The prince is more stable

Chapter 801 A Friendship for the First Time
No one knew what was being transported into Bianjing City that evening; no one in this era had ever seen such a strange object.

What the chief saw was only one component. If it were assembled with other parts, it would form an extremely powerful and terrifying weapon. Its appearance would bring a shock to the era that would be no less than that of a flintlock musket.

The major government offices in Bianjing were still busy preparing for the new emperor's enthronement ceremony. Although the Ministry of Rites requested that it be simple and low-key, it was, after all, the enthronement ceremony of the Song emperor. No matter how simple and low-key it was, the scale was still grand enough.

As soon as the proclamation of the new emperor's enthronement ceremony was issued by the State Affairs Hall, the first officials of the prefectures and counties in the Gyeonggi region to receive the news immediately submitted memorials expressing their support. The content of the memorials was nothing more than a declaration of loyalty.

At the same time, the number of officials coming to the capital to report on their duties also increased inexplicably. Local officials flocked to Bianjing and then made connections with officials at all levels, trying to establish relationships with officials in the Ministry of Personnel and the State Council in order to get a sense of what was going on.

Dynastic changes and the alternation of old and new are very normal phenomena. With each new emperor comes a new court. Whenever a new emperor ascends the throne, the courtiers, as the passive party, are always particularly uneasy. They are afraid of being replaced, demoted, or dragged into the political turmoil of the court.

As a result, a strange phenomenon occurred in Bianjing these past two days: there were more officials in official robes than ordinary people on the streets. Everywhere you looked, there were people in green, blue, and purple robes, wearing official hats with long wings. Whether they knew each other or not, they would greet each other with a long bow and a respectful greeting.

Outside the offices of the State Affairs Hall and the Ministry of Personnel, there were even more people, including many local officials, prefects, transport commissioners, observers, and defense commissioners.

With Prince Duan, Zhao Ji, about to ascend the throne, Bianjing (Kaifeng) became unprecedentedly lively.

Inside the Chu King's residence, Zhao Hao and his son quickened their pace.

These past few days, Zhao Hao has been busy cultivating a relationship with Liu Mao, the commander of the Palace Guard. The way the two of them cultivate their relationship is by visiting brothels, going to entertainment venues, and indulging in a one-stop shop of eating, drinking, and having fun.

Liu Mao was indeed a cunning old fox, even more so than Zhao Hao.

After taking advantage of Zhao Hao, Liu Mao simply left without a word. Despite Zhao Hao's repeated attempts to test him, Liu Mao remained unresponsive. He accepted all the generous gifts Zhao Hao offered, but made no promises or took any responsibility.

Over the course of two days, Zhao Hao had lost tens of thousands of strings of cash, but Liu Mao remained slippery and impossible to control. Zhao Hao was almost ready to kill him, feeling like he had been truly wronged and innocent.

In the evening, Zhao Xiaoqian left the Chu King's mansion and came to the bustling Zhouqiao Bridge. He sat in a brothel for a while and listened to a storyteller with little interest.

The storyteller's tale has been updated; the protagonist is no longer Zhao Xiaoqian, but Prince Duan, Zhao Ji.

It's understandable. After all, people who make a living by talking need to keep up with current events. The most popular person in Bianjing recently is, of course, Prince Duan, Zhao Ji.

The story is a bit far-fetched, and it's unclear whether Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) secretly instructed the people to create hype. It starts with the strange phenomena at the time of his birth, such as the room being filled with the fragrance of orchids, a seven-colored rainbow streaking across the sky, and musical instruments resounding in the room.

In short, all sorts of strange phenomena were made to seem like immortals descending to earth, which was quite exaggerated.

Then they went on to tell stories of Zhao Ji's extraordinary life and deeds from childhood to adulthood, highlighting his talent and virtue, such as being a master of both calligraphy and painting, a gentle and kind gentleman, and being destined by heaven.

Zhao Xiaoqian grew increasingly impatient as he listened. "You're talking so big, does anyone know that the person you're discussing is actually a king who lost his country?"

If this guy really ascends the throne, the people will know how difficult life is. Do they want to taste the bitterness of being slaves of a conquered nation?
Of course, times have changed. With the emergence of Zhao Xiaoqian, the state of the Song Dynasty has changed. It is no longer so fragile. No matter how much Zhao Ji, that spendthrift son, messes things up, perhaps the Song Dynasty will not easily perish.

