I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

...

Zhao Yu looks very young, yet he can sleep with several women at night and even get them pregnant.

In any case, Zhao Yu was almost sixty years old, and most people of similar age to him were already dead.

The key issue is that Zhao Yu is already quite old, yet he still has tens of thousands of concubines in his harem. He sleeps with three to five women every night. If Zhao Yu were to suddenly die of a stroke while on one of these women's bellies, and if the Song Dynasty had no heir, the Song Dynasty and even the world might descend into chaos.

This is not just people "exaggerating."

Let's leave aside other people and other forces for now.

It is said that Zhao Yu alone had tens of thousands of children and grandchildren.

Many of them held military power, and many were feudal lords.

If these people were to fight each other, it would be a chaotic mess, and how could the Song Dynasty not be thrown into chaos? It could even escalate into a world war.

Furthermore, the world has only recently been unified, and many regions have only been recovered by the Song Dynasty for a few years. If the Song Dynasty were to encounter problems, countless former powers would surely rise up to restore their former kingdoms.

Once chaos ensues, it will be difficult for another Zhao Yu to emerge and unify the world again.

Therefore, it became a top priority for Zhao Yu to appoint another successor, so that he could smoothly take over the throne and pass it on smoothly.

This is something that any discerning person can see.

Therefore, three months after Zhao Shou's death, Chen Gongfu remonstrated in court:
"The foundation of the nation lies with the crown prince; the safety and stability of the country depend on him, and the rise and fall of the state depend on him."

In the past, the three sage kings all established their lineages in advance to consolidate the foundation of the state and bring peace to the people, thus enabling them to enjoy long reigns and pass down their legacy for generations.

Your Majesty has now established a unified empire, pacified the world, stabilized the four seas, and recovered territories that had been lost for generations, achieving an unprecedented imperial feat. Your magnificent achievements surpass those of all other emperors.

However, in my humble opinion, observing the patterns of order and chaos throughout history, there has never been a nation that enjoyed lasting peace without a solid foundation.

Emperor Gaozu of Han established Huiying early on, so there was no fear of instability throughout the land; Emperor Taizong of Tang established his heir in advance, so the nine regions were as solid as a rock.

These are all wise lessons from past generations, and lessons for all ages to come.

Today, the empire has just been pacified, and the people have not long since submitted to the central government. Distant vassals have recently submitted, and old territories have just been settled. Although the people's hearts are with us, they are not as firm as a rock; although the foundation of the state is strong, it is not as solid as a fortress.

Your Majesty is personally involved in all affairs of state, working tirelessly day and night. As you grow older, although your energy is still strong, the ancestral temples and the state cannot be without a successor.

Your Majesty has many descendants, many of whom serve as protectors of the royal family. There are also many who hold military power and have been granted lands throughout the land. If there is no crown prince to establish legitimacy and stabilize the people's hearts, then if any changes occur, the people will be filled with suspicion and fear, and chaos will surely ensue.

Should we not worry about the dangers of fratricide and the ambitions of regional princes to seize power?

Should we not guard against the lingering desires of the past and the yearning for national restoration?

The unification of the world was hard-won; without Your Majesty's divine prowess, this great undertaking could not have been accomplished.

If the nation's foundation is not yet stable, leading to the collapse of the world and the suffering of the people, then all previous efforts will be in vain, and the country will be in grave danger. This is not an exaggeration by your subjects, but an inevitable outcome.

I humbly beseech Your Majesty to consider the importance of the ancestral temples and the hopes of the people, to establish the foundation of the nation as soon as possible, to select and establish an heir apparent, to entrust him with important responsibilities, and to teach him the ways of a ruler, so that the people know where to turn and where to place their hearts. With the imperial family at home at peace and the barbarians at the borders at awe, the foundation of our Great Song Dynasty can be passed down endlessly, and the people of the world can enjoy lasting peace.

Your humble servant, risking death, submits this memorial, humbly requesting Your Majesty's wise judgment.

