The prince is more stable

Chapter 845 Auspiciousness from heaven
Even emperors cannot be arrogant and extravagant. Zhao Xiaoqian was very greedy for money in the past, and he is still the same now.

Greedy people are often not generous. Of course, it wouldn't be so stingy to treat a few important officials to a meal in the palace. The main reason is that Zhao Xiaoqian disliked socializing outside of work.

The rules for the emperor and his ministers to eat together were very strict. When Zhao Xiaoqian tried to find topics to chat about, the ministers dared not move their hands or feet. Both sides ate in a restrained and dull manner, which was torture for each other.

It would be better if we each went back to our own homes and gave each other a way out.

After everyone left, Zhao Xiaoqian yawned. He had been busy all day and hadn't had a moment's rest.

Being an emperor is indeed much more tiring than being a lazy bum. I don't know why heroes and great men throughout history have all been eyeing this position. Are they all born with the fate of being beasts of burden?
If you calculate the average lifespan of all emperors in China's thousands of years of history, would you still want to be one?
Zheng Chunhe entered silently, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, it's time for dinner."

"Then serve the meal. Don't be extravagant; two meat dishes and one vegetable dish will suffice."

After saying this, Zhao Xiaoqian was stunned, and then grief welled up inside him.

In my past life, when I was a cow or horse, I ate two meat dishes and one vegetable dish. In this life, even as an emperor, I still eat two meat dishes and one vegetable dish. Could it be that I was born to eat only meat dishes?

After being treated like cattle and horses for two lifetimes, can't we enjoy ourselves a little?

So Zhao Xiaoqian gritted his teeth and decided to splurge.

"...Add another soup for me!"

Dinner was quickly brought by palace maids, and the meal was served at a table in the Funing Palace.

Despite the emperor's noble status, his meals were quite simple unless it was an important occasion or a special occasion. They were not the dozens of elaborate dishes people imagine at every meal. One person simply couldn't eat that much, which would not only be wasteful but also exhaust the people and the resources.

Of course, there were also emperors who liked to show off and indeed ate extravagantly at every meal; there were quite a few such emperors.

Fortunately, Zhao Xiaoqian was not that kind of person. He claimed to be the "Son of Heaven," but in reality, the emperor was just an ordinary person who ate, drank, and relieved himself just like everyone else.

Zheng Chunhe opened the food box and took out several dishes, including vegetables, rice, and soup.

Zhao Xiaoqian was indeed a little hungry. He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite, then frowned and almost vomited.

"Is the imperial chef in a bad mood today, or is the palace short of his salary?" Zhao Xiaoqian asked, frowning.

Seeing Zhao Xiaoqian's expression, Zheng Chunhe immediately realized that the food in the palace did not suit his taste, and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This servant will go and ask. It seems that the imperial chefs have not yet figured out Your Majesty's preferences, and thus made a grave mistake..."

Zhao Xiaoqian waved his hand: "No need. It's such a trivial matter. It's just a meal... Have a palace servant go to the Chu Prince's residence and bring a cook from the kitchen to the palace to teach the imperial chefs how to cook. That will solve the problem."

"Yes, I will make arrangements now."

Zheng Chunhe hurriedly left the palace. Before long, a young eunuch brought in several kinds of pastries and cakes and placed them in front of Zhao Xiaoqian.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and thought that having Zheng Chunhe serve him was the best decision he could have made. He didn't have to worry about anything; Zheng Chunhe would take care of all his needs.

Having someone like that around is truly worry-free and effortless.

…………

The next morning, around dawn, when it was still barely light, Zhao Xiaoqian was woken up by Zheng Chunhe.

The emperor is about to hold his morning court session.

Morning court sessions were not routine. If it was for a major event, court sessions would only be held every two or three days. Each emperor had different habits and levels of diligence, so the time intervals between court sessions also varied.

Zhao Xiaoqian was lazier than any other emperor. He didn't want to attend court more than anyone else, but he had no choice. He had just ascended the throne, and the Song Dynasty was in dire need of rebuilding. There were just too many urgent problems that needed his attention.

