The prince is more stable

Chapter 614 Secret Meeting in the Capital
The sudden news left Zhao Xiaoqian somewhat dazed.

"The young prince has passed away?" Zhao Xiaoqian exclaimed in surprise. "Was he ill? What illness?"

Zhang Shangying sighed and said, "The imperial physician said it was a convulsion caused by cold, which is not a serious illness. However, the young prince has been in poor health since birth, and has been sick repeatedly in just a few months. This time, he finally couldn't pull through..."

Zhao Xiaoqian pursed his lips. He was indeed shocked when he first heard the news, but upon closer reflection, he realized that the young prince Zhao Mao in real history did indeed die at three months old.

At that moment, he suddenly felt the wonder of fate. Because of his appearance, the trajectory of history had obviously changed, but some things still stubbornly continued to develop according to their original trajectory.

With a sigh, Zhao Xiaoqian said, "Your Majesty must be very grieved?"

"Yes, the Emperor suspended court for three days and locked himself in his bedchamber, refusing to see anyone. Two of the imperial physicians who treated the young prince were beheaded by the Emperor in a fit of rage, and more than ten were exiled. The Imperial Medical Academy was almost purged by half."

"The Emperor summoned me back to the capital this time because...?"

Zhang Shangying sighed, "I am merely a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, how could I possibly know the Emperor's thoughts?"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded, then patted him on the shoulder: "...You still say you're doing well, you're lying to me!"

Zhang Shangying: “…………”

It's really hard to have a pleasant conversation with him. I bet this kind of person doesn't have any friends.

Zhao Xu urgently summoned him, and Zhao Xiaoqian dared not delay. He immediately called over Di Ying and the six women, instructing Di Ying to take good care of the Prince's residence. The six women reluctantly bid him farewell and saw him off outside the city.

As soon as Zhao Xiaoqian led Chen Shou and other imperial guards out of the city, he reined in his horse and stopped, ordering someone to bring him paper and pen. He then wrote a transfer order by the roadside.

Order Zhe Keshi to lead 5,000 troops of the Dragon Guard Camp, equipped with sufficient firearms and ammunition, to depart immediately for the Northwest. He will cooperate with Zhang Jie, the Pacification Commissioner of Huanqing Road, to conduct indiscriminate raids on the border of Western Xia, appropriately strike at the Western Xia border troops, massacre and plunder the Western Xia border towns and tribes, and create a deterrent effect on the Western Xia court.

After writing the transfer order and instructing Chen Shou to send it by fast horse to the Juma River camp, Zhao Xiaoqian was finally at ease and set off for Bianjing.

Originally, Zhao Xiaoqian planned to issue a warning to Western Xia in half a month as a prelude to the upcoming war to recover Yan and Yun. This would be a major battle, and Zhao Xiaoqian did not want Western Xia, a country that was unaware of its own mortality, to get involved and disrupt his strategy.

Taking advantage of the fact that a major war has not yet begun, striking first and giving the Western Xia a severe blow is also part of Zhao Xiaoqian's strategy.

They sped along at breakneck speed, heading towards Bianjing.

Three days later, Zhao Xiaoqian finally arrived outside Bianjing. The familiar outline of the city wall stood majestically in the midwinter wind and snow. The imperial guards on duty outside the city gate were wearing iron armor, holding long spears, and their bodies were covered with thick white snow.

Upon entering the city, Zhao Xiaoqian didn't even have time to return to the Chu King's residence. He went straight to the Imperial Street and headed directly for Yanfu Palace.

Outside the palace gate, Zhao Xiaoqian handed over his waist token. After waiting for a while, he saw Zheng Chunhe come out of the palace gate with a happy expression and greet him.

"Your Highness has finally returned. Your Majesty and I have been waiting for you with great anticipation," Zheng Chunhe said with a smile.

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed and said, "After not seeing you for several months, Eunuch Zheng's complexion is even more rosy. I've done some calculations and I estimate that Eunuch Zheng has gained at least ten years of lifespan."

