I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 391 The Political Wisdom of Crown Prince Zhao Shou

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In the capital city.

Many of Zhao Yu's sons, such as Zhao Shou, Zhao Yan, Zhao Kai, Zhao Di, Zhao Wei, Zhao Qing, Zhao Ji, Zhao Li, Zhao Mian, Zhao Jian, Zhao Rui, Zhao Xing, Zhao Ang, Zhao Jiang, Zhao Shou, Zhao Cheng, Zhao Xing, Zhao Sheng, Zhao Ce, Zhao Ning, and Zhao Ji, as well as many of Zhao Yu's sons-in-law, are celebrating the recapture of Ji.

At present, Zhao Yu's older sons are all between fifteen and twenty years old, which is the best time for a man to make achievements.

As their father, Zhao Yu also generously gave each of them opportunities to showcase their talents.

It was precisely for this reason that Zhao Yu sent them to the Imperial Academy or martial arts schools to learn skills when they were teenagers.

The key point is that Zhao Yu truly gave them every opportunity to train.

Those skilled in military affairs were placed in military camps by Zhao Yu from a young age to gain experience. Zhao Di, Zhao Wei, and Zhao Qing were not just nominally appointed, but started from the bottom as officers and supervisors. They learned about formations, surveyed terrain, and handled military affairs from veteran soldiers. Over the years, they experienced hundreds of battles, large and small. Now they have long since shed their naivety and become generals who can lead troops in battle independently. Most of the soldiers under their command obey their orders.

—Whether in the previous operation to recapture Liaoning Road or in this operation to liberate Jidi, they have performed well.

As for the princes skilled in governance, as early as the Song Dynasty, Emperor Zhao Yu appointed them to various counties without favoritism, starting with basic tasks such as verifying household registrations, supervising agriculture and sericulture, and handling ordinary civil affairs. After the liberation of Jidi, they joined Song Dynasty officials, students of the Imperial Academy, and other Jidi talents educated by the Song Dynasty to take over and govern Jidi. They participated in every aspect, from planning city walls and streamlining taxes to pacifying displaced people.

As these princes grew older, their early experience transformed into real abilities, naturally making them another reliable political force in Zhao Yu's hands.

In the imperial court, whether it was the Ministry of War in charge of military affairs, the Ministry of Revenue in managing the people, or the governance of key local areas, their presence was felt everywhere.

Zhao Yu's strategy for his sons was similar to that of Ibn Saud, the founding monarch of Saudi Arabia, in shaping his princely group. Both used blood ties as a bond to weave family power into every aspect of state power.

Saudi princes either control vital economic sectors like Aramco, command core military forces such as the National Guard, or hold key cabinet positions that influence policy direction, creating a power structure where "the royal family is the state."

Zhao Yu's sons also followed this path to establish themselves in the Song Dynasty: Zhao Di, Zhao Wei, Zhao Qing and other princes who led troops held military power. Many of the soldiers under their command were also Zhao Yu's sons. Of course, there were also comrades-in-arms who joined their ranks. Their loyalty far exceeded that of ordinary generals, making them equivalent to the Song Dynasty's royal military group.

The princes, skilled in governance, held sway over the nine ministries (the traditional six ministries plus the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Transportation (which is further divided into the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Highways, the Ministry of Waterways, and the Ministry of Maritime Transport), and the Ministry of Customs) and local prefectures. From household registration verification to tax collection, they were involved in every matter concerning the foundation of the nation and people's livelihood, much like a replica of the Saudi princes' control over the economy and administration.

What is even more similar is the logic of the succession and consolidation of power.

Saudi princes have used marriage alliances and titles to extend their influence into various fields such as religion, commerce, and the military, forming a deeply entrenched network of interests that is difficult for outsiders to shake.
Over the years, Zhao Yu's sons also formed deep bonds with civil officials from the Imperial Academy, generals trained in military academies, and local gentry. The princes who led troops had many military generals and supervisors under their command, while the princes who governed the people had many officials under their command. This connection based on "shared experience" was far stronger than a simple relationship between ruler and subject.

When these princes were scattered across the nine ministries and strategic locations, the entire power system of the Song Dynasty became a "moat" for the Zhao family's imperial family, both to defend against dissident forces externally and to consolidate the Zhao family's rule internally.

In addition, Zhao Yu had many sons who were deeply involved in the most profitable industries in the Song Dynasty, such as money shops, various financial enterprises, resource enterprises, and high-tech enterprises.

Most importantly, Zhao Yu also wanted to enfeoff many of his sons.

Essentially, this involves deeply binding family interests with state power, creating a power network centered on blood ties and radiating outwards.

Now, Zhao Yu's plan has basically taken shape. His sons have been dispersed to various fields of the Song Dynasty and have become an extremely powerful political force. They have become so powerful that they no longer need Zhao Yu's protection and no one dares to restrict them anymore.

