The prince is more stable

Chapter 802 Rumors Arise Again
Prince Duan's Mansion.

The Prince's residence has been filled with a joyful atmosphere these past few days. However, due to the national mourning period, the officials and eunuchs of the residence have been quite restrained and have tried their best not to show any joy.

But the joyful atmosphere could not be concealed in the end. Everyone in the palace wore a sorrowful expression on their face, yet their eyes shone with joy, creating a very contradictory feeling.

The upcoming ascension of Prince Duan to the throne is naturally a joyous occasion for the officials and servants of the Prince's residence.

Even though the Prince's Palace had many officials and servants, and Zhao Ji could not bestow favors upon them all after ascending the throne, their service to Prince Duan in the palace was itself a remarkable qualification, and they would be treated with great respect by officials wherever they went.

Those who served in the prince's residence and made contributions to the emperor's rise to power should at least have their servants ascend to heaven once their master transforms into a true dragon.

In the north wing of the Prince's Mansion.

Zhao Ji, dressed in a yellow robe, stood in front of a bronze mirror, looking around with a youthful air of authority and an undisguised pride.

The yellow robe fit him perfectly; it was secretly prepared by his officials at Zhao Ji's behest.

Wearing a yellow robe before ascending the throne is a highly treasonous act. Moreover, the yellow robe should be prepared by officials of the Ministry of Rites and eunuchs of the Palace Secretariat, and it can only be officially worn by Zhao Ji on the day of his ascension to the throne.

But Emperor Huizong couldn't wait any longer; he had been waiting for this day for many years.

Until a few days ago, on the day the Empress Dowager and the court officials decided that he would succeed to the throne, Zhao Ji put on this yellow robe that very day. Of course, he only dared to wear it in his own bedroom, secretly and dared not show it to others, just to satisfy his craving.

For the next few days, Zhao Ji wore this yellow robe every day. Each time he put it on, he would stand in front of the bronze mirror for one or two hours, admiring his majestic figure in the yellow robe and imagining himself standing in the Daqing Hall, receiving the kneeling worship of civil and military officials.

Whenever he thought of this, Zhao Ji couldn't help but tremble with excitement.

At this moment, Zhao Ji stood in front of the bronze mirror, and he trembled all over again.

Power is a man's aphrodisiac; it drives men mad more than beauty.

At this moment, Zhou Xingzhe, the chief secretary of the Prince's Palace, stood behind Zhao Ji, looking at him with a fawning expression, showering him with flattery.

"This yellow robe is made for Your Highness. Look how well it fits you! How majestic and imposing Your Highness looks in it! Your Highness is simply a born emperor, a reincarnation of the Purple Star Lord!"

Zhao Ji's eyes gleamed with pride, but he merely smiled faintly and said, "Don't talk nonsense. It's too early for me to wear this yellow robe. It's not appropriate for me to wear it in the first place. If word gets out, people will criticize me. I'm just trying it out in advance so that the Ministry of Rites and the Palace Secretariat can make a few more sets according to the measurements."

Zhou Xingzhe said, "Your Highness will officially ascend the throne in a few days. Who will care whether you wear the yellow robe a few days earlier or a few days later? Besides, Your Highness should also change your self-reference. From now on, you should get used to calling yourself '朕' (Zhen)..."

Zhao Ji finally couldn't help but burst into laughter. It has to be said that Zhou Xingzhe's flattery hit the nail on the head, and he felt very comfortable.

"According to the auspicious date calculated by the Imperial Observatory, there are only seven days left until Your Highness's formal ascension to the throne. In seven days, Your Highness will be the supreme ruler of the world. Your subject hereby offers my early congratulations to Your Highness, no, to Your Majesty in advance."

At this moment, Zhou Xingzhe simply abandoned all sense of shame, flattering her to the point of being as nauseating as possible.

The merit of supporting the emperor is within reach. At this point, who cares about saving face? What's important is to seek credit, official rank, and favors.

