The prince is more stable

Chapter 707 The Death of the Liao Emperor
Life is like this, don't take it too seriously.

Therefore, there is an old saying that goes, "It's rare to be muddleheaded."

Without a certain age and experience, one probably won't understand the essence of these four words.

Being "muddled" can save you from many troubles in life and also solve many problems.

Whether I don't know or pretend I don't know, this matter won't affect me.

Zhao Xiaoqian only hoped that Zhao Xu's life had reached this level, and that he could just pretend to be confused about some things and let them pass. If he insisted on holding on to them, the only result would be that he would have another very troublesome enemy.

That's right, the "enemy" refers to Zhao Xiaoqian.

Even now, Zhao Xiaoqian has remained on the defensive regarding Zhao Xu's schemes and tactics.

It's not that I can't, but rather that I want to give my conscience and my past relationships a proper closure without regrets.

Despite the dire situation, he still held fast to a bottom line.

As long as Zhao Xu is alive, Zhao Xiaoqian will absolutely not rebel.

If Zhao Xu were to die, Zhao Xiaoqian would have no more concerns about the Song Dynasty. He didn't care who the next emperor of the Song Dynasty would be, and there was no such thing as loyalty to him.

Unlike the somber and grief-stricken atmosphere just moments before, the north wing was now filled with laughter and joy. Zhao Xiaoqian, who had been on the verge of death, had miraculously recovered and was chatting and laughing with his wives and concubines. It was a picture of perfect happiness.

While chatting and laughing with the women, Chen Shou couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, these thirty-odd generals are a menace. If they are allowed into the army, they will undermine Your Highness's prestige within the military. It will not be a good thing in the end. Shouldn't Your Highness stop them?"

Zhao Xiaoqian's smile faded, and he said calmly, "Don't worry, they can't cause any trouble in the army. I have confidence in my generals."

"Besides, they were appointed by the government, and I cannot openly defy the government's orders. Let them do whatever they want. Soon they will know that the power that does not belong to them will eventually backfire."

“Moreover…” Zhao Xiaoqian’s tone suddenly turned somber, and he looked out the door with a deep gaze: “Moreover, something big is about to happen in Bianjing. Under such circumstances, the Yan Yun garrison will also be affected, and it is still uncertain who will ultimately hold military power.”

Di Ying and the other women were shocked: "Something has happened in Bianjing?"

Zhao Xiaoqian said with a stern face, "This is a matter of national importance. What are you old women doing interfering? Forget about it."

…………

It was late at night in Shangjing, the capital of the Liao Dynasty.

It should have been the dead of night, but the Liao Palace was in chaos.

Starting at nightfall, many imperial physicians were hastily summoned to the palace, and a little over an hour later, many more Liao officials rushed into the palace.

The palace guards were on higher alert than ever before. The soldiers of the Pishi Army, who had not been mobilized for a long time, were now fully armed and wearing armor, guarding all parts of the palace and strictly checking people coming in and out.

Inside the Liao Emperor's bedchamber, Yelü Yanxi and dozens of Liao officials knelt before the bed, all with sorrowful and grief-stricken expressions. Yelü Yanxi, in particular, knelt and wept uncontrollably.

Lying on the bed was Yelü Hongji, the Liao emperor who had reigned for over forty years. Tonight, his life would come to an end.

At this moment, Yelü Hongji's consciousness was blurred, his eyes were unfocused as he stared at the roof beam above him, the light in his cloudy eyes gradually dimmed, and his chest was only rising and falling slightly. Clearly, he had reached the point of exhaustion.

Yelü Yanxi knelt before the bed, crying the most heartbrokenly; at least to outsiders, there was no trace of acting.

Unlike Zhao Xiaoqian, who was feigning illness, Yelü Hongji was truly dying.

In real history, Yelü Hongji originally had a few more years to live, but the appearance of Zhao Xiaoqian ultimately changed the course of history.

