The prince is more stable

Chapter 835 The New Emperor is Established
The two princes submitted their memorials very readily, and judging from the earnest tone of their words, they even seemed somewhat impatient.

Now that the Song Dynasty has not yet established a new emperor, the Council of State Affairs is in charge of the government. When Chancellor Zhang Dun received the two memorials, he was dumbfounded. He did not know what means Zhao Xiaoqian had used to make the two princes so obediently and voluntarily withdraw from the struggle for the throne.

I haven't heard that Bianjing has mobilized troops in the past few days to threaten the two princes with force.

In short, it was amazing. I won't go into the details of the process, but the result was good.

Zhang Dun immediately brought the two memorials to the court and showed them to the officials.

The two camps were arguing fiercely over the Great Rites Controversy. When the faction that supported the primogeniture saw the memorials of the two princes, they felt as if the sky had fallen. Many of them collapsed weakly on the floor of the Daqing Hall and wailed.

Meanwhile, those who supported Li Xian were overjoyed.

The Great Rites Controversy was originally a debate between the King of Yan, the King of Yue, and Zhao Xiaoqian. Now that the King of Yan and the King of Yue, representing the eldest sons, have voluntarily withdrawn, what is there left to argue about?
Thus, of Zhao Xu's five surviving brothers, four, except for the blind Prince Shen, were all killed.

There are no more direct brothers of Zhao Xu in the world, so the remaining candidates can only be found among the clansmen.

And among all the relatives of the Zhao family, who is more qualified to be emperor than Zhao Xiaoqian?
The debate on the Great Rites Controversy, which had reached a fever pitch in the past few days, came to an abrupt end with the withdrawal of the two princes.

Continuing to argue is pointless. Even if the faction supporting the eldest son wins the argument, what good will it do? Who will become emperor?

The hall was silent. The assembled officials looked at each other, their expressions varied.

After a long silence, Cai Jing, the Minister of Revenue, suddenly stood up, bowed to Empress Dowager Xiang, who was seated at the head of the table, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the 'Great Rites Controversy' should be stopped!"

Empress Dowager Xiang, naturally more aware of the situation than anyone else, nodded and said, "Indeed, gentlemen, there is no need for further debate."

Cai Jing continued, "Empress Dowager, I have another matter to discuss..."

"You said."

"Your Majesty, I propose that Prince Cheng, Zhao Xiaoqian, be the new ruler of the Great Song Dynasty. I request that the Empress Dowager and all the officials consider this matter carefully."

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed in the hall, and everyone stared at Cai Jing in shock. They quickly regained their composure, as if Cai Jing's suggestion was something they had expected.

Throughout the several days of great discussions on etiquette, no one mentioned Zhao Xiaoqian's name; the focus was on the rules of propriety.

Now that the Great Rites Controversy has ended, Zhao Xiaoqian's name has finally been formally brought to the forefront.

Moreover, he was the only candidate, with no competitors.

Cai Jing finally broke through that barrier.

After Cai Jing finished speaking, Empress Dowager Xiang did not rush to express her opinion. Instead, she looked at the court officials and slowly said, "What do you gentlemen think of Minister Cai's proposal? Does anyone have any objections?"

No one spoke, not even the court officials who firmly supported the primogeniture system.

A harsh reality is that the line of primogeniture no longer has anyone to support.

We can't possibly let the only remaining blind prince, Shen Wang, become emperor, can we? That would be too absurd.

No one spoke for a long time in the hall. At this moment, Zhang Dun, the prime minister of the State Affairs Hall, stood up and made a clear statement.

"I believe that His Highness Prince Cheng is courageous and resolute, humble and virtuous, and self-disciplined, and is qualified to ascend the throne of the Great Song Dynasty."

The New Party officials behind him also stood up to echo his sentiments, praising Zhao Xiaoqian's achievements over the years and the current excellent situation of the Song Dynasty. They concluded that no one but Zhao Xiaoqian could be the emperor of the Song Dynasty.

As for the issue of imperial relatives, the officials quickly provided a reasonable explanation.

None of the princes in Emperor Shenzong's lineage were fit to ascend the throne. According to ancestral rules, they could only trace back one generation and look in Emperor Yingzong's family genealogy.