But who planted this fruit? Is it up to this spendthrift to pick it?

Feeling indignant, Zhao Xiaoqian got up and left the brothel.

Since he had come to Zhouqiao, Zhao Xiaoqian simply went into the alley by the roadside and knocked on Zhang Xiaoyi's door.

It was Zhang Xiaoyi who opened the door. The moment he opened it, Zhang Xiaoyi was surprised: "Zian? What brings you here?"

Zhao Xiaoqian grinned: "I'm hungry, looking for something to eat. Your wife's steamed fish is pretty good, tell her to make some, and get a jar of good wine while you're at it."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian stepped inside, walked straight into the courtyard, bowed respectfully to Zhang Xiaoyi's blind mother, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then sat down under the grape trellis in the courtyard, patiently waiting for Zhang Xiaoyi's wife to serve the dishes.

From the moment he entered until he sat down, Zhao Xiaoqian didn't act like an outsider at all. Zhang Xiaoyi and his family didn't mind either; on the contrary, they were all smiling and busy.

Zhao Xiaoqian crossed his legs and closed his eyes contentedly.

Strangely enough, once he entered Zhang Xiaoyi's courtyard, his anxious mood of the past two days miraculously calmed down, becoming as calm as still water.

Zhang Xiaoyi's wife was very introverted. She awkwardly bowed to Zhao Xiaoqian and then went into the kitchen, not daring to come out.

The dishes were served quickly; in no time, a steaming fish was brought to the table, and a wine jar was also placed on the table.

Unsealing the wine jar, Zhao Xiaoqian poured himself and Zhang Xiaoyi a full glass. Without a word, they downed the wine in one gulp.

After a few rounds of drinks, Zhang Xiaoyi asked, "Zi'an, are you in a bad mood?"

"It's alright, I just need someone to chat with, so I came to you."

A smile played on Zhang Xiaoyi's lips as a warm feeling washed over him.

It was a simple and unassuming sentence, but the word "friend" was especially precious to Zhang Xiaoyi, who almost had the urge to hold the word in his hands.

"I heard that a new emperor is about to ascend the throne, and it turns out to be Prince Duan, Zhao Ji. I remember that you and Prince Duan..." Zhang Xiaoyi hesitated, then said, "Is it because of this that you're troubled?"

Zhao Xiaoqian hummed in agreement and said, "More or less."

Zhang Xiaoyi frowned: "Zhao Ji has a grudge against you. If he ascends the throne, you..."

Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly, "It's alright, it's not over yet. The one who laughs last laughs best." This statement was very revealing, and Zhang Xiaoyi's eyes immediately lit up: "You could be...?"

"Let's drink and stop talking nonsense." Zhao Xiaoqian downed his glass in one gulp.

Zhang Xiaoyi drank with him until he finished, and said, "I once planted spies in the Prince Duan's mansion, one as an advisor and the other as a servant. If Zian needs me to do anything, just give the order."

Zhao Xiaoqian still gave a listless "hmm," picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of steamed fish, and then his eyes lit up. He finally perked up and praised, "I have to say, your wife's steamed fish skills have reached perfection. Even someone as picky as me can't help but praise it."

Zhang Xiaoyi laughed heartily, his smile full of reserved smugness: "Is it that delicious? It's just so-so. I eat it every day, and I'm already tired of it."

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at him: "Not enough for you to show off."

Zhang Xiaoyi turned his head and shouted, "Wife, make another steamed fish, Zian will praise you."

A timid response came from the kitchen, followed by sounds of activity.

Zhang Xiaoyi sat at the table, poured himself a glass, took a small sip of wine, his eyes slightly narrowed, but a leisurely and sweet smile appeared on his face.

Zhao Xiaoqian watched coldly, and for some reason suddenly felt a little jealous of Zhang Xiaoyi.

I'm worried that my friend can't afford to eat, but I'm also worried that my friend will eat steamed fish every day...

“Zi’an, to be honest, I want to do something for you.” Zhang Xiaoyi’s expression became very serious as he stared into his eyes and said, “I don’t understand the affairs of the court, but I can sense that something is wrong. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is.”

