The prince is more stable

Chapter 830 Who else would you rather me?
Court infighting has always been brutal.

The political environment of the Song Dynasty was originally relaxed. From the founding of the country, it treated scholars and officials well. No matter how fierce the factional struggles were, political enemies would not be put to death.

Unfortunately, Zhang Dun set a bad precedent. To put it nicely, Zhang Dun was "hating evil like poison," but to put it bluntly, he was "ruthless and ruthless."

From the moment he became prime minister, he completely destroyed the gentlemanly political atmosphere of the Song Dynasty. He spared no effort in suppressing the old party and left them no way out.

During his years as prime minister, Zhang Dun always dealt with his political enemies with the utmost severity, never letting them off lightly. During this period, he even condoned and tacitly allowed New Party officials to fabricate unjust cases, exiled and demoted Old Party officials on a large scale, and many officials died in prison for no apparent reason.

Therefore, Zhao Xiaoqian never doubted Zhang Dun's ruthlessness.

Sure enough, Zhang Dun's words were decisive, demanding the lives of Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu, leaving no room for negotiation.

However, the words were ultimately too menacing, and the hall fell silent. Many people unconsciously frowned.

Even the Empress Dowager hesitated. In recent years, Zhao Ji had frequently visited the Qingshou Palace and fawned over the Empress Dowager. Although Zhao Ji's purpose was not pure, fawning over her was still quite effective in winning the Empress Dowager's favor. Over the years, the Empress Dowager eventually developed some feelings for Zhao Ji.

Now that Zhang Dun could kill her with a single word, the Empress Dowager immediately showed a look of reluctance. She opened her mouth several times as if to speak but then stopped. After glancing at Zhao Xiaoqian, who stood motionless in the court, the Empress Dowager finally sighed and did not utter a word.

After the Yan-Yun border army quelled the rebellion and completely took control of Bianjing and the palace, Empress Dowager Xiang knew very well that she no longer had any say in this imperial city, or even in the entire Song Dynasty.

The only people who can truly make decisions for the Song Dynasty now are Zhao Hao and his son Zhao Xiaoqian.

What they lack now is just a formality.

With a sigh, the Empress Dowager looked at Zhao Xiaoqian and said softly, "Prince Cheng, what do you think?"

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced quickly at Zhang Dun and said with a smile, "Zhao Ji once launched a rebellion, a crime that cannot be forgiven. However, we are currently in a period of national mourning, and it is not advisable to kill or shed blood, as this would be inauspicious for the state. Besides, Zhao Ji is the brother of the late emperor, and the Song Dynasty has a rule that high-ranking officials and relatives are not subject to punishment..."

"Therefore, I believe that the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, the Censorate, and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs should first conduct a joint trial to determine the crime, announce it to the whole country, and then impose a lenient sentence, such as exile to a thousand miles away."

Upon hearing this, a hint of joy flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes. She nodded and smiled, "Prince Cheng is benevolent and kind-hearted. If the late Emperor knew this in the afterlife, he would surely be pleased."

Zhang Dun looked at Zhao Xiaoqian with dissatisfaction, about to speak, but Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at him with a faint look, his eyes seemingly containing a lot of information that words could not express.

Zhang Dun was taken aback, then seemed to understand something, and shut his mouth tightly.

Zhao Xiaoqian's words won the favor of the entire court. Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu launched a rebellion, such a serious crime, yet they were spared death. This Prince Cheng doesn't seem so ruthless after all.

Only Zhang Dun, who had just clearly seen Zhao Xiaoqian's expression, secretly sneered.

Others might not understand Zhao Xiaoqian's thoughts, but Zhang Dun did.

You think this Prince Cheng is a living bodhisattva who benefits all people? Haha, how naive.

However, it was still a crucial period for the struggle for the throne, and Zhao Xiaoqian did not want to make a bad impression and lower his reputation among the court officials. So, in front of everyone, he deliberately let Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu off the hook.

But Zhao Xiaoqian wasn't born to herd horses. Even if Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu survived, wouldn't they encounter other unexpected events?
With Zhao Xiaoqian's methods, making Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu die so naturally, was this really that difficult?

