The prince is more stable

Chapter 774 Buying time
Choosing the tallest among the short is impossible; no matter how you pick, it won't suit you.

Zhang Dun had no other choice; anyone but Prince Duan would do.

But Zhao Xiaoqian scoffed at this, saying that whether it was Prince Duan or Prince Jian, they were equally incompetent, and no matter who ascended to the throne, the people of the world would suffer.

Prince Duan, Zhao Ji, needs no introduction. He is a famous ruler who brought about the downfall of his country. It wasn't until the Jin army was about to enter Bianjing that Zhao Ji, who was powerless to save the country, hurriedly abdicated the throne to his son and became the retired emperor. He shirked all responsibility for the country's demise. He was not even worthy of being a human being, let alone an emperor.

As for King Jian, there are not many historical records about him, but Zhao Xiaoqian personally dealt with him, and his character can be roughly inferred from King Jian Zhao Si's words and deeds.

This guy isn't any better; if he were to ascend the throne, he probably wouldn't be much better than Zhao Ji.

Zhao Xiaoqian has given both of the two most popular candidates for crown prince in Bianjing a negative score.

There were a few other princes, but it would be even more difficult for them to ascend the throne, and their character could not be guaranteed. They were neither the eldest son nor the legitimate heir, putting them in an awkward position. The Empress Dowager and the court officials automatically overlooked them.

Zhao Xiaoqian would have been very unwilling if the Song Dynasty had fallen into the hands of Zhao Ji or Zhao Si.

This land was built by the ancestors of the Zhao family a hundred years ago, but under Zhao Xiaoqian, the country became rich and powerful, reaching an unprecedented peak. The fruits of his and his soldiers' hard work over the years were handed over to an unreliable and incompetent ruler to ruin. How could he be willing to accept this?

“Lord Zhang, Prince Jian… I don’t agree either.” Zhao Xiaoqian simply laid his cards on the table with Zhang Dun.

The primary condition for forming an alliance is that everyone has common interests and can work together in the same direction.

Secondly, during this arduous process, everyone must unify their thinking and goals, and finally make an agreement in advance to divide the spoils of victory.

Zhao Xiaoqian didn't want to form an alliance with Zhang Dun, but he couldn't be confused and only realize halfway through the process that, "Hey? It seems we're not on the same page. The alliance will just be a waste of time."

"Did Zian have a grudge against King Jian?" Zhang Dun asked, frowning.

"No, it's simply that I look down on this person." Zhao Xiaoqian said indifferently, "Prince Jian is violent and has a history of bullying men and women. I'm sure you've heard about this, haven't you, Prime Minister Zhang? If such a person were to become emperor, what do you think the Song Dynasty would be like?"

Zhang Dun sighed in silence. Of course, he had heard of Prince Jian's virtue, but now he had no choice but to support Prince Jian. At least he had a chance to persuade him to continue to implement the new policies. If it were Prince Duan, he probably wouldn't have that possibility.

"This won't do, that won't do, Zi'an, who do you think should succeed to the throne?" Zhang Dun sighed. "Could it be one of the other two princes who are neither the eldest son nor the heir apparent?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled. With Zhao Xu still alive, he couldn't reveal his true intentions at this time. Revealing some things now might scare Zhang Dun to death.

"Lord Zhang, have you considered the Empress Dowager's attitude?" Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly asked.

Zhang Dun was taken aback: "Empress Dowager Xiang?"

"The Empress Dowager also has a say in the matter of choosing an heir, and her words carry considerable weight. To tell you the truth, the Empress Dowager is very satisfied with Prince Duan, and if nothing unexpected happens, she will definitely support him."

“With the support of the Empress Dowager, and being the eldest among the princes, Prince Duan is the most likely candidate to ascend the throne, both logically and emotionally.”

Zhang Dun's expression grew increasingly grim. He was naturally aware that Zhao Ji frequently visited the palace to curry favor with the Empress Dowager. It seemed that Zhao Ji's years of currying favor had not been in vain, as he had provided him with a tremendous boost at this crucial moment.

The matter of establishing a new emperor is complex and involves too many people and things; it cannot be decided by Zhao Xiaoqian and Zhang Dun simply by discussing it behind closed doors.

It can only be said that the combined power of the two of them held a significant influence in deciding the new ruler.

"The Empress Dowager is indeed a problem..." Zhang Dun stroked his beard and murmured in thought.

Zhao Xiaoqian said slowly, "The Empress Dowager is not the Emperor's biological mother, so she would never agree to Prince Jian's ascension to the throne. After all, Prince Jian is the Emperor's own brother, and both of them are descendants of Consort Zhu."

"The Emperor is no longer the Empress Dowager's son. In recent years, the Emperor has wanted to posthumously honor his birth mother, Consort Zhu, as Empress Dowager, but due to the inappropriateness of the etiquette, he gave up the idea. However, this matter remains a hurdle in the Empress Dowager's heart."

"If another emperor were to be born to Consort Zhu, it would further diminish the Empress Dowager's authority and prestige. How could she possibly agree to that? Therefore, the selection of Prince Jian is absolutely impossible for the Empress Dowager to approve."

"Your Majesty, Prince Duan, and Prince Jian are all not born to the Empress Dowager. If a choice must be made, the Empress Dowager would prefer to choose Prince Duan in order to suppress the influence of the late Consort Zhu on the palace."

Zhang Dun hummed in agreement and said with a wry smile, "There are worries both inside and outside the country, making it difficult to have a win-win situation. Could it be that Prince Duan's ascension to the throne is already a foregone conclusion?"

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Actually, there is a way, but it's inconvenient to tell Zhang Dun; it's not the right time to reveal our true colors yet.

When is the right time?
Only on the day Zhao Xu was about to die could Zhao Xiaoqian be free of all taboos.

