The prince is more stable

Chapter 852 Conferring the Title of Border Commander
Selecting concubines to fill the imperial harem was a rule of the imperial family.

On this point, Zhao Xiaoqian certainly wouldn't adopt a sentimental persona or righteously declare that he wouldn't touch anyone but his own wife.

After all, he already had seven or eight wives, so Zhao Xiaoqian's affections were worthless.

Rules are rules, and Zhao Xiaoqian has no objection to them.

When someone becomes emperor, who would resist beautiful women?

However, Zhao Xiaoqian was not very enthusiastic. He had a process of getting to know and fall in love with each of his wives, but the imperial concubine selection was really just about taking off his pants and doing the deed. Compared to that, even the most beautiful woman was just a shell to him.

In terms of inner feelings, nothing can compare to one's own wife.

Without the nourishment of emotion, all that remains is pure sexual desire.

"Any daughter of an official or commoner from a respectable family can be selected to enter the palace. Before the Empress returns to the capital, the Ministry of Rites will prepare a list, which will then be submitted to the Empress for approval..."

Zhang Dun suddenly raised his voice and said, "In addition to Your Majesty's efforts to govern the country, you might as well... well, try to have more children in the harem, preferably to give birth to more princes, so as to stabilize the hearts of the people."

Zhao Xiaoqian was taken aback, then said quietly, "Master Zihou, I regard you as a loyal minister, but you regard me as a stud? Is it up to me to decide how many princes we have?"

Zhang Dun was, after all, a renowned moral gentleman, and he was very uncomfortable talking about the emperor's bedroom affairs.

With an awkward smile, Zhang Dun said, "Your Majesty can at least decide half of the matter. In short, Your Majesty is probably the most aware of the consequences of an emperor having no heir. For the long-term stability of the country, it is always right to have more princes."

Zhao Xiaoqian scoffed, "Li Yuan also had several sons, but what was the result? The Xuanwu Gate succession system still applied. Was having so many princes really useful?"

Zhang Dun was speechless for a moment, opened his mouth, and found himself unable to refute.

Zhao Xiaoqian remained silent for a long time before saying, "No matter how many princes I have in the future, they will not be allowed to stay in Bianjing to live a life of luxury after they come of age. They will all be sent down to poor rural areas to work, to understand the hardships of the people, and to come up with their own solutions to the people's suffering."

"The Song emperors do not appoint the eldest son as heir but the most virtuous, and I have already set a precedent. So let this rule continue. After me, the throne will be reserved for the virtuous, regardless of the order of birth or age. After the princes come of age, I will only observe their character and abilities."

"Who is suitable to be emperor is up to me."

Zhang Dun was startled upon hearing this. Was this another attempt to break with ancestral rules?
Seeing that Zhang Dun seemed hesitant to speak, wanting to offer advice but not daring to, Zhao Xiaoqian didn't elaborate further.

Why has the succession of the imperial throne in China for thousands of years mostly followed the eldest son of the legitimate wife, rather than the most virtuous and capable?

One very important reason is that the order of seniority is clear and visible, while the word "virtuous" is very abstract and general.

Who is virtuous and who is not? Who decides? As long as you have enough powerful forces to win over, with everyone saying the same thing, even a dog will be called a virtuous dog with the air of an emperor. Who can you reason with then?

This is why, since ancient times, only the eldest son of the legitimate wife has been chosen as heir, not the most virtuous one. Choosing the most virtuous one would only incite greater turmoil.

How to ensure that the princes chosen by emperors throughout history were truly virtuous and wise, rather than the product of forming cliques and gaining power, is an age-old problem that has never been solved.

Zhao Xiaoqian is currently unable to resolve this issue either.

Fortunately, he is still young and has a long life ahead of him. He will eventually find a solution.

Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly thought of something else and asked, "After the enthronement ceremony, officials from all over the country submitted memorials. Was there a memorial from Zhang Jie, the commander of the Northwest Frontier?"

Without hesitation, Zhang Dun replied, "The Council of State Affairs received Zhang Jie's memorial yesterday. Zhang Jie expressed his willingness to pledge allegiance to Your Majesty and stated his intention to continue defending the borders and keeping the Western Xia people out of the country."