As an increasingly mature crown prince, Zhao Shou was well aware that he had too many brothers and their power was too great. Some of them held military power to guard the border, some were in charge of civil administration to maintain local stability, and some controlled trade routes and finances. If he dared to have the idea of ​​deposing his brothers, he would definitely not be able to remain the crown prince.

Conversely, as long as he fulfills his duty as crown prince, unites his brothers with a tolerant heart, and relies on his legitimate status as the eldest son of the legitimate wife, plus the paving the way for him by his father, the throne will surely fall into his hands.

Therefore, if he wants to secure his position as crown prince, and in the future, he must remember that "integration" is worse than "checks and balances," and "co-governance" is far better than "suppression."

Therefore, he never sought credit for himself. Whenever his brothers performed meritorious service, he would immediately report to his father, the Emperor, to request credit on their behalf. In court, if the Ministry of Revenue's proposals for policies concerning people's livelihood originated from his brothers and were indeed beneficial to the Song Dynasty, he would submit a memorial to support them, detailing the policy's advantages. Even when dealing with his younger brothers, he never acted like the Crown Prince, showing them as much care as possible, listening to their observations on local governance, and privately pointing out any oversights rather than publicly reprimanding them. He also forbade the officials of the Eastern Palace from looking down on the princes.

Zhao Shou never spoke harshly about his brothers' mistakes. Once, Zhao Ce, in charge of the construction of the Jidi Money Exchange, was eager to establish a wartime economic system to aid in Jidi's post-war reconstruction. He lent money without thoroughly investigating the merchants' qualifications, resulting in a large sum that was difficult to recover and causing considerable trouble. Upon learning of this, Zhao Shou not only submitted a memorial to Zhao Yu pleading for Zhao Ce's release but also personally funded the loan to cover the deficit. Of course, Zhao Yu ultimately footed the bill, since it was his son's fault.
Zhao Shou was also generous in paving the way for his brothers and giving them opportunities.

As everyone knows, Zhao Yu has too many women and too many sons. He certainly wants to manage them all, but because he is busy and it is impossible to be all-encompassing, he will inevitably overlook some sons who have a low profile. Sometimes these princes will approach the easy-going Zhao Shou, who will definitely make proper arrangements for them.

Not only Zhao Yu's sons, but also his sons-in-law, were treated the same way.

The core principle of the Song Dynasty's system of imperial sons-in-law was that they could not hold core positions in central decision-making, military command, or financial management, such as the vice ministers or ministers of the Three Departments and Six Ministries, or any substantive positions in the Privy Council or the Three Departments, thus preventing them from interfering in the operation of core state power. They were also prohibited from holding local government positions such as prefect or vice-prefect, to avoid directly managing the people, controlling local administration and judicial power, and preventing the formation of local power structures.

The "official positions" of imperial sons-in-law were mostly honorary titles that were merely nominal and did not involve any specific work; they were mainly used to highlight their status.

This is mainly aimed at the historical lessons of "the power of maternal relatives" since the Han and Tang dynasties.

During the Han and Tang dynasties, imperial relatives often used the status of princesses to control military power and interfere in court affairs (such as Huo Guang in the Han dynasty and Yang Guozhong in the Tang dynasty), and even triggered palace coups.

After the establishment of the Song Dynasty, in order to strengthen imperial power and stabilize the regime, restrictions on maternal relatives were incorporated into ancestral family laws. As the core group of maternal relatives, the imperial sons-in-law naturally became the key targets of restraint. By "granting them honorary titles and limiting their real power," the possibility of them interfering in politics was completely cut off.

While this system ensured that the Song Dynasty did not experience a serious problem of powerful relatives of the emperor seizing power, it also led to the gradual detachment of the imperial sons-in-law from the political core, turning them into an "honorary class" dependent on the imperial family.

If Zhao Yu had fewer daughters, he would have done the same, since the interference of maternal relatives in politics is something that must be guarded against. The problem is that Zhao Yu had hundreds of daughters, which meant they would have to marry hundreds of talented young men. If they were to be given honorary titles but limited in real power, it would be an enormous waste of talent and a restriction on imperial power.

Therefore, Zhao Yu lifted most of the restrictions on the sons-in-law, except that they were not allowed to serve as prime ministers, local officials, or frontier generals, nor could they be granted fiefdoms. Other restrictions were lifted.

In this way, Zhao Yu's sons-in-law would either come from military families, be students who had risen through the ranks of martial arts academies, or be promising young generals who had distinguished themselves in the army; or be outstanding students of the Imperial Academy, or rising civil officials who had been promoted to important positions in prefectures based on their political achievements; or be industrialists or financiers who controlled the economic lifeline of the Song Dynasty; or be outstanding scientists, craftsmen, doctors, or all sorts of geniuses, and so on and so forth...

These princes-in-law were already among the best of the new generation in the Song Dynasty. After marrying princesses, they were even more powerful: on the one hand, they gained a wider range of opportunities for advancement through their status as "royal relatives." In the court, they had princes supporting each other, and in the provinces, they had the protection of the imperial clan. On the other hand, their own family influence and professional abilities, in turn, solidified the foundation of the Zhao family's rule.