Perhaps it was the Liao Dynasty's irreversible decline, perhaps it was the Liao Dynasty's repeated military setbacks in the past two years, ultimately even losing the important strategic territory of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, or perhaps it was the Liao Dynasty's inability to address its deep-seated problems...

In short, Yelü Hongji was disheartened, and the depression and worry that had accumulated in his heart for too long and too heavy a weight ultimately led him to prematurely reach the end of his life.

Hearing the wailing around him, Yelü Hongji suddenly frowned. He found it jarring, but strangely, for some reason, he suddenly became clear-headed and his body seemed to regain its strength. He even felt a little hungry and wanted to eat.

Opening his eyes, Yelü Hongji miraculously sat up, frowned, pointed at the Liao officials wailing in the hall, and impatiently ordered the palace servants to drive them out, leaving only Yelü Yanxi.

When Yelü Yanxi saw him suddenly become so energetic, a complex look of surprise flashed across his face. It was hard to tell whether he was happy or disappointed, but his acting skills were still on point.

Yelü Yanxi rushed to Yelü Hongji's bedside and exclaimed excitedly, "Your Majesty has recovered?"

Yelü Hongji didn't know what was wrong with his body, but he felt refreshed and full of energy.

What should have been a joyous occasion turned into a sorrowful one when Yelü Hongji thought of the Han Chinese legend of "a final burst of energy before death." His heart sank, and he sighed with a mixture of resentment and helplessness, his expression gradually turning grief-stricken.

"Good grandson, stop talking. I have something to instruct you on," said Yelü Hongji. Yelü Yanxi lowered his head: "Grandson respectfully listens to Your Majesty's instructions."

Yelü Hongji closed his eyes briefly, then opened them, his gaze now clear and serene.

"My time is drawing near. The funeral can begin in the palace now. The funeral should not be extravagant, so as not to burden the people and waste their wealth..."

Yelü Yanxi wept and said, "Your Majesty, you must not hide your true feelings. You are clearly much better now."

"Shut up and listen to me!" Yelü Hongji roared. "After I die, you shall immediately ascend the throne, stabilize the court, and try to use gentle means to reduce the power of those old ministers, and promote more young and promising ministers to assist you."

"The Liao Dynasty is no longer as powerful as it once was. The country is riddled with deep-seated problems that are difficult to eradicate. I am ashamed to leave you such a country that is full of holes... After my death, you should work hard to govern the country, appoint more Han officials to assist you in emulating the Song Dynasty, reforming and strengthening the country, and implementing new policies."

"From now on, we must maintain a defensive posture against the outside world and not easily provoke the Song state. We must bide our time and strive to become stronger. Think about how the Song state has tolerated our Liao state for the past hundred years. You should also tolerate the Song state. Grandson, do not feel wronged. In everything, we must prioritize the interests of the country. Only by knowing how to be patient can we become strong and go far."

Yelü Hongji's throat was dry from talking, but he still made the most of every second, not even bothering to drink a sip of water.

Yelü Yanxi simply lowered his head and wept softly. It was unclear whether he was even listening at that moment, or if he was thinking about something else entirely: Why wasn't that old fellow dead yet, delaying my auspicious time for ascending the throne...

Yelü Hongji spoke a lot, but his breathing became increasingly unsteady, and his face flushed an abnormally.

"Zhao Xiaoqian of the Song Dynasty is a major threat to our Great Liao. After you ascend the throne, you must eliminate him by any means necessary. If Zhao Xiaoqian dies, the Great Liao can gradually strengthen itself, and the Song Dynasty will be no threat. Their firearms formula is a top secret, but one day our Great Liao will find out about it."

"In the end, what our Great Liao fears is not the Song's firearms, but the people, the people whom the Song reveres as heroes. Fortunately... the Song has never changed its habit of valuing civil officials over military ones. Even though Zhao Xiaoqian is a relative of the emperor, he holds too much military power, and the Song emperor cannot tolerate him."