He played the good guy and eliminated his enemies; these are the qualities a person who can accomplish great things should possess.

Zhang Dun thought about how he had just called for the killing of Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu without thinking. Compared with Zhao Xiaoqian's composure and planning, his own vision as prime minister was still lacking.

The content of the court meeting was not much; first, it determined the nature of the crime, and second, it determined the guilt.

Besides these two things, there is one more important thing.

The court officials were not in a position to speak about this matter, so it could only be brought up by the Empress Dowager.

Having experienced the ups and downs of the imperial harem for so long, Empress Dowager Xiang was naturally exceptionally intelligent.

Today's outcome is exactly as Zhao Hao and his son had envisioned; in other words, the father and son have succeeded.

The rest is just a formality.

After surveying the assembled officials, the Empress Dowager slowly said, "Zhao Ji is guilty of heinous crimes and has a vicious nature. He is not fit to be a ruler. I believe that you gentlemen should discuss the selection of a new emperor. This matter should not be delayed for too long, otherwise it will be difficult to reassure the people in the court and among the common people. What do you gentlemen think?"

Zhang Dun and the assembled officials all nodded in agreement.

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. The position of the new emperor of the Song Dynasty has been vacant for a long time, and it is indeed not appropriate to delay any longer."

Upon hearing this, an eerie silence fell over the hall.

The court officials were neither blind nor foolish.

The Yan-Yun border army entered the capital and, under the pretext of suppressing a rebellion, took control of the city's defenses and the palace guards. The commander-in-chief of the Yan-Yun border army was Zhao Xiaoqian.

This guy's surname is Zhao...

Can't you explain the problem?

As long as the Yan-Yun border army still controls the defenses of Bianjing and the palace, and as long as Zhao Xiaoqian remains the commander-in-chief of the border army, which fool would dare to sit on the throne?
Whoever sits on it will likely be nearing the end of their life.

Do you really think Zhao Xiaoqian is a compassionate and benevolent bodhisattva? He has already taken control of the capital of the Song Dynasty. Do you think 100,000 border troops came to celebrate the new emperor's birthday?

A clear and unambiguous fact emerged in people's minds, but no one dared to utter it. Zhao Xiaoqian's status as a member of the imperial clan remained an insurmountable obstacle.

The late emperor still has two brothers who are alive. Theoretically, they are the legitimate heirs to the throne. Given Zhao Xiaoqian's background, he wouldn't even be considered for a place in the line.

With ancestral rules in place, no one dared to defy public opinion, making it difficult to raise the nomination. Thus, the hall remained silent for a long time, with no one uttering a sound.

The Empress Dowager glanced at Zhao Xiaoqian indifferently, then looked at Zhang Dun.

Zhang Dun stroked his beard and said calmly, "I believe that the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yue are both too young and their abilities are rather mediocre. If they are chosen as rulers, I fear that we will repeat the mistakes of the Prince of Duan and the Prince of Jian. I urge Your Majesty to consider this carefully."

The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh? It seems Mr. Zihou has some insightful opinions. Why not speak frankly?"

Zhang Dun said in a deep voice: "The late emperor had no heir, and his brothers were mediocre. The Song Dynasty is at a critical period of territorial expansion. I believe that we should keep the foundation of our ancestors in mind and set an example for all emperors in history... by not establishing the eldest son as heir, but by establishing the virtuous and capable."

The courtiers were in uproar, and then all looked at Zhang Dun and Zhao Xiaoqian.

Why are you being so subtle? Just give me your ID number directly!

Whispers arose in the hall. Surprisingly, after Zhang Dun uttered these words, which should have been met with fierce criticism, there was only murmuring and no one stood up to rebuke or scold him.

The New Party officials, in particular, had rather mysterious expressions, even showing a hint of approval, while the Old Party members were indignant but none of them came out to refute them.

After a while, Zhao Xiaoqian roughly understood the reason.

The reason is simple and brutal: the entire palace and even the entire city of Bianjing were under the control of the Yan-Yun border army.

Zhang Dun did not name names, but the officials were not stupid; they knew who Zhang Dun had nominated.