These words were uplifting, and Zheng Chunhe beamed with joy, repeatedly saying thank you.

Then Zheng Chunhe led Zhao Xiaoqian into the palace. After entering the palace gate, Zhao Xiaoqian took out a handful of gold leaves and swiftly stuffed them into Zheng Chunhe's arms.

Zheng Chunhe was stunned, looking utterly insulted: "Your Highness, you... oh, you... really, really..."

As he spoke, Zheng Chunhe subtly tucked the golden leaf even tighter into his arms, his eyes seeming to radiate a vibrant, spring-like energy.

Looking at Zheng Chunhe's appearance, Zhao Xiaoqian knew that his VIP monthly card recharge had been successful.

"I am so ashamed that I have received such kindness from Your Highness but have nothing to repay you with!" Zheng Chunhe sighed regretfully.

"It's just a little pocket money, Eunuch Zheng, you don't need to take it to heart. There's no need for thanks given our friendship," Zhao Xiaoqian said politely.

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoqian asked, "I wonder why His Majesty has suddenly summoned me back to the capital?"

Zheng Chunhe shook his head: "The Emperor's decree was very sudden, and this servant does not know the reason, but this servant guesses that it may be related to the death of the young prince."

Zhao Xiaoqian's eyes widened in astonishment: "The young prince has passed away, why are you summoning me back to the capital?"

Zheng Chunhe sighed, "The reason for the young prince's death is probably not so simple. On the day of his death, His Majesty secretly summoned Wei Jie, the official in charge of the Imperial City Guard, to see him. Over the past few days, no clues have been found, but His Majesty must be certain that the young prince's death is not simple."

"The Emperor urgently summoned Your Highness back to the capital, presumably to have Your Highness investigate this matter and give an explanation to the poor, prematurely deceased prince."

Zhao Xiaoqian exclaimed in astonishment, "I'm just a commander-in-chief leading troops in battle, why would I be investigating a case..."

Zheng Chunhe was also somewhat taken aback: "Your Highness, have you forgotten that you are also in charge of official business in the Imperial City Guard, and you are the head of the Imperial City Guard. If Wei Jie can't find out, then of course His Majesty will have to rely on you."

Zhao Xiaoqian was taken aback, then slapped his forehead. Having led troops in the field for too long, he had become accustomed to a bold and decisive approach, and for a moment he seemed to have truly forgotten that he was also the head of the Great Song Dynasty's secret service.

“Eunuch Zheng, I have been away for too long and am unaware of what is happening in the capital. What is the inside story of the young prince’s death?” Zhao Xiaoqian asked with a solemn expression.

Zheng Chunhe shook her head: "This servant serves His Majesty day and night, but His Majesty has not revealed much. After the death of the young prince, His Majesty's temperament has changed a lot. He has become somewhat... sinister, and others can no longer guess what His Majesty is thinking."

Zhao Xiaoqian's heart sank. It is said that men are children all their lives, but each time they experience the storms of life, they become more mature.

Having experienced the pain of losing his son in his twenties, Zhao Xu's temperament and personality must have changed considerably during this time.

From now on, the high-ranking officials in the court will probably understand what it means to "serve a ruler as if serving a tiger."

After calming himself down, Zhao Xiaoqian followed Zheng Chunhe to the Funing Palace.

Upon entering the hall, Zhao Xiaoqian immediately performed the rites of a subject without saying a word: "Your subject Zhao Xiaoqian has been summoned back to Bianjing to pay homage."

Behind the long table in the hall, Zhao Xu's hearty laughter came: "Zi'an, there's no need for such formalities. Why should we, brothers, stand on ceremony? Come here quickly."

Zhao Xiaoqian approached cautiously and saw that Zhao Xu's expression was joyful, although there was a gloomy look between his brows, but it was not much different from before.

Sitting in his chair, Zhao Xiaoqian cautiously said, "I was shocked to hear of the great upheaval in the palace while in Zhen Ding Prefecture. I am deeply saddened and hope that Your Majesty will take care of yourself. Your Majesty is still very young. If you take good care of your health, it will not be difficult for you to have children in the future."