“I don’t know how to help you, but I want to. So don’t be shy with me. Everything I have now is thanks to you, and I have to do something for you.”

"Zhao Ji is about to ascend the throne. If he becomes emperor, your life will probably be difficult. At this time, you must do something, and you must let me do something for you."

These words were very sincere. Zhang Xiaoyi spoke with a serious and earnest expression. Zhao Xiaoqian knew that he was not just being polite. He really wanted to do something for himself, but he was constrained by his low social status and did not know what to do.

Zhao Xiaoqian felt a surge of warmth in his heart. The person in front of him was a true friend with whom he could confide his heart and soul. His friendship with Zhang Xiaoyi was completely pure.

Zhao Xiaoqian certainly needed help, but he couldn't bear to ruin Zhang Xiaoyi's sweet and happy life. He was also afraid of dragging Zhang Xiaoyi into that cannibalistic vortex, and he didn't want to destroy Zhang Xiaoyi's current life.

"No need. Just have a good drink with me and have your wife steam an extra fish. That will satisfy me," Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly, raising his cup.

Disappointed that his request had been rejected, Zhang Xiaoyi had no choice but to drink the cup in one gulp.

The blind old woman who had been silent for a long time suddenly said, "Your Highness..."

Zhao Xiaoqian was taken aback. He quickly put down his wine cup and stood up respectfully as a junior, saying, "Please speak, Madam."

The blind old woman opened her cloudy, rolling eyes and said calmly, "Your Highness is a great man, while I am but a foolish woman from the marketplace. My son is also of lowly birth and cannot be considered worthy of respect. It is an honor for my whole family that Your Highness would deign to associate with my son, Xiao Yi..."

"Madam, you are mistaken..." Zhao Xiaoqian was about to explain when he was interrupted by his blind mother.

“Your Highness truly considers Xiao Yi a friend, and Xiao Yi, of course, also truly considers Your Highness a friend. Friendships are not just about eating and drinking; they are about sharing joys and sorrows. Although I am not knowledgeable about military and national affairs, I could sense something was amiss just now. Your Highness is probably in a precarious situation.”

"At this time of year, it is precisely when friends are needed to lend a helping hand. Although Xiao Yi is just a commoner, he is still a cunning and resourceful man."

"If Your Highness needs any help from me, please don't hesitate to ask. My whole family has been deeply indebted to Your Highness. If we cannot share both good fortune and misfortune, how can I, Xiao Yi, call myself Your Highness's friend in the future? My whole family has received Your Highness's kindness all these years for nothing. Wouldn't that make me a treacherous person who doesn't repay kindness?"

Her words were well-reasoned and supported by evidence, leaving Zhao Xiaoqian in shock as he stared at his blind mother.

Zhao Xiaoqian could hardly believe that the old woman spoke with such composure, tone, and clear logic. Could a common woman really say such things?
After a long silence, Zhao Xiaoqian leaned close to Zhang Xiaoyi's ear and whispered, "Say it again, you and your mother fled from the north during the famine back then?"

Zhang Xiaoyi nodded, puzzled. "That's right, what's wrong?"

What is the origin of your family?

"Well, my mother said that it seems that our ancestors were officials sometime before last, but that was more than a hundred years ago, and my mother doesn't let me talk about it."

Zhao Xiaoqian gave the blind old woman a deep look; this woman must have a story to tell.

Since the blind old woman has already said all that, it would be too hypocritical for Zhao Xiaoqian to be polite to Zhang Xiaoyi any further.

Zhao Xiaoqian composed himself and asked, "Xiao Yi, what's your reputation like in Bianjing? Do you have any influence there?"

When talking about his strengths, Zhang Xiaoyi unconsciously puffed out his chest, just like when he was showing off his wife, with a reserved smug look on his face.

"I dare not say anything else, but all the idlers and ruffians in Bianjing, as well as many merchants and shops in the market, all call me 'Brother Xiao Yi' when they see me. I still have some influence in the city, and friends from all walks of life will give me face."

"Well then, can you do me a favor..."

"Go ahead and say it," Zhang Xiaoyi said excitedly.

"I need you to spread rumors in the streets, create public opinion, and generate momentum. Can you do that?"

(End of this chapter)