With Chen Gongfu taking the lead, almost all the civil and military officials began to advise Zhao Yu to establish an heir apparent for the sake of the Song Dynasty and the stability of the world.

—This was only because Zheng Xiansu passed away after Zhao Shou's death; otherwise, people would have suggested that Zhao Yu should quickly establish an heir apparent.

During this process, many officials also took the opportunity to engage in private discussions and curry favor with others, hoping to gain merit by establishing an heir and paving the way for their own future and those of their protégés, in order to secure power for themselves and their children and protégés.

Many civil officials offered their advice, praising Zhao Ziwen for his benevolence, kindness, and love of learning. They said that his words and deeds were in accordance with the Confucian virtues of gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, and humility, and that he was of upright character and could be a model for the crown prince. They successively submitted memorials to Zhao Yu, earnestly requesting him to establish Zhao Ziwen as the crown prince in order to secure the foundation of the ancestral temple and the state.

Moreover, those who supported Zhao Ziwen brought up the fundamental principle of the Song Dynasty's patriarchal system, "establishing the eldest son over the youngest, and passing the throne to the legitimate heir over the illegitimate son," citing classical texts to prove that their words conformed to ancestral rules and natural law. They hoped to use this as the most solid foundation for their argument to suppress dissent in the court.

According to the current political situation and patriarchal system, Zhao Yu's eldest son, Zhao Shou, had already died young. If the system of primogeniture is strictly adhered to, there are two candidates who are in accordance with the rites and laws to succeed him.

The first was Zhao Qi, the second son of Zheng Xiansu and Zhao Yu;

The second one is Zhao Yu's eldest son, Zhao Shou's eldest son, who is also Zhao Yu's eldest grandson, Zhao Ziwen.

Zhao Qi was a typical playboy, what people in this era called a "princeling." Born in the deep palace and raised by women, his only hobbies were eating, drinking, playing music, chess, calligraphy, painting, playing football, and cockfighting. He was proficient in all kinds of pleasure and entertainment, but he was completely ignorant of the ways of governing the country, managing state affairs, and pacifying the people. He had no ambition and was not capable of doing his job. He was a typical member of the imperial family who indulged in pleasure and was just waiting to die.

It can be said that Zhao Qi had neither the talent of an emperor nor the ambition to rule the world.

The entire court (from members of the imperial family and nobles to ordinary officials) had long been tacitly aware of this.

Therefore, everyone excluded Zhao Qi from the list of potential heirs.

Fortunately-

Zhao Qi was also self-aware. He always said to others, "I have neither the ability nor the ambition of my elder brother. All I wish for in my life is to be a carefree king."

Later, after Zhao Shou passed away, some people tried to probe Zhao Qi's intentions.

Zhao Qi immediately stated clearly, "I have thousands of brothers and tens of thousands of nephews and nieces. Among them are many talented people. How can the throne be given to a reckless and incompetent person like me?"

What's even more unexpected is that after Zheng Xiansu's death, Zhao Qi did something even more amazing—he went on a boat trip around the world.

Zhao Qi's two younger brothers also did similar things.

Instead of traveling the world, the two brothers frequented brothels every day, and even lived in them. Some people even accused them of being disloyal and unfilial for frequenting brothels so soon after the passing of Crown Prince Zhao Shou and their mother, Empress Zheng.

Even so, the two brothers still secretly went to brothels.

Later, because of this, Zhao Gou, on behalf of Zhao Yu, confined the two brothers to their quarters for a year.

Therefore, if the patriarchal system of "establishing the eldest son and not the youngest, and passing the throne to the legitimate son and not the illegitimate son" is followed, then Zhao Ziwen is the most suitable person to be the crown prince.

Now let's look at Zhao Ziwen.

From a young age, he revered Confucianism and the doctrine of benevolent governance. He was close to civil officials and, together with his staff and retainers, wholeheartedly advocated for civil officials to rule the country. He had strong objections to Zhao Yu's policy of separating civil and military affairs and balancing the court and the people, and there was a hint of a desire to restore the old system of civil governance of the Song Dynasty.