"I suspect that Zhao Xiaoqian will be relieved of his military command soon. After returning to Bianjing, his fate may not be good. For our Great Liao, this is a great thing. If the Song Dynasty gets rid of Zhao Xiaoqian, it will be like clipping its own wings and cutting off its own arms. When that time comes, our Great Liao will have its opportunity."

"Grandson, the Liao Dynasty doesn't have many chances left. If we can seize even one, it can save the Liao Dynasty's life. Remember this! Especially Zhao Xiaoqian. The Liao Dynasty has fallen to its current state because of him. This man must be eliminated!"

When Zhao Xiaoqian was mentioned, Yelü Hongji became excited, his breathing became more painful and rapid, and his face turned red.

Yelü Yanxi panicked: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

Yelü Hongji opened his mouth wide, gasping for air, his eyes filled with deep resentment.

He didn't want to die yet; he still had so much to say, and his heart was filled with fear and dread.

During his more than forty years in power, the once mighty Liao Dynasty gradually declined under his rule. The Song Dynasty, which had often been bullied by the Liao, had also become stronger and turned around to frequently provoke and bully the Liao. The Liao's national strength was also declining day by day...

These things all happened during his reign. He managed to govern the Liao Dynasty so well that Yelü Hongji dared not face the ancestors of the Liao Dynasty. He was filled with fear of the afterlife.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Yelü Yanxi's anxious cheers rang in his ears.

Yelü Hongji let out a meaningless hoarse sound, his eyes quickly became bloodshot and red, and all his strength was rapidly draining from his body, and his consciousness finally began to blur again.

"Grandson, my grandson, I'm so sorry, I... I've done so many wrong things, leaving you with such a..."

He used all his strength, but he couldn't finish his last sentence. He stopped abruptly after saying the last word and slowly closed his eyes.

Yelü Yanxi threw himself at Yelü Hongji's bedside and wept bitterly. The palace doors behind him opened, and the imperial physicians rushed in. Without saying a word, they took Yelü Hongji's pulse. After a moment, the physicians shook their heads, knelt before Yelü Yanxi with grief in their eyes, and choked out, "Your Highness, His Majesty has passed away!"

After the imperial physician announced the death, a deafening wail erupted outside the palace. The Liao officials knelt on the ground outside the palace, weeping bitterly, whether sincerely or not, their grief overwhelming.

His merits and demerits are left for future generations to debate, and the Liao emperor eventually passed away.

Amidst the chorus of weeping, Xiao Wuna crawled into the palace on his knees from outside, prostrating himself before the wailing Yelü Yanxi, crying out, "Your Highness, please accept my condolences."

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and the funeral of the late emperor also needs a new ruler to take care of it. I dare to suggest that His Highness the Crown Prince should immediately ascend the throne and become the Emperor of the Great Liao."

As soon as he finished speaking, the ministers behind him realized what was going on. They all cursed themselves for not seizing the opportunity to help Yelü Yanxi ascend the throne. So, they forgot about their act of grief and rushed to the front to remonstrate, unanimously requesting that Yelü Yanxi become emperor.

Yelü Yanxi continued to weep. He had his back to the assembled officials, and apart from Yelü Hongji, who was now a corpse, no one could see the excited smile that flashed across his lips.

"What are you talking about ascending the throne! His Majesty's body is barely cold, how can I be so unfilial? The most urgent matter now is to hold His Majesty's funeral. The matter of ascending the throne should not be mentioned again, otherwise I will punish you severely!" Yelü Yanxi turned around and said with a sudden change in expression.

The officials outside the hall fell silent. However, Xiao Wuna, for some reason, was particularly stubborn tonight. Hearing this, he said without fear, "Even if Your Highness punishes me, I must risk my life to plead for Your Highness to ascend the throne immediately!"

The courtiers were stunned and couldn't help but pinch their thighs hard.

Damn it, I missed another golden opportunity to curry favor. Why was I so scared just now?

(End of this chapter)