I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 359 Fighting for a wife with one's own son
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Of the three historical figures Zhao Ji, Zhao Huan, and Zhao Gou, if Zhao Yu had to choose the one he disliked the most, it would definitely be Zhao Gou.

Even though Zhao Gou was actually the most capable of the three men, and he created the so-called Jianyan Restoration in history, and was known as one of the restorers of the dynasty.

This was mainly because, faced with the invasion of the Jin dynasty, Zhao Gou always prioritized preserving his throne rather than recovering the Central Plains. In the early stages, he fled south and even fabricated the legend of "crossing the river on a mud horse" to whitewash himself. Later, he took the initiative to sign the Shaoxing Peace Treaty with the Jin dynasty, ceding territory, becoming a vassal state, and paying tribute. He used humiliation to exchange for a short-term peace, which completely violated the enterprising spirit that a "restoration" should have.

In order to promote the policy of seeking peace, Zhao Gou tacitly approved and even led the suppression of the pro-war faction represented by Yue Fei and Han Shizhong. In particular, when Yue Fei led the Yue Family Army to repeatedly defeat the Jin army and approach the old capital Kaifeng, he issued twelve imperial edicts to force the army to withdraw, and finally executed Yue Fei on fabricated charges.

This act not only undermined China's own interests but also chilled the hearts of the people who longed to recover lost territories.

Zhao Gou's so-called "restoration" only achieved partial stability for the Southern Song regime, while the Central Plains and North China remained under the rule of the Jin Dynasty for a long period of time, and the people suffered from war and oppression.

This kind of stability of "keeping to oneself in one corner" is completely contrary to the "true revival" of "restoring the Central Plains and unifying the country".

Under the guise of "restoration," he actually pursued a policy of "partial peace," sacrificing the overall situation of resisting the Jin dynasty, national dignity, the hope of resisting the Jin, and loyal ministers in order to consolidate his personal power.

Their so-called "revival" is nothing more than a fig leaf to cover up their power and position.

Most importantly, his father, mother, wife, five daughters, and the entire clan were captured by the Jin people and taken to the Jin state. His mother who gave birth to him and raised him, his beloved concubines, and all his daughters were subjected to all kinds of humiliation by the Jin people. Yet he was only focused on escaping, caring only about his own survival and enjoyment, without thinking about rescuing or taking revenge. He was truly unworthy of being a man!

Zhao Gou was so contemptible to Zhao Yu that he even thought that Zhao Ji, who wanted to recover the Yan-Yun region, and Zhao Huan, who sent troops to fight the Jin army as soon as he gained the upper hand, were more courageous than Zhao Gou.

It was precisely for this reason that Zhao Yu harbored a deep-seated hatred for Zhao Gou, the son born to Consort Wei, even though Zhao Yu was fully aware that his son Zhao Gou was not the same person as the historical Zhao Gou.

Of course, as a rational person, Zhao Yu did not suppress Zhao Gou or give him a cruel childhood just because he disliked him. Instead, he treated him the same as his mother, Consort Wei, and gave him the same opportunities.

However, Zhao Yu did not pay attention to Zhao Gou, nor did he have any expectations of Zhao Gou.

However, to Zhao Yu's surprise, this son, whom he had no expectations of, became a man of both literary and military talent under the tutelage of his mother, Consort Wei. He was brave and resourceful, and most importantly, loyal to the emperor, patriotic, and principled. He spoke frankly and honestly in court, never caring about the opinions of others. He was also strict in governing the army, and his soldiers strictly adhered to the discipline set by Li Lin, which was "rather freeze to death than dismantle a house, rather starve to death than plunder a husband." This earned him the hearts of both the army and the people.

When the war broke out in the north, he was among the first princes to march north and encountered the main force of the Jin army during a reinforcement battle. Despite the disparity in troop strength, he remained calm and decisive, leading from the front. He boosted morale with his bravery and strategically deployed his troops, ultimately defeating the enemy with fewer troops.