These tendencies were exactly what the civil service group in the court wanted, and for a time, the entire civil service group was loyal to Zhao Ziwen, regarding him as the most ideal successor.

Since ancient times, scholars have controlled public opinion, and the civil service class has controlled the court's discussions, historical criticisms, and the education of the people. With such a group of civil officials cheering for them and creating momentum for them.

Furthermore, Zhao Ziwen already possessed the righteous and proper right to be the eldest son in the imperial succession. In an instant, the call to establish Zhao Ziwen as the crown prince swept through the court, gaining immense momentum.

Its momentum was so great that whenever a minister mentioned in court that Zhao Ziwen should be made crown prince, nearly a quarter of the civil and military officials in the court would agree in unison, making it a foregone conclusion.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Zhao Yu suddenly changed his stance from publicly establishing a crown prince to secretly establishing one. In other words, Zhao Yu placed the name of his chosen crown prince behind the plaque that read "Upright and honorable".

The reason why the court officials dared to force Zhao Yu to establish a crown prince was not because they were audacious, nor because they were truly unafraid of Zhao Yu.

On the contrary, everyone knew how terrible the consequences would be for offending Zhao Yu, the greatest emperor in history.

The reason they dared to stand up and press forward was simply because they held onto a righteous cause that no one could refute.

Now that Emperor Zhao Yu is advanced in years, it is only right that the foundation of the nation be established and an heir apparent be named. If Emperor Zhao Yu were to suddenly pass away one day, the court would be without a ruler, and the princes would vie for power, inevitably leading to chaos throughout the land. The vast Song Dynasty might very well collapse due to the lack of a leader. It is precisely on this high-sounding and vital reason that they dare to submit memorials and offer advice time and time again.

To put it bluntly, they are simply standing on the moral high ground.

Otherwise, even if they had ten thousand times the courage, they wouldn't dare to be so presumptuous in front of Zhao Yu.

But no one expected that Zhao Yu's single move would instantly silence the clamor of the court. Whether they were loyal ministers genuinely worried about the stability of the nation and fearing the turmoil of the country, or powerful ministers who secretly formed factions and were eager to push Zhao Ziwen to the throne, they were all now silent as cicadas in winter, and no one dared to utter a single word.

Aren't you afraid that if I were to suddenly pass away, the Song Dynasty would descend into chaos due to the lack of an heir?

But I have already established an heir apparent. Even if I die now, someone will inherit my throne, inherit the Song Dynasty, and inherit this world. You don't need to worry about it.

However, you don't need to know, and shouldn't try to find out, who the crown prince I've chosen is.

Only now did everyone truly realize the truth.

Zhao Yu is still the same Zhao Yu. Even though he has not personally attended to state affairs for more than a decade, he is still not someone anyone can challenge.

The key point is that Zhao Yu's move was truly brilliant.

In the past, when the crown prince was publicly chosen, he would become a thorn in the side of the other princes. In order to seize the throne, they would form factions, frame each other, and even launch coups. This would not only cause brothers to turn against each other, but also plunge the court into chaos.

When the succession is secretly chosen, no one knows who the future emperor will be. All the princes can only strive for the opportunity by performing well and working hard. They dare not fight each other, and the court can remain stable.

In addition, in the past, the selection of a crown prince was based on the eldest son of the legitimate wife. Regardless of whether the eldest son was capable or not, he had to be chosen. This could easily lead to the selection of an incompetent monarch and delay important national affairs.

However, secretly establishing an heir would allow Zhao Yu to quietly observe all the princes and select someone of good character, ability, and the capacity to shoulder great responsibilities, regardless of whether they were born of the legitimate wife or were older, thus ensuring that the throne would be passed on to a virtuous and capable person.

Finally, after the crown prince is publicly appointed, many ministers will actively attach themselves to him, forming a crown prince faction that gradually interferes in politics and even threatens the emperor's power.