He was also certain that when that day came, and he declared his desire to vie for the throne, Zhang Dun, after his initial shock and weighing the pros and cons, would still choose to support him.

Without needing flowery words, Zhao Xiaoqian only needed to tell him that if he ascended the throne, the new policies would not be abolished and would continue to be implemented.

This one reason is enough; it has already grasped Zhang Dun's Achilles' heel.

…………

When the banquet ended, it was already late at night. The two had been drinking for several hours, but Zhao Xiaoqian's stomach was still empty because he hadn't eaten much while talking. Moreover, the food at the Zhang residence... to be honest, was quite unpalatable. Zhao Xiaoqian's discerning palate couldn't be satisfied with most other residences.

Zhang Dun took the initiative to seek an alliance, and the two reached a verbal consensus. However, they still couldn't come up with a good solution on how to prevent Zhao Ji from ascending the throne.

No rush, the real strategy is yet to come. Now is not the time to reveal the truth, and Zhao Xiaoqian has no chance of completely opening up to Zhang Dun.

Upon leaving the Zhang residence, Zhang Dun personally saw him off at the door. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Zhao Xiaoqian boarded his carriage and departed.

On the swaying carriage, Zhao Xiaoqian lifted the curtain, gazing at the starry sky outside, and suddenly said leisurely, "I wonder what the situation is like in Yanyun, whether Chen Songling has already seized military power..."

Judging by the timeline, it shouldn't be that fast. With Zhong Jianzhong and Zong Ze's abilities, they won't easily relinquish their military power. In the past few years, Zhao Xiaoqian has built up an impenetrable military force.

It's unrealistic to say that the soldiers would be loyal to him forever, but for at least a year or two, Zhao Xiaoqian's name would still have a unique appeal in the army.

It won't be easy for Chen Songling to take over military power in a short period of time.

Just as they were pondering this, the carriage arrived at the gate of the Chu King's mansion.

As soon as Zhao Xiaoqian alighted from the carriage, a guard on duty came forward and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, someone from Yanyun has arrived. It is a messenger sent by General Zhong Jianzhong."

Zhao Xiaoqian was startled. He looked around warily and said in a deep voice, "Where is he?"

"He was secretly arranged by His Highness to be placed in the woodshed in the backyard of the Prince's mansion, and no one noticed."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded and quickly entered the palace, arriving at the woodshed in the backyard.

In the woodshed, a middle-aged man with a weathered and dusty face sat on a pile of firewood, lost in thought. When Zhao Xiaoqian entered the room, the man stood up and bowed.

"This humble general pays his respects to Your Highness." After saying this, the man looked up and stared at him with excitement, as if he were seeing an idol he had been chasing for a long time.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and asked, "Whose subordinate are you?"

"This humble general, Wang Yan, was formerly a battalion commander in the Dragon Guard Battalion. When Your Highness led 5,000 light cavalry to attack the capital of Western Xia, this humble general was among his comrades and personally participated."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded and smiled, "Old Zhong is cautious in his actions. The messengers he sent were all old brothers from our Dragon Guard Camp."

When Wang Yan heard him address him as "old brother," he immediately showed a look of honor and pride, but he quickly composed himself and said solemnly, "This humble general has been ordered by General Zhong to travel day and night to Bianjing to report to Your Highness."

"You said."

"General Zhong said that the newly appointed commander-in-chief by the court, Chen Songling, is a man of great skill and is particularly adept at dealing with people. He seems to be quite good at winning people's hearts. General Zhong asked Your Highness to launch an operation in Bianjing as soon as possible. He is no longer confident in his ability to control the 100,000 troops of Yanyun."

Zhao Xiaoqian narrowed his eyes slightly: "Is Chen Songling a very capable person?"

Wang Yan nodded and said, "Yes, as soon as he entered the camp, he became one with the soldiers. He didn't stay in the commander's tent every day, but basically lived in the barracks, eating and sleeping with the ordinary soldiers. His comrades gradually came to admire him. General Zhong was worried that soon he would win over the morale of the army."

Zhao Xiaoqian frowned. This was certainly not good news. The Yan Yun army was his base of operations and the foundation for his grand plans. If his base of operations were wiped out, what would he do if he was busy running around in Bianjing?
Without this large army, Zhao Xiaoqian's chances of success would be reduced by at least 50%.

The person Zhao Xu sent to Yanyun to take over military power was indeed someone who had thought things through carefully; Chen Songling was no simple man.

"Did Zhong Jianzhong ever try to bribe Chen Songling?" Zhao Xiaoqian asked.

Wang Yan shook his head: "Chen Songling is a very honest man. He refused General Zhong's invitation to a banquet at a restaurant in Youzhou City. If it were a bribe, he would probably not accept it."

Zhao Xiaoqian muttered, "This is a hedgehog curled up in a ball, there's nowhere to bite it..."

Wang Yan cautiously said, "General Zhong asked Your Highness what to do. If things continue like this, Chen Songling might really seize military power."

Zhao Xiaoqian blinked and revealed a malicious smile: "If the right path is blocked, won't you take the wrong path?"

"Wrong way?"

"Let Zhong Jianzhong think of a way to stall Chen Songling, such as giving him some medicine to make him sick, a serious one, so that he can't get out of bed for two or three months, or let him catch a cold. It's the middle of winter in the north, the weather is cold, with wind and snow, isn't it normal for him to catch a cold?"

Wang Yan gradually understood, and his gaze toward him became increasingly admiring.

"Your Highness, what a brilliant idea! This humble general will immediately return to Yanyun to report to General Zhong."

Zhao Xiaoqian said solemnly, "Tell Zhong Jianzhong that I can only wait two more months at most, so he must help me stall Chen Songling for at least two months, by any means necessary."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)