Emperor Yingzong had four sons, including Emperor Shenzong Zhao Xu and Prince Chu Zhao Hao.

Zhao Xiaoqian was the only son of King Zhao Hao of Chu, and he was also the grandson of Emperor Yingzong.
To those who insist on primogeniture, let me ask you: Does Emperor Yingzong's grandson count as a "legitimate grandson"? Does he have the qualifications to be emperor?

It was reasonable, well-founded, and legal, and all the opponents were silenced.

Empress Dowager Xiang was overjoyed and asked in a deep voice, "Is Prince Cheng Xiaoqian worthy to be the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty? Do any of the officials in the court have any objections? If so, please raise them in court."

For a long time, no one spoke.

Empress Dowager Xiang stood up and said slowly, "If that's the case, then it's settled."

"Prince Cheng, Zhao Xiaoqian, may ascend the throne of the Great Song Dynasty. The State Council and the Ministry of Rites shall immediately issue a proclamation to the world that the country has a new ruler and that the people's hearts will be at peace."

"The Imperial Observatory calculated an auspicious day for the enthronement ceremony of the new emperor of the Great Song Dynasty. All the emperor's ceremonial robes, jade crown, and ceremonial regalia were re-procured by the inner palace."

"Starting this year, the Song Dynasty will change its reign title. The decision will be made by the new emperor and his court officials. The court should promptly convey the news of the new emperor's accession to all local governments, counties, towns, and neighboring countries and vassal states of the Song Dynasty. The Council of State Affairs, together with the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies, shall carry this out."

After the Empress Dowager finished speaking, she paused for a moment inside the hall.

The new party, led by Zhang Dun, immediately bowed to the Empress Dowager and said in unison, "We are willing to support the new emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, serve Your Majesty, and die for the Great Song Dynasty."

The new party, which occupies a majority in the government, has made its stance clear, and the remaining old party members and opponents, even if they are unhappy, still bow and echo it.

In fact, this outcome was already predetermined when the Yan-Yun border troops approached Bianjing, wasn't it?
What's the point of the old party's death throes these past few days, with all the arguments and formalities? In the end, it won't change the outcome.

Now that the die is cast, let's accept reality; the old party is unlikely to make a comeback.

…………

Before the court session had even ended, the news had spread like wildfire beyond the palace.

Half an hour later, drums and gongs resounded throughout the streets and alleys of Bianjing, as people flocked to the streets to celebrate the establishment of a new emperor for the Song Dynasty. The new emperor was Zhao Xiaoqian, and with his prestige and reputation, there was almost no controversy among the common people.

Such a capable person, who has made so many contributions to the Song Dynasty, deserves to be emperor.

If he isn't qualified, who is?

Only those who have experienced war, delved into the lives of ordinary people, and understood their hardships can be capable and wise rulers; they know what the people want.

Compared to when Zhao Ji was established as the new emperor, the people's celebration today is more heartfelt.

They wholeheartedly agreed that Zhao Xiaoqian should be emperor, and the reasons are self-evident.

As for Zhao Xiaoqian's background, his status as a member of the imperial family, and so on, ordinary people didn't care about such things. All they needed to know was that the future emperor of the Song Dynasty was a wise and virtuous ruler who would bring blessings to the people, and that was enough for them.

Since the Empress Dowager and all the officials had made their decision, it meant that Zhao Xiaoqian's legitimacy to the throne was beyond question.

The new emperor was established, and the whole city celebrated.

The State Council and the Kaifeng Prefecture successively issued proclamations to Bianjing (Kaifeng), confirming Zhao Xiaoqian as the emperor of the Song Dynasty.

Moreover, after the court assembly, countless messengers carrying official documents issued by the Council of State Affairs rushed to various local government offices in the Song Dynasty.

After the new emperor ascends the throne, the Song Dynasty will change its era name, and a new era will begin.

Prince Chu's Mansion.

Zhao Hao and his son Zhao Xiaoqian were having a meal. On the table were two simple meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and a bowl of lettuce mixed with sesame oil, which was used to feed cattle and horses.