With a secretly designated heir and no publicly announced crown prince, ministers cannot take sides or form cliques for personal gain. Power remains firmly in the emperor's hands, preventing powerful ministers from interfering in politics and ensuring a more stable and long-lasting rule for the country.

In summary, the secret designation of an heir not only resolved the chaos of princes vying for the throne, but also ensured the selection of virtuous and capable officials and consolidated imperial power. It was a very practical and effective method in the system of imperial succession.

Zhao Yu's move caught everyone who was urging him to establish an heir apparent off guard, and it also showed everyone that Zhao Yu was still the same Zhao Yu, and as long as he was there, the Song Dynasty would not fall into chaos.

In fact, the reason why the "coup" occurred was because the ministers who supported Zhao Ziwen as the crown prince, that is, those who hoped that the emperor and the scholar-officials would rule the country together, sensed that something was wrong.

They're all seasoned foxes. Even if these people couldn't see before that Zhao Yu didn't intend to pass the throne to Zhao Ziwen, after so much time, how could they not see that Zhao Ziwen was out of the game?
In fact, it is not difficult to judge.

If Zhao Yu truly intended to make Zhao Ziwen the crown prince, he should have given the signal long ago.

For example, Zhao Ziwen was given a jade belt with a square pattern, or two maids were given to him as a reward, or he was appointed as the governor of Beijing (or the prefect of Beijing).

This is the true "sincerity" in establishing a crown prince.

Some might say, isn't this a signal of succession or regent?
Could it be that we haven't reached that stage yet?
it is good.

Shouldn't Zhao Ziwen be allowed to participate in governing the country?

The problem is that not long after Zhao Yu returned, he promoted more than twenty princes and grandsons who were potential heirs to the throne to his side, ostensibly to help him handle state affairs, but Zhao Ziwen was not among them.

The signal is terrible.

In addition, Zhao Ziwen went to see Zhao Yu, who was very friendly to him and even gave him five percent of his shares in the Suez Canal so that he would never lack money again, but he did not intend to give him an important position.

This is not a good sign.

The key point is that the longer this matter is delayed, the more disadvantageous it will be for Zhao Ziwen.

Therefore, those who supported Zhao Ziwen as crown prince took the opportunity to pressure Zhao Yu to establish a crown prince, hoping that Zhao Yu would appoint Zhao Ziwen, the "most suitable" crown prince, under the pressure that the Song Dynasty urgently needed a crown prince.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yu preferred to establish a secret system for designating an heir rather than listen to their advice to appoint Zhao Ziwen as the crown prince.

Some smart people immediately realized that Zhao Ziwen had no chance and wisely chose to keep quiet.

Of course, some people were unwilling to accept this, and the dream of the emperor and the scholar-officials ruling the country together was shattered.

For example, Qin Changjiao, the mastermind behind this incident.

Qin Changjiao wasn't unintelligent; he simply went too far and had no other choice.

Therefore, Qin Changjiao stepped forward and said righteously, "Your Majesty, if there is a legitimate heir, then the eldest son should be chosen; if there is no legitimate heir, then the eldest son should be chosen..."

Before Qin Changjiao could finish speaking, Zhao Yu interrupted him, saying, "Does my dear minister so desire to be a minister who supports the emperor?"

Upon hearing Zhao Yu's words, Qin Changjiao immediately broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... You have no selfish motives."

Zhao Yu remained noncommittal: "Whether you have ulterior motives or not, you know it yourself."

Before Qin Changjiao could offer any further explanation, Zhao Yu waved his hand and said, "I am tired. Court is adjourned."

After saying that, Zhao Yu left.

Zhao Yu, who was focused on maintaining stability, did not personally deal with Qin Changjiao.

Because there is absolutely no need for it.

In the future, as long as Zhao Yu's chosen heir is not Zhao Ziwen, Qin Changjiao, who is dedicated to helping Zhao Ziwen seize the throne, will be the first person the new heir eliminates.

This is also why Qin Changjiao went all out even though he had already lost...

...(End of this chapter)