I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 271 Queen Zheng's Confession
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After reaching an agreement, the five women began to discuss the details, namely who would approach whom and how to persuade them.

During this process, the five women did a quick calculation and concluded that if they could persuade most of the women in the harem, and these women in the harem could then persuade the forces behind them to support the side that would remove the shackles from the prince, they could achieve an overwhelming victory.

This was mainly because the most outstanding daughters of the major officials in the court had entered the palace, including most of the prime ministers.

Yuan Qingcheng asked calmly, "Do you think the Emperor had foreseen this all along and deliberately brought all the daughters of ministers into the harem to form a community of interests, so that he could easily break the shackles on the princes now?"

Zhang Chun curled his lip: "He's just a lecher. I came up with this brilliant idea, he's just reaping the benefits without lifting a finger."

At this point, Zhang Chun continued with a worried expression, "He's just lucky. We plan and do everything for him. Otherwise, how could he be such a comfortable emperor?"

Yuan Qingcheng glanced at the confident Zhang Chun and said, "The Emperor became emperor entirely by his own ability. How could he be as bad as you say?"

"Ha! If I hadn't used my ingenious plan to unleash his ambition, do you think he would have dared to compete with Zhao Ji for the throne?"

"Later, I helped him devise a plan on how to seize the throne from Zhao Ji. I also introduced him to talents such as Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, Li Yan, Cai Jing, Wang Bing, and He Guan. I also asked Jiao Jiao for the methods of making glass and soap, which solved his problem of not having money. This enabled him to win people's hearts. Finally, I personally went to Empress Dowager Xiang's side to help him keep an eye on the most crucial Empress Dowager Xiang."

The more Zhang Chun spoke, the more indignant he became: "Tell me, if it weren't for me, could he have become the emperor? And tell me, based on all the things I did for him, the great contributions I made to his ascension to the throne, shouldn't he have made me his empress? Ha! In the end, I worked so hard, and he married Empress Zheng instead. Tell me honestly, isn't that outrageous?"

Hearing Zhang Chun complaining, Li Lin, Ye Shiyun, and Ma Xiaojiao all looked at Yuan Qingcheng with reproach, as if to say, "Why did you bring this up? You're making her bring up old grievances again."

After listening to Zhang Chun's complaints, Yuan Qingcheng made a mental assessment and found that Zhao Yu's statement that they had not helped Zhao Yu in any way in the matter of Zhao Yu defeating Zhao Ji and ascending the throne was not accurate. At least Ma Xiaojiao's methods for making glass and soap solved Zhao Yu's problem of not having money.

Of course, from Zhao Yu's perspective, Zhang Chun's contributions and usefulness were certainly not as great as Zheng Xiansu's.

Moreover, it now seems that Zheng Xiansu is indeed more suitable to be empress than Zhang Chun, and Zhao Yu's choice was perfectly correct.

Once Zhang Chun started talking, it wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

Zhang Chun continued, "Fine, Empress Zheng helped him a lot back then, and her contributions were probably not much less than mine. She's also meticulous and resourceful, making her quite suitable to be Empress. She deserved to be Empress, so I won't compete with her. But giving me the title of Noble Consort isn't too much to ask, is it? Are my contributions less than those of Noble Consort Wang and Noble Consort Guo? Well! In the end, they gave me this inappropriate Imperial Consort title, just like the four of you. What the hell is an Imperial Consort? Are there any Imperial Consorts among the Four Noble Consorts? I've worked so hard for so many years, giving him four sons and one daughter, and I finally became a Virtuous Consort. I'm still three steps away from becoming a Noble Consort. This is simply outrageous!"

Ma Xiaojiao comforted Zhang Chun, saying, "You're with the official not for fame or fortune, and it's not mainly for love."

Hearing Ma Xiaojiao say that, Zhang Chun softened a bit and said, "He's my first love, and I didn't have the chance to dump him and find another husband. Otherwise, do you think I would have let him off the hook!"

