The prince is more stable

Chapter 829 Cleaning Up
The chaos in Bianjing has ended.

The Yan-Yun border army completely took control of the Bianjing city defenses and Yanfu Palace. Public opinion was quickly rectified. The Privy Council and the Palace Guard issued new troop mobilization documents, strictly ordering the soldiers to return to their respective posts and not to leave the camp without military orders.

The defense of Bianjing was handed over to the Yanyun Border Army, and a three-day curfew was imposed within the city.

The chaos was difficult to define; the entire city of Bianjing remained under martial law, and the common people in the city were saying all sorts of things.

Some say this was a long-planned rebellion, while others say it was Zhao Ji's perverse actions, and His Highness Prince Cheng was ordered by the Empress Dowager to quell the rebellion.

People in the neighborhood spread all sorts of unfounded rumors, which became increasingly bizarre.

As various versions of rumors proliferated, Zhao Xiaoqian finally managed to quell the chaos, but the public was thrown into turmoil by these rumors.

So, the next step is to clean up the mess.

On the evening of the day the chaos ended, the bells of the Bell and Drum Tower of Yanfu Palace rang out leisurely.

The officials, dressed in their official robes, entered the palace for the court assembly.

This was a special court assembly, the first one after the chaos ended.

While the court and the public were in turmoil, Yanfu Palace remained unusually calm.

The corpses of the palace servants killed by Zhao Ji have been removed, the bloodstains on the ground have been cleaned up, and the palace remains as solemn and dignified as ever, with each palace and pavilion silently exuding a faint imperial authority.

The officials entered the palace and walked on the clean white jade slabs. A faint smell of blood permeated the air, but everything that could be seen with the naked eye was no different from usual.

With varying feelings of unease, the officials entered the Daqing Hall.

The Daqing Hall, which was damaged by Zhao Ji, has been restored. Although many of the furnishings inside are missing, the emperor's dragon throne has been restored to its original state.

The Empress Dowager was ordered by Zhao Xiaoqian to be brought back to the palace. At this time, she was sitting next to the dragon throne, her face was a little pale, as if she was still in shock.

Zhao Xiaoqian remained low-key within the court ranks, unmoved despite the countless glances that involuntarily fell upon him.

The unrest that began last night did not end until this afternoon.

Although no one publicized the specific details of the rebellion, the officials all had their own sources of information. They knew that the rebellion was quelled by the Yan-Yun border army, and that the commander-in-chief who led the suppression of the rebellion was none other than King Cheng, Zhao Xiaoqian.

All the officials lived in Bianjing and personally experienced the rebellion. As a result, Zhao Xiaoqian, the minister who made the greatest contribution to suppressing the rebellion, became even more important in people's hearts.

Most of the officials of the third rank and above in Bianjing gathered in the Daqing Hall. There were a few who were absent, not because they did not want to come, but because they were innocently implicated in the war.

On this day, many murders occurred in Bianjing City, most of which were committed by people who did not believe in superstition and went out to observe, including those unfortunate court officials.

Standing at the foot of the imperial steps, Zhang Dun surveyed the hall with a majestic gaze, his eyes lingering unconsciously for a moment longer when they passed Zhao Xiaoqian.

Then Zhang Dun, with a stern expression, said in a deep voice: "Today's chaos in Bianjing was caused by someone plotting a rebellion and seizing military power from the Palace Guard. Fortunately, under the command of His Highness Prince Cheng, the rebellion has been quelled."

The courtiers inside the hall erupted in uproar.

Zhang Dun's words were not an opening statement, but rather a direct characterization of the chaos in Bianjing that day.

In front of the Empress Dowager and the court officials, the prime minister personally determined the nature of the chaos, which meant that the matter was now closed and would be recorded in future historical records.

That's right, it was treason, it was rebellion.

Right and wrong, good and evil, the victor decides.

A rebellion must be quelled not only militarily, but also politically. Therefore, after the great chaos, the court must quickly define the nature of the disorder and calm public opinion, making sure that right and wrong are definitively established and there is no possibility of reversal.