Later, Zhao Yu specifically learned about that battle and discovered that it was not an ambush, but a real close-quarters combat. The Song army won the battle by using cold weapons and bombs to save lives.

Bayonet fighting is an effective means of close combat to annihilate the enemy. It not only tests the physical fitness and skills of officers and soldiers, but also demonstrates the soldiers' fighting spirit and courage, and embodies the fighting spirit and willpower of an army.

In war, an army that dares to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy often possesses high morale, fearless courage, and a heroic spirit of advancing bravely—all important characteristics of a strong army.

Therefore, whether an army dares to engage in close combat and melee fighting is always one of the important criteria for testing whether an army is a strong army.

The fact that Zhao Gou's troops were able to defeat the Jin army in hand-to-hand combat demonstrates the elite nature of his forces.

Moreover, Zhao Yu had someone investigate and found that the army was led by Zhao Gou.

This shows that Zhao Gou was not a reckless man, but a skilled military commander.

This truly made Zhao Yu look at Zhao Gou in a new light.

What impressed Zhao Yu even more was that Zhao Gou withstood all the pressure and insisted on punishing Zhao Si, Zhao Shi, Zhao Ming, and Zhao Youzhong.

Yes.

Zhao Yu initially thought it was just a few naughty children, and that he could just say a few words to them and be done with it.

However, during the time it took for Liang Shicheng to bring Zhao Kai and the others over, Zhao Yu suddenly changed his mind.

To be honest, maintaining order and discipline within the imperial harem was very important, especially given that Zhao Yu had so many women and so many sons.

If this isn't managed properly, and Zhao Yu lets his son cheat on him, then he'll be in big trouble. Moreover, whether Zhao Yu likes it or not, he'll have to execute his son.

To prevent such a thing from happening, Zhao Gou handled it perfectly. Right now, their lack of discipline is minor, but if they aren't given a strict lesson when things get bigger, they might even storm the inner palace.

It could even be said that Zhao Gou had been very lenient in his punishment. If these rascals hadn't been children, and if three of them weren't Zhao Yu's own sons and one wasn't the son of Zhao Yu's younger brother, exile wouldn't have been considered excessively harsh.

In a sense, Zhao Gou was actually protecting these young rascals. You have to understand that in ancient times, such behavior was considered extremely rebellious. If you really want to take it seriously, it could be interpreted as having designs on one's future elders.

In conclusion, after careful consideration, Zhao Yu felt that Zhao Gou had handled the situation very well.

Compared to Zhao Gou, Zhao Kai, who protected his younger brother, and Zhao Huan, who was timid and hesitant, performed much worse.

Given Zhao Gou's consistently outstanding performance, Zhao Yu tried his best to suppress his dislike for him and asked Zhao Gou, "Why punish several of them so severely?"

Zhao Gou replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: "The four of them, whether princes or members of the imperial clan, have received imperial favor and should know the rules of etiquette and law. However, instead of keeping to their duties, they secretly brought their belongings to the bell tower to spy on the women to be selected for the imperial concubine selection."

Observe their actions:
Firstly, this violates regulations. Even within the forbidden palace grounds and along the steps, there are established rules. The selection of candidates for the imperial concubines is a solemn ceremony, not a spectacle. These four men using mirrors to spy on the women is not only a violation of palace rules but also a breach of decorum.

Secondly, it is immoral. There should be distinction between men and women, and a separation between those inside and outside the palace; this is the foundation of human relations. The women selected for the imperial concubine selection are all to be chosen as palace women, who may one day become imperial concubines or wives of noble families. How can they be allowed to be spied on at will? These four men's actions disregard etiquette and the chastity of women. If they are not severely punished, how can we rectify the social atmosphere?
Thirdly, this disrupts the established order. The imperial family members are the role models for the entire nation. If they dare to peek at the women being chosen for the imperial concubine selection today, they will dare to trespass into the forbidden areas of the inner palace tomorrow; if they dare to violate palace rules today, they will dare to break the law of the land tomorrow. If minor transgressions are not punished, they will inevitably lead to major disasters. If they are tolerated because of their youth, or indulged because of their noble status, then in the future, all members of the imperial family will follow suit, the order of the inner palace will be completely destroyed, and what will become of the imperial family's reputation?