Yuan Qingcheng chimed in, "Do you think the Emperor might have deliberately sent the Empress to suppress you because he knows you have the nickname 'Pure Empress Dowager' and the treasonous plans you devised?"

"Who betrayed me?" Zhang Chun asked.

“Are you crazy? What would we gain from betraying you? Or rather, would we have any reason to betray you?” Ye Shiyun said.

Zhang Chunyi thought so too.

Li Lin is a former soldier and a leader; if she were to betray herself, her public image would crumble.

Although Ye Shiyun is loose-lipped and prone to flipping tables, all she pursues is wealth and enjoyment. She is unwilling to cause trouble for no reason and would never sell herself out.

Ma Xiaojiao has a good personality, values ​​relationships, and is my best friend, so she definitely wouldn't betray me.

Although Yuan Qingcheng and he didn't get along very well, he still trusted her character and believed she wouldn't betray him.

Most importantly, none of them had any reason or motive to betray themselves.

Therefore, Zhang Chun said, "As long as you don't betray me, he will never know that I have the nickname 'Empress Dowager Chun' or that I once thought of killing him. Besides, I wasn't young and impetuous back then, and my feelings for him weren't as deep as they are now, which is why I had some wicked thoughts. You know, ever since I truly accepted him, I have always been wholeheartedly devoted to him, protecting him and striving to help him become the greatest emperor in history. In the unlikely event that he ever discovers my past stains, you must help me out and prove that I love him and that I have reformed for him."

“Okay, I’ll put in a good word for you then,” Li Lin said.

“Fine, we’re sisters, I won’t watch you die,” Ye Shiyun said.

"Don't worry, Sister Chun, I'll definitely help you," Ma Xiaojiao said.

Yuan Qingcheng wanted to say, 'There's no need for such trouble. The Emperor never even considered holding a grudge against you.'

But she couldn't say that, so she could only reply vaguely, "I will tell the Emperor the truth."

……

The matter of lifting the restrictions on the princes should be done sooner rather than later; it would be difficult to handle if we waited until Crown Prince Zhao Shou had gained enough power.

Moreover, this prince's marriage is an excellent opportunity.

So, after the five women discussed it, they immediately split up and took action. First, they captured key figures such as Zhang Nan and Cai Xuan, and then the news spread from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand, reaching every corner of the harem.

This is not a conspiracy, but a calculated move that benefits most of the women in the harem, except for Zheng Xiansu. After all, even if they don't have sons now, they might have sons in the future, and only by removing the shackles from the princes can their sons gain freedom, achieve something, and not be raised like pigs.

It was precisely for this reason that most of the women in the harem agreed to support the five women and sent people to persuade their own families.

In fact, Zheng Xiansu knew what the five women were doing the moment they took action.

With Zheng Xiansu's intelligence, he quickly realized that Zhao Yu was behind this. The reason why many women in the harem were willing to support the five women was mainly because they also understood the situation and were supporting their man, Zhao Yu.

Since Zhao Yu was behind this, Zheng Xiansu could not stop it, whether she wanted to or not. This was Zheng Xiansu's code of conduct, even if it would seriously affect her and her son Zhao Shou's interests.

Since Zheng Xiansu did not step in to stop this, the five women's conspiracy must have been very successful.

Soon, with the support of a group of high-ranking officials, the court lifted the restrictions on princes and members of the imperial clan, allowing them to participate in politics, the military, business, and freely choose their place of residence. At the same time, the Zhao Song Dynasty officially implemented the system of conferring titles based on merit and the hereditary system of descending ranks.

According to the regulations of the imperial court, after a prince leaves his home, he will not be given a residence, nor will he be given a title, official position, or power, nor will he be granted a royal title. Instead, he will first be sent to the Imperial Academy to become a student of the Imperial Academy.

After a prince anonymously enters the Imperial Academy, he is incorporated into the Three Dormitory System and follows the same dormitory promotion rules as other students. His rank is also deeply tied to this system.

