the Censorate has submitted a sealed memorial!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dun and Zhao Kai looked at each other in astonishment.

From the Censorate?

A sealed memorial?

What is he going to do?

Could it be that they're going to impeach Prime Minister Yang for his rudeness today?

This is so worrying!
"Officially sealed memorials" refers to memorials submitted directly to the emperor without going through the review of central institutions such as the Imperial Secretariat or the Chancellery.

These kinds of memorials usually involve top-secret information, urgent military intelligence, impeachment of important officials, etc., and must be read and opened by the emperor in person.

Zhao Dun was filled with fear and dared not even look. He whispered to Zhao Kai, "Brother, come and see."

Zhao Kai had no choice but to accept the memorial, which indeed had the words "officially sealed" written on it.

Any document bearing this inscription must not be opened or read by the Imperial Secretariat, and no official may retain it; it must be delivered unopened.

The young emperor and Prince Qing, Zhao Kai, never imagined that this was a petition to "request the Nine Bestowments".

Because... we just finished watching the tide, who has that kind of efficiency?
Unexpectedly, upon opening the memorial, it turned out to be a "Request for the bestowal of the Nine Bestowments upon Prime Minister Yang Yuan".

Zhao Kai silently handed the memorial to Zhao Dun. After reading it, Zhao Dun exclaimed in surprise, "You came so quickly!"

Zhao Kai felt a mixture of amusement and sorrow.

Your Majesty, even if you are eager to immediately remove this unworthy emperor from your position, there is no need for such a pleasant surprise.
Zhao Kai smiled wryly and said, "Does Your Majesty think we should issue a public notice to all departments and let the officials discuss it?"

Zhao Dun thought for a moment and asked the young eunuch, "Where is Fan Jiang?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, they are still waiting outside the palace."

"Take him to the Hall of Diligent Governance."

Zhao Dun, accompanied by Zhao Kai, went directly to the Hall of Diligent Governance.

Soon after, Fan Jiang was also brought in.

Zhao Dun asked, "Fan Qing, is the Prime Minister aware of the memorial you submitted on behalf of Prime Minister Yang, requesting that he be granted a posthumous title?"

Fan Jiang replied respectfully, "The Prime Minister is unaware, but the Prime Minister's achievements are so great that they will be remembered for generations. I believe that if he is not honored, it may discourage the loyalty of the people."

Zhao Dun nodded. Whether Yang Yuan knew about this or not, Fan Jiang believed it was Yang Yuan's doing.

However, I always feel particularly uneasy if I don't ask in person.

"I understand. This matter is of great importance. I need to discuss it with the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and Prince Jin."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Fan Jiang bowed slightly: "However, the Prime Minister is about to personally go to the Central Plains to recapture Bianliang for our Great Song Dynasty. At that time, military affairs will be very busy..."

The implication was clear: Your Majesty, you may discuss this matter, but the Prime Minister will be going to fight the Jin Kingdom in just half a month. You can't delay any longer. Even though Zhao Dun was currently not entirely mentally stable, upon hearing this, his fair face flushed crimson.

"I...understand. I will respond within three days."

He believed that Yang Yuan had sent Fan Jiang to test the waters, so he dared not fail to give a clear answer.

Fan Jiang smiled with satisfaction, bowed, and said, "Your subject takes his leave!"

……

News of Fan Jiang's memorial quickly reached Yang Yuan's ears.

Yang Yuan knew that once the news spread that he was Mu Yi and that Mu Yi was him, someone would soon submit a memorial requesting that he be granted the Nine Bestowments.

However, he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

Fan Jiang is really quick and efficient.

In fact, Yang Yuan had considered skipping these unnecessary steps. For example, Li Shimin's Xuanwu Gate Incident and Zhao Kuangyin's donning of the yellow robe did not involve these steps, yet the desired results were still achieved.
Therefore, Yang Yuan felt that many ancient rituals were just self-deceptive charades and utterly boring.

However, after repeatedly evaluating various different plans for advancement and analyzing their advantages and disadvantages, the Inner Secretariat found that the more detailed and complete the template of "entering the court without bowing, praising without naming, wearing a sword and shoes in the palace, receiving the Nine Bestowments, going out to guard and entering the palace, and establishing a state" was, the more stable it would be in the future, and the less bloodshed would occur in the process.

Because it is different from the hypocritical and laughable etiquette of "rejecting and declining three times".

These important political ceremonies and transitional steps are underpinned by a profound political and cultural logic.

As these steps were implemented one by one, it actually provided a good buffer period for the people of the world to change their mindset, and at the same time, it was a buffer period for the transition of power in the imperial court.

In this process, power tests can be used to subtly gauge the reactions of the ruling and opposition parties, eliminating opponents and selecting a supportive team without resorting to bloodshed.

As the transfer of power is completed step by step in these processes, people's psychological expectations or defenses gradually shift, and the impact of the final step becomes less intense.

Because at that time, everyone knew that this step was inevitable.

