The prince is more stable

Chapter 782 Farewell Between Ruler and Subject

Zhao Xu was not a foolish ruler; he knew far more than Zhao Xiaoqian imagined.

Zhao Xiaoqian even suspected that Zhao Xu might know something about the shady things he and his father did.

However, Zhao Xu's conflicted feelings swayed his thoughts, and he didn't expose Zhao Xiaoqian.

It must be admitted that in Zhao Xu's mind, Zhao Xiaoqian was indeed the most suitable candidate to ascend the throne, without exception.

Among the Zhao imperial family, there were not many outstanding members; to say they were as rare as phoenix feathers would be an exaggeration. In reality, Zhao Xu only saw one Zhao Xiaoqian.

However, Zhao Xiaoqian was not Zhao Xu's biological brother, but only a member of the imperial clan, and members of the imperial clan were not qualified to inherit the throne.

This fact made Zhao Xu secretly resent the cruel twist of fate more than once.

If Zhao Xiaoqian were his own brother, the succession to the throne would be almost a foregone conclusion. Zhao Xu would do everything in his power to elevate Zhao Xiaoqian to the throne, as only he would be capable of governing the country well.

This is the biggest dilemma in Zhao Xu's heart at this moment.

According to ancestral rules, the throne can only be passed down to the eldest son or the legitimate heir, either Prince Duan, Zhao Ji, or Prince Jian, Zhao Si.

From the perspective of the foundation of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Xiaoqian was far superior to the two princes.

Zhao Xu had no heir, a devastating pain for any man, and his short life was directly related to the death of his youngest son.

A man without an heir doesn't really have much attachment or insistence on the succession to the throne; he can give it to anyone.

Over the years, Zhao Xu and Zhao Xiaoqian have worked together seamlessly, achieving many unprecedented feats. In terms of their inner feelings, Zhao Xu actually leans more towards Zhao Xiaoqian, after all, the two are not only ruler and subject and brothers, but also partners who share weal and woe in their careers.

From this perspective, Zhao Xu and Zhao Xiaoqian were certainly closer.

"Zi'an, you have put me in a difficult position. The entire Song Dynasty has put me in a difficult position..." Zhao Xu murmured.

Zhao Xiaoqian lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty need not waste your energy. The fate of the Song Dynasty is ordained by Heaven."

Zhao Xu sighed, “Yes, these are all matters after my death. Why should I waste my energy? The country I have ruled over these past few years is enough to satisfy my ancestors after my death. I have no time to worry about anything else.”

Looking up at Zhao Xiaoqian, Zhao Xu slowly said, word by word, "Zian, promise me that no matter what, you must not recklessly resort to force, and you must not bring disaster upon the people... If the time truly comes to reveal the truth, the palace may be in chaos, but the world must not be in chaos!"

Zhao Xiaoqian was shocked. He knew that Zhao Xu's words were basically a showdown.

Zhao Xu may have had a vague idea of ​​what he was about to do, but Zhao Xu, who was already exhausted, was powerless to stop him.

Perhaps deep down, Zhao Xu didn't actually want to stop it; otherwise, at this very moment tonight, with just one order from Zhao Xu, Zhao Xiaoqian would definitely have died before him.

Ultimately, it was that conflicted feeling that plunged Zhao Xu into a vortex of indecisiveness.

Ancestral rules required the proper order of seniority and primogeniture, but the Song Dynasty needed a wise ruler. Faced with this complete conflict, Zhao Xu was unable to make a choice.

Therefore, even though he knew that Zhao Xiaoqian might cause trouble, he still chose to forgive him, as he just said, that was something for him to deal with after his death.

A strange smile inexplicably appeared on Zhao Xu's lips as he slowly said, "Zi'an, do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

"I don't know."

"I think about the Tang Dynasty. The etiquette and rules of all dynasties have always been to establish the eldest son or the heir apparent. Only the Tang Dynasty had the Xuanwu Gate succession system. Haha, I never thought that my Great Song Dynasty would have such a day..."

