I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 393 Zhao Yu VS Zhao Shou: Father-Son Conflict

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After more than three years away from Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Eastern Capital, Crown Prince Zhao Shou finally completed his military training and returned to the capital.

Although Zhao Shou did not have any particularly impressive performances in the army over the past three years.

However, during this period, the Song Dynasty was constantly at war with the Jin Dynasty and Goryeo.

Zhao Shou served as a grain transport officer, a quartermaster, a military merit statistician, a military supervisor, a commanding general, and the head of the medical battalion. He participated in field battles, large-scale siege battles, and large-scale defensive battles. He served as a staff officer under front-line generals such as Liu Fa and Zhong Shidao, and participated in the entire process of recovering Jidi with commanders such as Chen Gou.

From calculating the losses in the distribution of provisions to arranging the shifts of guards in the barracks; from verifying intelligence during pre-battle reconnaissance to providing compensation and resettlement for the wounded and injured after the battle; from calculating the cost of equipment repair to methods for boosting the morale of soldiers—Zhao Shou did not miss any detail of the operation of the barracks during these three years.

Zhao Shou also ate and lived with the soldiers, and used all kinds of military equipment and weapons, including the Li Lin Cannon and the new Li Lin Gun; he listened to the sand table dialogues of high-ranking generals simulating the battle situation, and also talked about the ordinary soldiers' sincere expectations for military pay and provisions.

In his early years, Zhao Shou transformed the abstract "way of governing the army" from the military books and strategies he had read into concrete matters that he had personally handled.

For the crown prince, this experience is no longer a gilded embellishment, but a practical foundation for understanding the structure of the army; for the future emperor, he will no longer need to rely on his ministers to relay his experiences, because every military journey he has personally experienced is enough to support him in making clear judgments on important military and political matters.

Overall, this complete military experience has made Zhao Shou worthy of the title "knowledgeable about the military".

Upon returning to Bianliang, Zhao Shou immediately went to the palace to pay his respects to Zhao Yu.

Upon meeting, Zhao Yu immediately noticed that Zhao Shou, now eighteen and honed by military experience, was no longer the somewhat naive young man he had been three years prior. He stood ramrod straight, as composed as a seasoned soldier guarding the border. His speech was measured yet weighty, devoid of any trace of impetuosity. When discussing his experiences in the military, from the depletion of supplies to the analysis of battle situations, his words flowed with clarity, as if he were reciting a mature military and political report, showing none of the awkwardness he once displayed, when he needed guidance from others.

Those eyes, which once only reflected the willows by the palace walls, now hold the sharpness honed by the winds and sands of the frontier, and the weight of experience forged in battle. It's as if the last trace of childishness has been scorched away by the blazing sun of the frontier, yet the flames of war have tempered a decisiveness and composure unique to a general.

Looking at his transformed son, Zhao Yu suddenly realized that he no longer needed to rely on rituals to demonstrate his status. The competence and sense of responsibility honed through practice made him, even standing beside the dragon throne, possess the imperial aura to support the Song Dynasty.

Eighteen years old can be considered the most suitable age for a crown prince to ascend the throne.

Its core advantage lies in its ability to govern independently while also being able to accept assistance and ensure a stable power transition.

If the emperor is too young, the country is in turmoil and there is a risk of powerful relatives or ministers seizing power.
However, if someone is too old (e.g., over thirty years old) to ascend the throne,
Firstly, serving as the crown prince for an extended period could easily lead to power struggles with the current monarch, or the formation of political factions due to the long wait, potentially triggering internal purges after ascending the throne.

Secondly, the regime has already established a fixed governing philosophy and team, which may lead to conflicts with the old forces in the government and central government, increasing resistance to policy implementation and even undermining the stability of the regime. For example:

Li Heng served as crown prince for eighteen years, during which time his power struggle with his father, Li Longji, intensified, and he also had to contend with suppression from powerful ministers such as Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong. To protect himself, he secretly cultivated a group of military generals and officials who supported him, forming an independent faction.

After the An Lushan Rebellion, he ascended the throne in Lingwu and honored Li Longji as the Retired Emperor. In essence, this was a direct conflict between the political power he had accumulated during his long reign as crown prince and the imperial power. Although it stabilized the overall situation of suppressing the rebellion, it also created the awkward situation of "division of power between father and son" in the mid-Tang Dynasty.

Zhu Changluo served as crown prince for twenty years due to the "succession crisis," during which time he was neglected by the Wanli Emperor for a long time and also suffered assassination attempts against him, such as the "club attack case."

Due to the excessively long waiting time, the "Donglin Party" formed in the court to support him, while opposing factions such as the "Qi Party" and "Chu Party" formed against him.

After ascending the throne, he was eager to implement his own policies and promote members of the Donglin Party, but this touched the interests of the old forces. He died mysteriously after only 29 days on the throne. This was a direct result of the power struggle between the old and new factions and also laid the groundwork for the factional strife that followed in the Tianqi reign.