Military generals and their sons-in-law consolidated border defenses, civil officials and their sons-in-law optimized governance, and industrialists and their sons-in-law provided a continuous stream of financial support for the Song Dynasty's military expenditures and people's livelihoods. Practical sons-in-law even received all the resources to support their research and development, forming a four-in-one community of interests of "royal family, powerful and noble, industry, and scientific development".

Zhao Shou understood this very well. He knew that the network of relationships between these sisters and their husbands was a kind of "hidden power" that was even more difficult to shake than official positions in the imperial court.

Therefore, Zhao Shou never regarded the princesses as "married-out women." On the contrary, he took the initiative to maintain this kinship bond and took good care of, helped and promoted his sisters and brothers-in-law.

Over time, Zhao Shou also accumulated a very high reputation among the princesses and their husbands.

Although these princes and their consorts belonged to different fields such as the military, politics, and business, they all chose to support and endorse Zhao Shou because of his "kindness" and "inclusiveness".

This "emotional appeal" approach allowed Zhao Shou to firmly bind the strongest new generation of powerful figures in the Song Dynasty to his own camp.

As a result, even the most ambitious and capable princes dared not openly confront Zhao Shou—after all, in their eyes, Zhao Shou was not only the eldest brother but also the patriarch who could protect them.

Zhao Yu observed all of this and thought to himself, 'Although the Crown Prince lacks ruthless methods, he possesses a magnanimous heart and can unite his powerful brothers and brothers-in-law into one force. This ability to "unite" is far more effective than mere cunning in securing the Zhao family's rule.'

Zhao Shou always knew that as long as he treated his brothers and sisters with kindness and made good use of the ministers chosen for him by his father, the day his father abdicated the throne would be the day he became the emperor of the Song Dynasty and began his own great reign.

It was precisely for this reason that, with the situation in Jidi now settled, Zhao Shou summoned his brothers and brothers-in-law to Kaijing to celebrate the recapture of Jidi by the Song Dynasty.

……

At the banquet, the princes and their consorts were all in high spirits, toasting and drinking together.

During the banquet, one of the princes, who was not well-informed, asked Zhao Shou, "Your Highness, the situation in Jidi is now settled. What should we do?"

Zhao Shou replied with a smile, "Our priority should be to secure the Ji region first, and we must also prepare for the decisive battle between our Great Song and the Jurchens, and the transfer of you to the Northeast."

One of the quick-witted ones asked, "What about us? Does Your Highness not intend to go to the Northeast?"

Zhao Shou said with some regret, "I also want to go to the Jurchen traitors for a decisive battle, but unfortunately, my father has to go to the front line to oversee the situation and ensure that everything goes smoothly. I have to return to Bianjing to oversee the country."

Everyone understands.

Yes.

Their father was training Zhao Shou, the crown prince of the Song Dynasty, in military affairs.

However, as the future emperor of the Song Dynasty, it was more important to handle state affairs than to expand the territory, especially since their father had already expanded the Song Dynasty's territory to a level comparable to that of the Han and Tang dynasties.

It is foreseeable that when Zhao Shou becomes emperor in the future, his main tasks will be to defend the city and allow the people to recuperate.

Moreover, to be honest, Zhao Shou's military ability was really mediocre, and others were also aware of this, so they never stepped forward to give orders recklessly.

This is also one of Zhao Shou's strengths.

As for the battle where Zhao Shou defeated Wang Xu, it was said that Zhao Shou was in command, but in reality, it was Yang Yizhong who commanded it. Whether Zhao Shou himself even went to the battlefield is debatable.

In retrospect, this was likely a rather "dazzling" military achievement that Zhao Shou deliberately cultivated before leaving the battlefield, so that he could inherit the throne in the future.

Under these circumstances, Zhao Shou should return to Bianliang (Kaifeng) in Tokyo to receive further instruction from his father, the emperor.

Another prince asked, "Your Highness, my family wants me to go to the Prince's Continent to expand our territory, but I want to go to the Northeast to fight against the Jurchens. I don't know what to do."

Zhao Shou said patiently, "Where you go depends on your ambitions. If you want to be a general, go to the Northeast; if you want to be an official, you can stay in Ji, go to the Northeast, or return to the court; if you want to be a prince, the Prince's Continent offers more opportunities."

After a pause, Zhao Shou continued, “My family is unlike any other. My father’s achievements are unparalleled throughout history, and the whole world belongs to him. We have over a thousand children, and they have children of their own, making our family extremely prosperous. We have no shortage of talented people in our family, so there is no need for us to sacrifice ourselves or force ourselves to do anything. Your choices are entirely voluntary. You need not worry about the merits or demerits of your choices, nor do you need to concern yourself with mistakes. At most, you will simply have to choose again. Therefore, you should not worry about your choices.”

Upon hearing this, the princes all nodded, each pondering their own path to advancement...

……

(End of this chapter)