The prince is more stable

Chapter 781 Farewell Confession
Zhao Xu may not have been a benevolent emperor, but he was a good person.

This is Zhao Xiaoqian's evaluation of Zhao Xu.

When Yuan You ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager had controlled the government for many years. Zhao Xu endured for ten years, gritting his teeth until the Empress Dowager passed away. In the first year of his personal rule, he decisively overturned all the policies of the Yuan You era, abolished the old and restored the new, and turned the entire court upside down.

Once powerful and influential officials of the old party were brought down one by one, either dismissed or demoted.

By deliberately appointing the narrow-minded and vindictive Zhang Dun as prime minister, the aim was to use Zhang Dun to eliminate the old faction officials and bring about a new regime in the court in a short period of time.

Zhao Xu was only twenty years old that year.

For a twenty-year-old to have such skills is already quite remarkable.

Zhao Xu never hesitated to value and trust the ministers he regarded highly.

For Zhao Xiaoqian's sake, Zhao Xu broke with ancestral rules and, despite the opposition and even scorn of countless court officials, insisted on appointing Zhao Xiaoqian as an official in the Imperial City Guard.

That appointment was merely Zhao Xu testing the reactions of the court officials. The Imperial City Guard was directly under the emperor, and strictly speaking, giving Zhao Xiaoqian this powerful official position could only be considered an internal matter of the imperial family.

But because of this appointment, Zhao Xu roughly understood the bottom line of the court officials, so he slowly and step by step promoted Zhao Xiaoqian to his ideal position.

Finally, when Zhao Xiaoqian took command and led an army of 100,000, the opposition in the court had become very weak.

Zhao Xu was the mastermind behind all of this. Because of his trust in Zhao Xiaoqian, he bore a lot of pressure on his own, and Zhao Xiaoqian saw it all silently.

Because of this trust, and because Zhao Xu had endured pressure and criticism for him, Zhao Xiaoqian chose to relinquish his military power and return to the capital, even though that was when Zhao Xiaoqian was at the height of his power.

Zhao Xu is a good person, and so is Zhao Xiaoqian.

Good people are often unlucky because they are bound by too many constraints. Feelings, righteousness, loyalty, and filial piety all become ropes that tie their hands and feet.

Bad people don't need to think so much. They only do things for themselves. A life without conscience is undoubtedly a life of light travel and freedom.

As for Zhao Xu's later suspicions about him, Zhao Xiaoqian was speaking from the heart, and he could indeed understand.

This was an emperor's instinctive reaction, just like when a stick is thrown down on your head, anyone would instinctively raise their arm to block it.

Zhao Xu had a bad fate; he died young.

Zhao Xiaoqian didn't know if his future would be good or bad; he just didn't want to do anything against his conscience.

"Your Majesty, there's no need to apologize to me. I truly understand. If I were in this position, I might have gone even further. Your Majesty has already been very kind to me," Zhao Xiaoqian said softly.

Zhao Xu smiled and said, "It's good that Zi'an doesn't hate me. These days I often think about whether it was right or wrong to appoint you to such a high position. If you were still just the former Crown Prince of Chu, and our brotherly relationship was pure and untainted, how wonderful that would be..."

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed and said, "The Crown Prince of Chu is too inconspicuous. At that time, His Majesty probably wouldn't have even noticed me."

"Indeed, I think I was right after all. Fortunately, I discovered you, and with your skills, the Song Dynasty is in its current state."

"...When I meet my ancestors in the afterlife, I can tell them without shame that I have discovered a talented person, a member of our Zhao family. He has done a lot for the Zhao family's foundation and has made our Song Dynasty proud. If our ancestors knew, they would surely praise me."

As Zhao Xu spoke, his smile grew brighter and brighter.

Zhao Xiaoqian lowered his head sadly, tears streaming down his face.

Zhao Xu suddenly asked, "Zi'an, after my death, there will surely be discussions in the court. The choice of a new emperor is still undecided. Who do you think is suitable to be the new emperor?"

Zhao Xiaoqian shook his head: "I do not wish to meddle in the affairs of the imperial family."

"You are also a member of the Heavenly Family, so you might as well speak. I have always listened carefully to what you say."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed and said, "The candidates being hotly debated by the court officials are Prince Duan and Prince Jian. Each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses, and I really don't know how to evaluate them."

Zhao Xu smiled and said, "You don't like either of them?"

"How dare I be so arrogant? This concerns the fate of the nation and the country. I dare not speak recklessly, otherwise I will become a sinner for the Song Dynasty for all eternity."

Seeing that Zhao Xiaoqian refused to express his opinion no matter what, Zhao Xu's eyes showed a slight disappointment.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Xu stared into his eyes and suddenly said, "Zi'an, have you ever thought about becoming emperor?"

Zhao Xiaoqian was startled, and cold sweat immediately broke out on his back, soaking his clothes and turning his face pale.

"Your Majesty, how dare I have such a treasonous thought..." Zhao Xiaoqian vehemently denied. Zhao Xu smiled casually: "I am already a dying man, so no matter how taboo it may be, you may speak freely today."

"I have never thought of becoming emperor," Zhao Xiaoqian insisted, denying the claim.

This is something you absolutely must never tell anyone, no matter what. Loyalty is one thing, but your life must be protected...

Zhao Xu sighed softly, "A few months ago, I wrote to summon you back to the capital. At that time, I was very afraid that you would not come back, that you would make all sorts of excuses, such as recuperating from your injuries, or raising an enemy to enhance your own power. In fact, I had already thought of all the excuses you could think of."