Your Majesty's punishment is not out of harshness, but rather as a warning. Today's severe punishment is to prevent greater disaster in the future and to protect him from going astray.

If they can repent, they will not fail the kindness of their father's upbringing and the virtue of the imperial family's teachings.

Your Majesty, all your actions were to uphold the imperial family's discipline and preserve the dignity of the clan. There was no personal grudge involved. I hope Your Majesty will understand…”

Zhao Gou spoke eloquently, not only earning Zhao Yu's enthusiastic nods, but also causing many of the young ladies to steal glances at this handsome, polite, well-mannered, scholarly, and martial prince who valued integrity and spoke his mind. Among them, a young lady of eleven or twelve years old had the brightest eyes.

This young lady was like a newly sprouted bamboo shoot, her figure still slender and undeveloped. She had a gentle appearance, her eyebrows curved like a crescent moon, the corners of her eyes still carrying a touch of childishness, yet bright like a stream dipped in morning dew, her eyes holding a quiet resilience. Her nose was delicate, her lips a pale pink, clean lines when pursed, appearing docile even without smiling. Her skin was a translucent white, with a youthful radiance, and in the sunlight shining from the corridor, even the fine downy hairs at her temples were clearly visible.

This young lady was named Xing Bingyi, who was the historical Empress Xianjie. She was from Xiangfu, Kaifeng, and was the first empress of Zhao Gou. She was the daughter of Xing Huan, a court official in the Northern Song Dynasty, the military governor of Qingyuan Army in the Southern Song Dynasty, and the Prince of Angongjian.

Xing Bingyi can be considered arguably the most tragic empress in history.

Historically, during the Jingkang Incident, when the Jin army captured Bianjing, Xing Bingyi, who was already pregnant, was taken north along with other royal women. During the journey, she miscarried due to unbearable torture and was forced to perform the "sheep-leading ceremony" (a humiliating ritual in which she was naked from the waist up and covered with a sheepskin) for the Jin generals. After arriving in the Jin state, she was sent to the laundry house (actually a Jin military prostitute camp) and suffered long-term physical and mental torture.

What's even more lamentable is that after Zhao Gou ascended the throne, he nominally honored Xing Bingyi as Empress, seemingly giving her the highest honor, but he never actually tried to rescue her—he was busy fleeing south and consolidating his power, and took no real action towards his wife who was suffering in the Jin Kingdom.

Xing Bingyi waited bitterly in the Jin Kingdom for ten years, sustained by her longing for her husband, but she died before he returned home. She was only thirty-four years old when she passed away.

Even more tragically, Zhao Gou only learned of her death after making peace with the Jin Dynasty, and all he brought back was a coffin that had already decayed.

Her life is an epitome of the tragedy of royal women during the Jingkang Incident. She held the title of Empress but not the power. In the chaos of a broken country and a destroyed family, she was swept up by power and the times, and ultimately ended her life in humiliation, longing, and despair. Even the most basic dignity and a peaceful end became a luxury.

Captured at the age of seventeen, defiled for sixteen years, never a single day as a true empress, and no longer human when rescued. Which empress could be more miserable than Xing Bingyi?

Zhao Yu had a very deep impression of the women who suffered during the Jingkang Incident. He could remember the name of every woman who was victimized, and he especially remembered the three Zhu sisters, Xing Bingyi, and Princess Maode Zhao Fujin, who suffered the most.

Therefore, Zhao Yu wanted to bring all these victimized women into his harem through this selection process, treat them well, and prevent them from suffering a tragic fate in this life.