Jiaqing served as crown prince for four years. Although he did not have a direct conflict with Qianlong, Qianlong favored Heshen in his later years, which led to the formation of a huge interest group centered around Heshen.

In the early years of Jiaqing’s reign, Qianlong was still in power as the retired emperor, so he could only endure it.

After Emperor Qianlong's death, Emperor Jiaqing immediately purged Heshen and confiscated his property. While this seemed to eliminate the old power structure, it also caused officials in the court to feel insecure and many government affairs to come to a standstill. In essence, the older crown prince was unable to intervene in power during the "waiting period" and had to use drastic measures to break the old power structure in order to implement his rule after ascending the throne.

At present, Zhao Yu is only thirty-six years old, which is the best age for a man to make his career. It is impossible for him to retire so many years early just to make way for his son.

Zhao Yu, who was well-versed in history, knew all too well that the throne could not be passed down easily, especially while he was still alive.

When Li Yuan passed the throne to Li Shimin, it seemed to be in accordance with the will of the people, but in the end, he was imprisoned in Da'an Palace and even his court officials were restricted from visiting him. After Mawei Slope, Li Longji was forced to relinquish power. Even after becoming the retired emperor, he had to watch Li Heng gradually eliminate his confidants and eventually died in loneliness in Xingqing Palace. Even Zhao Ji in history, when he abdicated the throne to Zhao Huan, he thought that he could live a carefree life. However, he was placed under house arrest in Longde Palace. When he wanted to offer his son a cup of wine, the other party would turn away in a huff.

'The blood of royalty may flow with kinship, but on the chessboard of imperial power, there is only winning and losing, never filial piety or parental love.'

Zhao Yu understood all too well that once he relinquished power, the current restorer of the dynasty might become a puppet emperor tomorrow, with even a peaceful life becoming a luxury.

To be honest, Zhao Yu had also considered limiting Zhao Shou's development, such as not giving him as many opportunities to train.

However, Zhao Yu was also afraid that if something happened to him, and he did not have a good successor, the Song Dynasty might fall apart and "perish after only two generations."

It's not impossible.

Zhao Yu was a womanizer who couldn't live without women. He would play with three or five women every night.
Lustful emperors, on the other hand, mostly died young.

Besides, the average lifespan of people in this era was only around forty years, and Zhao Yu was only a few years away from that average.

The key point is that the emperors before Zhao Yu—his grandfather, his father, and his brother—all died young.

Emperor Yingzong of Song, Zhao Shu, died at the age of 36.

Emperor Shenzong of Song, Zhao Xu, died at the age of 38.

Emperor Zhezong of Song, Zhao Xu, died at the age of 25.

Looking at it this way, doesn't it seem like Zhao Yu is already "not long for this world"?

How could Zhao Yu not hurry up and cultivate his successor?

Furthermore, Zhao Yu considered that his reconquest of Qinghai, Western Xia, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and Goryeo, along with the destruction of Liao and the imminent destruction of Jin and the Northeast, would not only unify the Song Dynasty but also greatly expand its territory. At the same time, he would initiate the Industrial Revolution, usher in the Age of Exploration, discover the New World, improve food production to solve the problem of food and clothing for the people of the Song Dynasty, and thoroughly realize the revival of the Song Dynasty. His achievements would be unparalleled in history, both in China and abroad. This was something that a small figure like Zhao Shou could not possibly shake.

Most importantly, the essence of imperial power has always been "a strong ruler leads to a weak heir."

The passive relinquishment of power by Li Yuan, Li Longji, and Zhao Ji was not rooted in the expansion of their sons' ambitions, but rather in their own decline in power—they lost power due to coups, war, or incompetence, leading to the downfall of their dynasties. As long as an emperor is at the pinnacle of power, even if the crown prince is growing older and more powerful, he will never have the courage or ability to overstep his bounds; this has been repeatedly proven throughout history.

Emperor Kangxi is the most typical example.

He reigned for 61 years. Although there was the chaos of the "Nine Princes' Succession Struggle" in his later years, what the princes were fighting for was always the "future right of succession", not the "current power grab".

Even though Yongzheng was over forty at the time, he still had to adhere to the duties of the crown prince in front of Kangxi, paying his respects to him morning and evening, speaking cautiously in his audiences, and even cultivating his confidants had to be done in secret.

This was because, although Emperor Kangxi was weary of political affairs in his later years, he always maintained a firm grip on military power, personnel power, and the power to make decisions in the court. He could appoint and dismiss ministers at will, and adjust the titles and powers of the princes at any time. Emperor Yongzheng knew that as long as his father did not fall, he would have no power to resist. The so-called struggle for the throne was just a game within the framework set by Kangxi, and he dared not have the slightest thought of forcing the emperor to abdicate.

Another striking example is Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

After ascending the throne, he made Zhu Biao the crown prince and carefully nurtured him for twenty-five years. Even though Zhu Biao had grown into a crown prince capable of overseeing the country and having a certain political prestige, he still had to be absolutely obedient to Zhu Yuanzhang.