“During that period, I was truly anxious. If you didn’t return to the capital, I really didn’t know how to treat you, let alone what would become of the Song Dynasty…”

"Back then, I was even prepared for you to seize control of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and establish your own vassal state. In fact, if you had bigger ambitions, you might have marched south, marched straight to Bianjing, killed me, the emperor, and taken over."

Zhao Xiaoqian knelt down in alarm and said urgently, "Your Majesty, how could I have committed such a treasonous act!"

Zhao Xu sighed, “Zi’an, at this moment, you and I are not ruler and subject, but brothers. Let us say some things that brothers can say to each other. I will take these words with me to my tomb.”

"When I wrote that letter urging you to return to the capital, I didn't really have any hope. I've always thought Zian was an exceptionally intelligent person, and that relinquishing military power and returning to the capital alone was the most foolish decision. Putting myself in your shoes, if I were you, I would probably find every excuse not to come back."

"With 100,000 troops in your hands, who in the world would you fear? If you had raised your arm and led your troops straight to Bianjing back then, your chances of winning would not have been small. After all, at that time, your troops were invincible and no one could stop them."

"Zi'an, that was when you had the greatest opportunity. I still can't understand why you chose to return to the capital. Zi'an, why?"

Zhao Xiaoqian remained silent for a long time before finally speaking frankly: "I have no other thoughts. Your Majesty has treated me very well over the years. It is because of Your Majesty's high regard and trust that I have the opportunity to command 100,000 troops and have been able to achieve these accomplishments..."

"Whether you call it gratitude for being recognized and rewarded or brotherhood, I do not want to betray Your Majesty's trust, nor do I want to become a traitor and rebel that will be condemned by the world."

Zhao Xu smiled with satisfaction: "Zi'an, I didn't misjudge you."

“I actually look down on neither Prince Duan nor Prince Jian. Prince Duan is sinister and incompetent, while Prince Jian is tyrannical and cruel. If they were to become the new emperors, I don’t know what the Song Dynasty would be like. The foundation that you and I, as emperor and ministers, have worked so hard to build might be destroyed in a single day in their hands.”

"Zi'an, putting aside ancestral rules and the concepts of seniority and legitimacy, I truly believe that you are the most suitable candidate for the new emperor..."

The words were like a thunderbolt, leaving Zhao Xiaoqian's mind reeling and unable to recover for a long time.

Seeing his shocked expression, Zhao Xu revealed a childlike smile, as if he had successfully pulled off a prank.

"Surprised? How could I possibly have such a thought?" Zhao Xu raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Your Majesty, you can't joke like that," Zhao Xiaoqian said with a wry smile.

"Zi'an, tell me yourself, in terms of temperament, strategy, military affairs, and reputation, in which aspect are you not better than these two? If the Song Dynasty is in your hands, I firmly believe that it will be a golden age that far surpasses the Han and Tang dynasties."

"Over the years, I have only broken the ancestral rules for you. Other members of the imperial clan are not qualified. Why? It is because among the imperial clan, only you, Zian, are the most capable. Others are not even a fraction as good as you."

"We all share the surname Zhao, but even among those surnamed Zhao, there are degrees of kinship. To be honest, I don't think much of the other members of the imperial clan, including my brothers."

Zhao Xiaoqian was surprised and suspicious, and kept his lips tightly pressed together without speaking. He still did not understand why Zhao Xu suddenly brought up these things, and what his intentions were.

Zhao Xu seemed to be experiencing a sudden burst of energy before his death, as he spoke exceptionally much tonight. It was as if he wanted to exhaust all his strength to say everything he wanted to say in one go, and then leave without regrets.

"Succession from brother to brother is an ancestral rule, but for some reason, I am somewhat unwilling to accept it. Zian, if we disregard ancestral rules and etiquette, you are the most suitable candidate for the new emperor in my mind."

"Your Majesty, please don't say anymore. I really can't accept this," Zhao Xiaoqian said with a wry smile.

Zhao Xu's eyes reddened, and he choked out, "If my Mao'er were still alive, he probably wouldn't have these absurd thoughts. Mao'er is dead, and I am utterly despondent. As for the new emperor, I have no heart to make a decision..."

Zhao Xu turned to look at Zhao Xiaoqian and suddenly said, "Zian, shouldn't you still have military power in Yanyun?"

Zhao Xiaoqian was shocked again and hurriedly said, "On the day I returned to the capital, I handed over my military power to the Privy Council."

Zhao Xu shook his head and slowly said, "You should understand what I mean. The military power has been handed over to the court, but the Yan Yun army can still rise up because of your word. Over the years, you have managed Hebei, and your soldiers are very convinced of your abilities. You yourself are a tiger tally for mobilizing troops, even more effective than a tiger tally."

Zhao Xiaoqian was shocked and speechless, with only one thought in his mind: this emperor actually knew everything.

"Zi'an, I am in a dilemma. I feel that we should follow the ancestral system and choose either Prince Duan or Prince Jian as the new emperor. But I also feel that the foundation we have built with our hard work over the years is hard-won. If the country is entrusted to the wrong person, it will be destroyed in a day and leave a disaster for a hundred years. What will all our hard work over the years mean?"

"Zi'an, tell me, what should I do?" Zhao Xu leaned weakly against the headboard, tears streaming down his face. His eyes held shame, resentment, and above all, confusion—a confusion about the future of the Song Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)