Zhao Xiaoqian quickly glanced at Zhang Dun.

Zhang Dun and Zhang Jie both have the surname Zhang. Could they be related?
Yes, they really are relatives.

Zhang Dun and Zhang Jie were brothers from the same clan; they shared the same ancestor.

Now, the two brothers are a prime minister and a powerful military commander in the northwest, respectively. Their family is extremely prominent and their power is unparalleled. It seems that the ancestral graves of the Zhang family have been turned into a carnival.

Of course, as far as Zhao Xiaoqian knew, the two brothers were very careful to avoid suspicion in their daily interactions, acting as if they didn't know each other. All their dealings were handled in an official and business-like manner. Therefore, although the court officials knew about their relationship, very few people impeached them.

When Zhao Xiaoqian ascended the throne and conferred titles upon his meritorious officials, he did not bestow any honors upon Zhang Jie.

It wasn't that he had forgotten, but rather that he was waiting for Zhang Jie's attitude.

If Zhang Jie submitted a memorial supporting his ascension to the throne and expressing his loyalty, then Zhang Jie should be rewarded, because he was indeed a meritorious official.

Zhao Xiaoqian had not forgotten that when he led the Dragon Guard Battalion into the territory of the Western Xia Kingdom, it was Zhang Jie who silently directed the army from the rear to cooperate with his tactics, keeping the main force of the Western Xia army busy fighting on the border. This allowed Zhao Xiaoqian to seize the opportunity of the Western Xia capital being undefended and capture the Western Xia capital in one fell swoop, making an unparalleled contribution.

Moreover, during the years Zhao Xiaoqian fought against the Liao army in the north, he poached many of Zhang Jie's generals. Generals like Zhe Keshi and Guo Cheng were recruited by Zhao Xiaoqian. Whether Zhang Jie cursed him behind his back is unknown, but Zhao Xiaoqian certainly owed Zhang Jie a considerable favor.

This favor must be repaid.

After a long pause, Zhao Xiaoqian slowly said, "Mr. Zihou, the Council of State Affairs is drafting an imperial edict to confer titles upon Zhang Jie, appointing him as Grand Academician of the Zizheng Hall, Associate Privy Councilor, and granting him the title of 'Marquis of Shuofang County,' while retaining his position as Pacification Commissioner of Huanqing Circuit and Prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture."

Zhang Dun looked at Zhao Xiaoqian in shock.

This imperial decree of honor was truly a great favor from the emperor. Zhang Dun never expected that the emperor would value this fellow clansman, the Northwest Frontier Commander, so much, not only bestowing upon him honors and titles, but also granting him an official position in the Privy Council.

Looking at the rewards Zhao Xiaoqian bestowed upon his officials after ascending the throne, a large proportion of them were for military generals. Moreover, he was generous in granting titles to generals such as Zhong Jianzhong, Zong Ze, and Zhe Keshi. Now it was Zhang Jie's turn, and he was also granted a title.

This shows that after the emperor ascended the throne, he valued military generals highly, and the status of military officers and soldiers was visibly elevated. The Song Dynasty court gradually reduced its tendency to favor civil officials over military ones.

Although the title was bestowed upon his own cousin, Zhang Dun still bowed deeply in gratitude, saying, "On behalf of my cousin Zhang Jie, I kowtow to express my gratitude for Your Majesty's grace."

Zhao Xiaoqian waved his hand: "No need to thank me. This is what Commander Zhang deserves. Commander Zhang guards the northwestern border of the country, enduring wind and rain all year round. He has a heart full of patriotism. I cannot let Commander Zhang and the soldiers of the northwest feel cold."

"Regarding logistics, the Council of State Affairs may make appropriate arrangements to provide more benefits to the border troops stationed in various parts of the Song Dynasty, increase the supply of grain and meat as much as possible, and ensure that soldiers' pay is not delayed. At the same time, the local militia should also be given more grain, armor, and weapons as appropriate."