If we disregard the ancestral rule of primogeniture, and if the court and officials all agree on appointing a virtuous and capable person, then Zhao Xiaoqian is indeed the most suitable candidate, without exception.

The contributions Zhao Xiaoqian made to the Song Dynasty over the years were simply unimaginable.

He is no less than Huo Qubing and Li Shimin of the Han and Tang dynasties. He is now shining brightly. If the Song Dynasty were under his rule, creating a golden age like that of the Han and Tang dynasties would not be a dream. His ministers could really see it in their lifetime.

Moreover, in the recent turmoil in Bianjing, Zhao Xiaoqian remained unassuming yet swiftly controlled the situation, and the Empress Dowager in the palace and the prime minister in the court both intentionally or unintentionally favored him.

If the ministers still haven't grasped these facts, they are seriously underestimating their intelligence.

Therefore, from the very beginning, Prince Jian and Prince Duan were destined to be cannon fodder. The one who truly had ambition, scheming, and painstakingly plotted to seize the throne was Zhao Xiaoqian!
This young man is really good at hiding his true abilities.

Before the Yan-Yun border army quelled the rebellion today, who could have realized that this unassuming and taciturn young man was actually the real protagonist?

At this point, the Empress Dowager and Zhang Dun had already laid the groundwork for this, so what could the courtiers possibly say?
Some stubborn and conservative courtiers frowned; they naturally wanted to object, as this clearly violated ancestral rules.

Even some New Party officials were not really happy to accept Zhang Dun's proposal.

If they don't establish the eldest son as heir and instead choose the most virtuous, wouldn't the whole world be in uproar? Now that they've said they agree, won't they be condemned by the whole world if word gets out?
Will the legitimacy of an emperor's throne be questioned and criticized if he ascends the throne in violation of ancestral rules?

If Zhao Xiaoqian is condemned by everyone after ascending the throne, wouldn't those court officials who supported him be implicated?

There were too many concerns and too much trouble, so much so that after Zhang Dun made the proposal, there were only whispers in the hall, and no one came out to agree or support it. Even the New Party officials remained silent.

The Empress Dowager and Zhang Dun were somewhat surprised by the reaction of the officials. After exchanging a glance, they both looked at Zhao Xiaoqian.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled, seemingly unconcerned.

This matter was never intended to be settled today. Becoming emperor is so easy; if everyone just raised their hands to see who agreed and who disagreed, wouldn't that be child's play?

When Zhao Xiaoqian formed an alliance with the Empress Dowager and Zhang Dun, he had already taken care of their interests, making it a win-win situation for everyone. However, for the court to collectively approve it, a legitimate reason was still needed.

No rush, the reason will come soon.

Zhao Xiaoqian then stepped forward and said, “Empress Dowager, this matter is of great importance and cannot be decided lightly. I suggest that we postpone it for the time being. In the next few days, the Privy Council, the State Council, and the officials of various departments should deal with the aftermath of the rebellion. We can consider the selection of a new emperor later.”

Since the main character, Zhao Xiaoqian, had spoken, the Empress Dowager naturally couldn't say anything more and could only nod helplessly.

After the court session ended, the officials headed out of the palace gates.

Stepping out of the Daqing Hall, one sees banners fluttering everywhere—under the pillars outside the hall, in the square, and beside the palace. The Yan-Yun border troops, clad in armor, patrol the palace grounds. Their faces are stern, their discipline strict, and every gesture exudes a chilling aura.

In the past, the guards and patrollers in the Forbidden City were also in armor and lined up, but their spirit and morale were no match for the current Yan-Yun border troops. They were not even in the same league.

Zhao Xiaoqian and his ministers left the palace together. Along the way, they encountered soldiers from the Yan-Yun border army. The soldiers bowed and clasped their hands in greeting to Zhao Xiaoqian, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded with a smile, waved his hand to instruct them to perform their duties, and the soldiers respectfully departed.

This scene filled the assembled officials with even greater awe and helplessness.

The sheer respect and reverence shown by the Yan-Yun border troops towards Zhao Xiaoqian speaks volumes.

If not him, then who could be the new emperor of the Song Dynasty?

(End of this chapter)