The Imperial Academy was divided into three dormitories: the Outer Dormitory, the Inner Dormitory, and the Upper Dormitory. Princes had to start from the Outer Dormitory. When they first entered the Outer Dormitory, the princes did not have any noble titles and studied as Imperial Academy students. If they passed the year-end assessment for Outer Dormitory students, they would be promoted to the Inner Dormitory and would be granted the title of "Founding Baron".

After entering the Inner Chamber, the princes must undergo two more years of study and examination. If they pass the final examination of the Inner Chamber, they will be promoted to the Upper Chamber and will be granted the title of "Founding Prince".

The Upper House was the highest level of the Imperial Academy. Princes had to study there for three years, during which they participated in monthly private examinations and annual public examinations. Those who graduated from the Upper House with a "Superior" grade were directly promoted to the title of "Duke of the Founding State" and were eligible to participate in the selection process of the Ministry of Personnel and enter officialdom. Those who ranked "Middle Grade" in the Upper House were promoted to the title of "Marquis of the Founding State" and had priority in obtaining opportunities to enter the Imperial Academy for writing or to be sent to prefectures and counties for training. Those who ranked "Lower Grade" in the Upper House were also promoted to the title of "Earl of the Founding State" and needed to continue their apprenticeship in local or central government agencies to accumulate practical experience.

Of course, this is not the only way out for the prince.

Princes can also join the army and pursue a martial arts career. Specifically, they need to enter the martial arts school anonymously and start as students in the outer academy alongside the sons of soldiers.

The martial arts school was modeled after the "Huangfu Military Academy" of the Song Dynasty, which Li Lin founded by imitating the Imperial Academy. It also implemented the three-stage system, but emphasized practical combat.

Students in the outer dormitory were required to study military books and strategies such as "The Complete Essentials of Military Strategy," conduct sand table simulations, and participate in camp drills.

After the princes entered the martial arts academy, they ate and lived with the other students. Their clothing and weapons were issued according to military regulations, and there were no exceptions.

If a prince passes the year-end examination in the outer quarters, he can be promoted to the inner quarters and will be awarded the title of "Founding Baron".

The inner quarters focused on military strategy, and students were required to participate in field training with the Imperial Guards every month, simulating offensive and defensive battles.

If a prince passes the final examination in the inner palace, he can be promoted to the rank of Shanghe and obtain the title of "Founding Prince".

The Upper Academy represents the highest level of martial arts. Princes must complete three years of study there, during which they participate in monthly private examinations and annual public examinations. Those who graduate from the Upper Academy and rank "Upper Grade" are directly promoted to "Duke of the Founding County" and are eligible to participate in the Ministry of War's selection process to enter the front lines. Those who rank "Middle Grade" are promoted to "Marquis of the Founding State" and have priority access to border military training. Those who rank "Lower Grade" are promoted to "Earl of the Founding State" but must continue their martial arts studies while also interning in the Divine Machine Army to gain experience.

Above the Founding County Duke, there are twelve ranks of nobility: Founding Prefecture Duke, Founding Duke, Prefecture Duke, State Duke, Prefecture King, Successor King, and King.

To obtain a title of Duke of the Founding County or higher, one must demonstrate substantial political achievements or military merits.

In short, even for princes, obtaining a title was not an easy task.

Of course, there were bound to be princes who were neither good at literature nor martial arts. Such princes could only choose to go into business, but this meant that they might not even be able to obtain the title of Marquis within the Pass.

