The prince is more stable

Chapter 731 Iron Book of Alchemy
Today, Zhong Cheng has no choice but to confront Zhao Xiaoqian directly.

If he didn't reveal his hand soon, Zhong Cheng estimated that all thirty-odd of his generals would die mysteriously.

Since Zhao Xiaoqian returned to camp, the actions against them have become more and more frequent. At this time, Zhong Chengruo still does not know Zhao Xiaoqian's intentions. He has lived in vain at this age.

What puzzled Zhong Cheng the most was, what exactly did Zhao Xiaoqian rely on?
Why is he so bold as to actually kill them?

If these thirty-odd generals all died mysteriously, wouldn't he be afraid of being investigated by the authorities? Even a fool would know that the deaths of these people couldn't have been accidental.

So what exactly was Zhao Xiaoqian relying on? Did he perhaps believe that the Emperor still trusted him unconditionally?

“Your Highness, let’s not beat around the bush. We were just following orders. You know the reason very well. If Your Highness kills us, I’m afraid you won’t be able to explain it to the Emperor, will you?” Zhong Cheng said coldly.

Zhao Xiaoqian chuckled and looked him over with interest: "I admire your courage to act like a Liangshan hero even when you have no leverage. Explain? Who do I need to explain to?"

Zhong Cheng coldly said, "You need to explain to the Emperor that this country still belongs to him. He is the ruler, and you are the subject!"

“That’s right, he is the emperor and I am the subject, but there is one thing you may have misunderstood. This is a matter between me and the emperor. The life or death of you thirty-odd people has no meaning to me or the emperor.”

"What do you mean?"

"It means that as long as I am willing to relinquish my military power, even if I make a huge mistake, the emperor will pretend that it never happened and will not touch me in the slightest."

"Because of my prestige and influence in the court and the army, the Emperor is aware of the risks and benefits. He holds me in high esteem, which poses no threat to his imperial power. But if he kills me, the world will be in turmoil."

Zhong Cheng's eyes widened in surprise. After a long while, he pointed at him and shouted angrily, "You have the ambition of a wolf! How arrogant you are!"

Zhao Xiaoqian lowered his eyes and said calmly, "I am telling the truth. I have no ulterior motives... Let me add one more thing: my grievances with the government are something that your class can never touch."

"Whether in the eyes of the government or in my heart, you are nothing more than pawns that can be discarded at any time to achieve our goals."

Raising his eyes and looking at him calmly, Zhao Xiaoqian said in a deep voice, "Zhong Cheng, you have seen what has happened these past few days. Many of you have fallen, but none of you have died. This is the greatest kindness I can show you, because it really doesn't matter whether you are insignificant little people or not."

Zhong Cheng trembled violently, his teeth grinding together.

He felt deeply insulted, and even more so, he felt the vast distance between himself and Zhao Xiaoqian.

They originally thought Zhao Xiaoqian would treat them as opponents and take them seriously, with both sides engaging in a battle of wits and courage, going back and forth.

Only now did he realize that he and his ilk had never even caught Zhao Xiaoqian's eye. He had never given them a second glance, and a single thought from him could decide their life or death.

Opponent? Enemy? What's the point of a battle of wits and courage? It's just a joke, something Zhao Xiaoqian would only talk about over tea.

"Your Highness, you have gone too far! This land belongs to the Emperor, how can you do as you please! Knowing that you command a large army, you still refuse to relinquish it, is this not disloyalty and injustice!"

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at him with amusement: "You want to talk to me about loyalty and righteousness? Heh, do I count as loyalty and righteousness for the merits I have made for the Great Song? Do I count as loyalty and righteousness for forcing the Liao Kingdom to return the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun? Do I count as loyalty and righteousness for making the Great Song wash away a century of humiliation and allowing the emperor, his subjects, and the common people to hold their heads high?"

"Now that the rabbit is dead and the hunting dog is cooked, and the birds are gone and the bow is put away, I am just unwilling to be slaughtered and unwilling for my family and children to suffer innocent misfortune. Does that make me disloyal and unjust?"

"So, I should just stick my neck out and let the knife cut it off obediently, and that would be considered loyalty and righteousness? There's no such logic in bullying people like that, is there?"

Zhong Cheng was speechless. He opened his mouth, but found that he could not refute it.

He knew that Zhao Xiaoqian's achievements were real, and he also knew that the emperor wanted to reduce military power.

So, what exactly is "loyalty" and what is "righteousness"?
If a ruler commands his subject to die, and the subject has no choice but to die, is that what "loyalty" is?

At this moment, Zhong Cheng was shocked to discover that his faith was on the verge of collapse.

If loyalty and justice mean that meritorious officials must be discarded after their usefulness is over, is that really justice?
Why is it that meritorious officials shed blood, sweat, and tears, only to be sacrificed in the end, while history books praise the emperors for their wisdom and correctness?

Why does this righteous face look so ferocious?
Seeing Zhong Cheng's shocked expression, Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly, "Zhong Cheng, I don't want to involve too many innocent lives in this matter. I have already shown you some leniency."

"I can spare your lives, but you must stay quietly in the camp and not cause any trouble. My grudge with the Emperor will eventually be resolved. In the end, either I will return military power to the Emperor completely, or I will hold onto military power for life and no one can take it away from me."

"You are completely useless in this storm, so don't do anything beyond your capabilities. This is not a game you are qualified to participate in, do you understand what I mean?"