This is why Zhang Dun made such a definitive statement in his opening remarks at today's court assembly.

Or rather, this current court assembly is being held to define the rebellion.

Only when the court stands on the high ground of justice will it be easier to carry out subsequent reckoning or create momentum.

After Zhang Dun made his judgment, the court officials were in an uproar and whispered among themselves in the hall.

Zhang Dun did not rush to speak, but stood quietly until the ministers had finished their discussion before continuing, "Today's chaos stems from Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu."

“Zeng Bu committed a heinous crime. He was stubborn and determined to support Zhao Ji, and even went so far as to break into the Palace Guard as a Privy Councilor.”

"He ordered the execution of Han Song, the deputy commander of the Palace Guard, to seize military power in the Palace Guard. He incited the imperial guards to close the city gates and surround the palace, intending to take the Empress Dowager hostage and force her to agree to Zhao Ji's re-ascension to the throne."

Zhang Dun paused for a moment, then continued, "Fortunately, the Yan Yun border troops were stationed outside the border city, and even more fortunately, the Empress Dowager received advance warning and left the palace to take refuge before Zhao Ji occupied it."

"Then the Empress Dowager issued an imperial edict to Prince Cheng, Zhao Xiaoqian, ordering him to personally lead the Yan-Yun border army to break through the Jin Yao Gate of Bianjing and enter the city to quell the rebellion of Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu." "Prince Cheng and the Yan-Yun border army lived up to the Empress Dowager's expectations, quickly breaking through the Jin Yao Gate, capturing Zeng Bu alive, regaining control of the Palace Guard, and finally the border army surrounded the palace and captured the chief culprit, Zhao Ji. Thus, the rebellion was quelled."

"The Empress Dowager decisively issued an edict, and Prince Cheng made a brilliant strategic decision, which enabled the rebellion to be quelled quickly. The capital of the Great Song Dynasty was not seriously damaged, and no one in Bianjing was killed or injured. This is a great blessing."

After speaking, Zhang Dun turned around, bowed deeply to Zhao Xiaoqian, and solemnly said, "On behalf of the officials and people of Bianjing, I thank Your Highness Prince Cheng for turning the tide in times of crisis and saving the nation from collapse. Your Highness's pacification of the rebellion is a great achievement for the country and will be remembered in history."

The court officials were once again in an uproar upon hearing this.

Every word Zhang Dun uttered at today's court assembly had a purpose.

First, the nature of the event is defined, and then the nature of the people involved is defined. With these two definitions, the right and wrong of the whole matter, and the loyalty and treachery of the people involved, are already irrefutable.

After Zhang Dun finished speaking, someone in the crowd let out an angry snort of dissatisfaction, clearly disagreeing with Zhang Dun's statement.

Most of these people were old party officials. They didn't actually have evidence to reverse the situation; it was purely a party faction struggle.

We must oppose whatever the enemy approves of; it's that simple.

Furthermore, this rebellion also represents a reshuffling of interests among all parties. It was already difficult for officials of the old party to survive in the court. Now that Zhang Dun had made his position clear, it meant that the interests of the new party and those who participated in suppressing the rebellion had been redistributed behind the scenes.

The old party, which had been deliberately excluded by Zhang Dun, naturally gained nothing from this rebellion and may have lost even more, making it increasingly difficult for them to survive in the court in the future.

Hearing the angry snorts of discontent from the crowd, Zhang Dun showed no mercy. He turned to face the assembled officials and said coldly, "Anyone who has objections should step forward. Don't do anything underhanded or secretive."

No one in the court made a sound.

Opposition is one thing, but that's from the perspective of the old party as a whole. If they were asked to stand up alone and face the attacks from Zhang Dun and the new party, almost no one would have the courage.

After a long silence in the hall, Empress Dowager Xiang finally spoke.