This creates a natural and inevitable effect, much like... for a couple who have been living together for a long time, no matter how grand their wedding is, the most exciting part is simply receiving monetary gifts.

Nothing exciting happened on their wedding night.

The young couple, exhausted after a long day of preparations, might simply sleep separately, not caring about sharing a bed for the night.

Yang Yuan didn't want any bloodshed with the Zhao family during this process. Moreover, the military power he now controlled gave him absolute control, so he didn't have to worry about any unforeseen complications.

Therefore, he didn't need to skip a series of steps and had to use a hasty approach to complete the final step.

Therefore, after receiving news that Fan Jiang had submitted a memorial requesting the Nine Bestowments, Yang Yuan pretended not to know and ignored it.

A day later, the news quietly spread.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Yiran, the young master of the Wang family, beat his chest and stamped his feet in frustration.

"Damn it, Lao Fan, would it kill you to ask me to add my name after yours? That's so disloyal."

Young Master Wang immediately wrote a memorial requesting the bestowal of the Nine Bestowments and sent it to the palace.

Some officials in the imperial court also immediately followed suit.

They weren't all opportunists; many of them were already firmly aligned with Yang Yuan.

If Yang Yuan falls on hard times, they will all follow him into ruin. They are already bound to Yang Yuan, so of course they will do their utmost to help him achieve his great cause.

By the time officials in various regions received the message from the capital, it was already too late.

It seems that the step of persuading the emperor to ascend the throne has already fallen behind those officials in the capital.

It's alright, we have another trick up our sleeve: create auspicious omens!

Therefore, after Zhao Dun accepted the earnest requests of the officials and bestowed upon Yang Yuan the Nine Bestowments and granted him the honors of imperial procession, auspicious omens began to be created in various places.

At this point, in addition to not having to bow when entering the court, not having to use one's name when being praised, and being allowed to wear a sword and shoes in the palace, Yang Yuan also received the Nine Bestowments and the privilege of being allowed to enter and leave the palace with imperial guards, thus taking another step closer to becoming an emperor.

The Nine Bestowments were nine highest-ranking ceremonial objects bestowed by the emperor upon feudal lords and ministers in ancient times.

It includes carriages and horses, clothing, musical instruments, vermilion doors, imperial steps, tiger-like guards, axes and halberds, bows and arrows, and black millet wine, etc.

These items symbolize core national powers such as military affairs, religious rites, and travel.

In this process, much power has begun to be relinquished.

"Going out and returning to the palace" refers to the various guard procedures and etiquette systems for the emperor's travels and return to the palace.

Therefore, when Yang Yuan left Lin'an and went to the Central Plains again, his carriages, entourage, guards, flags, lodging, and other aspects were already treated as if he were an emperor.

At this time, the Jin Dynasty was already in dire straits.

Half of Nanjing Road was firmly in the hands of the Song army, while only the northern half, including Luoyang, Kaifeng, Ruzhou, Xinzheng, and Suizhou, remained in the hands of the Jin state.

Under Li Dao's command, the Song army in Jingxiang has completely occupied Shangzhou and Luonan, reaching as far east as Guozhou and pressing towards Yaoguan Pass in the west. It is only a matter of time before they break through this formidable pass.

In the Sichuan-Guizhou region, Wu Gong, Chen Zhuoguang, and Xia Hekuimu led the Lixi Army, Lizhong Army, and Tianshui Quanrong Army respectively to capture Baoji, break through Jianzhao Pass, and successively conquer Longzhou and Purun.

Subsequently, Xia Hekuimu advanced westward to Huating, harassing Pingliang Prefecture.

Wu Ting and Chen Zhuoguang, on the other hand, were like a pair of crab pincers, clamping down on Fengxiang Prefecture.

In the north, the Western Xia army, led by the Ren, Wang, and Tuoba clans, each gathered troops from the tribes that were subordinate to them, and rampaged through the Qingyang Prefecture and Bao'an Prefecture.

They were not good at attacking cities, but they were quite effective at disrupting supply lines and forcing the Jin army to retreat to their cities, thus fighting independently.

Meanwhile, Xinjin not only began to continuously reinforce its troops southward by land, but also launched an attack on the Shandong region by sea.

Yang Yuan arrived in Xuzhou (Xuchang) at this time.

At this time, the valiant general Jia Rui was stationed in Xuzhou, while the local civilian officials were all Jin Dynasty officials who had been transferred to the Jin Dynasty.

The former prefect of Xuzhou was surnamed Wang and named Wang Wenzhao.

But this was only his Han name; he also had a Jurchen name, Guarjia Shilun.

Yang Yuan's arrival was naturally met with a warm welcome.

At the banquet, Guarjia Shilun had his beloved daughter play the zither for Yang Yuan, performing "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute" by Cai Wenji, a beauty from Xuchang.

Although the girl was a Jurchen, her zither skills were surprisingly superb, though her looks were somewhat lacking.

With Yang Yuan's arrival in Xuzhou, the Great Jin Dynasty became even more precarious, like a candle flickering in the wind!
(End of this chapter)