Zhong Cheng lowered his head and remained silent for a long while before whispering, "What if I don't agree?"

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed: "Then I'll send you on your way. Don't think you're so important. You're nothing but ants. I'm not killing you because I can't bear to, not because I can't do anything to you."

Zhong Cheng's face twitched violently a few times. After a long while, he finally sighed, bowed, and clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "This humble general... takes his leave."

Zhao Xiaoqian hummed in agreement and said, "From today onwards, all actions against you will cease. You don't need to worry anymore. As I said before, as long as you behave yourselves, I won't touch you."

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoqian continued, "Furthermore, hand over your military command. My men cannot be allowed to wreak havoc in your hands. Return to Xijin Prefecture and take over the defense of the Xiang Army."

Zhong Cheng, his face ashen, remained silent and staggered as he left the command tent.

…………

As expected, the operation against Zhong Cheng ceased.

As if suddenly understanding the situation, Zhong Cheng and the other thirty-odd generals quickly packed their belongings, handed over their military power, and the thirty-odd commanders left the camp and entered Xijin Prefecture. As they stepped out of the camp gate, a deafening cheer and laughter suddenly erupted from within the camp, and many soldiers chased after them, whistling.

Zhong Cheng and the others looked ashen-faced. They knew they had been utterly defeated. This army was completely unintegrable; Zhao Xiaoqian had turned it into an impenetrable fortress.

Those who are not recognized by Zhao Xiaoqian have no chance of gaining a foothold in this army.

After the cheers subsided, the camp quickly returned to calm.

However, that very afternoon, a fast horse galloped in from the south.

The rider on horseback came from Bianjing and was the messenger delivering the imperial decree.

He reined in his horse outside the camp, handed over his waist token, and the imperial guards on duty outside the gate hesitated for a moment before finally turning around and running towards the commander's tent.

Soon, the messenger was invited into the camp and brought to the commander's tent.

Zhao Xiaoqian, along with generals Xu, Zhong Jianzhong, Zong Ze, and others, stood outside the command tent to greet them.

As soon as the envoy appeared, Zhao Xiaoqian exclaimed in surprise, "Zhang Shangying? It's you again?"

Dressed in his official robes, Zhang Shangying gave a wry smile. Yes, it was him again…

The imperial secretaries are practically turning into deliverymen.

They're called "angels" to put it nicely, but in reality, they can fly all over the country.

Upon reaching Zhao Xiaoqian, Zhang Shangying didn't waste any words. She took out a letter from her bosom and handed it to him with both hands.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at the letter with considerable surprise.

In the past, when Zhang Shangying came, he would unfold the imperial edict on yellow silk and read it aloud in a difficult and obscure classical Chinese style, either bestowing official titles or granting noble ranks.

Today, however, it is just an ordinary letter, not an imperial edict.

Seeing Zhao Xiaoqian in a daze, Zhang Shangying said calmly, "This is a personal letter from the Emperor. Please open and read it, Your Highness."

Zhao Xiaoqian took the letter, hesitated for a moment, and then opened it in front of all the generals.

The generals behind him, including General Xu, were immediately filled with worry, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Everyone was worried that this letter was actually a death warrant, intended not only to seize His Highness's military power but also to take His Highness's head.

Everyone was unwilling to see this outcome happen.

After carefully reading the letter, Zhao Xiaoqian's eyes suddenly reddened, and he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

Having just finished reading the letter, Zhang Shangying took out a curved, golden plaque from the leather pouch behind the saddle. The plaque was about a foot long and wide, and it was covered with densely engraved characters.

Zhang Shangying solemnly handed the plaque to Zhao Xiaoqian with both hands, raising her voice to say, "This is a special imperial edict bestowed upon His Highness the Prince by the Emperor!"

"This iron certificate grants His Highness the Prince and his descendants immunity from three death sentences. The fate of the nation is intertwined with this oath, and it shall be pledged for generations to come!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion broke out all around. The generals stared in astonishment at the iron certificate in Zhang Shangying's hand, exchanging shocked glances.

They never imagined that the Emperor would not only not strip His Highness of his military power, but would instead bestow upon him a certificate of merit, an honor beyond compare.

Compared to those empty honorary titles, the iron certificate was more practical, as it could genuinely absolve one of guilt.

However, Zhang Shangying's surprises for everyone were not yet over.

"His Majesty also said that before he passes away, he will leave instructions for the new emperor and all civil and military officials: all future emperors of the Great Song Dynasty must treat the lineage of the Prince of Chu well, and they shall not be punished, but shall be pardoned outside the law. If any emperor of the Great Song Dynasty violates this, he will be unjustly enthroned and will not be protected by the gods."

The surrounding generals gasped, their expressions growing increasingly shocked.

Zhao Xiaoqian's body trembled slightly.

He knew that Zhao Xu was trying to put his mind at ease.

He knew even better that after Zhao Xu reassured him, he still hoped that Zhao Xu would relinquish his military power and return to the capital.

Zhang Shangying's words in front of the generals were naturally at Zhao Xu's behest.

Zhao Xu was demonstrating his sincerity by making an oath in front of all the generals. If he did not keep his promise, the army would surely descend into chaos.

However, if we consider the other side of the story, if Zhao Xu had already bestowed upon him the imperial edict and if Zhao Xiaoqian still clung to military power and refused to return to the capital, then he would be the one in the wrong.

It must be said that Zhao Xu has indeed become a mature emperor. He has learned not to kill people, but to destroy their hearts.

(End of this chapter)