The prince is more stable

Chapter 797 Secret Planning
In a nearly abandoned side room in the backyard of the Chu King's mansion, Zhao Xiaoqian and Zhang Dun sat facing each other.

Zhao Xiaoqian's expression was lazy, his legs crossed and swinging back and forth, without any princely demeanor. He was particularly relaxed, as if his meeting with Zhang Dun was purely for casual conversation.

Zhang Dun, however, seemed a little nervous.

What I'm going to talk about tonight concerns the future of the new government, his personal future, and the safety of him and his family.

The Empress Dowager is about to convene her ministers tomorrow to discuss the selection of a new emperor. Although it is called "discussion," in reality, everyone has basically no choice. Apart from Prince Duan, Zhao Ji, there will be no other candidate.

When Zhang Dun came to see Zhao Xiaoqian tonight, he had already regarded him as his last lifeline.

Yes, Zhang Dun was unwilling to accept it.

He was unwilling to let Zhao Ji ascend the throne, as the consequences would be too severe for him, bringing nothing but harm.

Looking across Bianjing (Kaifeng) in the Song Dynasty, the only person capable of turning the tide is Zhao Xiaoqian.

However, seeing Zhao Xiaoqian's leisurely and lazy demeanor, Zhang Dun couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

This guy has a unique temperament that makes him betray his allies. He has no integrity whatsoever. Can we really count on him?
Zhao Xiaoqian was unaware of what Zhang Dun was thinking at that moment. He was only appearing relaxed because he was at home.

The house was rather simple. Not everything in the Chu King's mansion was glamorous. There were too many houses, and some were never lived in. They had been abandoned for many years without being repaired, so they inevitably looked dilapidated.

Light footsteps came from outside. It was Chen Shou and his imperial guards standing guard outside, not allowing anyone to approach.

Although spring is almost here, the weather is still cold and chilly. A charcoal fire is burning in the house, its dark red flames flickering and occasionally scattering sparks.

Zhao Xiaoqian finally sat up straight and said seriously, "Today, Minister Zhang and I secretly and furtively gathered together to discuss a sinister conspiracy..."

Zhang Dun's eyelids twitched, and he reached out to interrupt him: "Zhao Zian, you are supposed to be the famous Zhao Banque, is this how you usually chat with people? What kind of words do you use!"

Zhao Xiaoqian patiently explained, "Although the wording is a bit harsh, it's accurate and to the point..."

Zhang Dun said with a dark face, "Alright, Zi'an, stop teasing me. Tomorrow the Empress Dowager will summon us to establish a new emperor. What are you thinking?"

Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly, "Is Prime Minister Zhang very unhappy to see Zhao Ji ascend the throne?"

Zhang Dun frankly said, "Yes, Zhao Ji's ascension to the throne has had a huge impact, and I cannot accept it."

"If Zhao Ji is not allowed to ascend the throne, the Song Dynasty cannot be without an emperor. Whom does Chancellor Zhang intend to support for the throne?"

Tonight is a night of honesty, and Zhang Dun is too lazy to say anything fancy or empty. He simply pointed at Zhao Xiaoqian and said seriously, "You."

Zhao Xiaoqian was not surprised by his answer. He simply smiled and said, "I am not the Emperor's biological brother, but merely a member of the imperial clan. I am not qualified to compete for the throne."

Zhang Dun said solemnly, "Your surname is Zhao, that's enough. The Emperor passed away without any heirs. Strictly speaking, including Prince Duan and Prince Jian, they were all born out of wedlock. To put it bluntly, the Emperor was also born out of wedlock."

"Therefore, I believe that the next emperor of the Song Dynasty should not be judged by whether he is the eldest son or a concubine, because neither can stand up to the law. In that case, it is better to appoint the most virtuous and capable emperor than the eldest son."

"Over the years, Zi'an has single-handedly changed the situation between the Song and Liao dynasties, making outstanding contributions. All the people and scholars in the world are proud and have something to be proud of. If it weren't for Zi'an, how could the Song Dynasty have washed away a century of humiliation? How could it have turned defense into offense and successfully recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun?"

"No matter how you compare them, Zi'an is far superior to Prince Duan and Prince Jian. While Zi'an was leading the royal army to resist the Liao army, conquering cities and seizing territories, and fighting bloody battles, what were those two doing?"

Zhang Dun sneered: "Prince Jian runs rampant in Bianjing, bullying men and women, while Prince Duan puts on airs in his palace, indulging in his calligraphy and paintings and those few broken stones all day long."

"Who would be the most suitable person to entrust the Song Dynasty to? Anyone who isn't blind can see it. If we choose a worthy person, who else would we choose besides our son?"

“If Zian does not object, I am willing to do my best to help Zian, contact the officials of the New Party, and initiate a court discussion in the name of ‘discussing rites and establishing the virtuous,’ to advise the Empress Dowager to accept advice and follow the will of Heaven and the people.”

After a long silence, Zhao Xiaoqian said in a low voice, "'Discussing rites and establishing virtuous officials'? What will the court officials' reaction be?"

Zhang Dun smiled slightly: "Among the officials of the New Party, I am confident that I can win the approval of most people. After all, this is based on etiquette and law. Our biggest basis is that neither Prince Duan nor Prince Jian were born of the legitimate wife, and the Emperor was born to Consort Zhu, a concubine of Emperor Shenzong."

“Since neither of them is the eldest son nor the legitimate heir, wouldn’t it be ridiculous to still choose the new emperor based on the eldest son? It’s also not in accordance with the rules of etiquette. So, it would be better to appoint the most virtuous one, and that ‘virtuous one’ is you, Zian.”