"What Prime Minister Zhang said is true, without a single falsehood. I can testify for Prime Minister Zhang. Today's chaos in Bianjing is a testament to the merits of Prince Cheng and the Yanyun border troops in suppressing the rebellion. There is no falsehood. All the subjects of Bianjing have witnessed it with their own eyes. If any of you gentlemen have any objections, please investigate and report to the emperor."

With Empress Dowager Xiang's personal endorsement, the old party officials dared not utter a word.

Clearly, the suppression of the rebellion today is a done deal and there is no going back.

Empress Dowager Xiang looked at Zhao Xiaoqian and said, "King Cheng, today's chaos was entirely due to the pacification efforts of King Cheng and the Yan-Yun border army. King Cheng, please feel free to speak freely about how the court should handle the aftermath."

Silence fell over the hall once more.

The Empress Dowager's words were clearly meant to elevate Zhao Xiaoqian, whether to establish his authority or to create momentum; in short, the signal was very strong.

Zhao Xiaoqian stepped out of the court, his expression neither humble nor arrogant. After bowing to the Empress Dowager, he slowly said, "I believe that the Council of State Affairs, the Privy Council, and the Kaifeng Prefecture should immediately issue a proclamation to reassure the people. There should be no need to hide or conceal the matter. The cause and effect should be clearly explained to dispel the worries of the people and to win back their hearts."

"During this rebellion of Zhao Ji, there were civilian casualties in Bianjing. The court should allocate a large sum of money to provide relief and compensation. The Kaifeng Prefecture should make proper arrangements for the funerals of the dead. The court should also provide a large sum of money to provide relief and compensation to the soldiers of the Palace Guard and the Yan-Yun Border Army who were killed or wounded, to show the benevolence of the Emperor and the court."

"Furthermore, local governments in the capital region and other parts of the Song Dynasty should immediately send official reports detailing the chaos in Bianjing and strictly order local governments to control public opinion. Anyone who spreads panic, slander, or rumors should be severely punished as a warning to others."

"The factions of Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu should also be thoroughly investigated. Anyone involved in today's chaos will not be tolerated by the court and must be brought out and severely punished."

"The main approach for the Palace Guards and the three armies in Bianjing is to appease and show them kindness, while establishing authority is secondary. The court will only punish the ringleaders and not investigate the followers. The national treasury will allocate funds to the Palace Guards and the Yan-Yun border troops in the same month as a reward and appeasement. In this way, everything can be settled."

Zhao Xiaoqian's words were well-reasoned and supported by evidence, and after he finished speaking, the assembled officials nodded in approval.

Whether it's the new party or the old party, they are ultimately subjects of the Song Dynasty. When problems arise, they should stand on a fair and just position to resolve them, instead of constantly contradicting each other.

Zhao Xiaoqian's words were impeccable, and neither the New Party nor the Old Party had any reason to disagree.

Empress Dowager Xiang smiled and said, "As expected of the Prince Cheng, a man of extraordinary talent. Although young, he is very thoughtful and experienced in handling affairs. No wonder he has made such great contributions to the court."

He then looked around the hall from the Empress Dowager's perspective and said leisurely, "Gentlemen, is what King Cheng said appropriate?"

After a moment of silence, the ministers bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we have no objection."

The Empress Dowager nodded: "Since everyone has no objections, the Council of State Affairs shall officially issue the document and proceed as Prince Cheng has said."

Among the old party members, Su Zhe, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, suddenly stood up and said in a deep voice, "Empress Dowager, what should be done with the chief culprits, Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu?"

The Empress Dowager's eyes flashed, and she looked at Zhao Xiaoqian again without saying a word.

Before Zhao Xiaoqian could speak, Zhang Dun stepped forward, his eyes flashing with a fierce light.

"They seized military power from the Palace Guards, attempted to kidnap the Empress Dowager, allowed the Imperial Guards to kill palace women, plunder property, and destroy palace decorations and furnishings... and so on! Their crimes are too numerous to list. I believe that Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu should be executed!"

(End of this chapter)