—Of course, this excludes those like Zhao Fujin who didn't appear in this world because Zhao Yu and the others traveled here.

Skillful.

Zhang Chun also shared this idea.

This meant that women who suffered during the Jingkang Incident, even those in slightly worse circumstances, would be recommended by Zhang Chun.

Zhao Yu, taking advantage of the situation, accepted these girls as his own.

Thus, Xing Bingyi naturally entered Zhao Yu's harem.

Jiang Zuimei and Tian Chunluo also entered Zhao Yu's harem at the same time. These two women bore Zhao Gou five daughters in history.

Looking at it this way, the claim that Zhao Yu was fighting with his own son for a wife is not entirely unfounded.

Seeing that Zhao Gou's words were reasonable and well-founded, Zheng Xiansu whispered in Zhao Yu's ear, "Gou'er is right. This trend must not be allowed to continue."

Zheng Xiansu said this not only because Zhao Gou was the son of her adopted daughter, Consort Wei, but also because she genuinely thought Zhao Gou's words made a lot of sense, and thus spoke well of him.

Zhao Yu nodded, then said to Zhao Gou, "You handled this matter very well; you deserve a reward."

As for what to reward Zhao Gou, Zhao Yu thought for a moment and said to Huang Jingchen, "Bring me my golden mace."

Zhao Yu's treasury contained many treasures, including weapons made of gold and silver.

When others heard Zhao Yu say that he wanted to bring the golden mace, they assumed that Zhao Yu was simply rewarding Zhao Gou with some valuables.

Unexpectedly, after Zhao Yu obtained the golden mace, he actually carried it down from the high platform and came to Zhao Gou's side, looking down at him and saying: "Today I wish to grant you the power to discipline the princes and relatives of the imperial family. From the Crown Prince down, all princes and relatives of the imperial family who are of bad character can be disciplined by you. If you encounter any stubborn and unruly ones, I grant you permission to execute them first and report later. I wonder if you dare to take on this great responsibility?"

Upon hearing Zhao Yu's words, everyone present was astonished. They exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with disbelief. They never imagined that Zhao Yu would entrust the power to regulate the conduct of all the princes and members of the imperial clan to Zhao Gou, a prince who was only sixteen or seventeen years old.

Zhao Gou was also slightly taken aback, not expecting Zhao Yu to approve of his decision so much. Then, with a firm gaze, he knelt on one knee, stretched out his hands, and loudly replied, "Your subject is willing to take on this important task and will certainly do his best to fulfill his duties and live up to Father Emperor's expectations!"

Zhao Yu nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. He solemnly handed the golden mace to Zhao Gou and said, "I'll see how you perform."

After speaking, Zhao Yu looked at Zhao Si and the other three.

This time, even the most unruly Zhao Shi was afraid.

The fact that Zhao Yu bestowed upon Zhao Gou a golden mace capable of killing them is sufficient to demonstrate Zhao Yu's attitude towards this matter.

Zhao Si and the other three knew perfectly well that they had really done something wrong. Not only had they been beaten for nothing, but if they dared to misbehave again, they might be beaten to death by the strict Zhao Gou.

Standing to the side, Zhao Kai, seeing Zhao Yu grant Zhao Gou the power to control the conduct of all princes and imperial relatives, was filled with regret. He couldn't help but think, 'If I had handled this matter impartially, this power might have fallen into my hands. Alas, I have wasted my time studying the classics!'

Zhao Huan also envied Zhao Gou.

However, Zhao Huan was self-aware enough to know that Zhao Yu would never give such power to anyone other than his son, and that he would never have such an opportunity under any circumstances.

So, when Zhao Gou accepted this windfall, Zhao Huan appeared honest but was actually secretly looking around at the beautiful women, each with their own unique charm and allure.

Upon looking around, Zhao Huan spotted Zhu Lian and Zhu Xuan among the selected women, and a pang of pain shot through his heart. 'They've come to participate in the selection too…'

……

(End of this chapter)