“Zi’an, your father was the eldest son of Emperor Yingzong, and you also have Emperor Yingzong’s blood in your veins. It’s hard to say who the eldest son of the current emperor is; we can only go back to Emperor Yingzong and Emperor Shenzong. If we go back to that time, Zi’an, you are fully qualified to compete for the throne.”

"As long as this reasoning can convince the court officials, I am confident that the throne will smoothly fall into your hands."

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at Zhang Dun with considerable surprise. He himself was completely clueless about the royal family's genealogy, but he never expected that Zhang Dun, an outsider, could so clearly explain the relationship between the two generations of the royal family.

In my memory, only illegitimate children who have been separated from their families would go to such lengths to memorize the family tree and sort out the relationships between family members in order to return to the family and claim the inheritance...

"I'll secretly inquire about Zhang Dun's background another day. Could it be that some emperor was lustful and caused this disaster?" Zhao Xiaoqian asked again. "That makes sense, but have you considered how Zhao Ji will react? Will he willingly let the throne fall into the wrong hands?"

Zhang Dun sneered: "You have to accept it whether you like it or not. This boy seems respectful and kind, but he is actually wicked. If he ascends the throne, it will not be a good thing for the Song Dynasty."

As he spoke, Zhang Dun suddenly leaned closer to him, a wicked look on his face, and said, "Zi'an, you don't want the great situation that you and your soldiers have worked so hard to achieve to be lost forever, do you?"

Zhao Xiaoqian subconsciously leaned back and looked at him with a strange expression.

Is it acceptable for two grown men to say such things? Do you know that the next step is for them to humiliatingly take off their pants?

After a long pause, Zhao Xiaoqian slowly said, "Lord Zhang, I have a different idea..."

"Go ahead," Zhang Dun said politely.

Now Zhang Dun no longer dared to treat him as a junior. If everything went smoothly, this young man would be the future emperor of the Song Dynasty, and Zhang Dun had to cling to him tightly.

After pondering for a moment, Zhao Xiaoqian said, "At tomorrow's court meeting, we can agree to allow Prince Duan, Zhao Ji, to ascend the throne..."

Zhang Dun was startled: "Zi'an, you..."

"Let me finish. I agree, but in reality, that position won't be so easy to sit in. I have a big gift waiting for him, and also... I'm waiting for something else."

"I would like to hear your detailed account."

"I don't want you to smell it anymore..."

Seeing Zhang Dun's astonished expression, Zhao Xiaoqian thought for a moment and decided that he should reveal a little bit of his trump card to him. After all, they had talked to this extent and were basically allies in the same trench.

"Does Minister Zhang know that there was more to the story than meets the eye when the young prince died?" Zhao Xiaoqian asked slowly.

Zhang Dun was taken aback, then said with a shocked expression, "What other inside story is there? Didn't we hear that he died from a cold? There were also rumors that Empress Meng practiced witchcraft and sorcery in the palace, and the young prince was cursed to death. The Emperor had already dealt with it, and the Empress was deposed..."

"Isn't this the truth?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled slightly: "What the world knows is only the surface, including the Emperor. He only sees the surface. I have already investigated the truth of the matter, and all the witnesses and evidence have been properly hidden. They are just waiting to be brought out at the crucial moment."

Zhang Dun's face darkened: "Zian means that the young prince was murdered? Who would be so audacious?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled at him without saying a word.

After a long silence, Zhang Dun's expression turned to shock again. He gasped and exclaimed, "Prince Duan?"

Zhao Xiaoqian just smiled and didn't say anything.

Not denying it is actually a subtle answer.

Zhang Dun was so shocked by the truth that he swayed a few times, shaking his head vigorously, seemingly unable to believe its reality and thinking that he must be dreaming.

Zhao Xiaoqian said leisurely, "That's why I said that Zhao Ji wants to be emperor, fine. But he won't be emperor for long. Putting aside everything else, this one thing alone could bring him to ruin."

Zhang Dun gritted his teeth and said angrily, "This brat, how dare he! He dares to kill the Emperor's only son... Could it be that he has long coveted the throne and has been plotting to murder the young prince, just to create the current situation of succession by brother, so that the Empress Dowager and the ministers can support his ascension to the throne?"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "In places that Minister Zhang and the other gentlemen cannot see, I have had several open and covert confrontations with Zhao Ji in recent years, and it can only be said that we have had our share of wins and losses."

"Zhao Ji must have a clandestine force at his disposal, but I judge that this force is still in its infancy and has not yet fully infiltrated the court. As for the assassins and spies he keeps among the common people, they are merely inferior and not worth worrying about."

Zhang Dun's face gradually turned ashen. So many things had happened inside and outside the court, in places he couldn't see, and he was completely unaware of them. This made him, as the prime minister, seem utterly incompetent...

Zhao Xiaoqian remained relaxed and lazy, chatting casually with his legs crossed, his demeanor completely like someone having a casual chat.

Zhang Dun was initially uneasy seeing Zhao Xiaoqian's demeanor, thinking the young man was a bit unreliable. But now that Zhao Xiaoqian was still the same, Zhang Dun felt much more at ease. Zhao Xiaoqian's appearance clearly showed that he was confident and had everything under control!
"Zi'an, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Zhang Dun asked.

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed and said, "I told you, tomorrow when the new emperor is established, let Zhao Ji be happy for a while. The higher he is praised, the harder he will fall, and he will never have a chance to turn the tables."

"And then?" Zhang Dun asked again.

Zhao Xiaoqian said hopefully, "Then, I should be wearing golden armor, riding on auspicious clouds of seven colors, and making a dazzling entrance in front of everyone..."

(End of this chapter)