During Zhu Yuanzhang's reign, he used the "Hu Weiyong Case" and the "Lan Yu Case" to purge the founding heroes. No one in the court dared to challenge his authority. Even if Zhu Biao had different opinions on his father's harsh policies, he could only express them in a tactful way and never dared to try to interfere with the imperial decision-making.

It wasn't until Zhu Yuanzhang died and Zhu Yunwen succeeded him that the transfer of imperial power proceeded according to Zhu Yuanzhang's last wishes.

This is precisely because Zhu Yuanzhang remained at the pinnacle of power throughout his life, with neither internal troubles that could shake his foundation nor external threats that could weaken his authority. The existence of the crown prince was always an aid rather than a threat, so there was naturally no possibility of him seizing power.

Looking at Li Yuan, when he was forced to abdicate by Li Shimin, he had already lost control of the core military forces due to the "Xuanwu Gate Incident". Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince Qi Li Yuanji were killed, and the important officials in the court either sided with Li Shimin or remained silent. Li Yuan's imperial power was already in name only.

Li Longji was placed under house arrest after Mawei Slope because the An Lushan Rebellion caused him to lose the support of the people and the army. His miserable escape and poor decision-making made the soldiers more willing to follow Li Heng, who could stabilize the overall situation. His power had already collapsed along with the fate of the Tang Dynasty.
When Zhao Ji abdicated to Zhao Huan, the Jin cavalry was already approaching Bianliang. He was powerless to resist the foreign enemy and unable to appease the court officials. He could only evade responsibility by "abdicating." At that time, the delegation of power was just a helpless move after the collapse of power.

In contrast, emperors with stable power would never dare to act rashly, even if their crown prince was already middle-aged.

This is the ironclad rule of imperial power: the crown prince's inability to be touched does not stem from filial piety, but from the unshakeable power and deterrence of the emperor at the peak of his reign.

When an emperor can firmly grasp military power, control the court, and intimidate officials, even if the crown prince is ambitious, he can only restrain his ambition and obediently wait for the natural transfer of power. After all, no crown prince dares to risk his life and future in front of his father, who holds absolute power.

It was precisely because of this consideration and confidence that Zhao Yu paved the way for Zhao Shou and even allowed him to develop freely.

……

After several years of training abroad, Zhao Shou finally realized just how powerful his father, the emperor, truly was.

Zhao Shou even thought, rather pathetically, that he could never achieve even a tenth or a twelfth of his father's level in his entire life, even if he were to inherit his father's throne in the future.

How could Zhao Shou dare to even think of becoming Li Shimin?

Zhao Shou also did not believe that he had the ability and courage of Li Shimin.

In fact, deep down, Zhao Shou was quite afraid of inheriting his father's throne.

It was simply because he was not confident that he could do everything well after taking over the Song Dynasty.

Good luck!

When Zhao Shou saw Zhao Yu again, he found that Zhao Yu was still as young and strong as he had been years before. Zhao Yu looked to be only a few years older than Zhao Shou, so much so that no one would suspect they were brothers. It was as if time had stood still for Zhao Yu.

Zhao Shou glanced at the hundreds of beautiful women surrounding Zhao Yu, and thought of the more than ten thousand beauties in Zhao Yu's harem, as well as Zhao Yu's unrestrained lifestyle that had not affected his health in the slightest.

Zhao Shou couldn't help but think, 'Perhaps I won't outlive my father, and will be able to live a peaceful life as the crown prince...'

It is said that Zhao Shou never understood why Zhao Yu was so fervently fond of women.

In his view, women were merely tools for bearing sons; a few were enough, so why bother with so many?

Zhao Shou wanted to advise his father, the emperor, to stop being so infatuated with beautiful women, lest they hinder his father from becoming the greatest emperor in history.

But now there are already more than a thousand women who have borne children for Zhao Yu. Does he expect his father to abandon these women after starting a relationship with him?

This is obviously unrealistic.

Furthermore, Zhao Shou also knew that although his father was fond of women, he had never neglected his duties because of women.

The key question is, how can a son, a subject, hold onto his father's mistakes?
Therefore, Zhao Shou could only let it be.

Upon seeing Zhao Shou enter, Zhao Yu, who had been lying among a group of palace maids receiving a massage and listening to Zhang Chun and Xiao Puxian report their memorials, reached out to stop Zhang Chun and Xiao Puxian, and then slowly sat up.

After looking at his eldest son, who was now taller than him, Zhao Yu said with a loving expression, "You've grown taller and stronger, not bad."

Zhao Shou bowed and said, "Your son pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"No need to pay tribute."

After Zhao Shou rose, Zhao Yu asked, "How was the trip?"

Zhao Shou replied, "Quite plentiful."

Zhao Yu asked, "Oh? What did you gain?"

Zhao Shou spoke eloquently: "A ruler who listens to all sides will be enlightened, who listens to only one side will be misled, who listens to only a few separate opinions will be foolish, and who listens to all opinions together will be wise..."

……

(End of this chapter)