Zhao Xu remained silent for a moment before saying, "It will probably be difficult for me to have another prince in the future."

Zhao Xiaoqian was taken aback: "Why does Your Majesty say such a thing?"

Zhao Xu smiled faintly: "I have been weak and sickly since childhood, and have been taking medicine all year round. I have even tried Taoist elixirs. After Mao'er passed away, the imperial physician took my pulse and said that I was born with weak essence. It is already a blessing from heaven that I have two daughters and one son. If I want to have a prince in the future, I can only rely on luck."

Zhao Xiaoqian opened his mouth in surprise, momentarily at a loss for words of comfort.

The atmosphere inside the hall was somewhat quiet, carrying a sense of oppression.

After a long silence, Zhao Xiaoqian said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, please be kind. One should not make things difficult for oneself. Heaven has its yin and yang, and there is medicine for every illness in the world. Your Majesty's little ailment can surely be cured."

"If the imperial physicians cannot be relied upon, I will keep an eye out for renowned doctors among the common people to seek medical treatment for Your Majesty. If I find a suitable person, I will immediately recommend him to the palace."

Zhao Xu smiled: "Zi'an is very thoughtful. Looking around the court, I have only seen one person as loyal to me as Zi'an."

"Your Majesty is too kind. There are many loyal and capable ministers and generals in the court, and I am not the only one."

Zhao Xu smiled but didn't argue with him, appearing somewhat enigmatic.

"I have personally tested the fire swarm you sent, and it is excellent. Zian is ingenious. Among all the officials, only Zian is so adept at using firearms. This thing is amazing. I don't know how Zian came up with it."

Zhao Xu praised it very enthusiastically, clearly showing his genuine appreciation for the phenomenon of "rushing in like a swarm of bees."

"In the last battle with the Liao army, we lost three thousand soldiers in the middle route. I was heartbroken. When I talked to my generals about the process, I learned that the three thousand soldiers lost by our Great Song were mainly because the Liao army broke through our first line of defense."

"Although flintlock muskets are powerful, they are not suitable for close combat. Our losses were caused by close-quarters hand-to-hand combat with the enemy."

"I have been racking my brains day and night, and I have come up with a 'swarm of bees' that is specifically designed to suppress enemy troops within two hundred paces. Moreover, it explodes in a bursting, scattered manner, which can cause widespread casualties to the enemy. As for the power of this thing, I plan to test it during the future campaign to recover Yan and Yun."

Zhao Xu smiled and praised, "Excellent, excellent! As expected of Zi'an, you truly have a brilliant mind. With this weapon and flintlock muskets, our army will be invincible on the battlefield, whether in ranged or melee combat. The difficulty of recapturing Yan and Yun will probably be even greater, right?"

Zhao Xiaoqian also laughed and said, "That's right. The swarm of bees I built was actually to prepare for the recapture of Yan and Yun. If it is used to attack cities in the future, I believe the effect will not be bad."

Zhao Xu chatted with him for a while, talking about some trivial matters and gossip about relatives. His expression was as normal as usual during the chat, and he even laughed heartily from time to time.

But Zhao Xiaoqian was always cautious. It was rather abnormal that Zhao Xu, who had just experienced the pain of losing his son, could laugh so happily just a few days later.

What is most frightening is that emperors perfectly conceal their truly sinister thoughts in their hearts, never revealing them to the outside world.

Zhao Xiaoqian had to be careful because he was the commander-in-chief who held the power of 100,000 troops, and such a person was often the first to be suspected by the emperor.

After chatting for a while, Zhao Xu gradually put away his smile, his face becoming expressionless, and slowly said, "I have suddenly summoned you back to the capital. Does Zi'an know why?"

"Your Majesty, I was unaware of this. After receiving Your Majesty's decree, I set off on the same day. I have been away from the capital for a long time and do not know what has happened in Bianjing."

Zhao Xu was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I summoned you back to the capital to investigate the matter of the young prince's death."

"I know that Mao'er's death is unusual, and I want you to find out."

(End of this chapter)