Zhao Hao watched enviously as Zhao Xiaoqian devoured meat, chewing on dried lettuce, sighing with each bite.

Life is truly dull and tasteless.

Seeing Zhao Xiaoqian engrossed in eating, Zhao Hao couldn't resist secretly reaching for the meat and vegetables with his chopsticks, but Zhao Xiaoqian quickly shoved them away.

"Father, is it really necessary to use wits to fight with you just to have a meal?" Zhao Xiaoqian said helplessly.

"You unfilial son! You really won't even give me a single bite of meat?" Zhao Hao was furious.

Zhao Xiaoqian, with drooping eyelids, said, "Last night at midnight, one of your concubines secretly stole most of a bowl of twice-cooked pork from the kitchen for you. Do you think I didn't know? If I hadn't turned a blind eye, do you think you would have actually been able to eat that meat last night?"

"Now you're acting all innocent after getting the benefits. Go ahead and sue me in court. Accuse me of being unfilial and abusing a 40-year-old."

Zhao Hao was taken aback, then pointed at him and said, "You're amazing!"

He picked up a large mouthful of lettuce and stuffed it into his mouth, chewed for a while, and then suddenly spat it out. Zhao Hao put down his chopsticks and said angrily, "After you become emperor, you'd better get out of the palace and move in right away. We're going to separate! I can't live like this anymore!"

Zhao Xiaoqian said indifferently, "Fine, since we're separating the family, let's make it clear. Don't even think about holding your grandson anymore. After all, we're two separate families now. I can't let an outsider hold my child."

Zhao Hao was startled and hurriedly said, "That won't do, they're two different things... Forget it, let's not separate them. Let's just eat grass, I can tolerate it."

"By the way, now that the important matters are settled, it's about time to bring your mother, wife, and children back from Japan, right? We can't let them stay on that island forever. It's not right for an emperor to abandon his family... Especially my dear grandson, I haven't even seen him yet, how can I let him wander abroad?"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "It is indeed time for them to come back. This hurdle is finally over. Tomorrow I will send someone to Zhang Rong with a message. The five thousand soldiers are still stationed in Japan. My mother and my wives should return to Bianjing."

Zhao Hao narrowed his eyes and said, "The Grand Rites Controversy in the Imperial Court is probably almost over today. You can just wait to ascend the throne."

"When Di Ying returns, will she be made empress?"

"Of course, I can't just replace the queen with a new girl."

Zhao Hao clicked his tongue and laughed, "Speaking of which, the Di family is really lucky. The girl they raised got married and actually became an empress. Who would have thought that girl Di Ying would have such a destiny?"

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at him and said, "When I ascend the throne, many people will be granted titles. Father, don't you want to become the Retired Emperor?"

Zhao Hao immediately shook his head: "No, and you'd better not mention this matter at all. I am still the King of Chu, just with a son who is the emperor. That's enough."

"Why?"

Zhao Hao sighed, "You think too simply. Do you think the emperor can do whatever he wants? If I were honored as the retired emperor, do you know how many people and things would be involved? The entire family genealogy from Emperor Yingzong's generation would have to be sifted through from beginning to end."

"I've become the retired emperor. What about the late Emperor Zhezong? What about the late Emperor Shenzong? Will the court officials below agree to this?"

Zhao Xiaoqian understood. The thought that the matter of honoring the retired emperor might lead to another major debate in the court gave him a headache.

"Let's put it aside for now and see how things go. When my prestige is enough to make a decision in the court, then it will be natural for my father to become the retired emperor."

"When will your prestige reach that level?"

"The Liao and Xia dynasties were destroyed, and China was unified," Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly.

As the father and son were chatting, a series of hurried footsteps rushed over.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked up and saw Chen Shou standing outside the Yin'an Hall, his face flushed and panting with excitement.

Then, under the astonished gazes of the father and son, Chen Shou suddenly knelt down and bowed his head in worship.

"Your Majesty, I, Chen Shou, offer my congratulations! The Great Rites Controversy has concluded. The Empress Dowager and the court officials have agreed that Your Highness will soon ascend the throne!"

(End of this chapter)