As for the descendant succession of titles, I won't go into detail. It's simply that if the father is a king, only one son can inherit the title; if the father is a heir to the king, only one son can inherit the title of a county king; a county king can only have one son inherit the title of a duke; a duke can only have one son inherit the title of a founding duke; a founding duke can only have one son inherit the title of a county duke; a county duke can only have one son inherit the title of a founding county duke; a founding county duke can only have one son who becomes a founding marquis; a founding marquis can only have one son who becomes a founding earl; a founding earl can only have one son who becomes a founding viscount; and a founding viscount can only have one son who becomes a founding baron. If the inheritor of the title does not make any new achievements, by the time it reaches the generation of a founding baron, his son will no longer inherit the title and must fend for himself—either by entering the Imperial Academy or studying martial arts to start from scratch, or by engaging in commerce and establishing himself through his own abilities, just like ordinary scholars and commoners.

If a family has multiple sons, apart from the son who inherits the title, the other sons who wish to obtain the title must start from scratch by entering the Imperial Academy or studying martial arts.

It must be said that Emperor Zhao Yu was truly ruthless towards his own children and grandchildren.

This can also be seen as the price they paid for their freedom.

Seeing how ruthless Zhao Yu was to his sons and grandsons, and knowing that the system of rewarding merit and granting titles in descending order could indeed solve the problem without putting too much pressure on the finances of the Song Dynasty, the opposition had no better solution and could only shut their mouths and watch the rise of the imperial family.

After everything settled down, Zhao Yu arrived at Kunning Palace.

night.

After the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, Zhao Yu hugged Zheng Xiansu from behind, and the two remained silent for a long time.

"Your Majesty, please speak frankly. I am not someone who does not consider the overall situation," Zheng Xiansu broke the silence.

From Zheng Xiansu's perspective, Zhao Yu did indeed act somewhat unfairly, and it's no wonder that even the good-tempered Zheng Xiansu couldn't help but feel some resentment.

While kneading Zheng Xiansu's grapefruit, Zhao Yu explained, "Firstly, this matter is of great importance and cannot be compromised. I can only ask you and the Crown Prince to do this for now. Secondly, this matter will indeed affect the Crown Prince. If I had told you beforehand and you hadn't stopped it, how would I face the Crown Prince in the future? Thirdly, if I hesitate, it may lead to brothers killing each other and our Great Song Dynasty being in turmoil. Therefore, I have no choice but to do this."

Zheng Xiansu understood that Zhao Yu was both an emperor and a father. From Zhao Yu's perspective, he could not allow all of his hundreds of sons to be imprisoned, nor could he allow them to become a burden on the court, leading to the "reduction of the power of the princes" after the new emperor ascended the throne, resulting in fratricide. This opportunity was too rare to miss, and if he missed it, even Zhao Yu himself might find it difficult to remove the shackles from the princes. Therefore, Zhao Yu could not gamble on her being so righteous.

Zheng Xiansu turned around, looked at Zhao Yu, and said sincerely, "Although this matter may lead to the birth of a powerful prince and affect the Crown Prince's imperial power, how could I not know that this is the only solution? Moreover, I have confidence in Your Majesty and firmly believe that Your Majesty will have a backup plan and will not cause the Crown Prince any worries. Therefore, if Your Majesty tells me the truth, I will not disappoint Your Majesty. I ask Your Majesty to have more confidence in me in the future. I only wish to be a wife and husband and not have any estrangement between us."

At this point, Zheng Xiansu whispered in Zhao Yu's ear, "Even if Your Majesty were to depose the Crown Prince one day, I firmly believe that Your Majesty will have considered the matter and will support you. If I break this oath, I am willing to suffer some misfortune, be afflicted with a terrible illness, and die a violent death!"

Zheng Xiansu's tone was filled with deep determination and pleading, and his eyes shone with profound trust and expectation for Zhao Yu.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yu was somewhat moved. He and Zheng Xiansu looked at each other for a long time. Seeing that Zheng Xiansu did not waver in the slightest, it was as if he was saying, "If one day I have to choose between Your Majesty and the Crown Prince, I will definitely choose Your Majesty. Please believe me, Your Majesty!"

Having understood Zheng Xiansu's feelings, Zhao Yu pulled her into his arms and promised her, "Just this once, I will never let you down again..."

……

(End of this chapter)