As Zhao Ji looked at his reflection in the bronze mirror, dressed in a yellow robe, he felt as if he had been transported to another time and space, a time and space where he had ascended the throne and all his subjects knelt and obeyed him.

He dispatched capable generals on a northern expedition, which quickly destroyed the Liao and Western Xia dynasties, unified China, and made the Song Dynasty a truly unified dynasty. The golden age began under his rule, and history records his great achievements, ensuring his lasting fame.

Zhao Ji was still young, not even twenty years old yet. He was sure he could achieve these things in his lifetime.

Because predecessors had already planted the seeds for him, and Zhao Xu and Zhao Xiaoqian had worked hard for many years, the Song Dynasty was no longer what it used to be. It no longer had so many internal and external troubles, and militarily, the Song Dynasty was even more formidable and unstoppable.

Even Zhao Ji himself had to admit that he reaped the benefits, the benefits of Zhao Xu and Zhao Xiaoqian, and enjoyed the fruits of his labor as soon as he ascended the throne.

This feels so good.

Thinking of this, Zhao Ji was somewhat reluctant to take action against Zhao Hao and his son Zhao Xiaoqian after ascending the throne.

Should we spare the lives of this father and son? Demoting them to commoners might be an option, since killing meritorious officials so soon after ascending the throne would inevitably invite criticism.

Just as he was reveling in his own self-pity, Zhou Xingzhe finished his endless flattery and suddenly frowned, saying in a low voice, "Has Your Highness noticed that the atmosphere in Bianjing has been a bit strange these past few days?"

Zhao Ji was taken aback: "I haven't left the house these days and am not very aware of what's going on outside. Why do you find this strange?"

Zhou Xingzhe sighed and said, "I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel that since Your Highness was established as the new emperor, the court officials' reactions have been rather lukewarm..."

Emperor Huizong thought for a moment, then smiled wryly: "During the period of national mourning, should we expect them to be overjoyed and making a ruckus? It should be kept quiet. If they act too happy, it will break the rules."

Zhou Xingzhe shook his head: "No, what I mean is that the reaction of the court officials in Bianjing wasn't exactly indifferent, it was just... quiet, yes! Quiet, eerily quiet." "Especially Prime Minister Zhang Dun, who was initially the most opposed to you, he was also very quiet, not uttering a single word, and going to the Hall of State Affairs every day as usual. And Zhao Xiaoqian, he stays in the Prince of Chu's residence every day, I don't know what he's doing. I just feel that all of this seems normal, yet also seems abnormal..."

Zhao Ji paused for a moment, then smiled easily and said, "You're overthinking it. My appointment as the new emperor was decided by the Empress Dowager and the court officials in the Daqing Hall. The Council of State Affairs has already announced it to the world. How could there be any changes?"

"Once I ascend the throne and hold imperial power, I will first deal with people like Zhang Dun. They won't be the ones to create variables for me; I will be their variable," Zhao Ji sneered.

As the two were talking, a servant of the Prince's residence rushed over and stood outside the door, asking anxiously, "Your Highness, is Your Highness here?"

Zhao Ji's face darkened, and he quickly took off his yellow robe and hid it, leaving him only in a white undergarment. He then gestured for Zhou Xingzhe to open the door.

"What's the rush?" Zhao Ji asked coldly.

The official looked terrified and lowered his head, saying in a low voice, "Your Highness, I have just heard some rumors from the streets and alleys of Bianjing. The rumors are not pleasant, and I think Your Highness needs to know about them."

"You speak," Zhao Ji said calmly.

The official swallowed hard and hesitated before saying, "I've heard rumors circulating that the imperial family is incompetent and that the new emperor should not be the eldest son of the legitimate heir, but rather a virtuous one. If Prince Duan is appointed, I fear it will damage the prestige of the Song Dynasty, cause the loss of Song territory, and betray the great achievements made by the late emperor and His Highness Prince Cheng..."