After a pause, Zhao Xu continued, "It's not a bad thing. The emperors of the Tang Dynasty who fought their way out of Xuanwu Gate were all wise and capable rulers who accomplished great things during their reigns. Zian, I hope you will be the same."

"I will not leave a will to pass on the throne when I depart. The selection of the new emperor will be decided by the Empress Dowager and the ministers. Zian, your fate is in your own hands. Whether you will enjoy the highest wealth and honor or fail at the last moment depends on your fortune and ability."

Zhao Xu closed his eyes in anguish and murmured, "My decision has already betrayed our ancestors and the nation. Zi'an, this is all I can do for you in the end. Please don't blame me."

Zhao Xiaoqian lowered his head and choked back tears, saying, "Your Majesty, I am sorry."

Zhao Xu shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Whether it is Prince Duan or Prince Jian who ascends the throne, they will not tolerate you. Your schemes are mostly not out of ambition, but to save your life. I understand."

"After I die, they probably won't honor the imperial edict I left you. Zian, your situation must be extremely difficult. You either fight to the death or flee with your family to avoid disaster. You sent five thousand soldiers to protect your family and children to Japan. You must be planning to seize a piece of land for your family and descendants, right?"

Zhao Xu smiled and said, "Otherwise, there would be no need for five thousand soldiers to protect your family. I actually knew that you sent your wife and children away, and your mother away, but I never intended to stop you. I didn't want your end to be too tragic."

“A talent like you has done so much for the Song Dynasty, yet in the end you were forced to leave your homeland and depart in sorrow. I wonder what kind of mess they will make of the Song Dynasty. To be honest, I am very worried about you.”

Zhao Xu said a lot, while Zhao Xiaoqian remained silent.

Gradually, Zhao Xu's face turned from red to white, his breathing became intermittent, and his panting became more and more rapid.

Zhao Xiaoqian's heart sank.

If Zhao Xu's outburst just now was a final burst of energy before death, then at this moment, the last vestiges of his vitality are gradually being exhausted, and his life is about to come to an end.

"Your Majesty, please speak less and take a rest. Don't overwork yourself," Zhao Xiaoqian couldn't help but say.

Zhao Xu, feeling his energy waning, gasped, "I have so much more to say... but I really..."

"Zi'an, I'm afraid I have to go..." Zhao Xu's face grew paler and paler.

Tears streamed down Zhao Xiaoqian's face as he grabbed Zhao Xu's hand tightly, as if trying to forcefully pull Zhao Xu's life back.

"Your Majesty...elder brother!" Zhao Xiaoqian burst into tears.

A smile appeared on Zhao Xu's pale face: "Zi'an, this is the first time... you've called me brother. I... am very happy."

Withdrawing his hand, Zhao Xu smiled at him and said, "Zi'an, I... suddenly have a craving for soup dumplings. Could you go and buy some for me?" Zhao Xiaoqian choked up as he stood up, nodding between sobs, "Your subject will buy them for you right away, brother. They will definitely be piping hot soup dumplings."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian walked very slowly toward the palace gate, turning back every step of the way.

He knew that this departure would be his last with Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu leaned against the headboard, gave him a weak smile, and waved at him with difficulty: "Go quickly, I'll be waiting for you."

"Alright, brother, wait for me." Zhao Xiaoqian choked back tears as he retreated to the palace gate.

Upon exiting the palace gate, Zhao Xiaoqian discovered that a large number of people were standing outside.

There was Empress Dowager Xiang, prime ministers such as Zhang Dun and Zeng Bu from the Council of State Affairs, and countless eunuchs, palace maids, and imperial physicians.

Zheng Chunhe knelt upright outside the palace gate, already sobbing uncontrollably.

All eyes were on Zhao Xiaoqian, each with a different expression.

When the emperor was on his deathbed, the first person he summoned was not the Empress Dowager, nor the prime minister, but Zhao Xiaoqian. This shows how important Zhao Xiaoqian was to the emperor, which was truly enviable.