He yawned and stretched out his arms lazily, letting Zheng Chunhe personally help him put on the emperor's ceremonial robes.

The twelve-tassel imperial crown was not worn; that thing was too heavy, weighing several pounds, and was only worn on important and formal occasions.

Moreover, it's best not to wear this thing outdoors, as it's mostly made of metal and is more susceptible to being struck by lightning outdoors.

On ordinary days, the emperor usually wore a double-winged hat, just like his ministers, when he went to court.

This thing is quite lightweight, and Zhao Xiaoqian has been wearing it for several years and is already used to it.

Entering the Daqing Hall still half asleep, Zhao Xiaoqian suppressed the urge to yawn, forced himself to stay alert, and surveyed the assembled officials.

After a brief greeting between the emperor and his subject, Zhang Dun began to present his report.

Most of the matters reported were things that frequently happened within the territory of the Song Dynasty, such as floods in a certain area, and local officials requesting the court to allocate money and grain for disaster relief.

Officials in a certain place were transferred, the imperial guards in a certain place were relocated and replaced, and conflicts broke out between border residents of a neighboring country and border residents of the Song Dynasty over water sources, pastures, and other reasons.

In fact, most of the matters reported by Zhang Dun had already been handled by the Council of State Affairs. Reporting them to the court was merely to demonstrate the emperor's authority and establish his prestige.

Zhao Xiaoqian naturally wouldn't make a fuss. These were not major issues, and since the Council of State had resolved them, he didn't say anything more.

After Zhang Dun presented his report, someone in the court stood up and loudly reported his case with a righteous expression.

As Zhao Xiaoqian had expected, it was an imperial censor who came out, a smooth talker.

The person being impeached was none other than Emperor Zhao Xiaoqian of the Song Dynasty. The censor accused him of behaving improperly at yesterday's enthronement ceremony, disrupting the rituals, and disregarding the etiquette followed by emperors since ancient times. He urged His Majesty to reflect on his actions and refrain from repeating the offense. Zhao Xiaoqian listened quietly, even managing to put on an approving smile.

There was no other way; no matter how harsh the words were, the emperor had to cultivate an image of being "open to advice" in order to be considered a good emperor and a capable monarch in the eyes of his subjects.

This is a profession that only people with good tempers and deep cunning can do.

Of course, the emperor could choose not to listen, or even, in a fit of temper, chop off the smooth-talking man with a knife. However, his reputation would be ruined from then on, and there would certainly be nothing good to say about him in court or among the people.

Zhao Xiaoqian didn't want to cause trouble for himself, so he decided to swallow his anger and let the smooth talker have his say.

Fortunately, there weren't many people who were disappointed. Regarding Zhao Xiaoqian's performance at yesterday's enthronement ceremony, only a handful of people came out to impeach and advise him, and their words were relatively mild.

The other court officials were much more emotionally intelligent; at least none of them chose to cause trouble for the emperor on the first day of the new emperor's court assembly.

The officials are still figuring out the Emperor's temperament. Are you sure you won't get killed by the boss and lose all your equipment if you treat the Emperor like a dungeon boss in such a hurry?
After the censors finished speaking, Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "I know, I know. When I ascend the throne next time, I will definitely behave better and promise not to cause trouble."

The courtiers in the hall were all astonished.

Do you want to hear what you said?
He's already the emperor, so why does he still speak like that spoiled young master from back then, with such a wicked and dissolute air?

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoqian asked, "Where is the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial?"

A middle-aged official stepped forward from the court and said, "Your subject is here."

"At yesterday's enthronement ceremony, you and the two envoys should confirm what I said to them. I didn't just say it casually. Have the rulers of Liao and Xia come up with a plan as soon as possible. The annual tribute that the Great Song Dynasty has paid must be returned to me."

Within the court, several officials immediately showed dissatisfaction and shifted their bodies slightly.