Zhao Ji was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage: "Who dares to be so bold as to discuss state affairs! Who spread these disrespectful and ungrateful words?"

"Investigate! This must be thoroughly investigated! I haven't even ascended the throne yet, and there are already people with ulterior motives who are ruining my grand plans. How can I let this go unpunished!"

Zhao Ji was so angry that his eyes turned red. He glared at Zhou Xingzhe and said fiercely, "Go and investigate. Find out who is up to no good and spreading rumors. If you find out, I will kill him!"

Zhou Xingzhe was also quite angry, but a hint of difficulty appeared on his face: "Your Highness, I... have no connections or clues, and really can't investigate. Why don't you let the Kaifeng Prefecture investigate?"

Zhao Ji sneered, "Kaifeng Prefecture only handles public order and simple cases. Can we really rely on them for this kind of thing?"

“Zhou Xingzhe, take my name card to Zhao Xiaoqian and ask him to use the Imperial City Guard to investigate. By now, I should have the authority to mobilize the Imperial City Guard. I'm sure Zhao Xiaoqian won't be so ungrateful.”

Zhou Xingzhe hurriedly agreed and rushed out the door.

…………

The rumors spread incredibly fast; within a single day, the entire city of Bianjing knew about them.

Countless people were whispering among themselves in the streets and alleys, their expressions filled with doubt.

The power of rumors is indeed considerable. They directly revealed that Prince Duan had enjoyed wealth and privilege since childhood, had never experienced any storms, and had never participated in politics. He was merely a member of the imperial family raised by the royal clan, with no experience in governing the country whatsoever, except that he had read a few more books of sages and worthies.

Can such a person be expected to govern the country well?

The late emperor had no sons, so there was no such thing as the "eldest legitimate son" to succeed him. If that's the case, why must a new emperor be chosen from among the "eldest legitimate sons"? Why can't a virtuous and capable person be chosen?

The Song Dynasty is currently in a very good situation, experiencing a great change unseen in a century. At such a crucial time, is the so-called "eldest son" really that important? Why can't we choose a person of outstanding virtue and talent to be the emperor and lead the Song Dynasty to an even more glorious era?

The rumors are roughly like this; the language is very straightforward, and all ordinary people can understand them, and understanding them can provoke thought.

This realization immediately sparked a wave of discussion among the common people.

The quality of an emperor is directly related to the future livelihood of the people, so the people cannot help but pay attention. The rumors are also very convincing, and they all make sense, so no one can refute them.

This rumor was nothing more than whispered gossip among the people, but it was extremely damaging to Emperor Huizong of Song.

Before he even ascended the throne, some people were already questioning his accession. Anyone would go crazy in that situation.
No wonder Emperor Huizong was furious and directly mobilized the Imperial City Guard as a prince.

Zhao Ji's calling card was personally delivered to the Chu King's residence by Zhou Xingzhe.

Zhao Xiaoqian met with Zhou Xingzhe, took Zhao Ji's visiting card, and listened to Zhou Xingzhe recount the rumors circulating in the streets. Finally, Zhou Xingzhe emphasized that this was the will of Prince Duan, and hoped that Prince Cheng would immediately mobilize the Imperial City Guard to find and severely punish the culprits who spread these rumors.

Zhao Xiaoqian accepted the visiting card with a forced smile, then solemnly assured that the Imperial City Guard would never tolerate or let such a malicious person who spread rumors go unpunished, and would do its utmost to investigate and give the future Emperor of the Song Dynasty a satisfactory answer.

His attitude was very proper, and the oath he uttered was particularly pleasing to the eye. Zhou Xingzhe was satisfied, so he left contentedly, his gait carrying a hint of swagger.

Zhao Xiaoqian sat in the Yin'an Hall of the Prince's Mansion, glanced indifferently at the name card in his hand, raised his hand and tore it into countless pieces, casually tossing it away as if scattering Zhao Ji's ashes.

(End of this chapter)