Upon seeing Zhao Xiaoqian emerge, Zheng Chunhe hurriedly got up and rushed into the hall.

Zhao Xiaoqian wiped away his tears and walked to the side with a sorrowful expression. Empress Dowager Xiang also looked sad and looked at Zhao Xiaoqian, hesitant to speak.

Zhang Dun, Zeng Bu, and other important officials were all silently sobbing and wiping away tears. The atmosphere inside and outside the hall was filled with sorrow, so oppressive that it was suffocating.

A moment later, Zheng Chunhe came out with a bow and said in a low voice, "His Majesty invites the Empress Dowager, Minister Zhang, and Minister Zeng to the palace."

The three hurriedly wiped away their tears and rushed into the hall.

Zhao Xiaoqian remained standing outside the palace, staring blankly at the stars in the night sky.

He had already said goodbye to Zhao Xu, but it was all too hasty.

Just like every first encounter with someone in life, getting to know someone and parting ways always come so unexpectedly.

At this moment, Zhao Xiaoqian's mind was in turmoil. All the moments he had spent with Zhao Xu over the years flashed through his mind like a slideshow.

Dejected and distraught, Zhao Xiaoqian walked alone toward the palace gate, his expression filled with grief, muttering as if in a trance.

"All conditioned phenomena are like bubbles in a dream, like dew or lightning, and should be viewed as such..."

As Zhao Xiaoqian stepped out of the palace gate, he looked up and saw hundreds of court officials gathered outside. They were all huddled together, staring sadly in the direction of the Funing Palace, quietly waiting for that painful moment.

Upon seeing Zhao Xiaoqian leave the palace gate alone, many court officials immediately surrounded him.

The first person the Emperor summoned before his death was Zhao Xiaoqian. The court officials were very concerned about the Emperor's health and perhaps wanted to find out what the Emperor had told Zhao Xiaoqian before his death.

Faced with the questions from his court officials, Zhao Xiaoqian simply lowered his head and remained silent, not wanting to say a single word.

A fat figure squeezed through the crowd, grabbed Zhao Xiaoqian, pulled him out of the encirclement, and dragged him to a secluded corner.

Zhao Hao looked at him with a solemn expression: "Is His Majesty truly nearing his end?"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded silently.

Seeing his sorrowful expression, Zhao Hao couldn't bear to ask anything more. He just sighed and said, "Birth, old age, sickness, and death are all ordained by Heaven. It's just a matter of time for us too. Qian'er, don't be too sad. Cheer up. There are still many things waiting for us to do."

Zhao Xiaoqian finally spoke up: "Father, the Emperor... he actually knows everything."

Zhao Hao was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"The Emperor knows all about our plans, what we will do next, our past schemes, and the intentions behind every move."

Zhao Hao's eyes widened in shock, and he gasped, "He... he just told you?"

"Yes."

"If that's the case, why did he..."

Zhao Xiaoqian gave a self-deprecating laugh and said, "Father, are you asking why Your Majesty didn't kill me just now?"

Zhao Hao remained silent.

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed, "Actually, the Emperor is also conflicted. He doesn't trust either of those two to hand over the country, but handing it over to me would be against etiquette. He doesn't know what to do either."

“Father, I only realized today that His Majesty has been more than kind to me. I am very fortunate to have come to this era. If it had been any earlier or later, perhaps it would not have been me.”

This statement seemed nonsensical, and Zhao Hao frowned in confusion.

Zhao Xiaoqian offered no explanation, only staring sorrowfully in the direction of Funing Palace.

After a long while, the sound of palace servants wailing suddenly came from inside Yanfu Palace. Immediately afterwards, the bells and drums on the palace towers began to ring out rapidly and frantically, one after another, striking the hearts of the people of Bianjing.

Zhao Xiaoqian's heart sank. He knelt down facing the direction of Funing Palace, tears streaming down his face.

On the palace tower, a eunuch's choked, high-pitched voice echoed for a long time outside the palace gate.

"The Emperor has departed—"

(End of this chapter)