Zhao Xiaoqian resolutely said, "My mind is made up on this matter, there is no need to persuade me. Paying tribute is a minor matter. The real issue is washing away the humiliation that the Great Song Dynasty once suffered. The Great Song Dynasty now has the strength and status to take back what was once humiliatingly given away. That is the goal."

Seeing Zhao Xiaoqian's insistence, the courtiers fell silent.

For the Song Dynasty, this was not a bad thing. If the Liao and Xia states truly returned the annual tribute, scholars and common people throughout the land would surely be overjoyed. This move would be extremely beneficial for consolidating imperial power and establishing the dignity of the court.

After the matter was discussed, no one spoke in the hall for a moment. Just as Zhao Xiaoqian was about to announce the end of the court session, a court official stood up and said loudly, "Your subject, Zeng Chen, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, has something to report."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "Bring it here."

Zeng Chen bowed, his tone suddenly tinged with joy and excitement, and said, "Yesterday, I heard that the Prefect of Yingtian submitted a memorial..."

"It is said that at 11:15 PM four days ago, an auspicious omen appeared twenty miles northeast of Yingtian Prefecture. It was already dark, but a strange and colorful glow was seen in the sky, which could be seen within a radius of ten miles. This auspicious omen signifies that the emperor has ascended the throne and that the world will be blessed!"

The hall fell silent as the assembled officials stared at Zeng Chen in disbelief.

Zhao Xiaoqian was also stunned, staring blankly at Zeng Chen, speechless for a long time.

Gradually, Zhao Xiaoqian pursed his lips and cast a cold glance at Zhang Dun with an expressionless face.

Zhang Dun felt a chill run down his spine from that gaze, and his face gradually turned ashen.

After a long silence, Zhao Xiaoqian's lips curled into a smile: "Auspicious omen from heaven? Hehe, a good sign."

Zeng Chen kept his head down, not seeing Zhao Xiaoqian's expression, nor hearing the coldness in Zhao Xiaoqian's tone. He even said with a hint of smugness, "Yes, the Prefect of Yingtian presented a memorial with auspicious omens. I dare not delay and congratulate all the people of the world. Your Majesty's ascension to the throne is the will of Heaven. This is truly a blessing for the people of the Great Song Dynasty."

Zhao Xiaoqian sat on the dragon throne without making a sound.

Some of the officials in the hall noticed Zhao Xiaoqian's expression and were somewhat surprised by his indifference.

Auspicious omens descend from the heavens—what a joyous occasion! Any other emperor would be overjoyed, but why does the Emperor seem rather unhappy?
As the assembled officials looked at each other in bewilderment, Zhang Dun suddenly said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly, "Speak."

"Since the Emperor was established as the new ruler of the Song Dynasty several days ago, the State Affairs Hall has received a total of memorials from officials in various places."

"Among them, twenty-five people claimed that auspicious omens appeared under their rule. Some of these omens were strange colors falling from the sky, some were hunters discovering strange beasts like the Qilin in the mountains and forests, and some claimed to have seen colorful phoenixes in the sky. There were all sorts of auspicious omens..."

Zhao Xiaoqian hummed in agreement, then gave a self-deprecating laugh: "All twenty-five officials claim that auspicious omens have appeared under my rule. It seems that my ascension to the throne is truly the will of Heaven?"

At this moment, even the most foolish among the courtiers could tell that Zhao Xiaoqian's tone was off.

This is not a tone of joy or celebration at all.

"Mr. Zihou, I would like to know how you have handled the twenty-five auspicious omens reported by the Council of State Affairs," Zhao Xiaoqian said.

Zhang Dun lowered his eyes and said indifferently, "After discussing with my colleagues, I have decided to suppress these memorials."

Zhao Xiaoqian asked curiously, "You don't believe in auspicious omens?"

Zhang Dun said calmly, "If Your Majesty doesn't believe it, then naturally I don't believe it either."

"I further believe that any local official who presumptuously claims an auspicious omen should be punished and demoted as a warning to others!"

(End of this chapter)