I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 56 Zhang Chun: Zhao Ya is almost like my son

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Seeing Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng coming over and bringing Ye Shiyun some egg yolk pastries, Zhang Chun smiled and said, "Last night the lanterns were lit, and this morning the magpies were chirping. I didn't expect it to be the two young ladies who have arrived."

As he was speaking, Zhang Chun walked in.

Li Lin ignored Zhang Chun's sarcastic tone and said straight to the point, "Zhao Mao is ill, and Zhao Ji was caught visiting a brothel. We came to confirm with you whether Zhao Ya is safe this time."

Zhang Chun had told the four girls about this history earlier, but later he stopped revealing any spoilers. Moreover, politics is extremely complicated and it is really beyond the prediction of Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng, who are just beginning to understand politics.

As a result, Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng only knew that Zhao Ya would most likely become emperor, and most likely in more than two months, that is, in the first month of next year, and they knew almost nothing else.

The key point is that Zhang Chun has already gotten close to the powerful Empress Dowager Xiang. Theoretically, she has the ability to change history. What if one day she does whatever she wants and replaces the emperor back to Zhao Ji?
Or what if Zhang Chun got rid of Empress Dowager Xiang? In that case, after Zhao Xu died, the new emperor would most likely be Zhao Si, who was supported by Concubine Zhu and Zhang Dun.

In short, Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng are very worried about Zhang Chun, a guy who is ambitious, has the ability to change history, has no correct moral values, and has no bottom line in doing things.

Also, Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng, who were completely in the dark, were very panicked when facing this extremely important historical crossroads that was about to come. They really didn't know how to choose?

Therefore, even though they no longer trusted Zhang Chun and were afraid that one day they would be sold out by Zhang Chun and would have to help him count money, Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng still came to Zhang Chun to sound him out, hoping to seize this important historical opportunity, or at least not make any mistakes at this critical moment.

Zhang Chun thought to himself, "Forget it. Our goals are so ambitious. How can we not accommodate two little girls, and two very useful little girls at that?"

Zhang Chun handed the hand-washing crab to Ye Shiyun and answered Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng's questions directly: "Yes."

Seeing that Zhang Chun answered the questions they cared about most directly, Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng felt relieved.

Then, Yuan Qingcheng asked bluntly, "Did you ask Zhao Ya to frame Zhao Ji?"

"Let me correct you. This isn't a frame-up, but a risk avoidance measure," Zhang Chun said matter-of-factly. "Since we know Zhao Ji is the biggest threat, at this crucial moment when victory is about to be decided, we must completely eliminate our competitor to prevent any unexpected events."

Although Zhang Chun did not ask Zhao Ya to do this, Zhang Chun had reminded Zhao Ya to be on guard against Zhao Ji before, and Zhao Ya also agreed to regard Zhao Ji as his biggest competitor.

Moreover, Zhang Chun told Zhao Ya that Zhao Mao would die, and then Zhao Xu would pass away, telling Zhao Ya this historical trend.

Therefore, in Zhang Chun's opinion, it was not wrong to say that it was Zhang Chun who asked Zhao Ya to "frame" Zhao Ji.

Of course, Zhang Chun had to defend his actions:
"Politics is not a dinner party, nor is it about just saying what you want. It's about swordplay, and it requires careful consideration of the situation and decisive action."

"Zhao Ya used his foresight to seize the opportunity and act decisively. This is exactly the decisiveness and ruthlessness that an emperor should have."

"Just imagine, if Zhao Ya was indecisive and soft-hearted, how could he have emerged victorious in the turbulent struggle for imperial power?" "Stepping back, if Zhao Ya was truly indecisive and soft-hearted, even if he had become emperor, how could he have avoided the Jingkang Incident?"

"In short, Zhao Ya listened to me and banned Zhao Ji at this critical moment. I am very relieved."

Li Lin thought of the election in the United States before the time travel, and the curse of the leader of the small country next door. She knew that Zhang Chun was right. Political struggles were cruel, and the losers would suffer a miserable fate. She really had to go all out.

So Li Lin helped Yuan Qingcheng to smooth things over: "We are mainly worried that this will affect Zhao Ya's reputation."

"Absolutely not. Have you read Romance of the Three Kingdoms? There's the part where Cao Cao passes the throne to Cao Pi before his death. Cao Cao forces Cao Pi to tell him if Cao Chong was killed by a poisonous snake that Cao Pi released. Cao Pi refuses to admit it, and only then does Cao Cao feel comfortable passing the throne to Cao Pi."

"So, even if Empress Dowager Xiang knew that Zhao Ji was framed by Zhao Ya, she would only be more relieved, rather than supporting Zhao Ji, who had already revealed his unfitness to be emperor."

"History is always written by the victors. As long as Zhao Ya can become emperor, even if some people know that he banned Zhao Ji, there will be people who will help him to smooth things over. Even Zhao Ji will personally come forward to endorse him."

Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng felt that what Zhang Chun said made sense. The key point was that the target was Zhao Ji, who was not worthy of their sympathy.

"What about Zhao Si?" Li Lin asked.

"You are afraid that I will harm Empress Dowager Xiang, so you are betting on Zhao Si instead?" Zhang Chun made it clear.

Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng didn't say anything, which was considered as tacit agreement with Zhang Chun's speculation.

Zhang Chun did not get angry, but patiently explained:

"First of all, I have never had any contact with Concubine Zhu or Zhao Si. If I help them, they won't remember my kindness, and I won't gain anything politically."

"The key is that Zhao Ya was raised by me. He is almost like my son."

"And you also know that Zhao Ya has fallen in love with me and promised that as long as he becomes emperor, he will make me his imperial consort."

"As long as Zhao Ya succeeds in ascending the throne, I will reap huge political benefits."

"The most crucial thing is that Zhao Ya becoming the new emperor is an inevitable trend, and Zhao Si is still far behind. Even if Empress Dowager Xiang were to die suddenly now, Concubine Zhu, a woman deep in the palace, and Zhao Si, a brat who has seen little of the world, may not necessarily be able to compete with the ruthless Zhao Ya who I personally trained."

"Why don't I just go with the flow and help Zhao Ya, who satisfies me in every way, instead of going against the tide and helping Zhao Si, who is nothing special and full of uncertainties?"

……

(End of this chapter)