"Although the Xiang Army's combat strength is a bit lacking, it is still the national defense force of the Song Dynasty, so let's not discourage them."

Zhang Dun smiled wryly, "A single word from the Emperor can put considerable pressure on the national treasury..."

“Take it slow, cut costs and increase revenue. Things can’t be accomplished overnight. Let’s set a three- to five-year plan, with short-term goals for each stage. This way, the pressure on the emperor and his ministers won’t be too heavy.”

"How is the matter of transferring officials from the capital to lower levels being handled by the State Affairs Hall?" Zhao Xiaoqian then asked.

A complex expression flashed across Zhang Dun's face as he calmly said, "The Yuanyou Party officials intend to use this matter to wage war against the New Party. They have all taken the initiative to submit memorials requesting to participate in the decentralization, presumably to make a fuss about the implementation of the new policies in the localities."

Zhao Xiaoqian, however, astutely remarked, "You only mention the Yuanyou Party, what about the New Party? Don't they have other intentions?"

Zhang Dun looked embarrassed and said in a low voice, "Most of the New Party officials... share the same thoughts as the Yuanyou Party, and they all intend to attack their political enemies."

Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly, "Then there is no need to consider those who advocate submitting memorials to participate. The State Council and the Ministry of Personnel will select from the officials in the capital. The hundred officials to be transferred this time will be given priority based on their performance evaluations by the Ministry of Personnel over the years and their moral character."

"What I want are upright officials who dare to act and speak out, who will report the implementation of the new policies to the people in a down-to-earth manner, rather than using this as a weapon to deal with political enemies. This applies to both the new and old parties."

Zhang Dun felt a chill run down his spine. He realized that Zhao Xiaoqian's last words were actually a warning to him and the New Party.

After all, the New Party camp currently holds the advantage in the political landscape. Zhao Xiaoqian is warning him not to use the issue of demoting officials to attack his political enemies, or the consequences will be severe.

"Your Majesty's decree will be obeyed," Zhang Dun said, bowing his head.

Zhao Xiaoqian's tone became much heavier as he said, "The demotion of officials is a matter of national importance. The emperor and his ministers should handle this matter with utmost care and diligence. My Imperial City Guard will have spies watching these demotion officials. If any officials are found to be committing illegal acts among the people, they will be severely punished immediately."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian curled his lips and said lightly, "It's time to let all the civil and military officials know that being an official in the Song Dynasty is not so easy. They should feel some pressure too. Otherwise, do they really think that becoming an official means a life of wealth and carefree living? Hehe, how naive."

Zhang Dun sensed Zhao Xiaoqian's sharp edge at this moment. Thinking back to when he faced the late Emperor Zhezong, Zhang Dun even had the confidence to argue with Zhao Xu face to face, and they both harbored resentment.

But now the newly enthroned emperor's aura was too strong, and Zhang Dun dared not have the slightest thought of resisting or contradicting him.

"Your Majesty's decree will be obeyed and this matter will be handled properly," Zhang Dun replied honestly.

A new emperor brings a new court. Zhang Dun was one way in front of Zhao Xu and another way in front of Zhao Xiaoqian. This old fox, who had served three emperors, was quite adaptable.

After finishing his business, Zhao Xiaoqian turned to look at the sky outside the hall, sighed, and said, "You said you wouldn't freeload, but you've been dawdling until now, and you're still planning to freeload, aren't you..."

Zhang Dun immediately smiled with relief and said without any politeness, "In that case, Your Majesty is very grateful for the banquet."

Zhao Xiaoqian was taken aback and looked him up and down: "Mr. Zihou is really... not at all like a stranger to me."

Zhang Dun smiled and said, "The reason I have reached this position is because I have a thick skin. I have done my fair share of things to climb the ladder by taking advantage of others."

Zhao Xiaoqian stroked his chin and murmured, "So, the reason I became emperor is probably because I have a thicker skin than you..."

"The palace is cutting costs, so if you want to freeload a meal, you have to pay for it yourself. Mr. Zihou, please contribute a little. Otherwise, if you get this meal for free, I won't be able to sleep tonight."

(End of this chapter)